Week 31~World Cup Week

Hola querida familia! This week was pretty good! As far as working goes, we were pretty much a complete failure as a companionship, between being a little bit sick, the world cup starting, and other factors we struggled this week, but I haven't lost my excitement for the work that we are doing! I am actually really excited to do a lot better this week! Earlier in the week I got an ear infection and it was somewhat painful and I couldn't hear anything so I went to the doctor and he was not the best doctor in the world haha. He looked in my ears and what not which was good and then he just gave me some pills and told me I had to go next door and get a shot in my butt! I was pretty baffled.. I couldn't quite figure out why having an ear infection required a shot in the butt, but I followed his council.. And honestly I don't think it really did anything because I still had the ear infection for a while. But I have since then recovered so all in all I would say it was worth it. The world cup started this week as you all know so everyone is just all futbol all the time, which I love, but at the same time it is super hard to focus and find anyone that wants to talk about stuff other than futbol. I underestimated how hard it would be to be a missionary during the world cup because all I want to do is watch the games sometimes haha, but its all good! Everyone tells us the scores and what happens. It is just such a different culture here.. The other day we had an activity for fathers day at the church and every single one of the dads said their favorite thing is futbol haha it was so funny.. They have a passion for futbol that is on another level from even the people in the states that are huge football or basketball fans. So its been cool to be in this culture during the world cup, but also surprisingly difficult! Yesterday argentina played their first game and the streets were completely empty. The whole country I am pretty sure was just dead. Elder Hokanson and I are getting along well! I have really had to step up and be the leader in every aspect of the work which has been a big change from my last companions who always lead everything, but I am learning a lot! Lately I have been reading Jesus the Christ all the time, which I love. I would recommend that everyone read that. I am like super hooked on it. I feel like I am there with Christ and His apostles when I read that book and my testimony and love for the Savior is growing as I read and study. I love the Savior. I love that I have a knowledge of His love for us. It brings me so much peace and I know that He has given me the way to overcome any trial or weakness I face in my life! I hope I can always be seen as a disciple of Christ and someone that tries to be like Him. Its not an easy lifestyle, but it is the happiest there is! I know I lack so many of His attributes and fall short every day, but I want to keep progressing! I hope you all can have the same desire and find one thing that you can do better this week! I love you guys! Besos Copyright: doomko / 123RF Stock Photo

Week 30~

Como andan ustedes?? Well this week was great as always! Elder Hokanson and I are finding tons of new people to teach and have programmed several new people to be baptized in the upcoming weeks! We are super focused on trying to find the people that are prepared to accept the gospel so we invite the people to be baptized on the first lesson,which can be kind of tough, but we are finding lots of success with it! And the people are willing to accept the invitation. I am continuing to try to develop more patience for everything.. Companion, investigators, difficulties of the mission.. I have found that I am not a very patient person, so I am working on it! Its tough though.. But I am so grateful for the mission and how it has helped me to see how weak I really am without the help of the Lord. Yesterday I got way sick! So that was sweet! For lunch we ate a big asado (cookout of meat) and I tried blood sausage for the first time, which was a huge mistake. I actually didn't mind it that much, but yesterday afternoon right before we were going to leave to work, I started feeling super sick and from basically 6 in the evening until 1 in the morning, I was throwing up.. I think the blood sausage is the culprit (is that a word?) but yeah I kept trying to go to sleep but just kept throwing up and I had a nice fever, but I took some medicine and finally got to sleep and I am feeling a lot better today!. I am telling you this because I am okay now so theres no need to worry mom.. But just wanted to warn you guys to not go out and eat any blood sausage today. I am loving my area and the members are super awesome. Our branch is super united which is something you don't find here very often, but all of the members are like one big family which is so cool. A great example to me. It really is so important that we fellowship other members of the church and create that feeling of a family in the church. Hope you all know that I love you and am grateful for you guys! Families are ordained of God! And I am so grateful that I get to be a part of this family that our Father in Heaven has given us! Love you guys

Week 28~

Well this week was super great! I am always remembering the motto that Elder Saez taught me, ``Patience and Love, Elder, Patience and Love`.. So it has been a good week! We have been working our butts off and seen lots of results. The mission is not about numbers, but I am pretty sure we had the best numbers in the zone and from week to week we are progressing a ton, so that has been great! We found a bunch of new investigators this week and are teaching this one couple that is so awesome! We went and visited them on saturday and had one of the most spiritual lessons I have had on the mission. It was a little birthday miracle. They are reading the Book of Mormon and praying to know if it is true and they are already feeling the spirit every time we come and I have no doubt that they will be baptized in the next month! Interesting note about the area I am in.. there hasn't been a baptism here in like a year or two.. Which honestly doesn't scare me or affect me at all. I know there are people being prepared for us in every area, all we have to do as missionaries is do our part and be obedient and good things will come. I truly believe that If I do all that I can the baptisms will come! And we are already seeing the truth of that here! For my birthday in the night we went to the Yufra Family`s house and they had made a cake for me and it had this sparkler candle in it so that was sweet! They are a super awesome family that is always helping the missionaries and I am already super tight with them! Alejandro just got back from his mission in Sau Paulo and he gave me a tie as a present so that was super nice. A little more about Elder Hokanson: He is from Ogden Utah, he has about 18 months in the mission,he is an awesome companion.. He cooks super well and is super chill and patient with me so I am grateful for him. He is also my district leader!We live in an apartment house thing with two floors and our zone leaders live above us! Elder Holloway from Meridian Idaho and Elder Esteban from Bahia Blanca Argentina! SO the four of us get to hang out and see each other a lot and cook good food sunday nights so its been fun!

Venado tuerto is really growing on me and I am starting to love it as well as the branch here! There is a huge grocery store here which is sweet! As opposed to basically a gas station convenience store was the only thing we had in Feliciano so I can actually buy food now! But I am really happy and doing great! I know that I am serving my Heavenly Father in the best way I can! I have truly come to love my Heavenly Father and have the desire to do His will, sometimes it is hard, but I know that through diligent prayer and a sincere desire to change I can do all that He asks of me! Love you guys a ton and am grateful for you! Les quiero muchismo! Hasta la proxima semana!