Sayago Montevideo Uruguay - June 25th 2012

Hi All,

Yesterday, we went to look for Joel during the second hour of church... He lives an hour walk away so we took the bus and went and clapped and clapped and threw rocks at his door. Nothing. It was a depressing bus ride back to the church. We talked to him that night. He'd gone to the ferria to gather food, because he'd run out.... My counsel to the world is let us be sure that we are not so busy that we cannot hear the Spirit. He will come and knock, but he will not throw rocks at you nor shout. We must be constantly aware of the Spirit and cautious that we are not neglecting His promptings. If we do, he won't be coming around as much...

However despite that setback, Joel is progressing nicely. We were going to baptise him this saturday the 30th but President has specifically asked our ward to do baptisms on sundays, the reason being that our church is considerably outside of the ward boundaires and our attendance on Sunday as it is are nothing to brag about. Therefore, in order to have people come to baptisms, we do them on Sundays directly after sacrament meeting. That said, it's been close to 6 or 8 months since Sayago has had a baptism so....VAMOS ARRIBA!!! :D I'm more than a little bit stoked about Joel's baptism. He needs the help, and the ward is already coming together to help him.  With the added blessings of the gift of the Holy Ghost, I think he's going to change his situation very very soon. Luna, the 8 soon-to-be 9 year-old, is doing great as well and she will be baptised this coming Sunday as well. Carlos and Iria are....old. :) They are struggling to understand and they are still waiting on the okay from the surgeon for carlos to be out and about. So....We'll see what July brings. Eesh, is it really already july? Fa....crazy.


My companion is  a convert of like 12 years and he's the only active member in his family. His dad is inactive and the rest of his family is anti.... It's tough I know, which adds to the greater need for compassion.


As for BBQ....I'll take some pictures of an asado sometime and perhaps of the local butcher shops. Perhaps not. :) Speaking of food... I made meatloaf with my bare hands yesterday. That was a trip. The family forgot they had lunch with us, even though we CALLED the night before so when we showed up they were like crud! So we asked if we could help and they said sure and I made fruit salad and then I made meatloaf, which they actually used to make homemade hamburgers and we had fried beef stakes and fried potatoes. I didn't even get to eat what i made...Where is the justice in that??   I've been watching my intake lately and I'm doing really well. I've upped my work out routine and I stop eating after a plate or two to see if I'm really full. Usually I am, so I'm eating about a quarter or a third less than I used to. Looks like my metabolism is slowing down. That's okay though, because I'm not getting fat. Most of the members in Montevideo like to do fruit for dessert too which helps a bunch and I'm refusing fried foods whenever I can. Gotta watch those trans fats!! 


Weather wise, it's been pleasant this entire week. Sun, slight breezes, moderate temperatures. I cruised around today for a little while in just a short sleeve shirt. I've only been sporting a sweater and I usually have to take it off after bout 20 minutes of walking. I wish it would stay like this all winter long... we'll see what happens.

On Wednesday and Thursday, we did divisons with the Zone Leaders which was fun. I'm really happy I get along with them. THEY HAVE CARPET!!!! It's insane! I still didn't walk around barefoot but CARPET! It's spectacular!

Anyway, that was pretty much my week. It's been going a lot better, because I'm focusing on charity, patience and looking how I can keep us rolling along without problems and on time.

Chau
Elder Andy

Sayago Montevideo Uruguay - June18th 2012

Hi All,

Obtaining referrals in this area is rather difficult and knocking doors is mostly unproductive so we do a lot of street contacting combined with tracting to find new people. We're also raiding the area book to look for old investigators and good contacts from past missionaries. As for the area, it's really not that big in my opinion. I can walk from one end to the other in about a half hour, that's moving like a missionary though. Ya know, on the wings of the Spirit and all. 

As for the weather, it's been interesting....we've had a 3 or 4 days of rain this week and this last saturday was what I would call a torrential downpour. Granted, I was prepared with my trench coat and umbrella so it really wasn't all that bad. Once I get walking, I'm almost too warm for just my trench coat. It's during studies in the morning that's the coldest because we sit for 2 hours. 

We went to go visit Joel on friday of this last week and thats when things started to go a lot better. We'd talked about fasting with him in district meeting and we got into the lesson with him the next day. I had this impression that we should start fasting right then and there. So, unplanned, I commited the three of us to do so. We had service the next day, breaking old plaster off of the walls of a members home. Well, an hour into it, I was exhausted. Turns out chipping at plaster is really really hard when you've been fasting for about 20 hours. Anyways, we got to his house after service and closed our fast and talked about how he felt and what he'd learned during the fast. He started talking about a couple of things that he thought of that he'd forgotten about that might make it possible for him to get a job. I testified to him that it was the Spirit that had brought those things to his rememberance as a result of the fast. Like I said, he's now on his way to baptism and to work. Fasting without a purpose is just starving yourself. With a purpose, fasting brings about miracles.

The ward priesthood are really stepping up and supporting Joel. He's still looking for work, but what happens is he needs a new ID card because his is expired and he also needs a proof of health. But what happens is that he literally has no money. He has water that he gathered before they cut it and he has no power. He gathers food from the farmers markets that has fallen and that's how he survives. It looks like he's going to be able to get the documentation that he needs and he's on track to be baptized the 30th of this month! 

Also, we've a 9 year old girl of a less active grandma that we're teaching and she's to be baptized the same day! There's also an older couple named carlos and iria that we're working with. Recently Carlos had a tumor removed from his left ear, as a result of skin cancer. They were investigating a while back, but his bed ridden mother was living with them so they really couldn't make it to church. His mother having died 5 months ago, they feel like they're ready to start taking steps in the right direction. They can't come to church til next month because Carlos really can't be outside for too long and the church isn't that warm at all so his ear would possibly be damaged by the continued exposure to the cold. So, the doctor says that he's good to go by the end of this month. Hopefully we can get them baptized by the 15th or so. We'll see what happens 

There's a member in my area that made the michael Jackson thriller knock off leather coats in the '80's and there's also a really good Michael Jackson impersonator in the next ward over. Before I leave this area I'm going to try and get some pictures with him. He's a temple worker and I think the Elders Quorum President in that ward, which I was surprised to hear. Funny guy though. 

Elder Andy

Sayago Montevideo Uruguay - June11th 2012

Hi All,

Elder Salgado is from Chigan, Chile, south of Santiago and north of Concepcion.  As part of weekly planning which we do every friday, we have a thing called companionship inventory and I mentioned to him then that we need to make sure that we are 100  percent obedient. I told him that we're both aware of what the rule book says and that we need to make sure that we are following it. More than that, I'm just trying to lead by example. I just keep trying to focus on what I can learn and on the long run. I realize that these past couple changes have made me a more proactive leader and that I'm getting good at handling situations that I didn't plan for. Once again, a blessing from the Lord. We'll see what happens. Not much more that I can do. You know how little I like conflict, even less in Spanish. Oh and just so you know, turns out my spanish is pretty good. BLESSING

Elder Salgado does not speak a lick of English, though he has great desires to learn it. I've been helping him with that a lot lately. I see no reason not to help him. It's just frustrating sometimes with you're trying to study or do something else and he starts asking you about English. Anyway, ususally we start and then he gets to a word that has three or four vocalizations that simply don't exist in Spanish. At that point I'm prone to laughter and a lot of sympathy, because for a phonetic language speaker, English is a nightmare. That more often than not helps me have more patience and charity. All of this is also fueled by the fact that some Elder's sister's friend is writing Elder Salgado, for what appears to me to be just for fun, but he's sunk his little heart right into her. I hope it doesn't get broken.... Anyway, he very badly wants to write her back and so he's really pushin it with his english. Makes me chuckle.


Elder Salgado has been out for about a year and three months.  He's very very focused on the work, but sometimes just doesn't know what the simplest and fastest way to do things is. Also, he's pretty bad with dates, numbers and the time, so I'm always keeping an eye on the clock. I tend to push things along, call the shots and lead lessons. He teaches well, but sometimes misses the needs of the investigator in his rush to throw out more examples. That's okay though. We're all here to learn. I'm currently learning patience, drive, how to be senior companion and love. It's great right?

The visa extension is a one time deal. We just have to go in and pretty much say that we haven't falsified our documents and that the church is going to have us stay here a little bit longer. Ya know, we don't want to be illegal aliens and all that.

As for the cold, wednesday was the coldest day of my mission. It was WINDY rainy and cold. The last couple of days have been warmer though and I'm back to just cruisin around with short sleeves, a sweater with the sleeves rolled up and a single pair of pants. Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, I  had two pair of pants on (my scrub type pants on underneath) my trench coat with the thermal lining, gloves a hat and a scarf. It's really not that cold, it's just the friggin wind that kills me. Plus the fact that I'm skinny. I love how a lot of the sisters are convinced that they're going to fatten me up for the winter. Not happening. If I have to refuse after the first plate because I'm already full of heavy food, I'll do it.  They say it's going to be a short but brutal winter so we'll see what happens in the coming weeks. I hate winter... And  yes, we have heaters for our apartments. I'm sleeping super warm with just a sleeping bag, a sheet and a blanket. I've been waking up nearly sweeting for a couple days so it's still really not that cold.

Elder Salgado kinda just does his own thing. He keeps offering me deep fried food even after I've told him I don't eat it. He gets a little bit offended by this but, I'm keepin my arteries clean.  However, he is so focused on helping people. Everyone we see, he sees as a candidate for baptism. It's kind of cool sometimes, sometimes it's a little absured.  All in all, he's a good guy, we just have our differences is all. Normal people stuff right?

This last district meeting they said our goal for the zone is to make sure that we are spiritually healthy. We made our own standards of liberty and we put them in our agendas. .. I want to bring honor to my family name.

Elder Ender

Still I Rise

when I ran into elder Velazquez coming into deo.
Made my freakin day

My last district

Missionaries are normal people too... or boys will be boys

Elder Dickson and I this last wednesday morning before he left.

Sayago Montevideo Uruguay - June 5th 2012

Buenos Dias,

I can't believe that it's June already. I say good bye to my companion tonight so that should be interesting. My new companion is Elder Salgado, from Chile. Latino compañero number 1. Here we go....

My companion has been doing great. We worked hard all week and the last couple of days have been him saying good bye which is normal. Yesterday, though, I had to go to ciudad vieja (old town) to sign some visa extension papers and get finger printed which took a couple of hours. It's something that every missionary has to do and we sign a form that says we aren't falsifying our documentation and that we're going to obey the laws. I like to read what I sign. Then we verified information that they had copies of and then got finger printed and went home. Pretty routine stuff. I'm glad they didn't notice that I had my finger prints removed when I joined that secret government agency. That could have caused some problems. I would have had to have done a lot of brain wiping... what a messy situation it would have been.

I'm more than warm. I'm just cruising around with the sweater mom sent me and most of the time I have the sleeves rolled up. Everyone freaks out and asks why I'm not wearing more clothes. They all have 2 or 3 sweaters on by now, in their houses. On the streets people are bundled up. I guess I'm just the cold blooded heartless monster I am. It's all good. Para que sepa (Just so you know), I do have hot water for about my shower. Most people cruise around in european cars and on really crappy small engined motos or they go by bus. My bed is pretty normal too. This country is more like europe than the latin america that we picture in the States. I'm more in the suburbs of the city, because ciudad vieja (old town) is more like the centro (center) and downtown portion of town and that's about 30 to 40 minutes away by bus.

They're starting to feed us really high calorie food so that we can "get fatter to stay warm during the winter". Not cool. I've stopped accepting food after the first plate because I'm drinking more water and eating more fruit and fiber crackers. I'm also getting full faster so it looks like my metabolism is slowing down. If i eat more than one plate I feel stuffed and then i just feel gross because we have to go out and work on a bloated stomach.

Our area is picking up. We've got a couple of solid investigators and more than a couple good contacts that could very well become investigators. The ward is okay....Currently with the amount of active members that we have qualifies us for a branch which means we would go down but that doesn't usually happen. We'll see...I don't know exactly what the problem is but some of the members seem to be having a lot of problems. We'll see what this next change shakes up. Our numbers are like 42 active members and something like 10 melkezidek priesthood holders. I don't even know on full tithe payers but I know that it's really low. That's a huge problem here in Montevideo because the cost of living is so high and a lot of the members don't see how they can make it as it is much less giving the Lord %10.

I feel like a lot of funny things happened this week but I really can't remember a lot of them. Today we were getting off of a bus and Elder Tyree my mtc comp, who is with my district leader, got stuck behind an old lady who wasn't getting off. So three of us got off the bus and then the doors closed and the bus kept going. We started laughing really hard and just walked after the bus. He got off on the next stop of course, but we all called him a trucho missionary for trying to escape. We all had a good laugh about it. 

My first zone was also the one with Elder Salgado in it.... and he's an interesting guy. He...doesn't understand a lot of how things are and what is and isn't appropriate or normal. It's not malicious or intentional...but he doesn't walk within the restrictions of regular society. I've talked extensively with one of his past companions and seen him more than a few times. I was very stressed out when I received the call last night because it means that I have to keep an eye on him and on the area. I was rather distraught after the call so I went off by myself, (we were staying with 4 other elders so that we could go to the temple in the morning) and began to meditate. As soon as I relaxed my mind and began some breathing exercises, the Spirit came to me and told me that this change will be what I make of it. I was filled with peace and began to pour out my feelings to the Lord. He told me that it will all be for my good, and with that I went to bed.

Today, we went to the temple and when I sat down in the celestial room, I started sharing the same concerns and investigating it more. I cannot describe what I felt. I know that this change will be trying. There will be many things that I can learn and I will be challenged to the utmost of my ability. But I know, without a shadow of the doubt that this is Gods will and I'll be damned if I give up. Like quite literally damned. I can do this, and the preoccupation has fled. I felt such comfort and peace that I was brought to the verge of tears. How dearly I love the House of the Lord. How truly thankful I am to my Savior for all that He suffered for me.



I will merely close with a quote from Robert Louis Stevenson.
And with a sudden plunge
on the sullen swell
three fathoms deep
on the road to Hell.
I am a tool in the Hands of the Lord God Almighty. I will be His Voice, I will be His Hands, and I will not fear. There they go, into the darkness, with a spark of light in their hearts. They, the Soldiers of Light.

Elder Ender

For I am a Soldier of Light.