Cardona Uruguay - Sept 24th 2012

Hi All,

Monday, pday. Always good. Tuesday, got SOAKED! But had a killer lesson with Cristhina. We had brutal winds and a torrential downpour Tuesday evening but it was okay because the Spirit kept us warm, because our trench coats couldn't, being thoroghly soaked. Wellll....it was okay, but then we had to get up at 3:30 am to catch a bus to Montevideo. And our trench coats were kinda dry. Until we walked out the door and got soaked at 4:30 in the morning. Not fun. So we sat wet on a bus for 3 hours with the lady next to us coughing up a lung the entire way. There went my beauty sleep....And it rained. And rained. And rained.... and then rained some more.

Then we got a call from the zone leaders 5 minutes before we  got in to MonteVideo saying that they didn't wait because...well....yea....that's literally what they told me. Then, they gave me crappy directions. But I didn't know that til 10 blocks and 20 minutes later, dripping like a sewer rat in the most furious storm of my life minutes before a conference with a member of the 70. So I chuckled as I thought of torturing them and got us back to the right place. So, soaked, we sat through a really cool 3 hour conference with elder Viñas about conversion and retention and the fact that like 11% of the people that we're baptizing are staying active after the first year. Gotta fix that one.... It was great!

Then, we got wet on the way to XXX to catch our bus to Cardona. And when we got home....no more rain. I WAS SO HAPPY FOR NO MORE RAIN! And I put on dry clothes and it was great and I was warm and toasty and happy. And then. I got sick on Saturday. There's a shocker. It's really just been more like really really bad allergies so i can't complain if that's the worst I'm getting after being soaked for 24 hours straight.





I know that I'm going to chuckle about this storm in a few weeks and it'll only get funnier with time. We had a good time with it on Tuesday night but Wednesday was just miserable....Also. Someone threw an egg at us the other day, probably trying to stick it with the insult so commonly hurled at us. Juevos. How original....Anyway. I totally felt like Samuel the Lamanite because it zipped past my head and landed in front of us. I'm sure kids could have sworn it was gonna hit us. God protected us. I know He did.

I do need to get a new umbrella.  Mine very nearly lost it's life in the storm on Wednesday and Tuesday. You can see in the picture what happened to Elder Rosete's Umbrella.

Faith is a prerequisite to learning. That was something that I had never considered and really enjoyed. Our next door neighbor is Juan. He's the executive secretary of the branch and a RM of 6 years. He's been really frustrated with his life in that he's not been able to progress in his work and he had great plans for after the mission when he left but due to family problems, he's been working like a fool trying to make up the loses. Today...He asked me to help him learn English. He received a job offer in the United States. His dreams are all right before his eyes and he still can't believe it. I dunno why I'm sharing this I just want to say that the Lord always makes good on His word and always has our best interest in mind. It took 6 years for Juan to even possibly have the chance of progressing in this life because almost all of his earnings have been going to support his mother who got divorced from his father during his mission service. And it went from I'm never getting out of this po-dunk town to I have to learn English now because I'm getting out of here. Only the Lord moves so swiftly, precisely and certainly. It is our job to stay on our feet and ready for when He gives us blessings and even more urgent, for when He comes. 

 Well...that's about it for this week mom.  I know that Christ lives and that He kept me safe and healthy through that storm. We are protected by the spirit. I know we are.

Elder Andy

Cardona Uruguay - Sept 17th 2012

Hello All,

I'm doing great. It has been a tough week, but hey, it was rewarding and that's what counts. Our numbers were a crap shoot in a shanghai alley, but that's not what matters because you can't call in to report the miracles that the Lord blessed ya with during the week. The bread recipe I make is really really really easy. And I mix it with my bare hands. Like a man. I do indeed get fruits and veggies. I eat at least 1 banana a day and then what ever else I find. I cook with tomatoes peppers carrots corn peas and onions a lot. Oh yea. The big bag? Potatoes. 100 pesos for a bag that size. They're itty bitty little guys but they're spuds none the less and I love me some taters. And yes. We ate it all in three days. So I made it again today. But better. And more. For just me. Soooo there's lunch for the next week.

The new branch president is indeed here full time. That's all they do. Live a normal retired life and share the gospel casually but actively with the people that they come across. This last week....was the lowest that I have seen since I've been here. It was 8 members. Eesh....We gotta fix that!

And as for the area....we were really frustrated and distraught for the first half of the week. We really weren't seeing progress in anyone and dropped Tamara and Yulisa.... Which pretty much meant we knocked doors for a lot of 3 days. During our studies, separately, we both felt that we should fast this week end. So, we started our fast after lunch on Saturday. And found 2 new investigators and had some BOSS lessons. Sunday, we had a district conference (stake conference but none of the areas in the stake are wards so we're a district) and SURPRISE it was a satellite transmission from Salt Lake to 22 stakes and 12 districts in Uruguay and Paraguay! Elder Gonzalez spoke and someone from the relief society who's name I can't recall and then we heard from Elder Anderson who spoke portuñol with a french accent. That was interesting. Then, we heard from the Prophet! It was pretty boss. I enjoyed it. Then, when we got home, we found ANOTHER great investigator! I'm so thankful for the miracles that the Lord threw our way. We were so in tune with the spirit for each charla it was NUTS! I love being a missionary.


Now more than ever I feel like I'm finding and learning so many new things about the Book of Mormon! I've just begun reading it in Spanish (I actually started in Mosiah 3 where I was at in English) I'm going to try and get to Mosiah 2 by the end of the year. I think I can do it. Then I'm going to sprint through it in English. There's just so much to be found and learned and felt! It's the best! Today for example....I've been reading about Abinadi and I read Mosiah 14. He bears such powerful testimony of the Lord and Savior. I don't know how many times I've blown past that part in English, but this time it really rang home. It's interesting seeing the differences between the English and Spanish versions. Some things speak to me in one and other things in the other. I know that Jesus Christ lives and that He suffered for me. I'm thankful for Isaiah and his prophecies of the Savior. I'm thankful that Abinadi was faithful enough to study the scriptures and bold enough to answer the call of God and face down an entire nation to bear a fiery witness of Jesus Christ. I want to shake his hand when I see him in the next life.

I've come to terms with the fact that I'm a missionary. I get up and I don't see some punk parading around in a shirt and tie with a cute little name tag. I see a missionary in the mirror. I can't believe that I was ever anything else. I won't even hint that I'm a perfect missionary or even a great one. I'm just here trying my very best to follow what the Lord has in store for me. I know I'm not some beasty baptizing machine, but I know that the Lord has effect a great change in my little heart. It's a change that I'm working to make lasting and it can only come through the Gospel and Atonement of Jesus Christ.

So for service this Saturday, we were mixing and hauling cement for a member who was adding on to his house! He was doing a cememt roof and so I got to stand on a scaffolding and hoist buckets of cememt for 2 hours. I was SORE on sunday but really not as bad as I thought it would be. Fine enough that on Sunday when my comp was a little frustrated about something I picked him up and tossed him on his bed after the closing prayer of planning. Threw him over my shoulder like a bag of dirt. Really he just needed a pick me up  because he's not getting along too well with the branch president and was impatient with himself for not having more charity. Nothing a little brute force and a good laugh can't fix!

Elder Rose and Elder Simpson

Yesterday, someone asked me if I think I make a difference in the life of others. I asked her how she felt. Good she says. And before the lesson? The same. Fail. But. I know that I felt the Spirit during the lesson and I know that my companion did too. That massive feeling of a great swelling motion in your chest? Yea I felt that. I feel that. Frequently. And as Preach My Gospèl says, If I can feel the Spirit testifying to others, it means that I'm doing my job, even when they choose simply not to accept what I'm sharing. I love being a missionary. The time passes to fast.

Til next week,

Elder Andy

Cardona Uruguay - Sept 10th 2012

Hi All,

I've been doing more cooking lately (it's a LOT cheaper) then buying it prepared.  4 days of food for 2. 2.5 kilos of food. 500 g of lentils. About a kilo of rice. A green pepper, an onion, a tomato, 300 g of lean ground beef and 4 boiled eggs. Eat hearty.  Yea, I'm gonna make cinnamon rolls for Elder Rosete and I. I taught him how to make bread the other day.  I'm also gonna teach him how to make pancakes and french toast as well. He literally knows nothing about cooking so I'm helping him learn about that and feeding us at the same time.

On the 8th I realized that one year before, I was in an airport in Buenos Aires and BEWILDERED. Now I live in Uruguay and I'm slightly less bewildered. Cool huh? 



We did a lot of traveling this week, with the trip to Rosario on Monday and then district meeting on Tuesday and then we had interviews with President  on Saturday. It's been really hard on our numbers for the week. And this last Monday night.....what an ulcer. So I went to go pick up my comp at the bus station. They didn't show up....for an hour and a half....because the buses got screwed up as usual. Just like they did on Saturday. A 30 minute ride that turned into about an hour and a half. You'd think they'd have this stuff figured out by now. Surprisingly on Monday though I did relatively well. Offered a couple of fervent prayers and then just popped the Book of Mormon and started reading. I knew it would all work out, it was merely just waiting until it did so. No sense in fretting over something if it's not the end yet. 

So I don't know what it is with old people this week, but I've had far too many run in with irate victims of alzheimers! Seriously! This old ladies bike fell when she was going in to a store and we were walking right past so I stopped to help and she started shouting at me because I asked if I could help her out... That was pleasant.

Then, we went to look up an old contact and this OLD dude answered the door. We're talking early 70's at the very youngest. Well, our contact is about 15. And it's pretty common due to the moral standards of this nation for the grandparents to raise grandchildren.

So...naturally...I asked if the girl was his granddaughter. Nope. 

He starts off "SHE'S MY DAUGHTER WHAT'S YOUR PROBLEM?? YOU THINK OLD PEOPLE DON'T PROCREATE??" (literal translation)

"I didn't say that sir."

"YEA, BUT DO YOU THINK IT???"

"No. I do not."

"I HAVE A DAUGHTER THAT'S 50 AND ONE THAT'S 15 YOU GOT A PROBLEM WITH THAT??"

"No man I'm just here to talk about God."

"OH. WELL SHE'S NOT HERE."

"Alright cool. "

That's pretty much how it went. Fun huh?

The branch president is here. They're doing good, but I still have a lot to do because they know next to nothing about the branch and where stuff is so I have to help them out with that. I am indeed still counselor and my assignment has not been changed at all.

My week was pretty hectic and full and busy and rainy and cold and sunny and hot. Welcome to the shire. Basically....all of our investigators suck. None of them want to come to church, and we're really pounding that down their throats. And pounding doors. And the pavement. We're really looking for people to teach, which is something that we're struggling a lot with. We get frustrated but our animo (enthusiasm) alwasy stays high. We've both been a little discouraged off and on, but we know that the Lord will provide for us.  This is the Lord's work I have NO doubt of that.

Til next week

Elder Andy

Cardona Uruguay - Sept 3rd 2012

Hi All,

 The weather here has been a bit crazy. About 4 days ago it was HOT for 2 days and then yesterday and today have been WINDY. A lot of the locals are saying that the weather forecast for today and tomorrow is rain. I loved the rain before the missionary. As missionary, it sucks. Everything a vacuum can do but not nearly as fun but just as loud on my room when dropped. (no. I have not been dropping vacuums on my roof but I imagine the noise would be fairly similar.)

I'm doing particularly well this week. It was hectic and I'm exhausted but that's okay.  I'll tell you about changes. We left Cardona at 6 pm Tuesday evening and got to Rosario at 7.  From there we took another bus with elder Rivas and his comp to Colonia. and got there at 8:40 pom. Well, no one advised the elders of that area so they couldn't show up til about 9:15 and we all bought dinner and walked to their house while 2 Elders took a taxi with all of the luggage. We got there and still hadn't heard word about 2 more elders. I called the zone leaders and talked with them and they said we had to wait for them until 11 pm, so we all just waited up for them. They rolled in at 11:30 and we weren't able to get everything settled down until about 1230 am or 1 am. Then, a few of them had to get up at 4 am to head out to the station and managed to wake us all up, (9 elders in a 2 elder house on 5 mattresses and a couch) and then we had to get up again at 5 am and walk to the station and then Elder Manning and I came back to the house, studied, did some contacts, made lunch and picked up our comps at 2 pm and bused home. I was TIRED the next day. And that night. Everyone said I look dead and my spanish was super sloppy.

My comp is from Tultepec Estado de Mexico. His name is Elder Rosete and he is really go get'em and we're seeing a lot of really important changes here together. we've already built a really positive trusting relationship and we're always looking for ways to build each other up and improve. He's a lot like his mission dad (Elder V) and we're going to see miracles this change. I'm super stoked to be working with him. 

I did not know Elder Rosete before changes, but Elder V and I talk frequently and send notes to each other every Tuesday. He called me the night before we went to Colonia for changes and we talked a little about Elder Rosete. He's been out for about 5 months I think on the fifth. Yea....pretty new. but he works HARD! He's very converted to the gospel of Jesus Christ. He got baptized a year and a half ago and had his mission papers ready to go even before he'd had a year in the church. He sent them in as soon as he was eligible. He reminds me so much of elder V and we get along really really well.

 We're already good friends and we have great unity in our teaching. He really likes to testify and commit which works well because he knows the language and is good at tailoring the commitment to the needs of the investigator.

We moved the couple Ruiz Diaz out here on Friday (which is why the Crawfords were out there on the same day.) and it's working out fine. I don't have to translate and his wife is now teaching seminary. It takes a load off, but I think I'm going to miss teaching it. Elder Rosete was going to help me teach it and the lesson was about Moses and so I read the lesson out of the manual and passed it to him on Friday and said have a wack at it. During comp study, he turned to me and said Elder I have no idea what's going on here. I know nothing about Moses. So we started a 2 day study of Moses and some of the bible. He's really open about what he needs to learn and isn't afraid to ask my help. It's a little weird to me being the one with all of the experience and the one who decides what gets done.

Sister and Elder Crawford, Elder Simpson and Elder Xavier

Like today, he had to go to MonteVideo to sign papers. (he went with elder Merrill so I'm with his comp here in Rosario) and he asked me what he should take. I answered without thinking about it and then realized what had just happened. Funny how the Lord prepares us little by little and we realize later.

 I've been reading Articles of Faith by James E Talmage during all of our bus rides (we travel a lot here. Just like Tranqueras. Ton of extra reading time.) and I finally understand eternal punishment. He compares it to a prison. The punishment is there. It will always be there, just like the prison. But it's the prisoner that leaves after his sentence is served. We will not suffer forever for our sins, but we sure will pay for them. We have to serve our sentence if we do not accept Christ as our Savior. That's why the labor of this life is so important! I know that christ lives!  One of my favorite things in the whole wide world is testifying of him!

Elder Andy