Tacuarembó Uruguay - Dec 3rd 2012

Hi All,

Our part of the city of t-bo is super super tranquilo. We’re almost out in the sticks, but not quite. We’re just outside of the road and our area is composed of roughly 5 neighborhoods. You can see at least two of the other neighborhoods from each area so they’re really not spread out that much but there is at least a couple of blocks between each area and lots of fields in that area.

Our ward is really good. They love the missionaries and are willing to help us. The catch is, church attendance has steadily been dropping for about a month now, so we’ve got to reverse that  trend and by doing so that should help us to be able to find new investigators, something that we’ve been lacking. Sunday here was a tough day for the ward. Attendance was pretty low for some reason so that was one of our main concerns in ward council. We’re really trying to stregthen the ward with reactivation and solid investigators. Last week was the primary program. There was a little boy who was just full to bursting with energy…..we’re talking Spencer Lewis-esque antics here. Quite enjoyable. Lil’ Spencer Lewis is a legend, so this kid really has nothin on him, but I thought about him anyways. Hello to the Lewis family :)

All that being said, I’ve been pondering and praying and studying a lot as to how the Lord wants me to be working here so we’ll see what this week brings.  Which brings us to "The who" which is the real problem actually….. we’re almost pretty much starting from zero with investigators because we really didn’t have any when I got here. We’re doing a lot of looking and trying to activate memebers and find through them. Our most promising investigators, Daianna and Victoria have been …..complicated lately. Daianna has had to reschedule every single day of the week for some reason or another and didn’t come to church. Victoria…..well turns out she wasn’t interested in Jesus Christ, just my companion. So we left her rather quickly. Don’t want problems in that area!

There are really no mosquitoes here and the weather is just…..hot. Just plain hot, but there is usually always a breeze and the temps really haven’t gotten that high yet, so whenever I even pause to consider if it’s hot or not, I just tell myself that I’ve passed through worse. Today is pretty humid and it’s been needing to rain all week long to get rid of the humidity, but thus far I don’t think it’s rained since my second day here.

Elder Mar is great. We get along really well and he’s really happy to be out here a lot. We laugh and joke a lot, but we’re still very focused on helping and loving the people.  We get along really well. He’s still really new so I have to be careful not to dominate lessons because he’s not a very aggressive teacher. That means we’ve been doing a LOT of practices to sharpen up his blades. Problem is, he’s always using the same moves, or rather he says a lot of the same things and uses a lot of the same examples, which means we have to boost his arsenal.  I like to use a lot of tools when I’m working, which means my knife belt is full and always growing. You know how I like to paint pretty pictures with precise words. ?

Not only is my companion great, but my district is GREAT TOO!! I love them all a lot. This last district meeting was fantastic! I wish you guys could have been there because I really don’t know how to describe it. We talked a lot about the spirit and helping other people by being powerful vessels of the spirit. There was a lot of…..stunned and heavy silence. The spirit was very very strong and I know we all left feeling pretty animated.

The Elders in the District

This last Friday….we did service…..and I just can’t believe it still. We get there and the brother says, you boys ready? Yes….Good. Lets go. We arrive at his horse pasture. Alright, what you’re going to be doing today is gathering raw organic materials to aid in the fertilization of gardens. Yup. That’s right. I was pickin up horse poop. With my bare hands. And the fresher the better. I picked up some pretty warm turds. And hucked a couple at my comp, just to say I’ve flung poo. We got back to his house with some rather dirty hands….well he’s a nurse and had a good scrubber and gnarly soap and told us to scrub our hands down until the smell was gone so it’s all good. Then…I fell off my bike on the way home. We were coming down a big dirt hill to a sharp turn and so I knew I was gonna fall and put my foot down and did a slow split and then sat down. Pretty darn funny. People came running to check on my and I just sat there and laughed and then stood up and we left.

Elder Mar and I got the Christmas tree up on Saturday night, so we’re both pretty excited about that. We had a strand of Christmas lights in the house, but it doesn’t work which was pretty depressing, but we had a good time. We listened to Christmas music and decorated our tree. And got a little bit of the Christmas spirit flowing here in South America, where the sun is hot and the fireworks are cheap and easily found. Lots and lots of fireworks….all the time….kinda obnoxious but hey... Whatevs.

I’m going on divisions tomorrow after zone capacitation  (not to be confused with zone conference , that’s next week.) We’re always working super hard here, racing around to each appointment trying to talk with people and help them out. I’m happy and tired….I'm currently trying to figure out how I can have a greater appreciation for the Atonement of Christ and what it means for me personally… Just something for each of us to think on during the week.  Have a great week.

Elder Simpson

Tacuarembó Uruguay - Nov 26th 2012

Hi All,

Mantutina is actually a suburb type area of Tacuarembo (T'Bo) so we're kinda out in the sticks but I'm almost positive that our entire area has just as many people as the entire town of Cardona/Florencio Sanchez. It's really nice being back with people and really close to the other elders. As much as it didn't bother me being out in the middle of nowhere for 4 and a half months, it's actually kinda nice and fun to be back close to other elders. Just so you know, Elder Merrill is in the other district here. I actually just got done eating tacos at his house and getting a free hair cut from him. Buzz cut, but it got the job done and for free!

T'Bo is really fun. I like it a lot. The people here are really rather accepting to the gospel and we have a WARD with a CHURCH! I'm so excited. The zone is in the entire of town and there are 2 sets of sister missionaries, and something like 6 companionships of elders, so 16 missionaries. I think.... We are on bikes again in this area because it's a lot of spread out neighborhoods. We'll give it a shot for the next 6 weeks and see what I think. The bikes are in pretty shoddy condition, but it makes the work a lot faster here. We're teaching a lot more than before and I get home super tired every night but super happy.

Every Saturday, we go out to Quiebrayugos next to Cerro Pastoreo and it's roughly 13 km outside of town, so 26 km round trip. I think that comes out to like 15 miles round trip I want to say....with some of the most disgusting hills of my life. It wouldn't be so bad, except for the fact that we have beach cruisers as bikes. 5 speed bikes....yea....it's kinda hard.

We get food from the members almost every day of the week out here so I'm rather happy about not having to cook and clean every day of the week. We just have to fend for ourselves Mondays and Tuesdays.

I am still district leader and there are 3 other companionships in my district. A set of sister missionaries and 2 more sets of elders. My companion is Elder Mar and he is from veracruz Mexico. This is his third change and I'm his second companion. We work pretty well together, but he's still pretty new so sometimes I build up a head of steam and just get rollin in the lessons. We're going to practice a lot this week on teaching with unity and taking more turns with our teaching. We get along really well. We don't talk much in the streets because we cannot ride side by side most of the time but we have fun together. We get along well thus far, so I'm not worried. I'm also 10 days behind on my journal and haven't finished unpacking yet because we have 0 time for any of that. It's okay though, I like working.

I will be talking with my district about the power and authority of our calling and the armour of God. The base for my work, 2nd Nephi 1:23. So just stand up and be a man. We've been having fun and I love getting super charged by the spirit and going sayan mode on them. (Yes that was a DBZ reference for all you nerds out there.) 

I'm still waiting for the conference issue ensign but I really want to be able to go back and read all of the talks. I know that I enjoyed it in Spanish, so I can only imagine how great it was in English.

I had a thought that made me consider the fact that a lot of missionaries start a decline when they hit their year mark. They start to relax...they get sloppy...Heck we just get tired. It's hard being a missionary, but it should be the time to improve. Think of it as a false summit in a hike. You see the crest that you are working at for mile after mile and finally get to the top. But instead of looking even higher, you just turn around and head back down and by the time you get done, you're at the altitude in which you started. But a false summit is when you peak and then look around and realize that you're currently at the crest of the first of a series of hills, like the saddle of Timpanogos. Each peak is gradually higher and we have 2 choices. We can turn around and go back down, or we can keep climbing. I don't know how else to explain it, but that was the thought I had. I reflected on it a couple of times, so it's still being developed, but I don't want to go back down.

People are already telling me that I have a little time left, but I feel like Aragorn on the morning of the third day in Helm's Deep. I've just looked to the east to see Gandolf riding down on the furious wings of death to crush the Orc hoard. I feel like the sun is just starting to dawn on my mission after such a long dark...the sun hurts my eyes a little bit, but the light is good. In the immortal words  of king Theodan, 'Now for wrath! Now for ruin, and the red dawn!' Forward into the the crushing black we ride, with the light upon our shoulders and in our eyes. Onward, swifter now, to the foes gaping jaws. Fear not and ride on, the battle has yet begun.

Forward the Light Brigade!

Elder Simpson

Tacuarembó Uruguay - Nov 20th 2012

Hi All,

It's been rather hot this week and somewhat humid. Not as much rain as the week before, just a couple of days really. Nothing too chaotic like the last week. Absurd...

I'm currently writing you from Cardona but in about 12 hours I will be in....(drum roll please. Double stroke roll if you can pull it off. If not, buzz roll is okay.) Mantutina Tacuarembó!!! See it on the Map  I'm rather excited about that. I have actually been wanting rather much to head on out to T-BO. You get food from the members. That's a HUGE plus!   So in a week I'll have a lot more information about the area, my comp, who is elder Mar. This will be his 3rd change and I'll be his second comp. He has about 3 months so he's really really new but I think it should be fun. There won't be so much stress from having to travel a lot and I already have my class for district meeting prepped. I did it this morning.

As for new missionaries, we will for the next year or so, be having groups of elders from about 13 to 25 going home every 6 weeks. That said, by march we will have around 250 missionaries and will maintain from then on. We currently have close to 200, so things are going to get interesting rather quickly. 

I'll be honest. I cried when I saw that Hostess closed. Maybe not, but it's still really sad. That's....it's a part of AMERICA! You can't kill Hostess! It's in the heart of the people! Like literally. I'm sure that it was the cause of more than a couple early deaths by cause of heart failure... Regardless... Isn't there a verse in the national anthem about the twinkies gold glare or something like that? They can't kill Hostess....they just can't....the States will never be the same without the Ho-Hos.....that's like Santa without his Ho-Ho! Nuts.

Speaking of the temple, Jean is 100% committed to getting baptized on the second of December. His mom hit 1 year as a member this month and his step dad has been a member for 6 years so they are going to go to the temple in January! Heck yea! It's going to be great. I'm almost positive that they are going to get sealed so that will be such a blessing for them as a family. They've been really busy for the last week, so last night was the first lesson that we've been able to have with them in a week and a half, but they are all rather excited at the prospect of going to the temple. I pray that everything works in their favor.

I finished the book of 1 Nephi today. I love reading the Book of Mormon. It's amazing. Its the best. It really does testify of Jesus Christ and contains so many promises that apply to us today! They saw us! The prophets of the ancient Americas saw our day and they know the crushing reality of our challenges. They know what we're going through. What's more, under the direction of the influence of All Powerful Creator, they wrote to us! As they say, we are voices callings as from the dust! What manner of men and women would we be if we did not give heed to such vital and authentic warnings! It doesn't get much more real than that folks. I love the Book of Mormon.

I've been reading the Teachings of the Prophets: Joseph Smith lately. It's a nice little read. The doctrine that he revealed in relation to the nature of the Godhead is so so important. We must understand that they are physical beings! How can we expect to receive coherent, applicable and specific answers from some ethereal everywhere and nowhere type spirit? We have so much truth it's unbelievable. All you have to do is reach out and grab it. Just try it. Feel it. Learn it. It's worth it... I'm so glad you've taught me that all my life.

Well, that's all that I've got time for I believe. I'm doing well. Don't worry about me. The Lord has me in His hands. I know He does. And what sure and powerful hands they are! They guide me each and every day, as long as I am willing to follow where they lead me. That goes for everyone in the whole wide world, doesn't it? :)

Jacob's Drawing

Just so you know, I'm going to be using that picture you sent of the gnarly warrior that Jake drew. I'm going to show it to my district when we talk about Romans 13:12.
12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.

Yea...I have a scripture chain that I made today about it. And all of that is going to come after we talk about the power and authority of our calling. I just get so amped when I think about all of this awesomeness. Sometimes I think I should have been there with Aragorn when he stormed the gates of Moridor...So much epicness in such few words... "For Frodo...:" You get chills?!?! Because I sure have em right now! Now strap up and buckle down cuz this armor ain't just for show. It's time to do battle with an eternal foe.

From the front lines,

Elder Andy
If your armor isn't scratched and dented, you aren't fighting hard enough. 

Cardona Uruguay - Nov 12th 2012

Hi All,

I thought I'd start off with a funny fact about bugs.  We’ve got ‘roaches...and skeeters.... freakin skeeters. I put up my mosquito net for the first time in my mission this week. Turns out we’d left a kitchen ventilator uncovered one night and it was ridiculous! We had a ton of mosquitoes inside for 3 days. Not cool. That said, it was really hot for the first half of the week. Up til about Saturday. And I mean hot when I say hot. It’s finally starting to get warm for me. I just keep telling myself that I’ve seen worse, and it helps a bit. Granted, with all that heat, we had a ton of sun. As such, we bought sombreros! They’re pretty fun and keep the sun off of my tender white face. Then, Friday it was hot til about noon and then it got cloudy and the temperature started to drop and it absolutely poured at 4! It was INSANE! Luckily, we had just stepped inside and it blew past in about 15 minutes. Then for the rest of the day, Saturday and Sunday it was overcast and cool. Now it’s sunny and heading towards hot. I’`m just happy all the friggin humidity is gone.

You probably already know, but changes are on Tuesday the 20th. This change is just about over and I'm almost positive that I'll be moving to another area on the 20th.  The zone leaders made a couple of cracks on Sunday during our weekly leadership meeting about having to teach their district leaders from scratch next week, so it’s rather possible that we’re outtie like a belly button. Only time will tell. And yes, that does mean that next week I will be writing you on Tuesday. I cannot believe that yet another change has flown past….my time is growing short. NOT COOL. That also one long sleepless night and lots of packing and moving. The crazy thing is, I actually enjoy it. Changes are a blast and I like moving around the mission. It's not for sure though, but I am ready to get outta here. It's been a really tough week, but I still am going to miss a lot of really special people that I've come to know and love here. It's hard that way, but I know that if they keep up with the things that we and others have taught them, I'll see them once more. Be it in this life, or the next, I know I'll see them.

I know that I’ve not been talking about people a lot lately, so here are a couple that we are working with. The first I’ve already mentioned a couple of times. Natalia Aldacour, she’s an inactive member that has attended sacrament meeting for 2 weeks in a row now. I was really rather pleased to see her on Sunday and we’ve been visiting her about twice a week. She has pretty much has zero support in relation to the church considering the fact that the 2 of her sisters that are members are inactive and her mom is as well. Her dad is anti and so is her boyfriend, with whom she lives. It makes things complicated but she really has a strong desire to come back to the fold and make changes in her life. I know that the Lord will provide a way for her, I just hope that she can stick to her guns when it all hit the fans. It’s so hard for people to stick up for the gospel when the going gets tough and there’s no one at their back. That’s why we’re trying to get the branch involved, so that she can have a support system for when she’s on the ropes. 

Carlos.....is another story entirely. He’s a man that we met on the street who was just railing on the mormons for not greeting with besos. Yea...not cool. Anyways, one day we passed his house and he called us over and we had a nice chat and set up a lesson for the next afternoon in the church with the branch president and us. It was a tough lesson because he talks A LOT!!! But it was still rather fun. Then, on Saturday we were in the neighborhood and once more he called us over and took us into his shed and showed us what his grandson does with his spare time. Turns out he builds cages for and breeds reptiles. Iguana monsters and about 4 snakes, all in seperate cages. It was really actually quite cool, til he told us that his daughter thinks that we’re from the CIA. We’ve heard stuff like that before and I’ve heard it my whole mission and so we just laughed with him and told him that we’d see him at church tomorrow. He laughed and told us like 5 times that he’d be there. At 9, he sent us a message telling us that his family is convinced that we’re cia agents and that he might not be able to come on Sunday. Sunday morning, he sent a message saying that his wife practically threw him out of the house when she found out that we’d been on their property and that she’s convinced that we’re sent from the cia to dominate latino america using a false god and a false christ. We told him we’d stop by on the way to church. We get there and clap and his wife comes out and tells us that he left. She then tells us that he’s nuts and actually in bed asleep....Problem is....he doesn’t behave like he’s nuts. And he understands everything we talked about in relation to the gospel....so yea. We’re really not too sure who’s nuts in this whole thing.

Finally, I’ll tell you about Jean. He’s the 9 year old son of 2 memebers. The step dad is recently reactivating himself and his mom got baptized a year ago this month. He plays soccer a ton and goes to the anglo institute on top of regular school because he and his mother are studying english. Freakin brits… They only learn british english here. Bit funny really, yet frustrating at the same time because some people get snooty about speaking british english. That said, I’ve not met too many that can actually speak so I dunno….Anyways, he’s a great kid. He drinks up everything we say and has a great memory. It’s a bit of a challenge for me to teach someone of his age, seeing as he’s the 3rd investigator of that age that I’ve had in my mission and teaching kids is a bit of a challenge for me. I have to find examples that they can understand and tend to speak a great deal about cakes and desserts as examples. I do like food.... Anyways, he should be getting baptized on the 24, but his parents have been putting off the date since the beginning of the month, so that has been our principle challenge. I love him to death, I just hope that his family can get excited and that he can make a covenant with God!

Thats about all for this week,

Elder Andy

Cardona Uruguay - Nov 5th 2012

Hi Everyone,

Remember last week when I told you we had to get up at 3 am to catch the bus to go the the conference with Elder Oaks.  There is a totally awesome tree in this public park.   We took this photo at 3 in the morning, the only time I would feel comfortable in a tree in public as a missionary. We were walking to the bus stop for the conference when we took it. 

First off as for the area, things are still a little rough, but we more or less had a miracle on Sunday by way of attendance. We recently started visiting Natalia Aldacour again, because we felt that we should on Wednesday. Turns out that she and Yanina have been passing through some really rough times and Natialia realized that she wants to come back to church. As such, we’ve decided that we’re going to help her for a bit longer this time and just help her see how wonderfully helpful the gospel is in our lives. On top of that, we had stopped visiting the Seiler family about 2 months ago. They’d been recieveing visits from the elders for probably a year straight and they didn’t come to church after repeated invitations. Elder Ruiz Diaz stopped by on Wednesday. Then, after a lesson with some investigators, Elder Ruiz Diaz and Elder Rosette and I made a visit to an endowed sister who has been inactive for about a year now and Elder Ruiz Diaz set up an interview with her.  So then on Sunday the parents from the Seiler family, Natalia and her mom-who is visiting from colonia for the weekend- and the less active sister, Valeria, all came! I was so happy and dumb-struck to see them all in the church.

Saturday was a really hard day and we literally did not get in a door until 7 that night. All of our lessons fell through for the day and no one wanted to talk to us. We were pretty bummed by that, plus the fact that it’s getting really hot and really humid (really really hot)  and we were fasting at the time made Saturday a really rotten day, but Sunday made all the sacrifice worth it. The Lord always does that to me! I sit here and gripe because the work is a little bit hard and then He drops a miracle in my lap and I get humbled just a little bit more by the awesome power of God.

As for enjoying the journey, I’ve actually been thinking on that lately. I really like this area. It’s hard, but I like learning all the things that I learn and getting to know the people and laughing and loving and sobbing tears of absolute sorrow and desperation. That’s happened more than once to both my companion and I. Dire circumstances tend to break the will of spiritual warriors, but that is what we need. It’s what we require. How else will the Lord refine and polish the weapons in His quick and deadly hand? We must pass through great heat if we are to be tempered to withstand the blows of an all too real warfare. Here’s to another brutal week. 

Well, I want to shared a scripture with you from Alma 38:2

And now, my son, I trust that I shall have great joy in you, because of your steadiness and your faithfulness unto God; for as you have commenced in your youth to look to the Lord your God, even so I hope that you will continue in keeping his commandments; for blessed is he that endureth to the end.

That’s what I hang on to out here. The fact that my trials really aren’t all that bad and that I know I will pass through them. As grami once wrote to me in a letter, you can do anything 5 minutes at a time. I know that the Lord is watching over me. I know that He hears my cries and is instructing my by His Hand. I do my best to be steady and faithful unto God. Sometimes, I fail. Hardcore. But I just keep going. The Lord knew that we couldn’t do it all, that’s why He sent His Son to die for us. All that he asks is that we keep His commandments and endure to the end with a smile on our faces and a prayer in our hearts. In spite of the difficulties that we have had lately, I don’t find myself discouraged. We are winning little victories and it is to those that I clean. We can be frustrated, but only for a moment. The Atonement swallows that up whole.

 May the heavens watch over you and the Lord be with you.
Elder Simpson

Cardona Uruguay - Oct 29th 2012

Hi All,

I'm doin' pretty well this week. It's been busy as usual, but fun as always. For the weather, we had a little bit of rain on divisions in Juan Lacaze on tuesday and then we had sun up until today, justo the day that we need to wash clothes. Great.... It's been pouring off and on all day long, but I'm actually okay with it because it's starting to get hot again and it was HUMID last night! I slept on top of my sheets and blanket for the first time in a while because it was just nasty! I hate waking up sweaty in the mornings.... oh well. Anyways, thankfully the rain kills the humidity so it's not nearly as brutal now.

Our week of service was...an epic fail. We accomplished 0 service, but I was able to help my elders that are in Juan Lacaze and I was able to iron elder Rosete's shirts without him knowing! Shhhh don't tell anyone. I wanna keep that one under wraps til I get transferred

The conference with Elder Oaks was TOTALLY WORTH THE SACRIFICE!! We started a mission wide fast on Friday after lunch and worked the rest of the night. Then we got home, planned, I talked with the assistants and a couple of different zone leaders to figure our bus out and then crashed. We got up at 1:30 AM and were out the door, showered and ready to go at 2:30 AM. We got to our stop at 2:45, right on time and the bus didn' t end up showing up til 3:15. I totally could have slept another half hour. Anyways, we got on the bus and cruisied to Montevideo, but so many elders were reuniting that not too many of us slept because some elders are just LOUD. Rude... Anyways, we got to Montevideo at 6 am and the conference started at 9, so it was a huge party of elders getting back together after a while for 3 hours. I hugged elder V a ton. It was like seeing one of you guys again and I was just so happy. I saw so many of my friends and companions and I was just grinning the whole day!

Then, the conference started and I shook Elder Oaks hand. Yes. Be jealous. Elder Halstrom and Elder Viñas from the 70 were also there and spoke a bit. The main topic of Elder Oaks' talk was true repentance. He didn't talk about how we do it, but rather the necessity for it. Church attendance in correlation to the number of baptisms per year is extremely low and that means that people aren't being converted. He told us that in almost every instance in the scriptures when it speaks of baptism, it also speaks of repentance. The need for repentance is great in all the world and we must help the people understand that conversion is not EASY! We must also help them understand the importance of the sacrament. The sacrament is such an important covenant that the Lord would have us renew it EVERY SINGLE WEEK FOR THE REST OF OUR LIVES!

 The Prophet places such importance on the sacrament that with all of their busy meetings and lives, the quorum of the 12 and the 1st presidency meet once a month to partake of the sacrament in the temple. The sacrament is the opportunity that we have to clean our inner vessel upon a weekly basis, qualifying us to be clean enough to receive the spirit on a daily basis. (That was actually my thought...) after all, the spirit cannot dwell in unclean places. Anyways, a lot was said and a lot was felt. It was an amazing experience and I'm thankful for what I learned.

We then got on the bus and went home and worked the rest of the day and crashed. Yesterday, we had to travel to Colonia for my leadership meeting, so we lost the entire day to travel. That's always tough when it happens but I get in a lot of extra study so it's okay.   I keep forgetting that Wednesday is Halloween, because no one really cares down here. There are a few stores down here that have decorations and masks, but more than that there's really no indication of the holiday.

I think we'll be getting the conference ensigns sometime this month (meaning November) and I'm rather quite excited. I didn't get to hear the priesthood session and I'd really like to see all of what was said, but in English. It was a great conference as I said before, but it's just not the same in Spanish. I know that I'll come away with completely different thoughts after seeing it in English, which is something that I truly enjoy. I love being able to have insights and inspiration in 2 languages. It really opens my eyes and I find that I think differently in Spanish. No complaints here. I'm always open for a new train of thought.

This morning, we got up at 5:20 am to go to the church and try and fix some of the finances because the call times to Salt Lake got screwed up and our branch president thought it was local time. No. It was Salt Lake time that we had to call at, not 5 am in the morning here.... So we got home at 6:15 and I slept for 15 minutes before getting up again. So yea. I'm really tired.

I like Christmas more every week really just because I like listening to Christmas music more each week and I like counting down til it comes. Bit shallow really, but still fun.


One scripture that I've found has really been calling my attention lately is Helaman 14:14-19,

 14 And behold, again, another sign I give unto you, yea, a sign of his death.

 15 For behold, he surely must die that salvation may come; yea, it behooveth him and becometh expedient that he dieth, to bring to pass the resurrection of the dead, that thereby men may be brought into the presence of the Lord.

 16 Yea, behold, this death bringeth to pass the resurrection, and redeemeth all mankind from the first death—that spiritual death; for all mankind, by the fall of Adam being cut off from the presence of the Lord, are considered as edead, both as to things temporal and to things spiritual.

 17 But behold, the resurrection of Christ redeemeth mankind, yea, even all mankind, and bringeth them back into the presence of the Lord.

 18 Yea, and it bringeth to pass the condition of repentance, that whosoever repenteth the same is not hewn down and cast into the fire; but whosoever repenteth not is hewn down and cast into the fire; and there cometh upon them again a spiritual death, yea, a second death, for they are cut off again as to things pertaining to righteousness.

 19 Therefore repent ye, repent ye, lest by knowing these things and not doing them ye shall suffer yourselves to come under condemnation, and ye are brought down unto this second death.

This is talking, of course, about the necessity and justification of the death of Jesus Christ. I shared it with a less active member on Saturday night, and Elder Rosete and I picked it up and ran. We taught very powerfully that night and I know that the Spirit was there. I could see it in the members face. I've also been reading Jesus the Christ as of late. I have come to know Christ in this last year more than I have in all of my life. He lives. He loves me and you and each of His children. He is real and powerful, omnipotent and He loves each of us with a perfect love.

 I've laughed a LOT this week and I've been so very happy.

Chau til next week.

Elder Andy

Cardona Uruguay - Oct 22th 2012

Hi All,

Today, I'm tired but good. This week has been interesting, full of ups and downs. But that's how all weeks are. The Lord always gives us strength. Recently I was offering a prayer of supplication to the Lord, feeling pretty overwhelmed and under qualified. This thought came to my mind. "My dear boy, I never said this would be easy. I only said it was do-able." Every feat, every challenge, every trial that comes into our lives will try  us to the very brink of our abilities. But it will always be possible. It will always be within our abilities.

 I really can't complain about how things are going, except for the weather. Our weather has been completely insane this last week. Think hot, humid, cloudy, rainy, cold repeat. It's gone through that cycle 4 or 5 times this last week. It started raining at 10 last night and stopped raining today at about 12 and now it sunny and hot. The weather can't seem to make up it's mind and it's rather obnoxious. I'm putting on sun block some days and the next I'm cruisin around with my trench coat and umbrella.

 We're actually really trying to focus on loving the people and serving them this week. We feel like it could really help the work here, because things are moving kinda slow...It's okay though! Never give up! Never surrender!  We did service for a less active brother that is trying to quit smoking after 43 years and reactivate himself, so we've been working with him and the branch president has been helping him out a lot. We've not been having many chances to serve lately, physically, but we're looking out for chances that we'll have, planned and unplanned.

Halloween is somewhat acknowledged here, but nothing is really done with it. It's a growing holiday, but for now it's really just a select few. I've seen a few Halloweeny things, but it kinda confuses me because I forget that we're so far advanced in October. (I'm already counting down the days til Christmas. I swear that each week that passes makes me love Christmas a little bit more.)

We have a killer youth here who is willing to come out with us whenever we ask. She's studying preach my gospel and has been a memeber for 7 months. She's putting her mission papers in in march, when she hits a year as a member. She's learning a ton so fast, and it will be such a good prep for her.

There are 8 missionaries in my district, including my comp and I and the district is big. Like half of colonia. So, I travel lots. More study time though.  The first district meeting went well. I teach again tomorrow and it's always rather fly by the seat of my pants because I'm just doing so many things all the time that the little time I do have is dedicated to prepping for my district meetings and thinking about how to help them or help my area. It makes time pass SO FAST and this Saturday we have a conference in montevideo with Elder Oaks. It's gonna be SCHWEET!

The branch is going...we're currently in the process of giving it a swift kick in the pants, so we'll see if we can get things jump started out here. I'm getting tired of not seeing progress and finding and losing investigators in the same week. But I know that this is the Lord's work and that He will guide us in accordance to His will. Fists up and fears out. There's no room in the pit for a coward! So just live the gospel and share what you live.

Elder Ender