Hi All,
I’m doing great if slightly damp. It rained this morning on our ride into Salto for our leaders council. Salto is called Zion because it’s probably the strongest stake in our
mission and they consistently baptize the most almost every single
month. It’s been that way since I got here. It’s a legendary zone for
the success they have, the availability of Argentinian goods and overall
awesomeness. I guess. It’s pretty much the same as Rivera or Tacuarembò
if you ask me but I like it here a lot.
My comp is Elder Delgado and he’s from Peru. He’s 25 years old and we
get along okay. He’s still a
relatively young missionary having only 10 months in the mission and is
still unsure of a lot of things and how they work and what to do. I’m searching for the balance
so that he doesn’t spend the entire change irritated with me. We are indeed co-district leaders. We just take half of the work. Each does half of the calls and we’ll take turns doing divisons and my comp is going to teach the district this Tuesday and I get it next week. So on and so forth. Yesterday in interviews president Heaton said that he'd like me to teach my companion how to be a good leader and how to be disciplined, because part of our responsibility in the mission is to promote leadership in South America. My comp speaks with the same tonality of Yogi Bear. The whole up and down laid back thing with the voice. Makes me chuckle sometimes.
My first week on bikes has been great. I really have to try not to
get frustrated by the fact that my companion never leaves 1st gear…..We
could literally third or half our travel times if he bumped up to 2nd or
3rd gear. But. That’s really not important. He just likes to ride slow
is all. Other than that, I’m great. I get haulin when we get out on the
freeway and I haven’t been sore and for that I’m grateful.
We taught the Ferreira family. The came to church for the third time on Sunday and they are getting baptized on Saturday. They are such a prepared family and accept everything with no doubt. It’s amazing how much the Lord has prepared them and how willing they are to accept the gospel into their lives. Fanny and Fabian are the parents and Gabriel is their 10 year old son. Aside from that our most promising investigators are Ana and Luis. They came to church for the first time on Sunday and are also very willing to learn. It would seem that after about 9.5 months, Ana is finally having her baby. That’s what her neighbor told us last night because they went to the hospital and haven’t returned. They’re going to name their son Moroni because elder Delgado made a joke about it like 2 weeks ago and they liked they name. So that’s….interesting.
Elder Davis from Livermore was in Elder Lambs MTC group and I met him the day I went to go pic up Elder Lamb. He said that some people back home told him to watch out for me and there I was on his first day in the field so that was pretty cool.
I’ve been thinking a lot about the importance to the atonement in my life as of late….We watched the Mormon message mountains to climb with a portion of President Eyerings talk. It’s….one of a kind. I would highly recommend that you guys watch it.
Til next week,
Elder Simpson
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
Salto Uruguay - March 12th 2013
Hi All,
The Patria Gaucha last weekwas actually kind of a let down. There were mostly just artisan booths of leather goods, gaucho clothes, mate’s and novelty items. Most of the cool stuff they do at night and we were out of there by about 4:30. It’s a festival that happens annually here in T-bo and every year the missionaries get to go. So for that, it’s pretty cool. All in all it was okay. Something that I can say I did at least once in my life.
This week has been miraculous. I have 0 complaints in relation to this week. 0. None whatsoever. For the last couple of weeks Elder Lamb and I have been finding people almost non-stop and we are seeing so many miracles. This next change should be a very interesting change and I do believe that many miracles will be witnessed.
As for transfers now…..I’m going to………………SALTO!!!!!!!!!! One of the most legendary zones of the mission, most commonly referred to as Zion. But. Of course, as is to be expected. There’s a catch in my area. It’s the only area in the zone that’s a branch. ? Back to the sticks, back to the complicated area. We have bikes….which means God has been telling to get ready for this for the last 2 areas and I’ve been ignoring the messages. We absolutely need the bikes in the area because we have three small towns that we visit and the main town is about 25 minutes away by bike. So….yea.
My companion is Elder Dalgado and we’re going to be Proselyting comps. He’s really young in the mission, not even a year yet. He’ll hit that point in June. Also, we’re both going to be district leaders. I know that there’s a lot I’m going to be able to learn out there.
I’m really sad to be leaving Tacuarembo. It just hit me the other day how little time I have left in the mission. I can’t explain what I’ve learned even in the last three days. I’m so very happy with this life and I love the Lord more than ever before. I know that this is His work and His will. I know that we can become like Him. That is what He wants. He wants us to come and live with Him and have all that He has. I love the Savior. He is my friend and my advocate. He leads me along, step by step as I am willing to follow His loving yet firm instruction.
Elder Ender. I’m here to finish this.
The Patria Gaucha last weekwas actually kind of a let down. There were mostly just artisan booths of leather goods, gaucho clothes, mate’s and novelty items. Most of the cool stuff they do at night and we were out of there by about 4:30. It’s a festival that happens annually here in T-bo and every year the missionaries get to go. So for that, it’s pretty cool. All in all it was okay. Something that I can say I did at least once in my life.
As for transfers now…..I’m going to………………SALTO!!!!!!!!!! One of the most legendary zones of the mission, most commonly referred to as Zion. But. Of course, as is to be expected. There’s a catch in my area. It’s the only area in the zone that’s a branch. ? Back to the sticks, back to the complicated area. We have bikes….which means God has been telling to get ready for this for the last 2 areas and I’ve been ignoring the messages. We absolutely need the bikes in the area because we have three small towns that we visit and the main town is about 25 minutes away by bike. So….yea.
My companion is Elder Dalgado and we’re going to be Proselyting comps. He’s really young in the mission, not even a year yet. He’ll hit that point in June. Also, we’re both going to be district leaders. I know that there’s a lot I’m going to be able to learn out there.
I’m really sad to be leaving Tacuarembo. It just hit me the other day how little time I have left in the mission. I can’t explain what I’ve learned even in the last three days. I’m so very happy with this life and I love the Lord more than ever before. I know that this is His work and His will. I know that we can become like Him. That is what He wants. He wants us to come and live with Him and have all that He has. I love the Savior. He is my friend and my advocate. He leads me along, step by step as I am willing to follow His loving yet firm instruction.
Elder Ender. I’m here to finish this.
Wednesday, March 6, 2013
Tacuarembó Uruguay - March 6th 2013
Hi all,
All in all this summer has been much less than what was the summer of last year. No complaints from me on that one. We'll see how winter behaves herself.
Things this last week really involved a lot of personal growth really. I've been learning a lot about how to overcome myself and let go of all of the nasty little pride particles that float around in my blood. I really feel like over the last 2 changes I've become a lot more humble and that the Lord has truly blessed me with rapid growth and progress. Regardless, I know that I still have an extreme distance to go. It's really actually been a hard week for me. Lots of negative experiences, or rather, lots of experiences in the which I had to choose to be humble and charitable or not. They were super tough. Just lots of negative people and comments. Total buzz kill. I'll be honest. T-bo has not been one of my favorite areas thus far. I truly do love a lot of the people here. Some great great people and I've learned and grown so much here. So for that, I wouldn't trade my time here for anything. Not much more to do but put one foot in front of the other.
I'm fine. I'm tired. All the time. Getting out of bed is probably one of the top 5 hardest things that I do every day. Also on that list of top 5 is staying awake during studies and lessons. But the Lord blesses me with strength and the days continue to absolutely fly past. It's rather astounding at times at how relativistic the mission is. I mean seriously. There should be some quantum theory based solely upon a missionaries perception of the passing of time. I don't know if there's any other point in life where the rate of time passing can be plotted on an exponential graph! Quite obscene really....for example. Elder Velasquez goes home in 6 weeks. I can't believe this...All of my friends are leaving.
I found dental floss for the first time last night in 3 months. That made me pretty happy. Apart from that, I'm really not in that much need. A lot of the American brands have production companies in Argentina and Brazil and Uruguay imports a lot of those goods so brand names are super familiar. Johnson and Johnson, Colgate, Dove, Speed Stick, so on and so forth. The quality isn't quite as high, but it's still okay material.
This week I've really enjoyed reading out of the old testament. I don't know why but I'm flying through it. I really wish that I'd paid more attention during seminary. Today in my study, I was really impressed and saddened by the persistence of Saul in disobeying the commandments of God as he became more and more enraged by David. He threw away so much and for what? Stubbornness? Pride? Jealousy? How petty. How depressing that one of the greatest warriors of Jewish history and the first monarchal figure in what was hundreds of years at that time threw everything away for sheer pigheadedness! (The entire story is in the book of Samuel. You should glance it over really. Rather entertaining and enlightening.) Anyways, it makes me think about us sometimes. What are we willing to put up as our excuse for not being perfectly obedient and giving our whole self unto the Lord? What celestial blessings are we willing to sacrifice in the name of such pathetic pretenses? Christ invites us to repent, be baptized and be saved. That is the entire purpose of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
One thing that always always always helps me out here when the days just bite is praying it all off. I get steamed or bugged or depressed or whatever and right then is the moment to pray. Even if were on a busy street. Especially when we get frustrated. Those are the moments when I tell my companion to stop, pull out my agenda so it looks like we're merely conversing and offer a fervent and heartfelt prayer. That's when I've seen some of the tenderest blessings of the Lord on my mission. Some of my favorite moments have been on my knees as well. He's got all of the answers and can calm the wearied soul.
Elder Andy
All in all this summer has been much less than what was the summer of last year. No complaints from me on that one. We'll see how winter behaves herself.
Things this last week really involved a lot of personal growth really. I've been learning a lot about how to overcome myself and let go of all of the nasty little pride particles that float around in my blood. I really feel like over the last 2 changes I've become a lot more humble and that the Lord has truly blessed me with rapid growth and progress. Regardless, I know that I still have an extreme distance to go. It's really actually been a hard week for me. Lots of negative experiences, or rather, lots of experiences in the which I had to choose to be humble and charitable or not. They were super tough. Just lots of negative people and comments. Total buzz kill. I'll be honest. T-bo has not been one of my favorite areas thus far. I truly do love a lot of the people here. Some great great people and I've learned and grown so much here. So for that, I wouldn't trade my time here for anything. Not much more to do but put one foot in front of the other.
I'm fine. I'm tired. All the time. Getting out of bed is probably one of the top 5 hardest things that I do every day. Also on that list of top 5 is staying awake during studies and lessons. But the Lord blesses me with strength and the days continue to absolutely fly past. It's rather astounding at times at how relativistic the mission is. I mean seriously. There should be some quantum theory based solely upon a missionaries perception of the passing of time. I don't know if there's any other point in life where the rate of time passing can be plotted on an exponential graph! Quite obscene really....for example. Elder Velasquez goes home in 6 weeks. I can't believe this...All of my friends are leaving.
I found dental floss for the first time last night in 3 months. That made me pretty happy. Apart from that, I'm really not in that much need. A lot of the American brands have production companies in Argentina and Brazil and Uruguay imports a lot of those goods so brand names are super familiar. Johnson and Johnson, Colgate, Dove, Speed Stick, so on and so forth. The quality isn't quite as high, but it's still okay material.
This week I've really enjoyed reading out of the old testament. I don't know why but I'm flying through it. I really wish that I'd paid more attention during seminary. Today in my study, I was really impressed and saddened by the persistence of Saul in disobeying the commandments of God as he became more and more enraged by David. He threw away so much and for what? Stubbornness? Pride? Jealousy? How petty. How depressing that one of the greatest warriors of Jewish history and the first monarchal figure in what was hundreds of years at that time threw everything away for sheer pigheadedness! (The entire story is in the book of Samuel. You should glance it over really. Rather entertaining and enlightening.) Anyways, it makes me think about us sometimes. What are we willing to put up as our excuse for not being perfectly obedient and giving our whole self unto the Lord? What celestial blessings are we willing to sacrifice in the name of such pathetic pretenses? Christ invites us to repent, be baptized and be saved. That is the entire purpose of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
One thing that always always always helps me out here when the days just bite is praying it all off. I get steamed or bugged or depressed or whatever and right then is the moment to pray. Even if were on a busy street. Especially when we get frustrated. Those are the moments when I tell my companion to stop, pull out my agenda so it looks like we're merely conversing and offer a fervent and heartfelt prayer. That's when I've seen some of the tenderest blessings of the Lord on my mission. Some of my favorite moments have been on my knees as well. He's got all of the answers and can calm the wearied soul.
Elder Andy
Monday, February 25, 2013
Tacuarembó Uruguay - Feb 25th 2013
Our biggest miracle this week was a process of multiple days. After the team visit that we went on with the hermanas (last week), we didn't really have much of anything til Friday rolled around. Our new Zone Leader, Elder Geschwandtner (say that one 10 times fast ;D) came out to do the interview and the hermanas came to our church as well. The night before I called an hermana who is super awesome to come and help us out with the interview to help Araci feel more comfortable with the situation and not be too overwhelmed by missionaries. So we started the interview lesson and the Hermana Da Rosa showed up in the middle of the first hymn, said nothing and sat down to sing with us. We then asked Araci who she wanted to say the first prayer and she looked directly at Hma. Da Rosa and said I want Mabel to say the prayer. Turns out they were old class mates like 30 years ago and had maintained contact and decent friendship up until 2 years ago and Friday was the first time that they had seen each other since that day. Small miracle, right? It gets better.
The interview took a long time but she passed and we were able to have a great endure to the end lesson and filled out the baptismal record. It's always a lot of fun to be able to get together with other missionaries and talk. Plus I love being able to laugh and joke in Spanish as well as in English. Anyways, the interview took up most of the day on Friday and then that night when we got home I was on the phone non-stop until 1030, getting everything set up for the baptism on Saturday. We'd had a lot of people cancel on us last minute and we needed to get back ups into place so that we could do the baptism, in spite of minor hold ups.
Saturday started calm enough, and then we started to fill the font at 2. Everything was great and we hung around for an hour filling out paperwork to make sure that nothing went wrong then we left to go to another charla (lesson). When we got back, the water in the font was brown and it was 5 and the baptism started at 730. Not cool man. We turned the pump on to take the water out and then grabbed buckets and started bailing the water to exterior drains to get the water out faster, cleaning as we went. We got the font drained and cleaned by 530 (sweating like pigs by the end of it) and turned the water back on, full blast.
It filled for about 10 minutes and then the water stopped....so we went out to check the tanks and see if there was a problem. No problem really. Just empty. At that point, we went back to the font and the water would fitfully squirt out in a pathetic dribble as the smallest amounts of water filled the tank, giving enough pressure to reach the font. We had 4 inches of water and a baptism in an hour and a half. So, we got down our knees and pleaded with God that we could pull it off. We ran home, changed, ( I got my suit on and elder lamb prepped his white madness) and we ran back to the church. 6 inches of water and a baptism in 40 minutes. The hermanas showed up right about then, after not having believed me about our situation. They believed me when they saw the font.
Elder Lamb and I grabbed buckets and headed to the nearest members house. We explained the situation and they said sure elders, help yourselves to water. So, we did. We made three trips, with three buckets each time. We now had probably a foot of water. Boss. We gonna do a baptism. And we did. Elder Lamb knelt in the font and araci sat with her legs straight out. Right then, I knew we'd done our part. I knew it. When they were all in the bathroom changing, I had a moment to myself in the hall and I was just....full. So very very full. I knew in my heart and soul that I'm doing my part. I cannot possibly explain what I felt in that moment, nor the celestial communication that reached my being. But I know that God has my back. I know that He will always, always prepare the way for His servants.
18 ¶And the children of Israel arose, and went up to athe house of God, and asked counsel of God, and said, Which of us shall go up first to the battle against the children of Benjamin? And theLORD said, Judah shall go up first.
19 And the children of Israel rose up in the morning, andaencamped against Gibeah.
20 And the men of Israel went out to battle against Benjamin; and the men of Israel put themselves in array to fight against them at Gibeah.
21 And the children of Benjamin came forth out of Gibeah, and destroyed down to the ground of the Israelites that day twenty and two thousand men.
22 And the people the men of Israel encouraged themselves, and set their battle again in array in the place where they put themselves in array the first day.
23 (And the children of Israel went up and wept before the LORDuntil even, and asked counsel of the LORD, saying, Shall I go up again to battle against the children of Benjamin my brother? And the LORD said, Go up against him.)
24 And the children of Israel came near against the children of Benjamin the second day.
-Judges 20:18-24
Some times, the hardest thing to do in this life is go out on the second day. The second day isn't always the day that makes it worth either. Israel didn't prevail until the third day. But it takes a man of courage to fall on his face weeping before the Face of God and plead with the Creator, asking only His will and then follow that will without doubting until the sunrise of the third day.
I've reached the third day and the time in the field stays with me but a short while longer. Time to slake the blades.
Elder Simpson
Monday, February 18, 2013
Tacuarembó Uruguay - Feb 18th 2013
Hi All,
The battle marches on and the soldiers rage upon their foes. Elder Lamb is proving to be a powerful messenger and witness of the restored truth of the gospel and a great ally. We've made huge steps since he got here.
I'm doing very well today. How are you? This week was actually a decent one, so I have no complaints. I did see Elder Rosette on Tuesday!! I was super stoked to see him and he and I laughed and talked and hugged a lot. It's really good to have him here in the zone right now and I know that he's super stoked to finally be out of Cardona. Ironically, Cardona and Tranqueras are my 2 favorite areas of the mission. Go figure.
Cecilia....has disappeared. We had members promise to go talk to her and help out and none of them did which was just frustrating. Then we called once and I'm almost positive she was in an anti-mormon church. That really just made me sad more than anything and I honestly hurt for her. I just want her to be happy and I don't know why so many people want to attack other churches. That doesn't make any sense to me at all.
Anyways, we'll do what we can for her this week but I'm not sure how much we can do at this point. It really all comes down to her, the members and her grandma....
The most outrageous thing that happened was the fact that a water main a block from our house broke Saturday evening. We saw the water coming out of the ground as we went home and found out that we had nearly 0 water pressure. So...we rag bathed ourselves that night, out of the bathroom sink. Then Sunday morning, I filled up like 10 liters of water and we discovered that if you put the shower head (it was attached to a hose) on top of the water fixture, you got a decent amount of pressure, enough to take a crouching shower. That was.....eventful. And then we had water again during Sunday afternoon but it was black! I was super disgusted, but elder lamb said that happened all the time in his city with water line repairs and whatnot....I've just never seen brown water come out of a water fixture and I was appalled. The water is pretty much clean now, so I'm not too worried about it, but still..... That was all pretty outrageous.
I forgot to say that I got both of the packages 2 weeks ago. All of the candy is gone and I've nearly finished a jar of peanut butter! Elder Lamb and I have thoroughly enjoyed all of the American goodness that arrived.
We found a guy named Jose this week. He was in a hit and run with a motor cycle a while ago, (has a massive scar from most the way up his stomach down to his groin where they opened him up to operate.) and is really interested in the Book of Mormon. We're trying our best to help him understand that it's not a simplified translation of the bible, but another volume of holy scripture. We'll see how we do.
Sacrament meeting was great. I really just felt the spirit a lot leaving our house and going to church and it was with me very strongly for a lot of the morning and afternoon. I spoke on Sunday about the Resurrection. Man, 1st Corinthians 15 is SUPER helpful. The nice thing is that I'd already studied in there a lot. I thought it was a very poorly done talk even though I'd prepared for it. But. That said. I feel that I have a stronger testimony of the resurrection. That makes it all worth it.
Then, we went on a team visit with the Hermanas (sisters) in the area next to us. That was super cool and we did a four way beat down in a lesson which was just impressive. The spirit was very strong.
Well, I think that's about all the time I have to write. May the Lord guide you and protect on this your mortal sojourn. For this life is merely a shadow, a flitting occurrence that as it quickly as it began can end. "We being a lonesome and a solemn people, wanderers" will return once more to the celestial heights to assume our rightful places in the Eternal Kingdom of God.
Elder Andy
(Jacob 7:26)
The battle marches on and the soldiers rage upon their foes. Elder Lamb is proving to be a powerful messenger and witness of the restored truth of the gospel and a great ally. We've made huge steps since he got here.
I'm doing very well today. How are you? This week was actually a decent one, so I have no complaints. I did see Elder Rosette on Tuesday!! I was super stoked to see him and he and I laughed and talked and hugged a lot. It's really good to have him here in the zone right now and I know that he's super stoked to finally be out of Cardona. Ironically, Cardona and Tranqueras are my 2 favorite areas of the mission. Go figure.
Cecilia....has disappeared. We had members promise to go talk to her and help out and none of them did which was just frustrating. Then we called once and I'm almost positive she was in an anti-mormon church. That really just made me sad more than anything and I honestly hurt for her. I just want her to be happy and I don't know why so many people want to attack other churches. That doesn't make any sense to me at all.
Anyways, we'll do what we can for her this week but I'm not sure how much we can do at this point. It really all comes down to her, the members and her grandma....
The most outrageous thing that happened was the fact that a water main a block from our house broke Saturday evening. We saw the water coming out of the ground as we went home and found out that we had nearly 0 water pressure. So...we rag bathed ourselves that night, out of the bathroom sink. Then Sunday morning, I filled up like 10 liters of water and we discovered that if you put the shower head (it was attached to a hose) on top of the water fixture, you got a decent amount of pressure, enough to take a crouching shower. That was.....eventful. And then we had water again during Sunday afternoon but it was black! I was super disgusted, but elder lamb said that happened all the time in his city with water line repairs and whatnot....I've just never seen brown water come out of a water fixture and I was appalled. The water is pretty much clean now, so I'm not too worried about it, but still..... That was all pretty outrageous.
I forgot to say that I got both of the packages 2 weeks ago. All of the candy is gone and I've nearly finished a jar of peanut butter! Elder Lamb and I have thoroughly enjoyed all of the American goodness that arrived.
We found a guy named Jose this week. He was in a hit and run with a motor cycle a while ago, (has a massive scar from most the way up his stomach down to his groin where they opened him up to operate.) and is really interested in the Book of Mormon. We're trying our best to help him understand that it's not a simplified translation of the bible, but another volume of holy scripture. We'll see how we do.
Sacrament meeting was great. I really just felt the spirit a lot leaving our house and going to church and it was with me very strongly for a lot of the morning and afternoon. I spoke on Sunday about the Resurrection. Man, 1st Corinthians 15 is SUPER helpful. The nice thing is that I'd already studied in there a lot. I thought it was a very poorly done talk even though I'd prepared for it. But. That said. I feel that I have a stronger testimony of the resurrection. That makes it all worth it.
Then, we went on a team visit with the Hermanas (sisters) in the area next to us. That was super cool and we did a four way beat down in a lesson which was just impressive. The spirit was very strong.
Well, I think that's about all the time I have to write. May the Lord guide you and protect on this your mortal sojourn. For this life is merely a shadow, a flitting occurrence that as it quickly as it began can end. "We being a lonesome and a solemn people, wanderers" will return once more to the celestial heights to assume our rightful places in the Eternal Kingdom of God.
Elder Andy
(Jacob 7:26)
Tacuarembó Uruguay - Feb 11th 2013
Hi All,
Changes were super tranquilo (tranquil). Nothing happened in my neck of the woods. But that's nothing less than we expected. In the cool end of news though, elder Rosete is coming to Tacuarembo, and for that I'm rather stoked. He's been in Cardona for 6 months now. That's a long long haul in one of the hardest areas of the mission. Heck, 4.5 months was a long haul. So I'll see him on Thursday so that will be fun.
In the running department, it's been a little rough on Elder Lamb and I. What happens is we can run for a little while, but then the extra 15 or 20 minutes that we take start to catch up to us and we literally struggle to get out of bed before 630. Therefore, our running suffers. It's just that our work is so demanding that anything extra takes a herculean effort. And we've been catchin a lot of sun and super humid heat these last few days and that just takes it outta ya. Granted, it's nothing in comparison to summer last year, so for that I am thankful.
As for the miracles of the week....we found 12 new investigators. That's the most I've ever found on the mission in one week. Ever. Granted more than a couple of them don't want anything to do with us already, but regardless. The Lord truly blessed us with miracles almost on a daily basis this last week. There is one stand out event. Saturday, after 2 of our lessons fell through, we followed up on a street contact from 2 days before. Cecilia let us in and we had an interesting lesson in front of her house. She didn't want to say an opening nor a closing prayer so it was my first prayer-less lesson but she agreed to going to church with us the next day. Lo and behold, we showed up Sunday to find here and she was out front waiting for us.We got to church and she already knew a lot of the members and was rather animated. She really seemed to enjoy the meetings and pull something from them. After sacrament meeting we showed her the baptismal font and committed her to baptism on the 2 of march. Unfortunately....her grandma, whom she lives with, happens to hate Mormons. And so yesterday when we tried to set up our next lesson she said that she was having family problems as a result of Sunday and that she couldn't listen to us anymore. We called her this morning and had a good talk about her feelings in church and all that the Lord can bless her with. Keep her in your prayers please...she needs the gospel in her life.
This week in my studies I've finished the book of Joshua and now I'm reading in Judges. The bible is so clear sometimes and sometimes it is just so muddled. I'm so thankful that we have the Book of Mormon in this life to clarify the teachings of the savior that have been marred and pocked by the feeble hands of men.
I read this great quote from Elder Dallin H. Oaks, “The Challenge to Become,” Liahona, Jan. 2001, 41;Ensign, Nov. 2000, 33: “To testify is to know and to declare. The gospel challenges us to be ‘converted,’ which requires us to do and to become. If any of us relies solely upon our knowledge and testimony of the gospel, we are in the same position as the blessed but still unfinished Apostles whom Jesus challenged to be ‘converted.’ We all know someone who has a strong testimony but does not act upon it so as to be converted.
We must not only have testimonies. We must become converted. It's the refiners fire that the Lord puts us through, when combined with the effort our part, that will take the crude elements of testimony and desire and forge them into the swift and deadly steel blade of conversion.
"Now for wrath! Now for ruin, and the red dawn!" seems fitting. Just one step closer to conversion and one step further from giving up.
Well, that's about all I've got time for. The next changes will be on March 12th, so it's gonna be a sprint this time around. The Lord is truly blessing us and as we turn to Him constantly in prayer, this will not change. I've never spent so much time on my knees, but I also don't believe that I've been happier before in my life. Prayer is a powerful tool that is far too underrated in this world. There's nothing like kneeling in supplication to the most powerful Being in existence and feeling His love envelope your existence.
Elder Andy
Changes were super tranquilo (tranquil). Nothing happened in my neck of the woods. But that's nothing less than we expected. In the cool end of news though, elder Rosete is coming to Tacuarembo, and for that I'm rather stoked. He's been in Cardona for 6 months now. That's a long long haul in one of the hardest areas of the mission. Heck, 4.5 months was a long haul. So I'll see him on Thursday so that will be fun.
In the running department, it's been a little rough on Elder Lamb and I. What happens is we can run for a little while, but then the extra 15 or 20 minutes that we take start to catch up to us and we literally struggle to get out of bed before 630. Therefore, our running suffers. It's just that our work is so demanding that anything extra takes a herculean effort. And we've been catchin a lot of sun and super humid heat these last few days and that just takes it outta ya. Granted, it's nothing in comparison to summer last year, so for that I am thankful.
As for the miracles of the week....we found 12 new investigators. That's the most I've ever found on the mission in one week. Ever. Granted more than a couple of them don't want anything to do with us already, but regardless. The Lord truly blessed us with miracles almost on a daily basis this last week. There is one stand out event. Saturday, after 2 of our lessons fell through, we followed up on a street contact from 2 days before. Cecilia let us in and we had an interesting lesson in front of her house. She didn't want to say an opening nor a closing prayer so it was my first prayer-less lesson but she agreed to going to church with us the next day. Lo and behold, we showed up Sunday to find here and she was out front waiting for us.We got to church and she already knew a lot of the members and was rather animated. She really seemed to enjoy the meetings and pull something from them. After sacrament meeting we showed her the baptismal font and committed her to baptism on the 2 of march. Unfortunately....her grandma, whom she lives with, happens to hate Mormons. And so yesterday when we tried to set up our next lesson she said that she was having family problems as a result of Sunday and that she couldn't listen to us anymore. We called her this morning and had a good talk about her feelings in church and all that the Lord can bless her with. Keep her in your prayers please...she needs the gospel in her life.
This week in my studies I've finished the book of Joshua and now I'm reading in Judges. The bible is so clear sometimes and sometimes it is just so muddled. I'm so thankful that we have the Book of Mormon in this life to clarify the teachings of the savior that have been marred and pocked by the feeble hands of men.
I read this great quote from Elder Dallin H. Oaks, “The Challenge to Become,” Liahona, Jan. 2001, 41;Ensign, Nov. 2000, 33: “To testify is to know and to declare. The gospel challenges us to be ‘converted,’ which requires us to do and to become. If any of us relies solely upon our knowledge and testimony of the gospel, we are in the same position as the blessed but still unfinished Apostles whom Jesus challenged to be ‘converted.’ We all know someone who has a strong testimony but does not act upon it so as to be converted.
We must not only have testimonies. We must become converted. It's the refiners fire that the Lord puts us through, when combined with the effort our part, that will take the crude elements of testimony and desire and forge them into the swift and deadly steel blade of conversion.
"Now for wrath! Now for ruin, and the red dawn!" seems fitting. Just one step closer to conversion and one step further from giving up.
Well, that's about all I've got time for. The next changes will be on March 12th, so it's gonna be a sprint this time around. The Lord is truly blessing us and as we turn to Him constantly in prayer, this will not change. I've never spent so much time on my knees, but I also don't believe that I've been happier before in my life. Prayer is a powerful tool that is far too underrated in this world. There's nothing like kneeling in supplication to the most powerful Being in existence and feeling His love envelope your existence.
Elder Andy
Monday, February 4, 2013
Tacuarembó Uruguay - Feb 4th 2013
Hi All,
The weather was great this week up until about Wednesday. Then it was really hot and humid and then it poured Thursday and was even more hot and humid and then it poured again Friday and and Saturday and Sunday were super nice and today is pretty decent too. This is by far much cooler than last year and I have zero complaints about that. It’s super funny because on Thursday people thought we hit 50 degrees Celsius but I’ve come to realize that not only are the ‘guayans prone to exaggerate, they don’t seem to recognize the difference between heat and humidity. Nothing wrong with that, it’s just hard not to chuckle when they go out and check a thermostat and it’s really not that hot outside. Just sticky.
We found a great investigator named Leonel this week. He’s a great guy. Direct Italian decedent and speaks Italian and Spanish. Super cool guy and he really reminds me a lot of Joel, if you guys remember him from Montevideo. He’s a very intelligent man and he loves to read and comprehends everything that we’ve shared with him. He didn’t even doubt when we told him that Joseph Smith was a prophet and each time we come by he tells us that he’s gotten a little bit more of an answer to his prayers about whether or not these things are true. We’re super stoked about him. We fasted for him because they’re in pretty dire circumstances financially but we know that the Lord will provide. I’ve seen it before and I know that the Lord will provide.
I’ve decided this week that I’m really not that concerned about always finding and baptizing. Yes. We’ve been over that before and I truly love both those parts of missionary work, but my main goal is to minister to all people possible. I really like feeling like I minister. It makes me happy knowing that I lifted someones day by being a conduit of the spirit.
Ignacio is…..Ignacio. He’s a little goof ball. He sometimes likes to pray and read and participate and sometimes he doesn’t. He’s a funny little kid. He knows a great deal of the ward and when his aunt doesn’t come, he just comes by himself. He really does like being there and continues to take steps towards stronger and greater faith. It’s impressive in someone so young.
So we recently just got out of a shoe store here. Elder Lamb didn’t buy the most durable shoes and has already almost destroyed a pair….shoe shopping in South America is rather interesting. They hang the shoes from great long wires about 10 feet in the air and you have to have amazing vertical jumping skills to get them down. You should see some of these people hop. The other alternative is try your broad sword skills against a machete wielding gaucho. Pretty fearsome….Ok in reality it’s pretty much the same as the states. But. I was really worried down here that all of them have 2 right feet because only the right shoe is out on the racks. Then I realized that’s why the latin+american cross breeds make such great dancers because in the states we have 2 left feet and here they have 2 right feet! Alright, I know that was a stretch but bear with me. Anyways, you have to take the right shoe up to the desk to get his mate. It’s to prevent pilfering. Bit sad really. Unless you have a one legged bandit hit your store….just as long as he didn’t lose his right foot in the freak accident.
I read Pres Eyring's Sunday Morning conference talk this morning. He truly is my favorite member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. I relate to him on more than one level and his messages have always reached my heart. I cannot recall how many times in my mission I have asked the Lord the same questions in relation to the pavilion and that section from Doctrine & Covenants is one of my favorite selections of scripture. Right up there with Romans 8 and 2 Nephi 4. Really, sometimes, I have no clue why I’m in some of the areas that I’m in. I question if I’ve ever really made a difference and each time a voice speaks to my ear that yes, my efforts both matter and count. The Lord has plans. We just need to make sure that we don’t get caught up in the next 5 yards. He’s callin the shots and has the touchdown in mind. (Bummer that the 49ers lost the bowl….)
Well, I’ve been reading Joshua in the bible lately and he was a stud muffin on steroids. I was reading in chapter 7:10-13 and I totally thought of Matthew 7:3-5. It’s great. You should read some of the proceeding chapters in Joshua if you want the back story but I really like in 7:13 when the Lord tells us to rise and sanctify ourselves. We have to do that if we want to be a brutally conquering child of God.
The work continues and so do I. I love it here, but time already runs short. I can’t believe it. Oh well. I’ll do what I can with the time I have.
Elder Simpson
The weather was great this week up until about Wednesday. Then it was really hot and humid and then it poured Thursday and was even more hot and humid and then it poured again Friday and and Saturday and Sunday were super nice and today is pretty decent too. This is by far much cooler than last year and I have zero complaints about that. It’s super funny because on Thursday people thought we hit 50 degrees Celsius but I’ve come to realize that not only are the ‘guayans prone to exaggerate, they don’t seem to recognize the difference between heat and humidity. Nothing wrong with that, it’s just hard not to chuckle when they go out and check a thermostat and it’s really not that hot outside. Just sticky.
 |
| Playing with a big water balloon |
We found a great investigator named Leonel this week. He’s a great guy. Direct Italian decedent and speaks Italian and Spanish. Super cool guy and he really reminds me a lot of Joel, if you guys remember him from Montevideo. He’s a very intelligent man and he loves to read and comprehends everything that we’ve shared with him. He didn’t even doubt when we told him that Joseph Smith was a prophet and each time we come by he tells us that he’s gotten a little bit more of an answer to his prayers about whether or not these things are true. We’re super stoked about him. We fasted for him because they’re in pretty dire circumstances financially but we know that the Lord will provide. I’ve seen it before and I know that the Lord will provide.
I’ve decided this week that I’m really not that concerned about always finding and baptizing. Yes. We’ve been over that before and I truly love both those parts of missionary work, but my main goal is to minister to all people possible. I really like feeling like I minister. It makes me happy knowing that I lifted someones day by being a conduit of the spirit.
Ignacio is…..Ignacio. He’s a little goof ball. He sometimes likes to pray and read and participate and sometimes he doesn’t. He’s a funny little kid. He knows a great deal of the ward and when his aunt doesn’t come, he just comes by himself. He really does like being there and continues to take steps towards stronger and greater faith. It’s impressive in someone so young.
So we recently just got out of a shoe store here. Elder Lamb didn’t buy the most durable shoes and has already almost destroyed a pair….shoe shopping in South America is rather interesting. They hang the shoes from great long wires about 10 feet in the air and you have to have amazing vertical jumping skills to get them down. You should see some of these people hop. The other alternative is try your broad sword skills against a machete wielding gaucho. Pretty fearsome….Ok in reality it’s pretty much the same as the states. But. I was really worried down here that all of them have 2 right feet because only the right shoe is out on the racks. Then I realized that’s why the latin+american cross breeds make such great dancers because in the states we have 2 left feet and here they have 2 right feet! Alright, I know that was a stretch but bear with me. Anyways, you have to take the right shoe up to the desk to get his mate. It’s to prevent pilfering. Bit sad really. Unless you have a one legged bandit hit your store….just as long as he didn’t lose his right foot in the freak accident.
I read Pres Eyring's Sunday Morning conference talk this morning. He truly is my favorite member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. I relate to him on more than one level and his messages have always reached my heart. I cannot recall how many times in my mission I have asked the Lord the same questions in relation to the pavilion and that section from Doctrine & Covenants is one of my favorite selections of scripture. Right up there with Romans 8 and 2 Nephi 4. Really, sometimes, I have no clue why I’m in some of the areas that I’m in. I question if I’ve ever really made a difference and each time a voice speaks to my ear that yes, my efforts both matter and count. The Lord has plans. We just need to make sure that we don’t get caught up in the next 5 yards. He’s callin the shots and has the touchdown in mind. (Bummer that the 49ers lost the bowl….)
Well, I’ve been reading Joshua in the bible lately and he was a stud muffin on steroids. I was reading in chapter 7:10-13 and I totally thought of Matthew 7:3-5. It’s great. You should read some of the proceeding chapters in Joshua if you want the back story but I really like in 7:13 when the Lord tells us to rise and sanctify ourselves. We have to do that if we want to be a brutally conquering child of God.
The work continues and so do I. I love it here, but time already runs short. I can’t believe it. Oh well. I’ll do what I can with the time I have.
Elder Simpson
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