El Campo Blanco

Once again another beautiful day in Buenos Aires. Which actually means heat. A lot of heat. The little fan we have in the Pension is just not doing the job.

So a shout out to Texas and Elder Lauritzen. Last week at transfer meeting one of the new Elders, whom I had never seen in my life, came up to me with a little note from Elder Nick Lauritzen. I was rather confused, seeing as how I was thousands of miles away from anyone who had the slightest idea what or who a "Lauritzen" is I found it quite strange that one of the random greenies would. Turns out he was from Texas and in Elder Lauritzen's ward before coming here to Buenos Aires South. Wow, random right? Small world eh? Small small world... Well Nick, I got your message.

Anyways

Ok, the work in Avellaneda is up and running. It only took a transfer and a half, which all things considered, has been nothing less than a miracle.

We had a great finding week last week and the week before adding considerably to our teaching pool. We really are teaching all over our area map, not just in one area like missionaries have been for nearly a year.

Other highlights have included working in an area that hasn´t been touched for over a year and finding there. Taking out Baptismal dates with Sylvina and her daughter Nichole, and Maria Angelica. And working with members to plan a double ward mission activity with our mission president as the speaker.

We´ve been busy bees out here in Avellaneda 2.

The ward here is a big city ward with over 300 members. ....Unfortunately only about 40-50 of those are active on a weekly basis. Our church is the stake center also, and we share it with our neighboring ward Avellaneda 1.

Our Bishop is probably one of the hardest working men I´ve ever seen. Especially with the weight of his calling. The Bishop here takes on such great responsibility. If a faucet is leaking in the church, the bishop is the first one to be called. Regardless, he´s got a vision for the work here. Working with him, we´ve managed to create a ward mission plan we´re now implementing to build excitement around missionary work. Hence the big double ward activity in a few weeks.

The drawbacks here are the drawbacks anywhere else. People get offended. Very easily. Or worse, with reason. We have the responsibility as missionaries here of strengthening many of the less active converts. Most of these people left the church because of rumors, gossip, or because they didn´t feel the church was helping them the way they deserved.

It´s hard to be the middle party.

Just last night we talked with an ex bishop who had left the church because he felt it had destroyed his family life. He explained to us that he kept all the standards of the church, read and prayed in his scriptures daily, fasted every month, hung pictures of the temples on his walls, and all sorts of other rationalizations to compensate for his failed attendance at church. But it didn´t matter what his justification was, the bottom line was he wasn´t receiving the blessings that come from the sacrament every week and he was keeping his family from doing so as well. We invited him to pray to God to ask what He wants for his family at this time. To which he only gave us more rationalizations.

I marveled at how many ways we justify sometimes.

We hear stories like this as missionaries at least several times a week and it gets more frustrating every time. People can´t seem to distinguish between what is the perfect structure and organization of the church, and it´s imperfect leaders.

On the other hand, there are some very firm members out here. Solid men and woman that stand as modern pioneers, the frontier of the Church in a new world. They are truly amazing people who build the kingdom regardless of circumstance or opposition. It´s amazing how we get references from the same determined people who seem so busy in their personal lives, but always seem to find time to help do a little good for someone around them.

Anyways, the ward really is growing with excitement for the work here. Dad wanted me to say a few words about the ward here, so here it is.

Sylvina and Nichole came to church with us on Sunday, and were very excited to do so. After gospel principles, Sylvina apparently had to leave, but Nichole, her 11 year old daughter was having too much fun in primary. "But mooom, can´t we just stay one more hour?" I loved Nichole's enthusiasm.

Funny story

We stopped by Sylvina´s and asked if Nichole had read earlier in the week. She looked at us and said "I only got a small part." We congratulated her on her effort and asked her what she understood. She gazed at us with big eyes and said "uh, ok, but I´m a bit nervous. I´ll try." Elder Valerin and I were a bit confused. She began to speak,

"Y aconteció que habia un gran multitud de personas..."

She had memorized the entire first three verses of 3 Nefi 11.

We assured her that she didn´t have to memorize the entire thing, just read it. But we also told her that if she did want to memorize it, it wouldn´t be the worst thing in the world.

So Nichole and Sylvina are getting ready for baptism. Maria Angelica as well. With a host of new investigators that are starting to progress. The work here is taking off. And I´m so grateful for the opportunity to be a part of it.