Due to changing in myldsmail, my new email address is "stephenj-AT-myldsmail.net. The new myldsmail was overhauled by Google, and now is just like Gmail. It’s actually pretty cool.
First bit of news. As you all know, or at the very least should have figured out, Elder Sanchez´ family survived the Earthquake. As a matter of fact, more than survive, their house was completely preserved. Not even a broken window. The only thing that broke of value in the entire house was the television. Elder Sanchez keeps joking shaking his head with a choked up voice "that was a great TV."
Consider the miracle. He lives in the epicenter of one of the strongest earthquakes of the last century. Also five minutes away from the beach and, by extension, a large tsunami. Somehow the rising waters were routed around his home. He only believed that it was still standing after his family sent pictures. Books fell, along with random decorations around the house, but no damage actually occurred. It’s a miracle.
There are a lot of Chileans in the mission and apparently all of them report similar stories. The Lord always watches over his servants and their families.
Thank you all for the prayers on my companion’s behalf. He’s found the strength to keep working this week, and we’ve seen some miracles in the work as well as a result.
Might I start my email with a comment on how adorable my nephew Payton is. He looks just like a little keebler elf. We’ll see if that lasts in a year and a half.
The work here in Burzaco has been slow moving, but we’ve been able to find new investigators this week through other means. Old investigators and potential investigators that never received follow up appointments have been a great resource for us.
Did I mention how green and beautiful it is here. It’s been very hot the past few days, and I figure as a result, it’s been very cold over there still. If I remember right march was still miserable in Utah. Just wanted to let you know it’s still a warm paradise here in Buenos Aires.
Actually I’ve seen the first signs of the weather change here. Leaves are starting to change colors. Which has me confused in all sorts of ways. I didn’t get to Buenos Aires until September, so I got the full blunt of the Utah Summer, only to jump to the close of the Argentine winter, only to go through spring again, and a Christmas with heat that rivaled the Sahara, only to face what I expect to be spring in March and where I find myself now. Autumn. Autumn is a bizarre sight to see in March and April. Almost as strange as it’s going to be trying to endure winter in July. This southern hemisphere stuff just keeps on getting stranger and stranger.
So news from the work.
Our only investigators right now have little or no potential to be baptized in the coming decade. All of them have strange divorce and marriage cases, which even if they had the desires to solve, with the argentine bureaucracy would take who knows how long to solve. Let’s just say I bet the second coming arrives first.
Our other investigator who actually does have the potential of baptism is Sylvana. A middle aged Argentine woman dependent on the decisions of her husband, who was baptized 25 years back. José. Unfortunately, José hasn’t attended church since his baptism, and is more catholic than the pope himself. In his way of thinking, which I still don’t completely understand, only our church has the authority to give a real baptism, and this said baptism will take out every sin that we’ve ever had or will have. No church attendance required. As such, José is convinced that he has achieved Nirvana by means of the Mormon holy water and now wants the same blessing for his wife, who has little or no preference in the situation and just wants to make her husband happy.
Our other investigator with the potential to baptize brings me to a confession. I now have a girlfriend in Argentina. Her name is Cristina Timache, and is a little over 60 years old. She has an affinity for all things US, which unfortunately includes me. During our first appointment, Elder Sanchez had to use the restroom, and she spent the time trying to convince me to take her back to America with me. I agreed on condition that I could finish my mission first. When I showed her my pictures and she saw the one of Scott holding Camille. She mistook Scott for me and got really angry that I had a girlfriend. When I explained that it was my sister in law, she just got more confused. "So that’s how they are in the states." My broken Spanish prevented me from clarifying the misunderstanding, and Elder Sanchez was laughing so hard that Argentine crackers were spilling out of his nose.
It felt good to laugh after a long week.
So the work in Burzaco is back on track. We had a miracle in finding a family from Chile on Saturday. Elder Sanchez was able to talk to them about his family and the things that were happening in Concepcion right now. They were very open to receiving a message about God, and we’re excited to return next week.
Thank you all for your help and support. I’ve felt your prayers this week.
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