FELIZ 25 DE MAYO!!!

It´s Independence Day here in Buenos Aires. Celebrating 200 years of Argentina. Also it´s my P-day. I really do want to study more about Argentina after I get back from the mission. Because even though I´ve been here for nearly 10 months now, you can still put what I know about Argentine government on the head of a pen.

Regardless, Argentine Independence Day traditions are lost on me. No fireworks. Just food. Apparently everyone makes what´s called a locro. It´s like a big casserole. Hopefully by the end of the day I´ll be more acquainted with the traditions.

This week was another solid performance here in Adrogué. We enjoyed stake conference, which was a very spiritual experience. 6 of our investigators were able to show up, which was key for our baptismal goals this transfer. All of them were able to feel of the spirit of the messages. A big focus on missionary work. President and Hna Asay spoke as well. Mostly just their testimonies of missionary work and thanks for the service offered by the members during their time here in Argentina.

President Asay is leaving at the end of this transfer. Along with the office couple here right now. Which basically means that the entire mission as we know it is about to turn upside down. It´s going to be hard to see the Asays' leave, but it will be exciting to see what the new President will bring. Nothing is by chance in the Lords work. President Asay has been a mentor and example to me for so long it´s hard to imagine anyone else. I know that there were some counsels he has given specific to my circumstance that only he could give. But the new President will bring that same inspiration and perhaps the other things I need to learn here in Argentina.

I don´t know if I´ve mentioned this in my prior emails, but I have assumed the full load of my secretary duties. As of about 2 weeks ago, Hna Fitch unexpectedly had to go home to attend her father’s funeral. I was originally going to assume the position after another transfer of training. It´s been stressful having to figure much of it out on my own. Thankfully she has been able to communicate with me via email, and the Buenos Aires mission is still going. Thankfully I haven´t forgotten to book someone’s flight or anything (knock on wood.)

The work this week was amazing. Sunday there was one of the strongest rainstorms I had seen to this point in Argentina. The streets turned into rivers and our plans fell through. We were left doing contacts under those conditions, and were not having very much success. We kept at it, and by the end of the night we were able to get into a house and find a small family of three people. It was a very spiritual lesson, and I was grateful we had endured in the weather. It would have been easy to go to a members house and throw in the towel, but thankfully we didn´t, and we were able to find someone who needed the gospel.

This weekend, Diana is getting baptized. We´re prepping the service at this point, and are very excited to see her enter into the church. We just have a few commandments left to teach her and then her interview. The past 3 weeks she has come to church with her family who are all members. She is ready.

The baptisms for next week are Macedonio and Myra. The man in the wheelchair. Both of them have come to church three times now including stake conference, and are intent on making their date. I have seen the blessings of the church in their life. It has been wonderful teaching them thus far, and I know they can make it.

Well, I have to run now, but I love you all. I know the church is true! We really are guided by the Lord in this work, we don´t do anything by ourselves. Revelation exists and we can access it to guide our lives. We don´t have to make the tough daily decisions on our own.