Well here it is, another week in San Juan.
My new companion is Elder Puga, from Lima, Peru. He’s pretty cool. I left Estanzuela and he went in there as a newbie, so we talk about there sometimes.
I really feel like my brain is shot. Or shorted. Something. I had upwards of four sick days this week. Elder Salazar’s bus left at 7 in the morning and I had to wait around for Elder Puga to show up at 1. While waiting I ran into Elder Gardner and his parents as they started out their tour of the mission before going home.
It snowed a little here Wednesday morning. I didn’t see it. But in all the rest of the mission (Mendoza and San Luis) it was snowing legitly.
Elder Puga finally got here and we went to work. Mostly meeting the bishopric. Then Thursday we really started working. Talking with people, that kind of stuff. Then I got this headache at about 5. We kept working. At 8 it got so bad that I felt like I was going to throw up and had the member we were with take us home in his car. Friday I stayed home sick. Saturday I tried to work, but it was all I could do to walk in the streets and had to go home for lunch early and finish the day early. Sunday I went to Church, but didn’t go out the rest of the day. Today I feel better. What a saga. Four days. An eternity for missionaries.
Well, I’ve noticed that I’ve reached the point where life before the mission doesn’t seem real. Life after the mission also does not seem real. It’s a rather interesting sensation. I don’t really know how to describe it. I guess you might call it living in the present. I think mostly it’s that I’ve been gone for over a year, and have about a year left. Nothing seems real. The missionary work doesn’t even seem that real, it’s just what you do.
Pioneer day was… Well, I didn’t even notice it at all. What day of the week was it?
I guess the Church in Argentina is pioneering… um… Strong members. There aren’t very many. The area has a goal of having all the wards in the new Temple District qualify as wards by the opening of the Temple. Can’t really do that without strong members. It’s just too bad that there’s really only one, maybe two, wards in the mission that qualify as wards.
There’s an LDS family that lives at the end of the street? Since when?
Well, that’s all I’ve got for now. This time was longer. Maybe I’ll try rambling my recountings, it seems to fill the page more. And maybe it’s easier to read. Who knows.
Love,
Will
July 27, 2009
July 25, 2009
Baptism!!!
Hellos!
Well, we baptized!!! Wooo!!!! We have a couple more potential baptisms in the Ward, and (thanks to an activity last night) a bunch more in the Branch. Yee haw!
Marcos (26) and Luciano (11) are very excited for Church and for staying strong in the Gospel. I hope that they stay strong.
Last night almost the whole zone worked in Vidart (our branch). We didn’t, we had to go to Ward Council in El Líbano (our ward). They went to try to find some of the (500) inactive members and bring them back. They got a ton of references and about 4 or 5 baptismal candidates. Yipee!
Today we went to the dinosaur exhibit at the museum. It was pretty cool. It only talked about ancient things that were discovered here in San Juan. There were some pretty cool things. Some dinosaurs (like the Steigosaurus, discovered by William Steig, member of the Church who served a mission in San Juan and married a Sanjuanina), protocrocodiles, reptiles, and protomamals. It was really interesting.
My companion (Elder Salazar) is going to Justo Daract in San Luis, right next to where I started. We have no idea who’s coming here, though. Next week.
We walk everywhere here, or take the bus. Long distances are done by big busses. We eat lunch with the members. Dinner doesn’t really exist here. Typical foods are: milanesas (breaded baked, or fried, beef or chicken), pastas, chorizo (sausage), asado (a sort of barbeque type meat on the grill), morcilla (blood sausage). Everyone (except the missionaries) sleeps the siesta. I hope that helps some, dad.
Well, that’s it for this week.
Love,
Will
Well, we baptized!!! Wooo!!!! We have a couple more potential baptisms in the Ward, and (thanks to an activity last night) a bunch more in the Branch. Yee haw!
Marcos (26) and Luciano (11) are very excited for Church and for staying strong in the Gospel. I hope that they stay strong.
Last night almost the whole zone worked in Vidart (our branch). We didn’t, we had to go to Ward Council in El Líbano (our ward). They went to try to find some of the (500) inactive members and bring them back. They got a ton of references and about 4 or 5 baptismal candidates. Yipee!
Today we went to the dinosaur exhibit at the museum. It was pretty cool. It only talked about ancient things that were discovered here in San Juan. There were some pretty cool things. Some dinosaurs (like the Steigosaurus, discovered by William Steig, member of the Church who served a mission in San Juan and married a Sanjuanina), protocrocodiles, reptiles, and protomamals. It was really interesting.
My companion (Elder Salazar) is going to Justo Daract in San Luis, right next to where I started. We have no idea who’s coming here, though. Next week.
We walk everywhere here, or take the bus. Long distances are done by big busses. We eat lunch with the members. Dinner doesn’t really exist here. Typical foods are: milanesas (breaded baked, or fried, beef or chicken), pastas, chorizo (sausage), asado (a sort of barbeque type meat on the grill), morcilla (blood sausage). Everyone (except the missionaries) sleeps the siesta. I hope that helps some, dad.
Well, that’s it for this week.
Love,
Will
July 13, 2009
Baptisms Coming!
Hey all.
Happy Independence Day! Well, last Thursday. Argentine independence is July 9th. Everyone seemed to still be working, though, which is weird for an Argentine holiday.
Mom, the laptop that you’re using is YOUR laptop. If it was mine, you wouldn’t be using it. ;)
It’s always great to hear from you all. This upcoming week we have two baptisms. An 11-year old boy and his uncle are getting baptized in the Branch. They went to Church in the Ward yesterday because they got there late. The bishopric was very disappointed.
Transfers are coming up next week, I’ll let you know.
Umm… Yeah, not much else going on. Just the same old stuff. I’ve finally been able to understand the nature of faith. Faith only counts if you show it. You don’t need to show any person, just God. But, actually showing it can be kinda tough because doubts always creep in. Oh well. You just gotta keep trying.
Love,
Will
Happy Independence Day! Well, last Thursday. Argentine independence is July 9th. Everyone seemed to still be working, though, which is weird for an Argentine holiday.
Mom, the laptop that you’re using is YOUR laptop. If it was mine, you wouldn’t be using it. ;)
It’s always great to hear from you all. This upcoming week we have two baptisms. An 11-year old boy and his uncle are getting baptized in the Branch. They went to Church in the Ward yesterday because they got there late. The bishopric was very disappointed.
Transfers are coming up next week, I’ll let you know.
Umm… Yeah, not much else going on. Just the same old stuff. I’ve finally been able to understand the nature of faith. Faith only counts if you show it. You don’t need to show any person, just God. But, actually showing it can be kinda tough because doubts always creep in. Oh well. You just gotta keep trying.
Love,
Will
July 6, 2009
Hmmmm... Flu...
Hey!
Things here are going fine. We have a couple of baptismal dates and they went to Church! Woohoo! Of course, the act of going to Church is slightly more complicated now. The Influenza A scare is out of control. I have seen people walking around wearing masks, I heard a pharmacy employee say that the masks went from 1.50 to 3 to now 10.50. Ridiculous. Gel hand sanitizer is unavailable everywhere, and everyone wants it. And, they’ve canceled all Church meetings except for Sacrament Meeting for the whole month of July. Oh well, at least it means that it starts later and investigators are more likely to go now.
I was out for the count on Thursday. Not sure what I had food poisoning or a 24 hour bug, or something. I was out all day. But by Friday I was much better. Apparently half the mission is out with Flu right now. Pretty nasty.
Well, I’m about to go introduce some Argentines to some good, old-fashioned US type popcorn. Here they always have popcorn with sugar instead of butter or salt.
Love,
Will
Things here are going fine. We have a couple of baptismal dates and they went to Church! Woohoo! Of course, the act of going to Church is slightly more complicated now. The Influenza A scare is out of control. I have seen people walking around wearing masks, I heard a pharmacy employee say that the masks went from 1.50 to 3 to now 10.50. Ridiculous. Gel hand sanitizer is unavailable everywhere, and everyone wants it. And, they’ve canceled all Church meetings except for Sacrament Meeting for the whole month of July. Oh well, at least it means that it starts later and investigators are more likely to go now.
I was out for the count on Thursday. Not sure what I had food poisoning or a 24 hour bug, or something. I was out all day. But by Friday I was much better. Apparently half the mission is out with Flu right now. Pretty nasty.
Well, I’m about to go introduce some Argentines to some good, old-fashioned US type popcorn. Here they always have popcorn with sugar instead of butter or salt.
Love,
Will
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