Crazy hot and awesome

Hola gente! Como andan? A mi, estoy transpirando pero mal y no tengo mucho tiempo para escribir. Pero, por lo menos ustedes pueden leer este en sus hogares bien y frios y disfrutar que no estan moriendo aca en Argentina como yo.

Sorry for the late email this week and the worry it may have caused. The internet at the cyber place has been knocked out until today. So yeah, legit, it’s so dang hot here right now. This entire week has been hot, except for when it has rained. In which case, it was hot AND rainy. So that has basically been my life this last week. I’ve been sweating like crazy, but Elder Mitchell and I haven’t let that stop us from having a great week. 

We were able to have a bunch of lessons this week, which has helped me feel nice and excited about this new area. Coming to Hernandarias, I was expecting to not have too many people to visit. That we would be walking in the streets all day and contacting the same 5 people a few times every week. But, it turns out that the area is actually a whole lot bigger than I first thought and Elder Mortensen and Elder Mitchell have done a really good job of finding people to teach. So this week we have met with a few people and taught a few good lessons. Just to make things a little bit shorter, some of the people we have taught this week are named Pablo, Hernan, Dilan, Yamir, Jonathan, Nestor, Antonio, Carlos, Miguel, Manuel and Ricardo. Just to name a few. Let alone all of the miembros menos activos that we have visited this week and other members too. 

Another one of the guys that we have met with this week is a guy named Manuel. He is probably in his late 50’s or 60’s and is quite the interesting person. He has been meeting with the missionaries for only a short time now, probably only a few weeks, but we are having quite a bit of fun with him. His favorite thing to do when we come over is to play music. He plays the guitar and sings, while Elder Mitchell, who is a great percussion player, plays Manuel's homemade Turtle. Yep that’s right, he plays the turtle. Manuel made a small kind of drum instrument out of a turtle’s shell and that is what Elder Mitchell plays. So, while Elder Mitchell plays the turtle, Manuel plays his Folkloric guitar songs and sings, practically yelling at the top of his lungs. The first song that he played nearly scarred me right out of my seat when we first started singing! He is now trying to teach me how to sing the songs. It’s a little harder than I thought it would be, but I’m trying to figure it out. By the end of this transfer I should be good enough that the three of us can ditch Hernandarias and start a tour across all of South America. Just kidding. He also loves to make us eat some of his homemade peach dessert stuff. I’ll send a picture. He literally goes out into the wild forest wilderness that surrounds all of Entre Rios and harvests pounds and pounds of wild peaches at a time. Then he brings them back to his house, skins and boils them, then eats that every day. He says that he is sick and tired of eating them every day, so he gives a lot to us to help him finish up all that he has. But, he really is a great guy. Even when we dresses up in his crazy Folkloric clothing, he is a very nice and humble man who is honestly interested in what we have to share. We are in the process of teaching the first few lessons, but he says that when we reads the Book of Mormon he enjoys it and feels the Spirit! What a great man!

But speaking of the wild, that reminds me of something else that is different about Hernandarias. Although in town is just about the same as everywhere else that I’ve been, outside in all directions is lush wilderness and green lusciousness. It’s a lot different than Santa Fe. I’ve heard that most of Entre Rios is super hilly, but here in Hernandarias isn’t too bad. I haven’t noticed too much as far as differences in the people and the culture, but I think the people here are a little bit nicer than my last two areas. Blessings!

Also, here in Hernandarias there aren’t very many members. Not only are we not a Ward, but we aren’t even a Branch. This is the first Organized Group that I have ever been in. We don’t have a church building to meet in, just a really small building. There are about 14 people that come to church, three active families.  The Primary (children’s class) has 2 kids and their mom is the teacher. It’s a bit different from being in Santo Tome with something around 100 members attending every week. But, that does change too much of what we do here. I will say that I am excited about giving more talks here in Sacrament Meetings. I haven’t had the opportunity to give a talk since my time in Rafaela, but just this week, we were asked to give talks. I spoke on the Sabbath Day and Elder Mitchell gave a great talk on Tithing. It was a good way to introduce myself to the members that I hadn’t met, and also to share my testimony. As of right now, we have 3 active male members who possess the Melchizedek Priesthood, and to become a Branch, we need at least 4. So we are working hard with a few of the less active members, and at the same time, looking to teach more worthy men and fathers of families to teach and baptize, so that in time they can come to be worthy priesthood holders also. So yeah. The work here is going great. 

As far as my companion, Elder Mitchell is a great guy and a hard working missionary. We are really getting along great, which is a huge blessing seeing as how we are the only two missionaries within 2 to 3 hours of here. So we are trying our hardest to talk to everyone and really listen to the Spirit to have it direct us to where we are needing to go and find people who are prepared to listen to us. Elder Mitchell’s Spanish is super good for the short time that he has in the mission. We have been able to do really well during lessons and contacts so that both of us can share and teach with each other. 

Now for the Spiritual Thought...

One of the scriptures that I've been thinking about this week is in 2 Nephi 25 verse 23 which says

23 Porque nosotros trabajamos diligentemente para escribir, a fin de persuadir a nuestros hijos, así como a nuestros hermanos, a creer en Cristo y a reconciliarse con Dios; pues sabemos que es por la gracia por la que nos salvamos, después de hacer cuanto podamos; 

(oops, sorry it’s in Spanish...mama, please send the English version) 

23 For we labor diligently to write, to persuade our children, and also our brethren, to believe in Christ, and to be reconciled to God; for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do.

I’ve been able to use this scripture a few times this week to help a couple of the people we are teaching. One is having a hard time quitting the cigarettes. So we shared with him the principle of Grace. I’ve been very blessed in my life through the power of Grace and Mercy. I cannot describe in words, neither in English or Spanish, just how grateful I am for Grace and the enabling power that it provides in my life, especially as a missionary. I have seen the miracle of Grace play a factor in so many lives, including my own. The principle of grace used to be kind of fuzzy to me before, kind of like I somewhat understood what it meant, but not really. But on my mission, through different study sessions, General Conference talks, and lessons from Sunday School or mission conferences, I have come to understand the words of Brad Wilcox when he says that "Jesus doesn’t make UP the difference, Jesus makes ALL the difference." I would like to bear you all my testimony that I know that as we give all our effort to help other people, to obey the commandments, and to come closer to Christ, as we give it everything we’ve got, literally leaving us exhausted and tired at the end of the day. It is through the power of Christ’s Grace that we are saved, yes, even "after all we can do." I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, amen. 

Until next time

Chau

Elder Haley

crazy clouds

It is so green here!

Bob Marley as a dog

The sunset on the Parana River

Manuel's crazy hat

Elder Mitchell playing the "turtle" drum

Wild peaches Manuel feeds us

Another sunset. they are so gorgeous here!

Hernandarias and Elder Mitchell

Yoooo what is up my people?? How has life been this last week? I hope it’s been all good for you guys, because it’s been pretty good for me too. I have quite a bit to share this week, so I’ll try to get everything into this email but still try not to make it too long of an email either. Sooooo here we go…

First of all is the news from transfers. I have been sent out of Santo Tome after 6 months. I’m going to miss it more than ever, and I am so grateful for the time that I had there and also for the people I had the opportunity to meet and the memories and lessons I now have. It is crazy that I had only been in two areas my entire first year in Argentina.  I am currently in my new area, Hernandarias, which is a bit different than good ol’ Santoto. Hernandarias is in Entre Rios, the province that is right next to Santa Fe. It is close to nothing.  In the middle of nowhere. It’s my first area in Entre Rios, and so far, it’s been great. My new companion is Elder Mitchell and he is from a small town in Arizona named Thacher. He is a super funny guy and we are going to get a long great. He’s got about 5 months in the mission and is just now ending his training. He has been in Hernandarias for two transfers, his entire time in Argentina. He was trained pretty well though by the Legendary Elder Mortensen, one of the guys from my MTC group. Here in Hernandarias we are the only missionaries. We don’t even have a District. The closest missionaries from our Zone are in Santa Elena, about 3 hours from here in Colectivo. Pretty nuts. But so far I am loving Hernandarias. Super small town, super tranquilo, and everyone here is super nice and knows the missionaries. It’s been pretty great so far. I’m excited for the new start and finally getting to be in Entre Rios. I haven’t notice too much of a difference in the culture and the people, but I will say that the people here are a lot nicer in general to the missionaries.

This last week was pretty full of crazy stuff to do. In the beginning of the week, on Tuesday, we had a super great District Meeting, the last one of the transfer. It was amazing and super spiritual. We talked about a bunch of stuff and read a little bit in the scriptures and everything, and the Zone Leaders were there and talked a little about what Presidente has been talking about lately and we talked about faith and trials. But, the best part wasn’t until the very end of the meeting, when we had a bit of a testimony meeting. Because it was the last meeting of the transfer, and also the last week of Elder Sandler and Elder Toledo, one of the Zone Leaders, we all took our turns to share our testimonies. All of the testimonies were amazing and the Spirit was definitely present during the meeting. Each of us talked about the mission and the things we have learned in our time as missionaries. It was a great time, very uplifting and a wonderful way to end the transfer. I really learned a lot while being District Leader!  I am thankful for everything serving in Santo Tome taught me.

Then, after the district meeting, we started divisions with the Zone Leaders. We had planned that I was going to go to Santa Fe and be in the area of the ZLs with Elder Toledo, but just before lunch, we had to change plans and it ended up that Elder Toledo and I were in my area. I was a little disappointed honestly. I just really wanted to go to Santa Fe and get out of my own area for a little bit. It turned out to be a pretty good time anyways. In the District Meeting before we started divisions, we had talked about how we need to be trying our hardest every day to work and reach the goal of 10 contacts a day. Elder Moore and I have not been faithfully getting 10 contacts every day. So, Elder Toledo and I had made up our minds to contact a bunch of people that afternoon. We left the pench and talked to just about everyone that we passed in the streets. It was pretty lit actually. We ended up talking to a bunch of really great people and ended the night with 7 contacts. Not exactly what the goal was, but we had worked our hardest and seen the results. I ended the night pretty well satisfied. Then, we went to FML Pennos and ended the night having dinner with them. The next morning of divisions was really good too. We went to Las Vegas to visit a few people, one of which was Liliana, the crazy Spies lady that just had heart surgery. It was great because we were finally able to see her in person after a really long time. The last time we had seen her and actually sat down to talk was just after the surgery about 2 months ago when we gave her a blessing. Ever since then she had been super weak and in and out of the hospital for different problems that followed the surgery. But, we were able to sit down with her and a few of her kids and grandkids and just chat. After getting to know the people we hadn’t met before, we were just chatting and laughing and talking about what had been happening since the last time that we saw her. As we were talking and getting to know each other a little bit more, one of the daughters, that we had never met before, started to ask us about the different things that we do as missionaries and why the heck we would come from so far away to share messages of Jesus Christ. So we talked to her a little bit and shared a little bit of the Restoration with them and left them with a pamphlet to read. It was a good time, and the one daughter now seems to be pretty interested in our message. So we chatted a little longer and then ended with a prayer. It was a good time. Then, later in the week, after I had learned that I was going to be transferred, we went back to visit Liliana and her family to say goodbye. It was a crazy time, like always, but we got a few pictures taken and had a good time with them. 

Also during the week, one afternoon we went to the house of the FML Eyras and we had planned to have a kind of pizza and brownie family home evening night. So showed up and started making some brownies. It was one of the most complicated, but amazing recipes I’ve ever seen in Argentina. It was fantastic. Super chocolatey and heavenly. So we made the pizza’s afterwards and had a good night with them. But, just as we were leaving, we were surprised to see the FML Penno pull up to the house of FML Eyras. During the dinner we had heard that Francisco had been bitten by a dog. We weren’t too sure about what was going on, but Noelia and he were in the hospital getting stitches. So we were pretty worried about them and I was planning to call them as soon as we left the Eyras’s house. But when we saw them, we were able to see how they were in person. Noe was a little shaken up, but was fine. Fran was a little shell shocked and with blood all over his shirt. It turns out that they were at a friend’s house and Jose told Fran to not get close to the big dog that the friend had. So what does Fran do? He goes and tries to give it a hug. And what does the dog do? Try to eat Fran’s face. But, he was lucky enough to pull away and all the dog got was Fran’s ear. So it ripped a good part of Fran’s ear and left him crying and bleeding pretty bad. But other than the pain of the stitches, he was a good sport and didn’t cry too much... or at least that’s what he said. Noe said they had to hold him down because he was screaming and kicking so bad. But, he’s good now and just has a few stitches in the side of his head. 

We had made other food with a member family also. On Saturday we had lunch with the FML Amarilla. We had some amazing empanadas which we had bought from Sofi to help her pay for EFY. The empanadas were amazing and I ate like 10 of them, and then, because that wasn’t enough, we made some churros too. I got the recipe from HNA Amarilla and bought one of the small churro makers. I also bought a kind of needle thing that we used to fill the churros with chocolate. Soo dang good, but after the empanadas, I was stuffed by eating one or two churros. It was a great time with them and a perfect way to say goodbye. I’m going to miss them a lot. Saying goodbye to FML Penno was hard also. There were some tears.  Their family will always be so very special to me. We had dinner and they had some surprises for me.  They always make a frame with our name on it when a missionary leaves.  They gave me a mate mug that has pictures on it that appears when it is warm. I left one of my name tags with them also. Ari also gave me a futbol jersey from the Colon de Santa Fe team here.

Another super cool thing that happened all week was at church. During the sacrament meeting I was able to stand up and give my goodbye testimony. I will admit, I did choke up pretty bad. But, I stayed strong and did shed a single tear. Okay, maybe more than one tear. It was pretty tough. During my testimony I thanked everyone for the time and the memories and the lessons I had learned. I expressed my love for all of them and for the work of the Lord. And then I shared something close to the following...

Honestly, I hate saying Goodbye. It’s the worst. I love being able to know and come close to people and become friends and always joke around and have good times. But when it comes to saying goodbye and leaving, especially an area so special as Santo Tome, even more after the amount of time I spent there, I was super sad to leave. I was thinking about it even more, figuring that if I was lucky, I would be able to see more than a few of them again, if during the mission or afterwards. I plan to keep in contact with most of them, through email and then afterwards with social media and all that. But, for most of them, it would be the last time that I saw them in this life. But then I thought about the Celestial Kingdom, and how if we were able to strong to our testimonies and our covenants, we will all be able to be together as friends and family once again in the Celestial Kingdom.

I am proud to say that a few of the members of the congregation joined me in my choking up. I am very grateful for the time that I had in Santo Tome. I learned a lot and have developed many skills and talents that I am now excited to use here in Hernandarias. I am thankful for my time with Elder Moore.  It was a great experience to be his trainer, but also his friend.  He is a great missionary already.  I am excited to see him during the rest of my mission and catch up.

Thank you all for the love and support that you all show to me and my loved ones. I love you all.

I want to end this email now with my testimony of the Plan of Salvation. I know that God lives and that He is my and our Loving Heavenly Father. I know that each and every one of us is one of His beloved children, no matter if we are from the United States, Santo Tome, or Hernandarias. I am so thankful for the opportunity I have to share this knowledge and truth with the people of Argentina, especially now in Hernandarias. I love my Heavenly Father and want the best for His children. This is why I am in Argentina, serving a mission. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Thank you all! Until next week.

Chau

Elder Haley

Brownies...

Pizza

The Eyras little girls

My package from the Reimers family.  It finally arrived in the regular mail.  I was pretty excited.  The Junior Mints didn't fair too well in the hot Argentina weather but they still tasted good! Thank you!

"church of Jesus Christ" in Santoto

Fran's ear from the dog bite

Liliana and her awesome family

Making CHURROS with la familia Amarillas

Squeezing it out of the tube is SUUUUUUPER hard and takes a lot of strength.  It's a good thing that I am so ripped...

Finished.  SO GOOD!

la familia Varino  My tie matched her apron. 

Hermana Varino really liked her temple socks!

They are such a great family! I have the kids ties and rubber CTR rings.  The youngest daughter did not want to take a picture. 

My District

Mari.  I am so happy I was able to baptize her.  

Good ol' family Penno.  LOVE them!

la familia Amarilla

la familia Maciel

Familia Penno giving me a surprise adios party

la familia Calderon

goodbye Elder Sandler

Goodbye Elder Carter

Goodbye Elder Moore.  You are a great missionary.  I was blessed to be your trainer. 

NEW companion, Elder Mitchell

Facebook post from la familia Varino

Lorena Ferreyra is with Jose Varino.

January 21 at 4:11 PM · 

Sábado Despidiendo a Elder Haley Alison Perry Haley Te vamos a Extrañar Amigo ahora sos un Argentino Más! Un Loco Lindo que llegó para Cambiar la Vida a Muchas Personas! Agradecidos al Padre Celestial por permitirnos Conocerte. Gracias y Gracias por Servir a Dios en está su Gran Obra!!! Gracias por los Regalitos me encantaron mis Nuevas Medias del Templo 

😜😜😜😜                                                  

Saturday Saying goodbye to Elder Haley Alison Perry Haley We're going to miss you Friend now you're an Argentinian More! A Cute Crazy One who came to Change Life to Many People! Grateful to Heavenly Father for allowing us to Know You. Thank you and Thank you for Serving God in your Great Work !!! Thank you for the Regalitas I loved my New Temple Stockings

Facebook post from Noelia and Jose

😢ayer..20/01/19 justo hacia 4 meses q lo conocimos al Elder Haley🤗 y despues de 4 meses vino la despedida ...hubo llantos, anécdotas y el sentir que se lo quiere muchísimo... Duele su partida pero seguirá su obra misional y eso es lo importante...

Gracias Elder "Morley" como le decimos nosostros... Gracias ppr dedicarnos tanto tiempo gracias por enseñarnos como salvar nuestras vidas, gracias por sus bromas, gracias por sus promesas no cumplida 🤣 gracias por tanta pacienci (a jose 🤣)...

Gracias por dejar conocer a su familia (Alison Perry Haley)...
Pensando en volver a verlo...

Que Nuestro padre celestial Los Bendiga Siempre, y testificó que lleva el mensaje verdadero de la restauración de Jesucristo...Amen

ROUGHLY TRANSLATED TO...via google translate...

yesterday..20 / 01/19 just 4 months ago we met Elder Haley   and after 4 months came the farewell ... there were crying, anecdotes and the feeling that he loves it very much ... It hurts his departure but will continue his missionary work and that's the important thing ...
Thank you Elder "Morley" as we say to you ... Thank you for giving us so much time for teaching us how to save our lives, thanks for your jokes, thanks for your unfulfilled promises    thank you for so much patience (to jose   ) ...
Thank you for letting your family know (Alison Perry Haley) ...
Thinking of seeing him again ...
May Our Heavenly Father Bless You Always, and testified that it carries the true message of the restoration of Jesus Christ ... Amen

Today Elder Morley said goodbye to everyone in the church, he wept a little and we also, then he came to eat at his house to say goodbye, we gave him a magic cup that when you put hot water, photos appear and that cup had photos with us . We also gave him an ARGENTINE MATE with a picture of us.

we are very sad because he left, ari gave him a T-shirt from COLON a soccer team from here and he made a letter

Your son is a blessing from God! We are very grateful for everything he did.

1/23/19

hello Alison, happy for Elder, last night we missed him a lot
jose said he's going to see him because he misses him
more or less the closest city is La Paz lives a cousin of jose

we want to go step by step we visit the two