Rain and rain and rain

Hello my friends and family! This is Elder Haley again for another missionary email. Yes I know that most of these things are kinda the same thing over and over. But just to let you know early on, this week was pretty slow. It was kind of a wacky week. Lets see.....

This week I went on Divisions with Elder Conde in his area. He is from Connecticut, but his parents are from Ecuador, so he actually learned Spanish as his first launguage. It’s really funny because he I first met him I was picking up Elder Moore to train him. Elder Conde was brand new too and his trainer was picking him up. So I met Elder Conde and asked him where he is from in Spanish right, and he answered me in a perfect English accent and I was just really confused and taken back! But he is a really good guy and a great missionary. It was fun to work with him in his area. He has a real love for the people and is has already done a lot of good work here. 

Also, Elder Smith had tramites (paperwork) in Rosario this week, so that kept us out of our area for the good part of a day. And then adding on the rain that we had this week and the cold, it’s been pretty slow this week. But! Elder Smith had a good experience when we were on divisions!!

It was Tuesday night and it was pretty rainy and cold and Elder Smith and Elder Pacheco were walking in the streets and they passed a street that we hadn’t been on before. So they decided to go down the street. They enter the little passage way and Elder Smith pauses and points at one house and says to Elder Pacheco "Lets knock on that door." And Elder Pacheco says that he was about to say the same thing and that he had a feeling that they should knock that door. So they knock the door and a girl answers and they try talking to her and she asks them to wait so she can talk to someone in the house. A few minutes later she comes back and invites them in. They end up talking to the girl that answered the door and her sister for over an hour, left them with two Book of Mormons, and set up a cita for a few days later. So they were super cool and have a lot of potencial. Sadly, every time that we went back, they weren’t home. Except for last night. So I got to met one of them and then we set up a time to go back another day. 

But other than that, we weren’t doing all too much this week. Walking a lot and hoping to find new people to teach. 

But, this week I was able to finish the Book of Mormon!! I love it so much. I know that it is true and that it can help all of us come closer to God and learn more of what He wants us to do. I invite you all to read it and enjoy in the Spirit that you feel. 

Love you all!!

Chau

Elder Haley

Juan's Baptism!!!!

Hola! Buen PDay a todos udtedes!!

This week was a very good week. By far the biggest thing that happened was the Baptism of Juan, and the day after his confirmation. We were waiting the entire week, quite impatiently I might add, for Juan’s baptism. But we got through the long days well and finally had the chance to participate in Juan’s big day. It was great to see Juan during the week grow more and more anxious and excited for the service to finally start. So the entire week we visited him for a little bit every night to make sure that he was ready and that all of his questions were answered. We also taught him a little more about Missionary Work and how even if he isn’t a Full Time missionary, he can still work to share the Gospel with others, especially his family. Then, another night, we talked more about Temples and the marvelous work that we do in them. He understood everything really well and is really excited to be able to enter as soon as possible. We are hoping to help him prepare to enter the Temple and get all the money rounded up to go, it is a long travel on a bus. And he should be able to do it pretty quickly with the new job that he started this week. One of the guys in the Ward that has been helping us fellowship Juan and be his friend got him a job selling perfumes and lotions and other beauty products door to door. So far Juan is loving the heck out of the job. And he’s also doing really well. His first day he sold all of the product that the bosses gave him and had to ask for more to sell! Hahaha he is a really good kid. So with that going for him, he should be able to save up enough money to make the trip here in a few weeks. He goes out working in the church clothes that we gave him, tie and all, and looks great. Almost like a missionary! 

But back to the Baptismal Service. Juan had decided to ask Elder Smith to baptize him which was really cool because Juan is actually Elder Smith’s first convert! So it was a super great experience for the both of them. Saturday the 20th of July is also Friend Day so it just fit that we were baptizing Juan that day! But because of the holiday not too many people could make it to his baptism, which was a little disappointing, but it ended up being really good. When it finally came to the time for Juan to be baptized, the Spirit was crazy strong. I felt that familiar Joy and Happiness that comes from Missionary Work, the same feelings that I have been blessed to feel at other baptismal services. Then, after Juan and Elder Smith had changed I was able to share the small talk on the Gift of the Holy Ghost. I shared with Juan that on Sunday, during the Sacrament Meeting the next day, he would have the sacred opportunity to be confirmed a member of the Church of Jesus Christ and also that he would receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost. I also shared with him a few of the ways that he had already felt the Spirit. When he was reading and praying, when we were teaching him, and when he came to Church. And not going to lie, I started choking up a bit when I mentioned that the night that we found Juan, we were also led by the influence of the Holy Ghost to him. It was a sweet, sweet service filled with the Spirit. Afterwards, we went as a District with Juan and got some ice cream. It was great.

The next day during church we had the chance to participate in Juan’s Confirmation. I was able to be the voice of the blessing and I loved the Spirit that was present. Juan seemed to also. haha. 

But other than Juan's baptism not too much happened out of the ordinary. We did start teaching a new person this week! Her name is Martina. She is 10 years old and is a really close to friend to another girl and her family, the Familia Quiroga. Martina has come to church a few times already and now wants to be baptized! So we started teaching her this week and gave her a Book of Mormon. But her mom isn’t too sure about it. Her mom just wants to make sure that Martina understands the importance of her decision to be baptized and that it means a commitment and promise that she is making with God. We understand that and agree with what Martina’s mom wants to say. So we are going to be working to help Martina really understand the importance of the Baptismal Covenant. She is a good girl and has a true desire to do the right thing. 

And so for now we are doing really well. We are going to be using the Spirit and excitement of Juan’s baptism to work hard this week and really bust out some good work. Pray for us that we can find new people to teach please!! It really does help when you all pray for us. 

Thank you all for reading and always sending your love and support!!

I just want to leave with you all a small Spiritual Thought before I end the email. I am currently reading in 3 Nephi when Jesus Christ comes to the Americas. One of the things that really stuck out to me was the verses 15 through 17 of 3 Nephi 17. In these verses it is described that Jesus prayed to the Father. 

15 And when he had said these words, he himself also ^aknelt upon the earth; and behold he ^bprayed unto the Father, and the things which he prayed cannot be written, and the multitude did bear record who heard him.

16 And after this manner do they bear record: The ^aeye hath never seen, neither hath the ear heard, before, so great and marvelous things as we saw and heard Jesus speak unto the Father;

17 And no ^atongue can speak, neither can there be written by any man, neither can the hearts of men conceive so great and marvelous things as we both saw and heard Jesus speak; and no one can conceive of the joy which filled our souls at the time we heard him pray for us unto the Father.

It really hit me that the Nephites bore record that they heard and also SAW the things that Jesus prayed to the Father. I can’t exactly understand that part of the scripture, but I think that is the part that really touched me. Sometimes as a missionary I forget to make my prayers a real Conversation with my Heavenly Father. I sometimes catch myself going through the motions and just saying or thinking words that I don’t really feel. But this example of that the Savior provides us a reminder that our prayers need to be Fervent, Heartfelt, and True. I know that as we do so, we will feel as the Nephites did and share in this "joy that (fills) our souls" And I share these things with you all in the name of Jesus Christ, amen. 

Thank you again for reading!!

Chau

Elder Haley

A horse we pass by

Making pizza dough

ice cream after the baptism

Salesman Juan

favorite snack

ukulele companions

One of my new favorite souvenirs, an Argentina license plate 

Cheese

"slice" of jam on the cheese.  It is so good.

Homemade mac n cheese

Juan's baptism

Elder Smith and Juan

Me and Juan

The District and Juan

Juan at church after his baptism

PB&J sandwich

homemade peanut butter

Hermano Quiroga

Progress!!

This week has felt really short! It’s great! It’s been a good week with quite a bit of work going on and we are finally progressing with a few of our investigadores, and finding new people to teach also!!

So Juan is just chilling until this Saturday. This week we finished all of the lessons and did his interview and he passed with flying colors. He is super happy to be so close to baptism and is just anxious for it to finally happen. We are going to do everything we can to make the program go well and be spiritual and the best experience for Juan and all those that we invite to come to watch. Juan is going to be a great member and we are hoping to help him become a Member Missionary to help the ward too. 

We are also getting somewhere with Erika and Miguel. With them it was kind of just like we were friends and they weren’t really looking to investigate, but now they are really investigating and have a lot of interest. They are having a few marriage problems and we are trying to help them understand that the Gospel can help them in all aspects of their lives, but more than anything it will help them be more united as a couple and also be better parents for their young children. They have a lot of potencial and we are working to help them the best that we can. We hope to get them to Juan’s baptism and then they will be able to feel the Spirit in a way that they won’t be able to feel anywhere else. 

Also this week we found a few new people that we are teaching. One is a guy named Diego. We taught him about the Restoration and he had a few great questions and really wanted to read the Book of Mormon after. Also, a guy named Gabriel. He is a really great guy and reminds me a lot of my good “Uncle Adrian” from my times in Rafaela. They look almost like brothers. It’s so funny. 

But this week in my studies I finally finished Alma. I love the Book of Mormon so much. The Spirit that I can feel helps me know that it is the Word of God. I love to read the scriptures and invite you all to do the same!!

Sorry for the short email! This next one will be super good!!

Chau

Elder Haley

success in life doesn’t come from what we gain, but by the trials we overcome.

Transfers!!!!

Hoooooola Familia, amigos, conocidos, y todas las otras personas que estan leyendo este correo!! Jajajaja Weeeelllll…. this week sure was really long. And I am writing right now on Tuesday because last week was the last week of the transfer and so today is P-day, instead of yesterday. And I have a bit of news..... I’m staying! With Elder Smith! And the rest of the District is all staying too!! We kind of knew that that was going to happen, but we are all pretty happy about it because we are a pretty great District and have a lot of fun together. But that’s kind of the biggest news. Our “4^th of July” was pretty blah, except I did wear my American tie!

Oh yeah!! I’d like to take this time to make a shout out to my guy, Elder Robinson (my companion a year ago in Rafaela)! He is now a Zone Leader in la Zona Santa Fe Oeste. You did it bro! He really deserves this possition to be an example to the other missionaries in his Zone and to help them through his experiences and knowledge. He and I are starting to be pretty old in the mission, and he has a lot of great ways to help the younger generation of missionaries learn and come to help even more people. Love you bro!! (Even though he won’t ever read this...)

But anyways. This week was a really, really long week. It was never seemed to end. And it was a pretty tough week. We didn’t have too much luck finding new people to teach and the people that we are teaching haven’t been progressing in the way that we hoped. But we are still working to help them come closer to Christ and develop their testimonies. One of the houses we passed by needed some help cleaning up the back of his house so we offered to help.  There is a picture with just one of the piles of garbage we accumulated. 

With Juan we are finishing up all of the Lessons. But, sadly he wasn’t able to make it to church this week. We have brought him to church the last two weeks and this week we wanted him to come on his own to make sure he could do it. But, just the night before he was at a birthday party and didn’t get to bed until pretty late. Not to mention that he didn’t have an alarm to wake him up, much less someone in his house to help him get to church. So, he was pretty sad and the other members were asking about him, but we aren’t worried at all. We know how much he loves the church and the desire he has to get baptized. So we are going to get him an alarm to help him wake up! But one of the Elders in the district, Elder Urmston, is headed home in a few weeks and donated a pair of his shoes to Juan, so now he has the whole getup! hahah And he finally cut his hair!!! WooHoo!! Hahaha but he is a great kid and we are trying to help him help his family to open themselves a little more to the church. They have already promised to be there for Juan’s baptism. But we hope to help them understand the decision that he is making and the sacred importance of his baptism. Juan is already starting to be a bit of a member missionary to some of his neighbors too!! This week there was an accident in his neighborhood and on of Juan’s neighbors was shot three times. So the wife of the man, who is still alive but in the hospital, was asking Juan a few questions and Juan invited her to listen to a lesson with him. Sadly, everytime that we passed by, she wasn’t home. But we will be trying more this week to get with her and help her also. Juan is also helping us with a few references of friends that were in the same kind of problems that he was that he is going to talk to and invite them to here us too. Juan is such a good guy and has learned a lot in the few weeks that we have known him. We are hoping to help him prepare a little more this week and then have his baptismal interview this Saturday. He is really excited to finally enter the waters of baptism and receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost. Pray for him!!

Elder Smith and I are also still working with a few less active members and families. We are finding more and more of them every week. We are trying to help them feel more of the Spirit and help them understand that they will have more blessings, including peace of mind, by returning to the church and the Camino de Dios. Through encounters with less active and inactive members, my testimony of Small and Simple things has grown even more. It’s just as the scriptures say, "By small and simple things do great things come to pass." The small and often seemingly insignificant things that the Prophets and others are constantly reminding us to do are Daily Scripture Study and Prayer, and you bet going to church on Sunday. They are small things that we do everyday are what provide the spiritual protection and guidance that we want and need everyday. So don’t forget to read and pray! It’s important!!

Also, in our ward, there was a member lady that died about 2 weeks ago. Hilda Ramierez. From the little that I knew her, she was a really great, energetic lady. She had a real testimony of the gospel and was always working to share it with others. She wasn’t one to let others do the work. She had raised 6 children, 5 of which served missions. She was real example to everyone. And her passing away was a complete surprise to all of us. But on Sunday, for fast and testimony meeting, a number of her children and grandchildren stood to bear their testimonies of the Gospel, and you bet they bore their testimonies of the Plan of Salvation and that families can be together forever. It was a sweet meeting and the Spirit was strongly present. And now as I look back on my time as a missionary, in my life experiences and in everything that I have learned and grown to love through the Church of Jesus Christ, I take note that I too have a testimony of the Plan of Salvation. And as the family Ramierez shared in their testimonies, I too know that at times, what God has planned for us might not make sense to us. But, I know that the Plan of Salvation is real and that there is a very real, alive God that is also our Father in Heaven. I know that He loves all of us, individually, personally, and perfectly. I love the hope that the Plan of Salvation provides us as we are passing through difficutlies that we all have a brighter future waiting for us. I know that as the scripture says in

John 16:32-33, 32 Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone: and yet I am not ^aalone, because the Father is with me. 33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have ^apeace. In the ^bworld ye shall have ^ctribulation: but be of good ^dcheer; I have ^eovercome the world.

Our lives are not going to be easy. But, we won’t ever be left alone. I know that Jesus and God are here at our sides, along with our family members and close friends who have already passed on to the other side of the veil. I can feel them as I walk through the streets, looking for those who have a real need for the Gospel. I know that the Plan of Salvation provides eternal truths that we cannot find or create from any other source. And I share these things with you all in the name of Jesus Christ, amen. 

Thank you all for reading! Love you all and thank you for always sending your love and support!

Chou

Elder Haley

The clean up after helping a family...

a funny sign

Gloves that an Elder in my district wears every day.

4th of July!

A miniature horse!

Service and Handsome Juan

This week has been a pretty good one. We are finding a few more people and having more lessons and we ended up doing a bit of service this week! So we are having fun and being busy at the same time!!

To start, Juan is doing really well!! He is still reading and praying every day and is keeping all of his commitments. He always has really good questions and always wants to learn more. There isn’t too much for us to teach him anymore, so we are trying to stretch the lessons out a little more so he can understand them a little more in depth and also get more lessons in. Technically his baptism is going to be the 20th, but he really only needs 3 attendances and he already has two, so we could end up baptizing him next weekend, but he haven’t told him that yet. We might just leave it to be the 20th so he can prepare even more. But I feel like he is pretty ready already... But we’ll see. He already has a few friends in the church and is always willing to have us come over and teach him something new. We just want to give him time in-between the lessons to read and pray on his own and give him the chance to feel the Spirit when we aren’t there. That’s when he really starts creating and growing his testimony. Juan is a really good guy and he is being a really tough trooper with all of the jokes that the other kids in his neighborhood hit him with.... But I’m super proud of him and loving the opportunity I have to teach him and help him learn the gospel! He looked sharp in his white shirt and tie at church on Sunday!

Also, we found a really great family this week!! The parents are named Erika and Miguel and they have two small children named Valentina and Byron. Erika is 23, Miguel 26, Valentina 5, and Byron 3. They live in one of the really poor areas, just about a block away from Juan’s house. But they are in the process of adding onto their home right now and so we offered to help them build their house. We actually offered to help when we met Erika, we hadn’t even gotten to know Miguel yet. So we showed up to help them and met Miguel. He is a really great guy and they have a really beautiful family. They are pretty religious, but don’t really go to any church. In fact, for a few months they have been looking for a church to join! So we found them just at the right time!! We haven’t taught them anything yet, but they are really great and have a lot of potential. They really seem prepared and ready for gospel.

And here in Argentina we are getting into the Winter season. Even though last week we had days of crazy heat, followed closely by a few days of deadly cold. Argentina is really trying its hardest to be Nebraska... but with the humidity the cold is pretty killer. Not to mention that the wind picks up a bit here, which makes me remember just how much I NOT appreciate the winds of Nebraska. But we are trying to tough it out and make the best of it. With the cold, most people just don’t walk around in the streets. So we are trying to contact more houses and catch them while they are home. But please pray for me and my feet that the cold won’t affect us too much!1

And I would also like to make the announcement that Nana and Pa got their mission papers!! They are officially called to the service and assigned to labor in the Europe Area. They are going to do so much good and touch so many lives! Congrats Nana and Pa!! Que tengan mucho suerte y se preparen bien por el servicio. Es un tiempo muy especial y van a ver a muchos bendiciones. Los quiero un monton!!!

Well thank you all for reading! Love you all!!

Chau

Elder Haley

Juan all cleaned in shirt and tie for church