Elder Morley Haley Santa Fe Argentina Mission: Not too bad of a week...

Well it's Pday again and I am pretty glad. This week felt like the longest one in a while.

Alright, so Tuesday morning we did exchanges with the Zone leaders and I was in the area of the Zone leaders. It went alright. We didn’t have any lessons, but we talked to a bunch of people and got some appointments set for them. Then we had District meeting and that was good. It’s always fun to be with a group of other missionaries. but then that night, we taught a lesson to both of our Lucas´s (two young men they met last week with the same name). Both were pretty good and I felt like the Spanish was good too. But one thing that is kind of lame and weird is that my Spanish is totally random. It will be really good on some days, but then really bad on others. I guess that will stop in a little bit, I just hope it does before this next transfer.

Wednesday was Zone Conference!! I love Zone Conference a lot. It’s just fun to be with other missionaries, talking about the work, and having a whole bunch of good food. There was SO much food. So yeah, ZC was good. I learned a lot about working together as a companionship, a district, and even as a zone. Plus, like I said, it is always fun. Then afterwards, we went on exchanges with the AP’s (Assistants to the President) and I was with Elder Oldham from Oregon. It was really awesome! It’s always a good opportunity to be with other missionaries and learn different things and different ways to teach or just learn new things in general. But Elder Oldham is a really great guy and it was awesome to work with him. We taught one lesson to a family that we started talking to while we were walking, and then had a lesson with our New Lucas. They were both really good. One of the things that I learned from Elder Oldham is that it is always a good idea to use scriptures to answer questions. Especially because the Spanish of the scriptures is a lot better than my Spanish.

Thursday was a little weird. In the morning, we went with the Hermanas (Sister Missionaries) to a house of a lady they had been meeting with. So about a month and a half ago or so, on Pday, Elder Mamani and I were sitting on the benches in the Plaza when a lady walked up to us and asked if she could sit down and talk with us. So we were really caught off guard, because people usually barely say hello to us, let alone want to sit down and have a conversation. But of course we said yes. As soon as she sat down, she started crying and telling us that just the previous week, her son had committed suicide and she was feeling really lost and scared and sad. She also told us that she is sick with something and that her life is just kind of a wreck now. She also told us that she is a really inactive member of the church and hasn’t been since she was a kid. But, she was on her way to the big Catholic church just outside of the Plaza to look for help from some good Christian people when she saw us. So she told us all of that and asked if we could do anything for her. But the problem was, her home isn’t in our area, but we told her that we would contact the Hermanas and they would be more than willing to help. So fast forward to last Thursday, we went to her home and she told us about how crazy her life is and how lonely she feels. I shared with her John 16:32-33 and that really helped her.

John 16:32 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 alone, because the Father is with me.

33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

Then we blessed her home and gave her a blessing of health. So that was crazy. But afterwards, we had to walk for freaking ever to get back to the pench (apartment). And I mean forEVER. Like, at least 3-4 miles. But it’s alright. Then in the night, I was with Elder Duvol again on exchanges and we didn’t have any lessons again, but we met some really cool people.

Friday was a whole bunch of nothing. In the morning, we went and taught a guy in the area of the ZL’s because they had another lesson at the same time. It was alright, but it kind of was a smack to the face about how unprepared I am to be the lead in lessons. I don’t know, but it was kind of tough for me. Then the rest of the day was filled with contacting and service. Contacting can be good sometimes, but that day, it wasn’t very effective. It was also really, really, REALLY hot that day. But the service was really interesting too. We had to help a member with his car but he was being a bit of a jerk about things and that was not cool. But that’s okay.

Then Saturday morning we did the same service. We actually got stuff done that time, but again, he was being a bit of a jerk and I just don’t like it when people act like that. But the afternoon went a little better. We went to the house of one of our investigators, Alexander, and we walked with him to the church building. We were planning to just have a tour and then teach a lesson, but when we got there, the young men of the other Rama (Branch in the area) were playing Futbol (soccer). So we watched and Alexander played with them, which was really cool for him and fun to watch. Sadly, we can’t play Futbol because a lot of people have gotten hurt, and most recently, a guy was sent home with a broken leg. But it was still pretty neat that Alexander could do that, and that the others were so nice and became friends with him. Then we taught him the Plan of Salvation which was cool because afterward, he told us that he had never thought about his purpose in life, but how he knows what it is. Then we ended the night with the Fernandez family which is always good.

Sunday, we were planning on having 4 investigators attend church, but it ended up raining pretty hard and one of them was sick. SO sadly, no one attended. But for sacrament meeting, Elder Mamani and I gave the talks and that was really good. Afterwards, some of the members told me that they could understand everything I said and that it was a really good talk. So that was a major confidence boost. Then for classes, Elder Mamani and I were the teachers of the primary classes and that was good and fun. It reminded me of my time as a primary teacher before the mission. But then that night, we had a lesson with a guy who lived really, really, really far away. Like, at the complete other side of the city. He was a referral of our District President so we could actually leave our area and do it. But we used the bikes of the ZL’s because it was so far away, but ended up getting lost and we were late. So when we got there, he wasn’t home. But it’s alright. Always looking on the brighter side. Or at least trying to.

But yeah. This week I read a lot of the Book of Mormon, BOM and not Libro de Mormon because I’m in the chapters where Christ visits the Americas and I don’t want to miss out on any of it and I want to understand every detail. That has been really awesome. I also found a English hymn book in the pench of the ZL’s and that was freaking magical. I can actually understand what they are saying!! As cool as Spanish is, I love English so much more. For now anyways.

So that’s the week, thanks again for all the prayers and faith. At times, I don’t think I deserve any of it, but I’m always grateful.

Ciao,

Elder Haley