Elder Morley Haley Santa Fe Argentina Mission: What a week...

Helloooooo my people. Holy cow was this week something else. We had so many good and crazy experiences and I can’t wait to share them with you all. Let’s just say that this week was super fun but really hard at the same time. You‘ll understand after I share everything. Let’s get into it.

Monday. Well, after Pday last week, we went out to work, but we didn’t have any plans or citas with anyone. We were going to go to Santa Fe but ended up not working out. So we were just walking around to try and visit a few people, but not too much was happening for us. And while we were doing that, I kept saying to myself "Well, what are we going to do now? We can’t contact in the afternoon, that would just be ridiculous. People are never willing to talk to us in the afternoon." But then I decided straight up, you know what, to heck with that! We are going to do some contacting! And so we did, and we actually found a few really cool people that we set up citas with for later in the week, so by the time we got home, we were proud of working hard and not giving up.

Tuesday. Well, for the morning we went and I got a haircut for the entire morning because we had to wait for a few people. But it turned out good. We had to go to a different guy because my usual peluqueria was closed for the morning. But, after that, we got ready and went to lunch with members and then after that we went to Reunion de Distrito. This week we had the Zone Leaders come to the meeting too because they had divisions with the other Elders right after, so it turned out to be a really good meeting. For most of it, we were talking to about our investigadores and how they were progressing and how we could work as a district to help each other’s investigadores. It was nice to have the Zone Leaders there to have more ideas and advise. Then, after that, we read together in Preach My Gospel and did a few practices of how to help our investigadores keep their commitments. I decided to use this topic for the meeting because I figured that our entire district works pretty well and we can always FIND new investigadores, but the problem that we are having is how to help the people that we find PROGRESS. So we learned more about the importance of inviting, promising, and testifying. It was a good meeting, Then, afterwards we went to visit a few people that we had set up cita with, but sadly they fell through. But, we went to visit a menos activo family, the la familia Chomorro, and we were actually able to sit down with them and get to know them a little more and share a scripture with them. They are the converts of Elder Peña, my good ol’ Mexican Zone Leader from Rafaela. So helping them come back to the church is kind of important for me. So we shared the scripture in Alma 37 about small and simple things and shared with them that they can absolutely return to being active members of the church, but that they had to work hard to do the small and simple things every day. After that, we went to the la familia Penno’s house for our normal visit and this time we were finally able to get started on their retention lessons, or the lessons that we teach them after their baptisms to help them remember all that be had taught them and to teach a little bit more deeply and with more doctrine. It was great. We taught them about the Plan of Salvation and helped answer all of their questions and help them understand everything better. Like always, I was very happy to be able to be with them, to laugh and share stories and memories, and to be able to share in the Spirit with them. And after the lesson, Noe had made a crazy lasagna that was just absolutely amazing. Not exactly like Mama makes it, but still super good. I actually wasn’t able to finish one whole plate, so you can imagine just how crazy the lasagna was.

Wednesday. In the morning, we had set up another cita with the FML Chomorro, so we went there to teach them more and do all that we could to help them feel the Spirit and want to come back to the church. We read with them the story of the Lehi’s Dream of the Tree of Life and then helped them apply it to their own lives. It was great, because they really related it to themselves and how they could really be holding better to the Iron Rod and how they miss the blessings that come from their keeping of the commandments. We asked them how they had felt after their baptisms, and they said that they felt amazing and clean and with peace and happiness. Then we asked them if they felt the same way now, and they were honest and said that they didn’t. But what was really cool is that the Mom of the family already knew that they didn’t feel the Spirit anymore because they weren’t going to the church or reading the scriptures like they should. She already knew what they were doing wrong and she understood what she had to do to feel the Spirit again. She did admit that she just didn’t "feel it" at times, meaning she sometimes she just doesn’t want to or she doesn’t have the desire to. But that she recognized that feeling and also said that she knew how to overcome that feeling, but that at times, she just doesn’t want to. So that was a little sad, but I think the visit was good for them. After lunch and studies, we went back out to work and had a pretty long, but good afternoon. Once again, we had made a bunch of plans to visit people and hopefully teach some people, but all the people we passed by weren’t home. So we did some contacting and we had a bit of success with that. We found a few good people in Las Vegas and also a few just outside of that neighborhood. So we are hoping to at some point be able to catch them while they are in their houses. But, as we were passing for a members house, we contacted one of their neighbors and she let us sit down with her and teach her a little about the Plan of Salvation. It was a super good time. We sat outside and taught the girl, named Sofia, about how our lives were before coming to the Earth, why we are here, and where we go after we die. It was actually perfect because she shared with us that both of her parents had died in less than a year. She didn’t seem too sad about it anymore, but she did have a lot of interest in knowing where they are now. It was a great lesson and se were able to set up another visit for a few days after. Then, as we were doing our visits, we decided to stop by the FML Amarilla too, and that was just as great as always. HNO Amarilla wasn’t home, so we just sat outside and chatted with them, but it was a great time to sit down and get to know them and them to get to know us better, especially since it was the first time passing by them for Elder Gonzales. They are an amazing family. We shared a scripture with them in Mosiah 24 about how the people of Alma were visited in their afflictions and their burdens were lifted as they had faith in the prayed in their hearts to God. It just perfect for this family because they are going through quite a few troubles. I was happy to be able to spend the time with them and help them feel the Spirit.

Thursday. Holy cow Thursday morning was sweet. We had gone to Las Vegas to visit a few people that we had made citas with, but once again, the people weren’t home and we weren’t able to meet with them, so we went contacting again and found a few really good people who seem to actually have a lot of interest. So we were actually super happy about that. And then, we went to a part of Las Vegas that I had never been in before. It was super sad. It was a huge dump where they drop off all the trash and garbage from the city. The sad part was that there were kids and adults all over the place scavenging for food. It was miserable. But, as we were passing for that area, we stopped at a small hut of a house and talked with a lady that was sitting outside with her grandchildren and she was super nice to us and said stuff like "God Bless you boys" and how she had talked with the missionaries before and that she admired our work and purpose. But, as we were talking to her, we noticed that one of the grandchildren, a little girl of about 2 or 3 years old was sitting on the ground and her leg had a super bad burn and there were flies and everything. It was so crazy to see and to realized just how bad it is for so many people. We offered to the Grandma a blessing for her baby nieta, and she was absolutely into the idea. So she let us pass through her little gate and then we gave her granddaughter a blessing of salud. Then, after her, the grandma grabbed two of her other grand kids and asked us to give them blessings too. It was fantastic. I will never forget that morning in all my life. As we were leaving, she thanked us and said that we had been sent by God, which I don’t doubt for any second. Then, after lunch and studies, we went back out to work but this time we didn’t proselyte, we went to the house of HNO Julian, our war mission leader, and we did some service for him. It was good work. A nice time to just not have to think too much about anything, but just work and work and nothing else. We were moving some dirt and stones in his lawn and helping him start a small little garden. Then, after working with him for about an hour or so, we had to go back to the pench and change to we could make it to a cita with a menos activo lady. When we passed by, we sat down with her and her two kids and started chatting. As we were talking, the two kids were super interested in everything I had, my watch, my oil vial, my tie, my backpack, literally they were grabbing at everything and wouldn’t leave me alone, and they wouldn’t stop even when the mom talked to them, so I had to move a little away from the mom and Elder Gonzales so he could talk to her and I wouldn’t be as much of a distraction from the mom. But, by the end of the little visit, the kids had almost broke everything that I had, but Elder Gonzales was able to talk to the mom and help her understand that even after 27 years of not going to church, she is always welcome. So yeah, not the best time because I wanted to help talk to the mom, but it turned out alright. Then, we went to the house of FML Penno for yet another lesson and dinner. This time, we helped teach a little bit more of the Priesthood to Jose and answered all the questions and doubts he has. He’s super worried because one of the recent converts in the ward, Gonzalo, who Elder Loveridge taught and baptized, is now the teacher for Pricipios del Evangelio, so he is worried that he is going to have to be a teacher or something. But we helped reassure him and help him understand a little bit more. Then we verified that they were all still reading and praying personally every day, which they were all doing. Then, as we were eating dinner, we watched a few of the super old, but super amazing and nostalgic Living Scriptures videos. It was amazing. The food was super good and the videos even better.

Friday. Oh boy, Friday. Well, it was a super long day on Friday, but it was still super good. In the morning, we went to the house of Mari for the first time in a few weeks because she and her husband have been better lately and aren’t going to be splitting up anymore. So we can go, but just not when he is home. But, we got there and the kids were home too, but they still don’t want to listen to the lessons. We are still hoping that they will want to sometime soon. We taught Mari the Restoration, again, and she still really loves it and is still learning new things. She has been reading and praying daily, as much as she can, because while she was sick, she couldn’t really do too much of anything. But, we taught her that and she was able to answer just about every questions, so that was great. We did have to clarify a few things but that’s okay because obviously she isn’t going to remember everything. Then, after her, we went to the house of another contact, but just as we were getting there, the contact was leaving, which was a bummer. But, when she left, she still had 3 kids, and their babies, sitting outside. So we were able to talk to them. It turned out to be super good. We started to get to know them a little bit more, and then started sharing a little bit of the Plan of Salvation. Then, as we go to the part on our purpose in this life and how we have to follow the Gospel of Jesus Christ, they had a bunch of questions about baptism. It was great because they were finding the truth in everything that we were saying. For example, one of the ladies just had a baby about a few months ago and they were planning to have his baptism soon, but they didn’t really see the point in baptizing their son because he doesn’t have any sins and baptism is for the remission of sins. So they were happy to learn that we don’t baptize until the age of 8. But that was just one example. We shared with them so many things, and they were getting really into what we were saying and they had so many questions and ideas and it was actually super fun to be able to answer all of their questions. But, we had to go to lunch, so we had to leave them with a few doubts and questions, but that’s okay, and actually good, because they want us to go by again now and answer the rest of their questions. After lunch and studies, we went back out into the absolutely killer heat to go and visit a few more people. Sadly, our citas fell through. But, about halfway through the afternoon, we were invited over to the house of the FLM Penno to drink some nice and cold chocolate milk and take a break from the heat. So that was nice. Then, at the end of day, we stopped by the FML Varino because we haven’t been by to see them in a while, and that was super nice. It was fun to play a few little games with the kids of tic tac toe and talk with the parents about life and how they are doing with work and everything. They are another family that is really struggling lately. Well, let’s just say that almost all of Argentina is struggling right now, but they are one of the families where it’s really bad. But, we are always happy to make a visit and help brighten their day a little bit.

Saturday. In the morning, we had made so many plans to pass by for people in the morning, but yet again, none of them were home. The only person that was at home was Jonathan, so we stopped by and talked to him for a little bit, but we didn’t teach too much. We just asked him if he had been reading or praying, and he said that he hadn’t been reading much, but praying yes. So we taught him more about Prayer and Reading and how important it is to do both every day. But that was about it for the morning. The rest of the morning we were walking around and trying to talk to other people, but not too much luck. But, we were able to buy some stuff to make a super good lunch that I am actually super proud of. But yeah, other than that, not too much happened for the morning or during the studies or siesta. In the afternoon, we were yet again on the look for investigadores and contacts and everyone to invite them all to church. We were able to end the day with the FML Marani. They are super sweet and super nice grandparents that just love the missionaries. So it was a good time. Really not too much to report from the afternoon either.

Sunday. Ohhhhhh my goodness Sunday was really crazy. Well, we woke up in the morning and that was all fine, but there was a crazy, crazy storm that was going on. It had actually been raining since Saturday night. But we were like "eh, we can make it to the church." So as we were getting ready to go, there was a huge explosion really close to the pench and we lost our power. We think it was the power box to our department building because the neighbors all have power but we still don’t. So yeah. We weren’t able to make it to church because of the storm and we weren’t able to leave for the afternoon either. We actually got a message from the Zone Leaders that said we had to stay in the pench because of the storm. We were in the pench all day and that was a bit lame, but it ended up being alright because I got to catch up even more on my journal and study a bit.

So that was the week. As you can see, we are trying to work hard, as hard as we can , we are just relying on the investigadores to do their part. Working hard and forgetting ourselves in the service! Love you all and thank you for all of the love and support!!

Chau

Elder Haley