Elder Morley Haley Santa Fe Argentina Mission: Feliz Navidad!!!

Feliz Navidad!!! Merry Christmas!! Oh jeez, I’m going to be honest, it does not feel ANYTHING like Christmas, but I’m kind of really grateful for that. It will keep me from being completely trunky and a little more focused in this crazy time. But, this week was super great with lots of super great experiences. So let’s jump into it, because I don’t have very much time to write and want to get this thing done. Sooooo….

Tuesday we went to Santa Fe and had a super great Christmas Party Meeting Conference kind of thing with Presidente and Hermana Westover and all the missionaries in the Zone. It was kind of small, but it was actually super great. For most of the time, we were doing a program with lots of hymns and scriptures and everything. The program followed the story of Christ’s birth. We would read a few scriptures and then sing the song that went with the scripture that we read. It was super great and I felt the Spirit so strongly. I loved it so much. Then, after that, we had lunch, which was super great. The cakes afterward were to die for. Literally. I couldn’t finish one piece of each without almost passing out from being so stuffed. It was delicious so I didn’t mind too much. After that, we had a gift exchange. Elder Overall, the husband in our Elder Missionary Couple, was Santa Claus and Elder Sanchez and Elder Ocampo were his little Elves. It was super fun. We had to bring a small gift that didn’t cost too much, but it had to be able to be a gift for a guy or a girl. Elder Moore got one of the electronic Lucky Cat doll things and I bought a cool, light up, pistol lighter. But the gift exchanging was pretty fun. I got a nice picture frame. After that, if any of the missionaries wanted to, they could share one of their talents or skills. One of the newest missionaries played the piano super well. He even laid down on his back, with the piano at his head, and he played the Charlie Brown Christmas Song. It was great. Another sister missionary played her violin, and the assistants sang a super great and Spiritually Powerful song. It was a great time. I loved it even more cause I got to see my guy, Elder Robinson and catch up with him a little. It was a great conference.

On Wednesday we went to Mari’s house in the morning and visited her. It was a good time. We didn’t really teach anything, we just took the time to visit and chat with her and get to know her even more. It was a great time, and Elder Moore could practice his Spanish a little bit. I think she really needed it because in her house she is being a little pressured about her membership in the church, but she is staying strong and firm in her beliefs. I’m proud of her. I gave her the necklace you sent for Christmas. It made her very happy.

On Thursday, in the afternoon, it started to rain super, super, duper hard. But we figured "Eh. We can still leave." So we left. But it turns out that we were a little mistaken. We got to visit a few people before getting completely drenched, but after about an hour or so of walking around in the crazy storm, we had to surrender and had back to the pench. But don’t underestimate the rain that was going down. Because it was freaking killer. I’ll send the pictures. One road was completely flooded. Just absolutely FULL of water. And by the time we figured we would go back to the pench, we were already completely soaked, even with our rain jackets on and everything. So we were crossing that street that was flooded, and we figured it would have been about ankle deep. But when Elder Moore crossed first, it turned out to be about KNEE DEEP! It was so funny to watch him freak out and let out a little scream. I was dying laughing. We were both laughing. The storm was so loud that houses couldn’t hear us clapping by their gates. Oh the memories. On the way back, we figured that if we were going to have to be in the pench, we were going to do it right. So we bought two fish on the way back and ended up having a pretty nice fish dinner that night. Not as good as fresh caught trout back home, but it works.

On Friday, we had a lesson with Paola. It turned out to be super good! Since the last time that we visited her, she had read a little bit of the Book of Mormon, and she was a little confused on all the details. So we reread with her. It was 1 Nephi 3 and 4. Super great chapters. She really liked them too, but of course had a few questions. I was able to help her understand just about everything. I am grateful for the Spirit that was present, because I was able to answer all of her questions and she absolutely felt of the Spirit. Strongly too! In the end, we invited her to come to church, but of course she was a little timid and shy about committing. Actually she said very directly, "I’m not promising anything" but we gave her the best invitation and promise of blessings that she could have received. So we left pretty content with what we had shared.

Saturday was a pretty good day too. We visited a few people in Las Vegas and contacted a lot too. They are all pretty good and have potencial. The only problem with Las Vegas is finding them at home and helping them get to the church building on Sundays. But it was a good morning. We were able to share with a lot of people Light The World cards and share with them a few ways that they could light the world of someone else. In the afternoon we visited a few less active members to get the last invitations in for the following day. It was super great. Of course they all said that they would "try their hardest" to go to the church, but we just tried our hardest to make them feel welcome and want to come to the church. We found one less active member family that the mom actually isn’t a member, but the kids are super awesome and seem like they would actually want to come to church. So we are going to be visiting them more and hopefully start teaching the mom again. Other than that, we had made plans to have a kind of "fiestita" (small fiesta) with a guy that we had met earlier in the week. The guy’s name is Paulo and he has a few problems that could make anyone feel super sad. First of all, he has a kind of bone disease that has affected his feet and legs, so he can barely walk, even with a walker. He also seems to have some kind of mild mental trouble, but that doesn’t keep him from cracking a few jokes every now and then. But when we met him, we obviously talked about Christmas plans and what he was going to do for Christmas. He told us that he didn’t have any plans, but that he was going to stay at home all alone. You see, about 3 or 4 months ago, both his mom and dad died. First his dad, and then a month or so following that, his mom. He lives at home, alone, about 35 years old or so, and just seems to have a tough time feeling happy. So we wanted to help him have a good Christmas season. We planned to come by, the 4 missionaries, to visit him and have a small party on Saturday. The day before, on Friday, we had passed by to make sure that we could still go by on Saturday. So Saturday came around, we still had plans to go by, and we bought Soda and cakes and stuff like that to have a really good time with him. But when the four of us missionaries showed up, he couldn’t because he had some company over, unexpectedly, and had to visit with them. So we took the rest of the food and drinks and passed by a few other people to try and spread some of the Christmas Cheer, but no one was home. So, a little bummed out, we went to the pench and celebrated the fact that at least we tried.

Sunday was super great. In the morning, we didn’t start church until about 10:30, so we got up and took our time a little to get ready and showed up to wait for everyone at the church, all the less active members that we had invited, and especially the investigadores that we had invited. Sadly, no one came. But hey, I didn’t let that ruin my Sunday. So we had just Sacrament Meeting and the Spirit that was present during that meeting was amazing. The Bishopric spoke, and all the talks were great, but Bishop’s was amazing. His testimony is so great. I don’t know if I’ve shared this before or not, but our Bishop is a convert of about 5 years. Crazy! He does a great job and the entire ward loves and appreciates him. After the siesta, we went to visit a few people and then afterward to a rest home with a few of the other ward members to sing a few Christmas Carols for the elderly people there. It was great time and the faces of the people living there were amazing. They really seemed to brighten a little by the end of the time we had with them. But after that, we went to visit Amelia and spent the rest of the night there visit and having fun, chatting and sharing stories with her and her family. It was a great time.

Then for Christmas Eve we were able to pass the night with the Familia Amarilla, legit one of my favorite families. They invited us to eat and spend the evening with them. We had bought the ingredients to make the Cinnamon Rolls and the Hermana was able to make them and teach us a little about how to do it. It was great. Not quite like home, but good enough to make my night. They even shared a few gifts with us. I really love them a lot. In the end, when we were about to take a picture and then leave, the Hermana went into a back room and said that she was going to "get ready" for the picture. So we waited, but then there was a knock at the door. Not going to lie, Elder Moore and I were a little scared because it was a bit late and no one would be knocking on the door. But when we opened it, IT WAS SANTA!! The Hermana Amarilla had changed into a crazy Santa costume and sneaked around, from the back door, to knock on the front door. It was so funny and great! They are so fantastic and funny and I love them sooooo much. So they gave us a small gift each, and then we were able to watch as the 3 daughters opened their gifts. So amazing. I love them.

But yeah! That was the week. A few great Light the World opportunities and lots of great memories. I am so grateful that I had this chance to spend this Christmas here with so many great people and see the Light of the Gospel shine the lives of others. I can’t say that it’s better than Christmas at home, but I can say that I love it just as much. I hope to never forget the memories that I have collected in all of my mission, especially the ones in the times of Christmas. I love this Gospel, and I love Jesus Christ.

Thank you all for reading.

Until next week

Chau

Elder Haley