Welcome, welcome ladies and gentlemen to this week’s review
of my life. I’m glad you are taking the time to read this. It really means a
lot. Well, this week has been a pretty good one. We had a few really good
lessons and we were able to do divisions with the Zone Leaders. Oh wait there
was one more thing... oh yeah. I PASSED ONE YEAR BABY! So yeah. Pretty nuts.
Buuuuuut let’s get to it.
Tuesday. So, Tuesday morning was one of those mornings. It
was raining pretty heavily when we left to visit a few people that we had made
citas with. After walking super far, most of it through mud, the citas fell
through. Usually the Argentine people completely shut down when it is raining,
so we weren’t too surprised when the people were "busy" and couldn’t
talk to us. But, because we were without plans, we took the time to do some
contacting and try to find more people to teach. Almost all the people didn’t
answer their doors. But hey, that’s how it is sometimes. We were actually so
far away from the pench that we decided to contact the house that was the
absolutely farthest away from the pench. Why not, no? The lady that answered
was actually super nice and said that she would invite us to come back some other
time, but that she doesn’t really have a work schedule and that she was afraid
that if we set up a cita, she would been gone. But, we wrote down her name and
we will probably go back some other time and hopefully find her there. Then we
went all the way back to the pench, cooked, then went to District Meeting. By
the time we got to the church, we were pretty well soaked, even with my rain
jacket and Elder Gonzales with an umbrella. However, District Meeting was super
good! This week we talked about using the scriptures more in lessons and how we
can study more effectively to help us prepare to use the scriptures in lessons.
As part of the meeting, I had prepared a few slips of paper with a
"Questions of the Soul" on the slip. Then, each person took one paper
and tried to find a few scriptures to answer the question. For example, my
question was "Why is the family so important to the Plan of God?"
Then, with about 10 to 15 minutes, we would take the time to seek and find a
few scriptures that we could use to answer the question. It turned out to be
really good! After everyone was done, we shared together what we had found and
how we could use the scriptures. As we shared the answers we had found, the
other missionaries would write down our question and the scriptures that we
found. That way, they could use the scriptures everyone had found too. Then,
after the meeting, we started divisions. Like I said last week, I was stayed
here with Elder Loveridge. We had set up stuff with his two coverts here in
Santo Tome so he could visit them, but neither of them could do it. So by the
time that we had walked all over Santoto to visit them and then find out that
they couldn’t meet with us, it was already time to go to FML Pennos house. This
last Tuesday was the birthday of Ari, she turned 14 years old. So we showed up
and had a good time with her and the rest of the FML Penno and a few other
members and friends. It was a lot of fun and a night I’ll never forget.
Wednesday. In the morning we went to visit Gianfranco, one
of Elder Loveridge’s converts. We weren’t able to meet with him the night before,
but we were able to set something up with him for the following morning. So we
went there and had a good time with him. We talked about life and how he had
been doing and everything. I had heard from the Hermanas that Gian was having
trouble with some of his friends making fun of him for being a member of the
church and everything, so we helped him with that. He also told us that we had
been reading the Book of Mormon every day and was just about to finish Alma. So
that was pretty cool to hear. Then we talked to him a little bit more about
Patriarchal Blessings. He told us that he had already set up his appointment to
get his blessing sometime in December. Then he showed us a board game that he
was developing that was actually super cool and then we had to leave. He is a
great guy and it makes me happy to see how converted to the Gospel he is. Then
we went to Las Vegas to visit a few people that we had citas with, but they
weren’t home either. So that was pretty disappointing. Divisions with Loveridge
was pretty great. A good time with him having a bunch of fun. Then, that
afternoon after we ended divisions, we had a service project with HNO Amarilla.
We helped him lay a bit of concrete in front of his house to level out some of
the rough stuff he had. It was super fun to see how Argentines do their thing.
The HNO Amarilla had made his own concrete mixer using a drill and a few pieces
of welded metal. But the service was pretty good because HNO Amarilla could do
just about everything that he needed to, so it was nice to see how he is really
progressing and healing after his accident. He even let us write our names in
the concrete, which was a complete honor. And, after we were done doing the
work, which took almost the entire night, we were invited to have dinner with
them also. And of course it was super good, like it always is in that
house.
Thursday. In the morning we had set up a few citas in Las
Vegas. So we went to visit Celeste first. When we got there, she told us that
she had been pretty busy and the week had been crazy because she had been
running to the hospital in Santa Fe for her little baby of 9 months that was
super sick. So we offered a to give a blessing to her baby and she accepted. So
we did that and the baby seemed to start feeling better almost immediately. He
was super calm and at peace. Then we taught Celeste about the Plan of Salvation
and how she actually does have a purpose in this life and how she can come to
have more happiness and peace in this life, and the life to come, through the
Gospel of Jesus Christ, and especially through the Atonement of Jesus Christ.
It was a pretty good lesson and we committed her to read and pray again. Then
we went to visit a few other people to teach them, but they weren’t home. So we
took the free time we had to visit Liliana, the lady who calls us “spies” who
just had open heart surgery. We visited her and offered her a blessing also, to
help her feel better and recover a bit faster of what she was going through.
After the blessing she described to us how her surgery was. So, it turns out
that Open Heart Surgery means that they literally rip open your chest and then
cut your heart out, clean it up a little bit then put it back where its meant
to be, and then flick the heart to get it going. They literally flick the
heart. But if that doesn’t work they have to use drugs. Pretty crazy. So there’s
a reason she wasn’t feeling too bright and happy after something like that. We know
the blessing will help. After lunch and the siesta, we went to the House of our
Ward Mission Leader to talk to him about a service project that we had set up
with Celeste. We went to him because he has a weed wacker, and the service was
to cut the grass in front of Celeste’s house. But, because the weed wacker wasn’t
working, we decided we would go to the house of HNO Amarilla to ask him for his
machete and then use that. Yes, a machete. Then, after visiting with them for a
little bit, we went to look for our clothes from the HNA Maciel. Then, after
that, we dropped the clothes off at the pench and headed to the house of FML
Penno. This time the brother of Jose and his wife were there. So we were able
to talk to them and get to know them a little better and share a good night
with them. Then, toward the end of the night, we were able to share a little
bit of the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ with the wife and we left
her with a Book of Mormon and a pamphlet of lesson one. She was pretty
interested and told us that she would read both of them. But, she sadly lives
all the way out in a small town called Kima, which is about 40 or so km from
here. So the only way we would be able to teach them is if they are by some
luck in the house of FML Penno. But, we were happy to at least share the
message with her. Then, after we got back to the pench, I celebrated ONE YEAR
IN THE MISSION by burning a shirt. It’s pretty nuts to think that it’s been so
long already, but it’s more of a kick in the butt than anything else to realize
that I really have so little time left in the mission. I’ve said it before and I’ll
say it again. The mission is by far the best thing that has ever happened in my
life and I want to take advantage of this time the best that I can. I love the
mission so much and I don’t want it to end. But, when it does, I’m going to
make sure that I feel at peace with the knowledge that I tried my hardest and
use the time I had the best I could.
Friday. Friday morning we had to go to Santa Fe so I could
have a small meeting with the Zone Leaders and the other District Leaders in
the Zone. In the meeting we talked once again about what we had learned as part
of the conference with Elder Villar. It was a pretty good meeting. We studied
the scriptures and talked about how we could become better missionaries and
better leaders. It was also pretty cool because I got to see Elder Robinson and
Elder McCown, two of my former comps, and also a few other guys from my group.
So we took a few pictures because we all had just passed a year. Then we went
back to our area and in the afternoon we went to visit a few people. First we
went to see Estela, the lady that we are teaching in Las Vegas. We got to her
house and she was sitting outside with her husband, so we talked with them, sat
down, and reviewed what we had taught in the first lesson about the Restoration.
Estela had read a little bit of the Book of Mormon. So we tried to talk to her
about that and what she remembered or what she had learned. But, she told us
that she couldn’t remember too much because she has a bit of a problem with
learning and remembering everything. So, we reviewed the lesson and this time
we tried teaching more to her husband because the time before, he didn’t get to
listened to much of it. It was a good time and they said they would try to go
to church on Sunday. Then we went to the house of FML Amarilla again to ask permission
to use the machete for the following morning. Then, after that, we went to the
house of Poula to talk to her and teach her a little more. When we got there,
she told us that she hadn’t read anything, so we decided to read with her. So
we read 1 Nephi 1 with her and then explained what was happening and all of
that. It was a good time. And then, afterwards, we somehow got on the subject
of Abril, the daughter of Poula, being bullied in school. So we talked about how
we have to treat well to the people who treat us bad. We talked about the
Atonement also and how Jesus knows how we feel in all times. It was super good
and spiritual and Abril was there and she even started crying. It was a good
lesson and a super good way to end the day. We were really looking for a way
for Poula to open up to us more, and I think that through this lesson and the
way the Spirit was working I know we had the lesson that she needed.
Saturday. In the morning we went to look for the machete
from HNO Amarilla. Then we went to Las Vegas and spent the rest of the morning
cutting the grass for Celeste. She was happy that we did it, especially because
she thought it was some kind of joke that we were going to cut the grass. She
didn’t think that we were actually going to do it. But, we showed up, cut the
grass, and left. It was fun. Then, after the siesta, we went to visit a few
people and contact a little bit. Then we went to the house of Ricardo and gave
his wife a blessing because she was feeling sick and wanted to go to church the
next day. So we did that and then set up another time when we were going to
past by and talk to Ricardo more about the lessons and the Book of Mormon and
all of that. Then, after him, we went to visit the FML Varino to just
talk with them and have a good time. We spent the rest of the night there
because I really wanted to talk to them about the upcoming temple trip because
they were planning to go, but I just wanted to make sure that they were going
to do it. But, we never got to the subject, so sadly that was something that I
didn’t get to do.
Sunday. Sunday was super chill and great. The highlight was
that at church, one sister attended at our ward that I had met. Her name is
Hermana Fernandez, and I met her outside of the mission. The night before I
entered the MTC, my family and I went to Temple Square. There, we met a sister
missionary that was from Santa Fe! So we took a picture and we were able to
say, hope to see you soon. Then, just yesterday I say her in the church.
So, I went up to her and introduced myself, and she didn’t have a single clue
who I was, but after I showed her the picture, she was super happy to see that
we had actually met! SO that was super cool. Sunday is always a great day!
That’s how the week went down. right now I don’t have too
much time to write more I can’t wait for this week to go down. We are ending
the transfer this week, so well get to see if I stay here another 6 weeks or
not.
Love ya all!
Elder Haley
Chau
Caught in the rain and soaked even when we were prepared.
Elder Loveridge during divisions
Ari's birthday
Working on the cement. All day!
One year! Tradition is to burn a shirt. ha ha
Elder Robinson
Elder Loveridge
MTC buddies who hit their year mark this week with me!
Forever remembered in the cement
Hermana Fernandez who I met the day before I entered the MTC on Temple Square while she was serving her mission.
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