Elder Morley Haley Santa Fe Argentina Mission: Mixed Emotions.... NEW AREA!!!

Well let’s just start this email with the big news.....I turned TWENTY and I got TRANSFERRED!! My birthday was great, thanks for all the birthday wishes. It is pretty great that the country of Argentina throws a party for me! ha ha But really, it was a pretty chill day since everyone was celebrating Argentina's Independence Day. Elder Casamona made me a birthday sign! Also, now that I am close to Santa Fe, I can pick up my birthday package! Also, after 5 months in Hernandarias, I've been sent back to Santa Fe! This time in an area called Esmeralda. It's a part of the actual city, my first area in the big city. So far, it’s really good. Granted, I've only been here for a whole day, but I'm liking the area from the little that I've seen. It's definitely a lot different than Hernandarias. There are a lot more people in much smaller of an area, there are actually stores, and we have a little bit of a dangerous area. But don't you worry. It's still not dangerous at all. It is just that literally anything is more dangerous than Hernandarias. And my new comp is Elder Smith from Utah. He is super cool and super tranquilo nomas and has about 9 months in the mission. And! Something that is super big and a lot different than I'm used to is that we are doing a WHITE WASH. A white wash is when both of the missionaries are new to the area. So normally when you get to a new area, your companion has been in the area for a while and knows the streets and how to get to places and knows the members and investigadores and everything. But this transfer we are doing a white wash. So we are both new to the area and we are going to have to work super hard to get used to the area and meet all the members. But, it’s going to be a great experience. We are going to work our butts off and finally get some baptisms going.

But this last week in Hernandarias was really, really, REALLY GREAT! And I mean, like really great. Honestly one of the best weeks of my entire mission. I have no idea what we did differently. But it was amazing. We found sooooo many people to teach and I had a lot of fun. I was completely exhausted by the end of the week. We taught so many lessons this last week, and they were all (mostly) great lessons. But it was kind of funny to see just how great the week was because it just happened to be the last week that I was in the area that we found so many great people to teach. So I mean it's all good. And, even though I left Hernandarias without baptizing anyone, I am honestly really happy with the work that we got done. I feel that we worked really hard and had a great time together with Elder Casamona. For the last Sunday in Hernandarias, Alberto gave his first talk. It was great for his first talk. And he is having a great time learning more about the gospel and trying his hardest to help other people come to the church too. It's great. Saying goodbye to the people I have become close to over the last 5 months was hard. Juliana is still praying for her mom to let her be baptized, but in the meantime being a great friend and example to her friend Elianna who is also working towards baptism. Cristian and his wife are slowly coming back to church. Pablo is still coming too! Elder Casamona is staying there so it will be great for him.

Also, in my new area we are in a Ward, which is going to be really, really different. It's going to be great to have lunches with members and more people to come with us to lessons. Elder Smith and I have a few ideas of things we want to do in the area so we can teach and meet more and more people than ever.

This week I've been reading a lot of the Book of Mormon. I've gotten pretty far. I restarted not too long ago and I'm currently in Alma, in the part when he and Amulek are teaching and preaching to the wicked people of Ammonihah. I love how they just testify and preach with power. But I also love how they use the Spirit to their advantage. They are speaking the truth, and with that truth, the Spirit reaches them and touches their hearts, and that's why the people have the desire to listen to them. I also admire the faith and courage of the Righteous people of Ammonihah that chose to repent and claim their faith, knowing that the wicked people were going to punish them for declaring their faith. I hope each of us can have the same desires to look for the truth and let it set us free. As it says in John 8:32, the truth sets us free. I love the truths that I find in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I love the chances that it gives me to learn more and better understand and come to know God and Jesus Christ. I know that they love me and that they love each and every one of you.

Thank you all for the love and support!

Talk to you guys next week!

Chau

Elder Haley