I love Rafaela!!

This week has been really really good. Quite a bit happened week, it was fun with a lot of good times. So last week when we got to our area, we found out that the pench that we had dropped all of our stuff in ended up needing a bit of some painting and the bathroom needed a complete do over. We ended up having to pack up a few things and headed over to the another pench that we have here. It was alright there for a while, but the first morning that we were there, Elder Smith took a shower as I was eating breakfast and halfway through the shower, he realized that the water wasn’t draining. The way that they had the bathroom set up, the water ended up going out the bathroom and into our kitchen. So that wasn’t exactly how we wanted to start our day, but the day ended up being super cool. All of the people that we were visiting were either people that the last missionaries had been visiting, or members whose addresses we got from a list of members that we found in our pench. So it was a pretty good time in our area this week, but sadly, we didn’t get to spend too much time in San Cristobal. Luckily, instead of working in our area, we were able to go back to one of my favorite places ever, RAFAELA!! We were able to go to Rafaela for a few days. We ended up having our Zone Council on Thursday and then we stayed until Sunday for our District Conference. I LOVED going back to Rafaela, my very first area. Zone Council was really good. It was by far my smallest Zone Council that I’ve ever had, there are only 8 Elders in the entire Zone. And it was super cool too because Elder Moore is in the Zone, in fact, he is in my old area!! I really liked ZC this time around. Hermana Westover, of course, had a really good message that helped me a lot. It was about how we have to look at the world through children’s eyes. It was cool how she related a recent event that her granddaughter had to all the missionaries. Grace, the 8 year old granddaughter of Hermana Westover has been playing the piano for a while now and just recently had a piano recital that she was super nervous about. She ended up drawing a picture about her recital to help cheer her up. In the picture, all of the people in the crowd were clapping and were really pleased with Grace and her piano playing skills. And then, when the actual recital came around, Grace had a great performance and was really proud of herself. Hermana Westover then related that to us as missionaries and how we can end up feeling better about ourselves and the work that we are doing if we just felt better and looked at the work more optimistically. That really helped me, especially as I am starting a whitewash with very little to work with in an area with a pretty small branch. But, from Hermana Westover’s message, I now have a more positive way of looking at the work that we are doing here in San Cristobal. 

But the rest of the time that we were in Rafaela I was able to go on Divisions with Elder Moore (I was his trainer in Santo Tome) and I was super excited to be able to work with him. His companion, Elder Edvalson, had been sick just about the entire week, so Elder Moore just wanted to get out and work a bit, and I absolutely wanted to walk around in my old area and visit a few people. It was great to spend the time with Elder Moore and see just how much he has learned and progressed since we were together in Santo Tome. I had a great time with him, catching up a bit, laughing a lot, and just working. But, we were also able to visit a few converts of mine, including Emiliano, Alma, and Ariel. And of course I went to visit Gabe and my favorite Argentine Aunt and Uncle, Adrian and Liza. I had a great time in Rafaela and spent a lot of time chuckling at myself while reminiscing all the good times that I had there. Everyone we visited couldn’t believe how fluent my Spanish is…especially compared to how bad it was when I was there. So many amazing memories are in Rafaela. I love that place and the people that live there. I’m grateful for the chance that I had to return to visit and to really boost my energy levels and get me pumped to go back to San Cristobal and get some real work going. 

Then, on Sunday, we had a historical District Conference. We were able to witness the entire District Presidency be released and a new one be sustained. I had already known the former District President, Presidente Horton, from my time in Rafaela. But what I hadn’t known is that he had served for just about 13 YEARS as District President. That is so nuts. I admire his dedication and the work that he did. I am grateful for his service and the example that he gave me. And I also know the new District President, Presidente Peralta, who was the Branch President of my Branch back in my time in Rafaela. His First Counselor was also a member that I ended up getting to know fairly well. So it was a crazy meeting consisting of many changes and also a lot of testimonies. I really enjoyed the strong spirit that was present at the meeting and also the chance that it gave me to see all of the other members that I worked with. And of course there was Hermana Palota who always served and helped us as much as possible and always open her home to us and tried her hardest to make us comfortable. I will always love and hold Rafaela as a special place and time in my Mission. 

During this week I was able to see a lot of the effect that the Spirit has on people. Visiting with a few of the in active members in San Cristobal and a few of my old friends in Rafaela that don’t have the blessed opportunity of having the Spirit in their lives I saw that way they enjoyed the old feelings of peace and comfort that we brought and helped them feel as we visited them. I know that the Spirit plays a huge and very important role in our work as missionaries and I am very intrigued and curious to see how the few visits that we made this week will affect the work in both Rafaela and San Cristobal. 

I thank you all for reading and hope that you are all well. Thanks for always loving and supporting me!

Chau

Elder Haley

This is our bathroom they are working on in our pench

Elder Smith and I with the Argentina flag

ARIEL and Elder Moore

Dessert

Elder Smith and I

Liza and Adrian

Hermana Palota

Hermana Palota and Gabe

Gabe.  Such a great guy!

Carlos 

Elder Moore

Food after the Zone Council

Elder Moore and his great cooking!

Alma

Emiliano

Adrian and Liza made pancakes with buttermilk dressing for us.  Elder Robinson and I introduced him to pancakes.  They love them.

Holy Transfers

Whelp. So here’s the big news. Right off the bat. Get ready for it.... Drum roll please....... I was transferred. I am now with Elder Smith. But a different one. He has been on the mission for about 5 months and is from Spokane Valley, Washington. The SAME town my Nana and Pa live in. Crazy! I am now in a new area. It is a small country town called San Cristobal. Its basically in the middle of nowhere and it’s a bit different than anything I’ve seen before. It reminds me a lot of Hernandarias, but a bit bigger and just not as pretty. But! It’s still super cool here. San Cristobal is also in the same zone as Rafaela. Actually, I came here once a long, long time ago when I had about 5 months in the mission. So quite a bit has happened since then. But, something really nuts about this area, is that they just took out the Sister Missionaries from the area, so now we are only two people, Elder Smith and I. So its basically just like Hernandarias, but in a different place. Hernandarias 2.0. OH, and I forgot to tell you guys, we are whitewashing. Refresher-whitewashing is when both missionaries are new to an area. So this is nuts. We are now absorbing the Hermanas area and we are working in the entire city. So its quite the change, but Elder Smith and I are excited to work hard and get some people baptized. 

This last week in Esmeralda was quite the hoot. We were doing a lot of things. It was Elder Smiths birthday on Saturday, we had a goodbye dinner for Elder Urmston, and also I had to say goodbye to a few people. Saying good bye to Juan was tough, but it wasn’t the hardest thing ever. I know that he will be okay with Elder Smith there still. It was a busy week and I honestly can’t remember too much.

But, yesterday was a pretty crazy day. I was literally in the Terminal for the Buses alllllll day. And it was pretty long, but it was great because got to see a bunch of old friends and catch up and hear fun stories and laugh a LOT. But for most of the day I was just hanging out with Elder Robinson. I also was able to see Elder Casamona, one of my old companions!! I didn’t even think that I was going to see him. It was great to catch up and just have a good time. I jumped over bags running over to him! It was so great! As I am looking over the shoulder of my comp as he talks to Elder Robinson, he said something about the Sons of Mosiah. It’s so funny and so true. When Alma met up with the Sons of Mosiah after years of not seeing each other, they were so happy that Ammon literally passed out. I can relate to that a bit, even if I didn’t pass out, but I love the mission and the friendships that I have made. I have met some of the greatest people ever, both other missionaries and the people that we work with. I love the joy that I can feel as I share the gospel and also pass time with some of my best friends ever. I love being a missionary.

So yeah. That's basically it. And just now as I am writing this email, I was told that the apartment that we have just unloaded all of our stuff into is going to be remodeled for a few days so we are going to have to re pack our things and get into the other pench that is technically ours also hahahah. But yeah. Thank you all for reading and supporting!

Chau

Elder Haley

Last meal with Elder Smith

Goodbye to Juan

Goodbye Elder Smith

Goodbye Elder Urmston

Elder Casamona.  I was so excited I jumped over bags to give him a hug!

Elder Robinson, by buddy

My new Elder Smith companion

Good work happening

Entry Number (I have no idea), A LOT!

HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOla people. It’s me again. I know I know, you all love and miss me so much and it seems like it’s been soooo long since we’ve seen each other, but listen! I’m trying to work my butt off because I am officially 3 months away from ending my mission. And yes, I know that it trunky to say something like that, but I can’t help it. It is what the calendar tells me. Everyone keeps reminding me of it. And its doesn’t help that Elder Urmston is going home this week too. But! This week we worked pretty well, despite the rain and the cold weather. I don’t think I need to remind you, but I will anyways, that Argentines hate the rain and they hate the cold. So when it does one of the two, they don’t do anything. Can you imagine when its both cold AND rainy??? But this week wasn’t too bad. A bit slow in the finding people part and we did quite a bit of walking, but it has been a good week anyway. 

We started teaching two new people this week. One is named Cristian. We found him one afternoon walking in the streets and knocking doors. We were in a neighborhood that has a lot of small houses really close together and we had passed by there plenty of times. But, this time I felt personally that there was someone that we had to find. At every door that we knocked or clapped, no one answered. But it was okay, because I just kept saying to myself "Where is he...?" And then we clapped at one house and a big, middle aged man came out and we started talking. We talked outside his house for just about 30 minutes. Or should I say, Cristian talked and we listened. Argentines have a knack for talking your ear off. But we would talk and then say probably 2 or 3 things that would send him off talking again. But, I like to listen, so we just stood there and got to know him a bit more. Cristian is a very, very religious man. He has attended multiple Evangelist churches in the past and is currently attending one also. He has many stories or "testimonies" of the Evangelist churches and believes very strongly in the power of the Holy Ghost and Prophecies and things like that. But, as we listened to him, he asked to look at one of the Book of Mormons that we were carrying and looked through it a bit curiously and kept talking at the same time. But, after chatting outside for about a half hour, we asked him if he would like us to explain to him a little more of what the Book of Mormon is and why we believe in it. So he invited us in. We sat down and gave him a quick rundown of the story of the Book of Mormon and a bit of Joseph Smiths role in bringing it to light. Then, he had a few questions about different things like "How could the people of the Book of Mormon be white when there weren’t any white people when Christifor Columbus came to the Americas?" and "Why do we need more scripture if we already have the Bible?" It was fun to answer the questions and have him sit there satisfied with the answers and curious to read to learn more. Then, last night we when by his house to see how he was and to try and teach him the Restoration, but he was having his sons birthday party. But he was still nice enough to give us pieces of cake!

Then, our other new person that we are teaching is named Daniel. He is Juan’s younger brother who came to church last week. We started teaching him this week and he is loving it so far. We started by teaching him about the Restoration and gave him a Book of Mormon. And then, last night we taught him again about the Gospel of Jesus Christ and he liked that a lot too! And, when we asked him if he had been able to read a bit of the Book of Mormon, he proudly said he did and then preceded to repeat the first words of 1 Nephi. He had already memorized half of the first verse! I can barely do that! Hahaha. But his is really good kid and last night we invited him to be baptized and he accepted!! So we are planning to baptize him on the 1st of September!! And, Juan is helping a lot in the lessons too. He helps explain a few things to Daniel and also helps the other younger siblings stay inside the house because they are just really, really obnoxious and crazy. 

Also, this week we visited a few less active members and ended up getting some free stuff!! At the house of the Hermana Lute she has a lot of paintings that she has done and they are all really great. So as we talked about her paintings and got to know her a bit more, she offered to give us some as gifts! And at another house the wife, Hermana Caraballo, likes to paint also. And the husband, Hermano Caraballo, likes to do all sorts of wood work. They had done a small Mate set out of wood and the Hermana painted it. The entire thing can fit in the palm of your hand. So they are going to give us one each too! Were lucky!!

Yesterday was also the elections here in Argentina. The way that the election system works here is really complicated so they don’t have the final elections until October, but they had me thinking this week about our Agency. It reminds me a lot of the scripture in 2 Nephi 2 verse 27 that goes: 

27 Wherefore, men are free according to the flesh; and all things are given them which are expedient unto man. And they are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all man, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil; for he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself.

So, as you can see, we are free to choose. Now, I’m not saying that the scripture is referring to the Presidenticial Elections of Argentina, but I am talking about the moral decisions that we make each and everyday. We have been given the opportunity to choose on whose side we are on. Either one is available. Jesus or Satan. Take your pick. But, like the scripture says, it’s between Life, Eternal Life actually, and Death. But I just want to testify to you all that it is completely possible to gain the Exaltation and live with our Heavenly Father again. He is waiting for us with open arms and a smiling face. We only have to accept his invitation and make the preparations. Like it says in 1 Nephi 3 "the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them." There is a way, and it is through the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I know that these things are true, and I bear my testimony of the truthfulness of the Gospel in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Love you all and until next week!! This week is going to be transfers so well see if I end up leaving or not!

Chau

Elder Haley

Bowling with Elder Smith

Just a plant for Mate.

Miracles in Hernandarias

My Dear People. I say unto you... "Good day" and with that I start my email today, because it is a good day, because its Pday. But oh, oh how sweet it is to share this email with you all today. 

Let's see here.... what happened this week??

Well first and foremost, I received news this week that Juli, the girl that we were teaching in Hernandarias that wanted to be baptized, but never could because her mom wouldn't give her permission, is going to be baptized this week!!! So miracles do exist!! So that was great to hear. Hard work does pay off!!

But, other than that we had our Zone Council this week. It was awesome! Presidente and Hermana Westover taught us a little about how we need to start having a "mission culture" of charity. A mission culture is the kinds of traditions that a mission has and the kinds of things that the older missionaries have learned from other missionaries that have already left, and are now teaching to the younger missionaries. An example might be something called "milking" and alfahor. Milking an alfahor is when you bite an alfahor on both sides then drink milk through it. It's just a stupid thing that Trainers teach their new companions to do, and it's a part of the Mission Culture. But Mission Culture also has to do with how the missionaries act and the examples that they set. So we learned about how we can be have more charity and be more Christlike and how it will help us feel better about ourselves and how it will help lift the mission as a whole. If we have more charity with ourselves, we will show more charity with our companions, then with the other missionaries, then with the members, then with the people that we meet and teach. So its something that we are going to be working a bit harder on to be better. But we also talked about Pride and Humility and how we can repent to be more humble and close to the Lord. It was a great time and I learned a lot. I also got to see Elder Robinson and share a few memories and a few good laughs. Love that guy. 

I also went on Divisions with Elder Urmston in his area. It was great. He is a really good missionary and a great guy. We spent the entire day walking looking for people to teach, and at the same time laughing the entire time. And at the end of the day we went and played Futbol with Elder Smith and Elder Allen at the church along with a few less active kids and some investigadores. It was fun. Oh but let me explain. This week the Leaders of the mission, so all the Hermana Capacadoras and the Zone Leaders go together with Presidente and the Assistants and had a council like they do every month. But this time, they announced that we can now play Futbol!! So we got into that right away!! It was pretty fun, and we even played a game with Yankees verses Argentinos, with one of our players being Junior, a less active kid that was actually born in the US! He is super cool, but we are just trying to help him get active again, and start coming to church, or as Argentines would say it, "ponerle las pilas."

Also, a bit of really great news with Juan! He is working still and doing a great job!! His boss loves him because he is always working really hard and going above and beyond. But also! Yesterday he received the Aaronic Priesthood!! He is now a Priest! He was super happy, and after a week of patiently waiting, we gave him a Suit that Elder Conde and Pacheco found for him! So he was looking really good and Priest-ly hahaha. He even brought one of his brothers to church with him, Daniel, and he loved it too!! He wasn't even shy with the other primary kids, so we are going to try to start teaching him this week too!!

Also, when we had our Interviews with Presidente and Hermana Westover, she gave me a bit of advice with my studies. I told her that I had just finished reading the Book of Mormon and about my goal to finish the Doctrine and Covenants and Jesus the Christ before I went home. She very nicely destroyed my plans, but counseled my to reread the Book of Mormon, even if its for only 20 minutes a day, and then to set a goal, but not one that ends when I go home because I need to have a goal that will help me read and study and keep with the feasting upon the word once I get back home. And with Presidente, he told me that I'm getting to the end of my mission, and that in track and field terms, I'm in the last 30 meters of the race. We agreed that the fastest 30 meters of the race are at the end, and he asked me to work hard to make it the same with my mission, that I need to SPRINT to the end, even if I can help but fall down and nearly pass out by the end of the race. I kinda already knew that, but Presidente always helps me have more energy and enthusiasm. I love them both and all that they do for me and the other missionaries in La Gran Mision Argentina Santa Fe.

I just want to leave with you my testimony of prayer. I know that God loves each and everyone of us personally and perfectly. I know that as we pray, we will feel of His love and presence. I invite all of you to have a real conversation the next time you pray. To really TALK with God. And I invite you to do so, and share these things with you in the name of Jesus Christ, amen. 

Until next week!!

Chau

Elder Haley