June 23, 2014

This week was great. Everyone is loving the world cup here. I never remember it being a big deal in the USA, but maybe it wasn't ever a big deal to me ha, but the next world cup I will for sure watch and follow. We have seen lots of miracles because of the world cup. Our presidente told us that we can watch the games of Argentina because the streets will be dead and everyone will be busy, but only on one condition, that it be a new investigator, so for example, I saw a young man walking in the street with a New York Jets hat. He probably had no idea that it was a football team, but I said I’m from the USA and I like your hat. We then began to talk a bit. Then I asked him if he was to watch the Argentina game against Iran. He said yes and then I asked if we could go by his house and watch with him because we don’t have a TV, he then agreed and said yeah come on by. So the next day we went by and he wasn’t there but his mom and family were and were expecting us to come and pulled us out seats by the TV and offered us food and stuff like that, it was great, and then we spoke a bit about the book of Mormon and we left them with a book and invited them to read, the agreed and we set an appointment to come back. They were a great family, humble and loving. By serving us two missionaries they served the Lord. Then that same day, in another ward in the stake, a man that is 80 years old was baptized. he really had passed through lots of problems for going to this church and for 7 months of going to church didn’t get baptized because he couldn’t believe, but the spirit and his feelings is what kept him going, but finally he made the choice to be baptized and it was glorious. After he was baptized and then came into the meeting room all changed and clean, he said something kind of profound, he said, "now nobody knows me because I’m a new person". he said it to make a joke, but how true and profound those words that after baptisms, it really is like starting over, and becoming new. It’s also how we feel after we worthily take of the sacrament. It’s amazing how this gospel is so wonderful and how we can feel so happy by abiding by its principles. I love this gospel and I know it’s true and I will defend it! :)

Elder Nelson

 Camilla, Veronica Delgado, me, Jonathan Delgado
and Lili Delgado

us crazy in the apartment

me and Manolo, the man who got baptized at 80 years

me in centro Cordoba

June 16, 2014

So this week was great. We had a few memorable experiences. We were able to help Camila get baptized. She had lots of help from her friends and support from the ward, and it was a really great experience for my companion as well being the first baptism of his mission. He loved it, he was able to do the ordinance. Saturday was crazy, we had to get the fount all cleaned and ready. The smoke from the last few times our poor little chapel was burnt left a few black stains in the fount and we had to clean that all up, as well as find a way to turn on the water heater, so we spent lots of time doing that and then we gave a training meeting for the teachers in the ward or those who are assigned to home teach or visit teach. We taught about teaching skills from PMG, after we held the baptism and all went well! yesterday Argentina played their first game in the world cup and won so the whole country was tucked away watching the game, and every time they made a goal, we would hear fireworks or a cannon or something like that. In houses we could hear the people yelling GGGOOOAAALLLLL!!!!! It was great. A fun week with the World Cup and with the baptism. I love this work and I love my Savior.

Elder Nelson

June 10, 2014

This week was really great. we are going to have a baptism on Saturday, Camilla, not sure if I talked about her last week, but she is a friend of members and has been listening to the Elders but now finally has permission from her dad to get baptized. My companion is really excited because it will be his first in his mission! I have been receiving lots of revelation this week too, I am learning so much, and I have never felt so much peace in my life (haha okay the word peace (but spelled different) in Spanish means pee so it always makes me giggle haha).

This last week was great, we had lots of fun. I love the Elders I live with and work with, they are all great elders. We are seeing changes in the ward, when I got here in this area we were seeing the attendance of the ward at 60 something, now we are at 86. It’s been great having so many in church. All of it done by reactivation and a few baptisms. We will have a few in the ward this Saturday, one convert and the other a member. Yesterday I was able to go to a leadership training meeting in the mission home, right next to the temple that is progressing well. It was a treat to listen to stories from my mission president and learn the doctrine from him. I am really convinced that this is the best mission in the world, just like every missionary feels about his mission, but it’s the best for me I guess. After the training meeting we rented a few soccer fields and played with presidente and the other leaders and Elders in the office. It was great. I’m getting better at my soccer skills, almost as good as Messi ha ha. I love this work. Once I head Elder Holland say that ever since the end of his mission he has prayed that this work is never ever over for him. I feel the same way. My time is running out here on the mission but I do pray that even after, it is never ever over for me. I love my savior and I will follow him.


Elder Nelson

Elder Rivera

Ha Elder Barbosa

June 1, 2014

This week we are seeing so much progress in the work in our area. We kind of see now the way we are supposed to work. On Thursday we had Elder Viñas of the 70 come to speak to us. He’s from Chile, and he taught about the atonement and about the new incentive in the mission. We now as missionaries will be working not just in aspect of baptism but in everything the ward needs. It’s a great new vision and we are seeing miracles. We will have a few baptisms on Saturday, one from the ward and the other a convert. The convert is 12 years old and will be baptized because her friends who brought her to church! Member missionary work is so great! I love this work and we are seeing miracles!

Elder Nelson

May 26, 2014

Monday the new two elders arrived. They are white washing the area of Jose I. Diaz 1 (White washing means they are both new to the area) So I went with Elder Larson on Tuesday and I helped him know the area and a few members and then Wednesday Elder Larson was able to go with Elder Montes his new comp to start work in their area. Elder Barbosa and I have been in our area working well with members. Still very little results. It’s interesting to see the Lords time in all things. I know that our area has the potential to burst in any moment, but as we keep in diligence we will then see the fruits. It’s a test of our faith. I know that with faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, we can be sustained in our trials and make things happen. That’s been our quote for the mission recently, Make things happen, so even though the work is slow, things need to happen. Diligence and faith with a loving obedience to our Savior makes things happen.

It has been a good first week as a leader, I have learned lots and also never felt so tired in my life ha, but I love serving and being a minister. In the dictionary administer means to manage, minister means to help people according to their needs. I learned that it’s not just administering that makes a good leader, its most importantly ministering and guiding, just like the Savior. Before I was called to be a district leader I prayed for more opportunities to minister. I’ve seen that thus far in this week. It makes me think of when I was called as a 2nd counselor to the Elder quorum pres. I see similarities in the calling and it helped me know what to do. I love this work.

May 19, 2014

This week we are trying to work more with members. We have been really seeing success with the referrals of the members so that’s good! there are a few ladies in the ward who have friends we are teaching, one of them just got back from a mission so she knows lots and helps us lots too, as we work through the members we see a better reaction towards us from the people, because its not just us knocking doors but we are mutual friends and that helps lots. I’m staying with Elder Barbosa for another transfer, I love him! We will see lots of success! :)

May 12, 2014

It was great t talk to you all yesterday. It just reminded me more that you guys are my best friends! I love my family very much. 

This week was great, we started Monday in an area by Cordoba called alta gracia, we did a big splash which is when there are more than 4 elders in one area working. The whole zone worked in that area for a bit on Monday and we saw some miracles. Then tues I was on an exchange with elder Reyes in the las flores ward. We had a great time, we worked hard and I got to meet members from that ward. Then the next few days I was kind of sick so I didn’t do a lot. Then the rest of the week, we worked! We found a few really prepared people thru the members! I love that, I know that thru them there are prepared people! As we went to the church yesterday we saw another burnt window. So, there are trials with the ward, but after the trails comes the blessings :)