March 17, 2014

      This week, things have been long. The last monday I went and did a ton of paperwork to get legal here in Argentina... I have been illegal for awhile now... haha how funny to think. But yeah, after that I was a little worried about home so I just went and slept, and then we went to work... and I don't know what happened. That night I went to bed and woke up super sick, so I have been sick this week. We just kept on working though and well... We had like 0 success and decided we had to drop some of our investigators here.. problem in this country is no one wants to make commitments like at all... It kills me inside. But I found out that my comp is a nazi for working hard... but the problem is he is so inefficient its unreal. We talk forever with the people and and we do these street contacts with people who are not interested and well... we dont work with members... less actives nothing. Just contacts and weak lessons. So that has got to change. Right now  he is senior companion, and the rules of a mission say be humble and listen to the companion placed as senior. SO I'm trying to be humble and follow him.

     This sunday we had no one in church and we were going to have the baptism and the day came and we had the people there and the font ready and well... they didn't show up. I felt like I was left at the alter. How sad! But we went and talked with them to find out what the heck happened and well... they didn't feel like getting up in the morning. It was a young girl and she didn't go because her parents were partying. It was really sad to see because the girl wanted to but couldn't without them... So I did what is called here bajando la caña [dropping the cain] and well I was not beating around any bushes. But yeah that was the week. We had a lot of rain... that was fun. Hahah

      I have a funny story, soo here in our area we are pretty fearless and we just really go where ever we want. And well we were contacting this one woman and talking to her to figure out if she was interested, and this guy came and told me if I was there again he was going to lets say beat me up,, and well I wasn't thinking too much about him, and still my spanish isnt perfect. So I thought he was just like hey something...something something. So I just looked at him and smiled and said ha gracias igualmente which means like wow thanks the same to you! He sat there and didn't say anything. He looked confused and well yeah.. thats life.

     We had some pig intestines the other day... delicious and awfull... I cant explain it. I stepped in like 5 sanjas (open sewers) and then yeah... Sunday night we were walking and I felt like wow, lets just talk to this one kid. I haven't seen him in church for awhile. We went, found out his parents aren't members, just him and we taught a lesson so well it would have made Grampa Harry's mustache wiggle... haha  (Mitch is named after his great-grandpa Harry Mitchell) But for real, the spirit was strong and we talked about baptism. The mom wants to be baptised herself and the dad too, but wow. I was praying for a family, but the problem here is no one is married. Like everyone is {juntada} or living together but this family has 20 years together and I think it is time fo dat wedding! We are going to work with them but I hope so, We have a billion people to teach. Everyone wants to listen to us, but really like I said... they dont do anything!!! Lazy Argentines! 

     Today we went to the coast and finished my paperwork in order to be legal here and that took forever. And if you think paper work is annoying in the States, its like 10 times worse and in spanish and well... Wow

     I still haven't eaten anything today and well I'm close to dying. So thats not good. I'm getting good at cooking noodles... bread.... meat.... and pasta.... and cereal. Wow I miss cereal like you don't even know. 

     I have no clean clothes because we have to do it all by hand and I do it on Pday. But we haven't been home really and well its time to pay up.. I am one dirty looking elder haha jk. I am learning how to be clean. How awesome. Lets see anything more... Oh yeah, I'm getting a 6 pack because we live like 20 minutes out of our area but we have to call the lideres and report what we did at 9 30... and so for the past like 4 days we have sprinted in dark argentine dirt streets and alleys in the humidity and with my sickness.. but we have been obedient! WOOO super crazy. I hate running. I've seen two missionaries who have had parasites in in the last few months and they have lost like 50 pounds. HAHA its crazy,,, but I think I might have something like that because Im losing weight, I'm going to come home Ethiopian! 

     But for real I have no time. I love you guys with all my heart, might, mind and strength. I only ask that you keep the commandments, pray always for everything, and be the people I love and God loves.      MITCH

                                                                             A lizard that was in my bed

 

March 10, 2014

    

 Zone conference

I'm not going to lie, Argentina is killing me, It is beyond difficult and things have happened here. Just know I love all of you! This week has been tough, but nothing too bad, We have like 3 baptisms this month. It's really a special thing that I get to do. I love Argentina and all that God has given me. I love you guys! Thanks for keeping the Blog up :) and yeah just know I'm good here... just a little sad

                                                           Love you guys!  Mitch

 

March 3, 2014

 

Hey Guys!!!!

I love you sooo much, I hope you know that I dont have much time today, like always haha. Buuut, the news, I'm still in Villegas, and my companion left.  He went to like the opposite side of the mission, how weird. He came for a week and chau hes gone! But get this, one of the missionaries that was living in the same apartment as me, Elder Manzano, him and his companion had their area shut down. They had to go to the offices with their luggage, along with my companion. We took 3 taxis to take everything there, and during the time there we found out... that me and MANZANO are companions! woooo

He is a really good missionary. He has less time then me, by just one transfer and he is alot better with some things and vice versa me with some other things. I feel like Im going to learn a lot from him, but he only has like 4 days in the area and we still are getting to know the area. BUT we have some investigators that me and Jimenez got, and its looking like this month we are going to have at least 6 baptisms!!! We had a few more people on date, but well some people progress slower then others right. But wow, I love the people here, the members were like GHOOOODS! ( note from mom: I think that is Woods with an accent)  We are so happy you stayed! Its weird to think Im coming up on a year and I have only had 2 areas... I dont know what that means, but dang! We havent had too many stories here thus far. We helped some drunk people... like a ton, get into a house and just sleep. that was funny, I dont know if thats considered a service project.    I am loving Life so dont worry about me, and as for my sisterHAPPPPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!

Just know that I am good, and doing the Lords work! I think Im starting to get a hang of it haha

But my word of advice this week is. Literally live the commandments, look at the 10 commandments and think of each one individually, and how if you keep it, the way you can be blessed. The 6th also means being healthy to your own body and not killing yourself through harmful things. The 7th also means keeping your mind clean and thoughts pure. 

I love you sooo much and want to hear everything thats happening!!!!

  :D

Love Mitch

 

PS Dad your the best.I will always be thankfull for what you do for me and the family, keep being the best, and remember that the best ways we can help others is by changing ourselves first, by taking a stepback and looking at our weaknesses and making a plan on how to strengthen them. Take in the good things and leave the bad! haha Im telling you this so that you can continue being such a great leader and if you can do it you will see more growth in the family! 

3 Nephi 18: 15, 20,21 ( I hope this is right!) Its some new scripture mastery

No more packages!

As of March 3, 2014 there will be no more packages accepted by the mission. From the mission blog:

We are sorry to say that with new restrictions and fees that are being imposed by the government of Argentina, we are no longer able to accept packages.
We have made this decision in conjunction with President Robertson, who will preside over the mission beginning in July and in conjunction with other missions in Argentina.
Do not use other methods such as FedEx, DHL or UPS as we will not attempt to retrieve those packages.
We recommend sending your missionary a bank card that you can refill from home if they need to purchase items here in Argentina.
We will do our best to obtain those packages that are still in transit, but there is no guarantee that we will be able to get them. Thank you for your understanding cooperation with this issue. 

February 25, 2014

Hey Family!!!!

     How is it going! So sorry this is late, some things happened and we got permission to do emails today. My comp and I went to the Hospital yesterday for a total of 6 hours and after all the time, (things happened with the papers and stuff) and after all of that, they said that the doctor wasn't there that day. And now we have to go back Thursday buttt, the thing is we don't know what's going to happen because we find out transfers tonight, like if we stay or go. I am super nervous and I'm not going to lie, we have not really done anything other then visit our friends, just in case one of us leaves. This part of the transfer is the worst as far as being focused!

     But this week we had a few miracles and awesome things happen! We had the baptism, and it was a little weird. It was later so the mom could attend like at 7 o clock, but... only one member went and the bishop.. the family and us. It was hardly anyone like 8 people. But one of the most special ones. I don't know, it was just super spiritual! He gave us jerseys of our favorite teams and now we are friends for life. Me and ELDER JIMENEZ,  we were so happy.

     But now before we talk about Sunday we have go back a little in time, like two weeks ago .We were walking in the street when we saw this young woman, like 28 years old, selling this like deep fried balls filled with dulce de leche, pretty much caramel. But we were like lets get some. We talked with her, bought two each.. and they were so DANG GOOD! But we just left afterwards, with out talking about the church or anything! Afterwards we were like dang we should have converted her so that we could get free deep fried desert haha, A week later we were walking (like always) and we saw her again but she was with an older women and a guy. We passed and said HEY how are you, but we had a lesson and we were in a hurry. But the guy was like oh hey elders... so we thought that was a good enough reason to turn around and talk with them. WE come to find out that the older woman and guy are members and baptized in Paraguay, but the wife of the guy is from Argentina and has never been to the church. They left the church 8 years ago and have been going to a church called Universal, its this church of Brazilians that pay people to ¨have the spirit¨and fall on the ground and do weird things. We set a date to go by their house, and the first lesson was incredible. We explained the restoration of the church and the things we have now to guide us. The wife was like that's all I want is a guide. We told them to help them go back to the church we would accompany them. So in Domingo, we go and they are completely dressed up... that is rare, with there two kids. READY to go. Even rarer! We went and the wife is really shy. I was a little worried. But we met with them after church and It might have been the most spiritual lesson ever. She is on date for her baptism on the 29 of march and wow... I cried a little. She told us that she will never forget the moment she met us because she felt like she was in the presence of God, and for the first time she found the peace she has been looking for... What a miracle right? I'm worried to leave the area just for them, but wow everything she said was just that she said a prayer in church asking if this was where she belonged and she told us she has never felt so good about anything. Its weird she is so pure for living in Argentina, such a sweet person. I don't know but now we have 4 baptisms set for March! yaaay :) I love my job!

     Other then that lets see... oh yeah we have three Mexicans here in the district so for a district activity we made tacos.... it was delicious then we played soccer. And we got to taste the food a second time haha just kidding.

     But yeah I cant send photos, because this stupid place we go to do emails always gives me the broken computer as far as uploading things... but I'm going to buy a cheaper camera and step my game up don't you worry! Tell Marah congrats with the tennis! I played ping pong here and I destroyed everyone... I'm ready! haha 

     One thing I need to do is take a picture of my shoes, they are getting pretty beat. We decided we had to stop playing a game, when we are walking or when no one wants to hear us we play soccer.. with rocks, the goal is to get Caños which in castellano is pipe. Its when you put the rock between their legs. Its sooo fun haha It beats feeling depressed. I had one day where I had 40 caños on Jimenez and he had 7 on me... DESTROYED! haha buuut. then there is the subject of the shoes... so we are going to try and keep our playing to a minimum if we stay together! 

      We have one member that I love a ton she is like an Argentine mother, she wanted to call you guys and tell you how much I am loved. But then we found out that all she can say in ingles is I love you and cookies.... so that would be highly ineffective haha How is your guys Spanish? You better be working on it and when I get home I can teach you! But also... its happening. I am really losing my English. I don't know how I have been speaking it for like 20 years and its just going like that. I live with one american and when we speak in english its like everything is translated from spanish to English. I said green bed like hey the bed green over there and everything's backwards. I dont know words anymore or the grammar.... ¨strange things are happening to me. But still the spanish is not anywhere perfect and I'm like in the middle of retardation, I cant speak with anyone!!! ahhhhhh

Well I can speak well enough to survive haha

Bueno, I do believe this is sufficient (I'm going to use bigger words in order to remember them haha) 

But I love you a ton! 

Mitch! :)

MUCH LOVE!!!!

This is an old photo Mitch sent awhile back. I'm guessing he found it funny.

 

February 17, 2014

So Hey, I dont have anytime at all today

     We where at the hospital all day me and my companion. He has this like infected toe, we think it started off as an ingrown toenail, but from all the walking in the mud and water and maybe feces his toe is now like this open flesh wound, who knows.  But we had to cross half of Buenos Aires to get to the ´trusted´hospital of the mission and well... It was insane, medical care here is free, and well you can tell there was like a million people there. We waited for hours and got in there, they wrapped it up said keep this toe dry and come back next monday.... LIKE ARE YOU MESSING WITH ME?!?! I was like give me a machete elder Im going to just cut it off! haha but yeah that was all day! Also something I have noticed here is there are a lot more like deformities here in places where the medical isnt maybe the best. You can definitely see it in the health, makes me really want to work in medical so that I can fix these dang people! Not just spiritually :)

     But yeah this week was awesome we worked pretty hard. It rained a lot and we didnt have a lot of sucess in the week but then on Saturday we just went crazy and started contacting everything in the world, and we found some people to teach. Then on Sunday is where we saw the miracle. We have been working with some inactives... like all the ward. Normal sundays of 50 to 60 people became just shy of 100 which you cant even imagine the difference. The church was full, and we had 7 investigators in the church!

     My friend Rafeal had his interview for his baptism and he is ready to GO! yaaaahhhhh he asked me if I could baptise him. I almost cried, I love that kid. He also promised me that he is going to by me a soccer jersey of ´boca juniors¨there are a bunch of teams and you have to pick one so that was what I chose and he is their fan too! haha but I am going to give him one of my white shirts, its a fair trade a think!

     The Bishop thanked us in ward counsel. Before we started he said I just want to thank you both... we are so gratefull for you and how hard you're working. We definitely are recieving blessings from you two. I was so pumped! We are bringing this place back to life! haha But yeah that was our day. Sure in the week we are attacked and sometimes people borrow our things without asking in the street, but the thing is none of that matters because the blessings are so much more better. I can now kind of see how the pioneers did it. You can have a broken body but if your spirit is filled with the spirit that only God can give... its like you dont even need your body! Its a good feeling.

     My spanish is getting better. I still mess up the grammar but I cant remember the grammar of english either. Its like the anology of the ping pong balls in a pipe. if the balls are knowlege and the pipe our mind... I think mine is now half full of spanish and english because I struggle with both now haha Sorry I dont have pictures... I think Im going to take some money out of the savings and buy a little camera that I can just take every were, because the one is just to big, and I want to remember the country that is slowly killing me! ha

     Transfers are next week. I have been in Villegas for all the mission. I dont know if I want to leave though, I kind of like ¨mini africa¨haha I will find out though who knows! but yeah, we just teach and do the same things most the day.

     Im super glad your doing the noche de hogar(family home evening) im proud of you guys. If I was a missionary with our family, I would think that you all are THE BEST IN THE MUNDO (world) haha but yeah... This one family told me that they want us to try cow brain... so we will see if that happens... how awesome!

     We played soccer and I beat some little argentines like 14 years old... and I felt awesome, they were like you play good for a yankee (I dont know if i told you but they call us that) but yeah, life has been pretty tranquil. How are you guys? Anything crazy happen back in the casa? Tell me! anyway I have no time now, just know that you are loved! Keep being good haha and.... stay out of my room! just kidding.

 

               LOVE Su querido hijo de siempre, capaz el mejor en todo la tierra. Mitch :)

February 10, 2014

Hey Family,

     How's life? Mine is alright. I think last week I went from a mad spirtiual high to feeling super low. We had two awesome missionaries and we were doing work. But now I'm with my comp and we are fighting all the time. It's like I will be doing something with the lesson and he does something different. I'm fighting him and all the people of Argentina. It feels like I'm a fish swimming against the current. He was touching me a ton this morning and wouldn't let go. We almost fought. I punched a wall instead of him, but now my hand hurts... This mission is all about patience, or at least for me. I don´t know what I was expecting. Just trying to be good and fight, but this mission I think would feel like a battle that you can´t win.. There is soo much bad, lazy, or incorrect things in the world that the small amount that are doing the right appear like a needle in a haystack. I don't know what I want to say, but for me just wishing that I can help someone is turning into an act of faith.

     This week has been the most humid thus far. It has been raining like all the week. This week was hectic. There was flooding like a ton, and we just helped a lot of people take out water. But the problem with that is when it rains a lot the people turn into animals and some crazy things happened!   

     This week we didn't have the same success as earlier, but.. we still have my friend Rafeal who is going to babtize him on the 22 of febrero. I seriously love that kid. He went to church this week even though there was like a ton of mud and then we showed him the baptismal font and he was like this is awesome I cant wait. Its like the needle in the haystack. Such an awesome kid. Then we also found one family called the family Vega, they are awesome less actives but they have a son who is really smart and a hard worker who is 20. He told me he was praying that the elders would come by because he wanted to go to church, but was embarrassed to go alone for the first time! When we were walking to the church with him and some other investigators from Bolivia he was asking me how was a mission and I dont know, I just got the thought that he would be an awesome missionary. So we will focus on that!

     I was thinking I am just walking here in this country thinking that it is like my super disfunctional home. haha I was walking in the streets and a lot of kids we have befriended were screaming Elderes! like always haha and someone was playing spanish music that I understood and I was just thinking... how weird I hear things in spanish and its just normal. I have friends in spanish. and I love people who once felt like just a strange other world. I'm in a weird state this week. Its like a state of purgatory. I don't know if I'm in the world or out. The mission helps to change others but for me I'm having conflicts of what type of person I want to be. Right now I think that is affecting me a lot. I was thinking the other day how much I wanted to go skiing, and how much I missed doing the things I wanted to do on Sunday like sleep and watch movies... when I can get rid of wanting what I want... I think I will be better at hearing what the Lord wants for others. As for Moroni 7, that is a really solid chapter. Its like this.... the next email, I'm going to send a picture of something I made. It pretty much describes our purpose here and... you'll see next week! 

    I just guess this week has been alright, but I've had lots of time to think, there are always missionaries that come home the same, and I fear that If I'm not careful that can happen with me. I want this to change me, its a bit of the reason that I think I decided to serve. 

     My advice to the family, Never say something is some else's fault. It doesn´t matter all that you can do is think how you can help them feel happy. Take family home evening serious. Go prepared to be together and grow in your knowledge. Don't think of it as a punishment or waste of time, but as a time that the Lord has given you to become an even happier person/family unit

Humble yourselves to see your faults (not others) and then the Lord can bless you guys and me more :) 

     Maybe... here is my assignment to you, find a preach my gospel book and go to the chapter of ¨Christ like Attributes. Read them all as a family and for each one talk about how you can achieve it more in the family ( the things that YOU can do differently) to help the family! 

I love you guys more then anything in this world! Be safe and be happy

 la vida es buena :) ¡no debe preocuparse sobre las cosas que no son importante!

Google translate: life is good :) should not worry about things that are not important!

 

Hasta la proxima semana! Chau 

Google translate: Until next week! Chau

February 3, 2014

Hey Family how are you all doing! :)

     So this week was super intense but we absolutely destroyed the area with missionary work, haha We had two other missionary elders that have extended their missions and are kind of traveling helping the other missionaries. They were with us this week and we were able to like double the amount of work, we had 25 lessons this week, 21 new investigators and well... yeah it was awesome!

    The only problem was that it rained on Sunday and Villegas (the area of mine) is like all dirt.. so mud! and well the people were really lazy and like NO one came. The bishop came like at 9:10 with his conselors and church starts at 9 but it was okay because they were one of the first... I was really disgusted with the ward that day and was just like GET IT TOGETHER people dang! But we had a few people that came!

      I dont understand why things happen but like Dad said sometimes God does things for a bigger purpose and sometimes that good in the future has to come from the bad now. That same dog attacked us again, and It recieved a rock. I'm afraid the owner is going to call the police on me, but its literally like destroy this stupid dog or get bit. I dont know but I think Im going to pull a Nephi and kill Laban in order to save future people haha This case Laban is the Dog.

     Also I got bit by just like every insect this week. In one lesson it was raining (its been raining all week) I got bit by at least 50 mosquitos. The thing is these mosquitos are monsters... like imagine jumanji, they just land on you and if you have like 3 layers of clothes, it doesnt matter they bite through it. One bit me in the face and I thought an airsoft gun shot me! Maldito Mosquitos! But then I felt something on my leg and I was like the mosquitos entered into my leg! But now it was just some ticks!!! All in a lesson I was like yes this is true and... ahhhh tick! you can have this in your life too. amen. haha

     One day it rained so much that we had to cross this bosque (forest) to get in the area and it was flooded. I was like oh its not too bad and bam we were walking through a flood up to our knees... that whole day I was soaked in humidity and rain. I think my skin will die when I return to dryness. But its all been a fun experience.The bishop invited us to lunch and we had Asado(steak) it was soo dang good! 

     They are from Bolivia. The brother of the bishop was showing me this hot wheels car that he found in a flea market. He was like what brand is it. I said oh it translates to Ruedas Caliente and he was like talking about the quality and how great it was forever, then asked if I had ever owned one. I said without thinking I had like a box of them... he lost his mind. Now he wants me to order from you guys a black muscle car like vin diesel has in fast and the furious of the brand Ruedas Caliente haha I tried to explain that would never happen because its like a billion dollars to send that and its just not worth it. I think he finally excepted it but wow, the little things for real are such a difference.

     I saw a giant dog fight of like 10 boxers and pitbulls, one lost a tail and one died... dogs here I swear. I tried to imagine jake walking around in villegas.... that poor spoiled dog would just not last 5 minutes haha

     Also another cool experience happened. We are teaching this one kid of 20 years and at first he was really closed to us, but somehow he opened to me and I started teaching him. Apparently he had talked with other elders before, but he told me that the way I taught him he finally understands and for the first time he like knows what to do and wants to change. I teach through a lot of drawings and visualy explaining things. He asked if I could make him some pictures and so I did and he kept them in his scriptures. I thought of the picture Dad has that the one missionary gave him. Then the family whos been helping us teach him told us that they were talking and he said that he feels like I was sent perfectly for him. The family was like Elder, everyone has their missionary and you're his... I almost cried, because I think maybe for the first time I felt like I was truly helping someone, that I was the missionary that changed a life! I was soo happy but then we were late and we sprinted 4 miles to the pension and I threw up after! But yeah he is on date for the 22 of this month! I am sooo excited! We have like 10 people with dates for baptism now. We will see if they really are serious to change and have a happy life! How funny that our entire purpose in this life is to keep commandments... you would think it would be so easy! 

Things are good here, I am super happy and grateful to be here. I have been thinking what would I do if I was home... I was like I would be the same, this mission is changing me and I dont think I can ever go back! Its so weird! haha

Just know that I love you guys! Les Amo Muchisimo!

 

:) Keep up with doing what is really important and you will see the blessings!

Estoy tan agredecido por tener una familia como ustedes, por eso nunca cambiaria para nada, solo sepan que estoy pensando de ustedes y orando con todo lo que tengo! les amo a la luna :)

PS: Also I am forgetting english if something sounds weird I'm sorry. I thought I was going deaf because when people talk to me in english and I'm thinking in spanish it doesnt translate and I dont understand, and vice versa with english and Spanish. Its hard to think in both... its really a weird thing! haha

Google translate: Estoy tan agradecido por tener una familia como ustedes, por eso nunca cambiaria para nada, solo sepan que estoy pensado de ustedes y orando con todo lo que tengo! les amo a la luna :)

 

I am so grateful to have a family like you, so I never exchange for anything, I just know that I'm thinking of you and praying with everything I have! I love you to the moon :)

 

This paper is one I drew so we could teach a young kid named Aron that we baptized!

Note from mom: Not sure if this is the bishop and his family or not. There wasn't a description. Whoever they are I am just thankful they are watching over my son!

 

 

January 27, 2014

So this week has been a pretty fun but awful one at the same time.

So my companion is a pretty cool guy, but holy cow, I am so frustrated with not understanding things all the time. We are teaching quite a few people, but right now it is looking like we are just planting the seeds. Who knows? Things are good. We had 5 investigators in church. That was awesome! The drunk guy Miguel went and it was really incredible to see how he was and how he felt. But yeah this week I'm trying to think of anything crazy that happened... oh okay I have a story. So we were walking and this dog attacked my leg, tore the pants, and now the leg is a little bruised. But the dog wasn't wild and the owner was just standing watching.. But I didn't say anything because I was really mad and I thought I wouldn't be too missionary like. But later that night we were walking back to the house and it started going for my comp... the same dog. Sooo I hit it in the face with a giant rock and just turned it's world inside out. The owner was outside and do you know what he did... he started screaming. At first I thought he was mad about the dog. But he was like MY CARRR you could have hit my car, eeeyyyy  Just screaming a lot, and I was so confused and just fed up with argentines. So I was like your dog has already bit me, I don't care about your stupid car and if you even mess with me I will do the same thing to you as your dog.. which turned into a huge fight (of words) and I just started walking off because I was just on the verge of snapping on this clueless guy and he screamed eyyy vaya a los estados unidos!!! Go to the united states... He said it like it was a punishment! I was like if these people even knew. The problem is the people here are super... just like I don't know how to explain it, self centered and ignorant. Super prideful people and I truly believe that is why they are struggling. I don't know if I planted a seed there or destroyed one, but Its sooo hard to be perfect all the time. Ugh, but yeah other than that this week has been good. We are having some missionaries live with us who extended there missions. They are going through the zone helping all the companionships and this week is our turn. I don't know if I'm excited, but we are going to accomplish so much more! So that will be sweet. I am finally getting over the sickness so that is also really sweet.

I'm going to talk about the 5 laws of Argentina. If you remember my roommates at BYU told me about it 

It is: 

1. you get robbed

2. you will get bit by a dog

3. you will fall into a sanja (which is this open sewage line on the side of the roads

4.you will deficate in your pants

5. a snake(girl) will kiss you

 I got the dog this week, I am missing a few things more then when I got here, and my companion fell in a sanja and pooped his pants this week.

So far as a companionship, we've almost accomplished it! haha Where did God put me. :)
 

     My bed is this wood frame that... is super broken and falls apart at random times. One time my bed just completely caved in and the leg fell and I was half on the bed and half off. Elder Cranney was like do you want to fix it... I was so tired I was just like leave it man... just leave it. So I slept a night like that haha I WANT A BIG BOY BED! Its okay though, that's life. Also speaking of sleeping, I have been getting charlie horses from the devil... in the middle of the night I got one on my calf. I woke up and thought I was dying! Elder Jimenez woke up and started laughing and then he got one in his thigh.. It was super funny but serious. These cramps are monsters.

What else... I cant think of anything else but we are teaching some solid families... solid for Argentina. I'm excited and happy that I have this horrible but wonderful opportunity!

Love you all 

Mitch

 

January 20, 2014

Well, this week has been pretty long.

     I will start off, Elder Cranney is in his home now and well... yeah Im jealous haha But the last few days he was just saying goodbye to everyone. So we didnt do too much. Time goes by faster when your stuck in the work. Then after we got everything prepared for everyone else we where ready for transfer day on Wednesday, but that morning when i woke up I felt super sick.. and it was a mixture of just being in the bathroom forever and then throwing up soooo much! It was terrible, but we ended up going to the meeting which lasted for like 4 hours it was horrible. I had a plastic bag just in case I lost it in the meeting. But luckily I kept it down. I was outside in this courthouse thing throwing up forerver. All the elders were like elder what are you doing are you okay? and it came out like estoy... ahahhhhahhh vomitando..ahhhhhhh. But then I got my new companion. His name is Elder Jimenez from Juarez Mexico haha not to far from New Mexico. but yeah my English is like going away and I am seeing how much spanish I really dont know. I am confused with him all the time. Everyone including him talk so fast now that there isn't two yankees haha Soo Thats interesting. He is also really touchy, which I have already let him know I'm not a fan of... hopefully he learns fast or I'm going to touch him back..... WITH MY BELT haaha I am just kidding. 

     But yeah we are having a hard time finding, but we are working really hard now and thats awesome, We have found a few people that we are teaching. One really sad one is a guy named Miguel Angel that is addicted to wine, and well we have been working with him. I really want to see some progress, but who knows.

     I don't know why I'm here because everyone is super rude and... I don't know but I am having a hard time placing my personality with these people. We walk... SOOOO much. My body is slowly dying especially since I'm recovering from this sickness... the heat is like the worst I have seen it. It was raining today and we crossed this one spot that you could see the rain hit the ground and instantly turn to steam. We walked through like a natural sauna... I almost threw up! Awfull, but I guess I'm pretty used to it.

     We spent today with some of the Elders in a different area and I realized that there are nicer areas like... neighborhoods in Argentina.. I haven't seen anything like a calm area in the whole time I have been here. I have always been in crazy ghetto poor areas... We have been working with a lot of less actives also trying to work through them to get them excited and to also find people to teach through them. Things are slow right now and I think my president is mad at me... because of that, but I don't know.  Our president we have now... is a lot different than I have ever seen. Different than the one in Farmington, different than my one in the MTC and the two I had in Utah. I respect the guy but wow.. Things are a little more intense with what he does. We found out who the new one will be that is coming in July... and honestly I'm a little excited for that day to come.

      But yeah Elder Jimenez is a nice enough, pretty funny guy. Not exactly the most obedient so that stinks. I'm always like Elder. NO. I don't know that language barrier... changes things. Companionship`s are a little different. Only time will tell.

     Marah looks a lot bigger! What happened with that, that's kind of weird! The dogs... look like dang show dogs compared to the diseased dogs here.. dang spoiled dogs haha. I do miss you guys so much... Time is going sooooooooooooooooooo slow lately. 

     I have faith that God will qualify everything for the work though, I was thinking this time last year I was home working with the missionaries.. maybe that is why it feels like I have been out longer then I have. Who knows. 

     I did trip on a giant stick yesterday and now my toe is purple and on my other foot I got a blister from the devil. Then last night I got a bug bite that is the size of a 50 cent piece. I am not kidding, I need to check that bed. (I have seen spiders here from like Middle Earth (Lord of the Rings)) haha But seriously I wont be scared of any bug I see in New Mexico... I saw A snake the other day..... A DANG ANNACONDA! ... or something similar I don't know. I didn't stay to long, so crazy. 

 

                                                        But I love you guys a ton!

                                                                            Mitch

 

This was a party for E Cranney

Also this is Morena, she is one of my best friends...

all my friends in the ward are the young kids.. ugh

 

January 13, 2014

 

     Alright I should have some time to write today, First off sorry the week was a little hectic but the saying here is Asi es la vida ¨like that is the life¨ haha Our week was pretty good, slow as always Elder Cranney has been saying his good byes and getting everything ready for home, with him leaving I have been pretty trunky thinking about home and school and everything but wow its already been more then 8 months time will fly :)
      This week we had a dinner night with an investigator and we made her pankakes from AMERICA haha she loved them, her name is Mari she is sweet but I dont know if she is really focused on progressing with faith. She refuses to go to church, dang woman haha but other than that really meeting with members, I had my second ghetto Asado as you saw the first one, we had some sort of beef but the beef and chicken here is really fatty and well, I miss our sunday night BAR B Qs for real!
      This week has been super crazy as far as sketchy things happening Elder Cranney was like the Argentines just wait until I have almost made it out haha super funny, there are some sisters in our district who one is like brand brand new from Brazil and they got robbed. She was really sad, and all we could say was like well.. welcome to Buenos Aires haha
      But never complain about your nice things breaking, I honestly don´t know how I will handle coming back to the United States, but you guys.. just don´t understand. I didnt understand and now I think I barely understand a little more of how blessed we are. I ask everyday why some people are in the States and some Here. Count your many blessings name them one by one I guess! 
      I also got a letter from the Hiltons and the elders liked how their kids are in Alphebetical order, tell them thanks for me. As for Everyone else, tell them thanks too. But yeah I will try and be better if they send me something! I love the emails but cant always answer.Tell everyone that Im BUSY! Its not my time, its the Lords time, and he isn´t taking breaks hahaha Tell them to read the blog
      As for transfers they are this Wednesday and what happens is they just tell us if we are leaving the area or staying THE NIGHT BEFORE and then we go to a big transfer meeting if we have changes and they put on a big screen the transfers. They have the same video on the blog, its just super long and everyone just is like freaked out, so who knows, hopefully my next companion is good. I don´t want to look back and think what I could have done more in my mission and thats how I feel with these transfers.  So hopefully this next transfer I can show the new guy around and we can slay it with DILEGENCE!!!!
      Now lets talk about New Years. I got a video but its not great, I will show you in time. We got on our roof and the thing is here, there aren' laws. Everyone shoots off huge fireworks, and like every side was fireworks through the city... I think it was maybe better then the states, it was so fun then we drank sparkling cider. They call it sider for ninos here because it doesn't have alcohol haha, It was pretty lonely and the Holidays made me miss home A LOT but now its in the past. So I will try and just... keep going. I am tired everyday, sometimes depressed. But through the suffering comes the repentance and that is what we try to see. Just people working through repentance and changing their lives. That is the best, seeing people really become happy. I do miss Sundays in New Mexico though, Sundays here.. not organized and just.. feel like another day!  
      As for Dad getting up to do mission things at 7. That is my life, those meetings all day I get up at 6:20 and its like 5 days in one. I dont have many dreams, but last night I had a dream that the family moved to my area Villegas and It was one of the worst dreams of my life. I woke up so like freaked out and super in defense mode, and then I just started to think of families that do live there. WE HAVE TO SAVE THESE PEOPLE literally haha
      Also I think speaking of parasites... I think I pooped out a worm the other day. We are going to be keeping an eye on the wait but wow, that was a weird experience. Luckily I had my favorite thing ever to help me out... BIDAY. Seriously... you guys need one, changed my life..

       but... yeah I can´t think of much more to say. Just know that Les AMO the familia and I want the best for all of you! BE good. and thank you for the gifts seriously!!!!
                                                                                                       Love Mitch

This one is for dad, asado (bar b q) haha, but its a little sketchy. That is a sheet of tin, some hand made rebar, and well... I might have worms in my brain now.

 

January 6, 2014

 

So, this is going to be a short one! This week was really slow. Elder Cranney is pure dead and doesnt want to do anything soo... that makes things a little tough! Hopefully next week when the new transfer comes we will pick up!

 

LOVE YOU GUYS A TON!!!!!!!

Mitch

 

This was at a going away mission party farewell thing! For the girl named Miriam

 

December 30, 2013

Bringing the light of Christ!
     I hope thats what we are doing. There is a scripture in Mosiah... I can't remember its like 16:9 or something but Its a good one about Christs light. But yeah Guess what the packages came in!!!!! I haven't opened them yet because we just came straight from the offices and are now emailing! but yeah this week has been a little slow... hopefully after everyone sobers up after new years it will speed up haha, I did have a thought though. I was thinking as me and my companion sat in a house with home made chairs and a roof of one bar of wood and just a thin layer of tin. I thought one... Dad would loose his dang mind if he was in this house, and two how much our Heavenly Father loves his children. We have been talking with some of the most outcast people that no one wants to deal with but the thing is ,the worth of souls is great in the eyes of god, which is true! This Navidad we talk about what Christ gave us and I think for the first time I felt like maybe I gave back a little to Christ. This mission is hard working and humble. I wanted to gain patience from my mission and that I think I am getting too. But it is all working its way out.

     This new year we are going to make a goal as a mission to read the book of mormon in spanish and Im excited for that, I tried reading the bible in english and it was tough as always to read. Then I tried to read that thing in spanish and it was like my mind was about to explode, soo dificult haha but so true. I have heard over and over weird things about our church and the question of the Book of Mormon... To me it is like have you read the Bilble... yes well if you read the BOM you will see nothing contrary to it and in fact you will be brought closer to Christ haha The thing I see is a lot of people talk, but the action is where the good fruits come from! We are like shepards trying to make people Act for themselves!
     But no the call was awesome, I couldn't tell what all you heard at the end. I busted out- I love you but there was a spanish woman yelling in my ear from the phone telling me time was up haha like step off me woman I am SPEAKING WITH MY FAM!!!! Oh well it was nice while it lasted.
       We taught the Plan of Salvation the other day and used that board... the puzzle thing is like my baby, I truly think you guys were inspired to send that. It is so much better when you can visualize everything. I am going to make little cut outs of a body and a spirit to show when the spirit comes with the body and everything. Its going to be sooo cheto(rich/cool) haha but yeah that went well and was spiritual.

     I don¨t have much time today, I hope you guys understand how limited we are to writing, if I could I would write for days! But things are good. For new years its a whole day of fireworks that I heard are better then the States so.. we will see!

Just know that I love you guys and pray for you a ton!

Love you Mitch

 

This was Christmas, we told them we couldn't swim and they thought a good gift would

 be to throw us in the pool with everything .... it was fun haha dang Argentines

 

December 16, 2013

 Hey! Guys

     So I can´t talk at all today, some things have came up and we have to

go attend to that, buuut, I have to let you know, next week we wont be

able to email either because we are going as a mission to the temple

and going to have some devotional and things.

     Just so you know though, this Christmas we can call. We can´t skype

because no one in our area has a computer. But, just so it is clear now, don´t

plan on anything at 3 oclock your time! I´ll call dads phone first just because he

always has some nice phone and it will probably have the best speaker phone!

      As for this week we had a baptism with the girl Nilsa... super

solid. We did it with another ward that had a baptism and their lady

they baptized had to do it over 4 times and was crying... it like

almost freaked Nilsa out. But luckily she was strong and made the best

covenant ever haha But yeah this week we are just trying to find new

people to teach!

      Love you guys!!! And I will talk to you all on Christmas! Give my love to Hailey,

Blake and Grandma... ps tell Hailey I can´t email today.. these next weeks are going

to be pretty busy doing Christmas miracles and what not...

     Oh I sat in Urine today on a bus, some kid apparantly peed all over a seat and well I cleaned it!     haha I love it here! :)

Bueno, talk to you soon! Muchisimo Amor!    Mitch

 

This is Nilsa

This is the baptism of Aron after the storm thing

 

December 9, 2013

 

Hahah Things sound like they are awesome in Farmington... after I leave. That seems to be my life.

 

     The comment about good food here made me laugh, while it is true there is good food, it is sometimes rare to find in our area we are in now. This week we had 4 out of our 6 lunch appointments (they dont have dinner here really) they were milonesa and rice. Milonesa is a really thin sliced piece of chicken or beef in our case chicken that is fried and breaded) its not bad but its not great and then rice... SO that was a little tiring after the 3 time haha that and we drink water and tang.

     It is sooo humid, yesterday there was like floating water... it was literally like a sauna my glasses where fogging up! Also here is a funny story so last week I talked about how hot it was and how there was going to be a hurricane.. well guess what that same day I experienced hurricane force winds. Me and Elder Cranney, we were starting our work at like 6 when we saw a storm kind of coming and we were just like ughhh rain. We saw a plane in the sky that was going towards the storm and did like a 180. We were like wooaa that was crazy... then it hit! It was like a wall, just insane wind, and water. I looked at Cranney and we both were like - Hermana Meza. She was a member that lived close. We started jogging and when the second wind hit, it stopped us. I literally had all my weight forward and couldnt move, and here in Argentina well, in our area the tops of houses are giant metal sheets. I looked to my left and saw a couple get ripped off a house and fly right towards elder cranney. One hit a tree and saved Elder Cranney (watch the other side of heaven, because it was exactly like that) After that had happened I was running like Usain Bolt. We got to their house and they live in a shack. They had the windows blocked with a couch and the lights had gone out because the wind broke the poles with electricity. Sooo we fortified their house and held it out. It was only like 20 minutes, but more rain then we have in like a whole year... it was so crazy but a cool story!

     haha another cool thing was that I saw was like a tarantula... dead serious it was the size of my hand, and it was fighting a wasp the size of my finger... IT WAS CRAZY I stared and watched forever because it was like discovery channel in real life .Then one kid told me that the wasp would kill me... I think he was young and kind of just being silly, but I was like might as well keep moving haha

      The christmas season, is well.... the weirdest thing ever. Its like they try to have Christmas like the states but its....... no where near. Santa Clause is called Papa Noel here. I asked one kid if he was excited for Papa Noel and he told me that he doesn´t visit Argentina... That was really sad, I cant remember The US and I think I might cry when I see what we have because.. This is like so different! 

     We are teaching one girl from Paraguay, super solid girl, and we had her baptismal interview and she is getting baptized next week, YAAY! She is super sweet and humble. 18 years old and has really never done anything with religion and we found her one day hanging out with one of our members and it just started from that! It has been really incredible to see her grow.

     We had stake conference this week, and I wanted to cry it felt so nice to see more then like 70 people in church! They really stressed the temple and mission work. We had some 70s there and it was really cool. They talked about how there are almost 2000 members that are adults in this stake, and out of that 2000 like 440 have been through the temple, and right now 250 have like active temple recommends. The priesthood here, like the men... are not living worthy lives. Like its ridiculous how much Argentine men don´t do. We have elders in this mission that are Branch presidents because the men are not doing what they should... its crazy to me. But yeah, it was really nice, things are good here.

     My comp is dying and buying souvenirs and just kind of.. done. It is ridiculous that I've experienced this twice already. It makes me think of home and what my plans are when I get home. Then I realize I have like 17 more months... I'm fighting some weird depression. Time is going really slow for me because everyday is the same. We find, we teach and sometimes baptize, but its like everyone hates us. And it gets tiresome asking members to do the same thing! One thing I read from an Elder Holland talk, said we are represantantes de jesucristo, that means that we are going to experience the same things as him, not in the magnitude but similar. We will be sad and want to accomplish the mission work some other way, but even Christ asked God if there was another way. We are going to have hard times. ¨the path to repentance always goes through Gethsemane¨ sooo things hopefully will just get better. But just know I'm good and love you all a ton. If I could I would be with you! 

                                                                         Mitch

just a little GLANCE of how destroyed everything was

 

 

 

December 2, 2013

Wow... It sounds like thanksgiving was wonderful...

     The whole day, I was like I would be eating turkey now, I would be napping now. It was hard to focus, we actually didn´t eat a chicken or anything... a family forgot to feed us so we got rice.. it was pretty cool. hahaha

      But as for this week things were okay pretty slow, we had lessons with the same people and one is progressing really well, she will be baptized. Its super awesome but kind of tough too because during one lesson she seemed a little sad and we later found out her family was throwing a party and she didnt go because she knew she would be tempted to drink, then her family was making fun of her. It was super tough to see, but at the same time super cool that she is sooo strong and wanting to change, I think that is the best thing on the mission seeing people change and loving them!

      We didnt eat anything too weird this week, that was nice! Everyone fries their milk here though. We visited a family and it was like 100 degrees out and he was like elder you want some chocolate milk. I looked at E Cranney and he was like giving me the say no look, but I was like ELDER I LOVE CHOCOLATE MILK so I said yes... Turned out it was like super thick milk that was maybe 200 degrees.. so we drank nice thick fire milk in what could be the hottest weather I have ever experienced... I felt sick while walking for like the rest of the day.

     Not as much rain this week which just means that there will probably be a hurricane this week, so humid I have never sweated more en mi vida! The house we live in, well like all the houses doesnt have air conditioners, but like ours has a little argentine made fan.... which could maybe cool off one body part at a time. It is across the room... and there is a thing where if its a hot day the government like shuts off the water, so one day this week I was sooo sweaty, sunburnt and I tried to take a shower... NADA!!!!!!! I literally stuck to my bed and layed there for 8 hours.... it was a rough night. I hate SUMMER it is never going to end haha

     Also I think I will be more trunky then ever with this month being december, I am slowly realizing it will probably be like thanksgiving... ugh, but we do get to go to the temple I think the P-day before navidad! so that will be awesome! This Sunday was kind of funny, it was fast and testimony and well, to me it looked like this. There is one lady who IS ALWAYS first to bare her testimony, she talked about gardens in the temple... I dont know if it was my spanish or what but I was a little confused, haha then (keep in mind argentines are really competitive and want to be recognized as better then someone else) well this sunday the theme seemed to be who could cry the hardest.. like It was almost insane... I was just like you have to be kidding me. Then one Giant guy like 300 pound argentine man I have never seen got up and bore testimony to the law of chastity... I was just like trying to figure out what was happening. All and all pretty good week, still in shock some things here are just crazy insane but... Its starting to feel normal to me now haha

     The other day we were helping a woman out with weeding her yard.. which was me with a hand made garden hoe waging war on a jungle... that was insane all in itself. But then like we heard 30 gunshots... the woman was super calm like hey elders come inside for a little bit. I was like oh okay, if you insist. haha. One little girl came and was like hermana were those gunshots and she was like yes, the daughter just was like OH no my brother! But, what can you do. haha crazy argentines haha I love it though, things are good so dont worry.

 

     I have to go, but know I love ya and miss you!

Chau, Mitch

 

Our rooms are on the top of this store

 

 

Scouting in Argentina

Mitch forgot to mention this event. You will notice he was one of the missionaries asked to sing. This is from the Buenos Aires mission blog:

November 23, 2013

 There was a multi-stake meeting to promote scouting in the church here in Argentina. Elder Viñas was the featured speaker. (Elder Francisco J. Viñas was sustained a member of the First Quorum of the Seventy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on April 4, 1998.)

Our mission was asked to provide missionaries to sing the last two verses of called to serve at the end of the meeting. Thus, making the connection between skills and leaderships experiences offered by scouting as a means to prepare to go on a mission. They surprised all who were in attendance when they marched in.