End of Winter

Spring is here more or less.
     Lame facts: President Cook was the mission president here a year ago and was a stake mission leader in the Sharon Park stake in Orem. That means I talked to him and all that which is cool since I know who he is. He was like why are you three? I said I´m going to Argentina. He´s like where? Neuquen. Oh that´s my mission. The old missionaries talk about him and consequently I know who they are talking about.  Also, one of the Assistants to the President graduated from medical school before he came on his mission. (27 yrs. old) We ask him questions concerning our health.
       Hello, we are the missionaries, what is your name? =Why should I tell you? = Why not? You are Spies from America, that´s why. The man then refuses to talk to us. The funny thing is he is serious.
        What I have learned on my mission: World societies are falling apart. People are unwilling to make commitments such as marriage and consequently many people grow up with very unstable backgrounds. People want to do bad things but not pay for the consequences of those actions and consequently blame God for their misfortunes. When we come along they are unwilling to repent and change their lives. They run from us. Tell us to get off their property or they will hit us. Close their blinds when we knock on their doors. We are seen as losers walking around trying to waste people´s time. We taught some youth about consequences of actions yesterday. They knew what was right and wrong but had never thought about it too much. The old people here are stuck in vain traditions and are not open to learning. The youth don´t seem to care about anything. I´ve watched some old guy walk outside in the morning and just dump all of his trash in the street to be carried away in the wind. Youth write graffiti wherever pleases them at the moment and are always smoking pot or tabacco. My companion says the whole world is like this.
      No one understands the atonement. Their churches do not teach them. One missionary said if people understood the atonement they would join Christ´s church. Indeed it is true. The only non mormon in this city who I have met who really understands the atonement is an old Paraguayan Catholic priest who is getting baptized. We teach people how to pray. We teach them they can talk to their Heavenly Father. We teach them they can repent and change their lives, that they can actually have peace in their lives. We teach them some bad actions they do have bad consequences. They kick us out when we tell they are unwilling to repent for they know it is true. This life and church is not easy, but coming here really has strengthened my testimony of the gospel. When we truly live its principles we are happy and our societies prosper. When we as missionaries are worthy of it and do all we can to be obedient and successful we have the Spirit. When we testify the Spirit testifies as well and the people feel it.
       The mission is not painful like a swimming race. It is not mind numbing like many many hours spent studying for Impossible Calculus tests. It is not frustrating like being unable to play the viola. It however is extremely hard because I watch people with crappy lives unwhilling to listen, learn, repent, and be happy. I work really hard to help them, and they.... I am learning to be patient with them.
Have a great week.
        -Elder Reed