Training

Dear people,

    I don´t know what to make of the week. You don´t really understand what you have until you lose it, for example, Elder Doughty. I never realized just how helpful it was to have him. This week had a mixture of good and bad.

     I stayed with the zone leader in Neuquen for a few days. Wow, they are good teachers. My trainee came on Wendsday. He´s really good. He has lots of desire to be out of the mission, works and is obedient. He also knows a bit of Spanish for being brand new. He is Elder Asay, currently from Mesa, Arizona, but has also lived in Sweet Idaho, Salt Lake City and Salinas Utah. What´s crazy is he is 23 yrs old (4 years my senior). Anyways with any new companion we are learning how to work with each other.

     Here in the mission we work very hard to find good investigators and when you find one you do all you can not to lose them. They have NO IDEA just how important they are to you. I mean, I only gave up EVERYTHING to be able to come and teach them.

     We found some investigators again after not being able to find them for two weeks. They let us in and I immediately invited them to be baptized again. They said no because they need to know more. I asked them if they knew it was true. I said only God can tell them if it is true. I said God can tell us here and now if these things are true, you just need to ask with faith. I said "lets kneel down and pray". I told them I had asked God if the Book of Mormon is true three and a half years before and recieved an answer. I helped Hugo with his prayer. After he asked he stayed there kneeling with his head in the chair for about two minutes. He then got up. I asked him what do you feel? He said I feel... heat.. I really can´t describe it, but .. it´s something like heat. They immediately committed to reading the Book of Mormon and going to church.

     They were not at their next appointment nor did they go to church and cannot contact them. God answers prayers of those who desire an answer. I have sadly learned in the mission that many do not take heed to such answers.

      We arranged with a Chilean mission to get Pablo and Janets papers but it did not work because their passports are invalid. They cannot get legalized. That means they cannot get married and baptized. They know it´s the true church though, and absolutely love us. I´m not really sure what to do with them.

     But to make everything better we had a HUGE surprise in church. Three weeks ago Andrea and inactive of 15 years came to church for the first time. We have worked with her family for three months. During the middle of the second hour of church not only Andrea but Daniel her husband (who has never been to church as far as I know) and their five kids all showed up. I did not expect that. They are getting baptized. With some people, you just know.

       Also, Elder Hernandez was transfered to this zone with good tidings from Comodoro. My investigators who I taught for three months did indeed get baptized. Ade is more or less active , but Marcela goes to church Every Sunday and is doing great. My now ex-convert Patricia hates us still. She threw away everything we gave her. She told Elder Hernandez we forced her to get baptized and read. Kind of sad but it does not surprise me. Her life does not have good prospects. Being a non mormon in Argentina (o sea, living without standards) is dangerous. Iris who we helped reactivate truly is converted. One Sunday she brought a friend to church who was baptized the following Sunday. She has remained active in church.

    Trying to find new investigators and get the work moving here again in Plottier. It died out this week. It´s a challenge training.

         -Elder Reed.