Return with Honor: I was so bold!

Buenas Tardes

Can you believe that this week there were 2 different circuses in Justo? One was from Mexico, and I thought of Braden and Jase, just owning that land.

My companion is Elder Moon, from Draper Utah. He’s a Greengo. Just like me.

But before I forget, tell Elder Reynolds HI!!!!!!!!!!! You are my role model number 1 in my mission, and I still talk about you all the time. Your name will live on in Mendoza, as long as I’m here! Hey, I’m training, in Justo Daract!! Small world, no pun intended. People still remember and love you, and hugo barrozo sends saludos. I love you Elder Reynolds.

The best lama picture ever. The Elder Ostler/llama stare down.

Last night we had the coolest lesson. We both were left without much animo (energy) to work after church (the 3rd hour was pretty bad) seeing as no one came, we were pretty disappointed, or at least I was. So we studied the siesta, and read a great scripture in Alma 23:3 that says in part podrin salir a predicar la palabra Segun Su Deseo. I have been praying for more ganas to work harder here in Justo. After reading that scripture, I knew that right then, we needed to salir a predicar la palabra, so we put some good plans down and had an amazing experience.

On divisions in Justo 10 months ago, I met this guy, and we were in the area, in barrio norte, so I decided to give him a try. At first, he was totally not interested and busy, but after convincing him to let us in, we were set. We sat in his 2 chairs and he stood. His name is Ricardo Martinez and I first took him to be a classic Daracian, clueless. But much to my surprise, after my son wonderfully explained baptism, he gave the classic, I’m already baptized response. So I pulled out the picture of Christ’s baptism and then he said, that’s not how Christ was baptized. He was baptized with echando un pocito de agua sobre la cabeza. So I pulled out my Reina Valera, that’s the Spanish bible, and I asked him to grab his, and we read together in Matthew 3 about Christ’s baptism. It was a wonderful experience. And I think in part, he understood. Then I invited him to be baptized sugun la manera que fue bautizado Jesucristo. But he still held on to his traditional católico bautismo.

And then I did something I never did before. I said, “In the Name of Jesus Christ, I say unto you that your baptism didn´t count.” The spirit was so strong. I felt so much power, which I know was given to me because de mi obediencia y deseo. He felt that what we were teaching him was true. And he didn´t deny it. He said to let him think it over, and come back later. I asked if the next time we could come by if we could help him juntar o cortar la lena. He was surprised we wanted to help. So Ricardo showed us around back and all the stuff he had and was doing. Now there’s a man who wanted nothing to do with us 15 minutes before, showing us around his small, humble home and al fondo de su casa. He let the Spirit in his heart and the Spirit let us in that house. I have a grand desire to baptize this man with the debida autoridad de Dios. We are going by tomorrow. He loves us and I love him.

I was so bold like that because it is something Gene R Cook taught us to do in the MTC. And I remembered it.

Elder Moon is so Great. I traveled to pick him up Wednesday morning. Us 12ish trainers waited around for awhile before they all walked in, and when Elder Moon walked in, I KNEW I would be training him. No voices, no doubts, I just knew. And sure enough, when President Lindahl called me up, he announced I would be training Elder Moon. Pretty sweet huh.

Right after it was announced that we would be comps on Wednesday

He is So Fresh out of the MTC, so many new ideas, so much unsmothered Faith, which I am working with and playing off of. He has some Great Ideas. I want to give him the opportunity to teach, a lot. So every lesson, a couple times, I turn to him and HE GOES: he just talks and teaches and struggles with the spanish, but it is so great. His pure testimony triumphs over his bad spanish. I love being with him and we will work miracles in Justo.

O Justo.

Also, all the fresh info from the States! It’s so fun talking with him. Here we go, I got his family memorized. Eight brothers and sisters. Laralyn, Bethany, him, Macall (hey Saydi, I guess she’s going to BYUH too, Sweet) then Bryce, Shane, Miranda, and Molly. All of their kids are the same ages, almost exactly, as our family. It’s just that they have one extra older sister, and Benson and Wilson would be chicas. hahahajajaja.

Pineapple with my companion, Elder Moon. So Sweet! I know how to pick 'em.

I saw Elder Arrua in the terminal and talked it up with him about the great land of Rivadavia. And my Joy is Full. All of my converts, really they are the Lord’s converts, the Lord gives the increase, but all of them are doing good and going to church!!!! Alma 23:6 those who were CONVERTED unto the Lord, Never Did Fall Away. So sweet. That is such a Sweet Taste in my mouth. But I do know now that Jorge and Rita are asisting about semana por medio and rita is internado in the hospital, sick sick sick with their 3rd child, so kinda bitter sweet there. But Elder Arrua showed me a foto of him in the chapel with Jorge and Rita and the 2 munchkins and Jorge was in a white shirt and tie!! Wow, o what alegría.

So remember the sketch I was in? That happened this week. . . and it was AMAZING! It was so so good, so funny, it was for people of all ages, because even the adults loved it. What a blessing from God that I was able to do that, with so much help from the zone and especially Elder Esplin, Elder Austin, Elder Galdo and Elder Yasan. It just went great. Definitely a last minute thing. But afterwards we went on surprise divisions for an hour with the zls and on the bus ride home, we had to take a different one, the blanca paloma, we had to stand and it was so so tiny and small. And the ceiling was pretty short. It was fun practicing being 5’ 10” again.

Wow, the Wards moved, tell them I love them!! Go Brother Ward!!

And while I was standing up on the dark bus ride back to my Nest, I had a good think session. And this is what I came up with. I was appalled to read from Miss Saydi that there was Dust On the Keys, with regards to the piano. The dust should be in the Wind. Right Dad? So here’s what we’re going to do. I’m not sure if you’re practicing or not right now, but no importa. I urge you all of you boys to PRACTIAR EL PIANO. So importante. So here’s the paino desafio. 6/7 days a week. 2 weeks. You put the time per day necessary. Harrisions should be a solid 45 minutes, brother I know you’re super busy, just do it, right Ben? So if you can cumplir with that, here’s what we will do. Harrison gets a dinner to Red Robin with his date and whoever else is on the date paid for by Mom, that is, of course, after a spectacular date themed after the grand color rojo, or red. Red rope, red rover, Big Red gum, you got to do a Dr. Seuss book activity so you can say you Red some books, and some other great things you can think of. Make sure they’re read, or Red.

Jefferson gets a day or 2 at the farm with Grandpa Skinner!! Might not seem like much, Jefferson, but just go. I wish so much I would have spent more time with that amazing man! I love you Grandpa and got your letters this week!! To answer your questions, the total population of Justo is said to be about 10,000 people. Although to me, it’s about 900. No idea what kind of fish we shot, no idea if it’s legal. Pretty much there’s no rules here in Argentina, so yeah, it was legal. I also think j walking is encouraged. And I loved your question regarding waking up at 6:30 as a trail of faith. That certainly helped my get up at 6:30 this morning. I thought of you. Yes it is a trial of faith, especially P day. Do we really understand that the Lord will bless us if we get up at 6:30? I think that we don’t. I like looking at it like this. This is the only time in my life where the LORD will bless me if I wakeup on time. I love you grandpa, stay strong. I’ll see you in the Temple someday.

And Wood, felicitaciónes on your Eagle. Now, prepare for the Missino, the best thing you will ever do. EVER. It’s so hard, and so fun.

Like today for p day we played fútbol and then Elder Morinico taught me how to make pizzas and we made for the whole zone. We’re talking homemade. They were so good and so cheap! It was so fun.

Ok, so Benson, for your premio, you could go mini golfing with dad and some friends, sweet! And Wilson, how about a day with the friends spent outside doing some sweet activities. Bottom line, I really hope you all are practicing your piano. Ok Saydi, you want something too. Hmmmm. Nope, got nothing.

Sorry about calling American spaghetti crappy last week. I really craved some good PREGO this week. Uhg. And yes, mail was received - lettes and 2 packages. One from the Grandparents Skinner with 2 huge M&Ms packages!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Wow, absolutely incredible.

People are astonished with us, as missionaries from this, the True Church. Just like in the Book of Mormon, like in Alma 18:2 how the king was astonished exceedingly by Ammon. The slayer. During Elder Moon’s first panadería experience, I started talking to the lady about word of wisdom. After she found out who we are and what we do, and for how long, she was too exceedingly astonished, it was pretty cool. And then to top it off, she threw in a free semita! Maybe valued 4ish pesos, just a bread thing with pieces of meat in it. So good.

And so looking back at Ricardo, he was just so impressed with us. A complete change Alma 22:3, Lamoni’s father.

In church this week we had the Full Flock. No investigators, no inactives. Uhg. Uhg again.

We contacted Carlos, which is becoming harder to do, and had a great lesson. He told us, upon my asking, that on Tuesday, he stooped smoking and that he had already threw out the whisky. He is really repenting and becoming converted unto the Lord! That was one of my favorite parts of the week, hearing that. That he kicked the addictions and is even avoiding even the very appearance of evil .. but he just can’t make it to church. He is so busy and needs a lesson about putting the Lord first. C’mon Carlos, I know you can do this. But after the lesson, Moon had a good experience as we did the rounds with Carlos and fed the pigs.

And of all the people we had committed to come to church, nope. No one. Disappointing, but we will continue moving forward. With faith, and with a big ol smile.