San Salvador de Jujuy - February 18th

This week I think we´re going to have a baptism! Regina, who´s been meeting with the Elders for over a year. She has a super strong testimony of the gospel. She just forgets it at times. This week we had a few awesome lessons with her. She bore her testimony to us of the restoration, and she´s always using funny analogies to explain herself. It´s so great! In one of the lessons this week, we knelt down for a prayer and at that moment her two daughters walked in. They prayed with us, and the spirit was so great. Then at church she told us that she decided not to get baptized, but still meet with the missionaries and go to church and stuff. Not the first time that´s happened. We went by later that day and she told us that she wants to get baptized with all her heart. I really do think she´s ready this time.

Walking down the street in my cool hat

I gave my first blessing this week. Elder Sant was really sick, and asked for one. Since then, he´s only had a really really runny nose. Priesthood power really does work. Also, it was really comforting to feel the security of what I was saying, if that makes any sense. I was a little worried that I wouldn´t know what to say, but the words came and when they stopped coming, I ended the blessing. It was really.... comforting? Just a reassurance that the Lord takes care of us. Also, I´ve given so many annointings since I got here that I lost count. Priesthood is the best.

So Carnival is over! Ish. We never once got hit with a water balloon or flour. The Lord loves us. A lot.

I also had my first dog experience this week! I was walking down the street and a dog that I never once even saw ran up, bit me, and ran away. It wasn´t very hard at all. I later found out from my comp who was paying closer attention that another person was taunting the dog and the pooch took it out on me. Cool thing? Same pants I was wearing when I took a spill on my bike, and they are still just fine! No holes or anything. I love all the tender mercies.

This week was so, so great. We had three people in church! First was a super catholic lady that met with the missionaries years ago. Not too much interest in changing, but she went to church, and it was so great! Regina went as well, and a lady for whom we did service this week. More on her later.

We had a mini miracle in church. This past week, a recent convert moved into our area from another part of the zone. We went by and invited her to church. In gospel principles we had two of our investigators, and no recent converts. Then the girl that got baptized came right before we started! She added so much to that class. Without her testimony of why she joined the church, it would have been very different. I love those times when things just happen to fall into place like that. Really does testify that there´s a divine creator.

I had the cool chance to go on divisions twice this week. And I was totally freaked out both times. Friday Elder Rivera from the other area in our district came. He doesn´t speak English. It was kinda up to me to make plans and stuff. Again, so grateful for the help of the Lord. He is so involved in His work. We had three great lessons, including one with Carmen (investigator that went to church). This lesson was the day after we went by and helped paint her door. We talked about baptism and confirmation and how we need to go to church to prepare ourselves for that. Her original date was back in October, but because she never went to church, she couldn´t get baptized. Friday we committed her to go and she said that she would, for sure. The spirit was powerful in that lesson.

The other division I did was with the ward missionaries. I think I´ve talked about Alan before - He´s the ward clerk, preparing for his mission, and super awesome. He goes out with us almost every day. He´s always got references, too. This week he made a list of practially everyone he knew so we could pass the references on. Well, yesterday I went on a division with he and his brother while Elder Sant went with his other brother. It was so weird being the only full time missionary there! I really had to kinda step up my game and talk a lot more. We taught our transvestite investigator, which went pretty well. S/he had a friend or something like that there that s/he invited to sit in the lesson with us. I didn´t understand a word he said, but he really seemed to have a sincere desire to learn, and Alan was able to answer his questions. We also had a couple other crazy lessons with people just outside their house. Crazy, difficult, but always fun and rewarding to have to really depend on the Lord.

The stairs to our apartment

Well, that´s mostly it. One thing I´m learning here is that really, we don´t have to do too much as missionaries. Some of the best lessons are just the super short ones that have a prayer, a super brief summary of one of the lessons, and nothing more. We had another experience of meeting someone that didn´t have any time, but allowed us to walk in and have a prayer. We said the prayer, testified of the restoration, and left a pamphlet. She seemed so happy when we left and gave us apples to top it all off. It wasn´t really anything we did, just the Spirit.

This truly is the best work there is, and it´s so cool to be out here building my testimony every day.

Love you all!

Landon