Tucuman - August 19th

Hello Family!

Thanks everyone for the birthday wishes! It was so nice to read a letter from every one of you! This week we had a zone training, meaning that the mail came!

The district two translados ago!

I got a letter from Russell Taylor. It was so sweet to get a letter from him! If you see him, tell him thanks!

I got to use Taekwon-Do! It's not what you think. There's a kid that goes to the ward here that's a high-yellow belt. While his mom was cutting my comp's hair we did Do-San together. Ah! It was so great! I'm glad my Heavenly Father gave me a chance to use TKD like that on my mission. It truly is the International TKD federation.

After the zone conference, we were super energized to invite everyone to baptism. I was on divisions with Elder Bench, who doesn't speak a whole bunch of Spanish, but we had a great time!

Elder Bench. He´s pretty new. The district leader was

 in my area for quite a while, so we had some good 

bonding moments. He´s only been here a few months, 

but he´s super cool. Also, grido, half the reason I´m so fat.

Asado! Kidney, fat, filled intestine, etc. The other reason I´m so fat.

We invited everyone to get baptized, even if we only talked to them for ten minutes and it was incredible how many people accepted, and told us who else we could invite. It was a day full of little miracles! For example, in addition to what I've already said, the sister that gave us food DIDN'T cook polenta! I´m not exactly sure how to describe polenta, but everyone hates it. I don't mind it, but Elder Bench was super happy. When we went to cross the busy avenues, cars stopped coming. We didn't have to wait to cross the street all day. It was something I've never seen. It's those little miracles that let us know that God is truly a caring father.

The other day we were making contacts when a lady said that she thought that a member lived around the corner. We went to the house and found out that the Young Women's President lived there. Of course, as missionaries, people know we're mormon, but even when you're just a member, people know, and pay attention, even if you don't know it.

I loved using art this week! I cannibalized a gospel art book to be able to carry the pictures in my little pack, and pulled them out on a few contacts. It's so much easier to understand who the prophets are and who Mormon was and where the Book of Mormon comes from and all that when there are pictures to accompany the words. It's interesting to see how captivated people become when you pull out art.

I had a really cool lesson on temples and family history with an ex-gang boss that got baptized a year ago. Incredible how people can change!

In lunch I got to share Alma 47 and the story of Lehonti because the family asked why the war chapters were included. We applied it to their lives and they were super excited to read more! Applying is the secret to loving the scriptures!

Well, that was my week! I hope yours was equally as awesome! Thanks again for the birthday wishes!

Landon

Tucuman - August 12th

Dear Family,

I doubt that you guys know just how much influence you have on me from so far away. I love you guys so much and pray for you often!

More asado.

We started this week with another asado (BBQ). I'm starting to think that they might be against the word of wisdom... I've never seen so much meat in my life! There was kidney, filled intestine, blood sausage, and the normal stuff, of course. Honestly, it was cooked to perfection and really good. I felt like I was in rodizio grill!

I'm so grateful to be a member of Christ's true church. We passed a church that said, "Cult services, these days" and this terrible sound of someone singing very off tune about something to do with the gospel was coming from the door. Then we met a bunch of people that were ticked off with the Testigos (JWs) because they didn't permit blood transfusions and someone here almost died... something like that. I'm just glad to not believe in the traditions of man.

I read a part from general conference from Elder Bednar. I realized just how great it is to have a body, and how crucial they are in our eternal progression. It's great to have apostles and prophets to clarify doctrine! Plus they make surprise talks in church much easier (you can guess what happened yesterday. I'm learning to love opportunities like that!)

I got to do... divisions... to work with another elder, Elder Bench. He's fairly new and still talks like a gringo. I realized that my Spanish has come a long way, and I think I'd finally consider myself fluent, although far from perfect. It was really cool to be senior comp for a day! We had a ton of fun together. I have fotos, but I'm not sure I'll have the time to send them this week.

Me and Elder Ortega.

This week, I thought of my wonderful siblings. It's cool to see the blessings we have in our family!

We miraculously found a menos activo... less active. We were walking and felt like we should go to another street. So we did. The person we wanted to visit wasn't there, but this little girl said hi to us. So we started to do the street contact and she got her mom. Turns out she's a member who's been thinking about baptizing her kids this past week. Yesterday she ran into another member and got thinking about it more. Then God sent us to her last night. This work is full of miracles, and I love it!

Well, that's my time, but I want you all to know that you're so very wonderful and a great help for me. Until next week!

Landon

Tucuman - August 5th

Hey Fam!

Wow! Are we ever seeing the influence of husbands lately! We had a lesson last Monday with a really cool, really open, really prepared lady. Then her husband told us never to come back ever. We also talked to a lady that was really active until she married a non-member that didn't want much to do with the church. She started focusing more on work and hasn't gone to church in years. I know the stories sound kinda negative, but the spirit was so strong when we were talking to those ladies. It just made me realize how important it is to choose someone to marry that is just as spiritually strong as yourself if not stronger, or else it could have some bad consequences.

On a brighter note that has to do with husbands, we're teaching one that's FINALLY coming around! Remember those two girls whose dad doesn't want to give them permission? Well Friday, after around 2 months of trying to help her, their mom received the answer to her prayer. It was like a night and day difference. She was so full of doubts and reluctant to accept anything, then it just changed. We had a lesson with the kids' primary teacher, and she got talking to the mom and shared her conversion story. The next day, Hna. Jimenez (the mom) was completely different. It was amazing! We starting talking to her husband about marriage and giving permission to get baptized and such. The Spirit is so much stronger with the two of us, his three kids, and his wife all helping to convince him to listen to the promptings of the spirit! Families are designed by God. I know it.

Us and the young men and women, including Lucas in the hoodie.

Lucas passed his classes! We asked him what was different about this time and the past two years that he's tried to pass them. He said that he prayed. How powerful is something simple like that! We're trying to help him to recognize that as an answer to his prayers, and relate it with his question about baptism. He'll come around!

There's been a change of temperature, and I got a lot of bloody noses this week, but it's okay because the week ended amazingly! We had 13 investigatos in Sacrament meeting, and all the less actives decided to come. Attendance was around double--almost 100 people! Plus I was happy because we got to our investigators in the morning before the evangelist bus that drives around picking up kids to take them to some apostate church where they brainwash kids - but we got there first! Mwahahaha!

We talked to a guy this week who really believed in transsubstantiation with the sacrament. It got me thinking about all the crazy deep doctrines Satan's invented and how grateful I am to be teaching the pure teachings of Jesus, and to be part of His true church where there is never any error in the revelation nor doctrine.

Anyway, I love you guys! I hope you're all as well as you sound!

Landon