Libertador General San Martin (Ledesma), Salta - December 16, 2013

Hello Family!

It was a pretty cool week. Yesterday it rained a LOT and we only had about 50% of the attendance that we normally have. I don't really blame them too much. There are a lot of streets that turn into rivers. Even so, the investigator with his really old girlfriend, Ferdinando, was able to make it! Very wet, but he came! The only sad thing is that due to the divorce system here they have to wait until his girlfriend's husband dies to get divorced... Oh well. At least he's doing his best to keep the commandments!

There's been some crazy stuff here. It's like legalized robbing. It's not really legal, just the police have threatened to go on strike, and if there's no police, people take advantage. It's kinda nuts. A lot of stores have been closing at random times to avoid the damage. Luckily it seems like it's ending.

The Ensign is so cool! I was really a really cool article on the birth of Christ where one of the seventy was explaining the significance of when he was born and such. I'm so grateful for modern prophets! Plus I just downloaded the Christmas devotional to listen to later. Woohoo!

We had a conference with Elder Ferreira from the seventh quorum of the seventy this week. He was pretty cool! Getting there was a pain. Oran is about 90-100 miles away, which is where we go for conferences. The bus times were not convenient. The advice from our zone leaders was "Pray hard and make a decision." We ended up getting permission to pay for a taxi. Much better than going at 4 in the morning and waiting until it started at 11! Something I didn't realize before is that the seventy have a special witness of Jesus Christ. It was really felt when he talked that his testimony wasn't run-of-the-mill. It was just a cool meeting. Especially since he served in this mission when it first opened 27 years ago, and was making all the fun comparisons. They talked a lot about having faith and filling out the right forms in the meeting. Sister Levrino talked about how a lot of times when we go to share the gospel, we think "Nah, they'll never accept." She invited us to have more faith in our family, friends, and people we see in the street. Then President Levrino talked about how we have some wonderful forms that show us all the commandments we have to keep. It's a lot easier to keep track of everything when it's on a piece of paper.

Another fun thing about the meeting is that I saw Elder Howard and Elder Seitz from my MTC District! It's always fun to see them. Crazy to think that 75% of my district is here in northern Salta / Jujuy!

Anyway, I hope you all have a great week and a half! I'll talk to you on Christmas, and hopefully see you! Be sure to have ready to show me what you got for Christmas!

Landon

Libertador General San Martin (Ledesma), Salta - December 9th

Hello beloved family!

It's really hard to imagine the thought of snow right now. It's really hot here. And humid.

So this week we went to a few church meetings. I learned that Mormon Standard Latino Time is even worse here. On the plus side, I was able to enjoy some wonderful ice cream and practice a little on the piano as we were waiting for everyone to get there! It was really quite relaxing.

Fun story from the week. A lady passed us in the street and said, "Hey Elders!" We have a habit to talk to everyone that says hi, but she quickly hid in a nearby store. We creepily waited by the entrance "knocking the neighbors doors" until she came out a couple minutes later. She left really fast, so we kinda followed her to her house, where we found that she's a less active that moved from another ward with unbaptized family members that want to listen. Creepy persistence can pay off!

There was a bat in the apartment. I couldn't get a really good photo, but it was fun.

I now understand the phrase "Walking through your shoes" at a whole new literal level. I'm going to spend a good chunk of today looking for a place that sells soles in my size.

Another fun story! We left Thursday and clouds quickly rolled in. It rained a little. Then it rained a lot. Just as the clouds were starting to burst, we were knocking at the door of recent converts we'd never met before. No one answered for a bit when they came running from the other block and invited us in. And there was an adult male in the house! Tender mercies of the Lord. We were able to pass protected from the worst part of the storm and teach while we were at it!

I did a fun exchange with an Elder from Buenos Aires this week. He's really cool, and almost done with his mission. Plus he just happened to serve in Villa Muñecas for four months, so that made for a fun topic of conversation. He said that he really loves being a convert, because when the people say, "I can't change. I can't leave drugs behind. I can't get a testimony," he tells them that they can! Because he did it all. It was a really cool story how his friends just encouraged him to go to church until he went and changed.

I got to do two baptismal interviews this week, both really far away. First we went an hour north to Yuto. The lady was quite interesting. She was ready in almost every sense. She had a couple doubts about the restoration, but nothing uncommon. What killed the interview was that she didn't want to live the law of chastity... I'm so grateful for an understanding of the gospel. She was very concerned that if she obeyed that law, that no one would ever want to marry her and she'd never be happy in life. It's wonderful to realize that true happiness - both immediate and long-term - comes through obedience to the commandments, even though at times it may not seem like it.

The other interview took place in San Pedro, an hour in the other direction. The poor district leader there is in a district with three companionships of sisters. We're the closest elders around. That kid was much more prepared, but still didn't want to get baptized. I'm not entirely sure why... He put up a lot of excuses - his grandma was coming to visit, he wasn't sure if he was willing to commit or if he could deal with the temptation, etc. The good thing was that I was able to testify a lot about the Holy Ghost, and the power and strength we get from receiving that grand gift from God. I realized just how much help, protection, and guidance I've received in various different situations from that member of the Godhead, from relationships to school to resisting temptation. I'm just really grateful for the gospel in my life, and the testimony that I've been able to develop.

This week is going to be good. We'll hopefully have a baptism (assuming they can get married - we've had all kinds of issues with paperwork and doctors on strike and stuff like that). We're also going to hear from Elder Ferreira of the Seventy. It'll be a great experience!

I hope everyone is trying hard to complete Elder Ballard's challenge to bring an investigator or less active to church before Christmas! We're encouraging every member we find here to do that!

I hope you all have a great holiday season! I'm enjoying listening to the CDs you sent me back in Oregon, because the Kings Singers just don't go really well with MoTab.

Anyway, done rambling. Love you guys!

Landon

Libertador General San Martin (Ledesma), Salta - December 2nd

Dearest Family,

So, this city is actually called Libertador General San Martin. Really long. Ledesma is the name of the super company that basically everyone in the city works in. It's really hot here. Especially these last few days, but it's not nearly as hot as some other places in the mission, so I'm counting my blessings.

As for Caitlin's comment, our will isn't the only thing we can give Him. There's also referrals to the missionaries! Don't forget about Elder Ballard's challenge! They're making a big deal about that here.

Speaking of Elder Ballard, how are the missionaries in our ward / stake / wherever they are? Have you met them?

So we taught a guy named Ferdinando. He's gone to church every Sunday since who knows when, but isn't baptized. My comp told me he had chastity problems. When we went to teach him, I kept looking for his girlfriend that was supposedly living with him, but I didn't see anyone. Turns out that she was the lady I thought was his mom. She's got 30 years on him. Reminded me of that picture Craig sent us on his mission. We'll have to see what happens in that situation.

We had travel plans that were cancelled twice. Elder Whittier has to go do paperwork in Salta, and since we're out in the middle of nowhere, I'd have to go with him. Unfortunately, Argentina lost his paperwork, so we're waiting a bit longer. Our zone conference that's 2 or 3 hours away was also pushed back, but I'm not sure why. It sure is different being out here!

We were going to have a baptism, but there was a paperwork problem in the marriage process. I'm really grateful for the paperwork in the states. Divorces and marriages aren't NEARLY as bad up there. It all happens in hours in Vegas. Here it takes weeks or months... or years. Even so, everything should be good for this Saturday!

There's an investigator that had a really messed up book that talked about the Mormons - how we worship Joseph Smith, stuff about polygamy, how all matter is energy which is God, how Adam is also our God, and how blacks are children of Satan. And those were just the "core beliefs." It was fun to set him straight.

I had floss issues. A piece broke off between my teeth and I couldn't get it out for 25 minutes. Just wanted to share that.

We had some light issues. Apparently it's hard to get stuff paid here since the offices are far away and no one ever comes out here. Luckily I have a whole bunch of money saved up from past months' allowance and was able to pay it. Woohoo!

Poor Elder Whittier. We're writing a little later today because he was sleeping. Last night he got really sick and threw up a few times. The members were quick to send him to a doctor and somehow got an injection approved that was given in a very painful manner from behind. He's doing a little better now.

I was very grateful for our ward the other day. We went to a nearby branch that the missionaries around here kinda share, since there aren't missionaries assigned there. Church started more than an hour late because the branch president didn't show up until then. After buying the sacrament bread, we had a quick meeting. It was us, the branch president, and a guy who's assigned to go there from another branch 30 minutes away. It just made me very happy that our church started on time and was always good. And that members always go. It really is cool to think about just how strong the church is in Utah. What a blessing!

Anyway, that was my week. Hope yours is great!

Landon

Libertador General San Martin (Ledesma), Salta - November 25th

Hello Family!

You're all really awesome, and I'm very grateful for all of you, even though there's no Thanksgiving here this week!

So I lied. I'm not in Salta. I'm in a zone that's based in Salta, but Ledesma is actually in Jujuy, just very far from the capital where I was before. It's a city based around a huge factory with crazy hours where everyone works. The work is about the same, although here it's a rama... branch. Even so, we had the same church attendance yesterday than I had on a good day in my last ward. There aren't too many differences between wards and branches. However, being a little bit smaller of a city, the siesta is more respected, and so this writing earlier thing will be consistent.

As for leadership, I'm still district leader, just with a new district. It doesn't really imply much for right now, as I don't have a phone. All calls we make we have to do from pay phones. It's kinda a pain, but at the same time, it's nice not having to call the zone leaders every day to tell them how everyone is!

We're currently sharing the apartment with two other elders. It's kinda fun, because one - Elder Parada from Colombia - has been in all my zones - plus we got here around the same time, and Elder Jara from Buenos Aires was in Villa Muñecas for a long time, so we know lots of the same people.

Being here in Ledesma, we're also currently in charge of the cities of Calilegua and Fraile. There's a little branch in Fraile that consists of the branch president and 200+ less acitves. We go every Wednesday. Lots of travel!

It's been a pretty chill week. Always interesting to try to orient yourself in a new place. It's also weird because it's my first time being senior comp and the guy who's new to the area. My comp, Elder Whittier, is super cool. He's from the same MTC group as Elder Lyman, and speaks super well. He also has a ton of great habits that I'm working on developing!

We talked to a JW this week. Finally he explained why the JWs never let us pray with them - "You don't pray using God´s name. You have to pray to Jehova for the prayer to count." Whatever. I'm good praying to my Father. It was kinda fun talking to him, but they don't listen very well...

I got to give a talk on Sunday! The bishop told me a couple minutes before sacrament meeting. I was given the topic of families. I thought it turned out pretty well. It doesn't hurt that I have some great subject matter to work with. I was able to talk about our family nights, the activities we did together, and how we always went to church together! It's the little things that count. Later that day we went to church choir - they want us to participate. I think I was the only one that could carry a tenor part. You know me - I'm not a tenor - but it was fun trying! And I'm no worse than anyone else.

Anyway, that was pretty much the week. Lots of good stuff going on here! I'm excited for the coming weeks. Until later!

Landon

Libertador General San Martin (Ledesma), Salta - November 18th

Hello Fam!

So I was transferred away from my hijo. He's still over there in Villa Muñecas Tucuman. Now I'm in Ledesma, Oran. It's in northern Salta. There's a big sugar, paper, etc. factory here. My new comp is from the same group as Elder Lyman - Elder Whittier from Idaho. I'll send a pic next week, cyber permitting.

Not too much to say about last week. I took quite a few pictures! I don't guarantee the quality. Unfortunately, I didn't bring my camera, so you'll have to wait a bit.

We finally unfroze the freezer after months! It was quite the feat.

We talked to two testigos... j-dubs this past week. It made me happy to be Mormon. Both of them said something along the lines of, "What you're saying sounds really interesting, but I don't want to confuse myself now that I'm with this group." If only they realized what they were missing... I'm just happy to not be closed off to other religions - just so sure in what I believe that I know that I'm doing what God wants. We also talked to a very closed off Catholic lady, and it was the same type of situation. They listen, but they don't make the room to consider that it might be true. Sometimes they accuse us of the same, but there's something I love about our message - all of it has to do with asking God, and doing what he says. It just makes everything better!

This week was pretty cool. I met Brother Leal. He's a few months younger than Craig, and was recently called as second counselor in the bishopric. And he served in Burbank, so he speaks fluent English. It was so weird to hear him switch between accents.

My testimony of prayer grew. During exchanges, we met the wife of a member that was just really not interested. I was praying my heart out, trying to know how we could get to her. The answer came as an inspired question to Elder Rengifo - "May I use your bathroom?" We got in the door! Then the conversation naturally turned to eternal marriage and she changed just a little as we testified. Divine help is always very welcome!

Something similar happened the next day. We'd had a special leader meeting, which chewed up a lot of our day. That night, we hadn't had a single lesson. I was begging in prayer to just have a lesson, but everyone wasn't home. Then we turned a corner and saw a lady outside her house we'd contacted a couple weeks ago that was "never home" and "never had time". We had a really great lesson with her. God loves us, and always answers our prayers.

Lucas gave a talk! He got nervous and cut it down to reading out of the scriptures and True to the Faith, but he just has a natural ability to make people laugh, started from the way he just casually walked up to the pulpit with his jeans and started with a mic check. He'll be an awesome missionary.

To finish off, I saw Acey for the first time since the beginning! Kinda cool. What a fun coincidence! I hope you enjoy his homecoming talk! Tell me how it goes.

Well, I hope you all have a great week! Thanks for writing me!

Landon

Tucuman - November 11th

Hello Family!

Quite the eventful week! I spent a lot of time outside my area, but we had two baptisms! We taught the last thing we needed to this week - ayuno (fasting) - using the Stanford marshmallow experiment. We put candy in front of them, and told them that if they could resist until the end, we'd give them much more. It was a fun object lesson.

I ate tongue pizza! It tasted very normal.

I went up to Lomas this week with a Colombian Elder. The highlight was when we found a lady that had an evangelist church in her backyard. It was weird... she was saying a lot of strange things - like three kingdoms or heavens, prophets today, the gospel blesses families and we can receive personal revelation - but it was all intermingled with apostasy. I'm just glad to have the truth of all things. And a church that isn't centered on strange rock music and people speaking gibberish while rolling around on the floor.

I also spent some time with another Elder, Elder Malin, while Elder Lyman went to Salta - not too much to say there, except for a small miracle. We taught a family really close to a sharp drop off into a canal. We had to walk quite a ways to get there, and we didn't want to walk back. It seemed certain that there was a way out on the other side, but as we walked, we couldn't find one. We were on the verge of losing about 10-20 minutes walking time when a lady showed us a shortcut that I swear wasn't there before. Tender Mercies!

Poor Elder Lyman got stuck on a broken down collectivo, er, bus. He got back really late. It didn't affect me though, because I was doing exchanges with the zone leaders, so the other zone leader had to wait for him. During those exchanges, we saw more miracles! There was this super Evangelist lady that did not want to talk to us. I've learned the importance of being insistent, since we're talking about eternal salvation, but once it gets to a certain point, I give up. Not Elder Humphrey (Zone leader). He just took it really cool and testified and taught and asked some strangely amazing questions. At the end, she let us in. He has a habit of inviting himself in. I'm surprised that people don't seem to have a problem with that when you do it in a casual, polite way. During those exchanges, we watched a really cool video that a member showed us on Kolob and the universe and stuff. Fascinating!

We participated in a setting apart the other day. It was unexpected and really cool! It's so interesting to see how the power and the authority and the keys of the priesthood work. The power of God is just great!

Anyway, Hope you all have a wonderful week!

Elder Willey

Tucuman - November 4th

Hey Family!

I think I forgot to tell you all last week, but I cut Elder Lyman's hair! I was proud of myself.

We found a crazy guy that wanted to tell us that when Jesus comes again, he's going to protect all the Arabs and kill all North Americans. We just kinda ignored him. I'm glad we have a really sound understanding of the bible in the church.

The other day I was thinking about how well my shoes were lasting. A couple days later I realized that I wasn't getting a lot of dirt in my shoe because it was entering from above, rather that it's coming in from a broken sole down below. Then I noticed that the left shoe of my other pair is the same. I'm currently using the good right shoe from one pair and the good left shoe from the other. I'll send pictures.

There was an annoying parrot that kept yelling "MAMA!" I was very concerned for the distressed child until I realized who was screaming.

The weather here's been nuts. First, over 100 degrees, then 95 with rain, then it dropped to around 70 or 65 with rain (I was not prepared for the cold on the exchanges), now it's hot again. And I thought the Utah weather was nuts.

We had interviews with President this week. It was a lot shorter than my last one. Things must be going really well!

I also did my second and third baptismal interviews this week. At first they didn't answer the door. Luckily their son came to open it because he felt like he needed to come back! The first interview went well, except when I asked if he'd participated in a homosexual relationship he looked down and said "Well, when I was younger, I didn't understand the things very well." I went into panic mode, but he kept talking for a couple seconds and I realized that he was just talking about regular law of chastity issues with women that he'd already repented of, and hadn't understood the question. Phew! His wife was much harder to interview. She's 70, and doesn't hear very well. As soon as we got started, she began to talk. A LOT. And she didn't stop for anything. None of the stuff she said was very important, but I couldn't ask the questions. I called our president for advice, but he didn't really know what to say other than "Try to get her to understand that you need to talk to her." Then a zone leader called to tell me that he knew the lady, and that if I could get her to read the questions, she would answer. It worked. It was a miracle. Especially since the phone I used to call doesn't work. We just happened to find a way to work things out to make those calls. The Lord loves me.

I used the toothpaste example to teach the two girls that are getting baptized this week about daily scripture study - we can't just brush with a lot one day - a little every day. I also used the marble in the plate and the bowl to teach how obedience and rules keep us safe, and ripped up a picture she drew of a church and told her to put it back together to teach the apostasy. I was quite proud of me. So was the primary president.

We had lots of people in church on Sunday. Gospel principles was huge. And it just happened to be the teacher's first time.

One member made a really cool comment in testimony meeting. Everyone noticed the number of non-members there, so they kept their testimonies very investigator appropriate. I was proud. This member got up last and said, "You may have noticed that we all say basically the same thing with very little variation. That's because it's the truth. If it's raining outside, people are going to say that it's raining. There's really not much more to say once you know it's true, but what does change is the understanding of these basic truths, and how it affects our lives." He proceeded to talk about the Atonement and the role it can take in our lives. My understanding felt enlightened.

Well, I really had a great week! I hope everything is going well with everyone!

Love you guys!

Landon