¡Buen Día!

¿Cómo estáis? (you plural)

How’s it going? This week wasn’t too exciting. We did start teaching two sisters of a sister in our branch. The thing is that they pertain to another area so we are going to have to pass along the reference to them. They are really anxious to learn about the gospel and have lots and lots of good questions. They both accepted a baptismal date and are going to read and pray to see if the Book of Mormon is true and pray to see if Joseph Smith was a prophet. It was a lesson that was really awesome!

Every time I testify about the Book of Mormon and about the Restoration, my testimony grows a little bit. The feelings the Spirit brings to us as we testify are undeniable and unexplainable. It says in Doctrine and Covenants that if we open our mouths to testify, the Lord will fill us with the words to say. I tried out the promise and the Lord will really help us. As we learn to follow the Spirit and its guidance, we can and will testify with power to all. Even though living the gospel and the commandments might be hard at first, as we strive to do what we have been commanded, it will get easier. President Argyle told this to me during one of our interviews and it is so true. When we put out the effort to obey, God will provide the means and way for us to accomplish our goals. (1 Nephi 17:3) I testify that we are commanded to live every commandment and it is not impossible to follow the guidelines of the Church and the commandments of God. As we exercise our faith (works) and show that we are willing and want to obey, the Lord will help us. That’s why He suffered the Atonement for us. He knows how we feel at all times and knows how to succor his people. (Isaiah 53:3-5, Alma 7:11-12)

I don’t know what else to say. We have interviews on Thursday with President Gulbrandsen. I am so excited! For one, it will be a 15 minute interview (which is really long!) and two that we get our mail, packages and "pedidos" (things we can order). This week we have a lot planned and hope to find a lot of people. Oh! We have a branch missionary family home evening on Saturday and it should be great! :D Family Home Evenings are always fun! :D

Well, I gotta go. I hope all is well and that everyone is great! I love you all and Hasta vernos cuando reunamos otra vez! (Until we meet again!)

Love,
Elder Michael C. Watson

Testimony of Church Videos

Hace un poco tiempo que he escrito una carta larga y probablamente algunas personas son un poco frustrado conmigo... Por eso voy a trabajar para corregirlo... :D

Está semana fue de diez! Encontramos un hombre que nos contactó en la calle y dijo que necesita ayuda en su vida y quiere cambiar. Pensamos que él pensó que fuimos Testigos de Jehóvah, pero cuando nos reunamos, empezamos a enseñar y ¡todo estaba de diez! Fijamos una fecha bautismal para 7 de agosto y Gerado (su nombre) encantó las reuniones de la iglesia. Fue muy muy bien y somos preparando todo por su bautismo!

Voy a compartir una relación que fue muy espirutal para mi. Empezamos a enseñar un antiguo investigador en Jueves. Miramos la Restauración y todos sentimos el Espíritu refuerte. Antes de la primera visión, el hijo de 14 años dijo que sentió muy bien y quiso comprar el video. Despues la pelicula, testifique que la iglesia de Jesucrist en verdad esta restaurado y que la representamos. Testifique que José en verdad vió nuestro Padre Celestial y su hijo Jesucristo. Al yo testificaba, podía sentir el Espíritu testifica a mí y a todos. Antes en la semana estaba un poco debil y dudando un poco acerca de mi testimonio. Pero al yo comparto mi testimonio con todos, estoy sentiendo el Espíritu testifica a ellos. La verdad, es el mejor sentimiento que he sentido. Ahora quiero testificar acerca de José Smith y nuestra Iglesia en todo momento. Estoy reanimado para hablar con todos y testificar a ellos. También, ¡los videos de la Iglesía son tan poderosos! Cuando los vimos con atención, podemos sentir el Espíritu testificar por medio de las verdades que nos enseñan.

Quiero testificar que sepan esta es la iglesia verdedera de Jesucristo.. Al leimos en el Libro de Mormón y preguntar al Padre si es verdedero, Él va a contestar sus preguntas con poder. Pueden sentir y saber sin dudas que la Iglesia de Jesucristo de los Santos de los Ultimos Días es la única iglesia que pueden conducirnos a nuestro Padre Celestial. Solomente por medio del Evangelio de Jesucristo podemos ser perdonados de nuestros pecados.   Necesitamos fe en Jesucristo, Arreptirnos de nuestros pecados, ser Bautizados por la autoridad de Dios, (el Sacerdocio cual solo está Iglesia la tiene por medio de la Restauración), recibir el Espíritu Santo (También por esta misma autoridad), y perservar hasta al fin. Al hacemos esto, vamos a recibir perdon de nuestros pecados y recibir poder para seguir adelante en esta vida. Tenemos un profeta hoy en día, se llama Tómas S. Monson. El recibe revelación de Dios para ayudarnos evitar las tentaciones de Satanás y pecado. Todos los mandamientos son importantes!!! Sigálos y van a ser bendicidos.

Les amo y quiero que sepan! Perdonáme para no escribiendo en mucho tiempo. Voy a esforzarme cada semana para escribir una carta rebuena. Hasta la proxima semana!

I LOVE YOU ALL!!!!
Elder Michael Watson

P.S. Zone Conferences are every 3 months which means (right now) that I will receive packages and letters every three months.

P.P.S. I forgot something important.... It must not have been that important.... Oh well. ¡Chau!


It has been a while since I wrote a long letter and probably some people are a little frustrated with me ... So I will become better... :D

It was ten weeks ago we found a man who contacted us in the street who said he needs help with his life and wanted to change. We think he thought we were Jehovah's Witnesses, but when we met, we began to teach and everything was great! We set a baptismal date for August 7 and Gerardo (his name) loves the church meetings. It’s going very very well and we are preparing for his baptism!

I will share an experience that was very spiritual for me. We began to teach an older investigator on Thursday. We watched the Restoration movie and everyone felt the Spirit testify. Before the First Vision, his 14 year old son said he felt very good and wanted to buy the video. After the film, we testified that the true church of Jesus Christ is restored and that we represent it. We testified that Joseph truly saw our Heavenly Father and his son Jesus Christ. When I testified, I could feel the Spirit testify to me and to everyone there. Before this week I was a little timid and hesitated a little bit about my testimony. But when I shared my testimony with everyone, I felt the Spirit testify to them. The truth is the best feeling I’ve felt. Now I want to testify about Joseph Smith and our Church all the time. I have a renewed enthusiasm to talk to everyone and testify to them. Also, the videos of the Church are so powerful! When we watch them carefully, we feel the Spirit testify by the means of the truths that they teach.

I testify that I know this is the true Church of Jesus Christ… When we read in the Book of Mormon and ask the Father if it is true, He will answer your questions with power. You can feel and know without a doubt that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the only church that can lead us to our Heavenly Father. Only through the Gospel of Jesus Christ can we be forgiven of our sins. We need faith in Jesus Christ, and repent of our sins, be baptized by the authority of God (which is the priesthood that was only restored with this Church), receive the Holy Spirit (also by the same authority), and endure to the end. When we do this, we receive forgiveness of our sins and receive power to move forward in life. We have a prophet today, who is Thomas S. Monson. He receives revelation from God to help us avoid the temptations of Satan and sin. All the commandments are important! If we follow them we will be blessed.

I love you and want you to know! Forgive me for not writing a long letter for awhile. I will strive each week to be better at writing letters. Until next week!

I LOVE YOU ALL!!
Elder Michael Watson

P.S. Conferences Zone are Which Means every 3 months (right now) That I will receive packages and letters Every three months.

P.P.S. I forgot something important .... It Must Not Have Been That important .... Oh well. Chau!

I am still in Villa Adelina!!!!

¿Cómo estan?

Estoy muy feliz. Anoche encontré que voy a quedarme acá en Villa Adelina! Amo esta rama y area! No tengo mucho tiempo porque estaba enviando muchos fotos y charlando con Dad. Promete que voy a enviar un email muy grande la proxima.

He recibido cartas de Spencer, Gianluca, Tara, Elder Ian Ray y Michelle. Muchas gracias para me escibieron!!!

Gracias por todo!

[I pieced together our chat to compose this letter]

I received my package (Envelope) and other letters!  We had zone conference on the Saturday before transfers!! We are going to have Zone Conferences every 3 months now, not every transfer so it won’t be until September or October until I get to check for mail again. We are still unsure whether we are going to get mail every 6 weeks or so because we need to order books of Mormon and other materials periodically... So that might change... But right now, that’s how it is.  But I am not too worried. I don’t live from transfer to transfer off of mail so I will be just fine. :D  But that doesn’t matter! I am still in VILLA ADELINA!

I have had to go to "capítal" a lot recently because my compañero has back problems and had an endoscopy a couple weeks ago.  My companion isn’t familiar with La Rural Convention & Exhibition Centre on Av. Sarmiento 2704 so it probably isn’t in our mission... [this is where the 2010 Hemophilia World Congress is being held this year, this week and a couple of my doctors are there and said they would keep an eye out for Mike].  He was in Capítal for a while and knows it pretty well as well as in the offices... Anyways, that is way cool!

That is a nice picture of you on the couch with the casts on your legs!  You are using my glass to drink water by the way!!! ;) How are you?

I received my DNI which is my official ID for here in Argentina.  It is like a mini passport. It has pages for changes of address and voting and things like that. It also has the date I entered into the Country, I am here only temporarily and from the United States.  Oh yeah. It has a spot to show if I get married here… I think that page will stay blank though! It also has my fingerprint. 

Oh well. We will see. [I don’t think this last comment was regarding his DNI but rather the doctors that will be watching for him… I think].

As we were going to Zone Conference on Saturday, in Belgrano in "Capítal", a group of Americans got on the subway and were talking in English. It was so weird… It was like I was listening to an alien language.  I can understand the Elders alright, but grown-ups talking English is so weird now…

The picture of the apartment is down the street from our “casita.”  I will take a picture of our "casita" today and send it to you next week. We moved from my first apartment and are in a different part of the area now.  The silver van is just a car, it is on the same street (across the street) from the apartment building picture.

The pictures of the plastic bags in the trees are the NICE garbage cans… That is how we take out the trash…

I also sent a picture of some vegetables were 50 cents at a local verderduría.

Did David find a way to make his teeth white again because mine are starting to go clear as well… I’ve been taking a bunch of calcium this week but there really hasn’t been any improvement. There is a Dentist in capítal but I will have to pay my own way to go to him. Were you able to find a solution?

Con mucho amor,

Elder Watson

Short message

Dear Family,

Ok. I have two minutes again...

This week has been really good. We taught a contact I made yesterday and he has a lot of desire to learn more. :D We are teaching a couple and they want

to get married and learn more! They first need to get all the paper work together but they are a family of God! This transfer has been really hard, but really

fun and good at the same time.

Overall I am good. Just out of time. Love you all and hope everyone is well. I hope Dad is feeling better and I will be praying for him.

Elder Michael Watson