Casí September?????? Where did time go?

Hey Everyone!

Well.... Time certainly has flown. Elder Southern keeps saying I have 1 year under my belt (I only have 8 months) but really, in a blink of an eye I will be there. How scary...

We received some exciting news this week. We are officially a ward now, not a branch. We had a special sacrament meeting which was overwhelmingly powerful and awesome. It was great to see the members so excited and happy. Eight years ago they were meeting in a house by the railroad tracks and now have their own WARD building. It’s pretty sweet!

This week was pretty hard. Lots of our investigators are gone on vacation or are moving so we have to pretty much start over. But that’s alright, we will go where the Lord would have us go and do what he would have us do…

So more about Elder Southern. He’s from Indiana, has been on his mission for a year and 3 months, loves to play soccer, his Spanish is really good and is a great guy. We are excited to work together here in Villa Adelina. He’s taller than me, a first for a companion in the mission. ¿Que más?

It’s great to hear the progress of everybody and hopefully I will get some letters in a couple of weeks so that I can catch up on everybody else.  I still haven’t sent letters but I promise to send them next week. I don’t know what more to say. I hope everyone is great and being good and studying their scriptures. I don’t know how I went throughout the day before the mission without reading the scriptures... That’s something I want to keep for many many years to come, daily scripture study. Well, that’s it for me. Ta ta for now!

Con Muchísimo Amor,

Elder Michael Watson

Still in Villa Adelnia. Now with Elder Southern

Elders Hales & Watson

Hey all!

Well, this week has been a little bit crazy. We walked and taught a lot and received many ideas and revelations for Villa Adelina. Elder Hales and I found some people who have so much potential and we will work faithfully with them.  Transfers were today and went well. I am still in Villa Adelina and now with Elder Southern from Indiana. I thought I was gone for sure! We have a lot of good ideas that we can carry out together. I finally have a fixed schedule with one companion. I was supposed to send a picture of the baptism we had so that you could send it to the parents of Elder Hales, but I forgot to bring the stuff. It’s just as well since there is a druggy going in and out and a bunch of kids so probably it’s better that I forgot it.

Elders Hales & Watson

I love Villa Adelina and the people here. There is a lot of abundance and potential. The members of the branch help out a lot and together we have been able to do a lot of stuff. In the near future if the missionaries and the people work together, we can fill the chapel. I know it!  I hope one day to come back to Argentina and see it as a Stake. It can happen, just as long as the people and the missionaries work together.

Well, I gotta go. If you can, read 2 Nephi 31 prayerfully and meditate what it means for us. I had an awesome experience with a family that not all are active and really it is awesome. There is the painting of Jesus Christ with all the angels behind him in the sky with his hands extended. Really, this chapter and the painting go together. The way that we can return to live with God and our Families forever is through the Doctrine of Christ and his Atonement. I hope that all will be able to feel and know that really the Gospel of Jesus Christ is restored on this Earth again. We have the power and authority of God restored through the Prophet Joseph Smith. This power and authority is what validates the ordinances of Baptism and the Gift of the Holy Ghost and what opens the door to the path we need to take to return to live with God again. I testify this is true and know that if you read this chapter in the Book of Mormon and pray about it with sincerity, you will know for yourself that the Book of Mormon is true, Joseph Smith was a Prophet of God and the Church of Jesus Christ was restored through the boy prophet. I love you all and hope all is well. Be safe and good!

Con mucho amor,

Elder Watson

(P.S. Thank you to Elder & Sister Kroff for the pictures!)

Saludos de Argentina!

[Mike will be getting a new companion, who he has been partially working with this week, starting Monday. His name is Elder Hales and he also has a blog. I have added a link to his blog in Mike's Blog List. I have been reading Elder Hales' blog off and on for the last couple of months, he is a great missionary and I know Mike will love working with him.]


Hey all!

Well, this week has been really busy but really good. On Monday I am going to stay with Elder Hales! :D At least until transfers... After that, we´ll see.

Elders Hales, Watson, Leavitt, Paz and Peterson

This week I have gained a lot more enthusiasm for talking with everybody. Elder Leavitt has that MTC excitement and wants to talk with EVERYBODY! While it is great to do so, we also have to teach people. We contacted many people but really couldn´t find anyone to teach. We have to find the balance in between visiting people and doing contacts. But I believe it is just something I have to learn through experience and time. As well I went on splits with one of the assistants. In this half-hour to 45 minutes, we found two new investigators and taught two lessons. In all reality, I learned so much in this little time, smiling, how to receive references, how to get in to teach, and many other things. That was a great experience.

Today we are going to have a baptism, completing a less-active (now active :D) family. I am sooooo excited! And Lucas is too! The service is going to be awesome because lots of people from the ward are going and we have invited other people as well. It´s going to be great!! :D

This next Stake Conference, September 19th, the Stake has put a goal to have 200 investigators present in a meeting especially for investigators, recent converts and less-actives with the new President of the Area, President Arnold. Which breaks down that each area needs to bring about 30 people. Elder Hales and I have put a goal to bring 50 and I know we can do it if we work hard and with the members.

Well, that´s about it that´s going on. The week has been crazy busy but nothing really new. I hope all is well and that everyone is being good! :D

Con Mucho Amor,

Elder Watson

¡Sorpresa!

Hey all!

This week has been very complicated and interesting. Much different from last week!

As you can see I am sending this on Saturday. My P-Day is today because my companion Elder Paz is going to go to the offices to work and the office missionaries have their P-Days today. Right now I have Elder Hales and Elder Paz as my companions. It’s really awesome! :D

So my schedule during the day is a little hectic. Elder Hales and Elder Paz go to the offices at 9 in the morning and I receive Elder Leavitt. Elder Leavitt had his visa delayed so he went for a week in Mississippi and is now here in Argentina. He spent two weeks with the assistants as his trainers and now is with me in the mornings (Monday - Friday) and with Elder Peterson (an office elder) in the nights. So I guess that makes me a bit of a trainer.... Kinda weird and scary, but the responsibility helps me a lot. Plus, Elder Leavitt has so much excitement to work that he is teaching me a lot too. :D Anyways, I receive Elder Hales and Paz around 5 and we leave to work the rest of the night.

This week also we put a baptismal date for two boys of a less-active family. I have been teaching them (I started teaching them with Elder Garay so like 4 months) and finally he has a date for the 14th! We’ve been waiting for the whole family to be ready to come back. Lucas, who just turned 12, will be a baptism for the mission while his brother Gaby will be a baptism for the Branch. Still, I have been working with them for a long time and finally we are going to see him baptized by his father! :D

Hmm... What more can I say. Things are going great here in Villa Adelina and I am learning more each day of how to be a better missionary. Thanks for everyone that is supporting me and I hope all is well at home.

Con Mucho Amor,

Elder Michael Watson

We have a new Mission President!

Hey all!

This week flew by. We had a zone meeting we were interviewed individually by President Gulbrandsen. He really is called from God to be our Mission President. We talked a lot about how to use silence when we teach. When we ask a question we should not be afraid of the silence. This is when the Spirit ministers to us as teachers as well as our students (or investigators). We can really follow the Spirit and learn when we take time to settle down, be quiet and listen.

I also received a package from the parents containing things that are really important. Things like socks, candy, peanut butter and POP TARTS. :D I also received two packages from Michelle along with a couple of letters. I am working on writing to all those who have written me... It takes a long time to write and that´s something I don´t have too much of.

We didn´t have anything else too exciting go on this week. We are working hard to find people to teach and to help those we have to progress to their baptisms. I hope all is well at home and that this finds everybody great.

Con mucho Amor,

Elder Watson