Schools Out!?!

Buenas!

So basically Mom's description of her week reminded me of my last week of high school. I am SO GLAD I NEVER have to go through that again. Senioritis is horrible. Wow... Jonathon Freeman is giving talks and playing the piano? When I get home he's going to be taller than me! That's just weird. But that's all right - because I am never coming home! :D

So this week was very interesting. The best part was that... we had a baptism! :D Everything just worked out perfectly (which was weird. VERY weird.) The only bad thing that happened is that neither of us had our cameras (my batteries were dead) so there are no pictures. But comparatively, that is something really minor that can happen.

 Also, we talked with President this morning and he told us that Elder Simper is going to stay with me - SWEETNESS! That's basically awesome if you can't tell. He's a very good elder and we're going to have a lot of success and fun. :D Which means one of two things. He either leaves next transfer or I will stay here until like... September/October. I hope the second option. This area is so amazing. One of the reasons is the Vera Family. They are just amazing! Oh, Mom! She studied a bit to become an English teacher and can totally read and write in English. So you can talk to her! This is the family that is going to get sealed in a temple in a year. Without a doubt. They are awesome! They are my second family here! We are having a “war” right now. You remember what we did with Uncle Chris with ALL that candy inside of our car and then we did it back to him... Yea. So they gave us "Cascarilla" or the shells of cocoa beans. You put that in a coffee maker and it makes something like hot chocolate but less sweet and less thick. It is basically amazing. Anyways, they gave us a Tupperware filled with Cascarilla and so we hide it in their car (when they give us rides home basically every night from San Benito), in their house.... It's a ton of fun! :D

Something funny that happened. You know how EVERYBODY who has been to Argentina says that there are a ton of dogs? Well, proof of that would be the dog in our sacrament meeting. Somehow it got in right before the meeting started and we had to take it out. That was weird, but funny. Oh yea. As well, you remember when I struggled to give a 10 minute talk. Yesterday I gave a talk and it could have easily gone for 30 minutes. There's just not enough time. And teaching lessons are better. There's interaction and you are not listening to Elder Watson blab and blab about missionary work. I choose a talk in the Feburary 2005 Liahona as my theme; Seven Lessons on how to Share the Gospel by Elder Clayton Christiansen. That was cool. But I guess I need to say the most important things. Anyways, talks at home are gonna be fun! :D

So yea. Seis de Abril is amazing! We have three investigators that we are teaching that can be baptized in July. Two of them on the 16th and we are going to see if the other one can be baptized on the 8th (The 9th is a branch activity.) but we'll see. That's about it. I am doing good. It's not actually THAT cold. Just a bit. Love you all. Be good. I hope to hear from you. That's if we get our mail. Awesome Volcano. Anyways, take the good with the bad.

Say HOLA to everyone, Los Johnson, Jones, Jelaty, Watson (Pres y his wife), the WARD, and the Family... Basically EVERYONE!

Love,

Elder Watson #2

Happy Father's Day!!

Wow. Talk about a week that FLEW! I can't believe it's over. Everything just kinda blurred together and I really don't remember much. President Gulbrandsen called to see how the week went and basically Elder Simper (my temporary companion and my x-zone leader :D) took it under control and did the report. I was just basically... uhhhhhhhhhhhh yea. That. Now I have more of an idea of how to do the report over the phone. It was weird, but it's what President Gulbrandsen does with the Zone Leaders so that was really cool.

I basically had a lot of meetings this week due to being a zone leader. We do our meetings through Skype because we can't go up to Buenos Aires and back... that would be a little inefficient. So that was interesting. The mission is still waiting to fly the missionaries up because the there aren't any flights. That's all right; I am learning a bunch from Elder Simper. He's AWESOME! :D So yea... that's a fun situation. But the work still keeps going.

So something that we do now is that we pray before every visit to find new investigators, to have the love of Christ and the Spirit with us. And when the scriptures say "Pedid y recibiréis, Llamad (SHamad) y se os abrirá." "Ask and ye shall receive, knock and it shall be opened unto you." it means exactly that. We're just starting to see the miracles that the Lord has prepared for us. He is ready to give, but are we ready to receive? Are we working diligently for our Salvation? Are we doing the daily little things to gain our testimonies and to feel the Spirit? Are we making the little decisions to help us get closer unto our Father? This life isn't about making huge decisions... it's about making the small ones. Sure we've got big decisions to make every once in a while - the mission, college, job, marriage - but how many decisions are those? And then think about your day today. How many decisions did you make? Did they draw you closer to the Savior? You may be thinking that there are decisions that really don't matter. You may have a point. But even what clothes we wear is a decision to come closer unto the Savior. Are we looing for the bulls-eye or are we looking for the limits. If we talked about archery, where do you want to hit? Obviously the center. The same way with obedience. We try to get the closest as we can to the center. That way if we miss, there is a margin of error where we'll still be all right. But if you are a semi driver and you think you can drive on the edge of a cliff and not fall off - good for you. Now what happens if you make a mistake? Chau.  We AIM for the center, not for the limits. It's not important if we think that doesn't break the "rules" - It's important that we would do as Christ would or as He would want us to do. There is a ton of stuff that is good. There are more that are better. And then there are those that are best. Which one will you choose? Which one would our Father in Heaven want us to choose? Wow. That's two emails in a row about obedience. Sorry. It's just something I can get carried away with.

Well, there's not much more that is interesting. We could have two baptisms this weekend. That would be amazing! Miracles are something to be worked for, not to be waited for. D&C 58:26-27.

I hope all is well, that everyone is good. Say "Hi" to everybody. Love you! :D

Elder Watson

The quickest companionship ever...

Dear Seres Queridos,

What do you mean a bore? It's awesome all the things that go on at home! :D

So this week was interesting. It was hard but I learned a lot. A lot of things fell through and people are just tough to work with sometimes. I don't think I will go into customer service when I get home.

So we have transfers this week, right? Well, I thought I was safe. Like I didn't have a big leadoff or anything. But the pitcher is way too fast and unpredictable. Basically I am not training anymore. I am a zone leader now. Hm. At least I don't have to change areas! I LOVE SEIS DE ABRIL!!!! LO MEJOR AREA EN TODO EL MUNDO. PERIOD......... (that's quite a bit of periods. Haha)

So this is the low down. Elder Giraldo goes to another area within our zone/district (being that it is the same) with another companion. Elder Berríos goes up north. Pobrecito. I will receive my new companion when there are flights. (Due to the eruption of Argentina/Chile and all the ashes, they aren't any flights). So I am with my ex-zone leader so he can teach me a bit until he goes up north too. Pretty exciting, no?

Well, we lost all of our baptismal dates. For one reason or another. So we got some work to do. But I am not scared or disappointed. I KNOW that the Lord guides us in the work. I am just trying to be the most efficient instrument I can be. If He wants me to train for a week, sweet. If He wants me to be a zone leader... well, I can do it. I can do all things through Christ who strengthen me. What I am trying to do is focus more on the Spirit and what the Lord wants me to do, not what I want to do. It's tough trying to focus on the Spirit, but when you're paying attention, humble and obedient, you'll be able to recognize it.

When we live the commandments, our desire becomes to live the commandment. When you first start living the Word of Wisdom, maybe you live it because it's a commandment, even if your body desires to break it. Over time, through obedience, diligence and faith, you won't have any desires to break the Word of Wisdom. Thus your desire has become the live the commandment.

Think about it. What things in our lives are we doing because it is a commandment? What things are we doing because it is a desire? My life before the mission was to keep the commandments. My life now is to live the commandments. If that makes sense. If all of our desires are in compliance with the laws and ordinances of our Eternal Father - we will just be filled with joy and happiness. The Holy Spirit will seal us and we will become as our Father in Heaven. Too bad I've got a LONG way to go. But I am working on it.

The mission has completely changed my life. There is no way I can go back to the way I was. Maybe except long hair and a goatee. That sounds cool, especially here in the South. At least it's not snowing or too cold. I just might have to buy some boots to walk in the mud.... It rained a lot and San Benito is a real kick walking around in dress shoes. We'll see how much time I have today.

So you remember how we baptized a family recently. Guess what? The father now has the Melchizedek Priesthood! :D :D :D :D :D. Matias is amazing! And now I have at least 6 more weeks with him and his family. YEA! :D

So we had a special conference for all of Argentina yesterday. Apparently every 2 years there is a broadcast from Salt Lake with special counsel for the members of Argentina. Pretty cool, no? Anyways, I got to listen to Elder Zivic of the Seventy, Sister Wixom (the Primary General President), Elder Neil Anderson and President Boyd Packer. Yea.... AMAZING! Some highlights -

Elder Zivic: The Second Coming: if it was tomorrow what would you be doing? If you died tomorrow, what would you be doing? Guess what - do it now and don't wait!

Sister Wixom: Three commandments for the family: Scripture study, Family Prayer and Love.
Elder Anderson: Missionary Work comes right below in importance of the Atonement

President Packer: The Gift of the Holy Ghost : the only church who has it and the importance of it in our lives and how it´s helped him.

Listening to General Authorities now is an amazing opportunity that I wouldn't miss for anything. Why did I sleep during them beforehand? Those who have ears to hear, LISTEN. Those who have eyes to see, LOOK. Basically, don't be hearers of the word only, but DOERS. Analyze your life - recognize your mistakes (it's a part of repentance and it's a blessing to do so). If someone doesn't come to church, pray that they'll come. Then go out that day and help them get there. May we not give vain prayers, but fulfill God's will for us and our brothers and sisters.

I love you all. I pray that you are all right and that everything is going well. Life is meant for service. The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve. Are we better than Him? He has descended below all things and has risen triumphant. May we follow his example and not give up. It's never too late to start but it's already too late to wait. May we do so now; sharing our testimony of our Lord and Savior with all those we come in contact with. 2 Timothy 1:8 - In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Elder Watson #2

Hospitals, Transfers, Training...

Hey all!

No news is good news right? Haha. Don't worry about being boring. It's the best way to be! :D Now my week was not boring at all.......

So what a week.....

We started out going to the hospital........................................................................................................

Don't get worried, not for me. Elder Berríos had been having severe headaches, dizziness, etc. We went to the hospital Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday for various tests, appointments, checkups, etc. Let's just say I relearned my love for the hospital. Go over here, go over there, go upstairs, no the other window. Fun! Lol. Anyways, it got all figured out by Friday, but President was worried enough that he was going to send E' Berríos north to be closer to better hospitals. Thursday night we received a call that E´ Berríos was going North. As he was already starting to feel better, he was able to get another day and that solved the problem. Now he's fine and healthy. But meanwhile President had already arraigned for a new missionary to come in his place. And when I say new... I mean N. E. W. Like I am now a trainer. Anyways, we walked around in 3 for a while and took advantage of the situation and did lots of divisions. Which helped us to cover all the days we missed. In fact, we had a most excellent week according to the results of the week. Which is fine with me. It was a spectacular weekend. 

So Elder Berríos is now replacing an Elder in our zone due to emergency transfers and I am here with Elder Girado. (Hee-ra-do)  My new companion. I did take pictures... but I brought the wrong memory card! Figures, right? Well, next week there will be pictures. Anyways, he's from Lima, Peru. He's super super super super super excited to go to work. Oh yea. Did I say super excited! It's amazingly awesome. AND! He likes to be clean and organized. :D :D :D :D :D That makes my life SO much easier! :D

We are working with various families right now. The work is going well and I am having fun. I get to have more fun now that I am training! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHA!

So everything is beginning to freeze over. It's crazy! But it's not snowing.... Only ice! Igual, (Still) it's not fair that there is cold w/o snow. Actually, as a missionary... I wouldn't mind if it only got cold. The snow would be different to work in. But hey. I am here for whatever. 

Well, that's the weekly report from Rio Gallegos (Ga - Shay - gos for all those who tend to say it wrong ---> Ga - yea - gos JUST SO YOU KNOW!) Nothing new. But the newbie right next to me. Ha. That's a good one. Just wait until I come back.... I have been learning some great jokes. That can be said in English. And some better ones in Spanish. And for all those who don't appreciate my punny jokes. Well. Sorry. LOL. I've got to spread the love, you know?

So you've been losing weight? That's great! Just don't buy steak unless it is high grade. Less calories that way. Sweetness! You're going to have to send some pictures so I can see the difference! :D

So. Yea. That's me and my life. Short and sweet and to the point. Love you all, close and far. Be good, stay safe. Keep going forward with steadfast and unbreakable faith in Christ and his Atonement. Never get discouraged. And when you are tired, think about Christ and his sufferings and know that He suffered for you. He already suffered your grief’s and pains and sicknesses. All He asks is that we keep the commandments. And if we keep the commandments, He blesses us. We are in debt to Him. However, because He loves us so much, He has marked the path we must tread. We must bear our crosses for a short moment and then shall we be made strong. I really do love you, distance really does make love stronger. I've never had so great of an appreciation of my family until now. Don't get into too much trouble with the garden Mom! ;) And Dad, I've got a whole bunch of sweets to bring from Argentina! THEY ARE SO GOOD! :D Just you wait.

With lots of love,

Elder Watson #2