Short Note

Hola!

Well, I don't have much time today. Being so far from the Mission Offices has really made us short on P-Day. We went to go pick up our new companion Elder Lane. Yes, the same Elder Lane who was in Rio Gallegos and the same who added me on Facebook before the mission. Oh yea!

So Elder Harris and Elder Heath went home. That was sad. And tough. Having not one but two elders just getting close to the end of their missions was pretty hard on Elder Quintana and I. But we had a rocking week still and everything went great. We had a baptism and two confirmations. Things are doing really well.

So that's basically all the time I have today. Love you all and be good! :D

Love,
Elder Watson

Another Week - a ton of stuff!!

Divisions with Baradero

Dear Family,

Well, this week was pretty amazing! I'll let you in on it as I go. :D

Tuesday was District Meeting and Divisions! I went to a city nearby called Campana. We were able to teach a lot and I was able to do a baptismal interview for one of their investigators. The work is about to burst here! The zone Zárate is just so ready! I had a good time with Elder Curbela. I even got to show my cooking skills. :D

Wednesday I went back with McDonalds for Lunch with Elder Harris. We went to work and had a good day. Thursday was a lovely planning session! (It's really hard to stay focused for 4 hours straight with 3 other elders with one of them not wanting to do it at all....... Ugh.) But we split the weekly planning session up into two groups and we were quite productive. Then I left with Elder Heath and went out to work. Friday was a great day. I went with Elder Quintana and taught a lot and got a lot done. Oh... by the way - It rained from Thursday to Saturday. And when it rains here, it pours. And that makes riding bikes fun - especially when you're going through the mud. Friday, we shot over to find an investigator who lives on the OTHER side of town --- with lots of mud in between. Apart from sliding in the mud on bikes, one happens to lose control and eats it. Yea... I fell. But I didn't get too dirty. It was funny - afterwards. You can ask Elder Quintana.

Saturday we had a baptism! Micaela's mom got baptized. Afterwards, we visited with an investigator that can get baptized at ANY moment. We just need to help him gain his testimony again. Then we went to Campana again for another baptismal interview and we helped them with the baptism due to the fact that not many people showed up. We got back and visited with another couple that we are working with (the boyfriend has been inactive for 6 years). They went to general conference and we watched the restoration with them and we got down on our knees and prayed. She received her answer! How cool! We left committing them both to go to church and they said they would.

Sunday was an interesting day. Elder Harris woke up with a big fever and body aches and so I volunteered to stay home with him. Just to say right now - what torture for a missionary to be inside ALL DAY LONG. I about died. I studied in the morning, watched a talk by Elder Holland on our DVD player we got from the mission and Legacy. I also cleaned and organized and paced a bit. I read a couple letters and listened to a tape I received. But being stuck inside all day long is not a good thing. AT ALL. I think if I ever stay inside a house all day long again I will go crazy! Haha. But now he's better and so we are all good.  But we also had Micaela´s dad baptized and Micaela and Claudia (her mom) got confirmed. It was a good day even though there were only two going out and about.

We played soccer again! :D Tomorrow Elder Heath and Harris have to go to the mission home for their going home interviews ---- they have a LARGE group so President is getting ahead on that. That's weird. People go home from the mission? This is the first time I have been with someone that goes home and luckily we have SO much work there is no time for them to be trunky. This transfer has been very very fast. But very good as well.

Well, that is about it. Thanks for all that you do! If you can, can you make most of my classes in the morning and before 2? I just focus way better on books and stuff in the morning. Thanks!

Love you all! Be good!

Elder Watson

Conferencia General!

Elders Watson, Harris, Heath, and Quintana

Dear Family,

What a week! Time flies by so fast now! It is UNFAIR!

We did divisions this week. We brought Elder Caon to our area Tuesday and Wednesday (One day with Elder Harris and one day with me.  Elder Heath went to Baradero). That was a good experience.

I lost my voice this week... It's still in the process of coming back. But Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday were bad... like it hurt to talk. But now everything is good. :D This week we prepared a zone baptism---- 4 people! :D We had one baptism, Micaela, while the sisters in Zarate II baptized a Father and Daughter and the Elders in Lima (not Peru) baptized a little girl of a part-member family. That was an adventure and a half. Talk about complicated. We did not prepare very well but in the end, it all came out well.

Conference was AMAZING! I love conference sooooo much! I think it goes by so quickly because I am writing the whole time! Haha. I loved Elder Callister's talk as well as Elder Scott's. Basically they were all inspired and amazing!

Well, we played soccer today (is there a surprise? :D) but this time on an Astroturf field. We paid 20 pesos each to play on the field for an hour and a half or so. That was nice. :D

Micaela's parents are getting baptized this weekend so that is awesome. We are really doing some great work, enough to keep the four of us VERY busy. :D I am loving every minute of it.

BTW - Mom, if you can get a weight class in, that would be WONDERFUL! My legs are getting much more pumped, but overall I am out of shape. I am definitely going to have to go running and play lots of sports when I get home. It's just not fair when there are so many good sweet things! Alafajors.....Lots of stuff. :D

Anyways say hi to everyone for me. Mom, can you say hi to the Vera Family for me?

Love,

Elder Watson

Real Fast

Dear Family,

Well, I just got back from downtown (Capítal) from doing a bunch of paperwork to make me legal again... (I should have done this when I was in Río Gallegos but all the papers were here so that was a bit of a complication. So here I am with a little bit of time to write.

This week went well. We are working hard to help people understand the importance of the Gospel of Jesus Christ - Going to Church, living the Commandments, that sacrifices are rewarded with blessings and most of all, following the example of Jesus Christ and being baptized by someone who holds the priesthood authority of God. We have 2 or 3 baptisms planned this weekend for conference so that is good! :D Good, I mean great! I am really pumped for General Conference! It's going be great. We are getting down the working in between four and things are really turning out.

I know that Jesus Christ is my Savior and Redeemer. Every time I bear my testimony and teach about Him, I feel the Holy Spirit so strongly. I am grateful (like David) for His love for me, that He was willing to suffer and die for me - for my imperfections, weaknesses and sins. The Book of Mormon is another testament of Jesus Christ and testifies the truth of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I know that Joseph Smith was called of God to be the first Prophet in the dispensation and that Thomas S. Monson is the living prophet today. This simple truths come from asking God with real intent, with faith in Christ that comes from a desire to follow Him. I love Him. I don't know where I would be without him.

Thank you for all that you do for me. I am forever grateful. Everything sounds great back at home. Say hi to everyone for me! :D

Love,
Elder Michael C. Watson
Misión Argentina Buenos Aires Norte

September 19th Already?

Dear Family,

It's already Monday the 19th? Freak... How does time go by so fast? This week was pretty busy.

Tuesday and Thursday we had training meetings. We had to take an hour and a half bus to downtown and then take a train up to San Fernando. All around it's about 4 hours round trip each day. But we learned a ton!  It kinda sucks now that I have to go to the meetings... I can't go to a computer nearby and just watch from Skype. But now I can participate more and understand a lot more of what is going on. (Doing meetings by Skype can be tricky.... especially when you can't see the chalkboard or hear what's going on.)

Wednesday was District meeting and then back to Zarate 1 to go find some people to BAPTIZE. Thursday after the training meeting I went with one of our District Leaders to his area that is about 3 hours away in bus. So after that ride we got to the area about 8:30 so we had time enough to go by one house. Friday we had weekly planning and then I went out with them to work. Let's just say it wasn't the best of days. I was actually kinda stumped and didn't know what to do but to just say keep going and everything will be all right. Talking with President this morning helped to realize more of the purpose of divisions and I learned a lot. Hearing, you forget, Writing it down, you remember, Doing, you learn. I could have done better in the showing and doing part. I kinda sit in the back and observe and kinda comment and talk with the Elders.... What I need to do is talk with them and then show what they can do. I'm a leader for a reason. So that was a help to realize one of the purposes of divisions.  I really didn't know what to do on divisions but now I've got a better view on it.

Saturday morning we came back and rocked the day. We passed by a bunch of investigators trying to find a baptism for this weekend and inviting everyone to Church. Sunday came around and we had 4 investigators in Church and had some good meetings. Elder Heath and Elder Quintana had to give talks so that was fun. Lol.  Today we just got done playing soccer.... (HURRAY FOR THE NORTH! :D) and now have the rest of the day to do the stuff we need to. :D

That's tight that Dad went surfing! I saw the picture and said "What in the world is he doing on a surfboard? He's gonna get a bleed!" (Who do I sound like? jaja) So I guess you're doing well health wise.

I am doing well. We are working super hard.... Slowly we are learning how to plan between the four. We might have to split the area and assign two and two (President's idea) but we'll see. It's nice that we can be all over and have two appointments at a time. Now imagine that the 4 of us knowing the area and getting four members to do divisions. SWEET! That would be super tight.  Anyways, hope everything is well. Love you all and be good!

Love,

Elder Michael Watson

Working in a Foursome!

Hello Family,

Well, I don't have much time but here's an update.

Working in a foursome is quite the chore. We are always rotating who goes with who and where we go. We aren't two companionships but we are one of four. It's different but it's pretty awesome. I am with Elder Heath, Elder Harris, and Elder Quintana (From Chihuahua Mexico... He speaks PERFECT English ---- even street talk ---- everything. It's like I am back home when I talk to him.) Things are going really well. We've been struggling with planning because we have to do twice as much in the same time but it's getting better. Sunday at church was the best. We could all split up and talk to everybody we needed to right after Sacrament meeting ended and split up two here and two there to go do stuff. It's tight! Being in four rocks!

We played soccer today so that's the reason I don't have much time. The Cybers (we were do our emailing) were all filled up so we wasted a bit of time looking for one with computers open. But it's all cool. Anyways, I love it here in Zarate and we are going to work very well here. Everything's all good. :D Say hi to everybody and I love you.

Love,
Elder Michael C. Watson
Misión Argentina Buenos Aires Norte

Back in Buenos Aires

Hey!

So guess what. I am no longer in the south.......... I am in Buenos Aires! I am in a place called Zarate. I am with Elder Heath and Elder Harris. For now. We are supposed to get a newbie tomorrow. So we three are zone leaders/trainers. It is an experiment I am told. I didn't even know where I was going and who my companion was going to be. I left yesterday at 5:30 and got to Ushuaia about 10:30. Just then Elder Brown told me that I was going to be in Zarate. So yea. That was fun. So after a 4 hour flight and an hour drive I am in a short sleeve shirt with my hands sweaty. The coolest thing? We have bikes. YEA!

Anyways... That's the update. The week went well. We did divisions with the members a bit so that we could get more work done. I like being on divisions with the members and you can tell the members enjoy doing the work too.

Well, that's about it. Just tired after traveling so much. How does it (traveling) do it to you? I am so excited that the Solarios got sealed! That's so tight. Thanks for keeping me updated on everything. Even though I don't comment on everything I appreciate every bit.

I will be sending pictures next week. Love you all and talk to you soon!

Love,
Elder Michael Watson