Short again

Dear Dad y Mom,

So I am in downtown again finishing up my DNI. We took the opportunity to go to the Calle Florida (Florida Street) where there are TONS of shops and stuff to buy. Well, you know me, I am not all for shopping but I did end up getting stuff. I just think when I come back I can buy  souvenirs. Right now I just want to help people to come unto Christ.

So we are probably going to get to Zarate late so I gotta go. It's always unpredictable our route and how much time it takes, but it's the only one we've got. Unless President wants  to give us a car. That would be cool. :p Anyways, Thanks for all that you do! I LOVE you so much!

--
Elder Michael C. Watson
Misión Argentina Buenos Aires Norte

Short and Sweet

Hi Family,

Well, today was fun! We went down to the mission offices in a big van with the zone for transfers - it is less expensive and more enjoyable than just taking a remis (taxi type thing). So we went down, got some mail, talked with some friends, got to meet the Hermana Sperry and Dunn who are friends of Michelle´s that say Hi, and then we came back. That's all we've done today so far.

This week was good. We had a baptism, Julia Knulst, the godmother of Hugo our recent convert. That was cool. We really didn't organize it too well so I ended up baptizing her instead of a member, but hey, it's a baptism! This week was super hectic. As a zone we had 11 baptisms. We spent all week verifying and helping missionaries with the investigators. We even sent Elder Lane to San Pedro for a couple days to help them get their 8 baptisms. Super tight. Just a long week with lots of calling and going to bed late from calling the zone and planning for our area.

Well, that's all the time I have to email today. Love you all and hope you are great! See ya!

Elder Michael C. Watson
Misión Argentina Buenos Aires Norte

Hey There

Hi Family,

Well, I don't have that much time today. I feel like I say that every week.... Today we played soccer with our district so that was fun. I played barefoot on the concrete so we'll see how my feet come out! haha

This week was good. I went to Baradero again to help them out. We found a guy that's going through a tough time but was like a perfect investigator for the restoration. Wednesday we had Training with President and this Wednesday we'll have training again. Fun stuff! I also went to Campana on divisions as well. It was a good day. Both days I learned a lot... from the other elders and the situations we were in. Nothing bad, just different.

Well, I still have to write President. I'll try to write more next week. I am learning and growing every day. It's amazing! I hope all is well with you!
Love,

Elder Michael C. Watson
Misión Argentina Buenos Aires Norte

GREEN ALERT? NUCLEAR POWER PLANT? IN LIMA?

Attn: READ ALL BEFORE DOING ANYTHING

On Thursday morning we received a call from a couple Elders in an area called Lima telling us a man from the Army came to their house, gave them a note saying that they should lock all their doors and windows because the nuclear power plant was on green alert and if anything happened they should take the pills in the paper bag they received. So they ask me what they should do. I say, well, let me call President.  The Elders in San Pedro almost went to the Rosario mission! So I call and relate what had happened and we start an emergency evacuation of the whole zone.  So we put the whole zone on a conference call and tell them to get to the offices of the mission a.s.a.p. Five minutes later we get a call from the Elders in Lima - saying, "Hey... ummm................ so guys. This was a simulation..... I didn't know what the word simulacro meant and yea. It's something they do every year." So we start calling the whole zone so that no one leaves on a bus... because they would be disastrous and take 3-4 hours to get them back to their area... if not more. We call President and say that its a false alarm and everything is all good. Everyone stays and all is well. BTW - The pills in the plastic bag? Candy. Well, that was a good experience. Good maybe isn't the right word. Interesting, breaking the routine. Something like that. Anyways. So. Yea. That was fun.

Well, I am in downtown today. Elder Lane had to do some stuff for a visa and so we woke up at 4:30 this morning to come down to the area offices. So let's just say I am tired. But the people at the office are nice and as they pass they say Hi Elders and that makes me feel good. :D The receptionist is a lady who worked at the mission home for 11 years, cooking and stuff. Let's just say AMAZING cooking. :D Now she doesn't work there... :( as much I guess. She is pretty cool.

Well this week FLEW by. INSANE. But we had some miracles! The sisters in Campana had four baptisms this weekend so we went out one afternoon to go try to help the father of one of the girls be baptized. We got to the point where he was going to pray to find out if he should be baptized. I don't like pressuring people anyway, but that answer sufficed.

So yea. Todo bien. Not much going on. We are working with Hugo's Godmother and she has a date for the 26th. We are also working with a less active and his girlfriend to get them married so that she can get baptized.  Other than that we are kinda dry on investigators at the moment. We've left the ones we have because they aren't progressing and we have to get back in touch with a few. But we have LOTS and LOTS of appointments this week. Like Bastante. Going by members and less actives and investigators. We got our plates full. We need four missionaries again!

Well. That's about it. Thanks for the news - it's always good to hear about stuff.  I am going to see if I can buy some jerseys today because downtown is the place to get them. If not, oh well. I still need to eat... I haven't eaten breakfast or lunch yet. That could be a problem. Well. Love you all! I am doing my best and we are seeing good fruits. We had 91 people in church yesterday, that is up 20. So that was good. Hope all is well with you!

Love,

Elder M. Watson

November Already?

Dear Family,

Happy Birthday Mom! I know it's a little early, but it's better than late. Haha.

This week. Well, we did exchanges with our district leaders on Wednesday and Friday so that was good. We also had a baptism! :D :D :D :D :D His name is Jonathon, 20 years old. Super Capo (Stud). We had stake conference so we had another area in the zone that baptized their investigators with ours. So cool. :D Things went very well... I baptized Jonathon. Usually we have a problem that the water is super cold. But this time it was super HOT. I almost cooked. Oops. It was my fault for leaving the hot water on so long. But I thought it was the cold that was on... Oh well. We also had interviews with President. Amazing like always. Better that he came to our church to do the interviews. Sweet! :D

This week should be good! Elder Christofferson is here for a special conference with all the mission presidents of South America. One of the topics will be presented by President Gulbrandsen about Recent Convert Trees. Basically, our mission is having tons of success teaching and finding through the recent converts. One area had 19 baptisms in two months. It's a tree because it starts with a member or family and it branches out and out. It is absolutely amazing. My last 6 baptisms are the result of this style of work. And I am convinced it will work anywhere! As you teach the recent convert/less active/member and receive references from them and teach those references with them, you not only find new and better and investigators but you strengthen the testimony of these members. It is absolutely amazing the results. We should be getting a booklet of examples and I can send pictures of examples. It's AMAZING! :D

Well, that's about it. I am in Baradero, a town an hour north of Zárate. I will be on divisions for a couple days here so that will be sweet. The only place farther north is San Pedro. Let's see if I can get up there. Haha. Anyways, Love you all! Be good!

Love,

Elder Watson

News Letter...

Dear Family,

Well, this is going to be really short. I ask for forgiveness now.

We had a baptism at 8 o’clock Saturday morning, which went well (yay for waking up at 5) we are expecting two baptisms this weekend. We also have stake conference. I am finding real joy working with and through the members. Things are just doing great. Love you all! Love,

Elder Michael C. Watson
Misión Argentina Buenos Aires Norte


(P.S. Mike spent a lot of his time this morning scheduling his classes for winter semester at BYU).

Elder Quintana Transferred

Elder Lane & Elder Watson

Hey all!

This week has literally been crazy. I know I said it's been busy lately. But this week was absolutely crazy. Monday went well. Tuesday was a bit different. We had weekly planning and then went to go do service - when I get a call from the assistants telling me that Elder Quintana has to be in the Mission Home ASAP. So we run back to the house and throw everything in the suitcases and off he went. Emergency transfers are quite fun. Anyways, so now I am only with Elder Lane.

Last week was just a blur. Trying to see everybody and help everybody get to church. We literally had so many things to do with no time to do it. Thursday we had set up an appointment with the Stake President and President Gulbrandsen came. But the Stake President didn't show up. So it turned to an hour lesson with President Gulbrandsen, Elder Lane and I. Wow. Can I say amazing? Sure, we've got quite a bit of changing to do, but President helped me to get a better vision on things and how to be a better leader. He really made a point when he said that he wants us to work with the recent converts and the members on the 5-5-5 program (Do you have this in our ward?). This is really where we've been having success. President went with us to a recent convert family and we had a great lesson. So that was cool. Every second I am with President I am learning something. He is SO AMAZING! :D

Elder Lane and I are getting along pretty well. He likes to be clean! (YES!) and helps out a lot. We've been trying to figure out how to best work the area. Last transfer we just went out and found people and taught. All the people that we found last transfer (that weren´t baptized and aren't progressing) we've dropped. Right now we are making a HUGE map and organizing all of the members, former investigators, and all that jazz. It's gonna be sick. Like 2 meters long... so 7 feet by 3.5? something like that. It's gonna be legit. I'll take pictures of it when I am done.

So you want to hear a miracle? Well, it's not HUGE, but it's big enough for me. We've been teaching a 13-year old and his Dad kinda got a little mad at us for coming by often. So he restricted us to only pass by on Fridays. The kid freaked out a bit of baptism because we showed a lot of urgency to get him into the water. Well, we had a lesson on Friday with his Aunt (an awesome active member who is a PERFECT missionary) and we just took it cool. We read 3 Nephi 27 with him (he didn't read it for homework so we read with them) and explained about the Church and about the doctrine of baptism. Suddenly he clicked and understood the importance of baptism and why we need to get baptized ASAP. So I asked him when he wanted to get baptized and he said next Saturday. That night he asked his Dad for permission and everything is all good! :D :D :D :D His dad is a less active member and his mom isn't a member. The mom is going to the service with various other family members that aren't members. The Dad wants to go back to church, but in his own time period. So we can't do anything about that. But we are going to have an awesome baptism to round out the month. :D

Things are pretty awesome here. We've got some sweet plans for the zone and we are seeing the Lord's kingdom progress here in Zarate. Things are going very well. I love you all and hope everyone is well. Until next Monday! :D

Love,
Elder M. Watson