Dear
Family,
Conference
was great! I haven’t ever listened as closely as I did this last
conference. The talks were awesome, and I was able to watch all 4
sessions and Priesthood session in English. The stake center here is big,
with 2 floors. The English speaking missionaries had an upstairs room all
to themselves, and we shared treats and candy. The zone leaders brought a
big bag of potato chips flavored like a Chilean salad (tomato and onion).
It was strange but good. I really liked Elder Ballard´s talk about
following up. There are plenty of talks to study and review.
The
earthquake was pretty scary, because all along the coast there was fear of a tsunami.
Our leaders called us Tuesday night to tell us not to leave Wednesday morning
until the President decides all is well. We got a call later in the
morning saying we could leave, but still it was crazy. That is great that
you are having a baptism in Minnesota. Tell her I wish her
congratulations for making the decision to join the Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter Day Saints.
Yesterday,
I did a ´´bus hold-up´´, where a missionary asks the bus driver, for permission
to make an announcement, and the driver always say yes, and then the missionary
shares a principle and invites them all to do something. I invited everyone to General Conference, and
I felt a strong impression that the mother with her young son was ready to
receive the gospel. I gave them a card that says families can be together
forever, and has a picture of a temple.
She readily gave me her contact information (she lives in a different
area). I really think she will be an awesome investigator
This
church is true, and it is led and directed by Jesus Christ through his chosen
prophet, Thomas S. Monson. I know that God lives, and that he answers
prayers.
I
love you all so very much, more than the number of fish in Minnesota.
Sincerely,
Elder Withers
Dear
Family,
This
week was awesome, and I feel like my spiritual battery has been recharged,
conference was awesome. We watched it in the chapel. On
Saturday we watched both sessions, and on Sunday at
about 12:45 the heavens let out an impressive downpour of rain.
The conference sessions are at 1pm and 5pm here, and so the
timing of the rainstorm was a tragic inconvenience. We had to walk to the
chapel, and it was raining so hard that by the time we got there we were
soaked. Our umbrellas didn’t do anything to protect us because it was
raining so hard in the horizontal direction and our shoes and feet were drenched
because the puddles were so deep the street drains couldn’t keep up.
When
we got to the chapel, all of the faithful La Paz saints were huddled under the
awning in front of the chapel talking and watching the rain. I asked why
no one was inside watching, and they all said......there isn’t a signal!
Shooooot. We have some techy members here thank goodness, and after
lots of fiddling with wires and prayers, we were able to get the broadcast.
But the Sunday Morning session we could only get in pieces
because the signal was so sketchy......the rainstorm really made a mess of
things. We could see and listen to the speaker for about 15 minutes, and
then it would go out again....take about 5 minutes to get it back, and then in
another 15 minutes we were without signal again. It was a continuous
cycle. So that’s how my Sunday morning session went. I’m
sad I didn’t get to hear Pres. Monson or Pres. Uchtdorf....and I think I missed
Elder Bednar too.....but I will just wait for the Liahona! Out of the
talks I did get to listen to, I think Elder Holland’s was my favorite.
Such force and strength in his voice, and I love the message for the
youth. I haven’t had food thrown in my face but I can relate to having my
beliefs put under pressure. Often times when we make decisions to defend
the faith like stick up for our values at school or work, serve a mission,
etc....is when our beliefs are put to an aggressive test. But it makes
for excellent opportunities to grow!
The
rain storm kept going all day long, but for the afternoon session someone had
the idea of attaching the projector to one of the computers and watching the
conference by internet instead of by satellite. It was brilliant, and we
got all of the afternoon session. In between the sessions on Sunday the
members whipped out their yerba and mate cups and sat around sharing mate and
eating tortas fritas. It was a fun little party the members made for
themselves. We peaced out to go pick up
an investigator for the afternoon session.
Kind
of crazy this week, an Elder that was serving here in my district here in La
Paz had to go home for a huge family emergency. I have no idea what
happened, and he was gone before I even knew something happened. His
companion said he found out what happened on Tuesday night, and Wednesday morning
he was in the terminal buying a colectivo ticket to get to Rosario. And
that night I think he caught a flight home. So so so sad. I don’t
know what the emergency is, but I’m so grateful you guys are okay. It’s
expected that he will come back in a few months. It would be so weird,
and hard honestly to leave the mental mindset of being a missionary to go home,
and then have to come back again.
Alejandro
and Florencia went to the civil register to schedule their wedding.....and
folks that is huge. They finally did it! They are getting
married April 18, and we will be having a baptismal service for
Florencia April 19. Whoohooo! Also, Alfredo the cool veteran
who loves the Book of Mormon is doing well. If you ask him the story of
the first vision he will recite it back to you, and if you ask him if the Book
of Mormon is true he will give you a resounding yes. It’s awesome! He was
going to go to the Sunday evening session of conference, but the rain
and mud scared him away. Shoot.....we will do better next week!
Today
for P-Day we are going to watch Frozen and I am so excited......you all said it
was so good! If it’s an Hermanas
birthday (only for the Hermanas, the Elders no) or if there was a baptism in
the district we can watch a movie. Sweet! Plus we have zone meeting
this evening, and I am really excited. I don’t know what kind of mail is
waiting for me for the end of the meeting, but I hope something! Sometimes I really feel cut off from the world....mostly
when it comes to mail. I don’t know who
spit in the bean curd of Argentine Customs, but they really hate Yankees.
My best advice for sending things......is make it look non American as
possible. When Hermana Sainsbury was here her mom sent her a box that said Correo
Chile (Chile Postal) all over it and I have no idea where she got it but the
package got here in 2 weeks. It wasn’t this hard before to get packages, and it
will probably cool off again.....but for now don’t worry. I will hope and
pray the packages you have sent make it
I
hope you have a wonderful week and know that I love you more than all of the
leaves that are changing colors and falling here in Argentina!
Hermana
Withers
No comments:
Post a Comment