Happy Families Live the Gospel, "Become the Convert in Galvez, Argentina"

November 10, 2014

Dear Family,
I shake you warmly by the hand.  This week we had some exciting stuff happen.  Daniel, the man who was baptized a few weeks ago had his 59th birthday on Thursday.  We called him and sang him happy birthday in Spanish.  He was really happy, and then the next day we went to visit him and they had saved us a little bit of cake.  ¡Que rico!  (Very delicious!)  It has been interesting to see him slowly grow to like the church more and more.  On his few first Sundays he would come in jeans and a plaid shirt, then he worked his way up to a color shirt with a blue sport coat and trousers, and for his confirmation he wore a suit, now he wears a suit and comes with a nice shoulder bag to carry his scriptures and Sunday school books.  I received a letter from Elder Catron, my trainer, saying that he interviewed Daniel`s wife for baptism, roughly 6 months ago.  He was surprised that Daniel has been baptized, because several months ago he was not even near wanting to join the church.  Elder Catron was a great companion, he gave me a stick of jerky today in the office, and is now training again, and ends his mission when Rebecca does.

I am genuinely doing great.  I love the mission and really would like to stay another transfer in Santa Sabina, but I guess I will find out next week whether or not I will still be here.  I know things have been hard with my companion, but he has come a long ways, and I have learned a lot about what it means to be a peacemaker.  I am glad that we have been together; it has given me an amazing opportunity to draw closer to the Savior.  I think Elder Z will end up staying in the mission field, thank you for your prayers.

I had laid aside Saturday to lay siege on the Bavarian village, but we will be having Stake Conference Saturday session that evening, and an Elders Quorum home teaching blitz in the morning, so It will have to be done a different day.  Very tricky.  

I am happy and healthy and really hope the very best for all of you.  I know without a doubt that any family that lives the gospel will be a happy family.  I love you all.  Keep living the gospel and you’ll be happy.  Thanks for all of your prayers and letters.  I hope you have a great week.  I love you all more than the number of toothpicks you would need to make a replica of a full-grown California redwood.

With lots of love,

Elder Withers

Dear Family,

This was a terrifically great week!  We had to spend a lot of time in Santa Fe, the closest big city to Galvez for meetings and paperwork for the visa of my companion, so that made the week seem slow in terms of missionary work......but it really was a great week.  

In one of the meetings we had this week, was with President Zanni.  It was with the Santa Fe and Santa Fe North zones....so it was kind of cool to have a smaller meeting with just president and his family, and I learned TONS.  It’s been a long time since I have felt so spiritually recharged and edified, both from what he taught us and from what the spirit taught me, and I have been mentally analyzing and thinking about it over and over again.  I wish I could type it all out and share everything that I learned, but the time will not even slightly cut it.  At one point he looked me directly in the eyes, and he said......"Sister, I know exactly what is happening in the area where you are serving........and what the Lord is really looking for is that you become the convert from Galvez".  I knew President was the person saying the words, but at the same time I felt like it was a message straight from Heavenly Father.  I looked President in the eyes the whole time and said, "I know........"  I hardly ever cry, but while sitting in that chapel...my eyes started to well up with tears a little bit, as I realized Heavenly Father really does love us and expects the best of us at all times, and that a mission serves in many ways to bring more people unto Christ....but to also convert the missionary.  I have never felt that to be more true.  I had a working knowledge and belief that the Book of Mormon is true and that Joseph Smith was a prophet......I really did have a testimony, ever so small, before starting my mission.....but now there is no way you could ever get me to deny it.  Send me through jail, or put me through fire, strip me of my freedoms, whatever you want....but you could never get me to deny it.  Because what I have learned here on my mission has changed me forever.  My mission so far has been the school of my life, and I know that without all of my missionary experiences, I would have never grown to love Jesus Christ and His gospel in the way that I do.  President Zanni always says, that a mission is the school of the Gods.....because we were born to be Kings and Queens.......and someday we will be, but right now we are in schooling to learn how to do it right.

Galvez has been the Gethsemane of my mission, in that I have never felt so far and so lonely before.  In terms of missionary tools that a missionary could have........like a ward missionary leader, or counselors for the branch president, or members who understand the doctrine and can help with the lessons, or members who give us lunch, a relief society president who goes to church, a branch president who lives close......there is absolutely nothing.  We have nothing.  The tools we have, are preach my gospel, the Book of Mormon, mission president, and prayer.

This week we had lots of problems with members getting offended by other members for silly and insignificant things......and all of the gossip and hate is really hurting this small branch.  Instead of being able to look for new investigators and teaching them, we had to spend some extra time this week working with all the members to help them keep the peace and cool off.  We taught a lot about forgiveness, and how no one is perfect, and not worrying about what happens in the church.  If at any moment you received a testimony that the church is true, and you were baptized....making a covenant with God saying you would take the name of Jesus Christ upon you, then forget about the rest of the things that happen with the imperfect members.  Keep your part of the deal with God by going to church, reading the scriptures, saying your prayers.......and you are fine.  Case closed.  They have taken it surprisingly well.....seeing as how we aren’t taking any more excuses.  :)  We teach with all the love we have to give, and what they have really needed is someone who loves them enough to remind them how we should act as members.  We talk clearly, and directly, and with as much love as possible.....and it’s what someone should have been doing here in Galvez a long time ago.  And so, when President said.......that the Lord was expecting that I become Galvez´s most converted convert, it really hit me.  It has been so true; as I have tried to help other people strengthen their testimonies.....I have become more and more converted.  I have also learned how important it is to stick to the fundamental basics, like the Book of Mormon and words from the prophets.  If we know those things to be true, then we start with that and work our way forward.  

It really was a great week, a spiritually fortifying week, with lots of blessings!  Thanks for everything.  I love you all lots and lots and lots!  I love you all more than the number of fireflies that fly around in the streets each night in Galvez!

Hermana Withers

Chile has Record Number of People in Church, Argentina has Rain, Rain, Rain!!

Dear Family,

Well, I am happy to hear that all is well and that you have plenty of Halloween candy.  Our next door neighbors have chickens, and every morning their rooster starts up at about 5:00 am, periodically and loudly does his cock-a-doodle-doo until about 7:00 ish.  I have finally gotten used to it and can now sleep through it soundly.  

This week was not too crazy.  The work has been a little slower lately, with very few people to teach.  We will keep looking for new investigators, and once again the Bavarian village idea got slammed with other things.  I think we might just cancel some stuff this week to make room for it.  I read the first part of Luke 5.  I really liked it.  I recommend it.  Luke 5:4 is my favorite.  That is what we are going to do to find new investigators, “Launch out into the deep, and let your nets down for a draught”.

I hope you are all doing well, that you are in good health.  Oh, I forgot to say, that last week we hit an all time record for this ward of 208 people in church, almost getting the 210 we are aiming for.

I realize it is a short letter, but I promise next week will be a better letter.  

Thanks so much for all your prayers and support.

I love you all, more than the number of M&Ms that get chomped on the week after Halloween.

Elder Withers

Dear Family,
This week was pretty typical for me.  It was incredibly hot in the beginning.....so hot.  Like the kind of heat Argentina whips out towards the end of December, and I was sincerely nervous because we hadn’t even started November yet.....trying to imagine what December was going to be like wasn’t a happy or comforting thought....but it turns out that it was abnormally hot and humid, because a record storm was on its way.  We had intense heat and humidity for 5 days, and the epic storm started on Friday, and is still going strong.  It just barely stopped raining a few hours ago...but since Friday it has been raining on and off.........sometimes with a sharp whistling wind, sometimes with lightning and thunder so loud and powerful you can see water in a water bottle ripple and feel a cool chill run from your head to your toes, and sometimes the rain comes with a little bit of hail......but it hasn’t stopped until today.  And even then it is still cold with overcast, it is still going to rain....but at least it has stopped for a little bit right now! 

The weather was the most unhelpful thing ever in terms of church attendance.  We had 6 people show up, and they showed up soaking wet, I felt so bad for them (for only a minute) because I later realized that all sacrifices to be obedient bring blessings.  Even though they showed up wet and cold because they didn’t have a good coat or umbrella, and they had to walk in the thick and sticky mud (which is a tricky endeavor, you have to make a balance between walking and skating to keep from falling)...they made the sacrifice and got to the chapel....because they understand that the chance to take the sacrament comes but once a week, and it’s not optional.  We already promised that we would be there each Sunday to take the sacrament....so come what may.....rain/snow/mud/etc....we have to go!  We plugged the heater in so that they could dry off and warm up :) 

What this epic rain storm has made evident, is that the chapel roof leaks.  We had to put rags in random places to soak up the water, and also our apartment floods with such enormous amounts of water.  The door doesn’t keep all the water out, and so it seeps in from the under the door crack.....and gets everywhere.  We have been pushing water out of our apartment with a mop for days now, every few hours we have to do it again.  We have to pray kneeling on our chairs so we don’t get wet.  But in all reality it didn’t matter if we got wet or not while praying, because we got wet anyway when we went outside to work.....it was awesome.

My companion turned 23 this week, and for her birthday she wanted "completos".  Chad should know what they are.  Turns out they are just hot dogs, but apparently in Chile they love love love hot dogs.  They put whatever they want on them, and everyone eats them.  So we had "completos" and we also got ice cream to celebrate the occasion :)

What was really funny was watching kids try to trick or treat.  It isn’t a holiday that people recognize here, so all attempts to trick or treat basically failed.  A few moms or dads went out with their kids to try it anyway, with costumes like you would see in the states.....and when a kid knocked on a door, we could see them from a ways off.  We would watch as we kept walking towards our next appointment.  The kid knocked on the door, said trick or treat.....and nearly every house sent the kids marching empty handed.  I don’t know why they bothered, it’s not a tradition here.  But, oh well.  The United States has an incredibly powerful influence on the world, in so many ways.  Lots of people love the states, and lots of people hate the states, but either way lots of people try to mimic the examples or traditions we have.  

It really was a great week!  This letter is sort of a random mix of everything, I’m not sure if it is even entertaining to read...but it’s what happened this week and the thoughts that are running through my head right now.....so, there you go!  I am glad all is well with you.  It really is so nice to know that everything keeps on keeping on without big news, changes or problems.  I love you all so so so so so much!

I love you all more than how happy people feel when they are obedient to all of the commandments,
Hermana Withers

A Baptism in Chile! Battling Crickets in Argentina

Dear Family,

Daniel was baptized yesterday, and that was the exciting point of the week.  His wife, who was baptized about 5 months ago is delighted, as well as the other missionaries who were previously teaching him.  We also had a chance to take Book of Mormons to early morning seminary.  The kids were great, even though it was so early, 6:00 am.  I don’t know how they do it because they have early morning seminary at 6:00 am, and a lot of them have classes until 5 pm.  We didn’t go to the Bavarian village yet.

I still think it is really odd that you guys are entering winter and I am entering summer.  It is getting hot here, and the breezes are lifesavers. 

Just so you know, I had to buy the zone shirt for my comp.  He spent 40 dollars on a guitar without me realizing, and then didn’t have money to buy the Zone t-shirts.  He is such a headache sometimes, but I am glad to see him work hard when he decides to.  I want to thank you all for all of your love and support.  

I realize it was a short letter.  There was some stuff that came up and the zone leaders needed some numbers and the cell phone service was terrible, so that was 10 min down the drain, and my comp is nagging at me.  I will write a bigger letter next week.  

I love you all so much.  I hope you have a great week.  I love you all more than the number of Legos it would take to make a Lego bridge to cross the Andes, to cross the Atlantic Ocean, and then cross the continental U.S. into Idaho.

Elder Withers

Dear Family,
How I would love to be entering into winter right now too......the heat has come back, and it has come much earlier this year than last year.  It is HOT.  And you throw in the humidity and you have a nice challenge in front of you.  We are at temperatures normal for December, which makes me scared for what December is going to actually be like.  

This last week was great, with two meetings in Santa Fe....which made for a total of 8 hours in a bus for one week.  It’s a ton of time.  Every hour we have in Galvez is like gold and we try to take full advantage of it.  We have met lots more people, and yesterday we had 12 people at church.  

Funny story, there is a big beautiful tree in front of our apartment, and from our balcony you could reach out and touch it.  (We live on the second floor, above a funny little place that sells wooden furniture and gadgets) anyway, with the renewed heat and humidity......the crickets have come back.  And the tree in front of our apartment has like a bajillion.  We close the sliding door each night because we don’t want any of them to come in, even though its hot we leave the door closed and turn the fan on full power.  But one somehow snuck in our apartment anyway, and in the middle of the night started to sing its super long song.....and it wouldn’t stop!  It went on and on and on and on, starting at 3am, and at one point started to get louder.....and at 5 am my comp couldn’t take it any longer.  I was too tired to really care about getting up and killing it, but she was at her wits end.  She turned the light on...and with a look full of hate and annoyance for the little bugger......started to listen carefully to locate where it was exactly.  It turned out to be under my bed, she moved my bed (at this point I woke up too) and she saw it, but was still a little groggy and moved too slow, it escaped her....she went back to bed and in matter of minutes it started cricketing again.  She stood it out, and at 6:30 am woke up so annoyed that she hadn’t been able to get rid of it. We found it later that afternoon and killed it....but for the rest of the afternoon, in all the patches of grass we walked through, she would stomp her feet every few steps killing all the crickets she could.  Ha......it was pretty funny, and she had me laughing all day.  She is a great companion.  Last P-day she taught me how to make what she called Chilean pancakes......and they turned out to be crepes :)  They are really good though!  I took good notes :)

This week really was a good one.  There really isn’t much new to report.  Our branch president is awesome, and is one of the greatest blessings here in Galvez.  Church leaders really are so important.

My mission is going by fast and the time really does feel like it’s escaping me.  I am trying to make the most of each day and week, and give everything I have.  I know December is coming quick, but if there is one thing I have been forcing myself to do, it is not letting myself thinking about it.  It’s working, but it’s also hard.  There are lots of missionaries who will finish with me, and some are trunky, and others not.  And I am giving everything to remain focused.  Because remaining focused is the least I can do to return with honor.  I love this area and all that I am learning.  On Wednesday I will have one whole year in Argentina.  Crazy!  This year has been awesome, the most spiritually, emotionally, and physically trying....but I know a mission has been the best decision of my life.  If there is one thing I have done right, it was my decision to serve a mission.  

I love you all lots!  More than all the people who have asked me what Halloween is like (it still doesn’t exist in Argentina, but its starting a little bit!)

Hermana Withers

Seminary Students giving out Book of Mormons, Numbers Glued to Music Marquee

October 20, 2014

Dear Family,

We still haven’t been able to lay siege on the Bavarian Village, but it is part of the battle plan for this week.  It is hard to reserve a 5 hour block in one place.  This week we are going to early morning seminary with a lot of Book of Mormons for everyone to write their testimonies and then commit the seminary students to give the books to their friends.  Oh side note, the ward mission leader here has been working with the bishopric to make a new ward mission plan.  An important part of the plan is that members regularly go out and knock doors.  Yesterday, we saw the first counselor and two other members talking to people outside their doors.  I was so happy.  I sometimes feel that a lot of the members here are active in the church but inactive in the gospel, so seeing them take a very active part in missionary work was cool.  

Chile in many aspects is similar to the United States.  Halloween is much the same here, with small kids in costumes walking with their parents, going door to door asking for candy.  Wal-Mart has been selling costumes and Halloween candy for about a month now.  I remember last Halloween in Chillan, we went to a small store to see if the owner was there, because our records said she was a member.  She said her father was the first person to be baptized in Chillan, and she was the thirty somethingth member in Chillan, but went inactive when she married a nonmember.  Anyway, long story short, we didn’t set an appointment to come back, but she gave us candy.  

A sad but joyful story I will now tell you.  I was in the mission office today picking up a box of 36 Book of Mormons, and met up with some Elders serving in Lorenzo Arenas.  I asked how Amadeo is doing, the little old man, who got baptized in Lorenzo Arenas.  They told me he has terminal stomach cancer.  He isn’t expected to live much longer.  I have been told that his health has really taken a turn, and that he can no longer attend church.  The little old retired man is on his way out of this life.  What makes me really really joyful, is that Amadeo asked Christian, the member who always went with us to teach him, a great question.  Amadeo asked him how he can keep paying his tithing even though he is unable to attend church.  Amadeo is enduring to the end.  I am so glad that he found the gospel before he found cancer.  I am delighted that he is an honest tithe payer, that he will now be able to return to his maker.  I hope someone does his temple work soon after his passing.

Daniela, who got baptized last week, participated in the primary program yesterday, and received the Holy Ghost yesterday.  Daniel, who has had problems with coffee, is committed to be baptized this Sunday.  If you could pray for him that he will be humble and strong enough to permanently give up coffee that would be great.  His baptismal interview is this Friday.

Well, thank you all for all your great letters and emails.  You guys are all awesome.  You are all my favorite.  I love you all more than the number of times an airplane propeller spins to fly from Galvez, Argentina to Concepción, Chile to Boise, Idaho.

Elder Withers

Dear Family
Glad to know that all is well!  This week has been nothing short of a roller coaster ride.  We have been trying to establish ourselves here in Galvez, but it’s been hard.  We are literally out in the middle of nowhere.  We have no contact with other missionaries or church leaders except by telephone and our routine district meeting in Santa Fe (which we have to make a trip the equivalent of Boise to Burley (2 hours and then go back).  And Galvez is located in the Santa Fe Stake, but you wouldn’t know it.....because we are so far away from everything that stake leaders never come.  It’s the equivalent of having a stake in Boise.....all the other branches and wards of the stake are in Boise, except for one which is two hours away ....and that is Galvez.  Sometimes we feel like we have been left on an isolated island with lots of inactive members, but then a miracle happens or we say a prayer and we feel better.....and we just keep going. 

We have gotten ourselves a little more established here, meeting the members and getting to know their problems and situations, and they really are good people.  It’s nothing short of an honor to serve here.  Even though the church is weak and we are totally isolated, serving here has been incredible, and I only have a week here.  With lots more to enjoy and learn from.  

Ha ha, funny thing.....the branch president doesn’t know very many hymns, all he has are a few trusty ones that he likes us all to sing.  When we went to the chapel on Saturday to clean up quick for like half an hour, we learned that he had glued the hymn numbers to the wooden panel thing.  Ha, we had only had one Sunday here, so we didn’t know if they sing the same hymns or not, but it turns out they sing the same ones each week.  Ha!!  We are helping them with it.  I will be playing the piano each week to help them learn new ones.  The branch president really is awesome though, because he makes the 4 hour round trip here to Galvez to fulfill his calling, even though he has his wife and 2 kids sick with cancer.  He is strong and faithful, and wants to help the church grow....but it has been taking time and lots of things have held the work back.  First and foremost, about a year ago an elder set a very bad example of disobedience, for which he was sent home......and it has made several people go inactive, causing incredible damage to the church here.  Also that 2 sisters have gone home early for health reasons, and that Galvez is so far away from the stake that the stake leaders never come (we are also working on that with mission president).  I am learning how to recognize problems, do my best to find a solution.....and if I don’t know how to do it, ask someone for help, and if they can’t do it either....pray for inspiration to know what to do next....and it’s working.  We have been praying for help in all aspects anyway, and it’s the only thing that helps us.  I have never felt so dependent in Heavenly Father in my whole life, but really He is the only person that is miraculously helping things remain stable here.  The church is small, but with great potential to grow.  

The bonuses to Galvez, is that it is beautiful here.  The air is fresh and clean, without the contaminating factory smells that I had in Rosario.....the sunsets are out of this world pretty, and there are several streets with huge trees on both sides that create a tunnel, like Harrison Boulevard (street in the north end, an old part of town Boise, Idaho).

We had several meetings in Santa Fe this week, which meant lots and lots of time in colectivos (buses), but we are getting the hang of Galvez and learning our way around.  The heat is starting to come back, in all its glory with humidity and rain storms and mosquitoes......and all I say is bring it on.  I am more ready this time than I was last year; no one explained it to me that this place turns into such an oven.  

I really am happy and working hard and trying to keep up with the pace of the work here.  There is always so much to do that the agenda doesn’t have enough hours in the day to get it all done, and the tasks just keep piling up.  I feel like time is escaping me and I don’t know where it is all going so fast.  This week we are going to have a birthday party for a recent convert who is going to turn 12 (yay, more men with the priesthood!) who is going to have his party at the church and invite his friends , which will be a good missionary activity for Galvez.  And we are just going to keep on keeping on! 

I love you all more than the number of metal rods you would need to make a roller coaster that goes from Chile to Argentina to Boise!

Hermana Withers

Attendance Goals in Chile, and Serving in Galvez, Argentina

Well, Hello!  

About conference, I watched the morning sessions in Spanish, and the afternoon sessions, and priesthood in English.  I liked it a lot.  My favorite talk was President Monson’s about the ship Bismarck.  I liked it a lot.  I can’t wait til the Liahona (Spanish Ensign) comes out.  I have realized here in the mission how important it is to have living prophets.  Other churches just can’t do it.  The talk made me think of Johnny Horton`s song, “sink the Bismarck” or something like that it is called.  The talk about sharing the gospel by Elder Bednar, directed primarily to non members was great.  My companion and I have it on a flash drive and we are going to do quick visits with the members using that talk, helping them to share the gospel and not lose the excitement the members have during conference.  

Our ward mission leader had a great idea.  He said to put a goal of ward attendance, and get the members crazy excited to reach it.  We wrote the number 210 in big big font on a piece of office paper, and during Sunday school yesterday, went to each class, and explained that as a ward we have a goal of increasing the ward attendance, citing the conference talk about sacrament, that we don’t want to fill a bench just to fill a bench, but that we want more people to receive the blessings that only church assistance can bring.  Yesterday we had 175 people in church.  We told them that we, the missionaries, are 100% committed to work with them to increase church attendance.  We told them it is not our work, nor their work, but the work of the Lord.  We told them to invite less actives, inactive, nonmembers, their friends, and their own families.  We told them that within the next 5 weeks we are going to work to achieve the goal.  On the 16th of November we will anxiously wait at the doors, and have extra chairs set up in the back.  

Yesterday, we had the baptismal service.  Daniela was baptized, and Miguel, the man the other Elders were teaching was baptized as well.  Daniel, the other man, wasn’t willing to drop coffee.  He is a good person.  He came to church though, and stayed for the baptismal service.  I hope that within the next several weeks he can be washed clean of all his sins.  He is more than willing to pay tithing, he just insists that if someone offers coffee, it is only right to say yes.  It doesn’t help when the member accompanying us told him that decaf coffee is okay.  There are so many members that drink decaf coffee.  Decaf coffee is still coffee.  

About the laying siege on the gated community, we still haven’t done it.  We keep having to cancel it because something comes up, such as rain, or an important appointment that we can’t cancel.  I hope we can lay siege to the Bavarian Village this Friday.  (Note: for an explanation of the plan for the Bavarian Village, see blog letter dated 9-29-14)   

I forgot to tell you all about the cambios (transfers).  My companion and I are staying.  The district is all changed up though.  One sector of elders went to the other district in the zone, another sector of Hermanas are now in this district, and then a brand new sector the mission is opening is also in the district, and the zone leaders are also in my district.  On Friday we had a capacitacion (workshops), and I talked with some elders in the Libertador ward in Chillan.  I was delighted to hear that Adolfo, the military guy we went fishing with, is now the ward secretary.  Maria, who was baptized last September, is staying strong, and her friend Tina, who Maria invited to a family home evening, was baptized about a month ago.  I had no idea that Tina kept progressing.  As missionaries, we only see a snapshot of the spiritual progress that the people make.  Amadeo the little old man is reportedly active and staying for all three meetings.  I tell you this because roughly 1 in 10 Chilean members is active.  Inactivity rates here are super high.  Chile might very well have the lowest member retention in the world.  Our mission president has been addressing that problem head on.  The missionary work is three part.  Baptize, Retain, and Reactivate.  Our plan to get 210 people is going to be primarily focused on reactivating the lost sheep.     

I love you all more than the number of toothpicks it would take to fuel a wood fed steam locomotive from the east coast, over the Rockies, into Idaho, then to Argentina, then to Chile.

Have a good week!

Elder Withers

Dear Family,

This has most definitely been the longest week of my whole life......adrenaline and divine help from heaven have kept me going.  

There is so much to write and so many experiences to share....that time is most definitely going to run short, but I will do my best and try to get it all in.  And as the weeks go by I will try to catch up.

On Wednesday I went to pick up my new companion, and Heavenly Father really loves me because he has given me another dynamite awesome companion.  She is from Chile, her name is Hermana Ruiz, and she talks at the speed of light.  She loves to eat chocolate and she is really calm and relaxed.  One of the first things she asked me is how much time I have in my mission, and I hadn’t planned on telling her so soon but I didn’t know what to say....so I told her, she did the math and realized that I only have 3 months left, and she flipped.  While we were in Rosario, president called out "Where are the Hermanas headed for Galvez?"  I stood up from the table, and he put in my hands a set of keys, a cell phone, and a little note from the missionaries who were in Galvez before and said, "Here is all of this, you will need it....good luck" and he quickly went to talk to someone else.  Ha.....I knew I was in for some sort of testimony strengthening adventure!  My companion is already super nervous for December......because she knows she will be responsible in defending Galvez.....but it’s what makes us grow, if we were never asked to do scary things....we would stay the same.  But....I also understand her fear a little bit.....because defending Galvez and working here is not for the faint of heart.  This is by far my hardest area.  It doesn’t compare to anywhere else, and every talent that I may have developed or useful piece of knowledge I may have acquired during the course of my mission I am going to have to apply here.  

Galvez is very similar to Beltran in the sense that the branch president lives 2 hours away, and that we have a rented house (here in Galvez it’s a warehouse) where we have church meetings.  On Wednesday we didn’t have time to make the whole trip from Rosario to Galvez, so we went half way to Santa Fe (about 3 hours) stopping and spending the night with Hermanas there, waking up early Thursday morning and finishing the trip.  We made it to Galvez in one piece, and met the most faithful member here, who is a young dad who was baptized less than a month ago.  (!?!?) He was waiting for us in the terminal, even though it was pouring rain outside....and then he walked with us to the apartment helping us with our luggage, to show us where we live.  When I learned that he is the most faithful, someone who was JUST baptized.....I got a slight hint that things have not gone well here in Galvez for a while, and as the days went by, my suspicions were confirmed.

Galvez is geographically located in the middle of nowhere.  We are 2 hours away from the nearest companionship of missionaries (like the furthest ever anyone could possibly be!), and the number of members is about 80 (in total, including less actives).  But from what I have learned on a good Sunday 15-16 members will be there.  Yesterday we had 11, which was a major improvement because for the past month church attendance has been from 4-6 people -  Including children.  It turns out that the companionship of Hermanas before us were awesome, but things got complicated.  One was new from the MTC, and the other with about the same amount of time as me.  But the older one got sick and had to go home, and the new one was so new she couldn’t speak well enough to be able to lead the area by herself.  All this happened about a month ago.. President sent the sick missionary home, and her companion to be in a trio in a different place, and Galvez has been without missionaries for a month...waiting for new ones to show up.  President put me here, to get to know the area and strengthen it....and to train too!  And so far it has been good.  I haven’t slept very good for about a week because I can’t shut my mind off, because about a thousand different things are running through it all the time in how we can help this place.  

I have never seen the church so physically weak in an area before in all of my life.  I have always heard stories of pioneers who helped the church grow in their city or something...but I have never seen a place like this in real life.  The church was reopened here 6 years ago, after 20 years of being closed because of lack of members who went to church.  And everyone lives with the fear that the church could be closed again in Galvez if it doesn’t grow or if less actives don’t reactivate. 

The branch president doesn’t have counselors, and as missionaries we divide and conquer....one teaches primary and the other does Sunday school.  There are no young men or women. 

On Saturday we went to the chapel to take a look and see if it needed cleaning, but it really is a good place to meet.  It’s big and spacious and ready to be filled with people.  

 And even though there are a million other things Galvez needs, I really feel like this is an area where I can put to use lots of things I have learned in my other areas.  While we were walking and trying not to get lost with the map, I had an overwhelming feeling that this is my area for a special purpose and that this is where Heavenly Father needs me right now.  Heavenly Father never forgets any of his children, he wants all of them to grow and progress....and that God has everything under his control.  Even if it seems like the church or things are falling apart, we can trust that He is looking out for us....and that if we are obedient everything will be okay and he will bless us with what we need (like a stable branch or ward!)

There are so many other things I wish I could write right now, but there is just not enough time.  It should be documented though that I am living in the nicest apartment ever, with a washing machine!  The apartment is huge and brand new, and seeing the washing machine nearly brought tears to my eyes, I am so grateful.  I don’t think I have gotten used to washing my clothes by hand, I have always hated it....and I don’t have to anymore!  Yay!   

I love you more than all the cows you would have to milk to make an ice cream bowl filled with enough ice cream to share with everyone who lives between Boise, Argentina, and Chile.  

Hermana Withers

Watching Conference and a New area in Argentina

October 6, 2014

Dear Family,

We watched conference live!  I am glad to hear that you guys were able to watch it too.  I watched Saturday morning in Spanish, then afternoon session and priesthood session in English.  Sunday morning in Spanish, and afternoon in English.  I am definitely going to go through these talks again in the Liahona (Spanish Ensign).  I loved what President Monson said about the Bismarck Ship, that was a great talk.  

Well, it is good to hear that you are all doing well.  This Sunday we are really really fingers very crossed hoping to have 2 baptisms.  There is a nine year old daughter of a less active lady who is coming back to church, thanks to an awesome example set by the girl’s grandma who they live with.  Daniela`s uncle will come down from Santiago to baptize her, and in a few months the mother will move with her 2 kids to of all places ONTARIO CANADA.  She told us about going to Tim Horton’s donuts while visiting Canada.  She is getting married to an active Canadian man who served a mission in Chile 20 years ago, who later got divorced.  We hope the family can really stay active with her new father, because her last father went to the airport and took a plane to who knows where, never came back.  We are going to put the mom in the preparation for the temple class. 

Also, we are teaching Daniel.  We had been teaching him for a while, and actually took our focus off him since he was going to church with his wife who got baptized about 6 months ago, but he didn’t seem interested in really progressing in the near future.  He had expressed that he wanted to be baptized, but always wants to learn more and more and didn’t want to accept a specific date.  However, we had invited him several weeks ago to be baptized on the 4th of October.  We have invited him several times and he has never accepted a date.  An active returned missionary who works with him took him home from work, and as they drove Daniel said that he wanted to be baptized on the 4th.  We found that out, and were shocked.  The next visit we found out that he had been reading a lot from the Book of Mormon and the pamphlets and he wants to do it now.  We put a fecha (made a date) for the 12th because there wasn’t time to organize an interview, or to finish teaching him.  We are going to pass by today to teach the commandments.  Please pray that he can be accepting of tithing.  He has a car, motorcycle, a home in a nice neighborhood and a nice home in the country with land, and has 2 kids going to college.  Please pray that Daniel and Daniela can be baptized on the 12th.  

I have to go!  I love you all 9999999999999999999999 times 9999999999999999999999!

Elder Withers

Dear Family,

I am entering into the last 12 weeks of my mission........and I am getting transferred!  These last two transfers I will spend training a new missionary and whitewashing in Santa Fe, in a city called Galvez.  Whitewashing means that both missionaries who were previously there are going somewhere else, and they are sending me and my new companion who won’t know anything to an area where I don’t know anything either.  I will go pick up my new companion from the mission office tomorrow, we will get on a bus headed for Galvez (once I figure out the bus that takes us there, I will have to learn that first) and then once we get there we are going to call a taxi to take us to our apartment because I don’t know where it is... and then we get started!  The only thing I am going to be given are the keys to the apartment and the address of the place, and I am hoping and praying that there is a nicely organized and beautiful area book waiting for us with updated phone numbers and the address of the chapel and so on.  And if there isn’t, well then let the excitement begin!  We are going to buy some maps and learn our way around together.

I know absolutely nothing about my new area....I don’t even know where it is on the map.  All I know is how to get on the bus that can take me there.  I don’t know if there is a ward or a branch or if it’s big or little, safe or dangerous, I have no idea.  It would be one thing to do a whitewash with another missionary who has been in the field for a few months, still hard but we would manage just fine.  But whitewashing and training is going to be a nice adventure.  I am going to put to work all that I have learned about using maps and learning my way around, because I don’t have any time in this area with another missionary to show me the ropes of the place.  And also practice lots of patience as I help my new companion adjust to Argentina.  (You would be pleased to know Dad that I know north and east and so on!)  We are going to take lots of deep breaths and do our very best, getting to know the people and the area, but also remain calm.  When we get lost (because it’s probably going to happen) we are going to be fine, look at the map again...and keep going.  

I really am excited for these next two transfers, the first few weeks are going to be nice and long, but the time seems to fly by quickly anyway.  The transfers always go by fast.  

This last week was terrific.  We have seen lots of miracles in the people we are teaching and lots of progress has been made.  And the treat for the week, was of course General Conference.  And for the first time in my whole mission.....I was able to watch it in English!  Thank goodness that there is another American sister in the zone so that we could be in the room together with the Elders watching it on the TV in English.  I watched 2 of the sessions in Spanish anyway just because I could and the screen was lots bigger, but I have to say......listening to conference in your native language is incredible.  There is something about it that lets the spirit testify to you very powerfully.  Not that I didn’t understand it in Spanish, because I did.....but listening to it in your native language is awesome and incredibly powerful.  Which explains why they have started making some of the talks be spoken in other languages....so that all can have the opportunity to hear it in their native language!  It was a cool.  I thought of you guys while you were watching conference, and it always makes the world seem so much smaller.  I know that we were listening to the exact same messages at the exact same time, and I loved that.  I loved all the messages....I really loved all of them.  But 2 of my favorites were from Elder Ballard and Elder Bednar.  All we have to do is stay in the boat, and the reason we share the gospel isn’t because we are trying to increase our numbers... it’s because it really has a healing effect, and people need the truth.  I am excited to re-read all of the talks in the coming months.  (I love the talks....I listen to the pen drive you sent me with all the talks every morning, about 2 talks per day...it’s awesome!)

The week really was a great one and another one is coming with lots of new things waiting.  Thanks for your letters, I love them all lots.  I wish I could respond to each one more personally with more time and a more thought out response, but time doesn’t permit it........so the best I can do is say thanks a million gabajillion!  I look forward to writing you each week.  Today we are going to spend in Rosario, eating lunch at a cool downtown city restaurant, and then going to the flag monument with Hermana Gonzalez before I go (she was so adamant in going today, that I gave in....ha I started packing 2 days ago to be able to make it all work!)  Today we play, I am all packed and ready to go.....and tomorrow I begin a new adventure!  

Have a great week!  I love you more than number tootsie rolls you would have to line up to make a tunnel connecting Argentina and Chile and Boise!

Hermana Withers

Missionary Idea From Moroni, True Argentine Cuisine

September 29, 2014

Dear Family,  

This week has been pretty chill.  We have been busy knocking doors, talking to people in the streets, and asking the members for references.  There was a day this month where lunch with the members completely fell through, and so we bought Papa John’s.  It was great. 

This week we put a booth outside with pamphlets and we talked to everyone who went by.  We also got a phone book and started calling people to invite them to conference.  My comp was great at it, and in about 15 calls had 2 different people committed to go to conference.  There is in our sector a very rich gated community of condominiums; we call it the Bavarian village because of the European style architecture.  Anyway, it is illegal to knock doors in gated communities here, and we think we have found a solution, fresh from the Book of Mormon -  Moroni laid siege, why can’t we?  We were going to put a table outside the gates on Saturday loaded with pamphlets, cards, and a few Book of Mormons, but it rained pretty hard.  We will do it this week for sure.  We got permission from the guard to do it, he himself being an inactive member who wants to come back to church.  Every car that wants to enter or leave will pass by our table.  We want to set as many appointments as possible, and then if we can get some solid investigators we can go into the Bavarian village whenever we want.  

Well, thanks for being who you are.  If you were anyone different, it just wouldn’t be the same.  It would be sort of different, hence, therefore, STAY AWESOME.  I love you all so very much, more than the number of birds and butterflies and whales and other animals that migrate in large groups between the north and south with the changing of seasons.  Have a great week.

With lots of love,

Elder Withers 

Dear Family,

This week had several things that are worth sharing :)  First and foremost...........it’s been a long time since I have been served anything scary, and last Monday reality played a cruel joke on us.  Sometimes I forget that Argentina is a land where the cow is essential.....and nearly every part of it is used for eating and the benefit of humans.  Until someone serves us something whacky, and then I say to myself......."oh yeah".  On Monday, Mauro and his family cooked us a deluxe steak asado (BBQ), with chicken, and ribs, and.....basically everything.  The highlight of the whole steak was a thing called "morsilla" (sp?) and everyone (except us) was anxiously awaiting it.  And they were excited for us to try it.  They cut it up, put it on our plates...........and when I looked at it I knew exactly what it was.  My whole mission I have heard about the infamous morsilla, but I never thought I would actually have to eat it.  And when I looked at it I wanted to cry and die on the inside.  Morsilla is cooked cow blood, stuffed/seasoned/and cooked inside the intestines (which are beforehand cut and cleaned).  I’m not even kidding, I’m not exaggerating, it’s the truth.  It might even have a good taste, but maybe it’s because I am a girl or because I think too much.........the concept was nearly impossible for me to comprehend.  When served, it’s like a dark purple/brown sausage.  You have to cut it open (there are yellowish white blobs of fat inside the blood to add to the effect) and then you scrape out the blood and eat it.  It has a texture of rice or something when it’s cooked, so it’s hard and maintains a shape (it’s not a liquid) ......and it is really spicy.  I was brave and ate it, but in my own sneaky way.  I started out by grabbing a big slice of bread, slicing it open.....and loading it up with mustard and chimichurri sauce.  Then I put other pieces of meat from the asado that were served, inside the bread....making a sandwich type thing (lots of people eat asado that way here) and I took a tiny little scoop of morsilla and added it to the sandwich, because everyone was watching us and excited for us to try it.  So, yes I ate it.....but once I had put my tiny little scoop into my sandwich.......when no one was watching me, I folded the thing back shut, and put it onto the reject plate with the rest of the bones and morsilla skins.  It took me 3 days to get over it and stop thinking and nearly gagging about what I had eaten.  I’m over it now, but in the moment and the few days that followed it......it was sort of a trial.  

The rest of the week went swimmingly.  We had exchanges with the sister training leaders this week, which means one of them comes to our area, and one us goes to theirs.  I was assigned to go to their area, and one of them came to stay with Hermana Gonzalez.  Before leaving, I felt very strongly that my companion needed to have $100 pesos ($15) just in case of some emergency.  Turns out in the middle of the night on Wednesday, the other sister got really really sick, and they needed to buy some antibiotics.  A member went and purchased them.....and she got better in no time.  She couldn’t travel in colectivo (bus) on Thursday, so I stayed an extra day in the other area.....and then on Friday we switched to everything back as normal.  But it was a miracle that they had the money they needed to buy the pills.  A small tender mercy, because if she hadn’t gotten better.....who knows what could have happened.  I could have been in the other area for several days, and I did not want that.  I was grateful that everything was okay and we could switch back.  I love love love my companion, she is so awesome.  And being with a different companion for 2 days was bizarre; it felt good to go back to normal!

The rest of the week was normal.  A member gave us a potato sack full of apples and oranges, and we have been loving them.  And tomorrow is the last district meeting of the transfer, and so as a district we are going to eat lunch together.  And I have been asked to cook something from the U.S.....and literally nothing has come to mind (because I am only going to do something easy) other than sloppy joes.  And I think I am going to do it.  Super super duper American, no one else here has tried them, and it’s easy (and I know how to do it, no recipe necessary!).  It should be a fun week.  This could possibly be my last week in Beltran because I have 6 months here......but we will see.  I won’t be writing until next Tuesday.  I am excited for General Conference this week!  It’s going to be great and we are going to learn lots and lots.  :)  Praying that there are no storms that block the signal this time.  

I hope you all have a good week!  I love you more than the number of power poles and satellite signals that will be used around the world to broadcast conference!

Hermana Withers