Parque Patricios

So transfers have rolled around again (fastest one ever) and I got the call that I’d be leaving! I wasn’t sure what to feel because I’d been in Lugano for so long, but now that I’m here in Parque Patricios, it just feels perfect. My new companion is from Iquito, Peru named E l d e r  R i s c o. He has just a few months in the mission, but seems to me like a capo! (stud)

This week was pretty crazy. E l d e r  G i n e s and I were all over the place just doing the best we could. The baptisms had to be pushed back. It was really difficult, but Faith in the Lord means faith in his timing, right? :) Anyways, Parque Patricios is pretty much downtown Buenos Aires with big buildings and a ton of hustle and bustle. I didn’t realize how tranquilo Lugano was till I got here. And my area supposedly has a huge villa, so I am excited to get my shoes dirty and hit the unpaved trail!

I was pretty sad to leave E l d e r  G i n e s. He was such an awesome companion and really helped me develop this transfer. I know that he is going to do great things! Besides that, I’m happy. I had to say goodbye to all the peeps from Lugano and the hardest was definitely Victoria. She bore her testimony and told me so many nice things; we were both just bawling at the end of the lesson. The Lord knows His sheep.

I also had to say goodbye to E l d e r  T i p p e t t s, which is super sad... well... actually, I will see him today since he doesn’t leave till tomorrow, but still. One of my best friends.

Anyways. I know this email has been a bit scatterbrained, but it’s just been a wild day! Heavenly Father is all powerful. Trust in Christ and His atonement. Trust in the Priesthood. I love this work and hope the days start slowing down.

Loves!

Parque Patricios

barrio (neighborhood)

Old Area   A  Villa Lugano
   New Area   B  Parque Patricios

Click Image to Enlarge

Parque Patricios, Buenos Aires
The city of Buenos Aires is formally
divided in 48 barrios (neighbourhoods)

Parque Patricios

Buenos Aires Argentina Congreso Stake (8 Wards)

Parque Patricios Ward
-34.639095, -58.399495

Parque Patricios is the home of
Club Atlético Huracán,
a National B Division football (soccer) team,
and their stadium,
Estadio Tomás Adolfo Ducó

Monument to the Victims of the
1871 Yellow Fever Epidemic

Villa Zavaleta, 
one of the city’s largest shantytowns, 
lies just beyond the Huracán football stadium to the south
-34.653749, -58.399018

Tender Mercies!

This week has been really incredible for us! I've just been blown away by the miracles and tender mercies that the Lord puts in our way. He loves us and is very much involved and all about this work!

During the week, I did divisions with my district again. I went off with Elder Solis in his area and it was pretty special. That night we went to teach an investigator and it just so happens that an Area Seventy lives in his ward! So he came and accompanied us. It was... AWESOME! Teaching with one of the Seventy was humbling and empowering. The way he talked to them was so calm and almost quiet. I felt so much love in his voice. And at every turn he would turn to a scripture in the Bible. All about Jesus Christ or what he said directly. So many things hit me. It was as if he was talking to me in the lesson. That night I set goals for myself and hope that I grow to be like him. Elder Avila I believe is his name. ;) He was a mission president if that helps...

On Friday, I went to downtown Buenos Aires and got my visa documents all figured out. I'm LEGAL! YES! Now I won't be paranoid whenever I walk by the police. Haha! It was fun and the Lord was really looking out for us that day with all the processing.

Isaias is still doing good. We are preparing his baptismal service for this Sunday! And his whole family is planning on coming! And we met his sister Ana yesterday and she decided she wants to get baptized too! February 9th! Day before my birthday! We also found another lady, Maria, through a bunch of miracles. We contacted this girl on the road because she knew the member that was accompanying us. She wasn't very open, but we got her address out of her. When we showed up later we found out her whole family was baptized in Paraguay! And they referred us to a family member, Maria. It's awesome, this work.

Speaking of awesomeness. The best story of all this week! So remember when I told y'all about a couple we married? Well the lady is a recent convert, but her husband no. And he didn't want anything to do with us. When we tried to talk, he just gave us the cold shoulder! And then out of nowhere, he showed up at church 2 weeks ago with Sara. He still didn't let us contact him, but then he showed up again yesterday at church. Finally, we set up a time and passed by last night. We decided to teach the Gospel of Jesus Christ and as soon as we started with Faith, he said he struggled with it. Sara was perfect in sharing her testimony and the Spirit was incredibly strong. He just wanted to find peace and strength for his new family. Then out of nowhere, Sara said she wanted a priesthood blessing! WHAT!? And he said he did! So I did the anointing and my companion the prayer. And it. was. Powerful! Afterwards it was just complete silence. The Spirit was working on him like I'd never seen it before. We asked how he felt and he said much better... More silence. I looked at my companion and he said, "Edgar, will you be baptized this Sunday?" More silence. The spirit was so powerful. I'd never felt it so strongly, seriously. And after a little bit, he looked up and said, "Si". Sara, my companion, and I all burst into tears! It was so amazing. And then he started to cry. A room full of people crying. I just know he will be a powerful leader and priesthood leader in the Church. I'm soooo happy for that experience. I love this work. I know the Savior lives. I know that he knows each of us personally and what we need. Afterwards we just walked for like 15 minutes just taking it in. It didn't seem real!
"Wonderful to me!"

"We'll sing and we'll shout!"

Loves!

 Victor Portillo's Birthday Party

Elder Juan Carlos Avila & Sister Deborah Avila
Ordanined as an Area Seventy, April 4, 2009
Argentina Mendoza Mission President, 2005-2008

Loves!!!!

Sooooooo.... HELLO!!! How are all of you!? Livin’ the Dream? Good. Attitude is everything. It makes or breaks ya, so make it happen cap’n. Anyways, This week has been a good one! Just having a blast and being a missionary! Let’s Gooooo!

We were able to find some elegidos this week, which was a great blessing from the Lord! We found this kid named Isaiahs and his dad Antonio and have been teaching them all week. They came to church and loved it! Also Reuben and Edgar, both non-member husbands, came for the first time to church this week with us! Nicccce! Keep praying for them and that they will gain strong, lasting testimonies of the truthfulness of this gospel!

Saturday was a great day! We had members accompanying us all day and we just taught BIG TIME! It was such a great experience. There were tons of spiritual lessons that just testified to me the Love that my Savior has for me. I don’t know... something that helped me a ton this week was this quote that
E l d e r  G i n e s showed me:

“I lit myself on fire and everybody came to watch me burn.”

I dug down deep to find what lit me on fire. What got me going. Made me as bold as a lion and happy as ever! It just made a huge difference on the week. Even if at first I had to fake a smile, it later just became a habit. It’s the Good News! The success we have as missionaries and as people all depends on what we believe we can achieve! DREAM BIG! If ya dream about getting through the day that’s ALL you will achieve. But if you dream about baptizing or getting better and you BELIEVE in it and act, it’s gonna happen! GET ER DONE!

“That cockroach literally just jumped! These cockroaches... zero respect!”
- E l d e r  G i n e s

We went on divisions with the Zone Leaders and I got to leave my area for the first time! Haha, I went off to Parque Brown and my little E l d e r  G i n e s stayed to hold down the fort. It was good. I went with E l d e r  J o r q u i e r a, an Elder from Concepcion, Chile. It was cool and I saw how zone leaders work.

Just an overall good week! I love being a missionary. I love the Book of Mormon! How could this not be true!?

LOVES!

“ANOTHER 10 POINTS FOR GRYFFINDOR!”

Ramon and I

Inside the Pension

Our Pension
(first floor) 

My wittle Lugano
(outskirts of capital basically)

E l d e r  G i n e s

makes me look suuuuper tiny

I know I look fat but...

Skuxin

2014, The Book of Mormon is True!

So I seriously can’t believe that it is already 2014!!! It just doesn’t feel like it here. More like the middle of July. My body is all confused. Haha. But It was great to review the year and look at what I can do this year to do better. I have THE ENTIRE YEAR to be a missionary. My ONLY year. Isn’t that crazy? This time next year, I’ll be fixin’ to head back north. So... There is no time to lose!!!! This week was really good.

To start off, there was a few changes in the area. I was moved to a new apartment and the Lord decided to give me a new companion! Sometimes it happens in the mission, but I’m cool with it. His name is E l d e r  G i n e s from St. George, Utah (one of my favorite places) and he is super chill. Super tall, built guy, so I have no worries in the villa. Haha! We get along just awesome! Really happy to have him as my companion. He only has a few weeks in Argentina, but he had time waiting for his visa in Denver.

"We should be as Celestial as the Message we carry” –E l d e r  G i n e s

The new apartment is really cool. Lots of space and everything. The only thing is that there are tons of Cockroaches! The worst! They are all over the place. We do our best by putting most stuff in the fridge and keeping the place clean, but they are just awful. Do any of you guys know of a homemade cure to get rid of these things?

This week I did divisions with E l d e r  S o l i s, from Mexico. It was a lot of fun to work with him in my area and see the way he works and how I can apply it. Also, on how I can help him out in his area. It was a great experience!

I had a great experience in Fast and Testimony meeting! We were sitting amongst the congregation when little Ariel told E l d e r  G i n e s he’d go up if E l d e r  G i n e s went up. So they sat up there. And then Ariel was motioning for me to go up too. So I did it. Once they said their stuff, I was up there alone... And then my recent convert walked behind me and tapped me on my shoulder and I just felt so much love! Surrounded by those I taught and helped. And so yeah... I cried. Great highlight of the week.

I have felt an overflowing confirmation of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon this week. I am absolutely in love with it. It is my everything. It’s my conversion and peace. I just feel so much power when I have it in my hands. That I can take on anything and anyone with that little blue book on me. I know that it is true. I KNOW. And I’m so grateful for the opportunity that Heavenly Father has given me to do this work. Everything is centered on the salvation of his sons and daughters. All that we do is for their salvation, or at least we should do. I love this work and my Savior. I am loving my life!

"The closer we are to danger, the farther we are from harm. It’s the last thing he’ll expect” -Pippin My motto for the villa. Hahaha!

Cockroach

Watching fireworks on the Roof on New Years Eve

Floating Lantern on New Years Eve

Floating Lantern on New Years Eve

Slumber Party
Too Hot because of Power Outage

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Hello, Hello! IT’S HOT! Never felt this kind of heat in my life! So here is the thing... We have been without power for about a total of 4 days this week... So we don’t have anything to keep drinks cold or fans. So that has been an interesting experience! Waking up in a pool of sweat in your bed was definitely something new. HA! And the Argentine people don’t really like it either. There has been lots of riots and fires in the streets and stuff. There was a fire in the streets on the way here to the cyber cafe! HAHA! Argentina....

So Christmas is nothing like back home. It’s hot, nothing really reminds you of Christmas, most families don’t do the presents things, and everyone eats a big meal like Thanksgiving. And then... at 12 at night war starts. Fireworks galore! It woke me up and so I went up to the roof and it was just a wall of airborne fireworks bursting in all directions. It was amazing. A once in a lifetime moment that I’ll never forget! But on Christmas day I was able to go to my ward mission leader’s house and talk to my family! It was basically the best thing. See all the brothers and parents and grandparents. Overjoyed.

And did I mention that it’s almost 2014!!!! HOLY SMOKES!!!! This is basically my last year. In the beginning of 2015 I go home! It’s going by waaaay too fast! I’m sure the same thing that happened on Christmas will happen on New Years. TOOOONNNS of fireworks. Seriously the best experiences of my life. In the span of this year, I went through the temple, Started my mission, Lived in Provo, Greensboro, North Carolina, and Buenos Aires, Argentina. I’ve been yelled at, spat at, other stuff, and been attacked by dogs. I’ve eaten iguana, cow stomach lining and cow cheek, and trash fish. I’ve walked all day, knocked hundreds of doors, made friends with drunk guys and gangsters, learned SPANISH, Seen crazy stuff... but.... I’ve also seen lives change. I’ve helped the sons and daughters of our Heavenly Father, my brothers and sisters, find the true and everlasting Gospel. I’ve helped and invited many to the waters of baptism. I’ve. Fallen. In. Love. With. This. People.

Speaking of baptism, we had one this last Saturday! His name is Angel Alcaraz. It is such an amazing story. When I was with E l d e r  S t o c k i n g we found this less active family and started teaching them. They started coming back to church consistently and now one of the sons of the family is planning on serving a mission! That alone is enough, but there is more. One of the other kids just turned 9 and that means we could get involved. Angel means so much to me, and so does this family. I will always love them and hope that I can go through the temple with them someday. I just know that the Master is in this work. I know that he had me here in Lugano to help this family. An entire family has returned to the gospel... My heart is full. My companion just has one week in the mission so we had him baptize Angel. It was great! I love it!

And yesterday my companion and I and a few other Elders went to the mission home to eat lunch. We had COOKIE DOUGH and PULLED PORK Sandwiches!!!!!!! WOOWWWW!!!! I was just soaking it in. Love it!

I love and cherish my mission. I love my family. I know that we will live in heaven for the eternities. I love my Savior. The Master. I can’t do anything without Him.

“I would have followed you, my brother, my captain, my king.” –Boromir

Loves!  Happy New Years!

The Baptism!!!

Christmas Eve Lunch at the Misson Home

Christmas Dinner!  Hamburgers! 

Christmas Fireworks

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Argentina Heat Wave
Power Outage & Protests

News Stories

Blackouts, road blocks continue across City

Living on the dark side: twelve days without power

Political leaders remain far away from the hellish heat

Dellepiane, 25 de Mayo highways blocked by protests

Lugano neighbors lift Dellepiane picket, traffic turns to normal

Citizens are protesting in the streets and setting up roadblocks