HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Well... There will be lots of new things to explore this new year. I got transferred! I am now here in San Cristobal 2 and... I´m a daddy again! I´m going to finish my last 6 weeks training Elder Bustos from Viña del Mar, Chile! He is a stud and I can´t wait to get started teaching him all that I know. That means I´m not a Zone Leader anymore, just livin´ the dream as a Senior Comp. SWEET! As for the area, it's all super big buildings and cars and people walking fast like you imagine big cities to be like. It's absolutely nothing that I´m used to, but I´m really looking forward to getting to know my area better and working hard. Oh, and did I mention that Elder Bustos is a KILLER singer? He sings way too good. AND he can speak English really well! NICE!

This last week was just great! On Christmas, we were able to go to the Chacon family's house for dinner and we had asado. So delicious. Elder Costa taught me a little bit of the Samba and we all just had a blast! I was just trying to soak in my last Christmas here in Argentina. The next day I was able to talk to the Fam Bam and that was pretty crazy as well. Everybody jam-packed into a room just having a ball. Oh, and the day before Christmas we also had a Christmas party as a mission and it was so much fun! We just had the time of our lives and Elder Smith was there to chill with me.

Saying goodbye to the Soldati ward was tough for me. So many good-hearted people that helped us so so much in the work of salvation. It wasn´t always rainbows and dandelions, but they made it all worth it along with those that decided to take the step of baptism. Luisa was really hard to say goodbye to. She has been such an amazing person and her change of heart and way of thinking has been incredible. She promised that the 7th of September she is going to enter the temple to receive her endowments and she wants me to be there for it. I certainly hope I can pull some strings to be there for it. What a special decision and what a beautiful gift.

This is the Lord's Church. There is NO DOUBT in my mind that I was called by a Prophet of our God to come to Buenos Aires Norte on a mission and preach to all that would hear. Come what may, there is Always an amazing spirit. And I will never forget that. This is the truth.

Anyways, Love all y´all! See ya next week!

Livin´ the DREAM!

Feliz Navidad!

My Son, Elder Gines!
Kellogg's Sugar Frosted Flakes or Frosties
"Zucaritas" in Argentine Spanish translates as "Sugaries"
Tony the Tiger: "They're Gr-r-reat!"

Christmas Eve with the Mission

Elder Bustos

CHRISTMAS DAY SKYPE

Merry Christmas!

So I am having a crazy day. Haha, but here is the thing... I was just sitting here minding my own business in my missionary world and my trainer ELDER SMITH walks in the cybercafe with his normal clothes on. Holy cow, it was so crazy. Hahaha, I missed the crud out of that guy. It's a bummer, he was gonna play soccer with us today, but we don't have p-day until Christmas. Ha. But man...

As for the week, it was pretty sweet. I went on two divisions this week. First off with... my MTC companion Elder Engebretsen and once again, I went to his area. And so we got to catch up driving around in the mission car through Buenos Aires. It was for some reason super sentimental for me. But anyways, it was a fun division. We worked hard and talked a lot. In the morning, we went for a run and ran to a river and watched old guys fish for a bit. It was so cool.

Then we did divisions and I went to Soldati 4. The giant monoblocks. Anyways, we went crazy talking to people. At one moment we ran out of things to do and we were standing their looking for members in the list and I saw a lady standing there with her daughter. Act with faith time! So I went up and started talking to her and she turned out to be golden! She came to church with her family and are preparing for baptism this upcoming week! Oh, by the way I did the divisions with Elder Gobilard from Bolivia. He is an amazing Elder.

As for our peeps... Miguel, Yanina, and Miguel's little brother came to church and they really liked it! Hopefully they get the support from the rest of the family and get baptized this Sunday. Miguel looks just like a missionary. He came in a suit and everything and I gave him my plaque for a second. Haha, members asked, "do we have a new Elder in the ward?" Oh, and at church another ex-missionary came to church, Elder Larson. When I got here, he was the Assistant to the President! So yeah, I have seen two ex-Elders this week and it's the weirdest feeling ever. Haha.

Well, that's about it for right now. Love all yáll and see some of ya on Christmas! YEAH!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Elder ?, Felix, Elder Engebretsen, Yo, Elder Smith
August 30, 2013

Aloha!

Anyways, just livin´ the dream here in Zion-dati! Haha! It was a crazy week, but some pretty awesome things happened! Not only that, but there is only 10 days until Christmas! WHAT!? Haha, so let's see here...

On Tuesday, we did divisions and I stayed in my area. Elder Lopez from Argentina came over once again and it was good. Elder Costa always goes wild on divisions in other areas and so it really helped them. Then later we were thinking on how we could think outside of the box to help the zone find people to teach and baptize! And so, with the permission of President we organized a giant divisions day in the zone where people from wherever go with whoever to teach (obviously, not mixing Elders and Sisters). I went to Almagro with Elder Walton and it was such a blast. It was all city and big buildings, so it was nothing like any of my other areas, but I really enjoyed it. We talked with everyone and taught lots. The best part was the miracle Angelica. She was a referral a member gave us that day, so we went and contacted her and she was such a sweet lady! She accepted baptism for the 27th of this month and yesterday went to church. I was so happy to be a part of so many awesome things.

As for our area, with all the investigators we had, we realized that none showed true progression or sincere desires. We made the decision to drop them for a bit and act with faith... And that's when we found Miguel! Haha, yep another Miguel. He is 19, but looks like 25. And he is a way sincere kid that wants to know truth. We met his prima Yanina that is 15 and she said she wanted to go to church with him. So they both came and are going strong to be baptized the 27th of this month. An awesome Christmas gift for me to be honest.

Let the Lower Lights be burning!

A family home evening yesterday!

Elder Walton and I

Another of Walton and I ¨planning¨

"Move Forward With Faith"

He is the Gift

This was a wild week! HEY! HI! Well, last week we spent our p-day with some Elders from Elder Gines' zone and we rented a big field to play soccer and a member from our ward fixed us Carne Asado for lunch. It was super awesome and I was super beat afterwards. Today, since it's ferriado (holiday), we will be getting together at our chapel to play more soccer and another member will be making everyone asadoooooooooo! YEAH! Anyways... here is the week...

IT WAS HAWT AGAIN! Almost all week. So that was pretty crazy. Lots of water. But first and foremost, we were heading home one day in Premetro (don´t really know how to explain it) and a guy was sat there with a shirt... but not just any shirt... it was a... BOISE STATE SHIRT! I haven´t seen one of those in literally years! haha! So I went and started talking to him. Turns out his uncle lives in Idaho! So that was a neat random happenstance this last week.  ps... Go Broncos in the Fiesta BOWL!

As for Paula and Luciana. Paula couldn´t make it to church, but her daughter Luciana went! We are going to do all we can to prepare her for this Sunday to be baptized. She lives right next to a family of 5! Pia, Andrea (the parents...they are married!), Guillermo, Sabrina, and Camila are an amazing family. We found them this last week and they all went to church! We are trying to help them work towards baptism and do it before the end of this year! LET'S GO! SO awesome.

And it just so happens that Pia has a brother that lives next door to him and he has come to church with his lady friend 2 weeks in a row now! And yesterday we got his unsocial son to come too! YEAH! We talked about marriage and Jose (that's his name...) said ¨That's the right thing to do¨. So if all goes well they could be baptized before the end of this year! YEAH!

Everybody is doing really well. My comp and I are still livin´ the dream and we just love our area. I´ll be bummed when I leave. Anywho. Love all y´all! Sorry it's short, but I gotta run! Loves!

LIVIN THE DREAM!

We combined Elder Gines' zone with mine last p-day

to play ball and eat food. ;)

Elder Costa (skinny guy), Elder Solis, and me. :)

Throw back from last Christmas!

He is the Gift