This week has been great!

We have been working super hard this past week trying to get to know the members. We spent a lot of time going out on visits with members from our Ward to go visit less active families. It’s been great because now we know who they are and mas o menos what’s up in their life. We have been working a lot with the bishop and with our stake presidency.

On Tuesday morning, our stake president called us and told us to come over to his house to meet with him. He talked with us a lot about working with less actives and working together with the bishop. Our bishop is still pretty Young in the church and has a lot of things to learn but he is the most humble man I have ever met in my life. He told us to work as much as we can with him and we will havesuccess. He also talked to us about what kind of missionaries he expects us to be. He is the kind of stake president who if he doesn’t like what you are doing, the next change you are gone from that area. So he really takes control of what the missionaries are doing up here in Artigas. It’s been such a blessing to have a stake president that involved in the work and willing to go out with us. He counseled us on a few things, and then we went out to work. It was an awesome day.

We had a great district meeting and guess what! WE ARE GOING DOWN TO MONTEVIDEO TODAY! We have zone conference in Montevideo and we are all going to the temple. We are leaving in about an hour and a half. I am super pumped because I have never been in this temple down here because when I came into the misión, it was closed. So it will be the first time in about a year that I will go to the temple. The zone is super pumped!

We are still getting to know the area but the Lord always provides. Sorry i am not being too detailed, we have to go right about now. we are really short on time.

Artigas is honestly one of my favorite areas. Elder Owen is one of my favorite companions, we get along so good and we are always working hard and laughing. This change is such a blessing.

Well I want to leave you with a spiritual thought of sorts. It’s something that really struck me in our meeting with our stake president. He said that when we go to the homes of members or less actives, we aren’t there to invite them to church, or just make simple commitments, but rather we are there to invite them to come unto Christ. We are called to go visit these people and help them find their way back. As members, we have this responsibility to love these people and nourish their testimonies. A lot of the time, they just need a Little push. They need someone to show interest in their lives, their families, their struggles, their strengths, etc. As we go and visit them and encourage them, it wakes up their faith. It will draw them closer to Christ step by step. So my challenge for this week is so that you can go and ask the bishop, stake president, local leaders, etc, for people that you can go and help. Just a visit can make all the difference.

I know that the church is true. I know that the Book of Mormon is THE testament of Jesus Christ and of His Atonement. I know that Thomas S. Monson is a true prophet of God. Yo sé que hoy es el día. Let’s go out and work.

Try a Little bit harder to be a Little bit better!

I love you all! Go share your testimony!

Elder Staffieri