Friday, July 11, 2014

June 23, 2014

This week has been so awesome! We have seen some miracles and the work is going awesome! I don’t know if I have ever said this but I LOVE ARTIGAS!! I have been blessed with a difficult area that just continues to blossom! Our area has completely changed over the past 4 and a half months and I am stoked to see how it will change in the next month and a half! This week has been such a blessing! 

Well first off, I have to say it because it changed everything this past week for all of Uruguay, VAMOS ARRIBA URUGUAY!! I don’t know how many of you saw the game this past week but it was awesome. We watched the game with our investigator, Jose and his friends. Jose is such a stud and loves fútbol maybe a little too much. The game was like an emotional rollercoaster. Ha-ha. He started out going nuts because they scored first against England and was talking about how they were going to win 3 to 0 and then after England scored, he was like "okay! That’s it! I am done! I knew that they weren’t going to do it! I don’t know why I even watch, they deserve to lose, I hope England scores 3 more!" ha-ha. Just being absolutely destroyed that they were tied. Then as time went on, Luis Suarez had a golazo towards the end y él se volvió loco!! ha-ha saying I never lost faith! I knew they would do it! vamos arriba uruguay!" and just yelling and screaming. Okay. Maybe we were yelling and screaming with him. But it was so awesome. As the final whistle blew, all of Uruguay erupted!! People were partying in the streets all night long. It was nuts. But it was awesome to have the game over there and to be able to share the gospel after. I think it helps people see us more normal when we share the passions that they have too. Something so little as a game of soccer can change so much how much people trust you. But we had a great experience with him and his family. 

But one of the main things that made my week so great happened when we were in a lesson with Tamara y Talia. We were talking about the temple and the blessings that come as we take steps towards the temple. She asked about some of the questions they ask in the temple interview. And explains how they were talking about it in Sunday school and how she just started working again to pay her tithing! WHAT A STUD!! She got a job so that she can be a tithe payer. And she is only 16. Elder Vasquez and I were just about speechless. She had stopped working because she had no time and she really didn’t need to. But then she went and found a job working at night taking care of an old lady. aahhh!!! She is so awesome!! She is one of the strongest youth we have in our ward and every time someone comes to church who is new, she always is the first one to go over and be their friend. So that was something that was awesome that happened this past week!

Another thing that happened is that we found another family to teach. Mari y German. It’s a mother and son. German plays soccer for the highest level team in Artigas. He is the only child of Mari. We found them by looking for an old menos activo. We went and he didn’t really want anything but we started talking to his sister (Mari) and her son. They are ex testigos de Jehová and they know a lot about the bible and everything. They were asking awesome questions and were really excited to know about the restoration and the spirit was really strong in that lesson. Another family! Answers to prayers!! Life doesn’t get much better than this!

Last night we had a great meeting with our bishopric because we were really concerned about the ward. It’s really hard for them because the bishop lives 100km away from the church, the first counselor works in Montevideo and only comes every 15 days, and the secretary works in taxi all day and is never available. So the second councilor was basically doing everything and they were just having some issues with communication. But we had a sweet meeting where we talked about all the difficulties we facing as a ward, studied the scriptures and preach my gospel, talked a ton, and they all kind of got over their differences and it was the first time we actually saw them working together!  We left the church on cloud 9 because we know that this will change the ward. We planned on having meetings weekly and talked about having more ward councils. We are soooo excited to see what happens in Barrio 4!

Everything seems to be looking up! We are so happy to be missionaries serving here. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not all sunshine and roses. There are so many challenges and difficulties that we are facing, but we are progressing! WE ARE PROGRESSING AS A WARD!!! Our areas are moving forward. We are finding new people! It seems that with every trial, there are blessings that come behind it! 

I know that the Lord gives us challenges and hardships because he knows that we are capable of overcoming them. It’s just a test. He tests our faith sometimes. Who knows why? Maybe it’s just a test. Maybe it’s to make us stronger. Maybe it’s to humble us. Maybe it’s to help us understand something better or to help us remember Him. But the important thing is to remember that they are moments of difficulty and that they will pass, and if we support them well, we will be blessed so much more, receive so much more than what we had before. I love that! The plan He has for us is so perfect. We just need to confide in Him and do all we can! AAHHH!! I love the mission! I love life! We are so blessed! How can we not share this with people? Everyone needs to know! Get out there and share your testimony! 

Well that is all the time I have! I love you all so much! Have a great week! Share the gospel! 

Let’s all try a little bit harder to be a little bit better! 

Un abrazo grande, 
Elder Staffieri




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