Familia:
Sorry it has been so long but its been a busy week and a
half. We have been working like crazy and enjoying every minute of it.
My last week in Argentina was soo awesome. Janet
got baptized on the 29th. She was so excited and was soo happy. She even came
to do service at the church with the branch a few hours before her baptism and
worked all the way up till when we changed. And on Sunday, elder Minert,
confirmed her a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and
gave her the gift of the Holy Ghost. There is no better way to leave an area.
That area is going to explode. There are more with baptismal dates and the
members are really excited!! I am going to miss that place a whole ton. Then on
Sunday, there weren’t any buses so I took a taxi into Paysandú (an hour and a
half ride in taxi) which cost a pretty penny. Got to Paysandú and then left at 4:30 in the morning on Monday. Got in at 9 and went to
work!
I have come to appreciate how much work the assistants in
the past have done. I didn’t really quite understand how much it was until I
got here. Ha-ha. My new companion is Elder Huerta from Santiago, Chile.
He is such a stud. We were buddies before I got here and I got to know him
pretty well when we were doing the charla fogoneras in salto and Artigas. He is
one of the best teachers I know and I am super excited to get the chance to
learn with him. We didn’t get that much of a chance to work in our area this
past week because we were in the mission home most of the week with the new
missionaries and the missionaries that were going home. I don’t think I have
ever gone to the airport so much in my entire mission. We went like 5 times in
3 days. But I feel so blessed because I have been learning sooo much from
president Smith. From the trainings he gives to the new missionaries, to the
counsel he gives to those who are going home, even in simple meetings we have,
it is always such an enlightening experience.
I had one of the coolest and most unique experiences of my
mission on Thursday. President Smiths daughter left on her mission on Thursday
and she was going to get set apart in their house that evening. Their stake
president only speaks spanish so president Smith asked me to translate it and
whisper it to her as she was getting set apart. It was so special for Elder
Huerta and I to be able to share that moment with the Smith family. The Spirit
was felt so strongly and I learned so much from their stake president. I am so
grateful to have such great local leaders and to know that they are truly
inspired and that they receive revelation for those who live within their
stake. It made me reflect back on when President Ham set me apart and I was
overcome with gratitude that there are men worthy to set young men and women
apart as representatives of Jesus Christ to share His Restored Gospel.
Well, yesterday was the first real day when we got to work
in our area and it was so awesome!! The people we are teaching are so
prepared!! Cerro is Zion!!
We are teaching a woman named Maria. Maria is 55 years old and has been
searching for the true church for years. She has been with about every church
that I have heard of but she told us that what she feels when she reads the
Book of Mormon has been so different and she feels like what we teach is true.
She is so smart and knows soo much. She is going to be a fantastic member of
the church. Also we taught a man named Hector. Hector actually contacted the
missionaries a few months back because he wanted to practice his english. He is
about 65 and knows a ton of english. The lesson we had with him was kind of
interesting. He brought brochures that he had in english and an envelope that
he had with guitar strings and asked me to translate them into spanish so that
he could learn. Ha-ha. Then after we talked a little bit about that we began to
read the Book of Mormon in English. He didn’t really seem to interested because
he believes that the Bible has all of the truth and that it is all we need to
be saved. We began to testify, in both english and spanish, of the truthfulness
and importance of the Book of Mormon. We explained what happened in the
apostasy and how simple truths were removed and/or changed from the bible but
that the Book of Mormon contains the fullness of the Gospel. We taught of the ministry
of Jesus Christ in the Americas
and of the prophets that He called to testify of His coming. It was awesome!!
Hector totally opened up! He began to ask questions and to become really
interested. It was kind of a long lesson, but it was worth it!
Today we had a great pday. We woke up early to go and have
personal study in this cool forest preserve that they have in Montevideo. Then went and explored Montevideo a little bit
and bought a ton of fruit in the street market for super cheap. Took some awesome
pictures. And tonight jerry (president’s son) is going to come out and work
with us. So we have to get going right now.
I love you all so much. Thank you for all you do and for all
of your prayers in my behalf. They are felt in a huge way.
Lets all try a little bit harder to be a little bit better!
Have a great week and share your testimony with all those
you can!!
Un abrazo grande,
Elder Staffieri
Elder Staffieri
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