Well hello from Argentina....I have noticed that when I write things
I cannot spell. I've never been able to spell but now that I'm always
thinking in Spanish I tend to put Spanish letters (sounds) rather than
English so that's wild ha but anyway... yall will have to use the
Spirit to read it I guess... anyway I'll start by telling yall about
my week.
It has been a rough one! yay! haha those are always the best... this
week we for some reason just have not had success... we found a total
of 4 new investigators which stinks, we had one at church... which
stinks... we had no baptisms this week which is as bad as sinning!
so needless to say its just been a long week. HOWEVER! We did divisiones his week with 2 men in our ward and that was the best! I had 2 super super good experiences that I will now share with you.
Experience 1
So I was with a man named D and he just got reactivated 5 months
ago and is struggling a lot. So as were walking I tell him ¨someone on
this street is ready to hear the gospel right now¨ (but I tell that to
everyone) so that was nothing different and I tell him to follow the
Spirit and pick a house to knock. So he picks one and we knock the
door. The man shut the door as fast as he opened it ha he didn't want
anything. So D was a bit bummed but I said ¨bien, vamos a trater
de nuevo¨ aka (good, we are going to try again) so the next house he
picked was the nieghbor of this guy. We knock the door and a lady
opens it. We give are little intro and start talking to her and she
told us she wants nothing to do with us, to leave, and no church can
solve her problems, and she woud rather talk to a therapist. So I
start just talking to her and she would answer my question but kept
telling us to leave. (little did she know I am called of God and I was
not going to leave). So I just start talking to her more. And she
kept saying things like ¨your 19 years old, you don't know what I know,
you are from America you don't understand, nothing can help me, just
leave, I don't want your help, I will never listen to you, no church is
true, no church has helped me in the past, and lots of things like
that. So the member gives her a card and tries to end it. Little did
he know I wasn't done haha So I just start going. I really have no idea
what I said, but all I know is it worked. I just kept bearing a simple
testimony for example ¨I know I don't know much, but I know I can
answer every single problem you have¨ or ¨the only reason I am here is
because I know the church I represent is true and I know how to change your
life for the better¨. So I would say a simple statement like that then
we would stand there in silence and we would just stare at each other.
Eye to eye for a good 30 second. Then every time she would say ¨no
thank you, it can't help me, please go¨ and every time I would just
stare at her then say another simple powerful testimony and then we
would begin to stare while I awaited her reply and we would repeat. So
this went on for a good 20 minutes in her doorway. Each time she would
bring up a different doubt and I would shoot it down so fast with a
simple testimony. Then she said something (not sure what) and I just
start talking. I remember saying this, ¨lady, it's not important what
your problems are, it's not important what has happened to you in the
past, it's not imporart... it's not important I'm only 19, but what is
important is I know that our church is the only church of God. I know
without a doubt you can change your life for the better and solve all
your problems through Christ and our message. I know this to be true
and I know that God exists (she was athiest) and there is life after
this. Then we stared eye to eye for a good solid 2 minutes and you
could just see her face melt and she said ¨fine, I'll read your pamphlet
(the plan of salvation one) I'll mark all my questions in it, and when
you come back we will talk and I'll listen¨ AHHH!!! I was so glad! She
has had so many problems and I know she felt the Spirit and I can't
wait to go back to her house this week! We have a cita with her this
Friday I think or Saturday. So that was super cool to feel the Spirit
so strong and watch it change her.
Experience 2
That same night we went to visit E and J and only E was
there so we start talking to her and a guy was in the house. He was
leaving but asked her for a cig and she pulled one out and gave it to
him. And I was thinking ¨it's time to change our lesson plan from Plan
of Salvation to Smoking¨. So we prayed and right after the prayer I
said ¨E, go get all your cigs and give them to me right now¨. She
looked at me and said ¨No¨. I sat there and thought "don't you tell me
no. I know whats best for you." She had just been baptized but started
smoking again. So I start just tearing it down about smoking and how she doesn't need it. The Spirit was super strong and I started talking about how she needs to be an example for her son (who also got baptized) and she started crying and
the Spirit was way strong and I look at her in the eyes and said ¨Go
get your cigs and give them to me right now¨ and without saying more
than ¨okay¨ she got up and got them and gave them to me!!! But it was
cool to see the Spirit change her heart from a strong firm ¨No I will
not give them to you¨ to ¨okay¨ and she did!!!
So those were my 2 cool experiences that happened to me! They were
both super good. Other than the fact E is smoking again but I know
she will stop. We just got to stay on her.
OH! So a guy in our ward owns a bread/donut shop and everyday
we pass by he gives us all the donuts and bread we want fresh! I LOVE
IT!!! hahaha best thing in the world! I also got your package! It was
very good! I loved everything and the horse and football are growing
in water as we speak. haha The camera is wonderful! It's great and all
the photos and videos were very good. Thank you! And yeah in the next
one... uhhhh idk!
Another week has gone by living the dream!
I love it here! WOOT!
we eat lots of stuff I'll tell you about that next time. Elder Garrision (Zone leader way cool) cuts my hair and I cut his.
Till next time!
Love
Elder Perkins :)
no, I havent got sick. I am a man... I'm actually way suprised that I
haven't gotten sick. Most all Americans do within the first 3 months
and I'm past that and still nothing! So that's great! And the food we
eat is like Pastas, Stew ( but called Giso o Gizo) google it, and
google Argentina bbq we eat that too. Called Asado and yeah... lots of
noodles and bread. We eat bread with every single meal. They just put
a lot of loafs of bread on the table and everyone rips off a piece and
you have your fork in one hand and bread in the other ALWAYS! haha
OH! Taylor wants you to forward my emails to her... she said that in a
dear elder... also have her check her dear elder account because she
has sent me the same dear elder 5 times... like every week.... so yeah
ha
ps. I can't email avery anymore (another rule we just got) so forward
him this through his mom
p.s. dont have to much fun going wild these next few weeks with all
your partying and going crazy.
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