You don't realize how great things are...

Since I'm 2 weeks, I can tell I have a lot of work ahead of me but that doesn't really matter. because all I want to do is help people. The cost or how much work I have to do just doesn't matter. In the past it has, but now, idk its weird. I know we walk many miles a day, in burning heat, and my feet hurt, and my burnt foot hurts real bad some days, and the language has a LOT of work and things I need to work at, but it doesn't matter. Its all worth it when we find the people who are ready. The people who are ready to change there lives and grow closer to Christ. 

On pdays we just do laundry which takes a while (we have a very poor mans washer and no dryer) which makes it fun lol and we hacer compras (buy groceries) we take naps, write letters, hang out at home and relax. and yeah... that's pday for yeah. 

Something funny that's happened is people here don't have modesty haha like 3 times already in the middle of lessons a lady just starts nursing her baby hhahahaha way awkward and weird!! But we have to still look at her or its even more awkward when we just stare at her husband so we just focus very hard on her face lol and its common for people to answer the door 95 percent naked and yeah haha so it makes contacting and lessons exciting lol people always call us ¨Los Estudios Unidos¨ or how ever you spell it which just means United States, and yeah. The ward members are good.  Not sure what other stories you wanna know.


The answers to dad questions:
No, the zone leaders are from Mexico and America so only one was a native speaker. 

Breakfast we just eat cereal. Some nasty stuff but we put coco in it and it makes it better! yumm :) 
We eat with the same members every week on Sunday, Thursday, Tuesday, and Saturday! They stuff you full. Never in my life have I ate so much. Like its crazy. They don't accept that you've had 2 MASSIVE plates of food and your full. They don't care, they just don't ask and pile more food on and you have to eat it, so I've learned how to say ¨no thanks I'm full¨ very fast lol 

we walk everywhere!!!! haha I dream of bikes and cars and the water is okay to drink in my house. But in some areas you cant drink it. No I'm not losing weight, or its just turning into muscle ;) ha our ward has 50 or 60 people. I get to play the piano every sacrament meeting so that's good I suppose. We teach a lot during the week. Not sure how much. But a good number.  We spend our days studying till 12, lñunch till 1, working till 9 then we plan and sleep and we only take our service to one ward and no, I haven't gotten sick so that's a plus! ha 

Yes, I know that AP elder.  He's very good, didn't get to talk with him long but we´ve spent our time together, he is a good elder. But no, all sounds very good there. I'm sure its been fun hanging out with Tyler and all the cousins. Tell Krista I still expect a wedding invite ha no I don't need anything. P.S. I still haven't got your pouch mail if you've sent it. If not, no worries.

Also, I enjoyed dads story that was very good. Its the truth, God does work through us. 


No, all is well here with me. The best thing that's happened is that we had a baptism on Saturday!! WOOT WOOT! We have been working with a 9 year old girl and we got her in the water so that was great!   I loved it.  Also, we have been working with a couple, Martin and Antonilla and they both have baptism dates and a day to get married first. No one here is married. They just live together. They don't see a point in marriage its very frustrating.   The worst thing that has happened... hmm good question. Nothing bad happens to us. Well, I take that back haha but nothing that matters. 

Spanish is LOCO!!! haha actually people say I speak good and can understand very good for only 2 weeks in Argentina and my mission president told me in 3 months I would be very well off, which was nice to hear. He also said I spoke well. Its very frustrating at times that I can't understand or stuff but I don't care lol I love it here! 




I just smile a lot and it seems to work haha so that's good. 


The food here is way good!  I miss American food but the food here is great they have a weird eating schedule! The eat lunch (which is our dinner) so its a huge meal at like 1 to 2 then sleep (Called the siesta) from 2 to 5 (its the worst thing in the world because no one answers the door or will talk to us. It's not good for missionary work) and then they go back to work/play/school till like 10 then eat a small dinner (like our lunch) at like 10 at night! So we only eat lunch with members. 


Also a big difference is the little things. Like no water fountains at church or anywhere!!!! I hate it lol I miss being able to drink cold water at church or around town. You don't realize how great things are till there gone and other things. 




But no, Argentina is great and I like it a lot! 

Much love

Quinton

When In Argentina...

No, I didn't stay at the mission home and I haven't meet the president yet lol but I will Wednesday because we have zone conference ha when I got here he was off on a trip doing something or something so idk.

Its a good 50/50 split with natives and Americans so that's fun. Yes, my comp is an American and I like him. We get along well. 

Tell mom I didn't serve with that elder, sorry. The only elder did but I know of her son. I ate lunch with him the first day there.

Argentina... wow, its crazy!   But that's good that yall got to do a fun trip in Denver recently. But yeah Argentina is great. 

We have a good size teaching pool that were working with. A big problem here is people don't get married.  They just live together so not only do we have to get them baptised we also have to get them married which is a whole different ball game to play ha but its fun. 

Living conditions are very different here. I live in probably one of the nicer houses in the area, but compared to America it would be looked at as a poorererer house. 

Next week I'll upload and send pictures on the computer of the area and the house. 

But my Spanish is getting better. I mean I cant speak very good at all ha but i can get my point across and the natives are way cool people.  They are always so nice and help me, its funny.

umm... what else to tell you. We have a baptism this Saturday so that's exciting!

My address is this so post this on my thing....

 

Elder Quinton Perkins

Misión Argentina Bahía Blanca

Chacabuco1755

(8000) Bahía Blanca

Buenos Aires

Argentina

 

ummm lets see what else... Oh they do a thing here call a besa where the girls like kiss you on the cheek haha that was way weird the first time it happened cause I didn't know what to do! haha but most members know we cant do it we can only shake hands so members don't do it much but nonmembers or contacts do it haha and yeah its different.   It's weird when like girls in there 20´s or teens do it though. but oh well when in Argentina do as they do. But i try to stick out my hand first so they cant do it.  

i like it here! The work is going so yeah that's good. All is well love y'all!

MTC Pictures

Santa Rosa Argentina

Click here for the Santa Rosa Argentina Website

So I forgot to bring my address to give to you but all mail we get goes to the mission home.  So.... if you know that address(possibly in my mission book) put it up on stuff. 

Argentina wow.. .haha boy it is very crazy here. Dogs everywhere! I cant believe it haha but they don't bother anyone so that's good. I wouldn't want to kill a dog!  

I got bit by something while I was sleeping and my hand is like 3 times the size, kinda cool but weird.   So lets hope it goes away fast!  

The people drive here like.... I don't even know what but its an experience haha they just hit the gas, and honk.  And I mean, wow, I don't even know how to explain it.  The lines on the road, stop signs, signs, or anything else doesn't matter. All that matters is what the driver decides he wants to do haha crazy cray crazy!  But I love it. 

We don't have much time today, we have stuff to do but I like it here lots! I will give more details next time. 

But my comp is Elder Washburn and I like him a lot! I don't understand anything, and I had to give a talk in church my first Sunday here, way crazy!! 

But the people are so sweet!  Like I've never seen anything like it. They are an amazing group of people. So nice and kind and I love them!  anyways... 

OH! and they eat weird here.  So thats different.  Like different times of the day! 

I have to email President so I'll write more next week. 

Love you all, try to put my address on the blog or Facebook but probably both if you have it. If not ill give it to you next week.

Elder Perkins!

Okay so a tad more... ummm my Spanish is not very good haha I mean I can talk and all but its very tough to understand


Tell everyone I said hi. 


I went to a ward members house and they fed us spaghetti and wow it destroys all American stuff haha sooo goood. I love the food here its way good. And no tomatoes so far!! woot woot! 




Well,  lets hope I don't swell up and die from it haha but I love Argentina! we had to wash our clothes here and we have these neat little washer machines and yeah way weird. And we have no dryer and it just like shakes the water out of the clothes but its fun!


I like speaking Spanish it's very fun.  I cant do it very well but everyone tells me I can speak good. The problem isnt speaking cause I can spit out enough so they understand me, the problem is understanding!   haha 
When I listen to people talk that are natives I understand nothing haha its bad. But its fun.  Its like a game to see if I can understand.  So yeah. Very interesting! But yeah I like it here lots!!! All is well in Zion. 


I live in a nice house, your gonna have to combined all these emails together, but my house is nice. Its so hot!  I literally sweat 24/7!!!   It's crazy!   Like I'm always sticky and yeah it's gross!    But its sooo hot!   so that's also fun to deal with  but its better than cold!   I love it here!!!


ha oh mom, we have no money for fans... but good thought! And no`plugs near our bed for the fan lol 


of course it was all Spanish!!! the people here don't know English lol your funny. And testimony/my choice, it was fun! 


No, my comp is the District leader and we live with the zone leaders. So I learn lots and they teach me and we all get along very well so that's good. No I can't say an English word when I don't know the word in Spanish. Then I look dumb and the people don't like it.  So no, I just try to talk around it, or make up a word hahaha my comp is way cool though.   We are doing good work here. 


(I then asked him, what city in Argentina he was sent to...)
Santa Rosa, it's a cool area. Very neat place!


Elder Perkins

He's there!

Hello family Perkins, I am just e mailing you to let you know that your son is safe, and in his 1^st area.  He will e mail you Monday and tell you more, but he is safe, and happy.

Élder Mikesell

Secretario

Misión Argentina Bahía Blanca

VISA came through! On my way to Argentina

VISA CAME THROUGH!

its bitter sweet because i don't want to leave the people here but that's okay.

I'm flying out of Missouri Friday morning, so today at 4 (Wednesday) I'm driving up there and will stay with President for the last day till I fly out. SO ITS VERY IMPORTANT THAT YOU POST MY ADDRESS FOR ARGENTINA ON FB AND MY BLOG! I'm telling everyone to look for it today that way they can send stuff there rather than to me here.   So here's some things

1. My address for the mission home should be in the book that came with my mission call. If not there look it up or call the MTC and they can give it to you and post that on FB and my blog today please!!

2. I'm giving my comp some stamps and an envelope so that way any mail that comes to me after I'm gone he can mail it home to you, and then you can take it and forward it to me. so be looking for that!

3. DON'T FORGET!

 

Love you very much, thanks for all that you do! 

And ill be calling you Friday morning from the airport, and possibly tomorrow night if President lets me or something. 

Love you!

Don't forget about the address! 

LOVE YA!

Don't Worry Quinton...I've Got Your Back!

So this week was a good week.

The two people we have on date are doing very good. So I'm very excited for that! The area is slowly starting to pick up. We have really been pushing to get more people to teach and we think we have a good game plan for this week. However, my comp and I are leading the zone, number wise so that's good. Before I got here we were dead last in the zone so that's good. People notice us, also that means the members are starting to trust us more and hopefully that means referrals! Missionary work is soooo hard without those. So family, give the ELDERS IN OUR WARD SOME NAMES!!!

Funny story! You know how ever Elder has a funny pooping themselves story? Yup, well I had mine! hahahah here we go: (And no this is not at all an stretch of what happened. It was the worst possible thing ever. )

(Quintons Mom has deleted the story!! : )

Needless to say it is hilarious and totally embarrassing! I will let him retell it when he gets home! He likes to gross me out!!)

So that was my crazy story this week. Anyways other than that, yes, I got the letter you sent me today. So that was very good!

But all is well here. No news on the Visa or anything but the members feed us good. So that's nice. And of course I'm very thankful for it because when we don't have a dinner its the worst thing ever!

OH!!! Can you send me a band that says "CTR" on it? The 11 year old boy loves wearing those so I figure for his baptism I would give him a CTR one so try to send me one of those before the 17th!

Anyways... I liked getting the notes from Conner, money and Kellie and Morgan and Tyler those were good! Sounds like all is well at home.

Keep doing whats right, and be good.

Something I've found on my mission is that the Gospel really does bring true happiness.

Like sitting in church I've never really felt the Spirit until I got in the field. I thought people were crazy when they said they can feel it during church. But it's because I wasn't trying to listen or feel it.

If you seek it out you will find it! Literally ALL of sacrament meeting I sit there and pray and pray and pray for my investigators that are there that they will feel the Spirit and be touched.

And that's when I feel the spirit the most comforting me saying "Don't worry Quinton, I'm the Holy Ghost bro, I've got your back on this one".

Well, not in those words haha but same concept.

Anyways,

Love you all!

Quinton

aka Elder Perkins

Some Good Work

It's always a happy day on P-Day! I love them! They are probably the best thing ever! They are a much much much needed break! Anyways I had a very good week!

So the area hasn't had any baptisms for like 5 months, and they generally teach 5 lessons a week. HORRIBLE! So this week boy have I been pushing to do some good work! Cause I found when you waste a mission day, you tend to hate your mission. But when you spend all your time working the days fly by and you love it! So I push my comp. haha

Anyway, this week we commited 2 investigators to baptism on the 17th of March! haha I am so excited! After we got in the car and they closed the door I starting shouting for joy! haha I never realized how excited I would be when I see people accept the gospel! So I'm way pumped! Hopefully my VISA doesn't come before then and I can be here for their baptisms!

One lady has a way cool story about how she has been getting all these "signs" from God to find a religion and all sorts of things have happened and then we showed up on her door. And before she hasn't let missionaries teach her, but we got in and BAM! 1st lessons baptism! She came to church yesterday and she is a golden investigator! She's read half the BOM in 2 days! I love it!

The other is an 11 year old boy (mom is a member) and he really wants baptism and I'm impressed about how much he knows! So that is very good! So I'm excited for them too!

Yesterday we had 3 investigators at church with us and in the past the area has been lucky to get 1 a month. So the field is white. Someones just gotta work at it! So hopefully the Ward will get fired up about the investigators and give us referrals! (or how ever you spell it).

Last night we got a call from the zone leaders and they talked to me for a minute about how much I've impacted the area since I've been here for 9 days and how they see the change in the work effort and the numbers and the new investigators and stuff so that was nice to hear. But all is well here! This week has gone by fast! And its almost MARCH! crazy huh?

Sounds like you had a very good trip on the cruise and dad and the kids have been staying busy with stuff! So thats good!

If you send me my memory card for my camera I will send you the other one I have now of my new comp/ area/ everything! So whenever you want pics send that to me!

My spanish is getting better and I'm doing a very good job at keeping up on it! I speak it all the time and during comp study I do it all in spanish (my comp doesn't like it but I have to in order to keep up on it!) so yeah... hahaha not a whole lot is knew!

Love

Quinton

Kansas??

So turns out the mission goes all the way down into Kansas so right now i am in Derby Kansas! haha crazy huh?

I love being in the field though its tight. The area is a poorer, much more run down area, and is struggling big time! Our numbers for last week were 0 baptisms, 0 new investigators, and pretty much 0 for everything else. But that is gonna change with me and my companion! hahaha

I hate just sitting in the apartment, and just walking around trying to find something to do. Oh, also they don't schedule ANY return visits they just drop by. So that is changing. I'm really pushing my comp. He has been out for a little over a year and he is a quiet guy, but good. I feel like I'm the senior comp right now to be honest. I really run the show. He never wants to do much so I make sure we go out and see people. So far we already have a few lessons planned, one lady committed to church and stuff like that. The area is ready to be harvested the Elders just drop cut it down. BUT I'm changing that hahaha

The first day I got here (Friday night) I was with the AP's and we went around and taught some people. Its way weird teaching in English when I just spent 9 weeks teaching in all Spanish. During one lesson I forgot the word "Word of Wisdom" haha and just said the Spanish word for it so that was funny.

But yeah... Anyway, we knocked on a door, (2 people answered who were totally drunk) and were yelling at us, and I loved it haha so I kept letting them yell at us and then I was like "well let us come in, share a message with you and we will see what you think after" and they let us in!! hahah there was literally no way they were gonna let us in. But anyways, we taught them somethings, answered their questions and then set up a return appointment. Then afterwards the AP's were like "Wow Elder Perkins you are one bold Elder" haha so that's good. My comp even said that to me yesterday about how I don't care what anyone says, I just teach the message I feel like I need to say. So that was nice of them to say.

OH! So we found one lady yesterday (my comp didn't want to go out, but I convinced him we had to) and we knocked on a door of a lady (who the Elders before could never get a hold of) and surprisingly she answered the door and we started talking with her and she let us in, and she talked with us for about 45 minutes and really opened up and told us all these things she has been through. Then (since my comp doesn't ever talk and is shy) I just started teaching her and he joined in and we got her number (which she wouldn't give anyone before) a return appointment and she committed to come to church so we go see her tomorrow.

Its crazy how if your willing to work, people will listen. So that's what has been going on here!

My address is:
3951 South Ellis #4
Wichita Kansas
67216

Sounds like y'all have been busy with the road show, with your party trips, with Conners foot and all that other crazy stuff that's been happening! But good, staying busy is always good!

I'm not sure if I'm going to go get another suit. I'll probably just run this one dead until I leave then get a new one once I get there. So that's the plan for that. The members are great here. We have dinner with them every night so that's great! I love being out of the MTC and doing what I want and working with real people!

Anyways... My comp is English speaking so I get an extra hour each day for language study so hopefully I won't lose it! The Zone leaders here are Spanish speaking so they said I'll go on splits with them lots to work on Spanish so that's good.

But all is well in ZION! and this time I can actually say I'm really in Zion ;) hahahah well in the mission that Has Zion in it!

New Assignment in America

from Mom:

Quinton emailed and then was able to call home on Thursday!

He sounds so good...and very happy! I just love that boy!!

Anyway, with a change in consulates the missionaries going to Argentina have not received their visas. There was a change in consulates and they only come to the MTC every 6 weeks to sign paperwork. They came on Monday, I think, so the Elders could sign paperwork.

SO, the Elders in Quintons district were given a new temporary call to different places in the US for the next 6-8 weeks while waiting on their visas.

Quinton and one other Elder were assigned to Independence Missouri for two months.

He was in very good spirits about it and I reminded him to pray about this call and know he is needed there for a short time!

His call last night was a short 5-6 minutes and then he was able to call from the airport this morning. He flew to Missouri this morning.

He was very excited to leave the MTC and get to work. He said it was great but he was just ready to leave. It has been 8 weeks!!

He is going to be a great missionary, I am so thankful he is so happy!!

Marti

I'm so happy!

hey hey hey!

So this week was rough! Ill start with all the loads of Bad news that happened!

First, we didn't get our VISA,,, so today or tomorrow I get a new mission call and I'll get reassigned somewhere in America for 1-2 months and then ill be shipped down to Argentina. So that will kinda be good.

Lots of other stuff happened that I had to deal with that I wont go into but ya... crazy week! I had 3 different talkings with 3 different teachers (Like pretty high up there teachers not just average ones) about how everyone in the district respects and looks up to me and they told me all these problems everyone is having and its now my job to fix them! YAY! ha ha but that's okay because It keep my day fun lol So that's always fun to do i guess.

Anyways... So today or tomorrow I should get "new" travel plans and a new destination for the first 2 months in the field. So that will be fun. I just mailed a letter home with some stuff so be looking for that. It has my camera card!

:) By the way... I'm all out of Mountain Dew, Please send more! NO DIET! The regular stuff works great!

Everything fits good. I'm up 15.6 pounds from when I got here . But boy do I make it look good haha you'll see in pics.

All is wel!! l reply to your email later!

LOVE YA!

well Kellie looks good with her braces off! just make sure shes not kissing on a whole bunch of boys now ;)

So as you know from the email I sent dad this week has been very tough. i don't know why, but everyone turns to me to fix their problems. I get pulled out of class just about every day and have a sometimes short (10min) or long and hour meeting with the resource teachers (the people over our zone, all returned missionary's) about how whats the new issue and how I need to help solve it! ha its crazy!

And then with all the visa problems and then at lunch we got yelled at for being loud for a solid 30 minutes, our temple walk got canceled, in church we just got lectured for 2 hours. I mean everything that could of gone wrong did this week! But the funny thing is, is that it doesn't matter. I'm so happy (even though its been so hard) I love the work and I wouldn't do anything else other than this. Its great to know that no matter how hard things get or how sucky things are, the gospel makes it all better!

i love it!

Anyways, ill let you know when i get my next call somewhere in America!

Love ya!

Best Missionary Ever! (He's always been so Humble!)

MORGAN!!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! I LOVE YOU SOO MUCH! I HOPE EVERYTHING IS GOOD AND HAVE A WONDERFUL BIRTHDAY!!!! HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! ILL SEND YOU A PRESENT THIS WEEK!!!!

FROM

QUINTON :)

No, I don't need a driving record no one has asked so I doubt ill need that but sure you can send it. I loved the package! It gave me lots to do and the yo-yo was my favorite haha its a hit at the CCM!

Nothing really new to report this week! I'm sending a package to you with some stuff. So be looking out for that.

But I'm up to 13 pounds at the CCM! Yeah buddy! But I make it look good you can bet that. :)

no I'm eating good food! I just get 3rds for every single meal I eat here haha but I make it work and the other problem is I just sit down in a class all day except for a 50 minutes gym period. So that's part of it. But I'm sure I'll loose it all when I get down to Argentina!

Saturday after we taught a lesson my teacher said "That is the best Law of Chasity Lesson I have ever had at the CCM before. Good Work." So... apparently I'm good at teaching the Law of Chasity hahaha and she cried during it because she felt the spirit so strong. I would say that i guess I'm the best missionary to ever come out of the CCM!! hahaha jk well maybe partly...

Seeing Tyler was great this week. He looked like he had lost a lot of weight and smaller, but he still looked good! So that was fun to see him. It was nice to get a lil boost during the week and it will help me survive the last 15 days I have here!

I really cant wait to go to Argentina!!!!! It will be great!

I lOVED Morgans pictures! I enjoy getting those of everyone and the family. She is Getting OLD!!! But yeah... Ill email y'all later. I have to go take my wonderful P-Day Nap and do laundry! haha Love ya!

Oh! Did you get to see my little Spanish clip I recorded for Tyler? I didn't really know what y'all wanted to hear so I started teaching the 1st lesson and then realized y'all don't care about that and stopped... DearElder.com me what you thought about that! See if Dad remembers any Spanish!

anyways.... only 2 weeks left! woot woot! I don't know what CCM means... you'll have to google that one. The Super Bowl info was great! haha I'm very glad the Giants won! That brings a smile to my face!

love ya fam! Good work on the blog!

Elder Quinton