Monday, December 16, 2013

Missionaries Know the Answer


So - we will get to talk on Christmas day for sure - but to be honest, I don't know where we will be calling from or if we will be able to Skype.  A member told us that one of the local cybers will be open on Christmas that has webcams - but we'll have to check that out.

On Monday when we go to Resistencia it will just be a day trip.  We have to catch the bus at 4 in the morning to get there - but whatever works!  I don't know if I'll have time to email next week so don't be surprised if I don't.  I'm excited to see everyone.  President is just the man.  I seriously love him to death.  Super good guy.

As for my Christmas package - I don't think that I'll get it for at least another month or so.  And transfers are this week.  Today we're going to Sanez Pena and then tomorrow morning E. Humphries gets on a bus to Resistencia and will be on his way home.  I will be staying in Sanez Pena until my new companion arrives . . . so I'll probably work in a trio all day on Tuesday.  Then I'll pick up my new companion and head back to Villa on Wednesday.  If I do get transferred I will have to come back to Villa and get all my stuff - so let's hope I don't.

Haha!  You're jealous of this heat?  Just imagine that type of heat without AC.  Just count your blessings!  haha

So news for this week:

Monday:  Ther was a little hiccup with the policia here and they went on strike.  That being said, we weren't allowed to leave the pench all day on Tuesday and were required to come in early every day this week.  I'm a little bummed about it because we didn't get to work as much as we would have like to but when safety is your first priority . . .

Tuesday:  We had to stay in all day so we cooked up some empanadas and played some futbol!  E. Humphries kicked the ball over our wall and we had to go get it.  These huge dogs just about ate us!!  But is was a good day - kinda weird having 2 p-days in a row.

Wednesday:  We had lunch at the branch president's house.  Then we walked to Rosa's to see her but she wasn't home and told us to teach her sons since they were there.  We also met this super sweet lady named Rosana.  Her brother and mom are both members and she's just hilarious!  When we sat down with her and asked her if she had any questions for us she said, "you know, I really want to know why there are so many churches but only one God."  So we were like "Well, let us tell you!!!"  It was a great lesson and shw told us that she would come to church on Sunday.  We were a little disappointed when she didn't show up.  :(

Thursday:  We had to go find a child!  haha!  The sister's have this little girl who was getting baptized and we had to go do the interview.  We didn't know that she lived on the complete other side of Villa Angela - like 25 blocks away!  So when we finally got to her house, her brother said that she was at a friend's house - so being the persistent young men that we are - we went to find her at the friend's house.  They were there playing like 8 or 9 year old girls do - so while E. Humphries was doing the interview, I got to chat with one of her friends and I told her to guess how old I am.  She started to giggle and said "Ochenta!" (80) and I just sat there for a second and then said, "Wait! No way!?!"  She thought I was hilarious - or at least I think that she thought I was.  haha!  Funny gringo stories.

We ended up walking to the other side of the city to see the Monzon family and the mom asked us the same question that Rosana did.  She was like dumbfounded asking why there are so many churches - but luckily missionaries know the answer to that one.

Friday:  It was the best day of the week by far!  We went to Las Brenas to do another baptismal interview.  Long story short, on our way over there our collectivo broke down.  Yup.  Right in the middle of Argentina!  I have pics to prove it. 




So we ended up sitting there right in the middle of no where waiting for another collectivo.  On the bright side there were these 2 little kids that were probably 3 or 4 years old and were the cutest little kids ever!  One of the boys kept waking me up so I kept giving him pictures of Christ.  He would run to his mom and then come back for more.  It was pretty fun!

So when we finally got to Las Brenas we had about an hour to do the interview and get to the pench since we had to be in by 7.  Elder Taylor and I went to work while Deniston and Humphries went to do the interview.  So while Taylor and I were working we walked past this guy with only 1 leg and me, being the overly energetic missionary that I am I say, "Hola!  que tal, or como anda" to everyone I see!  So I decided to say "Como anda!" to this old man with one leg.  What I later realized it that "Como anda"  literally translates to "How's it walking?" and they take it is "How's it going?"  So I asked "How's it walking?" to a one legged man.  Cool . . .   After I realized what I said, we seriously spent the next 10 minutes cracking up about it. 

It was also E. Deniston's birthday so we stopped and bought his some dulces, alfajores and a Coke to celebrate.  We took some sick pictures and spent E. Humphries last weekend here with the ZL's.









I couldn't sleep that night and spent a lot of time thinking.  I think that since we'd been talking about Humphries going home and see his family it kinda made all of us feel pretty trunky.  I realized how much I love all of you and how much you all love me.  I thought about how often I neglected or didn't appreciate that love as much as I should have.  So I guess that I'm sorry - and thankful.  You guys really are the best.  Thanks for everything you do for me. 

Saturday:  We got up early to catch the 7 a.m. collectivo.  We had about 50 people on a 20 seater bus and since I'm a man and wear the name of Christ on my chest I ended up standing.  I was so tired!!!  But it was alright.  But right when we walked in our door, we got a call saying that the baptismal font had been running al night and that we had to go turn it off.  So we walked the mile and a half to the church to shut the water off and ended up draining, cleaning and refilling the font for Margerena's baptism. 

For lunch, we ate with the Gomez family and has some asada with them.  It was so good, probably some of the best steak I've had on my mission.  After our companion study we went to see Mercedes who told us she would come to church (she didn't) and then had to run to the baptism because we were the witnesses!

I was glad that we had to be home early that night.  :)

Sunday:  We went to church and it was great!  The district president came and told us that we need to find more men for this branch!  And it's so true - we need more good men everywhere!  E. Humphries and I took a Sunday nap and went to visit a few more people to finish up his missionary service.

It was by far one the craziest, hectic weeks of my mission.  But like always, you gotta bounce!

I love guys and I'm super pumped to chat with you on Christmas!  I'll be sure to find out what were going to do and let you know at some point.

Love you!
XOXOXOXOXOXO

Elder Harris

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