Another Week in Argentina!

Hola Amigos and Familia!

Well like all my weeks here in Argentina I had another great week here! Unfortunately I don´t have any crazy stories to share this week! It was a pretty low key week as far as the mission field goes! 

Mario was not baptized this week, because of some things that came up! So we are hoping that things will work out this week! 

We have found some new people to teach though one of them is a lady named Daniela she is in her late 20´s and has a almost 2 year old baby girl. She is super nice, and loves her baby so much. About a year ago when she was still pregnant her husband passed away. So she has really loved the Plan of Salvation and it has been amazing to watch her realize that there is hope. She is only seperated from her husband for a short time, and that they will have the opportunity to be together again! 

This week we also are starting to see some results in our work with some less-active, and in-active families. It is so exciting to walk into the chapel and see some of these families who are great people, but just have forgotten the peace, and love that comes from having the Gospel of Jesus Christ in their lives. And to get to play a small role in helping these people remember is a really neat blessing! 

This week I went on my first companion exchange! Elder Garcia stayed in Villa España and I headed off to Quilmes! Now for those of you who are familiar with where I am from it is like the drive from Buckeye to Goodyear! I worked with Elder Thayne my Zone Leader and had a great time! Him and I are very similar, we were both student body president, he did all kinds of stuff in high school his family is the kinda cowboy type, and he loves country music! As much as I love my Peruvian it was so nice to be able to talk with someone who knew where I was coming from on everything! I learned alot in my 24 hours with Elder Thayne so I am pretty grateful for the opportunity I had to work with him! (And the Zone Leaders have an awesome apartment! 11 stories up! The only scary thing was a two weeks before the other elevator fell from the third floor! YIKES!)

I had my second interview with President Thurgood this week, and it was nice to get to know him just a little bit better! He is such a great man, and I am thankful to have him as a mission president! He said that chances are I would be staying here in Villa España for the next transfer (6 weeks) to finish out my training, so I was excited to hear that! So it looks like I will be here for christmas! Which in Argentina is really different! For one last year it was about 120ish degrees with over a 100 percent humidity! Usually it is the worst day of the year as far as weather goes! And they don´t decorate and just drink beer all day! lol should be a blast! ;) 

OH I ALMOST FORGOT!! On Saturday we are headed to hear Elder Jeffery R. Holland of the Quorum of the 12 Apostles speak!! I AM SO EXCITED!! He has the best missionary talks and this is only going to be the Buenos Aires North, South, and West Missions! So all missionaries! So next weeks letter should be a good one! 

Overall another great week! Love you all! Until next time, Ciao!

Elder Hall

 Day time view of a park in Quilmes

 Other day time view looking towards downtown Quilmes

 Nightime view! Actually pretty beautiful!

 Statue in Quilmes

Quilmes is really nice, and has a big city center! It is like walking thru a big city with all the shops and stuff! 

Coke in Argentina?!

For those who know & don't know, Elder Hall is a Coca Cola addict. Many have given him a hard time about his need for the drink and there was some great concern about whether he would be able to enjoy his favorite drink while in Argentina, well it turns out maybe Argentina is the place for a Coke addict to live! His words to this picture:  "The coke in Argentina is amazing and giant! Three liters is the normal!!" 

So it looks like we don't need to worry that he is unable to enjoy a good coke every now again! I have a feeling in 22 months he will be sick of it since it seems to be the drink most Argentine's prefer since their water isn't the best!

!Saludos de Argentina¡

Hola Amigos y Familia

This week has been a great, and very fast week! We have seen alot of little miracles this week and are starting to see results from the work we have been putting in this past week! 

I want to start out by thanking every one for the prayers for Sebastian this week! I had the privledge of baptizing Sebastian Emilio Alejandro Marcial on Saturday November 2, 2013. He was baptized in the Villa España Capilla, Berzategui, Buenos Aires! It was such a neat experience to have the privledge to baptize him. A little background on Sebastian, some of his family are members of the church, but none are active. He doesn´t know his dad, but has a grandma and mom who care for him. He lives with his grandma though. Not a whole lot of good influences in his life, but he is a good kid, and is like a little brother to me! One of the miracles we have seen already come from his baptism is his grandma came to church with him the next day, and I really think that this event will bring her back into the church. She was welcomed with so many open arms at the baptism and at church on sunday! We pray that the example of Sebastian will remind this family of the peace, and happiness that comes from having the gospel of Jesus Christ in their lives. 

Then yesterday was a crazy day for us as missionaries. We went to drop by an investigators house to get them for church, and they had already left but their little brother came with us. Well we had one more investigator to go get, and truth to be told we were running late because busses are terrible on Sundays. Well we didn´t know wether to go straight for the chapel or go get our other investigator first. Then unbeknowest to me at the time, Elder Garcia had a very strong feeling to go straight to the chapel. So he told me let´s just go to the chapel first. Well it was a good thing we did, because right as we walked in the branch president needed us to go with him immediately to visit a family. The husband had passed away from a heart attack on friday and the mom had not left her bed, because she has been so upset. So we went right away to visit, and are going back tonight to talk about the Plan of Salvation, and how Christ can help us through every problem. Now this subject really gets me, I will be honest I get very emotional in a situation like this. To think well what if that was me, what would I need if it was my dad. All I know is that I am so thankful for the knowledge we have as members of the church as to where we go when we die. And to have that knowledge that families are forever. This family is not members of the  mormon church, and I just pray that the Lord will  bless my companion, the Branch President, and his wife, and I with the spirit tonight so that we will be able to help bring this family into the arms of our Saviour.

After returning to church, we went into the Gospel Principles class that we normally teach, and our other investigator Mario Sanchez was there! And because he attended this week we are set to have his baptism next sunday after church! We were so happy that he came and we didn´t stop by. It was another mini-miracle of our day!  Mario is about 35 years old and has been investigating the church for quite some time, so we are really excited he finally wants to join the church and make that first commitment and step on the path! 

During church a member asked us to give him a blessing of health after church, so we of course agreed! Well after church we met up with him to give the blessing, and if you have never seen a blessing of health it is very simple.There are two parts, the first part we place just a little bit of olive oil on the persons, head and say a prayer, and it is really short and just a simple first part. I usually do this part when we give blessings because I have it written out and can read it off. Then the second part is a prayer specifically for that person, and it is given as we are prompted by the spirit. So no specific wording. Well the brother asked me to give the blessing! I was pretty nervous because it was my first time in spanish. Well I can tell you all the Gift of Tongues as talked about in the bible is real, I gave the entire blessing in spanish and the words that I needed where there, and I felt the spirit very strong. It was such a neat experience that probably helped me more then it help the brother! 

There were some other stuff that happened yesterday that was really cool, but unforunately I am out of time! Maybe next week! I want to talk a little bit though about what I have been studying in the Book of Mormon. It is the Story of Alma and Amulek. Found in the Book of Alma chapter 5 or 6 I believe around there. Quick summary, Alma was a missionary and went to preach in a city that was very wicked and they would not except his messages at all. They through him out of the city, and as he was leaving an angel appeared to him, and told him to return to the city that there would be a man called Amulek who would except him into his house, and he would be able to teach him. Well Amulek was just a regular member of the city, but he excepted the words of Alma and together they were able to team up and teach the people. My message from this story is that for my friends and family at home, to be the member who excepts the missionaries and works with them. I can´t tell you how much stronger a lesson is when we have a member there, and it is everyone´s responsibility to help bring others unto the fold of our Savior. 

That is all for this week! Love you all and I am always praying for you guys! ¡Ciao!

Con Mucho Amor,

Elder Hall

Elder Garcia, Hermana Justina (Abuela de Sebastian), Sebastian, Malena (Cousin), and Me!

Me & Sebastian

Pictures from Week 2 in Villa Espana

 This is at the MTC in Buenos Aires, it is next to the Temple.

 At the Buenos Aires Temple Grounds

 With Sebastein at the Temple (his is scheduled to baptize him on Saturday!)

 Yo y Emillano (he was in the hospital with appendicitis) they are teaching his family.

Elder Hall & Elder Garcia at the Rio de la Plata

!2 Meses en La Mision!

¿Que Tal Amigos y Familia?

Ustedes puedan creer, yo estoy aqui en la mision for 2 mezes! ¡Esta Loco! Can you guys believe I have been in the mission for 2 months already! It is crazy! I can not believe how fast time flies by! It feels like an eternity since I have seen everyone but it feels like just yesterday I got here! I don´t know how to describe it! 

This week was more of a week of adjustment for me. The newness is starting to wear off and I am getting more comfortable with being in the mission. So Elder Garcia and I are really starting to learn to work together because I am offering my own ways of how to do stuff! It isn´t easy trying to  adjust to a whole new culture, a new language, and just the life of a missionary! But I am loving it, the Lord is always strengthening his missionaries, and I am so greatful for that! I am adjusting pretty well, and just kinda going along with things, and learning more each and everyday! 

I am growing to love the people here so much, they really are starting to become extensions of my family, and the members here have done so much, and are so nice to welcome me in, and help me with the language and everything. I will be forever greatful to the people of Villa España for helping to make my first area so great, and I really hope I get to stay here for at least one more transfer or more. I am finally starting to know the area, and the people, and I am not ready to be transfered in a few weeks! 

This was another great week here in Argentina! We were able to contact some people on the street wich is pretty rare here! And we also kept ourselves busy teaching! On Saturday we had the opportunity to attend the temple in Buenos Aires, which is about an hour trip from where I am here in Villa España! The Rama (branch) went, and we also had an investigator accompany us! Elder Garcia and I put together a small devotional for the members who could not enter the temple yet, and then we had some time to just walk around and partake of the spirit that is there on the temple grounds. I actually had a moment where I got a little emotional, because I felt so at home. Even though I am 6000 miles away from my real home, I was on the grounds of the house of my Father in Heaven. I was reminded again of the special blessing that we have, to have temples here on this earth where we can recieve those special blessings, and make those covenants that can only be made in the House of the Lord. 

If all goes as planned we will be having a baptismal service on Saturday for one our investigators Sebastien. Sebastien is 10 years old, and has become like an Argentine little brother for me! He loves to mess with the white boy who can´t speak spanish, and has been alot of fun to teach! Something really cool is he asked me to baptize him! So I was pretty humbled to have this experience within my first month of being in Argentina! It is such an amazing experience to watch people come into the church, and help them experience the spirit in their lives. We are just praying that all goes well, and we are able to do it this saturday! 

Overall another great week in Villa España, the work is progressing, maybe not quite as fast as we would like, but we are just reminded we are on the Lord´s time and we will do whatever we need to, and when he is ready everything will fall into place! 

Con Amor,

Elder Hall

The Rat That Didn't Get Away!

(10/22/13 Elder Hall emailed home for a quick minute because he had finished his online training they had to do & he had a few extra minutes & since they didn't have much time on pday he wanted to send another story & a picture of the firefighters from the last email!)

I swear it is always something! I didnt even get to talk about killing the rat at our Branch Mission Leaders house! It was hilarious we had to tear apart his entire apartment and then couldn´t find the mouse anywhere. Well he opens up a cabinet that we had already checked and the mouse jumps out, and runs across right in front of me so I jump then it gets trapped inside of the kitchen which is about the size of my closet at home! So I take a broomstick and then basically spear it! Then we all just started laughing because it was so funny! 

(Ok for those of you that know Elder Hall, you are cracking up right now because you can see him & his Brennen ninja skills (NOT!) anyway this cracked me up because he really isn't so skilled at things like this, but its awesome to laugh & hear his stories!)

The Rat Slayer (looks like a tiny mouse to me!)

Elder Garcia with the poor sad little mouse

¡Saludos de Argentina!

Hola Mi Amigos y Familia,

¡Saludos de 6000 mias! I hope all is well back home! Things are going great here in Argentina, I really am enjoying it here and loving the area that I am in! We are staying busy, but have had a difficult week getting into appointments! Tons of people are canceling or not showing, but we did manage to get another baptismal date so we are up to four of them. 2 of them I am almost am certain will progress to baptism the first part of november, the other two are progressing just not quite as fast so we will have to see! 

We are teaching a partial member family who have like 10 people who live in one house it is the grandparents some of their kids, and then grandkids as well! Well I found a little girl who I swear is the Argentine version of Laynee! She is about 4 years old and her name is Florencia, but they call her Flopy! This little girl is a crack up! She doesn´t not stop talking at all...and then she doesn´t understand that I don´t understand spanish yet, and so she just looks at me like ¨´hello are you stupid..¨ It is so funny, and I wish I could talk to her better! 

This week we also have been helping this 85ish year old widow. You wanna talk about funny. This sweet old lady stands about 4 and a half foot, and when she starts talking I can´t understand hardly anything, because it is so fast and then she will just start  busting up laughing, because she cracks herself up, and she has the funniest mannerisms. We ran all over Villa España trying to buy her medications and shopping for her, and it was a crazy little trip but alot of fun. We are headed back tomorrow for the same thing! 

Latin Companions are so much fun as well. Seriously Elder Garcia is always cracking me up. Latins are quite the jokers, so between the four of us in our apartment we are always playing a joke on someone! And them learning english right along side us with spanish, makes things alot easier, because it puts us on kind of a bit more equal playing field. So we are always having fun practicing the language. Which is starting to come along. Spansih finally doesn´t sound so foreign to me. I am starting to get an ear for the language and can understand much better than even just a week ago! I am starting to talk more in the lessons, and can get a general idea acrossed of what I am trying to say. I have been inspired multiple times to say things, and I know that the gift of tongues is real. I have said stuff when inspired by the spirit that I didn´t really even know. I also have learned that the gift of tongues can work in the fact that you might say it wrong but the people understand what you say. I am thanful for these moments that the spirit has touched me in sharing the gospel. I am learning what it feels like to truly be a tool in the Lord´s hands.

Today though was the funniest, we went to another area called Quilmes for a Zone Activity to play futbol and have Asado, the famous Argentine Meat! So we get to Quilmes after a train ride, and the elders start cooking and it is all over open flame. Well there are these big trees that are hallowed out that people build there cooking fires in. Well we get the meat put on and cooking, and after about 30 minutes a fire truck pulls up, and these fire fighters explain that someone from the school acrossed the street had called about a fire in the park. Well then he makes us move all of the meat and the coals out and away from the tree, and they take the fire hose and blast our cooking fire area! THEN (it gets better) This school teacher comes running over, and starts yelling at all the missionaries, and saying what a shame we all come to her country for the church, and burn down there parks, and just how much of a shame it was. Then she asks where we are all from and when there is no Argentines in our zone she really lays into us! We all just laughed afterwards! Then they continued cooking and we had a great lunch of Asado and Argentine Chorizo (which is more like a sausage in the casing still not like mexican chorizo!) It was so good and we had a great time! 

I am doing great and love Argentina, you are all in my prayers!

PS. If you didn´t get a personal reply this week I am sorry! Not alot of time! Next week!

Con Amor,

Elder Hall

Los Bomberos (Firefighters!)

 Hallowed out tree in the park

Preparing to cook the meat

 The meat cooking

Mmmmmm!