Buenas Tardes Amigos y Familia!
Well this morning I said goodbye to my companion Elder Chuliver, and said hello (or better said, Hola) to my new companion Elder Israel Torres, from Santiago, Chile. He is 19 years old, and has been in the mission for a little over a year. He seems to be a super nice guy, and I have heard from numerous people that he is a great missionary, who is funny and loves to work hard. I am super happy, I just have a feeling that I am really going to enjoy my time with him, and that we are going to see a lot happen here in Spegazzini!
I will be honest transfers are a little bit of a scary thing, because you never know what is going to happen, but honestly every single time there is a change, I know that it is from God. I have learned so much from all of my companions, and from the people in each area. I have only been here six weeks, and I know my mission would not mena the same thing to me, with out this short time, even in the grand scheme of the full two years. It is just a testimony to me that the Lord, really does place us with companions, and in areas for a reason!
On friday we had the opportunity to attend a conference with Elder Viñas who is the 2nd Counselor of the South America South Area, and a member of the first quorum of the 70. He has served as a general authority for the church all over the world, for quite some time, and it was an amazing experience to be taught by him. The knowledge about the gospel that this man had, was amazing he quoted like 500 scriptures from the Bible, Book of Mormon, and Doctrine and Covenants without a second thought, and then explained them all in ways that even our mission president was caught pretty caught up in it! (And he studied doctrine for the church for like 8 years!) One of the biggest things he stressed was about the Atonement of Christ and that whenever there was a problem with someone in the church, it was because they didn´t understand the atonement. If someone doesn´t go to church, they don´t understand Christ´s sacrifice, if they don´t want to obey the commandments, they don´t realize the importance of what Christ did, for EVERY single compaint, problem, sin, anything that goes wrong (gospely speaking) it is because some one did not understand that Christ died for them, and that it is only thru Him, and His atoning sacrifice that we can be forgiven. It is something I think we all could think about, do I understand the sacrifice that Christ made for me? Am I honoring, and thanking Him, by my words, thoughts, and actions? What can I do to better apply the Atonement to my life, and to understand it more fully? All of these are questions that I am regularly asking my self, and I know our lives, and our families, will be better if we ask, and follow up on these questions.
Yesterday was Father´s Day here, and (I am almost 99 percent sure it was in the states as well! haha), and since I couldn´t call my real dad, I called Elder Garcia, (mi papá en la misión (AKA my trainer)!) It was great to get to talk with him for a little while, it is hard for me to believe that I know have the time that he had, when I got into the mission! And that he only has three more transfers left in the mission! I am thankful for the great friend he is to me, and I know for a fact we will be friends for a very long time! Of course I also spent a good amount of time thinking about my Dad, and the man that he is. I am so thankful for my dad,and the example that he has always given me, and truly for all that he has done for me. I am also thankful for my grandpa, and my papa for the men that they are, and for the ways they continue to show me how to live my life. I know that I would not be here in the mission, or be half the guy that I am now, with out the help of these great men, and I only hope that in the future I will be able to be as good of a dad, and grandpa as they all are to me!
Overall things are going great! I also want to thank as a general thank you to all those who have sent birthday cards, and letters in the mail, you all will have a personal reply headed your way! :) Love you all!
Elder Hall
Saying goodbye to one of the families! haha lot of fun actually! This was a little bit after Argentina won their game, in the World Cup last night!
And this is what they did to me! It hurt, but I was laughing so hard!
It was raining and I tried to help a sister put a tv antenna up. (And yes that is a potato, apparently they use them to help attract signal, it didn´t work...haha)
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