Hola Amigos!

Buenos Días Amigos!

We have had a great week again! And yesterday we had a really great Pday! (Except for some computer problems! haha)  We went to Ezeiza an area three train stations from mine to watch a movie, play soccer, and
eat pizza with the zone! I gotta say I am actually starting to get the hang of futbol! I made three goals, and helped with a couple as well, and we had a ton of fun. It only hurt a little when I was playing
goalie, and one of the elders kicked the ball, and it happened to land right between the legs, but I did as my dad has always told me, sucked it up, gritted my teeth and kept playing! (They didn´t get the goal by
the way!) hahaha

This week was also a fun week because I had an intercambio with Elder Holmes, my best friend from 5th grade! It was awesome to catch up after so many years, and just to talk about some of the memories we
have of our time in elementary school. (Which after so many years aren´t too many, but it is funny the things we remember!) I felt a little bit like Alma in the Book of Mormon where after so much time being away from his friends the sons of Mosiah for so many years, when they finally met up again, their joy was so great, especially when he saw that they were all still strong in the faith. Obviously him and I have seen lots of friends who haven´t held true to the testimonies that they had, and for us both after so much time to meet back up here again it is just awesome. In the crazy world of change and newness that we live in, here in Argentina it is a good comforting feeling to have someone who just understands how things are back home! :)

As we continue to work with the less active members we have good days and bad days. There are times where we enter a house and the family is happy, and want to come back to the church, just got a little off
track, and this week, we really saw the other side of things. We went into a families house, and I have never heard a family say more horrible things about each other. My companion and I literally left the house with our heads pounding with headaches, and stomach aches, it was so bad. I was very grateful though that night because afterwards one of the active families in the ward invited us over for dinner, and to share a message. Let me tell you I have never been so glad to enter into a house with a family who understands the gospel, who want to be the best that they can, and who can improve, and love each other. It was really refreshing, and for me it was the Lord´s way of saying that he understood how we felt, and he gave us a glimpse of how things should be to help us keep that in mind!

It just really made me appreciate all that I have and the family I have, we may at times be a little rough around the edges, but at the end of the day we are a family. And I will take them with their little imperfections any day over what I saw the other night. We need to appreciate the family that we have, and maybe even if it isn´t the best their is always friends and close acquaintances who can be there for us.

I hope everyone has a great week! :) Love ya all!

Elder Hall