Week Fifty-Seven: Jujuy

Hey fam!
Man, it sounds like you had a great weekend and week!! I have been laughing and smilling at all of the pictures and videos. I'm pretty sure that everyone here thinks I'm really weird lol. But that's okay!! Disneyland, Flemings, museum, pier, and the whole family (well almost lol)! Man, thats a lot of fun!! I hope you don't get tired of those things because we are going to have to do it again when I get back!! 
We were able to have a pretty good week. On Sunday we had five investigators come to church! I was pretty happy! Usually one or two max have come since I've been here and some old papers of information say that 1 or 2 is the norm here. So we were pretty happy to see five come to church and see them take the steps necessary for progress. We are seeing progression!! We have an investigator that we can only teach one day a week because of his work. He always has really good questions because he really knows how to listen and he wants to learn more. This week he was telling us how the Jehovah's Witnesses passed by and he let them talk with him. When he said that I got pretty nervous. He then said that he listened to what they had to say and he had a question for them. He said when he asked it they didn't have a direct answer and they didn't have too much confidence answering it either. He asked us the same question he asked them. (He asked the question before he told us the story.) After we answered the question he said, "That is why I like talking to you guys. You always have a good answer for everything and you talk with such confidence. I have talked with a lot of people from many other churches but I have never seen them talk with the same amout of confidence that you have. How do you have such confidence in what you are saying?" We then testified that we know what we teach is true because we have received an answer directly from God that it is the truth. For me personally, I have been able to feel the spirit so strong countless times before and especially during the mission and I know, no doubt, that what I teach is true. There is no way I can doubt or deny what I have felt or what I know to be true. So that's why I talk and teach with confidence because, I have no doubts. I have no questions. I teach and testify about the Restoration, the Plan of Salvation, the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and all the other lessons with the same amount of confidence as when I teach and testify that 2+2=4. Back to the story. When we finished the lesson, we still taught the lesson we had planed, the Word of Wisdom. He said that this was his favorite lesson he had. That goes to show that testimonies and confidence really make a big difference. 
On the funnier side, the mission office pays for our apartment with the water and power, but we think they forgot to pay because our power got cut today. And our water heater broke earlier this week. So we dont have hot water either. And our fridge broke. Well actually the fridge broke a little more than a month ago. But we are just now getting it fixed. Lol but there are no complants, they are all learning experiences and all smiles here!! 
Dad, I wrote you a letter but I missed the first window to send it so it's probably going to get there a little late. I'm sorry! But HAPPY BIRTHDAY!! I love you guys and I'll talk to you soon! Kiss the puppies for me! 

PS the package didn't come. I've heard that Argentina doesn't want us to have packages. I have no idea why. But they said if I want the package I would prabably need to go to Salta to get it. But I'll let you know more info.

-Elder Moore

Week Fifty-Six: Jujuy

Hey fam!

So this week started out actually a little cold. It rained and hailed really hard one night but we were already in our apartment so no problem there. But now it's starting to warm up again, actually it's pretty hot right now. 

This week was a pretty normal week. I have been trying to change some things in the way I teach. President Chaparo says that we should have short but powerful lesson so thats what I have been trying to do. I think it's working out pretty nice. The lesson shouldn't last more than 15 minutes so we are staying focused on the topic and not talking about other things, and then we can visit more people during the day. We were able to teach a lot more lessons this week. One thing we struggle with is lessons with members present. We are teaching a lot of other lessons, but we need more help from the ward. So we are going to focus a little more in helping the ward get involved in missionary work. This week we weren't able to find to many new people to teach. My patience and diligence was definitely tested this week. But I know there is something that I need to learn so I'm staying positive! 

One day this week my comp was looking at a picture of the prophet and apostles. I soon realized that he didn't know the majority of them and didn't know how the next prophet would be chosen so we talked a bit about that. For the district meeting, the zone leaders and hermanas capacitadoras (I can't remember what they are called in English) came. I knew the hermanas were going to come but I didn't know the zone leaders were going to come and they both didn't know that they were coming. (I'm not sure if that made sense lol) so we had a full room. I talked about the importance of commitments. It went really well and the hermanas and the zone leaders just talked about how much they liked it and that it was a really good meeting. The only problem was that they didn't tell me what I could do better or where I could improve. So I'm on my own looking for what I can do better. Next week I'm planning to talk about the importance of attending church. 

Sounds like you guys had a great and fun week!! We have a conference with the president on Wednesday so I should get the package then, if it has arrived. Oh on Sunday the stake president came and called a brother from another ward to be our branch president. So as of now we have a president. And one quick funny and gross story. The other day a member gave us oranges so went we got to the apartment i made orange juice. I poured a glass for my comp and we began to drink. My comp then stopped and asked what that moving. I said that it was just the parts of the orange. Then he said no look. Turns out that there were little worms in the juice. I was super grossed out! I poured it all down the drain. I didn't drink too much but I also don't know if the little I did drink had a worm or not. But for now I'm not sick or anything so that's good lol. I just have to have a little more caution with the oranges. But on the positive side of the story the orange juice that I made was really good! Lol but I think that's it for my week! I love you guys! Kiss my puppies for me!!! I'll talk to you soon!

Week Fifty-Five: Jujuy/Monterico (Don't really know what the area actually is)

Hey fam!
Man it sounds like you guys had a lot of fun this week!! I can't even remember the last time I went to the zoo lol. That email I forwarded is the only info we have on packages. Everyone that receives a package has to pay a little but it's never a lot. I don't know why we have to pay but it's never a problem. 
This week it was pretty warm. The heat is coming but at least Jujuy is a lot cooler than Tucuman was. That was a heat that I can't forget lol. Yeah the studies are longer while training. It's kind of killing me because I want to get out and work, but I understand the importance of the extra studies so I make the best of it. While talking with a sister in my district I realized that their animos (I can't remember what that word is in English so ask Justin lol) weren't super high. So I changed the topic I had planned to talk about to helping them raise their animo. I talked about where I got my animo from and how they can find theirs and how they can be happy in the face of rejection and trials. I thought it went pretty well. 
My comp is doing well and is learning a lot. His family was baptized when he was 8 but after that he was less active for the majority of his life until like 2 years ago, so he doesn't understand all the doctrine just yet. This week we talked a lot about the Plan of Salvation and I was helping him understand it all. Also we were talking about where the Doctrine and Covenants and the Pearl of Great Price came from and what they are. Also it turns out that my comp doesn't know how to speak in Usted. he only knows Tu. (Ask Justin what that means and why its important.) So basically I am teaching him to speak in proper Spanish lol. It's kind of weird teaching a latin how to speak Spanish. 
We have been working pretty hard this week but our diligence was tested. We talked with a lot of people but not a lot would listen. But the few that would listen to us seem really good. 
Dane and I are staying in contact but not a lot. Every now and then we write each other and see how things are going.
I think that's about it for my week, nothing really too interesting happened this week. But I'm so glad that you guys are having a lot of fun back at home!! Everything here is going great and I'm learning a lot! Kiss the puppies for me!! I'll talk to you guys soon! Love you!!

Week Fifty-Four: Monterico

Hey fam!

So as you know I have a new companion. Very new. His name is Elder Vasquez and he's from Peru. We (the trainers) got our comps Wednesday afternoon, so I was with the zone leaders for two days. It was pretty funny and interesting teaching in a trio, and I'm pretty glad it's not common here. But after we got our comps we had lunch there in the offices. I started to talk to the new gringos that were next to me and they just looked at me with very confused faces. So I had to start speaking English, and it was pretty hard. The gringos said I didn't sound like I was from the states at all they and said I had a Latin accent when I spoke English. So that was pretty interesting lol. But my new comp has and is adjusting just fine to the mission life. There are some things we need to work on, like telling me when he is going to leave a room instead of just walking off. But he's new so its understandable. The only pic I have with him for now is also with elder Lemus, my trainer. Elder Lemus is an assistant to the president now, so we took a picture of the family lol. Elder Lemus is my papi and Elder Vasques is my hijo (son) so we had to take a picture. 

We got back to our area on Wednesday around 6:00pm. So we put his things in the apartment, talked a little about what we were going to do, and then we left to go work. There was no time to unpack, it was working time lol. But my comp doesn't seem homesick at all, which is pretty good. I do feel that my comp before really helped me prepare to train. All the other comps I had would usually take control of the lessons, but with elder Barros I had to take control of things so I think that helped. 

My district is just sisters and my comp and I. The other elders in the picture are the zone leaders. They are really good sisters and some of them have more time in the mission than me, but I know that God called me to be a district leader so I could teach them something and so that they can teach me something. Tomorrow I have my first district meeting as a district leader so we will se how it goes lol. 

But how is the car shopping going? Do you guys have the Fusion back or are you still using a rental? Do you guys have to buy or trade soon or can you take your time? I know the Acadia is in the running. Are there any more that you guys are looking at? 

I think that's about it for my week! I love you guys! I'll talk to you soon! Kiss my puppies for me!!

Week Fifty-Three: Monterico

Hey fam!

 So General Conference was awesome! I could understand more than last time but not all of it. The translators have to speak really fast because it takes more words to say something in Spanish than it does in English, so in order to finish in time they have to talk really fast. So I had to focus pretty hard to understand it all. It was working, then I got a pretty big headache so that didn't really help too much. But I'd say if there was a theme it would be missionary work and personal testimony. That's what I was able to get from it. Also I was able to download most of the talks, I'm only missing Sunday afternoon. But I'm going to listen to them all this week for studies. So I'm pretty excited about that.  

Sunday after the first session, I got a call from the mission president. He asked how I was liking conference and stuff like that. Then he said, "I am going to call you to be a district leader and a trainer." I accepted the call(s) but now I am a little stressed. My whole mission I have been junior companion and now I'm senior comp, district leader, and training a new elder. The new group comes in Wednesday so I am with the zone leaders for the next couple of days in their area. I have no idea who is going to be my comp so I will give you details next week about that. 

Because my comp was finishing, everyone wanted to say good bye in a special way so this week we had two BBQs with two different families. BBQs here are called asados and they are not too cheap but they are awesome! It's just pure stake and meat. It's awesome!! So we ate pretty well this week. 

We were not able to pass by the taxi drivers house this week. Well we did pass by but they were leaving as we were arriving. I'm going to try to pass by them this week with my new comp. Not too much happened this week. 

I like that you guys are liking and looking at the Acadia. How does the tan interior look? Is it like Cameron's car? I'm hoping it looks nicer lol but I have confidence in your judgement. I'm really sorry to hear that Katie didn't get the part. I know that everyone wanted her to get it. But it's true that there is something to learn from this. It reminds me of President Uchtdorf's talk in the women's session. Our desires can't change the plan or desires that God has for us. This is a time to learn. I love you guys and hope you have a great week! I'll talk to you soon! Kiss my puppies for me!!

Spotting an old friend in the MTC Choir during General Conference 

Week Fifty-Three: Monterico

Hey fam!

 So General Conference was awesome! I could understand more than last time but not all of it. The translators have to speak really fast because it takes more words to say something in Spanish than it does in English, so in order to finish in time they have to talk really fast. So I had to focus pretty hard to understand it all. It was working, then I got a pretty big headache so that didn't really help too much. But I'd say if there was a theme it would be missionary work and personal testimony. That's what I was able to get from it. Also I was able to download most of the talks, I'm only missing Sunday afternoon. But I'm going to listen to them all this week for studies. So I'm pretty excited about that.  

Sunday after the first session, I got a call from the mission president. He asked how I was liking conference and stuff like that. Then he said, "I am going to call you to be a district leader and a trainer." I accepted the call(s) but now I am a little stressed. My whole mission I have been junior companion and now I'm senior comp, district leader, and training a new elder. The new group comes in Wednesday so I am with the zone leaders for the next couple of days in their area. I have no idea who is going to be my comp so I will give you details next week about that. 

Because my comp was finishing, everyone wanted to say good bye in a special way so this week we had two BBQs with two different families. BBQs here are called asados and they are not too cheap but they are awesome! It's just pure stake and meat. It's awesome!! So we ate pretty well this week. 

We were not able to pass by the taxi drivers house this week. Well we did pass by but they were leaving as we were arriving. I'm going to try to pass by them this week with my new comp. Not too much happened this week. 

I like that you guys are liking and looking at the Acadia. How does the tan interior look? Is it like Cameron's car? I'm hoping it looks nicer lol but I have confidence in your judgement. I'm really sorry to hear that Katie didn't get the part. I know that everyone wanted her to get it. But it's true that there is something to learn from this. It reminds me of President Uchtdorf's talk in the women's session. Our desires can't change the plan or desires that God has for us. This is a time to learn. I love you guys and hope you have a great week! I'll talk to you soon! Kiss my puppies for me!!