Happiness=Gospel of Jesus Christ

HOLA!

We got blessed with a miracle last week.  We invited a guy that we met in the street to come to a baptism service with us.  We threw that hook in the water and he bit!  His name is Eduardo and he is 68 and he stopped smoking after doing it for 40 years.  He has the raspiest voice I have ever heard, Poor guy.  Needless to say he can use the gospel of Jesus Christ.  He said that he felt good in the service and my companion asked him if he wants to get baptized.  ´´Why not? ´´ Is what Eduardo said. haha Alright!  He also came to church with us last week and he is planning to go with us tomorrow.  He can barely hear neither, while teaching him I just yell at him.  I feel good about it so I guess that the spirit is there.  He takes a while to understand things too so it has been difficult to give him a baptism date, we are counting on for June.  Vamos!

The mission is amazing.  My testimony strengthens every day that these things are true.  Religion was created by men, but the Gospel of Jesus Christ is Life.  Costanera has tested my patience a lot.  It is full of Catholics who are just so stubborn.  They are stuck in Religion instead of accepting Life.  I loved reading in Mormon this morning.  Mormon didn´t baptize a single person.  His people basically killed themselves.  He preached repentance but they chose not to accept it.  But Mormon knew that he would be exalted.  He knew that he had done his work and he did everything that the Lord asked him.  If we just do our part, everything will turn out ok.  We can´t change the agency of others, but we can choose to use ours in a good way.  We are greatly rewarded for our obedience and service to God.  We may not have been having the best success lately but we are doing what God wants us to do, and I know that God is taking care of us and He is happy with our efforts.  I know that God loves us and the He lives.  The only way, the ONLY way to find true happiness in this life is by living the gospel.  I am happy!

I love you all tons. Keep working, keep fighting, read and pray every day and may you all find happiness this week!

Love,

Elder Maynard

 That is the worlds biggest mate

 The missionaries that are holding down the fort out there in Parque Del Sur

 Part of Flia Monenegro from South Park

 An investigator that we took to a baptismal service

 Little kids from Parque del Sur... they were my friends

 On the coast of the river there is a little fair every weekend and lots of shops selling stuff.

This porta potty saved my life one time. Tender Mercies 

 We had an army walking to church, it was awesome

 Lunch at the bishops house!

 PDAY especial.  I am all Argentine ultimate frisbee haha 

Lunch at the bishops house! 

 Elder Blackmon is another assistant

First mirror pic of the mission hahaha

Misión Argentina Santa Fe Rules

HOLA!

I am missing that Utah Spring sunshine right about now.  Man it is getting chilly down here in good ole South America.  I wanted to go to Samoa for my mission but the Lord always has other plans right?  Humility comes in many forms, even bone chilling wind.

We have been dealing with all types of people now a days.  Catholics, Jehovah´s Witnesses, Jews, and Atheists.  We get to deal with them all.  I love a quote by Elder Pearson, ´´Everyone says something that doesn´t make any sense.´´ haha I am going to relate my week with a story from the Bible.  Moses´s followers all got bit by a bunch of snakes.  The Lord provided a way to be saved.  Moses built a little cross with a snake and told everyone ´´hey look at this and be saved.´´ The easiest thing in the world to do.  Turn your head and look, and you are saved.  Some people, maybe not the most intelligent people in the world, refused to look.  They just refused to look and instead of being saved, they died.  It is actually a sad story.  Well this is exactly what happened this week for me.  While talking with all of these people, we proposed a way so that we can resolve our differences.  ´´Hey do you want to pray with us right now so that we can know what is the truth?´´  Sounds pretty easy, we pray in order to know.  Kind of like the snake on the cross. We look and we are saved.  Not a single soul that we have talked to or taught this week chose to pray with us.  Is it the simplicity of the way?  We just have to look and we are saved, we just have to pray and we will know.  Let us not be slothful because of the easiness of the way. Alma 37:46.  We can teach and preach and beg and plead, but if they don´t want to, we can´t force them, we can only invite.  We will continue providing the easier, lovelier, better way for these Argentines until we find those who will accept it.

On a better note, the mission is going to have 24 baptisms today! The most we have ever had in a week.  To put it into perspective, in the whole month of April we had 23 baptisms.  We have been progressing like crazy.  Santa Fe may not be Samoa, but it is my promised land.  I love this place.  Even though there is garbage all over the place, people that don´t want to be saved, and I step in dog poop all week, al pesar de todo ( I am sorry I can´t think of an English translation) I love this place.  I know that this Church is true.  I know that Christ is our Lord and our Captain and that He is guiding us through His true Church.  I know because I kneeled down and I prayed.  The Spirit of God came over me and told me in my heart that these things are true.  God answers prayers!

May we not be slothful because of the easiness of the way.  May we keep on fighting!  Holding on to the iron rod and putting our trust in Him who is mighty to save!  Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  2 Nephi 1:15

Con Amor,

Elder Maynard

 Sunday morning like always, best time of the week

 Hot chocolate and an alfahor.... all week long haha

 choripan with elder pearson!

 we bought pepas:)

we did helped a family sweep up their leaves in this curb (the leaves were a lot worse haha) and then we shared the gospel and set an appointment! 

 Selfie with Elder Pearson

 Cookies with some zone leaders

 THE BOYS

Here is my pancho dad! hahaha

Fuerza Que No Se Conoce Entre Los Hombres

Hola queridos!

Wow this week flew by, just like the previous 52 did.  The last Sunday was awesome! I love my family a ton!  Thanks for all of your love, support, and smiling faces.  My family is the best!  

Elder Pearson and I saw a group of kids playing basketball this week.  We set down our bags and asked if we could get a little game going.  It was 5 teenage Argentines against the American Warriors. (5 against 2)  The jump shot is a little rusty, but if I do say so myself, it is still pretty smooth.  We schooled these kids in two games and now they think that Mormon missionaries are pretty cool.  And they all now have a little picture of Jesus.  Spreading goodness by getting Buckets.  Everyone tell Luke Michael Maynard that ´´I get Buckets!´´ haha

We have been knocking hundreds of doors.  It is an adventure.  You just never know what you are going to get.  The Lord also provides the way, so with a little bit of faith, miracles happen.  We knocked on a door and a single mother of an 8 year old baby answered.  Her name is Carol and she kindly brought out chairs so that we could share the message of the restored gospel.  No one has been through a rush unless they have taught the Restoration to someone who has never heard it before.  It is the best feeling in the world.  The spirit testifies, EVERYTIME.  That being said, we asked Carol if she believed that it was true, and she said Yes.  She accepted an Invitation to be baptized and she wants to come to church! Vamos Israel!

There is nothing better than being a missionary.  I love Doctrine and Covenants 24:12.  It says that if we open our mouths to share the gospel, God will give us strength that isn´t known among men.  How cool is that?  God helps us and strengthens us so that we can bring the world His truth.  I invite everyone to be a missionary and find a referral within these next few weeks to the missionaries.  If you open your mouths, you will have strength that isn´t known among men!  That is the coolest thing that I have ever heard.  Go out there and be super heroes this week! I love you all tons! Have a great week!

Love,

Elder Maynard