Monday, May 1, 2017

Hoorah por Israel

Queridos familia y amigos,
Just to let you know, I will not be able to put into words how I feel right now.  I have an overwhelming feeling of gratitude and joy.  As I look back I cannot believe where the time has gone.  But at the same time I am filled with memories and treasures from the time that I have passed here in Santa Fe, Argentina.  I love this place with all of my heart.  I walk around and I love every detail.  As I pass by I remember people that I have met and memories I have made.  It is sacred ground to me.  It has been the greatest experience of my life.  
I have been praying for strength to stay focused and work hard until the end.  The Lord has blessed me and I have felt completely normal and able to testify and help others until the end.  I have been blessed with charity, happiness, and comfort as I have prayed and fasted the last few weeks.  I feel awesome.  I am happy.
We finished the transfer strong!!  The last few weeks we have had more lessons with members than normal and we are working well with the ward!  We went with a member to teach the Cortez Family about temples and baptisms for the dead.  The spirit was awesome.  The member shared her testimony about when she got baptized in the temple for her grandmother.  The mom, Graciela Cortez, broke down into tears because her mom passed away last year.  We knew that this lesson is what this family needed.  I felt so much love for them.  We have been praying hard for them to know how to help them.  They are progressing fast now.  3 of the girls from this family, Milagros, Dulce, and Guadalupe all accepted a baptism date.  They should get baptized the 20th of May.  We have been inviting them every lesson and finally they accepted!!  Then those 3 girls and another boy from the family, Matias, all went to church with us yesterday.  There is nothing better than taking the sacrament with investigators.  That is what we work for!!  I realized that it was my last sacrament meeting in Argentina and tears came to my eyes as I heard the sacrament prayer.  I then felt an overwhelming feeling of peace.  The gospel is true.  
We have been teaching a very fun family over the last month.  Familia Viozzi.  After a lot of work the oldest daughter, Bárbara, also accepted a baptism date!  They are a great family, but like all families, they have a few problems getting along.  I loved sharing with them some advice that the Lord gives us.  3 Nephi 18: 21 ´´Pray in your families unto the Father, always in my name, that your wives and your children may be blessed.´´  Also a great promise from President Marion G. Romney ´´I feel certain that if, in our homes, parents will read from the Book of Mormon prayerfully and regularly, both by themselves and with their children, the spirit of that great book will come to permeate our homes and all who dwell therein. The spirit of reverence will increase; mutual respect and consideration for each other will grow. The spirit of contention will depart. Parents will counsel their children in greater love and wisdom. Children will be more responsive and submissive to the counsel of their parents. Righteousness will increase. Faith, hope, and charity—the pure love of Christ—will abound in our homes and lives, bringing in their wake peace, joy, and happiness.´´  What a great promise.  We just have to do the basics.  Pray and read together and the Lord will bless us above measure!  There will be baptisms in Mayoraz in May!!  Let´s go!!
Yo sé que Jesucristo es el Salvador del mundo.  Me ha sostenido y me ha fortalecido durante toda mi misión.  He aprendido confiar en Él y he aprendido depender de Él.  Él me ha santificado y me ha purificado.  Siento que soy un deudor total a mi Rey y Redentor.  No puedo hacer nada sin Él.  Yo sé que es la verdad.  No porque alguien me lo haya dicho, sino porque yo lo he experimentado por mi mismo.  Estoy listo.  Mi tiempo ha llegado.  La obra del Señor no terminará aquí.  Yo seguiré hasta el fin de mi vida.  La misión me ha abierto los ojos.  Ahora puedo ser un instrumento más sabio y más fino en las manos de Dios.  Siempre seré una parte del recogimiento de Israel.  Hoorah por Israel. Hoorah.
I love Elder Bird,  Elder Fillerup, Elder Clayton, Elder De La Rosa, Elder Clement, Elder Gonzalez, Elder Pearson, Elder Llanos, and Elder Gomez.  I love the Provo MTC, I love Esperanza, Parque del Sur, Victoria, Costanera, and Mayoraz.  I love President and Hermana Perez. I love Rodolfo, Familia Perezutti, Jonathan,  Leonardo, Macarena, Fransisco, Felix, Mariana, Alejo, and Liliana.  I love spanish.  I love Argentina.  I love Santa Fe.  I love my mom, my dad, Brittney, Amanda, Jackson, Sara, Jessica, and Luke. I love the Gospel.  I love the Church.  I love my Savior.
Well, I will see you all soon.  It has been a good ride.  I love you all!!

Un abrazo,
Elder Maynard
Misiòn Argentina Santa Fe
 DyC 128: 22 Hermanos, ¿no hemos de seguir adelante en una causa tan grande? Avanzad, en vez de retroceder. ¡Valor, hermanos; e id adelante, adelante a la victoria! ¡Regocíjense vuestros corazones y llenaos de alegría! ¡Prorrumpa la tierra en canto¡


Monday, April 24, 2017

10... 9... 8...

Hey Everyone!!
Well...  It has been a great adventure up until now.  I am excited to see how these last 10 days play out.  I have been trying to do my best every day.  That is all that I can do this last week of my mission.  If we do all that we can, then God will do the rest.  We will never be able to do all things by ourselves, but that is why we have our Savior Jesus Christ.  ``For God so loved the world that He gave His Only Begotten Son.  That whosoever believeth in Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life.``  A great lesson that I have learned on my mission is that I am nothing.  But God can make me something.  
We had quite a few miracles this week.  I think that the greatest miracle of all is that we had 6 investigators in church!!!  All 6 of them are from the Familia Cortez.  They are progressing!!  They all tell us that they know that the restored gospel is true.  They will be baptized someday, we just do not know when yet!  There is no better feeling than having investigators in church and participating of the sacrament with them.  It is one of the greatest joys as a missionary.  It makes you feel like all of the hard work during the week paid off!
We are teaching quite a few people!!  The Lord is blessing us with people who are ready to listen.  I have been focusing a lot on having love for everyone.  I have a goal to treat everyone as if they were Christ, as if I were serving the Master Himself.  Matthew 25:40 ``Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.``  Sometimes I get frustrated with some investigators but the Lord has been blessing me with compassion and mercy.  I can think of four occasions this week where I showed patience and then taught the people with love.  I felt the spirit strongly every time.  It was beautiful.  Being a missionary is amazing.  I am going to miss it.  My goal this week is to be happy.  I will let you all know how it goes!! :)
I share my testimony that I know that the Church is true.  I know that Christ lives.  I feel His comfort and love especially during this point of time in my life.  I am so grateful for the mission.  I am so grateful for the 10 days that I have left to serve.  I am grateful for my family.  Gratitud y gran loor, te rendimos oh Señor.
I love you all!!! See you soon.

--
Elder Maynard
Misiòn Argentina Santa Fe
 DyC 128: 22 Hermanos, ¿no hemos de seguir adelante en una causa tan grande? Avanzad, en vez de retroceder. ¡Valor, hermanos; e id adelante, adelante a la victoria! ¡Regocíjense vuestros corazones y llenaos de alegría! ¡Prorrumpa la tierra en canto¡



 SUNDAY
LUNCH 
 This is what I get for petting dogs


 My Last PDAY!!!

 I love Argentina clouds
I found this family at lunch!  Flia Zanuttini de Costanera 
Alfajor time 


 Divisiones with Elder DUval
 Lets go H TOWN (Elder Duval went to herriman too.)

 My last meeting to review transfers with President


 Watermelon kool aid 😏

 Divisiones with Monte Vera
More divisions pics 
2 of the kids from the Familia Cortez. 

look where I had lunch!!! 





Monday, April 17, 2017

Felices Pascuas

HOLA!!!
First and foremost, a big congratulations to my dear sister Brittney, and my future brother-in-law Keith.  They got engaged this last week!  It is one thing to learn and teach about the plan of salvation, and it is another thing to live it. I am happy for you guys!  I have learned for myself here in the mission that the plan of salvation is real, that families truly can be together forever.  I know that it is only possible through our Savior and Redeemer Jesus Christ.  He put down his life in rescue for many, so that we might live again.  I am grateful for Him.  Congratulations Brittney and Keith and Happy Easter everyone!!!
We had an awesome trip this week to Concordia, a city about 5 hours from Santa Fe.  We visited many missionaries there and worked with them.  President Pèrez has been focusing a lot on the consecration and moral purity.  We need to be REAL missionaries and not just have the appearance of a missionary.  We have been sharing with everyone Helaman 3: 35 ``Nevertheless they did fast and pray oft, and did wax stronger and stronger in their humility, and firmer and firmer in the faith of Christ, unto the filling their souls with joy and consolation, yea, even to the purifying and the sanctification of their hearts, which sanctification cometh because of their yielding their hearts unto God.``  I can testify that true happiness and relief in life only comes by handing your heart over to God.  That is when we can be comforted and we can become the people that Christ wants us to be.  It was a great trip to Concordia, it was filled with the Spirit.
We have had a few great miracles this week.  The Lord blessed us with a few new investigators and we will see how they progress this week.  We have also been working with the Familia Cortez.  One of the girls from the family made it to church this week!! It was awesome!!  They are slowly reading and praying.  I love seeing the changes in people.  We cannot understand how God does it but He truly does change the hearts of men.  We have been encouraging the Familia Cortez to be a bit more committed to follow the Savior.  We shared Jacob 3: 2 with them. ``O all ye that are pure in heart, lift up your heads and receive the pleasing word of God, and feast upon his love; for ye may, if your minds are firm, forever.``  We can participate freely of God`s love, but it is our own choice to do it or not.  We have to make the choice and be committed to it.  We have to be frim in Christ.  
Well... Can I just say that I love the mission?  I feel so blessed.  I love my family,  I love Argentina.  I love the Gospel.  I love the Savior.  Life is good.

See you all soon!
Elder Maynard

Misiòn Argentina Santa Fe


I GOT IT!!!! WOO HOO



FOOD


 Divisions in Concordia

Ñoquis y pascua with an awesome family! 






Classis argentina lottey 
 ELDER GOMEZ
 ELDER CHAUQUE (Hey Pearson!! Look at this guy!!! JAJAJA)

 Those are pictures of Uruguay.  I can see Uruguay!!!!

 CONCORDIA





 Saying bye to all of my friends in Concordia!



 I sewed that mattress.
They called my feet ``Caballos`` I think I walked around with them for about 20 minutes jajaja



 Reeses and Kool Aid
 AMERICA
Pick up truck
 EASTER SUNDAY!




 This is the picture that brings tears to my eyes when I listen to ``Praise to the Man``