Ladies and Gentlemen, We Got One in the Water

HOLA!!!

Wow... What a week I have had.  Absolutely amazing.  I´ll start off with an amazing lesson that we had with the Familia Schnell.  We taught The Restoration, and the spirit testifies of the truth EVERY TIME.  Wow it was so amazing.  One of the best things on this planet is telling someone about the First Vision.  My heart just pounds and I get pumped up!  It is so amazing.  We taught them how to recognize the spirit and the 14 year old kid of the family said, ¨I feel it, I feel it.¨  So sweet.  Me and Elder Fillerup left that lesson just fired up.  This week we also had an activity with the branch.  A Talent Show!  It turned out really really good.  2 of our investigators came too, so that was awesome.  I don´t mean to brag by any means, but me and Elder Fillerup definitely had the best act.  We acted out contacts of how people reject the missionaries haha They run away, make up excuses, or say wait a minute at the door and never came back. haha All of these things have happened a lot to me already. It turned out good. We also had a service project this week where we shoveled and wheel borrowed dirt around for a very very poor family.  It is so sad to see the conditions that some people live in.  Some areas here are in really bad poverty.  And the crowning moment of the week! RODOLFO WAS BAPTIZED!!!  On Sunday we prepared the ¨Font¨ which is just like a little tiny swimming pool haha It is sooo sweet.  The baptismal service was sweet. My talk on baptism went pretty good.  I was pretty nervous but prayed that I would be able to speak good and God answers prayers!!  My favorite part of my talk was when I read Matt. 3:17 after Christ was baptized and God says that He is well pleased with His son.  I told Rodolfo God is well pleased with him too:)  Elder Fillerup had to force Rodolfo under the water pretty good because the pool is so tiny haha But he came out of the water and it was incredible.  Feelings just indescribable.  I was just so happy for the guy.  Rodolfo is a stud with so much faith.  It was one great day.  And yesterday was transfers! And Elder Fillerup is on his way home.  I´m so grateful he was my trainer.  This past month or so has been of the best months of my life.  So fun and I learned so much from him.  One of my best friends.  And my new Comp is Elder Clayton from Saint George, Utah.  He is a stud tambien and I´m excited to work with him this transfer.  The church is true everyone!  There is no greater joy in this world than missionary work.  The mission isn´t easy, but it´s so worth it!  Over these first few months I have felt God´s love for me and for others, and it´s unmeasurable.  He cares about us so much and He is always there to pick us up when we fall!  Love you all! Have a great week!

Love,

Elder Maynard

The morning my jump rope broke! ahhh

A little somethin somethin to make big papa jealous:)

ESPERANZA, TE QUIERO

Stupid bike chains always brake. 

 I was standing in MAIPU :)

Gotta put your foot down sometimes. 

We went to a wedding of a member this week!!!!

At the wedding with hna susana:) 

Had to get a model pic in with my glass of coke:)

hahaha kicking back at the wedding

THE FONT HAHAHA

Rodolfo y elder fillerup were glowing!!! Incredible!!!

Last pic with fillerup

First pic with Clayton

Time Flies When You´re Having Fun

HOLA!

This week was amazing! I can´t believe it is now my last week of my first transfer in the mission field! Over one month in Argentina.  Absolutely crazy awesome.  Something way sad happened early in the week.  My jump rope snapped in half! I was devastated haha I´ve had that thing all throughout high school! Something way cool this week was that I had my first exchange. Elder Fillerup had a leadership meeting so I spent the day in another area with Elder Hurst.  We visited a menos activo who was nuts. This lady reminded me of a witch from a Disney movie. I want to say the sword in the stone but I’m not sure.  During my prayer I said something about how we were grateful for Jesus and she shouted Amen way loud hahaha so I hurried and ended the prayer right then and there.  Funny story of the week is that there is a three legged dogs with puppies.  The mama is so ugly but the puppies are cool.  Me and my comp were petting the puppies when the three legged dog (We call it Tripod) started to chase us down, the thing was quick with only three legs. It was snapping at Elder Fillerup’s legs but we evaded. Close call.  haha Our investigator Rodolfo is a stud.  The man just has so much faith.  I can´t understand a word he says because half his teeth are gone, but his countenance is awesome.  Way funny and friendly.  He asked me to give the talk on baptism for his baptismal service on Sunday, so I´m looking forward to that.  Going to have First Baptism this week! WHOOOO! =D Also I taught Sunday school this week. Whole thing in Spanish.  I´m getting better.  Still really rough and needs lots of work but all the members say it´s tons better than when I got here so that’s comforting.  Crazy this week too is that our bike chains keep snapping in half.  We end up riding them pretty much like scooters to a bike shop haha We laugh how we probably look like the biggest dorks to everyone haha I know this gospel is true.  I see the blessings of the lord every day.  When we look for blessings, we find them.  So we need to be optimistic!!! I’m so grateful for eternal families and that we find happiness through the gospel!!!  LOVE YOU ALL. Have a great week.

Love,

Elder Maynard

 

 

 

ROGELIO.  Menos activo STUD.  Just can´t make it to church cuz he is 80 yrs old and its far away on a bike.

 

I'm on a bike

Puppy of a family in our branch, so awesome

 

 

 

Family home evening with flia varela! They are so awesome I love them.  I tried to have this really gross cheesy pizza as a tongue and I just realized I look stupid in that picture haha

 

 

 

Service project in members backyard!!! Their dog is soo sweet and makes me miss duke and dodger

 

 

 

 

awesome barn in a park by our house. dont know why but reminds me of walking dead :O

My name is Elder Maynard and Im LDS

 

 

 

 

 VAMOS POR LA GLORIA

My First Barracho

Hola Everyone!

Argentina is incredible I´ll tell you what.  There is absolutely no mountains and you can see for miles.  Makes me sad, but it makes for quite the beautiful sunset and sunrise. Awesome.  One cool thing this week is that I learned how to ride a bike without holding the handlebars! haha Lots of people ride for miles without handlebars and I had to learn because we already look weird with our helmets. I´m becoming more and more argentine every week!  We have one investigator who is scheduled for baptism on the 26th! This guy is a stud and he has been coming to church for a few months.  His name is Rodolfo. He is way prepared! We also set a baptismal date for another investigator, Fransisco. August 22! He was having depression one day so we went to visit him, and he was just so drunk.  Gave me a big fat bear hug and a sloppy kiss on the neck. haha We pretty much said Hi and then told him we had to go.  I also met my new mission President this week. President Perez! What a guy.  Very firm in gospel, very direct to the point, and very Chilean.  I´m excited to get to know him better.  This week I had three hamburgers with big fried eggs on them and cheese.  I POWERED through! Let’s go.  My taste buds are slowly adapting.  Maybe I´ll be able to gain some weight and put on some muscle with eggs now.  I have found an argentine food I just despise.  Pelenta.  It’s like mashed potatoes but with corn.  Just doesn´t work.  Another cool thing this week was that I did my first blessings in Spanish!! I gave two this week.  So awesome and peaceful, and the spirit just helps you know what to say. An incredible experience.  This week I handed out as many cards as possible while on a bus too.  My comp and I just laugh because the people just barely understand what I´m saying.  One lady thought I was trying to sell them for money and my comp had to come in and save me and tell her that it was free hahaha Another time I tried to stop to help some people with yardwork. And I said ¨We are books¨ but I meant to say ¨We are free¨ My comp and I laughed about that one for a while haha The church is true everyone! Ether 12: 27 says if we come unto God he will show us our weaknesses.  I have TONS of weaknesses.  But thanks to my Savior and his INFINITE atonement I am able to SUPERAR!!!  The mission has shown me my mistakes, and I have had to kneel down before my father in heaven and beg for forgiveness.  There is no better feeling than being forgiven.  Christ Lives and loves each and every one of us!!! Now if only some of my investigators could understand this!!! haha I invite all of you to repent this week.  Repentance should be DAILY and repentance is POSITIVE. And it is BEAUTIFUL.  Love you all so much. Have the best weeks of your lives:)

Hoorah for Israel,

Elder Maynard

Quick pics elder fillerup caught hahaha



 

 

 

 

I still got it! and fillerup has bounce too haha

 

 

 

 viva argentina! I accidently poked a small hole in the wall with this bad boy shhhh haha

 

 

 

 

 Love the full moon here in ARG!

 

 

Me gusta la luna

 

 

 

A homemade alfahor from a sister in the ward OH MY GOODNESS

 

 

 

Argentina is dangerous out there... haha and my fourth of july breakfast we whipped up

Popped open reeses to celebrate program of investigator! and milanesas

 

 

 

God bless America!!! 4th of July

 

 

 

MAS

 

 

 

 sunrise over esperanza and plaza!!!

 

 

SANTA FE!!!

 

 

 

ZONE WITH PRES PEREZ!!

 

 

 

 

 

 tallest in our zone and the shortest haha

 Me eating burger with eggs!!!! and then eating real mens food:)