The Mission is Awesome

HOLA!

I think I just blinked, and this week passed by.  Crazy.  It was such a full week. Lots of food, many spiritual moments, and lots of things learned. Here we go...

First off, an awesome spiritual lesson that Presidente Pèrez taught us.  It comes from 1 Samuel 15.  Read the chapter and this will make more sense.  But Obedience is better than Sacrifices.  As missionaries we sacrifice lots of things.  Time, family, school etc.  We sacrifice all these things for the Lord.  And God can be pleased with these sacrifices, but if we are not obedient then the sacrifices don`t mean very much.  The only things that God requires from us is our heart and our obedience.  So let`s all think of things we can do to be more obedient to the Lord. And God has a great promise for those that are obedient. Mosiah 2: 22-24.

This week I was translating for President Pèrez to the new missionaries, and I had a realization of how blessed that I have been in the mission.  I remember when I got here and I just couldn`t understand a single thing that anyone said to me.  I was a goat in the middle of the ocean, just completely helpless. But now I can kind of talk, and kind of understand what is going on.  God is so good and so awesome.  I love a quote that I read a while ago that says something like ``God can make us into something so much greater than whatever we could possibly make of ourselves.`` Without God we are nothing, but with God we can be everything.  

In the mission you learn a lot about having accountability to leaders. It is a good lesson to learn in life. It is something that helps you to be more effective and work harder.  We have been focusing a lot on accountability here and Elder Pearson and I were studying a bit on it this week.  Like all things we should look to the Savior for our example.  I love how Christ was accountable to the Father in all things that he did. Even up until the final moments of His life when He was on the cross and He told God ``It is finished.``  Realizing this made us pretty excited this week. 

As for the investigators we are having a bit of progress.  Marcelo seems to have a brighter look on his face and he tells us that he prays every day.  We invited him to be baptized and he wasn`t sure, so we kneeled down to pray.  As he prayed to God, asking Him if he should continue in his path and be baptized and receive the Holy Spirit, I had so much peace.  It was an awesome prayer.  I just thanked him and I trust that God will answer his prayer as He has answered mine.  Marcelo at the last minute couldn`t come to church but we will be working with him.  And every day we experience miracles and lots of potential and hope for the future.  We taught a lady this week who gave us mate cocido and she accepted a baptism date.  We will teach her again on Wednesday and we will see if she is the real deal.  

Well I love each and every single one of you! I hope you all have a great week! I will surely enjoy mine :)

Love,

Elder Maynard

 Mom we ate food this week.

 Saying goodbye to Elder Ricra

 The new missionaries party

 walmart :O

 New missionaries

 Eating food

 Consejo de Lìderes

 we didnt have gas for 3 months so we had to bath ourselves with this dumb water heater, but we finally got gas and now we are happy.

 Teaching Elder Mackleprang from texas how to milkear

 My friends in church :)

 I did magic tricks for the kids and they went nuts

a statue thing that I don`t know what it is so I took a picture with it

Another Transfer Down

Hola Queridos,

Transfers here in the mission last six weeks.  I remember being in my first transfer in the mission and I asked my trainer, Elder Fillerup, if the transfers go by fast.  He said, yep.  Now I know that he was right.  I have just ended my 11th transfer and we have 6 more to go.  Wow.  Still there is lots of time left and lots of work to do.  We are going to keep on rolling.  

On Saturday we saw 2 guys shooting some hoops in a little park here in Santa Fe.  Two white boys with white shirts and ties showed up to get in on the game. (Elder Pearson and Elder Maynard aka American Warriors)  We just played HORSE and a few other small games with these guys but they called Elder Pearson and I ``Professionals.`` haha It was pretty fun.  We gave them our number and maybe they are going to call us in the future to play some hoops again.  This is the type of street contacting that I like.  Gospel, Family, and Basketball. That is the recipe to happiness in this life.

Every week the walkway on the River Bank is just full of people walking and drinking mate.  We took advantage this week and set up a little booth to contact some people.  I am still pretty nervous to talk to people.  It is funny how the nerves never really quite go away.  We still get the job done though.  Somehow and some way you can always pull a little bit of courage out of yourself.  We handed out lots of pamphlets, cards, and a few Books of Mormon.  The mission continues to put me in situations to grow.  That`s what life is all about.

We have had lots of success with Marcelo this week! He has been reading and praying everyday and he came to church yesterday!  He enjoyed church and told us that it is a really good environment.  We are going to try and give him a baptism date this week! Yes sir!

This week during several lessons I had the opportunity to bare my testimony on the Book of Mormon.  The Spirit hit me really strong every time that I really do know for myself that it is true.  I have kneeled down many times before God and asked to know the truthfulness.  While reading it over the past few years I have come to know my Savior Jesus Christ.  I feel like I have changed a lot and it is due to what the Book of Mormon has taught me.  It leads me to believe and have faith, to repent time and time again, and to keep my covenants.  Such goodness and such beauty can only come from God.

Another day, another week, and another transfer.  Step by step we get better and better, we walk farther and farther, until one day we will see God again.  Have a good week.

Love,

Elder Maynard

 Tacos and District meeting with THE DISTRICT

 Divisions with zone leaders of Rafaela

Sunday morning pic

 Lunch with Familia Chiapello

 Our stand that we did on the costanera

 My friend Lucia! looks like Amanda and has the attitude like Jessica haha

Rollin´....Rollin´.... Rollin´ in the Mission

***Letter from 8/15/16

Hey Everyone!

I feel like I am always here at the computer trying to think about what happened the past week.  It always goes by so fast and I can barely remember what happened.  But it is always so good and I feel like I learn so much every week.  It is just a blessing to be in the mission.

We were teaching a lady this week, her name is Carina. She is the mom of an inactive member.  This lady is pretty interesting.  She reads the Book of Mormon every day and knows that it is true, but never comes to church, and can´t be baptized because she is ´´Juntada´´(Dad or Brittney can explain to you all what that means.) We read The Family Proclamation because she likes the idea of an eternal family.  It´s a pretty thought right?  So my companion asked her, what are you willing to do in order to have an eternal family?  She looked at us a little uncertain.  She didn´t know what to say.  So we read Alma 22:15. I love that the Father of king Lamoni was willing to give up EVERYTHING in order to have the joy of the Gospel.  That is how all of us should be. Completely willing to hand over everything to the Lord. That is the only way to be truly happy and return to live with God with our Families forever.  If we want it to be a reality, we have to be willing to do it.  

Sadly, we are going to have to stop teaching Alberto.  He isn´t progressing very well.  This week we read 1 Nefi 17 with him, where Nefi builds the ship.  We told Alberto that he can do all the things that the Lord is asking him to do.  If Nefi could build a ship, then Alberto can come to church haha I guess it just isn´t Alberto´s time.  But I love the guy so much.  One of the noblest men I have ever met.  In this world or the next, Alberto will be baptized sometime.

I want to share my testimony real quick about the Priesthood of God! My companion and I have had 4 or 5 opportunities this week to give blessings.  I love it.  The priesthood is so real and so powerful.  Through its power I feel peace and comfort.  Through its power I know that this is the only true church of Christ on the face of the Earth.  It is one of the greatest blessings to mankind and I am grateful for it! ´´Mine is a home where every hour is blessed by the strength of priesthood power.´´

Well Folks, the train keeps on rolling.  We are keeping busy, working hard, and the days keep on flying by.  We are on a train that is fueled by the power of God. :O  Can it be stopped? No Sir!  Needless to say, I am doing pretty good.  Have a great week! I Love you all!

Con mucho cariño,

Elder Maynard

 Lunch to say goodbye to Elder Thompson! He was the financiel clerk of the mission and a big stud

 Thats us mixing up cement the good old argentine way

 It was an awesome service project. i felt so good working haha

This lady cried when we put this wall together.  She said that there was no way that we could finish it all in one day, we did it in 3 hours.

 a peruvian dish that I ate.  The sauce was made out of peanuts.

 My chocotorta that I made.  Ask britt if she knows what a chocotorta is.

 Divisions with Elder Serrano

 I bought 5 bags of pepas because I am a pepaholic

And the Flia Chiapello on their famous family mobile.  I love them