September 3

This week was incredibly insane...

So on wednesday we had a training meeting with the President, and something we do a lot here, especially cuz Ushaiah (the souther tip of south america) is part of our mission. We do mission conference calls and President talks to us. So as President walks in he is on the phone and the assistants have set up a conference call, so we started off with a prayer and he starts with his call. and he then tells the entire mission that everyone companionship has someone in their area who can be baptized this saturday, confirmed sunday and go to the temple rededication on sunday the 9th. So this is on wednesday, and me and my companion have been teaching this girl who went to the temple and so we thought for sure it was her. so Thursday night we have a meeting with her and we invited her to be baptized this weekend, and she told us she wasn´t ready. We worked really hard with her and taught the importance of it and about how much of a blessing it would be to go to the temple dedication, but the answer stayed the same. so now we have friday and saturday morning to find someone in our area who is ready to be baptized on saturday night. On friday, our district leader did exchanges though, and we had an appointment with Blanca (that same girl that night) and so they went to the appointment and I was with another Elder and we talked to their "prepared" investigator. He told us no... so we get home and call the other elders to find out that Blanca had cancelled the appointment. so now neither of us have a baptism for saturday and at this point we are all kinda just feeling like we have failed to fulfill our President´s promise. So the next morning we called again. and we asked our district leader if I was supposed to do the training program since we were on an exchange, and he said no.. right now I want you to go through the area book (which has a list of all the people who have been taught in like the last 5 years) and find all those who have attended church 3 or more times, then pray about which one is ready to be baptized tonight. So thats what we did. and only 2 were still living in this area that I was in. So we prayed, and chose one. And as we were walking we came in contact with her aunt who she lives with. which is obviously not coincidence. So we found out that she was at work, and so we went and asked if we could talk with her for about 5 minutes. So she came out, and 5 minutes became about 30 haha and after a lot of spiritual questions and waiting. She agreed to talk to the zone leaders (who would give the baptismal interview).

So at this time it was when we were switching back to our normal areas. Super excited for their area, but bummed for ours we call and find out where we are meeting, to hear that they had also found someone who was ready. The went through the list of formers and found a 10 year old girl who´s Grandma was recently baptized, but the parents told the elders (about8 months ago) that if they came back they wouldn´t let the girl go to church anymore either. (she hasn´t been for a while) but they went and talked to her and the Grandma and the parents and invited her to be baptized at 7 pm (5hrs later) and they gave permission. That is easily called a miracle.

So thats how crazy my weekend was. I think my companion and I have walked more in the pass 3 days than we normally do in one week. But it was well worth it. I´m just happy that its p'day and I get to rest a little bit haha.

The computer place we´re at isn´t letting me upload any pictures... so I´m sorry, but you´re going to have to wait another week. I still haven´t got the package yet but I could possibly hear something about it today. who knows. also me and my companion have super close birthdays. he turns 20 on the 15th of september. so we´re just casually bringing it up to members telling them that we have close birthdays haha.

Todo bien aqui en Argentina, espero que todo esta bien alla. Gracìas por las oraciones y por todo que hacen para mi. Nunca Olviden que para recibir bendiciones primero viene el sacrificio. Yo sè que el Libro de Mormon es verdadero y que por medio de la expiacion de Jesucristo, podemos vivir con Èl y nuestro Padre Celestial para siempre. Estoy agredicido por todos las cosas que Dios me da y por los milagros que hemos visto aqui en este semana pasada. Les amo con todo de me corazon!

Elder Johnson

Translation of the last paragraph:

All good here in Argentina, I hope all is well there. Thanks for the prayers and for all you do for me. Never forget that first come to receive blessings sacrifice. I know that the Book of Mormon is true and that through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, we can live with Him and our Heavenly Father forever. I agredicido by all the things God gives me and the miracles we've seen here in this last week. I love you with all of my heart!