New Companion, Elder Argyle from Missouri

Transfers are coming so that will probably change things for you, but I hate to see you end a companionship not really being friends.  I was hoping that Elder Correa would be a lifelong friend.  Keep trying and hopefully you can work it out this week.
  

Yes, things ended well. We ended up fixing everything at the end of the change. He had changes and I am with Elder Argyle from Missouri and he is my Senior Companion. Yes, he has been reading his English Scriptures, but he just got changed to Peñaflor in Whitewash and Training as a District Leader. He has a lot of new responsibilities. He will do well. I am really excited for him. Elder Harrah, Elder Ballard, Hermana McQuinn, Hermana Tolk, and Hermana Kioa are training this change and Elder Allan is a District Leader now, so things are going well for them, but oh, well. I´m fine, even though I had my hopes. Things will happen when they happen..... Thanks for everything. I am doing well.

Hi!  I am glad you were able to resolve things and end your companionship on a happier note.  I am sorry you are not able to train this time, but you are right.  There will be a time for it and I am sure the Lord is in charge of what you need and what the members need.  Tell me more about Elder Argyle.  It is exciting that elder Correa will get some new challenges.  I am sure you have had a great impact on his life and have helped him to develop some better habits and missionary skills.  A mission is an individual growth experience and even though it is hard not to compare yourself to others who were in your CCM group, just know that the Lord has His reasons and they will be for your best interest.  I love you, Braxton.

Keep on smiling.  They are developing Google Glasses, which are pretty awesome.  Maybe that will be part of your future career!

I already knew about them, but they need to be careful about the abilities or it could cause a lot of problems.

No I´m not training. I am with Elder Argyle who is my Senior Companion. He has 18 months in the mission and it is his first time as Senior Companion. Elder Correa and I fixed things well and he will have a lot of hard work to do. Thanks for everything and I hope that you are doing well. I am really stressed out right now..... I am going to have to focus in a lot right now because I am basically in charge again and this sector is really hard for me to have a lot of success. I hope that it doesn´t stress out my new companion either. I don´t have pictures of him yet.

Camila had her baptism Saturday and confirmation Sunday. Also the Sister Missionaries had their baptism last week and another this week so 3 confirmations together yesterday, because the one that got baptized last week had to work Sunday, but came this Sunday. Things are really good, but stressful for me. Thanks for all that you do and I will work on writing more. I am doing my best. Thanks for everything. I have to be really humble and accept what the Lord has in plan for me and His will not mine. Thanks for everything and I am going to learn from what comes my way and do my best not to stress out..... It isn´t the easiest thing for me but oh well...

It is something that I don´t worry about right now. I will get to that in the future.

Thanks for everything. I don´t know a lot about him yet. We have been together for about 4 hours. He is the oldest of 7 kids. It sounds like his whole family is members and I know him from the Christmas Choir, because he sings as well. He and I are very similar. He is tall, blond, glasses, blue eyes, likes video games, sings, very similar and things will go very well. It is his 6th sector and first time as Senior Companion. I told him today that I want to use my white tie while he is here with me. Challenging him to make me use it. In other words I am excited to have success with him and help the people come unto Christ. He liked the challenge and it will be good for us. I know that he is going to help me progress where I need it and we will improve and that I will enjoy my time here. Now it is possible that I have 1 or 2 more changes in this sector, but nothing is for certain.

Thanks for everything and I am doing my best even though it is hard to accept what the Lord sends. I know that he tells us no, sometimes and that we have to respect that and follow his plan for us. I am doing my best to be receptive to that and keep improving myself in all things to be more prepared for what he sends me. I know that it isn´t easy, but that it is possible. I know that things will go well. Elder Argyle has 4 more changes in the mission so it is possible that he ends his mission here. Thanks for all that you do for me and always writing.

You don’t need to stress over it.  Just accept it and be happy!  Smile and Twinkle!!!  Congratulations on your baptism!  Did you get to use your white tie?  Who baptized and who confirmed?  Do you have photos?

Accept the fact that this area offers a different kind of success.  How many referrals do you get each week?  I bet it is more than anywhere in the mission.  That is something you can be proud of.  Still humble, but proud. 

Remember when we talked to Clain’s Mission President and he talked about how they used Clain to help remediate Elders who were struggling in the mission?  It sounds like you are training, just not brand new elders.  You are training Elders who might not have gotten the best start or who have struggled along the way.  That is an awesome trust your Mission President has put in YOU!!!  Look at what you were able to do with Elder Correa!  He had never trained before and he had never been a district leader before and now he is getting the opportunity to do both.  You have helped him learn better work habits and live the mission rules with exactness.  If this is the first time that Elder Argyle has been Senior Companion, then you probably have a similar situation to work on.  Help him be exact in keeping the mission rules and set the example he needs.  Make sure that when you leave him that he is a better missionary than he is today.  You have the power to help him grow and change and achieve better things.  If this is his first time being a Senior Companion, then he hasn’t trained another new missionary either.  Set that as one of your companionship goals, that each of you will be better prepared to train a new missionary at the next transfers.  Help each other to grow closer to the Savior through your studies and by putting your trust in our Savior to help you achieve great things.  Set high goals, but realistic ones.  Work hard every minute of each day and pray with full purpose of heart.  Put your trust in the Lord to provide miracles for you.  Start a Miracle Journal where you record the miracles you see each day and I bet if you look back at each day you will be able to find a miracle every single day.  Discuss the miracles and pray to give thanks for them and then work hard the next day to find another miracle in your lives. 

You come from a blessed home and have grown up with all the advantages of the gospel.  Use that knowledge to bring power to the work in your area.  Pray to know which members can help you and pray to find part-member families that you can work with.  Keep working with Camila and Carlos and Jonathan.  Help them stay strong.  Ask if they have any friends or relatives that they could introduce the gospel to.  If you can get them involved in friend shipping, it will help them to stay strong in the gospel.  Work smarter, not harder!  Pray for inspiration to know how to make your area successful.  But know that your greatest success will be in building up your companion to be the most amazing missionary he can be during his last six months of service.
  

I know. Thanks for everything. We are starting teaching the mother-in-law of Jonathan and working with her to help her a little at a time. Thanks for everything and I am planning things out to help them be more successful in their lives. Thanks for all of your help and it will work out well. Thank you for always supporting me in all that you are doing. I appreciate all that you do and I love you and all of the family at home supporting me. I really am enjoying the work and looking to have more success.

I am really happy about Camila. She had been investigating the Church for 5 years and we were the right Missionaries at the right time for her.

No need to worry about the future.  It will take care of itself!  But I know you like to know about cool things that are going on.
  

I am glad you have a lot in common with Elder Argyle.  One thing that will be a challenge is the oldest kid/youngest kid thing, but probably not too much.  You don’t play the part of youngest kid very well.  You were willing to let Clain hang on to that role and you almost act like another oldest child, except you are still our most spoiled child!  Maybe you could add singing a hymn together to your daily routine. It can really help to bring the spirit to the work.  You could even sing on the street and hope that people will stop to hear your message. 

He probably will end his mission there, so help him to be successful while you are with him and maybe he will get a chance to help another missionary be successful in that area as well.  For sure you want him to have a great relationship with Carlos, Camilla and Jonathan so that he can continue to support them after you leave. 

Let your competitive nature go for now and work on humility.  It is hard to accept the Lord’s will in our lives, but that is really the only gift we can give back to our Savior to pay for his offering.  We can submit our lives to His will and accept what He wants for us with peace and humility. 

I know I have learned a lot of humility here in the mission. Many missionaries now talk about how they think that I am really humble in how I act. I really am grateful for what comes my way even though at times it is hard to accept the things that do not come the way that I had hoped for or expected. Thanks for everything and I am doing my very best. Can you look up a name in Facebook sometime? Names omitted here.  Thank you for all that you do. I will let you know how everything goes and if there is anything that you can do for me. I appreciate everything and I am out of time in a couple minutes.

That is great that you are teaching the mother-in-law of Jonathan.  That will be a way to keep him actively involved in the missionary discussions.  I am happy for you. 

I love supporting you and writing to you and watching the amazing things that happen to you.  We don’t always know why things happen, but we know there is a reason for it.  Maybe you are the right missionaries for this lady as well.  And how many more are out there that you need to find.  Accept that there is a reason you are still here and work to make those miracles happen.

It is tough to be humble and accept things.  Missionaries judge their success by things like training and being Senior Companion, but those are not the measures the Lord uses for success.  He looks on your heart and He knows if you are serving humbly and with love or whether you are looking for worldly measures of success.  Think about Elder Argyle and how he must feel after being in the mission for 18 months and never being a Senior Companion, a Trainer, a District Leader, a Zone Leader or an Office Elder.  Help to build up his confidence and skills.  Help him to see that there are other ways to measure a man’s worth. 

I always felt sad that Clain didn’t get more Leadership Responsibilities in the mission, but then when we talked to each of his mission presidents they gave him some of the finest compliments for being willing to submit to their desires and help struggling missionaries to be successful ones.  I was so proud of the service he had given and his willingness to submit to Heavenly Father’s will and his Mission President’s will.  Clain served in some of the most difficult situations and with some of the most difficult missionaries and he continued to serve with a smile and without complaint.  He helped to build them up and keep them on task and help them to find success and happiness in serving.  Others may not see what you are doing and I suspect it will not be something that is talked about in the mission, but your role will be just as important as other missionaries who are training.  Accept it and do your best to make a difference in Elder Argyle’s life.  Love him and serve him and really get to know him and help him.  I am so very proud of you!  Hang in there and just be happy!  Give up your stress to the Savior and serve with peace and understanding. 
 

I know. Thanks. I am out of time. Talk to you next week. Sorry. Time is getting to be hard to get to everything, but I am doing my best.

Yes.  I will try to find each of these on Facebook.  It is exciting to have a way to keep in touch with them in the future.  I am glad we have that.

Please have an awesome week and take some photos and send to me next week.  I will look Elder Argyle up on the poster from Christmas.  At least I will know what he looks like. 

You have always been such a competitive child and being humble and teachable is the opposite end of the spectrum.  I am glad you are learning and that your actions show your humility.  Read your Patriarchal Blessing and find peace in the promises it contains.  You are doing a great work on yourself, your companions, and your investigators and on the members.  Keep your chin up!  We are so very proud of you and never ever disappointed in you.  Your heart is clean and pure and full of love.  The more you love and serve, the happier you will be.  Your opportunities to lead will come.  You still have 2/3 of your mission left.  Make every day the best.  I love you so much. 

Do you have any temple days coming up? 

Who baptized Camila?

A friend in the ward that is Guillermo´s best friend. Guillermo is the husband. It went really well. I´ll send pictures from my camera this week.

Okay.  That is neat.  It is great to have a friend who can serve and that will give them a connection for the future to stay strong.
 

I will look forward to the photos.  Have a super, spectacular week!  I love you so very much. 

Love always and forever and ever,

Mom

A Hard Week for Me

I don´t have good news about the baptism this week.  It fell through, but we are working on it for this weekend. She wants to be baptized, so I know that it will work out eventually. In our stake there were 3 baptisms though, one from Republica, one from Parque O´Higgens, and one from Diego de Almagro, but from the sister missionaries. We are doing well. I am working on finding more people to teach here. It is really hard to have people to teach and most of the time we are walking the streets talking to people. We are working hard though.

I haven´t had the Family Home Evening yet. The last time we had to change it to have the baptismal interview that she passed, but then it didn´t work out because there wasn´t anyone that could be over the baptism when she could have it done, so they changed the date. It doesn´t help that our ward is mostly on vacation..... The attendance went up from 103 last week to 120 this week, but right now the goal is 180 so we are 2/3 of the way there, but far from it..... It has been a hard week for me, but I am just working through it and trusting in the Lord a lot. I hope that everything is going well and that you enjoy time with the Family. Tell Clain Congratulations. I sent him a message, but it seems like he is only collecting the worldly possessions and not the others that he needs to find.....

I have been working with Carlos on a lot of Family History. Every Sunday evening we have a Family home evening in his house to work on it. Right now, he has people ready to go to the Temple and I am working a lot on helping people. But honestly lately all I want to do is my own Family History..... I have been reading a lot. Last week, I told you I was in Ether right? I finished The Book of Mormon on Saturday and started again yesterday and I am in 1 Nephi 18. I am in 1 Corinthians 9, I believe in the New Testament. I have been trying to pass the spare time studying, because my companion got mad at me last week and is still mad and will probably stay mad until changes. I have tried fixing the situation, but he doesn´t want to let it go..... I have tried, but right now I am just going to do what I can and I can´t do anything else about it. I know that he isn´t perfect and that even though I am trying it is his choice, even though it hurts our unity. I have to deal with it and let him be mad..... I know that I am not even close either and that is probably why he is mad, but I have been trying to pass the time lately.....

Thanks for all that you do and if you are on to write thanks for everything and keep up the hard work on everything at home. Enjoy the Family time, but keep the focus on the Lord and work to help the Family remember that as well. I know that there are a lot of distractions, but if we focus on the important things first, everything else falls in place. Thanks for all that you have taught me and keep up the hard work and remember to always smile, even when you are having a hard day. It makes a difference. Thanks for always supporting me and writing even though I haven´t always been the best about doing my part. I know that I have a lot to do. I have 20 more minutes if you manage to write. Sorry, I wrote everyone else and then got to the large letter.

Something tiny that he blew out of proportion don´t worry about it. It isn´t a big deal.... Brownies, French Fries, the French Toast with eggs cooked inside, mixed vegetables, puddings, and other things. Tacos are harder to do, because there isn´t really a lot of ground beef and if there is, it is really expensive..... I am looking for more opportunities.

The baptism of Hermana Benitez and Hermana Willmore. 

Hermana Willmore is from my CCM group. We share the ward. Before it was Simi Squad and us in the ward, but they changed it up. He was baptized this last Saturday and will be confirmed next Sunday. He has to work this last one, but he wanted to be there. His name is Carlos, so lately only Carlos´ getting baptized in our ward.

Elder Correa baptized him and he will get confirmed this next Sunday. I don´t have other meat and I don´t know. I really like Summer Sausage..... Beef Jerky is good, too, but I know that they are really expensive. Thanks for everything and I will see what happens. I don´t know why, but lately beets are amazing and I look for opportunities to eat them..... Thanks for everything. I am basically out of time.... I didn´t get to any Family History which frustrates me..... I really wish I could develop technology in my glasses so that I could think it and it would work with Wi-Fi in my glasses..... Then I could do Family History just by thinking it while walking to appointments and other things and have it go into a pause state when I have to think about other things.... It would be nice. I could do more....... I just like to be efficient, and many missionaries don´t know how, which drive me crazy and how to be clean and organized. That as well is frustrating....

I think that I am good.... I have leftovers still. I don´t have 4 people in this pention so it lasts longer and I can´t get rid of all of the sweets. I have been working on cooking these past couple of weeks. I am getting better but I have to be creative at times. Thanks and with the two of us things last and I am trying to give a lot of things away. But I am pretty good honestly. I have never really needed a lot of things and am realizing that I have been given more than most people and that I don´t need anything honestly..... I can get what I need generally. The only thing that possibly could be useful is more short sleeve shirts. Summer is horrible..... Also I might need more garments but I don´t need them yet. These are possible future things don´t stress about them now. I don´t have space for things in my bags......

No, we go out and work, but he just doesn´t want to talk anymore and he was working a lot on learning English, but now has basically given up, at least asking me, it seems..... It´s frustrating because he doesn´t remember the blessing he has had even though he has told me that I was the answer to his prayers. Now it just seems like he is ready to leave, which is frustrating, because it leaves me with everything less than what I want.... I always share. I have given half of everything to him and he almost rejects it, because he thinks it is too much and that I shouldn´t be sharing, because the American Missionaries don´t generally share, but I don´t mind at all. I am doing well and yes sweating a lot...... My shirts will be wore out in the future and I don´t use the long sleeves much so mainly the short sleeves because it is hot and there isn´t Air conditioning at all....

I am out of time. Talk to you next week!

Send Me As a Package!

I know I am doing my best to keep working the best that I can in the little time that there is. I am on a little earlier than normal today.

I have been reading and writing sorry.

Last night we finally finished the Book of Mormon! 

I am nearly finished for my second time during the mission. Here is a code of a person with records in decendency that are confusing for me. KHTD-XMW

Okay.  I will check on it.  Thanks for all you do with Family History.

I am trying but there isn´t enough time.....

This one as well. LJL2-R11

This one too. LJL2-RRT

How is your New Testament reading coming?  I started and I am partway through Matthew.  I cheated a little and listened to part of it while driving to Cache Valley.  I have also listened to some while riding the exercise bike.

I started Matthew on the 17 of January and now I am in the last chapter of Acts.

Wow!  You are reading fast.  I think maybe we will read the New Testament for a while as a family.  I don’t know.  We will have to decide tonight when it is time to start something. 

I am over halfway finished and I am marking things as I go. I am also in Ether right now. I am going to finish in a little bit longer and start again, but it has gone really well. It helps that I have structured study time.

Well, first off Jonathan had his interview with our Mission President this past Tuesday. Afterwards our mission president told us that we had done a great job finding and teaching him but that he can´t be baptized for 1 year so no we didn´t have our baptism..... Camila has her interview this Thursday at 8. We are still planning the baptismal service. But now at least Jonathan has the goals to be baptized. Jonathan has a 3 year old daughter and Camila doesn´t have kids. We taught 17 lessons this week and only 103 people at church, tons on vacations. Many on spiritual vacations as well..... Yes the package arrived thank you! It has been great. No I haven´t cooked yet. I will this week because the Family Home Evening fell through last week. Elder Correa and I have had our little arguments but we are doing really well right now. Everything is great.

I know what I am going to cook. Don´t worry about it and thanks for everything. I have been practicing cooking lately. We have Camila’s baptism planned for the 14th of February. No we don´t have other baptismal dates planned right now. We are doing our email earlier to get to other things this week. We need to go get our hair cut as well....

Carlos decided that he wanted to send me as a package...... It was an interesting experience.

There are other photos, but I don´t think that I have time to send them all.

Is your email time short again today?

From now on it is only 1 hour.

Jonathan is the one in Pink. We had a Family Home Evening in his home with some members. It was really good. Also, I am out of time. Sorry. It is going to be harder for me to send things, but I am doing my best. Thanks for everything.

Conference Photo

This is a photo that Hermana Barreiros posted on her Facebook Page.  It must be from a recent Conference.  There were photos of several groups of missionaries.  I would guess this is two Zones, because I believe Braxton told me there were about 20 missionaries in the Republica Zone.  Braxton's companion, Elder Correa is on the other end of the second row, opposite Braxton.

Working Hard!

Thanks Braxton. I love you. Have a great week and don't get discouraged. 

I will work on it. So today the mission cut us back to 1 hour of email so it will be shorter today.

Ok. Type fast. Why?

I haven´t heard from Kaden at all.  Our attendance was 114 which is lower than normal. Jonathan didn´t have his interview. Our Mission President came to our ward for the meetings to have the interview with Jonathan, but he wanted to wait a week to have it. So next Saturday will be the interview. Things are going well. I still don´t have a clue about Family Home Evening supposedly it will be this week, but I will figure that out in a little bit. Sorry about the SD card I haven´t had time to get it ready, so it will take more time. Yes, I found a Post Office, but not in my sector. We taught 17 lessons this week. We are planning baptisms for Jonathan this week and Camila the next week and we are working with others to have them ready.

Are you still there?

Ya, I am still here. I am doing my best.  Email is short because our Mission President changed the rules. I have learned not to question the reasoning of my leaders. I just follow their revelation for me. We had a missionary activity to remember the missions of those that have served in my ward on this last Saturday. Things are going well and we are doing our best.

Sounds like you are busy.  That is too bad that President Barreiros came all the way and the interview didn’t work out.  Why do you think your attendance was down?  Were they all watching the Super Bowl yesterday? 

Can you send a couple of photos today?  What have you been doing on your Pdays?  Have you visited any interesting sites?  Do you get together with your District or Zone for activities?

Are you happy and healthy?

It was fine. It helped a lot, because President planned the interview with Jonathan then and there and the baptism and everything. So I am glad that he was willing to come. Many people are on vacation. It is summer here. No, nobody watched. I don´t think it is a big deal outside of the United States. I didn´t even realize that was yesterday. I will work on photos. We go do our shopping. Today, we had a reunion with the whole mission and we do email and laundry and working after 6. Sometimes, we play soccer and other things. We haven´t gone to any sites yet here. I am doing just fine.

I am glad you are obedient.  Are there a lot of missionaries that have served from your ward?  What did you do for the activity? 

I will send a photo so you can see what we did it was showing stuff from the missions and things like that. There are a lot of young families, so yes.

Why a mission reunion today?  Were you happy to see everyone?  Did you take photos?  What activities do they do when you have a mission reunion?

Are there any sites you want to go and see while you are serving in the city?

Are your other investigators going to be ready for baptism?  Tell me some wonderful experiences you have had this week.  What miracles did you see happen?

Because it was a large group of missionaries and half went home today. They are all doing well and no I didn´t take pictures. Reunion because we learn and get taught and there aren´t activities. Yes, it was good to see everyone. There are some sites, but we have to get permission to go as a zone. We are working with each of our investigators and I believe they will be ready but we are doing our best to help them, but they all have their own timetables. Carlos has been my miracle lately, because he is doing so much to help Jonathan and us. Yesterday he went out with us to visit and it went really well. I don´t want to share the details of this story. It is one I want to keep close to me.

Okay.  I understand.  I hope someday you will share some of your special experiences with us.  I am glad Carlos is helping you so much.  That is neat.  I think he is a miracle from God.  Were Carlos and Jonathan friends before?

Has anything wonderful happened with your other investigators?

So you are still seeing the effects of the age change on the transfers and getting some mid-transfer transfers.  Does President Barreiros teach you each time you have a reunion for transfers?

Yes, they teach us and it wasn´t for the age change. It was a choice President made because the group was a large one, to send them home separate for plane flights. We introduced Carlos and Jonathan and now they are great friends. We are still working with Camila for the following week so like 12 days.

Great.  I hope it works out so you can have the baptisms this change with Elder Correa.

Nice.  Who took the photo?

Another sister in the ward.

Our zone missing a few people and a brother that came to play with us.

I love you.  Have a great week.  I hope that you are safe and happy and successful. We pray for you every day and hope that you pray for us as well.  Keep on working hard and you will be blessed.
 

We will see what happens and I will get back to you. I am going to have to be more brief about everything and do my best to explain everything for you when I have a moment or two. Sorry....

Don’t be sorry.  Just write more details in your letters.  I love you Son!  Be Goode!

Can you look into this in Decendency View. There is a record that there is a new person here thanks. 9VLP-3Z7. This one, too. L7GX-X9C only because they have kids that were born in the 1920s and thirties.

Sure.  I have reserved some of the names for you in your temple list.  I am now going back through each one to make sure that we have as much information as possible on each one.  I can compare them to what I have in Ancestry.com and make sure all of the dates and places are accurately entered.  That way when you need some to go to the temple you will be able to print the cards.  I will keep working on that list.  You are doing a great job on these families.  Thank you.

I just do Decendency View. I like it more than doing other things. Thanks, I am out of time. I love you and thanks for everything. Sorry it is really hard to do everything that I would like to in so little time.

Okay.  There are lots of those.  Most will just have to wait till time progresses before we can do the work, unless the missionaries find their families and convert them. 

I am excited because the Roots Tech Conference is coming up next week.  I will go to it Thursday to Saturday.  I always learn lots of new things there.

I know. I am just working my way back and then back down thanks for everything. I am working as quickly as I can, but there is never enough time. I wish I could do this work all day. It is a whole lot easier to baptize people after their life here because it is much harder with Satan working on them.

We are told it is harder for people to repent in heaven, so better to teach them and baptize them here.  It takes lots of hard work on both sides of the veil.  I wish I could sit all day and do Family History work, too.  I love it and it brings me a lot of joy.  I am happy that you like it, too.  It gives me great joy to know that one of my children loves their ancestors like I do.  Remember they are looking out for you each day and will keep you safe and protected. 

Disappointing News

I will keep working on as many names as I can.  You may see some new hints attached to people you have already worked on.  The church just did an update last week on the hinting feature and added some new databases plus improved the feature so it will find more matches for people.

Are you still there?  I am waiting for you to reply to my other emails.

Sorry I was writing Kelton..... He wrote that he is going home..... It is hard to hear that right now and I want to help him.... Can you try to help me by keeping in contact and giving him support because it is going to be hard for him in the next little bit.....

That is sad that he is headed home.  I am sorry.  I will try to support him the best I can.

I wrote some advice for him that went to all of the other missionaries that are my friends as well and he wrote that 5 hours ago. I am hoping that what I wrote will help him out. I don´t know. Things like this make it hard for me when I want to help my friends, but I can´t do much more than write to them....

You can always pray for them and you can continue to be a strong example for righteousness and perseverance and faith and hope.  A mission is not easy.  I know there are hard parts about your mission that you don’t tell us about.  You will someday, just like Curtis and Clain are starting to do.  Every now and then they open up and share some of the difficult things they faced.  We pray that you will be strong and will be able to deal with all that comes your way, especially the hard things. 

I know when others go home it makes it harder for you to stay, but hang in there.  You can do all things through Christ Jesus who strengthens you.  I know you are tough and you can do hard things.  When the going gets tough, think of all the times on the soccer field when things weren’t going your way and how you just continued to work and kick even harder against the ball and their shin guards.  When you got pushed, you pushed back.  When you fell down, you got up.  You just fought back with all you had inside of you.  Keep doing that in the mission field and you will continue to be successful.  Please don’t get discouraged because of Kelton and others you know who have gone home. 

You have prepared your whole life for a mission and you can complete it, even if it is hard.  I am so proud of how you stuck it out with Elder Vasquez, even when you didn’t feel like he liked you.  You just kept trying.  Soon you will be a leader in the mission and training others to be good missionaries.  You will be a strong example of everything good.  I am so very proud of you and your desire to help others.

Thanks! I am doing what I can right now more than anything to focus on the work and the people and doing my best in everything. Sorry that I haven`t wrote a lot today. I have had a lot on my mind and trying to serve and work hard in all things.

I know.  Stuff like this makes it difficult to focus.  Can you tell us about your baptism, the package, your FHE on Wednesday and if you have the stuff to make crepes?

With people that were born in 1917 should I put dead or alive? They are like 2 years from 110 years.... What do you think?

Put them living.  Tell me their numbers and I will try to find death information on them.  Usually I can find something.  Not many people really live that long.

I know but it is the youngest child that is the only one that I can´t put dead..... I will send the number. It is a new person that I just found.  Find this code and then do the descendency view to find the record where he is missing, because I can´t create this last one. 9JR9-6ND

Okay.  I can do that.  Thanks.

We didn´t have our baptisms this week. Jonathan didn´t want to this week. He felt like it was too quick so we are working with him for this next weekend. Camila was out of town in Viña del Mar for her Dad´s birthday. Jonathan is from Columbia and Camila from Punto Arenas. We also have a new baptismal date that is Pamela and she is from Concepción and this next weekend is going to visit family, but wants to attend and said that she would the following week. I am excited for these people to work with them and help them accept the Gospel.

We don´t get to go to the temple. We only go if we have people from our sector going and up until now we haven´t gone. I will see about it in a little more time.

I didn´t cook this last Wednesday because they decided to first do one with Elder Correa´s cooking and afterwards mine. I am doing well and have plans to cook in the future, but I will look into it. The recipes are hard to follow because the supplies here are different and I don`t exactly have time to practice or prepare everything. I have been really rushed lately and trying to be focused on the work more than anything.

Sorry about your baptism.  It will work out this next week.  Keep on praying and trying.  I am happy you are so focused, but don’t forget to have a little fun and smile and laugh.  What did Elder Correa cook for them? 

The Crepe recipe should be simple.  The cookie package only needs an egg and some butter.  The cake recipe only needs a couple of eggs and some oil.  Any of those should be easy to make.  Stop stressing.  You can do this.  I obviously didn’t spend enough time on cooking lessons with you. LOL 

Did you get the package?  Did you have a party for Elder Correa?  What did he think of the gifts?  Are you happy to have your music back?

Arrepas. I don´t know how to spell it... Sorry they are Columbian and it was our Family Home Evening with Camila. Yes I got the package and it went really well. We had a party, but haven´t made the cake. He had 2 for his birthday from members anyway. He really enjoyed all of the gifts and wanted to tell you thanks. Yes I am really happy to have my music back. It helps me relax when I get stressed out.   (I sent him a new Blue Tooth speaker in the last package, because the one we sent with him will no longer charge).

Okay, I will try we had a lot of work this last week. We found Pamela from a reference and taught Jonathan the last lessons.

I am out of time. Sorry! Thanks for everything.

Thanks Braxton. I love you. Have a great week and don't get discouraged. 

I found this recipe, photo and description for Colombian Arepas on Epicurious.com. 

These tasty cornmeal cakes can be found grilled, baked, or fried in several Latin American countries. We love this Colombian version—the outside fries up crisp and golden, while the cheesy middle stays wonderfully moist. They can be eaten as a side dish or paired with hot chocolate for an afternoon snack.

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Colombian-Arepas-239943

I need some recipes I can cook!

We have a lot of Family Home Evenings with families here in this sector and a lot of people want me to cook or do something fun like that so I need to ask for some recipes. I don´t even know if I spelled that right... My English is deteriorating..... Something like brownies or something. I will work on something along those lines. I still have the cookie mix for Chocolate Chip cookies. I haven´t gotten around to it yet so probably that and some other things. I just don´t do long cooking because I don´t have time ever. If you could send me a few fairly simple but good recipes of desserts or something similar that would help me out a lot.

Do you have an oven?  I think you told us you did.  Don’t worry about your spelling, grammar or punctuation.  I always edit a bit before I post stuff on your blog.  It is hard to convert back and forth in your mind. Stop stressing over it.  We understand.

I know thanks for the help and I will probably be using them this week. Camila wants us to cook for a Family Home Evening this Wednesday that we are going to have with them. We are working hard and I know that they will both get baptized while I am here, but I want it to be sooner than later. Thanks for all of your help and both Jonathan and Camila attended this Sunday. Carlos received the Aaronic Priesthood.

That is awesome!  I was hoping he would be able to receive the priesthood soon.  Now he can experience helping with the sacrament.  Maybe he can even help baptize some of these people you are teaching.  I know that means you don’t get to use your white tie, but it may help keep him stronger if he were able to perform an ordinance like baptism.  Curtis mentioned how they did that a lot in his mission because it helped members to progress. 

We are looking to go to the Temple with him in March.  I have several people that I need to work to keep in touch with and Carlos was talking with me about going to the Temple in Salt Lake to be sealed. I told him if he wants me to be there he has to wait longer for me to finish my mission and I don´t know he might be serious about it. I have no idea, but I am really happy when we visit with them and help them progress more. We are working a lot with reading with Carlos because he doesn´t like to read a lot. We are going to do more Family History in a little more time.

It would be awesome if Carlos came to SLC to be sealed.  Then we could meet the family. 

Ya but also I don´t know how easy it would be for Elder Correa also. I don´t have a clue....

It will all work out, so don’t stress over it.  I am sure that Soley’s parents will want to be there also, so it might be best if they did it in Chile.  It would be cool to be there, but whatever works out will be what the Lord intends for them. They can always come to Utah afterwards to attend the temple.  It is important to have family and friends with them at the temple, so encourage them to make it work for their family.  I can’t imagine Soley would want to be sealed without her parents there to be with her. 

Do you have any pudding mix?

I know and her dad is leaving this Wednesday. Have you sent me pudding mix? I can´t remember.... I also found a new person for you to work with LVH2-JCF This is the code of the new person that I just created that was from a record.

I thought I sent you some pudding mix at Thanksgiving time, some pumpkin spice flavored pudding.  Did you eat it?  I might have also sent you some banana cream pudding mix.  I can’t remember.

I think that I still have them....

Then you could make that for your treat.  It just needs milk.  It is probably different than the type of puddings they eat there.  You could slice up some bananas in the banana pudding if you had some.

I will look into it. Thanks. 

I will work with what I have but I think that they want me to cook. There is the problem....

I know, but you can’t cook if you don’t have ingredients to cook.  Do what you can this week and maybe next time you can plan and have more to cook for them. 

Can you get hamburger, a can of pork and beans and some ketchup?  You could make meat and beans on toast.  It is not a desert, but it is easy. 

Meat and Beans on Toast

Fry:

1 pound of hamburger

Add:

2 small cans of Pork and Beans

½ cup Ketchup

A few dashes of Worcestershire sauce if you have it

½ cup of brown sugar or regular sugar if you don’t have brown sugar

Heat till blended.

Serve over toast.

Bread and Gravy

Fry:

1 pound of hamburger

Stir in ¼ cup flour till it soaks up the oil and makes a paste

Add:

3 to 4 cups of milk

Stir over medium heat till gravy thickens

If you don’t have flour, you can cook the meat, add the milk and then make a thickening from 3 Tablespoons cornstarch and a little water.  Heat the milk till it is really hot, but not boiling.  Pour in the cornstarch thickening while stirring.  It will thicken quickly. Cook for a couple of minutes so the cornstarch taste goes away.  Serve over toast.

This is a different topic.  I asked him last week to send me his SD card of photos.

First I need to find a Post Office here.... I haven´t yet and I just don´t get around to it very often. Sorry.... I am trying, but I don´t have a ton of spare time. Time is honestly the thing that I have the least of. I am busy every moment of everyday.... I try, but that is where emails are a lot better because I can say a lot that gets to you right after I write it.

I know, but you are only able to send a couple photos each week and I know you are taking more than that by the numbers on the photos.  Ask someone where the post office is.  Someone has to know.  You probably walk right past it and don’t even know it.  Make that your goal this week to send me the photos and you can proselyte at the post office.  People who go there probably live in the area.  It might be a great place to find people. 

I know you are super busy and that is great.  That is the way missions are supposed to be.  I am very grateful for email.  I would not have been a very good missionary mom 100 or even 50 years ago when there was no technology.  I can’t even imagine how I survived Dad’s two year mission with only USPS mail.  I remember there being some very long weeks waiting for a letter to come.  You should be grateful for technology, also.  It has allowed you to stay in touch with family and friends. 

I am and I am doing my best to enjoy each moment that I have to write because I would be really bored writing by hand and having to do it the slow way and letters seem so slow compared to email, so I generally just email.

I know, but you really should take time to send a note to Grandpa and Grandma Goode.  They don’t use email.  Grandma is reading your blog, but Grandpa doesn’t get any information unless we tell him.  Send him a quick note through pouch telling him how much you love him. 

I will try to when I get a moment or two.

Thanks for all of the information on how things are going. I know what you mean and we still have 2 baptismal dates and the other one we haven´t visited for a little bit. She had surgery last Friday, so she didn´t go to church and we are going to try to visit her in the next couple days. We are working really hard with Jonathan for his baptism this Sunday and Camila won´t be able to attend for a family matter so we are looking to change the baptismal date one week later.

It will be pretty hectic this week. I have divisions tomorrow with Elder Bennett in Parque O´Higgens. Elder Fernandez from my first pention is training again. This time his companion is Elder Hunter.

I hope that everything gets better and it always seems like everything happens to cost you financially lately.... Sorry about that and keep working hard and enjoying the little moments. They are few and far between. I am trying to read the New Testament in a month I started 2 days ago and have read 26 chapters of Matthew so I am starting off really well and reading a couple chapters of the Book of Mormon as well.

That is neat that you are reading so much. We are still trying to finish up the Book of Mormon from last year.  We are not doing so well, but a few more weeks and we will be done and ready to start over.  They are studying the New Testament in Sunday School this year so I will try to read it this year.  Teaching the Family History lesson in Sunday School, I don’t get to the class, so I will have to do it on my own.  I have been studying the talks from Conference, so I haven’t been reading a lot of other scriptures on my own.  I am about 1/3 of the way through the talks. 

It has been good that Dad is selling some pigeons because it is helping to pay for all the other things that have gone wrong.  That is a missionary blessing.  We have issues, but it seems there is always enough to pay for what we need.  We never go hungry and I am always able to pay the bills.  The last two months I have not been able to balance the checkbook.  It shows we have more money than what we really do.  Either I am really poor with my math or these are blessings from the Lord.  It was that way the whole time Curtis and Clain served.  There always seemed to be extra money in our Checking Account that I could not account for.  I am grateful for that. 

I hope you are able to keep teaching these families.  I hope that Carlos’s testimony has been a help to these other part-member families to convince them that they should try the gospel.

There are always lots of fun moments and I am enjoying this year so much more than last year, especially at work.  It has been a much easier year that way.  I have done very little imaging and that is a blessing.  I feel like I am keeping pretty much caught up and last year I didn’t feel that way.  I was always swamped.  I do miss all the fun activities with you and school, but I am so grateful to be done with the public education of our children. 

I am too. I got out before things got worse.... But with how things are going for public education in the future it will be really frustrating for me. Oh well, thanks for all that you do and the help always. I am trying to keep up with you and get to other stuff.

Yea, I think you are keeping ahead of me today.  I still have three emails in my inbox to read.  You will be fine with your college education, but I wouldn’t encourage you to go into public education and become a teacher.  I think that is going to be a hard field to be in for the future.  You will be better to use your abilities somewhere else. 

I´m too impatient anyway... Elder Correa frustrates me sometimes because he is so laid back and here time passes faster than anywhere else in the City.

New topic.  We had several going on at the same time.

I know things are going pretty well. I wasn´t able to give Elder Correa anything for his birthday this past Saturday so I acted like I didn´t have anything planned for him, but this Wednesday I will get the package.

Cool!  I am sure he will be just as excited for a late birthday party as one that would have been on time.  I wish it would have gotten there earlier, but none of us can control the mail system.  If it had taken the usual 11 days, it would have made it, but this one took 18 days to make the trip.  Take photos.  I want to see the surprise in his face. Thanks for making him happy.  It will be a wonderful memory for all of us.
 

Thanks I am working on it. Thanks for all that you do and for doing little things like this for me.

You are welcome.  I love to do things for you.  I won’t send you as many packages as some moms do, but I love to put together fun surprises for you and hope you enjoy and appreciate them. 

I know the hardest part is figuring out what to do with everything so that it all works out without over-running my suitcases.

I am trying to send you stuff you will use up and not have to keep.  You will end up throwing out clothes and stuff over time and that will give you more room as you go.  Are you changing your toothbrushes regularly?

I am doing my best to and am on my third I believe.

Thank you.  Swapping toothbrushes will keep you healthy.   A lot of germs build up on your toothbrush and in your mouth.  Keep your teeth and mouth healthy and the rest of you will stay healthy, too.  It was one of the things your dentist suggested.  Simple, cheap and very effective. 

I am doing my best but I am not perfect about it all the time, but I am trying a lot harder to do it and be focused on it.

Is Columbian food bland?

No, not a lot but some things are. I don´t mind peppers. I just don´t like when they are crunchy. When they are cooked well into everything, they are fine. Like Salsa or something along those lines. Columbians eat a lot of rice but it tastes a lot better than anything that they make for rice in the States.

You will have to figure out what spices and stuff they are adding to the rice to make it taste better and send me the recipe so I can try it here or at least send me the names of the rice dishes.  There are tons of recipes online.  I found a different recipe for the Marquettas Pan that I am going to try today.  We tried the salad with lemon juice the other night.  I liked it a lot.  I am sure it is healthier for you than putting Ranch or Thousand Island on it. 

Sometimes they put oils on it but I like lemon better. I will try to figure it out with Elder Correa what they do differently. I think it is just the type of rice more than anything because in the States it is really bland.

Yea.  I never realized how many different kinds of rice there are out there till recently.  It also makes a difference if the rice is fresh or has been kept for a while to transport. 

How far do you have to go to the grocery store?  It looks like there is a small market just a few doors away from your apartment building.  Do you ever shop there? Do you have a hand mixer?

This recipe is best if you use real salted butter and not margarine.

Brownies

Mix together:
1 cup butter softened
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
½ cup cocoa powder
½ teaspoon vanilla
1 ½ cups flour

Spread in a 9” X 13” pan. 

Bake at 350 degrees Farenheit for 20 minutes or a little longer or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

Frosting

Mix together:
½ cup butter softened
1/3 cup cocoa powder
3 Tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla

Stir in enough powdered sugar to make a thick frosting.  Spread on cooled brownies. 

You may be able to find a package of already prepared frosting down there.  I don’t know.  There is a cake mix and frosting mix in the package you are getting this week.  You could make that.

I don´t have any of the things that I would need or let alone know where to find them here. I am trying, but I don´t have a hand mixer.

Cake Mix Cookies

Ingredients:
2 eggs
1 cake mix
½ cup vegetable oil

Directions

1.    Mix together cake mix, eggs and oil in a large bowl.

2.    Make little balls with the dough and set on ungreased cookie sheets.

3.    Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 4 - 10 minutes.

Try mixing up the cookies then and the cake and frosting from the package this week.  I can send you some more easy mixes.  Your last apartment must have had some things because Elder Vasquez made all that food.  Do you have any flour or sugar or staples like that in this apartment? 

I honestly can´t remember if we have them or not and he borrowed a lot of things from the members. I will look into things, but something basic that I can do quickly that still comes out well would be amazing because I never remember recipes or what I am doing in regards to cooking unless it is basic....

Have you done your shopping already today or do you still have to go?  Where do you shop?  Where do you go to do your email?

We have gone shopping today. We go to Lider in Santa Rosa a little bit North of our pention and we go to a cyber in the street Marin close to Tocornal. Carlos lives in the Building at the corner of Argomedo with Tocornal.

Did you find out what part of Portoviejo Carlos is from? 

I will look up those addresses later today. 

Jello Salad

1 small box of Jello, any flavor
1 container of cottage cheese about 16 ounces
1 container of cool whip or whipped topping, 8 to 12 ounces
1 can of fruit cocktail, drained well

Stir everything together in a bowl. Let it sit in the fridge for a few hours. 

Green jello and pears works well
Orange jello and fruit cocktail works well
Red jello and berries of any kind work well. They can be fresh berries.
Or you can leave out the fruit and it is fine without.

Don’t use fresh pineapple.  It messes with the jello and it won’t setup right.   You can use canned pineapple, just not fresh pineapple.

When do you need to make this desert?  Can you stop somewhere and get eggs and oil so you could bake the cookies or the cake?  Do you have a cake pan to bake the cake in?

I have not seen Cottage cheese or whipped topping let alone fruit cocktail here.....

I am not surprised.  You could use cream and whip it, but that would require a mixer, which you don’t seem to have.  I would send you some, but they wouldn’t make it without spoiling.  I was trying to think of something simple. 

You could always do green jello with grated carrots in it.  That is a famous Utah dish.    

It is pretty hard for you to make something without any ingredients to work with.  Look around the store a little more and maybe you can find some ingredients you can work with.  How far do you have to walk from the Lider to your pention?

2 minutes I think. But going up and down with elevators and time with everything ends up like 5 or so.

Oh, then you are really close to the store.  I was hoping that you didn’t have to carry stuff a mile or two from the store to your pention.  You said in your last area you didn’t like to buy a lot at the store because you had to carry it so far.  This is better than that.

Does Elder Correa have oil and eggs you could borrow?  If you do the cookies or the cake mix you will have to have oil and eggs.  Sorry, I can’t send you a mix that contains those.  What ingredients do you have to work with?

I don´t think so..... I could try to buy what we don´t have but it would be on an only if I need to basis. I think that it is Wednesday.....

I think that Elder Correa has vegetable oil, but we don´t have eggs. I think I could find a few at a corner shop on the way to the pention one of these days.

Then I would do the cookies or the cake since you have the mixes.  You will just have to find a pan to bake them in.  I think you can stir them well enough by hand to mix it up.  Spend a little time looking at the grocery store next week to see what ingredients you can find.  You may have to buy a pan to bake with.  I will send you a few more mixes so you can make a few things easier. 

Which recipe is it that I have to use to make the cookies if I were to make Chocolate Chip cookies?

Just use the cookie mix I sent you.  It will have instructions on the package.  Was it a chocolate chip cookie mix?  I think so, but can’t remember for sure.  Can you find chocolate chips in the store?  I can send you more, but I don’t know if they will melt on the way.  I guess I can try sending them and we can see how they travel.  I think the cake mix is like a white with sprinkles in it and blue frosting with sprinkles.  And candles to go on top.

How many lessons did you have this week?
How many people came to church?
Have you spoke in church in this ward?

18 Lessons with 137 people which was lower and no I haven´t spoken here, but I bore my testimony the first week here as a new missionary. We had 162 the week before attending.

Wow, that is a big change from week to week.  I thought that your attendance would go back up after the holidays were over.  Why the difference?  I am glad you bore your testimony.  It helps the members to get to know you and become more comfortable with meeting with you.  18 lessons is a lot better than you were having before.  Congratulations!

It could be a lot better. We are working to improve on everything.

Yes, but look at the progress you have made from when you arrived in December.  You were only getting about 7 lessons back then.  Keep trying.  You are having success.  You started with not a lot in your first area and built it up and you are doing the same thing here.  Keep it up.  I am proud of you. 

Thanks I am out of time sorry. Thanks for everything. In the few minutes that I had I added a few new people to the tree but you will need to go back through everything and find those that I added I didn´t send everything. I just finished all of the stuff from Benjamin Morton´s first wife and started on the second one so go looking through those and preparing. If you have names ready anytime soon let me know I might have opportunities to go to the temple soon with converts to help strengthen them and maybe do some names as well. Thanks.

Okay, thanks for working on the Family History.  I will try to get some names ready for you.  Will you need any female names?  I still have some of those that we haven’t done baptisms for.  I will try to get some more ready for you to do.  I appreciate all you do and I love you so much.   Have an amazing and awesome week!

Love always and forever,

Mom