PHOTOS!!! Camilla's Baptism

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.