This
past week was really great. Because our area in Zárate is so big, I'm using a
bicycle for the first time in the mission! It's taking a little bit of getting
used to... but like they say, "it's just like riding a bike..." haha.
Here in our area we have four bikes... well... we had four. The Elders took
apart two to try to fix the other two. When I got here one of them was in the
shop, so we only had one bike to use. We were riding around for about 3 days
with Elder Fabila pedaling and me standing on the pegs behind him. Last Tuesday
on my first day in the area, we didn't even get to the corner before I had
fallen off… haha. Then that bike later broke, but we got the other one out of
the shop, so that was good. On Friday we were riding bikes all day, and this
time I was pedaling and Elder Fabila was squatting behind me on a little rack
thing. Well, the area is mostly dirt roads, and it is pretty hard to pedal on
them. I had gotten to the point where I couldn't pedal anymore and as if in
slow-motion the bike started to tip and I fell over... then Elder Fabila fell
on top of me because he couldn't jump to the side quick enough. We got all
dirty but it was hilarious. We laid on the ground laughing for a solid minute.
The
work is going really well here. This week Adriel Phonsavath was baptized. He is
a 9 year-old Taiwanese boy. His whole family are members of the church, but he
was never baptized. His dad was somewhat less-active, but he worked really hard
and was able to baptize his son. It was a really wonderful baptismal service.
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| Adriel's Baptism |
This
week we taught a lot of lessons and found a lot of new investigators. On Sunday
Mirta came to church and really enjoyed it. She was waiting for us in her yard
when we pedaled up. She has a 15 year-old daughter named Elii. We are going to
be working with them this week and they both committed to being baptized.
We
also found a cousin of a recent convert this week. He came to church on Sunday
as well, loved it, and committed to being baptized.
Our
ward missionary leader here, Matías Gonzalez, is fantastic and is really
excited about missionary work and helping us find people to baptize. Today we
are going to visit some people that he knows that went to church before.
On
Friday I went to my first Leadership Council meeting with all of the zone
leaders in the mission, the assistants, and President and Sister Ayre. It was
really wonderful and I learned a lot. It was cool to see a lot of friends as
well, ex-companions, and ex-zone leaders of mine. We also ate McDonald's, so
that was fun.
On
Saturday we had our first Zone Meeting with the zone. It turned out really
well. It was like doing a District Meeting... just with a lot more people…
haha. We have 10 companionships in this zone, the most in the mission. There
are a lot of new missionaries who weren't in this zone before, and there are
two missionaries straight from the MTC. It was a really great meeting and
everyone felt the Spirit a lot and we are all really excited for this transfer.
We are going to do things that were never done before in Zárate. Elder Fabila
and I have a lot of goals as a companionship, such as getting to the point
where we can put more missionaries here and divide the zone, and helping this
zone become the one that every missionary wants to come to. It's a great
experience to be a zone leader and I'm learning more than ever. I'm also more
tired than ever before because almost every day this past week we had to wake
up before 6:30 to take care of something or to travel since we are far away
from everything. On Friday to go to the Leadership Council we had to wake up at
4:00 to go to San Fernando. Needless to say, I'm really tired. However, I'm
also really happy and excited to be here. Elder Fabila is such an awesome
companion and I'm learning a lot from him.
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| Me with my new companion, Elder Fabila |
Today
as a zone we got together in San Pedro to eat choripan and play soccer. San
Pedro is at the very limit of the mission, so we also had to wake up at 4:00
this morning. It's proving to be a lot of fun here and we are going to have a
lot of success as a companionship and as a zone:)
It
is now 2015, which is pretty weird. Time flies by. 2014 was such a fantastic
year as I had the privilege of spending it all in the mission. Yesterday during
Gospel Principles the teacher asked each of us to share three of the best
things that happened to us in 2014. It was really hard to think of just three,
because the mission really has been the best time of my life. I have too many
good memories from 2014 to count. In 2014 I learned a lot of Spanish. I
grew taller. I turned 19. I served in Constitución, Pablo Nogués, Pacheco
(Los Troncos), Parque Chacabuco, and briefly in Zárate. I made a lot of
life-long friends. I had the wonderful opportunity to train two missionaries
fresh out of the MTC. Most importantly, my Heavenly Father gave me the incredible
gift of being an instrument in His hands as He brought many of His children to
the knowledge of the gospel and to the waters of baptism. 2014 was incredible.
As a mission we had a lot of success. It is really humbling to think that the
Lord trusts in us so much to help Him carry out His work. In thinking about
2014, a year in which I was serving the Lord 365 days of the year, some
scriptures come to mind.
In Alma 26: 28-37 Ammon states:
28 And
now behold, we have come, and been forth amongst them; and we have been patient
in our sufferings, and we have suffered every privation; yea, we have traveled
from house to house, relying upon the mercies of the world—not upon the mercies
of the world alone but upon the mercies of God.
29 And
we have entered into their houses and taught them, and we have taught them in
their streets; yea, and we have taught them upon their hills; and we have also
entered into their temples and their synagogues and taught them; and
we have been cast out, and mocked, and spit upon, and smote upon our cheeks;
and we have been stoned, and taken and bound with strong cords,
and cast into prison; and through the power and wisdom of God we have been
delivered again.
30 And
we have suffered all manner of afflictions, and all this, that perhaps we might
be the means of saving some soul; and we supposed that our joy would
be full if perhaps we could be the means of saving some.
31 Now
behold, we can look forth and see the fruits of our labors; and are they
few? I say unto you, Nay, they are many; yea, and we can witness of their
sincerity, because of their love towards their brethren and also towards us.
32 For
behold, they had rather sacrifice their lives than even to take the
life of their enemy; and they have buried their weapons of war deep
in the earth, because of their love towards their brethren.
33 And
now behold I say unto you, has there been so great love in all the land?
Behold, I say unto you, Nay, there has not, even among the Nephites.
34 For
behold, they would take up arms against their brethren; they would not suffer
themselves to be slain. But behold how many of these have laid down their
lives; and we know that they have gone to their God, because of their love and
of their hatred to sin.
35 Now
have we not reason to rejoice? Yea, I say unto you, there never were men that
had so great reason to rejoice as we, since the world began; yea, and my joy is
carried away, even unto boasting in my God; for he has
all power, all wisdom, and all understanding; he comprehendeth
all things, and he is a merciful Being, even unto salvation, to those who
will repent and believe on his name.
36 Now
if this is boasting, even so will I boast; for this is my life and my
light, my joy and my salvation, and my redemption from everlasting wo. Yea,
blessed is the name of my God, who has been mindful of this people, who are
a branch of the tree of Israel, and has been lost from its
body in a strange land; yea, I say, blessed be the name of my God, who has been
mindful of us, wanderers in a strange land.
37 Now
my brethren, we see that God is mindful of every people,
whatsoever land they may be in; yea, he numbereth his people, and his bowels of
mercy are over all the earth. Now this is my joy, and my great thanksgiving;
yea, and I will give thanks unto my God forever. Amen.
I love the
Lord and I love this work. I am so grateful for all that he has done for me in
my life and for the people in Argentina that I have grown to love. May you all
feel of His love. I love you all.
Que
la fuerza les acompañe.
Love,
Elder
John William Garrett
