Weekly Running Count: 26 miles

This was a good week. Elder Patey made me run 26 miles over the whole week... so that's fun. At least a lot of other missionaries have told me that I look skinny... haha.

This past week we had some really good lessons with Gladys and Robert. They are progressing really well, and are inviting friends to listen to us. Last night we had a great family home evening with them and with the Pizarro family who live around the corner from them. Walter Pizarro is also our ward mission leader, and Gladys and Robert had a great time last night and felt really loved in their home. 

We found a lot of new investigators this past week... but at the end of the week not very many progressed. It's disappointing, but we're still happy and working hard to find the people that really will progress. I know they are out there!!

Asado with Elder Edmonds, Elder Patey and Carlos Fernandez

Yesterday we had a Pday activity as a mission. We had a small devotional and then had a soccer tournament with all the zones. Our zone doesn't play very well, but we played surprisingly well until one of our sisters (who will remain nameless) accidentally scored a goal on our own team and then we had to go to penalty kicks and lost. Oh well. We then watched "Meet the Mormons," and I really enjoyed it. It was a fun activity and I got to see quite a few friends... but I felt really old because I don't know hardly anyone anymore. It seems as though most of my friends went home in February, March, and May. After this transfer I won't have many left, so I'll have to make some more!

The mission activity

Time is flying by, I can't believe how fast it is passing. Hay que aprovechar cada momento!! I love you all!

Love,

Elder John William Garrett

La Gran Misión Buenos Aires Norte

This past week was great. Elder Patey and I worked really hard. Elder Patey also has me running a lot. We get up at about 5:45 every morning and go run at least 6 or 7 miles. It isn't as bad as it was in the beginning, I'm getting kind of used to it. He also has a lot of weights, so we lift weights at night. It's fun.

Anyway, Gladys and Robert are progressing a lot . They are reading the Book of Mormon and praying every day and Gladys is inviting a lot of her friends to learn about the gospel. The Ward Mission Leader lives around the corner from her and is helping us out a lot with teaching her. On Saturday we had a ward activity that they came to and Gladys feels likes she has friends at church. They are progressing really well and have a baptismal date for the 30th of this month.

We found a lot of new investigators this week by working with recent converts and we have a lot of people who could get baptized, we just need to commit them a little more so they will be more settled on making the decision. 

This past weekend the Córdoba Temple was dedicated, so on Saturday there was the cultural event and Sunday was the dedication. It was a really really spiritual experience. Elder Christofferson conducted and offered the dedicatory prayer and President Uchtdorf talked. It was a great experience and I really miss going to the temple and feeling that strong spirit that I always feel there.

I'm really enjoying my time here in Suárez with Elder Patey, he's a great guy and we're becoming really close friends. Today we went bowling with the zone and my team won, so that's always fun. I bowled 3 strikes but didn't end up getting a very high score... oh well. Overall it has been a great week in José León Suárez.

I love you all!

Love,

Elder John William Garrett

La Gran Misión Buenos Aires Norte

Week 1 in José León Suárez

Last week was fantastic. I'm so happy here in José León Suárez with Elder Patey. We are having a great time together and working really hard. He also makes me run everyday with him because he's training for a marathon. The first morning here he made me get up and run 7 miles with him... yikes. So far I'm going strong though, so that's good. 

It was Elder Patey's birthday last Wednesday so we spent the week eating the 5 cakes that the members gave him.

My first day here we passed by for a referral from the offices and found Gladys, one of the most prepared people I've ever met. She met the missionaries in La Plata (other part of Argentina) at her mom's house because her parents are members. The missionaries were eating lunch there and she took interest and told them to send the missionaries to her house. When we dropped in she said she was waiting for us. She is from Paraguay and has lived her for 15 years. She lives around the corner from our Ward Mission Leader but they never met before. She has 4 kids, 2 of whom live with her. She is coming through on every commitment, has already received an answer that the church is true, came to church early by herself, and feeds us everytime we go to her house. She and her son Robert will be baptized on the 30th. Two things to learn from them: Always invite the missionaries to lunch, and get to know your neighbors.

This past week I started studying "The First 12 Weeks" manual in my personal study. It's a manual that you study when you first get to the mission for your first 12 weeks. I'm studying it again for my last 12 and going back to the basics, it's been pretty great.

I love you all! Thanks for everything!

Elder John William Garrett

La Gran Misión Buenos Aires Norte

Transfers...

Well, last week was pretty interesting. We did exchanges almost every day with the other areas in the zone, and seeing as everyone thought I would be transferred, I didn't stay in my area because I didn't really have to know where the investigators live. So, I spent most of the week outside of my area helping other missionaries in their areas. I had some really good exchanges with Elder Kelly (Las Vegas) and Elder Lanas (Chile). They are really great missionaries and examples. 

Friday was an interesting day, it rained all day and we were supposed to have a ward activity that night. We really weren't expecting anyone to come, because when it rains here, no one leaves the house. However, EVERYONE CAME. Andrea and Ezequiel (our most recent converts) even brought their next-door neighbor Mayra who loved it and then came to church on Sunday and has a baptismal date. It was really a great day.

Zarate Ward activity

Saturday the Elders in the Zárate 2nd Ward had a baptism, but they were afraid that there wouldn't be enough priesthood holders there, so I came with them to the baptism. It was a good thing that I did because other than us three there were no other priesthood holders. We had to fill the font up with buckets and then Elder Kelly had to immerse Aarón 8 times before he stopped kicking his feet around out of the water. I presided at the baptismal service, directed the baptismal service, directed the singing, and gave the welcome to the ward. All in all it was actually a really spiritual baptismal service.

On Sunday 8 of us Elders from the Zona Zárate sang in the despedidas again. We sang "Placentero nos es trabajar." Don't look it up in English, it doesn't exist. We nailed it. It was really great to say goodbye to some great mission friends like Elder Lanas and Elder Fuentes, and to see a bunch of members and converts from Constitución, Pacheco, and Chacabuco. 

Yesterday we got notified about transfers. They were supposed to send us the transfer details at 4:00 but the system wasn't working, so they couldn't email it out to us until about 9:30. However, Elder Fabila called me and told me about my transfer at 4:00 anyway. I had to leave Zárate this morning and I'm now a zone leader in la Zona Norte with Elder Patey. We are in the José León Suárez ward. I am really really excited. It will be a great new adventure. Elder Patey was in the Zona Zárate with me for two transfers and we are really good friends, so this transfer is going to be great. He ends his mission this transfer, so I'll be his last companion and then I'll get a new one before going home. I'm really excited for the opportunity to be here! It's going to be great! 

In José León Suárez with my new companion Elder Patey.
(I'm wearing the Chile jersey that Elder Fuentes gifted me today)

I love you all! Que la fuerza les acompañe!

Elder John William Garrett

La Gran Misión Buenos Aires Norte