Día 126

Wow, this past week was pretty crazy. We had been meeting with Olga, Graciela, and Danny, our referral from the Guillermo family, and their baptismal date was scheduled for this past Sunday. On Wednesday Olga told us that she just didn't feel sure yet and she wouldn't be baptized until she felt completely sure. Then Danny, her 16 year-old son proceded to tell her that she just needs to have faith and pray and read the scriptures to feel sure. In the beginning Danny wasn't even sure if he believed in God, so that was a pretty incredible moment for all of us. Olga committed to read and pray every day, and on Sunday Olga and Danny were baptized. Unfortunately, Graciela was not, because she had to go to a luncheon thing for school, but she will be baptized this next Sunday. It was a really special day, and when Olga saw Danny dressed in white she just started crying. Danny had asked me to baptize him, which was pretty special as well. Yesterday when we visited them, it was like Olga was a different person, and she has noticed it as well as her family. She's a lot happier, and a lot more patient. They said that as a family they've been trying to do a lot better and are praying together a lot, and Graciela is looking forward to her baptism this week. It's so cool to see the change that the gospel of Jesus Christ makes in peoples lives. The mission is really rewarding.

This past week was our last week with Elder Buxton as he should be just about in Utah now. We went to Once again last P-day so he could buy a bunch of gifts and stuff to take home. He left yesterday in the morning, so Elder Johnson came with Elder Cruz and I for the day because Elder Johnson wouldn't get his new companion until today. When we went to their pension Elder Buxton was just finishing packing and his suitcases weighed a ton. Definitely well over the 50 lb. limit... so I'm guessing he had to pay quite a bit to ship those bags. It was kind of an interesting moment when we said goodbye to Elder Buxton. I was excited for him, but I was also sad to see him go. We were together for about 3 months in the same ward, and he was my friend who spoke English, really tried to get to know me, listened to me, and gave me advice. I'm going to miss him being around, but who knows, maybe I'll see him when I go home because he's from Orem.

Today we had transfers. Last night was pretty nerve-wracking as we waited for the call from the zone leaders telling us what was up. Elder Cruz got shipped off to Provincia somewhere... I don't really remember where. I'm still in Constitución, and my new companion is Elder Seda, also from Mexico. He actually knew Elder Cruz before the mission as well because they went to the same school. Elder Johnson is also still in Constitución, and his companion is Elder Popoca, also from Mexico and knows Elder Cruz. It'll be kind of different as it is a change, but I'm excited. I have faith that President Ayre is called of God and I should be in Constitución with Elder Seda right now.

Love,

Elder John William Garrett

ps. Christmas is coming, but it's really hot so it doesn't feel like it... haha.

Día 118

Wow what a week. It's really starting to heat up down here and it doesn't really feel like Christmas time because of that. Also, I had a member ask me yesterday what day Christmas is... so I'm not sure how big of a holiday it is down here.

This past P-day we went to the stadium of the Boca futbol club and toured around, which was pretty awesome. I've been slowly improving when it comes to playing futbol... but I'm still pretty bad. However, this past week élder Buxton kicked it to me from the corner and I headed it in for a goal, so everyone was pretty impressed even though I know it was just luck. Oh well, I'll take what I can get.
 

 

This week we had divisions again and I was with élder Buxton in my area. It was a really good experience and I learned a lot. I had to lead out in all of the lessons, and I realized that I really can do this and the Lord will fill my mouth with words when I simply have the courage to open it. I also learned that one of the most important things is just to relax when we're in lessons. I'm reminded of all the breathing stuff I did with Andra and Bonnie and I've been trying to breathe more in the lessons and I've noticed that it's a lot easier to relax and the Spirit is able to help out more when we aren't so nervous.

We had to drop the beloved Guillermo family this week, which was really hard. Danny told us now that he doesn't want his boys to make the decision to be baptized until they are at least 18 because he thinks that until they are adults they aren't capable of making the decision for themselves. I'm not really sure where the reasoning is in that, but we have to respect people's agency. He has really just hardened his heart which was quite obvious as he would repeat over and over that God is everywhere and we don't need to be in a church as long as we try to live right and be good people. As much as we tried to help him, he just wouldn't open up his mind, and as he wasn't allowing his children to be baptized either, we just had to drop them to spend our time finding and teaching people who are prepared for this message.

On the flip-side, the reference that the Guillermo family gave us of Olga and her two children Graciela and Danny are doing fantastic. They really enjoy going to church and are reading the scriptures and praying. Yesterday Graciela couldn't come to church because she had to take someone to the train station, and Olga was just sitting at home and didn't want to go to church alone. However she said a little prayer and asked God what she should do and then opened up her Book of Mormon and read a scripture that says something like "don't put off to tomorrow what you can do today" and she got up and went to church. Later we went to her house and picked up Danny to bring him to church as well and it was really great. The Lord works in mysterious ways. We thought that the Guillermo family was put in our path to be baptized, but maybe it just isn't their time and through them we were able to find this family. When we follow the Spirit and take advantage of every opportunity we are given, we will truly be led where we need to go.

Alan is doing really well also, but unfortunately he couldn't come to church yesterday because he had to take his little brother to a soccer tournament, so unfortunately that pushed his baptism back another week. We have faith though that all will work out with him.

Yesterday was kind of an interesting day as we had two different appointments with an inactive member and a nonmember husband of a member who were just attacking the Book of Mormon. The husband of the member said that he can't believe the book of Mormon is true until there is proof that Zarahemla exists and where it is. The inactive member just kind of slipped into apostasy and has been interpreting the Bible the best way he can and doesn't believe that the church is true. 

 

I learned much from yesterday and received personal revelation through these appointments. It doesn't matter how much knowledge we have or want, we will always arrive to a point when we simply have to have faith. It is impossible to know everything. When we humble ourselves enough to simply ask our Father in Heaven, expecting to receive an answer, we will always receive it. This answer, this feeling, is something that no one can take away from you. I know that Jesus Christ lives and He atoned for me although I have not seen Him. I have felt His love and His help and guidance in my life. I know that The Book of Mormon is the word of God even though I have not seen Zarahemla, because I have read it, I have meditated on the word, and I have asked God and received the confirmation that it is true. I also know that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God and that this church is true. I know that I don't have all the answers for every question, but frankly, even if I read in the newspaper tomorrow that Zarahemla has been found or if I see my Savior tomorrow it wouldn't change what I already know to be true. However, no one can receive this witness until they humble themselves and simply have faith. I also learned that it is when we stop doing the little things that we slowly slip into apostasy. This inactive member wasn't attending church and wasn't really reading the Book of Mormon when he decided to go on this personal quest to find out what is truly the doctrine of Christ according to the Bible. It is when we stop doing the simple things such as attending church, reading the scriptures, and praying that we slip into apostasy and Satan really starts working on us. We as members cannot afford to let our guard down. If we are not progressing steadily forward in our testimonies, we are moving backwards. There is nothing sadder in this work than visiting with inactive members of the church who have completely fallen into apostasy. When we think we can figure something out on our own is when we develop pride and fall, which is a pattern shown time and time again in the Book of Mormon. 

I know this church is true. I know that my Savior lives. The Book of Mormon is the word of God. Joseph Smith saw God the Father and Jesus Christ. Thomas S. Monson is God's prophet in the world today. If anyone has doubts or questions, there is no better place to go than directly to our Father in Heaven, because He knows if this church is His church, if the Book of Mormon is His word, and if Joseph Smith was His prophet. When we humble ourselves sufficiently to ask Him, He will make it known unto us. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

élder John William Garrett

Día 111

This past week has been pretty good. I've had some breakthroughs with the language and I've been able to understand and communicate pretty well, so I'm really excited about that. On Monday we visited with the family in the ward from Ukraine that only two of the children speak Spanish. We watched the movie "Finding Faith in Christ" in Russian so that they could understand it, and I felt brand new again as I couldn't understand anything that was being said in the movie. I also came to be grateful that I'm learning Spanish and not Russian. Every time we visit this family they give us some Ukranian food that is always kind of strange, so I was really excited when I saw that this time it was 3 pancakes rolled up. Then I ate it and discovered that there was some kind of pumpkin or squash vegetable in the middle of the pancakes, so that was a little strange, but oh well.

We've run into some walls with the Guillermo family, and we've fasted the past 2 Sundays to know how we can help them. It appears that Danny really won't budge on waiting to get married until next year even though he knows he needs to be baptized. However, he gave permission to Axel and Bryan that they could be baptized. The only problem now is that Danny won't sign the baptismal record forms, because he believes that it isn't important to sign something to be baptized, the same reason why he won't get married civilly. We tried to explain about the form, but he just wasn't understanding and we're going to try to explain it a different way. They also didn't attend church yesterday because they had a birthday party for Axel until 12:00. We're disappointed, but we're just going to keep on working and press forward with faith.

Alan is really great and is reading and excited for his baptism. The only problem is yesterday élder Cruz and I had to go to the Villa to pick up some investigators, and our ward mission leader was to pick up Alan for church. We called and reminded him the night before, but Alan nor the ward mission leader came to church, so we aren't really sure what happened. That is a problem though, because to be baptized in this mission the investigators have to attend church 3 times, so it pushes his baptismal date back a week.

This week Jessica Guillermo gave us a referral of one of her friends, and we contacted Olga and her daughter Graciela and they accepted everything in the first lesson and came to church yesterday with us. They are looking for the right church, and Jessica had lent Olga a Book of Mormon and she was already reading it, so that was pretty awesome.

On Saturday we donated blood at a blood drive in a chapel in Chacarita, about 45 minutes from Constitución. élder Johnson and I were completely calm about the whole thing because we've donated before, but élder Buxton and élder Cruz were freaking out about it. Afterwards élder Buxton and élder Cruz had to stay in their chairs for about 5-10 minutes because they were really pale and loopy. 

Have a great week and enjoy winter because it's really hot and humid here. I'm thankful for all of you.

élder John William Garrett

Día 104

This week we had exchanges with the district leader, élder Buxton, and élder Johnson. In exchanges the senior companions always go together and the junior companions go together, so I was with élder Johnson in my area. He arrived the transfer after me, so both of us are pretty new here and working on the language. However, we decided we were going to have a good day and we went to work. We changed companions after district meeting right before lunch, and élder Johnson and I went to lunch with the Cisneros family. It was the birthday of hermana Cisneros, and as a result we had an asado. They brought out our plates with a slab of steak and a whole chicken leg each. élder Johnson is vegan... so I ended up eating all of his meat and he just ate salad and potatoes. I was so stuffed afterwards, it was incredible.  At least it was good food. élder Johnson is sure going to struggle being vegan here in the country of the cow.  We eat meat in every meal. Afterwards they brought out 3 kilos of ice-cream. It was pretty funny that we had this kind of a meal, because we don't have it very often and it just happened to be the day when I was with élder Johnson, who is vegan. Oh well. We laughed about it, and élder Johnson was fine with just eating potatoes and salad. We had a really good day, and I was able to see that I can actually communicate pretty well. I was kind of forced to teach the majority of the lessons because I didn't have élder Cruz to rely on and élder Johnson has less time in the mission than I do, but it was a really really good experience.

The Guillermo family is doing well. The only problem is that they want to be baptized together as a family, and Danny and Jessica said they are waiting until next October to get married because it will be 20 years being together. That poses a problem because Danny and Jessica can't be baptized until they are married, and since they want to be baptized as a family, Axel and Bryan can't be baptized until they are married either. However, we've had some fantastic lessons with them this week and they are progressing. We visited them yesterday, accompanied by a member from the ward, and the only person home was Jessica. Talking with Jessica, she told us about how Danny has never believed in God and loved reading scientific books about the creation of the world and everything like that. He hasn't ever had interest in church, and the last time the missionaries visited them a couple months ago he wouldn't listen to them, but something is different this time. This time he wants to listen and find out more. Jessica just tossed out the Book of Mormon that the last missionaries left, but now when she isn't doing anything, she has a desire just to pick up her Book of Mormon or one of the pamphlets we've left and read them. Axel is always reading his Book of Mormon and has an incredible memory, and on Saturday he was telling us all about Lehi's dream about the tree of life. Bryan was more like his father as well, but now he is reading and has this desire to be baptized as well. It seems that Jessica, Bryan, and Axel are ready to be baptized even though they feel like they don't know everything (which isn't even important anyway, it's only important to have faith and repent), and the only problem right now is Danny. However, Danny wants to keep listening and we have faith and have been praying and fasting that his heart will open up. I have a strong testimony that when they pray and receive the answer that the Book of Mormon is true and Joseph Smith was a prophet they will get married and be baptized sooner than next October. As well, we explained that they could be married and baptized now and in a year when they have 20 years together, they could be sealed in the temple for eternity. I shared some pictures of my family and talked about how we have been sealed in the temple and I know we will be together forever. As I talked about my family I started to cry and the Spirit testified to me that what I was saying was true. I'm so grateful for my parents and their desire many years ago to be sealed in the temple.

Indio and his kids aren't progressing at all and aren't attending church, but through them we were able to find his friend/neighbor Alan. Alan is 14 years old and like Joseph Smith, has been trying to find the true church. He has been doing his research and has been reading the Book of Mormon and he says he believes it is true. He has a desire to be baptized and yesterday he was waiting for us outside to pick him up to take him to church, and we were even 10 minutes early. He really enjoyed church, committed to going next week as well, and every week even after he is baptized. I guess you just never know the ways of the Lord. We thought that Indio was put in our path to be baptized, but it appears that now isn't his time, and he was put in our path so we could find Alan. 

I know that as we have faith and are diligent in the work of the Lord, we will be blessed. This is the Lord's work, not ours, and He will accomplish it in His way as we are humble and listen to the Spirit. If it was up to us we would baptize everyone we meet, but everyone has their agency and it isn't everyone's time right now. Sometimes the Lord puts people in our path so they can introduce us to the people who are prepared. The church is true and Joseph Smith saw God the Father and his Son Jesus Christ. The Book of Mormon truly is the word of God. This is His work. I love the Lord. I love this people in this country. It's crazy to think about since I haven't been here a super long time, but I have come to love the members in this ward, and I have really come to love our investigators and I desire their salvation. The church is true.

With much love,

élder John William Garrett

Día 97

This past week has been really really great. This truly is the Lord's work.

I was having a lot of personal struggles on Thursday. I just felt like I'm trying so hard to do my best but I feel like it isn't good enough and I'm just a kid out here. I felt like everything I was doing was wrong and I wasn't helping at all because people weren't listening to me. I spent a lot of time Thursday night just praying and crying. Then I had some great experiences this weekend. In my personal study I studied a lot on humility. I came across some fantastic scriptures that really helped me a lot. In order to help in God's work, we have to be humble. If I'm having struggles, maybe it's just because the Lord is helping me to be more humble, and as it says in éter 12, (this isn't completely correct because I'm translating it from spanish) "if men come unto Me I will show unto them their weaknesses. I give unto men weaknesses so that they will be humble... and if they humble themselves and have faith I will make their weaknesses strengths unto them." I know I have many weaknesses, but if I will just be humble and have faith in the Lord he will strengthen me. Sometimes it's hard because it seems like all we can do is be humble and have faith, but that's the way of the Lord. 

This Saturday I got even more personal revelation. We had the opportunity to attend a meeting in the Buenos Aires West Mission with the North, West, and South missions along with the missionaries in the MTC here with élder Jeffrey R. Holland. If you think he's powerful on TV, wow, he's incredible in person in a chapel. He spent a lot of time talking about how much he loves us and how much everyone loves us and how that is a responsability to live worthy of this love and respect. He said every morning from the moment he wakes up until he goes to sleep he is trying to figure out how to save a soul... the same thing we do every day. He said in a way, we are Apostolic for these 2 years. His testimony in the end was the most impactful for me. He said if you think the mission is hard, it's because salvation is not a cheap experience. We can't expect it to be easy for us when it was never ever easy for Him. We are His representatives, and we have been called to do what He would be doing if He was here in Argentina. This is really good to remember when I have hard days, when people don't listen, when people don't follow through with commitments. He had the same things happen to Him, He was even crucified by them. If we have faith in Him and do our very best to preach HIS gospel, in HIS way, not our own, we will have success, because as stated in Jacob 5, the Lord is working in His vineyard with us. It isn't a coincidence that I'm in Argentina right now, the Lord saved me for this time in this place.

On Sunday we had the entire Guillermo family at church, which was awesome. They were waiting for us to pick them up when we went to fetch them. They're incredible, have great questions, and are reading the Book of Mormon and praying. Danny and Jessica need to get married, but they said that that won't be a problem, so this week we'll really just need to stress it and have them make plans so they can be baptized. We would really like to baptize the family all together, but depending on how the whole marriage thing works out, because I'm not sure how difficult of a process it is, we can baptize Bryan and Axel in two weeks and later baptize the parents.

I love you all, enjoy winter... because it's really hot and I'm sweating right now.

élder John William Garrett

élder Cruz and I sporting our fútbol gear that we got super cheap.

 

 

 

Dia 90

This past week we had transfers, and I'm still in Constitución with Elder Cruz. Elder Buxton is training Elder Johnson from Provo, so now we have 3 Utah boys and a Mexican in the ward. It's still kind of stormy and rainy and windy here, so it isn't too hot yet. I guess I should enjoy it while it lasts before summer really hits.

This week was full of ups and downs. Elder Cruz and I were having a great week all through Thursday with our lessons and our investigators, and especially for me the language. We had a great lesson with the Guillermo family on Tuesday. We were going to watch the video of the Restoration, but Elder Cruz's copy was stolen by another Elder that has now been transferred, the library in the chapel didn't have it, and Hermana Mantilla had all the discs of Doctrine and Covenants except that one. She gave us The Testaments, and we decided to watch that with the family and talk about Jesus Christ and the Book of Mormon. There really was a reason why we couldn't find the video of the Restoration. It was one of the most powerful spiritual experiences I've had, and I know that the family felt it. They really are incredible. As we were testifying after it was over, all of us were in tears.

Luis' son Sebastian, who is mentally handicapped, was taken to the hospital this week, so we haven't been able to see Luis all week. We aren't really sure what is going on and when we ran into him in the street the other day he had a pack of cigarettes in his pocket, so that isn't good. We don't want to lose him, but we can't ever meet with him, so we don't know what to do. We were expecting 8 investigators at church yesterday that all said they were coming, but no one came. The Guillermo family called us in the morning to apologize and tell us that they were going to Provincia because their sister was sick. We called Griselda and Ramón and they too said that they were in Provincia. Indio, Cristian and Marcelo didn't come to church either. We were really disappointed. We had a really hard time this weekend getting in touch with our investigators because they weren't home when we had our appointments. This is one of those times that we have really learned to rely on the Lord. He knows what our investigators need, and He knows what we as missionaries need to grow and progress as well. We just need to rely on him and be patient and diligent in the work, and everything will work out the way that He wants. A scripture that really helped me this weekend was Alma 26:27:

"Now when our hearts were depressed, and we were about to turn back, behold, the Lord comforted us, and said: Go amongst thy brethren, the Lamanites, and bear with patience thine afflictions, and I will give unto you success.” 

Love,

Elder Garrett (Argentina)

This past Monday Elder Cruz and I made arroz chaufa for lunch/dinner/lunch and dinner the next day. We made a ton. It's really good and somewhat similar to ham fried rice... but different.

Día 84

This was a good week. This past monday Elder Cruz, Elder Cultipa, Elder Buxton and I went to a "tenedor libre" for lunch, an all you can eat buffet (the direct translation is "free fork" so... that clearly explains what buffets are all about...). There was a lot of good food and all sorts of desserts and ice-cream and we stuffed ourselves. As a matter of fact, we probably ate too much, but as of yet there isn't a sign saying that the Mormon missionaries aren't allowed, as there is at another tenedor libre somewhere in Capital.

Halloween was this week, and it was quite different from the States. Here, people set out pictures of all of their deceased ancestors on a table and decorate it with all kinds of fruit and other decorations to celebrate "Día de los muertos," or day of the dead. There were a few kids going around asking for candy, but very few in costumes, and I'm pretty sure most people didn't have candy to give them because it isn't a really big tradition here as it is in the States.

Carmen is doing great. We set up a "noche de hogar" (family night) with her and an hermana in the ward one night, and that day we went by to remind her about it and we saw through her window that she was studying her Book of Mormon. Que capa. 

Luis is doing well, but he's having some struggles giving up cigarettes. When we visit him he expresses the desire to quit and he knows he should, and he let us take two packs from him two days this past week. It was kind of weird because we didn't want to throw away the pack outside for fear that some people might see some Mormons with cigarettes, so we went to the nearby chapel to dispose of them in a more private place... but it was weird walking around with a pack of cigarettes in my pocket. He's such a great guy and he's trying hard. As of now he hasn't smoked since Friday, so we're hopeful that things are looking up, and he has been buying bread instead of cigarettes. Turns out you can buy 1 kilo of bread for the same price as a pack of cigs, so he had quite a bit of bread when we stopped by yesterday.

Through a referral of a member, we found a great family this past week, the family Guillermo. There's Danny (father), Jessica (mother), Bryan (16), Axel (13), and Bruce (3). They are from Peru, and I'm not really sure why they have American names, I'll have to ask them. We haven't actually met the mother yet, because she hasn't been around for our lessons. The others are really receptive though and ask us questions and understand what we teach. They accepted baptismal dates, and Danny and Axel attended church on Sunday. Bryan was sick, but he said he is going to come with the rest of the family this next week. It's cool to see that this family really has been prepared to receive our message and when we try our best and work hard we can find these people. The only snag is that Danny and Jessica aren't married, but Danny told us that they'll get married soon, so we're hopeful that that happens. That seems to be the case with most people here, they have just been living together for forever, but to be baptized they either need to separate or get married in order to obey the law of chastity. Just a different culture I guess.

Sunday we attended the "despedidas" in San Fernando. It's a meeting where all the elders who are going home share their testimonies, and pretty much all the elders in the mission go, but we have to bring an investigator or recent convert. A lot of members go to the meeting as well. Elder Cruz and I went and brought Indio's two boys, and the mom of Hermana Rosa Rojas, who is also an investigator. Two boys, Matias Chavez and Edu Moron from the ward also came, and it was a lot of fun to spend time with them and practice my Spanish and realize that I can communciate more than I think I can.

Today was transfers. I'm still in Constitución with Elder Cruz, which isn't really a surprise because I'm still in my training for another transfer. Elder Cutipa left for another area to go be a District Leader, so I'll miss him. Elder Buxton is getting a new companion today to train, but they're still in San Fernando so I haven't met him yet. This week we had lunch with the Chavez family like every week, and we ate hígado. Liver. It was honestly the most disgusting thing that I've ever eaten, but I just ate it all and told the hermano that it was really good. I don't really have a choice anyway, because I have to eat the lunch because we don't eat dinner and usually don't eat breakfast either. Oh well. 

Overall everything is going great, I'm healthy and happy and safe. The church is true and there is power in studying the scriptures. I've noticed that my testimony has grown the most during my time in the mission when I am studying the scriptures and when I am serving others. It's through the simple things that we are able to strengthen our testimonies, and I testify to that.

Love,

Elder Garrett (Argentina)