So on the flight from SLC to ATL I was sitting next to a Christian lady who I proceeded to teach 4 out of the 5 lessons, so that was sick. I also did some really basic missionary work in the ATL airport, which was cool.
I arrived in the mission Tuesday night. We ate pizza with eggs on it, which was strangely good. That night I slept in a suuuuuuper ghetto house on a very unsafe, rickety, three story bunk bed (second story).
AP's Pension with one of the AP's coming out the door.
Where Alex spent his first night in the mission.
The triple-decker, ricketty bunks at the AP's pension for traveling, arriving, departing missionaries!
Wednesday morning I went to the mission home, which was sick, and met my companion. His name is Elder Wilhelm. He's from Virginia and this is his last transfer, so I'll be trained by two people.
Alex and Elder Wilhelm
Yep... Alex's first area is almost to the bottom of the world... He's in Tolhuin, which is the only city in between Rio Grande and Ushuiah (the end of the world).
The name of my area is Tolhuin. Elder Wilhelm and I are the only missionaries here. It's super isolated, really cold (average high in May-August is in the low 30s - so Alex went straight to winter!), and legendarily muddy. It's the muddiest area in the mission. I don't even try to fight it anymore haha.
The road that their pension is on, looking right.
The road their pension is on, looking left.
Anyway, Saturday was the first full day of proselyting. It consisted of everyone turning us down, slamming doors, and me getting depressed. I started thinking that that was how the whole mission was gonna be, and I got really, really sad and tired. Sunday started off good with church (BTW I understand maybe 10% of what these people are saying so that's hard). I gave a talk, cried in my testimony cause I'm pretty sure I'm emotionally unstable and sleep deprived right now. After church, we had the second lunch with members thus far (the first was on Friday). The food here is super good. So I was feeling pretty good, but then we went through another couple hours of getting doors slammed in my face, except for the fact that most people don't even have the decency to come to the door. The people are pretty cold here. Anyways, I was really down in the dumps, already thinking about coming home. I said a really sincere prayer, and just asked for some kind of success. Then, right before we were about to go home for the night, we knocked a door that we weren't going to knock but I said that we should, and the guy let us in, we taught a really good lesson, and now he (Luis) is working towards a baptismal date in a month. Blessings. Life saver. Now I'm doing a bit better. It's still hard to adjust to the mission life, but I got a taste of the good with my huge heaping plate of the bad. All I needed was the good though, so for now I'm okay.
As for other news, YOU CAN SEND ME PACKAGES. This is the only mission in Argentina that allows it. They have to have my name and Elder Caseres name on it, and it has to be a shoe box or smaller. But that's sick. Anyways, I'm sure you'll have questions, so I'll just leave it at that for now. In my time, without lag, I have about 50 mins remaining. I love you guys soooooooo much (especially you Mom) and I actually miss you guys, so feel special.
Church is true. - Elder Jimenez
Alex's last week in the MTC he asked me to send him another coat - only of those packable ones that he could use or stuff up in his backpack... Anyway, i asked which one he is using in his cold area, and how his boots are working out...
I'm using both, depending on how cold it is, both are super bien. It feels like it's been a year since we talked last. Anyways, I've actually just been using my regular shoes, they're doing fine (although muddy).
Elder Wilhelm cleaning the mud off his shoes...
Cereal for days. I also bought some stuff for ham and cheese today (money is tight here because everything is getting more expensive but they're not giving us more money). My companion makes popcorn with hot sauce. Strangely good.
How long is your internet time? And besides your answered prayer on Sunday, what else has been good this week?
We get 90 minutes with President Rogers. Anyways, as for good things, I wont lie its been pretty sparse. The members are pretty good, although there are only about 15 in total, lots don't come every week, and although we only have 15 people, there are ward rivalries haha. It's hard. I have already eaten with members twice though, and both times were very good, so that's a good thing. Honestly, this is a rough mission Mom. But God sends his strongest soldiers to where the battle is the worst, so I'll just keep telling myself that until I believe it, and I'll be okay, haha!
Anyways, Mom, I've got to go, but I really just want you to know how much I appreciate you. I miss you so much! I appreciate every thing you've done for me, and that you still care about me even though I'm a couple thousand miles away. I'll write you again next week, hopefully I have a better week. Tell everyone that I love them, make sure to tell Sofia too. I miss you guys a ton! Have a good week, and be good followers of Christ.
With love, Elder Jimenez
A few more pics...
Final Pic with Elder Thomas - He's headed to the Dominican Republic.
The travel info from my flight from ATL to ESE (Buenos Aires). It was so hard to try to not watch everybody's tvs around me haha. What made it worse is that they were all watching Deadpool (very rated R).
my first pic in Argentina
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires Temple
(the closest he'll get to a temple for the next 23 months...)
Comodoro Rivadavia at night
Then its my travel group taking a picture with one of Elder Yapias's sons who was headed home while we were heading out.
Tambien, my first meal in the field, a crappy, airport, $180 hamburger.
And by $180 I mean 180 pesos, haha! Still a rip off though, but I needed food.
Our pension
(which is actually quite nice. Super small, ghetto by American standards, but I stayed a night in Cruz and Nelsons pensh in Rio Grande, so I consider my pension to be a Hilton haha)
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