Sounds like you guys had a pretty fun week! I've been praying for you Mom, I hope you can figure out the whole sleep deal! The good thing is that you have summer break too in that job :)
This week was just as nuts as it sounded like it was going to be! It's all a blur, but I'll give you guys some highlights...
When I was down in Gallegos, the days that we didn't have capacitaciones (training meetings), I was able to visit Orlando, Lautaro, Jose y Anderson (los Columbianos), Los Mancilla, Los Vargas (Mis preferidos), y LOS BAIER! It was awesome! Luisa is the primary president, Eduardo is the Secretary of the branch, and Joaquin is the quorum president of the young men (the Deacons, Teachers, and Priests are all one group down here), so they're on fire. It was a great blessing to be able to bring them the gospel. They also bought a new PS4, and Joaquin was playing it while we visited, and tanto yo como Elder Popa (both Elder Popa and I) can't lie, we were a poquitico trunky JAJA (just a little trunky)! Pero bueno, I have to go now, so I'll finish the rest later today. I love you guys!
CON FAMILIA BAIER
JOSE Y ANDERSON
ELDER POPA!
Alright, I have very little time right now, so this week is going to be short! The funny thing that happened this week in Gallegos was that one of the hermanas had a birthday, and President wanted us to buy a cake for everyone. So we went to my favorite panaderia (bakery) in Gallegos, and saw a nice big cake that looked really good. It looked big enough for everyone, so we bought it (it was around 70 bucks) So we take this cake to the capilla, and Elder Popa went to set up a table. I had some other thing to do, and I was off doing it, when Elder Popa walks up to me and says "Don't freak out yet, because it could be Malta, but I'm pretty sure that that cake is covered in coffee." I just about pooped my pants! President was going to kill us! I called the panaderia, and low and behold: CAFE! I ended up telling President, he wanted to kill me, but then I hightailed it to the nearest panaderias to buy some pies nada mas, and everything ended up fine :) So that was funny!
The week has been super nuts, but if one thing has been clear, it's that the Spirit expects us to put in our part before He comes to help us. Each time we've planned and practiced, things have gone well, and when we didn't practice, they came out bad. So this coming week, were going to put our part in, and then put it in the hands of the Lord.
I love all of you! KEEP THE FAITH!
MOM: You will always deserve your special part :) LOVE Y'ALL!
- Elder Jimenez
And to Jose...
BYU... what a dumpster fire. Our quarterbacks are like glass! FRAGILE! Whatever though, I'm happy if they're good next year.
I'm going to be keeping my eye out for D&C 109. Maybe I'll read it on the way to Caleta today :) Were really, super busy right now. We got home from Gallegos on Saturday, had church and entrevistas yesterday, today we have entrevistas in Caleta, tomorrow a flight to Buenos Aires (woot) and a flight to Ushuaia, then the rest of the week doing entrevistas in Tierra del Fuego. Then it's Semana 1, the retornos go home, the newbies come, we have to train them, then Semana 2 is consejo, and so on. I could go on 😂 IT'S NUTS!
I LOVE YOU! - Elder Jimenez
Okay family, I'm writing on Sunday because I won't be able to write tomorrow and I have a computer.
This week was full of events! It's a bit late though, so this might be short.
President Bento from the Buenos Aires MTC came to visit, and it was pretty good! He oozes animo, and I think he helped the zones in Comodoro and Caleta to get pumped.
Elder Popa and I worked a bit in the area, and we actually saw some success. We taught 3 lessons, and put a fecha bautismal (baptismal date) with a lady named Silvana. She didn't make it to church, and we still don't have any investigators very interested, but this week showed that the area has potential.
We're leaving tomorrow for Gallegos, and were going to be working straight until week 2 of the next transfer, but we'll see if we can escape a bit when we pass through Comodoro to work in the area. I'm still determined to baptize, even if it's not in September. I'd love if you all kept me in your prayers this week, because its the start of a very, very busy time for me. I'M GOING TO BE "A FUL" COMO DICEN LOS ARGENTINOS! ("super busy" as the Argentine's say - btw, the Peruvians say it too. Nikki had to translate that one.) So I'd love some prayers :)
Sorry that the carta was so short this week, but oh well, es lo que hay!
LES AMO! Familia! I really am so blessed to be associated by family bonds with you guys.
Sofia, I'm really proud of the person you've become and are becoming. KEEP AT IT!
Mom! I love you :) LES QUIERO! - Elder Jimenez
Hello family :) I'm happy that you guys had such a good week! Mom, I'll keep you in my prayers so you can figure out all the madness in your job.
This week was interesting for sure. Monday and Tuesday were tranqy (well, more tranqy than usual that is!). On Wednesday, we had about 4 hours to work in the area. Just before finishing, we hadn't had any success, so we offered a really fervent prayer. Two contacts later, we found Janet. She's a lady from Misiones, and as we contaced her, I felt really good. We had to hit the road on Thursday, so we asked the Lideres de Zona to cover the lesson for us. They sent a message that night saying that they had a great lesson! They taught her with a member on Saturday, and she seems to be progressing! So were excited :)
Other investigator news, the Lideres de Zona de Comodoro Norte had 6 asistencias (6 investigators at church) this week, and 5 of them were people I found with Elder Richards! I called him to find out who they were, and I thought he was going to say that Jose, Daniel, and his family came to church, but NOPE! Jose and Daniel did come, but 3 of the other four were Ana, Mariano, and Daphne, a family that Elder Richards and I found 2 weeks before finishing. I was sad, because after I left, they disappeared, and Elder Nelson and Elder Richards couldn't find them. Then, on Wednesday, after a lunch we had with them at Daniel's house, we dropped them off at Ana's house, and as we drove away, I saw that Ana answered the door. Turns out that they had to go to Buenos Aires for a week and hadn't been home. Elder Richards told me that they taught them two more times that week, put 3 fechas (baptismal dates) for the 30th, and all three came to church and loved it! THE WORK MOVES FORWARD! I was very pumped for that!
On Thursday, we drove with President and Hermana Salerno to Trelew, talking and drinking mate the whole time. Halfway through the trip, Hermana Salerno said "No! I just remembered that Argentina plays tonight, and I wanted to watch the game! (they can watch TV btw...) and then, out of nowhere, President flips on the radio and were listening to the match! BEST. DAY. OF. MY. LIFE! When we got to the hotel, they took us to the restaurant to eat dinner, and they put us on the side of the table that faced the TV screen, in which they were passing the second half of the match. Hermana Salerno said "We arranged the table special for you guys" TENDER MERCIES! But that's not all, halfway through the dinner, President Salerno whips out his phone, and shows me a picture of... Dad? I guess Dad had took a pic with one of President's friends in Utah, and he sent him a whatsapp. It made me notice how few fotos you guys send to me, because seeing Dad's face was strange, and it made me happy :)
The hotel in Trelew was cheto. Pero mal! And every night that we were with President and Hermana Salerno, they took us out to eat at expensive restaurants. The food and housing were great and all, but it makes me feel bad... not only do I feel kind of bad that Bolivian mother of 10 is paying her tithing so that I can eat salmon, but I'm also kind of sad because I know that all the other missionaries in the mission are eating their rice with salt and a glass of water while I'm living the high life. It makes me feel like I'm not a missionary... I'll just have to count it as a blessing though, and dedicate myself to the work enough to come close to deserve it.
On Friday, we had interviews with the two Trelew zones. They went well. It was a good warm up round to get used to the travel/train schedule. On Saturday we did the interviews for Madryn. The zone is on fire! I was very pleased with them and have no worries there :) It was strange, because as I sat in the interviews, I noticed just how short of a time I have left here in the Patagonia. For the first time in my mission, I honestly felt like I could do this for the rest of my life. It's not that it's easy, but I've gotten very used to the work. It was a strange thought...
Sunday, we were back in Trelew. I got to go to Union for church, which was really cool! We ate lunch with Los Rapiman. TACOS! After lunch we spent the night visiting conocidos (people I know), and giving a training.
Now, we're in Madryn for PDay. Its extremely beautiful here, by far the prettiest city of the Patagonia, and a beautiful day. It's like California! We walked on the pier, and got to see some ballenas (whales) up close to the shore! We're going to be heading back to Comodoro in a couple hours to start up round 2 of the interviews, so that will be nuts! The Argentine MTC president is coming to give a training, so it's going to be high and tight this week!
All in all, it was a very busy week. I feel very blessed that through it all, I have the Holy Ghost to guide me. I'm also very grateful that the Lord forgives me for my faults. They truly are many, but as I put my trust in Him, He will help me to change this mission.
FAMILY! I love you guys!
SOFIA! Bien ahi with Homecoming, SCARE HIM AS PART OF YOUR ANSWER!
DAD! Bien ahi che ;)
MOM! I'll have you in my prayers :)
LOVE YOU GUYS! - Elder Jimenez
