Working Hard - Elder Pack (6/25/12 Letter)

So Hello Family and Friends,

How are we today?

This week has been a trial, and at the same time, awesome!!  To work 4 missionaries in 1 small area is well a little difficult to tell you the truth.  But the funny thing is that as we work, we haven’t found the same people.  We are getting close to the end, so I think this shall be the end of this quartet.  It was fun while it lasted though.  So the thing that makes it all hard is even though we are working hard trying our hardest to help these people, it seems that we can’t find the people that need this message.  This week we had four people come to church, and I think they all loved it.  The best part of it all is that 2 of the people that came to church already know a few of the members!!!!  It’s awesome because they should help in the fellowshipping process.  We were expecting more success because we had so many missionaries in this small area, but I guess that is how it is supposed to be.

So living in 4 is more like a circus more than anything.  Some funny things go on in the house, and well it’s quite fun.  Being with another American is not helping my Spanish to tell you the truth.  Even though I talk only to him in Spanish, it doesn’t help me to be hearing English all day.

I’m a little sad right now.  I am seeing 2 missionaries that were some of the best I have known in this mission slowly lose forces.  It’s not that they don’t want to work, it’s that they are very tired from pushing their bodies to the limit over 2 years.  I’m seeing what happens to missionaries as they come to the end of their missions.  It’s interesting to think about this.  I know it’s not because they don’t want to be here, it’s all due to the body and time.  It’s very interesting.

Well,  I’m having a great time.  I think that next week I will be sending my letter from a new area of the mission.

I love you all and I hope that you all have a great week!!!!

LOVE ELDER PACK

Mount Everest - Sister Pack (Letter from 6/25/12)

Hey Family!

I hope everyone is enjoying the weather in Estados Unidos para mi!  Here it is pretty cold well.. it has it’s days where it is really really cold then really hot. They told us it will be like this for the whole winter, fun no! lol.  Before I talk about this week, I just wanted to talk about all the changes that are going on in Las Vegas! I can hardly believe my eyes when I opened up all my emails today! Babies, marriages, moves, and a new cow in the family!? Are you going to kill him dad? I hope not... anyways I am glad everyone is doing well!

So this week, some really cool things have happened! I taught the first lesson in English! Seriously! We  got a reference from the APs and Elder Gochnour said that I needed to talk to him in English. I thought it was only that someone from here wanted to speak in English.  But when we went to the house, we found out he is from Haiti.  He is learning Spanish because his wife is from here, but he went to high school in NYC!  The spirit was so strong during the lesson, and I was so nervous because to be honest I have realized I really cannot speak about spiritual things in English anymore.  But the spirit helped us tons!  My companions also learned how us gringos feel during our first few months here in Argentina! We also had the Smith family in church because of the English class we started!  Cool, right?!  We are passing for them tonight to see if they liked it.

So this week is pretty much like the title of my email. While I was in the MTC one speaker spoke about his adventure to the top of Mt. Everest.  I think he is crazy for wanting to do it; however I’ve thought about his adventure that he chose to do how he made it to the top.  This last few weeks are titled my Mt. Everest of my mission life.  Between getting sick and loosing light and water for five days!  Yes, I
said five days.  I have felt that this job is almost impossible.

THANKS DAD FOR TEACHING ME HOW TO CAMP!!!lol  However, through this I have had the support of my companion.  When one of us is down the other or others push forward. The most important companion I have learned through this hard time is the Holy Ghost and how much I need Him in my
life. He literally is a comforter. I know that as each of us pushes to be more worthy (being obedient) of his presence, we will feel the peace we each need in our trek to the top of Mt. Everest.  I have also drawn strength from the talk, “Look Up,” that was that was given in the October Conference. He talks about how important it is to look down and see what you’ve accomplished instead of always looking up at what needs to be done.  This is easier said than done, but as I practice this, I have seen my personality become more optimistic!  So if other people are going through hard times, look down at what you have accomplished then push forward like the train, Ben….” I think I can I think I can I think I can.”  Through Jesus Christ, we can. I know that without a doubt.  I am grateful for this opportunity although it is the hardest thing thus far in my life vale la pena. I can hardly believe I am half way through my mission... scares me... but I am going to enjoy this second half even more!

Well love you guys! Choa!

Hermana Pack

Capture the Flag - Elder Pack (6/18/2012 Letter)

Hello family and friends that are found in many different parts of the world.

Well we thought that we had a good week until it came to Sunday.... hahahaha so this Sunday we had no investigators in church and well we are thinking it was because of Father’s Day.  Also that some were probably sick, but that doesn’t make us feel bad.  What made us feel bad was that there were only 36 people in church hahahaha.  We are looking forward to this week as a week of planning and working so that these things don’t pass again haha.

Well, we are teaching an older lady, whose name is Maria.  She is golden…The truth be told hahaha.  During the second visit that we had with her, she had read a lot of the BOM and well that made us happy.  The thing that she was very confused by was that reincarnation doesn’t exist.  It was interesting to try and teach that to her because the scriptures don’t say anything about that hahaha.  So we taught her about death, temples, baptisms for the dead then the Resurrection and then the 3 kingdoms of glory.  It was intense, and I had no idea how we were going to get it all out there to tell you the truth. But it was awesome that she understood, and then asked us how one could do the work for the dead.  That is how the lessons go with her.  Fabian is still going along, it’s just strange that we don’t know how to help him.  In the last lesson that we had with him, he basically told us straight out that he wanted to hear all that we could teach him.  We think that is why he doesn’t want to except a baptism commitment.  Others are progressing and well we will be seeing how they are doing throughout the week.

Today we played capture the flag.  It went well this time.  I didn’t do anything stupid to get hurt!!!!!!  So our team won like usual hahaha.  I captured the flag the first game and the second game another in my team captured the flag.  After, we went and ate hamburgers, and I could only eat 1 (for some reason after doing all that running that I should probably not be doing,  I had no appetite).  I drank a litter and half of water and some more after that.  It was the only thing that my body wanted.  I had fun and that is all that matters hahahah.

Well family, that is all that I have time for.  I love you all and I hope that you all have a great week.

LOVE ELDER PACK

4 Elders in one companionship - Elder Pack (6/11/12)

Hello People!!!!

So this week went well.  Some days were like a roller coaster up and down.  We found lots of people this week and had a few in church Sunday.  The people seem to be more open at the moment, and I like that.  As I worked with Elder Reed this week, we had some great times and got in some good lessons.  I just don’t know how to help Elder Reed with his Spanish.  When we are in lessons, I usually teach most.  I would let him teach but the problem is that right now his Spanish is a little slow.  He talks grammatically correct it just takes him some time to get his thoughts set well.  I want to help him a lot so that he doesn’t struggle like I had to in learning to speak.  The only thing that I know right now is I’m not going to speak to him in English.  I will be looking for things that I can do so as to help him in learning Spanish.

My companions and I are getting along great.  It’s kind of funny that we are 4 in one companionship but it’s a great time to tell you the truth.  It’s hard to get to know my companions personally because when we get together, we almost always are talking in a group.  Elder Reed does a lot of random things that make us laugh and we play card games every so often.

So that is what is going on right now for me.  I hope that everyone has a great week, and I hope that everyone looks for the spiritual things that happen this week.

LOVE ELDER PACK

Happy Father's Day - Sister Pack (6/11/12)

So another week has come and past and I am starting to realize how fast my mission is passing! This week we had little success, but we are going to have a better week coming up. We are going to do a fast to find one good family to baptize for July 4! haha but yeah we are working hard just in a really hard area. Lili one of our shining stars. Her husband doesn’t want her to take the lessons anymore not going to lie.  A tear or two fell when she told us she couldn´t meet anymore. I now have a little glimpse of how our heavenly father views us. When he sees us progressing through the things that He has given us and then we stop. Man I hope that I never create tears like this in our Father in Heaven anymore. I am so grateful for my two fathers. First, for my father on this earth. Dad, you are an amazing man, and I am so grateful to learn from your wisdom.  I hope I make you proud of the person I have become.  Thank you for this amazing experience.  The picture of te amo is for you dad!  Also I am so so so grateful for my Father in Heaven. One of the greatest things I have learned on my mission thus far is how important my relationship with my Father is.  Like President Monson said, in a few conferences ago, it is the one relationship He cherishes more than all. I hope all of us strive for this relationship because when things are rocky He is the one that is there for you, the one who hears your pleas and feels your tears.  Well, this is my thought today.  Now I need to go share this love God has for all his children!

Love Hermana Pack

Diving into the Scriptures - Elder Pack (Letter from 6/4)

Hello People!!!!!!

This is elder pack saying hello and well good day.....

This week has been a very interesting week to tell you all the truth.  I learned on Wednesday that I would be receiving 2 other missionaries in my area and well I was senior..... hmm how interesting right? It didn’t have too much sense but that’s how these things go in the mission.  Usually people get put in trios not in quartets hahahaha maybe we can start a singing group!!!! hahaha so we have gone to work but didn’t find much success, I say this week should be much better because we have learned good things and well we are in a better grove to get things done.  My new companions are Elder Castellanos (23 months) and Elder Reed (5 months).  Elder Castellanos is a great missionary and has held many different leadership positions.  I am grateful for the opportunity to be with him and learn from him.

So this week I taught a lot with elder reed, who is from Arizona.  We worked hard and well didn’t have too much success.  But, I hope in this week we will do better.  So the thing is I feel bad because I don’t know how to help him learn Spanish hahaha.  He is better than I was with 5 months.  All that I am doing is not talking English with him.  In this, I am hoping it will help his Spanish.  I have also been helping him when he makes mistakes and when he needs words.  Sometimes I wonder if the things I’m saying are right, but I think the people understand at least.

This week we ran into a Jehovah Witness and someone believes in Buddhism.  hahahaah It was great.  He gave us special water and some bread, but the bread was filled with some sort of beef potato cambo haha.  He doesn’t believe in eating meat because it’s breaking the no kill law of God.  He also doesn’t believe in a resurrection of the body.  It was interesting to talk to him.  I asked him, “Why do we have a body then?” because he had told me that all things had a purpose.  He told me that it was an interesting question and that he was going to go look for an answer.  We gave him a Book of Mormon and told him about Alma 40.  The Jehovah Witness gave me homework to answer what Paul meant in Gal 1:8.  Well, I know the answer.  I just don’t know how to back it up with the bible. I need to find a scripture that clarifies what is the gospel of Christ or of our Father in heaven, then use the Book of Mormon to show that they have the same purpose.  This will be my work for tomorrow.  Elder Castellanos will be helping me because he doesn’t know either.  I just need to think of how I’m going to approach this with the Jehovah Witness so he doesn’t put his guard up and get offended.

So this is basically all that happened…oh and well as I understand, Fabian is progressing well is most likely to get baptized next week.  I don’t know exactly how he is because Elder Castellanos and Elder Olvera are teaching him.  It kind of makes me sad, but I know he is in good hands.  Also, our recent converts are in their hands hahahaha.

Love you all and hope that you  have a great week!!!!

LOVE ELDER PACK

Alfalfa Water - Elder Pack (5/28/12 Letter)

Hello People!!!

This week I had an interesting experience drinking water of alfalfa.  It didn’t really taste that bad to tell you the truth haha!!  They say it’s great for the blood that it cleans it.  I guess we will see the next time I get a cut haha... or maybe not who knows.

On Sunday, we had stake conference and Elder Martinez of the seventy gave a talk.  It was funny.  He had the missionaries stand up and told everyone that the missionaries would love nutrients but not only of food also they would like references because that is how we stay happy hahaha.  It is true though.  He also said that if are comidas fell through, we should just go to the next house and tell them that we are representatives of Jesus Christ and that we have hunger.  Let’s see how it works out hahahahaha.  There were many things that he told us as a whole.  He talked about how here in Durango they want rain but they aren’t doing the things that will actually bring the rain.  Some parts of Durango pray for the rain and often we see people doing rain dances. (They are really quite funny hahahaha)  We all know that the rain dances won’t work.  The only thing that will work is living in righteously and asking in faith for the blessing of rain.  He then explained that the most people are lacking Faith.  He told them that they need to start going to the temple more often and paying tithes. The stake president talked and so did the counselor of our mission president.  They both gave good talks.  The stake president gave a talk about the amazing women that have made him the man he is today.  I liked it.  The counselor of the president talked about the importance of being worthy as a priesthood holder and the importance of the Book Of Mormon.  It was funny when the seventy had the missionaries stand up, then all the RMs stand up, then all that can serve missions soon, and the older couples that should be able to serve in a few years.  It was a lot of people to tell you the truth.  It is very interesting to see that the church is focusing on getting the older couples of the church to serve missions.

So this has been a good week but there is plenty of room for improvement.  I think we will start improving things.  Maybe we will be changing houses this week, and if we do, we will have a great time because we will be able to go running in the park in the mornings!!!

So that will be all for this week.  I love you all and hope that you have a great week!!!

LOVE,
ELDER PACK

One Baptism One New Companion - Sister Pack

So I now know that I have officially broken the record here in Resistencia. I have had 6 companions in 5 transfers.  We are now in a trio!  I will have to send a picture with her in it, but here is a picture of our baptism of Marcelo from this week!  He got married to a return missionary, we started teaching him, and he got baptized on his actual meta! cool right!  He is so excited about the gospel, and they are on the path to the temple this time next year! IT IS THE BEST FEELING! Any ways I love both of my companions, and I am learning lots of Castallano! I think president knew I was speaking a lot of English with my gringas, so he gave me two latinas hahah.  Hermana Lopez de buenos aires and Hermana Cepeda de Peru!  We are living it up and working hard! I have to work hard to stay up with their language.  Almost impossible but with the Lord nothing is impossible! Anyways, well I know that the Lord has his reasons for all and I am grateful for the opportunity to view these experiences here in the mission!  Hope you all have a great week.

Hermana Pack


 P.S.  This picture is for the people I told that I didn’t have a sink in the kitchen to wash dishes!  It was because this was in our sink! DISGUSTING!