Chao Salto

Hola Familia,

                                                                                               

Well, the big news of the week is that I’ll be leaving the little town of Salto and I am off to San Luis to the area 25 de Mayo. I will be with Elder Martinez who is a Chileano and I’m soooo excited. San Luis is known as the “heaven” in the mission because it is 3 hours east of Mendoza and it is really green and different from the rest of the mission. I have heard nothing but good things about the area, the work, and the members so I’m pumped! To be honest, I’m a little sad to be leaving my little pueblito of Salto and especially the people I have come in contact with. Even so, change is always a good thing.

This week I had a big plan to go out and try to find people who have become inactive in the church, have been a menos activo for a long time, and basically anyone else within the area who we could invite to Sacrament Meeting. This means, like every week in Salto, we were all over the map. One night we went out to a little neighborhood which is about 45 minutes on bike to find some people and as soon as we got there I felt my bike tire slowly lose air. Then, before I knew it, there was nothing left in the tire. So, that night my plan failed big time and we ended up walking for 2 hours L. But on our way back, we stopped in a little tiny store to buy a Coke and we told some random family our sob story and they let us into their home. We talked with them for almost 30 minutes about what we do as missionaries. It was the coolest experience! They were so sweet and so interested in what we are doing and I felt the need to share something with them but every time I tried to bring up some of our doctrine the subject got changed.

But, my plan to bring people to Sacrament Meeting actually paid off pretty well. We had the second highest Sacrament Meeting attendance that I’ve had here in Salto, which is always a reward. One of the consequences of spending so much time on the bike was that on two of the days this week I think I had some heat exhaustion or something. It consisted of some bad headaches and dizziness but it eventually passed. I’m really conscious about drinking 5 liters of water everyday so I really don’t know what happened. 

One of the highlights of the week was being reunited with my boy, Francisco! He had spent the last few weeks in Buenos Aires and we were able to catch up this week. He’s such a stud! He told us that he is just waiting until he is 18 so he can have some freedom in his life and one of the things he can be free to do is become baptized. He has a tough family situation and I’ve learned a ton about him.  I really hope and pray for the best for him.

Another highlight was being able to do service this week! We went to the police station to help them clean up and it was a great opportunity to be present in the community and just help people. We also helped our awesome member, Hermano Eibar, with his farm this week.  Like the last time we helped him, I was so tired after 3 hours in the field. Tossing and moving dirt is tough stuff! I eventually dunked my head in a nearby river and it was the best feeling.

One thing I tried to do this week was ask myself, at the end of the day, “Have I done everything I could today to help others come unto Christ and fulfill my purpose as a missionary?” Some nights I felt good about the work we did, but on other nights I felt like we could have knocked on a couple more doors or made a couple more street contacts.

I’m a little sad to be leaving the people of Salto and especially Daniel, Carla, and Francisco who are all so ready to be baptized, but there are some things that are restricting them. It has been a little frustrating for me teach people and not be able to take them into the waters of baptism because I believe they have gained testimonies of this restored gospel. But, the most important thing is that they are on the right path and will be baptized soon. There’s not a doubt in my mind. 

I love you all so much! I’m so humbled to be a missionary and help people come unto Christ every day!

Much love,

Elder Roderick

Planting Seeds

Hola!                                                                                                                 

Well, I have another week down in Salto and it was a pretty good week! We started this week by having interviews with President Goates. I really am so grateful to have a President who cares so much about me personally, one whom I can talk with about anything I want to. When I met with him, I asked him about “losing myself in the work” and about how I can put all my heart, might, mind and strength into the people who I come in contact with. He gave me some really good advice about how to do that and it was exciting to put it into play this week.

At the beginning of the week we had exchanges with some other Elders and as always, it was really fun to be in a different area where I could meet and talk with new people. During this particular exchange, I was with Elder Aguilar who is from Arizona. He has only been in the mission for a couple more months than I have, so our weak Spanish made it was a little interesting, but it was still tons of fun. We actually worked in the area where the Hermanas in our District are assigned. We did what is called a “white storm” which means the whole Zone was there, just knocking on as many doors as we could for 2 hours. It was actually really fun, especially because we were all together.

Probably the most exciting part of the week was joining with the Salto community to put in some serious work in the fields! One of our members has a10-acre fruit and vegetable farm. His mom is very sick right now so we jumped at the opportunity to help him. He actually makes a tomato sauce out of his tomatoes and sells it so, he really needs his harvest to pay for his living. We put in about 2.5 hours of work and it was truly something I will never forget. We moved all kinds of dirt and fertilizer all over the place. (I think they were homemade fertilizers because of the beautiful smell.) To say the least, it was nothing like mowing the lawn or pulling some weeds on 2350 Berkeley Street. 

We were challenged this week when we had to push back Carla’s baptismal date so she and Daniel can have more time think about getting married. To be honest, I was pretty bummed about it but, this also caused me to look back at the progress they have made since we started teaching them. I’m trying to recognize the positive side of their situation and remind myself that they have improved so much and truly are a stronger family.

One thing Elder Mena and I are trying to do right now is strengthen the Salto Ward. Our Sacrament Meeting numbers haven’t been looking too good lately so we talked with our members about helping us contact inactive members and former investigators of the Church who still live relatively close. Also, after sacrament meeting we had a council meeting with some of the members.  During this meeting, we made appointments with them to go talk with other ward members.  Our plan is to boost the ward a little bit by getting ALL members to come to Sunday meetings. One thing I have really noticed is how important the members are to missionary work. Truly, we need their help to have success and I’m really hoping and praying we can gain their trust more and strengthen them so we can strengthen the entire ward.

This coming week is the last week of the transfer, which is crazy! It seems to be that Elder Mena and I will be separated soon, which is sad.  Even so, change is always a good thing!

I hope all of you are enjoying the fresh powder up in the mountains and skiing as much as possible for me while I am sweating my bum off on the bike!

Paz y Amor,

Elder Roderick

The Dark Year Begins

¡Feliz Año Nuevo!                                                                                                            

Happy Elders receive their Christmas packages.

2016 is officially in the books! Looking back on it, 2016 was probably one of the most memorable years I have had in my short life. I’ll always remember finishing and graduating from high school, getting a mission call, having a summer that I’ll never forget and of course, spending the last five months in God’s hands as a missionary. 2017 will be known as “The Dark Year” because it will be the year I never step foot in 2350 Berkeley Street. Nevertheless, I’m so excited to see what 2017 has in store and I’m sure it will be one to remember.

Like everyone, I had a bit of a Christmas hangover and it was a little rough getting back into the swing of things but, like my dad always says, “it’s back to reality!”  We spent the majority of this week just knocking doors and we covered a ton of ground on the bikes. I have started to have a little bit of a love-hate relationship with the bikes because riding them is such great exercise that I love, but when it’s almost 100 degrees outside we look like we have been swimming when we arrive at houses. LOL! Physical hard work is also a blessing.

One thing I really focused on this week was following the promptings of the Spirit. Especially as we were knocking doors, I wanted to be in tune to the promptings as much as possible. Whether it is knowing which door to knock, or talking to someone in the street, and especially for me, knowing what to say and how to say something that personally sparks someone’s attention requires me to really focus on promptings. I found that the first few seconds are so crucial. Elder Mena and I have also tried to have as much fun as possible while we were doing this and he has taught me a few tips. I may not have the salesman skills that my dad has, but I’m getting better with time.  Since my Spanish is a little rocky, some people don’t even give me the time of day and they just look at Elder Mena to talk. This is frustrating for me, but that just means I have a lot more to work on. But, sincerely searching for the promptings of the Spirit during these times truly makes a difference.

This week we had another couple of lessons with Daniel and Carla as we are really pushing and working to baptize Carla on the 14th of January. Thanks to my momma we used a diagram of the Plan of Salvation to remind them of the eternal plan that our Heavenly Father has for all of us. We also reviewed the Law of Chastity which is always a little awkward but Carla, especially, has taken it to heart. Daniel is still shaky and hesitant about the whole thing. I explained to them that the new year is such a good time to start fresh and clean and Carla said something like, “New year, New family, New Life.” When I heard this, it made me soooo happy. Truthfully, one of the main reasons I am here is to help other families become eternal families. It will take a bit of work and maybe a miracle to get Carla in the waters of baptism next week but I have faith that something will happen!

With the beginning of the month, of course we had the opportunity to fast and bare our testimonies. To be honest, these two things definitely weren’t some of my strengths before the mission. But, ever since being here and honestly fasting and asking for help or a special blessing for something or someone I have gained a testimony of the law of fasting. Whether it has been fasting for an investigator, help to find more investigators, a family member who is sick, or for my own help, I truly have seen a difference through the power of fastingl Especially on the bikes on a long hot afternoon it’s a sacrifice to keep going while not having anything in my stomach, but this just makes it so much more meaningful. During Sacrament Meeting in Salto, people just take their turns to bare testimony and it’s kind of funny but I love the special feeling that is in the room during this short meeting

Well, like most countries, Argentina goes crazy for New Years. Again, we had to stay in the pench most of the day on Saturday and all of the night because President didn’t want us to be in the streets, which is fine. I took this opportunity to show Elder Mena how to make some pancakes and it was a great night. I slept like a baby and slept through all of the big fireworks but it was still pretty fun. We started the new year by going to church and I can’t think of a better way to start the new year.

Have a good week and please go ski some powder for me!!

Elder Roderick