Better than Last Week

(Zona Merlo)
Hey Everyone,

Can we say AMAZING WEEK EVER! Well, let’s start off with… TWO BAPTISMS! YAHOO! If you can’t tell, I am a little excited. We had a great week. I just feel good about what we did this past week. We started out a bit rough because we had to do what is called a “Tormenta Blanca”. This is where all the Elders from one zone, go to one area in the zone to help their datos and to find more people for them to teach. We did that on Tuesday. We did it from 1 in the afternoon until 5 in the afternoon. There were 16 missionaries in the smallest area in the whole mission. It was crazy. No one likes to do these because that usually means that those missionaries are being lazy or the people are really hard and I don’t believe it’s the second. My personal opinion.

(German, Elder Pickett, Hector, Elder Gonzalez)
But that didn’t impede our record progress in this area. We are working like crazy. We completed with some of the weekly goals for the mission AND had two baptisms. We are so proud of ourselves. This week we got to second place in the zone. One behind the Zone Leaders. OH SNAP! Almost got the Zone Leaders off guard. But there is a reason why they are Zone Leaders. They know how to work. I am working on my sweet teaching skills so I can be like them.

(German & Elder Pickett)
We taught a lot this week. We went on divisions with some members and taught a lot there. I went with a kid my age to teach. His name is Leandro. He got his mission call to Cochabamba, Bolivia. Crazy huh? Well we went and taught Susana and she is being a little difficult. She doesn’t think that she needs to go to church and that God’s justice is unjust. *sigh* Oh boy. We have explained to her that trials are not punishments but rather opportunities to grow. She says that she has done nothing bad her whole life but there are a lot of bad things that are happening to her. We told her that she is very strong person and God knows that she can handle it all. We told that the Atonement was put into place so that no one needs to suffer if they will just turn to Jesus Christ and our Heavenly Father for help. Apparently it is a hard point for her to get over. And she really got freaked out when we read a scripture that said if you reject the word of God, you will go to the infierno. Oops. Maybe that was a little to harsh, but we explained that when we are keeping the commandments, we are accepting his word and want to follow him. She was better with that but can’t get over the fact that we need trials to go back and live with our Heavenly Father. And yes I have tried to approach it from every angle. Advice is WELCOME!! Hopefully she will get everything situated and she can get baptized this Saturday.

(Elder Pickett & Hector)
But it’s all good because… We had baptisms!! Hector and German got baptized Saturday and it was so cool. I baptized German, the little gordito jaja. The mom, Mirta, is very proud of them both and one day she will get baptized too. She just needs to solve some things and then BAM! Baptized. AH. I am just so happy.

(Soria Family - German, Mirta, Hector)
I was reading and studying Preach my Gospel this week the attributes of Christ and I decided to put some into practice. Diligence and Obedience. Wow. What a difference in the mission. I could feel when the Lord was pleased with my work and when He wasn’t. I challenge everyone to read that chapter of Preach my Gospel and try to improve on an attribute. I know that my spirituality has grown because of my effort to improve each day. I know that if everyone will read and apply what the chapter says, you will feel closer to your Heavenly Father and will want to do what he wants done. I know everyone can have a little more love, patience, diligence, humility, etc in your lives.

Well on to the fun stuff… HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Grandpa Pickett, Lelani, and Alyssa!!! YAHOO!! You guys are turning 25, 18, and 16 right?? Ja ja.

Nothing more to report down here. Just Hot and HUMID!!! Pero malisimo!! I can’t sleep at night because it is so hot. Like I am wet right now typing this. Ugh. Well, how is the weather where everyone else is? Send pictures with your email so I know what is going on in your worlds. Well, gotta run. Be better than last week. Love ya!

Elder Pickett