Temple Dedication

Dear Family!

Hey guys! How are you all doing? I’m sorry that I’m a day late; we had a really crazy p day yesterday.  We did a very deep cleaning of the garage that took hours. I think we are the only missionaries that have ever cleaned this place.  It’s a pretty depressing thought to know that you are cleaning up after hundreds of missionaries (one of them being my dad aka Elder Maude haha. yep he was in Uritorco)  But now it is really clean.  Then we got together as a zone and made food and watched Work and the Glory.  I forgot how much I really like that movie.  It’s awesome.  At the end of the day we went on exchanges with the Zone Leaders.  I’m in the Zone Leaders area with Elder Lopez who is from Puebla Mexico. His area is called Rosedal.  It’s a pretty cool area but I’m glad its not mine though, its really tough.  All the neighborhoods are really wealthy. I guess that’s why the Zone Leaders are here. 

Well this week was pretty awesome mainly due to the rededication to the temple in Buenos Aires.  I wrote about 6 pages in my journal, so I hope I am able to explain and remember the parts that I liked.  So first we watched the cultural activity on Saturday night. Member and non member were invited to attend this event.  It was held in the River Stadium in Buenos Aires. (River is a huge soccer team here in Argentina. They are like the Heat of the USA).  The stadium is enormous and it was packed!  There were so many people. The camera showed all the people there and then all at once they all started cheering and screaming. The camera panned over and showed a golf cart coming into the stadium with President Eyring, Elder Christofferson, Elder Ballard and Elder Arnold of the 70.  They were all just smiling and waving.  It was so cool.  It was so cool. If someone didn’t know anything about the church they would wonder who are these men and what did they do?  They drove up to the stage and walked on. Then the area seventy gave them a present.  Immediately President Eyring opened it up.  They all got big red ponchos.  President Eyring put it on right then and there. Then the others did too.  It was great to see them all standing there with their ponchos.  Then they each gave a 5 minute talk. Elder Christofferson spoke perfect Spanish without any accent at all.  It was really impressive.  Elder Ballard said Buenos Noches haha.  He talked about how his Grandpa dedicated South America and had a dream that this place wouldn’t be like a sun flower that opens up over night, but that it would be like an oak tree. Slow to grow, but one day would be strong.  It’s so true. Argentina isn’t like Mexico or some other countries where the Gospel has grown really fast.  President Eyring said that the Savior approved their welcoming and is pleased.  Then tons of kids did tons of dances from all around Argentina.  Last but not least the missionaries from the Buenos Aires North mission came into the stadium singing called to serve.  I saw 5 people that I knew from the MTC.  The girl from dads ward was there also. I can’t remember her name.  It was really awesome.

I really didn’t think that Saturday would be able to be topped, but it was big-time. The dedication of the temple on Sunday was so amazing. We went to the 3:00 session with all the other missionaries.  We wanted to go to all 3 sessions but they didn’t let us because we had to stay at our church building in case someone forgot and went to the church and not the stake center.  It was very spiritual and very uplifting.  Elder Christofferson told an awesome story.  He said that when the Salt Lake temple was being built, a man was working alone one day when his brother who had died years ago walked in the room.  He asked him if he was real and what was going on.  The deceased brother told him that he only had a spirit and that he had returned from the spirit world.  In the Spirit world he went to a Mormon church and accepted the Gospel.  But he needed his brother to do the work for him.  The living brother said that he would and the dead brother left.  While he was thinking about what just happened another deceased brother entered the room, yet this brother looked a lot different. He appeared like an angel. In Kirtland the living brother had done the work for this brother and the brother was able to advance a little in the spirit world.  But he needed the living brother to finish the work.  He said he couldn’t take one more step forward until his temple work was finished.  How cool huh?  It was really awesome. President Eyring talked a lot about how the temple is the most important thing on the earth. I really loved it. I can’t wait to go to the temple again. We are so blessed to have temples!!

Well guys thanks for everything.  I love you all so much. Thanks for all that you do for me. I couldn’t do it with out you. I love you!

Love Elder Watts