Australia

Alex received his mission call to the Sydney North, Australia mission last week.  He will be leaving on August 14, two weeks after Riley returns from Argentina.

Dear Family,

Hey guys how is it going? Australia!!!  I really can’t believe it.  That’s the last place on earth that I would’ve thought!  I am so excited.  There aren’t words for how I am feeling right now.  I’m just so happy for Alex because I know what’s a head of him in preaching the gospel.  That is going to be so great.  I’m not going to lie.... I’m so grateful that we will get to see each other. That is a huge blessing. We are so blessed as a family. It’s incredible.

Well we had transfers! I got transferred 15 minutes away to another Zone here in Cordoba Capital. I was in West Cordoba and now I’m in East Cordoba.  My area is called Maipu – Pronounced: my poo ;).  As you can imagine the missionaries have lots of jokes about eating, sleeping and working in Maipu. haha. It’s going to be great.

My new comps name is Elder Acton.  He is from Utah.  We are going to get along great. He loves basketball :).  My District is a little bit smaller this time.  I only have one other companionship.  I have the sisters that are in Nueva Cordoba.  I already met both of them, they are way cool.  One is from Argentina and the other from Chile.  The Sister from Argentina is the first sister missionary in all of Argentina that is 19.  She has tons of energy!!  

I had a really interesting week this last week.  Over all it was really good.  I really feel like I have grown in these last few months.  It wasn’t exactly easy.  I know I never said this but the week that I got to 9 de Julio the Bishop had a problem with tithing.  That’s why we were without a bishop for so long.  There were so many tests there.  I really feel like the lord was punishing the ward.  I just worked my hardest but never had the success that I wanted.  But that’s what happens sometimes.  I left the area better, and they are going to baptize a few families in the next months.  Sometimes there is only one answer in life--- Believe in God.  Believe that he is.  Mom’s famous scripture helped me a lot during this time.

Well guys that’s all the stuff basically. Next week I’ll do a better report on the members and investigadores and all that.  Thanks for everything! I love you all so much. Have a great week!

Love Elder Watts

Here are some pictures Riley sent with his latest email:

Boston is Home!!

Hey Fam!

Hey guys how is everything going?  It’s so good to hear from you!!  I hope that you all had a great week.  I still can’t believe that Boston got home last week.  I bet it was way good to see him.  Tell him to send me an email.  I think it’s funny that he got skinnier haha.  That’s not the case with this guy right here.  Just keep the Peruvian food comin baby.  There isn’t day lights’ saving in Argentina!  Crazy huh?  I think it’s the only country in South America that doesn’t have it.  Today we went to a big huge park and played soccer as a zone.  OK now I know that every time that I mention that we play soccer you all picture me and then laugh.  However, I want you to know that I have gotten lots better at soccer. Actually, I don’t even dislike it anymore.  I would play it after the mission too.  Not to brag or anything, but today my team won 4-2. I scored 3 goals :). It’s been fun being with Elder Gonzalez because he is way good at soccer. I have learned a lot. 

Big news in 9 de Julio!!  5 months ago there was a change of bishops.  Finally, we got a new one.  We were 5 months without a bishop.  We are pretty excited for the ward.  I’m sure that the work will really start to pick up.  This Sunday was really great.  We had 2 complete families in church.  Both will be baptized in March.  So I do think that things are getting better.  The Lord really blesses us.  I feel like this week I have really been looking for answers to help my district with some specific problems.  As you know when they get a new bishop he and his wife along with his counselors and their wives share their testimonies.  The whole time they were speaking I just really felt like I need to study humility & recognize the hand of the Lord in all things.  Those were the thoughts that kept running through my mind.  And now with what Mom said in her email its confirmed.  I think that’s definitely what I need to do. 

So the week had its ups and its downs. I didn’t get the contacts you sent.  I bet the packages didn’t get here together or something. I’m sure ill get it in April though. Next, I am really sad to let you know that Damian didn’t get baptized.  Everything was going good and he decided Saturday morning not to do it.  We did everything we knew how to do.  He said that he just didn’t feel like it.  I feel like there was something more. It’s really sad after all that the Lord did for him.  And then he and his family didn’t come to church yesterday.  So we are going to go see what happened.  But we are really sad for him.  Maybe a miracle will happen and he will be able to do it this next week. 

I’m so grateful for this opportunity to be a missionary in Argentina.  I can’t tell you enough how much I love being a missionary.  Even though it’s not the easiest thing in the world, I really do enjoy it so much.  I know that I am growing so much and am doing the most important thing.  I am so grateful for my testimony.  It really defines me as the person that I am.  I know that God exists and loves us.  I know that because of his love he provided us with this great plan to come to earth and be tested.  With that same love he sent Jesus Christ his own son to be sacrificed so that we can return to him.  I know that only through this church can we be saved and receive all that God has.  Every day I pray that I can gain more conviction in my heart about these things. 

I hope that you all have a great week! I love you all and am so grateful for you.

Love Elder Watts