May

Dear Family!

This week was way sweet.  I feel like we really saw some success.  Now we didn’t get to our 70 in church, but there is a reason.  The first counselors dad died and so he his wife and their 5 kids went to Catamarca for the week.  So there is 7 there.  The Beas family didn’t go either and so there is 6 more.  With those 13 we would have had 70 J  But its ok.  

Ok the news of the week is the Lopez family.  When I got here I was reviewing the list of the members and saw the Lopez family on the list -  a mom a dad and 2 kids.  Elder Robles didn’t want to go to their house because he had heard some stories about them and how they don’t want to see the missionaries anymore and some other stuff.  But when he left and Elder Medina came I decided to go.  So we went and the wife answered the door and told us we couldn’t enter and that her husband would be way mad if he saw us.  Right when she said that we saw him in the house and we asked if we could come in.  He hesitantly said yes.  So basically we forced our way in.  So we sat down and then my comp (the little rat) asked if he could go to the bathroom to avoid the awkwardness.  So he got up and abandoned me.  I was going to kill him.  At first it was so awkward.  I was basically talking to 2 walls.  But it loosened up.  Hermana Lopez is a very sweet lady with a very bubbly personality.  She tried to act otherwise but I won her over in about 5 minutes.  She was laughing and I was showing her pictures when my comp finally got back.  We were there for about 40 minutes and the dad, Eduardo was still pretty closed. But we were happy to get in the house.  So then we went back the next week and it went even better.  In the third visit we brought up the church and found out why they had stopped going.  By this time Eduardo is really open and talking to us.  In the 4th visit (which happened to be with my son) Eduardo told us this hilarious story about how when he stopped going to church he tried to go back to being Catholic.  He could not do it.  He had a testimony and he couldn’t deny it.  Pretty interesting what the holy ghost can do to the heart.  Hilarious story though.  Well I am happy to announce that the Lopez family came to church yesterday.  It was so awesome.  The best part about it in my eyes, they got their ten minutes early.  That’s unheard of in Dean Funes.  For me this family is key here. 1- They both have testimonies 2- they will both be leaders 3- their son Joaquin isn’t baptized.  It’s the perfect package. 

This week we have a baptism. Her name is Yamil. She is the daughter of a member. They moved from Buenos Aires about 3 years ago and the sister was reactivated about 8 months ago.  It will be fun though.  I am pretty sure that Elder Yasima will baptize her. It’s great though because this will really strengthen her mom also. Since she has been listening to the lessons she has really changed. On Thursday we have lunch with them. 

Everything is going really well here. We are learning to work harder everyday. I love the members and love working with Elder Mahr and his wife. They are machines. We spent the majority of the p day in their house today. He taught me how to make this argentine pudding and then I taught her how to make beanies. She is thrilled out of her mind haha. Elder Mahr told me that he and I should switch companions haha. 

I have really noticed a difference in me these past weeks. I am truly being helped.  My Spanish is better. I’m more confident and have more excitement for the work. I am being so blessed.

Talk to you in a few days!!

Love Riley