September 19, 2012

Hello family and everyone that reads this thing!

So the last week was a good one. I was starting to feel a little down, the CCM life was getting to me, but I made it to Saturday, and that reminded me why I'm out here in the first place. On saturday, we had proseletismo, which basically means that a bus drops us off in the middle of buenos aires somewhere and then comes to get us again six hours later. In between, missionary work gets done somehow. The major drawback to all this is that Elder Francis barely speaks spanish, and I think I sound like a four year old.

So, down to the miracle. Being the responsible district leader I am, I'd forgotten the map of our area. I just know the names of the streets that border it. So we're walking around, trying to talk to people, but we're literally in the most wealthy neighborhood in all of argentina, so not too much humility going around. People would hide from us when they saw us coming. One old lady literally ran away, probably at risk of falling and dying. She was like a hundred. So, somewhere during all this chaos, we walk into this guy just standing on a street corner. So we talk to him and it turns out that's his job. So we took advantage of him not being able to leave to teach him about the Gospel of Jesus Christ. WE talked to this guy for like an hour! It was so amazing. His interest in the gospel was actually piqued by my terrible spanish. I was trying to tell him about what Jesus taught on the earth. But I hadn't learned past tense at that point, so what i said is, what jesus is teaching today. So Luis cracks a joke about jesus never coming to argentina. We have a good laugh about that, and then I'm like, "actualmente..." The point is, we gave him a book of mormon, and i told him that missionaries who speak better spanish can come teach him haha. So we got a referral and taught a lesson. Made a totally crappy day of walking miles and getting insulted in spanish worth it. 

Yo sé que la Iglesia es verdadera, y por medio de la Expiación, Jesucristo puede ayudarnos para vencer todos nuestros pecados. Tambien Dios puede ayudarme superar mis debilidades. Including my terrible spanish. 

Todo dia.

Anyway, all the americans that were here when we got here left yesterday, but a new batch is coming in in the morning. We're the only district in the whole CCM. It's lonely. Also, forgot to mention, I met like four seventies and saw president eyring at a devotional. AND GARRET STRATFORD, I found Spencer at the cultural event for the temple dedication. That guy is way cool.

Love you all

Elder Gaitero

P.S. Rachel, can you find out Breck Henson and Aaron Daines addresses for their mission homes? Thanks