Week #44

Hola Familia!

I went on Wednesday to Bahía Blanca and picked up my new companion. There were only 5 Elders that came in this group and 4 of them were latinos. But.. my companion was the only one from the United States. He was born in New York but has lived most of his life in Henderson, Nevada. His  mom lives in Holladay, UT. and his dad lives in New York . His mom´s name is Christina Price.. maybe you know her mom. But my new companion is great! His name is Elder Sisson and he´s 23 years old. I was thinking about it the other day and all of my companions have been 2-5 years older than me haha.

I´ve learned a LOT these last few days. It´s a testimony that God calls us in our weaknesses but doesn´t see our weaknesses. Instead, the Lord sees our potential and who we will become. The Lord didn´t see a young 14 year old when he appeared to Joseph Smith in the Sacred Grove, but a instrument in His hands to bring about a marvelous work and a wonder. The same is with us. As I´ve been training, sometimes I think, "it would be easier if.... or we could have more success if..." but the truth is, that isn´t how the Lord works. He doesn´t focus on our weaknesses and neither should we. Instead He has patience with us and lets us struggle until our weaknesses become strong. I´ve learned so much about how to be patient and to see the potential in everyone of His children.

I don´t know if I told you, but Martín Villilobo lives in our area and he´s going to start coming to Caisamar because it´s closer to his house. It´s a miracle because this word has more youth preparing for missions and the bishopric was just changed yesterday. The Bishop is a 37 year old that has a lot of fire about missionary work and he´ll help Martín leave on his mission. It was a testament to me that the Lord provides the ways when we have desires to serve- like Martín does. The Lord´s work is incredible!

Thanks for all the Love and Support. For those of you who are thinking about serving a mission and have doubts- SERVE one. You´ll never regret it.

Love, Elder Bosco II

 

[No pictures this week " I'll send them next week because this computer doesn´t work", but I did find out that his companions mom lives just a few minutes from my parents in Holladay- another new friend for me! I have made a whole new set of friends, here and in other parts of the world, thanks to my children's missions and facebook!]

Week #43

Hola Familia!

These ultimate 3 weeks have been crazy. I got to spend them with Elder Moreno from Columbia and it was an incredible experience. He left yesterday and he´s truly going to be missed as a missionary. He was an incredible example to me. He taught me so much about being dedicated and enduring to the end. He literally gave everything that he had to the Lord. He taught me a lot about how to be a leader and I´m extremely grateful that the Lord gave me to opportunity to serve with him for a short time. I´m definitely a better missionary because of him.

Obviously, I´m staying here in Caisamar, Mar del Plata for the next transfer. Finally I don´t have to pack my bags and leave! haha. My new companion is traveling today and I´m not sure who it is yet. I´m going to Bahía Blanca on Wednesday to pick him up because I´m TRAINING! The truth is, I´m pretty nervious because the trainer truly shapes the mission for the new missionary. I hope that I can help this missionary reach his potential and become the missionary that the Lord expects from him. But just like any responsability, as we rely on the Lord, He will lift and strengthen us in our responsibilities. I´m excited to progress and to learn a lot as a trainer. I´m excited to serve the Lord in this way.

Something cool that will happen May 17 (if that´s a Sunday) is that we get to participate in the Temple Dedication of the Córdoba Temple. All of the churches that day don´t have services and there will be 3 services in the Stake Center. I´m really excited because I haven´t participated in a Temple Dedication in quite some time. Everyone here is excited for the new temple!

Thanks for all the Love and support and prayers. The mission is the best and I´m definitely coming unto Christ more and more everyday.

Love Elder Bosco II

Week #42

Hola Familia!

I love hearing from you mom and everything that is happening at home! The work here is rolling! Being a missionary is one of the greatest callings in the world! Being able to represent our Savior daily is a blessing that I´ll never be able to explain. You have to experience it yourself to be able to explain it.

This week I went on splits with a new Elder in the district. We were visiting some families in the ward. We knocked on a door and nobody was there so we turned around to go to the next and an older lady was walking by us, so we talked to her. She was a little shaken up because her son is in rehab for drugs. We explained the hope that comes from the Savior´s atonement and the Restoration of the gospel. We told her of the first vision and she started crying. The power of the Spirit was incredible. The elders in the area told me that she went to church this Sunday! They showed her the baptismal font and she wants to be baptized!! She said that she wants a Restoration in her own life. I´ve never thought of it that way, but people are truly prepared to receive a restoration in their own lives!

Also, Diego was confirmed a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. He´s doing great! He fasted on Sunday and even paid his tithing. That was incredible!! especially because he recently found work and he´s been without work for months. The blessings that will come to him are incredible, I just know it! I gave him one of my white shirts and Elder Moreno gave him a tie. He´s looking goood! I´ll send a picture of him with his church clothes on.

Thanks for all the love, support, and prayers. I love you all so much and I know that this is the work of the Lord.

Love Elder Bosco II

 Diego Gomez before he was confirmed and was given the gift of the Holy Ghost

                      HAHAHA working out in the morning. We have to find weight somewhere...

 

 

Week #41

Hola Familia!

Conference was incredible! It´s incredible as a missionary. I don´t know what it is, but our minds understand the talks in a different way. When Robert D. Hales said that the Second Coming was near, the Spirit filled my soul. Oh how I know that´s true more than ever. The gospel truly is incredible and changes many lives. We were able to watch it in English in Pompeya! The same church that I started in. It was great to see everyone! Martín is doing great! His family is a lot more calm and he´s a lot more happier. His brothers are evening showing a little interest. Just a little, but it´s better than nothing. Marcela was there and she was filled with light. She was so happy to see me and I was filled with happiness being able to see her. I talked with Cejas. He still goes to church every Sunday. He´s great friends with the ward members and especially the missionaries!

I would have to say that one of my favorite talks was President Holland´s talk. The power of the Fall and the Atonement that he spoke about was incredible! My mind went back to the temple and experiences that I´ve had in my life and that I´m having right now. All I can say is that the Plan of Salvation is true. President Monson´s talk about the temple was incredible. As I´ve said before, if you are reading this letter, PREPARE to enter and to keep a current temple recommend. There is no better place in the world!!

We had a miracle this week. Diego Gomez was baptized!! Almost a month ago, he contacted us in the street and told us that he needs help and that other missionaries had been by his house a year ago but stopped coming. He accepted everything but the word of wisdom... It`s not that he drank a lot, but he had a lot of fear that after his baptism he would lapse and start drinking (so please pray for him). He drank a little bit on Wednesday night. We visited him on Thursday and we talked about why God wants him to live this commandment. He told us that he didn´t want to get baptized anymore, maybe later. As we know, later doesn´t happen sometimes. We talked more, and at the point when we were running out of things to say to him, he entered his house and brought out a box of wine with a picture of his dad that had passed away. We invited him to dump the wine down the drain. He picked up the box and dumped it all out! it was incredible!. I still wasn´t sure if he was truly repented and should get baptized. We visited him Sunday morning before Conference after many prayers (and some stress) and he looked at us with a smile and said- the day has arrived. I don´t know what it was, but at that moment, I felt right that he was ready. We reviewed everything well with him and he seemed truly repentant. He had the interview with other missionaries, and in between the sessions of Conference, he was baptized!!! He was so happy but we´re going to need to work hard with him this week so that he feels happy and is ready to receive the gift of the Spirit next week. Truly a miracle!

Thanks for all the love and support, And remember to read the Book of Mormon EVERYDAY, EVERYDAY, EVERYDAY.

Love Elder Bosco II

Elder White !! (My Trainer)

 Elder Fullmer ( from Uncle John Thomas' YSA ward!)

 Martín from Pompeya

Marcela from Pompeya

Diego´s Baptism!

My companion  Elder Moreno (from Columbia)