God answers prayers

Recently our missionaries were knocking (clapping in Argentina) doors in a neighborhood.  Unknown to them,  a family who had recently moved to Bariloche for a new job had just kneeled down to pray for help.  They were really needing comfort and peace and were feeling all alone.  Just as they finished their prayer they heard someone clapping outside their door.  When they opened the door they met our missionaries.   They invited the missionaries into their home and the family could not believe that God had immediately answered their prayer.   For the last few weeks they have been learning all about  Jesus Christ and His restored gospel.  They are now justing waiting to get married and then the family will be baptized!  They have felt so loved by their ward and feel so blessed that Heavenly Father sent the missionaries to their home.

We said goodbye to some excellent missionaries who finished their service.  It is always so bittersweet! To see the change that happens over 2 years or 18 months is truly a privilege for us!  We love these wonderful missionaries and will miss them!  

Elder Carrasco, Elder Fossum, Elder Gomez, Elder Cornell, Elder Andreason
Elder Dodge, Elder Bown, Elder Staheli, Elder Peterson and Hermana Martinez

We welcomed 15 new missionaries from the United States, Colombia, Mexico
Brazil and Argentina!  What a wonderful group!  We are so blessed to have them!

Hermana Colmenares wasn't in the picture above because she was 
booked on a different flight that arrived later in the day!  

 

Winter 2023

Winter is here in the Patagonia.  Our missionaries are out in the wind, snow and rain.  They are the best!  I hear so many miracles happen in the cold!  The lord continues to bless his work no matter the weather.  

This last week we were able to attend a baptism of a family.  The mother joined the church when she was a youth.  A year after she was baptized the stake was taking all the youth on a bus to the temple to do baptisms and found out her baptism was never recorded, so she couldn't go.  She was so angry with the church and she left.  Our missionaries found her now 14 years later in Zapala.  She and her husband have 4 beautiful children.  President and I went with the missionaries to meet with her after we heard her story and asked her to forgive us (the church).  

Somehow forgiveness,  with love and tolerance, accomplishes miracles that can happen in no other way.  It was a beautiful process to watch as her family, La familia Tapia, continued to learn more and more about the gospel and 4 of them were baptized.   All her missionaries were able watch because of zoom.  She had tears in her eyes as she greeted each of them on zoom.  

We said good by to 8 wonderful missionaries who we miss everyday!  It is a pleasure to serve with such incredible young people and watch them grow into Men and Women of God!  

Elder Pegoraro, Elder Mitchell, Elder Blackwell, Elder Weaver,
Elder Bandley, Elder Sotomayor, Elder Harker and Elder Johnson



We welcomed 8 Los Refuerzos to our mission!  From Brazil, Ecuador, Chile, US, Bolivia and Argentina.

Elder Olivares, Elder Herrador, Hermana Salinas, Hermana Lusitano,
Hermana Arteaga, Hermana Cejas, Elder Feys and Elder Andrus