And just like that Spring is here! It is so beautiful! Still hard to get use to flowers blooming in October but that is what it is like south of the equator!
Our transfer was huge this time. We welcomed 16 Los Refuerzos and said good bye to 4 Los Fieles. The mission continues to grow! We now have 150 Missionaries!
Each Sunday we visit a different ward or branch in our mission and hear the best stories of faith and dedication. In one particular ward I was visiting their relief society class of about 15 women and each and every woman shared their story of conversion. They were all converts to the church. Each one had missionaries knock on their door and share the great message of the gospel. One of the oldest members of that relief society was an 80 year old woman. She had joined the church when she was in her 20's. She remembered when the ward was just a group of 15 people.
In another branch in the south of our mission the members shared with us the disappointment of the economy in Argentina and how it is nearly impossible to attend the Temple. If they attend the temple that is the closet, it takes 8 hours to drive and it is in Chile and they can not afford to stay or eat. If they attend the closest temple in Argentina it is a 26 hour bus ride to Buenas Aires. But they go, they save their money and spend their vacation riding a bus for 26 hours to attend the temple. I am in awe of their dedication and faith.
Another woman who will come to mind every time I read this scripture in Alma 7:22 "I have said these things unto you that I might awaken you to a sense of your duty to God, that ye may WALK blameless before him, that ye may WALK after the holy order of God."
It was a Sunday that all the buses were not going to be running. She lived about 2 hour walk from the chapel. She didn't even think twice about it. She knew it was important to go to church no matter the circumstances and take the sacrament. She woke up early that morning and walked the 2 hours to attend church. (we of course drove her home after the meeting). I am in awe at the dedication and faith of these great members in Argentina. What a blessing it has been to serve beside them in this great work of bringing souls to Christ.
Los Fieles Hermana Fraser, Hermana Lourenço,
Elder Rodriques and Elder Jones
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Los Refuerzos
Hermanas Curtis, Von Niederhousern, Leal, Soria, James
Elders Peay, Tucker, Faulkner, Bravo, Smith, Taylor Ellsworth, Lund, Barney, Norman & Gilbert
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