Serving Together Argentina

  Baptism of our friend Mahia It’s been another two weeks as missionaries and we are moving along and getting accustomed to Argentina (for me its getting reacquainted with Argentina).  We’ve learned to cook new food, how to spend the siesta, and most fun and important we are getting to know the members.   Last Tuesday was the baptism of Mahia, a young woman in the Ibarreta branch.  We enjoy spending our time with the youth. They have energy, hope, and faith.  We were able to participate in a few lessons teaching her about the gospel in her preparation to be baptized.  Her dad and younger brother are members of the church but not her mom.  There are three other children in the family, a young brother about 7, and two cousins that are sisters.  These two cousins came to this family under very sad circumstances and one of the girls is almost entirely blind.  Her name is Sophia.  Sophia is a very special spirit.  She is always so positi...

This little guy joined our church service on Sunday Hola familia y amigos!  Two more weeks have passed by here in Argentina and we've completed over 1/12th of our mission (we are not counting, it's just fun to say 1/12th, haha).  I have to explain the cover picture on this post.  We were attending church in Ensanche Norte with the group of "originales" in their small chapel and this pig from the neighbor's house came into the building.  They call him the church pig because he's always hanging around the church.  All of the animals (dogs, pigs, goats, sheep, cows, horses, etc...) in the "colonias" wander around free and they don't bother anyone.  It reminded me of the scripture in the Book of Mormon in 2 Nephi 26:26 .  Start with verse 23 and read until the end of that chapter. It's one of my favorites!   We made lots of visits these past two weeks and it's almost impossible to recount all of them but we do want to share that with certaint...

  Map of Formosa.  Each X is a branch or group of church members. We finally made it to Ibarreta in Formosa province, and now it begins (referring to the work of course).  It's only been one week here but it seems like much longer.  As many former missionaries can attest, the days seem like weeks and the weeks like days.  So much happened this week that it's hard to believe it was only one week.   We visited with members in four different areas: Ibarreta, Ensanche Norte, Bartolomé de las Casas, and Estansilao del Campo.  Oh, and a pit stop in Fontana for a baptism.  No, not Fontana, California but a pueblo called Comadante Fontana named after the military leader who founded the city of Formosa.  Most of our work will be with the members living in las colonias (the colonies).  These people are descendants of the original groups that have been in this area of Argentina and Paraguay for centuries.  They are referred to as "origina...