Plan of Salvation

Buenas tardes!  

Hope you are all having a great evening (it's evening as we write this) and had a great week.  As always time is flying by but the past two weeks seem to have gone a bit slower.  No big events or trips for us this week, just the day to day missionary work we experience on a normal basis.


We started teaching Teresa and Dionicio about the temple and helping to prepare them to go to the temple. They are a great couple.  We've enjoyed getting to know them and their family.  The first lesson we taught was about the Plan of Salvation, or the Great Plan of Happiness.  It's a plan of happiness because we learn of our purpose in this life and the promise of eternal life with our Heavenly Father after this life if we live worthy.  Teresa speaks and understand Spanish only a little bit.  She mainly speakers her native language, Toba.  In the lessons it's difficult to know if she is understanding the concepts but then she shares her testimony and desire to go to the temple and that desire is a witness of her understanding.  

It was a difficult week for Teresa.  About 3 weeks ago she asked us to visit her father and give him a blessing because he was not feeling well.  When we visited he did not look too good but was able to visit briefly and we were able to give him a priesthood blessing.  However, this week when we showed up at their house for another temple lesson she asked if we could visit her father again and give another blessing.  His condition had worsened very quickly and was not expected to live much longer.  Entering his house we found him lying on a bed completely unconscious.  It's difficult to see people suffering and there is nothing that can be done.  Despite that feeling, I proceeded to give him a blessing.  That evening he slipped out of this world and into the next.  It was a relief for Teresa and her family to see that their father was no longer suffering.  These experiences are difficult but at the same time amazing.  When one is so close to passing through the veil from this life to the next you can truly feel the love our Father in Heaving has for all his children and how close we are to Him in this life.  


On the way home from giving the blessing we saw this beautiful rainbow.  I think it was a sign of God's love for Teresa's father and for all of us.  


Martha continues to teach the children in Ensanche Norte about the gospel through a primary class.  She is teaching them children's hymns and always has an activity for them at the end of the lesson.  Half of these kids don't speak Spanish, they speak Pilaga.  But that doesn't stop them from coming every week and participating as best as they can.  Notice the Christmas tree in the background.  

Martha getting ready to teach and waiting for the kids


We may have mentioned this before but every week we have a Book of Mormon study class.  Last week we read and discussed Lehi's dream.  The young man at the top of the chalkboard is Bauti.  He's an awesome 13-year old who loves to work with the missionaries and is always ready to serve.  He helped us by drawing a visual of Lehi's dream.  We think he nailed it!


At the church building in Ensanche Norte the member's dogs follow them right into the church.  We try to keep them out but this little guy snuck in and stayed.  It was a really hot day and we didn't have the heart to kick him out. We let him stay inside were the sun was not beating down on him and the mosquitoes were not pestering him.  As you may know we have had a dog, Ace, since 2017.  Having Ace has made us more sympathetic to these poor dogs in Argentina that suffer all sorts of maladies.  It's sad to see sometimes.  

In our return from Bartolome to visit with Teresa and Dionicio we took a few more pictures.  This is a place we pass a couple of times each week.  It's an amazing vista!



Well, as we said it's been a normal week here in our little part of Argentina.  It's not always fun and game but it is always very rewarding to help even one person.  As the scripture in the Doctrine and Covenants says, " Remember the worth of souls is great in the sight of God."  We can testify that this is true and have come to understand even more what the worth of a soul is to God.  We invite you to consider the worth of your soul and seek to know of God's love for you.







Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

And so it begins...

Image
  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...
Read more

Temples

Image
  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...
Read more

Returning Home, for a visit

Image
  Meeting Lyla Brynn Francis Happy Thanksgiving! With everything we have been blessed with we would be ungrateful servants if we did not begin our update with what we are thankful for. We are thankful for family, and the opportunity to have visited with them for almost two weeks. We are thankful for this beautiful granddaughter that we were able to see and hold. We are thankful for all of you and your friendship and all that you do to strive to follow Jesus Christ. We are thankful for the opportunity to serve the people of Argentina in the Resistencia mission, and for this specific time to work with all the wonderful people in Ibarreta, Formosa. Most importantly we are thankful for our Savior Jesus Christ and his atoning sacrifice and resurrection. And for His great plan of Happiness that provides a way for us to be reunited with our families once again and to live with them for eternity.  Grateful for all the family and friends that came to Lyla's baby blessing. Thankful for ...
Read more