Finally! Some Pictures!

So there are these little shrine things that have statues in them all over the place in Chilecito. I guess they were in Cordoba, but not as many as are out here. Its just funny every block you find asaint statue, So we took pictures. =P

I am the king of the rock. =P




Sometimes you just have to climb a mountain and take pictures of your area. =)

Check out the snow on the mountain. Its called Famatina, and its where all the water here comes from. Its cleaner than at home I guess.

Cordoba temple layout from above =)

"Estamos preparándonos para construir una casa para el Señor y tengo la determinación de ser el primero en poner manos a la obra!!!" -- Hyrum Smith

Ward activity of the four principles of the Gospel. I had baptism, hence the white. It was fun. I taught about how we have to remember what it is that we are doing when we are baptized, and especially what our covenants are, also how baptism works. Too bad our investigators didn't come.=P oh well

March 21, 2011

No, not much more traveling. I went to the other part of the area, that you have to take a bus to. ITS HUGE!!! Its a small mountain that they exploded and started building tons of prefab houses on. There are a good 900 houses out there. =O Ok not entirely sure, but its alot. Overall the week was average. Things are plugging along here in Chilecito. We lost Daniela. She is not keeping commitments and is avoiding us. Its really sad, cuz she was progressing so well. But we had a few inactive families come to church, and I gave a talk about the importance of sacrament meeting too. My comp talked about not being offended. so overall quite a good sunday.

Nope, phase 10 still its difficult for some odd reason. We have even started helping each other and Elder Castillo still kicks our butts. Nothing yet on the camera. Im gonna call up PL tonight and find out whats going down. Yeah pretty much we are staying healthy, its the temperature changes and the wake up with your head stuffed up thing. One day its 50 to 60ish the next its 96. flippin weird. Its looking like it might rain soon too. So the handkerchiefs were a good idea. I just keep pluggin along. Sorry. I know I need to write better. mmph. Oh my comp just handed me his camera with some of the pictures. hahaha ok I will send you now pictures of Chilecito. Its sweet.

Well sounds like the rain is pretty crazy. Take your vitamins I hear the radiation is getting around up there. Oh I just remembered. I am getting my shirts and pants taken in finally. I found an hermana that is doing it for the cost of thread and to help her son get his life in order. So Its worth it. I fit in my clothes!!! hahaha. Still got a few more shirts to go. I am happy for that.
Go BYU. I hear about Jimmer fever sometimes.
Thats my little sister. Not afraid to talk about sports with the dudes, but doesnt care about being cute.

I know that this is the true church. I know that God is not only God, but is also our Father in Heaven. I know that this is his work, and that it is only through His Son Jesus Christ, that we can return to live with Him and our families.

I love you all, and I pray for you too.
Con Amor
Elder Ben

March 14, 2011

Oh goodness. What has this world come to? Too much 80s for me thanks. The unfortunate thing is that down here in Argentina the flashdance shirt is in style and that the 80s has made its mark here. bleck.

So I realized last week that I have hit the 2/3 mark. WOOH!

So this week we have been running around in 2 provinces, with 3 hours between each capital city, so 3 hours in the afternoon on wednesday, followed by a district meeting, a bus ride to the pension where I slept, at about 11. Then we got up at 2:30 to shower to make our bus that left at 4:30 which after 3 hours got to Catamarca Capital. There we waited until 9:30 for the conference to start, and had a great time. We learned alot of things from President, like what the the Gathering of Israel has to do with Missionary Work. Pretty sweet. Then we had workshops with the assistants.... boring. hahaha no, not bad, actually pretty cool, because we have 4 for one more week. The assistents extended their missions and are training two new ones. All very good elders. Then we got to go back to La Rioja Capital at about 6, got to La rioja at about 9, left for chilecito at 10, got home at about 1 in the morning. We felt like we had just ridden on a bus full of dementors. All of our happiness and energy were gone. I have to give a high five to Elder Anderson for that description. Yeah then we came back and we tried to work through our groggy nastiness... personally I am still fighting it hahaha. Oh well the Lord keeps helping me move on. So other than that we had a good week, Daniela (the girl who is gonna get baptized on the 26th) came to church then we had lunch with her afterward. She didnt quite get how things are, and we explained it, but way deep, because she just couldnt wrap her head around it. So we started explaining, and she started getting it. I was afraid we would scare her off by explaining everything the way we did. It was just a really heavy way to explain why to keep the commandments, and why it doesnt matter what others do, its between you and God. Goodness. She got it, and she really wants to get baptized, and I am very excited to see that she has that excitement too. Most people get all nervous, she is just really happy about the whole idea. Thats the triumph of the week.

We also found this way cool part of Chilecito (still waiting on the camera...) and its got all of the hill side covered in plants and monuments and saints and stuff. Kind of fun, we took pictures with the saints =P probably shouldnt do that, but its just too much fun. Yeah, I am gonna get you all a ton of pictures here soon.

Ok thats about all. I love you all. I am so happy that I can be here serving the Lord. There is no greater joy that I know of than to serve others. I just dont think that anyone can describe how great it is to have that near constant accompaniment of a member of the Godhead. Yeah. Pretty intense when you say it like that. This is the one and only true church of God on the Earth. I know it. I know that Jesus Christ is our Savior and Redeemer, and that He alone could have atoned for our sins, and has made the payment for us to return to our Father in Heaven. I love Him, and He loves each of us. Ok gotta get out of here.

Talk to you next week.
Con amor
Elder Ben

March 7, 2011

Well Chilecito is quite a sight. We ran one morning (I know, weird huh) to the huge Christ statue, and had a rocky moment as we ran up the steps. Its pretty intense, especially as the sun came up and illuminated the city. I will be taking pictures or sending you some from my comps camera. hahaha.

Its a small town, but still quite large at the same time. Still no camera, but we have Zone Conference in Catamarca this week (thats a completely different province) Its about 5 hours for us to get there, because we are about 3 hours from the state capital, and then its about 2 to 3 from there to Catamarca´s capital. The missionaries are mostly in the capital cities or large ones like them, the little tiny towns dont hardly get touched. So I got to know my comp a little bit better, and we get along great. He studied, and had almost finished his degree as an electrical mechanic, and is just a very chill kind of guy.

This week I met one of those really cool converts that got baptized a little while back. His name is Osvaldo Sanchez. He is about 70 something, and he is an absolute riot. He loves history and tells you about it. He has family that lives in Florida in the states, and really wants to go and live with them some day. Hes actually pretty close to leaving. He is trying to sell his house which he has built and modified and added on to, to his own taste. He was giving us a tour, and he showed me a picture of his granddaughter in the states. It was funny cuz he is the typical grandpa thing, and talked about how great she was. I said as an off the cuff remark, "hmm sounds like a cool girl." He took it a lot more seriously. He is going to be talking to his family and tell his granddaughter that one of his missionary friends is interested in meeting her. =P oh boy. *rolls eyes*

Well then I started finding out more about the branch. Its kind of had its ups and downs. Its been through some rough elders, and some really good ones. The unfortunate thing is that the good ones, become these ridiculous god-like personages and the members here forget why they really go to church. Its not for the missionaries. You dont know how much it makes me just shudder to think that there are people who were more converted to the missionaries, than to the Gospel. The problems happen because the elders go, or the members get offended, or someone looked at them wrong, or there is that crazy overzealous pharisee of a member (or elder) that called someone to repentance in an inappropriate manner... the list goes on, we have all heard them. I am gonna work with them on that. Its the same old story though, just with less people so everyone knows it. I really like the talk by Elder Andersen from last conference, about choosing to not be ashamed or offended by the church or the members. Look it up. its a great one. =)

Yeah thats about it for this week. This next week I have a lot more to do and a lot better way to do it. Oh I forgot to mention, that in La Rioja we study during the siesta.

Alright, I am keeping track of things now. and now its just small town, and far away so we charge you out the wazoo for most stuff. I can handle it. I will let you know if there are any problems, but they are not forseen.

Alrighty thats about it. Love you all!
Con amor
Elder Ben