GOOD ROCK and biking the Patagonia (Feb 26)

Ok so last p-day was just awful. We didn't do anything. Which is normal here in Gallegos. But for real. So I was pretty bummed to start the week because I wasn't prepared physically or mentally or emotionally. 

BUT, on Tuesday as a zone we went to Piedra Buena which is a small town like 4 hours north of Gallegos. We left at 8 ish and got there for lunch. We went to this place called Isla Pavon which is like camping place and it was one of the best places I've been while in the mission. It was green, and there was grass and a river and a park that actually functioned as a park and trees. It was great.  We spent like 2 or 3 hours there eating and playing around. We all joked that it was the p-day 2.0. and it was probably one of my favorite p-days I've had on the mission. And it was not even a p-day! But then in the afternoon we split up to go contact the town. I went with Elder Torres, from California and it was a real good time. We only had like 2 and a half hours to work because we had to leave at 6 ish to get back by 10. 

But we worked a ton in those few hours. It was really special because Piedra Buena is an area where there's never been missionaries and there's no church so we were basically preparing the way and being missionary pioneers there. We talked with everyone that was in our path. We ended up teaching like 5 lessons in that small amount of time which is very impressive. The people there just listened to us. And were all super friendly. It was almost strange. But Elder Torres and I found this nice old lady and she accepted the invitation to be baptized. And overall as a zone we found a ton of people interested and put set like 10 baptismal dates. 

Towards the end of the day, Elder Torres and I were dying of thirst and so I told him we were going to knock on a door and literally only ask for water and nothing else. We knocked on the door and a lady opened the door, we introduced ourselves as missionaries and she very quickly explained that she was a Christian and wasn't interested. But then I asked her for water and her face changed and realized that we didn't want to teach her about the church. We just were thirsty. But she only gave us one glass so it was perfect. When I drank, it gave Elder Torres time to start a conversation, and when he drank after I did, it gave me time to finish the conversation. Then I shared Mosiah 2:17 about how when she gave us water she was really just serving God and that we were extremely grateful for her time. Then after we asked her if she would be okay if we went by another day to talk with her and she set a day for us to return. It was crazy that if we hadn't done what we did, that would've never happened. 

Unfortunately, to save time and confusion, the hermanas in our ward only go back to visit Piedra Buena so I won't be able to go back and see what happens. But I think the hermanas will do a better job than we could ever do.  

And as we walked to the meeting point, Elder Torres and I walked past a group of teens who asked us where we were from, we both responded California and as a result they asked if they could take pictures with them. We started to talk about the church and prophets and baptism and stuff and we soon had 15 or so people all huddled around us. It's hard teaching in groups of that size and with teenagers so the convo quickly went all over the place but it was fun and we established a presence in Piedra Buena with the youths. And soon all the other missionaries started returning from the day and got in on it and then the kids, who were actually part of a murga, or marching band, started to dance and play the drums and they performed for us. And it was great way to finish the day. 

But as for the rest of the week, Elder Escobar and I fixed one of our bikes and have been riding around our area which is VERY big. Definitely my biggest. It's just super spaced out, that's the problem. And the wind makes it almost impossible. I think bikes shouldn't exist in the south of Argentina because the wind makes us go faster in the opposite direction that we want to go. And all these dirt roads are so hard to pedal on. It's like pedaling in sand with 98% resistance and the wind makes it 176% resistance. We got back one day and I fell asleep without even preparing myself, I was so dead tired. It doesn't really make sense to use bikes here. And it's relatively good weather right now so I'm not sure how it will be when things change. 

On Saturday we were knocking on doors and we clapped at this one house that's very fancy so I was sure they would reject us but the guy told us to come in and we didn't even say a word. It was almost too good to be true. Really strange and definitely put my guard up. We entered and inside it was like the scene of a bar. There was cigarette smoke all over and the smell of beer. On the table were a few glasses. A lady was seated and she's like "Are you Mormons?" like all serious and I was thinking "UGHHH nope not anymore bye!" but we said yes and then they explained that just that day she found out her kids were getting into drugs and she was SUPER upset about it and need some encouragement. She said that we knocked on her door just in the right moment and had already studied about the Mormons but had never acted on her knowledge before. They had a 10000 questions and every time that we went to answer they asked another question. It was almost impossible to teach anything. But we listened to what they said. We were able to teach about the restoration of the gospel and also what the gospel itself is and we asked them to be baptized and they without hesitating said yes. 
Elder Escobar and I walked out of there a little confused but also super happy for what had just occurred. 

We also re set the goal with Arnaldo our investigator to be baptized and he had been reading The Book of Mormon with out us and he said he still wants to. But unfortunately nobody wants to attend church so we were a bit sad yesterday when nobody went. For sure the worst part of the mission. Having a good week full of success and then nothing on Sunday. The biggest let down of a lifetime. 

But we talked with a girl who got baptized a year or two ago and her mom's not a member but is struggling with one of her other daughters that has anorexia and so yesterday we went to see what was up and the mom was super cool and need some encouragement and we decided to hold a fast so this week we will carry that out. 

Also we found a less active member and he saw that my shoes were breaking and so he made me take them off and he threw them away and then gave me some BRAND new boots. I couldn't believe it. It was so nice. He said that the company that he works for gives him new boots every 3 months and he only uses a pair a year so he has a ton just around the house unused. And here in San Benito I'm gonna put them to use. The problem is that now I have 2 pairs of boots and I really only need one. And lucky for me, on Friday there was a baptism in Gaucho and so I went back and it was SOOO weird to be back in my old area in my old capilla [chapel]. But I did get to see some members and it was REALLY nice to talk to them and be able to understand them. And I talked to one of my favorites Hermano Rivadeneira who just happens to be traveling in march to California and he told me that I want to send something home to just give it to him. And he gave me the idea that if I don't want to take stuff home with me when I finish the mission, I could ship it with him and so I might do it with my nice boots and maybe a jacket that I haven't used yet. And a few letters or gifts too. So let me know if you want anything because this is your time to do it!!!! 

And so the less active member went to church on Sunday and gave us lunch for us and the zone leaders and we made tacos and it was just super good. 

Also this week I've been busy in The Book of Mormon. I'm now in Alma. And also I read in a conference talk and you'll never believe whose picture I found!!!! SKYLER MURPHY THE MAN HIMSELF! hahah I was just like "Wow that kid looks familiar, and so does his brother, and his other brother, wow that's Skyler!!! Oohh and that's his dad and his grandpa!!!"

Some pics of the tacos, the conference talk, us on the bikes, and a crazy graffiti in my area that translated says "JEWS; OUT OF MY COUNTRY" que loco