Together Forever!

I have been teaching the gospel doctrine class the majority of the time I have been here in Alberdi Jujuy. Yesterday, it was about how families can be together forever. I had just ordered a dvd called Together Forever. Perfect, huh? Anyways, I felt I should show this DVD to our little class of less active, new-members, investigators class. I had never seen it before, but took the chance and it was great! It shows about 4-5 families and the comfort they found in the gospel of Jesus Christ. Mainly focusing in the plan of salvation. I honestly hightly recommend watching this DVD. It is wonderful and very inspiring. It made me want to try harder than ever before to strive to have all my family members with me in the eternities and for a temple marriage.

Melanie's comment: Wow, do I feel like a bad mother. That DVD has been around for ages and we never showed it to our kids? Well, at least the younger kids...I know the older ones saw it because when Heather was leaving for college we listened to the 'theme' song and cried our eyes out!!

Story from April 2010 General Conference

Drawing upon his experience as a rancher, Elder Foster told a story of a cattle drive where he rode behind keeping track of stray calves.

"Because it was so hot," he said, "the little calves kept running off into the trees to find shade. My thoughts turned to the youth of the Church who are sometimes distracted from the straight and narrow path. I also thought about those who have left the Church or who may feel the Church has left their heart, while they were distracted. I though to myself that a distraction doesn't have to be evil to be effective — sometimes it can just be shade."

He continued, "After several hours of gathering up stray calves, and with sweat running down my face, I yelled to the calves in frustration, 'Just follow your mothers! They know where they're going! They've been down this road before!' Their mothers knew that even though the road was hot and dusty now, the end would be better than the beginning."

When the cattle arrived at the corral, three cows paced nervously at the gate; their calves were missing. Elder Foster and others found the calves in the shade back up the road, but the calves resisted them.

So they rode back to the corral and got the mothers.

"The cows knew exactly where to go to find their calves," he said, "and led them back to the corral as I had expected."

Then he said that because of agency, "some of our loved ones may stray for a season. But we can never give up. We must always go back for them — we must never stop trying."

He concluded, "My mother assured me that if I stayed on the road of truth, even when it seemed hot and dusty, even when there were distractions, the end would be better than the beginning."

Elder Bradley Foster

Elder Foster of the Seventy came this week and talked to us how God loves us and answers our prayers. It was amazing! Some Elders and Sisters didn´t like it. They wanted him to talk about some deep doctrine, but my opinion is if we don´t know and apply the simple doctrine, why should we know the deep? I need to first live by perfect faith, and than I can learn more deep doctrine. I know from Elder Foster taught is true. God loves us so much, he has provided prayer and answers our prayers. He listens and is listening. He loves us so much, he provided Earth for us to live on. He knows us and the way we need our prayers answered. Don´t be afraid in your prayers, just be sure to ask with faith.

Josh's 9-13-10 E-mail

This week we had many powerful lessons with our wonderful brothers and sisters investigating the church. First of all, with David and Maria. David recently lost his work. He worked as a miner and I guess was doing very well, but was kicked off the team. He was devastated and worried. I was able to share the story of what happened to you Dad in Los Alamos. He had a couple of the same feelings. Worried and not sure what to do. After I shared this story with David, he started to bawl. I just looked him for a while, and then realized I was crying too. Afterwards we read the scripture how Christ has his arms stretched out to us. The Holy Ghost filled the room and we all felt His love. I don´t know if David and Maria will be baptized, but I know we left a lasting impression. I have confidence that one day they will, maybe not with us, but with others. Sometimes we are meant to be seed planters.

In the service of your fellowmen...

So yesterday my three companions in the pension ganged up on me! I had to lock myself in my room! I was sliding and running all over the pension. Well, maybe it was because I was trying to shine their shoes. It was really funny because I was wearing my flipflops, fell and hit the door. I didn´t hurt, but I couldn´t stand up because I was laughing way too hard! Hahahahaha. It´s also getting hotter here, but strangely of turning red like I usually do when I am sunburned, I am turning brown. Weird.hahaha.

Megan's 9-13-10 E-mail

This coming Tuesday night we will receive a text that will determine the next six weeks. Transfers! I would be shocked if I left, but we are both thinking that Sister Blonquist will be leaving. It'll be 5 months now for her here and there are 3 new sisters coming in from America this Wednesday. I might be training again. I don't know! But all is well. Our church will be done they say this coming October. It will be a huge blessing but a trial for some.

The Tizon Family

This week we have been repeatedly taken aback at the progression of one of the families that was baptized last month. They come with us working, they are fellowshipping their friends, they are firm in their testimony of the Book of Mormon, and Eugene, the Father, blesses the sacrament. We feel so lucky to have witnessed this miracle. Gingging, the mother, cant stop explaining his story and the kind of person that he used to be, only 4 MONths ago! He was a preacher for 10 years to a break off of the catholic church and stopped for a reason we haven't been able to find out. He then ended up with no religion but alcohol. She constantly tells us about how he would every day come home drunk from work, then he'd drink in the morning and go climb coconut trees(his work) drunk. She said that their neighbors were scared of him because he'd sometimes come home drunk, carrying a gun, and singing loudly, staggering. I have witnessed miracle after miracle after miracle with this family. They are a strength to the branch and he already has a calling. THey both know that the Book of Mormon is true. We were literally only a mouthpiece, we sat down, spoke words to them, and the spirit did EVERYTHING else!!!! I don't take ANy credit whatsoever for their complete conversion to the gospel of Jesus Christ. Sometimes I have to remind myself that they are converts and that when I met them, they weren't members of the church. I want this to happen to the Monton family, but it's harder than it was with the Tizon family.

The District

I don´t know if you return missionaries have seen the district, which is filming missionaries to do a certain principle and afterwards we are supposed to apply it. Well, The District 2 just came out and it is awesome! As I was watching the video I remembered something. Not every 19 young man or 21 young women has the chance to give up their life for a period of time for our Savior Jesus Christ. This time is more than important, it is sacred. As I was thinking about this, another point came into my head. Missionary work is not just for 2 years, but for a lifetime. When we are in our ward we are supposed to always be activating our brothers and sisters who have gone away, looking for opportunities to share the gospel, and always maintain our highest conduct so people will see that we are different. Missionary Work is a lifetime work.

Challenge from Josh-Spiritual Journal

I have started a spiritual experiences journal and I suggest it if you are trying to recognize the Holy Ghost. Honestly it helps me see my blessings and the Holy Ghost in my life. Not only feeling the Holy Ghost in my testimony, but when I recognized his voice and the other ways to feel the Holy Ghost.

Josh's 9-6-10 E-mail

I have to tell you about Clodia! We were looking for an old investigator and found Clodia! Our first lesson was amazing and our second she told us that as she was reading the pamphlet that we had left she felt something that she had never felt before. I was looking at her with my mouth open! She´s sincere and loves the Book of Mormon, it is wonderful!

I don´t know if I have told you about Nahir, but....Nahir came to church by herself without being invited. She came with a friend in the ward and has also gained a testimony about the Book of Mormon. She seems perfect for baptism, just the thing is her father might not give her permissioin, but fast sunday I fasted for Nahir. She needs the gospel in her life.

Pray for the Monton Family!

Mark Anthony is Martin's older brother and he wants to get baptized. but his dad won't allow it. I asked him if he had actually asked him that and he said no. They are all scared of him. I told him to just explain to him and this is what you want. I need your help!!!!!!! Please keep his name in your prayers. I can't explain to you how much I love them!! It actually kind of hurts! Me and my companion say sometimes that it's like we're in this strange relationship! 2 months ago we were strangers, and now I have grown to love them so much!!! That has got to be from Heavenly Father!!! I hope something happy happens soon because my heart is low! One of our less actives has been really struggling and consequently, so have I !!!!! I ask for help SO many times in one day I can't even count, and I hope with all of my heart that this precious family-the Monton family, will all be baptized one day!!!!!!!!!!! I pray that God will grant me the desires of my heart.

Megan's 8-30 E-mail

Bah!!!. Missionary life is hard!! I'm starting to feel the jerk back and forth from being so happy you could scream and then literally being in the depths of sadness when you see someone you love choose something contrary to what you have repeatedly taught them and committed them to stop doing...when people don't come to church that you've been praying for with all your heart and that you have tried to teach them the right way...when those that you've grown to care about SO much lie to you! I love these people. Maybe it's a blessing that I have no time whatsoever to just sit down and think about life because I'd just CRY! I am filled with almost a motherly love for these people-I want them to suceed in life, and go to school and go on missions and GO TO THE TEMPLE!!! And raise a family in the gospel and I just want them to bE HAPPPYYY and not to get involved in all the garbage that is offered to them every day.

Josh's Missionary P-day

I am sorry for the shorter email we had a zone activity and we are about to finish our day. We played soccer and what I liked the most was Ultimate Frisbee. They also had an awesome park with a alligator slide. Slides here are made from cement and hurt! I took a picture in the alligators mouth and it looks like I am being eaten! haahhaha

Josh's 8-30-10 E-mail

The Lost Lamb by Del Parson
This week we had a wonderful experience with a new investigator named Rosa. Rosa has a problem. Her son Samuel loves drugs, alcohol, and other things. She wants the best for him and we are here to help. We talked with her Wednesday and had another appointment Friday. Friday we introduced the Book of Mormon and a really neat experience happened. During the lesson as my companion was talking the story of Alma the Younger kept coming into my mind. Alma the elder wanted the best for his son as Rosa wanted wants the best for her son. We left this part to read, but even as we were explaining about Alma the Holy Ghost filled the room. It was amazing.
Their are three things that make me extremly excited in the mission, first, when they have an answer, second, when they come to church, and third, the day of their baptism. Those are the moments that keep me going when a single door doesn´t open in the day, when it 110 degrees and it seems you are in a oven, or the most difficult for me when another one of your spritual brothers or sisters doesn´t want to listen to a message that will change their life. Honestly as I think about now, these are nothing compared to what we truly should give to Jesus Christ. I read President Erying's priesthood talk. He related when he is tempted to rest from his prisethood duties, he has a battle cry, "Remember Him." I hope it to become my theme for life, Remember Him.

Josh's 8-30-10 E-mail

This week we had a wonderful experience with a new investigator named Rosa. Rosa has a problem. Her son Samuel loves drugs, alcohol, and other things. She wants the best for him and we are here to help. We talked with her Wednesday and had another appointment Friday. Friday we introduced the Book of Mormon and a really neat experience happened. During the lesson as my companion was talking the story of Alma the Younger kept coming into my mind. Alma the elder wanted the best for his son as Rosa wanted wants the best for her son. We left this part to read, but even as we were explaining about Alma the Holy Ghost filled the room. It was amazing.
There are three things that make me extremely excited in the mission, first, when they have an answer, second, when they come to church, and third, the day of their baptism. Those are the moments that keep me going when a single door doesn´t open in the day, when it 110 degrees and it seems you are in a oven, or the most difficult for me when another one of your spritual brothers or sisters doesn´t want to listen to a message that will change their life. Honestly, as I think about now, these are nothing compared to what we truly should give to Jesus Christ. I read President Erying's priesthood talk. He related when he is tempted to rest from his priesthood duties, he has a battle cry, "Remember Him." I hope it to become my theme for life, Remember Him.

Josh is 50!

Thursday I am having another birthday! I am going to be one year old. Crazy huh? I honestly can´t believe it. I want it to be the best entire year of my mission. I love it so much and it hurts my little heart that I am on "the final countdown." "Over the hill." I will be '50' in mission time. I have a new companion, Elder Gutierrez from Buenos Aires.

Josh's 8-23-10 E-mail

It was a dark and stormy night, not really, but we were waiting for the zone leaders to come and to do the interview for Elio. Well, they called and told us that they cannot come because they had to go to the hospital. Well they called a elder in our pension to come and to do the interview. By the time he shows up we are thirty minutes late, but we still went. The interview passed and we waited until the next day. Elio showed up on time, but told us something that was very sad and truly showed how great his testimony is. His wife didn´t want him to come to his baptism. She is very jealous and told Elio if he came back he might not have a home. Elio went and told me, "It makes me sad that she is angry, she puts family first (my thought, well shouldn´t we?) back to Elio: God is first in our lives, not our family. As I was walking into the baptismal font, I almost fell almost...hahaha..It was so funny. I had to take a couple of deep breaths before I said the words and baptized Elio. Elio also recieved the Holy Ghost, but an experience I saw that has never taken place before in my mission was when Elio received the Aaronic Priesthood. It was so awesome. The Holy Ghost filled the room and it was wonderful. It truly was.

No dancing? That's a different religion...

We commited two sisters(one being the mom of one the 7 that were baptized a couple weeks ago) for baptism and they accepted. One of them we've been teaching for a while now and she said, 'When I get baptized, I've got to really be ready...". I kept wondering what was her concern, why doesn't she want it now...or just what was wrong and then it came out yesterday and we all had a little chuckle....haha I'm laughing again thinking about it..she said that she is some kind of important canidate in her senior citezen club and that she dances the cha cha and that's why she can't be baptized!!!! She thought that dancing was not okay and that when she the dance was over then then she could be baptized...she kept saying she knew that she needed to repent and be clean before he baptism and so after she was done dancing she could be rid of her sins!!!! Hahahahah!!!

Megan's Monton family

Judith lives with her grandparents and they are...well, you can just tell that her living situation is difficult. She is so cute tho! She's truly my friend and I want to help her. She has a Book of Mormon and the pamphlets and we are teaching her tonight. She smokes and does drugs but I know she wants to change. I told Heavenly Father today, well, I'm always telling Him, the desires of my heart, and the things that I want for these wonderful people! We met 3 of the Monton kids through three different times places and with different people and only later realizing they were all apart of the same family. They are all three our investigators and I love them so much. They are Catholic and all three asked their dad about baptism and he got mad. I told Heavenly Father this and he told me to write them a note and give them a picture of Jesus. They can refuse our invitation to share the gospel with them, but who would refuse a gift?? So i will try this and I hope and pray that this family will be softened and will allow Jesus Christ into their lives and their hearts.

Megan's 'boys'

Marcela(18) and Gloria(13) Malit left this morning and the kids were sad. They bought three of our investigators clothes so that they could go to church. One of them is a tomboy and she didn't want to dress like a girl, 'cause they bought her a dress, and so she didn't come. She hasn't come yet to church. But the other two boys, Martin Monton, 12, and John Alfer 12? they came and after church, Martin said 'I brought my white shirt and tie ,but I didn't wear it 'cause I don't know how to tie it.' So we had a member help him and we got the best pictures that day.
I love them so much!!

Megan's 8-25-10 E-mail

Melanie's comment: We didn't get an e-mail on Monday, August 23rd and although I was very disappointed, I wasn't worried as I know there are several reasons she may not be able to e-mail. Then on Wednesday we got this e-mail from here. She references technology as I had mentioned it in my e-mail to her.

It's interesting that you talk about technology because being here has made me appreciate it at times, but also it's made me realize that our happiness should never depend on it because there are so many people that I know that have nothing but are full of joy. Our church will be done in September and we will all be going there and not having church in our little hut anymore. It will be a blessing as there will be rooms for every age group and a nice chapel and we are excited. It will be also a trial because of fare to get there and if they don't have money they will walk. There is always some kind of opposition in our lives. I didn't email on Monday 'cause we're at a training right now in Tacloban and it's been so amazing. President Malit's nieces from Orem, Utah lived with us for a week and are going to come back with us for another 3 days 'cause were fun, apparently. We are participating in a youth activity this Saturday and are hiking up to one of the falls in billiran island-maybe on of the ones that you saw a video of-I'm way excited. I hope that we make it!!!!! I have felt the spirit so strongly in the past 3days as we have done role play after role play, trying to apply the things that we have learned and I am excited to get working tomorrow.

Stand with God (Josh)

We received a reference from a member who works at a newspaper stand in our area. We went and met Julia. Julia has had a rough life. Let me tell you a little about her. She has 6 or 9 children. Her husband worked as a policeman, but enjoyed drinking. One time he came into the house drunk and shot his pistol running his family out of the house. Around age 65 he cheated on his wife with a 25 year old and ran away to Buenos Aires and has not returned since. One of her daughters got pregnant at age 13. She tried to give it away and even marry a couple of older, but nobody accepted her. One day Julia came home after her granddaughter was recently born and found her daughter in room with everything scattered and the baby nowhere to be found. She asked where the baby was to her daughter and she pointed to corner were all her clothes were piled. Realizing what happened she rushed over and pulled off the clothes to find her granddaughter suffocating. Now that granddaughter lives with her, but treats her poorly. Julia has learned to depend on God as she told us her experience. She stated, "without Him I am nothing." I learned two life lasting lessons from Julia that day. One without Him I am nothing and the second how do I treat others and Heavenly Father? How is my relationship with my Father in Heaven and my family and friends here? In the end will we be like Julia and stand with God?

Well done Josh!

Josh's Senior picture by Gugleman Photography in Rexburg, Idaho

I love you family and friends! I know that that we can go onward and forward no matter what happens. I remembered an experience from High School that gave me motivation to go on. As some and most of you know I graduated early from High School, but I came back to walk. For the graduation walk we come out of the gym, walk down the hall and afterwards into the auditorium. As I walked down the hall all around me were my teachers from Freshmen to Senior year yelling, good job Josh! , we know it was difficult, but you made it!, you have finally made it to the end! I imagine that is how the celestial kingdom is. All around us as we are walking into the gates the prophets are around us saying, good job Josh! We know it was difficult, but you made it! You have finally made it to the end! I enjoy that thought! Love you and I will talk to you next week! And in case I don't see ya, Good afternoon, good evening and good night!!!

Blessing of the Sacrament (Josh)

The Last Supper by Simon Dewey
We also had the blessing of giving the sacrament to a member who is temporarily in a wheel chair. There was only five of us, but it was very sacred and peaceful. I shared an experience I had in the MTC, while during sacrament meeting I imagined myself eating the last supper with Christ and His apostles. That experience helped me have more reverence and gratitude for the bread and water. I am very grateful that the Lord once again allowed me to remember the importance of the sacrament.

More missionary hating dogs...

Yesterday we went to go visit a less active family who needed a visit. After we left they came running out holding my Book of Mormon. I ran to go get it, but was attacked by five stinking little black dogs! My companion and the member we were with said it looked like I was dancing as I was avoiding the black dogs. I got to the end of the alley and bursted out laughing. We probably laughed for 5 minutes. I could not breath at the end! Hahaha. Two little girls also walked passed us, walked backed, looked up and said, Amor y Paz! (Love and Peace! ) and walked away. We started laughing again for 5 more minutes. My stomach hurt so badly!

Melanie's comment-I will have to 'make up' pictures for Josh's posts like I do for Megan's since he lost his camera cord.

Josh's 8-16-10 E-mail

We are planning for Elio to enter into the waters of baptism this Saturday! The other elders in our pension had a baptism, so we took Elio to go see it. He really loved it and it made him even more excited to follow the Lord. He loves church and everything about it! He even prepares for the Priesthood lesson! I love seeing changes.

Melanie's note: Josh lost his camera cord so we won't have pictures from him until we can figure out another way to get them...

Typical Argentina House

Every home needs a big screen television?


Is that a satellite dish attached to that shack?