Gratitud- Busque las Cosas Pequeñas

¡Hola todos!

Today, we went to the Saenz Peña zoo! It was really fun to see lions, bears, tigers and a hole bunch of birds. We basically had the whole zoo to ourselves because we went during lunch time.

Lots of water

That´s a big tiger!

Us enjoying the tigers.

It´s a tucan! It was really colorful and made clicking sounds with it´s beak.

We are teaching a lot of great investigators. This past Sunday, five of them came to church and they all enjoyed it. The members really helped sitting with all of them and helping them feel welcome. We focused this week on really trying to understand who the investigators are, what they hope for the future, and helping them see how we can help them. Valeria is still reading and looking for her answer to know that it is true. Cristian is also reading and praying. A recent convert came with us for the first time to visit another young man named Gustavo. There is a bunch of work happening and it is great!

A lot of investigators are finding their biggest obstacles and we get to help them overcome them. That is really hard, but so exciting when they move past them and become truly converted. I really hope that happens within the four weeks I have left, but mostly I want to be able to say that I did everything to help them. I hope that all of them can get baptized in the future!

I know that God lives! He loves us! He wants us to succeed. Many times God helps us in ways so small, but so profound that it is difficult to see them. I saw many of those little things this week. I would invite each of you, especially if you feel overwhelmed, to each day of the week find at least one thing that God has done to help you and thank Him in your prayers. You will probably find that the list is much more extensive than you thought! Be grateful and you will find greater peace and happiness.

¡Que tenga una semana feliz!

Elder Cloward

Talents

¡Hola todos!

This week, we had the branch activity. A bunch of people came and we had churri-pan, basically sausages in bread, and Elder Roberts and I presented a video demonstrating the unity of the missionaries with a member family of the church. I love this video because it shows that this is not the missionary´s work, but our work together. The missionaries are always happy to help the members of the church with their service, whether it be giving advice, or teaching a friend with them. "Ask the missionaries! They can help you!"

We found some great new families too. One is a young mother of three who heard the missionaries over 5 years ago. God led us to her door. She accepted a baptismal date and seems really ready to accept more in her life. When we invited her to church, she sad "I´m bring my husband too! It will be good for both of us." We are excited for them.

Gregorio and Marilin are doing great too and already know that the Book of Mormon is true.They still have a lot of challenges to overcome before they can get baptized, but we recently introduced them to a member family here. They love it when we pass by.

Valeria is an investigator that we have been teaching ever since I got to Saenz Peña. She´s started to read a lot in the Book of Mormon and she went to church once. We've introduced her to so many of the members already and she went to the branch activity. She just needs to ask God to know if the Book of Mormon is true and we are excited for her to receive her answer. Please pray for her too!

Every week is a new battle, but every time I say a prayer asking that God will help me focus and be patient, He sends a peace and a resolve to do my best. I know that everything will be okay as I continue to love Him and His children with all that I am and have. He has given me distinct experiences and talents to do His work and I am a unique and special tool in His hands. As I continue to encounter new situations and experiences, I can help even more people come closer to God. This week, I invite each of you to use one of your unique talents to invite someone else to come closer to God. As you do, you will find greater joy in your gifts and a stronger testimony that God is your father.

¡Que tenga una semana feliz!

Elder Cloward

Be Bold!

¡Hola!

It`s my last transfer and I am staying here in Saenz Peña in the Obrero branch with Elder Roberts. We are happy to be together and excited to serve!

This week was really hard, but very rewarding. We are talking to a lot of people, but not very many people are interested. The progress of the investigators has been slow too. It has been a time of much inner reflection. Each day we have made huge changes. I have recognized at a new level the need to see things positively. One´s point of view changes drastically one´s ability to handle a situation. As I remember that this is God´s work and trust and love Him, I am able to love His children even more, listen to, and help them according to their needs. 

Sometimes I feel that I have had to look harder for God, but He is always there. There were several times during the week when I felt the Holy Ghost quietly confirming the truth of what I was teaching. Many of the people we teach have felt it too and that is the most exciting. For example, we have been teaching Gregorio and Marilin, an really amazing and open couple. They both know that what we are teaching is true because they have asked God and received a confirmation. They still have a lot of obstacles to come, but we are really excited for them! I love God! Though many challenging things happen and I don`t understand everything, I will trust in Him.

Be bold! No one can receive the blessings of the gospel if they aren´t invited to receive them. As you open your mouth not to please, but to invite others to learn more about the restoration of the gospel, they will be able to choose for themselves to receive more blessings. I invite all of you to invite with courage your friends to learn more about the gospel. This is eternal life we are talking about! They can choose it as you invite them. As you do, you will find greater courange in your lives and feel even more that God is helping you in all of your endevors.

Have a happy week!

Elder Cloward

We forgot to take pictures this week. Tomorrow, we have a big lunch with all of the branch, so there will be pictures next week.

Your Efforts Are Never Wasted

¡Hola!

This week, I focused on my testimony of the Book of Mormon. Elder Roberts and I quickly recognized the need to have a firm testimony of the book, especially after talking to another religious leader. The Book of Mormon and the accompanying witness of the Holy Ghost that it is true are esencial to know that God restored His truth through the prophet Joseph Smith. It was really great to make a short list of some of the scriptures that have helped me to become who I am and bring me closer to God. The list of scriptures included scriptures about the atonement of Jesus Christ (Alma 7:11-13), the time between death and the resurrection (Alma 40:11-12), faith and trials (Ether 12:27), and paciente in the face of trials (Alma 17:9-11). I am so grateful for the Book of Mormon and can say with greater surety that I know that it is true.

We had some really amazing experiences in which the investigators we were teaching received their own personal witnesses that what we are teaching is true. It was so happy to see them find more light and advance on the path to God. Two of them are Gregorio and Marilin, a young couple we have been teaching for three weeks now. I was so happy when Gregorio told us that he prayed and received his answer that the Book of Mormon is true. Marilin also shared a story in which our prayers for her were answered.

On the other hand, we also saw many investigators lose interest and a couple tried to give the Book of Mormon back to us. That is such a sad experience, because they reject more blessings before they have even tried them. Not all or even very many people get baptized after the first contact with the church and it is important to remember that these efforts are not lost, but that they can lead to future baptisms. For example, the first sister I helped get baptized in my mission had heard missionaries 20 years ago and only after did she choose to be baptized. Her baptism lead to the baptism of several of her grandchildren and last I heard, one of them just recently went to the temple for the first time. Do not fear inviting others to learn about the gospel. It is more likely to have a greater impact than you think!

I invite each of you this week to reach out in a simple way to share a part of the gospel that has helped you with a friend or acquaintance. You can do this through a number of ways: through social media, a short note, or talking with them. As you are inspired, invite them to listen to the missionaries! I promise that as you do, you will strengthen your testimony in that aspect of the gospel. Your efforts are never wasted.

¡Que sigan ayudando a los demás a tener felices semanas!

Elder Cloward

The owner of our pension and his family gave us some Argentine plants to try. We made a salid of brucula (I still don´t know what it is) and rebanete (radish) and boiled some batata (it´s like sweet potato, but not as sweet). It was good except that we put too much oil and vinagre in the salid!

La Expiación

¡Hola todos!

Service at the Casco family's home.

It´s amazing how much I change every day in the mission. I´m learning things in a week that would take months to learn in any other circumstance with less pressure. It´s super hard to be a missionary, but I wouldn't trade it for anything else.

This week, we had a multi-zone conference in Resistencia and we got to meet President Patanía and his wife. They´ve only been here for a few weeks, but they are already confident and working hard. President Patanía invited us to want to do more (desear hacer mas) and to serve with all of our "heart (feelings), might (actions), mind (thoughts) and strength (health) " (Doctrine and Covenants 4). I am excited to do more! It´s like running fast and then finding out that you can run even faster.

We found some very prepared people right when they were ready to receive us. One lady invited us into her home even before we had asked. We learned that her mother had passed away only a month before and that she is now a bit separated from her siblings. As we shared the plan of salvation, I testified that she would see her mother again, just as I will see my great grandmother. I am so grateful for our forever family! It gives me such hope and happiness and a drive to prepare myself for eternity with them.

We had several ups and downs, but with the help of our leaders, the scriptures, and my patriarchal blessing, we overcame our challenges and found greater strength.

How is everyone doing with the invitations I give every week. Are they helping? My hope is that they stretch each of you to come closer to the savior and help in the missionary work. If you've had any great experiences, I would love too hear them!

President Suarez, the branch president from Villa Angela,
my first area. It was good to see him again!

In the end, the most important act in the history of the world was the atonement of Jesus Christ. He suffered all of our sins, all of our trials, all of our pains, and all things unjust and unfair in our lives. He knows exactly how to help us because He knows exactly how we feel. Because of Him, when we repent in faith, the weight we feel in our lives is lifted. He lives. He was resurrected after three days. Because of Him, we too will live again. I love Jesus!

I invite each of you to prayerfully find one thing you can give up this week that is adding unnecessary and harmful weight in your life. This may be an attitude or grudge or some physical object or activity. As repent of harmful actions and thoughs, I promise that you will feel a lifted weight and will find greater peace, just as I have this week.

¡Que tenga una semana feliz!

Elder Cloward