How is everyone! I loved hearing all about your week and all the fun Christmas things that are happening around there.. It's so so weird to hear you guys talking about being cozy and snuggly by fires and what not, to me that's crazy! It is really nice though because it definitely takes my mind off anything that is going on at home! I just don't think about Christmas or anything like that right now. What a blessing! This week has been great though, TONS of walking! I have been very tired during the day from going from place to place, but there is strength that comes from doing this work! So long as we are obedient without compromise or without "a little rest" here or there we are blessed with success and somehow a new source of energy! Obedience is such a powerful principle and seriously is EVERYTHING in a mission, but also in life as well. Dad, I loved your experience that you shared with us and it was golden to how our Heavenly Father blesses us. I think I've said before that we have been a little without investigators for the last couple weeks, well we needed to change that so we have been doing a lot of contacting which have made our other goals and stats really low, obviously you want to see all of your goals completed so that was a bit of a bummer, but I couldn't be more excited to see what happens this week. We have been SO blessed by the Lord to find people that I believe we are gonna see baptized. It's funny, but an amazing experience, to feel as you are talking with someone the interest level they have and also just the good feeling you get! You can almost picture them with a role in the church at that moment so I pray things go well this next week!
Also this week we had Elder Aidukiatis come for our Zone Conference (yeah i guess we had one this week). Everyone the day before was talking about his reputation of "bajando la caña" a little bit and just being a really mean guy. He spoke to us for about 6 hours on how we need to improve and especially how we need to Open our Vision more on all the things that we are capable of doing! I loved it, he did get after us for not doing things good, but that's what needs to be said. I was really grateful for his strictness because it is going to bless this mission! He talked a lot about planning and how important that is in our work! It's tough to plan and requires a lot of faith, but I can't tell you how much it pays off! Oh I wish I could tell you guys everything but time says No. He was incredible though and really was a blessing to me on things that I need to be doing better!
Still I am learning a lot and have a long way to grow, but I am very grateful for the Elder Lewis. He is a capo! He keeps me on the ground and really helps me learn how to do things here in the field. I love this scripture in Alma 38:
4 For I know that thou wast in bonds; yea, and I also know that thou wast stoned for the word’s sake; and thou didst bear all these things with apatience because the Lord was bwith thee; and now thou knowest that the Lord did deliver thee.
5 And now my son, Shiblon, I would that ye should remember, that as much as ye shall put your atrust in God even so much ye shall be bdelivered out of your trials, and your ctroubles, and your afflictions, and ye shall be lifted up at the last day.
Such a great reminder that our success comes from patience! What a great attribute that our Savior shows, and oh how badly I need it! As I have been taught to have patience and to trust more in my Heavenly Father, I know and am so grateful to have been delivered from overwhelming trials. Also in Alma 37:40-47 (please read it!!) it talks about how much the scriptures help in our life! It's a delicious feast in Alma! South America is growing on me. I love this place, there's so many things that are just amazing. There is a place called Villa Paraguay in our area and each Sunday night different barrios get together to have a HUGE soccer competition on this dirt field! Soccer here is so fun to watch because it is so competitive! I try and get in on whatever action I can. Last night walking back to our Pinch there were two kids kicking a ball around, I kindly asked them to show me some tricks and they kindly did! Next I kindly asked them to pass the ball my way... kindly I was ignored! haha Being American sometimes is a joke to people when it comes to soccer, but its okay I have fun with it! Elder Lewis was dying laughing as I sat there waiting to get a pass for a little bit but it never came!
Love you guys tons and thanks for your emails! Also just in case you don't know, letters need to be sent to the mission office (Quintana 447 Adrogue Buenos Aires 1846).
Elder Jolley Jr.
Elder Jolley making some melonessa in the apartment
Elder Jolley with a recent convert named Franciso Acuna!,they go to his house every Sunday for lunch.
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