Querido Familia!

Wow! Esta semana ha sido un bendición muy grande en mi misión. Mi "hijito" nació martes y salió morocho! ¿Qué sorpresa no? Jaja. Mi compañero se llama Elder Alvarado de Cordoba. Él es un capo ya y nosotros hemos tenido una semana muy productiva. Tengo un situación un pocito diferente de los demás entrenadores. Mi compañero ya hizo un año de su misión hace 3 años atras, pero por algunas razones personales tenía que regresar y ahora está empezando a vuelta. Elder Alvarado también sirvió en Fiorito... Que raro. Nosotros estamos muy bien y mi mente ya volvió argentina.. Si fuera una mezcla antes no sé cómo lo describiría ahora. Estamos hablando castellano 24 horas y a mi me encanta. (Mama si pensaba que era mal antes.. ahora aumentó la molestia! haha) Mi único problema ahora es que desde al principio le pregunté a mi compañero que tal mi acento y él me dijo que yo hablo "Re Gringo"... Shoot! Es una experiencia completamente diferente estar con un latino. Estoy re animado a tener éste oportunidad a trabajar con él y ayudarlo.

This week was a little bit strange for the time that we had. We started out the week preparing to pick up our nuevos. We did this in a capacitación for 4 hours on tuesday where they taught us all that we need to know about how we need to teach them and what they need to know in order to be successful missionaries later on. In the capacitación I wasn´t sure they chose the right guy because I was learning so much!! But was more grateful for a refresh on what missionary work is about now. We later went with the asistentes to the mision home and there we were able to meet our new companions. I was SO excited to meet him. When Presidente Stapley said a Latin name I was thrilled! So far it has been really good and we´ve been able to hold conversations and I´M just glad that he has been able to understand me. Elder Alvarado has a year already in the mission and my assignment is to teach him how to be a missionary in our mission now and how to utilize the Fundamental Principles of Preach My Gospel. It through me for a bit of a loop because I wasn´t sure how to treat the situation. This week for both of us was a little crazy learning to adapt ourselves to the positions that we´re in. We are more stable as time goes on and are excited to keep working ahead.

Bueno. This week we had a an amazing experience that we didn´t know was going to be so great until last night. On Wednesday we ate at the house of a member and were asked at the end if we could go to the house of his brother to give his sobrina a blessing. Her name (or nickname) is Piru. She´s 34 years old and has a problem that doesn´t allow her to grow. She is a small small little girl that has such a sweet and powerful spirit. When we went over she had been sick for a few weeks, she was very weak and wasn´t able to speak. I went over beside her and kneeled down, introducing who I was and just trying to have a nice little chat. You could feel just a peace about her, it was a special experience to be with her and to feel our Savior's love for this precious daughter of our heavenly Father. We gave her a blessing and left. Right before we left she began to talk and said goodbye to us.. very cool! Yesterday however we stopped by this same member family because they didn´t come to church. We found out that Piru had passed away on Saturday. I was crushed! The family too wasn´t having a good time with the situation. We sat down with the family and were able to testify of the plan of salvation that truly our Savior took our place to prepare a way for us to return to live with our Father in Heaven. We expressed our love for them and more important the love of the Savior that in these times He, especially, is here to comfort us and allow us to draw closer to him! There are certain times when we feel closer to Heaven and when we are able to feel ourselves take the place of our Savior in doing His work. Last night was one of those great and humbling experiences.

Family Martinez continues to progress and show super animo to get baptized. All we need is water and I think they´d jump in! More incredible news with Luis. He and his daughter nallara went to a party this weekend... had us a little worried. But I guess she came back from the party and told her grandma that her dad denied every drink that was offered to him and instead they went off and drank some 7up together! What a capo! Tonight we´ll be going to their house to have a lesson about prophets.. We´ll be showing a talk by President Monson! I´m super happy with this family!

Well time is cut short this week! I love you all and know that this church is true. I know that faith is our most powerful tool and that we can achieve great things by obtaining it. Mosiah 24:15-16 was a scripture that really helped me out this week and I saw and know that it is true and is applicable in our lives.

I love you all very much!
Elder Jolley