Happy Thanksgiving?

¡Hola!                                                             Nov. 18, 2013

 

¡Feliz día de gracias!

 

It’s been another great week here in Budge! I finish my first transfer in Argentina today and begin my second, but nothing is changing. I´m staying in Budge with Elder Suarez for another 6 weeks! We are excited and ready to keep moving forward in this work.

 

Budge received a new bishop and he can actually speak a little bit of English. He lived a Colorado Springs a little bit before returning back to Argentina, and so I enjoy it because he clarify things that I don´t understand.

 

Also on Thursday I was on exchanges in a place called Parque Baron, just a little south of Budge. We went to go contact one of their contacts, and guess what, he spoke English! It was broken and hard to understand at times but it was English! In fact he refused to speak Spanish because he only wanted to practice English. My poor Peruvian companion had no idea what was going on!

 

President Holland was awesome. The chapel wasn´t in the city, bummer, but we got to go about 10 minutes out of the mission which is kinda fun. Elder Holland was, well Elder Holland. It was very powerful and emotional. Seriously awesome talk about conversion and how it’s not what we say that matters but who we are. He talked about how missions are hard and how it’s because salvation is not cheap. It was never easy for the Savior, so why should it be easy for us. Every road to salvation travels through some sort of Gethsemane. We can´t compare ourselves to his pain because honestly that just is sacrilegious, but we figuratively follow him up our Calvary with our cross, and we will have eternal life. Seriously I wish I could send you the talk, truly beautiful day. Also we heard from Elder Gonzales and Soares of the Seventy. I took a lot of notes and plan on studying them.

 

When is Thanksgiving?  Seriously in an apartment with only Latinos, I don´t know about things like that. Oh well.

 

I talked with Elder Austin Hansen (from Highlands Ranch) at the Conference, he leaves home today, but probably doesn´t get there till tomorrow. Told him to tell you hi for me!

 

Spanish is getting better. I understand a lot more than I can say. I just can´t think very fast in Spanish, so its hard to talk. But usually I get 75% if what´s being said. But it just depends on the day. I guess I need more faith that I´m going to learn it and be ok. I´ll be a good missionary because I want to be, and that´s just the attitude I´ve got to have. Its hard when you are almost a quarter of the way through and you haven´t even been close to a baptism, but then again, I have another 18 months to get one, so there you go.

 

Also a little birdy (my last companion in Atlanta-- Wes Bakes) told me that two of our investigators that we found have successfully been baptize, so even though I didn´t actually see the baptism, it makes me feel like I´ve done something these past few months.

 

We were able to teach many people this week and even set a baptismal date, so the work in Budge is moving forward! 

 

They say I have a lot of mail in the office, I just need to have the opportunity to get there.  I think they bring it for zone conference but I´m not sure.

 

I am grateful for this opportunity to serve my lord, and also the opportunity I have to build a better relationship with him. I´m grateful for my family and friends, and I truly have been blessed in my life.  I´m grateful for my Savior who did everything for me, and through him I can do all things.

 

Thanks for everything everybody and happy thanksgiving?

 

Elder Chipman