Week 50:

Usually Christmas week is a little bit harder than a normal week for missionary work, as I´m sure it is all over the work. The people are a little bit busier with their families and the holidays and don´t really have time for the missionaries, but this week was great. Even though it was harder than a normal week my companion and i could really see the lords hand guiding us. 

We passed Christmas eve with a less active family here in the ward. it was cool because we got to stay out till 11. They made us a huge dinner with everything you can think of Steak, Pork, Chicken, Potatos, Cake.... we were more than satisfied when we left the house. 

Then at midnight we went up onto the roof to watch the traditional Christmas fireworks here in Argentina. Right when the clock hit twelve the sky lit up with fireworks it was like a war zone haha. 

Even though it was a little different not being with my family for christmas i think this was one of my favorites ever. Theres something special about having the opportunity to be a missionary this time of year.

I know that when we keep gods commandments, and love god and our savior more than anything else everything will work out.

Hasta la próxima semana,

Elder Starkey

 Christmas conference:

Me, Elder Smith, Elder Garrett (who went to Westlake w/me and was my student body president), and Elder Solorzano.

 All ready for Christmas dinner at a memebers home...

 My Christmas tree my family sent me, with my gifts under it!

 The family we ate dinner with,

and the presents they gave us!

 Traditional Christmas PJ's from my family, 

"son of a nutcracker!"

 Futbol in the pooring rain today.

We got soaked!!

Package from Lizzy...

Week 49

Its been awhile since i{ve been able to write a weekly letter but just so you all no im still alive here in argentina! 

Wow a lot has happend lately. As you might already know, maybe not, transfers were last week and now im with my new comp Elder Solorzano! He´s from Ecuador and he´s super great! We´ve had a great first week together and were working hard. We´ve already seen a lot of miracles together!

Sadly last week was my last week with The Famous Elder Fifita. Im missing that guy a lot right now. I had the chance to be his last companion here in the mission and im so glad i did. He taught me so much and was more than just a great companion but a great friend and a great example to everyone! I know hes going to be great in whatever he does! 

Always the first week with a new companion is a little bit hard, a little weird but this week has been great. We´ve found so many new people to teach its crazy.

Recently we´ve been teaching a ton about Christmas, kinda obvious since Christmas is almost here, but yeah it has been awesome. Its crazy how we´ll be talking with someone who has no desires whatsover to listen to us until we start talking about the birth of christ and they just open up and start to listen. When we teach a lesson about christmas its basically the same lesson but everytime we teach it to a different person or family i always learn something new and my testimony of christ is always strengthened. I just want to end with my testimony. I know now better than any other moment in my life that we have a heavenly father that knows us, cares about us, and loves us so much. He loves us so much that he gave us his son. I know that Christ willingly and perfectly came to this earth to serve, love, suffer, and die for us. That we celebrate this time of year because litterally a savior was born. I love the mission and all the amazing experiences im having and all the people im meeting, i love my family and i know that because of the gospel we can be together forever, and i love my savior.

I hope you all have an amazing Christmas and that you can feel the saviors love this time of year and more importantly i hope you all get a chance to share it with others.

Con Amor

Elder Starkey

 Me and my new comp Elder Solorzano...

 An Indiana Jones bridge we found...

 A view from the bridge...

Four awesome elders

Week 48

Things have been super crazy and busy for Dax, so again he did not write a letter.  Also, he is still having camera issues, so no pictures either :(.  I was pretty bummed until he sent me this little bit of information in a quick email today.  I thought you might like to read what he said about one of his investigators/member/friend:

"Do you remember Ana Catacata, our investigator that got baptized like 6 weeks ago? She already went to the temple with 3 of her daughters to do baptisms for the dead.  Also, she is now a counselor in the Relief Society presidency.  She is sooo awesome mom.  I don't feel so far away from you because she is just like you in so many ways and treats me like a son. She always calls us her 2 sons because all she has is girls.  Sorry just thought I would tell you the good news. I hope someday you can meet her. If not maybe the next life."

Week 47

Daxton has had a lot happening the last few weeks, so he has not been writing letters.  Also, his camera got a virus and won't work any more.  He thinks he has lost all his pictures from his mission. He has his gopro, but doesn't like to use it too much for fear someone will try to steal it from him. Thank goodness he finally sent us some pics this week.  It has been a long two weeks with no pictures or letters.

Working hard...

Me and Elder Fifita...

Eating Napolitana...

(French fries with deep fried thinly sliced steak, fried eggs and tomatoes)

A member made lunch for all these missionaries on pday after playing soccer for 3 hours!

Yay, tennis!!

This is Leo, he got baptized a little over a year ago.  He accompanies us on visits.  

He is getting ready to go on a mission.  He is awesome!

Week 44

I don't have much time to write this week, but I'd like to write a little about the conference that we had with Elder Quentin L. Cook.

It was so cool.  The whole mission went to Salta and so I got to see all my awesome comps.  Shout out to Elder Philpot and Elder Smith!  But yeah, I missed Elder Mcpherson who recently finished his mission.

While we were there we got to listen to Elder Cook and some members of the Seventy.  I learned from the conference that even though none of us are perfect, we can do perfect things every day.

I know and had the spiritual confirmation once again in the conference that God has his prophet and apostles here on the earth.  When we follow their counsel we will be blessed.

Love,
Elder Starkey

We stopped for an ice cream break the other night...

 At our conference this week 

I got to meet up again with Elder Philpot and Elder Smith...

 This really yummy "Napolitana" that we buy at night every once and a while...

My new glasses that I am not excited about...

they did not have a big selection to choose from :(.

Week 43

No letter again, I will write what he told me about this week...

This was one of the hardest weeks of Daxton's mission yet.  First his companion got the flu on Tuesday-Thursday, so they couldn't do much.  So that was a bummer.

Next Daxton has still been having his eye problems, so he went a new doctor at the eye institute. This doctor told him he needed to start wearing glasses.  This was horrible news for Dax.  He does not want to wear glasses.  Not only does he need glasses, the mission insurance didn't cover them and he had to pay $120 out of his pocket :(. The eye doctor also told him he basically has 20/20 vision... so why does he need glasses you ask? I wondered the same thing.  I think he is being ripped off by the doctor :(.

When he got home from his doctor appointment on Thursday, he was sick too.  He did not get out of bed until Saturday, and then he only did for the Catacata families baptisms.  He had been so excited for them to be baptized.

The final blow of the week came when his companion only filled the font up to just above their knees for the baptism.  So Dax ended up having to baptize one of the girls three times. Which resulted in the girl crying, and not happy tears.

So it sounds like it was a frustrating week.  Hopefully this week he will have a much better week.

 This is where I went for my second doctor to get my eyes checked...

 The Catacata family baptisms...

 The other man in white helped to baptize the Catacata family.

Hermano Villafane, is the coolest member in Argentina.

This is how all the apartments look here in Argentina.

It looks something from a movie like The Maze Runner.

Week 42

We had a lot of ups and downs this week, but in the end it turned out awesome.  Transfers were this week and I was so worried I was going to be leaving Jujuy after three months here, but I stayed!  I'm so excited to have more time here.

It's been raining a ton here!  But it's nice compared to all the sun we've been getting.

So like I said in my last letter, the Catacata family was going to get baptized on Saturday, well two of them Sol and Martina.  Something happened and we had to postpone the baptism.  It was way sad that Friday night, they were so excited and then they had to wait another week.  Then Sunday came, we were sitting in fast and testimony meeting with the family when the mom, Ana, got up and walked up to the pulpit.  She bore her testimony about prayer and how even though she was sad because her daughters were sad about the baptism falling through, she had prayed for comfort and felt the reason the baptism fell through was because she needed to get baptized with her daughters.  You could feel the spirit so strong.  I'm so grateful to be here and see firsthand the Atonement working in these peoples lives.

-Elder Starkey

 Catholic chapel we got to tour today on pday...

 The Catacata Family...

Making smoothies for Family Home Evening about the Word of Wisdom

with the Catacata family.

Week 41

This week we were all over the place between doctors visits for my companions ear and meetings, but it was a great week.

This week we had interviews with our president of the mission.  That was great, I always learn lots from him.

Also, Elder Sims and I are playing guitar and piano for the primary program, and we've had lots of practices.  So thats pretty cool, I've been able to play the guitar lately.

Oh, and with elections and stuff going on here a lot of roads have been closed off due to the propaganda, and so we haven't been able to visit the Catacata family very much.  They are doing really good and are ready and excited to get baptized this Saturday!  Tonight we are going to do a family night with them, should be awesome!  Thanks for all your prayers the last couple of weeks, I've really felt them helping.

Love, 

Elder Starkey

Week 40

No letter AGAIN :(...  thank goodness he sent some pics!

 Rainy day in Jujuy...

We went on an awesome hike with the Sisters today, 

and then went and played soccer with the ward...

 Entrance to the hike...

The group...

Week 39

This week was good but not a whole lot has happened.

We are working a ton with the family Catacata.  They are super cool and are going to be baptized the 24 of October.

Sorry I don't have much to write this week, but I love the mission.  I am so grateful for the chance I have to be here, and for all the support I've received.

Love,
Elder Starkey

 Uh oh... I guess I am needing new pants.

 A member helped us each buy a 7 pound bag of cereal, ha ha...

 These pics of us in the street are from today.

 We didn't have any milk, so we walked to a store close to the church...

 Then we ate together at the church, ha ha!!

The bags on the table are their milk.  It comes in bags...