Week 15: This week was insanely...Normal, but great!

We had a couple of surprises this week, but for the most part it was normal.  The first thing is we got some killer ponchos!  Haha (see the pictures).  Its basically the cooler cousin of the snuggle.

Then on Thursday we were doing our weekly planning and the zone leaders came to watch to tell us how we could improve.  That was fun, but when they got up to leave I learned that we were going to do splits or companion exchanges.  Everyone apparently knew except me!  I was staying in my area with a Chilean, Elder Contreras.  This meant that I was in charge of everything!  Deciding who to visit, guiding the lesson, planning, calling the members to go with us...  Anyways, I was freaking out a little.  In the end it turned out great.  We had a lot of success, and Elder Contreres really pushed me.  I learned so much in that 24 hours, that I can actually do much more than I thought.

Also, yesterday Elder Philpott and I were talking, and we are all so blessed.  Not only with temporal things like the mansions we live in in the United States and the jobs that we or our parents have, buts also the gospel and our families.  So many families here are torn apart and in contention.  I'm so grateful for the gospel in my life.  I really didn't know the half of it before my mission, but I know this gospel is true.  It is the only way we can all find true and lasting happiness.  I know that families founded upon the teachings of the gospel will be strong and eternal.  I challenge you all, especially those going through hard times, to look for ways The Lord has blessed you in your life.  Then look for ways to serve others.

Con Amor
-Elder Starkey

 Hahaha, hilarious picture of Elder P...

 Haha, another hilarious pic.

We couldn't pass up the opportunity...

 The ponchos...

 My brilliant idea...

Snuck this pic of Miguel, its hilarious, haha...

He was mad :)

Week 14: Milagros (Miracles)

It's crazy, we're starting to see miracles here every week!  This week we got to baptize one of our investigators, Amancia.  It was so great to finally see her make that decision.  She really is a convert of gold.  The day after her baptism at church, she pulled me aside and tried to give me her tithing, haha.

Also, a girl named Rocio (age 12), that the missionaries had taught before, we are now teaching her again.  Her dad before told the missionaries that she couldn't be baptized, and that he never wanted to see them again.  Then the other day we were walking down the street and ran into him and started talking.  He was super drunk, and he told us how his wife was super sick in the hospital in the nearby city of Oran.  His sister, a recent convert, helped us set it up, and we were able to go to the hospital and give her a blessing.  It was really short and simple, but we were able to talk with the dad a little more.  Then in church two days later, his sister the member came up to us and said, "my brother said his wife was feeling loads better the night we gave her the blessing, and she is out of intensive care.  He said he was wrong about us, that were good people.  He has respect for us, and he is allowing Rocio to be baptized, and said that he wants to also!"  We were so excited!  We went and taught him that night, and now he has a baptismal date set.  Really the Lord is blessing us with miracles!

-Elder Starkey

 It was Elder Robbins birthday, so we all ate with the family Suarez, 

Angels family.

 Miguel with another animal, haha...

 Proselyting...

The baptism of Amancia...

Week 13...

This week started off crazy. On Monday I headed to Salta Capital, a 3 hour bus ride from my area, to do paperwork for my visa. I was there for about three days. It is so cool and pretty there with huge hills full of tropical trees. I got back to Pichanal late wednesday. Its been a busy week with lots of work but we saw some miracles, especially with one of our investigators Amancia. We started teaching her about a week after I got to Argentina. Her brother Santos was recently baptized and has been joining us for every lesson. Amancia is so great and has such a strong testimony, but everytime we try to set a date for her to be baptized she says shes not ready. We´ve been fasting and praying that she would receive an answer that she need to be baptized this coming friday. Then last night we were teaching her and we asked her again if she was ready to be baptized, and she said she still didn´t feel like she was ready. So we asked her if we could all kneel together and say a prayer and ask Heavenly Father if the date was right for her baptism. We all kneeled and Amancia prayed. After the prayer we all sat there on our knees for almost 20 min. Then she finally got up and we all sat there for a bit. Then the member that was with us said to Amancia " God wants to know you better". She started crying super hard and she committed to the date and is going to be baptized! It was such a miracle! I just want to say how powerful the Book of Mormon is, we have been talking about it lately and we really have seen huge changes in the peoples lives here that are reading. Santos, the brother of Amancia, was an alchoholic for over 20 years. When I got here he never wore a shirt, could barely read, he never spoke much but he has been reading the Book of Mormon every day and he is a changed man. He is so much more friendly and talkative and enjoyable to be around, and just has a different light about him. I know that when we read the scriptures every day it will give us the spirit and help us to be able to resist the temptations of the adversary.

Love you all tons, Chau, Elder Starkey

 The internet cafe we were emailing in...

 Our chapel, this is where we have sacrament.  

We usually have about 30 people every sunday.

 Part of my zone after soccer today.

 Getting ready to baptize Angel, or as we call him Angelito...

 Us cleaning out the pool for the baptism...

 Miguel our faithful third wheel, he picks up every animal he sees...

pigs, dogs, cats and birds.

 The family of Angel...

 The font...

This is heading back to Pichanal near Salta...

A pic from a while ago, 

hahaha, me and Elder Longi.

Week 12...

This week has been crazy, lots of time sitting down... buses, zone conference, general conference. But it was also so amazing we got to have the baptism of one of our investigators Yolanda. Its always so great to be able to see your investigators make that first covenant with God. General Conference was so great I learned so much about the importance of Families and also of Christ. He really is our brother and through his own decision he suffered for all of us and through his loving grace we can all be made clean.

Love Elder Starkey

My district...

Watching conference, and eating our pasta we brought with us...

Yolanda's baptism, I got to baptize her.  It was in a little pool behind the church, way ghetto and the water was freezing.  Yolanda was not happy about the water hahaha.

My Easter treats to myself, like the Lays bag???

Look closely at the bag for Daxtons Easter egg decorating skills :)

An awesome picture I took of Elder Philpot...

Week 11...

Just pictures this week, no letter:

 Spaghetti for Pday...

 Funny pic of a snack we whipped up...

It is called salchichas.  Its like a hotdog, and no they really are not good,

but they are cheap.  Haha!!!

 I have to hang dry all my laundry...

 Good times...

My pants from last weeks dog attack, when I had no brakes on my bike.