Week 76

Nobody laugh at my letter this week because it might sound funny but this is how it really went down. im going to tell you about a great lesson that we had this week.

So we have an investigator named Elizabeth Palavecino. She is catholic but says she doesn´t like a lot of stuff about the catholic church but goes anyways because thats what shes always done. We have been teaching her for about 3 months now. It has been really difficult to help her follow through with her commitments but I never felt like we should leave her and stop teaching. Well on thursday night we got to her house, not really sure what we were going to teach. ok heres the funny part, when we knocked on the door out came elizabeth with her hair down, this was different because she ALWAYS has her hair in a pony tail. Instantly i was reminded of my mom because she too has really curly hair. I feel like God inspired her to do her hair like that on thursday because during the lesson i was thinking what can i say, how can i help elizabeth feel the spirit. Then it hit me that we had never met her mom, her dad accompanies us in every lesson but i never met her mom. I felt impressed to ask about her mom when we were in the middle of talking about the Book of Mormon. I think the question came out something like this " Sister Elizabeth......did your mom pass away?" After a short pause she started to cry. Turns out her mom passed away 18 years ago but she thinks about her everyday. After Chatting a little bit more she said "I don´t know if i´ll ever see her again but i know that she is alright"

Im so grateful for the knowledge and hope that the gospel gives us. I know that this is the lords work and that the spirit guides us. I know that god knows us, and that he loves us. I know that Christ lives and that because of him we can repent and be baptised and be cleaned of our sins.

Elizabeth said that if she prays and recieves an answer that she is going to be baptized!!!

Have an amazing week! Elder Starkey

PS: how you do your hair can make a big difference sometimes

Week 75

This week was a little tough but really productive. Here is a cool story from this week:

We received a referral from the zone leaders.  They informed us that the kid, Gonzalo, had a Book of Mormon, Joseph Smith pamphlet, and the Restoration Pamphlet. We gave him a call, set an appointment. When we got to his house he came out with all his books and said " before we start I have a friend that lives really close and I want him to listen to the chat too." So yes our referral gave us another referral! We went to a cement table in a nearby park and we taught them about the restoration. or should I say Gonzalo taught us. He has read a ton and believes everything that Joseph Smith has said. He said at the beginning of the lesson that he wanted to know how to know if this message is true. At the end he was like " oh I just have to pray!" 

The Lord is preparing his children in this time to receive the restored gospel. They're out there and if we open our mouths and share with them we can change the eternities. 

Love you guys tons. Elder Starkey

 Futbol today...

 The Crew, Argentine style...

 Sunday Studs...

 The lunch we made for everyone that played soccer with us today.

It was an activity so the young men could invite their friends.

Elder Wolf and I...

U for Universitario and V for Victoria,

the names of our areas.

Week 74

Dax did not have time to write a weekly email this week, so here is some info I got from him.  He is loving his mission.  They had a activity at the church this week.  This is my favorite thing Dax said in an email this week, "It's all good here.  I am loving the mission more and more every day!"  I am sooo happy that he is finding such joy in his service :)!!!

The banner from the activity we had at the church this week... It say:

Enter in the activity, and meet the Mormons, ha ha!

Week 73

I´m A Dad!!!!!! 

I Finally have a son here in the mission Elder Souza! It was a big surprise when I found out that I was going to be staying in Universitario Tucumán for 2 Transfers more, but I'm so ready! Elder Souza is from Sao Paolo Brazil. I'm not sure if I spelled that right haha. 

Theres no better place than the mission! Its amazing everyday to be able to go out an teach. 

This week we had Gerardos Baptism. It is always awesome to see the difference in the people from the first day that you teach them to their baptism. Its something that one will never forget. 

When we put our part God does the rest.

Elder Starkey

 My new son and I coming home from Salta...

Gerardo's Baptism!!!

His family came and his mom started to cry.

I hope we can start teaching her more, and help her get baptized too.

Week 72

This Week as we planned for two baptisms on Saturday everything was going super well. The investigators were excited and progressing in the gospel, they passed their baptismal interviews and everyone was happy. But in the famous words of my Companion Elder Rudder, "the salvation isn´t easy". Its the truth as we got closer to Saturday little things started to go wrong.

Finally Saturday after lunch we went and started to fill the font in the church and left a member in charge to watch it while we did a couple more visits. As we were in the street we get a call, it was Gerardo who was going to be baptized that night, he says that he has a fever and is going to the hospital. Then as we lamented the sickness of Gerardo we get a call from the member we left in the chapel filling the font. It just so happens that the church literally ran out of water. We rushed to the chapel to find that it wasn't enough to baptize Anahi our other investigator. Lets just say we were pretty stressed at this point. Thats when one of the other elders said "just say a prayer". I´m really grateful for that wise advice from a friend. I said a prayer and immediately after I felt a lot calmer. As we continued that night we had to do the baptism on their knees but it ended up really nice and spiritual. I´m grateful for the trials in my life that help me to learn and to grow. 

Elder Starkey

 What I thought was going to be my last pic with the Trejo Clan...

 Anahis baptism!!!

Do you notice something funny with the drawing of Anahi?  She is going to have a baby in less than a month and her husband, Matias Trejo, is going to be baptized this week.  The last member of the Trejo family to be baptised!!!