How the heck are all of you doing? Hope all is well and I hope that your weather is getting nice and warm. Our weather is slowly, but surely, getting a little bit more nippy and I sure love it! I still like summer more than winter, but I`m thinking that when it comes to Argentina summer vs. Argentine winter I`ll go with winter 9 times out of 10 :) Aguante invierno.
I got new shoes this week! Woo hoo! A nice pair of `hush puppies`. Oh ya! They`re super comfortable! Thank you so much! They`ve given me a little bit of that `greeny` fire again and they`re just what I needed to poner las pilas (put in the batteries) and get to doing the work the way I know how to do it. New shoes, new fire :)
Should quickly mention too that I made a successful tie trade with the man that works at the post office here in 25 de Mayo :) I`m such a goof, but I did it! Got a sweet `correo argentino` tie now to add to my collection of 30+ ties. Oh. Ya.
Found a huge spider this week in the capilla and made me think immediately of my good bud Dean! I know how much you love spiders :) I freaked out and wanted to step on it but my comp decided to trap it and keep it as a pet. Ya...that didn`t last long. I convinced him that we weren`t going to keep it as a pet and I took it outside and...well...sent him to his maker. All you animal/bug lovers: don`t judge. Please :)
Bought a sweet couple of souveniers this week. There was a huge feria (umm...farmers market type thing) going on in the plaza in front of our house so I decided to buy a sweet Argentine mate (maw tay) and had a guy burn the mission logo onto a piece of leather for me. It`s pretty sweet!
Last week right after I got done emailing you we headed out to Saladillo to bring some groceries to an Hermana over there. We lost our whole pday because of the traveling and visiting over there, but I didn`t mind at all! I really enjoyed being able to go over there and serve some of those members that I don`t get to see very often. They really like to see me, the young branch president, and so I like to go see them whenever we can (which isn`t very often). I really enjoy serving others and making their lives a little bit better :)
Iris is doing super well. Luciano, her son, isn`t going to get baptized this week, but I`m not too bummed. I`m just really excited for Iris! All is good to go for her baptism service this Saturday. Just keep praying that all will go well. Our biggest issue right now is having hot water in the pool for her. We had a branch lunch this Saturday and our old water heater just about blew up and caught fire and burned the capilla down. Someone is supposed to come out this week to put in a new water heater, so we`re crossing our fingers! It`s getting a little chilly here, so cold water in the pool would be a little tricky. Pray for hot water!
Maria Marta, an `eternagator` (eternal investigator) has been wanting to get baptized for 2 years now and hasn`t been able to because she`s not married. Well, looks like I`ll be the lucky missionary to be here to see her baptized because she`s got a date to get married for the 17th of May! Woo! Then on the 18th we`re going to have her baptism! Woo hoo!
Hugo and Paula...well they`re still the same. I`m not thinking that I`ll be here for when they can get baptized. It`s gonna be a while for them. Life is getting kind of complicated for them too and they haven`t come to church. Paula`s family lives in La Plata and (not sure if you`ve seen on the news or not) there`s been terrible flooding there and people have lost everything and she`s been busy putting stuff together to take to her sister over there. Just gotta keep working patiently with them.
I read a scripture this morning that I really liked in Mat. 19:29...
`And ever one that hath forsaken houses (Sebastiani Circle), or brethren (Jesse, Taylor, Los Barbos buds and other friends), or sisters (Heather, Heidi, Emma), or father, or mother, or wife (girlfriend), or children (Jane and Jenna), or lands (USA!), for my name`s sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.`
I read that and immediately, without even thinking, put in those names in paratheses. I really like that scripture and the promise that comes with it :)
I came to the realization this past week that from here on out, my mission is going to fly. It`s going to fly and it`s going to be super fun too. I`ve learned the lesson, once again, that it`s when you really decide to lose yourself that you experience real joy, real peace, real happiness. I`ve been trying to convince myself that I have a lot of time here on my mission left, but I really don`t. I`ve only got a few more precious months to do everything that I`ve been called to do. To serve with all my heart, might, mind, and strength. To care about others more than I care about myself. To get lost. To live. I don`t have a whole lot of time left, and I`ve got to use it well. GOSH! Mission life rocks! I feel so good. I feel good na na na na na na na :)
Make this next week a great week. The weeks sure are flying, so take advantage of what we`ve been given. The Lord trusts us to use His time well. Do it!
Using it well,
Elder Nilsen
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