Week #83 - Dear Papi. . .

Dear Elder `Jeagle` Whitlock,

Hey Elder! I`ve been thinking about you a ton this past week and I really hope you know how much I love you and appreciate everything you`ve done for me here in the best mission in the world. I can`t believe you`re already heading back home and I`ll miss you tons! I`m so happy that I got to talk to you for just a few minutes this morning. Glad that I got to talk to you one more time before you get on that plane! I just wanted to write this letter to you to thank you, Papi, for the impact you`ve made on your first born hijo`s mission.

First off though, my family is gonna be reading this so I better give them a few quick updates about how things are going for me here in 25 de Mayo...

Jorge and Laura are doing same as usual. The ex husband of Laura had some other excuses this week to not go and get things going with the divorce so we`ve got plans this week to go and talk to him. We`re thinking that he`s a little worried that Laura wants to take some of the materials/goods from him (like the house, furniture, etc.), but all that Laura wants is the divorce to be able to get baptized with her Jorge. We`re gonna really get things going with them here again. Things with the daughter have slowed down a bit because she`s gotten a little shy and timid. I`m feeling like she wants to wait to get baptized with her parents, but we`ll do what we can with her! Bold, but not overbearing right? :)

Let me quickly tell you about a new golden investigator we found this past week! Her name is Guillermina and she rocks! We found her knocking some doors and she was super nice right from the get go. We gave her a BOM in the contact (we couldn`t teach her at that moment) and she said she`d read it. Well, we went back a few days later and had read almost the ENTIRE BOM! En serio? She is golden! She read it, feels like it`s true, and accepted the invitation to get baptized! She even came to church yesterday too! She was a tad disappointed with the church because she was expecting a little more singing and dancing and what not (she`s coming from an evangelical church), but I think that now that she knows how it is she`ll get used to it. We`re still pretty early on in the teaching process with her, but it`s looking like she could be gold!

Other than that...that`s about all the news there is. Things with the comp are...well they`re fine. I love the guy and I love the opportunities that God gives me to hitch up my big boy pants day after day. They fit me really well :)

Anyway...Elder Whitlock! I love you so much buddy! 

I was thinking about some of the best memories I had with you in Laferrere:

-The good ol` `dragon fire water` bidet :)

-Making chocolate chip cookies on Sunday nights

-following you around like a lost little puppy dog my first few weeks (thank you for being loving a patient with me!) 

-getting robbed

-magic tricks with Isaac

-Tuesday night futbol in our trucho jerseys!

-playing the caño game for alfajores

-walmart trips with Elders Pulsipher and Hansen

-freeeeezing cold pension

-Nestor, Fernando, Felipe, Vilma, Diego, Elian, and Jenifer :)

Man Elder! Tears come to my eyes as I think about you and the great trainer you were for me. I know that God put us together in that area for a reason. You were an amazing pick me up and helped me persevere in spite of all the challenges that I faced when I first got to Argentina. I know that if wasn`t for you, I`d be a different missionary today. I still serve everyday, trying to serve like you served, work like you worked, and be like you were. You taught me well how to be a good, obedient, hard-working missionary. Gosh Elder! I love you so much! I`ll never forget the days that I passed with you in that memorable area of ours. I thank you so much, from the bottom of my heart, for all that you did/do for me. I hope to be life long friends with you and always stay in touch! Don`t forget about me Elder! I won`t forget about you buddy! I love you so much!

Stay strong and stay in touch my brother!

With lots of love,

Elder `Boogie Bear` Nilsen