Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Newly Fixed Dirt Roads + Rain = Muddy Rivers

Well, this week has flown by. The Britez family has added a new addition to their family. They had a daughter on Thursday the 18th. We passed by the next day but she was sleeping so we didn't take pictures. I will make sure to post the pictures next week. We are hoping that Antonio Britez will be receiving the Aaronic priesthood pretty soon and then later receive the Melchizedek so he can bless his baby girl. We are pretty happy for them and their growing family.

Once again the clouds came and dropped rain on us for two days and destroyed the newly fixed dirt roads. The roads were fixed recently because the Governor of Formosa came into town to open two schools. It is funny to see everyone rushing around fixing the town before he comes. It is sad that all their work on the roads was in vain.

Last Monday we ate lunch with a couple that have German and Italian blood. We ate a German dish and I thought that maybe dad might recognize the name. I hope this name is correct. Twidla or tuidla is what is called. It is ricotta cheese wrapped in a type of lasagna noodle with sugar. They then cover it in a red meat sauce. It was tasty and I hope dad can remember back that far. I'm sure he can't even remember what he ate yesterday. Maybe he can. You never know.

This upcoming Sunday are the Argentine elections. We will only be having sacrament meeting because it is mandatory for them to vote. They have from 8 in the morning to 6 at night to place their vote. I guess they do this every year and they only have sacrament meeting. Along with the elections come the annoying propaganda that they spread throughout the city. The candidates send trucks with huge speakers in the beds or cars with giant speakers mounted on top into the neighborhoods to play a recorded message three million times a day. Elder Tucker wants to smash the speakers every time he hears them. haha.

On Sunday Maria Nuez taught her first class at church. She taught the principles class and did really well for a first time teaching experience. If you can't remember who Maria is you just need to look at my email from 3 weeks ago.

Today was the last full P-day for Elder Redford. He goes home next week. We had a small asado and played paddle with a bunch of people. It was way fun.

Well that's all folks. Love you all and I'd like to hear from you all soon.

Chau,
Elder Hunsaker

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

General Authorities Visit for District Conference

Hello,
Well today is an interesting day. We had our interviews and I was half way out of it during them. I think I'm just allergic to something here. It could be the huge amounts of dust that I breathe in everyday. Any way, I am hoping that this runny nose will go away before tomorrow. Maybe I could use some of that Exfuze juice.
We had our district conference this past Sunday. Pres. Eyring, Elder Perry, Elder Robbins, and some other elder who is the president of the Sunday School spoke in the conference via satellite. It was a really nice meeting. Elder Robbins spoke about SER(to be) and HACER(to do). He spoke of how the parents need to separate actions of their children from characteristics of their children. For example, when a child has good grades we should congratulate the child for being diligent in studying and for working hard and not for just congratulate him for good grades. The same thing applies to sports. We should congratulate the child for not getting upset at what the player on the other team said. This is exactly what is needed here.
My comp and I are trying to learn the games that the kids play here. They play with marbles, tops, little smacking cards, and sling shots. We have bought everything but the tops which we will soon buy. The kids play these games in the streets all the time and Elder Pruess and I want to win them sometime. We will be practicing over the next couple of weeks to try and be good enough to beat some of the kids in these games.
Nothing new and exciting has happened here. I hope all is well back home. Love you all. Chau.
Elder Hunsaker

P.S. In the pictures you will see a house made out of palm tree trunks. Our asado that we had a few days ago and the kids playing with the tops.







Wednesday, June 10, 2009

6-10-2009

HOLA,

Well, this week has been pretty chill. My comp found a guy on Saturday during divisions with the zone leaders and the man came to church the next day. The funny thing about this is that my comp didn't recognize the guy when he arrived at church so I sent him to the zone leader's branch thinking he was their investigator. Elder Contreras stared me down and then told me that he was my investigator. I then made a note to tell Elder Pruess to remember the people he speaks to in the street.

We had a tiny miracle happen in the branch. A 40 year old man moved into our branch from Buenos Aires. He is a member of about 15 years. He will soon be my Elders Quorum president. He is a really nice guy. I think I've also found a Young Men's president. Right now I am playing Elder Hunsaker, the real estate agent. I am trying to make a deal between two people. We want to rent one house but the lady wants to sell so we found another house that wants to rent or sell. We are hoping to do a swap and rent the house from a new owner. The woman says yes to the swap but we still haven't spoken with the other half about the swap. I believe that it will go through and we will be into our new chapel in less than a month. I'm trying to keep myself as optimistic as possible.

This Sunday we will be having our district conference and I will have a break from our regular meetings. We will have some sort of broadcast from Salt Lake. I think one of the apostles will be speaking to all of the districts in the South America South Area. Hopefully the members make it there on time.

Nothing much has changed here in Clorinda since last Wednesday. I received the package that the Young Women sent me a while ago. I enjoyed the treats and the socks. Make sure to tell them thanks and I will try to get a letter off to them soon.

Love you all,
Elder Hunsaker

P.S. The church is still true and José Smith is still a prophet even with his name translated.

Wednesday, June 3, 2009

Baptism of María Antonia Nuñez

Hello,

I decided to change font due to the fact that I had a few complaints sent in from last weeks letter. I hope that the drafters and old men enjoy this font. I will not use the last font again. I just thought it would be nice to use something new after writing in the same font every week for a year and a half. I guess I was mistaken in thinking that was a good idea. Haha. (All of this was written in a joking and non-offensive way)

After last weeks, letter it continued raining. I think the last measurement of rain that I heard was 315 ml. of rain here. Cold air came with the rain we received. Now it is clean and sunny but cold. I didn't think Clorinda was capable of such cold. My comp didn't bring a winter jacket with him so he wears his sweater, his hoodie, and his wind breaker. He will be buying a jacket today for sure.

The baptism of María Antonia Nuñez went over really well. It was cold and rain on Saturday. We filled up the baptismal font with nice warm brown water and watched a little cricket swim around in it for a little while. I don't know why the water came out so ugly but what are you going to do. María's neighborhood is Primero de Mayo and when it rains there are only rivers of water and rivers of mud where roads used to be. I called her to find out if she was coming when it was about time to start the service and she told me that she was coming but that she almost postponed it because she had a fever. She came and we held the service. There were a few minor problems but everything turned out well. Elder Pruess did the baptism and I did the confirmation. After the baptism was over Elder Pruess told me that cricket was still swimming around in the font when he baptized María.

On Sunday night, we were trying hard to find new investigators to make the mission goal of 12 each week. We had tried the whole week but we only had 4 when we started Sunday. After we got home from church at 6:45pm we got ready to go out and we gave a prayer. I asked Heavenly Father to not allow us to waste time that night. We went over our plans and left. We went to the first family that we had planned on visiting and watching a church movie with them. The weren't there so we went to the back up and that didn't work either. Then we went to a house we have passed by a few times and the people always greet us when we go by. We clapped and they let us in to their home. We came to find out that they are a fairly large family. 8 new investigators is what we needed and 8 new investigators is what we got. The only slight down side is that 7 of the 8 news are women. María told us that the man to woman ratio in Argentina is 1 man to every 14 women. Looking at the family we found on Sunday that statement seems to be correct. I am just thankful that Heavenly Father listens to us when we sincerely pray to him.

I love you all and we'll talk next week. Chau

Elder Hunsaker

P.S. I would like to know if I have a plaque in the church building?