Thanksgiving in Argentina

The pench in Pergamino. The metal basket on a pole is for garbage collection, to keep it out of reach of dogs.

The Thanksgiving feast

Looking forward to the Thanksgiving feast

Hey family, what's up again?!

It sounds like everyone had a really good Thanksgiving! And Happy Birthday to Grandpa! I was glad to hear updates about Nicole and Mark, Randy and Shawna, and all of the family.

Well, I also had a decent week. Our Thanksgiving was good. On Thanksgiving night, my comp and I ate dinner with a part member family, and then the next day on Friday, we all four (missionaries) got together and made a HUGE (for our budget) Thanksgiving meal, which consisted of milanesas de pollo, gravy, corn and mashed potatoes!!!! It was all really good. It was for our lunch of course, because we don't have dinners, but I really enjoyed the Thanksgiving lunch, and the meal the night before was good too! So we're looking forward to Christmas now, the stores are finally starting to decorate but there's no real hype or excitement yet.

Our area's going really good. A couple days ago we found someone who flat out told us she wants to be baptised after like a 5 minute lesson with her!!! She's way cool and came to church yesterday, but I think she's living together with someone, so she probably won't be able to be baptised any time soon. :( Another cool guy we're teaching, Jose, will be baptised this Saturday, assuming he doesn't smoke before then. (We're helping him drop it.) He's a really cool guy, he's 18 and has already been to church 3 times, and attended the baptism in Acevedo last week. So assuming all goes well, he'll be baptised and my dream would be him serving a mission after!! Either way, we have a lot of people that could be baptised, but sadly most just fall because of individual problems, so I'm just saying don't get too excited before it happens.

Well, I made good use of those last few pairs of socks with the holes in them. I gave them to Elder Petersen, who has zero socks!! What happened is Elder Petersen put all his socks in a bucket with the detergent and left them in the bucket for 3 days. The soap box says don't even think about leaving them in there more than 2 hours! So as a result, his socks are now purple, brown, yellow and every color of the rainbow! They're pretty ugly, and unfixable also!! So I did Petey a favor and gave him my old holey socks, that are at least BLACK. Our clothes washing lady (who does the clothes for me and my comp) has gotten much better, I believe she got cane dropped by all the members when they saw our wrinkled shirts. (People in this country don't hesitate to speak if they think something should be changed, like how someone washes clothes or eats food or whatever.)

Also as a side note, no, I have not gotten the baptism pictures you sent yet. Probably we just have to wait a bit!

The district is doing alright. The hermanas had a hard week, like many missionaries, because of not having a real P-day anymore, but they're going to do better this week. This week was really hard for me too. It seems I just really need to play something once a week to keep the energy up, but I like the advice from Randy, so I'll try to improvise and come up with something. We actually had a very successful week, it just was harder to keep working hard without a break. I still love giving tallers (workshops) and doing everything that I am supposed to be doing with my district.

Just want everyone to know I love them and THANK YOU to everyone for all you do.

I love you all,
Eric

Eric had said last week that he'd take some random pictures for us to enjoy...the missionaries still aren't permitted to carry their cameras around, so he is really trying to be creative. I'm not sure what room this is, but it's nice to see they have plenty of bottled water to drink.

A box of alfajors

These are the socks that were passed down to Elder Petersen

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A scary night

This painting of missionaries I found online. It portrays how they prepare themselves spiritually every day by putting on the "Armor of God."

Hey family, what's up!!!

This past week has been pretty good. The leadership training on Wednesday was really good!!! It was awesome because in the training there were only about 10 or 15 people. It was me and Elder Petersen and Rallison, the four hermanas in my district (hermanas always go, even though they don't hold leadership positions) and then 4 other elders from various parts. I was really happy to be in such a small group, it was very personalized. It was an intense all day thing from like 9ish in the morning until 7 at night, 10 hours of straight practices and lessons with the mission president! It was a good time and we all enjoyed it and the spirit was great. It was certainly exhausting and intense, but I really liked it and learned a lot.

After it was over came my favorite part, letters!!! I got a dearelder from Aunt Lisa and also one from you guys! I also got the WAY COOL personalized card with the flamingos on the front! Thanks a lot for the card, it was awesome!! I loved seeing it and also the thing on being a good district leader, it was quite a list. No, I have never received that book that you asked me about that Dad sent, or the one you sent. A few other things that Dad sent me have been lost or stolen as well. I know because Dad re-sent me some articles that he mentioned he had previously sent me, and some of them I have never seen before!!! Leading me to believe that a number of things you have sent me have gone missing and never got to me.

Well, I will tell you what happened after we had our training. We left the terminal in Rosario around 7:30 or 8:00 p.m. and were heading back to Pergamino, me, Rally, Pete and the 4 hermanas. Well, it was around 9:30 or 9:45 when we got off of the big collectivo about 5 blocks from our pench and we started walking to get home. We thought the hermanas would just take the bus to the terminal, but we were wrong. We had just arrived back inside the pench at around 10:00 at night, when we got a call from the hermanas, informing us that they had gotten off the collectivo early, just a few blocks after we got off, in order to walk to their pench faster, and had been robbed upon the leaving the bus!! Of course, the actual phone call we got was not quite so detailed, it was more of a "Elder! We're dying! We're being robbed at gunpoint right now!" We asked the address and Hermana Villareal was so shaken up that she gave us like the first thing that came to mind, I think. So we immediately called a remis (taxi) and told the guy to hurry to the address we had received. He lazily started off, and after a while we got there and...no hermanas! So we called them and clarifed the direccion (address) and the driver drove us there....still no hermanas! Well, after like 30 or 40 minutes of driving around in this wild goose chase, we found the hermanas. Luckily when they were robbed there were people close by that called the cops. And believe it or not, the cops got there so quick they retrieved the stolen bags, too! So the hermanas were just chillin' with the cops and the bishop who we had called on our way. Anyway, basically what happened is that as they were held up at gunpoint, one hermana gave up her stuff peacefully and the other hermana resisted, so the robber hit her in the hand with the gun, so it was bleeding...hence the "we're dying and being beat up" on the phone. Well, the robbers took off quickly, took 100 pesos out of a bag and then just dumped the bags close by. So basically no harm done, only 100 pesos gone and no real damage. The hermanas had been really scared but recovered after a little while of talking. Well, at this point I thought it was all over and we were good to go back home, when the hermanas told us they can't go back to their pench because it's haunted! Apparently, there's a ghost in the hermanas' pench, so we went by and did a priesthood blessing on their pench. We got together and did a prayer, Elder Petersen said the prayer. So one of the hermanas felt the evil spirit push past her as it left, and they all felt the spirit in the pench change to good. So basically after our night of wild car chases, saving hermanas from robbers, and casting demons out of houses, we went back to our pench VERY TIRED!!! The next morning was not too fun waking up at 6:30! But everything was okay, so it was a good week.

I'm looking forward to Thanksgiving, although I don't believe we're doing anything special because of course it's not a holiday here. The pench is going fine, lots of fun. I'd like to stay here another transfer with my hijo, because we have some good things coming up, but we never know what will happen when transfers come up.

Unfortunately I forgot to take my camera for the training meeting, and we can't get together as a zone for p-day anymore so I don't have any pictures to send this week. The new strict rules by Elder Aidukaitis really have me bummed. We can't get together as a zone anymore, or play any sports, or even go anywhere like to see the flag monument, which I have never seen yet. Even though we only had a few hours in the week to do those things, but I guess this will keep us more focused on baptising. I'll try to take some pictures of random things so you guys have something to see for the coming week.

Regarding your question, my health is fine, I believe my vomiting is caused from migraines. I recently had another bad vomiting experience, and I've linked all of them to really REALLY BAD headaches for an hour or two beforehand, so I believe that to be the cause. So I'm sure that's all it is, so don't worry.

How is everyone there doing? I hope everyone is doing good still. I wish you all the best, and thank you all for everything you do for me always. Thanks for the support. I love you all!

Love,
Eric
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Two meetings with the special speaker

Fun with the zone on Pday

Elder Aidukaitis with President and Hermana Villalba

Hey everyone!!

Mom, it sounds like your birthday was a fun experience for everyone!! Happy birthday!

Whew, today I am so tired! I hope I don't fall asleep as I'm typing. I'm very excited to be writing you all, of course, but we just got done playing some intense soccer and "flying." For soccer we played Utah vs. everyone else, which ended up being 4 on 4. Unfortunately, we lost by one, but still had a lot of fun! We also played some dodgeball, mini dodgeball because we had the hermanas playing, but we played it with the kind of flat soccer ball we played soccer with, but it was fun. Then we learned how to "fly", which can't be described well, so just know it's pretty cool. It's basically just a psychological trick that someone taught us that makes you think you're flying.

Yes, I received the Priesthood Line of Authority and love it, thanks, but not the Pruebas book yet.

Well, I guess the coolest thing by far that happened this week was the training meeting on Tuesday with Elder Aidukaitis of the 70 and the Zone Conference with him on Wednesday. Both meetings were awesome and way cool! He's definitely the best public speaker I've heard from personally. The leader meeting was probably the best, because he has this gift to be able to bajar la cana, in English "drop cane" the whole time (or criticise) in a funny way that makes you really want to do better, and doesn't make you feel bad. It was an intense four hours straight of him talking to the district/zone leaders in the mission, dropping cane for 4 hours, but I loved it because we learned a lot!! Throughout the time he would have us stand or sit, if we did something or didn't do something, and if we were lacking he'd come up to the elders who didn't do the certain task good enough, ask them if they needed some sugar or if they wanted it straight and direct, and then dropped cane on them. I'll be honest, I really flew under the radar. In fact, I was just about the only one who didn't get cane dropped, instead I got a personal congratulation due to goal setting, and then the next day at zone conference he personally congratulated me again, but with my hijo that time. I'm not telling that to be prideful, because I'd be lying if I said I was perfect and couldn't use plenty of cane droppings. But I will say that I got VERY LUCKY and I LOVE GETTING LUCKY!!!! P.S. The reason I got congratulated was because I was the only person that made or exceeded the goals I set on the certain day he chose. Anyway, so it was way cool to be able to shake his hand and all that, but really it was just because I got very lucky.

He's a really funny guy, too, but also very serious about his work. He tells us that we should be baptising every week, so I'll really have to pick it up and start baptising weekly!! So that's kind of scary, but we're going to have to start baptising every week, I don't know how, but we'll do it!!!

Anyway, though, he's a really cool guy, he speaks good Spanish, although he said a few things kind of funny because he's from Brazil so speaks Portuguese, but overall speaks really good. He can also speak some English. I'd love to see him go up as an apostle. We didn't get to take our own pictures of our zone with Elder Aidukaitis, because he was doing back to back zone conferences, and he didn't want to take the time to have everyone setting their self-timers on their cameras and stuff, so he wanted only one picture taken, with the mission camera. They were supposed to email it out to all of us, but of course they didn't, so I don't know if we will ever get that picture. While they were taking a different zone's picture, I grabbed that picture I am sending you with my camera, so you can see him in the picture next to President.

So this past leadership meeting wasn't technically training, it was just cane dropping to whip us into shape, and this Wednesday, in two days, we're having the official leadership training with President Villalba. I'm way excited because I love these leadership training things, so I'll surely let you know how it goes.

Well, the work here is going well, also the hijo and the district are doing really good. I'm excited because tomorrow I give a taller (workshop) which I still haven't planned yet, but I will. I love this area, it's sooooo good, and just everything is going good. Our church assistance (attendance) is growing, and we have a few investigators attending. We have the perfect area, we have both extremes, it's rich, but not too rich, and it also has an awesome villa (villa is the ghetto slum area.) Most of the area is super clean, and like half our area is paved, and half is dirt roads. LOTS OF DOGS DOGS DOGS DOGS DOGS! In fact, last week I got nipped by a little one. Dogs are always barking and threatening us, in which case we do the baile (pretend to pick up a rock to throw) or we just let them be because they're just territorial and won't attack, they're just acting like it. But one little dog, just out of nowhere, as I walked by nipped my pants! It was crazy, and now I have a pair of pants with a bite hole in them! Don't worry, he only got the pants and didn't touch the skin or do any damage to me, it was pretty funny though.

Well, I've got to get going now. I love you guys, and wish the best. Thanks for all you do!!

Love,
Eric

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Baby blessings

Two missionaries trying to follow the example of Jesus

The kitchen in the Pergamino pench

The clothes in the blue bucket on the floor are going to be hand washed

Hey family! Firstly, congratulations to Maya and Marisa and David for the baby blessing and for making the decision to have it done! I loved seeing the photos and hearing about how everything went. I'm glad the blessing went well, and that all the relatives could get together. I remember reading in the New Testament and in the Book of Mormon, when Christ said "Let the children come unto me" (I forgot exactly how it goes in English) and He blessed the little children with the power of God which he had, being the Son of God. Later, he gave that same power to his apostles, to bless the lives of others. I'm just so happy to hear about the baby blessing, because I know that the same power of God, the Priesthood, which Christ and his apostles had, has been restored on the earth for us today, and that worthy followers of Christ can receive this power to be able to bless the lives of God's children here on earth. This is that same power that's used to move mountains and heal people! I know Maya was blessed with this power of God and this is the absolute best thing that has occurred in her life so far!! I know I wasn't there, but I feel like a part of it!! I often think of all the blessings I've received as a member of the church, and that's why I'm so happy Maya is receiving these blessings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What's really ironic to me is that this Sunday in church here in Argentina, we also had baby blessings! Two babies were blessed. I got to stand in the circle to bless the baby, and I felt the love of our Heavenly Father so strong. That was a special meeting, we had about 80 people there, because lots of family and friends came to see the blessings. Many people came to our church that weren't members that day.

I also had the rare opportunity to be able to conduct that sacrament meeting until the bishop came, which was shortly after the hymns, prayers and announcements, so it was a pretty cool opportunity. Bishop called me right at 9 o'clock in the morning, right when it starts, and told me that both him and his counselor were running late, and that I should start it and conduct it. I was a little nervous, but I was okay once I started. I welcomed everyone, and after the blessings, I asked the mothers of the babies that were blessed to stand up and be recognized, because that's how our ward at home always does it. Both the mothers were crying after the blessing and during the whole testimony meeting, it was a great meeting, it was really cool. So it made me feel like I was a part of Maya's baby blessing a little bit.

Well, regarding me, I'm doing good still. Tomorrow I'm going to Rosario to meet with all the district and zone leaders where we're going to have a special meeting with a Seventy, I think his name is Elder Adukatis. The next day we're also going to have zone conference with him! This week we will also have some special leadership training with President Villalba which I'm really excited for. So for that time while I am gone, my hijo (Elder Larson) will stay with some other elders that aren't going to Rosario, so he'll have his first sleepover.

My hump day was pretty good, we ate lots of empanadas and just hung out! I didn't burn anything though, but it was really fun. (Some missionaries burn a tie or a shirt to celebrate their hump day, or one-year mark, so we had asked Eric if he did.) I received all your letters and THANK YOU!!! They were awesome, I loved them all. Thanks for the tie! Thanks for all the cards, letters, they were great. Thanks also for the dvd's, although I should tell you before you send more....that I already have all the dvd's from the church, because you can get them from the mission. But thanks just the same, I gave them to my hijo who so far had none, so he's grateful too! I really loved getting all the letters and gifts and just hearing from everyone, and seeing all the notes on the tie and in the letters from the whole family!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! As you can see from the picture, I bought a really sweet 2 dollar orange watch to go with that orange tie!

Yes, we had the Census here, but it wasn't anything special. You just have to stay in your house that day until they come by and ask you questions and then you can leave. They asked us questions like, "Can you read?" and "Do you have a bed?" etc.

Things are going great here, but the requirements to get the Standards just changed this past week, so now you can't get the Standards unless you have a baptism and a confirmation, along with all the other dats. So that's pretty crazy! But the area's going really good and we're really enjoying it! My hijo's doing good and so is my district.

You asked so I'll explain a little bit about what it means to be a district leader. I call the companionships in my district every night to make sure they're safe, and to see if they need help or anything. Every Tuesday I teach a lesson to my district for one hour, teaching how to do a certain theme. Last week was how to teach the restoration, and the week previously was how to set goals. P.S. Thanks Dad, I used one of your articles about how to plan and set goals effectively to help teach that class. I really enjoy being district leader, I think it's fun. Also, I will do the baptism interviews for the people in my district.

Everyone keeps asking me about my ears. They are alright, but they still clog sometimes, I guess I'll just have to accept it. Maybe I'll try using that spray some more, but it just seemed like it didn't do anything when I was using it, but I could have been more faithful. I'll try using it some more, Mom.

Well, it's been a really good week, we've had a lot of fun and are helping a lot of people. I love the work, and miss you all. I love hearing from you weekly, and I especially loved hearing about the baby blessing. Thanks for all your support and all that you guys do for me!

Love,
Eric

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40 New Investigators!

Because Eric wasn't able to send any pictures this week, I found these views of Pergamino online so that we can see the area he is serving in now.

Aerial view of Pergamino, which is a small
agricultural city

Downtown street scene

Looking out over the city

Arroyo de Pergamino. This stream cuts right through the middle of the city.

An interesting old church not far from Eric's pench, although this is not the LDS church

Hey family, what's up!!! Hey, I hope everybody's doing great!! Those are some really good shots you got of Maya, and the camel just made me laugh. Unfortunately, this computer isn't working good so I can't send photos of the pench, but for sure I will next week.

Anyway, we're doing great here in Ameghino. (Ameghino is the area in Pergamino that Eric is assigned to work in.) This week we found 40 NEW INVESTIGATORS!!!!!! Which is like a record, so they did a special highlight type thing about us in the mission newsletter. Some of the investigators we found are really cool people with real potential. We also have plans on finding lots more people. We got 67 contacts this week! We have been working really hard.

The district is doing really good too! Their dats (statistics or numbers) were much better this week, and they're starting to get really animated. I was wondering if Dad could send me some articles on how to keep a positive attitude always. One of my hermanas, the Hermana Rocinos, was really depressed in her area and everything at first. I told her to use a watch and do a 7 minute prayer each night, giving thanks, nothing more nothing less, and that I would do the same at night. She actually did it, and my district has done all the things I've told them to do! I love having hermanas in my district, they listen!!! Anyway, so she is doing way better now, but I would still like to have some articles or something like that if Dad has anything like that, to help my district more.

Wow, today was fun. We got together with the whole zone in our church and played volleyball, although then one of the players on my team accidentally hit one of the hermanas in the face with the ball, and then they left. She was okay, though. After that all the elders kept playing but we played a lot more intense, it was fun. After that we came back to the pench and we watched the "Mountain of the Lord" (a movie about the building of the Salt Lake Temple) on my DVD player (a portable unit with a 7 inch screen) with the zone leaders, and then came here to the ciber. It was a fun day.

I was wondering if you have seen like a "dispensations of time line" type of thing. Just like a time line with all the prophets and things on it and stuff. Just something I could maybe use in teaching. I don't even know it if exists, just an idea I had. Anyway, my kid's doing great, he is already able to do a little bit of talking in lessons. He still surprises me how well he understands and speaks for his time in the mission, although sometimes he messes up and we laugh about it afterwards.

Anyway, I love you all very much, and thank you for all that you do!!! All is good here. Thanks for all the help and everything!!!

Love,
Eric

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