Letter Dated December 26, 2011

Dear Mom and Dad;

QueQuen

Well it was good to talk to you guys for a little while, the time goes by fast huh, ha ha.

So I sent all the pictures you guys haven't seen yet, I don't think I really take very many pictures, but o well.

So, yea,  just some random ones.  My companion with the paper....the paper is our fly swatter, its covered in dead flies.  It's pretty gross.

Then some pictures of us at Mar Del eating lunch with half the mission.  You  can see the President and his wife, and the Senior missionaries,  and the cook with the Asado.  We ate a lot of meat.  Then the futbal court we played on.

Some more pictures of the soccer place, then the place where we played basket ball and volleyball. Little kids where there when I took the picture but I was playing, not taking pictures, ha ha.  Oh and you can see Elder Vauterlaus from the MTC.  Then that night we had a talent show and a small dinner with treats, and a gift from the misson President for everyone. So you can see me and My companion and the other Mexican Elder Ocadiz  who came at the same time as Elder Arriaga.  Then Elder Parra, who lived in the same house as me for a time with the District Leader Elder Palma, ha ha. So ya that those ones.

We had a lot of fun.  In the morning, I played basketball since we couldn't play futbal yet, and sometimes they would pull me out of the basketball game to play with my volleyball team (I wasn't to happy about, I wasn't  angry either ha ha) I would rather play basketball then volleyball, but my volleyball team won...weird, ha ha, then we ate lunch, then we played soccer which was fun.  But of course crowed since lots wanted to play ha ha.

Alright, So we got a certificate cause we won the volleyball tourney.  We got for Christmas a picture of all the  missionaries in the mission :) yeaaa! cool huh. I have 3 copies, so I might send you one someday. Or you'll just have to wait, ha ha.  Who knows.

Then I took some pictures of my shoe I hope one of these works.

So we had a talent show for the navidad party. And some elders did some funny stuff. One group did a Apply what we learn in the mission to the life after the mission. It was pretttttty funny, ha ha.  I have a video, but I cant send it. So you ll see it sometime, its good. 

At church Sunday almost nobody went, ha ha.  We had like 30, so some people went, but we were defiantly lacking a ton.  But that's Argentina. For Christmas, its more like 24th in the night that they do everything.  They stay up till 1200 or or 200 in the morning.  So it was a challenge to get up on time.  And everything is closed, ha ha. Everything.

I'm not sure I'll have time to send more this computer is terrible.  Sorry I didn't really write a ton. I'll give you guys a good update on people next week I think, ha ha.

Oh and I would like it if you could tell me if David Titus is going to come to my mission still.

Thanks.

Love ya, it was good to talk to you.

Elder Obray

 

Letter Dated December 19, 2011

Dear Mom and Dad;

I must say that we have lots more food choices in the states. Which is good. The food here is good.  But ya have to know how to cook.  Soooo small problem for us. We are learning bit by bit. I might be able to cook a bit when I get home.  Not a ton.  But a little.

Mike's Companion, Elder Arriaga

Ok, so the phone calls or skype is going to happen on the 24th, my companion at 5 and me 6:30ish.   Obviously there could be a variable, cause it depends on when my companion finishes. But I would say 6:30 in Argentina time, sooo, like 2:30 in the states? Ha ha, bit early, but o well. And I will try to do skype 1st, but if I can't, cause the Internet where we are going to do it isn't very fast, and I have to find a web cam to borrow.  I will call home if skype doesn't work and hang up so you have my number, then you guys have to call me back so the Branch President doesn't end up paying.

If you have questions or something, I will check my email before I call or skype.  So we hope it works.

Yea I am pretty excited for super p-day.  I get to play some sports, visit with lots of other missionaries.  Should be fun.  We eat good too.  We leave Wednesday and come back Friday. Should be good.

Christmas on Sunday should be interesting, we only go for sacrament meeting.  Which for the Argentineans is weird, cause they celebrate in the night... ha ha.

This week was pretty interesting.

Argentine money

Saturday we had a branch Christmas activity.  So Friday and Saturday we spent the days inviting people, investigators and menos activos really.  And we had lots of people there. We had probably, 8 investigators and 6 menos activos.  So that was pretty good.

In the activity, they read the story about Jesus, and had a bunch of pictures to go with it made by the youth.  Then we sang some songs.  Then we ate lots of food and talked.  Went really well. The people really liked it.

Then at church most of the people at the activity didn't go.  But a few did, we had 4 investigators go to church so that was good.

We struggled to have lessons with peole this week, everyone is really busy right now getting Christmas ready and all.  And lots are traveling.

We had almost all our citas fall.  But we did do pretty good. This next week or so will be the same I think.

Gives a good idea on how big the cereal package are

I forgot to read what happened in the week to remind me before email.  The weeks get mixed up in my head sometimes.  I cant really think of what lessons we had with investigators.

We taught Flia Martinez twice, but then the kids went to visit there brother, so we haven't been able to pass by.  And she (the mom) wont go without Walter there to drag her, ha ha.

Anyway we should be talking this Saturday.

Until then.

Love
Elder Obray

Letter Dated December 12, 2011

Dear Mon and Dad;

Thanks for the email.  It's good to hear that things are going pretty well back home.  I was really glad to hear that Sam is leaving.  That's really exciting.  I'm sure he will do great.

Yea, so the whole eye infection stuff is pretty bad here, lots of people get them. Who knows why. But right now me and my companion are good health wise. Well minus that my companion has destroyed both his pairs of shoes.  I think we bought pretty good ones since he lost 2 pairs in 4 months...

Ah man, I almost ate all the peanut butter, I ate probably 6 PB and J sandwiches for lunch the other day, ha ha.  But its sooo good.

And about the Christmas calls....Hmmm.  One of us is going to call about 5 here and the other about 7 Argentina time.  So I don't think we will have a problem. You should send me information on how to call home.  I don't remember what numbers I have to press to call the States and Idaho ha ha.. I think we call the 24th as well.  But really I gotta ask someone. And I probably can skype if a member will let me use the computer.  But we haven't prepared anything as far as that goes.  If I call it will be the same as before where I will call you and hang up and you have to call back.

For Christmas I'm not sure what we are allowed to do....I guess we will see.  We cant go knock doors, ha ha.  I think the 22nd of Dec. we go to Mar Del Plata for the Super P-day.  I'm pretty excited to play some sports. Its been a while.

Alright so this week. In Argentina.  I gave the missionary lesson in District Meeting, which was weird, since I'm not district leader.  But apparently, President said that every once in a while another missionary should give the lesson.  So that was pretty cool.

We had a pretty decent amount of success this week. 5 investigators went to church.  Estela, She is the mom of a member, she has gone to church like 3 times now.  Just needs to get married.  2 little kids, Juan Cruz and his sister, they are in primary and well we can't actually baptize them because there parents wont commit to supporting and bringing them to church every Sunday. But they went this week without the parents. In order to baptize a young person into the church we have to be sure that they have an adult to at least bring them every week to church.  Just so the missionaries don't go out and baptize a bunch of kids who will go to church for 1 year and that's it.

Then another kid named Brian who is friends with an active member came.  Which was really good.  He is about 16 years old.  We taught him the 1st lesson in the church.  We taught the class for the young men that day, ha ha.  Which went pretty well..

Then Adrianna went of course.  Carlos didn't because he had work. We had two citas with them this last week, we talked a lot.  Finally Carlos read, and prayed. But he didn't really connect with the Book of Mormon very much.  But he said he was going to read more, I think he is really trying, so if he keeps it up he will get his answer.  This was pretty exciting for us.  I think there is a chance with him right now, he seems more open.

If you remember Walter, the kid who went to church last Sunday, they had a huge change this past week.  His Dad no longer lives in the house.  The mom was sick of him and kick him out (which wasn't a huge surprise since he was always drinking).  But still it was hard on the kids to lost their dad.  So they are going through the judge process.  So they had a big change.  But with all that happening Walter and his little sister Sophia went to a youth activity Friday. Which they loved.  We have a appointment tonight with the family.  So we will see how it all goes with them. They didn't go to church and we thought they all would go.  So I guess we will see what happened.

We also met a guy named Daniel Suarez who was baptized when he had 9 years (now 32) but he lost contact with the church cause he started to work.  We talked to him for a few minutes and he has some really good memories of the church.  We put a appointment for this week, so we are excited cause he asked us what time church was at.  That never happens, ha ha.  So we will see.

We talked to a guy named Hugo Blanco this week.  He is a menos activo.  And was married in the temple and everything.  But got mad at a member and never went to church.  I get frustrated with these people who know so much but don't go.

Oh yea those pictures where of a plate mashed potatoes.  MMMmmm good.  And then a pictures of my shoe ha ha.  One of my shoes is dying the other is fine. but you can see my finger sooo.... maybe they will send me some new ones.  But I'll use these till winter probably.

Then a picture of a dog.  Our dueno (duno umm....English...lady who owns our house? since we rent) anyway she took care of a dog, and it started to rain really hard.  So we let it stay inside a little bit of our house. Well because of that he thought we were best friends of course. So that night when we came back to our house, we opened the window, and look, the dog just sat on the  windowsill allllll night.  Seriously.  When we got up in the morning.  Still there.

We were looking for old investigators for a while this week to see if they changed there minds.  And we knocked one door, and 3 kids came out, a kid of 5 year, a kid of 10, and a girl of 13. We asked if the mom was home, the 10 year old said no.  BUT the 5 year old is a honest little kid, and with a grin on his face he said, "NO! Mom is home". But the 10 year old wasn't done yet.  Alright well shes sleeping. The little 5 year old says, "NO! look shes washing the dishes, she is right there."

At this point we were laughing. and the 13 year old girl went in to talk to the mom. Unfortunately the mom just sent the 13 year old out to say she didn't want to talk right now.  But still.  At least we found an honest 5 year old.

We were pretty satisfied with the lessons we had this week. If things continue we hope to have a few baptisms (that would be nice, its been a while).

Anyway, enjoy your week, its almost Christmas.

Love ya,

Elder Obray

Letter Dated December 5, 2011

Dear Mom and Dad;

Well sounds like you all had a good week. That's always good, ha ha.

We had an interesting week this week.  My companion had a pretty good little infection in his eye this week, the pictures I sent home are of the eye, I think you can see it pretty good.  But anyway, we had to go see a doctor and everything.  Couldn't leave our house for a couple of days this week.  So that was pretty boring.  There is NOTHING to do in the house really.... So we were stuck Thursday through Saturday in our house.  So our work was cut pretty short this week.

But we still had 3 investigators go to church.  So that's good.  The parents of a menos activo Maria Rosa went and a kid named Walter who's dad is a menos activo and him and the rest aren't members.  So we are working with them.

We taught some people who are from Paraguay this week.  We found them looking for a kid we taught one day.   Its weird cause they speak Guarani (weird language ) and Spanish.  One of them was actually a member and got baptized a few years ago but hasn't gone to church in a while, but she really likes to go, the problems is, they are traveling to Paraguay for the holidays...so we wont see them for a while.

Oh and I got my hand on some peanut butter this week. So I ate a bit of PB and J.  That was good.  Mmmmmm.

Elder and Hermana Fee (a senior couple) came and talked to us on Tuesday about cleaning the list of members.  Since they are huge.  And many don't live here anymore.  So we have to clean them up good.  Its a lot of work to try and find these people.  But the records are important.

We also taught and took out a fecha with a couple called Carlos and Adrianna.  Adriana goes to church with her son who is baptized Jesus.  But Carlos no.  And they aren't married yet.  SO its a bit in the future.  But we had a really good lesson and the spirit was there.  So we will see where it goes.

Well we hope to do a bit more this week, ha ha.  I feel a bit bummed we didn't get to do more. Its hard to sit in the house all day, ha ha.  Especially cause the weathers good.

Anyway, I don't have much more to say.  My companion is just fine now,  so we are going to work good this week.

I don't think I've gained any weight.  We walk a ton.  But who knows someday I might.

One of the members found a movie about missionaries the other day.  It was weird cause it was in a public movies place on the same cd as 2 other movies.  And people where buying it ha ha. 

Well I hope its a good movie.  The member bought it.  So I guess we will know.
And that's really all I got.  Hope you all have a good week.

Love 
Elder Obray