Letter Dated June 11, 2012

Dear Mom and Dad;

Well sounds like some interesting little things are going on.  All those Garage sales makes me nervous.  I'm not going to recognize anything when I get home huh?  Ha ha.

We pretty much had a pretty crazy little week.  It wasn't a great week, but interesting.  It was freezing cold all week for one thing, ha ha.

Alright, well I'll start with Monday.   We did a Family Night with the Branch President and his family. We did a list of people they know and had them pray and see who could be interested in the church. We took out like 20 references and so we are trying to get the family to invite these people to a church activity or something.  It's a lot more likely they will go to church and such if a member invites them then if a missionary knocks their door.

Tuesday, well, we had a funeral to go to.  A member of the branch died and we were to carry the casket.  So we went to the graveyard.  The graveyard was pretty sweet.  A bunch of small houses and such.  Crazy.  I don't have any pictures cause...well I didn't think it was appropriate for me to bring my camera to this, ha ha.  But anyway, we helped out there.  Then later that day we passed by Javier and taught his sister Maria.  Found out Javier couldn't read, ha ha.... Then that night we had Ward Council that went well.

Wednesday was a crazy day.  We were doing our personal study at 8, when it started to snow!  All the pictures I'm sending are from the snow.  It snowed probably 2 or three inches.  It was crazy.  Since it doesn't snow here.  So we went to the park to celebrate the snow.  And we made a snowman in central park, which actually turned out to be a really good thing.  We ended up talking to lots of people.  Since they all wanted to take pictures with our snowman, ha ha.  So that was pretty cool we were on the news as well, I think you can see it if you want at www.celtatv.com.ar.  You will probably have to search a bit cause well its been a few days.  Some members told us it was there.  They interviewed us, not sure if that's there.  That's was pretty crazy.  After that we went and worked in the snow.  It was pretty cold and wet.  We talked to a few people, but we honestly didn't have much success getting in houses that day.

Thursday,  we planned a lot, and we visited Fernando. He said he would go to church and well I'll tell you now he didn't, so we will probably drop him for a while. 

Friday, I was super sick, I threw up like 10 times.  I think I ate something bad...  So we didn't leave the house till 5 cause we had a cita, we also talked to the missionary couple for a while.  They are helping us get the ward lists in order here.  They are great.  Oh hey, I feel much better now, ha ha, just so you know.  It was just a one day thing.

Saturday, we found a newbie, Nilda, she is really nice, but doesn't want to go to church.  That was kinda frustrating.  Then we talked to Javier and Maria again to invite them to church.  We also talked to a older guy who can't really walk.  He was really nice, but he as well didn't want to go to church. We visited flia Pareda a menos activo and also Flia Garcia, and set a cita to do a family night with them. 

Sunday, we had 2 go to church.  Lorena and her daughter Karen went.  They are investigators.  Really there whole family went.  They have another daughter Gisel who is baptized and the dad is as well (dad is menos activo) but they all went.  It was a surprise to see the dad.  He even came in a white shirt and tie!  I really hope they keep coming.  After church we found a less active family FLia Montenegro.  Whew.  They have like 8 kids..... it was really hard to do anything cause the kids are CRAZY.  They have more energy then I could imagineeeeee... whew.   Ha ha.

That's pretty much our week.  Today we went to a little park.  I took a few pictures you'll get eventually.

Kinda a rough week for us in lessons, we really didn't find many newbies.  But that happens sometimes. 

So this week on Wednesday we have interviews with the mission president and maybe a small conference.  That should be great.

That's kinda weird that Mike Riggs is getting married

http://www.celtatv.com.ar/

nota.php?id=1979 Elder Pino gave me the link to the video of us being interviewed by the guy. Kinda interesting.

Anyway that's about it.  We are just preaching a bit in the cold, ha ha.  

From the pictures you'll see our snowmen when he is finished and when he was melted.  We went back to the park a few hours later during lunch.  He was almost gone.

Have a good week this week.  Keeping doing what is right.  Have fun.  And I'll talk to you next week.

Con amor

Elder Obray

 

Mike's TV interview.

Letter Dated June 4, 2012

Dear Mom and Dad;

Well sounds like you guys had a fun week selling lots of things. Sounds like you actually are planning on moving, ha ha.  Well should be fun.

Yea the talk was on the atonement.  Really good.  They don't have us study them anymore, obviously we can, but not during personal studies, just during the extra time we have, like lunch break, morning, or night.  I have a bunch from Bruce R. McConkie as well.  Good stuff. 

Oh and I'm jealous of the warm weather.  We had terrible weather this week. Cold, windy, rainy. :(.  But hey, more then that we actually had a pretty decent little week.

On Monday, well really Tuesday at 3:00 in the morning I took a bus to Bahia, we had a leadership meeting.  It was pretty good.  We were there alll day Tuesday, and I got back at 11:30 Tuesday night. The president talked and taught about rules and doctrine and such.  The assistants taught about verification and goals.  Then president talked more.  It was pretty neat.  All the Elders from my group were there.  Elder Flamm and Elder Vaterlaus got transferred to new areas to be District leaders as well.  So it was pretty neat to see them, I'm going to send you a photo in the next email of all the leaders.

Wednesday, we talked to a guy, Carlos, he was a bit drunk, so we didn't talk long.  A little later we met a menos activo named Gustavo, he got baptized at age 15 and has forgotten ton, ha ha.  But he has some good memories of the church.  He was thinking about coming back.  So we hope to get somewhere with him.

Thursday we visited Aldo, who was doing good, but can't go to church this week cause of his daughters birthday party Sunday.  We also had our English class.

Friday, Elder Caceres had a pretty bad pain in the skin above his teeth so he took drugs and stayed in the house with Elder Morel, I went with Elder Pino to my area to work.  We visited Katy and took out a baptismal day for the 23rd of June.  She should get baptized.  She is really great.  Then we found some newbies, 2 really, we talked to them and took out baptismal fechas.  Then at 7 that night I got back with ELder Caceres and we went to a noche de hogar for our rama.  It went well.  We had like 6 investigators and a bunch of Menos activo.  They might have gone for the food ;), ha ha, but at least they went.  Really the activity was great.  We gave a spiritual thought and a small video, then ate. 

Saturday, Elder Caceres went to the doctor for his tooth, we go back tomorrow,  All they did was give him some serious pain killer, ha ha.  We did some service lifting heavy boards.  My hands hurt after.  It was cold and windy and rainy today.  And we found 2 newbies.  Eva, an older lady who was nice and let us in since it was cold out. And Nestor who is an old investigator. Good guy.

Sunday, we had 3 investigators go to church, Lorena, Aylen, and Katy.  It was freeeeeezing again with rain all day.  It's not so bad without the rain. but whew, when it rains it gets cold.  Anyway. 

That's more or less what happened during the week, I didn't give you many details, but sometimes I'm lazy.  Or something.  Really I just can't think of much else to say.  Uh.  Coso.  So really we did have a pretty decent week.  Every week we do a little bit better. So that's a good thing.

Hope you guys have a good week this week.  I can't believe it's June already.  Time goes by pretty quick I've noticed. 

Our poor mission president is almost done, I think he is getting a bit emotional, ha ha.  I feel bad for him.  Oh, and I got a letter from Mykal Thompson.  He is doing great.  I was surprised to hear from him, ha ha.  Down in sunny Floria, ha ha. But sounds like it is a good place for him.

And you now have the leadership picture.

Well that's all for this week.

Love ya´ll 

Elder Obray

Letter Dated May 28, 2012

Dear Mom and Dad;

Well sounds like a pretty classic not to exciting little week.  But for me, no news is good news, ha ha.

Well honestly, uh no I can't tell you what's on the corners of the other streets, I think they might all be stores. its kinda a cream tan house.

We have our old mission president till July, like the 2nd week in July I might see him.  I'll have him for the last 6months.

So this week. 

Tuesday, we visited Dennis and his family.  Dennis is a 10 year old kid in a less active family.  He wants to go to church, but the family doesn't, so we probably wont pass by to much, since to baptize him he has to have active family members.  We also passed by Hermana Blanco, she is a recent convert.  She has a daughter and her family that are not baptized, and well they don't really want to, except her granddaughter. So we shall see what happens there.

Wednesday, we found a newbie. named Silvia.  She is Evangelical, but she had talked to the missionaries before.  She didn't want to talk to us, but we managed to get in (by that I mean the spirit let us in, ha ha) we taught a pretty good lesson.  She almost didn't get the Book of Mormon saying she only reads the bible, but a I just gave her my testimony and she accepted it and said she would read. So we were pretty satisfied.  Them we passed by a recent convert Dayana.  She was doing great.  She is 11, with her mom Laura who just started to come back to church.

Thursday, we talked to Nancy who is having problems.  She got in a fight with the president of the branch, she is his mother in law. So she didn't want to get baptized for the time.  But we are going to work on that.  By Sunday they were friends again... SO we will see what happens.  We found another newbie, Aldo.  He is a real nice guy.  He reminds me of Corey Hines from his looks.  He accepted everything and we took out a  fecha with him.  Then that night we had a small adventure.  Cause well apparently I got conscripted to teach English to people in the church, so Elder Caceres lost our keys to the church (and the house) in Nechochea when we went for the meeting. Sooooo, we had to go to the presidents house for keys, then we were late, so we had to run 15 blocks to the church.  Whew.  Then I had to teach English.  I have no idea how to teach English.  We were suppose to bring the book Elder Caceres has on how to learn English but we didn't have time to go get it.  But it went alright anyway.

Friday, was Elder Caceres´s birthday.  He is 21.  Also it is a huge holiday in Argentina. So we had a pretty sweet ward activity.  We had some investigators go and everything so it went pretty well. The activity was fun. They had a dance (obviously we did NOT participate.)  Some food, they had a singing contests, I won (hahaha just kidding I did not win, or try for that matter) then lets see, some comedian who might have been good, but I don't understand Argentine politics, ha ha.  So yea good activity. Then we visited Fernando, who hasn't read or gone to church. 

Saturday, found a newbie named Carlos.  He used to go to church a long time ago, but switched to the Evangelical church so he could smoke. So we are giving it a shot to see if we can't baptize him.  Then later we talked to Aldo.  He was doing pretty good, can't go to church this week cause he has to work this weekend.

Sunday, we had two investigators go to church Aylen and Carina.  We got invited after to eat lunch with the District President and his family and another family in the ward.  We went.  Well we got stuffed in a van.  Kinda like the Murdoks van.  But we had 20 people inside.  Great huh?  Of course I sat in the back and got attacked by all the small children, ha ha.  So yea, what can I say?  The missionary plaque is an awfully popular item to steal, ha ha.  And apparently it is fun to pull my hair and poke and hit.  I came out of the van with a black eye my hair a bit of a mess and kinda tired,  ha ha.  Ok well I really didnt get hurt, but you get the picture.  It was fun though, ha ha. But seriously there where probably 6 small kids attakcing me.  My companion has a bit of the cold right now.  Poor kid. 

So yea, that is pretty much the week right now.  So yea pretty fun week. 

In the pictures you see a little tower, that place is the water filtering place. Then you have me and Wagner with German, the guy who was trying to stop drinking.

This week wasn't too bad, we are giong to focus a bit more and such.  Time goes by quicker as District Leader.  Whew.  Just more stuff to do.  That and I have to be careful cause the other Elders are watching me, oh no! Ha ha, just kidding.

So I don't have a ton more to say.  Just Choose the right.  Oh yea, I listened to a pretty sweet talk today for P-day, while my sick companion was taking a nap, from Cleon Skousen.  Whew.  It may have blown my mind.  Dads probably heard it, but its good.  When/if I have time I will study it more. 

We have a leadership meeting this week, should be interesting.  Actually I leave 3:00 in the morning :(.  

Anyway. Have a good week talk to you soon.  Don't sell alllllll my stuffffff....... ha ha.

Love ELder Obray

Letter Dated May 21, 2012

Dear Mom and Dad;

Well sounds like a good little week for you guys back home.  Nothing to excited.  But hey, that's good. You just cant have to much fun without me ;).

So I just finished up my 1st week here in Tres Arroyos.  Betolaza and Savedra would be the corner of the street we live on.  There are us 4 missionaries living there.  We have a small car patio too, I can't think of any defining features to help you see the house... but its on the corner, might be the only real house I can't remember.  But my area is the street we live on and everything below (south I think, but who knows).

So Monday, well we tried to visit some people, but we didn't really get anything.

Tuesday, we did lots of contacts as Elder Caceres showed me around and where and who are all the investigators and such things.

Wednesday, we chatted with the wife of the branch presidents mom, Nancy, who has talked to the missionaries for a longgggg time, but has yet to get baptized.  We talked to her for a time, it was good to meet her, she is really friendly.  Of course the goal is to baptize her, ha ha.  Then we found 3 newbies.  Fernando, who is an older guy, who we just knocked his door and we got in.  He is really good, and accepted a baptismal date.  Then we found two ladies out knocking doors, Brenda and Valeria.  Apparently Valeria almost got baptized years before, but it just didn't happen.  We taught Lesson 1 and they both accepted fechas.

Thursday, we did weekly planning, then I met 2 other investigators that they already had, 1 is a recent convert and her mom who would get baptized but she is living with a menos activo who doesn't want to go to church yet, ha ha.  The other was a little girl (Aylen) who's grandma got baptized and always brings her to church, we have to get permision from the mom and dad to baptize her.  When we ask they are just kinda uhhhh yea we will think about it.  So we hope thing work out there.

Friday, we went to Nechochea (its our Zone) for a roundtable (leadership meeting) so yea there we talked about rules and such thing.  I saw Elder Stutz who is in Necochea right now, he is doing pretty good. and then we came back.  We didn't do much else.

Saturday, we knocked lots, and at like 7 I saw a house with one of those looking wholes to see who is knocking, but it was glowing red.  So I was like "Hey lets knock that door", and we found a newbie, Julian, a 90 year old guy,  He is actually surprising still smart.  He didn't want to go to church cause it was cold.  But still, we are going to see if we can get a member to pass by him with a car.

Sunday, lets see 2 investigators went to church.  Laura and Aylen.  So that was good, I met a bunch more members.  Then we went out and Worked.  We talked to Nancy who now wants to get baptized, maybe this week or the next week!  So we are pretty excited about that.  Then we also visited Flia Asuncion who are Menos activos, but he was branch president for a while with a super good testimony. He knows what he has to do.  He even started crying to us.  I felt pretty bad for him, but we had a good chat and gave him a blessing.  We reallllly hope they come back, cause the branch could really use their help out here.

So yea that's pretty much what happened to us this week.  It was a pretty decent 1st week, this next week we are going to do even better.

I am learning the area pretty quick, I think I get the areas faster every time.  I think I am going to like this area, the people seem pretty good, and it's a bit easier per say, then Castex, ha ha.

Anyway I hope you have a good week and enjoy everything.

So the pictures I sent, the last ones of the dinosaur park, then you can see Pedro Cueto, a Menos  Activo that took us.  I am sending a picture of my new district, me then ELder Pino, ELder Caceres, ELder Morel, in that order from right to left, ha ha.  Hope you like them, coming up next week, some more pictures of Castex!  Woot!.

Oh a little about Elder Caceres.  First he is from Paraguay.  Second he has 1 year in his mission.  Third he just turned 21 this Friday.  (I'm cooking him brownies...shhhhhhh it's a secret).  Fifth this is his 2nd transfer here. So really we could be companions for a long time.  I guess we will see, cause he should train.  Well I think he should.  He is a pretty good missionary.

Anyway, talk to you again next week.

Love ya

Elder Obray

Letter Dated May 14, 2012

Dear Mom and Dad;

It was good to talk to you guys the other day on Skype. Time goes by fast for some reason.

Ok. So I can't tell you yet what street it is where I live, but I'm not in Bahia Blanca, actually I'm closer to Necochea.  I'm in Tres Arroyos.  It's a decent sized little town with probaably like 40,000 to 50,000 people who live there.   There are just 2 companionship's in the city.  Which composes of my district.

My district is me and my companion Elder Caceres from Paraguay. Then two other Latinos who I saw for a brief moment. So I'll be speaking 100% Spanish for the next few months, ha ha.  Should be pretty fun I think.

Anyway, tell Nate I am pretty sure I'm not shrinking, but I dont think I'm growing (in any direction) either.

Well sounds like Aaron is doing good, glad his parents could talk to him.  I'm sure it was good.

So I sent you some pictures of the dinasours today.  I hope you like them.  These are from a long time ago.

And some more pictures. They actually have a decent cyber here.  Not great.  But decent.  So that makes me happy.  It looks like a pretty nice town.  For the 2 hours I've been in it.  I'm pretty tired since I've been traveling allllllll day today. Que Cosas.

I don't really have a ton to say.  Last week we worked Monday and Tuesday.  Then Wednesday we went to Pico to help the other Elders find investigators. Then that night we did divisions and I was with Elder Sterling.  We visited a lot of people. Then Thrusday night I was back in Castex.  Friday morning we got transfers, so we had to clean the house, even more so cause Sister Missionaries are coming in. We started to visit people, Satruday we did the same, then Sunday we did the same. So yea. The travels were a hassle but it's fun to go to a new area.  I'm pretty stoked to go work here.  My companion seems like a really good person.  He has like a year in his mission.  

Anyway  so enjoy the pictures I'll tell you more about the area and such next week.

Have fun.

Love Elder Obray

Letter Dated May 7, 2012

Dear Mom and Dad;

Well sounds like a pretty interesting little week.  Pretty good I think.  So, about mothers day, I am planning on skyping.  We are going to try to use the computer in the church, if that doesn't work I will end up calling.  But just be home from 4:00 my time on cause Elder Wagner's family might be a bit more complicated and I may or may not get transfered and leave to a new area that night so could be a crazy day, ha ha.  

Whew!  If Dad takes the job in Tennessee that will make things kinda crazy huh? Guess if God want you to move there its for the better.  You would FOR sure have some opportunities to share the gospel there.  But I would think about that one till it actually happens, ha ha, just let me know what you do, or I might come home to the wrong place.  And let me tell you, THAT would be fun, nobody waiting at the airport.  Just like the movie the RM.  

So, anyway let me relate the things that occurred this last week.  

Monday, we actually found a new investigator.  Mabel, she is a nice lady with like 50 years.  She wasn't super interested, but she did listen.  Unfortunately we couldn't ever find her again during the week.  

Tuesday, well, we couldn't take out money from the banks.  We get  our SIG (allotted monthly money) at the start of every month, SO, we just lived on our small food storage. We didn't have much crazy things happen.  We talked to Antonia for a while.  

Wednesday, Elder Wagner couldn't eat all day cause he had to do a fast for a doctor test.  Cause he has a hard time sleeping all through the night.  He wakes up like 10 times a night.  So he suffered a bit all day.  We went by German, who was SUPER drunk, he tried to tell us drinking was ok using the bible, cause Jesus drank wine.  He was soooooo drunk that when he opened his scriptures to read us the part he just read some random verse in revelations. Very convincing eh? Anyway, we don't really see a point in talking to a super drunk guy, so we left.  We then found another newbie.,Samantha.  She is Evangelical.  But we got in and taught her.  She is pregnant with her second child.  Her husband is nice, but abusive (if that makes sense) so we taught her and gave her the Book of Mormon.  She likes to read so she said she would read. She told us that maybe this is the true church she was looking for earlier.  We only were able to talk to there once last week, shes about to have her kid, so shes always in the hospital.  

Thursday, we had to get up at 5:20 in the morning to go to Elder Wagner's Doctor appointment.  Fun eh?  Then we have another appointment this Thursday for the results.  We found 2 more investigators today.  Nazereno and Veronica.  They are teenagers.  But they were wiling to listen.  And they are going to read and pray.  We go back to them tonight.  So we hope it all goes well :).

Friday, we went back to German, he was not drunk, so we talked.  He had been super sick since  Tuesday when we left.  He was just now feeling better.  He was VERY repentant of having drunk.  And was very determined to stop.  He lost a week of work cause of drinking, which in Argentina isn't good since they don't make a ton.  So now he wont drink more.

Saturday, Wagner was sick for a bit, ate some bad meat or something, then we visited a few people. Not much really happened. 

Sunday, well we had 3 less active families go, German being one of them, so in that sense we were content.  We were teaching a Gospel principles class, when Nerina, who is at the time living with her boyfriend  :( , asked us what happens when someone knows they are breaking a commandment, but they don't want to change (in her case cause she wants a family and she just started dating the guy so he wont marry her).  Elder Wagner, did some good, and told her that when we justify our sins its cause we are prideful.  We think our will is more important or greater then the will of God.¨ So he told her flat out.  At first I think she was upset, but Ii think she thought about it a bit, and by the end of the class she accepted it.  What he said is the truth.  We cannot justify sin.  And he said it at the right time. Later that day, we visited Mirt and Carlos who are waiting for Carlos to get his divorce.  Good people, But they just don't seem to understand that they still need to go to church, ha ha.

And today, we didn't do a ton, we cleaned, I washed all my clothes and such fun things. So that is pretty much the week right there. Wasn't to bad, we still are just trying to get some lessons, we don't get very many.  But I think this week we will see some really good things happen.  We are working, but hey, what can I say, we will get some more baptisms if we keep working, ha ha.  That's for sure.  Anyway don't worry bout me, I will just keep working righteous harry-kery (I don't know how to spell it, ha ha).

Love you

Elder Obray

Letter Dated April 30, 2012

Dear Mom and Dad;

Well, glad things seem to be chugging along back home.  Sounds like life is just being exciting, eh. I'm on a really crappy computer.   I type way faster then it shows up.  Kinds annoying, huh. So yea. Anyway.  So in Argentina we had a pretty chilly week.  We were out in jackets most of the week.  

So pretty much this week went like this.

Monday we had a family night with Melina and her family.  It went well.  

Tuesday, we passed by the lady and the pastor, which was kinda an interesting little shindig.  Pretty much she told us she read 3 nephi 11, but said she was confused cause it referred to different time periods (like the past present and future) and she couldn't understand it....well it was pretty obvious to us that she didn't read right then since its pretty clear what happens in that chapter...can't really get to confused now can we.  Anyway so we had a good discussion and she completely rejected the Book of Mormon.  But hey, I cant force her to read it.  Then later that night we had an Elders Quorum party.  We went and two menos activos went as well, so we were pretty content.  

Wednesday, we had a nice surprise in the morning.  The Elders from General Pico (our district) came to our area to help us find new investigators.  I went with Elder Silva from Chile to work.  So we all knocked a ton of doors.  In total, we found 6 investigators, which is a week of work in Castex.  So that was pretty good.  

Thursday, not much happened other then working, ha ha.

Friday, it was cold and rainy and Elder Wagner was sick.  We still worked, just gave him a bit of time to rest as well.  Ha ha, we had a guy tell us to come back when the weather is nicer..... ok... we also had an activity at night.  Not very many people went cause it was cold and rainy.  But it was good.  We had a spiritual thought/lesson, then some (I guess) pioneer games.  But I did learn something good.  I learned I can put my head back, put a cookie on my forehead then using only facial movements, move the cookie into my mouth.  Pretty nifty huh.  

Saturday, well we lost like 4 of our investigators on Saturday.  First, a guy that we found on Wednesday told us he didn't really want to go to church or read, he just wanted to listen to us once, so he dropped us.  Then we went and cut down a tree with an axe for service.  Then we lost another investigator that Elder Wagner found with Elder Roberts, named Mirta.  We knocked the door then she came out, told us she read the 1st verse and got scared and couldn't sleep for the rest of the night...I don't think she really read either.  I think she talked to someone about the church and they said we were demons or something.  That tends to happen a lot here.  And well I started to lose my voice that night...Not like you need to speak as a missionary right? 

Sunday, my voice was still pretty gone.  Not a lot of members went to church cause it was a bit cold in the morning.  We did our home teaching.  We had a good lesson with German.  He has a huge problem with drinking alcohol.  And so we talked to him today, cause he drank the night before, and after our chat, he gave me the glass of wine that was on his table and told me to throw it away.  That was pretty cool.  So we tossed out all his wine.  We hope that helps him.  

Today, we reorganized our house, since our heater is far away from our study room, we moved our study room to the heater, so yea. That's more or less the week.  I am afraid I didn't tell you everything that happened.  We had a lot more lessons this week, but I think I told you the biggest things that happened. So far we haven't gotten any other people who are up for baptism.  But we just keep on chugging through. We will get someone at one point.

Oh and Mother's day is in a few weeks, you should tell me what time you guys will be home,  It might be a bit complicated this time cause we have transfers that same day,  Its possible I might move areas, and Elder Wagner's family is a bit complicated to find a time. So yea.  

Anyway have a good week. Have good weather.

Love Elder Obray