Monday we had a meeting with a Seventy from Chile, it was cool to hear him.

Hey there :) How´s it going? I love you all so so so much. :)

So to first explain why I'm writing on Tues. So yesterday we had a meeting with a Seventy from Chile, it was cool to hear from him. He was a convert from about 20 years ago and was immediately put into leadership. He had such a movie guy voice. We learned about how we should work with the local leaders to have the best possible success. It's different here working with the young leaders. It's still a relatively young church in Argentina and there aren't some of the normal customs that the church in the states has developed over the 200 years of existence. It's hard to explain, you kind of have to live it :) but the church is still true and the gospel is true. I love the people down here, because they don't know everything but they are willing to follow the Lord and the leaders. We also had to get up really early to be across Capital by 7:15am. We went to the capilla in Belgrano, where I went for General Conference last April, fun memories. But we haven't slept much this last weekend, because we also had a stake meeting with all of the bishops and missionaries and President at the stake center at 7am on Sunday. We have it every month to talk about the missionary work.

 

So to explain the pics.

 

The first one is of me and Elder Johnson playing soccer in San Cristobal, we had fun and we are having fun together.

 

I'm wearing a Chelsea jersey which I have selected as my European team as well, they follow it down here. It´s like the NFL or NBA of the world in Europe.

Then a picture of the pension group, that day we had matching ties on. :)

 

 

It's super fun in the pension, because we already got to know the other elders before because they were in the district. And now we are struggling with the little amount of space that we have, but we are making it work. :) Sometimes we just get laughing about everything, and we get along really well. But I'm just glad that it won't be like this forever. Oh and I forgot to tell you but last week was transfers. We both stayed and now we are on week 2 of the transfer. My district changed and now I'm with Boca, which includes the Zone Leaders.

We met with L-- a couple of times this last week and he is doing great! He still needs to take out all of the paperwork to set a date for his marriage. There are so many things that one needs to even start the process. But he is reading and praying really well and his understanding of the scriptures is being expanded and increased.

Wednesday was really hot, there was a mini rain storm at around 3 pm, and that's already the hottest part of the day and after the storm, the humidity was almost unbearable.

Thursday we had a meeting just for the district and zone leaders in San Fernando. So we had get up early and then me and another DL got together and we went up to the church and our comps went on divisions. We had a good meeting learning alot of the importance of prayer in the role of our investigators' conversion. Then I got letters and that one package, and then while we were going back home, the train broke down and so we had to wait at a station for another 30 min in the heat, I was sweating so bad. haha

Friday we had our district meeting, it was just us and the Boca 2, and so it was just us 4 and it was a shorter meeting haha. Then we went on divisions and I went with Elder LeBaron from Mesa, AZ and that was great because we taught the plan of Salvation to L-- and I learned a new way from Elder LeBaron (10 months) on how to teach it. L-- really understood it and was explaining it to us and he really had a good question about the people that didn't have the opportunity to hear the gospel in this life. He was like that's not right. Then we were able to explain to him the preaching of the gospel to the dead. This gospel is just true! because it just makes sense. Today I was studying about the Plan of Salvation and I was reading in Alma 42:12-16 and it just touched a different beat to me and it just clicked. I just loved that and then I prayed to our Heavenly Father to ask him if what I had just learned was true and I definitely felt my answer. It just makes sense and I'm glad that I'm in the Church that actually has the truth and is focused in the truth. I love the church.

 

Saturday we watched this one video during lunch, it's called How Rare A Possesion, it's about the BofM and it tells the story of Parley P Pratt and this guy from Sicily in the early 1900's that was converted to the BofM but didn't know where the book was from and he began preaching from it in his sermons. It was made by the church back in the 80´s and I don't know if you've seen it before but I would recommend it because I loved the spirit that I felt. Then we watched The Testaments with the K--'s family and they really loved it and I loved it and I could feel the spirit really strong. :)

Sunday, we had all of our investigators fall through on us in coming to church. B--, we weren't able to get into contact with him this last week. Though he did tell his brother, who is a member, that he likes us and thinks that we are great guys. So we are going to be passing by and really trying to talk to him this week. L--'s wife was sick on Sunday and he had to stay behind and B-- wasn't there at his house to come with us. Right after the sacrament I was able to do three interviews for the ZL's and they went well, but they took a long time because they all got nervous and I had to help them remind themselves of the stuff that they already had learned. Then Sunday night we were able to meet with the Family P-- and their daughter just got back from being a counselor for the EFY program that they just had for our mission limits and a little bit from Rosario as well. K--, the RC from the last month went and he really loved it and now he's made lots of great facebook friends. It's great to think what the church is doing for the youth, it really is inspired from the Lord. I was looking through pics and I saw youth from the Savio ward, it's fun having so many connections down here. I've made lots of friends.

Then last night we taught L-- about the 10 Commandments and he basically already knew them, but something interesting that I saw that was in his bible (evangelical)  it said thou shalt keep Saturday holy, and in our bible it said thou shalt keep the Sabbath Day holy, or in Spanish, the day of rest :) el día de reposo.

 

Well, so now we are enjoying our first Tuesday pday in the mission. :) We are probably going to be visiting the congress building and the Pres house, the pink house. :) Thanks for all of your love!!! 

You are always in my prayers and I hope that you all have a great week. :)

Love,

Elder Ryan Pittard

We were able to do a session in the temple

Well hey there :)

Thanks so much for the wonderful letter, you all are so so amazing and I love seeing your personalities in all of you notes. We had a good week and it really flew by.

So to explain the pics.

The first one is my first district. Me and Elder Johnson in Constitución,
Elder Harrison and Elder Sweeney in San Cristobal and Hma Gutierrez and Hma
Sanchez in Almagro. They were an awesome district and they really worked
hard this last transfer. They honestly don't need my counsel or knowledge,
they just go out there and do it :)

The pic was taken after our last district meeting in the capilla of Almagro.


 

The second pic was from the temple!!! it was totally awesome!!!!

I really enjoyed it and we got to be there with the missionaries that were going home. So I got to see Elder Secretan again. There were like 35 missionaries. We got up at 5:30 am to take two buses to get out there. We got there and I was able to buy some stuff from the distrubution center.  In the session I was able to understand everything, though it was in vosotros, which is the uncommon latin america form of speaking but it is the scripture language in spanish. Then afterwards, we took a group pic and then got home by 2 pm after about an hour bus ride.
Last monday we went to a super touristy place called Caminito, I was able to get a really nice messi jersey and I'll definitely go back before I go home. Then on tuesday we had the district meeting and we had great lessons with a new investigator, he accepted a baptismal date after we talked about the gospel of Jesus Christ. He didn't make it to church but we will keep it up with him. Then we went and taught B-- and we gave him the basic Lesson 1 about the apostasy and the restoration. He thought that it was interesting and then we challenged him to read, ponder and pray about the BofM and he accepted and then he accepted a date also.

Wednesday  we found out that San Cristobal would be moving into our pension and that the offices are looking for a new place for us. On Thursday they moved in, i feel like im back in Juncal when we had to move places. We are super packed and we are learning how to figure everything out. Then Friday was the temple and that was fun but we had to get up early, oh well a little sacrifice for all of the blessings.

Saturday we had an interesting experience with L-- and R--. They on Friday had a little fight between them, and L-- what a great guy that he is. Instead of freaking out and throwing it all away, he went to the Lord in prayer and they were able to talk it out and then we talked it out even more when we
went over on Saturday.

Sunday we had church, and the R-- Family didn't come. Then we went to the despedida and it was fun to see Elder Secretan again and it's crazy to think that he will be home tomorrow. Oh how the time flies. Also, I was able to see all of the youth from Savio, I wasn't able to officially say goodbye so it was good to see them again. I still can't believe that 6 weeks have passed already.

Today we played soccer at San Cristobal.

Sorry for the lame letter this week, I'm kind of rushing it, we got to email late, but just know that I know that the church is true and that JosephSmith was a prophet of God and that Thomas S Monson is the prophet today. I love this gospel and I'm glad for the truth and the blessings that it brings
me. :) I love you all so so much and I hope that you have a great week. :)

Love,
Elder Ryan Pittard

I am loving the personal study time I have every day

Hey there how's it going? :) It was good to hear from you all again. :) Thanks to you for everything and the letters.

 

So to explain the pics...

The first one is when we played soccer together last week with lots of people from the zone, there were also less active members and investigators there. It was fun to play and then we also played some bball between the Americans. haha

 

 

Then this pic I took with Elder Harrison's tie saver haha, I thought that it was funny.

 

 

That's awesome that you were able to go to the temple this last week. In fact we found out the other week that since we broke the mission record for confirmations in December, we as a zone and with the missionaries that are finishing this transfer (including Elder Secretan) are attending a session in the temple on Friday in Buenos Aires!! It's super awesome and it will totally be a different and cool experience.

My week to me looking back yes did fly by, there were individual days that they didn't fly by, but in total they did fly by.

So about R-- and L--, they are doing great. Let me tell you about them. R-- is a recent convert of like 2 years and she moved down here and got to know L--, they just recently had a child and should be getting married within a month. And yes, they did come to church and L-- is progressing as an investigator and is loving reading in the BofM.

I'm still getting used to the ward, it's a ward that's on the downhill slope right now. It's summer vacation but we still had the lowest attendance at 60 yesterday, it was really vacant and I just want to help the ward to grow. We have good leaders but they are the most faithful members and so we are needing to help the rest of them. This last week we taught 9 lessons with members.

We were able to find 2 new investigators, B-- and N--, we were able to teach them and B-- has a lot of doubts about God and life, but we will keep working with them. They didn't come to church and fell through on us yesterday but we have another set cita with them this week so we are going to see with them.

Spiritual Experences, well yeah lots, I'm loving the personal study time that I have everyday, I'm studying for my investigators or studying according to their needs and then when we go to the lesson we can be guided by the spirit. We always should have the confidence that God and Jesus were already in our cita with our investigators through their spirit preparing the hearts and the minds of our investigators. Our job is to go and find out what the Lord has already been doing. We do that through asking inspired questions and following a pattern that we have received from the Lord for our mission. I had a guiding experience last week. We were wondering where to go and then I got the inpression to go visit L-- and R--, this was when we didn't know him. So we headed over and he answered the door and he was like yes, yes come in, like he already knew us. We entered and we found out that they had just barely had the baby and that we were the first people to visit them because he and his family are fighting. So he took it as a sign from God that he was supposed to listen to us. He came to church yesterday.

We normally have a district meeting everyweek, this last week we had a zone meeting, not a zone conference where Pres comes, but we had a meeting with all of the zone with the ZL's. It was good and we did practices and learned more about the doctrine. We all gathered in our church building in the Boca.

Elder Johnson is doing great and we are getting along really well. Me and him can talk just about everything. He is still learning the language and I do see alot of me in him when Iwas at that stage in the mission. 

Yes, the heat continues down here and we are doing great. :) Thanks for your letters. I hope that you all have a great day and enjoy the cold weather while it lasts. ;)

Say hi to the ward for me and people that I might possibly know.

I love you all. :)

Love,

Elder Ryan Pittard

We found new people to teach, and it was really exciting

Hey there familia! comó están?

Wow what a fun time to write to you all :) I loved your spirit and enthusiasm to write to me and to make me feel special down here in Constitución. We had a great week and a couple of surprises for you guys. First these pics are from Elder Stewart's camera, they are from his birthday.

 

 

Fun memories from Savio, with the knife and the balloon, the balloon had flour in it and it got all over his hair, fun tradition. Then eating cake is always a stress releiving experience. :)

 

The other pics are of my new comp, Elder Johnson from Springville UT and he is not a visa waiter. He actually was supposed to come 3 weeks before on Dec 10th but didn't get his visa until after Christmas. So he is part of the mission and is a stud, he is learning the language and it brings back memories of when I got to Palermo almost one year ago!

 

 

Then yes the baptism went down yesterday, haha funny story. So we get to the church and we start filling the font, at the end of the second hour, it's full and ready to go. So I turn off the water and go upstairs for sacrament meeting. Then we start the baptismal service with the songs and talks and then we head down stairs and we are taking pics. Then after like one pic Elder DeFriez from the Boca (we share the same church, he's now a ZL, but I'll tell you in a few) came up to me and told me that there wasn't any water in the font! I was like what!? I filled it up! So in the middle of the pics I'm going around like crazy trying to get people organized to start filling up the font. So only one good pic was taken with me in it, because meanwhile they were obliviously taking pics haha, so I'm having to borrow a pic from my comp's camera.

 

 

So it filled just high enough to work in 20 minutes and so we went through with the baptism. So there is opposition in all things. :)
 

My comp was able to baptism J-- and so that was a great first week experience. Yeah K-- was baptized on the 16th of Dec, he introduced J-- to us :) he's 15 yrs old and J-- is 18. This last week we did find new people to teach and it was really exciting. We found this man named L-- and he came to church and bore his testimony. He was like I just love the feeling that I feel here, and he wants to continue listetning. His girl friend is a member from Paraguay and they just recently had a baby like a week ago. That's what softened his heart and now he is starting to know the truth. It was awesome, I was able to have Elder Johnson extend the invitation to be baptized to L-- and so that was a great experience for him.
 

We found L-- through his girl friend, R--, who stopped us on the street. We passed by her house and her boy friend was there so we started talking to him. He's really cool and taught himself to play the guitar and he showed us one of his songs that he composed by himself and it sounded legit. So we are going to be putting goals with them to be getting married.

Here we don't really do street contacts, we do, but we mostly focus on getting into peoples' houses, like the recent converts and the less actives and then finding new investigators through their friends and family. It is having success. :)

I don't really miss the bike, yeah it saved traveling costs but it was always breaking down haha, and now my butt doesn't hurt that bad. New Year's Eve was quiet, I didn't wake up, I was with Elder Gonzalez and we bought a sprite and mixed it with apple juice powder and so it was sparkling cider. :) Then we traveled to the mission house on Tuesday and there I listened in on another Zone Conf, I had to translate for an elder and hermana because President was teaching in English for the new missionaries. There were three Americans that arrived, 2 elders. Then when the zone left we ate a roast with Pres, just us the trainers and the new missionaries and the AP's so that was super awesome. It felt like an American dinner. :)
 

With all of the changes we had last week, it was like a mini transfers day, lots of people moved around and Elder DeFriez ended up as a ZL in the Boca, he was already there as a DL, so it's exciting for him. My interviews with President on Thursday went great, it's different as a DL, we talked about the district and what were specifically my roles as the DL.

Sorry for all of the cold, yeah I can't even imagine that kind of cold right now!

 

Oh, I recieved Dustin's Christmas letter and I thought that it was really cute, and also a card from his parents, tell them thanks for now because my card writing will be slow for the next couple of months, it's just hard to find time. :)
 

I love you all so so much. :) Have a great week!!!

Love,

Elder Ryan Pittard