I'm grateful for all that I have learned from these experiences, it's helping me to be able to live on my own and depend on me. :)

Hey there family!!! How's it going? Thanks for all writing me something and thinking of me this last week. :) I loved hearing all about your weeks and I'm glad that the first week of school went well.

 

So we had a great week here in Argentina, it was super hot the first part of the week and then it turned to bitter wind which made it colder for the weekend. I actually got a headache from the quick change of climate on Friday haha, but I survived. The days were starting off really hot, the sun shining and then by 3 or 4pm the clouds cover up the sun and it's super windy, so crazy weather.

 

So this last week we were able to find B-- and he was confirmed yesterday, also C-- and S-- were also confirmed, so it was a good Sunday.

 

We had a big miscommunication this last week with the father of A-- who is a less-active member, somehow we were understanding that he was wanting one of us to baptize his daughter but then we get to Saturday and he changed his mind or something so we had to postpone the baptism, maybe if A-- makes a ton of effort he can baptize her in a month, so it was kind of a downer to not baptize but at least she will be baptized soon. But we have to respect the rights and wishes of the father.  But we are expecting the aunt of A-- to be baptized this Sunday. She is coming up with doubts but we just need to help her receive the answer from God, she's really timid and doesn't really express her feelings that easily but we showed her the font yesterday and that animated her to go ahead with it next Sunday, so we are praying for her.

 

Talking about the guy that has the blood disease and if he doesn't receive a transplant he will die, he said that he´s not afraid to die, he doesn't think that he's done nothing wrong in his life and that all good people go to heaven. Our message would be perfect for him, but the only problem is that he doesn't want to listen. haha That's the toughest part of this work, teaching people that don't want to commit or listen to anything that you say.

 

Yesterday I did divisions with a member of the elders quorum presidency and that was a good experience, we met with a less active man that's sick and says that he can't come to church for that reason, but we were able to help him build his faith to come this next week. Then we were trying to visit the less active sons of this one member and she's super faithful but we found her in a bad state. She just needed somebody to listen to her and to give her a word of comfort, so that was nice to help in that sense. This member was a convert of just over 3 yrs and I thought the first time that I saw him that he was part of the high council. haha, so it's good to see some converts actually take it and run with it. haha.

 

Also last night we got back to the church waiting for everyone else to arrive and we heard rocks being thrown against the side of the church, so I climbed up into the tree that's right next to the wall that surrounds the church and I was trying to see who was throwing, but I couldn't see anybody, but luckily nothing was broken. The nerve of some kids, or even teenagers, you never know down here.

 

So that was basically my week, haha, just the normal.

Good luck this next week of school and don't forget to send me lots of pics of the BYU football game haha. The computer is threating to shut off so I'll send this part first and continue the other part.

 

Alright, hopefully it doesn't shut down on me...anyways to continue,

...yeah I never really had a problem about extreme anxiety, yeah I had rough days and moments, a couple of times I was thinking what am I doing here? It was more of the stress more than thinking about home, but the Lord has helped me and I have adjusted. I'm grateful for all that I have learned from these experiences, it's helping me to be able to live on my own and depend on me. :)

 

Well, just know that I love you all so, so much and I pray for you everyday, I hope that school goes well this week and that you say your prayers and read everyday. Have fun waking up early with me and Tanner. :)

 

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

 

Love,

Elder Ryan Pittard

 

 

We did divisions with the assitasts and Elder DeFriez came and spent the day with me. We had a fun time together and we were remembering old times.

 

We first had our interviews on Tuesday and from there he came back with me and we had a great day. We had a wonderful talk on the 2 hr bus ride home, then we had a great lunch of a cold chicken salad, the first that I've had here in Argentina, then we ate fillet, or oven cooked fish, delicious and then we ate that with noodles.

 

Then we took a member with us as we took a bus over to the back part of our area. There we met J--, a less active that I talked to on the bus. We were able to meet his family and then find his neice that isn't baptized, she's a tough one to help accept a baptismal date, her mom is Mormon but doesn't like the idea of baptizing her so young. I haven't met the mom, but it would be a different story if I did. :) haha

 

Then we stopped to buy a donut on the side of the road close to the church and we got talking to the kid selling them and turns out that he's a cousin of a recent convert and so we were able to see him later on in the week. Then we took the bikes, it was starting to drizzle, and we met a member's husband that is suffering from a blood disease, and he's a nonmember, but he was also super tough to break through. It was raining while we were in the house and as we were leaving it stopped raining.

 

Then we went and said hi to C-- and S-- and made sure that everything was good for this Sunday for their confirmations. They are doing wonderful. Then it was starting to thunder and lightning and so we quickly made it over to the church, and as we were entering it started to pour. We had our PEC and then we got a ride home with a member.

 

So this is an example of a journal entry that I write each day, so I'll have lots of info to draw off of from the last two years.

 

 

 

Here I am walking in the street like 4:00pm in the afternoon in the cold, it was sunny but windy, so it was cold. But we were in the back part of the area on the dirt road. I thought that it was a cool angle and a different look on my mission. Those shoes have seen a lot of dirt roads. haha Those pants as well, I need to wash them, maybe next month... haha

 

 

 

So this is a cool pic, it's a three generation of Pittards...well, sons of Elder Pittard. Elder Stewart who is in Jose C Paz 1 is training a Peruvian and so that makes him my grandson in the mission haha. So it was cool to take that pic. His name is Elder Sandoval and has less then a month in the mission. But I was able to go with Elder Stewart this last week in his area and we had a good fun day together remembering good ole days.

 

I actually was a grandfather like 2 transfers ago but I hardly get to see them. Elder Barragan trained an American and now Elder Johnson is training, so I have 3 grandsons, and Elder Kern was sent to the south right before the change so I've lost contact with him, so he's the lost son. haha

 

I'm hoping that everyone comes to my farewell talk at the despedida and so I can take a picture with all the fruit of my loins. :)

 

 

 

 

 

That doesn't happen every day where the people are so willing to at least listen.

Hey there Family :) I love you all so so much!!!

Wow another week has passed by and I can't believe that I'm on the internet right now writing to you all again. :) It just seemed like last week that I was writing to you guys. Wait, I was! haha

 

 

So first to describe the picture, this last Friday I went to San Ignacio 1 for divisions and I was with Elder M-- from Chile. He's really cool and we had a great day together. We found this older lady and her grandson and they both came to church yesterday and so I'm excited for them. Elder M-- is a cool guy. He changed his life up and decided to serve a mission. He's 25 and was really different before, but now thanks to Jesus Christ, he's a changed man. Really humble, and only has like 2 months in the mission, so really young, but going to be a leader.

 

So other than the changes it was a pretty normal week. It was weird adjusting to it being just the two of us in the pension and having to go to all parts of our area; that's been the hardest change, having to figure out who are the most important people to visit out of the people that we had been visiting.

 

This last week we were also able to help the doubts of an older lady and her daughter to help them be baptized this last Sunday, it was a struggle but the Lord pulled through on us. :) She was evangelical, protestant basically, but this lady realized the truth of the things that we were sharing and what really helped her was reading the BofM. She was already being taught by the other two elders and I got the chance to come in for the last week.

 

Other than that it was a week of planning, talking to people, teaching in the streets and in their houses and inviting all to come to church and be baptized. So it was a normal week. haha

 

It was cool, we were in the poorer part of town way back behind the church, and we were sharing with the husband of the friend of a less active lady from Paraguay and we asked him if there was anyone else that we could share the message with right then and there. He said his neighbor, so we went to the barbed wire fence inbetween the houses and we called the neighbor and he was sleeping but was nice enough to accept a visit right then. He is really humble, he had been living in Argentina for 7 years and we were the first people to invite him to talk about God. That's almost unheard of  down here. haha  We were able to teach him, and his neighbor, and we invited them to church, they didn't come, but it was a cool experience because that doesn't happen every day where the people are so willing to at least listen.

 

Cool experience on Saturday night, so we had gone to contact a possible person to come to church, the daughter of a less active lady. Already one of the daughters was baptized last year and we wanted to see about the other one. Turns out the mom was having a tough Saturday night and when we stopped by M--, the recent convert, told us that it would have to be another day. But right there in the front gate we had her say a prayer asking for the Spirit to soften the heart of her mom. So she said the prayer and then went and called her mom, the mom yelled from inside, no, not right now, well actually in other words, but everyone gets the idea. Then we persisted and she came steaming out and told us everything bad that had ever happened with her and the church and she wasn’t happy, but all she needed was somebody to listen to her.

 

So after a little bit of listening she slowly started to soften up and by the end of the conversation we were laughing and we even committed her to come to church. She ended up not coming but when we passed by last night she wanted us to come in and talk, so slowly we are gaining her confidence. Next would be getting to the non-member dad, he's super Catholic and doesn’t want to know anything about the Church, he allowed the other girl to be baptized because she wasn’t technically his daughter but we are going to keep trusting in the Lord and His help.

 

Haha last night I was heading the soccer ball back and forth, well not that well, but still improving. Anyways, I was heading it back and forth and I headed it and it hit the light bulb hanging from the ceiling, we were in an unfinished room in the front of the house and the bulb burnt, so I had to provide the money for a new bulb haha, costly lesson to not head the soccer ball close to light fixtures.

 

It didn't rain on us this last week, it was actually a week of perfect weather and it was sunny all week, a good missionary weather week. Spring starts on Sept 21st down here so we are looking forward to the weather change, well half looking forward, but I'll enjoy the quick weather change before going back into the cold. haha

 

It was cool, we received a call from President this morning congratulating us for having 7 baptisms as a zone and 40 people in church as a zone. We had the most people in church and lessons with a member in the whole mission, so we are really improving, now we just need to improve the baptisms.

 

It's cool about G-- and A-- being sealed. Last night I was thinking about when he accepted to be baptized and how he had said no to that Sunday but then with a tiny grin said, I would like to be baptized on Saturday. We were all excited. :)

 

Well, just know that I'm doing well and that the work is moving forward. I love each and every one of you guys and I'm thankful for the blessings that the gospel brings into our lives.

 

Keep going to church!

 

Love,

Elder Ryan Pittard

 

 

 

haha I was super tired and decided to take a nap... haha, I wish... but seriously, we were waiting for the changes to arrive by email so that we could call the zone to let them know everything that was going on. It was the end of another transfer and now to start another one!!

 

 

 

 MTC comps back together again, just for the picture haha, He's still in San Fernando as AP and he's doing good, he's changed a little bit but personality wise. We are going to be doing divisions tomorrow with him so we can talk about old times haha. This was at the despedida on Sunday night, the other Sunday night. I can't believe everything that we've been through these last 21 months, but we definitely have changed. :)

 

 

So here´s the pic of the baptism, it was a great day and we were super happy to help them come unto Christ by being baptized by someone that holds the priesthood authority of God. C-- had recently lost her husband but was struggling to accept the fact that we can do baptisms for the dead, she was thinking that it wasn't just to give someone a free baptism, she didn't want to accept the fact that people can still reject this baptism. Finally we had to share with her Mosiah 4:9 which says that we don't understand everything that God does, and that seemed to calm her down.

 

They are a testimony to me of how the Lord opens the hearts of the people and softens them and prepares them to receive the restored gospel.

 

Yes, I know, I'm way taller than everyone else down here, but actually there´s a kid in our ward that has Russian origins that's like 6´8"... crazy

The mission is expanding a lot

Hey there family :)

How's it going? I'm doing well and I will be enjoying 6 more weeks in Jose C Paz with Elder Gonzales.  So we sent the kids out the door and now it's just us two again and ready to work again. :)

So this morning I went with Elder Calderon to San Fernando to drop him off and return with the elder in Vucetich, haha I was surprised not receive a letter haha, I've just been so blessed from everyone that has sent me letters, oh and to remind everyone that might want to send a package...to be safe, it's better not to send a package after the middle of Sept to Arg, just in case that it gets held back and then arrives after I have left, so just so you know.

A little bit about my week. So we had a tough Sunday. Sunday was election day for Argentina, it's a must to vote down here, if you don't vote, you get fined, so there was a lot of stuff happening around that this last week. Argentine elders had to go and vote, or show that they were living more than 500km from their home, they have to vote in their home town. So these were only the preliminaries and I believe that the presidential elections are coming in Oct or Nov, so we will see if I'm here for that. But it made for a great excuse for people to not go to church. haha Since it was obligatory, many people thought to go super early to still have the rest of the day. There was acutally a good amount of people that came to church, B-- disappeared on Saturday and Sunday and so he wasn't confirmed yet, so we will be working with him for this Sunday. Also we had A--, a girl that we found this last week as part of a part member family, that wasn't baptized, she came and the other two elders brought C-- and her daughter S--, so we are waiting for those two baptisms for this weekend and the next weekend after that for A--.

We talked to an old catholic lady that didn't believe that the Book of Mormon was true and that Joseph Smith had just written it. We tried testifying but it's hard for them to feel the spirit when they aren't listening. She was so sure that Mary was the reason that Jesus left to go and preach, a little crazy if you ask me. We gave her a book, but she's been avoiding us lately haha. But we found the 9 yr old girl right next door, so for something we had to talk to her.

I went to the despedida this last Sunday, it was weird seeing lots of missionary friends going home, something that I never thought that would happen. Oh, and I heard some wonderfull news. K-- from Savio was there at the despedida with her two little sisters and she told me that her family and G-- and A-- are all getting sealed in the temple on Sept. 7th and that all of the elders that were part of that are being invited and so I'm invited to go to the temple on Sept. 7th. That's going to be a wonderful treat. I helped G-- get baptized who was the boyfriend of A--, the older sister of K--, so I completed the family. ;) So I'm super happy for that. So that's a basic run down on the week.

So funnny story, Elder Popoca was trained in Mexico by Elder Scott, who was in the MTC with me, the tall brown haired elder that was on the bball team with me, he graduated a year before me. So I decided to send him a message through email, so I guessed his email address and last week I sent it, this week I received an email from an Elder Joshua Scott that's serving in Brazil haha, oops wrong address. So I'll have to try again...
Well, just so you know, the mission is expanding a lot. We just made 3 new zones, splitting the zones in 2. So lots of cool changes are coming. Elder Johnson and Elder Stewart, 2 of my sons in the mission, were called to be DL's.

The weather has been milding out, yesterday though it was cloudy and windy and kind of chilly so we are starting to enter spring time.

Well it's time for me to head out, but just know that I love you so, so much!! Have a great week and read your scriptures.  I'm right now in Alma 51, I'm reading for the first time the whole BofM in Spanish, so I'll finish right before I come home.

I also want to leave you all with my testimony that I know that Joseph Smith was a Prophet of God and that the Apostasy really happened and that we are led today by Prophets and Apostles. The Church is true and Jesus lives!!

Love,
Elder Ryan Pittard

The Lord answered our prayer in helping this missionary

Hey there wonderful family of mine, thanks again for the notes and love. :)

Well another good week and I can't believe that the weeks are flying like they are. We are already at the end of another transfer and the next week will be the start of another one.  So thanks again for the love and support and thinking about me down here in the southern hemisphere.

So we had a good week like I said. Let me explain...

Tuesday me and Elder Gonzales had to go to San Isidro for the ZL meeting with Pres, we got there early and so we decided to buy an shake in McD`s and haha they only offer coffee and croisants in the morning, how boring! So I had to wait till lunch to eat something. We had a great meeting. Pres was talking a lot about the goal that we wanted to set as a mission and he had each of us think and pray about the goal that we want to set as a zone, then he had us explain how we arrived at that number, then we added that number up and we ended up with 165 baptisms and 154 confirmations as a goal. Last month we ended up with 81 baptisms and 83 confirmations, so we have a high vision but it's what we need to do to be able to acheive higher and higher goals. The zone goal is 20 baptisms and 20 confirmations. We acheived 13 baptisms and 11 confirmations last month and so we are going to break our slump. We already have lots of fechas for this next Saturday and Sunday.

Wednesday we had our Zone meeting which is run by the zone leaders, so we had to prepare for a 3 hour meeting and it went well. We focused a lot on the goal and how we are going to acheive that goal, the stuff that we need to do to have more people in church and with fechas. Then we went and had a wonderful day, lots of lessons and we had a great ward night. 15 people came and we were able to play a game of mafia at the end. It's funny because they really didn't understand that well. After each round you have to talk and decide who you think is the mafia, nobody was talking haha, we had a wide selection of age groups and people playing, but it was fun. Hma Farnsworth, the senior couple, made chocolate chip cookies and they were really good :)

Thursday, me and Elder Calderon had to bike out to the far corner of our area in the rain to pick up the food to take back home. We were biking to save money. It's funny because the day before, my bike seat became loose and so the seat doesn't stay up by itself, so I had to balance myself for 30 minutes there and back. But we ate a lot of empanadas and we were filled.

That was the day that we figured out that she isn't technically married by the state, she`s only married by the Catholic church, ugh, so she now has to wait and get married first. She seemed a little disappointed about that, idk if she wants to get married, but we will have to help her understand the law of chasity better. If she doesn't want to follow that we will have to drop her, and there is a possibility that she might be moving, she doesn't know where to, but she`s being kicked out of the house that they are renting right now. The landlord wants to sell the house and has given them a month to find a new place, so a tough situation.

Friday, to help and motivate some less actives come to church we played some backyard soccer, (like the computer game) with bricks as the goals and the walls of the houses were still in bounds and the pile of dirt and rocks was still in bounds, it was fun and we played for like 15 minutes, then they ended up coming to church, we also played with an investigator friend, we ended up teaching his mom on Saturday night, but she didn't want to commit to come to church, so he didn't come either. Her excuse was that she didn't think that her "husband" would let her come, that's the common excuse, especially when the husband isn't there.

Saturday we started our fast, that's a big act of faith especially for a missionary, because you know that you'll be hungry walking around, but you just have to have faith that the Lord will strengthen you in your afflictions. I loved what I read this morning in personal study in Alma 38:10-15, Alma's counsel to his son Shiblon, it talked about being patient in the afflictions and then being sober while teaching and inviting everyone to repent and come unto Christ. Be bold but not overbearing. haha

That night B-- passed his interview, but while he was in the interview I received a call from the junior comp of one of our DL`s and he was really mad and they were fighting, in that moment the JC didn't want to listen to my counsel, then me and Elder Gonzales called when we got home and he didn't want to listen to us again. He wasn't wanting to pray for help to calm down so that we could work through the situation. Then we were flipping through the pages of the triple, he heard that and was like, hey close the book and open it and read the first scripture that you see! We felt prompted to follow that and so that's what we did. The Lord is amazing in what He can do. He guided us to Alma 10:6, we opened straight up to that and that's the first scripture that I saw. It talks about Amulek hardening his heart and not wanting to listen to the Lord. The elder stopped right there and was quiet for a second and then we asked him what had touched his heart, he said, I know that Jesus is the Christ and that I need to repent and change. It was a change of 180 degrees! It was a miracle that showed me that really the only teacher is the spirit and that the right scripture at the right moment makes a big impact on the person. Of course they have to accept it, but we are going to have a lot more success using that process of asking for help and then following what the Lord guides us to do. The Lord answered our prayer in helping this missionary calm down and be able to change his attitude with his companion. They worked it out and they actually were able to have somebody come to church. So that was an intense situation. haha

Then Sunday, yesterday, was a good day. The baptism was stress free and everything worked out great. There was hot water, then afterwards I was miraculously able to get the pump working to drain the water. There were lots of people there to support and the weather was great afterwards. Also we were given a mini snack afterwards. :) Then last night we were with a recent convert family where the parents aren't members and the dad doesn't want to talk to us, but we were talking with the mom who is more accepting. But she started asking us questions about why we need to do baptisms for the dead, as I was testifying of why we need to do those, the Spirit taught me, I really felt the importance of those. It was cool. :) Then the zone as a whole improved in every category from the last week so we are excited and the work is moving forward!!

Oh and to remind you all that next Monday I won't be emailing you because next Tuesday is our p-day because tranfers are on Tuesday. Don't forget!!!!

So that was my week and now to answer some of your questions.

Braden, hola amigazo, my week was normal, my comp is doing better and my favorite area so far has been Savio, the best memories, but I've loved every area that I've been in some sort of way. With regards to this next transfer coming up, I'm not sure what will happen, if I'm staying or I'm going to another area for my last 2 transfers, so I'll be sure to let you all know. I think that I'm leaving, but anything is possible.

Rachel, yes we did find 6 new investigators last week, so we are looking for the people that really want to listen and act upon our teachings. There is a difference between just a new investigator and a chosen one of God that is ready to except the gospel and be baptized. Yes,  I still miss you :) and sometimes I do think about home, I'm not going to lie, it's something on the back of every missionaries' mind, but the difference is in the missionary that lets those thoughts stop him from working or not. So far I'm still working well. haha I'm promising myself that I'm going to work hard to the end to feel good with myself. We actually have been keeping busy schedules with set appointments, but there are some days where things fall through and no one wants to talk, but if we didn't have those days, we wouldn't enjoy the good days that we have.

Jason, ha ha im fine, have a great week. pie.

Alex, yes my week was super duper good . Recently the Lord has blessed us with lots of new investigators and success in baptizing B--. Good luck with the homework, I dread having to do that again soon.  I loved the logo that you painted on the wall, it looks great, almost as good as my BYU Y ;)  I'm glad that you have such great art skills. Keep up the great work and working hard with bball!! I can't wait to see you play this year!! haha That was funny what happened to Collin. And no cows!?, what were you doing all week? haha Take care man of the house until Wednesday.
Hey there Mom, la guapa de las guapas. :)  No word yet on the internet privileges or ipads, thinking on the security down here, it'll probably be a long, long time till we receive ipads. But internet might be next year, but I'm not worrying about it, I'm not going to be there when we can, it's not meant for my generation.

That's cool that you were able to connect with your friend and what a coincedence that it's the same mission as Tanner. Haha  That's cool that Gma and Gpa Hilbig were able to go on a trip and that they were able to see Megan. Man, Kalispell is connected to everything haha. You'll have to send me the picture. That's cool what Megan's mom said, it's true, she is a great friend to me and we could talk about whatever thing and we just laughed the whole physics class the whole year. She also shares my passion for BYU sports, mainly the bball, so we were able to chat about that.

Does Alex need glasses or contacts, I forget if he already has, I think you told me yes. And thanks for keeping me updated on everything, I still feel like I'm part of the family. haha.

Yeah I need to remind myself of the importance of baptism, it's such a common thing down here that sometimes we lose the sight of what is really happening. But I always feel the Spirit strongly in every baptism.

Haha I loved the pics of jumping onto the trampoline, that's crazy haha.  They are getting so big! Also I loved the shoes of duct tape, those are cool haha, I need some of those right now. haha.jk My shoes are holding up and yes, I will bring both pairs home to show everyone.

That's crazy that Courtney put her papers in and that everything is happening so fast. Hopefully I can see her one more time before she goes. haha My guess in Arg BsAs North... haha no, I'm feeling like somewhere stateside. New York.

G---, the tortilla lady, didn't come to church yesterday because she had to go to Capital to work, so kind of disappointing.

I don't think that I'll be sick of eating pancakes, I actually hadn't thought about that possibility. I think that I'll stick to cereal when I get home. I miss a good bowl of honey nut cheerios with real milk haha.

I love you mom, know that I always think about you and the family and that I pray for you every day and night. Enjoy what's left of summer and sleeping in. hahahahahaha

Dad, thanks for the message, that's cool that we are on the same latitude. :) Welcome to my level. :) I'm glad that everything is on schedule and that you are enjoying your job and traveling to foreign countries. That's cool, Australia, and the Australian accent haha. People in Argentina sometimes love to hear me say something in English, haha. They aren't anti-American here, completely, but they aren't like, wow an American! They are more like that with the Mexicans. haha They always ask them, could you make us tacos? haha  That's cool that you enjoyed the Sunday in the church and that it was the same that happens in all of the world.

That's cool about the Australian rules football experience. I don't think that I've heard of that before, it's always about Rugby. I will need to go one day with you on one of your trips and have these same experiences.

Yay for BYU football, I'm counting down the days to that, 26 days. :) I'm excited for this year and I'm glad that I can at least see the end of the season. It's hard having to wait until Monday to read the email, especially when they lost so many close ones last year.

Well, I love you all so, so much and I hope that you all have a great week and that Dad gets home safely on Wednesday, and that everyone says their morning and evening prayers, and that they can read from the scriptures everyday!!

I love each and everyone of you so, so much! :)

Love,
Elder Ryan Pittard

So to start off describing the picture, it's B--'s baptism!!! Yeah, we were super excited. This last Tuesday we were able to teach him really well on the Word of Wisdom and he had already stopped drinking a little while back and so we just had to commit him to stop doing that stuff and to keep learning more and more about the church. He didn't drink or smoke at all this last week and passed the interview with flying colors. He is super shy and has passed through lots of trials in his life, so I'm glad that we were able to help him with this decision. I'm glad that Elder Calderon was able to baptize him, they really have become really good friends especially since they are from the same place in Bolivia.

G--, the recent convert, was also really excited for her cousin. Her mom had come to sacrament meeting, but then had to go but was supposed to come back but didn't show up. She's dealing with some struggles and so she's always sad or emotional, but she loves that we keep coming by and teaching her about Jesus Christ. So we will see with her, she is now living with another guy and that guy would have to get divorced first to be able to get married to be able to be baptized. It's all a mess, that's why we should get married to somebody that really loves us and we really love them in the temple to insure the most success and happiness in this life. That's my goal!

Elder Popoca is still with us, he was taking the picture.

Yesterday we had the most attendance at church that we have ever had while I've been here. 110 people came to sacrament meeting, normally there are 70-80, but lots of less-actives came to church and the ward is starting to gain ground thanks to the recently called bishop. He has just barely called two counselors and an Elder's quorum president. That was cool to see in person because only the Stake President can confer those keys to the elder's quorum president.

Hey there everybody, here I am at our outdoor bbq, commonly known as an Asado down here :) It was delicious and a great way to finish fast Sunday. :)

 

It consisted of chorizo (sausage), meat (all parts of the cow), and blood sausage (which I didn't eat because I have tried it before and it wasn't my favorite thing to eat), and it also had some chicken on the grill. We ate it all with Peruvian hot sauce and potatoes and rice. It was the same humble Peruvian family that lives in the middle of nowhere in a wooden shack, but they were nice enough to treat us to an asado. It was really good and I was filled up, we also downed the greasy meat with cheap cherry soda, la bichy ahora, so we are eating good down here right now .:)

 

And yes, I'm still wearing my purple tie, every fast Sunday. It's funny because every youth wants to trade me ties, but this is one tie that I just can't give away. haha

 

It was a relatively hotter day, the last time that we went out there, just 2 weeks ago it was -4 degrees celcius, which is like 25 degrees F, and now it was probably like 15 degrees C, or for you North Americans, 60 degrees F, so a big climate change in just two weeks.

 

 

Well who is that good looking soccer player? the river plate player!! haha This was this morning right before we left. Yes, I did cut my hair this last week. Actually, Elder Calderon cut it, and then I finished up the details afterwards.

 

He is wearing the purple Boca jersey, our rivals, but it's funny that that's the alternate colors because it's nothing like the blue and gold that Boca normally wears. But I do like the dark purple, it reminds me of Lehi!!! Oh and I loved what Alex is painting, it reminds me of my glory days of room painting. :)  Lots of love!!

That was a mini blessing from the Lord

Hey there family!!! 
I can't believe that another week has passed and that we are super close to August already, once again... this second year is passing by faster then the first.

How's it going? :) always have to ask.

 

Well like you can imagine from the pics the second pair of shoes are starting to wear down and I'm holding on to the end.

 

 

I was able to glue it and it looks better now, but it's just a sign of oldness. But I'm enjoying the days that I have and I'm taking advantage of the time that we have left to baptize everybody!! So thanks once again for the notes, I love hearing from you every week without missing a beat. 

 

Well to tell you about my week, it was super normal. We had a normal pday but we had a fun experience on Tues at the Zone Conference. So we got up early and we were on the train that leaves from JCP and we took that to Palermo and then we were able to take the subte to the church, I remembered how to get there perfectly, I still recognize how to get almost everywhere. It has changed a lot though, just the faces of the buildings and the ads. But the conference was nice. We were able to listen to Pres and we talked about the pioneers and their sacrifice and that how we were out here to find pioneers and that some of the missionaries out here are pioneers in their families.

 

Then Pres has been talking a lot about thinking about the future, he's all about planning and thinking ahead. He had the office couple share their experience of how they met and how they knew it was the right one and all that sort of stuff. Pres has been talking a lot about marriage and preparing for that day and for finding the right one. I don't even want to think about that right now, it scares me that the light in the tunnel is bigger and bigger haha. I like the simple life that the mission is, responsibility is just around the corner and I'm going to have to prepare for that.

 

Then Pres gave the ZL's a time to share something, we were together with Zone Belgrano. So we were able to share and it was cool to think about where I'm at right now and how far I've come. Then we got a surprise, we were informed that we were going to go and take a bus and travel out to the 3 de Febrero park in Palermo where South America was dedicated for the work in 1925 by Melvin J Ballard. I didn't know that that was in my old area, of course I had been to the park before but it's not called that right now because they divided it up into lots of smaller parks, but we all took the bus and got there and then Pres read the words that were said in the dedicatory prayer and then we sang a couple of hymns, we were like 40 missionaries in the middle of the park. It was a sweet spirit to think that we are part of the fulfillment of those prophecies and that we are hastening the work down here where it all started in BsAs.

 

Then Wednesday I had to go to San Fernando to help Elder Popoca, the elder from Mexico, do some paperwork stuff for his Arg ID. Elder Gonzales didn't know how to get there so I had to go. We were able to get back home by 12:30pm so it was a quicker process. We ate lentejas with the Patriarch and his wife. Then walking home from lunch I found 25 pesos in the middle of the street and there was nobody around and so that was a mini blessing from the Lord, I hadn't been asking for money but he just blessed us with enough to survive the week to where I didn't need to take out more personal money. The ward was also nice enough to help us out and we had big lunches all week, but we had to teach the newer elders to learn not to think with their stomach and hold back on how much that they eat so that everyone can eat and so that we have enough to make it through. We did and we will be fine for this next week and month.

 

Thursday, so throughout the week so far we had been teaching G--, the tortilla lady that sells on the corner of the street right across the street from the church. She actually came to church yesterday and we are super excited for her. She has read a little bit and says her prayers. We believe that she's married and we have been teaching her at her stand on the side of the road, sometimes it's hard to teach right there but she has a tough schedule. But we were actually able to teach her once in her house, and she has a date for August 11th.

 

Friday, a member, P--, made us (actually we helped form most of them) but she made us 120 empanadas in the church. There were 6 there eating and so everyone had to eat 20 for their portion, I got there, everyone else, no. There was a ton that was left over, but I was super hungry and I ate a lot, I was stuffed, it was fun... :) Then just 2 hours later we were talking with G-- and having the daily contact with her to make sure that she got confirmed, and her mom who is totally supportive, invited us in to eat a plate of oven cooked chicken, over full!! haha Her mom can't be baptized because she isn't married and her "husband" has to get divorced as well, they don't want to do the paperwork right now.  G-- can be a really strong member but we just have to help her make the friends in the ward and have her family come to church as well, she's a pioneer for her family. We are also working with the cousin, B-- and he came to church on Sunday and we were able to put the date with him for this next Sunday. He will have to commit to stop drinking but I think that he'll get there.

 

Saturday, I had to go and do 3 interviews for a couple of areas, but we had a good weekend as a zone with people coming unto Christ and being baptized. It's fun to talk to people and to see the conversion that they have had.

 

Yesterday, I got to do something that I've never had the chance to do down here. We were asked to bless the sacrament for an older lady in the ward that has trouble walking and seeing and so we were able to do that in her home yesterday. Then I showered last night to be able to get up early to go to Retiro for the paperwork and now I'm back home writing you guys. :)

 

Oh, also in choir, the choir teacher wants us to sing a verse of Called to Serve in English, all of the missionaries, idk but I like singing in English again.

 

Alex, that's totally awesome that you enjoyed EFY so much!! Any cow's? ;) I'm glad that you were able to go with friends and that you enjoyed the dances. Don't eat a ton of junk food, counsel of the week... haha

 

Jason, thanks for writing to me and Tanner we appreciate the notes and the support from home. Thanks also for the inspired question, to answer that: blessing the sacrament for the older lady in the ward, it was super simple but super special at the same time. It was nice to know that we were instruments in the hands of the Lord to bring that saving ordinance to her so that we could help her out. That's too bad about being sick at your state meet, but you'll get it next time.

 

Braden, don't worry its a good lesson that you are going to learn and then you'll be able to look back on the experience later on and laugh, just like when I went golfing in the back yard in TN. Yeah you shouldn't be hitting golf balls at the house, yeah I wasn't thinking in that moment. haha Funny now, not back then when I had to pay for the broken window.

 

Camryn, thanks for the cute note, yes we have enough food, not as much as I wish we could have, but we are good, and yes I like the food down here. What's your favorite food? oh and thanks for the pic that you drew me when your primary class all sent me a note. I loved your note and flowers that you drew, and yes there are a lot of flowers here, not in the fields but lots of people have flowers in their front yards.

 

Rachel, thats awesome that you didn't break your head and that you had fun playing card games.
I played a version of Uno this last week with G-- and her friends, they were being rowdy and to calm them down we decided to play a game with them with their face cards that they had. We were able to talk to them as we played, of course I lost, they were cheating haha. Also that's cool that you get to sing almost a solo in the primary program, when is that again?

 

Tanner... oh wait he's not there anymore, but don't worry we've already written. It's fun to have another brother on a mission and having the same experiences that I've had. :) It's been 20 months since i've seen him face to face, what's another 20? haha

 

Dad, time traveler! Thanks for the love and support and for upping my self confidence. Sometimes I don't feel like I'm apt to be a leader, but the Lord helps and lifts me up. Thanks for the faith Dad. :) Enjoy the trip and take lots of cool pics, I want to see one next week. :)

 

Mom, she's not trunky, haha I didn't realize that today was the 100th day left. I remember the day before I was to enter the MTC and I was writing on facebook for the last time, I saw that Jordan Smith's mom had posted that her son had hit the 100 days left and was the next one to come home, haha. Oh how the time has passed by! And now he's married and on with his life. What will the next 2 years bring, it's fun and exciting.

 

That sounds like a great idea, I can help with the new deck with the new carpenter skills that I've acquired on the mission, also the computer programming skills and house building skills and language translation skills and the electricity skills and breaking things skills and cooking skills, lots of stuff that I've learned on the mission. haha

 

Wow, school in 3 weeks, crazy, and football in a month!!!

 

Well that's it from me this week and I hope that you all have a great week. Stay safe and get the tv back soon!! ;) haha

 

Love,

Elder Ryan Pittard

 

On the train this morning heading back home after a long day of paperwork, for him, I was just there. It was funny, there was a group of new American missionaries that were from the west mission that were there to start all of the paperwork and they were having trouble with their paperwork, so I was able to be there to speak with the guy that was kind of frustrated because he couldn't help them understand. I was able to help out, the issue wasn't resolved, but it was funny that they were all out there all on their own and that I remember when I was in their shoes, and so I'm glad that I was able to help them out. I was able to brag that I personally know Pres Carter haha. We had an hour and 15 min bus ride to the mission offices, leaving at 6:30am, and then we were standing in the train for another 50 min and then we were in lines for like 2 hours in the immigrations building and then we got onto the train that would take us straight to Jose C Paz. So the adventures of paperwork, I'm glad that I'm all done with mine. I've been in that building like 6 or 7 times.

Well here I am making pancakes for the band. Every morning I'm like this in my chair, sometimes I write in my journal, other times I'm talking to elders in the zone on the phone, or I'm reading the Liahona or just watching my pancakes rise, but it's been a year straight that I've had a hot breakfast, so I'm glad that I was able to acquire this life saving skill while I was down here. :)

Well after a long tough day we are still rocking and rolling. Haha. This is the tie that I bought in an out door market in Savio for 3 pesos, which is like less than a dollar.

We are surviving the deadly cold, a little exagerration but still...haha

Hey there, how's it going? :)  We are fine down here and we are surviving the deadly cold, alright exagerration but still... haha

Well, I'm doing great and I have some crazy news as well. So Tuesday night we got a call from the assistants informing us that Pres wanted every companionship of ZL`s to train the new incoming elders that were waiting for their visas and so for at least three weeks we are going to be cramped in our tiny pension with two more elder, buy they are great, Elder Calderon is my trainee for three weeks and he is from Santa Cruz, Bolivia and was waiting in the Cochebamba mission for 4 months. Elder Popoca from Puebla, Mexico is with Elder Gonzales, we are still comps but we are basically doing divisions everyday with them.

So now that brings up new problems that were not forseen. We first have two hungry mouths in the pension and all of the snacks quickly went away and we now are having to save the little food that we have until the end of the month, we have lunches almost everyday but we will have to hold out until the end of the month, also we will have to clean the clothes and be walking a lot more. So this will either be a very long week or a short week, depends on the attitude, right? haha So hopefully I have money to write to you guys next week. haha I think that I should.

Also, we received a second phone but the other group of elders frankly unwilling lost the other cell phone that very same night, so we still have one phone for the 4 of us, and then we are having two elders shower at night and two in the morning so that everyone can have a hot shower. So a lot changed this last week, haha but I'm learning how to handle the new situation and then analize it and then make the best decisions, just like in life right? This is reminding me a lot of living 4 elders in one tiny apartment in Juncal and Constitucion, so we should be fine.

So crazy story mom, that's awesome that you were able to see Tanner walking by, haha. I'm sure that you were happy about that. I'm glad that everyone had a great week and enjoyed the weather and activities. That's awesome that Tanner called so early, but I'm sure that he sounds really great and that he's ready for the challenges that will meet him in just a couple of hours. But he'll do fine and succeed. And yes he responded to my email that I sent him and he sounded fine, but I can't wait to see pics and read his first email home

So to tell you about the area. So we are not dividing the area, except that we are 4 missionaries in the same area and we can go where ever and work with whomever, but we do have areas where we are working more, I've been sticking more around the church and Elder Gonzales has been in the back woods area, like 30 blocks behind the church. But I still could go back there to help them out in a cita and they have been here helping us out. We aren't using the bikes because of the weather, it was raining off and on last week and the cold just enters our clothes haha, but we are blessed to be in the houses of the people next to their heaters teaching them.

 

We prepared R-- and G-- for their baptisms and I went to a couple of areas to do interviews, as a zone there was 6 baptisms and so that was a great weekend for our zone. We had a productive week here because we were combing numbers because we are still the same area. Out of the 15 new inestigators, none of them are progressing, we have been finding alot but we need to find the prepared people. It was funny Saturday we had a tiny lunch with the bishop and then in our three visits that day we were fed something and so that was a small blessing from the Lord. This week we have our zone conference in Palermo, so I get to go back at least once more.

 

Well, I sure hope that you all have a great week and that you are enjoying the heat, I'm actually grateful for the cold because I don't like the heat as a missionary. haha

 

Have a great week and know that I'm fine. I love you all so so much!!

 

I know that the Church is true and I know that Jesus Christ himself leads and guides this church. I know that the prophet has the power and authority from God and that as we read, pray and go to church we will always be in the right path.

 

Enjoy the week and take care, love the pics that you sent!!

 

Love,

Elder Ryan Pittard  

So this is the baptism of R--, and yup as you can see we are 4 missionaries in JCP2, so we are enjoying that. Luckily the water was warm and so it wasn't super cold. The wind was killing me in this picture.

  

The baptism of G--, we were super excited for her because she was a contact in the street when we were lost heading to lunch, but she was super prepared and she's only 12 and I had the privilege to baptize her and luckily once again in warm water. :)

 

Here I am walking through the neighborhoods of JCP, a cloudy Sunday morning with the wind bearing down, it was a cold day. They said that at noon it was -4 degrees C so we are fine, but a lot colder than last year.

 

We ate lunch yesterday with them, she is member and he is not. They are from Peru but have been in BsAs for a long time. They live in a tiny wooden house in the middle of a field, really far away from the main route. We got lost trying to find this house yesterday, because they are all like that and we had never been before. But we ate some really good rice with chicken and salad and all topped in Peruvian hot sauce, but the Mexican elder says that there's even hotter hot sauce in Mexico. Yeah I'm kind of taller then everyone, that's pretty normal down here. Oh and it was there that we saw "snow flakes", it was also just starting to rain as well. We quickly went home and changed for the rest of the day, but we are surviving in this deadly weather. ;)

                                                              

The Lord was trying our faith as every single one fell through

Well hey there :)  Thanks for the note and letters and I loved hearing from you all. :)  I sure hope that you all had a splendid week.

Well to first explain my week...

We had another great week! But it didn't start out like that haha (that's for Rachel) I know I use that a lot, because I want you all to know that I'm happy!

 

Anyways, Monday night was a crazy night, we didn't find anybody new and we received a call from the elders that live right around the corner from us that they were locked out of their pension. Well technically, the key wasn't working or turning to let them in. It's not the first time that it's happened. So we returned home and we got our key and we tried it but it wasn't working. So we tried cutting down the thin metal bars in the door window with some tools that a neighbor had lent them, nope. And it was 10 pm at night and the next day was 9 de julio, or their independence day and so there wasn't any locksmith open or avaiable at that time. So we had to have a sleepover Monday night. I offered up my bed and I slept on a mattress on the floor and we were able to make it work out. They left in the morning and were able to miracously find a locksmith to help them out and get back into their apartment.

 

Tuesday, long day, long story, so it's Independence Day and it rained almost all day. But when we left the pension there was no thought of rain or cold. So by the time that we were able to head over to lunch it started to rain, not pouring but it wasn't sprinkling either. I had on my rain coat and then just a sweater underneath. I was fine, or so I thought. So we get to lunch and we start eating these really good raviolies and then we sat by the open fire to share a spiritual thought, we were nice and warm and dry. But then I had to put back on my wet coat and by this time it was pouring and I got soaked, the rain coat was soaked through and it was starting to get cold. I thought that I was fine, that we would be in the houses of the people and that I could survive the day. Well we were able to teach R-- right there, but then the rest of the day it was a lot of walking in the cold while I was freezing. We were on the bus heading out to A-- and that's when my head started hurting. So we were walking around in the cold and mud for an hour and a half, A-- wasn't there, the crazy uncle was watching our every move and then another person that I knew over there wasn't home. So as we were heading back, my whole body was aching and I didn't feel good.

 

So I told my companion and we decided to quickly have a contact with G-- to have daily contact. Haha, I was out of that lesson, and as we were walking back to the bus stop in front of the church, I threw up right around the corner from the church, luckily in a field away from people, but I wasn't able to wash out my mouth because we took the first bus that was heading home and then we walked into the door, I changed out of everything into warm clothes and then I went to bed early. I was so cold, but I slept good throughout the night and I woke up the next morning feeling fine, or so I thought. I ate the pancakes fine and half way through my studying my head started hurting and I was just really weak. So I went and lied down and that was my story for most of Wednesday.

 

Yeah Iwas resting in bed when Tanner entered the MTC, I wasn't able to sleep much, but I remember looking down at the clock and it saying 4:32pm and that was a weird thought thinking that Tanner had just entered the MTC. But my companion was able to work it out so a member could come stay with me and his younger brother went with him to go and work. I felt a little bit better and I left at 6:30 pm to go and meet up with my companion. It was only my head hurting and I was able to eat whatever I wanted. I think that it was the combination of the food, cold and wetness all day that just had a negative effect on my body, but I'm good now. :)  I had lots of energy on Thursday to go and work. So don't worry Mom, I'm fine. ;)

 

So on Thursday we officially figured out that A-- lives just outside the official mission boundary. There had been a confusion on the ward and stake boundaries. So we weren't able to baptize him this last Sunday, he lives in the west mission. You need to ask Hermana Carter if the elders of the ward Jardines went and contacted the referral, haha, and tell her hi from me and that I'm just in Jose C Paz on the the other side of Moreno. So we were pretty sad about that.

 

Friday I went on divisions with a Colombian, Elder Florez, and we had a good day, but up until that point we hadn't found anyone in the whole week. So we went into Saturday with the determination to find lots of people, which the Lord blessed us with. We found 15 people in an hour and a half that all live on the same street, so a big miracle. Friday I had asked for a referral from a young boy and he set me up with these two kids that lived on the corner on his street, So we passed by and set up a cita for Saturday at 5. We passed by and we were able to teach the kid, his mom and like 5 of his friends that were there whom we invited. Then we wanted to talk to all of the kids' parents if possible and so we were able to find a couple people through that. We contacted this one kid's aunt and we left her a pamphlet and then we went to go and contact a couple that we had stopped on the street just 5 min before. We talked a little bit with that couple and they committed to come to church. Then we were walking back and I saw through the window, L-- with her sisters looking through the pamphlet that we had left her so we clapped and they let us in to share. 6 more new investigators right there and they all committed to come to church. So as we were leaving the cita we had found 15 news just like that. So it just goes to show that the Lord really is preparing people to listen. But he also is testing us for our ability to find them.

 

So we were super excited for Sunday, we were waiting for like 20 people to come to church and so we get out there to go look for them, because they all lived within 3 min walking to the church. But then the Lord was trying our faith as every single one fell through. G--, when we passed by, said that she was sick, but we were able to convince her that she would feel better if she at least came to the first hour of church. So G-- showed great faith and came to sacrament meeting and kept her fecha for this next Sunday. Then the Lord blessed us with 3 members who brought friends to church and then a boy showed up all on his own, so we ended up with 5 in church and lots of blessings. We were able to reschedule fechas with R-- and R-- who didn't come and so now we ended the week still with 5 fechas and 5 in church. We also found a 9 yr old boy that needs baptism and he will be baptized this Saturday, so we are waiting for two for this next weekend.

 

So now a little bit about your week...

 

Hey there Dad of two missionaries, you fit the title. That's cool that everything went smoothly for dropping Tanner off, sounds fun eating at Costa Vida, oh how I miss Mexican food! I loved the pics in front of the Mt Timp temple, super green!

 

haha of course Mom would want to try and see Tanner again haha, I'm sure that he is doing fine. That's fun that you and Jason are so involved in coin collecting. I'm glad that someone picked up your hobby to do it with you. Of course I already have the whole collection picked out and packed away, one step ahead of ya.

 

I'm glad that I'm a missionary now and not back then, (early Church history) it would be 100% different. Remember not to send anything after the middle of Sept, just because it might get here after I have left. Oh and two weeks ago I received the packages with the shirts and stuff, thanks for the nice new shirt what a gift!

 

To my wonderful mother who has prepared two missionaries that are currently serving the Lord, sup?

When I trained Elder Johnson, me and Elder Gonzales were training together and he came over for one night to stay with me and then we went and picked up our kids together. That was January 1st, so a long time ago. We leave at the same time so we both have lots of experience.  Elder Brown left the jacket and I picked it up, oh I forgot to mention it also poured on Thursday afternoon and I was wearing that jacket and it got my white shirt dirty underneath.

 

So out of all of the new investigators, only a couple are really progressing but that's what it requires to find the really ready people in Jose C Paz.

 

Yeah we haven't heard anything about the new dress standards, but some of the poorer Latin missionaries were already wearing whatever thing that they could bring or find, I think that's why they decided to make the change. Yeah I wouldn't want to wear sandles down here, that first would be weird and yes lots of mud. Don't worry I'm taking better care of my other pair of shoes and I'm cleaning off the mud everynight. So these ones should last longer.

 

That's nice to know that you are adjusting good to having another son gone, but don't worry mom, I'll be home soon enough and I'll bring back the balance, but yeah that would be weird not having Tanner around, I'm going to miss that guy.  I wrote Tanner a small note and sent him the pics as well. I'm thinking that I'll have to wait until next week to read his response, so anyways I hope that you all are doing great today and that you all have a great week!

 

I know that this is the true church and everyday my testimony is strengthened because of what I learn and the examples in the lives of others that aren't of our church. I'm grateful for the Book of Mormon and the words of the modern day prophets. Take care and I love you all so so much!!!

 

Love,

Elder Ryan Pittard