New Email Address

February 22, 2010

Hey everyone! How are things going? So, first the little bits of news. First of all, they changed the schedule for the conference so if you were planning on writing me tomorrow, sorry, I’ll get your email next week. And also, the church has just recently changed email systems for missionaries and stuff and it´s supported by Google and it works well, so now that that is ready, this email address is the one that I should be using from now on. If it doesn’t show up on your list it is the following. ´jeffrey.rose@myldsmail.net´ I guess the church worked with Google to get it made so it works a lot better now. So you can continue sending the emails to ´cheboludo44@gmail.com´ and I will still get them or you can send them directly to this one. But the other ones (lamasrose77 and jeff.rose) won´t exist here in a little bit.

But yeah, so everything here is going pretty good. Elder Wade and I are having fun and working hard. He is a really cool kid and I am glad to have gotten to be with him. As for our investigators, things are going better. We have one who is really cool. His name is Rodrigo and he is 25 years old. He has eye problems to the point where he really can´t see so it is hard for him to read and all that. So we burned the scriptures on CD and we assign him ´listening´ assignments and we leave him with movies and stuff like that. We try to pass by at least once a day and sometimes have the opportunity to pass by twice. He has a lot of questions and his story is really cool. He has gone to church twice and he has a baptismal date for the 6th. We´ll see if he can really get an answer by then. I would love to see him get baptized before I leave the area.

It has been raining a ton lately. Since I really only have one good pair of shoes left I wear my dress shoes until they get completely soaked and then I leave them in the apartment to dry and wear other shoes. It has been pretty good weather though. It still gets way too hot for anyone to enjoy, but the rain keeps it at least a little bit under control.

:) love you guys, hope all is going well. Take Care!

Elder Jeff Rose

Happy Valentine's Day

Everything here is pretty good I have got to say. It has been a bit of a difficult week because of the parties that are going on for Carnival and all that but we are doing what we can. We have kind of been starting over recently with new investigators and stuff like that. I think I may have already mentioned that.

As far as all that goes, things are good. We had two investigators that were in church yesterday, one who´s name is Rodrigo. He was found by the other elders but lives in our area. He is a cool guy, he has really bad vision due to cancerous growths in his eyes, so it is difficult for him to read and all that, but we are trying to figure out a way to help him out. If you have any ideas, let me know. Then we had the friend of two young men in the ward that we spoke with the other day and they brought him to church. One of those two young men was baptized recently due to the other friend and now they are working on another; they are quite the team. We found a really cool kid last night after church too.

So after church it was a rather difficult day. We went to try and visit probably about 7 or 8 people and nobody wanted to talk to us, so we were with a member and we went to the church for a moment to figure out what we should do. We left the church and had decided to visit one more person and then to go and knock doors. That person wasn't there and so we went to knock doors. This member, Ricardo, one of the converts since I have been here, is preparing for his mission. So I asked him where he would like to knock doors. We followed him and the first house that we knocked where someone was home, they let us in. It was an 18 year old kid with his grandpa. He listened intently while Ricardo helped him understand. We felt the spirit. He accepted a baptismal date for the 13 of March. He was a direct answer to a prayer. I know he was; so that was a good end to a so so day. So for this week we weren't able to accomplish all of what we wanted to do, and I felt kind of down about it, but hopefully we can get some more stuff done this week.

Today for p-day we were going to go fishing, but the people who we were going to go with got here at 9:30 when they said they’d be here at 7 so we decided not to go. We cleaned, which was really good and we got some time to rest. For lunch I whipped up some of the chicken salad you sent me and shared it with some of the other elders. It has been a good time this past little while, I have learned a lot and I am looking forward to seeing how we can put it into action.

But how are things out your way going? How was your Valentine’s Day, do anything fun? Whatever all of you that are reading this were up to I hope it was enjoyable. I love you all and I look forward to hearing from you again next week. Let me know what´s up and if you have any new questions. Oh and by the way, next week p-day is changed to Tuesday because zone conference is on Monday. Just for next week though, it is still on Mondays normally. Well.... take care! Love you all. Bye.

--Elder Jeff Rose

Fishing!

It has been hailing and raining here for the past little bit and has delayed our travels. I have to go up to Jujuy with my comp so that I can do divisions with the zone leaders today and tomorrow and then I will be back to my area on Wednesday, then back up to Jujuy on Thursday for district meeting and all that good stuff. Sooooo... things here are going well. Starting today and going backwards. We went fishing today for p-day; I’ll put some pictures up of that. It was pretty cool. Didn't get any pictures of the fish cause I didn't have my camera on me but I pulled out 4 or 5 fish (I can´t remember). It was pretty fun. We just bought some bamboo poles and strung up a little string and for bait we dug up some worms and then we used some flour and water and mixed it up into a simple dough. Amazing that it actually worked as well as it did.

The weekend was not so spectacular but it was decent. We really got fodged (stood up) for about 3 days straight. Not one of the appointments that we had scheduled went through. We still got some stuff done but it was really a lesson learned on the struggle that we sometimes have and how to get past them. We have a few decent investigators right now. We are working to get them going; hopefully we can help them out. We kind of are starting over at the moment. We dropped a lot of people and are trying to find new ones. And we still don´t have a cell phone so that is a bit of a problem. But through all of this, I am happy and I have been working hard and having a good time with my comp.

Elder Wade is a stud. We get along really great. I hope that I can teach him good and help him out. It is like dad said, “who knows where I will be in this next transfer.” I don´t know if I am gone but I kind of have a feeling that I am. And on top of that once you are in a ward this long and you visit members and less actives and start learning the deep dark secrets of the area, you kind of start wanting a new place to be. But no matter where I am I will be working, so all I hope for is a comp that will work and people that will listen. And with that I am happy. And that is what I have right now so I am happy and I am smiling. Thanks to all you guys for everything and your continued letters. I love you all. Take care.

-------Elder Jeff Rose--------

This week has been pretty good

It was not the absolute best week ever; but it wasn’t a complaining worthy week either. The best part of the week was Wednesday. On Monday and Tuesday I was on divisions with the other two elders in Perico. On Wednesday I went up to the bus terminal in Jujy all on my lonesome and met up with the other elders and sisters that were going to be training. It was a decent ride down. I finally got to meet and actually talk to one of my brothers in the mission (we had the same trainer). That was cool. So we went to president’s house and hung out a bit, ate lunch and then got our companions. Once again I got a gringo. I don’t know if that means that president thinks that I am good at teaching Spanish or thinks my accent would drive a native crazy or what, but I am super stoked to be with my new kid. His name is Elder Wade from Rexburg, Idaho. He is super cool. I’ll send you pictures of us next week when I have my camera. We´re doing really well and he actually speaks Spanish fairly decently.

So then on Thursday we had a district meeting and the biggest highlight is that the other elders lost their second phone in a month and this time it was mine. So that is why this week was kind of a downer. Cause we had a ton of investigators that we were supposed to go see and members to go with us but we couldn't communicate with any of them so we didn't have a whole lot of success. We found some new families that seem like they may be good, we´ll see. We had one investigator (the wife of a member) go to church on Sunday. We´ll see how that goes. She almost got baptized once, but then she just kind of disappeared. Our other investigators are just kind of there for now. We are struggling getting them to come to church, but that is the normal battle. We have been working a lot more with referrals from members lately and it seems like we might be finding some good stuff and there may be some good things going for us. We will just have to work and see.

Today for p-day we went and played with the bees again. I had to get the pictures back that I lost and the only way was to relive the experience. This time I had about 25 bees sting me but none of them got through the clothes nor the suit so I am perfectly fine (oh the miracles of modern inventions, right?) it was raining a ton today too so as we hiked up the mountains to get to the bees I felt as if I was in the military or something running through the forest in the pouring rain with a big backpack cutting my way through with a machete. Oh, if only you could have seen me!! It was super cool. Anyway, so things are good here. I am glad to hear from you guys that things are good out your way too. Keep up the good work, stay focused, be good and I love you all a ton. Never forget it.

Elder Jeff Rose

Upcoming New Companion

Things here are just turned all upside down. Not in a bad way though. Transfers came in a little earlier this time, Thursday night instead of Friday night and the news was that Elder Macovichuk was gone and I am staying. And guess what, I´m training again! I guess president thinks I did something right. I am also still district leader though the district is smaller now. The organization in the mission has changed a lot.

On top of p-days being on Mondays now, the 12 or 13 zones that there were before
have now been combined into 8 zones. They are a lot bigger and there is more
distance between the areas. The zone leaders are now comp iguales, I don´t know
what that would be in English, but it means that there is not a junior or senior
comp, they are the same time in the mission about. Then the whole zone leader
counsel and zone conference things have changed a little bit. So know I am
district leader of me, my comp, the other two elders in Perico and the elders of
Monterrico, that will be interesting because those elders are struggling a bit.
Hopefully we can help them out.

So with my new comp I have to be down in Salta on Wednesday morning around 10:00 to pick him up. He´ll be fresh from the MTC again but I have no idea if he is a gringo or a Latino. Either way the experience will be fun to go down to Salta and be with all the other elders and hermanas that are training and all that. I am kind of bummed I didn't have that opportunity with Macovichuk.

So the things have changed up a little bit but that's always a good thing every once in a while. So the baptism on Saturday went well. There was only one person who was able to participate because the other one that we had plans to have that day as well was not able to come to church. The whole thing with her family and how they obligate her to work in the family store is kind of making it hard because she works weekends until 4 in the morning so she has a tough time coming to church at 9. We are still working with her though. We actually have an appointment with her tomorrow
night so hopefully she can get the support she needs from the family and all
that.

We are also still working with a couple of the other investigators that I have been mentioning in the last couple of emails. Some new items that are pretty cool. On Sunday we were passing by a members house and business and we saw them trying to fix their car. We offered a hand if they needed it. They said that yes they needed help getting the car push started but first they wanted us to give one of the son's wife a blessing. We did and then the other son said that he wanted us to make an appointment with his wife to talk to her because now she wants to get baptized. Then we helped them push start the car and they gave us a bag of pastries and such (they own a bakery!) So that was cool.

To say the least, Macovichuk was a little bummed since that happened right as he
is leaving, but, what can you do? So right now in Argentina it is almost
carnival season. That means a lot of water balloons, buckets of water, and other
stuff. It doesn't start technically until the 5 or 9th of February or something
like that but that doesn't stop the village goers from trying to get the
missionaries wet and dirty wherever we go. It is rather entertaining actually
trying to dodge them all the time. It's good exercise :).

But anyways, we sent Macovichuk off at about 9 this morning and now it is just me hanging out with the other periqueños until my kid gets here. Thanks for everything you guys. I love you all and I appreciate everything you do.

 

 

Testimony and Pictures

Things that are going on here are pretty exciting. Not amazing, but they are cool. The baptism that we will be having is actually this Saturday at 5 our time. I think I may have told you that it was the last Saturday. We have one baptism for sure and there is a slim possibility for another but we have some good investigators that are close, they just have some challenges to overcome. Martin Suarez is scheduled for baptism this Saturday. We also have Natalia Lopez and Mikaea Moyata scheduled for baptism in a couple of weeks. We have a few more that are in the early stages of the teaching process but are very very good people who I would be thrilled to see get baptized.

If there is one thing that I have learned recently, most of the time it is not our desires that get fulfilled, but rather the desires of the Lord. These things depend highly on us because without us it would be more difficult for the Lord to do his work. I am not saying it wouldn't get done, but I am saying that we are really a key element in the Lord´s work and his glory. I know that whatever the Lord calls us to do, He is completely confident in our abilities to fulfill the tasks that have been turned over to us so far as we trust in the Lord. I have learned most on the mission that when we are always pleading for His help we are blessed. We may not be serving full-time missions but we are all missionaries in some way, shape or form, and whom the Lord CALLS he Qualifies. Don´t ever be afraid to do what the Lord has called you to do and don´t ever slack off either. Sometimes we get overwhelmed and discouraged.

I have a little theme in the mission. “The only time it is acceptable to not be standing up straight is when we are on our knees in prayer." We will go and we will do and we will receive the reward. We all know that is what we want so let´s forget ourselves and get to work. Whatever the challenge, whatever the struggle, whatever the concern, and whatever problem we have, if we take care of our stewardship's in the Lord´s kingdom, he´ll take care of us. ASK HIM, he will give; and in abundance. I know that this is true because I have been more highly blessed and favored of the Lord during these last 14 months than at any other point in my life. And I do not say that lightly, because my childhood was wonderful. I was given wonderful parents, a chosen brother and sisters. But there are certain things that I cherish that I have seen in my mission that just go beyond description. I am sure you can understand, if not, the Lord will allow you to experience what I have experienced if you ask sincerely for the opportunity.

The other details such as the language and things like that are important, but they are, nonetheless, secondary things. When we are blessed with the gift of tongues by a called and ordained servant of the Lord, we need not doubt that we will receive it if we are diligent and faithful. Our priority is to love the people amongst which we serve and wait for the blessings and then share those blessings with those same people, because they come from the Lord for all his children. Shall we not go on in so great a cause? Yes, I say yes we should because it is right, and it is what each of us wants. When our desires become the desires of the Lord, then our desires will always be fulfilled. Aligning those desires is the trick.

I love you all so much and I hope you can feel that love through this letter and this testimony. It is what I want to give to you on this special day. I love you all. Take care.

Tropic of Capricorn


Zone Conference

Elder Rose is still smiling! He and his companion are at Humahuaca, which is situated in the west of Jujuy Province. This is a colonial city that has narrow paved streets with streetlamps and adobe houses.Humahuaca was one of the most important trade centers of the region.

All Smiles here in my part of the world!

It has been a spectacular last couple of days in the mission. This last week we had zone conference and a lot of problems were resolved. The president also gave us a new challenge for the next 6 months. We will be reading the Book of moron as a mission and searching for all the references to Christ and his teachings and each coming zone conference for the next 4 transfers we will be discussing what we have learned. I am super excited about that. The president also asked us to send the notice to our families and friends:

The things in the area are good. We have some really cool people that we are teaching. They all have their individual challenges, but they are good. Jorge Mazzalla is going to church and overcoming the doubts that come and go so frequently for him. Martin, he is getting baptized next Saturday, which will be really cool because he is the only child in his family who is not yet baptized so that will be one more completed family! We are also working with a girl who is dating a less active member. They are currently living together and she needs permission from her parents to get married or get baptized or do anything so that is the current challenge. Some of our investigators still have yet to be recovered after the holidays but we are doing all we can to find them.

I have seen lately the true guidance of the Lord in this work and it is amazing how he puts us in the path of people in the most mysterious ways. I rather enjoy it :.) Things all in all with me are good; still lots of stuff to improve, but that´s the project.

Today for p-day we went to a place called Humahuaca. It is a really beautiful place with really cool stuff there. Look it up on the web and you are sure to find it. We went with 40 other missionaries and it was a blast. I got some cool stuff to bring home for you guys as long as it survives because some of it is rather fragile. I got some cool pics too. It is similar to the landscape of southern Utah.

Other cool stuff going on... not so much.

So everyone thanks for the prayers and for all you do for me. I really do appreciate it. I love you all. Take care!

¡Elder Jeff Rose!