Week 26- Esquina gets Approved!!

What a Week!

Monday night after p-day we were walking and found out that there was a soccer game going on. Boca and River, two of the biggest teams in Argentina, were playing each other. We didn't watch any of the game but we always knew what the score was because as soon as there was a goal firecrackers, cheering, and shouts of the team who scored filled the streets! Boca ended up winning 4-2 and I had a great time laughing every time the whole entire city erupted for a goal!As we were walking Boca scored and a man came running out of his house screaming "BOCA!!!!! WOOOOO!!!!!" and pumping his fists! Elder Willard was a little scared at first but after the guy settled down we went over and talked to him and he ended up being the guy we were looking for haha! We had a great lesson with him and he is going to get baptized!!!Tuesday we taught the Boca guy again and that was about it. There was also a huge storm so we couldn't work in the night.Wednesday we went Esquina and had a great charla with an investigator and also met a man who has the priesthood and is willing to help find members who are there!Thursday we taught three people and they all are working towards baptism!Friday we went to esquina and found a bunch of members and many of them have children who are ready to be baptized!Saturday we went to Bella Vista to help with a capilla abierta and while we were there President Franco called us and told us that Esquina got approved to have a group there!! We are so excited and grateful for the opportunity to help bring the church there and bring the blessing of the gospel to the people of Esquina!

Thanks for all your emails and prayers!

Merry Christmas to All!

Elder Mason Tuttle

Week 25- Miracles upon Miracles!

What a great week! 
Unfortunately I left my journal at the pension so I'll have to write what I remember which may not be that much... whoops!
Here in Goya we have an awesome branch and members who are ready and willing to help us in the work of the Lord. It's so great to have them help us find people and come with us to teach! We have a few investigators right now and they are progressing, but we are searching for more to teach! We are opening a new area right now in a town called Esquina, which used to have a branch but because of things that have happened it hasn't had the church for around seven years. We are seeing so many miracles happening there as members who haven't been able to go to church for a long time are eager to help us find people to teach and bring to the waters of baptism! I'm so grateful to be here in Goya for a time like this and be the Lord's servant as he guides us to people who are waiting for the gospel. 
I've learned a lot this week not only about being a better missionary but what a missionary is and how the Lord uses his missionaries to bless the lives of others. On the bus ride back from Esquina, on one of our bi-weekly trips, Elder Willard felt like we needed to share a book of mormon with a lady sitting across the aisle from us, but just as we were about to start talking to her she put her earphones in...dang it! So a few minutes passed and I needed to go to the bathroom so I got up. As I was entering the bathroom I saw a woman who was sitting behind us and she looked a little troubled. I had an overwhelming feeling that she was the one we needed to share our message with so from behind the bathroom door I pointed her out to Elder Willard and hurried to go to the bathroom. When I got out Elder Willard was talking to her and she was just sitting there crying. She told us that she had been confused about why there were so many churches and was trying to find Christ's true church. Us sharing what we did with her was just what we needed and I am so glad we could be the ones that the Lord used to help her. I know Heavenly Father answers our prayers and is just waiting for us to ask Him, and do our best as well.

Thanks for all the letters and support!

Chau!

Elder Mason Tuttle

Alfonzo Chicos de Esquina y su abuela loca! 

 Gaston, Karen, y Luciana Lopez

Hermana Oviedo en su cumpliaños!

Week 24- A Handleless Knife and A New Companion

What a week! 

Tuesday we spent all day in Curuzu having district meeting. We talked about personal revelation and how we can work better with the members. We made plans to talk to the members in one of the classes and have a discussion about how we can work better with them. 

Wednesday we taught our progressing investigator Ramiro and also found and taught a young man who is atheist. We had a really good discussion with him and he said he will read the Book of Mormon!

Thursday we got to serve a member by cutting some of her grass that was up against her house. We spent the rest of the day looking for old investigators but with little success.

Friday we went to a recent convert's house to help him build his house. We were all changed and ready to help and then he looked at the sky and told us to come a different day. He did have us help him make his lunch and I got to cut up everything with a handleless knife!! haha

Saturday we were able to teach Raul, one of our investigators, and he is doing really well. He still needs to come to church but one day it'll happen! We also went to President Ramirez's house and had an asado (BBQ) for his dad's birthday.

Sunday morning Elder Fisher and I were walking and I got a call that I was going to a city called Goya (said "Goysha")! We had a great rest of Sunday. Sacrament meeting went very well. When we got back to the pension we went up to the roof and watched the sun go down over Mercedes!

Monday we got up nice and early to go to Resistencia!! We waited around all day and then I got on a bus with a bunch of other missionaries in my zone to go to Goya. I met my companion that night and Elder Willard is awesome! He's from Preston, Idaho and loves country music. We are going to have such a great transfer and will baptize a ton here!

I was reading a talk by Elder Holland titled "Safety for the Soul" which has now become one of my favorites. He so powerfully bears his testimony of the book of Mormon and I want to share that with all of you. I invite all of you to listen, read, or better watch this talk!

Thanks so much for all the letters and prayers.

Elder Mason Tuttle

Pizza night

 Cinnamon Rolls!

 Handleless knife!

Birthday celebrations 

Clean up crew

Elder Fisher and I

'Hot water'

 Sunset over Mercedes

 Streets of Mercedes at sunset

Elder Willard and I

Week 23- Happy Thanksgiving!

This week has been super busy. On Tuesday we had Multizona so we traveled with the zone up to Resistencia early that morning. We had a great meeting and learned a bunch. We returned late that night.
     Wednesday we had a really fast morning teaching Ramiro and José but the tarde was really slow and we didnt teach anyone. We did get to go on divisions with President Ramirez and Hermano Bordon and that was really fun!
     Thursday was thanksgiving! To celebrate we woke up and told each other "Happy Thanksgiving!" and then had a normal day. We taught Ramiro again and he is really progressing. In over two weeks he hasnt smoked and only drank once. He is totally different than he was and its just another testimony of what the gospel can do to help people! In the afternoon as we were walking along there was this really little kid and he walked up to us and then threw a stick at me! haha it suprised me and was pretty funny.
     Friday we found a old investigator who had been taught by other missionaries. We had a great lesson but what I couldnt understand is that she believed the Book of Mormon is true, that the church has been restored, but still wants to go to the Catholic church. I don't understand some people haha. That night we had a branch activity where we watched Meet the Mormons. If you haven't watched it you definatly need to!
    Saturday we were in Paso de Los Libres helping them with an open chapel. We had a great time with them and got back to Mercedes at 2 in the morning on Sunday.
    Sunday I gave a talk about the Light of Christ and how we can 'share that light'. The Church has a Light the World campaign that they are doing right now and I hope everyone can be a part of it! Check it out at mormon.org! Everyone can do it, and everyone can feel the joy of Christ as you serve! That evening we were walking along and there was a guy trying to cut out a stump. We asked if he wanted some help and all he would tell us is that he was busy. Obviously he was busy, thats why we wanted to help him hahaha. 

Thanks for all the letters and support!
Elder Mason Tuttle

 $13 dollars worth of food

 Bridge on the way to Resistencia

 Pillow square

 With the Pasos elders

You don't even need to know spanish to read that one

Week 22- Jokes That You Could Only Get if You Were on a Mission

I feel like I say this every week but it seems like it has flown by! While nothing super exciting happened this week we have been able to steadily teach people and we have a few investigators on their way to baptism. 
Tuesday and Wednesday we had divisions with the Zone Leaders. I stayed here with Elder Sears and Elder Fisher went to Paso de Los Libres. 
Elder Fisher is super awesome, since we started working together we have been having lots of success and tons of fun while we are doing it! For example, we were contacting this one lady and we asked her if she believed in God, and she replies that she's Catholic. We respond with, "We know you are Catholic, but do you believe in God and Jesus Christ?" She then tells us, "I'm sorry, I'm Catholic" and walks back inside! If that wasn't at all funny, then I guess I'm telling a joke that you only get while on your mission haha! 
Another funny thing that happened was that we were sitting and studying and Elder Fisher looks over and says, "You have an eyelash on your cheek, take it off and make a wish", so I took it off and quickly made a wish before I blew. He looks at me and asks, "why didn't you make a wish?" I told him I had, and then Elder Fisher replied "so then why am I still here?!" It was super funny! Maybe it's a better joke when you just tell it haha. 

I did want to invite everyone to read Mormon 7. 
Its such an amazing chapter, especially verses 5-10! It's a letter to the decedents of the Laminates and has elements of the restoration, the plan of salvation, and the gospel of Jesus Christ. The first three lessons we teach! 
I would love to know what you learn from it!

Elder Mason Tuttle

Antiguo Estacion de Ferrocarril, Mercedes

Elder Sears y yo en una plaza en Pasos

A bridge with some truth on top

Week 21- The Gospel Blesses Lives!

I just realized how close I am to being a quarter way done with my mission! So weird!

Monday we had a lesson with Ramiro and it went really well. He was even sober and hadn't smoked since church!
Tuesday the zone leaders came into town and we taught a bunch of lessons. We also had lunch and interviews with President Franco!
Wednesday and Thursday were normal, we cut Ramiro's hair!
Saturday we baptized José! While we were filling the font we watched a few of the "Hope Works" videos that the church made. They are basically like LDS Ted Talks. I highly recommend watching them.
Sunday I got to confirm José!
I have really seen how the gospel can bless lives this week! 
Also I want to challenge everyone when you have the missionaries over for dinner, invite a friend. The missionaries like your food but that's not why they are there, they are there praying, hoping that you will be able to point them to someone who needs the gospel and is ready to at least hear a little about it!

Thanks for everything!

Elder Mason Tuttle

 Almuerso con presidente

 Elder Fisher and I

 Hermano Bordon

Jose before baptism

 Jose baptism

 Jose baptism

 Jose before baptism

 Jose before baptism

 Jose before baptism

Night on the roof with the zone leaders

 Ramiro before haircut

 Ramiro after haircut

Really old Audi!

Week 20- Argentine Hats

Hola!
This week has been great! We have been teaching a bunch and have been having a great time while doing it! 
    Monday Elder Fisher went and bought the same type of hat as me, so now we look the same haha! We got to teach Adela but she isn't feeling well so we'll have to see when she gets baptized.
    Tuesday we went to teach Jose and he still doesn't understand how to pray..... EVERY SINGLE TIME (even after about 20+ times of explaining it) he still reads what, and only what was written on the folleto."Oracion. Padre Celestial, Te pido que, Te doy gracias, en el nombre de Jesucristo, Amen" (translation: Prayer. Heavenly Father, I ask Thee for, I'm grateful for, in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.) One day he'll understand, he's just really really old so its not getting in his head, I really don't know haha. 
    Wednesday we taught Gonzalo, a recent convert, who is a an 8 year old. He was kinda all over the place but his uncle was really interested in the gospel and now we are teaching him! Elder Fisher made some rice and hot dogs, with a little bit of noodles sprinkled in....its not the greatest but its weirdly satisfying.
    Thursday we were walking home for lunch when this drunk guy asked us what we were doing. We told him we share messages about Jesus Christ and he says, "great, follow me to my house and teach me." So, we followed him to his house and taught him! He wanted us to come back so on Friday so we did! He said that he wanted to come to church so on Sunday morning we passed by his house to walk with him and he was still drunk, but he still wanted to come so I let him borrow one of my shirts to wear. He starts putting it on and as he is buttoning it up he falls backwards onto his fence and gets green all over the shirt from the plants. The shirt then became a gift and we started walking to church. As we are walking he pulls out a cigarette and starts smoking. Kinda interesting scene it must have been with us two, him smoking and holding a Book of Mormon in his other hand Haha!
    We get to church for sacrament meeting (fast and testimony meeting) and we start. I have Jose Alegre on my right (really old guy investigator) and Ramiro on my left (young but drunk guy investigator). I spent the whole song showing each of them where we were on the page, just going back and forth and back again! Then the time for the testimony meeting came and after a few of the testimonies Ramiro stands up and says "I want to give a testimony!" and surprisingly continues with a very good testimony, including that he is grateful for the gospel he is learning, the ability to come to church, and that he is excited to be baptized! We passed by that night and he said he loved church! We taught him the word of wisdom and he wants to stop smoking and drinking, he even mentioned that he hadn't smoked a cigarette since church, he also mentioned that he was going to cut his hair (which really needed it but hadn't been mentioned)
    This experience really helped me learn two things: 
First, We need to always be sharing the gospel, because we would have walked right by him if he hadn't said anything.

Second: The gospel is such a blessing, and living it can and will change people´s lives!

Elder Mason Tuttle

 Argentine Batmobile

 Argentine Junk Tree

 Elder Fisher and I

 Elder Fisher and I

 First day with both of our hats, dropping off books of mormon to the hermanas

 Gigante arbol!

 My schedule

 My wonderful art!

 My work space

 North part of Mercedes

 Our remainder to leave the apartment with the goal to baptize

 Plan De Salvacion

 Surprise picture from Elder Fisher

Washing Machine