Independence Day

Buenos dias!!! Today is Uruguay´s Independence Day!!! The 4th of July of Uruguay!! This week was crazy, but crazy good. It started off with a two liter bottle full of DIRT being thrown at me by some guys who probably should have been working and not drinking, given it was 11 in the morning on a Tuesday. Fortunately it just missed my head :) Then we visited Olga!! Who is a stellar investigator! We taught her the Book of Mormon and she was stunned. Especially when she learned that the Savior visited the Americas after having left Jerusalem as a resurrected being.
After,we found someone named Stephanie who is really cool. So she apparently was an investigator that came to the conclusion that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, without any doubt, is the true church of Christ here on earth. She told us everything she knew, and knew to be true about our church and it was impressive. Unfortunately, she never got to the point of marrying her boyfriend, with whom she lives with (and has children with). So we taught her just a little bit to leave the Spirit with her. The next time we go by, we will discuss the marriage topic with her again to get her to follow Christ by being baptized. It was funny, she told me "You know, I was baptized as a baby in the Catholic church. My parents had me baptized". And I just smiled and said " Oh, thats nice". And stared at me, frowned and said "No. No it´s not nice. It would have been nice to be baptized in the RIGHT church (as she pointed to me)." Hahaha.

So on Thursday, we did divisions and I left my comp to work with Elder Martinez (from Vera Cruz, Mexico) in Las Torres, which is the most danerous area in the mission, and quite possibly all of Uruguay. And I was SUPER excited! In this area, the two missionaries are required to return home at 7:00pm instead of 9:00pm. So we were able to visit many nice families and it wasn´t too bad. There were some people walking down the streets with guns but nothing happened to us. Well, actually one thing. I saw two geese and walked up to them and they hissed at me with their mouths open and I was like "Yeah, I don´t think so" and backed up. Elder Martinez, on the other hand, approached them and started petting one on the neck. Then the other goose BIT the goose on the neck which angered that goose, prompting it to chase Elder Martinez down the street and biting him!!! I didn´t laugh, because I was mostly in shock not believing what I saw. Then we saw two guys bring out two angry, but angry chickens. And once they released them, they fought. Violently. So that was my day in Las Torres.

Friday, we worked with our bishop, visiting less active members, and that was a great experience on our part, as much as his. He really was able to touch the hearts of all the members we visited. He was able to invite the Spirit and have it testify of our words. At the end of the night (Friday), we visited Sister Porley, who is a less active member with a strong testimony. Her son David, and his girlfriend Eugiene were there. Apparently, the night before, Sister Porley taught Eugiene about the Book of Mormon. So once we came in, Eugiene told us she had alot of interest in it! So we taught her! Nearly quoting Joseph Smith word for word, she told us that she just wanted to find the truth. That she has a genuine desire to know which church is true. After an incredible lesson on the Book of Mormon, we planned to visit them the next day!
So, on Saturday we came by and taught Eugiene the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. She was completely caught off guard, and we all felt the Spirit, particularly when my comp recited the First Vision of the Prophet Joseph Smith. I told her straight up that if she has a sincere desire to know the truth, she will. After sincere prayer. I know, without a doubt, that the Holy Ghost, through Heavenly Father will manifest the truth to her.

One thing I absolutely love about this work is that teaching is not difficult. It is easy teaching the truth. The nature of the Holy Ghost is to testify of truth.
Once again, I leave you now with a strong confirmation of the truth and happiness of this Gospel. I love it! Until next week!

Elder Teloma

My alfajore collection

food

I caught a goose

I held a GOOSE. a GOOSE. 

El Senor esta apresurando la obra!!!

We had a great week over here in Barrio 16!!! We found many new people to teach!! First we found Mario and Daniela and their two younger children (8 and 2). They both have basic beliefs in God and Christ, but do not know too much and told us that they really want to learn more. However, the 2nd time we stopped by, Daniela told us that the last time we came by, her mom (who is super super Catholic and lives across the street) saw us and was very uncomfortable with the fact that they were listening to us. And so Daniela wants to make everyone happy. She wants us to teach them in their friend´s house in another bordering neighborhood. So we´ll see what happens there! We are very excited to see them progress!!!

The Miracle
So, last Friday at about 6:00pm, we passed by three houses and noone was home. So my comp told me that we needed to find a less active member named Rosana Osano who moved to the neighborhood. However the only information we had was her name and the neighborhood she lived in. So we went there and it is a large block of about 200 homes. So we walked around and decided to ask any person we saw if they knew a "Rosana Osano" and where she lived. Well, we didn´t see anyone in the streets for a good 2 minutes, so I was just like "Yeah, lets just go knock a door". My comp and I looked around and saw a yellow house and decided to go there to ask for help, finding this Rosana. We knocked, and a little kid looked through the window and smiled. Then his mom came out. And upon seeing us, the biggest smile appeared across her face and she said "Hey! I haven´t seen you guys for a while! Come on in!" And we were like "uhm. Okay!" Then I asked her "What is your name?" "Rosana Osano!!" My comp and I couldn´t believe it. His face in that moment was priceless. And Im guessing mine was as well. We went in and she completely poured her heart out to us and cried. And cried. She has had alot of family problems and its been a burden on her. But we shared a scripture with her, and just listened. At the end I asked her how she felt in the moment and she said " Relieved, much better, thank you so much". She told us she would start coming back to church. We saw her two days later, happier than ever, in the Lord´s house.

Also, we have an investigator named Ivonne. Who lives next door to her sister Esther, who lives next door to her sister who lives next door to their oldest sister. There are 4 houses in a row and 4 sisters who live in all of them. It´s crazy. Ivonne and Esther are both investigators but we have to teach them separately because they don´t really like eachother. Anyway, we found and taught Ivonne this week. We taught her the Restoration and she opened up to us about her life and all the problems she has had and has today. We was paralyzed in the year 2000 and couldn´t walk for 8 years. Then, she was able to walk after that!! But had to learn which took her about a year. She is an incredible lady and we will be coming by very soon to teach her this beautiful gospel!!

Yesterday we were able to see many inactive members return to church. It was truly incredible being able to see that. We have been working alot with them and in the end, it all worked out. We will continue passing by to strengthen their testimonies as well as our own!! I am loving it!!

Elder Teloma

haha

There is only one swing in this set

This is cool

Week 1 in Nuevo Paris

This week I was chased by a horse, bit by a dog, scratched by a cat, scratched by a bunny, challenged by a chicken, and quacked at by a duck. But besides all of that, it was a great first week in my new area! I am working with Elder Wakley, from Saratoga Springs, who plays clarinet, and basically every other instrument, sings, and sets things on fire with a home-made torch. We have had an interesting, yet great week together working for the Lord!
I have met so many amazing people this week!111 It really has been such a blessing. Since I am new in this area, my comp has showed me around everywhere. Now we are teaching Patrick (a less active) who is cool, and his friend Mattias (investigator) who is also cool. We had some great lessons with them, and we gave Mattias a baptismal challenge and accepted it!!! Then we are also teaching Nestor and his mom Gladys. Nestor is already a member (less active) and his mom Gladys is a new investigator!! We taught her the Restoration and she accepted it!!! Then we planned to come back to visit her the next day, so we came and only Nestor was there because she had to go do something last minute. So Nestor just stared at us. And stared. So we told him we would come back another day to teach them together, and left. Then, later that day we were going through the ward birthday list to see all the members who had birthdays that day (August 7th). Well, it turns out it was Nestor´s birthday!!! We freaked out, bought cookies, went back to his house and sang him Happy Birthday! In Spanish. So it all worked out after that! Then there is Washington, who isnt really an investigator. Just some guy we know. Hes an older guy maybe in his 60s, who´s not all there, but smiles when he sees us, and talks to us. Although I don´t really know this guy, I love him. His smile brightens my day hahaha. Then we recently had a lesson with Rosanna who is a less active member. This was a very humbling experience for both my companion and I because she is very very poor. Her "house" was about half the size of a bedroom. She told us that she wasn´t willing to pay tithing, and that everything was expensive. The only thing that bothers me is that, even though she is super poor, she has 22 dogs. TWENTY TWO. That she takes from the streets and cares for. So yeah. She´s cool though. Then, there is the Collazo family. They are members and I love them all! We had a family home evening with them that was nice! And the 17 year old son, Luis draws very well. He specializes in cars and will be drawing me a Nissan 350Z soon! There are many other great people in this area that I will write about in the weeks to come!
I really do love being here in Nuevo Paris! There is so much crazy stuff here that goes on. For example, yesterday as we were coming back from church there was a horse attached to a pole by a rope. Well, it decided to cross a main street to eat some grass. And all the cars passing by had to stop because the rope was a good 2-3 feet off the ground. We actually ran over to bring the horse back, but the owner (a lady in her 20s, with a baby in the other hand) got there before us to pull it back on the other side of the street. Also, in this area, people throw rocks at the missionaries and my comp was hit by one the other day. Haha. I wasn´t. ALSO, we have 10 chickens in our backyard (that belong to the owner of our house). They used to love my comp and I because we fed them. Now they do not like us because we throw water at them. I LOVE my pet chickens!!!
Anyway, twas a lovely week here in Nuevo Paris and we are looking forward to an incredible one now!!! I love the Lord Jesus Christ and I love teaching and preaching about him!

To my cousin Danika (Hermana Bell): I hope and pray that everything worked out for you, healthwise, back at home! I have absolutely no doubt that you touched the lives of thousands here in Uruguay and that the people will miss you terribly. I am really happy that I got to see you here in Montevideo! You are a great missionary! Siga adelante. Sea firme!

Elder Teloma

This cute bunny scrathed me after

Luis Suarez and I

"I love my ward"

Our Nuevo Paris, Paso de la Arena family

I don´t know

Just pictures this week

This one done be priceless

Antonio

Alba :)

Yo, E´Holt, Sophia, Carmen

Lucia, Marcos, Sophia, Yo

Sabrina (de usa) and her dad

Gulma

Sister and Carlos Casco

Yo, Luis (my convert) and his son, Marcos

Brother Priggioni

Sister  Priggioni and Nury

Brother and Sister Laurito

Yo, Elder Durand. Raised in the streets.

MY NEW COMP ------->

Elder Wakley!!!!