Well a few new things to tell you about this week. First off we had the baptism of Lucas Vergada, the 23 year old meterologist for a local military air base. That happened saturday and all of his family from paranà, entre rios came for the baptism. The family got baptised in march and may(some in march and some in may) and so Lucas got exposed to the church through their conversions. It was a great baptism and his 25 year old brother baptised him.
On saturday, we went to go eat lunch with lucas and his family, but his family got stuck in mud 20 outside of reconquista in a town called malabrigo. so we went with lucas to go help them out. But right as we got there, they had gotten out of the mud thanks to a truck that had just passed by and pulled them out. We returned to lucas` house for lunch where we talked for a little bit and got to know the whole fam. Sunday we had a area broadcast from salt lake for the area south america south where elder rasband presided in the broadcast. For that reason, we had all the branches together and then after the broadcast we comfired lucas in one of the rooms of the church building.
This past thursday a friday, all the district leaders had a training in resistencia, and there are 2 district leaders in our zone, so their companions stayed with us while they were gone and we did divisions. I was with elder Giforos from american fork. His has been in the mission for 2 weeks, and even though i am the zone leader, I think I learned a lot more from him during divisions than he learned from me. The MTC is such a spiritual high that the new missionaries come into the mission with, many times, a different perspective and mindset. It was fun to feed off his energy and spirtuality. But it was interesting doing divisions in the area that ive only been in for a week and a half.... i didnt get lost too much haha and we found the people needed to find. I am enjoying the area and the branch here. It has it`s own identity and feel.
On a sadder note, Saturday morning, we past by the house of a member at 9:20am where we were notified that the 18 month old of a less active familyhad past away the night before due to heart complications since birth. It took me a second to remember who the family was and it was a family we had visited with elder Giforos two days prior. I couldnt believe it because it seemed so healthy when I was there. And to make the situation worse, the culture here in Argentina is the bury deceased people within 16-20 hours of death. We went straight from the members house to the viewing right down the street. and we stayed there until noon. But it is difficult because since they bury people here so fast after death, it leaves little to zero time to plan any service. And unfortunatly all the presithood leaders of the branch were out of town working and the branch here doesnt have anysort of communication set up so there were only like 2 members that knew about the death and were at the funural. It made me sad and a little angry that this family of now 4 wasnt able to have the support of the church. While we were there, elder souza and I gave blessings of comfort to the parents. It was a sad situation and It makes me even more grateful and apriciative for the simple luxeries we have in our lives, such as proper thought out funurals for loved ones.
I am reading the new testament right now and i am in John right now. I specifically liked in john 10:10-11 where it says, I am come that they migh
I love you all and hope you have a better week and find happiness and joy in your trails.
Love,
Elder Keicher
