Progress in Reconquista 11/13/2017

Well how is everyone? 

Well we had a great 1st week to the transfer this past week. The most successful since arriving here in Reconquista. I am excited to work with Elder Oliva(my new comp) from Cordaba because he is a hard worker. Super focused, and because of this, we were able to really see some progress this week. Alejandra and Carlos(50years old) are a couple that we have been visiting with, where Alejandra is an inactive member and Carlos is her unofficial spouse of 4 years. Well we had 2 really solid lessons this week with them. We got put into contact with them about a month ago because they were going through a really tough time economically. This week on Tuesday they told us in our lesson that things were starting to improve, but when we returned Thursday, they were super frustrated and worried and overwhelmed because they were just spent physically and mentally with all the economic worries and problems. Well, Thursdays lesson was super spiritual and in the end Carlos offered his first prayer outloud. At the end they both were in tears and the spirit was felt so strong. Well the next day(friday) Carlos got offered a full time job with a construction company and they both came to church Sunday, Carlos for the first time and Alejandra for the first time in 25 years. They stayed for all three hours and were also able to meet with the branch president(pres Borda). 

Also Sunday, we had Luciana and Eugenio attend church. That is another cool story. We just started teaching them 10 days ago.  Friday we did some service in their house where we hauled dirt in wheelbarrows into the back yard. They don't have a phone but we invited them to go to church then on Friday. Well, fast forward to Sunday, we were getting ready for church and at 8:25am there was a knock at the door. I thought it was Brother Patroli(Sunday school teacher) because he sometimes stops by Sunday mornings to grab our church key to open the church. But I opened the door and it was Luciana and Eugenio on their moto. It was the first time in my mission that an investigator came to our house to pick US up for church haha. So we had those 4 people in church Sunday and we are excited to continue teaching them this week. We still have to figure out if they are married to other people and see what word of wisdom problems they have before we can think about putting a baptismal date with them. So we are there with our investigators.

Doing service for Luciana and Eugenio

Nothing to exciting happened this week. I attached a picture of what looks like the sky, but if you look closely you will see a bunch of black dots. Well those black dots are spiders, we were walking and we came across a massive spider web with a bunch of evil spiders. Kinda nasty.  

The spider web

A spider

The branch here is also going to head over to Puerto this next monday for a fishing activity. We are 15 minutes from the paranà river which is a pretty large river that seperates the provencies Santa Fe and Corrientes. So I am looking forward to that. Then here in 2 weeks, Lucas( recent convert) is going to take us to the air force base.... it will be SUPER sweet to get into and see an Argentina military base. Let Trump know that if he needs any details on Argentina military strategies, he can let me know. But thats it from me. I hope you enjoy your week and remember to study the scriptures, say your prayers, and live after the manner of happiness. Love ya!! 

Elder Corbin Keicher

A pic from today, cool big painting in centro

Our district

New Transfer 11/7/2017

Well we got pictures this week! yay! 

And we had transfers! Elder Souza left for Formosa and Elder Oliva came from Formosa to be my new companion. He is from Cordoba Argentina and finishes his mission in 2 transfers(Jan 29). Elder Mayta is an Elder that was in our zone who got sent to Ibarreta!! I got him pretty excited to go there where i spent 8 months before coming here. I gave him some letters to give to members and the cano family. So that was neat. 

Me and Elder Oliva

 This week we were able to have divisions with Avellanda, Elder Giforos and Elder Ashby. Its a unique situation with them because They are from the same MTC group and after their first 10 weeks here they got put together as companions. They are doing great though and are working hard. In their area, there is a large sunflower field, so we took a 5 minute detour to take pictures. I am just use to potato fields or corn fields or wheat fields... but seeing a sunflower field was interesting. 

While I was there I had the privilege to interview their investigator Angelica for her baptism that took place this past Saturday. To introduce Angelica, she is a woman who honestly has had the short end of the stick her entire life and has gone through just awful things. She is 45 years old, lives with her family and recently had her mom pass away. But like I said, it was a privilege to interview her and see the faith she has for a better world despite the things she has gone through(addictions, abusive husband, death of a child,etc). It strengthened my testimony on the atonement of Jesus Christ to know that it does not matter where we have been, what we have done, or who we are... if we leave the world behind us, and follow the commandments of God, we can find true happiness in our lives. 

We also were able to have an open house in our church Saturday. It was honestly super fun. A lot of members came and a few non-members. In a church open house, the sister missionaries give tours of the church, starting with a presentation of Jesus the Christ, and then to a presentation of the basic believes of Latter-Day Saints(BoM, Prophets, Apostasy, PoS, etc.) Then they lead the group to the baptismal font, where Elders present Baptism and the gift of the holy ghost, then they pass for the different organizations of the church that are presented by the members. Everything ran smoothly, except for a couple members who gave 20 minute presentations at the primary and seminary stations. 

Open House "reference table"

Tour in action

Open House baptism presentation

Setting up the open house

The branch at the open house.

 We have an investigators named Luciana that has a baptismal date for the 25th of November,. She was a reference from a member and so we are working hard with them. It was funny, we were talking about how to receive an answer to our prayers and luciana responded, ¨I know that I have received an answer from God when he gives me a property with cows and other animals.¨ haha but she has a lot of desires gain a relationship with her heavenly father so we are working with her on that. We also have been working with the Ponce family who are baptized members. They got baptized together a little over a year ago and now only the dad(julio ponce) and a couple of their kids are active. His wife has gone crazy and denied everything about the church ever since one of their older daughters gave her some anti-mormon materiel and now wants nothing to do with the church. It has been rough on her husband Julio because he is super strong, in fact is going to be called as the elders quorum president in a couple of weeks. We have FHEs with them usually every week to keep them animated and to support Julio.

Painting in the Ponce family's house

It was a good week, and I am excited to work with Elder Oliva. I hope you all have a  great week. 

Elder Keicher

Our Zone with Pres Patania 2 weeks ago

Sister Douglas and I representing Parker, CO in ARG

Me, My "son" and My "grandson"

Eating a CHICKen nugget 

cool flower, eh?