Stagnant....For Now // Jan. 2, 2018

This whole Christmas and new years has made these past 8 days feel SO weird. This past week, we spent 2 days in Resistencia for a leadership training. Usually it is just one day, but after the training with Patania, we had to turn in the traveling funds for our zone for the months of October and November and they were so messed up... missing receipts and didnt have any of the costs written down. SO we were figuring that out til 6pm and ending up missing our bus back to Goya. SO we had to stay a second night in resistencia and catch a bus in the morning. We stayed with Elder Taylor and his companion. Elder Taylor is the missionary I trained in Ibarreta for 2 transfers. It was cool hearing and talking to him. In the leadership conference, president patania got a little mad with the missionaries saying that there are missionaries that are comparing him to president Franco. and he goes, ¨It´s true, I am not president franco. Pres Franco does pres franco things and I do pres Patania things.¨ I mean, there are definitely differences in the way that they go about the work, but neither of the two are wrong or better than the other. Just each one has their own set of skills and method of doing things. I think this has to do with the way we support and sustain our   leaders. The bishops, stake presidents, mission presidents, and over all leaders of the church are your typical member/priesthood holder trying their best to fulfil the calling they have been assigned. Somethings were changed with our ZL duties. President Patanía has now counseled us to have interviews with the companionships of our zones and report more to president how missionaries are working and behaving. And now we can give suggestions about transfers and mission callings for the missionaries in our zone. So it will be a little different now.

The work here in Goya is... well... stagnant for now. These past two weeks I think we have had 3 solid full days of work with the holiday schedule and the 2 day trip to resi. So it is a little discouraging for me to come to a new area where there isnt any progressing investigators. Just have to start from ch. 9 of PMG and keep working. 

For new years, we did another argentine BBQ on the roof patio of one of the elders apartments in our zone in Goya. We watched ¨God´s not dead¨ again and enjoyed the fireworks at midnight from our roof top. It was pretty low key. Then yesterday, monday, President told us we couldnt leave our apartments, so we were inside all day. One of the most boring days of the mission honestly. But today was a little better and I hope that this week we can just get down to business and start to see some things move here. In the middle of my writing time here in the church, the power went out... so that´s why I´m sending this off now. We just had district meeting and now im finishing this letter. The videos on dropbox were hilarious. Looks like new years was a lot of fun! I hope everyone can get better from their colds too! Love you all and hope you all have a great week! 

Love, 

E´Corbin Keicher

ps- Left the camera in the apartment were we spent newyears.... sorry ):

Roof Top Grilling - 12/26/17

Hey Fam, It was great seeing and talking to you yesturday. For sure the best one oput of the three that we have had. Im happy that everyone is doing great and is happy. For me, after the call got done at 1:30am our time... Elder Evans and I waited for a taxi for 30 mintues but not one came... so we had to walk 6 blocks back to the apartment. Today we had P-Day and honestly slept for a good part of it in the afternoon to catch up on sleep. 

Well this week was super fun. There was a christmas party that the 2 branches did here which was really fun. It was super simple, We watched a 5 minute video on the birth of Christ and then a choir sang Away in a manger. THen we just ate barbque and talked to the members. I attatched a photo of the party. Christmas eve we spent with 2 other companionships. President gaev permision for districts to get together and spend christmas eve and christmas together... so we all got together in the apartment of elders Potts and Lundgreen because they live on the 3rd and top floor of their complex which has a roof balcony. SO we cooked the BBQ on the roof and played X-mas music and enjoyed a tranquilo christmas eve... Like I said we also watched ¨Gods Not Dead¨ and ¨Gods Not Dead 2¨ cause they are approved. They were actually a really goood movies. I would recommend them. But I really enjoyed my christmas this year.. a lot better than last years. 

 

It was also fun to spend time with Elder Potts again. I dont know if you remember but I trained him in his first transfer, and it was a really difficult transfer for me. But now a year later... he is a much better missionary and has changed a lot. He is actually a district leader now... 

But anyway, We have a couple people we are teaching here. One is a family that was going toget married and baptised this past week.. but their blood results came back positive and they have a type of blood infection... so they have to get that treated before they can get married. The couple is Jorgelina and Matias. 

The Ortiz Family ffrom reconquista got Baptised Saturday!! Well, Luciana and Antonella got baptised.. Eugenio couldnt get baptised yet because president has to run a couple things over with the church officials of some of his past transgressions(problems with the Pregunta 4 of the baptiosmal interview). So well see what happens in the next couple weeks with that. 

Tomorrow we leave for Resistencia and thursday is out mission leadership conference. So im pretty excited for that and to see some missionaries. But I hope you all have a great week, and a happy newyear! Talk to you sll next week! 

Elder Corbin Keicher