Trying to give it all I have

Hey everyone,

So the big transfer day...I got a new comp! Elder DiFini; he’s from Cordoba Argentina and this is his second transfer in the mission, so he’s way new, too! We also had another Elder in the apartment leave (besides Elder Gardner).  He went to Vucetich, my first area!! And the crazy thing - Elder Hales who was in my MTC group, came in his place!!! So that will be awesome to have someone I know, and Elder Jimenez and his companion have moved back in with us this week so now there are six of us living in the apartment!  Elder Jimenez is leaving; he’s finished his mission and goes home tomorrow morning.  I’m kind of sad to see him go.  We were way good friends as comps and also during this time we’ve had together again. But he’s pretty happy to be going home! The Elder that’s taking Jimenez's spot is from Chile.

This past week we had Stake Conference, which was way good. We finally went by with the Bishop to talk to Martina about Mica being baptized. She was happy and was going to pray about it and talk to her ex-husband.  But Elder Jimenez and Elder Gardner went by yesterday (we did divisions) and they said she still seemed kind of confused about baptism.  She just doesn’t understand things very well. Other than that, not much is happening with the investigators.  It was kind of a slow week. Things are going good, though, just trying to keep working even though I'm getting really tired; especially with the heat being here.  My body is wearing out fast but I'm trying to give it all I have. I’m just hoping to see some baptisms and more success this transfer, I know with hard work and with the help of the Lord things will work out and I can’t get discouraged.  

I don’t have more time but I'm grateful for all of you and everything you do for me. I miss and love you all.

Love,

Drew

From the Kroff's blog post on their LAST transfer day (they've been the most wonderful, dedicated Sr. missionaries and will be sorely missed): "Today was transfer day . . . I enjoy seeing the elders and hermanas. I give out mail, answer questions . . . This group of happy elders agreed to stop for a picture. They are Elders Amasio (CA), Hales (NC), Clarke (Riverton, UT), Ludwig (Nevada), and Cordon (Ogden, UT)".

From PS to Mom:

 . . . Thanks for mailing a Christmas package.  I promise I won’t open it 'til Christmas – if it even gets here by then!  That’s weird they sent it thru Spain - yeah, sounds like a scam ( it was, we checked.  Beware of emails from the UPS saying there are new tax laws and you need to send big Euros!)  I did get the letters from the ward but I will wait until Christmas to open them.  And wow, Mat is an A.P., too?  That’s awesome; he’s a stud!  I’m probably more relaxed than they (Cam and Mat) but am trying to do well.  Those of us here had a short meeting with President Gulbrandsen after Stake Conference but, no, there are no plans for him to visit our apartment.   I had pictures to send today but all of the computer places were full so we came to this older one and they don’t have a place to put the USB.  I’m still running a couple of times a week in the park . . .  



Photos from the villa (taken by Elder Doug Gardner as seen on his blog):

typical apartment entryway

this villa street or alley way is wider than most

Argentine-style soda break during work project (hauling dirt upstairs)

view from the missionaries' apartment roof-top

 

 

stress-relief?

Villa 1-11-14 is home to some 60,000 of the roughly 13 million people living in Greater Buenos Aires. Many of the people who live in the vast slum neighborhoods ringing Buenos Aires, known as "villas miseria," are immigrants from neighboring countries like Bolivia, Peru and Paraguay. Others are indigenous people or mestizos (of mixed-race European and Amerindian heritage) from impoverished rural areas in northern Argentina.

From an article on www.galdu.org

By Marcela Valente, IPS