10/28/09

So the major city I am in is Santa Fe and the Province is Santa Fe. Santa Fe is a city of about 600,000 people you should be able to find it on a map especially a map of Argentina. I wish I could see the ducks right now when I get of the mission I am totally buying season tickets. It is one of the things I miss. We should go to McDonalds this transfer along with Wal-mart. Oh yes! There is a Wal-mart here you better believe it I am so excited I can’t wait to go but it will probably be a little later in the transfer. so we have some really good investigators one guy his wife got married 4 months ago and we have been teaching him and it looks like he will get baptized soon and there are a couple more but he stands out in my mind right now his name is Juan. It is also nice we live literally right next to the church it is really nice. It is also a ward and we have lunch appointments every day, lunch because lunch here is like dinner in the states so here they do lunch and it is really nice to have lunch app. with members it is a nice break from cooking lunch dinner and breakfast for the past 6 months. The people here are pretty good they are just as receptive as my last area. So next month Elder Bednar is coming to Argentina and he is coming to the mission and we will be able to go and we are having a conference with him and we will be able to ask a question which is really cool. Also the temple in Argentina is closing for 2 years for updates so when I go home it will be closed so I won’t be able to go to the Temple at the end of my mission. But it happens. So Halloween should be fun it is a Saturday which makes it easier. Well I guess I will let you go I love you guys and tell everyone that I love them and I will write next week.

Love Clint

10/19/09

So how is it going? I know I’m writing on a Monday because today is p-day because Wednesday is zone conference. But next week it will be Wednesday as normal. So how is the family? Its cool here I am now in Santa Fe North it’s a relatively large city like supposedly it’s about 600,000 people. So it’s pretty cool. It has Wal-mart and McDonalds what else do you need? Our area is smaller than Federal which is nice and here it’s a Ward with anywhere from 70 to 100 people on Sundays. My comp is Latin and my Spanish has started to take off and it’s only going to get better now. So when I come home I will be fluent. They have some cool members and it’s nice they do a lot of activities and also here nobody washes our clothes so I have to wash all my clothes by hand. But it’s all good. Who needs a washer and dryer anyways? We live about 30 blocks from the District Leader and his comp and we hang out p-days. There is definitely a lot more people here. The other day we taught this guy and his son and the son is like 35 and the dad was old and we had just finished and a friend of theirs showed up and he was a drug dealer he showed us his marijuana and he was also drunk it was a little uncomfortable. But we got a good contact from another friend who lost his wife and has 3 kids and it’s a different guy and he was really cool he wants to learn more about the gospel. Also here we have lunch appointments which are really nice. We only have to cook lunch p-days. This area is really cool also because you can find anything because you’re in the city. The trip here was long and lonely I had to travel alone but it’s allowed by the president because there was nobody in my area coming here also and they don’t have money to pay for a bunch of extra bus trips. But it was good. Tuesday night we went to Concordia and spent the night then I left at 6:45 in the morning to Parana and from their changed buses to Santa Fe. I got to go thru the tunnel under the river to Santa Fe. It was pretty cool but by the time you came out the other side it smelled like gas fumes bad. It was fun though and it was nice to have some alone time to reflect and to ponder and meditate the mission so far and to relax the mind. Also I'm in the highest baptizing part of the mission this zone baptizes the most. This area should be fun. So how is the weather? Here it’s starting to get hot also this is the hottest part of the mission. How are the ducks doing? They winning and what are they ranked. Just think I almost have 8 months in the mission. In 65-66 days I get to call home that will be nice to talk to you all. Well I guess I will let you go and tell mom and dad hi and tell them I will write next week but make sure and send your emails in time so I can read them by noon my time in Argentina. Well tell all that I love them and I love you and will write you all next week.

Elder Herold

10/13/09

So how is it going? It’s going good here. Its hot and its only spring. So I am going to Santa Fe North it’s my new area. The city is called pompeya and it should be nice new people. So last night I had dinner with Veronica and her family and it was nice to see that family one last time. also this week we got the zone leaders at their own joke. so that pench has 4 elders in it and 2 are in my district and they called and made it sound like a normal person who didn’t know who we were and told us he found the phone in a cab. So we shut our phone off and called them back 30 min. later and they thought it was funny ha-ha. Then we said well we called Elder Hanson in the offices and told him your cell phone got stolen and he is going to turn it off and change the number and so they got done with us and they actually called Elder Hanson and he was like what are you talking about nobody has talked to me about this. so it was pretty funny we got them good. Also we got 1 new investigator and she was pretty cool so we will see how it goes she’s Adventist. But I guess I will let you go tell everybody I love them and I will write you from my new area next week.

Love Elder Herold

10/07/09

The internet is working which is nice so how is the family going mom said it snowed in Bend. Here it’s been hot like three days ago it was 100% humidity and it felt like 90 outside and so it’s starting to get hot down here. So the last two weeks were good we went to general conference and it was good it’s always nice to hear from the Apostles and Prophet. So this Saturday is the baptism and it should be really good I can’t wait for it. So it’s been good last week was good we been teaching and working as always. This week we been working we haven’t got any new investigators but were trying. This past week we had divisions with the zone leaders and it was fun I went with elder Kirk and we taught a person by The Uruguay River which was cool it was my second time going to the river and its cool because on the other side is a completely different country. So next week is transfers so I will have p-day on Tuesday so make sure you write before Tuesday. So I don’t know if I will go or not but I will find out in 6 days it is really amazing how fast the time has been going. It’s crazy. Yesterday in district meeting we went over talking to everyone and it was good it’s fun to have district meeting and to learn more things. Well not a whole lot but it’s been good today. I'm going to take some more pictures and will have them for you next week. Well I guess I will let you go tell everyone I love them and I will talk to you all next week.

Love Elder Herold

09/23/09

It’s good here. Thursday it flooded the river that goes thru town because of the rain but it all went away. Monday the 21st was the first day of spring here. All the kids here get the day off from school. Monday we had divisions with the zone leaders and it went really good I went with Elder Kirk this time and it went really good. We did it in their area in Concordia and it was fun to see their members and investigators. Next week we have a baptism so I’m really excited. She is ready all she needs is the baptism interview next week. Other than that we have been doing contacts and getting references from members to find new investigators and find and bring people to the gospel. Also district meeting yesterday was good we watched Together Forever and how we could apply it to our investigators and members and the importance of it. well not a lot this week but just so you guys don’t freak out I’m eating and I’m eating healthy I’m just losing all the fat because I’m exercising everyday and walking everywhere. We probably walk right around 10 miles a day or more and yes I lost more weight I’m now around 167 pounds now I’ve lost right around 23-24 kilos but I look good and feel good and I eat every day so there is nothing wrong I’m just getting healthy. So anyways don’t worry I am feeling really good and you are all jealous because I have always been the skinny one anyways I love you all and will talk to you all next week tell everybody I love them.

Love Elder Herold

Here are some pics of me I look great. And also my comp he's the one with glasses. In the one with one of the assistants and there is a pic of just him and me.

09/16/09

So how was the trip to bend? Things are going really good here. Last week we had divisions with the Assistants to the President and it was really good we got a lot of contacts and new investigators and programs. I went with Elder Ortiz from Columbia and it was really cool. So you know how I told you how Augustine’s dad didn’t want her to get baptized well I went with Elder Ortiz to that family and took a baptism registry and he signed the sheet and she is getting baptized the 3rd of October I was so excited the work with that family finally paid off. Then the next day we had zone conference so we got a ride with the assistants and it was a good conference. You always learn a lot of good stuff like this one was about having the Spirit and focusing on your investigators. We also had district meeting which went good and afterward my comp and I went to carre which is a big shopping center and they have American stuff so we bought some really good food my comp is a really good cook. Also in the pinch we have had a lot of speakers so we hooked it all up and every room has two speakers the kitchen the two bed rooms and the bathroom and we have two subwoofers it sounds amazing. But anyway I am doing really good. You know when I got here I was 98 kilos I am now 77kilos I have lost 21kilos now. Which means when I was in the mission home when I got here I was 213 pounds and now I'm 170 pounds I have lost 43 pounds. I had to make a new notch in my belt. I have lost right around 6-7 inches so I have lost a ton its crazy to think about but when I come home you guys are not going to recognize me. Well I guess I will let you go for now and will write you next week also I will send pics next week. Tell everyone I love them.

Elder Herold

09/09/09

This was a good week. Elder Boyce went to the south part of the mission and my new comp is Elder Petersen and he is really cool. He's 6'5! He is really tall. So when we went to Concordia with my old comp we went to the baptism the zone leaders had and it was pretty cool. And I felt really sick so I drank boldo it’s a type of tea but its and all natural herbal tea and its approved to drink. so I drank that and I still felt sick like I wanted to throw up but didn’t and Elder Boyce left and that night and I woke up in the morning and I had a killer pain in my lower back and upper legs and waist it was growing pains so I’m going to come home skinny and taller you guys aren’t even going to recognize me in the airport. That I felt sick it took a couple of days to pass but I’m good as new now. So this is my 4th transfer here in federal I will be here for 5 and a half months but its cool. Tonight and tomorrow we have divisions with the assistants to the president and Friday is zone conference so it should be cool and fun. It’s weird to think that I have almost knocked on all the doors of all the houses in this area. This is a town of about 24,000 people and I know this town better than Bend its crazy I’ve been down every street. I don’t think I will ever forget this area. So it’s been good I got a lot of the street names memorized and I’m getting my comp affiliated with the area and I’m hoping to get at least 3 more baptisms and all we need is the people to go to church so it will be good. This week we went by some in-active families houses. The branch is really starting to do home and visiting teaching which is a huge key to getting and keeping people active in the church. The family Borda has 3 kids that can get baptized and the kids want to get baptized they just have to go to church. We went by them yesterday and it went good. That is really the only family right now. Right now we are really working on getting investigators basically finding people by references from members and contacting. it’s funny we have an hour of personal study every day and I always read the scriptures and I finished the triple a while ago and I’ve been reading the New Testament and I’m in Acts right now. It’s amazing how much you learn and how much you learn about the people and how they haven’t changed that much when it comes to hard heartedness. And how quick people are to forget or how people just don’t understand. Mind you nobody is perfect but all God asks is that we constantly try to live better and constantly pray. All we have to do is ask for help and he will help us. It’s amazing how easy it is to change when you want to change. Just read the first part of the New Testament with the Apostles and how they were so slow to understand the parables that Jesus taught and how a lot of people today don’t understand them without the scriptures explaining them. But if you pay attention you understand it. Just like I have really started to understand the Temple and the symbolism in them but it is all in the scriptures and if you read it close and slow you see it right there. Sometimes it takes a couple of times reading it but its right there. It has been really hard in my mind lately I really want to be a temple worker even if it’s in Portland it would be worth the 3hr drive each way once a week just for the learning and understanding you gain. My ultimate goal is to live close to a temple when I get home I really want to go to the Temple every day. and I know it is possible. People say it’s not possible but it is if you live close to one. I have really learned a lot on my mission so far not just about the gospel but the importance of a Ward or Branch mission plan and Ward or Branch mission leaders etc. It is all so important and all of it working together is even more important and how it is really important to have real faith and the willingness to act on that faith is even more important and how you should never ever let a somebody impede you from eternal salvation even if you don’t like a bishop or stake president or anyone else. It doesn’t matter who they are you just need to love them like Christ would and help them and pray for them all you can like the scriptures say. And don’t let a enemy impede you either like the scriptures say love they enemy and pray for them. Sometimes I don’t think the members really understand missionary work and how it is in all aspects of the church- home teaching, visiting teaching, etc. and the importance of a mission leader in your branch or ward they are the biggest part of a ward because they usually know the ward and the they are a huge key to activating and finding people for the church. I just hope to continue serving in the church after my mission because I have learned a ton. And the trick is to never take it for granted. Well I better go I love you all and tell everybody I love them and I will talk to you next week. Love Elder Herold