Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Esevan Bassaga, Jr. baptized by Esevan Bassaga, Sr.

Hola there!


Yesterday we had the baptism of Esevan Bassaga, Jr. His dad did the
baptism for him (his dad has been menos activo the last few yrs but
now is doing gr8). His dad received the priesthood so he could bapt his
son right after church, then he ordained his son a deacon. It was sweet!
We were going to have 4 in total yesterday baptisms, but the oldest
daughter of Patrcia got kinda scared and didn't want to come to church.
So Patricia and the rest of her fam went to church. Then comp went on
splits with the other elders and went to the house of hers with the mom
and a member with a car to try to help her and stuff, but she didn't
feel quite ready yet. The mom didn't want to get baptized without her
kids. No doubt they'll get baptized soon. The mom wants to so bad. She is
gr8. The bishop said a quote that I liked bout her. He said that she could
easily be a Relief Society Pres some day. So we're goin to talk
tomorrow bout when we are goin to have the baptism. Maybe this Saturday,
between conference or the 8th or 7th. But hey, the sun shines every day! No
woorries that she'll be baptized! It's all good!

Also yesterday, the family that lives below us attended church.
They're an awesome family and  we always see them and I've always wanted
to talk to them, like teach them, etc. So we finally did last Monday
night. And 6 of them attended. 4 can get baptized cuz of their age. It'll
be 5 baptisms after 29th of March cuz the girl turns 8 and we're goin to have a
lil family nite with them tonight. Comp made a lil cake thing for her.
The gma of the mom is a member and she knows some bout the church. They
aren't married. The dad its pretty cool. He is from the same neighborhood
as the sooccer player Messi and they were on the same club team. So
that was a cool fact that he knows Messi (or did better said).
Monica has been hard to find lately. I think she's been sick the last few days.

Sent Alyssa a bday card today feliz cumple.

The weather has been getting colder. It's like early October weather haha.
But the good thing is that it doesn't snow. I got the lil invitation from
Elena the other day and a lil postcard from gam Merlyn! Muchas gracias!
Wahhoo! She's going too get baptized. I was baptized 8 of April, almost the
7th.

CONFERNCE wahooo! I'm so xited for it! It always is gr8! We will be
watching conf in Centro. Wahoo Centro! We have it 1 to 3, then 5 to 7 both
days. Then priesthood is at 9 to 11at night, but we attend in the morning
on Sunday to watch it like 10 to 12. Ugh I'm so xited! I love reading the
Ensigns Lihona magazines and really love learning from the latter day
prophets. Is it Saturday yet?

Wahoo Final 4! In the rivalry game, UK v Louis, I pick UK. Then Kansas
69-73. Jazz v Hawks - 4 ots. Haha, that would've ended like the
time I wake up each morning lol.

Anywaysss, we'll be passin by Catriel more this week. The leaf colors?
hmm they might change. I'll pay better attention haha. Yeah Sub! Getting her
cast off. The advice I'd give. 1st thing u do is go run a mile as fast as
u can. I heard that helps hahaha chiste.

All my clothes are in good shape. I'm glad I already went thru a winter
for the experience. We need to figure out how our lil heater works lol.
But it's not thaaat cold yet.

Pres sent us a good job letter thing on baptisms so far this month. We
have like 106 as a mish and in the last 16 yrs in the months it hasn't
been this high.

Haha yesterday after the bapt, we were all laughin at me trying to say
this really hard tongue twister word hahaha. It was gr8! it's
Otorrinonaringologo. Yep that is a word in espñ. It means a nose and
throat Dr. haha They were like, "Say it again, say it again!"  I was like,
"Otoringolingolingoglo." hahaha Funny people! That'd make a gr8 middle name.

It's the last week of the transfer and we're going to tear it up!

Gracias por todo ,yo recibi la carta de Chalo, me encanta la comida
aca hay muchos fideos y carne tambien hay mucho milanesas y pan con
cada comida jaja
les aman mucho de futbol cada persona saben como hacer cosas con la
pelota tienen mucho orgullo en Messi hay un hombre que se fue a Peru
para servir una mision no se su apellido. estamos en atoño y tengo
frio jaja pero por lo menos no hay nieve jaja

gracias por todo con mucho amor
Love
Elder Reginald Grant Roberts

Monday, March 19, 2012

Zone Conference & Miracles

Holaaa people

We are on a lil late today cuz we just got done with zone conference and it was gr8! President is one of the coolest people of all time nbd! I love how he always talks bout vision and stuff. It was my 3rd zone conference and I understood it all! It was gr8 to finally understand him haha. Also, I got to see Elder Stewart. Hes' a zone leader in MDP somewhere and he told me Cicilia, the mom that had the kid who is special, finally got baptized! wahooo! And he said Melanie is planning to go visit the temple!! Also, I probably saw Elder Acosta, my 1st zone leader who is now assistant, for like the last time cuz he leaves in like 2 weeks. He's a capo for real!

Dang this week was gr8! We saw some miracles I'd say. 1st off, remember Estevan Bassaga? He's less active, has a son named Estevan also who is 13. And then there is Patricia the sister of Estevan Sr. She listened to the missionary discussions with her bro like 10 yrs ago, but didn't get baptized cuz her hubbyman didn't like the church. And they were just together so she couldn't. But 10 yrs later she lives across from Estevan Sr. She also has 2 daughters who can get baptized, Abril (12) Sofia (10). The bishop talked with Estevan Sr. and said that if he comes to church and stuff and changes a lil he can baptize those 4 this Sunday!!! Estevan Sr. is pumped to baptize his son Estevan, Patricia, Abril, and Sofia. We're having the baptisms Sunday. We taught Patricia, me and Elder Muñoz, on divisions when I was with Elder Cano like my 2nd weeks here in MDP. We finally found her at her bros house Monday and she told us her schedule. She is so excited to get baptized. She's got a million dollar smile. It's been a while that we've been trying to baptize Estevan Jr. but he just wasn't progressing much and they never really went to church. It's cool to see the puzzle pieces all fall into place. Also, Monica was with her sis like the whole week. We found her Saturday and she was like, "Church was awesome and all the kids loved it." We had lunch with a member who works in primary and she said the kids were reading and participating, etc. So we can baptize them maybe not this Saturday but next. Between conference maybe. They just need too attend twice, and if they appear ready we can baptize them. So if all goes gr8 and dandy when we wake up on April Fools Day we could have 9 baptisms. And 10 in this transfer (with Catriel)!!! Pretty nuts! There is also Yanina who is the lady that has attended the church the last 4 yrs, but never got baptized. We're working and hoping that her hubby can baptize her between conference. It'd be a ¨March madness miracle in Mar del Plata¨  yeah I just made that up lol! It'd be gr8 to have them all baptized. Please keep praying for them and stuff. Wahoo I'm pumped!

Ariel, Gustavo and Catriel didn't attend church cuz they were in the hospital with the lil kid with broken leg. Monia and her kid's didn't attend yesterday. She has the kids every other week and when she doesn't have them she goes and visits her sister. That's why its been hard to find her but the kids were going to ask their dad if they could go to church, but none of them did. But this week she has the kids and so we can teach them (they switch Sunday nights).

Yesterday we were approached by a man. And he's like, "Hey Elders!" and whenever someone says Elders here and we don't know them, it's like ¨wait a minute, what did u say? ¨ haha He is a less active and he prayed for help like 30 seconds b4 we saw each other in the street. So that was pretty cool to hear. We'll talk to him this week.

Dad asked if it's reverent here in church haha. Umm sometimes. They're gr8 in sacrament meeting. b4 not really. But during yes and between classes haha no. Comp and I were in the lil ¨gym¨ area while waiting for the other ward to end classes and lil kids were running etc and I said to Comp (or thought it, can't remember) ¨Welcome to church in Argy¨ haha. But they're really good in sacrament meeting, but after everyone has to talk with everyone lol. But it's good that they're friendly at least haha.

We spend our time some days passing by houses that we have maybe 2 or 3 set appointments. But with the time in between we go to people's houses that would be there at that time. If not, we pass by the old investigators. We've kinda started more of that. We try to find people. The rule goal thing is to find 2 new investigators a day. In zone conf today Pres said there is 800,000 people in MDP. There definitely will be a temple here some day and in Bahia. The mission is growing like crazy. Pres said we've always had around 160 to 170 missionaries here and now by the time he leaves in June we'll have 240 missionaries in the mish. I liked how Pres said today the Lord is sending missionaries here because it will grow. It's gr8!!! For example the Elders in Colinas (in our district) have a pretty big house, I guess, and next transfer they're will be 6 Elders in that house. Our mission boundaries are pretty big. I think like from MDP to Bahia is 9 hrs. Then on the other side of Bahia is all of the the state ¨La Pampa,¨ but I guess we only use like half of the whole state cuz there is nothing passed mid way in La Pampa. That is also like 5 to 9 hrs the other way from Bahia. So from the Pampa to MDP is a long ride lol and MDP is like one of the biggest growing places. I feel blessed to serve here. btw we had zone conf with all the elders in MDP, like probably like 35 to 40 missionaries. Pretty sweet.

I remember dad asked me if I drink the water, like 2 weeks ago, but for some reason never answered. I always remembered it except when I'm writing. Yes, I drink the water. It just took like a week to get used to haha.

Well, I don't think i have anything else. It's getting dark outside :/ hah. And it's like 4 where you are. Oh and I'm pumped for conference. It'll be awesome.

My espñ is doing gr8. It pretty much is to the point where it has ¨clicked.¨ It's still a lil hard to talk cuz it takes more thinking, but its going good. I did get V's email. Hey Dad and V, your middle name is a word in espn. It means ¨he/she/it read.¨ Cool right? V you're 2 /3 espñ, Dad 1/3, Scott also 100% haha. Dont know why I put that.

gracias por todo no recibi el mensaje de Chalo que mama dijo que el envio gracias por sus oraciones y todo pero yo recuerdo el idioma que estaba pensando que chalo capaz (would know, dang forgot the word lol) es en chile no Peru pero tambien escuche que hay otro idioma en Peru pero que se yo jaja mei encanta la frase que se yo

Thanks. Love u all. Keep up the prayers.
Con amor
Elder Reginald Grant Roberts
And also b4 I forget. It's funny, people ask me if I'm either from Argy or Brazil sometimes cuz I'm tan like them. ¨Hey where you from? Brazil?¨ The other day a guy said, "I haven't seen many missionaries like you...you're from Argy right? Cuz all of you guys are from USA.¨

Monday, March 12, 2012

BUENAS!

Watsup people?

Buenas

I think one of the coolest things people do here is make it known when
they enter the room. It's awesome. They yell, "Buenas!" which means they're sayin,
"Good day!"  I love it hahaha, but it's a lil informal for us to say as missionaries haha.

Anyways, the week went gr8, especially yesterday. We had Monica and her 3
kids attend church. She told us Saturday night that she now has to work
Sunday mornings until like the 6th of April and so we were like, "Uhhhh
nooo," cuz that would've put her baptism off til like mid of April. But we
said if she prayed with her fam that she can attend church then the
Lord will help her. Then Sunday morning she got a phone call saying that
she didn't have work. So she was like, "Buenos, lets go to church!" Wahoooo!
That was awesome! The kids liked it too. I heard the kid, the youngest (9),
come out and say, "Today we learned bout book of mormon and etc…." but
all excited and the girl (11) came out like skipping to her mom after
church! Sweet! We are also workin with a women. Her hubby is a member but
she isn't. She's been attending church for like 4 yrs and has like no
problems with anything, except she doesn't have a testimony of the Book of
Mormon. So we challenged the hubby and her to read together and she was
all down for it. She could really get bapt like right now if she
wanted. We're just helping her to get a testimony. Ariel and Gustavo y
Catriel didn't attend church, but were hoping to bapt them 2. Perhaps
Gustavo might be 1st cuz he doesn't smoke as much as Ariel. Then there
is Estevan Bassaga, his dad is less active, but he hasn't been bapt. He
has 12 yrs, but we're really trying to work hard to maybe bapt all of
them this month. 7 in total!!

I got the package, mom, and dearelders from Alyssa and Chelsea! Gracias
for them! I'm enjoying them.

Dad asked if the people stay up late cuz of weird school schedules, etc. I
asked Elder Cano a while ago, "What time do u eat dinner at your house?" "Ehh
9." hahaha what r u crazy? hahaha So it is pretty normal for people to stay
up late haha. And plus they have extra sleep time in the afternoon
so that helps them be able to stay up later without worries haha.
It hasn't really rained much thankfully. Its been threatening but we've
been good so far!

How's Lucy doing? Pretty good, there is a family in our ward and the
mom just had her baby and they named it Lucia Mia which means, "My Lucy"
pretty much in English. Probably the coolest name here besides
Salvador(Savior) or Guadalupe hahaha.

Also, this last week we've been workin more on the areas that haven't really
been worked in in a while or we don't have many investigators there and we found a
few people with interest, which is sweet.

Hope you have a gr8 time watching ball. You'd all be proud about how much I
don't talk bout it and stuff. Hope the Utes win it all :)

hmm what else. Thanks for all your prayers, thoughts, etc. They're always needed.

Keep being cool like you do. Go to church. Have faith.

Now I'll write in espñ to chalo
Hola Chalo todo bien el otro dia yo escuche que hay otra idioma en
Peru yo olvide el nomre de la idioma ¨quistec¨ jaja no se pero estaba
pensando si usted sabe como hablar en esa idioma? y donde aprendio
hablar en ingles? en escuela o Musica? tengo mucho respeto por las
personas que aprendieron otra idioma
Gracias por todo

Dios vive y nos ama y siempre esta para nosotros
Con muchisimo amor
Elder Reginald Grant Roberts
Hasta la proxima Semana

Monday, March 5, 2012

Liahona Photo


Wat is up!
Livin the dream no big deal!

It's that wonderful time of the year here. Kids are starting school, haha. It's pretty weird. Shouldn't they just be finishing soon? haha But their school year is March to early December. And they have different hours for each grade thing. There are some kids that go in the morning 7 to 1. Then I think there is a group 1 to 5 and then like 5 to 9. haha Pretty weird that they don't do it all at the same time. So that is a good excuse for people to not let us in haha.

It was pretty cool, that lady that I gave the blessing to came to church yesterday. And that was way awesome for her and me. She then bore her testimony and thanked me for the blessing and said it was sensational. That was pretty cool!

I would have loved to have seen Craig and Jodi tear up the dance floor haha! That's awesome lol. But send me pics of it and anything else u have.

I think the Liahona with me in it is spanishized cuz I've noticed that there is a lot more stories about s. america then b4, so I do think it is a special spanish version and I will try to sneak away with it or find another copy. But the pics are from my very 1st Saturday in Argyworld and I had no idea what people were saying hahaha jrkhrhgkr. The Fees are also in it too.

Catriel and his dad and the dad's friend attended church. I think it's becoming more of a routine for them. I think Catriel really likes primary. They also played some soccer at the church after one of our lessons and they really liked that Gustavo, the friend, said he made a goal and I asked him if he did a dance after hahaha.

I haven't received the package yet haha. But it'll come some day. hmm for my bday? idk what I want. You don't have to go all out. You can just surprise me or something. Dang, I'm almost 20 :/ but Alyssa's older.

Monica didn't attend church. Dang it, she had to work.

Bret is right, I try to think in as much espñ as I can. It helps a lot. I'm also working on moving my mouth more when I talk hahaha instead of mumbling cuz its hard to mumble and get away with it ha.

A thing to help me with knowing where people live, I kinda made my own map of the area and put where people live and also I'm filling it in with former inv so where ever we go there will be a house to go by.

I love teaching the gospel to people and helping them find the truth. I'll still never forget how much Melanie (Olavarria) changed after receiving the holy ghost and that gives me more motivation to help change people. She's a totally different person now, its incredible!


Keep going to church and doin what u do. Choose the right and keep ballin  haha jk
oh and ps i haven't recieved the dearelder from Chelsea yet.

with much love
Elder Reginald Grant Roberts