April 15 - May 6

April 15, 2013

Hello, family! It`s been a great week here.

This week I experienced some of the great joy of missionary service - one of those really good lessons which will help shape the future of a family. The week before last, we found and started teaching a young couple who are looking for a way to ensure their family`s future stability. (I told you about them, no? M___ and K___.) They started acting on our message immediately, by reading and praying, and by coming to General Conference.

This week, Elder Lee and I were thinking about what the next step would be for them to continue progressing in the Gospel. We decided that we would share a message about how marriage strengthens the family, and invite them to be legally married.

We started the lesson by talking together about how important families are, and what their experience has been like becoming a family and raising their daughter together. We also talked about how God wants us to have happy, strong families. They wanted to know how they could secure their relationship and their family against future problems, which took us to our point.

It was funny to see their reaction as soon as we mentioned marriage - K looked at M as if to say ´See!? Look! What have I always said?` And M started laughing, which he always does when he`s not sure how to answer, and covered his face. It was obvious they had talked about marriage before. Anyway, as we continued talking about how forming a family in God`s way would be the surest way to make their family secure, there was a good spirit with us. We all felt it, we felt the importance of the family and the truth of what was being taught. In the end we left them the assignment of talking about it and praying about it together, but M said, `I guess we`ll see what date we choose´, implying that he was already decided. K was so happy! M then looked down at their daughter, who was playing on the floor near their feet, ruffled her hair, and said, `It`s your fault we`re getting married!` It was a good lesson.

And the next lesson was even better! When we arrived we made normal small talk, and then we asked them what was new. They looked at us and announced that they were starting the process of getting married! Hurrah! Then we finished the lesson we had started a few days before about the Plan of Salvation and God´s plan for families, and, although we hadn`t planned on it, that lesson morphed into a lesson about the temple, and how little by little we receive the ordinances necessary to lead us to our goal: Eternal life as families. They were touched; we felt the Spirit very strongly. They really want to go to the temple.

It`s amazing to see their progress. M is developing spiritually and leading the family more. He gave a beautiful prayer from the heart the other day. And they`re praying together every night as a family, rotating turns. I love them.

It`s funny: at first they weren`t sure there was anything we could teach them about how to have a happy family - in fact, K asked us how we could teach about that if we don`t even have our own families yet. But that shows you the power of our message - we`re not just sharing ´what worked for us`, we`re sharing God`s true plan and guide for families.

And I`m afraid that M and K are going to form the main body of my letter home today - the other news will have to be short. But here it is, anyway:

I opened my birthday package today (as it`s P-day) and celebrated a little with Elder Lee. Thanks for your thoughtfulness and love. We enjoyed opening, eating, and reading. (Although I`m still unwrapping and reading the little quotes! There are quite a few!)

It`s been a good birthday, and it hasn`t even arrived yet.

To answer your question, Dad, J is still progressing. He is also undergoing a miraculous change. He came to church again this week for the first time since we originally started teaching him, and that`s an excellent step. But... he`s having a hard time dropping that last cigarette! We would appreciate your prayers for him, that he can drop his addiction and we well prepared to be baptized on his goal of May 11 - his birthday.

I love you all so much! May you have a good week, and know that I love you and am grateful for you. Stay strong!
Elder Stockton

The latest proselyting garb?

A haircut (note the resemblance it bears
to the picture on the wall) 

The Tucson crew at transfers
(Elder Bower from Tucson North Stake, and Elder Lee from
Tucson East? Stake --- currently Andrew's companion)

Our zone at transfers

Elder Wing and I reunite at transfers

Happy Birthday!

Looking forward to the Nose-flute duet
by Elder Stockton and soon-to-be Elder Stockton!

April 22, 2013

Hello, family! It`s been a bittersweet week - well, really it`s been a good week with one bittersweet experience.

I wrote to you last week about M and K, no? Well, they keep on progressing - they`re great. But, here`s the sad news: They`re going to be moving. To... (wait for it) Bragado!! I was so surprised when M told us he had gotten a job offer to go and work in Bragado, since that`s the area I was in right before coming to the Barrio Jardines. And it`s not very well known, it`s just a little city way out in the depths of campo.
At the beginning of the week they still didn`t know whether they would move or not. I briefly considered telling them Bragado is a horrible place and that they won´t like it, but I couldn´t. (Because, Bragado is a beautiful, tranquilo place and I think they`ll love it there!) So then M went to Bragado for a few days last week to see what it`s like. We anxiously awaited their decision during our first appointment after M got back, half hoping he liked it and half hoping he didn`t. When we asked him how his trip was, he told us... ´buenísimo!!´ and we knew they were going to be moving.

It´s sad for us, not to be able to continue teaching them, but that´s a part of the mission. You can`t always be there for the whole conversion process... but we`re glad to have been able to have been a part of it! They`re really special. We love them.

The good thing is that, having served in Bragado, I can connect them with people from the church that will help them get situated (in the city and in church)! The other plus side is, I have the contact information of a lot of people in Bragado, which means I can more easily stay in contact with M and K after the mission. They will probably be moving in 1 to 2 weeks.

We did a ton of service on Friday! We started the day helping Hermano F unplug his blocked sewage, which was a very messy and smelly project. Afterward, we washed up (with bleach), ate lunch and headed to our second service project: helping J`s mom fix a broken electrical switch. That helped us get to know her a little more. Then, later in the day, we helped a man we had met earlier in the week wheelbarrow in the 200 bricks that had been delivered outside his house. That led to an opportunity to teach him and his wife. Another family!

There were lots of fun birthday meals. The best was going to Epifania`s house (Epifania is one of Elder Sampson`s recent converts - another `adopted grandma`.) She got a kick out of going into the next room and blasting `Happy Birthday to You` from her giant speakers for me, which was funny because they were the English words but with an Argentine Spanish accent. She`s great.

Well, that`s all I`ve got time for, I`m afraid. I spent a little bit of time today worriedly making sure that my camera card didn´t have a virus. (It didn`t... fortunately.) These cybers aren´t always electronically safe.

I love you all! I hope you have a great week, and I look forward to hearing from you next week!
And, wow... we can already start thinking about that Mothers` Day phone call! Time sure flies.
Love,
Elder Stockton

Birthday Festivities

J

Mmmmm -- Argentine beef?

M and K, after church

Service - that`s not mud on my hands.
Ewwww

April 29, 2013

Hello, family! It filled me up to read your emails. I´m glad things are going so well up there! Nice to imagine the Springtime, as well… surprisingly, things are pretty hot here! I thought we were supposed to be in deep winter by now, but not so.

First, the M & K update. I mentioned last week in my email to President that they were moving, and he responded, telling me that they´ll be in good hands – they´re going to reorganize the branch leadership this week, and there´s a former zone leader serving in Bragado. So that puts me somewhat at ease. I´m happy and excited for them!

They came to church again this week, and are really enjoying it. And yesterday, Sunday evening, we had a Family Home Evening with them in a member´s house – members who also have young kids - and it went really well! We had a Spirit-filled lesson with good input from the members, and M shared about the change that happened since they started to live the Gospel. It was really good, and the best part was that M and K stayed and kept talking with the members after we left. That´s fantastic!

The other day, they decided they wanted to do something for Elder Lee and I, so they arranged a dinner. We went over and had some delicious mashed potatoes and (something you don´t get a lot in Argentina -) gravy! It was nice of them. M also gave me a T-shirt.

We also found out something about them that surprised me and made me glad to have found them when we did – before we contacted them in the street and told them about how the Gospel blesses families, they were planning on separating. They had differences that they just didn´t seem to be able to resolve, and they thought the only solution was to separate. They told us that they were just waiting for the right day for M to move out. Fortunately, God had a better plan for their family than what they were planning, and they recognized that when it was presented to them. But Elder Lee and I had no idea! It shows, once again, that God knows what´s happening in our lives, and He wants to reach out to us and help us be happy. We´re grateful to have been the ones God used to help this family.

And, let´s see… did I tell you about another couple? J is K´s sister, and we´re also teaching her and her husband M. They have 2 cute little kids, of 3 and 2 years, and they live 2 houses down from M & K. They´ve come to church twice, and although they are very different from M and K, they are also liking it a lot. They´re more serious, and seem more mature… their spiritual needs and hungers go much deeper than M and K. But the great thing is that the same Gospel is working equally well for them! They´ve been fortifying their marriage by praying together every night and coming to church, and now they´re starting a study of the scriptures in order to really come to know Jesus Christ and the hope that He gives us. We love them a lot.

The Gospel Principles teacher didn´t come again this week, so Elder Lee and I taught a lesson about the Lord´s Covenant People. Then the assigned speaker for Sacrament Meeting didn´t come, so… I talked again! I shared a message about the family and how the prophets have showed us the way to have a successful one: faith, love, respect, wholesome recreational activities and the like. I shared about how Mom and Dad taught us the value of work by having us do yard work in the summer. I´m sure I must have bellyached and complained the whole way, but over the years I grew to really love spending time out working with my family in the yard. And I think that was one of the experiences that got me ready to work hard in the mission. I also shared about family prayer, and how it strengthened our family. And I shared about the excellent example my parents gave to us kids of mutual love and respect! Mom and Dad, thanks for building our family on the things that count.

We went to Luján the other day for a zone conference. It was a very good conference, and kind of nice to be back in Luján again. Lots of time has passed since those days! It would be fun to email Elder Berglund.

I love you lots! May you have a splendid week. Enjoy the weather!

Love, Elder Stockton

May 6, 2013

Hello, family! I also am excited about the Tucson temple. Where do you shpeck it´s going to be, exactly? I´m glad to hear about the other fun events, too. I especially enjoyed the description of Jacob´s final volleyball game. You should see some of the Paraguayans here play volleyball - it´s pretty incredible. They also have another version of the game where they play with everything but their hands - usually their chest and head, but occasionally their feet if the ball gets too far down. Pretty talented! Jacob, I bet you would like playing with them.

Ah... we had a good week this week. A really good week! Recently I´ve been struggling to lose myself in the work. I feel like I still lack something to be the missionary I want to be, and Elder Lee has been helping me to know how to achieve my full potential. This week I worked hard at that, and we had good results. Mostly, I feel good and satisfied because I feel like I gave the week my all. Now, to keep that up for the rest of the mere 7 months of mission that remain to me.

Probably my favorite part of the week was Sunday in church. Occasionally Fast Sunday can put us on edge, because you never know who´s going to get up and give their testimony or what they will say. But yesterday´s meeting was lovely. It seemed like every testimony that was given was heartfelt and uplifting. I felt the Spirit, and I felt a connection with these people. I really love them a lot, and I´ll miss a lot of them.

Remember how I mentioned that A´s dad, previously very cold towards the missionaries, had softened up during A´s baptism? Well, yesterday we were finally able to have a lesson with him. He opened up during the lesson and told us how we so wants to be a better father and to create a good family environment in his home... Excellent! Because that´s exactly what the Gospel does for people - makes them better and helps families be happy. I foresee happier days for their family in the future. It would be fantastic for A´s parents to join the church as well - the whole family. We don´t want any empty chairs.

Another great experience was that we taught M and K about the Word of Wisdom. (M comes back on weekends - they haven´t moved yet because they´re still looking for a good house in Bragado.) It was funny because the day we came prepared to teach the Word of Wisdom, they had also invited us to breakfast. During the breakfast preparations, K casually mentioned that she was addicted to coffee and needed her daily cup to help her get started in the morning. Elder Lee and I looked at each other, wondering how they would take the Word of Wisdom - but their faith came through and they accepted it. We figured that the fact that they´re moving now will make it even easier to change. Sometimes a change in lifestyle is helped by a change in physical environment. M first committed to keep the Word of Wisdom, and K followed. They´re great!

This week I went on divisions with Elder Sampson and learned a lot. He´s a missionary I really look up to, for his diligence and his tirelessness in the work. He´s a great guy, and really funny. He´s probably headed out this transfer as well, after a whopping 9 months in Jardines.

Lots of rain this week, which means... lots of mud. The stitching in my shoes is starting to give way - I´ll have to take them to get re-stitched.

We happened to be in the street teaching (seated on a log) during a Boca/River football game. (Look them up - this game was a BIG thing in Argentina. I think EVERYONE was watching the game... except the guy we were teaching.) The first time a team scored, there was an eruption of shouting from all the houses around us - lots of people ran out of their houses, either rejoicing or shouting bad words. We watched them fight and throw rocks at each other. Pretty crazy!

I love you all so much! Have an excellent week.
Elder Stockton

And the best postscript of all ... regarding the upcoming Mother's Day phone call ...

I´ll try to call about 1:00 Argentina time... 9:00 Tucson time, I think.