¡Éxito!

Friends and family,

This week was WONDERFUL. I have been having a great time with Elder Thornton because he has the same kind of humor and personality as I do, so I'm getting along with him as well as I did with Elder Ericksen. It's funny how hard it is for people here to say his name; it usually comes out as Torta, which means "cake". We worked really hard this week, which felt very good. We still contacted 121 people, and found a couple of families that don't go to church and had great lessons with them, and ministered to a couple of members, and on top of all that we even found eleven new people to teach. All of that is SO cool, and I feel ridiculously good. I'm so happy to be working as a missionary.

I think one of the things that satisfied me most this week was cleaning our apartment and sorting everything in it. We have weirdly huge piles of clothing left from other missionaries, and I organized all of that; I also swept the floors completely clean and towel-mopped them (which was sorely needed), while Elder Thornton cleaned the insane amounts of mugre ("filth") out of the bathroom and off the oven and stove. Dang, we both feel so very liberated after so much work. We barely slept this week to get it all done, and we are pleased. After all that work, I felt like we should dedicate the apartment, so Elder Thornton dedicated it. I feel a peace there, now. It's not just a temporary abode, it's a home for us. It's the first time I've felt that in a mission apartment, and I like it a lot.

I was also honored with the opportunity to dedicate the home of a member yesterday. We had discovered earlier in the week that their home had never been dedicated, so we said to the father that we could accompany him that Sunday (when we had lunch with the family) to help him in that process. He agreed, but when we got there he said he understood his place as the patriarch but wanted me to do it. I was humbled by that. I remember I said something special in that prayer: that that home be a place of refuge, and that the Millennial Reign begin within its walls. I had seen a quote recently from a prophet (I don't remember which), saying that if we truly accept the real, full principles of the Gospel, and become disciples of Christ, the Millennium will already have begun in that heart, family, or home that accepts Him. That is inspirational; when I ended the prayer, I saw that the father stayed kneeling, clearly touched. That was a beautiful experience.

Just let the record show that I am better than "well", better vivified than "alive", and weirder than a half-turtle that doesn't exist. I am unique, and I own it, and I am simply immensely happy to be here.

With love from the fake argentino,

Élder Hill

Foto: Yo y Elder Thornton (Ben said later that this photo was taken in the clerk's office at the church)

Quadruple Baptism

Friends and family,

This week was quite insane, because it was the last week of Elder Luque's mission and we also suddenly realized four baptisms this last weekend! We only contacted forty-four people in the street, but we had a quadruple baptism! On Tuesday morning last week, we simply reminded Elba and Mariana (Marcos suddenly moved to Neuquen, so he wasn't there) about their baptism that they had agreed to for that weekend, the 15th, and they accepted the date! We hurriedly prepared them for all that, sought out the clothing, and organized the event for the rest of the week. That same night, Tuesday, we talked with a couple we are teaching and asked them about their children's baptism, or, the baptism of their two children of sufficient age to be baptized, Agustín (10) and Abril (9). They said they were okay with their baptism being that Saturday! So we did it! I baptized Elba, Elder Luque baptized Abril, Elder Toledo (Elder Luque's companion before me, now Assistant to the President) baptized Agustín (having taught their family before), and Elder Wood (another elder from Gutiérrez) baptized Mariana as his first time performing the ordinance. It was a wonderful experience.

Something even more interesting to me was that Elba and Mariana didn't want any pictures, originally. They always said that they didn't want them, so we said we wouldn't take any; but then suddenly right before the service, Elba requested that we take pictures so that she can send them to Marcos in Neuquen, so he can feel the desire to be baptized, as well. That was her logic. That felt like a miracle to me. It seems she knows that what she did is good. I hope we can help her continue growing her testimony.

Now, Elder Luque is about to leave Argentina and return to Brasil, and he is both excited and sad, as expected. I am now with Elders Soto and Thornton; the former is from my group and a member of my zone whose companion has not arrived yet, and the latter is my new companion. He's a capo, and I'm excited to work with him.  (Ben later added, "Capo" is basically used to say "cool.")

Thank you all very much for your support. I always appreciate it. I love and miss you all!

Your friend in Sudamérica,

Élder Hill

Fotos:

• Elder Steck en una Conferencia de Zona
• Mariana y Elba y sus bautizadores
• Todos los bautizados y los bautizadores
• Agustín, Abril, y su familia y sus bautizadores (Élder Toledo a la derecha)
• Elba y Mariana y sus élderes maestros
• Flia. Medina en el barrio

The Day of Rest, the Sabbath of the Lord

Friends and family,

This week was very wet. It was the single wettest week in my whole mission, with about the last five days being overcast and misty all day, with periodic showers. It is still overcast now. Rainfall has been extremely sorely needed in this province for months, so I am counting the many blessings.

We had a Tormenta Blanca in Dorrego this past Wednesday, which, if you don't remember, is when the whole zone comes to work in one area for a few hours. I was with Elder Ismael during that time, working near the pensión, and I did fifty contacts in the street that day by myself! Also this week, in total, I did 121 of them, which is a personal record. 

I gave a talk in Sacrament Meeting yesterday about the Day of Rest, and it went very well. Many people thanked me and said they learned a lot from me. I used as my main source of information and quotes the Institute book of the Old Testament, in the chapter on Exodus 20 - yes, there's an entire chapter of commentary on that one chapter. The Ten Commandments are surprisingly deep. I recommend that book to everyone, because I have learned so much from it. (It's available in the Gospel Library under the section for Institute, in case you're interested.) I talked a lot about the fact that the Day of Rest, as says a quote from Elder Spencer W. Kimball in the book, is a day when we are excused from the first commandment Adam received after the Fall, "In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground" (Genesis 3:19). Sunday is an exception to that rule, and it is to be used for the work of God. As says Isaiah 58:13-14, if we observe the Sabbath day with full purpose of heart and mind, we will delight in Jehovah, and will participate in the inheritance of Jacob; and what is the inheritance of Jacob? It is exaltation. What a promise! But also, what a high standard the scriptures set for the Sabbath! It is beautiful, but it is also difficult. I challenge all of you to sanctify that day, devoting it to the Most High, so that you can find delight in the things of God. There are blessings beyond imagination awaiting us, if we would just accept the rest that God wants to give us.

With lots of love,

Élder Hill

Fotos:

• En Consejo de Líderes este martes pasado; jugando ajedrez con Hna. Turley de Alvear, con la presencia honorable del Élder Ricks
• Mirando la lluvia a través de nuestra puerta
• Todos los líderes en el Consejo. (Note from Lani:  Ben is in the back row, about 1/3 from the left.)

Old Women and Balloons

Friends and family,

This week has been pretty normal, I suppose, as the proselytizing goes. We haven't been able to catch Marcos and Elba in their house, but we got one lesson with Mariana. We made another two hundred street contacts, as usual, and I'm really happy we have the ability to talk with so many people.

The best experiences this week were the little kind acts that Elder Luque and I managed to do, including giving a bit of money to a homeless man one day, a pack of crackers and a soda to another on another day, and helping an old frail woman to cross the street safely. In those times, it was most gratifying when we didn't even preach our religion to them, but we simply helped them and left with smiles all around - that way, I don't feel like just a walking advertisement of the Church; I'm doing it because I want to help, and because of my love for God and for my neighbor, not solely for my religion. Another time, Elder Luque began to help another old frail woman with her little cart (people here often use little containers with wheels for their store runs; it's almost like a backpacking pack, but smaller and with wheels) and we walked with her for many blocks, nearly returning to the pensión from the other side of the freeway. She was a catholic and didn't want to hear our message, but she accepted our help with so much gratitude, and it made me feel wonderful. We told her we can help with anything she needs, for moving furniture or whatever, and left her with our number at her request. This was a good week.

I also remembered an experience from my young youth (more or less seven years old, I think) that is a wonderful example to me, now that I remember it. It was in the birthday party of one of my siblings (maybe Aileen), and we had confetti balloons that we were going to pop in celebration. We, being many children, did not often get balloons, let alone CONFETTI BALLOONS,  so it was extremely exciting for me in my cute little mind. We all carefully held our pins, awaiting anxiously the moment to pop the balloons together. Mom gave the signal, and the others popped their balloons; for some reason, I waited, perhaps to see the show for a second before popping my own. In my moment of hesitation, Jacob (the little punk (he was little at that time, anyway)) looked over and in his excitement popped mine as well. I. Was. Devastated. I went crying to Mom, and she tried to console me, but to no avail. Then Aileen (I think it was her - if it was, and it was her birthday as well, kudos to her because what she did was cool) came over to me and handed me her balloon, also unpopped and whole. Mom thanked her so gratefully, and I, with so much childish relief and gusto, destroyed that sucker with my pin. Now that I am older, I see the value in that lesson, and it instantly brings to mind the words of Christ to the Nephites: "And blessed are all the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God" (3 Nephi 12:9). Thank you, Aileen, for your good example to me. (I hope I remember correctly that it was Aileen. If not, congratulations! You get free credit for it, sistah!)

Don't worry, Jacob, I forgive you.

With lots of love,

Elder Hill

Fotos:

• La Luna y Venus pero no pude sostener la cámara bien; me gusta el resultado
• Vista desde el balcón de nuestra pensión
• Para vos, Shirley
• Intercambios en Santa Ana con Élder Christensen; sí esa pintura tiene un extraterrestre junto a Jesús. ¿Por qué? No sé. Y también la bandera estadounidense.