¡Ay caramba!

In light of today, there was a ton of opposition in getting to a computer to write ya'll. We tried for an hour in the morning, going to four different places, and because it is a holiday, everything in our area was shut down. Nothing this morning, and since we went as a zone to another pueblo even farther than where I live, we didn't get back in time to do it regularly. When we finally found one, the computer simply didn't want to work. Then, we waited an hour for a bus to take us out of our area to the ciber in which I currently sit to write you. I felt very strongly this was the right course of action, and we got permission to do this as well. I know that I can be better, and constantly am thinking about what I can do to get stronger spiritually. For some reason it is just really hard for me to concentrate on that side of life right now, even though I really am making a large effort. I feel like the Lord is really pushing me to see how much I can rely on the testimonies that I have received in the past. We helped the Branch President to finally decide on calling some men to callings in the ward, and now have a ward mission leader with an EQP on the way. I feel like the Lord is helping us, but that I really need to work harder myself to keep up with the whole get up. This week has been an adventure. We have someone who is willing and ready to be baptized this weekend, which is fantastic. Please pray for Marta. We are shooting for a zone of Zion this month, and I believe that on the technicality our area is one of the areas that needs to baptize, but we really just have to send in the paperwork for one that happened right as I got here. The Lord has some interesting things that he asks us to do. One of them, which we all can improve on, is the consecration of all that we have to help the growth of His kingdom. He doesn't require this because He needs to, rather, to give us an opportunity to give, be humble and submissive, and to in turn be blessed in ways that we never can predict. I invite all ya'll to ponder how well you have been consecrating the thing which is most difficult to devote, which is time. I feel like we truly need to put all of our time into helping the Lord in order to really have the influence of His Spirit with us at all times. Any time spent not helping someone else to come unto Christ or making preparations to do so is utterly wasted and will cost precious time that belongs to someone else at a future point in time. How we can improve in this aspect! I love the Ensign, and seeing as Conference is coming to centers near you soon, we should all be reading the words of the prophets to prepare ourselves for this special time of the year. God will give you personal thoughts on how to be happy if you get ready to listen to Him. I testify of that truth, for it happens to me every time. Knowing that God doesn't change, He will most assuredly do that for you as well. Be Good. Sorry if I don´t write as many events from the mission as I should, but I have to keep SOMETHING to share when I get back! Elder Lindsey

Changes!

Happy Birthday Elder Gilman!! My companion hit 21 today, and to help him out I decided to make pancakes. Normally he makes them, so I made them this morning. Too bad he ate cereal instead, but I am sure that he is enjoying his day, and will not stop trying to keep that going. It is a mountain surrounded paradise here in Valle Viejo. I am coming back here for sure at some point in my life. Winter doesn´t really exist in Catamarca. I´m pretty sure that yesterday we hit about 95 degrees or more, and having to wear a suit to church whilst riding a bike-- it a party in such conditions. If you wondered how my backside felt during this week due to three or four hours of biking a day, you are wrong, because it didn´t feel anything. At first the seat had no cushion on it left over from the previous owner, but there are very few things that duct tape and/or an old t-shirt can´t fix. I have pictures of it, don´t worry. Bikes really help to move the work along much faster. We can go about three or four miles in twenty minutes if we have to get there fast. Our branch is super small, we had about thirty people, and the room was stuffed to the rafters. We have this awesome new idea to work with the members this month, and I think it will be a good goal for wards back home as well. We want to have a branch of Zion. The goal for our mission is to be a mission of Zion, meaning that every companionship baptizes in the month. The application for the unit would be that every member helps us to teach a lesson at least once during the month. In larger units, and in Utah, that is slightly hard to push, but here it is completely reasonable and has potential to help us work better with the members. Some people this week were extraordinarily rude in not wanting to listen to us. Definitely the worst that I have had in my life. It just makes me sad that they are so close to receiving eternal life, but their pride gets in the way and prevents progress. The end of John 12 talks about the Savior´s attitude towards these people where he says that "he didn´t come to judge the world, rather to save it". If he isn´t going to judge those that don´t receive Him, how can we judge those that don´t receive two gringos riding bikes? Thanks to God, we had some miracle finds here, like a man whose brother in Buenos Aires is a bishop, the uncle and aunt of our newest convert, and a lady who felt the Spirit recognizably during a prayer and who is ready to soak in all we can throw at her. There are rarely street names here, and even less frequently numbers on the houses. We pretty much go by sight and how good our memories are. I feel a very strong responsibility to work my tail off to bring others to Christ. Being imperfect, that can present a seemingly impossible task, but I know that the Lord will guide our actions towards His pre-prepared children and the things that we need to do to help them. I love this work with all my soul. Be good, and take care of business Elder Lindsey