Dear Family,
How are you? I am well — it's been a busy week!
Today we cleaned the apartment rather thoroughly. It's unusually
large, so it becomes difficult to clean. We invited two over
companionships over and had a barbecue (asado).
We worked a bit more with members this week.
I managed to re-inventory all of the visa documentation of the whole
mission this week, given that an exchange resulted in me having an
assistant for a day. Our visa consultant, Hno. Vilche, keeps on
working miracles — this week he arranged that any missionary with an
expired visa can renew it by appointment instead of waiting several
months for a 'turno.' I think we'll soon have all of our visas
up-to-date.
Ruth is still progressing but needs to work out her situation with
Hector; Julio didn't come to church this week (we suspect because of
Mother's Day — it was this past Sunday in Argentina), but is otherwise
progressing well and his wife is becoming more interested.
Love,
Elder Schlachter (photos)
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
October 10, 2011, Cordoba, Argentina
Dear Family,
Thank you for you letters! I wasn't aware that it was Thanksgiving—I'm
not sure if it is celebrated in Argentina, but I suppose that the
American one might be. However, today is a holiday of some sort, and
so we're heading off to play tennis with President Salas and his
family this afternoon.
The week went quickly, as usual! In the office we spent quite some
time running around downtown in the van, managing the sudden travel of
a missionary to Buenos Aires for visa issues, and helping with a
multi-stake service activity on Saturday.
We were in a lesson this week teaching about baptism. Thought: By
being baptized, we promise to God that we'll do everything that He
desires that we do, and upon making this covenant with Him, He
promised to give us the Holy Ghost, which will "show unto [us] all
things what [we] should do." It's an act of faith and demonstrates the
trust we have in Him and His requirement that we "offer [our] whole
souls as an offering unto him."
We've been working a lot with two long-time investigators, Zenon and
Estela Mari. They've been going to church for a year, and they're
waiting for Zenon's Bolivian documentation to arrive so that they can
be married and baptized. Zenon has been referred to as the
Investigator's Quorum President, and this week we've been working with
some of their acquaintances. One is Ruth, who is 18 and living
together with Hector, who is also eighteen, and they have one daughter
and another child on the way! Ruth wants to be baptised, and we met
Hector this week—the first thing that we taught them was about the
Atonement, then we talked about how we need to keep the commandments,
and then, to use a latin phrase that is commonly used in Spanish here
in the mission, ipso facto we taught them about chastity and invited
them to get married! Ruth came to church yesterday, and Hector, not
yet, so we'll be continuing to work with them. Ruth has a baptismal
date for the twenty-second.
We were in a lesson with Julio, a friend of a recent convert, and
Julio asked us, "So Elders, how is baptism done?" He wants to be
baptized on the 29th, he's been reading the Book of Mormon, and prays.
We met the mother-in-law and grandmother-in-law in this appointment,
and both also seem interested, so hopefully we'll get to teach them
this week too.
Thank you for writing to me! I love you all,
Elder Schlachter
Thank you for you letters! I wasn't aware that it was Thanksgiving—I'm
not sure if it is celebrated in Argentina, but I suppose that the
American one might be. However, today is a holiday of some sort, and
so we're heading off to play tennis with President Salas and his
family this afternoon.
The week went quickly, as usual! In the office we spent quite some
time running around downtown in the van, managing the sudden travel of
a missionary to Buenos Aires for visa issues, and helping with a
multi-stake service activity on Saturday.
We were in a lesson this week teaching about baptism. Thought: By
being baptized, we promise to God that we'll do everything that He
desires that we do, and upon making this covenant with Him, He
promised to give us the Holy Ghost, which will "show unto [us] all
things what [we] should do." It's an act of faith and demonstrates the
trust we have in Him and His requirement that we "offer [our] whole
souls as an offering unto him."
We've been working a lot with two long-time investigators, Zenon and
Estela Mari. They've been going to church for a year, and they're
waiting for Zenon's Bolivian documentation to arrive so that they can
be married and baptized. Zenon has been referred to as the
Investigator's Quorum President, and this week we've been working with
some of their acquaintances. One is Ruth, who is 18 and living
together with Hector, who is also eighteen, and they have one daughter
and another child on the way! Ruth wants to be baptised, and we met
Hector this week—the first thing that we taught them was about the
Atonement, then we talked about how we need to keep the commandments,
and then, to use a latin phrase that is commonly used in Spanish here
in the mission, ipso facto we taught them about chastity and invited
them to get married! Ruth came to church yesterday, and Hector, not
yet, so we'll be continuing to work with them. Ruth has a baptismal
date for the twenty-second.
We were in a lesson with Julio, a friend of a recent convert, and
Julio asked us, "So Elders, how is baptism done?" He wants to be
baptized on the 29th, he's been reading the Book of Mormon, and prays.
We met the mother-in-law and grandmother-in-law in this appointment,
and both also seem interested, so hopefully we'll get to teach them
this week too.
Thank you for writing to me! I love you all,
Elder Schlachter
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
October 3, 2011, Cordoba, Argentina
Dear Family,
This week too has been busy. On Tuesday we got the new missionaries,
so, after having been greeted by President, I put them into four taxis
and the mission van and we all left for downtown to do paperwork. The
next morning, I had them again downtown for the same reason, and then
the day after that the same. They're good missionaries -- I think they
taught about five people who were also waiting for visa papers
downtown.
I enjoyed conference! I was a bit sleepy and thus slept through parts
of some talks, and it was available only in Spanish, but I feel that
our investigators and I were edified and inspired. Some highlights for
me were Elder Holland's talk (which every young man should see), and
everything that President Monson said! I know that President Monson is
a prophet just like those we read about in the Bible and the Book of
Mormon.
I decided the revise my personal study plan this week. I was thinking
that I need to focus my study a bit more, and also make it more
comprehensive, or, focus in many different things, but well. For
example, I had been reading a lot it the Book of Mormon, and studying
some of the lessons, but didn't feel that I was studying Christ-like
attributes or teaching skills enough. Thus, I was reminded about a
favourite dancing thought from my Swing IV class. It's that a
beginning dancer is, well, beginning and thus is interested in
learning the basics as quickly as he can so that he can move onto
something more interesting. The intermediate dancer focuses avidly on
these more interesting things. The advanced dancer, however, focuses
on doing the basics, better. That's what I'm hoping to do with my
studies right now: learn the basics of missionary work better. Thus,
I'm following the prophet's advice to use Preach My Gospel 'daily' in
personal preparation, and I'll be studying it with the Book of Mormon
in a flexible but consistent way in order to invite revelation on a
variety of topics. I feel that consistency will be a key to effective
learning, so I'll be studying downtown in the Migrations department or
the post office if necessary!
Unsurprisingly, gospel study is related to gospel learning. I like
some words of Elder Holland which I'll loosely quote here:
'Now, if your mother needs heart surgery, who are you going to choose
to do it? We have two Russels here in the quorum of the twelve --
which one would you like to do the operation? Both great men; both
apostles; both experienced! Now, I'm sure that Elder Ballard could
pull out his, Swiss Army knife, but --which one do you want!? The one
that has practised! You want the one who has been in the operating
room ten thousand times! It's the same in missionary work --when
you're in a lesson, or down on your knees with an investigator, you've
got to come through!!! And that's why we ask you to study!'
(That's from a talk that he gave in my last week in the MTC. It turns
out that it's being used in various missions for training, including
ours, so I usually hear it about once a week in the office while
somebody listens to it in the background)
Today we're in a nearby town, La Calera, where we came to picnic and 'pasear.'
Hope you are well, I love you all!
Love,
Elder Schlachter
This week too has been busy. On Tuesday we got the new missionaries,
so, after having been greeted by President, I put them into four taxis
and the mission van and we all left for downtown to do paperwork. The
next morning, I had them again downtown for the same reason, and then
the day after that the same. They're good missionaries -- I think they
taught about five people who were also waiting for visa papers
downtown.
I enjoyed conference! I was a bit sleepy and thus slept through parts
of some talks, and it was available only in Spanish, but I feel that
our investigators and I were edified and inspired. Some highlights for
me were Elder Holland's talk (which every young man should see), and
everything that President Monson said! I know that President Monson is
a prophet just like those we read about in the Bible and the Book of
Mormon.
I decided the revise my personal study plan this week. I was thinking
that I need to focus my study a bit more, and also make it more
comprehensive, or, focus in many different things, but well. For
example, I had been reading a lot it the Book of Mormon, and studying
some of the lessons, but didn't feel that I was studying Christ-like
attributes or teaching skills enough. Thus, I was reminded about a
favourite dancing thought from my Swing IV class. It's that a
beginning dancer is, well, beginning and thus is interested in
learning the basics as quickly as he can so that he can move onto
something more interesting. The intermediate dancer focuses avidly on
these more interesting things. The advanced dancer, however, focuses
on doing the basics, better. That's what I'm hoping to do with my
studies right now: learn the basics of missionary work better. Thus,
I'm following the prophet's advice to use Preach My Gospel 'daily' in
personal preparation, and I'll be studying it with the Book of Mormon
in a flexible but consistent way in order to invite revelation on a
variety of topics. I feel that consistency will be a key to effective
learning, so I'll be studying downtown in the Migrations department or
the post office if necessary!
Unsurprisingly, gospel study is related to gospel learning. I like
some words of Elder Holland which I'll loosely quote here:
'Now, if your mother needs heart surgery, who are you going to choose
to do it? We have two Russels here in the quorum of the twelve --
which one would you like to do the operation? Both great men; both
apostles; both experienced! Now, I'm sure that Elder Ballard could
pull out his, Swiss Army knife, but --which one do you want!? The one
that has practised! You want the one who has been in the operating
room ten thousand times! It's the same in missionary work --when
you're in a lesson, or down on your knees with an investigator, you've
got to come through!!! And that's why we ask you to study!'
(That's from a talk that he gave in my last week in the MTC. It turns
out that it's being used in various missions for training, including
ours, so I usually hear it about once a week in the office while
somebody listens to it in the background)
Today we're in a nearby town, La Calera, where we came to picnic and 'pasear.'
Hope you are well, I love you all!
Love,
Elder Schlachter
September 26, 2011, Cordoba, Argentina
Dear Family,
How are you? I am well! We've had a busy day.
The week went quickly, I was involved in arranging trips for
missionaries coming to and leaving the mission, and had some surprises
as I was, at the last moment, told that some missionaries who were
going to extend their mission by a couple weeks, now were not!, and,
for example, today we forgot that a missionary was arriving at the
airport—we realized it almost an hour after he had arrived, and then
promptly ran to rescue him (happily he's Mexican—as Elder Melerio
said: "Por lo menos, habla, entiende"). I've been working the
transfers since Saturday morning. We were advised of the transfer
plans, then we ran to inform Zone Leaders and purchase tickets, ran to
a baptism that we were having, ran back to work, went to bed, went to
church, went to work, until three in the morning, then got up at five,
worked, worked, and now things are a bit calmer and I can finally
write!
Working somewhat in the business of missionaries leaving and arriving,
I've been thinking a bit about how much I appreciate missionaries. I
think that I'm learning to see them better, and to see something of
the sacrifices they make and the power that comes with our sacred
calling.
Transfers in the office were low-key—our companionships got switched
around (now I'm with Elder Ellsworth, and Elders Pérez and Melerio are
together), and some of the organization in the zone was shuffled.
Elder López, who was with me in Villa Dolores for two transfers, is
now an Assistant to the President, so we're now four Elders from the
Translasierras (Merlo, Villa Dolores) district in (or near) the
mission office.
I know that the calling to be a missionary comes from Jesus Christ.
Love,
Elder Schlachter
How are you? I am well! We've had a busy day.
The week went quickly, I was involved in arranging trips for
missionaries coming to and leaving the mission, and had some surprises
as I was, at the last moment, told that some missionaries who were
going to extend their mission by a couple weeks, now were not!, and,
for example, today we forgot that a missionary was arriving at the
airport—we realized it almost an hour after he had arrived, and then
promptly ran to rescue him (happily he's Mexican—as Elder Melerio
said: "Por lo menos, habla, entiende"). I've been working the
transfers since Saturday morning. We were advised of the transfer
plans, then we ran to inform Zone Leaders and purchase tickets, ran to
a baptism that we were having, ran back to work, went to bed, went to
church, went to work, until three in the morning, then got up at five,
worked, worked, and now things are a bit calmer and I can finally
write!
Working somewhat in the business of missionaries leaving and arriving,
I've been thinking a bit about how much I appreciate missionaries. I
think that I'm learning to see them better, and to see something of
the sacrifices they make and the power that comes with our sacred
calling.
Transfers in the office were low-key—our companionships got switched
around (now I'm with Elder Ellsworth, and Elders Pérez and Melerio are
together), and some of the organization in the zone was shuffled.
Elder López, who was with me in Villa Dolores for two transfers, is
now an Assistant to the President, so we're now four Elders from the
Translasierras (Merlo, Villa Dolores) district in (or near) the
mission office.
I know that the calling to be a missionary comes from Jesus Christ.
Love,
Elder Schlachter
September 19, 2011, Cordoba, Argentinap
Querida Familia,
How are you? I am well—thank you for the photos! This week has gone
very quickly, and we're expecting another quick week, as we have
transfers! Thus, we need to coordinate the movement of some hundred
missionaries perhaps, and we're advised of the transfers on Saturday
and they start taking effect on Sunday night!
We've been working with our new ward mission leader this week, Elder
Fenn. He's a church service missionary who's working on the building
of the temple here, and is here with his wife. He's full of energy and
ready to work! We visited a couple families with him this week, and
both came to church—in all we had eight investigators at church this
week.
In the office, I'm feeling a bit more comfortable in my routine, but
still everything is a bit disorganized, but it is done! In the evening
(after five) we proselyte normally. We’re four office Elders: the
secretary to the president (me), the materials secretary (Elder
Ellsworth), the financial secretary (Elder Melerio), and the housing
secretary (Elder Pérez), and we share the same apartment. I’m Elder
Pérez’s companion, though we often find ourselves on odd exchanges
according to circumstance.
I hope that you are well,
Love,
Elder Schlachter photos
How are you? I am well—thank you for the photos! This week has gone
very quickly, and we're expecting another quick week, as we have
transfers! Thus, we need to coordinate the movement of some hundred
missionaries perhaps, and we're advised of the transfers on Saturday
and they start taking effect on Sunday night!
We've been working with our new ward mission leader this week, Elder
Fenn. He's a church service missionary who's working on the building
of the temple here, and is here with his wife. He's full of energy and
ready to work! We visited a couple families with him this week, and
both came to church—in all we had eight investigators at church this
week.
In the office, I'm feeling a bit more comfortable in my routine, but
still everything is a bit disorganized, but it is done! In the evening
(after five) we proselyte normally. We’re four office Elders: the
secretary to the president (me), the materials secretary (Elder
Ellsworth), the financial secretary (Elder Melerio), and the housing
secretary (Elder Pérez), and we share the same apartment. I’m Elder
Pérez’s companion, though we often find ourselves on odd exchanges
according to circumstance.
I hope that you are well,
Love,
Elder Schlachter photos
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