Week 3 - Miracles & Food - Sept. 9, 2024

 Hola!! Como Están? Todobien??

Officially surpassed week 3 here in Argentina and 2 months in the mission. Absolutely wild, the time has flown. This week was one filled with miracles, blessings, fun, difficulties, and FOOD... like most. However, this week had some particularly amazing moments. In the sake of a very long email, I am just going to share a few super cool points from each day, and end with a few scriptures.

Monday: 

P-Day which is always an adventure consisted of some shopping in Moreno Centro, there I bought my first mate cup!! For those who don't know, everyone... I mean everyone, drinks mate here. It's not extremely tasty not going to lie, but it's not horrible. It is pretty much a herble tea but also different at the same time. The best way I can describe it is if you put like hamster cage bedding or hay into a cup, then put hot water and sugar into the cup, then drank it. (It's an acquired taste to say the least) 

Tuesday (Spiritual Experience): 

Started the week strong with this day, had an awesome experience I want to share! So there is this guy name Javier who we met last week, while he was washing his car. We gave him a Book of Mormon, and then taught him about prayer. After this however, all of our attempts to get into contact with Javier were failures. So, come Tuesday, we were ready to give up, however we decided to stop by one more time, if possible, unannounced. We eventually found some time after talking to a handful of people, and got up to his gate and notice he was outside! He saw us, came over and started to tear up after we asked how reading in the Book of Mormon and prayer was going. He said that 10 minutes prior he had said a prayer to God, that if he really needed to talk to these two teenager boys about a random blue book, send them over to his House. Not more than 10 minutes later we came waddling up to his front gate. Miracles do still happen, and God is a God of many miracles!!

Wednesday:

Had switches or "Intercambios" with a different missionary, which was awesome as I got to experience and work in a new area for a day. It was so cool to see the differences and similarities. We had the chance to eat at a members house and she reminded me exactly of my Grandma (Shout out Grandma Chink). We ate some amazing pasta at her house, went and did a lot of street conversations, and then finished the night with some Chinese food!! 

Also, not sure why I found this car funny, but here is a picture of me with a car haha

Thursday:

One fun thing Thursday was me and my comp ran 3 miles!! It felt great to get out and get into some running like old times. I even helped my companion Elder Myers get his mile time down a whole minute from 7:30 to 6:30... he is doing great and my goal is to get him a sub 6 mile by the end of this transfer. And my goal is to go sub 5 again for fun haha! Wish us luck 

(White stuff is trash by the way... beautiful trash)

Friday:

Not going to lie, I don't remember what happened this day So in place I'm going to put an amazing quote in place.

Now is The Time to Prepare - President Nelson- 2005

Some people live as if there were no day of reckoning. Others waste today’s time with a disabling fear of tomorrow or a paralyzing preoccupation over mistakes of yesterday. Each of us might well heed the words of a poet, as posted on a sundial: 

 The shadow by my finger cast Divides the future from the past: Before it, sleeps the unborn hour, In darkness, and beyond thy power: Behind its unreturning line, The vanished hour, no longer thine: One hour alone is in thy hands,— The NOW on which the shadow stands.

Saturday:

Had a few crazy experiences Saturday, all which happened at night. We were able to have a great fútbol night, and play with some members, they are absolutely insane!! After which we made our way home and hopped on a bus with a bunch of people. The moment we got on, a random guy started cursing at us and screaming and going crazy screaming Mormons at us. Me and my comp both just laughed and waved, he kept it up the whole ride down the road and everyone else on the bus just watched. Not sure what he wanted but I'm fairly certain he was drunk... hah. We then got off the bus and we're making our way home as we stopped by a family owned cheeseburger restaurant. Two little girls handed us a advertisement trying to get us to buy from their parents business. We eventually gave in... after a few steps down the road. Went back and ordered 4 burgers and 4 fries (yes we're fat, but we've been running so its ok) The family then came put with our $20 bag of burgers and said "free for you guys". We were kinda just in shock as we had just gotten cursed out, then now we're getting free burgers. There is still kindness in the world!!!

Sunday:

Ended the week, with a great day. Javier and his mom Lilliana from the experience on Tuesday came to church!! Also, Gonzalo (the guy we just baptized) even brought his sister and her kids.

1 Corinthians 2:9

9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

Alma 29:9

9 I know that which the Lord hath commanded me, and I glory in it. I do not glory of myself, but I glory in that which the Lord hath commanded me; yea, and this is my glory, that perhaps I may be an instrument in the hands of God to bring some soul to repentance; and this is my joy.

Until Next Week...

Elder Bowcutt