Oh esta, todo bien

For lack of time, I´m gonna have to be short. Sounds like everything is awesome at home, especially the news about the new Star Wars movie :O I´m a little sad, but at the same time, I´ll have more fun... I get to use the force here in Argentina... You all are just gonna see it on a big screen. Haha this week has been pretty great. I´ve been here in my area a little while so I´m starting get a little bored of the same sights. But, the great thing about being in the same area for a long time is getting to know the people and really come to love every single one of them. 

As for our investigators, they´re doing great! The only thing is that almost every single one of them has to overcome some big obstacle (such as marriage when the other part isn´t agreed, or permission, etc). One of the things that I´ve come to realize is the great need of being a constant pray-er. When things are alright, our prayers tend to lose power and we let our prideful selves get the best of us. I hope that we can all come to master the art of the forc.. I mean prayer. If we do so, our lives will be miracles. I know it, I live it, I love it!

Elder Philpot

Earthquake

As many may have heard, Salta has been shaking with fear of Elder Philpot. Haha a small and almost unnoticeable earthquake struck just the other day and luckily it wasn´t any more than the topic of everybody´s conversation. I missed it because I was blowing my nose. I was only able to hear the clattering of the windows behind me. But what most made me think was a comment that a recent convert made to my companion on the cell phone. He asked if we had felt the earthquake and he replied that we had. Then the recent convert said,¨I didn´t... because I´m founded upon the rock.¨ What a comment! If a man that was baptized just a month ago has the capacity to understand the very center of the Gospel, then why is it difficult for so many others to really grasp it. The center of everything that we do is Jesus Christ, the rock upon which we must build. The rock that, if we build upon it, will not let us fall. I feel a very profound love for the Gospel and I understand that everything depends on our obedience to and love for the Gospel. What I´ve seen abundantly here in the mission is the number of people who pull away from the Church for a negative comment said about them or for the faults of a leader. But what makes me even more sad is when they express a love for the Savior and fail to make it known by their actions. All the Christ asks is that be like Him but often times we blame our own lack of obedience on the faults of others. I hope that we can all keep in mind that the two great commandments are in order for a reason. We must love God above all things, afterwards loving our neighbor even unto ourselves. A question that I like to keep in mind, said by a member of the 70 in the conference of October 2014,¨Which way do you face?¨ If we face always towards the Lord, we will always feel His love. I know it, I live it, I love it!

Elder Philpot

El servicio sin amor no sirve

Finally got my birthday package and man am I happy! Haha with all the flaming hot cheetos my mouth has been red and fiery since Tuesday. Thank you Cheetos company for making a young missionary happy far from home on a Mormon mission. Haha and of course thank you mom and dad. This week has been pretty busy and we´ve been running around Salta quite a bit. Once again we atended Leadership Council and shortly after we transmitted the message to the zone in Zone Training. I was lucky to share one of my favorite messages, one that I came to love while serving with a good bud, Elder Blake. It has to do with where our success comes from as missionaries. Obedience, Dilligence, and Charity. But with the little time I have, I´d like to talk about how much charity means to me in the mission.

In sacrament meeting yesterday, while sharing his testimony, a faithful brother explained that,¨Service without love is useless.¨ Or in Castellano,¨El servicio sin amor no sirve.¨ When I arrived in Argentina, I saw others around me and they seemed to love it so much. Honestly, I couldn´t tell why. I wanted to know so badly. I wanted to have that same energy.... I wanted to be a missionary. I wanted to come to Argentina. I wanted to learn Spanish. Why then was it so hard to be like the other missionaries? I often asked myself. The answer now comes to me with power. Missionary service without love is useless. I wasn´t striving to love with all my heart, might, mind, and strength. 

Sharing the gospel without love is useless. Church attendance without love is useless. Knowing the scriptures without love is useless. Without charity, we are nothing. Lucky for me, it was very easy to start loving the people, loving the culture, loving the language, and most of all loving to serve the Lord. I LOVE being a missionary. It´s been the best time of my life. I don´t remember if I was really happy before my mission but I´m sure that it doesn´t compare. But what matters most to me, I love my Savior. I love what He did for us. I love the restored Gospel. I love my God. Love matters. Charity is the essence of the Gospel. I know it, I live it, I love it!

Elder Philpot

-The computer doesn´t love me so I can´t send pics :( haha