I´m training to be like Jesus, I´m following in His ways.

This week was full of training meetings! It was fun learning from General Authorities from the area and from other parts of the world. On Wednesday we learned from the Apostles and many General Authorities via satellite! On Thursday we had a multi-zone conference with Elder Krasnoselsky. I don´t have that much to say, and I don´t have that much time either but I just want you all to know how much I love you. I love the Gospel and I love the Book of Mormon. I love being a missionary and I if I could ask one favor from you all, it would be that you may share the blessings of the Gospel with others. I´ve been thinking a lot about the kind of person that I´m going to be when I get home (I´m not getting lazy and thinking a lot of home! I´m still working hard) and I realized that I´ll be the kind of person that starts up random conversations and then invites them to know more and come to church :) I´m in good practice :P I love talking with people. People need this. I know it, I live it, I love it!

Elder Philpot 

Service!

I´m starting to run out of things to say in my letters home so maybe next week if you all send me about 3 questions that don´t require lots of explaining I can tell you guys everything you want to know :) 

Other fun news: I finally got my bag back from the church offices! What a relief! Also, this week I started tramites (procedures) so they can renew my ID in Argentina. The awesome part is that the ID lasts for two years and I´ll be finishing here in May so if I want to come back or even live here for a while, I am free to do so! Haha but I don´t think they´ll let me stay in the mission much longer so don´t worry Mom, I can´t extend my mission again. 

This week I´ve been able to see the great impact that service has in our everyday lives and in the lives of others. While getting ready in the morning, I often find my companion doing some kind of service for me so I tell him to cut it out. Since he keeps at it, (in anger) I grab his things and start doing little acts of service for him. Pretty soon, I think it´ll come to the point that we´ll be dressing and feeding eachother because it´s a competition of who can do more service. Haha but as King Benjamin teaches in Mosiah 4, those who do not serve others or give to the poor and needy are not worthy of the remission of their sins. It´s quite strong actually. The chapter helped me realize that service and fast offerings are a little more important than ¨resting¨ on the sabbath day. Christ taught that it is licit? to do good on the sabbath day (I forgot the word in English). I know it´s true because I live it. I tract and teach the same every Sunday! Service is true religion. I know it, I live it, I love it!

Whoooo!!!!

I´m sure you´re wondering why the title says WHOOO... Well, I just found out that one of the investigators from Palermo in Salta got married and baptized this week!!!!! Her name is Milagros, I´m not sure if I talked a lot about her in my letters but she´s the mom of a member from the ward and for a super long time we taught her but her ¨boyfriend¨ didn´t want to get married. Well, after a long wait it finally arrived. It´s hard to explain the joy that one feels after something so simple but so life-changing and huge. It makes the hard things worth it. 

This week has been pretty hectic. We travelled to Salta on Monday and had our Leades Council on Tuesday. On our way back to Tucuman, in the mission car with the APs I realized that I left just about everything in the mission office. So I´ve been carrying around an old Book of Mormon and D&C in my bag and a few Books of Mormon for los Tucumanos. On Saturday we had our Zone Training which was pretty awesome because we did a few activities (?) and then applied them to our lessons. Overall a great week :)

I learned quite a bit this week about the way the Lord had the prophets write the Book of Mormon. About a month ago I started a little project with the BoM so I can develop more of Christ´s attributes. I mark the scriptures that have to do with the attributes of Christ and then I put little color coded flags on the side of the page. It´s helped me to see that during many chapters the Lord repeats an attribute over and over so we don´t forget or even come up with excuses for not being diligent, or humble, or obedient, etc. The Lord is all knowing. He can help us reach our potential if we put in our part. I know it, I live it, I love it!

Goals or resolutions

First off I want Elijah to know how proud I am of his new dedication to reading the Book of Mormon every day :) keep it up big guy! Next, I would like to thank my family for keeping me in your prayers in spite of all the crazy things that are happening at home. I know it can be tough but sometimes it´s better to just take a siesta, mom ;)

Happy New Year! I´m glad to say that I´ve been able to set myself a few goals for the year and I hope to be resolute in accomplishing them (I´m not sure if that´s good english...). If there´s one thing that I´ve been able to learn this week is the importance of setting personal goals every day, week, month, and year. As reads Elder Ballard´s quote in Preach My Gospel,¨"I am so thoroughly convinced that if we don't set goals in our life and learn how to master the techniques of living to reach our goals, we can reach a ripe old age and look back on our life only to see that we reached but a small part of our full potential. When one learns to master the principles of setting a goal, he will then be able to make a great difference in the results he attains in this life." While thinking about the act of goal setting I came to question the difference between a new years resolution and a goal. When we hear resolution we all think about the chubby neighbor that runs for about 2 weeks in January and then gives up. When I hear goal, sometimes I think about the bishop trying to explain to an 8 year old about goal-setting so he can go to the temple when he turns 12. Sometimes these words can seem so formal and I feel like we can at times also say these words with little emphasis. A goal is a reflection of our desires AND OUR FAITH! If we don´t set personal goals, we aren´t building our faith. Goals can range from doing a simple act of service every day, to ponderizing every week, and to even getting married in February (hm hm, Elizabeth). But I feel like what is still lacking is a resolution. Be resolved to fulfill anything we have put our minds to. I invite you, yes you, to put some goals. Then, be resolute. There lies success. I know it, I live it, I love it!

Elder Philpot