Hey there Mom!!
I know that I usually start all of my letters with the same title but that is because it is true. This week went faster that the other! I look at the calender and think, wow, another transfer is almost over. Where did the time go?
I think that we should all take a pause and think for a little bit, what are we doing with our time and how are we using it productively?
This week we had a few trips to Rosario and we did divisions with the zone leaders. Well, kind of did divisions. It was only for the night because the next day they did it with the other missionaries here in Cañada. But somthing really good, Rocio had her baptisimal interview on Saturday and passed with flying colors! This Saturday is going to be her baptism. And how crazy it is going to be because I am going to baptize her and then us four elders are going to sing. Que loco! But it should be good.
We don´t really have any more solid investigadors. We have some refferences but cant contact them yet. I dont know. So we are teaching less actives and preparing their kids to be baptized. There are 2 kids from less active families that are going to get baptized here soon. So that is exciting.
Food: We eat the same thing like every day. Pasta, rice, pasta, rice, hot dogs, pasta, rice, eggs, pasta, rice, and more pasta and rice. Seriously the members only feed us that because it is super cheap and easy to make. So I am getting a bit larger from all of the calories and carbs.
District Leader: It is going good my assignment. Really the only changes are my letters to President Zanni. I have to get all of the numbers from the companionships every week, and I usually have to make the desicions like what we are going to teach or who is going to give a prayer. Oh, and I am the one who has to teach the lesson or give a talk when it is needed. Because I have SO much more time than the other missionaries here. (1 month) They think I am the missionary expert because I have one month more.
Elder Tovalino: Still is a little bit quiet but when he does talk it is usually something weird or annoying. He snores really loud. And his feet have this odor that is unbearable. He brought a big bag of ear plugs for his companions and I have to use them for my ears and my nose.
Alright, something to throw out there. If anyone would like to send me something, I have a list of the things that I would like. Or just like little package stuffers. If you would like the list, I have registered at target, bed bath and beyond, ....no joking. but seriously, I have a list if you would like it.
I hope everyone has a great week.
Elder Salinas
Tell dad that I am going to take money out again because the bank said they are going to cancel my card in 2 weeks because they sent the new one. So I don´t know when I will have money again. Thanks!
Monday, August 24, 2015
August 18, 2015
Hey Mom,
I hope you weren't waiting all day at the computer for me yesterday! There was a holiday, Kids Day, and all of the places to use computers were closed. But hey, things happen.
This week went by super fast. We had a lesson with our less active family/investigator Rocio. It went super good! We shared a few scriptures with her about baptism and how you can´t be saved without it. She asked us, so I won´t be protected unless I get baptized? NOPE!! Then she asked when we can baptize her and she asked me to do it. So that was pretty cool! Saturday the 29th I will baptize her.
We took a few trips to Rosario for my companion. He has to do rehab on his wrist because he broke it a few months ago. Two more trips this week and two more the next. That kind of takes out four entire days of work because it is a 4 hour trip in bus plus the time at the rehab center. But I like it because I am learning medical terms in Spanish!! Almost all of it is the same however, just pronounced differently.
This week it rained a lot! The clouds never seem to want to leave. But, I have the best view from on top of our apartment. That is a silver lining to the "wonderful" Cañada de Gomez.
Okay, I don´t know when you are thinking about sending another package but when you do, would you mind putting in a few pictures of the wedding? It is just super expensive to print them out here. Almost a dollar for each one. That´d be great!
Oh yeah, some exciting news. I officially turned 6 months this week. The time is flying by. Lets see what the next 18 months has in store for me!
I hope you weren't waiting all day at the computer for me yesterday! There was a holiday, Kids Day, and all of the places to use computers were closed. But hey, things happen.
This week went by super fast. We had a lesson with our less active family/investigator Rocio. It went super good! We shared a few scriptures with her about baptism and how you can´t be saved without it. She asked us, so I won´t be protected unless I get baptized? NOPE!! Then she asked when we can baptize her and she asked me to do it. So that was pretty cool! Saturday the 29th I will baptize her.
We took a few trips to Rosario for my companion. He has to do rehab on his wrist because he broke it a few months ago. Two more trips this week and two more the next. That kind of takes out four entire days of work because it is a 4 hour trip in bus plus the time at the rehab center. But I like it because I am learning medical terms in Spanish!! Almost all of it is the same however, just pronounced differently.
This week it rained a lot! The clouds never seem to want to leave. But, I have the best view from on top of our apartment. That is a silver lining to the "wonderful" Cañada de Gomez.
Okay, I don´t know when you are thinking about sending another package but when you do, would you mind putting in a few pictures of the wedding? It is just super expensive to print them out here. Almost a dollar for each one. That´d be great!
Oh yeah, some exciting news. I officially turned 6 months this week. The time is flying by. Lets see what the next 18 months has in store for me!
August 10, 2015
This week went by pretty quick. But I don´t feel like we can get anything accomplished. We have had a bunch of meetings and stuff in Rosario. Also, it has been raining out of control. Like we legit can´t leave the apartment. Yesterday morning we got to the church and it looked like we had just gone swimming. I was wet and cold all day because of that.
Being District Leader isn´t all that. It really just adds more stress into a stressful mission life. Having to worry about investigators, less actives, missionaries, branch activities. A lot of stuff! I have been so tired! I can´t sleep either because my comp falls asleep really fast and he snores louder than Dad. But, what are ya gonna do?
The video was from a Family Home Evening for the Branch. When I fell it was a part of it but yeah my shoulder hurts all the time. And my knee. But again, what are ya gonna do?
The truth is that I don´t have much news on my investigators because we don´t have a bunch. This week I felt super unproductive. But I am trying to keep a positive attitude. We have a goal to get two baptisms this month. I don´t want to let the mission down if it is our two that keep us from getting our goal of 80 as a mission. But it is just super tough.
I am excited for Taylor and Brooklyn. They are going to have a bunch of challenges and trials in their life, but they can get through anything if they learn to really be open and talk. Something I have learned on the mission already. Unless you talk about and express the problems you have with someone, nothing will get resolved.
I took this picture for Dad, hope he likes it.
Did you guys get my letters? I gave Elder Reidhead a bunch to send when he got home a couple weeks ago. Hope he didn´t forget.
Good luck with everything this week! It will be busy!
Being District Leader isn´t all that. It really just adds more stress into a stressful mission life. Having to worry about investigators, less actives, missionaries, branch activities. A lot of stuff! I have been so tired! I can´t sleep either because my comp falls asleep really fast and he snores louder than Dad. But, what are ya gonna do?
The video was from a Family Home Evening for the Branch. When I fell it was a part of it but yeah my shoulder hurts all the time. And my knee. But again, what are ya gonna do?
The truth is that I don´t have much news on my investigators because we don´t have a bunch. This week I felt super unproductive. But I am trying to keep a positive attitude. We have a goal to get two baptisms this month. I don´t want to let the mission down if it is our two that keep us from getting our goal of 80 as a mission. But it is just super tough.
I am excited for Taylor and Brooklyn. They are going to have a bunch of challenges and trials in their life, but they can get through anything if they learn to really be open and talk. Something I have learned on the mission already. Unless you talk about and express the problems you have with someone, nothing will get resolved.
I took this picture for Dad, hope he likes it.
Did you guys get my letters? I gave Elder Reidhead a bunch to send when he got home a couple weeks ago. Hope he didn´t forget.
Good luck with everything this week! It will be busy!
In honor of his Dad's birthday!!!
This is the daughter of the Secretary in the Branch. When we first got here she was really shy and now we are her best friends. This was after the activity we did.
Tuesday, July 28, 2015
July 28, 2015
So we were doing our cleaning and studying and we got a call from the Zone Leaders. We were not expecting this call for transfers because we both just got put into this area. Well, They told us that they had some news. Unfortunately, Elder Medina got transferred. He is going to open up a new area in a city called Galvez. So then I was like "well fetch, what am I going to be doing, who is my new comp!?!" They first said, Salinas, you´re training. What? are you serious? Then they said no. How rude was that. But they did have some good news to give me. They told me that I am with Elder Tovalino (he is from my group). The other companionship here also has another elder from my Group. So three of the four of us only have 3 transfers under our belt, the other only has 2. Well the really good and exciting news is that I am the new District Leader. I am a little bit worried that I am going to do something to mess up. haha but this is just proof that the Lord calls the weak and humble to do his work. If any of you have any advice to give me, please send it my way!
So last night we got back to the apartment and finished our planning, I started reading some talks and my companion layed on his bed and was waiting for 10:30 to come. (He is super quiet and really closed off. He was crying pretty good when his trainer got transferred.) A little bit later I could hear him sleeping. I figured he had had a hard day so I wasn´t going to bother him. Well then the phone started to ring. I looked at it. President Zanni. My blood pressure goes up and I start thinking, Great, what did I do wrong on my first day as district leader. I answer, Hola Elder Salinas, is your companion there? I'm thinking, oh crap, he is asleep. So I cover the microphone and I go into the room, Elder!! Elder!! Get up! President is on the phone. He takes it and puts it on speaker, "Hello", he says in a tired voice. Then President and his family start singing to him. I didn´t quite understand all of the words but the tune was very familiar. Oh crap! Today is his birthday!!! So we made him a little cake type thing today.
So last night we got back to the apartment and finished our planning, I started reading some talks and my companion layed on his bed and was waiting for 10:30 to come. (He is super quiet and really closed off. He was crying pretty good when his trainer got transferred.) A little bit later I could hear him sleeping. I figured he had had a hard day so I wasn´t going to bother him. Well then the phone started to ring. I looked at it. President Zanni. My blood pressure goes up and I start thinking, Great, what did I do wrong on my first day as district leader. I answer, Hola Elder Salinas, is your companion there? I'm thinking, oh crap, he is asleep. So I cover the microphone and I go into the room, Elder!! Elder!! Get up! President is on the phone. He takes it and puts it on speaker, "Hello", he says in a tired voice. Then President and his family start singing to him. I didn´t quite understand all of the words but the tune was very familiar. Oh crap! Today is his birthday!!! So we made him a little cake type thing today.
Elder Tovalino is from Peru also. He turned 19 yesterday and has 5 months in the mission. One month more than me because he was only in the MTC for 2 weeks. Very quiet and doesn´t like much. So in a way, the zone leaders were right, I am training. At least, that is what it feels like.
This was a super hard transfer however, Elder Reidhead, the other missionary that was here, finished his mission. Even though I wasnt companions with him, we were all always together and I got to know him really well. He taught me so much. He is from Oakley Utah. Super great guy who is going to do great things with his life. He was a QB in high school, hurt his shoulder, and wants to be an orthopedic surgeon. We have a lot in common.
So that is how this week went here in Cañada de Gomez. If any of you have anything you would like to tell me, or advice you could graciously give to me, It would be greatly appreciated.
Also, right now we have 2 Investigators that will get baptized almost for sure this transfer. and a family that is now 100% reactivated.
This was a super hard transfer however, Elder Reidhead, the other missionary that was here, finished his mission. Even though I wasnt companions with him, we were all always together and I got to know him really well. He taught me so much. He is from Oakley Utah. Super great guy who is going to do great things with his life. He was a QB in high school, hurt his shoulder, and wants to be an orthopedic surgeon. We have a lot in common.
So that is how this week went here in Cañada de Gomez. If any of you have anything you would like to tell me, or advice you could graciously give to me, It would be greatly appreciated.
Also, right now we have 2 Investigators that will get baptized almost for sure this transfer. and a family that is now 100% reactivated.
July 20, 2015
Not a whole lot happened this week. An investigator had a baptisimal interview with the District Leader. But he needed to have another interview with President Zanni for some other things that need to be resolved. So President came all the way out to our area (1:30hrs) with his family and his brother in law and family on Sunday morning to interview this guy. Also, it was his birthday!! He sacrifices so much to be a great mission president. The truth, I love him, We call him a mini Elder Holland. Super profound and just very humble and worthy. He is a great example for me. We also had our other investigator and her family (less actives) at church.
We have done a lot of service for the members here and we have been having a buch of sleepovers with the other two elders here. Elder Reidhead ends his mission next week and has been a little sad lately so we try and do a lot together to help him out.
I became a missionary Saturday afternoon. There is only one real way to do it, it involves losing a pair of pants. That is all that I am going to say.
I can´t believe that this is the last week of this transfer! It is just flying by! Very likely that in one week I will be training. But we will see how things go haha.
Not much else that I can think of to share with ya.
Keep sendin the emails my way. I love to hear from everyone.
With love,
Elder Salinas
We have done a lot of service for the members here and we have been having a buch of sleepovers with the other two elders here. Elder Reidhead ends his mission next week and has been a little sad lately so we try and do a lot together to help him out.
I became a missionary Saturday afternoon. There is only one real way to do it, it involves losing a pair of pants. That is all that I am going to say.
I can´t believe that this is the last week of this transfer! It is just flying by! Very likely that in one week I will be training. But we will see how things go haha.
Not much else that I can think of to share with ya.
Keep sendin the emails my way. I love to hear from everyone.
With love,
Elder Salinas
July 13, 2015
This week went by super fast as well.
We have some great investigators. Rocio is the daughter in a less active family. She is really excited for her baptism the 25th of July. We have had a bunch of lessons with her and her family. They are finally coming to church now. We had to go and pick them up with a member but hey, they came. The next investigator is Gabriel. He is great. A huge shmoozer but hey, he`s doin good. He has told us that God told him he needs to be in the church and get baptized. So that is sweet!! He wants to know when we have more activities so that he can come to those too. He also had a baptism date for the 25th. The other two investigators that we have are Jesus and Sandra. They are a couple from Bolivia and have two kids. They own a clothing store and are open on Sundays so it makes it super hard to attend church. But during Priesthood yesterday he walked in! I was pumped about that! We need to teach them Tithing and get them to accept a baptismal date. Also, we have had a bunch of less actives coming back! So all in all the week was good. However, we had an interesting encounter one night when we got back to the apartment. Elder Medina and I found an ATM reciept under our door. I was about to throw it away when I saw there was something written on the back. There is another person that lives in the apartment building who has been watching us these past few weeks. He noticed that we live together and likes it. Then he asked us to come up to his apartment and experiment with him on an adventure. Wow...Martiposo!! Ask Taylor what that means. It suits this guy. So besides that, the week was great!! I hope you all have a great week in McCall! I love the pictures of the Cars from Dad. How lucky Grandpa and Grandma.
Happy Anniversary this Wednesday!
Still no news on your mail for me.
Love,
We have some great investigators. Rocio is the daughter in a less active family. She is really excited for her baptism the 25th of July. We have had a bunch of lessons with her and her family. They are finally coming to church now. We had to go and pick them up with a member but hey, they came. The next investigator is Gabriel. He is great. A huge shmoozer but hey, he`s doin good. He has told us that God told him he needs to be in the church and get baptized. So that is sweet!! He wants to know when we have more activities so that he can come to those too. He also had a baptism date for the 25th. The other two investigators that we have are Jesus and Sandra. They are a couple from Bolivia and have two kids. They own a clothing store and are open on Sundays so it makes it super hard to attend church. But during Priesthood yesterday he walked in! I was pumped about that! We need to teach them Tithing and get them to accept a baptismal date. Also, we have had a bunch of less actives coming back! So all in all the week was good. However, we had an interesting encounter one night when we got back to the apartment. Elder Medina and I found an ATM reciept under our door. I was about to throw it away when I saw there was something written on the back. There is another person that lives in the apartment building who has been watching us these past few weeks. He noticed that we live together and likes it. Then he asked us to come up to his apartment and experiment with him on an adventure. Wow...Martiposo!! Ask Taylor what that means. It suits this guy. So besides that, the week was great!! I hope you all have a great week in McCall! I love the pictures of the Cars from Dad. How lucky Grandpa and Grandma.
Happy Anniversary this Wednesday!
Still no news on your mail for me.
Love,
Grant
July 6, 2015
This week we had a Family Home Evening with a less active family. (In my area there are two sets of elders) The other elders prepared a lesson to share with this family on the Atonement. They had a cake prepared and went around asking all of us who would like a piece. My companion and I raised our hands of course not knowing what the lesson was yet. All of the kids raised their hands and were getting super excited. One elder counted how many people were in the room with their hands in the air. Then he looked at his comp. and asked, "Will you do 10 push ups so that Sister Martinez can eat her piece of cake?" "Yeah sure, no problem!" Joyfully replied the other elder. "Mari, do you want your piece of cake still?" "Not if he has to do push ups for it." "Alright, Elder, Will you do 10 push ups so that Mari doesn´t eat her piece of cake?" With a displeased look on his face, he got down and started to do the push ups. We went of with everyone else at the tabgle and by the end of the night, this elder was dying. Sweating from everywhere and just in pain. The point of this lesson is to obviously show the sacrifice that Jesus Christ made for us. When we choose not to except what he did for us, he gets a little sad because he still had to suffer for each ad everyone of us. During the entire lesson I could remember very cleary a devotional from Seminary that was about a boy who had to do the exact thing for donuts and his seminary class. We have been trying to teach and share a lot about the Atonement these last few weeks and I love it. I can feel the spirit so strongly when we testify of what Jesus Christ did for us.
I have a strong testimony of the Atonement of Christ and I love my savior. I know that he loves me too.
This 4th of July was way different. We did the best we could to make it the same though. Elder Medina, Reidhead, Rivarola, and I had an asado. It was super good. Beef and chicken!!!
We found a statue of someone that looks a lot like a mythical creature from Paraguay. I turned to Elder Rivarola (from Paraguay) and was like, "Hey man look, its Kuripi" he just about died laughing. Pretty similar I guess.
Tell Grandma that she is in my prayers. And also, keep President Zanni in your prayers. He is having surgery tomorrow and it is a pretty risky one. To the point of him telling us to help his wife and family return to their Home town if he doesnt make it.
I love you all!
I have a strong testimony of the Atonement of Christ and I love my savior. I know that he loves me too.
This 4th of July was way different. We did the best we could to make it the same though. Elder Medina, Reidhead, Rivarola, and I had an asado. It was super good. Beef and chicken!!!
We found a statue of someone that looks a lot like a mythical creature from Paraguay. I turned to Elder Rivarola (from Paraguay) and was like, "Hey man look, its Kuripi" he just about died laughing. Pretty similar I guess.
Tell Grandma that she is in my prayers. And also, keep President Zanni in your prayers. He is having surgery tomorrow and it is a pretty risky one. To the point of him telling us to help his wife and family return to their Home town if he doesnt make it.
I love you all!
June 29, 2015
It is crazy to believe that another week has already gone by here in Cañada de Gomez. I am feeling a lot better now health wise, but I still have a cold. Nothing too big though. It is crazy how cold it actually gets here. These past coulple days have been warmer but holy cow, I could see my breath constantly the last few weeks.
We found a new investigator and she has a baptism date but I am not too sure on how sucessful it will be. I don´t know how to explain it. She just likes it when we come over and talk to her. For all of you missionaries or returned missionaries, she is kind of a snake. Pero, que vas a hacer. We are still trying to find out where the investigators live that the other Sister missionaries left for us. I finally found out why they got taken out and we were moved in. Apparently there was someone that sprayed pepper spray in the eyes of one of them. That is awesome to hear. Luckily I am a good sized guy, So I don´t think we will have any problems.
We got a new branch presidency. It is awesome because the new president is a stud. He is about 24, recently returned missionary, recently married, and is expecting a child. The only bad thing is that he was our Mission Leader. Always would go on visits with us, always had a meeting with him. But now he is the branch president so We need to find someone new to go with us. Hopefully the new mission leader will be active.
Alright, a few questions and ideas for stuff that you can put in packages. :)
Q. Is Sister Hales going to come back? There were a few people that asked me the other day so I was wondering about that.
S. A little book with good ideas for games and lessons for FHE. I am sure McCall would love to do that and it would probably be a young womens thing.
S. A bottle of on guard and peppermint.
S. Mann Family Calender. (When we get the new one.)
S. SD Card from the MTC. You can also put new pictures on the card of the family and friends and stuff like that.
S. Starburst or other types of candy that are hot. (Hot tomales, Cinnamons)
I guess there was more stuff than questions. Just some ideas that were rolling around in my head.
I love you all, good luck McCall in Orlando!
Love,
Grant
We found a new investigator and she has a baptism date but I am not too sure on how sucessful it will be. I don´t know how to explain it. She just likes it when we come over and talk to her. For all of you missionaries or returned missionaries, she is kind of a snake. Pero, que vas a hacer. We are still trying to find out where the investigators live that the other Sister missionaries left for us. I finally found out why they got taken out and we were moved in. Apparently there was someone that sprayed pepper spray in the eyes of one of them. That is awesome to hear. Luckily I am a good sized guy, So I don´t think we will have any problems.
We got a new branch presidency. It is awesome because the new president is a stud. He is about 24, recently returned missionary, recently married, and is expecting a child. The only bad thing is that he was our Mission Leader. Always would go on visits with us, always had a meeting with him. But now he is the branch president so We need to find someone new to go with us. Hopefully the new mission leader will be active.
Alright, a few questions and ideas for stuff that you can put in packages. :)
Q. Is Sister Hales going to come back? There were a few people that asked me the other day so I was wondering about that.
S. A little book with good ideas for games and lessons for FHE. I am sure McCall would love to do that and it would probably be a young womens thing.
S. A bottle of on guard and peppermint.
S. Mann Family Calender. (When we get the new one.)
S. SD Card from the MTC. You can also put new pictures on the card of the family and friends and stuff like that.
S. Starburst or other types of candy that are hot. (Hot tomales, Cinnamons)
I guess there was more stuff than questions. Just some ideas that were rolling around in my head.
I love you all, good luck McCall in Orlando!
Love,
Grant
Monday, June 29, 2015
June 22, 2015
This week was not as expected.
This week went way better than I had expected it to go. My companion is awesome and we are doing a lot of work here already. It is a little bit difficult still because we don´t really know where everything is or who people are but we are finding a lot to do. I also really like that there are two companionships here. Makes things way more fun. The church building is huge for only being a branch. It is as big as a stake center...for Argentina. Probably because the church was anticipating a change that is hopefully going to happen here in the next few years. Announcment in the next few months if we are lucky. However I cannot share exactly what it is. I will let you all speculate on that one.
I got super sick on Saturday night. I am pretty sure it was food poisoning from our second lunch that day with some investigators from Bolivia. So all night I was in the bathroom with terrible stomach and saliva filled dry heaves. It was at that moment Mom that I realized how much I miss You and McCall. However, Elder Medina did a pretty darn good job at playing Mr. Mom. Made me soup, moved my bed out in front of our heater. He is super awesome and really funny. The other two elders here are really great too. One is from Oakley, Utah. Elder Reidhead. He is on his last transfer right now. His companion is Elder Rivarola from Paraguay. Once again, a really cool Latino missionary. I guess I am just lucking out with having my first two Latins be super cool.
I don´t really have any worries with the language anymore and I feel really comfortable teaching as well. An experience that happened a few times this week was, We had just finished teaching a less active family and we left and Elder Medina told me that he really liked what I had said, or the commitment that I had left with the family, or the way I said somehthing. I thanked him for the compliment and asked what it was that I did because I legitamitely had no idea what he was talking about. He told me that I was joking because I had just taught like a picture perfect lesson and all. Once again I told him that I didn´t know what he was talking about. It took me a minute to understand what was happening. I wasn´t teaching or speaking. He told me that I was talking like a native with perfect Spanish. (A promised blessing in my patriarchal blessing). I was teaching 100% by the power of the Spirit. The reason that I did not remember what I had said is because I wasn´t the one saying any of those things. I just remember feeling such a powerful feeling during our lessons. A feeling of boldness and strength. A feeling of being a representative of Jesus Christ.
I want to challenge each one of you to find an experience like that this week. Share your testimony with boldness to a friend, colleague, or family member. Testify of the truthfullness of the Restored Gospel and the love you have for it. The blessings that you and your family receive from it. And how they can benefit from it both temporally here on the Earth and Spiritually in the life to come. I can promise you that as you do this, your testimony will grow tremendously and you will realize just how powerful the Spirit is.
I want each of you to report back to me on this in email within two weeks. Don´t be afraid to share the Gospel.
I love you all and would love to help you and whatever it may be that you need help with. However I cannot help you if you do not tell what it is that you need. So email me!!! I love to hear from you all.
With love,
Elder Grant M Salinas
Argentina Rosario
This week went way better than I had expected it to go. My companion is awesome and we are doing a lot of work here already. It is a little bit difficult still because we don´t really know where everything is or who people are but we are finding a lot to do. I also really like that there are two companionships here. Makes things way more fun. The church building is huge for only being a branch. It is as big as a stake center...for Argentina. Probably because the church was anticipating a change that is hopefully going to happen here in the next few years. Announcment in the next few months if we are lucky. However I cannot share exactly what it is. I will let you all speculate on that one.
I got super sick on Saturday night. I am pretty sure it was food poisoning from our second lunch that day with some investigators from Bolivia. So all night I was in the bathroom with terrible stomach and saliva filled dry heaves. It was at that moment Mom that I realized how much I miss You and McCall. However, Elder Medina did a pretty darn good job at playing Mr. Mom. Made me soup, moved my bed out in front of our heater. He is super awesome and really funny. The other two elders here are really great too. One is from Oakley, Utah. Elder Reidhead. He is on his last transfer right now. His companion is Elder Rivarola from Paraguay. Once again, a really cool Latino missionary. I guess I am just lucking out with having my first two Latins be super cool.
I don´t really have any worries with the language anymore and I feel really comfortable teaching as well. An experience that happened a few times this week was, We had just finished teaching a less active family and we left and Elder Medina told me that he really liked what I had said, or the commitment that I had left with the family, or the way I said somehthing. I thanked him for the compliment and asked what it was that I did because I legitamitely had no idea what he was talking about. He told me that I was joking because I had just taught like a picture perfect lesson and all. Once again I told him that I didn´t know what he was talking about. It took me a minute to understand what was happening. I wasn´t teaching or speaking. He told me that I was talking like a native with perfect Spanish. (A promised blessing in my patriarchal blessing). I was teaching 100% by the power of the Spirit. The reason that I did not remember what I had said is because I wasn´t the one saying any of those things. I just remember feeling such a powerful feeling during our lessons. A feeling of boldness and strength. A feeling of being a representative of Jesus Christ.
I want to challenge each one of you to find an experience like that this week. Share your testimony with boldness to a friend, colleague, or family member. Testify of the truthfullness of the Restored Gospel and the love you have for it. The blessings that you and your family receive from it. And how they can benefit from it both temporally here on the Earth and Spiritually in the life to come. I can promise you that as you do this, your testimony will grow tremendously and you will realize just how powerful the Spirit is.
I want each of you to report back to me on this in email within two weeks. Don´t be afraid to share the Gospel.
I love you all and would love to help you and whatever it may be that you need help with. However I cannot help you if you do not tell what it is that you need. So email me!!! I love to hear from you all.
With love,
Elder Grant M Salinas
Argentina Rosario
Monday, June 22, 2015
June 16, 2015
Well the computer keeps kicking me off so I can´t get a good email written.
This week I got transferred to a little town called Cañada de Gomez. It is about an hour and a half from Rosario. So about the same time as San Lorenzo. My companion is Elder Medina. He is from Peru and has two transfers more than me.
Not much to say about investigators or anything cause I don´t know who they are yet. But pray for the people here! :)
It is crazy to think that after this transfer I will already have 6 months on the mission. Time is just flying by! I found out today that for the next transfer, there are only 11 missionaries going home and we are getting 40 new ones! So President Zanni said in his letter to us that there is a good chance that just about all of us will be training. So that is exciting and a little bit nerve wracking. But we will see how that goes.
You should tell Parker to send me an email or something! It is so crazy to think that he is already home! Jeff too! Time flies while in the service of the Lord I guess.
This week I got transferred to a little town called Cañada de Gomez. It is about an hour and a half from Rosario. So about the same time as San Lorenzo. My companion is Elder Medina. He is from Peru and has two transfers more than me.
Not much to say about investigators or anything cause I don´t know who they are yet. But pray for the people here! :)
It is crazy to think that after this transfer I will already have 6 months on the mission. Time is just flying by! I found out today that for the next transfer, there are only 11 missionaries going home and we are getting 40 new ones! So President Zanni said in his letter to us that there is a good chance that just about all of us will be training. So that is exciting and a little bit nerve wracking. But we will see how that goes.
You should tell Parker to send me an email or something! It is so crazy to think that he is already home! Jeff too! Time flies while in the service of the Lord I guess.
I hope all is going well with you guys. Let me know if there is anything that I can do for you.
June 8, 2015
This week was gold!
Okay so first I will start with our investigator Pablo. We have been teaching him for a week now and he is progressing like crazy! He told us that he used to get these panic attacks like super bad. He wouldn´t want to go in the streets because he would just start shaking and literally think he was going to die. He went to a doctor like 3 times a week but it was 400 pesos every time (about 40US dollars). Then he told us that after he started meeting with us he hasn´t had anymore of those attacks. We are teaching him really well and the Spirit is there so strong every time because he actually keeps his commitments and he asks really good questions. So then we got around to asking him about baptism. Before we could finish the invitation he already accepted. Then we had the feeling to ask him what would be a good date. I don't know why we did it that way but we did. (This lesson was last Tuesday) He started thinking, then said, "Well, tomorrow I am busy but Thursday or Friday I could probably do it! We were so excited when he said that! So we told him we need to teach him a few more things and put a date for the 27th of June. I hope I will be here for that because transfers are next week.
We had a BBQ on Saturday with the family Arario. Well, one of the Arario families. There is like 4 of them in the branch. At the beginning of the transfer we had a lesson with them and gave them a challenge. If they read the Book of Mormon and prayed everyday as a family, we would have a BBQ with them. Well they did it! So we made a bunch of empinadas and some good beef!
Para que sepas Taylor, Yo probé la morsilla. Not my favorite.
This is the last week before the mission splits. So it will be Argentina Rosario and Argentina Santa Fe. I´m anxious to see where I end up.
Not much else has happened this week. Keep being great everyone! And do your Family History!!
Okay so first I will start with our investigator Pablo. We have been teaching him for a week now and he is progressing like crazy! He told us that he used to get these panic attacks like super bad. He wouldn´t want to go in the streets because he would just start shaking and literally think he was going to die. He went to a doctor like 3 times a week but it was 400 pesos every time (about 40US dollars). Then he told us that after he started meeting with us he hasn´t had anymore of those attacks. We are teaching him really well and the Spirit is there so strong every time because he actually keeps his commitments and he asks really good questions. So then we got around to asking him about baptism. Before we could finish the invitation he already accepted. Then we had the feeling to ask him what would be a good date. I don't know why we did it that way but we did. (This lesson was last Tuesday) He started thinking, then said, "Well, tomorrow I am busy but Thursday or Friday I could probably do it! We were so excited when he said that! So we told him we need to teach him a few more things and put a date for the 27th of June. I hope I will be here for that because transfers are next week.
We had a BBQ on Saturday with the family Arario. Well, one of the Arario families. There is like 4 of them in the branch. At the beginning of the transfer we had a lesson with them and gave them a challenge. If they read the Book of Mormon and prayed everyday as a family, we would have a BBQ with them. Well they did it! So we made a bunch of empinadas and some good beef!
Para que sepas Taylor, Yo probé la morsilla. Not my favorite.
This is the last week before the mission splits. So it will be Argentina Rosario and Argentina Santa Fe. I´m anxious to see where I end up.
Not much else has happened this week. Keep being great everyone! And do your Family History!!
This is a painting given to Grant from a member who loves to paint
Sunday, June 7, 2015
June 1, 2015
Okay, the story of the week!
So our window in our room sits facing the little walkway to the doors of everyone that lives in our little complex, so we see all of the traffic that goes through there. Well one of the guys that lives in there is a cop. He is about 50 or 60 and a heavy smoker. All day long he is going back and forth to make his smoking breaks, coming home from work, or trying to sneakly leave with a new little girly friend every single day! He finds a new one every day! So one day we were planning on what we should do with one of our investigators whose name will be, lets say, Jane. We haven´t been able to meet with her for the past like 5 weeks. So we were contemplating dropping her from our pool of investigators. Well right then we looked up at the window cause we heard someones keys jangling and we see her leaving with the cop. She didn´t know that´s where we lived but now we know her little secret. I think she needs a little more time to be prepared to listen to our messages more. So we ended up dropping her. However we have found some great people to teach and we are super excited for them!
We found a bunch of new awesome investigators though! So I am super pumped for them! Waldo, Pablo and Family, and Vanina and Family. Pray for them!
Here are some pictures from the week.
Elder Brown and I made empanadas this week! They were way good, easy to make, and a ton cheaper than that chip dip recipe Taylor brought home! Also, a birthday cake that a member made me!
So our window in our room sits facing the little walkway to the doors of everyone that lives in our little complex, so we see all of the traffic that goes through there. Well one of the guys that lives in there is a cop. He is about 50 or 60 and a heavy smoker. All day long he is going back and forth to make his smoking breaks, coming home from work, or trying to sneakly leave with a new little girly friend every single day! He finds a new one every day! So one day we were planning on what we should do with one of our investigators whose name will be, lets say, Jane. We haven´t been able to meet with her for the past like 5 weeks. So we were contemplating dropping her from our pool of investigators. Well right then we looked up at the window cause we heard someones keys jangling and we see her leaving with the cop. She didn´t know that´s where we lived but now we know her little secret. I think she needs a little more time to be prepared to listen to our messages more. So we ended up dropping her. However we have found some great people to teach and we are super excited for them!
We found a bunch of new awesome investigators though! So I am super pumped for them! Waldo, Pablo and Family, and Vanina and Family. Pray for them!
Here are some pictures from the week.
Elder Brown and I made empanadas this week! They were way good, easy to make, and a ton cheaper than that chip dip recipe Taylor brought home! Also, a birthday cake that a member made me!
***The last 4 pictures were sent from a sweet sister in Argentina via Facebook. I received a message yesterday afternoon:
Hi sister Lauralyn, I am sister nidya Arario, your son is here with us, we are having an Argentino bbq. He is funny and a good missionary!
Hi sister Lauralyn, I am sister nidya Arario, your son is here with us, we are having an Argentino bbq. He is funny and a good missionary!
I love being able to hear from the people that Grant is serving!
May 25, 2015
So we got a referral from a member to this guy named Carlos. He just showed up at the church right before a meeting we had and this guy in our ward gave him a tour, taught a little and this investigator was like, "yeah I have a Book of Mormon, I know it is true. I know that it is here to support the bible and not to replace it." Then he said that like he wants to get baptized. So We set a cita (date) with him for the next morning. We are stoked! We know that he is an answer to our prayers. So we get to his house the next day and see him outside smoking a cigarette. Not a big deal, we can easily overcome that with him. We go inside his house and oh my gosh! I wanted to turn right back around. He has two big radio stations going at the same time with some lame religious talk show on. He has all of these jenga blocks set up in a religious arrow on his table. Just weird. Well he is also training in karate, tai kwon do, and some other thing so he has all these bamboo weapon sticks. Well he is showing all of those and telling us about the symbolism they have to the bible. Super crazy. Then he says he wants to show us his tatoos. Were like, okay, so he takes off his shirt to show us the tattoos that are on his arms. (Why did he have to take off the shirt? I have no idea.) Then he shows us one which of the world, and another of a balance scale. He tells us it represents Jesus Christ. Right after that he shows us another bamboo stick, gets in a ninja karate kid stance and starts beating himself with it. hahahahahaha it took everything I had to not just bust up laughing! I thought I was going to die inside it was so hard not to laugh. Well then he calls the radio station and demands to be put on the air. So they do and he starts calling the people and the Dj to repentance because what they are saying is offensive to God and that the second coming is happening. It was great. Well then he hangs up and sits down and tells us that he is listening. I kid you not, 5 seconds after he said that he practically teleported over in front of his computer and started showing us pictures on his facebook. Only to hear the radio dj start to apologize to his audience for the crazy guy that was just on. Oh boy, that lit a fire under this guy. He jumped up and called them back but this time he spoke the radio representative and was just yelling at him like crazy and beating his chair with a horse whip thing. It was quite the event. So yeah, we didn´t really teach him much but we set another cita with him for tomorrow. So we are going to take the member who gave us the referral to go with us to see how crazy this guy really is.
I sent you an email Subjected Project for Grandma Mann. If you could forward that to her and my email as well.
This week was good. Not much happened other than our reference. haha
Let me know what you would like to hear. We will probably be on here a bit earlier next week cause I think we have a zone activity.
I sent you an email Subjected Project for Grandma Mann. If you could forward that to her and my email as well.
This week was good. Not much happened other than our reference. haha
Let me know what you would like to hear. We will probably be on here a bit earlier next week cause I think we have a zone activity.
Wednesday, May 20, 2015
May 18, 2015
Hey Mom!
This week was a good one! We got to go the Temple Dedication, well just watch it from here, and it was such a great experience. President Uchtdorf and Elder Christofferson were there. haha President Uchtdorf tried to put to test his Spanish and it was quite an event. He was butchering everything he tried to say in Spanish so that was really funny. However, in the last session of the dedication he was speaking and talked about how he had an awesome translator, "Carlos". He told us that He would say something that we didn´t understand, "Carlos" would translate it into a way that we knew what he was saying. He then applied that to our conversations with our Father in Heaven. He is telling us things to do everyday, however, without a translator, we do not understand what he is saying. So our translator with the Lord is the Holy Ghost. He is there to allow us to understand what the Lord is trying to tell us. I really enjoyed that story.
We found a bunch of new people to teach this week too so I am really excited for follow up lessons with them this coming week to see how they are. A great birthday present that I got was on Saturday night after we watched the youth cultural event was finding one man named Carlos. He was sitting by himself in the park and really needed us to go and talk to him. The spirit had prompted us to go over there and we started having a great conversation with him. Just goes to show that the Lord really does work through impressions by the spirit.
The only bad thing about my birthday was in the morning. I got up a little early and started making empinadas. All was going fine until I put one of the last ones in the pan. Right as I was going to place it in there, it slipped from my fingers, landed in the hot oil, and scalded my hand and sent hot oil all down my pants. Luckily for my pants, they just slicked the oil right off, not so luckily for my hand, I now have burns all over it. So that is how my day went.
Not much else happened this week. Let me know if there is anything that I can do for you!
Elder Salinas
We found a bunch of new people to teach this week too so I am really excited for follow up lessons with them this coming week to see how they are. A great birthday present that I got was on Saturday night after we watched the youth cultural event was finding one man named Carlos. He was sitting by himself in the park and really needed us to go and talk to him. The spirit had prompted us to go over there and we started having a great conversation with him. Just goes to show that the Lord really does work through impressions by the spirit.
The only bad thing about my birthday was in the morning. I got up a little early and started making empinadas. All was going fine until I put one of the last ones in the pan. Right as I was going to place it in there, it slipped from my fingers, landed in the hot oil, and scalded my hand and sent hot oil all down my pants. Luckily for my pants, they just slicked the oil right off, not so luckily for my hand, I now have burns all over it. So that is how my day went.
Not much else happened this week. Let me know if there is anything that I can do for you!
Elder Salinas
Wednesday, May 13, 2015
May 11, 2015
I was able to chat with Grant a little bit on P-Day but he didn't send a "real" letter because we had just skyped him the day before! He is doing great and the language is coming along so well. He looked good and we loved getting to talk to him. Here are a few pictures of this cute boy!
Mother's Day Skype Call!
All of the brothers! Grant in Argentina, Taylor in Utah (on the phone via Facetime) and Spencer & M'Kay here at home!
Wednesday, May 6, 2015
May 5, 2015
So Elder Carter got transferred to Rosario yesterday. He is now the zone leader of the Rosario South Zone. I already miss him because I don´t know how to get around in the streets here in San Lorenzo. Also, I don´t know where like hardly any members live either.
My new companion is Elder Brown. He is almost done with his mission. This transfer and one more. He is from California and only speaks Spanish. He knows english and all but he won´t speak to me in it at all. So it is really hard to know what is going on a lot.
This week has been super cold though. Like it sucks to be studying, sleeping, working, anything else, because of how cold it is. So we are looking for a heater and a sweater.
Sunday night the branch had a party for Elder Carter and we made Torta Fritas. I had to try making one. Pretty awesome. Also, One of our investigators came and was wearing this awesome blue sweater so I had to take a picture with him.
After that we went to the house of the Elders Quorum president and he had an awesome shirt with the whole Carc thing so you know I had to get that one too!
Well, im not really sure what to say this week. We are talking this sunday for Mothers day!!! I am going to call home about 1:00 your time. 4 here. WE are going to use the laptop of Hna. Gaby. (Gabriela Caraballo)
More than nothing though, just kind of a sad week cause Elder Carter is gone, I feel like a lost puppy here and to make it worse, now I am suppose to be responsible for someone else here too!
Pray for me!!!
My new companion is Elder Brown. He is almost done with his mission. This transfer and one more. He is from California and only speaks Spanish. He knows english and all but he won´t speak to me in it at all. So it is really hard to know what is going on a lot.
This week has been super cold though. Like it sucks to be studying, sleeping, working, anything else, because of how cold it is. So we are looking for a heater and a sweater.
Sunday night the branch had a party for Elder Carter and we made Torta Fritas. I had to try making one. Pretty awesome. Also, One of our investigators came and was wearing this awesome blue sweater so I had to take a picture with him.
After that we went to the house of the Elders Quorum president and he had an awesome shirt with the whole Carc thing so you know I had to get that one too!
Well, im not really sure what to say this week. We are talking this sunday for Mothers day!!! I am going to call home about 1:00 your time. 4 here. WE are going to use the laptop of Hna. Gaby. (Gabriela Caraballo)
More than nothing though, just kind of a sad week cause Elder Carter is gone, I feel like a lost puppy here and to make it worse, now I am suppose to be responsible for someone else here too!
Pray for me!!!
(This is hilarious!!! Inside Salinas Family joke!)
April 27, 2015
I am so excited for Taylor and Brooklyn! He did Good! haha We have been teaching a lot about the importance of getting to the temple and being married in the temple lately so this will be great for future reference when I have pictures of them at the temple.
We are teaching:
Betiana. Wife of a less active RM. They have a little girl named Luz and she is the cutest thing ever. They really want to have an eternal family and they are doing everything to get there...except going to church. Before we met them they had stopped drinking and smoking because they wanted to be better for their daughter. So they really want it, however, they haven´t come to church. She had a baptism date for the 9th of May but we keep having to move it back. So hopefully they can come to chuch.
Silvia. She is a friend of a less active who happened to be at their house when we stopped by to teach. She wants to get baptized, she previously studdied the church because it interests her, and she doesn´t like the other churches because she can´t feel the spirit when she goes. She had a date for this coming Saturday but we just don´t feel like she is ready. We need to help her with her prayers and the importance of asking God for help and for answeres. Also for forgivness of our sins.
Liliana. She is an old investigator who wouldn´t get married. We started teaching her and everthing is going great. She also had a baptism date for this coming Saturday but she hasn´t gotten married yet. We met with her and her "Man" last week and they both agreed that they were going to get married this week, but now she is having second thoughts. So we need to help her to receive an answer that she has to get married and baptized to go to heaven.
Other families who we have had one or two lessons with and are still trying to get a feel for where we are at with them.
The only cool things I have seen are all of the donkey carts in the streets and the huge ships that go through the river right here by San Lorenzo. The river is huge and these ships are bigger than cruise liners. It is pretty cool.
Didn´t really eat much exciting this week but it´s alright.
We taught one lesson to a recent convert family last week of a mom and twins. They live in a little pueblo, (town) which is about 40 minutes away by car. So a family in our branch drove us out there and we taught them about temples. We are going back out there tonight for a family night and dinner. But I got some pictures of the trip out there.
Another really cool thing happened. Last night I gave my first blessing in Spanish. It was all by the spirit. I don´t have much time so I will write more about it next week.
I love you mom!
Elder Salinas
We are teaching:
Betiana. Wife of a less active RM. They have a little girl named Luz and she is the cutest thing ever. They really want to have an eternal family and they are doing everything to get there...except going to church. Before we met them they had stopped drinking and smoking because they wanted to be better for their daughter. So they really want it, however, they haven´t come to church. She had a baptism date for the 9th of May but we keep having to move it back. So hopefully they can come to chuch.
Silvia. She is a friend of a less active who happened to be at their house when we stopped by to teach. She wants to get baptized, she previously studdied the church because it interests her, and she doesn´t like the other churches because she can´t feel the spirit when she goes. She had a date for this coming Saturday but we just don´t feel like she is ready. We need to help her with her prayers and the importance of asking God for help and for answeres. Also for forgivness of our sins.
Liliana. She is an old investigator who wouldn´t get married. We started teaching her and everthing is going great. She also had a baptism date for this coming Saturday but she hasn´t gotten married yet. We met with her and her "Man" last week and they both agreed that they were going to get married this week, but now she is having second thoughts. So we need to help her to receive an answer that she has to get married and baptized to go to heaven.
Other families who we have had one or two lessons with and are still trying to get a feel for where we are at with them.
The only cool things I have seen are all of the donkey carts in the streets and the huge ships that go through the river right here by San Lorenzo. The river is huge and these ships are bigger than cruise liners. It is pretty cool.
Didn´t really eat much exciting this week but it´s alright.
We taught one lesson to a recent convert family last week of a mom and twins. They live in a little pueblo, (town) which is about 40 minutes away by car. So a family in our branch drove us out there and we taught them about temples. We are going back out there tonight for a family night and dinner. But I got some pictures of the trip out there.
Another really cool thing happened. Last night I gave my first blessing in Spanish. It was all by the spirit. I don´t have much time so I will write more about it next week.
I love you mom!
Elder Salinas
April 20, 2015
This week went by so fast!!!
So last Monday we had a Zone P-Day activity. We played capture the flag for a few hours haha. I didn´t really feel it until Tuesday though, I was so sore walking that day. But to make things even better, not one of our appointments was there, so on Tuesday we walked for about 6 hours! It was good though! Something that helped me get through the week was the fact that we had a baptism scheduled for Saturday night. I was looking forward to that all week!
Saturday morning came and the first thing I say, "Elder, We have a baptism today!!!" I was pumped! We went and made sure the font wasn´t full of water in the morning...it was. So we drained that and then around 2 we went and started filling up the font. Went to some other appointments and then back to the church at 5 to get things finished. Maria showed up about 5:45 and she was the only one there, besides her daughter. So she is changed into whites and we are just thinking, it´s alright, more people are going to come. 6o´clock came and there was only 1 other person. So we said we would wait a little bit longer so we did, because we had to! We needed another priesthood holder to be there! People started coming in and there was about 20 people and still no one that could be another witness so we were getting a little discouraged until finally, the Brach President showed up! So the baptism was great!!!
We ate quite a bit this week, we had two lunches fall through, (Friday and Saturday). So we had Milanesa one day and hamburgers the other. Sunday for lunch we were going to eat with the Family Rafignini but he was sick so his wife told us to come over and get the food to take home. MASHED POTATOES AND MILANESA!!! It was so good! Then Sunday night we went to a members house to share a message and they made us dinner too! So good! Then last night we were wondering where we should go and had an impression to go see Christian. A recent convert who isn´t very active. They were getting ready to eat dinner and insisted that we had some. More Milanesa! We ended up giving him a blessing though and he was crying at the end of it and told us that he is really going to apply repentance in his life now. Then he said the closing prayer and asked for help to be a better person and he started crying again. So we are really excited for him.
San Lorenzo...It is a really bi area honestly. From side to side, it takes about 3 hours to walk. We divided it into 4 areas and try to just work in one of them per day. It is kind of hard though when you have people from different areas who can onl meet on the same day. It is one the richer areas of our mission but still, not up to date with the rest of the world. Ave. San Martin is like the main street and that is where all the "stores" are. Tons of people here and they all are pretty friendly for the most part. I haven´t gotten robbed yet. I got to kick some dogs that were trying to bite us though, so that was fun!
It is funny to see all these people settin up tables on every corner to sell sunglasses and movies though! All the ones that haven´t come out yet are already on sale here! So it is pretty funny. Elder Carter and I are just treckin along though with the work! Having a blast!
I set a goal of myself to read the Book of Mormon once every transfer. So I didn´t finish in the MTC so i spent the first two weeks here doing that but now I am almost done for the second time. So I want to challenge all of you to try and read it twice a year, if not, more! It is amazing how much time you can find in your schedule for the Lord if you actually look!
If you would like to know anything specifically about my mission, feel free to send me an email! :)
Something that I would love, from family, friends, anyone else. Pictures!! Send me pictures, like physical pictures, of life. I like getting to hear from you guys!
I love you! Have another great week!
Elder Salinas
The following pictures were sent to me (Lauralyn) via someone in Argentina! So grateful for the internet and the ability to connect with people that my son is serving with!!!
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