Argentina Jack: Week 21 Dinner with the Mission President!

Dearest family and friends,

This week was pretty interesting. Yes, I know the president is now Donald Trump. No, I do not have a super strong opinion on the subject. I hope my country does well. Speaking of presidents, we had dinner with ours this last Wednesday. It. Was. Amazing. We got to take a whole day to relax and travel all the way to his super nice house in a super nice neighborhood. We ate some amazing food that was made by their maid. He gave us council on learning the language, how we should be behaving in the mission, and questions that we had. Really just a beautiful day.

Then we came back to work. Oh yeah, the pday before this one we got to take an actual trip to the Basilica here in Lujàn. I took pics! We are working very hard here in General Rodriguez. We have a baptism lined up for this Saturday and I`m hoping all goes well there. Her name is Viviana and she`s been through a lot, but with any luck, she can overcome her personal doubts and problems and be baptized. Our zone leaders had divisiones twice this week so we spent pretty much the whole time with 6 people in the pension. Super cramped. I made breakfast for a couple of missionaries and really felt good. Service to others has always been a great way for me to forget about whatever is bothering me.

My companion, Elder Jarrìn, and I are still working through some little things, but for the most part, we are working super well together. I did have a couple of rough days this week, especially when I stepped in the sanja. For those of you who don`t know, there isn`t really plumbing down here. So all the waste from everyone`s toilet just ends up in the gutters along the sides of the streets. Yeah. I stepped in that. It was rough, but I survived and kept working hard.

I also learned that I really don`t like spending money. I have a good bit of personal funds that I can use, but to be completely honest, I try to get by with only the asignación that the church gives us. Occasionally I`ll use personal funds to pay for something that I really need. It`s kind of weird.

Anyways, we taught 2 lessons this week that were really good. The first was with a family that we are hoping to baptize in the next couple of weeks sometime in December. As we spoke with them, I was struck by how big of a blessing they were for us. They understood what we were teaching them. They appreciated the message. Elder Jarrìn asked them why the Teachings of Jesus Christ were so important and the 10 year old answered ``so that we can be clean of conscience when we go back to live with our Heavenly Father.`` That is honestly one of the best answers that I have ever heard our investigators give... and she`s 10. So great.

Our other lesson was going to be great, but my comp got a flat tire on the way there. We were going to make it to the lesson, but we would have to cancel with the other family that we were going to visit that night. As Elder Jarrìn was calling to cancel, I felt impressed to invite them to join us in our lesson. I told Elder Jarrìn and he asked. They came to the lesson. It turned out very nicely. We watched the video by Elder Uchtdorf (Click here to watch the video) about living beneath our privileges and just talked. We finished the lesson with a kneeling prayer that was really great.

I was really happy this weekend. I felt so weak and tired. I honestly thought I was going to throw up Sunday morning, but we went to work anyways. Despite my weakness and all of the other difficulties that happened that day, I was happy. It really was a good moment for me. Something just clicked and I learned that my happiness is a choice. In that moment, I chose happiness.

My hope is that all of you might also choose to be happy. It`s a better life if you do. I love you guys and hope that all goes well at home.

With love,
-Elder Sultan

Questions and Answers...

Favorite Scripture from last week?
D&C 43:15-16 Sanctify yourselves. We have the power of God so we should use it well.

Favorite part of Preach My Gospel?
Chapter 4: The Light of Christ. Someone in Sunday school gave a pretty good definition of this. Before this life, we lived with Christ. We came here and forgot everything, but we still remember what it feels like to be around Christ. When we preach the Gospel, it connects with that part of the person that remembers what it was like to be with Christ. They come to see it as good and they become converted.

How often do y'all teach English class? Where? Who's invited?
English class on Thursday at our chapel. We`ve only had it twice. The second time, only little kids from one family came and I`m not sure if we`ll keep having them.

Does your mission do anything for Thanksgiving?
Haha nope.

When are you going to the temple again? How often do y'all go?
We are going to the temple again this Christmas. I am super pumped for that. We only get to go 2 times per year.