3/28/11

28 March 2011

Hello again everybody!!!!

This is my favorite day because I get march madness updates from Keegan, so of course I am happy. No I love reading about everything that is going on with everyone and how my other words were apparently inspiring for the Roseville ward which amazes me because before my mission, I couldn´t have been that inspiring. I now realize it is the spirit that I rely on almost too much in one day to strengthen my testimony and my spanish.

Ok my spanish update is that I can understand just about everything except for questions that they ask.  If I miss one word, then I miss the whole question-so I have gotten a few funny stares.

I did have a baptism!!! DIEGO and the spirit-oh my goodness. When I arrived for the baptism Saturday I was so happy but as I sat in my white clothes, I thought of how the prayer that is said is the same prayer/ordinance as Jesus Christs’ and I realized he was right there with me the entire time. As I sat and sang that first song next to Diego, I realized I get to baptize my own son someday.

I actually had a detailed dream of my family and my future home and of course my wife. I had no faces in the dream but my wife had blonde hair, I had 2 girls and 3 boys and in the house there was such peace and such love and kindness. I woke up with tears. I am not sure what happened then I read my blessing and the dream came back to me and I realized the Lord has given me every blessing I have ever wanted in this life. Ok… I am sorry for sharing this but it was the best day and night ever.

In the baptismal font I had tears after I pulled Diego out of the water and he stared those 9 year old eyes in mine and I felt the love that my Savior has for him and I realized the Savior loves everyone of us and that we need to show that love to others. The baptism was amazing and after I told Diego he was perfect and had no sins and he said, ¨all because of you and your consistent teaching I am now on my way to eternal life.”  This boy brought tears to my eyes and I realized I don´t need to show off that I had a baptism but rather that I brought a soul unto Christ and that is what matters on a mission.

Ok enough about my amazing spiritual stories and very successful baptisms and now onto Argentina, the land where pedestrians do not have the right of way. Today we had an American football and were bombing it down the street when Elder Adams dropped it and a car slowed down, my comp. ran in front and the car sped up and ran over the ball. Thank goodness it didn´t pop because that would have sucked big time. The drivers are crazy here but there are curbs so I am safe as can be-don´t worry.

Also the school here has started and the uniforms are, short skirts and white tops with a black tie. I hate it because the school girls. Ok..side note..they just turned on California Love, the song, so I am totally amped to write this email (that was for you kod and it is my favorite song here besides Jason Mraz, I’m Yours) Anyway as missionaries we say ‘snakes’ meaning young girls who love us and these school girls whistle for us and blow kissy faces.  It is the funniest things ever because they all memorized my name and say darrrby so lets just say I have a lot of ‘snakes’ even though I don’t talk to them. School is 3 hours here with a 12 minute lunch, it is crazy hard though so I have heard.

The jobs/work these people have is crazy-you either work in the ferria(flea market, my favorite) or you do heavy labor every day for hecka hours, it is nuts. Also the ciesta here people either sleep or drink mate from 1-4pm. It is such a pain to knock doors or for people to even remember they have citas but that time we usually visit inactive members.  Of course members stuff bread and the best fruits down your throat. I think I am actually gaining weight but I haven´t weighed myself yet, so I am not sure.

I love it here though-like man-it is perfect as can be, I love the people their kindness (when not driving) and their willingness to follow the commandments when everything says Satan.

Ok, more about how the Lord keeps blessing me and my comp. The family of Diego was apparently inactive for 4 years and for 6 weeks now they are praying as an entire family and take up 2 rows in the church-so we are more than happy for the perfect baptism and reactivated family.

I have tons of great pics and am loading them on a cd tomorrow and will be in the mail hopefully Friday. It takes time here so I am way excited to finally send all my pics and everything home, I can´t wait for you all to see them.

So it is winter, the weather is getting a little colder but no problem, we built a barbecue and a tent to sleep on the roof and ran an electrical cord up to the roof. Also we took apart two fan motors and realigned them to be functioning.  Another USA man I love, Elder Adams, he is the best and we have so much fun when back in the pension.

Well I want you to all know I love you tons and you are all in my prayers that are purely in Spanish. I have never felt more close to the Lord or so aligned with the spirit. It is the best feeling to have a special guide in this life that no one else has and to be a missionary is the best blessing I have ever received(sorry Danielle). My family and, of course, my novia and I just want to say as a missionary always with a challenge…Stay strong and know that when you make that correct decision compared to a bad one, the Lord not only smiles but Satan frowns.

Don´t let Satan win in your life because that just shows you are weak and that Jesus Christ suffered the atonement for no reason. Helaman 5,12 is the best scripture for this topic so if you don´t believe my testimony-look at this scripture. 

Love Elder Darby