Training

Elder Mangum and Elder Lakey

Hey fam,

The week was good.  Monday and Tuesday I was with my buddy Elder Nelson and we worked really hard, and got matching haircuts from Alberto Pelegri.  On Wednesday we headed up to Corboda and got our "kids" (our greenies).  Mine is Elder Lakey, from Ogden, Utah.  He is 19, just got done with his first year at the University of Utah.  He is 6´4, I am sure we are quite the sight to see here in the streets of Carlos Paz.  We got back to our area on Wednesday night, and on Thursday I got him right to work!

As part of training, we get an extra hour of comp study to focus on the basic doctrines that we will have to teach to everybody.  I don’t know if this means I am a good trainer or bad trainer, but I talk to him 24/7 in Spanish, which he is really picking up fast.  Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, we entered a house knocking doors very day and taught the restoration.  

I love having a greenie comp, he reminds of some of the basic things that have started to slip my mind as I have become one of the older folks in the mission.  Things like stopping in the middle of the street and praying to be able to find and teach somebody that lives in that street.  We did that 3 times, and all 3 times within 90 seconds we were in a house teaching lesson 1.  I love it.  

We have a new investigator named Santiago.  He plays trumpet and piano (so does my new comp.  Coincidence?  I think not!)  We have left a couple of pamphlets with him and talked about the Book of Mormon and Plan of Salvation.  We have an appointment with him on Tuesday, which I am really looking forward to.  Friday night we had a FHE with the 1st counselor in the bishopric, Familia Spitale, and a part member family, Familia Sosa.  We taught about how the gospel blesses families, and the spirit was there so strong that all of the adults there were in tears.  Hermano Sosa has been less active for years, but when I asked him if he remembered a time when he was a kid that the gospel blessed his family, and he could barely talk for the emotion that he was feeling.  It went really well.  

Sunday was really good as well. I blessed the sacrament again, but didn't have to teach any classes this week.  After church, we had lunch with the mother in law of the Bishop and all of their family, where she dumped a glass of orange juice all over my suit, white shirt, and pants.  We all laughed it off and proceeded to eat the tacos, it was pretty funny.  In the evening we had another FHE, this time with Familia Moreno, whose son turns 12 tomorrow and his father passed away years ago, so his mother asked us to come and teach about the priesthood.  Once again, an incredibly spiritual experience.  A very basic lesson using D&C 20 and D&C 84, but another experience I will never forget.  

Today was Pday de Zona here in Carlos Paz, which is why I am emailing so late.  However, my comp started to throw up at 2 am, but he started feeling better about mid day so we were able to go to the chapel and play soccer and hang out with everybody.  All in all, a great week, and I am praying for an even better one this week!

Gonzalo is still in Dallas, he has a baptismal date for August 1st.  Life is good here, looking forward to this week, I may do my first baptismal interview for somebody that the sisters here are teaching.  The biggest challenge this week has been teaching a ton, which is a good challenge to have!  And the fact that my comp, while speaking very good for a greenie, still can really only testify so I need to teach the basic points in the lessons.  If you could pray for Santiago, Gabriela, and Gonzalo, that would be great.  My favorite food here in the area has been empanadas, we eat them all the time. The apartment is still freezing cold.  As far as teaching about the Sabbath Day, it is always good to read in 3 Nephi when Christ institutes the sacrament in the Americas.  

Love you all!

Elder Mangum  

The Gospel of Jesus Christ Blesses Families