District Meeting

 Watching General Conference

Hey fam,

It was a really good week.  My comp and I are getting along really well so far, and yesterday we tied the record for attendance in the branch with 23 people, 4 of which were investigators.  We found quite a few new people to teach as well.  

Wednesday I led my first district meeting, it went fairly well.  I gave a small training on finding new people to teach, then we combined with another district to do practices.  Following the district meeting, we did exchanges with the other missionaries in our district.  I worked with Elder Aranda from Spain.  During the course of the day, my comp lost the key to our pension.  Good luck finding a key in the capital of a province.  It’s like looking for a key in the whole city of Austin, worse than a needle in a haystack.  So we had to stay in La Quebrada until Friday, when we traveled back to Aimogasta and replaced all of the locks on the house and got new keys.  Gave us more time in the exchange and to grow together as a district, which is good.  We also found 6 new people to teach for them in their area in 36 hours, so it was time well spent.

Sunday I gave a talk on Backbiting and Evil Speaking.  Being in a small branch and in a small town, it is a definite problem that I have noticed in my nearly 5 months here.  I "dropped cane" as the Argentines say.  A lot of Alma 5, and Psalms 101:5.  I was tired of hearing members talk bad about other members, so I taught them how we should be, but I did it with love.  It was a really good Sunday.  This week I have planned to go on an exchange with the zone leaders on Wednesday/Thursday, then head to Córdoba to see the temple on Friday.  I also have to go to Córdoba on Monday to receive a training from the mission president, 36 hours in bus in a 72 hour span.  It will be a blast!  I am definitely looking forward to going to the temple open house, from the pictures I see it is beautiful and really a sacred place.

I can definitely tell the difference between the accents of Nicaragua, Peru, Chile, Spain, and Argentina.  Sounds like y’all had a really exciting week.  Roaches in the shower is a daily event here.  The most interesting thing that happened this week was me not getting angry or flipping out when my comp lost the key.  Guess I have come a long way in the patience department!  Still struggling with the plumbing, hopefully he will fix it today.  Absolutely 0 rain this time of year.  The people we are working with are progressing, slowly but surely.  Elisa and Emilia are 90% sure baptisms in the month of May, they both want to do it.  The grossest thing I have eaten lately...fried donkey!  Good luck finding that at the Rodeo!  

Skype in 2 weeks!  Probably be about 4 in the afternoon your time.  I won’t get to write until next Tuesday because of the training in Córdoba, but I love you all!  Have a great week!

Elder Mangum

Pictures!!