Week 6: "We have so much success, you can tell it`s all the spirit because our language is so bad."

I´m doing so good! Life is so good. The language is progressing so fast. You can tell the spirit is here helping the Elders. When Elder Doman got Johnni’s letter he wrote her back that second. I had to proofread it so it´ll have my signature at the bottom of the page! Haha I'm so happy for Cameron and Alysha!!!!!! I wish I could have been there...but please send a ton of pictures! Did Lysje get her call today? I´m so excited for her!!!! I really wish I could be there, she´s gonna be such a great missionary. I predict she´s gonna go to Uruguay, Montevideo West! Haha  I´m so proud of Johnni, Walk, and Mae for their grades. That is so awesome!!! But this week was really fun!!!! Saturday we got to go prosletismo again. We went back to teach a guy we taught last week and we taught him another lesson and he gave us some fruit. We tried to pay him but he wouldn´t let us. It´s so humbling to see people want to give so much when they have so little. All he owned was a little fruit stand outside his house. We had an Elder here who came with only one pair of pants, three shirts, one tie, and one pair of shoes. So all the missionaries got together and gave him some clothes and some money. We raised over 500 dollars. It was so cool to see how happy he was. He bought a suit and a camera. I´m gonna miss him. But the Latinos left Tuesday. I`m gonna miss those guys. They were so funny. We had one guy who used to be a crack dealer, he was hilarious. But how it works here is the seventh week you get a new companion and it`s a latino companion. I`m so excited for that! That will help me with the language so much. But we go tracting every Saturday! We have so much success, you can tell it`s all the spirit because our language is so bad. But the food is really good. But on Monday the power was out, I think the first time in my life I had to shower in cold water. It was way fun actually! Haha but since it`s all gringos here, the President’s wife went out and bought Mcdonalds for us. She is the sweetest lady. Last night my district slept in my room together because there`s no latinos. Tonight we`re gonna decorate our room with the decorations you sent and eat the candy grandma sent! I`m excited! Te amo!!!! 

Elder Arbon 

Week 5: "My goal is to have my testimony be just as strong as his."

How are you? I miss you so much! You guys went on the Frontrunner? I`m so jealous...remember when we went? Hobos on the loose!!!! Haha Tell Walker HAPPY BIRTHDAY and I love him!!! Florider sounds fun...send me some pictures of that. How`s Johnni`s training going? When is the Halloween dance? Lysje will get her call on Halloween?!!! I`m excited for Cam and Alysha, I`m sad I can`t be there. I will try and send pictures next week. But this week was so much fun. Today Elder Bednar came and gave a devotional. There was only like 70 people total, I sat 20 feet from him. He is so funny, how he taught his lesson was he had people ask questions and he taught us by answering those questions. His testimony is so strong, my goal is to have my testimony be just as strong as his. One thing he taught us was no matter how hard you work, no matter how much you obey, you won´t get results until you get rid of ``I`` (being self-centered). The language is coming along really well. Discussions are good, I need to work on teaching two by two with my companion though. I just have so much to say but I need to realize the spirit will speak through both of us, not just me.  But we went prosletismo to a new area. They live so much different down here, it is so dirty. Trash is everywhere and there are drunk people during midday. But we had a lot of success. Three BOM, four lessons, and six referrals. We have a lesson with one of the guys we taught next week, I can`t wait! But we found some kids on the street and played soccer with them. It was so fun...they did work on us. Made us look like tards.  I`ve sent a ton of letters home so you should get them soon. And thank you so much for the packages and letters!!!!!! I`m so grateful!!! Please keep sending them! I know this church is true and Jesus is our Savior! Love you!

Elder Arbon

If you can send some healthy food, Ethan was right. Food isn`t all that healthy here. But can you find out the names of the 3 boys who carried people at Sweet Water Crossing as pioneers. Spanish hymns as well. Thank you for everything!!!!!!

Week 4: "It was so cool to actually give a lesson."

Como le va? I miss you. I really do!!! I love all the packages and letters. All of the Elders in my district get so mad because I get so many! But thank you so much. I just sent everybody some letters so I hope you get them soon. But I’m doing really well! It’s almost been a month, that’s crazy! It feels like just yesterday I was blowing you a kiss good bye going up the escalator. But I’m a little frustrated with the language, the problem is I want to already know the language. But I know it takes time so it’ll teach me patience. But I love my district, I love them so much. But I can’t wait to get to Uruguay, but I’m gonna miss the CCM. I love it here. I love my companions and I love playing futbol with the Latinos. But I’m glad you guys are doing well, I’m so jealous about your guys trip to Mexico to build houses and Lysje going through the temple. I wish I could be there. But this week was so good! We got a new group of Latinos and Gringos.  The first day they got here they played soccer with us and me and one of them both went up for a header and I broke his nose. I felt so bad!!!! But ever since then they’ve been scared of me and my district. On Saturday we went prosletismo. We weren’t as successful as last time but a lady invited us into her house and we gave her a 20 minute lesson. It was so cool to actually give a lesson. We asked her to say the closing prayer and she started to cry. It was so cool to see that! We gave her a Book of Mormon and she invited us back so that was such a good experience! I’m reading my scriptures in Spanish with the English scriptures right next to me so I can figure out a word I don’t know here and there. But next Wednesday Elder Bednar is coming. Crazy huh? I cant wait!

Elder Arbon

Week 3: "I look like I’m straight out of one of the Marine commercials."

Can you believe the missionary rule? I think that it is so crazy! The first thing I thought about was I guarantee Lysje will have her papers turned in by the end of the week!!! But I hope she comes to Uruguay...if I was her Zone Leader I would make her work so hard!!! Haha but I’m okay with it coming now then before I was 18, I needed to go down to Snow. I learned a lot down there! I think it should be required for all girls to go on a mission! It will be so good for Johnni to break out of her shell! I’m glad grandma’s surgery went well. I put her name in the Buenos Aires temple today. Yeah, I got a haircut. There’s this guy that comes into the CCM and cuts all the missionary’s hair for free. So I sat down and he butchered my hair. I look like I’m straight out of one of the Marine commercials. That’s awesome about Ridge winning their playoff game. I hope they take state. Not a lot happened this week. We didn’t get to go prosletismo because of conference. I actually listened to all of conference. It was so good. So many great talks. The Latinos left this week. It was kinda sad. My companion and I were so close with a lot of them. But we get 50 new guys tomorrow and 10 new gringos so that’ll be awesome. The language is coming along really well. I’m able to understand a majority of what the Latinos are saying but I’m not very good at speaking though. It makes me so mad because I’m working my tail off but this will teach me patience. We were playing futbol against the Latinos this week and this kid scored and started bragging to my face. In their culture it’s not bad like it is in the states to be in someone’s face. But I fired back, I realized I need to chill out. A scripture I really love is the scripture they quoted in conference three times, Isaiah 40:31 I think. I love it so much. But I love you and I miss you.

Elder Arbon

Week 2: "My companion and I did work!!!"

I´m so glad all of you are doing well. I love you all so much!!! I hope I get to answer all your questions, but this week was crazy! We got to go prosletismo in the city of Buenos Aires. It was absolutely ridiculous. First off, the roads and the cars are smaller and they are all so crazy. No blinkers. No lanes. They are nuts. Motorcycles are driving in-between and around cars. Gas stations are a pull off on the side of the highways. But the neighborhoods are completely different than in the states. They are all tiny houses, side by side. No yard. They have gates to the sidewalks with doorbells on the gates. And if they don´t have a doorbell you have to stand by the gate and clap. When they are home they answer from windows or from balconies. They are a lot nicer than in the states. But there are so many stray dogs. They are everywhere. There are more dogs than I have seen in my entire life. But my companion and I did work!!! We placed three Book of Mormons, had a 20 minute conversation with a member and taught five lessons. So if Braxton gets a baptism in the near future, I want a thank you card. But other than that it´s the same schedule every day. For actividad fisica we played futbol against the latinos. We used to suck but now we´re beating them and they get so pissed. Sorry for the language. But I love the latinos. They leave this Wednesday. But I´ve gotten so close with some of them. I´m so grateful for the package and the letters!!!!! They were so fun to read. My district and I pounded down the cow tails. Thanks again...I loved it so much. It was so much fun!!! I will be sending letters as soon as I get those stamps. I love you so much!

Elder Arbon