Hey mom:) I love you so much, and thanks for your email!:)
Wow, the fair is coming up? That is super crazy, the fair will be amazing as always, and the pig will make weight, well I hope. But just remember that the cup is half full, not half empty, that is something that we just must always remember! But it will be fun, love every minute of everything we've got and it will be good. All good things come to an end, but there are better things in the future, always more happiness!!! Life is beautiful!!! Jordan is going to be down for the hunt? That is cool, I hope he casars good (double meaning in Spanish, marriage and to hunt). You can tell him that if you want, ha! But I better get a bow tag next year, just saying! That is something I can say because I have almost been out there for one year... weird.. so weird, I can't believe it, ha, so weird. Natalie is home, that is crazy! I hope that she had a great mission.
So I will give you a step by step process of how my week went. On Saturday me and my companion starting walking to go to a charla, and we get a call from president Franco that we are both leaving the area and that we will both be training, crazy!! Transfers are Monday, but we have to be out of our house Sunday because the hermanas are coming. And I am supposed to travel to my area with my zone leaders. We went and told one of our investigators, she was so happy to see us and opened the door and started telling us that she found someone to work for her that afternoon so she could go to a baptism of some of the other elders. She was so happy and excited, and then we had to tell her that we were leaving.. so hard.. and she just starting crying, wow, my heart was broken,it was hard. Then we had to say goodbye to other people too. A menos active member came to church that Sunday, it was good, but it was super hard to leave. But, I had some menos activo people that I was working with come to the bus station to send me off, that was super amazing. And a family gave me a shirt, it was great! It was so hard to leave them, I really wanted to stay. I hope someday I can go back to Goya. Anyway, then it was 6 hours on a bus by myself, that was interesting, but it was good. So I am now in paso de los libres, it is cool. Brazil is just on the other side of the river. But it is going to be interesting, I will go to Resistencia to get my new companion and so that will be cool. I will tell you how that goes next week:)
There are 4 people in our zone that are training, so that is going to be crazy. And it is going to be even more crazy because I don't know the area, so we will see how it goes. Plus, I think I am training a gringo, so I guess we will just have to wait and see.
Pretty much the whole week right there, not a whole lot going down other than that. But I am pretty excited to train, we will see how it goes. Oh, so I was walking around and found out that I can totally buy a Argentine saddle and bring it home, It isn't too big and and it is light, ha that was pretty cool! Oh, and yesterday we talked to a missionary that served here 20 years ago. He was here with his wife and daughter, it was crazy. She had a I-phone 6, it was crazy! They were amazed at the number of stray dogs and horses in the road and they didn't understand Spanish, so that was kind of weird. But the guy spoke it really well. They live in Colorado and he is a doctor. They were super nice and it was nice to talk to them for a little bit. I've got to go but I will write more about how things go next week:) Love you mom! Have a wonderful week and tell everyone that I love them!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Love Elder Grover
12/30/2015
Argentina - July 20, 2015
Hey Mom :)
I am doing great, how are you doing this week? Oh, and all is well, summer is always full of excitement, just some parts not as much as others. I am glad that McKady had a great week at SOAR, that is always something that everyone like to hear, mainly me. I have talked a lot about polys with my companion because he played football at Timpview, and there are a lot of polys there. But that is so great that she had a great time and that she made it back safe. Hopefully she was able to ace the ACT, and well, I know she did. Fair time huh... I love the fair.. I will miss it very much. It is a fun week, and helps to remind us that winning or losing is not important, and how much the money you get doesn't matter, it is the experience that matters most. Because I look back and I remember the wonderful time, good and bad, with the animals. I can't remember how much I sold them for or what place I took, but the experiences where priceless. The 24 is this week? Crazy, we might do something in the rama since it is a church holiday, but I am not for sure, we will have to see. I like play grounds, I bet Kenny and Amber's kids will love it! And the trailer that is like a camp trailer and horse trailer, that is awesome And that is great that JJ is making good money fighting fires. I am so glad to hear that everyone is doing great, and that they are loving life, because that is just amazing.
And I have the best mom in the world, :) I will be waiting very patiently:) Thanks mom, you are the best women in the world :)
Oh, I will be waiting for pictures of the 24th too:) I love to see pictures, just saying, ha! I would send some, but it dosn't work at this computer.. sorry.
So this week I had two experiences, one is just amazing the other is kind of embarrassing... and scary.
So the first, we had a baptism this week:) Gonzalo Ortiz Espindola, he is 13, and he is great, he knows way more than I knew when I was 13 years old. (So there are like a million little kids at this computer place, and it is very noisy and crazy.) But anyway, the baptism was great. His aunts are members, but his mom isn't, she is super Catholic. He has always wanted to be a member, but his mom would never give him permission. I think she finally did mainly because her foot was ran over by a bus, it was open, like a book, literately, ha! But she finally gave him permission; it was just a really great experience. And it is good to know that he has great support from his aunts. He told us that he wants to serve a mission. Also, he was telling us about how he was changing in the bathroom and found like 50 pesos, he told us that he was going to pay tithing on it, which was really awesome, but he is a great kid. Then we went and ate with them, and it was just a great experience. I would send a picture, but I can't right now.
Anyways, the other story that happened was with a dog.. Don't worry, I was not hurt, just injured my pride a little. So this dog was huge, like Sandlot big, not even joking. Anyways, so it was big, and when we walked by it, it came up to me and jumped on me and tried to bite me. So I took off fast... and then tired to cut, but the grass was wet, so I slipped and fell, hard... because, well, it was wet and there is no longer grip on my shoes because they are so worn out. My companion had his bag off, ready to hit it but it went away. So mainly my pride was just hurt with the fall, but I am good, don't worry:) It is funny now. We are going to have trials in life, it might even be when we do are doing the right thing. There is a recent convert here who fell and broke her hand just a week after her baptism, and it hasn't yet recovered to full heath, and never will. She is a cook and loves to cook, but because of what happened she can't cook anymore. She asked us, why would something bad happen if we are doing what is right, that is a good question. But we need to remember that God loves us and that all that we do and all that happens has a purpose to help us. We just need to trust in Him and His goodness. It reminds me of the sons of Mosiah, who started their missions and were beaten and starved thrown in prison, but they bore their trials with patience, and then they were blessed. I know God loves us and that he is always watching over us, we just need to keep going. But, I've got to go. Hey mom, I love you with all my heart, have a wonderful week, and tell everyone I love them too :)
Elder Grover
I am doing great, how are you doing this week? Oh, and all is well, summer is always full of excitement, just some parts not as much as others. I am glad that McKady had a great week at SOAR, that is always something that everyone like to hear, mainly me. I have talked a lot about polys with my companion because he played football at Timpview, and there are a lot of polys there. But that is so great that she had a great time and that she made it back safe. Hopefully she was able to ace the ACT, and well, I know she did. Fair time huh... I love the fair.. I will miss it very much. It is a fun week, and helps to remind us that winning or losing is not important, and how much the money you get doesn't matter, it is the experience that matters most. Because I look back and I remember the wonderful time, good and bad, with the animals. I can't remember how much I sold them for or what place I took, but the experiences where priceless. The 24 is this week? Crazy, we might do something in the rama since it is a church holiday, but I am not for sure, we will have to see. I like play grounds, I bet Kenny and Amber's kids will love it! And the trailer that is like a camp trailer and horse trailer, that is awesome And that is great that JJ is making good money fighting fires. I am so glad to hear that everyone is doing great, and that they are loving life, because that is just amazing.
And I have the best mom in the world, :) I will be waiting very patiently:) Thanks mom, you are the best women in the world :)
Oh, I will be waiting for pictures of the 24th too:) I love to see pictures, just saying, ha! I would send some, but it dosn't work at this computer.. sorry.
So this week I had two experiences, one is just amazing the other is kind of embarrassing... and scary.
So the first, we had a baptism this week:) Gonzalo Ortiz Espindola, he is 13, and he is great, he knows way more than I knew when I was 13 years old. (So there are like a million little kids at this computer place, and it is very noisy and crazy.) But anyway, the baptism was great. His aunts are members, but his mom isn't, she is super Catholic. He has always wanted to be a member, but his mom would never give him permission. I think she finally did mainly because her foot was ran over by a bus, it was open, like a book, literately, ha! But she finally gave him permission; it was just a really great experience. And it is good to know that he has great support from his aunts. He told us that he wants to serve a mission. Also, he was telling us about how he was changing in the bathroom and found like 50 pesos, he told us that he was going to pay tithing on it, which was really awesome, but he is a great kid. Then we went and ate with them, and it was just a great experience. I would send a picture, but I can't right now.
Anyways, the other story that happened was with a dog.. Don't worry, I was not hurt, just injured my pride a little. So this dog was huge, like Sandlot big, not even joking. Anyways, so it was big, and when we walked by it, it came up to me and jumped on me and tried to bite me. So I took off fast... and then tired to cut, but the grass was wet, so I slipped and fell, hard... because, well, it was wet and there is no longer grip on my shoes because they are so worn out. My companion had his bag off, ready to hit it but it went away. So mainly my pride was just hurt with the fall, but I am good, don't worry:) It is funny now. We are going to have trials in life, it might even be when we do are doing the right thing. There is a recent convert here who fell and broke her hand just a week after her baptism, and it hasn't yet recovered to full heath, and never will. She is a cook and loves to cook, but because of what happened she can't cook anymore. She asked us, why would something bad happen if we are doing what is right, that is a good question. But we need to remember that God loves us and that all that we do and all that happens has a purpose to help us. We just need to trust in Him and His goodness. It reminds me of the sons of Mosiah, who started their missions and were beaten and starved thrown in prison, but they bore their trials with patience, and then they were blessed. I know God loves us and that he is always watching over us, we just need to keep going. But, I've got to go. Hey mom, I love you with all my heart, have a wonderful week, and tell everyone I love them too :)
Elder Grover
Argentina - July 13, 2015
Hey Mom! :)
I had a a good week, and I am doing great! The work it just coming along fine! That is awesome that McKady is able to go to SOAR, she is going to do great and have a wonderful time. I hope that she had a wonderful birthday! Yeah, Jordan's birthday is today, crazy! Tell him Happy Birthday for me!!! What is he up to these days? Soon I will be turning 20? What? Surely that's not for another couple of years, ha, I am still like 14 at heart! I am just getting younger and uglier... ;), ha, just kidding! That is so crazy that it has been raining a lot there, but super cool, and much needed. So Jade was in the Voices of San Juan Pageant, huh? That is awesome! I was thinking of it the other day when I was talking to my companion in a Navajo accent, ha. That is cool that he got to do it! How is Jade doing? I still can't believe that Jesse is married and lives across the street, that is awesome!!! I am excited to meet Braddock someday and help him be the best athlete! And Jed is growing so fast, I can tell from the pictures.. crazy!! That is so amazing, I am so excited, I love my nieces and nephews! Yeah, Argentina is a long ways away! Really crazy to think about!
What is coming up in these next weeks, the fair, the 24th? Wow, that is crazy, time is just flying by! But I am glad to hear that everyone is doing great! Just tell everyone I love them so much!
Oh, and that is interesting that I was in young women's camp cheer, but that is funny that my name fits there! Ha!
Oh, and a quick little note, so I am a hair cutter, I cut both of my zone leaders' hair today! Now I am going to cut my own hair, like I said, I am professional!
Oh, and so we had a zone meeting this last week and it was super great! We talked a lot about how the Lord will fight our battles if we just put our trust in him, and that he will help us. Then we read the story of David and Goliath, where David put all his trust in the Lord, it is really an amazing story of faith and trusting in the Lord, putting our all in and trusting in Him! Anyways, so zone conference is when we get letters and packages, and my companion got like 10 letters from his girlfriend, and a envelope thing full of candy.... so if you know any girls that want to send me lots of candy, I am down!!!! ;) I am just joking, but did Jesse send me an announcement? All in all, the zone meeting was super great!!! Anyways, the 9 de Julio is the independence day here in Argentina. They don't do much, but there was like this parade thing and it was pretty cool, well we didn't actually watch it, we just saw the people walking back from it. There were some horseback riders, and the saddles that they use here are weird! I think I need to try to bring one home because they are cool-looking at the same time! But that was pretty cool! This week we are trying to get some references from people or members, but they all said that none of their friends would listen to the Gospel.. But we are workig on that, to have the members be more excited to share the gospel like the missionaries. I know I could have done better at being a missionary at home, but there are a little better opportunities here, I think. Maybe it is just a matter of looking for them.
But the super exciting thing that will be happening this week is that we will be having a baptism!!! Gonzalo Espindola, who is 13; his family are members, well his aunts and cousins are members, and they are all super cool, but his mom is very Catholic and wouldn't give him permission to be baptized, even though he always wanted to. But his mom told him that as soon as he finishes confirmation the Catholic church, that he can be baptized in our church if he wanted. But when it came right down to it, he completed his confirmation and then she still wouldn't give him permission. But, like a month ago her foot got run over by a bus and she hasn't been able to walk, so we have been teaching them both for a little while. And she finally gave permission for her son to be baptized! It is super exciting, but the best part is that the whole family is all super excited for the baptism also! It is great to see that people are excited to see a baptism. We will be passing by and teaching him all the commandments this week, but he is keeping them all and the family reads every night together. it is awesome! And we will have a noche de hogar con ellos esa noche, estoy muy feliz por eso! pero si esa es la vida de un misionero, lo amo!
Mom, thank you so much for your email, it is the best!!!! I love getting your email every week!!!! Thanks for all you do for me and the for the love you have for me! I know this church is true and that God loves us more than we will ever know!! Jesus is our Lord and Savior, and he did atone for our sins. He also loves us more than we can ever know, te Quiero much mama! I love you with all my heart and hope the best for everyone! Also, tell everyone that I love them so very much!!! Have a wonderful week:)
Love Elder Grover
I had a a good week, and I am doing great! The work it just coming along fine! That is awesome that McKady is able to go to SOAR, she is going to do great and have a wonderful time. I hope that she had a wonderful birthday! Yeah, Jordan's birthday is today, crazy! Tell him Happy Birthday for me!!! What is he up to these days? Soon I will be turning 20? What? Surely that's not for another couple of years, ha, I am still like 14 at heart! I am just getting younger and uglier... ;), ha, just kidding! That is so crazy that it has been raining a lot there, but super cool, and much needed. So Jade was in the Voices of San Juan Pageant, huh? That is awesome! I was thinking of it the other day when I was talking to my companion in a Navajo accent, ha. That is cool that he got to do it! How is Jade doing? I still can't believe that Jesse is married and lives across the street, that is awesome!!! I am excited to meet Braddock someday and help him be the best athlete! And Jed is growing so fast, I can tell from the pictures.. crazy!! That is so amazing, I am so excited, I love my nieces and nephews! Yeah, Argentina is a long ways away! Really crazy to think about!
What is coming up in these next weeks, the fair, the 24th? Wow, that is crazy, time is just flying by! But I am glad to hear that everyone is doing great! Just tell everyone I love them so much!
Oh, and that is interesting that I was in young women's camp cheer, but that is funny that my name fits there! Ha!
Oh, and a quick little note, so I am a hair cutter, I cut both of my zone leaders' hair today! Now I am going to cut my own hair, like I said, I am professional!
Oh, and so we had a zone meeting this last week and it was super great! We talked a lot about how the Lord will fight our battles if we just put our trust in him, and that he will help us. Then we read the story of David and Goliath, where David put all his trust in the Lord, it is really an amazing story of faith and trusting in the Lord, putting our all in and trusting in Him! Anyways, so zone conference is when we get letters and packages, and my companion got like 10 letters from his girlfriend, and a envelope thing full of candy.... so if you know any girls that want to send me lots of candy, I am down!!!! ;) I am just joking, but did Jesse send me an announcement? All in all, the zone meeting was super great!!! Anyways, the 9 de Julio is the independence day here in Argentina. They don't do much, but there was like this parade thing and it was pretty cool, well we didn't actually watch it, we just saw the people walking back from it. There were some horseback riders, and the saddles that they use here are weird! I think I need to try to bring one home because they are cool-looking at the same time! But that was pretty cool! This week we are trying to get some references from people or members, but they all said that none of their friends would listen to the Gospel.. But we are workig on that, to have the members be more excited to share the gospel like the missionaries. I know I could have done better at being a missionary at home, but there are a little better opportunities here, I think. Maybe it is just a matter of looking for them.
But the super exciting thing that will be happening this week is that we will be having a baptism!!! Gonzalo Espindola, who is 13; his family are members, well his aunts and cousins are members, and they are all super cool, but his mom is very Catholic and wouldn't give him permission to be baptized, even though he always wanted to. But his mom told him that as soon as he finishes confirmation the Catholic church, that he can be baptized in our church if he wanted. But when it came right down to it, he completed his confirmation and then she still wouldn't give him permission. But, like a month ago her foot got run over by a bus and she hasn't been able to walk, so we have been teaching them both for a little while. And she finally gave permission for her son to be baptized! It is super exciting, but the best part is that the whole family is all super excited for the baptism also! It is great to see that people are excited to see a baptism. We will be passing by and teaching him all the commandments this week, but he is keeping them all and the family reads every night together. it is awesome! And we will have a noche de hogar con ellos esa noche, estoy muy feliz por eso! pero si esa es la vida de un misionero, lo amo!
Mom, thank you so much for your email, it is the best!!!! I love getting your email every week!!!! Thanks for all you do for me and the for the love you have for me! I know this church is true and that God loves us more than we will ever know!! Jesus is our Lord and Savior, and he did atone for our sins. He also loves us more than we can ever know, te Quiero much mama! I love you with all my heart and hope the best for everyone! Also, tell everyone that I love them so very much!!! Have a wonderful week:)
Love Elder Grover
Argentina - July 6, 2015
Hi mom,
Holy smokes, or Smokey the Bear, I don't know who is more hairy, JJ or Smokey, ha, I am kidding, ha, that is just too funny for me to not make a joke. But the 4th has already come and gone, that is so crazy! It looks like it was just so much fun, I am so glad that everyone was able to have a great time, that is just awesome! Thanks so much for the pictures, they are awesome! I would put exclamation mark,s but it is not working on this computer, so sorry for that. I want to put a lot, but for some reason I can't, but that is okay, I will do without them for now. McKady's last drill team parade, that is sad. Holy cow, it is someone's birthday this week, she is going to be 18..... that is so crazy! Dad needs to put her in like an electric fence to keep her away from the boys! But tell her happy birthday for me, and that she is amazing and that anyone who thinks or says otherwise is completely wrong because she is amazing! Tell her to have an amazing day, and Jordan also with his birthday coming up. Also let Jordan know I love him and I would like to know what is going on in his life, any news would be nice. But I've got to say my nieces just look so cute, and my new nephew just looks like a stud! I am glad that Dad was able to get on a horse, what horses are they on? Anyways, that is great! I am grateful that the day went good. And the rain, that is awesome, we always need rain because it is a good thing. So my 4th here was a little different... umm, we did have a great meal with a member, which was nice. And we were just singing American songs all day, so it was great.
Jesse is a dad and married and has his own house, that is so crazy to think... just really crazy! But he is going to be awesome at all of them, and that is just so great and I am so happy for him, that is great. And all the missionaries that are coming home, it is crazy, but they have the opportunity to start their lives and they know how to do it, so that will be awesome. Crazy, it seems like yesterday they all left...
So what is the next couple of big things that you guys are going to be doing within the next couple weeks? You got the marriage done, and the 4th.
So we started to work with a less active member family and they are awesome. I don't know why they stopped going to church because,e they know it is true, but after talking with them I can see how sad it is and what it can do to the family. So the whole family was baptized like 8 years ago, but now the parents are separated and the mom went back to smoking. More than anything, we have been working with Maria Jose, the 16 year old girl that had a baby about a month ago. She wants to come back, and she told us she wants to raise her daughter so that she dosn't make the same mistakes that she has made. But I asked the mom how she felt about being a grandma and she told me that she didn't want it because ever since she was baptized she wanted her daughter to be sealed in the temple. And from that we see the bad things that come when we forget to do the little things like pray and read in the scriptures and go to church; those three little things can make the biggest change in the whole entire world. But there is always opportunity for change and repentance, but it is better to not sin in the first place and to always be on guard. In Alma 43:18-21 we see the difference between the Lamanites and the Nephites with their armor, and in verses 37-38 we see the blessings we receive when we are girded with armor; and it is the same today but we have different armor, and a different battle, and this battle we are fighting now is not easy. So remember to pray and read and go to church and we will be protected. So we will have no need to fear because God is on our side. Anyways, they are a great family and I hope that they will see the need of the church in their lives.
We had an investigator come to church, it was great and I was so happy she came, she is amazing, and she knows it is all true. So, with the last 6 months in my mission, I have been transferred 3 times and even though I was not able to see the fruits, some seeds that our beloved Heavenly Father let me help with have become fruits and it is a wonderful joy. Today I received a call from my old Companion Elder Trotter, from back when I was in Las Palmas, and he told me that 4 of the investigators we were working with for my whole time there finally entered the wonderful waters of baptisms. What wonderful joy feels my heart to know that those amazing people that I was so privileged to teach were able to start on their journey to live with our Heavenly Father again. That was wonderful to hear. The work is moving along, it is awesome!
Today was great, we went and made tacos with the zone leaders, and they were really good. We were going to have pizza with them on the 4th, but it was Fast Sunday so we fasted instead, which is great, I have learned to love to fast.
Oh yeah, so also on the 4th, it was the final for the cup and America and Argentina were playing, so no one would talk to us because everyone was watching the game... everyone! Then, not very many people came to church because there was elections, but it was a wonderful fast and testimony meeting.
Oh, and we are teaching this kid and his mom, who is a sister to our relief society president, but she is super Catholic. She loves us and loves what we teach, but says it is just not the same in our church, she just feels good in the Catholic church, but she is reading so we will see. The thing is, her foot got ran over by a bus and it is awful, but it is getting better, so it is giving her time to read and so that is great. Oh, and we are working with a part member family, the mom is a member and we are teaching her two kids and one of them wants the be baptized. He is 8, so his mom is doing more of the teaching there, but we are working with his brother that is 14. He knows it is all true, but I don't know if he is just scared or what is gong on, but he is great.
So that is a little about what we are doing down here in Argentina:)
Thanks again for all the pictures! I love you all, mom I love you with all my heart. Don't forget to tell McKady Happy Birthday, and have a wonderful week.
Elder Grover
P.S. I know this gospel is true with all my heart, and I know that God loves us and He has given us this gospel to help us. I know that Joseph Smith did restore it the book of Mormon, and it is true. Have a great week! Love you mom, forever I will love you with all my heart.
Holy smokes, or Smokey the Bear, I don't know who is more hairy, JJ or Smokey, ha, I am kidding, ha, that is just too funny for me to not make a joke. But the 4th has already come and gone, that is so crazy! It looks like it was just so much fun, I am so glad that everyone was able to have a great time, that is just awesome! Thanks so much for the pictures, they are awesome! I would put exclamation mark,s but it is not working on this computer, so sorry for that. I want to put a lot, but for some reason I can't, but that is okay, I will do without them for now. McKady's last drill team parade, that is sad. Holy cow, it is someone's birthday this week, she is going to be 18..... that is so crazy! Dad needs to put her in like an electric fence to keep her away from the boys! But tell her happy birthday for me, and that she is amazing and that anyone who thinks or says otherwise is completely wrong because she is amazing! Tell her to have an amazing day, and Jordan also with his birthday coming up. Also let Jordan know I love him and I would like to know what is going on in his life, any news would be nice. But I've got to say my nieces just look so cute, and my new nephew just looks like a stud! I am glad that Dad was able to get on a horse, what horses are they on? Anyways, that is great! I am grateful that the day went good. And the rain, that is awesome, we always need rain because it is a good thing. So my 4th here was a little different... umm, we did have a great meal with a member, which was nice. And we were just singing American songs all day, so it was great.
Jesse is a dad and married and has his own house, that is so crazy to think... just really crazy! But he is going to be awesome at all of them, and that is just so great and I am so happy for him, that is great. And all the missionaries that are coming home, it is crazy, but they have the opportunity to start their lives and they know how to do it, so that will be awesome. Crazy, it seems like yesterday they all left...
So what is the next couple of big things that you guys are going to be doing within the next couple weeks? You got the marriage done, and the 4th.
So we started to work with a less active member family and they are awesome. I don't know why they stopped going to church because,e they know it is true, but after talking with them I can see how sad it is and what it can do to the family. So the whole family was baptized like 8 years ago, but now the parents are separated and the mom went back to smoking. More than anything, we have been working with Maria Jose, the 16 year old girl that had a baby about a month ago. She wants to come back, and she told us she wants to raise her daughter so that she dosn't make the same mistakes that she has made. But I asked the mom how she felt about being a grandma and she told me that she didn't want it because ever since she was baptized she wanted her daughter to be sealed in the temple. And from that we see the bad things that come when we forget to do the little things like pray and read in the scriptures and go to church; those three little things can make the biggest change in the whole entire world. But there is always opportunity for change and repentance, but it is better to not sin in the first place and to always be on guard. In Alma 43:18-21 we see the difference between the Lamanites and the Nephites with their armor, and in verses 37-38 we see the blessings we receive when we are girded with armor; and it is the same today but we have different armor, and a different battle, and this battle we are fighting now is not easy. So remember to pray and read and go to church and we will be protected. So we will have no need to fear because God is on our side. Anyways, they are a great family and I hope that they will see the need of the church in their lives.
We had an investigator come to church, it was great and I was so happy she came, she is amazing, and she knows it is all true. So, with the last 6 months in my mission, I have been transferred 3 times and even though I was not able to see the fruits, some seeds that our beloved Heavenly Father let me help with have become fruits and it is a wonderful joy. Today I received a call from my old Companion Elder Trotter, from back when I was in Las Palmas, and he told me that 4 of the investigators we were working with for my whole time there finally entered the wonderful waters of baptisms. What wonderful joy feels my heart to know that those amazing people that I was so privileged to teach were able to start on their journey to live with our Heavenly Father again. That was wonderful to hear. The work is moving along, it is awesome!
Today was great, we went and made tacos with the zone leaders, and they were really good. We were going to have pizza with them on the 4th, but it was Fast Sunday so we fasted instead, which is great, I have learned to love to fast.
Oh yeah, so also on the 4th, it was the final for the cup and America and Argentina were playing, so no one would talk to us because everyone was watching the game... everyone! Then, not very many people came to church because there was elections, but it was a wonderful fast and testimony meeting.
Oh, and we are teaching this kid and his mom, who is a sister to our relief society president, but she is super Catholic. She loves us and loves what we teach, but says it is just not the same in our church, she just feels good in the Catholic church, but she is reading so we will see. The thing is, her foot got ran over by a bus and it is awful, but it is getting better, so it is giving her time to read and so that is great. Oh, and we are working with a part member family, the mom is a member and we are teaching her two kids and one of them wants the be baptized. He is 8, so his mom is doing more of the teaching there, but we are working with his brother that is 14. He knows it is all true, but I don't know if he is just scared or what is gong on, but he is great.
So that is a little about what we are doing down here in Argentina:)
Thanks again for all the pictures! I love you all, mom I love you with all my heart. Don't forget to tell McKady Happy Birthday, and have a wonderful week.
Elder Grover
P.S. I know this gospel is true with all my heart, and I know that God loves us and He has given us this gospel to help us. I know that Joseph Smith did restore it the book of Mormon, and it is true. Have a great week! Love you mom, forever I will love you with all my heart.
12/29/2015
Argentina - June 29, 2015
Hey mom!!!!!!!
Wow, I am in the photos!!!!!!!!! That is awesome! I am so pumped that you guys put me in the Photos!!! That is so great, and awesome!!! Thanks, I am so happy that I was able to share that moment with you guys. He is married, that is so crazy! I can't believe that he is married!!! And on his honeymoon; you are going to have to tell me how it went, where they went what they are doing and all of the stuff!!! That is so crazy, it just doesn't seem real at all. So that is so crazy that JJ is not in them, but I am there, ha! But at least he was able to go to the temple! Thanks for putting in the time to make that and put me in it. Oh, and if one of the other of my brothers get married you can just use it oltra vece, that would be super awesome! I am just mind blown right now, that is just so crazy, I just can't hardly believe that at all!!! Well, tell them congrats and welcome Malyn and her son to the family and that I will see them sometime, well in a year and couple of months, but that I am so happy for them!!! That is just so awesome!!! But I will be waiting for the other pictures and a good update on what went down with the wedding!!! That is just so crazy my bro got married and I wasn't there, tell him I would have liked to have been there! And their example is amazing! Temple marriage between a man and a woman! What a wonderful thing, what an amazing candle they are for all the world. Satan is attacking the families, I see that every day. But I am so proud and happy for them and their examples!
He got married, and I'm still mind blown here in Argentina. I am glad that your stress is now over for a short time, that is so crazy that he is married, but I hope all went well. Mom, I know it just went amazing and that you had a wonderful great amazing time. And holy cow, I just realized that it is the 4th this weekend............. and I wont be there... what the crazyness. You are going to have to send me pictures of that too. Wow, that is crazy that I am in Argentina and not in Blanding for the 4th of July, well I hope that everyone just enjoys that and has a wonderful time!!!!
So this week we didn't have anyone come to church... it is really frustrating when people say that they will come, and then they don't, but our super amazing investigator who tells us that everything is true and correct was out of town, so that is why she didn't come, but everything is looking up. We just need to find more people to teach and all will be better!! But we did reactivate a guy who was a Branch President and came three Sundays in a row, so that is super awesome!!!
So we talked to a menos activo girl yesterday, and she is super cool! She has just made mistakes, but she is great! So she is 16 and she had a baby about a month ago. She stopped going to church and some bad things happened and now she lives with the father of her child, not very many people are married here. But we talked to her and she told us an amazing story of how she felt when she read the scriptures everyday, and she told us how she wants to come back to church because she doesn't want her daughter to make the same mistakes she has made. So she wants to come and start reading the Book of Mormon again, so I am really excited to see how that goes !!!!
So, some of the elders in my district are getting moved out because some sisters were having problems in their area in Chaco, so the sisters will be coming over here and the elders will be leaving, it is sad because they are super awesome!!
I have been thinking a lot on mistakes, we all have made them, some bigger than others, but we can move on from those and not let them govern our lives. Satan wants us to think that we can't move on, but it is not true at all, we have the power and freedom to choose and to move on and to do what is right, and I know that we can trust in the Lord and He will help us. I want you all to know that I love you. Mom, I love you and hope that you have a wonderful week. I know that God loves all and he wants the best for us.
Elder Grover
Tell everyone to have a happy 4th of July! :)
Wow, I am in the photos!!!!!!!!! That is awesome! I am so pumped that you guys put me in the Photos!!! That is so great, and awesome!!! Thanks, I am so happy that I was able to share that moment with you guys. He is married, that is so crazy! I can't believe that he is married!!! And on his honeymoon; you are going to have to tell me how it went, where they went what they are doing and all of the stuff!!! That is so crazy, it just doesn't seem real at all. So that is so crazy that JJ is not in them, but I am there, ha! But at least he was able to go to the temple! Thanks for putting in the time to make that and put me in it. Oh, and if one of the other of my brothers get married you can just use it oltra vece, that would be super awesome! I am just mind blown right now, that is just so crazy, I just can't hardly believe that at all!!! Well, tell them congrats and welcome Malyn and her son to the family and that I will see them sometime, well in a year and couple of months, but that I am so happy for them!!! That is just so awesome!!! But I will be waiting for the other pictures and a good update on what went down with the wedding!!! That is just so crazy my bro got married and I wasn't there, tell him I would have liked to have been there! And their example is amazing! Temple marriage between a man and a woman! What a wonderful thing, what an amazing candle they are for all the world. Satan is attacking the families, I see that every day. But I am so proud and happy for them and their examples!
He got married, and I'm still mind blown here in Argentina. I am glad that your stress is now over for a short time, that is so crazy that he is married, but I hope all went well. Mom, I know it just went amazing and that you had a wonderful great amazing time. And holy cow, I just realized that it is the 4th this weekend............. and I wont be there... what the crazyness. You are going to have to send me pictures of that too. Wow, that is crazy that I am in Argentina and not in Blanding for the 4th of July, well I hope that everyone just enjoys that and has a wonderful time!!!!
So this week we didn't have anyone come to church... it is really frustrating when people say that they will come, and then they don't, but our super amazing investigator who tells us that everything is true and correct was out of town, so that is why she didn't come, but everything is looking up. We just need to find more people to teach and all will be better!! But we did reactivate a guy who was a Branch President and came three Sundays in a row, so that is super awesome!!!
So we talked to a menos activo girl yesterday, and she is super cool! She has just made mistakes, but she is great! So she is 16 and she had a baby about a month ago. She stopped going to church and some bad things happened and now she lives with the father of her child, not very many people are married here. But we talked to her and she told us an amazing story of how she felt when she read the scriptures everyday, and she told us how she wants to come back to church because she doesn't want her daughter to make the same mistakes she has made. So she wants to come and start reading the Book of Mormon again, so I am really excited to see how that goes !!!!
So, some of the elders in my district are getting moved out because some sisters were having problems in their area in Chaco, so the sisters will be coming over here and the elders will be leaving, it is sad because they are super awesome!!
I have been thinking a lot on mistakes, we all have made them, some bigger than others, but we can move on from those and not let them govern our lives. Satan wants us to think that we can't move on, but it is not true at all, we have the power and freedom to choose and to move on and to do what is right, and I know that we can trust in the Lord and He will help us. I want you all to know that I love you. Mom, I love you and hope that you have a wonderful week. I know that God loves all and he wants the best for us.
Elder Grover
Tell everyone to have a happy 4th of July! :)
Argentina - June 22, 2015
Hey mom!!!! How is it going????
Wow, there is a wedding this weekend........ that is so crazy! And my
brother is going to be married! I can't believe it, so crazy! I better be
getting some pictures next week!!!!!!!!!!! That would be awesome!! I
am just shocked it is already here, and I am not going to see it,
that is crazy! So Uncle Merlin is married, why were the kids mad? I don't
get that at all... oh wells, as long as he is happy that is great with
me!! What the heck? That is so crazy that he is buying the house across
the street, wooow!!! He is going to be like, right there, and JJ is not
too far either, wow, they are like close, that is going to be so crazy!!!
That is so awesome, I am so happy for them, that is just awesome!!!!
Candice's birthday, wow, time is going and I don't have time for
anything. I get to the pension and plan, and then I am on the phone
until I go to bed. Wow, tell her Happy Birthday. And Fathers Day,
tell dad Happy Fathers Day, and tell him I love him more than anything in
the whole world, and that he is the best father in the whole wide
world!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yeah, at least the sun is shinning, it has
been getting cold here, and it is not like the cold in Utah. With the
humidity it is just so cold and it like chills the whole body, but then it also gets warm too.
Mom, you are going to have an amazing week, I know it, and it is just going to be great, and
the wedding is going to be perfect, and all is going to be great!!! I
am so excited to see, or I mean to hear, how it all goes!!! That is
amazing about the rain because we need rain, and rain is a good
thing. Does that mean that Kenny can do farming? Because that would
sure be good!!!
The calling as district leader has been interesting, but I am learning
a lot and I have to go to the district meeting, but it is good because I
learn so much!!! And things are good with my new companion, he is a great
guy and a great companion. We started changing our teaching and using
more scriptures, and it has been great. It has been kind of a rough
week for him, last Tuesday he got a call from our president that close
family friend died. Well, I don't know if you heard about a family
from Utah that got in a plane crash and passed away? One of the sons that died was my companion's best friend, so that has been hard on him, but he has done
great and just worked the harder and so it has been great!
The trouble is, his name is the same as my middle name, so I don't know how that is going to
be!!!! No, it is good, but we taught a great lesson and then our
investigator said she didn't want us to come by again, that was super
hard. I guess all we can do is invite people, and it is their choice
to accept or reject. But we are teaching a super cool lady and she
says she knows the gospel is true and loves it, but she wasn't able to come to church
because she was sick, but I'm sure she will progress. Oh, and we are working
with this recent convert and two of her kids, and they don't know how to
read, so we are reading the Book of Mormon with them and teaching them how
to read. Which reminds me, our branch president said he didn't know how to
read, but he got a calling in the church a few years ago and he had to
read, but he couldn't, so what he did is he prayed and read for 3 days in the Book of Mormon and then after that, he could read, that is a miracle!!! Super amazing what the Lord can do!!
I had the great privilege to read in Alma about the 2000 stripling
warriors, they are just an awesome example, to be so amazing, and do you
know why they are so amazing, their moms!!!! Oh yeah, that is right, I've
got the best mom in the world!!! But that is awesome! And then tomorrow
for the reunion de districto, I am going to be talking about the
difference of Ammon and Abinadi and their missions and how they both
were very successful in different ways!!!
So crazy that there is a wedding! So is Jordan still
with the same girl? Is he going to the wedding? Well, I better be getting
pictures!!
Tell Jesse that I love him and his great, wonderful example, and his future
wife and future son, and that I am super excited for them and that
they are going to be living right in front of us, because the basement
is now reserved for me;) But I am really happy and excited for them,
send my love and my prayers to help them and luck and to have a
wonderful time! I am so excited, that is just so wonderful, they are
getting married on my 10 month mark, crazy!
But tell Braddock welcome to the family too, also tell my wonderful
nieces and nephews I love them so very much and that they are the best
in the whole wide world!!! And all the family and the aunts and uncles
and everyone, I hope that everyone just has a wonderful week!!!!
Mom, I love you, and tell Dad I love him and that I am getting a letter
to him, it has just been delayed due to missionary work, it's lots of work and I feel
like I just don't have enough time. I don't have time to write in my journal anymore,
or even eat something at night, but it is great, don't worry:)
Elder Grover
P.S. I know that this church is true!!! And I know that we are going to be
an eternal family. I just want you guys to know I love you and that
I pray for you and that our heavenly father loves us also, and that He
is always there helping us. It is so important to do the right things
because Satan is really trying to destroy us and to tear us down, but
through the grace of the atonement we can be saved!!! What wonderful
hope! I love you all, have a wonderful "I love weddings, drinks all
around" (Pirates of the Caribbean) but not achol drink,s juces and pop are
Good!:) Love you, oh and mom, love you to Kolab and back!:)
Wow, there is a wedding this weekend........ that is so crazy! And my
brother is going to be married! I can't believe it, so crazy! I better be
getting some pictures next week!!!!!!!!!!! That would be awesome!! I
am just shocked it is already here, and I am not going to see it,
that is crazy! So Uncle Merlin is married, why were the kids mad? I don't
get that at all... oh wells, as long as he is happy that is great with
me!! What the heck? That is so crazy that he is buying the house across
the street, wooow!!! He is going to be like, right there, and JJ is not
too far either, wow, they are like close, that is going to be so crazy!!!
That is so awesome, I am so happy for them, that is just awesome!!!!
Candice's birthday, wow, time is going and I don't have time for
anything. I get to the pension and plan, and then I am on the phone
until I go to bed. Wow, tell her Happy Birthday. And Fathers Day,
tell dad Happy Fathers Day, and tell him I love him more than anything in
the whole world, and that he is the best father in the whole wide
world!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yeah, at least the sun is shinning, it has
been getting cold here, and it is not like the cold in Utah. With the
humidity it is just so cold and it like chills the whole body, but then it also gets warm too.
Mom, you are going to have an amazing week, I know it, and it is just going to be great, and
the wedding is going to be perfect, and all is going to be great!!! I
am so excited to see, or I mean to hear, how it all goes!!! That is
amazing about the rain because we need rain, and rain is a good
thing. Does that mean that Kenny can do farming? Because that would
sure be good!!!
The calling as district leader has been interesting, but I am learning
a lot and I have to go to the district meeting, but it is good because I
learn so much!!! And things are good with my new companion, he is a great
guy and a great companion. We started changing our teaching and using
more scriptures, and it has been great. It has been kind of a rough
week for him, last Tuesday he got a call from our president that close
family friend died. Well, I don't know if you heard about a family
from Utah that got in a plane crash and passed away? One of the sons that died was my companion's best friend, so that has been hard on him, but he has done
great and just worked the harder and so it has been great!
The trouble is, his name is the same as my middle name, so I don't know how that is going to
be!!!! No, it is good, but we taught a great lesson and then our
investigator said she didn't want us to come by again, that was super
hard. I guess all we can do is invite people, and it is their choice
to accept or reject. But we are teaching a super cool lady and she
says she knows the gospel is true and loves it, but she wasn't able to come to church
because she was sick, but I'm sure she will progress. Oh, and we are working
with this recent convert and two of her kids, and they don't know how to
read, so we are reading the Book of Mormon with them and teaching them how
to read. Which reminds me, our branch president said he didn't know how to
read, but he got a calling in the church a few years ago and he had to
read, but he couldn't, so what he did is he prayed and read for 3 days in the Book of Mormon and then after that, he could read, that is a miracle!!! Super amazing what the Lord can do!!
I had the great privilege to read in Alma about the 2000 stripling
warriors, they are just an awesome example, to be so amazing, and do you
know why they are so amazing, their moms!!!! Oh yeah, that is right, I've
got the best mom in the world!!! But that is awesome! And then tomorrow
for the reunion de districto, I am going to be talking about the
difference of Ammon and Abinadi and their missions and how they both
were very successful in different ways!!!
So crazy that there is a wedding! So is Jordan still
with the same girl? Is he going to the wedding? Well, I better be getting
pictures!!
Tell Jesse that I love him and his great, wonderful example, and his future
wife and future son, and that I am super excited for them and that
they are going to be living right in front of us, because the basement
is now reserved for me;) But I am really happy and excited for them,
send my love and my prayers to help them and luck and to have a
wonderful time! I am so excited, that is just so wonderful, they are
getting married on my 10 month mark, crazy!
But tell Braddock welcome to the family too, also tell my wonderful
nieces and nephews I love them so very much and that they are the best
in the whole wide world!!! And all the family and the aunts and uncles
and everyone, I hope that everyone just has a wonderful week!!!!
Mom, I love you, and tell Dad I love him and that I am getting a letter
to him, it has just been delayed due to missionary work, it's lots of work and I feel
like I just don't have enough time. I don't have time to write in my journal anymore,
or even eat something at night, but it is great, don't worry:)
Elder Grover
P.S. I know that this church is true!!! And I know that we are going to be
an eternal family. I just want you guys to know I love you and that
I pray for you and that our heavenly father loves us also, and that He
is always there helping us. It is so important to do the right things
because Satan is really trying to destroy us and to tear us down, but
through the grace of the atonement we can be saved!!! What wonderful
hope! I love you all, have a wonderful "I love weddings, drinks all
around" (Pirates of the Caribbean) but not achol drink,s juces and pop are
Good!:) Love you, oh and mom, love you to Kolab and back!:)
10/27/2015
Argentina - June 16, 2015
Hi mom!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I love you, just so you know! A lot, well more than a lot! But holy cow, Elsie is 3... wooooowwwww time is going super fast, that is so crazy! Tell her Happy Birthday for me!!! Tell her I love her so much! Holy cow, a wedding, that is so weird! Sorry, for me it doesn't feel like anyone is getting married, it is so weird that my bro is getting married and I am not there... what the heck, that is so crazy!!! Don't worry mom, you can do it, I know you can. Mom, it is ok to ask people to help too, they want to help, you just need to extend an invitation, that is what I do every day, it helps. Uncle Merlin is getting married too this week, wow, yeah, I can imagine that it is going to be super crazy!! Mom, you are doing a great job, so don't worry at all, just do your best and have fun and all will be good. That is what I have learned, sometimes we are put into situations that are hard, and if we just do our best, that is all we can do. I am glad that you like the emails mom, because I love to send them! And even more to get an email from the best mom in the world!
So we had transfers... my little Equador companion left.. and I am now district leader.. and it is stressfull! I have the biggest district in the whole mission because it is my whole zone, and I have to call them all every night. I have no time to do anything else ... it is crazy! I hope and pray that the Lord will help me that I may be an example to others, I just feel underqualified, but God gives us callings to help us more personally, I think. My new companion is from Provo, he has 6 months in the mission, but he speaks Spanish really well, so that will be great to have. So that is where I am at right now, but they are really cool so it is great. This week has been pretty good, we had an investagator come to a baptism that the zone leaders had, but they have not come to church, we just need to keep having hope and all will be good.
Not too much happened, but it was a good week none the less, so that is great. I got to go to church and partake of the sacrament, that is becoming one of my favorite things in the world, it is great.
My studies have been great, I'm reading about Moroni; also, here is something to think on, there were lots of great people during those times, just going on and doing good things. Sometimes we just want to be the big one, but it is okay to just do little things like our church callings and other things to just keep going on with love and faith and hope and trusting for the best.
Oh, and what has been good is that the members have given us some good food this week, so that is great, there no need to worry.
All is good here in Argentina, I just need mountains and then it would be a little more awesome. But we had a super great noche de hogar last night with a great family. Oh, and today is Tuesday and I am writting today because there were transfers yesterday!
Mom, I want you to know I love you, and am so greatful for all you do, and I want you to know that you can do it. Just don't worry, because you got it, I want you to know that God loves you more than you can ever think, and everything we go through is just refining us and making us better people, to one day live with him. I am greatful that I have the best family in the world that loves me and helps me to be the best I can be. I love you all and pray for you.
Love, Elder Grover
Mom, have a wonderful week! I love you! Tell everyone I love them and that God is with us all, all the time. Have a great week!
I love you, just so you know! A lot, well more than a lot! But holy cow, Elsie is 3... wooooowwwww time is going super fast, that is so crazy! Tell her Happy Birthday for me!!! Tell her I love her so much! Holy cow, a wedding, that is so weird! Sorry, for me it doesn't feel like anyone is getting married, it is so weird that my bro is getting married and I am not there... what the heck, that is so crazy!!! Don't worry mom, you can do it, I know you can. Mom, it is ok to ask people to help too, they want to help, you just need to extend an invitation, that is what I do every day, it helps. Uncle Merlin is getting married too this week, wow, yeah, I can imagine that it is going to be super crazy!! Mom, you are doing a great job, so don't worry at all, just do your best and have fun and all will be good. That is what I have learned, sometimes we are put into situations that are hard, and if we just do our best, that is all we can do. I am glad that you like the emails mom, because I love to send them! And even more to get an email from the best mom in the world!
So we had transfers... my little Equador companion left.. and I am now district leader.. and it is stressfull! I have the biggest district in the whole mission because it is my whole zone, and I have to call them all every night. I have no time to do anything else ... it is crazy! I hope and pray that the Lord will help me that I may be an example to others, I just feel underqualified, but God gives us callings to help us more personally, I think. My new companion is from Provo, he has 6 months in the mission, but he speaks Spanish really well, so that will be great to have. So that is where I am at right now, but they are really cool so it is great. This week has been pretty good, we had an investagator come to a baptism that the zone leaders had, but they have not come to church, we just need to keep having hope and all will be good.
Not too much happened, but it was a good week none the less, so that is great. I got to go to church and partake of the sacrament, that is becoming one of my favorite things in the world, it is great.
My studies have been great, I'm reading about Moroni; also, here is something to think on, there were lots of great people during those times, just going on and doing good things. Sometimes we just want to be the big one, but it is okay to just do little things like our church callings and other things to just keep going on with love and faith and hope and trusting for the best.
Oh, and what has been good is that the members have given us some good food this week, so that is great, there no need to worry.
All is good here in Argentina, I just need mountains and then it would be a little more awesome. But we had a super great noche de hogar last night with a great family. Oh, and today is Tuesday and I am writting today because there were transfers yesterday!
Mom, I want you to know I love you, and am so greatful for all you do, and I want you to know that you can do it. Just don't worry, because you got it, I want you to know that God loves you more than you can ever think, and everything we go through is just refining us and making us better people, to one day live with him. I am greatful that I have the best family in the world that loves me and helps me to be the best I can be. I love you all and pray for you.
Love, Elder Grover
Mom, have a wonderful week! I love you! Tell everyone I love them and that God is with us all, all the time. Have a great week!
9/29/2015
Argentina - June 8, 2015
Hey mom!!!!!
I have been great this week, mom. I am healthy, like a big ole horse. Oh, and I don't know if I told you, but I have started to run in the mornings! Awesome, it is great, makes me feel good. But I am good, we got permission this week to eat in the house of members, I am super excited, it will be good. But don't worry, my little companion calls me fat all the time, so I must be healthy; I think he just says that because I eat a lot. Oh, and I learned how to make buttermilk syrup, it is so good, just to eat plain, ha! Great times! No, but I am healthy!
I didn't know McKady went to EFY, that is awesome, I am so glad that she had a good time!!! Just need to tell her to keep going those things that help her testimony grow, because it is like abs, it takes forever to build them, but it only takes a short amount of time to lose them. But I am glad she had fun! Oh, I agree time flies! But to me days seem like weeks and weeks seem like days, well that is for me, the life of a missionary!!!!!!!!!! Oh yeah! 3 weeks, wow that is crazy, he is going to be a dad and have a wife, I am so excited and I am not even there, ha! They better have sent me an announcement!!!
I love family home evenings, we have a family home evening with this family that are recent converts, but it is awesome, they are great! I bet it is fun with all the grandkids? How are they? Tell them I love them, they are the best! Rain? That is awesome, Blanding needs rain, lots and lots of it, so that is so great. Tornados? That is kinda crazy though, just be safe and enjoy the rain because rain makes corn and corn makes cornbread that makes the missionary happy. I am just joking, because they don't make corn bread here, ha but rain is great.
Always focus on the good!!!!!!!!!! That is what makes a happy life, and remembering the blessings, it is those that bring great joy!!!
That is cool that you got to talk to Jesse's converts, there is a special bond there, I just can't describe it, it is amazing.
Support is what every member needs, that is what I love about home and visiting teachers, because we don't really have those here, kinda sad. But it really does help people because people think well the missionaries pass for us it is their job but people from the ward it is just amazing.
What I love to see every day are just the small acts of kindness, it just really fills my heat with joy when I see someone helping others. Then it is hard to see the small acts of unkindness, but during those time Christ is there with his helping hand!
There are great people in this world, very great people. People that really seek to do what is right and follow God but they don't know where to find Him. We taught a guy yesterday, and he had great questions and everything, he just didn't want to read or pray, and if God did awnser him he wouldn't change, but we did our part.
Our investigator, Jesus, has kinda has been going through a rough time with his family and so he decided to move in with his girlfriend. He thinks we want them to stop being together, but really we just want them not to live together. But we are teaching her too, and she is super cool and she has had some really great questions so we will have to see how this goes.
We contacted this lady and taught her the first lesson, and then the next day she was like I know this book you gave me is true. I prayed and I know it is true, super awesome! But then she didn't come to church, which is hard. But this Sunday was super special, nothing better than a fast Sunday. There are some amazing people here who have wonderful testimonies, and it is amazing to see those and listen to them.
So I stopped studying in English, now only in Spanish. But it is great, I am learning a lot and the Lord is helping me a lot. I am in Alma 43 right now, wow it is amazing. Bueno si a part that I really liked talked about how Moroni prepared his men with armor, there are the parts that he covered, head, heart, loins and feet. I beleive those are right in English, anyways all of these represent something, loins to be with virture and to be chaste, the heart is our conduct. Head is our thoughts and feet is our goals and objectives in this life. Think on that, we need this armor with us at all times, it is like I said the other week, you can't get cut with your armor on. The scriptures are amazing, I wish I had more time to do studying, and that was in Spanish . . . oh yeah, it is getting better, I hope, ha, my comapanion understands me, so I hope the people I teach understand.
Sometimes we are faced with challenges that seem to be more than we can bear, and wonder why we are having these problems, but God loves all of us and we can be healed through his mercy. Never give up the fight, Satan is there trying with all his might to pull us down, but we can resist him. I know this is the restored Gospel, and that if we live it we will be blessed beyond measure. I know it is not easy at the time, but we are never alone. Chrsit lives, he did suffer for us, the book of mormon is true, and I know that Joseph Smith did indeed see the Father and his son Jesus Christ.
Love Elder Grover
PS Thanks so much for the pictures mom, they are great! Looks like everyone had a good time! The baseball game looked awesome, but thanks again. Tell everyone I love them and also mom, I love you! So, so, so much!!!!!!!!!! Thanks for being the best mom in the world, I wouldn't be me with out you. Never forget that I love you with all my heart!!!
I have been great this week, mom. I am healthy, like a big ole horse. Oh, and I don't know if I told you, but I have started to run in the mornings! Awesome, it is great, makes me feel good. But I am good, we got permission this week to eat in the house of members, I am super excited, it will be good. But don't worry, my little companion calls me fat all the time, so I must be healthy; I think he just says that because I eat a lot. Oh, and I learned how to make buttermilk syrup, it is so good, just to eat plain, ha! Great times! No, but I am healthy!
I didn't know McKady went to EFY, that is awesome, I am so glad that she had a good time!!! Just need to tell her to keep going those things that help her testimony grow, because it is like abs, it takes forever to build them, but it only takes a short amount of time to lose them. But I am glad she had fun! Oh, I agree time flies! But to me days seem like weeks and weeks seem like days, well that is for me, the life of a missionary!!!!!!!!!! Oh yeah! 3 weeks, wow that is crazy, he is going to be a dad and have a wife, I am so excited and I am not even there, ha! They better have sent me an announcement!!!
I love family home evenings, we have a family home evening with this family that are recent converts, but it is awesome, they are great! I bet it is fun with all the grandkids? How are they? Tell them I love them, they are the best! Rain? That is awesome, Blanding needs rain, lots and lots of it, so that is so great. Tornados? That is kinda crazy though, just be safe and enjoy the rain because rain makes corn and corn makes cornbread that makes the missionary happy. I am just joking, because they don't make corn bread here, ha but rain is great.
Always focus on the good!!!!!!!!!! That is what makes a happy life, and remembering the blessings, it is those that bring great joy!!!
That is cool that you got to talk to Jesse's converts, there is a special bond there, I just can't describe it, it is amazing.
Support is what every member needs, that is what I love about home and visiting teachers, because we don't really have those here, kinda sad. But it really does help people because people think well the missionaries pass for us it is their job but people from the ward it is just amazing.
What I love to see every day are just the small acts of kindness, it just really fills my heat with joy when I see someone helping others. Then it is hard to see the small acts of unkindness, but during those time Christ is there with his helping hand!
There are great people in this world, very great people. People that really seek to do what is right and follow God but they don't know where to find Him. We taught a guy yesterday, and he had great questions and everything, he just didn't want to read or pray, and if God did awnser him he wouldn't change, but we did our part.
Our investigator, Jesus, has kinda has been going through a rough time with his family and so he decided to move in with his girlfriend. He thinks we want them to stop being together, but really we just want them not to live together. But we are teaching her too, and she is super cool and she has had some really great questions so we will have to see how this goes.
We contacted this lady and taught her the first lesson, and then the next day she was like I know this book you gave me is true. I prayed and I know it is true, super awesome! But then she didn't come to church, which is hard. But this Sunday was super special, nothing better than a fast Sunday. There are some amazing people here who have wonderful testimonies, and it is amazing to see those and listen to them.
So I stopped studying in English, now only in Spanish. But it is great, I am learning a lot and the Lord is helping me a lot. I am in Alma 43 right now, wow it is amazing. Bueno si a part that I really liked talked about how Moroni prepared his men with armor, there are the parts that he covered, head, heart, loins and feet. I beleive those are right in English, anyways all of these represent something, loins to be with virture and to be chaste, the heart is our conduct. Head is our thoughts and feet is our goals and objectives in this life. Think on that, we need this armor with us at all times, it is like I said the other week, you can't get cut with your armor on. The scriptures are amazing, I wish I had more time to do studying, and that was in Spanish . . . oh yeah, it is getting better, I hope, ha, my comapanion understands me, so I hope the people I teach understand.
Sometimes we are faced with challenges that seem to be more than we can bear, and wonder why we are having these problems, but God loves all of us and we can be healed through his mercy. Never give up the fight, Satan is there trying with all his might to pull us down, but we can resist him. I know this is the restored Gospel, and that if we live it we will be blessed beyond measure. I know it is not easy at the time, but we are never alone. Chrsit lives, he did suffer for us, the book of mormon is true, and I know that Joseph Smith did indeed see the Father and his son Jesus Christ.
Love Elder Grover
PS Thanks so much for the pictures mom, they are great! Looks like everyone had a good time! The baseball game looked awesome, but thanks again. Tell everyone I love them and also mom, I love you! So, so, so much!!!!!!!!!! Thanks for being the best mom in the world, I wouldn't be me with out you. Never forget that I love you with all my heart!!!
9/15/2015
Argentina - June 1, 2015
Hey Mom!!!!!!!!!!!!! I love you!!!!
I missed the trip too... don't worry, in a year and a little more I will go on a trip with you guys and it is going to be the best one ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Wait, where was Jordan? What is he up too? I haven't heard anything about him. I love seeing new places, it is the best, I wish I could travel more to see more of Argentina, or at least go on a hike or something like that!! That would be nice, wait, I walk all day every day... so I guess I do hike. Work and the normal things are ok. Mom, just find the little things that make you happy and smile at everything and all will be good. What, 4 weeks till the wedding... that is so crazy, I can't beleive that, it blows my mind. What are all the plans? So crazy. It gets pretty cold here at night and gets dark at like 6, it is the worst because when it is dark that means night and night means sleep but it is only 6, but it is good! I try to look at the good, it is way better than the bad and that is a fact! Thanks for all the love and support, I love you guys so much!
So this week I did divisions with Elder Goodwin, he wrestled 5A and took 2nd his junior year, or something like that. It was great because we get along and it was fun, he is super exciting like, he has a lot of energy. He goes home in like 2 months, but it was good. Funny story we had while teaching, so funny, so we were sitting teaching this family and she started to make this banana smoothie. She turns the blender on and like a big, big family of cockroaches came out of the motor thing and my companion was like, "move Elder, they're going to get you", because it was right in front of me. So I started just flicking them while sitting at the table and the guy we were teaching just wips them of the table then finished the smoothie. It was good by the way, ha, it was fun!
Another funny story, so we were contacting and we contact this house and the guy was drunk. So I had a Book of Mormon in my hand, and we were telling him what we beleive in and he said that he is from The Army of God Church, he said it is exactly like ours just with a different name. He showed us their bible, and it is basically the Book of Mormon but with a different cover and different drawings on it ... ha it was great!
Well, we don't have much time today because we where talking to the owner of our pension. But just know that I love you so much and hope that this week is wonderful. Always remember we are an eternal family, love you mom!
Love Elder Grover
Oh, we are preparing to baptize Jesus this weekend:) it is going to be amazing! He is great, so exciting! I will tell you next week how it is goes. Love you mom! Have a wonderful week!!
I missed the trip too... don't worry, in a year and a little more I will go on a trip with you guys and it is going to be the best one ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Wait, where was Jordan? What is he up too? I haven't heard anything about him. I love seeing new places, it is the best, I wish I could travel more to see more of Argentina, or at least go on a hike or something like that!! That would be nice, wait, I walk all day every day... so I guess I do hike. Work and the normal things are ok. Mom, just find the little things that make you happy and smile at everything and all will be good. What, 4 weeks till the wedding... that is so crazy, I can't beleive that, it blows my mind. What are all the plans? So crazy. It gets pretty cold here at night and gets dark at like 6, it is the worst because when it is dark that means night and night means sleep but it is only 6, but it is good! I try to look at the good, it is way better than the bad and that is a fact! Thanks for all the love and support, I love you guys so much!
So this week I did divisions with Elder Goodwin, he wrestled 5A and took 2nd his junior year, or something like that. It was great because we get along and it was fun, he is super exciting like, he has a lot of energy. He goes home in like 2 months, but it was good. Funny story we had while teaching, so funny, so we were sitting teaching this family and she started to make this banana smoothie. She turns the blender on and like a big, big family of cockroaches came out of the motor thing and my companion was like, "move Elder, they're going to get you", because it was right in front of me. So I started just flicking them while sitting at the table and the guy we were teaching just wips them of the table then finished the smoothie. It was good by the way, ha, it was fun!
Another funny story, so we were contacting and we contact this house and the guy was drunk. So I had a Book of Mormon in my hand, and we were telling him what we beleive in and he said that he is from The Army of God Church, he said it is exactly like ours just with a different name. He showed us their bible, and it is basically the Book of Mormon but with a different cover and different drawings on it ... ha it was great!
Well, we don't have much time today because we where talking to the owner of our pension. But just know that I love you so much and hope that this week is wonderful. Always remember we are an eternal family, love you mom!
Love Elder Grover
Oh, we are preparing to baptize Jesus this weekend:) it is going to be amazing! He is great, so exciting! I will tell you next week how it is goes. Love you mom! Have a wonderful week!!
8/19/2015
Argentina - May 26, 2015
Hey mom!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Wow, Sacramento temple! That looks so beautiful, thanks so much for the photo, it looks great! Remember to send me photos of the trip you are on, just know I'm there with you all, not really, but yeah. Memorial Day, what a wonderful holiday, very wonderful to take a day and remember the ones in our past and those who have served our country. I've got to tell you, I am very American now! Very pro, well let's just say I love it very much, in America we are very blessed! So today is Tuesday, and I am writing today because yesterday here was the 25 de Mayo (it is their Independence Day). They don't rally do anything, all they had was a day off of work and school, nothing like the 4th! Oh wells, we worked anyway, but it was great. It is so crazy that the cruise was a year ago, and McKady will be a senior, wow that is even weirder! Zach is going to middle school, all of this is just blowing my mind away, it is so crazy, crazy to think.
But it is wonderful to hear all is well. I was on divisions with my zone leader this last week and he served in California for 3 transfers before he came to Argentina, Carlsbad I think. He said it is a little different than here, but it is good. I have learned that the people here are kind of prideful . . . so remember how I said that Corrients is the only providence that doesn't have a stake in Argentina? So we were talking to a member and she was telling us how it was the Republic of Corrients, and that they should be apart from Argentina and all this stuff. . . kind of hard. . . but it is all good.
Oh, another funny story, I was with my zone leader and we were contacting in his area and we talked to this lady with a super nice house, and she was like, "yeah, come in, you can talk to my brother." Yeah, we were super confused, but it turns out he was the owner of my apartment! He has like a hole thing in his throat and so it was super hard to talk to him, but he was a great, great guy. He gave me this juice that was, well let's just say interesting. Oh yeah, and another cool thing, you can buy cow tongue anywhere if you ever wanted. My companion didn't want to buy one with me, oh wells!
So our investigator, Jesus Ayala, was mad we changed his baptism date because he needs to come to church one more time, but he didn't so we had a change it again. But he is a good guy, he tries talking English but its like, "I understand your Spanish but not your English," it is fun though. Then our other investigator, I don't know what happened to her, we are going to talk to her tonight to see what's up.
This week we did a lot of study on pride and obedience, it was really good, and things we all can work on. Then, a scripture in Ether 12:27, wow, great; God gives us weaknesses to humble us, then he will make us strong, we just need to put our faith in him.
How is everyone doing? Oh, and tell dad and McKady that I got their letters, tell them thanks and that I will be sending one in the following week or so, something like that. But life here is good, oh, just remembered something totally random, we should go to Zion's National Park when I get home, from my zone leaders' pictures it looks very beautiful. That is always nice to see other missionaries' families, but I have the best, they can't even compete!
Well, got to go,but I want you guys to know I love you. Mom, I love you with all my heart, more than anything in the world! Also tell everyone I love them. I know this is the true church, and that Jesus is the Christ. Love you all and have a wonderful week!
Love, Elder Grover
Wow, Sacramento temple! That looks so beautiful, thanks so much for the photo, it looks great! Remember to send me photos of the trip you are on, just know I'm there with you all, not really, but yeah. Memorial Day, what a wonderful holiday, very wonderful to take a day and remember the ones in our past and those who have served our country. I've got to tell you, I am very American now! Very pro, well let's just say I love it very much, in America we are very blessed! So today is Tuesday, and I am writing today because yesterday here was the 25 de Mayo (it is their Independence Day). They don't rally do anything, all they had was a day off of work and school, nothing like the 4th! Oh wells, we worked anyway, but it was great. It is so crazy that the cruise was a year ago, and McKady will be a senior, wow that is even weirder! Zach is going to middle school, all of this is just blowing my mind away, it is so crazy, crazy to think.
But it is wonderful to hear all is well. I was on divisions with my zone leader this last week and he served in California for 3 transfers before he came to Argentina, Carlsbad I think. He said it is a little different than here, but it is good. I have learned that the people here are kind of prideful . . . so remember how I said that Corrients is the only providence that doesn't have a stake in Argentina? So we were talking to a member and she was telling us how it was the Republic of Corrients, and that they should be apart from Argentina and all this stuff. . . kind of hard. . . but it is all good.
Oh, another funny story, I was with my zone leader and we were contacting in his area and we talked to this lady with a super nice house, and she was like, "yeah, come in, you can talk to my brother." Yeah, we were super confused, but it turns out he was the owner of my apartment! He has like a hole thing in his throat and so it was super hard to talk to him, but he was a great, great guy. He gave me this juice that was, well let's just say interesting. Oh yeah, and another cool thing, you can buy cow tongue anywhere if you ever wanted. My companion didn't want to buy one with me, oh wells!
So our investigator, Jesus Ayala, was mad we changed his baptism date because he needs to come to church one more time, but he didn't so we had a change it again. But he is a good guy, he tries talking English but its like, "I understand your Spanish but not your English," it is fun though. Then our other investigator, I don't know what happened to her, we are going to talk to her tonight to see what's up.
This week we did a lot of study on pride and obedience, it was really good, and things we all can work on. Then, a scripture in Ether 12:27, wow, great; God gives us weaknesses to humble us, then he will make us strong, we just need to put our faith in him.
How is everyone doing? Oh, and tell dad and McKady that I got their letters, tell them thanks and that I will be sending one in the following week or so, something like that. But life here is good, oh, just remembered something totally random, we should go to Zion's National Park when I get home, from my zone leaders' pictures it looks very beautiful. That is always nice to see other missionaries' families, but I have the best, they can't even compete!
Well, got to go,but I want you guys to know I love you. Mom, I love you with all my heart, more than anything in the world! Also tell everyone I love them. I know this is the true church, and that Jesus is the Christ. Love you all and have a wonderful week!
Love, Elder Grover
8/11/2015
Argentina - May 18, 2015
Hey mom!!! I love you!
Wow, that is crazy that school is almost out! So weird to think about!!! It makes me feel a little old! That is great to hear about the track team doing good, and the softball team too, second is better than not placing. It's also better than like 4th, oh wells, we don't need to dwell on the past, ha! Seminary graduation and High school graduation, wow! But kids in Utah don't know how lucky they are and often they don't take advantage of their opportunities; I was talking to an elder from Colombia that said he woke up at 4 every morning to go to seminary, makes me wish I would have paid more attention.
What??!!!!!!!!! Jesse is getting married on June 27? Holy cow, that is so freakin' close! Wow, that is so soon, that is crazy! I am so excited, that means lots of work. Wow, that is crazy, I am so excited, I love weddings! Awesome, ha, great times, better be sending me pictures of that.
Uncle Merlin is getting married again, wow! It is okay though because it is so much better to not be alone. Good, that will be exciting for him.
What? Going to Cali without me? And you guys are going to a baseball game with out me? The Giants and Braves, wow, that is going to be awesome! Dang, I won't be able to get the gear . . . that is so awesome though, it will be lots and lots of fun! You better be sending me pictures of that also. That is so aweome that Mckady got into soar, tell her how proud I am of her and how amazing she is! And the whole family, they are just great!! Best family in the world, and that is the truth!!! The trip is just going to be the bomb too, awesome, I am so excited for you guys! Well, I can brag too, I get to go to Resistencia tomorrow for a multi-zone conference and I get to wake up at 3 in the morning yea!!! Not really, because I am tired all the time so that means I would be more tired, but it is awesome because it is great!
So this week we had the amazing opportunity to watch the dedication of the temple in Cordoba. It was amazing, and just a wonderful chance to sit down and listen to prophets and apostles of the Lord. We couldn't have investigators come to the church because you have to be a member. But it was good, on Saturday night there was the culture activivty that we had 2 investigators come to and they watched the dedication with us, so it was a great weekend, very wonderful. We had a good week and got to do service for our, well one of our investigators, Jesus Ayala, just as long as he stays away from his girlfriend we are good. He told us the he stopped visting her becuase he told her he wants to change and not do those things anymore! So that is really good!!
Also, I want to tell you what I have been thinking about and studing more. The first is how our body is a temple that God has given us, but God doesn't, or can't, dwell in unholy temples.. and so sin.. keeps us from that. I thought a lot about sin and how it affects us. Sin is like a cut, and it can be big or small, but either way you need to take care of it. If it is small clean it, put alcohol, or whatever you put on cuts, and a bandage or a wrap or something similar to that, but if it is big you need to go to the doctor to get it stitched up. God has givin us people like bishops who are kind of like that doctor for us. But if we don't get it taken care of, big or small, it is going to get infected and we are going to get sick and our imune system is going to fall and we are more susceptible to get other things... it is the same with sin. It makes me think of a prisoner who came and talked to us at one of the football youth camps, he went to a division one school playing football and started QB as a freshman. He broke his ankle and didn't tell anyone, he just taped it really good and took pain medication. Well, it got infected and was really bad, he couldn't play and lost his scholarship, then got hooked on pain killers and ended up in jail. How much easier it would have been if he wasn't prideful, went to the doctor, sat out for half the season and got better, God is here to heal us all the time, every day, we can be healed through him and all will be good.There is a lot more I thought about with that, but there is the little run down for you. I know the Savior is here to help us in every moment. Yeah, I can think, don't think, it is too weird. But I know the Savior is there and when we think he is not, it is usally due to our own doings, just tring to cover up the little cuts and things, but I know he loves us more than anything.
Just want you guys to know that I love you and am so proud to have you as my family. I know this is the true church. Mom, I love you more than anything in the world, I just want you to know that. Best mom ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I hope you guys have a wonderful week and that the start of summer is just a bunch of fun!!! I love you with all my heart for ever and ever.
Love
Elder Grover
 |
| Me by the sign Goya, as people here say, Goya la Joys |
 |
| Me and my companion and 2 other elders at the beach thing they have right by the river, it is really beautiful! |
 |
| Always remember, number one in the field and number one in your hearts! |
7/28/2015
Argentina - May 12, 2015
Hey mom!!!
First, I love you! I just want you to know that! Sorry I didn't get to talk to you as long, but I want you to know that I love you with all my heart and I hope that you had the best Mother's Day in the whole world because you are the best mother in the world. Happy Mother's Day!! Like I said yesterday, best mother ever, and never think any different!!! It was so great to see you and talk to you, just so you know!!! I loved it, and wow did I get surprised too!!! Ha, I am excited, so excited! He is going to be an amazing husband and dad, and you get to be gramma to another little kid, that is so awesome! Don't worry too much about them mom, I know they will be just fine!! So she had no idea? That is cool, well you will have to keep me updated on all the plans and all that is going down. And just so you know, I am the best man, no one is taking that title from me, I will fight to the end!! In a loving, Christ-like way, don't worry!:) Thanks for the pictures too, it looks like it was just so much fun! I am so excited! Too bad they can't wait for like a year and a half or something, no it is ok.
Well, tell Jade that I am sorry that I couldn't talk to him a little bit longer. Tell him I love him and tell him to email me or give me his email so I can email him:)
Sorry if there was a lot of noise or if you couldn't hear me last night, and I hope everyone doesn't think I am a bad missionary because the members were watching the futbol game behind me. But it was great to see everyone and to talk to everyone, I love everyone and I hope everyone knows that; I just have the best family in the world.
Okay, so after that we went and had branch counsel meeting, which was good, we just talked about our investigators and then that was about it. Then today for p-day we went and played basketball with our zone leaders and then 4 other elders, and that was really fun!!! It was great, but now I am super sore, I haven't moved like that in a very long time. But it was a great day, and we got some good plans and are going to have a family home evening with some recent converts, family home evening is a very great thing:) just saying! ha
This week and this last week I have been thinking about all the commandments, and obedience, and doing the will of God. In Alma I read about becoming humble and doing all the will of the Lord, and being who He wants you to be and not just what you want to be. Trusting in God in His plan that He has for us. I know this is the true church, with all my heart I know this. I know God and his son live and that this gospel was restored by Joseph Smith, and that the Book of Mormon is the word of God. I also know that this life is super hard.. not easy, but it is so worth it and someday we will live in the kingdom of God with our families, and what a wonderful moment that will be!! I love you guys! Mom, I love you and know that I am always with you in a sense, mother-son connection powers! I love you!
Elder Grover
Have a wonderful week and tell Jesse and his future wife congrats and keep me updated on the plans.
5/29/2015
Argentina - May 5, 2015
Hello mom!!! y Familia!
Guess what is on Sunday?!! I think it is Mother's Day!!! The best day of the year!!! Woooooooowooooooo yeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhh! Estoy muy muy animado! So with that, I think I will be calling at about 5 or 6 Argentina time!:) But we are going to a member's house and so I don't know for sure, we still have to talk to them. But I am planning to skype, just do the same thing I did at Christmas, I will get on and Jesse's and call you. I am so excited, because I love you mom!:) And everyone else too, but it is Mother's Day, it will be great. I am sorry you didn't get a turkey, but that is not important, it is the experiences that we have that are the most important! I am glad you had fun and got to have that experience. But don't worry mom, when I get home we will go turkey hunting, and deer hunting because that is even better:) That is great that everyone passed their classes, they are going to do amazing! because they are my bros:) So what all does Jordan do for his job? Does he have to travel? McKady made sterling scholar? Wow, that is just so, so awesome - will you tell her congrats for me? Because that is super really awesome, and that is cool if she will get to go to the BYU thing to, that would be a really super cool experience for her, I think!
The weather, yeah, it has changed. Well in my last area, Las Palmas, I will get to that in a little bit, I got transferred, but anyway, yeah it got a little colder. It was starting to get super hot, then it rained and cooled down a lot, but it is good now, which is pretty good! And so it is cooler, and it is even cooler in my new area! Which is really nice. Lots of the guys are going to the states? Ha, they got the easy life;) We are really in the mission here! The best, ha, but that is cool! Yeah, Trason sent me an email telling me that he is going to Brasil.. speaking Portuguese, which is really close to Spanish I decided, I have a Livro de Mormon that is Portuguese and I can understand what is going on. It is not as cool as Spanish though. Anyways, yeah I got transferred! I am now in Goya, Corrients, and guess what, my companero is from Equador, so that means we talk in Spanish all the time, well I think we are, ha, he understands me and I understand him; it might be some form of cave man, idk. Just kidding, but it is good. So Corrients is really nice and pretty, still flat, but more pretty than Chaco and Fermosa, but it is great. Well, I haven't worked yet because I just got here yesterday. So 4 months ago there used to be 4 areas in Goya and now there are only 2, so and all the stuff from the other apartments is in our apartment. Si, we have a lot of things in our pension, but it is really nice, well way nicer than me first pension. But it is good and I am excited to get to work. Corrients is the only providence in all of Argentina that doesn't have a stake, so there is lots of work to be done here. I guess the people here are just kind of prideful, that is what I heard. But me and my companion are going to change that! It is going to be good. This is my first Latino companion though, so we will see how this will go! That is so weird, well transfers are so weird; just pack up everything I own and head out to live with someone I don't even know; but it is great and the elders in my zone are awesome! It is great, but get this, so when I went to Las Palmas, Elder Lorenco had just left, and then the same thing happened again and I am coming to his area. By they way, Elder Lorenco is my friend from the MTC and he is from Road Island, super great kid and missionary. I am trying to convince him to come live with us after the mission in Blanding, but he thinks he needs to go to BYU, Idaho. Anyways, that is how it is with transfers. So this last weekend we went to the stake conference in Resistencia, and it was really good. But no one from Las Palmas came, it was really discouraging. I really do miss Las Palmas, we were working with some great people who I really hope will be baptized!! But, I guess we will see. That is my week, in a nut shell pretty much! So now it is Goya, look out! Elder Grover is here!:) and with Elder Caldron we got it. Well, I've got to go, I was going to send some pictures but don't have time, sorry.. but you will get to see my lovely face on Sunday, so we are good! I want you to know this is the true and restored gospel of Jesus Christ!! And that our purpose in this life is to learn and to grow and to gain experiences, and to one day return to our father and live with our families forever, and I have the best family in the world! I love you all; mom, I love you and am grateful to be able to call you on Mother's Day, we'll talk to you then! I love you more than you can ever know! Have a wonderful week! And don't forget to read the scriptures and pray, this will help us all in what we need!!! Love, Elder Grover Oh, guess what? I will talk to you on Sunday; I hope you are as excited as I am. But yeah, love you guys, mom you are the best, with Mother's Day coming, just know you are the best mother ever!!!
5/27/2015
Argentina - April 27, 2015
Hey mom!!! I love you! Wow, today I have been gone for 7 months!!! That is pretty crazy, time flies! Sounds like all the ward missionaries are coming home, wow that is pretty crazy. Just me and Ben left, huh? What about the younger grade, I know there were some kids; that is okay I will make up for it all;) But yeah, all my friends are doing great, we have a big group email with all my friends where we write stories, so it is great, and they are all doing good it sounds like to me. Yeah, Mike has gotten skinny; wow, we do walk a lot here in South America. I write Sterling every week and he is just doing amazing, he is a great missionary. The pictures...well, here is the thing, I am turning into an Argentine and you won't recognize me...I am just joking. No, I am scared to send photos from these computers; before, when I was in Fermosa, we used the computers at the church. Anyway, one of the missionaries that I come with, Hermana Smith lost all the photos on her camera. But I will send some next week, I would right now but I am in Resistencia right now and don't have my cord. I will get to why I am in Resistencia in a little bit, but I will get you some pictures, don't you worry! Oh, and something real quick, I got a letter from dad and the baby announcement from JJ and Tamra, just so know I got them:) Jordan, JJ and Jesse, students, what nerds... ;) They will be fine and get the grades they need and will succeed in all that they do! Tamra told me about JJ doing the fire service, maybe it will singe some of his hair off;) With Jade, all we can do is just pray for him, and trust in the Lord and His plan for all of us. Mckady will be fine mom, she is a good, smart girl, sometimes we all just need time to relax and breathe. That is one thing I have learned, you've got to relax and breathe and pray, and then just go! Tell her I love her and that she is awesome! I am sending my luck all day; don't you worry, nothing is falling apart mom! We are just under a little construction, to make us stronger and more prepared for the whirlwinds of the world; trust me, the finished product is going to be beautiful, we just need to have patience through all the little licks and things. I know it will be okay because God is over all, and His son is the manager over the work. Okay, a little about my week, it was pretty good, like always, because I am getting better, well no that is lie, the Lord is helping me become better every day, all the credit goes to Him! Oh, funny story, so me and my companion were talking to this drunk guy, he was super drunk. It is weird, I never knew what alcohol smelled like until the mission, and it is so gross, there is nothing that smells worse than cheep Argentine wine, and the sad thing is that it is cheaper than water. But anyways, this guy went to give me a hug, which is pretty normal, I have been hugged by a lot of drunk guys, but anyways he kissed my chest too! Yeah, ha, that was just a little weird! So on Friday we got to listen to Elder Oaks!!!! It was so awesome! Wow, when I shook his hand, he has the spirit with him, wow, does he have the spirit with him. He is so fun and lively, it was just an amazing experience. His wife gave a great talk too, this is his second wife and they have been married for 15 years, but this is the first time she has been marred. Anyway, he talked about keeping the Sabbath day holy, it was amazing. I guess that is what the 12 and the first presidency are focusing on right now is the Sabbath day and really keeping it holy. And also about the sacrament, because really that is the center of or worship, and how amazing it can be in our life. Also, he talked about revelation and how important it is in our daily lives, it was amazing! Then our president and his wife talked, and Elder Gonzalas of the 70, the president over the South American south area, and his wife also talked. It was just a great, amazing experience! I got to see some of the missionaries, oh and that reminds me of a miracle that happened. So I don't know if you remember, but the family that I was telling you about that I found in Fermosa in January, how it was a miracle and by the spirit the way we found them? Well, I just found out that they were baptized! I talked to my old zone leader, who gave them their interview, and he said they are the best converts ever! Like, he said that the guy, Jorge, in the prayer was just so grateful that we found him and were able to teach him about the Atonement so that he could repent and come closer to God! I was so happy, I am so grateful that God, in his loving infinite mercy, gave me the wonderful opportunity to find and teach that wonderful family. They were so prepared, they were able to stop smoking and drinking, and they got married!!! What a miracle, and what an amazing story. I am so grateful that they got baptized; wonderful, wonderful, wonderful are the mercies of God! Anyways, we came back to Resistencia on Sunday morning because we are part of the Resistencia stake and well, the stake had a meeting where we listened to Elder Gonzalas, because Elder Oaks went to the Fermosa stake. It was really great and we had a couple that came, which is super exciting. But instead of going back to Las Palmas, we stayed in Resitencia because we had a little zone get together today on p-day which was great. So I was with one of my zone leaders and we went to this member that lives in the middle of nowhere.. like 10 miles outside of Resistencia, and we walked like an hour to get there. Their house was made of mud and trees, but they were super great. They used to ride their bikes to church but they broke. They want to go to church but it is so far away. I made this drink with them where you put coals and sugar and hot water together, and it was really goo, who would have known?! But it was great. Then I was thinking today, walking around Resistencia, how weird and different it was when I came here, and now it is just normal, like it just feels like normal, it was just weird to think about! Anyways, I love you all!!!!! Mom, you are the best! I want you to know that I love you more than anything. Family is the best, and sharing the Family Proclamation with people is the best! I love you all and want you to know that this church is true! Christ is at the head and we have a prophet who leads and directs us!! Have a wonderful week! I love you and pray for you always! Love Elder Grover P.S. Just realized that I put 7 instead of 8, ha, I have actually been gone for 8 months. Anyway, love you!!! Les amo para simpre! Con amor de su hijo que es super y en Argentina, Elder Grover
5/26/2015
Argentina - April 20, 2015
Hey mom,
Don't worry my wonderful mother, I always keep everyone on their toes!!! Ha, just so you know my optimism is everywhere, it is always with you, and don't ever let it go! But I am doing good, don't worry too much about me; I'm just teaching this gospel to people and having a grand ole time. I am so sorry to hear about what happened with Mckady, have her go talk with the bishop, he is a servant of the Lord to help us apply the atonement in our lives to make us better people. Tell her is is okay, and to read the letter I sent her. Also tell her I send all my love, prayers and the very best. In life we experience deep sorrow that pains us to the very core. In the scriptures it talks of this lots of times, multiple times, cutting, piercing pains, but that is why God, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ suffered for them all. Life is not easy, in fact it is the hardest thing we could ever do, missions are hard! I am telling you, it is the hardest thing I have had to face in my life, physically, mentally and spiritually. But also the most rewarding blessing I have ever experienced. I know everything we pass through in this life is only to help us grow; a source I have that I hold personal, says we come to earth to grow and some day live with our Heavenly Father, everything is for our benefit, to grow and receive eternal life.
I am heartbroken with what you have said about Jade, it cuts me to the core. But there was a conference talk about this very thing, all we can do is love him and let him know that his Savior loves him and that he always has His hands wide open for us. The power of prayer, to pray with out stopping, and I know the Lord answers prayers, in his time and in his own way, he does answer, He is there and listing to us. Here are 2 links to the whole family can study and read and pray about: https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2015/04/returning-to-faith?lang=eng, https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2015/04/waiting-for-the-prodigal?la. Really, all the conference talks will help, as well as reading the scriptures and praying and going to church. Doing the basics with true intent will help us beyond what we could ever imagine. It will also help us bless those around and us. Oh, and the temple, temple attendance is essential to our growth. My best advice is to take the advise of the prophets and listen to their talks and apply them all in our life. They know way more then me. I just want you to know I love everyone, tell Jade I love him with all my heart, and that he is my brother on this earth and in the next life, and that God loves him more than we could ever think.
Tell the whole family that I love them all, with all my heart, and that I know this church is true. Family is the most important thing in the world, and love is what holds it together! I testify that families are eternal. I know satan is out there and he wants to drag us down, the best we can do to fight back is the basics. I can't express the amount of love that I have for you as my family; mom, I love you with all my heart, and dad, I love you with all my might.
In Nephi they talk about the ones who held onto the iron rod with all their might, and when they got to the tree they were exhausted! It is hard, the whirlwinds of the adversary are there every second! At this time I think we all need to take time and try to apply Christ-like attributes in our life, humility, accepting the will of God, and carrying on with faith, love and patience.
This week on Friday the Resistencia mission has the grand opportunity to listen to Elder Oaks, don't worry I will tell you about it next week :)
This week was pretty good, we spent a lot of time contacting and I have just come to love missionary work! It is just wonderful:) Oh yeah, I wanted to say sorry for all the times I lied or didn't do what you asked me, because it is so frustrating...very frustrating. Sorry about that. Sorry, I ran out of time but there is more I want to say.
Love Elder Grover
P.S. I just want to tell you that I love you mom, don't lose faith and hope and love. The importance of following the rules is so important, the little things, the basics, are so important! Just have faith, and don't worry about me mom. I want to share my testimony that God lives, He loves us with all his might, Jesus is the Christ, Joseph Smith was and is a prophet of God, the Book of Mormon is the word of God!!!! All we need to do is listen to the prophets and the Holy Ghost and we will be okay, and love with out end, especially Jade, love without end. I love you all and pray for you every day; this church is true!
5/19/2015
Argentina - April 13, 2015
How was your birthday, Mom? I bet it was great, because I sang for you,
I don't know if you heard it, but I did:) And you got to hunt, which is awesome. It is okay if you haven't gotten anything yet, it is just for the experience. That is what I love, just being out and having the wonderful experience.
But you will get something, I know it, so don't worry there. That is so
amazing that you got to bless Jed, and that the family could come and be
a part of it. That is the best, getting together as family, because that
is the most important thing we have in this life, the family. What a
wonderful opportunity I have every day to help people know about
the importance of families. I love to share it and say that I know this gospel is true
because it has blessed me and my family beyond words. And I have
the wonderful opportunity to know that I can live with my family again
after this life. Thank you so much for the pictures, everyone looks
great! Jed looks like he is a big boy, crazy how much he has grown in
just a short time, it truly is amazing. I just have the best looking family
in all the world! Say hi to the aunties for me also while they are down
there.
Going day to day is wonderful, what wonderful exciting things
we can learn every day, everyday we have the opportunity to grow
and become better, maybe meet someone new or change a life, it is just amazing
what we can do in just one day. You got my letter? Awesome, I am glad
that you got it, I hope that you like it. Did McKady read hers? I hope it
helped, but I am grateful you got them and were able to read them, just
like everything else, writing helped me. I am glad you like the emails
too, I like to send them and let y'all know I am just doing great. I get
to talk to amazing people every day, which is just awesome. That is sad
that not as many are getting their calls or not going on missions...
pains me very much, the mission is for everyone! Everyone needs the
mission, the amount I have grown grown up (well that part idk;), I am
still a kid at heart ha:) but I am here to say that everyone needs a
mission, every male that graduates from high school needs to serve. It is
just the best, hardest thing I have ever done, but 100 percent worth
it.:)
But don't worry, I will take care of myself, other than the
millions of ants that decided to live in our apartment, don't worry we
will get them, that is what P-day is for!:) We killed a bunch of flies a little while ago, it was great, I made a hunting video with my
trophies.
Real fast, I just want to thank you all for the support, prayers examples, and everything! I love you all, I have the best family in the world! I want you to know you guys truly are my inspiration, when I am down I just remember my family loves me!!:)
Now
a little crazy story for you guys about what happened last night after
our branch council meeting, we were walking back to our area and got a
call from the other missionaries that the branch president got in an
accident on the way back; that is all we knew, so we went to the hospital. We got there and they didn't know exactly what had happened. But then the
other guy who was the accident came out and we talked to him for a minute, and he was
drunk, we could smell it. He said he was on his scooter and hit our president who was on his bike. President is like 70, but they said he was
okay. We didn't get to see him, but I am glad he is okay because he is a good guy,
funny too, he still can't say me and my companion's names, Grover and Trotter, he says Grotter and Trover, makes them sound the same so we
don't know what he is saying or who is talking to, we just have to guess. Oh, and
the guy who was drunk that hit him just walked out and like the police
weren't there or anything... in the states that would be super bad.
We had some investigators come to church, and right now we are working
with a great guy whose son is already baptized; but he needs to get married
and then he can be baptized, hopefully in the next week or 2. And
another one of our investigators she said she was on mormon.org all
night looking at stuff about the church, and she was asking us deep, deep
doctrinal questions. But she knows it is true and she shares it with
everyone. And another guy we are teaching, who is like 75 and Evangelist, or
what ever they are; he is interesting, but loved church and he cries
almost every time we talk to him. Wonderful, wonderful people who have
amazing spirits and strong faith.
I want to talk about the light
of Christ or the spirit of Christ, it is different then the Holy Ghost,
and we all have it. It enlightens us and gives us knowledge and brings
things to our remembrance. I don't know all about it, but I will study more on it
because it is very amazing. And then the gifts of the spirit, and how
amazing they are. We need to apply them more in our lives, my goal is to apply
some of them to better meet the needs of those I serve.
Well, I want to tell you I love you, and that God loves you also. I hope you have a wonderful week.
Love Elder Grover
P.S. Thanks again for the pictures, they are wonderful. Send everyone my love. Mom, I love you, you are the best! Don't worry, just have faith and all will
be good. Have a wonderful week and enjoy every second. Smile and be
happy and do the primary answer basics and life will be alright! Amazing! Love you all!
5/16/2015
Argentina - April 6, 2015
Happy Easter!!!!!
It looks
like you guys had lots and lots of fun on Easter, I'm not going to lie, it looks super
fun!! I am so grateful that all of you were able to spend Easter
together! And in the most beautiful place in the world, San Juan County,
with mountains and hills and canyons and rocks. It is so flat here, but it
is okay, I love it anyway. What a wonderful time of the year, Easter, to be
able to remember our Savior and his atoning sacrifice for us, and to know that He does live. He lives, I know it, I have felt it in my heart that he did
rise on the 3rd day and only through him can we be made whole. I have
really come to know and rely on our Savior, only through Him is all
possible. And to spend Easter watching conference, what a wonderful
experience. I am sad to hear that you weren't able to watch on Saturday because the talks were amazing! On Saturday they talked a lot about
marriage and the importance of it. Like 4 talks were about it on Saturday, thank goodness that doesn't apply to me right now:) But I do
know some people (my brothers) ;) that it does apply to! Ha, but
for conference we just stayed in the church all day because we didn't have time to walk
back to our area because to walk there and back it was like an hour and
half. And then we stayed the night at the other elders' pension because
for us, the priesthood session ended at 11:00 at night. But it was really
amazing! The Saturday sessions were great, and the priesthood session
too. Our internet stopped working during Elder Ballards talk,so we
watched all of conference in the church, because that is the only place to hook
internet. So I watched it all in Spanish, I understood a lot, but it is
a lot better to watch it in English because the translators just aren't the same as listening to the voices of the apostles, and they use big words in their talks and my Spanish isn't that advanced, so I really had to listen to know what was
going on, which was really good. Don't worry, my Easter was great, I
ate a lot of Argentine cookies and alfajors which are good, but the bad
thing is that was pretty much all I ate, well let's be honest that was
all I ate, and apple pop, so that was my Easter feast. But
that does not take away from the wonderful messages that were shared, what
a beautiful opportunity we had to hear the testimonies of the leaders of
the church about Christ. Very amazing! I really liked Elder Holland's
talk, I loved them all, but his was amazing. Oh, and how about the
temples? That is so amazing, temples are so amazing and beautiful. All in all,
it was wonderful, I love conference. I'm so grateful for the opportunity
that I had to listen to the servants of our Lord and Savior Jesus
Christ. I encourage all of you to reread and continue to watch and
listen to the talks until next conference. Do you know what is weird? This was my second conference in the mission! And it just gets better :)
So
we had one investigator come to all 4 sessions, and it was great because the thing that is holding him back is marriage, so we will see how
that will work. And then our golden investigator, who is awesome and has
already stopped drinking coffee, didn't come.. it was very hard. So we went
by her house last night to see what was up, turns out her breaks on her
moto weren't working. But she watched it on her computer!!!!!!! I was so
happy! It cut out a lot on her, but she watched!! She is great. Oh, and yesterday there was a new rule made in the mission, we are no
longer allowed to eat in the houses of members, or investigators...so
hopefully my cooking gets good!
And guess what? MOM, HAPPY
BIRTHDAY! A little early, I know, but I can't tell you on your birthday so I am telling you now. Have a wonderful day, remember I'm sending a big
birthday hug and kiss in this email, you are the best mom ever! Hope your
birthday is amazing! And you get to go turkey hunting and then bless your grandson this weekend, sounds to me like it will be amazing! I sent a
letter, I hope you get it this week, if not, it will come the next. But for now, I love you and will be thinking about you on your special birthday,
:)
I want to talk a little about what I learned in Jesus the Christ this
week about temptations. God allows them by wise permission, to make us
stronger and to help us grow spiritually. He will not allow us be tempted beyond we can
handle, and promises blessings if we resist the temptations. Then, about our treasures on earth and in heaven. Treasures of the world can
break, decay, rust, and can be stolen.. and we cannot take them to
heaven with us. But spiritual things, like building our testimony, spending time
with family and doing what is right we can take with us. For me, I would
rather have treasures in heaven. It is like the parable of the rich
young man who asks Christ what more he can do, and Christ tells him to give all he has to the poor and follow He and be Hy disciple. Just something we
need to remember to keep in mind, lets us hold nothing back and serve
the Lord with all our might.
Then this morning I was reading
in the book of Mormon, in Alma 48, and it is talking about Captain Moroni and his faith, and if we all had the faith like him the powers of
hell would fall and crumble to the ground.
Which brings me
to another thing I learned from one of my zone leaders while we were
waiting for interviews last week, he said the stories we hear from and read in the
scriptures, they are like the top 10 on ESPN, amazing. He said at the
first of his mission he prayed every day to have a miracle or make the
top 10, but we have got to recognize the little great plays that happen 100
times more than the top 10. That might be for a missionary, an
investigator saying a prayer, or for you guys waving at someone who you
may not have ever seen or know.
I want to share my testimy
about this wonderful Easter season, Jesus Christ lives and this is the true
church. We are here on earth to learn and grow and prepare to
one day live in the presence of the Lord.
Love Elder Grover
P.S. I love you all and am glad you had a great Easter weekend. Mom, happy
birthday, I love you more than words can tell! Have a wonderful week
and let us all apply the words of the prophets in our lives to become
better and help other people! Oh, and thank you so much for the pictures
they are great!!!!!!!!!!!!
5/13/2015
Argentina - March 31, 2015
Hola mom,
Gracias
for the pictures!!!!!!!!!!!! Tell McKady she looked beautiful, and I am
sure that her solo was just perfect!!! Looks like a courgerette to me!
It may be hard to see the good in some days but remeber all the wonderful blessings
we have and live every moment the best you can. The best thing to help
with a hard time is to put a smile on and push through it. Trouble with the internet... who
uses internet? I just know it is something that allows me email home every
week!! Which is awesome!
That is really sad to hear about the drugs at SJH ... really terrible; the things they do to our bodies, and then to have it
take away from the things in life, like high school sports, that is
something you can never go back and redo. But there is repentance! God
does help us through our hard times, I just hope that they take that road
and come closer to our Savior! I know he can and will heal us, all we
need to do is ask and apply the atonement in our lives, and that means
taking of the sacrament every Sunday. But other than that, I hope Jesse
and JJ got their school things done and that everyone is just doing great,
because you know why? I will tell you after I tell a story about this
week:
So we have a super cool investagator, her name is Silvia, she is about 30 and has 3 kids. She is super amazing and she loves
the commandments. Like, she is like, 'wow these are great, no one in Argentina lives these, but they should because they are so good!' She
gave up coffee too; like the first time she was like 'you can never take
my coffee away from me!!' But now she was like, 'I stopped, I just knew I
shouldn't drink it anymore.' But anyway, this week we went to go and teach
the lesson on tithing and fast, and I was nervous because she doesn't have very much money
and no job, she just gets money from the government. Anyways, I thought she
would say no, but me and my companion invited her to live this law after
her baptism, and she said 'yes, if it is a commandment of God, of course I
will live it.' God is real, and if we have faith all things are possible, I promise.
So, the reason I am writing today is because I went to Resistencia again yesterday, we had interviews with president, which
were really awesome. I asked him how I can become more spiritual, to have
the spirit more in my life, and he said, 'it is just the little things.' For a missionary it is a little different, but being exacty obedient,
waking up on time and using every second you have of your studies and work
time. It is the same with our regular every day lives, the little things we do will help us to have the spirit more, like keeping the Sabbath day holy, praying, reading scripture, and well, just
all the commandments, and all will be good.
Anyways. I will tell
you why this week is great, why all of us should be soo happy! It is
Easter, this means that our Savior lives! I know that with all my heart, He lives and He has been resurrected and has a perfect body, and through Him we
have that same opportunity. So you guys get to role eggs and then
shoot them? Awesome! Anyways, it is also conference, wooo hooo, I am
excited! We get to hear from our prophet, what a wonderful opportunity. I
hope all have been preparing for this, because it is amazing. Crazy, I
was in the MTC for the last conference, anyways I hope that we can all enjoy and
take the words and apply them in our lives. Me and my companion might
go to Resistencia to watch it because our
branch meeting house here might not get the best reception, but we will
see.
In my studies this week I read Alma 42 twice, just to get a
better understanding of it, and wow it is amazing! It talks about mercy and
the resurrection and how only the penitent are saved. Isn't it wonderful
that we have the mercy of God to help us through the justice? And it is
simple, all we have to do is be humble, use the atonement, and have faith. To have faith, like the quote from President Hinckly that is father gave
him, 'don't fear, only believe'. Then the other thing I want to talk about
applies a lot more to me, but I want to share it anyway. We got to listen
to a member of the 70 a couple of weeks ago and he said something that was
interesting, commparing to missionaries, Ammon and Abinidi. Abinidi only
converted 1 person and Ammon converted thousands, who was more successful? The awenser is simple, they both were. Look at all the greatness that came
from Abinidi's one convert, Alma. We all have different purposes, we may
not see the results of our efforts now or maybe not even until the
next life, but we all have a great purpose and God has a plan for each of us. Thank
you for all your prayers and support and your love, I have the best family
in the whole wide world! Sorry I can't be there to make the Easter party
the best, because I have got my purpose here to help people know that our Savior lives. Mom, I love you, you are the best, just smile and all will be
good. Have a wonderful weekend, conference and Easter.
Love Elder Grover
P.S. I bought a new watch, 2 actually, because the 2 I had died from all the sweat... anyways, love you all! Hurrah for Isreal!
4/24/2015
Argentina - March 24, 2015
Hello mom :)
Sorry about the internet, but that is okay if you will be getting a new provider. I am very sorry to hear that McKady is not doing well; this life is very, very hard, I would have to agree, things are not easy. I know 100 percent that everything is hard, but that is what makes us grow to become better and stronger. It is just like exercising a muscle, if you want it to grow you have to tear it down, and at first is is going to hurt and you will be sore and wonder, "why did I even think about doing that, all it is now is pain?" Then you look at the muscle and it doesn't seem any bigger, then you think," what is the point?", because we are so focused on wanting things now, I want it now, I want to feel good now, I want money now, I want bigger muscles now, I want to be fluent in a language now, or feel the spirit now, or have the faith and testimony of President Monson now. There are so many things we want now, but just like with the muscle, if we keep going with it day after day, keep breaking it down so it will grow, we will be able to look back and see the progress. And if you want it to grow even more, it still needs broken to be broken down, but this time it is easier. I don't know if that makes sense.. but every challenge is for our good, God knows all. From a very good source, I found that our experiences here are helping us to grow so that one day we can enter into the kingdom of heaven. We also have prayer, scripture study, and the church to help us get better and find peace in this world, I know this to be true.
This week was good, we went back to Resistencia because we had a member of the quorum of the 70 come and talk to us, it was really great, i learned a lot! Then I whet on divisions with Elder Regalado from Colombia, great guy! It was fun to get to learn about Columbia, and we got to preach the Gospel. Then it was transfers yesterday and that is why I am writing today. But I am still in the same area with the same companion, so nothing has changed. Hopefully during this transfer we will find lots of success. All of the members and our investigators are glad that me and my companion stayed.
I want to tell a little about the scriptures that I studied this week. I will only talk about Alma 28, there are only 15 verses, but it is one of the most powerful chapters I have ever read. It is talking about, well Alma is talking to his son Shiblon, and at first he tells how Shiblon suffered while teaching the people of Zorom, but he put his faith in the Lord. Then Alma talks about his conversion and says that only through Jesus can we be saved from our sins. Alma warns his son not to be prideful and bridle his passions, and then give all glory to God. Be careful not to think we are better than other people, but remember to acknowledge our weakness be submissive and give all the glory to the Lord. I wold like invite everyone to study this chapter, not just read it but study it. I studied it for an hour and still wanted more time to really dig deeper in those wonderful words. I would also like to invite everyone to prepare for this conference with prayer and scripture study, so that we can really be where we can get the most out of it.
I would like to bear my testimony that I know with all my heart that this is the true church. I have no doubts, Joseph Smith did see the Father and His Son, and they did call him to restore the church on this earth. Christ lives, He suffered so that we don't have to. He has a plan for us, and if we live the gospel, we will live with our Father in Heaven and our families forever. Thomas S. Monson is the prophet today at this time to lead and direct the will of God on this earth. I know if we will follow the commandments we will be blessed, if we put our trust in the Lord he will help us through the hard times. Families are eternal, and I love you guys with all my heart. Being a disciple of Christ is not easy, it is so hard, we have big targets on our backs, but it is so worth it! If we mess up or do something wrong, we've always got the next day and the atonement to help us to be better every second. En el sagrado nombre de nuestro senior, Jesucristo, amen.
I love you all and hope this week is better. Mckady, I love you and I am so grateful to have you as a sister. Remember that it is all okay because your 2 very best friends in the world love you! You have our Savior in heaven who loves you without end, and you have me:) Your brother here in Argentina, and then family after that, but I want you to always remember that! I am always here and will always love you, and so does our Savior and our family. It may be hard, but they have great advice and just want to help. Listen to them and love them and gain friendships, because I know I look back now and wish I just would have spent more time with my true best friends, you and the whole family, the scriptures and prayer!
Mom I love you, thank you for your email, it is always a wonderful time for me to write you. Have a great week and know that God loves you and is watching over you at all times, as well as the family.
Love Elder Grover
P.S. Be happy, smile, laugh, and love! In times that I have experiansed that are hard, I just smile say, "God loves me". Just say "hacuna matata", from the Lion King. I love you all, have a good week.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
