Two weeks, one post

6-16-2015

Well I didn't write yesterday because I was in the terminal all day with the zone leaders. Just waiting all day as missionaries came in and out and while waiting for my comp. It was literally all day there. But oh well. My new comp is Elder Maluenda. He is from Chile! 

This week was pretty good! We had a great week as a zone here in Bariloche! We did exchanges with the zone leaders last week and they went really well. We had some success talking to people and really just opening our mouths and talking with people in the street. That has been a real focus for us to help us find new people to teach. And we have been seeing a little success with it. i look forward to more success this week!

WE were also able to help some more families do family history work. We helped them get their accounts reset and helped them get started. With one family we started helping them get themselves all connected together in FamilySearch and get their family trees connected. We are going to continue to keep the excitement up that the members have right now. 

It has been getting pretty cold here. but everyone just tells us that it hasn't been getting cold. that it just gets colder. So that should be fun. Maybe I'll have some snow on my birthday. 

I am looking forward to a good week with our investigators and less actives. And looking forward to working with my new companion! I think we will work well together and have success! 

I hope each of you have a good week. Take a second to think about everything that our Heavenly Father has blessed you with and give Him thanks. We need to be thankful for everything. Even for all of the trials that we might have and might be going through. 

Con amor

Elder Opfar

1.  How is the family history work coming along with that family?  That is so awesome, I hope they are able to get a lot of temple work done.  <3

We have been able to help a few families with their family history. It has been good to see their excitement when we help them.

2.  Transfers are today?  I wish you and Elder Turek could stay together forever, you guys are a good match.  Let me know how they go.

He got trasnfered to Neuquen. Elder Maluenda is now here with me. 

3.  What has been your biggest challenge this week?

We need new people to teach.

4.  What are you looking forward to most this week?

Talking to more people and inviting them to listen and be baptized.

5.  What has been your biggest success?

As a zone this past week we put 20 baptismal dates. We are all super excited and want to invite more people and talk to everyone. i am looking forward to that this week too. 

6.  What has been the best thing you have read?

I read a talk by Alvin Dyer called the challenging and testifying missionary. It was a really good talk! That was kind of what got all of our excitement up in the zone

6-22-2015

Well this was a pretty good week! It is always nice when you get along with your companion. 

Mon- Well I was down at the terminal all day with the zone leaders. My companion arrived at 9 pm. 

Tues- We did our ciber time to email. And we also had district meeting. That was really good. We had a couple appointments but they fell through. We were able to visit a couple members. 

Wed- We went out to contact and had a little success. For lunch we had like a stew that had madongo in it. It is cow stomach. Not the best thing... We went to a couple investigators but they weren't home. We visited a member. 

Thurs-We did our contacting in the morning and found a couple potential investigators. We did our weekly planning and then we tried to visit some old investigators but they weren't home. We did visit a less active though and had a good lesson with him. 

Fri- We once again tried some more old investigators but they weren't home. We had a couple appointments but they fell through.

Sat-We had mission correlation meeting and that was good. WE were able to visit a a couple less actives and had some good lesson with them. On the bus back to Bariloche we talked to an old investigator and she told us that she wants us to visit her. It was awesome!

Sun- We had church and that was good. We had 47 people there today. We ate a delicious lunch of matambre relleno. We tried a few people then visited a member. 

This week i have focused a lot of my studies on desires. My comp always says ´´El Señor siempre cumple con nuestros deseos¨ Its true. if we have faith and have good desires the Lord will help them be fulfilled. I read this talk and it is great! 

  https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2011/04/desire?lang=eng

Have a great week

Con amor

Elder Opfar

2.  If you could do one thing over this week, what would it be?

maybe talk with a few more people in the street. There were a few times someone walked by and i should have talked to them but I didn't. 

3.  What has had the biggest impact on you this week?

My comp is awesome. he has helped me a lot this week. 

4.  Have you gotten any of my packages this week?

not yet. We should get the bolsa today. 

5.  What has been your biggest challenge?

Investigators that are progressing...

6.  How are your investigators doing?  

We don't have any progressing right now. But we have a couple potential investigators from this week so that's good! 

7.  How has the weather been?  Does the cold and rain impacted your work at all?  Has it snowed yet?

It has been cold. We still just go out and work, it is cold but oh well. It snowed like 2 weeks ago but it didn't stick. There is just snow in the mountains

8.  What has been the coolest thing you have read this week?

I heard a talk by Elder Don R Clarke called Pure Religion! It was GREAT!

Seeing the Lord's Hand in The Work...

Enjoying some basketball...

 Me and Elder Ahumada from Colombia. He got emergency transfered this week because he has been sick. But he was my zone leader! he is an awesome guy!

Well this week was pretty good. It has been raining a lot. It rained everyday this week. But right now it isn't raining, just a little chilly outside! 

But this was a good week. SOme highlights from the week. 

We had zone training this week. And that was realy good. We are focusing more on some on the old investigators and trying to visit them. 

WE went to the terminal this week to pick up a new elder. We would told he would get here at 5:30 am. So we woke up early and went down to the terminal. The bus hadnt showed up. So we talked with a couple guys who were down there waiting for a bus. With on of the guys we had an awesome little lesson with him. He is from El Bolson but he told us that he wants to change his live. He has had some things happen that he wants answers. We were able to answer his questions and he invited him to be baptized. We got the reference to give to the Elders in Bolson. It is great to see that since the bus showed up late we were there for a reason. So awesome to see the hand of the Lord in his work. 

With one of our investigators we are starting to progress more with him. He is starting to accept a little more of our message! So that is really awesome!

We also were able to help some members this week do some family history. and also helped them start to index. The members love our help for them. We have had some really good success with finding their ancestors. It is so cool to help them and see how happy they get! 

I hope all of you have a good week! 

con amor

Elder Opfar

2.  I sent you the weather, looks cold.  And SNOW soon!!!!  Can't wait to see pictures, you haven't lived somewhere snowy for 8 years!!!

Yeah it is starting to get chilly! it rained like all this week and there is now snow all over the mountains! 

3.  What are you looking forward to the most this week?

Seeing more success helping the members do family history!  

4.  What have you studied that has has an impact on you?

Well I am almost done with the Book of Mormon in Spanish. Ill probably be finishing it today! that's awesome!  

5.  Have you had any wonderful or unusual food this week?

We had some pretty some pretty good pizza this week! And a desert called flan. I usually haven't really liked it but this was homemade and it was GOOD! 

6.  Are you still getting lunches every day?

yeah. we have it 5-6 days a week. 

7.  What has been your biggest challenge? 
finding new investigators. and investigators that progress. We are going to ask for more references and try to put 1 baptismal date every day. 1 invitation every day

8.  What has been your biggest success?

Working with the members! They love that we are helping them. We are helping them do family history and do some indexing! 

A Barber and a Baker...

Cutting the hair of the brother of a man in their ward.

Making himself some Snickerdoodles!!

Tyler and Elder Turek

Mon- It was pday and it was the 2nd pday of the transfer so we cleaned. And we didn't do much else. 

Tue- We tried contacting with a little success. We also tried to contact people on the street and invite them to do family history. We went out in front of the church with a sign with a map and asked people where there ancestors are from and told them they can find out! We were then able to visit a couple members.

Wed- We had district meeting today. WE also visited a less active member and had a great lesson with him! 

Thur- We had interviews with President and Sister Lovell. Those were really good! We also did some weekly planning.

Fri- WE had english class today. a few people came! Always fun to teach english. We visited a less active and a member today! WE had good lessons with them!

Sat- Well today was 10 MONTHS in the mission! crazy how fast time goes. We tried visiting a couple people but they werent home. We walked A LOT trying to find a reference. But we visited an Investigator. And also a member and helped them do family history stuff!

Sun- We had church and only 37 people came. It is starting to get cold and people dont want to leave their houses... So we have to help them. WE visited a members and helped them do some family history and helped them figure out how to do it. We also visited an investigator and hed a good lesson with her! 

This was a pretty good week. We were able to help some people do some family history and helped them see the importance of why we do it! 

Con amor

Elder Opfar

1.  What did you do last pday?

We didnt do really anything. WE just cleaned and did ciber and did our weekly shopping.  

2.  How was your week?

it wasnt bad. We couldnt visit as many investigators because they werent home or busy. But we were able to help some members do some family history and started them on indexing. So that was good. We had interviews with President and Sister Lovell. that went well.  

3.  Is it pretty cold at nigh?  How is the heater in your pension?  Does the sleeping bag keep you warm?

it is chilly at night. The heater is alright. not the best. but we have another one that is a lot better. I dont really use my sleeping bag. because in our pension we have comforters so i just use that and i have been fine.  

4.  Is it fun to see Sister Larmouth again?  Are any other missionaries from the mtc in your zone?

yeah! no there arent any other people from the mtc in my zone 

5.  What has been your favorite meal in Bariloche?

last Sunday we had matambre relleno. it was like wrapped and stuffed with vegetables and it was delicious. with some creamy potatoes and dessert was a crumbrule  (crème brûlée). and that was all so good! 

6.  Any members who you are really close to?

I like all the members in our area. they are all pretty great! Families, M*, O*, A*, C*. they are awesome 

7.  Do you think you'll stay there through the next transfer?  Since it's an early transfer, are new missionaries coming in?  Or will they come at regular transfer time?

I think I will have at least one more transfer here. I have no idea when they will come in. If they will come at the begining or regular time. no idea.  

8.  What are you looking forward to this week?

we are trying to focus on going through the area book this week and look for old investigators.  

9.  What have you been studying, and have you seen any answers to prayers through your study?

I have been reading in the Book of Mormon in Spanish everyday and reading from Preach my gospel in Spanish. Yeah I have. a few scriptures here and there that could help investigators. or just answers to questions 

Cerro Campanario

Too cloudy to actually see the view...

"Picture from Campanario.... couldn't see ANYTHING. I want to go again before I leave here."

"A giant pine cone, bigger than my hand!"

Mon- It was pday and we went to Cerro Campanario! But you couldnt see anything because it was super cloudy... We did talk to a guy from Scotland and he was pretty cool! We then did a Family Home evening with some members and that was really good!

Tue- We contacting with a little success. We had district meeting. When we Went to visit a few people no one was home. That Wasn't good.

Wed- We didn't have much success contacting and talking to people... We were able to visit an Investigator and a member!

Thur- We tried to contact today but we didn't have success. But we were able to visit a couple members and had some awesome lessons with them!  

Fri- We were able to talk to a few people and had success with that. We visited a less active. And We had English classes. Some people went so that was great! We went to visit a member.

Sat- We tried a few people but they weren't home. We walked around trying to find a reference but they weren't home. WE visited a Less active. 

Sun- We had church which went really good! A few of the people we went to visit weren't home or were busy. We visited an investigator and had a great lesson with him! 

This week I was reading a talk by Elder Jeffery R Holland. I love this talk! I invite all of you to read it or to listen to him talk! This link is here. I know this is true. The Book of Mormon is true! I know that without any doubt.

 

https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2009/10/safety-for-the-soul?lang=eng 

I hope you all have a great week! 

Con amor,

Elder Opfar

1.  What are you looking forward to this week?

We have an investigator that could progress well. so I am looking forward to helping him

2.  Which scripture has had the biggest impact on you this week?

Well it was a talk that i really liked. Called Learning the Healers Art by Elaine Marshall. On BYU Speeches. It was awesome!

3.  What has been your biggest concern?

We need new investigators. that is our problem

4.  What has been your biggest success?

The one investigator that we have that could progress really well!

5.  Have you been able to serve anyone this week? 

This week no. We didn't have any opportunities...

6.  How is your new district?  Does everyone get along?

Pretty good! The new hermana is from Uruguay! And Hermana Larmouth is in my district again!

7.  If you could do one thing over this week, what would it be?

Uhm I don't know 

Getting good at the haircut!

Tyler's District and the Zone Leaders

Getting good at that haircut!!

Mon-  It was pday and that is always good! We walked around and ate some pizza. And we cut our hair! so that was good!

Tue- We had district meeting! that was good! We visited a few people but they werent home. But we were able to visit an investigator. And we had Mission correlation meeting! 

Wed- We were able to visit a less active. That was good. But the other people we tried to visit werent home. 

Thur- We visited a member. We tried a few other people but they werent home. We tried contacting a little but we didnt have any success with that. 

Fri- We were able to visit a new investigator and had a good lesson! We tried some contacting but nothing happened. No one answered. We had english classe and that was pretty good! 

Sat- We tried some contacting. We went down and clean the church for the temple dedication. and we stayed down there to watch the Cultural Celebration! that was awesome! WE got transfers. elder Turek and I are staying together another transfer!

Sun- We went to a session of the temple dedication and that was awesome! We visited a member and had a good lesson with them. 

This week was pretty good! 

Hope you all have a good week this coming week! 

Con Amor

Elder Opfar

What did you do on Pday last week?

we went to a pizza restuarant. and we just went around central. not anything super exciting. I bought a machine to cut hair and so Elder Turek and I cut our hair

What has been the most challenging thing for you lately?

Finding new investigators. We have been trying to contact and people always say they are busy or just dont open the door. Shake their hand at us through the window to tell us no

What happened in transfers this week?  Are you and Elder Turek still together?  Is there anyone in your district or zone you were sad to lose?  Anyone new that you are excited to work with?

Well in our district Hermana Zenger is going home. And Hermana Flores is going to Cipolletti. Hermana Larmouth is coming here to my district! She was in my mtc district. And the other hermana is going to train. Yeah Elder Turek and I are still together. For this next transfer. Elder Almond is leaving and Elder Motzkus- they both came with me in the mtc. 

What talk or scripture has helped you the most this week?

D&C 62:2? I think it is verse 2. talks about that our testimonies are recorded in Heaven. I love that scripture. 

Has it been raining a lot?

It started raining a lot on friday night and some on saturday all of saturday night, all day yesterday, and today so far. and hey what is the weather like today? and for this week?

Post-Mother's Day

Mon- it was pday and we went to Cascada de los Duendes. It was pretty cool! We also visited a member in the night. 

Tue- We had district meeting and had correlation meeting. Not much exciting happened today. 

Wed- I was in another area in Bariloche with Elder Novelo because our comps went to a leadership training in Neuquén. We did some contacting and visited a couple members.

Thur- We went and picked up our comps at 7 am. That was fun. We did our weekly planning. We also practiced a musical number for a baptism on Saturday. We ended up not singing the musical number though...

Fri- We contacted with a little success. WE also had zone training. That was pretty good. We visited a couple investigators in the night and those went really well. 

Sat- A guy cam to our pension to fix a small gas leak that we had. We Went to a baptism up in Alto 1. Didn't do that musical number. But we were able to visit an investigator. 

Sun- We had church. Then we went with a member and tried visiting a couple less actives but they weren't home. and then we were able to SKYPE! That was awesome! So great to see my family!

I hope y'all have a great week! Things are all good here!

Con amor

Elder Opfar

It was awesome to talk to you guys last night! I loved it! 

1.  What do you love most about where you live and the area you are serving in?

our pension is fairly big and we have a washing machine. i love that. 

2.  What are some of the most crazy or unusual thing that are a part of living there?  Like...do you ever think "Really?  Did that just happen?  Am I really living here?"

today on the way here to the ciber I watched 4 guys get arrested. that was exciting. but no there isn't really anything like that where I'm like really wow

3.  What does a regular day look for you?

studies in the morning. leave at 10:30 and go and contact. lunch is usually at like 12:30 or 1. then visit some people, some investigators or pòtentials. or some members. 

4.  If I was going to throw a few things in a care package for you, what are some of the things you wish would be in it?

uhm I don't know. I have no idea. some packets of ranch. like the dried up ones that you can just make. I found a couple in Cipolletti in the pension and they were good, 

5.  Have you seen God's hand in your life this week?  Can you tell me about it?

One night we were walking and I got the thought of lets go to Diego. So we went and he was outside the house and we were able to talk to him for a few minutes and we put an appointment with him to go back and visit him this week. Just little things like that how the spirit talks

6.  What has been your biggest success this week?

We found a couple potentials this week that we can go back too. 

7.  What has been your biggest challenge?

Finding people

8.  If you could do one thing over again what would it be and why?

talk to more people on the streets. we had opportunities to talk to more but we didn't...

9.  What scripture or talk helped you the most this week?

I finished reading D&C. I like in section 138:11. Talks about he was pondering and he got understanding. Just makes me think that pondering the scriptures and meditating leads to understanding. 

10.  Who or what had the biggest impact on you this week?   

hmmm I don't know. 

Churrasco

Mon- It was pday. We went to Central and looked at some stuff and what not. For lunch we bought some food from a street vendor. I bought a Churrasco and it was delicious. 

Tue- We had to wait in the pension for some guys to come by to clean our heater. We had district meeting. And we were going to have mission correlation but the ward mission leader didn't show up. 

Wed- We contacted with not much success... We visited a less active and a recent convert though and that went really well! We helped with mutual for the youth. and some drunk guy yelled Colorado at me. That is what they call red heads here. 

Thur- We contacted again with not much success. We tried visiting a couple people but they weren't home. But we were able to see 2 investigators. And today was 9 months in the mission! Crazy

Fri- We contacted and had some success. we found a couple good potential investigators. We didn't our weekly planning and had English class. We went and visited a member family. 

Sat- We had choir practice for the stake conference on Sunday. WE also went to the Saturday Night session of conference. We had 4 other missionaries staying with us so that was fun.

Sun- We had the Sunday session of stake conference. That was really good! We tried visiting a few people but they weren't home...

We had a pretty good week and I hope all y'all did too. Have a good one!

con amor

Elder Opfar

1.  I saw that the volcano erupted again this week and that your weather said "dust" a lot.  Did you have to stay in a bunch again this week?

no we didn't have to stay in the pension so that was good

2.  I also see that it is raining right now...that has to be good, right?  Does that clear out the ash pretty well?

it is not raining right now. but yeah it has cleared up the ash some

3.  I read that the Cordoba Temple dedication will be transmitted to all the buildings in Argentina on the 17th and that they are cancelling the 3-hour blocks for it.  That is awesome!!  Have you heard anything about it?  What a special time to be in Argentina!

yeah on that Sunday we are watching it in the church! Pretty exciting! 

4.  Do you have any info about our Skyping on Mother's Day?  

YES. I am going to skype at 6 pm here. so 4 pm there? on Sunday!

5.  The South American Area Presidency has given us permission to send packages to you.  However, all the same problems still exist, including exorbitant costs from customs to get things out.  But, I can send things that you need if you like and cross our fingers and pray hard you get them!!  Anything you want?

Meet the Mormons dvd in Spanish and English? and I don't know 

6.  Have you gotten either of the 2 small padded envelopes I already sent?

I have not. but we didn't get a bolsa last week because of ash and we haven't checked today

7.  I saw that you spent money this week!  Hope you got something fun!!  Or yummy...or maybe bought postage to send me a letter.

we actually don't buy postage. it is you take it to the post office and they weight it and send it. but I haven't sent it yet.

8.  What has been your biggest success this week or your most significant tender mercy and why?

we found a couple potential investigators. so we are hoping that they can progress and stay good.

9.  What scripture has made you think this week and make you want to be better?  Lucy Scholl wrote a blog about putting things in the right order in our lives (especially scripture study) and quoted the Helaman scripture "Behold...these are my days."  (Helaman 7:9) I loved that thought.

I cant remember any specific scriptures. but I listened to some really good talks this week. Some from President Hinckley from some devotionals at BYU. and they were good. One about forgetting yourself in the work and in service to others

10.  What are you looking forward to this coming week?

SKYPE!