From: Elder Joshua Freeman
Subject: Finding
Date: 2 August 2004 10:14:08 AM EDT

ÁHola!

ÀC—mo est‡n todos? This week was hot, and then rainy, and then cold. And now it's in the middle somewhere. This week we spent a lot of time finding new people, because we didn't have much else going for us. But yeah.

Last Monday night, we went by the Hna. Guicela's house real quick to talk to her, and then went to the Flia. ArgŸello's, where we had a Noche de Hogar. That went pretty well, even though they had invited a few nonmembers that weren't able to come. After that, we went and talked to a couple of people that used to talk to the missionaries, and then came home.

Tuesday morning, we went to San Ignacio for the first Zone Meeting of the Gran Zona 10. My first Zone Meeting in 10 weeks. It went really well. The Zone is made up of us in Pilar, Elders Payne and Saltern in Ayolas, Elders Halley and Sevy in Coronel Bogado, Elders Carter and Sohn in Artigas, and Elders Christensen and Bell and the Elder and Hna. Kleven (a senior couple) in San Ignacio. We're a pretty small zone, people-wise, but we cover about a 1/4th of the mission area-wise. How about that. Anyway, the meetings were all normal, and after we were done, I had a District Leader meeting with the other District Leader and the Zone Leader.  Then the Klevens took us all out for pizza, and then we came home. So that was nice to do again. We're only going to have 2 Zone Meetings every 6 weeks though. But anyway, once we got home, we went out and got fallar-ed and then taught a charla 1 to the person's neighbor. He said that he doesn't want to know if the Book of Mormon is true because if it is, he'll have to follow it, and he doesn't think he's capable of doing that. How's that for faith? Then we went and talked with Adriana for a little bit, and then visited the Hna. Asunc—n. She was going to have surgery today, but I guess now it'll be next week. After that, we had a cita with Nelson, but he wasn't home, so we just read a little with the Flia. Albarenga. Then we got fallar-ed a couple more times and then came home.

On Wednesday morning, we went out to CŽsar's and had a good talk with him about authority and how you get it and who has it. It put him thinking good about it, so that was good. Almost all of the people here think that there is no 1 true church, that it's just inside of each one of us, and so the only authority you need is to do stuff in the name of Christ. It's one of those false and vain and foolish doctrines that you've heard of. Anyway, after that, we talked to a couple of members and met some new people before going to the Acosta's for lunch. In the afternoon, it started to rain again. We went to Emma y Selso's and read with them. Then we went and got fallar-ed a couple of times, then met a guy who said he won't even try to read the Book of Mormon because he thinks it would mean he would be denying the Bible, even though he couldn't explain how or why, and we explained why it wouldn't. He just didn't want to. After that, we talked with Cesario, a really nice guy we met a couple weeks ago that's a little hard to talk to, because he owns a store, and even though it's never really busy, every once in a while people come in. But yeah. After that, we got fallar-ed by a bunch more people, then went and talked with Emilce and Miguel, her "companion". We did have a good talk with them, and now we'll see what they do to start fixing their problems and getting active again. After that, we went to Estela's and shared a little with them, and then came home.

On Thursday, we went and talked to a few members, and tried to talk to others that weren't home, and taught a 1» charla to a family that we found just right then. It went pretty well. Then we went to the Flia. Vera's and ate lunch with them. That was pretty good. Then we came home. It finally stopped raining on Thursday afternoon, which was nice. We went out to read with the familia Vega that we taught a charla 1 to last week. Then we clapped quite a bit, and met a couple people that might have some promise. Then we went to Adriana's and read with her before going to get the Hna. Silva's grandkids and taking them to Noche de Rama. It was pretty cold, but we still played outside. And then we took them home and came home ourselves.

On Friday, it was really cold. We went out finding more people and taught a charla 1 to a guy who is friends with a recent convert from the other rama. That went really well. After that, we went and visited the Hna. Balbina, and then Emili before going to the Hna. Guicela's for lunch. In the afternoon, we tried finding a couple specific people that weren't home, so we went out and found more. After that, we went and visited a really old inactive couple, and then went to the Flia. Morel's and shared a little with them. After that, we went and checked up on Julio y Amada, who we dropped a while ago. He still reads sometimes in the Libro de Morm—n, but other than that nothing's really new with them. After that, we went to the capilla because there was a party because Friday was Friendship Day. But D’a de la Amistad sounds better. Anyway, after that, we came home. 

On saturday morning, we went and got our mail, then went out to CŽsar's. He said that he wants to get baptized as soon as possible, which is a good thing. So we talked to him bout that, and answered a couple of questions he had. But he didn't come to church on Sunday, so "as soon as possible" isn't going to be as soon. Anyway, after that, we once again went out clapping and stuff. Then we went and had lunch with the Flia. Arce. Por la tarde, Dany was going to go with us to a charla with Emma y Selso, but he wasn't home, and then neither were they. So we had a little more free time. We went to Karen's and Sonia and Adriana were also there and so we shared a little with them and talked about what it was that made them want to get baptized. After that, we went and got fallar-ed and went and talked to Cesario about authority. I think he understood at the end. After that, we got fallar-ed a couple more times, and went and found a reference that was a really nice family. So we taught them a ch. 1, and it went really well. So that was nice. Then we went and visited the Flia. Blanco and shared a little with them before coming home.

Yesterday, the meetings in church were pretty normal, except most of the leaders were gone, and so was the girl that usually leads the music, so I did it. And there were not very many people there, even though it wasn't very cold. Anyway, after church, we came home and studied and had lunch. In the afternoon, we went and did a verification from last Sunday, and the lady had read but not prayed. So we read with her and told her to read more and pray. After that, we got fallar-ed a couple of times, and then went and had a charla with Cristina and Estela's kids. That went pretty well. Cristina is going to move to Argentina (her dad and I think a sister live there) sometime within the next couple of weeks, so that's too bad. Anyway, after that, we got fallar-ed some more, so guess what we did?!?! Yeah, we clapped some more. Except nobody would talk to us because they were all watching TV, because there was a huge fire in some store in Asunci—n, and 300 or so people died (as of last night). So that was pretty sad to find out. Remember the Sabbath Day to keep it holy. After that, we went and shared a little with the Flia. Berdejo, and helped the Hna. with a couple of Primary songs. Then we went by Dany's and gave him a blessing, and then he went with us to the Flia. Albarenga's, where we were going to talk to Nelson, but he wasn't home when they went to talk to him this afternoon. So we just shared a little with them, and then came home.

So, that was our week. Not too many charlas, but a lot of new contacts. So we'll be doing some weeding out these next couple of weeks. As’ es. Heard about Elder Haight passing away, that was kind of a surprise, but not really. Kind of weird though. But His truth goes marching on.

Thanks for everything everybody, and have a good week. We'll talk to you later!

I Love You Guys!!!

Love,
Josh