3 years already?
11 years ago
Monday, June 27, 2011
Dear Family and Friends
Dear Family and Friends :)
It has been another great week and I doing way good. I have been a little sick lately which hasn´t been too fun, but I am doing good. It´s starting to get really cold here now, but luckily I am prepared for that! Just need to get a beenie lol. I went on a couple divisions this week and that was a lot of fun. I got to go with my Zone Leader Elder White and get to know him. He was only baptized a year before his mission too, so both of my Zone Leaders, Elder Sanford and Elder White have been in the mission for longer than they have been members of the church. It is just another testimony to me of the truthfulness of the work! They put their faith on the line and saw the blessings that came from it. They each have a firm testimony of the truth and are great examples! I really love and respect them a lot!!
Well, this weekend we had the baptism of Fabricio. It was so great! We all felt the Spirit a lot and he knew what he was doing was right and what God wanted him to do. He is a great guy. He speaks English perfectly and knows a little Italian and Portuguese. He is 22 years old and a way sweet guy. He is finishing his work at San Juan University right now. It was a long journey to his baptism, but he was so happy he made that one step closer to Christ and was filled with happiness :) This work is so amazing and satisfying!! I know that it is the work of the Lord. It was also great how the Ward rallied around him to support him in all of his trials and the love that was shown. It was such a great experience. For a refreshment after the baptism we made pancakes and syrup for all the people. It was funny because they all loved it and had never really eaten it before. They were stumped as to what maple syrup was haha, but they all liked it a lot:)
Tomorrow, Fabricio´s family is making an Asado for ELder Hopkin and I because of my birthday, and his mom´s birthday, so we are excited for that!!! It should be way good! By the way thanks so much for the Birthday wishes!! I love and miss you all!
Sincerely,
Elder Passantino
It has been another great week and I doing way good. I have been a little sick lately which hasn´t been too fun, but I am doing good. It´s starting to get really cold here now, but luckily I am prepared for that! Just need to get a beenie lol. I went on a couple divisions this week and that was a lot of fun. I got to go with my Zone Leader Elder White and get to know him. He was only baptized a year before his mission too, so both of my Zone Leaders, Elder Sanford and Elder White have been in the mission for longer than they have been members of the church. It is just another testimony to me of the truthfulness of the work! They put their faith on the line and saw the blessings that came from it. They each have a firm testimony of the truth and are great examples! I really love and respect them a lot!!
Well, this weekend we had the baptism of Fabricio. It was so great! We all felt the Spirit a lot and he knew what he was doing was right and what God wanted him to do. He is a great guy. He speaks English perfectly and knows a little Italian and Portuguese. He is 22 years old and a way sweet guy. He is finishing his work at San Juan University right now. It was a long journey to his baptism, but he was so happy he made that one step closer to Christ and was filled with happiness :) This work is so amazing and satisfying!! I know that it is the work of the Lord. It was also great how the Ward rallied around him to support him in all of his trials and the love that was shown. It was such a great experience. For a refreshment after the baptism we made pancakes and syrup for all the people. It was funny because they all loved it and had never really eaten it before. They were stumped as to what maple syrup was haha, but they all liked it a lot:)
Tomorrow, Fabricio´s family is making an Asado for ELder Hopkin and I because of my birthday, and his mom´s birthday, so we are excited for that!!! It should be way good! By the way thanks so much for the Birthday wishes!! I love and miss you all!
Sincerely,
Elder Passantino
Monday, June 20, 2011
Hey Friends!
Dear family and friends!
HAPPY FATHER´s DAY!
This has been another phenominal week and I am doing very well! We had our last interviews with President Lindahl which was great but sad. I really do respect and love him so much. He is a man called of God, and was the perfect perfect to have the calling he had. The 1st of July the new Mission President Sergio Avila will be coming. I will miss President Lindahl so much, but I know that President Avila is now called to serve here at this time. Besides, President Lindahl and his family are having mission reunions every april and September so I will get to see them in a little over a year :)
As I went about this week I really have been thinking a lot about faith, and what it means and how we can grow in our faith. There are so many aspects to it, but it is so crucial that we keep the commandments and do everthing we can and our faith will allow the Lord to step in and do his part. This week I had been praying a lot for a investigator named Fabricio. He is 22 and he is a really cool guy. I have been working with him for about three months and have been trying to help him the best I could along with my companions. He has had some strong spiritual witnesses of the truth and knows that the things we are and were sharing are true, he even told us that. He knew that the first ´´leap of faith´´ is baptism. He felt nervous of change, and he didn´t want us to put any pressure or anything on baptism. So a week ago we had an idea. We said we are going to learn how to receive revelation from the scriptures. So we each said a silent prayer about a certain question we had, and then asked him to open the Book of Mormon to anywhere and that he would receive revelation on what the Lord wanted him to do. That was going on a lot of faith, but we know the Book of Mormon is true and that the Lord comes through when we exercise faith. So he flipped open the Book Of Mormon to Mormon chapter 7 which says that, ´´
8Therefore repent, and be baptized in the name of Jesus, and lay hold upon the agospel of Christ, which shall be set before you, not only in this record but also in the record which shall come unto the Gentiles bfrom the Jews, which record shall come from the Gentiles cunto you...... 10And ye will also know that ye are a aremnant of the seed of Jacob; therefore ye are numbered among the people of the first covenant; and if it so be that ye believe in Christ, and are baptized, first bwith water, then with fire and with the Holy Ghost, following the cexample of our Savior, according to that which he hath commanded us, it shall be well with you in the day of judgment. Amen.
What an answer to him huh? Well he said he received an answer that he needed to get baptized and that is what God wanted, but he wanted to pick the day, which is fine and good. Well we were at that for about a week and then I remember praying with my companion, ´´God, please let Fabricio pick a baptisimal date tonight.´´ We did everything we could and I was really trying to pray with faith. That night I was on splits so it was me and a member at his house. After a short lesson on Enos and watching a Elder Holland talk, I asked him how he felt, to which he replied good and that he knew the church and Book of Mormon were true. I said well we need to act on the impressions of the SPirit and you know what you need to do just tell us when. He said well............... I have been praying and I feel like I need to get baptized the 26th of June :) It was a sweet test of faith, and the Lord answered in his own way and in his own time like he always does. It was such a feeling of joy. There is no greater satisfaction in this life than helping others come unto Christ. Nothing can bring greater happiness. I love you all!!!
Sincerely,
Elder Passantino
HAPPY FATHER´s DAY!
This has been another phenominal week and I am doing very well! We had our last interviews with President Lindahl which was great but sad. I really do respect and love him so much. He is a man called of God, and was the perfect perfect to have the calling he had. The 1st of July the new Mission President Sergio Avila will be coming. I will miss President Lindahl so much, but I know that President Avila is now called to serve here at this time. Besides, President Lindahl and his family are having mission reunions every april and September so I will get to see them in a little over a year :)
As I went about this week I really have been thinking a lot about faith, and what it means and how we can grow in our faith. There are so many aspects to it, but it is so crucial that we keep the commandments and do everthing we can and our faith will allow the Lord to step in and do his part. This week I had been praying a lot for a investigator named Fabricio. He is 22 and he is a really cool guy. I have been working with him for about three months and have been trying to help him the best I could along with my companions. He has had some strong spiritual witnesses of the truth and knows that the things we are and were sharing are true, he even told us that. He knew that the first ´´leap of faith´´ is baptism. He felt nervous of change, and he didn´t want us to put any pressure or anything on baptism. So a week ago we had an idea. We said we are going to learn how to receive revelation from the scriptures. So we each said a silent prayer about a certain question we had, and then asked him to open the Book of Mormon to anywhere and that he would receive revelation on what the Lord wanted him to do. That was going on a lot of faith, but we know the Book of Mormon is true and that the Lord comes through when we exercise faith. So he flipped open the Book Of Mormon to Mormon chapter 7 which says that, ´´
8Therefore repent, and be baptized in the name of Jesus, and lay hold upon the agospel of Christ, which shall be set before you, not only in this record but also in the record which shall come unto the Gentiles bfrom the Jews, which record shall come from the Gentiles cunto you...... 10And ye will also know that ye are a aremnant of the seed of Jacob; therefore ye are numbered among the people of the first covenant; and if it so be that ye believe in Christ, and are baptized, first bwith water, then with fire and with the Holy Ghost, following the cexample of our Savior, according to that which he hath commanded us, it shall be well with you in the day of judgment. Amen.
What an answer to him huh? Well he said he received an answer that he needed to get baptized and that is what God wanted, but he wanted to pick the day, which is fine and good. Well we were at that for about a week and then I remember praying with my companion, ´´God, please let Fabricio pick a baptisimal date tonight.´´ We did everything we could and I was really trying to pray with faith. That night I was on splits so it was me and a member at his house. After a short lesson on Enos and watching a Elder Holland talk, I asked him how he felt, to which he replied good and that he knew the church and Book of Mormon were true. I said well we need to act on the impressions of the SPirit and you know what you need to do just tell us when. He said well............... I have been praying and I feel like I need to get baptized the 26th of June :) It was a sweet test of faith, and the Lord answered in his own way and in his own time like he always does. It was such a feeling of joy. There is no greater satisfaction in this life than helping others come unto Christ. Nothing can bring greater happiness. I love you all!!!
Sincerely,
Elder Passantino
Monday, June 13, 2011
Hey Fam and Friends
How is everyone doing this week?? I am glad to hear that things are going well!! This week has been really good. We had an area conference for all of Argentina this week so that was really cool! It was a transmission from Salt Lake and Elder Civic from the Seventy spoke as well as Elder Anderson and President Packer. It was a great conference and the Spirit was definitely there. It was for the saints in Argentina so it was specific for them, but they talked a lot about getting a emergency backpack ready and about being prepared for what is coming! Supposedly President Monson has sent three of the same letters to all of the Stake Presidents in Argentina telling the Saints to prepare a 72 hour backpack, which we are also doing as a mission. It´s always good to be prepared right? :) I know that whatever happens if we are prepared we shall not fear.
I am still learning so much and enjoying every minute of my time out here in Argentina! I guess I didn´t get to explain the whole pig killing thing we did. It´s called a carnería and it´s basically where the whole family gets together and kills and prepares a pig. They kill it and bleed it out, making morsilla or blood sausage, and then they take it´s insides out and hang that up over night. The next day they prepare all of the rest of the meat as a family. They love it because their whole family and all their close friends get together and help prepare a pig and food for a lot of people. Its a tradition that they have similar to what we would do for Thanksgiving, it´s pretty cool haha :) Well we are doing really great here and I love you all. I know the Gospel is true and that the work in which I am engaged is the work of the Lord!
Sincerely,
ELder Brian Passantino
I am still learning so much and enjoying every minute of my time out here in Argentina! I guess I didn´t get to explain the whole pig killing thing we did. It´s called a carnería and it´s basically where the whole family gets together and kills and prepares a pig. They kill it and bleed it out, making morsilla or blood sausage, and then they take it´s insides out and hang that up over night. The next day they prepare all of the rest of the meat as a family. They love it because their whole family and all their close friends get together and help prepare a pig and food for a lot of people. Its a tradition that they have similar to what we would do for Thanksgiving, it´s pretty cool haha :) Well we are doing really great here and I love you all. I know the Gospel is true and that the work in which I am engaged is the work of the Lord!
Sincerely,
ELder Brian Passantino
Sunday, June 12, 2011
We stopped a robbery this week...
Hola from San Juan Family and Friends,
It's been another week full of happiness here in San Juan. I have been seeing a lot of miracles here with Elder Hopkin and I am learning and growing so much! This week we had a pretty crazy experience... We planned for the morning and then executed the plan so things were going well. As we were walking down a street I saw off in the Distance two people struggling, or sort of fighting. I said, "what the hec," and we ran over there. It was an older lady and a man about 30 years old. The man was trying to get away on his motocycle and the lady said she was robbing him. My companion grabbed the guy and threw him around a little as the man threw the money on the ground acting like there was nothing wrong. You should have seen his eyes when Elder Hopkin grabbed him, haha oh man he looked pretty scared. Anyways the lady told us to let him go and then he sped off on his bike. Apparently, this man was going around selling containers of honey, and asked the lady if she wanted to buy some. SHe, being nice, said she would, but only had a hundred peso bill to give him. He told her he had change, and so she gave it to him and he started heading off fast. She had the instinct to grab him and hold on to him without letting him get on his bike. That is when we came running along, as he was hitting her off of him so he could get away. She was so happy that we came. She said I felt as I saw you two as if God had sent two of his angels to come and protect me. It was a little scary but we felt protected and felt blessed that we could help protect one of God's daughters from harm. She was pretty shaken up, but couldn't thank us enough. It is interesting how God uses us to bring to pass good things :)
Elder Hopkin and I have been working very hard and diligently to try to bring to pass the work here in Rawson. We have had so much success especially as we have worked with the members and especially the Bishop. The Bishop in the ward here is a lot of fun, but is an incredible worker and can really bring the spirit in the lessons. We are seeing lives change here and I couldn't be happier. We are working with a young couple living together and helping them prepare and get married soon. It is incredible the change you can see in someone in such a small amount of time. Their names are Ariel and Carolina and they are great. I really love the people here and have a strong spiritual conviction of the truthfulness of the work in which I am engaged. My spanish continues to improve and I feel more and more confident. I love you all and wish you all the best :)
SIncerely,
Elder Brian Passantino
It's been another week full of happiness here in San Juan. I have been seeing a lot of miracles here with Elder Hopkin and I am learning and growing so much! This week we had a pretty crazy experience... We planned for the morning and then executed the plan so things were going well. As we were walking down a street I saw off in the Distance two people struggling, or sort of fighting. I said, "what the hec," and we ran over there. It was an older lady and a man about 30 years old. The man was trying to get away on his motocycle and the lady said she was robbing him. My companion grabbed the guy and threw him around a little as the man threw the money on the ground acting like there was nothing wrong. You should have seen his eyes when Elder Hopkin grabbed him, haha oh man he looked pretty scared. Anyways the lady told us to let him go and then he sped off on his bike. Apparently, this man was going around selling containers of honey, and asked the lady if she wanted to buy some. SHe, being nice, said she would, but only had a hundred peso bill to give him. He told her he had change, and so she gave it to him and he started heading off fast. She had the instinct to grab him and hold on to him without letting him get on his bike. That is when we came running along, as he was hitting her off of him so he could get away. She was so happy that we came. She said I felt as I saw you two as if God had sent two of his angels to come and protect me. It was a little scary but we felt protected and felt blessed that we could help protect one of God's daughters from harm. She was pretty shaken up, but couldn't thank us enough. It is interesting how God uses us to bring to pass good things :)
Elder Hopkin and I have been working very hard and diligently to try to bring to pass the work here in Rawson. We have had so much success especially as we have worked with the members and especially the Bishop. The Bishop in the ward here is a lot of fun, but is an incredible worker and can really bring the spirit in the lessons. We are seeing lives change here and I couldn't be happier. We are working with a young couple living together and helping them prepare and get married soon. It is incredible the change you can see in someone in such a small amount of time. Their names are Ariel and Carolina and they are great. I really love the people here and have a strong spiritual conviction of the truthfulness of the work in which I am engaged. My spanish continues to improve and I feel more and more confident. I love you all and wish you all the best :)
SIncerely,
Elder Brian Passantino
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