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

Transfers Today!

Hey Guys!

Well I find out about transfers today, whether I am staying or leaving and if I will keep my companion or not. I am excited to find out, but have a feeling that there won't be any changes this transfer. I figure I could tell you all some funny things about here in Argentina and I'm sure some other South American countries. There is one thing that we see all the time, which is cars/trucks with huge speakers that drive really slow and shout out sales and advertisements and stuff. I'm pretty sure it would be considered disturbing the peace in the U.S. haha. Sometimes there are little crop planes that do the same thing, they fly over the towns real slowly and have speakers haha. Instead of donuts here they have facturas which are like a good pastry and sort of similar to donuts but quite a bit different too. We have a show store next to where we live that sells all the "top" brands such as adiBas, puWas, and NiQues.. haha good old rip off stuff. They call things fake here "trucho" which really means trout but thats the word they use. Something about their culture that is different than ours is that lots of times they talk about (like bad or say whatever) people when they are in the same room. That was really weird to me at first and still sort of is. But you gotta love it right!

We are working hard here in Rawson and trying to do whatever we can. Lately we have just seen a lot of people with little or no hope. Lots of times as missionaries we are those who try to comfort others in their difficulties and be the people that actually listen. Its hard at times but satisfying when you can help others. Thats what the Savior would do. Well I don't have much to report on this week, but I want you to know that I have a testimony and that I love you all. The work goes on :)

Love
Elder Passantino

Hola!!! Find out about Transfers today!

Hola Familia y amigos!!!
Well another week has come and gone and I will find out about transfers today! The mission is really flying! By next week I will be a ¼ of the way done, which is so crazy… About transfers, I will find out in a couple hours, but what we are pretty sure is going to happen is that Elder Morinico will be transferred out of the area and I will stay and lead the area when a new Elder comes in. I really am hoping that that happens!!!! This week was the first week that we hit every one of our goals! We worked really hard, and did our best to seek the Lords guidance on where to go and it paid off big time!! It is a happy feeling knowing that you worked as hard as you can and feel the Lord do the rest.
It was great; Tuesday I did divisions with one of the zone Leaders Elder Fielding!! He is such an awesome Elder and we really hit it off! We accomplished a lot and saw a totally different way to work which I loved. It was pretty crazy though, whenever I have been with Elder Morinico we haven´t had any problems with guys trying to rob us or anything, but when I was with Elder Fielding (Huge white guy from Idaho) these guys harassed us a bit. They asked him if he was a yankee, and he said ´´no, soy Ruso.´´ which means no I´m Russian! It was pretty funny and they didn’t mess with us after that. There are always big groups of teenagers hanging our drinking and smoking outside, so we always try to avoid them. If you look or are latin, they don’t really mess with you, but if not they might mess with you a little. It´s really sad here, the problem with drinking and smoking. Kids here begin smoking at around age 12 and it’s terrible. Whenever we see that we try to help them out and tell them that it’s bad. And even the 8 yr old kids can buy alcohol here. It´s really hard to see. We do what we can to help, but sometimes all we can do is pray and be a good example.
We have been working with this week with the daughter of a member and her family. We have become really good friends with the. The daughter of the member and her children especially. She is about 40 and really kind to us. We tried working with her husband too, but he wasn´t ever interested and was pretty quite. They have three really awesome kids together ages 12, 7, and 5. The other day we went to her house, and we both could feel something was wrong. She wasn´t saying much, so we began to talk to her a bit. Right when I was just about to ask what was really going on, my companion asked, ´´how are you really.´´ she then began to cry and went on to tell her that her husband had left her. She has been telling the kids that he went to his parent’s house, because she doesn´t know how to tell them. She was devastated and so were we. As 20 years old guys, it’s hard for us to understand her pain, but luckily we have just the message that can heal her broken heart. We gave her some comfort, and prepared for the next time we would see her. As we went the next time, she said the only reason she continues on is for her children. Elder Morinico gave her an inspired talk about who she really was and about our purpose for this life. Then I spoke about the Savior and concentrated all I said on him and His words. I read Matt 11:28-30, and remembered other scriptures that I hadn´t really thought much about before. I surprised myself when I had spoken in perfect Spanish the things of my soul, and the things the Spirit prompted me to say regarding Jesus Christ. We were all overcome with the Spirit and she said all that we had said was true. She is opening her heart little by little to be relieved of the burden of this horrible experience, and brought into the light of his glorious rest, found in the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ.
There are sweet moments like that, when you are overcome by the Spirit and feel the pure love that God our Heavenly Father and His Son Jesus Christ have for us. This week the thing that has been impressed upon my mind is the need to align our will with the will of God. The Spirit has been prompting me that if I want to become the man God wants me to be, then I need to put my will on the altar of sacrifice. If I want the mission to bless others and myself, I need to be willing to follow his will, and to make his will my will. Even ´´bringing to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.´´ It is the hardest thing to do, to literally choose the Lords will, but when we do, we no longer want the things that mean so little, but we begin to want those things which mean so much. I want to live my life in Holiness to the Lord, but I need His help to do it!
I love my mission with all my heart, but I love the Lord more! He is everything to me. I cannot adequately express my gratitude for Him and his infinite sacrifice! I am grateful for the greatest family in the world for an amazing support. I am grateful that I have so many beloved friends and (sister of course:) who are serving along side me as representatives of the Risen Christ. And for all my friends who are not, but that have loved and supported me, and helped shape me into the man I am! I love you all and am excited to tell you the outcome of what happens tonight!!!

Love,
Elder Passantino

¿Como Les Van?

Well this week has been an interesting week. We have all been anticipating the transfers that we are going to find out today so that should be fun!! Im excited to find out what happens so it should be pretty awesome! I have a feeling I will be leaving Rodeo but Im still not quite sure. I have grown to love the people here and feel of their love, but whatever happens I will be ready and love it :)


Well we wanted to see the Christmas Devo so bad, but it started at 10:30 here so they are rebroadcasting it next Sunday in the stake and hopefully wherever I might be off to they will rebroadcast it over there too. It doesn't really feel like Christmas because its blazing hot, but we watched one of the church videos called Joy to the World and it got me more into the Christmas Spirit! I love Christmas time it is definitely my favorite time of the year ;) I am so grateful for my Savior and His atoning sacrifice for all of us! There is a special spirit around this time which I love because usually people try to be nicer and get back on track with themselves and with God. I truly love it!!!

This week an Elder in our Pension left back for home in Peru, his name is ELder Aparcana. He was a grear Elder and full of love and happiness!! He was so sad to leave it was tough. He was so nervous to go home, and you can tell he just loved his mission with all his heart, but we all assured him that his mission doesnt stop when he goes home, it just changes gears. I was grateful to get to know such a good man.

ALso we had our first Ward Missionary Activity this week that we set up. My companion worked really hard on making a scripture hunt game all throughout the church and outside too. So we worked a lot of the week on that and I prepared the Spiritual thought. We didn't have quite as big as a turnout as we would have liked, but the people who came had a lot of fun, and the Spirit was there so that was an awesome experience. I have really learned to love the people and follow the promptings of the Spirit. Well I am going to write some more people back this week because we don't have a lot of time this week, but I love you all and you are all in my prayers! Another excellent week is over and I am pressing forward with faith and the Spirit!!!

SIncerely,
Elder Brian Passantino