What's Up?

Dear Family and Friends,

Well the elections are over here in Argentina and the Presidenta won again, Cristina. Oh man I am so glad they are over because there were cars driving around everywhere with huge speakers and "catchy" songs blasting to get votes for their intendents. It's illegal not to vote here so they put posters and signs everywhere and have cars and AIRPLANES go around blasting who you should vote for. They do that because all the people who aren't really informed have to vote anyway so they vote for whoever they hear from the most.... nice huh?

Oh Argentina the land of the turquoise flag I love it! Well three people were baptized this weekend! Woo Hoo. Two of the children of Igor were baptized, Jorge and Maria Alejandra and the mom of Cristina, Lidia Ester! They were all so ready and it was a beautiful baptismal experience. It was funny because at first Cristina(a recent convert of about two months) was nervouse of how her mom would react to the message. She didn't know if she would feel the same power of it the way she did. But, she did. Lidia Ester had a serious of powerful spiritual experiences that led her to believe of the truthfulness of the work! As she was baptized she cried as she "went up straightway out of the water." She was touched by the Spirit which confirmed to her of the covenant of faith she had just made to God our Eternal Father and the Savior Jesus Christ.

We are seeing miracle after miracle here and the field really is white already to harvest (D&C4). There are many more baptisms to come in the coming weeks and lives are being changed. I am eternally grateful for this opportunity and for the chances I am having of being an active agent in the work of the Lord. Have a great week I love and pray for you all!!!

SIncerely,
Elder Passantino

Baptism of Igor!

Dear Family and Friends,

It has been another crazy but satisfying week! We have been working hard and have seen the Lord´s hand in the work. First off I want to start off by telling everyone that if they have written me lately I have probably already written them back but sometimes with the Argentina correo system here I don´t think hardly anyone has received their letters. If this is the case I will try to write you all again but know that I really am grateful for all the support and love! I haven´t forgotten about any of you!

I had the opportunity to perform a baptism this week of a man named Igor. He is a man who has searched his entire life for the truth and had it confirmed to him by God that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is where the truth is found. He had spelled put the 47 churches and congregations he asisted and attended for the past 30 years. From Catholicism to Baptists, from Evangelicals to every Protestant sect and a plethora more. He is a very humble man who has more faith than any man I have ever known. He has a love for God and calls himself a ´´Warrior Christian.´´ He has a love for the Bible and the teachings that it gives.

As we taught this man he immediately had a change in his life. He bore testimony to the fact that if he completed with God, God would complete with him. He did that and was touched to the very core of the things we taught him. When we told him that we didn´t want him to believe us, but to only ask God about it, he had the faith to know that God loved him another to answer him.

You see there is no middle ground in the things that Latter-day Saints believe. It is either true or not. You have to search spiritually and ask the fountain of all wisdom and truth if it is true. He will either say Yes or No. It is so simple that it hurts to meet people who are not even willing to ask or it doesn´t even matter to them. Some people use doubts, prejudice, misunderstanding or misinformation to scare themselves away from even considering that it could be true. Some look to those who have become disaffected from the church, had a bad experience or genuinely hate the Church and it´s teachings. It is basic logic and will change the person into an understanding being if they would do such a simple thing as to ask the person what they believe rather than asking a person who doesn´t like that person. Think about it. If you had someone that didn´t like you for some reason or another would you want someone you didn´t know to ask that person who you were or would you rather them ask you. It´s the same with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. If you want to know what they believe ask a member, ask the missionaries, and ask God. Go to church websites such as www.mormon.org, or www.lds.org for information. I am bold in my declaration but let me make a promise to those who search for information in the wrong place. They will feel angry, hate, they will not understand and I am a thousand percent sure they will not be edified from what they have read. If it is an honest seeker they will feel the seeds or prejudice and hate that flow through misinformation, fear and a biasis understanding. It has always been the way that the Devil has worked. He promotes fear, not faith. He is the Father of lies and he will lie about everything so that misunderstanding and confusion persist until the end of time.

I promise you that I have studied more things against the Church than almost anyone you will know. I never felt good while doing so, it was full us half truths and everything had an answer to which they acted like there wasn´t. I am firm in my conviction that I am a Christian. I am a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I love my Father in Heaven more than words and describe. I love my Savior Jesus Christ and rely on His atoning sacrifice every day of my life. I serve them and love them and will worship them until the end. I know these things are true. Here are a few suggestions to those wondering about our faith and who we are. Read the Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ. Look at the organization of the Church and see if it is not the same as Jesus Christ established. Talk to a member of the Church and look at how we try to live our lives (although we are nowhere near perfect, nor profess to be) and ask youself these questions, ´´Is this person a good person, Do they try to live in accordance with certain standards, and do I know any that are trying to live as Jesus Christ would?´´ A sceptic would say they know members of the Church who have messed up, who have done bad things, but I promise if you look hard enough, we are really trying to become more like our Savior Jesus Christ and follow his teachings. It´s hard but I promise if you pray to God and ask him with all the energy of your heart if members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are Christians, our Heavenly Father will proudly reply, ´´Yes.´´

As for Igor, he had a series of powerful but simple Spiritual experiences which led him to believe in the truth of the work. He had a stronger conviction that God lives, that Jesus is the Christ and that God still is extending His hand among the children of men through ´´his servants the prophets.´´Amos 3:7 I will end with his own words and testimony as he stood at the pulpit and spoke after his baptism. ´´After attending 47 other churches, although good and having much of the truth, I have found the true Church of Jesus Christ. I know that I am in the right place. God has answered my prayers and sent me two angels to declare his truth unto me. I know that I was baptized with the holy Priesthood of God, and I know that it is true.´´

I love you all have a great week!

Sincerely,
Elder Brian Passantino

Tour de France

Well Hello Fam and Friends,

Its been a week full of some great experiences. First off this week the tour de France randomly passed in front of our Apartment here in my area Luja de Cuyo! We walked outside and there were police officers everywhere. Someone then told us that the Tour de France was in Mendoza and that they were going to pass by so we got to watch a little bit of it! We got some good pictures and it was a good time. I don't know if it was really the "Tour de France" but it was some kind of Bicylce race with people from all over the world. It was funny because at one point there was a large group of racers and my comp yelled, "Go United States!" After he said that one of the racers yelled, "YEAH!" It was great!

I had another cool experience this week during a lesson. We are teaching Cristina's mom (the one who was baptized about a month ago) and it was great. As I related the story of the first vision using the words of Joseph Smith, you could tell something changed in her. As we continued talking she stopped us and said when you told the first vision I felt something, something different. She said it was like something in the room changed. We then talked about the "fruits of the Spirit" Galatas 5:22-23? and how we receive answers through the Spirit. She understood it and it made sense to her. She said that is exactly what she felt, like a still small voice. Later she said that when I was saying it it was if I wasn磘 saying it but that someone else was with power. It was a great experience and a testimony builder of the fact that the Spirit bears taestimony of the truth when it is humbly shared. She went to church and continues to have her testimony strengthened. I am very excited in the work and continue to see God work miracles in the lives of His children. Have a great week!

Sincerely,
Elder Passantino

Great Conference huh?

Dear family and friends,

What a great general conference it was! I was so edified and filled with a renewed desire to work harder, be better, and grow closer to Christ. It is such a blessing to see a living Prophet of God and the 12 Apostles of the Lord Jesus Christ. I would like to share some of my favorite talks and some thoughts that I had. Elder Scott talked to us about the power and sacred blessing scriptures are in our lives. He said, "there is great power in memorizing scriptures." He also said that, "scriptures can be like friends." I thought that was a little weird at first but then I understood what he meant. There is immense power in the word of God, and great comfort. President Utchdorf talked of how much God really does love each and every one of us and how truly important we are to him. It was a great talk. Elder D. Todd Christofferson spoke of the heavenly gift of repentence and the peace and joy that it brings to the human heart. He spoke of the conditions that the Master has put forth so that we may fully enjoy of His saving grace. Elder Tad R. Callister spoke of the importance of the Book of Mormon. We frequently hear the question. "Why do I need the Book of Mormon if I already have the Bible?" He answered that question and spoke of the importance of the Book of Mormon to declare and complete true doctrine. It is really time to read the Book of Mormon and gain a stronger conviction of Jesus Christ and the Restored Gospel if you haven't already. Elder Oaks spoke of the our belief in Jesus Christ and what we really do believe about him. If we can correctly characterize ourselves as Christians we should be willing to follow His precepts and change ourselves to become more like him.

I am so grateful for the testimony that has come over me through didligent prayer. I know that God our Heavenly Father lives, that Jesus is indeed the Christ the Great Redeemer, and that the true Chruch has been restored in its fulness once again on the earth. Thanks for the prayers and support!

Sincerely,
Elder Passantino

More Miracles

Dear Family and Friends,

First off I want to say congrats to my sister on her engagement! I couldn´t be more excited for her and her future husband! Well here in Argentina things continue to look up and promising. One of the people that we baptized a few weeks ago named Cristina, gave Elder Allen and I a letter expressing her gratutude and telling of some of the spiritual experiences she had that confirmed to her the truth of what we had taught her.. She told of a time where I gave a talk in Church about an experience Elder Hopkin and I had in San Juan. What I related in the experience(in San Jaun) was that there was an investigator named Fabricio who was awesome but for some reason kept putting off his baptism because of the fear of change. As missionaries we know that the confirmer of truth is God, not us, so we prayed about how we could help him receive an answer that he needed to be baptized from God rather than from us. As we all know our Heavenly Father answers us through the scriptures many times, so we decided to try something different. We went to Fabricio´s house and presented a plan. We decided to each say our own personal prayer(in our minds/hearts) and ask God for the direction that we needed in our lives. After that we were going to have Fabricio open the Book of Mormon to whatever page and read what it said for the answer from God. This we did. He opened to Mormon chapter 7. He received his answer through these words, ´´Therefore repent, and be baptized in the name of Jesus, and lay hold upon the agospel of Christ, which shall be set before you...¨

As I related this story in sacrament meeting it must have sparked something within her. The interesting thing was as I gave the talk I didn´t share the scripture reference of where he had opened to. As I gave the talk, she later says, that she felt as if she hadn´t received that witness and that she wanted an experience like that. She didn´t know for certain if the Book of Mormon was true, but she had faith and trusted in God. She said she had had a hard time reading it in the past, but that she remembered what we had taught her of the importance of praying to God and asking him the truth. So she did that. She said she poured out her soul to God asking Him if the Book of Mormon was true and really wanted to know. She wanted to know if Joseph Smith was a prophet of God as well. She then relates that after the prayer she remembered the talk I had given and the experience I had shared. She then took the Book of Mormon in her hands and opened it to MORMON 7! As she read the intro to the chapter which reads, ´´Mormon invites the Lamanites of the latter days to believe in Christ, accept his gospel, and be saved—All who believe the Bible will also believe the Book of Mormon,´´She says, ´´tears began to well up in my eyes as I felt a burning sensation in my bosom. I began to understand everything that I was reading and was filled with the greatest feelings I have ever had. She went on to say she read for 5 hours with this same powerful witness from the SPirit burning in her soul. She later bore her testimony of the truthfulness of the work and of the reality of the Savior. Little did she know that she opened up to exactly the same chapter that Fabricio had just three months earlier to receive an answer from God.
I know that the Restored Gospel is true, that God lives and loves us, that Jesus is the Christ, and that the Book of Mormon, another testament of Jesus Christ is the word of God along with the Bible and the witness of a living Church headed by Prophets and Apostles, Jesus Christ being the Cornerstone. I invite all to watch what real and living Prophets and Apostles have to say this weekend as we are edified by the living and vibrant word of God. God lives and still speaks through the mouths of his chosen servants. I love you all have a great week!

Sincerely,
Elder Passantino

Testimony of the Converts

Dear Family and Friends,

First off I wanted to start off by saying that the members and people that I associate with all pray specifically for my family and friends. I can´t tell you how many times I have been in a lesson, or in someones house, or in the church, when someone has offered a prayer on your behalf. So if you ever feel down or discouraged or lonely, know that the humble people of Argentina are thinking and praying for you even if they don´t yet know you.

I am beginnning to understand a little bit more of the power and work of my mission. As we live our life in service we begin to develop Christlike love and attributes. I am beginning to love people a lot more and gaining a greater appreciation for the fact that we are indeed all sons and daughters of a loving Father in Heaven. We all have infinite worth and potential. As I have worked preaching the Gospel, I have come to know see how pure are the hearts of those that seek for the truth. I have seen it time and time again where people have been praying for answers and then we come into the picture somehow. Just recently we began teaching a man named Igor and his family as he had been praying for greater light and illumination on the truth. He is a man who has attended many many mnay churches and has just been searching for the truth. So we do what we always do, we present the message and invite him to read and pray and ask of God. That he did. He received his answer. You see sometimes its so easy it is too difficult for some people to accept. In the Bible we learn this lesson in 1 Kings 5:1-14 and in the Book of Mormon we have a similar lesson reemphasized in 1 Nephi 17:41. The key to receiving revelation from God is humility and the patience and diligence to search it out and be receptive enough to receive the answer. Those who do not wish to receive this revelation from God never will because they do not want to have to change their convictions, beliefs, and ideas based on what God says not what they want or believe to be right. It takes a deep and powerful humilty to ask an answer from God when we think we already know what is right.

As further faith is excercised a stronger witness and conviction of the truth comes. For example, with this man Igor, he had already received an answer from God, but continued to act on his answer and received a further testimony of the truth. While he was walking down an old dirt road he say a book off to the side on a pile of dirt. He could tell it was a religious book and he was astonished when on the cover of the book he say a picture of Moroni burying the Gold Plates aka the Book of Mormon. It was an old Priesthod manual from the Church that contained answers to his questions and gave him a further witness of the veracity of the work. He found great comfort in the book and prayed to know if it was true. He received his answer. It was true and it was placed there for a reason. It still astonishes me that a random book would be on pile of dirt in the middle of an Argentine ghetto, where no members live, and that he would be the first person to come across it and be looking in the right direction to find it. Call it what you will but I know that God answers our prayers in small and simple ways we just have to have the faith to recognize them. I am thoroughly convinced that if we look back behind in the course of our lives we will be able to realize the hand of the Lord working in small and simple ways. He is preparing us for the time the truth comes into our lives. He is protecting us from bad situations and prompting us to follow him and avoid dangerous decisions and forbidden paths. I know he is a God of miracles and that he answers prayers.

I issue this challenge to all who are willing to answer the call. Read the Book of Mormon and pray to God with all energy of heart to know if it is scripture and to know if it is true. I know that He will answer you as he has answered millions who have faithfully searched. Be thou humble; and the Lord thy God shall lead thee by the hand, and give thee answer to thy prayers. (D&C 112:10)

The testimony of the people that I have taught and had the opportunity to see baptized is blazing evidence that God answers prayers, that Jesus is the Christ, and that They have restored Their Church through the way they always have, through a prophet of God(Amos 3:7) Today there is a Prophet of God, 12 apostles, and the Kingdom of God has been restored as a marvelous work and a wonder(Isiah 29:14). The converts that I have had the opportunity of teaching and helping on their journey our my ´´glory´´ and joy´´ just as they were for Paul the apostle (1 Thessalonians 2:19-20) I love this work and I testify that it is ture.

Sincerely,
Elder Passantino

Three Baptisms

Hola de Luján de Cuyo, Mendoza, Argentina ,

It has been a great weekend with lots of exciting things happening. Daniel, Maximiliano, and Nicolas were all baptized! They were so excited to be baptized and to feel of the Spirit that was present there. They are three brothers that are 14,12, and 10 and are so awesome. I was so excited for them. They really were so happy and excited to be following the example of the Savior. It was a great experience.

This week we had two consejos(counsels) with the mission President. The first one was with many of the leaders in the mission and it was amazing. The Spirit was so strong there and I learned so many new things that I want to put in practice. It is sort a bummer though because the more I go in the mission the more I realize that there is so much to learn and so many areas to improve. Luckily God is with us every step of the way and when we want to do better he is there to make up the difference. That night after consejo we went to President´s house and ate Tacos! Oh yea it has been a while since I have had some food like that. It has been a really spiritually fulfilling week and I am loving it! Thanks for all the love and support!

Sincerely,
Elder Passantino