I know this is the true church and the true work because HE LEADS AND IS IN THIS WORK!

October 26th, 2017 

Monday - so tonight I got sick and we didn’t leave because I was literally dying!

Tuesday - we stayed in for the morning and chilled so I could get a little better to leave in the afternoon, because we had some important lessons. So we had one with a less active that is reactivating himself, so we just read the Book of Mormon with him and helped him stay strong. Then we had a good lessons with some new investigators named Carlos and Maria, who are really nice. We found them in the street and I think that they could get baptized, they are like the first Uruguayans that I’ve met here in this area that are married! Then we had a lesson with Flor and talked about the Book of Mormon with her, and she said she would read it. Then she told us her uncle works in an alfajore factory and he gives them boxes for free, so she said if we want we can come by and get boxes!! So we’re gonna take advantage of that one!! 

Wednesday - I also died in the morning but we were able to leave, but I had an idea! So every time I drink mate it cleans me out! Goes right through me, so I thought well maybe if I drink this it’ll take whatever is making me sick out of me! So I drank it in the morning and at 4 right at the start of a lesson it hit me, my stomach was grumbling pretty loud, luckily she didn't hear it! So after I went to the bathroom and at about 6 in our next lesson it hit me again, right as I sat down! And I couldn't go until 9 when we finished with all the lessons that day! So yea the mate did its job!! 

Thursday - today I was doing a lot better, the only thing is I was really weak from the week, but we only had 1 lesson today. haha funny, while I’m sick we are blessed with lessons, but right when I’m getting better and can walk! wooo NOTHING!! anyways it was a good lesson with an old investigator! and we are starting to help her again, she smokes and doesn’t come to church, but we’re are going to change that!

Friday! - I had exchanges with the assistants, so I went with my boy Elder Mecham, he’s a baller too and while we were walking to a lesson we saw some kids playing basketball, and I said: “man I wanna play!” So Mecham turned and said: “you want to?? let’s go, I’ve never done this on my mission yet!”  So we went over and started playing against a bunch of youngsters, and we were kicking their butts! So a ton of people came over to watch us, and haha I went past a guy and there was one standing in front of the rim, and I threw a huge dunk down right over him! haha everyone went crazy freaking out and screaming in this dudes face, (the rims were a little low though btw) but I wish I had a video, it was like a massive tomahawk dunk. But then we talked with all the guys and set up to teach them another day. Then we had some really good spiritual lessons, and 1 super funny one with an investigator that is going to be baptized and his drunk friend. His friend would just speak in high pitched squeals instead of saying things sometimes, and me and Mecham were dying laughing. Probably one of the funnest/coolest exchanges.

Saturday - Now that I was recuperated I could work normally, but not too much happened today either. We talked to Maria and Michael about the law of chastity, which we though would be interesting since they aren't married and he’s 30 and she’s 50, but they understood it. They said that they would think about it, if they need to be married or not. Then we went to Alfredos house and did some magic and talked about prayer with them. 

Sunday - well sadly no once came to church! but not to worry! For next week someone will come!!! But today we visited a lot of less active people that we saw while walking in the street and remembered about them. They were all really good lessons that lifted them up from where they were, but they still need a little something extra (passes out from dart) ((please tell me you understood that)) 

Monday - So this was my 3rd to last interview with president and we didn't really talk about too much, because I didn’t have any problems or questions. Then we talked about my parents coming down to get me, but he didn’t tell me anything about me dropping to train or anything, so I do not know what is going to happen. Then afterwards I had another exchange with Elder Bailey! haha Every time we have an intercambio some thing memorable happens. So this time we went by Mario, a recent convert who went inactive and is coming back, and read 1 Nephi 18 with him, and we both read the scriptures with him in such a good way. Haha we left him halfway through and he said “oh! well I’m gonna sit right here and keep reading! I need to know what happens next!!!” haha then we had another lessons with Flor! One of the better lessons we had with her, and basically we just talked about the importance of the Book of Mormon and we can find so much peace in our lives by reading it! and how that book is the key to anyones life! If they read it and its true! (WHICH IT IS!!) that means that this is the only church that GOD has established. And haha in the middle of it a random dude in the street came up and started talking to us! and would not leave. So I tried to get him to leave, then Bailey came, so he told me to go back and finish the lesson and he would deal with him. But hahah he just kept talking and talking and talking! But we finally got him to leave and brought the spirit back in the lesson. Then we asked if we could have 1 alfajore when we left and haha she gave us an entire box!! Which costs like 8 bucks!

So yea, the start of the week right now, started off really good!! Way better than the started of last week!!! I had some problems but was able to see many tender mercies of the Lord in the work! I know this is the true church and the true work because HE LEADS AND IS IN THIS WORK! There’s not way to deny it or see around it, this is the Church of Jesus christ, our only way and path to live with him again!

Love,

Elder Grigor

**the pictures of my head are pretty funny

The Lord is always there for us, right as times get tough, he helps us to know that we’re not alone!

October 16, 2017 

Tuesday - well today was cool, we didn't have a ton of things but we did talk with the wife of a contact we did, she’s really nice. We actually set another charla up for Thursday. She sent us a message (which we never told her our number but was on the back of a pamphlet we gave her) telling us she wouldn't be here, on Thursday. Which was awesome because it shows she actually cares about the lesson we’re gonna have. Then we talked about the temple with the Cox`s (since were going to the temple with them on Saturday. And we also played chess and I think I made Alfredo’s head explode, I beat him fairly quickly too. But I’m getting a lot better at playing chess! Me and my comp play a lot.

Wednesday - Finally!! we had another lesson (a legit one) with Rodrick Federrer’s cousin (the tennis player) his name is Javier, and he says that he believes in God but not churches, We explained the restoration and he actually really liked it! He said he was gonna read the Book of Mormon and he was really curious of the existence of it, since no one could translate in that time, and the physical proofs of the Book of Mormon deny the chances of it being made by a normal man. In the afternoon we met up with a less active lady who is reactivating herself, so we’re going over the lessons with her to help her remember because she doesn’t really remember a whole lot, she’s likes 27ish and was inactive for 6 years and went to church for about 6 months. So yea it would be hard to remember a lot.

Thursday - Well we had an intercambio (exchange???) with some elders in our zone, I went with an Oro (a greenie, a newbie) he has 15 days here in Uruguay, but surprisingly he teaches pretty well. He’s from Argentina, well he’s Peruvian but he lived there for a long time. And everything fell through today, absolutely everything! And it was a horrible day, cold and rainy, but at the end of the day we had another lesson with Karina, who wasn't doing too great, but we talked about the plan of salvation, and I think she really liked it, and  understood what she needs to do in her relationship.

Friday - well another day of not too much, pretty much the only lesson we had was with a girl named Flor, she’s 17 and kinda confused about a lot of things, god, churches. She goes to a evangelical one with her boyfriend but she doesn’t like it too much. 

Saturday - Temple day!!!! so yea, since the rule changed we can go to the temple with our converts, and it was awesome being able to be in the temple and being able to see our converts do baptisms again. They are really progressing quite well, they loved the experience that they had in the temple. Then we went to their house after that and found their friend Nehuel there, (he came to the regional conference a while ago) and we invited him to church. So we’re gonna see what we can do there, maybe he’ll want to be baptized as well

Sunday - the miracle day! Well in the morning we went to grab investigators, and we stopped by an old investigator on Tuesday and put a baptismal date with him. So we went by and he rejected us, saying he was gonna find peace by another way, but then in church it finally happened!!!!! haha so last time I thought that someone just walked into the church for the first time and would be a baptism (but she was a member) but today it happened! A dude that looked kinda like Andres Calamaro, he was wearing all black with shades on, haha and he walked in and started taking pictures, so we went out to see what was going on and he said he just saw the doors open and walked in. HIs name is Gonzalo and he was a really cool dude, but he was a little drunk and had a smell like he just smoked, but we can work on that. However we set up a lesson on Tuesday with him, so I’ll keep you updated on that one! Then another investigator came but she’s really shy, so she wants to go really, really slow, which is ok. As long as she gets baptized that’s ok with me! In the afternoon we visited a less active member that was not expecting our visit, but it was basically an answer to his prayers, so he said he wants to start coming again! Then we did some magic with some other people.

Monday - we played pool in the morning, went to the gym, and woohoo!!! I’m getting bigger and losing my fat, I weigh 195 now. Pretty soon I’m gonna hit 200!! I hit 205 before but that was because I was getting kinda fat, but this time it’ll be legit!

Well this week was very interesting, a lot of ups and downs, like life, we all have success and failures, but the Lord always blesses us when difficult times come around! And we definitely saw that in our work this week, we’ve been struggling to find good things from investigators, but we had Gonzalo come to church as well as Nehuel. The Lord is always there for us, right as times get tough, he helps us to know that we’re not alone! Especially in his work!

Love

Elder Grigor

"I would run up and down the street jumping for joy"

October 9th, 2017 

Tuesday - so today we had consejo (advice) it’s the big meeting where all the leaders of the mission get together and talk about stuff, then eat some food, then talk about more stuff. But haha, so a couple days ago some members (the blind couple) gave us cups to me and Guerra, and I had to bring Guerra’s.  I brought mine too, because instead of Grigor, they put Grifor! haha so all of consejo everyone was calling me Grifor! I was dying laughing the entire time. But I think this will be my last one sadly, I’m pretty sure they’re going to drop me and put me training. After we finished our second p-day we got home and tried to have some charlas, but I don’t know what they put in my food... but I was dying!!! Luckily we were close to the church when I had to go to the bathroom, and luckily no one else was in the church at that time! Then we left at 6:30 for a lesson and it hit me again about 15 minutes after, and I thought no I can hold it!! I’M A MAN!!! So we finished the lesson and went to Alfredos house to teach them in 2 ways (a lesson and how to milk alfajores!). However my stomach was dying, and I didn’t want to use their bathroom because they would hear! 

So we get there and I asked Bryan a question, (about a week ago we heard Alfredo ask Bryan if he wanted to be baptized too, and he said yea! haha we weren’t sure if we heard right and we were leaving at that time so we decided to ask tonight). So I asked him, hey we heard you wanted to be baptized as well. Is that true?? then we said "what would happen if i said yea"  then I said “I would run up and down the street jumping for joy”, but then said “no but really, you could be baptized this Saturday”.  And he said yea I want to be baptized!!!! WOOOHOOOO haha so I asked him why? and he responded “well as you know I was an atheist, and all the other churches contradict what it says in the bible, and they teach so differently about God. You guys on the other hand showed me another face of God! I understand why he exists and why its important!” (at this point I had to go to the bathroom real bad!) So I said “alright my comp is going to go over some points with you for the baptism while I go to the bathroom, hahaha and my comp looked at me all worried and said “I'll make as much noise I can" (luckily I got off clean) 

Then we did a little noche de hogar with a testimony meeting and I almost cried. It was probably the most powerful moment of my mission, it was amazing seeing the change in them, thats’ why I love missionary work!!. Then we taught them how to milk alfajores.

Wednesday - we stayed in because I was on my throne all day

Thursday - we walked around sooo much this morning to find an ATM to take out money to buy food for the zone conference tomorrow, but after 2 hours we got it all! Then in the afternoon we had a couple lessons, one of them with a couple named Maria and Michael, and we taught them the word of wisdom. HOOLLY COW, they spend $450 a month on cigarettes and marijuana, so they were very happy when they figured that out and that they needed to stop! They said they wanted to for a while but just needed a push, haha its funny I was actually a little hesitant to teach that, but it turns out it was just what they needed! Then we had a lesson with a really cool girl named Flor (flower) well it’s a nickname, but she is 17. She was super open to the message, she doesn’t believe too much but we’re gonna try to help her. I think it’s because her boyfriend takes her to an evangelist church and they do a whole bunch of weird stuff, like throw themselves on the floor and "draw out demons" and she doesn’t really like that a lot. But well see how that goes!

Friday - another p-day, haha we had a multi zone conference and learned a good new way to read the Book of Mormon with investigators. Then we had to do an interview for some elders in our zone, then run 30 home (since we ran out of money) to get to our interviews! And... they’re getting baptized!!!!!

Saturday - well this was our 5th p-day this week, because we were in the church all day filling up the font, so we took risk with us, and some cards and played risk for a while. Then we had the baptism!! It was awesome, so Alfredo’s ex-sister in law gave us the reference of them and they came to the baptism and were super happy that they were going be baptized!!! Then I baptized Alfredo and Evelyn. Haha it’s been almost a year since I have baptized anyone. I always have a member,  or my comp does it. But it feels really good, and now next week were going to go to the temple with them!!!

Sunday - haha fast and testimony really was a fast testimony meeting, we had 3 confirmations and 2 baby blessings! So there was about 20 minutes for testimonies, and in the afternoon they did a cool activity that we should do back home. They did "a flight to the past” where someone was the pilot and they did a trip into the old times to learn about family history! but I have a better way to do it! 

Monday - well it’s p-day! and we ate, played some chess, and went to the gym! so yea and in the night we have a noche de hogar with a family so that’ll be fun!

yea this week was really busy for us, we only had 2 days of work in our area, but we had a really nice baptismal service, and brought another family into the fold! 

I love you guys, and I just want to share my testimony about the missionary work and efficiency of references, because without that family passing us the reference, we would never have found them, and now they are giving us references! So do all you can to help the missionaries! and even if it’s 1 person it’ll all start flowing after that!

Love

Elder Grigor

Conference Weekend !!!!

October 2, 2017 

Tuesday - well it was p-day today, and we went to the beach after writing with Elder Bailey and Elder Knell, then we went over to Alfredos house in the night to say goodbye to Elder Guerra, and they made us pancakes!!!! then we picked up our dope zone t-shirts that we made!

Wednesday - well it was change day today, and I had to say goodbye to Elder Guerra! I’m gonna miss that guy! but haha the bus took way too long to get to our house, we were waiting outside for about 2 hours. We called to see what was taking soo long, and they told us that the sisters starting packing their bags when the van got there.. at 9:00, and it was supposed to pick them up at 8:30. The bus was late, then even more late because of the sisters. But they finally left and my new comp came, his name is Elder Suxo, from Cochabamba Bolivia!!! coincidence? I think not!! We visited some people, mainly Maria and Michael, they’re some people that have a date for baptism for December because we don't think they’re married, (like most Uruguayans), but it’s kinda weird, he’s like 30 and she’s like 50, and they have a kid... not the weirdest difference I've seen but its pretty interesting, but hey love is love right!

Thursday - today we found a really cool girl that we ended up teaching, her name is Sofia, and I’m fairly certain she will be baptized this 28th of October. She is a super chill person. We saw her sitting on her step talking with a couple people, so we went and said hi and the other people didn't even say anything to us, but she started talking with us and the other people just kinda awkwardly floated out of the circle. She works a lot so it’ll be hard to find her but she’s home in the mornings! So we’re gonna try to take advantage of that. We set up a charla for Sunday right before conference, (unfortunately she works in the afternoon, but she can come to normal Sundays!!!

Friday - pretty good day, my comp is super funny. I feel kinda bad though, he always says something but he says it really quiet, and I don't know if he’s just saying random in the moment things, so I just don't say anything back because I don’t know what to say. I don’t want to ask him what he said every 10 minutes, but today in the night we stopped by Alfredo’s house, and hahaah they are always cracking jokes with us and having fun. Haha especially when I brought up chastity. reviewing if they knew what it was, basically everyone looked at Evelyn, his 15 year old daughter (not that she does anything like that though).But something crazy happened, haha Alfredo asked if Bryan (who was fairly atheist when we met him) was gonna be baptized, and he said yes!  Haha I was a little taken back, haha it came out of nowhere! We didn't even really focus on teaching him because we wanted to prepare Alfredo and Evelyn well without having crazy discussions about everything. So Bryan might be getting baptized as well!! And we prepared Alfredo and Evelyn for their baptism this Saturday!

Saturday - CONFERENCE WEEKEND!!!! haha my last one in the mission , it almost doesn’t seem real! But I loved the 2 sessions from today, they had some really great talks, like Holland, Stevenson, Christofferson, and Uchtdorf’s was really good too. Sadly no investigators came to the Saturday session, but Alfredo came to the priesthood one. We did it in our ward, the bishop brought some chips, cheese, salami, and bread and we had a little party while watching conference.

Sunday - well we tried to go to Sofia with some members, but she had to go to the doctors office, so we talked with those members for a bit, and then walked to conference. To our surprise Alfredo, Evelyn and Bryan came to the first session (but they didn't stay, he wanted to sleep because we works night shifts). But it was really good for them, I think he’s gone about a week without smoking, so were going good for now!! Then we tried to go grab some investigators during the break, but it started raining and everyone canceled on us. So we went back and chilled with everybody until the next conference started. Then we had the next session which was great as well. Then we had the weirdest way to get a reference I’ve ever heard. I'm not gonna say too much because there’s some pretty personal stuff, but yea, not a bad day!

Monday - well we did a zone activity today and now I’m writing all of you guys!,

Well this week was really good, I'm liking my new companion and we’re working hard which is good. Oh he also does this super cool thing with glow sticks, he cuts them in half and whips the inside stuff everywhere, and it looks like a galaxy with the lights off, and it goes away in about 10 minutes and doesn’t stain!! (home friendly!!)

Yep well I hope your week was good, and that you all enjoyed conference this weekend, I know I did!!

Love you all,

Elder Grigor

The power of the atonement

Sept 26th, 2017

Monday - Today we had a charla with 2 investigators that we found last week, and haha we finished the lesson and out of nowhere they said, yea this Sunday we’re gonna go to church! what time does it start?? haha so we were pretty shocked because they didn't seem too excited about the visits, but apparently they want to come church!! Then we had a lesson with a person named Karina, an investigator that we have invited her friend to listen to us, and she is super attentive!! and really wants to know more!! It’s awesome! She started crying in the lesson and it’s easy to see that she needs this! 

Tuesday - The only lesson we had today was with Alfredo, getting him ready for his baptism, and we talked with Evelyn about her baptism and she still wasn't sure, so I just started asking her a bunch of questions about her testimony and she admitted that she believes everything and wants to be baptized! haha then they looked at me and said, you must have been a salesman before you came here because she isn't very easy to convince and you did it like nothing! haha and I dabble in the sales!!

Wednesday - so we had another lesson with Karina today, and she said that she was reading and felt a huge feeling of peace come over her, and that it was starting to change her as a person. Apparently she is having problems with her husband and it was making her have more patience and trying to find a better solution for things, WOW! haha power of the atonement right there, but yea we also talked to an old black dude, cleared up some ideas of his about the church, and he said he might go also!

Thursday - well... Alfredo smoked again today so we postponed the baptism to the 7th of October, unfortunately. But yea Alfredo is having troubles with smoking and we don't know if he’s going to make it to the 7th, but he was pretty bummed. he was really looking forward to his baptism this Saturday, mostly because Elder Guerra wouldn't be here, but we’re thinking that he will come back down. Oh we also stopped by a members house and he just bought a bunch of stuff to make home made t-shirts and cups and stuff. So were gonna do a zone t-shirt there, and I’ll probably make some other cool shirts with him.

Friday - yea so this week was actually pretty hard, a ton of people we set up lessons with had something crazy happen in their lives and couldn't talk with us, but that’s ok next week!! But yea we had a couple charlas today, not anything too crazy, but we did have weekly planning this morning and got to stay in and chill, and drink mate, Fridays my mate morning.

Saturday - well, we visited a couple of people from the ward since my comps leaving. We went to Alfredo's in the night with a member to help him out with smoking, and I think were getting there, it might take some time but it’s coming. The stake had a cool activity out in Minas, another department. Evelyn and Bryan (Alfredo’s kids) both went there, and they said that they had a great time!

Sunday - well nobody that said they would come to church came, haha I've noticed that people don't have any problems going to other churches but whenever they try to come to ours things get tough, (sign) but once they join things start getting easier, but yea only Alfredo and Evelyn came! But hey, at least they came!!!! Then we just said bye to people.

Monday - well changes came and my companion is going to Rocha, and my new companion is coming from Rocha! Elder Suxo is his name, and he’s from Bolivia!! I'm not sure what part though! But yea, just saying goodbye to people again today, and we stopped by Flavia’s house to invite her to conference this Sunday! I think she’s gonna come!! Well yea this week was pretty boring and busy, I cant remember any funny things OH!!! hahahaa a guy stopped us in the street and started talking to us about how Jesus isn't the son of god, that he’s the devil and he’s fooling everyone. So we started trying to figure out why and explain to him that he was wrong. Hahahaha so I asked him:  “So who is the son of God then??? then he said: “I am! and I’ll prove it. Once I said to the sun to grow, and it grew! Then another time a 3 meter giant appeared to me” hahaha we asked “what did he tell you??” then he said: "nothing because he was gay"  At this point I was laughing pretty hard, and we asked him more questions and at the end he had some sunglasses in his hands and said how he was the son of god, then (while putting on the sunglasses in slow motion) said: “I’m a Warrior God" (its sounds better in Spanish) and I started dying laughing trying to hold it in because I didn't want to be rude, but I just couldn't hold it in, and yea that was the highlight of my week!! 

Love

Elder Grigor

Seeing miracles come out of nowhere

Sept 18th, 2017 

Tuesday - Well it was p-day today, I think I told you guys what happened, but in the night we went over to our ward mission leaders house and talked to him about the things going on in the ward and the baptism we have on the 23rd. 

Wednesday - not a lot happened today, we had district meeting in the morning and walked like 40 minutes there and back to save money, then we went basically straight to a lesson, haha and she was really nice but said "I only have 5 minutes because I have to grab my son from school. So she invited us in and we just stood by the door while she did some stuff then she came out and said: “alright I need to go”, haha so we were only there for like 1 minute. Then we had to do a baptismal interview in another area, ordered a pizza while we waited for her to get there, and chilled with Elder Mason and Gutierrez. Then in the night we went to Alfredo’s house, and hahaha he’s sooo funny, every time we go over he has me dying laughing.

Thursday - we did an intercambio with the financiers of the mission, which was pretty good. We reactivated a less active convert of about a year ago, and visited a couple other people, gave a blessing to an older lady. That kinda reminded me of another lady in Durazno we gave a blessing to that didn't come to church because of a crazy ulcer she had, and I think cancer too. We gave her a blessing and everything started healing itself and she came to church again!

Friday - I had an intercambio with Elder Ashman and my companion went to Aeroparque to do another baptismal interview, and we had an amazing day, haha we taught a cool old black dude, he really liked the message we shared. Then we stopped by the lady who invited us in for a minute and had a lesson with her and her husband. Then in the night we slept on the roof and both woke up at 3:30am and couldn't go back to sleep because it was super cold, so we went back in and barely slept.

Saturday - some investigators out in Aeroparque invited us all out for an Asado, so we changed comps, and had a nice little Asado! Also I heard that Juan Martin, my convert and his mom said that they wanted to meet me!! So next Friday I’m gonna go out there and see them. Today we stopped by Flavia’s house, she’s doing good but just isn't reading the Book of Mormon. So we need to figure out how to change that. Then we watched the Monson movie with Alfredo and Evelyn and I think that changed her view about the church and prophets. 

Sunday - Alfredo and Evelyn came to church!!!!  I’ve always heard of people being baptized and the way the missionaries found them was they just walked into the church, but it’s never happened to me. So after the first class a lady says “hey elders, this lady is new here, the first time in the church, talk to her”. So I thought no way!!! It’s gonna happen. So we start talking to her and I asked how she knew about the church, and she said that she was already a member and was coming back for the 1st time in 7 years! I thought it would’ve been a baptism, but that is the second best thing! So we’re gonna try to visit her sometime.

Monday - it was Elder Lopez`s birthday today (one of my old comps) so we went to Portone’s and celebrated with them, played some pool and yea. 

Well this week was definitely interesting, we were traveling a lot and just real busy. But this week Alfredo is going to be baptized!!!!!!!!! and his daughter on the 7th of October (since there’s conference, and maybe Alfredo can baptize her!!) It was a great week for us, seeing miracles come out of nowhere, and always having a good time!

Love you guys

Elder Grigor

Intercambio with the financiers

On the roof with Ashman 

A lunch with some super funny members