This week was GOLDEN !!! ( and I turned 20 today )

Tuesday - So we had a multi zone conference in Florida, so we went there in the morning, and had an amazing American lunch (potato bar) yep a bunch of drunk potatoes!! But we talked a lot about working with the Jovenes (youth) to invite their friends and to start working through social media since people always are buried in their phones. Then we got back home and had a couple lessons.

Wednesday - So we had a bunch of lessons planned today (also this week we had a bunch of new investigators, but today we only had 1 but she was awesome, her name is Maria and was saying: “don’t teach me I’ll waste your time at the start”, and said that she never prays. By the end we explained what prayer was and she said: “oh well maybe I will do that then”, and said she would pray about the plan of salvation!!!

Thursday - Today was a really good day. So we taught a lesson in the morning with a new investigator. We invited her to be baptized and she said: I’ve already been baptized 2 times, and I said “well do you want to be baptized a 3rd time, and she said yes!! We just need to go by again and set a date because we had to leave to do a baptismal interview. haha so I did the interview to an older lady, and she had a really cool story. While she was reading she said she saw a pillar of just a light shining above basically, which motivated her more to be baptized. Haha also she thought I was Chilean because of the way I talk!! Then we had 3 lessons with members and got a couple new investigators as well.

Friday - Another great day. So I went up to Paso de Los Toros to do 2 interviews, they were really good. 1 was with a military dude, haha I’ve never seen a military man so nervous!! (I kinda felt like his captain). Then another with a really strong convert, haha he started reading all of gospel principles before his baptism and almost taught the missionaries teaching him. Then in the night (oh also I went with Elder Ruiz because he had to do some interviews too) we found Ana and Javier.  We had our first lesson with them, haha they are golden. They want to get married, she thinks that we are god’s chosen messengers (so she took modern day prophets really well, and the priesthood) and they said they would be baptized, they knew it was true!!!!!

Saturday - Another great day, we found a couple new people to teach, and a great less active member whose family aren't members. She wants to come back and have her kids baptized, so that'll be great to work with them. We talked with Analia, Camila’s sister who was progressing towards baptism but stopped. So we talked to her and she said she didn’t get along with a leader, so were gonna investigate that tomorrow.

Sunday - So we figured out the problem with Analia. We talked to her and she said that she was gonna go to church next week, and she was going to go today but she slept in! So were gonna try to put a baptismal date for the 15th with her. But my comp told me she had some doubts about prophets, so conference will be good for her! Then we found another girl today named Guanda (wanda) and we put a baptismal date for the 22nd! 

Monday - MY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!!! It’s super weird that I’m 20 now, I still feel 17 so I guess I’m not a teenager anymore, I’m turning into a man!! But yea that’s sweet that my bday is on a p-day so I can take the day off basically!! But I think we’re gonna get ice cream today! P-day tradition!

So yea, this week was amazing, we found so many people to teach, and not just random people, a lot of people that really can progress in the church. I’m glad to have been able to find them, me and my comp are having a lot of success. Also I turned 20 TODAY!!!!! Super weird, but I knew it was coming eventually. It just happened real fast, soon I’ll be 40 and that’ll be real weird!!!

Well love you guys, have a great week!

Elder Grigor 

"Some cool church we found :)" 

Elder Ruiz eating Ice Cream 

"The four spoons they gave us to eat our ice cream with!" 

Camilla was baptized !!!

March 20th, 2017 

Tuesday - well we went to the temple, and it was awesome!!! I love going to the temple, then we had a nice 3 hours bus ride back and got home at like 8ish

Wednesday - we had a zone breakfast in the morning/district meeting in the morning, so I made some pancakes and maple syrup (cuz I’m Canadian!!) but I had to make them in the morning at the house because the church has no gas. But they were still decent, we also had bacon! but we had to cook it in the microwave, that’s one thing I miss, bacon.... Then we had a huge lunch with a sweet family in the ward, and I was dying because I ate like 7 pancakes 2 hours earlier. Then we had some good lessons, taught Camila the last lesson before her baptism, and a less active who is thinking about coming back.

Thursday - I went with Elder Oroche, he’s a Peruvian, the zone leader, so I had an intercambio with him today while his comp did the baptismal interview. But we had a really good day, taught like 5 lessons, found a couple new people to teach, then we were teaching a cool young family, (Evangelicos- I don’t know what that is in english.  We taught them at night and called a taxi to get us but we were far out and got home like 9:40 cuz the taxi got lost, but it was fine because we got to know the family a little more after the lessons.

Friday - well not much happened today, we were mostly just contacting all day, oh haha and an investigator gave us a taste of our own medicine. We forgot we had her for Wednesday in the morning (but we had district meeting) so we went Thursday and set up a charla for today, and she wasn't there this time. But yea then we contacted all day and set up a lot of lessons for the next week.

Saturday - The baptism!!!!!!!!!!! So we went to the church in the morning and filled up the font for the baptism at 3, then Elder Holland (he was here before me) came up and we all chilled for a bit until the baptism. Then we got there and she showed up a little late, and she’s shy so she didn't want to take pictures.  But I snagged some when she wasn’t looking. Then we went to the hospital ward and helped the Hermana’s with an open house, we gave the baptism tour since we just baptized, it was cool. I had never done that before.

Sunday - well Camila was confirmed which is awesome!! but unfortunately we didn't have any other investigators come. We were waiting for 5, but they didn’t show, and Amalia, the other one with a baptismal date wasn't in Durazno so we couldn’t. But we taught a new investigator today right outside his house, he’s 20 and lives with his parents and brother, so this could be a cool family to teach! 

Monday - P-DAAYYYY haha this is my first actual p-day for like 2 or 3 weeks. It’s nice, I needed a break from everything. But I don’t think we have too much planned for today, just stuff.

Well this week was interesting, it was really good and not at the same time, well no it was good. We haven't had too much success with our current investigators, other than Camila who got baptized yesterday!!! But we contacted a lot during the week and set up a lot of appointments for this coming week, which we will enjoy! Also haha my comp is awesome, we honestly just crack jokes all day, we are serious when we need to be, but when we don’t need to be, we’re not! hah I’m having a great time here right now, I’m not sure that I want it to end but I know it will. I’ve already been here 3 weeks so I’m half way there. But oh well, enjoy it while you can right!!

(also there’s a really good song on the LDS youth website called “what family means” listen to it!!!!!!!!!)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zsd3nEMTWrM

Love you guys!!!  

Elder Grigor

Elder Grigor & Elder Merino 

Strolling through Durazno

Elder Grigor (he's so tall now) 

Camilla's Baptism!!!! 

Just chilling before the baptism 

The open house 

Oh man- no words for this one!!! 

We all love this kid so much!!! 

This area is golden!

March 14th, 2017 

Tuesday - not too much happened today, taught a couple lessons and some drunk guy yelled at us that we discriminate because we didn't talk with him but we talked with everyone else on the street. So we taught him a tiny lesson and left because he was getting really weird

Wednesday - so I went to Montevideo again, for a district leader meeting, so another 3 hours in a tiny bus where somehow everyone who sits in front of me always puts their seats alllll the way back and destroys my legs. So 1 day of 7 uncomfortable hours in a bus, but it was a really good meeting. I had already been to one just as junior comp but this time it was for me!

Thursday - so we went to the court to see when the nearest date for marriage is for some investigators, and they said May 5 so that was a little bummer. But we had a charla with them and we’re going there in 1 week to pull out the date for marriage. Then we had another lesson with Camila, getting her ready for her baptism next Saturday, and we had a really good lunch with Esteban. Also we walked back to Durazno from Santa Bernadina (where Esteban lives) across these super sketchy train tracks that were missing some crossbeams, at some points 2 in a row, I almost died like 20 times.

Friday - we had zone conference in the morning and talked about faith and repentance, it was really good, it was about how we need to teach it to the people so they do it. Then we had a couple lessons, and me and my comp quoted Nacho Libre and Napolean Dynamite in the streets all day, (also I was super tired this week from all the traveling) 7 hours on Monday and Wednesday, then next Tuesday we are going again to the Temple. Then in the night we had a really good lesson with Gabriela, and we can see that she feels something different because she cries every time we teach, but she doesn’t want to change yet because she feels like she’s betraying her mother who died catholic, so she said she wouldn't come to church for that until she was sure.

Saturday - we had a charla in the chapel with Camila, and she brought her cousin too. so we taught them both the commandments, and her cousin understood it really well. then after she asked what she need to do to be a missionary (I think for the traveling) but unfortunately she lives outside of our area. But then we had a charla with Amalia, she’s a new investigator that had been taught before by the missionaries. She had another sweet lesson and put a baptismal date for April 8th, and she said she would come to church, but I think she got a little scared and texted us to back out last second.

Sunday - so today was a lot of contacting trying to find more people to teach, even though we have a ton right now, like 11 and we keep finding a decent amount, but we find and drop. But we have about 6 good investigators that could progress fairly quickly. We had another lesson with Camila about the word of wisdom, haha we also walked a lot again, got Camila, brought her to church, then the same thing for choir. (also we had a good week taught about 13 lessons and 6 less actives.)

Monday - So today wasn't p-day because we are going to the temple tomorrow, so we had a normal day, also I had the best burger I’ve ever eaten in Uruguay here for like 80 pesos. Then we taught Camila, we brought her with us to go teach Daniela, the sister of a recent convert and she ended up teaching their older sister Mariana and her 2 friends. So we watched the Joseph Smith movie and 1 seemed pretty interested, so we’ll go back for details later.

Yea, so far I’m loving this area! We have lunch everyday! There are so many people that are ready to be baptized. We have 1 this Saturday and another on April 8th and 2 more for May 6th. This area is golden, and I get to eat!!!!!!!!!!! plus it’s super pretty out here, and the house is super fun, 

Love,

Elder Grigor

The view from the top of a building 

Walking along the sketchy bridge 

HMMMMM!!!! 

time to find a new way home 

our room 

Knocking on doors 

I love it here!!!!!!!

March 7th, 2017 

Wednesday - so we went to tres cruces (the big bus terminal) and saw Coral, we actually got to talk for 2 hours ish because our buses didn't leave until 2:30, so we just talked about home stuff, haha she was really excited to see me. I was a little more used to not seeing people so it was normal. Then I got to my new area, but I got off the bus and felt a massive wave of heat!!, , and my comp is sweet, he’s got 4 months, still working on his Spanish, but he's improving a lot with me. This area is awesome, there’s like 6 people that want to be baptized, but have some problems before that, so we’ll work with them to solve those problems. 

Thursday - well getting to know the area is a little more difficult because the streets look the same, but it’s coming quick. So we walked with a girl named Camila, and set a baptismal date for the 18th, she hasn't had many lessons but came to church 1 time but it wasn't that great for her. So we’ll see, also I met a recent convert named Fabian who has a tough situation with family, but he’s super cool. He is baptized and his little sister wants to be baptized. It just might be difficult to get permission from their uncle that takes care of them

Friday - well meeting a lot of people, haha we met another convert named Esteban, who is the ward secretary and he was baptized 3 months ago, haha also he sent me a message in the night saying how he already knows a lot about me. He connected with my parents on Facebook.

Saturday - again just meeting a lot of people, trying to find some new people to teach, and the ysa’s to tell them about a ward activity. Also we had a good lesson with a new investigator who said he wouldn't accept a date for baptism, but if he feels its true he'll be baptized. Then we had a sweet noche de hogar in the night with 2 families, they gave us soo much food, so it was 2 ladies, then a mom and her 19 year old daughter.

Sunday - we walked a lot today, we went to pick up Fabian and Daniela to bring them to church, (cuz they can’t walk alone) also its starting to cool off here. Then before sacrament (the classes are first here) we walked to pick up Camila, and she was kinda excited, so she came and was super intent while listening to the testimonies, then we dropped them off and picked them all of for choir at 6 because someone invited them, and dropped them off again, but it was a good day.

Monday - so we didn’t have p-day really, my comp had to sign his papers to be in the country, so I was in Tres Cruces all day with Elder Pierce, and Elder Yardley. We saw a bit of March madness in a store, haha I miss that soo much, haha I wanted to make a bracket, but next year! Then in the night we had a really good charla with a lady with a face disorder, I think elephantitis, and she didn't believe in Joseph Smith that much, because she’s catholic. But we had a spiritual lesson and she said she is going to pray to see if this is the change that God wants her to make. Then we went to Camila and she was super excited to see us. She started asking us about what she needs to do to go on a mission, haha its good to see all these good changes in everyone.

So this new area is basically my dream area, a small ward of about 60, but we have lunches, and good lunches! everyday!!!! I don’t have to ride the bus to district meeting for an hour every Tuesday anymore, my comp is a stud, and we have soo much potential in this area, we’ve had a lot of success in these 3 days, they baptized 3 months ago and have a decent amount of investigators who want to be baptized, and we’ve set some good dates for the baptisms!!! Also Jose Luis and Santa Lucia got baptized in La Paloma!!!!!!!!!!!! That makes me super happy. It would’ve been cool to see but I’m glad I’m here

love you all, have a great week,

Elder Grigor

Me and my new companion 

Elder Merino 

 

We found an old truck.....

Some guy came over and I guess it was his- 

he looked a little mad, you can tell by the look on my face 

Waking with Daniela to church, an 11 year old investigator we have

eating a 4 patty Burger King burger, it destroyed me, but it was worth it! 

A building in Montevideo 

A hill in Montevideo 

I am going to miss La Paloma

February 28th, 2017 

Soo I forgot my planner so I don’t really remember what happened every day. 

Tuesday - I’m pretty sure not too much happened this day, well really not much happened this week, but we had a few normal charlas (lessons). I gave my last district meeting here in Rocha, but I’m pretty sure we found a guy in the skate park today or Wednesday, haha but we taught him on top of a ramp, he’s pretty cool and only has 1 hand. 

Wednesday - well I’m not really sure what we did today, talked with a lot of people, taught some lessons, did some missionary stuff. you know the ushh. 

Thursday - yea no idea what we did today either, just normal missionary things

Friday - so I had a intercambio with the zone leaders (Elder Vallecillos) and did another baptismal interview for  a 17 year old girl whose been studying the church for a year and her dad finally gave her permission to get baptized, but she is so ready to be baptized. haha she was really excited and nervous during the interview, and I asked the first 2 questions then on the third she said, ¨am I allowed to explain why after the questions¨ haha I said yea for sure! that would actually be better but it was really cool. Then me and Vallecillos went around contacting, oh and a grido opened up in rocha so we went to family grido with the Elders in Rocha in the night!

Saturday - we stayed in Rocha for a bit because we missed our bus (or our bus missed us, it just drove right past us, but then we went home and I mostly was just saying goodbye to investigators and less actives. Also the Vicentes invited us over for a huge asado! It was super good

Sunday - Well Jose Luis and Santa Lucia came!! So they'll get baptized this Saturday which awesome. I also gave my goodbye talk, maybe dropped a little cane on the ward but thats alright! then I was just saying goodbye to everyone

Monday - the same as Sunday basically, just said goodbye to all the peoples here in La Paloma!

But this week was pretty normal, we taught Jose Luis and Santa Lucia, so we’re getting them ready for their baptism this Saturday. It’s a shame that I wont be able to see it, but they are suuper awesome! I love going by and teaching them. Also now that I’m going to Durazno, I’ll be leaving here. I’m gonna  miss it after 4 months of being here, but it'll be nice to go to a city for once! well that about it, short this week

Love you guys 

Elder Grigor

Elder Grigor always wanted a puppy! 

Just being cheesy!!! 

Wearing some hair thingy! 

Cool spray paint 

Imitating art! 

Always doing crazy things 

Elder Grigor playing around on p-day