A miracle happened!!!

Tuesday - so not much happened, we went to Jose Luis and are helping him to remember the lessons that we teach because they forget a lot, so we’ll say: “ok we’re gonna go over this at the start, and we ask ok what’s the restoration about? And they say well the restoration of our souls! then I’ll say well kinda... but it’s more about the restoration of this church, how it was restored. haha but they’re doing really good.

Wednesday - We did some service for Brother Trinidad, who’s this super old dude in the branch, so basically we just pulled weeds in his yard for 2 hours, kinda reminded me of landscaping before the mish. Then we were gonna have a lesson with the lady we found but she left and doesn’t come back until Sunday, but other than that we walked in the streets.. a lot and tried talking with everyone. 

Thursday - so we had an intercambio (exchange I think in english)  with Elder Paulson, and haha basically the only reason I liked that day was because he was there with me. So we were gonna have a lesson with members with Jose Luis, but his car broke down and he couldn’t. So then we just walked and talked about... things... before the mission (women we knew, things we did), (haha a ton of people here call me vrgin lips, or moose 1 - because I’m from Canada and the other….. well its self explanatory.) But yea then we went to familia Rodriguez in the night and they made us some tortas fritas, (scones without sugar or anything) but we both had like 10 each, and we saw a lot of progress with Bro Rodriguez

Friday - so I finally gave my first district meeting, I thought I was gonna go under an hour, but I went a little over the time. Then we had a zone lunch with the Wankiers (the señor couple) and we made tinfoil lunches and some other food, and it was super good. Then the rest of the day was a normal La Paloma day, absolutely nothing, haha we talked with the people and sometimes they invite us back over, then their spouse comes out and says no no no we don't want anything. 

Saturday - today was pretty good, we taught Jose Luis about tithing, and he asked how much is it, we said well 10% and he said ok so like 200 pesos?? well yea if you made 2000 yea 200 pesos, but if you made 4000 its 400. So we tried to drill that into him, then we went to Barrio Parque (another little area of ours) which I hate there because every time we go there something bad happens, and we haven't had any success out there in my 3 changes. So we tried to go out but again nothing happened, so we left.

Sunday - THEY CAME!!! Jose and Santa Lucia came to church, participated in the class and everything, and he payed tithing!!! haha I’ve never heard of an investigator who paid tithing before his baptism. But they did!! Then we had interviews with the president, talked about the area, he didn't say anything if ill be leaving or anything, so maybe I’ll be staying.... that’ll be interesting.

Monday - well we just messed around in the morning, cleaned up and we’re gonna have a noche de hogar with familia Torres tonight, we challenged them to read the Book of Mormon by topic, and they would have to buy the food if they didn’t, and if they did we would buy it, I think they may have skipped some verses but looks like I’m buying the food..

haha so yea the week itself was pretty hard, contacting a lot of people who don't want anything, then the people who do- live somewhere else, but at least were helping those people receive the gospel!! But then Jose Luis, our investigator was the miracle coming to church and paying tithing!!! So he has a baptismal date for the 25th, so 1 more Sunday and him and his mother will be baptized. Then his brother and his wife are investigators so that’ll help them a lot too. 

Love you have a good week!!

Elder Grigor

"Spetus- a brazilian BBQ!"

Gangster Grigor :) 

Elder Grigor doing service 

Glad he's working hard! 

"The sun was really strong" 

church "bells" 

Elder Grigor and his companion 

"me and rocky cooking meat for the zone lunch" 

"A fridge full of guarana! "

"My Mate CUP!!" 

I got my package !!!! 

HAHAHAHA!!!! 

"all my planners from year 1" 

" I went full gaucho (cowboy) " 

"eating some squash- (I actually liked it)" 

Elder Grigor's squash lunch. It was the first time he tried it. We are still kind of amazed he ate it. 

Probably the worst/best week

Tuesday - so we didn't have district meeting because we have a multi-zone conference on Thursday, but it was a pretty normal day. We challenged a less active family to study faith and repentance by topic in the Book of Mormon then find how they work together. Then I challenged them if they could do in 2 weeks that we would pay for a Noche de Hogar, and if not they would have to do it. My comp afterwards got mad that I did that and told me I would buy everything, he gets a little overdramatic sometimes. (also that Canadian Chivitio I had for 250 pesos, yea me and my comp made 6 for 170 pesos and they tasted almost better... so I got ripped..)

Wednesday - well my first intercambio as a district leader. I was with Elder Roquemore, he’s a big guy from Utah. We had a decent day, taught Jose Luis and his mother again ,and they are progressing really well. Then we just did some contacting all day, haha but it was funny to see him speaking Spanish, because he’s new, kinda reminds me of myself, but it’s funny I can’t really remember what it’s like not to understand Spanish.

Thursday - so we went to Maldonado for the zone conference, it was really good, we talked about a case study we read of a missionary that worked really well with the members in the Cambridge Massachusetts ward (I think it’s there). We talked about working with members (which I need to do a lot better) so I’m going to be implementing that very soon. Also we ate tortugones for lunch!!!!! (massive hamburgers)

Friday - today was a pretty awful day, I don’t know why but neither of us wanted to do anything, and no one was home, so we chilled on a little hill for  30 mins just relaxing haha and played with this dog for a while, then not much else really happened that day.

Saturday - ok this was pretty much the best day of my mission!!  We went looking for an appointment we had in the morning and contacted a lady who we ended up teaching who is sooooo interested. She is here on vacation and leaves soon to Montevideo, but she has a cousin who is a member and is gonna call her to send the missionaries over. Then we taught the other guy, it was a decent lesson. Then in the afternoon we taught another new, very short lesson. Then we thought well it was a good day let’s go chill for a bit, so we went to the skate park, and messed around on our bikes for a bit and found a lady and started talking with her. She had a less active friend, so we started explaining a lot of things to her and she said “my friends an idiot for leaving this church” so we’re gonna teach her this week. (She’s here from Buenos Aires for 1 month)

Sunday - so Jose Luis didn't come to church, because he had family that he hadn't seen in 2 years come up from Montevideo. He really wanted to come but he didn't want to leave them alone in his house, because he also didn't really know them too well. Then we had a normal day, finished off with bringing the sacrament to an elderly couple.

Soooo this week started off really slow, then on Saturday we had 4 new investigators, 5 lessons and set up some really good lessons for next week. Also our progressing investigators are progressing really well to their baptism. 2 more Sundays and that’s it. Then all the other people we taught we’ll be working with. Haha I always said I wanted to leave this area, but now that we’re seeing so much success I want to stay a little longer. Haha there’s just not enough time!!!

Well love you guys, hope you have a great week!

Elder Grigor

"Me and my companion at the lighthouse" 

"The skate park where we taught more people" 

Elder Roquemore 

Elder Grigor in Uruguay :) 

Chillin on the hill

Playing with the dog

La Paloma 

Elder Grigor in La Paloma 

"Me with a mask- I think it fits me really well" 

"Me and my companion at a members house through a fish eye lens" 

Anything is Possible!!!

Monday - We tried to go to Hermano Vicentes house, but things got super crazy, so we chilled with his kids for a bit outside waiting for him, and by then we had to leave on the bus to rocha

Tuesday - So we woke up pretty early, took the bus to Montevideo to go see Elder Stevenson. The conference was really good!!!! first we had lunch, and.... I ATE WATERMELON!!!!!!! It was really good! I didn’t get a picture though so I don’t have proof, so you’ll just have to believe me. But the conference was really good, we learned a lot about how to invite and promise blessings when we do it, something I really needed to work on.

Wednesday - We had the propia (I’m not sure how to explain that one, kinda means best awesome, really good) with Jose Luis and Santa Lucia, (now that I know how to teach better) and…..I CAN TEACH (not trying to brag or anything)) but we had a really good lesson. They said they were gonna come to church! Also it rained a whole bunch!!! and real quick so there were rivers in the streets.

Thursday - So in the morning we went with Nina and Michael to do the papers for their baby to legalize him or something, so I guess now I’m a godfather!! haha I’ve been with them through a lot of stuff, the birth of him, we got them married, baptized and now I’m his godfather! But afterwards we set up a lesson with Nina in the morning and Michael got suuuper mad, and didn’t want to listen, so I got a little worried with that, so we’ll see how things are going with him.

Friday - We got a new investigator and we had a really good lesson, haha and some dude walked past (cuz we taught it outside) and started shouting random stuff about Joseph smith and the Book of Mormon, other than that we walked... a lot, and contacted... a lot... like always here. 

Saturday - Everything fell through today, so we had another free day. A day to walk around the entire city and do contacts all day. Then even with the members, the appointments we set the night before... fell through. I’m getting real tired of that. Oh but we did have another really good lesson with Jose Luis and his mother.

Sunday - So at the start of church there were not a lot of people, and no investigators that came, not even Nina and Michael. But about halfway through the class right when I was about to give up hope, Sooooo many people came! We had 39 people there, and Jose Luis and Santa Lucia came!!!!! The Lord often times tests our faith, so never lose hope!!!! (anything is possible!!!!!!!!!!!) -Kevin Garnet

Monday - I finally ate a Canadian Chivito today!!! I always saw those. So it’s basically a Canadian burger, but I wanted to know why it was Canadian. So i bought it.... worst mistake of my life!! Not really; but it had a half strip of bacon on it, that’s why it was Canadian! Just pitiful.

All in all we had a really good week, seeing the miracles that the Lord gives to all of his children. Really satisfying and tiring week, with the amazing conference with Elder Stevenson! 

love you all, and have a great week!!!!!!!

Elder Grigor

"The rain that came out of nowhere" 

I love that Elder Grigor finds joy and laughter when it rains!!!! 

Why stay indoors when you can splash around and have fun?????

 Lots of life lessons in this picture :) 

Ashton- Elder Grigor's new Godson :)

Elder Grigor hanging out with all the kids/nieces of Hermano Vicente 

Selfies in Uruguay 

"Just being a goof" 

**From Tamara : I loved this picture. It made me laugh. On days when I am missing Elder Grigor's fun-loving personality around the house, he sends gems like this!!! Mission life can be tough, you really need to have a good sense of humour to keep your spirits high when you have been faced with lots of disappointments and challenging times. 

Elder Grigor found a rope swing. Always a kid at heart. 

At least he didn't fall on his head doing this!!! 

"We saw the Sunset finallyyyyyyy!!!!!! It was AMAZING !!! "

"My Canadian Chivito"

"Our Zone at the open house in Castillos" 

It is getting insanely hot here! I'm dying from the heat.

Monday January 23rd, 2017

Wednesday - last night we came to Rocha, the last day I had with Zacarias. My new comp I think I already said is Elder Diaz, after being in Rocha all day we got home and taught the Vicentes, the new family from Rocha.

Thursday - so basically we’ve been introducing everyone to my new comp, a good excuse to get some lessons, but we had a good lesson with Jose Luis and his mother, we gave them Book of Mormons, reinforced baptism, and set another baptismal, they seem to know the importance of baptism, but they just don't want to come to church yet. So today wasn't that hot, but I was dying and I didn’t know why, so when we got home I realized I forgot a shirt my grey clippers shirt on underneath.... I guess I left it on after Spanish study

Friday - well, today we spent a whole day in Costa Azul, which is another town about 5km away maybe, but there isn't much to do out there, so going for a day gets tough. But we found a couple people to visit, other than that we just talked to everyone in the streets. But it was a decent day getting out there, crazy hot though, I was dying. And my sunscreen makes me sweat way more, but only in those spots, so I was sweating like crazy. Then we stopped by to visit a member; Julie, and she was super tired, haha she almost fell asleep during the lesson. 

Saturday - so today we had an open house in Castillos, another pueblito about an hour from Rocha, so we went up there inviting people to the open house. Me and my comp talked to like 60 people in 3 hours, haha that was the most people I've ever talked to in my mission in so little time, but it felt really good to do it. Then the Wankier’s drove us home (thankfully, because I have like no money!!!!) and we got home at like 10ish. I was exhausted but it felt great.

Sunday - well we had a nice free day today, where everything falls through and we just walk in the streets, and it was insanely hot outside so we did contacts until about 6 then sat on a bridge in the shade, dying of heat. Then in the night we went to the Trini´s, the old couple we always bring the sacrament too. But also Michael.... he didn't come to church today, 2 weeks in a row now, and when we were walking home he had 2 new tattoos. So we talked for a bit and asked why he didn't come. He said they were taking out the fence in his front yard and he wanted to make sure it all went good. So we’re gonna have to go over there and work with him. Oh also that night I verified for the first time being a district leader!! It’s cool to have all the power now!

Monday - well we set a lesson up for the morning because it was the guys last day here, and we got there and they were all packing up to leave, so we chilled in Costa Azul riding bikes in the morning and ate some hamburgers for lunch. Then in the night we have to go to Rocha because Elder Stevenson from the 12 apostles is coming to speak to all the leaders of the mission, so I get to go hear him speak!!! 

So yea this week was good, when my new comp got here I decided we we’re gonna work hard this change, even though I’ve been here for awhile and know almost everything here, we can still do some good things. It’s getting real hot here, I put my alarm clock outside one day and it said it was 38 degrees... also I’m excited for this conference with Elder Stevenson, should be good.

Love

Elder Grigor

Some cool thing in Rocha 

Me and my Companion walking in the streets 

Riding bikes with my companion 

A hot, sunny day in La Paloma

The shirt I forgot to change out of which made me so hot during the day!! 

Some man made out of boxes 

We saw a dude doing spray paint art in the plaza 

The beaches here....

I got a quick picture of the beach as we were travelling from Costa Azul to La Paloma 

From Junior Companion to District Leader ! Hopefully I will do good!!

Tuesday January 17th, 2017 

Tuesday - We had intercambios today with the zone leaders today, so me and my comp both stayed in Rocha for the day. So I was with Elder Crux, whose been here for 4 changes, which is hard because it’s a difficult area here. So we had a fun time, just talking about random stories and taught a couple lessons. So then we slept on the floor in the house in Rocha.

Wednesday - missed a bus in the morning, so we got back late and cooked quick to get out to work. Not the greatest day ever, we taught, or tried to teach Nina and Michael, but Ashton (their baby) started crying like crazy and she went upstairs to calm him, so we just taught Michael, and did contacts like always!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thursday - so I had another intercambio with the other zone leader Elder Bailey! He’s suuper cool, we kinda know each other from my second area, he was in my zone, and haha he looks exactly like Isaiah. So I went to Rocha (and I had 200 pesos left until Sunday, which is like 6 dollars, and bus tickets are 60 pesos). Then we had a really good day, left a little late because of the busses here, and taught 2 people that really want to be baptized, but their husbands don’t want to get married (Uruguay in a nutshell) 

Friday - Umm another normal day, walking around trying to find people to talk to, who don’t want to talk to us. But we did teach the new family that moved here, because he’s a recent convert. So we taught them and not much else happened, it was kinda a slow week

Saturday - again just talking to people all day, walking in the street trying to talk to get lessons with the investigators that we have, but they always make excuses to not listen. 

Sunday - so my comp started packing his bags because he thought he was gonna leave, and he gave his farewell talk in the ward, then in the night we got a call from President Eddy, so my comp is leaving here as a zone leader. Then Pres wanted to talk to me, and I thought.. this is it! From junior comp to District leader! (just kidding that’s from the best 2 years) but that actually happened. I’m the new district leader here, haha and I was saying I want to be senior comp for a while so I don’t have to do intercambios all the time, but now that won’t happen.  Then we said goodbye to some families in the night

Monday - so we just said goodbye to more families in the night, and we figured out who my comp is, Elder Diaz, another latino! I think that’s 4 now and 2 gringos.

Well this week was a little hectic, always going into Rocha, not a lot of work was done in our area thanks to that, and with the changes coming up, plus no one wanted to talk to us so yea, it was a good week. But it’s weird now that I’ll be the new district leader here. It’ll definitely be a different change from Junior companion. But I’ll be happy to try it out. Hopefully I’ll do good!

Love,

Elder Grigor

Elder Cruz 

Elder Grigor and Elder Bailey 

At the Fair in La Paloma- kind of reminded me of the Christmas Fair

 I went to in Millarville with the family before my mission. 

The Zone all together for the last time 

Michael got BAPTIZED!!!!!

January 9th, 2017 
Tuesday - so on tuesday we had district meeting and then interveiws with the president at 5, so we stayed in rocha all day, and while we were in the house a huuuuge storm came through but only for about an hour, then it just kinda sprinkled all day, but the ionterveiw was great and pres came me a new way to study, so im going to the scripture guide and finding a word then look at the scriptures and study by topic. so im gonna try that this week

Wednesday - so pretty normal day, doing contacts teaching a couple of lessons, then we taught a new person named victoria, one of the weirdest lessons ive had, so we asked her to read the first vision, and she started laughing, so we tried to fix that and we gave her a book of mormon and she said she would read it! so well see how that goes.

Thursday - Today no one was home just micheal, so we started teaching him the 12 steps  to addiction recovery, and just reading the book of mormon to get him familiar with it, then just doing contacts all day, which are dificult here becuase everyones in bathing suits and they dont want to talk, and if they do, they dont live here. Oh also we helped a new family clea nup their new home, so they moved here from rocha the vicente family, into a abandoned house of 2 years. SO we had service all day i got a ltitel burnt but not too bad!

Friday - Again pretty much the same thing as yesterday

Saturday - Michael got baptised!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! but not after aalloooot of opposition, so in the morning he texted us and said, hey can we do it another day because im feeling alittle sick, so we explained everything adn he said ok thats fine. So we went to take a bus at 420, and it got delayed by an hour! and his baptism was at 6, So when we were boarding michael had a fan he needed to return and he was gonan put it underneath in the storage part, and i guess he was standing a little close (i didnt see it) and the bus dude opened the door super fast and the top part lipped michael in the chin i think and sent him flying in the air, and he hit the ground and knocked out his teeth (dentures). Finally we got to rocha and micahel was baptised! then we got home around 10 haha nina was pretty worried

Sunday - so in the morning brother vicente picked us up in his car so we could show him where the church was, adn then we confirmed micahel a member of the church!!! It was really good to see mihcael get baptised and confirmed after being through so much with them, good and bad. Then we went to the trinidads, a old family we take the sacrament too.

Monday - then we came to do ciber!

so i just wanted to thank everyone for helping us with michaels baptism, all of your orayers helped soo much, especially through the actually baptismal with all the opposition we saw. But yea this week was really good, even though we couldnt work too much, with the interveiws with pres, and the service we did, and the baptism, but all in all, it was a really good week. 

Elder Grigor

 

When I got sunburned 

Micheal's Baptism 

Being a goof!!! 

Using the Christmas present my companion got me- a head massager 

I mean I would much rather be chilling on the beach too, but I can’t so sorrrrryyy.

Monday January 2, 2017 

Monday - Not a whole bunch happened, I was feeling pretty sick so we went home and I got some sleep. 

Tuesday - so in the morning I thought I was gonna be feeling better but I was throwing up all day, so we stayed in the house all day, and it was the most boring day I’ve ever had. I just wanted to leave, we even started playing cards and I was still super bored. So I felt a little better, and my comp decided he wanted to go to Nina and Michael’s house to play cards, but he started to teach them. Not that that’s bad, but I couldn't really think that much, so I just kinda sat there trying not to throw up. But near the end Michael got mad or something and started fighting with Nina about money, because they were used to having their own money for the month and now they share. So we took him outside and talked to him, then gave him a blessing to help him with that and to help him with smoking too.

Wednesday - so I felt a lot better today, and so we had an intercambio today, I went to Rocha and my comp stayed, so I was with Elder Roquemore, (rocky) because that’s how the Uruguayans say it. It was good, not many people opened up so we were just walking all day. But hahaha …..so he gave me a black cowboy hat for the day (which I was rocking by the way) but it started falling apart, just the way it was built the threading came out and it broke in half, so one was the ring without a top and the other a jew cap, haha we had some fun with the jew cap throughout the day.

Thursday - we switched back today, so I went back home and as usual we just walked around in the streets trying to talk to people, but no one wants to talk to us right now because they are all on vacation, and it’s the holidays and no one wants to be disturbed, they just want to chill. But we did go to Nina and Michaels, right now we’re just teaching Michael and trying to help him with smoking, so far he hasn’t smoked since Tuesday. 

Friday - So first thing we went to a shirt design place to make some t-shirts, they’re gonna be pretty cool. They have a beach and a gaucho (cowboy) with a Santa hat, in a little cabin sipping mate, then in front will be Santa and have Zona Rocha on a surfboard. We taught some new investigators that we have named jose luis and santa lucia (his mother) and we taught them the plan of salvation because his dad recently died, and we asked them to be baptized on the 28th, and they both accepted!!! So now we will just need to help them along the way, and get them to come to church. Right now they said they wanted to take things slow because of the death. Nina got sick with something, so we didn't go by. 

Saturday - So again we were really just in the streets all day, and it’s really hard to contact people wearing their bathing suits, and who are just here to enjoy themselves. Most people got mad because it’s the 31st, I mean I would much rather be chilling on the beach too, but I can’t so sorrrrryyy. But we did teach Michael again and he hasn't smoked since Tuesday, so we have a date for his baptism next Saturday, hopefully he meets this date!!! Then in the night we went to Juan Torres again, the same family from last week, and we had a barbecue again, ate chips pop, played some cards. I did some magic tricks with cards that I’m learning (I’m getting pretty good) then we watched the fireworks!!!!! A lot more than on christmas, mostly because everyone just got paid. 

Sunday - well I can’t believe it’s already 2017, that’s so weird. 2016 went flying by, the only reason I remember it was because I was always writing it on the papers we fill out. Oh hahaha so at church we thought it was Fast Sunday so we assigned talks for the next Sunday, but it wasn't and me and my comp talked the last 2 Sundays so the Pres gave a 20 minutes improv talk, and next week we don't need talks. 

So this week was really good, even though I got a little sick, we had a decent week with teaching lessons, not many other people wanted to talk to us because here it is a vacation destination, and it’s New Years, but other then that Michael is making a lot of improvement. As far as we know he hasn't smoked for a week, we had a couple new investigators accept a baptismal date, and we watched the fireworks they always set off here for New Years!!! Not anything like fireworks at the Engen’s but still pretty good. Anyway HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!, I hope you make some good reachable goals for this year, and strive to accomplish them!!!!

Love

Elder Grigor