Word of the Week: Cabildo Abierto (Government building in Buenos Aires that was replicated here in San Luis).

This was a chaotic week filled with lots of walking and fast lessons, but a week where we found some great people! On Tuesday we wandered into a new area (come to find out it is the area of the elders, but they never work there, so they gave us permission to do some door knocking there). We found a great little family off the side of the road. They live quite humbly in their concrete block of a home with packed-dirt floors. They are a young couple (Jesus and Susana) with a 8-year-old son named Axel. They also are in the “process” of adopting a little black baby girl named Mia (Hna. Cuello told me that “adoption” here is nearly impossible and it was probably more likely that they found the little girl abandoned or someone gave her to them…sad). We went and taught them (and Jesus’ friend) about the Restoration. Jesus was participated the entire lesson and was very attentive. It was a fabulous lesson that was led by the spirit and you could see it touch Jesus in particular. At the end of the lesson, we convinced Jesus to say the closing prayer, despite how nervous he was and how awkward he felt. It was one of the best prayers I’ve heard in a first lesson! Not to mention he prayed to know that the things we had taught them were true. He truly understood what we had taught and the commitment we made with them to pray to know. It was fabulous! We went back to their house on Friday night and had another lesson with them. Jesus said they had been praying, but hadn’t read the Restoration pamphlet that we left them. He said he felt good….and they let us back in for a second lesson, so that’s a good sign! We taught them about the Book of Mormon and committed them to read it. Jesus really seems golden, his only hold up is that he doesn’t have a job, so he is taking odd jobs whenever he can get them. This unfortunately restricts his Sunday availability. They didn’t come to church this week, but there is always hope for the next! We also went back to our little “pueblito de oro” and taught a woman named Laura. She is religious, but doesn’t like the church she goes to, she just goes to it because it is the closest. She’s had a rough life and recently moved from Mendoza to San Luis and is separated from her spouse. She lived with her 2 sons, one of which has severe health problems that none of the doctors know how to treat. She also has severe health problems and had an operation about 2 weeks ago and is very much still in the recovery process. We taught her about the Restoration and she just attentively listened to us. She told us about her hard life story and the struggles she’s had in terms of her health. She really wanted to know why there are so many different churches these days. As we taught her about the Restoration, she seemed as though she just got sucked into what we were saying. As we prayed and were leaving (since it had gotten completely dark in the course of the lesson and we were in the middle of a concealed desert neighbourhood), she asked us to come back multiple times and that she would be waiting for us. She told us how she will go to whatever church, no matter where it is, even just to try it if she feels good there. We are eager to see her progress because she at least is willing and wanting to come to church. That’s the real battle here….getting people to go to church! On Saturday, let’s just say it was chaos! One lesson with a woman with lung cancer, another with a depressed woman who has convulsions as a reaction to emotional stress and trauma after both her parents and husband died within a short time of each other. We also said a prayer outside the home of an old woman who said that by the power of prayer she spit evil spirits out of her body. We taught a young father with lots of kids running around his house as well as a mother and her daughter who profess to be soldiers of the Virgin Mary. It was a whirlwind sort of day, not to mention the weather! The real highlight of the week was finishing the Book of Mormon! The last few days were hard to keep to the reading schedule because I was so close to finishing and I just wanted to keep reading! I want to make it a yearly goal from here on out to read the Book of Mormon in 66 days at least once every year. This week we have interviews with President Lindahl. He and his wife finish their mission here in about 2 weeks, then President Avila will take over! Should be interesting to see how things change in the next few weeks. Thanks for all your love and prayer! Winter winds are moving in here in San Luis. I can’t believe that next week will already be July! This week I complete 1 YEAR IN ARGENTINA! Crazy! When did that happen!? See you all soon! Get the hot tub ready!!!!! Hna. Pelton