Weekly Sept. 30

Hola Everyone,

This week has been amazing! So many miracles I can hardly believe it. Starting with some smaller ones, I found my oil container that my father gifted to me! I lost it for a little bit, but prayed and it is back in my possesion. Another small victory is that my soccer skills have been improving! I scorred three goals yesterday during P-day! By the way, I didn't write yesterday because the zone leaders told us it was a holiday and nothing would be open... I don't know where they heard that, but it wasn't true. Anyway, that's why I'm writing today.

Moving on to some cooler miracles, I am feeling great! I am happy basically all the time and I am not full of energy, but I am not exhausted either! I truly believe it is because of many prayers, and the fact that I know I have been doing my best. I really am starting to feel love for everyone out here, and at home! It is amazing. And for the grand finale... Spanish has arrived! I was sitting in church on Sunday, and all of a sudden I realized that I was understanding everything people were saying! There were obviously words I didn't know, but all the words I did recognize I was able to make sense of and understand what people were saying! It makes me want to jump up and do a little victory dance, but I will resist. I know I still have a long way to go, but I am making progress!

Sunday night we were tired from the day and we only had about 1/2 hour to work (it takes 1 hour to get out to our area and back so it is hard to motivate ourselves to get out when its only 7 or later). It was snowing and windy and cold, but we forced ourselves up the mountain to go see an investigator, but she was busy. As we walked solemnly home, I noticed a house that we had tried many times before to contact had lights on and the generator running. Let's knock on it! We found a very happy and kind mother that said we could come back any time, she'd love to hear our message. As we continued back down the mountain, feeling much better, I saw another house that we had knocked on with no answer. It looked dark and quite, and we were about to pass it up. I wanted to knock on it, so I did! And we found another daughter of God, wondering why were were walking around in the dark, cold snow. She, too, said we could return another time. It was amazing to see that when we just get out and about, God can bless us with miracles.

Thanks to everyone for all the support! It is obviously helping. Watch General Conference this weekend!!

Love Elder Bartlett

Elder Bartlett & Elder Sirrine

Our District

Zone with President & Sister Rogers

Hola Everyone,

Not much has gone on this week, except it's the beginning of my second transfer! I also got bit by a dog yesterday. It kind of sucked a lot, but I'm great! (this what his companion said about the dog bite) my comp got bit by a dog yesterday on the walk to lunch. The dog was barking at his ankles and we tried to warn him that he was going to get bit but he didn´t hear or pay attention and then he got bit on the ankle and has a tear in his pants.  Now he knows to never turn his back on a dog that you don´t know. 

Just to clear up some confusion, mayonesa is mayonnaise. It's different, though. It tastes so much better! We eat that with everything basically, as evidenced by these 1) Delicious tacos that I ate 13 of.

Something weird, I have been having dreams of chocolate chip cookies almost every night. All I want is a warm, fresh, doughy right out of the oven cookie.That and honey, peanut butter, peach-O's, and good chocolate because most of the chocolate here makes you kind of sick.

This week we have been teaching the MMA fighter, Alejandro! He is a super boss, yet is also super spiritual. He amazes me. He and his wife would already be baptized if they were married, and he could get to church. However, marriage costs money, and he has deformed feet that complicate his getting up and down the mountain. We're are going to see if we can't get a member up to his house with a car. He is also looking at some new surgical operations that are recently available. He has some crazy experiences with the "dark" side of life, but he has decided that he doesn't want that life anymore. I really hope we can help him make it to the waters of baptism and send them on the path to seal their beautiful family together in the temple.

Well, see ya'll next week!

Love, Elder Bartlett

Oh ya! I had another birthday cake!

Lost Track of Time

Hola Everyone,

I apologize for last week! I was writing people and thinking back on my week, and next thing I knew it was time to go! I will fill you all in on the key events of the last 2 weeks. We have had three birthdays in our zone, and two hump days!

So sometime last week we were contacting up on the mountain, and we saw this tiny house we walk by pretty often. I wanted to go check it out, so we walked up the stairs and the door was wide open. When I said, "Hola?" this guy turned around and almost ran into me! He invited us in, and after falling through a broken seat several times, we found out there was two pals sitting around drinking wine. They were totally out of it, but extremely willing to listen to our message. We taught the first lesson, and gave them both Books of Mormon to read! The one guy kept grabbing my hand and saying how cold it was, so eventually he rubbed it down and held it for a really long time to warm it up. What a sweet man...

In addition to my first encounter with drunks, I cut hair for the first time! My companion, Elder Sirrine, bought hair clippers and we cut each

others hair! Neither one of us turned out very well, but I am usually wearing a hat and it was't too bad, so I don't really mind.

We celebrated my birthday with 1) Oreo pancakes! Dulce de leche, and milk. Super amazingly delicious... I was also blessed with a cake, candles, and a song from one of our investigator families! It's been a fun week.

In church yesterday they reorganized everything, and we're not sure who our ward mission leader is because he was moved to counselor to the stake president! Our branch president was released, and his counselor was made president. This made most of the missionaries happy because our old branch president refused to talk to any of us... We have a hard time connecting to the members here, they don't seem to want anything to do with missionary work. All you at home, help the missionaries! Ha ha it's rough without their support.

2) We made tacos this week with our district! I kinda burnt my fingers trying to flip the tapas, but it was a fun learning experience.

Pics in Ushuaia

Week 3

Hello All,

This week has been kind of weird. We were supposed to have conference and interviews with President Rogers on Tuesday, but he got snowed-in at Rio Gallegos. We didn't find that out until half way through the conference, so we just kind of sat around. Then on Thursday he randomly showed up and we had to cancel our whole day! So teaching and work in general was rough this week. We did have a few cool lessons, though, and I shared the first vision for the first time! I think people really see that we care about them, and want to help them. At least that's what I gather when a total stranger lets us into her house, and a few minutes later she is crying while telling us her life's story. It has really motivated my to work harder on my Spanish because I want to bring the happiness and joy of the gospel that I know has blessed me to these people. Most of the snow has melted, and I am trudging and sinking in mud... everything is just mud! I'm not sure how other missions are, but here in Argentina, the life blood of a missionary is mayonesa. I have it with every meal, as evidenced by 1) My breakfast this morning. The next two are our pension when he had our district over for some rice and hamburgers and mayonesa! Which is a meal I eat just about every day. 4) A five-star hotel we went to today. That's it for now! Wait actually if you want to see some more, my companion Elder Sirrine has a blog! So look him up and I might be on there! Also, he has received packages, so I guess if you want to risk it, go ahead. He said to avoid perishible items or something, and they used flat rate boxes. Anyway, that's it! Love you all! Tell people to write me! If they're not getting emails its because I don't have they're emails!

Love, Elder Bartlett