Weekly Nov. 24, 2014

Hola a Todos

Not much happened this week, yet a lot happend this week.

We have a baptism date set for the 27th of Diciembre! Her name is Luz (light) and is married to a less active. They are both super sweet.

Also, we found a new investigator named Liliana this week. She is the perfect granny, but doesn't have any kids. Super talkative and active, but needs help to quit smoking.

We have another investigator that has a testimony and wants to be baptized, but needs to get married! He is working on that, but he has a very complicated past as well. He was an MMA fighter, and he destroyed a lot of peoples lives that were trying to provide for their families. He has forgiveness from everyone except himself. He also has trouble controlling his anger. This has really strengthened my testimony of the atonement and also our purpose here on earth. We are here to learn, not to be perfect. We all make mistakes, but we can't keep dwelling on them. We have to look forward to Christ with hope and faith that we can become more than we are!

Stay strong family and friends, God is with you.

Love, Elder Bartlett

Ushuaia & Rio Grande Zone with Elder Todd Christofferson

Weekly Nov. 17, 2014

Hola Everyone!

So this week was totally amazing. We had Elder D. Todd Christofferson come to our mission! Us missionaries had a private meeting with us. He didn't actually talk that much, most of the time was a question and answer about missionary work, but the thing I loved most was that I am his companion.  The apostles are only 15, and even with the 70's, they cannot reach the whole world. We, as missionaries, are the voice of the apostles directly into people's homes.

The unfortunate side of this is that, from what I know, the reason the apostle was here was because president sent two missionaries home this last month. It was the first missionaries he ever had to send home. Extremely sad.

There was a member session later on in the day, and we had one of our less-active members attend! When we visited him later this week, he seemed to have a new energy and excitement about the church. We have invited him to come teaching with us, and he is all for it!

Another cool thing I thought of while we were in the missionary session with the apostle, we sang the Sisters in Zion and Heleman's Army melody. President Rogers wanted us to look at the apostle when we sang, but I, regardless of my ridiculous altitude, couldn't see him. In fact, the majority of the meeting I couldn't see him, but I could feel his spirit and knew he was there. It immediately made me think of my relationship with my Eternal Father and Savior, Jesus Christ. I cannot see them, they have never appeared to me, but I know they are there. I feel their guidance in my life. I see their miracles. I know they love me, and all of you.  I try to use Spanish all the time, and sometimes I find myself getting confused because I try to think in Spanish, but I don't know how to say what I'm trying to think!

Until next week, here are some pictures of stuff that happend 1) Churripan, delicious! 2) They have Subway here!!  Do you like my haircut?! I did it myself ;) Aren't you so proud of me? Ha ha I need to fix the back, but I'm not sure how. 

Churripan

Subway yeah!

Hey Dad here is a BBQ for ya!

Weekly Nov. 10, 2014

Hola Todo!

This week was fun! We had transfers on Monday morning, and Elder Sirrine was called up to Commodoro Rivadavia Centro. I am officially a junior companion!  My companion was supposed to be there that night, but didn't end up coming until Thursday night! Plus, my companion changed! I am now with Elder Chacon, a native of Argentina from San Juan. He is a little minion (despicable me)!! He speaks pretty good English.

Ushuaia district before Elder Sirrine left

I spent most of my week with the zone leaders and some other elders. I learned how to be active in my work and to be persistent! Every where we went, they talked to literally every person. Kiosk owners, taxi drivers, people on the street. When we went contacting, they refused to take no for an answer! They would work their way around, helping the people understand that the message we have will help them and their families.

My new companion is capo (boss). He loves to work, and is super good at teaching and contacting. He is not a fan of our area, though.

We were in a lesson yesterday with an investigator, and it was time to share something after they gave us some soup and empenadas to eat. I opened the scriptures and began to read, when all of a sudden their kids started having a fit! They were screaming and crying, keep in mind this house is no bigger than an average walk-in closet, and I had a very difficult time teaching. By the end I just wanted to leave, I figured it was pointless being there and that they didn't learn anything, but as we left, the hermana looked me in the eye and asked us to please come back when ever we could. I realized then that no matter how small it may seem, we were bringing a light to their lives that they didn't have before.

I would encourage all of you at home to try and share something about the gospel with someone you care about. Even if you don't notice it, their soul is receiving a small part of eternal truth that they know to be true, and it will enlighten them to some degree.

The world is a dark place these days. We must do our best to bring light to anyone we can! I love all of you, and I truly feel your prays everyday. I am rocking the Spanish with my new companion, and everyday I learn more and more. Until next week, stay amazing!

Love Elder Bartlett

Ushuaia

Mission address

If you want to try and send a package or a paper letter these are the way I have seen the mission address.  the first is off the mission presidents site and the second off the church site.  don't forget to add Elder Jarom S. Bartlett so it gets to him.

Comodoro Rivadavia Mission

La Iglesia de Jesucristo de Los Santos de Los Ultimos Dias 
Fray Luis Beltran 75 
9000 Comodoro Rivadavia 
Chubut, Argentina

or
Elder Perry Carter /

Elder Jarom S. Bartlett

Argentina Comodoro Rivadavia Mission

75 Fray Luis Beltran

Comodoro Rivadavia, Chubut 9000

Argentina

You have to put Elder Perry Carter first for packages because he has to go to the customs office to pick them up and show ID.

Weekly November 3

> On Nov 3, 2014, at 7:11 AM, 
>
> Hello Everyone!
>
> This week was the last week of the transfer so not much got done, unfortunately. We had one of our investigators attend church, though! Plus I had the opportunity to give several blessings in Spanish! Super scary, but amazing at the same time. The names out here are just not cool when you're a gringo.
>
> One interesting thing from this week happened on Saturday en route to find out transfers. We were talking about whether or not we have guardian angels. Next thing I know, I have four very angry dogs all around me barking and lunging to bite me! I escaped bite-free, with nothing but some saliva on the back of my pants. Guess that answers that question.
>
> In relation to dogs, I just remembered this, I have a rather funny story about one Elder Griffits. His parents gave him a tazer for dogs, and he was showing it off our first transfer here. We were just about to leave the chapel, and he wanted to spook some elders with the noise. The problem occurred when he accidently placed his finger between the nodes. He full on tazed himself and broke his tazer when his arm went limp and he dropped it! Super funny to witness!
>
> How was everyone's Halloween?! I didn't really notice its passing. It isn't big here. It got me thinking, though. Christmas is coming up... and many have been asking about sending packages... For those of you who want to send a package, the best way I have heard is to use flat rate boxes complete with a customs order (list of contents and values). If you want to risk Argentine customs, I will include a sort of Christmas list.
>
> Peanut butter doesn't really exist here, and honey is super expensive (but I doubt honey would make it through customs). Related to peanut butter, reese's pieces or peanut butter m&m's would be awesome. I am missing classic American candy like swedish fish, licorice, peach-O's, and what not. I could do with a couple reminders of home, like a little American flag or something.  I feel bad putting up a Christmas list, but a lot of people have been asking. Something else that I would like, if you're going to send anything, is like a little recipe book of some cookies (chocolate chip, snickerdoodle), waffles, pancakes, crepes, hootenanny (german), eggnog, and like meat sauces for noodles. We always have rice or noodles, so it would be nice to know how to make some good sauces from scratch. 
>
> Those are the things I am missing most now. Also cookies... They don't have anything like chocolate chip cookies or snickerdoodles here. Oh well, see ya'll next week!
>
> Love, Elder Bartlett