Week 2

So i have decided that it takes too much time to do a day by day report so i will just tell about some of the highlights!

First off, there are so many dogs everywhere! we walked by some house yesterday that had 12 dogs... people here are crazy! where there are alot of dogs there are a lot of puppies! the people let their kids be so rough with the puppies! one girl dropped the puppie into a bucket and started stomp on it... so sad...

I had my first baptisim! so cool!! i was very nervous that i was going to mess it up, but i didnt! he was so happy! after the doors were closed he jumped back into the water cause he was so happy!!

we were tracking and came upon this women and she lets us in. so we were teaching her about the restoration and she was saying stuff like she said she wished that she could have kids with me... it was getting very uncomfortable so we finished the lesson and left... it was pretty weird...

so people all my life have been telling me that fry sauce is only in utah... not true! turns out they have it here in argentina!! crazy!! its called salsa golf!

the hot dogs here are so so good!! i love them. elder furtado and i probably eat too many in the week! they are called panchos

i forgot to mention this last week but elder furtado was a profesional soccer player in uraguay before his mission! and has a contract to play when he gets home!

yesterday we were sitting in church and there started to be loud banging on the outside... everone scrambled out side to put their car mats on top of the car to protect them form the hail! they were about the size of the large marbles!! i was so sad that i didnt have my camera...

one huge part of the culture here is the kiss on the cheak. im still trying to get used to guys coming up to me and kissing me on the cheek..

thats about it for this week!! i love you all so very much! thank you for all of the prayers they are much needed!

Love, Elder Groen!

First baptism

Baptism day!!!

Elder Groen & Elder Furtado

WOW!

WOW!!!!!!!!!!! (What are you going to do now ives)

Well i guess ill start from the flight! i really enjoy flying!! i got some really cool pictures!! we landed in buenos aires and like 8:30 am. The mission president and his wife and elders webster and dos santos were waiting for us!! they were so so nice!! Elder webster was so nice to me! he gave me the special welcome because my mom and his dad know each other! we drove to a park were missionary work in south american began!! we then went to presidents house and had an awesome dinner!! we then all had interviews with president robinson! after that we went to the mission office and had pizza!! so good!!! after that all of the new missionaries went to the sky pench which is a 14th story apartment for missionaries! we stayed there for our first night!! in the morning we went back to the office and had breakfast and the transfer meeting!! 

My companions name is elder furtado!! he is 20 years old and fro uraguay he speaks no english... he is so nice and so outgoing!! we the went to our area González Catán 1!! the members here are so so nice!! actually i dont really now because i dont under stand them but the feed us lunch a lot! every day!! i dont have too much time so i cant do a day by day but the culture!!

Driving... you have got to be kidding me... they are insain the have two driving laws redlights and stop for a car crossing train tracks!! no lines on the road... they choose how many lanes there are and thats how many cars you can fit! motercycles are always passing you inbetween cars and on the wrong side of the road!! crazy!!

Meals! the dont really eat breakfast so im always hungry in the morning but lunch like i said the members always feed us!! and they feed us so much food!! same thing with dinner but its not alwayse that they feed us for dinner! lunch is at 2ish and dinner is at like 8 or later!

i have my first baptism on friday! sorry im out of time i love you all!!

Love, Elder Groen Argentina

Early morning ride to the airport 

Presidente Robertson, Elder Groen, Hermana Robertson at the Argentina Temple

Buenos Aires

Elder Groen & Elder Furtado

Last Week In The MTC!!

So i have 5 days left!! I'm pretty excited to get there!! and get out of here!! Well i don't have too much time so here we go! 

Tuesday: we got to go to a devotional at main campus again it was way good!! We talked about testimonies and all the different ways we can share them! through words, through actions, through music, through how we teach and through who we are!! it was super good!!

Wednesday: Today i gave my first blessing! it was super awesome! Hermana mickelsen asked if i would give her one!! It was a super cool experience!!

Thursday: I got to see Elder Porter May today!! it was pretty cool! he seems to be doing good!! Elder smith and i taught a lesson! it was for an hour and a half! we taught our new investigator Gabriel for 40 minutes when we were about to end. the he said he had a really short story for us. so we said OK! he then shared stories for another 50 minutes!! they were really good! he has a very strong testimony about prayer! 

Friday: I have no idea why but all i wrote in my journal was "today we had our best lesson with Raquel! it was so good!" so yea that's how the day went! i will make sure to write more!! Oh but i just remembered we got our travel plans this day!! we leave at 6 in the morning on the 11th I'm so so so excited!!

Saturday: Cool story! today i was flipping through my book of Mormon and  had a prompting to look at the articles of faith!! so i did and i read #7! it says the we believe in the interpretation of tongues!! i have been praying for the gift of tongues but not the interpretation of tongues!! and that is the hardest part for me!! so i started to pray for that!! My ability to do that has shot up!! it is amazing what god will do for us!!

Sunday: Fast Sunday!! I bore my testimony! It was cool to see for my self how much easier it was today then it was the first Sunday that i was here!

Monday:Today elder Morrill and i got to go and be investigators for an advanced class of missionaries!! it was god because i under stood everything that the were saying!! it was also good because i got to see what they/I did/do wrong in their/my lessons!! 

I've had an awesome time here at the mtc but it is time that i leave!! I'm ready to get out of here!! 

I love you all!! I want all of you to find time to read ether chapter 12! it is an amazing chapter on faith!! and like we should always do pray about it!! 

Love, Argentina Bound Elder Groen!