Out and About

Hey there team. Yeah, this week was insane. It made me so flipping tired. But there is some really good news! 

So this week we did a lot of traveling with the zone. Monday, we went down to Las Heras, and did divisions there. It was awesome, I got to see a lot of the people that I saw at the beginning of the mission. 

Then all of us (with the whole zone) went up to Caleta Olivia (like three hours away) for a capacitacion <training> for missionary all over the world. It was really cool. They talked a lot about teaching repentance and helping people work through the process, not just completing a checklist. 

Then they changed our schedule. For years, missionaries around the world have gotten up at 6:30. Well, now in our mission, we wake up at 7:30!!!! Whoa!!! That is so cool! Now we do comp study and language study during the day, and return the the pension at 10 at night and sleep at 11! And now we plan in the morning instead of the night. It is so great. Then after the world wide conference, everyone went back to their areas, then the next day we all had to travel again to Comodoro to do interviews with President. So this week we spent a ton of time buying tickets and worrying about bus schedules, but in the end it worked out really well! 

I love you all a lot. Thanks for all that you do! Have a great week!

Love,

Elder Himes

New Area: Caleta Olivia

Hey team! I just got to my new zone! It is so so so awesome!

The name seems a little bit contradiction, and maybe it is a little. This area is pretty ugly. The only cool thing is the ocean. Other than that it is really ugly. But the people and members are so awesome! 

We have seen some great things already. My new comp is Elder Clark from Utah. This week we went to go get to know a few people. We went to a member's house and we saw a lady in there that wasn't a member. We started talking to her about the Book of Mormon. Then the members just started testifying really hard! It was so awesome. So we set up a appointment with them and her husband! And the best news is is that they are legally married!!!!!!!!! That never happens! 

Saturday night we had the appointment with Vanesa and Dario (The investigators) in the house of the Familia Gongora. We taught about the restoration and they both accepted a baptismal date. We left the house and the investigators stayed to watch Meet the Mormons! And then they came to church! With the whole family. I have never seen any one progress so quickly in all of my mission. It's like a story book. They are really ready. 

And that is just one of the miracles that we saw this week! The members are really excited to help us! So I'm doing great! I love my new area! We are going to work really hard!

Love,

Elder Himes

Transfers Back to the Beginning

Hey there team! How is it going? 

Well, as you can see, today is transfers. It is my last day here in Puerto Madyrn. I now have 6 months here. I'm getting transfered back to Caleta Olivia, my very first zone! That is going to be so awesome! 

It was really hard saying good by to this area though. We Had some great memories here. Especially with one family of investigators that we found. One day about 3 months in to my time here, we saw a man siting in front of his house. My comp and I just felt like going to talk to him. So we did. His name was Matias. He said that he would like to listen to us, and he wanted all of the family to listen too. So we started teaching them, now all 7 of them have a baptismal date. We have had some really spiritual lessons with them. 

Yesterday, we taught the Plan of Salvation and almost everyone was crying at the end. They all want to get baptized and have an eternal family. It was super cool, and it came from just talking with one guy on the street. 

I love you guys! I love being a missionary

Have a great week!

Love,

Elder Himes

A New Year and a New Life

Hey there team! How is it going! We had a great week! 

This New Years was probably one of the most special ones I've ever had. Because on the 31st of December 2016, Amalia, one of our investigators, made the decision to be baptized. Amalia is a women that has known about the church for a long time. Natalia, her oldest daughter, was baptized several years ago and went inactive for a while. My trainer Elder Boyd, while he was in this area, started helping her come back to church. And that is when we started teaching her mom, Amalia. A few weeks ago, we talked with Amalia, and she choose her own baptismal date -  the 31. My comp and I have been working like crazy with her. She had her ups and downs, but she made it!!!! It was so incredible. The next day in church she said that a goal that she had is that each one of her kids would make it to the baptismal font. It really was the best way we could spend new years, helping someone start a new life. 

I know that this is the Lord's work. I'm so happy to be here. I know that this gospel is the only way that we can become and eternal family. There is nothing that is more important than this gospel. 

I hope that you guys all had a great New Years.

Other things that happened that were cool, but not quite as cool as the baptism. President let us watch Zootopia. That was fun. And a sweet family invited us over for New Years dinner. At midnight we had a giant foam fight with all of the family. 

Love you guys a  lot!

Love,

Elder Himes