Mejor a peor muy rapido

July 26, 2010

Well this week was a really rollercoaster for me. Monday was awesome, had an amazing district meeting and really got to the elders in my district and got them motivated a little bit. They are great just really mono toned and mono actioned. So I got them pumped little then got up really early to go to Mendoza and I slept for like 20 minutes on the ride but it was alright cause the meetings were AMAZING!!!!! And I got to work in my old area, in Trapiche where I really stamped my name there hard!!! I visited my converts and some of the members and it was a blast I am glad to say that most all of them are doing great still and a couple have the priesthood and my first baptism is preparing to go to the temple next January. She is saving money to go and is really excited. I loved it and about broke to tears with so much joy of seeing the fruits of my labors in that area. And we continued to have great meetings in Mendoza with president and the assistants. And had success in Trapiche, I started teaching this girl who I gave her daughter a blessing then I left from the area I think I told you about. But she is really interested in the church and we put a fecha with her to be baptized so it was really cool to go back and continue to have success in the area.

While I was there, my comp in the mtc Elder Harvey was made to be zone leader. So that was really cool to see him and be with him for three days in the meetings. Then president and the assistants talked to me and I know for sure I am going to be leaving Alvear next week and I will become a zone leader. I am really excited and it will be a great experience to continue to work. But they are really happy with the success we are having and the way things have changed in my district. I will either be going to San Juan which a complete other province in our mission, or to san martin which is in Mendoza capital pretty much. I hope I go to San Juan it is in the north and is blistering hot in the summer, gets up to 45 degrees or more in the day. And it has TONS of success. So I am really hoping I will go there. But if I go to san martin it will be ok, I will just be working really hard and will be a little stressful cause it is one of the lowest success rate zones in the mission. But I will go wherever. And I will be happy and excited to work and change things and put my mark on another area. I am really loving it. And again anything could change. Nothing is ever final till it is totally final. If you can understand that. But pretty much what we talked about in the consejo was teaching more with the spirit, the scriptures, and asking more inspired questions digamos. And bearing stronger testimony more often. It was amazing. Honestly it has changed my mission, just with the short time I have I know this will help a ton and we will grow so much and have a lot more success. I saw it when practicing in Trapiche, and while working here in my area. We had six in church yesterday and have four with baptismal fechas. I wont get to see all of them cause I will be leaving but at least two I hope I will see. Just so amazing I am loving it.

Then we came back from the consejo and I didn’t sleep on that either and we did not get back to our pension till 2 in the morning and then had to get up at 6. It was hard, but good, I was so excited and ready to go you don’t even know!!! I was right out of bed and doing work outs gettin all ready to go. And we had a really good day and it was awesome. Then at night president called and talked to our zone leaders and they were talking about going back to Mendoza the next morning. And I was way confused so I went in the room of one of them to talk to him cause me and him have grown super close and become the best of friends these last two transfers. And asked what was happening, and when they would come back. And he looked at me with tears in his eyes and said Bills will be coming back but he wont. That he was going home. He is a convert and no one else in his family is a member and had a really hard growing up in gangs and things and baptized and his life totally changed and then served the mission. But some things are happening at home that he said he needed to go home and fix. I was crying with him and could not believe it. He really is one of the best elders in the mission. It is honestly the first time I have felt so alone and home sick and not sure of what I was doing on Saturday morning when I got up and said bye to him and went out to work. I was so upset and struggling big time. But thanks to prayers, the scriptures and my journal. I was able to re focus and grow a little more and be happier and forget about what happened and go on. It will be a minimum of six months before he comes back if he does, I don’t think he will. He had 13 months in the mission this coming week and I just don’t think he will be back. President said he is getting an honorable release and stuff. But he is 23 years old and has a girlfriend and probably will get married. But who knows. It was cause of her he served. She is a member and his whole help and support system. But we will see I guess. It was just hard for me for a day. But I am back on track so no se recupe. All is well and I am still pumped as ever and will be working hard and am really excited.

So we won the competition and this week the zone leaders will be starting a little documentary of the day in the life of Elder Bigelow and Elder Moncur. It will be good I am excited and will have a little fun with it. I am really glad you are keeping yourselves really busy and going out boating a TON!!!! Sean sounds like he does not have a moment to spare which is good. Powell will be a lot of fun I bet and I am excited to hear that I will have another cousin in the force with me. I got everyone’s packages and thank you very much it was everything that I needed. Ben, Jenny and Noah, love you that was and is such an amazing package!!! Mom and dad I needed those thermals thanks, it will be funny if I go to San Juan where its cold now but not to bad nothing like here. And Beccy, something melted or exploded in yours but it smelt really, really good and I still to this moment don’t know what it was cause everything was intact and fine. Thanks a ton I loved it. And still am enjoying it everyday. I also got my letter from grandma Bonnie. Tell her thanks and I love them each month, really fun to read and learn. And all the pictures were really good to thank you.

I love you all and miss you very much, but I know that this is where I am to be right now in my life and that this is what I need to be doing. I have learned and grown so much in this short little time that I have on the mission but it has changed my life and how I look at people and life’s challenges. I love you and miss you!!! Take care and go to the temple often and tell everyone, hola from Argentina!!!!

Con Amor

Elder Bigelow

ps I think the curse of thinning hair or residing hair lines in the mission are true.... my widow peaks have grown I think..... hahha

Happy 24th of July!

July 19, 2010

Well this week I have gotten all of your emails and thank you. It is really good to hear from you and I had a huge smile on my face during all of them some great stuff happened this week for the most part it sounds like. I had a pretty good week as well I took in everything that my president said and I used it and studied it and put it to work and had a really good week and had some really good numbers. And we have a baptism on Saturday, and we are really lookin forward to that. Things have been going good and will continue to go good with how we are working I am really looking forward to that. And tomorrow at 2 in the morning, some of you there might not even be asleep yet, but I have to get on a bus to go to Mendoza for a meeting of leaders to learn a bunch of new stuff from the first presidency that they want us to do. And will be there for three days then come back. So I am excited to go there and be apart of all this new learning and experiences we will have.

So I am going to answer some questions, mainly dad’s cause he is the only one who really asked. But I think everyone will learn a little bit and help them to understand things a little more here.... I generally have lunch everyday. But sometimes the members are busy or something and cant. Like this week we had it twice and the week before twice and all for times was polenta.... which I am not a fan of at all. It is just like play dough. But its food so I eat it. And I cook a lot actually I have become a pretty good cook I would say. Every morning and most nights if I am not to beat I will cook something to eat. And then for lunch. And if one of our investigators is dong good or one of our members really helped us out I will make some thing for them. Usually beef or some sort or chicken and I eat a lot of fruit and vegetables, French fries or mashed potatoes on occasion. But I need gravy or somethin. And lots of brownies, cookies, rice pudding, and yeah. its kinda funny how I have picked it up and stuff.

As for the bikes. Yeah we walk about two and a half hours there to a house and then tow in a half back. But it’s alright. And we don’t have bikes because they get stolen and ruined or something. So they don’t have them anymore. But we might be able to borrow some for when we go out there. We have hitch hiked a couple times and jogged a lot of the distance a few times. So we are making it fun anyways. But that’s pretty much why we don’t and now as of like two weeks ago there is not a single area in the mission that has bikes anymore. So we walk a lot!!!! Ha-ha its about 20km to the house that is the farthest out that we go to. a little more then that i think but some where close. Its always enjoyable and we backpack water to them to sometimes cause they don’t have any running water to use. But this last week there evangelical minister dude that gave them the house for free out there and was totally tine with us going to the house and visiting is now having freak outs if we go and if members go out with food to give and help them. He says that all mormons are gangsters in less harsh terms and all sorts of bad things. So the family was hurt by that, but they love us and the dad broke down to tears with us the other night, and they say we are always invited and can stay as long as we want. Just not even to worry about this loco. That was really cool and special experience for me.

We also get laundry done every week by a member and that is very good and has been very nice to have. I do wash things in a bucket on occasion, but its not to often. And our pension is really nice it’s a brand new apartment. But it is just all cement and we can’t have our heaters on all night or all day so when we are in it at night or in the morning it is just like being in an ice box. Its cold we can see our breath sometimes. But it makes it fun. The other day the pipes froze so we could not shower till like 4 in the afternoon. And now we leave just a drop of water falling at night in one of the sinks. But it is a really nice pensh just really cold. But it’s the life. Its just like a two year camping trip I think. I love it. Helps me to see the blessings that I have and the ones I had in the states even more.

Well nothin else really happened this week. But me and Moncur are doing this street domination thing where we knock every door on every street in our area and as we were going there to a street we were close to finishing on morning this week we started talking to this guy who was walking to his house and he rejected us hard and we smiled and kept going. Then we got to our last door and looked over and saw the man, stumble and fall straight backwards as he was going up a little ramp to enter his house. He didn’t bend his knees or anything and just cracked his head on the cement HARD!!! We went running over to him and he was knocked out cold. And his wife came running out and started to slap him and was screaming trying to wake him up. But then all my lifeguard training came back to me and I knew exactly what to do. I got her to calm down and stop hitting and trying to get him to get up. And I dunno how but I checked his neck and stuff then saw blood and his head was split so I got a towel from the lady and put it under his head, then the ambulance came and stuff and took him to the hospital. But I think I was more certified then the ones working with the ambulance, it was bad watching them almost drop him cause the are old weak guys. And then not do the bed thing right and nothing. Argentina’s health care is a joke. But it was so weird to me how that all happened and I remembered. Then a couple days later we went by his house. (hoping for a King Lamoni experience) we got let in and he had no clue who we were and did not remember anything. But him and his family were very grateful and listened a little. And had questions for us and gave us herbal tea so it was nice. But we did not get the King Lamoni experience we were hoping for. But still really good and a seed was planted I think.

I hope all is going well I miss you and love you very much. And dad you should have gave that girl my name!!! haha she is my age. haha and sounds like you all had a lot of fun in your trips and adventures this week. Keep having fun. And be safe. Go to the temple when you can. Pray together as a family often and keep strong and together. I love you and miss you

Con Amor

Elder Bigelow

Feliz cumpleano hermanito

July 12, 2010

Well this week was a really good week. I went out and did divisions in my district to do a baptismal interview for the other elders and try to motivate them to work harder and to be happy. But they are both old in the mission and just tired and having a hard time and have been together for three transfers. But they did get a baptism on Saturday so that was really good. And wow how special it was for me to do the interview with their investigator, who is 17 and has lived a really rough sketchy life. But has changed through the gospel message and love of the lord in his life. He used to do drugs and rob and all sorts of things. But he told me that the first Sunday he went to church he just felt something so different in his heart and just had no more of a desire or craving to do any of those things again. it was way cool to talk to him and hear his story and the change in his life and its the part that when your teaching the person you don’t always get to hear or see, but i had the special opportunity to be able to. he someday will be a great missionary and do many great things.

Also this week on Sean’s birthday i was also celebrating big time here!! It was the independence day of Argentina on the 9 of July. So we all got together in the branch and we ate locro..., which is like a bean, sausage, meat, and corn stew thing. Its really good. The members were harassing me a bit cause I brought the wrong kind of plate I guess but it worked the exact same way, and it was the only ones we had. And they said that I couldn’t eat, so I proved them all wrong!!!!! I about died from it, but it was a matter of pride and more respect from the members haha..... I ate 8 huge plates of the stuff. I literally felt like I was going to explode, and I could feel it in my throat my stomach was so full of the food. I could barely move, but I went to the bathroom when no one was looking so they would not really know that I was not doing fine like I told them I was... It was either coming out one of two ends but it was coming out. I just could not hold it in, but I was in there for about 45 minutes, and then laid on the grass outside while everyone played and it all settled down and I felt a lot better, but it was awesome. Quite an experience!!! Oh and I way 92 kilograms now. I think that is a little over 200 hahahhah. It is funny but I think everything is just sticking to me cause I don’t sweat except in the morning durning excercises. But its cool. I am enjoying it.

Today we had interviews here in San Rafael, my first area. So we had to take a two hour bus to get here. And I just came up last night and spent the night with Elder Roberts that went to Alta with me. And we just like talked and hung out. We are becoming best friends, it’s the best. I love it, having someone to talk to and relate to share stories and talk about people that are keeping in touch with us. It is a lot of fun. He is insane, was on nitro circus and started that whole thing up with them and has traveled the world with his family and mtv. But still his favorite place to vacation and to go is Lake Powell. He loves it, and misses it. Its so funny sharing stories of Powell and stuff together. We already got a trip all planned out for when we get back and stuff. It will be good. But in my interview it was probably the most amazing interview I have had. Talking to him just made me so happy and he took a lot of time to teach me and help me. He answered all of my questions without me even saying a word. He taught me so many things that will help me in the mission but more importantly he taught me things that will help me for the rest of my life. In my work, family, and school. Everything.... it was amazing. And he told me again that he sees me as a great leader in the mission and to be expecting more to be coming my way soon, we just got to see how things come out these last few weeks of the transfer and if I do what he is looking for me to do. But I am SOOOO excited I cant even express how it went or say, I just don’t know it was way spiritual and enlightening. He really is called of God and called to be here to help me and all of us missionaries. Keep me in your prayers for the motivation and to not let him down or myself down. I have a lot of goals and things in the mission and I hope to accomplish them. And I know I can with the Lords help.

On Saturday morning we went out to do service and help an investigator family add on to their house with a fence. But when we got there, we walked down the street to an empty lot with bricks and cement. And we actually just started on building a house for this guys mom.... wow it was crazy. Quite an experience. the houses here are horrible and really sketchy. The tools they use are from like medieval times I swear. Strings with balls on them for leveling and clear houses for other leveling things, and bricks with cement, and if the brick does not fit, you hit it with a hammer and break it and put it in and fill the rest with cement. It is a little sketchy. But it’s the way they do things here I guess. It actually was a lot of fun. I dunno what it is but now when I do service and stuff I just have a total blast and before the mish it like killed a little part of me inside to have to get up and go do service. I was just so prideful and lazy I guess. But the mission has changed me so much just in this short time that I have here.

We also had one in church and we have one with a fecha for baptism right now for the 24th and will be putting another one this week also for the 24^th of July so hopefully we have at least two more in this transfer. And put into practice some stuff that pres told me and have lots more investigators and keep the work going. it is but it is kinda stalling and we are having a hard time finding people and getting into houses. I dunno what is happening but no one is letting us in. so we will try and see what we can do and see what happens with me. Maybe move up again...

All is well I love hearing from you and knowing all is going well. Keep me informed and I look forward to hear more shortly. I have not got the packages yet by the way I dunno what the deal is. But next week I go to Mendoza for a special leadership meeting so we will see then. I love you and miss you thanks for everything, all the prayers everything. Keep it up and love you tons

Con Amor

Elder Bigelow

Hola Familia

June 28, 2010

Well I am glad to hear that you had a good time in Powell and at the reunion. I knew you would and I know it probably was not quiet as fun as it could have been.... if I was there. But now things here are going good. I have my new companion, Elder Moncur. He is from Bountiful, So it is cool to have another gringo companion and to be able to talk in English every now and again and just kinda be more on the same page. We are doing well and have been teaching a lot. We are hoping to have 5 to 8 baptisms this transfer and 2 more from the other elders in my district. So I hope that it all works out. But some of our investigators have been kinda weird. Like yesterday, one kid he is 15. We taught him on Saturday evening then in the night we called him and asked if he wanted us to come get him for church, and so we walked an hour out there to get him and he was sitting by the fire dressed, but would not look at us and told us that he is not coming to church. ahh.....my heart broke!! And I had so many emotions. He told us he wants to serve a mission and be baptized in the church and be like us, but I think his smoker of a dad is tearing him down, and talking bad about us when we are not there, cause we had 4 of there kids all ready for baptism and progressing and doing good. Then the parents got baptized in the evangelical church and now we can only get two of the kids to come to church with us. It is so frustrating and hard. I dunno what to do. But this week we are going to teach and baptize the little brother and sister and hopefully the other two come around more. Its cool the little brother is 11 and he reminds me kinda of Sean when we was younger. Looks kinda like him, and just kinda reminds me of him. Really cool kid I love him.

We were knocking doors the other day and it was so funny this guy just had a total freak out at us. He pulled up in his car and got out cause it was his house so we went to greet him and he just slapped our hands down and walked by so we talked to his wife. Well Elder Moncur did.... I followed the man and tried to talk to him. I said ¨hermano, una pregunta.¨ and he turned and yelled at me and said he was not my brother. So I said ¨bueno, igual, señor una pregunta. por que tiene miedo con nosotros y no quierre hablar con nosotros y tan anojado a siervos de Dios?¨ and he told me it was because we are anti Christ and murders and the scum of the earth that we are going to burn in hell. Then I tried to point out that our plaque says Jesus Christ but he would not listen and yelled and said ¨toma te la¨ which here is VERY VERY VERY strong to bug off. Very rude man, so we left and he yelled to burn in the land down under and yeah. Then he drove by in his car and yelled some more at us. It was hilarious!!! And the next day, the very first person we talked to was another guy just like him, with his children, in front of them. It is funny how little people know and how insecure they are with things. We got in a house the other day of this Catholic guy and he said he never has heard our message before but heard we pray to a John Smith or some thing and thought it was really interesting so he had to try it out and see why we think and do that. So we taught and explained lots to him. And he was very amazed and impressed. He learned a lot and has a lot more respect for us and wants us to come back and continue to teach him. So, funny and interesting some things here.

But not all went that way, negative this week. We did really well and had some awesome lessons so don’t think that I just realized a lot of things and how little some people know and insecure they are. We tried to talk to a Catholic priest just to see if we could take a tour of his church and learn of the Catholic Church nothing of the preaching ways, but he said no and was really rude to us. I just don’t get it sometimes.

Then we taught this kid who is WAY into drugs and robbing people. He is 19 and we were just using ourselves as an example with him on how miserable he is and happy we are and how he is throwing his life away. We dropped a little cane but he needed it. And then his brother who is 20 told us he hates Americans and we got into to a little discussion about that and came to the conclusion that all the drugs and crap has just fried his brain and he knows nothing. But we have been talking to a lot of the teenagers lately and they just throw their lives away. It is so sad to see it and how miserable they are. They are happy and having a good time for a few hours then days after they are feeling the consequence. Its really sad and just makes me so grateful to have been born under the covenant and to have had the gospel in my life all through out it and to have family and parents who exercise that faith and priesthood. I used to think that it was kinda restrictive but I knew that it was good for me. Just wish I could have been converted or something at an older age, after experiencing things. But now more then ever I am so happy that it was not that way for me. That I was able to always have it with me. I love the gospel and I love the way that it has sculpted me into who I am to be able to be here on my mission in this point in my life. Such a blessing!

I love you all and miss you very much. I hope all is going well for you and that your happy.

Con Amor

Elder Bigelow

ps. dad, how is my money doing in that stock thing? My car sold yet? And get

Dane to hook me up with a sweet money hook up like that after the mission, please. haha