Translados

August 13, 2010

Well this week is transfer week and I am still zone leader here in san Juan, but my comp is leaving and I am getting a new companion, he has one transfer more then me and is a gringo, I am really excited we will have a lot of fun together and have tons of success. All is going well though. I was really happy to hear from all of you today and hear that all of you are doing so well. Sounds like everyone is having fun in all sorts of different ways. Austin has inspired me to want to do a triathlon after the mission. I have it written down as one of my goals and aspirations. And Ben gave me some really good laughs with that video. And everything was good to hear especially that Alta won, and that byu has a sweet schedule and will be really fun to watch.

This week nothin to big happened. We have this lady Maria and her son Lucas that we are teaching and they are great. I am loving it with them and they are progressing well and we expect them to be baptized here in the next couple weeks. I sent home a dvd with an elder that finished his mission today and he will be mailing it to you so expect it here in the next week or so. And all is going well. I got bit in the back of the leg the other day by a big dog, it was right below the butt and it was really weird it ripped my pants but not the garments.... and it got my leg... but I dunno I had the mesh ones on so it probably just went through one of the little holes is all. But it hurt really bad and the day before my comp got bit in the hand by a boxer dog. So we had a good week with the dogs it appears.

We went up to zonda yesterday for church in this tiny branch from our ward. And it is in a house there and we go every week. But yesterday about thirty people came and I was sitting in the dirt it was a lot of fun and very interesting I loved it. The church is growing and doing so well here I love it and love to see all the success that is taking place and am very proud to be apart of it all. Such a special experience to see it and be with it.

I dont have much time I need to go and do meetings with the zone and get the elders ready for their transfers and tell everyone who is going and who is staying. But I love you and miss you tons. Take care and let me know asap when you get that dvd and letters.

Con Amor

Elder Bigelow

Su Favorito Misionero

September 6, 2010

Well this week was a good week we found a family of 10 that are inactive and only 3 are baptized. So we will be starting to work with them a lot and see what we can do to reactivate them and hopefully baptize there 7 other kids in the family. They are super nice and accepting of us when we come over and it has been good. The dad, wow...... he is the biggest man I have ever seen. He weighs a good about 400 pounds I kid you not!!!! And last night he got out of bed and walked to the kitchen 3 feet away and broke into a sweat... and the best part is he was shirtless. It was pretty funny. I could not look at him with out laughing a little bit and feeling just so absolutely scared for his health. But we will see what we can do to help and keep them happy.

So last week at consejo it went really well it was a good time. And president had all three zones that were battling all month of august to come up and to get a picture with the trophy. It was good. I felt good cause I knew we had the most baptisms in the mission so I felt a sense of acknowledgment that I won the cup. But it should be on the mission blog if you want to look it up and there always are lots of pictures and updates about the mission on it. So if you don’t look at it you should look sometime.

Pretty crazy that on Wednesday the last of my close friends leave on the mission and go to the mtc. Seth Beccerra goes to the mtc on Wednesday so I wont see him for three years. Wow that will be crazy and some big changes in our lives. I just barely got his letter so I wont be able to write him back only to the mtc I can. haha

This last week we also had a cool lunch. The daughter is now living in Utah in Orem but moving to St. George to get married in two weeks to a RM haha that served here. But like 3 or 4 years ago. But still a little sketchy. But she took down the address and the phone number of the house to call or visit or something if she wants to tell you all about San Juan and things like that. She was really nice. So don’t be totally shocked if an argentine girl calls the house or something sometime. I don’t know if she ever really will. But just for in case now you know.

That is too bad to hear about Alta. it is all because they don’t have the defensive coaches there anymore. They went to cottonwood to coach there last spring. So it was no suprise to me that they lost to Cottonwood or Bingham or Timpview. They are not that good this year and we all knew it would be this way especially if the defensive coaches all left. They were the lifeblood of the team success. But byu I am glad to hear is doing good and at least won their first game. And that Utah won that is good. What did byu decide to go independent or are they in a conference...

Thanks for the packages I will be looking forward to them and be excited to get them. It does not feel like it is my birthday and I doubt it ever will on the mission. But I am excited and I will become an old man... haha

So what is the news on Jason Bilanzich.... has he got a call or left or anything yet....

All is going well I miss you and love you and are always in my prayers. Tell the ward and everyone I say hi. Thanks for everything I really do appreciate it and feel it each day. Stay strong and do all you can.... I love the story at the beginning of the book of Mormon with Nephi and Lehi and the family when Nephi and his brothers go to Jerusalem again to get the plates and Sariah complains. But then testifies when the sons return and never ever again complains. What an example. Really good story, and strong testimony in the prophet and in God. Something good to have and think of now that conference is coming up. Love you take care

Con Amor

Elder Bigelow

(We all won the mission cup, but we had the most baptisms. 2nd to last on right is my comp)

Viento Zonda

August 30, 2010

Well this week was a fun interesting week, And hard and stressful all at the same time. But I had a good time and some good things happened and some bad things happened as well. But all and all it was a pretty good week.

This being the end of august we had 23 baptisms in our zone for the month. And that was and is the most in all the other zones in the mission. But we lost the presidents cup, that zone leaders win every week. We lost because we averaged 2.3 baptisms per companionship. And the zone that won has six companionships and won with 18 total baptisms. On Saturday we were expecting to win we did lots of interviews and worked really hard and did all our part. But Saturday we got phone calls and 7 baptisms we had planned fell through. If the didn’t fall through we would have broke another record and won everything si o si. So that was really heart breaking for us. But its ok cause 8 still got baptized on Saturday and we ended the month really well. The mission broke the record for most baptisms in one month for the Mendoza mission. We had 125 in total so that was really good and we all are happy for that and should be a really good consejo that we have these next couple days for the zone leaders of the mission with president and the assistants.

But this week it was tough working. It was 40 degrees and we had viento zonda. Which is really strong wind that comes through and it is nothing good. It is a wind that is really hot. So it was above 40 degrees and just ruined us. Gave us headaches and drained all of our energy. It was tough to work. And they say that that was just mild. It was nothing compared to what it will be here in a couple weeks to a month. So I will have that to look forward to.

On Thursday, president came up to san Juan for a little meeting with us and the district leaders so it was a really small group one on one almost. but he told me before how proud of me he is and that I am growing every week. And to keep it up and learn all I can that I could be at the top working with him soon if I keep it up.... wow that made me feel so good and such a complement to me from someone like him that I look up to so much. I am so excited for these next couple days that I have here in Mendoza with him in a consejo and I can learn even more from him. And in a practice he used me as an example and something we talked about in my very first interview ever with him. But still to this day remembers the details of it and said that it touched him and that is why he remembers. It was so nice and just made me feel so incredibly good to know that he listens and knows who I am. It was awesome.

I remembered that I also need some short sleeve white shirts if you could send me a few. Not buttoned collar, and a little more fitting not so like aired out and huge around the stomach and stuff. And if possible, some more diarrhea medicine. But other than that all is pretty well with me I said that I wanted.

How does Sean like Alta? Has he found anyone I know? I have a letter written for him I need to send I just need to get the time to send it off. And get it in the mail.

I hope all is going good for all of you I miss you very much and keep you in my thoughts and prayers always. Keep the scripture study up and go to the temple I miss it so much. And drink a dew and dr pepper for me, on me.... haha

Con Amor

Elder Bigelow

Mucho Trabajo

August 23, 2010

Well this last week was good. It was a little interesting. Lots of things happened and we had to do a ton of things. The traveling assistants came to our zone to work with us and to help out the zone. And to learn and see what we are doing to have the things that are happening happen. So the entire week I was on divisions with one of the assistants and my comp with the other and we worked in our area a little bit and went on divisions in other areas and worked there as well. Some really good experiences and fun times. We had to do about 20 baptismal interviews though, so we were all over the place doing that as well.

On Thursday night I got a phone call from one of my district leaders and he sounded scared to death and said that I had to come over!! And he just said elder bigelow I swear I didn’t do anything I did nothing I promise.... it was just one of our investigators and I did nothing I promise. So as you could I imagine I was so scared and nervous so I went over there with one of the assistants right then. It was only about 9:30, but we went over really nervous and not sure what to expect. We had so many thoughts running through our heads. But we finally got there and everything seemed to be fine as we went to knock the door. And then we got in and they seemed alright. And then he showed us a letter that one of his investigators wrote to him. Again expecting the worse I started to read it. And it was from a 26 year old girl that he is teaching and she wrote him a HARD core love letter!!!! Not nearly as bad as I was expecting. but it was still pretty bad and really funny cause he was freaking out. She told him how she loves him and wants to have children with him and is starting to save up money so she can move to the states and live with him and start a family together. That he is the man of her dreams and that she has been searching for her whole life. And on and on...for a fool page front and back, and the paper was very big, not normal size. So we told him to pray and take it easy and stuff and tomorrow he can talk to president at zone conference. (Cause we had conference the next day). So we left his pensh and called president told him what had happened and he said he would talk to him. And as we were expecting there was a special transfer. He still stayed in our zone. But moved really far away from his last area which is what is best.

We then had zone conference on Friday and that went really well I had to direct the entire conference and take care of a lot of things that was a interesting experience but it went really well I loved it and learned a lot. Now next week we will see how things went this month and we have a consejo in Mendoza with all the zone leaders with president to talk a little more and learn what we can do to better ourselves and our zones. That will be fun I am looking forward to that. And this Saturday we should have a baptism here in our area. That will be really good. it is crazy in this area there are like 600 members but only about 100 to 120 go. Which is really good. It is the best assisted ward I have had in my mission it kinda reminds me of home cause everyone has a calling and there are more then 20 members that go. But it still is not home. I still love it though. This last week was a really hot week and I got a little sunburned again. It is really starting to heat up. in the summer time here it get to be 120 about every single day. We still got a ways till the summer time but it is already starting to heat up a lot.

but things I would want/need......

needs....

toothbrush head

new card for my camera, mine is broken that is why i have not been sending

home pics

socks

couple new mesh garments

air bourne medicine

sun screen (just a bottle or two) of 30

wants....

charleston chews

tootsi rolls

tootsi pops

laffy taffy

hot tamales

peanut butter mm´s

recess things

peanut butter(creamy)

cereal

box´s of cake mix (but just sent the bag with instructions written on it)

mix for frosting and texas chocolate cake...

frosting

and whatever else.... just the usual

Did you get or have you ever got a letter from my mission president or phone calls or anything like that from him? How is the ward doing? Anymore baptisms in it? Tell everyone I say hi.

Well I am not sure what else I want to say. But I love you and miss you all. Things here are great, keep us in your prayers and we will keep receiving blessing. Thanks for everything.

con amor

Elder Bigelow

ps

Tell sean to find, Mrs. Lantis, and Coach Berry. My two favorite teachers. And that I say hi.

Nueva Record

August 16, 2010

Well this week was a really good week it went by fast and with bumps here and there but it was good. This coming week we have zone conference. That will be fun and I will be directing it all and taking care of things for it. We also have a baptism on this coming Saturday. His name is Alberto, he is a cool guy. Really is nice and respectful and a relaxing guy.

So big news, we broke a record in the mission the zone did. We had 48 investigators in church yesterday in total. And 20 will be baptized on Saturday. That is a ton a ton a ton of people!!! It was awesome. It was fun to hear that all from the district leaders when we were verifying with them. And the assistants were shocked and couldn’t believe it when we verified with them and told them of all of it. There is a competition every month in all the zones in the mission to see who has the highest pro-medio baptisms. And the winner gets their name engraved on a huge trophy president has and picture holding it up. And San Juan has not one in a while cause they had 9 companionships now they have 10 so it is harder cause some zones have 5 companionships and can win with 10 baptisms and we could baptize 19 and still lose. But we might win this transfer.... maybe... I don’t want to jinx us. But we could do it. And break more records and accomplish much more goals. It will be interesting.

So I am in the biggest zone in the mission. There is 10 companionships. So 20 elders, and we have to do divisions with the elders, have to call them at night and verify with them for there day and there numbers that they have. Then we have to have meetings with the zone every week. Plan pdays. Work in our own area. Talk to the assistants all the time, president and his wife. And we also have to have meetings with the bishop and stake president and ward mission leader. And we still have to work in our area, help our members, and get perfect numbers to be the example of the zone. And we put more pressure on ourselves cause we started a competition with the zone, with lessons and things its complicated to explain, but we have to verify more for that and add up all the points, find a winner and get them a prize every week. It’s a lot and is stressful at times. Some days I swear the phone never ever stops ringing. But I am getting the hang of it. It is good.

My companion has a year in a half in the mission and is from Buenos Aires, Argentina. He is a really cool kid. But is just like all the people from Buenos Aires. He is really, really prideful and cocky. But its ok, that is just their culture. It is really funny at times and gets old at others but I don’t mind. I am used to it and have gained a lot of patience. But he is really a good guy. Comes from a pretty wealthy family as well and is pretty well off. But all that is very typical of people from the capital of Argentina.

Well that is way weird that Sean is going into high school. Make sure that he is in seminary and graduates. That was one of my regrets I now have is how big of a slacker I was at times. I feel like I am so much farther behind some missionaries’ just cause of seminary. But I am doing my best and that is all I can do. But make sure he goes and does it all. It is really important. Tell him to that I want him to go and say hi to some teachers for me and that he needs to get into their classes. Well time is wearing down as a zone leader I have no time to do anything anymore, not even email the family. The phone is ringing and the assistants are in town and want to go buy food for the week so they can live here and see what we are doing and help the other zones in the mission to have this success as well. But I love you and miss you all very much. I hope you are doing well and I am excited to hear that prayers are being answered and blessings received. I really do love hearing it. Take care and nos vemos.

Con Amor

Elder Bigelow

Carta inspirada

Thanks dad. That was the letter and email that I needed. It was a little tough week for me. Lots of changes. Really, really, tough goodbyes and everything. But now I feel a sense of happiness and relaxation. Thanks dad.

Well this week I said bye to the families in Alvear. That was tough and with tears. But it was good and with lots of surprises. One family, the Ditoto family, that we taught and baptized the kids and the dad and mom were tough and a interesting experience told me that they are going to be getting married and baptized and they want me to go with them in a year from now when I am ending my mission through the temple so that they can be sealed as a family for time and eternity. It was probably the most special spiritual experience I have had in my mission. It was so overwhelming it brought tears to my eyes and I felt such a sense of gratitude that I had done the Lords work and that he is happy with me. It is so special cause I knocked this door and found this family and did all I could and more for them. Now we have a goal to be able to go through the temple together next September. How amazing and special... I truly loved it and I hope with all my heart that everything works out and I can have that opportunity to go with them.

I came to San Juan on Wednesday and it is up north and a lot hotter area. But I got here and it was a blizzard. Then today I got sunburned playing soccer. It is crazy weather. But gorgeous. There are mountains all around us and it is just so great. The people are super nice and have a totally different accent. All the R´s have the SH... sound too. Instead of terrible its teshible. haha it is so interesting. and the wards are huge. We had over 80 people in church yesterday. It is so nice. And the members are really cool. One family we have lunch with every Sunday is the best and we have an asado at there house every week. Which is bomb!!! I am really loving it here. It is a little hard I am in charge of the biggest zone in the whole mission and have a lot expected of me and it’s kinda stressful and I have been stressing out a little bit this week and my patience has been tested a lot. So if you could pray for me in that aspect and I know I will be strengthened and helped. I am really feeling tired everyday while working and my nerves get tested a little bit. So, for my patience and my happiness, so that I can have the spirit more, and be more of a help, and learn more, would really help me.

We are having a lot of success and hope to continue to have it. Our zone is awesome. And we have great potential. I am really excited to see what comes and how things will go. I miss you all a lot and love you so much. Sorry this is so short. We had a lot of things to do and did not have much time to email. But I love you and miss you and am so thankful for all you do and the love you have. Hope all is well and talk next week.

Con Amor

Elder Bigelow

Me Voy (I'm leaving)

August 2, 2010

Well this week was really good. We had two more baptisms on Saturday and they were super good and I confirmed them a member of the church and gave them the Holy Ghost. It was really cool and a special experience. We had four others in church and all is going really well. I will miss this area a lot, but am really excited to be going.

I am going to San Juan. It is a different province then Mendoza, in the north. I am way excited. I will be the new zone leader there and it historically has been one of the most successful areas in the mission so I am really looking forward to that and bringing that back to the glory. I am really excited and can’t wait. It will be a good learning experience for me and totally different accent in the Spanish. It is 7 and a half hours from where I am to get there, and I believe a time change so that will be fun and another really, really early trip!! haha but I cant wait and I know the lord has something in store for me and will bless me with his ways.

If you could I would really like to hear and have the conversion story of our family. When and where and how it all started? Please ahah

But this week was awesome. I loved it and we had some really good success

I will miss it a lot and be leaving some baptisms behind for another Missionary but I will be going to help others and it will be a new and amazing experience. I can’t wait. I miss you all and love you very much. Thank you for all you do and all you help me with.

Con Amor

Elder Bigelow