Happy Father's Day

June 25, 2010

Well happy fathers day yesterday. Hope all is going well in Powell. All is well here. My prayers were answered this week and the parents of this family are not even married. We found out, so they cant get baptized till they are married. So we put a fecha with the kids and they will be getting baptized on the 10th four of them. And we have a couple more baptisms in July that we are preparing for and it will be good I am looking forward to it.

This week was good. Wednesday is transfers and I am getting a gringo companion that has one less transfer then I do. He is from Utah I am pretty sure and his name is elder Moncur. I am excited it will be awesome and he is coming into an explosion of good things going for us here.

Hope you all are doing good I love you all and miss you. Take care and thanks for everything. Your prayers are felt and answered.

Con Amor

Elder Bigelow

June 14, 2010

Hey family!!!

Well this week was a really good week and it went by really fast. Next week is transfers and I can’t believe it has already gotten here. This transfer just blew by. But this week we had some good success. We got 5 of the 6 from the familia Ditoto, to come to church. And next week we will get all of them to come. I think they really liked it. But keep them in your prayers and they will have a spiritual experience to bring the whole family together and all want to be baptized together. The dad needs to stop smoking to. And spends 20 pesos a day on cigarettes and the family barely has bread to eat or the week, and he is doing this. But he just has no desire to stop right now. Its kinda sad. So this week we taught them and it went amazing.

I made brownies and cookies three times this week for investigators. I am becoming quite the cook. I have not told you but I am cooking so much and doing well at it. I love it and everyone here is loving it. But I remembered from a question Lisa asked about food I eat and things. So I remembered, so I will tell you all about that in just a second. But yeah so we taught and did really well and put a couple of fechas for baptism for next week and in July. So we will see how that goes but the family we really are looking at is this one huge family and trying to work with them. Its either us or the evangelical church they tell us. So we are trying to get them to pray and to have spiritual experience to feel and learn that these things are true and the dad to want to change to better his life and the life of his family. They have 2 more kids under 8 and one that is just one year old and they can barely afford bread cause he has such a bad addiction. And he does not want to change right now but maybe this week he will feel more of a desire to change. He smoked a pack and a half right in front of us the other day. But he is so awesome I love the guy I just want him to feel the spirit and the rest of the family to recognize the spirit and realize the blessings that will come in there lives from this amazing, perfect gospel plan that god has created for us. I had a really amazing experience with them.

I said before to you all, that I know that this is one of the reasons I am on this mission is to find and teach this family. I know it is. And I know they are just one of the people I promised. And the first time I entered the house I recognized all of them and knew there faces it was really such a crazy feeling and very spiritual for me to have. But this last week when we were teaching them I had another really spiritual experience. I usually do most the talking in the houses, my comp is pretty quiet most the time. And at the end of our lesson, I bore testimony to them, and promised blessings and did not even feel like I was the one working my mouth. I said things I never even studied or even know what they mean. And still to this moment cannot remember what I said. And afterward Elder Leal told me that, that was the most perfect well accented speaking I have yet spoke and so spiritual, and that I said words he had no idea I knew and did everything correct. And he can’t even remember what I said. It was absolutely amazing and a true testament to me of the power of God and the gift of tongues. It really does exist and I know it does. In all my other speaking I have a ways of going till I am perfect but I am doing really well and communicate and understand just about everything and it is just like dad said last June that I would be in this position speaking another language and understanding. It is so amazing. But keep praying I will improve and the blessings will continue to come in.

So the world cup started. And we got permission to watch Argentina play. One, cause EVERYTHING was closed and no one was in the street. Every single person young and old was watching the game. Argentina won and it was a good game. And the US tied with England. Wow I miss sports. I was so entranced by the tv watching. It was so good for me. I really loved it and the people here are crazy for it. All stores closed and school gets cancelled for the games or the TV is on in the classes to watch the game. And everyone walks around with their flags or jerseys, faces painted, cars decked out, everything. Its really cool to see.

The food......well we have lunch everyday. And I have had noodles with tomato sauce or rice with tomato sauce everyday except twice in 5 weeks here. That is usually what we get in every area for lunch is noodles with tomato sauce and a piece of chicken or beef. It really gets old but its good. They cook it in water and oil or just oil. So it is really fatty. And at night in the pensh, if I have any energy from the day I will have a bowl of cereal, drink yogurt, eggs, beef strips, or left overs from something. But I usually don’t have much energy for anything except a drink and my bed. But I am healthy and doing well, exercising good and feeling good. My face is really clearing up to. So it is all going well I believe.

Well I hope you have fun in Powell and all goes well for ya. I am sitting right next to Ethan Roberts the kid from Alta I came with and all we have talked about today is lake Powell and Havasupai in Arizona. He is such I stud I love the kid. So we are jealous and hope you have a fun time. Tell everyone at the reunion I say hello and hope all is going well. Thanks for everything. And the prayers are felt. I love you all and miss you. Keep doin well.

Con Amor

Elder Bigelow

Catching up with Letters from Zack

July 7, 2010

Family

Well that is really sad to hear about Donna and Lois and them now being separated. But it will only be for a short time and the second coming and Resurrection is right around the corner as well so no need to be down or sad. Sounds like it was a really eventful week and that you had some good things happen. That sounds awesome to have the Shurtz and Kunz family for a dinner once a month that would be a way good idea I think. I love those families and they are pretty much my second and third family. They have done a lot for me and I am so very thankful for them and all that they did and continue to do for me.

Well this week was really cool. We got to go on a bus on Thursday morning at 3 to go to Mendoza for a zone conference with elder Zivic, from the seventy. He gave a really good talk about faith and obedience. It was really good and I got to see and talk to Elder Harvey my comp in the mtc and Elder Roberts that is my age from Alta. it was really good to be with those guys all day and be hanging out and catching up. Then we came back and got home really late and went to bed then the next day I did divisions as a district leader for the first time. And I went with a brand spankin new elder and we worked in my area. It was really good and that was the start of the giving me one of the best weeks I have had yet in the mission.

I have been praying to find and teach more people and stuff cause when I got here this area was just dead. But slowly and slowly it has been getting better and better. and after we taught this one kid for the first time we were in the middle of no where and walking back to the city and decided to start knocking doors on this street i have never been on before. And typical we were getting rejected like mad and sfuff cause there is an evangelical church on the corner of the street and everyone is of that church cause it is closest to them. But then, the last house of course we knock it, and no one answers. And as we were leaving we heard a little baby laugh. So we turned and looked back and around the corner of this house tucked in the back was another tiny little door with a light on. So we went and knocked it and Elder Hancock in his broken Spanish told the lady we were missionaries from Christ and we are here to share a message. And she let us in and we taught this family of 5 that was there and 4 were 8 and older. And the dad and oldest brother were not home yet. But they were very interested and it was amazing. Every single one of their faces I recognized and had seen before. And I taught and spoke better then I have thus far in my mission. And then we invited them to church and on Sunday all the kids came except the oldest brother and they loved it and are really excited one of them already told us he wants to get baptized. So that was really cool and special for me.

We had 5 in church on Sunday 4 from this family but only 3 counted cause the other is less then 8. And we taught the rest of the family and it all went really well and I am so excited. We were expecting to have 10 or 11 in church but only 5 made it. But still I had the most amazing experiences and week. My testimony really grew and was strengthened from this and shows me even more the special power of prayer and of fasting. I love it. I love this work and am so grateful to be here and be apart of this. The feeling and name I get to represent every day is so special and unforgettable. I love you all and hope all is going well. I miss you and have you in my prayers keep this family and all of our investigators in you prayers.

Con Amor

Elder Bigelow

ps. did dad or Ben or Austin ever train? I might be next transfer. And what leadership was Ben and Austin in. dad was DL but any more?

pss can I buy a couple things? p day shoes mine are wrecked, and a blender maybe?

buena semana

May 31,2010

Hola hola hola

Well this week was a good week. It started off a bit difficult but we were working hard and by the end of the week it really exploded for us and we were teaching a lot more. And it was really cool and a lot of fun. It is really interesting at times walking in the middle of the campo with no one around us and stuff at times. And this coming week we have zone conference and one of the area authorities is coming down. A 70, Elder Zivic is his name. So the whole mission is like on over load stress from the leaders and stuff to like impress him or something. So its kinda funny how that has been going this week. But it will be cool. We have to wake up at 3 on Thursday to go to Mendoza to get there on time and everything so that will be good. And this last Thursday we had to leave at 5 to go to San Rafeal to go to have interviews with president. Lots of waking up early and taking long bus rides.

This week a couple funny experiences. We were walking in the campo, Elder Leal and I and we were just talking about whatever stuff we wanted, and he goes over and sees this huge like 12 foot tree branch on the side of the road and picked it up and started swinging it around and stuff saying it was his ´flame sword´ haha it was hilarious, he had it with him about a mile and a half of walking or more. And he was telling me about swords and things while I was talking about letters that I got cause I had just got letters from the Shurtz and a couple friends and the young women in the ward. And we would trade off talking and asking questions. And he would tell me about swords and dragons and stuff, and I would tell him about girls I liked, my friends, and how like all the girls I liked before the mission don’t write me at all anymore and how like we all knew it would happen. All of my friends and I talked about it and me telling the girls I knew they wouldn’t write and now I am like a prophet, cause they don’t. Haha and then he would tell me about classes he took for this stuff and like show me moves and things in the streets it so funny the difference in conversation but somehow relate it all back.

Then the other night we were walking and just had the light of the stars and the moon and it was pitch black and freezing and a pack of like 10 dogs came at as! They were trying to bite us and things but they are so cowardly, once you bend over to pick up a rock and they turn and run away or kick at them and they run off. So nothing bad happened. But it was funny just randomly in the middle of nowhere ten dogs just went off on us.

We found an amazing investigator this week. He was listening to the missionaries like a year ago and stuff just never came to church cause he has work, but now he is planning on coming. He has read the Book of Mormon twice cover to cover and knows its true he feels so good when he reads it and understands everything so well and has prayed and knows its true. We just have to figure out a way to get him to come to church so he can be baptized, but it was so random and lucky we found him. We just talked to him in the street and said to come over and we did and we had an awesome lesson. And it was a testimony to me that with hard work and doing our part the Lord always does his. The same thing happened in Trapiche as you know, but I am starting to see the blessings a little bit from the work we are doing here. It’s hard but fun at the same time. Very Catholic and atheist but things are starting to go our way and I am excited to see what happens.

We started our Book of Mormon challenge yesterday in church, and this little 9 year old girl named Yasmin, comes every Sunday with her grandma but her mom is anti Mormon and wont let her get baptized. But on Sunday she came to me and asked if she could have a book to give to her mom to read and learn. It was so cute and cool for me. This girl is so amazing and smart I want to baptize her but her mom is so against it. It is tough. Then in that same day another little boy a convert of the last elders took three from us and said he was going to hand them out on his walk home that is an hour and a half walk cause he wants to be a missionary someday. So freaking cool, these kids are stronger and better then I was like 5 years ago or less. Haha, really is so special seeing it.

This all reminds me of a few weeks ago a blessing I gave to a new little baby that was sick. Really a cool experience I never told you about cause I forgot. But her name was Milagros.... haha which means miracles. And it truly was a miracle. I found out later she was born from a smoker mom and born early and got sick from the cold but now is totally fine. And better, one it is the coolest name and I think I want to name my daughter that. And two my first blessing I had actually given and it was in Trapiche. But it was really special for me. No like amazing spirit or experience, I have others of those but I just heard more about it the other day and made me really happy to know and I loved the name in the first place but now even more.

Things are good. My shoes are getting worn from walking so much and kicking rocks all day, but they should last, and I still have my other pair I have worn very little thus far in my mission.

I love you all and I miss you. I hope all is well and keep being so awesome

con amor y bueno besito
Elder Bigelow

Bueno besito

Well this week was an interesting week. We knocked a lot of doors looking for more and new people to teach, cause the people that the elder before me was teaching were crazy and like apostasy. So I had to drop them real quick with Elder Leal. Everyone in this area is way catholic!!! And it’s really hard to talk to them. It is so annoying at times listening to the excuses that they have for us. And all the words we say go in one ear and out the other. It’s so dumb at times. And they try to tell me something about our religion and it is wrong and they tell me something about their religion and that is even more wrong. Just sad that I know more about their religion then they do about it. They don’t teach anything in the schools here about the history of the Catholic Church or anything. Just your dad’s dad’s dad’s dad was catholic so you are too!!! Then whatever apostasy thing the priest says in church they think is right. ahh!!!! They are crazy. But its ok we are doing alright.

Working with some members and getting some good stuff done. We are trying to work with these two kids who are of age to go on a mission but are kinda inactive so we are really working with them and president Lindahl received revelation about one of them in specific and so we are really working with him trying to get his confidence up and get him to do splits with us or something and have a good time with him and show him how fun the mission is and the blessing that comes from it. So we will see how that goes.

The baptism that we were going to have on Saturday fell through. She didn’t come so me and another elder in my district made the 45 minute walk from The chapel to her house and to get her and bring her and when we got there she just invited us in and talked for a second and said she was sick...but that’s the typical argentine. She did not want to leave the house cause it was cold. She claimed that her blood pressure had fallen...how do you even tell that or feel that????? Then we explained it was Satan working on her telling her these things and to say them. Then she got all offensive and said we didn’t kiss her the other day when we visited and told her that we can’t and that was wrong of us. And we didn’t call her the night before to say hi. And we came to her house at 8 one night and interrupted her getting ready for bed. And said all this stuff trying to blame it on us. haha so crazy. So I dunno, it was weird and then she didn’t come to church yesterday cause she was offended. just all sorts of weird stuff. And that’s not even half of some of the people here.

I went to do a baptismal interview for the other elders the other day and the lady was outside and just looked way scared when we got there and said she can’t be baptized and then said she was ready and do the interview right there. Then just said amen and walked inside the house.... it was crazy. Needless to say she did not get baptized.

Yesterday at church we had two return missionaries come to the branch. They served here 14 years ago and are back visiting. They were way cool. And in Priesthood, one brother talked about home teaching and some guys got way offended and it turned into a huge argument. Cause no one here does home teaching they just leave it to us missionaries to do it they think. But us and the other RM´S fixed it and calmed everyone down a bit. Wow it was crazy. This whole area is just crazy but fun.

So Lindsey moved out to Louisiana. Wow that is crazy!!! Well that was way random. But cool that will be fun. Letters I do love getting them. I especially love them from my friends. Just not many of them write anymore cause they are on missions and when they do write I then write all of you and send them with that letter cause it is way cheaper for me that way. But email from all you is fine and the occasional letter. Its not a big deal that is fine. As for the thermals, just whatever you want to send me I am good with garments for now maybe by Christmas or something would be good to send more. But I dunno. I just want something to keep me warm walking out here. It’s cold. haha well I miss you and I hope all is going well. Pray for this area and that we will find a family or two to teach and to baptize. It’s really dead and the past elders did some really dumb stuff. It’s like re-starting it. That’s all I need and the language. I hope everything is still going good for all of you and know that your always in my thoughts and prayers.

Con Amor
Elder Bigelow

ps anything about mike gagon? Do any of my friends still get this forwarded to them or is it just family now?

Zacks new area

May 18, 2010

Family and friends

Well I am in my new area and it is really cool. Its in the middle of nowhere far south in the mission. The city really is like in the middle of like a desert in the middle of nowhere and is tiny and really old. But it’s really cool. My area is HUGE we walk for hours to get to a house. And it contains the edge of the city and beyond.... tons of campo. Walk on dirt roads for miles without seeing a person or a house. But we did really well this week for only teaching and being in the area for 4 days. We had the best numbers in the zone, and the district is tearing it up. We have a really nice chapel. It actually has benches to sit on!! And it is not a ward it’s a branch, but there are like 90 active members in it. For a while it had the most active members in the mission, but a few months ago it got out beat. And here it is freezing cold!!! I wear thermals, sweater, coat, gloves, it all and I still get cold cause it’s a humid cold and wind blowing is cold and goes straight through us. So maybe if you could, send those thermals and hand warmers for me. It’s really pretty though, lots of vineyards and green. But it’s dying cause of the cold.


My comp is Elder Leal. He is from Chile. In the northern part. He is cool. Really into comics and Nintendo but that’s fine he is a good kid. He just hit 9 months and I will hit 8 next week so we are close to the same in the mish. He understands everything in English but refuses to speak it, which is fine. I talk to him in Spanish anyway. He makes figures out of clay and they are way good!!! Like he made Moroni, and Nephi, and venom from Spiderman. Its cool, and yeah I like it. Not so much alike as me and Giminez but still I love him and love workin with him.


In my pensh I live with the zone leaders to. One of them is going to play linebacker at BYU and is HUGE!!! His brother played this season there and is my age. Craig Bills is his name. He won Mr. football my senior year and his senior year to. But he is such a nice guy and has BYU in his family 2 of his older brothers played there and now he will be too after the mission. He went to Timpview High School so we talk football a lot and he wants me to play again but I dunno... he is making me work out with him and run with him. Wow I am so out of shape. I can walk for miles and not feel anything, but running sprints.... wow it hurts. Super cool and nice elder though. And said he will hook me up with tickets to the BYU Texas game. So yeah.


The other elder is a convert and ex gang member. He is awesome!!! Had dread locks and just looked scary before the mission. And has some of the most crazy stories ever. And just really made me open my eyes and know that anyone truly can change, if they have the desire. And he is way good at basketball. He is planning on walking on to BYU after the mission and playing there. He is from Puerto Rico, but more so from Ohio. He is awesome!!! Such a strong testimony.


This week was a good week had a few really cool experiences. On my first day we went to get lunch it was a hour walk there then an hour walk back and I prayed in the house for the member and after she started crying and asked how I knew she was sick and needed help from god to feel better. And wow it was a special experience. And another lady her daughter passed away and I was able to talk to her about the plan of salvation. It was really good experience for me and we will see how things go with her.


Next week we are doing an activity in the ward to see who can pass out the most Books of Mormon. The missionaries or the members.... and who ever wins, the loser buys an asado for the winner. So it will be good and the members are way excited and I am really excited too cause we will hopefully be getting a ton of references for us to work with. The members want us to make them into a ward so we told them they need to help us find people to teach and to baptize. I am so excited for this area and for all the things that we will be able to do. It will be really good and lots of fun. Cold... but fun.


Well I love you and miss you all hope it is going well and you are keeping up with everything.

Con Amor
Elder Bigelow

ps next package if you are sending one... hot chocolate, hand warmers, maple syrup(or extract), chocolate chips, brown sugar, candy bars, and poptarts..


pps what was the Book of Mormon challenge again that you have? Three times in how long with what colors and stuff?

Zack is getting Transferred

May 10, 2010

Hey fam.

It was great to talk to you and everything yesterday. Everyone sounds great. And I got transferred. I am going to Avear. It's about two hours farther south then San Rafeal (my first area). And there is only one area farther south then it and it is one hour more. So wednesday I have a five hour bus ride to get there. Oh and I am now district leader. Love and miss you!!

Con Amor
Elder Bigelow