And a happy new year!

Everyone,

This week was good. We had to stay in the apartment after 7 on
Wednesday and Thursday but we worked with some good people. We visited
with one man about 30 years old who approached us in the street and
asked us to help him change. He really is interested in hearing us I
think. His dad 60 years old told us he was impressed that we have a
desire to do this for Christ so early in life, but he was less
interested in hearing the message we share.

I absolutely loved talking to my family on Christmas.  That was a lot of fun to see everyone and talk to them.  Everyone looked good.  I miss you guys.  I'll see you again on Mother's day.  

Elder Skouson on Christmas 2014 talking on Skype to us.
It was awesome talking to him. He's skinny, (lost some weight) but looked good! 

We have been working hard and also visited the family of one of the friends of our young converts. We had a good lesson with them and were able to invite them to find out more. They seem interested and we plan on visiting them more.

We had a party friday for our zone and that was fun. We sang, ate and played games. It was good to get to take a break for a few hours from the normal routine. I also got a little sick and we had to stay in our apartment that evening. That was not so fun but I'm fine now.

One lesson I have learned in the past few weeks is to really focus on
improving yourself first. I have studied a little bit the conference
talk by President Uchdorf "Lord, is it I?" and think it is really
interesting. We had a very good district meeting our district leader
talked about focusing on oneself before others. One of the elders told
me afterward. "That was perfect how he was talking straight to Elder
... and Elder ... like that. They really needed to hear that. They are
always focused on others." Of course, this was quite funny but I think
in one way or another we could all improve. You can find the talk by
an apostle of the Lord here:
www.lds.org/general-conference/2014/10/lord-is-it-i?lang=eng

Elder Dallin Skouson

Elder Skouson looked so happy and we were so happy to see him and talk to him.  He sounded wonderful!!

FELIZ NAVIDAD!

Everyone, 

The trees are green. The mangos and limes are ripening and it is

always hot and humid. So, it does not feel like Christmas, but I am
excited.

This week we got a 3rd companion because his other companion went home

to be home before Christmas. His name is elder Vergara. He is from
Spain, and you can hear his accent in the z and soft c words. It's
more like a th or sh or a mix of the two.

Elders Simmons, Vergara and Skouson.  Merry Christmas!! 

We are also working the 2 areas. Ours and his and that is stressful to be 2 nights away from home then 2 home but there are lots of people to

teach and help to build their relation with Christ.

We have been reviewing the lessons with Elian and Luciana and they were unfortunately unable to come to church this Sunday. Elian's dad has him work construction with him on Sundays. I hope they can stay

firm in the church.

I got to play the piano in sacrament meeting for the primary program.  It didn't go perfect but it was good enough.

Thinking about you guys this Christmas, and hope you all have a very

happy safe Christmas. Remember that this is the time of year that we
celebrate the birth of Christ, the very Son of God, and that there is
¨...no other name given nor any other way nor means whereby salvation
can come unto the children of men, only in and through the name of
Christ, the Lord Omnipotent.¨ (Mosiah 3:17) How great of a gift He is

to each one of us. Remember the true meaning of Christmas this year.

Love,

Elder Dallin Skouson

One of the members in our area who went to work in Buenos Aires. 

This is just after we did a musical program for Christmas. 

Baptism!

Everyone,

This week was one of the fastest I've had here. We had p-day Tuesday
then worked hard the rest of the week.

Elder Skouson, Elian and Luciana, Elder Simmons

We didn't find a lot of people but we did visit a lot of the people we already have to visit. We have been talking to a woman named L... She has a little bit of trouble with drinking. We visited her one day and she was a little bit drunk. I don't understand it. She says she drinks because she has some difficulties in her life but she seems happier when she is sober...

We also finished off teaching the last of the lessons to Elian and Luciana and they were able to make it to their baptism, and we only
started 30 minutes late (normal for Argentina). They were super
excited. They also were confirmed members yesterday and we were able
to help them pay tithing last night. They are excited. The sad part is
that their mom showed up really late to their baptism and you could tell she had been drinking a little she tried to hug me. Also, their dad didn't come so that he could drink with his buddies.

We also had some other encounters with drunk people this week.

In the end,  I can say that the word of wisdom is really words of wisdom from God. You will have better health and a clearer mind by living it's principles and you will feel the spirit more in your life.

Elder Dallin Skouson

Happy Day!!

Semana sin mi compañero

Everyone,

This week was really slow but now looking back quite fast. Elder

Simmons went to Cordoba to do some papers for immigration. He left

Tuesday and got back Saturday. I was with Elder Trujillo from Colombia

from Tuesday to Friday and then with Elder Criado and Elder Calderon.

they are all very nice, but it was hard to only work in my area less

than half the days.

Also, we have had some difficulty with the card to take out money of my

companion. His card just won't work. I hope that mine does because the

mission has transferred all the money to pay the rent to my card. We

will see.

Elder Skouson and Elder Simmons

Our Area is interesting we have a good section of square blocks with

houses like my other area, but we also cover a neighborhood that was

just kinda thrown together. The posts for the power cables are only 12

feet or so tall and all the power lines are thinner than most extension

cords and the houses are made of wood, brick and sheet metal whatever

the people had. (also there is a surprising lack of direct TV)

We found one woman named Erika living in this neighborhood that told

us she had been praying for someone to come to her house to invite her

and help her change. And, another woman named Leaz with problems with

drinking who is desperately looking for peace in her life.

My zone in Clorinda

We also have a Baptism scheduled for this Saturday for two kids.

Luciana 10 and Elian 12. They are very excited especially Elder

Simmons, and we are very excited for them. We are teaching them the

last few things they need to hear and hope that everything goes over

smoothly. We are praying hard.

One lesson in particular this week was very good. We taught about the

Book of Mormon to one of the investigators of Elder Trujillo. We read

the (2 Nephi 29?) chapter about how people would reject the Book of

Mormon because they think the Bible is sufficient. It hit me in the

lesson that the Book of Mormon is not just evidence of our church that

talks about Christ, but it is evidence that Christianity is correct---

That it isn't just a religion made up in the Middle East, but that God 

really did create the World---That we actually have a Savior who loves

us---That every person is important to God.

Elder Dallin Skouson

Me sitting at our desk, and Christmas decorations thanks to Elder Simmon's family who sent a package down with someone coming to visit Argentina. 

Just being missionaries. It's super hot around here. 

God knows our names. We belong in the spirit family of God.

Everyone,

This week was a good week. We worked hard and found quite a few new investigators. We had a multi-zone conference on Wednesday so we went to Formosa for the night Tuesday. We got to sleep in the appartment of Elder Simmons's old companion. It was fun and I learned a lot in the conference even though it was about the same stuff as the time before for me in my other area. We then got home late Wednesday and started to work again Thursday.

Starting Thursday night we did exchanges and I got to ride the bus to the other side of Clorinda and work with Elder Vergara we talked to his investigators and learned a lot. We then switched back for Friday and Saturday.

So, that's basically what happened this week. But some of the better experiences were with some people in our area.

We ran into a woman who lives in a neighborhood called Bario Toba. I think that the people in this neighborhood generally have some native American ancestors. She showed us a book she has in Estonian and asked if we could read it. It was about the neighborhood and had pictures of her in the back. It looked like some Estonian anthropologists had visited and written a book. She also had an album of foreigners from all sorts of countries who had visited her house. It was really cool and we shared the message of the restoration with her. She was paying a little bit of attention until the end we asked her a question about praying and she told us some of her worries. She said she was very worried about going to hell and wasn't sure what God wanted from her. She said she wasn't even sure who she is. We were able to testify that God has a plan for her, that he knows her personally. God has a plan for each one of us and knows every one of our names. This is the testimony that we are able to share with all people. To help give them a sense of belonging in the spirit family of God.

Elder Dallin Skouson

Elder Skouson, Elder Simmons and Simmons old Companion

Boys of a member family.  They go with last weeks pictures, too.