'you know what I expect'

We have been talking to more and more people and I guess it makes sense that we are having more success finding investigators. We are also super lucky to have the members in this ward that want to help us out. They are offering to give us food so that we can cook in the apartment separate. It's super nice of them to be thinking about us.

I have also set a goal to write one way that I have seen the hand of God in my life in my Journal every night. There has not been a day where I have not seen the hand of God in my life this week. I have had prayers answered and have been strengthened many times.

One interesting experience happened to me recently. Last week my companion decided to listen to unapproved music, so I tried to encourage him to stop but it only led to anger and him telling me everyone does it. I prayed for help to know what to do and the next time it happened I thought of my dad saying 'you know what I expect' and was able to help my companion by saying 'you know what the Lord expects.' We talked about looking at our own problems in church and I have been praying to see my own mistakes more clearly. My companion helped me to remember one of the rules today and I thought of the same phrase 'you know what the Lord expects.'

I am very grateful to my dad for letting me know what he expected and then letting me act. That is how God works with all of us. I am more and more grateful for what God has done for me and for the answers we can get to prayers.

Pray daily with real intent and look for the blessings of God in your life and you will be able to see them.

Elder Dallin Skouson

P.S. Thank you so much for the packets of Kool-aid and the Kit-Kats.

Salt and pepper. Haha the brown one was as white as the other but they are water filters and it filtered our water for 2 months or so.

I have started to appreciate mayo now. I think that I will be able to eat anything when I get back home.

Streets of Resistencia 

Park in our area

2 Temples in Argentina!!!!!!

We have had a hard time connecting with some families that we are teaching here and it was really weird telling people to not come to church because of the dedication of the temple in Cordoba, but we worked hard, and were able to find some new people to teach. my companion is showing me a good example of how to talk with a lot of people to find those to teach in the city part of our area.

The morning with clouds in Resistencia, Argentina. 

Helping people to stop smoking or drinking is interesting because there is power in the Atonement to help. Testifying to those who can feel the captivating power of the addictions about that truth is very powerful. If we have the faith in Christ and humility we can overcome our challenges and our weaknesses.

So, the highlight of this week was probably the dedication of the temple in Cordoba. We were able to get to see it from the stake center here. It was broadcast from the temple. It was a very spiritual and good experience. I was very glad to be able to participate.

I have been thinking a lot about temples and the more I learn the more I realize how important they are. Everything in the temple points to being able to live with God and our families forever--That's all we do. The real goal isn't to get people into the church to have a better lifestyle or to do it because the church makes you feel good, but it is to get families together and complete to live with God again. My mom wrote me the line from praise to the man. ¨Sacrifice brings forth the blessings of Heaven¨ Whatever we have to sacrifice to be able to get the blessings of heaven given in the temple is worth it.

Elder Dallin Skouson.

Hamburgers

Thank you family.  I'm so glad it made it even though it took over a month. 

The Lord prepares his people.

Calling home was probably the best part of the week this week. I got to use skype on a phone so that reminded me of having a phone as well. It was really fun to get to see my family again. The months are passing pretty fast now.

We have been talking to a woman named Sandra, who some sisters taught almost everything a long time ago. She lives with her family, Her dad that drinks a lot, her brother that drinks a lot, her son that does drugs and her mom. I think it's a pretty rough situation. We are explaining to her the importance of the Book of Mormon and the restoration as well. She said she believes the Book of Mormon is true and is surprised that her church doesn't use it. She said someday we are all going to be Latter Day Saints, but she says she is still Protestant. She says the church she goes to tells her to run but she knows we are good guys. We are going to see how we can help her understand how and why to change.

We have been working hard and we have gotten better at getting through the door of the people. We talk to them about thier dogs, their kids, their job, their hobbies, (if they haven't been brainwashed by a pastor to run or tell us what we believe) and then we can share something that applies more to their lives. We have also really been thinking about how to work togehter with the members better.

We did divisions this week as well. It was good to get some ideas from my zone leader of how to improve. We passed by a members house and it was very interesting to see how people change. The son of this less active lady was there and he just waved us right in before he has told us he doesn't want anything. We were able to talk with him and his kids. he was very friendly. Even though we didn't do anything he is changing. The Lord prepares his people.

We are going to get to see the dedication of the temple in Cordoba as well from here in the chapels with satellite. We are all very excited for the second temple in Argentina and the additional opportunities it will afford. I am very grateful for this life and the opportunities we have here, especially for the chance to have a forever family. God gave us all and He is in charge. His arm is always extended toward us and He will not leave us behind.

Love,

Elder Dallin Skouson

The Lord makes up for our weaknesses.

So, I'm still here in Resistencia, same area but with a new companion. Elder De La Peña from Mexico. We also have 2 other Missionaries staying with us as well waiting for new missionaries to get here so yesterday my companion and I were working seperatly. It was probably much harder for him than for me because he had no idea where he was going in the area.

With transfers it is very hard to remember what happened this week. We had stake conference we also got to attend the Saturday afternoon adult session. It was very good and sadly there were more missionaries there than members. There were quite a few people that showed up for Sunday morning though. It reminded me of normal Sunday meetings in my ward at home, and didn't quite compare to when I ushered in the stake conference we had at BYU. We filled the Wilkonson Center dance room and then didn't have enough seats and we had to put some in the hallway and open another part of the room.

I for sure learned a lot with Elder Condori. He was very good at being gentle with the people and patient. I am excited to be working with Elder De La peña as well he is very excited and I think we will be able to have success.

We have been working with a family where the dad is the only member and he isn't active. He got married, baptized and the separated and now is co-habitating with a different woman. He said he could see his prior marrige wasn't working out so they never got sealed. It was sad. I just wanted to say apply the gospel and it could have worked out if you both were willing to do it.

There is also a 12 year old recient convert here who has a mental disability. He lives with his grandma and I was quite impressed with how patient she is with him. She has to talk to him for 5 to 10 minutes every day so he will take his pill. I was impressed at the love she shows to him when he is very slow to obey.

I was thinking also about how we all have strengths and weaknesses. The Lord will make up for the weaknesses we have so that we can do what He needs. Even the writers of the Book of Mormon were woried about how weak their writing was but it has now been said that it is the most correct of any book. We will be able to do the work the Lord wants us to if we are humble and willing to follow his guidance.

Elder Dallin Skouson

With my companion, Elder De La Pena, and a ´doble pizza´

With a horse that is in the middle of the 4 block park in the center of the city.