San Martín de los Andes

Hola a todos, ¿como andan?

Todo está perfecto acá. This week has been great, and there's been a lot of miracles, but the first thing I have to tell you guys is that transfers came, and I'm going to San Martín de los Andes!!!! It's in the mountains, and one of the prettiest places in all of Patagonia I've been told. I'm super excited to go there. I'm still in roca right now because I'm also going to be training!! So I'm staying here till Wednesday and then I'll go to the mission home to pick up my comp because my new area's pretty far from the mission home. We're going to be doing double whitewash there with the other elders, so it should be great! Also, Elder Bush from my district will be there with me too! So we're really excited about that.

But anyways, this week was awesome. Our beloved Elder Moser goes home today, and the ward here just loves him so much, we did a lot of goodbye stuff with him this week, it was great. The ward did a big lunch after church yesterday and everything. The ward here really is extremely special, it's truly been a privilege to work here. It was crazy to see Elder Moser go home, it feels like just last week I got to the mission home and he told me he had 19 months. I've also had to ssay goodbye to Elder McNeil my trainer that lived with me and his companion Elder Pineda. It really has been an amazing time in Roca. We were all just such good friends. I truly don't know if my mission will ever be like it has been here again, but that's not a bad thing. Better things are in store.

On Saturday, there were five people that got baptized, and President and his wife came and gave the talks on baptism and the Holy Ghost! It was really cool, and good to see them again.

This week went by faster than an other week, I really don't know what else to say, there's so many changes that are happening and I'm so excited that I don't even know what to think. But I know that this next transfer is gonna be super awesome. I can't wait to meet my trainee and get to my area! It's gonna be awesome.

Love you all!


Elder Grondel


1. buying quesadillas

2. Hno Esteche y Valentin!

3. Pia's (recent convert of the other elders) balcony

4. Chiro (member from Roca)

5. Best

6. Franco

7. Homies

8. Hna Chiquita

9. Best ward in the world

Miracles and Service

Hey there beautiful people, what's up? Everything is great here, I'm loving it.

This week we had the opportunity to do a lot of service for la familia Ledesma, the recent converts of the zone leaders as they're building a room/second-story to their house, so that's been really fun. They're a great family, I'm glad we have this opportunity to spend more time with them.

Our investigator Livio is doing great! He came to the baptism on Saturday and loved it. Unfortunately he didn't make it to church again though, so we'll have to postpone his baptism another week, but he's eating up everything we're teaching him. The other family that we found also had some complications this week, so we haven't been able to see them, but we're seeing them tonight so that should be awesome! They're an amazing family.

We had a super cool miracle this week. On Friday when Livio wasn't home, we decided to contact a little in that area, and we knocked on the house of a lady named Miriam. She was pretty nice, said she was Catholic, but that we could pass by the next morning. So we went with the other Elders we live with so we could get in, and she was about to leave, so we invited her to church and left. Then we thought we forgot to invite her to the baptism, and so Elder McNeil ran back before she drove away, invited her to the baptism, and long story longer, she showed up to the baptism with one of her friends and they loved it! They started crying during the closing hymn "Families Can Be Together Forever" and came to church the next day too! They just ate it up and kept saying that they've been looking for peace, and they could feel it here! They're amazing, so we're hoping for the best there! An amazing miracle to see, I hope I get to stay to see more of it.

This is the last week of the transfer, and we think that Elder Sorenson and I are going our separate ways, in one way or another. It's been a great experience to be with him, I've learned so much and he's helped me improve in a lot of things. I love my life, hope everything's great for you guys too!

Con amor,

Elder Grondel

pics

1. Rugby field we played at for five minutes till we got kicked out

2. Wine bottle we found that's called missionary

3-5. service

6. Post-baptism

7-8. #artsy #tumblr

Many Changes

Hey howdy hey everybody, how's everything going?
Everything's great here, this week was really long, but really good, so I'll get into it.

We found a new family this week that was really willing to listen to us. We had a really powerful lesson with them last night, and we just them walking to the ciber, and they are great. Super loving and really interested, so we're excited about that. We also found some other new investigators this week, so it looks like things will be picking up around here.

We had a zone conference on Thursday, and things are changing a ton. There was a really long MLC (really big conference with the president, assistants, zone leaders and hermana leaders) this week that has put some new things into place which are gonna change this entire mission. I'm super excited to be part of it, but it's gonna require a lot more effort on my part to fulfill wth the new demands digamos. But President's a super inspired man, and he's definitely helping us to reach the standard of missionary that he was on his mission. If I haven't said it before, there's a talk that speaks about President when he was a missonary, and basically long story short, he was super dedicated and had amazing results. For example, he was sent to whitewash an area that hadn't had a baptism in like a year and a half, and he and his companion baptized 18 people in three and a half weeks. So he definitely has some things that are gonna help us improve.

We got to do a lot of service this week which was great. Service is always awesome because it's something different than the everyday, and you always feel great about it. It's been fun to go around doing service, but it's made me reaaaaally tired haha.

Our investigator Olivio is progressing very nicely. We did a church tour with him on Thursday and he loved it all and was excited to come to church, but he texted us Saturday and said he was in Neuquén for the weekend and wouldn't be able to come, so that kind of bummed us out, but we're seeing him tonight, so everything should work out great there. He's pretty interested, we're hoping to see him baptized by the end of the month!

Elder McNeil and Elder Pineda have basically found a new pension, so they'll be moving out soon, so we've been enjoying our time together as much as we can. Elder Sorenson also got an american football this week from his parents so we've been playing with that lately, and it's been really fun.

I love you all so much and hope you have a great week!

Elder Grondel

Pics
1. Chinese Buffet

2. Our ward mission leader's son Valentin

3. Elder Rose's birthday party!

4. Elder Bush's sandal and a half

1-3. Service

4. Alfajores con el loco

Un Nuevo Comienzo

Hola familia y amiiiiiigos, como andan?

Everything is just perfect here in Roca. We had a really great week, and we're excited with the things that have happened, and excited to seguir.

We met a guy named Olivio this week, and he's super special. The hermanas in our district gave us a reference, and we went to contact it, but it turns out the address was wrong and it wasn't in our area. As we were sitting outside texting the zone leaders the reference, this guy came out of his house and said (in english) "Hello, how are you? Did God send you here to talk to me?" Elder Sorenson and I looked at each other and almost yelled yes! We taught him this week, and he's super humble and wants to learn more. He has a catholic background, and likes to talk A LOT, but he's cool and says he'll get baptized on the 23rd! So we're praying and working hard to make sure that all works out. Truly a blessing. We've found some other great investigators this week and are excited about that too.

For New Year's Eve we went to the flia Ledesma's house again and had asado with pollo a disco, it was sooooo good. It's basically chicken, onions, potatoes, carrots, beans, all mixed together in a big metal disk that you put over a fire, and it's amazing. We had a super fun time all 6 of us missionaries, my companion ate a freakin cricket for 300 pesos (20 bucks) hahahaha he's nuts, I love him. On New Year's Day we went to the chapel and played soccer for like 6 hours and then ate at a less'active family's house with the other elders and had, you guessed it, more asado. Just beautiful.

On Saturday I did intercambios (exchanges) with Elder PIneda, and it was really fun. We get along pretty well, and they have awesome investigators. They met this girl Pia that's studying english about two weeks ago, and she's already been to church twice, has tons of friends, and is ready to do anything, asked about having callings and stuff like that. Really cool. Also, we ate at a Chinese buffet here for lunch on Saturday, and it was sooooo good. One of the better life choices I've ever made.

Everything's just perfect right now. I'm loving life, and am just happy, it's great. I love my companion, my district, my area; The Lord is treating me very well.I'm excited to see what this next half of the transfer holds! I love you all and hope the same for each one of you.

Elder Grondel


Pics


1. It rained. A lot.

2. Stray kitten that wandered in our pensh

3-4. New Year's Eve at Ledesma's

We Wish(ed) You a Merry Christmas

This week was great! Mostly because I got to talk with my family, but it was just a good week. I love Christmas.

I feel like I just saw you guys so I don't really have much to say, but I do want to say that Christmas is an amazing time of year, and we should truly treasure it, using it as a time to remember our Savior, and everything that He has done, and continues to do for us. He is always there, waiting for us to come back to Him time and time again. And I am incredibly grateful for that. I hope all of you had a great week with your families.

Not much to update here. We had a couple really good lessons this week and found some new investigators, so we're excited about that. Also, la familia Ledesma got baptized on Saturday! They're investigators of the zone leaders, but we have all been over there a lot for intercambios, baptismal interviews, and we spent Christmas Eve with them, so we've all gotten super close with them. It was so great to see them making this step.

Love you all!
Elder Grondel

¡Feliz Navidad!

Hooooooooooola mis queridos, como están?

This week was really good. Out of nowhere on Tuesday, President called one of our zone leaders Elder Moser and asked him to help the new financiero in the office this week so he can feel more prepared, and so his companion Elder Kauffman was with either Elder Sorenson and I or Elder McNeil and Elder Pineda all week. Because of that, we didn't have much time at all to work in our area, but it was still a great week. The point is I still filled my purpose as a missionary, even if it wasn't in my area. But we did make some good contacts in our area and are excited to go back this week and teach them in this Christmas season.

On Saturday we also did a big Christmas activity in one of the big parks here. We got a projector and a screen (my comp's sheets tied to a chalkboard) and showed a bunch of Christmas videos, contacting all around and trying to bring people in to get more investigators, and just bring the Christmas spirit. It was really cool and a lot of fun. But it definitely does not feel anything like Christmsa still. I can't believe that time has gone by this fast that Christmas is already here, and the fact that it's like blazing outside everyday doesn't help at all, but I'm excited nonetheless.

Elder Pineda (Elder McNeil's new comp) is fitting in nicely in our crazy pensh, and we're becoming good friends. He's a super nice guy and really funny too. The new people in our district are also getting comfortable, it's gonna be a great transfer.

I've had kind of a shift of mind this week that's really helped me to enjoy being a missionary more. I've been really worried about my performance as a missionary in terms of numbers, and tangible statistics you can read, especially as a district leader, where I'm expected to set the example for my district. But I've come to understand that yes, numbers and goals are important, extremely important, and help us to complete our purpose as missionaries, and become more effective, but the more important thing is that I'm being a respresentative of the Lord. I'm doing the things he would do, and loving the people as He does. If I try my best to love the people and be a good missionary and we didn't teach any lessons that day, that doesn't mean I failed. If I feel like I really loved the people, and tried to follow the Spirit, then I'm satisfied. I'm still figuring out this whole life/mission thing, but that's something that I realized this week that's helped me a ton.

I am incredibly grateful for the sacred opportunity I have to serve as a true respresentative of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ here in Roca, to dedicate this time to help His children in this area. At this special Christmas season, I want to bear my testimony of Him. A savior has been born. He lived, He suffered for every each and last one of your sins and shortcomings, He died, and now He lives again. He's calling your name, extending His hand, waiting for you at every moment to come unto Him. His love is inifinite and unfailing, and I have felt it countless times in my life, especially on the missionary. "For unto us a child is born, a son is given: and the Government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace." (Isaiah 9:6) The first gift of Christmas. Remember Him.

I love you all dearly, and hope you have the merriest of Christmas!

Elder Grondel

https://www.mormon.org/christmas?cid=HP_SU_11-29-2015_dMIS_fSPC_xLIDyL1-A_

https://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2014-00-1460-he-is-the-gift?lang=eng


1. This is a bus that we take sometimes, the dude has it all pimped out because it's his bus haha. Kind of blurry, but you can still see it

2-3. nativity that we went to for a little while at the other chapel

Christmas in Roca

Hey everybody! How are you doing? Everything's great here.

First of all, we had our baptism this Saturday! Carla finally got baptized, and her husband Eduardo was able to do the baptism and the confirmation, and it was beautiful. She is so ready, and they are going to continue to be amazing members. I wish there was a temple here so I could see them be sealed, but I'm just glad that they made this step together. We're gonna work super hard this transfer to baptize more too, we're excited.

That means that yes I'll be staying in Roca for the next transfer, with Elder Sorenson! We're both excited to stay and work together, we are going to see so many miracles I know it. One of our zone leaders Elder McCarlie left to Neuquén though, which is sad. He became a really close friend these past few weeks, but I know he'll do great. Our zone is awesome, we have some different changes, but it will still be awesome. Elder Moser is the other zone leader here, and this is his last transfer before he goes home! We've gotten really close too and are excited to alll have fun before he goes, and more importantly baptize.

This week we ended up having to do a lot of tramites and things, so we didn't get to teach as much in our power trio, but it was fun. I got to go to Neuquén to do immigration stuff on Thursday and ate at Subway for lunch. It was amazing. I miss American food soooooooo much it is ridiculous. We talk about it almost everyday.

We found two new investigators, Junior and his brother whose name I could not understand when he told us, and they are fantastic. Neither of them have a Christian background, which makes things interesting, but they're both super sincere and really just want to learn more. I could easily see them being baptized this transfer.

Also, I bought a guitar! Just something simple to have here with me to do talent shows and have fun, but it's awesome. It's so great to have something to unwind with at the end of the day at the pension. My comp and another missionary we live with just bought ukes too, and we're gonna do something for an upcoming ward activity, should be fun.

Well that's about it for this week! Everything is great and I'm just loving life. Can't wait to see what this transfer holds. Love you all so much!

elder grondel

Steak we bought for like a $1.50 each

Subway

Baptism!

Our zone leaders with their tennis shoes and their suits because Elder McCarlie's shoes broke