Life moving on...

So, I thought I should do a little bit better of continuing. I will probably need to change the name of my title page as I'm no longer in Argentina; but maybe I'll go back someday, who knows?

I am in Finals week so I'm not sure why I'm writing on my blog but I am working on a take-home test on how to improve an area for long-term development and growth after a natural disaster. I haven't decided what I'm going to write but I have some ideas.

So I have an interest in int'l issues and found this article interest about the effects of personalities and actions many years later. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/06/opinion/06bradley.html?em
This one is about how Theodore Roosevelt's actions, which apparently warranted a Nobel Peace Prize, was one of the factors that led to Pearl Harbor occurring. It's a short article but effective in showing how one event possible led to another many years later.

Duhn, duhn, duhn

Well, here we go again, this week was great, we had a large group of 17 that shrunk to 10 the second day and to 6 the third day, but it was fun to work with everyone though; it's hard to get to know everyone the first day, but usually at the end of the 2nd you know everyone in the class. I taught the 3rd day by myself yesterday as Jordan went on a young men's campout and gets back today...

I enjoy working with people and improving how I teach the workshop each time, it certainly gets better if I put in the effort. The missionary couple that just arrived, the Barton's, who Sergio has put in charge of the center, are great people, they are learning Spanish but they are the nicest and greatest people to work and be with; I'm so happy they are here and in our ward as well.

Well, this last Sunday I got called to teach primary, I teach my first lesson tomorrow, we'll see how it goes...

Two weeks later...

Well, these last two weeks were interesting and busy. We taught two workshops, both went well and we had some interesting experiences. Friday night I went out ice skating with some of the other young adults in the ward, it was pretty fun. Last week, I ate pizza in front of an apartment and talked to the security guard about the church and the workshop and invited him to come and participate. I hope he does, I gave him my number, email, and the number of the center, he was a nice 30-year-old guy from Peru, they are lots of Peru.

Speaking of Peru, I'm thinking of maybe taking a bus there after to see some things there and in Bolivia (and see some of Argentina's countryside). I'm planning on it but we'll see if it comes to fruition.

Anyway, Jordan (my companion) and I have been asked to team teach the 8-11 year old primary class, they are also doing D&C, it should be a fun/interesting experience.

Also, Jordan and I have been going semi-regularly to the gym, it's nice to get some exercise, especially in a bit city.

Last Saturday (about a week ago) we went to a park nearby (a collection of parks actually) and took some pictures, it was pretty and there was a nice lake. We also saw a Japanese Garden that had some really cool looking fish in it:

okay, my pictures aren't loading

well, I tried to upload pictures and I have a problem my memory card doesn't fit my media card and my transfer cable doesn't fit my camera so plan A and B failed so now I'll have to find some other way to post pictures.

well, the last two days were interesting, on Friday we had our graduation of our 10 alumni: Leila, a PEF loan student studying psychology; Myriam, a 17 year old PEF loan recipient hoping to do Public Relations; Ezequiel, an RM who just got back from Chile I believe and loves auto things; his sister Micaela, who wants to do something in cosera o algo, no me acuerdo; Sebastian, a 27-year-old RM who served in Cordoba I believe and is looking to do something with computers in the long run; Hector, a 30 or 40 something Peruvian immigrant from Trujillo who joined the church a few years ago in Argentina, is engaged to a Peruvian from Lima and has already received his endowment; Horacio, a 40-something martial art, gym instructor who always had lots to say; Jose Luis, a non-member who started let but was really nice; Gonzalo, a 18-year-old boy who wants to do something in IT; Veronica, a 30 or 40 something woman who's done a lot of sales in her own business and recently baptized member who contributed positively; and Angeles, a 20-something mother of a three-year-old who is looking for longer term work and had a lot to say. It would be better if I had pictures.

Anyway, didn't mean to bore with that so I thought I'd write it down so I'd have it.

So, Friday we had no power and so we wandered around the city and decided to see Bolt at the movie theater in Spanish and 3D. It was really good actually so go see it. The pigeons in it had Argentine accents and the people in the theater loved it, it was funny.

Yesterday, I wandered around into the missionaries while grabbing some things and they were waiting for a member who I then met (and this is close to our apartment) and we walked over to a florist shop and I got to be part of a missionary discussion of a family that is getting baptized in February, and they live half a block away from us, it was crazy. The lesson was on tithing, it was fun to be part of a lesson and I can see how members are very important in the work. The man's name is Ezequiel and hers Margarita. She has a 22-year old son Fernando and he has three daughter Iris, Rocio, and Brisa (cute names!). Anyway, we walked home with Ezequiel and his three daughters today and they got interested in the church meeting members who lived nearby who worked in the South America South Area Administrative offices, which are just a block away from our apartment as well. Asking questions they eventually learned enough and Ezequiel says he has changed a lot. He stopped smoking 10 days ago and says that just last week he had long hair down to his waist that he cut off. So it's great to see them happy. He is actually going to participate in our taller this week so Jordan and i will get to see him a lot. Extermely nice man.

So, I'm thinking of seeing if we can do the self-employment taller a little more often then just once the whole time we're here but we'll see, depends on what the managers feel is most important.

Anyway, I kind of blab a lot but I like to get the details down so I remember; it's been fun; there are tons of trees on the streets so it's a fun city to stroll around in. I did for about an hour and a half last night as i searched for a DVD rental place.

I hope i get pictures up soon. Bye.

Day Before Leaving

Hi everyone! This week is going to be an interesting one. I'm excited for the opportunity to go and serve, I know it will be a special experience. I hope I actually stay up to date on this blog. I'm actually a pretty good journal writer now so I think it is possible although my brother-in-law Kory says he can't see me keeping a blog, we'll see:). Anyway, I have a wonderful family, all 13 of them now and all my extended family too. I'll have to start posting pictures or referring people to Facebook when I get them.

Last week was special, I learned a lot but more than that is that I saw the Lord's hand in many things; particularly in this program and i certainly recommend it to anyone thinking of doing it at all. What a singular opportunity it is! I'll tell people more about it as I go along but all I can say right now is "Don't put off service! Don't put off doing something you've always wanted to do! So much good can happen and you can make it happen and ask God to guide you as to how you can do the most good in your life and he will help you make those decisions." I know that is true because I've see it happen in my own life. I know he is excited for me too and that a lot of blessings will result from this experience for me, my family, my friends and those I meet in Argentina. Here's to an awesome experience to come. I pray I can give it my all!

Training

We just finished a week of training, it was excellent. This experience is going to be awesome!