From Trio to Duo

So the trio is now down to two. Elder Barrowes had some things he had to take of back home so now it is just me and Elder Mcdonald! So this is the 3rd white wash I have been in my mission! (that's when both of the missionaries are replaced in an area and two new missionaries come in) Elder Mcdonald and I will be getting lost all over again, but it's not the first time and it certainly will not be the last. 

We are in the ward of Paso Del Rey. The regular attendance on Sundays is about 40 people. The area is a lot more rural than my last one. I am back to dirt streets. We are very happy to be here to help this ward grow. There is a lot of potential in this area. Also Elder Mcdonald and I are the only Americans in the entire zone! He is currently in the mission offices today for a meeting so I am on divisions with Elder Meneses who is from Brazil! It was a little crazy that we got called to zone of Moreno because President hardly ever calls Americans to this zone. But I know we are here for something. 

Jared and Elder Barrowes

These next few weeks are going to be a lot of work. Just walking and finding new people to teach. I am so tired. There's a reason it's called missionary WORK not missionary PLEASURE. But it is the most rewarding work you can do.

Elder Gygì

Transfered... Again

Argentina Nacional Selección

My time in San Justo has come to an end. Transfers are tomorrow and I have been told I am going to a new zone called Moreno and my area is Paso Del Rey. And I am going to be in a trio! Not sure how I feel about that, but I already know both of my comps. Elder McDonald from Oceanside, California and Elder Barrowes from Ogden, Utah. Three Yankees (that's a derogatory name for Americans here) in the streets of Moreno (known as the most dangerous zone in the mission...). (Wait a minute, Jared told us when we Skyped that President said he wouldn't send Jared to a dangerous area :/, the Lord has other plans) I am very excited to be working with both of them! This is going to be an exciting transfer.

V and F were confirmed this past Sunday and it was great. They are working on their family history to go to the temple and be baptized for them, too.

I don't have much time because I will have to pack! Hope all is well back home.

Elder Gygi

Elder Wilcox was Jared's previous Zone Leader and he wrote the following to his parents after doing an exchange with Jared:
"This week we finished our divisions, finally! We have been doing two or more divisions for pretty much the past 5 weeks.  I worked with Elder Udall and Elder Gygi, both from Arizona, this week. They are great Elders. One thing that Elder Gygi helped me realize is to be always looking toward the future, at a bigger perspective. I had some decent plans down for the day. We walked and walked. Talked and talked. With other people, that is. But all of the appointments I had made that day pretty much went through. I guess I might have been showing it too much that I was somewhat stressed. Near the end of the day, Elder Gygi reminded me we had given away like 5 books of Mormon and done much good. We had found other people for other areas, and passed along the references. His good sense put me at ease, thanks Elder Gygi!"

Baptisms!

Hey Family!

Sorry last week I wasn't able to write. Sometimes it happens. 
This week was great! We had 3 baptisms in our district! The sisters in the other area baptized their investigator E, and I was able to do the interview for her. She is a very nice 60-year-old lady who lives alone. She bore her testimony of the Book of Mormon and of Joseph Smith. It was a great interview.
Elder Carreño and I also were privileged to baptize V and F. They are two investigators we have been working with for about 4 weeks. V is 59 and is the dad of F, who is 19. They originally had a baptismal date for the 14th of January but they heard all of the lessons and asked if they could move the baptism up to the 8th. We said of course you can! F is pretty timid so we were not sure how he would be at the baptism or in church, but he surprised us. This Sunday was testimony meeting and during the meeting F turns to me and asks "Can I go up?" I said absolutely! So he went up and bore a great testimony of the things we had taught him. After he sat down, he looked at his dad and said "Dad, now you go!" So V got up and started to cry, which was surprising because he is a big tough guy. He said how happy he was that he and his son had found the church and made the choice to be baptized. After sacrament meeting, we had the baptismal service. I baptized V and Elder Carreño baptized F. Those are moments that I recognize the blessings of serving a mission. I know this is the work of the Lord.

Elder Gygi