Asking for Help

 What I learned this week is the importance of asking for help, and I had to learn it the hard way. On Saturday afternoon we had the baptism of Lorena. Saturday morning we were running around doing all the last minute preparations for later that day. The first thing we did was go to the chapel, clean out the baptismal font, and start filling it up. A baptismal font takes about 3.5 hours to fill up if you want warm water. When we opened up the faucet just a little stream of water was coming out so we figured that we would be fine to leave the water flowing while we did the other things we needed to do to get ready. So we left the chapel and focused on making sure that everybody came to the baptism that needed too. 

We got back to the chapel at 3:30 with Lorena. There were a few members waiting outside because we had the keys. As we walked in I told a member,"Let´s hope that the font hasn't overflown." And she called back to my companion who hadn't heard jokingly,"Elder the font overflowed!"

Our ward mission leader Hermano Arévalo

Then we walked around the corner and saw the water creeping down the hallway... The good news is that the chapels in Argentina don´t have carpeted flooring, all tile. The bad news was that we had to clean it up and it was our fault for leaving the font with the water running. Although it was a big mistake that we made, cleaning up the water also was a blessing in a way, because it was kind of funny to think about what happened and it helped me get out the stress that I had built up that morning. While we were drying the floor, a member told me, "you should have asked for our help. We could have stayed and watched the font." 

A lot of times I feel bad asking for help I think that I´m bothering others or that it would just be easier doing it on my own, but the truth is that asking for help takes maturity and wisdom. I also didn't realize it but other people are actually willing to help me, all it takes is the faith to ask. God put us all here together for a reason, we can be saved on our own, we will always need the help of others.  

After all the members helped get rid of the water we all sat down to watch the baptism. Everything turned out well and the spirit that always accompanies saving ordinances was felt once more. 

Have a great week and learn from your mistakes!
Elder Lulich  

       

Here´s a picture of what we did last p-day. we made something called bombas de papas (potato bombs) they are breaded and fried balls of mashed potatoes stuffed with ham and cheese. mmm. it a super easy recipe that I´m sure that mom could find online if you guys want to try it. 

 This week I found m&ms in a grocery store. They cost quite a bit, but it was cool to see American candy.

Preparing for Christmas and Attending the Temple

They haven´t decorated yet for Christmas here in Argentina. And I haven't really seen any Christmas-themed things in stores yet. It's a little weird to have a warm holiday season. The tradition here in Argentina for Christmas is to stay up until midnight on the 24th and open all the presents then. I've heard that they set off fireworks too. I think that we are going to have permission to stay up until midnight on Christmas, but I'm not exactly sure. On the 14th of December we're going to get together as all of the missionaries in Cordoba and have a talent show and conference that's going to be a lot of fun. 

This week I went to the temple for the first time here in Argentina. I listened to the session in Spanish and it was great because I understood everything. Since the temple is still new there are about 4 senior missionaries from the united states and the parents of a sister missionary were in the session too, so I also got to hear quite a bit of English there too. But the language spoken doesn't really matter (as long as I understand it) because the spirit is exactly the same. Going to the temple really helped me see, once again, the bigger picture of what this work is really about, and how I can fill my role as a messenger of God.
Thank you for all the support that you give me. It´s good to see that you´re all having fun. I love you all.

Tyler       

Just enjoying a nice pebete (sandwich).

Fruits of our Labors

This week was fantastic. This Sunday we had the highest attendance of my whole time here in Parque Liceo. Some people who I had never seen in the chapel on a Sunday morning showed up to Church. And Elder Gomez and I had a new investigator there as well who is preparing for baptism. Her name is Lorena. It was a great feeling to see them all.
Recently we've been doing weekly Family Home Evening activities in the chapel and each week they just get better. This week a sister who is returning to activity came to the activity and brought a lot of her family with her. We had a great time there in the church talking about service and having an activity based on the story of the Good Samaritan. There was special spirit there in the chapel that night. When I left I felt that the activity had been a success. And that feeling was proven to be true when the people who went on Wednesday showed up at church Sunday morning. 

I know that Lord can bless us to see the fruits of our labors when we do our part. These "fruits" are a gracious gift from Heaven. As a missionary I know that the success that I see (when I am blessed to see it) is not mine to claim. Seeing people progressing in the gospel is a success as much for me as it for the people making changes in there lives. Overall it is a success for God and His work of blessing and saving His children. 

I hope you all have great week. And may you have the chance to see the hand of God in your lives.

Never a Regular Day

This week was the last week of the transfer here in Parque Liceo. Elder Gomez and I will be staying for six more weeks here together. This week was pretty great. One lesson that I got to relearn this week is that everyone deserves to hear the gospel and we can´t judge who will listen just by looking at them or the situation that they are in. This week I had the chance to preach the gospel on a muddy road in the rain to people living in cement block houses, contact a man and get invited into his house to look at the paintings his wife had made before passing away, give some words of comfort to a man drinking wine who wanted to know why so many terrible things happened in the world, and talk about the first vision with some kids who came up to us wanting to hear the mickey mouse impression of my companion. There is never a regular day in the mission field and I love it. This week, after talking to that man who was drinking, I commented to my companion how awesome it is to be a missionary and be recognized as a messenger of the Lord Jesus Christ.

I know that everyone needs the gospel of Jesus Christ. And how do I know that they need it? Because they live in the world. The twisted and unforgiving and dark and uncertain world that we live in needs to anchor itself to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It is the only true constant that we have.

"Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you" (Matthew 7:7)

Elder Lulich   

I came out a little crazy in this picture, but these are the sons of Mabel Robles, one of the members in our ward. Their names are Andres and Lucas.

Like a Big, Sweaty Blanket

It´s been raining here, and the heat of spring has started. This morning when we left to do our shopping the humidity was like a big sweaty blanket in the air...mmm. 

Something that the mission president has said is that faith is a Heavenly gift and requires sacrifice. When we make a sacrifice and go beyond what we would naturally do we we exercise our faith and there by increase it. President explained this to us with the story in Luke 17:5-10. Our president is a pretty inspired man. He has a special way of explaining the gospel. It´s even better being able to listen to him now that I understand everything he says. ha ha.  A favorite scripture of this week is Philippians 4:13, "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me."

If there´s one testimony that I can give of the mission it´s that I am able to see how the hand of the lord can take something weak and inapt and turn it into something capable of great things. I know that when we forget our own pride and work to fulfill the will of the Lord he will help us do whatever he sees fit. He doesn't want us to remain the same as always, in His mercy He gives us each day as an opportunity to improve. A lot of times I think to myself, "Am I taking advantage of this opportunity?" Thinking about how desirous the Lord is to help me improve and how unappreciative that I must seem when I don´t put in my part really helps me always try to do my best. The mission is the best place because it gives me the structure to really recognize what I can do better and the chance to change. 

I hope you all have a great week

Elder Lulich   

Martin's Testimony

Something really cool that happened yesterday was that the new convert Martin shared his testimony in church. We had told him before sacrament meeting that he was free to go up and share what he felt, but I thought that he would be to scared to do it. I was really happy when I saw him stand up and walk to the pulpit to share his testimony. He shared with us the story of his conversion. How, after quite a while receiving the missionaries in his house, he finally decided to read and pray. He shared how the night that he prayed he had a beautiful dream and woke up with a special peace. That was all the answer he needed to know that the church is true. His testimony was very special and very spiritual because it came directly from his heart. And that´s what a testimony should be.

Here´s a picture, ask Kylie to translate it for you. In the house of a member I saw that they had a little thought bubble that said this so I had to take a picture with it.

Why Not? ¿Por qué no?

This week we got the chance to go to two missionary conferences one of them on Wednesday with the mission president and the other on Saturday with the general authority Elder Walter F. Gonzalez. I have to say that after this conference I have an even stronger certainty that the Lord directs his work and he wants all of his children to be able to know him and know their place in the world. 

Me and my trainer Elder Sparks. I was able to see him again in the conference on Wednesday. He´ll be going home next transfer.

In the conference with Elder Gonzalez we talked a lot about how we can increase our faith as missionaries to be able to bring about the Lord´s plans. One thing that I've been thinking a lot about since Saturday is a question that the Elder asked: "why not?" It´s a pretty simple question and there are a lot of ways that it can be answered, but what I've been thinking most about is, "if the Lord has great plans for his children here then WHY would they NOT be fulfilled?" 

This isn't a complaint, great things are happening here in Parque Liceo, I see miracles every day of people who are learning more about their Father in heaven. I can see that the hand of God is in this work. This question is more of a motivation for me. It helps me think about the things that I am doing that keep the plans of God from coming to pass. How can I deliver this message better? How am I getting in the way of the investigator? How useful am I as an instrument of the Lord? 

The question "why not?" can be applied to all of us. We all need to ask "why not?", set goals that will stretch us, look for ways to improve, and exercise our faith in the Lord by doing everything possible to achieve the impossible. I know that the Lord has the power to make us better people. I know that as we try to see things the Savior sees them we´ll start doing the things that he does and we´ll end up being as he is.