WEEK 21

Kent's Zone

Santa making deliveries aka his Mission President and wife

Monday Dec 19, 2011

Alright so really I don’t have any idea what happened last week and if it was my fault I would like to apologize. I promise you that I did send a letter last week but I don’t think it sent and it didn’t save as well so I don’t know but the important thing is that I’m writing now.

Much has happened in these last few weeks, as you can see we had a baptism last week and another one again this week! It has been amazing see these people grow closer to Christ and make these important decisions in their lives to follow him. I’m so happy for them that they are doing the right thing. We baptized this boy named "A" this week too and he is soo cool he’s 10 years old and the rest of his family will be baptized as well but they are just going to take a little bit longer. There are some things we need to work with them on, like word of wisdom and law of chastity but it’s a challenge I’m ready to handle. Anyway I’m grateful for the example he will be to his family.

But anyway I should tell you about the crazy weekend after the baptism we had, so transfers were this well today but we got the calls on Sat.  So what has happened is that my old area Renacimiento has been closed and there will no longer be missionaries working in that area officially. I have been transferred to the area San Vicente, and guess what they are neighbours. My new comp is Elder N. It’s really funny too cause after the baptisms on Saturday and we both baptized, we were talking and I was like ¨hey were gunna be comps next transfer” just jokingly cause he has 6 months in this area already so this next will make it seven and a half but ya then we did end up being comps. He’s way cool and we have been in the same pension now for 3 months and so now we are comps and both our comps left to other areas. So we went from a 4 man pension to 2 so this could get a little interesting. But hey I’m excited and its really sad cause there are more people that can be baptized in that area but I will talk to President and see if we can keep on visiting them. Anyway I better move on cause I don’t have too much time left and were kind of in a rush and I can tell you a lot more detail on Christmas.

Speaking of that. I will buy a phone card here and will be calling from our chapel and so I will be calling the house around 6pm my time and I think that’s about 3pm your time so if you could all be there that would be awesome. I’ll just call and then we will talk and ladida it will be done but I’m pumped to hear you guys this next week. Its gunna be a real Christmas treat and also I got your package. It was one that said Navidad Especial on it so I hope that’s the one you sent a long time ago, if not its probably lost and now I have this one but hey it’s all good I’m looking forward to opening it.

 I don’t really know what else to say right now my mind is going pretty fast and I want to say so much, I have so little time.  I hope all is well with you guys it sounds like you are all staying busy with basketball both Sara and Dad coaching (way to go by the way!!!!) and ya sounds like your all keeping busy and Mom with Christmas all lined up. Man I miss the holidays but hey I got time to enjoy later.  I’m loving it here, its definitely hard at times and we will see how this next transfer goes but hey I’m loving the work and I know it’s what I need to be doing and I know that it is true. I know that God can help us with whatever we are going through and he’s there to help us out. Anyway I’m sorry not too much said today and I didn’t really have any stories to share but hey until next week. I love you all soo much and I’ll talk to you soon. 

Love, Kent 

WEEK 19 - a baptism!!

MOTHER FATHER ERIN SARA!!!!!!!

How are you all?

Well from the Christmas letter which I thoroughly enjoyed sounds like everyone is doing great and I learned some new things that you haven’t told me so that was sweet like Sara and the guitar!! Cool, cool and the duet. Anyway time to get to business.

So as you can probably tell from the pics we had a baptism!!!!!!!!! It was so great, they are 2 boys of 11 years and they are soo cool, named F and N. I baptized for the one with his hair down and Elder L baptized N with the spiky kinda of hair. It was amazing and I’ve got my white pants wet now!!  I’m just so happy, we just had the best week of success and I don’t want to count more chickens before they hatch but we should be having 2 more this next Saturday and then hopefully 4 the week after that so ya it should be a very merry Christmas!! Man it’s just been great to see that through hard work and diligence the Lord can bless us and in this last little while I have seen a lot of blessing the Lord has given us. Oh and sorry about spelling this week this keyboard is pure junk!! 

Anyway on to more things so by the way I’m just wondering but me and my comp were talking about it, what do we use when we do fondue??? Like what liquid?? Just a weird question but whatever. 

About the devotional, unfortunately we couldn’t go to it cause it was at 10 at night here cause the time difference but hopefully we’ll be able to see it another time and if not then when I’m home. But ya I hope you guys enjoy it. I don’t even want to start to talk about Christmas even though it’s great cause there are so many things I miss, like carolling, caramels, decorating, just being home listening to Christmas music. Oh by the way I heard the new JB album came out and it’s Christmas so maybe I’ll see it around here. Anyway it sounds like the Christmas season is there already in Canada. but it’s not seeming like it here, still really hot all the time, not any decorations here, so really I haven’t seen a glimpse of the Christmas spirit but hey it will come in my heart you can know that.

 About the calls I haven’t been told much I think I just get a calling card and then call you guys. I think we should get an email about it soon so I’ll forward it if you don’t get it. I don’t really know what else to put, but ya we play futbol all the time so that’s really fun and I’m improving so I should be like Messi when I get home. He’s the best soccer player in the world and he’s from Argentina by the way. But ya so anyway not much else to write sorry folks but just know I had a great week. 

It was way fun and just really felt the influence of the Lord, great success and blessings come when we are really trying to do what’s right. I’m just trying to be the best missionary I can be and so we’ll see what’s in store for me next week.

Well no more news from me but love you all and have a great week!!

 Little Kentis

WEEK 18 - Service, Service, Service

Kent with Elder Bridge

Kent licking the brownie spoon

Kent with their sausages, almost as tall as him - that is a lot of sausages

Monday Nov 28, 2011

Alright so it’s time for a real letter

So fam what is up with you this week, and the answer better be like pretty amazing cause that is what I pray for every day.

It sounds like it’s going pretty well and I’m so happy to hear from you every week, but anyway time to start so let’s go with service first.  And oh man we had a lot of service this week and I loved it!!! First off we go to teach this guy named F and he is 11 years old and his mom is inactive and we go there just expecting to share a lesson and a good thought with him cause he is preparing for baptism. They weren’t there and his grandparents live behind them and they are inactive and so we went to see if they were home, but to make this long story short what ended up happening is that we went planning to teach a lesson and we finished by re-roofing their house. We were still in our shirts and ties and so it was pretty fun but this week was way hot and so I was on the roof and we threw the metal off and then swept it and put new stuff on and then nailed it down but I was dying the whole time cause it was soo hot. And then more service that day we went and helped a less active family smash up their like I don’t know like side path way beside their house to make way for us laying pipe. This is an ongoing service project and we will be back to help them finish up cause we couldn’t do it all in one day.  Then other days we have helped move big cabinets out of people’s houses and smashed them up and ya so it’s been a great week for service and it feels so great to help people with stuff like this!! 

So next I guess I should talk about the service of making brownies and mom you should be really proud of me because through watching you make brownies so many times I think I’ve developed your sweet loving way in which you prepare and cook it well I guess bake it. But ya we made brownies this week twice for 2 different families and it turned out pretty well I think well actually one of the times I burnt the edges a little but the other one turned out really well so I’ll be using that for probs the rest of my mission.  I’ll have to make it when I get home but me and Elder L made this bomb salsa that tastes soo dang good and I’m not going to spoil the surprise but I know home time is a long way off but ask me about the agasani salsa when I get home ok haha.

Some other news is that this week I found out that I have to give a talk on the 11th of December so I need to start preparing now. Please pray for me cause its gunna be or I guess has to be about 15 min and all Spanish and ya I need to sound intelligent and like I know what I’m talking about so your prayers about that would help but just something in the life of a missionary. In other news I have a little bit of a story. 

Last week we were just walking down the street and this lady came up to us and she started asking if we were the missionaries and stuff like that and then started saying, like I need your help because I was talking to my pastor and he said he couldn’t help me but look for these people describing us and they are more spiritually prepared to help you!!  Crazy huh??  She came up to us and we set up a visit for later and then when we went to teach her she said there was like bad spirits in here house so we left with a prayer in her home and we will go see her again next week but I thought it was cool how her pastor said we were more spiritually prepared.

But hey I’m really proud of Sara for making the team that’s gunna be so great for her!! I’m excited to hear how the season goes and Erin from her last email sounds good, hope she’s having lots of fun and such.  No package yet but hopefully this next week I should get it, but ya sounds like everyone back home is doing well and just having fun. I’m always excited to get letters from them but ya it’s just fun chillin with the Elders here and this Elder B is way cool I love him and I’ll tell you more about it at Christmas but I might have some plans with him for when I get home but he’s my really good bud.  I am so happy though Dad that you are singing still and with Jesse and Peter too. I’m happy you involved them cause I think they will love it.  Sounds like you are doing some good exercising too and I am here, we go running every day well almost every day and I love it so it’s pretty sweet. The deacons are sounding great as well.

But I think that about sums up my storytelling for today and imp just loving it down here, the times are good and sometimes they are hard but really just prayer and faith is what gets you through.  Relying on the Lord for everything is key and it’s still a lesson I am learning and will forever be learning.  Life’s good for the most part and all we need to do is find ways to make it even better. The days that are tough will pass as long as you work on what you can do to change it and keep a positive attitude. So that’s my advice, a day may be hard but truly if you want it to become better go before the Lord in humble prayer and ask for his help and he will answer you because we are all children of God and he wants the best for us just like our parents on earth want the best for us. So that’s a little bit of Kentyboi wisdom for today but I’ll hit you guys up next week. Love you all and pray for you always.

Peace + Love

Elder Harker

WEEK 17 - Amazing week and flaming pig

Hey Fam!!! Great to hear from you guys!!

Sorry I got no new pics for this week so if you will please forgive me, lately I haven’t been taking as many and so I guess I better get on that but, I don’t really know how to describe this week but it was amazing!!

Well first off we had 5 people at church and so that was way ballin!! I was so pumped and these people are soo amazing I love them, I’m just soo happy to see the progress that they have made and they just continue to grow and it’s so amazing to see them keep pushing forward and keep working hard. We have this one investigator and her name is Adriana and man she is the bomb. She is pretty much baptizing herself and she is reading lots and loved coming to church she is my favourite and I know the Lord has things planned for her I’m pumped!

But ya to answer your questions I guess I sent those letter like I’d say about 2 and a half weeks ago so I guess it wasn’t too long which is pretty good considering our mail system so ya I’m happy about that. It sounds like you are all keeping busy with basketball and work and dates and playing rook.......without me!! hahah no but it’s all good and I’m happy you are having just as good of a time as I am!! About email we get an hour and 15 min and we can use it how we can so if we don’t use it all at once you can do it again but most of the time you don’t have time to go again so if you do it’s a blessing but we go to these comp places where you just pay a bit to use it for the time and so it’s not too bad and they are all over the place so you usually just walk to them. So it’s pretty easy to use I would say. About the language its coming slow but sure at times its hard and at times its easy but really now I’m understanding a lot more and I’m just trying to work on the technicalities and learning new words which will all take a while so ya its a work in progress still but hey that’s what life is about.

Really nothing to exciting happened this week just had a good working week and it was a blast but last night we had a little adventure. At first we went to this members house for dinner and we were already stuffed from having lunch and we don’t eat or at least I don’t eat too much anymore, and so this guy is like well I hope you’re hungry and also said I hope you have your camera, unfortunately we didn’t.  He brings out this huge pan with just this pig leg all cooked on it. Then he pours some kind of alcohol on it and lit it on fire and it looked so sweet I wish I got a picture and so for dinner we ate this flaming pig leg!! It was so delicious I wished you guys could try it. While we were there it just started pouring and there was so much thunder and lightning and it was coming down like no other, and the power went out and so for the remainder of the evening we were eating pig leg by candle light and it was very romantic. But ya it was super great I loved it!! At the end of dinner he always tries to get me so say to his wife, gracias por su pokeria, and that means thanks for your garbage but I didn’t this time and I did last time cause I did know what it meant but it was all in good fun hahah but ya so that was an adventure and then luckily he gave us a ride home after but the other Eders in our pension were not so lucky and had to walk home in the pouring rain in the rivers for like a half an hour so that was rough for them, but then it was just a good night..

That’s my adventure for the week and it’s just been a great week like I said for work and to grow spiritually and right now our companionship is as strong as ever and I love it. I’m doing great sorry I don’t have much time left, but I love you all and I’ll write you next week!!

Love Elder Harker

WEEK 16

Their apartment - cleaning up after it flooded

The new arrivals - Kent with his mission president and all the new missionaries

Blisters. ew.

Kenty's investigators.

Kent with his companion Elder Lerma

Roof top view!

Going for a little swim on the way to church!

Monday November 14, 2011

Hey guys so let’s see what should I say today

Well let’s start with a hello to all my family, friends and other loved ones.

So some exciting news for this week was that I got to talk with E Henry!!! We had a nice little chat for a bit and talked about oh the good ol days and such, but ya it was really awesome to be able to hear a familiar voice Sounds like he’s doing good and I’m pumped to work with him some day while I’m here!  To move on I had quite the experience yesterday. The streets were way flooded and so we took off our socks and shoes and rolled up our pants and walked bare foot to our investigators and this was to get them to go to church , and so ya to answer your question we do go out and get them all on Sunday morning but again about them going to church, it’s hard to get them to go out, but yesterday we were able to have 2 investigators at church!!! That was a great blessing for us, and one is way cool he is 12 years old and has bronchitis right now  but ya so he is a trooper and things are looking well for him. We really want to go over and give him a blessing though cause he has been sick for some time.  Yesterday morning was quite the adventure but it was all a good time too!! 

This week I was able to do a little bit of service while Elder L contacted this girl, she was separating dirt from rocks with this kind of grate type thing and so while they were talking I was throwing dirt! It was kind of a different thing to do but hey its service so I was happy to help out and that was a good deed for the day.  This week has definitely been a step up from last week and I’m excited to see the next few weeks cause I think or at least it looks like we are going to have some baptisms on the 26th of this month!  The work is moving forward and we are coming up with some good ideas to help out the members and the investigators!

Speaking of good ideas I did hear about that day of dedication from the Bishop. I got a letter from him last week and also a bracelet to go along with it. I was wondering if maybe you could send me more details on that or if he could because me and Elder L thought it was a really great idea and we want to present it to our Mission Pres so that we can work with the Stake to get something like that for our temple in Cordoba. Anyway I thought it was an awesome idea and we would like to use it if that’s all good with the Bishop.

 But I know this church is true I know the gospel blesses lives and I can see it when we teach people, I’m so happy to be here doing the work and it will only get better from here. I know what we share is the truth and that I can share this with everyone is a blessing in my life!

Anyway till next time

Love your son

Elder Harker

WEEK 15

Monday November 7, 2011

Well it’s that time of the week again PDAY

 And what a wonderful day it is, something like 36 degrees only so not too bad, but ohh man has it been hot lately and I’m not even in La Rioja or Catamarca where it gets to like 50 some and still it’s not even summer, so ya its pretty cookin and I’m still loving it. So far I haven’t been burnt but now that I say that I will probably be punished and get the worst burn of my life! But hey it’s all good, and yes mom don’t worry I am just fine and dandy and drinking lots of water on average about 3 or more litres a day so yes I do go to the bathroom quite a bit but most of the time I just sweat it all out and so I’m doing pretty well. About the incident ya I/ we did learn a lesson but we didn’t really get chastised too bad but hey lessons to learn and things not to do anymore, so anyway on with life.

There is really nothing too much to report, we are working hard that’s for sure, this week was a little disappointing because we didn’t really have too much success but it’s the calm before the storm and I feel that this week is going to be a lot better for us. We worked really hard last week to get our investigators to come to church and none came and that’s really the one thing that I find a little frustrating or just more discouraging with the people here. They love to make commitments and not follow through with them.  They will be all happy and such to do something or to go to church and then they will just not do it and be nowhere to be found.  So it just means we just got to work a little bit harder right? Just trying our best to get the work done and to help the people progress and feel the spirit, and it’s just sad when you know they are ready to receive this but they just try everything to get away from it. I don’t know if that makes any sense but all I want to do is help the people and some just refuse to be helped.  Anyway the ups and downs of the mission are what make it good and you can’t see the good without the bad so hey it’ll be good and bad sometimes and you just gotta accept that.

Well question and answer period, I’m glad to hear that everyone is doing ok and that you are still able to have fun at home without me but yes they have started the temple here in Cordoba I don’t know the specific progress on it but you can look online and find that one out.  We don’t do English classes here and I don’t know if it’s just something we don’t do but maybe we will start to, that’s a good idea but I guess first I would have to teach myself how to teach English ahaha cause I know how to speak it not teach it but I’ll figure it out.

I was happy to hear about the missionary weekend, I hope that went well and I remember my experiences and they were so sweet when Idid it, that was one of the best things I did in Young Men’s to help prepare for a mission cause it was 3 days of pure spirit and I loved every second of it!! But ya I’m glad they are still doing those and it really helps the young men I think.  I’m sorry I don’t have anything else to write really it’s just life as usual right now just doing the best that I can and trying to work as hard as I can!!  but I love you guys soo much and I love hearing from you every week, sorry I don’t answer all your questions there’s just so many that it’s hard to remember them all but I miss you guys and pray for you all too,

Anyway I guess until next time - Love you,

WEEK 14 - made it out safely and painting a seniors home!

Thursday, Nov 3, 2011

Hey Family!!

 So I’m glad you got a notice that I would not be writing until today so that was really nice to hear cause I knew mom would probably be freaking out if she didn’t know haha but anyway I’m doing fine and the reason it was delayed is because we had transfer call early and I don’t know why, anyway that’s the reason.  I am staying here in Renacimiento with Elder L so I’m excited for this next transfer and I’m looking forward to it.

So first off let’s say a BIG HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO PAPI!!!! Its weird that I’m gone for your birthday but I hope it’s a good one and you don’t feel too old, and I’m thinking of you and hope that you can feel my love.  

Ok so what to say first well let’s start with the most insane thing first and then it can get a little more boring from there, ok so this is story time with Kent ---- So we have this red zone in our area that is more dangerous than all the other parts and last week we found this lady down there whose really interested in the gospel and then finding her led to finding like 3 other families so it was way good to go down there but one day aka Tuesday we were walking out of that area and it was like 430 or 5 and cause its dangerous we’re supposed to be out of there at like 6 so ya anyway we are walking out and I see this guy walking toward us and Elder L is on the phone with someone and we’re walking and this guys starts to cut across and is gunna walk in front of us, and I’m just thinking ¨he’s gunna try to take our phone¨ and my mind was going faster than my body and I wasn’t able to say it in time and so he grabs the phone and tries to take it away from Elder L and then Elder L’s marine past kicks into gear and they start going at it and the thief starts to back up and puts his hand near his belt and we are both thinking he has a knife or a gun or something and he’s gunna take it out and so Elder L charges him before he could take it out. It only ended up being a glasses case we found out later but at this point I was just in shock and was like what!?!?!?! is this really happening?? and then they were fighting and wrestling for a bit and Elder L got this guy in a hold from behind and he yelled at me ¨hit him¨ and so I went in on this guy and just started hitting him and Elder L is kneeing him from behind and then Elder L picks him up and slams him on the ground and while we were fighting there were 3 dogs around us and then they came and started biting him and Elder L,  luckily I didn’t get bit but we’re kicking this guy on the ground and he starts yelling stop stop and so we do and he gets up and starts running away but as we go to get our books we realize the phone is still on the ground and the thief picks up a pretty big rock and starts coming back at us so we run back at him and then he ran away  Then we got out of there cause in case he came back with friends and then to make the story shorter what ended up happening is cause Elder L got bit we went to our mission leaders house to check out the bite and then went to medical to get it sorted out and he’s fine just needs to take some pills so he doesn’t get rabies or any other viruses but ya we’re all good now.  We just can’t go back to that area in case they are looking for us and they want to kill us. These people and very vengeful and probs should have just given him the phone but what happened happened and we are fine we just need to watch out.

Well anyway enough of those kinds of stories but I’m doing good, just a little bit of an adrenaline rush here and there but ya don’t worry we’re safe. And we are doing our best to do the work, the last week we were also able to participate in service which was fun we had almost 2 zones there and we helped paint an old folks home and so that was really fun but it was soo tiring cause we were out all day in the sun so it made me really tired by the end, but we try to have service every week but it’s hard to find it sometimes but this was really something that was fun and could do with a lot of help.

Um so for the Bishop about the dates, well I’d have to say my top 5 would be ......... wow this is really kinda hard, but.  Zoo lights was a good one, ice blocking but that’s summer but maybe sledding, pumpkin carving slash making cookies, have two couples make a dinner for each other with a certain budget, rock climbing, lazer tag, I don’t really know just be creative that’s all I gotta say, I know my ideas cost money but you can do a lot of things that are really cheap and are super fun, like ice skating I’m just trying to think for winter I got a lot more summer ideas but it’s too cold for that. Anyway good luck.

 I don’t really know what else to write my mind is kind of at a blockage but I’m doing really well just trying to do the work as best I can and I’m having a blast out here. I am really trying to think of an experience to share but I’m totally blanking right now, I guess if I chose one it would be that fasting really works. We’ve still been having a harder time with our ward as I’ve said before, but anyway we decided to fast for help with them and as soon as we started to fast we had a meeting with our Bishop and the blessings start to come. Sometimes they are very hard to see or we don’t see them if we are not looking to find them. What may just seem like chance it’s not.  The Lord is there and wants to answer our prayers; I know that fasting really works and boy does it help!! I know this is true I know that God really does love us and wants to help us in every way possible, but just trust in him and have faith and its all gunna work out.

Well not too much else to report, but I’m doing good I’m hot always cause its way hotter here!!! It’s not even summer yet!!! It’s brutal but whatever that’s life now and I’ll get used to it hope all is well with you and Happy Birthday again Dad hope it’s a good one!!!

Love your kid 

Elder Harker

WEEK 13 - a whole talk in Spanish, washing clothes by hand?, and riding a motorbike

Monday October 24, 2011

Well hey there buddies!!

So first off I would like to say thank you for all the addresses and also for the recipes it will really come in handy. Thanks for all the support and love. I really enjoy getting all your letters it always makes Pday so much fun!! Got lots to write today so better get to it.

So this week has been pretty good we did a lot as usual but idk its weird to think that I’ve already been here for pretty much a month.  Times really does fly while you are here and it seems like the transfer is almost over.  So I have not told you my area so I better do that now.  It’s called Renacimiento and it’s a pretty small area lots of walking and like you would see in the pics just house by house by house and it just goes on forever haha but no it’s really good.  It’s like the ghetto of Cordoba and it’s within the city on the east side and is pretty cool. We are not allowed to go to some areas after 6 pm because it gets too dangerous and there have been incidents with Elders being chased out by gun point and stuff like that. But the area is really good and just trying to work hard and do our very best here.

More about my comp is, so he is Elder L he is from Texas and so I think I’m destined to be with every Elder from Texas cause I’ve gotten 2 in a row so far haha but ya his family are all members, mom dad 1 bro 2 sis and he was a marine and served 4 years in the military which I think is pretty awesome, he is 23 and he’s a great missionary and he is serving as District leader so ya that’s my comp.

We have an investigator here named M and she is about 50 + year old and she came to church this week and so this is her second attendance, and so now we just need to get her an interview because she is going to be baptized this Saturday so that should be exciting.  She is super cool and really receptive and we are also teaching her son and his wife too! Such a great family. But actually they are not married and that’s one thing about Argentina, because it takes so long to get married on paper people don’t actually get married they just move in together and say they are which is hard and why it takes people so long to get baptized sometimes cause they have to get married first which is kind of a bummer.

But ya as I said lots has happened and one of those things was I gave my first talk on Sunday here in Argentina, and it had to be all in Spanish this time so that was a little scary but man I liked it, it was weird I was nervous but not at the same time and I definitely know the Lord was helping me while I was speaking. It was also a blessing because I was talking about the BOM and so I really enjoyed talking about that and the power that it has. I was also able to learn a lot of things just for myself this week.  Something’s happened during the week and I was really able to learn a good lesson about trust and what trust is, and I guess vie never really thought about it before, I’ve just always assumed that I’ve always known but really I haven’t and it took me this long to figure out really what full trust means. and that’s something I really want to have is trust with myself, with the Lord and with my companion because I know now that when we can have trust with these people that our work can become a lot easier and will start to get better in everything that we do.

Another interesting thing that happened this week was that I was able to give a blessing well I didn’t give it but I was able to anoint the oil because a sister that we are super close with and she is the best sister in our ward, man I love her, she has such a good heart but anyway I was able to anoint and Elder Lerma gave the blessing so that was interesting.  It was so hard to say the words in Spanish and I had such a hard time but that’s just how it goes sometimes. ALSO I had my first motorcycle ride of my life on Friday, so we were late getting to the chapel for futbol on Friday and our investigators that come were driving by and stopped to offer us a ride and here like everyone has mopeds or motorcycles cause they don’t have the money for cars and so me and Elder L just hopped on the back and got to ride on them to the chapel haha that was pretty fun.

Also you might have seen the pics I had so now we are doing our own wash and so this is how we wash our clothes now and man am I grateful for a washing machine and dryer back home, it saves soooo much time and energy but that’s how life is now and I can be grateful when I get home.  There is also this Elder here named Elder B and me and him are soo tight, we are in the same district so we see each other pretty often, but man he’s a great guy and a good missionary. Me and him have so much in common and I love him he’s just so sweet and I’m definitely chillin with this guy after the mish haha but we just like the same stuff and have such good times together.

But hey it’s time for some things, that’s so great Tim got his mission call! I’m pumped for him and Spanish too!! It’s so cool to hear other people getting their calls and also that he leaves on Nov 30th that is soooo soon!!! It’s weird to think how fast that is!  And I can’t remember if I said it last week but for Jeremy too!! Wow mandarin that is gunna be awesome! He is going to  have such a good time and I’m excited to see how it is learning that language!  So I have got dear elders from Sept 27 but nothing else yet and it all depends on the office because everything goes through there so things take quite the while to get here just to let you know.

And Sara that is so cool that you got into the speech thing and got 3rd place too!! I remember I was in the competition in g10 but I defs didn’t win anything but hey that’s soo cool for you and I’m glad you did it.

I don’t know what really else to write oh mom if you could send me the recipe for french onion soup that would be awesome and I would love to make that!  But everything is cool here there is a lot more stuff that happens here that I don’t say that I don’t have time to say but just know there is more things happening that what you hear and 99 percent of them are good!  But I love you guys and hope all is well with you all and I want you all to know that I love you and think about and pray for you!! Anyway until next week.

WEEK 12 -Happy Mother's Day and always learning

Monday, October 17, 2011

Oh hey I forgot to say that our ward is having some problems with the members so we are trying to work with them, and some don’t seem to like us and it’s hard to get them to come out with us but we are doing our best and trying our hardest to have success. We won’t be having lunch with them anymore so that’s a little disappointing.  But ya it’s hard to work with them sometimes when they say they will but then always cancel on us but all is well love you all byebye

Ok so first off I want to say HAPPY MOTHERS DAY and your probs thinking hey it’s not even close to Mothers Day but here in Argentina it was yesterday so I’m a little late.  But hey I can still say it or I guess it would be Feliz Dia De Madres! 

So to start off I want to say that right now I hate dogs because they always bark and are trying to bite me and I’ve come close many times to kicking one in the head cause it’s trying to bite me with its rabies covered mouth but besides that I’m doing great haha. Like I’m trying my best and having my ups and downs of the day or week but I find that as soon I go out and start doing the work everything gets better.  Just have to do the service and all feelings of frustration or anything go away. I’m doing good I would say.  But one thing I am learning to love along with the people is futbol aka soccer, its soo much fun and I’m getting better already. We play at least once a week and it’s just a blast! So many new ways to do things its soo much fun and I hope I can actually compete with people now when I get back cause before I was and still am terrible!!.

But anyway this week I had my first zone conference and I got to say about 75 percent of the things said went right over my head. But from what I got it helped a lot and was really good. I find myself being so tired because translating all day hurts my brains and it just wants to shut down. I do my best always to listen but it’s hard when my brains doesn’t want to work.  So I just need to step back relax and then go at it again and I know I won’t understand everything but I try my best that’s for sure.  And I found out this week that my trainer also trained Elder Van Loo which was Elder Henry’s MTC comp so that was interesting to find out he’s my brother.

My comp is great though, we have a lot in common and there are times when I don’t agree with him and he doesn’t with me  but he’s a really good guy, and he’s nuts too. He’s from Texas if I didn’t mention that but man he’s a good worker, very helpful and encouraging.

 The food is pretty good, the other day I got to eat mashed potatoes and I didn’t think that was gunna happen anytime soon but it did. I think I’m becoming Argentine because they like to put mayo on like everything and so I put some on my potatoes like everyone did and it was really good actually I liked it so ya I’m changing in many ways I didn’t think possible!!  hahaha.  And speaking of food yesterday I ate the nastiest thing!  It was like this bread roll with moldy toothpaste inside covered in mayo and topped with olives so I’m not becoming that Argentine but man was it hard to eat, I was almost gagging luckily we got it as we were going out the door so they didn’t need to see my face when I ate it. 

 So interesting stories for the week, we got robbed last pday so that was fun, and don’t worry it wasn’t too bad cause we didn’t actually see who robbed us cause it was pick pocketed and we were just walking and I noticed Elder Lerma’s bag was open and we found that our cell phone was missing so now for the next while we are without a cell phone.  But a scary thing that did happen was our mission leader the same day was robbed by gunpoint. It was him and his wife who is pregnant and they came up and asked for everything and then pointed the gun at her belly and she fainted, but luckily they are all ok and they are doing fine now.  And also the other day we got caught in the rain. So we were outside and it just stared pouring and we tried to contact our way into a house cause our pension was pretty far and so we were out in it for about 30 to 40 min and like right when we got inside somewhere it stopped so ya that was fun. We came back and were totally drenched!!

 But yesterday was a really good day for me; I learned a lot about the doctrine and myself.  As I was taking the sacrament I was thinking and I know we teach that when we take the sacrament we are as clean as the day we are baptized and I’ve never really thought that is true before. But yesterday as I partook it hit me that right now I am as clean as the day I was baptized that I was perfect and free from sin, and a great peace came over me that I could really know that that was true and I can be that clean every week of my life form this day on, so just something I learned.  And how important it is to take the sacrament every week.  And then that night me and Elder Lerma had a little interview and I shared a lot with him and really opened up and was able to really feel the spirit as I learned a lot about myself and about him and the way we can grow together.  It was a great experience and we both shared a lot with each other.  But ya I learned a lot in the last 24 hours.

 Well thank you for the addresses and all that stuff. My area is pretty sweet idk how to really describe it so I’ll send some pics next week but it’s like cement and dusty a bit and just I don’t know its home now haha. I’ll try to think of an explanation for next week  but Erin and Sara so the people here love you guys, its kind of creepy.  We showed our pics to a member and they were like are they models'?  haha so ya and some of the guys in my pension are like wow they are so pretty , and this one boy said cuinado which means brother in law about Sara hahah aka he wants to marry you. but ya so they love your pics down here.

 Oh and mom before I go I want to ask you to send some recipes that I can make that are simple maybe if you can send one a week that would be great but 2 if you would like to. Your dumplings with the carrots in the broth I think, and also tuna noodle casserole.  But ya all is well with me and I love you all soo much!!!  I’m glad you are my family and give everyone else my love and those that are coming home from missions too.  I LOVE YOU ALL and hope the best for you

Love Your Boy  Elder Harker

WEEK 11 - How to kill a chicken, blisters and learning about covenants

Monday October 10, 2011

Ok so I’ve got lots to say today so I hope I can say it all.

 So this week has had its ups and down just like usual but more ups than downs at least I would say.  My comp is great, we get along well and sometimes just like anyone you have your disputes but we can usually work it out in about 5 min and then get over it and so it’s all good.  He’s a really hard worker and he loves the work and the people so it looks like its gunna be a good transfer. I enjoy his company and we get a lot done and I have the blisters to prove it!! I now have 4 on each foot so ya I’m working pretty hard I think and don’t worry mom I’m fine just to let you know.  

This last week we had what is called an intercambio aka splits and so I went to another area and was with Elder Casas, he’s a pretty cool guy and so we had a lot of walking cause all of our appointments fell through on us except 2 and their area is pretty big and has a lot of hills so it was a long day of walking, but still it was good.  The blessing was I got to do a lot of contacting that day, I got like 13 or something and this week I got 47 on my own and I had the most in the district cause we had a little competition to see who could get the most.

So some interesting things that happened this week, well where to start.  I definitely learned how to kill a chicken the other day.  I know now that all you have to do is put it in a yard with 2 dogs and they will tear it apart and yes I did see that, it was really kind of cool idk but ya we saw 2 dogs just destroy this chicken.  Then the roof was fun we took a bunch of pics and we can see our whole area from up there because our area is not that big but it was awesome to see all of that.  And now I’m starting to improve slow but sure at futbol we play every week and sometimes more with investigators so hopefully by the time I get back I’ll be like Messi hahah I wish.  Some of the people here are still using a horse and buggy to get around so I also thought that was a little interesting..... hhhmmmmm what else.  The other day it was pouring buckets and I got to use my rain coat and I found out that it really is 100 percent water proof so that’s good .

 Ok so onto investigators, we are working with many and some are progressing really well but I’ve found that the church attendance is the biggest difficulty here in Argentina. They really like to make commitments and then not keep them.  So that’s what me and Elder Lerma have been working on this week and will continue to is getting our investigators to church. We did have one this week who came and that’s good but we have about 5 investigators that are doing well but out of those 5 only one came.  Then our star investigator, his name is J and he’s great.  He didn’t commit to come to church and that’s why I like him because he’s not putting it off until he knows he can but he doesn’t want to fill his plate with too much. He really enjoys our lessons and when we teach him I always feel the spirit soo strong. He understands well and he wants to keep moving forward and I really hope all works out with him.

One thing Elder Lerma taught me and which is very special to me now is that we can make covenants with God and I mean our own, I never really knew that.  We decided to make one with our Heavenly Father and in it we asked for specific things and in return we would provide ourselves to him and do specific things to earn our end of the covenant. This has been a great experience so far because I feel I have really given myself to the Lord to do what he wants me to do.  Our relationship with the Lord is very special and we need to always try and understand and learn more about the bond we have with the Lord. Through this experience I have felt the spirit more abundantly in my life and I feel I am more prone to the promptings of the spirit.  It’s really been a learning experience as well because I now understand him a little bit more. I challenge you to find out the connection you have with our Father in Heaven and strive to strengthen that connection.  I miss you guys’ a lot and I am doing well here in Argentina but I love you!

 Well that’s kinda been my week just work, sleep, work ,sleep and then some futbol so it’s pretty good I like it, But let me know what’s going on with you guys?? I always want to know what my fam is up to.  But I think that’s about all I have to write for now but maybe I'll think of something quick.

Oh and one more thing, Tyler said he saw 5 people on a moped and I saw not 6 people but a guy riding his bike carrying an entire bed!!!! haha I thought it was funny!

But Love you lots and hope to hear from you next week!!

xoxoXxOOxOoXOxOoxxoOxOxoxXOOXXoXoXo

WEEK 10 - He's arrived - Argentina!

Wad up Fam!!!

 How’s life back in Calgary?? It’s not the same here! haha but all is well.  I guess the last time I wrote you was last Friday in the MTC but I did get to talk to you since then so that was even better.  But about the travel, it was way long! We were traveling for something  like 32-33 hours straight, I’ll tell you it was not fun. We went from Dallas to Buenos Aires and that flight was about 11 hours and usually I can sleep on planes but on this one nope.  The seats were the smallest I’ve ever experienced and so my legs literally barely fit and I walked around a bunch but it was still hard. I slept for probs about 1 to 2 hours the whole flight. It was very uncomfortable for the whole flight.  And I know I get grumpy when I travel for that long but I really tried my best to be in a good mood.  We arrived at the airport in Buenos Aires and got all our stuff and met our travel leader named Alberto.  We then went to another part of the airport to wait to see what would happen next and while we were there we saw the Assistants and Mission Pres from the Buenos Aires West Mission, so I told him to say hi to Elder Kwasney for me.  Then after waiting for like 2 hours we went and got on a bus that would take us to another airport in Buenos Aires that just flies within the country.  At this point we put our luggage on a bus that they were driving to Cordoba.  Then we got on a bus to this other airport and I think within like 2 min of sitting down I was asleep because I was so dead. We got to the airport and went to board our flight to Cordoba,flew for about an hour and then got off the plane.  But ya so then we met our Mission President, and he is pretty cool.  He speaks both English and Spanish fluently so it’s good for us gringos that don’t speak Spanish at all.   We took some pictures when we were out of the airport and then took taxis to the central of police to work on some visa stuff.  Then just back to the mission home. We were introduced to the assistants and the office elders a little more and then watched a talk from Elder Holland and then we had dinner. It was about let’s say like 10 at that point so we were all soo tired. We had empanadas and they were heavenly!!  Anyway then that night we stayed at a hotel and the next morning we had a great start because Elder Hruska’s alarm didn’t go off so we got up at 715 and had to be at the mission home at 745 so we got ready and sprinted there and were ready in about 5 min.  Then just more visas stuff that day and the interview with the Pres to get to know me and so he can see what comp I would get.  Then we went to another meeting where I met my comp Elder Lerma. He’s a great Elder, a hard worker and always strives to be obedient.  He is a great example to me and I feel that I can learn a lot from him.  He has a great spirit about him and he’s always trying to better himself. From what I can tell from being with him these last few days I think our companionship will work very well.  He is a great and hard working Elder.

 Well about the work, the first day we went straight to work. We had a few visits and in one of them two ladies started to breast feed right there. Now I heard that would happen but I thought it was rare or something and didn’t expect it on my first night, but it happens and it was kind of weird. I just tried to focus on the things we were teaching but when you can’t understand anything anyone is saying it’s hard to focus on the conversation.  Not saying that I was looking but I was definitely trying to focus on other things and just keep the lesson in my mind. So that was a weird first night.  But anyway the last days have been good here just working away as best I can and it was hard at first but it’s getting easier.  I just gotta keep my mind on the Lord always.  The investigators we are working with are : M. (who I put a fecha with on Friday and that means I put a baptismal date on my second day) and then there is, the A. family who is a family of 10, C. and his family who has 9 in that family, C. who is a guy we taught right before conference. and then the C. who is V. and her husband with 5 kids.  Not all the people I just named are of age to be baptized but they are the ones we are working with the most and hopefully the work will continue.  Oh also contacting is way harder than I expected and in Spanish wow its tough!! But whatever just gotta do it.  The Spanish is hard and its way hard to understand, harder than I thought but it’s getting a little better every day and I know it will come I just need to be patient and listen carefully. So ya there’s just so much I want to write.

 Alright so futbol aka soccer man it’s hard!! All the people here are soo good and so intense I am such a gringo it’s so hard but, with practice makes perfect or at least that’s how the saying goes, but I hope to improve in these next two years so I can do something hahah but whatever I like getting my butt kicked by 5 year olds.

 Ok so conference, oh man it was amazing I loved it!!! I got to watch it in English too!!  That was a bonus,all the Elders in my zone who speak English all watched it together to get the most out of it!! It was soo good and now that I’m on a mission I definitely have a better appreciation for Conference.  We have been inviting a lot of people to Conference this week and we got about 7 of our investigators to come and that was a great number to have.  Our zone had 30 total and we got 7 which was really good!!  The talks were amazing and I don’t want to spend too much time on it cause I know you heard them too but all were so good.  The priesthood especially and man when Elder Holland came out and dropped cane!! Man that was nuts, oh dropped cane or bajando la caña is a phrase here to like lay down the law it’s just an Argentine thing but it was great.  I loved conference soo much!!!  and I got to go on splits with this Elder named Elder Bridge who is from Raymond and is friends with Tyler Johnson so that was cool. Actually he’s cousins with Ivy who Tyler is dating which I thought was kind of neat. Small world.

But that’s good you are all doing well and enjoyed Conference well except Sara who got hives but I’m glad you’re all doing well.  And that you got to spend Conference with others is fun. I hope Sara is doing better and I hope Erin had a good time at Conference as well.

 Other things going on I ate like dog or cat the other day just to let you know, no big deal or anything and it tasted ok I guess. The food, weather and apartment are all good I guess. The weather for you guys that kind of sucks but I’m going into summer again which is good and the weather here has not been too bad,  just warm and my farmers tan is coming along great!!  Not too hot not too cold and all is good. The food is good, I really haven’t eaten much since I got here, just this baby food cereal we eat for breakfast which is actually really good and then sometimes we go for lunch to a members house or just have a snack at our place but I don’t eat dinner anymore. It’s weird cause I never really feel that hungry.  Sorry but I forgot to take a picture of our pension aka apartment so I’ll do that for next week.

 I hope all is well with you guys and I love you all soo much. I don’t really have much to say anymore and all is well with me. The first few days were scary not gunna lie and I thought I was gunna die when I saw my pension but all is good now. I’m getting adjusted and I’m doing what I need to, to be a good missionary.  I got a letter from Elder Henry the day I got here so that was really nice.I’m doing my best to be obedient and sometimes it’s hard to get up in the morning cause I’m always tired but you just gotta do it.  I love you all hope all is going great and hope to hear from you all in about a week!!!

Love your little big boy

Elder Kentis Harker

WEEK 9 at the MTC - packing up and getting ready to head out!

Hey guys

To Coreen I did get your letters, I kind of forgot to reply but I will and in the mean time can you tell them thanks.

 Thanks for all the letters you guys send, it’s always great to get mail! and also for the updates of the other guys out right now, it’s always awesome to hear how they are doing, but I guess I don’t have too much to write today.

 That’s so awesome that you enjoyed stake conference soo much!! It’s also sweet to hear all of the new callings, like Ann and Dave congrats to them and I know that they will do great in what they are called so give them my regards. And also Ian M.! that’s cool, when I first read moms I was a little sad cause she forgot to mention that Patriarch Melchin didn’t die and I knew it was a calling for life so it was great for dad to clear that up.  But hey it will be great to know Sara will get her blessing at the dentist’s office while her teeth are being cleaned!!! haha Also it was great to hear about Peter and Braden and the advancement to the Mel Priesthood. 

Oh and thanks to dad for working on my line of authority that will be great to have.  Just so you know I can write today and tomorrow because today is infield orientation and tomorrow is our Pday so please answer on email because I will not get any dearelders before I leave. Just a heads up.  And no mom I have not started to pack yet so I’m doing all that tomorrow so we will see what happens.

To tell you a little bit about the orientation. It’s a full day and the whole time we have been here it’s been mostly focused on the teaching. Today is focusing on finding, study, goal setting, planning and that kind of stuff. It’s pretty interesting so far, we’ve only been in it about 3 hours so not too long and we have a lot to go so I’ll let you know tomorrow. 

I am definitely jealous that I can’t go to the corn maze this year! Now that you mention it I want to go sooo bad but my calling is here and this is what I need to focus on.  Also great to hear Jeremy’s papers are in and cool to hear about Danielle’s call.

Ok so sounds like it’s been a busy week for you guys hope all is well say hi to Grandma, please tell her I pray for her and send her my love!! I hope she’s doing ok. I love you all so much and miss you a ton but its only 2 years til I’ll be back. 

Ok so Sara - DO RAPPORT!!!  It will be soo tight and it’s great to do it. It’s not just leadership and it’s helped me so much in my life to do other things as well, even though it’s not with the church it helped me strengthen my testimony and helped me to know what to do in my life. It helps with social skills and can almost be applied in every aspect of you life so please do it, and it may be hard but it is definitely worth it. As for bball that's cool that you are doing the camp thingy and school is going well so that’s great!! Hope to hear from you again and tell me your teachers.

Erin- hey buddy, so I hope all is well with you and you are enjoying work and life in general. I miss you . I’m praying for you and love you lots and hope you are doing great!! I hope you are finding a man that I would approve of and just having fun in all that you do. Know that you are loved and keep moving forward!

Momma Papa - hope all is well and I love hearing from you guys and I just can’t wait to talk to all of you on Monday its going to be awesome! I am doing just fine hear and ready to go and take on new challenges!!

 SO spiritual thought for this week - this may sound a little repetitive but it’s the truth!! Learn to love the Book of Mormon. So this last week the Ensign for this October is about the Book of Mormon and all the missionaries here were given a copy of it early!! So mom this time I can say that I’ve read the whole thing and there are great messages in it! I challenge you to read it haha I got there first this time.  But ya I challenge all to read it, it’s a great issue! This week for devotional, you might be a little jealous but here comes Russell M Nelson.  This is our 3rd apostle in 3 weeks so that was awesome. The devotional was about the Ensign this month and the Book of Mormon it was a great talk!!  Just learn to love and read it!! It is now my best friend here well other than prayer but I know it was written for us and every page we can learn something from it. And it really does testify of Christ! Since I’ve been here in my Spanish set of scriptures, when I read them I go through and mark every time God or Jesus or any of his names are mention and it’s amazing!! My scriptures are so green because that’s the color I’m using for it, its nuts! I went and researched and it’s something like every 1.7 verses the Savior is mentioned! Go read it and use it every day and I know you will be blessed.

Well anyway I don’t know what else to say, but I love you all so much! Hope all is well with you and I am excited to hear from you tomorrow and talk with you on Monday.

Kenty Boi 

So just another update for you

Yesterday went well with infield orientation. It was pretty much just classes where they teach you everything you haven’t learned yet which actually turned out to be a lot! It was pretty good and informative nothing really special though, just good info on what we need to do in the field, what a day is kind of like and what happens when we get there. It seemed to go by so fast too! It’s weird now 16 hours of class a day is no problem, I’m turning into a robot.   I am doing wash right now so I haven’t started to pack but I’ll let you know how it goes when I do.  But thanks for the tips on the luggage and I hope everything goes well. 

Love you all

Kenty Boi

WEEK 8 at the MTC - travel plans, a real investigator and another apostle!

Como Esta mis amigos??

Just to let you know this week has definitely been an ups and down week, but I guess for the most part of it, it hasn’t been too bad.  This letter might be a little choppy but there isn’t a lot that went on this week so I’ll just answer some questions and let you know what’s up.

On the spiritual side I always like to set 2 goals for the upcoming week so that is where my spiritual challenges come into play.

Ok so onto some exciting news, I GOT MY FLIGHT PLANS!!!!!!! I only have 9 days left.   So we leave on Sept 26, and go to the travel office at 8:00am and then go to the airport.  Then have time to check in and call for a couple of hours.  We go from SLC to Dallas Fort Worth (hey maybe I’ll see Brett haha) and then from Dallas - Buenos Aries and that’s all that’s in our plans. There are 7 in our district leaving and we are all going to Cordoba.  So we are not sure if we bus to Cordoba after or fly there but I’ll for sure let you know when I know.  Mom don’t worry they gave us all the info on how much our bags should weigh so you don’t need to worry about it. Just letting you know.  So that all happened yesterday so I’m pretty excited to get out into the world preaching the word!!!

Thanks for the addresses you sent I haven’t got all of them yet but I hope I do, you might want to send them again just in case.  And I’m glad that Grandma is doing well, I hope she got the letter I sent her and give her my love and tell her I’m doing just dandy.  I also got a letter from James Harker again so if you could give him thanks from me, I also wrote him a letter today but ya it was great to get that.

That’s awesome that Brendan Day got his mission call!! I’m glad that he is making that choice to go on a mission and I’m so excited to hear all of us are going!! I have a much better appreciation for missionaries and I love when people come and serve!!  Vancouver will be awesome and I’m assuming because you didn’t say that it is English speaking???

Oh before I forget DAD - can you send me my LINE OF AUTHORITY please, that would be great, thanks. Oh and also that’s good or cool I don’t know really what to say about the 24 hour phone 911 thing but that’s good you were able to do that.  Here on Sept 11 we had a fireside  like we do every week but this one was special because they showed us the footage from that day and just a couple of videos about it.  The Mormon Tab did a music and the spoken word tribute to it that morning so we were able to see the recording of that which was neat. I’ve never really seen that much about 911. I also saw Carol in the choir so it was a good experience.  Sorry my spelling is bad I’m trying to go fast.  Oh and another thing I met a counsellor here named Christian Anderson and he said dad would know who he is, so just letting you know he says hi.

I’m sorry to hear about Brother Bennion I can’t remember if I said anything about it in my last email so give them my sympathy’s.

 I got the shoes for Tyler and so I’ll for sure bring those to him and I know I’m just waiting on the nets cause I only heard of them today but say thanks to Diane for that and I hope I have enough room!!!

Anyway about Thiago, so stuff happened and we were not able to teach him last Monday, but we get to this upcoming Monday, so me and Elder Hruska have been preparing a lot and we hope that we can bring the spirit into his life and help him to know what his Father in Heaven wants him to do. So this will be interesting because it’s our first real investigator, but our practice lessons have gone really well so I pray for the best.

Ok so now is time to make you all jealous.  So you know how we had Elder Holland come talk to us like 3 weeks ago..... Well this last Tuesday we had another apostle come, and it was Elder Ballard!!!  It was so awesome to hear another apostle speak. He had such a great message!! The one thing that he said that I really enjoyed was he quoted Joseph Smith  "No matter what may come upon you, round up your shoulders and bear it."  I really enjoyed that quote cause lately I find myself complaining to myself a lot, and you know what I know I don’t want to be in the MTC anymore but I just need to suck it up and just finish strong.  I need to be able to do whatever I need to do to become a better missionary. I know that it is definitely tough but whatever its only 2 years, and I don’t want to come home regretting anything.  It really got me thinking that it’s not my time I’m wasting if I don’t work, it’s the Lords and I just got to do whatever it is because it’s what he wants me to do.  It’s not that spiritual I guess but it was my own personal little revelation.  I just keep reading and studying everyday and hope I improve my knowledge and testimony of the gospel. His message was awesome so I really enjoyed our devotional this week.

Anyway I just want to say what’s up?? To Erin and Sara before my time runs out, and this is to mamma and papa too.  I love you all; I hope everything is well with you.  Erin I hope that work is good and you are living life to the fullest and just being with buds and doing what you need to do.  Sara I hope school is good, not getting into much trouble and just hope you keep up the good work and not get too boy crazy.  Mom and dad hope all is well and just doing good for everyone, I don’t know what you’re up to now that school is back and the basement is done but I hope you find some interesting things to do.

Well I love you I can’t think of anything I need besides addresses that are lost and maybe phone numbers that might be lost too, I love you all and I’ll email next week and talk to you guys soon!!! Literally.

Love your baby boi

Elder Kentis

WEEK 7 at the MTC - cereal, scorpions and a prayer answered!

Ok so hello there my loving family!!  How are you this wonderful day??

Well let’s start out with something fun. This week our district had a cereal eating competition. We called it  the TOWER CHALLENGE!!!! It was awesome. Here they serve cereal out of huge tower dispensers and we decided that just during a lunch hour we would see if we could deplete an entire tower of cereal before they refilled it!! Guess what we did it!! And it only took 73 bowls to complete it.

Another funny eating thing that I forgot to tell you about was my second week here, when Elder Bryce and Young were here they had Mexican candy and one was a sucker with a real dead scorpion in it. They challenged me to eat it and I did.  So from then on I was called the "rey de scorpio"  aka scorpion king.  It actually didn’t taste that bad, the stinger was cut off and it just tasted like dirt so I guess the sucker was good but the scorpion just was nasty and it equalled out.

Anyway onto other things, so thank you soooo much for the package!!! I loved it and still love it.  Thanks too for the updates on the other Elders, it’s always great to know how they are doing.  Oh and mom you had some pretty funny stuff in your letters, like "happy labour day..... did you labour hard??" hahaha and your rhymes haha anyway I love you guys.  About the shoes for Tyler ya I’m down to bring them to him all I hope is that I have the weight but I think I will with the backpack now.

So about your culture class question - unfortunately we don’t have any class like that, but both my teachers served in Argentina on their missions and one is a native aka born there so she is bringing in some stuff and going to do a little lesson on it I think next week so that will be really interesting to hear.  Also dad that is so awesome that you got to sit by Elder Holland and man would I love to just sit down and talk to him for just like 10 minutes. That would be amazing!! That’s great your young men all did well on the summer challenge. My summer challenge is going good I’m working my way through and I should be done by the time I get to Argentina.  The language is tough though, the days always have their ups and downs so one day I’ll be good at it and another it won’t be so great but you know it’s a work in progress so hopefully when I get down to Argentina I’ll be able to understand about a quarter of what they say haha. But who knows, all I know is that I need to pray a lot to get help.

Ok so what you were saying about rook made me wish I could play it once in awhile.  I miss being able to play games so much, board games card games anything, I just want to do something!!! ahh its killing me but its actually not I just make it more than it needs to be.

Another cool thing that is going happen soon is that I will be able to watch this conference in Spanish so that will probably help my understanding a lot more, but the sad thing is that now that I’m a missionary conference talks and just talks in general seem to have more meaning to me and this conference I won’t be able to get that much just cause I don’t know the language that well. Hopefully it turns out ok and if I can even get one thing out of conference then that would be awesome!!!!

So I’ve heard you guys are starting school and such . Sara - Seminary!!!! ahhaahahahahahah now you get to wake up even earlier than I do!!! Isn’t it the life??? Mom you’ve been doing it for what like 6 years so I guess 4 more isn’t too bad.  But Erin I hope you are doing well and hope you had a great time on your Labour Day weekend idk I’m just glad everyone is doing ok and loving life!!  Just do your best and learn to love the gospel is all the advice I got right now.   A nice thing that happened this week is we got a new district and there is another Elder Harker in it, I haven’t really met him but I’ll tell you how he is.

 I know my letter is kind of all over the place today but now to the spiritual thought of the day.  So this week was good and bad, it was kind of all over the place but really what has been wrong is that I just want to get out of the MTC.  I know it’s good for you and everything but I signed up for teaching real investigators and help change other people’s lives.  So I’ve kind of been thinking like that the last couple of days and I just want to help someone for real.  We teach our teachers and they act like investigators and we are supposed to pretend they are, but we really know that they are just evaluating us and stuff. Yesterday as we were teaching Hermana Arcos, after our lesson she had an idea. She asked just me and Elder Hruska if we wanted to teach a friend of hers named Thiago.  He is not a member of the church and has met with the missionaries before but it didn’t click with them.  They didn’t teach the restoration until lesson 3 and so on. So she is asking permission for me and Elder Hruska to teach a real investigator!!!  This was definitely an answer to prayer and I am so happy that I have something real to prepare for and a life I can actually influence.  He already goes to church and is reading the Book of Mormon but our teacher thinks he just needs the right missionaries.  I don’t know what she was feeling and I’ll be honest I still don’t feel prepared to teach him in anyway but the spirit led her to make this decision.  I guess the lesson I learned this week is following the spirit. I don’t know how we can help him but we need to do our best and I am very excited to teach him.

 I realized how important prayer is in our lives and I think this is one of the first times I can remember where prayer has been answered so just wow, like right in front of me.  Anyway it is really awesome and I’m looking forward to the challenge.

Can you please tell Janelle thank you for the letter and all of Tanners updates and also thank you so much for the package.  I’m still going to write her a letter but if you could tell her that would be great. I’m sad I’m missing the corn bust this year but whatever things will be alright and oh tell Kianna congrats again, I guess she’s getting hitched today!

Another thing is I get my flight plans next week so I’ll give you that info in my next email Please try to get those addresses soon and write them in your email or dearelder as soon as you can because I want to send letters out soon.  This week was great for mail thank you I got all yours plus ones from Jesse, Tyler G, Tanner, Jessica, Melissa and I think that’s all but ya it was a good week for mail.

Anyway I love you all stay strong in what you do and just push on cause we need to endure to the end

Love you

WEEK 6 at the MTC - an apostle speaks!

Hola Amigos!!  Como estan??

Well to start off I’m soooo glad that you got my package! I hoped you would enjoy it. Thank you for your many letters, I love hearing from you guys it makes me so happy inside when I do.  It’s almost like having Christmas every day, well almost every day at least.

So this week has been a lot better. I am feeling great, and my spirits are up and I’m just trying to understand Spanish.  It is messing with my mind. Half the time I’ll think or say something in Spanish and I don’t even know, by the time the day is over I feel like that one episode of Dexter’s Lab when his brain just shuts down for the day, That’s pretty much how I feel.  So ya its all good though I’m still loving it I guess but I just can’t wait to get to Argentina!!! I get my travel plans in 2 weeks and then I’m off to an unknown land in about 3 weeks.  So I hope it comes fast, cause I feel like I’m trapped in a black hole of gospel that will last for an eternity.

But I hope you are all jealous of me because the highlight of my week was the devotional!! We had Jeffrey R Holland come and speak!!! It was absolutely amazing! I don’t even know how to describe it but man was it good.  They haven’t had an apostle here for about 10 weeks and so we always joke about the prophet coming or Elder Holland because everyone loves him because he’s such a powerful speaker, and what do you know he came!!! I almost didn’t believe it at first but now I do haha.   He talked on so many things it’s hard to pick just one, but one thing he did was a question/answer period. Unfortunately I didn’t get to ask a question because they had people write them up before and then gave it to him right before he spoke but one question I really liked was:  Q- What is the greatest gift I can give to the Savior of the world the Lord Jesus Christ? His answer was - your heart, everything you can give.  He then brought up Joseph Smith's vision when Christ says " They draw near to me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me" and that hit me really hard that I need to do everything I can to draw nearer to God with my heart.  Because my purpose out here is to invite others unto Christ, and how can I do that if I’m not striving to come unto Christ as well. Thought you’d want to hear about that, and maybe it’ll be online in a couple of weeks for you to read. It was really amazing to hear an Apostle of the Lord speak with such power.

I guess that was one of my spiritual thoughts but I do have another one.  So the past couple of weeks I have restarted the BOM and have challenged myself to finish it before I leave the MTC.  So it’s been a couple weeks and I’m already into Alma and, oh how I love the BOM, it has been so long since I’ve read it this much in such a little time period and its so awesome.  The lessons you learn from it are amazing and once you get going the story really makes you never want to do anything else because it’s so entertaining at the same time.  This is one of the greatest tools and I don’t see how anyone in their right mind could read this book and say that it’s not true because it is.  Even the first chapter of Nephi is almost the exact story of Joseph Smith.  He wanted to know an answer, prayed and had a vision of the truth. I just can’t believe how good this book is.  It’s absolutely astonishing. I challenge everyone to read it every day because it’s definitely the best part of my day.

Well some things for you to know are I got a haircut, and wow they do such a good job here!!! It’s almost as if a 5 year old was cutting my hair. I feel like I’m 10 years old again because they pretty much just buzzed it and then off I go. But whatever, hair grows back so maybe I’ll get a better one next time.  That’s cool that your converting all our VHS over (sorry I didn’t ever do that hahaha) but sounds like you’re having a good time with that. I love watching old stuff cause it reminds me of a young care free version of me, when I could do whatever I want and just live life.

Also I thought the changes in the ward were pretty awesome!! I’m sure everyone will do a great job!!  and to answer Dad’s question yes I have been singing in choir and no they haven’t mentioned General Conference choir but I won’t be in it anyway cause I leave the week before conference so ya kind of a bummer but you know what it’s all good I get to listen to it in Spanish and not understand a word of what they are saying!!! It will be so much fun!!

  Oh another thing I want to say before it happens is tell Kianna congrats on her wedding even though it hasn’t happened yet. I’d rather be early than late I guess if that makes any sense at all but ya just please do that.  It’s so weird she’s getting married but hey, it’s awesome!!

So Erin I just wanted to let you know that I’m praying for you everyday, and I miss you so much and love you that much as well. I hope you have a great time in Montana, just chill and love life.  I hope that work is going good for you and your beasting in the area of dental assisting and idk just hope that you’re doing ok and going to Institute.  I know I wasn’t the best at going but just learn to love the gospel because it is the best thing you will have in your life, besides me of course but hey I love you and stay strong sis

Sassy, well first off good job on your talk I guess, I never heard it but I hope it went well.  I also am praying and cheering that you will get on the  Vball team, so just do your best and whatever happen happens but just stay strong .  I’m glad you had a good summer, and just really try to do your best in everything that you do, don’t worry about your classes everything will work itself out in the end and if you’re alone just make some sweet new friends. I love you and cya in 23 months!! 

To momma and papa thanks for the letters this week and thanks for the comforting words, they really helped a lot I’m so grateful for all your love for me and I miss you guys a lot, but please send some pics with this package too, anyway love and miss all of you.

Also if you could get me Spencer’s address in Victoria that would be good.

Well I think that’s all love you!!