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
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