Transfer Week

Hey fam,

It's been a pretty good week over here in Salta. Started off with the Chuychuy's wedding which was great, then they came to church on Sunday. I've worked with a new comp every day of the week, which is my life since being here in Mitre...

My new official proselyting comp is E' Rod, who's a young boss from Colombia. He's got fire which is great cause I STILL DO TOOOOO!!!!!  Don't try to start to thinking that just because I'm a mission senior citizen doesn't mean I don't stilll get after it. We are starting to find some great investis.

I got to work in splits with my absolute homeboy Elder Philpot this week. He's a ZL in Salta Oeste, the first zone I was in. I was kinda nervous honestly because we worked so well together back in Nov, but it's been a while since we've been together for an extended period of time. Well, I calmed my fears... Hahahah we went out around 5 and struck up a conversation from the first minute together till we made it back to the apt (stopping and talking with almost every person that crossed our path to break it up). I was amazed at just how much I connect with him. We have a lot in common and our missions have followed very similar patterns. I told him - he's become one of my best friends in the whole world. 

It's made me reflect this week about friendship. Elder Slighting has also become one of my best friends. I feel soooo lucky to have been able to get to know so many great people in my life, especially because up until I was 14 I never really felt very comfortable socially. Just wanna give a shout out to all of you, but especially Matty Law, Pich, Big Mac, Ned Holmes, Tim and Kev Superko, the Ainges, Hugh Roberts, Dallin Padgett, and other mission comps. I feel very blessed to have such great friends. 

Thursday, my new comp arrived from Tucuman - E' Contreras from Chile. He finishes in Nov. He's a warrior, a real role-model. He's 25, and the only member of the church in his fam. He got baptized around 16 and told me that the missionaries knocked on his door practically every day for a week so they could talk with him - he hid or made excuses, because he wasn't really interested in hearing about a church or Jesus. But they persisted and look where he's at now... Such a boss. He's humble and focused, and it'll be great working with him.

So yesterday, Pres showed us the transfer board and what he'd done with the areas. We discussed the movement and organization of some zones and areas, then he finalized and we spent all afternoon/night organizing the bus trips and etc. Tomorrow we'll pass the info to the ZLs by telephone and then they're off. 

Gonna miss 2 great comps - E' Tello who's gonna be white-washing an area and training! And E' Slighting who's also white-washing an area - his house hahaha. I hope to stay in touch with both and Slighting and I will for sure get together in Provo and drink mate (hahahahaha mom your little email made us all laugh so hard. Mate is like the Argentines' water - but I personally don't like it at all. We're prohibited to drink it from a straw/share with anyone else, but it's very popular in 'saquitos?' like an herbal tea.) (It's the go to breakfast because it's so cheap - think about it, it's literally grass in a bag, boiled...). 

But yeah, that's about it. Love you guys. 

I've been studying talks from GC and the LdM this week. Had some epiphanies reading Christofferson's talk from Apr 2015 - Made me excited (but not too much) to find a fantastic girl and get married. I highly recommend it. A gospel centered home with 2 equally yoked parents is SOOO important. Mom and Dad, I'll thank you better in person, but you need to know just how grateful I am for what you've done for me, the love you have for me, and the doors you open to our family.

Elder Isaac Blake

 

 

YOLO

Hey fam and friends,

I've been thinking all week about some deep topics, and perspectives that really influence me in who I am and what I do. The phrase "you only live once" resounds in my head as I meditate such things as life, death, the future, the past. 

I firmly believe, I'd say to the point that I know, that we don't and won´t only live once. We lived before we were born and we will live again after we die. 

The decisions we make in this life have and will have an enormous impact on what kind of life we have after we die. There are absolute truths in the universe, and thus there are absolute consequences. We're not here to just 'live it up.' For every good decision we make, there will follow good consequences, and for every bad decision we make, there will follow bad consequences. 

Now, I don't really understand why the consequences come when they do. It really isn't fair sometimes. But I believe in God, and I trust that His timing is better than ours. 

One of my favorite scriptures is found in the Bible - Matt. 6:19-20

19 ¶Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth,where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:

 20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:

I feel so strongly that if we choose to serve others, and do good, and be obedient to God's commandments, even if we don't fully understand why, that we will build for ourselves a heavenly home in the life to come, brick by brick, beam by beam. This is what I hope to say motivates every decision I make. Will doing this or that help someone else? Will it make me and my family happy? Is it worth my time, or is there something better I can do right now? 

This week, I got to work in splits with a few close friends. Elder Edwards, one of my past comps, Elder Hymas, and Elder Gerber. While I'm sure I'll be able to see and be with Edwards and Hymas after my mission, I don't know if I'll ever see Elder Gerber again in this life. He's from Brazil. But I do know that if we both continue to strive to serve others and obey God, we'll see each other again on the other side. This same feeling motivates me to serve and love the people of Argentina. I don't know if I'll ever see these people again in this life, but I do know that if we're faithful, we'll see each other again on the other side. 

There will come a point in the life of every person in this world when the natural consequences of life in this world will corner them in darkness. They will fill their mind with questions that don't seem to have answers. I've been there, and I know people who have been there too. 

I believe that in such a moment, the only way out is through prayer. Communication with God. He's the one who sent us here, and He's the one who hopes we make it home after parting this life. He has the answers. He loves us more than we can imagine. And he's prepared a way that makes it possible for us to be sure that the good consequences relinquish the bad ones. 

Jesus Christ is the way.

 28 ¶Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden,and I will give you rest.

 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

(Matt. 11:28-30)

If we reach out to Him, He will comfort us.

If we learn of Him, our questions will become answers, security. 

 9 He is the light and the life of the world; yea, a light that is endless, that can never be darkened; yea, and also a life which is endless, that there can be no more death.

(Mosiah 16:9)

I know with profound security that He suffered and died for us. He gave His life for our sins, on the condition that we humble ourselves and repent, and overcame death so that we may do so also. If we repent and dedicate ourselves to serving and helping others so that they may do the same, we will assure for ourselves eternal happiness and security. We don't only live once. 

http://www.mormon.org/easter

Let us enjoy this life; every day, every hour, every minute that we have to better ourselves and those around us. Let us not waste away our time in things that belong to this earth, for we surely will not be able to take them with us. I love you guys so much. I'm gonna keep working and enjoying this precious time I have to really lose myself in the lives of others.

 Love, Elder Blake

Zone Conference

Zone Conference

Last Transfer with Elder Slighting

Working and Walking

1st Annual North vs. South Council Classic

Hey fam,

From what I can remember, this has been a tiring, rewarding, pretty normal week down here. I don't know if I remembered to tell you or frankly when developed, but the beloved Chuychuy family that we're teaching decided to set a firm date for their marriage - a smaller, lucheon type deal on Saturday, June 20! They're excited and are progressing very very well in the Gospel and their transition into the Church. 

Aside from them, we continue the search for the elect here in Mitre, as well as in other areas, We're finding some good prospects, but there isn't a lot of constancy just yet. We're trying to work on ministering to all people better, visiting a lot of members (mostly less-actives) and searching for those with desires to follow Christ and strengthen their families. Speaking of so, we're working with the Rios family, at least 6 members that we've met so far. Their ypungest is 15 and pretty rebelious if I might say so, but they all love it when we visit! All of them are members, pretty less active, except Hermana Rios, who usually goes to Church. Anyways, there you've got a great family that feels the Spirit and wants to get back to serving in the Church.

I love helping people feel our Savior's love. Thanks to the Light of Christ, it's a familiar feeling for everyone. The key is an open heart and open mind. Don't wait till life get's tough to seek the pure love of Christ and they hope it brings.

As for some less spiritual details, Tues was leadership council. The ZLs have to travel between 2 and 6 hours by bus to make it to our house (side note from the Raider side of me. This is the most spiritual, clean-fun frat house in the world. We cram like 30 dudes into our house for a sleep-over once a month the night before council). Anyways, someone had the brilliant idea of playing soccer, the northern zones versus the southern zones (Jujuy and Salta vs. Tucuman and Santiago). We came out to an even 11 on 11 just like the big boys play and we were out on the court/field at 6 AM. Haahahah, I'm not exactly Messi or Landon Donovan, or even Pich (O.o), but I can hold my own (well, lie, I don't exactly hold my own...). But anyways, it was wicked fun and it got everyone awake for a good council on  how to hasten the work.

We took a quick 2 day road trip and working with some ZLs. Had good days with E Burnett and E Moyano (BsAs, great character) and worked hard. It's always tough to keep up the energy after hours in the truck, but like the Argentines say, "no queda otro" (something that - what else can you do??).

Love you fam. I keep thinking about what motivates me to live the Gospel, and try and apply that to others to spark their interest. For me it's simple. I love my family and my friends and the experiences I've had in my life. I don't want it to end, and couldn't bare it if death was the end of it all. I simply know that thanks to Jesus Christ, we can continue living together for time and all eternity. It's something that I feel deeply sure of. Doubt and insecurity don't occupy my bones. It's something I know. 

Everyone goes thru times in their lives of sadness, loneliness, insecurity. Ether 12:4 my friends. God lives and loves. If you need a friend, or have questions, let me know. We have the answers.

Elder Isaac Blake 

6 AM soccer!!

Bottomless Blake

Hey fam,

So this week has been sweet because I've been here in Mitre every day!! This almost never happens but we don't have to start splits with the ZLs till next week, so we took advantage, in all aspects.

1st of all, I've been a little hungrier than normal because every day of the week we got out at 7am to run/get after it in the park. As a result of the extra room in my belly, I went bold and broke my single-sitting empanada record. As a reference point, here, you can buy a good quality dozen for like 6 bucks, and that is sufficient for a good appetite. Well, with the help of the Flores family (Nahuel, who we helped get baptized last month) and Fernando, Agustina, and their mom, I successfully pounded... 25. Now the district wants to pit me against the best eaters in the mission, including elder Fuga, a BYU defensive lineman...

Hahaha, so apart from that anecdote....

We're focusing a lot right now on hunting families that have sincere desires to be strengthened, follow Christ, and get to the Temple. Honestly, it's been frustrating. We've been talking with everyone, but the majority of the people in our area are comfortable with life as they know it... :(

One of the tools we're trying to use is the ward directory. In our area, we've got 425 names, and about 45 are active. We're trying to get to know more and more less active members because they often are just waiting for someone to rescue them, and also often have family members that also yearn for the blessings of the Gospel. Slow and steady we're finding people with potential.

Above all, I'm realizing more and more the importance of the Spirit, and also of prayer in obtaining more of it! I love 3 Nephi 19:9 - look it up!

I love you all and hope we can strive together to deepen our love and dedication towards our Father in Heaven and our Savior, Jesus Christ. When in doubt or need, just kneel and pray.

Elder Isaac Blake

 

Trying to rescue the lost sheep!

With my comp, E Tello. Boss