"I speak English okay now"

written May 31st

Elder Quadros and I had a pretty busy week here in the offices. Every day we wake up at 6:30, get ready, and we are here in the offices by 8 at the latest. From there we have a personal study from 8-8:30 and companionship study from 8:30-9:30 where we study and plan together. From there just about anything can and has happened... haha. Most of the nights for us are late nights and I really treasure the nights we get to go to bed on time.  The idea is to be out of the offices and headed towards our area at 4pm but something almost always comes up. I have worked a total of 3 afternoons since being here in the offices. However, the Lord has blessed us to be able to have a lot of success in the little time that we have worked in the field. 

Upon my arrival to the offices yesterday I was feeling pretty down, exhausted, and overwhelmed to the point that I had to have an inward battle to convince myself to kneel down and pray. My prayer was answered as my day was plentiful with enlightening and spirit-filled experiences.

We had two trainings yesterday. The first one was with the district leaders who were recently assigned to that position this last transfer. The second one was with the new missionaries that arrived two transfers ago and their trainers. The training was on leaving commitments and the spirit filled the room as we shared experiences, explained the importance of leaving commitments, and bore testimony of the various steps there are to leaving powerful commitments. I felt a lot better after that. 

I think part of the reason the Spirit was so strong was because President Ávila asked us to do the second training in English just 10 minutes before we started our part. All of the missionaries that were there were English speakers and half of them being new missionaries he wanted to make sure that all of them understood. I speak English okay now because I still speak it here and there but when it comes to speaking about Gospel related things I am a complete disaster. I literally have not spoken about those things in English since before I came on the mission... it was a struggle. Haha! I had to rely on the Lord a lot and speak very simply so I think that helped the Spirit be there so strongly. All of the missionaries and President Ávila got a good laugh out of me and I did as well. It was all in good fun and made my day a lot brighter. Elder Quadros did really well with his English and everyone is always impressed when he speaks (including me even after being his comp for the second time). 

To top the day off we were able to go out to our area and have some great lessons. One of the lessons was with the son of a an active family in the church. He is not a member but is a great guy with a good head on his shoulders. He is actually active in another church but is open to listen to us. We had a nice little lesson getting to know him, talking about our purpose as missionaries, and leaving him with an invitation to begin reading The Book of Mormon. 

The second lesson was with a family that recently was baptized and had been going through a hard time. We were able to help that get back on their feet and commit them to come to church tomorrow. 

Right now I am doing really well. The only thing I need is some rest and P-day couldn't have come at a better time.  

Love you all and I am praying for you,

Elder Rainock

"We are super excited to be a part of it"

written May 24th

I said goodbye to my "papá" in the mission on tuesday as he boarded a plane to head back home. Elder Egbert taught me a lot about how to be missionary and I will miss him until I see him again next year. Elder Gibbons, my companion of one transfer in Villa Mercedes, also went home on tuesday. I learned a lot from him as he is a great teacher. 

Elder Quadros and I have had a pretty busy week as we welcomed some new missionaries into the mission and gave a number of trainings. Next week is a week full of trainings as well so we have started preparations for that. Elder Quadros and I were feeling pretty stressed yesterday after leaving a meeting with President Ávila because we realized the load we´d be carrying this next month as we fulfill our normal responsibilities as well as prepare for the departure of President Ávila and the arrival of President Goates. We are super excited to be a part of it and after we sat down and planned a bit yesterday we felt better about what we have to do. 

I am doing well health wise and I am happy. Hope everyone back home is doing well!

Love,

Elder Rainock

"got a call on saturday night from President Ávila that I would be his last assistant"

written May 19th

This is going to be a quick update because today is no longer my P-day. I got a call on saturday night from President Ávila that I would be his last assistant and that I would be helping to bring in the new mission president when he comes at the end of June. I am here in the offices now with my new companion (and old companion) Elder Quadros! We are companions for the second time! I am also companions for the second time with Elder Egbert (my trainer in the mission) but it´s only for a few days since he will be going home tomorrow. I am going to miss him a lot. 

This last weekend our awesome investigator, the lawyer-to-be, was baptized and confirmed. He was super happy and is already talking about stopping his studies temporarily to serve a mission! Just the thought of that fills me with joy. I will miss him but I am not worried about him at all. He has a good head on his shoulders and I know he will continue doing the right thing. When he heard that I would be leaving his said, "How are you going to leave me now? You got me involved with this and now are leaving?" just in joking of course. 

This week will be pretty busy as there is a group of 12 missionaries leaving and 12 new missionaries coming. We have some trainings to give and stuff like that. It will be hard getting used to being here in the offices and not in a normal area. I get anxious when I am not out and working with the people. 

Hope everyone is doing well! Here are some pictures from my last day in Villa Mercedes, arriving at the terminal, and with my new comp Elder Quadros. 

- Elder Rainock

"the work was still going forward"

written May 12th

So here´s my little update on the stomach condition. After a few trips to the hospital and a specialist we were able to find that there was no actual obstruction that should be keeping me from going to the bathroom. I did, however, have a ton of food just sitting there in my stomach. The cause is a lack of my intestines doing their funciton to move the food along. They were basically dormant but are now picking up a little bit after two weeks. I had some tests done last week and will be returning to Mendoza on wednesday to get the results from the specialist. There are a few possibilities but it is more than likely something called irritable bowel syndrome. We´ll see though.

I was very happy to return to Villa Mercedes after a week of being in Mendoza. Elder Braz was here the whole week with Elder Gibbons (my old companion) working in the area to keep the work moving along. That was a big relief to me to know that the work was still going forward. 

This next weekend will be the baptism of the guy we started teaching a few weeks ago who is studying to be a lawyer. He has progressed very rapidly came to church for the 3rd time yesterday and stayed for all the meetings. He is excited for his baptism and for having received the restored gospel. Elder Braz and I have a good time with him and have grown to love him as a brother. He is only 21 years old so it´d be awesome if he made the decision to go on a mission. We will see :) 

Apart from him we are working with 4 families. It´s a big deal for us to be teaching 4 families at once. To have 4 families that let us in their homes and listen to us is a big blessing. However, the challenge is even greater because the adversary will be working even harder to prevent their progression since the family is the basic unit of the gospel. 

I love it here in Villa Mercedes and I will be sad to leave it in a week and a half when I´ll be heading (still don´t know where) to a new area. 

Hope all is well back home! 

Love,

Elder Rainock

"I had to go Bear Grylls on myself last night"

written April 28th

This week was very interesting. I´ll start by talking about an awesome new investigator we have and then finish with the... interesting part. 

On thursday night we got a call from a recently returned missionary in our ward and he asked us to come to his house because he had a friend there that wanted to talk with us. We were kind of far away so we hopped in a taxi and we were there in no time. 

When we got to the house we got to know him and learned that he had interest in talking to the missionaries before but never got the opportunity before his friend (the member) left on his mission. He is a 21 year old guy and is studying to be a lawyer. He has a good head on his shoulders and is open to listening to anyone. We taught the lesson of the restoration and he accepted the invitation to be baptized without hesitation. He even asked, "is it normal that someone accepts that invitation so quickly without hesitation?" Haha. Thank goodness my companion is a convert of only 4 years and was able to share his testimony that he felt that way as well. It was a powerful lesson. 

Yesterday he showed up for church with his friend and stayed for all the meetings. He felt comfortable and is looking forward to his baptism in the month of May. 

Well.. that was our big miracle of the week. This next part of the email is not for the tender-hearted. 

As of last night it had been 8 days since I had passed a normal stool. I had some major blockage and stomach pains. My stomach was rock hard (not because of my abs but from being so full) and I was not able to find relief in any of the over-the-counter drugs in the pharmacy or from the prescriptions the doctor in the hospital gave me. Last night in a moment of despair I had to make a decision.. and I made it. And learned a lesson on humility while at it. 

I went and bought a self-applicated enema. You might have seen Bear Grylls do it before... I remember watching that episode and being grateful that I´d never be stranded on a raft so I wouldn´t have to give myself an enema. But no.. I had to go Bear Grylls on myself last night. I´m still not sure if it was a memory of a life-time or if I am scarred for life. Either way it is what it is. I feel a little bit better now. Today I will be going to Mendoza for leadership council anyways so I will be able to work out everything else with the mission nurse. 

Hope everyone is happy and healthy back home!

- Elder Rainock

"I know He lives because it was necessary to complete his atonement"

written April 21st

This week we had interviews with President Ávila. This was his last run of interviews with all the missionaries in the mission before he goes home at the end of June. It was sad thinking that this was my last one-on-one time with him because he is such a great man and leader. He does nothing but build-up those around him. 

Elder Braz and I had a great week. We were able to enter into a lot of homes and teach many lessons as well as find many new people. The problem now will be finding sufficient time to teach them all! :) Haha. It´s not a bad problem to have so I am not complaining. It will just take some more critical planning. 

I was able to enjoy Easter sunday and learn more about the culture here in Argentina. This past week was called the "semana santa" or "holy week". Being a country and government based on the Catholic church it is something that is respected country wide. The only meat they eat is fish and each day is dedicated to some event that happened near Christ´s death and resurrection. 

There are traditions that aren´t related to the Catholic church as well such as hollow chocolate eggs with little candies inside of them. I have attached the picture of me holding one. I had quite a few of these this week as members and random people would give them to us. 

I have attached some pictures from friday morning as well when Elder Braz and I did service. We sanded down some rusty metal shutters (I have my tetanus shot) that the sister missionaries will be painting this week. 

I am doing great down here in Villa Mercedes. I love the ward here. My testimony is growing and my appreciation for a living Christ is growing even stronger. A living Christ who guides His church in these days. I know He lives because it was necessary to complete his atonement. And I know His atonement is complete because I have felt his healing grace carry me to knew heights of faith and I have felt his forgiveness make me whole. 

Hope you all are doing well. 

Elder Rainock

"talking with lots of people in the street and setting appointments"

written April 14th

My first week with Elder Braz was great. He is exactly what I thought - a hard-worker. We have been talking with lots of people in the street and setting appointments to meet with them in their homes. 

On thursday we hopped on a bus to go out to a huge neighborhood that is in our area. It is a neighborhood with over a thousand homes. Sitting in front of us on the bus was a young teenage couple that kept turning around and looking at us. It was kind of awkward and we thought they were just being teenagers and mocking us because they would look at us and then turn around and giggle. When we got off the bus we went around to visit some people and on our way to an appointment we saw them again in a park. They were giving us strange looks and laughing a bit. It actually isn´t anything out of the ordinary so I didn´t think twice about it. 

Later on that evening right before it was time to get on the bus and head back home we decided to talk to a man that was standing outside of his home. He mentioned that he had received missionaries in his home 5 years ago and would be willing to do it again. He wasn´t able to get baptized before because him and his spouse were not married. They got married 3 years ago so now that isn´t a problem.

Anyways, as we were talking to him I saw that teenage couple in my peripheral and thought, "What are the chances that we have run into them again? We are over 20 blocks away from where we saw them last in a gigantic neighborhood with thousands of homes." They passed us, said hello, and walked into the home. I couldn´t believe it... I asked the man, "Are you related to those two?" and he told us that the girl was his daughter. 

He invited us in and we had a great lesson on the Restoration with the whole family there. They are excited to have the missionaries in their home again and we have planned another appointment with them for this week. Oh, and it turns out that they were giggling and looking at us because the girl had mentioned that the missionaries had came by before to their home and the boyfriend was trying to get her to talk to us; she was just nervous to start the conversation. 

Well, that was a cool thing that happened this week. Elder Braz and I are doing well. We had a great testimony meeting in church yesterday and I am feeling good. It is starting to get pretty cold here but I prefer the cold over the heat. I like bundling up and wearing the heavy clothing. 

Hope all is well, I am sending prayers to you all in the US of A :) 

- Elder Rainock

"we have a responsibility to build up His kingdom"

written April 7th

So, to start off, just a quick bit of news. The area presidency has asked us that we tell our families to not send any more packages. The ones that make it are few and far between so sending them may be futile. For example, some of you guys sent packages for me back in november and the beginning of december and I have only received one. 

I went to Mendoza for leaderhsip council on monday and got back around 1 am wednesday morning. So we only had wednesday, thursday, and friday to work before conference on saturday and sunday. We got a good amount done for the time that we were given. 

Conference was spectacular. Like last year, I was able to watch all the sessions in english. I wish I could go through and tell you what I got out of each talk but I will keep it to what is important for both you and I right now.. the talks pertaining to missionary work. 

Elder Ballard gave a little follow-up on his last two talks that have to do with sharing the Gospel. I thought it was great and confirmed to me the importance of verification. Make sure to "follow-up" with those you share the gospel with not just leave a hollow invitation. You will be surprised where it gets you. And don´t forget to share your testimony whenever you get the chance. He mentioned that bearing testimony on a consistent basis cleanses us.

If you missed the priesthood session or if you are a woman and didn´t go to the session I recommend you look up Elder Uchtdorf´s talk on not "sleeping through the Restoration." That talk really hit home with me. I know that Christ will come again to reign on the earth and I know that this is the Lord´s kingdom on the earth but I have never really gone into deep thought about our responsibilities as members to build up His kingdom for when He does come again. I don´t know if that sentence made much sense but what I am trying to get at is we have a responsibility to build up His kingdom because this will be the kingdom, or in other words The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, that He will take over when He comes in great glory to reign. 

Anwyays, not much time left but I hope that all had a good weekend. Whether you are a member of the church or not I hope you take some time to go to LDS.org and Mormon.org and expand your knowledge on gospel matters and watch some conference talks while you are at it.

Elder Gibbons is leaving to be a traveling assistant for his last transfer in the mission (like Elder Morley). I learned a lot from Elder Gibbons this transfer. We got along really well and I learned how to be a better teacher from him. 

I was hoping for a latino companion in order to better my spanish-speaking skills since I have yet had a latino comp that speaks spanish as his first language. Well... part of my wish came true. I will be getting another Brazilian comp named Elder Braz on wednesday. The chances are very slim of even getting one Brazilian comp since there are only 5 in the mission but somehow I´ve managed to pull off a double brazilero whammy. I don´t know much about him but I know he is a working machine so I am excited. 

Hope all is well!

- Elder Rainock

"New people, new challenges, opening hearts to be touched by the Spirit"

written March 31st

I am sorry for not sending anything last week but it was a holiday again and there was only one cyber in all of Villa Mercedes that was open. Also, we are about to make our way down to Mendoza for the leadership meeting. Our bus leaves in a couple of hours and we still have to eat and pack. 

I am loving my time with Elder Gibbons. We get along great and we think a lot alike. It has made this transfer fly by. Only one more week until transfers again!! I can´t believe it. 

These last couple of weeks we have had to take a break with a number of our investigators. We have kept in contact with them but a lot of the decisions they have to make are things that are sensitive when it comes to missionaries getting involved (for example, marriage). However, this last week we found a number of new people and that always gets me excited. New people, new challenges, opening hearts to be touched by the Spirit for the first time or maybe the first time in a while. 

I am looking forward to General Conference this next weekend. We already have a number of investigators that are committed and excited to go. I am so grateful for a living prophet and the opportunity it is to listen to him (even if it´s all the way in Argentina). I encourage everyone to listen attently to pick out what there is for you. I will be doing the same!

Praying for you all!

- Elder Rainock