"lots of teary good-byes"

(written June 21st)

The last two weeks have been pretty busy and last week I didn't get a P-day at all because we had to travel to San Luis for a stake conference so that is why I didn't get to write. 

Last week we did a final tour of the mission with President Ávila. It was a special training that we presented to all the zones in the mission. Elder Quadros and I had a short part on a model of teaching that Elder Zwick taught to the mission when he was here over a year ago (before I got to the mission). President and Sister Ávila spoke on who we are and the plan of salvation. It was very powerful and will will miss them so much as a mission. There were lots of teary good-byes. 

While there is sadness about the departure of the Ávilas we are all anxious to see what the mission will be like with the arrival or President and Sister Goates. However, I will admit that I will be one of those shedding a tear as we drop President Ávila off in the airport next week. His example of a leader has left a great impact on me. 

This week we said sent off a group of 6 missionaries and received 7. The new missionaries that came are real game changers! I can tell that they are a special group and have so much potential. It was cool getting to know them and they were put into good hands as their trainers are great missionaries as well. Really, the mission is looking up! There are lot of missionaries that are doing BIG things in their areas and setting an example for others. 

This week we had about 5 hours to work in our area and the Lord has blessed us to be able to do what we could normally do in 10 hours in those 5. We found two new people that received us into their homes (they are actually old investigators of mine from when I was in this area the first time training Elder Rich). They seem more desirous now and committed to listening to us. I will update you more on them as we continue to work with them.

I am doing really well now. Even though the stress levels are high I am learning to deal with them and work at a higher pace with less sleep. Although I do like sleep I have always been jealous of people who can sleep so little and feel fine. Right now I am perfecting that art :) I am tired but I am functioning fine on the energy I have. I know a big part of that, however, is the Lord giving me the strength to do what I need to do. As I have been here in the offices I can see numerous ways in which the Lord has blessed me and if I take the time to think about as many as I can the list just doesn't stop. 

I am so grateful to the Lord for the opportunities I have been given since returning on my mission. I've had some trials in my life - the biggest of which was returning home from my mission. But now I can only see it as a blessing as I was able to use the power of the Atonement to make it out as a happier, stronger, changed person. Since being here I have faced the challenges of missionary work and have been able to build upon that testimony I have of the Atonement as I use it to not only to ask for forgiveness for my weaknesses but as a force to take on the trials. Every responsibility, being big or small, has brought its challenges and it's always a humbling reminder that the only way out is through His Atoning Grace. 

We can search for solutions to our trials in many places but there is only one place to find them. It is hard because it's humbling. But I have seen that humbling ourselves before the Lord is usually the final effort we have to give before things start looking up. It brings a lot more meaning to the phrase "depths of humility." It's hard, it might make us feel weak because we can't do it ourselves, but looking back we only realize that we are strong and that it was worth it. 

Elder Bednar left us with a great message in general conference about our trials and how they make us stronger. Take a few minutes to read it or listen to it. 

https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2014/04/bear-up-their-burdens-with-ease?lang=eng

Love you all!

Elder Rainock

The picture I have attached is of a nice restaurant we went to after receiving the new missionaries. We also went there the night before as a farewell dinner to those that left. Usually the dinners are in the mission home but being that the mission home is under construction for the arrival of the Goates we went there. That is good ól argentine asado!

"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