Asado! (Week 14)

Asado is meat from pigs, cow, sausage, whatever and is grilled outside on a fire!  It is the most delicious thing that I have ever tasted yet in Argentina and I hope to eat it again soon.  The missionaries always talk about Asado but I didn’t know what it was, but the wait...vila la pena...it was worth it!

Finally on Sunday we ate Asado

Beautiful Day! Almost looks like  Utah.

Love this Weather

A little Drop of Rain can hardly hurt me now!

...I found a keyboard!  I was so happy and excited and I loved it,
got to mess around and play for a little bit!  

Looks like the cooking merit badge payed off...

Luciano...he is so silly and goofy!!
9 years old and he is always laughing and he kills me seriously!  

BLOOD!!! (week 13)

Last week the rain was a beautiful thing, but Elder Aquino told me, this is the only time that it will rain all year.  I hoped that wasn't true but I am beginning to believe him now.  It was 43 grados the other day.  For you Utahns that is over 110 degrees!  Haha, that is hot but it is only spring.  It can get as hot as 55 grados which is over 130 degrees Fahrenheit. I have begun to truly experience the power of La Rioja and as Elder Aquino says, "I hate you big yellow ball in the sky!" Highlight of the week - We had the privilege of teaching the Restoration through Joseph Smith, to a woman with her 2 youngest girls ages 11, and 5. The 5 year old is seriously the cutest little girl and one of my little buddies!  I used the picture book that Scotty told me to buy and the lesson was so powerful.  We ended singing Soy un Hijo de Dios, or I am a child of God and we walked out all feeling edified by the Spirit.

Things are good in La Rioja!

“I hate you big yellow ball in the sky!”. 

No Bikes, leaves us walking 20 km per day. 

110 degrees is hot but it is only spring.  It can get as hot as 55 grados which is over 130 degrees Fahrenheit.  My nose has started bleeding like that of a fountain 5 times in the past 3 days.

the Family Ramos, the girl is serving in Chile right now and Hermano Ramos with the glasses is like Kim just  Latino!!

We met at Elder and Sister Tanner’s home to eat, party and learn of transfers.  
I luckily am with all of my elders for another transfer!  I am beginning to love these people more and more and the thought of leaving is starting to hurt..good thing I have 20 more months to make the most of it! 

All work and no play....

Preaching in the Rain.....LOVE IT!!! ( Week 12)

This week was a blessing beyond a blessing!  It rained lightly for 3 days in La Rioja so we had to wear sweaters and everything!!  It was awesome and I was so happy that it was nice and cool outside instead of 110!   So it was a beautiful week! I am super excited for this transfer, I luckily am with all of my elders for another transfer!  I love it !  A few of my goals are to Be brave, Humble, Repent Daily, and always when things are tough, Remember Him.

There are stray dogs...EVERYWHERE!!!  Literally everywhere, 
I swear if you don´t see at least 100 stray dogs in a day, than something is wrong.

Also cars, they are here but Motos or motorcycles are much more used in this country.  

I see at least 500 motos a day and that is not an exaggeration. 

Earlier in the week I had my first haircut in Argentina, so that was pretty fun I guess....
but at least my head is cooler without all my hair!  

Love this weather!

I had to go to Cordoba Thursday night at midnight with two other elders, Elder West and 

Elder Bingham to go work on our visas.  It is a 6 hour red eye Bus ride and hard to sleep but we made it there and stood in the wrong line for almost an hour.  We got to talk to a man for almost that entire time about the gospel. Then the secretaries found us and we went to work on office stuff.  

There in the office I saw all my elders from the MTC!!  It was so wonderful to see them again and to spend some time talking with them. and sharing all our crazy stories!! 

 I also met some other missionaries named Elder Tukuafa, friend of Jesse Cowden and Elder Logan Nelson who went to Olympus.  Elder David West went to Alta, and Elder Parker Bingham lives in Provo so I have a bunch of buddies that live really close!

After visa work we hung out at the apartment of the office workers and studies and ate! It was really great, took pictures on their roof of the temple and everything.  Then later that night we took another bus for 6 hours home, so basically 2 days without sleep but hey its fine.

Well, esta iglesia es verdadera, José Smith fue un profeta de Dios, Tomas S Monson es el profeta hoy, y yo sé que Jesucristo es mi Salvador, Redentor, y mejor amigo.  Me encanta sirviendo en La Argentina.  Les Amo much!!! Sinceramente, Elder George:)

River (Utes) vs. Boca (BYU) week 11

There are two teams in Argentina that are really popular and they are named River and Boca.  It just so happens that the colors of River are red, black, and white and the colors of Boca are white, blue and gold :)  Sound familiar? I thought that was really funny.  In almost every lesson someone asks what team we are, River or Boca and yeah its just fun. More problems with our bikes... Elder Aquino broke his in half...so now we are walking in over 100 degree weather every day and it is killer and it is literally like our skin is leaking, as Grandpa Charles would say!

 

My companero caught a bird just outside of the pension...Lesson: A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush...It's better to have a lesser but certain advantage than the possibility of a greater one that may come to nothing. In other words be happy with what you have or where you are!

It's a Party! But not all fun and games, This week we did service by building part of a concrete wall and making the concrete mix called mezcla.

This week I got really sick on Thursday and Friday throwing up with pains in my back and in my head.  I was assigned to only drink Gatorade. 

 The funny thing is it happened to my companion Elder Nygaard at the same time.
Flu for Two! We built clay models, and had to rest. A couple of Greenies?

 I felt horrible because I knew that I had to get out and work but I didn't feel well enough.  
I felt like I wasnt doing my job, but then Elder Nygaard told me this, "Don't try to be the Hero.  
The Spirit converts people and he can't if you aren't well.  If you need to rest, then rest don't kill yourself because you will only make it worse."  So I rested and now I am back on my feet and feel so much better. I'm ready to get back to work!

Wow, my first transfer is almost done!!  I am setting goals for myself, read the book of Mormon in Spanish and prepare for everything I need in the future. Lastly I gave my first talk in Spanish in the ward and I talked about enduring to the end.   I also played a special musical number, and the spirit was so strong.  I wasnt nervous for either of the things and I know that this gospel is true. I love it with all my heart!! 

Finally Here in Argentina!!! (Weeks 7-10)

Here in front of the Buenos Aries Temple
The Cordoba Temple is to be finished in April of 2015!

 Mission President Ruben V. Alliaud and wife Fabiana. 

President has a voice just like a Spanish radio host.  

It is pretty awesome and his wife is wonderful.

Elder George and 1^st Companion in Argentina - Elder Aquino from Paraguay

               

 Please note the fine craftmanship of the bookcase...

 I share a room with two other elders named Elder Nygaar, and Elder Souza

Home Sweet Home!

My address for letters it is just the mission home address

which is just up at the top right of the blog. 

 My first area is called La Rioja and it is honestly the hottest area ever!!  

It is like 110 degrees today, and it is so much different than Utah.

 I love Elder Aquino, but there is one problem....he doesn´t speak any English!!!!

I understand a lot and am able to speak to people, but I still feel lost a lot of the time.

If you want to know why I am so excited to preach this gospel 

and why so many are, go back on lds.org and listen to Elder Bednar's talk 

from this General Conference October 2014

My older brother sent me a wonderful quote that I love that said, 

Dont count the days, make the days count!

We have fun and things are crazy here.

P-Day!

Beautiful!

My area Universidad, is very large and Elder Aquino and I were about 3 miles from our house contacting and teaching when I stood up on my bike to get up a hill and crack.  

My right pedal snapped off of the bike.  

Cacoa, or Chocolate Milk is heavenly.  I am allergic to it, but I cant help it!  

So so yummy, much more tasty than Matte.

 It was 9pm we had to be home, I am missing a pedal, have a flat tire, and we are over 30 minutes walking distance from home.  Well, I looked down thought lets go, and I rode the bike.  Elder Aquino would push me and then I would go pedaling, I don’t know how in the dark with a flat tire in the front.  We laughed so hard the entire way home, and one woman that saw us burst out laughing in the middle of the street.  We made it home in....10 minutes!!  Haha, it was so much fun too! 

Donkey without Shrek...

There are little sweet shops called Kioscos everywhere. 
Alforjores are so yummy!  

There is this type of cookie with a chocolate dipped dulce de leche on top, 

and it will definitely be the reason that I come home overweight if I do...