Weather Extremes - Week 23

So this week weather went from one extreme to the other. At the beginning of the week we had a day that rained so hard that we had to go back to the pension to dry off. Haha because after walking in the rain for 2 hours and no one allowing us to enter in their house we needed to do something to protect our copies of the Book of Mormon. Luckily Mine didn't get wet but everything else in my backpack was soaked. Later in the week we went to the other extreme with el sol or the sun. One of the Elders has an alarm clock with a thermometer so we put it outside for a little while to see... it was 115 degrees outside!

Exciting news the family Florez will be baptized this Saturday 24th. The part that is awesome is that two of the boys Gabi (12) and Alejo (8) asked me to baptize them! They even fought for a minute  about who would be baptized by Elder George. All giddy inside I told them not to worry because I could baptize them Both! So I am very excited all about that!  I have been in this area for 4.5 months so it is very possible  that I leave this week. I don't know if I will leave or stay for 6 weeks more but I can honestly testify that I love those that I have served and that I will shed some tears when I say goodbye.  

I had Jacob go through and choose 100  cards to send to me for this little guy.
His name is Leo and I gave him all the Yugioh cards!

During the week we went to the house of an investigator named Juan and helped him take apart wood pallets with our bare hands!  

It sure was an adventure the 6 of us like cave men taking apart wood and nails with only our bodies.  We sure did find some interesting ways to break off pieces...for example by dropping big rocks....can you say cavemen yep pretty much:)  

There's always one or two in every crowd....

Goodbye Elder Biggs, my back street buddy.  He goes home to Arizona.

115 degrees....Enjoy the Snow!

Thanks mom, My new Aggies Hoodie for Christmas.

The cover that I made for my journal.

Come and See - Week 22

This week was a very good one...We contacted a lot of people this week and we have 12 new investigators to teach so that is pretty awesome and the heat is just increasing, enjoy the snow while you can!

I had the privilege of going to another part of La Rioja called Aimogasta that is 2 hours away in Collectivo or bus.  I went with Elder Villar to do some baptismal interviews.

Aimogasta, with two other elders named Elder Mangum and Elder muñoz.  I love those Elders  and Elder Muñóz has a smile really really big!!

Found a cool little river

Boys will be boys...Elders can only look at the water

Happy Birthday to Elder Lima, my companion turned 22....Im feeling 22...yeah I know you all sang it in your heads, thanks Tswift!  Hahah, 

We celebrated at the house of the ward mission leader Rafael Ovejero, and the meal was amazing.  Also the cake afterwards was so rich and tasty!!  

Selfies! 

 Sunday lunch

Good friends, good food and a guitar What more could an Elder ask for!

The New Year 2015 - Week 21

Wow It is so hard to believe that just like that, another year has flown by. Thinking back on 2014 so much has happened. Graduated from High School, went through the MTC, learned how to speak another language, it is all so crazy and I feel honestly like it was just yesterday that I was on the graduation stage pounding out the piano keys with my Jazz Band. Well those times sure were fun, but nothing is more rewarding than a mission. An opportunity to share true happiness with everyone that we talk to really is a blessing...Even though some choose not to accept it, we continue searching and working because I know that there is someone that is waiting for the truth of the gospel to come to their door.  Love you all and hope that you had a Happy New Year!!!

New Year was wonderful.  Very calm and easy because we went to the house of a member, ate and after we went outside to stand on the roof and watch the fireworks. 

They have fireworks like the little poppers but they sound like real explosives, so we were basically in a war zone for the past week with all the harsh noise but hey it was fun! 

My new companion Elder Lima is wonderful.  He treats me so well and we work and teach so well together and with a lot of unity.  He really works and shows that we can do anything as long as we trust in the Lord.

Delivering Wheel Chairs - Helping Hands

Walking in the hot sun for miles really kills ya, hey at least I am losing a little bit of weight right.:)  hahah, we have started running in the mornings as well.

Love you all and hope that you all had a Happy New Year!!  Be sure that you have written goals in a place that you will see them so that you can work to achieve them. I know I have plenty of them! :) Until next week, with much love, Elder George

Christmas - Week 20

This was a wonderful Christmas week for me! I loved talking with my family through Skype and I am so glad you are all doing well! Hopefully you'll be able to see my Christmas message sending my love to all of you. To celebrate Christmas we did what we always do here in Argentina... EAT! We stayed out during the 24th Christmas Eve with the Familia Luna and ate Asado and a cabrito which is like a little pig! It was delicious and we were definitely stuffed like little piggies after that dinner! Then the 25th Christmas Day we went to the pension of the other Elders and ate Asado with them too. Other than that we just relaxed and rested up for the week. During siesta there is nothing going on in the streets but during Christmas morning it was like a ghost town and that is really strange. Sunday we had a Nativity Scene event with the stake choir as they sang and narrated the story Christ's birth. It was an evening full of the spirit and very beautiful. A wonderful Christmas that I got to share with my family here in Argentina!

Thanks to Brother Tanner for arranging the times for these four happy elders to Skype Home!

It's a Christmas Miracle! All in the same room, but not...One happy family skyping for the first time! So glad it worked!!!

You're always with us in spirit.....Merry Christmas

Christmas Dinner with the Familia Luna 

Me supervising haha with Jose Cooking!

Of course a delicious Asado!

Four Happy, Stuffed Hombres!

Beautiful building here in La Rioja

Never thought I'd be so happy to mop! Preparing the baptismal font

We had a Nativity Scene event in which the stake Choir sang and they narrated the story of Christs birth. I had the opportunity of playing prelude and accompanying the choir and it was an evening full of the spirit and very beautiful.  People were acting and played the parts of the shepherds, the 3 kings, Mary, Joseph and the Angels were...the missionaries in the baptismal clothing:)  haha! 

We had a baptism this last week for our friend Antonio and he is a viejo, "old man". We prepped for the baptism not knowing how we would baptize such an old man that can hardly walk.  We decided to have 2 elders in the font and a chair for him to sit on.  We carried him into the font sat him down and baptized him.  The next day he received the Gift of the Holy Ghost and I was so happy!!  It is a privilege to do this work and I love being part of Gods work! 

I'm Dreaming of a HOT Christmas - Week 19

It's definitely a little strange to not have snow for this time of year, instead I am wearing sun screen and burning a little bit but hey that's all good. I remember the song that Santa is using zebras now in Africa or something..well I'm pretty sure that he uses them here too! This week was a fun one for sure! I got a new companion, we are working with an old man named Antonio don Vlla who is so kind and has a wonderful testimony, he's planning to be baptized next Saturday, and the Conference of Navidad with all of the missionaries....I felt renewed and so ready to work. The Church is true, the book of Mormon is true, I have felt its spiritual influence to be true, and also the worldly evidence supports the book as well. This is the work of God and I am so blessed to be a part of it!   I love you all, Merry Christmas!
Elder Daniel George

Con Presidente, me and Elder Nygaard. Presidente is amazing!
We had the Conference of Navidad with all of the mission. There are about 250 missionaries in my mission and 13 zones.  It was crazy.  We had a meeting and president and his wife spoke to us, and after we ate lunch...

Lunch, an asado that was on a grill 15 feet long.  It was delicious.

My new comp is from Brazil named Elder Lima and he was in the mission a long time ago.  
He had 18 months and broke his leg and had to return home.  He healed up in 9 months and now is back in the mission.  It is funny because the people that he saw just starting the mission are finishing the mission now.  He has a wonderful testimony and spirit and I love to work with him. 

I am with Elder Igor, from Chile he is awesome.  He reminds me of Masi in dancing and everything. 

Look Santa and the elves came and everything. We had a show of talents and I got to play the piano!  Others sang, rapped, danced and it was so silly, and funny!  I love this mission.

 Later we played sports, ate cake, and opened a gift from the president and his wife. 
Ties for the elders, and scarves for the sisters.  I received a purple one that was really quite pretty!!  I love it, and after all that I received Christmas cards from the Breurs, Stoddards, Grandma and Grandpa Evans, a ton of Dear Elders, and a package from Kaitlin Pulver!! 
It was a wonderful day!