Feel the love yet? I love you guys so much. I'm so sorry that things have been a little rough this week. I'll be fasting and praying my guts out for you all.
I left Liniers today because of the transfers. I love that place. I had a lot of spiritual experiences and met some incredible people. I sincerely and humbly pray that each one will endure to the end and partake of the blessed ordinances of the Temple. I met a guy on the bus who just ended his mission in Salta, (he knows my buddy Élder Thompson). He told me that Liniers was the first branch in Argentina to become a ward. Now I really feel like I underappreciated that area. I loved in to death, but there is some major history that I didn't know until the end of the two transfers I was there. Funny thing is, Elder Ellis, my comp from the MTC, is picking up where I left off, just coming out of the Villa 1114, the other infamous villa in Buenos Aires. Aguante las villas.
So I'm here in Chacarita 2, which is the same zone that I was in 3 months ago, with Elder McRory from Brigham City. We did splits before and met about 6 months ago, so in Missionary-time, we're long-time buds. We share a pension with Elder Zollinger (the duo is back) and Elder Castillo from México. I'm excited to work here, because the ward has famously awesome members. I pray that the Lord will help us find the miracles that He's been preparing.
Now for what happened my last week in Liniers. (It's always weird writing in a different transfer, because it feels like forever ago. I'm like an old man reaching back in his memory for the glory days saying "it feels like it was just yesterday." Wake up, Elder! It was just yesterday.) We got permission from the Bishop to teach and baptize a lady who lives in the west mission, but comes to stay with "La Capa" Gladys on the weekends and wants to be baptized in our ward. Her name is Crispina, and she makes me laugh so hard. She's like 70 something, and knows the Bible incredibly well. She has practically all of Psalms memorized, and throws in quotes in pretty much any situation. She also uses the frase "por ejemplo" (for example) to connect ideas that don't have anyting to do with eachother. "I have been feeling great while reading the Book of Mormon this past week. Por ejemplo, yesterday I ate Peruvian food. I love peruvian food. Por ejemplo, my grandson came to visit me the otherday, and he's a little rascal." I'll be hounding Elder Rosazza to send me pictures when she gets baptized.
We did a lot of saying good-bye to the amazing people we've met while here. Liniers has it's weaknesses, but it's an incredibly fertile part of the Lord's vinyard, and continues pumping out missionaries like a ward in Utah. (Two more leave this week which I believe will make the count 7.) I'm really grateful for the time I had in Liniers, and I'm excited for the transfer that just began here in Chacarita.
Oh, a quick random note. In the two transfers that I left la Villa 31, President Ayre received revelation to send Elders to the back of the villa, where we were practically discouraged to ever go. The Juncal ward had 50 baptisms. In 3 months. Elder Zollinger and I died laughing, because the Bishop had a thing against the people from the Villa. Luckily there's lots of support now that about 80% of the members are from the Villa, and other awesome ward leaders who aren't afraid to enter it. Oh I miss it there. :)
That's all for me this week. Mom I'll be on the edge of my seat next week to hear all about Annie's kids. I'm ready to put all the new quotes in my list of funny quotes I've heard during the mission.
I love you all so much. ¡Hasta la próxima semana! ¡Hurra por Israel!
-Elder Goff
P.S. Pictures:
1. José's kind of a camera hog.
2. José, Hermana Orellana, and José's aunt Gladys (not the other Gladys) and us after another awesome Bolivian lunch.
3. This stud's name is Israel. He saved our lives by helping us eat lunch. We can't enter any house unless there's another adult male present, and they all work on Mondays. But Israel was more than willing. :)
4. After a ridiculous storm. I don't know if you can tell, but there's a mark from our scripture bags where we didn't get wet, which gave us a good laugh.
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