14 Months!!!

Hey Hey everybody!

Man that was a pretty long week to have to wait all the way till Monday to write! But I imagine I will get use to writing back on Mondays. :) 

I am doing wayyyy good! Benavidaz is amazing!!! It's a lot like Albardon but not as big! It's kinda weird I feel like I kinda got culture shock again! haha I forgot how poor everything is up here. I also forgot how much we walked! The first full day I was here, I used my little step counter thing right when we got home from lunch, and we walked like 4.6 miles just that night!  I went from driving a car everywhere to instantly walking a lot! But I will get used to it just like I did when I was with my trainer. :) 

Elder Lillie is good! He has been here for 2 transfers already and we have tons of investigators! We actually are baptizing a family of 4 this up coming Saturday!!! The family's name is Villega! We have meet a lot with them over these past couple days and the last couple things we need to do is to teach them the 10 Commandments and have them have an interview with our District Leader. They are great. I have become way good friends with one of the sons named Gabriel! Other than them we are teaching a ton! It might just be because I am new but yeah I feel like we are teaching tons of people! It's also way nice because we have lunches with members everyday! In the offices I only had lunch with members once a week and the members were the Warner's on Sunday! haha :)

Yeah I totally miss all of the people in the offices! They prank called my phone the other day haha But yeah, the Warner's are awesome and I will sure miss them a ton!

Don't worry Grandma is in my prayers! I hope she will be doing better this week! That X-ray picture was pretty intense. I know blessings are coming her way!

Hope everything is going good for you at work! and I am glad to hear Bryson is working again! What kind of car did he buy? Don't worry Mom, I am trying to enjoy every second of the mission and not let it pass me by too fast! The real world is going to be weird after the mission! haha

Kamrie looks like she is doing great with cheerleading and everything! Awesome to see that Trevor Stackhouse asked her to homecoming! haha yeah one time I think I got in a fight with him or something. But that was like 2 years ago ;)

So yesterday was Stake Conference here in Chimbas, and it just so happens to be that Albardon ward is in the same Stake as us! It was awesome because I got to say hi to tons of the members of Albardon! I also saw one of the coolest guys from my ward in San Rafael! I am not sure why he was there... He was holding some girls hand so maybe she is from here, but yeah he kept telling me about how good my spanish is now and how bad it was before! haha it was a pretty funny conversation. :)

Well, Everything is going great here, I am getting use to being in the field 24/7 again. :) definitely trying to get use to the hard core heat here!  Yeah it's already like 80 degrees here and summer doesn't start till November!!! I love you guys sooooo much! I loved all the photos and everything! I will try to send some photos but I am not too sure if this computer will let me. I am trying my best to be obedient because I literally see the blessing that come from it! I hope you guys have a great week! 

Love, Elder Lawrence

PS. where is Justin Gubler going again?? tell him I say good luck and that he is going to love the mission!

Happy Birthday Elder Lawrence!!!!

Hey Hey Best family eva. Guess what.... I'M 20!!!!!! Yep here come the wrinkles and grey hair! hahaha just kidding (I hope). But seriously I am way old! I can't believe that I am no longer a teenager! I gotta change my nickname from Blakeyboy to Blakeyman... nahh I don't like that as much haha I will just stick with Blakeyboy. :) Thank you everyone for the Birthday wishes! It's been a good week!

Yeah its pretty crazy its my last P-day here and it's also my Birthday! What a time to celebrate! haha! Yeah my comp is a boss and is making me a chocolate spice cake (turns out that just means there is cinnamon in it! haha) but I am stoked! We didn't really have too much planned for today, sometimes its kinda nice to have a relaxful day! We played a bunch of soccer this morning and I think for lunch we are going to this way ghetto restaurant that is under the overpass of the freeway here. Me and Elder Mortensen have always wanted to go but we never have, so I think today is the day! haha 

Don't worry Mom, I will give you a big hug in less than a year from now, and straight up, 21st Birthday we have to make that icecream-bar cake! haha. :) It really is crazy how the time flies. August has gone past in a blink! 

Your guys exchange student sounds great! She really has helped a lot around the house! Maybe you should some time think about doing the year long one. It would probably be a little tough at times, but you would probably learn a lot!

So how is it being back to work?? Is there anyway I can like get that job too so I can help the kids that only speak Spanish?? haha because that's so legit! Just keep studying and I promise you will pick it up little by little. Try to learn phrases! or numbers. something simple.

Grandma is definitely in my prayers! I hope she will recover fast and without pain! It's good to hear that Kenzee came to be there to help! Grandma is the bomb so I know she will recover fast! :)

Haha yeah Elder Landt emailed me last week about his visa waiting! I thought it was kinda funny, there is a couple others visa waiting from his group! It's funny because I now understand why people visa wait because of my job here in the offices! 

Hey here is a pretty awesome story we had from this week, it honestly was a miracle... 'a little long and it's from the perspective of Elder Bingham (new Financiero) but yeah here it is:

This week we sent a couple people home. One Elder went home early for some health problems, and one Hermana went home like 4 days early because she's going to study. But I bring this up because we had a way cool experience taking the Elder to the airport. It's a little long, so bear with me. 

So, it was kind of short notice that this Elder was going home. So the morning of, me and Elder Lawrence went and paid some quick fees so that this Elder could be legal to go home. We got that done at like 9ish. After that I got back to the office and me and Elder Mortensen decided to go the bank to take some money out for things we needed. Here's where it gets exciting! Back at the office, Elder Lawrence receives word that this Elder had to be in Buenos Aires at 8 that night to fly back to the states with this other elder that was going with him. The problem was, like every possible flight to Buenos Aires was full, I guess because this weekend there was a big holiday in Argentina. So Lawrence said a prayer asking what he should do, and then he gets a phone call from somebody saying that they could get him on a flight going to Chile and then to Buenos Aires before then, but the flight left at 11:30, and it was already like 10:40. Him and Elder Child booked it outside to our parking lot only to find that there was no cars, me and Elder Mortensen had the only one that was there that morning. So they tried calling a taxi, which didn't show up for 20 minutes. They're flying down, and then Elder Lawrence realized that he didn't have this Elder's passport. I DID. He gave it to me to hold that morning when we were paying for fees. So they call us, and we're just getting out of the bank with our money and his passport, and hardly any gas in our tank. Sounds like we're screwed right? Yep. We were. We all got there at 11:15, way too late for the flight. They wouldn't let us put him on. But wait! When Elder Child was in highschool he took a class on travel and tourism, and learned that it's very common for airlines to overbook their flights. And so he asked the people about it, and they said that they did have one available spot on a plane going to BA at 11:40, but that we'd have to pay $1.800 pesos in cash. And that's a lot of pesos to have on you in cash normally. But surprise! Me and Elder Mortensen just went to the bank! And we had a TON of cash! And so we paid the ticket and got him on his plane, and got back into our car. It said we only had 5 kilometers left in the tank. That was scary. So we're driving looking for a gas station, and we just happened to find one when I had 1 kilometer left. It was actually in my old area Algarrobal, funnily enough. So I actually knew it was there. BUT IT WAS CRAZY! So many things just fell into place for us that morning! If I hadn't gone to the bank with the Elder's passport, we wouldn't have had an excuse to go to the airport and go pay for that ticket. If we hadn't been there to try and get on the flight to Chile first, we would've never known about the flight to Buenos Aires 10 minutes later. So I learned that day that God works in VERY mysterious ways. Sometimes very bizarre ways in our eyes. But he knows what he's doing, we just have to let him guide us. 

.... So yeah that is the cool miracle we saw this week! Sorry this email is way long! But hey, I will be emailing you tonight and letting you know where I am going and everything! I love you all soooo MUCH! Thanks so much for all the Birthday wishes! Can't believe that I am already 20! I feel like this year will be a good one. :) I will be talking to you soon! Have a great week!

Love, Elder Lawrence

PS... Next time I write my weekly email it will be on Monday again! haha not this one in a couple days but in a little over a week!

PSS... Elder Trelease is still telling us that he is engaged. Still don't believe him though haha :)

 Argentina bebe

Oh yeah totally forgot to tell you I went to San Luis! That means I have been in all of the providences in my mission! It is way pretty cool there! It's like a mini Buenos Aires

Mini Buenos Aires I'm tellin ya!

Them mountains tho. I took this when we were going to San Luis.

 Shout out to Elder (Kodakins) Wilson because he is in the actual "concrete jungle where dreams are made of!"

It was a good Birthday! :) The Warner's gave me some home made strawberry jam and the office elders bought me a new jersey that is way sick!

For my birthday, Elder Benedict bought me one of my favorite Argentine candy's! and he gave me a thing of mambas that he got in that package! He is the bomb!

The office crew!!!!

August 15, 2015

Hello fam!

How are you guys doing?? It looks like you guys had a good week! Wow lots happened this week! School/Exchange Student/Braces/Football! Sounds pretty legit to me.. T'was a good week here as well!! We got some wayyy good news just yesterday! I don't know if I ever told you about my friend Elder Ford, but he is this way cool kid from Ogden and I spent my first night in Argentina with him and we just became way good friends! Well he had to go home for a little, but he arrives here again on the 18th!! I am way excited to go pick him up at the airport! President told us that on the 13th that Church Head Quarters called him and said Elder Ford was ready to come back and what date President would like him to return, and he told them "Tomorrow!" haha but looks like it will be the 18th instead. :)

You think I am going back to Chimbas? I would loveeeee that! Chimbas is my home away from home! haha its way hot there year round, but I would not mind going back. :)

That's cool you guys got another exchange student! Tell Merri I say hi!! That's not a bad idea of shipping Kamrie to Japan and see how she likes it there ;) That's cool that E-dog and his friends like Monopoly, its also a little weird at the same time haha!

Glad to hear cheerleading is going good! I hope Kamrie doesn't fall from way high or something! You will have to tape it sometime and show me their new tricks!

Dang that sucks that Bryson got laid off! that's not good timing at all! Same with his car! :( We should invent a car that doesn't need a transmission! haha also I want to see a picture of Kamries car!

Also favor... Elder Trelease (well I guess William Trelease) emailed all of us and he is telling us that he is already engaged!?!? can this be true?? Haha you need to stalk him on facebook or something!

Its been a good week! Ariel and his kids assisted church again! ahhh I just wish he could stop smoking and drinking coffee. His kids are great. His daughter Milagros is way smart and likes to pay attention to us when we talk to her dad, and she is like the same age as Ethan! They are way awesome.

Also we got a new investigator that is awesome! He is like 23-24 and just lives by himself! He travels a bunch and lived in Turkey for a long time and he learned English while he was there! so we have been teaching him in English! haha it's kinda nice to teach in my first language sometimes, it doesn't happen to much, almost never!

I want to share a scripture real quick! Its in Jeremiah 29.
11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

 12 Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you.

 13 And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.

 14 And I will be found of you, saith the Lord.

I read this scripture in a Liahona just the other day on the toilet (no joke, tons of Liahonas in our bathroom! hahah it's awesome) and it talks about the times when we were little kids and we would play hide and seek with our parents. Obviously you are not going to hide mega hard! you might just leave a little sign for us, like maybe a foot sticking out, you leave us these signs, so that we can find you! because you actually do want us to find you. God is the exact same way, he will leave a foot out for us, by giving us the scriptures. He also gives us prophets. He really does want us to find him. We just have to pray and pray and pray! I love sharing this scripture with investigators. but it really does apply for all of us. :)

Well Family! I love you guys so dang much! I feel way lucky to have you guys in my life. I am pretty sure Grandma and Grandpa will look at this so, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!! :) I hope you both had great birthdays! :) I will also email them something real quick! I love you guys! Have a great week! Don't get too stressed out with school and wedding and everything stuff!! :)

Con Amor, Elder Lawrence

Holy cow! I almost totally forgot to tell you an awesome story I had this week! Well I want to tell you right now because it was such a way cool experience... So we had an amazing opportunity to meet the Scadlock family this week. They were very nice and very happy to meet us. Their daughter was the missionary who passed away in Resistencia Argentina about 4 months ago from E-coli... That is such a strong family and I was so grateful to meet them. I got to know her dad really well and her older brother a little. They were on their way to Santiago, Chile to visit the dads old mission after touring Resistencia. Well there is a TON of snow up in the Andes right now, so no one can drive to Chile from here. So they were stranded at the terminal. Well they got a hold of some missionaries in Resistenia which passed them to us and so we went and saved them! haha and they slept at President and Hermana Goates house. Me and my companion got to spend an afternoon with her dad and her grandpa as we ran through the terminal trying to get their ticket reimbursed. well we ended up getting it all figured out! they also ended up leaving the next morning at 6:00 so we went and picked them up at 5:00am at Presidents house and us and President took them to the airport. I feel so lucky I got to meet them and get to know them. I feel so sad for what happened, but they all have great attitudes and they were all so happy. and that is whats sooo great about the gospel! That we can all live as families forever! Just wanted to share that with you guys real quick! 
Love you! Have a great week!

 Welcome the newest member to the family! I bought this tie at Walmart here for like 75 pesos! (So like 7 bucks) its pretty nice! I hope you can see the design!

 Happy 1 year mark to my comp! half way there broski!

Shout out to my mom for sending me this awesome shirt! it was a hit with all the other missionaries. :)

August 8, 2015

Hola mi familia como andan?? espero que todo bien en la casa! :)

I can't believe that school is already starting back up! That seems like that was the quickest summer ever!:)

Haha mom I am always here to talk so if you need to vent you can always vent to me. :) and mom, you got this, you can do all things :) 

That's cool about you guys getting Kams a car to drive! She better not crash or get a ticket or anything! haha

Tell Bryson I say what's up when he gets there! That ring he bought Taylee is soooo pretty! We were all dying over it here in the offices! It's crazy how many kids are getting married in my grade! You should get me that list! :) That's crazy Bryson will be married by the next time we skype... what day is it all going to be on?? Taylee is going to be a way awesome sis-in law! It will be so fun hanging out with those two! Mom! I used to alwayyys tell you I wanted to do my reception at the Bell Tower because of how cool some of the ones were that I went to there and you always told me that it was too far away and no one would go... hmmm looks like you changed your mind I see...... ;) hahah

Yeah I am almost out of here! (the offices) only 17 days! (but whose counting) I am pretty stoked to see where I go! do you guys have any guesses of where I will be going?? You have that old photo of all the zones in the mission.

Well we actually did a good amount of teaching and opening the mouth this week! Ariel and his daughter Milagros went to church! So they both have 3 assistances! pretty awesome! :) If he could break some of his bad habits he would be so ready for baptism! Also the Hermanas of Trapiche (which is the area right next to us) is having a baptism tonight! so we are going to have Ariel come with us to it!! :)

Something I will miss about being here in the offices, is meeting all the new missionaries! They are always so nervous at first but so excited to be here! They work way hard too. I really hope I will get a companion that is newish to the mission! We will see though. :)

Well fam, I love you all to death and way past that. Thank you for always motivating me. :) you are all great examples for me! Be safe! Mom good luck going back to work! You are the best and I imagine all the students love you! Have a great week! :)

Love, Elder Lawrence

Just some sweet graffiti we walk past all the time, you cant really tell how huge it is until you see me standing in front of it! We got some pro graffiti artist down here in Mendoza. :)

Elder Lawrence and Elder Mortensen post soccer

13 Months!!!!!

Fam! I loved all those pics of Island Park and Park City! looks like tons of fun! I swear, you guys better not be all "vacationed-out" by the time I get home!! haha ;) I am surprised that it was actually a little cold there! Kinda sounds like here! Well I think we are starting to already get into spring. I can't see my breath in the morning anymore here. sometimes at night though.

It's still pretty crazy to hear that Kamrie is driving. Tell her to not crash. That's sick that Kole is in the MTC. I have been emailing a little the Elder that is coming here from Hurricane and I told him to bring me a Dr. pepper or some candy haha!

I am doing great! getting pumped to go to a new area! :) This was my first time ever being in an area for 4 transfers! I was in San Rafael for 3, Albardon for 2, and here for 4!!! crazy how time flies. So funny story, I totally didn't have to give my talk!  It's because Elder Mortensen got sick! and so he talked to our Bishop, and he changed us giving talks for our comps to give them! it worked out pretty nice (for me) ;) But hey, I still wrote some of the talk down though! But yeah, I am pretty sure I am not afraid to give talks... one time, I had to get up in front of like 90% of the mission after Elder Zeballos talked and I had to tell them what time they would be leaving and in which buses.... IN SPANISH! Yeah I was pretty nervous, my heart was pounding. 

Yeah I have 24 days left in the offices! but who's counting ;) So Ariel is doing better! we taught him twice this past week! He is moving back in with his kids! the only sad part is that his wife is leaving. :( man we have taught soooo much about the importance of the family. He also said he and his kids will be going to church this week! Pray for them.  I have heard that a bunch though. Argentina is the Europe of South America. I'm not saying you can't baptize, you just have to work really hard and teach always with the spirit!!!

I am doing way good! this past month was a little slow, but hey, its now my birthday month! Wow, I am going to be 20. call me a grandpa! haha :') So we couldn't go golfing last week because Mortensen being sick and all, so that's what we just got done doing! It was way fun, we went to the same place and everything from last time! Tons of fun. :) Elder Child kicked my butt though.

Well I love you guys tons! Have a good rest of your vacation and drive safe the rest of the way home! :) you guys are the best family ever. I feel super blessed because of you guys! Have a great week!

Love, Elder Lawrence

PS... Yes I did get that tie clip! its way sick! the only thing is, is that tons of my ties are too skinny to use it haha cause its longer than they are. :(

PSS... I better get some pictures that you take today. :)

We didn't golf 9 holes, but we went to the driving range again! way fun! I don't think I got any better from the last time though.....

New Comp Elder Benedict