Week 71, Venado Tuerto, Argentina

That box is actually an instrument. You sit on it and it's hollow so it sounds cool.

Elder Haderlie and I playing some instruments

My new comp Elder Laguado

2 missionaries from my district, they're super legit. Elder Brasher on the left is from Holliday Utah and Elder Larson is from Arizona.

We had a special conference with Elder Viñas and we ate chinese food for lunch!

Then my comp spent like 5 min looking for his sock when I was dying laughing because he had it on his shoulder hahaha

HOLAAAAA

Alrighty, well this week was great! On Tuesday I gave the workshop in district meeting and we talked about our purpose: inviting people to come unto Christ. We talked about how we should always do it and how we must challenge people to follow Christ more in the their lives by being baptized. It was really fun and everybody got excited and the week turned out to be great! Elder Brasher and Elder Larson are my new best friends and we have two sister missionaries Hermana Huaman (peru) and Hermana Solomon (Lehi, utah). Turns out Hermana Solomon knows the Campbell’s and I told her that my parents got to know the church through them! Small world. 

On Thursday we had a special conference in Rosario with Elder Viñas of the Seventy. His message was super simple and we just talked about working more effectively and building up the church here in Argentina. He told us to be satisfied with what we're doing and to keep progressing. It was something that I really needed to hear. 

Then this morning I listened to Pres. Ucthdorf’s talk from last general conference and he talked about having no regrets. My favorite line was to "Find Joy in the Journey." In everything we do we always seem to have a timeline or something else to do. He compared it to riding his bike with his wife. At times he wants to speed up or race but his wife always tells him to enjoy the ride because before you know it, its over. I can do a better job at finding joy in the journey and making the days count rather then counting the days. 

This week a good mission buddy had to go home for medical problems and I feel terrible for the guy. I don’t want to go home and don’t want to look back on my mission with regrets. I’m here to help others come unto Christ and that’s it!! 

I hope you all can find joy in the journey and joy in this Christmas season and take upon yourselves the Christmas spirit. Because after all, if you take the last syllable off it’s the CHRIST spirit. Lets be a little more like Christ, especially in this time of year. 

LOVE YOU!!!!!

Elder Hjelmstad