Week 63, Las Delicias, Rosario, Argentina

Zone conference
(Elder Hjelmstad is on the front right and his companion, Elder Haderlie,
is to the right of him)

Family!

This week was short!

On Wednesday, we were in the bus terminal all morning waiting for missionaries getting here to Rosario. We finally left there at about 3:00pm and went to work! We met some really great people and were really excited to teach them and see them progress in the gospel. About 2 weeks ago we passed by a members house and Jeni, a member, had a friend over, Nicolas. We asked if he went to a church and he said, “no” so we gave him a pamphlet and a Book of Mormon. He was excited and accepted it. We tried taking down his address but he didn’t know exactly how to describe it. Anyways, the whole week we wanted to find him again and teach him! We went to where we thought he lived and knocked until we found the house! His mom answered and we were scared that she was going to run us off the porch and tell us to never come back. BUT.... instead she looked at us and said "Is there anyway you can come back another time?" with a face like pleasseeee. We said FOR SURE and she said, "You know, I’ve been reading the book of the Mormon you guys, and I’m really interested. What is it a bible? Or something apart? My son came home from his friends house and put it on the table and I picked it up and read." We were soooo excited! Her name’s Graciela and today we have an appt at 6:00pm. We’re stoked!

So I’ve started reading the Bible from the Beginning and am reading 10 pages a day so I can finish before I go home. I’m learning a ton and I love trying to get something out of every page. Something I liked was in Exodus 3:7. 

And the Lord said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows;

I love it because it says that Christ KNOWS us. He KNOWS our afflictions and problems and ALWAYS hears our prayers. Jen, that was so cool how you prayed fervently, with real intent and saw the fruits of that prayer. I really know that God loves us and knows us personally and individually. Most of the time we don’t realize that relationship. He is literally our Father. One day I was kind of homesick and was thinking about Dad and then a thought came to my mind like "wow, Dad would do anything for me. Seriously, anything. Even run out barefoot in the snow to pick up his son, that ran into a tree sledding." haha then I thought, "wow, my Heavenly Father loves me just as much and more. He would do anything for me. Even let his Son die for me." I hope we can all realize this relationship and TALK with God when we pray. He listens and will help us according to his will.

I love you guys so much! Thanks for everything!

Love,

Elder Hjelmstad   

Week 62, Las Delicias, Rosario, Argentina

Look at this spider we found in our apartment!!!

 Zone Conference:

(a meeting where a group of missionaries get together for training)

Elder Hull giving a thumbs-up!!!
(He is also one of my best friends on the mission)

Elder Hull and Elder Hjelmstad

Well... how awesome was General Conference? I loved it! After I listened to it, I felt super uplifted and excited to share the gospel with everybody! I feel like, what I got out of conference was, that I need to give more of myself. I've kinda been feeling weird lately, like off-track or something and I didn't know why. I now realize it was because I was thinking too much of myself and not opening my mouth and inviting EVERYBODY to come unto Christ. I think we can all do a better job at forgetting ourselves and getting to work.

This week wasn't the best week, but it was at the end, thanks to conference! We had TONS of appointments that failed and walked more than I've walked in my whole mission! That day really made me think of what we were doing right and what we were doing wrong. Because obviously we were doing something that we shouldn't have been doing, because the Lord has promised that He will put people in our path for us to help. I found out it was because my mind wasn't focused. I was thinking about other things and my priorities weren't where they were supposed to be. 

Something that I read this morning and I wanted to share with you guys, was how we must keep the eternal perspective and forget about worldy materials. 

Alma 39:14 says:

 "Seek not after riches nor the vain things of this world; for behold, you cannot carry them with you." 

We cannot take "things" with us to heaven. ONLY OURSELVES. We will all die and it is up to us to determine what we will receive in the world to come,(Heaven). 

3 Nephi 13:19-21 says:

"Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and thieves break through and steal; But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." 

Where is our heart? I have really pondered and learned this on my mission. NOTHING ELSE MATTERS but where our heart is. 

Finally, in Helaman 5:8-9 it says:

"And now my sons, behold I have somewhat more to desire of you, which desire is, that ye may not do these things that ye may boast, but that ye may do these things to lay up for yourselves a treasure in heaven, yea, which is eternal, and which fadeth not away; yea, that ye may have that precious gift of eternal life, which we have reason to suppose hath been given to our fathers.  O remember, yea, remember that there is no other way nor means whereby man can be saved, only through the atoning blood of Jesus Christ, who shall come; yea, remember that he cometh to redeem the world." 

Only through Christ we will be able to inherit eternal life. We will all die and we will all be resurrected. It is up to us individually, to determine how we will live after this life. Whether we will be comfortable in the presence of God or not? We are here to prepare for Heaven, to learn how to Love like God does, to learn how to LIVE like God does. Christ showed us the way! We must follow His example by having faith in Him, repenting of our mistakes, and being baptized like HE was with the Authority of God. We then must receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands and endure until the end. Without these key steps performed by the proper authority, we will not attain the fullness of Joy that God has in store for us. We must have Faith! I know this is true. This may sound a little harsh, but I'm in the same boat as all of you. I'm just a messenger on the Lord's errand, and I do have a message to share.  Heavenly Father Loves ALL of his children and wants us all to return home to live with him in Heaven as families, having a fullness of Joy!

I love you guys! 

SO, ask yourself,...what really matters?

Love, Elder Hjelmstad 

Week 61, Las Delicias, Rosario, Argentina

Hey!

This week was pretty good and we had 3 people at church so we were pretty happy! I was so happy to hear that 11 people went to your ward on Sunday! That’s really, really great! I can’t wait to get back and help out the missionaries!

So... MIRACLES HAPPEN! hahah On Tuesday, we went to the district meeting in Villa Galvez, that’s outside of Rosario and had to take a bus there. We went to bus stop and I forgot which bus we had to take but I was PRETTY sure that the 103 got us there, so we got on. The bus kept going, and then kept going through some ghetto, and then.... Stopped and the bus driver said it was the end of the route and we had to get off. We got off, having no clue where we were and had no money for a taxi. Just so you get the picture... Dirt road, houses made out of scrap wood and whatever they can find, and LOST. We started walking and were scared for our lives because I had my backpack and we stood out like crazy. I totally thought we were going to get robbed again. We walked and said a little prayer that SOMEHOW we would get a ride to Main Street. We walked about 15 blocks when we saw a huge water tank truck on the side of the road. Two guys were there standing and one started walking toward us. (By the way were scared of everybody now, so when somebody walks up to us, they’re DEFINATELY going to rob us. haha) So he’s walking up and we quickly try to cross the street and then so does he. (I’m thinking we’re totally done for) Then he says "hey can I get some help pushing the truck so it starts up?" and right when he says that I look at him and realize... He’s a less active guy from another ward in Rosario. I did divisions there ONCE and met him. Way cool guy. So for those of you who don’t know, by pushing a car you can make it start. Seriously. We do it at least once a week. So it started up and then he said what are you doing out here?! It’s super dangerous! We told him we took the wrong bus and were lost. He asked where we were going and offered us a ride. WOOHOO! We got in and he said that they were waiting there for like 10 min trying to get it the truck started but it just wouldn’t start. haha soo..... If anyone doesn’t believe in God, I will tell you that GOD LIVES AND LOVES US. Coincidence is God’s way of staying unanimous.

Were teaching a great lady named Maria that really wants to change and wants the best for her family. She received an answer and now is trying to come to church! She’s excited and so are we! Well see what happens! 

Alrighty, I don’t have that much time! I love you tons and hope you all have a great week!

Elder Hjelmstad

Week 60, Las Delicias, Rosario, Argentina

Another week!!!

So.... This week was good! We had a good number of lessons and we’re way excited for some of our investigators! Friday, was national ditch day because it was the first day of spring and we had plans to find a kid Johnny (that’s a friend of a member). We visited the member and then went to Johnny’s house but he wasn’t there so we talked to a kid on the corner tending to a horse while it was eating grass. (Yes, a horse in the middle of the suburbs.) While we talked to him a group of his friends show up and guess what, one of them is Johnny. We talked to all of them and then had a lesson in the street. They’re all super great and are all like 14-15 years old. Today they played soccer at the churchwith them and tomorrow we have a Family Home Evening with them! Everybody needs to talk to their friends and bring them to activities in the church! That is how it should be!

So... We got robbed. haha They took our phone and Elder Haderlies backpack that had his camera. He was way upset. We’re safe though so don’t worry. It happens, but not often. We were walking back from lunch on Saturday and there was nobody on the street, so they came up from behind and scared the crud out of us. Anyways... that’s over. haha I still cant believe it happened. 

Something that I was thinking a lot of this week was prayer and how most of the time we don’t use it to our full advantage. We must pray to receive the blessings that Heavenly Father WANTS to give us! I’ve been obsessed with reading the General Conference talks from April 2012 too. I’m super excited for General Conference in two weeks! Invite everybody! This is the talk that I really loved.

http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2012/04/that-the-lost-may-be-found?lang=eng 

Read it! Then ask God if it’s true! He will answer you! If you’re not a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, read it and pray. If you feel good after, it’s an answer from God! If you receive that answer, talk to my Mom! She felt that too about 20 years ago. We would love to share with you.

I love being a missionary and don’t want to slack off. It’s hard being perfectly diligent, but I’m learning.

LOVE YOU!

Elder Hjelmstad

Week 59, Las Delicias, Rosario, Argentina

HOLA FAMILIA!

This week was good! Long and short at the same time like all other weeks but it sounds like you’re really keeping busy! This week we had four people in church! Guiliana came with her friend Karen and she was all happy. We had a great lesson with her earlier in the week and we helped her work up the confidence to ask her Dad if she can get baptized. She’s 13 years old like Jade! So her Aunt said she would help her ask her Dad for permission but he said no... hmm. So, if you could pray so Karen’s Dad’s heart will be softened that’d be great. Then the Sanchez family came to church! Their Daughters are members but the parents both have addictions that they’re trying to overcome. They had a good week though and were able to come to church and they left really happy! Then we had a miracle come to church! Luis Gimenez is a convert and is a stud. He is a super member missionary! He invited his friend Daniel from work and he came! After the three hours he said he wanted to get baptized! haha The only thing is that he lives in a different ward’s boundaries so well see what happens with him. We also met two great families this week! We’re excited for the people we’re teaching and I really hope that we can see them progress until baptism! 

On Wednesday, we had a leadership meeting and they talked about how we need to learn how to be our own agents and to have the integrity to do whats right even when nobodies looking over our shoulder. 

In D&C 58:27-28 it says, "Verily I say, men should be anxiously engaged in a good cause, and do many things of their own free will, and bring to pass much righteousness;

28 For the power is in them, wherein they are agents unto themselves. And inasmuch as men do good they shall in nowise lose their reward." 

We can always be more honest with ourselves and other people. We must learn how to make good decisions. I’m so grateful for the blessing it is to have the gospel in my life. To know where we lived before, why we’re here, and where we’re going. It’s better than anything in this world because sadly we cant bring anything to heaven, just us. 

Oh and watch this video. Its great!  https://www.lds.org/pages/mormon-messages?lang=eng#patterns-of-light-discerning-light

I love you all and hope you all have a great week!

Elder Hjelmstad

Week 58, Las Delicias, Rosario, Argentina

Alright well first off sorry I didn’t write last week! It was a crazy day and I had to do a TON of stuff to do on the computer. SORRYY!!

So this week was good! It started off great, on Monday we had a Family Home evening with a member family and their niece, Guliana(12 years old). We taught a lesson and she accepted the invitation to be baptized on the 29th of this month. She’s way nice and loves the church. She’s gone a million times but has never been baptized, so we’re way excited about that! Great start to the week.

Tuesday... we wake up and MOSQUITOS. I have never seen so many in my life. I have over 40 bites from this week. I’m convinced the mosquito’s are from the devil because the drive missionaries CRAZY!!!

Wednesday... We had Mission Council in the Mission Home and Elder Viñas of the Seventy came and gave a little workshop. SUPER GOOD. He spoke a lot on how we can be regular missionaries or we can be exceptional missionaries that have power to help others. He said that to become one of these exceptional missionaries, we need to learn how to be humble. We need to learn how to repent daily. We must be humble to help the people were teaching be humble enough to listen and change. A missionary said, "A golden missionary always finds golden people to teach." I believe that to be true. I think that as we become better people, God will entrust us with people that are ready to hear the gospel. After, Pres. Guiliani spoke on FAITH and how we must have faith and HOPE in the missionary work in our areas. People that say that “it’s impossible” will never achieve anything. We must have faith that we can

do it. That’s true with anything in life! We can always have more faith in others and in ourselves!

Then on Sunday, we got to go see the re-dedication of the Buenos Aires temple! It was way cool and I’m super excited to go after my mission. I’m so grateful for temples and the blessings that they are! Everybody should try to go to the temple more often!

Alrighty, well my times up! Love you tons!!!

Your favorite elder,

Elder Hjelmstad

Week 57, Las Delicias, Rosario, Argentina

Hey Mom, 

I didnt have time to write and I feel sorry, but I just want to let you know how much I love you! Thanks for everything and I loved your emails. I'm sorry I couldnt write. Next week will be a good one. This weekend is the rededication of the temple in Buenos Aires, so it should be fun. Also, on Wednesday we have mission council and Elder Viñas of the seventy is coming. We're nervous but excited! 

Love you!

Some more pictures to enjoy....

Doing Service!!!!

As Zone Leaders, they spend all day at the bus stop, helping the missionaries that are coming and going. This happens on the day of transfers (every six weeks). Most of these days are very long and very cold!!!