Week 98, Nogoya, Argentina

My companion was taking my picture and he kept getting closer and closer... so I just busted up laughing!!!

This week was really good! We were able to teach a lot of lessons and see the people we are teaching progress. 

First off I want to say Happy (belated) Fathers Day! Yesterday in church a sister talked about her Dad and described him as a "Great man". I started to think about all the "Great men" that have touched my life up until now. I am thankful for the things that I have been able to learn from each and every one of them. From primary teachers to my Dad, they all have helped me get to where I am now. 

I can't remember how long ago it was because time doesn't really exist in the mission but a while ago I told you guys about an experience I had. Today I feel like I should share it again because it was really special for me. One morning I was studying about the Love of God and got thinking about my own Dad. I was thinking about how I know that my dad would do anything and everything to make sure that I'm safe, healthy, and well. I know that nothing would stop him because he loves me. I then thought that God, being my Heavenly Father loves me just as much, and maybe more. In that instance I felt my relationship with Heavenly Father grow. It's still hard for me to believe, but I know that it is true. I know that our Father in heaven wants the very best for us. I know he protects us but loves us sooooo much that he lets us fall so we can learn to get up. He respects us and our agency so much that sometimes stuff happens that we don't expect. I know that He is there helping us every second of the way. I know this because I have experienced it. I know he knows each one of us personally. We must learn to love Him like He loves us.

John 17:3 says 

And this is life eternal , that they might know thee the only true God , and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. 

Love you all!!!

Elder H

Week 97, Nogoya, Argentina

My new area

Our apartment

The kitchen

So this week was great! 

Last monday we had a Zone meeting in Parana and we talked about Trusting in God and it became my theme for the week. We talked about if we learn to TRUST in God, we will learn to forget our will and accept HIS. As we learn to trust in God, we will begin to ACT like God or His son Jesus Christ. We will become true saints and become instruments in His hands. Yesterday in our Priesthood  lesson we learned about the same thing! We read in John 5:30 that says, "I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me." We need to learn how to trust in the Lord and put His will in front of ours. On Friday night we taught a lesson and it was 8:00pm when we finished so we had an hour before we had to be in the apartment. We went by a bunch of people that weren't there and then had 45 minute left. We looked at each other and said, "alrighty, its cold, dark, and a friday night..... ugh... Lets knock some doors!" haha so we got to talk to come people. Some weren't too happy to see us and some told us to come by another day but I felt content because I knew I was doing what the Lord expected me to do even though maybe I didn't want to bother people on a cold, dark, Friday night. I know that we need to go through these experiences in order to LEARN to trust in the Lord. May we each look for the Lords will every day. Proverbs 16:20 says, "Whoso trusteth in the Lord, happy is he."

LOVE YOU TONS!!!

Elder H

Week 96, Nogoya, Argentina

Another week down! This week was pretty good! We were able to find a lot of people to teach, which was way cool. We're teaching a man named Omar. His son is actually a returned missionary that lives in Utah with his family. We knocked on his door and he happened to let us in. :) We got to talking and he said he never got baptized because he never has received an answer about the Boook of Mormon. He said he was always waiting for a sign or a dream of something like that. We were able to testify that God loves us enough to answer us through the Holy Ghost. We were able to teach him that the Holy Ghost does not always answer us with huge events like dreams or things like that but instead gives us answers through impressions like feelings or thoughts. He said that he doesn't think it's NOT true and we told him that that was his answer! He looked at us like we were a little crazy and then had the "ahhh ha" moment. :) We later were able to teach him about agency and the POWER we have to choose. Everything that surrounds us is God's, even our bodies, but the only thing that is ours is our agency. We are FREE to choose. I was 

reading in 2 Nephi 2:28...

28 And now, my Sons, I would that ye should look to the great Mediator, and harken unto his great commandments; and be faithful unto his words, and choose eternal life, according to the will of his Holy Spirit

...when Lehi exhorts us to CHOOSE ETERNAL LIFE. Every decision that we make has two sides to it. We must be aware of both choices and CHOOSE the things that bring us good consequences. Elder Bennett said, "My dear brothers and sisters, your eternal destiny will not be the result of chance, but of choice. It is never too late to begin to choose eternal life!" Decisions determine destiny! 

I love you all!!! Thanks for writing!!!

 

LOVE,

Elder H

(Elder Hjelmstads Mom. Here's an interesting fact he shared with me:)

My area is probably the biggest I've had yet. We live in the middle and it takes 30 minutes to walk to the edge, so about an hour to cross the whole city. 

Week 95, Nogoya, Argentina

Saying good-bye to those he loved
(before he left Venado Tuerto)

This is Marta, the lady we baptized.

The Taulet family, a family we were teaching.

The Destazi and Villalba families together.

President Cassinelli and his wife

His new area... Nogoya

This is the church, a rented house and
this is my new companion, Elder Romero.

So I'm here in Nogoya! It's been great so far! Before transfers I was telling Elder May how I had never been in a little town, far away from missionaries and had to cook my own meals.... WELL.... the time has come! I got to Nogoya on Wednesday and we visited the Branch President. He's an older man with a mustache. Him and his wife are way nice. They live on the other side of town and we don't have bikes so my feet were killin! haha So the branch is small here but it has a big heart. Yesterday in church we had an attendance of 20 people. The church is actually a rented house from the 1800's I think. Not kidding. haha It's cool though! My comp and I both had talks yesterday about missionary work. I compared the tree of life to how we need to invite everybody to try the fruit because it's SO GOOD! I gave the example that Mom once shared with me about how the gospel is like a plate of cookies that we must share and in the end we enjoy them even more! I found two scriptures that I wanted to share. Alma 36:24 is one of my new favorites.

24 Yea, and from that time even until now, I have labored without ceasing, that I might bring souls unto repentance; that I might bring them to taste of the exceeding joy of which I did taste; that they might also be born of God, and be filled with the Holy Ghost.

Alma describes the joy that he felt by repenting of his sins.

Then in Luke 22:31 and 32 is my OFF THE PRESS FAVORITE!!!!

31 And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat:

32 But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.

 I love how Christ said that he had prayed for Peter that his faith wouldn't falter and that once he was storng and converted, he had to help his brethren. We need to help others while at the same time nurture our faith or testimony. I love this work so much and I love Nogoya!

My new companion is Elder Romero from Chile. He's legit! He speaks great english and is a Harry Potter fan. hahaha We're gunna have some fun together! 

LOVE YOU TONS!!

Elder H

(Elder Hjelmstads Mom) These are some of the questions I asked him to find out about his new area.

1.  Tell us about your new comp...
My comp is Elder Romero from Chile. He's way great. He loves harry potter and has a super testimony.  He's quiet but not shy. Great guy with a great heart.

2. Where is he from?
chile

3.  how long has he been out.

9 months

4.  how long has he been in your area

2 transfers, or 3 months

5.  what are his hobbies?

harry potter. ahhaha

6.  Tell us about your new area

It's a city in the middle of nowhere. It's a pretty good size though. There used to be a bunch of members but now the average atttendance is 20. 

7. Tell us about your travel to your new area?

I left venado at 4:45am and got to Rosario at 7:30am.  I then took a bus alone to paraná from 8:20am to 11:15am. my comp showed up at 12:30 and we took a bus to Nogoya from 1:30pm to 4:00pm. lots of buses

8. Is it safe? yupppppppppp

9. What kind of farming do they do? (I looked it up and it sounds like dairy? Anything else?)
my comp said there's a lot of chickens?

10. Did you get any packages???

I got my birthday one!

11.  How's the weather in your new area? It looks like it's about the same just a couple degrees colder? But you are between to rivers so does it feel even colder?

it seems pretty much the same.

12. What are your plans for Pday?

ciber, eat, wash clothes by hand.

13. Is it a poor area?

no not really. it's pretty old! lots of old houses and newer ones too

14. What are your living quarters like?  apartment? Bathroom? Is it old new, nice or yucky?  Etc.

i forgot to take pics but its alright. not the best but not the worst. 

Week 94, Venado Tuerto, Argentina

   

                           

(Service: Cleaning up someones backyard)

                            

(Josh's Mom: This is the Branch President that has taken such good care of our Son.  He has posted pictures on fb for us to see and feed the missionaries often. We are forever grateful.)

(I'm pretty sure Elder Hjelmstad made this banana bread)

(These are pictures that were posted today on fb by some of the Argentine people Elder Hjelmstad has gotten to know while serving in this area. He made some visits today to some of them to say goodbye. I know he is sad to say goodbye to these wonderful people. He will miss them)

Elder Hjelmstad and his companion Elder May.

alrightyyyy well I'm getting transferred! I'm going to the city of Nogoyá, Entre Ríos! My comp will be Elder Romero and we have the whole city to ourselves! I'm excited and a little nervous at the same time because Venado Tuerto has been such a blast and I've grown to love the people here. We will see how the Lord wants me to help the people in Nogoyá. 

This week was great! We got to go to Rosario on Wednesday for a training meeting. We talked about developing our faith and the faith of others by doing things like keeping the commandments. We talked about how we must help others to make changes in their lives by helping them do things that maybe they haven't done before. Then we learned about how to recognize the Holy Ghost and how we must seek it diligently all day long. President Giuliani said something that I loved. He said, "Prayer is more than an event, it's an attitude." I know that we all need to be more sincere and focused in our prayers. I'm grateful for the chance that I have everyday to get to know God, our Heavenly Father, even more. The Lord loves us and longs to help us. Last night we had a lesson with the Taulets and they were talking about all the financial problems that they're having. They told us of all the stuff that they're going to do to earn some extra cash and we stopped them and read Mosiah 2:41. 

41: And moreover, I would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God.  For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual; and if they hold out faithful to the end they are received into heaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness. O remember, remember that these things are true; for the Lord God hath spoken it.

Like the scripture says, Those who obey, receive. We told them that God wants them to live comfortably and happily but on His terms. We testified that God is going to help them as they keep the commandments, especially keeping the sabbath day holy. I have such a big testimony of obedience. It's like the electricity. When we pay the bill, the lights work. God will and wants to take care of us but we must first trust in Him and His way. That is the key to the "Abundant Life."

Love you all!!!

Elder Hjelmstad