Michi

Dear Family,

This week blew by pretty fast! I had another division with Elder Ingold on Tuesday. It helped a ton because he had been in Arroyos about a year ago and showed me a ton of new places to visit and gave me a lot of references. We walked out to presidents house and the familia dominguez's dog, which is a huge pit bull, started following us. He followed us for about an hour and a half out to presidents and then to a few visits with people and families on the street on the way back. We showed up at an inactive member's house who I had been looking for for a really long time and so I was really excited to finally meet him. I knew that we needed as much of the spirit as we could get with us so he could get back on the right path.  We got all of his kids and his wife together and we sat in their little house to teach them.  The dog followed us in and wouldn't leave. The wife started with a prayer and while she was speaking their little baby cat named Michi (meechee) came in and sat under Elder Ingold's chair.  .... and then the dog saw it. He jumped under the chair and went nuts. We heard some hissing and then some crunching and their little girl saw it all. The prayer stopped and I grabbed and pulled the pit bull out and the hermana reached under and pulled out Michi. Poor, poor Michi.  The hermana lifted him up in the light and declared him dead and threw him out the door. So we had our lesson and it went really good! ...but we have to get them another cat, DANG IT.

We saw conference and I loved it! (Elder Neifert is referencing General Conference - The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints holds a world-wide broadcast every 6 months. The Prophet, Apostles, and other leaders speak. For highlights and links to full talks click here)   There were so many things that I liked and it is going to be really awesome when the Liahona (the international monthly magazine that the Church puts out) comes out in a few months. We saw it in Caucupe and so did the members from our branch. We missed Priesthood session though, so I'll have to wait until the magazine. My brain was exploding from how well each talk complimented the one before it and the one after. There was definitely themes and I felt the power and truth of the need for those messages.  I wish I had a bigger brain because I felt amazing during the conference.  I know the talks were extremely important and powerful, its just hard to apply all of there suggestions when I cant remember all of them.  It really brought to my mind how important it is to focus on learning things precept by precept and line upon line. I made a resolution to focus on one or two suggestions until it has become a part of me and then move on to the next few.  We'll see how it goes.

I haven't gotten the package yet but maybe tomorrow at district meeting! My clothes are fine and my shoes are holding out good. They have zapateros (cobblers) here who can fix them anyway, so I think I will be fine for a good while.

I forgot about Grandma's birthday! HAPPY BIRTHDAY, GRANDMA! I knew it was on the 29th of March, I just didn't remember a week ago.

I love you guys,

 Elder Neifert

PS -  I'm going to the temple for the first time on Thursday!  I'm really excited! It has been too long and I know it will be a different experience this time as a missionary.

PPS - Sorry, I forgot.  The mission is going to change after Pres. Madariaga leaves, which is in June, I think. If I'm still in Arroyos by then I will be part of the south mission. We'll see. After next change, that will be 3 transfers in Arroyos, which is usually how long missionaries stay in an area... so I think I will change areas before, but who knows. God, that's who.