(left back) Elders Wetzel, Guzman, Naranjo, Canaza, Sorensen, Coronel, Robinson, Lucas, Olson, Frischknecht, Hinojosa. (left front) Elders Beck, Campbell, Rodriguez, Brown.
Monday, March 12, 2012
Leaving Mendoza ~ Going HOME ~ Job Well Done!
(left back) Elders Wetzel, Guzman, Naranjo, Canaza, Sorensen, Coronel, Robinson, Lucas, Olson, Frischknecht, Hinojosa. (left front) Elders Beck, Campbell, Rodriguez, Brown.
May 2 2011
Hey mom. We had our P day reschedualed because today we had my last zone conference. It was a very surreal experience knowing it was my last. They always ask the departing missionaries to give their `last testimony`. I couldn`t believe I was up there at the pulpit. Such a rush of memories came flooding back. It`s almost like it was all a dream. I realized how much I`ve really grown and how close I`ve come to the Lord these last two years. I came here a little boy with such little knowledge of Jesus Christ and my Father in Heaven. I`ve been able to come so much closer to them through leaders, studies, and sharing my testimony with the people of Argentina. The best decision I`ve ever made in my life was to serve a mission. The best. With out a doubt in my mind. Every bit of success that I`ll ever have in life will be attributed to my mission. I wil cherish it for the rest of my life. Sunday was kind of cool. The stake president of the stake I`m serving in right now gave me a call (he doesn`t even live in our ward) and asked me to go with him to a different ward on sunday and give a presentation of the ward list clean out project that I`m doing under the direction of the area 70 presidency. I was flattered, and had to leave my companion behind with another member in our ward getting ready to go on a mission to tend to our investigator that was schedualed to come to church. I got to get to know the stake president pretty well, he`s a great guy. The presentation went well and afterwards we stayed for sacrament meeting and I got to get up and bear my testimony for the last time in an Argentine testimony meeting. It was a little weird doing it in a ward of people I didn`t know but I felt the spirit very strong. It was cool. Tomorrow we`ll be coming on to write you we just had a spare second here in the offices after conference and Hna. Lindahl was so nice enough to let me hop on for a sec. I`ll write you more tomorrow about a cool experience that also happened this week. Love ya!
Elder Campbell
Elder Campbell
April 25 2011
Hey mom. Way funny story about the new mission president and his daughter. They must have some dough to be sending their daughter up there on vacation. Thats not just a little money! Everyone is buzzing that another Avila is coming. The last mission president (his brother) had to do a lot of cleaning up on obedience here and is reknown for being super strict and sending lots of missionaries home. So everyone is nervous. The mission is running great right now though, so Pte. Avila II will be coming into a different situation. That`ll be fun to get to know the brother from argentina. I`m way stoked to get to know him. Bummer that the weather is bad! It better get warming up in the next couple weeks. The weather here right now is PERFECT. A little chilly in the mornings but daytime is like 75 degrees. I think weather wise I`ve been hooked up because in a span of 3 years I`ll have gone through 1 winter. (I missed my first winter down here in Georgia).
Our ward is still amazing. The area however is pretty difficult. Starting from nothing has been a new experience for me. Your never too old to learn new things in the mission I`ve learned. The sisters left us with not a single investigator and we`re in a very wealthy neighborhood here. It`s sad to see people so economically blessed be so ignorant. I think that they see no need for God in their lives because of their money. It`s not uncommon to see a Benz or BMW 5-6 times a day here in this area. So that makes it difficult but what gives me hope is seeing how strong the ward is. Up to this point I didn`t think a ward like this existed in Argentina. It just has humbled me into believing that it is possible for the church to be fully functional here like it is at home. We actually found a great young man this week that accepted a baptismal date in 2 weeks but didn`t show to church. So we`ll see what we can do. My last zone conference is thursday, so weird.
Our ward is still amazing. The area however is pretty difficult. Starting from nothing has been a new experience for me. Your never too old to learn new things in the mission I`ve learned. The sisters left us with not a single investigator and we`re in a very wealthy neighborhood here. It`s sad to see people so economically blessed be so ignorant. I think that they see no need for God in their lives because of their money. It`s not uncommon to see a Benz or BMW 5-6 times a day here in this area. So that makes it difficult but what gives me hope is seeing how strong the ward is. Up to this point I didn`t think a ward like this existed in Argentina. It just has humbled me into believing that it is possible for the church to be fully functional here like it is at home. We actually found a great young man this week that accepted a baptismal date in 2 weeks but didn`t show to church. So we`ll see what we can do. My last zone conference is thursday, so weird.
April 11 2011
Well sounds like you've been having a good time down in st george! I can't believe it is still snowing at home!!! What the heck?! The fall weather has been sooooo nice here. Around 75 degrees during the day and a little bit fresh in the mornings and night time. I'm praying this can hold on till the end of may but I doubt it. You have to think about these things as a missionary because I'm having to decide on everything I want to pack with me to my new area and what things I want to donate to the mission, like coats and sweaters and stuff. The funniest part is that my coats and sweaters are all hand me downs from my trainer haha. Remember how we decided not to buy one?? Good choice!
Anyways I was just going to tell you about a cool experience I had with President a little while ago. About two weeks ago he and Elders Leal and Sorensen (the office assistants right now) starting working on the transfers. As we had a little interview he opened up his big board that shows all of his missionaries organized by zone next to their companions. He said, ''You've done it all for me Elder Campbell. Now tell me where you want to finish your mission.'' It was a really special moment for me... I don't think I can really explain the feelings that we felt together as he told me silently through tears that he remembered his mission president sitting in his chair telling him the same thing. He didn't need to tell me but I knew that it was the greatest honor I could ever recieve from him. I was so greatful, and honestly honored. I decided to go to an area that has been struggling in a suburb of Mendoza named Villa Nueva. The area in the mission is known as UNIMEV. I'll be going with a young missionary that has about 6 months, whose name is Elder Roche. He's a great kid, and I wanted him to be my companion because I know that he has a lot of energy and will be able to push me. As well he's right at the point to being able to be a great leader in the mission. President and I see him as a future assistant and so I'll be able to take him under my wing a little bit and let him learn from me as well. It's going to be great. Another big reason for going there is that I've been assigned to use a new program the area 70 president Elder Arnold is developing to help Mendoza qualify for a new temple. The program hasn't been released yet and is still be tweaked and perfected as he's given direction to the mission presidents here to assign 1 or 2 Elders to be the pilot trials for it. I'll have to explain it in more detail next week but I'm excited that President has asked me to do it. Last week I actually got to sit in with President on a phone conference with the area 70's about the program and I got to talk to them personally, and get direction from them. It was incredible, what an opportunity for me right?! Anways, that'll be me the next few weeks as I'm running to the finish line. I wanted lots of responsibility to assure myself that I'd finish as a soldier of Christ. I'll finish sprinting across that finish line, rest assured. Love you momma!
Elder Campbell
Anyways I was just going to tell you about a cool experience I had with President a little while ago. About two weeks ago he and Elders Leal and Sorensen (the office assistants right now) starting working on the transfers. As we had a little interview he opened up his big board that shows all of his missionaries organized by zone next to their companions. He said, ''You've done it all for me Elder Campbell. Now tell me where you want to finish your mission.'' It was a really special moment for me... I don't think I can really explain the feelings that we felt together as he told me silently through tears that he remembered his mission president sitting in his chair telling him the same thing. He didn't need to tell me but I knew that it was the greatest honor I could ever recieve from him. I was so greatful, and honestly honored. I decided to go to an area that has been struggling in a suburb of Mendoza named Villa Nueva. The area in the mission is known as UNIMEV. I'll be going with a young missionary that has about 6 months, whose name is Elder Roche. He's a great kid, and I wanted him to be my companion because I know that he has a lot of energy and will be able to push me. As well he's right at the point to being able to be a great leader in the mission. President and I see him as a future assistant and so I'll be able to take him under my wing a little bit and let him learn from me as well. It's going to be great. Another big reason for going there is that I've been assigned to use a new program the area 70 president Elder Arnold is developing to help Mendoza qualify for a new temple. The program hasn't been released yet and is still be tweaked and perfected as he's given direction to the mission presidents here to assign 1 or 2 Elders to be the pilot trials for it. I'll have to explain it in more detail next week but I'm excited that President has asked me to do it. Last week I actually got to sit in with President on a phone conference with the area 70's about the program and I got to talk to them personally, and get direction from them. It was incredible, what an opportunity for me right?! Anways, that'll be me the next few weeks as I'm running to the finish line. I wanted lots of responsibility to assure myself that I'd finish as a soldier of Christ. I'll finish sprinting across that finish line, rest assured. Love you momma!
Elder Campbell
April 18 2011
Hey ma! Cool that Ben finally got baptised. I hope he can make it too, he has the best opportunity now that he has the right to the spirit. He just needs the members to rally around him and help him integrate and stay clean. You`ll have to tell me what Lee said back to Dad. I got teary eyed reading that line. I`m crying just thinking about it. I`m really happy you`ve been reading about Joseph. Maybe you can now put an emphasis on seeing how he reacted to the curve balls that were thrown at him. There are distinct moments in his life where he could have easily thrown in the towel after having been completely obedient and then getting sold as a slave, or being obedient and not sleeping with Potifers wife, then being thown in jail. Imagine how that`d be for us? Look at everything lately mom, you are obedient, go to the temple, pay your tithing, keep the commandments. Yet still have been placed in a few hard situations. How are you going to react? What can you imagine Joseph did and felt and thought, even though he was just royally screwed after his obedience? He could have denied God, or quit but he didn`t. He stayed worthy, he believed, he saw what the Lord was teaching him. And he ended up being the 2nd most powerful man in Egypt. Those blessings are ours to get. We just have to be like Joseph. Easier said than done... haha. But his story inspires me a lot. I like to think about how he was, outside of what is in the scripture itself. What an amazing guy he had to be to just be the best at whatever situation he was given, and how faithful he was even though it appeared he was being punished for his obedience.
Anyways, the new area is amazing. This ward is just...... unreal. It`s almost like I`m back home. We filled the chapel.... probably at least 110 people. It`s a gorgeous new building. The members are great, and are so happy to have elders back. Apart from that the area was left in a disaster as they had no teaching pool, or anyone they were working with. So it`s almost like we`re starting from scratch. Hopefully we can get it going strong before I get out of here. We`ve got a lot of work ahead of us. It would have been great to come into an area that was super ready to baptise a ton but then again my mission has never been like that. President has done that to me for some reason. I guess he must trust me a lot. I`m trying to think about home the least possible. I`m doing good, except for the fact that our area lies directly in line with the airport. So every plane that comes into mendoza flies directly over our apartment!!!!!! I can almost touch the wheels..... not cool for a missionary that is trying not to think about home haha. Funny right? Anyways, I was going to tell you that I bought myself some souveneers and have got everything I wanted to bring home.
Anyways. Love ya mom. Let me know. Talk to ya next week! I haven`t taken any pictures this week but I`ll see what I can do for next week!!!!
Anyways, the new area is amazing. This ward is just...... unreal. It`s almost like I`m back home. We filled the chapel.... probably at least 110 people. It`s a gorgeous new building. The members are great, and are so happy to have elders back. Apart from that the area was left in a disaster as they had no teaching pool, or anyone they were working with. So it`s almost like we`re starting from scratch. Hopefully we can get it going strong before I get out of here. We`ve got a lot of work ahead of us. It would have been great to come into an area that was super ready to baptise a ton but then again my mission has never been like that. President has done that to me for some reason. I guess he must trust me a lot. I`m trying to think about home the least possible. I`m doing good, except for the fact that our area lies directly in line with the airport. So every plane that comes into mendoza flies directly over our apartment!!!!!! I can almost touch the wheels..... not cool for a missionary that is trying not to think about home haha. Funny right? Anyways, I was going to tell you that I bought myself some souveneers and have got everything I wanted to bring home.
Anyways. Love ya mom. Let me know. Talk to ya next week! I haven`t taken any pictures this week but I`ll see what I can do for next week!!!!
It's getting real
OHHHHHHHHHHHH MAN.......... IT´S GETTING REAL MOM...........
CHURCH TRAVEL CWT DATE 30MARCH11
SALT LAKE CITY UT 84150
CAMPBELL/CARSON TYL 159651-R
MISSIONARY TRAVEL
ARGENTINA MENDOZA
SERVICE DATE FROM TO DEPART ARRIVE
____________________ _____ ______________ ______________ _______ ______
LANARGENTINA 24MAY BUENOS AIRE BA MIAMI FL 1030P 700A
4M 4520 TUESDAY BUENOS AIRES E MIAMI INTL 25MAY
Q ECONOMY
NON SMOKING MEAL NON STOP
RESERVATION CONFIRMED 9:30 DURATION
AIRCRAFT: BOEING 767-300/300ER
SEAT 34L NO SMOKING CONFIRMED
AMERICAN AIRLINES 25MAY MIAMI FL DALLAS TX 950A 1205P
AA 1625 WEDNESDAY MIAMI INTL DALLAS FORT
Q ECONOMY
NON SMOKING FOOD FOR PURCHASE NON STOP
RESERVATION CONFIRMED 3:15 DURATION
AIRCRAFT: BOEING 757
SEAT 27A NO SMOKING CONFIRMED
AMERICAN AIRLINES 25MAY DALLAS TX SALT LAKE C UT 255P 440P
AA 2527 WEDNESDAY DALLAS FORT SALT LAKE CITY
Q ECONOMY TERMINAL 1
NON SMOKING FOOD FOR PURCHASE NON STOP
RESERVATION CONFIRMED 2:45 DURATION
AIRCRAFT: BOEING (DOUGLAS) MD-80 ALL SERIES
SEAT 30F NO SMOKING CONFIRMED
RESERVATION NUMBER(S) AA/DSYSWW
CAMPBELL/CARSON TYLER 159651-R
CHURCH TRAVEL CWT DATE 30MARCH11
SALT LAKE CITY UT 84150
CAMPBELL/CARSON TYL 159651-R
MISSIONARY TRAVEL
ARGENTINA MENDOZA
SERVICE DATE FROM TO DEPART ARRIVE
____________________ _____ ______________ ______________ _______ ______
LANARGENTINA 24MAY BUENOS AIRE BA MIAMI FL 1030P 700A
4M 4520 TUESDAY BUENOS AIRES E MIAMI INTL 25MAY
Q ECONOMY
NON SMOKING MEAL NON STOP
RESERVATION CONFIRMED 9:30 DURATION
AIRCRAFT: BOEING 767-300/300ER
SEAT 34L NO SMOKING CONFIRMED
AMERICAN AIRLINES 25MAY MIAMI FL DALLAS TX 950A 1205P
AA 1625 WEDNESDAY MIAMI INTL DALLAS FORT
Q ECONOMY
NON SMOKING FOOD FOR PURCHASE NON STOP
RESERVATION CONFIRMED 3:15 DURATION
AIRCRAFT: BOEING 757
SEAT 27A NO SMOKING CONFIRMED
AMERICAN AIRLINES 25MAY DALLAS TX SALT LAKE C UT 255P 440P
AA 2527 WEDNESDAY DALLAS FORT SALT LAKE CITY
Q ECONOMY TERMINAL 1
NON SMOKING FOOD FOR PURCHASE NON STOP
RESERVATION CONFIRMED 2:45 DURATION
AIRCRAFT: BOEING (DOUGLAS) MD-80 ALL SERIES
SEAT 30F NO SMOKING CONFIRMED
RESERVATION NUMBER(S) AA/DSYSWW
CAMPBELL/CARSON TYLER 159651-R
March 28 2011
So President told me the news about grandma a few hours after she passed away. We were in the street working and hit me as a suprise. I kind of had a feeling it was coming, about a month ago I had a dream I was at her funeral, but I suppose I won´t make it. She was a fantastic lady, honestly so great. I remember going to visit and more than anything the old days when I´d play baseball in the back with grandpa jim and she would give us milk and chips ahoy cookies to eat. Can´t forget playing with the army and indian figurines either. I´ll cherish her letters she sent, and I´ll always remember the last thing she said to me ´´I don´t think I´ll be around when you get back, but have a fun time and be a good boy.´´ I´m honored to be an honorary pall bearer, I wish I could be there but the Lord must have greater needs for me these last 9 weeks. There is without a doubt one happy family in paradise right now. Kaye Jim and Ester all back together again.
I´m way pumped for Ky. He´s such a little stud. How is the team doing now that Saul can´t play? I feel bad for the kid. You´ll have to send me that link for sure as well as grandma´s obituary. I´m happy you decided to get away this weekend. I´m sure it helped dad out a lot to have that release. I´d love to get to St. George before school starts. Speaking of... I´ve got to register for classes right now. Hopefully your on and we can talk about the options I´ve got. I took the math accuplacer test on saturday after working with Weber on finding out a way to take the test here in Argentina. Mission Offices are apparently approved places to take tests as long as the mission president or a senor missionary can be a proctor. I did pretty well actually. I had to study for a about 30 minutes a night after the day to have to remember some basic math (unbelievable how it just leaves ya after not using it) but after all was said and done I tested well enough to be able to take math 1010 over again without having to take any lower level classes.
We had an amazing fast over the weekend. As a mission we all fasted for Josh Pack. It was one of the most spiritual fasts of my entire life. We prayed often throughout it. Me, my companion Elder Frost, Elder Sorensen from Ogden, and Elder Leal from Chile were together most of the day. I felt the spirit so strong throughout it. Sunday at 4 pm we met with all the missionaries around the mendoza area with president and hna lindahl and closed the fast with a kneeling prayer together. I had a very significant spiritual experience that I´ll share with you one day, but it is enough for me to say that I know Josh can be healed and walk again, of course all in the lords time. Anyways, i´ve got only a few more weeks here in the offices and then out to my new area. Can´t believe time is flying so fast. I was here in the offices for the last General Conference, and here it is again. My last conference in the mission. I remember my first one in Atlanta like it was yesterday!
I am kinda wondering if you have anything planned for when I get home. I am guessing that I will have a room to sleep in. What ever happened to the storage room?? And I´ll have to steal back at least half of my clothes that Kyler stole haha. Do you still have those two little scooters? I´m thinking about transportation obviously, but on second hand I don´t have a motorcycle permit. Do I have a drivers licence renewed? I´m trying to calculate a few costs and how I´m going to afford stuff like that and as well a cell phone haha. Although none of this is really on my mind much, nor does it need to be, I´m still trying to make a little plan of action under President Lindahls orders haha. Anyways, Love ya! Hope to talk to you today!
Elder Campbell
I´m way pumped for Ky. He´s such a little stud. How is the team doing now that Saul can´t play? I feel bad for the kid. You´ll have to send me that link for sure as well as grandma´s obituary. I´m happy you decided to get away this weekend. I´m sure it helped dad out a lot to have that release. I´d love to get to St. George before school starts. Speaking of... I´ve got to register for classes right now. Hopefully your on and we can talk about the options I´ve got. I took the math accuplacer test on saturday after working with Weber on finding out a way to take the test here in Argentina. Mission Offices are apparently approved places to take tests as long as the mission president or a senor missionary can be a proctor. I did pretty well actually. I had to study for a about 30 minutes a night after the day to have to remember some basic math (unbelievable how it just leaves ya after not using it) but after all was said and done I tested well enough to be able to take math 1010 over again without having to take any lower level classes.
We had an amazing fast over the weekend. As a mission we all fasted for Josh Pack. It was one of the most spiritual fasts of my entire life. We prayed often throughout it. Me, my companion Elder Frost, Elder Sorensen from Ogden, and Elder Leal from Chile were together most of the day. I felt the spirit so strong throughout it. Sunday at 4 pm we met with all the missionaries around the mendoza area with president and hna lindahl and closed the fast with a kneeling prayer together. I had a very significant spiritual experience that I´ll share with you one day, but it is enough for me to say that I know Josh can be healed and walk again, of course all in the lords time. Anyways, i´ve got only a few more weeks here in the offices and then out to my new area. Can´t believe time is flying so fast. I was here in the offices for the last General Conference, and here it is again. My last conference in the mission. I remember my first one in Atlanta like it was yesterday!
I am kinda wondering if you have anything planned for when I get home. I am guessing that I will have a room to sleep in. What ever happened to the storage room?? And I´ll have to steal back at least half of my clothes that Kyler stole haha. Do you still have those two little scooters? I´m thinking about transportation obviously, but on second hand I don´t have a motorcycle permit. Do I have a drivers licence renewed? I´m trying to calculate a few costs and how I´m going to afford stuff like that and as well a cell phone haha. Although none of this is really on my mind much, nor does it need to be, I´m still trying to make a little plan of action under President Lindahls orders haha. Anyways, Love ya! Hope to talk to you today!
Elder Campbell
March 21 2011
So this week was way cool. We had the baptism of a really cool girl named Florencia. She was the one that I talked to you about before. She got invited to a girls camp and has been coming to church ever since. She really responded to the lessons we taught her, and gained such a great desire to get baptised. We´re still working with her mom dad and little brother to get them baptized as well! The mom was very emotional at the baptism and definately felt the spirit. She came to church sunday and asked that we start teaching her personally! The greatest thing about the whole story is that it took us major convincing to get her to let Florencia get baptized. Now she just loves church. Amazing how the gospel can change lives.
My replacement came in today! His name is Elder Boisados from Buenos Aires. For the next three weeks I´ll be here working with him and showing him the ropes here in the office. I´ll still be working in Sarmiento my normal area that we´ve had for the past few weeks, and my companion is still Elder Frost from Prescott, AZ. We´ve now been in the offices together for 6 months! Good thing we get along right? Haha. Us two are still the zone leaders of the Zone 13, but after this transfer I´ll finally be let off the hook and set free to be a normal missionary my last 6 weeks.
This is all definately going to help with my weight loss program! Getting out and walking again! Woo hoo! President even made a bet with me. I loose 15 pounds before I go home he buys me a brand new suit! Pretty cool huh? It´s going down. Actually since I talked to you on the phone I´ve lost 8.2 pounds. In a few months I want to be at 170 so that is the goal.
I´m so sad the Ogden Temple will be closed when I get home. It should be pretty neat once it´s done though. I´m guessing that is the reason it´s the last ward temple night right? Even by going alone it´s definately the right thing to do. Keep that faith. Talk to ya later!
Elder Campbell
My replacement came in today! His name is Elder Boisados from Buenos Aires. For the next three weeks I´ll be here working with him and showing him the ropes here in the office. I´ll still be working in Sarmiento my normal area that we´ve had for the past few weeks, and my companion is still Elder Frost from Prescott, AZ. We´ve now been in the offices together for 6 months! Good thing we get along right? Haha. Us two are still the zone leaders of the Zone 13, but after this transfer I´ll finally be let off the hook and set free to be a normal missionary my last 6 weeks.
This is all definately going to help with my weight loss program! Getting out and walking again! Woo hoo! President even made a bet with me. I loose 15 pounds before I go home he buys me a brand new suit! Pretty cool huh? It´s going down. Actually since I talked to you on the phone I´ve lost 8.2 pounds. In a few months I want to be at 170 so that is the goal.
I´m so sad the Ogden Temple will be closed when I get home. It should be pretty neat once it´s done though. I´m guessing that is the reason it´s the last ward temple night right? Even by going alone it´s definately the right thing to do. Keep that faith. Talk to ya later!
Elder Campbell
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