I never thought it would be this hard.

It is such a temptation to not write anything this week. But alas, I assume that I should write SOMETHING. So more than anything I’m just sending a shout out. It was a weird week. It was full of weird days and lots of not work. I feel bad because I want to be clapping houses and teaching... but this week was full of meetings and traveling. It is all required things, but not what I want to be doing. But because of that it made the week feel really long. But I am all too often reminded how often I’m going home... which makes it feel even longer. I have this growing desire building up to just go home. It is amazing how much harder it is at the end of the mission... I never thought it would be this hard.

I taught my last workshop as a mission leader... that was weird. We had a really good district meeting that Elder Lucas and I taught. It was simple, but spiritual. We learned how to do better contacts. It is something that we had learned about a month ago and have been using to great success. It was nice to be able to testify of the power of such techniques. We have continued our crazy finding spree this week, even with all the traveling we have done.

One thing that I really enjoyed about this week was getting to know the President a little better. He didn’t know that I was going home so soon and when he found out he was kind of bummed. It was funny seeing him react in such a way. I’m used to the president knowing everything. It was just evidence to me that even mission presidents are just human. I love President Stapley... he will be a great mission president.

It rained again on Sunday, I was kind of upset about that. I hope it doesn’t rain anymore. I’ve already packed my bags and spare shoes... so I don’t want to get my current shoes wet... fyi we are asked to pack a week in advance.

I’m so not excited to write you all... I think I’m just going to stop wasting cyber-space and wait till I can tell you all in person.

This Saturday we get to go to Capital... or the city of Buenos Aires as a special treat for all that go home. So I’m looking forward to that. I also hear that I can call home when I’m in the airport. So I guess next Tuesday I’ll be calling you all bright and early in the morning... MAYBE. If not, I’ll just see you later when I get off the plane.

I love you all,

Elder Steinkuhler

Chè dos semanas... wow

Hello everyone, this is your normally faithful writer Elder Steinkuhler here. I’ve just completed another wonderful week of heavenly labor and am now fully ready to give you a 100% account of all of my actions... the only problem is that I can’t. So we will take out a few key factors and hope that it suffices.

First of all, it is really cold. It feels like about 30º or so. The winds are almost always high in our area and there is always a lot of water, so if you get wet... it is REALLY cold. Sunday morning we woke up to rain... not happy Steinkuhler mood. We went looking for our investigators in the freezing rain/ice sheets and for some reason no one wanted to come with us, go figure. Ha ha, it was fun though. We had a great day in any case. We ended up finding some really awesome people, which brings me to my next point.

Two weeks ago we found a lot of people... families mostly. But none of them really wanted to have us come back... for one thing or another they were busy or didn't want us to come into the homes. Needless to say, they did not read what we left them. So that kind of got us down in the dumps. But this week we found wonderful people. People truly prepared for the gospel. But wait, I'm getting ahead of myself....... I don't know how to tell all of this, so I’ll just start with Tuesday.

We had our zone conference with the new president. It was a great conference and we learned a lot of new things... but he also explained a lot of changes going on in the mission field all over the world. For example, our capitations will now focus on 8 lessons... there will be meetings for four days with the mission leaders... etc. I feel like I can share one thing the Spirit hit me with. I realized that although 75% of my teaching is focused on personal revelation, I was not doing enough to help people get their own answers. The conference really made me look at my teachings from the beginning of my mission until now. And I’ve realized that there are a lot of things that I can be doing better. I know that I am suppose to be like the best in the Zone because I'm the zone leader and have been in the field the most time, but I am not really that good at teaching. I realized that this week. I still have so far to go. So I started adjusting my teachings this week to great success. I focused my own personal prayers and prayers with others to help them feel the Spirit and learn how to get a true answer from the Almighty.

We had this wonderful finding experience this week with a young mother and her boyfriend. Last Sunday we did a few contacts during the soccer world cup finals... to our great surprise there was a nice young lady who talked to us for awhile but didn't want to let us in because her family was watching the game. So we set up an appointment to come back and we found not only her but this wonderfully intelligent boyfriend as well (I love teaching couples). It was right after the conference and I had my heart swallowed up in prayer, so when we sat down and started to get to know them, I felt inspired to read something from D&C section 9. We started reading and she told us that she has problems understanding new things and that she never understands things she reads. So we went slow and she understood everything PERFECTLY!!! It was amazing... and her boyfriend seemed to have already known the things we taught him, it is just that he never lived it. ANYWAY, we taught them lesson one very fast. We started with prayer, then why there are so many churches (apostasy), then Joseph Smith, then The Book of Mormon. It was phenomenal! They loved it and the Spirit was so strong. I was blown away, I don't know if it was just because of how well God had prepared them or because of the things I learned in Zone Conference... but that was one of my favorite lessons yet in the mission.

Yesterday we also found a wonderful lady who has a daughter with mental problems. She asked us to give her a blessing of health and I performed the sealing. I really have grown to love using God`s Priesthood. The daughter couldn't really talk, but I could see her pure spirit... I felt so much love for her and her family as we performed the ordinance. The funny story about that is that they were references from the lunch appointment we had. After church we had to walk about 30 minutes in the mud to our lunch appointment at the end of nowhere where this one member lives. The truth is that neither I nor my companion wanted to go... but we ended up going because the member wouldn’t take no for an answer. But what a blessing it was. We had such a wonderful spiritual experience that the member gave us about 35 references more... YEAH!!!!!!

Well, I pulled out my suitcases to start packing this week... and I found all the old stuff (or what I called "ish") that had been collecting up for two years. I felt somewhat like Harry Potter when he cleans out his trunk at the beginning of book 7... and yes, I still remember/love every part of the Harry Potter books. I found old cards, drawings, lesson plans, books, toys, keys, etc. It was sad looking at it all and thinking, "I really don’t want any of this ish, I should probably just throw it all away". It was a sad day. I feel like I threw away a part of two years, but it is a part that I just cannot bring with me. I still haven’t actually packed anything, perhaps today I’ll do it. FYI, I did not get my nap last week, and I doubt I’ll get it this week. All well, I’ll get lots of sleep on the plane.

So, it looks like everyone is telling me that I’m going home in two weeks. I don’t feel like it still, I know what is going to happen... but I can’t feel it happening to me. Life is just going on still... and I don’t see it changing, although I am excited to see the changes. I feel like I’m just going to get transferred again, but this time they told me in advance. Well, I will have one more pday left after this one. So if anyone wants to send me an e-mail before I get home... do it this week. If you want anything I MIGHT be able to get it, but with such short time there are no promises. Anyway, I’m off.... I love you all and hope to see everyone soon.

All a missionaries love,
Elder Steinkuhler

PS We played pool today and my companion whooped me 2/3 times. The last time I BARELY won. I’m going to miss Elder Lucas a lot.

how do sore thumbs stick out?

Well family, I'm tired. I am so excited to write this and then go take a nap!!! That is right, Elder Steinkuhler is going to take his first nap in like 6 months!!! I’ve planned it into my day, and will fully enjoy it.

I’ve been slightly sick this week. Almost everyone in the zone has been getting sick... it is just missionary life, nothing big, but bothersome. Today is particularly cold. It is freezing outside, but we went to play soccer, volleyball and Frisbee anyway. I guess my knee is doing better. It hurts unnaturally much when I get hit there, but other than that it doesn't bother me anymore, thanks for the support and prayers.

So, let me start off with the sad news... Spain won the world cup... the good news is that it is all over. I'm so tired of being caught in the street with nothing to do because people are watching the world cup. By the way, I didn't really care who won... but Merry served her mission is Spain, so I was rooting against it. I guess her mission was just better. :D So, people still give me flack (a real word) about being German. I guess I just stick out like a sore thumb (how do sore thumbs stick out?). It is kind of funny because people yell at us asking if we are German and my companion always answers by asking if he looks German. They look at him and he laughs telling them that he is for Paraguay. I love Elder Lucas, he is just a stud! We are working good together... well sorta. Let me explain.

This week was a particularly hard week. I don't know why. Everyone failed on us. Our investigators, our members. It was just difficult. It put me to thinking why. I think God has a lot of things for me to learn in my time left. This week I have learned a lot about what is most important and how to overcome trials. I'm so glad that my trials have not stopped... because when they stop my learning stops. I love being here, things are just so much more meaningful. A rejection at home is just a rejection. Now I can see what God is teaching me by telling me to talk to someone who is going to reject me. I’ve really learned that we are not able of baptizing or changing people. They have to do it for themselves. I’ve learned so much this week that I don't know if I can really explain it all. And even if I were to explain it all you wouldn't understand because it is something that you need to live. But one of the biggest things I’ve learned is that I am a true convert. I’ve learned that my testimony is strong and that it won’t fail me in hard times. But as I stop doing the good things in this life, I will weaken my testimony. All of you who read the scriptures will understand me when I say that the scriptures have power.

One of my favorite parts of the week was Saturday morning. I was feeling kind of sick, but not as sick as Elder Shupple. However, Elder Jones had called us to see if we could do a service project for some members in the area of Claypole. It was a "moving" with the assistants, the elders of Claypole and us. Well, last minute the assistants couldn't make it... so it was just Elder Shupple, Roy, Lucas and me who went early in the morning. It turned out to be a mud/clay shoveling project. It was HARD labor. And Elder Shupple was sick so he did little and almost fainted... he is such as good sport, I love that kid. So they left early. Then my companion died out after like hours. So in the end I shoveled all the clay and my companion wheeled it away. It was interesting to work basically alone for an hour. My muscles were tired and my mind alive... My body turned into a machine and I was able to ponder upon many subjects. It did me so much good. I loved it and the members were so grateful. I had forgotten how good it feels to work hard and serve others. I loved it to death. I’ve been looking for reasons why God has called me to where I am. I know that I am in the right spot and often the only one who can do what I can do. It was so obvious in this day that God wanted me to be exactly where I was at exactly that moment. I look forward to finishing the job if we have time.

Well, I'm off to take my nap. I love you all. I'm working hard and truly, surprisingly happy.

Take luck, I love you,

Elder Tommy Steinkuhler

PS I’m in a good mood, I hope you are too.

123% better

I have no time... so let us start out with the good news; because I have a lot of news (not that interesting, but news), both good and bad.

I was able to do an intercambio with Elder Gaffney this week. He is the new elder of my new elder... or in other words (that are banned from missionary vocabulary) he is my grandson. He is a fun little fellow from Oregon. He speaks amazingly well and has a great desire to teach. We did a fun little change-up on Wednesday morning at 7:00. My companion and I went to another area and changed up with them.... then came back. Then in that morning we went out to work and found 7 people... a new family. Then we ate lunch and in the nighttime we round 5 more. It was a great day. We taught a ton of lessons and he got really excited for working and talking. He is a wonderful missionary and I had a great day.

Going off of that, this week we had better datos then any other week of my mission. I sent you all the standards of the mission some time ago. This week we were able to achieve or surpass all but baptismal goals. We found 31 new people this week... that beat my old personal record by like 12. It was a wonderfully hard week. We worked our tails off. I keep on getting people telling me not to slack off now that I’m at the end of the mission. But what the President told us about being the most effective at the end of the mission really hit me. So we decided to try and raise the bar even higher then what we had... although we almost died, we did it!!!! We had the best week of my mission this week. So don’t you worry, I’m focusing. Not only that but: (here comes the bad news)

Last Monday we ate at an all you can eat pizza place. I had about two entire pizzas... and almost died (they were big). I was already feeling somewhat sick... so that night after sending my update, I went home and couldn’t leave because I needed to be close to a bathroom. So we couldn't work on Monday. Which kind of sucked. But I’m better now... 123% better. However (more bad news)...

Yesterday while going to pick up investigators for church I fell on the train tracks. I was looking at the sky and well......... there was a hole. There was a place where people could walk underneath and I didn’t see it. So I hit my knee pretty bad. We were already running on a tight schedule, so I just brushed off the dirt and kept on going. But after our sacrament meeting it was killing me. Today it is a lot better, but still a little swollen. But it makes for a fun story.

Other bad news... President Asay is gone. He went home already. And President Stapley will not be in Argentina until this week. So we are a little bit without president for awhile.

Good news: It has been wonderfully warmer than normal. Still chilly, but not cold.

Bad news: Argentina lost to Germany. It was scary. We went out to try and teach during the game. As you walk down the street all you can head is a constant dialog from the narrator... Every house was watching it so it was heard in every part of the street. But we lost... and bad... and I look German. So people have been yelling at me for awhile. For a few hours I was really worried for my life, but most everyone knows that we are from the USA. So no prob Bob.

Good news: We discovered an inactive family this week. We started teaching them and he told us that the reason why they went inactive was because the Stake President had told him to cut his hair. I laughed and pulled out my driver’s license and explained what happened to me before the mission. We bonded for a time and they promised to return to the church. They said that their daughter is 9 years old and that they want us to baptize her. So I’m excited to work with them and bring them back into the church. It is really one of those moments where you just know that God sent you to that family. I have way too much in common with this brother that it is impossible for us not to be friends.

Well, I guess that is about it. So much happened this week, but I can’t explain it. We felt a strong desire to clap a house as we went by this week and found a family of 9... all brothers and sisters whose mother passed away 2 weeks ago. They needed our message so bad.

I promise you all that I’m not dying out. I’m working hard... I love the mission life and I love what we are achieving. Miracles are never tiresome. I’ll try and send some good stories next week. Thanks for all of your support.

I love you all,
Elder Steinkuhler

PS I’m excited to come home. Don’t get me wrong... I am very excited to have my interview with President Paxman. And I am even more excited to be able to be around for two of my friend’s weddings.

PPS The president told us to tell everyone that we have 6 months left... it is so fun telling people that and seeing their reactions. Some people believe me without a doubt... others tell me I should have less... others say that I’m already at home. It is fun to see what people think, but just like David has always told me... it is what the Lord thinks that is most important.

There is nothing more wonderful on the mission than someone telling you that they know that The Book of Mormon is true.

First things first... I’ve been informed that I need to inform you all to inform President Tanner to be ready to release me when I get home. So I’m guessing you all know when I’ll be getting home. If not, it would be about 10:30 Wednesday the 3rd. If President Tanner could release me about that time it would be superbly wonderful.

I don’t have much to write about. This week was a lot of working and running around and little to write about. The World Cup is a killer here. NOTHING happens during the hours of the game. There is literally NOTHING to do during that hour and a half. But it is cool being here in Argentina while Argentina is winning. I hear a lot of new things about soccer here. For example, I didn’t even know that they play soccer in Germany... but I guess they are one of the best teams in the world. Go figure. It doesn’t help that I’m a German looking and sounding as it comes. I might be killed this week if Germany wins. Naw, I’m sure that nothing will happen... I’m actually just glad that the US lost. As much as I wanted them to win, I’m glad we are not going to play Argentina.

We had some really spiritual appointments this week. One of them was with Antonia. She is a recent investigator. We taught her the basics of The Book of Mormon and the family. We returned to teach her about Joseph Smith and we asked her if she had read and prayed about The Book of Mormon... very seldom do they do it the first time... and never have they told me that they received an answer the first time. She told us very quietly that she read. She explained how she read and prayed with her family right after we left. And that she didn’t feel anything. But that night she re-read and asked again and felt the answer. She looked up at me and I asked her how she felt. She smiled and said should couldn’t explain it. She said it was a very good feeling in her chest that came from somewhere else. That same feeling filled my frame and we were both edified. There is nothing more wonderful on the mission than someone telling you that they know that The Book of Mormon is true. After that the rest is just details. When a person really knows that The Book of Mormon is true, baptisms will follow and blessings will spring forth.

The same thing happened some time back with an investigator named Isabel. It was so funny because she reads really poorly. When she reads aloud she gets all the words mixed up and it doesn’t make since unless you are following along in your own book... but she understands PERFECTLY!!! She too quickly received an answer to the challenge we gave her.

We had a little meeting I like to call Jedi Council this week. It is a meeting with all the zone leaders of the mission. We go over trainings we will go through and all that good stuff. The best part was that the president asks everyone who is going home that transfer to give their testimony. So that means that I could give my testimony as well as all my close friends... but also the president. He leaves next week. His message was amazing. It was by far my favorite meeting in the entire mission. I would do it injustice explaining what was said. I don’t want to offend the Spirit and explain all the things that were explained to us through him... but I do want to tell you that it was a wonderful meeting. It truly gave me excitement to work hard this transfer. One thing the president told us last Monday is that we will not be judged off of what we did during our mission... but off of what we do this last transfer. That kind of put the heat on and motivated me to work hard this transfer.

I guess that is it for me. I bought some new shoes today because I want something nice to go home in. And... I’m kind of boring. Sorry. I’m just working. Work... as in work work is not that exciting to explain.

I love you all and will see you soon.

Tommy

PS My camera broke. It won’t take photos with flash now. Sad day. I don’t think I’ll be sending more photos home till I get home. Sorry... Um, just suck it up and deal with it.

He shared his great wisdom once again with me

I’ve officially entered into my last transfer. I'M SCARED!!!! Today was a huge day! Let us start with today and see how far I get.

Today the president gave his farewell talk... along with his wife, a senior couple and a lot of beloved fellow elders. It was a wonderful meeting and my brief explanation of what they said would not do them justice, so I will leave it to this: "It was wonderful". Lots of people came because almost everyone knows the president. But the biggest visitor for me was ex-Elder Sagripanti. That is right, my trainer and papi. It broke my heart to see him again. We all left the meeting to take a picture of all the missionaries and while waiting for the picture I saw him. After the photo I ran up and gave him a huge hug. We were able to talk for a bit and he shared his great wisdom once again with me. I know that my group and I are the oldest people in the mission (including the president) but Elder Sagripanti was just so much wiser than us. I truly felt like a child with his father again. He is well. He is dating and continuing the life the way it should be. I didn't have my camera, so I hope he sends me a photo.

To go along with this, we had interviews with the president this week. It was weird going into his office and talking to him for the last time. We always need to recite a memorized scripture, so I did Luke 2:1-18... it took on new meaning with him. He liked it a lot.

Something else to go along with that... one of the elders I trained is about to train. They will both be in my zone this transfer, so I’ll be able to see them both. Elder Mortensen is going to train. That means that in the mission they would call me a grandfather if we were to still use such language.... but seeing as we don't... don't worry about it.

Cool experience... we went to get investigators on Sunday morning. And while walking with them to the Church I saw a man stuck in the mud with his truck. It has been raining here a lot and there is a LOT of mud. I told my companion we needed to help... he looked at me, and then at his freshly shinned for Church shoes, then at the investigators, then came with me. We pushed and pushed and finally got the truck out. We didn't even really get muddy (the shoes were not shinny). But we just waved at him as we walked past and continued on our way. About 2 minutes later he pulled up next to us and gave all of us a ride to church... saving us about 1.5 miles of walking. We did a contact with him and will be sending missionaries to his home... I LOVE doing service and seeing it pay off.

One more cool experience:
We did a map system to get references from members. We draw a map and have them write all the names of the neighbors that they know. We did this with a fairly popular guy and got a lot of references. Over the past few weeks we have been slowly contacting references from him with little luck. On Friday we were contacting the last of them and had one left... it was pretty far away, and we were thinking about going to another area to work. I meditated on our options and felt we should contact the last reference. My companion thought I was crazy, but we went anyway. We clapped and out walked a lady we had seen earlier that day. She is a friend of Karina (who got baptized a little bit ago). Earlier that day she had blown us off and we thought she didn't like us... but we started chatting with her and found out how much she was suffering. We shared a brief message about The Plan of Salvation and entered into her house to read a part of The Book of Mormon. It was a really spiritual lesson. It was good to help her and see the spirit touch her. We have a return appointment tomorrow.

One cool note for my mother:
We just changed our bishop. Bishops normally change every 5-8 years around here... and in the 4 wards I’ve been in... 3 of them have changed while I’ve been in them... but that is not what I wanted to share. Bishop Monaco is our new bishop. We ate with him this last week and chatted a lot about The Lord of the Rings. He knows elvish and basically everything about The Lord of the Rings. He is also really excited work with us because he has been working with the stake for awhile and hasn’t been able to help us much. So we will be working hard with him soon.

That is about it. I guess I’ll just finish with that and tell you all how weird it is having everyone tell me that I’m going home soon. I don’t feel like it. The president today told us that we all have 6 months left. And if we focus on that we will not begin to slack off. I suspect that with the change of president I will not have 5 seconds to think about home, but we will see. I know that I should be humble though and ask for your help. So, don’t let me get trunky please.

I love you all,

Tommy

PS I’ll send pictures soon... I promise.

PPS I know what I want for my birthday. If people want to chip in so that I can buy new scriptures that would be cool. I know what I want, so I would like to pick them out... but if you want to help me buy them I would love you forever.

They made me cut it and eat the head because it was my birthday

This week was craziness. We did a lot of things and I’m beat! Where to start... TODAY.

I’ve had a lot of questions about what a zone leader does. Basically we do what everyone else does, but we also need to plan for everything the zone does. So we spend a lot more time planning and talking about our zone then our area. The truth is that we focus a lot in the area, but when we are at the apartment we basically call the other elders and focus on their needs. I feel somewhat like a father. For example, today we did a zone activity. We can do one every transfer and we decided to do ours today. We didn’t think that it was going to rain (which it is doing in abundance). So we were going to get together and cook an American breakfast and then play Olympic games. Well, we did eat an American breakfast... at lunch time. So here is what happened. Being the zone leaders we had to plan the activity, see what people wanted to do... decide who would do what and where and when and then verify everyone five million times to make sure it goes as planned. We also needed a plan B to everything. We actually didn't end up playing Olympic games. But we did play dodge ball and ping pong. It was actually really fun and we cooked a ton of food. We made pancakes, eggs and hash browns for 23 people (but like 30 ate)... WITH HOMEMADE MAPLE SYRUP! How cook are we? Two elders in the zone, a sister and I cooked everything. It was really good. We all had fun and got wet getting to the stake center. It all turned out good, but not as planned. So, that is basically what we do as zone leaders. We animate and plan for everything the zone is going to do. We also try to help the elders get to the zone or mission standards. We teach elders on exchanges how to do certain things and try to show them an example of what we are capable of doing as missionaries. We also meet regularly with the church leaders, including stake president to learn their desires for the zone. I don't know... we don’t really do much, we are just normal missionaries when it comes down to it.

This week was my birthday... it was a good one. I got an amazing jersey from a wonderful sister in our ward. It is a blue Argentine jersey. BY THE WAY, Argentina won their first game in the soccer competition... thing (I don't know its name in English). We are not allowed to watch, so we stayed in the pench to plan and heard people yelling and shooting off gun shots every time Argentina did something good. It was exciting and we didn’t even get to watch it. Anyway... my birthday was really tranquil. We didn’t do much out of the normal. The biggest thing is that we went to a members house at the end of our day because she had cooked us dinner and wanted to give me my gift. It was really a fun work day. As missionaries we celebrated it after planning on Saturday. While people were going crazy because we (I mean Argentina) won, we cooked up some genie-pig and ate them... long story. Basically an elder from Peru decided it would be cool to cook me up a Peruvian specialty for my birthday. It took some days to get it all worked out... I’ll try to send pictures. I felt bad, because he bought them alive and then killed them and cooked them. I only saw them alive and then dead... fortunately I wasn’t around for the killing, I would have freaked (this elder also wants to eat Tinkerbell when I leave... NOT going to happen). It was pretty good. They made me cut it and eat the head because it was my birthday... I tried the eyeball... not so tasty... and that is all I have to say about that.

For the lunch we bought hot peppers... REALLY hot peppers. One of the elders said he would give me his scarf if I would eat half of one of the peppers. I was brave and did it... And it was HOT!!! We are talking bigger and hotter than Jalapeno. But I won a scarf! The elders just looked at me with awe as I bit off the pepper. No one thought I would do it... I don’t even know why I did it, but it was fun and funny. The States don’t really have hot peppers.

Well, with all the rain we have a mud pit of an area again. I love it. I got my leather boots fixed so now I can walk around without using huge, bulky rain boots. I’ve learned very well how to walk, run, jump and slide in the mud without getting myself dirty. It takes a lot of skills and practice to be able to walk for 3 hours in 3 inches of mud without getting your pants dirty... :)

This week we had a really good experience with finding. We worked hard all week to find. We contacted more references then in any moment of my mission this week. We also did normal contacts a lot. But by Sunday we had only found 6 and we wanted to find 12 by the end of the day. So we went out to do our normal visits and decided to run by this lady we had found the week before. She wasn’t there, but her husband and other family members were. We had been praying to be able to find people that day because we had really been working our tails off to find and were not seeing the blessings. But once again the Spirit guided us and we found a wonderful new (big) family and accomplished our goal.

Also, we had this family that we have been teaching. We can only see them like once every other weekend. We took a fecha out with the two of them last week and this week we met up with them again. To get to their goal they need to get married. So although we want to wait normally to teach the Law of Chastity, we decided to do it early. We taught a really spiritual lesson about the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We knew that the Spirit would be vital in this lesson so we did all we could to invite it. And it came strong. They felt it and when we asked them why they hadn’t got married until now they said it was a money issue... but now that we had explained the Spiritual importance they wanted to change. They made the decision for themselves and are going to make a plan on how to do it for next weeks appointment. I love how the Holy Ghost shows people what they need to do return to God... and I love it even more when people listen to that Spirit.

I’m off... I love you all and will try to send pictures next time.

Love,
Elder Steinkuhler

PS I’ve realized again how soon I’ll be home this week. I can’t believe it... I don’t feel trunky though... that is the good thing, I know lots of you are worried. No worries.

God put me here on Earth to do service

I remember what shopping bags means...

I went on intercambios (or companion exchanges) last week and I tried to show forth the best example possible. Well, I have this thing, I’ve always wanted to help someone carry their grocery bags because in missionary pictures they are always doing that for service. The people here try to run away from you if you offer because they think you are going to rob them. Well, I saw a lady struggling with her bags and I stopped to help her while on intercambios. The part of town we were in was rather nice and fairly friendly. She looked up at me and I smiled at her. It was great to see her old wrinkly face crack into a smile and said she would love help. I grabbed her bags (quite too much for her) and we walked some 5ish blocks to her house. We chatted about things as we walked and eventually talked about the gospel and how she knew we wouldn't rob her because we are missionaries. She loved our little stroll and accepted a return visit the next day. It felt so good to see once again how the pure love of Christ gets to the heart of people a lot faster than a word of testimony. I learned long ago that I God put me here on Earth to do service. That is why I was blessed with a big body and lots of free time. It feels so good doing service. This week we also did service. We saw a young girl carrying 4X4 beams into her yard with difficulty, so I stooped down and started helping. I think she only accepted because she could see that I couldn't run far with her wood and therefore had nothing to worry about. By the end she was a good friend of ours.

This is a little thing for my father: We did a zone learning activity this week where we got together with the Stake Family History Specialist. She taught us a little bit about the services available here so that we can invite people to come in. It was good, but she got mad at me because I told her that my father is a specialist and that I knew little to nothing about it. So I guess I’ll be learning something more when I get home.

The other day while on intercambios again (we do a lot of intercambios) we contacted a wonderful lady. We were looking for this guy and he wasn't where he was supposed to be (on the top floor). So we went down a story and he wasn't there either, and then down another... and still nothing. So I asked some neighbors and this wonderful lady answered the door. It was hilarious because I was looking at the handle and as the door opened the first thing I saw was a huge cross and as I followed the necklace up it got lost in a nuns hood. I chocked back a laugh at doing a contact with a nun and started talking about The Plan of Salvation. It was a good chat and we set up an appointment to come back and teach her and her family more. I was really shocked. But then again, we do share the truth and the spirit can touch any heart. I won’t be there to go back, but I’ll try to figure out what happens and let you know. She was really wonderful though and interested.

Funny side note about the intercambios... I did one this week with Elder Mortenson, one of the elders I trained. He is doing really well. We had a really successful day and I loved to see how much he has changed in the past 6 months. He has really grown up.

We baptized again this week. It was a really lovely baptism. It was a bright sunny day with lots of people who came. The father is a member and was able to baptize his kids. It was really one of those "How perfect" kind of moments. I’ll try to send pictures soon.

One of our recent converts, Oscar, he has taken up this saying. We keep on teaching him new things about the Gospel and he says, "Ah, mirà... que lindo"... or in English, "How wow, look at that... how lovely". He really loves the Gospel and everything it brings. He can’t stop learning and doing things in the church. Hopefully his son and daughter-in-law will get baptized this next month if everything goes well with the marriage and everything. They are such a wonderful family and wonderful people.

One last note: Our zone is number one in the mission and has been for two weeks straight. That probably doesn't sound that cool to any of you, but it does to me because I know the history of the mission. We are in the zone of Adroguè... which has the office elders and assistants. They can’t work all day because they need to be in the offices until 6 at night... sometimes later. So Adroguè has never been the number one zone in the mission. NEVER! Until NOW!!!! I was so excited that I wanted to do something for the zone... because we are rated on an average of every area... which means that every area is working well and hard. Well, I was pondering upon it and what I could do... when I went to a shoe shop to get my shoes fixed. The man was very nice and started talking about all sorts of things (I think he was a little lonely). He off handed-ly commented that he had received two large bags of leather that he was not going to use. I asked to see them and he said sure... and that I could take whatever I wanted for FREE!!! So I rummaged through the bags and pulled out a large stack of hard forest green leather. He looked at me like I was crazy and I asked if I could take it... he said that he had no use for it and that I could take it and whatever else from the bag I wanted. So I brought it home and started cutting. I’ve learned many tricks from my parents and friends about making things with limited tools. So I cut out agenda covers and then cut holes in them with a metal pen tip so that we can bind them to our agendas. I made 42 tops (it took a lot of time... I didn't sleep much). But today I finished them off and gave them to the zone as birthday present from me because they are all working so well. They turned out really well. I like them a lot and the zone was ecstatic. I’ll try to send picture of that too.

Anyway I’m doing well and am really tired. I’ve got to get going to work now... I love you all.

Elder Steinkuhler

PS I don’t have plans for my birthday... I will be working I think. The truth is that I have no idea what will happen.

PPS The World Cup for Soccer starts this week... I pray that Argentina doesn’t loose and that the USA doesn’t win... because if those things happen we’ll be in trouble.

they almost broke the building down with joy

So, last week I sent such a terrible letter that I thought I would try and send something a little better this week... so all week I wrote down little things to share with you all. Let us start with the weather, because it is always a good conversation starter.

I don't know if any of you keep track of the weather in the world (probably not... I wouldn't), but there has been a lot of rain here recently. So much rain in fact that the work is getting harder. This last Sunday we got caught in the rain with our Sunday clothes on and no preparation... let me explain. So, the church is like three miles from our house and our area is between us and the church. So we normally go straight to a member’s house to eat after church. Normally we leave our jackets at the member’s house and get them on our way home. Well, this Sunday we couldn’t. The member’s house was too far out of the way that we just went out in our suits, besides it was cold. We went to a new area to open it up... an area where there are no members and no investigators. Well, while contacting people it started to drizzle... and we found someone and entered the house. Right after leaving it started pouring down rain. So we took off and tried to find cover, but it was too late. We just went to the closest member (1.5 miles away) and then to the pinch because it took us so long to get there in the mud that we had to go straight home. The best part of the story is that the family we found is amazing. There was this lady that freaked out at the pamphlet we gave her and ran to a back room to pull out that same exact pamphlet. She said that she had received it like six months before and enjoyed it so much that she saved it waiting for us to come back. It was a wonderfully simple and spirit filled lesson. We taught and testified about The Book of Mormon and she and her family decided to read it together!

The photos are when I got home to the pinch. There was so much mud on me and I was so wet that I just jumped in the shower to wash me off. The difference between the photos is that one is from six months ago... when I wasn't in my suit... the new one is this week... in my suit.

Bad/good news... my shoes broke again. Don’t worry, I’ve fixed them... but anyway, here is what happened. About four months ago they broke, the stitching snapped. So I did a quick fix with the strongest thing I had... fishing string. It is plastic and I knew it would get old and break, but I had nothing else in the moment. Well, at a ward activity on Tuesday they asked me to play soccer for 10 minutes... during those ten minutes my shoes busted open. So I bought some good string and sewed them back up... no drama. But the coolest thing was that the members were all surprised that I could do it... so they started asking me about what I did before the mission and I was able to share my talents and help people in new ways, it was cool.

In my agenda I wrote down "shopping bags" but I don't remember why. I’ll think about it and get back to you.

Funny story, we went to a less active member’s house and sat down inside to teach them. Then someone clapped the house and the wife jokingly said, “Must be the Jehovah’s Witnesses”... turns out it was! So their father asked us to go out and greet them. With gusto I went out and we chatted a bit. It was funny seeing their faces. They were not expecting us to come out. We shared a bit of our message with them and them with us... then they left. It is always interesting being instantly recognized as a member of the LDS church. It happens here a lot, and I am glad to say that we do a pretty good job representing our Lord and Savior... If I’m allowed to say that.

One last thing: My companion and I have been working hard to do everything possible. We have been finding lots of new people and teaching lots of new lessons, but it all seems to be coming to nothing. We sat and talked about it and started thinking about how the Lord doesn’t always want us to do all these things just so we can baptize, but so we can be faithful. And then how sometimes when we do everything right, God just puts people in our paths. Well, about four days ago that blessing came. We went to visit a suffering member and their 11 year old son comes up from nowhere and asked us, “When can I get baptized?”. We thought he was some street punk because he is always dirty and never reliable. But we taught him and saw his sincerity and took out a fecha with him. Because of the rain we only had 8 members go to church. But this young boy that so willingly decided to get baptized got up early (without his parents) and came out in the rain with us to walk 2 miles in the mud to church. It is amazing the love people have for doing what is right and I love seeing the people be blessed for it. In about a week he will be baptized!

Sorry, LAST THING: We did a district activity for our district meeting. We went out of our church and tried to bring people into it to teach them. It was a really fun activity and in total we found 8 new people as a district. It was really cool! Oh, and our zone is doing really well... We have been all working hard and united-ly towards our goals and the assistants told me last night that according to our effort and efficiency scales in the mission... our zone is the highest!!! I loved seeing the other elder’s faces when we told them... they almost broke the building down with joy.

Okay, I’m gone. I love you all and want you to know that I am happy. I am working hard and looking fondly to the moment when I will see you all again. All my love again,

Elder Tommy Steinkuhler

PS Today we went bowling and I found out that I stink at it... There are a lot of things that need to be practiced within 2 years or you just lose your touch... like rock band.

putting our feet to the work

Well, another long week down. We had zone conference and stake conference. They were both amazing. I cannot believe that President Asay is going home before I do. I can’t imagine the mission without him.

We had a cool meeting this week with the stake president. He meets monthly with the zone leaders to chat about the stake. It was a great meeting and I was superbly impressed by how much the church is run by God’s election.

One cool thing: we put some great zone goals some time ago and are slowly accomplishing a lot. We have 8 baptisms for next week and found about 22 people more this week. I don’t have time to explain anything, but we are really excited and working hard to keep the increase going so fast.

We had some really spiritual lessons this week, but the biggest thing was putting our feet to the work and finding new people. We have been doing better at talking to lots of people and have been able to increase our teaching pool greatly.

Okay, I’m lame, but this is all I can send today. I’ve got to go and get ready for FHE tonight. I love you all. I’ll let you know more next week. I’m sorry this is so short. Today is an Argentine holiday (no idea what it is) so everything is running slow and making us late today.

Love you all,

Elder Tommy Steinkuhler

PS We will be baptizing 2 this week.

I don’t cry.

The Baptism of Karin

Okay, today I’m really pressed on time... sorry. But at least you have a few nice pictures to enjoy.

First of all... I’ve decided what I want for my birthday... If you want to send me something, send me sweets or American stuff I can give away. People here love that kind of stuff.

Funny story, I got a letter from my mother and she mentioned Elder Merrill of the 70. I think this is the only time in my life until now and into the future when someone can tell me the name of a general authority and I can see their face in my mind... go figure.

The Family of Oscar... And Elder Chatwin

Also... I’ve realized something. A lot of people like to send me spiritual experiences. I use to hate them, because I got a little bored with them. Now I still dislike them, but because they make me emotional. I can now relate spiritual experiences to my own life and things become so personal... and when it is personal the spirit touches people... and when I’m riding in a crowded bus I don’t like to get chocked up... even if I don’t cry. All the same, it is a good change in me that I’m happy with. The mission really changes you to think personally and spiritually. I love Alma 37:36 because it helped me realize how to be happy.

Elder Steinkuhler and Elder Lucas

Another quick thing: My new companion is amazing... we are working really hard. But one thing he said is that we should try doing a zone fast. So we talked with the zone and put some goals down. This Saturday we did a zone fast for our goals and that day we double our success in those respective goals. We are really focused now on what to do and how to do it. I feel so good working closely with people. Elder Lucas has really helped me see how to help other people through our calling as zone leaders. We have planned a stake baptismal day for next month. I’m excited about that. ALSO, we cleaned the pinch... it looks a lot better. One of the office elders took a picture of it before we cleaned it to show as a bad example of a pinch in the mission. So after cleaning it we sent him a clean pinch photo and he is going to use it in a mission presentation as a miracle job or something like that. It feels good to live cleaner.

Well, I’m off, things to do and people to see. I love you all and will see you all soon.

Love ya,
Elder Steinkuhler

PS Tinkerbelle is still in the pinch... HAHA

Tinkerbelle

A day of tears... mostly of joy, but also of loss.

Sorry, another quick one. I don’t ever have time on the first p-day of every transfer. What with all the traveling and meetings I don’t get to e-mailing until I need to be out to work... and I need to do my zone leader duties before writing you guys... sorry.

This week was great. There were a lot of things that happened and I can’t talk about all of them... some highlights:

We had 3 new people in church this week. And sacrament meeting was great! It started out with the confirmation of Karina who got baptized on Saturday (I’ll explain the baptisms later). I was asked to do it and it was wonderful. I said it wrong though. I did the whole blessing and she was crying and I wanted to cry and it was very tender... but then my companion told me that I only confirmed her a member of The Church of Jesus Christ... not The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. So we went into a room after the meeting and I did it right, but I was inspired to tell her things that I hadn’t told her, personal things... it is interesting how the Lord works.

After the confirmation we took the sacrament, Oscar (my last baptism) blessed it. It was wonderful to see this pure man bless the sacrament. Then my companion gave his testimony because he was leaving... Elders who finish the mission have so much power in their words. Then the bishop’s wife gave a talk and then I did. I testified of unity and Zion. I used a personal experience about a service I was once able to do and how it blessed me and others. As I got close to the end of the story I started to feel tears coming on... I hate crying. But as my voice trembled and I looked up to see who would witness me cry, I saw that most of the people were already crying. All of the 3 new investigators were absorbed in my words and had teary eyes. I finished my talk and sat down. I looked at my companion because he was suppose to play the piano and I was to direct. He was just gaping at me. Later he told me how he had felt and we both knew that that message that I was able to give was exactly what the ward needed to hear. It was a perfect day and all the investigators promised to come back.

Really quick, there was only one baptism on Saturday because of a lot of things that happened. But basically we just had to change the date and they will all be baptized soon.

Elder Chatwin is gone... for that I am really sad. His last day (yesterday) was really sad. I don’t want to go home. I don’t think I’ll be able to go through what he did. The people in this ward love us so much and have grown with us so much. The truth is that Sunday was a day of tears... mostly of joy, but also of loss. I will really miss Elder Chatwin. He is one of the best missionaries that I’ve known. I really respect him and will continue missing him for awhile.

I’m now with Elder Lucas, a great Elder from Paraguay... I’ll let you all know more about him when I can.

Love,
Elder Steinkuhler

PS I need to know what you all want from Argentina.

I’m so pumped.

I don’t have much time...but I’ll try to keep this sweet and short. First things first... calling home. There is this little problem. Sunday will be my companions last day in Argentina. So I’m sure that we will be visiting people all day. What with church in the morning and the fact that I need to be off the streets by 8... I’m going to have to say that the only safe time I have to call home would be after 8 PM here. Instead of going to the pinch I’ll swing by the church and call you all for a few minutes. Which means I’ll PROBABLY be calling home about 4:15-4:30. I hope. The truth is that I’m not really sure, nor am I that worried. I want to talk to you all... but I’ll be seeing all of you soon anyway. So if things change... I ask for forgiveness in advance.

I’ve been asked a few times about birthday things. I don’t really know. I don’t really want people sending me tons of packages with stuff I just need to bring back home... nor tons of sweets because I’ve entered into the family weight loss challenge. Perhaps it would be best to wait 2 months and I’ll just have a belated b-day party. We’ll make it a party, my coming home/birthday party... After Alex’s wedding. Or if you want to send me something... send me a hand written letter about something good. And/or photos.

So I would like to see photos of Leah’s baptism if I could... I’m really sorry that I missed out on it.

We had a great week... we worked hard and were able to see lots of miracles. We found a guy who said in our first lesson that the day before we came over he was meditating and a voice came to his mind saying, "This will be your last chance." Yeah, that kind of freaked us out... but it was cool. At the end of the cita he said that he felt like crying... but because he was happy and not sad. He couldn’t explain it and we just said, "Well, that is the Spirit." It was a great day.

Then we watched the new Joseph Smith movie with an investigator who is getting baptized this week. She was bawling at the end, as were we all. It was another great day.

The only day that wasn’t so good was Saturday because it was Argentina’s Labor Day... so no one wanted to talk to us and we walked all day.

This next week we will be baptizing 5 people!!!! I’m so pumped. Elder Chatwin and I pulled out all the plugs for his last transfer and got a lot done. We’re pumped and need to set things up still.

Truth be told, I’ve got a lot more I want to tell you all... but I don’t have time. I’ll just try to chat with you all on Sunday. FYI... everyone is invited who wants to go. (Cough cough, Alex). And anyone else in town.

Anyway... Queen just came on and I need to leave the cyber before I burst with worldly joy.

I love you all,

Tommy

PS Tink is so adorable!!!

showdown between the towns people and the cops

This week has been crazy! I was a good little elder and wrote down things to tell you all about. But truth be told this week was super interesting, so it would be hard not to be able to write something. First of all, thank you for all of your ideas... it really has helped me to get an outlook of what I am writing. I’ll try to include them in my next letters. But all in all I’ve decide to be a little more explanatory about our dealings in the everyday world. So I might be including some more interesting and colorful details... but I do so believing that no one will worry about my health. :)

There has been this slight problem going on in our area for the past few days. There is this huge field in the middle of our area. There are a lot of people who decided to take that field for their own and put houses on it (which is obviously illegal). We were returning home late one night and saw a ton of people out in this dark field putting up lines and burning grass... so we asked what was going on and they told us that people wanted to put up homes there. Turns out that they got caught because the next day there were a ton of police and everyone was sitting around the field waiting for the police to leave. Well, they are still there. It has been like a week. It is this showdown between the towns people and the cops to see who will leave first. People have basically set up a little city there with a soup kitchen and tents and fires and everything. The area is totally unrecognizable. Every time we go by there people yell at us and stuff. It is so weird... the middle of our area is just SO different. But hey, what can you do?

This week was our ward conference... the relief society president was in charge of putting together about 35 little wagons. Well, I went over and helped her sew and glue and get things ready. It turned into this big problem, but it was nice to help and use my talents.

Speaking of talents. My companion and I were asked to help with the ward choir... so every night this week we had to walk to our church and practice (so we’ve been getting home like an hour and a half late every night this week). I started out with the melody part to help them... then I was moved to the Alto part... then Tenor, then Bass.... The choir was small and needed a lot of help. In the end my companion sang tenor and I directed! It was so weird teaching people how to sing and then directing them... I am so not a director, but we got a lot better with me directing. No one knew how to direct or sing... so I was like a music king within the members... it was funny. And on Sunday they sounded pretty good. Not as well as we had practiced, but good all the same. It could be that they were all in shock from seeing a train wreck on the way to the church (I’m telling you... we had the weirdest week). There was this dumb person who tried to beat the train and lost... No offence to the people here... but they don’t know how to drive.

It is super cold! All of the sudden it got really cold, especially at night. It was really hot one day, then the next we needed coats. Go figure.

We are teaching some amazing people now. We were praying to be able to find someone to be able to baptize this transfer but we were not able to find anyone super ready until recently. Two Sundays ago this inactive member and his family just show up in church. I sit with him thinking he is an active member (because I’m still new) and find out that he was inactive for like 4 years and felt called back. He has twin daughters of the age of 9. So next week we will be baptizing them and another wonderful lady by the name of Karina. Elder Chatwin really wanted to baptize his last transfer and it looks like we will have at least 4 this transfer. YEAH!!!!
We also found this other lady named Mari who is just super ready, but she needs to get divorced and then married. I don’t know if I’ll be around when she gets baptized. But we found her and she is just GOLDEN! She came to church yesterday and loved it. She has 9 kids and stays home all the time. She loves reading and has already read a lot of the Book of Mormon... she read all of Moroni between visits because she liked the book so much. I love her, she is really great. She wants all of her kids to get baptized and become like the members of the church. She is just so wonderful.

I had a question about marriages. Here is the deal. Most people don’t get married here. And if they do, they get separated quickly and getting a divorce takes upwards of six months to a year with a cost of 1000 to 3000 pesos... which is what most people make in 6 months. It is really hard to get divorced and with everyone wanting divorces, people always think that it is just better to live together without any legal attachments. People don’t see the importance of marriage. They all say that they are married in their hearts and that is all that matters. Well, before the eyes of God they are in sin... so the people we teach really need a strong testimony to get married before baptism... because if they are living together and not married they can’t get married... that whole law of chastity thing.

I also had a question about what the standards (or goals) of the mission are... so here is a quick overview:

1 baptism weekly
8 overall fechas
2 new fechas
5 investigators in the sacrament meeting
10 lessons with member present
30 other lessons
10 lessons to inactives/recent converts
12 new investigators
2-3 divisions (depending on companionship)
20 references contacted
50 contacts

That all probably doesn’t make any since... but if you read Preach My gospel it will make a lot more since.

Okay... I need to dash. But I’ll work on my next weekly update for you all.

I love you,

E. Tommy Steinkuhler


PS I’ll be calling home for Mother’s Day. Probably after church here... at like 1 PM here... or perhaps later if it would be better... let me know. The thing is that mother’s day is my companions last day on the mission... so I don’t know if I will be able to call at a reasonable time. So let me know what you want and I’ll think about it and let you know.
PPS I’m happy.

We’ve only had Tinkerbell for 5 days

las fotos de la zona Villa Elvira Bis

We have had a really long week... and I don’t know why... perhaps it is because Mother´s Day is around the corner, or because I’m going home soon... but I don’t have any desire to write home anymore. I’m sorry if my letters are really lame, but I just don’t feel it anymore. For that very reason I wrote down a few things this week that I wanted to share with you all. But none of them are very good.

We were supposed to baptize again this week, but she got super attacked by her family and ex-pastors. She had a really rough week and on Saturday when we went to fill the baptismal font, a member met us there and told us she had decided to put it off. BUMMER!!!! But we talked to her and everything is good again. In a few weeks she will be going through with it. It was really cool though because she asked me to give her the Gift of the Holy Ghost. We asked her who she wanted to baptize her and give her the Holy Ghost. She doesn’t know many male members... so she looked at me and said... you seem to have a lot of experience with the Holy Ghost, will you give me the Holy Ghost? I laughed inside but was really highly happy.

A little note about the church... it is in the middle of the most ghetto city ever. It is funny because on one side there are these old smelly houses and the other side is a construction cite... and in the middle is a house of God.

 Sorry... no time this week. Next week more.
Love ya

__________________________________________

Turns out I do have more time.

Here is a tidbit more about what we are doing. My life has been so overwhelmed with the mission standards that I don't do much else but focus on getting the standards. We put the goal to get all the standards this week... we were so close. I don't know why we call them standards, because they are so high that only one area in the entire mission has gotten them... and only once! We of course want to be cool too... so we are working for it. But with all the meetings we have as zone leaders and all the other... "ish" we need to do, it is hard (is "ish" used in the states?). So we are super tired. It is funny because at the end of the week we just can’t do anything because we are so tired. It is obvious with our words. We are often found teaching on any Sunday afternoon in a weird Spanglish slur that people don't understand. We mix up words and don't get doctrines across right. That is why God sent us out two by two. Elder Chatwin and I are having a great time together.

This week we were able to find some really super awesome families. We found this one lady who has 10 children... 9 girls and one boy. She is just waiting for the truth. She was a reference from one of the members. We simply asked her what her neighbors names were and what she knew about them. This member is not very social but had lived there in that house for about 10 years. So gave us a list of names and we visited a few. Some were good, others not so much... but this one lady is simply prepared. Her name is Mari. She lives in humble circumstances and works diligently to keep up their home of 15 people. We’ve only visited her twice, but she is wonderful. She already believes the Book of Mormon is true and wants to go to church. Not many people are that prepared in one week. She is just lovely. The truth is that finding people like her and so many other prepared people is really what keeps the excitement of the work up. We love our work because the people here love God. It is hard to explain, but I'm really happy to see so many of God’s chosen children become closer to him through what the true church has to offer.

I’ve also got some other news. Some interesting news. It all has to do with animals. Our pinch here is huge! And has been rented by missionaries for forever. There are some things that go so far back no missionary in the mission knows where it came from. For example. There is a dog that lives in the yard. Her name is Margarita. She is a short, long, fat, deaf dog with few teeth. Everyone assumes she is the house owner’s dog. But we don’t know. All we know is that we don’t feed her, and no one ever has... but yet she lives on... fat¿! She is funny. She knows not to enter the house and is truly a nasty dog, so gets very little love. But she is always around when we get home. Also, people here don’t get their animals fixed. So there are a lot of unwanted animal pregnancies. So there are a lot of unwanted animals in the streets. Most die... it is the sad truth of South American countries. I’ve often found kittens or puppies in the street and helped them out. We clean them up and find them a nice home before anything weird happens to them. This week we found the cutest little kitten. So we brought her home and cleaned her up. We even named her... Tinkerbell. We have been trying to find a family for her, but 3 member families have recently had kittens in their homes and don’t want them or any other cats. So, I don’t know what to do. We have a precious kitten that we can’t let outside because of the dog and we can’t find a home for her... I’m totally unsure as to what we are going to do with her. I’ll keep you updated. The truth is that she is adorable and super friendly. We’ve grown really fond of her. It makes us happy to come home and see her there waiting. The more time that goes by and we can’t find a home for her I get the feeling that the same thing happened with Margarita... but we’ve only had Tinkerbell for 5 days... so I’m not too worried yet.

I finished The Book of Mormon again this week. I then re-started Jesus the Christ because I’ve only read a few chapters. It is good reading. I wouldn’t say that it is as good as the Book of Mormon, but it is good.

Well, I’m out of here.

Love you all,
Tommy

PS Like I said earlier... I’m dying out on my letter writing. Can you please send me some suggestions. Like questions or whatnot.

We’ve been running and running and running (or, speed walking)

I’ll be honest with you all... I have no desires to write home. This week was too complicated. We have been working the very skin off of our feet. We baptized this week and made a lot of other progress in the area. The President has said that all the Zone Leaders need to be getting the standards of the mission. One of those standards is baptizing every week! I know that the Lord is making it possible and working for us, but it is killing me.

We took out a baptismal fecha with this family we found a few weeks ago. But they need to get married. So last night we went by and told them that if they wanted to get baptized they needed to get married (a usual problem for us missionaries, so we know how to resolve it). We asked them to pray about it and tell us what they think. The mother was all for it... the father was iffy. He told us that he would pray and tell us in the morning. Well... that would be this morning. BUT to have them get baptized by the goal we have placed... they need to take out the marriage date today. So I woke up at 4 in the morning... took a bus to Varela and got in line with another Elder. At 7 my companion and another elder went to the house of these investigators... I wasn't there, but apparently he said no. So I’m tired and bummed out today. We’ve been working craziness like this all week. It is really wonderful and spiritual, but I’m tired. Every day this week has been like that, we’ve been putting our faith in action and have seen a lot of success. We took out 51 references this week, baptized, did intercambios, and 3 new fechas. I know that is all nothingness to you all... but it means a lot of work to me. We’ve been running and running and running (or, speed walking) and seeing a lot of success.

The baptism we had was super chill. The man was totally calm and happy, even though his family didn’t come. Elder Chatwin and I were talking about him this week and noticed something. We both noticed that he has pure eyes. We looked into his eyes and saw pure humility and charity. He is full of pure light. I have had the blessing of seeing changes in people... but even more than the changes, the thing I am most grateful for is being led by God to prepared people. There are some people who have been so prepared that when we find them they basically jump into the water. Then again, there are some who need to be given a tranquilizer before baptism. This week we will be having another baptism. She is one of those really prepared people. I’ve grown to love her a lot. Her name is Karina... I’ll try to send pictures next week of everything. The computers here are really slow. And I want to take a nap before leaving to work today... I’m really tired (HA sometimes I do tell you all when I’m not perfect).

Along those lines, I should probably apologize for not writing all of everything in my life. I’ve been reprimanded by quite a few people in the past few weeks for not "telling the whole truth". I’m sorry. If you have any questions... I’ll be happy to answer them. Feel free to ask.

Love you all,
Tommy

PS I’m not depressed... just super tired. I think I came off as bummed out... sorry.

Did you realize Im a Zone Leader? I went to my first Jedi Council EVER! It was fun.

This was a way long week. We did so many things that I don't know where to start. Hmm... let me explain some more about my companion and the pinch (apartment). Elder Chatwin is one of my favorite people ever... he is fun and crazy all at the same time. He teaches and testifies powerfully and has a strong desire to share the gospel. But at the same time he is totally wak! We laugh almost all day. Our personalities blend perfectly together. In our pinch there are four elders. One of them is brand new and on his second day in the country (my third day as companions with Elder Chatwin) he asked me how long we had been companions. He was shocked beyond words to hear that we had only been together for 3 days. The truth is that it feels like a month ago that I last wrote you... but in that monthly-week, Elder Chatwin and I have become great friends. I respect and love him until the end.

Our pinch is a huge old dirty house. It has two levels. They are separate and the only way to get from upstairs to down is by the stairs on the side. The upstairs hosts 2 elders: Elder Day and his new companion Elder Taylor. Downstairs we find the Zone Leaders and a mess of old objects left by all the missionaries who went home. The Zone Leaders have lived in this pinch for about 5 years straight... and never have time to clean or anything. Elder Chatwin has lived in the pinch multiple times and said that he has never seen the place cleaned. Needless to say I’ve spent long hours scrubbing and washing EVERYTHING. I thought about taking pictures to send you all but then realized that I don't want to scare you... nor do I want memories. The place is fairly clean now though. We have a couch too!!! I would not call it sanitary though, but there is a couch. OH, and a dog! She belongs to the owner of the house. My first question was who feeds her... and my companion told me that he has wondered that for over a year. She is cute and small and deaf. She reminds me of an uglier Violet.

This week we really started to pump up our work. The elder that I replaced just went home. And his last transfer he wasn't able to baptize. Elder Chatwin said that he didn't want to go home like that... so we have been working our tails off to baptize every week. We couldn't do it this week because of conference, but next week yes and the week after also. I love the ward. Our area is TINY. It is about 10 square blocks. It is so small, but full of humble people. WONDERFUL and humble people. There are no large buildings or restaurants or anything. We can’t live in our area because there is no place to rent. There is also this huge field that is technically our area... but there are only cows. The members are great and want to help us. It is obvious that they all have their problems as well... but they all want to help. I love righteous people!!! (not to say that I don’t love the non-righteous people).

Conference was amazing also. It was the first one I could watch all 4 sessions of during the mission. I loved it terribly. Elder Holland was wonderfully blunt again. Elder Bednar spoke to my soul again. And all the other talks were perfect. A lot of hidden talent. I was surprised at the family theme that was apparently not planned for according to Elder Anderson. I was able to watch most of it in English too. In Spanish it just isn’t the same. Some of the speakers do their talks in Spanish beforehand and we can hear their voice... but it isn’t the same. I love to hear the expressions and feelings of the people.

I had someone kind of give me bit of grief about not being straight up with you all. I am not only with the Zone Leader... but I am one too. For some crazy reason the President has asked me to be a Zone Leader... It is craziness... but I’ve accepted and am working hard to be the zone leader I always wanted. So I’ve been somewhat scatter brained recently. I apologize if I’m a little out of it from now till the end of the mission. I’ve got a lot on my mind.

In any case... I know that I love you all. I miss you and pray for you. Have fun this week.

Elder Tommy Steinkuhler

PS It is getting cold.

I am now in El Triangulo (The triangle)

So, this week was fun. We did a lot of things in preparation for a talent show we held on Friday. But before I talk about that... you should all know that I got transferred again. I’m no longer in Villa Zula. I am now in El Triangulo (The triangle). I’m really excited about this transfer, but terribly scared. The President kept me as junior companion... so I guess I don’t have to be District Leader anymore. And I know I will learn a lot this transfer because my companion is about to finish the mission. This is his last transfer and he is Zone Leader... so I’m sure I’ll learn a lot with him. His name is Elder Chatwin. I don’t have a picture of him because my camera is still packed up. But he was in The RM... so if you want to see what he looked like like 5 years ago... watch the movie. He is one of the twin brothers of the main character. The twin of my companion is in the Buenos Aires North mission. He is really cool. He was in my first zone. So I already know him a bit. The truth is that I’m super excited. I hear that our area is all villa... or ghetto. So we will be teaching humble people. That is a cool idea for me. No more city-ish areas. I’ll probably finish my mission here in this area.

In other news... I am changing my e-mail. The rules in the mission have changed. I can no longer use gmail. So please e-mail me at thomas.steinkuhler@myldsmail.net from now on. I’m not sure if that is the real address. So just to be safe, e-mail me at both from now on... please.

This last week we had a lot of success. We taught a lot with the members and took out a wonderful fecha. It feels so good leaving an area in good conditions. And the talent show we did was a blast. It was like going out with a bang. I did some magic and my companion read minds. We were the magicians. Others sang, some danced or drew. The truth is that I really enjoyed it. The saddest part about the week was saying goodbye to everyone again. But it was good because I said goodbye once and could see them again... perhaps God will grant me another chance.

I’m doing fantastic and will send more information next week. But right now I need to go and find my new pinch. Sorry this is a short one again.

Love you all,
Elder Steinkuhler

PS I’ve visited my new pinch before... it is HUGE!!!! :)

amazingly I don’t have anything to say

Well, this week was basically lame. It was a great experience, but no good stories. I don't want you all to get me wrong. Because I am not bummed at all, I just had a weird week. You see, we are trying to become a ward... and not just a branch. But there are so few members that we need everything to be exact. There needs to be so many Melchizedek (FYI that word is known by the spell checker) Priesthood holders for every member. It is complicated... but here is the deal: It just so happens that I know almost all the members here because I was here for so long. So the Branch, Stake and Mission Presidents asked me to go by every member on the list within the week. We had Stake Conference last week, and they needed to know who was still within the ward boundaries before the conference. So my companion and I went around like crazy men trying to contact every member and teach them a short little message. It was CRAZINESS!!! It was also hilarious seeing people again and them looking at me dumbfounded-ly and asking, "Your still here?" It was fun, but a lot of walking and little teaching. We worked really hard, even though we were (past-tense) both sick and through with the rain. I’m proud of what we did this week, but it is little to report on.

Anyway, amazingly I don’t have anything to say about this week. I’m happy to be a missionary and I’m working hard. I am reading like crazy in the Book of Mormon. I decided to just read as fast as possible. I’ve read from Alma 20 to 3 Nephi 8 this week and I love it so much. We also did some great invitations to a FHE we will be having this week with the ward. We will be doing a talent show and my companion got into the invitations a little too much. They look good though. I can’t really think of anything else to say. Sorry... this is a super short/lame update for you all. But, um... I’m good. ☺ :)

I hope everyone at home is doing good too. Oh, this is like a good time for you all to e-mail me about things you want from Argentina before I come home. I need to go looking for things, so tell me what you want and I’ll see what I can do.

I love you all,
Tommy

PS I’m happy. I’d like to sing you all a song: "I feel pretty, I feel witty, I feel gay!!!" I’m in a good mood.

we didn’t break any rules

I’ve got like 0 time today. We went to an island as a zone and we just got home. We all got on the boat and then realized that the schedule said that he wouldn’t be returning until 4 hours later. So... we had a lot of time to play soccer and Frisbee on the beach... and have a picnic. It was GREAT!!! But, our p-day time has been sucked away. It was super fun running around without shoes on and getting our feet wet on the walk in. Don’t worry... we didn’t break any rules. It was our zone activity... so we had a great attendance and time. I might have burnt my legs because they NEVER get sun... but I’m kind of happy about that.


We baptized this week!!!! His name is Aureliano Sànchez. He is a wonderful old man of 75. He is the youngest 75 year old man I’ve seen. He reminds me a lot of Patrick Stewart. He looks old, but acts young. He jumps from buses and runs after motorcycles to get on. He is really cool. His baptism was amazing too. We had dirty/cold water again (It is a Villa Zula thing), but he didn’t even notice. We were able to visit him with a member, so they became great friends. It worked out perfectly! So the member was able to baptize him. For all of you who served missions... you’ll understand that it is way better that way. Anyway... in his baptism... 6 of his 15 kids came. When he came out of the water he raised his hands into the air in praise and bowed his head in prayer. It reminded me a lot of the Alma father story... and Joseph Smith’s baptism. Then during the confirmation he raised his hands up and said "Yes" after we told him "receive the Holy Ghost". It was amazing see someone so close to God receive such amazing ordinances. Elder Villarroel and I found and taught him together. He loves us and the gospel... and his family has seen him change and his desires to do good. Saturday and Sunday were GREAT days.


I also went on intercamios with the Zone Leaders. I traveled really far to the Berisso apartment... a whole 5 blocks away. Our areas share the same church building. They are both branches and the Stake President wants to make them one ward. If that happens (this transfer) there is a high possibility that they will shut down Villa Zula as an area and make it one with Berisso... That might mean that next transfer I go to Berisso... and finish there. Our Zone Leader thinks that it will happen. If that does happen... I’ll have a total of about a year and a quarter in the same area. HAHA, how funny and wonderful would that be.

Anyway... I’m off... I don’t have much time... but know that I’m happy. I’m working hard and doubling the work that we’re doing here. The mission has a goal to double the baptisms... so we are doubling our work... and we have already doubled it this transfer... and are still going up. I’m excited to see so much success.

Love you all,
Tommy

PS I know some are asking.. I’m not trunky. I admit that I think of home often... but I am not stopping to breathe. My feet are killing me and my body hurts a lot. But my joy is full.

my brother from another mother

Lots to say, no time.

I have a picture or two to send, but the USB doesn't work here... I’ll send it next week. So, on Wednesday we had interviews with the president. I went with my paper informing me of my return day home. I placed all the needed information and told him I was certain... I wanted to extend. I knew it was something I had to do... so I did it. But as I did it, I felt this feeling like, it didn't matter. I don't know why. So I explained everything to the president and told him that if this one elder would not be able to extend with me, I wouldn't be able to extend. He said it was okay and that he would talk to that elder the next day. He signed my paper and everything. All I needed to do was send it in. I held onto it and thought I’ll just see what happens. Then I get a grand notice... Alex, my brother from another mother is getting married! And on the 7th of August! WHAT!!! My paper says I'm going home the 31st. Well, I pray and think about it again... and feel like I need to call this one elder. So I call him and ask him if it was all okay that we were going to stick around together the extra month. In a very sad shameful voice he says he can’t. Well, I’ve given in the towel. I won’t fight it anymore. I’m coming home like planned on the 2nd of August.

That said... I’ll return to my week, which was wonderful! The best part was the end of the week. Right before I left this area, I helped to reactivate a wonderful member by the name of Americo. He went inactive about 10 years ago. When we got to church, the branch president asked he and I to bless the sacrament. It had been 10 years since he had done it. It was a pleasure to break and bless the sacrament with him by my side. I would never have had that experience if I were to have stayed in my other area. I love this member and he has changed so much. He gave his testimony as well and it was amazing to look at who he was when I found him... to the worthy priesthood holder that he is now.

Another wonderful note. Someone in my last area will be getting baptized this week... well, married too. I won’t be able to go, but I’ll be here baptizing a wonderful old man that we’ve been teaching. He literally throws his arms in the air for excitement at some things we teach him. It reminds me of the Book of Mormon stories. He is about 80 and has more energy than I do. I love him to death.

We are teaching a lot of people who are just wonderful. I am growing in joy with them daily. Most of them were friends from long ago who have accepted the offer to learn more. One thing I love is that all the work I did here before, although it did not spit out baptisms... it was well worth the efforts. There are lots of people here ready for baptism, because of what we’ve brought to them. I love this work!

Quick explanation: that photo of us in the water is when it rained really hard here and we were on our way home walking in this river/street when we came upon this area of deep deep water. So we took a photo and carried on. It was fun. There was a lot of water that day.

Well, I love you all... take care this week,

E. Tommy Steinkuhler

PS Don’t forget to smile and have fun.

I felt like I jumped into Mission Impossible

Elder Steinkuhler with his new companion Elder Villarroel

So, I have some bad news... well, kind of. I got emergency transferred out of my area. But before you all get excited and start thinking that I'm a bad elder... let me explain what happened.

On Monday I'm working with my companion to get our daily goals. It was raining and dark and we were in a rather obscure part of town. My phone rings and I pick it up. It said that the president was calling me... I didn't understand why, so I answered somewhat hesitantly, "Hola?" (If I had known what he was going to say... I might have reversed that salutation). I heard President Asay answer back, "Hello Elder Steinkuhler, are you in a secure location, can you talk?" I felt like I jumped into Mission Impossible. I replied, "Yes president. It is raining, I'm in the middle of the street and there is absolutely no one around... what do you need?" He continued to explain to me that an elder had broken his leg playing soccer that day. So he needed my help. There was a rather crazy mix up of everything. Here goes... An elder in Villa Zula had been doing some things that he shouldn't. So he got emergency transferred out 3 weeks ago and Elder Villarroel came in. Then a week later a new elder went in to replace his companion named Elder Pulgar. A week later the old companion of Elder Pulgar broke his leg... so Elder Pulgar had to go back to his old area... which left Elder Villarroel in Villa Zula alone with 2 weeks of experience in the area. So the president called me up and said, "Who knows Villa Zula better then Elder Steinkuhler?" So, I’M BACK!!!! I’m going on my 8th month here in Villa Zula.

Cool and just funny

We did planning like this one day... it has a long story... but I dont want to explain it all

It is weird being back in an old area. Everything is new... but different. The apartment is new and the area is still the same. But all the investigators have been left behind... without reason. So this week we have been going around activating all the old investigators who still wanted to hear about the gospel. It is weird! I can really see the changes that I’ve left with the people. A few members still have the goals we set together up on the wall. The strength of the members has doubled. Everyone was really really happy to see me again. It feels like coming home again... but not. The President said that I’m here to teach my companion the ropes of the area and then I’m out. Elder Villarroel is great, he already knows a lot. He is a stud! He has about 6 months in the mission and speaks really well. He is from Mendoza Argentina, so I'd hope he'd speak well. He is really into the work and excited to get things done. I’m excited to be with him. I’ll send you all more about him when I can... if I don't get emergency transferred out again. Elder Gubler and I got along great for a week... we were both really sad when we got the call. We were looking forward to working hard together for a time. But then he found out that one of the assistants was going to be his companion and he calmed down.

So, earthquakes... I’ve heard a lot about them. My companion Elder Villarroel lives near Chile and was worried about his family... but I believe they are fine. I also heard that California was falling into the sea again.... true or not? Here in La Plata everything is chill. I didn’t feel a thing, I didn’t even know it happened till Sunday when everyone was talking about it at church. As far as I heard, everyone in the mission is fine and didn’t feel a thing.

I don’t really have anything else to say. This computer is running slow... so I can’t send the audio file I made for you all. It'll have to wait for next week. We had some cool experiences this week... but most of them were experiences with people seeing me again and freaking out. I was really surprised at how many people remembered my name. The most spiritual encounters this week were with this family I found about 3 weeks before leaving... I loved them and found out that they got married and everything... then the elders dropped them??????? We taught a great lesson with them and the spirit was so strong. We taught about Christ's importance with us. I asked if they could feel the Spirit that was with us and the wife said, "You two are not going to make me cry, but yes." I loved it!!! I love seeing the changes in people. I love seeing people who were once sad be happy. I am terribly sad to have to leave the people I was teaching in Mayol. But I could talk with a few and it was hard leaving. After getting the call we RAN over to Adrean and Veronica to say goodbye. It was SO sad. I will miss them terribly. She gave me a drawing she did a long time ago of a father holding his son. On the back she wrote, "For Tomy (she can't say my last name), thank you so much for teaching us what the family really means and how to have true love within our home. You arrived at just the right time, and we will never forget what you've done to help us". I look forward to seeing their progress.

Well, I’m off. I love you all and hope to hear from you all soon... If anyone wants something... like a letter or what have you. Let me know.

Take care,

Elder Tomy Steinkuhler

PS Villa Zula says hi