Week 16: Argentines Can't Really Sing...

Gollly! What a week! It has been over 100 days since I have been in the U.S, and so essentially I'm Latino now. NOT. 

Anyways, all was nice and tranquilo'pa (relaxed) in the life of Elder Ralphs until Tuesday night, after about 2 hours of splits in Eusibo Ayala we got told that Elder Webb had a consejo de Liders the next morning in Asuncíon. Keep in mind its a 2 and a half hour drive and he got told at 6pm. Great work Zone Leaders. So, Elder Medina and I rushed back to Piribebuy. Then right when I got back, me and Elder Webb went to visit Juliana who was on date for baptism this Thursday (now next Thursday). We got sent the wrong address and after driving around for hours with a stud of a member H' Meza we finally taught her. (More on her story later eventually, hopefully)

We got back at 8:30ish only to find out Elder Webb didn't have a ride out of Piribebuy to Asunsíon and so (after watching Paraguay beat Venzeula in the World Cup Qualifiers) we woke up at 3:30am and took a bus to Ypcaraí. We proceeded to walk for an hour at 4:30-5 in the morning, before finally resting for an hour at the ZL's Pension. Elder Webb went with another DL of the zone to Asuncíon and I spent the day with Elder Argel in Ypcaraí. He's an Argentine from Beunos Aries and we had an awesome day. The work is on fire in Ypacaraí and it was awesome to hangout with this 16 month deep, 24 year old missionary. He taught me lots and my spanish was quite streched to it's limits. Elder Toldeo (E'Argel's comp) got back that night and so we were in a trio. While we were walking down some side street, a drunk man approached us and when we started walking faster, he ran after us. Until Elder Argel turned to us and said "run" and so we bolted. It was a bit of a surreal moment to realize I was literally running with two argentine men down a little dirt path in Paraguay. And to think I was just home only 100 days ago. That night, Toldeo, Argel and I listened and sang music and I found out first hand Argentines aren't great singers.

By Thursday afternoon we were back in Piri. And Friday Morning, I went back to Esubio with Elder Medina to finish our splits. He is also Argentine, but we had jolly old time! He's a funny guy haha well as funny as a guy can be when he doesn't speak a lick of English. 

My studies this week have been all over the place with divisions and travel, but something I loved from this week was yesterday I spoke in Church about "living the gospel of Jesus Christ" and an epiphany I have had as I have thought and taught about it comes from 2nd Nephi 32:5 "For behold, again I say unto you that if ye will enter in by the way, and receive the Holy Ghost, it will show unto you all things what ye should do." Literally, in my eyes, the Spirit of the Lord is what makes in some ways the Gospel applicable. For, the Gospel was not just to be learned and understood, but was meant to be lived and the connection for me from the theology of the gospel to the day to day is thanks to the constant impressions of the Spirit we can feel as we strive to do as Christ would in every moment. The Spirit will show us how to tie the principles of the Gospel into our lives. The Scriptures are not meant to be understood although that is important, there meant to be used and lived. I hope this makes a little bit of sense because for me it is a powerful principle to seek the Spirit in our lives, for as President Eyring once said: " when we have the spirit with us it is evidence that the Atonement of Christ is working in our lives. 

I love you all! Praying for ya!

Elder Ralphs





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