Week 26 --- Straight Fire

Squad! Only 1 exclamation point today... gotta keep it classy. Anyway the reason I titled this here email straight fire is because I found out that in Peru, they have the same phrase!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! esta que quema. I just thought you all should know. Did you know that January is almost over!? It´s pretty crazy right?!

I don´t have a lot to share this week. We didn’t  have a whole lot of time to work this week, we had 2 capacitations this week. One  was a world wide missionary capacitation. It was pretty sick not gonna lie! They spoke a little about teaching the gospel of Jesus Christ and how sometimes we focus so much and baptism that we don´t emphasize a very important part, which is repentance, because honestly we should practice repentance every day, in all things, big or small. They also changed the missionary schedule a bit.

The next day we had zone conference. So I sent a pic of the new zone, because why not? We talked about the changes to the missionary schedule, and about a lot of the same things as the last zone conference, I don´t know If I already told you but we now have zone conference every transfer. I´m not sure how I feel about that, but the mission president knows what he´s doin, so I just gotta trust that it´s for our benefit.

Oh also we had a benefit this last Saturday, but like a chump I forgot my camera, but I arrived to this area after everything was pretty much done so I didn’t do too much, so I felt a little chump-ish, but it´s whatever, because a lady got baptized guys. It´s so exciting! Aren’t you all so happy!? I sure am!

Anyway sorry that I don´t have a whole lot to say this week. I´ll do better next week. Oh I forgot to tell you Gordon Hayward made the NBA All Star team just saying.

Well squad I´m gonna end with this scripture Mosiah 4:9-10

9 Believe in God; believe that he is, and that he created all things, both in heaven and in earth; believe that he has all wisdom, and all power, both in heaven and in earth; believe that man doth not comprehend all the things which the Lord can comprehend.

 10 And again, believe that ye must repent of your sins and forsake them, and humble yourselves before God; and ask in sincerity of heart that he would forgive you; and now, if you believe all these things see that ye do them.

Believing isn´t enough. You gotta actually do something ya know. Show your beliefs, your faith, and your love for God. I know before my mission, I didn’t do the best job acting. I let my words speak louder than my actions, but we all know that actions speak louder than words, and the action of repentance, is a great way to show our faith. Every day we should repent of even the smallest things.

Well squad it´s been real, I´ll talk to you next week.

-- 

Elder Keaton Jorgensen

Argentina Mendoza Mission​

​P.S.  This is what Keaton added in his e-mail to Mom:

if you were a true homie you would buy a gordon hayward all star jersey for me just saying​

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The zone squad​

Week 25 --- New Area . . . . . .

Squad!!!!!!!!!!!! So remember last week how I told you that I was leaving Albardon... Well I left... and now I'm chillin in Rawson. So last Monday when we returned to Albardon, we went to a few members houses, to say bye, it was sad...I have pictures, not gonna lie I didn't really wanna leave, but I know that now I'm needed here in Rawson. Anyway my new companion, Elder Mogollon, is pretty sick, he's latino! POR FIN! I was getting tired of gringo comps. Anyways... we had some bomb success this week.

So to start off our week together, we were on the way to an investigator’s house, and we were a little lost, so we stopped and asked a man for directions... and so he told us where to go, then asked so what exactly do you guys do, and we were like, how ‘bout we show you, so we went to his house, and taught a bomb lesson about The Restoration, and we committed him to baptism! In our first lesson together we set a baptismal date. So that was pretty sick!

My second day here, we went to teach a lesson with the ward mission leader, and we got a little lost... We only walked for an hour before finding the house... We seriously walked a circle around the street that we needed like 7 times or more. Not gonna lie it was a little exhausting... But eventually we did find the house, and we taught a lesson, but this guy didn't seem too interested, it was a little sad, he didn't act like he didn't believe it, but that it wasn't really important. It's just so hard finding people who don't feel the need for the gospel. Ya know... it's like we have the gospel to bless our lives, to bring happiness, to help ourselves feel closer to our Heavenly Father, and when someone says that they don't feel the need for that, it just breaks my heart.

But we also had a few more baptism dates that we set. So first we have Monica, she is really concerned about her family, and guess what there is something we teach that could help her a lot! The plan of salvation! So we taught that, she understood, and she wanted this for her family! So you know what we did, we invited her to be baptized so she could have an eternal family, and wanna know what she said? She said yes!!!!!!!!!! We were pretty darn happy not gonna lie, so to celebrate I bought myself a pancho, it was tasty.

So my first Sunday here... So obviously the Bishop had me talk a bit in Sacrament Meeting, I'm pretty darn sure that they understood most of what I said, so that's always good! Also we had 4 investigators attend church! 4 yes 4 is more than 3 but still less than 5, just so you know that's like pretty good to get 4 investigators to attend church, later that day we went to visit one of those investigators that attended church, his name is Gustavo... He is legit, so he told us that he knows this to be true, and that he has a bit of a problem with drinking, but he told us that he's gonna do whatever it takes to stop drinking, so he can be baptized... so guess what? he has a baptism date!!!!!! We now have 6 in total!

To end I want to share a scripture that is short and sweet 1 John 4:19

19 We love him, because he first loved us.

God loves us sooooo much! We are blessed every day because he loves us, and we love him for this, but you know that saying actions speak louder than words, so instead of just saying we love our Heavenly Father, let's frickin show God just how much we love him. Pray daily, go to church, he's there waiting for you every Sunday. I know my Heavenly Father loves me.  Something I have learned in the mission is that a lot of  people don't believe this, or haven't felt it, and I'm so blessed to have the opportunity to help them feel the love that God has for each and every one of us!

I love you all, and I will talk to you next week!

Elder Keaton Jorgensen

Argentina Mendoza Mission

Some pics with the members day Albardon! We got the Bishop and his family, he's a swell guy, then we got Karla and her Gma, she made sure we had lunch every day, she will be missed, then we got Hermana Montaña, the elderly hermana that washed our clothes and gave us lunch every Saturday, and then the other Hermana Montaña, the wife of the ward mission leader, and one of her kids, then we got Victor, the bomb recent convert, and last Alba, the GOAT (greatest of all time) did you know she waited for 7 years to be baptized, she had to divorce someone, and get married, and it took 7 years, and she attended church for 7 years until she could be baptized! I'm gonna miss these lovely individuals!

Week 24 Transfers...

Squad!!!!!!!!! Sooooo we had transfers, and I'm staying in San Juan... but I'm switching zones, not gonna lie it's hard leaving Albardon, I was born there, molded there, Albardon made me into the man I am today... But I'm not going very far, so I'm gonna see like the same people P days.

So now I'm gonna tell you about my lit week, which wasn't even that lit, it was kinda slow, but we had some good days. I'm gonna tell you about Juan... he has a problem with drinking, and one day we were chillin on da bikes, and he was riding his bike the opposite direction, and was yelling at us saying , chicos vengan!  which means kids come here, so we were like, should we go, we decided to go, and we followed him to his house, and he was drunk, and started to cry, telling us that he had a problem, and wanted to change, and that he wanted our help. We didn't have a lot of time in the moment, but we told him we would come by the next morning, and when we went there, he was sitting outside waiting for us! This guy really wants to change, and I know through the gospel, he will get the strength he needs to fight off this addiction. I know this because I read this sick scripture in Mosiah 2:31 which says

31 And now, my brethren, I would that ye should do as ye have hitherto done. As ye have kept my commandments, and also the commandments of my father, and have prospered, and have been kept from falling into the hands of your enemies, even so if ye shall keep the commandments of my son, or the commandments of God which shall be delivered unto you by him, ye shall prosper in the land, and your enemies shall have no power over you.

The alcohol is his enemy, and I know if he keeps the commandments of God, he will have the strength to resist the temptation to drink.

Also we went on exchanges this week with the zone leaders, and I went with Elder Andersen. He's a swell guy, and it was Friday the 13th, and I always thought that the stories about this day were nonsense, but it was pretty rough, not gonna lie. So to start the day we had a lesson with a lady named Bety, and we had to bring a member, because we can't enter homes without a man, so we brought Victor, well she wasn't there, so we went to knock some doors, a lot of rejection, and people acting like no one was home, after we saw them, then Victor’s bike tire popped... Sooooo we had to walk for a while, and also we found out the the other Zone leader with my companion, well his bike tire popped too, and he was realllllly far from the pension, so that kinda sucks. We did end up teaching one bomb lesson, with Victor's sister. So that was good, although she still hasn't been able to attend church...

Well squad that's my email for the week, it's been lit! I will write another one next week probably. To end this email I'm gonna share a scripture that is very important, so you should actually read the whole email, so you can read this scripture. 3 Nephi 18:21

21 Pray in your families unto the Father, always in my name, that your wives and your children may be blessed.

It's very simple, but very important, family prayer is soooo important. Pray often as a family, I promise the family will be strengthened, because we were sent to the Earth with families for a reason.

I love you all!

Elder Keaton Jorgensen

Argentina Mendoza Mission

So Elder Kidd showed me a sick new way to organize my scriptures, so I can use them more in lessons, so there’s a pic of that, and then just some normal missionary pushups after a baptism, also Missionaries are always willing to help each other out when a bike breaks.  Also I destroyed my pants yesterday when I was riding my bike back from church, then I sewed it, and it looks pretty good. Because I'm leaving the district, it was a lit district.

 

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Week 23 I don't have a good title for this email

Squad!!!!!!!! I hope all is well! Well to start off this here email, I'm going to share a little bit about a member in our ward, hermana Chavez. So she is never home during lunch so she can never give us lunch, and she always really wants to, so the other day she had the bishop tell us to stop by her house one night... and she gave us a bomb dinner! it was lit, and then she shared her testimony, specifically about prayer and tithing, so when she was a new convert, she ended up having a hard time paying tithing because she didn't have a job, so she prayed, not to get the money, but to get a job so she could earn the money, which I think is pretty lit, and after she received two phone calls, with two job offers, this just shows how willing our Father in Heaven is to help us! So don't forget to pray! After she said come back Friday, in two days, and I'll give you another dinner! This was lit because here we never eat dinner! Then she said also you should come have lunch with us Sunday! It's crazy how much people appreciate the missionaries, and it means a lot that I get to be here and be part of this marvelous work!

Now I'm gonna talk about the work... Well the only bad thing is that we haven't had any investigators attend church in the past month... So that's a little difficult, because honestly they would feel something soooooooooooooooo special in the church, there are some who have told us that sometimes they just feel like they can't go on, and I know that going to church will help, taking the sacrament will help! In Mosiah 24:14 it says

 14 And I will also ease the burdens which are put upon your shoulders, that even you cannot feel them upon your backs, even while you are in bondage; and this will I do that ye may stand as witnesses for me hereafter, and that ye may know of a surety that I, the Lord God, do visit my people in their afflictions.

Every time we take the sacrament, the burdens are removed, and we can start fresh. Some people have told us that when they receive an answer that they need to go to church then they will, but I promise you gotta show your faith first, you gotta act on your faith, and then the blessings come. I've seen it so much in my mission, sometimes I gotta do things that are hard, or that are uncomfortable to me, but when I do it because of the faith that I have in my Heavenly Father, he helps me through it.

Well That's all for this week... But before I go I wanna share another Scripture just for fun!  2 Nephi 26:24

24 He doeth not anything save it be for the benefit of the world; for he loveth the world, even that he layeth down his own life that he may draw all men unto him. Wherefore, he commandeth none that they shall not partake of his salvation.

Everything our savior does is for us, all he wants to do is help us, so let him. Take advantage of the Atonement, use it often. We can be like him!

Love you all! Stay sweet.

Elder Keaton Jorgensen

Argentina Mendoza Mission

Photos:

There's a zone pic, a pic of how I feel  sometimes when teaching strangers, and a big pic of an angry dude.

Why does Keaton think we want to see his back side?

Week 22 --- 2017 BOY!!!!!!!!

Note from Mom:  Keaton did have some suit pants, but has gone through several pairs of pants in the short time he has been in Argentina.  

Squad! Sooooo it's frickin 2017, just thought you all should know, and I'm gonna start off by giving a shout out to my mom for sending me pants, because before I didn't really have pants, but now I have pants so I'm happy because pants are good, and now I'm going to talk about my bomb new years eve... don't worry I didn't kiss anyone. So again like last week for Christmas Eve, we had to return to our pension at 6:00 for safety, so we did, and 7:00 rolls around, and we get a knock on our door, and we're like "who could that be" well it was the zone leaders, and our Bishop, and another guy from the ward, and they were like "we're cooking asado for you guys" asado is a dope BBQ! So that was awesome, and then Victor brought us empanadas! He's so dope! Then we played soccer against the zone leaders, and we were victorious. Then we went to the top of their pension and counted down to the new year.

Now to talk about the work. So we have been teaching this couple, Franco and Augustina, and they are swell. They accepted baptismal dates, and two weeks in a row they told us they would attend, but haven't yet, we even went to help him finish building their house, so they could attend. It's really difficult because Franco works out of town for 10 days and then returns for 4 days, so every other Sunday he can attend. So their dates are for the 18 of February, so they have time to attend church, and also get married, because they need to do that too. Franco really wants to be baptized, like when we asked him, he was like yeah I will, and then he looked at Augustina, and said y vos ( what about you) so he is excited about this. He just gots to go to church.

Oh and just for your information, some guy tried to fight me because I'm a gringo, he wasn't very happy.

Well to end I'm gonna share a scripture Mosiah 2:41.

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

We will be blessed in all things if we keep the commandments. They are there to better our lives, and God promised to bless us in all things, temporal and spiritual, there are just so many blessings waiting for us. God doesn't ask a whole lot from us, but he has promised us a lot! So let’s just show him how much we appreciate his love for us! He has given us everything, and he continues to give. I know God is our loving Heavenly Father, and he wants nothing but the best for us. I have felt his love here on my mission, more than ever, and I'm so grateful I get to help others feel this same way. I love you all and I'm grateful for all your support!

Elder Keaton Jorgensen

Argentina Mendoza Mission

Just some pics from New Year’s Eve, and also how my shirts used to look, and how they look now.