Matt's email 5/24/2010

We have a baptismal date for a boy that is 9 named Gastón. He is a way sweet kid and he is pretty excited. He goes to church every week with his grandma. Both his parents are inactive so we are hoping that this will bring them back. We will see what happens though. This is a huge problem here that the kids want to get baptized but then once they do they don´t have any support so it´s hard for them so stay active. It´s still pretty exciting though. Life here in Argentina is going right along. Every day we are trying to find the chosen ones but I swear they are hiding. Every time we think we find one they always just say they are really really catholic which is weird because I thought catholicism was a religion not an adjective. After they tell us how catholic they are they proceed to give us a made up address and then tell us that we would be wasting our time. It is pretty funny. 

Oh and also the dogs here.... I can´t stand them. They are the most annoying things ever and I want to punt every single one. They have dogs here that are illegal in the US because they will kill you in like .2. They are the ugliest things I have every seen. I don´t know if I ever told you about Pandi, our landlady´s dog. But it was like this little mut thing that I could throw to the moon but the poor guy ran away and nobody knows where he went. I´m so happy you have no idea. The landlady was ticked though because she thought we let him out. Oh well, she will get over it.

Matt's email 5/17/2010

We landed in Buenos Aires and it was a shock to see every single thing in spanish but it was all good. From the international airport we went to another regional airport and waited for 8 hours for our flight to Mendoza. That was not what I wanted to do after an 11 hour flight but whatever right? It was way cool though because we sat in a food court the whole time and there was a security officer that would seriously walk around the same 100 sq ft area for hours and hours and he started talking to us and told us that he has read a bunch about the church on the internet and he knew it was the right church for him. I was the only one that could understand somewhat what he was saying and he said that he couldn´t find the church in his area. I got his address and all that good stuff then asked him if he had a Book of Mormon. He told me that he didn´t and that he really wanted one. Luckily I packed my spanish scriptures on my carry on with me and I pulled out my good one from the MTC because everybody else had theirs all marked up with their names and all that and I wrote a simple testimony in it and gave it to him. He was super stoked and kept making sure that I was going to give his name to the missionaries in his area so he could be taught. It was a really cool experience.

we took a 3 1/2 hour bus ride to San Rafael which is in the middle of the desert and here we are doing what we do. It is a small town with a lot of poor people and one main street with a thousand auto repair stores. The cars here are a joke. Seriously the Unimog would be like a Ferrari. I feel like I took a step back into the 50s. Also the culture here is ridiculous. The people wake up at 10 or 11, leave their house to get food for their massive lunch, get back home at like 12 30, cook, eat and sleep until like 7. Then from 7 to 9 they are outside sweeping the dirt off their dirt (No joke) and they say they don´t have 30 seconds to listen to our message and that they are so devoted to catholosism and they won´t change. That makes up about 99% of them and the other 1% we got to church. Yesterday we had 5 investigators at church which was awesome. We are thinking 2 or 3 are going to get baptized soon so We´ll see. The ward here is way sweet.

Matt's first Argentine meal

McDonald's--yum!

Marc's Call

Guadalajara, Mexico

Enters Provo MTC September 22, 2010

As the second largest city in México and boasting a population of over 3 million, you are constantly reminded that Guadalajara is a busy metropolis, and a major Mexican business center.
The Guadalajara area is known as the birthplace of the world famous Mariachi bands and also as the home of the Mexican hat dance.

Elder Burr is in Mendoza!

Elder Matthew Burr is second from the left.

Called to serve, but where?

Take the poll on the right and make your guess about where Marc will be going.  If you want to be more specific, leave a comment in the comment section!

Matt's email 5/10/2010

Matthew is flying to Argentina today.  He is so excited to be done with the MTC and on to the work of the Lord.  His email was short and sweet.

I am just sitting down to write my last email here in the MTC and I'm out in like 40 minutes. My experience here has been incredible.

A nice member who works at the SLC airport took this picture of the missionaries flying to Argentina today.

Marcus Update #2

So, Marc was cleared of everything (knee and other stuff) by the doctor today.  I hear his papers are officially submitted, and he is expecting his call to come Wednesday, May 12.  I, and not to mention Marc, can't wait to see where the Lord needs him!

Matt's email 5/3/2010

So this week at the MTC went way too fast. I never thought the day was going to come where i would receive my Flight plans but they are here and I am heading out the 10th at 10. We fly to Salt Lake, to Atlanta then a 55 minute layover in ATL then its on to Buenos Aires. From there I'm not sure what we are going to do. If we were going to fly I would have expected to see that on the paper, but it wasn't there. If worst comes to worst it will be about a 12 hour bus ride across the country. I am not sure what will happen yet. Since my last name is so close to the beginning of the alphabet I am called to be the travel leader which means that yeah I will pretty much be the guy that calls when some missionary has to go to the bathroom and everyone misses the flight. Yeah it will be pretty tight. But just a quick list of things: President Watkins said it isn't too late to write home for some Ambien... So if anyone is feeling the love around there you could definitely hook me up. I only need about 2 hours to convert the plane but the next 10 hours... Yeah that would be greatly appreciated. 

They packages are all very much appreciated and the food only lasts about 1 day. We pounded 2 of those jars of salsa in about 20 minutes... It was incredible. The MTC is going great though. It will really be a challenge working hard through the end but I've got it. That is no good about Marcus and his call... I guess that's what he gets for being so big. I also can't believe I have 2 older siblings over the age of 30.  That is really unfortunate. I'm loving it here at I'm super nervous to leave but Mendoza will be tight. I am hoping to shoot off a quick call from one of the airports wishing mom a happy mother's day. We are allowed to do that so I won't be breaking any rules. I just don't know when I will have time so I'm giving you a heads up. I love you all and I hope everything is going well. The weather is really nailing it and it makes sitting in a class room that much worse but it's all good cause in 1 week I'm bustin out of this joint. Keep the faith. Love you

Elder Burr