Matt's email 8/31/2010

Sorry I never got the opportunity to write home yesterday, we had quite the day and didn´t plan for time at the internet, but the good thing about Argentina is that from 2 to 5 everyone sleeps, which makes for good make up time. Last week was pretty frustrating though. We had 2 people ready for the water. We had already taught every lesson, cleared up any doubts, and scheduled their baptismal interviews until it all fell apart. The first kid, a 13 year old boy named Gustavo, was first up on the baptismal schedule. We had been walking out to his house 2 to 3 times a week and teaching the kid since the beginning of the transfer. We always knew that it was going to be hard to get him to the font, but we set a date and followed with it. Anyways to make a long story short the zone leader showed up to his house to do the interview and Gustavo refused to pray in front of him. We all know that prayer is essential to salvation and is perhaps one of the most simple acts of faith that we can perform, but he just wouldn´t do it. The zone leader, Elder Ashby, basically told him if he didn´t pray, he wasn´t going to have the interview. So yeah baptismal candidate #1 fell. The other investigator, a 17 year old girl named Euginia has quite a different story. She comes from a part active family and has been hearing the missionaries since her siblings got baptized a few months ago. She never really paid attention but little by little we got her committed. She passed the interview with ease and seemed way stoked about her baptism, but when we went out to pick her up sunday morning her parents told me that she was sick and they were headed to the hospital to do some tests. I asked if she couldn´t come for just 2 hours and they rejected that idea pretty quick. After church we went back to the house to see if she needed a blessing, only to find her outside with her boyfriend just doing whatever it is the people down here do. It was super disappointing, but she says she will get baptized the 18 of September. We will see how that turns out. Anyway that´s how it goes when Satan gets the best of the people. Aside from those 2 disappointments we had a sweet outcome at church. Three people that we have never met showed up and loved church so we are visiting them this week. That´s about all that happened investigator wise this week. We still have our solid pool of people close to baptism, we just have to help them get there. It´s all part of the fight, what can I say?
Anyways on a better note, yesterday was just one of the most legit days on the mission. Elder Williams and I headed up to Mendoza to have a talk with president. He called us this week and said he wanted us to come up. It was awesome. We just sat outside the offices and talked about how to make it big in this life, and how much of a competition this life should be. We should be competing for everything that we have. President is too cool. It is awesome the way he knows each of the missionaries in his mission and schedules time out of his schedule to talk to them about the future. It was way awesome. After finding out how to become legit Elder Williams and I went to a bodega in the city of Maipu. This bodega was too sick. I know I wrote this in the last email, but we stick out so bad in this place. The two tallest people within a 50 mile radius, dressed in a shirt and tie, with a plaque, and me carrying a huge package that I just got from the offices. Just the most touristy looking tourists to ever step foot in the place going on a tour of the wine factory. It was really cool to learn how the wine was made though and learning more about the Mendoza wine industry. That is about the only thing this place is famous for. The most ridiculous part happened at the end when everyone started their free wine tasting experience. Elder Williams and I were just posted up taking pictures of the winery and everyone on the tour came up and started asking to take pictures with us. I felt like Mikey the Mouse at Disneyland. It was just ridiculous, but don´t worry we didn´t sample any of the free wine but we did feel pretty cool swirling it in the glass and smelling it like the fine wine coneisseurs that we are. However that word is spelled. But yeah it was really fun and people started asking us why we don´t drink wine and all that so it turned into a good experience. We got some good pictures with the people and everyone was happy and that´s what it is all about. I am finally starting to love the people here which is a blessing. It has been a process adjusting, but I feel like I am getting it. Sorry my letters aren´t very cool but it is what it is. I love the mission. It is the best experience I have ever had. The most reassuring thing is knowing that the Lord is always on my side when I do what he asks. I love you all. Have a great week. Thanks for the garments. That made my day. Keep the faith. Pray always. Do work.
Love
Elder Burr

Matt's email 8/23/2010

It is hard to believe that yet another week has gone by in the mission world. It is starting to get ridiculous, but it is what it is. This week here in the ARG was pretty nice. We have just been teaching up a storm and winning big in the eyes of the Catholics. Last night we were in the plaza talking with the people going to mass and opened the mouth with an old grandpa dressed like a million bucks. He invited us to come to mass with him and we were reminded of all the other invitations and deals we had madewith all the other catholics. Anyways we are men of our word and decided to go see what everyone sees in the Catholic church. So this is how it all goes down... Two gringo mormon missionaries walk into a huge catholic church. Everyone is kneeling and praying, inbetween us is a 90 year old grandpa that everyone know. We walk up to the fifth row and take a seat right in the dead center. The priest comes out of his hiding place and before saying anything else welcomes the 2 representatives from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and encourages everyone to applaude. Thirty five seconds pass and Elder Williams and I are just too stunned. The meeting continues. Forty five minutes later they have a little God bless you deal and again the priest comes down to welcome us and give us the side kiss cheek deal. Then the meeting ends, everyone is outside the church, the Mormon Missionaries walk out, the priest stops his convo with whoever he was talking to, thanks us for coming and then we invite him to our church. He declined the offer but it was still legit. Then like 6 people come up to us and tell us that they want to come to our church and were asking us all sorts of questions about the church. It was a really cool experience and by the way... The Catholic Church... Not True, super weird, and full of hipocrites. Yeah that is how it went down. Also this week we had zone conference in Mendoza. President Lindahl is just one mark above the legit bar. He is one of the most awesome guys I have ever met. He opens my eyes every time. That´s about all I got. The church is true. I love you guys. Keep keepin it real.

Love

Elder Burr

Matt's most recent pictures

Matt's email 8/16/2010

Well here I is writing the weekly update from the good ol´ Rivadavia Argentina. This past week was way good and Elder Williams and I were just teaching away. This difficult thing about this place is that the investigators live so far away that itis hard to teach them as much as we would like. On Tuesday it was the birthday of one of the members so Elder Williams and I made some chocolate and dulce de leche bars. Can anybody imagine that? Me making food for somebody else? Yeah it really happened and the members loved them. It was definitely a success. There was nothing really cool that happened this week. On Wednesday and Friday we had to travel to San Martin for a meeting about the whole change to the mission. It was pretty good but super frustrating. It was put on by the assistants and every question they asked was directed to Elder Williams and I. We were both pretty fed up with that by the end but it is what it is. We also had to go to Mendoza on Tuesday for Elder William´s foot. He has had some wart/growth deal inbetween his toes and has gone to the dermatologist over 15 times trying to get it taken off but it has never worked. Basically if he can´t fight through he will have to return to the states to get it removed and then come back. That would not be good if that happened.

Mom that´s sweet that you are going to SF to spend your big 50.  It is also pretty ironic because just this morning we were talking about Wicked in the pensh and trying to remember some of the songs. It was pretty cool. You just have to make sure dad doesn´t fall asleep this time. I am convinced that although this is the fourth time he has ¨seen¨ it, he has never actually seen all of it. That is also sweet that Marc and Kyle are doing good and preparing themselves. I remember going to the Salt Lake Temple with Grandma Burr and it was incredible. I wish I would have gone more, but what can you do? Also I got the package with the Ensigns and the letters from the family. That was a pleasant surprise and tell jake rothfels that I really appreciated his letter. Thanks for everything that you are doing for me. I love being a missionary and although it is by far the hardest thing I have done, I am starting to see some of the blessings. Continue praying for the people here. I hope you have a very happy birthday Mom!! This one is for you! The clock keeps ticking ha ha. I love you

Love

Elder Burr

Matt's email 8/9/2010

So this week has been a crazy/super buzy week. On monday we had transfers like I told you and surprisingly I ended up being transferred. I was super excited because Godoy Cruz was really starting to test my patience, and as we are all aware, I kind of lack in that area. But anyways I got transferred to another city in Mendoza called Rivadavia. The city here has a way sweet set up and the area is huge, which is good, because in San Ignacio we could walk from border to border in about 20 minutes. The branch here is also incredible. The ward mission leader is a recent convert that just hooks us up with references from his family so our days are pretty occupied with that. My companion is super legit as well. His name is Elder Williams from Sandy. He has been here for like 10 months or something like that and there is never a dull moment. It is also nice because his dad is a corporate pilot and flies a Hawker 900 so now we have stuff to talk about. Its nice having someone I can relate to and not having to talk about which hair product has better anti frizz control. We are expecting to have a great transfer and I hope it all goes well.
We also had a pretty cool experience this week. We went by a house of a kid that just barely got baptized to see how he was doing. We walked in and were chillin for just a minute then his mom came out and informed us that her nephew really wanted to get baptized like his cousin and he already has permission from his mom to go to church and get baptized so now we are just waiting to teach him. It was way sweet and we are excited to start teaching him. We have a bunch of investigators here that are pretty close to baptism and we are hoping that the Lord will help us out.
I love you and hope everyone has a fantastic week.
Love
Elder Burr

Matt's email 8/2/2010

 This week was pretty legit here in San Ignacio. We still don´t have very many people to teach consistently but we found a few people that have potential. We will see what happens with transfers and all that but there is hope for this area. The weather is also getting a little better. We wake up to frozen water pipes so our showers are always burning hot because we never have cold water. I would definitely rather have hot than cold so I can´t complain. My companion and I are getting along pretty well. I don´t know what will happen if I have to be with him 6 more weeks but it´s all good. 

Thanks for the love and the prayers. I love you all. keep on keepin on!
Love
Elder Burr