Around The Scriptures In Forty Days!

Well, how is everyone?

I am writing my "General epistle" first this week, seeing as recently the time has made a bad play of me and left me sending sub-par letters.

This week has been a pretty interesting one for me. while we did not manage to find a lot of people at home, we did make some important contact with some people who were sort of slipping through our fingers (especially a lady named Soledad Paz, who is a good friend of a member in a province outside of the mission...)

This week we also had a zone conference with President Goates and also the stake conference on Saturday and Sunday. I learned a lot, and especially in zone conference they really talked about a lot of different things that I appreciated and learned from.

Also this week, I made a new personal study plan, and started a special study project: Starting on the twelfth of December, I was (am) going to read through all of the standard works, cover to cover, in forty days. In approximate math that means 64 pages per day. I started reading in the New Testament and now, on the fourth day, have read up to nearly the end of Paul's epistle to the Romans (and have about 25 pages left to go to finish today even!) Reading that much each day there are definitely things that I don't retain, but it is also helping me get a better knowledge of the the general contents of the scriptures and take away more meaning from the patterns of teaching that I see repeated again and again. Having read all the scriptures that treat the life of Jesus Christ in only two days,  I was impressed by the meaningful, applicable teachings the he delivered in every moment. His actions taught that men should have faith; His example that we should never fear, but rely always in God.

Something that impressed me about zone conference that I then got again from the scriptures was when President taught that the words of greater faith are "and if not..." Citing the story of the friends of Daniel at the point of being cast into the fire by an infuriated king, he reminded us that they were calmly confident that their God would deliver them from the heat of the furnace. Then he pointed out in one of the verses, that the three young men said, "and if not, we know that we would not bow down and worship your idol." He used this example to teach that although it is good to have faith that God will work mighty miracles in our lives, the words of greater faith from these young men (Who where miraculously protected from the flames) were that even if God did not save them according to their desire, they would continue with faith in him. Then, reading of the life of Jesus Christ, it was evident to me that although he knew that he would be delivered up, and scourged, and suffer pains that would make him even to tremble and would that he might not drink the bitter cup, he never so much as wavered in the least in his absolute confidence in his Father. He knew that he would not be delivered, and yet his example taught that it does not mater what we have to go through in this life- that everything is worth the price it takes to do always the things that will please our Heavenly Father.

Have a good week everyone,

El. Backstrom

Fun P-day Pics!

Well hello folks.

Welcome to this week's weekly letter. Pictures included!

We had a p-day in the chapel as a district today, playing Frisbee.

The whole district, serious faces. well, the Elders are making serious faces.

Goofy faces!

More goofy faces.

Civilized people.

left to right, top row: Hna. Larios, Hna. Jacinto, Hna. Harris, Hna. Rodriguez

Bottom row: El. Evans, el. Pinero, El. Inca, El. Backstrom

A group photo

Me with each member of the district;

El. Pinero,

El. Evans,

Hna. Rodriguez,

Hna. Jacinto,

Hna. Larios,

Hna. Harris,

And Elder Inca.

And there you go! a few pictures of a fun p-day.

Alright. So, it's gotten really hot. I've had a little trouble sleeping at night due to that. we've had a week with a bit of difficulty finding people at home so it's been a couple of empty days in the beating sun- but at least there is wind here. My study this week has been centered in the gospel of Matthew, and I studied several times the sermon on the mount- it is fascinating how applicable the teachings therein still are. 

Alright, sorry it's short, I have to go, lots of love,

El. Backstrom

A Christmas Message

Hello everyone who may or may not have believed me to have been seriously ill last week. Well, I was very bad last week but I got better on the Tuesday.

Well I can't write much right now. Please forgive me! but I would like to invite everyone to watch the church's Christmas initiative video and to share it if you can!

Thanks and sorry.

Have a good week!

In case you want to watch or share this video in English, enjoy!

Sick days for El Backstrom

So, this will be short, because I am sick and kind of dizzy and honestly not understanding hardly any of what I am reading. Also I replied personally to almost everyone.

This week has been exhausting! I got sick with something and have been under the weather since Thursday. We did a lot of finding activities with not tons of results but did find one person with whom we had a lesson. It rained this week but we were inside that day because I was very sick. whew, lucky that those things lined up (well for my companion- I would have preferred to be outside in the soaking wet to in the apartment very sick.)

This week I read a lot of scriptures that impacted me a lot, but most of all I enjoyed Jacob 6- especially his concise "Oh be wise; What can I say more?"

Have a good week, keep smiling.

El. Backstrom

Also, some answers to some questions that Dallin's mother put to him that some of you might be interested in:

1.  How big is the ward or branch that you are serving in? Is it a ward or branch? What is the name of the ward/branch?

100ish active people, ward, Amppya

2.  What is it like in Argentina as you get ready for the Christmas season? Is it pretty commercial like it is here at home or is it more Christ focused?

Well Wal-Mart has fruitcake. I honestly have not noticed any other change in anything, except for one member who had us help put up Christmas lights. it's a lot bigger of a deal here that they're going to have an excuse to drink a lot of beer and make a ruckus which they call fiesta than either Christ or consumerism, if you get what I mean? basically it's not much more than another day that everyone has off from work in the minds of most people here.

3.  How long has your companion Elder Inca been out on his mission? What is he like (besides being cool, you mentioned that… just a little more detail please)?

Elder Inca has like 15 months, so not too much more than me. he is short, speaks Spanish, makes fairly good jokes and knows science (chemistry)

4.  Are you in a pench with other elders or is it just the two of you?

Us two, thankfully. makes cleanliness a real possibility

I thought some of you might enjoy a little more info on some of those things. I did. In case you didn't notice I put all of my words in purple!

Introducing San Luis

So, I have photos this week. Let's start there.

Hmm they came out backwards

This is mate, it's a traditional Argentine drink. I don't think I had sent a picture before.

This is the neighbour's dog, Lucy. we share a patio, so she sort of lives mostly in our house.

This is me. In case you did not recognize me.

This is my companion, Elder Inca, from Peru.

And here we are together.

Well this week, we have had a little bit of a hard time getting ahold of the people we're working with. Still it hasn't been bad; we found a few new people to teach and have been working a lot with the ward council on creating a ward mission plan.

I'm sorry I'm making this a little shorter than normal, but time is limited...

This week in my scripture study I happened to read James- and as I read, It interested me that he says that if we ask and do not receive, there is a reason for that. He says that if we ask and receive not, it is because we have asked wrong- or, perhaps, we might need to consider why God might be withholding the blessings we are requesting. Something that was interesting for me.

Well, have a good week then,

El. Backstrom

An Apostolic Visit

Greetings to all who read my weekly emails.

This week has been a "long" one for me- lots of things have happened. But what outshines them all, by far, was the visit of a special witness of Jesus Christ to our mission. This week, there was a unique conference for the entire mission in the Mendoza stake center, with Elder D. Todd Christofferson presiding. It was an inspiring, uplifting, absolutely amazing experience. The highlight of the morning conference for me was when we were all given the opportunity to greet the Apostle with a handshake. Now, I've felt what could be called a penetrating glance before; but nothing compares to the sort of hammer-to-the-stomach feeling of having someone look right into you that I got as I looked into that man's eyes. What a powerful witness of the sacred nature of his calling I received. At the end of the conference, he also left a blessing on all of the missionaries of the mission. It was, without a shadow of a doubt, an unforgettable, once-in-a-lifetime experience.

This week I was also transferred out to San Luis. It's very different form Mendoza- the land is hilly, and there is frequently strong wind. it's a good few degrees more reasonable right now in the summer, too.

I forgot my camera, so hopefully I will be able to send pictures next week.

For now, no one has put the picture that they took of the whole mission with Elder Christofferson on the blog yet, so I'll send one they took at the last zone conference we had:

Can you find me?

Using my amazing skills with paint, I obtained a photo of my companion from his last zone picture.

Elder Inca: It is of the highest quality; sadly, his eyes appear to be closed.

This week I read the whole book of Moroni as one of my scripture study projects. A number of things impacted me, and I payed attention to a few verses that I hadn't noticed before; however, I was inclined to ponder the general themes of Moroni chapters 7 and 10 -- that is, faith, hope and charity -- seeing as they where something specifically mentioned by Elder Christofferson as really applicable to all of the people we come in contact with. Moroni explains that anyone who cultivates these three most important Christlike attributes will not only have no problem cultivating others, but that such a person will be on the path to salvation. Elder Christofferson made mention of these attributes especially in relation to less active members who no longer feel the effects of the atonement in their lives- that these essential attributes are the fruits of true repentance, which true repentance can only make us more like our greatest example, which is Jesus Christ.

Let us all try, then, to develop our faith, hope and charity a little more fully this week as we strive to do the things that are always pleasing to our Heavenly Father, even as Christ did, (See John 8:29) that he may never leave us to face the challenges of life alone.

Elder Backstrom

Picture Day!

Guess what day it is...

Picture day!

Good P-day activities

Me on top, then from left to right, Elders Sotelo, Felix and Fernandez; and behind Elder Perkins is lying down.

Here is me and my companion, as well as Elder Kahmann.

And I thought I would include a picture of my top-level exercise machine which helps me be super muscular.

Hermana Rosario's Baptism!

This week there was a baptism in the ward; I wasn't really expecting that the sister would be ready for this Saturday, but she passed her interview and made a lot of really miraculous progress the last week before here baptism. By limits she's in the other elder's area, but our companionship was teaching her because there had been so many special transfers in the other area.

The Sister Rosario Palma and President Luis Tapia, who Baptized and confirmed her.

Left to right: Hno. Alanis, first councilor in the branch presidency; Hna. Rosario; Pres. Tapia; Elders Fernandez, Backstrom, Perkins and Mulestien.

Groupo photos of everyone who came to the baptism (Except for Janet, one of our investigators; she didn't want to be in the picture because she's pregnant. So silly. So she took the photo-) Left to right- Tomas Olivera, Gabriel Alanis, Hno Alanis (his father) Hna Alanis (His mother) Cecilia de Alanis (wife of Gabriel), Hna. Alicia Alegria, Hna. Rosario, Pres.Tapia, Hna. Juana (friend of Hna. Rosario; also investigator) Elders Fernandez and Mulestien, Elias Neiras (Janet is his pareja), Me, elder Perkins.

Goodbye Elder Fernandez!

So we also bought a cake to say goodbye to Elder Fernandez. (Elder Fernandez was Dallin's current companion when he sent this letter and Elder Fernandez went home on the 5th of November)

The Goodbye Cake!

Left to right: Elder Mulestien, Elder Backstrom, Elder Fernandez and Elder Perkins

Elder Backstrom and Elder Fernandez just before Elder Fernandez goes home

So! It was an action packed week. We were busy preparing Hna. Rosario for baptisim. Happily she was able to make that covenant with her Heavenly Father and receive the gift of the Holy Ghost the next day. It was a very spiritual experience and I am very glad that two other investigators were able to attend the baptism to see that life-changing event in the life of this faithful sister.

Also, transfers came, and, surprisingly, I won't be staying here- they're going to wash the area. I'll be headed to San Luis, Ampia ward, with Elder Inca from Peru. It's cool that I'll get to see all three of the provinces in the mission in my first year here.

This week I've studied a lot of things, but something that particularly stood out to me was in Alma chapter 32, before he begins talking about faith and is talking about humility. Alma extols the blessings for those who are truly penitent, or, he says, those who are baptized without stiffness of heart, having to be made to know of the truth. the passage reminded me of the hna. Rosario (who everyone calls Meche. I don't know why.) who was very receptive during the teaching process, regardless of the many many doubts that she had, that we had to help her overcome; She was willing to do the things that we asked her to do to help her get an answer to her prayers.

Anyways, have a good week all,

El. Backstrom