Dear family and friends,
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| The Neuquén District |
I am so excited, maybe more excited than I was when I got my mission call to Argentina to find out my new assignment in the mission. I had no idea where I was going to go, and where I am headed had never even crossed my mind, but I know it was an inspired decision. I will be serving in a town called Zapala starting on Monday and my companion will be Elder Garcia from Honduras. He was in my zone here in Neuquén for a transfer and then was sent there. We will be the Zone Leaders and I am pumped to get to know everyone in the zone and make a difference. Zapala has a baptism every week so we have to keep the ball rolling.
It is pretty cold here, and everyone tells me that it is colder in Zapala and with a lot of wind! I took advantage of the fact that in the mission home I could buy some thermal garments to stay warm in the coming months.
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| The police... Friends I worked with each week |
I finished training my replacement as the mission secretary. This week we did the transfers and that was the last big thing I needed to show him. Sometimes you just have to jump in and learn on the job. I realized this week that is how I internalized everything here. I have left a lot of instructions, and more than anything we have agreed that if he needs anything he can call me. The¡Me dirigen a Zapala! cell phone has the numbers of every companionship, as it should, and he'll know where to find me!
Working in the mission office has been such a hard, but worthwhile, experience. As I leave I think of how much I have learned: I can make important decisions. I learned a lot about the immigration system of Argentina. More than anything I have more faith in the Lord. Everything I am or ever may accomplish is only possible because of God and his Son.
I had my last interview with President Lovell this morning in the mission home. There was not enough time to do it in the stake center with the rest of the zone yesterday. He is a very cool guy and I hope to see him in the future.
I love all of you and I will write on Monday from Zapala next week.
Elder Kauffman aka Jack