Once More 6/11/12

Dearest Family,

Yet again we meet, and it seems all too soon. I guess you get tired
of me commenting about that in every letter though. But it's true
that time flies.

The silva family has been progressing so well. Nahuel, their 8 year
old boy, was baptized yesterday and he asked me to perform the
ordinance. Roni, the 14 year old, will be baptized this coming
Sunday, if all goes well, and Alejo (Ah-lay´-ho), the 12 year old,
will be baptized the following Sunday. The parents still haven't been
able to take out their turn. It's hard to explain, but here you have
to go ask the government to give you a marriage date, but you also
have to have witnesses. I'm not sure how the whole thing works out,
but they told us that regardless of what they had to do, they would be
getting their turn today. Since we've taught just about every thing
to them that they need before baptism, since Nahuel needed to have a
testimony and be willing to follow all the things first, now we can go
a little more in depth with some of the things and read scripture
passages that illustrate principles and help them begin to "feast upon
the words of Christ" so that "the words of Christ will tell [them] all
things [that they] should do" (2 Nephi 32:3).

Today we enjoyed a fútbol game (soccer). Yes I played. No I'm not
injured. Best thing, I even scored a goal on my companion. But
moving on. The weather is getting steadily colder. But while running
on the cement soccer field next to the chapel in Del Viso, we were
quite warm, enough that we sweat and were in shorts and short sleeved
shirts.

There's not much else in the news front. We have a few other
investigators, but they aren't progressing as much as we'd like them
to be. And we're struggling to find people still. But we've been
looking and searching. Sometimes it's just rough when you try
everything you can and you still can't even get in contact with the
investigators you supposedly are teaching.

In my studies, I finished Alma today and have gotten up to Helaman 5.
I love the war chapters of the Book of Mormon. There are so many
things that we can learn and find in their pages and stories. For
instance, when Amalakiah starts his take over of the Lamanites (Alma
47), it is a perfect example of temptation, consequence, and what not
to do. Lehonti stays in his high place until Amalakiah comes almost
to his camp, then he comes down just a little bit with his gaurds. A
few verses later, he is poisoned to death. Later Amalakiah's servants
act as though they are reverencing the king and as he reaches toward
them to raise them up, they stab him to the heart. If we even
entertain temptation we can see those two reactions, poison by degrees
(slow death) or stabbed in the heart (quick death). It's the same
with Satan's temptations. Depending on the temptation, we may not see
the consequences right away, but by and by they will poison our minds
and lives until we destroy ourselves. Other temptations may lead us
to a quick and sudden fall. But unlike in those two cases we have the
chance to repent, to change and move on. To receive forgiveness for
wrongdoing and make things right.

Another thing I thought was interesting from the same chapter is that
the servants of Amalakiah who kill the king of the Lamanites, instead
of acknowledging their own murder, pass on the blame to someone else.
Passing the blame is something that we do perhaps all to often. It's
really neat to see the lessons that we can find in all the chapters.
Elder Buxton and I have enjoyed reading and discussing those chapters
and how they can apply to us and our own lives as well as in the lives
of our investigators. It's like Nephi says in 1 Nephi 19:23, "And I
did read many things unto them which were written in the
[scriptures]...for I did liken all scriptures unto us, that it might
be for our profit and learning."

The wonders and mysteries of God are there for the taking in the words
of the scriptures and the prophets, ancient and modern. I know they
are of God, and that they testify of Christ. I know my Savior lives.
He loves me, and I love Him. I am in His service, and it is through
His Holy Spirit that I have the opportunity to touch the lives of the
people of Argentina. I have seen its influence work in their lives
and change them for good.

I love you all. May we follow the counsels of God given through the
holy prophets, for they will lead us to salvation.

With love and prayers,
Elder Matthew Dewsnup