Dear Davies Family

5 October 2010

Dear Davies Family,

Today we went to the airport in Montevideo, Uruguay, to pick up Elder Davies and welcome him into our mission. He arrived a little tired, but full of excitement and enthusiasm to get to work.

We have spent the day with him getting to know him, and we have recognized that he will be an asset to us here in the mission. With this time that we have had with him he has shown many talents that will be put to use in blessing the lives of many wonderful people.

Today was the day of transfers; he met his trainer and then headed off for his first area so that he could start ¨[bringing] to pass the immortality and eternal life of man¨.

We are now sending you a photo that we took with him this afternoon. As you can see, he is extremely excited and ready to start. We are so excited to have your son with us and hope that you receive this photo with excitement and pride in all that your son has done to prepare himself for the opportunity that he now has to serve the Lord for the next two years.

Love, 

The Da Silva´s

LAS FOTOS

Seventh Letter from the Argentina MTC

 I'm so ready to be out working and so tired of being here, constrained haha. I just want to WORK. I'm learning patience. The language is coming swimmingly. I couldn't ask for better teachers. Time seems to move on a different schedule here. Like it is on fast-forward but I guess when you have such a wholesome intent...you can never have enough time. The unfortunate thing about proselyting here in Argentina is that the people know us almost as well as the people in the US do. "No Gracias" is my least favorite phrase. I could honestly go the rest of my life without those two words in one breath. 

 

Let's see...I have found a delightful little morsel of consumption here. It is the ALFAJOR. Find it. Eat it. Love it. I would say I have so many more experiences but the greatest discovery or experience I have had has honestly been that first taste of an alfajor. 

 

...Not really actually, today I had a really good experience. We had the opportunity to teach the Latino Elders about "obedience." As we spoke, for the first time the words flowed. I think I was overly excited because I was smiling at them and they kept asking why I was smiling but...I knew. I was so proud of myself. 

I'll send the definite address when I get [to Uruguay.] I don't want to give you the wrong one.

Love back,

Elder Davies

Last Few Weeks in the MTC

I'm almost done in the MTC. I just received an excellent lift in my motivation from the primary kids! Tell them all thank you a thousand times. I love them. They are hanging in my room upstairs. I'm ready to do the work. Bored with the draftness of the classes but realizing how little I know and how much I need to just rely on the guidance by my Heavenly Father. It's difficult to focus when the teachers are all babbling in a language that makes little to no sense, but I'm not exposed to the world even a little...and the greater part of me loves it. Not much to say. But I miss you all.

Fifth Letter from the Argentina MTC

A lot has happened that I have been excited to write about but it's been busy.  The weeks have been drawing on.  The days are slow, but the weeks fly by. Maybe that contradicted the previous sentence, but it's true.  Saturdays are the diamond in the rough.  Every time we go out, I grow.  I step a little farther, grow a little taller, see a little deeper into the desires of our Heavenly Father.  I wanted to share one experience and then address written concerns.

First, as I said, Saturdays are excellent.  My companion and I had rough beginnings, but have improved as my reliance on him has grown.  He's a nervous person, but we go together perfectly.  We met a young man who spoke English and we placed our first Book of Mormon.  It was so spectacular.  I felt a sliver of the love we read about.  It wasn't until our "accountability" that I felt it send shivers throughout my body.  The love is there. 

Two elders in our district shared an experience that changed my perspective on the work.  They met a man. His name was Rodolfo and they described him as "humbled to the dirt."  He was full of questions.  The previous week, he had accepted a copy of the Book of Mormon and they had taught him for 45 min.  This last Saturday, they met him again.  He had read the entire book. He only had one question and that was how families could be together forever if he is divorced.  They taught him more.  He was hungry for their words.  They said the spirit led them.  That, as promised, as they opened their mouths, the words were there.  The spirit was truly their guide in so much that they challenged him to be baptized.  He agreed.  Rodolpho has 5 sons.  His baptism date is September 18th. 

When they said that, I felt an embrace. The embrace of invisible arms and I knew every one else felt the same.  My heart is full.  Through the elders in my district, I have felt a reaction of the love of the Lord.  It surrounds his children.  Reach out and he will meet you with it.  I am here to give that love to every person I see and I will.  Or I will come home having tried my best.  One other testament of my work is found in D&C 68:4-6.  Read it and act as his servant.  His love is there. 


Other news.... Argentina.  It's dirty in Buenos Aires.  Scary places, people and experiences.  Every friendly person we talk to warns us of guns, dogs, and thieves.  But we walk with the spirit so there is no room to fear. 

Fourth Letter from the Argentina MTC

Hey, I would like to apologize to everyone about my redundancy. I didn't realize that my email shared the same experience as the one earlier. The days literally run together. I remember it was yesterday I was sitting on this same computer typing with the same glazed thoughts. It's hard to distinguish between when I woke up in the middle of the night to a strategically placed alarm clock and when I fell asleep, face in the book soakin' it in. Life rolls on I suppose. Once again, I don't have exceptional moments to share but i am one week closer to the moment when the stories will overwhelm. It happens here, but they aren't stories of interest to anyone outside our little CCM. I love you all and will send more your way next week.

Third Letter from the Argentina MTC

Hey everyone,

In D&C 64 is a scripture that says something about if we speak with the spirit our words will be scripture. It´s amazing and I would love that as my scripture...

Stories: I have a letter on the way that shares the greatest experience i've had thus far. They don't give us long to email so it's more effective for me to print off the emails and reply through letter but... our activities here are pretty simplistic anyway. We are just typically a bunch of 19 year old guys living under one roof with the expectation of keeping it clean/functional but it's amazing how the spirit changes the attitudes of a group of young men. 

Our only real time of "being boys" is during our physical activity time with our newly created sport "smashball." In Latin America, soccer is a little more prominent. Therefore, on our cement pad with basketball hoops they have put mini soccer goals for the Latinos. We "true men" have found the true reason they were placed directly under the hoops. WE play a regular game of basketball, but in order to count the points you have to "smash" the ball as it falls out of the basket net directly into the soccer net. It adds effect if you scream like a barbarian, you know? Other than that the days roll on. Spanish is coming along fine. I can read almost all pretty fluently as well as understand it. Speaking is a little sketchy but understanding a Latino speaking, is still nearly impossible. 

The guys in my district are absolutely amazing. We get along so well...

My time is up so I have to go but,

please send me Carl, Baxter, and Ray.....and Lindy's...and anyone else who may need a letter, send me their addresses. Probably Julie's. Thanks, love you.

Second Letter from the Argentina MTC

Hey Mom, Dad and everyone else,

I got the bag. No worries. We can only take photos every 3 weeks but, soon enough. i´m losing track of time constantly, losing a sense of the English language, and honestly understanding, finally what it feels like to get lost in studies. i´m really enjoying myself here and learning so fast. i can understand most of the Latino elders here as they rapidly speak their language. it´s a challenge but each Saturday we actually get dropped off in the city to walk around and try to contact people. the day after tomorrow i will get a true missionary experience. it´s a very unique program but one that they have found to be very successful. they really have not been many experiences that stand out exceptionally but that is difficult to find when every day a conversion is seen, in my companion, in other elders, in myself. i´m understanding the peace and happiness that can be felt when someone takes responsibility for their self and grows internally. it is amazing to me how this many 19 year old boys can live together and keep their rooms spotless, their language clean, their hair cut, their laundry done, on time to every meeting, up at 6:30 everyday and still start lessons, study personally and everything else with minimal to no supervision. we still have a lot to learn but the group is growing in spirit and mind immensely. it´s an exceptional experience and one that i am taking in fully. i do miss my family and friends very much and want them to know how much they mean to  me but i assure you that this work is the work that the lord wants me to do at this time. Jeff, Scott and Erik...you guys are the most spectacular young men i know. i love you and be the best you can be. mom, i´m beyond ecstatic to hear you are doing well. i´ve been eager to get on the computer to see the result this entire week. i hope you recover quickly. tell mark, thank you. that means a lot to me. i haven´t spent a dime but i greatly appreciate that. i wish that i could have accomplished more. tell Chiara we were told to lock our hearts. whoever was in stays. whoever is not doesn´t get in so...yeah. Mom you´re the only one in there so don´t worry haha jk. much love.

Elder Davies

First Letter from the Argentina MTC

Hey everyone,

I made it. 24 hrs of travel, minimal food and bathroom breaks but i made it! Already, I am noticing lifestyle differences that are very obvious. Among them are the ridiculous amounts of food that I, as a US citizen, can engorge myself with. We recieved two meals on the flight. One of which was a small portion of some chicken pasta for dinner. The second, a crousant for breakfast. The roll was all that was given haha. But the people are helpful and friendly enough. My bag did not greet me at the end of the journey but hopefully it will be sorted out tomorrow. I am next in line to be interviewed by the mission president so wish me luck!

Much love,

Elder Davies...cubed.

PS

my P-Day is Thursday so you´ll hear from me every one of them