"she just has a little candle"

Loves his new soccer jersey and good friend Elder Nilsen

March 25, 2013

FAMILIA,

Well how are you all doing!? Well, its official I am staying here in Saladillo for at least 1.5 months more!! It’s crazy to think I have been here for 6 months. That is super unusual especially because I am out here in campo. President normally leaves the people in campo for 3 transfers sometimes 4. I have been out here 5 and will have at least one more! So it’s been a great experience for me out here! 

 Well Elder Smith and I are doing great and had a super good week! Haha I always forget that Elder Smith isn’t used to riding the bikes yet. The other day we went 35-40 kilometers in one day. Haha poor guy! He is a super great sport about it though!

 Its really cool being with Elder Smith because he is an experienced Elder with a lot of time in the mission and I have been able to learn from him! I really hope that he can learn from me as well!!  

  Well Pablo is doing good! He didn’t come to church on Sunday but he is reading the Book of Mormon really good and he really likes it! He feels like he can relate to Nephi. I am not sure why but he feels a really strong connection to him! So yesterday we met with him and talked about his goals and how he wants to keep changing. So we talked about his baptism and we really helped him see the importance of setting a goal so we set a goal for him for the end of April! We will see how that goes! 

  Then we had a great experience with the abuela negra! We were afraid that she was just going to become an eternal investigator because she just really likes to listen to us and she loves us more than her own kids,(me more than anyone. Haha) But we just talked to her and she told us about her doubts and she said she felt like she would be betraying her husband who had died a while back. She said, “ I feel like God is going to still help me even though I don’t get baptized.” The spirit made me start talking and gave me a great example to use! I said, “every one of us was born with the Light of Christ or that God is always going to be with us and help us”, then I helped her understand that right now she just has a little candle, like she had when she lived in the farm when she was little, and then she said, ‘yea and then we got running lights and everything and I couldn’t believe I lived so long with so little light,’ I was like oh yea I am taking advantage of this, I made the comparison of the candle to the lights to her now and her after her baptism. The spirit was super strong and she knew I was right and that she needs to be baptized. So we committed her to say a prayer that night to ask god if she should be baptized, so she did. and God ANSWERED!!!! She is going to be baptized before the end of April!!!!!! 

  Then we are also working with a family of less actives. We are helping them a lot and there son of 9 years is going to be baptized. We set goals to help them go to the temple in this year! I really hope they keep progressing a ton!!! Things are going great here! I am learning a ton and loving life! 

 I had my first temple interview this week for a couple of youth. It was super cool being to help people prepare to go to the temple. I also was able to extend a few callings to a few people. It is really helping the group out a lot!! We are doing great and thanks for all the help and support. Well I love ya all a ton!

Love, Elder Eppich 

haha showing off their jerseys

Silly Kraymer and Elder Smith

Elder Smith was getting his hair cut so kraymer takes a picutre of himself. ha

PABLO came to church!

March 18, 2013

Family

CONGRATS KARIGAN! I’m glad that everything went really well for all of ya and that it’s over. Haha I am sure it was super hectic for you and am sure it was worth it. Sounds like it all went really well! I’m sure it was a lot of fun. During the week I was praying that it would all go well for ya! 

  Well everything is going good for me here in Saladillo, actually right now I am in 25 de Mayo doing some branch business, with my branch president, Elder Nilsen, were going to be good buddies after the mission. I am sure mom and his mom would be best friends because they sound super similar!!! 

  Well last Monday I found out I had to be in capital on Tuesday night with my mini companion because he had to start school on Wednesday, so we traveled Tuesday night and the bus was super late and it was super long. We got in like 2 and half hours late. I ended up staying in the apartment of Elder Crowther that night. It was super good to be with him again. Haha he really misses everything out here. Says everything is so much easier there though and not near as much stress. Haha

  Then on Wednesday I met my new companion. Elder Josh Smith from Thousand Oaks California. He is super cool. He makes me homemade bread and tortillas a lot. So we eat REALLY GOOD!!! Haha hopefully I’ll be able to gain some weight! But not too much. Last time I weighed myself I was at 205. And I’m getting taller, so everyone is saying that I am looking really skinny right now. Haha idk about that though. 

  So on Thursday, Friday and Saturday we worked super hard and found some really good people!!! We are working really hard and its really nice having an old companion; he has 16 months in the mission. I am learning a lot from him, and I feel like he is learning a lot from me as well. I am not really sure what will happen next week though with transfers. I can’t really imagine us being together for a transfer, but if it happens I don’t have a problem! He is a great Elder!! I still really want to train again though, so we will see. President has something up his sleeve I am sure. Haha for all I know I could be leaving Saladillo, but I doubt it. Haha 

PABLO came to church and loved it! He is stopping smoking and drinking again and plans of coming to church and getting baptized!! The abuela negras sister died so she is kinda sad about that.

  The family that we found in the Little Pueblo close by is doing really good! The mom of them came to church! They all really want to get baptized! The mom knows the church is true because she had a dream that we came to her house before we got there. So she is super cool! Her name is Maria!!! Well everything is going super good! Thanks for all the support and prayers. Keep praying for us! Love you all a ton!!

Love, Elder Eppich sr.

Lautoro got baptized!

Elder Eppich and Lautoro getting baptized

March 11, 2013

Familia,

Wow we had a great week! Lautoro got baptized!!! It was a super good baptism! We had 5 investigators there and lots of members to support him. Fabi talked about baptism and made everyone cry, haha it was really good. Lautoro is such a Capo ( Stud ) he wants to serve a mission and everything! He has to wait 3 years until he turns 18 but he still wants to do it! So that’s good! So on Tuesday night Elder Nilsen and Aramburu from 25 de Mayo came out to do the interview for Lautoro. We made pancakes and waffles with homemade maple syrup, everyone here thinks I am a professional chef, Haha little do they know. I tell them one day I am going to open a restaurant with my family. Haha

  Well we were going to do the interview at 7:30, so we get there and Lautoro called and said he was on his way, so we were like oh perfect and started cooking, but the time keeps passing by and no Lautoro. And at 9 he still hadn’t showed up and we couldn’t get a hold of him or anything.. So me and Elder Aramburu went out looking for him, and no luck, so we went back to the house of Abuela Negra and started cleaning up and then started leaving and Lautoro comes running up and says wait I’m here. Haha he was with a friend whose parents were traveling home and he couldn’t leave him alone. So we did the interview! Then on Friday hermano hurtado baptized lautoro. I wanted Hermano Hurtado to have the opportunity to baptize in a pool and on his mission so he baptized lautoro then on Sunday I confirmed him. 

  Abuela Negra absolutely loved the baptism and so did the other 4 people that are considering baptism as well! We are really hoping that a few of them will be baptized here in the next few weeks!! 

 We found a lot of good people this week in a little town about 6 kilometers away from where we live! It’s a good little bike ride out there in the middle of a bunch of farm land and dairies I really like going out there. 

  Well my companion has to go home because he has to start school, so probably Tuesday or Wednesday we will travel there and I will get my new companion. I’m not sure who it will be. but it will probably be temporary. Who knows we will see. (Argentina is still having trouble with  VISAS so not many missionaries are coming and areas have been closed down. Kraymer is waiting to train a new Elder)

 Well sounds like all is going great. Love ya’ll! Good luck everyone with everything! Good luck Karigan with Jr miss, just enjoy it and do your best! Keep up the great work Kade!!

 Love, Elder Eppich

Hermono Hurtado, Lauturo and Elder Eppich

Elder Eppich and  Elder Nilsen making pancakes and waffles

Nothing Will Stop the Work from Progressing

Elder Eppich in Saladillo (pronounced Sal i deesho) Argentina

March 4, 2013

Familia,

Well we had a crazy week!! Last Monday after doing email we went and cooked. I made grilled cheese sandwiches and chicken noodle soup and then made some homemade syrup to have with us. So we have been eating French toast and last night I made waffles. Super good! I have become quite the cook. I think.. Haha

So we find out that abuela negra had gone to capital to be with her sister that’s sick. And while there she tells all her extended family about us and how we are incredible and that she was going to be baptized on Saturday. Then they started telling her stuff about us being a sect and things like that and really hammering her. It was super sad. She had come back not planning on meeting with us and stuff. But we went and visited her, took her some flowers and did some service. She loved it and then we had a super spiritual lesson with her. She isn’t ready to be baptized but at least is still willing to learn. And she came to church yesterday and loved it and said that she is reading and praying to know if she should be baptized!

  That same day we find out from Raul that he had received an arrest warrant from 2 years ago! So he can’t be baptized till that gets cleared up. He doesn’t have to go to jail, just has to pay 3000 pesos. Like 500 dollars or so.

 Then lautoro wants to wait one more week hoping that abuela negra gets baptized with him. But if not, he will still be baptized this Saturday! 

 We heard from Pablo and went and taught him! He is doing good and super glad to be back. He has changed a bit but wants to get back to where he was and he knows we are the key to helping him get back there and even better. So we are going to be helping him with that!! It will probably take him some time but surely he will get baptized one day!!! 

 Yesterday President Carter came to call me to be the 1st counselor in the branch of 25 de mayo  and called me as the group leader here in Saladillo. Maybe you’re wondering what that means in terms of responsibilities. The answer is I’m wondering the same thing. Haha I asked President and he said you do what a branch president or bishop would do, but don’t have to do interviews of worthiness.  

 So he wants me to give callings to all the members visit everyone every week, just get this area super strong. So that’s what I’ll be doing!! I also was able to talk with him for about 30 minutes! That was super sweet as well. He expressed his love for me and let me know he was super pleased with the hard work we have been doing here in Saladillo. He said it’s really incredible what you’re doing out here. The work is a lot harder out in campo and you’ve been out here a long time. He made it sound like I’ll be here for 10 more weeks. We will see. I’ll just keep working as hard as I can! 

  So even though Satan is working his tail off trying to stop us from having success we are still working super hard doing all we can! And the work will keep going forth no matter what! I know this church is true and no one can take it from me!! Love ya all so much! Hope all is going good! Bree is super cute!! Thanks for the letters and support!

 Love, Elder Eppich SR. haha