UNA SOLA ALMA.

To answer a few questions...

Current Companion: Elder White, of Ogden, Utah. (...but this week is transfers week. I´ll keep you updated on the ¨who¨ and the ¨where.¨)  The weather:  Argentine. This last week started off amazing -- 70s, overcast, and lots of wind. Friday began the heat wave.   It´s got to be at least 100ºF...at least. With humidity. Fun. I´m excited to be going into ¨Spring¨ this week.  Investigators:  This week we found several people that look like they have some serious interest. (*more on that later.)  Is the Work harder here?  Not necessarily.  The only thing tricky is getting people to come to Church.  The Church Building is neither in our area nor in the branch boundaries.  But other than that, the Work is rolling along quite nicely.  Any other questions?

This last week, we had a changing of the guards, so to speak.  We received a new Branch Mission leader.  Mario Urizar is a very spunky guy that plays basketball and literally knows EVERYONE this side of Posadas.  I mention basketball because he´s actually pretty legit.  He´s been to the States a few times to play.  Anyways...  He´s a guy with tons of ideas and a very ¨let´s do it¨ attitude.  (Austin, you might have some serious competition.)  He came up with what is now, as of this week, our Branch Mission theme, ¨Una Sola Alma.¨ (Just One Soul)  Instead of trying to concentrate on all of the people that could be at Church but aren´t, under prayerful inspiration, think of one person you could bring to Church this week. (whether they be less-active or a non-member.)  We have high hopes for the results.  We are really pushing to become a ward.  Right now, we are at the point of breaching 100 in Sacrament Meeting.  Missionary work can be so fun!  Especially, when it´s an entire congregation effort.

This week was a testimony builder (like usual.)  There´s something that can´t quite beat simple truths.  At times, we get all worked up on how we are going to be able to share our beliefs with others that aren´t of our faith.  We have feelings of inadequacy or doubt. This is rather silly.  Testifying of the simple truths can be astronomically more powerful than any deep doctrine topic.  More often than not, we as missionaries talk and share our beliefs in the Restoration.  This week we had an extremely powerful lesson with a lady named Dilma.  I´ve shared the same message thousands of times thus far in my life and in the mission.  But the feelings that I felt, that my companion felt, and that she felt were undeniable.  Without  even commenting on Joseph Smith and the First Vision for more than a few moments, she said that it was true.  That it actually happened.  But all we did was tell her about something that we´ve told literally thousands before.  That´s how amazing the Spirit is.  If we teach without it, we might as well not teach at all.  Do something different.  Don´t be afraid to talk about a simple truth this week, with a friend or co-worker.  You can do it. Remember... Una Sola Alma.

Love you bunches and oats,

Elder McMurray