Week #12 - Translado Uno Terminado (One transfer finished)

The sun is definitely shining in Mendoza!

Transfer #1 is finally over. A transfer in a mission is the unit of time that is used, it means six weeks. At the end of each transfer, you have the chance of changing areas, companions, assignments, and everything else. I didn't change at all because I am still being trained, but the people around me have changed a lot. Change is fun.

Monday is transfer day, and transfer day pushes preparation day to Tuesday, which is why I am writing this on Tuesday.

As far as the work goes, this has been our most successful week. We got 7 investigators to commit to baptismal dates. We also will have a couple get married this Friday so that they can baptize their children. That's pretty awesome. I am really lucky to serve in a place where people will listen to our message and make commitments. We may not baptize as many people as in Africa or Brazil, but this mission is awesome. The life in the mission is hard, there's very little that you can do to escape your problems (if you are obedient), so you live for the progression of your investigators.

Fun/interesting stuff that happened this week:

1. During the week there was a holiday, so (with permission from our mission president) we got to play some soccer with the young men and some investigators during the afternoon. We also had asado. Asado is the dream food in Argentina. The beef here is insanely high quality for the price, and the Argentines really do know how to cook their meats. I took a picture of it, just to make my dad jealous. Hopefully my mom will attach a picture.

2. My companion gave a haircut to one of the children in a part member family. It turned out much better than expected. I was pleasantly surprised.

3. We went to a members house to eat dinner. After a full stomach of spaghetti, we got dared to bite into a chili. My 2 companions both did it, so i felt obliged to do so as well. It was very very spicy. My mouth was on fire for like 15 minutes. I swear I almost threw up. I didn't think that anything an Argentine had could be very spicy because none of their food is spicy, but I was proven wrong. 

That's one thing about Argentines. They really can't handle spicy. They think salt is spicy. But when it comes to temperature heat, they can just chug a pot of boiling water. I have no idea how they do it haha.

I went a whole transfer without stomach issues (diarrhea, vomiting etc.). That is a feat that very few missionaries can say that they have done in a South American mission. I feel like I was made to live here.

It wouldn't be an Elder Murphy letter without a food update. Every week I like the food a little bit more. The new morning routine is to hard boil 2 or 3 eggs every morning. The eggs here are dirt cheap. It may seem a little gross, you don't refrigerate them but they stay completely healthy to eat. The same thing goes with the milk. You don't have to refrigerate the milk unless you already have refrigerated it. It's kind of gross, but hey, the boy's gotta eat. I had the holy trinity of food/drink in Mendoza Argentina this week: Carne asado, guaymallen alfajors and mate. Literally three of the best things I have ever eaten. The carne asado here is amazing. You burn wood until it turns into grey coals, spread the coals out, then cook the meat slowly over the smoke. It is truly heavenly. 

Guaymallen alfajors are made in Guaymallen, Mendoza and are the most amazing little packaged cakes that you have ever eaten. Forget Twinkies. I am going to bring a crate full of these home when I return to the US. And finally, Mate. It's pretty much drinking hot water with leaves and a little bit of sugar. Nothing in the world is more relaxing. I can't wait to bring these home to the US in 1.7 years.

Well, that's all for this week.

Thanks for reading!

Send me personal letters at collin.murphy@myldsmail.net

-Elder Murphy