Grant Goes on a Mission: May 2018

Monday, May 28, 2018

COOKING FOR 200

Not an American flag jacket, but an awesome Argentine tie!

This week was basically Argentina´s fourth of July. SO much delicious food and fun! AND missionary work!

We had a super sweet ward activity, and I want to share some lessons I learned from it all.

They involve Hermana Patiño again, she KILLS it and is an awesome example of someone who never stopped being a missionary after her year and a half one ended. She is a great example of who I want to be, and exemplifies an amazing female/mother figure to me. One of my heroes!

There were about 200 people at this activity because it was between two wards. This was a HUGE opportunity to do missionary work. and I LOVED it! I absolutely LOVE seeing someone sitting by him or herself, so I can run up to them and talk to them, be their friend.

And I have gotten super good at it! I mean, I hope I have, it's a huge part of missionary work. I'm still super weird, but I do really enjoy talking to people.

But I realized something.

Example: Someone sitting alone, with groups of people all around him, I go and talk to him, I become his friend. BUT it's not the best thing I can do for this person, because I one day will leave this small ward, but the other members will stay there. It's crucial that he becomes friends with someone who lives in the area, so that when I leave, he will still have friends.

And so although I love talking to someone alone, and feel great doing so, it is not as good as trying to get someone else to talk to him, or having a group invite him over.

Hermana Patiño is constantly recognizing those who are alone, and invited a few of them to come be with her and her group throughout the day. THIS was a fantastic example to me.

I also think that sometimes there are two types of people... Those who wait to be told what to do, and those who are constantly looking for little needs and try to fix them.

The first are good people, and might work hard, but only when told to.

The second has a talent im trying to develop more... If there is trash around, grab it! If tables need to be set up, set them up! if someone needs a friend, invite them to talk!

I challenge you to do the same!

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This week we´re a little bummed out because although Elder Holland came here to Mendoza, he only had enough time to have a big meeting with the local leaders, and not the missionaries :(

It's okay though, because it does mean great progress, a new stake, and hopefully even Bigger things close to being accomplished.

I listened to a great talk from the Prophet way before he was the prophet, President Nelson, that changed my view on a few things, and helped me finally understand some feelings I felt a long time ago. I invite you all to listen to it! It helps me learn the ever fascinating relationship between spirit and who we really are.. how to overcome ourselves.

One thing he mentions is putting Christ at the center of my life.

I think before my time here, I didn't really understand it.

But now, I try and put Christ at the center of my life. He is more important than all. Some might say that doing so lowers my importance on those closest to me, but I know that putting Christ at the center of my life raises my love for those closest to me.

Please listen to this talk.

1977_03_01_ADV_Nelson.mp3

I LOVE YOU ALL,

ELDER AMANN

This is how we cook in Argentina.

Party for 200

Argentine Autumn

Pretty sunrise

Argentine Pride

Monday, May 21, 2018

TOP 3 BEST WAYS TO DO MISSIONARY WORK

Here are the best things you can do to better help us as missionaries and your friends who need the gospel.

Lots of members don't realize how vital missionary work is to their own progression.

Bringing a friend to church helps you realize how important the gospel is, as well as how important the basics are!

Here are 3 OF THE BEST things you can do for us missionaries!

1. Challenge yourself to say "that´s what I love about my church" at least twice a week with non-members.

2. Invite to church. Invite, invite, invite. Say things like "why don't you come with me to church this week, it´ll be fun!"

3. Invite non-members and the missionaries over at the same time. Quick story about this, we visited a SUPER awesome member this week just to see her and talk, and she pulls us in and says "Elders, I have someone coming over RIGHT NOW you have to talk to her!" So within 2 seconds her friend, Eva, comes and we just talk for a minute and share a little about who we are and a quick prayer before leaving them to continue to do what they were going to do. She told us about her faith in God and how she recovered fully from TUBERCULOSIS with only a half of one of her lungs. It was AWESOME! AND we have a date to meet back up this week!

Now these tips are for those who plan on serving missions:

The mission is divided into six week segments. Six weeks is VERY little time. Within that time, you have to find people to baptize, teach them, set everything up, meet with members, organize meetings and plan activities etc.

It especially flies when those six weeks are divided into only six Sundays (Sundays are the days where everything counts because of church.)

Six days is not even a week.

This is a huge testament to how little time we have here.

Yesterday we were reading in the Book of Mormon during church something that I liked a lot.

Alma 32

38 But if ye neglect the tree, and take no thought for its nourishment, behold it will not get any root; and when the heat of the sun cometh and scorcheth it, because it hath no root it withers away, and ye pluck it up and cast it out.

39 Now, this is not because the seed was not good, neither is it because the fruit thereof would not be desirable; but it is because your ground is barren, and ye will not nourish the tree, therefore ye cannot have the fruit thereof.

The seed would be a new investigator. THEY ARE GOOD. But if they cannot be planted in good dirt because there the earth needs nourishing before it can be planted, THAT IS WHAT YOU NEED TO DO. It is the MOST effective use of resources and time.

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This week we heard the last testimonies of eight POWERHOUSE missionaries.

It's a very sad thing. But they moving on!

Mine´s coming soon too. I love this place. I know my Savior lives. I know He loves me and you too.

LOVE YOU ALWAYS,

ELDER AMANN

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a great Liahona

Our washing machine

Best food

Missionary jokes about electricity switches - but, no joke, Jesus is The Light.

STANDARD OF TRUTH of the BEST ZONE IN THE WORLD

Monday, May 14, 2018

CHANGES

SO we heard this week that President Holland is coming to talk to my mission in 3 weeks.

Also that our mission is going to become a technology mission?? Changes... anyway

We had a great week this past week, my little friend Aisha had her baptism with us! She´s an angel and a super sweet example to me. Every week she comes to church with her grandma and its super cute. It is awesome to hear someone who is 10 years decide to be baptized, and its super humbling.

I got to talk to my family yesterday, and it's strange because the next time I´ll see them, it will be in person... woah.

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"Repentance is not God´s back up plan, in case we mess up. Repentance IS the plan"

- A member in church yesterday.

Change is not passive. It is not something we can ask others if it has happened to us. We must be actively working towards it or it wont happen. Change is something SO essential to who we are that it is something we need to go through every day.

I love change, and I am so grateful for the opportunity I have had to come here and change some things in my life. This being said, it is an active change, I must be actively trying to have these changes in my life, because if not, I know it is possible for anyone or anything to go back to how it was originally. Praying daily is an active change. Reading the scriptures daily is an active change.

But I know change is worth it. We all just want to be better. Get there.

I know Christ is my savior. I know He makes it possible for me to change. I am learning a lot about Him. I know who He is, and am so grateful that I can share that with others.

Thank you, I love you all,

ELDER AMANN

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AISHA AND HER SIBLINGS

Aisha and her parents

My friend Nico.

Filling up the font :)

CAT ON MY BACK

Argentine ski season coming up

Monday, May 7, 2018

GRANT AND HIS GIANT PANTS

It's more important to me that my daughters will study than have pretty nails.

I'm more concerned about truth than visibility

I'm more worried about freedom than success

I'm more worried about responsibility than nutrition

More concerned about getting along than being right

More worried about feeling the spirit than feeling healthy

More interested in you brain than your face, your spirit than your body.

I'm more focused on doing my best than on results

I'm trying to be more outward than inward.

I'm trying to love more.

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This week I was advised that last week they opened Angaco and had the first church meetings ever there! Attendance was 5! I AM SO EXCITED! They continued yesterday and I am so excited to see how the church grows :) and to know that I actually played a part in that makes me feel somewhat helpful out here! hahaa

Here in Rodeo, Elder Richards and I are not the best missionaries. I am willing to bet there are other missionaries who laugh at the idea of us. But we had something special happen.

The members tell us that they are feeling a very special spirit that they haven't felt for years. They tell us that we are doing something, and that they are grateful. This of course makes me feel like I´m inadequate, and I feel so grateful for these people. I have felt a huge love in these past 2 weeks that I have missed a lot. These Argentine strangers make me feel so much love, so much peace, and all I can do is sit and be grateful. I love Argentina. I love my companion. I love my area. I love these members so much.

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Heres a talk I love a lot

https://speeches.byu.edu/talks/joseph-b-wirthlin_improving-prayers/

President Wirthlin tells us a mighty message of reliance on God.

President Ezra Taft Benson added:

This particular test seems like no test at all . . . and so could be the most deceiving of all tests.

Do you know what peace and prosperity can do to a people—it can put them to sleep. . . .

The Lord has on the earth some potential spiritual giants whom He saved for some six thousand years to help bear off the Kingdom triumphantly, and the devil is trying to put them to sleep. [Ezra Taft Benson, “Our Obligation and Challenge,” regional representatives seminar, Salt Lake City, 30 September 1977, 2–3, unpublished typescript; see also TETB, 403]

Prosperity can deaden us to spiritual things. It can give us the illusion of power. When we are sick, we can go to a doctor and get healed. When we are hungry, we can feed ourselves. When we are cold, we can get warm. In short, most of the problems of life we can solve ourselves—we can answer many of our own prayers.

Because of the relative ease many have in acquiring their daily bread, they can become deceived into thinking they are saviors unto themselves. In their pride and foolishness they feel they have little need of a Heavenly Father. They think little of the power that created the universe or of Him who gave His life that they might live.