ARG SEMANA UNO!!!!

Yes, I am still alive. This is my first PDay in Mendoza. Sorry if this email is too long but so much happened and is different.

Anyway, we left the ATL airport at 9 pm and flew to buenas aires, it took about 11 hours, it was horrible. I slept really bad, and I couldn´t get comfortable. After the flight to BA we got in this van and drove to a national airport in BA that took us to Mendoza. There were 13 of us in our group, 9 gringos and 4 latinos we met up with in BA. 

Mendoza is nearing the end of winter, and it is not winter. Winter means 70 degrees and wind. So it´s gonna get really hot when summer comes around.

After we got to Mendoza we went to Pres. Goates house and had dinner. It was really good, mainly cause it wasn´t plane food. After, the van drove us to this hotel in downtown Mendoza. It was pretty nice actually. Me, Elder Parker, and Elder Hakes, (3 original from the mtc room) stayed in a room for 2 nights. During those first 2 days, we did some activities at the offices in Mendoza. We also went to Cerro de la gloria (you should look it up). Activities like in PM gospel and stuff. On Thursday we got companions.

My trainer-companion is Elder Leytton. He is from Santiago, Chile, and only speaks Spanish. He has been out for 21 months, so I have the awesome opportunity to kill my dad <I believe this means send your trainer home? - (I hope)>. He is pretty awesome. If I can figure out how to add pictures I will. But Elder Leytton is talented at Juggling. Like its awesome. He can juggle 4 balls and do all these tricks and stuff. He also is really good at soccer. I´ve been learning quite a bit from him this past week. Because he only speaks Spanish, I´ve been learning spanish really quick. Like its hard to write this email in engish right now. (Dad-- As a write this All My Love by Led Zeppelin is playing in this little shop of computadoras.) Yeah the gift of tongues is way real: Elder Leytton says I´m doing really well for my first week. So during language study, I teach him English and he teaches Spanish.

The area I am in is called Cementista B. It's part of the zone right in the actual city of Mendoza. so I didn´t have far to travel after they assigned companions. We´ve been visiting a lot of members, just getting to know them. we´ve taught a few lessons to people, but mainly just getting to know members is what we did this week.

There are 3 mission colors... Red, Yellow, and Green. Red means its really dangerous and only latinos can teach there. Yellow means its slightly dangerous, and only Elders can go, and Green means its tranquilo and anyone including hermanas can go. Cementista B is a yellow area. But really, it´s not that bad. As long as we get back to the pench (residence) at 9 we´re fine. And the dogs, oh the dogs. This is the most dogs I have ever seen. Every family has at least 2 dogs. And there are all these wild dogs that live in the street and stuff. they are cool. They mainly just lay there or sniff you, but if you look down a street, there are at least 20 dogs chillin in the road. Most of em just mind their own business but eventually I´ll get bitten. But yeah, Argentina definitely is a 3rd world country. There´s trash everywhere and it doesn´t look very pleasing. My pench has hot water and stuff so that´s good.

There is a Wal-Mart about 2 miles from our pench where we shop. I have a bunch of cereal and ramen and stuff, and it´s been good. I have felt really great every since entering Argentina. I haven´t been sick at all, it´s a blessing.

My first Sunday was Stake Conference, so it was cool. The entire stake in Mendoza is our zone. There were 18 missionaries in the conference and as many people as the old 2nd Ward and some. So we´ve got a lot of work to do.

The people here are awesome. They love talking to you. You just bring up something. especially futbol. they love it. yesterday we were gonna teach this man who is sort of investigating the church but the futbol game was just starting as we came in. There was no way we were gonna teach him, so we sat and watched the first half of an inter-argentine futbol match. It was super dope.

The food here is lo mejor de mi vida. the best of my life. We´ve eaten dinner and lunch with some members a couple of times, and they didn´t lie when they said the meat is good. Like rodizio grill on steriods. The dad of this family kept bringing out this meat and it was amazing. Pork and Beef are huge. And it put any meat in Utah to shame, no joke. I kept eating forever.

But yeah, the members are really cool here. This old woman offered to do our laundry. There is definitely no washing machine and dryer. its this bucket in the back of the pench. the woman does our laundry, but we have to wash our own garments. 

They weren´t lying when they said this was a walking mission. We walk everywhere. But when its too far, we take the collectivo, which is a big public transit bus. My shoes are holding up despite all the walking.

Yeah there is some culture shock but overall the gospel is the same through and through. Teaching is awesome. The people here are so humble that in reality, if someone answers the door, you´ll get in their house. They love talking about God with anyone. Even if they won´t accept it, they still love talking. And yeah we do have to clap to get into houses but it´s not because there isn´t a door, it´s because there are always gates surrounding everyone´s yard. During the night there is a lot of crime, so everyone has big fences surrounding the perimeter. If you want to knock, you just stand outside the gate and clap, and they normally hear you. And you can´t wear your watch or jewelry outside of the pench. Someone will probably steal it, thats how it is. Funny story, there is an Elder who was also born in Cementista B and he was robbed his first couple of weeks here. But the funny part is that the guy that robbed him only had like a butter knife and took like 20 pesos (2 dollars) and his watch. So that´s funny.

So yeah that´s basically my first week. It´s been awesome, and I think with time it can only get better! I am already in love with the Argentine culture. There will be hard times, but Pres Goates has a quote that I like---Sufrir con gozo.---suffer with joy. I´m excited to learn even more Spanish so I can talk with anyone here. But with time, it will come.

Remember, the Doctrine of Christ never changes. I´ve been studying a lot to be able to teach better. So I think I´m getting the hand of Argentina and stuff. My Spanish is basically my only barrier right now, but Elder Leytton (my dad) is doing a good job. I also met my mom (elder Leyttons last companion) and we just had some Burger King for our Pday lunch. It´s way funny, cause you can tell there is a lot of American influence. Like the song right now is Call me Maybe. No one here except the gringos understand what she is saying. It´s funny. But I love the Argentine people.

If I think of anything Ill write it in my next email. So cool beans. Exuse my grammar because this is my first time in a week using English and I´m using a Spanish keyboard so sorry.

That is all, have a great week!!!!!

Elder Anderson

Back row...barely visible - Typical Matt style.