A New Cousin!

It’s so awesome that I can share important family news with Elder Montgomery in real time…even if he’s technically only supposed to respond on Mondays. 

 

The Whitewash (Week 7)

Mon  9/25/23    9:33am

 Yuhhh, qué tal, what's good, all that. Hope yall have been feeling blessed this week. 

So, first full week in Pico, and my thoughts? Fabulous. The area itself is really cool; Elder Bain and I cover about half the city in hours, and it's still pretty large. We usually spend about fifteen minutes walking to get to the people we want to contact that day, mostly because we live in the center of the city, which is super cool, but no one lives there, so no contacting there. The suburbs where we actually do contact are super interesting. I feel like I've already been everywhere and seen everything in the area, but I'm somehow finding something new in it every day. Mostly a new stray dog. Crazy. 

So, as the title says, this is a whitewash, which means both me and Elder Bain are new to the area. So that's fun. We also haven't had missionaries in Pico for a few months, so the people who had been taught pretty much forgot it all. But it's fine, we're pulling them back in, along with a few inactive members. We also found a pretty great amount of new people this week, most of whom look pretty promising, and we were able to teach a few lessons too. Unfortunately no one we taught came to church yesterday, but it's chill, we'll get em next time. I'm super excited for these people though, and a few of them seem super excited about the gospel. So yeah, I love all these people a lot, and I can't wait for my Spanish to actually get good so I can participate in conversations lol. 

The members are all cool and pretty funny. Most of them are pretty patient with me, so that's nice. They have amazing thoughts and insights about the gospel and they love the church a ton. Super inspiring. They also make some banger food. Like, people. Asado. It is one of the best things I've ever eaten, and it's literally just meat roasted over coals. Seasoned super well though. There's also Milanesas, which are basically just fried chicken/pork, which is pretty good. I made some one night, and they ended up looking pretty similar to Chick-fil-A filets. I've just got that magic touch. 

So, my Español. I think I might have already mentioned this, but I understand pretty much everything up until someone asks me a question. It's legit terrifying when we're at lunch with a member, and they're like talking about their missions or their families or something, and then all of a sudden, one of them looks at me and says something and the whole room turns and looks at me at the same time, and I have no idea what to say until Elder Bain translates for me real quick. It has gotten a lot better though, and I've developed a bit of the accent already. Which basically just means I use 'sh' instead of 'll' or 'y'. So yeah, I'm pretty cool. I do fine while we're teaching lessons, but there's been a few moments where I want to say something, but I don't know the word for it, which frustrates me a little, but it's all good. I've also felt my mouth filled with the correct words during lessons, it's wild. Legit already realizing could never do this without the Lord and His support. Every good thing has come from Him, I know that. And there's been a lot of good things. 

That's kinda been it this week, sorry for not having any crazy stories yet. But again, this is legit the first week. So um yeah, love you guys, stay safe, pray often, and have a great week!! (Also, if yall have any questions for me, email me personally, and I'll respond. Responding to replies to the weekly would take literally my whole pday sometimes lol)

Élder Montgomery 

Pichurs:

1: The Chick-fil-A-ish Milanesas

2: Me and Elder Bain at the City's Sign

3: Just me and Elder Bain

4: Cathedral in the center of the city

5: Terry Bogard Sea Salt Soda. No, unfortunately I didn't get it

6: Extreme Close Up of the HLJ (Hasta Lo Justo) ring I got at the CCM

7: The four Pico Elders piled in the back of a car. Because why not. (If I hadn't mentioned, we share an apartment with the Elders over the other half of Pico. Elders Norton and Nieto) 

8: All the Facturas

First Video Call from Argentina and Pics with President & Sister Mardsen

It was so good to talk to our misionero today! He survived his long, crazy trip and is getting settled. He and his companion are sharing their apartment with another pair of elders. This is basically the first time there has been 2 sets of elders/2 areas in General Pico, so Matt and his companion, Elder Bain, are basically opening a new area. Pretty cool. 

We talked to him for almost 2 hours. 

Then afterwards, there was a post on FB from Sister Mardsen, welcoming all of the new missionaries to Bahía Blanca. 

Look Out New World, Here I Come (Week 6)

Mon  9/18/2023  12:11pm

Brave, intrepid, and then some. If you're cool, you'll get that. Or not. Whatever. 

So, I'm sure most if not all of you know that I'm in Argentina at this point, and while I'm sure you all want to hear everything about it, I still have a week of CCM to report about. So imma do that. 

Alright, so last week in the CCM. It was honestly pretty awesome. There were a couple days where we all tried to do them Solo Español, and that lasted about until lunch, but we were still able to get our points and ideas across to each other. We did some Español grammar testing, and I somehow did well on that. Felt nice to know I've progressed. 

If anyone wanted a scoring on the CCM food, it's 5/10. Very mid. At least they have milk boxes with every meal. I may or may not have drank a half gallon of milk with one meal one time. 

Um anyways, I don't think I described how Sunday works there. Basically, everyone in the zone writes talks and the branch president calls up three or four of them to speak in Espanol for like five minutes. The whole time, no one in our district had gotten called, until the last Sunday, when they called me up. Bruh. At least I dropped the most banger talk about the Atonement (Alma 7:11 baybee). AFTER giving a talk though, Elder Noall and I taught the lesson for the elders that day. Out district also did two special musical numbers during sacrament meeting. They really wanted to see me before I left I guess. 

They didn't really do anything for 9/11, which I expected, so I coerced the people in charge of our house devo to have us sing the National Anthem for it. It was amazing hearing nearly 26 dudes all belting the National Anthem. One of them also had a flag on a keychain. I felt so freaking patriotic, which also made me realize that when I feel patriotic, I feel the Spirit. I love America.

The last day was pretty much a testimony meeting all day. And a lot of singing of God Be With You Til We Meet Again in Español. We all finished packing, I somehow got everything packed, even with all the extra stuff they gave me. I also bought like four of these oreo tube things with the rest of my tienda cash. Freakin lit. But yeah, then we got on a bus at like five in the morning, and then we were outta there. Also saw some people off at one in the morning, so I got like zero sleep that night.

Now, onto travel stuff. First, hour bus ride to the Mexico City airport. Nothing crazy. Then, a nine hour flight to Buenos Aires. Longest. Nine hours. Of my life. At least they served us a banger hot breakfast and lunch, french toast sticks and pasta. I did finish the last Saints book on the flight. Those books are so good. Next, a nice gentleman in Buenls Aires took us to the legit nicest hotel I've ever been to, we ate some AMAZING beef and potatoes, took a four hour nap, (I didn't, everyone else did) and left for ANOTHER airport for a two hour flight to Bahía. Oh yeah, in between all these flights, we are waiting anywhere from 3-4 hours as a layover. Lovely. We finally touch down in Bahía, meet President and Hermana Marsden and the APs, take a thirty minute bus ride to the Iglesia, and we're officially in our mission area. On a quick side note, driving to the city reminded me of Idaho a bit: flat, brown, and nothing. Bahía has a lot more trash in the road. And on the side of the road. And everywhere. ANYWAYS, met with Prez, ate some BANGER empanadas, got assigned to the General Pico 2 area in the Santa Rosa Zone with an Elder Bain. I was psyched. 

Alright, act 3. So, assigned to General Pico, was told I was leaving for it at midnight. So I go to the AP's casa, take a quick nap, meet Elder Bain, and then we hop on a bus and head to Santa Rosa, which is about four hours away from Bahía. Guys, my area is the size and shape of Texas. Freekin massive. Okay, then, we get to Santa Rosa, one of the companionships there meet us at the bus station, take us to their place, take another nap, get up, see if we can get another bus to Pico, about two hours away, and all of them leave at six that evening. Fab. So we spent that day helping out the elders we had roomed with until six. I was with a Latino named Elder Tapia. Bro is a stud. He speaks English really well, so he helped me out whenever I said something wrong in Español, which was pretty often. I didn't say too much to the people we met, but I understood most everything they said, which was cool. We did make it to Pico safely, we're sharing pension with a couple other elders, both of whom are super cool, one is Latino, so solo Español cada día en mi casa, pero esta todo bien, necesito aprender mucho. But yeah that's my travel. It was crazy, I was stressed and running on about three hours of sleep, but I'm safe and glad I'm here finally. 

Yesterday was the first day in the area, and it was pretty dope. We went to sacrament meeting first and met the people in the ward. Literally everyone here is super friendly, but the members even more so. Elder Bain and I introduced ourselves to them and I actually spoke Español well. Super awesome. Then we went  and ate with some members who were super nice and the food was amazign, AND THEN we went out and attempted to meet all the people who had been taught in the area. A lot of them were home and up for another meeting or lesson, but a lot more of them weren't home or were pretending not to be. Elder Bain and I are both nee to the area, so it'll be a bit difficult for both of us at first, but he says after a week or two, we should be alright. The weirdest thing about all of this is that I don't feel nervous or stressed about anything. I just know that the Lord is going to help me with everything, whether it be meeting people, teaching lessons, or hablando Español. 

That'll lead me into a bit more of a spiritual rant. Recently, I've been kind of receiving revelation through song lyrics, usually from hymn verses, being repeated in my head. The two biggest things in the last week are from: First, the last verse of Praise to the Man, which says, 'Sacrifice brings forth the blessings of Heaven.' I've definitely felt that to be true and I know that as I sacrifice more of myself and my time to the Lord, that I will be blessed. Second, idk what the song is called, but there was this reggae song my dad liked at one point, and the chorus went like, 'If Jah's (God) on my side, then why should I be 'fraid?' Again, totally felt that to be true. There is no fear here, only the Spirit. It's amazing. I've also started incorporating Hymns into my study just so that I can have more material to be brought to my rememberance. I love music, yall. OH YEAH THAT REMINDS ME! An Elder in district 1H asked us to write our own verse of I Believe in Christ, and this is what I wrote: 

I Believe in Christ,

He's paid my fee.

Through all my pain,

He stands by me. 

I've seen His hand,

In all my days. 

It lifts me from

My sinful ways.

I Believe in Christ, 

His love is pure.

For sickened Earth,

It is the cure.

From lowest low,

To highest height,

I'll teach of Him 

With all my might.

I wrote that within an hour of him asking us to. Anyways, this email is flipping huge and my fingers are tired. So love yall, I'll email next week, yes, Pdays are Monday from now until forever. 

Until next time,

Élder Montgomery

Picturesssssss:

1: Districts 1G and 1H with our Assistant Branch Prez

2: Got a Hispanic CTR ring in the tienda

3: Me n Elder Noall underneath the Argentinian flag. 

4: 1G with our actual Branch Prez

5: Personal Study Moment 

6: Us with one of our teachers, Hermano Limón

7: The best meal I ate in the last six weeks

8: We're heeeeere

9: You wish prices were this good. It's legit 50 cents in American.

10: Breakfast this morning.

More to come next week. I hope. 

He Made it to Bahia and Found out His First Area

 

He Made it to Argentina!

Elder Montgomery et al left the CCM early this morning and caught a 10am flight from Mexico City to Buenos Aires. It was a 9 hour flight, and with the time change, it was about 10pm in Argentina when they landed. 

He messaged Michael just before midnight NC time to let us know that they made it to BA safely, and that they’re staying in a Howard Johnson hotel for the night before taking a quick flight (he thinks) down to Bahia Blanca to the mission home tomorrow. 

And he got a good meal too. Always good to know that your boy is safe and being well-fed!

 

Last Post from the CCM