Happy July!

Happy July!

It’s my turn to write.  The time is going by so quickly.  Hard to believe that it is the middle of July.  We celebrated July 4^th by treats and singing our National Anthem and singing the Argentine National Anthem (their Independence day is the 9 which was a holiday) in our lunchroom.  You know me, here I am singing our National Anthem with tears rolling down my cheeks.   It always touches me but this year more than ever being away from home.  We love it here but it’s still not home but is our home away from home.  We have taken so many things for granted living in a free country.  We are truly blessed.

  The economy here is really taking a hit.  When we arrived the US dollar was worth 17 Argentine Pesos.  Last week it was 28 pesos to one American dollar.  That’s like 40% inflation.   Anyway it is hard to see their economy when most of the people are poor and those that work are on a fixed income and their wages aren’t going up.  The young adults, families and leaders in the wards are really working to better themselves.  Many of the employees in the area office are working to learn English.  When they can speak English they are able to get into the Pathway program.  Once they complete it gives them an opportunity to get into online college at BYU Idaho and some even come to the states to school.  This gives them so many more options.

    The church is strong and growing.  We are keeping busy, with focus on temple and families for the Concepcion Temple will be dedicated in Oct.   It will be an opportunity for the people to see a temple.  We also are focusing on welcoming people and letting them know just what our church is about.  

    This month we have had the opportunity to attend a concert in the Teatro Colon and also one in a Jewish Synagogue. The Symphony Orchestra at the synagogue was really touching, a group of approximately 40 youth from Brazil.  They were youth who were from the slums and had been given the opportunity to join the orchestra.   Most of them had either lost or had a family member affected by violence or drugs.  It was amazing to listen to them and see the hope in their eyes and the determination to make a better life.  We were also able to go to El Ateneo Grand Splendid, which is a theater converted into a bookstore.  It was amazing.  4 floors with a central mezzanine you can look down and up to a painted ceiling.  The stage is a small restaurant.   Impressive.

  We are enjoying the city and getting to see more and to meet more people all the time.  We love the people, also the members in our ward and the people that we work with.  We are able to go to the temple monthly and that is a blessing as well as enjoy having the missionaries come to our house for dinner.  It brings back memories of how much young men can really eat.  It is fun to share their experiences and love for the gospel and to practice Spanish for me, and English for them.

  We hear the weather is hot in Utah. It is winter here but will start warming up in the later part of August. 

  We send our love and prayers to you all.  We love you and are doing well, healthy and happy.  We are so grateful that we chose to come on a mission and so appreciative of all your love and prayers.  Our testimonies are strengthened daily by the experiences and knowing that we have a Heavenly Father that loves and knows each one of us individually.  What a blessing! Families are forever and the gospel is true.

Enjoy one another and take good care of each other. 

Abrazos!

Elder and Hermana Dalby, Grandpa & Grandma, Dad & Mom, & Ron & Helen

Bookstore

Buenos Aires Park, night, and Spanish

Jewish Synagogue

Teatro Colon

4th of July

Missionaries

Happy Fathers Day #13

   If we keep writing posts on major holidays, we will have to step it up for the 4^th of July which is only in a couple of weeks.  Then it’s Labor day…..

    We want to wish a happy Father’s Day to everybody and specially the men in our family.  I am grateful for 4 kids and the opportunity I have of being a dad and grandpa.  I’m especially grateful for how wonderful my 4 kids that are fathers are.  I am so proud of how you take care of your family.

     Our temple recommends expired and so we got to go through the local bishopric counselor and the stake president to get them renewed.  So now we have a recommend that says “La Iglesia de Jesucristo” on them for the next couple of years.   

     We saw the Colon Theatre, apparently one of the great opera houses of the world.  Quite the place.  Also went to the Museum of Fine Art.  The museums are mostly free here and I suppose art lovers would like to go through a museum and see paintings by Monet and Degas.  For me, it is something that I can say that I went through an art museum and saw paintings by some famous guys.  It is a beautiful city and we really love being here.  We went to a gaucho ranch with the senior couples and got to get out of the city and see some shows and horsemanship exhibitions.

    We had a chance to go to the temple with the senior couples and the Area Presidency as they went for the final time as a presidency.  We also took the departing executive secretary couple to the airport.  They had become good friends and it was hard to see them go, but it is kind of like the old song about life being a merry go round, some get on and some get off.

    We enjoyed Pres. Nelson and his wife’s devotional with the youth.  We are far removed from being youth, but believe that if the prophet says it, it should apply to all of us.  I even stopped being on Facebook for a week, but I also heard him say that it was a good thing for us to post good saying which is something that I have been trying to do for a while, which really helps me to think of good things to think about and to say to others and hopefully will touch some hearts out there.  We have great and responsive family and friends and it is good to see others doing the same thing.

    We try to watch a conference talk every night before we go to bed, and it is a great way to go to sleep with some good counsel in your mind.  Sister Eubanks said that she tries to incorporate in her prayers to know what is the most important and best thing that she can do that day when she wakes up and others have said to pray for somebody to serve that day, so we have been trying to make that part too.  It makes a difference and lets you focus on what is important.

    We aren’t the best journal writers but would highly recommend the counsel that after a prayer or when you wake up in the middle of the night and have a thought that you write it down.  Some have suggested having a pad of paper and a pen by the bedside.  I thought it would be just as easy to have the phone right there and just open it to a note and write down what you are thinking, but you either have to turn on the night lite to see what you are writing or you hit the button on your phone and are blinded by the screen and then try to thumb out a note, you get some pretty interesting notes to read in the morning.

   Anyway, we are here to testify that if you write it down, get it straight in the morning and then act on it as soon as you can, great things happen.  We have seen miracles.  Heavenly Father knows us, knows who we are and is anxious to help us.

    Thank you so much for all your love and prayers.  It makes it possible for us to be here and to accomplish the things that we do.

Love,

Ron and Helen

President & Sister Teixeira

We will always remember and cherish their love, Christlike example

and service to the South America South Area and us.

Happy Mother's Day!

Wow it is hard to believe that it is the middle of May.  What a great day.

First and most important want to wish all a Happy Mother’s Day especially those who have had such an impact on our lives.

I’m thankful for 4 great kids and families who have given me an opportunity to be a Mom and Grandma.   We have unconditional love for each and the happiness of seeing our children grow into adults and the way they treat each other and their families brings us amazing joy.   We are indeed blessed, and our children have turned into such amazing adults, parents and friends.   I am grateful for Ron’s Mom, her example, love and dedication and for raising such an amazing son.  I’m grateful for my Mom who always believed in us and had such great love and never said a bad word about anyone, never complained and was always happy and grateful for what she had, teaching the importance of family and hard work.  What a legacy we have been given.  We hope you are all enjoying your day! 

 We have been keeping busy.  It is hard to believe that we are over the 6-month mark.  The time has really passed.  The weeks just fly by. 

Russ and Lainie came to Argentina the end of April and we were able to go to Iguazu Falls with them.  It was wonderful, the area is beautiful and it was so good to visit with them and be with family.  They were celebrating their 20^th anniversary and visiting the area in Salta that Lainie served on her mission.  Iguazu was absolutely breath taking.   We were there when there was a full moon so also took the night tour of Devil’s Throat.   It was as amazing  - a whole new perspective.   We had 20K steps that day, but was worth every one of them.

We have many things going on in our area right now.  We will be getting a new Area Presidency the first of August.  We will miss Pres. Teixeira and Elder Packer but will welcome Pres. DeHoyos and Elder Valler and we get to keep Elder Bragg. 

Pres. Teixeira will be one of the 70’s presidents starting the 1^st of August.   He is a kind man with such a Christ like spirit, love of the gospel, leadership and abilities to help and serve the worldwide church.  What a wonderful opportunity it is for us to serve here with them. 

We are making many fun memories.  Discovering many places in Buenos Aires, fairs, food, friends, missionaries and sites.    It is a big city 15+ Million people and the transit system is amazing.  The park with the statue of the dedication of South America by Melvin Ballard is only .5 mile from where we live. We are loving our time in Argentina, learning more and more each day loving these wonderful people.  This is probably one of the hardest things we have done but also one of the most rewarding.  It is amazing to realize that you don’t need many things to be happy and serve, although we did miss our hot water for 4+ days.  Was like camping in our apartment.  Glad we had water and a stove to heat it on.   Life is pretty simple.  Just having faith that all will be well and knowing that we are children of a Heavenly Father who loves us makes it worth it.   The gospel is true and He cares for each and every one of us.  He does have a plan. 

 If you are thinking of a mission or a senior mission, please don’t hesitate, just do it.  It is a way to share the gospel, enjoy each other, and show thanks to our Heavenly Father for the many blessing that we have received.  We promise you that you will be blessed and you will love the time and experience.  We are grateful we are here.  If you are not able to go minister where you are. Our neighbors and communities need all of our love and service.  You love those you serve and it can be done in so many simple ways.  A hug and a smile go a long way.

Enjoy your summer.  It is cooling down here and the leaves are starting to fall, a beautiful time of the year.

Thank you for your love and support!   We love you! 

Abrazos,

Dad & Mom

Grandpa & Grandma

Elder & Hermana DalbyJ

Ron & Helen

END OF APRIL LETTER #11

   Another month slips by and we need to get things updated.
   I think that everybody would agree that last Conference was one of those that you only get to see once in a lifetime.  We have had conferences with multiple apostles being put in, and most of us remember when President Monson became the new prophet (and many of us remember other prophets being put in) but certainly there have not been many with such sweeping changes and feeling that the work is really hastening and this is a great opportunity for all.
    We know that the combining of the priesthood quorums has been a long time coming.  Even the wards in Utah where there are a disproportionate number of high priests will certainly be blessed by combining the talents of so many.  Here there are just a couple of high priests and it seems inefficient to have two people go off by themselves.
    It’s great to see the young women being brought into the action part.  It had never even occurred to me (Ron) that the young men were actively involved not only in their priesthood callings with the sacrament and fast offerings, but as home teaching partners and the same opportunity had not before been given to them.  It will be great.
    But one of the best things is the ministry part and we were especially touched by the emphasis on seeking the companionship of the Holy Ghost.  We are reminded of the time when Christ visited the Nephites and how long and hard the people here prayed for the Spirit to be with them.  Pres. Nelson laid things out very specifically the steps to take to get things working and that is something that everybody is going to need.
    They are very excited here for the new temple in Concepcion that will be dedicated the end of October.  It gives us a boost here with out program, especially in the Concepcion missions to have some open chapels with an emphasis on temple work and especially for the opportunity of going to the temple open house for the people in that area.  They said that it is a very unique building, one that not only has pneumatic pillars in the foundation, but one that actually “floats” on some kind of new foundation so that it is very resistant to earthquakes which have been a problem in that area.  They had had a very strong earthquake just a few months after the temple had been announced and they took that into consideration when they did the construction.
    We were invited to participate in the interim mission president’s seminar here in Buenos Aires and even give a presentation on the Chapel Open House program.  We had the opportunity to meet every one of the 28 mission presidents in the area, to visit with most of them and even have lunch and dinner with several of them.  We are so in awe of these mission presidents.  They have such an enormous job of trying to get people to come to Christ, overseeing 150 young people, keeping them busy and healthy and safe and growing and maturing in addition to all the supervision work that they have to do with the districts and the stakes, knowing that they are the direct leaders of the districts and branches in the missions, and dealing with the governments and the paper requirements.  Like one of the mission presidents said, “they call mission presidents only for three years, because they have proven that three years is the maximum amount of time that you can go without sleep”.
    But the best part of the seminar was the chance to listen to the Area Presidency talk about important things, the basics of the gospel, the Book of Mormon, observing the Sabbath day and other topics to help the mission presidents inspire their missionaries to do their best.  We have been blessed beyond measure to work with Pres. Teixeira, to see his spirit and vision of the work.  He was called to be one of the Presidents of the Seventy and will be leaving the end of July.  Benjamin de Hoyos was called to be the new President of the Area August 1 and know that he will be a great addition to this area.
   The presentation to the Mission Presidents on the Open Chapel program went well, we think.  Helen gave a wonderful testimony and we have had feedback from the mission presidents which has been very positive.
    Russ and Lainie are coming out next weekend for their 20th wedding anniversary and it will be great to get to see them and spend a little time with them.  Lainie served in Salta Argentina and they will be going there as well as getting together with some of her companions.
    We love it here – the people are so wonderful and kind to us.  We are looking to minister better and help the members make this Open Chapel program work so that more and more of their friends and neighbors get a chance to see what a blessing that the gospel can be.
    We love all our family and friends and hope that this year is great, that you enjoy and summer and spend time with your family to deepen those bonds.  It’s true, we know it is and are so grateful to be serving here.
   Love you! 
Mom and Dad
Grandma and Grandpa
Elder y Hermana Dalby

     

 Mission President's Conference - Buenos Aires, Argentina

March Letter

Here it is almost the end of March.  Time is going by so quickly and we keep going to write and something comes up.  Our resolution is to be better.

We have had a great month.  It has been busy and we are enjoying ourselves.  We keep busy with our Mission and activities with the senior couples. We enjoyed having 4 missionaries over for Sunday dinner.  Brought back many memories of seeing how much teenage boys could eat.  It is so fun to visit with them and have them give us a message.  2 English speakers and 2 Spanish.  So I am getting to practice my Spanish.

The weather is starting to feel like fall.  And when we get rain it really comes hard.  Friday night had hail that made dents in about 75% of the mission cars.  We were lucky ours was parked in a garage. 

 We even got to see our first horse race. It was a food truck fair at the Hippodrone.  Which is a racetrack. It was fun to watch and memories of going to a horse race in Panguitch.  We love to watch and be with the people.

The open chapels are keeping us busy.  We now have 425 scheduled for the year and had 78 just in March.  We had the opportunity of traveling to Chile and also Mendoza to meet with our Mission Coordinators and to attend Capillas Abiertas and training.  It is so great to see the gospel in action.  It was fun flying over the Andes and seeing even a little snow after a hot summer. Also seeing how big Buenos Aires really is   It goes for miles and miles, about 16+ million people. 

Also small world.  Our driver in Santiago Chile was on the same mission as Lainie and remembers Sister Chapo and also Spencer Clark. He is a driver for the transfers and missionaries.

Mark Lowrance’s son Caden is in Santa Fe on a mission and one of our senior Missionaries ran into him. 

We had a Pascua (Easter) campaign with a picture of Christ and the family search logo.  They put these on the back windows of 50 buses throughout the city for 2 weeks.  So many people are seeing them.  It is amazing the strong family ties and how everyone wants to know about their ancestors.  It seems that each missionary has their story of how things worked so that they could serve.  It shows our Heavenly Father knows each one of us and has a plan for us.

As we approach Easter and Conference we would like to express our love and appreciation for our Savior.  That he died for us and through His atonement we all will be saved.  It is true and so important for us to share and live our lifes as He would want us to.  We are looking forward to listening to Conference and participating in sustaining our new prophet Pres. Nelson

Thank you for all your love and prayers.   We love and miss you but know we are where we are suppose to be in this chapter of our lives. 

Abrazos,

The story of Allen

   Allen stood confidently at the front of the room.  The walls were covered with pictures of gospel prophets, scenes from the Book of Mormon, the Plan of Salvation, the three degrees of glory and other gospel themes.  The pictures and posters he had cut out and created himself. 

   His hair was combed, he wore a white shirt and tie and dark slacks, his shoes were shined, and he smiled at the group before him.  He began speaking and the Spirit filled the room, touching the hearts of everyone there.  He talked about the scriptures, holding each book up reverently, and flipped open pamphlets, briefly explaining what each contained and how it contributed to the gospel.  He pointed out prophets on the walls, speaking like they were lifelong acquaintances, briefly touched on the plan of salvation and what it meant to all.

    He paused for a moment, then quietly and powerfully bore his testimony of the truthfulness of the Gospel.  Not a person doubted his belief in the words he spoke.  Some wondered how long it would be until he would be outside his home town, preaching the gospel.   

    Answer:  6 years.  Allen just turned 12.   His father, inactive, his mother a nonmember.  Allen lives in a tiny town called Tunuyan, about an hour outside Mendoza, Argentina.  The Tunuyan branch has about 50 members.  Allen showed up at the door of the chapel a couple of years ago and told the bishop “I felt like I was supposed to be here.”

He has been a force for good ever since.  A sister in the ward took him to the temple in Chile last month where he did 24 baptisms for the dead.  “It was the greatest thing ever,” he smiled, his eyes shining. 

     With youth like that, the Church is in very good hands.