Let The Sun Shine

Elder Vera (my trainer), Elder Murray, and Elder Jones say hello.

Argentina is very excited to be playing this Wednesday in the World Cup. I have a video of just the sound of the city after a goal and after the game. There are more fireworks during a football game than there are in the 4th of July fireworks in the whole Coachella valley.

Life is great. We made a desk out of a door and its like a throne for studying. In the picture below you can see Elder Vera studying this morning and the BEAUTIFUL view of our cerros to the West. The sun has only appeared 4 times in the total number of days I've been in Argentina so today being sunny is SUCH a blessing. Its 40-50 and sunny... BEAUTIFULLLL!

Our investigator, Carlos Almiron, is being baptized this Saturday! He is the golden investigator. I am so blessed to have been a part of his conversion process over the past 3 1/2 weeks. He is 16 and wants to serve a mission, but were trying to explain he need to be baptized first then go on a mission. He has made friends with all of the young men in the ward and goes to seminary now every week with them. (Seminary is a 1 night a week program in Argentina... maybe someone should talk to our seminary principle in the desert...)

The food here is very delicious... I wish I could explain every dish I´ve tried so you can make them at home, but I don´t have the time, or the blood in my fingers to type that fast (its freezing right now...)

On Friday we had a zone training in the chapel (4th of July). While waiting before the meeting, I sat down at the piano and played a few of the Patriotic hymns and sang with the other gringos in our zone. I would give anything for an ice cold slice of water melon and some spicy chips and salsa. HAMPTON PRIDE.

I don´t want everyone to think I'm on a vacation down here, so I will share one thing that has really made me appreciate the luxuries of the USA. We are advised to not share anything ¨personally sensitive or negative¨ for obvious reasons, but my attitude about this is defiantly not negative. I am extremely blessed down here - I sleep on a makeshift bunk bed. The mattress is similar to a trampoline that has lost its spring. I say makeshift because it´s just two beds staked on top of each other with the legs on the top bunk taped to the bed posts of the bottom bunk. I sleep next to the window that doesn´t shut all the way. When it rains... let's just say sleeping is difficult. My blanket used to be the rug for our shoes, but because I don´t have a blanket, we have repurposed them for a better cause.

Know that I AM TRULY TAKEN CARE OF DOWN HERE. I love my mission. I love Elder Vera. I love my life. I would not trade any of my difficulties for the comfort of the Desert. I know, with all the conviction of my heart, that the Atonement of Jesus Christ is real. It continues to change my life, and I have the privilege of watching it change the lives of the people of Argentina. I know my companion is MY companion. I have a testimony of divine revelation and inspiration.

I love you all, I miss you more, but I am not coming back... nothing could make me want to come back. I am a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. The only church on the face of the earth that has the authority and keys of the priesthood power of God. I am forever in the debt of my Savior, but will someday be able to embrace his open arms and thank him for what he has given me.

Letters would be great from my family. They take a long time, but I will respond to them more than I will respond to an email.

I love the pictures in my inbox.

Keep the faith, and forever be a missionary.

 Elder Devin G. Hampton