Back To The Field ...It's White and Ready To Harvest!!!

So another transfer cycle ended. I am no longer Assistant to Presidente Chaparro. I get to train a new missionary and open a new area. I am still in Salta until Wednesday and then me and my new companion (when he gets here from the MTC) will head down to Tucumán together to open a new area. It will be a fun experience considering the fact that neither of us knows the area or have any idea what's going to happen. All I know is that I am so glad that this is the Lord's work and HE knows where everyone is, and who's ready to receive the blessings of being a member of the Church so the only thing we have to do is go to Him for help. All that being said, I have felt this weight over my shoulders and just a nagging feeling in my stomach these past few days. I want to be in my new área, ¡pero ya! My greatest desire is to be an instrument in the Lord's hand for these last 12 weeks, in the training of a new missionary and the baptizing sons and daughters of God. My lack of patience is the death of my faith, so I have been looking for every way to exercise my patience and faithfully continue forward with the Lord's help... It's been a slow couple of days.

My High: Juan baptizing Maria.. and then hearing the testimony of Maria after her baptism.

Love your Son,​

Élder Hampton | Misión Argentina Salta

Lifting Our Burdens Through Service

Good Afternoon,

We've been teaching an 85 year old lady named Ana.

We've been also visiting Raul a member who's been away from church for over 10 years.

I was praying 2 weeks ago trying to figure out getting Ana to church and her wheel chair and everything... and Raul name comes very clearly to my mind. He has a car. He doesn't do anything Sunday mornings... I wrote it down and moved on.

We were planning for the week and we get to Ana, and how she is going to get to church. I remember Raul and the very clear answer I had received the week prior.

We called him and asked him if he would help someone we were teaching get to church that Sunday.

It was silent for over a minute. He protested weakly and we told him "Brother, were not trying to get you to go to church. We need your help so that someone else will." Silence again.

He visited her with us Saturday night to arrange everything.

Sunday morning, he almost beat us to her house.

He lifted her from the wheel chair to the car and from the car to the wheel chair. He dropped us off at church and then drove away.

Church ended and he was waiting outside the door. He lifted her up and put her in the car. and then took us all back to her house to take her out again and put her in the wheel chair.

We asked him, while driving Elder Reynolds and I back to the church, if there was anyghint we could do to help him or him family. He responded "Keep doing what you have just done".

People stop going to church for so many reasons. The grand part of them being reasons very very small, that push us so very very far away from the Love and Unity we feel as active members in the Gospel (not church, but gospel... I am not talking about church attendance).

Serving others is one of the many ways the Lord uses to bless US. not the people we are serving, but US. Service has a way of lifting our own problems from our shoulders and for a few moments we are free to see the world as it really is and not how we think it is.

Keep the commandment and serve someone this week.

I love you all very much,

Élder Hampton | Misión Argentina Salta

Learn by Faith

Family and Friends,

Every other transfer cycle, Presidente and the assistants have a conference with each of the 10 zones in the mission. The conferences this transfer are focused on the Holy Spirit and His role in our work. I wanted to share a thought with respect to one of the principles we have be studying. I quote from a talk by elder Bednar titled “Learn by Faith”.

We firmly believe in the power and strength that comes through acting by faith. We believe in God and in His Son and know that they will guide us, but often times we find our self asking, questioning, or even doubting the faith filled footsteps before we even take them. We let uncertainty take the place of our faith and begin to search for evidences to anchor ourselves to instead of just acting. Elder Bednar explains how Faith is the evidence upon which we can anchor ourselves:

Assurance, action, and evidence influence each other in an ongoing process. This helix is like a coil, and as it spirals upward it expands and widens. These three elements of faith—assurance, action, and evidence—are not separate and discrete; rather, they are interrelated and continuous and cycle upward. And the faith that fuels this ongoing process develops, evolves, and changes. As we again turn and face forward toward an uncertain future, assurance leads to action and produces evidence, which further increases assurance. Our confidence waxes stronger, line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little.

We find a powerful example of the interaction among assurance, action, and evidence as the children of Israel transported the ark of the covenant under the leadership of Joshua (see Joshua 3:7–17). Recall how the Israelites came to the river Jordan and were promised the waters would part, and they would be able to cross over on dry ground. Interestingly, the waters did not part as the children of Israel stood on the banks of the river waiting for something to happen; rather, the soles of their feet were wet before the water parted. The faith of the Israelites was manifested in the fact that they walked into the water before it parted. They walked into the river Jordan with a future-facing assurance of things hoped for. As the Israelites moved forward, the water parted, and as they crossed over on dry land, they looked back and beheld the evidence of things not seen. In this episode, faith as assurance led to action and produced the evidence of things not seen that were true.

As we exercise faith though our actions, we find that “faith [becomes an], anchor to the souls of men, which would make them sure and steadfast, always abounding in good works” Ether 12:4. As we abound in faith-full works, that same faith becomes something tangible in our lives, to which we may secure ourselves and our families.

Faith is a requirement if we hope to receive divine guidance in this life, but it is also a left-over to spiritual experiences brought about by our faith (evidence of things not seen). It is at the beginning and the end. “Assurance, action, and evidence influence each other in an ongoing process”, and “These three elements of faith—assurance, action, and evidence—are not separate and discrete; rather, they are interrelated and continuous and cycle upward.”

Thank you for the emails and letters and packages. I read every single one. I don't respond to almost any of them, but know that they do get read.

I love you all,

Élder Hampton | Misión Argentina Salta

Elder Krasnoselsky Visits

Weekly Re-Cap:

My week was a long one. Elder Krasnoselsky (that was a fun name to practice for like 2 weeks to be able to say it without stuttering) one of the Area Seventy in Argentina made a tour around the mission this last week. Elder Rich and I were able to get to know him and his wife, Florencia; Such awesome people. I think the Lord decided the Church needed some “called and set apart” motivational speakers so He called them 70’s. Listening to 3 different conferences, I realized that the Lord truly está acá para ayudar a nosotoros. Side Note *Presidente is really Buddy Buddy with ALL of the area authorities in Argentina. The Church has a very tight network in Argentina. It was SO funny listening to Presidente and Elder Krasnoselsky speak to each other in “vos” or the “tu” form in Argentina. I can´t wait to be able to practice vos every day and be able to speak it with other people… It is so “close”. It represents such a closeness in the relationship.*

We finished the 12 kilos of Mango that we bought 2 weeks ago, and bought another 10 kilos, on Saturday for this next week… I have been very regular. Papaya is also VERY VERY delicious… not like the LG´s corner store special… Papaya has grown on me.

 “In the Book of Mormon there are over 240 instances of the word remember or forms of the word (such as remembered, remembrance, or forget not). Fifteen of these instances are in Helaman 5. What must we remember? (See Helaman 5:9; see also Mosiah 3:17.) Why is it important to remember?

Elder Spencer W. Kimball said:

“When you look in the dictionary for the most important word, do you know what it is? It could be ‘remember.’ Because all of [us] have made covenants … our greatest need is to remember. That is why everyone goes to sacrament meeting every Sabbath day—to take the sacrament and listen to the priests pray that [we] ‘… may always remember him and keep his commandments which he has given [us].’… ‘Remember’ is the word” (Book of Mormon gospel doctrine teacher’s manual/lesson-33)

This Saturday we will be baptizing Juan y Romina Caberos or Caveros, I don’t know which. First Husband and Wife Baptism…en 1 año, al Templo. Juan and Romina keep inviting new people to their house to listen to the lessons. Last night we invited on of their friends to be baptized, and she accepted. Love new convert referrals (well…almost new convert referrals).

Keep Calm and Keep the Commandments. “In this there is safety and peace”.

Peace Out Family.

Élder Hampton | Misión Argentina Salta

Where Do I Go For Peace?

I was asked a GREAT question: "Where do you go for peace?"

I thought I would share my answer with you guys:

If there was a physical place (within mission boundaries) that I could encounter peace, I have not found it yet. However, I do feel peace as I go to God which specific questions and workout with Him my understanding of His answers. That peace comes when He opens my mind to the knowledge and understanding that awaits on the other side of the veil. Not the veil of death, nor of forgetfulness, rather the veil that I believe God places between us and His reviled truths in order to keep them sacred and peaceful. This peace sometimes feels like a mental expansion or physical connection with those “things which are not seen, which are true.” I go to the scriptures to invite this peace, but it is not until I kneel down and vocally ask “with a sincere heart” that I am allowed to cross this veil and find peace.

Take time to find peace this week; not the peace of this world, but the peace Christ gives us.

I love you all.

Élder Hampton | Misión Argentina Salta

"Don't Cry For Me Argentina"

Hello Family!

Happy New Year! So this week’s Testimony Meeting had some very similar testimonies… 4 or 5 mentioned that they received a watermelon from “angels”… All of the rest of the members who received watermelons realized that they got watermelons from the same “angels” so after sacrament meeting, people stopped us in the hall and said “I KNEW IT WAS YOU GUYS!”… I didn’t really like all of the ward finding out that we gave watermelons to everyone… big scale surprises don’t stay surprises for very long… Not much you can do. I did, however, appreciate hearing that it made their Christmases brighter and that some of them were really in need for a spiritual pick me up. One lady said she opened the door, and before she even knew who it was from, started to cry (I thought Mom and this lady would be best friends) and just felt really grateful in her heart (yes… sounds like mom). 

Tomorrow, we have a Mission Leaders Counsel with all of the Zone Leaders and Sister Training Leaders in the mission. I always over think everything and get stressed out before hand for things like this… But then tomorrow it just feels like another normal day. I’ll be giving a training on “Personal Revelation through Prayer” and “Personal Revelation through the Book of Mormón”.

My Peruvian companion is trying to learn more English. He keeps repeating the line "Don't cry for me Argentina" all day long.... mercy...

I was reading the Liahona from November (we received it last week… “Don’t cry for me Argentina”) and the Insert about Elder Scott. He was the Mission President for the Argentina North Mission (my mission is only a part of what his mission was then). He related a funny story about his Assistants and how they messed up one time. I found comfort in the fact that I am not alone.

“Serving in Argentina, President Richard G. Scott was an efficient but compassionate mission president. One of his missionaries, Wayne Gardner, remembers having to make arrangements for a missionary conference located far from the mission home and being responsible to pick up President Scott from the airport. At the last minute, the building Elder Gardner had scheduled for the conference became unavailable. Then he and his companion were late getting to the airport to pick up President Scott. They also forgot to tell the taxi driver to wait for them and there were no other taxis, so they were stranded.

“Even though I could see frustration in the president’s eyes,” Elder Gardner recalls, “he put his arm around me and told me he loved me. He was so patient and understanding. I hope I never forget that lesson.”

As far as reading the Book of Mormon goes… Do It.

Don’t make excuses for not reading the Most Important Book we can ever occupy our time with.

Have a great week Family!

Élder Hampton | Misión Argentina Salta

Hot Humid & Happy

Before I start, let me thank you fro your emails and for your support. I love getting pictures and updates from everyone. Although I hardly ever respond, I do read every email and appreciate your love and support.

So my life moves very quickly. Days feel 48 hours long but never enough time to finish everything for the day; however, 11pm doesn’t come fast enough to be able to sleep. The weeks end faster than any individual day… they fly by. I’ve now been in Salta again for the past 6 weeks. President changed P-day to Monday so our office week is Tuesday – Friday. We now have one entire day to go “missioning” in our area. It’s great. This last week broke down like this:

 Last Monday – “Spiritual Preparation” to give a training in a Zone Leaders Conference.

 Tuesday – “Zone Leaders Conference” All of the zone leaders from the 10 “zones” we have in the mission came to Salta for a training conference. Hermana Chaparro, Presidente Chaparro, Elder Rich and I trained the missionaries on some aspects of “finding” people who we may teach/help/etc. After lunch, the zone leaders from Tartagal (the northernmost zone in the mission) back to their house and we spent the night with them.

 Wednesday – Elder Rich and I exchanged companions in Tartagal in order to further train and teach other missionaries (mostly learning from them… I don’t know in what I am “assisting” but I learn much more from other missionaries than I think they are learning from me). Tartagal is a VERY humid city. It’s just south of the Bolivia/Salta, Arg. border. THERE ARE MANGOS EVERYWHERE! I am not exaggerating by saying that the streets are LINED with mango trees. HUGE MASSIVE trees covering the entire area. It is very much a jungle. There is a constant hum of “Coyuyo” which are these ENORMOUS black bugs like the cicadas during the summer months in the desert. I went with Elder Mahowski from Chile in his area (Aguaray) even further north (just 15mins south of Bolivia). We met A LOT of people. While talking with a lady at her gate, I noticed a green thing moving in the backyard. IT WAS AN ANACONDA, nah, just kidding. It was just a huge green Iguana strolling along, eating little chicks and the eggs of all the wild chickens that run loose. I kind of lost my train of thought talking with the lady and was caught by the Iguana. The lady wasn’t interested in listening to us, she just wanted to talk so I pretended to listen to her and just watched the thing walk on by. It was sweet.

In the evening we were teaching a family who hadn’t gone to church for years, and one of the sons had never been present in one of the missionary visits. We were teaching him to pray and he said such an AWESOME PRAYER. It was so sincere. Well, while he was praying I heard this “flop” “flop” – I was really paying attention to Bruno pray. It wasn’t like my experience with the Lady and Iguana – I peeked my eyes opened to see what it was and I see this GIGANTIC Frog the size of football hopping along behind Elder Mahowski and me. I shut my eyes quickly knowing that I was in no harm. Bruno at the end of his prayer started to cry (I was glad I had paid attention). He felt like God had listened to him and really felt the Lord’s love for him. He was kind of overwhelmed by the experience so he started to cry. Not the Iguana nor the frog was quite as awesome as being a part of someone’s first prayer. Watching them be filled with Christ’s love is unforgettable. Ended the night by eating fried meat sandwiches back in the house of the Zone Leaders. Delicious.

 Thursday – We left Tartagal and headed to Embarcación, a city 2 hours to the south but 2 times more humid. I went with Elder Jones from Phoenix, Not the most productive day in my mission. I haven’t been so hot in a very long time. Even one of the most humid days in the desert doesn’t compare to how hot and humid it was. I took advantage of the opportunity to exercise diligence and patience. Having a sweaty drunk man hug me and breath in my face and in my ear really tries my patience. It’s hard to “minister” or be a “minister” in situations like that. I kept a smile on and just laughed with him and tried to just be very patient waiting for him to let me go. I felt good, walking away from the house, knowing that I was able to control myself and my emotions. We ended the day eating a Kilo of ice cream in front of their air conditioner in their room. Slept on a tempur-pedic, electrically chilled bed with Egyptian cotton 2000 thread count sheets. Indulgence baby.

 Friday – Woke up from one of the best night’s sleep and we drove 3 ½ hours to San Salvador, Jujuy. One the way, we passed some cool fruit stands set up alongside the route and realized that they were selling stuff that was growing just behind the stands. I pulled off the road and we headed into a plantain grove. Rows and rows of plantain plants with bunches and bunches of fruit growing off of every plant. Elder Rich is a little like the guy "Cameron" from the movie Ferris Buller’s day off, really nervous over just about anything. He didn’t like driving on “not so public” property without asking someone first. I loved the pictures. We left the grove, kept driving, took some pictures of bridges, and signs, finally getting to San Salvador, Jujuy.

We ate lunch with the Zone Leaders from Jujuy Centro Zone and then split up to go to work. I went with a very new Elder, Elder Osorio from Buenos Aries, Arg. We talked with a lot of people, taught 1 lesson and walked a lot. About 2 hours before we had scheduled to meet back with our companions it just stated pour down rain. We hadn’t had much success all afternoon (in terms of teaching lessons) and I was just praying that someone would let us in their house to get out of the rain. The past 2 days I felt like God had set up a “prayer answer hotline” in that every time I prayed to be guided to someone to teach, we found someone really receptive and that let us teach them a lesson. Now, sopping wet, patience being tried, feeling the success responsibility over my shoulders with this new missionary, I was pleading Heavenly Father for a miracle. Elder Osorio was talking with the church member who was with us, brainstorming to identify someone we could visit, and still praying in my heart the God sends us a miracle. They think of someone to visit and we start walking to her house. We ask everyone and anyone we see if they would be willing to let us come in their house and share a Christmas message with them; every single one of them politely declined. I didn’t get it… The last 2 days had gone off without any trouble. God had been answering my prayers left and right, I was beginning to wonder WHY He wasn’t answering. Rejection after rejection I began to think “Don’t these people see us?” “We are soaking wet. It’s raining. We are smiling. Are these people not normal kind people who offer, at least, to invite another in out of the rain?” I began to find fault in the people and in God for our lack of success, but just as I began to do so, I realized the grand mistake I had begun to make. I realized that my faith and my love had become VERY conditional, exercising faith and love only IF God, or these people answered my requests in the way and timing that I was demanding for. I asked for forgiveness from God and changed my mood towards the people who were rejecting us. We didn’t ever get invited into a house, but I ended the night much different than the way I had started it. I felt an appreciation for God and his patience with me. I felt humbled to be considered an example to Elder Osorio and other missionaries. I felt, yet again, the peace of being able to control my own body and emotions. Elder Rich and I drove back to Salta, getting home after midnight.

 Saturday and Sunday flew by.

 Today (Monday) – With a little Christmas money I received in my family’s Christmas advent calendar (thank you Dad), I took Elder Maldonado (my real assigned companion) golfing. It was his very first time ever playing golf. It was awesome to see the progress in his swing and understanding of the game. We walked the course with a caddy and really got to know him. His name was Mario. He wants to come to church with us on Sunday. I hope he makes it on Sunday. 

Elder Maldonado wanted to try Chinese Take-out so we ordered take out and are writing emails to our families.

 This next week we have to plan Transfers with Presidente and then get ready for next week (the sending/receiving of old/new missionaries)

 In two weeks we have 4 Christmas Conferences in the mission and CHRISTMAS! I don’t feel very Christmassy yet… I think I’ll make that my project this next week…

I love every one very much. 

Thank you for your prayers in my behalf. 

Élder Hampton | Misión Argentina Salta

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