He Finally Arrived

Hello family! I´m here now! Alright so it takes a long time add pictures on here so i´m going to make you a cd and send it to you! Alright, so Tuesday we left at around 9 in the morning. We drove to the airport and were on our way. It was only about a 30 min flight. really short! We got off the plane, got our luggage and went out and met the President and his wife and the assistants. We then drove to a little park that over looked the ocean and the city of Montevideo and took pictures. It was beautiful! We then drove back to the Presidents house and had a little slide show and talked about the mission for a while. Then we had an amazing lunch! Potatoes and gravey, and we got ice cream and brownies too! The presidents house is really nice, probably the nicest house in all of uruguay. After that we then talked some more and then went to a temple session. The temple is beautiful! Wow, i cant even describe it! After the temple we went back and talked some more and had interviews with the president and ate pizza. Then we went to the Hotel on the temple grounds to sleep. Its for members who travel long distances just to come to the temple. This place was really nice! Wednesday we got up and went to get a mini physical from the doctors here at about 9. I think it was to see if we are helthy enough to live in the country. After that we went back to the house and met out trainers (1st companion). Mine is from Paraguay and doesn´t speak any english. I´m the only one out of our group that recieved a latin companion and one that does not speak any english. I was feeling a little overwhelmed and scared but i think i´m over it now. We then went and took our stuff to the offices in montevideo. There we took some pictures, which you will get in a cd, and then went procelyting for about an hour. We then got back and took our stuff to the bus station and headed on our way to my first area! It was about a 5 hour bus ride. The area in which i am at is call Paysandú. We live in an apartment with the Zone leaders on the 11th floor. We can see Argentina from the other side of the River! Its pretty cool! Thursday we had our first Zone meeting. It was good, I gave my first blessing there, i was really nervous but it turned out alright! After that we went and did some service, we walked about 30min to this members house out in the country. They kinda have a small little farm! We painted the inside and part of the outside of their house. It was good! Its really hot here! Man i´m dying! Friday we went and bought some food and got settled in and procelyted all day. It was good, we visited a few less active members and just started to get fimiliar with our area. Saturday we did the same thing again. The people here live in really smaill cement boxes. We are so lucky to live where we do. We have so many things to be thankful for. This thanksgiving will be different for me knowing all the things which we have that no one else does. There is this one single mother who was baptized in may who has 4 children under the age of 8. She doesnt have any running water in the house and has this really disgusting outhouse for a bathroom. I was holding back tears after we left her house. I wanted to help so bad but i know there is not much i can do. It is definately different down here. Especially in our appartment, I wont go into detail but just know that i am still having trouble adjusting to everything. Sunday we went to chuch and i had to speak. I just shared my testimony and introduced myself. There was only about 30 people who attended church. There are alot of inactive people here. I think our goal will be to start bringing members back to church. After church we ate lunch and then headed back out to go procelyting again. Every day feels the same here lol! We visited another less active member and that was the second time I used my priesthood authority t bless someone because she was sick. That is basically my week! I got your package and letters! Thank you so much for them all! I love the cds and the pictures and especially the candy! Nick, great job on your arrow of light! That is awesome buddy! I love you so much! I was a little sad i missed it though :( If you can, please send me some US stamps in a letter so I can letters home through pouch asap! Also, if you could send me my Long Beach hat that would be great too! I want to give it to this 18 year old member who said he likes it when he saw a picture of our family in sand diego. When you send packages make sure you put pictures of Mary on it. For some reason they don´t care if packages have Jesus on it. Also send it through the post office through a flat rate package box or envelope and make sure it under four pounds. If its not that okay but it will get here the fastest when you follow those guidelines. I also have an email address that i forgot in my appartment that you can write a letter to me and they will print it out at the offices and send it to me each week. I will give you the address next week! I cant wait to call home in about a month! I´m looking forward to hearing from all of you! I miss you all and love you so so so much!!!! Make sure to thank our Father in Heaven for all our many blessing. We live in such a great part of the world. Wow i cant even tell you how lucky and blessed we are. Well, i´m excited to be working here and serving the Lord. This is definately going to be the hardest thing i have ever done, and a huge testimony builder. Thank you for everything mom and dad, i love you so much! I will be looking forward to hearing from you next week! I love you all very much! I will get that picture cd to you as soon as possible!
Love always, Elder Mitchell A. Williams

He speaks to his Nephew's

Well this is the second to last letter you will be getting from me from Argentina!!! Man am I excited! I can´t wait to go to Uruguay! Thank you for all the letters and emails, i love reading about everyone and how they are doing. It makes me happy! I can´t believe its election time. Its going to be a mess. I guess we just have to ¨grin and bear it¨ It will all work out in the end! Like Elder Nielson said to us missionaries, look to the future with hope! Thats the best thing we can do. And also prepare, physically, mentally, and spiritually. Last Saturday we went to the same place proselyting. It was awesome! We touched base with the investigator was found last week! Guess what? He has read up to Alma in the Book of Mormon!!! I was so shocked an excited! I recited the first vision to him and went on also to talk about the plan of salvation. We asked if he had prayed about the book of Mormon and the prophet Joseph Smith. He said he did and he knows it true!! Amazing! Man it was such a good feeling. He is pretty much ready for baptism! We gave his information to the other missionaries to keep him progressing. Man this work is so wonderful! Miracles happen every day. The Lord works great miracles by small means. Honestly, this is the best thing anyone could be doing. Nathan, Zack, get ready to go on a mission. It is what you need to do. You will never regret it. I promise you that it will be the happiest times of your life. You will grow so much. Everyone in our extended family needs to go on a mission, they all need to prepare now. Imagine what they could do if they started preparing now?! They would be unstoppable in the field! Devon, Trevor, Ryan, everyone, this is what you should be focusing on, going on a mission! Anyways, We watched a talk from Elder Holland from 2006. Wow, i have never heard anyone speak with such power and authority before. It was amazing. He commented that this was hard. Its hard because salvation does not come easy, its not free. It was not easy for the Savior, so why should it be easy for us? He said that the road to salvation runs through Gethsemane. That is so true, it is hard, but its possible! Anything is possible through our Savior Jesus Christ. I know that this is his church, and that a living prophet guides it today through REVELATION. This is his work and his glory. I´m so grateful to be apart of it! I owe everything to my family! Thank you for everything. I will be writing more letters today because the temple is closed for cleaning and we will have more time. I love you all and miss you dearly. Have a great week! I cant wait to hear about it next Thursday! I love you so much!
Love always, Elder Mitchell A. Williams

Elder Russel M. Nielson Spoke

Well hello there!
Okay, so you can send letters here until the last two weeks, i leave the 11 of november. If one arrives here they will just send it to urugay. I recieved your card rachel and your letter! Thank you. I love the holiday ceer! Congratulations on your calling. Take this opportunity to magnify your calling. If i recall right, there was a certain conference talk about the teachers of the church! Read it! Yes, i opened up your gift on the plane! I love all the pictures and quotes! I have shown so many pictures to others here at the CCM. If you can, please sent ma a laminated family pictures with the families can be forever song on the back! A 3 BY 5 would work great. Here is another saying to figure out ¨ Que haría Jesucristo?

So this week Elder Russel M. Nielson came to talk to us. It was such a spiritual experience. I sat in the second row. We all were able to shake his hand. I this is an experience i will never forget. As he talked to us, I was able to look directly into his eyes alot, i have never felt such power. I have never felt so strongly about this work. His wife talked first. Some things she said were that we are at the age where the world tells us we should concentrate on ourself to discover us. We are doing what the Lord wants by discovering ourselves through helping other people! She said the more obedient we are, the more we will recieve from the Lord. She told us to do more than what we are asked to do.

Before they started their talks, we sang El Cristo Es, written by President Faust. The spirit was so strong and Elder and Sister Nielson were so touched. Elder Nielson said he had a vision during that song that he saw missionaries at their very best. He told of of the kind of missionary President Faust was. He told us of how he trusted him with his heart when he performed heart surgery on them. I could tell they had truly become great firends and that he misses him and has alot of love for him. He said we are going to bring hope, truth, and opportunities for ordinances that bring salvation and exaltation to the people in our mission. He said look deeper into the mirror and see your greatness and potential. He said behind every person you teach, you also influence their posterity. He told us to forget the little things and look to the future. He said when you are on your mission, think of President Faust. He also, which was really amazing and special, gave us an Apostolic Blessing. He told us that Jesus Christ is our message, that he is the light, the life and the way. He said that through him, our families can be sealed together forever. He blessed us to lose ourselves in the work. He blessed us that our family will be drawn closer to the savior as we serve. He blesses us with safety in our missionary work. I was truly changed by this talk.

I wrote down a whole page of goals of what i want to accomplish before i end my mission. I also re read my patriarchal blessing. Missionary work is the most important thing any member of the church can do. As president Gordon B. Hinckley said, if members and missionaries work together, we can double our success. I solemly testify that Jesus is the Christ. That he is the Savior and Redeemer in the world. He truly is the light, the life and the way. He is our message as missionaries. Be sure to always read the scriptures, they invite the spirit. I love each one of you very much and thank you for your love and support. Have a good week and i will hear from you in sevend days! I love you!
Con Amor, Elder Williams

District Leader Today!

Hey really quick, if you send me packages, send it through express mail only at the post office or a private carrier, fed ex or dhl. I dont know if will be able to get the one that Melanie sent. Also send me packages to my mission home in Uruguay, the address is in my mission call packet! Also, today i was assigned to be the new District Leader. I love you all, love Elder Williams

General Conference Was Amazing

So my message was deleted earlier, i have no idea why. I talked to nick in it but i am sending a letter to him so i wont type it in here. I cant believe it has almost been a month here. General Conference was amazing. it really helped me out. i took twelve pages of notes. I have never payed so close attention in my life. I have a package waiting for me in customs. The president wants me to ask you, or who ever sent me the package to find out whats in it via email so we can see if its worth paying money to get it out. Im sure i will get it out anyways though. I got your letter yesterday mom. I love getting mail, It makes my day! It only took ten days. That has been the average on the letters so please send me some letters! I want to thank you mom and dad for everything, you have been such great examples to me. I have learned so much from you both. I think i am realizing the things you have taught me more now more than i ever have. Rachel, I am so proud of you!! More than you ever know!! Thank you so much for doing what is right! Everyone should read the conference talks when the come in the magazines next week, they are from the prophets, which is the words of our Father in Heaven! This saturday we are going procelyting for 6 hours. Moving on up! Im so excited to get out of here and to head into urugay where i can talk to people and help them come unto Christ! I have had so many rewarding spiritual experiences during my time here! This truly is the Lords work! Thank you all for the love and support. Next week i will have a longer letter and it will contain more of what I have to say and feel. Im sorry my first one was deleted. Im so mad because it was so well though out and was the best one I would have sent so far! Love always,
Elder Williams

Read The Book of Mormon Daily

Last saturday, the 27th was such an amazing day. it was an awesome procelyting experience. Elder Hendrickson and i had a blast. together we placed 6 BofM, 5 pamphlets, invited 6 people to chuch ang gave them the address and times on notecards, and made 13 contacts. So many were interested and were really wanting to read the Book of Mormon. I bore my testimony a few times and taught the first lesson in about three minutes to a few different people. We did this all in spanish! We came across one guy in the park who loved talking to us. he spoke a little inglish so that made it nice. i got his nambe and number so we could make another appointment and also to see if he has any friends or fmily who would like to hear our message. He knows of our church and said he loves us missionaries because of what we do and the love we have for other people and God. it was such a great feeling. He told us he loves us and he did the ususal kiss on the cheek. kinda weird but it was okay. We also got a picture with him. we talked to him for about 15 minutes. We gave him the Book of Mormon and he is going to read it and he wants us to go back.
So the spanish is coming along well, i understand so much more than in highschool. i guess thats the gift of tongues! That is awesome you bought chicks. oh how you know that i wish i could be ther! Ill be waiting to hear about the cows and pigs next. The first group of latins left on tuesday. IT was kinda depressing. there were so many cool guys. I miss them already. I have make like three really good friends with them, one is going to BYU after his mission. I gave them my contact information and hopefully they can come to visit the united states. I told them they could stay for free, i better get a good job when i get back home. Elder Menanteu loves tony parker and the spurs, but respects deron williiams. haha we had alot in common. There were 18 new americans that came today, kinda wierd, too much english speaking going on in here! I need to work on spanish extra hard now. I always thought i had such strong faith. I have really been struggling with it lately. Especially faith in my Heavenly Father and learning the language and knowing everything is going to be all right. Everyday i am always having to improve something. Its like i am constantly repenting at night and waking up trying to make the day better than the last. I know that repentence is a huge thing for missionaires in every day because we depend on the spirit so much. Without the spirit there would be no missionary work. It would be impossible. I want to thank you dad for providing for me to be out here. I do not take it for grantit. I know that it is alot and i am working hard every day. I love the temple here, it is so beautiful, It is alot smaller than Timpanogos and a little bit different but the spirit is still the same. Even when i have to talk in spanish! I miss you nick, alot. I think about you every day and look at some of our pictures. I really makes me sad to know how big you are going to be when i get home. At leat by then you will be able to defend yourself and not cry when we wrestle!!! Everything is going great here, i just want it to go faster so i can get into Uruguay and start talking to people! I pray for you every night. Prayer really has taken on such a different meaning for me since i have been here. Be sure to read the Book of Mormon every day because it will bless you with the spirit throughout the day for guidance and protection. We all neeed this blessing. I love you all so much and i am trying the best i can to do what God expects of me. Love always, Elder Mitchell A. wILLIAMS