Week 16 - Tucuman

Wednesday, December 31, 2014

            

 

Christmas Skype - Tucuman

Thursday, December 25, 2014

[Merry Christmas! So Neil was checking the computer all day because we were expecting to hear from Alec late morning, but it wasn't until about 3:30 in the afternoon when he tried to contact us. It was so good to see Alec and talk with him! We were able to speak with him for almost an hour. He and his companion were using the computer at their church in Tucuman. Alec looks healthy and seems positive and happy! 

We can't believe his missionary service is on the home stretch. I know he has been blessed and has blessed those he has come in contact with; and our family has certainly received many blessings because of his service to our Heavenly Father in spreading the good news of Christ!]

Alec's reaction when he saw dad's Iphone 6+

Week 15 - Tucuman

December 22, 2014

I will be calling you on Thursday probably around 10 or 11 your time!

So yeah, its been a good week. We had a great time in conference. I learned a lot. I am enjoying my time here with my comp. It is really hard with him sometimes but luckily I have built up a ton of patience and it hasnt run out with him ;) jaja no but I have a good time! Its crazy how Christmas has come so fast. It feels like last week was Thanksgiving even though I havent had one for over 2 years. I dont know what to say right now. jaja

I will be emailing you on Thursday!

So, I have got to go! I love you all! See you Soon!

Elder Dawson

Week 14 - Tucuman

December 15, 2014

I bought the glasses in downtown Centro. I dont think our district will go back to that place but we are planning to go with other elders. 

I will be able to call on Skype for Christmas. I will do it on the 25th. I am not sure at what time still but me and my companion will talk. We dont have a sure place to do it from yet but we are looking. We arent sure if the cybers will be open. Usually they always are. 

This week we are going to have zone Christmas conference. We will be with all three zones of Tucuman. We are about 70 or 80 missionaries. 

I hope you all have a great Christmas. I miss you all a TONS! I miss all the family!  

So I have to go. Sorry that I wasnt able to write much! Time right now is getting hard to manage. Its ridiculous! I also received my trunky papers from the mission to start getting things ready to go home.  

I will see you later! I love you all! Tell everyone hey and that I think of them often! Cuidense!

Elder Alec Dawson

Week 13 - Tucuman

Monday, December 8, 2014

My week was pretty good! It got really hot!

The pictures or painting was at a members house. That was only the first coat. But yes that is Elder Mendoza with me. [see email of 12.1.14]

I didnt get to go to the Christmas thing because it started at 10 here. 

We are doing good as companions and as a District. We are starting to have big problems with getting people to church. We had stake conference last week and a guy made a question. He was talking about the sacrament. He said "Would we go a week without taking a bath?"  Thats obvious that no we wouldnt do that. Then he related it with the sacrament and how it cleanses us. I liked it a lot and I think I will focus on that point. I hope that the district can do it to!

Today we went to El Cadillal. Its a cool place. There is a lot of thing that you can do but we went to go some waterfalls. Some people gave us bad directions so we never made it but we stopped by a little pond place and took some pictures and ate lunch. It was nice. President gave permission for the district to go together. 

I have got some pictures for you. I accidentally cut my hair a little short also but it looks good! haha

 

El Cadillal with District

 

 

Week 12 - Tucuman

Monday, December 01, 2014

This week I did service. It was super hot! I painted a room. You can easily tell how hot it was. I liked it though. Its been getting hot. Today was transfers. This will be my last transfer in my area then I will go to one more place to end the last three months of my mission! Wow thats crazy! Its passed by so fast! I dont have much time but here are a couple pictures! Thank you for the picture of the family! I love and miss you all!

Elder Alec Dawson 

 

 

Week 11 - Tucuman

[This was the second week without a letter from Alec. We had not received an email since November 10. Not receiving an email last week didn't seem too out of the ordinary because we thought it was transfers and sometimes things get a little crazy. But when we didn't hear from him yesterday and today, I was getting concerned; and I didn't want to worry over Thanksgiving. So I sent an email to the Salta Mission Office explaining my concerns and if there would be a way to contact him and then let me know everything is okay. They didn't reply until Wednesday morning and said that he had had problems with his email account, and that he should be emailing later that day. Whew! I was relieved. That was all I needed to hear!]

Wednesday, November 26, 2014

I am sorry that I couldnt write on Monday. I had some problems with my account. I was planning on writing today. I was also told that you had called the offices wondering why. Last week I couldnt write because we went to a tourist place called El Cristo de San Javier. Its a big Christ statue on a big hill. It was really cool. I will send you some pictures. 

I have been doing good. I have no idea how much time it takes for mail to get here. I dont remember if I ever received the pouch mail. I got a letter last week from the Cran´s. Missionaries are still getting packages so I dont know what the deal is. 

I have been told so far that it does get as hot as Frias. But normally Frias is a little hotter. Its more humid in Tucuman. 

I think I will just work until the end of the year when I get home. Just earn a lot of money to help me out with college and getting going an all. I want to go out west for school. I would like to go to BYU or Weber State. A possibility is BYU-I but that’s if I dont go to Utah. I dont want to pay all of the out of state tuition for other schools. I want to work for the year so I can be home for when Logan and Steven get home. It would be great to do something together when were are all back. Allison, Logan, Steven, and I. I would also really like to go out to Utah for when Ben gets back home and to go see Grandma. 

But I will now send you guys some pictures. 

We have transfers this coming Monday but nothing will be happening to me because I have to finish training this transfer.

I love you all a ton! Enjoy the turkey, ham, and all the ham sauce!

Hasta Luego!

Elder Dawson

[Alec and companions went to a tourist place called El Cristo de San Javier in Tucuman - hence why no email on November 17]

 

 

Week 10 - Tucuman

Monday, November 17, 2014

[It was Transfers today -- so we thought. Usually we hear from Alec on Tuesday or sometimes Wednesday, but we did not hear from Alec this week. We found out later he went site seeing!]

Week 9 - Tucuman

Monday, November 10, 2014

So, I had a good week. Its getting hot again. You guys will be super surprised to see my tan when I get home. Its ridiculous. 

My Sunday church meetings start at 9:30 am. We just have one ward in our building. We are the stake center. On Pdays we wash clothes in the apartment, we play soccer, eat, every once in a while we just go looking around downtown. We have lunches almost all week. Only one or two times a week we have to cook but that is alright. My luggage is good. I am thinking about giving away one of the big bags to a member that is getting stuff ready to go on a mission. I will see if I can give him some extra clothes or something. I am also thinking about leaving that huge cold rain jacket. But I am still not sure. I am pretty sure I will have one more area before I end the mission. 

Not a whole lot as happened. The sisters in the district are sad because none of there investigators went to church, no one is progressing or have baptismal dates. But now I am pretty sure they are dropping everyone. We are starting to do it too. We will all be able to find even more people that are ready for the Restored Gospel. 

The computers are acting up and not letting me send pictures. I will see what I can do. 

I love and miss you all! I would like a picture also of just the family. The five of you! I will see you later!

Elder Dawson

Week 8 - Tucuman

Monday, November 3, 2014

I am still pretty surprised about the whole school thing.[We told him briefly about the PCCS board trying to close the high school and just make it a K-8 school.] It really interests me. I hope that you keep me updated. 

I think I do remember a time when Bryson [Elder Morrow] stood up for me. I liked him a lot as a friend. It is crazy that he is now in the ward. When I get back I am going to go visit him. 

I had a good week. Right now its cold and rainy. Its going to be like that for a couple days this week. Its definitely a big change from the hot weather that we have been having.

Thanks for all the updates. I will send pictures now. I love and miss you all!

Elder Dawson

[?Did not get any pictures]

Week 7 - Tucuman

Monday, October 27, 2014

Thank you for the pictures of the family! I am mind blown of the difference of the family! Are those new glasses dad? Sean is a heck of a lot taller. He looks like a long neck dinosaur. I am just kidding! Everybody is different. What has happened to Aunt Audene? Shes blonde now! I was laughing really hard at Uncle Steven and his Duke jacket and Duke hat! I liked it a lot! 

I cannot believe that Bryson Morrow is in the ward! I havent heard anything about him ever since he moved out of Lehi! That is so crazy. I saw the picture before the letter and I just thought those just must be the missionaries of the ward saying hi! Then you asked me if I remembered him! At that moment I realized who it was and was just flipping out. haha That is super cool. How much time does he have in the mission? Will he be in the mission still by the time that I get back? Give him my mission email and tell him to email me!

So my son is Bolivian. His name is Elder Mendoza. He is 19. I never took a picture with him from my camera so I will send you one next week. We had a great first week together. He was able to have his first baptism on Saturday. Oh Elder Mendoza is also a convert. He got baptized a year and a half ago. 

So, I have a question. I have heard that in December an eclipse is going to happen and that there will be darkness for three days. What do you know about this?

So I hope to see a couple more pictures of the family. I liked them a lot. I also hope that you all have a great week! I love you all!

Elder Alec Dawson

Week 6 - Tucuman

Monday, October 20, 2014

Hola mamá y papá, 

Today is the first day of a new transfer. I am a father! I am going to Salta tomorrow afternoon to go get my kid. I am calm. I dont know what to think. I just want to work really hard so that he can have a good time, have a lot of success, and accomplish his goals. 

We had a good week. We ended with a baptism. Angel Luciano Giminez. He is 13 and next Sunday he is getting the priesthood along with his Grandpa that was baptized about a month ago. 

The District is doing good. We all have people that are willing to get baptized that we are teaching. Our district leads the zone in baptisms. The sisters are really working hard. I am hoping the best for all of us so that we can have a lot of success. 

So, its raining. I think that it will all go away today. 

I am writing early so I dont have a message from you guys. I just hope that you all have great week. 

Mom, I wish you a happy birthday! I love you tons! <3

Hasta la semana que viene!

Elder Dawson

Week 5 - Tucuman

Monday, October 13, 2014

  

I dont have that much time today but I will do my best to answer all your questions!

I have heard about the movie [Meet the Mormons] but I dont know if we will watch it. Maybe in a zone conference but that wont happen until December or so. I dont know about anything of iPad. I think that we would never get that stuff here. If we do there will be very big restrictions. 

As a district we have had some good success. Last month we has 6 baptisms. And this month we have a couple and we are planning some for this week and next week. I love it here in Tucuman. I am excited for this next week. This is the last week of the transfer. So on Sunday we will find out if I train or get another companion. 

So I have to go! I hope that you all have a great week! I love you all! 

Elder Dawson

Week 4 - Tucuman

Monday, October 6, 2014

General Conference was great! Did you know that the leaders were going to be able to talk in their native language? I did! I was so excited!

I like everything about G.C. I loved the talks that you had all mentioned. I also really liked the Priesthood session. It has made me want to do more to be able help all people with the Priesthood. We have great responsibilities to serve and to help and I want to be able to do just that and to edify others. 

I am going to download and study a lot the conference. I know the things that were talked about were to help every one of us in our daily lives and also to be able to share the gospel more.

More than 88,000 missionaries!!! Can you believe it?!?! That is such an amazing miracle and blessing. I am so happy to be here in the mission and to know that I am here on the Lords work helping His children. Its hard but its the best and most important thing that I have ever done in my life. 

I hope that you all have a great week! I love and miss you all.

Cháu! 

Elder Dawson

Week 3 - Tucuman

Wednesday, October 1, 2014

I had a good week. Once again I had a delay in being able to write. I had a good zone conference. I like my area a lot. Its a good place. There are lots of people and there are some good members. We are focusing mucho en finding new invesigators. We have been able to talk to some pretty good people.

Miguel y Jacinto están de diez. Mi compañero se llama Nicolas Martinez. Él es de San Andres Tucuman. He is from another ward but knows a lot about Tucuman and all the areas. 

So there was a problem with the marraige. But Tania left the house of Cristian and now lives with her parents that are members and also live close. She was still able to get baptized. We are now working more with Cristian to be able to get baptized. 

So I am glad that everyone is moving forward with the boyscout ranks. I didnt even get that far. haha But I hope that all of you can do it and accomplish the eagle scout award. 

Today we just ended divisions with the ZL´s. It was fun and we had some good success. I am so happy to be here in the mission and for the work I have as a missionary. I am super excited for the General Conference. It is going to be something special. 

2nd to last GC [General Conference], last Christmas, Thanksgiving, last New Years, last call, its coming to an end........ :( haha I love you all and miss you! 

Espero que Andrew salga a la misión muy pronto. Aun que quiero verlo, quiero que esté en la misión más. 

Que estén bien,

Elder Alec Dawson

Week 2 - Tucuman

Monday, September 22, 2014

Wla familia de nuveo. Extraño a todos. ow, tantas cosas que están haciendo en casa. Yo no puedo esperar a reunirme con toda 

I said, "Theres lots of things going on at home. I cant wait to get together with the family again. I miss everybody."

One sister from our district went but the other three stayed. The trip was super awesome and it was super tiring. [see blog of September 19] 

So it was a pretty good week that I had with my mini missionary. We had another baptism on Saturday. His name is Jacinto Roque Palma. He is the friend of Miguel. The two of them are doing good. We are working with a couple that will get baptized this week. They are getting married on Friday and then baptized on Saturday. There might be some problems with papers but we dont know. We will see. They are excited. 

This week on Wednesday we are having Zone conferences. 

I have pretty much told you my week. I wrote you last on Wednesday about the trip. Here are some pictures. 

Les amo a todos. Espero que les vaya bien la semana. Cuídense. 

Elder Dawson

Looking at Andes Mtns-Argentina side

Temple in Cordoba

Snow at top of Andes Mountains!

Yeah! Snow!

Argentina - Chile Border Crossing

Chilean Flag

Week 1 - Tucuman

Wednesday, September 17, 2014

So has been the craziest two weeks of my entire mission. 

Mom, I will answer your questions first. 

My bus ride from Jujuy to Tucuman was about 6 hours. We were going to leave at 7:30 on Monday morning but we werent able to so we left on another bus at 12:30. We got in Tucuman at 6:30. I didnt have a Pday. Tuesday I wrote you. I traveled with 3 other missionaries. I am the district leader of 4 sister missionaries and my comp. I pretty much just have to be an example, and help them with what they need so that they can have success and baptize their investigators. 

I live with 2 other missionaries. The church is in the middle of the block of General Paz y Moreno. 

So I had a good first week. My companion is Elder Hampton, he lives in California and just finished 2 transfers in the mission field. We started working in our area. I live outside of my area so I have to walk a ways to get there. On Saturday we had a baptism. A guy named Miguel Gimenez. He is a great guy. Right after the baptism on Saturday we got a call from the Zone Leaders. They told me that I was going to go on a trip with my companion and a couple of other missionaries to try out some visa stuff. 

Sunday morning at 7 am we were in the Bus station. We left there and traveled 9 hours to Cordoba. We got there at about 5 or so. We went to the mission offices in Cordoba and ate dinner, meet up with other missionaries (one of them was also in my zone in the MTC) and we also took pictures of the Temple in Cordoba which is right behind the mission offices. It was super awesome. Then we all got back on another bus and traveled for about 10 or so hours to Mendoza. We went to the mission offices there and ate breakfast, then got some more missionaries and left again. We traveled about 6 more hours. Guess where we went! We traveled through the Andes Mountains and went to Chile!!! The border crossing was in the middle of the Andes Mountains. I crossed at a place called Cristo Redentor ( if you want to search for it). While there WE HAD A SNOWBALL FIGHT IN THE ANDES MOUNTAINS!!!!! THAT´S SUPER STINKIN LOCOOOO!!!! We went into Chile and ate dinner later that night and started heading back. On the way back for some reason in Cordoba a cop gave the bus a ticket. ha but its good. I got back to my area at 8 this morning on Wednesday. Then my companion got a call from the assistants and told him that he is going to Salta to be the mission secretary. So he left at 1:10 today. I am now with a mini missionary and he will be with me for the rest of the transfer. For 5 more weeks. So I have a total of 5 days in my new area. I am excited, and we will see how it goes...

But I took a ton of pictures. Mostly of the mountains and of missionaries sleeping. ha But I also have some money from Chile also. So yeah… thats my week. Well the first half of my second week here. 

I hope that you all have a great week. I will see you next week. 

Elder Alec Dawson

Week 23 - JuJuy (TRANSFER TO TUCUMAN!)

Tuesday, September 9, 2014

So I got transferred. I am now in Tucuman, San Miguel de Tucuman. I am in zone Tucuman Centro, one of three zones in Tucuman. My area is Centro 2. I am District leader now. My companion is called Elder Hampton. He is from California. He has 3 transfers in total in the mission. He is so boss. He is super fired up to work, see miracles, and to baptize. And I want nothing more than to help him do his best and have a lot of success. I have two companionships of sisters in my district. Hermana Harper from Arizona. Hermana Fraga from Utah, Hermana Alcerro from Honduras, and Hermana Perales from Peru. Hermana Alcerro leaves the mission the same time as I do. I am really excited to work here. I know that it is a really good area that I am in now and I know that we can have lots of success. I hope I can be a good district leader. jaja ;) 

So they said that everything is all good with my head. Nothing is wrong.

I am glad that you guys had a good week. Ask Andrew if Jonathan and Mathew are still managers at Chick Fil A. Find out who still knows me there.

But I will send some pictures next week. I hope you all have a great day well and week! I love you all!

Elder Alec Dawson

On my way to Tucuman!

Week 22 - JuJuy

Monday, September 1, 2014

So I dont have a lot of time. 

Our investigators are having a little trouble. None of them came to church this week. It shocked us because they were all super committed. We have to find our why they didnt show up. 

I find out about the MRI results on Wednesday. My finger is still fat but its doing better.  

This week we ran around a lot. It wasnt full of success. This is probably my last week in Jujuy, next Sunday we get transfers. 

Today we played soccer again and we won. Barely... it was really hot and everybody was tired but we finished. It was really fun. I am leaving Jujuy undefeated. haha 

So I have to go now. Out of time. I will write better next week. Well it depends on where I get transferred and how long it takes to get there. But I love you a lot. Thank you for your love and support.

Hasta luego!

Elder Dawson

Week 21 - JuJuy

Monday, August 25, 2014

I got my MRI, I go to get the results on Tuesday then I will have to go back to the first doctor for him to tell me everything. 

My finger is fine.[His hand was kicked last week playing soccer]. It got dislocated. Its still a little fat, and hurts if I bend it a lot but its doing good. I still play soccer. I dont think I will stop...hahah We played again against all of the Latin’s today and we won!!! We are killin it down here. I think I will be playing in the 2018 world cup in Russia! ;)

Thats cool that Andrew is a ward missionary! He better work hard to help in the work! I know that it could be hard sometimes with the schedule but everything thing that he does with his calling with help him receive many many blessings. Thats cool!

So I am just starting another week! I want to work even harder. These are probably my last two weeks in Jujuy. We have transfers on the 8th. 

Yesterday I hit how many months mom?? haha yep 16. 

I dont remember what else happened this week... SO I will send a couple pictures.

Oh its been really hot. But the temperature thing I have was exaggerating the temperature! haha can you tell me how hot it really was yesterday? [54 celcius = 129 degrees?] You will see the pictures.

Week 20 - JuJuy

Monday, August 18, 2014

So it has been a pretty hard week for me! The work has been hard. It has been difficult this last week to enter in the houses and find new investigators. But we do have a couple people that we are working with that can be baptized. One is a lady named Sara that first met the missionaries in 2010. She is doing great and set a baptismal date for herself for the 6th of September. We talked to another kid who is 19. His name is Ezekuiel. He could be a possible baptism for the 30th of this month. He is thinking about it.

So I will be getting the MRI on Friday this week. Then probably the next week I will be getting the results. I am not sure.

So last week when we talked [Skype on August 11] afterwards I went to play soccer! It was super fun! The missionaries played against all Latinos. Tres Gringos y un Chileno contra cuatro latinos. We started off beating them 3 to 0. We were amazed at ourselves because it was a miracle that we were winning against them. Then it went to 4 to 1. Then all of a sudden to 6 to 9. We were playing to 10. They finally just started kicking our butts. Then miraculously we scored three lucky goals and won the game! We were so proud of ourselves. We definitely should have lost. People here are really good at soccer. 

Today I was also playing soccer. A kid kicked my finger.....It might be broken or its just dislocated. It was bent to a 45 degree angle and then I just snapped it back in place. It made a snapping sound. Its swollen right now. But we are going to the hospital to get it checked out in a little bit.

I am really thankful for you guys and that I have you as my family. I love you all and thank you for everything you all have ever done for me! I know that our Father in Heaven loves each and every one of his children and his willing to help us with anything as well. I am really grateful that I have this opportunity to be here and to serve Him. I am thankful for His support and all the support that you have all given me. It is my dream to see Andrew, Sean, and Jared leaving on a mission and coming back two years later! I love this work, I love Christ’s Church, and I love Him!

I have pretty much written this email with 6 fingers. All the rest I have wrapped up right now! haha

Espero que todos tengan una buena semana! Andrew prepárete para la misión! 

Les amo! Besos! :)  [I hope everyone has a good week! Andrew prepare for mission!

I love you! Kisses! :)]

Elder Alec Dawson