Chau Ituzaingó!

Well, the best area of my mission (so far) has come to an end.  I got the call and I will be moving to the other side of the city of Córdoba in Patricios!  I've been called to be a Zone Leader which is so humbling for me to be bumped up so early in my missionary service.  I am excited to grow a ton though!  It will be a good experience and finally I get to be with a Latino (Yay!!!).  I will be with Elder Juárez, a missionary from my group :)  He's from Buenos Aires (also the first Argentine missionary I met upon arriving here!).   I am excited for a change though and to now be with another missionary who has experience so I don't have to push all of the cart. :)

On Friday, we went to a talent show and it was the best feeling to see 2 families that we reactivated dancing together folklore (an Argentine dance).  We also brought 5 non-members to it!  It was a sweet experience and it was nice to relax a little bit and just ENJOY!

This week we ate SO MUCH FOOD.  I'm sick of meat (what!?!?!) and a salad with water right nows would be really nice hahaha! 

On Saturday, we went to walk the temple grounds with Exequiel Olivera and his future wife Patricia.  Elder Santos and I bought a poster of "The Family, A Proclamation to the World" and put it in a nice glass picture frame.  We went inside the waiting room of the temple and gifted it to them.  The experience was priceless.  Patricia and Exequiel began to cry and were so happy for the gift that we gave them.  Patricia said...

"When I came to the temple for its open house, the experience was so different.  There's something special now"

It's the spirit!  We explained that after being dedicated, it is literally the house of the Lord and that's why we can feel the spirit so strong and the peace it brings.  They are so excited to get married and to have Exequiel baptized  so that they can begin their road as an eternal family and  so they can start visiting the temple and be blessed by its ordinances :)

On Sunday, we had 4 confirmations of Adolfo & Kevin Britos and Tomas & Matias Lescano!  There was no time for the speakers to give their talks!  After the announcement that I was going to be transferred, It was so sweet to see how many of the members all came up to me to say bye.  A ton of hugs!  I will miss this area so much as I have changed so much here.  I have seen so miracles here!  The work that was done here is a testimony that the spirit really changes people when they strive to be on the path of obedience. 

I know what we teach as missionaries is 100 percent true, every single teaching. 

I'm excited for a new chapter of the mission in patricios :)

Love,

Elder Pomar ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

God changes hearts!!!

MIRACLE ALERT!

So we pass by Friday night to visit with the Lescano family.  I followed up with the commitment that I left with brother Lescano to ask if his wife was willing to let her twins be baptized (drumroll...)  SHE SAID YES!

What a blessing!  All the prayers and work we've done has paid off.  We organized the baptism right away and they were baptized this past Sunday!  It was so sweet as the entire family came and many are less active (Lol..even better though, as that just provides a way for us to help them return to the gospel )!

I cannot say enough how God just keeps blessing us as we remain obedient and listen to the Lord's spirit.  We are continuing to find golden people, but we have transfers this next week so I don't know if I'm going to stay (please please please please!)

I don't have much more to say this week, but I know that God can change the heart of anyone and everyone.  I have learned that if we love others, we need to be willing to invite everyone to change for the better...because as my mom always taught me, 

"if you don't ask, you don't get!" --Mom

I know these things are true!  You can't deny it!

Love,

Elder Pomar​​​​

 

Completing the work of my father (trainer) Elder Summers...

Well, the miracle happened!  Adolfo Omar Britos and Kevin Juaquín Britos were baptized Sunday!  Nelson, the reactivated father, received the priesthood and baptized his brother and son.  What an incredible experience!!!

The spirit has been so strong as we worked with this family.  It has really been a miracle.  When I arrived in the area, Nelson didn't want anything to do with us.  He was flakey, doubtful, but he's made such an incredible change.

After 3 transfers of work, the family is back!!!   When you look at the history though of this amazing family, the reality is that it took like a year for the Lord to prepare their hearts to receive us.

Sometimes we doubt that the fact that people can make a change...

everyone told us that it was impossible...

Well...HATERS GONNA HATE

If we doubt that someone can make a change, what we are really saying is that the almighty God can't work a miracle.  The Britos family is a testimony that God loves His children and is the author of miracles.  

We have 2 more weeks of work left in this transfer and we have a goal to baptize this Sunday and next Sunday.  Please pray for the Lescano family, that the heart of the mom will be softened to let her (2) 9 year 

old kids be baptized.  Also, please pray for the Garay family, that the father Luis may be able to receive the desire to act upon attending church.  He is the only member and if he goes to church, EVERYONE (6 People) 

will go to church.  We've got some solid possibilities and praying for another miracle and to have great success in these last two weeks.

I know that when we get on our knees and pray with sincerity of heart and talk with our Father in Heaven, he will listen to us and answer us according to His will and His timing.  We've just gotta be committed to taking action

and do something. We've gotta do our part and when we do, it is then that He will bring about miracles in our lives.  So, when you see the missionaries, please remember that they are representatives of Jesus Christ. 

They teach with the same authority as Paul, Peter, James and John.  Don't be afraid to give referrals to the missionaries.

I love you all so much!  Hoping to send more pics in white :)

Love,

Elder Pomar

Ps. Tomorrow marks 1 year in Argentina for me!!!  Also, we ate a ton of Asado last night with the other missionaries, blessings haha.​

Quick e-mail...

Sorry, as I am really short on time today.  So we went to Carlos Paz, a touristic place in Cordoba for P-day and it was so goood!!!  After, we went to a place where they served all you can eat pizza.....bad idea for the restaurant because we had a group of 12 missionaries haha!!!  WE ATE SO MUCH!!!  They got superheated at us when we left because they probably made no money on us hahaha.  We were so full that we decided to do the hike again and took some sweet pics! :)

This past Sunday, we had a miracle happen in church as 9 investigators attend with us. It really was a huge miracle.   The Lord has blessed us so much because of our hard work.  We have the possibility of having 4 baptisms this next Sunday!!!  We have a lot of work to do before Sunday, but we got the goal set!!! :)

I wanted to really say sorry to those who have written me over the past weeks and I haven't been able to respond as I am behind.  I will write, I just have had very little time to spend on e-mail due to my leadership responsibilities.  Please keep writing as I love to get your messages and thank you for the love.  Hope you all have a great week! 

Love,

Elder Pomar ​

Happy Valentine's Day...I love this gospel!

Well, we had a baptism! :)

Mía Rodriguez was baptized Sunday.  It was really a miracle.  For years, the father Sergio was super tough and didn't let any missionaries into his house to visit the family.  I was humbled to learn that supposedly when I arrived, I made a good impression with him.  

He told us...

"I didn't let any missionaries into my house, especially the gringos because when I served my mission they were terrible to me.  You guys are the first missionaries that I have happily invited into my house."

I remember something that my brother (shout to Caleb) reminded me in a letter when I was serving my mission in La Rioja..."Love is the first commandment."  I'm just learning to really love people, I still got a long way to go, but at least God is lighting the way.

I got to go with my companion to eat dinner with some close family friends "The Powelsons!"  They are serving as humanitarian missionaries for all of the Southern part of South America.  I got permission from my mission prez and it was sooo much fun!!! :)

My english is terrible, but at least my spanish is sufficient (that's what's most important, right?)

Another blessing is that Saturday morning my companion and I got up super early to go to a special conference to meet our church Apostle Elder Todd D. Christofferson!  In preparing for the meeting, I came with a question...

"Is this man really called by Christ directly to be His Apostle?"

Well, he walked into the room and a peace came in and over me.  I went up to him, shook his hand as he looked at my name tag and then looked into my eyes saying "Hola Elder Pomar."  The spirit filled my heart and testified to me in that moment that he is an apostle of Christ, directly called by him..."By their fruits ye shall know them" (Matthew 7:20).

When Elder Christofferson spoke, it was simple but powerful.  He was so humble and loving in the way that he spoke.  He knows the scriptures so well.  In preparation, I studied it out in my mind and upon meeting him, I know that I received my answer.  I'm so happy that I have a pure testimony that we have a living prophet and apostles that lead and guide us today.  I love the primary hymn that says..."Follow the prophet he knows the way."

In closing, I want you all to know that I know this is the only true church of God and our Savior Jesus Christ.  I have prayed and God told me it's true.  I have a simple testimony of this truth and invite you all to ask God for yourselves and He will manifest the truth of it unto you.

Love,

Elder Pomar

Ps. Lots of pics this week...hope you enjoy :)

Part member families <3

It has been such a huge blessing. 

So my trainer Elder Summers served here in my area Ituzaingo about a year and a half ago and he baptized a ton of people (shout out) and he also planted many seed within these families.  Sister Saavedra: her daughter was baptized, but she never wanted to change religion due to the "Catholic Tradition" of her family.  She came to church, (first time since her daughter's baptism a year and a half ago and cried the entire testimony meeting).  We have an appointment with her this week!

Another miracle is the Britos family. They have a ton of land with cows, horses, pigs, you name it! So almost the entire family was baptized and the family is gigantic.  However, with time, they started becoming less active little by little as NO ONE from the ward visited them.  The father, Nelson, lost the fire to keep going.  We visited he and his family a lot as part of a reactivation project, not knowing that the youngest son still hadn't been baptized, neither the uncle Adolfo.  Adolfo got extremely sick due to internal bleeding.  He lost so much blood that he almost died.  I call the sister missionaries that serve in the area of the hospital where Adolfo is to bring someone with them to give him priesthood blessing.  They went, he received the blessing and guess what?  THE SAME DAY HE RETURNED HOME!  Brothers and Sisters, a miracle occurred through the restored priesthood power.  He was supposed to be there for another WEEK!  Adolfo was never baptized because he couldn't stop smoking.  Thanks to the sickness, he stopped.  He has the desire to be baptized and we have put the baptismal date in a few weeks.  So, Nelson's son Kevin will be baptized along with his Uncle Adolfo.

On Sunday, we were waiting at the church doors for our investigators to arrive....waiting.....waiting......we went into the sacrament meeting with our heads down, but right after the sacrament the entire Britos family comes in.  I literally have never been so happy in my whole life!

The sad thing is that my companion and I are the only two people that are helping reactivate in this ward.  The members complain that they don't have home teachers to come visit them, but they won't go out either!  Just saying: the ward loves us now! 

What a time to be alive here in ituzaingo!

I'll finish with this.  There has been a less active family with a daughter that has never been baptized, because the father hasn't been worthy to perform her baptism.  After seeing Mia's baptism last week, she got super excited and asked her dad if her Bishop could baptize her and he said yes!  The father said "this isn't my daughter, this is Heavenly Father's daughter.  If she doesn't get baptized due to my unworthiness, her sins will fall on my head.  Baptize her this next Sunday"  So, this Sunday we have the baptism planned.

BTW, Maria Lesme, who I baptized in my last area La rioja, sent me the wonderful news that her mom just got baptized!  When we talked with her while I was there, she didn't want ANYTHING to do with the church.  Miracles happen though because God worked in her heart and she was humbled and knew this was the correct path.  What a blessing!

 

I know I am following the path of the Savior. I know that this church is true with all of my heart and that it is really the church of Jesus Christ.  I have studied it out in my mind and all of the doubts I once had are all gone because I prayed and asked God.  God, in his infinite love, has answered my prayers.  It's all true and it brings so much peace into my life!

I love you all!  Be safe!

 

Oh, and one last thing, this Saturday we have Elder D Todd Christofferson from the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles visiting our mission!!! :) 

Love,
Elder Pomar :)​

"Are you reeeaaadddyyy for your blesssaaangs?"

IT HAPPENED. MIA GOT BAPTIZED!

It has been an incredible ride in our area.  Along with Mia's incredible baptism, we had 6 people attend church!  Everyone is getting back from their vacations and finally, the work is going nuts here!

Transfers came...and...Elder Santos and I are staying together!  It's so nice to stay in an area for more than 2 transfers (12 weeks) and with a companion for more than 1 transfer (6 weeks).  I am so grateful to God as He has been so merciful with me. 

A return missionary named Kiara just got back from serving her mission and literally has a million references for us!  I'm sure we won't be knocking on any doors any time soon to find investigators.  It's honestly and really a miracle as we are so blessed. 

So, for this transfer we have a ton planned...marriages, baptisms and reactivation of less active members.  We are working so hard and we spend sooooo much time needing to plan for all our success.  I try to keep calm and not freak out hahaha!

I am so happy right now.  It's really indescribable how excited we are to just do the Lord's work.  I never thought I could be so happy doing the work of salvation.  Haha, sometimes I do have to nudge my companion a little in the morning to get him up, but he loves the people, the Lord and we work incredibly well together.

I had planned so much to write, but at this moment, I am without words.  All I can say is that if we endure to the end, doing the little things like scripture study and say our daily prayers, GOD WILL GIVE US HIS GUIDANCE.  Period.

I love you all so much.  I'm so glad I still have more time left on my mission to be a servant of the Lord.  I love it as I have learned it's the only true way to have eternal happiness.

Love,
Elder Pomar :)​

Do you smell that??

What's that smell??

Hmmmm....familiar....

BAUTISMO!!!!!!

We have a baptism this Saturday with Mía Casas!  A huge miracle as so many missionaries have passed by and taught them, but little by little the seed was planted and we get to baptize her this Saturday!  We had an incredible lesson and invited all of the rest of her family to be baptized and they all have the desire to do it!  We still have a ton of work to do to make sure that the baptism happens and then we need to get the two couples in the family married so the whole family can be baptized during the next transfer period!

We've been trying to be better in our planning and it's really working.  "If you fail to plan you plan to fail" (shout out to mom hahaha).

I'm scared because transfers are coming and I'm not ready for another change.  I'm praying to remain for 1 more transfer here in Ituzaingó.  We have so much planned for this next transfer period! 

MIRACLE OF THE WEEK:

We went out to a neighborhood called "Ciudad de Mis Sueños," which means "City of My Dreams" (yeah right it's super sketchy haha).  When I was paired with Elder Wiseman one day in this area, we talked with a ton of young kids as they asked us how to say a ton of things in English.  We talked with them, showed them respect, and they gave us their address but unfortunately, we didn't take it serious so we never stopped by to visit them.  So we were walking down the road with Elder Santos, my new companion, and we get called over by a ton of youngins.  Sadly, they were all drinking wine (its super cheap here) and we felt we shouldn't go over there, so we turned to the left instead.  As we were walking, we ran into the same group of kids that Elder Wiseman and I talked to before and they called us over and we talked with them, gave them all high 5's and were able to meet their mom. She told us...

"Yeah, a month ago the kids came home and told me that they met 2 americans that were really good guys and that they had given them our address.  They asked me if you guys could come over and I said sure.  When you guys didn't come by, the kids were super sad because they thought that you lost the address or something"

A HUGE SLAP TO THE FACE BY THE SPIRIT!!!  I felt terrible, but we continued talking.  She has 5 kids, her husband left her, she doesn't have a church but reads the bible everyday.  We taught the restoration to her and she said "yeah, I've attended a lot of churches but I don't know why, but I just don't feel comfortable, I feel empty."  After explaining why there are so many churches due to the fall of Christ's church and after His death and the death of his apostles and then sharing that Joseph Smith with Heavenly Father's help restored the same church upon the earth, the spirit bore testimony to her heart that we were sharing the truth.  The spirit was incredibly strong, so we invited her and her 3 sons to be baptized along with her and they all accepted!!!  What a blessing.  

So what's the lesson?  I'm so glad God was merciful with me and let us find her and her kids, even when I put them to the side and didn't follow up with them when first getting their address.

I know these things are true. I know this gospel is true.  My testimony was weak before my mission, but after being tried and having these incredible experiences, I know that it is 100 percent true.  I know that my service is blessing this sweet family.  I invite each of you to allow Christ into your family and He with strengthen all of you.

Love,
Elder Pomar

Ps.  We went to downtown Córdoba for P-DAY and I got to see 4 of my old comps and we hit up Burger King! 

Un Año (Happy one year on the mission!)

Casas Family

Drinking Mate

Elder Samaoya (Previous companion)

Previous comps & current (Lervold, Wiseman, Samayoa and my trainee Santos)

Burger King duuuuuude