I'm back!!!! And with much to tell you about Elder Corbett!

Hello there! Yes, we are still alive and well here in Lubbock, Texas and Elder Corbett is still serving his mission in Argentina. Since it has been two months since my last update, you may have been wondering about us. All I can do is blame it on “those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer.”

Well, what I will do is share some of the highlights and there have been plenty. In June Benjamin noted that winter was arriving, with some cold, windy and foggy days and that he loved it. He thinks like his father, it is easier to stay warm than it is to keep cool, especially as a missionary and without air conditioning. During the first week of the month they had a district conference with one of the leaders of the Church from the U.S., Elder Zivik come speak to them. He indicated that they had about 500 in attendance and that he and his companion had 3 of their investigators attend.

The second week of the month was full of interesting experiences. To begin with a member who had just returned from his mission introduced Benjamin and his companion to a couple of his hearing impaired friends This gave Benjamin a chance to learn some sign language as they presented the gospel lessons in Spanish, and their member friend signed. One of the most significant and challenging events during the past two months, perhaps during his entire mission, was that he had to say “adios” to his mission president, President Olsen, and his wife. They completed their 3 year mission and returned to their home in Utah. Benjamin indicated that they had a very spiritual zone conference with them in which the president gave some inspired parting words of advice related to when the missionaries finish their missions.

Also during that same second week the World Cup of soccer started. This is how he described what life was like there in Argentina during this time: “It’s crazy here! It’s on every TV and no one is in the streets [while games are going on.]” He also described how most of the people wore the country’s jersey(he even saw a dog with one on) or had their faces painted with the team’s colors. Once during a game they were invited to eat lunch with a member family and the family didn’t want to turn off the TV. But they did put it on mute and had the missionaries sit with their backs to the TV. Benjamin noted, “That was the biggest temptation of my whole mission!” Knowing how he loves soccer, the 4 weeks of the World Cup must have been pure torture there in soccer crazy Argentina during the most important soccer event in the world, which is only held every 4 years. However, Benjamin kept things in perspective as evidenced by how he closed his letter to the family that week: “We are a team in the Eternal World Cup and together we will win!” He also noted that “Each week I learn more about who I am and my purpose here.”

The third week of June was highlighted by the baptism of Valentino, an 11 year old boy from a member family that, up until a month ago when Elder Corbett and his companion visited them, had not been attending church for a number of years. Many members attended along with 7 investigators. Also during this week they had transfers(they occur every 6 weeks) which resulted in (1) Elder Corbett getting a new companion, Elder Islas from Chile, since Elder Gardner completed his mission and returned home and (2) Elder Michael Adams, from Lubbock, Tx, being transferred into Elder Corbett’s zone.

(To be continued in the very near future!)