Semana once (week eleven)

Hola hermano's y hermana's

hope you all had a wonderfull week! this week was pretty interesting! we taught a prositute! also we got drove home by one of our investigators and turns out he was drunk and he appoligized for some rude things he said in the car on the ride home! hahaha idk it has been pretty interesting!

so we have general conference this week!! pretty exciting, can't wait to hear from the prophet and apostles!! i've been looking forward to this next weekend for a while! so awesome! can't wait to hear the messages they have to share! also i heard that a few of my friends in the mtc will be in the choir which is super exciting and cant wait to hear all about it!!

the people in Argentina are so dang loving! i kinda hate how accepting and how happy they are sometimes hahaha!! no i love it, its just crazy how awesome some of the people are out here! and the kids have been helping me learn the language alot out here! hahahaha i love the kids out here so much! they will teach me a few different words throught the lessons we teach or even when were playing games they will just help me out with all of the words i have a tough time prounouncing! and its a little easier having a few little kids laugh at you about the language and your pronounciation and then have them help you out in learing how to say something then it is to have and adult laugh at you and then just continue and not help you out! the kids out here are just awesome little helpers with helping me learn the language and luckly we have had the chance to teach alot more families so the kids just play games and stuff with us all the time and teach us a ton while we visit with the families and then we have the chance to share the gospel! so its pretty awesome how the work with families has been going!

so there are a few thing in Argentina that i havent really talked to much about but thought i would kinda go over a few things now! there are a crazy amount of dogs!! you can take a second at any moment during contacting and you can easily count about 15 dogs at any given time! its so crazy! when we contact about over half of the houses have gates around there property so we have to clap outside there gate in order to contact (so i've been getter really good at my claping skills)! also out here they use a bidet which is like a second toilet! so i havent used toilet paper since i've been in Argentina but i've been using a bidet which i think i actually like a bit more! but i mean i guess thats more of a personal preference hahaha! it rains alot here in santa fe!! its crazy how much it rains especilly now as we're going in to spring the rain has been interesting! also when people greet eachother they give a hug or a handshake but they also put there cheeks up to eachother and do a little kiss! the members know the missionaries aren't suppose to do that but some of our investigators we've had to explain that too! also guys do the handshake hug alot here too! they call it an "embraso" which i think is more along the lines of embracing but its like a half hug half handshake! but yea just a few little weird and interesting things here in Argentina!

Thank you so much for all of the love and support! while i've been out here ive just felt an imense amount of love from friends and family and especially from our heavenly father! but im just so greatful for all of the great experiences i've had out here in Argentina and i'm so greatful for all of the love from family and friends i've had while i've been out here! it means so very much to me and i can't thank you all enough for you prayers and love for me and my family! hope you all have a great week and a great conferennce weekend and i'll be updating you all again next week!

mucho amor,
Elder Tutton


address for mail and packages:
Candido Pujato 3269
3000 Santa Fe
Santa Fe, Argentina

Semana diez (week ten)

hola hermanos y hermanas,

so it's been a pretty interesting week! we had zone conference this last thursday and i had the oppertunity to do divisions with the zone leaders for a service activity which was pretty awesome! but i've been learing alot this week as far as the language and as far as teaching goes as well! i have been studying diligently and i can see a bit of progress i've been diligent in my studies and have been seeing many blessings from staying diligent and learning as much as i can!

at zone conference i had the oppertunity to meet with our mission president one on one and he told me alot of what was on his mind about my area and about his thoughts on me personally! he show an amazing amount of love for me and although it was a bit tough with the language barrier we were blessed to be able to communicate pretty well and about to learn alot of what he had to say! he had high hopes for me and my companion and our area and promised blessings if we would stay busy and stay diligent in bringing others unto christ! his love was almost as i was his son and he told me that he has been praying alot for me and our area and he had alot of great guidance and direction to help us fulfil our purpose!

this last satuday we had the oppertunity to do some community service projects with a few of the wards which was a lot of fun! i was able to be with one of our zone leaders for the day and work in our area and introduce his to a few of our investigators and teach a few lessons and we were able to get alot of work done and we had a good time teaching and our lessons went really well!

so i wont be able to get pictures to you guys this week becuase i the computers were at this week wont allow us to put and upload pictures to our e-mails so i will try to get alot of pictures i took this week in the e-mail next week so hopefully you all will get an e-mail soon of just a ton of pictures when i get to a computer lab that will let us plug in to upload pictures! appoligies but ill be sure to keep saving pictures till i can get them all over and e-mailed to you guys!

more quesitons:
How is the language coming along?
the spanish is pretty frusterating sometimes not gonna lie but slowly and surely its coming little by little but if im diligent and studing cada dia (every day) ill be blessed and ive been noticing those blessings while studying!
How are the families treating you?
the families are amazing, in the ward they are just so loving and they are always helping us out with anything we need
Are they feeding you well?
they are feeding us, we usually have about one or two times a week we will be fed but yea they feed us as much as they can
do you have enough food and groceries?
yes, we are able to go out every monday to do weekly grocery shopping so yea we are good on food and groceries!
tell us about your investigators!
our investigators are awesome! we have alot and we actually have the oppertunity to teach alot of recent converts and less active members as well and get to help out the ward in that sense but we have been focusing alot on our new investigators and keeping there interest in hearing the gospel! there hasnt been a baptism in out district in 6 months but we are trying our best to change that! we have alot of moments of frusteration but also alot of moments of progress but we are trying our best for sure! we are usually teaching an average of 3-4 of our investigators a day which keeps us pretty busy but i feel like were doing good work and making lots of prgress! but definatly one of the hearder areas in the mission but its been a good challenge! we`ve been blessed a ton!

hope you all have an awesome week! thank you all so much for the love and support and prayers on behalf of me and my family! i cant tell you how much i have been lifted up and have felt so much love throughout the week and wanted to thank you all! thank you for all of the e-mails and kind words and advice! love you all and miss you all so much!

mucho amor,
Elder Tutton

Blessings

[Written by Mom]

Among the many other missionary blessings our family has received as a result of Avery's faithful service as a missionary, this past week I have been blessed with answered prayers for Avery.  A Mother's intuition is real.  All last week, I worried about Avery, I had no reason to, I just did. I asked him in my email to him, are you ever down or sad? I hadn't asked that before because in his emails he doesn't ever allude to it or give me reason to think that he might be. But, I really felt impressed to ask.   And the email back was the most heartbreaking email I've ever read.  He said he's trying so hard to be brave but feels like a failure when it comes to the language and that he's just getting in the way, that everyone laughs at him and he's trying to not be offended.  That he loves the families he visits with so much and they are so poor that it's hard to see them in such poverty.  He said they invite the missionaries over for dinner but then the families don't eat, they give their food to the missionaries.  He said he gives his dinner then to the children.  He is very homesick and misses the family so much and we're always on his mind.  We were able to have an email conversation back and forth after that email and he appreciated being able to do that.  I shared part of his email with a new friend of mine, another missionaries Mom, asking for advice on was this normal for a new missionary ect. Her son also happens to work in the mission office in Santa Fe.  She asked if she could share it with her son, because she thought he could help since she got a very similar letter from him early on on his mission.  She shared it with her son (Elder Meyers) and he wrote back that he was going to reach out to him and that he forwarded it to Pres Perez, and that he was going to give him a call that night.  What a miracle that was, within that same day, the Lord heard Avery's cries (literally) for help and his MP was there to reassure and reach out.  Also, such a blessing that they were having zone conference just 2 days later and President and Sister Perez could be with him and give him encouragement and love.  

President and Sister Perez also knew they had a worried Mom on their hands, (what, me?) and they were so kind to send an email.  Very thankful for friends who know Spanish that could translate for me haha, as they sent the email in Spanish.

Dear Sister Tutton: I am writing to tell you that during these first weeks of your son in the mission field, he has shown signs of great courage and faith in his Heavenly Father and His Son Jesus Christ. He is a great missionary and although the mission is not an easy experience he has been very mature to face his missionary adaptation. He seems easy going, lively and with a positive mental attitude. You should feel happy and grateful for having the good son and teaching him to trust in Jesus Christ and His Atonement.

With my wife we were attentive to meet the physical and emotional needs of Elder Tutton, but now everything is fine. Tomorrow during the Conference Area that we will send you a picture with.

Sister and President Perez
Mission Santa Fe Argentina



Dear Sister Tutton: Today in the Conference area [zone conference] I could be with your son, Elder Tutton. He is well and working on his missionary adaptation. He has a very good companion that helps him with the language and with their service as a missionary. Everything is going well in his life.

Receive our best regards.
Gabriel Perez Benavides
President Mission
Argentina Santa Fe



Don't they just look so loving?  I love them so much for their service to the Lord and to my brave Missionary.

Semana nueve (week nine)

Hola mi hermanos y hermanas,

You guys are gonna hate me but i spent most of the time i had to e-mail on personal e-mails and responding to individuals! i appoligize this week for a small e-mail! but i hope a few pictures make up for it! also i might not be able to send pictures as oftern if we are at the cebers becuase i wont be able to upload pictures there so if theres a few weeks i dont have pictures i appoligize and will make sure i upload them as soon as i can when i have access to a computer that will let me upload pictures!

i just want you all to know how much love i have for all of you and how much i appreciate all of the love and support i've recieved! i also want you all to know how much love i have for our savior Jesus Christ and our father in heaven! i wouldnt be in santa fe if i didnt have an emense amount of faith for this work and for the will he has for each and every one of us! i know that Jesus Christ lives! and i know the Joseph Smith was a true prophet and he restored the same church that was established by Jesus Christ and that is now on the earth today! the church of Jesus Christ of latter day saints! i know we have a prophet that lives on the eath today that gives us guidance and direction and lets us know the will of the father to guide the church in the same manner that jesus would guide his church if he were still on the earth! and that his words are gods words and his will for each and every one of us! i know that god and jesus love us so very much and that we will again have the oppertunity to return to be with them!

mucho amor,
Elder Tutton

address for mail and packages:
Candido Pujato 3269
3000 Santa Fe
Santa Fe, Argentina

Santa Fe mission blog update

I have been checking the Santa Fe mission blog daily ever since he got there for updates.  We got an update today!  They usually update at transfers, when missionaries are coming to the mission or going home after their mission.  Also, for special occasions.  So, these pictures are of the missionaries arriving at the mission after taking a 5 hour bus ride from Buenos Aires to Santa Fe.  This is the blog if you'd like to check out the whole blog.  http://misionsf.blogspot.com/

Him and Elder Orozco with President and Sister Perez 

Semana ocho (week eight)

hola mi familia y mi amigos/amigas,

Alright so this weeks e-mail is going to be a bit different, my mom e-mailed me a list of quesitons so im just gonna be responding to alot of those questions and then there are a few more questions from a few friends that i threw in aswell! so i hope you guys enjoy reading a few of my responses and have had a few of the same quesitons for me and i was able to respond well!

Did you get all of your bags? yes we got all of our bags
Was transferring them hard? transferring was interesting, we had to take a taxi over to our area and so we just put my 3 bags in the taxi but the back wouldnt shut so we just left with the trunk open and luckly the bags didnt fall
What clothes were in your backpack? just some pants and jeans
How are President and Sister Perez? president and sister Perez are very loving and very friendly! they treat us and love us as there own children
What advice did he give to you personally? we actually havent had the oppertunity to have a personal interview (one on one) but we were able to talk a bit at dinner our first night there which was nice
How is your companion? tell us all about him! Elder Orozco is 21 years old and turns 22 in 2 days and he is from Boston and he is Puerto Rican and he is amazing at the language and is such an awesome companion
How is your area? North Santa Fe (our area) is interesting, the area is the poorer part of the city and there is lots of poverty! half the homes in our area are chacks and have dirt floors and all of the roads in our area are dirt!
How is the ward and the Members? the members are super loving
Any investigators? yes we have been continually blessed with investigators
What is the specific name of your area so I can find it on the map.
we are in North Santa Fe, the specific part of the city is called Alto de Valle
I saw that it rained the past couple of days? yea its been raining alot lately and all of the roads are dirt so since its been raining all of the rods are just straight mud so thats been lots of fun
How was church? Was it so neat having everything in Spanish? Did you understand? chuch is fun, my first sunday they had me go up and bare my testimony and introduce myself in spanish and that went pretty well
Are you emailing your Mom first? lol. I think you're supposed to email your Moms first so you don't run out of time again! (sorry i didnt have enough time to e-mail you back specifially but i hope this counts as writting you back) (love you lots mom!!!)


How is everything in Santa Fe?
answer: Santa Fe is freaking crazy man! the people are the best, there so loving and super respectful! sometimes people will listen to our first discussion and invite us in just out of respect and they may be interested and they may not be but at the end of the day they had the oppertunity to hear the gospel! but it is super awesome here! the culture is black and white compared to the states! im pretty sure half of all the goes on here in Santa Fe would be illegal back in the states! it just so much different because of the priorities out here are just to live the best you can and provide for your family even if that means your in a little hut/shack with your family of four eating some bread and left over cannery food because thats all you have! the people are so awesome though, so humble and so loving

Are you having a fun time and working hard?
answer: Always working hard and doing my best! it's not to hard to have a fun time in another country and especially here in argentina but it is a bit more difficult to be finding fun things to do that are still following the mission rules but yea just making usre your obediant is probably the most important part about it because if your not obediant your not as effective and you miss out on those blessings and you cant afford to miss out on those blessings of being obediant when your out on the mission for the sake of your work as a missionary and for the sake of your investigators because you dont want to rob them of those blessings because you werent being obediant and folloing mission rules

What is your favorite and least favorite part (if anything) about your weekly routine? answer:
favorite- just always being busy has been super effective and always having things be planned out has been super helpful! always knowing what your doing next day by day and making specific changes so you can meet specific needs it just helps to help you know how effective your day was and make sure not a second is wasted during your service to the lord
least favorite- i cant really say what my least favorite thing is about the routine, i honestly have just embraced that theres always something to be doing so my only complaint is that i wish i had more personal study time and that might sound like a self-centered thing to ask for but really all of that time i wish i had for personal study is just to better develop by deeper understanding of the gospel and to grow my personal testimony but then i look at all of the time spent just out in the street contacting and talking with others and i count that as part of my personal study time too becuase during that time i walk away from every meeting/experience with my testimony growing stronger every time

How are you getting along with your companions?
answer: the two companions i've had have honestly been awesome, they love the work and help me to become a better missionary! in times where i have to complain about something i dont like about my companion i just think of all the good they have done for me and all the good they have done in serving with me and theres really nothing bad i can say about them! just really im looking for the good in my companions because if you look for the bad about someone you'll find it! garanteed you'll find it, but if you look for the good in someone, you'll find it, everytime, garanteed!

hope you guys enjoyed my e-mail! i'm so sorry if i wasnt able to respond to your e-mail specifially but i appreciate all of the love and support so much! i really dont have a ton of time for e-mailing so im sorry if i've been having shorter and shorter e-mails! it never seems like i have enough time for e-mails and i appoligize! thank you for all of your love and support!

mucho amor,
Elder Tutton

address for mail and packages:
Candido Pujato 3269
3000 Santa Fe
Santa Fe, Argentina


p.s. i tried to upload the pictures so hopefull i did it right and im actually not even sure which pictures i was adding so i just added all of them so i hope you guys are able to take a look at the pictures and since i cant see them i wont be able to tell you exactly whats going on but i hope most of them are self-explanitory and i hope they uploaded correctly!

(Little Avery sent Avery James to Argentina with stickers for the
 little girls and boys)