Argentina mission release

 

 Eighteen months ago, Bonnie and I were set apart as full-time missionaries, to serve in the welfare department in the South America South Area office. This morning, we met with our stake president in Orem and were officially released from that assignment.

We loved our time as missionaries, and particularly the chance to serve in humanitarian services, helping to coordinate donations from the Church to groups and individuals in need. The first six months that we spent in Argentina and Paraguay, before the pandemic, were particularly wonderful and rewarding. We came to love the people, the country, the culture, even the language!
Of course, the mission did not work out as we anticipated. Even when we left Argentina a year ago, we were fairly sure we would be going back again, so we continued serving from home. The pandemic threw us all for a loop.
But gratefully we were able to stay very involved with the work, connecting through email, text messaging, and video chats. And the intensity only increased! During the past year, the donations from the Church in support of COVID relief and other challenges have grown dramatically. We coordinated and completed probably 5-6 times the number of projects during the second half of 2020 as we would in a normal year. The donations included significant quantities of protective equipment and other hospital needs to help first responders stay safe; basic food supplies for the many people out of work or unable to provide for necessities; and a variety of additional equipment and supplies that were desperately needed.
It has been a privilege to be involved during this time of particular need. We have truly felt the true spirit of Christian love and charity: "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me." (Matt 25:40.) I #GiveThanks for the commitment and vision of the Church to sustain this work throughout the world, for the financial contributions of Church members around the world who donate to the "humanitarian fund" to support it; and for the privilege to personally be a part of such a worthwhile effort.

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