Misión Argentina Mendoza
Here are free resources about the Argentina Mendoza Mission:
Aquí están algunos recursos gratuitos sobre la Misión Argentina Mendoza:
- Mission address and phone number
- Mission map
- Missionary blogs
- Facebook groups
- LDS Mission t-shirts and gifts
- List of past mission presidents
- Cultural articles written by returned missionaries
- Survey with RMs
*Other Mission Pages: Argentina LDS Missions.
Argentina Mendoza Mission Address
Here’s a recent address for the Mendoza Mission. We try to keep this information up to date, but it’s a good idea to check the mission address with several sources, including your mission packet or the mission office.
Argentina Mendoza Mission
Casilla de Correo 631
5500 Mendoza
Mendoza
Argentina
Casilla de Correo 631
5500 Mendoza
Mendoza
Argentina
Phone Number: +54-261-424-4165
Mission President: President Fernando E. Panzacchi
Mission President: President Fernando E. Panzacchi
Argentina Mendoza Mission Map
Here’s a link to the mission map for the Mendoza Mission (LDS). To access an official, up-to-date LDS.org map for the Mendoza Mission
Argentina Mendoza Missionary Blogs
Here’s a list of LDS missionary blogs for the Mendoza Mission. This blog list includes the missionary’s name, URL and when their mission blog was updated.
Argentina Mendoza Mission Groups
Here are Mendoza Mission Groups- for LDS missionary moms, returned missionaries, mission presidents and other alumni of the Mendoza Mission.
- Mision Argentina Mendoza Facebook Group (1,761 members)
- Mision Argentina Mendoza (Presidente Lindahl) Group (134 members)
- Mision Argentina Mendoza Hermanas Facebook Group (89 members)
- Ex-Misioneros de Mision Mendoza Facebook Group (54 members)
- Mision Argentina Mendoza (M.A.M.) Facebook Group (18 members)
- Mision Argentina Mendoza – Lima Facebook Group (14 members)
- Companeras de la Mision Mendoza Facebook Group (11 members)
- Mendoza Mission Moms and Friends (LDS) Group (4 members)
- Mision Argentina Mendoza 1999-2002 Group (2 members)
Argentina Mendoza Mission T-Shirts
Here are T-shirts for the Argentina Mendoza Mission!
Shirt designs include Argentina Mendoza Mission logo/emblem shirts and Called to Serve shirts. The shirts make great gifts for pre-missionaries, returned missionaries and missionaries currently serving. LDS Mission shirts come in all sizes: Small, Medium, Large, Extra Large, up to 4XL. The mission designs are printed on white shirts and are shipped to you.
*Simply click on a shirt design to view the details and submit an order. The designs on mission t-shirts may also be printed on other LDS mission gifts, including: Argentina Mendoza missionary aprons, Christmas stockings, ties, pillow cases, teddy bears and Christmas ornaments.
*Click here to browse Mendoza Mission gifts
*Click here to see our new shirt design for the Argentina Mendoza Mission:
Mendoza Mission Presidents
Here’s a list of current and past Mission Presidents of the Mendoza LDS Mission.
- 2017-2020, Fernando E. Panzacchi
- 2014-2017, Kevin Robert Goates
- 2011-2014, Sergio E. Avila
- 2008-2011, James B. Lindahl
- 2005-2008, Juan Carlos Avila
- 2002-2005, Cecilio Mario Romero
- 1999-2002, W. Douglas Steimle
- 1996-1999, Gordon K. Thomas
- 1993-1996, Hector M. Verdugo
- 1992-1993, Tomas F. Lindheimer
- 1990-1992, Charles W. Eastwood
Argentina LDS Statistics (2015)
- Church Membership: 432,007
- Missions: 12
- Temples: 2
- Congregations: 765
- Family History Centers: 107
Helpful Articles about Argentina
- Tomas is Argentina
- Crime and Safety in Argentina
- Argentine Pasta Sauce “Tuco”
- Argentine Cookies “Galletitas”
- Argentine Barbecue “Asado”
- Pizza in Argentina vs. Pizza in the USA
- Shopping for Food in Argentina
- Building Architecture and City Layout in Argentina
Mendoza Missionary Survey
Here are survey responses from Mendoza RMs, to give you a snapshot into what it’s like to live in the mission.
*Click here to take a survey to help pre-missionaries going to your mission.
When did you serve?
- 2014-2016 (Daisy)
- 2013-2014 (Natalia)
- February 2009-August 2010 (Ashley)
- 2008-2010 (Kennedy)
- 2008-2010 (Whitney)
- 2008-2010 (Amy)
- 2007-2009 (Michael)
- 2005-2007 (Amanda)
- 2004-2006 (Nate)
- September 2002-September 2004 (Kevin)
- 2002-2004 (Ryan)
- 2001-2003 (Roberto)
- 2000-2002 (Kevin)
- 1997-1999 (Rosa)
What areas did you serve in?
- San Rafael, Guaymallen, San Luis. (Ashley)
- Villa Mercedes, Salto de las Rosas, Colonia Segovia/Corralitos, Libertador, Tupungato, Junin. (Kennedy)
- San Rafael, Alvear, San Luis, Lujan, Rivadavia. (Whitney)
- San Luis-Barrio Sucre, San Rafael-Barrio 1, Rivadavia, and Alvear-Barrio Pacifico. (Amy)
- Perdriel, La Favorita, Cuadro Nacional, Rivadavia and Junin, Malargue, and Dario Pedro Molina in Guaymallen. (Michael)
- San Martín (Mendoza province), San Luis, San Juan, Luján de Cuyo (Mendoza Province). (Amanda)
- General Alvear, Albardon, Lujan de Cuyo, Unimev, Palmira, La Consulta, Dorrego. (Nate)
- San Luis, Colonia Segovia, Gutierrez, General Alvear. (Kevin)
- Lavalle, San Martin, Rivadalvia, Merlo, San Juan. (Ryan)
- Mendoza General Alvear, Foecit, Colonia Segovia, Tupungato, Colonia Bombal, Lavalle, Las Heras, San Juan Los Pinos, San Luis Villa Mercedes. (Roberto)
- San Luis, San Luis. Malargue, Mendoza. General Alvear Mendoza. Las Heras, Mendoza. Rivadavia, Mendoza. Caucete, San Juan. Godoy Cruz, Mendoza. (Kevin)
- San Juan y Mendoza. (Rosa)
What were some favorite foods?
- Empanadas de jamón y queso. (Daisy)
- Milanesa, empanadas, asado, repita juice. (Natalia)
- Canelones, asado, milanesa de pollo. (Ashley)
- Asado, Milanesa, Alfajores. (Kennedy)
- Alfajores, asado, empanadas, ensalada rusa, canelones, milanesa napolitana. (Whitney)
- Empanadas, Asado. (Amy)
- Asado, ñoqui, milanesa, choripan, arroz con leche, and picante de pollo. (Michael)
- Ñoquis, Milanesa, Empanadas, Pastel de Papa, Zapallitos Rellenos, mandarinas in winter and melones in summer. (Amanda)
- Nioquis. asado. empanadas. alfajores. (Nate)
- Empanadas, Pastel de papas, Locro. (Kevin)
- Milanesa. Ice cream. (Ryan)
- Empanadas, Asado, Pastel de Papa, Locro, Carne a la Olla, bife de chorizo, Choripan. (Roberto)
- Milanesa, Asado, lomitos, Arroz amarillo. (Kevin)
- Todas. (Rosa)
What was a funny experience?
- It was a Sunday in San Luis and it was pouring. In order to not get wet we had to step on dirt or jump to the sidewalk , we decided to jump to the dirt and our feet sunk. The mud was half way up to our knees. In order to clean our legs we dipped the in dirty water and then walked to church. Since we waited for a bus that never came. (Daisy)
- I ran into a few people who thought you could cure a headache by putting a glass of water on your head. A lot of them think they have liver attacks. (Ataque del hígado). (Ashley)
- When I found a screw in my meal at a member’s house. She was so embarrassed. I just moved it to the side of my plate and trusted the Lord would take care of my stomach. (Whitney)
- My companion and I were walking across a park before church one Sunday, when all of a sudden we see two big dogs dragging broken chains. In Argentina, there are lots of dogs and normally you just walk by and nothing happens. But, dogs on chains means they are mean. Dogs dragging broken chains is a terrible sign. Before the dogs spotted us, we cautiously made our way to a slide that had two curved ladders, one on each side, leading to the top. We climbed as high as we could and waited for the dangerous dogs to leave the area. We were sincerely hoping no members passed by the park on their way to the church building, because I’m sure they would have been thinking, “What are the Hermanas doing playing in the park on the Sabbath?” After we made sure no one saw us, we began laughing hysterically at what had just happened. (Amy)
- I once was asked to bring a dead man back to life. I never doubted I could do it but I didn’t think it was what the Lord had in mind for the 99 year old who had obviously been gone for a few hours. (Michael)
- Getting kissed by men when I wasn’t quick enough to stick my arm out firmly insisting on a handshake. As a sister, we always “kissed” the women but we had to train many men (especially those who had never met missionaries) that we don’t “kiss”. Kissing Argentine style is putting your cheek next to someone else’s cheek and making a smooching noise. Some provinces in my mission gave 2 kisses, others just gave one. Many old ladies would actually give us real/big/wet kisses on our cheeks–it was kinda gross. I found cockroaches in my shoes, that was always funny. One time during a prayer, a grasshopper jumped into my hair. When I was new, the members would laugh at all of the meat products I tried to choke down (chicken skin, gristle and fat from meat that they love to eat). (Amanda)
- Trying to speak to a referral at his door during a severe attack of the hiccups. (Kevin)
- I’m my first area, the heater wasn’t strong enough so my companion and I would turn the oven on in the morning and would study in front of the oven wrapped up in blankets. (Ryan)
- Mi Compañero cayendo a una acequia, en Mendoza hay por todas partes. (Roberto)
- Getting caught by our landlord in Rivadavia lifting a dismantled bunk bed from the street up through a second story window because it was too bulky to fit through our hallway. (He already didn’t like us.) The bunk beds had previously been in the living room area of the second floor one bedroom apartment where two companionships lived. We got along great, and one of our good buddies was transferring in so we decided to move the bunk beds into the only bedroom so we would all be in the same room. It was funny if you were there; we still laugh about getting caught because he yelled at us, but we just kept doing what we were doing. (Kevin)
What was a crazy experience?
- My companion and I were “robbed” by at guy at “gunpoint” (he said he had a gun, but it turns out he didn’t). We had our apartment keys, cell phone, a camera and our wallets with us. When he stopped us, I gave him my Chapstick and my companion gave him 50 cents. We then talked the guy down and he broke down and started crying and explained his life story to us. We were able to testify to him of the Savior, and he let us go. (Kennedy)
- Crossing the river-like streets during a rainstorm is always dangerous. (Whitney)
- Lesson: Listen to and follow the Spirit. We were on our way to have Family Home Evening with a member family at the end of our Preparation Day. I got this really cloudy, subdued feeling and talked to my companion about it. We decided not to go to the family’s house. The next day, we were visiting an investigator in the same general area, and she told us there had been a police shoot out the night before. (Amy)
- One time my companion and I had to sleep in our kitchen because of the little shoot out between the police and the local gang that happened right outside of our pench at 2 am. It was exciting. (Michael)
- Many times my companion or I would feel like we needed to get out of a neighborhood and we would follow the prompting immediately. One time this man approached my companion at a cyber (where we did preparation day emails) and started asking her a bunch of questions about if he could date her. A few days later he knocked on the door of our house (we don’t know how he found us)–fortunately several members were at our house fixing our water tank, they answered the door and told him to go away, we never saw him again. I felt like people, members and non-members alike were very protective of us and told us if they thought a neighborhood was too dangerous for us, if they thought it was too hot/cold for us to be outside working and everyone had suggestions for how to avoid and treat sicknesses. Another crazy experience was riding these tiny buses in San Luiz that were so full we couldn’t actually fit inside the bus, we had our feet on the very bottom steps and gripped the door handle as tightly as we could with our bodies hanging out of the bus. In Menedoza during harvest time, the buses get so full of migrant workers that you can barely move or breathe…there’s nothing quite like it. (Amanda)
- Walking past five Rottweiler dogs that had escaped their fence, not much else that was crazy or dangerous. Even that experience turned out to be friendlier than expected…one of the huge dogs even tried to lick my face. I too often trusted the Lord to keep me from any harm and I was reckless a few times. The Lord did protect me, and nothing ever happened. (Kevin)
- I had the same dream every night for a month where I would get run over by a bus, I worried about it every day, then one night we were walking next to the road and a car hit me, not with the front of the vehicle, but the side of the vehicle, and threw me into the bushes. (Ryan)
- Getting mugged/jumped by a “gang” in Malargue or purposely hanging from a suspension bridge over a shallow river on the way to the Laguna de la Nina Encantada outside Malargue just to get a good picture to send home to scare my family. (Kevin)
What was a spiritual experience?
- You are obedient to the mission rules you will have spiritual experiences daily. (Ashley)
- Some of my best spiritual moments involved all of our plans for the day falling through, and still having 5 more hours of left in the day. On these occasions, my companion and I would stop and say a prayer and ask for the guidance of the Holy Ghost. We would go wherever we felt promoted to go (take this bus, walk down this street, etc.) and often had great experiences sharing the gospel and finding people who were ready to receive the gospel. On one such occasion, we found a woman who had been given a copy of the Book of Mormon 12 years earlier by a missionary (who didn’t stop to teach her, but just gave it to her in passing and told her that whenever she is experiencing a difficult time that she should read it). When we found her and talked to her, she told us that she was recently divorced and was having a really hard year. She remembered that she had the Book of Mormon, so she picked it up and started reading, and was now in Ether. Two weeks later, she and her 13 year old son were baptized. (Kennedy)
- My newbie wanted to street contact a tattooed, beanie-wearing, lip-pierced guy and so we invited him to church the next day. I never thought we would see him again. My trainee prayed for him that night with all faith, in her heart. I thought to myself, “Oh poor girl, she’ll soon learn that everyone agrees to go to church, and never shows up.” I was taught a lesson in faith and Christlike love when he showed up at church and wanted to be taught. (Whitney)
- There were so many, but some of my favorite spiritual experiences were interviews with my mission president. (Amy)
- As a missionary, I had many opportunities to give blessings to many investigators that were struggling. I felt the spirit most strongly when helping someone else learn what Heavenly Father wanted to tell them. (Michael)
- Every baptism is powerful. I still have memories of teaching people who would never answer the door/be home when we tried to come by for a 2nd lesson but our lessons were so amazing and powerful and full of the Spirit…I hope they will receive missionaries in the future. I taught a little boy named Nibaldito, the prayer he offered at the end of our lesson was so beautiful and sincere. In San Juan, I challenged a woman to baptism who had been avoiding it for years…her husband and many of her children were active members. A few days before her baptism, we had an appointment with her, the house was noisy with children coming and going, all of the sudden it was quiet and her husband asked if we could kneel and pray. He prayed that his wife would make it to her baptism and it was one of the most spiritual moments of my mission. (Amanda)
- Teaching the Joseph Smith story to a family by the light of a mason jar lamp. Being able to baptize a young woman whose father had refused permission only to change his mind a week later. Miracles happen with prayer and fasting. (Kevin)
- Elder Scott came and spoke to the mission, when he entered the room I had never felt the spirit so strong. (Ryan)
- La gente de Mendoza, San Juan y San Luis son maravillosas. Pudimos bautisar a muchos ahi. (Roberto)
- Too many to count. Serving as a full time missionary, the companionship of the Spirit was extremely important for us to be engaged in Heavenly Father’s work. On one particular occasion, I was working at the end of a long less than productive day when the Spirit suggested I knock on one more door. I did, and after teaching in that home, I had the pleasure of baptizing a family. (Kevin)
What are some interesting facts about the Mendoza Mission?
- Hot in the summer and cold in the winter. Cold enough to snow, but hardly ever does. Very dry climate. San Juan is so hot in the summer. It’s hard to escape the cold and the heat in the pensión (apartment) because there is no heater or AC. (Ashley)
- When I was there, there was only one biking area in the whole mission, everywhere else was just walking/taking public transit (no missionaries had cars). (Kennedy)
- There are vineyards everywhere. Grapes grow in everyone’s front yard, so you can’t actually even find them at the grocery store. In some places, wine is cheaper than milk so that’s what people give to their babies. (Whitney)
- Tallest mountain in the Western Hemisphere is in the mission – Aconcagua. Apparently Seven Years in Tibet was filmed there. It is South America’s wine capital, and it is beautiful. (Amy)
- As far as I know, the Mendoza Mission has the hottest location in Argentina, San Juan. The tallest mountain in the Andes range is also in the mission, Mount Aconcagua. (Michael)
- Mt. Aconcagua is in our mission…it is the highest point in all of the Americas. Mendoza is world famous for its Malbec wine. Many American tourists go to Mendoza. They miss out if they don’t go to San Juan too to see the cool rock formations at Ischigualasto. Also, I think that plane crash in the 80’s with those Uruguayan rugby players happened in the boundaries of the Mendoza mission up in the mountains on the border with Chile. (Amanda)
- We have the highest altitude in the Western Hemisphere (Aconagua). (Nate)
- Contains the highest peak in the Americas. Not sure what you want here. I was on my mission during 9/11, an interesting fact about my personal mission. (Kevin)
- Vineyards everywhere. Really, really good beef. Everyone drinks an herbal tea called matte, all day long. You clap instead of knocking on the door. No one has carpet or sofas. (Ryan)
- Hace mucho calor en San Juan …. y en Malargue Mendoza hace mucho frio. (Roberto)
- When I was there, the mission was still pretty new. After we baptized people, we tried to get them to the temple to participate in temple baptisms as quickly as possible. Unfortunately, at that time, it was difficult to organize in many areas because due to lack of finances members often had to raise their own money to take a 16 hour charter bus all the way to Buenos Aires on the other side of the country to reach the only temple. However, the people of the Mendoza mission now have the privilege of attending the Cordoba temple which is much closer than Buenos Aires. This should afford more opportunities for temple attendance. My Mission President is the current and first president of the Cordoba temple. (Kevin)
What was the weather like?
- San Luis is hot and raining basically every day. It’s cold in winter. (Daisy)
- Cold in the winter, burning hot in the summer. BURNING hot. (Natalia)
- Hot in the summer (40 Degrees Celsius, 100 Fahrenheit). Cool in the winter (0-5 Celsius, 30’s Fahrenheit). It snowed only once while I was there. (Kennedy)
- Similar to Utah, only more mild. It gets cold, but not enough to snow. The summers are hot and dry. (Whitney)
- The weather is very similar to Utah, for those of you who are familiar with Utah. It doesn’t get as much snow though. In the summer, the north part of the mission gets really hot. (Amy)
- Hot and dry for the most part. Being so close to the mountains, we also got sondas, which is the name of a warm wind that come off the mountain range and raises the temperature a few degrees. This is really nice during the winter. (Michael)
- Mendoza (where most of the missionaries are) is a lot like St. George, Utah. Hot in the summer and snows occasionally in the winter. There are a few areas that are more in the mountains and it snows a little more. San Juan province can get to be 120’s in the summer and the have a hot wind called zonda. San Luis is slightly more temperate than Mendoza but the have killer cold winds in the winter called viento chorillero. (Amanda)
- I’d compare the climate, for the most part, in the province of Mendoza like Utah. (Nate)
- Normal, a little dry due to the Andes, but with severe summer storms that could bring hail and lots of Rain. Dry and cold during the winter. (Kevin)
- Really hot and really cold, hot wind, dry. (Ryan)
- I’m from Southern California, and I served in the Mendoza mission which serves the Cuyo area or the Provinces of Mendoza, San Juan and San Luis. The Cuyo area is roughly the same distance from the equator as Southern California. So, for me, the weather was pretty normal, just backwards. In the mission, you go north to San Juan and it gets hot! In the south, you end up serving in Malarque where you get snow in the winter. The humidity was only really bad in San Luis in the summer. (Kevin)
- BUENO. HACE CALOR PERO POR LA NOCHE REFRESCA. (Rosa)
Any things you really like about the area/people?
- Some of the people are just so humble, you can feel the immense love God has for them and watching the gospel change their lives is priceless. (Natalia)
- They are very welcoming. They like to listen to messages about Jesus. (Ashley)
- Super kind people, humble, most members were very loving and eager to feed the missionaries. (Kennedy)
- They live with such meager circumstances, yet are so willing to share what they have. I loved seeing the innovation when people couldn’t afford something they needed. (Whitney)
- The people will love you if you embrace their culture. (Amy)
- I really loved the humility of the people. There were so many there that would open their homes to strangers. We were always welcomed and everyone knew who we were. (Michael)
- I love how affectionate and friendly Argentines are. As far as missionary work goes, it can be difficult to find people who progress because many people will invite you into their homes and show you such kindness when they really don’t have any interest in your message. I love how beautiful the cordillera is (the Andes Mountains), it is massive and truly impressive and beautiful. I love the rural areas, I love the vineyards. (Amanda)
- Mendoza is full of plantations of grapes, olive trees, even watermelons. One area I served in had a large garlic processing plant in it. It was fun to be surrounded by life giving plants and farms. The people are very caring and considerate. They will share everything they have with you, sometimes even people who do not wish to talk with you will share what they have. (Kevin)
- Loving and open people, giving, members and people of other faiths will invite you in, listen, feed you, and genuinely care about you. (Ryan)
- Montañas hermosas y personas muy amables…. un lugar donde aprender sobre otras costumbres. (Roberto)
- I couldn’t possibly list everything I grew to love about the Argentine people here. Not just the people I served, but the ones I served with. My Mission President is from Argentina, and will forever hold a special place in my heart. Unfortunately, like many, I did not prepare for the mission field as much as I should have, and I arrived with a fledgling testimony. I came to know my Savior walking the dusty roads and grape vineyards of Mendoza. As I grew to love the people and the place where I served, I came to know Jesus Christ and for that I will always feel indebted to the Mendocino people. (Kevin)
- LOS LUGARES HERMOSOS Y LA GENTE MUY AMABLE. (Rosa)
Any packing/clothing advice?
- Gloves, scarfs for winter and rain boot for San Luis. (Daisy)
- Hermanas: bring lots of those sock things, the black/tan ones that you wear with flats. They don’t sell them anywhere. Also bring tampons, lots and lots of tampons. (Natalia)
- Take some good, sturdy shoes. (Kennedy)
- Good walking shoes of course. Take with you several small pictures of Christ or temples to give away as gifts. Most members don’t have ready access to Church artwork. (Whitney)
- Don’t worry about taking an 18-month or two year supply of toiletries. You can get those things there. Take peanut butter if you can’t live without it; it’s hard to come by, and it’s expensive and not the greatest if you do. You can also but hair dryers, flat irons, etc. there, but they are expensive, so I suggest buying an outlet converter and taking your existing appliances if you have space. Also, be prepared to wash clothes by hand. Washing machines are few and far between. (Amy)
- Get really sturdy shoes and a few pairs of slacks. Save the dress pants for special occasions. Otherwise, you will destroy them in a couple of months. (Michael)
- Bring a few pairs of really good shoes. Long socks to wear in lieu of nylons in the winter. Maybe it’s because I had so many native companions but I bought many clothing items in Argentina that worked just great for me (skirts, shirts, shoes, socks, nylons). (Amanda)
- Don’t bother with hangers, there’s already a million of them in the apartments… you can easily buy them in stores as well. (Nate)
- Some nice thick socks for winter. I remember my feet getting rather cold walking around on the cold ground throughout the day. (Kevin)
- Thick socks, good shoes (you will wear them out!), warm sweaters for winter. (Ryan)
- Pack light, just about everything you need you can buy in this country for a lot cheaper than what you are going to spend stateside. (Kevin)
- ZAPATOS COMODOS. (Rosa)
What blessings did you receive from serving a mission?
- A deeper conversion to my Savior Jesus Christ. I was extremely blessed that first semester home from my mission. I got a job (two jobs actually) and met my husband. You may leave the mission but the spirit of the mission never leaves you. (Natalia)
- Honestly, there are too many to count. I think the biggest is gaining a better understanding of the Savior’s love and His Atonement. (Kennedy)
- A greater understanding of the meaning of “seeing people as Christ sees them.” Also, a more direct relationship with our Savior. Lastly, learning how the Holy Ghost speaks to me. (Whitney)
- Having my testimony of Jesus Christ and the Gospel is the greatest blessing as well as a greater ability to listen to and follow the Spirit. The ability to know I can do difficult things has helped so much. Knowing Spanish has also been a blessing. (Amy)
- I learned a lot about the gospel and my relationship with our Father in Heaven. I now have a beautiful wife and a rock solid testimony. (Michael)
- Relationships with the members, converts and my companions. I was able to visit two years after coming home and it was so satisfying to see how my areas were progressing even if at the time it seemed like things were struggling or moving slowly. (Amanda)
- Increased testimony, faith, you name a positive attribute and it was impacted by the time I spent serving the Lord in Argentina. (Kevin)
- I gained a firm testimony of my Savior and the restoration. My study habits and work ethics gained on my mission helped me thru undergrad, grad school, starting a family, I use Spanish every day in my business. Experiences from my mission affect decisions I make every day in my life. It was the most important, influential, and learning opportunity I have ever experienced and my life was forever changed because of it, and the blessings are too numerous to list. (Ryan)
- A beautiful wife who I found out after we were dating is half Argentine! Three amazing children (so far) and an incredible life. It has been very difficult. My wife and I have faced, what at times, has seemed like an insurmountable amount of adversity in our individual and couple trials. I frequently, if not daily, rely on the spiritual strength and fortitude I developed in the mission field. (Kevin)
- UNA HERMOSA FAMILIA Y RECUERDOS INOLVIDABLES. (Rosa)
What are some skills you gained?
- Spanish language, communication skills, leadership skills, ability to listen to the Spirit better. (Ashley)
- Learning how to work with/deal with difficult people. Learning how to defend the things you believe in, while still respecting the beliefs of others. (Kennedy)
- Learning how to effectively study, and even enjoy it. (Whitney)
- Speaking and understanding Spanish, a greater ability to teach, a greater ability to sympathize with people, more love for other cultures, shoe shining. (Amy)
- I learned how to plan and manage my time. I also learned how to talk with people I don’t know and build a relationship of trust. It also taught me some very valuable leadership skills. ( Michael)
- I became so confident in personalizing my teaching of the gospel to different people. I became very fluent in the Spirit and the different ways the Spirit speaks to me. I learned how to cheer myself up and make the best of a crummy situation. I got very good at giving talks or lessons at church on the fly when the bishop needed someone. (Amanda)
- Obviously bilingual. (Nate)
- The language of course, but also a better ability to speak to people and connect with them. I must confess I expected everyone to think the same way I do, and struggled to get along with one companion in particular. I had a steep learning curving at times. (Kevin)
- The ability to communicate with others. Learning to compromise. Ability to stretch myself beyond what I though I could accomplish. Faith. Work. (Ryan)
- Bicicleta!!! (Roberto)
- Speaking Spanish (kind of obvious). Interpersonal skills, relating to people of varying backgrounds, public speaking, preparing a talk, lesson, or anything else church related in under 5 minutes. On any given Sunday, an American missionary may do just about everything in church including clean the building when church is over! (Kevin)
- SER INDEPENDIENTE Y SABER CONVIVIR CON EL OTRO, SABER QUE SOMOS DIFERENTES PERO QUE TODOS TENEMOS ALGO BUENO. (Rosa)
What do you wish you knew/did at the beginning of your mission?
- Numbers don’t matter. People matter. (Natalia)
- Why I was out there, I had a small understanding of it, but I wasn’t as prepared as I would have liked to be. (Kennedy)
- That, as a set apart servant of the Lord, you can make promises to your investigators in regards to living the Gospel, and the Lord is spiritually bound to fulfill those promises. (Whitney)
- That it isn’t all fun and games, but the good times outweigh the bad, even if sometimes they don’t outnumber the bad. Also, taking care of your companion’s well-being needs to be a priority. Sometimes stopping to get a treat and regroup for a few minutes is more important than continually driving forward. (Amy)
- I wish I already knew Spanish. (Michael)
- I wish I had tried more to see the good things that my trainer had tried to teach me, instead I focused on what she didn’t do right and thinking she was crazy made it really hard for me to trust her. I should have served her more and worried less about myself and my progress. (Amanda)
- That there are Kioscos all over the place, in other words, they’re little tiny shops where you can buy snacks, such as candy, drinks, food, etc. They’re practically in every block, run out of homes, separate little buildings. (Nate)
- Learned more of the language, but more importantly studied the scriptures more and better. The gospel is the reason you are there, so focus your attention on learning as much about it as possible. (Kevin)
- Be yourself, genuine with investigators and companions, they will love you for you. (Ryan)
- You don’t have to know everything, but try to learn how to listen to the Spirit. (Kevin)
Any advice/testimony for pre-missionaries going to Mendoza?
- Be prepared to walk, not just like we do around here in the states, I mean be prepared to walk everywhere, all the time, all day, everyday. Smile, the gospel is one of joy. (Natalia)
- Study the Book of Mormon. Have a testimony before you go. If you think that you can get a testimony on your mission, you are there for the wrong reason. (Kennedy)
- Ask everyone to correct your Spanish. It will make you a better speaker and a more humble missionary. (Whitney)
- Pray to love the people and your companions. You’re going to a place that’s very different than the USA, but embrace it. Love the people, learn the culture, and you will have success. (Amy)
- Trust in the Lord. No matter what happens remember that everything happens for a reason. If we can learn to have faith in his timing, we can look to the future with optimism. (Michael)
- It will be deliciously hard and it will be the time of your life. It will go by slow but it will fly by so just soak in every moment of being a missionary because it is a very unique time in your life. If you become more like the Savior and if you do what he would do, you are doing it right. (Amanda)
- Prepare for differences in culture between yourself and your Argentine companion. While there are many similarities between culture and life experience there, there are some differences as well. No-one thinks and experiences life exactly like you do. (Kevin)
- Gain a testimony prior to going, and work your butt off, your life will be changed and blessed forever for your efforts. (Ryan)
- New missionaries everywhere tend to compare everything to how things are where they are from, and it tends to come off like they are saying where they are from is better than where they are. This is especially true if where they are from is a developed and prosperous nation like the United States, and you the missionary are currently sitting in a mud and dirt shack eating a meal with a family that has saved for a week just to invite you over. If your command of the language isn’t very good and you think you are trying to say, “This food is like the food I eat at home, only a little different” It usually comes out sounding like the food I eat at home is better because your food is terrible. In the beginning, keep it simple and just compliment everything. Also, in Argentina if a yard is fenced, you don’t go through the gate to knock on the gate. You stand on the street and clap your hands. Your trainer is not messing with you, it’s completely normal. (Kevin)
- DISFRUTA TU MISION. VALORA A TU COMPAÑERO Y EL SEÑOR HARA SU PARTE. (Rosa)
What was a funny language mistake?
- Once I prayed that the Lord would bless a woman’s ‘caja’ (instead of casa). (Natalia)
- Estoy embarazada means I’m pregnant, not embarrassed. (Ashley)
- My first day, someone asked me where I was from and I said, “I am Canada” (instead of “I am from Canada”). My companion never let me live that one down, lol. (Kennedy)
- My companion would always say “como asi” which means “like like this”. (Whitney)It was when I came home- I kept saying reference instead of referral and direction instead of address. (Amy)
- There was a sister missionary that was talking to a bishop and he jokingly got the better of her. She was a bit embarrassed and during her talk that day attempted to retell the story and said that the bishop “me embarazo” which translates to got me pregnant. The bishop was at the microphone in less then 2 seconds. (Michael)
- Because I had studied Spanish in college before I went, I used a lot of words that I had picked up from Spanish literature that would make Argentines crack up. There are many clothing and food vocabulary words that you’ve never heard even if you speak Spanish because they are uniquely Argentine. (Amanda)
- In my first interview with the Mission President, I asked him (my companion was present to help with the language), I asked, “Cual es tu lamanita preferida de Cristo” which I thought I was asking what your favorite image of Christ, when in reality I was roughly asking, what’s your favorite Lamanite of Christ. :0) (Nate)
- I served in the same area at the end of my mission where I began my mission. I remember receiving many complements for my Spanish at the beginning of my mission from the members there. At the end of my mission, many of those same members complemented me on how well my Spanish had improved, saying that they could barely understand me when I was there before. (Kevin)
- The word for shirt and whore are very similar and I went to a store to buy a shirt and asked for something very different, the clerk was a little surprised for what I was asking for, then my companion corrected me and we all laughed about it. (Ryan)
- Some Elders played a joke on me in a clothing store and taught me to ask for a prostitute instead of the common slang word for T-shirt/jersey when I was trying to buy my first soccer jersey. The sales girl was nice and just laughed a little, it was obvious I didn’t speak the language well yet. (Kevin)
Lee (Argentina Mendoza Mission)
–Paraphrased from Lee’s mission interview–
Mendoza doesn’t fit the Stereotype
Usually the stereotype that people think of is based on Buenos Aires, but Mendoza doesn’t fit that. People think of the double “L” sound that people in buenos aires make but they don’t do that the same way.
The Climate
It’s a very dry climate and gets very hot in the summers and very cold in the winter. There are three provinces in the mission. San Luis is more humid I think but I didn’t serve there. There is a bit of influence from the indigenous people that lived there but most people are descended from europeans, mostly Italian. The region of the Mendoza mission is very agricultural. They grow olives. That’s a big part of the culture because they have a festivals that celebrate the harvest of grapes for example.
It’s important to know some of the history to understand why some of the streets have the same names. A lot of streets are named for dates that are important events in Argentine history. There are a number of earthquakes that are a part of the history that destroyed large parts of cities in the mission in the past.
Elder Scott of the 12 was the President of the mission that included the Mendoza mission.
Argentines and Brits aren’t very fond of each other because of the Falkland Island war. Try to avoid that subject as soon as possible.
Culture Tips
The growing of grapes is important to the culture so they have a lot of events and festivals for that. Gauchos are another part of the culture broadly across all of Argentina. There is a respect for cowboys and their horses. In parades they often have a lot of horses. It’s important to them kind of like cowboy stories are important over here, but more so there. The Argentines are a proud people. They’re proud of who they are. They kind of look down on Bolivians. They also have a rivalry with the people of Chile. In San Juan, they don’t roll their “r’s” so that’s an interesting thing to get used to. They also have a very sing songy cute voice. It’s less of that way in Mendoza. The food is quite good. It has elements of a Mediterranean diet, but with it’s own twists. They have empanadas which are little pieces of flour that you wrap up into a crescent with different meats or vegetables in them. Milanesas are good too. Meat has been an important part of the Argentine diet for a long time. We probably ate noodles more than anything. We often had salads with that. There are a lot of good pastries and dessert breads. They’re called facturas.
Argentine History
In most cities you’ll have the same series of street names like Sarmiento who was an educational reformer. A lot will be named after dates of important events in Argentine history. There are a number of earthquakes that have occurred in Argentina that have destroyed a lot in the past. Elder Scott of the 12 was mission president in Cordoba. That included Mendoza at the time. The Mendoza mission was formed in 1990. The gospel was first preached in Argentina in 1925 with Melvin K Ballard who was there to dedicate the land. Argentines and Brits are not particularly fond of each other because of the Falkland Islands war. In Spanish they are the Islas Malvinas and they still see them as being Argentine. The Perrons are another bit of history to steer clear of.
Safety
The areas I was in weren’t too dangerous. You just have to be cautious and follow the safety guidelines in the white handbook. Some places are more dangerous than others and you have to be quite vigilant. Listen to the locals about what places you shouldn’t visit. Take that with a grain of salt though because sometimes you need to visit people in those areas. The only time I got robbed was by an ATM. I never actually got robbed by a person. There was one time when my companion was talking with some people on the bus that weren’t actually paying attention to what he was saying. They got off the bus quickly when we did and followed us and we actually hid behind some bushes and we lost them. Generally it’s a pretty safe place as long as you’re cautious.