Misión Argentina Salta
Here are free resources about the Argentina Salta Mission:
Aquí están algunos recursos gratuitos sobre la Misión Argentina Salta:
- 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 Salta Mission Address
Here’s a recent address for the Argentina Salta 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 Salta Mission
Casilla de Correo 429
4400 Salta
Salta
Argentina
Phone Number: 54-387-439-8119
Mission President: President Juan L. Orquera
Casilla de Correo 429
4400 Salta
Salta
Argentina
Phone Number: 54-387-439-8119
Mission President: President Juan L. Orquera
Argentina Salta Mission Map
Here’s a link to the mission map for the Salta Mission (LDS). To access the official, up-to-date LDS.org map for the Salta Mission
Argentina Salta Missionary Blogs
Here’s a list of LDS missionary blogs for the Salta Mission. This blog list includes the missionary’s name, URL and when their mission blog was updated.
Argentina Salta Mission Groups
Here are Salta Mission Groups- for LDS missionary moms, returned missionaries, mission presidents and other alumni of the Salta Mission.
- La MAS – Mision Argentina Salta Facebook Group (1,454 members)
- Mision Argentina Salta 2011-2014 Facebook Group (772 members)
- Mision Argentina Salta 2014-2017 Facebook Group (238 members)
- Rememorando La M.A.S. (Mision Salta) Group (69 members)
- Salta Mission Moms and Friends (LDS) Group (34 members)
- Mision Salta – Presidente Francisco Vinas Group (22 members)
Argentina Salta Mission T-Shirts
Here are T-shirts for the Argentina Salta Mission!
Shirt designs include Argentina Salta 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 Salta missionary aprons, Christmas stockings, ties, pillow cases, teddy bears and Christmas ornaments.
*Click here to browse Salta Mission gifts
*Click here to see our new shirt design for the Argentina Salta Mission:
Argentina Salta Mission Presidents
Here’s a list of current and past Mission Presidents of the Salta LDS Mission.
- 2017-2020, Juan L. Orquera
- 2014-2017, Ariel Chaparro
- 2011-2014, Juan Levrino
- 2008-2011, Dan Northcutt
- 2005-2008, Israel Rubalcava
- 2002-2005, Marvin E. Turley
- 1999-2002, David M. Macdonald
- 1996-1999, Carlos Lizardo Pedraja
- 1993-1996, M. Curtis Jensen
- 1990-1993, Daniel Aguilar
- 1988-1990, Francisco J. Vinas
Argentina LDS Statistics (2015)
- Church Membership: 432,007
- Missions: 12
- Temples: 2
- Congregations: 765
- Family History Centers: 107
Helpful Articles about Argentina (Written by RMs)
- 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
Argentina Salta Missionary Survey
Here are survey responses from Argentina Salta 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?
- 2013-2014 (Holly)
- 2011-2013 (Matt)
- 2010-2012 (Anonymous)
- 2008-2010 (Dennis)
- 2007-2009 (Harold)
- 2007-2009 (Allison)
- 2005-2006 (Joel)
- 2001-2003 (Andrew)
- 1999-2001 (Rob)
- 1998-2000 (Jason)
- 1998-1999 (Alexandra)
- 1994-1996 (Robert)
What areas did you serve in?
- El Carmen, Metán, Colonia Santa Rosa, and Vicente Solá. (Holly)
- All 4 provinces: Aalta, Jujuy, Teacuman, and Santiago. (Matt)
- San Pedro, parque chacabuco, Vucetich (Jose c Paz), andino 1 (Ushuaia). The Argentina North Mission when I was there. (Anonymous)
- Solis Pizarro, La Quiaca, Cabildo, Mitre, and San Miguel. (Dennis)
- Villa Raquel, Cuyaya, Guemes, Santa Ana, Rio Sali, and Prospero Mena. (Joel)
- Metan, Salta Capital, and Oran. (Alexandra)
- Tres Cerritos, Salta. El Carmen, Jujuy. La Loma, Salta. Tribuno, Salta. Parque Guillermina, Tucuman. (Allison)
- Lastenia, San Pedro de Jujuy, Salta. (Rob)
- Guemes, Palpala, Friale Pintado, Santiago Del Estero, San Pedro, Lastenia, Concepcion, Oran. (Robert)
What were some favorite foods?
- Empanadas!!! Y bombitos de queso, y facturas con dulce de leche. (Holly)
- Empanadas, Nioquis, Milanessa Napoletana. (Matt)
- Choripan, milanesa, empanadas, asado, alfajores. (Anonymous)
- Milanesa, empanadas, locro, baggio, alfajores, pizza con huevo, hamburgesa. (Dennis)
- Milanesa, empanadas de pollo, choripan. (Joel)
- Carne Asada, Empanadas. (Andrew)
- Guiso de arroz con pollo! Milanesa, Carne de asada, Lomitos. (Alexandra)
- Milenesa Asado Fideos caseros. (Jason)
- Pasta frola. Empanadas salteñas. Ñoqui. Caneloni. Pasta. Asado! (Harold)
- Empanadas, humitas, asado, choripan, lomitos, ñoquis, etc. (Allison)
- Empanadas Salteñas. (Rob)
- Empanadas, asado, milanesa con huevo, salchicha, hamburguesa, guizo de lenteja, and gnocchis. (Robert)
What was a funny experience?
- One time we met someone on the street. He attended a different church but we noticed he was carrying a set of LDS scriptures. We gave him a tour of the church with some members and he said that he was baptized in that font one time and then a member came in and said “ya, he is a member of the church, Sisters”! The reason he didn’t go to church was because he did not know how to get there. His memory was not the best. So we created a song in that moment for him to sing so he could remember how to get there. We just sang the name of the streets. It was pretty funny. (Holly)
- I saw how many people can fit on a motorcycle. (Matt)
- A drunk man try to teach me how to dance Tango. (Dennis)
- Random encounters with drunk people. (Joel)
- One the time I was served tongue! I have a very sensitive gag-reflex, and a texture issue when it comes to food. I took one bite and felt like I was chewing my own tongue! My stomach lurched up inside me and I thought I was going to throw up all over the table! I prayed fervently to come up with an idea quickly! And then I remembered something my mom taught me. I cut the huge (and still hairy!) cow tongue into small pieces, pretending like I was chewing every bite, and discretely spit it into a napkin. Then I would drop the napkin into my bag (sitting at my feet). I did this until the entire meal was gone. (Alexandra)
- My first zone leader…blond hair blue eyes…I tried talking with him in english…but he was from Argentina and didn’t speak any english… (Jason)
- When we did some spanish-English rap with my stepson. (Harold)
- Watching my companion run after a cute old lady to just do a simple contact in the street. The old lady wanted nothing of it! 🙂 (Allison)
- Watching a man try to cut a live pig’s head off with a dull machete in the dark. He dropped the machete which startled the pig and he missed the neck. Wrestled around for a bit but finally killed it. (Robert)
What was a crazy experience?
- I wore my contacts to bed… Not a good idea, and my cornea got cut and I had to go to the eye doctor everyday for one week. One time the mosquitos bit my foot three times and it was swollen and red and purple and it hurt a lot so I had to stay off of it for a couple of days and take medicine and put cream on my foot. (Holly)
- I heard gunshots once. (Matt)
- Some dude threatened my companion to give him money or he’ll take out his knife from his pocket. I was ready to lay that fool out but we just left. (Anonymous)
- Once we had a drunk/high man threaten to kill me then chase my companion and me. (Dennis)
- I almost got caught in the middle of a soccer riot. I got lost in a forest. (Joel)
- In northern Jujuy (La Quiaca), I was heading down to a Zone meeting, and our bus was stopped be Gendarmaria (Border patrol/customs). They took us all off the bus and checked IDs. My passport had a faded stamp, and I almost got stopped, but a member of the church who was also high ranking in the Gendarmaria, took care of it, and helped us go. (Andrew)
- There were several crazy experiences. As many kind people as there are, there are also nutjobs! Be mindful of your surroundings! When it’s dark, don’t be out. Don’t let people on scooters get too close to you. Again; heed the promptings of the Spirit. (Alexandra)
- Traveling up to tafi del valle…and going up a road meant for 1 car but having there be traffic in both directions…then coming upon “El Fin del Mundo” sign…and stopping and looking down at all the cars that had driven off the cliff… (Jason)
- When I got bitten by a dog when we were tracting with my son. (Harold)
- We weren’t supposed to go in any of the villas after about 5 pm. We got caught up in a great lesson and left a villa late and were pretty much running towards the “safe” part of our area, only to find ourselves in an even more dangerous villa that we knew nothing about. We were praying the entire time just to make it back to our apartment alive. (Allison)
- I got bronchitis three times. At one point I was coughing so much I was coughing up blood. (Rob)
- Went to see a man with a pet puma. Carried it around on our shoulders, took pictures with it. Sat next to it on a motorcycle. It probably weighed about 100 lbs. The owner started taunting it so it would show its teeth and it reached over and bit a hole right through his hand. (Robert)
What was a spiritual experience?
- Too many to pick from! But one time an elderly lady was baptized and after she came out of the font we asked her how she felt and she said “I am so happy, I cannot stop crying.” The spirit is always strong during baptisms. (Holly)
- There were so many. One day before a baptism, almost everything went wrong. Even the water line down the street broke so we didn’t have water. The baptism still took place with just barely enough water. The Lord’s plan always prevails. (Matt)
- The whole mission. (Anonymous)
- We saw God change the life of a young mother and her family despite huge challenges that they faced. (Dennis)
- We taught a less-active member who eventually regained her testimony and decided to serve a mission within 3 months. (Joel)
- There were so many! Always be in tuned to the spirit! Follow your promptings. Don’t be stupid. Love your companion (no matter how hard it is!). Smile at people! And always say a prayer before reading your scriptures-even if it’s only for a minute! And never wash the black mold off the walls! Learned this lesson the hard way! Oh ya, and be prepared for ginormous cockroaches!!! I mean ginormous!!! (Alexandra)
- Being watched over and protected while on the mission…I went back and visited the mission a few years later and wow…there are some scary neighborhoods which I never felt scared while on my mission but going back it was a little crazy at times… (Jason)
- When we had the impression to visit a family when they were REALLY needing it. (Harold)
- My companion and I took a side road (one we had only been down maybe a couple times) towards a popular street to do some street contacts. There was no one around while we were walking down this side road. All of the sudden I stopped right there in the middle of the dirt road. My companion had taken a couple steps and stopped, looked back at me and asked if everything was okay. I looked at her, looked at the house to our right, looked back at her and said “we need to knock this house.” She said okay and we walked up to it. It didn’t look like anyone was home but I clapped anyway. This older lady came out, we introduced ourselves, but she wasn’t interested. I was basically begging her to listen because I knew we were there for a reason! After her rejecting us over and over, I finally asked if we could just sing her a song. She asked if it would be short and I said of course. I looked at my companion for an idea of a song, she gave me a blank look and said “this is your thing!” I randomly opened my little himnario to Families can be together forever. We started to sing and this stubborn lady started to sob. After we finished and she composed herself, she explained that her husband had passed away a few months before, her kids had just left about a month earlier and she felt completely alone. We then had a great conversation for the next ten minutes in front of her house. This lady, Mercedes, never got baptized. In fact, we couldn’t ever find her again. But Heavenly Father knew she needed comfort and to feel His love in her life, so He sent a couple of simple missionaries down a side road to do just that. He loves us. He really does. And He knows exactly what we need right when we need it. (Allison)
- Met a young man name Marcos on a bus trip between cities. He was golden. He gave us an address but that isn’t saying much in Argentina. It took us over a month to find him. We taught him and his little brother. He wanted to be baptized more than anything. After we taught him about tithing, he wasn’t sure if he could get baptized. He told us he thought about all it night and even considered robbing a bank but he didn’t think that would be right. He thought he needed to pay tithing back on his entire life in order to be baptized. We helped him understand that it was only from then forward and he was so relieved. He and his brother were the only priesthood holders in his branch and he was quickly called to branch president. He was still branch president when I returned five years later to visit. (Robert)
What are some interesting facts about the Salta Mission?
- We had to wear sombreros because it was so hot and we didn’t want to get burned. You clap at people’s houses instead of knocking. (Holly)
- They are amazing people. Northern Argentines are humble and have some culture from both Buenos Aires and Bolivia. (Matt)
- From what I heard, our mission was supposed to close due to the idiot elders that was fooling round with snakes and not keeping other mission rules and what not. (Anonymous)
- It’s very hot in the summer and humid in many places. People drink wine out of boxes. There are heavy summer rains that can come and go in a matter of minutes even though there’s nothing but blue skies before the storm. The clouds are fluffier and prettier there. I once watched continuous lightning for 45 minutes after dark. (Dennis)
- Argentina declared independence in Tucuman in 1816. Temperatures in Santiago del Estero can reach 50 degrees Celsius (120 Fahrenheit). (Joel)
- Take the time to enjoy your surroundings. Smell the air. Touch the flowers. God really does use His imagination in his creations! What you may think is dirty or ugly is really just something beautiful and curious with a different color than you’re used to! Take notice of cool things, like, do the stars actually look different on the other end of the world? Do toilets REALLY swirl in the opposite direction? Do Argentine thunderstorms REALLY shake your house? (Yes, they do!) Be a missionary, but have a curious mind too! (Alexandra)
- From la Quiaca (northern point) to Santiago del Estero (southern point) you drive about 24 hrs. (Harold)
- Salta la Linda is rich in culture and it was so fun to immerse myself in that. It made it so easy to love the people. Jujuy seems a little backwards but the people are incredible! Tucuman is humid and more westernized. All you do is sweat. Their Spanish is a little bit different, meaning, more incorrect. Some people like to make their own rules with the language. I was never in Santiago del Estero but I heard it was a big desert that the missionaries just loved! (Allison)
- Tucuman used to be the capital. Lots of Bolivian people live in Northern Argentina. Many people would chew on coco leaves which are the same leaves used to make cocaine. It made their teeth rot and they would have horrible breath. (Robert)
What was the weather like?
- It was really hot and humid in the summer and it felt really cold in the winter because of the humidity, and I only saw snow twice and it was just a tiny bit. One time it rained so hard that we walked in the street with water up to our knees. It was fun! (Holly)
- It depends on the area. Santiago del Estero is similar to St. George, Utah. Teacuman is more green and humid. Salta and Jujuy are similar to Utah in the summers and not as cold in the winter. It was frozen a few times but no snow. (Matt)
- Too hot or too cold. (Anonymous)
- There are very hot summer,s but you’d cool off with the rain quite quickly. Winters weren’t too cold usually. (Dennis)
- Temperatures vary depending on area. Salta can reach as low as 5 celcius in winter and Santiago del Estero, Oran, and Tartagal can reach up to 50 celcius. It is very sunny and can be humid or dry depending on the area. (Joel)
- It is mostly hot, in the 70’s-100s. One time it “snowed” like a millimeter, but it was not an issue. Didn’t have to wear suits much. (Andrew)
- HOT! HOTTER! And , “Are you kidding me?”! But in the wintertime (you know, in July!) it got flipping cold! The rainstorms (which are wicked strong and loud!), are also very cold! Don’t bother trying to get dry. Every last inch of you will be soaked! Accept it. It’s kind of awesome. Don’t bother taking an umbrella. They will break. It really does rain THAT hard! (Alexandra)
- It snowed in July once while I was in Coronel Arias. Super hot and dry in Santiago del Estero tucuman was humid and tropical but perfect salta was drier and nice. (Jason)
- You live the four seasons during the year. If you have a winter in the mountains you may see snow quite often. Summer is freaking hot. (Harold)
- Hot in the summer and cold in the winter. Imagine that. Tucuman was the only place that was pretty humid. Salta weather reminded me of the weather here in southern Utah. Jujuy gets very cold in the winter! (Allison)
- Depending on where you are and the time of year, you can be in extreme heat or have it snow. It could be very humid or extremely dry. You can be in desert or rain forest. Mountains and flat lands. I experienced temperatures from 0 – 52 C. That is extreme. (Robert)
Any things you really like about the area/people?
- They are so nice and receptive to hear the message of the gospel. They are a very giving people too and want to help you with whatever. (Holly)
- They are humble and inviting. God has prepared the hearts of many; with persistence you will find them. (Matt)
- The people were cool. I loved them and they made feel at home. (Anonymous)
- The people were friendly even though they didn’t know you. It was often frustrating that the people sometimes wouldn’t progress but most often they were kind (most people- of course anywhere in the world you get mean people). It seems like the people are accepting of you no matter where you come from or how rich you are. (Dennis)
- They are very warm and kind and the most hospitable people in the world. They love to feed missionaries. The mountains in Salta and Jujuy are spectacular. (Joel)
- They are such a loving people, and it is so green everywhere. I gained 20 pounds! Good food! (Andrew)
- They were mostly so kind and generous! Do not show off flashy photos of your home or “stuff” back in the states or wherever you’re from. It’s insulting. Be accepting that people can be, and in fact ARE very happy in life with less stuff than you have! And be accepting of their generosity. If they spend all their money making you a meal that took them all day long to prepare (and they will!), do NOT snub your nose at it because it may look nasty or have strange body parts in it. Be gracious. Accept their efforts, and thank them profusely! (Alexandra)
- The people will bend over backwards to serve and they make the most amazing foods. (Jason)
- People are absolutely awesome there. Loved their food. (Harold)
- The majority are incredibly loving! I say majority because you get rejection everywhere. Even though some people reject the message, they still love you for being there and being in their country. I always say you receive what you put into it. The more you love the people, the more they will love you! Embrace the culture shock! (Allison)
- Very humble people. Great to work with and they really treated me well. They fed me very well also. They were very eager to learn about the Gospel. It was easy to find people to teach. There were times that we ran from one discussion to another and other times where we didn’t have enough time to visit everyone that wanted to have us. (Robert)
Any packing/clothing advice?
- Rain boots, rain jacket, sombrero, light clothing for the summer, warm clothes to sleep in at night during the winter, tights-they may help protect you a little bit from the mosquitos, good walking shoes, umbrella for the rain and the sun. (Holly)
- Don’t bring too many warm clothes. I’d bring one sweater and a rain jacket. (Matt)
- You need some really good shoes that’ll last the whole mission. I went thru 4-5 pair of shoes because they just wore out quick. (Anonymous)
- Don’t take more than one or two suits. I worked in a suit once for two hours after a baptism. That’s the only time I worked in a suit. Take several pairs of shoes though. (Dennis)
- Take a coat with an inside liner. Don’t take boots. Take all short-sleeve shirts, they’re most comfortable. Bring one sweater to wear over a shirt and tie, just in case. You only need one suit, it’ll only be used once or twice per transfer. Bring 2-3 pairs of shoes because there will be tons of walking and rugged terrain. (Joel)
- Bring lots of short sleeve shirts and lots of ties to trade or give away to new members. Bring even a few shirts to give away. Get great walking shoes; there are small areas so there will be plenty of walking. (Andrew)
- Skirts with elastic waists! Lightweight for the nearly all-year summer heat! Sturdy shoes! (I killed several pair!) And something “nice” to be reserved for wearing to zone conference only. (Alexandra)
- Short sleeve shirts: 8. long sleeve shirts: 2-3 (Jason)
- Sunblock. Coat for winter. (Harold)
- Get good shoes. I had two pair of Danskos and rotated them. I did have to glue the soles back on a couple times but the tread and leather lasted the 18 months. They had plenty of holes by the end. Take a few skirts and a handful of shirts that you can mix and match. I bought a few shirts down there but it’s not the same quality. You will get dirty, sweaty, and dusty. Even though hair dressers won’t recommend it, I suggest washing your hair every day to avoid lice. And beware of getting your hair cut down there. They don’t cut your hair like you want it! (Allison)
- I was told to pack about six pairs of brand new socks in my suitcase and not touch them till the second year. This was probably the single most important advice that I received. The socks down there are not as good and different. It may have changed but I was told to only bring one suit by someone who had recently returned from Salta. I rarely wore and was glad I followed that advice. (Robert)
What blessings did you receive from serving a mission?
- A stronger testimony, and conversion, closer relationship with God and his Son and a love for other people, lasting friendships, the list goes on, I am forever in debt to God. (Holly)
- I received so many! The mission opens many doors for your future such as future missionary opportunities through using the language. 2 years to the Lord brings blessings I couldn’t have had any other way. I’ve been blessed with a scholarship and awesome work opportunities. (Matt)
- A stronger testimony of the Atonement of Jesus Christ, my relationship with him and my Heavenly Father, a greater understanding of the gospel and a beautiful wife. (Anonymous)
- The love that I feel for the people of northern Argentina is still so strong even though it’s been more than five years since I came home. It’s a love that only gets stronger with time, it doesn’t fade. The ability to speak Spanish has been a huge blessing in my life. (Dennis)
- I learned a lot about myself and my weaknesses as a church member and leader. I learned something new about myself with every companion and area. (Joel)
- Don’t even bother with bug spray. I’m pretty sure they like the taste! If you find yourself in Metan during the summer…I’m sorry. You’re basically “walking food” for the gnat-sized horrible mosquitoes! May they have mercy on you! (Alexandra)
- I learned to love the people…it was a great opportunity to serve and help others… (Jason)
- Learning English. Having a stronger conversion. Getting prepared for what I’m living now. (Harold)
- Everyone says the mission changes you. That’s false. You change while you are in the service if your fellowmen. It just happens at an accelerated rate during a mission because you’re doing it full-time. I experienced the highest of highs and the lowest of lows and they all taught me a lot about trusting the Lord and leaning on Him. He took away my faith and filled me with true faith in Him and His atonement… one of the most difficult, purifying experiences ever. You get a glimpse of seeing people through Heaven’s eyes, and loving them as the Savior does. (Allison)
- Gained a stronger testimony and better understanding of The Church. Solidified conviction to endure to the end. (Robert)
What are some skills you gained?
- Communication and leadership skills, Spanish speaking skills, how to be diligent and focused, study skills, and planning skills. (Holly)
- I learned hard work, persistence, that there is always a way, and patience. (Matt)
- Communication, teaching, organization, listening, social and leadership skills. (Anonymous)
- I learned patience and obedience. I learned how to talk to people and respectfully (most of the time) disagree with people. (Dennis)
- I learned Spanish, listening to the Spirit in counseling, people skills and making good first impressions. I learned to chill and not be uptight. (Joel)
- Cooking, cleaning, and service (digging, cutting trees, cleaning). (Andrew)
- It got to the point where I could walk outside in the morning and smell the air and know exactly what the weather was going to be like later that day! There would not be one cloud in sight and I would tell my comp to bring her umbrella. Sure enough…it would POUR down on us like crazy! I considered that a serious “skill”!😏(Alexandra)
- Spanish, cooking, international travel. (Jason)
- Scripture study. Language study. Personal relations. (Harold)
- I learned Spanish! And I learned it very well. Imitate what you hear. It works! I learned how to use my time wisely; how to have backup plans, and that even though all of it may be planned out, the Spirit can change everything. I learned the Spirit is imperative in sharing the Gospel. He does most of the work, we just open our mouths. (Allison)
- Mostly made skills I already had, better. (Robert)
What do you wish you knew/did at the beginning of your mission?
- Well when I was waiting for my visa in Texas to go to Argentina I studied in Spanish and English. When I got to Argentina I studied everything in Spanish. I wish I would have studied everything in Spanish in Texas too. (Holly)
- I wish I would have spoken to everyone as soon as I could, i.e. Always talking while on buses or taxis, never stopping. (Matt)
- I wouldn’t change anything about my mission honestly. (Anonymous)
- I wish I would have relaxed and enjoyed my time more. Two years is so short and I wish I would have appreciated it a little bit more. Once your mission is over, it’s over forever. You can return and visit but you can’t become a single, full time missionary every again. (Dennis)
- LEARN TO COOK with natural ingredients. You won’t have a microwave or toaster with which to cook meals. Learn to make five meals from absolute scratch that way you’ll eat well and healthy on days without meal appointments. (Joel)
- I wish I brought less stuff! There is NO SHAME in wearing the SAME thing day after day…after day! It builds character! Plus, it’s not a beauty pageant! You’ll learn this very quickly, especially when you get dumped on by a relentless thunderstorm or baked out by the sweltering 130+ degree heat! There’s no room for “pretty.” (Alexandra)
- Just because a country speaks spanish doesn’t mean they are dark skinned. The majority are light skinned. (Jason)
- To talk to people. (Harold)
- I wish I had known more about the Atonement. You learn so much about it while you’re serving but I wish I had studied more about it before. I’m glad I didn’t know how hard it was going to be. It made the molding process so much more rewarding! (Allison)
- No one told me that the mission would be physically demanding (as far as I can remember). I walked 10-20 miles a day on my mission which I was not prepared for, especially after sitting in the MTC for 9 weeks doing almost nothing athletic. (Robert)
Any advice/testimony for pre-missionaries going to Salta?
- You are in the hands of God and He will direct you where to go, listen to the Spirit and you will know what to do. When God prompts you to do something, do not ignore it, because it could be a prompting that will change someone’s life forever. Do not get discouraged, but have faith. Serve, serve and serve and do it with all your might because this will be the best years of your life. (Holly)
- Give the Lord all you got and you’ll be the happiest you’ve ever been. He will strengthen your weaknesses. Have Fun and laugh lots, the mission is fun; you can have fun while being obedient. (Matt)
- Memorize a lot verbs and their conjugations, speak the language always even though you make mistakes at it first but you have to talk to get better. Read aloud to practice pronouncing words. (Anonymous)
- I love the people of my mission. Pray before you go on your mission for that love and you’ll be a better missionary for it. That love will never fade. (Dennis)
- Don’t sweat the language too much; it will come with time. Use your time before your mission to learn to cook. In the MTC, make the scriptures and Preach My Gospel your priority (you’ll never have that kind of time to study again), and language study second. The language will come in the field. (Joel)
- I got my photos developed in Bolivia and Argentina. Do NOT do this! Mind you; everything now is mostly digital. It’s nice to be able to give photos to families that you’ve been teaching. Get addresses and mail them! (Alexandra)
- Eat everything that is put on your plate…even if its the grossest thing out there… (Jason)
- Going there is not an accident. Live every second there. (Harold)
- Repent. Share your testimony every single day. Learn how to relate it to things in everyday life. Have faith 🙂 always remember how you felt the day Heavenly Father told you He needed you to serve. (Allison)
- Lose yourself in the work. It is about the people. So much of this world is dedicated to me and I. It will be hard, but if you serve with all your might, mind and strength, you will be rewarded and feel fulfilled in the end. (Robert)
What was a funny language mistake?
- In the first week, I asked my companion who Ella was and she laughed and said ella means she, it’s not a name! I laughed and said oooohhh, I thought it was a name. It sounded like a name because I was not used to different pronunciation of words in Argentina. After that, a lot more words made sense to me. (Holly)
- Just wait ha ha. (Matt)
- I once used a really bad swear word while talking to a guy. I was pretty embarrassed. I seemed to say a lot of bad words on accident at the beginning of my mission. (Dennis)
- Too many to list! (Alexandra)
- A missionary thought he heard ‘yup yup’ instead of ‘diario’. (Harold)
- Way too many to share just one! (Allison)
- I told an investigator that they could know that Joseph Smith was a true prophet of God with all beer. (con todo cerveza and not certeza). (Robert)
Haylee (Argentina Salta Mission)
–Paraphrased from Haylee’s mission interview–
Cities in the Salta Mission
The culture in my mission is kind of hard to understand until you’re there. In my mission, there are big cities and small cities. The big cities have shopping centers and are very urban. They have that high energy downtown feel. I grew up in Utah where the cities kind of blend together. There isn’t a very definitive line between Sandy and Draper. In Salta there are the big cities, and then you drive in the desert for 45 minutes until you get to a little city. Then you drive another couple hours through nothing until you get to the next city. If you are in the big city, your investigators will have jobs and an education and their schedules will be harder to work with. Usually where I served was rural. I remember my first night I got to the mission and I stayed in Salta. My trainer picked me up and we had our training and we left. I remember my companion was this cute girl from Chile and she was the best. I adored her. She picked me up and we left. In that moment I kind of realized this is it. I hadn’t even met my president before, but I felt this huge attachment to him. We left found a little taxi. We had missed the last bus and we needed to get to our city an hour away by bus. She took my suitcases and called the taxi. Everything there is a little bit older. The taxis are cars from the 80’s. Only one of my suitcases fit in the trunk, so the other one went in the back and my companion was sitting on my lap. I thought the car was going to fall apart because of how old it was. We were driving around and then suddenly he turns and pulls into some underground parking lot. I remember thinking we were going to die. In reality he was going to this little taxi hub to pick up another person going to the same city as us. At the end of our trip we got their information and they had talked to missionaries before and we visited the family of one of them.
Smaller Towns
You go into smaller towns and they all have a city square. It’s almost like you’re walking in a town from the 1800’s in Spain. There is a Catholic church right in the center and statues and tall beautiful trees. If you’re in the city it’s gonna be different, but in little towns the main streets are paved and the rest are just dirt roads. All the houses there are made of concrete because it’s so dry and so hot. They get cinder blocks and will build their houses out of that. If you have a concrete house it’s probably because you’re a little bit more wealthy. They normally have one story houses with two to three rooms. Anyone with a two story house is very wealthy and usually lives closer to the central plaza. The farther out you go it’s just cinder block houses with very humble people. They will usually have a little kitchen. There are no dishwashers or washers or dryers for your clothes. They will probably have one or two rooms where all of their children will sleep together in the same bed or two beds. It’s very common to have big families.
Close Families
They have a very tight knit society because that’s how they grew up. You’ll be walking down the street and children are playing everywhere. You really realize how blessed you are, no matter if you’re in a poorer area or a more middle class area. They aren’t like our neighborhoods here. And you realize that what you’re doing is really hard. You have to go to these very poor homes and they want to feed you and you have to teach them about tithing and how it will bless their family. You see kids who don’t buy shoes in the summer because their shoes are torn to pieces. They will want to love you.