I GOT TRANSFERRED AND MY COMP IS FROM UTAH

OCTOBER 25, 2010

I have soooooo much to tell.  First, we had a baptism yesterday.  Again.  You bet!  Rodrigo, who is nine years old and was an investigator of the elders who were just here in this area.  I got TRANSFERRED!!  And my comp is NORTH AMERICAN from UTAH!  Do I love my life??  We talk English.  Her name is Hermana Saran Hobbs from Ogden, Utah.  We are in Las Heras—two hours away from the mission office and we are out in the COUNTRY.  We walk on dirt roads in the middle of nowhere and see cows, sheep, chickens, all sorts of good stuff.  But I LOVE it here!!  I love my companion and my area and the people are amazing!  It’s completely different and clean.

We are in charge of three branches.  We don’t have a ward, but we have basically three areas and on Sundays we can choose where we wanna go to church.  On Sunday there were about 40 in attendance and they told us that is more than usual.  There’s a family here called the Miguez family.  Remember that name.  They are basically our ward—a family of 7 or 8 or something and then add their spouses.  They basically hold all the major callings of the branch and all the men served missions.  They help us SOOOO much.  We eat at one of the families’ houses almost every day.  They just rotate.

I feel super at-home here and I am really happy.  Tomorrow we are having our entire zone come here to help us work because we had a white wash (when they take out elders and put in sisters).  So Hobbsy and I are just starting from scratch here. 

Yesterday at church we had to teach the gospel principals class and we gave the talks in sacrament meeting.  I remember all of Jeff’s and Brian’s stories talking about the wards on their missions and how they were so tiny and the missionaries had to really involved.  So now I actually feel like a real missionary.

You’d think that the houses would be more humble here cuz it’s out in the country, but they’re actually nicer and a TON cleaner and there aren’t dogs running around all over the place.  It’s super safe.  It’s basically Utah in Argentina.

Oh, Hermana Hobbs did hair before the mission so she’s gonna help me out.   That’ll be nice!  We’re the only sister missionaries in our zone and there aren’t any in any of the surrounding zones either cuz this transfer it was super crazy.  All the hermanas were changed.  My last comp is now training and Hermana Lewis got white washed, too, with Hermana Lopez, but they’re all super far away from us. 

Our pench is HUGE.  But HUGE!  We spent six ours cleaning it when we got here, but it’s kinda creepy, but I like creepy—so it’s nice.

OCTOBER 18, 2010

Well, I have lots of news.  Marcelo was baptized on Saturday.  It was a mess.  We had more investigators there in the beginning than members.  But an hour later we ended up with clothes, members, even food, and the guy who was doing the baptism.

After the baptism my compy and I had to run cuz we had an appointment and we went to the bus stop outside the church where there was an old man standing.  As usual we began talking to him and he began telling us lots of things, which I didn’t believe, like that he was a doctor…I didn’t believe him because he lives in the old folks home that is two blocks from the church and there lots of crazies that live there.  We got on the bus with him and he sat by us and we chatted.  We gave him a pamphlet and invited him to church the next day.

Oh, p.s…. he recited poetry to us.  His name is Oscar.  Well, he CAME TO CHURCH all on his own in a suit and everything.  And guess what?  He is really smart and was a doctor.  I had the teacher teach the restoration and the origin of the church and the lesson was amazing.  Oscar was amazing!  He actually knew his stuff.  I was good.

We played soccer for a good three hours and I loved my life, but now I’m sweaty.  Gavin sent me photos of Kato (the cat).  Mom and Dad, I thought you put him on a diet!  He’s looking plumpily happy.

OCTOBER 11, 2010

Beatriz came to church yesterday.  She’s the lady who doesn’t talk to her husband.  She wants to get baptized, but two of her nine kids refuse to approve.  So we are working with them now.  Maracelo, our amazing investigator is getting baptized on Saturday.  He’s super prepared and excited—inviting everybody. 

This week we helped the Alarcon family put in a tile floor.  My comp took some video.  Mom, I remember how you put in our tile floor in the basement.  I learned how so maybe I’ll be just like you, Mom.

OCTOBER 4, 2010

So I have some things I wrote down.  Mom and Dad, I want to thank you for paying for my mission.  I want you to watch Elder Holland’s talk again cuz Mom I know you tevo’d it and I want you to know how grateful I am and that really hit me—all the things he said in his talk.  I’ve had a charmed life.  Now….my credit card got rejected today…..

Dad, you mentioned how you thought conference was about faith…watch it again and you might pick up something else.  Sister Lewis and I pretty much got the conclusion that here were many talks concerning agency and the Holy Ghost.’’

As far as conference goes I will say one thing:  “I say unto you I cannot say the smallest part of what I feel” and don’t think this is a cop out because of my scarcity in my ambition for writing, but I took more than 12 pages of notes.  I really liked conference!

I am grateful for the growth and the experience of the mission I have had.  I am also grateful for the people who have been able to come to know of the same knowledge.  I am grateful for all the testimonies of fellow missionaries, leaders, parents family, friends, etc.  There have been many examples that have impacted my life.  I find myself being surprised constantly with the strength of the testimonies around me.  I am grateful for all the letters you write me and pictures you send me.  I am grateful that I was born in the United States and one day I will return back to that wonderful land.  I am grateful for my companion who helps me a ton.