JULY 2010--I AM NOW 22 YEARS OLD!

July 26, 2010

I wrote down a bunch of stuff to tell you guys, but I forgot to bring my planner.  Oops!  This week was one of those weeks that I felt unworthy to see and be a part of all the miracles we saw.  I’ll try to explain…..

There is a member here named Sergio Peralta, a father of three children, and his wife has caner.  They recently moved here from another part of Argentina.  He recently retired and he’s gotta be barely 40.  He was a Bishop in his last ward and has been without a calling here in our ward for months now.  He is using his efforts to help the mission force.  Us.  He came with us to visit three of our investigators that we are worried about—the two little boys and David, our 51 year old miracle investigator who has a stronger testimony that I do.  The little boys had problems because the dad is now interfering and won’t let them leave to go to church and activities.  David’s wife is not a member and thinks Mormonism is a cult.

Anyway, Hermano Peralta came with us and we visited all of them.  The lessons we had were so much better because they listened to him and I could see the power of the priesthood and authority he has and how the people listened to him.  Sometimes the people are just sick of the flavor we give off and need a new taste to open their eyes and that’s what he did. 

Jessica came to church yesterday and is doing amazingly well.  We are also teaching two families.  Yes, two complete families.  In one family the parents need to get married and they have two kids.  The other family has six kids.  They came to church yesterday.  It was awesome. 

July 19, 2010

Yesterday it rained ALL day, but we still had four investigators in sacrament meeting.  The two little boys that we are teaching and their mom came.  We also had an older guy named Saul come.  He’s about 80.  I dunno if I wrote you about him.  He was a contact in the street.  I just started talking to him and we taught him then and there and he came to church.  He was asked to say the prayer and when he prayed he said that his life changed that day—that day being yesterday.  We invited ourselves over for lunch tomorrow and I am going to try to cook flan and we are going to invite him to be baptized.

The two little boys are getting baptized in two weeks.  They love church.  I love them.  It has been so cold here the last few weeks.  I will be excited for it to get warm again, but they tell me that won’t happen til September.

July 12, 2010

Last night about ten o’clock-ten thirtiesh we are supposed to go to bed and our thermo tank went out (provides us with hot water).  So we called the Bishop of the elders’ ward cuz he’s in charge of fixing the penches in our area.  He gets to our pench at like eleven fifteenish and helps me light it.  He leaves.  Then it goes out again so he came back up the elevator and we lit it again.  Well, something happened this time and gas and flames started shooting out all around it.  He wouldn’t even go in to turn the gas off.  I was like, who’s going to do it?  You or me?  Then it stopped and went out.  Anyway, we have gas problems!  We’ve had one of those alarm things that we have on the houseboat for that type of gas that you can’t smell.  I can’t remember what it’s called.  But we have one of those and the alarm goes off sometimes and we have to book it out of our pench.  A guy is coming in like an hour to fix it.  Satan wants me and my comp dead.

I’ve been buying sliced meat to make sandwiches, right?  I found out this week that the meat I’ve been buying is HORSE meat!!!  I’ve been eating horse.  They slice it and make it look like ham.  They call everything here ham, but it’s all different kinds of random meats and they just generalize.  So to my surprise, I’ve been eating horse!

WHAT'S WITH THE FINGER IN THE CAKE???

It’s my birthday this week.  I don’t want to be 22.  I want to stay 19 forever.  I feel like that was a good age—19.  Twenty-two is old.  But what do you do?

I was reading in the Liahona (the Ensign) and it had a list of all the new mission presidents and where they will be serving.  My branch president in the MTC was called to be a Mission President in Japan.  He was the most amazing leader.  He will do a good job!

We have an investigator named David and he is 51, has five kids, and has been an investigator for like a year and a half and we are pulling our teeth to get him baptized.  He has a testimony about Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon more than I do.  When he bears his testimony it helps my own and I love it.  He just can’t commit and his wife doesn’t want him to get baptized.  He went to her church this Sunday.  We are having a discussion with both of them Wednesday.  We’ll see how that goes.

We found a family that is amazing and the parents are both listening and the mom and the daughter came to church this week.  The dad said that every time we come visit them, we leave him wondering and on the edge of his seat because there is something that he just can’t put his finger on.  He wants to know if what we are teaching is true and he said he needs to go to our church to find out if it’s true.  Too bad he worked this Sunday or he would have come, too.  They have four boys and a girl and they have so much potential.  We have a family night with them Thursday and we’re going to bring this couple from our ward—the Familia Peralta.  They’re amazing!  They help us so much with the work.

July 5, 2010

This week was average, but an average week for us is pretty eventful—full of wonderful stories everyday.  My new comp and I laugh a lot.  For example the other night we were walking down this street and my skirt got caught on some barbed wire that was on the ground and pulled my skirt right off.  Good thing I had a slip on, eh?

Our investigator, Jessica, is struggling.  For example, the other day Jessica put 50 pesos away to save to go buy groceries because they have no money and she was going to go buy the children food.  Her boyfriend came home and stole the money and bought beer with it so she couldn’t go shopping.

Ariel, who is 32, came to church this week.  He has like super ADD and after the first two hours, I could tell he was losing it.  Anyway, we left him in priesthood with some of the members and afterward we went to look for him.  He was nowhere to be found.  Just got out of there and walked on home.  His house is like 30 blocks from the church.

We have several investigators, but none of them are ready for baptism because of two things:  word of wisdom and the law of chastity.  That’s where Satan’s got the world in his little hands—those two laws. 

JUNE 2010--A BUS AND A TAXI SOMETIMES DON'T GET ALONG

JUNE 28, 2010

Yesterday my comp and I taught Primary.  There were 11 little kids and I was insanely drained afterward.  Little kids really take it out of you.  The new ward is smaller.  It’s what I thought Argentina would be like.  I guess Hurlingham was the largest ward in the stake.  But I like this area.  It has a lot of potential.

There is an investigator named Jessica.  She has two little boys.  Her husband has substance problems.  She has been an investigator for almost two years.  I already knew her a little bit from doing divisions here a few times so the first time we were going to see her I already knew her situation.  I thought of the plan of salvation puzzle and pulled it out.  We explained how she needs to think more in long-term rather than short-term.  After we taught her this lesson, it’s like a big boulder hit her in the head.  She told me last night that the lesson made things crystal clear.  She really wants to get baptized.

We are supposed to have a baptism in two weeks.  His name is David.  He’s been an investigator for two years and is finally getting baptized.  He’s about 51 years old and has kids, but his wife doesn’t want anything to do with the gospel.  We’ll see what we can do.

JUNE 21, 2010

We had transfers today and I left Hurlingham.  It’s sad.  I felt very, very loved from all the converts, recent converts, and members.  It helped me a lot.  I know I told you that I wasn’t sure if I wanted to come back here, but now I do.  I have already promised a bunch of people I would come back.

I am in Ituzaingo 4 with Hermana Perez from Nicaragua.  She is “dying” this transfer, which means going home at the end of this transfer.

Just so you know, I’ve been using the same earplugs since the MTC.  I have fallen in love with earplugs.  I threw them away last night when I was packing and hopefully I can wean myself from them.

We had a baptism yesterday.  His name is Diego.  I’ll send you pictures.  I haven’t written much about him because of the bus accident and stuff.

I can’t believe Blake got married and that you all got to go.  Do you realize when I get home we will all be able to be in the temple together?  That will be cool!

Enjoy the warm weather because today was the first day of winter and it will start getting cold here.  We are slaves to the climate. 

JUNE 15, 2010

I am in the offices right now.  I have to write you guys an email because something happened yesterday and we did not have time to do internet. So yesterday we took a taxi to run an errand and when we finished I was getting out of the car and I did not look when I opened the door and a bus came by and hit the car door.  Well, then a number of things happened after that. We were parked really badly almost in the street, which is why the bus hit us, but also, I did not look.  What happened afterward was the worst part.

He wanted me to pay 500 pesos to him and he would take care of it.  Wowo wow wow!  I thought I do not have 500 pesos to give.  So then I asked him about his insurance and asked him to give me the number of his insurance company and I will call them and work through it with them.  He said no and that is not how it works here—pointing out the fact that I was North American and did not know the system or whatever.  Then he started saying he did not have taxi insurance, only personal.  It was illegal for him to even take us………

(Long story short:  the price got up to 2,300 pesos and kept going up and up and up!  So Jill called President Benton, the assistants spent almost a whole day with the taxi driver, and they all kind of came to an agreement.)

HOORAY FOR MAY (2010)

May 31, 2010

Tomorrow we are having an Area Seventy come, Elder Aidukaitis.  He's from Brazil and the Area Authority will be there.  Today we had a really fun p-day.  I was so sick of doing nothing that we got together a member, our recent convert, Lucas, and four elders and played soccer.  I liked it.

I will have divisions again this week with Hermana Lewis and I'm going back to Aldo Bonzi again.  I love that place.  The people are so accepting.  Hurlingham is great, too.  Last Monday was kinda hard because Norma and Luciano, who were going to get baptized this weekend both fell bak into temptation.  She started smoking again and Luciano started drinking again.  We are working really hard with them and have had some really spiritual lessons and hopefully, if we do all we can, they will get baptized before the end of this transfer.

Say your prayers and then act.  Have a good week!


May 17, 2010

My cough is the same, even though I finished the antibiotic, but who cares....I am fine.  My comp, however, has been waking up in the night with coughing attacks and I've had to help clam her down.  It kinda stinks that we couldn't work like normal this week.  It's getting really cold here.

As far as the work goes, things are good.  We still have the two investigators.  Norma--I LOVE her.  She's 57, a nurse, and super smart, but she has some things to work on.  Her neighbor, Luciano is 72 and comes to church every week and loves it.  Lucas, our recent convert, comes with us like three or four times a week to teach.  He loves the church and is doing really well.


May 3, 2010

Alright, so as far as Lucas goes, he's getting baptized this Sunday!  He's probably the best investigator I've ever had.  The last baptism we had was Sabastian.  He's 22 and wants to serve a mission, but he still has three years of school left he has to finish.  It makes me so happy to see when the investigators progress and I don't feel like they will fall whenever we aren't teaching them every day and making sure they're keeping all their commitments.

Today was zone activity and we played sports.  I loved it!  Yes, I played even though I am sick.  I need the exercise.  Exercising makes me happy and it makes me able to work harder so I like that.

MOM IS REALLY MESSING UP MY BLOG--APRIL 2010

April 26, 2010

Yesterday my comp and I were walking to church in the morning at about 8 a.m. and all of a sudden ten dogs started following us and they were not nice dogs.  My comp’s biggest fear is dogs because she was bit once really bad when she was little.  They were following us fighting and growling with each other for about ten blocks.  Finally we made it to the church and shut the gate in their faces.

I did divisions this week with Hermana Lewis and I went back o my first area and got to visit some of my converts and YES they’re all still active.  I was so happy!  I miss Aldo Bonzi!

April 19, 2010

I have a favor to ask:  I was trying to light the oven to get it going and you have to do it manually here and I had the gas on too long before I stuck the match in there and I almost burned myself to death.  It singed a little bit of my hair, but took off my eyelashes on one eye and part of my eyebrow! It’s not too dramatic, but I’m a little embarrassed.

So I want to devote this email to a good story.  So there’s this less active couple in our ward and they came to church last week and brought a teenage boy with them.  I obviously introduced myself since he wasn’t a member.  Anyway, they left during the middle of sacrament so we went by their house Sunday after church and set up an appointment to teach this kid names Lucas on Tuesday.  We taught him the first lesson and he understood everything more than any adult I’ve ever taught.  He’s 16 years old.  We invited him to be baptized and he told us he had to pray.  Family, you must understand—this is a golden investigator.  We returned again to teach him with these members and taught the Book of Mormon and at the end of the lesson we asked if he had any questions and he asked us if there was a waiting period to be baptized.  We asked if he felt ready so we have scheduled it.  It was amazing! 

The story gets better.  Yesterday at church the less active couple that he was supposed to come with didn’t come to church.  We called them after the first hour and the lady told me they had company.  I had to teach the principles of the gospel class cuz the teacher didn’t come so I sent my comp on divisions to go get Lucas. He was happy to come and wanted to pay for the taxi we used to go pick him up.  Yesterday after church we went and visited him.  We taught him the Plan of Salvation.  Afterward we were just talking and he told us his life story.  He’s only sixteen, but he has more of a life story than more adults I’ve met.  When he was 14 years old he left his house that he left his house that he lived in with his mom and the mom’s boyfriend.  He left to find his father.  He found his real dad and when they met up it was a joyous reunion—crying and all.  Well, the mom warned Lucas that he was a drunk and abusive.  Lucas then realized from the experience when the dad started beating him when he came home drunk every night.  He lived with him for five months in a big city about an hour away from here and started working every day ;to support him and his dad because his dad didn’t work and Lucas just gave him all the money and he spent it on beer and stuff.

One day after those five months passed, the dad just never came home.  That’s when Lucas began to live alone at the age of 14 working and providing for himself living alone.  He got into drugs and stuff.  A month ago he lost his job and had to move back. So now he’s getting baptized.  What a story!

April 11, 2009---Well, Dad.......

Well, Dad, to answer your gospel question (cuz it was what interested me the most), I honestly don’t have a clue.  But if you want my opinion, I feel that as we take the sacrament, we are renewing the baptismal covenanat and yes, being born again each week.  I remember learning somewhere that being born again is not a one time thing.  It’s a process of conversion and conversion is not a one time thing either.  So as I see it,, yes, we literally are forgiven of our sins each week as we take the sacrament if we repent and progress.  If not, we’re stuck in a rut each week from the sins we transgressed the week before. I you look at it as a process of progression, it has to be true that we are born again each week—progressing and repenting.  But I dunno.  That’s just how I feel.

Something that I’ve analyzed and really come to notice is that the gospel in all its truthfulness and profoundness is really the most simple thing that exists.  That’s why the Savior taught through simple parables.  We are the ones that make them complicated.  The principles of the Gospel are pure and simple.  I remember before the mission I was so obsessed with curiosity of the deep doctrine.   Since being on the mission, I’ve come to a conclusion that the deepest doctrine is the most simple.  One of the most simple doctrines that we teach everyday is the scripture that is most repeated in the Book of Mormon, “Ask and ye shall receive”.  Prayer.  It’s weird I still don’t understand prayer and have lots to improve, but that’s my spiritual thought for the week.  Pray.

As far as this week went, we had a baptism yesterday.  Woo Hoo!  Sebastian!  It was my first baptism with just one person and you know what?  I liked it more.  It was special to me because I was able to observe him more instead of stressing out about everything else.  I really saw joy!  I like it.  My companion is amazing.  I feel like she’s training me—so I am happy in that realm.  I’m a little stressed because we don’t really have too many investigators right now.  We’re having another baptism this Sunday though. 

A Clean Pench is All I Ask--April 5, 2009

Well, I had my first whole week with my new companion and she’s amazing.  This morning she deep-cleaned the pench with me and I am so thankful for that.  As far as training goes, I feel a lot of responsibility.  That’s all I’m going to say, but we are doing just fine.

We are having a baptism this Saturday.  His name is Sebastian.  His story is amazing.  He was telling us this week as we were travelling to conference about his life before because he used to so all kinds of drugs, drink, smoke, the works.  Anyway, he was telling us of near death experiences with drug deals and guns and lots of crazy things.  You can’t even imagine the change he’s had.  He came to every session of Saturday.  He got to the Stake Center with us at one in the afternoon and stayed til eleven at night for priesthood and then Sunday he stayed for all the sessions as well.  Anyway, I’m excited for him to be baptized.

As far as other people, we are struggling.  This is why I feel stress.  But my companion is great.  She’s from Argentina from the Provincia Missiones—the Missionary from Missiones.  I’ll forward you a picture.  (Maybe at some point we’ll even get to know her name!)

I liked conference.  I loved Elder Uchtdorf’s talk on love.  I liked President Monson’s talk alot, too, and yes, I know the sister he talked about.  Hermana Gurr is her name and she left about three months ago so she’s home now.  I din’t know the story either, but we were all watching it in English—the north American missionaries—and when he told the story, we all looked around and the assistants told us it was her.  P.S.  I got to watch it in English.  It was amazing.  All the Argentines were in the sacrament room and all the north American elders and me (the only girl) were upstairs.  I bought food and got to put my feet up for the sessions.  It was so nice.  As far as conference goes, I think the general theme was the atonement and families.  Looks like we need to repent more and teach better in the home.  Anyway, pray for me that I can teach my companion!

I'M GOING TO BE A TRAINER!

MARCH 29

Well today we had transfers and I am going to be a trainer.  I will be finding out who my companion is tomorrow when they fly in.  I don’t know what to say.  I’m kind of speechless about the whole thing.  Maybe the next email I send home will be a bit more detail oriented.  I think the Lord knows I need to be humbled so I’ll be on my knees a lot this transfer, I assume.

 
My area is amazing.  We have three people that have bapatismal dates and we will be getting a lot more—so for this I am gratefrul.  I really miss my companion.  She was more of a friend than a missionary companion.  That’s probably why we only had one transfer together.

My friends have written me and everyone and their dog of my friends are getting married.  I guess that’s what happens when boys like girls and girls like boys.

I’m so excited for general conference.  I think it will be falling in the exact moment that I will be needing it the most.