September 3, 2018- 54 weeks down, 23 left
Hey hey hey! Como esta mi familia???
This week was Buenisimo!
Tuesday was super hard to say goodbye to my area and zone Trelew, all the people and the missionaries. I didn’t realize how close I had gotten to them all until i had to leave. When i said goodbye and got up in the bus i just started crying. I love them all! And our mission is so darn big that i don’t know if i will get to see some of them again. But here we go!
I arrived to Comodoro Rivadavia, the center of the mission and of the Patagonia, in the afternoon. And reunited with dear Hermana Borba!!! It was so good to see her again. I still cant believe we are companions. That day the newbies had arrived from the States. 15 gringos, and not a single latino! It was chaos, to put it lightly. No one spoke Spanish, and i couldn’t change gears and speak English to save my life... haha. It was weird, I felt so old. Me and Hermana Borba went to watch the meeting where they assign the newbies to the trainers... it threw us back in time to a year ago, when they assigned us together. At one point i look over and Hermana Borba had started to tear up. Seeing the joy of these new elders as they announced their first comp in the mission, running up to hug them and take a picture and hear about there first area... made us both cry. It was precious and i was so glad i got to be there to see it.
We got straight to work. Well, we had to get up early and pass a lot of time in the bus terminal to wait for missionaries and send others off to their areas (the week of transfers is LOCO for us in Comodoro)... but around Thursday or Friday we got to go teach! We have these two investigators that are super AWESOME. Juan - has the face of a stake president. He has everything. Everyone in his family is member but him. He is ready... but doesn’t want to accept a fecha because his mom is super Catholic and doesn’t want him too... But we had a fantastic lesson with him and the Spirit was felt a lot. I know he will be baptized! and Brianda. Super great...she also is super prepared, but just lacks the decision to say YES. She has lots of fears and lets those fears get in the way of her faith. But we had a fantastic lesson last night about the importance of faith and also the gift of the Holy Ghost, and the blessing it is to have the Spirit guide us in our lives. We invited her to baptism, and she almost said yes..... we will get there!
This week was a little scary as well... the dollar went up (40 pesos) and everyone started freaking the crap out and robbing stores and protests... we had to give out the warning to the missionaries in Comodoro that they can’t go near any supermarkets or stores this last Saturday because there were a bunch of people going around robbing. But man its been a great opportunity to teach the people about the Plan of Salvacion, that they don’t have to be afraid with all the hard times that are happening here. There is a plan. There is hope and if they just follow the commandments of God and have confidence in his plan, they will be ok. I’m so grateful for the many moments that i could testify about the plan of salvation this week!!
Hermana BORBA! Its been so great being with her. Its amazing to see the changes that have happened in each one of us over this year. We have both grown up a lot and are comfortable in the mission, now that we both are in our last few months. We can teach in great unity and presidente called us a Dynamite Team yesterday in church, which made us feel super good. We called Marcelo and Laura (in Ushuaia) a few days back...they were so happy to hear from us both! Marcelo will receive the melquesedic preisthood in a month!!!!!! He has a calling. AND THEY RESERVED THEIR SPOT IN THE TEMPLE OF BUENOS AIRES FOR WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 13 of 2019!!!!!!! Its reserved! Its all set!!! ITS GONNA HAPPEN! We were so happy when we heard the news. I cant wait for that day!!!!!!!!!!!!
With Hermana Borba, we have looked through so many old photos and videos and recounted so many sweet memories. I cant wait for these next few months together! The cantidad of mate we have drunken together in this week is unmeasurable haha!
My area, and my zone, is super unique. Its the zone of the Office. In my ward of 100 or so people, 16 are missionaries. I have never had so many missionaries so close to me during my mission! My last area was a little town where only me and my comp worked, with the nearest missionary a 45 minute bus ride away... and now we are 16 within minutes! I love being with them all, they are all great friends, some of them old friends from Ushuaia as well! And being in the same ward as Presidente,.... is a little stressful but wonderful at the same time! I love being in their presence and hearing their advice and testimonies always. I love him!
Due to there being so many missionaries, we don’t have lunches hardly ever with the members...so we have been cooking like crazy people!!!! Lots of rice.... and gluten free pasta and whatever we can find! I don’t ever want to eat food from the States again (i take it back.. i miss Mexican food)... because the food here in Argentina is SO DANG GOOD. I don’t think I’ve tried something that i didn’t like.
I love the mission. I have learned so much in this last week. Most of all, I received an answer to my doubt that i had, that i wasn’t changing during my mission. But being with Hna Borba and being able to see exactly how i have changed over these last 12 months has helped resolve that doubt. I know that i am changing, i know that i am doing all that i can here in the Patagonia to become a better servant for Cristo, and to be an instrument in His hands to help all of Gods children return to HIs presence through the covenant of baptism. I’m far from perfect, but i am grateful for each trial and each success that helps me appreciate more my Savior, and his gran sacrifice for me.
I love you my dear family! Take care this week. Have so much fun in all of your adventures and changes and experiences. I love you and think about you oft. I know 5 months seems so short and so long at the same time... But the busier we are, the more we do, the faster it goes. And i want to see you all, but I don’t want to leave here! I love the mission. I love being a missionary!!!!!
I love you all
amy
