January 21, 2019

January 21 2019- 74 weeks down, 3 to go

Hi Mom! How are you all doing?

Wow the days are so long and full, but the weeks fly! It’s already Monday again? 

Well this week was pretty uninteresting until the weekend. We had to prepare everything for the Conferencia with Presidente (buying the food, getting the money, organizing, cooking, running the FHE activity, the conference itself..) all of it! But the Conferencia was amazing. My last zone conference...so you know what that means... Ultimo Testimonio! (Last Testimony)! At the end of the conference, those that go home that transfer stand up and have to give their last testimony in front of everyone. 3 of my friends gave theirs, then I went last. It was sad and I teared up, but I was able to talk a lot and bear testimony about a lot of things that had impacted my during my mission. It was a special moment. Super trippy, I never thought my time would arrive. Had to say goodbye to a few more friends, which was real hard as always. But onward and upward! Part of life. But I really enjoyed the spirit of revelation that we felt during the Conference. Presidente is amazing. And we got to do a real fun activity that we had done in my very first conference in the mission, so it was real special. Im so grateful.,

Thursday we go to work, but we aren’t having a lot of success at all. The area is worrying me. We had to leave Manuel this week. We invited him to be baptized and he said no. So we explained we couldn’t keep teaching him. It was real hard... but the miracle was that...on Sunday... HE CAME TO CHURCH ALL THE SAME! We hadn't communicated with him since Tuesday, cause we were going to give him a few weeks before we tried again, but he showed up at the church! I was a little surprised but happy...there is potential still for him!

Friday we had interviews with Presidente, so that took up a lot of the day. I love talking with him. He just asked me what I needed to be able to finish these last 3 weeks. We chatted and he helped me a lot! I love him!

Saturday and Sunday.... as a district, we had some absolutely amazing spiritual experiences that I have never had before in my mission. A little too special to tell about over email. It was an amazing experience, and we were spiritually drained after. Long story short, we started the process and had a family home evening with him and his family and 7 missionaries last night, that went super well. 

I feel good, have a lot more energy this week cause Presidente recommended me a type of vitamin pill drink to help me push through these last 3 tiring weeks. It’s helping!

I'm happy and tranquilo, not thinking about home, and just trying to do what i can and be happy and enjoy these last few days as a missionary.

I love the Obra Misional. Im so grateful to be a missionary here in the Patagonia in Argentina in this moment of my life . I have learned so much, grown so much, been able to talk and learn from so many people, and been able to witness the Hand of the Lord in my life so many times i cant even count. I Love this work. I love to be a missionary, and i don’t want to leave. It will be one of the hardest things i will have to do to step on that plane  and leave this mission. Almost as hard as it was to step on the plan to leave my home in California. But I am also excited for the adventures that await me. For now, Im taking it day by day, doing what i can to lead more people unto Christ while i can

i love you all so much!

amy

January 14, 2019

January 14, 2019- 73 weeks down, 4 to go

Hi mom! Buen dia!

How are you?

Love all the pictures and emails that I received today! You guys are the best.

I loved hearing all about your YW lesson, the temple trip, Brandons sweet experience, everything! You are seriously amazing and super funny too!

This week was so so long but at the same time it just flew by for me. Crazy how the time is passing.

This week was a little more frustrating, but right now i feel alright, still happy and just accepting what i can and cannot do!

We had divisions this Tuesdsay, i went with a brand new missionary Hermana Bogado. She’s a doll and it was fun to be able to talk with her and teach with her. She's amazing and can already teach like a stud. It was sweet to see how she would ask me questions and i could tell her all about experiences from my mission...i feel so old haha! When i have to say Back in 2017 when i was in Ushuaia.,.. hahaha super trippy.

Wednesday was crazy with meetings and informes and studies and the weekly meeting with our missionary leader and the dinner for the Leaders in the evening before Consejo...we didn’t even have a second to breathe.

Thursday...CONSEJO! Super amazing, my last one. It was sad, but I really enjoyed it, the revelation and ideas that came, and the Spirit that was felt. It was hard to begin saying some goodbyes (elder macdonald, hermana williams..) but its part of the mission that i am going to have to get used to in these next few weeks...

Friday we had a quick zone meeting to give out all the info that we received in Consejo. Then we (with the zone leaders and my comp) spent almost the rest of the day planning our Conferncia de Zone and Entrevistas con Presidente that is tomorrow and Wednesday....yikes! Planning the meals, getting the money, making the budget, planning out everything...took the whole day and we still didn’t finish! Luckily, my comp is a champ and the ZL are flippin hilarious and i just love em all! Learning a lot!

Saturday we finally got to work a bit more. BUT we realized...that we have almost no one in our area to teach. Julio, we are going slow because he’s still not married and theres not much we can do about that, Valeria and Martin are being a little difficult and aren't coming to church and so that means Belen doesn't come, and Manuel we are still teaching but he is being difficult and wants to learn and attend but not be baptized. So in the area, we are almost starting from 0. So we used our area book and contacted and everything, but no one. no one wants to listen. or even answer their freaking door cause its vacation time and everyone leaves Comodoro. UGH! I got pretty frustrated, because after 5 months in this pinchi area it looks like I haven’t even done anything, even though i have worked my butt off. Still makes me a little sad, but theres nothing else to do but just keep pushing through and increase my faith and my actions! We did have a little tender mercy. We had our first lunch with a member, a RM, and we went and he had to leave but his mom was their and so she served us the food and we chatted. She’s not a member, and hasn’t ever really received missionaries, but we chatted and won her confidence a bit, then at the end we had a quick moment to share something form the book of mormon during our conversation, and we got her to talk a little bit about church related things...she enjoyed the conversation and even accepted a pamphlet of the plan of salvation! we got her number and will go slow, but maybe we can see a miracle there... even if she doesn’t live in our are haha ! Rosa is her name,

SUNDAY...super neat experience

We are walking to the chapel and enter just on time, and the assistentes grab me and are like Hey Hermana theres an Area 70 here and him and Presidente need you do to something. I’m like oh crap what. Can you give a talk today when he calls you up about the Missionary Work and Purpose? I’m like ahhh yeah! Then Presidente sees me and comes over and says yeah its like 5 or 10 minutes no mas and no pressure.....

alright....

so we sit down and church starts (Manuel came!) and my brain is going like a mile a minute and I’m trying to write down some coherent notes or something so that i don’t sound like a flippin tard up there in front of my mission presidente and his wife, an area 70, 15 missionaries, the assistents....my ward, my investigator.....ahhhhh no pressure right? but i stayed calm and a few minutes later, they called me up to talk

So i went up and started talking, had written down two scriptures and a few words no mas and the ideas and words just came. i had to slow down my speech, but when i did, and focused and just went by the spirit, the words came out and came out good! After i finished, President Fernandez (70) went up and gave his part, quoting me and making mention of the things that i said and saying that what i said in my talk was exactly perfect! I felt super proud (not in a bad way) and super super happy. and after everything ended, presidente came to me and said that i did a fantastic job and was exactly what they needed. YES !!!!!!! I talked with the Presidente fernandez after and he said he has a daughter serving in Utah (super unusual for someone here to have a kid on a mission) and he said i made him think of her a lot and it was so sweet. He said OH I hear you are going home real soon, good luck in your return and know that you have done an amazing job.....

YEET! I was on cloud nine

I asked presidente salerno by message later that night, Hey Why did you choose me, or whose idea was it that i should give a talk 5 minutes before sacrament started)

he said

Presidente Fernandez asked me if there was a super missionary that could give a good definition about the Missionary Work and purpose to set me up for my talk that i will give. I thought of you Hermana Holt and thats why.

AWWWW

Sunday we had a tsunami (we walked an hour with our district to the area of the ZL and contacted a bunch of people together). BLAZING hot sun. Almost died. an hour there, hour tsunami, hour back... i got so sunburned its not even funny...at least i wont be whitey white when i get home

haha but i am doing well. Pushing through. My body is more tired each and every day and my mind too but I’m not trunky luckily, that hasn’t been a problem. its just that the area is hard. but i feel peaceful and confident and will keep doing what i can! 

Just do the most of the best that you can. Is what presidente tells me!

I LOVE YOU GUYS

I miss you. I hope you have a fantastic week!!!! I pray for you all the time.

Love

amy

January 7, 2019

January 7, 2019- 72 weeks down, 5 to go

Hi mom! Happy New Years!!! 2019!

My week was great. The craziness of transfers finally died down, and everyone is in their new area with their new companions, including me! 

Hna Bushman is an angel. Im so grateful to be with her! She is basically my twin, not in looks but in personality and behavior, which I love cause we get along SUPER well! Finally! Haha! 

Monday for New Years Eve the Hnas came over and we made tacos and mexican food (to the best that we could haha) and toasted at midnight! The town went crazy at midnight and everyone was partying until 7am (well, except the missionaries of course haha). Tuesday was our Pday. We dressed in normal clothes..and went to a type of camping area and cooked a super asado and played soccor and frisbee and just relaxed in the outdoors.... IT WAS AMAZING and a great way to relax a bit before the crazy week started. LOVE asados. And we got to watch The Incredibles 2!!!! SO GOOD haha! That night, a member from Caleta came and was set apart as a missionary. And because we are the Sister Leaders, she stayed the night with us and we brought her the next morning to the airport to leave for her mission in Mexico. It was a trippy experience..made me remember when i left almost 17 months ago! I felt so old haha. 

Wednesday we just dealt with traslados and all the newbies arrived. I got to see Hna Chirinos, cause she’s going to be a Capactiadora in Gallegos (with Hna Oliveira...RIP...sorry not sorry). She’s a doll I love her, she has changed so much since I trained her!

Thursday we had to request more time to sleep in cause we were just pooped from waking up at like 5am each morning... and we had our first District Meeting as a new district in the evening. I LOVE my last district. Elder Lees still is my district leader, with his same comp Elder Monahan. Elder Machado y Otoni are in the district too and are our zone leaders. They are all super amazing and I am so pumped to work with them this last transfer of my mission.

Since this new transfer began and I have been with my new comp, we have felt the Spirit ATON and have been able to coordinate real well together. Im teaching her how to be a Capacitadora, and love it. Friday we got to work the whole day in our area and taught Belen. Her fecha fell through cause her parents and her couldn’t attend church on Sunday... which broke our heart a bit... but we fasted and so I know we did all that we could. We will keep working with her and the family, and put a new fecha for the end of january. Its so hard, but I want her and the family to be baptized so bad! But the father, martin, is being tough...

Saturday we taught Manuel also... the lesson went great, we taught about prophets and the spirit. And we talked more about baptism and he doesn’t want to commit to another fecha yet. He doesn't feel ready or worthy, as he says, but we will see... he came to the baptism of Arialis later that night (the investigator of the zone leader) and seemed to enjoy it a lot. 

Also...guess who we taught Saturday afternoon.... JULIO! He came and we taught him and asked questions to see if he really still has his testimony. He does! He finished reading the entire Gospel Principles Book, even though we haven’t met with him in over a month. He didn’t want to come to church this Sunday, but after the lesson, he committed to come, and CAME! And participated! Still isn't married, says that February 15 is their date ..but isn’t super set... ugh. 

Sunday was so neat, having the new schedule. I felt a spiritual confirmation during the Sunday School part of the schedule that really this IS how the Lord wants his church run. The feeling was undeniable for me! The people we brought to church all participated with the members in the class, it was heaven for all the missionaries haha!

and we had our first lunch with members in 2 months! Pollo y arroz and salads, so yummy! I was so grateful haha.

I feel great, super happy and not trunky at all. Working hard, feeling the spirit, passing through rough spots with manuel and belen... but trying to trust that the Lord really is aware of His Children and will help me help them to get baptized!

Im so glad that you all had a fantastic week as well and a great new years. The new year has begun! I love new starts and new changes. I cant wait to be with you all and share all that i have learned. I hope that you are all safe and happy and enjoying your time together. LOVE YOUUU MOMMMMMMMM

amy

December 31, 2018

December 31, 2018- 71 weeks down, 6 to go

HI mommy! 

Sorry... I think it may be the buttcrack of dawn over there...but pday really isn’t pday today so we have to write in the morning...keep working  like normal during the afternoon, and tomorrow for new years day we have the rest of pday... un gran asado and MOVIE! LETS GO! I think we will get to watch the incredibles 2!!!!!!!!!!

How are you all doing? I love you! 

It was great to talk with you all on Tuesday. It was weird, its already been three times, so I felt like I didn’t even know what to say! But I love being able to talk with you and see you all.

SO.... Transfers were announced Saturday night... my last transfer.. 

drum roll..........

I WILL FINISH MY MISSION HERE; IN COMODORO RIVADAVIA... WITH HERMANA BUSHMAN! She’s from Texas, and i communicated with her before the mission! I will be training her as an hermana capacitadora. Im super excited to finish the mission with a familiar face! (And SUPER relieved for a change in companions)

I cant believe I will be finishing my mission here in Comodoro. I thought Id be leaving for my last transfer, but it was a nice surprise to be able to finish here in Comodoro, with my same district leader and zone leaders and buddies. The ward is REAL hard here..REAL hard... but I got like a new burst of animo and I'm ready to GO and finish strong here! Lots of lasts, and I hate it when everyone keeps talking about it. But Im going to just work work work! I'm pumped.

My hija in the mission, Hna Chirinos, is a new hermana capacitadora this transfer too! So Ill get to see her in Consejo before I go home! YAY!

This week was neat. After the phone call with you all, I was fine, always hate hanging up, but we hung out and watched the christmas devotional to finish off the day (I LOVED the talk from Pres Nelson, absolutely amazing). Wednesday and Thursday were normal days, but my comp got real sick with her stomach and we had to stay inside for most of those days, or at least take it way easy. It was hard for me, because I wanted to get out of the pension and work. But oh well. I got to read the scriptures a lot.. finished the Book of Mormon! The goal of President Nelson! It was amazing to finish it. I learned SO much from reading it for these last 3 months. Ive read the book of mormon quite a few times on my mission now, and each time i learn so much more. I want to develop better the gift of revelation so that i can keep learning new things each time i read it. Amazing. 

HEY how did Grandma and Grandpa receive the Book????????????

Funny story

Saturday morning we get up, and i had a thought cross my mind that this last Sunday our new leader misional told us we might have correlation Saturday at 9am. But i had forgotten all about it. So we called him at 8am and didnt respond. So we figured, nah, he forgot too. So at 9am sharp he calls us HERMANAS I’M IN THE CAPILLA WHERE ARE YOU ALL.... us: uhhhhh you didn’t confirm so we thought it got cancelled

him: nope I’m here and you guys better get here

us......

i  hung up and my comp was in the shower so we burst open the door and yell GET OUT we gotta go tot he church for correlation and the hermano isnt happy and she screams and we all get ready in 3 seconds flat, no makeup, and run out and i call the elders to come too because they all forgot. It was a mess.

So us 6 get to the church and the hno is there waiting (he's kind of a strange one, mind you) and the elders obviously hadn’t done their hair or shaved and everyone just looks dead and confused and it was super funny. we couldn’t keep a straight face the whole meeting. In the moment it wasn't that funny, but looking back, its pretty darn funny. (Because usually we don’t have correlation cause we don’t have a leader misional, or when we do, its Tuesday nigh, not Saturday at freaking 9am)

So thats my funny story for the week

haha i love you all. Loved hearing about your super fun week! Seriously looks like an absolute blast! Im so glad that you all have so much fun together. I hope you all stay safe, have a great week..and

....

HAPPY NEW YEARSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

dos mil nunca (two thousand never) has arrived! (thats what all the missionaries call the year they go home). I cant believe that we are arriving in 2019. Tonight we will get together with the other hermanas from the zone and make Mexican food! Well..try to make Mexican food. haha. And tomorrow an asado! I love the mission

Manuel didn’t get baptized, but came to church. we are still working with him, he needs a little more time, but is progressing. Valeria and Belen came to a baptism with us Saturday and loved it. But didn’t make it to church because they got sick. But Belen should be baptized the 12th of January! LETS GO!

I’m excited for this week. Gonna be a crazy week of transfers. But I love it and hope i make it out alive hahaha

I LOVE YOUUUUUUUUUUU

HAVE A GREAT DAY

amy

December 24, 2018

December 24, 2018- 70 weeks down, 7 to go

hi mom! How are you?

Merry Christmas!! Crazy that its here... doesn’t even feel like Christmas haha!

My week went well.. a little crazy. Tuesday we had our Conference and Christmas Lunch with Presidente. (thats what the pics of my in the red dress are from). It was super fun and they gave us the book SANTOS!!! (Saints?) I’ve already read like 10 chapters haha its SO GOOODDDD! This week was a little crazy preparing for the concert and everything so we didn’t get to teach a whole lot. 

But with Manuel, we taught him about the word of wisdom on Wednesday and he was acting super weird and wouldn’t stop talking and didn’t seem to understand. So we finished the lesson a little frustrated. He said he didn't know if he wants to be baptized still. But then Friday, we had another lesson, on the plan of salvation. we taught the whole plan, and he just listened attentively and asked a few questions. at the end, the Spirit was so strong and he was almost crying. i asked him if he would still be baptized on the 29th as we had planned, and taking a breath, he said...Si. Lo hare. We were so happy. The spirit was so strong, and he offered the last prayer kneeling! He came to church Sunday as well! We are doing all that we can to help him get baptized this Saturday!!!!

We visited Valeria and her family (the fam of 6) one time this week. We taught about the Restoration...it went well. But we have to explain it so simply, its hard sometimes cause we have to repeat a lot and read for them cause she can’t read. But they are so sweet. And Sunday morning, a member was going to pass by their house to bring them to church cause they live far away, but right before the meetings started the member called us and said that Valeria wasn't answering and didn’t look like she was home. We were super disappointed....but during the meeting.... at the halfway point, Valeria opens the doors and comes in with her niece and daughter!!!!!!!!!!!!!! She looked so happy. We were in shock. We didn’t think she would come!!!!! it was a Christmas miracle!

This week was harder with my companion…she's having some struggles .... But luckily we are in a trio and hna williams is amazing so we all balance each other out!

We didn’t get to teach a whole lot... i got a little sick one afternoon ... stomach ache... i think I’m more sensitive to flour now than i was beforehand....and lots of practices for the concert

THE CONCERT

it was amazing!!!! The news guy came to a practice on Thursday and filmed us. A member showed us. it was awesome! And Sunday night there were like 300 people in the church!!! They gave us a standing ovation...seriously... it was incredible. i hope you can see it and save it so that i can see it

we did the concert in Caleta Olivia also

Friday and Saturday 3 missionaries finished their missions and went home! 1 of which is my old comp hna crespo. She’s a doll and its so weird to think that she’s already home, finished! I love her and miss her. 

everyone keeps talking to me about how i have 7 weeks more and that I’m basically done and blah blah.. i know! i know! But i still have 7 weeks left to work and enjoy the mission! But with all the missionaries telling me that all the time, it makes it hard to focus. And TRENT is home ! That is so bizarre.... send me pics! no one sent pics of his homecoming!!!! I hope he’s doing ok..... super weird! Hows Miguel????????

so that was my week mas o menos. tomorrow i think i will call 1pm my time, what time is that your time? I never remember haha.

How are you guys? Im so glad you sent all those christmas pics, so sweet, Aly cut her hair a ton!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

HEY I’m gonna send you a little testimony that i want you to print and put in the front of the book of mormon you are going to give grandma and grandpa

how are they

love you so much mom

amy

December 17, 2018

Hello mom!! How are you?

Wow, quick week right? Sounds pretty simple on your side, but fun! Christmas Tree decorating and spending time with the fam and with the ward. How sweet! Cant wait for that. Love all of the pictures, Koda bear is in almost every one.. wheres my Ginny girl? 

Love hearing from you guys. 

Not counting but... 8 weeks! Christmas is right around the corner and our Facetime! I almost forgot about it, seriously, it doesn’t really feel like Christmas because December is passing so darn fast. I’ll be Facetiming Christmas day, 1130 or 12 my time, so like 730 or 8 your time. Mas o menos. We will be skyping in the Church i think, there aren’t really any members with computers.  Does that work for you all? Concert is this Friday and Sunday. Have you seen it online? Its amazing right? Ya know what..? I helped write and organize it :) 

I’m so glad you guys are all well, safe, happy, tranquilos. I pray for you all each night! I hope you have a fantastic week and Christmas!!!!!!

My week just absolutely blew by. Tuesday I had divisions with the hermanas de Centro. Oh boy. They are a tough pair but I survived. I was with the hermana that finishes her mission in 5 days, so she didn’t really give a crap about anything. I hope in my last 5 days I keep working. It’s been a blessing; this week I haven’t thought about home and I’ve worked a whole ton and felt so happy and just tranquila. We saw lots of miracles this week. 

Wednesday we had some meetings in the morning with the zone leaders and in the evening we visited a menos activo that we had found knocking doors. HE LET US IN! You know how many times people let us in to their house knocking doors? like maybe 5 on my whole mission. So I was in like shock and we read about the birth of Jesus in Luke and he said the prayer! It was great, his wife is not a member. But they were a little wishy washy about letting us come back, so we will see what happens

It feels so good to work and walk and teach. Seriously, I’m going to miss missionary work so much. 

Thursday we had a miracle. A few Saturdays back, we had a clothing donation service activity and a woman and her daughter came, we got their direction but they don’t live in our area. Weren’t super interested in receiving us. But  a few days later, they knocked on our door (out of the blue) begging for food. We realized pretty quickly it wasn’t a coincidence, and confirmed their direction and fixed an appointment. They were happy to receive us. We went Thursday, and Valeria was so happy to let us in. She has 4 little kids and her husband. They are SO humble mom, their house is on top of a hill made of plywood and doesn’t have a floor. NO bathroom, no kitchen, just a square house with a hole in the ground as a sink and a oven and stovetop. It was shocking. But we went in and began to teach. 

Saturday, as a service project, we bought a bunch of food with the elders and brought it to them as a Christmas present. (They literally didn’t have food in the house.Nothing). Valeria was so  happy she almost cried. And her kids, sweet little Belen thats 10 years old, hugged us and hugged us. She’s a doll. We sang hymns and taught about the plan of salvation. We invited Belen to be baptized the 5th of January and she said yes! It was a special moment. And Sunday morning, we walked all the way to their house, and walked with them to church! WE BROUGHT A FAMILY TO CHURCH! A FMAILY OF 6! THAT HAS NEVER HAPPENED TO ME IN MY MISSION! I was so happy. AND MANUEL our investigator showed up too!!!!!!! It was a miracle Sunday. The zone here is changing a TON! We are gonna have lots of baptisms at the end of the month and the beginning of January. Its a miracle!!!!!! Its’ giving me a lot of motivation to keep working and doing all that I can.

Thursday and Friday we had a crazy time getting to Las Heras (3 hours in bus) for divisions. We left at 4pm and didn't arrive until 1am in the morning because the route was cut and it was a crazy mess to get around. And the colectivos are NOT comfortable in case you didtn know. LAs heras has a trio of hermanas, a new hermana in the mission being trained by sweet hermana reeves, that only has 4 months in the mission. They are 100 percent alone. There are no missionaries within 2 hours of them. Its crazy hard but they are so tough and had a baptism this Saturday. We had divisions Friday, i was with hna reeves who is from Utah and it was great. I felt so old and wise haha she asked me so many questions and i could help her a lot. 

We left the next day at 5am and didn’t arrive until noon. Presidente gave us permission to just sleep the rest of the afternoon ahhhhh so nice seriously we were dyinggggggg

So that sums up my week. I’m happy and healthy and enjoying my time and working hard. Not thinking about home but just trying to keep improving myself!!! I miss you all and love you so much. But the time is going fast so i am not worried. Trent comes home this week! I CANT BELIEVE ITT!!!! Thats insane.... we wrote our whole missions but these last 3 weeks I haven’t heard a word from him. But let me know how he is I hope he arrives well!!

Hey I have a few favors hahahah

...

for the week i get home (preferably before Sunday) can you fix an appointment for me in the dentist and with the hairstylist? and maybe with Greg too. I would love it. I feel super gross and missionary-y haha and would also love to go buy some good makeup thats not crappy and from Argentina hahah!!!!!! What do you think?

I love you guys so much. 

YOU ARE THE BEST MOM EVER

amy