December 10, 2018

December 10, 2018- 68 weeks down, 9 to go

Hi mom! How are you?

Wow, thats so so neat!

hey....I hope that this news doesn’t burst your bubble... but I got to tell you. I called Laura and Marce last night. They answered the phone happy to hear me, but I could hear a sadness in their voice... I asked hey whats going on. They said that due to many reasons, one being that Marcelo doesn’t have any work now and a problem with his daughter in BA, he has to leave the 2nd of January to go live and work in Buenos Aires for a year. And Laura has to stay in Ushuaia for her job, she can’t go with him. So they will be forced to live apart for a year almost... and the only time she can get work off is in July, for the ward temple trip.. so they will have to be sealed in July... they were so so sad telling me and started crying, so of course I started crying. They are going through SO many hard trials right now, its unbelievable. But as they told me about everything going on, Marcelo grabs the phone and starts bearing his testimony. He said that even though they are passing through some real hard months, their testimony has never wavered, they keep going strong, and they have a clear understanding that these trials are going to make their family unbreakable and united in the eternities. We talked for over an hour. They thanked me over and over for everything i have done for them. It was beautiful to talk to them, but broke my heart that the plans are going to work out exactly how we thought. I’m so sorry. 

I’m pretty heart broken, but everything happens for a reason. You all already bought the tickets, so I think it would be super neat to pass Tuesday and Wednesday together in Buenos Aires-  hna borba can come down and hna molina could take us to some places, we could spend that time together just us 3. and then head home Wednesday night. 

So weird that the tickets are bought, plans are made... and 9 weeks. I have to admit, its real hard at the end of the mission. My mind wanders so quickly to home and my body just doesn’t want to work anymore. Its an internal battle to get out the door each day. especially now that summer is arriving, and this week has been over 100 degrees. I’ve not felt 100 degrees since California and my body doesn’t like it. and AC doesn’t exist in Argentina sooo windows open fans blowing and cold towels on my head is the only way to not die haha. We go work just like every day, but MAN its brutal. I’m more tan already.... seriously, its been quite miserable with this heat. today is a little cooler so thats nice.

Aww you all fasted and bore your testimony thats super amazing!!!!!!

Dang you seriously are learning a lot by reading the BOM, i get it, i feel the same! I LOVE reading the BOM. I’m now in 3 Nephi and it just blows my mind how  PERFECT the book is, how everything works out, how fast the people forget about God and start being evil again... dang. I love it

I’m glad everyone is happy and healthy! Thats what i like to hear

HEY GOOD JOB with the BOM for grandma and grandpa. I LOVE it. Thank you mom. I think about them a lot and how I’m going to teach them when i get home. seriously. I hope you mark the parts abut Christ and I want to write something and send to you so that you can print it and put it in the cover, my testimony. I’ll do that for next week

I’m so proud of you

Haha yeah i look back at my pics from the start of the mission and i look like a BABY hahaha seriously it cracks me up, i was a little baby with a baby face who had no idea of what was in store for those next 18 months. 

This week went well for me, it was crazy. like always haha. We had to handle some emergency transfers for Hermanas here in the zone. We had to separate them and have interviews with presidente for it and one went a few hours away and the other is here 30 minutes away, so that took up Tuesday Wednsday and part of Thursday. and Friday we had the hermanas from Caleta here for Divisions, but that day it got up to 105 degrees so we all died  a bit haha, butt he divisions went well. Then we got to work Saturday, but yesterday was a HUGE game of BOCA and RIVER, two rivalry teams here, so we couldn’t go outside and after the game everyone was shouting and yelling all night, so we didn’t get to work at all.   But my comp and I are getting along better with each day. We are still way different and she bugs me, but we have the same goal.The OBRA MISIONAL. When we focus on that, we are united and work together real well. So I’m grateful for that. 

Presidente pulled me aside the other day and said he just wanted to tell me that he loves me. He said i looked pretty tired and stressed (from all the emergency transfers) and wanted to tell me that he loves me and a bunch of stuff, made me feel real special.

Julio came back ! He talked this week with Yenni and said he’s done, he wants to separate from her, so he’s in plans to look for somewhere to live, but its real hard and there are a lot of details (like his kids) and a ton of stuff. But amazing how even though we didn’t hear from him for like a week, he was talking and reading and praying still, and wants to be baptized so bad. We taught word of wisdom again because someone said he was drinking, and he promised to start licking it....

MIRACLE OF THE WEEK

We have a new investigator, Manuel  that we found and taught one time. We made plans so that he would come to church, and he accepted a baptismal date for the 29. So Sunday morning ( we wanted to pass by his house but he lives really far away and we didn’t have money for  a taxi) we called and the phone rang but he didn’t answer, and then we called again and he turned off his phone. We were super bummed and sad... but i felt super tranquila, and didn’t know why. So we walk to church and sit down and everything, and two seconds before the reuniones start my comp starts hitting my arm hard HERMANA HERMANA MANUAL ESTA AQUIIIIIIIII whattt so i look over and there he is in the doorway, dressed nice and everything! We almost started shouting of happiness andr an over and brought him to our seat. He stayed all 3 hours and loved it. It was a miracle. Pray that he can arrive at his baptismal date oft he 29th of dec. I know he can!! My area hasn’t had a baptism since April, so that gives you an idea of how difficult it is... .haha

But I’m doing well. happy healthy and doing exercises. its super hot and that affects me, and I’m tired and trunky sometimes, but praying to be able to focus up each week and take it day by day, step by step. Christmas is so close and we have lots of stuff planned with the mission and everything. The concerts are a huge sucess seriously!

I LOVE YOU GUYS SO MUCH!!!!! you sustain me, help me, love me, and give me motivation to keep going. I love you and am so grateful for you

amy

December 3, 2018

December 3, 2018- 67 weeks down, 10 to go

Hola mi querida mami!!!!

How are you?

What a sweet letter from you, I loved it!

Yes, the christmas concerts started. Im not in the traveling group, so i will be in the concerts on the 21 22 and 23rd of this month in caleta and comodoro. Im super excited! It was a huge success in rio gallegos this week. Im pumped!!

I’m so glad things are going better with Ashlyn, i think thats exactly what you have to do. Keep pushing through, do exactly what you are doing! I’m happy for you guys. I know its probably pretty hard.. but you are doing the right thing!

Aw I'm so happy to hear that Brandon is becoming such a little man, so sweet and tender. I cant wait to see him again and see how he has changed. I’m glad you all get to go out and spend personal time together! I’m sure that was the best!

Aly!..... Mission? Is that in her plans at all? I had no idea..!? But wow.. tell me more! Is she talking about going?

She always writes me the sweetest letters

BIG NEWSSS:: YOUNG WOMENS PRESIDENT!!!!!!! WOW WAY TO GO! You are going to be absolutely amazing.. it all makes sense! I’m so happy for you,  you will be fantastic. Wow! Man I totally get you with the whole sis ludlow thing, man we are so similar you and I haha!! Im so SO proud of you mom, don’t doubt that you will do a fantastic job. These girls don't know how lucky they are! Oh no... I’m going to be show and tell? HAHAH

Thank you mom for you sweet praise. Each Monday reading you and the families sweet comments about my missionary service and sacrifice just mean the world to me. Cause for everyone here, either they are a missionary, they are a member (al the members here are ehhh) or a normal person living in Comodoro who has never seen or gives importance to missionaries. SO its nice to feel a little recognized every once in a while! Thanks mom, seriously. I love you and I am so glad that the promise of my setting apart blessing is being fulfilled - Family members will have their testimonies strengthened by your missionary service - 

Thanks mom

This week for me went really well! I got to work! Each day! I think Tuesday i ate gluten and got pretty sick, so sick that i made the firm resolution to not touch flour again in my mission haha. I started my -10 Semanas de Sexy- as its called here. Lots of exercise in the morning, eating better, water... MAN is it hot here! Im starting to get a tiny tiny bit of my tan back! Well, at least on my feet... haha. I like the heat, i missed it, and i think it will help me lose a little weight before coming home! Thats the goal.

Julio, disappeared off the map after yenni called us to go to her house and talk with her, she talked for like 3 hours and dumped a bunch of crap on us about julio and it was tough... i don’t know if the things she told us are lies or real, but now julio isnt answering. Renata disappeared off the face of the earth too. SOOO.... we have been... starting from 0. CONTACTING YAY! haha that was only slightly sarcastic. We leave and just go talk with everyone. We have been blessed to find a few part member families and less actives, so this coming week we have return visits. we didn’t get let into anyones home this week, but we did teach a few lessons in their patios and doorways. Its something, at least! Im grateful that a lot of people passed us their directions, hoping that at least ONE of them can be a new investigator and be baptized in this month. I want to baptize!!!

We have two new people, Joana and Manuel, only one lesson with each one, but they were really receptive and want to learn from us and want to read in the book of mormon... HUGE blessing. The people of Comodoro are really duro as we say... but its ok, we will find people! 

I haven't been stressed, been super tired trying to get back in the rhythm of hard work each day. Getting along pretty well with hna oliveira this week. hna williams has been travleing all week for the concert, so it was just us 2. we talk and laugh and work well together. im started to like her. haha. i think by the end of the transfer we will be decent friends

i happy and healthy. I’m missing you all. Because hna o goes home the same day as me and talks about home a lot its making me a little trunky, dreamt about you all last night, but I’m going try to stay focused. this month will be busy

i love you so mom!!!!

October 29, 2018

October 29, 2018- 62 weeks down, 15 to go

Hi mom! How are you?? 

Im so glad that you are doing so well with your scripture study, way to go! Im so proud of you. 

OH wow Dad!!!! Thats horrible... how is he today????

Im glad that you are all doing well.. love the pics... i almost forgot that this week is Halloween!

My week was... crazy again. Probably one of the most frustrating weeks I have had... but it ended on a real good note. 

But maybe don’t send all this info out, just for you guys

So this week was rough... Had a lot of plans, and they all got changed last second. I realized that I have a little issue... that each time something happens that i don’t like or that gives me stress, my stress overcomes me and i cant control my words or reaction. Not that I do anything bad, but I need to react better. And the stress just overpowers me and then afterwards I feel sad., and it’s hard to keep working. So after several events like that passed this week, i decided i wanted to talk to Presidente. Hna Borba and I agreed that I have improved a TON since the beginning of m y mission, but realizing that i have so little time life, it is something i want to master before i return. So Saturday morning after a meeting with the Zone Leaders to prepare for a neat meeting we had on Sunday, Presidente was waiting for me in his office. I wasn’t quite sure how this would go down or what i needed, i just knew that i needed to talk with him.

So We started talking and i starting explaining... and after a few moments he reached out his hand and said Hna Holt, i can hear by the veolocity of your voice that you are not ok.. .give me your hand. I gave him my trembling hand and he put both of his hands around mine and said I cant hug you, but i want you to just take a second, don’t talk, and breath... and cry if you need. So i just started crying and he just let me. After a bit, i explained a little more, and he told me a few things that made me super happy. He said that I was one of his special daughters here in the mission, and that he loves me so much. He said that since i arrived, he has felt a special connection with me, and he thinks its because our personalities are very very similar and he has had this exact problem that i have and is still working on overcoming it. He gave me some tips but mostly gave me love. I asked him why he always says that he loves me, and he says because I have 100 percent trust in you and you are one of the best missionaries i have had here. And I just love you! He had told hna borba a few weeks back that he felt like I needed to be here in Comodoro, so i asked him why he said that to her, cause i haven’t been able to find my purpose yet.. he said that its not for an investigator in specific or for a baptism, although its important, but that he wanted me here in Comodoro because of the person influence and example i am. he needs me here in this area to influence both the hermanas and elders here in a positive way. Made me feel like the most important person in the world, and his love was something close of the Saviors love... I felt like i could hear my heavenly father talking to me through his words. We talked for almost an hour. It gave me a peace and calmness that i haven't felt in a long time.. and until today, i haven't had a single reaction to stress or anything...

i don’t tell you this to boast or to worry you ... but because it was honestly one of the experiences that will mark my mission. I will never forget that conversation. 

Sunday we were invited as Hermanas Capacitadoras and Zone Leaders to a meeting with the stake presidency and the mission leaders of the wards. I felt super official and we had to give a presentation. my voice was trembling a bit, but everyone said we did a fantastic job!

Julio is progressing a TONNN. He came to church again and this week we will get to meet in his house!!! We always meet in the church cause his pareja doesn’t like the missionaries or the church... but he has been talking with her little by little... Tuesday we will meet in his house with his kids.,..and i think Friday we will meet there with his pareja!!! I HOPE! Cause he is ready to be baptized tomorrow, but he’s not married and she doesn’t want to get married....PRAY FOR HIM!! He could be our miracle here before hna borba finishes.

Hna Borba is doing well. 3 weeks left but super calm. She still has lots of back problems and we still go to kinesologia each day, which takes time and patience but its helping a little. I love her so much and don’t know what I’m going to do when she leaves. Presidente is gonna give me special permission to go the airport with her and the other two sisters going home... gonna be interesting.

Other than that, Im doing well. A ton of meeting and preparations for the zone conference with presidente that is this Tuesday. Gonna be amazing, but now me and my comp are in charge of orderning and paying and organizing all the food! ahh! haha!

I LOVE YOU SO MUCH MOM. I read parts of dads sweet talk... love you guys with all my heart. thank you for always writing and for the pictures

Speaking of pics, i cant find my camera today, but i will keep looking....ahhh....

I LOVE YOU

amy

October 22, 2018

October 22, 2018- 61 weeks down, 16 to go

hey hey

yep consejo was absolutely wonderful

Glad Desi responded. Its alright , you are correct, you did the right thing.!

Sweet little Brandon, made me tear up

hahah so funny that you are mothering the hermanas!!!!!! love it!!!!!! Man what a life they have in their mission... having a member that washes their clothes, with a DRYER, who cooks for them and has a beautifulllll home, they have tablets to write their families and don’t have to worry about internet going out in the city or protests blocking their way to the ciber.... but it just makes me happy that YOU are happy and that they don’t have to go through some of the trials that  we have here. Not jealous, I’m grateful for my challenges, but man do i miss the super cushioned protected life style of the States!!!!!!! hahahah sorry for my spoiled little rant

send me a foto of the missionaries!!!!!

tell them thank you for their service and love for my family

my response:

Dad and I talk often about the difference between their mission and yours. I’m sure they’re having some neat experiences and I’m sure it’s exactly what they needed for them. But this mission would never of suited you. You would’ve felt like you were wasting your time -you would’ve felt spoiled and like it was too easy. The challenge the Lord had in store for you was a big one. He saved this special spot in the world for you to come to because he knew how amazing you were and how strong you are and how much you could learn and grow and help people there. Not to speak ill of those that serve in the United States because like I said I’m sure it’s exactly what they need – but it’s not what you needed. You needed a really strong test and trial to make sure your testimony was going to be built up in amazing way. You are such a strong girl Amy- we are so proud of you and  you amaze us so much.

She answered: 

thank you mom, needed to hear that. wow... i hope i can grow and learn from my experiences here! It’s funny, because i  have gotten so used to living here, that I can’t remember sometimes the differences between here and there.

But thank you mom!!!!

October 17, 2018

October 17, 2018- 60 weeks down, 17 to go

hi mom!!!!!!

just read the letter to the fam... love it!!! Short and sweet. any responses?? if not, its ok anyways 

i love you !

Sorry that I’Im not writing until now... Monday all the cibers were closed and yesterday was consejo and today we scrambled to get down here to write! Would you believe that in the entire city of Comodoro there is only one ciber with 10 computers? craziness.. haha

They sure hate us on Mondays hahaha

I’m doing well mom! glad to hear that you are doing great and the family is doing well too. I miss you guys and think about you often! This last week was CRAZYY... probably the most exhausting craziest week i have had as an hermana capacitadora... little did i know, that the opportunity to be an hc here in Comodoro is a hectic mess in semana 1 of transfers. Hermanas arriving at the terminal at midnight of 5 am, leaving and coming and passing through our pension as if it were a hotel , meetings, training of the newbies and helping the office get their crap together, practically living in the terminal and ahhhhh its just ben insane, I’ve never been so tired in my life, and to top it off Sunday night, and the end of this cray week , one of the hermanas is sick and we have to go and help and her comp is an emotional mess and ahhhhh. but its ok. It's now semana 2 and we had a fANTASTIC consejo meeting yesterday with presidente. The last consejo for hna borba and she was so sad. But we learned so much, and talked a lot about the words of the prophet, the correction to the name of the church, the urgencia in his messages, the change to the Sunday schedule.... everything. I put a lot of goals cause i feel like with all my tiredness and other responsibilities, I haven’t been able to achieve what i want to achieve in these last few weeks. but its all good, one step at a time, and i still have 4 months to to keep achieving and changing and becoming better!

i love the mission.. i don’t want it to end, even though its crazy and exhausting. But now that in my mind i can see how fast is going and that like 16 or 17 weeks that i have left are going to just fly by, it really pushs me to give the best that i can and be tranquila.

I love you so much mom. I’m so grateful for your ejemple and love and all that you do for us. You truly are amazing and I am inspired by you.

Everyone looks so big and grown up in the pictures... i cant believe it

i love youuuu

amy

October 8, 2018

October 8, 2018- 59 weeks down, 18 to go

Mom!!

What a wonderful email!

Conference Weekend was absolutely fantastic! Although I still have a headache after watching so much TV haha!

AW WAY TO GO watching all of the sessions. Seriously, I felt like a kid on Christmas Morning waiting for the first session to begin... we were all antsy and clinging on to every word! Especially the words of the Prophet! I am so ready and excited for this new change to the Sunday Schedule, and felt the same confirmations that you did, EXACTLY as you did!! Look at this change as a filter - those who are weak will take advantage of a shorter schedule to have less church and do what they want. The strong will look at this as an opportunity to grow spiritually, take the initiative, and to prepare for the second coming of the Lord. The Lord is filtering out the righteous from the unrighteous. Which side will we be on?

The feelings I felt listening to the Prophets words and counsel and inspiration were feelings that I cant describe, that are just absolutely magnificent. He IS the prophet, and receives very DIRECT revelation from the Lord!

Please let me know how the Family Counsel turns out and what you decide!

Holland’s talk also touched me to the core... cried like a baby right there in front of everyone haha. We were blessed enough to watch the Conference in a separate room in English with all the gringo missionaries. So his words were very very direct to our family. It was like he was talking to THE HOLT FAMILY. A sign posted up there on the wall wouldn't have made it any more obvious that this talk was meant for us.

I thought the same as Aly, prayed that each member of the family would be watching. But you are right. It starts with us. How wise you are dear mom! You are so valiant, so kind and loving... I wish I could be more like you! 

I LOVE YOU.

One of his quotes that I loved - Those wounds need to be healed so that Life can be as rewarding as it can be. You go instantly and go do the thing that you might never have another chance to do.

When they announced the temple in Mendoza Argentina, we all screamed and shouted!!! It’s farther away than the one in Buenos A, but ITS ANOTHER TEMPLE. In the time I have been out here, the temples in Argentina have doubled... we started with Corboda and BA, and now SALTA AND MENDOZA!! These two are SUPER far away, but its a SIGN that we are getting more and more and soon, in my dreams, we will have one in the Patagonia!!!! I can only dream for that day!

The women’s session was wonderful, gave me a lot of answers. And when the prophet gave his talk, we were just giddy haha, he is so cute. With his challenge to read the BOM before the end of the year, i thought - I already have to read 10 pages of Doctrine and Covenants each day, Preach my Gospel, all my notes, practices.. all in an hour of study.. How can I add in the BOM? I just don’t know if i can... but then i thought.. no, this is a direct invitation and promise from the Prophet, i HAVE to do it! Sure enough, Hna Salerno called us and said that ALL the hermanas must put this prophetic invitation as FIRST PRIORITY. So i started Saturday, and am already halfway through First Nephi. Its wonderful and I'm already seeing things I have never seen or understood before! 

THANK YOU for being valiant and doing the same! I’m so proud of you and Aly and the family. You guys are my Joy!

I’m doing well! This week past really fast, I don't remember a lot. I do remember that we got to work and it felt good, and now we are in the middle of transfers.... IM STAYING! WITH HNA BORBA! She will finish her mission with me!!!!!!!!!!!! And a lot of old buddies will be in or passing through Comodoro this week, so it’s going to be a loaded adventure...!!! And welcoming in the new hermanas and organizing the trips and opening the pensions and staying in the terminal... its going to be one heck of a week, but I'm excited. Im so grateful for the hours i get to study each day, and that i have access to the scriptures and words of the prophets, they give me life and motivation to keep going on the hard busy days! 

I missed you too, and miss you! Don’t count the days, make the days count! I’m so proud of your efforts and improvement and motivation to do what is right and lead the family. I love you so much more than i can say!

I’m doing great, not sick anymore at all, happy, enjoying the time, and receiving so much knowledge and revelation I feel like I’m going to explode!!!

A few things

Can you get in contact with Hermana Micalea Laupaho? She went home last week, and i wrote you all a letter and little gift, that she is going to put in the mail. Try to find her through the mission face book... lives in West Jordan

Can you send me some arm exercises that i can do (without real weights cause i don’t have any) to help my arms out? I've gotten super weak and flabby

I still cant seem to get pics through with the internet here... don’t quite know what to do....

I LOVEEE YOUUUUUU

amy

October 1, 2018

October 1, 2018- 58 weeks down, 19 to go

Hi!!

I’m glad that you guys had so much fun with Aly bear home for her 18th birthday!  I absolutely can’t believe she’s 18.... blows me away. Hope you guys had a fantastic weekend.

Well, my week was pretty interesting... Wednesday night I started having some pain in my chest.. and Thursday morning I had full blown bronchitis to the maximum... no voice , a cough that made my companera want to go running away.. We ran to the doctor and they said it was a minor infeccion and gave me a pill for pain... by Saturday i was even worse and was having lots of problems breathing. Hermana Salerno sent us back , and they took scans and said I had bronchitis and gave me the correct pills. But they didn’t want to give me an inhaler, even though I couldn’t breathe well. So Presidente  figured out a way to get one, and the zone leaders came and gave it to me, and helped me a ton...  Sunday we weren’t allowed to go to church because I was still so bad, but today is the first day that I have my voice back and i feel a lot better!!!! I think I should be able to get back into the swing of things tomorrow or Wednesday. A week in the pension is awful. But yay.. thats my update... super fun.

But the good side is that Tuesday we had divisions  and it went well, we walked until we couldn’t move our legs and talked with everyone that we could. We found an awesome family that is interested, so now the hermanas are going to teach them!!!! And we found them as we were in a colectivo (bus)! Miracles for talking with everyone. 

Wednesday we worked with a lot of members and found a few new people to teach!!!!   We had a bunch of lessons and it was great. 

Sunday night during our planning session, we realized that we had come from having 2 investigatores, to having 7 !! That made us super happy. 

During this week of bronchitis, I had a tonnn of personal study time haha. But i am so grateful,  because i was able to learn soooo much about the gospel and the scriptures. We studied and studied and I felt the Spirit so much and learned so much. As a mission we are reading Doctrine and Covenants, and its absolutely amazing and so full of miracles and things that just absolutely prove that the church is TRUE.

In a blessing an elder gave me Saturday, he said I would gain something from this experience of being sick... and he was right. I gained an even stronger testimony of the church. I have felt the company of the Spirit in every moment of this week , and have felt so calm and so much love, even though I was in so much pain. I never felt sad or anxiety, just love and peace. It was a great blessing. I feel that I have truly become more converted to the gospel and to my mission in this week than in the last 13 months.

i love you guys. I’m doing well. Hermana Borba has been taking great care of me, and I’m recovering. i love you all, think of you and miss you! 

amy

Thank you for telling me all about your Sunday. Makes me so sad, so mad, so useless and frustrated .... i dont even know what to do. But you are doing everything perfectly, i am so proud of you. And thankful for the other Debbie. haha. I wish i could have been with you riding to church that morning to help you! IM SORRY IM NOT THERE: I really am. I wish it could be easier. I love you with all my heart

I’m sorry ash is being so dang hard. It’s easy to see in her emails that she is so wrapped up i her world, it blows me away. Aly’s emails are so uplifting and whole.. and ashy.. i just don’t know why she has to pass through this ugly phase but i hope she can come out of it soon. I love you and the minute i get home I’m going to be with YOU and help you and talk to you. I MISS YOU AND LOVE YOU

Thank you for updating me. Thank you for telling me about your Sunday lesson in RS; i love it and needed to hear it. I often feel like i am so weak, and my weaknesses make my sacrifices not enough... ugh. But i understand what you said and will remember it

I’m so excited for conference!!!! ITS GOING TO BE AMAZING: they are preparing us and telling us there are HUGE changes coming to the Missionary Work....oh no! haha

I LOVE YOU WITH ALL MY HEART

amy

September 24, 2018

September 24, 2018- 57 weeks down, 20 to go

HI mom!  How are you?

Wow ,what a sweet spiritual email! I love it!! thank you! Something that is kinda funny to me now is the fact that technology is such a big problem or addiction. Its been over 13 months since I’ve held a phone, and I can’t imagine being addicted or having it be such a big issue that all the church leaders are talking about it. hashtag sheltered missionary life. 

I’m glad that you guys had so much fun with Aly bear home for her 18th birthday!  Ii absolutely can’t believe she’s 18.... blows me away. Hope you guys had a fantastic weekend.

Well, my week was pretty interesting... Wednesday night I started having some pain in my chest.. and Thursday morning I had full blown bronchitis to the maximum... no voice , a cough that made my companera want to go running away.. We ran to the doctor and they said it was a minor infeccion and gave me a pill for pain... by Saturday i was even worse and was having lots of problems breathing. Hermana Salerno sent us back , and they took scans and said I had bronchitis and gave me the correct pills. But they didn’t want to give me an inhaler, even though I couldn’t breathe well. so Presidente  figured out a way to get one, and the zone leaders came and gave it to me, and helped me a ton...  Sunday we weren’t allowed to go to church because I was still so bad, but today is the first day that I have my voice back and i feel a lot better!!!! I think I should be able to get back into the swing of things tomorrow or Wednesday. A week in the pension is awful. But yay.. thats my update... super fun.

But the good side is that Tuesday we had divisions  and it went well, we walked until we couldn’t move our legs and talked with everyone that we could. We found an awesome family that is interested, so now the hermanas are going to teach them!!!! And we found them as we were in a colectivo (bus)! Miracles for talking with everyone. 

Wednesday we worked with a lot of members and found a few new people to teach!!!!   We had a bunch of lessons and it was great. 

Sunday night during our planning session, we realized that we had come from having 2 investigatores, to having 7 !! That made us super happy. 

During this week of bronchitis, I had a tonnn of personal study time haha. But i am so grateful,  because i was able to learn soooo much about the gospel and the scriptures. We studied and studied and I felt the Spirit so much and learned so much. As a  mission we are reading Doctrine and Covenants, and its absolutely amazing and so full of miracles and things that just absolutely prove that the church is TRUE.

In a blessing an elder gave me Saturday, he said I would gain something from this experience of being sick... and he was right. I gained an even stronger testimony of the church. I have felt the company of the Spirit in every moment of this week , and have felt so calm and so much love, even though I was in so much pain. I never felt sad or anxiety, just love and peace. It was a great blessing. I feel that I have truly become more converted to the gospel and to my mission in this week than in the last 13 months.

i love you guys. I’m doing well. Hermana Borba has been taking great care of me, and I’m recovering. i love you all, think of you and miss you! 

amy

September 17, 2018

September 17, 2018- 56 weeks down, 21 to go

Yeah for family scripture study! way to go guys! I’m proud of you all. Lets go!!

Yeah it sure was a crazy few days for me, i feel like i wrote you guys 3 weeks ago, not 5 days

after i wrote you, we had a busy day Wednesday, and a family home evening with the zones of Comodoro and Caleta. It was super fun.

Yes, presidente is a little better now, still sick, had to leave the conference a little early Thursday, poor guy. 

Conference was fantastic. i had to translate to English the whole time for an hermana that has 2 weeks in the mission. My poor brain, it was so hard.. after a while I started translating the Spanish into slower Spanish instead of English, because my brain couldn’t think in English for that long! haha... oh boy...

but i learned a lot. We learned a lot about talking with everyone, the importance of talking with at least 17 people each day, wherever we are. Presidente and Hermana Salerno even did practices up in front of everyone to show fun and simple ways to contact with family history, with other ideas... it was a crack up but i learned a lot.

i had been feeling in the last few weeks that all of my responsibilities of being an hermana capacitadora were taking up all my time and we hadn’t been teaching like AT ALL... so i came to the conference with a question in mind... What are my most important responsibilities, and how can i make time for the most important things? Rght off the bat, presidente answered my question. he said to everyone to start off the conference Your Most Important Responsibilitiy as a Missionary is to preach the Gospel of Christ. Wow. Thank you for answering my question basically word for word. Long story short me and my comp made more time for teaching and when we did that, the Lord solved a bunch of other problems and gave us the time necessary to teach and find new investigators! it was a testimony to me that the Lord wants us to teach. He knows we have other things too, but when we put preaching first, He has helped us out with the rest. Amazing.

During lunch presidente said that me and hna borba were looking skinnier... i was like are you joking? but thanks I’m glad hahahah

Friday and Saturday we got to work and a bunch of other stuff happened I’m sure but they days go by so fast and are so filled that i honestly cant remember what happened. Oh, Saturday evening i got a little sick, lots of ab pain and my back hurt... so i got to rest a bit and an elder from the office gave me a blessing. One of the most detailed and beautiful blessings ever. i think blessings in the mission are something special... i felt like the elder wasn’t talking, but literally Heavenly Father was talking to me in such a personal way... and i don’t even know this elder that well!!!!! It was tender.

Sunday was good, i still felt sick, and it was stake conference and i almost slept through the whole things, so many cute babies near me that i just wanted to play with haha it was a struggle....

My comp cooked lunch as i slept a little more. i don’t know why i felt bad.. not sick, just a ton of gut pain and muscle pain. She’s so sweet and helped me a lot. We had to go to a lesson with our new investigator, Julio, so i toughed it out and went. IT was FANTASTIC. We found him in our area book and we have already had 3 lessons with him. He wants to learn SO bad. More than any other person we have taught here in Comodoro. Even though his girlfriend doesn’t really want him to listen, he has come to the chapel this week 2 times to listen, found his Book of Mormon in his house and started reading. SUPER capo. He accepted a baptismal invitation, but we didn’t put the date yet. dang people never getting married here... ugh. 

So many tender mercies happened this week, i want to share a few good ones with you guys

We were contacting with a member a few people that we had found in the area book. We weren’t having any success, and we get to this one house and clap a few times. it seems like no ones home, but at the last second this guy comes out. he comes out of the house, and sits down on the sidewalk with us. i was like Lets Gooo this is a sure lesson and new investigator, cause usually they just look out the window and tell us to go away. AND hes got a ring.. the guys married!

Well, he starts talking and asking questions, and we start to teach a little. We barely start talking about the Book of Mormon, the Spirit is strong, and out of the nowhere he cuts us off and starts preaching to us and slamming the Book of Mormon and telling us that our words are wrong (all in a weirdly nice respectful way) and that only the Bible is correct and starts this evangelical like preaching, telling us to accept Jesus in our hearts.... after like 10 minutes (or an eternity) of listening and not being able to get a word in, my comp is getting a little ticked... and butts in and says Hey, can i share something with you? He says ok. And she starts to bear her testimony, and the spirit just floods back in. He listens, then cuts her off and keeps going with his blasphemy.... after a bit we cut off the conversation and left. I was mad. i was so sure after an hour of no one listening, this guy was going to be a new person to teach and to help. But he wasn’t ready to hear us.

So when we left, we said a prayer with my comp, and flagged down a taxi because we were late for our next lesson with Julio. as we got in the taxi, i was feeling a little too grumpy to keep teaching the taxi guy, but we started to talk. Turns out he has heard the missionaries before, and began to ask us heartfelt questions. Then he’s like I’m Immanuel, and i ask if we can take his number and he says yes. Then i felt prompted to give him the Book of Mormon in my hands. So i begin to say Hey, we have a special gift for you that... And he turns around and sees the Book of Mormon and practically yells A BOOK OF MORMON and I’m like uhhh oh crap he’s gonna freak on us... and he says I HAD ONE OF THOSE BUT I LOST IT CAN I HAVE IT. I was SHOCKED: thats never ever happened. I practically yelled yes and threw it at him, we talked a bit more, got his number, and I’m hoping we can have a lesson this week! It was s tender mercy and a miracle. We were from one guy who wanted nothing to do with us, to another that was desperate to hear our message. I’m so grateful that the Lord tries us and put trials in our way, and that he is always willing to help us and bless us when we are diligent and talk with everyone. it was a great experience

Thank you! it is a gift that all my leaders and presidente have all the missionaries truly working on. Personal revelation. There will come a day, very soon, where we will have to rely almost 100 percent on our personal revelation for us and our families. Its essential that we develop this gift to help us remain faithful and diligent until the second coming. Its also a testimony builder, that these things really are true, that God really does answer prayers. Because a lot of the time, like you said, we say prayers and we aren’t specific and we feel like he’s not answering us. It’s not that he doesn’t hear us, its that we aren’t praying in the correct way for him to be able to give us obvious and clear answers and direction!

Love you!

Im proud of you that you are eating so well and doing so good. Make me a plan so that i can get back on the right track when i get home. Iv’e realized that its just almost impossible in the mission to do anything about eating and weight, because we are out of the house and on the road so much there are just no other options.. but when we are in the pension i do the best i can. But i need your help when we get home... but take it easy on me haha! i wanna look good for Maddys wedding!!!!! deal??

September 12. 2018

September 12, 2018- 55 weeks down, 22 left

hi mom!

I’m so sorry that Monday we couldn’t write, internet outage, Tuesday was Super Consejo all day, and today there still isn’t any internet..but we found a place in Centro with a few computers that have internet so here we are! Yay!

How are you? I love hearing from you and seeing the pictures each week! You guys all crack me up.

I’m sorry you feel a little lonely with all the trips and the kids and dad being gone...thats hard. But hey it would make it all easier if you moved to Randolph and could hunt on your own property and be close to dad... just saying... could be neat.... haha! Love you.

Poor kiddos. But way to go Brandon. Such a stud. I’m so proud of him. I can’t wait to see him as a Missionary!

I’m doing well. Yes, yesterday in Consejo I mentioned to Presidente that Marce and Laura are getting sealed the 13th and I’m leaving the 12th... he said he thinks its fine, but when he arranges the flights for my group he has to change it, because all the groups leave here Tuesday at 8am and get to Buenos Aires 1030 am, and leave Buenos Aires 8pm for the States. So it would be me arriving the 12th at 1030 am , staying the 12th and 13th, and the 13th (Wednesday) at 8pm taking the flight to the States. PLEASE do not email him this week or the next week about this... he is dangerously sick.. during Consejo he couldn’t even see straight and we had to run to our pension and get some pills and then later the assistents told us he had to go in an ambulance, cause he is really sick..... poor thing the whole mission is praying a ton today... because we have conference this week and he couldn't finish giving us the talks in Consejo and now everything has to be cancelled and the poor guys just cant get a break.

But we will figure it all out! HEY mom 5 months today... not to be trunky... but in 5 months from today I’ll be home!!!!!!!!! WHAT

I love you! I’m glad you had a great week.

This last week was insane for me. We had so many things to do, problems that the Hermanas had so we had to spend a lot of time traveling to help them. We have 3 pairs of sisters. one lives 15 minutes away, super close. the others live 1.5 hours, and 4.5 hours away. So when we have to go check up or help them or divisiones, it means a TON of time in colectivos. And it means that we don’t get a whole lot of time to work in our area.... but i have learned that the Lord knows He gave me other responsibilities apart from working in my own area, so wherever I am, or whatever I am doing, its for His work and He will bless me for it. It has been a grand lesson, because at first I was super stressed that we weren’t getting any time to contact and teach people in our area. But we are doing all that we can and making it happen. We have 2 investigatores that need a ton of prayers, they are so close to baptism, have testimonies and EVERYTHING, but they just can’t say yes. Juan and Brianda.

My comp cooks like a boss. It’s great, because we eat suppper good each day, but bad...because i think I’m going to gain weight with her hahahah.....

It’s still super weird being with her. Its neat, because we connect really well. But this week we had a few more struggles, not bad, little ones...but things like she makes all the decisions without consulting or wants to have everything under her control... but we’ve both grown up a lot so we were able to talk about it openly and make some goals to be able to participate more equally...its slightly frustrating at times, but I guess i need to learn a little more humility and patience still... haha! But she’s a doll. and her brother is going to have a baby! a girl! And she will be home for her birth, so she is over the moon.

Its super weird being with so many missionaries. I’m so used to being in Rawson so far away from everyone and everything... and having 16 or more missionaries in my ward and presidente living 5 blocks away is super trippy sometimes. But i like it, its just a little hard to get used to it!

I miss being in Trelew a lot still, being with the zone. 

Yesterday was Super Consejo, a huge meeting with all of the leaders of the mission, and it was so neat to be able to see all my old friends from other times and other areas. Elder Beltran, Elder Poggemann, Diderickson, Hermana Crespo... it was a blast. and I really enjoyed this consejo. I love being able to participate and add and answer... at one point Hermana Salerno didn’t want to pass me the microphone anymore because she wanted other people to talk more! haha whoops. I just love the Spirit of Consejo and all the revelation and inspiration we receive!!! We have some big changes... some are hard to explain, but apparently there is a new Preach My Gospel 2.0 that is coming out next year, and we are changing the vocabulary we use in the mission and some of the planning techniques.. so its gonna be neat! I hope it helps us! And I heard about the new book SANTOS, Un Estandard de la Verdad that the Church published.. I wanna read it so bad!!!!!

Don’t know what else to say, these last 10 days passed so fast and so many things happened... i can’t remember any of it!!! I try to write things down in my journal, but its amazing how in 13 months i feel like i have had like 5 lives... haha!

I love you guys so much. Take care

amy

i accidently left my camera in the pension so i cant send pictures.... SORRY MOM!!!!!!!

September 3, 2018

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