Week 23 - El Bolsón

 

We made german pancakes this week! Wheat... because thats the only flour we had haha and a gringo from missions past left a little bottle of maple flavoring so we had syrup! more selfies and stuff haha  Also, I have a rocking tan line from my glasses. I'm am now starting to use a whole ton of sunscreen on my nose! haha 

Okay, this week, We were outside of a less active's house clapping, and her friend, the sister of an old investigator, walked up and tried to clap too. We asked her, the sister, if we could visit them that day. She looked at us and turned right around and slowly walked away, but not really away, just around the fence a little bit and looked back at us every few steps. Eventually she stopped about 10 feet away from us and waited until we left. We've never been rejected like that before haha Hermana Jarvis and I just looked at each other and were like, what just happened? It was funny for us! And that's my random experience this week. 

There was another guy hiding from us behind a tree and it turns out he's a member! we had a lesson in the steet with him and prayed and everything. He was at church this Sunday:) For the first time since I've been here! 

Also, this week, I learned that having a clean apartment can really change your perspective. We deep cleaned the pension and I feel so much more energetic and happy haha  Also, we leanred how to cook without much in the apartment because a lot of our lunches this week canceled haha but, we ate good! It just wasn't the most delicious week haha we had a lot of eggs and carrots :) 

A member gave us this huge egg but we haven't eaten it yet.

That's my week!

Love, Hermana Sant

Week 22 - El Bolsón

No time this week!

Okay, this week! We were in Neuquén doing paperwork for 3 days! So we didn't have time for anything in our area! We had to do my fingerprints for the FBI background check again (I have NO idea why haha) and the people weren't listening to me tell them which one was direcha and isguierda in english (right and left) so we had to do them a ton! Eventually, we got it down! And my hands were black for a good long time!

Honestly, sometimes I do feel homesick, but less and less. I'm trying to focus only on the mission. The times I feel homesick are when I just want to visit the family and talk. I remember our vacations a lot now because it like vacation time here haha but I'm trying not to think about all of that! 

Well, this week was really interesting! We were in Neuquén for a while so we couldn't visit all of the people that we wanted to visit this week but we really learned that the members are so crucial to the work! We have three new investigators all with families because one member invited her friends over and us at the same time. It was a nice surprise:) And all of our converts all of our investigators are references or friends or family of members. We look and look in other places, but the members are the key! 

 

 Our hike to Hidden Falls today!

 

Week 21 - El Bolsón

What's new with you?
I feel happy. Really happy. And we blow through investigators like crazy. If they're not progressing, we leave them. And we don't spend more than an hour in ANYONE'S house. Which I am so happy that she supports me in. We talk about the parts of life that we need to and then the gospel and we stick to it. We teach with unity really well and speak with one voice. Its so great! I actually enjoy my time in the pension and in the street. Before, my only enjoyment time was Monday email hour and personal study time, but now I'm happy all of the time(except yesterday haha I'll explain that!)

What are some current challenges?
Well, we still have the huge problem that no one wants to go to church and the elders baptize all of the time and we´re just running on gas and not baptizing anyone despite what I feel is the best effort I can possibly put into the work. Its so sad to see people that have a bit of the knowledge from the gospel and know what they need to do and feel like they need to do it and know it will fix their problems and still don't do it. But that´s okay! We know there are people that are ready for and want to gospel. We just gotta find them:)

People we can add to our prayers?
Hermana Bravo gave us a name for the temple prayer role. She said she knows gringa missionaries families have access to temples so she gave me a name. This lady has cancer and lots of family problems. She's named Stella Moris Ledesma.
Also, our investigator Mayra, that her body can recuperate from her c-section and she can get baptized.

Yesterday, we got our first ever threat! It was funny, but only because we never have to pass by this person´s house again haha We had a reference from a member in the ward and we went to her house and taught her a bit and she went inside and her husband came out and said if he sees us again he´ll hit us with a stick hahaha I suppose that story could be taken as sad, but it was funny to us! Ill have to think more because Its hard to remember the whole week hah.

Also, this week we had our training with Presidente! We finally have our passports so we can leave Bolsón! Also, we got to give part of the training at the meeting and it was super fun! And I had McDonalds this week! It was yummy. Felt like home haha. Also, we met some girls in the McDonalds and they were asking us a ton of bad words in English and what they meant. We tried to explain that they're really bad and they just laughed haha.

Week 20 - El Bolsón

Okay, I don't have time. I wish I had a bit more time to write y'all! 

This week was great! We taught a ton of people! And Mayra is going to be baptized as soon as her body recuperates from the C'section she had. And Paula is talking to her husband about marriage tonight! We've been fasting and praying so hard that his heart will be opened and he'll agree to marry her! They have tons of kids together and live together, they just have to go to the official office thingy and get married!

The good: PAULA and MAYRA! and Hermana Jarvis. I'm learning a ton from her.

The bad:

Who are you teaching: A ton of new people and Paula and Mayra. We have all new investigators and a lot of them we just teach on the streets and they're super nice :)   

What's the weather like? Its cold in the morning hot from the sun in the afternoon and cold at night! Its really pretty and dry.   

Have you been run over by anyone else? Nope! Thank goodness! 

Has the work picked up? 

Yes! We made it pick up. When one of our appointments falls through, we contact and have at least 2 lessons with prayers in that time period. 

Do you still have tummy probs? Yes. 

Is it almost summer there? more like spring haha 

Do you fall asleep easily? Always! 

Does a mission still seem crazy exciting and scary or is it totally your new normal? Sometimes its crazy that I'm a missionary because I always pictured them as different and now I am one... Idk its weird. I dont' feel like a missionary, I feel normal with a different purpose every moment of every day.

Do you dream in Spanish yet? All the time. And if not, spanglish.

Wow. I don't know what else I can tell y'all this week was great! We're working hard and having fun in the work! I'm really enjoying the work:) 

I love you all!  

I was too busy and forgot to take pictures this week - here are two selfies I took this morning!