Week 54 - San Martin de lose Andes

So today was transfers! 

True to my pattern lately of only having a companion for ONE transfer, I have a new companion! 

And a new area! 

My dream since day one in the mission field of going to BARILOCHE came true. 

I´m here with Hermana Ventura and am now sister training leader with her. 

Hermana JArvis is now with Hermana Brown as Sisters training leaders too! 

The four of us have had the other as companion hahaha 

I love Bariloche. Chocolate capital of the world. what else could you ask for? 

I have been blessed to stay in the south for at least one more transfer of my mission and am returning to the same zone that I was in when I was in El Bolsón. 

This week in San Martin was really good! We found a few families! Also, President came for a few hours and told us about our transfers a few days early:) I still didnt pack until last night haha I didn´t want to leave!!!!! The members in San Martin are really and truly special to me. I love them all. Anita, the one that I have the picture with in the night, RAN 15 blocks at 8:15 at night to get to our pension just when we had to go inside to say bye. The family that I have the picture of with the cat and the barbie cried at lunch and told me they would keep the barbie to remember me (they say I look like her haha) I love them all!!!! I love San Martin. 

Love, 

Hermana Sant

Week 53 - San Martin de los Andes

 

What's your favorite day of the week? Is it p day? Sunday? A different day? 

We were talking about this yesterday with my companion. I feel like there are only three days of the week: pday, thursday weekly planning, and sundays. Everything else is just the same and sleeping is like a pause button. 

Is there any habit or routine that you've picked up on since being on a mission? A cultural thing, or something you eat that you didn't before?

I eat ALOt of granola. Also, I like mate (in tea packet form) at night. find out if there is mate there in the states! I have however, dropped the habit of putting on makeup or caring about if my clothes match. I just throw on a dress and shoes now. I rarely use skirt and shirt haha 

 Are you still journaling?

YES! 

 Do you feel like looking back there have been specific things you have learned from each companion you have had?

YES! 

Ovando- How to work work work. 

Jarvis- How to avoid contention

Banuera- how to give and share openly

Brown- how to be happy and be me

Coman- How to love every person we see on the street

Correa- I cant say now! Thats all things we realize after the fact!

 Have you taken something or gained something (a habit or new recipe or tie or something) from each companion, or no?

No but I have a journal that they write me notes in! And I have a little something from each:) 

How is your tummy?

Its better! It still hurts, but Im being better with watching what I eat and NOTHINg fried or with oil or bread or sweets. Im determined to live like this for the rest of my life. And I WILL NOT go home. 

This week the exchanges with Bariloche caused a MESS! Because the sister training leaders are really just sister gossip organizers now that I realize it. THERE IS SOOOOOO MCUH GOSSIP. So new goal: I will NEVER ever gossip or tolerate gossip. I hate it. 

Oh!  Tell me about your weather!

Its fall here! Its so opretty! The trees are all golden or on fire! Ill be taking pictures and sending them next week! But its also sending me for a loop because it does NOT feel like Easter. I accidentally said thankgiving the other day! Haha we´re even eatting a lot of chestnuts and everything! 

This week was a week full of miracles! Also, a really hard week! But thats how it is. The miracles always come after the trial of our faith! 

It was hard this week because Madelen had told us that she was DETERMINED to leave her boyfriend (from her own ideas. we NEVER said she should). We went to visit her the day after exchanges with the sisters from Bariloche and she didnt come to the door after three times of clepping but we could see her son in the window so we knew she was home. She came out eventually and said she couldnt recieve us. I asked immediately if her boyfriend ahd gotten home and she said yes. I KNEW IT! we had been warning her ALL week that he would get home early and convince her that he would change. She then told us that the past week of feeling like she should elave him was from "the enemy" and said she didnt want us to come by more and went inside. It is SO sad. Im destraught. I KNIOW how she feels and how she has to follow the spirit, but she is blinded by satan. Its so sad. 

But, NELIDA GOT BAPTIZED! She is the sweetest lady ever! She was abandoned in a box with her brother when she was 1 or 2 and rasied without school (one of these pictures is us teaching her how to count to three to then teach her tithing), she is just now learned to read in her 60s. She has 8 or 9 children. 4 have died and she doesnt know the names of some of them or the birthdays of any of them. BUT she is so ready and willing to follow Christ! She has a huge faith! She always has flowery pants and a flowery shirt, but this Saturday she came in nice slacks with a white button up shirt.. She is the sweetest ever. I love her! The ward has really become her best friends! Its great! And it turns out that Alex Oñate, the guy that baptized her (we just randomely chose him) is friends with her son and they already know each other! 

MIRACLES! Also, we have a new youing married couple! YAY! 

So HAPPY! 

Love, Hermana Sant

 

 

Week 52 - San Martin de los Andes

 

In the morning we waited in the street for about an hour with the elders in our district to go to Neuquen. The mission rented a double decker bus to take all of the people from the south of the mission to the north. Everyone from Esquel, Bariloche and San Martin were piled into a bus. It was SO fun! We played games and talked and SANG and everything. I loved it! You can always feel the spirit more strongly when there are more and more missionaries together.

 

Then we got to the hotel for the sisters. It was a cute little place. Regret number 1... I had such a big headache from the colectivo that I forgot to take pictures. My companion promptly abandoned me (although I suppose she had abandoned me before this in the bus because she did not sit with me. I was with Banuera, Jarvis and Coman) and I hung out with all the sisters I could, Hermana Farr, little, barfuss, others. It was good! Then my roomates got there at like 10:30 and we went to bed. We woke up in the morning and had a cute little breakfast. 

then we went to the church and we all sat down (yet again... I did not know where my companion was! ) and we studied silently until President Nelson got there.

 

He arrived and we all stood. He shook each one of our hands and It was incredible. I felt his love or really, the love of Christ in the room.  We were equal. We sat down and some area authorities talked and then Sister Nelson talked. It was so special. She talked about our premortal life and about how there's a theory... I think she said cognitive disonance or something... and its about how if our actions and our beliefs don't line up, people CANNOT deal with it. So they change their beliefs or their actions. She said most of the world is changing their beliefs now. 

President Nelson talked alot about the resurrection and told us to read some chapters out of the scriptures (like if we want to know wat jesus looks like read D and C 76, etc.) He left a HUGE apostolic blessing ( I felt the healing power of Christ as he pronounced a blessing of health on those of us who are sick and then he sat down... I'm NOT KIDDING he looked right at me and winked. It's like he knew I had been praying for that). He also told us (and his wife said) that if we want to make them and the prophet happy, LOOK like missionaries all our lives. Be clean shaven, modest. He said  how are the lifeguards supposed to save people if they look like evry other swimmer on the beach. Good stuff. 

In the bus on the way back, I sat with the Bariloche zone (it just happened that way) and we all sat in the back of the bus reading Doctrine and Covenants 76 like President Nelson said to do and pondering on each verse and connecting it with more scriptures. It was THE BEST companionship study I've had. We did that for... four hours. And we didn't even finish the section. I had to leave before the rest of the group. 

NELDIA IS GETTING BAPTIZED THIS WEEK! She's so sweet!

We didn't have an Easter appointment and as we were walking to the apartment after church a member ran up to us and asked us if we had lunch. So thank you for feeding the missionaries!  We were glad to have lunch!

Love Hermana Sant

 

 Hermana Banuera!

 Hermana Jarvis!

 Hermana Brown!

 

Week 51 - San Martin de los Andes

 

This week was good! We went to Neuquen on Thursday .... in the morning. at one am. Its because everyone is going on strike (teachers, bus drivers... everyone!) so everything's closed sometimes. Poor kids here. Theyre not getting their education. But teachers arent getting their money.... tough stuff. 

Then we can back from Neuquen after ANOTHER failed atempt to do my fingerprints at 11 in the morning of Thursday. 

My stomach... is worse. The doctor gave me a new diet (NO MORE LAMB! or cheese or milk (but I already dropped that), or BREAD or anythink happy. I can eat granola! and rice! hahaha) and the mission doctor said he recommends that I go home if I can't work! Ha! I'm working til I drop! They aren't sending me home just to do the endoscopy that the doctor here says I need! I literally laughed at Presidente when he told me that. (respectfully!!!!) so I wont be going to the doctor but I will be keeping with the new diet:) 

We have Nelida and Martin who will be baptized next week. turns out Alicia went to general conference but went into the nursery room and we didnt know she was there! MIRACLES! I love God. He is always working in our lives! 

Anyways. I love you all!

Week 50 - San Martin de los Andes

 

Im doing pretty good1 I finally have my doctor appointment tomorrow! All food makes me feel sick, so I might just not eat, but I have not been successful in that pusuit. I just love food but food hates me.

Are the lice totally gone? Was it hard to sleep when you had them? 

Its gone. And yes. I could feel them crawling around (i dont know if literally or from paranoia) but i didnt sleep when I had them. I was sure they were crawling and running and eating. It was tough haha.

Anyways! This week! We had conference with President. I LOVE traiing meetings! We learned how to be more direct with our commitmentss. 

Madelen didnt go to a SINGLE conference. We are ging to have to leave her if she doesn't start showing more interest and a desire to repent. 

But, Martin went to the second session on sunday so he heard the AMAZING talk by Joaquin... IDK his last name... for investigators. MIRACLES because Martin is there because of his almost girlfriend:) YAY!!!!! We are going to visit him this wednesday. 

I LOVED GENERAL CONFERENCE! It was all just so good. 

I hope y'all are all doing well!

Love, Hermana Sant

Week 49 - San Martin de los Andes

 

Companionship

We're good! she has a REALLY strong personality. 

Companion

She's good. We both dont have money this week. 

Area

Good! We're going to new part of it now:) 

Investigators

Madelen didnt go to church this sunday, but Kiara (an dinvestigator thats ready to be baptized the second she gets the signature of her parents) did! 

Tummy

Worse and worse. Ive got an appointment with a gastrointologist next week. 

Mild

Mold? theres not much left.

New carpet

I WISH! The landlords are mad because the missioanries before us havent done the upkeep, so they dont want to replace it. 

Lice

I think its gone now. I only found one egg yesterday. 

Funny

Not really. Sorry. 

Sad

Me! I don't know why but I am in the dumps!  

I use the little lice comb and combed through my hair by myself. I read the good Samaritan this week.  Im paying for almost everything. (though I put my foot down today. And Ive been contacting everyone and teaching everyone. 

Its hard. 

Miraculous

Im alive! 

So, this week was good! We taught alicia and served her! Shes super sweet! We brought big 5 gallon buckets full of rocks up the mountain to help her build her house. We are also finding lots of part-member families! Miracles! YAY! We also had the church open house! It went really really well! that selfie is of agustina and antonela. theyre FABULOUS! I didnt know until saturday, but they both speak english haha I love them! 

Don't worry about me and that, just pray that I can understand why I'm here.

Love, Hermana Sant

Week 48 - San Martin de los Andes

Okay, this week! Where do i begin? 

I love the memebers here. Their incredible. We had a ton of appointments this week and ALL of them fell through haha we had members planned to go with us and everything and we just ended up visiting the less actives instead with the members haha but that's okay! Onward and upward becaaaauuussseee.... 

QUIQUE got baptized!!! He's SO ready! 

He was crying during the baptism, after, during the talks, on sunday. Everything.

He didnt understand the baptism thing very well because of his memory problem, but he looked at the font and said, "theyre gonna bathe me!" haha He's ready because he knows this is the truth and believes with more faith than any other person I've met and is VERY infuenced by angels. Only God could have changed his life like he did. 

Oh, did I tell you, Im the haircutter of the mission. I've officallyl cut the hair of like 4 missionaries. I cut Hermana Coman's hair this week and taught her how to wash her hair. 

Now I'm with Hermana Correa. She was in Esquel when we did exchanges there with Hermana Jarvis (forever ago) and she was there when I was in Trevelin. Her and Hermana Coman switched places. She's a good missionary! She's been out for 8 months in the mission and is from Tucuman, Argentina. 

I think I have lice. I have officially picked out three eggs as I'm sitting here. I'm gonna cry and puke. And kill Hermana Coman cause thats the ONLY way I could have gotten it. And change my bed. And just cry.  I really really would like to burn the place down, but the new carpet guys are coming tomorrow... on second thought... perfect opportunity!  Im going to buy all that stuff and 'Ill have to use my personal money for that because I had to use my money to buy sister Coman's food AGAIN!!! i dont know where she puts her money!
 

How are you these days?

GOOD! 

How's the tummy?

TERRIBLE: Its getting worse and worse. Im going to the doctor this week. 

How's the area?

Good! 

The companionship?

Good! So far

The companion?

Hermana Correa! 

Investigators?

Madelen says itll be THREE MONTHS before they can do the paperwork to get married... UGG 

Language?  Fue and era?

Fui al hospital cuando yo ere una nena???? I still struggle a bit with that too. 

Favorite ward members?

Ummmmm.... do I have to choose? I think the Anfuso family. they're fabulous. 

Funniest moment?

I SAW HERMANA BROWN YESTERDAY! god decided to bless us with another few precious moments in the bus station of Bariloche. Pictures included. Note in the picture, the little cracker box... This was just 2 hours before I puked in that very box while in the bus. Everyone in the bus helped me, gave me baby wipes, hand sanatized, water. While Hermana Correa, said, hmmm so you dont feel good huh? And then talked about something else. Im like... can't you see Im SICK!? I just puked! Anyways. It was a good experience. Im glad I had bought the crackers! So I could empty the box by eatting them and fill it up by puking them out. Good times. 

Sad?

Puke. 

Happy?

QUIQUE! His real name is Mario... 

What was a miracle? 

Quique got baptized! Even though the ward almost just did not support him. There were 5 people in his baptism and some missionaries.
How's your sleep?
Bad since I found out about transfers.
 How is the condition of your shoes?
Ya know, I kind of only like 2 pairs right now. The other ones are too stretched out, or the strap is kind of broken, or theyre too tight. Im good though! I have more than half the other missionaries.
What do you miss about the states?

The food. Im SO sick of oil and grease and fat. I cant eat it anymore. I get sick. 

Love, Hermana Sant