Aguante Argentina!

July 7, 2014

¡¡¡Hooooola!!!

What a week it has been! I can’t believe for the life of me that I only have one more week of training! Ah, I definitely don’t feel nearly ready to be considered just a normal missionary jaja, but at the same time, I’m anxious to start this new phase. It will definitely be interesting. At this point it’s crazy to imagine having a companion other than Hna. Centeno. She’s all I have known here in Argentina jaja! What an adventure it will be!!

Hannah with her companion Hermana Centeno

So last Tuesday was the greatest ever. We had a mission conference for completing our goal for June. I think we had 186 baptisms in June which is super awesome. The whole mission worked crazy hard and we really saw the most amazing miracles. June was a month of miracles! So we had a mission conference and then after the conference....wait for it....we got to watch the Argentina World Cup game!!!! It was basically heaven! It was the funniest thing watching it with 250 missionaries. Everyone was super into it and cheering like crazy. In order to watch the game we had to end our P-Day at 4:00 last week. But it was super worth it. Today we’re going to end our P-Day again at 4 so that we can watch the SEMIFINALS this Wednesday!! I am so incredibly stoked!!! The world cup is seriously the greatest here! When there is an Argentina Game the whole city basically shuts down. There practically isn’t anyone in the street, and all the shops are closed down. Everyone is either in their apartment or a restaurant, watching the game. I love it so much jaja! We always have to be in our apartments whenever there is an Argentina game because these people are crazy fanatics, and ya never know if it’s going to be dangerous during, or after a game. Don’t worry fam, the mission takes super good care of us in these circumstances and we’re super cautious. So there’s nothing to worry about. :)

So last Saturday we had yet another miracle. :) Let me give ya a little background knowledge first. So there is this old investigator, Vanesa. Hna. Centeno and her companion before went and visited her once in the transfer before I arrived. So they were talking to her, and come to find out her husband had died a little while ago. Apparently pretty recently before he died he converted to the Evangelist church. It really changed his life and he became super dedicated and faithful in his church. So they start teaching her and what not and she tells them that she knows the Book of Mormon is true and she knows everything we teach in the Church is true. Basically she knows that the Church is true. But because her husband died in the Evangelist church she said she wouldn’t ever change her religion and be baptized. Fast forward to now. We have been thinking a lot about Vanesa, but we haven’t been able to get a hold of her. One day last week we happened to see her in the street. So we set an appointment for Friday night. Well, we go, and she’s not home. Awesome. So then Saturday we went again in the morning (since there was an Argentina game in the afternoon we left at 9:00am and had our studies in the afternoon...side note). And she was there! So we have a lesson on the Plan of Salvation and it was suuuuper great! Like super spiritual and we were able to explain it in unity and clearly. So at the end of the lesson we extend the baptism invitation and she ACCEPTED!!! For this weekend!!! (Since she’s already been to church a ton, but we might change it for the next weekend since she hasn’t been to church in like 5 years.) Anyways, it was a HUGE miracle!! And she’s was like, "You’re going to come and visit me during the week right?" And we’re like Heck yes we are!!! Jaja! Anyways I’m just super excited!! I seriously am so lucky that I get to witness such beautiful miracles!!  

Ya know, I gotta be honest. Sometimes I doubt that I’m ever going to have a baptism. The hardest thing is not being able to always see the fruit of our labors. And also not comparing ourselves to other missionaries. That’s the roughest. Because success in the mission is not always presented in baptisms. But sometimes...maybe a lot...I wonder, "Why is our success not in baptisms? Why are we the ones who are having the other success?" Anyways, it’s hard. But I know it’s all a learning process. I know that the Lord is giving me these trials to prepare me. Prepare me for the rest of my mission and my life. I know that with patience, diligence and obedience I WILL have baptisms that I am longing for so much. I love my Savior and my Father in Heaven and I know there is a plan for me. I know trusting in them is the most important. 

Hannah is a River fan.

Watching the World Cup with her mission.

Well, I think that’s about all for today!! I love you all and thank you so much for your prayers. How lucky I am to have such supportive people in my life. Also, if you watch Argentina in the Semi Finals this Wednesday, know this, WE ARE WATCHING THE SAME THING!!!!! JAJA!! :) Well, that’s all! Love you all and miss you! Remember, when you love the way the Savior does, miracles happen! And of course, Stay Anxiously Engaged! :)

xoxo, 

Hermana Van