Happy Thanksgiving

November 24, 2014

Hola!!

Okay, so not a whole lot of time to right today. Sorry! We went to the temple. (I’ll get to that later in the email.)

Daniella's Baptism!

To start....Daniela got baptized yesterday!!!! It was absolutely incredible!! She was basically balling the whole time! I felt so grateful and so privileged to be apart of bringing her the restored gospel of the Jesus Christ. I don’t feel like I did much, but I had the incredible opportunity to be a witness to all the miracles the Lord was working. He is so good. On top of it, President came to the baptism! We called him Saturday to ask him for permission to donate blood (because I wanted to this Saturday but he told me no sadly.) and then we told him that Daniela had passed her interview and we invited him to the baptism. He said he would try to come but he had to see his schedule. Well, he’s basically the coolest President ever and came with his family and some family friends that were in town visiting. It rocked! He is so so so great! I love him! Oh! And Daniela’s less active husband, Walter, baptized her! :) It was beautiful!

President Ayre and family came to our baptism!

Yesterday, I had to give a talk in Sacrament Meeting--my first one in the mission. Basically I didn’t have time to prepare much before, and I hadn’t written anything down, just like 5 scriptures I could use. So I just got up there and spoke by the spirit. I only ended up using two of the scriptures because I ran out of time. When I got done, I thought well that was mas o menos, oh well jaja. But after the meeting quite a few people told me they loved my talk and really felt the spirit, so I felt good about that. 

So there’s a member in the ward that’s pretty cold to the Hermana missionaries, and likes the elders better. She isn’t one to show much love and she always criticizes us. So obvio, I’ve been determined to make her love me. Well yesterday, she gave me a huge hug and while she was hugging me she told another member that she really loved me because of the way I am and what I say just makes her and others happy. She said that I just have a really big heart. Um...SCORE! I was so happy to hear that she finally opened her heart to us hermanas! She’s a great person, just a little hard on the outside sometimes jaja. But I really do love her. 

Service Project

Saturday we did service in the house of the house of some recent converts from Haiti. We painted. It rocked. I loved it. Pictures to come. :) 

Today we got permission from president to go to the temple because the members from Rosario were going to be there and Hermana Contreras’s sister lives in Rosario. She has never had the opportunity to meet this sister, so it was pretty much a once in a lifetime opportunity to her. So that was really fun for her. And me, because I got to go to the temple and do a session! I was stoked! It pretty much took the whole day, but it was worth it. I love the temple!!! :)

Today, a teacher from the MTC here in Argentina (it’s by the temple) that I was talking to told me that I’m a total Argentine. Just 100% Argentine. Um...Heck yes!!!! That was such a great compliment. I was super stoked! Made my day jaja!! :)

Hannah's Argentine Family.  She couldn't do it without them!

Well, that’s all the time I have. Love you a whole lot!! Thanks so much for your support and prayers! I hope you all have a FANTASTIC THANKSGIVING! I’ll probs be eating the regular same old Argentine or Peruvian food this Thursday. Oh well, at least it’s good food jaja. :) Eat extra just for me! Remember, when we love the way the Savior does, miracles happen! And of course, Stay Anxiously Engaged!! :)

xoxo,

Hermana Van  

Another Transfer Come and Gone

November 18, 2014

Hola!!!

Well, transfers are today, but it looks like I will be staying here in good ol´ Almagro with Hermana Contreras. Yep 6 more weeks. It´s crazy to think that in this transfer we will be skyping for Christmas! I can´t believe how fast the time is passing!!! :) 

So Daniela is progressing nicely, but we had a smidge of a hiccup with the Word of Wisdom. And it's only with coffee... But anyways, she said that she's already changing so much in her life (she believes in Saints and what not and worships them so...) That she just told us she wouldn't give up coffee. Even though she doesn't drink if very much. I think she just feels like she's changing a lot of things and she wants to just hang on to something of her "past life". After explaining that it's a commandment I think she's more on board. At least that's what I hope. We have an appointment with her tonight so we'll have to verify that she's keeping her commitments. But I have so much faith that she'll get baptized this week.

So we had interviews with President last week. One thing he told me was that I´m a glass-half-full girl. I told him I really try to always look at the positive so it's good to know that at least someone can see that. We also told him the story of Daniela and he LOVED it. He had us film it so that he can show it to the whole mission. They said they were going to put it on the newly started blog so that all the missionaries could see it today, but with transfers and everything I think they forgot or didn't have time. Anyways, it should be up next week and then I'll send ya the link so that you can watch the story... In Spanish. Yep, you'll be able to see me and hear me:) How fun! Jaja!

So Saturday we had a special meeting with Elder Christofferson!!!! :) There were two missions present, Buenos Aires North and Buenos Aires West. I have a couple friends in the West mission so it was sooooo fun getting to see them! It was nuts!! :) There were some other General Authorities there too. It was an awesome meeting. All the wives and the general Authorities that spoke spoke in Spanish and they rocked! The wives of Elder Chirstensen and Elder Christofferson have to have had served Spanish speaking missions or something. Elder Christofferson served in Argentina so his Castellano was just perfect, obvio. jaja! :) They all talked so much about the Atonement of Jesus Christ and then Elder Christofferson talked so much and repentance and how it relates to every principle of the gospel and how everything starts with repentance. It made me think a lot more about repentance and my investigators. It made me realize that there is a lot I need to do to improve in my teaching! (como siempre) But yeah, it was a really great experience! I loved getting to listen to an Apostle of God and to be with the whole mission. So fun:)

Well, that´s about all I got for this week. Crazy to think yet another transfer has come and gone and that I am now approaching my halfway mark in the mission. Time just flies. Thanks for all your prayers and support! I love you all so so much! Remember, when we love the way the Savior does, miracles happen. And of course, Stay Anxiously Engaged!! :)

xoxo,

Hermana Van

Just Cruisin' Along in the Mission Life

November 10, 2014

Hola!!

Well, this last week has been a little nuts. I basically have a million stories I want to share, but I’m thinking I won’t have time to write them all, so we’ll see what comes of this email.

First, Norma was confirmed yesterday, so her baptism is complete. Thank heavens!! So much stress. She’s super great. I love her a lot. 

Next, my mirror broke today. I’m pretty bummed. I’m just hoping to not have 7 years of bad luck. Yikes. To be honest, I’m more worried about getting ready in the morning. My comp takes the entire time in the bathroom so I have just grown accustomed to getting ready with my mirror. Looks like I’ll be borrowing my comp’s mirror until I can buy a new one. It seems like there’s always something that needs to be bought or replaced. Grown up life is rough. 

So we have a super set baptism for the 24th of November, which is the Sunday after transfers. I’m really hoping that I don’t get transferred next week. Anyways, her name is Daniela and she is the wife of a less active. We’ve been working with her for a little while, but we were never super focused in her because she’s super catholic and always said that she’d get baptized when she felt it in her heart and believed it. So then on Saturday we had a super awesome lesson with her. We taught the Restoration, but we felt like we needed to get down to the intimate details, more than anything in the great apostasy. So we talked about how exactly the Catholic Church came to be. It seemed as if I light bulb went off in her head. The whole lesson was super spiritual. Then at the end we asked her to be baptized the 24th and she said that it was her anniversary and they will have been married for two years. This made her super emotional and she could feel that the date was set by God. So then she prayed to know if it was true. The prayer was beautiful. She was basically weeping through the whole thing and then she just stopped praying all together. My companion and I just sat there waiting in silence for her to finish, but she never did. Then when we all got up from our knees and sat back down she said she felt a flame inside her but that it didn’t burn her. The whole time I was just praying that the Holy Ghost would touch her, and he did. It was such a great experience. She full heartedly accepted the baptismal date. It was an experience I won’t forget. So beautiful. 

Then we found the cutest little old lady this week that wants to get baptized so badly! She’s the greatest! Unfortunately she wasn’t able to go to church because her grandson was in the hospital from an accident that happened. So that was really sad. But yeah, she’s a little old lady that is missing most of her teeth (I’m starting to think that’s the kind of people I’m meant to teach jaja) and she just wants us to visit her every day, which is great!! :) Jaja! There are some great miracles occurring here in Almagro. I have no idea what is going to happen this next week with transfers. Vamos a ver. 

So last week a lady threatened to call the cops on us, because we may have been teaching outside of a catholic church....but all we were doing was saying hi to one of our investigators that we hadn’t been able to find in forever and she just happened to be selling food in front of the church. So yeah, that was SUPER rough. The member was arguing with her so she told me that I was the only considerate one out of the three of us. Basically, it pays to follow the white handbook, even if you find one of your elegidos investigators that have been hard to contact. Oh the experiences of the mission. 

On Saturday the Elders in our ward had a baptism. Right before it started one of them asked me to give a talk on baptism. So that was fun. It was more like a spiritual talk rather than a talk jaja. It wasn’t bad because basically we teach about baptism all day every day. So it was just pretty natural. 

Well, that’s all the stories I’ll share for this week! I hope you all have a fantastic week! I love you all lots! Remember, when we love the way the Savior does, miracles happen. And of course, Stay Anxiously Engaged!! :)

xoxo,

Hermana Van 

BiPolar Weather

November 3, 2014

Hola!!!!

Buenas Noticias!!!! :) Norma got baptized!!!!!!!!!! :))) I’m so so stoked! It was the craziest, biggest miracle!! We only saw her like 2 times during the week and it was just a quick hi + a scripture or principle in the door of her apartment building and then chau. So yeah, I’m still in awe. Honestly, there were so many times during this week, when I was like, well that’s it, she’s not getting baptized. There were way too many times when I allowed the doubt and fear to creep into my mind. Every time that happened I had a little voice tell me, "It’s okay, just have faith and trust in Him. Remember the promise He gave you in the temple." And that honestly helped me so much. I think I told you this, I don’t remember, but when I was in the temple, I received the inspiration that there were past investigators that were ready now and didn’t get baptized yet because the were prepared to hear the gospel from me and my companion. So that is the promise that I continually reminded myself of this last week. And sure enough, it happened. Norma was a past investigator of about a year, and it turns out she wasn’t ready a year ago, she was ready now to get baptized. I would say the most incredible thing to me is seeing how the Lord works His miracles. I can honestly say I did nothing. It was all the Lord and I was able to be a witness to what He had/has in store for Norma. 

Baptism picture with Norma and companion.

So Halloween was the worst. Why? Because it was just an average ordinary day. In the entire day, I only saw ONE kid dressed up and then 2 others with masks nothing more. It was the worst! And nobody did anything! I was shocked. So yeah, that just wasn’t the same. I was thinking about what I did last year for Halloween and I seriously couldn’t believe that a year had already passed. It is so crazy to me. Time is just flying. It’s crazy to think that it’s already November. 

Also, the weather here is more bipolar than Utah’s weather!! It was so unbearably hot two weeks ago, and then this last week it rained all week and it was FREEZING!!! Yesterday I felt like I was in the middle of winter. It rained so much yesterday and the wind was like 70 kilometers per hour. Terrible. And obvio my umbrella is just so broken, but whatever I continue to use it because I don’t want to buy a new one, and today it’s raining cats and dogs. 

It's raining cats and dogs and my umbrella is toast!

So yeah, That’s basically an update of the week and what’s been going on here in good ol Buenos Aires. Even with the rain, I’m just loving it. What an opportunity it is to serve the Lord in such a wonderful place. Thanks so much for all your support! Love you! Until next week! Remember, when we love the way the Savior does, miracles happen! And of course, Stay Anxiously Engaged!! :)

xoxo,

Hermana Van