9th week in Argentina

Hey loved ones! Let's get this update started:) 

(The lion I drew)

Oct 21: In the morning we had Entrevistas with President Ayre, his wife, and his two assistants. During it we had the opportunity to talk with him individually and for him to see how we were doing:) I didn't have a lot to talk to him about, but I could feel the love and concern he had for me as a missionary, and that made me feel special and wanted. 

One of the most epic moments of my mission occurred this day. Hermana Arntsen had an appointment with Juan and Gladis, and we were having Jorge, our ward missionary leader, come with us. We were waiting when he pulls up on his motorcycle, sunglasses and all. Right as he pulls up Hermana Arntsen realizes that her foot is starting to bleed quite a lot from a cut. She asks Jorge if he has a band-aid. He comments that he doesn't. Now, any normal Ward Mission Leader would apologize for his lack of a band-aid and we would continue on. Jorge is not that kind of person. He says, Ï'll be right back!¨and takes off, on his motorcycle, to go buy a band-aid for my companion. We just sat there in awe and shock. He comes back about two minutes later, handing her the box of band-aids and a treat. My mind was blown, and needless to say the event was recorded in my journal promptly.

Later that same day, while in the Capella, teaching Anita and Domingo, Jorge shared about fasting. He told us a story of when his son, only 9, had told his father that he wanted to fast. Jorge wasn't sold, as it was a 24 hour fast and not recommended for someone that young, but his son said bluntly and clearly, Ïf this is a commandment of the Lord I am Going to fast¨. That really made an impact on Jorge. Later, while he was saying his prayer to start his fast the son prayed that for one day no child would go hungry. What faith! The stories really touched me, especially as I wasn't one for fasting when I was younger and did it extremely reluctantly. We need more youth like Jorge's son, who understand just how important it is from the start and take action. I was inspired. 

Hermana Arntsen and I with Anita and Domingo  We LOVE them!

Oct 22: The heat is coming on full force, and with it the humidity and all the joys that accompany such. My mind is a little confused, as I'm going to be celebrating Christmas in the high of summer, sweaty and tan. Any who, we visited Marcela Sanchez, a less active sister of the ward who neither myself or my companion had met before. She has the most American-like house I've seen so far! We talked to her about how important she was to Christ and how she would be blessed for coming to church. That's one of the big things we do as missionaries that I didn't think about before becoming one: finding and helping the less actives to come back to church. It's very interesting how someone's life is effected based on whether or not they go to church. They can have a strong testimony of the church and of Christ, but without going to church and renewing the covenant of the sacrament weekly there is a lack of spiritual strength. I've always gone to church, but I never knew how important it was until coming down here.

Oct 23: Something you should know about Argentina, is that every one has a dog. Literally every house, and every person. For this reason, it's easy to talk to people if we bring up their dog. We actually were able to share the gospel twice because of conversations started about people's dogs. Just goes to show that you can bring up the gospel from just about any other topic or thing;) We also had Cristian Pucheta accompany us! This was only our second time, but it was so cool to see him teach. With most members that accompany us we have to ask them to share their testimony regarding something to get them invoved with the lesson. Not so with Cristian. He was not only sharing his testimony, but helping to teach part of the lessons as well. He would be a great missionary! 

Also in the morning for studies we had a really good experience practicing introducing the Book of Mormon. I played the part of Denis, a nonmember, and Hermana Arntsen was the missionary. As she was teaching Denis what the book of Mormon was I tried my best to put myself in Denis's shoes. And as she was sharing certain things, I felt certain feelings and felt to ask certain questions. I could feel the spirit, as Denis, as she was teaching, which was incredibily powerful, and opened up my eyes to what he needed to hear in order to feel the spirit and progress spiritually.

Picture of when we had pizza with the Pucheta family

Oct 25: We got to teach Alan today, a relative of Hermana Nelly. He is so ready to be taught about the restored gospel. We taught him about the Restoration of the gospel, and as we were he says, Ï was missing a talk about this¨. He's gone to church with Nelly many times, and I sincerely hope and pray that he can get baptized this upcoming November. 

 

My Companion and Trainer

Oct 26: A day of little miracles! We had several less actives come to church, people that we've being working with for a while and haven't been perhaps seeing a lot of results. After a wonderful lunch that Mario Montiel cooked we went to see Anita and Domingo. They have changed so much and progressed since I first met them. They are working on getting the documents they need to get married so they can be baptized, and we talked to them about temple marriage, which they are looking forward to working towards. It has been such a testimony builder to see how they have grown to really love to read the scriptures, and that we don't need to really work with them to get them to read. There is such power in the Book of Mormon, and I can't being to explain it. I can only invite every I know to come to know for themselves. It's a power that can come to every one. They just have to read the book. 

Love you all and hope all is well in the states and in the various missions around the world!

Hermana Dickson:)