Dia del Amigo: Day of the Friend

What a week!!! This week we had a holiday in Argentina called Dia del Amigo. Everyone goes out with friends and family and hangs out with their best friend or makes a new friend. Well a lot of people in Argentina hang out at the park so me and Hermana Peterson, Hermana Vincent, and Hermana Arenas decided to go to the park and make a little stand with Book of Mormons and pamphlets to pass out. We made a sign saying, Who is your best friend? and Remember who your best friend is...as we emphasized Jesus Christ. We neither had huge nor little success but the effort we put in counted for those who wanted to hear! 

So me and my companion wanted to start this week off a little different. We read PMG about how to receive and find the spirit in teaching and in finding investigators. This week we prayed a lot! As we did, in our studies we found in D&C 52:15-17

15 Wherefore he that prayeth, whose spirit is contrite, the same is accepted of me if he obey mine ordinances.

 16 He that speaketh, whose spirit is contrite, whose language is meek and edifieth, the same is of God if he obey mine ordinances.

 17 And again, he that trembleth under my power shall be made strong, and shall bring forth fruits of praise and wisdom, according to the revelations and truths which I have given you.

This week we focused on teaching and finding with the spirit not in front of or behind the spirit but waling with the spirit. As we did so we had many many miracles. We also found that as we did this we had many investigators ask us how do you feel the spirit or how did you feel the spirit the first time to know that this gospel is true? The spirit works in many ways which is really cool.  We taught that you can feel it through voices, feelings, music, decisions, people, dreams, writings, scriptures, prayer, church and etc. In order to find this feeling you have to experiment upon the word of God and by doing so brings conversion. I love the scripture in Alma 32:28-30

 28 Now, we will compare the word unto a seed. Now, if ye give place, that a seed may be planted in your heart, behold, if it be a true seed, or a good seed, if ye do not cast it out by your unbelief, that ye will resist the Spirit of the Lord, behold, it will begin to swell within your breasts; and when you feel these swelling motions, ye will begin to say within yourselves—It must needs be that this is a good seed, or that the word is good, for it beginneth to enlarge my soul; yea, it beginneth to enlighten my understanding, yea, it beginneth to be delicious to me.

 29 Now behold, would not this increase your faith? I say unto you, Yea; nevertheless it hath not grown up to a perfect knowledge.

 30 But behold, as the seed swelleth, and sprouteth, and beginneth to grow, then you must needs say that the seed is good; for behold it swelleth, and sprouteth, and beginneth to grow. And now, behold, will not this strengthen your faith? Yea, it will strengthen your faith: for ye will say I know that this is a good seed; for behold it sprouteth and beginneth to grow.

Our faith will begin to grow and our spiritual evidences will be widespread. 

My companion and I have an investigator Anna who has been struggling with stomach problems in her life and she has a surgery coming up in the next few weeks. As we went and knocked on her door and we rang it once and then knocked but she never answered. Then right as we started walking away she opens the door and I guess she didn't hear us and was telling us that she was just letting her dog out. As she invited us in we sat there and she was telling us all about the miracles that she has been having in her life. She was afraid that she wouldn't be able to pay for her house while she is gone but people have been calling her everyday to work and also many people have brought her food so she can save the money up. We asked her why do you think you have been receiving all of these miracles?  She said it's because I have been praying! We then reminded her that God is looking out for her as she continues to reach out to Him. We then visited her two days later and she said she had her blinds opened and her shades up so that she could see if we would walk past. But it got dark out so she shut them- She had wanted us to come all day she said. As we walked past her house she heard her dog barking and knew to open her door and there we were standing right in front of her house. She was having a hard day so she started reading the BOM. Her BOM was sitting right there on the counter open!!!!!! Me and my companion both smiled and knew that she is an angel in the Lord's eyes and she has been blessed so much because she is doing her best and letting God in her life. 

This week me and my companion got lost and had to take our map out as we were trying to find the house we needed to go to. I looked up and I saw a house in front of us. Right as we were about to put the map away she come out of her house and I looked at my companion and told her that before we go we need to talk to this lady. Right as we walked up to her and introduced ourselves she said you guys are Mormons aren't you? We asked how do you know that? She said I had two sister missionaries come change my life and it was about 4 years ago. I had the greatest connection with them and they had so much faith in me that I was able to get over my husband that left me, and get a new job. And I could look at myself in the morning and say I can do this. ......But then one day I found a note on my door that said they had to leave, and that they got transferred. I was crushed, she said. The next day 2 elders come to my house and they said we are here to take the sisters place. The lady said no I can't do it. So then after that the elders never showed up again. I cried for about a year after the sisters left. The lady Maria, invited us into her house and told us so many stories about how she knew she wasn't the best person and how we all make mistakes but she wanted to change her life around for the better. She looked at us and she said I'm so happy I found you. I know that I can connect with you like I did with the other hermanas. I know now that you will be leaving and I can handle that. I know that I have known the other missionaries before this life and that is why I had such a hard time. I don't believe in coincidences. It is all done by God. She then told us that she is never home at the time we stood next to her house but this one night she was home a little earlier than usual. I was in total shock after that night, God really does have a time for everything, this lady was so powerful and was a really cool experience for both me and by companion. 

This week really taught me a great deal about why the spirit is so important to always have the spirit as your companion. When we think about our best friend we need to remember that Jesus Chirst is our best friend and that he is our Savior and our Redeemer- Don't ever forget who your best friend is!!!

HomeWork: What is your formula to have the spirit more in your life? 

Quote of the dia: When you have to eat your companion's food because they can't finish it (meaning it is nasty) it's an act of service to God so those calories don't count!!!! 

The World Cup ....Go Argentina!

I finally made it to Argentina!!! Running to and from Airports, getting stuck on buses, and losing my plane ticket, I still managed to make it to Bahia Blanca! I met my trainer, Hermana Peterson and she is a Boss! She's from Boston and her family is moving to Utah sometime soon. I love her so much, we get along so well and she has taught me so much already. I also live with two other Sister missionaries, Hermana Vinvent and Hermana Arenas, they are both crazy and both hard working sister missionaries. 

My area is this little city out in the middle of Nowhere, Argentina, called Pigue. The members here are amazing, they take good care of us! We had 60 people show up at church this past Sunday and we managed to pass up the record! They are thinking about adding on to the little chapel we have here in Pigue! Yeah! I have also grown such a great appreciation for the people here in Argentina, they are always smiling and laughing! 

Last Wednesday we had a Zone conference and our president's wife talked to us about our outside appearance and how we need to look like missionaries every day. We need to look like we are Gods children. She then shared a really neat story of some missionaries in our mission. She said, that two Elders had little money left at the end of the month and they were trying to find the cheapest pasta they could find. They asked a little lady and the lady told them where they could find it. As she watched them she started adding more and more food on the table and the Elder cried out no we don't have money for that and the lady said it's okay, I want to do this. I watch you two everyday pass by and you are both angles sent from God. 

The WORLD CUP! What a hoot. Everyone and I mean EVERYONE in Argentina loves soccer. So during the world cup every store and every street is empty. Everything is closed down including the buses and taxis. But when the game ends everyone comes running out of their houses screaming the Argentina songs with painted faces and honking horns. It's a party until 3 in the morning. It has been a huge struggle trying to teach and knock on doors when everything is going nuts about the games. So this week was a little hard for me and my companion, first I got sick and lost my voice, I felt so bad for my companion, and as we were knocking on doors on Thursday and many people would try anything they could to hide in their house or they would peek through the window or look around the house to see who was at the door and ignore us. Many would say they weren't interested. As we kept the day going it started to rain, and I mean hard. We were soaked faster than 10 min from walking in it.  We had walked probably 6 miles that day and at every corner or street we would get a whiff of a stench that smelt so bad ha. At the moment we thought we couldn't handle it anymore three dogs started following us for many blocks and I think we ended up having ten dogs following and peeing on every branch and tree they could find. That night I said let's go up the hill we have never been. As we started to climb my companion said there's a dog! After being frustrated with dogs already. I quickly turn around and go back the other way and the dog starts to charge us and I whisper, don't run, don't run, don't run. My companion is still freaking out and I start to bolt! After running as fast as we could, we made it down the hill in peace and we stopped for a moment and just looked at each other and laughed. What a day we had! We then stood there and said a prayer. I will never forget that day. It may have been a really hard day, but I learned a lot. Because when you are diligently working for something the Lord asks of you,  you will be blessed for it. 

I love being a missionary! It's incredible how you never get tired of sharing your testimony or reading the same scriptures with people, and how desperate you feel for every person that you invite to church. I'm starting to internalize the truth that every soul is precious, and you really do desire every person you see to listen to you and have a desire to find out for themselves. When we're contacting on the streets I feel sad for every person that ignores us or you can tell is just being polite and is going to throw the card away, because I KNOW how great this news is, and they don't, and we might be their only chance to hear it. But then I remember that this is the Lord's work, and it is not His work that will be frustrated, but the work of man. This gospel is TRUE. Jesus Christ LIVES. We can live with our families FOREVER. Those words are so simple but so important, so share them with everyone. 

Quote of the DIa...... When you have the choice of sausage, sheep, and horse always pick sausage!

Homework; watch the Mormon message,  Mountains to Climb Mountains to Climb

		Mountains to Climb Finding faith in the Lord Jesus Christ will help us have the power to endure and overcome even the hardest trials in life.
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