Incredible

Wow, this week was a good one and ended really great, with the baptism of the last hija de la familia [daughter of the family] Gomez, Johana. It was incredible. It was a little rough, but considering it was my first baptism without Hna Tobar running the show, and doing it all, it went well.

She was so nervous but it is true, when you look into their eyes, you can tell all the difference. Just like her sisters, when I looked into her eyes, there was a brightness of hope and faith radiating from her heart. Wow.

 

We, the four hermanas de Pinamar [sisters of Pinamar], sang ´Yo se que vive mi Señor´ (I know that my Redeemer lives) and the spirit was like a warm blanket over the room. Again, just like Candela, I looked into her eyes as we were singing, and you could just tell that she knows it is all true and this is the start to a new life.

 

Not only that part was amazing though, her sister wasn't there to give her testimony, so we asked her mom to, she is not a member...yet, they have to get married first, (a reoccurring problem we find down here, a lot of people are living juntada y no casada [coupled and unmarried]). . but she gave the most sincere, heart felt testimony.  Stating that she knows this is the true church, and that one day she wants to go to the temple with her family. It was just . . wow! She really wants to get baptized and be sealed in the temple!!!

 

She has stopped smoking completely, everything is in line, there are just a few bridges we have to cross with the whole getting married thing. But she is so ready, and she is willing to wait. She will make an awesome member!

 

But seriously, there has been the most amazing change in this family. There really are no words to describe it. But it has been such a testimony and faith builder and a blessing to me to be able to witness this miracle happening.  They are truly being converted to this Gospel and I am happy that I have gotten the chance to be an instrument in God's hands to help this change happen.

 

Where there was tension and frustration before there are smiles and laughter.  They are becoming closer as a family and building that eternal relationship.

 

Sunday for her confirmation, those chicos [girls]that are members showed up in their Sunday best, but so did Hna Gomez and Johana, oh she looked so good. 

 

Before, when we talked about baptism with her and what was really holding her back, she said she didn't like having to wear a skirt...haha I know how that goes.  But when we got right down to it, there really wasn't anything holding her back, it was then that she asked us when the next baptism was.

 

In all honesty, I know for a fact that this Gospel is true and it really can change the lives of people and families. It can solve any problem you just have to put all your trust and faith in God and the Lord and things will work out. I love having the opporunity to serve here in Argentina and to be able to be an instrument in the hands of the Lord in changing lives for eternity.

 

I hope you all have a fantabulous week!

Keep smiling.

Hermana Snow

  Pix of the baptism for Johana Gomez

"Baptizing one family member at a time"

 

Last week we were able to visit the mar [sea] for pix

Below are "Pix for Kix"

 

Hola!

Hola todos! [Hello everyone]

This week flew by, yesterday I was thinking, holy guacamole, mañana is lunes, Cómo? [tomorrow is Monday] haha.

 

Things are going a lot better, I am feeling a lot better and I am feeling more confident in the language and the work. Hna Blanco has been a huge help in this process. She is just as crazy as I am and we are getting along fabulously. She helps me with my Spanish everyday. Right now it is the dumb conjugations that I have trouble with. But I know I just have to be patient and keep studying and it will come when I am most ready.

 

Hna Blanco, en realidad [in fact] has an incredible testimonio [testimony] with amazing experiences to go with it.  I have learned so much from her in the last 2 weeks and can't wait for what I will learn from her in the weeks to come.

 

As far as work is going, it is slow, but right now we feel like we need to focus on the rama [Branch], los miembros [Members], y los menos activos [and the less active], trying to strenghen them and build la unidad de este rama [the unit of this Branch].  We still have investigators and so now we are just working on finding balance with this work.

 

We have quite the work ahead of us but I think in the long run it will be a really good change for this area.

hasta luego, [see you soon]

Hna Snow

Q & A

Q: Any word on your VISA?

A: nope, no word yet about what they are doing,.
 

Q: Have you cut your hair since you’ve been on your mission?

A: once, in Idaho, but here no.
 

Q: How are you and Hna Blanco getting along now?

A: we are doing great. both helping each other with the language, (she knows more English than she lets on, b/c she has started speaking more, and she told me that she trusts me and is more comfortable) 
 

Q: How are you seriously holding up?

A: Seriously, things are a lot better, we had interviews with Presidente Thurgood this past week and we know what we have to do to move this work forward. Other than the whole sleep issue, things are a lot better. I am more confident and feeling a lot better.

Transfer 2, Week 1

Monday, October 14, 2013

Wow, this week was an emotional rollercoaster! It is really exhausting when you experience a lot of emotions in one day. But that day ended in the sister of Daiana and Candela asking when the next baptism service is. Yes, we are baptizing this family one person at time and helping them build their eternal family one step at a time, falta only los padres now. [missing only the parents now]

With all the ups and downs and loopty loops that have happened in the last week, not only with all the changes in the mission, but in our little rama de pinamar, [Branch of Pinamar] supuestamente el más tranquila area in the mission, [supposedly the more quiet in the mission area] pero por ahora, [but for now] hay muchas cosas happening [there are many things happening]...Satan is definitely strong here in Pinamar and he is attacking every little corner.  Some days I feel like my head is going to explode with the work that we have to do to help this rama [Branch] and strengthen this area. But we are going to take it one day at a time.

 

My new comp is awesome, not only because our name is Snow White...haha but she has a super strong testimony and has been thru some hard experiences. She is an amazing missionary for only being out 3 months, and she doesn´t know English. Which is a good thing, we are able to communicate with what Spanish I know and she is helping me learn more everyday. She is definitely an example to me.

 

I am excited for the next 5 weeks and we will see what happens with everything going on. I know that with the Lord we can turn this rama [Branch] around, and it might be super difficult at times, but like we tell our investigators and members, with total faith and trust in the Lord, absolutely everything is possible. Until next week, hope all is well.

Hna Snow

                  A poem that describes the feelings of a mission better than I can-

 

bah, time

Hola. Well this week felt really long but short at the same time. We had the baptism of Alexis, the younger brother of Daiana and Candella on Friday, as well as transfer calls. Yea, a very interesting call from President...Hna Tobar is a cerca de Banfield, white washing and training. I am the senior comp to a Hna who just got done training, Hna Blanco (yes we are snow white...hahaha Blanca nieve) she is from Uraguay, 20 years old and super cute from what I can tell so far. Just met her this morning. One comp from each companionship got transferred. A lot of changes all at once and every Hna and almost every Elder are training except me, which I am thankful for. I was kinda stressing out about this transfer b/c Hna Tobar kept telling me I was going to train. Yea, so not prepared for that yet. So this is good. I am still a bit nervous and anxious, but it should be a good transfer. I can teach Hna Blanco the ways of the "mish" and she can help me with Spanish.

Conference was amazing. We were able to catch only the second half of the first session Sat b/c we didn't have an investigator that could attend but were able to watch all of Sunday in English because we were at the Capilla by the missino home, but it was amazing and we all felt like we got a spiritual slap in the face. bah. Awesome.

Anyway sorry such a short email. There are a lot of things going thru my mind at this moment and can´t really focus on much right now. More next week.

 

Hope everything is going well with you all and hope you enjoyed conferecne.

Hna Snow

 

 

1.Our zone in la casa de la mision

2.Hna Blanco and I in the convi back to Pinamar