Week 12~So I saw the picture of the nutrial and it was way nastier than I was expecting haha I can't believe I ate that. But this week I ate cow tongue which was pretty good I guess!
Things have been much better this week, we both realized this week that we are super similar in a lot of ways and I remind Elder Saez a lot of him at the beginning of his mission, other than the fact that I am white. By the way Americans are called yankees here (pronounced shankees because of the castellano). Argentines dont think they speak spanish, ¨its castellano¨ as they would say angrily if I call it spanish.. Haha. But things are going really well! The weather has been super nice here and not fiery hot like my first week.
This week was a really good week with one of our investigators, Edgardo, he came to church and really enjoyed it and you can just see in his countenance the changes that have happened in him since we started teaching him. He talked about how he has felt the spirit and described it as a burning in his chest and a feeling of peace. To be honest when he said that, it made everything thats hard about the mission worth it. I have been feeling like I have been doing everything I can since I have been here and not really seen much from it. So I had been starting to worry that maybe I wasn't doing enough, but the happiness that Edgardo has found in his life from meeting with us and learning more about our Heavenly Father has been a really cool thing to witness. Yesterday he committed to quit smoking to prepare for his baptism in three weeks and he didnt even hesitate to say he would do it so we are really excited about that. The Lord has prepared Edgardo to make these changes in his life, Elder Saez and I just happen to be the missionaries that get to watch it happen so I feel super lucky.
So I am emailing today instead of yesterday because of transfers. THe first six week transfer ended yesterday so that means Elder Saez only has six weeks left in the mish! Which can be a little bit distracting sometimes. I will admit, it makes it a little difficult to have a companion that is about to go home cause it makes me think about how far away going home is haha but I know it will go by super fast and I am glad that I have lots of time left because I still have so much to do!
Send everyone my love as always!!
Week 13~Another week has passed by and they keep getting faster! This week I have been a little frustrated witht the language, I have been feeling like my progression has slowed down or almost stopped and I couldn’t figure out why. I honestly felt like I was doing everything I could, but earlier in the week I kind of had an epiphany and realized that I really wasn’t listening as hard as I could be. I found myself kind of letting my mind wander sometimes if I didn’t know what they were saying. So I started to focus as hard as I could every time we would talk to people and I immediately noticed a huge difference in my ability to understand. Since then, I have been understanding really well for the most part, but it is still difficult. Something I feel very lucky to have that my Patriarchal Blessing talks about is the ability to always have peace and confidence during my trials to know that its going to work out. Nothing is ever more than I can handle and I always know even during the hardest times that its going to work out so I don’t need to worry too much. I feel very grateful for that. we talk to people and I immediately noticed a huge difference in my ability to understand. Since then, I have been understanding really well for the most part, but it is still difficult. But Something that I feel very lucky to have that my Patriarchal Blessing talks about is the ability to always have peace and confidence during my trials to know that its going to work out. Nothing is ever more than I can handle and I always know even during the hardest times that its going to work out so I don't need to worry too much. I feel very grateful for that. Yesterday in church our investigator Edgardo, that will be getting baptized pretty soon, walked into church right as it was starting and it was quiet and he kind of yelled and said "hola todo!" hahaha, it was so funny, he is such an awesome guy. And even though he is from the campo and I can still hardly understand a word he says, we are best friends. I love that! The only thing I have against him is that i stepped in the nastiest dog duece at his house. I didn't realize it until we got home and by then it had stunk up the whole apartment. I almost threw up while I was scraping the poop off my shoe. It was the worst smell I have probably smelled in my life.
I have learned more this week the importance of putting my faith in the Lord instead of relying on myself and that is why I am a terrible teacher haha. We are so much better when we rely on the Lord. There truly is real power in faith. But faith is action. We have to do our part to have the power. I heard a quote that I really liked, "Pray as if everything depended on the Lord, and work as if everything depended on you." I thought that was perfect to define faith. We have to have that level of confidence in the Lord, but then do everything we can and he will help us out. Well that's all for this week. Everything is going really well. Things with Elder Saez are great. I am happy and healthy & working hard. I can't ask for much more. Hope you have an awesome week. I love you ALL!
Image credit: <a href='http://www.123rf.com/photo_14989263_curious-holstein-cow.html'>ghita / 123RF Stock Photo</a>
