Hola! (6/30/14)

Hola ¿Que tal?

Wow this week has been amazing. Lo siento for all of you that stressed about me in my last email! I am just fine! If I have learned one thing this week is that trials are something to be grateful for! They suck in the moment, but after the fact, we always learn so much.

So first things, great news! My toilet is fixed and our boiler doesn't leak! I feel like a QUEEN! But, it is FREEZING! Imagine the coast around February. Yeah, that's everyday! But, it´s a great work and when people let us in their house, its a wonderful thing! I survived my first load of hand washed laundry and it really isn't that bad! The whole time I was replaying all the times my Dad has called me high maintenance in my life and said, How is this for high maintenance dad?? hahaha

This week my goal was to ALB. Abrir la boca (open the mouth!) AND I did just that. Hermana Rodas and I are equally talking in lessons. People are understanding what I am saying and I am understanding as well. I still have such a long way to go but, I am coming so far. All the things in learned in high school is worthless about Spanish. I was taught Mexican Spanish and here is Castellano which is just a different dialect but ALL the words are different. But, the gift of tongues is so real. Who would have thought that the stupidest girl in her high school Spanish class would be in Argentina speaking Spanish and sharing the gospel!

This week we found an awesome new investigator. We were trying to find the house of a reference and we felt prompted to go into this SKETCH alley! So we did! We clapped outside the house and a little boy answered the door. His dad was laying on a bed and told us to come in. We went in and explained who we were and asked about his life. His name is Abel and he is 12 kids! He just had his leg amputated and is so humble. He said he wanted to listen to our message. We told him about the Restoration. SOMEHOW there was a restoration pamphlet on his kitchen counter. Hermana Rodas and I didn't have one and it was a miracle it was there. We invited him and his wife to be baptized and they both said yes but didn't commit to a date. It was so great. The spirit was so strong!

Hermana Abachino, the less active I talked about last week. Offered to do our laundry for us. Just our skirts and nice shirts and sweaters. We were so grateful and thanked her so many times. She said, No please let me, It makes me feel like I am washing the clothes of Christ. It was so humbling. I cried of course but this woman lives in a house INFESTED with cockroaches, she has no money, but she cooks us lunch once a week and washes our clothes. She is just so humble. 

I am teaching English to two different people. It is so insane how English is so hard for people. I just expect people to know it but it is so hard and people are doing the same things as me with flashcards and memorization. Languages are so weird! 

We have this investigator named Liliana. I don't know who I could compare her to but let´s just say she is hard to love. She is a whiner and complains about EVERYTHING.She thinks I am being rude when I don't understand. Long story short, she is just hard to love. I have REALLY tried to love her this week and I am sure praying. This is why missions are good! HAHA

We had interviews with President Thurgood this week and he asked me how I was. I told him that I am doing great and getting adjusted much better but I am struggling with focusing on home and how long this time seems. He told me he knew that in a short time, I would be just fine. I have really learned that the best way to focus, is to work. I think a lot about home in the morning but after, I do great! I mostly think about the plane ride home after my mission and how I wanna feel. It motivates me to work so hard because I want to do all I can here. I read this week about Adam and how Adam chose to leave the presence of God. His life was better when he was with God but he needed this experience. I need this experience. I need this time to give to my heavenly father and he is going to make me into something amazing. It has already started! Really, this time is not that long. In one week I have 2 months already! Only 16 to go! I talked with Elder Durham who is from California and all the English elders (there's only 4) always talk to me in English and make sure I am okay. Well he told me how he almost went home and how he was doing SO awful at first and now he has 10 months and it feels like yesterday. That will be me soon! this time is so short. 

So we have made lunch everyday this week! We eat with the same members every week and it happens that everyone was sick this week. I am cooking empanadas, milanesa (kinda like chicken fried steak), tacos, EVERYTHING! Mom you would be so proud! Here we don't eat dinner. Yeah, you read correctly, I DON'T EAT DINNER. I have lost weight already! Haha But it is all good!

Funny story, this week Elders Payne and Bogarin had a baptism of a mom and her two children. They forgot to tell the mom that she needed to wear a white bra. Naturally, she happened to be wearing a black one. One of the members came up to me and asked me what to do. She definitely couldn't go without one so I told her that she could have mine. It was way to small of course but she used it. It happens that Hermana Rodas and i had an appointment so we couldn't stay for the baptism. I got to go a whole day without a bra! haha I just wanted this sister to have a wonderful baptism so I get the sacrifice was worth it!

I am doing great. I love hearing from you all. I have such a strong testimony. This mission is changing me. I am so blessed to be here, to know these people, and have these experiences. Thank you for everything! 

This week I have thought a lot about those who have done this before me, especially my brother. It gives me so much hope and strength! I am so blessed to be here and doing this! 

I love you all! 

Con amor, 

Chau chau!

Hermana Root  

Picture¨Hermana Abachino with Me, Hermana Rodas, and Bianca. Bianca wants to serve a mission so she is wearing my name tag and is Hermana Root for the day! 

And that's one of our lunches! 

And just for grandma, I wear your necklace each day! I have God, Christ, Holy Ghost, and grandma with me always!

Bienvendido! (6/23/14)

hola hola! I am alive and doing well. Argentina is INSANE! I am currently sitting in an internet cafe trying to hide that I am typing in English! English is a sin here! seriously!

Well, it has been forever so I will start from the beginning! i left the MTC on Monday at 6. My bag was overweight and I was companions with to elders going to my mission. We got to salt lake and I got to call my dad and it was the best! I was on cloud nine! You learn to treasure people voices, (especially in English!!) We then went to Georgia and we searched and searched for a payphone and none worked. As I was in tears because I just wanted to call my mom, my old companion Hermana Tidwell and I went and bought a 50 dollar tract phone with 100 minutes so we could call our families. Sorry if I didn't get to call you!!

We then got on the plane and I sat there as the sun was going down and thought to myself that this would be the last time n american soil for 16 months. I started to cry and seriously thought through my decision. But, i immediately knew that I am supposed to be in Argentina and we took off and 10 hours later, we landed in Buenos Aires! I said a tough tough goodbye to my district. Especially my companions Hermana Paulson and Tidwell. Those girls will be my friends forever. The elders were equally as difficult. We had become a family and I am so grateful for them. So of course, the first time I met my mission president, I WAS CRYING. typical me! But I soon got over it, and was so excited! We went to the mission home and went over rules and safety, then ate empanadas and pizza. WONDERFUL. I then had an interview with President Thurgood. He is an amazing man. He was raised on a ranch too! I told him that I knew how to work and that I would be obedient but my Spanish just isn't there yet. He had so much faith in me. It was just what I needed. Then, the trainers arrived and I was about to receive my companion. My biggest fear was to get a native Spanish speaker who didn't speak English, AND MY WORST FEAR CAME TRUE! haha I got placed with Hermana Rodas and she is literally an angel sent from Heaven. We are in a city called Avellaneda and it is New York but imagine complete Spanish, ghetto everywhere, and everyone has this sassy Italian accent! It is insane! Imagine being a missionary in New York in times square, THAT IS ME! I guess president thought the farm girl needed the city!

Well we went to our apartment and it is a treat. The toilet doesn't flush so you fill a bucket and dump water down it after every use. We have one of those butt washers that sounds like the word for a comforter, Our boiler leaks water and our kitchen floods every day, we only have a space heater and its freezing, and my laundry is done in a sink. By hand. I thought my life was over.... until I went to my investigators house.

I have realized that God sent me here to show me just how spoiled we ALL are. Things that I have taken for granted my entire life, people here couldn't even dream of having. Most of my investigators live in concrete huts. Their doors are sheets and you clap outside of houses because they don't have doorbells. They have no heaters, there are stray dogs EVERYWHERE and they are the happiest people i have ever seen. I have learned so much about humility and gratitude. I wish every person in the US could do this. It has changed me and it has only been a week.

I have been sick all week. My stomach has got the best of my and I have been in pain all week. On Friday, I woke up and just started to cry. I wondered why on earth I was here and doubted my ability to do this. Hermana Rodas was so comforting and she helped me so much. I read two quotes that changed my attitude completely. ¨When you think you can't do it, you're right. You can't. But Christ can.¨and ¨You can't go home, your journal is not full yet.¨ I realized that this work will be the hardest thing I will ever do. Physically, I can handle it no problem. We walk like 15 miles a day but emotionally is where I struggle. I find myself turning to how long it seems till I will be home but in reality, it is not long at all. I decided that I would turn all I have to Christ and I found strength. The adjustment is hard. This is a totally different world but I love it. I love the people. I love my calling.

Our first lesson was with a man named Raul. He has been taught by the missionaries for MONTHS but he will not commit to a baptismal date. I went in there with H. Rodas and we talked about faith and how we have to act on it. I bore my testimony to him that I knew that if he acted on his faith, Christ would ease his doubts. I compared it to me being in Argentina and how even though I knew nothing abut this place and this language, I came. And look at how much I have grown in 24 hours. I then asked him to be baptized the 5th of July AND HE SAID YES! That moment made me realize that there really are people here that only I can touch.

Later we went to Family Abachino´s house. It is a shack. The worst poverty I have ever seen. Her family is less active and in our mission that is our main focus is reactivating members. She told us how she read in the scriptures about humility and how she needs to be more humble. This woman, who literally has nothing, was telling me how she needed to be more humble. I just wanted to hug her. I realized just how ungrateful I am. I have SO much and I'm still ungrateful. She is such an example to me. Another less active is Hermana Flor. She has a son named Pedro. and he is MASON. He is insane! haha He speaks SOO fast and is always running away from his mom. I told her how Mason has gotten so much better and she had so much hope!

When people realize I am from the US they think two things. I am a spoiled brat, or I am the luckiest girl in the world. I have kind of refrained from telling people that I am from there but they always know haha. There is a little girl in the ward named Camilla and she is just like Sayge! She is so sweet. I showed her all the pictures of my family and she wants to come to the US so badly. I never realized how many opportunities we have.

So the world cup is happening. It is insane! When Argentina plays we have to go to our pension (apartment) because its not safe haha. When they scored a goal, the WHOLE building shook! Fireworks went off and it was insane! 

I avoided eating cow stomach yesterday. I was freaking out but there happened to be a bone in this soup and no I did not stuff the stomach pieces inside the bone. haha I was not about to do that lol.

I have also been kissed more than I have in my entire life. Every time to greet anyone, they kiss you on the cheek. We aren't allowed to let males so we get to stiff arm them haha its so fun. But Its so weird. People don't have personal space here lol

There are 4 elders in my zone from the US and Elder Payne, know Elder and Sister Podwus. We receive the same letter from them! haha.

Milk and yogurt here is in a bag. Its weird haha and you have to go to multiple stores to get things. There's vegetable, bread, pasta, fruit, etc. stores and its so time consuming!!

I am called Hermana Raiz because that is the translation for Root haha. The bishop thinks he is so funny.

I am doing great. My Spanish is improving, I can understand a lot and speak a lot better. I am happy and I love this work. It is hard, but I love it. I already feel the change in me. I am growing up and becoming who I am supposed to be. This has made me question moving to NYC though, I don't know if I wanna be this far from my family haha.

I love you all! Thanks for the prayers and the emails. I only get an hour to email and read so If i don't reply, know I read it and love you dearly!!

Con amor,

Chau Chau! (insert kisses here!)

Hermana Root

She Made it!! (6/18/14)

Dear Root Family,

I am writing to inform you of the safe arrival of your daughter in the Argentina Buenos Aires South Mission.  Attached here you will find a photograph of Sister Root with President and Sister Thurgood.  Her trainer will be Sister Rodas and they are going to serve in the area of Avellaneda 1 A . Their preparation day will be every Monday and you can expect an email letter on that day.  I am also including important information about mailing packages to your missionary.  Please be sure to read and remember.

Thank you for sharing Sister Root with our mission.  We appreciate your support and also the fact that you have a daughter who wants to serve.  We will take good care of her!  God bless you.

Receiving Packages : Please advise friends and family:

Due to restrictions imposed by the Argentine government, we're having trouble receiving packages from other countries.

Because of this, America South Area Presidency South recommends that no packets are sent to their missionaries while they serve in Argentina. If packets are sent they will likely remain in the Customs Capital and never reach your destination.

We want to clarify that there's no malice in it, but to remove these packages from customs is an expensive and time consuming process for the church, missionaries and families. If appropriate measures are not taken, these problems can be avoided.

Chau America! (6/11/14)

Hola Hola Hola! WELL HERE IS THE BEST NEWS! 

I LEAVE FOR ARGENTINA IN 5 DAYS!!!!!!!!!!! We got our travel plans on Friday and it was the best. There is going to be over 40 missionaries on a flight from SLC to Atlanta and then after that 25 of us are headed to Argentina! I am traveling with two elders that are also going to my mission. Elder Powlus and Elder Mitchell. They will hopefully take good care of me! They talked with me when I was having a hard day on Friday and they have the perfect attitude. We talked about how although none of us are fluent, we are all working so hard, and this will be the best 2 years of our lives. They are so positive. I am so glad they are my travel partners! 

This week has been a week to remember and a week of growth. Before this, I have not had any breakdowns or tears (considering who I am this is a HUGE accomplishment) but this week was a little different. After we received our travel plans, it hit me that I was going to soon be in a foreign country where they do NOT speak English and I was supposed to help people and communicate in a language that I felt like I didn't know. I just started crying and prayed and asked Heavenly Father why he thought I could do this? I had the warmest feeling come over me. I opened my scriptures to Genesis 28 (idk what verse) but it said how I will be safe and how God will not leave me until my work is done and I realized that I am going to be JUST fine. It is amazing just how well God takes care of his missionaries. 

We taught a lot of lessons this week. We had some of the greatest and some of the worst. On Friday when I was feeling down, I went into a lesson and I could not say ANYTHING right. I didn't have the spirit, my Spanish was AWFUL, and I just didn't feel it. I prayed and prayed for strength and we went to teach our next investigator Jorge. (hor-hay, not George, I called him the wrong name! haha) Well, Jorge is around 50. He has had 2 children and his wife died to cancer. He is angry with God. I was super intimidated to teach him. But we went in and we prayed and studies for him but didn't feel a strong topic that he needed to be taught. We got into the lesson and I had the strongest feeling to teach him about temple work and how his son is okay. I didn't do anything yet and I let him talk. He told us how his pastor told him that because his son was not baptized he was Damned. This man fought depression, anger management, and others because of this statement. I got tears in my eyes and looked at him and was able to tell him that I knew that his son was not damned. I shared with him the scripture in Moroni 8 that states that children are innocent and I told him that he was just fine. This light filled him. He had tears in his eyes and we then taught him how to pray and talk to his heavenly father. A 50 year old man who had never prayed to Heavenly Father in his entire life prayed. It was just what myself and my companions needed. We felt such a love for him. During that moment, I realized why I love being a missionary. I was able to share a simple truth that I knew my entire life with someone who knew not where to find truth. I helped him come closer to Heavenly Father and there is NOTHING that brings more joy than that feeling. 

On Monday, we got to do an AWESOME Family Home evening via Skype with a sister in Mexico! She was a returned missionary and SOO awesome. We all understood her Spanish and were able to joke with her and share a beautiful message. She gave us great advice for our missions. She said how we need to never forget that missionary work is fun. And it is so true. Everyday my companions and I say, "Missions are SO fun!" And it is true, I am exhausted all the time, never think about myself, and I have NEVER been so happy in my entire life. And I am not even in the field yet. It is a weird kind of happy though. This week while I was struggling, I never really felt sad. I felt a little down but I knew that this is exactly where I am supposed to be and if I am never sad, I will never truly be happy! Missionary work changes your attitude on a lot of things!

Mom and Dad, you really should have thought through not coming to live in Utah for 6 weeks. My companions are both from Utah and Hermana Paulson's mom works in the Barber shop. We eat lunch with her mom often and we run into her siblings all the time. Hermana Tidwell saw her older sister and nieces today while we were walking from the bus stop. Then her Mom happened to be where we went for lunch. I die a little bit every time we see their families. I wish more than anything I could have a mom or dad hug! But it is okay, its all progress! Hermana Paulsons mom taught me to say that. Every time I get sad about missing my family, say how wonderful it is that I am progressing and that much closer to seeing them again! When I saw H. Tidwell's nieces today they were all around Bryce, Brandon, and Masons age and I missed those crazy boys. Who would have ever thought!

We made it to one month! We threw a little party on the 7th. I cant believe its already one month. I think about coming home and honestly I don't want to end my mission. I am growing so much!

So this week has a special name. It is called Consecration week. We only speak Spanish. THE ENTIRE WEEK. So I am three days in and still alive. P-day is different because we are on main campus a lot where we aren't around Spanish speakers but when we are together we only speak Spanish. I am astonished on how much I know. I don't know it all but I know enough to get around what I needed to say. My brain at the end of the day is pudding. We call it postre ceribrum which means pudding brain haha. Yesterday our choir director told us that in the paper, Public Radio did an article on the MTC and how we learn languages so fast. The author was not LDS and shared that the only organization that is similar in the US Army programs but the take 50-60 weeks. We do it in 6 and get the same results. That right there shows the power of the spirit and the gift of tongues. It is real. I spent TWO years of high school studying this language and I never got it. But now I can SOMEWHAT speak. The cool part is to read my scriptures in Spanish and UNDERSTAND what it is saying. When I get to Argentina it will be like an ENTIRELY different language because of the accent but I know God will take care of me. 

Funny things of the week! My grammatical errors were not that bad this week! WHOOO! But I still had a LOT of funny experiences. Everyone tells us that we are the funniest companionship in the CCM. My companions and I are hilarious jaja (that's Spanish for haha) 

- We were studying outside, and I happened to sit in the ONLY broken chair in the ENTIRE campus. While reading the scriptures with my district, the bolt came out of my chair and in my dress, I fell right onto the SOAKING wet grass. Elder Betzsold laughed at me for a good 10 minutes. 

- There is a companionship with Elder Travis, Elder Tofua, and Elder Grey. Imagine a Tongan man, a huge 6'2 white guy, and a maybe 5 foot little band boy. They are the CUTEST companionship and they love each other. Well, a few days ago, Elder Travis was telling a story staying that his aunt got a tick in her ear and it ATE her ear drum. Elder Travis said yeah, she is deaf in one ear. Elder Grey thought he said Dead, in one year. For about 20 minutes these elders fought about how they were not able to save her life. They did not understand that one heard one sentence and the other heard another. It was hilarious!

-There was this Asian Elder going to Hong Kong and after devotional said Ni-hou and I was like Ni-hou and then said " I have two sisters from China!" but, without realizing, I happened to say it in spanish and the elder looked at me SOO confused and said Ni-hou and walked away. He did not speak English or Spanish. Haha it was embarrassing. 

- There is this dip in the side walk and Elder Betzsold and I have BOTH tripped in it. We always warn everyone and say WATCH OUT FOR THE SIDEWALK it is KNOWN to take missionaries down!!

- There is an Elder in our Zone that the elders in my district are CONVINCED I need to marry and I happened to be walking in the grass right behind him and tripped. Landed on all fours and the the elders in my district lost it. They yelled, WOW Hermana Root is having QUITE the stay in the MTC!

This week I translated the song, "Saturday is a special day" into spanish. Now my WHOLE zone sings my lyrics haha. It is hilarious in spanish! I will sing it to you when I get to call THE DAY AFTER FATHERS DAY in the airport!

Last night we got to hear from Elder Cook. WOW it was amazing! It was just what I needed to hear. He gave us a blessing that we would all feel capable for our calling. That is just what I needed. I worry to much about being PERFECT but it is not expected of me to have perfect Spanish and to be perfect. I have made it the goal though that the moment I get to my area in Argentina, I am going to make sure I get to know my ward and let them trust me. I am going to leave each area better than I found it. It is so intimidating thinking about talking to actual members but I just have to do it. 

This week I say goodbye to correct pronunciation of my name! It now will be Hermana Rrruuuuuutt. Kinda sounds like Rot. Its not cute at all!

Today in Jamba I saw a lady who had a baby Stella. I naturally asked her if I could hold her. She let me and I almost cried. I miss my pup! But thanks mom for sending my pillow pet!! You're such a gem! 

God has blessed me so much. My companions and I are so far ahead of many people in our district and we were trying to figure out why and it is because we are being obedient and working as hard as we can. I am so glad that we are companions. We all have the same personality and we all work SO hard. These girls will be some of my best friends forever. 

Mom thanks for the cookies this week and the letters and emails from everyone. Next email will be IN ARGENTINA!!!! AHHHH. I love you all! 

El evangelio es verdado! 

Chau chau! 

Mucho amor por ustedes!! 

Con amor, 

Hermana Root

Pictures:

My district and I at our last temple time

On service morning, we wear our matching argentina shirts!! 

Saying goodbye to Hannie! Shes in Ogden!

Pup Pup in Jamba Juice!

Hola! One Month Down!! (6/4/14)

HOLA! Como frijole (how you bean?) hahaha 

So on the 7th marks one whole month down!!! I cannot believe it. Only 17 more of these and I will be home. I don't wanna come home quite yet though, being a missionary is too fun.

This week was spectacular. I have never seen so much growth in my entire life. I have learned more spanish in 4 weeks than I have all of high school and I have learned more about myself than I could ever imagine. 

Starting with last wednesday! It was a wonderful P-Day and it is always so great to hear from everyone. We always have a hard time going back to class at 6 because we have the whole day off but our teacher Hermana Captian taught us an AMAZING lesson about the role of the book of Mormon in conversions. While we were sitting in class Elder Betzsold randomly said, "I wish I could just follow Hermana Root around and write a book about her. She is just so funny but has the greatest insights!" It was awesome. The elders in my district are like my brothers. They are always there for us and it means so much. 

This week I realized just how much the Book of Mormon does play in our investigators life,as well as mine. It was insane! We gave a book to our investigator Leticia and she has been reading so much of it. She has changed. She loves Christ so much and it is amazing to see. My companions and I made it a goal to study the life of Christ everyday. It has made such an impact on my week. I started reading Jesus the Christ and spend a lot of my study time looking up anything about Christ. Christ is the one who is by my side through this. I just felt like because I am representing him and wearing his name on my tag everywhere I go, I can never know enough about him. I challenge all of you to study about Christ!! (extending commitments because that is what missionaries do) hahaha

We had a companionship inventory with our teacher Hermano Avuila. All three of us went in a room and he asked us to tell the strengths of our companions. My companions are just so wonderful. One of them shared with me that prior to her mission she was never able to balance fun and serious. Hermana Paulson is serious but will always unwind at the appropriate times but I am the more comical one out of all of us. They shared with me how I help them all handle their stress and how they are so thankful for my positively and blunt honesty. I never realized how great of a gift it is to just laugh at your mistakes. I am so great at it! I mess up all the time but I really have not got down on myself about it. Our teacher then asked us why we thought God put us three as companions? None of us know the answer to this but I know that they will be my forever friends. They are both so wonderful and they teach me so much! 

Our teaching this week was incredible! We followed the spirit so much! I went from slipping in a few words to LEADING THE LESSONS. Hermana Tidwell has always been the one ahead in the speaking category, but this week I grew so much. I had an awesome experience. We were teaching our investigator Leticia and her brother and law walked in and was a little frustrated that she was talking the discussions. He was of another religion and did not like that we had taught her how to say personal prayers to heavenly father. He started going off about how God cannot be loving if he doesn't treat everyone equal. He then proceeded to say how he has cancer, his daughter died of cancer, and how his parents are both dead. He looked at us and said you all seem fine! And i looked at him, with tears in my eyes and said Jorge, my uncle has cancer. It has been so hard for me because I look up to my uncle so much. I don't understand why that had to happen but I can remember saying a prayer the night I found out, asking Heavenly Father why it had to happen, and I received an answer saying that no matter what God loves me, I am his child, and he is there. Sometimes bad things happen to amazing people. God doesn't love them any less. Not everything that happens to us has to deal with what God wants. We all have our agency but God has a plan for us and he has a plan to take care of all of us. He had tears in his eyes as well. I was amazed that I could say that in Spanish. (It was a little simpler in Spanish by my missing of vocabulary) but it was an amazing experience. I was able to bear testimony to our investigator Leticia that I knew the Book of Mormon was true. I told her how I found out myself. Being able to say things that are personal to me is the best part of missionary work and speaking Spanish. Right now we have 10 investigators and each lesson I leave feeling so lifted by the spirit. I could not be able to do this without the help of the spirit. I am so blessed. 

One of the Elders in my district this week got a call from his stake president saying that his parents are getting a divorce. It was out of the blue and he is struggling. He is such a great man but he is having the best attitude. He keeps saying that he knows he is where he is supposed to be. He knows God will take care of him and his family. Seeing him possess that much faith is such a testimony builder for me. God is great. The ways that he lifts up his missionaries is amazing. I have yet to have a day where I haven't seen millions of blessings. 

We were role playing this week and Hermana Tidwell was being such a hard investigator. She said that she didn't think God was powerful enough to answer her prayers. Hermana Paulson and I were teaching her and everything we said she shut down. We both were feeling so distraught. Hermana Paulson looked her in the eye and said open the book. (Speaking of the Book of Mormon) She had the book of Mormon in her hands and she kept saying how she didn't think God was able to interfere with us on this earth. The moment she opened it she found a scripture that talked about how God is so powerful that he can move mountains and create worlds. We were able to look her straight in the eye and say If god can do that, he can listen and answer your prayers. All of us felt the spirit so strong! It was wonderful!!!

We all memorized the first vision in Spanish this week! It is SOO much cooler to say! Everything in Spanish is cooler! After we finished it Elder Betzsold and Ward were like, Okay we know enough, time to grab the bull by the horns, move to Argentina, and teach some people! hahah we don't know enough but we all are so ready to leave and teach. I already love the people and I haven't even got there. 

Sibling of the week award goes to: SABRINA! Sending me about 4 dozen cookies made my WEEK! As well as all the elders in my zone! They were SOO happy and wanted me to express their gratitude! They were AMAZING!

So Hannie is here and we have got to talk a few times. She is doing great! I make her wish she was on west campus like the rest of the cool cats because everything is nicer over here. Everyone is complaining about the MTC cafeteria but all the BYUH kids tell everyone how they know NOTHING about bad cafeterias. Our friend Mary comes in here today and so does Sister Lamb! And McAlla will be here the next week. I met some of the sisters that will be in McAlla's district today! I told them about how wonderful she is and they are waiting for her arrival! 

Gramatical Errors this week were a little less! WHOOO!

- One night I was saying companion prayer and I was trying to say Teneamos Gracias Dios.. (We give thanks God..) but I said Mucho Gusto Dios which means Nice to Meet you God haha

- We make it a joke to tell each other Tenga un mal dia! instead of Have a good day we say have a bad day! (only to my district as a joke!) but I was trying to say Have a worst day! back to an Elder and accidentally said Have a Pear day! 

haha Spanish is fun! Rivka's email is so true about dying from the cafeteria though and salad bars and PB&Js are the best! I haven't gained ANY weight here so that is a positive! I refuse to let the MTC 15 come on to me. Everyone is warning us about all the carbs, meat, and gelato we will have in Argentina. It will be like my 4 days in Italy last spring but for 18 months!! Carbs and Gelato, my weakness haha

I love being a missionary. I love this work!

Yo se que el evangelio de Jesucristo es verdadero! Yo se que Dios es nuestro padre celestial! Yo se que Jose Smith es profeta de dios! Yo se que El libro de mormon es la plabra de Dios! haha that is my testimony, not sure how well my spelling is! 

Te amo muchoooo! Estoy agredicias for ustedes!!

I love you all forever and thanks for all the prayers, letters, and packages! 

Hermana Root

Pictures: 

1) Hermana Tidwell, Paulson, and I at the temple this morning. 

2) Hermana Tidwell and Paulson eating all the food our mothers and siblings sent us that day

3) Us on the Bus! 

4) Plus the cookies from Nena!