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!