Greetings from Argentina! Currently I am sitting in a Kiosko with ghetto computers while outside 2 men are in a screaming fight! Welcome to my beautiful life with the latinos! hahah this week was great! Hermana Nava and I seriously are great partners and have been working so hard this week! She is 22 from Chiwawa Mexico and so much fun! She is a complete Latina! I am starting to become more of a Latina everyday. For exercise in the morning we listen to Disney music and do aerobics. She is trying to teach me how to dance like a Latina but I am just a little to white for that.
First off, I got the package from everyone! Thank you! Candy from the states, new pajamas, and MUSIC THAT'S NOT SPANISH HYMNS! It wasn't even opened my the psycho Argentine government! WHOO! Thank you for the letters and pictures and everything. I felt a little bit of home when I opened it and it was just what I needed.
This week was my turn to lead, in everything! I had to navigate in the streets, call the investigators, pay the bills, EVERYTHING! Heavenly Father gave me so much strength! I do not know how I was able to do it all, but I did!
Crazy experience this week. There is a street in our area called Berutti. It is the most dangerous and we are only allowed to be there in certain hours of the day. We had a reference that lived here so we went at 11 a.m. to go and contact her. I walked into the sketchy pathway that lead to her ¨house¨which is more like a cave, and I had the strongest impression not to enter. I couldn't even move my feet another step. Immediately Hermana Nava and I started running to the next street! We have no idea what could have happened but we always have the spirit with us so nothing bad will happen. I am so thankful for the spirit! I am following through with my promise to Sayge that I will always follow the spirit!
On Wednesday we were walking and walking and having no luck. We had walked like 12 miles, no joke and both of us were just so tired. I was almost in tears and said a little prayer that we would find someone to teach. We had contacted almost all of our investigators and back-up plans and had no one. The name of Familia Espiñdola came to my mind. I thought it was a waste of time because they NEVER answer the door but I followed the impression and we went. They WERE home and for the first time in almost a year, the dad of this family let us in (he is not a member, and the family is less active) and we taught him! He told us to come back and we have another appointment for later this week! Heavenly Father listens to our prayers!!
We were walking through this neighborhood and we saw an old lady trying to take out her trash. We ran to help and put all of her trash in the street for her (people here throw bags of trash in the street and a truck comes and picks it up) She started to talk to us and she was about 75 years old and was so sweet. She looked at me and said I know that those eyes are not Argentine. Where are you from? I told her the US and she asked me how I could speak castellano so well. I told her ¨Por que Dios me bendice.¨ (Because God blesses me!) She started to cry and said how grateful she was for young ladies that loved the lord. She was a STRONG catholic and doesn't want us to come back but it was such a wonderful experience.
We had ward council this week and I really love this ward! We have a FHE every month and we were planning for October. A few people knew that my birthday is the 3rd and so The Primary President Hermana Laddux planned that we would have FHE on my birthday and she would make me a cake! It wont be pumpkin pie (first time in 20 years!) but it will do! This ward is so great.
There is a new missionary in our ward too. His name is Elder Jones and hes from Utah. It was his third day and he asked me how long I have been in the mission and I said 4 months. He asked me for advice and I realize just how far I have come! In 4 months I can practically speak this language! He was crying and so frustrated and I remembered my first week. Honestly the hardest week of my life, but look at me now! I am SPEAKING SPANISH! This week I started to study for 20 minutes only in Spanish and I can understand almost everything. Also, Hermana Nava said that I was speaking in my sleep in Spanish and inviting people to read the book of Mormon!! haha I am a missionary in my sleep too! The gift of tongues is real and I am so blessed.
The best lesson this week was with two teenage girls Janina and Soledad. The are about my age but they have no confidence at all. We felt like we needed to teach them that they are daughters of God. I remember all my life mom telling me, remember who you are but seriously, this is the key. If we realize that we are all children of God, we realize that we have the potential to do whatever we want.
This week was great. We worked so hard. Talked to SO many people and tried to do all Heavenly Father wants us to do. I love being a missionary. It is the best thing I have ever done, and also the hardest!
Love you all and talk to you soon!
Chau Chau!
Hermana Root
Photos: Hermana Rodas and I with a member Clara
Hermana Nava and I
Last moment with Hermana Rodas!
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