Roller Coaster Week (10/27/14)

Hola familia y amigos, 

Wow, what a week. This week was a hard one but also a great one. My companion could not leave the house so we were stuck inside for far too long. I got to do some exchanges and leave with the other hermanas so that was good. Dolores is awesome. I love being here.

I am not going to lie. Receiving news of Uncle Al was probably the hardest thing that's happened in a while. Lots of tears and definitely feel extremely far away from home. But, it times like these, I remember that God truly has a plan for us. We are a family and we can be together forever and I know where Uncle Al will be after this life. This life is just the beginning. Now is the time when we all need to be strong and trust the God's timing is better than our own.

On top of feeling extremely homesick this week because we weren't working, I somehow lost my good luck charms. I had a key from Sayge and a horse thing from Anna that I have carried with me EVERYDAY since I left. Today, I discovered that they were gone. Another meltdown! haha life is just too great! Also, there isn't a bank in Dolores and my companions had a problem with their debit cards and so we have no money. There was a point when we had absolutely no food. For dinner one night, we ate my pumpkin pretzels from Sabrina and without them, we would have starved. Last night we were so hungry we had to go and ask our neighbor for eggs. This week really humbled me. Now we have money and we can eat again but for the first time in my life I felt what it was like to really be hungry.

Now for the happy parts of the week! 

1- We have bikes here and the truth is that I love it! My feet are doing so much better and a lot less pain! I love our bikes and they are cruisers too with a basket!

2. There are lightning bugs here and they are SO beautiful!

3. I finished the Book of Mormon and its true. all of it!

4. I am the new Gospel Principals teacher in the branch and the chorister!

5. Allene is on a mission! All the girls of 317 (BYUH) are officially on missions!

We found an amazing investigator this week. her name is Beatrice and she used to be a model. She gained about 60 pounds and now she has depression and wont leave her house. We shared with her just how much heavenly father loves her but she honestly didn't believe it. When I first started the mission, I started to gain weight and I remember writing my mom and saying just how sad I was because I was exercising so much and eating like nothing! I remember getting a letter from my mom and the words she said to me came to mind. I told this woman the same things and she actually started to believe us that she really is special. She invited us back to teach her again this week and I am so excited!

I am ready for this upcoming week and more than anything, I am ready to rely on the atonement. We can't make it through without the help of Christ. I know all will be okay. I just have to keep telling myself that God has a plan.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD TOMORROW!!!

I love each and every one of you. Thanks for your prayers and your love!

Con amor, 

Hermana Root

Photos:

We have a toad infestation!! Its so gross!

My lovely companion and I with her Chicken Pox!

Happy Birthday Daddy!

And I'm In...(10/20/14)

Hola!!! I AM ALIVE! Its late here probably not late there but... I have news! GOODBYE AVELLANEDA AND WELCOME TO.... DOLORES!! The direct translation of Dolores is pain. It is in the middle of NOWHERE! It is a branch and basically it’s like living in Burns but a little smaller. I live in a house with 3 other Hermanas and there are cows and horses outside my window. I hate to admit it, but I almost cried with joy. I felt at home, even though I am thousands of miles away.

It was a hard goodbye this morning to Hermana Nava and Avellaneda. I was there for 4 months and I grew to love the people so much. When we told everyone goodbye yesterday everyone just kept saying, Noo our Yankee can’t leave us!! (that’s what they call us whities) There were many tears shed and I can still say I am TERRIBLE at goodbyes. The worst was to Family Abachino. They truly became my family in Argentina and it was so hard to say goodbye.

But, Now I am here. A 5 hours bus ride to the middle of nowhere and the truth is, I am so happy. I am living with a Peruvian, a girl from Honduras, and my companion who is from Brazil. She has 12 weeks in the mission and we have about the same level of Spanish so it will be a good time. Her name is Hermana Vazconcellos and she’s 28! But, the bad news is that she has chicken pox. We will be in the pension all this week. The poor thing :( I have the shot but I have been informed that I can still get it but it will be a mild case... Hermana Vazconcellos had the shot too and it is NOT a mild case! I am a little bit nervous!

I knew Sheryden was freaking out that I wasn’t safe but the moment I got here the girls told me welcome to the calmest area in the mission! The worst thing that could happen is that a horse could kick you! A member came over to our house to give us lunch and they found out that I lived on a ranch and immediately loved me! It’s going to be a good new area!

HILARIOUS STORY! So, it’s like SUPER humid here and I am not drinking as much water as I should because there is nowhere to use a bathroom. So, the CTR ring that I haven’t taken off in two years was on my hand when I went to bed on Wednesday. When I woke up, my hands were SO swollen and my finger with my ring was purple because the ring was cutting off the circulation. We tried EVERYTHING to get it off but we couldn’t. So, we called the mission nurse and she said go to the ER. So we went! The doctor tried to cut it but he couldn’t so he said hold on, I’ll go get help. He came back with a man that was repairing the bathroom (who is NOT a doctor) and he used these HUGE pliers and cut it off and I was on my way. Only in Argentina...

SURPRISE! I got all the packages today! But I am going to have to pay a BUTTLOAD! But oh well, que me importa! But, don’t send anymore :( But letters are GREAT!

Thanks for all you do for me! I have the best support system! I know I didn’t right much but I will send lots of pictures.

I probably won’t be able to reply to like ALL of you today but thanks for your emails!!

Love you all!

Chau chau!

Hermana Root

1. Elder Beers and I. Root Beer hahahah (our last names are the joke of the mission)

2. My district in Avellaneda

3. Zone in Avellaneda

4. ER!

5. On Friday we put Hawaiian flowers in our hair and pretended it was aloha Friday like back in my BYUH days.

6. Relief society activity!

7. Sunday was mother’s day here! Love you mummy!

8. The best abuela in the ward!

9. All the young women!

10. My best friend here Loida!

11. Family Abachino!

12. My companion and I this morning in the taxi! The car was FILLED with all of our luggage! The man asked me if I had a human in my suitcase...

13. PACKAGES!

14. PUMPKIN!!!

15. My view from the house! I am not in the city anymore!

Five Months Down! (10/13/14)

Hola hola! Wow, another email to write. My hands are always tired after this long thing.. maybe I should write less but I like to say all the adventures that happen so I will deal with tired hands. 

You should all be glad that I am able to write! Today is a holiday so EVERYTHING is closed. My companion and I had the brilliant idea to come to Walmart and use the computers here that are SOO ghetto, like everything here. We didnt want to make the 30 minute walk because its p-day and ALWAYS are walking so we asked a random man on the street what bus and off we went. Turns out, we took the wrong one. We ended up in a town called Islas. This town is SO sketchy that is doesnt have missionaries. The bus driver said we had to get out because it was the end of his route so we were LOST in the sketchiest place on earth! We said a prayer, took the next bus, and ended up here at Walmart, 2 hours later!

Looks like everyone had a great week. Sayge is a real ballerina! Parker is famous! Elaine Davis knows my Mission President! Its so great to read all of your emails. 

This week seriously was SO much better. We had a district meeting and talked about not only working hard, but working smart. This is what we were faulting. Just because we get to the apartment exhausted every night doesn't mean that we are working the most effectively. We made a lot of changes and made a goal to work SO hard to try and get the members to go to appointments with us. It truly changes everything when the members are there. If the missionaries ask you to go, GO! The members have so much power!

We taught a less active this week and she really touched my heart. We shared with her how important it is to go to church and renew her baptismal covenants. When we finished she told me how when I talk, she just feels so much peace and sees how patient we are. After this, I realized how many times its not in the words we say, its in the spirit we bring. I don't feel like I truly am that powerful in lessons, but through me, God can bring the message to these people! I am so lucky to have this calling.

We found a new investigator this week THAT'S GOLD! Her name is Lourdes. We taught her the restoration and plan of salvation and she felt the spirit so much! We invited her to come to church and she was all ready! We went to her house on Sunday and she couldn't go but we are ready for next week! Finally we are having some success.

We had exchanges this week and I was with Hermana Olsen from UT (like every North American in my mission). We seriously spoke English ALL DAY and night and it was so great. You just bond with people when you are speaking your own language! haha Everyone stared at us everywhere we went. 2 tall, light hair, white girls preaching to everyone is a sight to see.

We worked so hard this week that I have just been exhausted. On Sunday, I got up, kneeled to say my prayers, and fell asleep kneeling for 20+ minutes. My companion was dying laughing!

My companion, before me, did not open up to anyone and was not emotional. Now, she cries ALL the time when something is cute or spiritual. She always says, you did this to me! Why are you so emotional! It rubbed off on me! haha its so funny. I bore my testimony yesterday and I have mastered crying and speaking Spanish, at the same time! whoo whoo!

I have pictures for this week but I am not sure if I can send them because this computer was probably living during the civil war. 

Bueno, les quiero mucho! Estoy muy agradecia por todo sus oraciones y cartas!

Con amor, 

Hermana Root

Hola Hola Hola! (10/6/14)

Hola Queridos! 

Wow, what a week and what a day!! It has been the most craziest week of the mission so far! Today was our Zone activity. 18 elders and 2 Hermanas. We had plans to play soccer (as always), cook asado (its like steak) and watch the Lego movie. We of course had to take control of everything because these men are just disasters, and then Elder Howell from Utah got hit in the face and his tooth went through his mouth. We then turned into the doctors and had to find a hospital, send them there, find money, and of course pack the sack lunch. If we are being honest, I hate being the only Hermanas in a zone of elders that seriously need a mom at all times. My want for children has not grown in the mission haha. But, finally, we have time to email! The best part of p-day!

Also, fun fact, the mission president that got kidnapped, is the president of my companion in the MTC. (shout out Hermana Tidwell) It is Buenos Aires North. I am 30 minutes from this mission! Haha welcome to argentina, where sketchy is their middle name. 

Congrats to Hailey and Brooke for Homecoming!! Way to rep the mormon girls :) And I loved seeing all the pictures of the modest dresses. We always are cuter when we are modest! 

This week we had interviews with President. Usually, they are in english for missionaries from the states. But he never started to speak in english with me so it was in spanish. He told me how proud he was for my spanish and that I am speaking so well. It felt so good to hear. Sometimes I get so frustrated and feel like I am not progressing but I have realized that in a few short months I am able to read, speak, and write in spanish! I also got 18 HAPPY BIRTHDAY CARDS :) Thanks to everyone! 

I had the best birthday. My companion made me a cake and breakfast. We almost burnt the apartment down at 7 in the morning when we lit a firework inside, whoops. I have it all on video, I hope I can send it! We had a family home evening with our ward that night and when we finished, they brought out this huge cake for me and sang and then sang in english! It was the sweetest thing. Its hard to be away from home on days when we have so many traditions. I of course missed the pumpkin pie and fall days, but I am so loved here and I have my argentine family to fill my heart for now. It was a wonderful birthday! Cant believe I am twenty!

We had lots of encounters with PITBULLS this week. Hermana Nava and I have a mutual fear of dogs so whenever there is a sketchy looking dog we both just start to book it! How funny, seeing 2 sister missionaries running from stray dogs every day!

We got some weird news this week. Our area is very hard. We have about 10% of the ward boundaries because we cannot enter in the dangerous parts. President is thinking about moving us to open another area here. We are so nervous. It could mean that I will be in Avellaneda for more time but in a different ward and different area. Hermana and I are so nervous to start over. Our area has only been open for 8 months and they are thinking of closing it already!

How was conference??! I was SO nervous to watch it in spanish! I watched the womans meeting in spanish and Elder Uchtdorfs talk seriously was just what I needed. Lately, I have been feeling like I am an awful missionary. We really dont have investigators, no one is progessing, our less actives arent going to church, and our numbers are really low. Elder Uchtdorf talked about how nothing that we put value in, is important to God. Really, he is all we need to please. I was able to change my perspective that if I just work for God, I wont feel disappointed with a silly number. 

I was praying all week for a way to watch conference in English. I can understand almost everything in spanish but it just means more in your own language. The session started and the stake president told me there was english in the other room. I told him I couldnt go because I didnt have a companion. He then called president thurgood and I asked if I could be in a room with 6 elders to watch conference and president said yes! I was able to watch it in english! And, the talks in spanish, we watched in spanish and I understood everything. I feel so bi-lingual! haha

But, yesterday we went to go look for an investigator that said she wanted to come to conference with us. We left to go look for her at 12 to make it to the session at 1. She hadnt gotten out of bed so she said come back at 5. So, of course at 5 it was the worst rainstorm I have ever seen in my life. We walked in the rain, COMPLETELY SOAKED, rang her doorbell 4 times. Never came to the door. We both started to cry. We had so many appointments fall through this week, and it was just the breaking point. In the rain, we made our 15 minute walk back to the church SOAKING WET. We watched conference and when we finished there were HUGE puddles from all the water in our skirts, hair, backpacks. I got to thinking that the feeling that we felt when Palmira didnt answer the door is how our Heavenly Father feels when we arent obedient. We knew that conference was just what she needed and she promised, but she put something else before God. I NEVER want my heavenly father to feel that way about me. I know that he has felt that way in the past with me and when I dont follow the spirit, but I have made it a goal to try and not hurt his feelings like people hurt mine here! haha

This week was great. I learned a lot and am loving the mission. Tomorrow is 5 wonderful months in the mission. How fast time is passing. Thanks for all the birthday wishes as well :) Heres to another year!

Hermana Root

Week 22! (9/29/14)

Buenas!! Wow P-day already, THE WEEEKS ARE FLYING! 

This week was great, but FULL of trials. We started the week off by going to our District Meeting on Tuesday and during it my companion started to seriously feel SO sick. She turned completely white and had a terrible fever. So we went home after and she was dying like the whole day. At this moment, I seriously became my mom! I was helping her with whatever she needed, cleaning, and made her favorite Argentine cookies. I seriously felt so homesick sitting in the apartment and studying the whole day! I am so glad she is better and now we can work!!

This week really my focus was on the atonement. I found so many things in my studies about it and almost all of our investigators needed it this week. We went to visit Hermana Abachino who now is ACTIVE!!!, but we asked her what the atonement meant to her and she didnt even understand what the word atonement meant. So I explained how it is the sacrifice of Christ and then how we can use it in our everyday lives. Without the atonement, I am nothing. It gives me the strength to do all of this. Its such a hard thing to be a missionary, but I cannot even describe the strength I recieve from Christ every single day!

This week was creepy man week! We were teaching one of our investigators and her husband was there too. hes about Dad`s age. We were talking about the commandments and he said, listen Hermanas, when I see a pretty girl, I am going to stare and then repent (in front of his wife!) For example, when I see Hermana Root, I cant help but stare at those eyes, and then I repent when she Leaves!!! (OH MY GOSH!!) I felt SOO uncomfortable! My companion lost it! She was laughing SOO hard! And then, the next day, the Uncle of one of our less actives, was walking in the street. He started to talk to us and we told him how we are looking for Yuzzely. He said okay, knock on this door and then after, lets go get married!!!!!!!!!!!!! I said, NO! haha It was so awkward! Hes like 27 and from Peru and is just weird! So sick of these stupid men!!

It was raining SO much this week and I finally went a bought new rain boots, cheetah of course, and you can be sure I have a HUGE blister all around my calf because my socks didnt go p high enough. It got infected because the gross water and Hermana Laddux, the primary president, became my personal doctor and fixed me right up but its so ugly! Yesterday at church everyone asked me what happened and I just said, oh a dog tried to bite my leg off.. Its not all a lie because I did get bit by a dog! haha

We had a wonderful experience with an investigator this week. her name is Soledad and shes 18. She has no confidence, NONE! I remembered so strongly the words of my mom all growing up, Remember who you are. We read a scripture about how shes a child of god and then talked about exactly what that means. I asked her who favorite princess is. She said Ariel. We explained the life of Ariel and how her trials were hard, but she became a princess. We then explained how she too is a princess. She was so close to crying. She finally started to see that she has worth, that shes important! I am so thankful that mom always told me that, its so important!

Yesterday we went on splits with the kids preparing to serve missions in our stake. I left with 2 girls and we went to go tracting and knock on doors. They were so cute and SO nervous! They didnt want to talk at all so I did like the first 20 houses and then finally they started to as well. It was so amazing to see their enthusiasum grow. They are just so ready to serve. It made me remember my mission prep class with Hannie and how we went to the mall in Kaneohe HI  and had to talk with 10 people and we were SOO scared and now we are both living and pro missionaries :)

This week is conference!! WHOOO! And I am pretty sure I have to watch all the sessions in spanish.. a little nervous about that but oh well! ALSO; I AM ALMOST 20!! WHOO WHOO! I was thinking about how I spent my 18th birthday playing volleyball, my 19th birthday on the beach eating coconut pumpkin pie with my favorite hawaii girls, and my 20th in ARGENTINA! WOW! I am so blessed to be able to know all the people I know and have been to all of these places!

Ready for another week and to continue in this amazing work!

love you all!

Chau chau!

Hermana Root 

Week 21 (9/22/14)

Hola Hola a todos! What a long and great week! Seriously, I am so thankful to be here! To be a Missionary! And to have this gospel! I am so blessed with EVERYTHING! 

The honest truth is, this week was probably the hardest week in my mission. Everything about it was trying and tested everything I have, but at the end of it, I am still living and I have learned a lot.

Starting with last Monday! We got done with Ciber and writing our families and left to go to a family home evening with a less active family. Last minute, they canceled so we went to catch a bus to go visit another less active widow. We saw our bus coming and started to run and just jumped on. Hermana and I just started talking about what letters we got and how everyone in our family is and the next thing we knew, we were at walmart (which is not in our area!!) I realized we had got on the wrong bus. It was 7 pm and all dark! We got off at the next stop and just started walking back towards our area! This is where I got bit by the dog so I was walking SO fast! We were laughing the whole time but in reality it was SO scary! But we survived! And its only my first time getting lost in this HUGE city!

The next few days we tried to contact all of our investigators but no one wanted anything. For example, we have an investigator named Paola. She is 22 and she told us between 4-6 is the best time to come over. so we came to her house in these hours for weeks, she never was there. One day she was home and said I am working. Listen chicas, I have a life! SO RUDE! After this, I snapped. We had been walking the entire day and having no success. I just vented to Hermana Nava and said ÿeah I remember when I had a life before the mission, BUT I LEFT IT ALL FOR YOU!¨ After my venting, I repented and wasn't angry but it is just so frustrating at times. We are here to help them and when we knock on their door they send someone else to say they aren't there or avoid us and its just hard at times.

Because we had no success with the investigators, we decided to turn to the ward directory and contact the less actives in our area. There's about 100. Long story short, we got the door slammed in our face for 3 days straight. We walked about 20 miles everyday (or more) and ended the week with 4 lessons. There was a point where I just broke down and cried but during all this time, I remembered Christ. He was rejected, people hated him, but that didn't matter. He had a mission and a message to share, and he kept going. We did the same thing and kept going. The end of the week got so much better! 

Last night we ran into an old investigator named Julia. She is about 50. She told us to come in and we had a beautiful lesson about the atonement. She shared with us that she was with her husband for 8 years and how he abused her to the point that now she cannot read because her brain is messed up from being hit in the head so many times. She has so much pain just built up inside of her. While I was listening to this story, I literally felt her burden. And about a minute later, I was filled with love. I could feel the love that Heavenly Father has for this woman. It was honestly one of the most amazing experiences in the mission so far. God truly loves and knows each and every one of us and with his love, we can use the atonement to remove all the pain that we have inside.

Yesterday I had the wonderful opportunity of giving a talk in sacrament meeting. Our ward really is slacking in working together with us so, I got real with them. I read D&C 60:2. All of you go and read it. I shared the experience of Juan, our convert, and how he brought the gospel to Analia. Really, I dont know how I was able to do it. I wrote it all down but I didnt look at the paper once! And people were crying!! (I hope it was the spirit!) I just can't believe that I can actually speak this language!

Another miracle of the week is that Family Abachino, less actives, have a goal to be sealed in the temple as a family in December!!! I was SOO happy!!

This week was so hard, but I learned a lot. I am so thankful to be here in the mission. Its the most happiness I have ever had in my life. I wouldnt trade it for anything.

I love you all and FELIZ PRIMAVERA! I know its fall at home but here its spring and its starting to be so beautiful! 

Have a wonderful week!

Chau chau!

Hermana Root

photos: This week I missed home so I made us hamburgers and fries for lunch! The typical american food :)

Hola Hola! (9/15/14)

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!