Week 27- Discovering Cañuelas- Growing in Unity

Cañuelas is a cute little town and we are still trying to find our way around. There aren't very many buses here and our area is really big. We have bikes again and are doing a lot of walking. We have to travel an hour on bus each way to our district meeting every week in San Miguel del Monte and we are riding the train a lot too. This week we missed the bus after district meeting and had to wait 2 hours until the next one. In San Vicente it was an electric train but here it is a real train so I feel a bit old-fashioned. We missed the train once too and had to wait an hour. The transportation here is frustrating and it doesn't help that it is so hot! Our pench has air conditioning though so that's a blessing!

  

The majority of our area is nicer but there are poor parts too. It is a branch here with about 40 active members. We have met 3 member families that are nice but as of now we only have lunch with a member once a week! :( Well I am going to learn how to cook while I am here! Also this month our "assignacion" (allowance) was raised mil pesos so we have more money. Yay! Just in time too since we have to buy most of our food now.

We had to teach Gospel Principles this week without notice and I remember that we had to do that in San Vicente and that I was so nervous! Yesterday it wasn't so hard and it shows that my Spanish has improved. Spanish just comes out now and I don't have to think very hard. I can understand almost everything I hear and am thinking in Spanish too. Yesterday when we were talking to a member, she was telling a story and I thought how cool it was that I am understanding what she is saying! I love that I know Spanish now and I feel like I need to enjoy my time in the mission because I might never have the opportunity to live in a world of Spanish again. I have moments like these a lot and I often feel like I am going to miss this when its over.

Our investigators here are awesome! 5 of them came to church yesterday!  We have German and Elba who the missionaries found 2 months ago. They have a 12 year old son named Lucas who was baptized in Nov. and they are going to get baptized in February after they get married. Then we have Maria del Carmen who is German´s mom who we are trying to help quit smoking but she wants to be baptized too. German´s 13 year old sister Celene is also amazing and we are hoping she will be baptized this month. And then there is Luis, our favorite investigator of gold. He is about 50 years old and lives alone in the country and we have to take a bus for 40 minutes and then walk 20 minutes to get to his house. He is so willing to change and follow the example of Jesus Christ and is going to be baptized on the 23 of Dec. He comes to church even though it is over an hour of travel. We love him!

Hermana Molinero and I are such good friends now and we are loving working together. I think that since we have a lot of experiences together we get along. Usually when you change area you change companions but since we didn't we are even closer. We are wondering how much time we will be together. Transfers are the day after Christmas but it doesn't make sense for one of us to leave after 1 month in the area. This is our second transfer together and it is also rare for companions to be together for more than 2 transfers so we will see! We want to be together again.

 I am in the same district as Hermana Abate Daga again so I got to see her this week! She is my capacitadora and she has one year in the mission as of 2 days ago! Whoo hoo!

I am doing service here helping a girl named Maria learn the piano. She already knows some and is eager to learn more! I am loving helping her. Tell the boys to keep practicing because the piano is so helpful here!

I am not scared to bring my camera out proselyting so here are some pictures of Cañuelas: 

 I love the sky here! I don´t know if the pictures do it justice but the sky is different here in Argentina and it is so beautiful!

 (We have to switch cybers now- but I am going to write more!)

Mom,   Aww I know that feeling! Missing someone is one of the worst feelings ever. Enjoy your other kids during Christmas- don't worry about me! My mind is often here and not there- I am loving the mission. It's not like I love you guys less (I love you  more now that I am far.) It's more that I am in another world and am so busy with the mission life. 

We have a whole box of "Ilumina el Mundo" ["Light the World"] pass along cards and it is easier to make contacts in the street with these. Yay Christmas! We still don't know where we are going to Skype for Christmas-we will keep looking!

Everyday I too am grateful for my family. I love you guys so much! All the members that I show our family pictures marvel. I am so proud to be a McBride!