Week 28: LightTheWorld: Caroling in the Plazas & Trains

I am so grateful that I decided to serve a mission. I never knew I had so many flaws until the mission. When all the distractions of the world are taken away, I can see myself more clearly and use the Atonement to change the characteristics that are not very Christlike. It's like a massage for the soul. The kinks and the knots are being smoothed out and this process is so difficult but it is how you learn. The mission is the perfect place to learn more about yourself and gain qualities that are going to be helpful in the future. I am learning to forget myself and serve others, adapt to changes, love a new culture, people, and language, learn to love to study the scriptures more, learn how the Spirit speaks to me, how to talk with people, cook, live with someone, budget my money, and teach the doctrines of the gospel. I am learning how perfect the Gospel is and that people really can change their lives. The message that we share as missionaries is a message of hope for the future and I am so grateful that God loves us and is merciful and is always offering us new opportunities. Thanks to Jesus Christ, we can always choose to change and live better than the day before. 

Missionary Choir in the Plazas

 This week all the missionaries in the zone put on a concert and sang hymns in the major plazas and afterwards on the trains. Singing on the trains was more fun because in the choir my feet and head were hurting pretty bad.  First we had to travel an hour and a half by train and bus to meet up.  Then we contacted people in the streets for an hour inviting them to the event. Afterward we rehearsed and then put on the concert. Following the concerts we talked to the people gathered around us. It was a lot of time to be on my feet.

Here is the Dominguez family! They are members of our ward and we are such great friends! I love their kids so much!

   We had one concert on Thursday and then slept over in Monte Grande with 6 hermanas in one pench (one of them being Hermana Abate Daga!) On Friday we were invited to a ward Christmas lunch in Ezeiza by a missionary couple in our mission (Elder and Hermana Medina). It was so fun! The Medinas were so nice and they reminded me of Grandma Jan and Grandpa Ray. Afterwards we had another round of contacting, performing, and caroling in trains. By the end of all that we were totally exhausted!

Chicken Barbeque- Argentina Style!

They grilled a whole bunch of chicken and everybody brought potato salad, bread, and drinks for their own family. It was different from the potlucks that we are used to.  

Elder & Hermana Medina

Our air conditioner (who we've named Peter) is in our living room so Hma. Molinero & I always bring our mattresses there to sleep because our room is too hot! 

   

     Other than that, we had several lessons with our investigators and they are progressing a lot. Four of them came to church! This Sunday, the Primary teacher didn't show up so we got to teach and entertain 7 kids for 2 hours- that was interesting! It ended up being fun- one of my favorite things is hearing the kids here speak Spanish.  

     We have planned a dinner with members for my birthday and we are going to go out to eat for lunch. Since it is summer it feels so weird that it is my birthday! We are still looking for somewhere to Skype for Christmas but it will happen! :)

     Wow thank you so much for the video! I loved it!! Dean did so well on his solo! Mom, I loved seeing you and the fam in the video! You are so beautiful! I am so proud that you are my mom. 

To answer your question: 

We don't have very many lunches with members and we are walking a lot here. Since my compi can't eat wheat we are eating really healthy- lots of smoothies and fruit, eggs or rice with veggies and hamburger, and salads.

Thank you for what you said in the video about how this is my only Christmas in Argentina. It is good advice and is so true! This week I was a little sad and missing home at times and it was so good to hear encouraging words. I love you so much!