Week 20- Adapting to New Area & Exchanges with Hma. Walker

 I am still trying to get used to the change of area. This week wasn't as successful (5 lessons). I had been anxious about leading out in our area being so new here. Exchanges with Hermana Walker actually weren't so bad- we didn't get too lost! But it turns out we had been working a lot of the time in the area of the Elders. We had to give a lot of the people we found to them! Haha, oh well.  I didn't know that there were parts of their area on our map! I had only been here a week and a half and did not want to have to stay and guide the area already, but my companion really wanted to leave Aldo Bonzi for a day because she is frustrated with the area. Hermana Walker has a great excitement for sharing the gospel and gave me tips on how to work on my pronunciation. I am trying so hard to learn to talk like a native, but it is so hard! The r's, t's, d's, b's, e's, v's , and i's are all different than in English so I am going to try to work on one letter a week.

Exchanges with Sister Abby Walker (AZ) 

She's a "celebrity" of sorts in our family. We followed Sister Walker's blog for the months leading up to my mission

I was feeling stressed about my ability to teach this week and was struggling to enjoy Spanish. My companion has plans to live in the U.S after the mission and is working hard on her English. She wanted me to teach a lesson in English. Last night, in language study I taught her the Restoration in English and it felt so good! The words came easily and my companion was impressed and said I was a good teacher. It was so good for me to realize that yes, I do know the doctrine and have a good ability to teach, it is just harder in Spanish and I just need more patience.  I will be better with more time, practice, and experience. Afterward, Hermana Molinero tried to teach me in English. She got super frustrated and was amazed at how hard it was! Now she understands my situation a little better and now I know that my language struggles are not too out of the ordinary. After all, Spanish isn't my native language. I've decided that I am probably not going to be as good or smooth as the natives and that is just fine.

Sister Molinera and I with Sisters Ochoa and Davis 

The sisters in this picture live in the same apartment complex as us.

I was with Sister Ochoa (red shirt) in the CCM and so it has been fun talking to her. They are so fun! For district activity we played frisbee and chatted. My frisbee is really coming in handy! :)

Wow how exciting Mom. I'm so happy that you have this new job opportunity at the tennis club. And the tennis season is over already! Dad sent pictures and your hair is longer!  And just so you know, people here marvel at our family and always say how young and good-looking you and Dad are. I show pictures of the family to the members and investigators here if we are teaching about family history work or something.

Sorry its short this week- a lot of people wrote me! Love you guys!

Week 19- Transferencias!

New Companion: Hermana Molinero (from Tucuman, Argentina)

I am now with my new companion Hermana Molinero! She has 7 months in the mission and is from Tucuman Argentina. We get along great! She is super sassy and funny and talks a lot and quickly too so I believe I am going to learn a lot of Spanish with her. While on the mission she has been having a lot of stomach problems and so far the doctors have said that now she is allergic to wheat, pototoes, onions, and milk. She isn't eating these things and is still having problems and has lost a ton of weight because of it. I am worried for her, but she is really strong and even though she often doesn't feel good, she still works really hard. She has a lot of new perspectives about the mission and I have already learned a lot from her.

As for Aldo Bonzi, I am not crazy about the area yet. I often missed San Vicente and how things used to be in my training. There are pretty parts, but then there are a few "villas" which are neighborhoods that are really poor and dangerous. Seriously it is so sad and the houses are even worse than what I saw in San Vicente. I have to be more alert and remember which parts of the area are dangerous especially at night which wasn't a problem in San Vicente. I wish I could take pictures, but it would not be very smart to take my camera out while we are out and about. Maybe you guys can look on Google maps to get a feel for how poor areas of Argentina are. This week I was trying to learn the area quickly because already on this coming Wednesday I have exchanges and I have to guide the area! I will be with Hermana Walker! Do you and dad still follow her blog?

Anyway, it is a ward here with about 70 active members, but they aren't as supportive of the missionaries. :( We only are fed lunch about half the time which is so frustrating for me we are really tight on money. I really don't want to use my personal money but I might have to this month.

As for the work, we are teaching a lot more than we ever did in San Vicente! People actually let us in. We taught 11 lessons this week and it's looking like we are going to have a person who wants to be baptized this month. This part was great and Hermana Molinero is a fantastic teacher. She knows the scriptures so well and is very clear and direct with the gospel principles in the lessons. 

Some of the lessons that stood out to me: 

We were teaching a 21 year-old less active member whose mother had died from cancer 2 days before. It was really powerful to testify about the Plan of Salvation and give her hope for the future. I couldn't imagine being in her situation. She now lives alone and doesn't have family nearby. Yet, she came to church as well as 2 of our other investigators. Another lesson was an old couple of 82 and 84 years old and the wife was in a wheel chair.  She wanted so badly to be able to walk again and I loved hearing my companion promise her that through the resurrection, her body would be perfect and that she will be able to walk again. 

Another lady was really really poor. She lived in a shack, didn't have light, electricity, or very many belongings and her work was cutting grass by hand. She said she often didn't have food and told us about her life and how difficult it was. Yet she still had so much faith and love for God and that things would be better in the next life. 

Another lesson was with a family that had 4 kids and one was a member so the 11 year old girl helped us teach her family. It was fun to teach the kids and get them excited about the Restoration of the gospel. It reminded me how much I love kids.

Note to Mom:

Okay mom, I talked to more missionaries here and they said that if you go to this link you can send me packages and that it works! http://mymissionarypackagesarg.com/  And for letters the address is

Buenos Aires South Mission

Quintana 447

1846 Adrogue

Buenos Aires Argentina

Here is a list of options I would LOVE to receive in a package from home! (I already bought a backpack this week)

Chocolate- a variety of Hersheys- the candy here is not the same!

Jif Peanut Butter

Exersize DVD- every pench has a DVD player.

Vitamins

sunglassses

a new outfit or two!

and last but now least I would love a CD or DVD of videos of the family or Dean and the other kids singing or something like that! :) If possible :):)

Week 18- General Conference and Transfers!

So Conference was so great wasn't it? We had to travel an hour by bus to the stake center to watch it and it was in English for the American missionaries for every session except for the Women's session. This made Conference a whole day event for two days. I couldn't understand the woman translator very well, but I could understand pretty well the male translator for President Uchtdorf. It didn't help that we watched this session on Saturday morning right before we found out transfers so I couldn't concentrate very well. 

For this next transfer I am leaving San Vicente and going to Aldo Bonzi with an Hermana Molinero from Argentina. In an hour I will be driven there and meet her and start all over in a new area! This area was Hermana Abate Daga's first area so she was able to tell me all about it and show me lots of pictures. It is all city, all walking, with a huge pench (apartment) and another pair of hermanas living in a neighboring apartment. At first I was sad to be leaving but now it feels right. This weekend was crazy with members and missionaries writing goodbye notes in my journal, packing, and conference. On Sunday after Conference we and the Elders from San Vicente ate dinner with the Campagna Family and then said goodbye to the Fernandez Family who had been baptized in August. Elder Perkins is leaving too and so we had to say our last words and everyone was in tears in both families. 

     The Spirit was so strong as we and the members testified about the blessings of the gospel and remembered the good times we had together. I was surprised how easily the words came for my speech and I was touched as they told me in their tears how much they loved me and appreciated my work and were going to miss me. Despite the language barrier and although I had often wondered if I had made a difference, I really had and they are sweet friends. They were such tender moments and I love them so much and it is so bittersweet to leave.

I am out of time. Aldo Bonzi here I come! 

To JJ:

Thank you so much JJ! It is so beautiful! I love it when I receive messages and pictures from you! When my companion, Hna. Abate Daga saw it, she was really impressed and said Wow Su hermana es una genia! which means Your sister is a a genius in English! Keep up the good work! Is 2nd grade harder than 1st grade? I love you and miss you!

To Aaron:

Thank you Aaron! My Spanish is coming along well and I am happy with my progress! I can speak without having to think so hard and people can understand me better! I have not gone to the temple since I was in the CCM but now I will live a 20 minute walk away from the temple! Woah I didnt realize that you are in 2nd grade! You are getting so big! How do you like school? Is it better or worse than 1st grade?

On Sun, Oct 2, 2016 at 11:50 PM, Aaron McBride <McBrideAM@ldschurch.org> wrote:

Hay audery I herd your partner is a butey quine.  But how is your Spanish going.have you gon to the temple.In secant grade my teacher is misis visacaro.                                                         

P.S.

 So I was talking to Elder Perkins from Arizona and he said that his parents tried to send him a package and it was send back to them, so I don´t know if packages can be sent. Hermana Manner received one of those big yellow envelopes stuffed with letters, so that should work! Hermana Shepherd said that she knows of a guy who lives in Argentina who has a business of receiving American packages for missionaries and then forwards it to the mission home! I still haven}t received the name and address from her yet but maybe that will work! I don't need anything yet, but I would love vitamins and a backpack- we can use them after all. Ill try to think of more things. I could buy these things here if I take out money from my credit card from home.

                                         Goodbyes from San Vicente (Elder Perkins also being transferred)

 Hermana McBride and Hermana Shepherd

Week 17: Quick trip to the Capital!

This week was better in the aspect that we had a lot to keep us busy. The references, if we found them in their houses were all nice and we were able to make an appointment to come back. So we had a lot of lessons planned, but one after the other, when we came for the appointment they weren´t home.  Or they said that something came up and that we would have to come another time. So we were only able to teach two investigators and then 3 less active or recent convert lessons for a total of 5 lessons this week. Three of our investigators committed to come to church as well and none of them came despite us sending messages and coming to their houses in the morning to accompany them to church. I am developing trust issues... (Haha. But 'tis the life of a missionary.)

And we can´t forget about the Capital on Thursday!! I just had to go to the U.S Embassy and wait in line for 2 hours and sign something, and answer a few questions. Then we ate pizza in a restaurant and got to walk around for a bit. I met some other sisters and Elders and had a great time. The Capital is so beautiful with statues everywhere and pretty trees and beautiful buildings. 

We also had a district activity where we played soccer and had a "silly string war." It was great fun. The Elders went easy on us sisters in soccer and made a rule that only we could make the goals and I am proud to say that I made 2 goals! :)

 Exchanges with Hermana Manner and member from her ward

 Hermana Abate Daga and I at the Open Chapel

 Silly String War with Our District

Aftermath of our Silly String War

Sisters I was with while in the Capital getting our Visa Paperwork Done

                                          Pictures of Buenos Aires, the Capital 

Wildlife Preserve

Time is up but next time I write I will have a new companion and may be leaving San Vicente. We will see!​

Week 16: The Work is Progressing!

 I am definitely in more of a routine now and the time is passing quickly. Transfers in 2 weeks will change that. I still struggle with the language at times but know enough to get by.

So this week was super busy. On Wednesday we had "tramittes" again for government stuff for Argentina and they wouldn´t accept my passport because there is a space in between the Mc and the Bride and on all the other documents there wasn´t, so now I have to go to Buenos Aires on Thursday and have an interview with government officials and sign something.  But then apparently I will get a little tour and get to eat lunch at a nice restaurant in Buenos Aires.  So I am excited because I have never got to see the Capital!

Thursday was the best day of the mission so far. We taught 4 lessons in one day, two with a member and they were all with new people so now we have 4 new investigators and one has a date for baptism. An investigator has to go to church 3 times to be baptized. She didn't come so we have to push the date back, but its okay we will work with her. We were so busy all day and it felt so good. 

The Capilla Abierta was a success and we got 65 references in total, 40 of which were for us and the rest were for the Elders. As part of the tour of the chapel was the baptismal font and 7 people accepted a date for baptism and want to be taught the lessons. The cool part is that they all live in our area! We had been inviting people to come to the C.A all week so I guess it payed off! We´ll see how many actually follow through and progress in the lessons but at least we have people to teach! The Elders are so jealous and I don´t know why it turned out that way. Now we have a lot of work ahead of us to contact all of our references. But it is really a faith builder that there really are people that want to hear the gospel in San Vicente. In the morning we did splits and Hermana Manner and I and a member got to go work together which was so fun.

In answer to your question about service: So I learned a few weeks ago that we only have 4 hours of service a week to use and often we don't use it because there aren´t very many opportunities. We are always looking for service to do, but people always say they are fine and don´t need anything. Our main purpose as missionaries is to invite others to come unto Christ through faith, repentance, baptism, the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end. We are supposed to focus our efforts in proselyting in the streets throughout San Vicente. Talking to as many people as we can a day and inviting them to learn more about the restored gospel of Jesus Christ, with the main goal of us teaching them the lessons and helping them keep commitments so they learn and grow and change their lives for the better as they prepare for baptism. For me the whole mission is a service. This week we did clean the church in prep. for the Capilla Abierta and taught the gospel principle class on Sunday at church if that counts! 

At first I felt like I wasn´t helping anyone else, but our work with the less actives is paying off.  Now one whole family of 5 has been coming back to church and one other lady too because we had been visiting them.

[Since Audrey had a hard time posting pictures this week, here are some pictures from Dean participating in the Youth Cultural Event for the Philadelphia Temple and Adam singing in the Cornerstone Choir for the dedication of the Temple on Sunday, 9-18.]

Week 15: Open House, Teaching, and Yummy Food!

This week was really busy and a little different than the others. We lost our studies in the morning a few days because we had tramites (I don´t know what it is in English) in Lomas de Zamora on Wednesday so we had to wake up at 5 am to take the bus and train to fill out paper work to make me legal in Argentina.

Then on Thursday we had to wake up at 5:30 am to travel to Glew for my first Zone Conference. It was all morning and the president of the mission, the assistants to the Pres. and the Zone leaders all spoke to us and I enjoyed it a lot. Apparently Pres. Calquin is more strict than the other, (no more disney music) but he has a lot of energy and excitement about the work. I really like him and overall I enjoyed the conference. This transfer there is another Elder from Pennsylvania in my zone so there are two of us representing Pennsylvania! Elder Jesson from the Erie area. We have a Zone Activity today in Glew and we were going to play volleyball and frisbee (the elders went crazy when they heard that I had one) but it is raining today so we will have to see what happens.

On Friday was a branch Family Home Evening and we had the lesson. We decided to focus on "The Family: A Proclamation to the World," and made a house out of the characteristics a family should have. The lesson went really well. 

Teaching Aid that We Made for our Lesson

Then on Saturday we had to get up at 5 again for a Capilla Abierta in Burzaco. Remember this is when 30ish missionaries come to one city and proselite all morning giving out invitations for the afternoon until 1 and then give tours of the church. We didn´t stay for the tour because there were enough missionaries already. We slept really well that night. The big "Libro de Mormon" was one of the props. (see photo) There is going to be a CA (Open Chapel) in San Vicente this Saturday so we are keeping busy preparing for this too. This should help us to find more people to teach.

Huge Book of Mormon we Made as a Prop for our Capilla Abierta

The members brought "factoras" for all the missionaries for breakfast at the Capilla Abierta. Delicioso! One thing that I have noticed is how many bakeries are here. I have counted 7 here in San Vicente. People love their cakes and bread here. For this reason the obesity epidemic is similar to that in the US. Maybe a little better, but there are a lot of people that struggle with weight. They only eat the French style bread, not sliced like in the US and they eat it for nearly every meal.  I am not complaining. It is so good!

Factoras- Incredibly Deliciosas!

Bread that Most Argentines eat with Nearly Every Meal

On Sunday, Hermana Abate Daga gave a talk and then we had to teach Relief Society. We weren´t very prepared for the lesson because of our busy week but nevertheless it went very well and by the end of it my companion had the whole class crying because the Spirit was so strong. She is a great teacher and I feel so blessed to have her as a companion. These last two weeks, we have been becoming more and more close. We can have more in depth conversations now and we are such good friends! We both don´t want to leave San Vicente- it is known as one of the best areas in the mission with one of the best penches (apartments) too. We are nervous for what is going to happen the next transfer and we don´t know who is going to stay or go because we both came into the area at the same time.

Sweet Message from my Companion's Family in Cordoba, Argentina. The sign reads: 

"Happy 3 Month Anniversary [in the mission] Hermana Macbride. With love, the Abate Daga family, [from] Oncativo, Cordoba, [Argentina]"

Also, yesterday was the mission farewell for two young men from our branch of San Vicente. One is going to serve a mission in Peru and the other in Bolivia. They are both leaving today. Last night was the going away activity and about 60 people came. It was held in the chapel and my companion and I organized a musical number with 10 members of the branch singing The Army of Helaman with me of the piano. First all the family members of the almost missionaries spoke as well as the stake president and president of the branch.. Then we all ate food in the gym and returned and everybody watched as the two missionaries were set apart. It was strange for me because there were friends and nonmembers in attendance so it wasn´t personal like mine was. Nevertheless, it was a great night focused on missionary work and I reflected on when I left on the mission 3 months ago. It seems like so much more time than that, seriously.

Apparently this mission is harder than other missions in Argentina and generally the church grows anywhere from 40-70 baptisms a month. Despite being a really good area, the missionary work in San Vicente is struggling. None of our investigadores are progressing and we are constantly trying to find people who want to listen to us. So, we have also been focusing on having lessons with less active members. We feel blessed that we had 4 lessons with less-active members this week and two people came to church!

P.S. I'm praying for Grandpa that he will be healed and fully recovered. Wow I am glad that you found a renter- I had been praying for that. I want a picture of the new van!

Oh and the whole food situation is fine. We were able to get money from the bank later last Monday and stock our cupboards!

Yes my boots are working out great but are already pretty worn because of all the walking. I am glad I brought two pairs because these won´t last another winter. My bike ripped one of my skirts already and I have had to sew a hole in one of my sweaters. The red rain shoes already broke too. But yes it is getting warmer. It is so weird one day it will be sunny and pretty hot and the next will be cold and rainy. It rained 3 days this week. 

Week 14: Liking Spanish More!

This week I really started enjoying my mission more and I feel like I am being blessed with the gift of tongues. Before I didn´t enjoy Spanish very much and kept wishing for an English Speaking mission. But now I feel grateful for this opportunity to learn Spanish and I feel so cool when I realize that I haven´t spoken English all day and that I am understanding almost everything my companion says. 

One day at lunch with the Campagna family, Gonzi the 10 year old kid wanted me to say the prayer over the food in English and the parents agreed. I did and it was really hard! All of my prayers for the last 2 months have been in Spanish and I had to think hard to remember how to pray in English. Then an Elder wanted me to tell him a story in English and I kept wanting to say the words that I knew in Spanish. It has only been 8 weeks since I left the MTC and looking back, I have learned sooo much. It seems like I have been in the field for so much longer than that. My first tranfer was so slow but this week flew by really fast. 

The highlight of the week was exchanges again. The other two times I went to Adrogue but this time I had to stay in San Vicente and be the ¨"senior companion" and lead everything for 24 hours. The planning, guiding the area, I was in charge of the cell phone, the keys, everything. It was like the ultimate test to see how I was learning the area and the ways of a missionary. I was nervous but everything turned out just fine and actually wasn´t so hard. My compi has taught me well I guess. I was with Hermana Rodriguez from Spain. She goes home this December and we had a good time together. (Sorry I forgot my nametag in the picture) Whoops!

Hermana Rodriguez from Spain

On Friday was my "Cumplemez" or my 3rd month anniversary on the mission! My compi made my breakfast and I bought factoras for her, which are a kind of pastry. My companion´s is the day after mine and hers was number 9! She´s halfway done! 

Happy 3 Months in the Field!

Yes Mom, I am alive and well for now. August was 5 weeks and this was the first p-day in September so we really had to stretch our money. Right now we are both completely out of money and food and the bank has been closed for 3 days now so we can´t get more money yet! My compi is using her last personal money to pay for this computer time. We are discouraged to use our credit cards in the stores because of fees, but we might have to if the bank doesn´t open soon! Compi and I had planned on starting a diet today because she wants to lose weight too and it is easy now because we don´t have any food!  We do walk and ride bikes a lot, so that helps. The members just feed us so much so its hard. 

Waiting for the Bank to Open...

Spiritual Thought

Alma 5:48 I am appreciating more and more the Atonement of Jesus Christ. His suffering for our sins makes it possible for us to start again and progress in this life. Because of him, we have hope for a better life and for change. I am so grateful for his grace and mercy.  

P.S.

Wow, nothing is going to be the same when I get home! New kitchen, new car!

Dad, what a great experience you had with the Wells family.  You are so awesome for putting that all together and I am sure the family was so appreciative of you. You are so caring and truly have a gift for helping others and empathizing with them. You have charity- the pure love of Christ- a special spiritual gift.

 I love you and am so grateful to have you as my dad. A lot of families here are broken and every day I feel so blessed to come from such an amazing home with wonderful parents.

 J.J. looked super tall in the picture you sent me. Just please don´t move across the country or something crazy like that! I am glad everything turned out fine in the accident [Adam & Brenda were in a minor car accident] and that you had fun with Mary Catherine and Jeremy at the US Open.