Week Seventeen

Feliz Navidad!!

It was so great to hear everyone's voices yesterday. It truly was the greatest Christmas gift I could have. It was even more than just being able to speak and be understood it was being able to feel your love and support. I hope that you know how much I love my Savior and this time of year to think of him. It's great to hear that everyone is doing well and I hope all those are recovering from sickness do so soon. I really wish I could have tasted that amazing turkey and stuffing but I know there will be plenty of time for that in this life.

So for those who might have dozed off during my phone call I'll recap quickly my Christmas in Bell Ville, Argentina.

Friday night we had a nativity at the ward activity that included new members and investigators which we do every Wednesday night. It went really well, and was a great spiritual reminder for everyone. We had a pot luck and I had the weirdest food yet of this super moist sweet cake roll filled with tuna, mayo and green olives. No bueno, I got it down and grabbed the next closest empanada to wash down the taste.

Saturday we went to the Plaza in the middle of town and sang Christmas hymns. It was me, Hna Tejada, Hna Barascotto, Hno Hugo and Hna Cordoba. We had Santa hats and Hna Karina was dressed in a santa suit with sunglasses handing out candy and Book of Mormons. We wanted to do the contacting but the others couldn't sing so mostly it was me and Hna Tejada singing a duet. Yikes!

Then we had a baptism of Elena and Enzo. Both of them were such amazing miracles and I feel so blessed to see the missionary work press forward in this city. It was special too because the less active sister of Elena bore her testimony and the parents of Enzo came and could feel the powerful spirit of the baptism. It was such a great Christmas gift to feel the joy of helping people come unto their Savior.

We then went to Hna Elenas and talked with her for a bit then off to the Cordobas to celebrate Christmas. Here they welcome the Christmas kind of like New years. We had a delicious meal and then at midnight everyone goes out and lights off fireworks. One of the Elders dressed up like Santa and climbed up on the roof to drop presents down. They gave me and Hna Tejada mate cups which is a special drink of Argentina that as missionaries we can't drink but the members can. Then out of no where we had this huge foam fight with these cans that Hna Cordoba bought. Super fun. Then it was off to bed. It seriously felt like the fourth of July/New Years Eve, not Christmas - but it was great none the less!

The phone call on Sunday was great and I'm super excited to hear that Mel and Kevin are engaged! So happy for them, it's been a long time waiting. I'll be sending my maid of honor speech in the mail. lol

I have to go buy groceries before the store closes. I'm still unable to upload photos but I'll keep trying. I hope everyone is well.

All my Love and Prayers,

Hna Potrie

Week Sixteen!

Feliz Navidad!!!!!

Im so glad you guys could get together for Christmas. I'll admit I've been thinking about home a bit lately and I pray that you all feel of my love and that you all travel safely and have lots of fun together and eat lots of delicious food. I have no idea what will be on the menu here. We are eating with the Familia Cordoba and I imagine the house will be packed with people. And all of Hna Laura's food is delicious maybe it's a name thing all Laura's are good cooks. I'll be calling from 5-6pm Cordoba time which I think is 5 hours ahead so it'll be right around 12 so make sure to get home soon I guess.

We've been singing Christmas hymns like crazy with people in hopes of reminding them about the Savior. We're also singing in the plaza which is a park in the middle of town on the 24th which should be fun and singing at the hospital and for the kids who receive free food every day in the poor part of town. The lady who runs that place is such an amazing example of service and giving all that she has. The people here who sometimes have so little have the biggest hearts and give the most.

The mission is a constant roller coaster of emotions. It's humbling to struggle with the language and constantly need that help of my companion and the Savior. It's sad when we teach people and see them changing and growing and then they just change their minds. It's also the sweetest joy to see people follow the Savior and be baptized and see it change their lives. Or to help less active members remember why the gospel is important. We really have had miracles. Last week we made the goal to find one person to baptize before the new year. So we made a list of people who have come to church but won't commit. On Saturday we worked with one eternal investigator of 2 years Elena and the four of us the elders, Hna Tejada and me talked with her and bore testimony of how it could change her life. I didn't say much but at the end I was able to bear testimony and I felt the spirit so strongly I knew that God loves her and wants her to change and feel the peace of the atonement in her life. My Spanish was weak but the power of the Spirit was with me even when I felt so unworthy to have it that day. At the end of the lesson she offered the most humble sincere prayer I've ever heard her say. Then on Sunday I was really bummed when she didn't show up at church, but during lunch we got a phone call from Elena and she wanted us to come as soon as we could. We had no idea what was up but headed over with the Elders and even when we were in I couldn't understand everything she was saying but then I felt the spirit and I know she received a very sacred answer to her prayers. She's going to be baptized on the 24!!! And I'm so happy. This work is the Lords and I am so blessed to merely be His servant.

I am so excited to call home and hear everyone's voices. I love you all and pray for you always. And you should know as a missionary that's a lot 'cause we pray all day. I know it's hard during the holidays but I know His love and comfort are with you and there's nothing I could ask for more. I'll talk to you on Sunday!!!!!!!!

Love Hna Potrie

Week Fifteen

Hola,

Sounds like you had a big staff party this year mom. I'm glad your business is doing well. As Christmas gets closer I think of your pumpkin pie more and more and the delicious baking. They love fruit bread and like dry cookies here. They are pretty good cause I'm not very picky. The Christmas conference was great. We had to get up at 3AM to catch a bus to Cordoba which was 3 hours away. Plus like usual we were late getting out the door so we had to run a little bit and it was still hot, so I felt like I had just taken another shower after my first one that morning. We talked about missionary work of course at the conference. It was great to see other missionaries and talk to a few of the ones that flew in with me and realize they have the same struggles and realize it's totally normal. President Salas dressed up as santa for us and handed out packages. I got the one from you. I might have opened it. Ooops! It was the one with the stuff from dad to. Thanks so much for the shampoo and reeses puffs, anything peanut butter is heavenly because it doesn't exist here. Plus our fridge finally works so I could have reeses puffs with real cold milk it was a miracle of Christmas!!!! The other packages will get here I'm not sure when I'll get them though. But honestly the thing about Christmas I look forward to most this year is just talking with my family.

Oh, I also finally got mail so I got your dear elder mom. You can send letters that way cause they are free and it doesn't matter how long it takes because mail is grouped together till we get it anyways. Oh and tell Auntie Deb thanks for all the letters and jokes.

The missionary work here is a mixture of contacting people on the street and then stopping by, asking the members for referrals, working with less actives and rarely knocking doors. We had the baptism of Osualdo this week. We were a bit nervous because of his smoking problem but he is finding strength in the Lord. He is such a great guy and I loved seeing him sit there in his white shirt and tie and receive the Holy Ghost and see the peace enter his life.

The people here are a variety of classes. There are different sections of town of income status. We generally work in both. I've seen houses with pools and houses that are two rooms and dirt floors but I love them all. The people are all very welcoming and even though they have little, they give everything.

As far as groceries go things are a little more expensive here. Like a liter of pop is 10 pesos which is a lot of pesos but it's 4 or 3 pesos to a dollar so it's not bad when you think it that way. and They don't have dimes, nickles or pennies so we don't have a lot of change which I like. We receive plenty of money every month for our needs. I make sure to spend it wisely. My bike was having issues this week but we got it fixed by this old guy who runs the shop out of his garage. He rides his motorcycle with viking horns but is a really great guy and the best deal for fixing bikes. You can tell he does it cause he loves it.

Things about Argentina, hmmm I still don't understand the driving here people just honk or flash their lights at an intersection which is interesting. Plus I've seen all sorts of people riding mopeds, dirt bikes or anything with a motor that runs and has two wheels really. Or we see people riding through town on horse and buggy very interesting. hahahaha

Anyways I should get going. I hope all is well with everyone. My thoughts and prayers are with you always.

Love Hna Potrie

Week Fourteen

Hey there,

Can you believe it's almost been 3 months!!!!!!! Time is just flying by. I feel like the saying in nursing school of "long days and short weeks" applies to the mission. We work hard to make the most of everyday and by the end we are always exhausted. Today we don't get a full Pday because we have the Christmas mission conference on Thursday this week so we just get the morning today to email and buy groceries and then back to work.

Oh and I had my first baptisms this week. It was two girls Angela and Margareta. They are two adopted girls into a member family so they had been waiting for the right time and it finally happened. Sadly, I didn't have much part in teaching them just setting up the baptism really. They are great girls though and I feel so much love for them. When we were going over the baptismal service plan it got really awkward when it came to who would go first but I just tried to let them know how much love I feel from our Heavenly Father for them and that we are just there to help them come unto Christ. We also have another baptism planned for next week. He was an investigator about a year ago and then lost interest but a rccent heart attack has given him a different perspective on life and he wants to be baptized. I really enjoy teaching him with another member Hno Hugo, they are very funny helpful guys. Hno Hugo reminds me of dad a little, great missionary for the ward always inviting everyone he knows and he's only been a member for 2 years. That's what I love about the members here - they realize how important missionary work is and are always sharing it with their friends. They are great examples to me.

We also found two families the Mendoza family and I can't remember the last name of the other. They both seem so prepared to hear the gospel. The Mendoza family is so full of love and unity as a family. I really hope they can see how the gospel can bless their family.

Things are also changing a bit as we got a set of elders in Bell Ville this week as well. I know it will take some adjustment but together I think we can really help move the work along. I also loved testimony meeting yesterday. The members were lining up after the first one and we went way over time. A testimony that hit me the most was the testimony of a recent member who is deaf. She went up with her husband and she signed while he translated. She has so much courage and such a strong testimony. I feel like learning a language has taught me a lot about being grateful for the ability to speak freely.

As to your questions I'm not sure exactly how big this city is but we bike all over it. It's probably a 40 min bike ride from one side to the other. The heat hasn't seemed as bad this week so maybe I'm adjusting. It's still cooling off at night though which is good. But it doesn't turn down the music playing out side in the town square thing. I think they were celebrating something for the last three days here but only in the evening.

The people here are usually fairly willing to talk about religion. Most are evangelist or Catholic because that's how they were raised but they don't go to church. And yes I'm taking my vitamins. I realize the diet here is lacking a few things but I'm so grateful for the food that I have. My Spanish is improving everyday and I'm learning to have patience. As I struggle with the language though I realize more and more the importance of the language of the spirit because although I can't understand all the words they say I can learn to feel what they are saying. It's mentally exhausting though to focus so hard all day on translating and understanding.

We spent a lot of time handing out invitations to less active members about the Christmas devotional. We werentt allowed to watch it though because it started at 10pm and we needed to be in the apartment. The Branch President said we could watch it at his place on a Pday though. I'm glad you´ll get to spend pre Christmas with Ammon, Tyanna and Sharla. I remember going up there last year and how excited Tacey was. This year will no doubt be just as good. I'm not sure what kind of food they eat here for Christmas but I'm sure it will be delicious. I haven't had anything that I don't like or that's really strange, it's all just very Italian. They do some really good BBQ meat though. Yummm!

I should go. But I love you and pray for you always. I pray that you can finish the pies in time and enjoy a good break for Christmas. I've been reading a bit in Jesus the Christ about his birth and life and it's such a great time of year to think of him and the blessings that come from his birth.

Love Hna Potrie