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