Week Sixty!!

Hola!

This week was a little more difficult. We seemed to hit a lot of walls with our investigators and it's hard to see them change their minds and reject this message because we know it can help them. We were able to have a few really good lessons with some inactive families. I'm learning more and more how important it is to keep doing the small and simple things like read the scriptures and pray everyday. We can not afford to miss a day! The power of the scriptures and prayer is amazing I've seen it bring the spirit into a room a full of contention or soften the hardest of hearts. 

We also got caught out in a terrible hail storm. We were walking from a members house for lunch to an investigators house, like a 15 min walk I think. We left the members and there was a really ugly cloud over head then we kept walking and it started to rain and we started running to another members house but then it started hailing. Imagine running in skirts with our bags over our heads to protect us and my comp yelling "protect your eyes!" Hahahahahaha the member wasn't home so we found shelter under a carport and let the storm pass. Then 20 mins after it was sunshine and clear skies. Crazy right. Oh and they were dirt roads or mud roads after the rain. Hahahaha. Good times, good times. 

Anyways I hope all is going well and that you have a wonderful week!

Con Mucho amor (With much love) Hna Potrie

Week Fifty-Nine!

Hola!

Sounds like life up north is going great with lots of chasing cows and enjoying time together. This week was great we had another baptism!!!!! Her name is Graciela. She was a reference from the elders. She was so prepared. She has a great heart and was already asking how she can help serve others in the church. It was a great experience to see the emotion as she came out of the font. 

Also I can't remember if I told you guys, but we just had transfers last week. I'm still in Ayacucho with Hna Suarez and couldn't be happier. We have a great time together and laugh a lot. We are really trying to talk more with the people in the streets. It still scares me at times but I just remember what this gospel can bring to their lives and try to picture them in white, baptism, temple and heaven. Saturday night after the baptism we left and walking back to the pension we did contacts, where you stop people and try to talk to them about the gospel and get their address to pass by. But we left with such a strong spirit of the baptism. We we're standing there writing down and address when a lady passed by and I jokingly said "ah we missed one." And my comp said "no!" And we went running down the street to catch up with them. Hahahahahaha I couldn't believe it. I had never seen my comp run before and there she went leaving me in the dust. Hahahahaha.

We had a miracle. Well I call it a miracle. We ran out of credit on the cell phone and so we haven't been able to call, but we can receive calls. We were sitting there drinking a pop and trying to figure out how to contact the Hna from the ward that was going to come with us to the lesson. When all the sudden the phone started ringing and it was the exact Hna that we needed to talk to. No han cesados los milagros! The miracles have not stopped!!!!! I believe in miracles everyday!! When was the time you recognized a miracle from your Heavenly Father in your life??? Think about it, pray about it. 

Alright fam jam I don't got much else to say. I hope all is well and that you travel safely back home. My thoughts and prayers are with all of you! 

Con Mucho Amor, 

Hna Potrie

Week Fifty-Eight!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!!!!!

There is so much to be  grateful for. Conference weekend was amazing!!!!!! I got to watch all        four sessions and loved every single one. There was such a strong spirit to hear the prophet declare that the age for the missionaries has changed. I was so excited to hear that. It will truly bless the work of the Lord to have more Hnas in the field. It is also so powerful to feel the power of a prophet that can receive revelation to lead the church of Jesus Christ. This is the true church with prophets, revelation and priesthood authority. We also had the amazing experience of a white conference!!! With four baptisms in between the first and second session. And the fact that miracles have not ceased, Marcelo was baptized on Saturday!!!!!!!!! It was a week of miracles to see the power of the spirit work such a change in him and that he entered the waters of baptism. The young girl Naira from the Elders area was also baptized. It was a really amazing moment as I went into the bathroom to see why she wouldn't come out in her white jumpsuit, I asked if she was nervous and she said "ya I have to make a lot of changes in my life, and want to be better but I don't know if I can." I testified to her that she can and that baptism is the first step to help her change and that she will be blessed with the holy Ghost to help guide her in the changes she has to make. It was a tender moment as she prayed and asked for help to change from her Heavenly Father. She is an amazing daughter of God and it's been such a blessing to see the gospel change her life. 

I loved the talk from Elder Holland and I think it applies so well to all of us and to me as a missionary. I think of that scripture a lot. And say to myself when I struggle with something in the mission "Miranda, daughter of Potrie - Lovest thou me?" And within that I find the will to dig a little deeper and stand a little taller. I  love this gospel. I also loved the talk by one of the 70's who talked about is it worth cheating 5 cents in the eternities. I don't know how it was in English, but it's true. Is  it worth giving up our eternal reward for something that we can't take with us. It's powerful. 

Sounds like the pie business is going great I'm so happy for you mom. You truly deserve all the blessings in  the world the wonderful work and service you do. You are a great example of always giving to those in need and looking to serve always. I love your example in my life. 

I hope you all follow the wonderful tradition to give thanks this day before you sit down to that beautiful Turkey Franco!! Even though I might sit down to a different meal tonight I want to share what I am grateful for with all of you. I am grateful for my Savior, Jesus Christ and this chance to see  Him change the lives of others. I'm grateful for His love and mercy that saves us and allows us to return and live with our Heavenly Father as eternal families. I'm grateful for my family and for the wonderful examples they are to me of love, service and hard work. I am grateful for the love our Heavenly Father has for each and everyone of us and that He will never leave us alone in this world and that He is truly watching over us. I pray that you can all feel of his love and of my love for you this day. My thoughts and prayers are with you all. 

Lots of love and hugs, Hna Potrie

Week Fifty-Seven

Hola Buen Día!

Thank you so much for the photos of Ashley and Alisha. They both look great! I can't wait for this little girl to come into the world. She really is blessed to have such amazing parents. But that being said, I hope that things go well and that she comes when she is grown and healthy.

This week was a little bit harder in terms of our investigators. They each seemed to hit a wall in a different form or another. For example with Marcelo we had everything planned for his baptism on Sunday, then on Saturday, he left town and we couldn't get a hold of him till after church. He had some problems with some goals he had and so we aren't sure what will happen. We're going to talk with him tomorrow and explain the amazing power of the atonement and repentance. It was hard to hear the phone call and hear everything that happened because we care about him so much and have seen him grow and change so much we just need him to not lose hope. This gospel is all about hope and change and I pray that he can feel that.

But this week we had a really amazing lesson with a girl in the area of the elders Naira. We talked with her and her mom because she's been having a lot of behavioral problems. As we got to know her we found out how she had gone through some hard times this last year with losing some people in her life that were really important and she finally admitted that she is annoyed with God. So we talked with her and explained parts of the Plan of Salvation and testified to her that our Savior Jesus Christ  can help her. Also we had a really cool experience the other day. We were waiting outside the church for ward council, and the bishop shows up with his wife and another lady Etel. We can see she's been crying and so we take her inside and asked her what's going on. She told us that she is worried about her son who just started rehab the other week. We just listened for a long time and let her say everything she needed to and then we shared with her the hope of this gospel and that even though we pass through hard things the Lord is with us. As we finished there was a sweet peace in the room from the spirit. The next day she went with the Hnas to an activity and the Relief Society Broadcast. And then we saw her on Sunday. As we went to go get her for church we realized the house was one that we had contacted the other week. The day before her son went into rehab we had knocked her door. It was her daughter who had answered said it was a bad moment but that we could pass by on another time. Heavenly Father knew that she would face hard times and had placed us in her way more than once. He knows us, He loves us, He is our Father. Although some times we go through hard times He is always there. I love this gospel, it's such a joy to have the gospel in my life. When we live the commandments and have the Spirit with us we feel His love and are filled with happiness. It doesn't mean we'll never go through hard things but that through them will find the love and support we need.

I hope you all have a wonderful week!!!!! Lots of love and prayers for all.

Con muchismo amor and cariño
Hna Potrie   

Week Fifty-Six

Hola a todos (hello to all)

Micaela was baptized!!!!! It was so amazing. Every time I hear that prayer offered I feel the same powerful spirit. This is the true Church!!!!!!!! Most of her family was able to go to and feel the spirit. Some of them aren't members so maybe we'll work on helping them come unto Christ as well. We had a great week a little slower because it was a long weekend for them (I think it was to celebrate spring but not sure - they celebrate everything here) but things will be back to normal tomorrow. Oh but sad news Marcelo didn't go to church he left for a trip but we still haven't been able to talk with him. We're praying that everything is okay and that he can be baptized on Sunday. Speaking of Sunday it was a crazy day. We got ready and left early because we had a meeting with the Bishop. Then in Relief Society, we were busy trying to prep the class for gospel principles all the while trying to call investigators. The class we taught was a little unorganized but went okay. We taught about the atonement. Then we get to sacrament meeting and we walk in and they ask if one of us can lead the music and to sit on the stand because we are giving talks. Luckily they had told us a day before about the talks but still they were a little rushed in the preparation. Finally when we left I looked at my comp and how exhausting. But it's all good. 

Oh and other good news, Jose from Oncativo was baptized the other weekend I can't remember if I told you that. Super happy that he could follow through with the thing that he wanted to do. 

The good news is that in Cordoba, it's super flat so volcanos do not exist in my mission. So you can sleep well mom, I'm safe. As for if a volcano actually erupted in Argentina I have no idea. We don't watch the news. Hahahahaha but no, I haven't heard anything about it. By the way I can find peanut butter here in the supermarkets!!! So no need to worry about my peanut butter intake.

Anyways, like always I gotta run but I love you all and pray for you daily. 

Con muchisimo amor, 

Hna Potrie

Week Fifty-Five!

Hola a todos! (Hello to all)

I'm so glad to hear that your birthday was great mom! I thought of you that day. We had a zone conference that day and it was really great. We learned a lot and I love Pres. Salas. He talked about all the symbolism in the Book of Mormon and how this book is written to help us know more and more about our Savior. Things with such detail that a young uneducated boy from NY couldn't have known let alone written about in such detail. It was a great week, Micaela is all ready for her baptism she had her interview yesterday and all we need is the baptismal service on Saturday. She is so cute and so smart. We are hoping to be able to talk with her mom this week to and help her mom get back on this path as well. Also our investigator Marcelo (we found him at the baptism of Ezequiel the first week) received his answer about the church. Teaching him has really been such an amazing experience in the way the Lord has guided us. Everyday when we plan for him we go to the appointment and before we even start he has a question about the exact thing we have planned to teach. And after he received his answer he had a rough day and the next lesson we had planned to teach the gospel of Jesus Christ  and could focus on the power of repentance. The Lord is truly guiding us everyday.

I also had a really cool experience of receiving an answer from Heavenly Father. I had been praying and wondering how we can help and strengthen this ward. And it was occupying my mind a lot. Then we arranged to do splits with a couple of sisters in the ward. It was scary to leave my comp and be with someone who doesn't know the lessons but it was great to see this young woman share her testimony with others. And as we walked back to the pension I was talking with Hna Suárez and My answer came we will help the ward by including them in missionary work as much as we can. And as I came to this conclusion I felt such a peace of the spirit come and knew that Heavenly Father had answered my prayers.

A small funny story we were walking during the siesta and it was super hot (side note it got up to 35 degrees the other day) and we were both really tired and my comp looked at me and said "Haga Tuto guagua" I looked at her with huge eyes and said what language are you speaking? hahahahaha she laughed and said oops those are words from Chilé. It's pretty much "go to sleep baby." I'm now practicing Spanish Chileano style. 

To answer your questions mom: The people are very friendly here in general I would say they are more friendly off the bat then at home. Get mail every few weeks here. Oh and the temple yes is under construction it's like 30 min from where we are. It's right beside the mission home. Hna Salas let me enter their bedroom a while ago to see the temple. They had some delays with imports but things are moving along now. It will be such a blessing to the people here to have a temple. Oh and Hna Suarez doesn't speak any English. Hahah like nothing she knows a few words but can't have a conversation. So we speak in Spanish. And yes it comes a lot more naturally now. There are still moments when she speaks really fast cause she's from Chile and that's their form of speaking and I have to ask her to repeat it. Her accent is also rubbing off on me but I'm trying to keep my Córdobes.

I gotta go but love you all and hope all is well.

Love Hna Potrie

Week Fifty-Four!

Hola Familia,

 

I swear the time is going faster and faster each week. This week we had a lot of fun teaching Ezeqiels little sister, Micaela. We marked her a part in the Book of Mormon, 3rd Nephi 11 and she read it all by the next day and remembered it!!!! She was so excited to read and tell us about what she had learned. She is so sweet and I love teaching her. We also had a lot of miracles this week. We were out all day Tuesday walking to the end of the area with the sun baking us and I had blisters that started on my feet but all day we walked and walked and they didn't pop. Also it was threatening to rain in the evening and held off until we were in the pension and then it started to pour and the water raises in the streets when it pours and makes it a little complicated to walk around. It's been amazing to see how the Lord has been blessing us here.

 

We also got to see broadcast of the rededication of the temple in Buenos Aires. It was so beautiful. It made me miss the temple like crazy - it's such an amazing place. All of you who live close to the temple should go for me this week. It's something that sometimes when we have it so close we take it for granted. But it is such a blessing and power to go and feel the peace of the Lord there. Pres Eyring bore an amazing testimony and said something that I love. He said ¨I wish I had time to speak with each of you individually and ask you when have you felt the love of the Savior in your life? And then I would listen to the stories and testimonies of our Saviour Jesus Christ" It makes me reflect as a missionary of how important it is to help the people realise how Christ has helped them in their lives and that in those moments our testimonies grow deeper in the Savior. I love my Savior and really know that He has the power to help us.

 

The Landscape is city and flat. All you see is city and in the very far distance on one side, a faint line of mountains. We are in part of the capital Cordoba. It's like New York, New York, we are in Cordoba capital of Cordoba. Then the city is divided into parts like Salmon Arm is divided into Canoe, downtown and so forth. These smaller parts are barrios. The name of the barrio is Ayacucho., So we're part of the city not the whole city. Cordoba capital is very big. There are 5 stakes in Cordoba Capital. So we work in a section of this gaint city. Yes, we do a whole bunch of walking. Last week we walked all the way to the tip of the area because it's a triangle shape and it look like an hour and 15min from our pension. and our pension or apt is in the middle of the area. hahaha so it's a big area. We walk or we're also learning the city bus system to help if we need to get from one end to the other quickly. Oh and Hna Suarez doesn't know English, haha I try to teach her important words like awkward and creeper. Hahahaha the basics really.

 

Anyways I hope you all have a great week!!!!!

 

Love Hna Potrie