Week Thirty-Four

Thank you so much for the photos! It really was a week full of excitement for you guys. So happy that you could all go to the temple together. It's such an amazing place and I miss it so much.

Well the news about transfers, I'm still here in Oncativo and my new companion, who is actually an old companion Hna Adair that I was with in the MTC. She's the blonde one from Arizona. Which  means we have the exact same time in the mish, but hopefully her spanish is really good and together we can understand and teach these wonderful people. Last week was an adventure as we went to a different area to work with different Hermanas so that Hna Waters could visit her old areas. I got to work with Hna Fairbanks from Arizona and it was good. She has the same time in the mission as well and we actually survived together. It was great to meet new people in different areas and share the gospel. We also had fast in our area to help us find new people and so we had two sets of Elders and the Hnas from Nueva Cordoba so we did splits and went to work. And we realized just how deep the joy is of the mission. Even though the hard moments out number the good, the good moments out weigh the hard times. It's just this deep fulfilling joy that even if you don't baptize these people, you can see a difference the teachings of this gospel makes in their lives. I don't know if it's just because we listen to people and their lives, or if it's because we're missionaries, but people seem to bear their souls to us about their lives. And I just feel so much love for these people that are suffering from these problems and I want to help them so badly find Christ and feel of His peace. Like this one man we talked to on the street that just started crying because he had lost his wife a few years ago and what a blessing to offer peace and comfort to these people. To tell them that this world isn't the end it's just a step to something far greater.

This week we're going to go out hard and find the people that we are here to find. It's an act of faith everyday and I know I'm here for a reason. I can't really think of anything else too exciting happening. It's just missionary work as usual. I love you all so much and haven't forgotten about you I just have a huge stack of letters that need to find the post office. Take care, and know that my thoughts and prayers are always with you.

Love Hna Potrie

Week Thirty-Three

Hola!!!!

Alright I can't believe another week has gone by the time is just flying. This is the last week of this transfer which means I'll be getting a new comp! Because this is her last transfer in the mission, which is always hard for both companions because we end up thinking about home a lot, but we're trying our hardest to fight it. Not that we don't like thinking about you guys, there's just a difference in thinking about you and how you give me strength to make it through those hard days and missing you so much I just want to be with you. It's a big difference.

So anyways, today and tomorrow we are traveling to different areas in the mission that Hna Waters worked in so she can say good bye to her converts. Which means right now, I'm actually in a different little city called Alma Fuerte which litteraly translates to 'strong soul' which sounds funny, but I kinda like it. Anyways then tomorrow we'll be working with some other Hnas in a different area Villa Independencia. So should be lots of fun getting to know people and working in different areas. Oh, and next week with transfers. I'm not sure what time I'll be emailing or if I'll be able to, but I hope so.

So this week was a week of growing and stretching. We've both been learning a lot at how to be better missionaries. We both read this amazing talk about the testifying and challenging missionary. What it talks about is how we need to testify so the spirit can touch their hearts then when we know the spirit is there invite them to follow the Savior and be baptized. Which I know sounds kinda crazy but really we're doing the Lords work and He knows who is prepared and who He wants in His church, therefore we just have to be bold and invite. It's a really interesting way to contact and teach, but I love it because we focus more on testifying to have the spirit touch the hearts so we can invite. Plus, we walk away knowing that the spirit was there with us. From this I shared a spiritual thought the other day at lunch with the family Abata Daga with the scriptures in Mosiah 18:9 or 10 about the baptismal covenant and how we are to be witnesses of Christ at all times. Then we went around and each person shared a one line testimony one truth they knew. Like I know Jesus Christ is my Savior and He personally suffered for my sins. So you go around the table and the spirit starts to fill the room as pure testimony in born and then I read 2 Nephi 33:1 about how the spirit carries the message unto the hearts. And how they can share short testimonies with the people they know to allow the spirit to touch their hearts. So likewise, I invite all of you to do this. During the week, pray for a chance to share a simple truth about the gospel with someone else. And give the Spirit an opportunity to touch their hearts. Because often the doctrine can be deep and mind boggling at first, but the spirit is pure and will touch their spirit.

I love this gospel. I love this opportunity to help the people in Oncativo. I know I'm in this town to find the 1. There is power in testimony no matter what language you speak, and when you testify, the spirit is there and it is a language that is understood by all. I love you all thank you so much for your prayers and love. I hope you have a wonderful time at the temple it is the house of God where we can feel His love and peace.

Con mucho amor,

Hna Potrie

Week Thirty-Two

Felic Pascua! (Happy Easter)

I hope you all had your wonderful fill of ham, turkey and easter eggs and that you took some time to remember why we celebrate this wonderful time of year. It's all about the Savior and what a blessing to have a Savior that lived, suffered, died and was resurrected for us. It was interesting to talk with the people and ask them why they celebrate the Pascua which most of them remembered the Savior but had no idea what it meant for them. So we had the wonderful chance to explain that because of the atonement we will all be resurrected and can be clean from our sins so we can return to our Heavenly Father forever. It's amazing! Just think about that - we can be together as families in the presence of God because of the Savior and his infinite love and atonement. It was such a blessing to share that with people. We even found a few people who said they didn't believe in God, but as we would talk it often turned out that they believed in God, they just didn't realize it. Of course there is a God that created us we didn't just come from nothing of course there is someone from whom we receive all miracles who gives us life everyday. And the greatest thing is looking someone in the eye and saying with out a doubt that I know my Savior lives and because He lives, we will too.

As far as Easter traditions they do here, they basically just spend time with the family and all the catholics have a tradition where they don't eat meat but fish is okay so they eat this weird canned fish with a cream sauce smells terrible and so happy the members don't follow that catholic tradition. We did eat with the members Sunday and it was a churipan - basically a sausage bbq. It was really good actually.

We've been working with Santiago, he's a new member and all of his family isn't members so we're working on helping him teach his family. It's great to see how excited he is to help and be a missionary. We've really taken a step back this week and are focusing more in working with the members and strengthening the branch. We're hoping to see a different sort of success as we all work together.

Well I hope everything is going good. My thoughts and prayers are always with you guys.

Lots of love!

Hna Potrie

Week Thirty-One

Hola,

CONFERENCE WAS AMAZING!!!!! I hope you all enjoyed it as much as I. It was a busy week with trying to invite people to conference and not knowing exactly how it was going to work because here in the little branch, they don't have a satellite to get the feed so the members all just watch it in their house if they have internet. Which is hard to invite investigators to. And on Saturday, we went to another little town like 45min away to watch it there in the chapel because they had a projector. Okay I'm doing a horrible job at explaining this. Rewind, Saturday we watched both session in Rio Segundo, which is like 40 min away and we thought we would have one investigator but she wouldn't answer her phone, and we couldn't find her in her house. Super bummed about that. Anyways, then Sunday morning we made plans to bring Micaela and her mom to the branch presidents house have lunch before at 12 and then watch the first session at 1, which was the plan till we turned up to Micaela's house and she told us that she didn't know because she was waiting for the father of her son to come pick him up. So we waited until 1 and yet he didn't show so we left and got to the presidents house late (I know, I missed my favorite Pres Uchtdorf) and we ate the lunch and watched. So after this we rushed off to the bus terminal to get to Cordoba because the presidents wife wasn't sure if we could watch the second session with her. So went to Cordoba for the second session in our stake center where they had a special room in english for the missionaries. So the sad news we had 0 investigators in conference but I really loved the talks and learned so much. I loved all the talk about how this gospel strengthens families. These men really are called to help guide and direct us in this world of craziness.

Alright, so other things of this week. Sadly it looks like we will not be teaching Juan anymore. We went by Wednesday and he wouldn't even open his gate he just said he didn't want us to come by anymore. We tried to explain and testify again but he just isn't ready right now. This is always something that is really hard in the mission. We grow to have so much love for these people and to see them change their minds is sad. I want so badly to bless him with the gospel of Jesus Christ but I have no idea what else we could have said. No matter what, it's always their choice and we have to respect that, but I don't like leaving them unless I feel like I did everything I could to help them. It's been a week of hard work but we truly feel like the Lord is preparing us and teaching us. He has sent us to Oncativo and we are here for a purpose.

The members here do feed us but it's rare to eat with them in their home. They just give us the food to go. Which kind of defeats the purpose of us wanting to talk with them get to know them and gain their trust and references. But they are still great. We are trying to work more with them every week, because they are the key to success. Yes, the members are the key to successful missionary work. When the missionaries come by you should expect them to share something spiritual and ask you for references. Prepare for this. Invite friends to eat in your house with them. Be involved. You know way more people then they do in that area help them out. They are called to teach and the members are to help find.

Well like usual I gotta run. Thank you for all your love and prayers and birthday wishes. Oh I totally forgot to tell about my birthday. I was in Cordoba to do some paper work for my visa so we had bbq chicken pizza and then the familia Sarmiento in Oncativo surprised me with cake and a bag of candy. Super great family love them.

Gotta run lots of love,
hna Potrie

Week Thirty

Hola!!!

First and primero (yes I know I just repeated myself) HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Grandpa Potrie and Sarah!!!! I hope they both had awesome wonderful days. Segundo, I got the Birthday package thank you everyone for the cards. I especially appreciate the deodorant, socks, and reeses puffs cereal. And all the cards from the different people way awesome thanks a ton everyone. Also I got a package from Kim with cookie mixes!!!! Super stoked to make those. Oh and thanks for the photos! I've added them to my photo book that I show people when they ask about my fam jam.

Bueno, so to answer your questions. We can speak in english with the other missionaries but we are encouraged to use all the Spanish that we can especially in the streets we don't want people to think we are more gringo than we already are. And that's funny you tried to listen to the radio in Oncativo. They always drive cars around with the radio blaring through speakers tied to the top. This town is totally different its more of a farming town and it doesn't have a poorer section at all, only the middle class and the upper class. For this, it's a lot different than Bell Ville that had lots of middle and lower class. And yes, cars aren't that common. It's much more common to see mopeds or motor cycles. Or they just use bikes and walk and the buses like greyhounds are very popular and used a lot. As missionaries, we use the buses, bikes and good old walking to get around.

The update on Juan is that when we went back to his house last week after a lot of prayer and fasting it was a miracle he didn't mention anything about the situation and just let us teach him in his yard. It was a miracle. And now the only problem we have is his memory is really bad so we have to teach him really slowly but he's getting it. We invited him to stake conference but he couldn't go because it was in Cordoba and we're really praying to have him at conference this weekend. Also, I hope all of you are super stoked for conference!!!!!!! I sure am, and it's amazing that we have a living prophet and I love the talk by Elder Uchtdorf about why prophets are important. You should all try to invite your friends or family to watch, it's gonna be amazing. They are receiving revelation for our times right now!!!!

I'm sorry to hear about Lois. She really was a great woman and a great friend to you mom. My prayers are with you and her family. It's times like this that really help us feel the comfort that comes from the Plan of Salvation. What a blessing to have that truth in our lives.

I'm glad you could spend time with your dad and look at those old photos mom. Those memories that he shared are very precious. I'm super excited to hear that the missionary work is changing there - it's such a blessing. Be involved members, it's so important.

Well that's about all for the excitement here. One of our investigators had her baby this week, Emma, super cute little girl with lots of black hair. A very latina baby. We're still striving to thrust in our sickles with all our might and harvest those that Heavenly Father has prepared in this little town. I'm so excited to be apart of this work.

Con Mucho Amor Y Oraciónes,
Hna Potrie

Week Twenty-Nine

Hola!

I'm really sorry to be replying so late but trust me, I don't like it either. What happened was we had a zone meeting in the morning in Cordoba, the capital which is about an hour and a half away. It was super fun, we played soccer and ate Argentina style pigs in a blanket. But than we had to leave early cause we scheduled an appointment with an investigator because it was the only time they could in the middle of P day, which we had planned before we knew we had to go to Cordoba for the meeting. Anyways, we got to the bus terminal in Cordoba just to find out that the next bus was at four which is a problem when the appointment was at 430 and the ride is an hour and a half. Ya we missed the visit even though we tried to call them as well. So we came
back and went to another appointment we had and taught a lesson and now we are writing home. Not a fan of this split of crazy traveling P day but it was super fun to be with the zone. It's weird becuase in this zone we only have 8 latinos which is weird because in the last zone was the opposite with only a few gringos. I'll be honest, I miss being surrounded by latino missionaries. It really helps the spanish.

Anyways let me tell you about this little town, Oncativo. It's little, and a lot of the people have heard about or have talked to missionaries before, but we are working hard to find the hidden treasures of those that are ready. We started working with this old investigator, Juan and ran into some trouble. He is an old grandpa but he lives alone and for this we can't enter his house to teach but we can teach him out in his yard. So we passed by on Tuesday and it was raining and thought we could at least make an appointment for later. But he wanted us to enter his house because that's what the hermanas before did. So we tried to explain that it was a rule and he was all offended thinking it was a lack of respect. So the next day we went by with the district
leaders in case we had to enter the house and they tried to explain as well. Which went over pretty well. Or so we thought till we went by again and he was mad saying that our boyfriends had said we can't enter his house. Talk about a confussion! So we explained again and taught him a lesson. Then we went by the next day and he asked us to enter his house again and got really offended and said it was because of those muchacos and he doesn't want us to come by again. We were really shocked. And it's hard because we are dying to teach him but we don't know what else to do. We just pray that his heart will be softened and that we can continue to teach him outside. And for me, it's a trial of faith that in this difficult area we need miracles and
for this we need to be obedient and have faith that this will work out in the Lords time and that maybe the miracle won't be with him but it will be in this work.

We are working hard to do everything we can and know that God is with us helping us. We've had hard days but we still see the miracles and blessings that are happening.

In this town we walk because it's small about 30 min end to end by foot, and the church is in an old house turned into church. This ward has a lot of great members and we just need to help guide them and get them involved in this work. Well I don't have much time but I love you all and hope that you take the time to recognize the blessings in your life this week because we are truly blessed every day.

Con mucho amor,

Hna Potrie

Week Twenty-Eight

Hola,

Thanks so much for the photos. I can't believe how big Kesler is - such a cutie pie. Love that little man and all of you for that matter. And the big news, I got transferred to a new area Oncautivo! It's about 2.5 hours north of Bell Ville and a lot closer to the Capital Cordoba. It's a small little town again which I'm grateful for. I'm with a new companion Hna Waters. She's from Twin Fall Idaho, and this is her last transfer in the mission. The apartment is a little smaller and dirtier because it used to be an elders apt not to long ago. We are white washing the area. Which means we're both new. Hna Waters had about 3 days last week to sort of get to know the area before I showed up this morning. It's a very small branch with about 5 active families. But I have faith that we can find those whom the Lord has prepared for us. Vamos a tener excito! (We are excited!) We are going to have sucess!

I'll be honest, it was a bit hard to say good bye to the wonderful people of Bell Ville I really feel a lot of love for them. When Hna Elena found out I was leaving she called us and invited us to have asado last night at her place. It was a really nice good bye and it was hard to hear her ask to never forget her. I don't think I ever can. She really helped me grow as a missionary as I realized the power my words can have when I speak by the power of the spirit.

The past week we had a lot of problems with our bikes not working and flat tires, but the Lord blessed us to be in the right time as always. I've been trying to improve my contacting skills and this last week I felt the help of the Lord. We were looking for a reference but I couldn't find the number so I stopped to ask a family that was siting outside there house. And low and behold it was the house I was looking for but the other family had moved about 3 weeks ago. So we started talking and they asked why I was looking for this person and I explained how we're missionaries. And they asked why I gave up everything to serve a mission and I shared testimony of Jesus Christ and I felt the words just flow out of my mouth about how the Savior changed my life and that He can change their lives to. The lady wanted to know how and she invited us in to explain. She suffers from depression, but within the week I could see a light come into her eyes as we would pass by and teach her and as she was reading the scriptures and praying. It was a miracle before my eyes. The last day she was smiling and talking with us. I know this gospel can change lives because it's centered on Jesus Christ. He has the power to heal any broken heart. I love my Savior. He changed my life and I feel more peace everyday because of Him.

I send you all my love and hope you all have a fantastic week.

Love Hna Potrie