Christmas in Argentina - December 26, 2011

Merry Late Christmas everyone!!!

It was probably the best Christmas I have had in my life. I think I really understand the meaning of Christmas and not sure I am ever going to want to have an American Christmas again. We had a simple Christmas Eve and day. On the 24th, we visited the less active members and sick members all day and made cookies for them. We passed by our investigators and make them bags of sweets. Then in the night, we went to dinner with familia Luna. I bought us cheap Santa hats and we knocked on their door and sang hymns and then went inside. They loved that!  They are an awesome fun family who have 4 kids and made us a simple beautiful dinner and we laughed and enjoyed the time for hours. They shared with us all they had and gave us a small present when we left, a small coin purse. This gift probably meant more to me than any other gift of the year because they showed us so much love and I really felt what Christmas truly was about, remembering our Savior´s birth and serving and loving like He did. We walked home that night to thousands of fireworks and although it was hot and felt more like 4th of July I was so happy. Without all the commercials, presents, stress, merchandise of Christmas I found the true spirit of Christmas: love, gratitude and service. Sunday was a one hour service but we had two new investigators there. We went to lunch with members and then I got to talk to the family which was amazing! I feel like sometimes only a few weeks has passed but then I remember it has been 10 months. I miss them a lot but I still have 8 months that I can do the Lords work here which makes me very happy!

So backtracking a little. I dropped off Hna Wilde at the offices this Monday and picked up my newbie companion on Wednesday (training again). Hermana Call from Pocatello Idaho! She is absolutely amazing and a great worker. It will be a good transfer. She lived in Ecuador for 5 months doing orphanage work and was a EMT and did river rafting guides during the summer so obviously we have lots in common! 

Til next week! We go to Mendoza on Wed again for a Christmas conference so I am excited for that! May the Lord bless you with a great new year! 

Hna Thatcher

Marta after her baptism



Our District and Leaders

 

Argentinean Cowgirl



Saying "Good-bye" to Hermana Wilde




Me and my "newbie" Hermana Call




Christmas in San Juan Argentina!!



Pre-Christmas Miracles - December 19, 2011

Here I am sitting in President Avila's office in his house! The misionaries leaving are having a meeting and I am chilling with his family who are amazing! We traveled up this morning with Hna Wilde to get her final interview and then visit her converts here this afternoon. I am officially exhausted walking around all day in the heat and not sleeping barely last night. BUT.............. at 10pm last night Marta Leticia Castro was baptized after a long hard fight!!!! And man was it a fight!

So like I think I told you last week that Marta is the mother of 4 teenage boys and her husband passed away from cancer when they were all little. Her life has probably been the hardest and most  unlucky""I have seen. Right before her baptism, she got kicked out of her house. So this week, she was supposed to be out of her house by this Friday but Hna Wilde and I knew we had to fight to keep her here to get baptized this weekend or she would have a very hard time doing it later. 

We prayed. We fasted. And then, we decided to go to the government downtown and find help. This happens all the time to people and the government processes here are very slow and very corrupt. Still, we left Tuesday morning to the center for minors, the judicial system, the social development department and all other types of departments for housing. We we discouraged but at the end of the day, we had a glimmer of hope. Keep in mind that Hna wilde and I have no idea the government policies here, the organization, or any Spanish vocabulary for these things. But the Lord blessed us with the gift of tongues and somehow softened the hearts of many of the people we talked to. After 3 mornings in a row, we finally found someone to help us. They gave her a longer stay on her apartment (until Tues of this week). Marta decided she had a good friend in Cordoba where there was a job waiting and it was probably best to go there so we convinced the San Juan Minister of Public Development (at the head of province level) to pay for her tickets there and for a longer stay in the apartment so she could have time to sell things. Not sure how we did it. Really sure we didn't but He, our loving Heavenly Father did. 

We took Marta and the boys to sign the agreement we had made with this minister and we all cried and were so grateful. It was her birthday, and although she started the week off crying and with 20 pesos (5 dollars) in her pocket, she had a way out and a new start ahead of her. 

So where does the baptism come in then you ask? Well we weren't sure at first how to proceed.She had been wanting to do it for so long and had great desires to be clean but her life circumstances wouldn't permit. So we asked Pte Avila and he said go ahead with it and when she moves to Cordoba, we will send the Elders to her again to make sure she keeps strong. She has her goal on the temple and I have no doubt she will keep going there.

So, in the middle of packing and moving, the only time she could do it was Sunday night. We picked her up in the taxi with one of her sons Luis, the first counselor of the bishopric, and headed to the church. Our awesome zone leaders Elder Baker and Roche were there waiting and fulling up the fount for us. The stake president came with his family too but that was all the people at the baptism. But, it was beautiful. It was so spiritual and calm and amazing to see her finally do something so wonderful that she had been waiting so long to do. Although it was unusual circumstances, it was Hna Wilde's last day on the mission and an amazing end to a long hard fought transfer. They confirmed her right after the baptism.

We got home at 11:30 last night and got directly on our knees to pray and give thanks for such a hard and amazing experience. This is just the basics of what we have been fighting for this family. Her husband was an inactive member of the church and she is waiting her one year to be sealed to him and the family. I am so grateful that the Lord blessed us for all the tears and struggles we had with her. I call it my overtime baptism. Just when we thought all was lost (even that day at 6pm we didnt think she was going to be baptized), we were patient and the Lord made it happen. We fought till the buzzer rung on this one!

Tomorrow I will work in Godoy Cruz with some of the Hermanas and the Wed meet my newbie companion. I am very excited to meet her! 

Everyone, have an amazing Christmas. I hope you all remember the life of our Savior and Redeemer Jesus Christ and strive to be like him. Til next time!!

*no pics this week because I forgot my camera cord but for sure next week!!

-- 
Hermana Emily Thatcher

Misión Argentina Mendoza

Zonda & Suprises - December 12, 2011



Barrio Party


HOLA ALL!!!

This week was amazing!! We have a group of awesome investigators right now and one guy Mario (21years old) is on the way to baptism this weekend! Marta is still trying to find a place to live with her boys and so it is complicating her studying and dedication a little so we are waiting a little longer. REALLY tough things the people face down here that we take for granted in the states. But shoot, my house finding skills are getting better.I am sure I will be able to use that is the future....

Mario is the boyfriend of a less active girl in young women's we have been working with. They both are reading the Book of Mormon together and taking our challenges the both of them. He is great and he is just waiting for a fianl ¨yes¨from our Heavenly Father to go ahead with the baptism. He could be a future missionary though! Speaking of future missionaries, President Avila said he just visited San Rafael and said he met the Familia Navarro and he congratulated me for the amazing family they already are in the Church and Matias is still getting ready for his mission. I told him it wasn't me but I was very proud to hear they are doing well. 

So the reason Pte Avila came down was to speak at our Stake Conference this weekend and do interviews with us. He really is the most amazing leader in the church I have known and shows so much love for us. My interview went great. But.......haha.....he asked me a suprising question. 

¨Hermana Thatcher, transfers are next week.... do you think you could take the load of training again?¨. 

Ohhhh.... Inside I thought to myself. ¨I will have spent over 3/4 of my mission training¨ but somehow I spit out the words out of my mouth before I even thought about it more¨Yes President, whatever you and the Lord need of me¨.

So, next week I will go drop off Hermana Wilde at the offices and airport and pick up my newbie on Wednesday. Not sure if she will be latin or gringa. If she is gringa, I have already started praying that she knows at least a little spanish. President made me feel good though and said I have done such a great job with it that he trusts completely in me. That was nice to hear among other things he said. But, being the only sister missionaries in two zones here (around 40 elders) and living alone in a pension for 3 months, I pray that we get along well haha! It will be great I know. Obviously the Lord has more things he wants me to learn and I want to be the best missionary I can for Him so I am willing to do it all. THIRD TIME WILL  BE THE CHARM!! 

So Stake Conference was great! Missionary work  theme dedicated! Our area is about 30 minutes in bus away from the Stake Center but we managed to get 8 investigators there with some amazing miracle. And today for PDay we went to a hike in a small town or place called Zonda. The member from another ward that helps us with lessons every week (Hna Mirta) took us there to be our guide. The weather was overcast so it was great! Hope you like the pics! The other picture is of a group of bikers that made me think of Dad. There are tons here that look like they are part of teams. The last picture is our combined ward party (we share our chapel with another ward) this week. There was a folkloric dance and everything! Way more fun than any American ward party for sure!!

My favorite scripture of the week.  John  chapter 15...

4 ^aAbide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.

 5 I am the ^avine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without ^bme ye can do nothing.

I will trust and abide with Him so He can bring be to find and bring forth fruit (people). 

Love you all. I am thinking of you a lot in these holidays. I pray for your health and safety.

Hna Thatcher

Hermano Lopez! - December 5, 2011

Hermano Fransisco Lopez got baptized this weekend!!!!!! 15 years of waiting, the Angeles cheered on this day!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Very very spiritual baptism!! This week we have Stake Conference and he should be receiving the Melchizedek priesthood! Crazy no?! I am sooooo grateful for this weekend!

Miracle. His son got out of jail for being wrongly accused 12 hours before the baptism!!! He now wants to be baptized too!! 

Marta and her family got kicked out of their house this week. Very hard to go through but she is staying strong and we changed her date to the 17th. Please pray for them!! Just the storm before the baptism (I always know it comes...)

Short message this week because I am making the Christmas letter but I love you ALL and hope you stay warm there in the States!! Love you all!!!!! The church is true, Christ lives, Heavenly Father loves us. If you know this is your life, your joy will be full. Mine is!!

Hna Thatcher

 

Hermano Lopez

Hermano Lopez

Lopez Family



The Plaza



Taco Christmas

 

Sunny Summer in SJ - November 28, 2011

Hi Family and Friends!!

Awesome week. Just plain hard work! We got about 3 shades darker working in the hot sun but it is character building nothing more haha. We got 5 investigators to church this week and they are preparing for baptism. It is like pulling teeth getting them to church at 9am but the best feeling in the world when the lessons and talks answer their questions and doubts exactly. We ate an amazing lunch with Familia Goldfarb (homemade raviolis and bread) to top off the day yesterday. Overall great week!

Hermano Fransisco Lopez came to church with his wife (who is less active) and is preparing for his baptism this weekend! If we can get him in the fount, it will be such an accomplishment because the members and missionaries have tried for the last 10 years with no success of even listening to the lessons. So we are ALMOST there. (One of these fotos is with him, he is a cowboy or gaucho)

We also went to Mendoza last week I forgot to tell you. We had to get Hna Wilde´s visa stuff fixed for her trip home (only 3 weeks away I am so sad!). It was a sweet trip because we went with 4 other Elders and got everything payed for (Even the McDonald's in Mendoza!) Somehow we also we rode first class on the bottom of the 2 story buses here. It was fun to get out of town for a bit but even better to get back to work the day after.

All is well here. The Lord is leading us to His sheep. It is the most amazing thing I have ever done to help in the salvation of men, and I will never forget everything I am learning here.

Love you all,

Hna Thatcher



Best Buddies





Riding in Style




Hermano Lopez



Amazing Miracles - November 21, 2011

Hello Family and Friends!

Things here in San Juan are heating up in every aspect! The weather and the awesome investigators we are working with. Plus we had a few miracles. Here are two in specific:

1) Gram and Harold sent money recently to help with any very needy people that I would come across here and wow was that so inspired. I was shocked in how perfect the timing was. Well, this area I am in is much more humble than San Rafael. We have been teaching a lot in the barrios or neighborhoods that are government built for those who cant pay rent. We call it the ¨projects¨. We have lots of places like this in our area. We have been teaching a family in this barrio, Familia Castro. The mom, Marta, has four sons (ages 13, 16, 17, 19) and her husband died while they were all young from cancer. Then they were forced to move from their nice home into this barrio to try to survive. Imagine raising four teenagers in a barrio like this full of gangs and drugs. The youngest is Luis who recently got baptized and we are working with the rest. They are good kids but all around them is evil. We knew they didn't have much but this week they had NOTHING. Marta leaves during the day to sell clothes on the street to make money because she still needs to be able to be at home some to keep track of the boys. Plus the law here is unless they are 18yrs old, kids cannot get jobs (unless illegal ones). Well, the boys got beat up by a neighborhood gang and she couldn't leave to work this week because she was taking care of her kids. When we went by Wednesday, they hadn't anything in 2 days but bread and crackers. She cried and asked why her perfect life with her family had to come to this, one trial after another. She said they were trying to read but couldn't feel the spirit because she was so financially stressed. Then came into my mind the money I received. She said she didn't want help but I could see the desperation in their eyes. I knew this was the reason Gram had sent the money.

We left with a scripture and I told her we would be back in 1hr. Hermana Wilde looked at me like I was crazy but followed my lead until we got outside and I told her my plan. We ran to the store and bought the essentials for them and we had the best feeling ever. Christ had to give the two thousand fish and bread when they wanted to learn but were hungry. I thought of that story in my mind and heard the words ¨feed my sheep¨. Christ told Peter that phrase three times so I know I should follow it just like he did. Sometimes we feed them spiritually, and in emergencies we feed them in other was. We took a taxi to the house to drop off the food. I wrote a quick note explaining that the money was inspired from my grandparents and was an answer to her prayers. We opened the door, dropped the bags on the floor and left running, not giving her a way to say no. All we heard as we were leaving was her crying saying thank you to our Heavenly Father and that we would follow whatever he wanted of her. 

Sunday Marta came to church for the first time and they have seen a complete change in their circumstances after that night. The oldest son Nicolas found a job, they are trying to get out of the apartments, and she is preparing for baptism because she knows the Lord loves her and is taking care of her. I don´t know if this was a pivotal moment in her conversion, but I know her attitude and testimony will never be the same. She knows that the Lord loves us and although life is hard, if we keep our commitments/commandments and sacrifice then we will be blessed. I know they Lord uses us as instruments if we listen to the spirit, and it is the best feeling in the world.

2) We are working a TON with the members right now. We were writing down names from the ward directory that we didn't know and for some reason we stopped by the house of Familia Lopez. The mother came out and told us to come back in two days, and that she hadn't been to church in two years and her husband never got baptized. We went back on Saturday and she looked so happy to see us and we were surprised. She sat down and we started to get to know her. She said that the day we stopped by that she had prayed to God for help. She took that as a sign and was crying when she told us what was going on in her life. Her 25 year old son has been in jail for over 2 years. Some gang members accused him of robbing a young girl because he lived behind the house of the robbery. Because the jail system is corrupt and he didn't have ¨an in¨ in the gangs, he was thrown in jail with no evidence and no one to plead his case. It reminded me closely of one of my favorite movies ¨Count of Monte Cristo¨. I don't know how much of the story is correct but I know the police system here is extremely corrupt and this poor hermana was heartbroken because this week the trial finally begins. We wrote her son a note and she went to give it to him and she said he cried with joy.

She went to church with us for the first time in two years and we are beginning to teach her husband that says now he is ready to be baptized. I cannot believe how the Lord uses us (and we feel just like we are wandering some days) for such great purposes. 

Well as you can see, the mission is filled with miracles. We are working hard to be worthy of them in every moment. No pictures this week, only story telling. Please pray for these two families and that we can continue doing the Lord´s will. I love you all very much and pray for you. The field really is white and ready to harvest, you just have to keep your eyes open and your hearts full of desire and the Lord will put them in your path.

Love,

Hna Thatcher

I'VE ARRIVED IN SAN JUAN!!! - November 14, 2011

Hola FAMILIA!!!!

Well, I LOOOOVVEEEE this new area!! It is hard to believe how big a difference there is between the province of Mendoza and San Juan. I feel like I am in another country! But the differences are great! The people are soooo much nicer in every way. I was used to knocking 100 doors in San Rafael and getting in 2 and here it is like every other one lets you in to talk! They are very chill humble people. They also look different- more like Bolivians or a native race. The only thing  that they love to sleep and party at night. Because it is so hot here, they wake up, cook lunch, sleep the siesta (from like 2pm-7pm) and then stay up all night until like 3 or 4am because it is cooler outside. So we have to be creative and smart with everything we do. But, I am PUMPED!!!!

The ward is great. It was very hard to go to a ward where I didn't personally know everyone but it will come. I made sure to say hi and introduce myself to everyone. Hna Wilde and I had to give talks which was cool took. I talked and 2 stories from the Book of Mormon. When God gave Moses a mouthpiece or aide to do his work (Aaron) and speak and how Amulek was a common citizen who was of high standing and left to help preach with Alma. I related these both to how important it is for the members to support and preach with the missionaries. It turned out really good and comical in places and I think the ward members really payed attention. The bishop looks like he is 19 but very nice haha! The pension (apartment) is pretty small but nice. We have one fan, no air conditioning. So it will be fun in the next 4 months of 100, 110 degree weather here! Love the mission experiences! I am expecting to loose all the weight I gained in San Rafael with sweating ALL day long. 

As for investigators, we started off with basically none when I got up here so we have lots of work to do. This area has tons of potential (and is HUGE) so I am excited to find some great people. I have tried to memorize all the part member families and members so they can be the key to helping us since Hna Wilde only has 6 weeks here, she doesn't know everything or the area very well yet. It is going to be like starting from scratch but I am pumped to do it. Every morning we listen to our soundtrack music ( I got from Hna Anderson from Avatar and DaVinci Code and others)  that pump us up and then we leave to work! 

Here are the pictures

1) The bishop's family. He gave me an amazing compliment. He said ¨I feel like calling your mission president and begging him to keep you here. But I guess you can go bless another ward, but as long as you can come back in a few months¨. They are young but awesome! Bishop Galdeano.

 

2) Lucia and Agustina. Our converts w Hna Zepeda. They go to church every Sunday and are becoming very good with the scriptures. They have THE HARDEST family situation but are very faithful.

3) Jessica, one member who is 23 and the primary president in the ward. We became great friends. She came in the morning to see me off.

4)- etc. My trip to San Juan. Pday today we made it official hat day with come hats we found in the pension. We were on the bus in this pic. We played bball with the zone and then ate almost 2ft long hot dogs for about 1.50 American dollars. Yummy!

Last pic- we live below members, our pension.

Love you all!! Hope you have a great fall week!! Pray for the people here please and that we can recognize the Lord´s chosen to bring them to the waters of baptism!

Hna Thatcher