Hola Familia y Amigos!
Well, another amazing week in San Rafael Argentina. I wake up most days so humbled that the Lord has trusted me to take care of the beautiful people here and in such an amazing area. So here are the top thoughts of the week.
1. Angels are undoubtedly real. I try to use all my resources. When people here try to speak English to me {because all the kids here learn it for a few years in school} I tell them I will if they let us in to teach. I also pray for angels everyday. I read a talk by Jeffrey Holland that talks about how we can ask in faith we are promised them as missionaries. So Ihave been working to increase my faith and asking, and miracles have occurred. We found 15 new people this week, 7 with baptismal dates, taught about 30 or so lessons. We worked out tails off but wow, we had some extra help and guidance that we hadn't had before. I really have been amazed. Missionary work isn't called work for nothing. It is hard, but I feel that I have been doing well adjusting and been sent extra help from your prayers and faith and those angelic ministers in this world have been on our right hand and our left.
2. Argentines are ALL religious. I have yet to find a person here that is not been baptized or has not read the bible multiple times {the ones that can read of course}. So lots of times people let you in your house to have religious debates which hasn't been easy but wow I have learned a lot. I realized that the more powerful teachers we can be, only by letting them feel of the spirit, the less of an arguement it will be. It is hard, but I feel I am improving each lesson with lots of studying before and afterwards. Well, lots and lots of prayer too. We taught some interesting people this week- a atheist doctor, a man and wife who made up their own religion from the Bible, a woman who said Mary was more important than Christ, and more. Hard no? If you have any ideas please send them on down! We are working hard to answer questions and doubts but it had only made my testimony of the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ even stronger. It is hard and takes creativity, but like I said, we have been very blessed with higher help.
3. We think being members is hard in the U.S., here is a whole other category. There are no Young Men, 3 Young Women (2 of which we just baptized), and everyone has about 2 or 3 assignments in the Church. But gosh these poor members are faithful! The Bishop is about 25yrs old, and there are about 3 strong families that do everything here. We even get fed here about 4 times a week with the 30 member barrio (ward) we have here! How lucky we are! Anyways, my point is it is hard for them. Two people in the ward have autos and the rest walk to church. So that means many of the older people can't even get there so we try to visit them a lot. The temple in Chile is 13 plus hours away and they take bus and train through the mountains to get there and is very expensive. They give so much of themselves to be strong members of the church. So what I am asking you in the U.S., if you have a temple even 3 hours away> GO! If you feel like not going to church, you probably have a ward of loving people and you have a car and just have to show up. Please be faithful when things are convenient because there are so many people here who give all they have for this church. It touches my heart everyday!! Love them!!
Well that is all! The pictures are from a Natural History Museum we went to in the middle of nowhere today haha. We did a little shopping too. The other pictures are what downtown looks like, the apartment I live in with the other 3 hermanas about a store downtown. And yes, we do all the laundry in the sink! Fun no? The baptism pictures are Lardado and Nazalena Ortiz (9 and 8yrs), the sweetest kiddos we have been teaching. Their family is all inactive members and we found them about 4 weeks ago and they finally got baptized Saturday! Such an amazing night!
Thank you for all you prayers! Hermana Richins and I are working very hard feel the prayers. Please pray for our investigators Innocencio Galera and the Garrido Family. We are trying to get them both married right now but having some trouble with the process. Thank you and LOVE YOU ALL!!!!
Hermana Emily Thatcher!!
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| My bedroom |
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| Cooper!!! |
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| Downtown |
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| Evolution |
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| Gauchos |
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| Laundry....yuck! |
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