Ahhhhh ! One Month Already?!

Hola!!

Guess what today is?!?!? It's my 1 MONTH mark!!!!!!! I cannot believe I've been here for a month! Whaaaa, and that we get travel plans at the end of next week, and in-field orientation is next Thursday, and departing devotional next Sunday? Am I really going to be in Argentina in less than 2 WEEKS?!? My mission is real, and not just a myth? I'm not going to be chillin in the MTC for the rest of my life? Oh my goodness, how crazy is that.  Today I learned how to scope out my mission on GoogleMaps. It was way cool and we can look at the street views too! Everyone was looking at their missions (my district is super diverse) and patrolling the streets for "man-eaters", those rabid dog/bear creatures. While terrifying, I'm pleased to report that out of everyone I won the contest on finding the least amount of "man-eaters".

Okay. So highlights of the week:

"His Grace is Sufficient", by Brad Wilcox is one of the greatest talks I've EVER listened to in my entire life! Why am I telling you this? Because if you have not heard/read it, then it must be done. It has seriously changed my perspective on everything!

Loved being loved with baked goods :)
Thanks Kristen & Mom !

So about that no food thing...thank you, but no thank you for NOT listening to me haha! :). The Dear Elder goodie package from the Natives was just delightful (Thank you Hinrich Family!). And the homemade favorite from Kristen and Mom? What's a girl to do? Well...one loaf of cinnamon bread and a box of cream cheese brownies, I guess I shouldn't have been too surprised when my jeans were fitting a little too tight the next morning when we were heading to service. Esta bien. It was delicious :)

The days have been flying by!!! It has been determined that Monday, Thursdays, and Saturdays are the longest and slowest yea---I mean days, of all time. But recently, it hasn't been terrible at all. Besides the fact that it feels like we've been here for four years instead of four weeks, the days are really picking up speed. It's so funny though not having a phone or a calendar, you never know what day it actually is. For example, one night for a solid 20 minutes we had my companion convinced that the next day was Thursday, when it was already currently Thursday. I'm dead serious though, no one has any conception of time! We wake up, eat, study, eat, study, workout, eat, study,....and if someone said that it was time to eat again, I'd probably believe them and then just go back to studying. Speaking of studying the language is really coming along, and my teachers said I should survive alright, by the time I get to the field, so that's a bonus, right?

Class with the best teacher ever!

With all of our studying, naturally we get ridiculously unfocused on occasion. It's alright though, because we always end up having serious heart to heart, bonding moments, or just ridiculous discussions. Love my district family. Anyways, we all shared what we'd wish for if we found a genie in a bottle:

1. magic flying carpet

2. own an island/underwater castle

3. communicate with my pets

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Elder Sumsion who had his golden birthday and Queen Georgie who is now the ripe old age of 2. I miss both of them terribly

Fun fact: In the "old" hymn book #70 was, COME THOU FOUNT, EVERY BLESSING! Uhm just my favorite song ever! Whyyyyy did they take it out?! This just further proves my point that I was clearly born in the wrong time, wrong era. They have no idea what they've done, silly gooses.

The Sunday Devotional was given by Steven B. Allen.  He told us to work our tails off every minute of every day, and be able to walk away from our mission with no regrets, only prayers for the people we have to leave behind. He talked about how Satan is going to be getting you down, and pushing your buttons all the time, telling you you're not good enough, smart enough, capable enough, etc. BUT we have been called of God. And that's enough.

love P-Days and laundry !

Okay. So, we've been teaching this "investigator", Mercedes, since we got to the MTC. And while she's been accepting all our commitments, even baptism she's said yes but it seemed a little passive and "job" like in the past. BUT tonight, the Spirit was incredible and was working that lesson and filling the room with this overwhelming feeling...the spirit. right. Anyway, I finally KNOW what it's supposed to be like. I forgot about my terrible spanish, poured my hear out, and was seriously doing all that I could to help her to know how amazing and loved she was. Her eyes were all watery as she listened to our message and I knew she KNEW it was true...Whether she's a real "investigator" or not, now I know what it's like to KNOW the Spirit, and it was awesome.

Going to the temple on P-day is the best. Yes, because it's the temple. Yes, because we get to wander past the walls of the MTC. But, they also have the BEST breakfast. Really though, it doesn't come close to anything I've been eating for the past month. In all seriousness, if you haven't gone to the temple in a while, and you can go, you should, because it's amazing and makes everything all better (well mostly).

CONGRATULATIONS to the future Sister Kirton who just got her mission call to the SOUTH KOREA - SEOUL mission!!!! Totally called that one; them Asians always like their blondes.

I finally got in contact with a Sister missionary that's serving in my mission! Quote: "Welcome to the best mission in the world" yes yes I'm well aware that everyone says that, but it's very comforting never the less. Also she said that all missionaries get to serve in BOTH Paraguay and Argentina! Yay! AND get to travel to the Iguazu Waterfalls 
toward the end of the mish!!!!!! AHHHHHH One of the NATURAL 7 WONDERS of the WORLD SO COOOLLL! I'm very excited.

Iguazu Falls- Spans the border between
Argentina and Brazil; larger than Niagra Falls

Last but not least, I would like to share some funny Spanish findings from the week:

casar= to marry

cazar= to hunt

...you pronounce them the same way, interesante...

and here's a joke: "Cual es la diferencia entre un pera u un novia"?

"La pera es un pera

pero

La novia no espera" hehehehe :) It's funny I swear

Alright, so I'm alive and well and counting down the days till I ship out :) I love this gospel and I love my mission to serve God. I am so incredibly blessed to be here. Thank you so much for everyone's love, support, and dearelders!

Te Amo,

Ciao.