About Me

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I am studying Psychology and Sociology at Utah Valley University, and working at a treatment center for troubled teens. I love life, being with people from all cultures, speaking Spanish, and traveling all over the world. I will never stop laughing, dancing, singing, enjoying, appreciating, and just being.

Monday, January 3, 2011

Christmas in Argentina


Hola everyone! Sorry this email won’t be very long but we have like no time this week - we spent all p-day in San Fransisco playing uno with our district and making snow flakes - it was fun! But I have so much to tell you all, so I will try and be quick-it has been a great week!!!

First of all I want to thank all my friends and family that write me - I truly love you all so much and miss you - and thanks for the support and know I am reading your emails and love you all!! Thank You!

Also something I am very thankful for in my life and have been missing a lot this season here in Argentina - AIR CONDITIONING! It doesn’t even exist here, and I don’t even know how these people live - its getting hotter and hotter and sometimes those little rotating fans in houses just don’t do it for me....so be thankful for every place you step into this week that has cold and refreshing air conditioning!!! You are all truly blessed with the smallest and simplest things we just take for granted and don’t think about every day.

So all is well in cute little Arroyito Candy Land! The work is progressing and we are just always working hard and seeing miracles! I love my companion and we are just so happy and get along sooo well!! This week was a little different, because we were traveling sooo much - we have a zone conference one day and we have a mission conference for Christmas - both were so much fun!!! The Christmas conference was the best day ever - we had spiritual devotionals where missionaries got up who were leaving and bore tender testimonies of the mission, and talks by the president- then work shops - practicing how to be better missionaries - and then we had an asado!!! Just HUGE feast of meat for lunch- it was so good - then we had all these activities and games the rest of the day outside in this big field like relay races and played volleyball - they also played Christmas music to get us in the mood! At the end we had a water balloon and water fight with everyone, and we all just soaked each other including the mission president and his wife - it was SO much fun - and we had ice cream after. Then the mission president dressed up as Santa Claus and gave us all gifts for Christmas, and handed out packages! It was seriously the funnest day ever!!! I love the mission! And I got to see friends from the MTC so that was way fun.

Something funny is that one night we were planning, and a little tiny orange kitten came in our apt and we kept it for a few days and named it Dulce - haha - of course- everyone is thinking creepy cat lady- Jami finding pets on her mission, but really it came to us!! Haha -it was so cute, but then we just let it free - cute little Dulce...

Also we decorated our apt for Christmas!! We have a little festive Christmas tree- its soooo cute- and today we cut out snow- flakes to hang all around! Its so cute! I love it- and really gets us in the spirit of Christmas!!!

A tender moment that happened this week is we were at choir and everyone knows how much I love the members and we are singing Christmas songs for our next meeting to sing in and this night was just really peaceful, and we were all just really thinking about Christmas and getting excited and feeling the spirit of it. 3 people sang a little trio to silent night, and we were just all silent and listening and it was just sooo soo peaceful, and the church was just filled with the spirit and we could all feel it. One of the most recent covert families who I love, and are just so strong in the gospel she just began to cry listening to the beautiful words of the song and it was just so tender - the gospel truly does change lives- and especially at Christmas time. This family is going to celebrate it, and think of it in such a different way and really just ponder about Christ and his birth and life and his example and it was just such a neat moment.

Also one of the members I love in the ward – Mercedes, who is deaf - one day we were helping her clean and we were talking about the holidays and Christmas. She is just so happy and such a positive and inspiring person who has been through so much but is so strong in the end - and we told her we loved her Christmas tree and it was sooo pretty and she said that it was from her mom who past away a few years ago and she just started crying. I just held her and hugged her and she cried and talked about how its always hard at this time of year around Christmas because she was so close to her mom and it was her favorite holiday, but the tree and everything about the holiday makes her feel her spirit still, and love her mom has for her and her family and is watching over them. She is just so thankful for the knowledge of the gospel and the comfort it brings her. This just made me think of my mom and family and Christmas- and yes its hard right now around the holidays, being away from home, but I am just so grateful that I got to be with Mercedes in this moment and share with her my love for her and show her that I am here for her, and we are like a family. She just truly inspires me, and really made me remember the true meaning of Christmas - how we need to serve others and remember and love our families.

We still have some really good strong investigators and some came to church this Sunday and are progressing! We have faith and hope they will be baptized this transfer!

Truly there is soooooo much more I want to tell you all, but I have to go - sorry this is so short, but I will tell you ALL the details when we talk on CHRISTMAS!!! Can’t wait!

I truly love you all so much, and know I am safe, happy, and loving every second of my mission!!!!! Its truly the best thing that has ever happened to me! I am learning so much every day!!!!! I hope everyone has a good week

Cchaooooooooooooooo and Happy Christmasssss!!!!

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