7-16-12

Dearest Family,

This is going to be a short one! We are in CONGRESO today to renew my
visa and we have to head out soon to make it back to our area on time,
so I don´t have a lot of time. Know that I love you!

Well... this has been quite the week! Three weeks ago, when we went to
pick up Hermana Montecinos, President Gulbrandsen pulled me aside and
told me that I should make sure that Hermana Dunn was really taking
charge of the area because he was going to use me as the traveling
Sister. Oh man, was I ever nervous in that moment! The last time we
had a traveling Sister, she didn´t have a specific area and spent
about 2 weeks in each area. It´s basically to go and share what we
have been learning and set goals, etc. Well, the assistants called me
this week and told me that we would be going to leadership training on
Tuesday and from there I would be going home with the Sisters in El
Talar for 2 days! So what it looks like is going to happen is that
each week, I will be in my area for half the time and another area for
the other half of the week! Crazy! It is a lot of traveling and I am
really tired, but really happy. I am so humbled by the assignment and
have really had some hard moments feeling so unqualified, feeling that
I will be in the way, etc. I could definitely use your prayers. I know
that I will learn way more from the Hermanas than I will ever teach
them, and I am so excited for the opportunity! It will be fun to
travel through the mission and see how great the work is all over! My
experience in El Talar was really great. I was praying like crazy that
I would know how to help and the only thing that came to me very
strongly was that I should talk to Hermana Smith in English. So, while
her Latin comp was in the bathroom getting around, I just asked "how
are you?" Well, that´s all she needed! She had been having some hard
times and I was able to listen and hopefully help. It was a really
great moment and a true answer to prayers. I know that the Lord will
answer these prayers as I work to help and as I am learning. I have
had about 12 or 13 hours in travel this week between leadership
trainings, traveling to El Talar, a special meeting/training for the
upcoming rededication, and now with doing this paper work to renew my
visa. It´s kinda tiring, but it´s a great experience at the same time.
I love the mission and there is always something new!

Our investigators are doing great! PLEASE pray for Enrique and Marina!
They are having some huge trials right now and don´t want to get
married this weekend... we have been working with them for such a long
time and they are so close. Satan is working really hard on them and
it is just really difficult to see them this way. We are fasting,
praying, and pulling out all the stops to help them, but in the end it
will be their agency... please pray! I know that they can do it... It
has been a huge emotional roller coaster for me this week to see what
is happening. Please pray. I was really struggling yesterday when I
finally just felt a great peace knowing that we have done our part and
the Lord has for sure done His... now they have to use their agency.
Our responsibility is to teach in a way that they can make the right
decision. It is really painful when we see people choose to not follow
Christ...

Yesterday, our leaders called us at 2:30 to tell us that we had to be
in the stake center at 3:30 to take a bus to another zone for a
special meeting and training on the Temple rededication. Man, did we
ever have to run! haha. we were on the way to our lunch appt and got
there ate a couple bites of raviolis and were out by 2:50 to speed
peddle home and leave the bikes, take a remis, and make it on time!
haha. It was an AMAZING meeting! They talked about how it is our
responsibility that EVERY person in Buenos Aires has the invitation to
the open house and were given the invites... each companionship was
given 4600 invites! OH MAN!!! We have the assignment to put them on
every door in our area and make an additional 10 street contacts each
day. It´s going to be crazy and wonderful! We are to distribute the
invites from noon to 4 (with 45 min of lunch in there) and then do our
regular lessons for the rest of the day. What a great experience this
will be. The area 70 who came, Elder Costa, promised us that just for
receiving the invitation, hundreds of thousands will go to the open
house and receive the missionaries! WOW. We are super excited about
it... we have 20 days to give out 4600 invites. It will be amazing!

Well... I have to run! Know that I love you. Our investigators are
great. We are coming out of our "dry spell" with some baptisms on the
horizon. I know that we have to continue doing all of the small and
simple things, even when it is difficult and they don´t seem to work,
and the Lord will bless our every step. I love the work! I love the
Temple. I know that families can be together forever. I know that WE
WILL be an eternal family! I know that Jesus lives. He is our Savior.
I know that the Book of Mormon is true. I love it. I love my Heavenly
Father.

Sorry that I didn´t have time to answer your emails. Next week, promise!
Love,
Hermana Shelley