I can´t believe that a year ago, I put on my very first tag and became Hermana Shelley! My how time really does FLY! I have absolutely loved my time in the mission and wouldn´t want to be anywhere else! I am so very blessed. What a neat thing to be able to say that I have been a full time missionary for a full year! So great! Hermana Dunn made me popcorn and peanut butter chocolate rice crispy treats (DEATH, but oh so delicious!) and we had a good time.
What a week! We have been working like crazy trying to get things moving here again! We are in finding mode, and man have we been blessed! We are finding FAMILIES, which is such a huge blessing. I love working with Hermanas Dunn and Montecinos and they are both just absolute rockstars! I am so blessed to be working with them!
Enrique and Marina are all taken care of to be MARRIED!!! They finished all the blood tests and everything, and we have the appointment all set, so now we are just in the waiting game! They will be married on the 20th and baptized on the 21st. SO GREAT!
We found an amazing family through our ward mission leader this week, Familia Zalatino. They are the biggest family of my life! The Grandma has 8 grown kids and each have at least 4 kids. HUGE! They are a really neat, humble family. Daniel, one of the grandsons who is 21, is really progressing well. He went to church yesterday and really loved it! He has a baptismal date for the 28th.
Cristina is doing so great! This past week, she had a special fast and her daughter came to church! She is growing so much and really showing so much faith! She got a calling this last Sunday and is in charge of the lunch calenders for the missionaries, which in my opinion is the most important calling in the ward! haha. A missionary´s got to eat!
Yeni, Marina, and Milagros are also just amazing! They all came to church in skirts this past week for the first time (that took a LOT of persuasion, but they were great about it in the end!) and today, they took a whole family to the 9 de Julio activity (more on that later). They are reading and praying every day and they even have a special prayer every night that their grandparents will come to church. So cute!
So today, 9 de julio, is Independence day here in Argentina! We had so much fun in our ward activity! Everyone made empanadas and then we played ping pong, soccer, etc. The big surprise? I was asked to play the national anthem super last minute... let´s just say that it has been a LOOOOONG time... We aren´t talking Hymn style National Anthem... we are talking 7 page, hard core, classical music national anthem... ya... I ran through it once and then had to play it for everyone. They all said that it was great, but it just kinda made me sad about my dwindling piano skills... I think I might start playing a bit on Pdays. haha. It will come back... I hope!
It´s getting COLD! And it feels extra cold because it´s so humid! But we bundle up well and we do okay. Hermana Chen, our BIshop´s wife bought us leg warmers! haha. They are SWEET! So we are nice and taken care of.
Know that I love you all so much! I pray for you all daily! I am so glad that you had so much fun on vacation and that you got to see everyone. Grandma and Grandpa, I hope your computer gets going soon... two weeks ago I wrote you a nice long email just for you! Maybe you can get into Grandpa´s email at our house.
Thank you for all your love and support!
I love the gospel so much. I love being a missionary. I love putting my badge on every day and heading out to testify of Jesus Christ. I love working with Hermana Dunn and Hermana Montecinos. They are amazing! Hermana Montecinos is a fireball and just a joy. Hermana Dunn is so sweet and in tune with the Spirit. They make a good team. I love my Savior, Jesus Christ. May we follow Him in all that we do is my great desire. I love the scriptures and love studying them daily. I have come to know my Savior more fully through studying them. Prayer is real. I know that Heavenly Father hears us. That is one of the biggest things that has changed about me... my prayers. I really talk with the Lord now rather than just talking TO Him. I listen more. I have become more patient (though I am still pretty far from that one), and I have learned how to hear His voice. I love the changes that have taken place in my life. I like who I am becoming and I have finally been able to leave the old me behind. I have so many weaknesses, but Heavenly Father sees me for who I can be tomorrow. What a great truth that is. I am so grateful for this last year, and I look forward to these next 6 months. With the Temple (which we found out that we WILL have a part in the open house as Sisters!!!! WOOT!) and all the changes coming, I know that the time is going to really fly by even faster than I think, but I know that for that I am just going to take 1 day at a time and love every moment!
I love you all! Continue in your prayers and scripture study daily. That is truly the key!
I love you so much!!!
Love,
Hermana Shelley
pictures: 1 & 2-Sister Montecinos
3, 4 & 5-One year!!!!!!!
No comments:
Post a Comment