Maybe It's Emily

You want to hear some exciting news? I'M BEING TRANSFERRED...... AGAIN! I was only here in Bariloche for one transfer (6 weeks), and now I've already got to go! When the elders called us they didn't say anything at first (maybe to get back at us for a trick we played on them the other day... our bad.), and then when they finally told us I thought it was a joke. For like 5 minutes I was like "Elder, stop kidding. It's not that funny anymore." He said "I'm not joking Hermana, you really are going." AHHHHHH!!!! The reason it's a bummer is that Hna. Smith and I have worked really hard to get this area up and running. We've worked really hard and have found 5 people willing to follow Christ and be baptized- 5 solid baptisms. And now I have to leave them all behind! Me mata! (It kills me!) Hna. Smith is training this transfer. That is why I am leaving. She was told she was going to train and she's been waiting for the opportunity for a whil...

This week has been one crazy hectic whirlwind. We've had some pretty sweet highs and some agonizing lows. But that's missionary work, right? I don't really know what to say all that much this week. A lot of this week has been knocking doors that didn't open and running around from fallen appointment to fallen appointment. BUT I'm okay, I just don't have any super cool stories. We did try seeing Kristina this week, but she wasn't there the two times we tried setting the appointment. The last time she left us a note with her dad that says that we can come Tuesday. We're just so happy because she's still willing to see us! Really, anything that can happen in this mission is almost worth it because an investigator still wants to see us after all the obstacles that have fallen her way! We are so happy. That's wonderful news about the priesthood in the ward! Right now we are really anticipating two of our baptisms because it means two more priesthood h...

Before I got here, my companion spent EVERYDAY working with less actives and former investigators the last transfer. She's so ready to move on, and I trust her judgement. BUT we are trying our best to encourage the members and beg for service opportunities, and slowly but surely we get more references. Okay, references for less active members, but with children and husbands that are not members! Hey, we gotta start somewhere. And the visiting teaching idea is good, but that's not our job. We just don't have the time to do that! But we'll mention it as an idea to the RS president. Members do feed us for most of the week, they're really good at taking care of the missionaries. Yesterday we ate with the Hna. Acuña, a crazy outspoken - offend everyone - super strong member. She's batty and I love it! She always takes care of us. And knits us sweaters. I have to send you a picture of the sweater of my companion. It's a gem. We did not get to visit with Kristina ...

Alas, another week has rolled away and you haven't written me! As I sit here in this booth I cry rivers of tears as the lost words of my sleeping mother are sent into the realm of dreams. I think my companion has rubbed off on me. Or maybe that means I'm rubbing off on myself. I love it when she reads me her journal entries. They sound a lot like that and then make me laugh. Anyway, on to stuff that is a wee bit more important! I officially declare that I've hit the point in my mission where I'm exhausted all the time. My companion says it happens to everyone. I'm just going to take it as a good sign as to the fact that I really do try to work hard. There are days better than others, but alas, I cannot slack! I would hate that. The work here in Bariloche is picking up. The ward here is really small. Somebody told us that about ten years ago there were about 100 kids in the Primary in this ward. 100 kids! And not just one person said that, a couple! And now about 30i...

Bariloche , Alto 1 ward. My area is covered with hills. I'm so not kidding. We are so tired by the end of the day it's hard to climb up the stairs to get into our apartment at night. We both feel like we're just now opening the area. We've been doing lot of knocking on doors. Believe it or not, even though it's a touristy place, it's not that bad. We've found a lot of great people lately. It's the Lord blessing us for our diligence to walk up all of these hills! We can still feel the success that we're going to have here. We know we're going to turn this area around. This past week we've meet a lot of people from other religions (some nicer than others... even a Buddhist ! She was sweet). We had a guy threaten to call the cops on us. Qué mala onda (what bad attitude)! But alas, we finally merit the title of hard core according to our zone leader. oh yes. Hard core I am. The other Elders are great here in Bariloche . We love our zone ...

Yeah, well last pday was a different pday. I don't have normal pdays anymore. MAH! Just kidding! Kinda. Anyway yes, yes I am here in Bariloche. My new companion is amazing. I love her! She's really funny, tall (6'4''!), and from California. She's like a taller version of me! She has about 3 more months than me on the mission, and she's ready and willing to work hard to find people, which is exactly what I want. The last transfer she opened up the area (they took out the elders in this ward and put in sisters) and was supposed to train a new companion. But her new companion never got here and she's had to work with mini missionaries and members, so the work has been REALLY slow since she's gotten here. We're both really looking forward to start knocking and start finding. It's going to be awesome. We know we're going to have success here. But the thing is that this past week has been a barrier in the work. My companion, like right when I g...

Haha , you are my secretary! Ah, just kidding! I'm glad to hear from you because I got some exciting news... TRANSFERS!!! I'm going to Bariloche ! Saturday night the new district leader in Zapala (our beloved E. Smoot from the MTC !) informed us that my poor companion that wanted to leave Zapala would stay, and I who wanted to stay would leave. It really really stinks. I feel like I did nothing in Zapala , like I helped nobody. That's the worst part. I feel like I leave with shame. But what we always say is that the work is directed by the Lord, and He doesn't need me in Zapala anymore. He needs me in Bariloche ! Bariloche (bah- di - loh - chay ) is a skiing place in the mountains. Therefore I shall see snow and a lot of coldness. Boo. I'm going to be working in the downtown area with Hna . Smith from the U.S., and she's the tallest sister here in the mission, well over six feet tall. And blonde . With blue eyes. Yeah, we won't stick out. Nah, because t...