Week 43 (Jan. 28, 2014 El Talar, Argentina)

Hey Mom :) I is here for a bit! I emailed quit a few people first so I could just focus on emailing you and talk about the week. But while I am writing about the week, here are a few questions if you are there:

Do you know where Dev Dev´s girlfriend is going?

So did Bronte lose weight for her wedding? I know that is a silly question but I am curious ha.

I thought Joel had to get his wisdom teeth out, but he already turned in his papers?!

Hiya My Dear Mumsy :)

Let´s first start with your questions:

My ribs are doing better but still hurt a bit. I called the nurse of the mission and she didn´t tell me much but I am doing fine :) They feel a lot better thanks for asking :) 

I will get on to Alex a little later but yes, he did confirmed on Sunday!! :) And yes, Dante is Natalias husband. They are not married though :( And no he wasn´t able to make it to church. Thank you for your prayers as well as those of the family, I know that in time we will see a miracle! :)

YES!!! I am still in El Talar with Hermana Jensen!!!!!!! :) This is exactly what I wanted! We were thinking that for sure I was going to leave and that she was going to stay. So Sunday we were taking pictures with people and pretty much saying bye haha, and we even made one of our investigators pretty sad because she thought that we were leaving poor thing. It was Laura. She is the best, I will write about her as the email goes on.

I am hoping that I will get to go to the temple here someday. Hermana Jensen told me when she got here that President said something about going as a mission for Easter but it was not a for sure thing. So we will see! But I think that if I don´t get to go, that a few days before I go home I will get to. At least I hope so! And ya I have there, remember when I first got here right after the airport they took us to the temple and we got a picture of all those that flew in that day in front of the temple? I thought they sent that to you but maybe not. And I am serving in the outskirts of Buenos Aires, yes. They call it Provincia. Like there are areas in Capital and Provincia. And when other missionaries ask where you are serving they ususally ask capital or provincia. Capital is like Congreso and places like that, like the city. And Provincia is like the more mellow part. No tall building or anything like that. In Congreso we just spoke to people through intercoms and pushed the botton on the outside of their building to let them know we were there. Here in provincia we clap to let people know we are here. Because there are gates around pretty much every house so you can´t walk to the door and knock. It is interesting haha :) Lots of things are done so differently here. But I love it! 

On to the week. Let´s start with Laura since I haven´t really said anything about her yet. I will try to summarize because I have a lot to say about this week. Laura is 27 and worked in a kiosco when we started talking to her. A kiosco is like a little shop with candy, alfajores, drinks, snacks, etc. Like a gas station store I guess. They are everywhere. So in this Kisoco Hermana Fullmer and I would go panchos (hotdogs) once in a while when we didn´t have lunch with a member. The panchos here are much better than the US by the way haha. :) We would also just go buy things in this kiosco when we needed something because it is close to our house. So we got to know Laura this way, she made our panchos for us ha. One day we gave her an invitation to the capilla and she said that she was catholic but liked learning about other religions and didn´t practice Catholicisms anyway. She said she would let us know when we could visit her. Each time we went to this kiosco we would chat with Laura for a bit, just about her life and our lives and things like that. Well finally one day we came in and she said to us, "When are we going to have that chat about your church?" :) :) This was a pday but we told her that we could start right then. From then on, we have been teaching her. SHE IS MARRIED, and has a little boy. A MIRACLE! :) people are never married here! Her husband is holding her back a bit because he doesn´t want anything to do with any religion. We teach her at her work because she is there everyday. She has almost been taught all the lessons and really likes everything but still doesn´t know if this is the true church. Man there is a lot to explain about her because I haven´t been doing it! She is so ready to be baptized. She has been prepared by Heavenly Father and just needs to recognize it. Her beliefs are those of this church and she doesn´t agree with lots of the catholic beliefs but still says shes catholic. She is married, she doesn´t smoke or drink or do drugs, she is golden! But she just wont accept a baptismal date because she is still confused about if this is the true church. We felt one day that we should say a kneeling prayer with her and that she should ask specifically if the church is true. She we went to the little room in the Heladeria (ice cream shop) that she also works at (oh ya, the kiosco got robbed and so she now works in this ice cream shop a few doors down) and she said the prayer and asked if the church was true and if what we were teaching her was true. She said she didn´t feel anything different but that she felt good and liked everything that we had taught her. It has been so amazing teaching her but also hard to see that she is so ready and still won´t accept a date. We think it is part because she fears what her husband will do. We have shared scriptures with her about that, about the feelings of the spirit, about so many of her needs, but still she doesn´t know what to do. We have also been asking her for the past few weeks to come to church and she hasn´t been able to because of family things. She is reading the Book of Mormon faithfully and loves it. She is praying and loves what we teach, but she hadn´t come to church yet. We told her throughout last week that we felt that if she came to church, she would receive her answer that the church is true, because that was the only thing that she lacked! She really wants to know because she is just confused, like Joseph Smith. We explained that similarity with her as well. So we told her that if she really wanted to know, she would come to church on Sunday. We texted her Saturday night to remind her. Sunday morning came and no laura. At the end of sunday school, we get a call from her and she tells us that she DID try to come at 9:00 but went the the WRONG CHURCH on the same street!! She said she got there and a lady asked her what brought her to church that morning and she told her that two chicas named syphus and jensen invited her and she decided to come. the lady said oh, well i don´t know those two but i am sure you will find them here. hahaha it was so funny when she told us about it later. she also told us on the phone that she didn´t think it was the correct church because we told her that we drink water for the sacrament but these people drank wine. so she was confused. we told her that yes it was the wrong church ha. she said that she stayed for an hour and a half and enjoyed it. puka shells. she told us that she went back home and asked how much longer we would we at church. we told her that we still had an hour and that she needed to hurry come! So she got on her bike and rode to the church and made it for 30 min. of rs!! Afterwards she said that it was different but that she liked it. We told her the most important meeting was the first hour and invited her to come the next sunday to see it. She said she still didn´t receive an answer. I feel like going to sacrament meeting would have helped her a lot but unfortunately she missed it. So we are hoping that this coming sunday she will come and feel something. After a while, if the investigators are not progressing, we have to drop them. We do not want to do that with Laura because she is so special, but we will have to see. So that is Laura! Sorry that was so wicked long! Mom, please tell me if my emails bore you okay!

Alex was confirmed! But then one of his sisters was crying and wouldn´t stop so they left after sacrament meeting :( We had a great lesson with them this last week. Probably the best we have had with them ever. We watched the Restoration dvd with them, and they really liked it. Erik, Lisandro, and Alex were all there and when we asked them at the end how they felt Erik said "I´m sure I really really like it but I don´t know why" haha we explained that he had felt the spirit and for that he liked it and felt good. Alex as well said that he liked it a lot. Usually they are thinking about futbol and just don´t pay attention during the lessons very well, but this time it was really special and we all felt the spirit. We had made question and answer flashcards about the restoration and played a game with them afterwards to help them remember the basics of the restoration. They seemed to really like it. Also, Heremana Jensen got marshmallows from her aunt or someone and so we brought those and they had fun eating them. We played that game where you put as many as you can in your mouth and each time you put one in you have to say chubby bunny. Erik and Alex did it and it was super funny and a great fun moment with them :) I hope they will someday receive the priesthood and become worthy holders of it and choose to serve missions. This family is too special to not be receiving the blessings that Heavenly Father wants to give them. 

We had a great miracle this week. There is an hermana in the ward named Karla that has not been coming for a while. We planned to go visit her one day and see how she was doing. She had just recently moved to El Talar from a near by town and so the bishop also wanted us to go see if her address listed was correct. We went and the neighbors said that she was not home but that she lived there. So like we always try to do, we talked to the neighbors haha :) We taught two girls about the restoration and the book of mormon. They do not live in el talar but they told us that they wanted the missionaries in their part to visit them, we were happy to tell them that they sure could :) As we were ending with them, Karla and her daughter and her cousin came walking up the street. We were able to meet with them in the end and her cousin Karina is not a member. She is around 27 I believe and has been going to church with Karla for a while but just is not baptized. We simply asked her to be baptized on the 9th of February and she said yes! Wow, I have always heard of miracles like that happening but had never seen one myself. It was amazing really. She is one of the elect that we as missionaries are supposed to find. That night when we got home I pondered on that miracle that we had had and I received a stronger testimony that God has a plan and that he is preparing people. He knows exactly how to plan things out so that miracles happen. Everything just worked out perfectly. Karla wasn´t there but her neighbors were and so we talked to them and as we did Karla came. If we would have left, nothing would have happened and Karina would not have had the opportunity of accepting to be baptized. I just marvel at how God works. He is a planner. He has a grand plan for us all, but he also has things planned out for us each day. i know that when we are obedient and are seeking His will and when we follow the spirit, His will becomes reality and the plans that He has for us happen. The way things "just work out" sometimes has shown me that God´s plan is perfect and that He is all knowing and is walking beside us. I know that none of these things are coincidences, but that God helps them happen when we are trying our best. God works through His servants, and we are all His servants! :) 

I have been studying about the importance of pondering. I hope I can share more about what I have learned more in the coming weeks but it is really quit neat the many things we can learn about pondering. The introduction of the book of mormon says that to know if the book is true, we should read, ponder, and pray. I have come to realize that pondering is such a big part of this process of coming to know. And not just about the book of mormon, but any doctrine or teaching of this gospel. Whether we want to understand it more, or come to know if it is true, pondering about it when coupled with prayer, is the way it will happen. We can receive revelation from God when we ponder and pray about eternal truths. When Nefi want to know for himself if what his father has told him is true, he prays and ponders and AFTER he does this, is caught away in the spirit who tells and shows him all these things.

.For it came to pass after I had desired to know the things that my father had seen, and believing that the Lord was able to make them known unto me, as I sat ^apondering in mine heart I was^bcaught away in the Spirit of the Lord, yea, into an exceedingly high ^cmountain, which I never had before seen, and upon which I never had before set my foot.

 And in the end, he receives his own testimony (1 Nefi 14:30). I know that we become more effective instruments in God´s hands when we ponder upon the truths that He has offered us. I know that when I have pondered about things, sometimes I will suddenly just get it, or understand somethings new that I didn´t before. It is a neat sensation that we receive, it is like our spirit is remembering what it already knew before, and I think that is why it feels so good. 

Thank you so much mom for all you do for me! I love what I am doing and I know that it is helping me be the person that God wants me to be. I lack so much but I am thankful for what I am learning. Someday I will be a great as you and dad! :) I have some pics that I want to send! Love you so much and thanks again for everything. Like always, tell the family hi and thanks for everything as well. LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH!! :) I am blessed! I love being a missionary :) 

Con Amor, 

Hermana Syphus 

 

Thurday January 23, 2014 Hottest.Day.Ever.

 I don´t think I stopped sweating all day. This is us disgusted with ourselves haha

    

This was after we got on the bus to go home for the night. We had lost our cell phone (left it at Natalia´s house) and had to run to go retrieve it and be at the bus stop to wait for the bus in order to be home by 9. It was already super hot and we ran forever! haha 

 

 Me and Hermana Jensen when we found out we were staying together this transfer!! :)

Laura!! :) We love her so much!  

 Marshmallows with Natalia´s family!!

Natalia´s Family

 Ingred Menezes- one of our favorite members

 Silvina Orce- another one of our favorite members. She always like coming with us to visit people and takes really good care of us! She bought me some cream to put on my bug bites!

Week 42 1/2 (Jan. 22, 2014 El Talar, Argentina)

Hey Ma, so president told us that we could email a different day other than monday because we didn´t really have much time. So we are doing it today :) But we technically already had an hour on Monday and we still don´t have much time today, so I will write a bit, but we are not staying on too long. I just wanted to let you know that I am here once again if you wanted to tell me anything new :) 

I have a few more things to tell and ask you that I forgot to on Monday. I don´t know if you know this, but the Tophams sent me a Christmas package!! SO SWEET OF THEM! :) I was pleasantly surprised when I saw who it was from. They gave me a card and some warm socks, and some chewy lifesavers. I loved it so much! Will you please let them know that I say thank you so much and I love them too! I don´t even know why they would send me a package, but I was super grateful! 

Also, Bennetts sent me their Christmas card for the year and I loved it as well. Very cute pictures and such an amazing letter about their year. I enjoyed reading that so much and wanted to ask you to please let them know as well that I am thankful for them and thinking of me. I was touched. The Ridings also sent me a card and the stake as well. And also my college ward :) Lots of great surprises :) I just have the best family and friends in the world. Question: Did we not have a family Christmas card this year? I was waiting for one but figured that we didnt do one this year. 

Kylie also sent me their family christmas card and I loved it!! When did she get so creative!? Just kidding, she as alsways been like that. But seriously, it was so cute! I loved it. 

So a question for you: Did Bronte lose weight!?!? Becasue she sent me some pictures of her wedding and she looked super skinny! She looked good before but in these pics she looked even skinnier! Is that real life or just the pics?

You are going to send me and invite to Shaun´s wedding right? Ha :) 

Hermana Jensen´s mom sent her a christmas package before Christmas with her presents and another one as well that didn´t get here until this last week. It was pretty impressive I must say haha. There was a mini Christmas tree with lights that you didn´t have to plug in, and little ornaments to go with it. Then there was more presents and little stockings for each of us!! It even had a tag on it that said "To Kelsi´s companion" There was lip gloss in it and a braclet and my favorite....CHRISTMAS TREE REESES!! I asked Hermana Jensen how her mom knew that those were my favorite haha. We also each got gold fish, hot chocolate, mini m&m´s and a bag of peanut m&m´s. I thought that was super sweet of her and was so suprised to have received my own individual ones from her! So that was really fun. If you still have contact with her mom, you can tell her I say thanks so much for everything and that I appreciate it! But even with all these goodies and such, the present from you and the family was the best and I love it so much. It was the perfect Christmas gift and I will be able to always have it with me. Thank you so much again for the amazing blanket. :) 

So something quick about the last week. Alex was supposed to get comfirmed on Sunday but didn´t come to church. Worst thing ever to happen to a missionary I would say. We had talked and talked about it and they were for sure going to come and it wasn´t even a problem at all to come on Sunday. They went fishing on saturday and so we couldn´t visit them. And Natalia´s phone doesn´t work so we couldn´t call her either. But we trusted them becasue they we just firm on coming. It´s just like a normal member coming to church to we weren´t really worried. Even though they told us that we didn´t need to pass by in the morning to get them, we went by anyway Sunday morning and no one answered the door. They always walk so we thought they had started walking. So we left. They didn´t shoe up ever so we went to see them yesterday and Natalia said that they had slept in because they got home so late. We told them that God was expecting to see them at church and was expecting Alex to be confirmed and because he wasn´t, he was sad and so were we. We said all that with love though ha. Natalia said that she knew how important it was and felt bad but that this sunday it will happen. We know it will too. We had a miracle happen with this family yesterday! We went to go see them like I mentioned and the dad was there!! He is never home because he is always working, but he is on his vacation so he was home! He still works but not in the evening for like a week. Anyway, he was just doing his own thing when we got there. As missionaries, we are supposed to do this thing called Congregar Israel, or congregate israel. Idk if I have already told you about this. But it is when we invite as many people as we can to a lesson before we start. Like we ask the person who we are visiting who they know that we can invite or if we see someone we just invite them, things like that. So we asked Natalia if we could invite her husband and like 3 times she told us the same thing, that he was not going to like it and didn´t want to listen. But we insisted a bit haha and told her that we would just go invite him to see. She we did and he came!!! He was hesitant at first but we talked to him for like an hour and he was so receptive. It was amazing. We have been praying and waiting for this all along. I know that Heavenly Father has a plan for this family because He is making it possible for them to change. All the things that have happened with this family is evidence to me that God has a great plan for them and is helping them become an eternal family. Thank you so much for your prayers for Natalia and her family. I know that God is anwering them and that because of your support and from the family as well, we are seeing miracles here. Thank you so much. We invited him, oh his name is Dante, to be baptized and he said he wanted to but he can´t come to church because he work every sunday. We were talking about eternal families and we aked him what he was willing to do to have an eternal family. He said anything. We told him that if that was true, God would make it possible for him to go to church on Sunday in some way, but that he needed to pray to receive help and direction. He said he would. So that was an amazing experience that I have been waiting for all this time! And I am so grateful to Heavnely Father. I am going to see this family sealed some day I just know it. Or at least hear about it. I know that God is with this family. They will always be a big part of my mission. I am thankful for the trust that God has had in me to help this family come closer to Him and His Son. And now it is just getting better and better. Pray for Dante if you would! I know your prayers and those of the family really are blessing lives out here! Thanks so much! 

Well I best go. Time flies on the computer haha. I will tell more next week. Love you so much and thanks again for all you do mom! 

Love, 

Kates

Wow how special is that. Kami (Freeman) is a great girl and I am so happy to hear that she is serving a mission. And in the same place as her mother. My goodness, Heavenly Father is just so loving and knows how to make us happy and feel loved. I felt His love for Kami and her family reading what you sent me. Thank you mom. 

Tell Nik that I say congrats! Glad it went well. I still remember how special and wonderful it was the fist time I went through as well. The thing I reegret is that I don´t think I wrote about it in my journal :( I really do miss the temple mom. It is hard not being able to go. It really is my favorite place to be and I haven´t been there in so long. I know that my purpose right now is different, but I still miss the temple. My comp told me about the new movie! That is so neat! 

(referring to the pics from last week)I am glad he sent them! He is a great Elder. Our cameras were dead so he did it for us haha. Thanks for letting me know and I´m glad you got them! They are the only ones I have of his baptism so keep them safe if you can :) Thanks ma

Also, you know how I was pretty sick? Well I had a cough like always and I don´t know if it was the cough that did it or what, but one of my ribs has really been hurting pretty bad. When I cough or sneeze or hiccup or breathe deep or anything like that. I don´t know what it feels like to have a broken rib, so I am not sure. Maybe it is just bruised or something. I just have to carry around a bag all day and it sure doesn´t make it better ha. It feels like it is in my back and side a bit too so I don´t even know if it is a rib. Anyway, just thought you might like to know that

The gate into our pension

The building behind the silver car is where we email.

And the La Union is where we buy groceries.

Week 41 (Jan. 20, 2014 El Talar, Argentina)

Hey Mom :) How are you? Oh how I love your emails. They just brighten my day so much. We just got on the computer because we have not been here in our area this entire day! And guess what we did? We had to go to San Fernando and Retiro to do my tramites or papers in order to be here in Argentina legally. I actually don´t think I told you this before, but when I first got here, we did the same thing and our papers were already expired because we had waited for our visas, so it didn´t work when I first got here. So today we had to redo everything and it was such a long process!! We got up at around 5:30 in order to be there on time. The missionary couple, Hermana and Elder Lines, are the best. They are in the office and are in charge of so many things! God´s church is really so organized and perfect! There are so many behind the scenes people and I am just so grateful for each one of them. So anyway, Hermana Lines got the entire process for the papers figured out and put everything we needed in an envelope, passport, copy of passport, money, everything that we did before my mission. And then we had to travel to Retiro to complete the process. It took all day but at least I am now legal haha! :) We first had to take a colectivo or bus to san fernando. then from there we took an electric train to retiro and then after that we took the train back to san fernando, and another colectivo back to el talar. It was a crazy day! It was so hot that this poor lady got heat exhaustion on the train and it had to stop for a bit. Lots of people went to her aid and it was very heart warming to see. The people here are like that, they care about and look out for each other. The colectivos are always packed and we usually have to stand up in them. So when a mother comes on with kids, and all the seats are taken, so many people that are sitting down will offer her their seat. Just little things like that really warm my heart and help me know that God is everywhere. He is in each heart of each person. I really love that. So just to tell you quick, I do not know how far I am going to get with this email because we have to start working in just a bit, I only have time to email you this week and hopefully next week I can email the rest. But also, next week is transfers so I will be emailing on Tuesday en vez de lunes. :) I am going to send this much now and then start with the rest si esta bien con voz :) Love you ma

This was such a great week and we still had some great obstacles but we learned from them and are going to continue working hard along side of Jesus Christ in His work. I am going to have to tell you about this week next week because we have very little time today, but here are a few short things:

Um yes I did buy something so no worries :) 

I found an adapter so we´re good with the camera

Umbrella not yet but I will get one

How does Shaun feel about his wedding day being shared with Nathanial?

I was so touched by the experience that Shaun had with Corinne´s sister. Thank you for telling me that mom. I got chills while reading it because of how sweet and Christ like it all seemed. I bet Shaun had a great time and what a lucky boy to be able to do that for someone who needed it. The Cox family is so wonderful. I am so glad that he asked Shaun. Let them know that I say hi and love them so much! I will keep their sweet daughter in my prayers. 

How did it go with Ben Bens?! Also, I love that you say Ben Ben´s hahaha, it makes me laugh so much :) I hope our families can still be great friends even though they have moved. You had better keep in great touch with them and continue to do things with them ha :) Also, I have a favor to ask. Do you think I could have Devin´s email? It would be fun to write him a short email and see how he is doing. I know his mom said that he already get´s to much email, so it´s okay if I can´t, but just wondering. 

Great news about Tyler :) Missions really change people. And it´s because it is God´s work and His time. I guess it is not so much the mission that changes people, but God and His Son that do the changing through the experiences and trials and happy times that they give us while here. It is such an extraordinary thing. I know that God is here with us. I can feel His presence. It will be so hard to stop doing this. I know that God is with all of His children, but He really is with His missionaries, walking with them and helping them help His children to receive salvation. And it is a great feeling. 

Well mom I have to go now. I mainly just wanted to say that I am doing very very good and happy and I love you so much. You are an angel and will always be the greatest angel on this earth to me. Let dad know that I love him so much and the family as well. Thank you so much for all that you are doing to help the Lord´s work progress!! Thank you for your prayers and thoughts and everything that you do! 

Oh and YES! I got the package with the deodorant and such. Thanks so much!!!! :) :) I did not have to pay to get it either so that was good :) 

Love you and have a great week! 

Con Amor, 

Kates 

Week 40 (Jan. 13, 2014 El Talar, Argentina)

Goodness Mom! How do you expect me to react to all this news!! I can´t believe all that is happening in the Syphus and White Family! This is just all so crazy and wonderful and happy! I love seeing the Lord´s hand in our lives, and I have definitely seen that He is with our family. Such great blessings from Heaven. Man where to start...Well first off, CONGRATS TO NIK!!! Oh my goodness I just read that part of your email and got chills chills chills up and down my body. That is SO AMAZING and I am so happy for him!! I just can´t get over how incredible that is, Mom! Wow, so so neat. I am freaking out! I always thought it would be so cool to go to El Salvador like Erik. Way to be Niko, I am so proud of him and so happy. We can speak spanish together!! I bet that in a few years, we are going to be a part english part spanish family because of our missions haha and there are still many to come! And spanish speaking is so common! It is going to be fun to see where the others go! I had no idea that Maddie was wanting to serve! How neat! And Kimberly and Britnee too!! Man this is so crazy! I am missing all the family excitement it sounds like! I guess I will not be seeing them for a while either! But it makes me so happy because I know how much they will all LOVE their missions! So many miracles and such great news. Thank you for answering my questions! I am glad that Shaun and Katie are so happy :) I will have to hear all the details of everything when i get home. 

Ha you are right. I would be happy not to know that ha. It is super weird that I have been out 9 months. But I just keep telling myself that I still have 9 months LEFT, not that I have been out 9 months already. Because then it seems like i still have a lot more time left :) But 9 months really is a lot of time still! It has gone by super fast. Faster than I have wanted that´s for sure. I miss home, but there are some things here on my mission that I never want to leave. And you have me tearing up now. I love my mission so much and although it took some time for me to realize that, I really do love it and I love being a missionary for the Lord. It is the best calling in the world. I think being a mother is a better calling, but for right now, this is the best. I will miss it so much mom. But I don´t have to think about that for another 9 months still. I actually did not even realize that I hit my 9 month mark until Hermana Jensen surprised me with a sign that said Happy Hump Day, a letter, and an alfajor. It really had not even crossed my mind that I was half way until she did that! And as much as I didn´t want to know ha, it was super nice of her to do that. She is the best! We tried to take a picture of the occasion but both of our cameras are dead and we can´t charge them. We are looking for an adapter today if we have time. I can´t wait to see what the next 9 months of my mission are going to bring me! I need to make some goals and see how I am doing with the ones I made at the beginning of my mission. I am so excited for these next 9 months! I know they will be great and that as long as I do my part and am obedient, the Lord will continue to give us miracles and see people change through His Son, Jesus Christ. 

Alright, ready for this week? :) ALEX GOT BAPTIZED!!! :) And now all three of the brothers are baptized and two of them have the holy ghost. Alex will be confirmed on Sunday. Mom, is full name is Alex Jesus Anchava. It has honestly been such a great journey with this family and I hope it continues. As a missionary, it is so hard to see people getting baptized and then see them fall away. Satan is working so hard on those that get baptized. The first year after the baptism is often super hard I have heard. And I think it is true from what I have seen. Even though people have felt the spirit and know that it is true, they forget and stop for a while. But that is why it is so important that we help them on the road to their conversion as much as we can, especially after baptism. Mom, I just remembered that in the last email you said that the fam has a goal to have one convert baptism a year right? I LOVE THAT SO MUCH! I think that is so great and please let me know if I can do anything to help you guys accomplish that! I know that Heavenly Father will bless us with opportunities when we ask for them and when we are sincere. So with these three boys that have been baptized this transfer, we are trying to get them involved in the young mens and primary so that they will feel more welcomed and loved. They are young and still are being influenced in many ways, but they know that this church is true and I know that they have felt the spirit. And we are just going to continue to help them stay strong. It was super neat what happened this weekend with Alex´s baptism. We couldn´t see Alex on Saturday because they were going fishing and were going to be gone all day. So he had is interview on Friday and did great. Saturday night we texted Natalia to see how the preparations for Sunday were going and she texted us back and said that they just returned home from the hospital because her youngest, Luna, had a high fever. Something had always gotten in the way for these baptisms. That just shows me how hard Satan is trying because he knows how important this work is. We texted her back and asked if we could do anything and if they would still be coming to church so alex could get baptized. She sent a text back to us and I want to tell you exactly what she said (translated in english) She said "yes we are coming, this is a thing of the devil and i am not going to give up what i have earned." Hermana Jensen and I were amazed and so impressed with her faith and testimony. She has become a different person and wants her family to have the blessings of the gospel. She asked if we could pray for Luna so that they could go. So we did. And in the morning we texted her and she told us that Luna slept great through the night and that they would be coming because God answered our prayers. Man. Things like this are why I love being a missionary. When people really become closer to God and start recognizing His hand in their lives and give Him the glory, it is so wonderful. I love it so much. So Alex was baptized and it went very well :)

There was a HUGE rain storm on Tuesday. It was super crazy. I was still sick then and to make a long story short, we got soaked. Like literally soaked. I had boots on and my rain coat and umbrella, but the rain was so strong that it went through my coat and my boots we filled with water and my clothes were soaked including my garments. We wanted to go back to the apartment because it was storming like crazy and there was lightning and such, but we were waiting for the bus because we had some important lessons that day. So we waited and got soaked haha and finally the colectivo came and we got a text from the leaders saying that we needed to go to the house of a member until the rain stopped. So we went to Hermana Coria´s house and had lunch with her and her husband but the power when out because someone´s roof flew off their house from the strong winds and broke a power line. We dried off in her house but of course were still wet ha. It was an adventure that's for sure. Very fun haha :) but I probably wouldn´t do it again. We ended up just staying in that area and didn´t do home until normal time. But the rain stopped and we eventually dried up! :) 

Well mom I have been on for a while and should get off. I still need to tell you about Laura. I am so thankful for the miracles that God is giving us and I know that he hears and answers prayer. One of the reasons that I know God loves us is because he answers prayer. I don´t think he would do that if he didn´t love us, but he does and each time it happens I can feel His love. The Gospel is real and powerful. I know that if we want to live with God and families forever, we need to continue enduring to the end UNTIL we have eternal life (Jacob 6:11). I love you so much mom and thank you for all you do. Tell everyone hi once again and that I love them all so much. You are all great blessings!

Con Amor, 

Hermana Syphus 

Alex Anchava's Baptism  Jan. 12, 2014

 Hermana Jensen, Alex and me

Hey! Just some questions that maybe you can answer before I get off. 

So when did Joel decide when he was going? And what do you and dad think of that? And I was thinking about it, and maybe there is a chance I will still get to see him before he goes! I have been thinking about him leaving a lot and sometimes I get sad when I think that I won´t see him for so long, but then I am happy too! You know how that goes :) But I have really just gotten closer to him being away it is so weird! Like I always just want to give him big hugs and such and I just love him so much! It will be SO weird if I don´t see him in 4 years because I am sure he will be a completely different person from when I left! That is 4 years of change! I am worried that I won´t even recognize him haha. I am mostly talking about his personality though. I don´t think he will look to much different. 

Oh ya, I know this a worldly thing and might not matter right now, but my top front two teeth are seriously going crooked. And you said you could tell when i was talking with yall on Christmas. So that has been worrying me a bit. I look at all the literally PERFECT smiles in our family and wonder what happened to mine!? haha seriously though, i don´t like it. I just don´t want it to get worse. I am sure no one is going to like a smile with two crooked front teeth. I guess I can´t do anything about it now, but I just wanted to tell you. Thanks for listening haha. 

Oh so guess what? This past week two hermanas in the ward have commented on how I look more filled out and bigger than from when I came. They told me that I got here white and a stick and now I am tanner and bigger. So...that was a little depressing not going to lie. That was something I really didn´t want to do on my mission was gain weight, and now look :( Man I just have all skinny sisters and shaun is marrying a gorgeous twiggalet and I am just going to come back as the fat sister. Ok I don´t think I will be fat but I might be bigger. I know I shouldn´t worry about this but believe me mom, all the sister missionaries worry about this, it is not just me! haha :)

Hey! hahaha i am sorry mom. I will try not to worry about my teeth and my weight anymore. And I promise I am trying to work as hard as i can. Thank you for helping me feel better ha. I know I have gained weight and it is noticeable in person but it really is okay. I am just going to work hard like you said and not worry about that. That is something that I need to change while I am here! Not thinking so negatively and I know that I need to stop worrying too! I thought that would change by now but I am still working on it. And about Joel, ha okay thanks for telling me. That makes sense. I am super happy for him! Can´t wait to hear where he is going! And that is understandable about the trip. Whatever happens is great with me :) Okay I am going to finish my letter now. Oh and no worries about last week! It was fine and I wasn´t sad or anything so no worries. I am also doing a lot better! Thanks for asking! I hope the fam is all better by now!  

Week 39 (Jan. 6, 2014 El Talar, Argentina)

Hola a vos tambien mi mama! :)

Thank you so much for your email! Once again I loved it so much and was glad to hear about all that has been going on! I will answer your questions and then I have some for you too and then I will write my email about this week. It has been a good one! 

The heat is still the same but last week was a bit better. And ya it did rain! Lots actually! I love the rain but it is a different story as a missionary because you have to work in it and it is hard haha. Our house gets water in it just from under the door when it rains and so we woke up and there was water all over in our kitchen ha. My umbrella broke because it was pretty windy the last rain storm we had but i was still able to use it last week thankfully. I need to buy a new one maybe. 

When we were at the MTC they gave us this water bottle with a filter in it and so that is what I have been using my entire time here :) I just fill it up with water and put it in the fridge to get cold and it works great! But I think the water here is just fine to drink without a filter because we make juice all the time and it is just water and a juice packet and I have never got sick from it so that is good! And because it is so hot, people will just fill empty pop bottles up with water and then freeze them and take them around all day and it will melt super fast. I have done that with small water bottles because the filter water bottle is pretty big and hard to carry all day so I just do it how everyone does it here and it works great.I have not heard about the coke thing though, that is interesting. They do drink a lot of pop here though so if that is the case, it is probably helping! ha

I think I am okay with garments so far but I will for sure let you know, thanks so much mom :) And there have been times when I remember I need to ask you for something but then always forget what it is when I email haha. So I will let you know on that too. But you read my mind about the deodorant! I am running out and they do have it here but it is wierd! So thank you so much for that! I don´t know how you do it! 

Alex will be getting baptized this sunday if all goes well!! We are so excited and I can´t wait to finally see it happen! :) 

I don´t even know what I was talking about when I said that I need a place haha. That is really weird to me. I will have to look back at the letter and see. 

So some questions for you: 

1. When is Joel going on his mission? That is one thing that I was for sure going to talk to him about on Christmas and didn´t do it! I was so sad! I was going to give him advice and talk to him about how great it is and all but there wasn´t time! 

2. I know you said that I looked nice on Christmas, but you didn´t say if I looked bigger or not hahaha. So...did I look a bit bigger? Please tell me the truth! haha :)

3. Does Shaun seem happy with Katie? And what do you think about them?

4. How is that working with only one car? What has been happening with that? 

And to reply to some of your email:

Congrats on your new calling! I hope you love it and I know that you will be great at that! 

That is amazing about the money that we got from the car. I can´t believe all these blessings that our family is seeing. That really is so neat. I know that Heavenly Father blesses His children when they are keeping the commandments AND covenants. And to me, that just means that you and dad are doing exactly what Heavenly Father wants you to be doing because of all these great blessings. 

Bronte´s wedding sounded like a lot of fun! I am so happy for her and am glad that you were able to see her so happy and enjoying life! That is crazy that she is married! How is the Zeigler family by the way? Do they still like me? haha How are Mattie and Collette? 

Haha gpa is so funny. I am glad that they look good and hope that I will get to see them when I get back. I hope that so much. 

I am so glad to hear that Pete´s funeral was great and that his family is doing good as well. I will keep them in my prayers. I know that the Lord´s spirit will be with them especially strong for the next while, because that is what I am sure they will need. And we are told in the scriptures that when we are happy, he is happy, and when we cry, he cries. So I know that He will he there with them! 

Okay so about this week! We saw so many miracles here in El Talar and I am grateful for each one of them. We were teaching an investigator and he asked us if there were miracles still. I told him that we had just seen a miracle before the visit with him and that I knew that God still gave us miracles. He asked what it was and I told him that it was simply someone accepting the invitation to learn more about the message of Christ and His gospel. He didn´t really think that was a miracle but I sure know it was! I know that miracles happen everyday. God is a god of miracles. They may be small, but they are still there. I believe that every tender mercy we receive is a miracle. Because when you look at the world that we live in today, it is pretty rough. And each time we receive something that helps us to know that God lives and loves us and is aware of us, is a miracle to me. And I just love my Heavenly Father so much and am thankful for His small and great miracles. 

First off, Eric and Lisandro were confirmed yesterday! Hermana Jensen and I were both praying and fasting so that they would be able to come without any problems and they showed up at exactly 9:00! Eric even had a fever I guess but they still came because Natalia knew how important it was! We had talked to them a lot that week about the importance of the Holy Ghost and being confirmed and how baptism wasn´t complete without it. We asked them if we could do anything to help them for sure get to church on Sunday and Natalia just told us that si o si, they would be there. So we just prayed and prayed and God made it all possible! Poor Eric though :( They actually went home after sacrament meeting because Eric wasn´t feeling good. But I am so happy that there are now two precious sons of God who have joined the true church of Jesus Christ and i am going to do everything I can to help them remain faithful and strong! We were at their house this past week and Natalia told us that she has noticed a difference in her boys. She said that they are more calm and obedient and don´t flight as much. She said that she feels like even though they are young, they can feel the peace that the gospel brings them, even if they can´t recognize it. That was some heartwarming news for us :) Oh and another miracle with this family. So Eric has a friend named Angel, and his mom is a pastor of the church he goes to. When we first started teaching Eric and his brothers, Angel was a little punk and would always make fun of Eric and just say rude things to us when we passed by. But we would always just say hi to him and try to not do anything to him that we would regret haha. This past week, Angel has been listening in on the lessons with eric and his brothers and told us that he wanted to go to church with us on sunday. We couldn´t believe it! It was a miracle! He has completely changed is always so nice to us now and is respectful. He is happy for Eric and is really just different. He ended up not coming on Sunday but I know that he will. This Gospel really changes people, even if it is slowly. I know that even just the teachings of the gospel help people understand why we do what we do as missionaries and that they bring a peace into people´s lives. 

By the way mom, just to let you know how great my comp is, I have been pretty sick the past few days with a little fever (nothing big i promise!) and she has been talking such good care of me. You can tell her mom how wonderful she is if you would like. I have only had to stay home once or twice on my mission from being sick, and yesterday was one of them :( after church though of course :) I don´t want to complain and be all whoa is me like, but I promise I wouldn´t have stayed in if it was something small. I hate not being out working, i feel so guilty and disobedient and just low. But yesterday i think it was necessary. So anyway, my comp is great and has been taking great care of me and I am so thankful for her! 

Another miracle that we had this week involves prayer :) I still need the map to get around in certain places. Well we were walking down this road and I had just looked at the map 5 minutes earlier but when I needed it to see where our next appointment was, it wan´t there. We looked and looked for it in our bags and everywhere and couldn´t find it. I was really worried because we needed it in order to find where we needed to go. We said a prayer and started walking back the way we came. Some minutes later, we see a laminated piece of paper in the middle of the street. And it was the map! We said another prayer of thanks and got to out appointment okay :) I was so thankful for that little miracle. 

This is really random but we found a spider the other night and it was HUGE. I couldn´t take a picture of it because my camera was dead but hermana jensen has one. It was seriously one of the biggest I have seen! I was super scared haha and hermana jensen killed it bless her heart. We have bugs in our house and I want to ask the owner if it can be sprayed because it is no bueno that´s for sure. 

We have investigators but it is hard to get them to progress! Now that we are being blessed with these baptisms I feel like they are just going to keep coming but it is not that easy! I am hoping and praying that we will find some elect people or that they will find us, so that we can help more people make sacred covenants with God! I have been on for a while and had a few more stories to tell but next week I will let you know. Just remind me, I need to tell you about Laura and Antonella and her grandma :) 

I think I told you this last week, but I have been studying Jacob 5 more and reading it as a missionary is amazing. I have such a different perspective on it now that I should have always had, but it is now just starting to come. I love this chapter so much and invite who ever wants to to read it as if they were a missionary (which we all are anyway! :)). It is so amazing! Next week I will tell you some of the things the spirit has taught me from this chapter. 

I know that this is Christ´s church and that He lives. I know that God´s children can be saved through the atonement of Jesus Christ, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel like the 3rd article of faith says.Obedience is so important. I am learning that more and more on my mission and still lack in order to be exactly obedient! I am trying to be better each day. But I know that we can apply the atonement to our lives even more when we are being obedient to our covenants and the commandments. I love this work and I love being a missionary :) It brings me so much happiness! :)

Mom I love you so much and am so thankful for all that you do for me. I know that I am seeing miracles here and being blessed because you and the family are helping me and doing what you are supposed to! Thank you for your prayers and love! Tell the ward hi and that I love them! Tell all the family hi as well and that I love them all so much! Oh and let grandma white know that I wish her a very happy birthday this sunday and hope she has a great day! LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH!!!! :) :) 

Con Amor,

Hermana Syphus

Kates :) 

Hump Day...already!

9 months in my mission! :) 

Hermana Jensen made me a sign and bought me an alfajor!

 I love her so much!!!! :) 

 9 months in my mission :( it´s going by too fast