Week 69 (July 28, 2014 Tigre, Argentina)

Hola Hola mis queridos!! :)

Greetings from Tigre :) This week we were able to learn patience and humility I believe. We were finding really well throughout the week but when Sunday came, we didn´t have any investigators at church. We were teaching a young man named Franco. We talked to him on a Wednesday I think it was and he told that he wanted to change because he had been smoking for a year and each day smoked almost two packs. He told us that he wanted to stop and change his life and we promised him that through Christ, he could. The next time we saw him was on Friday. He told us that since Wednesday, he had only smoked 2 cigarettes. We were so amazed and really felt like he was going to progress. He committed to come to church and was really excited as well. But on Sunday we called many times and passed by his house and he wasn´t home. Later that day he told us that he didn´t want us come back to his house. We are not really sure why he chose that and it was quite hard but we are going to keep moving forward :) He wasn´t an elect and God wanted us to know that. We dropped him and pretty much all of the investigators that we had because we were expecting 6 to come and none of them did. We found a few of them super drunk Sunday morning, which is really common here and especially in this area. The others didn´t want to leave because it was super duper cold Sunday morning. But Sunday afternoon, after we had dropped everyone and weren´t quite sure what to do (but praying in our hearts), we stopped to talk to a woman in her yard. Her name is Anna and she is a single mom with 4 kids. She doesn´t believe in God "for the moment" because she wonders how there could be a God if bad things happen to good people (something that the Book of Mormon answers wonderfully). We talked to her about what we know to be true and shared with her part of the plan of salvation and later invited her to be baptized. She said yes right away. We asked her why and she told us that she wanted to feel something different and learn if there really was a God who loved her. She has committed to come to church this Sunday with her children :) And tonight we have another lesson with her. I am so grateful for the mercy that the Lord has for us. It is hard when there is not much to work with, but the Lord always provides. I know that He gave us this special experience with Anna and I am so excited to help her know and feel that God is there and that he has a plan for her and her family. She was so special and we felt a sweet spirit with her. I just love testifying to people that God loves them and wants them to be happy. And that he has given us the means to accomplish it. Lots of times, when we testify of those things, we can see a hope in their eyes and it is so sweet. I love it so much and hope that Anna and her family will be able to experience this hope and continue to grow in Christ. We are going to work hard this week in order to find more of God´s elect. I hope that it will pay off and that come Sunday, the chapel will be full of investigators and people that want to change! :)

Also, I think I mentioned Ramon last week. He decided that he didn´t want to be baptized because it is too big of a commitment that he doesn´t know if he can keep his whole life :( It was sure hard to hear that. Especially when we know that he felt the spirit at church and knows that this is right. I just love these people so much and want them to be my eternal friends and it is hard when they don´t want to accept Christ. But I know that things always get better and that each day brings new miracles and that God´s love is always there. I am just amazed at the things that he gives us. The other day I was thinking about the commandments. We know that we have commandments to guide us and protect us. And that God will not change whether we keep the commandments or not. He will always be perfect. But he knows that in order to live with Him again, we need to keep the commandments and be worthy, and so he wants us to keep them for our good. But because he is so loving and so merciful and wants us to recognize that, he not only gives us protection and guidance (the commandments), but he also gives us added blessings when we keep them. Commandments alone are the blessings that we have, but because we are humans and want good things to happen, He also gives us blessings when we keep the commandments. Haha I hope that made sense. Sometimes I can´t put what my mind is thinking into words as you can tell ha. But the point is, GOD LOVES US and loves to see us happy and smiling. And I love Him so much and know that He lives. I am happy to be His servant and will do what he asks me to do because I know what he asks is nothing compared to what he and His Son have done for me and for us. 

Thank you all so much for being lights in this world. You are all great lights in my life and I love you all so much. I know that the Gospel is what brings us together and helps us stay together forever. Have a wonderful week! Love you!!

Hermana Syphus 

I forgot to tell you, I CUT MY HAIR!!! :) and i did it MYSELF!! Haha i am not sure how it looks and maybe i made a mistake doing it alone but if it is a mess, I will get it done better at home haha. I have a pic but dont have time this week to send it so next week I will send it.

Week 68 (July 21, 2014 Tigre Argentina)

Day of transfers.

 Old comp Hermana Matamoros, i just love her ever so much!!

New comp Hermana Hernriquez from El Salvador!! 

New Adventures!!

Dearest Mother,

You told me to include detail. I am not really sure what that means or what type of detail, but I will try to be as detailed as I can with the time I have ha. Well first off, I am ever so happy and am doing very well!! I love my companion and she is a great woman. She is super sweet and makes me breakfast every morning when I am showering and is super down to earth and very understanding. I really enjoy working with her! Tigre is great!! The first week in a new area is always so stressful (for me anyway haha) because I am trying not to think about the people that I left and the ward and such and am trying to get to know the new area and the members and the investigators and their needs and all that fun stuff. But this week had been really good and I feel great here in Tigre and already have come to love the people here. To explain the area a bit, it is the poorest area that I have been in so far in my mission. I will send pictures next week. It is like a mini villa and is pretty poor. But that is why I love it!! I know we will find people here that are ready to accept the Lord and His Gospel and that have been prepared by God. There are not many paved roads. It is all dirt and mud!! So I hope my shoes will last these three months ha! When it rains, the roads flood and it is a big mess!! So it is going to be a good fun adventure! Oh also, I feel like i am camping in this area because it always smells like campfire or something that is burning and there is a river in our area so that makes it a more campy feeling as well!! My clothes always smell like I am camping hahaha. I like it though, it is all part of the great experience of my wonderful mission. The members are great! This is actually a branch here not a ward, but on Sunday they announced that it was going to transform into a ward this coming year so we need to work hard and continue working together as members and missionaries in order to help this branch become a ward!!! I am super excited for that. In fact, before they told us about changing into a ward, during sacrament meeting I was thinking that this branch needed to become a ward and that I was going to do all I could to help it grow. And now I am even more excited to be here!! It will be lots of work but I am super excited and feel very blessed to be here at this time and help the less active families come back so that this branch can become a strong ward!! I wasn't able to talk much with the branch president on Sunday so I don't know him very well but i hear that he is super awesome. There are many recent converts. Lots are less active though. But the recent recent converts that are youth are INCREDIBLE!!!! One of them is Alejandro and he met the missionaries and was baptized in a week and a half because he was so prepared. My comp now taught him with her last comp. He quit smoking and drinking in a week and is so so so strong and has not relapsed at all. Him and his friend Nahuel and Camila are the three that come with us to most of our appointments and they all love sharing the Gospel and their testimonies. I know I am going to love this place! ps, is that what you mean by detail or would you like more? Just let me know!

Ah and you know what? My comp from Chacabuco called me yesterday about something and also mentioned that she and her new comp were robbed on Thursday. I couldn't believe it. I was there for 4 and a half months and was never robbed. And in Chacabuco there are lots of robbery's. I think God knows that maybe i wouldn't know how to react if something like that happened to me. I don't know. But they are both safe and were not hurt in any way. They had a member with them and none of them were harmed thank goodness.

So this week was a good one!! The hermanas here in this area were having a hard time for the last few weeks finding investigators that wanted to progress and this last week was the same but we did see some great miracles!! The brother of a recent convert (Camila is the rc and his name is Ramon) was being taught but didn't really want much to do with the church and didn't really pay attention when we taught him. He is 15. He said he would come to church on Sunday earlier in the week but then said later that he didn't want to go. Sunday morning he didn't want to come even though he was up and awake. His sister who is the recent convert said that she had tried but that he wasn't going to come. We didn't like that answer jaja. And so we went to the house and called him outside and he came and told us the same thing. But after a bit of talking and promising blessings, he decided to come. He previously had a fecha for the 3rd of Agosto but after church he came up to us with a light in his eyes and a smile on his face and told us that he wanted to baptized sooner because he felt something that he really liked at church and loved everything. This was something that we were not expected at all but gave us so much happiness and hope! If he is baptized this Sunday, he will only have 2 asistencias, so we need to talk to the bishop and call the pres as well to see if it is ok, but only if he is well prepared and ready. This was one of the great miracles that we were able to see this week.We went later that day to teach him and he was completely different! His face was all lit up and he had a desire to learn!! I just love love love seeing these changes in people. I know that they make these changes because Christ makes it possible. I am really excited to see what happens with Ramon. He sure is a sweet boy. I read something in preach my gospel that made me think. It is a quote by elder Holland and says something like we don't invite people to accept this message and to be baptized just so that they can have a better life, but so they can become closer to Christ. I really like that because lots of times when i am promising blessings to the people we contact, I say that by accepting this message, they will have more hope and happiness in their lives. THis is true, but I learned that I need to promise that they will have this live BECAUSE they will become closer to Christ. I want to improve on doing that and receiving a stronger testimony of it!! I love preaching the Gospel and I love being a missionary!

I sure love you so much and appreciate all you do. Please tell dad I love him and am thinking about him. And all the siblings as well. I hope that Kari and Kylie are doing well and so glad to hear that Joel is doing great! Thanks so much for everything. LOVE YOU EVER SO MUCH!!!

Hermana Syphus

PS

I talked to Pres and I can't extend my mission. Only if we have someone that is going to go through the temple or something like that. So I will be coming home in October. 

 

 I just finished my email! If it is not detailed enough, let me know and I will include more next week! Love you so much and talk to you next week! Tell everyone hello and give hugs and kisses!! LOVE YOU!!

Week 67 (July 15, 2014 Tigre, Argentina)

Thank you so much for this amazing email!! :) I just love your emails so much mom!! And the pictures as well! Oh man I just have so many people to write! I don´t think I will get to everyone today though, we are already short on time. BUT, I received a letter a bit ago from Michelle Condie!! It was the sweetest thing and made me so happy. It was a really sweet surprise. I wanted to let her know that I am so thankful for her letter and that I love her very much! I try to write Bert every now and then and need to write her more often but it is just hard. But if you could just let Michelle know that I am so grateful and really was so happy to receive that from her. And hope that she is doing well!

Also, Erik and Shaun both wrote me!! :) That was also the best thing ever! I just always talk about my brothers and how amazing they are and when I get emails from them it just makes me so happy! I wanted to write them both but if i don´t get to it, tell them thanks so much and that I love them ever so much! I LOVED Joel´s email! Man he already emails better than me haha. He already seems so much more mature and grown up, just from reading his letters! It is so weird but so neat to know that he is a missionary!! Elder Syphus!! :) He sounds like he is doing great :) I laughed so much in his email, he is just so great.

Hey, was Rob´s birthday the other day? If so, could you give him this message: Happy Birthday Rob!!! :) I think it was your birthday anyway! Sorry I can´t remember perfectly! :/ Thank you so much for being such a wonderful brother. I sure love you and hope you are doing well! You have played such a huge part in my mission and have helped me endure and enjoy. I just can´t thank you enough. Love you and hugs and kisses to all the family!! :)

I am doing lots better! My ribs are still so so but they are getting there :)

Hey mom :) Well first off, you are right. I got transferred and am no longer in my home. I think I left my heart there in Chacabuco. It was super hard. I cried. Lots. haha but I knew it was going to happen. I feel weird today. I hope it goes away. Obviously I am not going to decide to be grumpy and sad because I got transferred, because that is part of each mission. And I know how it works. BUt I just feel different. I am happy though :) Because i am still a missionary of the Lord and am serving HIm in His vineyard. I need to remember that His vineyard has different parts, but ALL of it is His and ALL of it has fruit. Maybe the fruit in a certain part is riper and more ready than another part, but it is ALL His. And for that I am happy :) :) My new area is Tigre!! My companion is Hermana Henriquez from El Salvador!!! :) She is great! I know her already because she is a sister training leader, and I am excited to work with her! This is her third transfer in Tigre and she leaves in October with me. So that means I will probably die here in Tigre with a different companion and the last transfer she will go somewhere else. But who knows? :) I have done exchanges here in Tigre three times I think (a while ago with the sister trainer leaders) and I am excited to be here! The sister trainer leaders have specific areas so where I was going to be sent was limited to 3 areas. And here I am in Tigre :)On Sunday I took pictures with lots of members because I kinda knew that I was leaving. Yesterday when we got the call I sent messages to people letting them know and the Rocha family came to say goodbye. We had eaten lunch with them yesterday and I was able to say some "last words" with them haha. It was emotional that´s for sure. That night, I sent them a message and I thought that only Yose, Alejandra, Robert, and Marco were going come, but when we left the house, they were all there! Well almost all of them. Papito (german) wasn´t feeling good and stayed in bed, but the rest were there! Rosario (the mom), and the little ones as well (Fernanda, Diego, Nati).

 Also, Carlos and Lautaro (who was confirmed Sunday:) ) came and their mom and little sisters as well. It was a huge surprise!! We took some photos and last night I was looking at them and no one is smiling! haha it is sad but I have to laugh about it or else I will cry haha. I am sure going to miss that great family and just Chacabuco in general. We saw so many miracles there and I just felt like it was literally my home. Everything was perfect! :) But NOW, I am here in Tigre!!! And it will be just as good!! I know that God has miracles here as well and that He is preparing people here! And that these people will come to love the Savior and His Gospel and will understand how to receive greater happiness through these eternal truths. I am so excited to get to know more of God´s children and to make MORE eternal friends. It will be a great adventure :) 

Farewell to the Rocha family, Herm. Matamoros and Chacabuco!

 The Rocha Family...she will miss them so much!  

They have been such good friends and family to her.

Roberto, a member named Wilson, and my comp 

All the missionaries in Chacabuco Ward with Pres. Catala and family

The last super with the Rocha family. I love them so much. 

Some of the kiddos in the Rocha family 

Mama and Papa Presa!! They are members that were our parents in Chacabuco and came to say goodbye Monday night and brought a gift. 

They are the best!!

Hey!! we are a little short on time today and I know that I have already emailed a bit of what has happened this week, but to inform you on a bit more, i will write a bit more :) :) Man, I really hope that it doesn´t seem like I am not happy when we have a baptism. Because we have been super blessed and have seen many miracles these past few transfers and I hope it doesn´t seem like I am just pushing that aside because sometimes I don´t write about the experiences and how special they were because of time and I just feel so bad. But just so you know, I am always so so happy and feel so so good when God blesses us with a baptism. And for me they are not just numbers, but wonderful wonderful people and eternal friends and I hope that you can feel that when i write. Sometimes I write about it so quickly and it might seems like it is just another number. But please know that that is not how it is. I wanted to write more about Lautaro this week but i think that will have to wait as well :( My head is just all over the place and I just felt like today I needed to tell you lots of things I guess. I am sorry. But anyway, Lautaro was confirmed on Sunday and it was so special :) We have talked with his parents and with him and have set goals so that he can help more in his home and be better in school as well. Also, we had a baptism on Sunday!!!! :) I know that is a surprise because it was for us as well! But remember the less active member that is coming back named Gicelly? Well her daughter Cristal was baptized on Sunday! Another story for next week I hope! :) But she is just an angel. She is 12 years old and is the purest thing ever. I love her and will miss her but am so excited to hear how she will progress!! :)

 The elders also baptized a family the same day. Very Special 

 Baptism of Cristal!!!

She is such a special girl and I just love her and her mom so much! 

  Me with the Catala Family!! 

President Catala is the President of the stake Chacabuco and their family is the best!!

Bishop Nogales of the Chacabuco ward!! After the semi final game! 

This picture is of all of us missionaries in the Chacabuco ward!!! The best ward EVER!!! 

after the game on Wednesday  . 

Argentina won this game!! We were able to watch it with permission and take off two hours of our pday to do it. As a stake we watched it in the chapel in the gym and it was super fun. I forgot how much I love watching games haha. It was super crazy though! I have a video of how it was after they won, I will have to show it to you when I get home :)

 Hey my comp is waiting for me because she is done and I don´d want to start of on a bad note if you know what I mean...so I better head out. Sorry about this email. Next week I will be better. I just need to work and I will feel better :) I know this is God´s work and I have seen so many witnesses that he is with us. I love this so much!

Love you Mom!! Tell everyone hello for me!! Thank you so much for everything and have a great week!! :)

Love Hermana Syphus :

Week 66 (July 7, 2014 Parque Chacbuco, Argentina)

Dearest Family and Friends,

How are you all doing? :) This week was very nice and we had many wonderful surprises and miracles! To start, so as I am sure you all know, the world cup is going on right now and in Argentina soccer is life. So usually when Argentina has played, President has to rearrange our schedule so that we are in the house studying or something when the game is going on. He does that for a few reasons as you can image. 1) so we are not tempted to watch it ha and 2) it gets quite crazy if Argentina makes a goal, the people go loco. 3) there is absolutely NO ONE in the street because they are all in their homes watching the game and many are drinking at the same time. So that is how these last few weeks have been. Well, on Tuesday Argentina played at 1:00. As a mission, we had a conference that day at 11 that morning. We were told on pday, the day before, that we were going to be having a conference and then a "cultural event" afterward that was optional. But that we had to sacrifice two hours of our pday (start working at 4 instead of 6) in order to attend this activity. Everyone assumed that it was going to be the game because it was at the same time and we were told "cultural event" and that president had received permission from the area presidency to do it haha. And yes, the activity ended up being watching the game as a mission!! It was super awesome. They had hamburgers and chips and alfajores to eat and we just all sat there in the gym of the school watching the game as a mission. All the missionaries were so excited and it was really enjoyable. Argentina didn´t make a goal until the end of the game and they even went into overtime so it was pretty intense. It was weird seeing all the missionaries (especially the elders haha) how they are while watching a game haha. The were going crazy. It was actually nice to sit down and watch a nice soccer game from start to finish! It felt really weird though! But all the excitement that we received from the game, President told us to leave and use it to baptize!! And that´s what we are trying to do haha. :) 

It was so kind of Pres. Ayre to get permission for his missionaries to watch the World Cup. 

Yesterday Cristina Ayala was confirmed a member of the church! We had a few challenges with her last week because she doesn´t live in our area but we received permission to teach her and to have her be baptized in this ward. Also, her friend that is the less active that is coming back, is a taxi driver and offered to pick Cristina up each sunday and bring her to church. This less active (Gicelly) has a temper and one day we were going to meet with Cristina in the house of Gicelly to teach her but cristina didn´t show up because she had to stay late for work. Gicelly got mad and told us that sunday she wouldn´t be able to pick Cristina up. We had a long conversation about that with her but she didn´t budge. So we called Cristina and told her that she would have to come by bus if that was okay and she said that was fine. We were really nervous about that because we knew that if Gicelly picked her up, it would be a sure thing. But especially since cristina lives out of our area, we wouldn´t have been able to do anything if she didn´t show up. BUT, we tried to have greater faith and rely on the promises of God and trust in Him, and in the end, cristina arrived alone and was confirmed! :) So that was a huge blessing. this week we are going to be better with teaching her more often and seeing her as much as we can so that she can continue growing her testimony and become a strong faithful member! 

Today is going to be a short pday again because we have permission to see the game once again but on Wednesday this week and so our pday is cut short two hours. So we start working at 4!! So I won´t be able to buy anything today. And mom, I promise I am doing just fine. Really, if I had pneumonia, I would be taking things very easily, but i am getting better and will be fine :) Lots of people are taking great care of me. Also, I don´t know if I will be able to finish the email this week so I will include what i missed in the next email. Man, I didn´t get to tell the best part of the week! Lautaro Rocha being baptized!! I can´t remember if I have told you about him or not! But he is 11 and is the cousin and hasn´t received permission to be baptized even though he has wanted to for a while! But this week (I will give more detail next week), his mom softened her heart with the help of the Spirit and prayer of course, and the will of the Father, and Lautaro was baptized on Sunday!! It was a complete miracle mom! I love this so much! :) Ok I need to go! If you want, I can send what I have written! Sorry I couldn´t finish though! Thanks so much for the pics and for your email!! Tell Joel that I love him and am glad he is safe and well! And Kari and Kylie that i love their prego bellies and that they are so gorgeous like always! And let everyone know that I LOVE THEM!!!! Love you so much mom and talk to you next week!! :) :) 

 Lautaro Rocha baptized by his cousin Roberto

Roberto has now baptized 3 members of his family since becoming baptized himself only a 

few short months ago.  What a true missionary!!

 Lautaro Rocha's family

His Extended family

to be continued next week...

 On Wednesday when we had our zone meeting, the zone leaders received permission to have a breakfast as a zone before the meeting. 

So this is when we were preparing and eating breatkfast :) 

 And this is the zone Chacabuco! :) The best zone in the world!! 

 Elder Krivocheev. He is one of the assistants and is leaving this transfer. 

He is from Russia but has lived here in Argentina for a while. Very wonderful missionary. 

On the Subway with the Rocha family on Sunday evening heading to the chapel in San Fernando to see the missionaries that are leaving for home this transfer. 

It´s like their "farewell"  

(I sent her some pics of family, etc. and these were her comments....)

Oh boy. These pics you sent sure got me crying like a baby. Just like you haha. Oh little Joely. I just miss him so much already. I love these pics though, but it is hard to see. Are you sure you are okay? Hey, dont worry too much about me or even writing me lots. Joel is first priority right now :) Thanks so much mom for being so wonderful. I just don´t know how you and dad do it. It must be a bit hard having two children in the field. I know it comes with many blessings but it is also hard. I sure hope you are okay. I have been praying for you and for joel lots this week and hope all is well. Sure love you mom. Do you have Joel´s email from his mission? And I know this is a dumb question, but what MTC is he in again? 

MOM!! I LOVE THESE PICTURES!!!! :) :) :) Thank you so much! Holy cow Jordan is so cute! And Karson and Joy look so good! I just love them so much!! Thank you for sending so many wonderful pictures this week! I love pictures so much and they make me so happy! And the pics of Kimberly as well! She looks so happy!! :) I have a picture with President and Sister Mullen as well! Because he was my president! But I lost my memory and I don´t have it anymore darn it all! Aww but she really looks so good and so happy. I need to write her! Seeing all these missionaries in our family makes me smile so big!!

HOLY SMOKES THEY ARE SO GOOD LOOKING!!!! What happened to me?!?! I love love love these pictures mom!! They just melt my heart. I am telling you mom. All my sibling got the good looks from you and dad and I don´t know where I got mine haha. But oh well. These two just make me so happy. Kam is gorgeous and Joel is such a handsome man. You know what I was thinking the other day hahaha, Devin Bennett is getting home soon and him and Kambree are only 4 years apart. How does that sound? ;) She is definitely a beaut that´s for sure. Same with Kendyl and all my sisters. Thanks so much for the great pics, I will need to print some of them off and keep with me. I think at least 10 guys here have proposed marriage to kam and kendyl hahaha. Beautiful siblings!! :) :) :) 

Guess what? I can´t believe it but I forgot it was the 4th of July (the holiday ha) on the 4th of July! I woke up not thinking anything different and then we received a message from our awesome zone leaders telling us happy 4th of july and that we needed to help people come unto christ just like george washington hahaha. But I am so glad that all of you passed it very well and had lots of fun! :) 

Thank you for letting me know about Kortnies bday! :) I will write here nex ¡t week! Oh! Before I forget, transfers are next week and so we will be writing on Tuesday! Ok, since you told me you like to know about my health haha, I guess I will tell you. It is nothing bad and I am doing lots better I promise :) But last week i was on the verge of having pneamonia (i hve no idea how to spell that). I had some of the symptoms but didn´t actually have it thank goodness. But from coughing so stinking much and hard, I busted my ribs again but this time it was worse. I couldn´t even laugh the slightest bit without is hurting. I have had bruised ribs before, but this time it was just owie owie. And it had lasted longer as well. But I called the doc and he told me that I just need to keep the ibuprofen going and it help a bit. They told me that shouldn´t use by bag for a few days. It is a pain (...in the rib...haha that was a good one wasn´t it? :) ) but it will pass. I have been getting sick lots and I hope it will all end soon. It is super cold here and people have been telling me that I need to buy boots because everyone wears boots in the winter and i have normal sunday shoes but I think I will be fine without them. I will let you know though if I need something. You already do so much for me. Thank you so much mom!! So anyway, that is what has been going on with me, but ALL IS WELL!! :) I am doing fine and the pills and my medication are helping lots! :) 

Week 65 (June 30, 2014 Parque Chacabuco, Argentina)

Hiya Family and Friends! :)

Ah man there is lots to tell about this week. First I need to tell some background stuff so you can understand the rest. Each month we set a goal as a zone for how many people we think will be baptized and confirmed. This month our goal was 14/14. The record for this zone is 20/20. We had passed our goal of 14/14 and we still had one week left to baptize. We wanted to pass the record and set a new one! Our zone leaders are so amazing and they help our zone so much to have excitement and the energy that we need to work hard. At the beginning of the week, we received from crazy news from President Ayre. So usually before a person can be baptized, they have to have gone to church 3 times. The third sunday they attend church, they can be baptized that same sunday. But this week, President received revelation that in our areas, there were prepared people that needed to be baptized the Sunday June 29 and that they needed to be found because if they weren't baptized this Sunday, they may not have another opportunity here on the earth. So, he told us that we had permission to baptize those that were absolutely prepared with one or zero times assisting church. When our zone leaders told us this news, we thought it was crazy but very possible and we really felt that it came from God.  It gave us all great excitement and a greater desire to work and find these people that God had been preparing. We talked about how the missionaries in the scriptures taught in a matter of minutes and then baptized right away, and how we were going to be able to do that this week. We talked about in our district meeting with the zone leaders how pretty much the only thing that was different that maybe these missionaries had and that we needed to strive to have more of was faith. Because we have the same calling and authority that they had, we even have more resources than they have, but their faith made the difference. For that, I have trying this week to strengthen my faith in Christ and in His Atonement so that we would be able to find more esocigidos. Early in the week we found someone but later we had to drop her because it was not what she desired in the end. But on Friday, we received a message from a less active named Giselly that we RECENTLY have come to know and have been helping. She told us that she had a friend that we needed to meet that day and to pass by her house to meet her. We were on exchanges this day. I wasn´t in my area but my amazing companion was. They went to this less actives house and she presented us to her friend Cristina. Cristina had gone to our church various times with a great family in Uruguay. She wanted to get baptized but suddenly received news that she needed to come here to Argentina. This family gave her money to do so and told her to find the church here in Argentina. She wanted to give them back the money that they lent her but they didn't´accept it and told her instead that the only thing they wanted was her to be baptized in the LDS church. Cristina has been here for a while but never has gone to church. This past week, she found out that her friend, Giselly, was a member and told her that we would could come by and teach her. She accepted. On Friday she accepted to be baptized on Sunday. Saturday we taught her almost everything and she had her interview and passed. She was so prepared and so ready. On Sunday she was baptized a member of the church of Jesus Christ of latter day saints. :) :) :) This probably has been the greatest miracle on my mission and I know that it was God. He put everything into place. I am still amazed that it actually happened. I know that He lives and that he is preparing His children. Cristina is a miracle and we are so grateful to have been a small part of her change. If God wouldn´t have helped us find this less active, we would not have had this opportunity. And if President wouldn´t have had this revelation this week, Cristina wouldn´t have been able to be baptized this week because she would have needed to come to church here first. But, the Lord put everything into place and we were able to experience a huge miracle!! :) Mom, her name is Cristina Ayala :) And in the end, our zone broke the record with divine help and we ended up with 25 people baptized and 18 people confirmed. I am just so happy :) Now these 25 people need to remain faithful and firm forever and help others to come unto Christ! That is my desire! I know that God lives and that His Son Jesus Christ changes lives. His Atonement makes everything possible and I am so grateful to have made eternal friends here in Argentina with God´s help.

This Sunday when we were going to pick up the Rocha family to go to church, we entered their house and the mom Rosario was preparing all her little kids to leave somewhere. We asked her where they were all going and she told us that they were going to church!! :) :) She sometimes comes but not very often, and this time she wanted to bring ALL her children! So the entire Rocha family (Rosario, Yoselin, Roberto, Papito, Diego, Fernanda, Natalia, Lautaro, Marco, Carlos and his two kids) came to church :) The only ones that didn´t come were Alejandra because she is still in the hospital getting better and the dad who is great but needs to be pushed around sometimes ha :) Ah, it was such a sweet thing to see all of the Rocha family taking up almost two benches in the church. I loved it so much. I think Rosario is starting to see how much the Gospel really does bless families and she is starting to notice the changes. I hope that she will get married quickly so that she will be able to be baptized as well and then enter the temple. That would be the best joy ever. Alejandra got an infection and is staying in the hospital until she is better. Pray for her! Her baby boy is doing great though! :) Also, Marco received the Priesthood on Sunday! He came in his shirt and tie and looked so good! Kevin and Brian both blessed the sacrament as well! All these special moments that i will never forget. The greatest thing to see as a missionary is the people recent converts progressing towards greater things and greater covenants. The Lord is blessing us and blessing them so much.

Just a funny thing that happened the other day. We were telling a lady the apartment number of a member that she knew. The member lives in D2. I was trying to tell her "d as in..." so that she could understand better (it is super cold here and I can´t talk when I am cold because my lips are numb haha). Instead of saying "d as in..." something in spanish that starts with a "d", I told her "d" as in perro. Because I was thinking of dog and dog in spanish is perro...that was embarassing haha. I explained and they laughed and so did I so it was all good in the end. I am still having spanish problems haha.

The weeks just keep getting better and better. Of course there are many hardships and trials as well, but it is hard to see them because God is blessing us so much. I know that he is directing this work and that His children are loved. I love these people and can feel that God loves them too. I am living my dream. Thank you all so much for everything. You are all the best and I love you all so so so much!! :) Keep moving forward and have a great week!

Con Amor, Hermana Syphus :)

PS

Hey! :) I had a whole list of people to write today and all the things I wanted to say, but guess what?! Another pday that went so stinkin fast! Since our zone met and passed by a long shot our goal for baptisms this month so we had to celebrate according to the zone leaders. We went to a different area about 20 minutes away and played soccer and ate pizza. It was a good time :) I really miss emailing what and who I want to though. But anyway, I am doing ok :) Is joel home right now? I wanted to see if I could just chat with him for like 5 to 10 minutes. I can´t believe I wont see home for another 2 years. I got teary eyed last night thinking about that. It is going to be hard. He will be a completely different person! But it will be the best thing ever as well :) Also! Do you know when Kortnie´s birthday is? I know it was this month but I can´t remember the day! Maybe you could look on facebook? Also, this is very random, but I think I will have time to send pics today (from my comps camera) and I KNOW for a fact that I have gained, it is totally in my face, but I just wanted to tell you so you are not surprised :) I am trying to lose it but it is not working. The food here is killing me haha

On Sunday, 4 people were baptized from our ward :) 

Three of them are part of the same family and are from the elders! 

So awesome and so special!!  

 My comp and I with Cristina and the bishop! :) Such a great miracle

Our zone after playing soccer, we took a picture of us jumping. I can´t really do it ha.
Since we beat the zone goal of baptisms in a month, our zone leaders decided to play soccer during our p-day. 

                                 

 Our zone Chacabuco in the chapel in La Boca

 KEVIN AND BRIAN!! The cutest brothers ever

Roberto, Carlos, and Marco. 

Ok, this picture looks so good. These three look like they could be a band or something. 

It was a sunday when we took it and Marco still had his shirt and tie. 

But really, I love this picture

Such great sons of God these three. 

Roberto's 18th birthday celebration.

Roberto and his cake that Yoselin made! Vamos San Lorenzo!! :) 

 We went to his house and shared cake with them! 

I LOVE THE ROCHA FAMILY SO MUCH

.