Have you ever seen a four leaf clover?

That was the note that my favorite old man here in Argentina passed to me. Hermano Vega. He's quite possibly my favorite person in the entire earth. It helps that he likes to sing in English and to give us ice cream. hahahaha

Okay, I have to fight the urge everyday to tell people that if they're mean to their dogs they won't get into heaven. It may not be doctrine, but I think it should be! If you kick your dog, Satan will kick you.... its just a fact. 

Anyhoo.. This week I've actually taught lessons instead of just throwing in my testimony. I've asked questions and taught the Plan of Salvation. That is honestly my favorite thing to teach. Why? Because we get to live with God and our families forever. Everytime I teach that, it doesnt matter how people take it, because it makes me so happy to know that. To know that I can live with my Heavenly Father and he wants me to. He wants all of us to because all of us are his families. I love my family so much, so I can only imagine how much God loves us. 

This week I don't have much to say... Except that there is two Amish Latinos behind me trying to figure out the telephone... I kid you not. Sometimes all I can do is shake me head at the craziness that is Argentina. 

Just know that weird and miraculous things happen everyday to me. I bought my first Futbol jersey for a team that half of Argentina loves and the other half hates, at ice cream, and shared the simple and true gospel. This life is hard. hahaha no but it so is, but its the little miracles of seeing Christs love enter peoples eyes that were downcast and depressed for the life theyve been given. Next week Ill tell you of Maria. She's one of my faves. Her life is a miracle and I wish I had time to write it this week. 

I pray for each and everyone of you. Seriously. My comp hates my long prayers but I love you all.

Con amor

Hermana Bower

Mafia Children, Kitty Kisses, and Three Toothed Maria

First off.... today... I HAVE BEEN ON MY MISSION FOR EXACTLY TWO MONTHS!!!!! AHHH!!!! Time FLIES....

Secondly... We've become friends with all the big drug dealers children in my area. It's one way to convert. I love them to pieces and it's not that much different than Ukraine... Cute little munchkins hugging on you and you have no idea what they're saying. My life has not changed. hahaha

Shoutout to my Ukraine peeps... A few things here remind me of Ukraine... Crazy driving, dogs EVERYWHERE but Ryan's not here so I pet and hug ALL the cats and dogs I can (hence the kitty kisses), and my comp reminds me a lot of Headteacher Courtney in the fact that she bolts everywhere, but the only difference is my comp is a lot shorter, doesn't speak English and I HAVE to stay with her. It makes for an interesting day. hahahaha

After I emailed last week, we studied and then went to go meet with people but we were stuck in the street for AN HOUR!! Why? Well... there was a unplanned parade! Everybody and their dog climbed into trucks and made flags and drove through the streets! INSANE!! hahaha it was because of the future presidents was coming to Santiago. Well the had the Election yesterday, which we had to stay inside forever hahaha and he didn't win. Macri is now the President of Argentina!! 

Our investigators are awesome. It's almost easy to get future or new investigators but upkeeping them and to keep having appointments in really difficult. I love them all though. 

Crystal and Calista, I found your future husband... Whoever gets to him first. He doesn{t speak much English but man can he SING! He's 24 and his name is Cristian. He's friends with one of our less active families and when we were in the house we just started to teach him out of the blue. hahaha He was a little suprised but he now has a Book of Mormon. I just love the people I meet here. I think he posted a pic on FB. hahaha 

THe other day I was reminded that the Lord is with me in all. Even the little things. We had to buy some food, and it{s not miraculous to others but its a tender mercy to me. My comp was on a rampage and I was just like whatever... as long as I can buy chocolate. Just something small... who cares. hahaha and well we had little money, as is the missionary life, but we went to the check out. I snagged a little chocolate as we were about to leave. And everything totaled to 148 pesos. EXACTLY how much I had with me. It just reminded me that Heavenly Father is aware of me no matter which country I'm in.

I'm so grateful to be a missionary... So grateful. Each day in my little Spanglish prayer with my comp I thank Heavenly Father for this opportunity because every day I know I'm supposed to be here. I love it so much

thank you all for the prayers and the emails. My spanish gets better every week. The works rolls on. MUCHAS GRACIAS

Love you all

Herman Bower

I need Cafe Rio, and a Spanish Translater ASAP

November 16, 2015

My comp is diagonally from me, one back and over. THis is my zone. The only pic i can send because I don't have to upload it. hahah






The hills are aliiiiive with the... creepy ants.

Yeah... they're plain creepy. The steal away little children in the middle of the night, they're so strong. If you stand in one spot for too long then you start to feel yourself be lifted up and carried away. But enough about the creepy bugs... Actually no...

Two days ago I got a new pet, his name was Ew and he died shortly after we found him. Yes... yes... It was a scorpion. Just no. Not in my house!! 

Life's been sups fun. Besides the creepy things that want to kill me. No holes this week... Only heat, ice cold showers (which no body likes no matter how hot. no.), ice cream, and oh yeah... ELDER COOK!!

Yeah I mean... we're best buds now.. Totes shook his hand and in our giant mission pic, I was right behind his head. Bunny ears all the way. Uh no.. hahaha how bad would that be to do bunny ears on an Apostle. It was really tempting though, not going to lie. Somehow... me and one other sister are the tallest two sisters in our whole mission. Darn you short latinas! So we were smackdab in the middle of the pic with ginormous Elder Bigler behind us. His name is ironic, I know. But anyways, saw my last comp (love you!!), and all my old peeps, and.... EMILEE!! Yay!! Awww I was so pumped to see her!!! We took a pic, but I can't upload any here... It's not working. I'll have to find a computer next week that actually works. But ahhh Hermana Winfield! Yeah... She started speaking to me in fluent Spanish... I'm not fluent. But it's super weird to hear her speak it so naturally and struggle with English. Ah I just love her, and I can't believe she's headed back to the 'Couv so soon. 

Anyhoo... Crazy things happen here everyday. As per my life... but part of the first few months here, I had to ask someone to be baptized in their first lesson. So I did.... It came out as a statement and only half of it, but when I finally got the question  out there... She said YES! Then she cried when she said the prayer because she felt the Spirit so strong. She's my fave! We teach her again hopefully tonight!! I know that all I have to do is my part, and the Lord really does make up all the difference. I don't say much in Spanish, but when I do, I try to make it count. Imagine me not talking. It's weird for me too, but my comp doesn't understand me when I speak English. Or Spanish...

This is easily the hardest thing I have ever done in my life, but I know the Lord is with me always. I constantly try to count my blessings and write them on paper so their tangible. Because life is hard and I'm pretty sure all the members and investigators alike just nod their heads when I speak so I don't feel bad. A lot of people don't talk to me because I don't understand. I go through a day with not much speaking, and that's super tough, but never once have I thought of returning home. Not once. I was like geez this sucks, but then I remember all the Savior has done for me, and I put on a giant smile like the gringo that I am and get to work. There are souls to save, and no time for a pity party. I'm honestly so grateful to be here. In the land of heat, platform shoes, crocs, Mate, creepy bugs, and only Spanish, I lOVE IT! Seriously, everyday is an adventure and I wish I could explain how a place that I don't even fully understand has stolen my heart. 

I love you all so much!
I love my Savior.

I love my family in the US, in Ukraine, and my new family here.

I still hate spiders, but my comp loves to squash them.

Anyhoo...

PEACE to my peoples.

Hermana Bower

It might take a month or a year but send me some letters my friends! 

Letters:

Los Eucaliptus 75 B° Tres Cerritos

4400 Salta

Salta

Argentina

Packages:

Los Eucaliptus 75 B° Tres Cerritos

4400 Salta

Salta

Argentina

Dirt bikes, Dirt roads, dirt.

November 9, 2015

Hola mi amigos!!!! 

Emailing you live and well from ARGENTINA!!

I'm in Santiago right now! 

I got here five days ago... crazy sauce, I know. So I didn't leave much time for this email, but just know that it's cray cray down here and I LOVE it!! This stupid keyboard keeps switching back to Spanish, but ahhhh I'm here!! 

My week...

So I've been serenaded by an old man in multiple languages, drank the water I was NOT supposed to, taugh multiple lessons, have six new investigators, eaten the few foods I HATE potatoes and Jello, and if you see on the news about a white girl falling into a hole... yeah.... just yeah.

hahahaha My Latina mama is Hermana Quiceno. She's from Columbia and she's awesome sauce! Of course she doesn't speak any English... and she's half my size which makes it so entertaining. I've been trying super hard to teach her American Slang but I don't know the words in Spanish... hahahahaha It's so fun!!! But she's the bomb.com

It's been so amazing to see the Lord's hand in my life. I can't even imagine how people don't believe in a God because he's with me in every step. Straight into the hole I might have fallen into. hahahaha but seriously. He helps me so much. And I know that I'm supposed to be here. Of course I'm doubtin gmyself, my spanish, my everything, but I don't doubt God. As soon as I met the people here I knew that I've known them for years before I came to this earth. There's no doubt. I love them so much! It's crazy how the Lord opens your heart. I thought I loved people before but now I get a tiny glimpse into how much the Lord loves each of us. It's so much!

I love you all

In my next letter I'l say more about Argentina but it's crazy here. The pranks have not stopped.... They're just gettin started!

\Mucho amor!

Hna Bower