Adios Argentina... le voy a extrañar

Sorry if this is like a word jumble.. im so excited and yet, ahhh noooo

So this is my last time writing you guys here in Argentina...

Ive just got to say, Im leaving but a big part of my heart will always been here... I cant even explain what ive learned this year and a half... but just know that God lives, he really does love us... and that in this year and a half... ive never felt His love more in my life...not only for me, but for all of his other children that have fallen along the way... He wants us to come back, es pleading us too.

This year and a half, ive

hugged llamas, eaten my weight in empanadas, been kissed on the cheek by a lot of latin grandmas, ive been robbed from, ive been given too, ive been called RUBIA, ive laughed my butt off, had flour, waterballons, sparkles, and alot of other things thrown in my face, ive gotten to know my other family here, ive got alot more brothers and sisters here too, learned spanish.. mas o menos, been rejected from alot of people, killed so many coackroaches, showered by bucket, given so many book of mormons, taught so many people... ive seen the light of christ enter their lives, their eyes... ive given messages of hope, of love, ive cried with those who we're crying... ive really come to understand alot more about God... and his never ending love for us... ive done alot of things this year... met alot of people... been in 5 different areas, 3 wards, 3 branches, had 10 companions.... ive seen so much... how can I not tell you that this is the truth... Ive felt it in my heart... God knows everyone of us... he's given us this gospel, so we can be free from the chains of the world, and we can go to him. If anything, I think the best thing ive learned is really who I am, and where im going...

We are children of a loving Heavenly Father... and we will be with him one day... if that gives you hope, like it does to me... read your scriptures, say your prayers, go to church, dont wait.... dont hesitate... Hes waiting for you.

I love you all so much. Its been a long time since ive seen your faces... but I want to thank you all for going on this journey with me... for sending your love and support...

who would have thought, that a white blond girl heading to Argentina, would have not only survived the sun, the heat, the freakishly big bugs, but... come to love it? It hurts to leave.. these people... ahhh! But I know that God has alot more plans for me... And ill be nice to shower with hot water again... and without bucket... and to not have to wash my clothes by hand... i cant lie, im looking forward to that.. hahaha

LOVE YOU GUYS SO MUCH:::                                                      

See you next week,

Leaving ledesma...

Hermana Bower

-- 

Mission Argentina Salta

River hopping, and church building

So i dont have much time... like 1 min.. hahaha

But i lost internet and coudnt write last week.. stupid holidays here... everyone is throwing flour and sparkles, and water balloons and there isnt internet..

but i love you all. 

The church is true! 

Im coming home in two weeks!!

 We had 6 investigadores in the church.

and a less active grandma that has a disease in her leg and cant leave her house... walked for 2HOURS to get to church...  And then gave her testimony that this church is true, how can we not get up and go?

I love working here so much... I cant believe I only have two weeks left....

Everyone is threatening me to throw flour in my face for my farewell... ooookay. hahahaha

And we had 18 people in the church in our little branch. It started with 3... now we're at 18! And we're planning baptism there..

Wooohoo Im super excited, Im still dying of the heat, but this work is true, how can I not spread it?

Lots of love,

Hermana B.

 About last week.... It was a holiday and so we coudnt write anywhere but in the church... and i got on and read some of your emails and bloop... we lost internet and I couldnt write anyone... waaaaahhhh it was so sad!!! 

But I wanted to say to my dear pops... that I love you and I hope you had a very awesome birthday and Im sorry I couldnt send this earller.. argentina.. hahaha But Im so grateful your my dad. Youve always been there for me. and listened and tried to work out every. Im really super grateful. Thanks for never giving up on me. I love you so much!!

YEAH I GOT YOUR PACKAGE!!! wooohooo 

Bananas... baptisms.. and creepy buses

Over the river and through the banana trees, to Bananal we gooooo!

We've hardly been in our area this week... we've traveled to Yuto,
Bananal, and Oran this week. All to help out our Elders....
Literally we took a bus for two hours to get to Yuto.. We worked a
little bit there and then my comp and I with some members went with
the elders in a other bus and they dropped us off on the side of the
road and we literally started walking through banana trees, and had to
cross a river to get to the other town... bananal. which im in love
with. hahaha We found a lady that a first didnt want anything to do
with us, but then the girl that was with us, started to cry and give
her testimony, and then this lady started to cry and told us that her
mom had passed away last night.. and she was praying for someone to
come. I love how God hears every pray, every plea. Hes always
listening and when we let him, he sends help. It was a blessing to be
able to testify to this lady that she will see her mom again. We were
a little room shoved together, we were dying of heat, and a puppy was
trying to climb into my skirt... and yet, the spirit doesnt need alot
of room, or the perfect situation to testify. love it!
we also saw where the elders are having the church in Bananal. Its a
little wooden house without light or nothing... and yet this sunday
after our efforts to help them, they had 25 people in the church.
Before it was 6. I love progress!!!

We here in Ledesma had 6 investigadores in the church!!! I cant even
explain the miracles we saw this week.
Claudia was baptized. In the midst of a storm and earthquake... she
got baptized. Her nephew baptized her... and she got out of the water
just crying her heart out happy. She even gave her testimony. Shes a
miracle.. this is what happens when members bring their families and
their friends to church. Miracles!
ANd well so many crazy stuff that was just awesome happened this week,
but seeing as im having mas and mas of a hard time writing in
english.. sorry. hahaha
but we had our sacrament mtg planned in our other little town... and
well it got canceled. but the work goes on!! and well we weren't sure
if we wanted to travel there if we weren't going to have the mtg...
but we felt like we needed to. and im not going to lie... i was
wondering why we were there... like seriously.. because im not even
joking, EVERYONE was rejecting us... and it was like oh geez... we
traveled half an hour... but for what?! So we said a pray... and
BAM!!! Jairo fell from the sky!!! or from his motor...but its the
same thing.. hahah we found this guy who has like 27 years I think...
well... his dad was the last president of the branch before it
closed... and hes went since hes a child... and NEVER WAS BAPTIZED!!!
and he just told us, hey, i want to be baptized... shutting our jaws
we just nodded our heads.. yeah.. he needs to get married, but he'll
get married next month... I dont know if ill be here for his
baptism... but I cant deny that God really is awesome. he guides us so
much!! Jairo was the reason we went to this town...
Oh and pray for Marcelo.. hes going to get baptized this saturday...
if he drop his coca.... hes awesome.. also another dry member...
waiting for his baptism...
I LOVE LEDESMA JUJUY!!! And also I love you guys.. and llamas.. and of
course God... I love that God knows each and every one of us, and he
guides us to where we need to be. sometimes we doubt that, sometimes
we think that its of our own decisions that guide us, but do you
really not see his hand in your life? Guiding you to where he needs
you to be. I know that he loves us. And just like our new friend
Matias that arrived at church crying and wanting to change his life
and thanking God for guiding him there, I know that God loves you and
he's here. Let him steer your life for a bit... its alot better.
This week was the bomb.. everyone was crying... and i dont know if
thats good or bad.. but my comp and I are so excited... its raining
investigators, mangos, and baptisms here in Jujuy!
LOVE YOU ALL!!!!

changed hearts, changed lives

So this week, was so super awesome!!!
We had one of investigadores in the Church, Lorgio.. And he just
started to testify to our other investigator, Claudia about how she
should definietly get baptized and how he wants to get baptized.
hahaha shes getting batized this Saturday, and well.. we're planning
his baptism too. hahaha
And then in our other little branch, one of the brothers, and his two
sons have priesthood, and so now they're blessing the sacrament..
everyone was crying in the branch mtg yesterday. I love how God really
wants us to progress. He wants to help us. We had 10 people in the
branch. But everyone left with the task to look for people to bring
the next sunday. Really, this gospel is light. It lights up the
darkest of souls, it lifts bowed heads, and heals every heart. Im so
grateful to be part of it and to feel Gods love.
So just like amanda said, the end is close... so now I know my life
somewhat here... Ive had 5 areas, 10 companions, 3 branches, 3 wards,
all in spanish.. hahaha and only latina companions. all in 1 year and
a half... but the memories, he peoples ive met... so many more than I
can count. I love Argentina, and I love that God gave me the chance to
be here!
Yesterday I got to see one of my investigators from a area before...
shes got baptized shortly after I left. And she came to my area today,
with her family... all are members now, and they just went to the
temple. I was just like dying of happiness yesterday. God changes us
so much, and gives us a way to live better.
Ill see you all soon!!
LOOOOVE YOU ALL
-Hermana B

Okay... Ive just got to say, first off,

LORGIO IS GETTING MARRIED!!! A.k.a.. you will see a pic soon of his wedding and then his baptism!!! We are so stinking pumped!!! He's from Bolivia, and so its been taking forever for his documents and everyone, but hes always in church, and he told us yesterday, hermanas... my papers arrived!!! Hes been investigating the church for a looooooong time!! awwwww Im so excited for him!! He wants to go to the temple so bad and get sealed to his wife and daughter!! His wife is Jehova´s witness... but its going to work.. hahaha

This week, my comp and I strived to be where God wanted, and wow... the miracles... we have found so many people asking us to be baptized... its just like whaaaat?! We met a jewish girl this week who never reall believed in Christ, and now she wants to do all she can to follow him. Shes just awesome. And I know its scaring for her, because she just moved here, and shes learning all new things about God and Christ, and she only has 17 years. but she already wants to be a missionary! 

This week, we sent 4 youth off to be "missionaries" for 6 weeks. They were all crying and today they went off. Here in Latin America, they have mini missionaries. Which are youth that get to be the companion of a missionary. For one transfer. 

It was super cool to see the youth so excited... and now we dont have anyone to visit people with us. hahahaha

Today is first day of my last transfer.... And like my dad just said to me, I wont get trunky. hahaha I just cant believe that I'll be back in my house the next month... when did time fly so fast?!

I love the mission so much, and Argentina.. THis week ive seen motorcycles with 10 people hauling washing machines and dumpster, weve eaten soooo many mangos that we got sick, had 3 lightning storms, ran from waterballoons, and literally talked to everyone about the gospel... EVERYONE. Its funny how God really prepares the way. We had desires to find people, we left the house, walked in the sun, and found soooo many people god wanted us to find. I love this work. The truth is contagious, and Im glad I can help spread it.

I LOVE YOU ALL, and I love my Savior. Thank goodness, he lives and knows each and every one of us.

Love 

H Bower

Tomy, one of the youth, his face when we told him he can be a mini missionary,

and random pics

and a little girl that hates my little pony... hahaha

When the heats killing you, it rains mangos!!

I dont have time to write.. but im alive, sweating and super happy.

Im sure that God is super pumped when he can give us blessings and we finally see his hand in our lives. ahhh Im so grateful we have a Heavenly Father who loves us so much.

 Im super excited to see you all in 2 months... but like I dont want to live here... Theres so many people who I love, so many miracles.. Im addicted. hahahaha

I LOVE YOU GUYS SO MUCH!!! 

Talk to you next week!!

And in the words of a old man here who has 90 years... be careful of those cars and the temptations... 

hahahah i have no idea. hahaha

LOTS OF LOVE

Hermana B

waterfights, mangos... and cockroaches? HELP

So I just got to start this off by saying I just hung up the phone with the elders from our district...

hahahhaha they called... saying that they bought a chicken because everything was closed... and they dont know how to cook it. In the stove top or in the oven, and for how long.. and hahahah I just died.... Im sure our moms are all so proud of us. hahahahah poor guys.

So this week was a little crazy. hahaha we have to be alert contantly inthe streets because everyone has started throwing water balloons.. and at us, and at everyone.. its the tradition here in January and Feb. We've managed to dodge a lot of groups of kids wandering the streets looking for people to soak.. but yeah... we got soaked quite a few times this week. hahaha its a good thing its so hot here. hahahahhaha 

We're teaching some really awesome people here. Like Lorgio... he wants to be baptized so bad, but hes from Bolivia and so he needs to do a lot of paperwork so that he can marry his girlfriend and then get baptized...Pray for him!so that he keeps working hard to have his family forever!!

And Alejandra, a young mom with her two little girls... she accepted baptism and all our invitations and then pretty much fell of the face of the earth. We are working super duper hard here, the members are calling us to go to appointments, theyre giving us whoever they know and working so hard with us. I absolutely love it! When the members are working side by side with us, its when miracles really happen... wow... Like a sister told us this week, no one is too old, too busy or too sick to not help the work of the Lord. ahhh I cant even explain the miracles.. the lords hand is here in Ledesma.. and its because these people are opening their hearts to see it. Almost everyone that ive met this week has been someone that i swear I know them from before... I know im supposed to be here. 

This week was a week of miracles, of killing cockroaches, hiding from water balloons, eating mangos, breaking two beds and living it up in this wonderful life that God gave us. He trusts us to be here, and we wants to be good, and to come home. I know he loves us. Just look up, and ask him, and tell me that you dont feel his love. He loves you all!!!

I love you crazy peeps too!!!

Today I have 16 months in the mission... as my comp, my daughter is telling me, im old. hahahaha I feelit hahahah

LOOOOVE YOU ALL

Hermana Bower

p.s. how can we kill of these freaking cockroaches??? We've been killing them off like a whack a mole.... or just dance... hahahha

Little towns, big bugs

Okay... this week was so spiritually packed, it just like punched me in the face.... or maybe that was the heat... we literally have not stopped sweating since weve got here....but thats a other topic...

We've literally been guided by God so much this week.

We did a Family Home Evening actividad in the church and got to lead a bunch of youth into running into the walls, and climbing chairs looking for a tree... we were doing the dream of lehi... hahaha

and we had huge changes to our schedule this week that all of our studies are like super short so we can leave to work... and so we WORKED OUR BOOTIES OFF THIS WEEK!! And im really sunburnt, and my comp is really new to the mission, her body is dying because shes not used to this... but it was awesome...

We had a guy tell us the first time that we met him that hes going to marry his girlfriend, and hes going to get baptized. 

and then we went and talked to his neighbor, and she said that she doesnt like talking to anyone that knocks on her door, but she felt really good when she saw us, and we walked passed her and when we turned back to talk to her, she knew that she needed to listen to us. She also told us shell be baptized with her little girls... 

and then... well i cant tell all the awesome things this week but we did go to another small town and had the sacrament in the house of a member.. we had the church service in her house. there was 11 people... and it was so full of the spirit... to see that God really knows his children... and it doesnt matter if youre the only member in your town, and if you live really far from the church in another town... God knows you, He loves you, and if you stay firm in your faith, he provides the way. I felt so much love in that little house as we huddled around a table with the sacrament trays. We tried super hard to have a normal service. i gave a talk.. hahaha and as we sat there with the flies and mosquitos eating us alive, i felt really the sacrifice that Jesus Christ did for everyone of us. As we ate that bread and drank that water in silence, I could see the sacrifice. Really feel the sorrow and the love he felt... he did that because he loves us. Do we take the sacrament because we love Him?

Afterwards the members were super excited and took us to see their friend that they havent seen in 26 years... and they were like super happy to see her and then they got down to business and said, "We're here because we love you. And because we want you to know what makes us so happy too." They got to share the joy of the gospel and this lady, their friend... and i was touched. really. Do we want our friends and family to be happy? And if we do, why arent we sharing this glad message? They got to testify to her that she'll see her parents again one day... it was a day of so much testimony and so much amor. God loves us so much. I hope you all never forget that... but he also loves his other children... he wants them to come home too... talk to your missionaries... visit people with them.. talk to your friends... give them this message of eternal happiness and hope. 

I love you all!! I know this church is true, and that god really has a plan for us.. i can see it everyday. Hes guiding us... I taught a class of the youth yesterday... and I asked them.. do you know God lives? They said yes. And then I asked, How do you know?... they were a little speechless... until one kid said, I KNOW he lives because he sent Jesus Christ for me. He was born FOR ME.

Thats just awesome. hahaha

HASTA LUNES!!!!

Hermana B

Where the Llamas live and the sun buuuurns

I dont even have time to explain this crazy week... well two weeks... hahaha
BUT HAPPY NEW YEARS!!!
I cant believe we're in a new year..
I couldnt write last week because well.. opening a new area... we
didnt know where we could write... but hahaha here we are...
Im with my new comp my hijita hahaha Hermana Granda from Ecuador.
ANd I just got to say that wow... we love this area. Our branch
president and alot of people went to the greet us... and they were
running and giving us hugs... they are sooooooo excited to have
hermanas here... theyre so great!! Hermana Chaparro.. the wife of our
mission presidente served here too... and she baptized soooo many
people. hahaha she was so excited for us. We have two branches that we
take care of... I just love it here!! Its so freaking hot though...
osooo hot... ill write more next week about all the miracles weve
seen. Please pray for us that we can kick some butt and do the work of
the Lord.
LOVE YOU ALLL
Hermana B

 My area is Ledesma, Jujuy. Its a little town.. with a branch.
I have two Branches here... Ledesma, and Fraile...
Fraile is even smaller of a town and a branch...they dont have a church building.. and wow..
this area is MY FAVORITE!!!!! But its needs a lot of work thats to the loser of elders that were here before us.. they were destroying this area... if I see them one day.... :0
My "daughter" hahahah is Hermana Granda from Ecuador. Shes awesome. hahahah We get along just fine.. hahaha shes really an awesome person. :D
Im not wearing pants... like just no.. theyre terrible pants... Im
going to burn them... my new comp doesnt know about the pants so we in
skirts.. hahahaha and yes its so much hotter here... like so much.. im
already so burnt. but today I bought a hat so yeah... im good now..
but like wow.... its sooooo stinking hot here. Its like my first area, Santiago... woooow... 
I just sweat and sweat here...
its crazy here learning EVERYTHING!!! And we get lost alot... like trying to find the house of a member to eat lunch and we were in two different taxi's with the elders... looking
forever.. and walking and sweating and wow.. hahaha