Conference! Connection miracles

Dear Family,

This week was awesome, and I too feel like my spiritual battery has been recharged, conference was awesome.  We had to watch it in the chapel too.  On Saturday we watched both sessions, and on Sunday at about 12:45 the heavens let out an impressive downpour of rain.  The conference sessions are at 1pm and 5pm here, and so the timing of the rainstorm was a tragic inconvenience.  We had to walk to the chapel, and it was raining so hard that by the time we got there we were soaked.  Our umbrellas didnt do anything to protect us because it was raining so hard in the horizontal direction and our shoes and feet were drenched because the puddles were so deep the street drains couldnt keep up.  When we got to the chapel, all of the faithful La Paz saints were huddled under the awning in front of the chapel talking and watching the rain.  I asked why no one was inside watching, and they all said......there isnt a signal!  Shooooot.  We have some techy members here thank goodness, and after lots of fiddling with wires and prayers, we were able to get the broadcast.  But the Sunday Morning session we could only get in pieces because the signal was so skethcy......the rainstorm really made a mess of things.  We could see and listen to the speaker for about 15 minutes, and then it would go out again....take about 5 minutes to get it back, and then in another 15 minutes we were without signal again.  It was a continuous cycle.  So thats how my Sunday morning session went.  Im sad I didnt get to hear Pres. Monson or Pres. Uchtdorf....and I think I missed Elder Bednar too.....but I will just wait for the Liahona!  Out of the talks I did get to listen to, I think Elder Hollands was my favorite.  Such force and strength in his voice, and I love the message for the youth.  I havent had food thrown in my face but I can relate to having my beliefs put under pressure.  Often times when we make decisions to defend the faith like stick up for our values at school or work, serve a mission, etc....is when our beliefs are put to an agressive test.  But it makes for excellent oportunities to grow!

The rain storm kept going all day long, but for the afternoon session someone had the idea of attaching the projector to one of the computers and watching the conference by interent instead of by satelite.  It was brilliant, and we got all of the afternoon session.  In between the sessions on Sundaythe members whipped out their yerba and mate cups and sat around sharing mate and eating tortas fritas.  It was a fun little party the members made for themselves......kind of like the party you all had for Dad!  Except Im not going to lie, Im sure your party had much better food :)  We peaced out to go pick up an investigator to bring to the afternoon session.

Kind of crazy this week, an Elder that was serving here in my district here in La Paz had to go home for a huge family emergency.  I have no idea what happened, and he was gone before I even knew something happened.  His companion said he found out what happened on Tuesday night, andWednesday morning he was in the terminal buying a colectivo ticket to get to Rosario.  And that night I think he caught a flight home.  So so so sad.  I dont know what the emergency is, but Im so grateful you guys are okay.  Its expected that he will come back in a few months.  It would be so weird, and hard honestly to leave the mental mindset of being a missionary to go home, and then have to come back again.  

I have been a little bit sick this week with watery eyes, super runny nose, sore throat, and a voice that comes and goes....but no fever!  I think my body is tryign to adjust to the new season, but, regardless I am kind of sick of taking care of it.  As Dad would say, "Just be grateful you all have your health!"

Alejandro and Florencia went to the civil register to schedule their wedding.....and folks that huge.  They finally did it!  They are getting married April 18, and we will be having a baptismal service for Florencia April 19.  Whoohooo!  Also, Alfredo the cool veteran man who loves the Book of Mormon is doing well.  If you ask him the story of the first vision he will recite it back to you, and if you ask him if the Book of Mormon is true he will give you a resounding yes.  Its awesome!  He was going to go to the Sunday evening session of conference, but the rain and mud scared him away.  Shoot.....we will do better next week!

Today for P-Day we are going to watch Frozen (and I am so excited......you all said it was so good!) because if its an Hermanas birthday (only for the Hermanas, the Elders no) or if there was a baptism in the district we can watch a movie.  Sweet!  Plus we have zone meeting this evening, and I am really excited.  I dont know what kind of mail is waiting for me for the end of the meeting, but I hope something!  Last month I didnt get anything, not even the dear elders made it.  But dont feel bad, I have email and I can write you all hand written letters.  But if the package you sent could make it that would be really great.  I hope you didnt send your version of the family picture book.  Keep it and I will see it when I get back.  I dont want both versions to be lost.  Who knows what can and cant make it down here.  Just go to your local place Wal Mart or Costco (or not so local....where ever you can go) and print off a bunch of pictures and just send them in the little envelope thing. Super cheap, and if it gets lost I wont be sad. Sometimes I really feel cut off from the world....mostly when it comes to mail. I dont know who spit in the bean curd of Argentine Customs, but they really hate yankees.  My best advice for sending things......is make it look non American as possible.  When Hermana Sainsbury was here her mom sent her a box that said correo chile all over it (I have no idea where she got it!), and it got here in 2 weeks.  Maybe use brown boxes or somehting.  It wasnt this hard before to get packages, and it will probably cool off again.....but for now dont worry.  I will hope and pray the packages you have sent make it (because the package you sent sounds wonderful....I really want those scareves, skirt, and thumbdrive!) and you can just send all the cool fun stuff to Chad in the mean time.  Also, you should keep all the letters you send to me so we can have them.  We have the blog for our letters, but I want to be able to go back and read your letters from Dear Elder and email too!

I hope you have a wonderful week and know that I love you more than all of the leaves that are changing colors and falling here in Argentina!

Hermana Withers

Halfway mark!! General Conference soon

Dear Family, this last week was great, and this next one coming up is super eventful......Dad is turning 50, and we will all get to watch General Conference.  Sooooo excited!!!!

This week we had a lesson with a cute 11 year old girl in the front room of her house.  About half way through her Dad and brothers walked in.  They hauled in big bags of fishing nets, and a hanful of fishing poles, and another big bag of who knew what.  They dropped it all on the ground, ripped open one of the bags, and pulled out HUGE catfishes.  They were the biggest fishes I have ever seen.  They were about the size of a ....................

The Dad would pull one out, hold it up in the air for a second, while his family would all shout (there are like 15 or 16 of them)....."heyyy" and then he would dramitically throw the fish into the sink.  He pulled out 2 monster catfishes and dozens of other medium sized fishes.  I think they sell them, but it was a solid reminder in case I could ever forget that I am living right on the Parana river.  

In the mission right now we are doing what is called "Plan de Revolucion"  where we  go through a series of steps to be led and guided by the Spirit to know which sector of our area we should contact, which streets, and at what time.  We contact for at least an hour, and the goal is to reach 500 baptisms as a mission by the end of April.  President calls it a process to receive a reference from the Lord, and its true.  We have met lots of incredible people lately.  

I saw a man mow his lawn with a macheti (sp?) the other day.  It looked painfully back breaking and time consuming, but he was just cutting away little by little.  And I dont know if I have mentioned this before or not, but cough drops are sold in the candy section, because people actually eat them like candy here.  The flavor menthol is a sweet here, but for me I cant do it.  It tastes like sickness to me.

And we got slammed with rain this last week.  So much mud......everywhere!!!!  On Sunday it was the weirdest of all.  It would rain hurricane hard with tons of wind, for about 5 minutes and then it would stop for like 10 minutes, and then start up again raining super hard with tons of wind.  It went back and forth a few times.  

Yesterday we contacted a man who is 100% German.  He moved to Argentina as a little boy with his parents to escape WWII.  We meet lots of people with European descendents, but he is the first who is all the way European.  

And yesterday on our way home people were lighting off fireworks and honking their horns and and yelling like crazies in the streets.  A member told us its because a soccer game was going on, and a group of people must of been excited because their favorite team one.  It made me wonder what its going to be like here in July when the world cup is going on, and then I decided that I dont actually want to know what its going to be like.  We are still a ways out from the World Cup, and people are already starting to go nuts.  Im hoping that the U.S. has a really crappy team and gets beat, it would keep everything here a little more peaceful for me.  I wonder what its like in Chile?  People are going crazy too?  

I am thrilled to watch conference this upcoming weekend.  Its true, conference is something that connects us all together all at the same time.  Thanks for the stories from your talk Dad.......they are really good and I am most certainly going to print them.  I love reading everyones letters each week.  Im glad everyone is doing well and enjoying life.  This week your letters really got me laughing.  A nice lady trying to save a baby only to find out it was a cat, avoiding teen dances, noticing all the flowers that are blooming except in MN, offering to drink Taco Bell sauce just to get sick......ha youre all crazy!  At least you have all kept your senses of humor.  

Just so you know, we stand outside the doors as missionaries too, waiting for everyone to go in.  All 6 of us missionaries.  Sometimes we have to go pick someone up and walk with them, but most Sundays we try to be by the doors to welcome members and be ready to show investigators where to go.  Its cool that you do the same thing too!

Thanks for sending a package, Im excited to wait for it!  Ha.....its sort of a bummer that food cant come in, I love getting American food in the mail, but until then I will enjoy whatever other treasures you were able to put in there!  

I hope you all know how much I love you and pray for you!  I love you more than the number of puddles I walked through this week!  (it was at least a million)

Hermana Withers

Fall is on its way... Seasons are changing

Dear Family,

The seasons are officially changing, and its beautiful!  I wear a jacket regularly in the evenings, and I get to sleep with blankets and long sleeve shirts.  When I got here and summer was just beginning, it felt like I would never see the day when fall and winter would come.....and here they are knocking on the front door.  I bought hot cocoa powder today and I am excited to use it in the evening after proselyting.  It feels so much nicer to be cozy in layers of clothes instead of roasting in shorts and a t shirt.  The seasons are changing, the leaves are falling, and time is flying!

We were in a neighborhood we dont go to very often because its about an hour walk away from our apartment, but the other day we were there and along the chain link fence were armadillo skins, it was interesting because it was something new.....but it was mostly gross.  And I also saw the biggest spider web ever, probably in my whole life.  The spider was the size of a deck of cards, and its web strung clear across the street.....from one power pole to the other.  It was horrifying, but I was also kind of sad I didnt have my camera just to take a picture of it.  And there is one type of bug here that is big and green, and when it flies it literally looks like it is using a jet pack.   

This week we had lunch with one of the members, and the mom cooked for a freaking army.  When she put the platter on the table, I sort of cried a little bit on the inside because she is easily offended if you dont eat a lot.  She could have easily fed the entire branch with the platter of rice and chicken and potatoes.  I ate 3 plates full with a few pieces of bread, and hit absolute capacity.  I was full after the first plate, but tried to have good manners make her know that I thought it was good.  I am just grateful it wasnt a plate full of pasta, pasta is the worst.  Its noodles covered in oil, but its so much more filling.  And between you and me, pasta isnt so yummy to me anymore anyway.  We eat it at least 3-4 times a week......so many noodles!  I never knew that Argentina ate so much pasta and bread until I got here.  Anyway.......moving on.  

It hit me the other day that I will be hitting the half way point of my mission in a few weeks.  9 months, half way.......cant believe it.  

On Tuesday we called a member to see if she would be willing to go out and teach with us for a few hours, she said yes, we stopped by to pick her up and we were on our way.  When we started walking she started talking to us and explained that the day before she had been feeling very frustrated with Heavenly Father.  Annoyed with the other members, frustrated with the leadership, sad that she couldnt go to the temple with the branch this week, and exhausted with her own family and financial problems.  She said she felt like Heavenly Father had some how forgotten about her and that it didnt matter if she kept going to church, because she couldnt see any of the blessings.....so she definitively decided to stop going.  The next day (the day we called her) she was kind of weepy but hadnt told anyone in her family about her decision to stop going.  She prayed again, and decided that if Heavenly Father could show her that he loved her that day, she would keep going.  She said not even a minute later.......her phone was ringing with us on the other end.  We gave her call, not knowing any of this before hand.  Just following the Spirit saying she would be a good member to take out with us that day.  Such a simple, yet incredible example of the perfect love Heavenly Father has for each of us.  Heavenly Father is so good to each of us, and also incredibly efficient.  He was helping us with the missionary work, but also helping this sweet member remember how important and loved she really was.  Heavenly Father never forgets anyone.  No matter where they are in the world, what language they speak, how far away they live from big city civilization, or what they do for a living.  He remembers all of us, and all of the small, yet important details of our lives.  Its fun to be a representative of that love, and teach people that God knows and loves all of us.  

For me, this week was a little more difficult mentally.  About the same time I realized that I am almost to my half way mark, I also realized that I have seen so very little fruits of my work.  No baptisms.  And only a few less actives become reactivated.  Hundreds of lessons and even hundreds more contacts, and no results.  And after 9 months, still nothing.  Day after day, the same labor for the Lord, and all I have to show for it is a testimony that is a little bit stronger.  I really had to fight the feelings of frustration, and remember that the Lord hasnt forgotten me either.  Just like the sweet member who went out with us, he remembers us all.  It took me a couple of days to wrestle through it all in my head, but I have come to peace with it.  I know the Lord is guiding this work, and he knows us all better than we know ourselves.  I am trying to be obedient, have faith, believe in people when they say they are going to read or pray or go to church, and more than anything work hard.  I know its all worth it.  Even though I cant see any of the results right now, its okay, I might not ever see the fruits.  And thats okay too, I dont need to be rewarded with the fruits.  Being permitted to be a tool in this tiny part of the Lords field is good enough.  More than anything I was humbled this week.  Humbled to remember that I am nothing, that the Lord is everything......and that I shouldnt have conditions or blessings that I expect to see for the work I give.  It will all be worth it in the end.  Alma chapter 29 is the chapter that really caught my attention this week, nearly bringing me to tears.  I feel the exact same way, and want to rejoice in all of the miracles that are occurring around the world in the work of the Lord, not just focus on the progress (no matter how slow it may be) here in La Paz. 

Thanks for calling the bank and figuring it all out for me.  If something happens where my card is stolen or something I will call the mission office and have them call you, or hurry and email you.  I love you all lots and hope you know how much I love hearing from you and writing to you each week.  Keep sending the pictures of all the snow, I love it!  The letter writing keeps moving forward, and I will get one to each of you soon.  

Interesting cultural note.....if you ask a woman how many kids she has, she will tell you the number including miscarriages.  They count all of them.  Kind of cool.  

I love you more than all of the stores here in Argentina that sell only raw meat (welcome to the meat capital of the world!)

Hermana Withers

Good-by to Hermana Sainsbury

Dear Family,

I just sent a landmine of pictures, hopefully there arent repeats and that they are all clear and good!  I was picking them fast so I could still have time to write to you!  This week was a terrific one!  It had lots of big changes, but it was so fun.  

Biggest news is that I have a new companion, and she is so cool.  Her name is Hermana Galan, from Mexico.  She comes from a humble home with a single mom and older brother.  She misses tacos a lot, and she cant speak any English except for a few words or phrases.  Someone taught her the word "fetch" at one point, and she uses it all the time.....ha it makes me smile every time.  She is going to help me so much with Spanish, and she has goals for English that I am excited to help her with.  She is a hard worker, and obedient, and so fun to have around.  Every one of my companions has been such a big blessing....they are all stable, normal, hard working, high functioning human beings....with great senses of humor.  Its awesome!  

It was sad to say good bye to Hermana Sainsbury, because I had been with her for so long and we were such good friends, but Hermana Galan has been a breath of fresh air as well.  She is young (just barely turned 20!) and has only been on her mission for 4 months, but she has a solid grasp on the doctrine and fun methods of teaching.  Basically I am just soaking up my time with her and trying to make the most of it.  She was baptized when she was 12 years old, but then went in active for about 5 years, and then reactivated.  She is the only member in her family except for a few random cousins. And we are going to see miracles this transfer! 

The day of transfers was so long for me though.  Hermana Sainsbury left at noon, and Hermana Galans colectivo didnt pull in until 7:30 that night.  I had to spend about 4 hours with the Elders until one of the members could be with me.  While with the Elders we ate lunch and watched movies, and it was super boring.  And then I went with a member to her house and it was a little more interesting, but really I just wanted to have my new companion and get to know her.  Thats the thing about being here in La Paz....is if transfers affect you, it involves lots of traveling.  We are clear up here in the boondocks, and it took Hermana Galan 9 hours in a bus to get here.  Random note......Elder Hill is now serving as an office Elder, serving as the mission secretary.  Ha....pray for him.  He is now in charge of all visa and passport paperwork.  

Random cultural note is that dogs are used as security systems here.  Often times if you walk past a business, regardless of what they are selling....if its locked and shut down for the night their is often a dog inside.  There is a car dealership that has a few, and Ive seen a few other random places with dogs inside.  They have been trained too, because when you walk past them they follow you from the other side of the window and kind of growl at  you.  Its kind of funny to think of dogs as a security system, but people do it!  

I tried calling the debit card number, and it didnt work.  I forgot that I have my international calling card though, so I am going to try calling again today.  If I cant get through though, I hope there is a way that you guys can get it reactivated for me.  I thought we had it all set up so that you guys were on the account?  Maybe not....

Before I forget to tell you, the mission has told us to tell home that apparently the Argentine Customs isnt letting any foreign food go through any more.  If there is a package and some candy thrown in, the whole package will be thrown away.  Just so you know.  Maybe it will change, but for now if you send packages, dont put food in it.  One thing that you could put in a package at some point though that would be awesome is a sudoku book or some other puzzle book.  We have half an hour of free time each day and some times I just crave the stress relief of doing a puzzle, something completely unrelated to anything where I can just decompress for a minute.  

I am glad all is well with you guys, and that you are on your way to finding an answer for Sam.  Mayo Clinic is about as fancy pants as you can get, good for you for making the most of the trip too!  Hotel, swimming pool, Costco, Old Navy, musical doctors....ha good work.  Sounds like it was fun!  Keep me posted on what you find out.  

Anyway......things really are going well.  I am happy and healthy, and loving life.  I hope you know that I love you all!  I love you all more than all the people here in La Paz who have never seen snow before (I think I have met 2 people in all of my time here who have seen snow in person).  

Keep being awesome and know that you are all my favorites!  Until next week!

Hermana Withers 

5 Investigators at Church

Dear Family,

I love hearing from you guys.  I just love the routine of reading your letters each week and knowing that all is well....that you are having fun experiences (like driving through all the puddles because youre all so happy they arent ice) and so on.  Life is so incredibly good isnt it?  We have so much to be thankful for and so many fun things to experience in this life.  I forgot to send a little shout out to you mom and dad, but I thought about you guys March 6th and I hope you had a great day.  I like the thought of the 3 mini missionaries in Minnesota.....its so true!  I like the idea of starting up the piano/violin thing again instead of track, that will be great!  Plus you will never have to travel very far, the chapel is always there!  

About the debit card thing, thanks for the digging you have done.  I suspected that the card got suspended for being used in a foreign country.  Even though we told them I would be down here until this December, its okay.  I dont think I can call though.  Will they let you do it mom?  Let me know what numbers or things you need and I will email it to you next week.  If not, we can figure something out.  The good thing though is that there really isnt a rush.  I am doing okay with money, mostly because the mission raised our monthly allotment.  Finally!  We carefully budget everything, and I can still have a little bit left of extra from the church money. Maybe its just the way I grew up, but without a little bit of extra I go crazy and get nervous.  Right now, all is good!  And we are on our way to fixing the card to get that all squared away too.  Thanks for doing all that.

Thats sweet that Borah made it to state again (even though we lost...boo) but way to go drinking the chocolate milk at half time!  Good luck with school, and woods class, and checkers games, and work, and enjoying the 40 degree weather. 

As for my adventures this week.....it was a good one!  We had five investigators at church.  FIVE!  Every time one walked in my hear sang a little bit louder.  Its so fun to have them there, because the members do a really good job fellowshipping them.

We had another lesson with Alfredo, and he is still so cool.  He is reading the Book of Mormon lightning fast, and has the most admirable curiosity.  He really is just like a child in that sense....very meek and willing to learn. 

And we had a lesson with Marisa.  Which went well, she is still letting doubts float around in her head instead of acting on faith with what she does know to be true.  She is a good lady and is willing to do the Lords will, she is just getting confused as to what the Lords will actually is.  We are working with her though, at least she is still willing to meet with us.  

We had zone meeting this last week as well, which was fun.....I didnt get any mail but I keep praying and hoping that the Christmas package makes it.  

Fun cultural note is that we are sort of stuck in the 90s down here......in nearly everything.  In clothes, music (our neighbors are the worst in that sense.....they play footloose, and girls just wanna have fun, and so many more super loud....we sleep with the fan on the highest setting to drown out the noise and layer up the blankets....because its getting cold!)

I love that we experiencing changes in seasons together, you guys on your way out of winter, and me on my way into winter.  Its so crazy.  The time is flying by.  

Today we got transfer new, and............Hermana Sainsbury is going to Parana to be with Hermana Haynes (my MTC companion!).  Crazy.  I am getting a cute Hispanic companion named Hermana Galan (I still dont know where she is from though, I get to meet her tomorrow!)  She just finished the 12 week program program, and I am excited for the change.  Ha.....Hermana Sainsbury is devastated though.  She is going to a big city, and we have stayed at the apartment she is going to move to when we have to travel long distances.....and its a real dive.  We will be buying ice cream this afternoon for sure.  

Really life is good.  I feel like my roots are firmly established here in this area, and it feels good to have a handle on the language.  Having a new companion here will be good to change things up too, and I can keep learning and growing.  

Just so you know.....I have been lousy at writing letters, for pretty much my whole mission.  But I have a goal for Pdays to start writing people back who have made an effort to send me something.....it will take a while to catch up...but at least I have made a start.  Dads has already been sent.  (Actually I will send everyone in the family a personal letter, just so you can have your own thing from Argentina...but its going to take time.)  Just know that something will eventually be coming, and I am trying to get back to people like Piper, and so on.  I will do the family first though.  Its slow but its going. Can you send me Chads mission office address or something?  I think it would be cool to send a letter to Chile from Argentina, and also to get a letter from Chile.

I love you all lots!  More than all the things that go up in price each day!  I am actually not even kidding, everything inflates in price a little bit each day.  

Hermana Withers    

Teaching Alfredo

Dear family,

Time really is flying by so fast!  I cant believe it!  First and foremost about my card....I tried to take out money again on Friday, and still no luck.  I have learned that this apparently happens to other missionaries too though... because our church cards come from Bank of America from SLC, and are also foreign cards.  Its not that the money has been stolen or isn't there, its just that sometimes these lovely machines cant recognize our accounts (or something like that) advice I have heard from people is to just keep trying....so that is what I am going to do!  No worries!  

I hope last weeks email didn't make me sound sad or out of spirits, I am always doing great.  Its just that last Sunday was sort of a rock bottom feeling with all of our investigator who just weren't progressing.  We have dropped the majority of the people we were visiting, and have essentially started over trying to find the people who are really ready......and the Lord blessed us so much in our efforts!

Last Saturday evening (2 weeks ago, not the one we just had) we contacted a cute girl named Liza and taught her a quick lesson 1 on her doorstep.  We left her with the pamphlet and a book of Mormon and set up a return appointment for the next Monday.  We showed up Monday for the appointment, asked for Liza, and her dad came to the door.  He told us his name was Alfredo, that he knew we had met with his daughter, and that he needed to talk to us.  Physically looking, he is kind of scary.  With broad shoulders, a thick handlebar mustache, and a really deep voice.  My immediate thought, was "oh shoot.....he is going to tell us that we cant come back to meet with Liza" (shame on me for so little faith!)  He went to get the Book of Mormon that was on the book shelf, and the pamphlet...he took us to the kitchen, told us to sit down.  

He told us he had read the pamphlet (which is awesome.....so many people never read!) and that he had started to read the Book of Mormon, and that he was very interested in it.  His curiosity was interesting though, it didn't come out of negative speculation but instead out of sincere wondering.  He had never seen it before, told us quickly all the things he hates about the Catholic church, and that he just wants to know about this church.  We only talked to him for like 10 minutes because he had to go, but we set up another appointment with him for Friday.  We showed up on time for our next Friday appointment......and he blew us away.  

He told us that a few nights ago, at like 3 in the mornign, he had a toothache so painful he couldnt even sit still....it hurt so bad.  He walked around in his house, tried to go back to bed, and nothing worked.  He saw the book on the table and decided to read it to pass the night away....he started to read it and said he couldn't put it down.  He got to 1 Nephi 11 when he realized that his eyes were starting to get tired from reading.  When he closed the book he realized his tooth didn't hurt anymore, and he was able to go back to bed and then to the dentist the next day.  We reviewed what he read, and he told us his favorite was chapter 8 which talked about the tree of life.  His interpretation of it was so spot on, its like he is a member.  He picked up that the iron rod is the way to God, the fruit is the gospel, the people out in the darkness are people who have fallen off the path and so on.  He picked it all up.  We went back to the first vision to go over that too, because we hadn't had the chance to really teach him about the restoration.....and he literally quoted back the First Vision to us.  He had already read the pamphlet a few times.  He says he is very interested in the church, and that what he has read so far he believes is true.  

I have never taught anyone like Alfredo on my mission before, but he is so fun to teach.  He asks us so many questions we have to draw him back into what we are talking about.  People who are progressing are just so much more fun to work with!  The intense contacting we have been doing so far is working and the Lord is really guiding us to where we need to go.  

We also went to a fiesta in the chapel for the wedding of the Elders investigators.  It was a cute party with lots of balloons, support from the members, and a great opportunity for our investigators to go to the chapel and meet everyone.  We met Ariel and Silvia there at the chapel (and they really came, with their whole family and everything!) and it was awesome.  Pepe gave them a tour of the building, with a stop in front of the baptismal font, and they said they loved the chapel and members.  They were a family we were going to drop but they are still ever so slowly progressing, so we wont lose hope on them yet.  If there is even the slightest sliver of a chance, we keep them.  If there is no movement forward, we move on to new people that are ready.  Its sort of a sad cycle sometimes, and can be exhasuting.....but it makes me really appreciate the true love  Christ has for all of us.    The wedding party was fun though because they have a cool tradition.  Instead of the bride throwing her bouquet of flowers of her shoulder to see who can catch it, they do something completely different.  They bake the cake with little coin things in the shape of random things (like a shoe, car, fish, house, bike, so on) with a string attached to it.  So the strings hang around the cake like aligned confeti (I hope this is making sense).  So all the single women gather around the cake, grab a string, and on the count of three pulls the string.  The person who pulls the string with the ring at the end of it is the person who is going to get married next.  (Funny thing....the bride pulled the ring at this party.)  I pulled out a fish, and Hermana Sainsbury pulled out a house.  (We were reluctant to do it, but all the members thought it would be funny if we did it, so we did!).

The situation with Marisa has honestly just gotten worse.  She sent us a text on Thursday saying she doesn't want to meet with us anymore, that she doesn't know what she believes, and that she just needs space from the church for a while. We called her right up and asked what happened.....and honestly nothing has happened.  She just hasn't been reading the book of Mormon for 6 weeks or going to church in 2 months, and she has spaced herself enough from doing good things that the doubts Satan puts in her head have just become a little more difficult to overcome and get rid of.  She said she is going to pray this week to really see what the Lord wants her to do.  We fasted for her this Sunday, and we are excited to go see her this Wednesday for our appointment we talked her into.  She has just progressed too far to let us drop her so quickly.  We are going to fight for her as long as she will let us.  

We had a funny Catholic contact the other day, and they honestly had me walking away amazed.  It was a middle aged couple that came to the gate, and shared all sorts of information.  Apparently lots of missionaries have clapped that house before, but they still aren't interested.  They said that we aren't even part of a church because the only church that can exist is apparently the Catholic church, that we were on a bad path, and that we probably aren't going to be saved.  They talked on and on about how Catholics have a higher chance of being saved compared to most people because of their Santos, the virgin Mary, and Jesus. We just sort of said, "okay, good to meet you, we know this is the true church of Christ that has been restored" left a pamphlet and just tried to get out of there.  I don't know if what they shared about Catholicism is even true, but they gave us a Catholic pamphlet thing with weird pictures and articles that make no sense.  I am just going to pick the path of Jesus and work to help others do the same.  Less confusing!  I hope one day they can come to understand how misguiding Catholicism really is.  

The Fall weather is still as beautiful as ever and I am excited for a new season.  I got out my sweat pants and sleeping bag to sleep just so I can feel cozy in the cool evenings and mornings.  Its awesome!  Everything is still really green though.

Well....I hope you all have a great day!  We have zone meeting this Friday, so maybe I have a package waiting for me!  I hope you know I love you more than all of the Catholics who worship Gauchito Gil (Google him....he is like an Argentine Robin Hood who lived who knows how long ago and there are seriously shrines where people go to pray and leave flowers and stuff).

Stay awesome,

Hermana Withers

Disappointed that Marisa isn't married

Dear Family,

I love reading your weekly emails that you always send!  They are always so great and fun to read!  I cant believe you were able to read the ward list here in La Paz.....the world is SO small.  Also.....just to double check, is there money on my debit card?  For emergencies or anything....just to make sure?  I tried to take some out today just to have a safety stash because it hit me that that would be a good idea....but the ATM wouldnt let me.

Truthfully this week was long.  There were also lots of bright spots in the week though too.  Best of all was that we had district conference....so the branches of la paz, las termas, santa elena, and feliciano all came here to meet.  President and Hermana Giuliani came for the meeting....and it was soo good to see and hear from them!  We hardly ever get to see them and it was so fun to have them here.  (That is how I was able to get mail in the middle of the month because they brought it up with them in the back of their car).  

Most disappointing of all is that Marisa came back from Neuquen.......unmarried.  She went all the way down there, a 30 hour drive one way, and wasnt able to get married.  We had a lesson with her on Wednesday.  (Actually we were on exchanges with the Hermanas from Parana so I felt a lot of pressure for this lesson since it was the first time since we had seen her and Hermana Sainsbury wasnt there) and we also brought Hermana Obertello with us to be there as moral member support.  It was an interesting lesson to say the least.  We walked in and she is normally always so happy and inviting, but this time she wasnt so I could tell somehting was up.  We get to talking to her and find out that when they went to Neuqen.....her "husband" didnt even have to get divorced.  This whole time they had been telling us that "they need to go to Neuquen so he can get divorced and then they can get married." He has been divorced this whole time, and just needs to go to some governement office in Neuquen to pick up the paperwork.  And he didnt do it.  Marisa told us that he got very bitter all of the sudden about her decision to get baptized and is now saying that if she only wants to get married so that she can get baptized....then he doesnt want to get married.  Its soooo sad.....and she is so hurt.  She wants to get married and she is offended that he wont marry her, even just to support her in her decision to be baptized.  I wish I could just go down to the office and pick up the paperowrk myself.  The thing is though, even though we are on the southern end of the equator....we arent at the edge of teh planet.  We are living in the 21st century where fax machines exist.  We are going to try and see waht we can do.  We have to come up with a plan fast though, becuase she has been waiting so long to be baptized and she needs to be living the law of chastity.  She has family who live down there who can mail things.....but I dont know.  We are going to visit her again this week and help her come up wiht a plan.  Its just sad that all the waiting to be baptized hasnt even paid off yet.....because she is still waiting.  The other thing that is frustrating is that Marisa has learned about plural marriage and how it used to exist, and it has been quite the testimony shaker for her.  We are working it through it with her....but man she has been a difficult investigator to help get to baptism.  And all of our other investigators arent really progessing either.  We are dropping a lot of them lately and looking and contacting ALL THE TIME.   We are trying to find teh Lord´s prepared people.....and help those who are ready to progess.  The thing is that people´s agency to choose the natural man over their spirutual desires is hindering thier ability to progess.  This transfer has been kind of hard in that that way.....in that we are working hard and we have good numbers to prove to teh Lord we are working, but we are seeing so little success.  We follow teh spirit, are obedient, and tyring to be grateful for the blessings we have......but the Lord is really putting us through a refiners fire right now.   The prepared people are just very well hidden right now......but we will find them!  Its just going painstakingly slow right now.  

Other than slow progession here.....all else is well!  We were able to organize and help the branch president here hold his first ward council meeting...so thats progress.  And a less active that hasnt come in 2 years showed up to church.  

Its starting to cool off and I have never been more exicted for the autumn and winter seasons.  Its going to be sweet!  

I love you all lots and have a testimony of this work!  I know the church is true!

I love you more than all the ping pong games we plan on P Day!

Hermana Withers

Beautiful week here in La Paz

Dear Family,

This week has been BEAUTIFUL.  This whole summer has been impossibly hot throughout the whole thing, but this week it has cooled off and its even a little bit chilly during the night.  I have slept with a blanket for 6 nights in a row!  Thats a new record.  

Im not really sure how, but the town of La Paz has this overwhelming smell like cilantro.  Not so much in the downtown part, but if you get out in the wide open spaces with fields and farms and acreage.....the whole town has a cilantro smell for some reason.  It just barely started...maybe its cilantro season?  I have no idea.  I dont even like cilantro, but I cant seem to get enough of this smell.  It is just so fresh and wonderful....its like I am living in paradise!  

We have an investigator named Tito (not sure if I have talked about him) but he is awesome.  He is 20 years old and working hard.  He doesnt acutally live with his family though.  He comes from a humble background, is the oldest of 6 kids, and when he was little his mom would send them out to beg for food because they had no income.  He would always go to the Castella family....who are less actives in our branch.  The mom would give him lunch and let him stay to play with her kids.  Play out 15 years to where we are today, and that mom is a nice grandma, her daughter lives in the house in front of hers, and Tito is like the child they never had who helps out with nearly everything.  He helps take care of the paralyzed grandpa who cant eat, go to the bathroom, get dressed, or anything. He runs errands for them, cleans stuff up, and its so cool.  This boy who was so little when his mom sent him out to ask for food is able to give back and help out.  So he has been living essentially with this less active family.  We have visisted the family a what feels like a million times and they know they need to come to church, but actually getting there is a strugge.  A couple of weeks ago we met Tito and started teaching him and he is so awesome!  He absorbs the lessons like a child....sincerely interested in learning and so quick to act on faith and believe.  His work schedule has made it hard for him to come to church, but he has progressed so much so far, that I know he can do it.  He told us that he met with the missionaries for a while about 4 years ago, and he wanted to get baptized but he was only 16 and his parents wouldnt give him permission.  Now he is 20....so baptism is his independent decision!  We are excited and hope he can get baptized. 

Tito is really the only investigator we have though that is pulling through and keeping his word.  All of our investigators keep meeting delays in progession....making up excuses for why they didnt come to church, or trying to explain that they are just so busy they didnt have time to read the book of mormon.  The best part is that when we have these conversations withi people, we are usually talking to them while they are sitting there drinking mate telling us about how stressful and hectic their lives are.  These people have the time to give to the Lord, they are just choosing to satisfy thier carnal desires instead of their spiritual hunger.  Im working hard to not be frustrated though!  Because frustration just drives the spirit away, but seriously.....where are the people who are ready to progress?  Our teaching pool has been cycled through several times and its hard when all of them dont want to choose the Gospel.  Maybe they still dont get how important it is (even though we have explained it like a thousand times) but its okay.  Missionary work is all the same.  Some are get to plant for a while, others may be in charge of weeding, and some get to pick the fruit.  It feels like I have been in the weeding department for a really long time, but maybe thats what I am good at.  Ha, who knows.  Success isnt manifested by the number of baptisms but rather my desire to bring people to the gospel.  

So I got another box with the garments.  I think your theory about the boxes being faster is true.  I know they are more expensive, but I still havent got the padded envelope you sent in October, but I got a box sent January 30.  It doesnt add up but it makes me feel closer to you guys when I can get notes and a package that isnt 3-4 months out dated.  I opened the box up right away and gave a tootsie pop to each of the Elders.  The one from the Jungle of Peru loved it.  I also gave one to Pepe our missionary leader and in Spanish he was like, "candy from America?!"  Ha it was fun to share.  Dont worry, I am keeping the rest for me.  From the other package I let the Hermanas from Santa Elena try a tootsie roll.  One is from Chile and the other from Peru, and they were so funny. They kept asking if it was gum or if it was chocolate....and I was just like......"uh...neither.  Its a chewy sweet called a tootsie roll with chocolate flavoring"  I also got a birthday card from you guys, and one from the VV ward.  And also 3 letters from Pamela Heassler.  This Pam lady is really nice.....but I have no idea who she is.  The Elders handed me my mail and asked "who do you know in Canada"  my answer was "nobody"  but I assume you guys know her.  She just wrote about random things and introduced me to her family and talked about the local protests...I honestly got lost in her letters.  The best part though was that she used the word whippersnapper.  I felt like I was in MN all over again.

The Elders who are working in the La Paz branch had an investigator who is living with a less active at church yesterday.  She was really nice and they have plans to get married.  The only weird thing is that she is 37 and he is 19.  They are probably the strangest couple I have ever seen.  She could technically be his mom and his is only 10 years older than the kids she has from a different marriage.  Its like a mom son, brother dad relationship mix up that is just bizarre.  But.....love is love, so whatever works I guess.  

My companion wants me to ask you mom about hair loss. She is still losing a ton.  We went and got a blood test to see if its her thyroid and we will get the results back this week.....but do you have any recommendations other than that?  How to take care of it or what to eat?  If not its okay, her mom has been googling a bunch of stuff.  

I love you all sooooooo much and hope you know I pray for you every day.  I am so grateful you are all doing well.  Thanks for you emails Chad.  I had no idea you were transfered or training.  Keep up the good work and know that I love you more than all the plates of noodles with bread I have eaten since being here!

Hermana Withers

Dr Office visit and he is the wrong kind of doc

Dear family,

We are writing a little bit early today because we have the hermanas from Santa Elena who spent the night over at our place (our zone is having a special p day today.....volleyball on the beach of the Parana River and a member is barbcuing for us.....sweet!) and they need to email as well, so we got a headstart on it all so we arent taking up the members computers all morning.

This week really was so typical I struggled coming up with things to write about.  But dont fret!  There is always something to write about :)

Earlier this week we were riding a colectivo, which is bus system that EVERYONE uses.  Interesting to note is that there is no capacity or limit they have for the amount of people that can be riding it at once, they just keep shoving more and more people on when its rush hour.  Anyway we were riding the bus from the furthest part of our area (about an hour walk) back home for the night, when the bus pulled over at the next stop, to let some people off and others on.  The new passengers got on, the bus driver put the thing in gear, and seconds after that a car going decently fast slams into the back of the bus.  In my head I was thinking, great this is going to take forever....now we have to wait for police to come and check everything out, make sure everyone was okay, and so on....considering that it might be better to just walk home at this point  The bus driver got out to go check out the situation, was gone for about 30 seconds, got back on the bus, and kept driving as if nothing happened.  I was floored.....thinking.... dont you need to exchange information for insurance purposes in case of necessary repairs or liabilities?!  Ha....oh well.  The laws are clearly not the same here.  May God Bless America.  

On Tuesday we had a rainstorm that would put Portland to shame......it was raining SO HARD when we woke up, and was like that solid all day until 4 in the afternoon.....it didnt even stop or let up once.  It flooded some houses and made a mess of all the roads, but it cooled everything off and everything looked so pretty with the gray clouds for a backdrop and the moisture in the air that I couldnt be mad.  Funny thing though.  You know how we say in  English that its raining cats and dogs and how even though the epression makes no sense, you still know what it means?  Well in Spanish they say its raining pitchforks.....an expression that also makes no sense but everyone here knows what it means.  You should have seen us talking to the member about it.....he was trying so hard to explain what a pitchfork was, and we were trying so hard to figure out what the heck he was talking about....that we gave up, wrote down the word and looked it up later.  We get it now :)

This week we had a small adventure at the doctors office for Hermana Sainsbury.   She has been losing TONS of hair for a about a month now, trying all sorts of different things but with no results.  Hermana Giuliani gave us a list of doctors we could go to to check it out.......and Hermana Sainsbury looked at the list and said, "I want to go to Dr. Lawrie.....his name looks the least Argentine and most reliable."  I was like.....ha okay.  All these docs are going to be Argentine, but pick whoever you want.  (Its not that we dont love this country, we do....but when it comes to medical things sometimes being in a foreign country is scary.)  We made the appointment for that afternoon, showed up and ended up waiting for 2 1/2 hours.....when the the doctor finally got to us....he read her name and then in English says, "she speaks english, come on lets go into my office!" I nearly peed my pants hearing him talk in English. We got into his office, and he goes onto explain that he was born and raised in La Paz but that his grandma was very strict and that everytime they went over to her house they had to speak in English or they didnt get to eat.  He said, "you can talk in english or spanish to me....its all the same concept" and I think he was right.  His english was incredible, if not fluent.  He said he learned English with a british accent, and it was kind of funny to hear him speak brithsih english with an argentine accent....but he really does know english.....it was so cool!  She starts to explain what has been happening with her hair.....and he gets a wicked grin on his face and says, "you know we have a little problem.....I would love to help you but I am an orthapedic surgeon....I have no idea how to help you"  Haaaaa...........what a bust.  The list of doctors Hermana Giuliani gave us werent all general practice ones like she thought they were.  He gave us our money back and we were on our way out.  We have an appointment with the doctors brother (works in the same office but is gneral practice and can also speak english!)  It was just a huge waste of time more than anything, but we are working on making it all better!

This week really was a great one! Glad to know that the olympics are kickd off and doing well, that the funeral went well, that deer signs are only for people and not actually the deer, that you are doing woodshop, and watching planes, and just enjoying life!  So glad all is well!  

Oh....before I forget to tell you, I got a box!  The one with the bag, socks, a few shirts and a skirt, and my favorite candy (how did you know?! ;)  Thank you so much.  I also got a bunch of dear elders from mom and grandma, a letter from loertechers and karen darrington, and a birthday card from mom and dad.  I am so blessed to have such great people in life!   

And also before I forget......CHAD SEND ME YOUR LETTERS.  Im not getting them. I dont know if you are forgetting to add me on the list or what, but I want to read them.  I have missed 2 weeks now......not cool robert frost.  :)

All is well and life is good.  We have visitors over for today and its going to be a great day with volleyball and barbeque and zone meeting tonihgt. 

Oh mom I was going to ask you...I dont know if you have changed my facebook settings yet or not, but could you change it so that anyone can add me?  There are people here that I dont want to lose contact wiht and its easier to just give them my facebook name then to get their phone numbers (which they are always changing) or to figure out their address (becuase none of the houses have numbers).....facebook is the only reliable way, and people have tried ot add me but say they cant.  I dont know...its not life or death, but if you have some time to do some detective work and figure it out, could you?  Muchísimas gracias :)

Okay I am really going to end this email now.  Im doing well and love you all.  I love you more than all the glasses of chocolate milk I have consumed this summer!  

Hermana Withers

7 Months in my Mission!!!!!

Dear Family,

Thanks for all of the birthday songs and birthday wishes.....I really do have the best family ever.  The cake looked good too......eat an extra piece for me :)  Sad to hear that Grandma Wheelwright passed away.....but Im positive she is happier on the other side.  She was awesome and thats cool that she was belly laughing before she went.  And Carmen had her baby!!!  How awesome.....let me know what they decide to name him!  Thats good that you all escaped the ice box for a day to go have an adventure.  The super bowl season has come on gone (thanks for the score update dad and lauren and valerie!), ha your joke was awesome Valerie, and Sam you have a new plane!  Woohoo!  I love all the updates about minnesota and boise and the weather and your lives.  Keep it coming!

Today marks 7 months in my mission......!!!!!!!  So crazy.  I have a lot of time left to serve still, but these last few months have flown.  

As for the transfer update.....I am staying another transfer in La Paz with Hermana Sainsbury.  People are starting to make jokes that she has been here so long and will have to finish her mission here, but we are excited to have another transfer together.  We have a smooth rhythm in the way we teach and contact.....we can go back and forth in talking really easy because we have been doing it for so long together....we can only improve and get better from here!  

My birthday was fun.....but in all honesty felt like any other day.  My companion made me french toast with dulce de leche, and served it with a nice cold glass of peach juice (the fruit juices here are out of this world delicious), and we went to get ice cream from the creepy shop a block away from our apartment (creepy as in you walk in and no one is there....and then this tall lanky weird man will come from this dark hallway that is in the back towards the front and stare at you, not asking you anything....just expecting you to start telling him what flavors you want) Haa....at least his ice cream is good!  

While we were waiting for a colectivo earlier this week we it was clear and sunny skies, then in a matter of seconds clouds came from nowhere and seconds after that it started to rain, HARD.  We ran from the stop....bagging the idea of catching the bus right then and ran to the closet thing that could cover us....which ended up being a Catholic chapel (ironic right?!)  It only rained for a couple of minutes and then stopped, so we went back to life as usual.  It was just the most random storm ever.  

And the other day while we were walking home, we were walking past a part where the sidewalk turns into this wide open gravel patch that leads to a couple of different roads. We walk on the side of it in case people turn in from the main road to turn to the other side roads.  Anyway........we were walking past this part (on the left hand side) and a white car going kind of fast turns in.  We keep walking and it turns towards us and speeds up.  We look at each other.....freak out and run to the right side of the road......the car speeds up and also turns to the right side of the road.  We tried to escape the car and run to anywhere with protection but there really wasnt anywhere to go.  It was a big open gravel patch of nothing with no trees or buildings to run towards....and before we knew it the car was inches away from us.  The car really couldnt have gotten any closer without touching us when it slammed on the brakes.  We thought we were about to turn into road kill at the hands of some dumb kids or something....when one of the familys we are teaching piles out of the car laughing their heads off.  They were deep belly laughing so hard at the faces we were apparently making and they thought it was so funny.  Once we knew who it was we were laughing too, but in the moment they really scared the crap out of us. Which is what the dad was going for when he was driving I think.....quite the prank!  They really are a great family though.  The parents are married (which is unusual!) they have six kids, and are very kind to us (except for the car prank thing....that was lame!)  They are very Catholic but also have an admirable relish to learm more about the LDS church.  We just barely started working with them, so we will see what happens and how they progress!  

Something kind of interesting to note, is that there is racism against Chinese people here.  I have no idea why, but nobody likes them here and they always say be careful at the ArgenChino markets because they are dirtier.  I dont know if its just a La Paz or all of Argentina, but its weird and also kind of sad.  

Yesterday at church I think was the first Sunday that we didnt sing Secret Prayer and Whos on the Lords side Who.  We sing at least one of those hymns every Sunday just because every seems to like them and they dont know that many songs, so if they know one they like to sing it lots.  I never really sang those hymns before my mission......but I am pretty sure they are always going to make me think of this La Paz branch.  

We have new investigator named Florencia who is living with a menos activo.  He wants to come back to church and she wants to get baptized.  We are teaching them together, and hoping that we can have a wedding this transfer and a baptism right after! 

I am doing well and excitd for another transfer here in La Paz....there is lots of work to do.  Holy moly.....it just started to rain torrential down pour outside.  Good thing we live a block away from the member whos computers we use, because we totally didnt bring our umbrellas!  My leg is still healing.  The scab is almost gone.  The picture Thomas sent of him and two other Elders was cool.  The Elder on the far right was my district leader my first transfer here in La Paz.  We should be having zone meeting this next week which means I get to see what made it in the mail from America all the way down here in Argentina! (:  

I love you all lots....more than all the people who are shocked when they learn that mate doesnt exist in the States.....and more than all the people who pronounce Google "gugley"  its my favorite (:  Have a great week!

Hermana Withers

Happy and Healthy

Dear Family,

All is well here in La Paz.  We are going to get a transfer call this morning to see what will happen, but we wont receive it until after we email......so I will let you know what happens for this transfer next week.  Thanks for the birthday wishes!  Its crazy to think that I will be 21......not sure how that happened.  

My leg is getting better.  It went through all the stages of healing....blister, open wound, pussy, scabbing, and thats where we are now. It still has a scab on it and is getting better.  Everyone and their mother has freely offered me their medical advice....but I just say thanks and disregard it.  I am only listening to Hermana Giuliani and the things she tells me to do.  I am still applying the cream bactroban and hoping it doesn't scar!  If it does it can just be a battle wound from Argentina I guess (:

It was so hot this week.  Oh you have no idea.......its a kind of heat you cant even explain.  So hot and humid that not even a fan can relieve you.  Our pension has turned into a giant pressure cooker....and I am jealous that Thomas can access his roof.  Ours is too high,  but what he said about the fans is right.  They are really just giant blow dryers.....they dont actually blow cold air, they just spin the hot air around.  Summers without air conditioners are a whole new kind of ball game.....I am so grateful I only have one full summer here.  The Lord was very merciful at the end of this week and sent a rain storm to clear everything out.  Its starting to get hot and humid again, but the cooler weekend was a blessing.  People here say though that this summer has been especially brutal....that its not normally as hot or so hot for so many days in a row.....there are normally more rain storms to keep every thing balanced and everyone sane.  Cool!  I sure lucked out.  At the beginning of the summer I thought everyone was crazy for living in a place that was so hot all the time without air conditioning....but learning that this is one of the worst in 50 years makes this place much prettier and its easier to understand why people still live here.  On the plus side everything is green and beautiful which is awesome.  

This week we have been introduced to more less actives that we didn't even know existed.  And we are still working with all the less actives we already know.  There is one family who is especially incredible. the Obertello Family.  They are carpenters by profession, and they run the shop in the back of their house.  They have 14 kids and are all recent converts within the last 4 years....the teenage daughters were baptized first....and over the years they have all been converted and baptized.  The kids were all converted first and the parents very last.  The mom smoked before...and was supportive of her kids switching from Catholocism to Mormonism...but she never made the change herself.  And the dad is kind and humble, but in the beginning was very opposed to his kids being baptized into the church.  So the last to be baptized....about a year ago the parents were married, she stopped smoking, and they got baptized.  They are recent converts with strong testimonies.....but have a lot of trouble getting to church on Sunday, and so are also considered less actives.  We had a noche de hogar this last Friday with them and talked a lot about overcoming challenges....and how when we have things to overcome....they can often seem impossible, but if we go to the Lord in prayer, they can still be hard but also become very possible to overcome.  We talked about their struggle to get to the chapel as a family and invited them to pray for strength.  To pray for a solution to the problem and trust in the answer.....because it might be something they have never thought of before.  They live a 45 minute walk away from the chapel, and have a few motorcycles....but not enough to take everyone.  And they cant make several trips because they dont have enough money to pay for that much gas.  So........on Sunday morning we anxiously waited to see them.  To see them show up at the chapel.....and seeing them walk through the door just melted my heart. Only the parents came that day for some reason or another, but they are the ones who have the most trouble coming.....so seeing them there was like Christmas.   We have relief society and Sunday school first, and then sacrament meeting.  While we were waiting for sacrament meeting to start we were sitting by them and I started talking to them.....and found out that their motorcycles were broken, something happened to their car, and they were waiting for the colectivo to stop by but it never did......so they started to walk.  And they walked the whole thing.  They are kind of an older couple (I mean they have raised 14 kids....they can be tired if they want to!) and they walked the whole 45 minute distance.  In reality it was more like an hour to an hour and a half.....because 45 minutes is missionary speed and they move a little slower.  We were so proud of them.  There are a lot of sacrifices saints make here to be faithful.....sacrifices that not all members have to make.  But it is something teh Lord has required of them, and the idea to start walking as an answer to thier prayer in getting help to the chapel I am sure is not something they were super excited to follow through with.....but they did it anyway.  They are such good people, and those 14 kids have excellent parents for examples.

The zone leaders had a training about 2 weeks ago...and they picked up mail but forgot to give it to us. Almost unforgivable!  But it was kind of fun to get mail in the middle of the month.  I had a few dear elders from mom and grandma, and Christmas cards from piper and Lori and Ryan.  Thank you to all!  

My favorite snack lately has been oreos (they sell them here and its the best thing ever!).  And p day activities usually are study, email, get groceries, lunch, and then go to gridos and get a half kilo of ice cream to share....take it to the chapel, turn on the ac (on of the few places that has one!) put on shorts, and eat the ice cream directly in front of the ac.  Its the best ever......and then we spend the afternoon playing ping pong too.  

I am doing well and have so much to be grateful for.  I hope all is well with you guys.....that you dont freeze your buns off too much.  Keep working on puzzles!  Thats cool that you got to drive on top of moving water (; I love you all lots and hope you all have a terrific week!

I love you more than all the banana trees that grow here that I didnt know were banana trees until a week ago!

Hermana Withers