Remember how I´m a really funny person? Yeah, well I guess it'll take a while longer for me to have a good sense of humor that translates into spanish. haha Yesterday at lunch with our ward mission leader, Edith (Dario, the WML´s wife) served us grape juice. But it was like powder from a package so it tasted like candy. Without thinking, I said, YUM Purple drink! They looked at me like I was crazy and I was laughing really hard, both at the purple drink and from embarassment. If anyone knows what I´m talking about, that would be great....no latino gets it.
This week: we have ONE more day of the leadership conference that I love so much. It seriously is such a powerful time to be with the Pres and his wife and all the missionary leaders of the mission. To show you how much Pres Gulbrandsen uses skype, he has three Macs set up on a table in front of him for the 3 zones that are in the South. Those elders get front row seats to the conference! haha
There was a newspaper journalist and photographer (i think both students at some university here) at the conference. They are doing a story on the missionaries and they asked why we were here. Pres gave us a few minutes so that those who wanted to share could stand and share. Hna Peña and I stood up at the same time so that we would be able to speak. He didn´t see us at first in his peripheral but when he did, he pointed at us to speak and with a big smile on his face said to the journalist, 'These are my twins'. haha
The reason I´m here? Because of the love for my family. Because I am eternally grateful for the amazing people I call my parents and brothers and sister. I am grateful for the gospel in our lives that has made it possible to overcome incredible obstacles, trials and other hard times in this dark world. I´m here because I know that this message of the restored gospel blesses lives. I know that if Christ were here, this is what he´d be doing. I am here because of the LOVE. I am here because the hope I have for an eternal family is a hope that I CAN´T keep to myself. How selfish would that be?
Well, the conference was great. The pictures I sent are of the sisters who attended. 4 newbies and 4 great ones :)
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| Hna. Peña, Hna. González 3, Hna. Gulbrandsen, Hna. González (Suzette), Hna. Romo, Hna. Gillam, Hna. Cariola, Hna. Campos, Hna. Freitas. (From Left to Right) |
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| Hna. Gillam, Hna Romo, Hna. Peña and Hna. González. |
Basically, this is hard hard work. It is hot, we walk A LOT and people feed us too much haha but it´s also too delicious to turn down. We have been teaching a lot of Peruvians lately and their food is so different from Argentina. Argentine food is not boring, they make so many things that I would never have imagined and it´s great. I will NEVER turn down an empanada. But Peruvians eat a lot of fatty, flavorful food. Argentines, contrary to popular beliefs do NOT eat a lot of meat. On special occasions they will roast half a pig (I saw it on christmas) but carne asado is something I have yet to eat.... :( Ah! But TWO families have already promised to make it for us! I want to go tomorrow! haha
I love the salads here. And they eat a lot of salad. And green olives. And pizza. haha Very European.
I was talking about being here then got distracted by food...haha I´m hungry I guess. But I love it. Every moment. I know this is supposed to be hard, it´s supposed to break my heart and make me fly with joy at the same time. In Mosiah 28:3 is how i feel now about these investigators that we teach. I learn to love them, I´m blessed with that charity for them by the power of prayer and then if they don´t accept, if they don´t progress....it´s the most awful feeling. Only because I grow to desire so much for them to be happy. I love them so much that it hurts to see them reject this message of Christ.
But I keep walking, I keep my smile and a prayer in my heart that we will find the people who are prepared at this time and that others will keep that seed of faith in their hearts and be ready at another time.
I love My Savior. I have a firm testimony of the power of prayer. I know that God hears us. I know that He answers our prayers, all of them. Sometimes we have to work to see the answer because it comes in a form we were not expecting, but He will never leave us alone. I know that everything we go through is for our good. I am grateful for the great gift of repentance. As I repent, I feel closer to my Father in Heaven and know that I can do better, especially to serve as the missionary He knows I can be and wants to help me get there.
Love you family.
Til next week,
Hermana Gonzalez
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