Argentina: Week 21

 Ice cream to celebrate the baptism!

This week has been super crazy. First, it wasn’t our baptism, it was the baptism of the elders. It was pretty nice but crazy at the same time. We have been doing so many activities because of Christmas which really puts pressure on cash. I think I will lose quite a bit of weight over the Christmas season because I don’t really have enough money for food. Fun Fun times in a mission! :D anyway, some fun things that happened this week that I have to tell you about: we talked with gypsys! There are tons of gypsy families in my area and we pass them all the time but we have never stopped and chatted with them. We were passing one of their homes and one of the girls called after us saying "Allen!" I thought I misheard it and looked back, and apologized for looking at them weird, I thought I heard my name to which she replied Vení! It was a fun chat. The girl that called after me was 14 but looked like she was in her twenties. It was hard to see the 14 year old in her looks but you could tell in her personality. It was a privilege to learn more specifically about their language and culture and religion. The entire time it was distracting to talk to them too because they were playing reggaeton and my love for reggaeton has grown in my mission. Seems backwards huh? We entered their house and prayed with them too.

It is getting so hot here. Last night felt like I was in Texas again in the middle of the day. I took air conditioning for granted in the states. I definitely miss it.

I don't have my journal to share what I learned this week, but I do remember one thing that stood out. Every ward has a ward missionary plan that most of the members don’t know about. It doesn’t really mean anything for them that I know of, but I read in the Liahona a story about a kid who was planning for his mission and his family had a family missionary plan. Brilliant! I thought it was the coolest idea to help us stay focused on what really matters and it is more personal. This family made the plan with the missionaries and I encourage you all to do the same. It can be small things each weak such as sharing a missionary pamphlet or serving someone. I encourage you all to have personal study as well because that is the time when the lord prepares us to share the gospel for that day and we receive more light. I love you all!!! Be awesome missionaries!

Hermana Allen

Argentina: Week 20

 We cleaned the baptismal font with the elders.

A picture of Christ that an elder drew in the soot from our heater.

So this week has been so crazy! First of all the most recent things that are happening is that we just sang in the middle of the street as a missionary choir for some activity that I didn’t completely understand the point and there were minions there! One of the Hermanas took a photo of me with one of them but she isn’t here. I will try to get it from her sometime but you might just have to wait for that one until after my mission! Other thing: we haven’t worked for the past two days because the police went on strike asking to be paid more and so the people went a little crazy. It sounds a lot more exciting that it was, but still it happened.

I´m getting a long really well with my companion now and we are learning to work more in unison. We are trying to serve the members more so that we can work more as a team and they will be more willing to come with us to lessons but that is still in the process of changing for the better. I don’t remember anything else specific that I wanted to say except what I learned in my personal study this week.

I have no idea how many of you have read the talk by Elder Benson (or maybe just remember it) called Beware of Pride. It is honestly one of the best talks ever to help you realize what you need to change to be more happy and have better relationships with others. I learned that pretty much any sin that we ever commit is a type of pride. It is a part of human nature to be prideful which is why the natural man is an enemy to god (2 Nephi 2:27). The lord will have a humble people which is essentially why we are striving to be perfect because we are trying to be without pride. Seriously if you get the chance to read this talk do it because it will teach you so much! After reading it I realized how impatient and wrong I´ve been with many of my relationships with others.

Anyway, I LOVE YOU ALLL SO MUCH!!!! Thank you for supporting me in the amazing opportunity. Seriously, I love it here.

Hermana Allen