This was a busy week with lots of travel! The highlight of the week was my first zone conference in Mendoza! I love Mendoza, so the trip there alone was a blast! Compared to sleepy San Luis, Mendoza is like New York City. Hermana Deem and I took the bus to Mendoza Wednesday afternoon because she had a doctor appointment there Wednesday night. The bus ride there was long and warm…and sleepless because they were playing a movie and the speaker was right over our seats. (It was kind of fun to see American actors…even if their voices were dubbed over in Spanish!) When we got to Mendoza, we took a taxi to the mission offices where I got to pick up my first package in the field! (Thanks Mom and LeeAnn!!! Everything came through just fine and I didn’t have to pay to pick them up!!!)
While Hermana Deem was in her appointment, I sat and caught up on my journal and talked with one of the other hermanas who was waiting as well. She is from Buenos Aires, so it was good practice for me getting to know someone and talking only in Spanish. It was pretty fun and not as hard/awkward as I thought it would be.
The best part of the evening was our trip to Subway!!!!! We got Subway sandwiches right across the street from one of the two McDonalds in Mendoza. The sandwiches aren’t quite as good as the ones in the states, but after cafeteria food for 2 months in the MTC and now another 2 months of Argentine food, Subway tasted like heaven! (don’t get me wrong, I love the food here…but there’s nothing like a taste of home when you are far from it). After picking up our sandwiches, we went back to the mission offices and got in our pajamas, opened our mail from home, ate our goodies and devoured our sandwiches.
As I was sitting here in the “hermana’s room” in the offices, I remembered my first night in Argentina in that same room. I remembered the dogs barking outside, the un-American bathroom, and the mis-matched sheets on the bunk beds. This time around, I sat and ENJOYED every inch of the “hermana’s room” as it is clean with fluffy pillows and hot water—on DEMAND! It was quite the treat to stay there and I just had to laugh at how much my perspective has changed in barely 2 months since arriving in Argentina.
Thursday was Zone Conference and it was WONDERFUL! I had to get up in the beginning and bear my testimony (in Spanish of course) since it was my first zone conference and I am technically considered “new” in the mission still. I was a little panicked having to bear my testimony in front of all those Spanish-speaking missionaries (and the mission president) when my Spanish is….well…only 4 months in the development process. I was amazed at what I was able to communicate and could tell the improvement I’ve made in just these 2 short months.
For conference, the Assistants taught about becoming spiritual “doctors” and not just giving people random spiritual “prescriptions”, but really listening to them as a doctor would and diagnosing their problems correctly with the guidance of the spirit. We also heard a wonderful talk from President Lindahl about knowing the bitter in order to know and recognize the sweet things in the mission (and life in general). He gave some of us (the 4 hermanas, of course), a little piece of a 90% cocoa chocolate bar with the strict instructions not to bite it, but to let it sit on our tongues and melt as we listened to him talk. (Thanks mom for teaching me how to appreciate bitter dark chocolate. I thought it was absolutely delicious while some of the elders that tried it and struggled a bit as they had to leave it there on their tongue). President straight out told us that if we don’t struggle in this mission, we are missing out on one of the most important (if not the most important) lesson there is to be learned in this mission. It’s very true, I’ve already seen and felt my struggles humbling me and I have 14 more months to go.
He also showed us his study journal and shared a part of his knowledge and love for the Savior, Jesus Christ. We studied one of Christ’s miracles and I came away with a burning desire to study the miracles and parables of the Savior. I’ve been reading in Jesus the Christ, the Bible Dictionary and the New Testament, analyzing and really taking an in-depth look at what the Savior really did during His life. My understanding and appreciation for the Savior has already increased 10 fold! His miracles were more grand than I have previously realized. President asked us how much water Christ changed to wine. We all sat there…in a stupor….I’d never thought about that before. He showed us from the scriptures and his studies that it was somewhere near 600 GALLONS of water turned to wine! WOW!!! Now that’s a miracle…it wasn’t just a glass or two for the wedding…we’re talking LOTS of water to wine. I’m excited to learn more and keep uncovering new truths about my Savior.
The other highlight of the week was Yesica. She still continues to amaze me every week! This week we walked the 20 minutes to her house to pick her up for church on Sunday. We were about 5 minutes late in picking her up and we found her outside on the street corner waiting for us! She was in a skirt this week with nice boots and tights; her daughter in an adorable dress with pink tights and Niko in black pants and a button-down shirt. The kids had their “Dora the Explorer” coloring books in hand and looked like they’d been members for years. I was so happy to see them! In Sacrament meeting, a little boy in the ward was confirmed by his dad—couldn’t have been more perfect for Yesica to see the Sunday before she will be confirmed! Her kids happily went to primary after Sacrament meeting while we were able to go to Gospel Principles and Relief Society together. With the weather warming up, there were lots more people in church, which meant more friends for Yesica to make. It all worked out so perfectly. She excitedly told all the people she talked to about her baptism on Saturday. What a golden investigator she is! Just one more miracle I’ve been privileged to see in the mission, with many more to come I hope! (I started a “miracle journal” this week, recording the miracles I see everyday in the mission. It’s greatly increased my love for the Lord and my joy in this work). I’d love to hear about the miracles you all see at home and the missionary experiences you are having. Use the Book of Mormon; carry it with you everywhere; it is our source of strength in these latter days.
Love to you all from Spring-y Argentina!
Hermana Lauren Pelton
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