Word of the week: "hablando de roma..." (Speaking of the devil....)

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Alright. This week has been anything but normal! After our adventure to Cañon Atuel last Monday, we got the transfer call....dum dum dum!!!! Drum Roll Please! After a little confusion, I am companions with Hna. Whitmore in Lujan (right outside downtown Mendoza). For a few days I worked with Hna. Sollis in San Rafael. On Friday, we went out to work and find some people to teach. Since Hna. Sollis was new to the area, I was leading us around and really had to rely on the Spirit to lead us to where the Lord wanted us to be. As our plans fell through, I stopped and looked around...and said...."let's go down this street because I have never walked down this street." In about 2 blocks, I noticed an open door. Naturally, I knocked on it and to my pleasant surprise, Delia came to the door, welcomed us in and gladly received our message of the restoration. That day we ended up teaching four new people, including a mother and daughter who were working on the life history of their grandmother. It was so cool to sit there are listen to them read a part of the life story of her, Blanca, and hear about the life of an average Argentine 70 years ago. It was so neat to then share with them the Plan of Salvation and the importance of families in that plan. Santiago (Monica's son) just had his baptismal interview and is all lined up to be baptized on Saturday. I'm sad I won't be there to see his baptism, but happy to know that he will be in the hands of the Lord and well taken care off. He is excited to get baptized and Monica is even more excited that her son is headed down the right path. I had an amazing experience this week in regards to the gifts of the spirit the Lord has given me. Last transfer, one of our zone leaders spoke a lot about figuring out what our gifts are and then developing them, especially here while we are in the mission. At the same time, we had lessons on the same topic in Relief Society and then my mom emailed me about the same topic that she was teaching in her seminary class. So, I took the hint and started studying and pondering more about the gifts of the spirit and what the Lord hopes I will develop in this life to serve Him and His children. In studying and praying, the Lord has mercifully shown me one of my gifts. In talking with my companion a couple of days ago, it was as if the Lord was speaking to me directly as I spoke to her. As I talked, I realized that the Lord was showing me what one of my gifts is and how to use it. It never ceases to amaze me how the Lord teaches me. I never learn what would be the obvious lesson; He always teaches me when I least expect it and it is always the most profound lesson. I always think I know what He's trying to teach me, but in my small, human vision, He shows me what He really wants me to learn. I am grateful for those unexpected teaching/learning moments between the Lord and I. How grateful I am for prayer and the opportunity to let the Lord teach me what He needs me to learn rather than telling Him what I want to learn. Thank goodness He knows me so well and knows the lessons that I need to learn...all I have to do is follow Him, do my homework, and take the tests. If I follow Him, I will have the practice necessary to pass the tests and get the good grades. In other random, wacky Argentine news...we found a GIANT (dead) black/purple bee-like bug. Naturally, I made my companion pick it up and save it! It is now well preserved in a glass container :) and we've taken plenty of pictures (pictures to come). Hna. Sollis reached her half way mark in the mission, so we bought the most delicious ice cream I've ever eaten, took pictures, and chatted about life. Come to find out, she was roommates with one of my best friends the semester that I transfered to BYU. CRAZY! Had to come all the way to Argentina to find a friend from home....love it! In church on Sunday, without Hna. Alvez, I had to work the electronic piano. It has lots of hymns already programmed into it, the only problem is that the organ is in English. This requires a great deal of organization and translation...at 9 am....that's very difficult. So....as they announced the opening hymn, I frantically looked through my little book of the translations of the hymn numbers between English and Spanish and couldn't find the opening hymn's translation. I looked at my companion and told her to just start singing and the members would follow along. I have stood up in front of them many a Sunday and just started swining my arm around and they lead themselves. Opps! They usually just sing along....but this time....they didn't know the hymn! Right as everyone was getting lost, I ffigured out what hymn it was and started the piano. After the meeting, the bishops' wife came up to me and we had a good laugh about the whole thing. she told me that she was trying to signal to her husband that we just change the song because it was a song that they NEVER sing. We just laughed about it! love to you all! Eat some Christmas cookies and put a fun ornament on the tree for me. Stay dry! Love, Hermana Pelton