week 9 - june 18

Hola familia!

Well, only a couple more days before i leave for Argentina! So, we have 9 missionaries in our district, and we are all going to the same mission, and we were all supposed to leave Mon, but we found out yesterday that 5 of them didn't have their visas. So both my companions got reassigned temporarily until their visas come through. Hna. Buys to Colorado Springs, and Hna. Mitchell to Knoxville Tenesee. And then 3 other elders as well. I think mine came through because i got my mission call about a month before them. It stinks though, they were pretty bummed at first, but they are ok with it now. We were just all excited to go to Argentina together, and now that won't be happening.

Ok, so i probably will not be calling from Texas, because from the time we land in Texas, til the time we take off from texas is about an hour, which is not much time. So I will probably have to call from Salt Lake...we are meeting at 11:30am on Mon and taking off from here (The MTC) shortly after. But our flight doesn't leave til 2:50pm from Salt Lake. So somewhere between 12:30 and 2:30pm i will be calling. That is what seems would be the easiest. sorry Dad, you might have to come home for lunch. Unless you just want mom to give me your work number, but i think it would be easier to talk to both of you at the same time. The MTC doesn't tell us anything about calling home, their policy is "we don't encourage you to call, but we don't encourage you not to call"...so it's basically up to the missionaries.

But ya, i definitely am getting excited! I'm so excited to just immerse myself in the language and the people and the culture. A lot of the other missionaries are afraid they don't know enough Spanish, and we definitely don't know enough, but I have faith that it will come in time. i think i am just more excited than anything. but i'm sure when i get there, i'll have more concerns. The MTC has pretty much been the same this week. Not much changes here. We did go to a couple meetings, one about language study in the field and the other about health and safety. And they told us that lots of girls lose their periods in the mission becuase of the changes in culture, food, climate and then stress on top of that. So the sisters were all pretty excited about that, including me! Sounds like home is pretty busy though. Mom, it sounds like you are just getting involved. You should try to share the gospel with the other parents that you meet through these things, because that's the best way. And don't be shy about it, you've got the Lord on your side. Just follow the spirit and look for opportunities. Missionary work is soooooo important, and so many people would accept it if they just knew about it. Sometimes i think, "why was i born a member of the church, and others not?" I think the Lord trusts us with His work. We just need to trust in Him as much as He trusts in us.

Sarah, thanks for your letter! I think that's so cool that you gave up your soccer tournament on Sunday! I'm glad you decided not to play because that shows the Lord He is more important to you than soccer, and He will bless you for that, i promise you that. Something that I am learning is how important the little things are. Things like, don't play soccer on Sunday, or don't wear flip-flops to church, or pray every morning and night, go to church every sunday. When we obey ALL of God's commandments, our faith is increased, and hope is increased, our joy is increased, and we are more intune with the spirit of the Lord.

well, now you will have to write to my e-mail address! i look forward to hearing from you next week, and i will tell you about my trip!

love, hermana amundsen!

P.S. thanks for sending me Luke's letters. I know 2 missionaries going to his mission in about 3 weeks, and i told them to look for Elder Facer. Maybe Luke will get to train one of them!

(elder hale, and elder jones)

12-week missionaries...oooo, it would be hard to be here that long.