venado tuerto 2 - july 6

Hola!

Sorry, I know it´s Tuesday, we had a little switch just for this week. But it´s too complicated to explain, but next week it will be mon again. But thank you for your letters, I love them! I seriously have the greatest family!

So i´m not sure if you saw the right thing on google earth or not. I don´t live next to any tall buildings, and there isn´t any snow. The weather here hasn´t been bad. I have been warm enough, it´s a little chilly but with a coat i´m fine. It´s only sprinkled a little, but hasn´t rained which is nice, though yesterday was super windy, and Sunday was warm. And the church is actually out of our area, about 12 quadras (blocks) from our house. I´ve seen a couple parks and yes shopping (which we haven´t done). I think there are about 10 missionaries in venado tuerto, but 14 in our zone. And we all have a different rama (branch) as far as I know.

Hna. Redfern is from the U.S. she is from nor. Ca. most recently but has lived a bunch of places. We figured out she knows jay tibbits and steven ingelbretson (sorry, can´t spell last name) from byu-Idaho as well. But she is awesome, we get along really well and I am learning a lot from her. She really is great, and very bold. She isn´t afraid to tell people they are wrong and they need to repent, and the people totally take it. The culture is pretty open. They tell hna. redfern that she is fat (which she is not) and that I am skinny, and they think it´s totally ok. It cracks me up.

The food is good! The members feed us way too much. We have lunch with a member everyday. The meat is good, but it´s not to die for like people seem to describe. The pollo (chicken) is my favorite. And the other day I tried this blood sausage thing, it was….alright. they eat pan (bread)with everything though. They just have it on the table with every meal and you break a piece of and eat it. Also potatoes, they eat those a lot. And their salads are also pretty good, they just take raw vegetables, put some oil, salt and vinegar on it and eat it, and it´s actually really yummy! We aren´t supposed to drink the water unless it´s from a bottle, which isn´t really a problem because all they drink here is juice and soda (not my favorite). And the fruit is good, no problems with that.

My shoes are good, they´re holding up so far. My nylons on the other hand though….they rip on the toe, not sure why, but it´s the same place everyday. But they have them here, so no worries. And our apartment is on the colder side, but i´ve been fine at night. I usually sleep with a sweatshirt on. But the water on the bathroom floor takes a long time to dry! It won´t dry unless we open the windows. The mission provides blankets, and they are good, and then I have my own pillow so i´m good.

Wow…you have lots of questions. Haha. But it´s all good, I would want to know too. But missionary work is awesome! I´ve learned so much this week. Last week my companions and I set the goal to reach the estandartes, or the standards, and we had one less day to work because of the game. (We weren´t allowed to leave the house because Argentina lost.) And there were a couple times where I wondered if we would be able to reach our goals because we had been walking all day and not getting into a lot of houses, so we weren´t really teaching. And then the Lord would provide for us, it was awesome. And we reached our goal! this week our goals are even higher. But if we are obedient and do all that we can, the Lord is going to help us reach our goals. I´m learning so much the importance of the little things. We need to be obedient!!! It is so important that we are reading the scriptures every day and attending church, and praying! The people here don´t fully understand that, and that is why we have so many menos actives (less actives)! We visited a family yesterday where the parents drop their kids off at church, but they don´t come because they love the peace of not having their kids for a few hours. I testified of how important it is to come to church and to be an example for your kids. I´m so grateful that I have parents who taught me the importance of those things, and I told them, I have a testimony because of the example of my parents.

So many times people forget why they joined the church, because they take everything so casually. It´s part of the culture too, the people are so great, but they don´t understand organization and consistency. As missionaries we are trying to set the example. The members that do come though, are awesome, and strong. I have such admiration for them, because they don´t have strength of the church like we do. They don´t have friends that are all LDS that have the same standards that they do, they are very much the minority. And for their faith I admire them.

The Lord has provided miracles in our lives this week. We are so blessed, and if we don´t look for those miracles we won´t see them. The first week we met a boy named Pablo. He´s about 23 and doesn´t believe in God. We contacted him outside his house, but he wasn´t interested. A couple days later we see him again…and he waves to us, so we go and talk to him. Hna. Redfern and I decide that we need to give him a B.O.M. so we went home and marked passages for him and wrapped it up so we could drop it off at his house. But we couldn´t remember where he lived! So after carrying this B.O.M. around for him for a few days Hna. Redfern says, ¨I want to take it out of my bag, but I know that when I do we will run into him again.¨ and so she keeps it, and later that day we run into him! You don´t see the same people over and over again here, that is rare. But we give him the book, he says he will read but he won´t come to church. But now we have an appt with him! That was a miracle! And we were so excited! And stuff like that happens, but some will say it´s coincidence, I say it´s the Lord.

I have such a testimony of this gospel, I love it! Missionary work is not easy, but i´m realizing how important it is! The world needs this message!! Alright, I love you, I have an hour and 15 min to write to you and the pres. And to read letters. Friends can e-mail me, but I have to write letters. But i´ll talk to you next week! Love ya!

Todo mi amor,

Hermana amundsen

day one in Argentina!

Hna Redfern (trainer), me, Pres and Hna Villalba

first comp. Hna. Redfern

venado tuerto 1 - june 28

hi hi hi hi hi!
sorry for all the wait! i have arrived in Argentina, and i am safe and sound. i have so much to tell! so i´ll start from the beginning... mon, we flew through the night, and our plane was huge! 5 seats in the middle and then 2 on each side. i kinda slept, but it was hard to sleep sitting up. but we arrived about 7:30am, and went through customs and what not, and then someone met us on the other side. going through customs the officials were trying to talk to us, but we had no idea what they were saying, and then they just let us pass through, it was funny. but someone met us, not the president, some man....i don´t really know who it was, but when another man came they kissed each others cheeks. that was new.

so the elders and i got into a van, and we started off on our way to Rosario, which was about 3.5 hrs away. my first thought when we started off was that the people here are the worst drivers! they basically do whatever they want. they get super close to other cars, cut in front of anyone and everyone, stop in the middle of the road to turn around. i don´t think i ever want to drive here, i think i would die.

anyway, we drove for about an 1.5 hrs and then our driver (who only speaks spanish) realized he had forgotten to pick up a missionary at the MTC here, which is right next to the temple, only 5 min away from the airport. so we had to turn around and go back and get this missionary and then start again for Rosario. so, we had a lot of traveling! a-lot! when we got to the mission home in the late afternoon, Pres and hna Villalba greeted us. along with a bunch of missionaries (not our companions). we had some empenadas (not quite as good as the ones you got for my birthday though mom) and we just talked. the APs had a surprise for us, so we just walked with them to the surprise. it turned out to be a baptism! so that was cool, and then we contacted a guy in the streets that the elders had talked to before and i had to pray in spanish. that was kinda scary.

but we had dinner with the pres and his wife, and we just had stuff that we had to go over, like rules and what not, and then off to bed. next day, same thing in the morning, just rules and what not with the APs and also an interview with the pres. pres villalba told me that my companion would be with Hna. Redfern, and our area is called Venado Tuerto and that this is a white wash...meaning, neither one of us have ever been there. Then we got to meet our companions. we walked out of the house, and all the companions were lined up waiting for us, mine was easy to spot, she was the only girl:) She is super happy, and cute. I was excited, because i was told she is a hard worker!

we all had lunch together, took some pics, and then it was off to work! we got in a taxi, and drove to a big bus station where all the missionaries meet on transfer day. I actaully got to meet a few of the other sisters there, including hnas. dunford and kusilek! so that was cool! but then me and hna. redfern got on our bus and were off to venado tuerto! the bus ride was 3 hours so we had a lot of time to talk! we are in the southwestern part of the mission, and it´s pretty cool here!

so i am in venado tuerto, in the province santa fe, we live behind some members, who are awesome! seriously, the members here are so rad! we went to church yesterday and there were only about 50 people there, but they are all very sweet. we have lunch basically every day with a member, they really take care of us here. and we have some really great investigators!

the culture is very different here. and oh ya, i´m sick, i got sick the first night we arrived in venado tuerto. so i have to blow my nose all the time! and i am coughing now...but i´m on the way to recovery and the members still want to kiss my cheek even though i am sick. ya, everyone greets you with a kiss, but not really, it´s more like cheek to cheek and you just make the kissing noise. but the men only get a handshake of course! but everything here is so disorganized. it´s pretty dirty, a lot of houses we go to are very run down, but that´s just how they live. everything is really close together. when i walk i have to look down so i don´t fall in a hole or trip over something. and alot of the roads are dirt roads. and they have the weirdest trash system...every house has a pole with a metal basket on top just outside their house, and they place the bags in the basket and someone i guess runs by and throws it into the back of a truck to take to the dump. but if they don´t put the trash up high, the dogs get into it. and yes, there are lots of dogs here! they don´t hurt you, but they will follow you everywhere.

But i am well. i don´t want to be sick right now though. I was really tired the first few days, but am getting better! that´s what i want though, to be tired, so i know i am working hard. we walk a lot, but luckily no blisters yet, just sore feet (not too bad). it´s kinda cold here, not as bad as i thought. but i really love the members here. they are so funny and nice. they joke around with us all the time. But i am excited to work here, we have been trying to find people and get referals from the members a lot. the biggest problem is retention, there are a lot of members, but they don´t come to church. so we´ve been talking with some menos activos (less actives).

the language is hard sometimes, when i want to help teach. lots of times hna. redfern will turn to me in the lesson to bear my testimony, but i have no idea what is going on, so i don´t even know what to testify about. it´s hard, but already i can understand a little bit more. also, yesterday (sun) i had to bear my testimony in church, but it was easy, we had already met most the people in the ward last week anyway. but ya, i ask lots of questions, and am doing my best. i am trying to rely on the spirit so help me with the language.

p-day is mon by the way:) and i´ll have to send pics next week! sorry! i just don´t have time. but thanks for your letters! you now know where i am. you should look it up on google earth and see if you can get a picture of my house:) dad, i laughed when i read your letter about the rolly pollies. ok, i love you, i wish i could have written to you earlier, but ya, you´re right mom, the pres doesn´t really roll that way. hasta luego!

todo mi amor
hna. amundsen

more pics from the MTC

soon to be there!

These four walls

spring has sprung

study hall

district

Familiar faces! 

friends from home

                                                  Elders Hale and Jones... going to El Salvador!

                                                                                 yup

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.

week 8 - june 11

HOLA!!!! 

We just got our travel plans like 10 minutes ago! we are so excited. We leave Mon the 21st of June, and we leave from here at 11:30am (not bad) and then our flight leaves at 2:50pm where we will be flying to texas! and then from texas we leave at 7:35pm and fly to buenos aires, argentina!!! we are scheduled to land at 7:55am in argentina......their time. But we still have no idea if we have our visas, and they didn't tell us if we could call our parents or not. They really don't tell you anything here.. they just slip something into your mailbox when they need to talk to you, otherwise there is no one we can ask questions to. But i'm sure we'll find out later.

Well I wanted to say thanks for your letters this week, it's nice to have support from your family. It helped a lot, i really miss being able to talk to you guys when i'm sad....i used to be able to just call you when i was at school. But, thanks for your letters, it makes me feel a lot better when i get to hear from you. Also, thanks for all the details of the wedding mom, i loved it! i could imagine it so much better with the details. 

So next week should be my last letter from the MTC, so don't send any dear elders basically after Thurs cuz i don't think i will get them.  Mom, can you please send me some new knee highs, i am almost out! make sure you send them right away though, so i can get them before i leave. And please, if there is a choice between lighter than my skin or darker than my skin, please get the darker ones, the light ones just look silly. Also, can you get me a pair of pearl earings from like target or somewhere, because i really miss those....and also my blue striped shirt with a collar from gap? And i do like the watch mom, thanks! it is perfect! as far as the food goes, i've been trying to get more protein but i usually do eat it.. And we actually get $8 a week for either the vending machines or the bookstore, so there is food avialable, but i'm just not always available to go get it.. But i have been sneaking fruit from the cafeteria after breakfast just in case i start to die again..I'll be sending a package home probably right before i leave with things that i won't be needing in argentina. hopefully my bags are alright as far as weight goes, cuz we did get a bunch of books!! I'm definitely ready for Argentina though.. My teacher Hno. Del Toro said he didn't like the MTC, but that he loved Argentina! so i'm excited! 

This week was better though. We've just been excited because we can see the end in sight.. My comps are pretty cool, we are close and all but it's just different with them. They aren't like my family or my really close friends from home, we are all really different but we get along well. We definitely try to help eachother out. Hna. Mitchell has had a  few things going on at home that were really tough for her, but she has been handling it really well.

I forgot to tell you guys that i was asked to say the prayer at a devotional about 2 weeks ago. I said the closing prayer when a Seventy came, and my companions and i sat up on the stand the whole time.. that was fun.. i didn't trip or anything, thankgoodness, because it was in front of about 2,000 people. and this last devotional we had Robert D. Hales come, so that was a real treat too. So we've heard from 4 different Apostles since we have been here!!! that doesn't happen that often, so we got really lucky.

But ya, i feel like i have grown a lot and i know that i still have alot more to learn.. but i'm excited to go and talk to the people in Argentina.. I always talk to the spanish missionaries here. I just met an elder from Argentina a couple days ago, and one from Chile, and they are so funny, i love talking to them. Today they kept trying to say "world cup" and i had no idea what they were talking about, and when i finally understood they were just laughing. But apparently in Argentina, while the world cup is going on, no one comes out of their houses.....he said they are "fanatics!" ok.. gotta go.. thanks so much for your letters! one more week here!!! so excited.. hopefully i'll be able to tell you more next week.. 

Love you all! Todo mi amor! 

Hermana Amundsen..

week 7 - june 4

Hola mi familia!

Thanks for the pictures mom, i loved them! i can look at them just fine, but if i want to print any off then ya, i gotta go to another room and they print off in black and white and it takes time off my time to e-mail. But i loved seeing the pics and everything looked so beautiful!! I bet it was so fun. And ya, it was frustrating being outside kris's house and not seeing him. hopefully he will get a chance to let me know what happened.

This week was really tough for me. Really every week here has been tough and i just haven't written that in my letters because i focus more on the fun things that happen or our adventures here. But, this last week was just hard. It can be very stressful here, really stressfull, and it doesn't help that we are tired too. But last sat i got to be el nativo for the 3rd time in 4 days and that was hard, and then we had alot of things that we had to get done and i was feeling very overwhlemed as usual, and then all these little things just got to me. I got pen on my new skirt, my nylons keep ripping, i was having a hard time staying awake, i couldn't understand a lick of the spnaish my teachers were saying even if my life depended on it, and the elders wouldn't shut the window when it was freezing, and i was super hungry because we have 5 hours between each meal, and all these things, and then we went to go teach a couple elders in our district and they were "atheist"...of course! and i just broke down in the middle of our lesson and just started crying. It sounds so silly, but the MTC has been really hard on me emotionally. We have fun a lot of times, but it's really hard for me to be inside a class all day, for 6 1/2 weeks now. and i had my weekly interview with my branch pres. who is amazing, and i was telling him about this and we were just laughing at all the silly things that were happening to me. He made me feel really good, and told me how hard the MTC was for him too, but how much he loved serving in Guatemala and the people, and he just made me feel really good.

But i'm not complaining about anything. I really want to be here. i know i am supposed to be here, i just thought i would love the MTC and i really just want to go to Argentina right now. But i know that the Lord is stretching me so that he can teach me the things i need to learn. And i am grateful for this time here, it's just different. But i know that the Lord is trying to help me, and this is the fastest way for me to grow; to be stretched beyond what i think i can do. But thanks for all your letters and your love and support. i look forward to them so much. We should get our travel plans next week! love ya!

hermana amundsen