"What-e're thou art, act well thy part‏"

HELLO THERE!

Well it was just a lovely week here in Toay. But it's always pretty lovely here.

- First I wanna start out with some funny stuff. Yesterday we were eating with members, and we were eating jello for dessert. Well, the hermano said something funny, started laughing, and jello came out of his nose. I started crying because I was laughing so hard!!!

(had to be there)

- NEXT! This one goes out to Taylor and Devon. I'm so happy Dev is in PERU right now! His emails are HILARIOUS and I seriously laugh out loud with every one. Reading about his arrival in Peru brought back many memories and I was just busting up remembering my travels to Argentina and my first day. 

Then I realized I never really wrote about it... so here it goes... 

I was TRAVEL leader of our little group that left one day late. We got to Buenos Aires, and there was the mission president waiting for a group of missionaries, and they were like WELCOME!!! And started hugging us... and we were like... we're going to Bahia Blanca... haha awkward. So these two men came up to us and one was like "Elders, Hermana, follow". So we did and one of the Elders got sent in a car somewhere alone... and me and the two other Elders were like "oh what the heck"... and then the man took us to McDonalds. He kept saying things in Spanish and the Elders kept looking at me... and I was all  "I don't know what he's saying either!" 

So then we drive to another airport and get on a plane to Bahia, and I basically passed out on the window for an hour. We get there and Presidente and Hermana Detlefsen are waiting for us with our companions. Lots of hugs, me, confused and tired....pictures... and then I get in the car with my companion and with Presidente to head to the office. Presidente drove SO CRAZY and I thought, "Flip, I'm gonna die before I even start the mission!!" ... but we made it to the office... had orientation, and we were about to head off to the terminal to get to the area at like 8:30 at night... 

All I managed to say was "wait, I'm hungry!!" and one of the asistentes stole a box of pizza from the cultural hall as we were heading out the door. We made it to the terminal, loaded my suitcases on the bus, and headed off to the area... I was left confused and looking out the window thinking... what have I gotten  myself into??.... 

Well there you have it. I look back on that day and just laugh. And look where I am now... 16 months into the mission, and it's the best decision I've made in my whole life. 

- So for 25 de Mayo we had an activity in the chapel... you know what that means. Locro (defined at end of letter)... bleh. Well, it wasn't too bad this year. 

But anyway, ANABELA CAME!!! Wahoo! She's progressing so well! She brought her kids too... she has the most ADORABLE twins, Micaela and Bianca. So cute! 

So we took the kids outside with the rest and played so that she could talk and make friends with the other sisters. Man, I haven't played like that in a long time. We ran, we played monsters, we gathered all the leaves up... they even somehow managed to get me on the ground and they buried me in leaves...  but we just had a blast! 

It made me a little trunky because I miss all the cute kids in my life! And my GOSH can I just hold one on my LAP?! Dang, that's the hardest rule for me! Especially when the little ones back their rears up to my knees and I'm like "I CAN'T!!!"

Ahhh. And with cute kids like these... man it's hard. 

Benjamin...boyfriend #1

Gonzalo, boyfriend #2

BUT ANYWAY! So Anabela and the kids came to church! She wants to get baptized so 

she knew she had to come to the ward in Toay! WOOO! And she loved it! Man, I'm SO excited about Anabela. 

And it was just the best, walking home from church with them, with a twin on either side of me holding my hand. I just love being a missionary. LOVE IT, I TELL YOU!

- We also found a really really great 15 year old girl. Her name is Laura and MAN the spirit was so strong in that lesson. She felt it for sure, she kept smiling during the lesson. You can tell that she is a really great girl and I'm excited to teach her.

- SO! My sweet mother sent me the conference edition of the Ensign and I've been studying every talk pretty thoroughly. I read the talk by Sister Dalton and I loved it. Here's a quote that I loved  "As (children) of God we are each unique and different in our circumstances and experiences. And yet our part matters- because WE matter". Love love love. It doesn't matter what part you have... but your part MATTERS! 

I've been thinking about "my part" lately. How blessed am I for the privilege to be a daughter. A sister. A friend. A neighbor. And the most important part I can play right now... A missionary and representative of our Savior Jesus Christ. I'm trying to "act well my part," every blessed day that I have here on the mission.

Shoutouts: TAY AND PAIGE Loved your double email. Love you both little goobies. 

KELSEY! Happy birthday today! Hope you have an amazing day! 

Tio Hector thank you for the email... hope all is well. 

Natalie Grant! Happy Bday this week! 

ANNA! THANK YOU FOR THE LETTER! Oh how I love you... and I can't wait to meet Evelyn... 

AUBREY BRENNAN! Thanks for the email! what a nice surprise! 

Dad! Cant wait to see your new Nordstrom suits! Woo! 

ABUELO: ME ASUSTÓ!!! Pero me alegra que está mejor. Voy a estar orando para usted y para su salud. Muchos saludos y un abrazo fuerte. Listen all of you. You are great. I love you lots. Have a freakin fantastic week.

Hermana Squire

.

(Locro...according to Wikipedia!!  

The defining ingredients are corn, some form of meat (usually beef, but sometimes beef jerky or chorizo), and vegetables. Other ingredients vary widely, and typically include onion, beans, squash or pumpkin. It is mainly eaten in winter.

In Argentina it spread from the Cuyo region to the rest of the country. It is considered a national dish^[1] and is often served on May 25, the anniversary of the May Revolution. A red hot sauce made from red peppers and paprika known as quiquirimichi is served sometimes on the side.)

Are You Espeaking Engrish???????

HELLOOOOO WORLD!!!

How are my favorite people? I hope you're all well.
 

- Well, I know that I do this shout out business at the end of the emails, but this deserves something more special... here's to my DAD! New FIRST COUNSELOR IN THE BISHOPRIC! Wow. Is it allowed to be proud of your parents?? Because I am. I am SOOO HAPPY for you dad. You are a humble servant of the Lord, and I can't think of a better man for the job. For those of you who know my dad, he serves and serves and serves so quietly and humbly and never expects anything in return. He loves our Savior. He strives to be like Him everyday. He loves his girls. He takes care of us and carries our shopping bags (while stopping to look at the electronics ;) ) and watches chick flicks with us. He makes me freshly squeezed orange juice every morning when I'm living at home. He makes us waffles every Sunday. He sends me a handwritten letter EVERY SINGLE WEEK with a hand made envelope. To this day, he has not missed a week, giving me many letters to cherish my whole life. I love my dad. He is the best. It took me too long to realize this... and sadly it took being in a different country for a year and a half to realize that. I always knew I wanted to marry someone that has my dad's qualities... poor kid has a lot to live up to :) I LOVE YOU DADDY!

 

- And while we're at it, someone once said that when they pick leaders for the church, they always think of the wife. So mom, congrats on being a first class lady. I'm excited to talk to you on Mother's Day. MAN! I have the best parents ever!! Seriously! I am one lucky kid! I regret being so onery as a teen! Man, sorry for that! Now everyone I meet... when I talk about my family I'm like... "yeah, my parents are pretty cool people".
 

- Ok some funny stories. So my companion has been sick this week with some stomach problems. I had to call the doctor of the area and he only speaks English. I was like, oh cool, that's fine, I speak English. Well, I was wrong. The whole time I was like "uhhh, ehhh,,, ummmmm" and Spanish kept slipping in! It was like the filter from my brain to my mouth didn't work! NO ME SALE INGLES! (**English is not coming out!) Then my comp said... "hermana, I think I can speak English better than you."... hahaha. Oh no. Mother's Day is going to be interesting....
 

- So in church yesterday, I was sitting there next to an investigator enjoying the testimonies. Then, a cute boy sat next to me. Real cute. Next thing I knew, he was holding my hand. Man, it's been a LOOONNG time since I've gotten that kind of affection. Did I mention he's the bishop's son? His name is Benjamin... and did I mention he's about 3 years old? Ahaha, hopefully I didn't startle anyone. But I've got a little admirer in the ward. :)
 

- OK! SO! We´ve been teaching an eternigator... a boyfriend of a member... that the missionaries have been teaching for like a year. WELL! They are getting married this Friday and we think he'll be getting baptized next week! WOO! His name is Leo... and he's such a good guy. He even bore his testimony yesterday. It was amazing.
 

- We are also teaching a married couple, Jorgelina and Cristian. They just had a baby girl about a month ago. SO CUTE. AHHHH BABIES! For some reason we just started talking about temples and eternal marriages and they loved it. Cristian started crying. Now we just have to get them to church. THEY WILL GET BAPTIZED I TELL YOU!!! They have so much potential it's insane! I already see Cristian as bishop!
 

- So I just started my second to last transfer... UM WHAT! So old, it's insane.
 

- So. Ya'll know I've been pretty tired as of late. So I asked my amazing district leader if he could give me a blessing. This is the first time I've asked for una bendicion de fortaleza(**blessing of strength) in the mish (p.s. how blessed are we to have worthy priesthood holders wherever we go??) He blessed me to have strength in my legs and he said "te falta poco, pero tienes mucho para dar". (**you don't have much time left, but you have a lot to give**) I loved that. I felt the Spirit so strong then. I know I have so much to give! I just have to stay close to the Lord and interchange mis fuerzas por sus fuerzas. (***my strengths for His strengths). With His strength, I can sprint to the finish line, with "both of my index fingers pointing to the sky, not to glory in my own achievements, but in the act of praising my God" for giving me the strength to finish.
 

- I heard an interesting phrase in church yesterday.... "Don't expect the Lord to guide your steps if you aren't willing to move your feet". SO TRUE. As missionaries... we pray, and then we go. We ask for guidance then we get moving. We knock doors. We visit old investigators. We pray for guidance and then we ACT. This is a gospel of ACTION.
 

- Other shoutouts! Greg! Congrats on getting your Masters! What a stud.

Tyler, thanks for the email!

Y a la familia Ibarra y Familia Serna en Texas! Hace mucho mi mama me esta molestando para escribir en castellano... jeje. Les amo mucho! No puedo esperar hasta que podamos hablar cara a cara. Creo que sería más facíl para mi porque mi ingles es un garrón! (crap!) Estoy tan feliz que Dios me permitió aprender español en la misión, para que pueda hablar con ustedes. Que bendición. Que sigan bien y recuerdan que yo les amo. Gracias por el apoyo.
 

HEY ALL YOU! You are great! I love you so much it may be unhealthy! But that's ok!
:-)

 

Hermana SKWAYAH!!!
 

cydnee.squire@myldsmail.net (write me!)

 

 

**(translation for last paragraph : "And to the Ibarra Family and Serna Family in Texas. For some time now, my mom has been bothering me to write some Castellano...ha ha. I love you so much! I cannot wait till we can speak face to face. I think that it will be so much easier because my English is 'crap'! I am so happy that the Lord allowed me to learn Spanish in the mission so that I could communicate with you all. What a blessing. I hope you continue to be well and remember that I love you. Thank you for your support."

 

 

Just waiting at the bus stop......such a colorful one!!

nice dirt road

parrots just hanging out