WASSSUP??!!!!!

Hey goobies,

-Hope you all had a happy Fourth of July... ´Merica!

-So, another week has come and gone.The time is slipping through my fingers and I don't exactly know how I feel about it. But let's not get trunky just yet, ok?

- So I forgot to say that last week when we went to Bahia, we had a few hours free to work. So what did I do? I mosied on over to Villa Mitre 2. SO GLAD I DID!!! I got to see Erika... she's doing SO WELL. And then I surprised another hermana in her Kiosco. She started crying when she saw me...so sweet! Then I saw another Hermano in the street walking back to the office... it was SO great to hear that everyone is doing good! Then, an Elder serving in Puerto was there doing his tramites (paperwork) and so I got the DL on what's going on over there. Juan Enrique, my cute little grandpa, got the priesthood and blessed the sacrament! Amazing right? He's going around doing his home teaching and going to church faithfully. SO GREAT! Everyone is doing well in Puerto.

Tatiana & Erika

Juan Enrique

- On Wednesday, we had a zone meeting. They asked us leaving missionaries to share our testimonies and I was like, WHAT! Already? I feel like they're giving me the boot! It also doesn't help that the members are already counting down the days and saying how much they'll miss me... and I'm all "I'M STILL HERE, PEOPLE!" Sheesh I swear, everyone is trunkier than I am. 

- I'm feeling better from the stomach issue this week... only thing is that now I have a cold. GREAT. Coughing all night and little sleep. SO MUCH FUN. I feel like my body is shutting down on me, and I'm just like COME ON! YOU CAN MAKE IT! I have to give it pep talks daily. Mind over matter. Right??

- We have been blessed to be finding a lot of people this week with a lot of potential. The biggest challenge right now (and of my WHOLE MISSION) is getting them to church. But we are working hard and I know the Lord will not forget our labors. As long as we are obedient and diligent, He will bless us with success.

- Well, I'm sorta at a loss for words right now. My whole mission seems to be flashing before my eyes and I'm sorta just staring at the screen, thinking. I thought back to when I got my call, and how excited I was, my first days in the MTC, my first transfer in Argentina... I have such a strong testimony that the Lord KNOWS who needs to be our Mission President, WHO needs to be our companions, WHERE we need to serve, WHO we need to teach... every mission is so individualized and specialized to the missionary... and I have to say.. the Mission of Bahía Blanca has become holy ground for me. I love it here. Love it. I wouldn't be anything without all of the people that I have met and all the experiences I have had. I came here thinking that I would help people change their lives, but in reality, they helped me change mine. 

-Shoutouts! Josh Serna! Happy 12th Birthday! Hope you have a happy day!! 

To Ashley Standifird, Brittni, and Amberly... thank you for the email love! I love you all very dearly!! 

Paige- an update on your life before I go home would be nice!! 

Listen everyone, I love you soooo much! Know that I am Happy! Have a great week!

Hna SKWYAH

Emergency Transferred...

Hello Everyone!

-Well. This last week was probably the longest and toughest of my mission so far. I´ll tell you why. It all started with Wednesday. We got a call around 1pm from our mission leader telling us that Mariana had passed away that morning. It was so sad. But she was suffering so much. The comforting thought is that she went from this world completely clean. One month ago today she was baptized... and that baptism was a miracle. She suffered so much, but knew that baptism was necessary. She knew it and we all knew it. So she went through with it, and now she is resting in paradise. That I know for sure. I'm so grateful that the Lord let me teach her. It was an amazing experience, and she is an example of perseverance.

- Later on Wednesday, we had Juan Enrique's baptismal interview. TODO BIEN. He passed. On the way home in the remise, our district leader called us and said there was EMERGENCY TRANSFERS: WHATTT!! NOOOO! He said we would be leaving THE NEXT DAY. But we were like "NOO! We have a baptism on Sunday!" So after our Z.L.s (*zone leaders) talked to the A.P.S. (assistants to the President)... we were able to stay until Sunday. And we had time to say goodbye. They put Elders in this area and Hna Ibaña and I were assigned to TOAY, LA PAMPA (a different providence in Argentina) OPENING THE AREA FOR HERMANAS!!!! and Hna Batista and Hna Godoy got sent to Pigue. So the whole half of the week was spent preparing, saying goodbyes, packing, cleaning the pension, and writing up info about the area for the Elders. It was super sad saying goodbye. Especially to our ward mission team. The best ever. The girls cried. I'm not gonna lie, it blew. Emergency transfers blow. It's a big change to put in Elders. But the Lord knows what's best. 

- Juan got baptized!!! It was the best thing ever. He looked so cute in white, and was just grinning from ear to ear. It's been a long time since someone got baptized that wasn't a referral from members. So, it was a true miracle. Juan taught me that you are never too old to accept the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is never too late. I know he's gonna be great.

- SO, here I am in Toay!  We left last night at 8:30 and got here at 8 in the MORNING.. well we arrived in Santa Rosa. I LOVE LA PAMPA!! It reminds me of Nevada or Arizona or Texas. Hopefully, I'll have more pictures of the Area next week. I think I'll be finishing my mission here and I'm pretty excited about it! I LOVE LOVE LOVE it already. 

Shoutouts; Happy Birthday Corb! And thanks for the email! :) 

Also thank you to Tio Hector for the email. 

Hope all is well. 

HEY I LOVE YALL! 

Have a great week. 

Hermana Squire

(******note from mama Squire: In a separate email, she wrote that Sister missionaries have not been in Toay---pronounced *toe-eye* since 2008. So she is super excited to be in an area that has not had hermanas for a long, long time.)

Familia Henrik

Graciela and Carlitos

Hermana Raventos & Gladis

Missionary Team in Puerto

Ward Misson Leader and his family

Barby, a ward missionary

With Estefy, FUTURE missionary!

Fish on the ground, Fish on the ground, Whatcha gonna do with yo fish on the ground??

Well, if you're in Puerto, you're just gonna leave it there. Seriously, there are like 500 fish factories here, and when they unload the fish from the trucks, if a few fall on the ground, NBD, they just leave it there to rot and all that fun stuff. Also, we NEVER step in the water that's in the gutter. Why? because normally there are fish guts and all that so it makes it slippery. My poor companion fell right on her tush in that nastiness last week.

Me calling the fish unto repentance.....

ANYWAY! Hello my people. 

HOW ARE YOU!?? Hope all is well.

- Ok, so this week we had a zone meeting and President came for interviews. I LOVE PRESIDENT! He is such an inspired man! I love talking to him and asking him questions. 

- So this past week, my companion got sick... and we had some time in the pension. It was kinda funny how it happened... we were out contacting and I hear "hermana, I don't...." and then she threw up. So yeah, we went home after that. We did practices and studied, but we needed a break, so we watched "On the Lord's Errand", the Pres. Monson movie. I LOVED IT! Go watch it. Now! But now my comp is feeling better so we can hit the pavement!

- JUAN ENRIQUE. HOW GREAT IS THIS MAN! He is getting baptized this Sunday. SO PRAY that everything goes well! He accepts all of the commandments with a "of course I'm going to do what Christ asks me to!" We went to teach the word of wisdom this week, and right then he was preparing a cup of coffee. We had brought malta with us (it's made from wheat and has no caffeine. It's pretty good) so I quickly said, "JUAN! The hermana Ibaña makes a mean malta, you should let her whip one up for ya!"  Phew, dodged that bullet. Well, we taught him the WoW (Word of Wisdom) and of course he accepted, and the next day he had a cup of malta on the table. So amazing. He went to a baptism that the ward had yesterday and loved it. He is so excited to get baptized. 

- I was thinkng about conference this week and how amazing it was.  A recurring theme seemed to be obedience. I loved what Pres. Monson said, "Said President Gordon B. Hinckley, “The happiness of the Latter-day Saints, the peace of the Latter-day Saints, the progress of the Latter-day Saints, the prosperity of the Latter-day Saints, and the eternal salvation and exaltation of this people lie in walking in obedience to the counsels of … God.”⁹

Obedience is a hallmark of prophets; it has provided strength and knowledge to them throughout the ages. It is essential for us to realize that we, as well, are entitled to this source of strength and knowledge. It is readily available to each of us today as we obey God’s commandments.

I was reading through the book of mormon, and noticed how Nefi ends 1 Nefi and 2 Nefi... 1 nefi 22:30-31"  30 Wherefore, my brethren, I would that ye should consider that the things which have been written upon the ^aplates of brass are true; and they testify that a man must be obedient to the commandments of God.31 Wherefore, ye need not suppose that I and my father are the only ones that have testified, and also taught them. Wherefore, if ye shall be obedient to the ^acommandments, and endure to the end, ye shall be saved at the last day. And thus it is. Amen.  

And 2 Nefi 33: 15  15 For what I seal on earth, shall be brought against you at the ^ajudgmentbar; for thus hath the Lord commanded me, and I must ^bobey. Amen.

How interesting is it that Nefi ends each book talking about obedience? And how many times does it say in the BoM, "If ye keep my commandments, ye shall prosper in the land"?? I don't think it's coincidence that obedience was a popular theme. There are tough times ahead, and Like Pres. Monson said, the great test of life is obedience. Pres. Packer said that Mormons aren't obedient because they are blind, but because they see. We SEE the blessings that come from obedience to the gospel. And they are many, that's for sure. 

- So about this baptism we had yesterday. There were a lot of people visiting, and a lot of family members of this little boy. One of them that came was Franco, a 16 year old boy with Muscular Atrophy. He gave a beautiful talk. I was so emotional all of sacrament meeting. I had prayed to have more experiences with my brother and that is what the Lord gave me. As I watched his movements, looked at his hands and listened to him talk, I was reminded so much of my brother, and I thought of what he was doing on the other side. At church, I'm always looking out for other people... investigators, converts, the members... making sure everyone is happy. But yesterday, the Lord let me know that He and my brother are both looking out for me.

My new friend, Franco

-Shoutouts: HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO AUNT ANN AND ZANDER! Hope you both have great days. 

And a very special shoutout to Holley and her family. Thank you for your sweet letter. It really means so much to me! 

I love you all soo much! 

Take care!  

Hermana Squire

Hermana Godoy bundled me up like a burrito so that I could get warm! It is getting cold!

These are some of the houses that I have to preach to. Scary sometimes.

Hello World!

Hello world!

Wow, I'm sitting here staring at the screen trying to think about what I can write. I think about all of the stuff that happens during the week then I get to the cyber and my mind is like....... blank. 

Juan Enrique

- We found a new investigator last week... his name is Juan Enrique and he's 80 years old! We found him knocking doors. He loves politics and says that we're the only friends that he has. We went to go get him for chuch on Sunday morning and he came out in pants, a button up shirt and clean shoes. He's got problems with his knees so he does the "grampa shuffle" when he walks. We walked all the way to church, up and down giant hills! I almost had a heart attack going down the hill because he started running! I was like "Whoa tiger! Take it easy!"  I grabbed onto his arm so that he could walk easier. He joked and said, "I just wanna get to church faster!"  But he enjoyed all the meetings and told me "So I should read the Book of Mormon, every day, right? If not, I´ll never learn!" It was so adorable. 

-Mariana is still in the hospital, but is planning on leaving this week, WE HOPE. We are going to try and baptize her before the transfer ends this Saturday. Basically, the ward is waiting till she leaves, so that we can baptize her when she has a good day. It's going to be a different type of baptism. When she has a good day, we'll fill up the font, we have members on reserve to come help, and a few members who are nurses that are going to help her change. There might be more than one member in the water with her to help her in and out. I´'m so anxious for this baptism! She needs this saving ordinance and needs it now! Please pray for her!

-This week there was an activity in the Stake Center to celebrate the foundation of the Relief Society. We normally don't go to these things, but our ward mission leader asks us to go to activities to support the ward and create more trust between us and the members. It was absolutely amazing! They had a skit that portrayed the organization of the RS with Joseph Smith, Emma and all the early members of the RS. That's where the pioneer pictures come in. I am so grateful for the Relief Society! Our role as women in the church is so important, and through RS we can learn how we can serve better in the community and the church. 

Con Graciela at Relief Society Celebration

- I'm so happy to be a missionary! And I'm so happy that we have more missionaries to knock more doors and talk to more people! Especially SISTER missionaries! How wonderful is this work!?! I love it!

Con mi compañera, Hermana Mansilla de Argentina :-)

Shoutouts: HAPPY BIRTHDAY BEAU!!! Flip, I can't believe you're 15. I swear I just watched you get baptized yesterday. Have a good day, kid! 

Happy Birthday this week to Emily Gray! Woo! 3 Years old!! 

And happy birthday to Ruby De La Garza!

Love you all!!

Anna! Thank you for the email! I love you and miss you!! 

Mom and Dad, glad you had lots of opportunities to serve this week! Humanitarian work and the MTC! My parents are rockstars. 

Everyone. I hope you have a fantastic week.

I love you all very very much.

H. Squire

Grandpa Serna:

le quiero mucho y no puedo esperar hasta que podamos hablar en español juntos! Cuidarse mucho!

Hermana Batista y Mansilla