HELLOOOOOOO 2013!!!!!!!!!!

HELLLOOO everyone!!!

I'm glad that you all made it to the New Year and that the world didn't end. People kept asking us, so... "what's gonna happen on Dec 21??" And we're like... "honestly... nothing."

 

- So New Years was pretty pathetic. We didn't get invited anywhere,  so after we worked, we just came home. We ended up awake at midnight and we went outside all bundled up because it was FREEZING and waited for fireworks. It was kinda lame to be honest...We couldn't even open the bubbly that we got! So we were just like FORGET IT! And we went to bed. 

- We had a Zone Conference this week, and as usual, it was amazing. Presidente talked about how we can become leaders... all through:

1. desires 2. imitating (like Christ imitated the Father) 3. Obedience 4. Service. Know what that spells out DIOS (God). It is all about trying to follow Christ and become like Him. We also did a bunch of practices with 2 members and Presidente and Hermana. It was a great day! We also talked about setting goals. When we don't set goals, it means that we are SCARED and VAGUE. We are submitting more to the natural man and less to the Holy Spirit (Mosiah 3:19). I challenge you all to set goals this year that are going to make you stretch a little and work to be a better person.

- Tomorrow we have DIVISIONS! Hermana Ermacora is coming here from Dorrego and we are gonna have a blast! I'm stoked!

- We went to teach Barbara this week, and she had a note on the fridge "orar para la comida" (pray for the food). She said she had made it a New Years goal to pray as a family to bless the food. I was super impressed! HOW did I get blessed with such great converts? I have no idea. The girls I baptized here are 14, 13, and 11, but are so willing to be obedient. I used to be hesitant about baptizing kids, but when you have a primary and young women's program that rally around new converts, they feel welcomed and part of the family. I feel so blessed. 

- Quickly... I was reading the Liahona about the Book of Mormon... it's Oct 2010 I think... But it's GREAT! There's an article by Elder Bednar: "Lehi's dream, Holding Fast to the Rod" That I LOVED! He focuses on three groups of people. The 2nd group made it to the tree of life by "clinging to the rod". But they were embarrassed and eventually fell away.We all know that the rod is the Word of God... or the scriptures. Elder Bednar says that perhaps they only studied the scriptures occasionaly, or had bursts of study rather than consistently studying. Then he explained the third group: "In verse 30 we read about a third group of people who pressed forward “continually holding fast to the rod of iron, until they came forth and fell down and partook of the fruit of the tree.” The key phrase in this verse iscontinually holding fast to the rod of iron.

The third group also pressed forward with faith and conviction; however, there is no indication that they wandered off, fell into forbidden paths, or were lost. Perhaps this third group of people consistently read and studiedand searched the scriptures. Perhaps it was diligence and devotion to a seemingly “small and simple [thing]” (Alma 37:6) that saved the third group from perishing. Perhaps it was “the knowledge of the Lord” and “the knowledge of the truth” (Alma 23:5, 6) obtained through faithful study of the scriptures that yielded the spiritual gift of humility—such that this group of people “fell down and partook of the fruit of the tree” (1 Nephi 8:30; emphasis added). Perhaps it was the spiritual nourishment and strength provided by continually “feasting upon the word of Christ” (2 Nephi 31:20) that enabled this group to heed not the scorning and mocking of the people in the great and spacious building (see 1 Nephi 8:33). This is the group you and I should strive to join."

My dear family and friends, are you "clinging" to the iron rod or are you "continually holding fast". I hope it's the latter. Please do not forget the small and simple things like reading your scriptures. They are the simple things that people think are so simple that they don't have to do them. But I'm begging you to PLEASE DO THEM! Study the scriptures every day. Write down your impressions. Don't be like the people of Moses who only had to look at the brass serpent, but because it was so easy they didn't and perished. Don't let a simple thing like reading your scriptures keep you from exhalation. 

Shoutouts: HAPPY BIRTHDAY Elder Kelly today! WOO! 

And a big Happy Birthday and besito de Argentina this week toooo.... Adriana Ibarra, Clint, Miss Anna Dunn, Brendyn Hiatt, Uncle Scott, annnnd RACHELLE GRIFFITHS! Hope you all have great bdays! 

Adrienne, thanks for the email! Yes, I got your pkg this week! Thank you so much! 

Aunt Jeni! Thanks for the email and the update on my amazing cousins! Cant wait to see how much they've grown!  

HEY I LOVE YOU ALL! 

HAVE A HAPPY WEEK!

Hermana Sqweeray (that's what Hna Ermacora calls me for fun)  :-)

pics:

#1 Hna Gomez and I went to lunch using dad's Christmas money! Thanks Dad! 

Yummm!!!!  Strawberries and cream!!! It's been 11 months since I've eaten strawberries... 

#2  keeping up with Argentine fashion while shopping today. mmmhmm

#3   Hey, I finally gave myself a little pedicure.... don't worry, I'm not sunburned!! :-)

HELLLLLOOOOOOO PEOPLE OF THE WORLD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

HELLLLOOOO PEOPLE OF THE WORLD!!!

UM OK DID EVERYONE JUST LOVE CONFERENCE AS MUCH AS I DID??!!! I love missionary superbowl!!! Ok, before I talk about conference, I need to cover some other bases that happened earlier in the semana. (**week)

- We had lunch with the Elders early this week and the member lied and said there was a woman at the house and there WASN'T. Aka, we (sisters) couldn't be there! E. Gravelle was freaking out. He was like Que haría Nefi??? (What would Nephi do?) and Elder Cruz was like Matalo. (Kill him). We all died laughing. Everything turned out just fine... we just all ate outside. Hilarious. 

- So I must say I've been seeing some miracles working in Villa Mitre 2 with Hermana Batista. She's a great missionary! Really great! She is SO VERY SENSITIVE to the Spirit. We'll leave a house and she'll be like "wow, did you feel that special feeling in that house?" And I'm like... "ummmm sure".... then I'm like "DANG IT!! Why am I not that sensitive to the Spirit?"  There is ALWAYS something I can work on. 

- On Wednesday we went to see Paula. This woman is so great. She already knows that the LDM (**Book of Mormon) is true. I'm sure she's just afraid to leave her church. We asked if she needed anything, and she said "ummm yeah, but I´m just going to ask my kids." And I just said "Hermana, we are here to SERVE you. Tell us what you need." And it turns out the woman had no food. If someone in worse condition asks HER for food, she gives what she has. She is a pure Mormon already. So we went off the the grocery store and bought her some food. As we trudged down the muddy hill (it was raining) my heart was full to the brim. I LOVE when people let us serve them. It doesn't happen very often but to see the look on her face as we pulled out bread, crackers, fideo, rice and everything, her eyes full of gratitude, my heart was truly full. Paula also read 16 chapters of the LDM!! AHHHHH. She's so ready. PRAY HARD FOR HER! She leaves for TWO MONTHS on the 21st. PRAY WE CAN GET HER IN THE WATER BEFORE THEN!!! She already has 2 asistencias.(attendances to church) One more!

- OK TIME FOR MY CONFERENCE SPEEL. First off, we had THREE investigators that came to the sessions. WOOOOOO!!! We had Natalia and her son there and at first we didn't think they could come because we passed by for the morning session and her mom had gotten there and she said "well I can go at 5 and we're like "BUENO, we´ll come back to get you!" So we did! She came with her 9 year old son who is a future investigator and her little 10 month old. They talked about families that session and she loved it! She needs to get married, but for now, we can start teaching her son. Then we had Luis, who came with Ines. He looked really content and happy to be there. Then we had Joel. A reference from the ZLs and he already had 2 asistencias to the church. Now 3. Totally BAPTIZABLE! We went to pick him up and he was in a cute corduroy suit! He's 50 years old, MARRIED, and SO SWEET! He is SO addicted to smoking, but through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE! We know we can get him baptized this month! Pray for him! We are hoping to have a lesson with him and Presidente and La Hermana. 2 misioneras and THE POWERHOUSE OF THE PRESIDENT! So nice that we can do that... since they are soo close to us! It was such a miracle to have THREE investigators come to conference. I thanked my Heavenly Father for the miracles that we have been able to see here in Villa Mitre. I am very, very happy. 

- Ok so the cable wasn't working for the English missionaries, but luckily we had the office with computers so it was me, and yup, you guessed it, NINE Elders crammed by one computer watching conference. Me and all the Elders. Yup. 

-HOW BOUT THAT MISSION AGE!!!!! I was stoked! I know that I was supposed to come at 21, but HOW GREAT FOR YOU FUTURE SISTERS! MEGAN, Jake, Gavin and Hunter!!! ARE YOU SO STOKED?!!!!  Such history! And now my grandkids will by like, "yeah, my grandma was one of the last sisters to leave at 21 on her mission..."  I have no doubt we will get a stronger Army of missionaries with MORE SISTERS!!! WOO! 

- Ok SO I LOVED CONFERENCE. LOVED IT. Is it just me or does it get BETTER EVERY YEAR! I loved how President Monson asked us to take an inventory on the blessings that we have in our lives, big and small. I AM SO VERY BLESSED!! SERIOUSLY!!! Did everyone notice the theme was mentioned about 2 times that we must DO and BECOME??? LOVE THAT! I also Loved Pres. Eyring's talk, how God will NEVER hide from us. We put up spiritual pavilions that hide us from Him. I testify that He NEVER stops caring, WE are the ones that have to reach out to HIM first. He will never take away that agency. I love Pres. Eyring. My favorite, of course was Elder Holland´s. I listened to the Feed my SHeep talk in the MTC and I was SO HAPPY TO HEAR IT AGAIN. All of us missionaries in the office were like... whoa. afterwards. HE´S SO POWERFUL. Everytime I don´t want to get out of bed, or I would rather throw the covers over my head and not go out to work because sometimes it's just really hard, the thought has always crossed my mind, a little, silent "Cydnee. Do you love me?" But now it's going to be Elder Holland's voice, "CYDNEE. DO. YOU. LOVE. ME?" Yes, Lord, I love thee. And I will get out of my bed and onto my knees and pray for the strength I need to take on the day." I LOVED that talk. Can't wait to listen to it again. I hope you all thought of me when you stood and sang "Called to Serve." I stood there in the office with 9 Elders, singing that song and thinking of y'all singing with me. Remember you don't have to wear a plaque to be a missionary.

SHOUTOUTS!!! Leah dear! I'm so sorry I forgot to say happy birthday! I hope that it was great! I miss you cutie pie! Happy birthday this week to REBECCA SERNA!!! And to Tía Jeni! And to Taci Fernuik! Hope you all have great days. Tay! I got your HP dear elder and I DIIEEEED! HP for life! Kris and Paige, I quite enjoyed your self portraits of me. Way to keep the roomie tradish going. HIATTS! Thanks for the JAM!! When I opened it, Hnas Vawdrey and Carsen were like IS THAT REAL JAM???  It's heaven!!! I splurged on sliced bread (um 18 pesos THANK YOU) and enjoyed myself a PB&J on my Bday. BEST MEAL EVER!!! Zander, thank you for the message! Send some pics of the kids through email! 


Hermana Squire
 pic 1: Vawdrey and Carsen saying THANKS DENNIS FOR THE BIRTHDAY LUNCH!!
pic 2: Me with Linco, Leguizamon, and Alvarez, Pixton and Israelsen in the background at zone conf..
pic 3. Vawdrey made me a bday cake!!!
pic 4. Zone conference

I'm OLD! I'm UGGGH Like the Crypt Keeper!!!!!!

Hey you people whom I love so DEARLY!

If you can guess what movie that´s from, we´re BFFs. WOW CAN I JUST SAY I FEEL SO LOVED!!???? Ok wow. I´m 22. I also completed 8 months in the mission TODAY! Way to kill two birds with one stone!! I FEEL SO DANG LOVED!

- Ok so this is what went down on my bday. WE HAD A ZONE CONFERENCE! What better could I have asked for!??  But first. I was a good girl and waited until this morning to open presents. I was so touched at the stack of cards I got! Seriously! Made my day, and it was more than I could have ever asked for. Just about cried, thanks. I got some sweet cards from my companion and from my companions de pension.(**apartment). THEN we left for zone conference. I got to see Hna Israelsen, Linco and Leguizamón and got some birthday wishes from them and a bunch of hugs. Mom, NO I did not wear the "Birthday Girl" badge to conference, because you know me and attention.... but it didn´t make any difference because I got a whole bunch anyway!! Right after lunch, we were all chatting and waiting for the conference to start back up again. I was up front, chatting with some Hermanas, when presidente was like "Attention! We have an Hermana here...." and that's when I was like "Shoot!!!!" and tried to sneak away, but I got trapped........ "...that has a birthday today!!!" And then the two zones sang happy birthday to me, or rather, "Se lo cumpla feliz", complete with clapping. I almost DIED of embarrassment!! But, I did feel loved. Now, I´m all spiritually uplifted and edified and I´ve got some ganas(motivation) to get out and teach some people!

- Zone conference was AMAZING!! We learned more ways how to better ourselves as missionaries through planning better, and having more desires to work. Sometimes it´s hard to have desire when you get so many rejections, especially when you leave the house thinking, "well, here we go. Let´´s get some more rejections."  BUT I've been trying to be better. I'm trying to leave the house with more faith, and a vision for miracles. Our area is TINY TINY TINY, and I feel like all these people have already had their chance. But there is always that ONE person that you haven't talked to. One person who is ready. ALL you have to do is LOOK. All you have to do is have faith that God will put them in your path. That's why it´s important to talk to EVERYONE! Experience time. So on Thursday, we combed our area book, praying about old investigators. We felt good about 3-4 in every sector of our area. Friday and Saturday, we passed by the majority and eliminated a few, and than the rest, we couldn´t find. I was struggling with the lack of success we've seen here in Villa Mitre II. On Saturday, I read through my letter book of all the letters y´all wrote me before the mission (I didn't read ahead mom, don´t worry :-)). Then I prayed more fervently than I ever have before. I prayed for strength, for courage, and the faith to see miracles. Then I wiped the tears off my face and we headed to work. Nothing happened on Saturday, but the miracles came on Sunday. We went to look for an investigator at church and guess what? She didn´t answer. So we trudged up our dusty hill ( I swear, it is SO DUSTY HERE! It´s ridiculous. It´s like sand in some areas) and made it to church. That´s when the miracles happened. Luis, our investigator, came with his girlfriend who is menos activo. THEY STAYED THE WHOLE TIME! He needs to get divorced and they need to get married, but there is progression. Hernan, a menos activo and x missionary came too!! We've passed by there two times, and he came to church, after about a year of inactivity. WOOO! Miracles. Then. That night, we passed by another x investigator, one that was on our "feel good list" and she was there! SHE IS A MEMBER WITHOUT KNOWING IT! Her name is Paula. She had investigated a little bit with her husband before he died. She LOVES the Book of Mormon and still reads it. She goes to a evangelica church and her pastor was giving her beef about the LDM,(Book of Mormon) and she said, "If you would just READ it you'd find out that it's true, and that it's similar to the Bible. I understand the Bible better because of the Book of Mormon. And I was like "IS THIS REAL LIFE????" She said, "I've seen you chicas walking by my house and I wondered, why haven't they stopped by me yet? Just before you came, I was praying. I told God I felt alone, and that I needed someone or something. I looked out the window and I saw you." And she pointed to me. "I thought you came alone because I only saw your head over my fence, but then I saw this bajita (short one)  with you when I came outside". This woman already has such a strong testimony of the LDM. She knows what we teach is true. She´s just afraid to leave her church, and I know that her pastor is going to hound her. SO PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE pray SO HARD for Paula. That her pastor will leave her alone and will not influence her decision. I cannot believe this miracle. I am sitting here, full of love and the Spirit, grateful that God has blessed me with this miracle. I know that the Lord will put us right where we need to be. I know that if we are worthy of His Spirit, He will guide us to where we need to be.

-We almost got eaten by two dogs this week. Freakin perros. (**dogs)

Shoutouts: TO ALL OF YOU WHO SENT ME BDAY CARDS!!! I LOVE YOU SO MUCH! I felt so much love today (and a little trunkiness) BUT THANK YOU SOOOO MUCH! Flip, I have the best family and friends IN THE WORLD. Ty Ty, Corb and Steven... WHEN DID YOU BECOME MEN??! Ha! I love you guys! Grandpa and Grandma Squire thank you for the card and such! Wow, I can´t thank every SINGLE one of you but I WISH I could!  THANK YOU! Venice, Haddy, Paige, Kris... your pics are gorgeous. You're all tan and such! Tyler W. Standifird!!!! Bout time you wrote me you goober. I expect better from YOU these next few months!! Peterson family! Thank you for the package! HAVEN'T OPENED IT YET!! Grandpa Serna, Muchisimas gracias! Tio Hector & Alice, Thank you! Grandma Hobson- I have become the popular sister missionary here through your cookies. Just look at the picture below. Elders offer me FAVORS in exchange for your cookies. When I brought them to the office last week, Elder Costanzi (glasses in front) looked like a kid on Christmas day. They took this picture and it is now the desktop of Elder Costanzi´s computer. Thanks for making me extra popular! EVERYONE!!!!!!! WOW!!!! Thank you for EVERYTHING. Thank you for loving me so much!!! I love you allllllll!!!!!!!!!!!!  Work hard, and pray harder!

Hermana 22-year-old Squire

FOTOS:

1. Bday decor. Thanks mom!

2. I´m twenty twooooo.... and my hair has never been so blondeeee

3. Hna Vawdrey and I... with our cool party favors!

4. MY CARDS! THANK YOU EVERYONE!!

5. Office elders and their cookies. Almost cried laughing.

ZONE CONFERENCE!!!!!

Hey you summer peeps!

I'm sorry if you had a heart attack yesterday, wondering why I didn't write!!! (mom) We had a ZONE CONFERENCE yesterday and it was the freaking BEST!

- I GOT TO SEE MY HERMANA BROWN! WAHOO! At first I was way worried because her comp is sick and I didn't know if they would come. BUT SHE CAME! I gave her about 18 hugs I think!!! It was the best thing EVER! All I wanted to do was just talk and talk and talk to her. She´s doing so great and her Spanish is getting GOOD! Love you Brown!

- So, even though conference was on pday(*preparation day) it was great!! PRESIDENTE AND HIS WIFE ARE AMAZING!! I love them! Presidente talked about our objective as missionaries. To invite ALL to come unto Christ. Then he talked about our reason for serving missions, because we love our Savior. Do I love my Savior more that sleep? More than my friends? More than my education? More than the comforts of home? Yes. Yes, I do!! That´s why I'm here!! I'm here for me, my future family, the people here in the Bahía Blanca mission, but more importantly, I'm here because I love my Savior and it's one small way to show my gratitude for His sacrifice. Hermana Parreño is THE LOVELIEST woman ever!! Seriously. SO elegant and charasmatic. WOW! She taught us new ways to contact... one being the survey method, where  we knock on doors and tell people we're doing a survey and ask them questions about religion and beliefs. THEN we sneak a brief lesson and try to fijar una cita (**set a date) to come back. There has been A LOT of success with this, so I'm stoked to try it!! Sneaky! A lot more people will let you in. I LOVED CONFERENCE! I also LOVE being with other missionaries. I looked around and thought, "hey, these kids are all doing the same thing I am. They're struggling, they're exhausted and cold. I can do this."

 
- One thing I noticed at conference is that I understood EVERYTHING (even with their crazy Spaniard lisps). The gift of interpretation of tounges has come! I love living in Spanish!

- One thing I DIDN'T like about conference is that they told us we have to turn our malefactor (heater) off at night to lower the risk of CO (*carbon monoxide) poisoning. We think ours is ok because it has a vent thing to the outside, (still need to approve that with the APs**assistants to the President**) but we turned it off last night and it was 50 degrees in our room this morning!!! We left to jog and there seriously was hardly any difference between our house and outside!!!!! BRRRRRR.  Also, we came back to Pringles on THE MOST GHETTO collectivo (**bus). I didn't think we were going to make it!!! I kept hearing weird noises and smelling burnt rubber. THANK GOODNESS WE ARE STILL ALIVE!!!!

- So.... we might have a bit of a flea problem!  "GASP! Oh no! Poor thing! Gross!" That's your reaction right now, right? We went to a members house and I showed her my bites and she said "FLEAS." AHHH! She said, "oh don't worry, it's common. Just spray Raid on your blankets and leave them outside." NO THANKS I DON'T WANT TO BREATHE IN RAID ALL NIGHT!!! SO... that's the situation right now. I HAVE FLEAS. I never ever thought I'd say that!!! Well. I don't PERSONALLY have fleas. Our ROOM does!!!! And they've been biting ME!! THEY TAKE FOREVER TO GO AWAY and when I first get a bite it ITCHES like the dickens!! But I haven't gotten a new one in a few days. Maybe the cold is killing them. I hope you all don't think differently now because I have fleas... I'm still a clean person...!!!!!! I wasn't going to share this but I decided to anyway... know why? BECAUSE I THINK IT'S FREAKING HILARIOUS!!!!!!!!! I'm in Argentina freezing my tush off and I have fleas. HAH!! (**her burst of laughter here!**)

-Ok weird thing we ate this week... cow liver. BLEH!! Had the consistency of cat food. What's next on the menu? Weasel.??? Yup. I'll let you know how it goes. :-)

- Ok, PEDRO- this man is  GREAT!! We taught him the Word of Wisdom and the only thing he does is drink a glass of wine at night. But you know what he said? "Oh that'll be easy to give up!"  WAHHH! PEDRO IS THE BESSSSSST! He's so willing and always wants to do the right thing. 

- SO we have an investigator named Pedro, another named Santiago... and we found a Juan. (Peter, James and John). This is evidence that God has a sense of humor. :-)

- I forgot to mention a funny story last time. When I was sick, I went to the pharmacy to get cough drops to help my throat. They had something in them to make it numb or something. WELL MY TONGUE WENT NUMB TOO! Try speaking Spanish with a tongue that doesn't work!!!

- I've started noticing how 80's everyone is here.  High tops, leggins, leg warmers, side ponytails. It's hilarious! Hello!????  It's 2012! I love my Argentines!!

- Quote time: "God has infinite attention to spare for each one of us. He does not have to deal with us in the mass. You are as much alone with Him as if you were the only being He had ever created. When Christ died, He died for you individually just as much as if you had been the only man (or woman) in the world." - CS Lewis. Love it! The atonement is SO INDIVIDUAL and SO PERSONALIZED: Christ saw each one of our faces in the Garden of Gethsemane and suffered for us INDIVIDUALLY. 

SHOUTOUTS: DAVID DUNN! Happy birthday my cousin-who's-soon-to-be-a-papa! 

Aunt Jeni, THANKS for the fruit chews! It tastes EXACTLY like cantaloupe!! A little summer for my winter world! 

Wahoo Devon will get his call this week! WOO! My guess is......... Sao Paulo (spell?) Brazil. LET ME KNOW ASAP! 

Amberly! I'm glad my parents got to see ya! I hope things are WELL! Love ya!  

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TYLER AND ASHLEY! Sure love ya!!!

Sorry this email is way scattered. I just have so much to say! 

Everyone: GO read Pres. Faust's talk  "Where Do I Make My Stand." SO GOOD!!!!!! The church is true. If you haven't found that out, I invite you to do so.

 

I LOVE YOU ALL AND HAVE A GREAT WEEK!

HERMANA SQUIRE (who has fleas, NBD) **NBD: no big deal