HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Hey peeps!

Well I hope you all had a great Christmas!!  I sure did because I got to talk to the best family on earth... otherwise known as the SQUIRE FAMILY! And with my Grandpa Serna and adopted big brother, Tyler too... so yeah. My life is preeety good.

- BARBARA GOT BAPTIZED ON SATURDAY!! WAHOO!!! It was so great. She already has a friend from school who is Mormon and he was able to come to the baptism and the confirmation yesterday, and she was super happy!! We went to pick her up for church yesterday and she came out in a SKIRT! I about passed out. We didn't say anything about it because not everyone has skirts and not a lot of people have the money to buy them, and if they do, there's not any that are modest. BUT! Her MOM had one and said, "you should start going to church in a skirt." WOO! We were two happy missionaries yesterday!! We found out that Natalia really likes the Mormon church, but it's hard for her to get up and go on Sundays. Her marido, boyfriend, father of her children, whatever, is not the best person and doesn't want to get married, so there´s not much we can do about it. But we're hoping to baptize Lautaro and if we do, I KNOW that one day she will be a member!! This is one of the circumstances that I've had to patient and ´wait on the Lord´ and trust in HIS timing, and not mine. But I have faith that she will one day be baptized. 

- So I forgot to say what Christmas Eve is like here in Argentina. At midnight, they set off fireworks ALL OVER and it's like a war zone with all of these explosions (illegal fireworks for sure). Then they open presents and go around to their neighbors and eat and chat until like 5 in the morning. They also eat a lot of fruit salad. I can't tell you how many bowls I've had since Monday. We'll be going to a member's house tonight to eat some more and say, "HAPPY NEW YEAR!"  Hna Gomez and I bought some bubbly and we'll be toasting to the New Year solas (**alone) tonight since Vawdrey and her comp moved. 

-  On Thursday, we were finishing up the day and it started POURING!! I didn't have my umbrella and Gomez didn't have a hood so we were like "WHATEVER!" We got soaked in a matter of 5 minutes walking home, so we ran in the rain, jumped in puddles and played on the seesaw in a park for a bit. The pic below is the after effects. Fun times!!

- On Friday, we had the end of year dinner with the two wards. It was SO FUN! There was so much food and the youth (including my converts Tatiana and Erika) danced Argentine folklore in traditional dress and it was so great!!!! I love all of the traditional music and dances of Argentina. I was talking to Elder Gravelle and we were like, "what does the U.S. have in terms of traditional dances? The line dance? cotton eyed joe? The chicken dance?" Ha ha. Sad. They played some great music and Gomez and I were having a hard time not dancing. We may have done the sprinkler a few times when no one was looking... my friends know I can't dance.... ha ha. Tatiana and Erika are doing so well and fit right in with the members. They love them so much and are just part of the big family. That makes me SO HAPPY as a missionary. There needs to be a good hand off from missionaries to members, since we're not going to be here forever, they need to have the support system. Erika is now trying to save up to go to EFY in February and I KNOW that will be a great experience for her and a testimony builder.

 

-To finish, I started reading the Book of Mormon again in Spanish. I LOVED this verse in 2 NEFI 4:34, 35 34 O Lord, I have ^atrusted in thee, and I will ^btrust in thee forever. I will not put my ^ctrust in the arm of flesh; for I know that cursed is he that putteth his ^dtrust in the arm of flesh. Yea, cursed is he that putteth his trust in man or maketh flesh his arm.

 35 Yea, I know that God will give ^aliberally to him that asketh. Yea, my God will give me, if I ^bask ^cnot amiss; therefore I will lift up my voice unto thee; yea, I will cry unto thee, my God, the ^drockof my ^erighteousness. Behold, my voice shall forever ascend up unto thee, my rock and mine everlasting God. Amen. 

I love the psalms of nefi! 

Shoutouts: ANNA! I got your email. I LOVE YOU! And thanks for sending pics of little Evelyn. 

KELSEY MEGAN.... COOK! YOU ARE A MARRIED LADY!!! I want pictures dang it! 

To all of you who sent cards to me for Christmas......THANK YOU SO MUCH!! 

Vaughan! Good luck on the 5th! I LOVE YOU SO MUCH!!! 

Hey, I love y´all! 

Have a Happy New Year!

Hermana Squire

Clouds on a rainy day in Bahia

IT'S CHRISTMAS TIME!!!!!!!!!!!

Our Christmas sing at Centro

Hey people,

First off, MERRY CHRISTMAS EVE!!! I hope you all have snow because we're having a CRAZY rainstorm right now. We got soaked walking to the cyber in a matter of 5 minutes. WOW! 

Elder HALL from Provo MTC District!

- Well it was a fun and interesting week. We had our Christmas activity on Tuesday and it was the BEST! We got to the chapel and I hear "Hermana Squire?" and I turn around AND GUESS WHO IT IS!!! ELDER HALL!!!! (Elder Hall was in my district at the MTC in Provo) I started flippin' out and bouncing on the spot because it was as good as seeing family! He's grown up in the past 8 months and it was honestly so hard not to just squeeze the heck out of him! But I didn't do it, don't worry!! It was so nice to chat and catch up. 

To start off the activity, about 50 of us went to this Catholic Care Center for people with disabilities and we sang to them. It was so wonderful! You could feel the spirit so strong because these people are so special and you can just feel their sweet spirits! 

After that, we met up with the rest of the group to sing in Centro. It was so awesome! We were on the news here in Bahia! The only bad thing is that they said that we were the "Coro Evangelista"! (Evangelical Choir) POR FAVOR! But then they changed it the next day. We had an Hermano play the violin while we were singing. Investigators and miembros were telling me that I showed up front and center in the clips. Ahhh... how embarrassing. We weren't allowed to proselyte but it was amazing how many people stopped US to say "What are you doing? Who are you guys?" So amazing. We were STILL able to do some missionary work. We got back to the church, ate, had a hilarious talent show and a fireside by Presidente. It was great. They gave us letters from home and a letter to each missionary from Presidente and Hermana. It was a very spiritual and touching day but it made me feel a little trunky!! Haha I was like "I want to be with my family!" But it's ok, I get to talk to y'all tomorrow.

- Barbara came to church! That means she's getting baptized on Saturday! WOOO! Pray that everything goes well. 

- Just some quick funny things about Hna Gomez- She is TERRIFIED of dogs. When we are walking down the street and there's a dog on her side, she switches sides with me. She won't knock on a door if there's a dog in front of it, and she's always like "IT'S GONNA BITE MEEEE." Haha, we laugh a bunch. She's one of 9 kids, and all of her family are members. She is the 4th missionary in her family and is an excellent teacher. I'm happy for this time that we have to serve together.

Hermana Gomez

- SHOUT OUTS: Hey you, Yes YOU (all of you!!)  Merry Christmas. 

I have never felt so much happiness and joy as I do as a missionary. I get to see people's LIVES change through obedience to the gospel. I get to meet wonderful people every day and grow close to them, close enough to call them family. I am SO GRATEFUL for my savior Jesus Christ. That He came to earth, and that He died so that we might live again. I am so GRATEFUL for the restored gospel. I know with every fiber of my being, every particle of my body, that THIS is the TRUE and ONLY TRUE church. If you don't know that yet, I invite you to get down on your knees and ask our Heavenly Father if it's true. We have the FULLNESS of the gospel. People often tell us that we look different, that we have a light about us. THAT, my friends, is the LIGHT of CHRIST and the LIGHT of the GOSPEL. And you can have it too. If you have lost that light, I'm inviting you to find it. It is never too late. Remember when you made covenants with our Heavenly Father that it was FOREVER. Not for a time, but FOREVER. Once you enter into the gate, there is NO TURNING BACK. You stay on that straight and  narrow and I PROMISE YOU, as a representative of Jesus Christ, that you will find indescribable happiness. I love you all and I want you all to have this happiness and pure JOY that I have. The JOY that makes me want to shout out "I LOVE THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST!" AND "I LOVE BEING A MORMON!!!"

Have a very MERRY Christmas and remember, I love you.

Hermana Squire

Elder Stott an alumni from LONE PEAK HIGH SCHOOL!


                                  

Hermanas in Santa hats with...ummm...Santa....

Pic four:  Elder Stott! He went to LONE PEAK HIGH SCHOOL!!!!! We had to do the "L P" together! RACHELLE & EMILY!!!!!! HE SAID 'TELL THEM HI AND TELL THEM TO WRITE ME!!!!!"

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...ha ha..not really!

Hello world!!!!!!!!!!!

I want y'all to put on NSYNC ¨Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays¨ on right now and think of Hermana Vawdrey and I singing at the top of our lungs in the pension at 7 in the morning (especially for you Kris)!!!!

WELL HELLO! I hope all is well in the good old United States. I'm just walking around sweating all the time and then I see a little plastic Christmas tree and I'm like "OH YEAH!!! IT'S CHRISTMAS TIME."  It really is going to be just another day of work for us... BUT I get to talk to my FAMILY!!!! WAHOOO! 

- Ok, so I'm trying to think about what happened this week. We have been practicing singing for our Christmas activity tomorrow. It's going to be half of the mission and we'll be singing 5 Christmas hymns in the plaza en Centro, and in the Hospital! They said we can´t proselyte, but little do they know that when we sing about Christ, it will be proselytizing in a way! Right?! Music can touch hearts, so I'm hoping there will be lots of people there! And I think we're even going to be on TV....so yeah. That will be fun!

-So Barbara. She's progressing really well and really wants to get baptized and do the right things but she slept in for church yesterday!! So now she can't get baptized until next Saturday! BOO! Who needs sleep anyway!!?? Ok, but we are really praying that she can realize how important church is. Maybe we'll buy her an alarm....

- We found PAULA again...!!!! We've started teaching her de nuevo  and she REALLY has a testimony of the LDM.(**Book of Mormon) We're praying she can come to church and feel that is where she needs to be. She's such a sweet woman and I KNOW she could get baptized!!

- Hna Gomez and I have been getting to know each other better this week. She's pretty straightforward and says things how they are but is also SUPER funny. She's so quick and sarcastic, so as you can see, we get along great!  She is also a hard worker and a very good teacher!! We have been working hard all week to find new investigators.!

- On Saturday, we had another missionary day with the jovenes(**youth) in the stake. We went with Mité, a cute and hardworking 15 year old. We found two new investigators with her, and all before lunch! What a miracle! We taught one girl the first lesson and after we taught the First Vision, she said ¨que lindo! genial!¨(**how wonderful and brilliant!) and I was like..." ahhhh!" She accepted a fecha bautismal, (**baptismal date) but might be moving in the next bit. 

-During this Christmas season, I hope you all remember why we celebrate this special time. I am so grateful for my Savior and all He did for me. I have grown closer to Him in these 10 short months as I have labored in His work. President Monson said this ¨There is no better time than now, this very Christmas season, for all of us to rededicate ourselves to the principles taught by Jesus Christ.

Because He came to earth, we have a perfect example to follow. As we strive to become more like Him, we will have joy and happiness in our lives and peace each day of the year. It is His example which, if followed, stirs within us more kindness and love, more respect and concern for others.

Because He came, there is meaning to our mortal existence.

Because He came, we know how to reach out to those in trouble or distress, wherever they may be.

Because He came, death has lost its sting, the grave its victory. We will live again because He came.

Because He came and paid for our sins, we have the opportunity to gain eternal life.

Because He came, we are gathered tonight to worship Him, in bonds of brotherhood and love."

- SHOUTOUTS!  MARGIE! Got your pkg this week!!! THANK YOU! 

And thank you Grandpa and Grandma Hobson for the card! Loved it!!!!!!!!

Happy Birthday KRISTEN! Yes, I'm one day late and I didn't have time to draw you a hideous self portrait, but don't worry, you'll get one soon!! 

Adrienne! Thanks for the email!!! Good to hear from you!!! (FINALLY.) :-) 

Happy late birthday to Michelle in Idaho! And happy birthday to Susan and Nancy next week! 

Hey....

I love you all. 

Have a great Christmas. 

Hermana Squire

DOUBLE BAUTISMOS!!!!!

Hey y'all,

Well, it's been a pretty rewarding week as far as missionary work goes. There are weeks and transfers when you reap and some when you sow, and this was definitely a reaping week. 

- TATIANA AND ERIKA GOT BAPTIZED!!! Wahoo!! I was SO HAPPY! It was so nice to see many days of hard work finally pay off. Saturday we got transfer calls and sadly Hermana Batista got called to Mar Del Plata, and I get to stay. At least she got to see the baptism! Saturday was a day of walking in the hot, hot sun. We had to walk to the terminal, then to the capilla (**chapel)  to fill up the font (a 45 minute walk) make refreshments and pack that day, so it was super crazy!! We picked up Tatiana and Erika and got them all dressed and ready. Erika was so scared but she didn't want to say anything. I was so worried! Tatiana told me, "I'm not scared anymore, the nervousness left me." But after they got out of the water they were both so happy and peaceful. I asked Tati how she felt and she said FELIZ!! It was such a great day!!!!!!!!! They both got confirmed yesterday.

- In church, Hna Batista gave her farewell testimony and cried, and I cried because I'll really miss her. She was a great companion and friend. But I'm glad the Lord isn't going to make me stay with the same companion for 4 transfers again.. because when that happens, by the 3rd transfer you're praying for patience, and by the 4th you're praying not to throw her in front of a bus. Hah. It's good that we finished the companionship as friends. ANYWAY! She came back to sit by me just crying and I had one arm around my amazing companion, and the other around Tatiana, who was all snuggled into my side. I felt a lot of love that day!

- I know I say how hot it is every week but really.....I almost died yesterday. It was 96 degrees and here the heat is SO HEAVY. It just weighs down on you and makes you tired and burns you. WOW I'm grateful that I'm only here for one summer!! And it's not even summer yet!!!! FLIP!

- So on Friday it rained and cut the power. We went home half an hour early because there were no street lamps and it's kinda dangerous for us walking in the dark. So we came back, lit candles and told scary stories in the dark with the other hermanas. SUPER FUN NIGHT.

- OK SO I HAVE A NEW COMPANION!! Her name is Hermana Gomez. She's from Buenos Aires, she's 29, and used to be a teacher!! She's great!! I think we'll get along great this transfer!! AND GET THIS! SHE´S TALLER THAN ME! And man, we sure can walk fast! I'm excited for this time to work with her and get to know her better.

- SO our house is now Hotel Bahia... all the hermanas that are leaving tomorrow are staying with us. 2 got here last night and one more got here at 2 in the morning. That was a fun call with the AP... "Hermana, I'm so sorry but we're on our way to your house right now with Hna Bingham"... "uggghhh....okay Elder we'll be ready." Haha. It's been a long night and day. We'll have a total of 5 extras staying the night.... PLUS the four of us that already live there!!!!! Hna Vawdrey got her first Latina companion!  I'm hoping we´ll all be together for Christmas!!!!

- Just really quick, I'm really grateful that the Lord is blessing us here in Villa Mitre. Sometimes He puts us through the refiners fire so that we can become better missionaries and rely on Him more. I know when we do our part, He will do His. We were talking about our Christmas activity and our ZLs asked us to think of a present we could give to our Savior. I want to give you all that same challenge,  too. What could you give up or do better for our Savior this Christmas? It's easier when you're a missionary to think of things to give up, because we have already given up so much. But it really isn't that much of a sacrifice for me. It is an honor to serve Him.

SHOUTOUTS! Tyler and Ashley, THANK YOU FOR THE EMAIL!! Love you guys!

HEY SQUIRE COUSINS! Have fun at the Santa party tonight! Love you cuties. 

VAUGHAN! I'm gonna kick your married bum when I get home! But really, I am beyond happy for you! You deserve the best and the only thing I ask is PICTURES PLEASE!!!! 

Myranda Thurman, you've got a letter on the way!! Thanks for writing!! 

HEY! Listen, I love you all!!! I hope all you BYU students survive finals (yeah... don't miss that) and that all of you have an amazing holiday season. 

Besitos de Argentina, (****little kisses from Argentina)

Hermana Squire

  Misioneros de Villa Mitre 2; Elders Cruz y Gravelle; Hermana Batista

 Registros de Enseñanza...best thing you can see! (reports of lessons taught)

Cindi Luna, an RM from Bahia Blanca

¡¡¡Estoy Muy Contenta!!!

Hey you! (yes you... ALL OF YOU!)

Hey. It's December. And it's 85 degrees outside. And I melted on the way to church yesterday!!! AT 8 o'clock in the MORNING! It was like 80 degrees!! I swear!!!! AND I'M JUST SO DANG HAPPY RIGHT NOW!  Why?  I´LL TELL YOU WHY!!

- WE ARE HAVING TWO BAPTISMS THIS SATURDAY!!!!!!!!!!! Can I get a woo woo!!!!!???? (Taylor) AHHH I'M SO GRATEFUL! Earlier this week, Erika was having doubts. Not doubts really, but she was embarrassed. I showed her the picture of my baptism and how you can see the fear in my face and we told her that sometimes we have to do things that make us embarrassed, but in the end, we´ll remember the beautiful feelings we had, and not the embarrassment. She was much better after that chat! They are both reading and praying and LOVING Primary and Young Women's. We taught them the Word of Wisdom and the only problem they had was drinking tea. They said that they would leave it and when we passed by yesterday, we asked how it was going. Erika said, "good, now when we make tea, I have milk instead." AHHH! We changed the baptism to Saturday so they could get confirmed the next day... and the Elders are teaching two primary kids that (if everything goes well) should get baptized the same day! FOUR BAPTISMS FOR VILLA MITRE 2! The members are super pumped now!!!!! They are visiting our investigators and everything!!!!!! LOVE IT!!!!!!! There has been a change in the ward... they now have more animo por la obra misional! (***more courage and desire for missionary work) Transfers are this week... I HOPE I STAY!!!!! We also have a sister missionary coming home tomorrow... .hellooo!!! She will be awesome in helping us!

- Remember Natalia? Well, now we are teaching her daughter, Barbara! She's 14, came to church with us yesterday and LOVED IT, and has a fecha(**date) for the 22! WOOO! She didn't have interest before, but we always asked if she wanted to join in on the lesson and Tuesday she said, "YES!"  WOOOO!!! The Lord is really blessing us here in Villa Mitre!

- CHRISTMAS IS SOON! WHAT THE????  Mom, I'm glad you're all decorated at home. Send me pics! But I sure am glad I didn't have to haul 25 poinsettias up and down the stairs this year! Glad we got rid of the devils! :-)

- So I read the talk by President Monson from the priesthood session, I think it's called " See People As They May Become". I LOVED IT!!!!! I have never really been a person to judge. Even before the mission. I've never been one to be like "what the heck is up with that guy??". I've always thought, "bueno, I don't know what they're going through, I don't know their circumstances, who am I to judge??  That trait has only improved here in the mission. And the reason I loved that talk is because Pres. Monson shares that "people CAN change. And we have to see them as how they COULD be." There's a quote by Elder Holland " God doesn't care nearly as much about where you have been, as He does about where you are, and with His help, where you are willing to go". I always try to see people here as future Relief Society Presidents, future Bishops, future missionaries. It helps me to get past the cigarrettes in their mouths, the alcohol on their breath, etc. When I start to see people that way, it helps me teach better. We have to remember that the worth of souls is great in the sight of God, and people CAN change. We just have to have faith that they will. 

- Ok everyone! I love you! ERIC AND ASHLEE! BRODY IS A CUTIE PATOOTIE! Congrats! 

EVERYONE:  Work hard, Pray harder!!!

Hermana Squire

Happy late birthday Uncle Todd and happy birthday Grandpa Squire on Friday!!

My turkey placemat

My Hermana Vawdrey

Mi compañera..Hermana Batista

Our tacos!

         

Our Thankful Fridge

My District....all chocolate...minus one who is 1/2 

Our Thanksgiving Lunch

What the.......

Hey goobers!

Hope you all had a great Thanksgiving! SO, what's new??

-Ours was spent turkey-less in our house. It was weekly planning so we prepared a little lunch with the 6 Hermanas. Guess what we had???!!! TACOS WITH REAL TORTILLAS. I died!!!! WE EVEN HAD GUACAMOLE!! Not as good as yours dad, but we ate it! I was SOOOOOOO happy! So we put our two tables together, made little placemats with turkeys on them (we traced our hands) and ate like queens. I have pictures but this computer is being a real peach so maybe next week! 

-Hermanas McWorter and Marin moved to their new apartment this week so now it's just us and the Hermanas Vawdrey and Carson! We've been enjoying our time. I sure do love my Vawdrey. 

- SO it rained like a lot this week! I HATE RAIN HERE! It's just another excuse for people to say they can't listen to us. "oh chicas, but it's raining" And in my mind I'm  like "NOOOO, REALLY???"  Oh Argentines, you are a funny people. BUT, Hermana Batista and I are on fire right now. Wanna know how many other lessons we taught this week? (other than lessons with members and with menos activos) 18!!!! We teach everyone if they let us. Our DL (**District Leader) actually asked us to do a workshop in meeting tomorrow to teach everyone how we do it. Here's the thing:  Argentines can be a little prideful (ok A LOT prideful), so when you start off talking about THEM and complimenting THEM, then they open up and usually ask US what we're doing. BAM! Then we start teaching and testifying. We may not get into houses and we may not start and end with a prayer (we don't want people to think we're crazy by praying on the porch) but we teach about a 15 minute lesson with a bunch of questions about their beliefs and hopes in life, leave them with a commitment, fijar cita, (**set appointment) BAM! Lesson. 

- We've found our miracle, people. After a long time of struggling with little success, frustrated feelings, desperate prayers... we found them. Tatiana and Erica. Remember Sandra? Well, the poor thing is pretty busy with work and a little uncommitted, but her daughters Tati and Erica (11 and 13) came to church with us this week. Tatiana came last week and was assigned a talk for the primary program and we helped her to prepare it. She did GREAT! She's not even a member yet! Her sister Erica came with us to support her and LOVED young women's. She left with a huge smile on her face!! We committed them BOTH to be baptized on the 9th. They are up for it! And Sandra said it was FINE and she wanted them to keep coming to church! I DIIEEED! They are SO CUTE! I am so thankful that the Lord is blessing me. I know that He needed me to be refined during this hard time. I struggled so I could become stronger. I'm a better teacher and more committed. As Greg said in one of his letters "The harder my path, the stronger I become". I know that's true. I remember talking to Hna Hinze in the MTC and I remember saying, "I WANT my mission to be hard. I WANT to struggle so I can change. I WANT to work hard for every baptism and every miracle we see". And that desire has come true. I was sent to a hard-hearted part of Argentina, where people are a little too relaxed and a little prideful, and it hasn't been a walk in the park for me with baptisms every week. But I'm thankful that the Lord trusts me enough to be here and that I can be molded into the missionary He needs me to be through the struggles I have here. Keep praying for Tatiana and Erica. We all know Satan works really hard, but we can work harder :)

- Quote by Elder Holland about faith and the future to finish: "I plead with you not to dwell on days now gone nor to yearn vainly for yesterdays, however good those yesterdays may have been. The past is to be learned from but not lived in. We look back to claim the embers from glowing experiences but not the ashes. And when we have learned what we need to learn and have brought with us the best that we have experienced, then we look ahead and remember that faith is always pointed toward the future. Faith always has to do with blessings and truths and events that will yet be efficacious in our lives."

- SHOUTOUTS! Happy Birthday Christina Standifird! Brendi, thank you for the cute pìcs of your kids! MY LANDS THEY ARE SO BIG AND ADORABLE! Serna kids! Thanks for the letters and drawings! Josh-  they don't celebrate Halloween here! I wish they did, that would have been fun! Tay, I got your letter a bit ago, can't remember if I said anything yet, but THANK YOU! 

LINDSEY BROWN! Congrats on your call! 

And Devon Scott, you go in THIS week to the MTC!!!!! Good luck! 

Also, Julina, I got your letter and pics! Thank you! 

Everyone! I sure do love you! I miss you a whole lot, but hey, I'm on a mission and I'm pretty happy. (Even though I smell like I'm camping with all the bug spray I use!! :) 

HEY BE GOOD YALL.

Hermana Skeeray

Happy Thanksgiving!!!!!!

Hello everyone,

What the heck, it`s almost Thanksgiving and I'm sweating to death. Ok, not that bad, but it's pretty hot! I totally forgot Thanksgiving was so close... it's just gonna be another day of work for us! Eat some extra turkey for me, since they don't have it here! :-(

- Let's start with the funny and end with the spiritual, sí? Ok, so a few weeks ago we were eating with the Familia Saghin ( I LOVE THIS FAMILY WITH MY WHOLE HEART) and we were talking how everyone here calls each other "gordo" (fat) and even girls are like, HEY GORDA! And I said "that would get someone a smack across the face in the states." Anyway, they asked what gordo was in English and I told them, "fat".  Then Ayrton (12) said, "yeah, but if you add an "r" it`s a bad word."  And I'm like "what???!!" And he whispers it to me. Then everyone is like "que significa  esa palabra?"  (what does it signify?") And they just kept repeating that word like 50 times and I was dying of laughter!!!  Then I had to explain what it meant. aye aye aye.

- Speaking of the Familia Saghin, that's them in the foto you see. I LOVE THEM SO MUCH. Even though they aren't old enough to be my parents, they feel like my family. When we eat with them, I feel like I'm at home. That means so much to me as a missionary. They told us yesterday that we're the daughters they never had and that they love us so much. And there I was, just crying my eyes out for the love I have for them. And isn't little Valentino SO CUTE! He's 7! I just love him! He's so polite too!

- I love living in Argentina! I love that when I talk to some ladies they call me "mi vida", "mi cielo", "mi reina", "amor", "corazon" and all that jazz!! (mi vida=my life; mi cielo= my sky; mi reina= my queen; amor=love; corazon=heart)  I love that the mail is delivered by men on bikes, and at 8 in the morning, a man rides by the houses selling newspapers on his bike and yelling DIAAAAAAARIO!!!, and of course the egg trucks...

"LEVENDOHUEVOSHUEVOSBARRATOSHUEVOSHUEVOSHUEVOSBARRRRRATOS!!! I (*I sell eggs, cheap, eggs,eggs, cheap..all run together in one long word) love that it's common to see 5 people on a scooter... the parents, a baby in the lap of the driver, a kid on the very back, and a pobrecito (*poor little one) smushed in the middle of the parents. 

- This week was a week of finding. We've dropped a bunch of investigators because they're not progressing. And our time is too precious to be wasting with people who aren't committed to doing what we ask them to do. We found a very sweet woman whose husband doesn't like religious talk (other than catholicism of course) but we talked to her outside. She has a disease that left her partially paralyzed on one side. Her right arm doesn't work very well and she slurs when she talks. We testified of the resurrection and how we will all receive perfect bodies. I know she was touched by the spirit because she started to cry. We're supposed to pass by tomorrow, and I hope somehow we can touch her husband's heart. I know she would be great. 

- We also found a great woman named Sandra. W'e've passed by a few times and she said we could come back but she was always busy. But we persisted and she finally let us teach her. She has 11 kids! 7 live with her and guess what,???!!! She's JESICA`S mom!!!!!! Remember our one hit wonder golden family from way back???!!!  Jesica and Fernando???!!!!! Yeah. Anyway. She was very attentive and accepted a baptismal date. We chatted some more and found out that some weird things have been happening in her house, shadows, things falling on their own accord, so we came with the bishop the next day to bless the house. She told us that after she read the chapter of the LDM (**Book of Mormon) and prayed, that she slept peacefully for the first night in 2 weeks. WOW. Sunday we went by to get them for church, but Sandra had left to the hospital to get injections in her back for terrible pain, but we brought Tatiana (11) and Favian (9) with us! They are cuties! Tatiana said she wants to be a missionary! Well let's get you baptized first!!!  I'm pretty excited about them!!!! There are 4 kids that are at the age of baptism, WAHOO! I´m trying to have lots of faith and hope for these people and to do my part so the Lord can bless us with a baptism. 

- Scripture time. Alma 7: 11-12  11 And he shall go forth, suffering pains and ^aafflictions and ^btemptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will ^ctake upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people. 12 And he will take upon him ^adeath, that he may ^bloose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to ^csuccor his people according to their infirmities. Elder Holland said this: "Succor means ´to run to´. Even as Christ calls us to come to Him, He is unfailingly running to help us." I know that is true. He suffered for us INDIVIDUALLY. He KNOWS how we feel, because He has felt it. I know the Savior is always running to help us, active, menos activo, completely inactive, or non member. But WE are the ones that have to ALLOW Him to help us. Like He said in 3 Nefi, won't you come unto me so I can heal you?"  It's an invitation... MORE than an invitation. He is PLEADING for us to come unto Him so He can heal us. 

- At this Thanksgiving time, I wanna write a little list of what I'm thankful for:

My amazing parents who love me and support me. I am the person that I am because of them.
My great friends .
The clothes on my back and the shoes on my feet. No matter how dusty and dirty they get. 

(or 'estinky')
An amazing companion who is a STELLAR missionary.
The opportunity I have to serve the Lord, and labor in His work.
Great extended family. 
People in the mission that feel like my family.
Fun and loving Hermanas in the mission that I get to meet.

And most of all, A Father in Heaven who loves me and knows my needs, and a Savior who loved me enough to die for me. 

Shoutouts: Happy late birthday grandma Squire! And happy birthday to Gavin and Hunter this week! 

DEVON WOO YOU GO TO THE MTC NEXT WEEK!! Have fun, and Tay, try not to miss him too much!! 

Listen, I have a talk for yall to read, it's called "The infinite Power of Hope" by Pres. Uchtdorf. IT IS AMAZING. I've realized that I have been lacking a little bit in the hope section, and that's why I've probably been a little discouraged. He says " Hope is not knowledge, but rather the abiding trust that the Lord will fulfill His promise to us. It is confidence that if we live according to God's laws and the words of His prophets now, we will receive desired blessings in the future. It is BELIEVING and EXPECTING that our prayers will be answered". In PMG(*Preach My Gospel) it says that it is BELIEVING and EXPECTING that good things are to come. Now I know what I need to work on :)

I LOVE YOU ALL! 

HAVE A GREAT WEEK!!!!

Hermana Squire

Foto: #1 Familia Saghin (holding Dad's Monthly Mustang Magazine...look in background...Brother Saghin restores cars too!!)

Foto: #2 Starting a day of work with my ice block for a water bottle. And yes. I carry my things in a BOX. Very classy I know. Mission rules.

My bed

My picture wall in the bedroom

Missionary Tan Lines

Nickel Sized Hail

Hello People!

Ok, well another week has come and gone and here I am in this smelly game den again with smelly preteen boys playing video games once again. My how time flies.

- So Hermana Carson and Vawdrey are with us once again!! Turns out their neighbor is pretty crazy and yells at them a lot!  I know, I've witnessed it.  She's not all there.... so they're working on moving to another apartment. In the meantime... it's just like old times. WOOO I'm super happy!!!!!

- On Thursday, it rained SO HARD. We were doing weekly planning in the house and it was just SO HOT. Like 95 degrees. So hot, that the power went out. No more sticking my head in the freezer... !!! We were stuck in the house until about 5pm because a guy was putting in more enchufes... plugs. Wait. Is it plugs? I think so... anyway! So he was in and out all day getting stuff,  so we couldn't leave. When we finally did, it had just started raining. By the time we got halfway to our cita, it was POURING super hard. Hna Batista doesn't have an umbrella so we were using mine. We were literally walking in a muddy river. Then it started to hail nickel sized hail thingies. We were walking huddled under the umbrella and Hna Batista was freaking out! Hermana! This is dangerous! Cover your face! And I was just laughing my head off. Saying THIS IS MY LIFE! I´M PROSELYTING IN ARGENTINA IN A HAIL STORM! IS THIS REAL LIFE??? As you can see, I thought it was quite hilarious. We made it to our cita, soaking wet with red marks on our arms, only to have our district leader call us 10 minutes later saying that we need to go back home. Darn! So we did, soaked and muddy. Well, we're alive. 

 The rain brought a swarm of mosquitoes. I can put on all the protector that I want but they still get me. The mosquitoes have been so bad that trucks have been passing through the streets fumigating. It´s quite the adventure contacting when once you stop moving, 10000 mosquitoes start landing on you. On Saturday night, we were talking to this man on his porch and when I wasn't teaching or testifying, my eye was out for mosquitoes.  . My companion was testifying with all her heart and I seriously was slapping myself all over, then THREE landed on my companion's arm, so being the great companion that I am, I slapped them dead. Well, the man started laughing, and so did my companion... and I just stood there feeling dumb. Spirit= gone. BUT, this man has interest... his name is Luis.

- We had a zone conference this week, just a mini one... an emergency one because our numbers have been so low right now  in the mission. It's pretty sad but everyone has been pretty desanimado(**discouraged), including me. We haven't been finding people who want to progress, our investigators are all becoming flojos(**lazy) and it has just been really frustrating. We talked about how we need to be exactly obedient and work a lot harder. I took the info to heart and we were able to find double the investigators that we usually do. We were more focused and unified. We found an x Jehovah's Witness who has a LOT of promise, as well as people who have already been to church a few times that weren't in the area book. We also got a text from Gabriella that destroyed me. She and her very Catholic husband had problems and he doesn't want her to meet with us any more. My heart literally broke. It's so sad when things like this happen and there´s not much I can do about it,  but pray. But I´m thankful for my companion, who is seriously amazing and has so much faith and animo(*encouragement). She doesn't need to be trained! 

- Well, after my soul felt like it was literally destroyed and I wanted to shout to the heavens "how long are you going to try my faith??" I found some really great scriptures that comforted me this week. Funny how that happens. First one is in Alma 26: 27-28 "27 Now when our hearts were depressed, and we were about to turn back, behold, the Lord comforted us, and said: Go amongst thy brethren, the Lamanites, and bear with patience thine afflictions, and I will give unto you success. 28 And now behold, we have come, and been forth amongst them; and we have been patient in our sufferings, and we have suffered every privation; yea, we have traveled from house to house, relying upon the mercies of the world—not upon the mercies of the world alone but upon the mercies of God." THIS IS ME!!  The Lord is telling me to be patient in my afflictions, then he will bless me with success. Next: D y C 31 "1 Thomas (Cydnee) , my son(daughter), blessed are you because of your faith in my work.

 2 Behold, you have had many afflictions because of your family; nevertheless, I will bless you and your family, yea, your little ones; and the day cometh that they will believe and know the truth and be one with you in my church. 3 Lift up your heart and rejoice, for the hour of your mission is come; and your tongue shall be loosed, and you shall declare glad tidings of great joy unto this generation.4 You shall declare the things which have been revealed to my servant, Joseph Smith, Jun. You shall begin to preach from this time forth, yea, to reap in the field which is white already to be burned. 5 Therefore, athrust in your sickle with all your soul, and your sins are forgiven you, and you shall be laden with sheaves upon your back, for the laborer is worthy of his hire. Wherefore, your family shall live. 6 Behold, verily I say unto you, go from them only for a little time, and declare my word, and I will prepare a place for them. 7 Yea, I will open the hearts of the people, and they will receive you. And I will establish a church by your hand;8 And you shall strengthen them and prepare them against the time when they shall be gathered. 9 Be patient in afflictions, revile not against those that revile. Govern your house in meekness, and be steadfast.11 Go your way whithersoever I will, and it shall be given you by the Comforter what you shall do and whither you shall go.12 Pray always, lest you enter into temptation and lose your reward. 13 Be faithful unto the end, and lo, I am with you. These words are not of man nor of men, but of me, even Jesus Christ, your Redeemer, by the will of the Father. Amen." There it is again. . Be patient in thine afflictions. I love the promise the Lord gives... that He will open the heart of the people here in Argentina for me. I know if I do my part, He will do the rest. 

-Shoutouts: OK Tyler and Ashley, I was showing a pic of Lucas to my roomies and they said he looks like Jack from The Incredibles. IT'S TRUE!! Love it! 

Happy birthday to Julie and Tia Alice! Hope you have great days this week!

Listen everyone. I LOVE YOU ALL DEARLY. Thank you for your love and support. Don't get too cold this winter :) hee hee hee..

Hermana Squire