I AM IN ARGENTINA AND I LOVE IT!!!!!!! Wow, there is lots to tell so I´m going to just get started.
- We flew into Buenos Aires and then took a little plane to Bahia. We met up with President Detlefsen and his wife and our companions. The president and his wife are so great! My companion is Hermana Israelsen, she´s from Cache Valley, Utah. She´s pretty great. We went to the mission office to have some orientation and do some paperwork and then my companion and I got on a collectivo to our area: Coronel Pringles. (PREngLESS- not like the chips). WE didn´t get in until midnight... It made for 2 VERY long days of traveling.
- We hopped right into missionary work the next day. I got to meet with the Branch President, Pres. Wilt and I saw our little capilla (chapel). There are only about 30 members in the rama(branch), but I am there to change that. Contacting is a little strange to me still... I´ll get over it soon, I´m sure.
- Pringles is very tranquil. The people are relaxed and most live in pretty humble homes. Cinderblocks, curtains for doors and such. There are nice homes too, but a lot of the roads are dirt roads. It´s a farm town... a lot of people work in the campo the next town over. There are also a lot of Jehovah Witnesses here... and some can be pretty mean! But we are working hard. We walk around 8-10 miles a day... our area is super huge. A lot of people ride bikes here instead of having autos.
- I´m surprised at how many people give us their address when we´ve only talked to them for two minutes. Also, they kiss cheeks here. It could be 5 minutes since we met and some lady is kissing my cheek. It get´s a little tricky with the men... we have to say SOLOMENTE LA MANO! (only the hand!) as they come in for the kiss. It´s my favorite with little kids... they reach up on their tip toes and kiss your cheeks... ah I love the kids here! So adorable!!
- So, Argentines don´t speak Spanish. They speak Castellano. And they speak it FAST. It´s a little hard to get used to and sometimes I don´t catch things, but it´ll come. I´ve already been told by plenty that I speak it well. That´s because I practiced in the MTC! Castellano is the y and ll sounds (ya) make the ´sha´ sound. Yo me llamo is ´sho me shamo´. It´s different but very beautiful. The Argentines are a beautiful people and I love them already. The rama is great! We have some strong members.
- We had a confirmation on Sun of one of H. Israelsen´s investigators Ramon. He is 84 and SO ADORABLE! But he is very deaf! Haha. We taught him about the holy ghost the other day and it went like this. Ramon, usted va a recibir el espiritú santo manaña! Eh? USTED VA A RECIBIR EL ESPIRITÚ SANTO MANAÑA! Eh? USTED...VA...A....RECIBIR...EL....ESPIRITÚ... SANTO ...MANAÑA!!! Oh! Sí!! Oh I love him. WE also are working on two sisters and their mom. Julieta (16), Sofia (13) and Adriana. They have fechas for the end of the month. PS Sundays are CRAZY! We have to rally up our investigators. Julieta, Sofia and Adriana were nowhere to be found so we RAN (literally ran) to their house, found Sofia and Julieta in the street, and dragged them along to church. They stayed, so that´s good! So stressful! I am also a visiting teacher with another woman in the rama. Every month, we´ll visit teach 5 members (active or inactive). We also rotate teaching classes with the other Hermanas (Linco from Chile and Liguizamon from Mendosa, they live with us in our little home) and give talkes every month. Lots to do on Sundays!!
- No one can say my name. I even say, its Hermana Esquire. They say, Skeeray. Ha so I´ve given up. Call me Hermana Skeeray.
- Dulce de leche is nectar from above. I swear. Yogurt comes in a bag... and it´s delicious. The food is seriously the best.
- Coming to the mission field is like starting all over! The accent is different, new schedule to get used to, new stresses, new foods... but it is all great. I will accostom soon.
- We can´t carry bags because it looks like we´re carrying valuables and such, we don´t want to get robbed! So we have these little box things. About the size of a tissue box, but a little thicker. Theres pictures of jesus all over mine. People call them esposos (spouse) because they are always with you. Some call them Jesus boxes. There we carry folletos, a Book of Mormon and our planners. No room for hardly anything! How am I going to sneak food that I don´t like out of people´s homes? Aye, aye aye, I´ll have to figure something out.
Shoutouts: Taylor and Kristen. I got your dearelders first thing when I got to the mission office. It made me laugh all over again! Tyler- thanks for the email... FINALLY. And about your P.S- No. nononono. THANK YOU ALL for your lovely comments on conference. Such a great experience! Elder Nelson came up and talked with all of us before... so amazing to have an apostle of the Lord right there! And just so you know, I don´t wear that much makeup... President brown´s wife came at me with a blush brush and I was pretty much helpless. Hna Brown- I AM PRAYING FOR YOU AND E. HAROLDSON! Hiatt family- thanks for the email! You should send an update more often! :) Thank you all for all the prayers and support. It´s because of you that I´m here in Argentina! It´s the best. I seriously am so so happy I am finally in the field. I can´t wait to find and teach more.
Love,
Hermana Squire (Skeeray)
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