"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.)

HEY! IT'S CHRISTMAS TIME!!!

• Ok, not really, but I'm totally listening to Christmas music. Ok, so maybe I've been listening to Christmas music my whole mission.... I don't care!

HOW ARE Y'ALL! 

I hope good. Well, winter finally hit us and it's pretty dang cold, I tell ya. We have iron stairs in the pension and our calefactor (heater) is right underneath, so sometimes we just study on the stairs to get warm... the mission is pretty funny. 

I'm also leaving the house with about 10 pounds of clothing... sometimes it matches... sometimes it doesn't... do I care?... NO!! It's winter... I'll do anything to stay warm!

- Well, it was a normal week here in Toay. We've been inviting a lot of people to get baptized, now the only thing they have to do is come to church :) Haha, biggest struggle in the mission. We have been finding some REALLY great people, and I'm just so stoked to see what the Lord has in store for them. 

For example:

- Anabela and Luisa. Anabela's mom, sister, and niece are converts. They were referrals from the sister, who just got baptized last month. THEY ARE GREAT! In these last few lessons they've been really attentive, asking great questions, and are reading and praying. Problem, they go to Santa Rosa every weekend to see the mom... but they do go to church with them. THEY NEED TO COME TO CHURCH HERE! So we're working on that. Next problem: There are 6 (SIX)  children in that house under the age of 7... so our lessons are like: "Ok, you teach and I will draw Mickey Mouse. Ok, your turn... where are we??" And dodging flying objects being thrown by a 3 year old demon... BUT we will do anything for these sweet girls!

- Rina. She's from Chile and is a friend of a member. She already has 2 asistencias, (church attendances) so we're working on it! Pray for them!

- So about the "deep doctrine" I promised last time. Presidente taught us that the Plan of Salvation has four names in the Book of Mormon:

1. The Plan of Salvation (Alma 42:5) It is not a plan of condemnation... EVERYTHING is for our salvation.

2. Plan of Redemption (Alma 42:11) The Plan includes suffering. But we can be happy if we understand the plan.

3. Plan of Happiness (Alma 42:8) If you're not happy, there's a problem that you need to fix.

4. The Plan of Mercy (Alma 42:15) Look for the tender mercies! 

Just look at how the Book of Mormon starts:  1 I, Nephi, having been ^aborn of ^bgoodly ^cparents, therefore I was ^dtaught somewhat in all the learning of my father; and having seen many ^eafflictions in the course of my days, nevertheless, having been highly favored of the Lord in all my days; yea, having had a great knowledge of the goodness and the mysteries of God, therefore I make a ^frecord of my proceedings in my days.

Shoutouts: 

TAYLOR YOU ARE NOW THE BEST CAT IN THE UNITED STATES!!!! 

Paige... still waiting...... gooberface. 

TAHNEE YOU ARE NOW A MARRIED WOMAN. AHHH I want pics! 

***Attention all friends****: Now 5 of my besties have gotten married while I'm in the mission. 

That's all great and stuff, but can the rest of you just HOLD OFF until August? Ok??  thanks. :-)

AUNT LORI thank you for the email! I'm so glad Jake got his Visa! He's gonna be a stellar missionary! 

Tio Hector, thank you for the email! 

VAWDREY! I sure love you. I MISS YA! 

AND a big shoutout to my B.F.F. Haddy... HAPPY BIRTHDAY TODAY! I love you soooo much! 

Hey everyone! Be good! Or... portense bien!!!

Chao chao, besitos (little kisses)

Hna SKWYAH!

cydnee.squire@myldsmail.net

This is my life right now, dirty tights with stickers/burs in them, along with the dirty shoes.

                                                       Leo & Paola's

                                                             wedding

Walking the 'streets' of Toay....apparently I walk with a swagger.....

Foggy day in Toay...brrrr......

Mission Conference Goodness!

Hey, what's up goobers?? 

Hope you all had a good Mother's Day. I forgot to do a little shoutout to all the moms out there, especially mine! I'm grateful for my mom and all the mother figures in my life. Thank you for all you do!

-Well! We had quite the week! Yesterday I got to talk with my sweet parents! I really didn't know what to say, haha. And I sorta struggled a little bit... "uhhhh, ehhhh....." haha.

- SOOO! We had a baptism on Saturday... YUP, LEO GOT BAPTIZED! (well, it wasn't really MY baptism, we were just there to watch... but the way that I see it is that the baptisms we witness as missionaries aren't OUR baptisms, but the Lord's).

Leo's baptism

We weren't planning on that but when we had an appointment last week he was like, "listen, hermanas, I want to get baptized this week". So, what did we do? We whipped out all the folletos and got to teaching. He already was familiar with everything so we just reviewed, committed, and BAM! Water. He got married on Friday and baptized on Saturday. Both he and Paola were so happy. They are now working on getting to the temple.  

- On Friday, we got up at 2 in the morning to travel to Bahia Blanca where we had a mission conference with Elder Zeballos. IT WAS AMAZING. The best so far. Hermana Parreño talked about the things that hurt us now... the blisters, sore feet and legs, tired backs, the heat, the cold... will exalt us when we leave. We have to pass through these things in the mission so that we can leave happy. I know I should be more like Paul, and "glory in my tribulations".  President talked about deep doctrine, about the Plan of Salvation. It was like WOW, I'm gonna have to explain it in the next letter cuz I´m short on time. Hermana Zeballos said something that I really loved. She had an apple and cut it in half and asked us what it had to do with missionary work. We made our guesses and she told us, "You can count how many seeds are in an apple, but you can´t count how many apples will come from one seed". As missionaries, we plant seeds everywhere. Sometimes we are able to see them sprout and bring forth fruit, other times, no. 

Story time. in Pringles, my companion and I worked with a menos activo family every week while we were there, but we never saw any progression... this week, my mom got a facebook message from my trainer, Hermana Israelsen. The hermano had sent her this message:

"Buenos días Hermana! como le va??? le cuento algo ya hace un mes que asisto a la capilla junto con mis hijos, Andrea fue a la conferencia general y este domingo asistió a la capilla. Ya tengo un llamamiento soy el secretario ejecutivo de la rama y el domingo me sostienen. Hacemos las noches de hogar, oramos y compartimos las escrituras en mi casa. Quería que lo supiera porque esto es producto de su trabajo aquí, su semilla quedo plantada y esta dando frutos, Muchas gracias por habernos ayudado.!" 

**************translation: "Good morning Sister! How are you? I want to tell you something. It has been one month since I have been to church along with my children. Andrea went to General Conference and this last Sunday she went to church. I already have a calling. I am the executive secretary of the Branch and this Sunday, I will be sustained. We have Family Home Evening, we pray and we share/study the scriptures in our house. I wanted you to know this because it is the product/result of your work here; your seed was planted here and it is giving forth fruit. Thank you for having helped us!"*******************

I am SOOO happy. To you missionaries.... sometimes we sow and we sow and we sow... we plant seeds all over and sometimes we don't get to see them grow. But some of them DO grow. This is evidence that they do. Sometimes we get frustrated when we don't see any results. My cousin Greg told me " Remember you decided to be a missionary despite what your ´results´ would be". So true. I have to remind myself of that daily.

-  One scripture to finish up. This is in 2 Nephi 33:3-4, but I'm gonna change the words up a bit "3 But I, {Cydnee}, have written what I have written, and I esteem it as of great ^aworth, and especially unto my {family and my friends}. For I ^bpray continually for them by day, and mine^ceyes water my pillow by night, because of them; and I cry unto my God in faith, and I know that he will hear my cry.

 4 And I know that the Lord God will consecrate my prayers for the gain of my {family and my friends}. And the {letters} which I have written in weakness will be made strong unto them; for it ^apersuadeth them to do good; it maketh known unto them of their fathers; and it speaketh of Jesus, and persuadeth them to believe in him, and to endure to the end, which is life ^beternal.

- Shoutouts! 

KRISTEN FINALLY YOU WROTE ME!! (whose the best cat in the United States... it´s you, champer damper, it's you!). 

Taylor, Paige, EMAIL ME! Goobers. 

Serna family! Thank you for the email! Cool lizard!!! I like the name Draco... only because it reminds me of Harry Potter :) Leah, thank you for the drawing! Thanks Tio Hector!

Fernuik family! Thank you for the letter and for all the postcards!  I love seeing where you're all going! 

Myranda Thurman! Thanks for the email! I hope all is well with your family :) 

Tyler, thanks for the email and for constantly giving me advice.

I'm lucky to have a brother like you. 

Listen up peeps! You are great!
I love ya!

Love,

Hna Squire

cydnee.squire@myldsmail.net

Elders Allred and Hall! From my MTC District!!

Hermana Marin

With Elder Flores and Presidente's wife, Hermana Parreño

Reunion with Hermanas Mansilla and Batista!!!

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