The Crazy Man In The Window

¿Cómo andan?

Wow, I can´t believe I´m in my 2nd week here in Pringles. It is such a great place and I absolutely love the people. I´m so excited to be in Argentina! Sometimes I wake up in the morning and I´m like, whoa! I´m in Argentina!

-      -  Pringles is a super safe town and we have no problems walking around at night or anything. We are lucky to have an Amazing branch presidency who will do anything for us. Hermano Achigar comes by and brings us fresh vegetables and fruit multiple times a week and we have lunch at President Wilt´s home 2 times a week. They take great care of us and I love all the branch members. Ha, they SHOULD take care of us, because between the 4 Hermanas, we rotate teaching gospel doctrine, relief society, the youth class, AND give talks. I´m giving my talk next week… eek!
-         - Funny stories this week: Hermana Israelsen and I were studying in the main room when all of the sudden she starts freaking out. There was this guy looking in our window! We ran out of the room and the other Hermanas came out and it turns out, he was trying to ask us what time it was. Whoops. A couple days later, Hna Israelsen and I were walking in the street and all the sudden, right in the middle of her sentence she said ´Ugh i just stepped on a diaper and it was squishy´ Sick, huh? Then last night I was getting ready for bed when I hear HERMANA HERMANA ARAÑA!!!! (Hna Israelsen is terrified of spiders) I come out thinking it´s a little spider, but NO. It´s as big as a freaking tarantula! I´m serious! It could have swallowed a mouse! I would like to tell you all that I courageously slapped it dead with my shoe, but no.. What did I do? I got on the chair and started screaming with Hermana Israelsen until Hermana Linco came out. She sprayed Raid at it which made it scuttle around and made us scream louder. Oh my gosh. There better not be any more of those in our house. I have a picture and once I figure out this picture thing I´ll send one.
- - We had a 3rd companion with us this week. A little stray cat we named Favian. He followed us around for half a day and patiently waited while we contacted. We lost him after an appointment then he miraculously showed up 2 days later and followed us again! How funny:)
- If anyone wants to give me advice on how to convert a Jehovah´s witness, that would be great! They are so hard to talk to and trying to get them to even listen is impossible.
 -- Fasting works miracles. We had a zone fast and after that we found 4 new investigator, and a family with an 11 year old menos activo and a 9 year old who wants to get baptized. We are going to work with them and find out what kept the mom from being baptized. I´m so stoked.
- -Julieta- She has a fecha this Saturday but it probably will fall through. She only wants her boyfriend, Enrique to baptize her but he´s been less active for about a month because of a dumb fight with a kid in church. BUT HE CAME TO CHURCH YESTERDAY! WOO!! So he is working on being worthy to baptize Julieta. Ah, I love Julieta! She´s 16 and always keeps her promises. WE taught the Word of Wisdom and she was like yeah, I´ll live it. SO SWEET!
  - We celebrated Ramon´s 85 birthday this week. We got him a little alfahor and a candle and sang to him. I LOVE HIM! He is the cutest grandpa!
  -We are also working with a recent convert, Juanita (MOM!!), and she is the sweetest old lady. Every time we go over she tells me I need to eat more or I´ll blow away in the wind. Another menos activo: Maria Jose. I LOVE HER! She had a problem with smoking and didn't want to come back because she was ashamed. But she hasn't´t smoked in 2 weeks!! She has a strong testimony and has gone through the temple. We visit her and she whips out her preach my gospel, gospel principles book and we just chat! AHH love that woman.
--- We found a nueva yesterday, IDE... sounds like Iday? Anyway, we knocked on her door and it was like BAM. Smoke cloud. She is a heavy smoker but we´ll help her change that. Also, there were approximately 150 flies in her house. I about died, but THAT went away when she said she would be baptized. Woo!
-  Shoutouts: Tyler, thanks for the email! CONGRATS ON TENNESSEE!!!! You were right in your post script once again. Sis Corbett thanks for the dear elder! BYU peeps, I hope finals go well! Then you can write me! Dearelders take 2 weeks, letters I'm not sure, and emails are obviously quick. Hermano Larsen, Thanks for the email! Thank you all for the endless love and support.

Hermana Squire
cydnee.squire@myldsmail.net

I'm Going to Be on TV....sort of...

Hola!

Here I am again, stunned that another week has gone by here in the CCM. We are now HALFWAY through our time here! This time next month I will be on my way to Argentina! I have some exciting things to share this week so I'd better start!

- On Tuesday, we had our weekly devotional. AND GUESS WHO IT WAS? ELDER HOLLAND!!! Just my favorite apostle in the world! Oh my gosh. IT WAS AMAZING! He walked into the room while we were singing prelude and we all stood for him. A wonderful spirit FILLED the room! It was such a special witness to me that THIS MAN is an apostle of the Lord! I sang in the choir again this week (are you all shocked?!) so we had great seats. We sang 'come thou fount' which is definitely one of my favorites, as well as Elder Holland's! He started off by telling us that we are one of the miracles of this church and probably the most prayed for, save the Prophet. He expressed deep love and admiration for us and told us that he prayed for us as well. Morning and night. Then, the real fun started. I don't think I've ever felt so chastised but so loved in my whole life. He practically yelled at us, but with tears in his eyes. It was so great. He told us that The apostles and the prophet expect a lot of us. They expect us to 'pull our socks [or tights] up to our armpits and get to work'. He told us that we do NOT have the right to compromise our mission. There is 200 years of restoration tradition on our shoulders and we do not have the right to compromise what we are seen as. Missionaries are the image of the church. We are known by it. He also told us we need to come back CHANGED for good, even if we were terrific before. We are never supposed to go back to what we were before. He told us that we shouldn't fade after our missions, if we are just going because our parents want to and just want to get it over with, THEN WHY ARE WE GOING?! We need to come back from our missions with the gospel burned into our souls and into our countenances. Young people should say 'I want to be like them' when you speak. We won't be perfect, but we better try! He told us we would be apostolic... a witness sent to declare His word. We learned that we need to use the BoM more. It is so important! If investigators read the first 10 chapters, they will be well on their way to a testimony of the restoration. Elder Holland also said that the BoM contains the spirit! It physically dwells there. We also learned we need to PERSONIFY the spirit into our personalities. Persuade and never force, be individual, be simple, this leads to ACTION. That is something I've never thought about before. It was such an amazing talk, I wish you ALL could have heard it. I left feeling edified and feeling the need to improve... A lot. I feel so blessed to have been able to listen to an apostle of the Lord.

- Now for the subject of this email... It's too bad Elder Holland couldn't have come next week because... I'll be giving the closing prayer at devotional. Yup, Elder Kelly and I were chosen from our zone to give the prayers at the next devotional. Did I mention that they are broadcasted to 15 MTC's?!! What?! How did I get chosen for this job? Do I know how to pray in English anymore? I hope that I don't slip Spanish in there. AYE! AYE AYE! Hopefully it goes well because, my lands, I am terrified.

- Real quick: We sing the hymn Armies of Helaman sometimes... but instead of singing, 'and we will be the Lord's missionaries' we sing ' and we ARE NOW the Lord's missionaries'. I LOVE THAT! I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY!

- Investigators: Ruben. Our sweet golden investigator. We have a fecha for him to be baptized on March 24. He is well on his way! We brought a ward member, Eduardo (actually Hermano Romney) to help fellowship him and teach him about getting baptized and getting the priesthood. Ruben is SO excited to get the priesthood because then he can baptize his mother! So sweet. Now there's Sergio. He is such a hard man and has so many questions. It's hard to find out what he needs, but we definitely have made progress. We did have a terrible lesson where he asked about infant baptism and I led him to Moroni 8. I forgot how strong that chapter is! He was like 'Es muy fuerte, no?' ahhh then he had 100 more questions that we didn't know. Hno. Larsen told us after that he just saw the wind blow out of our sails, and we looked like we wanted to crawl under a rock. Which was TRUE! Aye. But he did say never to feel bad for teaching the truth. We had another lesson with him yesterday, and it was SO GREAT! We tried to pay attention to the spirit more and decided to talk about faith. We read Ether 12 and he loved it. (no witness till after trial of your faith). It went so well and HE FINALLY ACCEPTED A FECHA FOR BAPTISM! Same day as Ruben. He did say if he wasn't ready he wouldn't do it. BUT HE WILL BE READY. That's a promise. I wish I could tell you more about them!

- Happy Birthday to my awesome cousin Greg Dunn! I hope you had a great day. And Happy birthday to my amigas mejores TAYLOR AND PAIGE! I love you guys and I wish I could be there to draw awkward portraits of you and sing weird songs. Hope each of your birthdays are GREAT. Thank you Serna family in Virginia for the dearelder! I love reading those! Love you! Thank you for all the prayers and support. I feel it every day! I have never been so tired in my life. But I am SO DANG HAPPY! I don't get it! I love you all so much and hope you have the best week!

Besos y Abrazos,

Hermana Squire

Buenas Tardes Familia!

Buenos Tardes Familia y Amigos!

I know, my Spanish is SO GOOD! Well, another week has flown by here at the CCM. All the days mush together here and go by so quickly. I'm loving my time here and I love feeling the unique spirit that resides here at the CCM. All these sweet 19 year old boys are so homesick but trying their best to be wonderful servants of the Lord. I really do admire them! And all the sisters!

-So Hna Hinze said that her birthday was the best thing ever. Our whole zone met together in our tiny class and surprised her! She was very touched.

- Our roommates left for St. George and we were supposed to get new sisters in our room but we didn't! So we're having a week to ourselves in a room for 6! YEAH! Hna Hinze and I switched beds so we are no longer by the door. Hallelujah. Also, can I just say that I LOVE my companeras? They are the greatest things ever. Hinze and I are the most sarcastic people and Brown is just sassy. What a combo! Last night right as we went to bed, we just sat and LAUGHED for 10 minutes straight. I am so blessed to have them in my life.

- At the devotional on Tues, I met another Sister Squire. Yup, SQUIRE! And the creepy thing was that we were wearing the SAME skirt in different colors. Weird. Our Devotional was from Elder Clarke from the 70 and was SO AMAZING! He talked about praying for the people of our missions NOW. I had never thought of that! But now, every night I am praying for the people I need to find in Bahia. Praying that they will be prepared and ready to recieve this great message. Elder Clark mentioned the scripture DC 101:1 saying our families are WELL and in God's hands! I really don't worry about you all anymore! I know God will take care of you and bless you!

- We have new investigators- Ruben y Sergio. Ruben is a 17 year old from Dominican Republic and is just rough around the edges but very humble. Sergio used to be an alcoholic and is so apathetic. It's frustrating teaching him because he just doesn't care! 'I don't like to read the bible' 'I don't like church' blah blah blah. I just want to whap him on the head!! We're working on figuring out how to teach him and get him to realize that he needs to change. Our teachers (since they role play our investigators) told us something so cool about the people they play. They are actual converts that THEY taught on their missions, and when we pray so much for them and try our best to figure out their needs, the actual converts, wherever they are, get blessings. That's why the spirit works so much during these role play lessons!

- I have a commitment to extend to everyone. Go on lds.org and WATCH Elder Hollands talk from Oct 2009 conference called Safety for the Soul. WATCH it, don't read it. It is an amazing testimony of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon. When you think about it, would Hyrum and Joseph really died for a book if it weren't true? We started a tradition of watching 1 conference talk every Sunday during our study time. It really helps boost us up!

- We met with the Argentine Consulate on Thursday. She came all the way from LA to come talk to us! She told us all about Argentina and answered our many questions. She was the cutest little lady with an amazing accent and I loved listening to her! It made me SO EXCITED to get to Argentina! I might never come home! I already love the people so much and I haven't even met them.

- Every day we sing and pray in Spanish, and I LOVE IT! I might never sing hymns in English again! It's so beautiful. My Spanish is coming along well, I'm still having a hard time expressing myself, but I understand about 90% of what's going on. Right now, I'm working on memorizing the First Vision in Spanish. Not as easy as it sounds! It's so funny because I feel like I can't speak English OR Spanish anymore! It's like weird Spanglish gibberish. Funny story: the other night I had a half dream that Hno Larsen was in our room teaching Spanish. I kept taking out my ear plug to try and listen... I'm pretty sure my comp talks in her sleep so that's what I was hearing. I kept thinking, GO AWAY HERMANO LARSEN! I DON"T WANT TO SPEAK SPANISH RIGHT NOW! I'M TIRED! Haha.

- 3 Elders in our zone are going to LUBBOCK!! So you Lubbock people... keep a lookout for Elder Rodriguez and two others whose names I can't remember!

- The coolest thing at the temple is having people pray for the missionaries during the session. It's like HEY! I'M a missionary! I love that, and it means so much more to me now.

- We had a workshop where each missionary played the role of a potential investigator. The other missionary teaching got to see the screen where as the 'investigator' didn't but had to listen to this hard life these people had. Then we took turns teaching. It made me realize that the atonement of Christ is for EVERYONE. No matter your circumstances. Loved that day.

- So I am probably the most spoiled/loved missionary at the MTC. THANK YOU for the letters/dearelders/packages! I just got the Hiatts letter. THANK YOU! I loved hearing from you all. Everyone makes fun of me since I get a package almost every day! But it's a-okay with me! TPK- you guys make me laugh! I'm sure at the Argentine MTC they are wondering who the heck this Hermana Squire is, that's getting all of the dearelders! Please send those to the PROVO MTC! That's the first thing you click before sending the dear elder. Kels- bachelor update? Thank you all!! I love you all so much and I LOVE THIS WORK! My favorite part of the day is putting on my badge that bears the name of Christ. I am His servant and He trusts me with His children in Bahia Blanca! I want to make sure I'm the BEST MISSIONARY for Him! I'm still in awe that He trusts me with His work! Have a wonderful week and remember I'm praying for all of you and LOVE YOU SO MUCH!

Hermana Squire

From her mom:

Feel free to email Cydnee at cydnee.squire@myldsmail.net

or dearelder.com; after you sign in for an account, which is free; be sure to pick PROVO MTC on first page. It will go to the second page..which is where you put her name, box #207; departure date 0403; ARG-BABL mission code. If you send a dearelder.com letter before noon, she gets it later that day. IF YOU DO NOT PICK PROVO MTC, she will not get the letter! (if you are choosing the Argentina BABL, then letter goes to Argentina!!..aye aye aye!)

Mailing address to MTC: 
Sister Cydnee Squire

MTC Box #207

ARG-BABL 0403

2005 N. 900 E.
Provo, UT  84604

My sweet district! Hermanas Hinze,  Brown,  Me,  Elders Kelly,  Robertson,
Haroldson,  Hall and Allred

For my Mama! She wanted a picture of me pointing @ "the map"!

Hermana Hinze & Hermana Brown! This was our first Sunday. Do we look tired or what??

Study time!

I'm ALIVE

Familia y Amigos!!

Hola! I made it to the MTC and I'm alive! It's been a crazy 4 days, but I'm here and I'm loving it. My pdays will be on Fridays, we only have kinda a weird half day today. So! Let's get started, shall we?

On my first day, I said goodbye to my family and was lead to the sister's residency. It's actually pretty nice! I was able to take the elevator up with my luggage, so mom, I didn't have to carry my luggage up to the top floor! My host dropped my luggage off in the room (3 bunks, 6 sisters) and we went off to the bookstore to pick up my books. I got a heavy package of spanish books, grammar books, and even el Libro de Mormon y La Santa Biblia en Espanol! They emboss them for free here at the MTC so we'll be doing that soon! I went off to my classroom where I will be spending the majority of the next 9 weeks. We don't switch classes, so we just leave all our books in the classroom, it's super nice. I met my companions... yes, companions! I am in a trio with 2 other hermanas, Hermana Brown and Hermana Hinze. It's been 4 days and I already love them. We have gotten so close. Hna. Brown is from Mesa and was a nurse. She'll be serving in Bahia, but she'll be the missionary's nurse. It's pretty amazing! Hna. Hinze (like Hienz ketchup) is also from Mesa and is going to Nuequen. She is 5'11 and just a babe. I adore her. When we got oriented, we came back to class and our teacher started just teaching in spanish. It was crazy, but I understood most of what he said, and I was really surprised at how much I could understand. His name is Hermano Larsen and he's from Eagle! I wonder if you know him, Kristen? We met our Zone Leaders that night and they are so little. They're just small babies in suits! Haha but they are seriously so great.

Our district has 5 elders and 3 hermanas (we are the only hermanas in our zone right now!), and 6 of us are going on to Bahia, and 2 are going to Nuequen (that's where the penguins are). I LOVE OUR DISTRICT! It is seriously the best district ever! I LOVE our Elders. Elder Robertson is from Oklahoma and is so shy and so quiet. Elder Hall is so hilarious and writes notes on napkins to the kitchen crew every meal. Elder Allred is from Orem and so so nice. Elder Kelly is also so funny and loves talking to us Hermanas. Elder Harroldson is our district leader and is just so kind and is perfect for that calling. I seriously love them all like brothers and just want to pinch their cheeks every ten minutes. They are so mature and know why they are on missions. They work so hard and are so willing to learn.

The second day we studied more and I got pulled out of class. Some guy just started talking to me in spanish and I answered him the best I could. He told me he wanted to transfer me to an intermediate spanish class because I understood more than my district. Apparently, someone tipped him off! He even wanted to send me to the advanced class, then I'd leave for Argentina in 3 weeks! WHAT THE CRAZY! I don't think I'm ready for that and I definitely don't think my spanish is that good. I've been thinking about it a lot, and even though it would be a good opportunity, I would be a solo sister (no companion) and I would miss my district terribly. So we'll see what I decide... We also prepared to teach our progressing investigator, Favian. He's actually one of the teachers, but Favian is a real person, and a real convert, he's just acting like him. Did I mention we had to teach him in SPANISH!? Um, I don't know spanish yet...

On day 3 we prepped to teach Favion. We wanted to teach him about God and His love for him, so we mostly prepped on that. We had our lesson, and I think that it went as well as it could for a first lesson. I understood 80% of what he was saying, but I couldn't get my words organized to get across my message. Basically we told him that he had a loving heavenly father who was aware of him and that he could talk with him through prayer. It was amazing. This is what it's all about! That experience really boosted me up. We're going back tonight to teach him more about having a relationship with Heavenly Father.

The days are so long, but they are fulfilling. I feel like I'm learning so much already. Mornings are rough. They have exercise classes for the sisters at 6am but we have yet to make it to one. We do use our gym time well. They have a sweet gym with weights, ellipticals, bikes and resistance bands. Yesterday we did a lot of work with the reisistance bands and with pilates. It's great!

Had and Kels, thanks for the dearelders! Those are so great to get. Had- I loved your tweet from my favorite person and your story. I was almost crying from lauging. The food is ok, they have wraps and salads, so I mostly get that. There's no caffine so sometimes I get a diet coke (caffine free) and pretend that it's real. Haha oh man. Kels- I have seen Irma Wilde! She studies on the same floor so I've seen her almost every day. She is hilarious! I miss you both.

I got your package mom, the district loved it! I love healthy snacks! The only actual letters I got were from Mom and dad, and I think that's because my address is different. It's

MTC box 207

ARG-BABL 0402

2005 N 900 E
Provo, UT  84604

But letters and dearelders (dearelder.com) http://www.dearelder.com/  are so helpful! They literally make my night. I would add some pictures but I don't know how yet and the little time thing in the corner is freaking me out and ticking down. Everything is so scheduled here, you barely have time to go to the bathroom! We have like 1 hr of personal time at night where we can actually go to the bathroom by ourselves and stuff, but it goes by SO FAST! Before I know it, it's 10:30 and time for bed. I've been so tired, but I think that I will adjust. The best part of the day is putting on my nametag that bears the name of Christ. Sometimes it hits me at random times... I AM A MISSIONARY! I love it. Seriously.

I hope you all are well and I love and miss each of you!
Love,
Hermana Squire

Do we turn left or do we turn right???

Last picture together for 18 months, people!

Final wave to the parents!!

A Few Letters

Dear Mission Call,

You better get here on Wednesday, or I'm not going to be a happy camper.

Dear Fall,

You are my favorite season. I love everything you're about: changing leaves, crisp mornings, hoodies, hot cocoa, and flushed cheeks.

Dear Birthday,

Are you really only 26 days away? Will I really be 21?

Dear YSA Ward,

This semester is going to be a riot because of you.

Dear Wednesdays,

How will I survive you this semester? You stink.

Dear Fleet Foxes,

See you Saturday.

Sincerely,

All my love,

Yours truly,

Etc.

Me