HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

first and most importantly... i am sweating right now... when it rains it is so humid!!!  there is some kind of holiday today, who knows what but practically everything is shut down, locked up, and closed. bless this cyber for allowing me to twiddle my little fingers to the family I love.

out of the many things to tell you this week it won't be proper with out first telling you FELIZ DE ACCION DE GRACIAS!!!  aka thanksgiving.  I bet you cant even imagine what we did to throw down for the holiday, WEEKLY PLANNING. yahoo. this consists of a four hour planning extremely detailed session for our up coming week and investigators. ill tell you what i struggled focusing,. I think a turkey from a far away land was gobbling my name, nethertheless i made my comp and the other companionship celebrate with me.  that morning instead of showering :)  I made a giant patch of popcorn and split it into three, dulce de leche covered, chocolate covered, and sugar covered.  YUM!  and during our feast of a lunch we cooked up everything we had, which is always the exact same food just on thanksgive more of it. what did it consist of? well pasta, hamburger meat, potatoes, some stale bread, crackers...not turkey here...

wow what a week where to begin...

well might as well start with the highlight of every Buenos Aires missionaries week. we had the privilege to listen to a very special speaker this week. he came all the way form good old land of salt.  that is right thee one and only elder holland and elder christofferson spent the weekend in this foreign soil that i am calling home.  on Saturday south, north and west missions gathered together in our mission home and were filled and lifted spiritually.  the night before we had eight hermanas sleeping in our tiny apartment.  talk about the biggest fiesta ever.  i made some good old popcorn, which is a lot more difficult over a stove... but an adventure!  popcorn really does pop... everywhere!!  and we bought some delicious pizza.  between english and Spanish laughter and blabbering on in the the wee hours of the evening.  but did i care... not until about two days later where i literally became hermana bobble head in the lessons.  it was sooo fun.  at the meeting my companion had the opportunity to spend five minutes with her brother! who is serving in the north mission, how awesome... yes i was jealous.  i feel super close to tinnie.. just not close enough apparently.  i got to sit on the second row middle, aka the gleak zone!  it was great!  this whole experience has been the highlight of my mission thus far.  before the reuniion started i waws thinking ok this is elder holland... he is going to stick it to us right!  well yes and no.  but first let me talk about my feelings prior to the start of the meeting.  terrible. i felt terrible spirtiually and completely drained, picture yourself being dragged behind a colatevo in this crazy city and

Hey did you miss me!?!?!

This week has felt like an eternity.  can someone get me a calender i think i just turned 70 years old.  Just like every day in a missionaries life this week has had its highs and lows. First off Raicho is continually progressing as his baptism is drawing closer on November 23rd. I'm almost positive every time we have a lesson with him i come away being taught more than he was. I don't know if all missionaries feel this way in their missions but for me this experience is a two way journey. As teachers of the gospel we are also constant students. everyday during studies I come away thinking [wow I had no idea, ive never thought of it in that way, or wow has this verse always been here?] sometimes i wonder if ive really been a member my whole life by the amount im learning in the field, apparently just a major slacker. however, obviously being a member has brought my family and I the greatest blessings. There isn't anything more i want to express out here than families are forever and this gospel is the source of true and lasting happiness. especially here in Argentina where death and illness are so common amungst the people we meet in the street. We find ourselves commonly mourning with the people, testifying to the people, and growing stronger in the Lord. This life is only a small fragment of whats to come and its important people know they will once again be reunited with their loved ones for eternity. One of the more downer sides of the week was still not being able to figure out Ivons cause for depression and sadness. he is just not happy. its a puzzler but we are not giving up. ive suggested my remedies of singing and making lists of grateful and my companion has been her bold south american self of straight up telling him he needs to change his attitude and stop doing what hes doing.  I am a living testimony that this gospel is happiness. we have three progressing investigators, all who were at church, which is just so exciting. Its truly incredible to see peoples testimonies grow. Lito is struggling with finding a testimony, what we think is so obviously true others struggle to find.  its definitely more difficult than i ever thought.  if only we could just lift the veil slightly, just a glimpse of remembrance instantly, enough to warm his toes.  Either way I'm pulling for lito.  come on bro!!!!  

 

Welcome officially to argentina. all the deets you could want

Ok officially welcome to Argentina!! let me fill you in for real this time...

  

benviendo! this is Hermana alley from the far away land of Argentina. can someone find me a map i feel like i'm  in Europe.  not that I've ever been but if i were to picture the people and culture in my mind, this place nails it.  dad you've pretty much hit it on the head with your last letter.  Argentinians are Italians who just happen to speak Spanish.  it messes with your mind.  everyone personally is so different from each other, like Seattle its a giant melting pot.  i even see Chinese all the time that speak Spanish.  my minion friends would say waaaaaaaa?¿  in one day i've seen it rain more than my entire life. yup more than Washington.  its taking puddle jumping to extremes, if you can call them puddles. i think lakes is more efficient. luckily there is no more Seattle fog and we've had some beautiful blue skies, and my eyes have a lot of adaption to do... i can hardly see.  the sunscreen is also being whipped out as my sparkling Edward skin hasn't seen the rays in ages.  so for living foreign here is some first impressions....