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Mendoza Argentina Mission
Serving January 2015 - July 2016


Monday, April 20, 2015

April 20, 2015 - Maipú


It has been a week of Miracles!

The mountains were so fun!  So we went on the wrong trail and it ended up being trail blazing through prickly bushes and watching out for cactus!  But I loved it :)  Also, none of us brought enough water, so really, just an exciting trip.  We went with 6 elders, so we covered the US, Mexico, Nicaragua, Peru, Brazil, and Argentina countries in our group of missionaries.  We had an awesome time exploring, hopefully pictures will work this week.

Our investigator Raquel is doing amazing.  She has been working on the word of wisdom and has kept it for a week now!  She is so strong.  She is trying not to drink wine and the occasional strong beer, as she likes those.  It is so exciting to watch her make these leaps of faith and grow in her conversion to our Savior.  Our next step we are focusing on is coming to church, as there is so much strength and support she can receive from coming to church.  She wasn´t able to come this past week because of elections, but I am praying she will come this Sunday.

Also, Mariela disappeared.  I guess she moved, last minute, rapid decision, and we have no idea where she is, as she won´t respond to calls or texts.  Her neighbors said something about her maybe being in Godoy Cruz, but we really don´t know.

We are working with an 18 year old guy too.  He told us our first visit that he wants to grow his faith in Christ and he asked us about how people can become missionaries...WHAT!  He has such pure and inspiring desires, sadly his friends are not the best influence, but he has been attending another ward for just over a month now, which is a huge step in faith, just to attend church.  I am excited to see where he progresses and how his faith grows.

Choir is just awesome!  Sadly, without me, the pianist, and Elder Christiansen, who basically carries the tenors, it might be a bit harder.  They work so hard, and the songs are beautiful, I love El Cristo Es, and we sing Oh Elderes de Israel, and who can´t smile and get inspired by that song?  We are also doing Divina Luz and Cuando Enseña a tus Hijos.

Sometimes things in life happen and we don´t understand why.  We want to question why and life is hard.  At these times, as I humble myself and pray to God, I have realized how much God knows me personally and answers prayers.  Sometimes, all I ask is for a little peace, knowing that I don´t understand, but God does.  He knows everything and everyone perfectly.  He tells us in the scriptures, "be still and know that I am God" and He gives us peace, as stated in Matthew 14:27, not as the world gives, but as He gives, which is a greater peace and assurance.  A hymn I have had in my head this weekend is "God Moves in a Mysterious Way".  I never fully understood that song earlier, thought it had an interesting title, but it is true.  We don´t understand the why of everything, especially in the moment, and sometimes it does seem like a strange way for things to work out, but God knows, and moves in His way, a mysterious way to us.  He loves us, and will not give us any trial too big that we can´t overcome with His help.  He is there to help me as I turn to Him on my knees in prayer and as I read His words in the scriptures.  He is there to help everyone.  He is there to help you, you just have to turn to Him.  I love the story in Matthew 14, when Christ walks on water and Peter tries too.  He becomes scared and calls out to Christ, and Christ is right there to help him.  Christ is right there to help us too, to reach out his hand to grab ours and pull us up and give us strength.

I love ya´ll!
Hermana Quain
Zone Conference

Monday, April 13, 2015

April 13, 2015 - Maipú


It has been a week of miracles!

I am feeling loads better, which is such a blessing.

So, Raquel, I don´t think I have told you about her, is so awesome.  She is a previous investigator, but had tons and tons of questions and doubts.  We had a lesson with her, in which she prayed, then we sat in silence for about 5 minutes, and we could all just feel our Heavenly Fathers love.  We are just working with her on obeying commandments and going to church.

Mariela, who is our other main investigator, has been super busy, so we are working on trying to see her.  We got to see her once this last week, but were only able to pray with her and invite her to church, but she didn´t come.

Asado last week was oh soooo yummy, and today we are going to the mountains!  I will make sure to take some pics. 
Elder Christenson, one of our ZLs, and Elder Vallecillo, DL and the
only missionary from Nicaragua here
This last week, Thursday, we had intercambios, exchanges, and I went over to Rivadavia with Hermana Workman, it is almost 2 hours away by bus.  It was so awesome!  Hermana Workman has been out for 9 months and gave me advice and was great to talk to.  I also tried my first pancho, and I love them!  Kind of like hot dogs but even better, and the place we went to makes them on homemade type bread.
 intercambios, exchanges, in Rivadavia with Hermana Workman
The sunset, it was so beautiful that we had to stop and take a picture

My first pancho! These are the best panchos too, homemade bread and toppings,
 they are kind of like hot dogs
 

We had zone meeting on Friday and I got to play piano for it!  And I played piano for church and for choir practice!!! Love, love, love!  Mom, I love the quote and talk about music from conference, I could relate to it more.
“We learn the dance steps with our minds, but we hear the music with our hearts. The dance steps of the gospel are the things we do; the music of the gospel is the joyful spiritual feeling that comes from the Holy Ghost. It brings a change of heart and is the source of all righteous desires. The dance steps require discipline, but the joy of the dance will be experienced only when we come to hear the music.” - Elder Wilford Andersen –
 

Saturday we had our first member present lesson, with Raquel, it was awesome!  The member was an older lady, as with Raquel, and they could relate so much more to each other.  We are working on continuing this having members there trend.

I am so excited!  The Cordoba Temple Dedication is coming up, and we will be able to watch it from here.  Temples are such a blessing.

As we turn to the Lord and rely on Him, He strengthens us so much.  I have felt this so much while being here, learning a language, new culture, and teaching about our Heavenly Father´s love.  He loves and knows each of us personally.
 so you can see a bit of what our pension looks like :)

huevos de pascua!  And my first day wearing my hair down for proselyting!

Wednesday, April 8, 2015

April 7, 2015 - Maipú


It has been a week of miracles!

Monday: I extended the baptismal invitation to an investigator and she said yes!  However, we haven´t been able to get back in su casa, so hopefully she will not be so busy now.

Tuesday:  I couldn’t do much, as I had lost my voice and was sick with a sort of flu.  I did eat fiambre, which is basically just sandwich meat and cheese, a cheap snack.

Wednesday: Recovering from being sick, so we didn´t do a ton, though we had district meeting which is always awesome.

Thursday: We went to the offices for Hermana Jasso to be at a meeting.  I got to be with other sister´s for the day.  We went to a member’s house in one of their areas and helped to make huevos de chocolate por la pascua!  So much fun!  It was with Hermana Zoolinger(she didn´t send pics, but I am pretty sure she has a blog, so she might have our pics up on that to look at).  Warning family-I want to do this when I get back, it is just chocolate molds, you stick candies in the middle, it is a tradition here, not painting eggs.  Also, I tried dulce de membrilla, it is kind of a thick jam from a type of pear.  It is so good, especially wrapped in cheese.  The man we rent from gave us a thing of it homemade!  So nice!  He has started doing his own homemade wine, which is interesting to see, but it smells sooo strong.

Friday:  I tried sopapillas today.  We bought them from these little boys selling in the street and talked to them about the Sabbath day.  They are kind of like donut, fried bread with sugar on them.  I started getting sick again and losing my voice. :(

Saturday: CONFERENCE!  We watched the women’s session and the morning session in Spanish and the rest in English.  I love love love conference.  I really liked Elder Eyring’s talk about fear, and how it can be gone through Christ.

Sunday: Probably the roughest day of being sick: I couldn´t swallow, breath, or talk, but we still got to watch conference!  There are going to be 3 more Temples!  How amazing is that?  So in-between sessions, from 3-5, everyone just eats at the church.  Saturday we brought our own food, and Sunday the Obispo familia brought us a vianda, with enough to feed us and 4 elders and still have leftovers!

Monday: Went to the doctors and had to get blood work and swabs in my throat, because they were worried I might have mono or strep, but I don’t´!!  Yay!  We also went to the offices for entrevistas, and learned about the importance of the law of chastity and how to teach it.  A long but good day.  And I met the Maseda´s from Vacaville!  We ran into each other at the offices, which was so fun.

So that has basically been my week, with the highlight being how amazing conference was.  I love getting to listen to the teachings of modern-day prophets! 

I love you all!
Hermana Quain

A pic of me at the computer!  Just so you know that I still look the same :)