Fourteen Souls

Querida Familia Mia,

Heavenly Father expects a lot from me these last 5 weeks.

Tuesday night after a day of saying my goodbyes and packing my suitcases, I laid down in my bed in the dark of the winter night after saying my bedtime prayer. Hermana Rasband was still praying before I got up, and a few moments later after I had already started to doze off she came over and surprised me with a hug and said, "You'll do great things in Gálvez!" I hugged her back and said thanks through a heavy sigh and keeping the tears back. It doesn't matter how many times you change areas, your heart breaks every time. I love Paraná, it´s streets will forever be sacred ground to me.

Wednesday morning I got up at 2:30 am to shower and get ready. At 3:40 we left for the terminal, and by 7:30 I was in Rosario. When I arrived I was greeted by several of my missionary friends who were there for transfer day to coordinate and receive traveling missionaries. Hermana Alicea was among them, it made me happy to see her :) Hopped in the taxi with 3 other sisters and headed to the mission home. We had a great discussion with the Taxi cab driver about his family, he has an 8 month old Daughter that he said is his world. We explained How God is his loving heavenly Father, how he wants to have a relationship with this man just as he thrives on the relationship he has with his 8 month old little girl. We shared the book of Mormon with him, the spirit was strong as we pulled up to the brick CASTLE of the mission home.

Sitting in the Mission Home Parlor with the other Trainers I was brought back to so many memories of a year ago, when I came to the mission home with Hermana Ferraez, when I played the Pump Organ and found out that Hermana Alicea would be my companion again. Can it really have been a year since those treasured memories? Soon Presidente Zanni was instructing us, my heart full of so many memories and emotions. The new missionaries entered the room, and a young Sister that dresses in the same style as Hermana Alicea, with great big blue eyes like her was among the Sisters. Her name is Hermana Briggs. And come to find out, She's my new companion! She is INCREDIBLE. She is from Holladay Utah. She's previously done Humanitarian work in Cambodia, has helped build an orphanage in Mexico, has visited Costa Rica, and has SO MUCH FAITH and SO MUCH LOVE. We've already shared some great moments and are excited to serve together in Gàlvez.

We spent the night in Paraná because Gálvez is far away . . . from EVERYTHING. It was good to hug Hermana Rasband and To hug and talk to Hermana Dean. Galvez is her previous area, and she is now serving in Paraná . . .we did a flip flop :) she gave us some good heads up info on the little branch so that we could be prepared upon arrival. She also gave us the keys and address to our Apartment. Details . . . :)

We arrived in Gálvez at about 2 pm on Thursday. I was so relieved to finally arrive and start getting to know the area. IT's a little town like Cañada de Gomez, safe and secure, nothing like the city I just came from. I'm getting used to quiet town life again! it looks like we just fell out of beauty and the beast. We took a taxi to our apartment and started settling in, then cracked open the area book and started planning, figuring out who our investigators are, finding a map, getting oriented. Gálvez is a tiny branch, about 12 or 15 people attend church every week, and the branch president is imported from Santa Fe every week to preside and conduct the ward. There is SO MUCH WORK TO DO, I don't have any time to be trunky, and that's the best part about it. There's a fantastic family we're currently teaching, a single dad and his 3 kids, his name is Sergio. More details next week, but pray for him and his family and their progression!

Saturday Night, Hermana Briggs and I found our way to the chapel. It is a warehouse that they've converted rooms in it to be a church. When we entered I was overcome by the spirit. Hermana Briggs asked if I would like to say a prayer, I said I would, we knelt and had a sacred moment with heavenly Father. We offered him our thanks to be serving in this little town and pleaded for his help, offering him our will to work with all our hearts so that we can see this little warehouse chapel full.

Sunday we had fourteen souls in sacrament meeting, Sergio and his 3 kids were the first to come to church. :) I taught gospel principles and gave a talk, Hermana Briggs taught primary for 2 hours all by her lonesome (she's a BOSS!) on her first Sunday in the mission field, her first time speaking spanish in a foreign country. I am amazed by her and know that God has a great work fo us to do.

I love you with all my heart, my dear family!
Pray for us, Pray for Gálvez. God is Good.
Hermana Boren