Dearest Family!!!
25 years ago today, within the Castle walls of the Salt Lake temple, a family began. A Gorgeous young bride of only 19 years and her Handsome Groom made a covenant with God to be forever. I am indebtedly grateful for that promise that they made and forever in awe of the Marriage and Parenthood that ensued thereafter. I love you and am celebrating your 25 years today, Mom and Dad! Love love love you!
Steel wool returned this week with our Once a transfer Día de Limpieza yesterday. Handwashed laundry for 2 hours and lots of scrubbing for the rest. Wooee, we did WORK! Also, as far as transfers go, We got our transfer call this morning and . . . wait for it, drumroll . . . We're all staying together!! All 4 of us sisters serving in Cañada de Gomez are staying here. I couldn't have been more surprised, I thought for sure something would change amongst us four. But lo and behold, it isn't so. We are excited to enjoy the Holidays together. I will be calling home on Christmas via Skype, I'm excited to see your faces! I'm assuming I'll be calling home between 1 pm and 5 pm Argentina time. Also, Christmas will be my Pday so I won't be sending a letter next week, just calling to talk to you. I know that's a wide open window I'm sorry I can't be more specific. I hope it will be a wonderful Christmas!
I don't have much time so I'll have to tell you more in our phonecall this next week. Argentina is getting SO HOT I sometimes think I'm going to melt. It has been in the 90-100 degree weather this week without Airconditioning. I have never been so tan in my life!
The favorite experience of the week: There's a menos activa in our Rama (Branch) named Rita. In Argentina many families live under the same roof, and even moreso live on the same property or street. When we're with Rita, we almost always encounter a new person from her family. This week we met Gimena, a Girlfriend living with one of her Grandsons. She has two little boys, ages 7 and infant of 6 months. She believes in God and has studied the New Testament a great deal. She is a marvelous woman. This week we shared with her the Restoration video and afterwards she said she believed it. We taught her to pray, she has only ever said recited Catholic prayers, and so we introduced the process 1) Dear Heavenly Father, 2)We thank thee for, 3)Please Bless or I ask thee for, 4)In the Name of Jesus Christ, Amen. Usually our investigators say they wouldn't like to pray or are too embarrassed. But Gimena just went for it, and offered up a humble, sincere prayer from the Heart. As she prayed that God would watch over her Children and her "Marido," she broke down into tears. She closed the prayer and continued to sob. We asked her what she was feeling, and she explained that she was overcome with feelings of love, peace. We explained that this is the feeling the spirit brings, testifying of truth. We invited her to be baptized but she has to be married in order to do so. We'll for certain be working with her. There is a tremendous power in prayer!
Remember this Christmas Season that God lives! That the true reason for the Holidays is our beloved Savior, Jesus Christ. 2013 years ago, he was born to a young mother in a humble stable. He lived a quiet life of servitude, and taught us love. He brought to us the way to get back home to our father, and the way we can enjoy true happiness in this life despite the challenges, fears, difficulties, and heartaches that beset us. He is the light, life, and hope of my life . . . and of the world! Praise ye His name!
Love, con MUCHISIMO amor,
Hermana Boren
Tuesday, December 17, 2013
Monday, December 9, 2013
If you Like Kisses from Mosquitos and Getting Caught in the Rain
Dearest Family,
One of the most comic weeks in the life of a Rosario, Argentina Missionary. I was on divisions with one of the Sister Training Leaders in a little Pueblito called Roldan (its pretty much the Kamus, Utah of Argentina . . . in other words, a little ole country town in the middle of nowhere) and when I woke up in the morning I had 27 mosquito bites, one of which was on my front lip. Remember that year at Mirror lake when i got bit by a mosquito and my whole eyelid swelled up, family? Well, that happened again, but this time on my mouth. I walked around for a day a little asymmetrical, but it made me laugh. Yesterday we had a flash flood--we had studies during the tarde hours after church, and just after we arrived at Brisa Diaz' home (about 6pm) for a lesson, the skies opened up and CRIED. The streets and sewage systems aren't architecturally designed to handle how much water spills from the heavens every summertime. The water was up to a foot and a half deep when the rain began to calm down. After our lesson, we hurried on home, getting soaked all the while. At this time, lightning and thunder began to crack in rambunctious torments all about the sky. It flashed right above our heads on the power lines, and with it's strike, the lights went out in all of downtown Cañada. Hermana Martinez said a quick prayer in petition for protection, and finally made our way Safely to the apartment. We were sure to thank Heavenly father for the protection he gave us in our bedtime prayer. Luckily the other sisters made it home safely as well. Without the lights on there wasn't much journal writing or studying to be done amongst the four of us, and so we made the best of our situation, lit up a candle, cooked some oatmeal and stove top popcorn, and settled down to watch "Legacy" on our battery powered DVD player. It was a fun Sunday night in the mission field I will never forget. Oh, Argetina. There are so many misadventures here that just make us smile.
This was a beautiful week. We encountered a man while doing street contacting the other day, working in his front yard, that called us over to talk to him. He explained that he needs the word of God in his live, and pulled out a few chairs from his home to talk to us. Juan is his name, and he is such a unique person. He is about 60 years old, He has two children, ages 6 and 3, a little boy and a little girl. The little girl has special needs and the little boy is just a doll, he wanted to make sure we had enough "Jugo" (juice) and that we weren't thirsty. Juan currently is housing a homeless man named Elvio, about 40 years old. This week while I was away on divisions in Roldan, Hermana Reyes and Hermana Martinez invited them both to baptism on December 28th, and they accepted! I am so tickled for them and look forward to seeing how the Gospel truly blesses families and changes lives. Juan, after hearing about Joseph Smith, got teary eyed and explained that he's searching for the truth as well. We promised, as we always do, that the answer and testament of the truths we share come from God, not from us. That through the witness of the Holy Spirit, he will come to a knowledge that this is the true and restored church of Jesus Christ upon the Earth, or that it is not. They both read the Book of Mormon together after our visits and their prayers are powerful and sincere. Elvio has this little dog that follows him around everywhere, he calls her his best friend, and he asked us if we needed any help in the music on Sunday because he plays the drums. We explained that we'd love to have his talents at our Noche de Hogar activities on Fridays. We'll wait and see. We are just hoping they will come to church this Sunday so they can progress and make this precious covenant of baptism.
Sister Jan Holiday, I got your package from clear back on August 9th with the marvelous drawings from the Primary Kids! Oh, they are darling! Thank you for sending it and there is hope for the other packages you all have sent! Thank you for your love and your examples. Yes, you sweet primary Children, you ARE missionaries now! You don't have to wait until you're grown. The world needs your light and your pure Christlike examples!
I had a profound spiritual experience this week. On Saturday we had a Zone meeting, and for a couple of reasons it was just an off day. I was caught up in worrying about the safety of missionaries throughout the world, and particularly for the Elders and Sisters in more politically and physically dangerous areas of the world. Living in a foreign country opens my eyes in so many ways of the freedoms and rights I have been offered my entire life. American Heroes, my gratitude is yours! As I pondered the turmoil, temptation, and unrest in the world around me, I felt overcome with worry and contempt in my heart. My heart cried to God all the day long. When we returned from Rosario in the late afternoon, we had an hour for personal study. I felt impressed to open to Alma 56, which relates the account of the 2000 young stripling warriors. Helaman writes to Moroni about his experience as the leader of these young men. During their first weeks and months, he does all he can to evade fights with the Lamanites and protect his little "sons," while still fulfilling their duties and work as a battallion. But there comes a point where the troops of Antipus are dying, and the closest aid they have is this small battalion of teenage boys. I began to weep as I read the following verses:
"And now, whether they were overtaken by Antipus we knew not, but I said unto my men: Behold, we know not but they have halted for this purpose that we should come against them, that they might catch us in their snare,
"Therefore what say ye, my sons, will ye go against them to battle?
"And now I say unto you, my beloved brother Moroni, that never had I seen so great courage, nay, not amonst all the Nephites.
" . . . Now they never had fought, yet they did not fear death, and they did think more upon the liberty of their fathers than they did upon their lives, yea, they had been taught by their mothers, that if they did not doubt, God would deliver them."
I testify that God was with me in this moment, in this dark our of my grief and worry, and testified to me that we are as the armies of Helaman, truly. He is with us on our right hand and our left. He protected me this week through storms of lightning and storms of men, and he does so to each of his precious sons and daughters in the mission field. I so testify that the Book of Mormon is an account of people who actually lived, and that its pages are inspired of God. Those who have not read the book of Mormon, read it now and feast upon its words. Those who have read it and do not believe it, I plead with you to pick it up and read it again. We have to push ourselves in order to find understanding, at times.
Onward, ever onward.
Hermana Boren
One of the most comic weeks in the life of a Rosario, Argentina Missionary. I was on divisions with one of the Sister Training Leaders in a little Pueblito called Roldan (its pretty much the Kamus, Utah of Argentina . . . in other words, a little ole country town in the middle of nowhere) and when I woke up in the morning I had 27 mosquito bites, one of which was on my front lip. Remember that year at Mirror lake when i got bit by a mosquito and my whole eyelid swelled up, family? Well, that happened again, but this time on my mouth. I walked around for a day a little asymmetrical, but it made me laugh. Yesterday we had a flash flood--we had studies during the tarde hours after church, and just after we arrived at Brisa Diaz' home (about 6pm) for a lesson, the skies opened up and CRIED. The streets and sewage systems aren't architecturally designed to handle how much water spills from the heavens every summertime. The water was up to a foot and a half deep when the rain began to calm down. After our lesson, we hurried on home, getting soaked all the while. At this time, lightning and thunder began to crack in rambunctious torments all about the sky. It flashed right above our heads on the power lines, and with it's strike, the lights went out in all of downtown Cañada. Hermana Martinez said a quick prayer in petition for protection, and finally made our way Safely to the apartment. We were sure to thank Heavenly father for the protection he gave us in our bedtime prayer. Luckily the other sisters made it home safely as well. Without the lights on there wasn't much journal writing or studying to be done amongst the four of us, and so we made the best of our situation, lit up a candle, cooked some oatmeal and stove top popcorn, and settled down to watch "Legacy" on our battery powered DVD player. It was a fun Sunday night in the mission field I will never forget. Oh, Argetina. There are so many misadventures here that just make us smile.
This was a beautiful week. We encountered a man while doing street contacting the other day, working in his front yard, that called us over to talk to him. He explained that he needs the word of God in his live, and pulled out a few chairs from his home to talk to us. Juan is his name, and he is such a unique person. He is about 60 years old, He has two children, ages 6 and 3, a little boy and a little girl. The little girl has special needs and the little boy is just a doll, he wanted to make sure we had enough "Jugo" (juice) and that we weren't thirsty. Juan currently is housing a homeless man named Elvio, about 40 years old. This week while I was away on divisions in Roldan, Hermana Reyes and Hermana Martinez invited them both to baptism on December 28th, and they accepted! I am so tickled for them and look forward to seeing how the Gospel truly blesses families and changes lives. Juan, after hearing about Joseph Smith, got teary eyed and explained that he's searching for the truth as well. We promised, as we always do, that the answer and testament of the truths we share come from God, not from us. That through the witness of the Holy Spirit, he will come to a knowledge that this is the true and restored church of Jesus Christ upon the Earth, or that it is not. They both read the Book of Mormon together after our visits and their prayers are powerful and sincere. Elvio has this little dog that follows him around everywhere, he calls her his best friend, and he asked us if we needed any help in the music on Sunday because he plays the drums. We explained that we'd love to have his talents at our Noche de Hogar activities on Fridays. We'll wait and see. We are just hoping they will come to church this Sunday so they can progress and make this precious covenant of baptism.
Sister Jan Holiday, I got your package from clear back on August 9th with the marvelous drawings from the Primary Kids! Oh, they are darling! Thank you for sending it and there is hope for the other packages you all have sent! Thank you for your love and your examples. Yes, you sweet primary Children, you ARE missionaries now! You don't have to wait until you're grown. The world needs your light and your pure Christlike examples!
I had a profound spiritual experience this week. On Saturday we had a Zone meeting, and for a couple of reasons it was just an off day. I was caught up in worrying about the safety of missionaries throughout the world, and particularly for the Elders and Sisters in more politically and physically dangerous areas of the world. Living in a foreign country opens my eyes in so many ways of the freedoms and rights I have been offered my entire life. American Heroes, my gratitude is yours! As I pondered the turmoil, temptation, and unrest in the world around me, I felt overcome with worry and contempt in my heart. My heart cried to God all the day long. When we returned from Rosario in the late afternoon, we had an hour for personal study. I felt impressed to open to Alma 56, which relates the account of the 2000 young stripling warriors. Helaman writes to Moroni about his experience as the leader of these young men. During their first weeks and months, he does all he can to evade fights with the Lamanites and protect his little "sons," while still fulfilling their duties and work as a battallion. But there comes a point where the troops of Antipus are dying, and the closest aid they have is this small battalion of teenage boys. I began to weep as I read the following verses:
"And now, whether they were overtaken by Antipus we knew not, but I said unto my men: Behold, we know not but they have halted for this purpose that we should come against them, that they might catch us in their snare,
"Therefore what say ye, my sons, will ye go against them to battle?
"And now I say unto you, my beloved brother Moroni, that never had I seen so great courage, nay, not amonst all the Nephites.
" . . . Now they never had fought, yet they did not fear death, and they did think more upon the liberty of their fathers than they did upon their lives, yea, they had been taught by their mothers, that if they did not doubt, God would deliver them."
I testify that God was with me in this moment, in this dark our of my grief and worry, and testified to me that we are as the armies of Helaman, truly. He is with us on our right hand and our left. He protected me this week through storms of lightning and storms of men, and he does so to each of his precious sons and daughters in the mission field. I so testify that the Book of Mormon is an account of people who actually lived, and that its pages are inspired of God. Those who have not read the book of Mormon, read it now and feast upon its words. Those who have read it and do not believe it, I plead with you to pick it up and read it again. We have to push ourselves in order to find understanding, at times.
Onward, ever onward.
Hermana Boren
Monday, November 25, 2013
Children of a King
Dearest Family,
We are children of a King! I hope you all remember that on the hardest days and on your every days. You are children of King on high! God is our father, and we have the potential and goal of becoming like him. It is not just a good philosophy, good theology, or an optimistic hope. It is a reality I treasure.
Something you should know before I forget--you know the boxcars I mentioned? They are not just there for looks. People actually live in them!!!! Boxcar children are real here in Cañada de Gomez!!! I saw one of the doors open and people sitting down to eat dinner the other night, and I stopped dead in my tracks! I asked a member if it's a restauraunt or kiosko or something, but nope--they are houses!! I told Hermana Martinez we should look into changing our apartment to living in a boxcar, and she just laughed and looked at me like the crazy person I am. I always say little boys never grow up. Sometimes little girls never grow up, too.
This past Tuesday we had the privilege of traveling to Rosario for a Sister's conference, titled "Hijas de Un Rey," or "Daughters of a King." It was for each and every Hermana serving in the Rosario mission. You know what that means . . . drumroll . . . I got to see every single beautiful sister missionary that i love in this mission! I attacked each one with a great big bear hug and didn't let go for the longest time! MTC--Hermana VanWagnen, Hermana Whittaker, Hermana Telfer, From Washington Tacoma and finally here after her Visa waiting was Hermana Dean, and the Sisters I came to love in Venado--Hermanas Guevara, Contreras, Aragon, and Reyes. Seeing Hermana Alicea felt like coming home. She is currently serving in Uraguay. Yup, you heard me, Uruguay. A tiny part of our mission stretches into another country. She is currently whitewashing as well and training a brand new Misionera from Ecuador. I am so proud of her! We're both having transfers full of trials and opposition, but we helped remind each other of one of our favorite themes in an EFY song, "Impossible is not a word." We overcame so many impossible situations in Venado Tuerto together. In the work of the Lord, we can overcome anything. She is like a sister to me and I will forever be thankful for the best friend I have gained on my mission in her!
The conference was balm for the soul. Hermana Alicea, Hermana Whittaker, and I sang a musical number arrangement of "As Sisters in Zion" with the "We are daughters" harmony, translated into spanish, of Course. We enjoyed inspired counsel from Hermana Giuliani and the Sister Training Leaders about utilizing Music in our teaching, Family History Research and getting recent converts started, Modest Dress, Teaching simply and powerfully like the Savior did, and more. We had a group lunch, it was a lovely set up wtih place mats and centerpieces and everything. The office elders and Assistants to the president dressed up as waiters and served us personally, it was a hoot. We also had a short game where we made dresses made out of Newspaper, it reminded me of one year at girls camp when we made wedding dresses out of toilet paper and such. My favorite part of the conference was the counsel Presidente Giuliani offered to conclude the meeting. He spoke about challenges we sometimes face as missionaries, more specifically with companions. He explained that one of his companions from his missionary days became one of his best friends and a different companion made his life miserable. But he expressed the need to love as the Savior does, and that the hard experiences of our mission are like rain. We need to have a stormy sky now and again in order to have a successful harvest of fruits and grains, etc. We can't always have sunny skies. He explained to keep pressing forward and learn to trust in the Lord. He delivered the message so beautifully yet simply. I am grateful for the comfort of having inspired Priesthood leaders to lead and guide us.
The conference was over too fast, but we set to work the rest of the week, Hermana Martinez and I. Brisa, that sweet, darling little girl of age 9 had her baptismal interview on Saturday. Elder Rodriguez, our district leader, explained that after interviewing her he felt a strong spiritually impression that she is pure and doesn't yet know what sin is. She is at a learning capacity of about a 5 or 6 year old after the birth challenges she had as a premie. Elder Rodriguez explained that she doesn't have the need to be baptized to be cleansed of sin because of her pure state, but that she can still be baptized because of her age if she would like to. We talked with Lorena, Brisa's mother who is a member, and explained the situation. With Brisa's eagerness for baptism, it was decided that she will continue with baptism, but with the condition that Lorena needs to continually remind her daughter as she grows of the covenant she made. We are excited for this beautiful little girl to enter the waters of baptism this Saturday, November 30th.
We are still working with Alfredo, and also wtih a young lady of 14 named Micaela (Mikayla in Spanish). We also enjoyed a fantastic Ward activity involving water baloons and a giant pizza on Saturday. God is good. We keep going, we keep working, we keep loving the Lord. Never forget to cry to him in fervent prayer, like Enos does with pure heart and honest, real intent.
Love, forever and forever and forever,
Hermana Boren
We are children of a King! I hope you all remember that on the hardest days and on your every days. You are children of King on high! God is our father, and we have the potential and goal of becoming like him. It is not just a good philosophy, good theology, or an optimistic hope. It is a reality I treasure.
Something you should know before I forget--you know the boxcars I mentioned? They are not just there for looks. People actually live in them!!!! Boxcar children are real here in Cañada de Gomez!!! I saw one of the doors open and people sitting down to eat dinner the other night, and I stopped dead in my tracks! I asked a member if it's a restauraunt or kiosko or something, but nope--they are houses!! I told Hermana Martinez we should look into changing our apartment to living in a boxcar, and she just laughed and looked at me like the crazy person I am. I always say little boys never grow up. Sometimes little girls never grow up, too.
This past Tuesday we had the privilege of traveling to Rosario for a Sister's conference, titled "Hijas de Un Rey," or "Daughters of a King." It was for each and every Hermana serving in the Rosario mission. You know what that means . . . drumroll . . . I got to see every single beautiful sister missionary that i love in this mission! I attacked each one with a great big bear hug and didn't let go for the longest time! MTC--Hermana VanWagnen, Hermana Whittaker, Hermana Telfer, From Washington Tacoma and finally here after her Visa waiting was Hermana Dean, and the Sisters I came to love in Venado--Hermanas Guevara, Contreras, Aragon, and Reyes. Seeing Hermana Alicea felt like coming home. She is currently serving in Uraguay. Yup, you heard me, Uruguay. A tiny part of our mission stretches into another country. She is currently whitewashing as well and training a brand new Misionera from Ecuador. I am so proud of her! We're both having transfers full of trials and opposition, but we helped remind each other of one of our favorite themes in an EFY song, "Impossible is not a word." We overcame so many impossible situations in Venado Tuerto together. In the work of the Lord, we can overcome anything. She is like a sister to me and I will forever be thankful for the best friend I have gained on my mission in her!
The conference was balm for the soul. Hermana Alicea, Hermana Whittaker, and I sang a musical number arrangement of "As Sisters in Zion" with the "We are daughters" harmony, translated into spanish, of Course. We enjoyed inspired counsel from Hermana Giuliani and the Sister Training Leaders about utilizing Music in our teaching, Family History Research and getting recent converts started, Modest Dress, Teaching simply and powerfully like the Savior did, and more. We had a group lunch, it was a lovely set up wtih place mats and centerpieces and everything. The office elders and Assistants to the president dressed up as waiters and served us personally, it was a hoot. We also had a short game where we made dresses made out of Newspaper, it reminded me of one year at girls camp when we made wedding dresses out of toilet paper and such. My favorite part of the conference was the counsel Presidente Giuliani offered to conclude the meeting. He spoke about challenges we sometimes face as missionaries, more specifically with companions. He explained that one of his companions from his missionary days became one of his best friends and a different companion made his life miserable. But he expressed the need to love as the Savior does, and that the hard experiences of our mission are like rain. We need to have a stormy sky now and again in order to have a successful harvest of fruits and grains, etc. We can't always have sunny skies. He explained to keep pressing forward and learn to trust in the Lord. He delivered the message so beautifully yet simply. I am grateful for the comfort of having inspired Priesthood leaders to lead and guide us.
The conference was over too fast, but we set to work the rest of the week, Hermana Martinez and I. Brisa, that sweet, darling little girl of age 9 had her baptismal interview on Saturday. Elder Rodriguez, our district leader, explained that after interviewing her he felt a strong spiritually impression that she is pure and doesn't yet know what sin is. She is at a learning capacity of about a 5 or 6 year old after the birth challenges she had as a premie. Elder Rodriguez explained that she doesn't have the need to be baptized to be cleansed of sin because of her pure state, but that she can still be baptized because of her age if she would like to. We talked with Lorena, Brisa's mother who is a member, and explained the situation. With Brisa's eagerness for baptism, it was decided that she will continue with baptism, but with the condition that Lorena needs to continually remind her daughter as she grows of the covenant she made. We are excited for this beautiful little girl to enter the waters of baptism this Saturday, November 30th.
We are still working with Alfredo, and also wtih a young lady of 14 named Micaela (Mikayla in Spanish). We also enjoyed a fantastic Ward activity involving water baloons and a giant pizza on Saturday. God is good. We keep going, we keep working, we keep loving the Lord. Never forget to cry to him in fervent prayer, like Enos does with pure heart and honest, real intent.
Love, forever and forever and forever,
Hermana Boren
Tuesday, November 19, 2013
Amazing Grace
Dearest Family and Friends,
Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost but now am found,
Was blind but now I see.
My chains are gone, I've been set free.
My God, my Savior has ransomed me
And like a flood his mercy reigns
Unending love, Amazing Grace.
We sang this every time we had a meeting in the Washington Tacoma Mission. The gorgeous WA-TAC. And I have sung it so often to myself or quietly in the Argentina streets while I've been here. I express often to our less active members and investigators that "musica es una ventana a los cielos," "music is a window to the heavens." It is so true for me! And this song expresses what I feel in my heart so profoundly. Unending love, amazing grace.
This week was beautiful. It started with rains to make us feel like Noah would be coming around the bend in his arky-arky any minute, and ended with rays of AFRICA-HOT, as Dad says. I once thought Utah weather was bipolar . . . I'm certainly not going to claim I'm as tan as Corey gets in the summer time, but . . . I'm getting there :) I'm excited to see a green Christmas here in the Southern Hemisphere! Also, Corey, you would love the stars. They are different constellations than the northern hemisphere, and I catch myself still looking for the Big Dipper at nighttime. Sometimes we can barely see Orion's belt on the horizon, but nothing more is familiar in the night sky. I wonder what kind of star pictures belong in this part of the atmosphere. Aren't the creations of our God and King magnificent?
Lots of teaching the past days, one of my greatest life joys and passion. 9-year-old-Brisa now has the whole story of Joseph Smith's first vision memorized and often reads and recites it to her Mom. She is a shy girl, but we're trying to help her feel more confidence and realize the angel that she is and the divine potential that she has.
Alfredo, the Argentine-Bill-Cosby, came to church again this week and wants to be baptized! If all goes well this week with teaching and understanding, and as his conversion process continues, he will be ready to enter the waters of baptism November 30th as well. The other Sisters Here in Cañada (Hermanas Rane y Carlson) have two investigators with baptismal dates for November 30th as well. If all of them come through, we will have 4 wonderful, strong new members of the church confirmed with the gift of the Holy Ghost on December 1st in the Cañada de Gomez branch. How exciting!
Our recent endeavors have also included contacting every family that is on our ward list that doesn't come to church. In our area alone, we have more than 45 houses to visit. GAH! We've met many and have fixed appointments with several. We're hoping to get these good sheep back to their fold.
The other day we were walking to visit one of the less active homes when Hermana Martinez suggested that we take another route. I agreed to have a change of scenery, but it turned out to be very inspired. We encountered a motley group of people chatting outside a lovely home in the summer shade, about 11 am on Saturday morning. We stopped to talk with them--A darling Grandmotherly woman named Victoria, A young, hip, 25 year old mother named Vanessa and her baby, and three friendly kids named Gabriel, age 11, Amilcar, age 13, and Fiambra, age 9. Come to find out, none of them are related except two of the children, who are siblings. They are just neighbors, Gabriel lives with his family down the Street, Vanessa lives in the house next door, Amilcar and Fiambra had ridden there bikes here from around the corner, and Victoria was sitting contentedly talking with them all on her front porch. This is what I love about Argentina. All kinds are friends. They had all just stopped to spend some time together and talk. They gladly invited us to join, and Hermana Martinez and I gladly sat down and began to talk with them. We struck up conversation about families, and expressed that their families are a forever thing--that through the gospel of Jesus Christ, we will live with those that we love forever. Victoria seemed squirmish at first at the idea, like it was too good to be true. She kept shaking her head and saying "No es verdad, no es verdad." But Gabriel piped up, "Yo lo creo," he said confidently, "I believe it." And something changed in Victoria's countenance. A little hope struck, from that confident pureness of her young, neighbor boy. She promptly began asking if we missionaries were well taken care of, who feeds us and if we had enough to eat, and then went inside to fetch us two bananas. I was overcome by her kindness, and she then invited us to come back whenever we could to gather some bread and cheese from her another day. Soon, Gabriel, Amilcar, and Fiambra began asking me a flurry of excited questions about speaking English and the United States--Gabriel was particularly interested in the Spurs Basketball team--and we began exchanging words in English and Spanish back and forth. Gabriel generously gave me two Bon-o-bon chocolates. All the while, Hermana Martinez is sitting with Vanessa teaching an in-depth conversation about the importance of Baptism by proper priesthood Authority. It was incredible. We left with a prayer, a thank you, and an invitation to return promptly. That moment was a tender mercy from Heavenly Father. Sometimes I wish that every day as a missionary could be that easy--sharing the gospel with such willing, listening ears to people of such sincere hearts.
Learning much and loving much. Remember always that you are loved on High, and loved from here in ARGENTINA!
Ty guy and Jordan, Happiest of 15th birthdays! I LOVE YOU THIIIIIIIIIIIIIIS much!
-Hermana Boren
Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost but now am found,
Was blind but now I see.
My chains are gone, I've been set free.
My God, my Savior has ransomed me
And like a flood his mercy reigns
Unending love, Amazing Grace.
We sang this every time we had a meeting in the Washington Tacoma Mission. The gorgeous WA-TAC. And I have sung it so often to myself or quietly in the Argentina streets while I've been here. I express often to our less active members and investigators that "musica es una ventana a los cielos," "music is a window to the heavens." It is so true for me! And this song expresses what I feel in my heart so profoundly. Unending love, amazing grace.
This week was beautiful. It started with rains to make us feel like Noah would be coming around the bend in his arky-arky any minute, and ended with rays of AFRICA-HOT, as Dad says. I once thought Utah weather was bipolar . . . I'm certainly not going to claim I'm as tan as Corey gets in the summer time, but . . . I'm getting there :) I'm excited to see a green Christmas here in the Southern Hemisphere! Also, Corey, you would love the stars. They are different constellations than the northern hemisphere, and I catch myself still looking for the Big Dipper at nighttime. Sometimes we can barely see Orion's belt on the horizon, but nothing more is familiar in the night sky. I wonder what kind of star pictures belong in this part of the atmosphere. Aren't the creations of our God and King magnificent?
Lots of teaching the past days, one of my greatest life joys and passion. 9-year-old-Brisa now has the whole story of Joseph Smith's first vision memorized and often reads and recites it to her Mom. She is a shy girl, but we're trying to help her feel more confidence and realize the angel that she is and the divine potential that she has.
Alfredo, the Argentine-Bill-Cosby, came to church again this week and wants to be baptized! If all goes well this week with teaching and understanding, and as his conversion process continues, he will be ready to enter the waters of baptism November 30th as well. The other Sisters Here in Cañada (Hermanas Rane y Carlson) have two investigators with baptismal dates for November 30th as well. If all of them come through, we will have 4 wonderful, strong new members of the church confirmed with the gift of the Holy Ghost on December 1st in the Cañada de Gomez branch. How exciting!
Our recent endeavors have also included contacting every family that is on our ward list that doesn't come to church. In our area alone, we have more than 45 houses to visit. GAH! We've met many and have fixed appointments with several. We're hoping to get these good sheep back to their fold.
The other day we were walking to visit one of the less active homes when Hermana Martinez suggested that we take another route. I agreed to have a change of scenery, but it turned out to be very inspired. We encountered a motley group of people chatting outside a lovely home in the summer shade, about 11 am on Saturday morning. We stopped to talk with them--A darling Grandmotherly woman named Victoria, A young, hip, 25 year old mother named Vanessa and her baby, and three friendly kids named Gabriel, age 11, Amilcar, age 13, and Fiambra, age 9. Come to find out, none of them are related except two of the children, who are siblings. They are just neighbors, Gabriel lives with his family down the Street, Vanessa lives in the house next door, Amilcar and Fiambra had ridden there bikes here from around the corner, and Victoria was sitting contentedly talking with them all on her front porch. This is what I love about Argentina. All kinds are friends. They had all just stopped to spend some time together and talk. They gladly invited us to join, and Hermana Martinez and I gladly sat down and began to talk with them. We struck up conversation about families, and expressed that their families are a forever thing--that through the gospel of Jesus Christ, we will live with those that we love forever. Victoria seemed squirmish at first at the idea, like it was too good to be true. She kept shaking her head and saying "No es verdad, no es verdad." But Gabriel piped up, "Yo lo creo," he said confidently, "I believe it." And something changed in Victoria's countenance. A little hope struck, from that confident pureness of her young, neighbor boy. She promptly began asking if we missionaries were well taken care of, who feeds us and if we had enough to eat, and then went inside to fetch us two bananas. I was overcome by her kindness, and she then invited us to come back whenever we could to gather some bread and cheese from her another day. Soon, Gabriel, Amilcar, and Fiambra began asking me a flurry of excited questions about speaking English and the United States--Gabriel was particularly interested in the Spurs Basketball team--and we began exchanging words in English and Spanish back and forth. Gabriel generously gave me two Bon-o-bon chocolates. All the while, Hermana Martinez is sitting with Vanessa teaching an in-depth conversation about the importance of Baptism by proper priesthood Authority. It was incredible. We left with a prayer, a thank you, and an invitation to return promptly. That moment was a tender mercy from Heavenly Father. Sometimes I wish that every day as a missionary could be that easy--sharing the gospel with such willing, listening ears to people of such sincere hearts.
Learning much and loving much. Remember always that you are loved on High, and loved from here in ARGENTINA!
Ty guy and Jordan, Happiest of 15th birthdays! I LOVE YOU THIIIIIIIIIIIIIIS much!
-Hermana Boren
Monday, November 11, 2013
Noviembre
My Beloved Family and Sweet Friends,
So much to tell you! Thank you so much for your emails and letters. I love hearing from all of you! Sister Holiday, NEVER doubt how much I love you and feel of your love! I am so sorry that the packages haven't come through, it's just the unlucky truth of Argentina. Don't you worry, I'm sure they'll make it sometime. And Mom, I did get the letters from you and Corey and the beautiful Simon Dewey cards. They are gorgeous and you know how much I love his artwork. I gave one of them to Hermana Martinez and she placed it all nice and neat in her journal. I love the mail you send! We get mail whenever we have a trip to Rosario for a training or something, or when our Zone Leaders go to Rosario they bring us back the mail. It feels like old fashioned mail times, really. Like the pioneer times! I wanted you to know that though I'm not able to see Hermana Alicea or the other missionary friends of mine I mentioned before, I did happen to be with Hermana Reyes when she got your letter--she is in my zone (I am so lucky because she is an absolute doll! Chilean princess, more like it) and she looked so surprised to have mail when the zone leaders handed her your letter with the Jesus Picture on the front. She looked at the name funny, like "Who is the Boren Bunch" and I explained that "Este carta es de mi familia." She looked so flabbergasted and delightfully surprised and exclaimed "En Serio??" in the same moment, and then she began to cry, gave me the tightest hug I have ever received. Quickly she began to open the letter and look through the pictures, laughing and smiling as she looked at the drawings that Corey and the primary kids sent her, and she loved the pictures of Christ you sent as well. Thank you so much, that moment was a sweet tender mercy I will remember forever. I felt in that moment all kinds of love--love for my sweet friend Hermana Reyes, love for you, my family, and the tender kindness of your hearts to serve selflessly and give much. Love for the Lord and the sweet gift he's given me to serve a mission and come to know such erect, good doing people from all over the world. Love for the Savior, and his example of love and service that we have the gift to follow. Thank you so much for sending her that letter. I'm sure that Elder Vergara, Elder Alvarez, and Hermana Alicea felt much the same. I don't want to ask to much, but if you could send a letter to Hermana Martinez as well, she would love it. She also doesn't get much mail from Honduras. She said she wouldn't give her family the address because she doesn't want them to spend the money. I thought in that moment, by golly, we can at least get her a letter.
I have learned so much this week. I feel that every day in my mission I am learning to sing the song of redeeming love as I experience daily moments of celestial light and also the sorrow of personal Gethsemane. There is so much Heavenly Father has for his missionaries to learn. I feel that the Mission field has given me my life. It's amazing the lives that are blessed on all sides because of missionary service--investigators get a chance to accept the savior and his gospel, converts receive the ordinances of salvation, members receive conversion and testimony as they too thrust in their efforts in the work, and we missionaries . . . I feel like we get it all, because we get to be a part of it all! Heavenly Father is so good to us!
Miracles of this week:
Brisa. She is 9 years old and a little piece of Heaven. She squeezes me with a big hug every time we enter the Diaz' home and even shared her birthday candy with me (it was something like warheads, and I loved it). She was born very premature and was sick, almost on her deathbed, 2 times before age 5. She's been through a lot. She hasn't yet learned to read and I'm figuring she's got to have several learning disabilities, and I'm drawing back on all my Elementary Education experience to know how to help her and how to teach her. I feel it is God's hand that I am blessed to be in her life right now, and I feel no greater joy right now then when I am with Hermana Martinez, teaching this sweet little girl about the Savior and that he loves her. I think she feels very insecure about learning and hasn't had a good experience in school. We are doing our very best to help her learn to love learning as she comes to know the message of the Restoration. I am so grateful that I bought a picture Book of Mormon at the MTC store in Spanish. Mom and Dad, I love this book and have used it often on my mission--thank you for helping me learn the stories of the Book of Mormon through this simplified version all through my growing up years. I know how to find each Book of Mormon story by picture now. Austin, I always think of you when I turn to the part about King Lamoni's father when he learns from Aaron. You know, the little drawing of the wife, and the spear in the background . . . you've got to know what I mean :) Love you, Jbird.
Also, our investigator Maria--we met her on our second day here in Cañada, just doing the good-old door to door contacting. She started bawling when she first met us and asked us to come back. She has come to two different church activities and we have had 4 lessons so far. She is so solid! She has read every reading assignment in the Book of Mormon that we've extended to her and prays every morning and night. We had a supernal moment this week when her granddaughter, Florencia, was listening in on a lesson. We invited Florencia to pray, and when she shied away, Maria encouraged her that she could do it, and before our eyes began helping her through a prayer, step by step. "Padre Celestial, Te doy gracias . . . " Oh my goodness. We felt like two little giddy kids afterwards as we all but skipped from the lesson. Hermana Martinez gave me the spanish equivalent of "Did you just see that! That was awesome!" It is one of the tender things we enjoy as missionaries, teaching others to pray.
We encountered a man during contacts the other day named Pedro. He is deaf in one ear and can't speak very well. In his quiet, half-worded speech, he told us that he is a member of the church, that he used to work in the United states (I think it was Texas) for a time, and found the missionaries there. He was baptized, told us about the peace he felt taking the sacrament, and how he has kept everything he learned about the book of Mromon and Heavenly Father locked in his heart. He then expressed that he felt it was a sign from God that we were passing and stopped to talk to him. He kept pointing at our name tags and then at the sky, the heavens. We hope we can help him return to activity and strengthen his testimony.
Yesterday Hermana Martinez and I taught the Relief Society lesson, that was a first in my mission. Lots of teaching, but never Relief Society before. We talked about the lesson in the Lorenzo Snow teachings manual about forsaking the world and putting our priorities and love with God. Shout out to Bishop Gurney: A long time ago in Youth Conference, you used an example with a glass mason jar about rocks being the essential things, littler rocks and sand being important things, and water being the extra things. You expressed visually the importance of putting our priorities with the essential things. I definitely copied this idea for our lesson and taught the sisters the importance of putting God and his commandments as our essential things, first and foremost in our life. Thank you for giving me that lesson visual! YW and YM leaders, you never know what the youth will remember and need later on their missions and in life. Thank you for each and every one of the Ward members in Highland who have blessed and influenced my life, and that of my family.
Also, 10 minutes before Sacrament meeting, I am asked by the 2nd counselor in the Branch Presidency to give a talk. Gulp! Well, I winged it, but luckily during Sunday School and Gospel Principles Hermana Rane had taught about 7 steps to giving a talk in church. So I was all set with the formula in my brain! It goes like this:
1. I remember when . . . (and give a personal story. It's always more interesting.)
2. Explain the doctrine/topic
3. Scripture
4. Use a visual example (like an analogy)
5. Invite (invite the congregation to act on this principle, it's like a missionary commitment)
6. Promise blessings
7. Testimony
When the time came to give my talk, I opened with sharing a sweet personal experience I had when Sister Watkins called me one summer and asked if I could help her son Logan with physical and learning exercises for a week or so. I explained the tender opportunity I had to walk alongside and help on the playground this wonderful little boy, a beloved son of Heavenly Father, as he better learned to walk and play and develop. I then related to the doctrine of helping our brothers and sisters walk spiritually, helping recent converts or less active members develop testimonies and learn the doctrine, but to do so with love and respect, not with criticism or arrogance. I also spoke about Mosiah 4:19, are we not all beggars before God? Sister Watkins, I want to thank you personally for that experience. I was filled with the spirit as I remembered all that I learned from that one short week in your loving home.
All for now, my sweet family. Keep the faith. Keep serving, keep loving the Lord. Can't wait to hear from you all next week!
Hermana Boren
So much to tell you! Thank you so much for your emails and letters. I love hearing from all of you! Sister Holiday, NEVER doubt how much I love you and feel of your love! I am so sorry that the packages haven't come through, it's just the unlucky truth of Argentina. Don't you worry, I'm sure they'll make it sometime. And Mom, I did get the letters from you and Corey and the beautiful Simon Dewey cards. They are gorgeous and you know how much I love his artwork. I gave one of them to Hermana Martinez and she placed it all nice and neat in her journal. I love the mail you send! We get mail whenever we have a trip to Rosario for a training or something, or when our Zone Leaders go to Rosario they bring us back the mail. It feels like old fashioned mail times, really. Like the pioneer times! I wanted you to know that though I'm not able to see Hermana Alicea or the other missionary friends of mine I mentioned before, I did happen to be with Hermana Reyes when she got your letter--she is in my zone (I am so lucky because she is an absolute doll! Chilean princess, more like it) and she looked so surprised to have mail when the zone leaders handed her your letter with the Jesus Picture on the front. She looked at the name funny, like "Who is the Boren Bunch" and I explained that "Este carta es de mi familia." She looked so flabbergasted and delightfully surprised and exclaimed "En Serio??" in the same moment, and then she began to cry, gave me the tightest hug I have ever received. Quickly she began to open the letter and look through the pictures, laughing and smiling as she looked at the drawings that Corey and the primary kids sent her, and she loved the pictures of Christ you sent as well. Thank you so much, that moment was a sweet tender mercy I will remember forever. I felt in that moment all kinds of love--love for my sweet friend Hermana Reyes, love for you, my family, and the tender kindness of your hearts to serve selflessly and give much. Love for the Lord and the sweet gift he's given me to serve a mission and come to know such erect, good doing people from all over the world. Love for the Savior, and his example of love and service that we have the gift to follow. Thank you so much for sending her that letter. I'm sure that Elder Vergara, Elder Alvarez, and Hermana Alicea felt much the same. I don't want to ask to much, but if you could send a letter to Hermana Martinez as well, she would love it. She also doesn't get much mail from Honduras. She said she wouldn't give her family the address because she doesn't want them to spend the money. I thought in that moment, by golly, we can at least get her a letter.
I have learned so much this week. I feel that every day in my mission I am learning to sing the song of redeeming love as I experience daily moments of celestial light and also the sorrow of personal Gethsemane. There is so much Heavenly Father has for his missionaries to learn. I feel that the Mission field has given me my life. It's amazing the lives that are blessed on all sides because of missionary service--investigators get a chance to accept the savior and his gospel, converts receive the ordinances of salvation, members receive conversion and testimony as they too thrust in their efforts in the work, and we missionaries . . . I feel like we get it all, because we get to be a part of it all! Heavenly Father is so good to us!
Miracles of this week:
Brisa. She is 9 years old and a little piece of Heaven. She squeezes me with a big hug every time we enter the Diaz' home and even shared her birthday candy with me (it was something like warheads, and I loved it). She was born very premature and was sick, almost on her deathbed, 2 times before age 5. She's been through a lot. She hasn't yet learned to read and I'm figuring she's got to have several learning disabilities, and I'm drawing back on all my Elementary Education experience to know how to help her and how to teach her. I feel it is God's hand that I am blessed to be in her life right now, and I feel no greater joy right now then when I am with Hermana Martinez, teaching this sweet little girl about the Savior and that he loves her. I think she feels very insecure about learning and hasn't had a good experience in school. We are doing our very best to help her learn to love learning as she comes to know the message of the Restoration. I am so grateful that I bought a picture Book of Mormon at the MTC store in Spanish. Mom and Dad, I love this book and have used it often on my mission--thank you for helping me learn the stories of the Book of Mormon through this simplified version all through my growing up years. I know how to find each Book of Mormon story by picture now. Austin, I always think of you when I turn to the part about King Lamoni's father when he learns from Aaron. You know, the little drawing of the wife, and the spear in the background . . . you've got to know what I mean :) Love you, Jbird.
Also, our investigator Maria--we met her on our second day here in Cañada, just doing the good-old door to door contacting. She started bawling when she first met us and asked us to come back. She has come to two different church activities and we have had 4 lessons so far. She is so solid! She has read every reading assignment in the Book of Mormon that we've extended to her and prays every morning and night. We had a supernal moment this week when her granddaughter, Florencia, was listening in on a lesson. We invited Florencia to pray, and when she shied away, Maria encouraged her that she could do it, and before our eyes began helping her through a prayer, step by step. "Padre Celestial, Te doy gracias . . . " Oh my goodness. We felt like two little giddy kids afterwards as we all but skipped from the lesson. Hermana Martinez gave me the spanish equivalent of "Did you just see that! That was awesome!" It is one of the tender things we enjoy as missionaries, teaching others to pray.
We encountered a man during contacts the other day named Pedro. He is deaf in one ear and can't speak very well. In his quiet, half-worded speech, he told us that he is a member of the church, that he used to work in the United states (I think it was Texas) for a time, and found the missionaries there. He was baptized, told us about the peace he felt taking the sacrament, and how he has kept everything he learned about the book of Mromon and Heavenly Father locked in his heart. He then expressed that he felt it was a sign from God that we were passing and stopped to talk to him. He kept pointing at our name tags and then at the sky, the heavens. We hope we can help him return to activity and strengthen his testimony.
Yesterday Hermana Martinez and I taught the Relief Society lesson, that was a first in my mission. Lots of teaching, but never Relief Society before. We talked about the lesson in the Lorenzo Snow teachings manual about forsaking the world and putting our priorities and love with God. Shout out to Bishop Gurney: A long time ago in Youth Conference, you used an example with a glass mason jar about rocks being the essential things, littler rocks and sand being important things, and water being the extra things. You expressed visually the importance of putting our priorities with the essential things. I definitely copied this idea for our lesson and taught the sisters the importance of putting God and his commandments as our essential things, first and foremost in our life. Thank you for giving me that lesson visual! YW and YM leaders, you never know what the youth will remember and need later on their missions and in life. Thank you for each and every one of the Ward members in Highland who have blessed and influenced my life, and that of my family.
Also, 10 minutes before Sacrament meeting, I am asked by the 2nd counselor in the Branch Presidency to give a talk. Gulp! Well, I winged it, but luckily during Sunday School and Gospel Principles Hermana Rane had taught about 7 steps to giving a talk in church. So I was all set with the formula in my brain! It goes like this:
1. I remember when . . . (and give a personal story. It's always more interesting.)
2. Explain the doctrine/topic
3. Scripture
4. Use a visual example (like an analogy)
5. Invite (invite the congregation to act on this principle, it's like a missionary commitment)
6. Promise blessings
7. Testimony
When the time came to give my talk, I opened with sharing a sweet personal experience I had when Sister Watkins called me one summer and asked if I could help her son Logan with physical and learning exercises for a week or so. I explained the tender opportunity I had to walk alongside and help on the playground this wonderful little boy, a beloved son of Heavenly Father, as he better learned to walk and play and develop. I then related to the doctrine of helping our brothers and sisters walk spiritually, helping recent converts or less active members develop testimonies and learn the doctrine, but to do so with love and respect, not with criticism or arrogance. I also spoke about Mosiah 4:19, are we not all beggars before God? Sister Watkins, I want to thank you personally for that experience. I was filled with the spirit as I remembered all that I learned from that one short week in your loving home.
All for now, my sweet family. Keep the faith. Keep serving, keep loving the Lord. Can't wait to hear from you all next week!
Hermana Boren
Tuesday, November 5, 2013
How Steel Wool and I Became Best Friends
Hey Howdy Hey Familia!
For the subject: Yesterday was mission wide Dia de Limpieza, or cleaning day. It's always the 6th Monday of every transfer. For that, I became best friends with Steel wool. I'm pretty sure the missionaries who lived in our apartment before us never cleaned the stove, and so I got a little Aunt Kristen white tornado on the kitchen and began busting all the oil and splash stains into sparkling clean. It was fun to listen to our EFY and church music on full blast and sing and clean as though it was a Saturday at home. Our apartment now: Spotless.
I haven't told you this before, so just wait for it . . . my companion knows how to make tortillas! You think the Costco kind are good--you know, the kind that come uncooked and you put them on the stove, like I used to do for breakfast my Junior year of high school--you wouldn't believe what it's like homemade, fresh off the stove, crafted by Honduran hands. DE-lish. I'll do my best to learn the art and teach y'all later.
A food adventure I'll never forget . . . well, I finally found granola here in Aregentina. I liked it so much I decided to have it not only for breakfast but also dinner! After dainly planning one Wednesday andhopping in my pjs, got a bowl of granola and yogurt and settled down in mmy bed to read and relax a little. And funny thing, I noticed after a moment that my cereal was MOVING. This is after 3 or 4 bites, mind you. Ants. Little yellow squirmy ants. I just about jumped out of my bed and fled into the kitchen to grab a glass of water and scrape the ormiga-infested food into the trash. Yup, got my protein in for the day. It made me thin of that story you told me once mom and dad, from when you were newly weds and had breakfast at someone's house and there were weavel in the cornflakes.
Cañada de Gomez has a charm all it's own. There's a train that passes straight through the city, and when we walk past the stationary train off to the side on tracks long unused (I think they leave them there for historic and aesthetic purposes) I can't help but feel that we should take up residence there and write our own version of the boxcar children. Hermana Martinez is obsessed with the train (the functional tracks run right behind our chapel) and every time it passes she exclaims with delight "Tren!" as the church floors vibrate in tandem with the tracks. I think I'm seeing a replication of the same adoration Carson Thacker once fostered for Thomas the train and friends manifested in my companion.
Deoderant comes in aersol cans in Argentina. Weird, right? I never thought I'd have a deoderant that looks like febreeze. And it stings a little on first contact. I miss Secret.
You would love our ward mission leader. His name is Hermano Francisco Said (you say his name like the character from LOST, Sae-eed) and he looks like Sean Connery. I love his accent--like the people from Cordoba Argtentina. And you'd be surprised how distinctly they talk! Even more like a song. You know how people sound when they are from India? It's like that, but in Spanish. He has such a fire about the misisonary work in cañada de gomez and a new convert of only 2 years. He always gives us chocolate or little hard candies when we have ward correlation meeting. He's just the best. We love him! I'm grateful to have a ward mission leader excited about the work. The ward mission leader is really the key to how a ward functions in the mission field, jointly with the missionaries.
Hermana Bustamante is one of my other favorite people here in cañada. She is a darling, grandmotherly woman who doesn't ever stop talking. But her stories are the best, and it is such a treat to meet such sincere people like her. Everyone says they love missionaries, but there's something precious that comes from people who really DO love missionaries and demonstrate it through their kind words, willingness to help us find / fellowship others, talk to whichever investigator comes to church, and sit and talk with them, etc. She is a true missionary herself, and besides cooks amazing food (Dad, you would die at the taste of her ASADO, or steak) and even though she never stops talking, she always speaks highly of others. She has an amazing story, too. She grew up in an orphanage, but married, lived a happy life with her husband and 9 children, and joined the church about 20 years ago.
The strong point of the ward here in Cañada is definitely the Primary. I know that might sound strange, but truly the strongest and bravest of Cañada are the little ones. This week during fast and testimony meeting, two investigators of Hermana Rane and Hermana Whitaker stood up to offer their testimonies. They are little boys of about 9 or 10. They explained that "JesuCristo siempre esta a mi lado, y JesuCristo va ayudarles." In English, Jesus Christ is always and my side, and he will help all of you. One little boy in particular, Uriel, directed his testimony at a woman in our ward who lost her Husband about 9 months ago. He explained that Jesus Christ will be there to lift her up and help her when she has a hard day. It was supernal. The most dedicated investigators we have in Cañada are children. It is incredible to me. THe hope of the world are those who reflect the light of Christ strongest, and they are Children.
We met an incredible man in the street the other day, hanging out in his wheelchair on the street corner. His name is Alfredo, and he lost his leg from the knee down a few years back. He's in his late 60'sand is a hoot, I feel like he's the Argentine Bill Cosby. We walked him to his house (I loved pushing his wheelchair ) and invited him to church, and if maybe we could share more about the Book of Mormon. He explained that sister missionaries had visited him before, and he loved what they shared and would love to come to church. Well, lo and behold, he showed up to Church on Sunday with his Wooden leg atached and on crutches. It turns out his wheelchair broke, but he still wanted to come to church! I was so touched. How blessed have I been to have a chapel only a few blocks from my house my whole life, and a temple but a 10 minute drive away. He stayed for Sunday School and Sacrament meeting. We are excited for this new investigator and his desire to learn of Christ!
Also right now we are teaching a sweet little 9 year old of a recent convert/less active family, she is on date to be baptized 16 Nov.
Unfortunately, la Familia Casas is no longer interested in the church, along with many of the other people we have met, taught, and invited to be baptized. But all we can do is teach, invite, and strive to be loving examples. They choose whether or not they come to a knowledge of the Savior. That whole agency thing.
Love you, my family. Pray for you always and lvoe you much!
Con Amor y Cariño,
Hermana Boren
Mik!
For the subject: Yesterday was mission wide Dia de Limpieza, or cleaning day. It's always the 6th Monday of every transfer. For that, I became best friends with Steel wool. I'm pretty sure the missionaries who lived in our apartment before us never cleaned the stove, and so I got a little Aunt Kristen white tornado on the kitchen and began busting all the oil and splash stains into sparkling clean. It was fun to listen to our EFY and church music on full blast and sing and clean as though it was a Saturday at home. Our apartment now: Spotless.
I haven't told you this before, so just wait for it . . . my companion knows how to make tortillas! You think the Costco kind are good--you know, the kind that come uncooked and you put them on the stove, like I used to do for breakfast my Junior year of high school--you wouldn't believe what it's like homemade, fresh off the stove, crafted by Honduran hands. DE-lish. I'll do my best to learn the art and teach y'all later.
A food adventure I'll never forget . . . well, I finally found granola here in Aregentina. I liked it so much I decided to have it not only for breakfast but also dinner! After dainly planning one Wednesday andhopping in my pjs, got a bowl of granola and yogurt and settled down in mmy bed to read and relax a little. And funny thing, I noticed after a moment that my cereal was MOVING. This is after 3 or 4 bites, mind you. Ants. Little yellow squirmy ants. I just about jumped out of my bed and fled into the kitchen to grab a glass of water and scrape the ormiga-infested food into the trash. Yup, got my protein in for the day. It made me thin of that story you told me once mom and dad, from when you were newly weds and had breakfast at someone's house and there were weavel in the cornflakes.
Cañada de Gomez has a charm all it's own. There's a train that passes straight through the city, and when we walk past the stationary train off to the side on tracks long unused (I think they leave them there for historic and aesthetic purposes) I can't help but feel that we should take up residence there and write our own version of the boxcar children. Hermana Martinez is obsessed with the train (the functional tracks run right behind our chapel) and every time it passes she exclaims with delight "Tren!" as the church floors vibrate in tandem with the tracks. I think I'm seeing a replication of the same adoration Carson Thacker once fostered for Thomas the train and friends manifested in my companion.
Deoderant comes in aersol cans in Argentina. Weird, right? I never thought I'd have a deoderant that looks like febreeze. And it stings a little on first contact. I miss Secret.
You would love our ward mission leader. His name is Hermano Francisco Said (you say his name like the character from LOST, Sae-eed) and he looks like Sean Connery. I love his accent--like the people from Cordoba Argtentina. And you'd be surprised how distinctly they talk! Even more like a song. You know how people sound when they are from India? It's like that, but in Spanish. He has such a fire about the misisonary work in cañada de gomez and a new convert of only 2 years. He always gives us chocolate or little hard candies when we have ward correlation meeting. He's just the best. We love him! I'm grateful to have a ward mission leader excited about the work. The ward mission leader is really the key to how a ward functions in the mission field, jointly with the missionaries.
Hermana Bustamante is one of my other favorite people here in cañada. She is a darling, grandmotherly woman who doesn't ever stop talking. But her stories are the best, and it is such a treat to meet such sincere people like her. Everyone says they love missionaries, but there's something precious that comes from people who really DO love missionaries and demonstrate it through their kind words, willingness to help us find / fellowship others, talk to whichever investigator comes to church, and sit and talk with them, etc. She is a true missionary herself, and besides cooks amazing food (Dad, you would die at the taste of her ASADO, or steak) and even though she never stops talking, she always speaks highly of others. She has an amazing story, too. She grew up in an orphanage, but married, lived a happy life with her husband and 9 children, and joined the church about 20 years ago.
The strong point of the ward here in Cañada is definitely the Primary. I know that might sound strange, but truly the strongest and bravest of Cañada are the little ones. This week during fast and testimony meeting, two investigators of Hermana Rane and Hermana Whitaker stood up to offer their testimonies. They are little boys of about 9 or 10. They explained that "JesuCristo siempre esta a mi lado, y JesuCristo va ayudarles." In English, Jesus Christ is always and my side, and he will help all of you. One little boy in particular, Uriel, directed his testimony at a woman in our ward who lost her Husband about 9 months ago. He explained that Jesus Christ will be there to lift her up and help her when she has a hard day. It was supernal. The most dedicated investigators we have in Cañada are children. It is incredible to me. THe hope of the world are those who reflect the light of Christ strongest, and they are Children.
We met an incredible man in the street the other day, hanging out in his wheelchair on the street corner. His name is Alfredo, and he lost his leg from the knee down a few years back. He's in his late 60'sand is a hoot, I feel like he's the Argentine Bill Cosby. We walked him to his house (I loved pushing his wheelchair ) and invited him to church, and if maybe we could share more about the Book of Mormon. He explained that sister missionaries had visited him before, and he loved what they shared and would love to come to church. Well, lo and behold, he showed up to Church on Sunday with his Wooden leg atached and on crutches. It turns out his wheelchair broke, but he still wanted to come to church! I was so touched. How blessed have I been to have a chapel only a few blocks from my house my whole life, and a temple but a 10 minute drive away. He stayed for Sunday School and Sacrament meeting. We are excited for this new investigator and his desire to learn of Christ!
Also right now we are teaching a sweet little 9 year old of a recent convert/less active family, she is on date to be baptized 16 Nov.
Unfortunately, la Familia Casas is no longer interested in the church, along with many of the other people we have met, taught, and invited to be baptized. But all we can do is teach, invite, and strive to be loving examples. They choose whether or not they come to a knowledge of the Savior. That whole agency thing.
Love you, my family. Pray for you always and lvoe you much!
Con Amor y Cariño,
Hermana Boren
Mik!
Friday, October 25, 2013
Lead, Kindly Light
Dearest Family,
The Book of Mormon is amazing! I have started reading it over again about a week and a half ago. I never realized the amazing stories that fit inside 1st Nephi! This week was like discovering it all over again. 1 Nephi 4 offers an incredible story of adoption. Think about it--Zoram was, in reality, another one of Nephi's brothers after this moment. He dropped everything to follow, in faith, the family of Lehi. 1 Nephi 7, vs. 19 (make sure to look at footnote a and follow the other scriptures it reads) is one of the sweetest love stories I've ever done read. And Nephi gave me strength this week in chapter 17. If he was called to build a ship and moved forward with such faith and a go-get-em attitude, surely so can I. I love the scriptures. KEEP READING THEM. If you don't read them, I beg you to start today. We live in a confused world--i see it every day walking through Metropolitan central of Cañada de Gomez. The light, the guiding light we have is--truthfully, the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The Scriptures are our compass, the Prophets our north star. Drink, freely, from these precious words. I know them to be true.
This week has been wild! Tuesday was fantastic, we had a training meeting for leaders and trainers/trainees. Upon walking into the front doors of the church, I saw Hermana Alicea. I don't think I've ever run faster to hug someone in my life! I squeezed her tight and had some time to chat with her and see how the first few days of training had been. She's tearing it up. I knew she would :) Missions are the best. My mission has offered me some of the sweetest friendships I have ever had. The training itself was incredible. President Giuliani frightened me a little bit when he instructed us as trainers, that we need to be almost perfect, because we're raising up/training up the next generation of great missionaries. Well, I'm not sure why he called me to be a trainer, taking note of all the imperfections I´ve got going--but that's who the Lord always calls, right? Jovencito Joseph Smith of 14 years old, Young Samuel, Little David. It was a beautiful meeting and I treasured the counsel and the spirit felt. I think I could have cried with happiness when the other Elders from Venado Tuerto, las Hermanas, and I joined in singing the closing song. There's a special and unique treasure of experience that comes when you serve alongside others in the Service of the Lord.
Hermana Martinez and I have DONE WORK this week. We know our area much better now and are coming to know the members, less actives, and investigators every day. We've both come from completely different backgrounds and have strikingly different opinions about certain things, but we teach with such unity. We testify in great union! On Thursday we had a Miracle--we encountered a family just sitting outside their house in the middle of the siesta. We asked if we could share a short message with them about Jesus Christ, and they accepted. We shared the restoration. I asked, in the beginning, if they believed in Jesus Christ. They expressed that they did. I asked if they knew what Jesus Christ did when he lived on the earth. They expressed no, they did not. Later followed to show that they didn't know hardly at all who Christ is, truly, and what he did. I was moved to tears later, thinking of this concept. I have been blessed all my life with a family who has read the scriptures. I have been blessed all my life with Christlike examples who have surrounded me, primarily my parents. Coming to know him every day, I do know who Christ is, and I love him. We offered the purest testimonies we could muster and invited them to baptism on November 9th. The three women--Grandmother, Aunt, and Daughter of 20 years or so--All accepted. It was a beautiful moment! I hope they continue to progress towards this goal and continue to want to learn about Jesus Christ. I am so thankful to know that Christ lived, that he healed, that he suffered and rose again for me. El es mi mejor amigo.
Some short things--I learned how to make ñokis today! They are my favorite food here in Argentina. A sister in the ward taught us how to make them! I was delighted to learn! Look up a picture, if you can. Also, I love learning and speaking Spanish. I tend to pronounce my s's, which many folks don't here, and I've been told I have an accent like the people in Spain. Every time I hear a word I don't understand, it's like a strategy game to figure it out before I get home to my dictionary. I LOVE TO LEARN LANGUAGES! I'm teaching Hermana Martinez English, and yesterday during language study we found ourselves doing the elementary school hand game "Miss Mary Mack" to learn a few words. I was cracking up! I ended up doing a translation of it into Spanish so she could understand. "Señorita Mack, Mack, Mack, en vestido negro, negro, negro." I have a new addiction to yogurt and granola. OH, and grapefruit. Just plain old grapefruit. Who knew, right? It is bitter but it is the best! Also, music is one of my greatest joys on the mission. I am striving to memorize a new hymn in Spanish every week to have handy when I need something to sing in the streets. We walk, I'd say, about 8 miles or more every day in Cañada. It's a LOT, but it gives me time to think.
I think I've found the Gig Harbor of Argentina, Rosario. Many more plants, and many more folks financially steady. And very beautiful. I will come to love Cañada de Gomez as I have my other areas :) I know. All in time. And you can't help but love where you are when you're serving God. Or rather, when he's blessing you.
I love you, sweet family. Thank you for your prayers. I feel them all the time.
Se que este es la iglesia verdadero de Jesu Cristo. Amo mi oportunidad a servirle con todo mi corazon y en todo el tiempo que tengo. Espero que mi ofrenda chiquita podría ser algo de significa en los ojos de mi Padre Celestial. Se que mi debilidades son fortaleza atravez la gracia de mi Salvador.
Con cariño,
Hermana Boren
The Book of Mormon is amazing! I have started reading it over again about a week and a half ago. I never realized the amazing stories that fit inside 1st Nephi! This week was like discovering it all over again. 1 Nephi 4 offers an incredible story of adoption. Think about it--Zoram was, in reality, another one of Nephi's brothers after this moment. He dropped everything to follow, in faith, the family of Lehi. 1 Nephi 7, vs. 19 (make sure to look at footnote a and follow the other scriptures it reads) is one of the sweetest love stories I've ever done read. And Nephi gave me strength this week in chapter 17. If he was called to build a ship and moved forward with such faith and a go-get-em attitude, surely so can I. I love the scriptures. KEEP READING THEM. If you don't read them, I beg you to start today. We live in a confused world--i see it every day walking through Metropolitan central of Cañada de Gomez. The light, the guiding light we have is--truthfully, the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The Scriptures are our compass, the Prophets our north star. Drink, freely, from these precious words. I know them to be true.
This week has been wild! Tuesday was fantastic, we had a training meeting for leaders and trainers/trainees. Upon walking into the front doors of the church, I saw Hermana Alicea. I don't think I've ever run faster to hug someone in my life! I squeezed her tight and had some time to chat with her and see how the first few days of training had been. She's tearing it up. I knew she would :) Missions are the best. My mission has offered me some of the sweetest friendships I have ever had. The training itself was incredible. President Giuliani frightened me a little bit when he instructed us as trainers, that we need to be almost perfect, because we're raising up/training up the next generation of great missionaries. Well, I'm not sure why he called me to be a trainer, taking note of all the imperfections I´ve got going--but that's who the Lord always calls, right? Jovencito Joseph Smith of 14 years old, Young Samuel, Little David. It was a beautiful meeting and I treasured the counsel and the spirit felt. I think I could have cried with happiness when the other Elders from Venado Tuerto, las Hermanas, and I joined in singing the closing song. There's a special and unique treasure of experience that comes when you serve alongside others in the Service of the Lord.
Hermana Martinez and I have DONE WORK this week. We know our area much better now and are coming to know the members, less actives, and investigators every day. We've both come from completely different backgrounds and have strikingly different opinions about certain things, but we teach with such unity. We testify in great union! On Thursday we had a Miracle--we encountered a family just sitting outside their house in the middle of the siesta. We asked if we could share a short message with them about Jesus Christ, and they accepted. We shared the restoration. I asked, in the beginning, if they believed in Jesus Christ. They expressed that they did. I asked if they knew what Jesus Christ did when he lived on the earth. They expressed no, they did not. Later followed to show that they didn't know hardly at all who Christ is, truly, and what he did. I was moved to tears later, thinking of this concept. I have been blessed all my life with a family who has read the scriptures. I have been blessed all my life with Christlike examples who have surrounded me, primarily my parents. Coming to know him every day, I do know who Christ is, and I love him. We offered the purest testimonies we could muster and invited them to baptism on November 9th. The three women--Grandmother, Aunt, and Daughter of 20 years or so--All accepted. It was a beautiful moment! I hope they continue to progress towards this goal and continue to want to learn about Jesus Christ. I am so thankful to know that Christ lived, that he healed, that he suffered and rose again for me. El es mi mejor amigo.
Some short things--I learned how to make ñokis today! They are my favorite food here in Argentina. A sister in the ward taught us how to make them! I was delighted to learn! Look up a picture, if you can. Also, I love learning and speaking Spanish. I tend to pronounce my s's, which many folks don't here, and I've been told I have an accent like the people in Spain. Every time I hear a word I don't understand, it's like a strategy game to figure it out before I get home to my dictionary. I LOVE TO LEARN LANGUAGES! I'm teaching Hermana Martinez English, and yesterday during language study we found ourselves doing the elementary school hand game "Miss Mary Mack" to learn a few words. I was cracking up! I ended up doing a translation of it into Spanish so she could understand. "Señorita Mack, Mack, Mack, en vestido negro, negro, negro." I have a new addiction to yogurt and granola. OH, and grapefruit. Just plain old grapefruit. Who knew, right? It is bitter but it is the best! Also, music is one of my greatest joys on the mission. I am striving to memorize a new hymn in Spanish every week to have handy when I need something to sing in the streets. We walk, I'd say, about 8 miles or more every day in Cañada. It's a LOT, but it gives me time to think.
I think I've found the Gig Harbor of Argentina, Rosario. Many more plants, and many more folks financially steady. And very beautiful. I will come to love Cañada de Gomez as I have my other areas :) I know. All in time. And you can't help but love where you are when you're serving God. Or rather, when he's blessing you.
I love you, sweet family. Thank you for your prayers. I feel them all the time.
Se que este es la iglesia verdadero de Jesu Cristo. Amo mi oportunidad a servirle con todo mi corazon y en todo el tiempo que tengo. Espero que mi ofrenda chiquita podría ser algo de significa en los ojos de mi Padre Celestial. Se que mi debilidades son fortaleza atravez la gracia de mi Salvador.
Con cariño,
Hermana Boren
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