Isis will be baptized

So this week we had the multizona with presidente... and he dropped major cane!!! (bajar la caña.. drop cane.. is a phrase in Spanish) about obedience. There is some disobedience I didnt know about- elders doing dumb stuff.  He spoke about exact obedience in the small things...waking up at 6:30, following all the mission rules etc.which I am doing.  At first I felt he wasn't speaking to me and there wasn't anything for me to learn.  Then as I humbled myself, I found some small things I can improve.

The next morning we had individual interviews with him, and he asked me how I was in the triplet training two greenies.  He was a good listener, and actually so gentle and understanding. I assured him that I was willing to do whatever he thinks best, but he felt my frustration and was empathetic to the stress I've been feeling.  He told me that he knows its a big responsibility to have the 2 new girls in a trio.. but he felt strongly that he could trust me with the responsibility, and thanked me for all I do.  Asked me to seek for patience, and that the next transfer he´ll make a change so I can be with someone who can help me with the language. This is something for me to look forward to since I was made a trainer after a few short weeks in the country and would love to have a native comp.  I left the office feeling so relieved. 

We helped out at a capilla abierta, and all in all, it was a pretty good week. Isis has a baptism date for this next Saturday, and is still progressing.  

Hope you had a great thanksgiving!

Love Hermana Hall 

SHY to BOLD....

I'm so happy to hear from you guys and to write to you today... I really needed this.  I'm glad to hear you`re all doing well, I pray for you guys everyday! 

My week has been..... pretty hard. But i guess hard is good haha. Tuesday morning we got our 3rd companion... Hermana Howe.  I"m training both Coleman and Howe and we are figuring out how to balance our teaching, contacting between the three of us.  I feel the Lord is trusting me with a lot of responsibility right now and it's hard, but I"m doing it.  

We`re teaching Kike... and he`s talked to missionaries a lot over the years.. read the BOM.. and he thinks its all true, but he`s still waiting until the holy ghost tells him he needs to be baptized.  

We also teach Isis, wife of recent convert. She has  accepted a baptism date for Dec 2nd! She's improving a lot though, growing in faith, and the change in her happiness is really evident. She invited us over for lunch yesterday.. and her family was watching moana haha.. so I heard the weird Shiny song in Spanish. 

We taught an atheist this week, and I don't understand how people can live without hope.  I don't know why people are okay with believing they will never see their families again after death, or receive strength through prayer and the grace of God. One thing I noticed about myself this week, is how more bold I am in teaching people than I thought I was.  I've changed, and the culture has influenced me I think.  Considering how shy I used to be...I feel more confident now, and my companions have commented on how they wish they could have no fear talking to people like I do. You have to do what you gotta do! 

I'm so excited to get your package mom, :) love you so much! We aren't doing anything special for Thanksgiving.  

We are super low on money because Corrientes is more expensive, and we have 3 people. But i might use personal money to buy something to make for thanksgiving dinner. Love you guys, thanks for writing me :) send more pics please! I want to send pics, but haven't taken my camera out because everyone tells me how dangerous Corrientes is, and that I'll be robbed :/

TRANSFERRED to CORRIENTES

So I've been transferred out of my first area (Formosa) to Corrientes.  This area has twice as many people and it is surrounded on all four sides by rivers that separate it from the countries of Brazil, Paraguay, and Uraguay.  It is more advanced, with a University, but has a lot of cattle.  This is where the legendary "Gauchos" or cowboys originate. It's also the province with the highest production of citrus  YEAH!  It is still tropical weather and very humid, but temps will be a bit lower than in Formosa during summer.  It  is nice, and I really like it! 

We´re in a branch, and its teeny tiny! i just came from a ward.. so ut will take getting used to. But the members seem nice.When we got to our apartment, the elders who were here before wrote a note saying we had a " Capilla Abierta" this Sunday. (like a chapel tour.. open house type thing). And so we called our branch president to ask him information about it.. and he didn't even know we were having one. (The elders knew they were leaving their area, so they planned nothing I guess...so we had 2 days to go invite people and try to put together the Capilla Abierta. In the end...only 1 member family, and 1 investigator came.... so that was kinda rough. but what can ya do? the branch is excited to have hermanas because they say they are more responsible.   

This week we talked to a lot of people! We´ve been really trying to just talk to everyone! and its been going good. 

We taught an English class Saturday.. 8 people came, all non members. 

We´re teaching this lady named Isis and she's the wife of a recent convert. She has severe depression and bi-polar disease and struggles with her faith because she is a bit angry at God for this condition she suffers from.  She wants to know why her life feels like a hell, and it is hard for her to feel the spirit right now. I asked her to try praying, and she came to church on Sunday, and seemed so happy, and was smiling a bunch. So last night we visited her and she told us that after church she actually made the decision that she wants to get baptized. We feel close to them.   

I love my companion Hermana Hatch! She was in Formosa with me, but got really sick (some gastric intestinal thing), and she came to Corrientes with me too, but is going home this week. The conditions here have been very hard for her and her health concerns became too much.  I will be put in a trio with Hmna Coleman, and Howe. I"ll be training both still, and am learning a lot and am humbled. I'm looking forward to having a Latina comp sometime to help me with the language.  

Thanks to the packs of seasoning I brought we made tacos with onions and rice a couple times for lunch. Then yesterday we had oatmeal. And we eat a lot of fruit, bananas, yogurt, eggs and rice cakes. Our budget is small for food, and food can be expensive.  

It was hard leaving Formosa...especially Nadia.  Here are some farewell pictures. 

I hit 7 months yesterday! Crazy how the time flies.

NADIA

 

WHITE WASH in COSTANERA /Corrientes Region

Hola....  

So the Presidente called me on Friday and told me that I'd be leaving to a new area to do a WHITE WASH...and I'd be bringing the comp I was training with me.  I was shocked.  Usually you get transferred to a new area and have a new comp.  I was hoping to get a native Spanish speaker - to improve my language skills, but I guess not yet.  I still have 11 more months here though.  

To White wash an area means to transfer out all the missionaries and bring all new ones in.  Usually it's in a city that has stagnated, or needs new energy and enthusiasm and success.  So it's a privilege that Presidente trusts met to do this - and still training a greenie who doesn't really speak the language yet too.  I'm thinking that God definitely doesn't want me to get comfortable. Here we go!! 

We`re in our new area now a city called COSTANERA in  CORRIENTES and it's right by the coast, so its a really pretty area! I'm excited to have a change! Everything is so different here. In Formosa we walked everywhere - here we will take public transport (collectivos) so we are trying to figure out all the routes.  Corrientes is a lot nicer than Formosa.. but everyone tells me that its pretty dangerous.. and that I can't leave the house with my camera in my bag, because people get robbed a lot. There is a Walmart and a Subway.  I went there today and it felt like such a luxury.  Going back to the USA everything will feel so fancy and clean I'm sure.  

Leaving Formosa was hard... especially saying bye to Nadia! She gave me a sweet card and her favorite ring.. ahh shes the best. Our investigators were also sad to see us both go and cried.  It broke me heart. Made me realize that when you show a lot of love to people and really try to help them in their lives, you really do create such a strong bond, and its hard to leave them. We had our last lunch at the bishops house.. I'll miss his family, they're awesome. 

My comp  and I set a bunch of goals, and we`re hoping to see more success. Its a little stressful since right now we don't know any of the streets, and have no map, or bus schedule etc.  We`ll figure it out!

Thanks for your prayers, love you all! 

Ecological Reserve in Costanera

https://www.buenostours.com/costanera-sur-ecological-reserve