¨Count your blessings, not your worries!¨

Party time in Argie!

This week was quite an interesting one! It started out a little bit rocky but quickly improved! We set a goal as a district to find 15 new investigators per companionship, which is really high for our area. The goal usually is 6/week, and that is even a bit hard at times. Even so, we decided to accept the challenge, and set a minimum goal of 10, and the ideal of 15. It´s amazing what Heavenly Father does for you when you set goals and make plans and ask for his help in achieving it, because we were able to find 11 new investigators this week! YAY!¨:) Yeah, its not 15, but its still double what we´ve ever done in this area! Our district all together found 43, which is awesome! Half of what the whole zone found. AND... the investigators that we found are so wonderful! I´m in love already :) ...

Funniest finding moment this week was when we went to an appointment we had set with one of our investigators, Rosa. She wasn´t there, so we decided to go across the street to a house we had contacted 2 weeks before. When we knocked on the door we could hear Aerosmith music playing SUPER loud, so we figured they were busy and wouldn´t want to talk. When they answered the door, however, The dad Robinson came and invited us in immediately! He started introducing us to everyone there, and brought us drinks and food right away. After talking to the people there a little, we found out that the next day was Robinson´s birthday, and they had begun ¨celebrating¨ a little early. Ay, ay, ay! We started thinking it would be best to just leave because we probably wouldnt get much accomplished, they only wanted more company and were intrigued by a rubia who spoke English (the dad kept telling his daughters he wanted me to teach them English). When we were about ready to give up, Robinson and his two daughters, Rocio (10) and Jeraldin (4) came and sat with us and were talking to us, and Rocio said ¨Is it ok that i read the pamphlet you left my uncle?´¨ We were super surprised because she seemed so young, but then she continued to ask us questions about the book of mormon and the church. We explained what the Book of Mormon was to her and her dad, and explained to Robinson that we wanted to give him a copy to read. Then Rocio asked us if she could read it too! Throughout the whole visit Rocio would say things that completely surprised us, and was so excited to read and to learn! So... what started out as a rocky visit turned into an awesome experience!

Aside from that... life is good. I´m sure there´s a million other things i have to tell you, but my mind is so fried i can´t even think! Thank you SOOOOOOOOOOOO much to those of you who have written me emails!!! :) I absolutely LOVE hearing from home! It makes me so incredibly happy.... you have no idea!! :)

Thought of the week comes from a little sign that was in the house of a member we visited .... ¨El secreto de la felicidad no esta en hacer lo que se quiere, sino en querer siempre lo que se hace¨ or... in english... The secret to happiness isn´t in doing what you want, but rather in wanting always what you do. So.... enjoy life!! Sometimes things don´t work out exactly the way we want, but if we learn to love the things we have to do then we will truly be happy! Stop waiting and wishing and hoping.... instead GO and do something with your life!! Nephi said ¨I will go and do¨ not ¨I will sit and stew¨ !! Enjoy life!!! Smile lots, and help bring sunshine into the lives of those around you!!

Love you all tons and tons!!!! :)

Besitos,

Hna Churchill!

HACE FRIO!!!!!!!!!!

FAMILIA! AMIGOS!

¿¿¿Como estan todos??? Espero que todos esten bien! Man has this week been an interesting one!! We FINALLY got a heater! YAY!!! Before we were studying in the morning with scarves, gloves, lots of blankets, and lots of socks, and were STILL freezing because we didn´t have a heater... but now, life is great. I´ve also become a professional at toasting bread in a frying pan. You would think that because I know how to cook so much (i mean, honestly, i was even a caterer!) that I would be able to toast bread, but when you dont have butter or a toaster and all you have to use is an ancient missionary frying pan with who knows what burnt onto it, it´s a little difficult! I finally mastered it though, and I´m the best toast-maker ever now! :)
Other cool happenings of Argentina...
- I´ve learned how to clap doors quite well... it takes practice to clap loud enough for everyone to hear! Oh... for those of you who dont know... in Argentina we cant knock on doors because there´s always little gates, so instead we clap. Pretty cool!
- I´ve learned that if you´re going to eat an orange, get ready to spit... they have 20-30 seeds in every orange, no joke! Makes you grateful for genetically engineered food!
- The more clothes the better! It is SO cold here!! And being outside all day makes it even worse! Plus, even when we´re inside, most people don´t have heaters. It´s kinda funny to be teaching a lesson to a family and being able to see your breath... when you´re inside! One day I wore thermals, running spandex, 2 pairs of tights, socks (under the tights so you couldn´t see), two skirts, 2 sweaters, and my big coat, and was STILL cold! It´s all good though... I´m getting used to icicle hands :)
- I get to eat dulce de leche anytime i want! Funny thing though... its not as amazing now as it was before, just because they use it in everything here!
- I never realized how grateful I was for peanut butter!

Ok, ok... enough of all that. As far as the week goes, we started teaching an awesome family!! They live in the tiniest little house in part of our area thats ¨la villa¨. We´re teaching the mom, Marta, her daughters Marcela (17) and Daniela (12) and Leo (8). I LOOOOOVE them!! The first time we went to teach them they had read everything we left them and were so excited to talk to us! They accepted baptismal dates in the first lesson, and always talk about how excited they are! It´s cute too because the mom always calls me ¨La angelita¨and every time we come the younger kids run in saying ¨la angelita esta aca!¨... or ... the little angel is here! :) They are all so sweet. When she first called me this it reminded me of the talk that Elder Holland gave us at the MTC, when at the end he said ´´welcome to the work of angels. To your family and those who are praying for you, you are angels, and especially to the investigators you are going to teach´´. For me, many times I feel insufficient and overwhelmed, but I am so grateful to be a part of this work, and to be able to help my Heavenly Father in bringing the gospel to other people.

I hope life is wonderful for all of you back home!! :) Do me a favor this week, and take some time to serve someone else. Even if it´s just by writing a nice note or making treats for a friend. This little things that take so little effort from us can make such a big difference to the person who receives this service. When we serve others, that is when we are most like Jesus Christ, and when we are the most happiest in this life. I love you all. I love this gospel. I know without a doubt that all of the blessings and happiness I have in this life are because I have the gospel, which gives me hope and strength. This is why I want to share it with others. This is why I am here. I want more than anything for other people to be able to have the same happiness that I have in my life.

I love you all MUCHISIMO! Les quiero.

Besos!
Hermana CHurchill

AKA Devee!