53: And I Have The Tag To Prove It

Yet another week in the service of the Lord!! Let's dive in.

We had a lot of quirky experiences this week:

An Argentine lady threatened me and my family because we were in contact with her boyfriend. It is a long story, but it ended up with us blocking their number and praying we don't run into them in the streets anytime soon (which is more than likely because Carcarañá is not a big town).

I made a deal with one of the elders who works in the office that I would give him my tennis shoes when I finished my mission if he would get me a customized pocket tag for my Libro de Mormon. I wanted my mission nickname on it as a good keepsake from Argentina. So now I officially have a tag that proves that I was called Hermana Trash.

Got to do exchanges with Hna Ugazio in Funes! Apparently Messi is building a house there and that's where he will live when he retires. We didn't find it, but if we do, I will be knocking and giving him a pamphlet. 

Made friends with a local golden retriever. Now everytime we walk by his house, he runs out, finds a stick and drops it at my feet to throw for him. Then he will walk with us for a couple blocks until we get to the church. He is one of my best friends in Argentina. 

Found strawberries at the store! That is kind of a big deal for me. So I bought the ridiculously overpriced, tiny box and made myself some strawberry lemonade with some lemons I stole from the Funes sister's tree.

Ate a Guaymallen Blanco alfajor every day of the week this week. It is the best truly. 

Had an awesome lesson with a family in the ward here. The dad isn't a member of the church and we got to talk to him about eternal families and temples. He got to visit the outside of 2 temples with his wife and described the peace he felt while being on the grounds. It was so cool to hear his experiences and testify to him of what a special place the temple is. 

Okay last story, I promise. A couple months ago, I made an ad for Facebook about doing a bible study with missionaries and then I got to contact a couple people from the ad. I messaged a guy named Isabelino and found out that he lived in another area so I sent him as a referral to the elders over there. Well, he has been taking the lessons ever since and even has a baptismal date! I was talking to the elders who are teaching him and they told me that he is golden.... but trying to get over a cocaine addiction. As you can imagine, that is not an easy thing to get over, so if you guys could include Isabelino in your prayers, that would be awesome. 

I think my favorite thing about the gospel is the change that happens in our lives as we come to truly understand and live it. For people who are learning these things for the first time and for people who grew up in the church, the Atonement of Jesus Christ has a powerful ability to change our very natures and the desires of our hearts to make us more Christlike. Isabelino has changed a ton since the first time since I talked to him, I have changed a ton in just the past 3 months, and I am loving it.

Hna Trash