January 19, 2015

Hola Familia!!

No tengo mucho tiempo!

Pero bueno... this last week was a good one. We worked really hard all week to plan a "Choca de Fuerza" which is when missionaries from other areas come to your area and you go and visit everyone to help the less active members and investigators all come to church on Sunday.  So we planned and planned and planned and visited and planned and called and planned all week for this!  And as we did, we got to know a lot of less active members and also found some great new investigators.  One of them is named Gustavo.  We found him one day as gave up trying to find a house that doesn`t exhist.  We took a wrong turn and the moment I realized it, I felt that we were there for a reason.  We continued walking on this dirt road, with green palm trees along the side and a few horses and a lot of dogs!  And as we did, we passed by a man and his family.  They were all sitting down drinking mate.  I wasn`t going to say anything, but I immediately felt that we needed to talk to them.  I ignored the prompting for the second time... and BAM.  It was like I literally ran smack dab into a wall.  TURN AROUND AND TALK TO HIM it told me.  I said, literally almost out of breath, "Hermana, lets go talk to this guy," and I turned around so fast I probably freaked him out as we ran over to him.  

But he is so great!!  He has been praying to know why there are so many churches and how to know which is true.  He has had a hard life and has six little kids that are SO CUTE.  When we finished getting to know him and we shook his hand and looked into his eyes, they were like the eyes of a little child.  He just looked so eager to learn and grateful that we were there.

Mica and Ivan and doing great!! Last time we met with them, Ivan´s biggest concern was what baptismal clothes he was going to wear.  "I am not just going to put on someone else´s white clothes!" he told us.  Hahah it was so funny.  But they are planning on getting married and not telling anyone, and then being baptized.  They are so excited to go the temple next year!! Every time we go to their house they have quesitons about the temple.  I am so excited for them and I know they can make it!! They have changed my life so much.  To see someone leave so many things behind and come from such difficult and different circumstances... wow it is amazing to see and I am Eternally grateful.

I am so grateful for my Savior and that through Him all things are possible.  All things that appear unjust will be made right through His Atonement for all mankind. And there are a lot of things that appear unjust in the world.

Love you all so much!  Keep the gratitude and be obedient.  We have rules to protect us and bring us Eternal Joy.   Not this fleeting earthly stuff.

Love, Hermana Eleanor Briggs

So that is how we met Gustavo.

January 12, 2015

Mi querida familia,

Well it has surely been another week here in Capitan Bermudez, Rosario, Argentina!  You know, you can totally look at the "Street View" on Google Maps and see exactly where I am and what it looks like hahah.  We had to do it the other day to find a chapel.
We had the baptism of Kevin this last week!  He is so sweet.  He is now the only member of the church in his family.  He is 10 years old and a SPIRITUAL GIANT.  I mean it... he is so sweet and caring.  It hurts me to see that other kids around his house are mean to him.  But he just has a Book of Mormon and prays so fervently and asks Heavenly Father everything.  He will do great things and be an anchor for his family... until the time comes when they are all baptized!  Poco a poco.
But as always... something happens before a baptism to try to stop the progress of the soul.  For example... we had to take apart the Baptismal Font (faunt?) and jump in the front and then something happened with the clothes and then something happened with the food and then something happened with the witnesses........ oh my gosh I thought my heart would pop through my chest just from the stress!  Finally a member grabbed me by the shoulders and told me "Ya esta.. hay que disfrutar todo."  Basically, "It´s done... and we need to enjoy every moment."  And it is so true!  I am working on my goal for the year... to develop Aequanimitas.  Coolness of mind when under a lot of pressure.  Being able to think clearly and make decisions and be an anchor for others.  LETS JUST SAY I STILL HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO.
What´s important is that his family had a good time. He had 15 family members that came... aunts and uncles and cousins and the whole gang.  And we were able to talk to all of them and we are going to begin teaching the parents tomorrow.
Mica and Ivan came to the baptism as well!  They are doing so well.  I called them on Sunday to ask them why they weren`t at church... and he told us about how he watched the video of the life of Presidente Monson.  He told me how much he loves the prophet... and he quoted a scripture!  That is so awesome, because usually Mica is the one who speaks of the spiritual things.  Poco a poco!  They are going to hopefully get married within a few weeks... marriage is complicated here.  Keep praying!  Mica said how her whole family makes fun of her for listening to us and reading her Book of Mormon.  But she just yelled at them, "Cállate o te voy a cortar la cabeza!"  Jajaj you can translate that.
Love you all! Keep on keeping on.  No one ever said that Salvation would be easy.
Love, Hermana Eleanor Briggs

January 5, 2015

Okay... this last week.

I never wrote about saying goodbye to Hermana Gonzalez and Hermana Rasband.  Well... it was rough hahah.  We all cried a lot in the terminal.  As Hermana Gonzalez and I sat in the colectivo (bus) on the way to drop her off, we both cried. She told me how she wished she could have seen more progress in our area.  I told her how I was scared to train.  But Heavenly Father qualifies us for our callings!
It has been crazy but weird but good!  I feel a little bit like I am in a dream... Like Heavenly Father is giving me so much strength and support to get up and go running and study hard and walk all day and focus during my afternoon studies and then work some more and then plan for the next day and then go to bed.  It is like I am never tired and I am always focused!!  This is a new thing for me... I think that Heavenly Father knew I would need a lot of help with this whole training thing.
Because training is fun and exciting but hard because you want to be the best example and do everything perfectly with exact obedience.  I am still seeking revelation on how to help someone "acostumbrarse."  I don`t know how to translate that word, but basically get used to something.  I just remember when I got to Argentina and felt like a fish out of water, and my training was the only one holding a hose to give me any agua.  Hermana Christensen is so awesome!  Already speaks pretty well, has a lot of confidence, and wants to work hard.  I am so grateful to have her as my companion.
Mica and Ivan said they are going to take out an appointment to get married sometime this week!  I am so happy.  I was so content in church on Sunday as I sat next to Mica and heard that Hermana Mauricio (a recent convert) and her family were going to the temple to be sealed, and also a little boy we have been teaching named Kevin is getting baptized this Saturday!  I am so amazingly grateful, and a little sad that Hermana Gonzalez wasn`t here to see this the fruits of a lot of her work (she was here for 5 months).  We are just now beginning to see the miracles, and I know it will still be hard in the months ahead, but I know if I give everything that all will be well.
Last week we went bowling with Hermana Macias (from Ecuador) and Hermana Castro (from Mexico) and Hermana Eustaquio (from Peru) and Hermana Egbert (from Utah) and Hermana Martin (from Argentina).  So amazing how you can have such bonds with people who have totally different backgrounds.  Love them all so much!

December 24, 2014

Merry Christmas!! Today is Christmas Eve, wooohooo!  I really can feel the spirit of Christmas so strongly here.  I will be honest, I was a little freaked out about this Christmas.  Because you all know how much I love to watch "It`s a Wonderful Life" with all of you, and do bread visits, and see all of the family and friends.  And the music and food and everything!  So I was worried it would be a sad and lonely Christmas, seeing as we can`t leave the pension all day tomorrow.  But I really am just now realizing what Christmas is.  These things are fun and aren`t bad at all... but really the birth of Jesus Christ is EVERYTHING.  The fact that the King of us all, both body and spirit, came in the most humble of ways, in the form of a perfect little baby.  I am so grateful for this Christmas I have to think and ponder on Him.  I am so happy!

Last week we had our Christmas activity and went to Rosario with our Zone.  Presidente and Hermana Zanni and their family came, and we played games, made cookies, and sang in a geriactrico (I think that translates to Old Folks Home).  It was so good to see everyone but even better to see the little ladies and men crying as we sang.  They have had such hard lives, and to know that someone still loves them really made the whole room move with the spirit.

The same happened on Sunday, when we went to a hospital with the stake and sang Christmas songs. After, we were able to go into the rooms of the children and women in labor, and share the Christmas Story with them.  We read from Alma 7:10-12.  And young mothers without support cried with us as they had such great physical and emotional pain, and we told them of how much their Savior loves them.  Oh wow it is so hard to see sad things, but so good to share the hope that our Savior gives us.  It is so amazing to feel the spirit work through you and give you the words to say. I have never given birth, nor been in the lonely place that they are in, but I was given the words to say in the moment I needed them.  My testimony is growing so much.

It has been a good week but weird as my companion goes home on Monday.  Always rough in the last week of the mission.  Mica and Ivan are at a stopping point right now, but we are working through.  I am studying a lot about the Apòstle Paul.  I feel like the prophets truly are my best friends!  Always have advice and can help me with whatever it is that I need.  Mom, I got the letters you sent!  I read all of them in a bus as we road through Rosario.  And I love what all of you said, I laughed until I cried hahah but it was just because I was so happy.  People probably thought I was crazy!  I will tell you more tomorrow when we talk, because I want to talk personally with everyone!  Love you so much!

I have to go but Love you and pray for Capitan Bermudez that the members can soften their hearts!

December 15, 2014

BIG NEWS FOR THE WEEK!

Our leaders called us a few days ago and told us that our mission, the Argentina Rosario Mission, will be divided into two different missions.  It will become the Argentina Santa Fe mission, and Argentina Rosario mission.  And it will happen in July!  What this means:  my past areas will be in a totally separate mission. And I might not end up finishing my mission in the Argentina Rosario mission.  Wow.  

Makes you want to cryThis week was a good one.  We saw a lot of miracles.  First of all, Mica and Ivan have had a 100% change.  They have this light and hope in their faces that has never exhisted before!  It is so beautiful to see, there seriously is nothing like it.  We were walking on the street the other day, and we heard a little voice yell "Hermanas!"  And we turned around and it was their three year old.  They pulled along next to us all piled up on their motorcycle, and they were just beaming from ear to ear.  So happy and energized!  How different from the couple we met that depended solely on cigarettes to have relief, and spent all day watching movies and not knowing how amazingly great their lives could become.

Hard Thing We also had divisions this week with the Hermanas Capacitadoras (I think it translates to sister training leaders).  They came down from Parana, and we had a great time.  But it was kind of sad because it was the last time I would see Hermana Rasband for a year since she goes home after this transfer (along with my companion).  But I am grateful for the time I still have to keep on working!  

MIRACLE The next day I was sick and we couldn`t leave from the apartment accept to buy gatorade de manzana (apple Gatorade).  But it was such a blessing!  Because we planned and did all we had to do, and I was taking a nap in bed (with permission of course) and suddenly we heard a million hard things hitting the tin roof.  It was raining rocks!!  I guess that happens here sometimes.  But it just came out of no where, and if we had been outside it could have been bad.  And it was only in our area that it happened!!  So I am grateful to have been sick, it truly was a blessing. By the way I am no longer sick now, it was just from something I ate (probably some raw meat).

And church was a great day.  There were two less active members in  the ward that I have never seen come to church!  We have been working with them for a while so that was so great to see.  And Mica and Ivan came as well!  And she cried and said "Hermoso."  Means beautiful.  And it is so amazing to see this... she never thought she had any worth, and now she can see it.  Ivan as well... his eyes teared up as we spoke of guiding stars in our lives.  Today we are going to put a date on their marriage and baptism!  I am so grateful to be here at this time and for all of the help and strength that the Spirit sends to us.  Heavenly Father loves us and Christ lives.

Love, Hermana Eleanor Briggs

December 8, 2014

Okay I officially realized something this week.  Our testimonies and faith only grow under not-so-great circumstances.  It is easy to be happy under easy circumstances, and another thing entirely to be happy when nothing goes right.

For example:  it was really hot this week.  But I can`t express the heat... in the night, you have to choose if you`re more hot, or more tired.  If you`re more hot, you get up and show IN YOUR PAJAMAS and get back in bed with the fan pointed on your wet body.  If you are more tired, you just sweat and try to go back to bed.  

Then... our water turned off!  We don`t have water in our apartment... so we can`t wash our clothes, our dishes, or ourselves!  It is gross to say the least.  We also can`t go to the bathroom...

Then it rained really hard, as it always does after this heat.  And everyone makes Torta Frita here when it rains... which is like a fried scone.  And every single house makes it, and every single house offers it to us!  And it is just a lot of fried bread to eat... it slows us down a bit.  

It always scares us when it rains on Sunday, because that is always the biggest excuse that people use to not come to church.  But we prayed hard.  And as we waited outside on Sunday, after 8 sundays in a row (almost two months) without having investigators in the chapel... some members told us to stop waiting.  "No one is coming in this rain," they said, pointing to the flooded streets.  I was so mad when I heard this!  We need to keep the faith!!  

Mica and Ivan answered our phone call as we waited for them outside.  "We can`t come, chicas.  We only have a bike and in this rain it`s impossible.  And we are in Rosario right now."  Well my heart just dropped.  "It`s weird, something always comes up," Mica said over the phone.

We went and sat down in sacrament.  Just before it began, we heard someone say, "Hermanas."  We turned around, and there was Natalia!  She is the mother of a family of less active members that we have been teaching for 2.5 months.  It has been 8 years since they`ve attended church!  I was so happy.  We ran out and hugged them, and they came and sat with us.  I was playing with the little girl who is 5, Bianca, when I heard the door open.  I turned around and my jaw literally dropped open.  MICA AND IVAN!  I was so happy I swear I could have died right then and there.  They were soaking wet, and had come by bus.  They came and sat down next to me, and were smiling so big it just was the sweetest thing to see.  I think we were all smiling a lot! 

But I see that we need to be diligent and grateful in all circumstances.  Like I said before, it is easy to be happy when all is well.  But we have been fighting a lot to see this take place... and it truly isn`t until the very last day of the week, in the third hour of church, or (this literally happened) at 9:15 at night when you find the people that have been waiting for you.  And the test is how long we can keep smiling and hoping and walking.  Keep the FAITH.  During all of the storms.

Love you all!  Feliz Navidad!

Love, Hermana Eleanor Briggs

December 1, 2014

This week was exactly like those weeks that you always hear about in the life of a missionary... but it is so different to actually live it.

It was rough.  All of our lessons were falling through.  We didn`t see progress in any of our investigators or less active families.  We felt that we were losing a lot of time, and we also began having that creeping feeling of "maybe it is all our fault."  

We went to stake conference on Saturday night, and it was all about helping our friends from the premortal life. About finding them and seeking them and helping them receive the happiness of the gospel.  It was great... I left knowing that I have found some of those people, and that many more I still have yet to find.

But in the Sunday session we were a little bummed out... only two families from our entire ward came to the conference, and no investigators.  We came home and maybe cried a little bit :)

I have two minutes left to write so I am going super fast.  We went to a less active family, and we visit them every week.  But they never seem to progress... they are sealed in the temple and have 5 kids but haven´t gone to church in 8 years.  The mom´s name is Natalia.  And as we taught, they told us that they are coming to church this Sunday and aren´t going to let anything stop them.  They are going to go back to the temple!  And Natalie told us, "Thank you for your persistance and insistance... becauase you coming every week gave us the strength we needed to start going back to church.  Thank you for always coming."  Ah I could have cried I was sooo happy to hear this... because we never know when something we are doing is actually making a huge difference.  They have two little girls,  (5) and (4) and two boys they are so awesome and ready to be baptized.  After 10 weeks of visits, they are going to come to church!!

Love you all!  Got to go.  I will send more pics next week.