Cambiemos

Hello All,

Finally, the presidential race of Argentina is over. The last time the Argentines voted, the votes fell in a 3 way tie. Which required a re-vote... yesterday. Which meant we stayed in the pension ALL DAY... AGAIN. But this time, we were better prepared. We had a Work and the Glory marathon, we made apple pie, and Hna. Beckstead taught me how to play chess. I'd say it was a pretty successful day.

Since we got to Sáenz Peña, Hna. Beckstead and I have been teaching a woman on and off named Carina. She's been investigating the church for over a year and multiple sets of Hermanas have taught her before us. She's really special. She's told us of multiple experiences she's had that prove to me that the Lord really is and has been preparing specific people to receive the restored Gospel. It wasn't by coincidence that those first Hermanas found her. And it DEFINITELY wasn't by coincidence that they found her AGAIN after her and her family had moved to the OPPOSITE edge of the area. Like I said, she's special. But it's been pretty difficult to teach her. She lives far and out of the way. And we can only meet with her on certain days.

The first time Hna. Beckstead and I met her, we were impressed by her Gospel knowledge and the spirit she emits. She could have been baptized that very next day had she wanted to. But little things kept coming up. Little impediments that kept her from coming to church. She had to go visit her family in the country. She had to vote. She would have had to walk by herself.... Little things that to the eyes of a missionary, are easily overcome. But what may be no more than a pebble to me, could be a boulder to someone else.

Every time we went to Carina's, we exhausted our spirits trying to determine what was really impeding her and commit her to come to church one more time so she could get baptized... This went on for four and a half months. It's the most tired I've been on my mission. Teaching people with Word of Wisdom issues is one struggle. But teaching people who are tangibly close to membership in the Lord's church but still so far is a completely different type of battle. It's HARDER. But it all ended this week. Carina never needed us to give her a baptismal date. She needed to figure it out for herself. And she did. She told us Friday morning that she'd going to be baptized in December. She prayed and received her answer. And December is when she and the Lord have decided is the right time. It was like finally reaching the top of the mountain after an endless, steep climb. She's going to make it. And she's going to make an AWESOME member. It's been a privilege to be able to teach her.

Hermana Beckstead, Carina and Me

This week, in our Book of Mormon reading, we got to one of my favorite parts: the second half of Alma, featuring Captain Moroni. So good. One part I love a lot is the exchange of letters between Moroni and Pahoran, the chief judge. Moroni and Helaman have been backed into a corner by the Lamanite armies. They're outnumbered and outmatched and Moroni is angry that the government hasn't sent them any help. He sends a scathing letter to Pahoran accusing him of treachery and threatening vengeance. Little does Moroni know of the insurrections against the government that Pahoran himself has been facing. Any normal person would be ticked. But how does Pahoran respond? "I am not angry, but do rejoice in the greatness of your heart." What humility. Instead of jumping to the defensive and accusing Moroni for not coming to HIS aid, or not even questioning why Pahoran hadn't responded and jumping to the conclusion that he was a traitor, he just takes it. Pahoran gracefully explains to Moroni the situation and says, " I do joy in receiving your epistle." And for that humility, the Nephites were greatly blessed. Helaman and Moroni's armies received support and Moroni and Pahoran were able to drive the rebels out of Zarahemla and restore peace. Where there is humility, there is unity. Where there is humility, there is peace and love and immeasurable blessings. I think we can all be a little bit more like Pahoran. Patient and humble, even when an army of Nephite traitors is rebelling against you AND the chief captain of the Nephite army, a terrifying military genius with the power of God on his side has threatened you with destruction. If Pahoran can manage it, I think we can. Humility is the key to happiness, I would say.

I know the Book of Mormon is true. It tells the stories of REAL people. It testifies of Christ. I know He lives. I know He loves us. And now behold, I close mine epistle.

We're teaching people who have owls!! So Cool!

I am Hermana Hein. (gotta love that CHEESE!)

The Day After Tomorrow

Unfortunately, no. I did NOT meet Jake Gyllenhaal... But Chaco WAS hit with a crazy storm this week.
Tuesday, Hna. Beckstead and I had planned to do divisions with the Hermanas of Ensanche Sur. I was to head over to Ensanche with Hna. Aybar and Hna. Beckstead would stay here in Centro with Hna. Moreno. Two hours or so before we were about to make the switch, during our companionship and language study, it began to rain... HARD. That's one of those little things I love about Argentina: the rain storms. There's no storms like that in Utah. Anyway.

We called a cab and headed over to the Hermana's pension on calle 10. They live on the corner and the entire intersection was flooded, almost up to my knees. Even in my trusty knee-high Hunter rain boots, there was the danger of getting wet.

I've noticed that generally, when there's a huge rainstorm like that, it's during studies, when we're inside. Then, when we have to go outside to work, the deluge lets up a bit so we don't get so wet. Yes. There are some exceptions, (I don't even want to talk about that one storm in Formosa.) but I like to think that for the most part, it's a little blessing from the Lord so we don't have to be out walking in the pouring rain. So, when Hna. Aybar and I headed out to work, the rain had stopped and we were happily enjoying the cool, fresh air.

We had had a number of good lessons and we're nearing the end of the work day, only lacking 1 hour or so, when dismal, dark clouds started rolling in again. We had one more appointment which luckily, wasn't too far from the last house we had been visiting and the rain started up again. The one umbrella we did have was flipped inside out in the wind and so we decided it would probably be better to just run. We waited outside the house of the Hermana we'd gone to visit in the pouring rain until her husband could open the gate and let us in. Almost immediately after we got inside her house, quarter sized chunks of ice started pelting down from the sky. It was hailing like the end of the world! We could hardly hear anything because of the rocks of ice pelting down on the tin roof. It was crazy. The Lord really is watching out for us. Had we delayed just 1 minute, we would have been under that downpour of ice. It's crazy that it can be so hot outside and then, 5 minutes later, have ice falling out of the sky. I don't understand...

 Hna. Beckstead and I at choir practice for 
district conference

 This week, we also got to go back to Resistencia for Multizone conference. Not much to note there, other than getting to see my little hija, Hermana Dustin! She's all grown up. I'm so proud. Haha. It was a good conference. President and the assistants talked a lot about using the Book of Mormon to teach investigators, and teaching more to their personal needs rather than just teaching the written out lessons. It's what Hermana Beckstead and I have been working on anyway and we've found that it brings a lot of cool miracles.

Speaking of the Book of Mormon, we read this week the chapters about Alma the Younger and the Sons of Mosiah and their different missions among the Nephites and the Lamanites. A personal favorite of mine is the story of Amulek, Alma's mission companion. Amulek is just a normal dude, living in the wicked city of Ammonihah where Alma had unsuccessfully tried to share the Gospel. Alma says that he was ready to turn his back on that city forever when an angel comes to him and tells him he needs to go back. Meanwhile, Amulek, "a man of no small reputation", as he says, had resisted the Lord's calls to serve several times. He was comfortable in his life and was happy to go on living it. That is, until an angel came to him and told him he had to go back to his house because a prophet would be coming by. Oh. Alright. So, without hesitation, Amulek goes back to his house and receives Alma there. And the rest is history. He becomes an awesome missionary, calls Zeezrom a child of hell for offering him money to deny Christ, they're thrown in prison, and the prison walls fall down through the power of God. Awesome story.


Something that President has been pushing a lot in the mission, is getting members to help with the work. And we need it. There's no way that Hna. Beckstead and I can do all of this on our own. We need help. We need people to do that member missionary work like Amulek did. Being a member missionary doesn't mean you have to get thrown into prison and beaten like Amulek was. It means praying for missionary opportunities. It means going on visits with the missionaries. It means doing your visiting/home teaching. It means being an example and living the Gospel. Maybe I'm just an impulsive, self righteous-missionary. But the fact of the matter is, we are all missionaries. And we need to have unity to be able to bring the lost sheep back to the good shepherd.

Also, the ladies of the choir! 
Classic Hna. Hein, taller than everyone... 

This work is so important. I love it so much. I know the Lord has His hand in the work and that we can only do it with His help.

I love you all,
Hermana Hein

Being Wise, Yet Harmless

Greetings from the south!

It's been a quick week but a good one. Full of small miracles and the joy of spreading the Gospel! Man. It's crazy how much reading the Book of Mormon can have effect on people. As we've been reading this week, our attitudes, our outlooks, our very desires have changed for the better. That book is REAL. And we've been utilizing it a lot in our teachings with Andres.

Hi-jacked picture from Mission Consejo

He's still great. And we see the evidence of his conversion everytime we talk with him. He's come a long way. But, he still needs to get married. And thank you Argentina for making that very difficult for him as the government building where you get married (I don't even speak English anymore...) is on strike... Great. There's really not much we can do there but pray. And trust me, we'll be praying like maniacs. But until that time that they decide they want to work, we just have to keep helping Andres build up his faith. And you do that through the Book of Mormon. The Hermanas who were here before us told us that when they first met him, Andres read through 1 and 2 Nephi in a matter of days. He loves it. And he's resolved his own doubts by reading it. But, he's fallen behind a little bit. He's been in Mosiah 2 for a number of weeks now. Come on man! King Benjamin?? That's the best part! So, this week, we decided to use his own vice of curiosity against him, just as Ammon was wise, yet harmless in his contention with King Lamoni. We asked Andres what was keeping him from reading. He told us he was confused in regard to the timeline of the Book of Mormon. "Why isn't it the Book of Nephi?" he asked us. "He wrote it!"

Hermana Beckstead and I looked at each other. "He wrote part of it. But the rest was abridged by Mormon."

"I'm still confused."

We knew there was no way we'd be able to explain the entire complex timeline of the Book of Mormon to him in those last few minutes of our lesson. Luckily, back in my Resistencia days, I had stumbled across an old Liahona article that was actually, a detailed timeline of the Book of Mormon. I smiled.
"I have something to show you next time." I told him.

The next time was Saturday. He came, he sat down, we got Hermano and Hermana Avalos the older to come sit with us as well, and we whipped out the timeline. It's HUGE. It's like, six pages, front and back. It stretches out into this long banner that details the dates, events, and peoples of the Book of Mormon. We proceeded to give a rehearsed summary of the ENTIRE Book of Mormon, including details of the different peoples and their trials. As we spoke, Andres just got this look on his face of complete desperation. His confusion had deepened. Which was EXACTLY what we wanted. Perhaps that seems a little counterproductive. But trust me, giving him a teaser of what the Book of Mormon actually contains and how complex and complete it really is, will be the driving force he needs to actually read it.
"You just have to read it." We told him, smiling.

We then bore solemn testimony of Jesus Christ and how one will draw closer unto Him by reading and living the teachings found in the Book of Mormon. It's crazy how fast the spirit flies into a room when you speak of Jesus Christ. We may not speak perfect Spanish, but we don't need to when we have the Holy Ghost doing his job, which is to testify of the Saviour. While before, the lesson had been fun with our elementary school teacheresque presentation of the Book of Mormon timeline, it turned very quickly, very serious and reverent as we testified of the Lord. All of us had tears in our eyes.

I really do know He lives. I know the Atonement is real. And I know that He is the ONLY way by which we will obtain salvation. We cannot trust in the arm of flesh. We cannot trust in our own strengths and abilities to save us. It will never be enough. But with Christ, we can do ALL things.
"I would that ye should remember, and always retain in remembrance, the greatness of God, and your own nothingness... and humble yourselves even in the depths of humility, calling on the name of the Lord daily, and standing steadfastly in the faith of that which is to come." Mosiah 4:11 I love the Lord more than I can say. And I pray that one day, I will be able to look Him in the eye and tell Him, "I've done my best. Please help me do the rest." Trust in Him. He will NOT leave us comfortless.

I love you all,
Hermana Hein

HiJacked Picture from mission Consejo
Jenessa camera still not working

 

Only the Penitent Shall Pass

November. It's hard to believe that 2015 is almost over. It's hard to believe that I've been a missionary for the whole year. But alas. Time truly flies.

As all obviously know, Saturday was Halloween. Here in Argentina, they do absolutely zero. It's a real let down. But Hermana Beckstead and I went all out. And when I say that, I mean we dressed up as each other. And this year, I was NOT deathly ill. Thank goodness. But it was pretty funny. Hermana Beckstead wore my oversized grandma dress and floppy sombrero and I wore all red, white, and blue, in classic Beckstead fashion and her leather Indy hat. We even switched name tags... No one got it. Not even Andres. Finally, when we told him we were dressed up, he looked between the two of us and realized that I was wearing Hermana Beckstead's elephant necklace and it gave it all away. We still had fun even though no one made the connection. It doesn't help that there's maybe 2.5 people here who actually remember our names. Haha. That's what I get for being called Hein.

Before Mission: Jenessa as Dr. Who, friend Haley as Snow White

A number of weeks ago, we contacted a house in a richer neighborhood in our area where we don't go very often because it's really hard to get in doors. But upon clapping at one green gate, we were greeted by an old lady with twisty blonde hair. She told us that she was a Jehovah's Witness and that before, she had met with the missionaries a number of times, but they had stopped coming by. She was slightly deaf and wasn't understanding much of what we said to her. It didn't look like it was going to go anywhere. But, for whatever reason, the spirit told us to keep bugging until she let us in. So she did. Immediately after entering the house, another woman, the blonde woman's daughter came rushing up to us, greeting us with besos as per usual.
"We wanted to share a message." we said.
"Oh! Great! Sit down!" she said.

She told us that she had been baptized into the Evangelica church, but that she'd stopped going. We knew immediately that she was who we were there for. She listened intently to our message and even got a little teary eyed when we shared the first vision. It was a great first lesson. She invited us back and we went on our way, beaming. We taught Soledad one more time there at her mom's house. And then, she disappeared. We would frequently pass by the house to see if she was there, but every time we went by, we found it empty. Finally, we went one afternoon and were met by her mother again. She told us that she had moved to another neighborhood, miraculously, still in our area.

When we went to the other house, sure enough, we found Soledad. She was really excited that we had found her. We shared with her the Plan of Salvation and she LOVED it. And when we returned the next time, she told us that she had shared it with her husband. And she always reads what we leave her in the Book of Mormon It's been a cool experience. We're hoping to see more progress with her soon. It's obvious the Lord wanted us to find her.

In regards to the title, I know I tend to make reference to Indiana Jones a lot. But let's be real, it APPLIES. This month, President asked us all to read the Book of Mormon, cover to cover. All of it within this month. We're really excited. We started our reading yesterday and today, we finished day 2, ending with 1 Nephi 16. Our reading today included all the chapters where Nephi sees the destruction of the Nephites, the discovery and colonization of America, and the Restoration of the Gospel. Oh man. Those are some awesome chapters. As I've read the Book of Mormon several times here on the mission, I've come to see those themes that run through the whole 1000 year account of the descendents of Lehi. One of them being pride. As it states in Doctrine and Covenants, the Nephite people fell due to their pride. Over and over again throughout the Book of Mormon, the Nephites fall to their pride. Nephi saw it all. Can you imagine seeing your own descendents being destroyed just because they would not obey? I certainly cannot imagine the type of heartbreak Nephi felt as he witnessed that. And yet, despite it all, he kept obeying. He knew that his posterity wouldn't continue. That is penitence. That is humility. And we KNOW, thanks to the Book of Mormon, that only the penitent man will pass. Only those who come to the Lord with a broken heart and contrite spirit. We must keep striving to be as Nephi was, truly penitent and humble, accepting the will of the Lord even if we don't fully understand it. Hold fast to the iron rod, even when blinded by the mists of darkness. "and whoso would hearken unto the word of God, and would hold fast unto it, they would never perish; neither could the temptations and fiery darts of the adversary overpower them unto blindness, to lead them away to destruction." 1 Nephi 15:24

I know the Book of Mormon is true. I know that by applying the principles we learn from it, we will never be blinded. I know that we must be humble and submissive to the will of the Lord. And as we come to Him with a penitent heart, He will lend us the hand we need to get through.
I love you all. Hope you all have a great first week of November.

Besitos,
Hermana Hein