Always Darkest Before the Dawn

Oh hey friends.

Tanto tiempo... Not really. Just one week. But a lot has happened this week. Firstly, you're probably wondering why I used such a dismal Dark Knight quote for my subject this week... well... Here's the story:

Laura and Federico... Yeah. They were doing so good last week, trying so hard to stop smoking. And what happened last Sunday? They smoke. ONE CIGARETTE. Unfortunately, one cigarette is one too many, and we had to tell them that they couldn't get baptized this weekend. Then things took a little turn for the worse: Laura got angry. She told us that she feels like we're punishing her even though she's trying so hard to do what we've asked her. "I don't want to get baptized anymore. I feel like you're just going to keep telling me I can't get baptized for every little mistake I make. I'm sorry I'm not perfect like you." Whew. It was rough. Like a wooden stake to the heart. We tried telling her that we're not perfect, and that the church isn't for perfect people. But she wouldn't believe us. Laura still likes the church. She told us that she wants to keep going to church and wants for us to keep visiting them. She just doesn't want the pressure of a baptismal date. "I'm going to try to stop smoking on my own and then we'll see how I feel." *sigh* It's frustrating. But as we learned in Conference, "If things are going great for you now, just wait..."

All of this mess happened Wednesday. Friday, we were blessed with the opportunity to go to Resistencia for a mission conference with the one and only ELDER DALLIN H. OAKS!! It was amazing. For so many reasons. We were able to talk with old friends long lost to transfers. Like Nakken! Yeah. She's super blonde. But it was so good to see her. Also, mission conf. was so great because... oh yeah. Elder Oaks. Ugh. He's the coolest guy. So sweet and funny and spiritual. Not to mention he said exactly what Hermana Dustin and I needed to hear after the Laura incident: "It's not likely that you will baptize thousands of people. What you WILL do is bring thousands of people unto repentance."

On the bus with Hermana Dustin

Mission Conference with Hermana Nakken

No. Laura and Federico didn't get baptized this weekend. But you know what they DID do? They got married. The Gospel has changed them, whether they can see that or not. And the defenition of repentance is CHANGE. Even though we weren't able to put a '2' in our planner next to "Investigators baptized this week", I can say that we made a difference in their lives. And we're not done. They WILL be baptized one day. All we can do now, is keep loving them. And one day, they'll see the difference that I see.

This weekend, I realized just how much I love being a missionary. And how scared of time I am. I have less than a year left to be a missionary. That's not enough time. This Gospel is TRUE. I see the difference it makes in life EVERYDAY. I will not deny what I know, and I know that God loves each and everyone of us. After the Sunday conference with Elder Oaks, I wanted to get on the roof and shout. Everything came into focus for me this week, and I want everyone to see what I see, because it's amazing.

Cuídense mucho,
Hermana Hein

Milagros

Another relatively normal week here in Formosa... with... a few miracles. Like Laura and Federico!! They've gone almost a week without smoking! We're super excited. We went to teach them about temples and eternal families this last week and took Hermana Lezcano with us. (Because she's amazing...) Laura really opened up to her and told her how scared she is. But we know they can do it. If they're trusting in the Lord, they're going to be able to overcome this trial. And they are. The next time we came back to teach them, they told us they hadn't smoked at all since that last visit. And that they didn't even feel like they wanted to smoke. And they're still going strong (as far as we're aware.). But we've been praying and fasting for them to be able to defeat this and they are. They're praying and reading the Book of Mormon everyday and here they are, moving forward. The only crappy thing is that they don't have a lot of support. Laura's mom has been a real stinker about the whole thing.

The last time we went to see them was Saturday night, and they still had not smoked. Smoking, for Fede was a worse habit than it was for Laura, so it's been really hard for him. But he's doing so great. And yet, Laura's mom was going off about how he wasn't going to be able to do it. And that he probably smoked one in secret and all this crap. I was so mad. "They're doing great. I believe in them." It was a small, simple statement, but Laura's mom didn't have anything more to say afterward. And I was happy to give Fede the encouragement he wasn't getting from his (soon to be) mother-in-law.

Yeah that's right. Laura and Federico are getting married on Friday! SUPER amped. The only crappy thing is that we can't go becuase we have a mission conference in Resistencia. What? Mission conference? That never happens. But it is. Because Elder Oaks of the 12 is coming to our mission! Yeah. Awesome. And they asked me to sing in the mission choir for when he comes. I'm pretty stoked. It'll be super fun and super spiritual. I love the Gospel.

"One thing Argentina does very well is squeegies"

It's a crazy thing, the mission. But I'm glad a manned up and made the choice to serve. I can't imagine my life without the mission. I've been changed a lot but for the better. Thanks to everyone who reads and supports these crazy stories of mine.

Our Zone on the family vehicle, MOTO

Love you all!
Hermana Hein

A Day Late...

Yeah I know... I'm a day late. Can't control the weather here in Argentina. (I meant that metaphorically but it works literally too.) Yesterday, we had interviews with President, so they changed P-Day to today.

Interviews were great. I always love interviews with President Franco. He's so cool. While he was doing the interviews with each companionship, we had the pleasure to be capacitated by (???), taught by? Hear a message from??? (What is English?) the assistants to president. Their message was this: What type of missionary are you going to be? Are you going to be fishers, who sit and wait for something to come to them, or are you going to be hunters, and go out searching for the people who need us. And I loved that. We have to act. Hope + Action = Faith. (I hate math.) I gotta have more faith. Can't do this work without it.

In other news, Hector, Laura, and Federico all made it to church on Sunday. And Hector FINALLY accepted a baptismal date. We're going to have to work really hard to teach him all the lessons if he's going to get baptized before the end of the transfer. As for Laura and Federico, they're doing so good. Still fighting against the smoking habit but they found this weekend, after our encouragement to pray and read the Book of Mormon everyday, that cigarettes made them feel sick and before, that had never happened. Yup. That's the power of God, friends. Believe it.

We've been working a lot this week on listening more to the spirit and following his promptings. And already we've seen the results of that. We decided to contact a random tower of apartments in Barrio Guadalupe just because we felt like we should and we found a lady who is good friends with the member we live with. Hermana Lezcano told us that Juana has always wanted to go to church and see how it is but she always thought that the missionaries were only here to help the members. She just had one tiny misconception about the missionaries, but thanks to the guidance of the Spirit, we cleared it right up. We're excited to see where it all goes.

As always, I'm grateful to be here in Argentina. There's a reason I'm here. I know that much. I may not know exactly what that reason is, but if I can trust in the Lord, I don't need to know. Because He does. Already a third of my mission is gone. I have one year left to give everything I have to the Lord. I've already seen miracles. And I can't wait to work for this entire year. Who knows what will happen? Not me. But there would be no fun in that.

Until next week,
Hermana Hein

IMPORTANT: THE CHURCH IS TRUE!

Good week friends.... family... others...

What an amazing week it was, no? Let's just talk about General Conference for a second... Amazing. Okay. I think that sums it up. Haha. No it doesn't. Words cannot describe how I feel about Conference right now. Holy crap. We had all weekend to bask in the Spirit as we watched all four sessions of Conference and the Woman's Conference Saturday morning. All I can really say is that I have been spiritually filled. I am so grateful that we had the chance to watch all of conference because I NEEDED it.

I love the Lord. And I'm so grateful to Him. This Easter weekend gave me a lot of time to think. In these past six months, I have come to KNOW the Lord. Before my mission, I can't say that I really did. But now, yeah. No doubt in my mind. I have felt His embrace, been lifted up by His hands, and been immensely blessed by His infinite love and Atonement. The Atonement is so real. I feel like I maybe say that every week. But even that isn't saying it enough. I wish I could express how I feel. But I can't. I can't describe the ways I have been saved by the Atonement. Because there's too many to number. As we learned over and over during Conference; We CANNOT do this alone. I am so far from perfect. So far from achieving the divine potential I have been blessed with. But because of Jesus Christ, we can achieve that. Because we are LOVED. I feel that love. I'm not just saying that to say it. I really do. And I will always be grateful for it.

Hermanas Allred, Flores and Ness watching conference

All this week, we invited everyone we came in contact with to come to Conference. But Friday night, I was awoken by the sound of rain crashing down on our tin roof. I should have known... It ALWAYS rains conference weekend. But Argentines are terrified of the rain. So we were a little discouraged. "No one will come now..." We complained. But lo and behold, Hector. That guy. He came for the last session, BY HIMSELF, and watched and enjoyed all of it. Good ole Hector. Just full of surprises. He's been changed by the Spirit. That much is certainly evident. And I'm so grateful that we have the opportunity to teach him.

Local Graffiti

That's basically all for the week. It was a good one. Wishing the best for everyone,
Hermana Hein