The Straight and Narrow

It's interesting the way the Lord works. He's blesses us as we're obedient to His commandments and tests us as we strive to be more obedient. It's like, you take a determination to be even more obedient and He throws even more trials in your path. Not that Hna. Ostler and I are disobedient. But we focused a lot on tightening the screws in these past two transfers on those little rules that are sometimes easy to forget. Be in the pension right on time, put bug spray on every time you leave the pension, speak in Spanish... those kinds of things. And as we tried to do that, it became a lot harder. But it was all worth it. The important things are never the easy things. But they always matter most.

Claudio's Baptism Day

Claudio got baptized on Saturday. He was so happy and just full of light and it was really special to be a part of that. Hna. Ostler and I really didn't do anything. We were just the instruments the Lord was using here in Costanera. It's an honor.

Hermana Ostler and I are all smiles!

To celebrate Claudio's baptism, we had an activity! It was supposed to be for the whole branch but basically only President Godoy's family came. Haha. But it was still a blast. We played charades and ate choripan and brownies that we burned and everyone who came loved it. Claudio felt right at home. Haha. And yesterday, he was confirmed an official member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. I think the confirmation was the best part. He was dressed in full church gear: shirt, pants, tie, shoes. It was the first time he had the whole ensemble. And you could see how having the Gift of the Holy Ghost brought a new light to his eyes. He even teared up a bit as we sang "I Stand All Amazed" before the Sacrament. Man I love the Gospel.

Hermana Flores and I at Consejo

We learned this week about prayer and what it really is. We have to remember that God is our loving Heavenly Father. He knows us. We knew Him before we came here. I'm sure that He misses us. And when we don't choose to talk to Him, it makes Him sad. But we CAN talk to Him. Prayer is such a blessing and such a privilege. I know that God hears AND answers our prayers. He may not always answer in the way we expect but He is aware of us and our needs. I know He lives and I'm so grateful to Him for blessing me with this incredible opportunity. I love the Gospel and I love all of you for your support and prayers. They are felt.

Sending lots of love,
Hermana Hein

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

 

The Noble Art of Divination

Hi All:

A bit of a wooly subject, divination... nevertheless... we had a run in with Argentine Professor Trelawney this week that proved to be... interesting. Walking down Calle 7 one morning, looking for a name from the list of members here in Sáenz Peña, we noticed a sign that said something like, "Rodolfo, parapsicología" "What's that?" I ask. Hna. Beckstead shrugs her shoulders and claps. An old man wearing a stained wife beater comes out to the gate to greet us. "Are you Rodolfo?" we ask. "Yes." "What's parapsicología?"  "I'll show you." We just stand out on the front patio and he shows us a certificate that authorizes his practice of this parapsicología, which he tells us is basically... divination.

"For example," he says. "I can tell just by looking at you that... you haven't been here for very long..." "I've been here for almost a year." I reply. "Viste? That's not very long..." *long awkward silence* "I can also sense that you two... are not from around here." he divined. "How could I possibly know that just by looking at you? I don't know... I'm just... knowing..." We tried our best not to laugh. Apparently, you can't tell that we're not Argentine by just looking at us... or hearing our accents... you have to have... the gift.

This week, we also got to head once more to Resistencia for Consejo. President talked about the Samaritan woman at the well in John 4. Which just so happens to be one of my FAVORITE Bible stories. The way the Savior teaches is just so simple yet so profound. One learns important teaching principles from the example of the Master. President talked a lot about the living waters, which are the teachings of Christ. And how important it is for us to share them with others. Those who drink of the living waters of Christ shall never thirst again. What an incredible promise. And it's true. It's something I've witnessed a lot here in the mission. There are people here with literally NOTHING. Entire families are living here in a square of bricks smaller than my bedroom, with a dirt floor and two grimy mattresses. And yet, in these families, I've met people with some of the most faith. They find the strength to keep going even when there's NOTHING LEFT because of their faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement. It makes you realize just how real it is and how much we really need those living waters.

Jenessa with Antonia

Pancho, our dog??

I am so blessed. I have everything I could ever want and need and more. Seeing the people here, living in poverty is a real eye opener. It's very humbling. We need to do what we can with the means we've been given to help those who have less than us. It says in the Book of Mormon, in Ether, that we must have charity to inherit the kingdom of God. But charity isn't just giving to the poor. It's loving as Christ loves. And Christ loves everyone perfectly. Which is a hard thing to accomplish for us as imperfect beings. But, one way to get better at loving, is by serving. We automatically grow to love those we serve. Charity never Faileth. (or as they say here, in Relief Society every week, "la caridad nunca deja de ser." in a very monotone voice. It's hilarious.)

Love you all,
Hermana Hein


       

Over the Hill

Welp. It's been 9 months. Can't. Handle it. Time in the mission is so weird... I think back on my first couple of week in the mission and it seems like it was yesterday. But then, when I think back on everything that's happened in that time... it's been a lifetime... So weird. It's like a time vortex.

This week was pretty good, the highlight of the week being Consejo. A big meeting for all the leaders of the mission. It was great. I always loving hearing from President Franco. He takes his calling so seriously and really works hard to make sure we're all okay. And every time I have the privilege to hear from him, I'm so uplifted by his wisdom. Together, we read the story of David and Goliath and talked about how we don't need to be afraid because the Lord will fight our battles for us. We may some times feel small and inadequate to the task at hand, but if we put our faith in the Lord, it doesn't even matter if we're facing a 9 foot giant with naught but a sling and 5 stones. We can do anything. I was also able to see Hna. Nakken at Consejo so that was pretty great. ALSO... that day was the day of my cumple mes. 9 months. Which obviously calls for a whole bunch of ice cream. No complaints there.

Half-way there...

 Other than that, not much happened this week. We met a bunch of new people, so we're hoping to see some progress there. It's been crazy. We've lost a lot of time in the past couple of weeks for various reasons, but we're hoping to get some good work done this week. We have to do divisions again this week and interviews with President so this week is going to fly. And next week is week 6 ya! WHAT??? I JUST BARELY REALIZED. I CAN'T. WHAT HAPPENED TO THE TRANSFER??? Well... It's almost over. That's awkward...

Well... sorry this week was so boring and all over the place. It was a good week. Even though it seemed really short and uneventful. But anyway. The work goes on. There is no rest for the servants of the Lord, as I said to Lucas the other day.

Scarves made by Hermana Franco

As always, I just want to bear testimony of the truthfulness of this Gospel. Everyday, I have the privilege of witnessing the changes it makes in people's hearts. Even mine. True conversion doesn't happen until we learn to love the Lord and show our love by obeying the commandments. I have learned to love the Lord because I've learned who He really is. I'm so grateful to Him for His sacrifice for me and for all the people I care about. He lives. I know it.

At Consejo

Love you all!
Hermana Hein

PS. Pics. A ful laso de helado por 9 meses! Also, Hna. Franco knitted scarves for ALL OF THE HERMANAS IN THE MISSION. So Hna. Tello and I decided to take some model shots. And of course. Lookin fly for consejo.