FELIZ AÑO NUEVO!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!! 

So long 2014. That went by in a flash. When all of the returned missionaries used to tell me that it goes by way too fast, I never believed them. Especially in the first few months of my mission.. But HELLO 2015, you chased this year away real quick.

Christmas was beautiful. It was so wonderful to be able to see my beautiful family. Especially Corb!! Holy goodness. I can´t believe that it has been almost a year an a half since I have seen you!! I hope that everyone else loved Christmas as much as I did. 

My companion and I were invited to have Christmas Eve dinner with Ismael and Hermana Kata. All day, we ran around with Santa hats singing Christmas hymns for the members and then we ate way too much grilled meat and got permission to watch a few scenes of Ice Age UNTIL... weeeeeuuuuooooweeeeeeoooooooo. Sounds the Fireman sirens!! Now, Ismael is a volunteer fireman with a broken knee. Nevertheless, he decided that it would be fun to scare the bloody goodness out of me and jump up from the table, grab his fireproof clothing and head on out to fight a fire. Now, I was terrified and mostly just upset that he knocked the grilled pig on the ground but extremely grateful for my life. Not only that I´m not a firefighter.. :) BUT that there are people in this world willing to sacrifice a Christmas Eve with their family in order to save the lives of another. 

We all have Christ-like qualities.

“True Christianity is love in action. There is no better way to manifest love for God than to show an unselfish love for your fellow men. This is the spirit of missionary work” --President David O. McKay

We stayed up ALLLL night the 24th, waiting for the fireworks. And then we decided to climb up on the roof to watch them. Because our Balcony just didn´t give us a good enough view of the firework filled sky. Because we were exhausted after playing with our sparklers and still stuffed full from the night before, we didn´t make a huge breakfast. But I promise you, there will be one for New Years. :)

Yesterday, Presidente Ferdnandez from the Mission Presidency came to San Vicente and he talked about new years resolutions. YIPEE!! I am so horrible at them. But I loved what he challenged us all to do.

Vamos pues.

We are going to all make a huge list-- as big as possible-- of all of the WONDERFUL things that we accomplished in 2014. New years are for happy beginnings. Not regretful endings. I so easily could look back at 2014 and say urgh. Why not. Why this. Why did I not learn faster from that?? BUT NO. Let´s look forward with a heart full of gratitude for our accomplishments and improvements and face 2015 with desires to be even BETTER!

“We have come to this earth upon a mission; … that we may have power to go forth and warn the nations of the earth. … As elders of Israel, very few of us fully comprehend our position, our calling, our relationship to God, our responsibility, or work the Lord requires at our hands” --President Wilford Woodruff

Just reciently. Like as I was waiting for the slowwwww internet to load, I was talking with the young man beside me asking him about his Christmas. Welp, this poor young fella doesn´t celebrate Christmas. And I thought, how sad. I love that the WORLD has created this tradition and that the LORD has adapted it to help us to become better Cristianos. What better way to start the new year than with a resolution to better Serve the Lord and to remember Him EVERY DAY throughout the New Year. Christmas sets up the New Year so perfectly. 

God is brilliant. :) We´re on the winning team, my friends. I know it. Because the Lord can and does use everything for the benefit and for the bettering of His work. Because I know the church is true!! And I KNOW that this is the work of the Lord.  The Gospel is such a blessing and I am so grateful for it. For EVERY PART OF IT. I am so happy to have had the opportunity to be a missionary in this year of 2014. I´m gonna go out with a BANG and show 2015 what I´ve learned and who I can be, who the Lord has made me. :) A better, more dedicated and loving desciple and missionary of Christ.

That´s number ONE on my resolutions list. What´s on yours?

Hermana Rupe

Look Not Behind Thee

Feliz Navidad

& a HAPPY NEW YEAR!! 

So long 2014. That went by in a flash. When all of the returned missionaries used to tell me that it goes by way too fast, I never believed them. Especially in the first few months of my mission.. But HELLO 2015, you chased this year away real quick.

I am so happy that it is Christmas time. I have been happy all month for it to be Christmas time. I´m excited to talk to my family, but I am even more happy to be a missionary and to be able to share the gospel with these wonderful people in San Vicente.

This week, we met some incredible people! The Hermana Lider came here with her companion and they both stayed because we begged them too so that we wouldn´t have to travel a million times. So they stayed and we worked super hard here in San Vicente. I took Hermana Gonzalez up to a part of our area that is super far away. Where we only have 1 investigator. So we decided to look for some more. And the miracles came!!

We found AnaLia. She is the cutest little abuela that you ever did meet. She was making pan dulce and didn´t want to let us in. But when I asked her if she would teach us how to make her pan, her face lit up and she recieved us with open arms and plates full of goodies. Turns out, she loves the Lord and she believes very strongly in treating others kindly. There aren´t any busses that leave Malvinas on Sundays so usually she spends the night with her sister here in el Centro on Saturday nights so that she can go to church on Sundays. We´ll see next week if she comes because yesterday it RAIIINNNNEEED.

Basically no one came to church. But we did save a cat. :)

I have officially saved more cat souls than human ones. I know that´s every missionary´s wish.. NOT. I saved my 8th abandoned cat yesterday. We bathed it (I know you´re not supposed to do that. It almost died.) We killed all of it´s fleas and we gave it away to one of our investigators. MERRY CHRISTMAS, take a kitten. :)

We had a fun noche de rama this week and we played Christmas twister. :) See photos below. But the most incredibly divertido thing that happened this week was our Christmas Devotional!! 

Mostly it was just full of games and laughter and childlike bliss. And most importantly, the spirit! :) I can´t imagine that life would be much fun with out the spirit. 

Life would have no meaning if He hadn´t have come.

I am so grateful to our Father in Heaven who so lovingly sent His son to this earth. And I am so grateful to that Son, Jesus Christ who so willingly came to give my life- and yours- real meaning. REAL Happiness. :)

"“True happiness comes only by making others happy—the practical application of the Savior’s doctrine of losing one’s life to gain it. In short, the Christmas spirit is the Christ spirit, that makes our hearts glow in brotherly love and friendship and prompts us to kind deeds of service." --President David O´McKay

“It is the spirit of the gospel of Jesus Christ, obedience to which will bring ‘peace on earth,’ because it means—good will toward all men.” ³

Giving, not getting, brings to full bloom the Christmas spirit. Enemies are forgiven, friends remembered, and God obeyed. The spirit of Christmas illuminates the picture window of the soul, and we look out upon the world’s busy life and become more interested in people than things. To catch the real meaning of the “spirit of Christmas,” we need only drop the last syllable, and it becomes the “Spirit of Christ.”

When we have the spirit of Christmas, we remember Him whose birth we commemorate at this season of the year. We contemplate that first Christmas day, foretold by the prophets of old. You, with me, recall the words from Isaiah: “Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel” ⁴ —meaning “God with us.”

On the American continent, the prophets said: “The time cometh, and is not far distant, that with power, the Lord Omnipotent … shall dwell in a tabernacle of clay. … He shall suffer temptations, and pain. … And he shall be called Jesus Christ, the Son of God.” ⁵

Then came that night of nights when the shepherds were abiding in the fields and the angel of the Lord appeared to them, announcing the birth of the Savior. Later, Wise Men journeyed from the East to Jerusalem, “Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him. …

“When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.

“And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.” ⁶

Times change; years speed by; but Christmas continues sacred. In this marvelous dispensation of the fulness of times, our opportunities to give of ourselves are indeed limitless, but they are also perishable. There are hearts to gladden. There are kind words to say. There are gifts to be given. There are deeds to be done. There are souls to be saved.

....

If we are to have the very best Christmas ever... We must reach out for the Carpenter’s hand. With every step we take in His footsteps, we abandon a doubt and gain a truth.

It was said of Jesus of Nazareth that He “increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.” ⁷ Do we have the determination to do likewise? One line of holy writ contains a tribute to our Lord and Savior, of whom it was said, He “went about doing good … ; for God was with him.” ⁸

My prayer is that at this Christmas season and all the Christmastimes to come, we may follow in His footsteps. Then each Christmas will be the best Christmas ever."

Merry Christmas. May focusing our thoughts and our actions in Christ, for Him, How He would- give more Reason to this Christmas Season.

All of my love,

Hermana Rupe

The Best Christmas Ever

Because He Came

Seeing Christmas Through New Eyes

Pictures from our fashion shoot waiting for the bus to go to the Christmas Devotional... My mission president is the greatest one out there. Did yours dress up as Santa Clause?? I bet not. :) We win here in Posadas..

Other pictures from Our adventure learning to make candles from beeswax.. yeah that happened. 

And our Homemade CHRISTMAS tree!! :) There was a different one but it kind of fell.. so we got even MORE creative. We´re cute.

Lead Me, Guide Me

HOOOOOOLA FAMILIA. 

How is everyone?? I don´t have much time. And guess what?? I get to see you all next week! Welp those who want to see me. :) I`m super excited for Christmas. We are planning lots of fun things. I am going to surprise my companion with Cragun Stockings and gravy! Hopefully it doesn´t make her sick. :)

We also bought santa hats to go out contacting with next week. Not too creative, but hey, no hay plata.

We did make ourselves a christmas tree! Cutest thing ever! :)

And I set up my pesebre that Hermana Raquel gave me.

We´ve been a little inspired this week. :) And I have been studying just that... INSPIRATION. :)

True inspiration comes from the Holy Ghost and TRUE happiness comes from living the gospel.

"Let us be a happy people. The Lord´s plan is a plan of happiness."

        --President Gordon B. Hinckley

This week has been a happy week!! It´s been a little tough, but always happy. :) Especially when your companion is fun. I like her.

Except when we have zone meetings, we have to travel a million miles. like 3.5 hours and I want to DIEEEE. On our way home, the bus didn´t have air conditioning and I literally thought I was going to pass out of dehydration. ugh.

The bikes are killing my bum but we are loving getting around here and there so much faster!! Only my companion´s bike keeps breaking. We just laugh about it and ride on.

Or we walk if it´s really super broken.

I started reading my 12 days of Christmas that mom sent me last year. I got it in February and studied them throughout the year, but I decided to read them all again. I loved this story from this week!! :)

"I knew you would come"

Herman and I locked our general store and dragged ourselves home. It was 11:00 p.m., Christmas Eve of 1949. We were dog tired. We had sold almost all of our toys; and all of the layaways, except one package, had been picked up.

Usually we kept the store open until everything had been claimed. We wouldn't have waken up happy on Christmas knowing that some child's gift was still on the layaway shelf. But the person who had put a dollar down on that package never returned.

Early Christmas morning we and our twelve-year-old son, Tom, opened gifts. But I'll tell you, there was something humdrum about this Christmas. Tom was growing up; I missed his childish exuberance of past years.

As soon as breakfast was over Tom left to visit his friend next door. Herman mumbled, "I'm going back to sleep. There's nothing left to stay up for." So there I was alone, feeling let down.

And then it began. A strange, persistent urge. It seemed to be telling me to go to the store. I looked at the sleet and icy sidewalk outside.That's crazy, I said to myself. I tried dismissing the urge, but it wouldn't leave me alone. In fact, it was getting stronger. Finally, I couldn't stand it any longer, and I got dressed.

Outside, the wind cut right through me and the sleet stung my cheeks. I groped my way to the store, slipping and sliding. In front stood two boys, one about nine, and the other six. What in the world?

"See, I told you she would come!" the older boy said jubilantly. The younger one's face was wet with tears, but when he saw me, his sobbing stopped.

"What are you two doing out here?" I scolded, hurrying them into the store. "You should be at home on a day like this!" They were poorly dressed. They had no hats or gloves, and their shoes barely held together. I rubbed their icy hands, and got them up close to the heater.

"We've been waiting for you," replied the older boy. "My little brother Jimmy didn't get any Christmas." He touched Jimmy's shoulder. "We want to buy some skates. That's what he wants. We have these three dollars," he said, pulling the bills from his pocket.

I looked at the money. I looked at their expectant faces. And then I looked around the store. "I'm sorry," I said, "but we have no-" then my eye caught sight of the layaway shelf with its lone package. "Wait a minute," I told the boys. I walked over, picked up the package, unwrapped it and, miracle of miracles, there was a pair of skates!

Jimmy reached for them. Lord, let them be his size. And miracle added upon miracle, they were his size.

The older boy presented the dollars to me. "No," I told him, "I want you to have these skates, and I want you to use your money to get some gloves." The boys just blinked at first. Then their eyes became like saucers, and their grins stretched wide when they understood I was giving them the skates. What I saw in Jimmy's eyes was a blessing. It was pure joy, and it was beautiful. My spirits rose.

We walked out together, and as I locked the door, I turned to the older brother and said, "How did you know I would come?" I wasn't prepared for his reply. His gaze was steady, and he answered me softly. "I asked Jesus to send you."

The tingles in my spine weren't from the cold. God had planned this. As we waved good-bye, I turned home to a brighter Christmas.

~by Elizabeth King English~

This week, we struggled finding new investigators. Pray for us to find the star we need to follow, please?? :) I know that there are prepared people out here. Like Martin. He is the cutest thing. A little lost. But his mind is so brilliant. Martin is an orphan. He´s from Buenos Aires, but he lives here in the Radio. He has so much faith in God but he has passed through so much opposition that it´s difficult for him to put all of his confidence in anyone other than himself. But we will be working with him and praying for him always.

I love Hermana Kata. She is a member of about 4 years. She´s from Germany but was born in Paraguay but she lives in Argentina with her grandson who really is kind of a jerk and doesn´t help her at all. She has asthma and she smokes which is totally not good. I hate cigarettes. She also has horrible back problems and a partially broken leg. But she is just an angel. She is the perfect example (minus the smoking) Of perserverance. She works hard everyday and she testifies every time we visit that her daily studies and her daily prayers get her through each day. She loves her scriptures! And every day, she courageously faces her problems with faith.

"Of course we will face fear, experience ridicule, and meet opposition. Let us have the courage to defy the consensus, the courage to stand for PRINCIPLE. Courage, not compromise, brings the smile of God´s approval. Remember that all men have their fears, but those who face their fears with faith have courage as well." --President Thomas S. Monson

I also have been studying in Alma this week. 

I love the courage that he had as he spoke to the pueblo!! He just tells them how it is! He warned them about apostasy (Chapter 4) And he commanded them to repent! Oh how I wish sometimes I could do that without getting killed. Alma also teaches us about inspiration and learning by the spirit. 

 Alma 5: 45 And this is not all. Do ye not suppose that I know of these things myself? Behold, I testify unto you that I do know that these things whereof I have spoken are true. And how do ye suppose that I know of their surety?

 46 Behold, I say unto you they are made known unto me by the Holy Spirit of God. Behold, I have fasted and prayed many days that I might know these things of myself. And now I do know of myself that they are true; for the Lord God hath made them manifest unto me by his Holy Spirit; and this is the spirit ofrevelation which is in me.

 47 And moreover, I say unto you that it has thus been revealed unto me, that the words which have been spoken by our fathers are true, even so according to the spirit of prophecy which is in me, which is also by the manifestation of the Spirit of God.

Another way we can strengthen our testimonies and come to KNOW the truth of the Gospel is by sharing what we believe! May we all strive to share our testimonies with all those around us. Don´t forget this week to SHARE THE GIFT.

What a gift it is to be a missionary. Thank you for all of your love, prayers, emails and support. I love this work. I love my Father in Heaven and I love my Savior.

Love, Hermana Rupe

Let Your Faith Show

The camera is still broken. We´re taking pictures with my companion´s camera, don´t worry. 

We learned how to squeeze the honey out of a beehive!! AND I MADE ZUCCHINI BREAD. mmmmm.

I earned little Alexis´ heart on his birthday with a customized secret handshake. That was definitely a highlight this week. 

I have got to get out of this cyber. These freaking kids playing video games ate something horrible and they are full of gasses. I might pass out. 

The church is true!! Love you.

SAN VICENTE

#ComparteLaDádiva

It´s almost Christmas time!! Everyone back home is running around in the after Thanksgiving maddness buying and selling and buying and selling gifts for Christmas. 

Here, the Christmas spirit is a bit different. It´s all about sharing the gospel. I love the what the Church is doing this Christmas to help us remember the TRUE meaning of this time of year.

John 3: 16 ¶For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begottenSon, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Why did God give His gift?

I have NEVER been so exhausted in my whole life. And the Argentina sun is making my life so much easier.

On Saturday, we got home. Planned our stuff for Sunday and then we went in our room to put our feet up before getting ready for bed. We got to talking and then next thing I know, it´s 1 in the morning and we both wake up and realized that the music was still playing and the lights were still on. We had not changed nor brushed our teeth. NOTHING. 

oops.

Maybe it´s partially my bike´s fault. Yes, I have a bike. MERRY CHRISTMAS No, I do not have pictures. My camera broke again...

Bicycle Race.

It has been quite the welcome back to Argentina. I love my companion. Hermana Torres seriously is the cutest little thing. I am so grateful for her. We already get along so well. We actually work out together in the mornings and we just laugh and laugh all day. Especially when the bikes hurt us. They don´t like us.

She is from Guatemala. She was the first convert of her family and little by little, the rest of her family has converted. She is full of life and energy and she loves the gospel. San Vicente is a fun little Rama in the mountains of Argentina. The branch President is a MISSIONARY. So that´s interesting. There are a ton of new converts and slowly the branch has been progressing. And we´re here to just keep strengthening the best we can. 

Welcome Back to Argentina where EVERYONE takes a nap from 1-4. And where it´s not cool to be able to speak Guarani. What do you mean that´s not impressive?

It was so hard saying goodbye to Santa Ana. That ward put me through hell and back but I love them so much. They SHOWERED me with gifts as I left and we all cried and cried as they wrote me letters and hugged me goodbye. It was terrible and I am having Paraguay withdrawls. But I like this place too. It´s okay. :) The spirit can be found in all places.

This week I met some pretty incredible people. Neli is one of our investigators. She´s Catholic, but she has been going to the Asamblea de Dios. The hermanas were going to drop her, but Hermana Torres decided that we should go teach her. So we did. We talked about the Restoration and about the Book of Mormon. And it all clicked. She was so excited to come to church on Sunday and even though she didn´t, I know that she felt the spirit. Because we felt it. We bore testimony of the importance of the restored gospel and she expressed her desires for her daughters to go to church so that her grandbaby can grow up with Christ in his life. We shared experiences about how the gospel has blessed our lives and I know that she will embrace the Gospel sooner or later. :)

Andres has been assisting for quite a while now. He just needs to get married. He has such a strong testimony of the gospel and of the blessings that it brings us in our lives. Him and his girlfriend are getting super excited to get married and they even helped us on Sunday go visit all of the members who didn´t come to church. He even paid his tithing!! And his girlfriend, Mabel says that he is helping her be excited to go to church and to stay active.

The church is TRUE!!

Yesterday, we didn´t have p-day. Surprise. It was the day of the virgin. So we got to go out in the rain, on the bikes and contact people. We were looking for the familia luz. And Argentines aren´t as friendly as Paraguayans. Also, they aren´t as familiar with their neighbors. So basically, no one was helping us. People were even shutting doors on our faces until Braian came out of his house. In the rain and very kindly answered our question and directed us to the Luz family´s house. Turns out, they are his cousins and they live next door to him. In most circumstances like this one, we would normally turn around and leave and go visit that family. But we felt impressed to ask Braian if we could visit with him for a minute. He didn´t even think twice. He got out the chairs and we sat down to get to know him a bit.

Braian is 18 and his parents are separated. He had to quit school to start working and his mom doesn´t really appreciate him. They don´t get along well because she is never home and when she is home, she doesn´t treat him well. My heart melted as he told us this in a very subtle way, not wanting to make his mother sound like a bruja. We bore a firm testimony that Braian is NOT alone and we invited him to pray. To talk to Heavenly Father so that he might receive the help that he needs. He gladly accepted the invitation to pray and to come to church on Sunday.

As we were leaving, we asked for his last name. Turns out, his dad and all of his step siblings are also members of the church. Miracles happen in the rain. :)

We learned that the spirit might just even tell people to shut their doors on our faces. But most importantly, the spirit guides us to where we need to be. 

It´s going to be a weird transition. And I am just watching the days tick on by. Tell time to stop please. There are people to visit. Souls to save. Miracles to witness. Like these cute little smelly boys sitting here in the cyber. I gave them all a picture of Jesus and the littlest one just told me how beautiful the picture is that I gave him. There is something magical in the air!

Tis´ the season to be JOLLY. :)

Hermana Rupe

Lord, I Believe

saying bye to CDE
Mi companera nueva

Argentina Bound

Welp. I´m outta here. See ya later beautiful Paraguay.

Tomorrow, I´m headed back to my homeland. The country of my Birth. And most likely my death here in the mission. San Vicente, Argentina is the place. I went there once. Way back in the day that I couldn´t speak spanish but when I thought I could. I really couldn´t... My companion´s name is Hermana Torres. And I think she´s from Guatemala. We shall see. I really wanted an American. But it´s all good. My Spanish is going to improve. :)

I´m really sad to be leaving honestly. It has been such an incredible experience here in Santa Ana with Hermana Juarez. And I could not have had a better last week here. We through a party, right? I am just a really bad party thrower I think because no one ever comes. But we had fun and I got to listen to some Michael Jackson because Junior decided to dance to Billie Jean. #michaelisamissionary.

Our investigators came and we had so much support from every non member in Santa Ana. Which is every missionary´s dream right? But MEMBERS are crucial!.. SUPPORT your ward parties PLEASE!!

I have been studying in Mosiah. I love it. This time around, I am actually catching the drift of how the Book of Mormon was written. Who passed it to who.. and I actually have been able to remember where the stories are and who did what! It´s miraculous. And I love the Book of Mormon. This week, I found a bunch of random scriptures that I love!!

Mosiah 19 talks about the importance of Families! Find me the verse and I will buy you an alfajor.

Mosiah 21 talks about God´s love for the humble. And the importance of the priesthood!! The people wanted to be baptized so badly but they knew that they had to have authority to do it.. So they waited!

Mosiah 23 shows us that when we love one another and make a concious decision to not allow contention, the spirit accompanies us and gives us MORE LOVE!

Mosiah 24:6 teaches us to always keep a journal!

25 talks about how the church was equal in every part of the land.

And chapter 27 teaches us about Alma the younger´s conversion!! How after he was converted, he dedicated his whole life to the work of the Lord. Knowing that the things of God are so much more important than the things of the world.

Where Your Treasure Is

Something that I have noticed is that so many people take all of the time in the world to please themselves or their bosses or their spouses or anyone else, but GOD. And really, if we don´t take time to strengthen ourselves spiritually, everything else we do is never going to really matter.

I love the example of Alma. His repentance and his desire to change. 

Yesterday was full of miracles. I think that Sundays always are. Guess who came to church?? YENI AND YONY!!! We were so happy. We told them that we would get up early to go pick them up.. And when we got to their house they were all ready super dressed up and excited to go! They weren´t planning on staying for all 3 hours. BUT THEY STAYED! And although Yeni wasn´t too pleased with the irreverent children, she loved it and they both felt the spirit so strongly. It really was incredible.

We did divisiones with Hermana Steele and Hermana Sorenson. Yes, another holiday with all Americans. I promise it wasn´t planned that way. :) We spent Thanksgiving with the American family in Presidente Franco and it honestly was so incredible. We went around the table and we each told of something that we are grateful.

Everyone was grateful for families.

I am so grateful for my family.

I also am SO grateful for prayer! I found a quote this week that I just LOVE.

"I pray because I can´t help myself.. I pray because the need flows out of me all the time, walking and sleeping. It doesn´t change God. It changes me." --C.S. Lewis

Prayer really, honestly does change us. It has changed me. Could you feel the Lord listening last week?

"We can choose to reach for God´s hand in our need. We can face our challenges with prayer and trust in the Lord. And in the process, we become more like Him."

The church really honestly completely is TRUE! I know it. There is no doubt in my mind. I love the person that the Lord is helping me to become. I know that I have a long way to go but I am learning so much about myself and about God. I´m learning that I can not imagine my life without the gospel.

One night I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord.

Many scenes from my life flashed across the sky.

In each scene I noticed footprints in the sand.

Sometimes there were two sets of footprints,

other times there were one set of footprints.

This bothered me because I noticed

that during the low periods of my life,

when I was suffering from

anguish, sorrow or defeat,

I could see only one set of footprints.

So I said to the Lord,

"You promised me Lord,

that if I followed you,

you would walk with me always.

But I have noticed that during

the most trying periods of my life

there have only been one

set of footprints in the sand.

Why, when I needed you most,

you have not been there for me?"

The Lord replied,

"The times when you have

seen only one set of footprints,

is when I carried you."

Mary Stevenson

"The gospel of Jesus Christ is not a checklist of things to do; rather, it lives in our hearts. The gospel "is not weight; it´s wings" it carries us.

The gospel is carrying me. My Heavenly Father carries me. Christ carries me.

EVERY. DAY.

Hermana Rupe

Grateful in Any Circumstances
Fear Not: I Am with Thee

Dulce O Truco

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BABY BROTHER!! I love you and I hope you had the best birthday EVER!! I thought about you all day. ;)

I legit went trick or treating in Paraguay this week. Halloween is not really a thing down here but we decided to make it one! :) So Hermana Percival and I had the lovely opportunity in doing divisiones in Presidente Franco with Hermana Sorenson and Hermana Steele. Justo the day fell on Halloween!! The members had told las hermanas that there was an AMERICAN family in their area and so we decided to go visit them. Clap clap clap... TRICK or TREAT!! :) A bowl full of maple syrup later, they decided that they would just LOVE for the missionaries to visit them EVERYDAY. Literally, the mom asked us if we could come back Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday.... And we were like uh, yeah maybe not everyday but we will definitely come back! :)

Jack O´Lanterns really aren´t in existence here. Pumpkins are hard to find and they aren´t cheap. So what´s similar and not too expensive?? WATERMELONS!!! We totally didn´t stay up all night long carving watermelon. :)

I had some really incredible experiences this week. While I was on divisiones, I got to go with Hermana Steele. She is honestly one of the most incredible missionaries that I know. I am so blown away at the work she does. And we had so much fun contacting. I loved talking about the family with people. Her and her companion focus a lot on teaching people about how the gospel blesses families. And my testimony of that has been strengthened this week.

Even President LaPierre bore his testimony about how HALLOWEEN strengthened his family. About how traditions bring us closer and how the magic of holidays helps us to better be united as a family. I have been craving chinese food knowing that our Halloween Mushu chicken really did help us to be just a little bit closer every year.

Yeni and Yoni are questioning baptism! They are a little confused! But they are loving learning. And so is HUGO. He´s less and less skeptical every time we visit him. Pray for them!! :)

We also talked about UNITY in Consejo. :) I got to go again. It´s been a few months and a LOT of things had changed. But I loved it! Unity is the KEY to success! President talked about how you can have all of the talent in the whole world, but if you´re not united, your talent serves for nothing. He gave an example of the world cup. He said that probably Argentina had more talent, but in the end, Germany was united! And I thought about drill team my senor year.. :) Yes, we had a LOT of talent. But what got us the win? That we defied gravity by BEING UNITED!

As members, we should be united together and with the LORD to be able to open the door to success in this obra maravillosa!

Defy Gravity: Go Forward With Faith

Speaking of Defying Gravity again, Corbin, you are the CUTEST thing in the whole world. I would just like to brag a bit about you to all of the people that read these emails. I got the cutest letter this week. My brother knows how much I just LOVE wicked and he found the cute talk from hermana Oscarson in the Liahona.. And he cut it out for me and made the cutest little card. (Thanks bud!)

I love the scripture that he sent me

 “Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life”

"In order to defy gravity, it is important for all of us to keep moving forward with faith, trusting in the counsel of living prophets and a loving Heavenly Father to keep us from falling. "

Also in consejo, we learned about our covenants! How so many people don´t understand their covenants! That´s why people go inactive. If we just undersand what we are promising the Lord that we will do, this life would be so much more joyful. We talked about how as we learn more, we recieve more responsabilities. Like how the rules of the mission weren´t the rules of my life before the mission. But they are now and I gosh darnit better obey them. It´s the same with baptism and the temple! As we make covenants with the Lord, we promise to obey a higher law! And he blesses us for it! 

Making covenants helps us progress! But sometimes, we hit a spiritual block. Like I kind of feel like I´ve been in for a while. We get to a point where we don´t feel like we can progress anymore. But that´s not TRUE!! We need to ask ourselves if we are doing absolutely EVERYTHING we can be doing to keep our covenants and to do EVERYTHING we can with what we have. 

Also, as we learn to and learn to love to keep our covenants, we develop less tolerance for sin and filth in our lives. 

Hermana Crump taught me something incredible. She told me a story about how once upon a time, her family was cleaning the church. It was a stormy day and she got to clean the windows. They looked super clean when they left, but the next morning at Church, she looked at her clean windows but they were FILTHY!! With the Sunday sun, the dirt and smudges and smears were more evident. Asi es with the gospel. As we obtain more life in our lives, the filth becomes more evident and we become less tolerant to keep it there. 

But halleluijah we have windex!! Or the Atonement. ;) To help us clean our lives and to help us keep them clean! I love the Atonement! It is so real. I feel like everything that I have been studying has been on the Atonement. So as I have been trying and trying to repent everyday and to apply the Atonement when I´m happy and sad and frusterated and upset, I have found that I have a stronger influence of the spirit in my life. I have found that I am more sensitive to his promptings and that I can better feel and share the Love that God has for me and for all of His children.

"Character is the manifestation of what you are becoming. Your character will be the yardstick that God will use to determine how well you have met your mortal probation. Strong moral character results from consistent correct choices in the trials and testing of life." --Elder Richard G. Scott

We also need burdens to be able to progress!! That´s why the Lord always sends us a trial. But we can use the Atonement to make good choices so that we can become who the Lord wants us to be. We have so much potential as children of God! And He has given us this life to do everything we can to reach it.

Hermana LaPierre shared her testimony and then she had an Elder read these verses from D&C 133. We then sung Israel, Israel God is calling. The spirit was SO strong.

1 Hearken, O ye people of my church, saith the Lord your God, and hear the word of the Lord concerning you—

 5 Go ye out from Babylon. Be ye clean that bear the vessels of the Lord.

 6 Call your solemn assemblies, and speak often one to another. And let every man call upon the name of the Lord.

 7 Yea, verily I say unto you again, the time has come when the voice of the Lord is unto you: Go ye out of Babylon; gather ye out from among the nations, from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

 8 Send forth the elders of my church unto the nations which are afar off; unto the islands of the sea; send forth unto foreign lands; call upon all nations, first upon the Gentiles, and then upon the Jews.

 9 And behold, and lo, this shall be their cry, and the voice of the Lord unto all people: Go ye forth unto the land of Zion, that the borders of my people may be enlarged, and that her stakes may be strengthened, and that Zion may go forth unto the regions round about.

 10 Yea, let the cry go forth among all people: Awake and arise and go forth to meet the Bridegroom; behold and lo, the Bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. Prepare yourselves for the great day of the Lord.

 11 Watch, therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour.

 14 Go ye out from among the nations, even from Babylon, from the midst of wickedness, which is spiritual Babylon.

 15 But verily, thus saith the Lord, let not your flight be in haste, but let all things be prepared before you; and he that goeth, let him not look back lest sudden destruction shall come upon him.

 16 Hearken and hear, O ye inhabitants of the earth. Listen, ye elders of my church together, and hear the voice of the Lord; for he calleth upon all men, and he commandeth all men everywhere to repent.

 17 For behold, the Lord God hath sent forth the angel crying through the midst of heaven, saying: Prepare ye the way of the Lord, and make his paths straight, for the hour of his coming is nigh—

1. Israel, Israel, God is calling,
Calling thee from lands of woe.
Babylon the great is falling;
God shall all her tow'rs o'erthrow.
Come to Zion, come to Zion
Ere his floods of anger flow.
Come to Zion, come to Zion
Ere his floods of anger flow.

2. Israel, Israel, God is speaking.
Hear your great Deliv'rer's voice!
Now a glorious morn is breaking
For the people of his choice.
Come to Zion, come to Zion,
And within her walls rejoice.
Come to Zion, come to Zion,
And within her walls rejoice.

3. Israel, angels are descending
From celestial worlds on high,
And to man their pow'r extending,
That the Saints may homeward fly.
Come to Zion, come to Zion,
For your coming Lord is nigh.
Come to Zion, come to Zion,
For your coming Lord is nigh.

4. Israel! Israel! Canst thou linger
Still in error's gloomy ways?
Mark how judgment's pointing finger
Justifies no vain delays.
Come to Zion, come to Zion!
Zion's walls shall ring with praise.
Come to Zion, come to Zion!
Zion's walls shall ring with praise.

I love being a part of the work of the Lord. I love inviting others to come unto Christ. To come to ZION!! I love teaching the truth and I love seeing it change lives. 

COME TO ZION because The church is True!!

Hermana Rupe

Bear Up Their Burdens with Ease

We all got our trunky papers at consejo... That means i´m going home soon. Anxiety attack please..

Pictures from halloween.. consejo and volleyball on the beach! I´m getting sporty. :) haha.