Hot, Hot, Hot

Dear family and friends,
Happy Birthday Mom!!!  I love you!  Best mom in the world!
So this week was probably one of my more interesting weeks of my mission.
It started out with a great night in playa hermosa after emailing on
Monday.  We even got to have a lesson outside with the fireflies.  I've
never seen fireflies before.  It was cool and they were on the long walk to
the parada as well.  But that night there was a scare in the mission.  We
got home and there was a text saying that there was a new temporary rule
that all missionaries had to be home by dark instead of the usual 9:30 or
10:00.  Then the zone leaders called asking for all of our parents emails
in case of an emergency.  But no one told us anything so we didn't sleep
that well.
The next morning I woke up swollen.  Bad.  So I took a benedryl and did the
normal morning routine.  We went to Rosario for the Christmas conference
and I have to be honest, I didn't get much out of the spiritual morning
because of the benedryl. But they told us the reason for the new rule.  All
the robberies going on because the police were on strike.  Dang it.  there
goes all our lessons.
Then we had lunch and it was way fun, but the highlight of the Christmas
conference was getting to see a lot of familiar faces.  I got to see Elder
Lopez who I've been with since the MTC.  So that was fun.  And then every
zone performed something.  Most just sang Christmas songs, but our zone did
a skit.  Because our district is kind of apart from the zone, we did our
own skit.  We have a really funny elder in our zone that kind of made of
skit the best.  President filmed it and then showed it to the north half of
the mission the next day.  It was the only one we showed.  So now we're
famous.  Kind of embarrassing because I did my dancing in the skit.  Ya...
Hermana Jimenez said she couldn't breathe she was laughing so hard.  Good
thing I don't see these people very often.
The rest of the week was kind of rough.  We had so much potential and all
of our appointments fell through.  We worked harder than any other week,
but numbers wise it was our worst week.  Which got me thinking about the
success of a missionary.  It was a hard week, but we were happy.  I feel
like the joy comes when you really are trying your hardest.  It doesn't
matter what people say after that, but I feel accountable to the lord and
no one else.  He knows my heart and knows that I gave it my all this week.
On Friday I had to go to the doctor's.  I know I said no more doctors, but
after 2 weeks of straight diarrhea I felt like it was time to make the call
to Hermana Giuliani who told me to go to the doctor.  the good news is, it
was the best doctor I've seen.  The bad news is he put me on a special diet
that took away all my joy out of eating.  No lactose, only bananas and
apples as far as fruit goes, and limited veggies.  This means no cereal
(I've become a cereal addict on my mission), no ice cream, no cheese, no
yogurt with fruit, no fruit salad, etc.  Really depressing but it's only
for a week.  And I have to do a bunch of studies which are a pain.  But
I've been feeling better.  And I lost 4 kilos in the last couple of weeks.
So I guess that's a plus?  Not very healthy but I'm happy.  I blame it on
the heat.
And that was mainly our week.  Yes, I'm super excited to skype next week.
Oh!  And I'm being transferred.  Kind of expecting it.  Hna Dean's training
so I'm going to be a grandma and I'm going to Pergamino!!!  I'm going to
miss Arroyo Seco a lot, but it's time.  Pergamino also has air conditioning
and Hermana Mueller and her companion share the pench with us!  Kind of
funny because I told everyone that's going to be my next area and it rang
true!  By the way, I'll be finishing my mission in Rafaela in 3 transfers.
My plans are the same as God's plan for me.  Presidente Gutierrez told me
I need to get married 6 months after I get home, I told him 2 years. he
brought out the miracle of forgiveness and the scriptures, but I told him
God has a plan for me and it's 2 years.  Ha, I'll miss him and his wife.
I'm going to miss everyone.  I've learned so much here.  It's been a
growing area with a ton of trials, but I feel like I'm leaving part of my
heart behind.  Hna Dean will do great though.  Pergamino here I come!!!
Hermana Borup

ps pictures are of birthday day.  The Barcelona, messy jersey was given to
me by a family here

We have my sweat line.  That was not the best shirt to wear.  It was cooler
than most, but it showed all of my sweat.  My back was a lot worse.  Gross

Like McKenzie would say, Birthday week

Dear Family and Friends,

Thank you so much for all the birthday wishes.  It means a lot and they sure did brighten up my week!  But I still didn't get your birthday package mom, so I just opened up a few of the christmas presents and I'll save some of the birthday ones for christmas when it comes.

This week was crazy packed and I have very limited time because we have to get back to work soon.  So I'll just share the highlights.

Tuesday we had our first real lesson with Miguel and his dad, the less active, was there as well.  He accepted a baptismal date for the 11th of January.  He's going out of town for work soon, so that was the best date for him.  He's pretty solid though.  I haven't had anyone this strong and ready to go since Estevan in utah.

That night at midnight I got a call.  Really confused I answered the phone and it was a family in the branch that sang me happy birthday.  Ha!  I love this branch.  The mom is the relief society president and the dad is the first counselor in the branch presidency.  They are the best.

My birthday was fantastic.  Couldn't of asked for anything better.  We just taught all day long and you're right dad, teaching on your birthday is the best present.  We ended up having 6 lessons that day which is pretty darn crazy for this mission.  It was hot though.  And we were running from place to place.  I thought I was going to pass out, but I didnt which was another birthday miracle.  We found the familia Narducci in the morning, then a less active, then we went to another less active for lunch.  They made me milanesas and salad and they bought be a cake!  They are not the wealthiest of people so this meant a lot.  She's the mom of this area and can't stop smoking and that's why she doesn't go to church, but she has the biggest heart.  I love them!

Then in the afternoon we went to Pueblo Esther, and our lesson fell so we ended up having a lesson with the less active family we work with there.  Their daughter isn't a member and we got to teach her and it was awesome!  She'll be baptized soon.  Give it a month or so.  She knows it's true I just think no one's really invited her. 

Then we went back to Arroyo Seco, met with Hermana Isabel and taught her about tithing (she paid for the first time this week!)  and then to the chruch to celebrate with the members. Members got me presents! And we had a surprise lesson with Miguel.  So best day ever!

Then on friday we had lunch witht he family that called and they had another cake for me!  And milanesas... ha.  And then we went to zone meeting in Rosario where I got my gift from president and sister Giuliani and then we got home in time to have dinner with hermana isabel and she had gotten me a gift and made pizza for me!  I love this branch!

Transfers are coming up and I really don't want to go.  Especially now that so much is happening, but I think I might be going.  If that's the case I'm so grateful I got to spend 3 transfers in Arroyo Seco.  I'm convinced it's the best area a missionary can have!

Hermana Borup

Miracles are all around

Dear Family and Friends,

Ahh!!!  This week was pretty great.  I did get a little sick from the heat at the end, but other than that it was wonderful.

Monday we picked up two new investigators that are wonderful, except one is living with her husband without marriage, juntada?  I can't think of the word in english.  Tuesday we picked up another investigator and a member actually went with us to a lesson!  That's amazing in itself!  Members are really hard to get in Arroyo Seco because they don't live in the actually city. 

Wednesday was 9 months in the mission and we had to go to Rosario for a conference for new missionaries.  Ha, Hermana Dean has 9 months now too and she's considered new.  But it was good to hear from President Giuliani all the same and I learned a lot more on what my purpose as a missionary is.  The best part is the questions and answers part at the end.  And then I got my christmas package... but not my birthday one yet.  And the calender's weston's so I hope he can send me mine because I'm going to send him his.  Thanks for the candy mom!  I haven't opened anything else.

That afternoon we went to Pueblo Esther and we had a little bit of time before we were going to meet with a less active family so we went back to a good contact hermana jimenez and I had and the lady just let us in without us saying anything.  Offered us mate, then mate cocido (which we're allowed to drink) and then her daughter joined us for a lesson.  It was one of the best lessons I've had on my mission and she just kept saying she felt peace and we kept testifying that it was the spirit.  They accepted a baptismal date for the 28th!

Thursday the miracles continued and we got another new investigator in playa hermosa.  She's juntada as well though.  And then we met the son of a less active we've been working with.  We had heard about him but he's like 60 and lives way out of the way.  As we were leaving from teaching his dad, here he comes up the road!  We met him and invited him to a family home evening we were having on sat. and he said he would come!

we also celebrated thanksgiving by eating chicken and mashed potatoes with cobler and ice cream as dessert.

Friday was when I started to feel bad because it was also a million degrees and we had to walk everywhere.  But a friendly man gave us a sauce to put on bread and meat.  That was nice. 

Sat I was really bad so all we could do was the family home evening at night.  And Miguel (the son) came! New investigator and he loved it!  We did the spiritual part and the treat and the other sisters did the game.  They did something!  Well Miguel at the end said he would come to church.

Sun we get there 10 minutes early and there is Miguel and his dad sitting in the shade ready to go!  After priesthood one of the members asked me when his baptismal date was and we asked him if he wanted to be baptized and he said yes!  So... we're going to actually teach him something on tuesday and we have a member to go with us.  So many miracles.

I love being a missionary when things are just handed to you like that!  I feel so blessed!  I love being a missionary always, but I would love a few more fans and air conditioning because I woke up sweating bullets.  Not a good start.

Love,

Hermana Borup

Oh I almost forgot.  We had a great encounter with a drunk man in a dark alley on monday and he wants to marry us!  I'm engaged! No but it's funny now, at the time I was scared for my life.  Luckily he didn't accept Hermana Dean's invitation to come to church on sunday.

Sister Drama

 

 

This week was full of traveling.  On Tuesday we had a conference in Rosario for the hermanas in the mission.  It was the best!  I got to see Hermana Smith, Hermana Jimenez, Hermana Lake, Hermana Miranda, and Hermana Mueller... and everyone else.  But the office elders served us lunch with bow ties and towels and everything.  I loved every minute of it.  But the other hermanas here in Arroyo Seco had some problems so they talked to president afterwards for a long time and Hermana Dean and I got to talk to Hermana Giuliani while we were waiting.  She´s so cool!  She does zumba every day in the mission home and we´re going to go to classes afterwards together. 

Then Wednesday we went to General Lagos and worked there.  Still can´t find Delma, which makes me really sad,  but we did find a few very strong potentials.  We´re going back tomorrow morning.  Then it was off to district meeting and the zone leaders were there.  Apparently the sisters hadn´t worked out all their problems because there was an interesting conversation there.  They think the way that I divided the area is unfair because they have no members on their side.  I did the count of active members, they have way more than us.  So our district leader´s going to look over that.  But it´s kind of been an uncomfortable week because they have problems between them, and they´re looking for any excuse to why their work isn´t going very well.  I can now finally understand why my friends never wanted sisters in their zone.  Sad, but it´s true, they can get scary when they´re mad.  I felt bad for our leaders.

Thursday Hermana Dean and I (the member specifically asked us not to invite the other sisters, again, problems) did a service project in Playa hermosa all morning.  We painted a house!  I´ve been waiting my whole mission to do this and I finally got to do it!  So much fun!

Sunday, the familia Narducci came to church!  Also, Hermana Isabel told us that she´s noticing the difference in her week when she goes to church and when she doesn´t, so she came as well.  And another less active we´re working with.  It was the primary program and it was so cute!  Maximo and Nazarena Narducci participated!  Nazarena even read something!  And then Eve got a blessing after the meeting and it was super special.  The member that gave it to her was visiting from Galvez and he was shocked at her faith.  They are basically members, they just can´t get baptized until they work out a lot of things.  Eventually.  It´s another Estevan from Utah I think.  When the day finally comes that they can be baptized it will be very special.

So that´s us.  Trying to keep working and finding new people.  Everyone we´re working with needs to get married first, so our goal this week is to find a new investigator that can get baptized. 

I´m pretty exhausted these days.  And I could really use some letters or emails.  I´m just trying to keep going! 9 months, it really has gone by fast.  Hopefully I´ll have enough energy for the next 9!

  Thanks

Hermana Borup

 

 

 

With hermana Jimenez in the conference

Painting the house

The primary program

 

 

Activity in Playa Hermosa

Dear Family and Friends,

So I haven't mentioned this yet, but I've turned into a cry baby.  I cry all the time now.  This week I cried during a lesson and that's only the second time that has happened to me.  I don't understand it!  Well, I do, but I'm hoping all this crying wont stay with me after my mission. 

So Tuesday we got some bad bad news about an investigator.  It probably broke my heart more than anything else has on my mission.  Unfortunately, it's extremely confidential and I can't explain.  But I think I prayed harder than I ever have.  And we went back to that house wednesday and talked about the priesthood.  My district leader asked me why, and I don't really know why, but we just felt like she needed a blessing and to understand the role of the priesthood more.  So she's getting a blessing this week.  It was special because her son was also in the lesson and I think it made him want to prepare to receive the priesthood even more.  Benefits for both.

But that was the only set back this week.  The week was spent mostly preparing for our activity in Playa Hermosa on saturday.  Somehow there was miscommunication and the other sisters thought we were doing everything, so that's what we had to do.  But the activity ended up going really well.  It was a costume party and 5 non member families came with their kids.  And we're already teaching 2 of them!  Success!  But this is how the activity went.

We played about 9 games, eggs race, 3 legged race, oreo on the head, etc.  and all the kids were under 10.  And there were about 30 kids.  And we were there for 3.5 hours.  I almost went nuts.  And I decided afterwards, I'm never having kids.  But it was also fun even if the other sisters turned up 2 hours late. 

Today we had a zone activity in Rosario, that's why I'm emailing so late.  We watched Monsters University!  It felt so weird watching a movie like that, but we can on birthdays and zone activities.  On my birthday I want to see despicable me 2.  Ya, I've already decided. 

We're having a really hard time getting our investigators to church.  Please pray for them.  Especially our investigator that has a baptismal date, Delma.  She's scared to change religions and she's come to church before, but didn't go inside.  I think she has a lot of fear of change.

Mom, the pictures are like that because I'm fat and I ask the person taking the pictures to not zoom in.

Those books I probably can't read but if you want to send another package I would love more taco seasoning and apple cider!  And music!

I love you all!  Thanks for all your support and I'm sorry I haven't written letters in a while.  If you write me, I promise to write back eventually!  And my birthday is coming up... letters!

Hermana Borup

pictures: some of the kids, and the mask I made

One of the girls with the egg

Hermana Dean and I

Just kidding, they aren't loading so next week!

A pretty normal week

Dear Family and Friends,

This week was pretty normal in comparison to some of the other weeks I´ve had in Argentina. 

Wednesday Hermana Jimenez and Hermana Mueller left to train and Hermana Dean and I were alone because Hermana Ospinal went to pick up her new companion.  We went to General Lagos to work and then eat with our branch president, but I looked at my clock wrong and got to President´s house an hour early... ooops.  I guess I was just really hungry.  But we ended up working for another hour and had a great lesson with our investigator named Delma.  She accepted a date for the 7th of December.  She´s amazing and came to church last week, but no one was in the hall so she left.  Ah!  But she didn´t come to church this week.

Thursday everything was normal.  Friday we had zone meeting in Rosario at 9 in the morning.  Usually our zone meetings are during siesta, but they changed it this time.  So we had to wake up early in order to get there on time.  And then afterwards we ended up having to wait 1 hour and a half for the bus to get there because it was raining.  It was horrible and I wasn´t too happy because my back was hurting a lot.  But in the meeting we talked a lot about family history and how to use it as missionaries and that got me excited.  Obviously I had the two callings I did in college for a reason.  So I´m excited to talk to everyone about family history!

Saturday a lot of our plans fell through, but we were able to have a lesson with the Narducci family.  Bad news, well not bad but bad for me because I´m not perfect.  Franko wants the kids to wait to be baptized.  He wants them to really know what they are committing too because of his own experiences with the church.  On top of that, Eve fell out of their truck on Friday and broke her ankle and tore up her back.  But they are still progressing and all of the kids came with us to church.  They were a little bored in sacrament meeting but I found ways to keep them entertained.  It was a one time deal though because this week Eve will be able to take them because she´ll be able to walk.  We´re going over tomorrow to help her out around the house. 

Sunday our only investigators that came to church were the Narducci´s.  But Hermana Isabel was there and so was a new less active we´re working with.  Hermano Labat came at the beginning but only to talk to Presidente Gutierrez.  He doesn´t want us going to his house anymore.  I about cried when I heard.  I´ve been working with the Labat family since I got to Arroyo Seco and Hermano Labat was coming.  I have no idea what happened.  But I know that there are others out there that really want to come to Christ and that´s where we need to be working.  I will always love that family and I still pray for them.  I hope that one day their hearts will be softened.

Last night we were on our way home when a man yelled "how are you?"  It´s normal to hear things in english so I kept walking.  But Hermana Dean stopped to talk to him.  Turns out he was from New Jersey and he lives in Rosario now!  It was so weird to tell him about the gospel in English.  I stumbled over a lot of things because I´m so used to talking to people in Spanish.  Ha but it was a fun experience. 

Today we played kickball with the elders and volleyball.  I still love this district, even if all of them are different from when I first got here.

Love and miss you all.

Pictures: well the only one I need to explain is the ice.  Yep, hail the size of golf balls came down Friday night.  Destroyed a lot of roofs and cars.

Hermana Borup

PS mom can you accept Eve Muñoz on facebook for me?

You're leaving... Just kidding!

Dear Family and Friends,

This week was probably the craziest of my life.  So many different emotions rolled into one.  First off, Tuesday... oh Tuesday.  We finished the day and I was literally dragging my feet.  I had no energy left.  So I went to bed.  We got a call that night from our district leader saying that I was training a visa waiter and that I was leaving Arroyo Seco.  I cried and I couldn't sleep at all that night.  The next morning I started planning my goodbyes and getting things ready to leave.  It was going to be perfect, because we had a lesson planned with the familia Narducci and lunch with the relief society president.  But then I texted the zone leaders asking them where I was going.  They must have been confused because they then called me to tell me I was not going anywhere, and I just had to pick up my new companion at the mission home the next day.  Elder Martínez!!!  Oh my goodness.  So then it was obvious that Hermana Jiménez was going.  But I was so happy to be able to stay in Arroyo Seco for another transfer!

So Thursday I also didn't get to sleep because I had to be in Rosario at 8:30.  So I got there with puffy eyes and ready to meet my new companion.  We had a training meeting on how to help the visa waiters adapt to Argentina and then in they came.  All 30 of them!  Huge group!  My new companion's name is Hermana Dean from Utah.  She started her mission in February with me but had to wait for her visa for 8 months!  She served in the Washington Tocoma? mission and never taught in Spanish.  So her Spanish is at a beginning level.  Other than that little set back, she's amazing and so excited to be here! 

Thursday I also got to talk to an elder that looked really familiar to me.  He was in my freshman ward at BYU and served for 4 months in the Salt Lake City West mission.  When he told me that it was the first time I realized that I've changed a lot since freshman year.  It was kind of exciting to see the changes in me and it gave me hope that I can still change even more!

Friday was another crazy storm, but this time we were in the streets.  We got soaked and I felt bad because it was Hermana Dean's first day, but it was fun.  And Saturday made up for it.  4 new investigators!  And 8 lessons in one day!  I've never had that much in Argentina.  That just doesn't happen here, but it did on Saturday, and it will again!

Sunday everyone said they were going to come to church and then no one came.  We had 58 people in attendance, which is the most we've ever had, but only one investigator, and she's the other hermanas.  The familia Narducci didn't come because they had a birthday party, so we changed their baptismal date to the 23rd.  We found out after church that Delma, a new investigator came, but there was no one in the hallway so she left!  No!!!  We're seeing her tomorrow and apologizing.  I'm praying she will come again. 
And yesterday I did not feel so good but we cleaned the apartment and had a few lessons in the afternoon.  I have a random fat lip? and swollen eyes?  But I'm used to random things by now. 

Glad to hear all about New York and that mom had so much fun running the marathon! And Annie and Covey!!!!!!  Yes!!!!  Congratulations on the engagement!

I also got Alyssa's announcement in the mail this week!  So cute!  Congratulations!

Love you all and I'm so excited for another packed week in Arroyo Seco, Playa Hermosa, General Lagos, and Pueblo Esther!  I love this work!

Hermana Borup

Baptisms baby Baptism!

Dear Family and Friends,

I can´t wait until I get to Wednesday in telling you this!  The familia Narducci´s getting baptized!  The kids have dates for the 16 of November, but Eve, the mom, needs to wait until she gets married to Franko, the dad.  They were going to get married in August, and for some reason they didn't, but now they´re thinking the 29th of November so she can be baptized the 30th!  She was really sad yesterday in our lesson because she just kept saying, "I want to be baptized too!"  It was amazing and I´m so happy.  On top of that, two other investigators accepted baptismal dates.  They are both old and I´m not 100% sure they understood why they needed to be baptized, so it´s going to take a little more work.  Also, I think the man, Estevan, is in love with me.  So we also have to make sure he didn´t just accept a date for that either.  Every time I teach something, he interrupts me and asks me a random question about my life.  huh.  But please pray for all of them, Eve, Franko, Lucas, Nazarena, Maximo, Dominga, and Estevan.

So we also had exchanges this week with the asistentas.  I ended up going to Funes and I was with Hermana Aragon from Mexico.  I got to teach English class so that was pretty fun.  I also got pooped on by a bird and got a bloody nose in the bus.  That was not so fun but an adventure!

Yesterday we had stake conference in Rosario so none of our investigators came.  It´s hard for everyone to go to Rosario.  The buses aren't reliable and expensive and almost no one has cars.  But they´ll come next week.  It was voting day in Argentina so we ended up waiting for the bus for 2 hours and getting to the conference 45 minutes late.  A trial of my patience.  But we got there in time to hear hermana giuliani and presidente giuliani speak.  Afterwards, we went up to talk to them.  President basically told us that one of us is going to be transfered.  I´m praying that I can stay in Arroyo Seco a little longer, but if I need to go I´ll go knowing that Arroyo Seco´s in good hands and I did all I could do.  

I seriously love Arroyo Seco.  I´ve been here longer than any other area and it´s only been 11 weeks!  I love the members, I love the less actives, I love the investigators, and I love everyone else too.  I love this work and I know it´s true.  Everything we share as missionaries.  I´ve seen the lives of people change as they recognize the truthfulness of our message.  And I´m so grateful to be a representative of Jesus Christ.  8 months, yikes, but I still have 10 more!

Hermana Borup

ps pictures are of mud, 

 

hermana vanessa and denise that came with us to two lessons!  

 

And familia narducci minus franko and juanita (4 years old)

 

This is at the monument, we got to go to the top and it´s the most famous part of Rosario!

Yes, I look bald.  And fat.  Because I am fat and I didn´t feel like doing my hair.  It´s pday, give me a break!

 

 

The elders also.  It´s a good group

 

 

Pictures

Dear Family and Friends,

Wow what a week.  I don't even know where to start.  But you're getting pictures this week so I probably won't write very much.  So everything was pretty much normal until wednesday.  Wed morning we went and had a lesson with the mom of the family we're working with (la familia Narducci) and she informed us that Franko (the dad) is legally married.  As in, any minute they can get married and that they have those plans!  Wahoo!!!  And that night the daughter (Nazarena) went to mutual and loved it.  So ya, wednesday was a great day.

We were planning a halloween party for the 31st in one of the towns we work in, but we had to change it this week because an evangelical church started passing out fliars saying halloween was satanic.  So to avoid any possible negative feelings towards the church, we changed the activity to the 16th of november.  We're still going to have the kids dress up and everything, we're just not going to call it halloween.  Anyway, so we were passing out the new invitations to the people in the town and it sounds like the activity is going to be a huge success.  They told us that they were already getting their costumes ready.  So... I think we're going to find new families to teach there.

Thursday afternoon, we were sitting inside just about to start weekly planning when it started pouring.  It was weird because it was super hot all week and then it just poured for an hour.  We went outside and played in it.  The water was up to my knees!  It was a lake.  And there was a frog!  And it was the funnest rain storm i've been in.  Until it came time to go out and we couldnt because we couldn't walk anywhere.  But our apartment did not flood!

Weirdest part of the storm was that we had electricity throughout but the lights went out the next day.  All day.  We were trying to have a lesson with Hna Isabel (the less active I love that I talked about my first week in Arroyo Seco) and she was super frustrated about the light, so we got a candle and ate pizza and read the scriptures by candlelight.

So saturday we went out tracting and usually we take turns speaking.  I did the first house so it was Hna Jimenez's turn.  We get to the house and we hear a boy's voice singing and playing the guitar.  She rings the doorbell and the voice stops.  We knew what was going to be on the other side of that door so we started fighting over who had to talk.  In the end I spoke first.  Out came a very attractive boy.  Awkward. Turns out he plays the guitar and sings for an evangelical church.  We had a really powerful lesson with him and his mom in the end, but it was pretty funny.

That night we had a lesson with the familia Narducci.  It came time to have the closing prayer and we reminded Nazarena that she promised to say it.  She was embarrassed and hesitating when her little brother Maximo said (8 years old), "le prometio señorita."  But the way he said it we just bursted out laughing.

Yesterday was mothers day in Argentina and they came to church!  Sacrament meeting was soooo boring so I hope they come back.  They were all yawning and wanted to leave... it's in the lord's hands now.  Also, we had quite the feast at Hermana Isabel's for her daughter's birthday and then we went to say hello to our mom of Arroyo Seco (Hna Silvia).  She told us the best news yet... both her and her husband want to come back to church and he wants to have the priesthood!!!  We screamed.  It was exciting!

Love you all!  Have a great week!

Hermana Borup

PS. Dad, tell the joke.  Mom, his name was Craig Van Wagonen.  Jump on that family.  They moved into the ward for a reason.

Pictures in Playa Hermosa, where we're having the activity

Gridos

ear family and friends,
So this week has been great.  It started off the same and I was really tired and kind of depressed, but a few things changed that and now I´m better than ever.
First off, we had zone meeting this week in Rosario.  We got to watch the priesthood session of conference which was pretty cool and a little weird for me.  I´ve only ever read the talks and never seen it.  But I loved it.  After the meeting I finally got my package!!!  Ya, the beef jerky lasted about a day.  And the sad part is that I didn´t share that.  Shared everything else, but I was selfish with the jerky.  Also, the zone leaders asked me what was going on because I went to the doctor (a waste of time) the night before.  They offered to give me money for all the expenses (not really their money but the money they have for emergencies) but still, it was nice to have them know what´s all happening and why I had to run to the bathroom in the middle of the meeting.  I promise, I wouldn´t if I didn´t need to!
Wednesday something awful happened, I couldn´t breathe without pain, but what´s one more thing?  And it only lasted 3 days and I´m fine now.
Thursday we had interviews and I woke up with energy.  I was just so excited.  I got to talk to President Giuliani and it was just amazing.  He gave me a blessing and I know I´m going to be ok.  I decided that I´m not going to another doctor.  I´m done with that.  I´ll just do a bunch of tests when I get home, but I don´t want to waste anymore time or the church´s money.  One thing the blessing said was that I have to look for the blessings from everything I´m experiencing.  I realized that I´ve been praying for charity since the start of my mission.  And now I´m starting to feel a compassion for people that I´ve never felt before.  Not exactly the way I wanted to grow in that Christlike attribute, but the Lord knows what I needed to grow.
So big news, we´re teaching a family.  Hermana Smith and I contacted this family but it never worked out before.  The dad´s a member and his parents are active in Florida, but he has drinking and smoking problems.  Hermana Jimenez and I contacted the family again one day with a member and the mom told us that we must have fallen from the sky.  She´s really excited to learn more and she´s been reading the book of mormon with the kids.  Monday she called us to set up an appointment.  Let me repeat, SHE called US.  It´s amazing!  We had a family home evening with the whole family and they are really progressing.  They can´t get baptized because he has to get divorced and then they have to get married, but the kids will probably be baptized first.  Every time we go though, we´re just so excited about the work when we leave.  Definitely a huge blessing to find them.

Now for your questions:
How has the weather been?  Are your clothes still OK?  Are your shoes holding up?
Weather, awful.  Hot and humid and rainy.  My clothes are great, a little small now, but great.  and my shoes are still great.  I´ll probably start using the other black ones when I hit 9 or 10 months

 

How is your ward/branch?  Have you given talks in Sacrament meetings?

Our branch is fantastic.  I love the members!  They feed us a lot!  And no, we haven´t given talks but we teach institute and mission prep every week.

What do you do on Pday? Do you still get together with your zone to play sports? 

On p day we go to Galvez almost every week and hang out as a district.  We play volleyball, uno, and cook.  This week we made tacos and guacamole!  Soooo good.  And we always eat at grido´s!  Ice cream!!!  Yum.

Are you having problems with fleas?  Can you buy flea collars there or should I send some in your next package?

No problems with fleas yet but lots of cockroaches.  We just find them dead everywhere.  And huge spiders.  I pray every night that they won´t climb on me in the middle of the night.  I´m also getting eaten alive with mosquitoes.

I'm sending one more package for your birthday that you will probably get after Christmas.  Do you want anything else that you haven't asked for yet?  Do you want any drink mixes?

Music.  Not motab.  And candy.  Anything gummy or hard candies as well

Did you ever get the package I sent in July?

Yep!  I got it this last week.  Thank you so much!  It was opened though, so I would send the next one in a box.

Well that´s all for this week.  Love you all!

Hermana Borup

Conference!

Dear Family and Friends,

Thank you for all your support and for keeping me informed.  You know me, I always love to know everything about everyone.  So letters and emails are always welcome, but forgive me if I dont respond to everyone.

So this week was full of traveling.  Started with Tuesday to get blood testing.  We went to Rosario, got the blood testing and then got free breakfast.  Free does not exist here so that was super cool.  Hot chocolate and facturas?  Don't mind if I do!

Wednesday I was pretty sick so we stayed inside in the morning and then had an awesome day of teaching.  We saw Marta, who's still on date for the 26th and she told us she couldn't come to conference but she would come to church this next week.  She just happened to be traveling to the other side of Argentina.  Dang it.

Thursday we got a call saying I had to do a few things for my visa in Rosario.  So we went to the mission home that night.  Hermana Smith was there and Hermana Myler (who came with me and was Hermana Jiménez's last companion) so it was a party.  So much fun to see them again.  The next day was full of paperwork and then nice elders giving me treats.  Seriously, we have the best office elders.  Ice cream and goldfish?  Yes.
After paperwork we went and got my results and then sent the pictures in to the doctor.  By the time we were done, all we had tiem to do was have a lesson with a less active family.  Crazy day.  And my thyroid changed again.  Back to Oshimotos.  So I have a few more tests to do.  And because my stomach swelled up this week and I was having trouble breathing, I have a new theory.  Gluten allergy?  Maybe.  I have no idea.  But I looked like I was pregnant.  It was fun.

Saturday we went to conference!!!  And I got to stay for the second session with special permission from president.  The others had to go because they didn't have investigators.  I needed Elder Holland's talk.  Nothing else to say about that.

Sunday we also went to conference and didn't get home until 10 (we had to watch the sessions in Rosario at the stake center). 
So conference...  Marriage anyone?  missionary work?  I was in the english room and every time they mentioned marriage the elders and hermana mueller and I groaned.  No, I really did love every minute of it.  I'm so grateful for the speakers.  I loved Elder Nelson's talk and President Monson's the best.  I felt like they were speaking to me.  And Elder Bednar's talk on tithing?  Yes!  I want to encourage everyone to take Elder Ballard's invitation seriously and reach out to at least one person before chirstmas.  I know if we all do that, missionary work's going to explode.

It's a great time to be a missionary!  I'm now excited again.  Health problems still exist, but I'll do what I can.  I can feel my Savior beside me every step of the way.

I love you all!

Hermana Borup

Tour Guide of Arroyo Seco

Hello family and friends!

Oh boy what a week.  Awesome though.  So after I finished writing last week we found out that Hermana Smith was being transferred.  Complete surprise.  So we spent the rest of tuesday saying goodbye to members and less actives.  She was crying all day and the next day on our way to Rosario.  It was sad to see her go but the people of Rafaela need her.  But I miss her. 

The hives continued all tuesday night and I didn´t sleep at all.  But wednesday they went away and they haven´t come back.  Overdosing on benedryl can be a good thing afterall. 

My new companion´s name is Hermana Jiménez and she´s from Santiago, Chile.  She´s awesome.  She served in Santa Fe for 6 months and this is her second area.  It´s weird that I have more time in the mission than my companion, but she´s a better missionary than I am so Arroyo Seco´s in good hands.  All wednesday we were waiting for the other two sisters to come but we had a dinner appointment, so we went.  We got home a little late ( I felt really bad) and there were the office elders and the new sisters waiting outside the apartment.  They had been waiting for quite some time.  They´re names are Hermanas Ospinal (Peru, newbie) and Mueller (washington).  They are both rather shy and so the apartment hasn´t been quite as fun as I was hoping but we´re getting there.  Hermana Ospinal still has her pre-mission expectations of what the mission would be like and so she´s had a rough week, but things will get better.

Thurday morning I gave them all the tour of Arroyo Seco and then we worked.  Hermana Jiménez can contact like I´ve never seen anyone contact.  This week we have 6 new investigators with a lot of strong possibilities.  I´m so excited about it all.  We also had a lesson with Marta (her husband was the one that delivered water to the sisters 4 years ago) and she accepted a date.  It´s kind of tentative for the moment, but I was so excited.  I love her so much and it was the first time I´ve ever cried during a lesson.  I couldn´t hold back my love for her, weird.  I guess I really do have a heart mom.  So ya, successful week.  Arroyo Seco´s going to be a ward soon!  I just know it.

So about my health... ha.  Yesterday I woke up sick, AGAIN.  We went to church and I lasted until the last 5 minutes of sacrament meeting (sacrament meeting is last) and then shooting pains up my back.  I was in so much pain that I couldn´t hold back the tears.  So we left early and went to the bathroom.  Probably the most embarrassing moment of my life.  I got a blessing afterwards that said I need to get medical help.  But one thing´s for sure, those weren´t muscle pains.  It´s not from all the walking and everything else the mission brings.  So one more thing to add to the list of health problems.  Tomorrow I´m getting blood work done, so we´ll see if anything´s wrong there.  But I´m just so sick of being sick.  But when I´m at my lowest points I always think of Ether 12:27.  Maybe I won´t ever be healed completely, but for some reason I´m having all these health problems and I need to learn from this trial.  Who knows, maybe it will help me relate to someone that needs me and then this weakness will be made into a strength.  I´ll keep you updated.

And this week I also turned 7 months in the mission!  Wahoo!!!  It´s the longest I´ve been away from Weston and Mom and Dad.  Crazy how fast the time flies.  Hermana Mueller finishes 9 month in 2 weeks and we have to do something extra special for that.

Until next week.  I love you all!!!  Please write me!  Oh and my package finally got here!  I´ll get it on friday!

Hermana Borup

7 Months and Going Strong

Dear Family and friends,

I first just wanted to say thank you for all the letters and emails.  Most missionaries say that after 6 months they are forgotten and then they start getting letters again when they have 3 months left.  Not me!  I got a record number of emails this week so thank you and sorry for my short responses.

This week was interesting.  Remember how I said I had a little cold last week?  Well that cold turned into a big cold.  So I called Hermana Giuliani and she had me call the doctor.  We decided that I need to test my thyroid again, so I have an appointment with a specialist on thursday and we'll see if that's why I keep getting sick.  Because this is ridiculous.  So that took up a good chunk of the week.

Then when we were about to have a normal day on thurday, we got a call from the office.  Two more sisters are coming to Arroyo Seco!  Wahoo!! But that meant that we had to get everything ready for them.  As in buy a bunk bed, a table, mattresses, etc.  So that was most of thursday, saturday and yesterday.  But the furniture came today and everything's ready.  Minus, we still haven't found blankets.  They can share one right?  No but I felt super cool and grown up.  I went furniture shopping.  In argentina.  By myself.  Mostly a nightmare, but kind of fun!

Sunday not a lot of people came to church because it's been raining.  So not even the councilors or the relief society president came.  it was bad.  But a member brought lunch for us and when we opened it up we saw a roasted chicken.  A whole chicken.  With the scales and some feathers on it and everything.  I didn't get a picture!

Yesterday we cleaned and waited for the furniture that never came.  And then we were at a less active house eating dinner when I noticed I was very itchy.  all on my neck and cheeks and back.  And then I was having a hard time breathing.  so I took a benedryl and waited whiel the family freaked out and wanted to take me to the hospital.  Nothing happened so I took another benedryl.  20 minutes later I decided we should probably go home without giving the lesson we wanted to give.  I got home and changed and saw hives all over every inch of my body.  I went crazy.  I took a shower and by then, the benedryl made me sleepy so I went to bed.  This morning I still have the hives, but they aren't as itchy.  I have no idea what could have caused them.  Weird.  My body loves me.  I'm trying to remember that I wanted a body though.  That it's a blessing.  That my dizzy spells are normal.

That's all for this week.  I'm a lot happier though and I know we're going to see miracles in Arroyo Seco this week!

Hermana Borup

I love Coffee!

Not really, malta, which tastes like coffee, but still!  I´m in love!

Dear family and friends,

This week started out miserably hot.  I was sweating everywhere.  I couldn´t get dry.  after running in the mornings, I would be dripping.  Too much information?  Just trying to paint a picture.  And then on Thursday I woke up and put on some airy clothes and it was freezing.  What?  Argentina´s worse than Utah with the weather.  It´s been cold and raining ever since and I have another cold.  Great.

But the members are starting to realize that I can´t eat as much as past missionaries.  They still call me the grandote, but they serve me less and don´t make me eat another plate.  They can call me what they want because I´m finally feeling good after lunches instead of having stomach pains!

Estevan was baptized!  Remember my investigator in Utah that couldn´t be baptized because he was on probation?  Well he was baptized last week and I´m soooo happy.  He´s amazing.  Probably the biggest turn around I´ve seen yet on my mission and I´m so grateful that I could see him progress.

I´m sending another package of letters soon!

So this week was draining.  We´re working with a lot of less actives and they are doing fantastic!  4 different families came to church this week!  But we have no investigators.  We´re looking and looking and trying to get the members involved, but they´re getting tired.  I woke up exhausted.  More tired than I´ve ever felt, but we´re going to keep working to find the prepared ones!

This week we also had to Rosario.  An area seventy, Nicolas Di Giovanni came and spoke to us.  It was an amazing conference and gave me the strength I needed to keep going.  I even contacted on the bus ride home (something I never do because I´m usually sleeping) and I met the most amazing lady.  She took a plan of salvation pamphlet and was excited to read it.  And she´s from Arroyo Seco!  Wahoo!  It was a booster for sure.

Yesterday there was a car show, so there was loud music right outside during sacrament.  The first counselor started dancing.  haha.  And then the man giving the last talk sang a whole hymn.  It was fantastic.

Love you all!

Hermana Borup

Like Father Like Daughter

Dear family and friends,

This week I started a diet with my companion.  I´m too much like dad sometimes.  But let me explain, I´ve been having really bad back pains, and I think it´s because I´ve gained so much weight.  So I´m losing for a health thing and also to feel better about myself.  But it´s gonna be great.  It basically just means no facturas and no dinners, just lunches with members and something small for breakfast.

Paulino was baptized yesterday!  It´s amazing to me how many things can go wrong for a baptism.  The day before we went to the church to do the program and as we were turning on the computer, the power went out (a regular occurance in Arroyo Seco).  Then we got to church early to organize things well, but our ward mission leader was late and the font was filled with cold water because of it.  Also, we lost our keys to our apartment and to the church and Presidente Guttierez (Dad´s a little bit of a stalker, another thing I learned from him) announced it in sacrament meeting.  So after church we were running around trying to finish getting everything ready, but we also had a croud of members around us asking us where our keys could be.  It was very hectic.  But the baptism started and it all went away.  Paulino had to quit smoking and drinking, so it´s been a long road for him, but he was so prepared.  I love him!

This week we were also yelled at by a crazy man.  He was fat, didn´t have a shirt on and started yelling at us while we were tracting.  He started to kick the wall and punch it, so we decided it was time to leave.  We have no idea what he was trying to tell us.

In district meeting this week I had to give a little training.  It was on courage.  Ya, I have no idea how our district leader chose that one, but I think it went alright.  I just talked about how fear is the opposite of courage and also faith, so when we have a lot of faith, we have a lot of courage.  Or something like that.

On saturday there was the caminata de la virgen de San Nicolas.  So there was a parade of people that woke up early to walk with the "virgen" from Rosario to San Nicolas.  They passed through Arroyo Seco and it just so happened we were walking that way already, so we walked with them a bit.  We got to see a very happy priest in all his robes, drinking mate, and dancing to the christian spanish rock music so it was all worth it.

So we also had zone meeting this week in Rosario and I have to say, I think Argentina´s a step behind.  We were trained on the exact same things as in Utah 3 months ago.  Also, we´re changing key indicators and how we do them here, which is a big deal.  It´s gonna be like how we did things in Utah and I´m super excited for it!

Mom, if you want to send a birthday or christmas package, it probably needs to be sent before october.  In november the mail system crashes and there´s a delay of about 4 months after that.  I don´t really need anything except a spray bottle with a fan (the one that can go around your neck).  It´s so hot and it´s only going to get worse.  And a jump drive would be nice (they´re super expensive here).

Love,

Hermana Borup

Pictures next week!

6 months!

Dear Family and Friends,

So this keyboard struggles and i may have errors everywhere.  Please forgive me.  I do know how to spell... sort of.

So I feel like my emails home haven´t been as spiritual lately.  Believe me, I´ve had lots of spiritual experiences, but sometimes I think it´s best to keep it to myself for now.  Some have been life changing.  But one little one from this week I do want to share.  Remember that little lesson we had a few weeks ago with a less active? haha maybe not.  Well i was a really powerful lesson and we´ve gone back a few times since then.  Saturday we took a member and i was the best member present lesson i´ve ever had.  It took work to get her there, and the tv and music was going on the whole time, but the spirit was so strong.  Her name´s Isabel and she´s super shy and I think that´s why she stopped coming to church.  We went by her house on Sunday morning to take her, but she was already at church!  alone with 3 other less actives that we´ve been working with.  It was a strong testimony to me that people need to feel love from the missionaries, from our Father in Heaven, but from the members as well to progress.  Please be the members that every missionary wants in your wards.

 

I´ve also been thinking a lot about the difference between a missionary that plants and one that harvests.  I´ve been called a planter so many times that if i hear it again i might cry.  No missionary wants that.  They want to harvest and see the baptisms and the progress.  But I don´t think any missionary is one thing.  This week we met two new investigators that are golden.  it´s their time right now.  4 years ago, the man delivered water to the sisters in arroyo seco.  One of the sisters gave him a book of mormon and a card when she left.  Fast forward to now and we talked to his wife who remembered the book.  The next time we came over she had found the book and had started reading it without us even inviting her to do so.  We went over again last night and had an amazing lesson on the Restoration.  But it just came up.  we were on our way to another place, and they were sitting outside with friends drinking mate.  We stopped, sat down and started talking to them like friends.  Then their friend asked us what we believed in and bam, the spirit was there.  I´m so grateful for that sister missionary that planted 4 years ago.  We never know when it´s someone´s time, but it´s our job to keep inviting. 

So this week was the week of creepers.  One lives right by the church and yesterday he stopped us and asked us why we couldn´t stay in Argentina with him forever... ew.  Then today we had another one while we were waiting for the elders who asked to take a picture of us and asked hermana smith all kindsof questions about her eyes.  Gross.  We just keep ignoring them the best we can.

This week we had to go to rosario for capacitación especial.  yes, we are 6 months into the mission and still training!  yes!  But it was actually really good and i learned a lot from president Guiliani.  I love that man.

 

Got to go!  I love you all!  good luck at school BYU students!

Hermana Borup

 

Hermana Smith cooking pizza with a less active

 

The elders threw a party for us at district meeting for our 6 months.  They even sang for us.  Don´t worry, I got it all on film.

all the sisters at the special training.

Grido

Dear family and friends,
Every area there seems to be something that I just cant resist.  In arroyo
seco it´s grido ice cream.  Holy cow and it´s only 10 pesos for two scoops
and chocolate and nuts on the cone!  Ya, i´m a little fatty.  Actually, a
family here calls me little monster, "monstruito"  because I wont tell them
my first name.  I´m either that or "sin nombre".
So this week was a lot better.  We are teaching lots and lovig the work.
Guess who got sick this week... an elder in my district, who then got me
sick.  ya, we´re a close district, but I told him I didn´t want to share
his germs.  I was ticked.  It´s a combination of what I had in Utah, with
what I had two weeks ago and added a bad cough.  So I didn{t work at all on
friday.  Despite that set back, we were still able to do way more than our
first week.  We have an investigator named Paulino on date for the 6th and
he´s quitting smoking.
So I´m still not all there health wise so i´ll just write a few funny
experiences this week:
We have to teach institute every week and this week was our first week
doing it.  It went awful.  The 18 year olds just love to goof off and twist
our words because we can´t speak perfectly.  Ok so that wasn´t funny but it
was somthing that happened this week.
We saw two guys graffiting with a huge spot light.  Aren´t they supposed to
hide it?
There was a race going on sunday and so the finish line just happened to be
right outside our churh building.  There were drums playing the whole time
we were in sacrament meeting and when we ended, so did they.  Bad luck eh?
Hermana Smith´s family is in the circus.  Her dad does the cannon and her
siblings to juggling, trapeze, and her brother in law won america´s got
talent for a dog act?  Pretty cool.  I was pretty disappointed when she
told me that she doesn´t do anything with it.  But her dad´s in Sweden
right now.  He travels everywhere.
Because we´re so new to Argentina, we get random calls from the zone
leaders to check up on us.  Last night they asked us how our studies are
going.  What kind of a question is that?  Ok I have no time now.  Until
next week!  So exciting about Weston!
Love,
Hermana Borup
The picture´s from my trip to La paz.  Since I´m never at the baptisms, I
don´t have pictures of my investigators! The other one is my wall in
Paraná!  First and last american for this year in that apartment!

 It feels like a white wash

 

Dear Family and Friends,

This week was an eternity.  Very stressful, but also a great adventure.  I definitely think this will be the period of the most growing for me on my mission. 

Tuesday I bought my first object for mate, the bag.  It´s awesome and it has patches of cow hair.  I bought it in Paraná because it´s the most expensive part of the set and Paraná is the cheapest place in the mission to buy suiveneirs.  But now I have to carry it around with me... oh well.  When we got back to our apartment, there were testigos de Jehova waiting for us!  We were super excited until we saw that they were kids of like 10 years.  We couldn´t really talk to them, but we accepted their pamphlet. 

Wednesday I left in the morning and got to the bus station in Rosario by myself.  I was lost, looking for other missionaries for about 15 minutes with all my stuff.  But I found them and Hermana Smith was there!  We got to know each other a bit.  She´s from Missouri, but now her family lives in Logan.  She came to Argentina with me and her spanish isn´t that bad, we definitely can get around, as long as we don´t have to use the phone.  And then the assistants came, took us to Arroyo Seco and dropped us off.  Seriously, they dumped us there.  Our apartment is a house.  It´s huge!  It´s one of the nicest for sisters in the mission.  So that´s fun. 

The work´s really slow and I was super sad that I couldn´t see the baptisms in Paraná.  Hermana Smith knows the area sort of well, but we´ve been doing a lot of contacting.  So this week we want to work more with members, especially the youth.

The branch here is great.  They feed us almost every day, and they are so willing to come out with us.  We teach piano and mission prep every week and now we´re starting institute.

Thanks for the updates from everyone.  Happy very late birthday scott, I remembered forever ago, but I kept forgetting to write it.  And happy engagement Alyssa!!!!  So exciting!

So today we went to Galvez, which is a little town about 30 minutes from Arroyo Seco.  The rest of our district´s here.  We played soccer and volleyball with the elders and uno as well.  It´s been fun to see other missionaries.  We just had to get out of Arroyo Seco for a bit, but I know this new week we´re going to see miracles from our hard work.  I´m super excited.  I´ve seriously never have met nicer people.  Everyone assumes we can´t speak very well at church, so they talk really slow.  It´s funny.  But so far it hasn´t been that hard to contact, we understand most everything and I feel like I can say most everything I need to say. 

Thanks for all your support!  Sorry I couldn´t respond to everyone this week, it was a little rushed. 

Quick story, last night we went to bout 5 homes and no one was home, so we went to one more before we went home.  The lady said she was about to go to a dinner with her in-laws, but I said that we just wanted to share a short message.  She´s a recent convert and let us in.  We were only there for about 10 or 15 minutes and it was the most powerful lesson I´ve had in a while.  At the end she asked us to pray for her that she can come back to church.  Something really simple that we see all the time, but after the week we had of almost no lessons, it was amazing.  I know I´m here for a reason and I know the Lord wants us to succeed here, so we´re going to keep working and laughing.

Love you all,

Hermana Borup

A week of miracles!

¡Buen día!

So this week was an adventure full of trials and miracles.  After a whole month of being healthy, I got sick again.  Wednesday I couldn´t even get out of bed.  But somehow I managed to still work and get through the other days.  I seriously think something is wrong with my thyroid.  I haven´t been able to sleep well for months and my emotions are a mess.  Maybe it´s just the missionary life.

Last monday we finished our p-day as a zone at the church.  We couldn´t get the movie to work so Hna Gomez and I decided to go home.  Good thing we did because we soon got a call from Hermana Inés asking us if we were coming over to her house for an FHE at 6.  Uhh... we didn´t plan to.  So we ran because she´s very strict and easily gets mad for tardiness.  She´s not a woman I want on my bad side.  Good thing she absolutely loves me and loves making me hot chocolate!

 

Friday we had an appointment with Santiago Arraigada who had a baptismal date for the 31st.  We taught the plan of salvation and then talked about his baptism.  He told us he wanted to be baptized on the 17th instead because it´s his mom´s birthday.  Ahh!!!  So we went back saturday and taught him using the baptismal questions.  He´s amazing.  He´s 11 but asks questions that I have never even asked myself about the gospel.  The spirit guides those lessons for sure.  I love that kid!

Sunday they came to church along with all the Coria family (the other investigator boy we have) and Hermana Inés husband (the ex-communicated one).  I have been in Paraná one transfer and sunday we had 62 people at church!!!  Our goal is 70 and I know this ward will reach it soon.  It was a great day at church.  Then right after we had to go to the bus station to go to La Paz.  In Argentina it´s a rule that every citizen has to vote and if they don´t they have to pay a fine.  But if you´re more than 500 km away, you can go to the police station and sign a form saying you couldn´t vote because you were too far away from your home.  Hermana Gomez is from Buenos Aires and we were only 470 km away, so we had to travel.  The whole mission had to travel.  But we came back that same day. And I fell in love with La Paz.  I hope I get to serve there one day.

 

Yesterday we had to clean our apartment in the morning and as we were cleaning we heard, "Hermanas".  We looked out the window and there was Hermano Coria.  He asked us if we could baptize Josecito on sunday after church because he wife came from Buenos Aires as a surprise.  No problem!  Biggest miracle ever.  Hermana Coria is waiting for a kidney and has been sick for a year, but she gets to see the baptism of her youngest son who´s been waiting for a year.  So two baptisms this weekend.

 

Last night we had both of their interviews and another FHE with Hermana Ines and her husband.  The work is picking up!  So many miracles!

 

...and I´m being transfered.  I almost cried.  This always happens to me.  I get transfered right before a baptism.  These boys mean so much to me and I´m super sad to go, but I´m just so happy that their getting baptized.  Maybe one day I´ll see one of my investigators get baptized.  But really, this will be my fourth area and my companion goes home in november and paraná is her 3rd area.  The Lord must need me in Arroyo Seco.

 

My new companion came out with me and doesn´t speak spanish very well, so this should be interesting.  Haha and we´re both "senior companions".  More like we´re both blind mice.  But I´m excited for another adventure.  I leave tomorrow.

 

I sent a packet today full of letters (it was cheaper this way).  Can you distribute them?

I love you all and thank you so much for the support!

Love,

Hermana Borup