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.