To Tupungato Too!

Dearest Familiares Mios: 

I was not expecting that one. En serio, this transfer is una locura! Hermana Cortès, my little hijita is staying in Uspallata, and recieving TWO companions! She`s gonna be in a trio! Which will be great, because there`s a lot to do in that Area. Mutual, Gospel Principles class, Open Chapel every week, tons of members to activate, it`s a handful. And Hermana Cannon is going to Tupungato! I haven`t heard a whole lot about it, so you`re all going to have to wait till next week when I get to know it, because SURPRISE! I`m washing area again! And this wednesday I`m going to Mendoza to pick up my Trainee number two! AND to top it all off with a delicious red cherry, I`ll be a sister training leader as well!  

What do I have to say about all this? Let`s just say it can only be described in spanish. "Gaaaaaawowowowaahahahaha!!!!!" Oh wait, I guess that`s sweedish? Meh. Who knows. 

Anyway, so that`s going to be super exciting. I`m very sad to be leaving my beautiful Uspallata. The little branch has been such a joy, and it will be hard to leave, but I`m excited for the adventure ahead. 

So anyway, hows about this past week? 

Well, Monday and Teusday the Hermanas came for intercambios, and we spent Pday together exploring the beauty of Uspallata, so that was fun. 

This week we met with Edelmira again, but only for a few minutes because this guy came to fix her car, so we had to go. But, it didn`t go too well. She just had a friend pass away, and she and her sister were talking about that the whole time with lots of anger and hurt. It was hard to hear. She said that she hasn`t been reading the book of mormon, and that there`s no chance she`s picking it up any time soon. This actually happens a lot. One of the first important points we go over with new investigators is that as they begin learning more about and accepting the message of the gospel, they`re going to confront difficulties, but that God will always be there to help them. And it always happens. Just as they`re starting to recognise the spirit, read the BoM, come to church, something really trying happens. And lots of people take that as a sign that it`s God`s fault, or the book of Mormon`s fault, or our fault. So they distance themselves from it, from the very thing, or rather person, our brother Jesus Christ, who has all the solutions, and can help them through the hard times. It`s difficult to see, but it`s helps us to realize the importance in focusing on the little things. While we had been talking about Word of Wisdom and Law of Chastity, we now see that what she really needed was a review, and re-review of the restoration. The book of Mormon. The plan of salvation. Prayer. The little things. How many times has it been said? It`s always the little things. The beautiful simplicity of the gospel. 

So it was hard to see, but I think it was necessary, now we know to go back to the basics. 

We also had some pretty cool experiences this week. We met with a less active member whose daughter is going through a divorce, also a member. We went to meet with her, and slowly, one by one, more members of the family and extended family started joining in on the lesson of the restoration. In the end there was Hna Pizarro, her daughter, her husband, a grandson, her son and daughter in law, and a couple neices and nephews too. It was so great! Especially because not only were they all there, but listening and asking questions. It was so great! The best part was at the end when we asked them to commit to read and pray about the Book of Mormon. They all kind of looked at eachother, as they said they would, which was great because they all know that each person has to do it personally, and they`re all going to be there to make sure everyone completes the assignment. It was great. I understand a bit better now why they always say to find and teach families. It`s so much easier to live and apply the gospel when there are others around you doing the same. 

We also met a really great investigator while doing the chapel open house. It was weird because we had just set up everything outside, and Hna Cortès was inside the doors because some papers had fallen off the bullitin board and she was cleaning them up. Just then a guy passed by, and I started talking with him and shared a pass along card. Normally I would have just let him pass so I could wait until Hna Cortes to join me, so we could do it together. But I just kind of did it anyway. To my surprise he stopped, and wanted to see inside the chappel. We let him in and started talking a little about the church. While we were talking he said he had heard about the mormons, and how they`re lots of times rejected by everyone, and he wondered why. "it must be because it`s the true chruch." He says. Well, you don`t hear that every day from people on the street! So we kept talking, and I got this still small feeling to talk about the Book of Mormon. That isn`t part of the chruch tour, so it was a little awkward, but I somehow squeezed it into the conversation, and we gave him one to take home. He sounded really interested, so I hope he reads it! 

It`s kind of a bummer, because we have a meeting with him on wednesday, and I`m not going to be there. :( But it´s all one work, right? Right. 

Anyway, that`s basically how my week went. Hope you all have a great one! Thanks for the prayers! Keep them coming, I`m going to need a lot of help with these coming weeks. :) As always, there`s lots of adventure ahead. Tupungato, here I come! 

Hermana Cannon

p.s. Oh, today we went to a dinasour museum thing with the district. It was pretty fun! That`s why I`m emailing a little later than usual. :) See the pics. Wahoo! 

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