An Awesome Week!!

Well, I wrote like a million people today. . .but we had an AWESOME week!! I have never been so happy on the mish and seen so many miracles :)

 

WE have 2 investigators with baptism dates that are just SO happy and excited and they both came to church yesterday!! Dominga is 87 years old and has a lot of health problems but she is so excited to be baptized as we were leaving the church yesterday she asked to see where she'd be baptized <3 it was so sweet :) The other is named Rosa and is the mom of one other investigator whose been up and down for about a year. . .Hna Tolman started teaching her here when she first got to Argentina haha but Rosa turned up in Wednesday after being gone for a year. . .and she has a lot of stuff she needs to get straightened out but she came to church and told us she feels like this is it :)

 

Alright my time is up!!! I love you all so very much!! HAVE AN AWESOME WEEK!!!!! I'll get you all a longer one next week haha

 

 xoixoxo

your Larissa <3

It's beginning to feel a lot like Christmas!

Haha yeah. . .so I dunno if I mentioned this, but one of the girls in my house has like all Christmas music on her music dealy and so I get all excited psyching (?) myself out cuz it's APRIL haha BUT this week was SOOO cold!! It rained a bunch and it was almost snow, I think it's just to humid here so it can't be snow. . .but yeah, I'm a bit frozen haha I got sick cuz the change was SO fast and out of no where. One day it's like 90 degrees then the next day BAM 15 haha it was nuts, but really I like the cold weather better so it's all good :) The only bad part is my favorite boots that I brought with me broke yesterday :( I'm gonna see if I can glue them together but it's not looking so hot haha partly I think is broke cuz we've been working so darn hard!! 

Hermana Alvarez is soo awesome. She really gives it her all and when

she does it makes it so easy to give it my all, it doesn't feel like I'm forcing the other one or make me more prone to want to be done too. The whole companion thing is such a good marriage preparation seriously cuz, like I told her, she has been the companion that has helped me fulfill my full potential as a missionary, just like we should look for a spouse that will help us fulfill our full potential as disciples of Christ. I'm super grateful I'm found someone that helps me want to give and do my best always <3 Oh my word, I just realized how much this darn man is charging us for these computers!!! Oh well I guess haha

Sorry this is short and kinda whimpy. I've been freaking out a little about classes and stuff and I messed around trying to sign in and find my password and reading FAQ to see if there were tips for missionaries haha but I sent an e-mail and hopefully next week I can get it all figured out.

I've been thinking a lot about purification and I know that it comes when we are converted, and really both of them are a life process, but I love a scripture in Omni verse 26 that talks about giving our whole souls as an offering to Him, then it says that's achieved through much fasting and prayer. Before my mission I definitely didn't have a testimony of fasting. I just felt hungry haha but on my mission I've been able to feel how really, it brings us so much closer to Christ spiritually. I'm so grateful that we as members fast so frequently, because it's a selfless thing, and we have to practice being selfless. I felt very close to my Savior yesterday and I know it's because I was fasting and had the intentions of becoming more like Him :)

Ok I gotta go! LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH!!!

Have a great week ok?!

xoxoxo

Larissa

A LONG and AMAZING Weekend :)

WOW!!! Haha I don't think I'll ever get used to or like the rushed feeling I have on Monday Mornings trying to get all of the e-mails sent that I need to or keep you all in on the loop of my crazy world over here in Argentina, so just forgive me that I can't do it like I would if I had a couple hours on here haha but I know I need to do better and follow the example of Aaron <3 He does so awesome!! 

But ok as for me and what's up?? :) 

I love Conference. It's seriously so incredible everytime even though they all teach the same basic priciples and doctrine, it's exactly what this world needs <3 We also had transfers this weekend, at the same time, so some poor people missed out on Conference. I thought that was a big bummer, but we've gotta do what we've gotta do sometimes I guess! I'm still here in Villa Floresta, but my comp switched to be the comp of another Hna in the Ward and Hna Alvarez, one of the Peruvians I lived with in White is my new comp! She still hasn't met up with us, but I think we'll meet up around 4 my leaders told me, but who knows with them sometimes haha :) I also got to see all of the White families at Conference which made me way happy <3 I think that's where my heart will always be from the mission here in Argentina just cuz I was there SOOO long haha

I felt so many things during Conference, but as I prepared for Conference this time, I felt the impression to start reading the Book of Mormon and mark EVERY time it talked about obedience or repentance. I felt SO grateful for that revelation because, at least for me, that was ALL the prophets encouraged us to do better. Be more obedient then ever before and when we make our human imperfect state mistakes to have complete trust and faith in Christ that he will heal us and help us be strong so we don't ever have to make the same mistakes again. One of the quotes that really stuck with me from President Packers talk is that there are things in this life that can't be taught, but only learned. I feel like the meaning and truthfulness of that statement has really hit me on my mission. I really started internalizing gospel principles that I had been taught my whole life because I relied on and was worthy of the spirit to teach me in a way only he can help me understand, apply and change. I think the real learning comes when as we follow the spirit and do those things most basic to strengthen spiritual growth: Praying Daily, Reading the Scriptures daily, and then sharing the knowledge and truth we receive in Family Home Evening or our church meetings :) 

Click above to read, watch the whole talk from General Conference!

I'm so very grateful for the simplicity of the plan our Heavenly Father has prepared for us and the incredible blessings He promises to us and our families <3 I know it's the ONLY plan of happiness and we have to give 110%, even though our Faith in Christ and His Atonement is like 109.9% of that effort <3 Trust in Him and love Him enough to keep his commandments :) That's all he has asked <3 

I love you all soo very much!! I'm praying for you all and thinking about you and can't wait to all be together again <3 

xoxoxo 

Larissa

One Year Celebration! :D

Well, I'm TRYING to get some pictures sent. . .but I had a good week this week! 

 

I can't believe I've been a missionary for a year. . .that's just nutso haha I DO feel the growth that I've experienced and the changes that have made me a better person and if I keep working at it will continue to help me become the person my Heavenly Father needs me to be <3 Haha ugh I've been trying to get one dumb pic sent for 20 minutes and it's just not working. . .but here it's tradition to burn a shirt once you've hit your year mark (it was a white one I've had since I was like 14 so I think it's time had come. . .) but it was way funny :) I also had a cool experience this week where we were out contacting and came across a lady from Tahiti and she only spoke English and I tried my best to remember how to talk in English!! Haha I NEVER thought I'd forget, and obviously I haven't cuz I can write it just fine, but making English come out of my mouth was proven to be more difficult than I thought!!! I felt way silly, but it was a cool experience nevertheless :) and my comp was like "Now I know what it feels like to be you. . ." haha so yeah :) 

I also gave a talk in church yesterday about Charity and everyone told me thank you and that it was good. They also told me they were impressed with how well i speak (they all think I'm brand new to the mission cuz that's what happens when your a "yankee" - you're new everywhere you go haha but I'm used to it ;) but it was good I learned a lot. I'm seriously so grateful for all your support and all the love I feel from you all :) Oh and yesterday in the combined Relief Society/Priesthood meeting Bishop used a Lord of the Rings analogy and I was one of the only ones who understood what he was talking about and it was SO good!! He was talking about being careful with the little snares Satan has put out in the world that seem harmless or even good but can really mess you up in the long run (too much time on the internet, remodeling homes and new cars every year. . .) which he compared to the Ring, which I think we've talked about that before. . .but yeah it was cool and made me think of you all <3 

Well, I'm outta time. I'll see if I can get a picture sent!! I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH!! Have a great week ok and smile a ton and make the most of every precious beautiful minute our Heavenly Father has given us <3 I LOVE YOU 

xoxoxo 

Your Larissa

Christmas in March!

I've got less than a minute haha but I needed to thank you all for the packages!!! I recieved one big one from the Ward for Christmas which was a treat :) THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! Also I got Beth's birthday card :) Thank you!! I'm gonna write you next week Beth ok?? And I got the white shirts mom :) LOVE THEM! But your letter was the best part :) I LOVE YOU ALL!!! Aaron, I'm not sure how big your package was, but I still haven't gotten anything, I'll let you know when i do :) 

Have a great week! 

I LOVE YOU!!! 

xoxoxo 

Larissa

Spanish Sleep Talking

¡¡¡¡¡¡¡HOLA!!!! ¡¿Como estan todos?!

I'm doing good :) We had a bit of a rough week but also a really awesome one haha We had a Conference and an area 70 from Argentina came and spoke and it was so great! He talked a lot about things we could do to help our investigators really change and the bigest thing was that we need to apply the Atonement to our own lives and always teach repentance. The Savior ALWAYS taught repentance to everyone he ever taught and we have to remember that it needs to be the center of our lives. That's definitely something that has come to mean so much more to me during this past year, because I understand that by not changing and by not using this amazing gift my brother Jesus Christ gave me, I'm not showing Him my love, and worse it's like I'm ignoring that He even suffered for me (that's not quite the words I want but I can't think of them in English haha) but it's So important that we give all we can to living the way He has asked. I feel very repetitive sometimes when I write you all about the things I'm learning, but it truely is because if we have a true love of God, we will be exactly obedient to all He's asked us to do, and I have a true and real testimony of that truth <3

I've gotta go, but my title is because anyone who really knows me knows I talk a TON in my sleep. . .and well I talk in Spanish while I?m sleeping now haha I started dreming in Spanish about 5ish months ago, but yeah haha my poor comp doesn't sleep well, but apparently I'm very entertaing during the night haha

WELL! Gotta go!!! I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH!!! Have an awesome week ok? Smile, Laugh, Share Love and be a little better than you were last week :)

CHAO!!!

Larissa :) <3

Gringa Fea :)

It's been another amazing week on the mission!  :)

The work here is TOUGH haha we knock doors almost all day and talk with a lot of grumpy people, but it's been fun to have Hermana Martinez who helps me to always keep a smile on my face! We've been working hard trying to find some new people who are ready to accept to gospel, we have on investigator named Rosa who has been to church a couple times and loves it. She was Evengelist (there's a lot here) but she didn't like all the yelling haha she thinks The Church of Jesus Christ is much more peaceful which helps her feel comfortable. We are planning her baptism for the end of this month! Two other investigators we have who are just wonderful, Carina and Rodrigo, have been to church lots but Carina is pregnant and got sick Saturday night so she couldn't go to church, but when we called so told us she was reading the Liahona and her scriptures in bed! She wants to get baptized but she still needs to get married, so we're working on that one :)

Random things this week. . .I may have my first out of country experience. . .my head started itching on like Friday and all my comps told me I probably have lice and I was like no way!! But they looked and never found an adult but apparently I have the babies haha I dunno. . .it doesn't itch right now, it's like off and on. . .so I might have lice, but you're all still required to LOVE ME ok?! haha but don't worry I'll get it taken care of when I feel like a reliable source has diagnosed me haha Oh and the title of this email is the nickname on of the Hermanas (Valenzuela) gave me. . .sometimes its a good thing and sometimes it's a bad thing I guess haha I do love my house mates and it's been way fun this past week :) I had to stay at home with Hna Valenzuela one day because she has a lot of pain and can't work some days so we switch staying at home so that her companion can get out and work a little bit, but it was awesome getting to know her better!! She's crazy, but I love her :)

I had a really spiritual week this week :) It was full of ups and downs, as the mission is haha but I had several very obvious answers to prayers that confirmed to me that I really do have a Father in Heaven who loves me. These experiences, as small as they were, helped me realize something. I've never really loved Him like He's asked me too. I often made excuses for not living the way I knew He wanted me to. I did things I wanted instead of putting in first priority those things He has promised me will make me happy. That's what the world wants us to believe, that we know better. BUT IT?S LIES!! Haha we can never find happiness doing what we WANT. We will only feel real joy and happiness when we live our lives putting our love for God very very first. I feel like I've said things like this before, but I guess my testimony of this concept gets deeper and deeper every week and I am so grateful, because I know that here in the mission it's easy to recognize that, I'm using every minute of my time now to serve Him, but when I get home, I'll have my testimony put to the test., I'll have to prioritze my life the way He has taught me too. I know I never succeeded at that before, but I'm grateful for the real love I feel for my Heavenly Father, and I have a lot of hope and faith that that love will carry me through when it's time for me to get back to life :) So, my invitation to you all is to look at your life and find those things that you could do to show your love for God :) I know with all my heart it will bring SO much happiness and joy <3 

I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH!!!! Have a great week ok?! 
LOVE YOU!!!!

Locura! :)

Or in other words Craziness :) but you all better enjoy this english stuff while you can cuz I'm probably gonna forget here soon! haha just kidding i don't think i'll ever forget. . .and my comps want to learn English. There's only been a couple times when i had something to say, like a phrase or something, in English and i couldn't cuz they didn't understand, but I'm always able to explain it, so that's good! It's been fun, and especailly since I have a pretty good handle on Spanish now so I can express myself and all that good stuff. It's funny being companions with a latina because all the houses we go to people just expect I don't know how to talk or what they are saying, but I just smile and start talking and then they look all surprised and it's a good feeling haha ( yeah I've gotta be careful of pride now) haha just kidding, but it's been cool, 

I LOVE our ward. It's an actual Ward, so there are a lot of members and they are all so great! We spent a lot of time giving service scraping paint off the walls of one of the members houses so they can paint. I think we did that when we first moved to our house in Hillrose cuz I had random flash backs remembering how much fun i thought it was to scrape paint haha We have a few investigators, but we knock doors a whole lot, which has been interesting haha I've meet a TON of people, a lot of who don't believe in God or have opinions about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter'day Saints that are way skewed. . .but I've enjoyed that we've been able to have conversations with these people and help some of them to at least think about a different point of view. It's a testimony that things and people really can change and we should always seek out learning and growing :) 

Our investigators are Rosa, Daiana and Karina with her son Rodrigo, I know them the best and they are so great! They've been to church 2 times and Karina already knows a lot about the gospel because of her sister or something like that. . .she wants to be baptized but her and her boyfriends aren't married, but we're working on that one! They are SUCH a cute family but the Dad works a lot so we don't get to see him much. I've only met the other two one time, but they are great too! I'll be sure to tell more next time :) 

Apparently my comp looks at me during the day more than Hna Boyce because she's found 2 grey hairs since we've been together :( I'm getting old aparently!!! haha  I've been enjoying the latin food too, we order empanadas and the other hermana make mexican, chilean and honduranian (haha yeah idk..:) Food and it's sooo good :) I'm loving it!! Well, I gotta get going! i love you all sooo much!! Smile lots and share your light :) That's what this journey through life is all about :)  

LOVE YOU ALL SO VERY MUCH!!!!!

VILLA FLORESTA!! y Latinas :)

Haha yep! I'm no longer in mi querida area White :( but it's in really good hands, so i'm not worried, just know I'm gonna miss it a whole lot! It's all I've ever known of the mission here, and really right now i just feel like I'm on companion exchanges or something. . .but I feel like come wednesday or thursday I'll have a good cry, i already let my companion know and she assured me she'll have some ice cream waiting for me :) Her name is Hermana Martinez! She's from Honduras and has 9 months in the mission, but just 3 here in Argentina. She served 6 in Honduras and the change was hard she said , but she's a real hard worker and I know we're gonna get a lot of work done and grow a TON spiritually :) She's 19 too! But she turns 20 here in a couple weeks which will be fun :) We live with 2 other Hermanas (this apartment is a LOT bigger haha but still chiquito haha) Hermana Valenzuela (who lived with Hermana Vincent and Harris before so she knew me through them haha) who is from Chile and Hermana Zurita from Mexico :) I'M FINALLY GONNA LEARN HOW TO SPEAK SPANISH!! Haha obviously I know a little, but I'm excited I'll learn all the little words and stuff outside of just church vocabulary, and they are excited to learn a little english too :) They are all WAY nice and caring, as it's been proved to me here to be a very very correct stereo type of latin americans :) I'm super excited for this transfer, I feel like we're all gonna be super good friends and have a lot of fun! 

So, my area is called Villa Floresta, at this point I'm not sure what that's supposed to mean, but I'll figure it out before next week :) I'm in the same Stake that White is in so here in the next couple weeks at General Conference I'll hopefully be able to see everyone from there :) Since I'm in an area so close I didn't have the fun times in the terminal like I did waiting for Hna Harris, but I did get to go because Hna Boyce had to wait for her companion to get there and saw some of my mission buddies. Oh, i forgot to mention I'm the oldest missionary in our house and that is a WAY wierd feeling. . .makes me realize how short this time really is and I really do need to make sure I'm giving this amazing work my all every single minute. I read in Mark this morning Ch. 13 which is Christ talking about the second coming, and in the end he talks about how we need to WATCH! We can't relax or think it's ok to take a break for a day or two, NO. We have to always be pushing ourselves to be better, always on the brink of feeling like we are gonna break, but we won't because we've got the help of our older brother Jesus Christ <3 The things that are the most simple (pray, reading our scriptures, going to church, FHE) help us remember and stay watchful until He comes again <3 So, just keep doing the things God needs you to do and being wonderful and smiling and being the best you can every single day :) That's how we are truly happy :) I love you all sooo much! Hope you have a good week, and as of right now I don't know a lot about the area, so I'll be sure to write about that next week :) 

LOVE YOU!!!!

Hermana Conger. . .your Larissa :)

PS haha the boys asked me at Christmas what's the weirdest thing I've eaten and i didn't really have a good answer. . .well that was because I was just eating what I was given and didn't really ask a lot of questions! Haha found out one of the thing I eat is a sausage casing filled with blood and cooked up. . .it's actually really good haha I also had Kidneys yesterday, didn't think those were very good haha and. . .I think there was another one but I can't remember haha but there ya go :) 

LOVE YOU ALL!!!!! xoxoxoxo

Time Flies When You're Havin' Fun!

Aint that the truth?!  :) 

Seriously, this week has just a flown by and me and Hna Boyce and loving the work and Argentina. Yeah it gets frustrating, but how can we be down when we are douing the work of the Lord all day every single day and we see MIRACLES every single day :) I should be better about telling you all the little things that happen throughout my weeks, but I AM writting a lot of things down. I write down 3 miracles everyday and I can't wait to go through all my planners and journal and tell you all about them.

We've been working really hard this week to find the people here who are prepared, and after knocking these doors for 6 months I have my moments where I feel like "ok I've knocked this door at least twice and I'm pretty positive both times it got shut in my face. . ." but Hermana Boyce just keeps reminding me that there is a reason we're here in White right now and that we have to knock door in the ridiculously hot sunshine when everyone is sleeping, which I need ♥ We've been so darn happy this week and we've had SO many people STOP us in the street to ask us who we are and what we do because we are finally together radiating the light of this gospel and it truly is the most happy feeling I've ever had in my life. (Falling in love was pretty darn happy times too, but this type of happiness is different and we all know that ♥) :)

I'm so grateful that I'm learning that when we put complete trust and faith in Heavenly Father and His plan for our lives and don't doubt it, even for one second, that's when the real happiness is able to illuminate our lives completely and fully ♥ It's hard sometime to sacrifice what we think is best, what we want, or what seems to be the right path for something that difficult and hard to face, but Heavenly Father knows what will makes us grow so that we can experience the happiness that lies within His gospel and plan. The most simple way to to stop thining about ourselves. Mom is an incredible example of this and I know it's a principle she lives by and always taught me it's what I've gotta do to be happy :) 

Alright I've gotta get going!! You all have a BEAUTIFUL week and smile and laugh and serve our Heavenly Father :)

 LOVE YOU SO MUCH!!!!