I Didn't Proofread This So I'm Sorry
¡Hola Friends and Family!
I GOT MY PACKAGES! HUGE HUGE HUGEEEEEE shoutouts to all the people who took part in those! I love you all SO MUCH and may or may not have crieeeeeeed like a baby while opening them. Hermana V. was in the shower and when she came back into our room and saw me laying under a blanket of tissues she was very confused. I have yet to open up the wrapped gifts and letters because I'm planning on doing that on Christmas. More tears to come. Happy tears, of course.
Question mostly for my brother but also for anyone else who knows stuff about soccer: Everyone here is obsessed with soccer and the majority of people are split between two teams, River Plate or Boca. I have no idea which one to root for so pitch me your opinion. Hermana V. is for River along with Pres. Orquera's wife but a lot of other missionaries/people are for Boca so I don't know. Help an hermana out.
We're OFFICIALLY in my second out transfer here in the field. Still with Hermana V. because I'm a baby and am in training but in 6 more weeks I'll be the real deal. I am not ready to be out of training but at the same time I'm ready to get this ball ACTUALLY rolling. My Spanish skills however, beg to differ.
This week was my first really hard week in the field and WOW did I let it get to me! I think I thought I knew where my limit was, but Heavenly Father knows us better than we know ourselves and doesn't give us anything we can't handle. ENTONCES, He knows my limit and will take care of me these next 15 (woah 15) months.
But here's some fun stuff:
Hermana V. and I were talking to this lady named Maria about faith this week. She's pretty old and has a lot of health problems, like not being able to walk. She just sits in a plastic chair outside of her house and watches the street. For the majority of our little lesson she just shook her fist at the sky and said things like, "Where is God?! Life is horrible!" As Hermana V. wrapped up the message this random guy came out of nowhere and started blessing her knees. He said some random prayer I couldn't understand and was waving a cross above her knees. When he finished, he told her that if she had faith, she would be able to walk. Hermana V. and I just kind of stood there because 1. super funny and 2. he totally threw our lesson out the window for Maria. Our promise didn't sound as cool as his. She went back to shaking her fist at the sky as we walked away but we ended up giving the guy who "blessed" her a pass along card haha. You could tell he was getting ready to Bible bash so we told him we'd hope he'd attend one Sunday and moved on.
It rained yesterday for about an hour and came down fast and hard. See photo attached below. Missionaries aren't allowed to swim but I decided to take my chances. Don't tell President ;) The picture I took was on our walk to church and before Hermana V. took the picture I set my backpack down on the sidewalk to whip out my camera. There was this GNARLY spider (see other photo attached below) next to where I set my backpack down so naturally, I took a picture. After Hermana V. and I had our little rain photoshoot I went back to grab my backpack and the spider was GONE! Stupid me left my backpack OPEN. The rest of the walk back to church all I could think about was what I was going to do when it crawled over my shoulder in sacrament meeting as I played the piano. I have yet to find the spider.
Just your normal Sunday stroll to church....
My little friend that I have yet to find crawling around in my backpack
My best attempt at taking a jumping photo of me in my cute Christmas pajamas! Gracias Nana and Papa! Also peep the Pacman shower curtain Hermana V. and I have hahaha
I GOT MY PACKAGES! HUGE HUGE HUGEEEEEE shoutouts to all the people who took part in those! I love you all SO MUCH and may or may not have crieeeeeeed like a baby while opening them. Hermana V. was in the shower and when she came back into our room and saw me laying under a blanket of tissues she was very confused. I have yet to open up the wrapped gifts and letters because I'm planning on doing that on Christmas. More tears to come. Happy tears, of course.
Our little Christmas Corner. So cute but also so depressing hahahaha
Question mostly for my brother but also for anyone else who knows stuff about soccer: Everyone here is obsessed with soccer and the majority of people are split between two teams, River Plate or Boca. I have no idea which one to root for so pitch me your opinion. Hermana V. is for River along with Pres. Orquera's wife but a lot of other missionaries/people are for Boca so I don't know. Help an hermana out.
Had a special zone conference this week in Tucuman. We had to wake up at 3:30am to catch a bus that was supposed to be at 4:30am but came at 7am.....? The way time works here drives me absolutely nuts. The conference was good and we did a white elephant. It was cool being with a lot of missionaries. There were 5 zones total so about 70ish missionaries. Hermana Orquera spoke on charity and showed us this adorable video I've attached below. It's about a little boy who gives his new red coat away to another little boy in need. After the video she apologized for not being able to make us all red coats, but then explained she had a different gift for each of us. The AP's went around and handed us all letters from our families. Lots and lots and lots of tears haha. Everyone was losing it. Those letters from my parents will probably be my favorite Christmas gift this year.
Grandpa Steve put a quote in my Christmas package that gave me some motivation this week. Steve Jobs said, "Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart." I tried to explain the word "naked" to Hermana V. and did a horrible job. I'm just now realizing I could have used so many other methods and words to explain how it's used in this context hahaha.
Spiritual thought!
The Book of Mormon has brought me so much peace these last 3 months. I was always really good about reading it every day before I left on my mission, but I never realized the change it can have on our lives if we REALLY feast upon its words. I love what it says in Alma 26:30, "And we have suffered all manner of afflictions, and all this, that perhaps we might be the means of saving some soul; and we supposed that our joy would be full if perhaps we could be the means of saving some." I know missionary work is SO important and feel so blessed to be set apart as a missionary of the Church of Jesus Christ! When I think about that alone my joy is so full. I can't comprehend how happy I'll be when I can look back on these 18 months and say I did it! I love seeing people change as they find the light of Christ in their lives. The Church is SO true! WOW! LIFE IS SO GOOD WITH THE GOSPEL AND BLESSINGS OF THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST! Don't be annoying and stubborn, live worthily to let God bless you and I PROMISE YOU HE WILL. If you're struggling to live worthily, here's an AWESOME quote my mom sent me that I have taped to my desk. Wendy Nelson (President Nelson's wife) said, "Make a sacrifice to the Lord...and then be prepared to be surprised. God is a great compensator." One of the first things we as missionaries teach is, "Dios es nuestro amoroso Padre Celestial" which in English is, "God is our loving Heavenly Father." I know this is true with my whole heart and because He is our Father, He is just waiting to bless us. In one of my favorite conference talks titled "The Laborers in the Vineyard" (about the parable in Matthew 20), President Holland said, "Surely the thing God enjoys most about being God is the thrill of being merciful, especially to those who don’t expect it and often feel they don’t deserve it." I have a very strong testimony of our Heavenly Father and know He loves us more than we could ever comprehend. That is one of my favorite principles to teach people here in Argentina.
That's that for this week! I love you all!
Love love loveeeeeee,
Hermana McKinlay
Link for Red Coat Video!
Link for "The Laborers in the Vineyard" talk by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland
Didn't think I'd run into my family here...
The funniest cutest letter ever from Maggie
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