WEEK TWO

Hey everybody! There just is no time to write! It’s crazy. We are so busy…. So!
Hermana George, the president’s wife, has been so great. She reminds me of Grandma Berg. I’m so grateful for her and President. They have been great. She even brought me breakfast in bed one morning because I haven’t been able to eat breakfast at all. I will be ok though : ) All my teachers inspire me. They are fantastic. I think I already mentioned that. The people we have in our lives are there for a reason. That’s why I have my family! I love you guys so much. Heavenly Father teaches us in interesting ways.

Speaking of which... We are learning so much about families and their importance in the whole scheme of things and it has me thinking so much about you all. I really do hope that you don’t take our family for granted. I know I did, and I wish so much I could take that back. Every single person in our family has so much to offer and so much love to give. I hope with everything that I am and I say in every prayer that I hope we all can be kind and just love unconditionally. That’s what Heavenly Father wants from us.

Ok, so proselyting! Oh man. The best time I’ve had here so far. It was soooo good to get out of the box we are in and get out to see the country and the people. We went through Buenos Aires for about a half hour and it is big. There are dogs who run all over the freeway, it’s so scary and horses do roam the streets haha! It’s great. They don’t need fields. Then we got to the city we were teaching. It is soooo the opposite of big and nice. I couldn’t believe it. So poor. Dirt streets. We had a map, but it did us no good because there are no street signs. We got lost a lot.

I have to make this quick because other missionaries are waiting to email, but... we found 3 investigators. Even with our tiny bit of Spanish. We go proselyting every Saturday. Since this Saturday is Christmas we are going back tomorrow to teach them. This whole week has had new purpose. Instead of just learning facts, we are actually planning on what to teach these 3 people.

We have Javier and his family. He has a little girl and boy and wife. We met them at their hair salon and we're going to teach them about families and the Plan of Salvation. Facundo speaks English! He is young, and he had all the questions of the soul. So we are teaching him and his girlfriend, who also speaks English, about the Book of Mormon and how it has every answer to every question they may have. We are so excited about him. He even told us he questioned his religion and he hated the Pope and such. He is ready for the gospel…. or so we hope : ) He is open for anything. And he speaks English! haha Can’t get any better than that. And lastly there is Jorge. He is a sweet little old man and it will be his birthday tomorrow! haha So we made him a card and things to let him know we love him already ... even though we have no idea who he is. I think that speaks tons about our gospel.

My Spanish is still coming along. We are getting better and if I think about it outside of the MTC, we know a lot. I still don’t feel ready to teach people though. It’s alright, we trudge along ha ha! We have since learned the first vision all in Spanish and we have that and half the commitments from the Preach my Gospel chapters and the principles of each chapter memorized in Spanish. That’s so fantabulous. I noticed last night I ended my personal prayer in Spanish without even realizing it haha. I remember dad said I would get to that point and it would be weird. AND weird it sure was. I also wake up in the morning and I have a random hymn stuck in my head every day and I’m reciting Spanish phrases. It seriously is the craziest thing ever.

Hmm... so the oldest group here leaves this next week, because a group leaves every 3 weeks, right? Anywho, we sure are going to miss them. Also, all the Latinos leave. There will only be 2 districts here from Tuesday till Thursday until all the new ones arrive. P.S. we counted how many missionaries there are here and there are 60 of us. So, when those districts leave there will be only 20 of us. crazy eh? We have become such good friends with the Latinos too, even though we don’t speak the same language and can’t communicate hardly at all - we all love each other. It’s the best feeling ever. We really are so blessed here. Count your blessings!

I hope you all have a good Christmas. Seriously, remember who it is about. I don’t even miss Christmas haha. Maybe it’s because of the fact that it’s sunny here and doesn’t remind me at all of home is the reason, but nevertheless... I’m glad. Christmas is not about us. Just smile and remember Christ and don’t worry about the gifts. hmm... also, I am singing for the Christmas eve program. Interesting eh? This is the second time I have sung here haha. I love you all sooooo so much! I love love love hearing from you. Till next week...
Love, ash

P.S. Pray for our investigators and that we may teach what they need to know!

WEEK ONE

Ohhh goodness! I don't even know where to start. This week has been.... something else. The first few days I was here it was so great. We study and plan for 11 hours a day: from 7 to 8 we eat breakfast, 11 to 12 we have lunch and 6 to 7 is dinner. Other than that we have personal study, comp study, language study (on our own besides the classes), one hour for playing outside and breathing and then 30 minutes to prepare for bed at night. Classes are all the rest of the time. My teachers are great. All of them are native to Argentina and every single one of them is fantastic! We have already learned so much. I can pray and testify in Spanish already. It is a little rusty though. At times I have to sneak a peek haha. Right now we have been in the process of learning how to make contacts, because starting this Saturday we go proseletismo! (proselyting, if you didn't catch that in Spanish.) It is so intense and I am so nervous. I was fine before, but yesterday we practiced with the district who has been here for six weeks and I was not as prepared as they are, of course. P.S. we are here for 9 weeks. Crazy! ok so... the food here is making me sick, not because I don't like it, but my body doesn't handle it well. I just can't digest it.

And the responsibility I hold is so much more important than I ever imagined. Hermana Lundskog is my favorite. She reminds me alot of Chelsea and is so kind to everyone. She understands me and when she laughs I just have to laugh. Hermana Kirkham is strict! She obeys every rule and we have come to find out that there are reasons why we have been put together. Anywho.

I know Heavenly Father is there, no matter what. I have gained a stronger testimony about priesthood. It's funny and truly amazing how the Lord works. I am so happy. I can't believe how much I love my personal study time here. I also cannot believe how much more the scriptures come alive. Everything and I mean EVERYTHING applies to me and the situation I am in, that brings such comfort. It's amazing....

There are probably about 100 people here, half americans, most of them from Utah specifically, and the other half latinos. The latinos are staying here in Argentina when they get out of here, this is their mission. Everyone else is going to Uruguay. It's pretty awesome... I love it here. It, unfortunately, is a rule that I cannot take any pictures here except when the latinos leave, which is every 3 weeks. So I will send them once I am in the field.

P.S. I haven't seen anything here yet. Saturday will be amazing to see the country and get out with the people, wish me luck. Until next week!

Hermana Farr's First Impressions

Here I am in Argentina... it is sooo great! I arrived safely : ) I haven't seen much, but it's extremely green here, and warm! Really warm, like 80 degrees warm. I love it. The MTC is soooo very, very small. It's just us who arrived here on the plane in our district. At least I think that's what it's called. We haven't been told much. Maybe I'll start from the beginning. In utah I met up with 3 others who are also here in Argentina going to Uruguay. Once in Texas, we met up with 2 others. That makes 6 of us! 3 boys and 3 girls. We got to Texas and had forever to wait. One of the sisters, Hermana Kirkham had a giftcard to TGI Fridays and so we ate there. Everyone is SUPER great and super nice. We all get along really well.

We got on the flight to Argentina and that's when I discovered what I was in for. All the instructions were in Spanish and everyone on the flight (which was huge, I might add) spoke Spanish. I immediately freaked out! but it was all good. ha ha The flight was fun for the first 5 minutes. Being on a huge plane with tons of people, tv screens everywhere was grand. Until... I was on there for 10.5 hours. I got 1 hour of sleep and I don't even know how I accomplished that with squishy chairs, screaming babies all night and lots of snorers = no sleep. I felt sick once I got off the plane, as did all the missionaries. We're better now.

So we were picked up by two men who did not speak any English either, and they took us to exchange our money, getting through customs was easy enough. Then they packed our things into a van and we hopped in too. We sat in lawn chairs in the back of the van haha. That should tell you something about where I am ha ha. Everything is KINDA ghettoish, but ya know. That's that, not that I'm complaining; I just want you to get an idea of the place I am in. We arrived at the MTC and the Argentina temple is literally out our window, as in next door. It's so awesome. It is under construction though so no going in, and it's not as pretty as I'm sure it will be next year. Like I said, the MTC is tiny! We are the only new missionaries coming in today. I have seen 2 other people period; besides the 2 boys who have been telling us what to do. I met the president for a split second, everyone is taking turns doing their interviews as we speak. I will be soon. He seems awesome, called me Hermana "Farr out" (as if I haven't heard that before). But it does mean 2 things, he likes me, and he has a sense of humor. Both good. All we have done is take our luggage to our room, and email you! So I pretty much am still the same girl you left yesterday. ha! Thursdays will be our P-days just so you know. Apparently we can't take any pictures here. Other than that, us 3 girls are in a threesome companionship. It's very, and I mean VERY, chill here. We'll see what I think about that, I think I need a bit more structure in this unfamiliar place haha. Anyway, there is not much else to report. Like I said, next week will be better. I'm doing well though! Love it here. Tell everyone hi for me, and loves! till next week... Love, Hermana Farr! (ash)

P.S. I dont miss anyone yet! wahoo!

The blessed day has arrived....

So......the day has finally come and gone. We dropped our dear sweet Smashley off at the airport to depart to the Argentina MTC to begin this new 18-month spiritual adventure of her lifetime!! What a cherished event.

Ash told me days prior to her departure that I couldn't come to the airport if I was going to cry! "Ummm...excuse me...... but I'm the mama so I'm gonna cry," I informed her. She gave me permission to cry all the way home from the airport. She told me that if I cried, she would cry. I said, "That's okay." She explained to me that she had the greatest feeling about everything right at that moment and she didn't want it to change for anything. She didn't want to shed a tear. I told her I would try my hardest.

We arrived at the airport and when we checked her bags in, the airline attendant told us her bag was 4 pounds over weight. Funny since we weighed her bag at home and it was 5 pounds under. Anywho, that meant she would have to pay an extra $60.00. Steve asked the attendant if she could make an exception for a missionary. "Sorry, no way! It's for liability reasons," she said. We laughed trying to rationalize how if we paid extra money that that would somehow eliminate any liability, right? haha! It didn't matter anyway because she could actually check on two bags to South America for no extra cost. So we reshuffled the contents of that bag to her carry-on bag and checked them both on. Hopefully no luggage got lost because her extra set of clothes were in that carry-on bag. She had intended to keep it with her just in case of lost luggage.

We walked slowly to the security point, taking some pics along the way. Emotions ran high, but I managed to keep the tears back as I watched Ash hug her little sistas for the last time in 18 months. As I got my turn to embrace my little girl, the tears welled up and we both cried for a few brief moments. They were tears of joy though.

Although I'm going to miss that girl, I am so proud of her for making such a huge sacrifice in her life for a greater cause...the people of Uruguay. We managed to hold strong as we watched our little girl walk through security and out of sight. Now she is in the Lord's hands!

Can't wait for her first email..............

My Bags Are Packed...

here i am. the day before i go away. seems crazy, i cant believe the four months since i have gotten my call have come and gone and now im off with my packed bags to uruguay to preach this AMAZING gospel.

it took alot to get me here and not without the sacrifices of so many people, so thank you thank you. i feel so blessed.

i have the funds, the equipment, the call and the testimony; i know this church is true and i love it so very very much. it has blessed my life more than anything else ever could have. well... because of the gospel i have everything. i love heavenly father and jesus christ and i know they will bless me as i go to find those who are ready for the wonderful news.

stick around here, my mom will be posting all my weekly dealings while im away. itll be grand.

mom- thank you for always giving me courage to continue to go forward and to not lose hope. you bless me everyday with your smiles and hugs.

dad- for always reminding me whats most important in this life and keeping me focused. your strength has added to mine and kept me going many a time.

sistas!- for always loving me no matter what and being there for me always!

kenny jones- aw...your support. even though i know its a little hard i will always be grateful for your gentle pushes that have made sure i get to this point right here, right now.

family- the constant love and support and help with paying for the mish! you will be so blessed in return for helping the lord

and friendsyss- all the loooove! i love you guys.

to everyone. you all have played a role in getting me here. i have no words to describe how thankful i am. you will be in my prayers. i hope to hear from you. see you in 18 months all.

signing off for now...

My Last Day of Work...

i realize this post is farely long, but trust me when i say you wont regret reading it...

At least at one job. Naturally I had to go out with a bang. Little did I know exactly how big that bang would be.

So funny story of my life/ job is this stupid mouse that has been torturing me there. I'm not overly scared of them but he sneaks up on me in the most perfect of ways, im sure just to hear my harmonious squeals. Its great, for him at least. Anyway he has found a hole in the shop and even when I'm not still, even while I'm moving around working he always appears at my feet. Its gross first of all, but really? He is one brave little thing.

So tonight, I'm sitting at the computer, I see a piece of string; or so I thought swaying at my feet. But I look down and its just nothing. I look again and there's that thing. He makes me really mad. (And to top it all off my boss won't let us kill him. It should be against health code, but the place is so old I'm sure noone ever checks on it.) So I freak out a little and I'm convinced tonight that I'll find a way to kill the beast. So I furiously start spraying windex at the hole it pops through. ridiculous i know. When I've gotten all my anger out at the hole, I start to realize that's really going to do nothing and he'll just be back tomorrow; hence my thinking cap. "I will figure out how to kill you."

I search the place, I could put pointy objects in its way, hmm, heavy objects in front of the hole, but ya know, that's really not going to do any good. He'll find a way somewhere else. Oh yeah. He's just that good. So I start thinking like a little murderer ha. Naturally my thoughts turn to the pepper spray we have just in case someone attacks us in the shop. Shear joy, nothing but shear joy folks. I pull it out and read the instructions quickly on the back. "Avoid contact with YOUR OWN skin, eyes, and mucus membrane." Yeah yeah. So I run to the hole and I spray that stuff hard core in the hole.

Next thing I know I can't breathe, I start choking and the fumes that have just filled my lungs I'm sure are going to kill me. Worst feeling ever. I book it out into the cold and try to get some fresh air. I just so happened to still be holding the can of spray in my hands. As I glance down at it and read more fully what this terrible stuff is, one word sticks out to me, GAS. Not pepper spray, not like, "I can spritz this in your eyes you nasty burglar and be fine," but GAS. as in, "I'm gonna spray this in the room your in and have it fill up the whole chamber. you'll breathe it in and die, but first I gotta make sure I'm outta there." Ugh I'm so stupid. and now I realize I can't even breathe outside. And I start to figure out that the can I'm holding is still giving off the fumes and I toss the can back inside the shop.

Long story short my friends, man they make this stuff well! That's good I suppose, means noone who comes after you when you have a bottle of that in hand will be pursuing you. But I couldn't go back into the shop the entire rest of the night. I opened the door and window to let it air out and still had to count down the till by running inside, grabbing the 20's and running back out to breathe. Grab the 10's, and so on and so forth. The only thing that makes me the slightest bit happy is knowing I'm SURE that devil of a mouse didn't survive the thing.

...Too bad it was my last day anyway : )

Just for you...

Once upon a time, a girl met a boy,
Little did she know,he would give her great joy.
After many dates, conversations and talking,
Would soon find them on the same road a-walking.

Through ups and downs, each other they would carry,
In hopes that for a while they could tarry.
Alongside each other is where they hope to be
But only time will tell and they'll see.

Now this girl goes to uruguay to befriend
And noone knows where this great story will end.
But that's ok; don't worry, no strife,
That's what's so wonderful about this journey called life.

he he