September 17, 2012

Hey Guys!

I was allowed just a little bit of time to write you a quick email! How great is that? First things first, HAPPY BIRTHDAY HOLLY!!!! I hope you have a great day. I got the sense in your last email that you were a little concerned about my last week, and how things were going to go. But I hope you all know that my last week of the mission was great! I had a good time, and surprisingly enough, there werent very many tears. They have been few. Im not quite sure what is going on. I dont know how I feel about it. I did cry today when I had to say goodbye to the Hna Baker. That was pretty hard. 

I hope you know how much I love you all, and how grateful I am to have you as my family. For the last 18 months I have been telling people about you. Telling stories, showing pictures, and celebrating all of the things that you have accomplished. I cannot believe that I will finally be seeing you within 72 hours. It still doesnt feel real to me. I keep excpecting the elders here in the office to tell me that it is a joke, I am not going home, and that I will be going to a new area with a new companion, and that I will just keep being a missionary. But, while I still have not emotionally or mentally grasped the fact that I will soon be with you, 18 months has been a long time. I am so excited to see you again, and to be able to spend time with you. I hope you have all pretty much cleared your schedules on Friday night, because you are MINE that night. (Just a joke Hol, I am excited to help you get ready for your dance.) 

I have never been prouder of you. I am so grateful that while I have been on the mission, I have never had to be embarrassed of who we are as a family. I have been able to share what ever it is that comes to mind, or anything that has happened with you without any problems. I cannot wait to see you, and I love you so much. 

I will see you soon!!!

Corinne

I LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAR HOLLY

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

September 10, 2012- Letter

Dear Mom and Dad,

I have also been a little sentimental the last week. It is really odd to me that my time as a missionary has already ended. It would be a lie if I had moments where I felt that I would die here in Argentina, and that I would never finish. And other moments where I would have paid anything to stop time and have just a couple more weeks here. I suppose only someone who has served a mission can understand the complete emotional trauma I am going through. While I am at the happiest I have ever been, I am also almost the saddest I have ever been. I thought that afternoon on March 2nd was going to be the hardest day of my life, when I walked away at the MTC, starting my mission, and looking for any reason to turn back to see you all again, or frankly to go home. I did not want to leave. But I believe that leaving Argentina is going to be even harder. Oh don´t get me wrong, it is greatly eased by the knowledge that I will quickly be with you all again. I have missed you more than words can begin to describe. But when I left, I knew that you were going to be okay, and I can´t help but feel a little bit that I am leaving children behind, who desperately need to be cared for, and I want to make sure they are cared for in the proper way. Like, I said, a striking contrast in my emotions, and I think that it is starting to make life a little hard for Hermana Baker.

All that being said. I did just live the dream this week. On Saturday we were able to see the Cultural Celebration for the re dedication of the Buenos Aires Temple. It was completely overwhelming, in the best sense of the word. I have been praying that I would be here since the day that I arrived in Argentina. It was very surreal everything that happened. I kept thinking in all of the missionaries that I know that have served here, also without a temple,and how I know that they would have loved to be here. I feel very privileged. Elder Christofferon, Elder Ballard, and Presidente Eyring were there, and they all spoke. They all directed their words to the youth, and they all made me cry. The dancing in the celebration was beyond words. It was completely fantastic. I was blown away by how many youth participated in the event, many of whom were unable to attend in person,so the stakes filmed the dances, and sent them in, and they were shown. Some of these youth dancers were just spectacular. I don´t know very much abot the folk dances of Argentina, but if they are all danced like that, I really want to see more.

Miriam came to the cultural celebration, and she was amazed. Everyday she gets closer to picking a date to get baptized, and i am so excited for her. She has fallen in love with temples, and she wants to go some day.

Yesterday was the dedication. It was breathtaking. I was again filled with a sense that I was living the missionary dream. I know so many people who would have loved to be there, or to see it, but who were unable, because of the distance. There was a very special spirit. I was a little concerned that maybe I wouldn´t understand everything, but everything was crystal clear. I really hope that I am given the chance to go through while I am in Buenos Aires. Or at least that we get to go see it.

All I know is that I miss the temple greatly, and I want to go as many times as possible when I get home. A year and a half is a great amount of time to not be in the temple walls.

This week we are going to work as much as possible. Hna Baker is feeling much better, and we are able to get out for more bits of time. It is really nice. We are also getting to know the branch better, which is great, but it makes me really sad that i am not going to have a little bit more time here with them.

I do want to thank you for all that you have done to be so supportive during my mission. I have learned that family bonds are not just physical, from across continents, I have felt your daily support. I AM very very excited to see you again, the next week is going to go very quickly I think.

Mom, I am also going to miss your weekly emails,but I will gladly trade them for the daily contact that we used to have. :)

I love you!!! And I will see you soon!!!

Corinne

September 3, 2012- Letter

Dear Mom and Dad,

My email worked!!! Just keep hoping that it will work next week. I am a little nervous. But mostly nervous because I only have to be nervous about one more week! I know, I make myself nervous about silly things, but with everything that a mission does to change a person, isn´t it nice to know that I am still myself? Haha.

I also thought of something interesting, and I forgot to tell Kami this, but yesterday she turned in her papers. Which is super cool. And she turned them in on the same day that I officially completed my 18 missionary months. Kinda cool isn´t it? She´s geting ready to start her service, and I am getting ready to wind my official service down.

This week was really good. It really did just fly by. There was some really sad news however. Miriam didn´t get baptized. It makes me really sad, breaks my heart really. But there is a silver lining to the sad cloud. She still wants to learn, and she came to church yesterday. She is just going through so much with her health. She has just found out that her cancer has returned, and a couple of other things. So she is wanting to wait a little bit of time. We are hoping to help her see that baptism really is going to be the best thing for her, and it will bring her the blessings she so desperatly needs. Please keep her in your prayers.

Hna Baker, unfortunately, also isn´t doing well. The poor girl just isn´t getting much better. Okay, that is a lie. She is getting better, it is just at a pretty slow rate, so she feels like she isnt´getting better, but she is. I am happy to report, that overall, things are much better. She is better with her animo, and she is happier overall. We have a really good companionship. Apart from being friends, which is fantastic, we work really well together. Even though we spend a decent amount of time at home, we are helping each other get a lot of things done. We have done a lot of organizational projects, and things at the house are getting much better. We do get out for a little bit every day, and I am really glad about that. It helps her see that she can still do things. And that she does a lot of them really really well.

It is an interesting rhythm in the house. We are just four people very different. Things have been a little tense. But I am trying to help everyone calm down and realize that nothing that is goin on is the end of the world. The good news is that making jokes about the fact that I go home soon seems to calm all three of them down, so that has been happening a lot lately. They don´t know that those sort of jokes give me a heart attack, and I don´t plan on telling them. Those poor girls need whatever release they can get.

This week should be good. We are going to do divisions on Wednesday, which will be fun. And on Friday we are going to have the cultural activity because on Sunday we are going to have the temple dedication! I am so excited. I have been waiting my whole mission for the dedication, and for a year now they have been so close to finishing! You can really tell that the members are excited and ready to have a temple up and functioning in their country again.

I am super excited that Holly is going to Homecoming. That will be a fun first weekend home. Does she know what she is going to wear? Is Zac going to go? Speaking of Zac what happened with Les Mis? I am so curious, and midly bummed that I have to wait a whole other week! I am very happy that I am going to get home in time for football season. (That was embarrassing. I almost wrote futbol. Oh Spanish. How you mess with my mind. I hope you are all ready for that. I no longer speak one language at a time. Spanish and English come out together.)  Also, super excited for Jayden and Shelley. Will you tell them congrats for me?

Well...I think that is it. I hope that you have a great and safe week! I love love love you!!!

Corinne

August 27, 2012- Pictures

August 27, 2012- Letter

Dear Mom and Dad,

It really seems like you are all having much more interesting days than I am!!! Especially with the first day of school things. I miss the first day of school. It is a wonderful thing. School in January, here I come!!!

This week really wasn´t that exciting from my point of view. Hna Baker has been sick, but we were still able to get some great things done. Lets see. What did happen this week?

Oh, we had divisions. It was really fun. I was with Hna McWhorter, and we had a really good time. It was fun to be teaching with my hijita again. I have missed her! We got to teach couple of lessons toether, and it was fun to have equal teaching time, and have her be as confidant as she was always hoping to be. She really has grown a lot, and I am so excited for her!

We are also really excited for the progress that Miriam is having. She will be getting baptized on Saturday! I am so excited. She really is so great. She is going through so many things, with some family problems, and various health problems, including cancer. But she is just one of the most positive people, and she sees God´s hand everywhere in her life. The branch has been really good at accepting her, and helping her feel comfortable, so even though I won´t be here for much longer after her baptism, I am confidant that she will be okay.

We actually started talking about her baptismal date during one of our lessons, and she randomly started telling a story about a spiritual experience that she had while she was a teenager. We got really worried, because normally when we start talking about baptism, and people start talking about spiritual experiences that they have had in other churches, they are finding a way to tell us no. So we were both internally freaking out and trying to think of a way to help her remember that it is a good thing that she gets baptized. But we didnt´know what to say. So we just sat there for a second, and awkwardly said something about her baptism again, and she said, oh no, I´m doing this! And we had a wave of relief wash over us. So she´s getting baptized!!!

Hna Baker is doing a little bit better. Slowly but surely she is getting her strength back. It is a wonderful thing to see.

Some of the Elders from Bahia came to fix our house up a little bit, and heaven bless them. There were some sad things about the house, and things are much better. For example, most of the sockets in the house didn´t work, and now they do!! It is great! And our washer, (thats right, did I tell you, we have a WASHER) works better now, and we have a new stove, and a new fridge. It is like a whole new house! I´ll have to send you pictures of the house next week.

Oh, speaking of next weeks email. On Sunday I officially complete my 18 month mark. Which, hypothetically speaking is when they are going to cut off my email access. Which is really lame, as I will still have two weeks of emailing left. I am going to talk to the mission secratay about that, to see if there is anything he can do so that doesn´t happen. It has happened to half of the sister missionaries that I know, and the other half have been fine. I have no idea what is going to happen. Please still write me just in case that I will be able to have internet access. But if you don´t hear from me, don´t worry.

Also, I pulled out part of the money, but it isn´t letting me pull out any more. I think I just may have hit the limit for the day, so I am going to wait until tomorrow.

Okay, Pictures.

1. Hna Baker and I. We´re so pretty.
2 & 3 Pictures of a little bit of what is Pigue.
4. Pigue and I together.
5. The four of us Hnas with Pigue.
6. Hna Baker and I yesterday after cleaning the church.

All of the pictures of Pigue have been taken from our roof. We live on the tenth floor and have access to the roof. It is fantastic. I love it!

I hope you all have a great week! I am praying for you and I love you!!!

August 20, 2012- Letter

Dear Mom and Dad,

It seems like you all had a really good week! That is fantastic! It is really odd to me that you are already to the point of starting school! I really can´t believe that time has gone so fast. We are starting week 3 of the transfer, and I feel like time really is just starting to fly away and there is nothing I can do to get it back.

I apologize for the delay in the email, we had some serious Internet problems, and so we had to leave for a little bit and then come back. As such, I don´t have a ton of time to write, nor do I have time to send you any pictures, but I promise that I will send some next week.

In regards to the whole debit card thing. I think that I did use it in March, but I know that I have used it since then. So that is super weird. I will pull that money out tomorrow then, just so you can know what it going on.

The week was really good. There was however, nothing normal about it. I feel like I write that alot, and you think I´d just be used to not having anything normal, but it would appear that I never learn. Haha.

Hna Baker has had some health issues in the past, and together we have figured out what a couple of them are. I feel like we are getting closer and closer to figuring out the last couple of things so that she will be able to finish her mission healthy. I am very very excited about that. We realized that we think it is a very high possibility that she needs glasses. And Pigue is teeny tiny and so we had to arrange a trip to Bahia to see an eye doctor. It worked out perfectly because we had a zone conference that Saturday in Bahia.

So on Wednesday evening we took a bus and headed to Bahia. We stayed the next couple of nights with one of my favorite Hnas, Hna Gonzalez. I just love that girl. She is fantastic.

Thursday morning we went to the doctor and it turns out that we were right, Hna Baker does indeed need glasses, and the doctor said that straining your eyesight can be a cause for headaches. One more piece of the puzzle put into place. We went to go pick out her glasses, and we were told that we had to come pick them up Friday afternoon  because by the time the conference got out on Saturday, they would be closed. So once we got that whole situation under control, we headed back to the house because Hna Baker wasn´t feeling well.

We were running all over on Friday. We had so much to do. There is way to much complicated details for me to give you right now, but Hna Parreño had told us that she wanted us to go visit some people out in our old areas, and give them a bit of help. There were a couple of people that she talked about in particular, in White, but she said that we could go figure out what we wanted to do that day. So we spent all day running around trying to see as many people as possible. It was actually really fun. It was like missionary vacation. Go see all the people you taught and see how they are doing. It was a very singular experience, and I am grateful for it.

On Saturday we had potentially the best zone conference I have had. Elder Viñas, the new second counselor of the area presidency came, and he is fantastic. Every workshop we had was just wonderful. Many things were said that were just the thing that I needed to hear, and they helped me feel good about the things that I have done on my mission, and the goals that I have for the time that I have left. Sometimes when the authorities come to talk to the missionaries, they are a little hard on us, and help us see exactly what it is that we need to do to improve and what it is that we need to fix, so it can be a little intimidating to know that they are going to be there. However, Elder Viñas was all about helping us feel good, and knowing that if there are changes that need to be made, we should make them, and that we are capable of making them. It was really nice.

In terms of other great things that are going on. Miriam came to church again yesterday! She is still on track for her baptismal date. I am so excited I can hardly stand it. This woman is amazing. She is going through so many trials. She has cancer, is having some difficulties with her oldest daughter (who is 33) among a couple of other things. But she is so great. She is reading, she is praying, she comes to church, and she has so many desires to learn and grow and do. Please pray for her. If all goes according to plan, I will be sending pictures of her baptism in two weeks!!!!!

Well, that is about all I have in terms of time today. Again, I am so sorry that you had to wait so long to get this. I hope that you are all doing great, and I hope to hear from you all next week! I love you!!!!!

Corinne
PS Someone has to give Steven a hug for me!!!

August 13, 2012- Pictures

August 13, 2012- Letter

Dear Mom and Dad,

Pigue is nice, I like it here. However, it is really small. Really really small. Like San Antonio Oeste small.Which is a bit of a shock for someone who has spent the last nine months in pretty bit cities. Haha, but it has been great. Pigue is most certainly a branch, but one of the cutest little branches that I have ever seen. I think it is going to be a very good last transfer. Hna Baker is doing a little bit better. Physically she is still feeling a little yucky, but it gets a little better everyday. We still arent leaving the house and doing full days of work, but everyday we are leaving, and that is some great improvement of where she has been in the past, and I am very pleased with that. She is from Ogden, and her Moms name is Dawneen Baker, and I think that you should friend her on facebook. Hna Baker and I have gotten super super close, and I just LOVE her. We have been friends for about six months now, and through Hna Baker I have sent a couple of messages to her mom, and she is hoping to go to my non homecoming. So you should be friends with her, she is GREAT.

In answer to your other questions, it is still pretty darn cold here. In fact, if my letter is super short, I blame the frozeness!!! My fingers are not moving as fast as I would like them too. It is so LAME.

And just so everyone knows, I am using capital letters to emphasize again, because all of the keyboards in Pigue are STUPID and again, most of the punctuation marks are unavailable to  me. Dumb dumb... (Also, by way of information, dumb has become my angry word of choice on the mission.)

This week has been pretty good. It was a lot of getting to know the area. Which consisted of Hna Baker and I getting lost. Alot. Haha. Which is a really funny situation, as neither of us are really good at the whole map thing. Which is why some very smart person invented a GPS, for people like her and me. Unfortunantly, they arent available here, on the mission, in Argentina, so we walk around with our maps, looking like clueless missionaries, and people cross over to the other side of the street to avoid us. Okay, that last part isnt true. The people here are really nice. Whenever we need directions, they help us out. Just remind me when I get home to show you how most Argentines give directions.

We do have one investigator that is golden. Her name is Miriam (and yes, I was VERY excited about that). She loves reading the Book of Mormon, and since she has started listening to the missionaries, about a week and a half now, she has almost finished first Nephi and she has so many questions, she just wants to know everything. She went to a Catholic School run by nuns, but she has always felt a void when sh goes to church, and she doesnt feel like the Catholic church has everything. This woman is seriously fantastic. She came to church yesterday, and she really liked it. Right now her fecha is for the first of september, and I really think that she is going to get there. It is going to be great. Please pray for her. I am determined to see her through. And there isnt much time, so pray hard.

The other investigator that we have is named Leandro. He is going to be an interesting one. But I really think that he will be able to progress. He has just joined an Evangelico church, but is still kind of looking for something. He has a fecha for the 8 of Setiembre, and I think he also has a really good chance for progression.

It has been really fun to be with Hna McWhorter again. I didnt realize how much I had missed that girl. I love her. We are having alot of fun reminsing.

Supposedly, we are going to be having a Zone Conference this week, but nothing has really been confirmed. I dont know how it will go down. But it is really wierd to think that it would be my last one. I just dont know how I feel about this, everythng is the last, it is reall weird. I am excited though, becuase if we do have the conference, one of the members of the area presidency would be coming, and I always enjoy those conferences.

Well, Thats all I really have time for this week.And as I sit and think, I feel like those are all of the real details anyways. I hope you know how much I love you, because I DO!!!! Lots and lots. Love, lots of love.

Corinne

PS The pictures are all old, but there are three pictures of hna baker and i from last tranfer, one of the pretty sky here in Pigue, and one of Hna Baker and I in our aprons right before we started cooking. She and i eat alot together. But its (mostly) healthy. Haha

August 6, 2012- Pictures

August 6, 2012- Letter

Dear Mom,

First of all, you have never sent me too many details. You have to
remember that I read very fast. Haha. Seventeen months into the
mission, and we have yet to have a problem with that. Second of all, I
am so glad that Dash isnt dead. I was seriously concerned with the
comunication in our family, that I have generally considered to be
pretty good. (With the execption that one time where Kami and I
thought we heard you and Dad talking and you were saying that Dad had
cancer. That was a fun night).  Third of all. The ceber I am at is
awful, and the keyboard is driving me insane. I will not have correct
punctuation today, because none of it is here (insert lots of
exclamation points here). I am just lucky that I found the parenthase
marks.

Hna Vaughan and Hna Carson are both still having some problems with
their feet. Hna Vaughan more than anyone, that poor girl is in some
serious pain. But, they are going to be resting a bit. Want to know
how I know that. Its cause they are companions now. Thats right, I got
transfered for my last transfer. I am now in a little town named
Pigüé. (Have fun pronouncing that one haha. I hope I spelled that
right.) Guess who is my companion. Guess guess guess. None other than
my very dear friend, Hna Baker. I am so excited.

We found out on Friday, but to really tell the story, I am going to
have to back up a little bit. On Tuesday, we (Hna Vaughan, Hna Carson,
and I) moved to the house in White for a couple of days. For very
complicated reasons that I am not going to take time to explain. So we
were living there all week, which was really fun, but really
complicated life. On Thursday, Hna Vaughan moved back to our house in
Puyerredon, and Hna Carson and I stayed in White. On Friday we got
transfers, and all four of us were together. It was fantastic. They
told us that Hna Vaughan and Hna Carson were going to be together in
Pueyrredon, and I thought my heart was going to fall out of my chest,
and then they said that Hna Pixton and Hna Alvarez were goint to be
together in White, and Hna Baker immediatly burst into tears. And then
Elder Galan told us that we were going together to Pigue, and we both
screamed. We are really excited, we are going to rock this trasnfer
up.

This week was really crazy since the Hna Vaughan was with us. I love
her, and she is great, but it really complicated things, since she
could never be alone. We spent a lot of money on taxis, to take her to
the office. There were also some days where the elders came to get
her, so we would just take a bus to our area to work.

Hna Carson also got sick again. That poor girl has another ear
infection, and so we spent a day at the doctor for her. It was
Wednesday, the same day that we went with Hna Vaughan to the doctor
for her foot. I think that Hna Parraño has way to much conficdance in
my ablities, but I am happy to help any way that I can. Frankly, this
week, I feel like I did a lot more babysitting than I did missionary
work, but whatever it is I need to do, I am willing to do.

Oh, at one point, I think it was Tuesday...we did divisions, and so
Hna Baker and I worked together for a couple of hours. That was really
fun. And ironic, since we are now companions.

I am seriously so excited to be comps with Hna Baker. She has become
one of my best friends, and we are going to do great things together.
She has also been really sick, and is starting to get better, so we
are going to start slowly,but I think that things are going to be
great.

It was really hard to leave Pueyrredon. Much harder than I thought
actually. My experiences there have been so distinct that I didnt
think it would be very hard, but as you can imagine, I cried alot. I
just couldnt bring myself to accept the fact that I was actually
leaving. I thought that for sure I would be finishing my mission
there. But there are many things to learn. So I am really excited.

Okay, some pictures.
The First two are us at the Hnas house in White.
Then after that they are pictures of me saying goodbye to people.
There is one of me and Gaby, one of the two of us and his mom, the
flia ortiz and ezequiel, jesica salvo. It was so hard to say goodbye.
Then there is one of Hna Baker and I in the colectivo. Officially
companions. Holla.
And in the last pícture is a surprise. You will recognize the face of
my hijita Hna McWhorter. She and Hna Sleight are also here in Pigue.
We are four and we are going to have a rockin transfer. I am so
excited.

Okay. that is all I have time for today. But I hope you know that I
love you so much.

Corinne

July 30, 2012- Pictures

July 30, 2012- Letter

Dear Mom and Dad,

You should know that as I write this email, I am feeling very conflicted emotions. I don´t know whether to think that it is amusing or tragic that Dash died and no one told me! How long ago did this happen?! And why did no one tell me? I mean, I know I don´t have the worlds strongest connection with Ace and Dash, but still! Just because I am on the other side of the world doesn´t mean that I shouldn´t get really important information like that!!!

Okay, a couple of minutes have passed, and so has the indignation. I do have a request. Will someone send me a picture of Zac and his puffy face? Please please pretty please!!!

This week was bastante weird. ( Like super super weird). It started out pretty normal. On Tuesday we had district meeting, and it went fine. Nothing super thrilling happened. Unfortunately right now, there is an Elder in our district who just wants to make every district meeting as painful as possible for the rest of the world. And he usually succeeds. However, lunch on Tuesday was pretty great. We went with the Hnas from White to lunch with Romina and Fernando, and they surprised us with asado, and the fact that we were going over to another members house to eat. So we had a pretty big party for lunch it was great. We also had our ward correlation meeting with our ward mission leader. Things in that area are getting a little bit better. Every week, he is just a little bit more excited about the things that we are doing, and has more drive to help us out. We also had a surprise on Tuesday night. We got  a call from one of the Elders in the office saying that Hna Vaughan would be staying with us for a couple of days, we had no idea why. 

But Hna Vaughan showed up, and can I tell you, I love that girl. Her companion had to go home early (health stuff), and Hna Vaughan is having quite a bit of problems with her foot, so she is waiting to go to the doctor. She is currently unable to work, so she is spending her days in the office. 

Wednesday morning, the assistants came to pick up Hna Vaughan, and Hna Carson and I finished up our studies. At the end of the studies, Hna Carson said that she wanted to call the Hna Parreño to talk to her about her foot, because it still wasn´t feeling any better. Hna Parreño sent us to a doctor that afternoon. The doctor said that it isnt´ yet, but easily could turn into tendonitis (Sp?). And that she needed to have a couple of days of complete rest. 

This meant that on Thursday and Friday, Hna Carson went to the office with Hna Vaughan, and I went to White with the Hnas there. It was a  very complicated situation. There were lots of taxis, and lots of buses. But it was really fun. I also had to spend a couple of hours in the office because the White Hnas were at a different doctor, and I got to help with some stuff there. It made me secretly jealous of the office elders, I forgot how much I enjoy office work. But at the same time, I think it would kill me on the mission to be confined to an office all the time. I am really grateful for those elders though, they put up with a lot of stuff so that the rest of us can be completely committed to the work that we are doing. 

On Saturday, Hna Carson and I were able to work a normal day. That was very nice.Even though we didn´t have much success, I was just happy to be working again, in my area, with my comanion. There is a very nice feeling about that. 

Sunday was good, but complicated. Romina picked us up for church, since Hna Vaughan really can´t walk more than a couple of feet with out having a very serious amount of pain. Church was good. Ezequiel blessed the Sacrament. I love it when he does that. It makes me so happy inside. We ate lunch with Gaby and his family. And when I shared the scripture, I just lost it. I really really started to cry. It has been a while since I hae lost so much control. It just kills me because Gaby is menos activo again. He knows everything that it is that he needs to know, he just isnt´doing it. And it breaks my heart. It is like watching one of my best friends destroy thier life and know exactly what it is that they are doing. Please pray for Gaby Garay. I don´t know what it is that he needs, but please pray for him. 

So after embarrassingly losing myself during the scipture, we headed home. We were home for a couple of mintues, before we had to head to White for a baptism. It was great! There is always a bit of drama in White, like there is in any small town, but overall, things went great. Then we headed back home, and Hna Carson and I finshed weekly planning, and Hna Vaughan read her Book of Mormon. 

It has been a really big blessing in disguise to have Hna Vaughan here. Hna Carson and I aren´t struggling by any means, but we certainly have our tense moments, and Hna Vuaghan has really helped us both. I love love love her. And I really hope that she gets to go see the doctor this week, so she can figure out what it is she needs to do to fix her foot. I really don´t want her to have to go home, but I am afraid that that is going to happen. 

Okay, some ideas for the package. 

Garments 

*tops (cotton square necks) 24 long

*bottoms (cotton) 30

(will you get four pairs, and then only send two. My garments are super sad, and I am going to retire a couple of them before I get home, and then I can come home to nice garments.)

Deodorant 

Face Lotion

foundation )powder and liquid

mascara

and my contacts please! 

I think that that should be everything! Sorry I am so high maintenance. 

Pictures

Hna Vaughan and I 

Hna Baker and I, while I was in White this week (it was really really cold)

Sorry, there aren´t that many pictures this week. My bad. 

Also, transfers are this week, so next week I will let you know where I am going to be spending my last transfer! AHHHHHH. The fact that I start my next transfer next week, may or may not be giving me a heart attack. It will be a miracle if I make it to the end of my mission alive. Haha. But seriously. 

Okay, well, on that cheerful note (I hope you know I really am okay.), I gotta go. Its time to work! 

I love you!!!!

Corinne

July 23, 2012- Letter

Dear Mom and Dad,                        

This week was a very eventful week! I am again, mildly short on time. And, I should say, it is really lame that somehow you always manage to get the short end of the stick when I am running short on time. I just wrote a pretty long email to Presidente Parreño, and it takes me much longer to write in Spanish than it does in English.

Okay, I just read your email, and it is just clicking to me that it is Uncle Matt that passed away! I was thinking it was Dad´s Uncle Mark. Please, please tell the Smith family that I am thinking of them, and praying for them, and that I love them! I know he will be missed, but I also know that he never abandoned his family, and I know that he is not about to do so now.

Main events of this week. On Wednesday we had a zone service project. I was really excited that it happened, because we’ve been talking about it for almost a month now, and it never happened! We went to a school, and painted a couple of the rooms. It was really fun. Unfortunately, not very many supplies like paintbrushes were brought, so we had to keep rotating, and it took a little bit more time than we were hoping, but it still went really well. And I think we did a good job. A couple of us Hermanas got a little crazy, (hna alvarez, hna gonzalez, and I), and pictures will be included at the end. You will be happy to see, that although I am a very serious missionary, I have not completely lost my personality! haha.

We also had a Relief Society activity on Saturday, and that went great! We have been trying to work a little bit more with the menos activos, and it is really starting to show. One of the menos activos came to the activity, and she had a really good time. We are also really noticing a difference with the ward. They are starting to realize that we really are here to help them, and that they are really really important to us.

We had a couple of surprises on Sunday. A surprise investigator came to church. His name is Joel, and he is the boyfriend of a girl that is in another branch. They came together, and we have a lot of hope for him. Please pray for him, that he will be okay, that he will listen to us, and that he will be able to progress. He is getting ready to change his number, and so we gave him our number to get in contact with us. Please pray that he will get a hold of us, the ball is completely in his court, and that makes me really nervous that maybe he just won’t call. But if we are all praying, it will happen! Please help us!

Presidente Parreño and the Hna Parreño came to our Sacrament Meeting on Sunday as well, and Hna Parreño is in love with my singing voice. It is really flattering, but it makes me a little embarrassed. Hahah, but she is about the sweetest person to ever walk the planet. They spoke, and it was fantastic, they are just so full of the spirit, I can really tell that they are going to help me the last few months of my misson.

We also had a menos active come to church. It has been over a year since she has come, and we were SO excited to see her there. And the ward was great! They all talked to her, and tried to help her feel welcome! Her name is Ines Moreno, and we are hoping that she is on her way to being fully active again.

Okay, I seriously don’t have much time, but I do need you to remind me to tell you the story about Gonzalo next week. I’m not telling it for two reasons. One, the time thing. Two, the story isn’t completely over. Lets just say that by the time you get to where I am in the mission, you think you have experienced basically everything that there is, and let me tell you my dear parents, I have yet to experience everything. There are still lots of surprises in store. Transfers are in two weeks, and I am freaking out.

Oh, we also had the Hermanas from White living in our apartment for a while this week. It was really fun, but let me tell you, our apartment is not big enough for four. Haha. Will you also keep Hermana Baker in your prayers? She is going through a bit of a hard time, and she is one of my best friends here. I am really worried for her.

Okay, that is pretty much it. I will write more next week, I PROMISE!

I love you!!!
Corinne

July 9, 2012- Letter

Dear Mom and Dad,

I have not yet met my new mission president, and the site where we write him our weekly email is down, and so I haven´t even been able to write hm yet. It is really weird, even though he is so close, I feel so isolated from him. I assume, that at some point we will meet him, and I would assume that it would be soon. But then again, you know what happens when you assume, right Dad? (Hehe, I´m so funny). 

This week has been really good. There were a couple of exciting things that happened. 

One was on Tuesday. It was just a normal Tusday, except that we had gone to a different church for our district meeting. But really, not that big of a deal. Then we were walking to catch a bus (we being Hna Carson, Hna Pixtn, Hna Baker, and I), and we had to cross a street, which really, when you think about it isn´t that weird, missionaries cross streets all the time, right? Except this time was different. I stepped off the curb, and the next thing I knew I was on the ground. Again, not that weird, I fall all the time. But again, this time was different. I sprained my ankle.  It hurt soooo bad. So we called a Remis (aka taxi) and it took us to Romina and Fernando´s house, where we were having lunch that day.While we were there, we called Elder Galan (aka district leader) and told him what happened, and we figured out a way to do emergency divisions. Hna Baker (since she knows sports med stuff) stayed with me, and Hna Pixton went with Hna Carson. I was just glad that we were able to figure it out, because if not, I would have gone to work anyways, we had way to much going on for me to waste a day sitting at home. As it was, I wsn´t super exciting about doing nothing that day, but sometimes it is better to rest for a day, and then be able to work the rest of the week. (For all my ex leaders who happen to be reading this, see how much I´ve learned? I wouldn´t have said that when you were here. Sorry it takes me so long to learn my lessons.). Don´t worry, I was completely fine the next day, and I was able to work. Okay fine, it still hurt a little, but not too bad. And it only hurts everyonce in while now. Yay!

The rest of the week was pretty normal. We had lots of surprise lessons with members, which was great. We just showed up at members homes, and they had friends there. None of them where in our area, but thats okay. 

The other really exciting things all happened yesterday. And by exciting, I mean lame. 

There were two. One was during Sunday School. Its called the teacher didn´t show up so I had to give the class without preparing anything. I hate that. I feel so flustered and disorganized. I just feel like I ramble because I am nervous, and I don´t know what is going to happen next, and I feel like I should know because I am the teacher. But really, overall, it turned out alright, and I should grow up and stop complaining. 

The other unpleasant shock came two minutes before Sacrament Meeting started, and I was getting ready to go play the prelude music. Okay fine, like 7 minutes before the meeting started, but still the key is that I had to play the prelude music. One of the Hnos came up and said that one of the Hnas hadn´t showed up, is there anyway that I could give a talk? Again. Not a fan. I ended up saying who knows what about enduring to the end, and keeping the commandments. I felt very scattered, but it turned out okay. People lied and said they couldn´t tell that I hadn´t had time to prepare, so that was generous of them. I did share the scriptures 2 Nefi 31:20, Lucas 5:5, and 2 Kings 6:15-17 (it might be chapter 8, I can´t quite remember.) 

I suppose if I am being mature about the situation, I should be glad that people have that much confidance in my abilities to speak, that would ask me to do that. And I am grateful for the help that I recieved that I was able to pull it off, even if it wasn´t at the level I would prefer.

The other really exciting things that happened are:

1) Jesica Salvo is visiting her family, and she came to church yesterday all on her own! We are on our way to being fast friends, and she is showing more and more interest all the time, which is great!

2) Fernando gave his very first lesson in YM´s today. (he was recently called as the first counselor in the YM Presidency) He, and our cute YM said that he did a great job! Bishop said that we were not allowed to go to YM to listen to the lesson. I didn´t think that he would say yes, but it doesn´t hurt to ask, right?

3) Ezequiel blessed the sacrament for the first time yesterday! He is using his Priesthood! I am so excited!!!!! And guess who taught him how to do it? Fernando! I just love watching people grow!

I have recently really started to be good about using a study journal, and I have noticed a huge difference in my studies. I have always enjoyed my studies, but the more time I have in the mision, the more sacred that time becomes. I am so grateful for the scriptures, and all that they teach us. I am also grateful for the prophets who wrote the scriptures, and all that they went through so that we can have them now, and do the things that the Lord would have us do. 

I am happy to say, that I can still say that I love being a missonary, and I am so grateful for the time that I have had, and still have, to dedicate myself to the Lord, and do the work that He would do if He were here. 

I pray for you all, all the time. I love you so much! Thank you for all that you do for me! Love love love!!!

Corinne

July 2, 2012- Letter

Dear Mom and Dad,                       
I am certainly happy where it is not hot. Although it does make internet a little more tricky since my fingers are cold, and I can’t type with gloves on!!! Haha.

I do think I am with Zac on this one...Sorry Parents, Bingo does make you should a little...advance in age. But I am glad that you enjoyed it!

This week was really good! We certainly didn’t have the success that we were looking for in new investigators. In fact, we didn’t find anyone this week. But Hna Carson and I have done so much better with our contacting, and we have a lot of citas set up for this week, I am really excited.

Hna Carson is doing so much better. She seems to have so much more confidence, and is enjoying being a missionary more. It makes me so happy! I want her to enjoy being a missionary, and to have the hope to stay her whole time. I know she can do it, and she is starting to believe that she can do it too!!!

We have been a lot better about receiving references, and that is making so much of a difference. The ward is getting so much more excited to help us out, and they are thinking of things that they can do on their own. It is so great! My secret goal is to have Pueyrredon be a dream area by the time I leave. Right now, to everyone on the mission Pueyrredon is one of those really hard areas, where it is really possible that you wont´see any success. And I am not okay with that. Our area has so much space, and so many people. There are so many people who are just waiting to hear the gospel. We are well on our way to meeting that goal. People are less suprised when they hear of the things that are happening here, so that is great. It is starting to be normal to see success in Pueyrredon.

We do have a new mission President now. I still don’t remember his name...kinda embarrassing....but I still haven’t met him, so we´ll blame that. I think that we will be meeting him this week. That is the rumor. But who knows. I sure don’t .

I also haven’t gotten the packages yet, but the Elder who was in charge of all that was really sick, and he ended up having to have to go home because he was having some pretty serious heart problems. So there is a new Elder in there now who is getting everything all figured out. So I wouldn’t be surprised if it showed up soon.

Hna Bingham says hi! You want to know how I know that? She is here! She had to come to Bahía to do some paper work, and she is staying with us! It is so great! She got here last night, and we spent the majority of the time together. It has been fantastic. It has been really fun. I want to trade her places, so that I can go back to SAO. I miss everyone there!!!

Umm...this may "date me"  but what the heck is a Tablet, and why would that have been a good win from your Bingo?

Will you tell everyone that at the Family Reunion that I say hi?! I don’t think I realized that you were going to have one, and now I am immensely jealous!  Give everyone lots of hugs for me! How old is the youngest one in the family now from our first cousins? It is really weird to think that we are all getting so old!

The good news is this. I feel as if I am really starting to see some of the improvements that I have been hoping to see. It is a little sad that they have taken so long to kick in, but better late than never! It has been very gratifying to see some of the results of long, long work, with seemingly little progress, but I am now able to check off some of the goals that I had set at the beginning of my mission, and to review some of the things that I was doing, and what I am doing now, and it is really nice to see the difference.

Thank you thank you thank you for the awesome long email. I am going to print it off, and read it a little bit better when I get home tonight. I am so glad that you are all doing well, and I hope you all remember that I am praying for you every night. I miss you like crazy, and I love you even more!

Corinne

June 18, 2012- Letter

Dear Mom and Dad,                       

Happy Fathers Day Dad! I sure love you! I hope that you had a great day!
Mom, I enjoy all of your emails! In a year and a little bit more, I have never had a boring email! I don’t have a ton of time this week, we are going to the doctor, since Hna Carson is having some problems with her foot, and I wrote Presidente a really really long email, so my time is going to be a little shorter this week.

This week was really good. A couple of interesting things happened.

One. Last Monday Elder Howard, my district leader got his toenail removed because it was ingrown. He had decided it was a good idea to take it out on his own, and it got infected, so after a couple of weeks of Hna Baker and I bothering him, he went to the doctor. And, long story short, the toenail got removed. However, the infection did not get completely removed. So on Tuesday morning before district meeting, Hna Baker and I cleaned his infection out of his toe. We did it as completely sanitary as possible. We got there really early to clean the room up really well, and to start boiling water, so we could have sanitary water to work with. Elder Howard had exaggerated a little bit, the night before he made it sound like his toe was the fountain of blood that no one had ever seen, and in reality, with us it hardly bled at all. But, we got it all cleaned up with hydrogen peroxide. (Mom, I hope that you are doing a spelling check before you send this to anyone.) I think we almost made the poor boy cry, but at least his infection isn’t going to spread and he isn’t going to loose his toe or his foot during his mission. That was the goal. Given our circumstances, I think we did a pretty decent job.

Two. This last week we also did divisions! And I left again. I went to Pringles! My companion of two days was Hna Leguizamon. (Good luck saying that one.) We had a really good time. Pringles is a little city about two hours away from Bahía Blanca. We started divisions on Tuesday, and ended them on Thursday. There was a little bit of drama getting out of Bahía since most of the bus services had been suspended, but we finally made it out at about 8pm.

Before that, we were working in our area, and it was really nice to have a couple of extra hands on deck. We split up into three companionships, and my companion of a couple hours was the lovely Hna Squire. She is from HIghland, Ut, and I love that girl. We worked together for a couple of hours in Puerrydon, and sat together on the bus, and we have become BFF´s. I really hope I get to see her again.

Pringles is really weird. Everyone let us in. Okay, not everyone, but a lot of people. And everyone made it sound super small like SAO, but it really wasn’t that tiny. I really enjoyed my time there. And I had met Hna Leguizamon in Mar del, so it was really fun to work with her again.

I think the biggest surprise of the week was coming home, and hearing that Ivan has a baptisimal fecha. And yes, this is the same Ivan that confessed his feelings of amor. He, and his little brother Francis, will be getting baptized on Sunday. Yes. In six days. If all goes according to plan. I have no idea what happened in the lesson while I was gone, but I am really grateful. Tomorrow we will have our first lesson with them this week, and I am really anxious to see how it goes. Please, please pretty please pray for them. I know that Ivan already knows that everything is true. They would be such great members of the church! I will let you know next Monday how everything goes, but for now, please pray!

Okay, I am now going to add some pictures, and then I gotta go! Sorry my letter is so short this week!!!

Well, in a couple of days we will get transfers! I will let you know what happens! I hope you have a good week! Girls camp is going to be awesome! And so will bachelor week for the boys! Tell Zac that if he is going to be a bachelor for a week, he should certainly have time to write me an email! Haha.
I love you!!!
Corinne

June 11, 2012- Letter

Dear Mom and Dad,                      

Which of the girls from the ward are in Cheer? Holly, and Anna I assume, but who else?

This week was good. There were three main events from this week.

1) Zone Conference! It was really weird to have my last zone conference with Presidente Detlefsen and the Hermana, but to the surprise of all that I know, I did not cry my eyes out the whole time. It was a great conference, and Presidente and Hna said goodbye to us all, which was very depressing. But, as always, Presidente knew just what to say to help me get myself back on course!

I also got to see Hna McWhorter at the conference! It was great! I was so excited! We talked every spare second we had, and I am very happy to report that she is doing great! She is working in an area called Pigue, and it is a hard area, but she is doing so great! I just love her, and I was so excited to be able to see her again before I go home!!! We had 9 Hermanas at the conference, and it has been more than 6 months since I have been with that large a gathering of Hermanas, it was great! Although, I realized how old in the mission I am! Super weird!

2) Ezequiel got baptized! It was so great! We had a really good program. Since he is a YSA, we had the program completely full of YSA. It was really great, some of the YSA from the Stake ended up coming since they knew him. We were a little worried at first since he had had some mildly negative experiences with some of the YSA before, but everything turned out just great! He even enjoyed himself.

It has taken him a while to get comfortable with us, but we learned on Friday (the day of his interview) that he is indeed comfortable with us. This is how we learned, when he came out of his interview (at the church), he sat down on a bench, and put his head in his hands, and Elder Howard came in, and looked a little distressed. After a minute, Elder Howard told us that they had put a new date for the next week for another interview. I thought I was going to die. I tried super hard to be supportive, and to say okay, that’s fine, what do we need to do? When Ezequiel looked up, at Elder Howard, and Elder Howard told us that it was a joke, and that Ezequiel passed the interview. I wanted to hit the both! And turns out it was Ezequiel´s idea!

So he got baptized! And it was great! And yesterday, he came to church in a dress shirt and tie to get confirmed! It was so great! He looked so good, and like a professional member of the church! I was so happy!

3) I got sick. Don’t worry! I am already doing better, but Friday night, I started to not feel so great. It was very unpleasant. So I went to bed early, and when I woke up on Saturday, I felt a little bit like I had strep throat. But I focused on baptism things instead of sick feelings. And I was fine. But then at the end, when we were getting ready to leave, like 5 members told me I should sleep since I look really sick. How flattering. So I went to bed early on Saturday and I got up a little late on Sunday, but not so late that we were late for church. At church about half the members there told me that I was looking a little dead, (and yes, more than one person used that description, again, how flattering), and so after eating lunch (with Gaby and his family Yay!), we went home and I slept more. I feel much better today, and the strep feeling, which faded yesterday is completely gone today. Yay! So don’t worry, its just a cold.

oh there is a 4) I got a haircut today! It doesn’t look much different as you will see in the pictures, but I am very very happy!

Funny story with bishop. Okay, it won’t be as good since I am out of time, but I will do my best.

Last Sunday, as we were arriving at the church, we saw bishop get in his car, and start to back up a little bit. So me, being the bright thing that I am decided to run behind it, since he had already seen us, and stand behind it like I do with Dad. Originally, not such a bad idea, as I have done this hundreds of times before. Except, then it turned into a really dumb idea, when Bishop didn’t see me, and accidentally ran into me. Not too hard, I didn’t even get a cool bruise out of it, but Bishop fully hit me with his car. I don’t think I have ever seen him so concerned. He wasn’t going so fast that it was that big of a deal, but it just goes to show that your parents are always right. When they tell you not to run behind cars that are backing up and might not see you, they have a point. Potentially even a good one. But now I can say I got hit by a car in Argentina. One more thing I can check off the list.

Okay, I got to go, but I love love love LOVE you!!!
 
Corinne

May 28, 2012- Letter

Dear Mom and Dad,

School is out! Let the games begin! If by games you mean, the dance,
the work, the travel, the all that other stuff you people have to deal
with in the summer time. Haha. Good luck with that.

I did not realize that Summer was leaving tomorrow! That is so
exciting! And I admit, I am a little jealous as well! She is going to
have such a good time. And Tanner goes into the MTC?! He is already
there? That is so crazy. You know, I was thinking. It will be really
cool for Kami, Tanner, and Daniel to all be on missions at the same
time. Those three have always been so close, and that will be fun for
them to share.

And Kami is done with her papers. That is so crazy. I´m not quite sure
what to think about that. Weird!

This week was pretty good. Still exciting, although, not in the same
sort of way as last week. Thank goodness. I don't know if I can handle
that again.

There were some major events this week. One was the 25 de May. This is
the day of the beginning of the revolution. If I remember correctly.
Anyways, we had a big activity in the ward, where we ate very
traditional (and delicious) empanadas and pastalitas. Don´t worry, I
am doing my best to collect all the recipes, since right now I can´t
really describe what everything is. At the activity, they had the YSA
do a folk dance, and there was a couple who folk dances professionally
who came and did some dances as well. And yes, I did take some video
so I can show them to Holly and Summer. Sorry girls, it won´t let me
send it over email, so you´ll just have to wait.

The first picture is Gabriel and I eating empanadas.
The next one is Romina and I.
 Juan Ignacio and I
And Jesica and I (she came for the weekend again! Yay!)

And then, the next day we had, da da da! Andrea´s baptism! Yay!!!! It
went so good! Although, as always the day of the baptism was
stressful. 1) we didn´t have baptismal clothes, and the zone leaders
were supposed to bring them, and they never showed up and 2) the hot
water in the church wasn´t working. Stressful, no?

So we had to fill the font with cold water and we tried to heat it up
as best we could by heating water on the stove and then dumping it in.
Unfortunately, it didn´t work as well as one would hope for and the
water was freezing. Seriously though, I was freaking out. We got to
the church at about 1pm, and we were there until after the baptism tht
evening. We do have a pretty awesome district leader though, and he
and hs companion came to the church to help us haul the water to the
font, since they are "men" Haha. It was very sweet of them. We did
find some giant pots to heat the water though, so we were able to heat
up lots at once.

There is a picture of me with the pot. It is HUGE!

Everything turned out just fine. The water was really cold, but we did
have a lot of members come, and everyone brought something to eat, so
we had another  mini party afterward! It was great. I was so so so
grateful to have so many members come and support Andrea. She
certainly has a lot of trials in her life, and I know that the Gospel
is going to bless her so much. We also did the musical number, and
that was really fun.

Cool fact about the baptism, Fernando did it. His first baptism!
Yeah!! It was so cool!!!
There is also a picture of us with all the RS sisters that came. It
was so great.

And on Sunday, she got confirmed! It was great. Other really exciting
things about Sunday, Gabriel came to church again!!! Holla! Ezequiel
(an investigator) came to church! Fernando got his first calling! He
is going to be the 1st councilor in the YM presidency! He is going to
do so awesome! We ate with Gabriel´s family, and his mom told me that
she had a surprise for me. I have been searching for a recipe of
Dulce De Leche pretty much since I set foot in Argentina, and everyone
knows what goes in it, but no one know the exact recipe. So Hna
Gutierrez spent a couple of HOURS making dulce de leche on Friday, so
that she could give me an exact recipe. And she gave me the dulce de
leche. She is so awesome!

After lunch with them on Sunday, we went straight back to church to
refill up the font, because the Elders were going to have a baptism,
and we share the church with them, but their area is pretty far away,
so we went to help them get started. It turned out to be basically the
same as the day before. Water pretty darn cold, but the baptism went
flawlessly, so I guess you can´t ask much more than that.

There is a picture of the elders filling the pot. We got really
creative trying to get everything figured out. Haha. Interesting
times, that is for sure.
And there is a picture of Hna Carson and I!

Overall things here are going pretty good. We are going to do out best
to find some more investigators! We feel like we can very likely have
3 or 4 more baptisms this transfer! Holla! We are really trying to get
to the point where we can have baptisms every week. It really is
possible!

Can I just say that it is super crazy that we are almost done with
May. It still doesn't feel like May to me. Maybe because it doesn´t
feel like May in the states, and it doesn´t feel like the same as when
I got here last year. Last year it was freezing, and it is cold kinda
some days, really cold others, and then warm others. Super weird. And
its humid, I am still not used to that. I suppose that I am just a
desert kinda girl.

But you know what? I love Argentina! It is so great here. And I love
Pueyrredón! I am really happy here, and I hope that I can finish my
mission here. I don´t want to have to say goodbye more times than
necessary!

Okay, I gotta go. I hope you have a good week. Summer, don´t be
nervous, I love flying, it is possibly my favorite form of travel.
Take some good pictures while you are there, okay? I hope you all
enjoy your summer! I love you!!!

Corinne

May 21, 2012- Letter

Dear Mom and Dad,

Wow. It sure sounds like you have had quite the crazy week! Yay!!!
When does school end? Its got to be soon, May is about to end. (Does
that blow anyone Else's mind?)

This week was potentially one of the weirdest weeks I have had on the
mission. Which unfortunately for me also means one of the most
emotional. Haha. Do you ever wonder how you ever got such an
emotionally distraught child?

Okay, starting with the really really weird stuff. I think last week I
talked about , right? I sent the picture because it was his first
time at church. Well. this week things got interesting.

We passed by on Wednesday to se how he was doing, and to set a cita.
We didnt´have a girl with us, and since he lives alone with his
brother, we didn´t go in. But we just talked for a little bit, and I
started to get the feeling that he was not just interested in the
church...if you get my drift. So when I talk to my district leader that
night, he counseled us to always go with a member, even if it is just
to talk outside for a second.

So the next day, we went to the cita with one of our YSA girls, and
the lesson started out totally great. (This is Thursday by the way) So
we were talking about the Plan of Salvation, and we started talking
about how important this life is, and all the things that we need to
do while we have the time to do them. And he again starts to talk
about how he feels like everything that has happened has happened to
that he could meet me. And that he loves me. And that he understands
that right now I can´t do anyhing about that, but that he would be
willing to wait. And a ton of other things. It was very very
uncomfortable. Awkward if you will.

Thank goodness we had to leave right then since Emelia, who had gone
with us, had to leave, and we couldn´t be there with out her. So we
left.

I called Elder Howard, my district leader. He said he didn´t know what
to do, and neither did I. Keep in mind that he is still interested in
all the things that we are teaching. He had been reading, and had gone
to church. Big steps. So he called the zone leaders. Who called the
Assistants. It was so EMBARRASSING! I didn´t want anyone to know, and
we had to call everyone! So they finally said not to go over without a
girl and a guy.

So on Saturday, with the next cita, we went with Noelia and Jeremias.
We finished lesson 2, and the whole thing went great. He said he would
come to church.

So on Sunday he comes to church, and Gabriel, on of the YSA boys
becomes his friend, at our request. They got along great, and we set
up a cita and Gaby´s house for the afternoon. What we didn´t realize
is that he had told Gaby his, interest, and so Gaby talked to us,
and told us that he would talk to him, and explain that I am a
missionary, and all that that entails.

We had the lesson at Gaby´s house, and it went really well. Except for
one part. It was really spiritual, and I know that everyone there felt
the spirit, and that Ivan felt it too. But he told us that again,
where his main interests lie, and that without the possibility of a
future, he wasn´t really interested in continuing. That with a lot of
other things that he is doing right now in his life. After we
testified a little bit more, he asked if he could leave. So he said
the closing
prayer, and left.

When he left, I started to cry. I was feeling a little mix of guilt,
not knowing if what had happened was my fault, or if I had done
everything I could without crossing the line. And again Gabriel was
great, he had a similar situation on his mission, and he just helped
walk me down, and realize that what had just happened was probably for
the better, at least at this point in time.

The GREAT thing that happened this week is this. Andrea is going to
get baptized this week instead of next week! She is going to be
travelling the week of her original date, and so when she told us
that, and we started talking about when we could move her baptism,
after a minute, she asked if she could be baptized a week earlier
instead of a week later. Ahd she was so excited when she found out
that it was a possibility!

We are so excited for her! I know that this is going to help her so
much it isn´t even funny. If anyone was just prepared to listen to the
gospel, and to be ready to accept everything, it is Andrea. I feel
like she just fell out of the sky, and was ready. I am so excited to
see all of the blessings that she is going to recive. I know how much
she needs this gospel.

So next week I´ll send pictures! I am excited for that.

Okay, I don´t know if Kami will be able to send the pictures, so if it
doesn´t work, please remember to send them next week!

Also, I don´t know if you´ve already sent the package I asked for last
week, but I thought of some more things that would be nice...hehe.
Contact solution, and more contacts. And a white undershirt. But more
than anything, the eye care products. That would be great.

I think that is all. To the girls, I am sure you did great in your
concerts, and I am sad that I missed them, but I sure love you!

To Zac, congrats on being Drama Pres next year! You are going to be great!

To Kami, I love you! Thank you for your email, I will print it out and
read it tonight!

To Rocky, HAPPY BIRTHDAY! The big two oh! I love you!
And to Mom and Dad, I love you! Thank you for everything that you are
doing for me! I couldn´t be where I am without you!!!

I love you!

Corinne

May 14, 2012- Pictures