Dec. 15, 2014 Christmas = Cristo mas

Querido Familia y Amigos,                                                                     Dec. 15, 2014

 

    Well, another transfer has come to a close. Traslados (transfers) are on Wednesday, and we find out tomorrow who has changes! Presidente told Hermana M- that he felt that she does a good job training, so she might be training again. There are 14 new Hermanas! Also, Pday Navideño is on Wedenesday! Which means that the whole mission is coming to celebrate Christmas together! I don´t know exactly what we are doing, but from what Hermana Robertson told me, we are going to have lunch all together, have some fun things--maybe singing carols? And we are going to have a spiritual program in the evening with narration and pictures and a choir. I´m playing the piano for it. 

    Also, there are going to be 2 new missions in Argentina in July! Which means that we are losing 2 zones to the Buenos Aires South Mission. And there might be other changes too, but for now that´s all we know. 

  Saturday was my four months mark. Hermana M- made me breakfast and gave me a pretty clippy thing for my hair. :) 

        The Lord works in mysterious ways. Last night we were walking, and there was a group of chicos up ahead, so we stopped to contact a house. An elderly woman, C-, came out and we asked if we could sing her a Christmas song, and she let us in. She told us that she didn´t know very much about Jesucristo, so we started to explain. We shared that God is her Heavenly Father and asked if she could feel His love and if she believed it. She shared with us about the death of her son, five years ago, and the pain that she still felt for this. We shared about eternal families and about life after death. There was a great peace in the room. C- said that she felt good, and that we could returen to explain about this more. We are going back tomorrow to teach the rest of the Plan of Salvation. :)

    Weekly Challenge: Study about Christ in the scriptures! Pick a Christ-like attribute you want to develop, and look for the ways that Christ demonstrates it. Share your findings and your testimony about Christ with a friend, family member, acquaintance, etc. Spread the Christmas love! 

 

    Yo sé que vive mi Señor. Sé que por medio de Jesucristo todo es posible. Él sufrió por nosotros. Él sabe exactamente que estamos pasando por. Vamos a superar cada situación difícil por él. Y podemos recibir su ayuda en cada momento para ayudarnos mejorar y llevar a ser las personas que él quiere. Sé que es verdad, y que este es la iglesia verdadera de Jesucristo. Su evangelio es simple, pero puede bendecir a nuestras vidas más que podemos imaginar. 

Google translate:  I know that my Redeemer lives . I know that through Jesus Christ everything is possible. He suffered for us. He knows exactly what we are going through . We will overcome every difficult situation for him . And we can get your support at all times to help improve and lead to being the people he wants. I know it's true, and that this is the true church of Jesus Christ. His gospel is simple, but can bless our lives more than we can imagine.

 

 Con muchisimo amor <3

Hermana Durfee

 

Dec. 8, 2014 this little sister is getting ready for Navideno

Dec. 8, 2014

I am teaching Hermana M- music! She told me about two days ago that she wants to learn piano. Well, we probably only have one week left together. So I started teaching her how to count the rythms today with ta-ta-ti-ti-tuu. :) It made the 40 minute colectivo ride a lot more fun and it went a lot faster! When we get home I´m going to make her start singing hymns with ta-titi-tu instead of the words. :)

 

Actividad de Zona de Ramos Mejía

Speaking of which, transfers are in one week!!! Hna M- and I think that she is going (she´s been in Atalya B for three transfers) and that I will be staying here. We are going to have Pday Navideño this day, and ALL of the missionaries in our mission are going to come. We are going to have games and sing songs and eat lunch and have a fun part. In the evening we are going to have a SUPER AWESOME program focused on the life of Christ and Christ like attributes. There are going to be two narrators, and in between there are going to be songs. There is a slideshow with pictures that go with the words behind it. It´s going to be so amazing!!! An hermana that is a story teller wrote the script, and it is super beautiful and perfect. I am helping with playing the piano, so we´ve been in Ramos all week practicing--which makes it a little hard to do the work. Hermana Robertson says she feels bad pulling the missionaries out of the field for so long, but really this program is going to change missions! So it has to be really good. (Also, it´s great since we are going to use the same program for the Fin de Año Cena del Barrio (End of Year dinner in the ward), with some changes to the words and the music). 

Completamenta mojados!  Super divertidos! 
(Otro Sabado despues de actividad en San Justo)

And the best news of the week is that ¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡C- y R- came to church yesterday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! They are an elderly evangelico couple that we found clapping doors. We went back later, and C- let us in and we got to know them and had a lesson with them. We left them a Libro de Mormón and when we went back, R- had already read up to where Joseph Smith went to get the plates. Now she is in First Nephi. She was excited to find out that Nephi is a descendent of Joseph. She seemed to really like church, and told us to call her Monday night to set up an appointment to go and answer all of their questions etc. C- also has a big smoking problem, but wants to stop. We are going to start working on that this week and talk about how he needs to read the LDM to help him quit (he has not started reading todadvía.) They have a baptismal date for 27 Diciembre! 

 

Divisiones

Atalya definitely isn´t the most tranquil place on earth, but it also isn´t downtown city like Ramos. It´s a suburb--kind of like Hillsboro, but a lot more jammed together with people living behind and around and on top of all the other people. And there is very little green space--although there are a lot of trees (but not like Oregon). If we have to teach someone outside on the street then it´s a little hectic sometimes, and distracting. But usually if we can go in their house, we can eliminate distractions--like the tv--and it´s good. 

Christmas isn´t a huge deal here. It´s time to get together and eat food as a family, or have a fiesta, or a baila. But it´s nothing like in the states. Also, it doesn´t really feel like Christmas since it´s super hot. The other day it got up to 33 degrees. 

Mucho Amor!

Hermana Durfee :D

Dec. 1, 2014 El es la Dadiva!

¡Hola Familia y Amigos!                                                                                Dec 1, 2014

This week has been awesome, as usual. On Friday we started the new church initiative: He is the Gift. We have already found 3 new investigators using this! They are super awesome. (We found 4 other new investigators this week, which makes a total of 7! Woohoo!) Anyway, this is an amazing time of year to remember Jesucristo and all that He has done for us! We are sharing messages about Christ with the people and helping them to feel of His importance and feel of His love in this time of the year. :D The sad thing is that here Christmas is not a huge deal like in the states. It`s just another party day and they might have a fiesta or baila or something, but it`s nothing like at home. But, we are going to change that by bringing Christ to the people! The church has an AMAZING new video (He is the Gift). Check out christmas.mormon.org to see it and to find out more about how to DISCOVER, EMBRACE, and SHARE the gift! Also December 7 the church is going to buy the coverpage and all of the adds on facebook and over 2 million people are going to see a 30 second version of the 2 minute movie! Help spread the word and bring The Gift to your friends and family!
 WEEKLY CHALLENGE: Check out the website, share it on FB-Twitter-whatever you are using. Bring up Christ in conversations with your friends. Share the video with them! Read the account in the Book of Mormon of Christ`s birth with the people you love--your friends and family. Give away a Book of Mormon with your testimony of Christ in it! Invite others to Discover, Embrace, and Share the gift!

We got COMPLETELY soaked on Saturday and it was glorious! We had an activity in San Justo helping the Hermanas there contact, find menos activos, contact antiguos investigadores, etc. Luckily we were in the capilla when it started to pour, and we left when it cleared up a little. But it started raining again when we were in the collectivo. It was literally a river--at least 3 feet dee--in a few of the streets we drove down. At one point water started coming in the collectivo! When we got off we started to run, but we were already completely soaked, so we just walked and enjoyed it. It was super fun! I have pics, but this computer doesn`t want to let me upload them, so I`ll send them next week.

Thanks to la Familia Wilkinson for their letter! Also to Grandma Durfee and to Sterling! We went to the offices today for a Zone Activity (we played ultimate frisbee and fùtbol), so I got my mail! Thanks for all of the support and love!

Mucho amor y besitos!

Hermana Durfee

P.S. You know Elder Lyman from our stake? He`s in my Zone now!

Nov. 24, 2014 Milagros!

Querido familia y amigos,                                                                                 Nov. 24, 2014

This week we have not had a ton of time, but with the time we did have we have seen amazing miracles! We had to go to Ramos almost every day this week--for pday to write our families, Martes for District Meeting, Miércoloes for Zone Conference, and Jueves to drop off Hna M-t so she could leave to go to the airport! (So that´s why we didn´t ahve a ton of time). 

 

On Monday we found S- y her daughter L- while trying to contact a reference. (It turns out that the reference is her neighbor). S- attended church and studied with the missionaries when she was 12-13, but then her parents made her stop. We introduced ourselves as representatives of Christ, and she said that she knew and told us about her background and invited us in to talk. We taught her the first lesson about the restoration. We asked her what she knew about prophets, and her first response was that Joseph Smith was a prophet! She has a baptismal date for 13 Dic. She recognized the miracle it was that we found her, because usually she doesn´t come home from work until later, but this day she got home about 5 minutes before we went to her house. L- came home as we were ending the lesson, and she is super friendly and loving! Usually the youth here are a bit rebellious, but she was very receptive to our message. We returned later in the week and taught her about prayer, and she was excited to attend church with her mom on Sunday. They ended up not attending because they went to a different place Saturday night, but we know that they are going to progress well towards baptism!

Yesterday we found a woman named C- who is SUPER open. She has traveled a lot, and knows English and German, so it was really fun to teach her and get to listen to her talk in English a little. (It´s weird, but I really don´t like talking in English now. Especially praying in English. It´s better to listen to Latinos speak it with an accent.) We taught her about the Book of Mormon, and how she could read it and pray to know if it was true. She said that there was no way she would know if it was true or not without reading, and so obviously, she has to read it. She told us a little bit about her schedule, and so really she is busy and doesn´t have a lot of time, but I feel that she will read it. Hna M-o and I both felt that if she reads it, she will recieve an answer and will be converted. And she will be a great help to the church, because she will bring all of her friends and family with her!

 

WEEKLY CHALLENGE! Read a conference talk from this last conference. Take notes about how you feel and the thoughts that come to your mind. Create a plan to apply what you learn throughout the week. Share your experience with a friend or family member!

News:

-In our Zone Conference on Wednesday, we got all new pots, cups, silverware, etc! We are super happy about this! They are working on updating the conditions of the pensions etc. (I guess some of them the missionaries have lived there for 30 years!)

-We got a new District Leader on Thursday. Elder M- called us to tell us that they had a "Flash"and that he was leaving (He´s now a Zone Leader in Castelar). Our new Líder de Distrito is Elder V-. 

-The church is going to do an AMAZING thing this Christmas (maybe you´ve already heard about it???) They are going to ahve a super cool focus on Christ with a video "He is the Gift," and website (christmas.mormon.org). It´s going to start Nov 28 (this Thursday!). We are going to have passalong cards for this and be teaching people specifically about Christ all of December. Also, the church is putting a ton of advertisments in NYC and on Dec 7 they are buying all of the ads on Youtube for this video! Check it out and share it with your friends!!!

¡Mucho amor por todos!

Hermana Durfee

Nov. 17, 2014 Milagros son de fe y flia!

¡Hola amigos y flia!                                                                               Nov. 17, 2014

Nuestro distrito for Elder Augustin's bday

We had the GREATEST meeting with Elder Christofferson! His message was about the Atonement and we discussed what it means to preach repentance. The Spirit was amazing, and his message was really clear. He left his apostolic blessing on us and it was AMAZING! One thing he told us is that he always thought that the second coming would happen when the world was wicked enough. But really, the world is alread wicked enough. The only thing lacking is a group of saints worthy enough, big enough, dedicated enough, etc. to prepare the way for the Lord. What will YOU do today and every day to be a part of this group and to help add to its numbers?

In other news, we are now a trio! Hermana M--t will be with us until she goes home on Thursday. She is amazing and I am learning a ton from her. I´m really grateful for the opportunity to work with her. And it´s great for Hna M-o too, because she can practice her English more with her. :)

Hermanas Medeyro y Zomora came to help for the day

R--l came to church with her son K (he has 8 years!) yesterday! It was the primary program, so I was playing the piano. And Hna M-o helped with holding the poster and getting the kids to sing louder--she worked with the primary before her mission, and she really loves kids. She is really great with them! Hna M--t sat with R--l. We have primary first hour, and so when they were practicing all the other kids had a part, but K didn't. He asked for a part, but his mom didn't know about it. So when he went up to say his part she was SUPER happy! He did a really great job! And he told his mom that he wants to have a white shirt and tie for next week! For sure they are going to get baptized! R--l is really spiritual, and has a baptismal date for 20 Diciembre. In our lesson with her on Friday she shared with us about some of her spiritual experiences. She´s amazing! 

 

Con mucho amor!

Hermana Durfee <3

November 10, 2014 Con fe todo es posible

¡Hola familia y amigos!                                                                        Nov. 10, 2014
 

 

     First of all, if you ever get the chance to eat Cow Intestine...don´t. Ok, so it wasn´t super super terrible, but the consistency is really squishy and gross. Luckily, this was (hopefully) a rare occasion. Por lo menos, it was the first time in almost two months that we ate something really weird like that. And the family is Bolivian and they eat weird things like this in Bolivia...so...yeah. 

las hermanas en nuestra zona

    Second, WE ARE HAVING A FIRESIDE WITH ELDER CHRISTOFFERSON ON SATURDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And the choir I told ya´ll about a few weeks ago is going to sing for the fireside, so we are going to sit on the front row seats! (Unless they change the plans, but so far that´s the plan). We are singing "I Know That My Redeemer Lives" in Castallano (I don´t know what the difference between Castallano and Spanish is, but the Argentines say that they speak Castallano, not Spanish). Anyways, it´s going to be a huge deal--all of the mission is coming; and we have missionaries that are working 10 hours away from the offices, so they are going to come the night before and there are a ton of plans and coordination. (And for things like this, I am really grateful that I´m not an office elder). Also, we are bussing the whole mission to the Buenos Aires North mission area for the conference. I think that the South mission and the CCM  (MTC) are coming too. 

Mi Zona despues de actividad

    Thirdly, WE FOUND NEW INVESTIGATORS!!!!!!!!!!!! We found a family (R-A-B-) and taught two of the daughters and 1 granddaughter on Thursday about the Book of Mormon and how we can follow the teachings we find there to live happily with our families for eternity. They lost their father when A- was 1, and R- lost a baby, so this was really meaningful for them. We also found R-l while doing street contacts, and she let us in and was really open and gave us abrazos and besos when we gave her a Book of Mormon, so that was cool. We have a goal this week to have one or two FHE´s with families in the ward, and they are going to invite either their non-member friends, or less active families in the ward to come. It´s going to be a great opportunity for them to start learning the gospel in a non-threatening environment with their friends. 

    Weekly Challenge: Have an FHE and talk about the importance of missionary work and what you will do as a family to start sharing the gospel more with your friends and aquaintances. Use 1 Nephi 8 (see following email). Pray together and personally to know which of your friends is prepared now for the gospel! (Or better yet, have a FHE with your nonmember friends or less actives and have a lesson about a basic principle of the gospel--like prayer, reading the BOM, and attending church =) And then write me and tell me about it!!!

¡Mucho amor por todos!

Hermana Durfee

October 27, 2014 Happiness is . . .

¡Hola familia y amigos!                                                                               Oct. 27, 2014

My Zone:  The Kingdom of God in Ramos!
 

We had THE BEST lesson with N-yY- on Wednesday! We have been working with them since before I came. They are really great, and have improved a lot. But they have not been progressing the last little while, because they have not been attending the church. N- came once, and the difference in their home all week was amazing, so they both understand the difference it can have in their lives. But every week there is some difficulty that keeps them from coming: one of the babies is sick, they sleep in, they have visitors etc. So we had a lesson about guardando el Día de Reposo (Keeping the Sabbath Day). It was amazing. At the begining before we started our lesson, hey were chatting with the member we brought with us, and I was having a hard time focusing and knowing what was going on, and was feeling a little bit frustrated. So I started to pray for understanding through the Spirit and that we could know how to teach the lesson, and while I was praying I could suddenly understand everything that everyone was saying clearly. The lesson ran super smoothly and I knew what to share, when. The Spirit was super strong, and they felt it. At the beginning of the lesson they said that they would not be able to attend church on Sunday because they had a Cumpleaños all night Saturday, but by the end of the lesson they said they would come. They did not end up coming, but I know that they know the importance, not only of attending church, but of keeping the WHOLE Sabbath Day holy. 

 

Me with mi mama y mis abuelas
 

God is the happiest being alive. And He has given us the opportunity to come to this earth, to learn to be like Him, so we can be as happy as He is! He has given us the guides of the scriptures and the prophets so that we will know His words and know how to be like Him. I know that when we keep the commandments, we will be happy. God gives us commandments because He knows that they will make us happy and help us become like Him. For example, in Exodus 20, it tells how God rested on the 7th day, and so we too need to rest every 7 days. God sacrificed His Son for us, and so we too need to make sacrifices. We can know how to be happy like God as we study the life and teachings of Christ in the scriptures--the Bible, Book of Mormon, and Doctrine and Covenants, Pearl of Great Price, and words of the living prophets. As we apply the things we learn with the help of the Spirit, we will have greater happiness and peace in our lives.

Random news:

-We are going to have a choir! We have our first practice today at 4. 

-We are in week six! Transfers are next week! Crazy that I have already been here for over a month. 

-We had "tramites" this week--all of the new gringas went to do paperwork and pay money to work on our visas.

-I eat like an Elder. We are constantly walking and burning calories, so we are always hungry. Lunch is the most important meal here, and we eat a TON! Two or three servings of everything. Luckily, the members in our area always feed us, and the food is tan rico! So no complaints there. :D We eat a lot of chicken, rice, salsa (not Mexican salsa. Salsa=any kind of tomato/veggies chopped up or blended), potatoes, eggs, bread, fruit, juice. They like to put mayonais on everything--dip the milanesa (best meat ever!) in it, and they have a lot of "ensaladas" that they use it in.  Definitely going to be gordita cuando vuelvo! 

¡Les amo mucho! ¡No olivden leer sus escrituras y orar cada día!

Con Amor, 

Hermana Durfee