Story Time with Me

Ok, I’m a little pressed for time. But I have three quick stories for you all or all y´all. Sorry, here we go… Story Time with Hna. Ellsworth.

So we found this lady knocking doors this week. She seemed pretty interested but had a little difficulty accepting that the Book of Mormon is scripture. So we were explaining and testifying about the Book of Mormon when we got interrupted by a neighbor. While she was up, she decided to get us some water. Hna. McDonald quickly told her that she did not need water because she had a trusty filtered water bottle. You see, she’s a little worried about the water here because it makes everyone sick, except me, I hope. Anyways, she didn’t hear her and got her a glass anyways. Well, the motherly carácter that I am, I decided to chug down the water of Hna. McDonald’s before the lady saw. Sometimes they get offended when we tell them their water is not clean. So I was chugging it pretty fast, when all of a sudden, I started choking. But I closed my mouth so that it wouldn’t come out. So the only other opening was my nose. Yep, my nose turned into a body part waterfall. I’ve never experienced this in my entire life, and Hna. McDonald was very happy to see the surprised look of horror that came over my face. And she thought it was pretty hilarious with the water gushing out of my nose. Luckily, the investigador did not see any of this. But it was a little hard to explain the water all over my shirt, and the incontrollable laughter coming from Hna. McDonald. Needless to say, it was not one of my proudest moments.

Another highlight of my week was Christmas in 100 degree weather. YEAH!! We went to the misión house and had our Zone Conference with the misión president and some of the other zones. It was pretty fun! Hna. Mortensen, and Hna. Dickey, and Hna. Stott were all there. And we watched a movie of Christmas and played a lot of outside games. It was pretty fun! We even had a water balloon fight that turned into pouring buckets of water on the hermanas fight. I lost that one. We also had an asado, and Santa Claus (aka Pte. Salas in a papa noel suit) came and handed out presents and packages. I already “misión impossible” stole all of my packages, but it was still fun to see everyone else get their packages. Then we left and headed out to Wal-mart and went caroling to all of the check out lines. It was a pretty Amazing day! We even got permission to have an hermanas sleepover for Christmas. We are pretty much excited! Caroling and acting out the nativity will definitely be involved. I can’t wait!

Today we had a zone activity and ate the leg of a cow. It was pretty delicious. And yesterday we got to see one of our members open up his misión call. His name is Diego, and he is the coolest kid I have ever met in this world. He is a recent convert of two years and he’s going to Chile Santiago North. So I already told him to look out for Shan aka Hna. Ellsworth. He’s pretty excited! He just invited us and opened it with his companion (he’s on the mini misión right now) and his family who aren’t members. I’m excited for the example that he is for his family and the blessings they will receive while he is a missionary.

Well, I’m out of time, but I want to wish you a very holly, jolly Christmas! And just remember to think of Jesus Christ and his life when you picture Christmas this year. My goal is to give Jesus Christ a present this year. I know that if we focus more on the gifts that we give than the gifts that we receive, we will have the best Christmas ever. I’m excited for Christmas and to celebrate this year in the misión. Christ lives, and don’t forget the true meaning of Christmas. I love you all!

Feliz Navidad,

Hna. Ellsworth

Pictures

Hermana Ellsworth y Hermana McDonald

Missionary Choir

araña

We found chuck!

So I have my new little hijita – Hna. McDondald. She is pretty much amazing! I went to the mission house Tuesday to go find her. We had a whole bunch of training meetings and it was very beneficial. There were two of us hermanas, and 16 elders that were training. That is a ton of new refuerzos coming to the mission. And a lot of them were latinos. But both of the hermanas were gringas. The other gringa was assigned to her trainer Hna. Lopez, who doesn´t know English. Hna. McDonald later told me that was grateful to get a gringa for her trainer. But ya, she is awesome and we get along great! She is from Idaho and is full of excitement to do the work here. She has had a couple of problems adapting to Argentina culture. But she is a trooper and just keeps on going. I am so grateful to have her as a companion. Her Spanish is way good for a week. She pretty much has a better accent than me. But I´m just way impressed with her testimony and how she can bring the Spirit into the lesson. We are definitely going to be seeing huge miracles this transfer!

We have been doing a lot of contacting this week so that we can find some new investigators that are ready to progress and be baptized. And while we were knocking doors, we pretty much found the coolest thing that I have ever seen in this world. It was a chicken/duck, and yes, we are calling it Chuck. I vaguely remember having this conversation with my sisters one time. I can´t remember when or where, but I just remember talking about that it would make me happy to know if Chuck really does exist. And he does exist, he lives in Parque Ciudad de las Rosas, and his owners are not ready to accept the gospel. Chuck was pretty distraught at that. He started cluck/quacking, would that be clacking?

We had a ward activity this week and it was very interesting. I went around talking to members, menos activos, investigators and introducing them to my companion. And they all laughed at her name and made a joke about hamburgers. It got pretty old, but my companion is cool and doesn´t let it bother her. We ate an asado and they had fuzball tables and a jump castle. It was pretty legit. They told us it was supposed to start at noon, so we came a couple hours late. And we still didn´t eat for another hour and a half. I hate latino mormon standard time. I´m not a huge fan. And we were blessed to be the only gringos in the room that could understand the music – Bon Jovi, Britney Spears, and Spice Girls. We had a chat with the bishop that he should be a little more careful about the music he puts on in the church. Ya… it was fun.

We have seen a couple of difficulties this week with investigators but we are excited to work more with members and find some new investigators that are ready to progress and be baptized. This week we have our zone conference with the mission president. I am way excited! We are going to have it with some of the other zones and I think I have zone conference with a couple of past companions. I´m excited to see them again. Oh and I forgot to tell you. I pulled a Mission Impossible on Tuesday. Apparently, the mission office was keeping the packages for hostage until the Christmas Zone Conferences. Well since I was at the mission house, and knew that my packages were there, I snuck in and saved my packages. I now have a beautiful paper tree in my apartment with presents under the tree. It was pretty cool! Thanks for remembering me Mom!

Well, please keep me in your prayers this week. I often find myself inadequate to be training. It´s a huge responsibility and I definitely feel the weight of the impact that I need to be making for my hijita. But I just myself praying more intently for Holy Ghost so that I can help Hna. McDonald learn all of these things. So if you can do the same, I would appreciate it!

Les kiero,

Hna. Ellsworth

Una Refuerza Ya Viene

So we got transfers this week. Drum roll please... I´m staying in Rosedal... and i'm training! I definitely didn't see that one coming! I really just was hoping that I would staying with Hna. Neff for Christmas but I guess that I need to follow the example of Nefi and ¨iré y haré.¨ I´m a little nervous to be training again because it´s pretty stressful. And i wish the area and the members and the language a little better. Oh well... mostly I´m just excited for a new adventure. Just remember to keep me in your prayers that i don´t corrupt this new missionary with my gringa accent and obsession to ice cream.

This week was full of exciting moments. We finally sang in our missionary choir. It was actually a ton of fun! There was about six different choirs from different religions and we all sang our songs. It was supposed to be a Christmas concert but we were pretty much the only ones that sang Christmas songs. But there was an evangelist choir group that sang some pretty fun music. There was some clapping and snapping and swaying of the hips. I´m not sure if it was completely appropriate in our church, but we all got a kick out of it.

We also had a little adventure yesterday after church. We went to go pass by one of our investigators that didn't go to church. She wasn't there, so we decided to pass by a member to get some water because there was a bunch of drunk guys outside the house that were yelling some offensive stuff at us. Well, we were just about to take off and the drunk men started fighting right outside. The members told us to get away from the door and the one lady grabbed her baby and ran to the back room. It was pretty intense! But they just threw some pathetic punches and then the cops arrived. We decided to take advantage and we left. Ya, drunk men are dumb. The end.

We´re still working with our investigators and they are just progressing slowly. Satan is working hard with them. We had one investigator that really wanted to go to church yesterday but she had to go help her mom because her dad still beats her mom. I just really hate how Satan has such an influence on people. And he´s always there when something good is about to happen. Just remember to be prepared against the attacks of Satan. I know that the gospel blesses lives and it is always worth it! Yo sé que es difícil, pero no es imposible. ¡Y siempre vale la pena! Pretty much, i know it´s hard but it´s not impossible and it´s always worth it! I´m so grateful for your examples and support. The Church is true!

Les kiero,

Hna. Ellsworth