New Year's Eve

Look! Im drinking mate! Ha jk, this was pablo's present for me. 

Crazy Argentine Chicken

Family,

It was so awesome to get to talk to you last week!!! You haven't really changed at all; just look older. I'm sorry that I wasn't as happy or talkative as you probably hoped I'd be. I've just been having a hard time, as you know. I too hope it will get better, and soon. We have transfers this Wednesday, so we'll have to see what happens. I've been in the same area with the same companion for about 12 weeks now. That's a long time! I think it's about time for a change of scenery. Hopefully that will happen this week. Seriously though, it was so great to talk to you AND see you. Even though the Internet where I was wasn't very good. I forgot to say thank you for the Christmas presents! They completely made my day. And my week (: So how's everything been at home? Doesn't school start soon? Holy cow, Taylor GRADUATES soon! Like, REALLY soon!!! That's crazy!!! Are you ready for that, Taylor??? I can't believe it's already 2013. This will be my first and only full year in the mission field. I keep wondering how much I will grow and change and what challenges I'll have to go through. I hope I'll be able to handle it, because I feel like I haven't handled very well what I've already gone through. Can you believe I'll be turning 20 soon?? I can't. I feel so.... OLD. Yes, I have documented EVERY SINGLE DAY so far up till now. I haven't missed one day. That's the one and only thing I've done perfectly so far on my mission (; It's actually been really helpful to read back and see how far I've come. That'd be another recommendation for Taylor. Keep a journal of every single day of your mission, even if it's just once sentence that you have to write the next morning. You'll be glad you did. Also, go walking. A lot. Starting exercising would be really good too. And no, drinking coke is actually AGAINST the rules in this mission. But the food hasn't been TOO much of a problem lately. What kills me is the instant changes between boiling hot and then cold. OHHH! I forgot to mention this on skype! You know what would be an AWESOME birthday present? Music. I need music. I was thinking maybe you could go through my itunes and put all my classical, jazz, stuff I made, and any other music that you think would be mission appropriate onto bunch of Cd's and send them to me. I would like that. A lot (:  Well, I think that's about it for now. I love and miss you all. Oh, and sorry I haven't sent pics for so long. I'll do that today.

"Super-Combed"

The super market is called"Super Argenchino" HAHAHA.
This place is CRAAAZY. 

Our District

Juan Pablo, who I baptized yesterday.
Every single baptism I've had so far (except for one) has been kids!! =P 

"Have mercy! Been waitin for the bus all day...."
You have to make sure colten sees this. He'll understand (;

Looks like I beat you again this week! I really need those details for skype  (the time you want to do it and how to find you), I only have this week and the next to figure it out. Please tell me as soon as you can, thanks! (: Oh, and I got your packages last week. I'm curious to know what's in them! This week has been pretty good. Though, I have been a little sick for the past week. It's nothing bad, just allergies or a cold or something. Everything else has been fine though, for the most part.  Well, I don't really have anything new to talk about.  Talk to you next week.

Dear family,

 

Yes, they usually do kill me in futbol, but I've gotten a lot better. It's more fun when I can actually hold my own against them! I'm pretty tired today, and not feeling too well. I hope it doesn't turn into something more. But the good part about today is we had a practice for the Christmas pday program we're going to have. We're all singing Carol of the Bells, Guard Him Joseph, I'm playing my What Child Is This, doing a duet with another sister missionary, and doing a version of where are you Christmas with elder Sturgell on guitar and some other missionaries. Speaking of Christmas, I found a computer of a member to use to skype you Christmas day!!! I'll just need to know what time you'd want me to do it (remember Argentina time is 4 hours ahead) and what I'd need to type in to find you on skype. I'm pretty excited for that (: About the ipod adaptor, it quit working one day so I got rid of it. Sorry! We actually don't have a bedé in our apartment. It's pretty rare to find one in this part of town, and if they do have one they don't use it. It's a rich people thing, so they tell me. So, I haven't had the ¨luxury¨ of being able to use one yet (; Honestly, I have wayyy more than enough money. And if someone does send me money, there's a whole process to get it changed into pesos, and it's a pain. So in other words, don't send me money (: Well, other than that I really don't have anything else to say. I'm just here trying to take it day by day. It's really hard sometimes, but I'm not planning on coming home till 2014 (; I love you all!

Elder Bentz and Elder Tolaba

 

New Pension

Dear Family,

 

Wow, seems like forever since I've heard from you! =P It was good to see all the pictures. I always love that part of the emails. Well, first order of business, Elder Tolaba and I are both staying in Rivadavia for another transfer! We were both pretty excited to find that out, since we both love the area and the members. And Elder Sturgell is in my district now! Again! (: As for the new apartment, it's SO much better. And we have a fan now. There will be pictures attached. I'm pretty tired right now. This morning we played fùtbol for two hours (I scored two goals, no easy feat! =D), then we went shopping, had lunch, then came back to the chapel and played some more with some of the youth in the ward. Then we had to travel to a different area to find internet because all the internet in Rivadavia is shut down. Once we got to the area we had to walk a really long ways to find a place with computers; most of the little stores are closed for the feriada (holiday) today. We also had another baptism last Sunday. We baptized an 11 year old named Marilín. It was very spiritual. This time, I played on the guitar and sang Grand Eres Tú, or How Great Thou Art, in English AND Spanish (: It turned out pretty cool. Also, I'm going to get to play my arrangement of what child is this for the WHOLE MISSION soon! The day before Christmas falls on a P day, so we're having a special meeting at the mission office. It's more of a giant musical program. I'll be singing various pieces and playing my song. I'm pretty excited (: I LOVE that I get to use my talents so frequently. I'm also getting a lot better at reading music. I got to practice for awhile today in the chapel. Wow, everyone looks so OLD in all the pictures! Haha. You're all growing up. I can't even imagine what you'll all look like when I get back.... but that's still really far away (;. The singing performance at the hospital went very well. The president of the Argentina Resistencia mission's wife had a stroke a few months ago, and has been there doing rehab, so she doesn't get much as far as spiritual nourishment. She didn't even know we were coming. She was extremely pleasantly surprised and very emotional. Ugh they're closing the store now. NOTHING is open today! I'll have to send my pictures next week. I love you and miss you all and I hope you have another great week. (:

New Pension! (Apartment)

Downstairs in new apartment

Upstairs in new apartment

Kitchen

malta y torta (malta and cake). Looks like coffee but its not (;

Marilín's baptism

Working Hard

good morning family,

So, I´m writing super early today because we´re all in the mission office to go sing later today. I assume you haven´t had time to write an email yet, but I hope you´ve all had a good week. This week has been pretty good for me. I have really come to love the members and the people here. I hope I get to stay for another transfer. On Wednesday, our district leader came to Rivadavia for the day. In other words, I had to lead the area. I was super nervous beforehand. I didn´t know if I´d be able to do it. But, it actually went really well! I was able to find the houses of all our appointments (though I did get lost a few times, but that´s normal for Argentina). It was a big confidence builder for me. Other big news: We found another apartment!!! Right down the street from the one we´re in now. It is sooo much nicer and sooo much quieter. And brand new besides that. So Elder Tolaba and I are pretty happy about that. Other than that, I´m not really sure if there´s anything else significant to talk about. Everything else has pretty much been more of the same old stuff. The weather, thankfully, has been pretty nice. Not too hot not too cold, and perfect at night for sleeping. Oh, there is one other thing: On Saturday, elder tolaba and I went to a hospital with one of our investigators, Diego (the rest of his family are members) to give his sister who has cancer a blessing. It was very spiritual. Well, I hope that everything is going good at home. I hope I´ll be hearing from you soon. I love you all!

All the family! Me, My Padre elder Tolaba, My abuelo elder douglas, and mi bisabuelo (great grandpa) elder escobar. In other words, elder tolaba is training me, elder douglass trained elder tolaba, and elder escobar trained elder douglass.

Another typical Argentine house

The difference between newly washed and a week of walking. See the holes?!

cool bug I found outside our apartment

The Dog´s name is Lisa. Hhaha. (;

family,

 

Wow, I can't believe Jenna's already finished with treatment. How amazing is that?! Time flies. Weird to think that Emma will be SIXTEEN by the time I get home, huh? (; We`re all getting so old! Thank you for all the pics! OH speaking of which, I do have multiple Christmas package requests, if you can manage: A photobook of all the happenings of this year like the one you sent me out with, another pair of pants, and my leatherman. (: please and thank you! Oh an another heads up, I will be able to skype home on Christmas if I can find a member who has a computer with a web cam. I'm not sure how exactly we're going to arrange it, but we'll figure that out later. Our search for a new place to stay continues. We've found some good places, but due to technicalities of the rules of the mission for paying for an apartment, we haven't been able to rent them. So, we're still looking. The reason for the short-ness of the email is so I'll have enough time to send my pictures home. My hope is that the pictures tell just as much of a story as the email (: I hope you've been enjoying them. I have heard a tiny little bit about the unrest in Buenos Aires, but not much. I don't know if it's something I should be concerned about? One of the members was telling us that she thinks there's going to be a revolution, but I don't know how real that statement is. I haven't personally seen any effects from it. Usually our Pdays consist of emailing, shopping, and washing clothes. A lot of times (like today) we have to go to the mission office to get things, which is about an hour-hour and a half trip one way. So it also consists of a lot of traveling. We had another baptism Sunday! We baptized Luana, a daughter of one of the members. Everything went very well once again (minus the water all over the floor this time =P). I sang Yo Sé Qué Vive Mí Señor (I know That My Redeemer Lives). Speaking of singing.... I have an interesting story for you. I got a call last night from Sister Carter. She told me that she'd heard that I sing. I confirmed this and she asked if I could come down to the offices tomorrow to help with a "project." I came today, and Elder Smith from the MTC and some other missionaries were there. For next Monday, we put together a musical program. The wife of a mission president of another mission is sick and in a hospital here in buenos aires. We're going to do a 30 minute program for the hospital. I will be singing Savior, Redeemer of my Soul from the movie 17 Miracles, and we're doing some other songs besides that. Also, we brainstormed a program for our Christmas activity. I offered to play my rendition of What Child Is This. I'm sure you'll be seeing pictures of us on the Sister Carter's blog. I'm reeealy excited!! (: well, I just want to say that I miss you all, and I hope all is well at home with all of the craziness going on. My love and best wishes to everyone. I love you all!!

Luana's Baptism

Our transportation...other than our feet ;)

What's Up?

Dear family,

Thank you for the pictures. They were awesome! Over half the San Fransisco pics didn't show up though )): I'm glad you all had a good Halloween! As for me, I'm pretty tired and stressed. We've had a good week, but I feel like i still have such a long way to go. I feel like I have so much to learn and not nearly enough time to learn it. I have no idea how I'm going to learn it all in time. We're going to be getting a lot of new missionaries really soon because of the age change. Which means a lot of us will have to be trainers. I so hope that's not me. Not until I can at least speak/understand this language a whole lot better than I can at the moment. I'm really tired because I haven't been sleeping very well lately. One, because our apartment is an oven, and two, because our neighbors are all up being loud and obnoxious until 2 or 3 in the morning. So, obviously, it's kinda hard to sleep. BUT, we told the offices about our situation, and they gave us permission to look for another place to live. So, that's what we've been doing today. We still have a few more places to look at. I really really hope we can find something. I'm still getting eaten by mosquitoes and the heat's really starting to pick up. My language skills are still slowly progressing. Whenever I have to talk to other missionaries in English, it actually feels really weird and awkward in my mouth. Castellano is more comfortable! I guess that's a good sign (:. I also cut my own hair again today. You'll have to look at the picture and tell me what you think. (; Well, I really don't have much more to say for this week. I love and miss you all. Keep me in your prayers!

Sapo (Frog)

Water Rose

Object Lesson

Felix the Cat Wall Art

Maty...in Argentina?