Hola mi familia y mis amigos!
Another week has passed here in Oberá! Unfortunately, I don’t have a lot of time to write because today was i n s a n e!
Today we took un colectivo (a bus) to Posadas to have choir practice with a bunch of missionaries. Apparently on Dec. 22 we’ll be doing a Christmas program thing in Posadas. That’ll be fun 🙂 Choir practice was super fun, and I got to see some of my Gringo friends from the MTC, so that was great. However, the trip there and back ate up most of our P-day. Oh well 🙂
Okay, you’re all probably wondering about the title of this email. Here’s the story:
Hermana Barraza and I were on our way back to our Pension, just walking down the sidewalk. I was in a good mood, just walking along being a cute little Hermana, greeting everyone that I passed with a smile. It’s times like this when I feel the most like a missionary right now (because it doesn’t require knowing or understanding the language).
Anyways, I suddenly stop on something on the sidewalk. It felt soft and squishy, with maybe just a little crunch, but the sound it made sounded like a pretty strong crack. I look down for like half a second to see what it was I stepped on. I didn’t get a good look, but I saw gray, white, and red, and my mind immediately went to thinking it was some kind of snack bag or something. So I just keep walking, not really worried about it. Hermana Barraza however, is laughing.
A little confused, I finally ask “What did I step on?” Hermana Barraza, still laughing, replies “Creo que un pájaro” (I believe a bird) I knew the word pájaro, but with my mind still on food I was trying to figure out what kind of food “pájaro” was. Seeing that I wasn’t understanding her, Hermana Barraza starts flapping her arms up and down, repeating the word pájaro.
Finally, I realized she wasn’t talking about food, she was talking about a bird. For about half a second I thought we weren’t talking about the same thing, and then it dawned on me: I stepped on a bird. I STEPPED ON A B IRD!!! I started freaking out, I probably tried wiping my shoe against the concrete for five minutes straight, just trying to get all the nastiness off my foot, all the while Hermana Barraza is just laughing at me!
So yeah, there’s my story for this week. I stepped on a bird. This is my life now. I’m a bird killer.
For my spiritual thought this week I’m going to share a bunch of scriptures that have been bring me comfort these past few weeks in Argentina. Maybe one of them can help you!
Alma 38:5 – As you put your faith in God, He will lift you through your trials
Ether 12:27 – Through Christ, our weaknesses can become strengths
2 Corinthians 12:7-10 – Christ’s strength is made perfect in weakness
I’m going to be honest right now. It’s been super hard here these past few weeks in Argentina. I’m definitely improving in the language, but it’s incredibly frustrating sitting through so many hours a day not understanding much, and therefore not being able to say anything. This experience is really teaching me to rely on the Lord. Right now, I feel pretty useless as a missionary. I pray every night that even though I can’t understand what people are saying, I will be able to help somehow and that people might feel my desire to help them. I know that with time, I will learn this language, and as long as I do everything I can to have the Spirit with me, everything will work out. I may not speak Spanish very well, but the Holy Ghost can carry the messages that I’m trying to teach to the hearts of the people I teach.
If you’re going through a hard time, please remember to pray! I’ve had a lot of times these past few weeks where I have felt just absolutely miserable, but when I pray, I feel the burden lift a little bit so that I can keep going. This has worked for more than just sad feelings! Whenever I feel annoyed with my companion, or with some of the living conditions here, I just pray for the Lord to help me work through it and everything turns out all right in the end. I am so grateful for the comfort and guidance that I have received from the Spirit these past few weeks. I would be a wreak without it.
Hasta Luego!
Hermana Wilsted
Life a la Lexie 