Transfers for Hermana Scarlett

Allison was transferred yesterday out of Buenos Aires and into a suburb town called Vincente Lopez. It is on the coast and is similar to Gastonia in size.  Her new companion is Hermana Salazar from Salta Argentina.  She will finish her mission in six weeks and then go home to Salta.  Alec Dawson, Allison's cousin is serving in the Salta mission so Allison is hoping her companion will run into Elder Dawson when she gets home.

Allison didn't write an email this week because she is very sick.  Yesterday afternoon, she and Hermana Pilliza went for ice cream as a last "Hoorah" before parting ways.  Almost immediately Allison felt nausea and was up all night vomiting and with diarrhea.  She was very weak and still running to the bathroom today.  She has called the mission nurse who thinks Allison sickness is caused by the bacteria found unpasteurized milk/eggs used to make the ice cream in South America.  She's given Allison specific instructions and directed her to purchase some medicine to start taking immediately.  If not doing better in 3 days, she will go into see the nurse.  Hopefully she will get through this and start recuperating soon.  Please keep Hermana Allison Scarlett in your prayers this week, she needs them now more than ever!

Congresso - Post 12

Edgar's Baptism (He is on left next to my companion)

Well We had our 3rd baptism this week!  Ohmylanta it was stressful!  Every possible thing that could happen, did.  First, Edgar doesn't live in our area, he works here Monday-Saturday 8am-8pm and lives 30 min away. So he isn't in home when the missionaries there can teach him.  We've been teaching him while he has been here for work and he's been coming to church here too.  The problem is he needed to be baptized where he lives; but he wanted to be baptized here in Congresso.  So we helped him find a place to live here and on Friday.  Then the interview was last minute Saturday and Sunday we had the baptism.  We had to find white shirts last minute too. The ward mission leader started to fill up the baptismal font and it only filled up knee-deep then the water stopped.  There wasn't any more water!  So the baptism itself was pretty interesting.  But it happened and it truly was a miracle!

Sister Ayre (Mission President's wife) on teams with us!

The real miracle was this -  through teaching Edgar, I was able to truly see the healing power of the Atonement.  He had a lot of things to change and repent of, but when he was baptized he came up out of the water completely clean - without a single sin. It was at that moment that I realized there really isn't a single thing that we do that permanently separates us from the Love of God (Romans 8:35-39).  We always have the opportunity repent and receive the forgiveness of our Heavenly Father.  The power of the Atonement is so real and so strong.  It is through the Atonement of Jesus Christ that we are able to overcome all of our trials, sufferings, burdens, temptations, todo (all). He knows how we feel, what we´re going through, our weaknesses.  And he knows this because he suffered for all of it, and so he knows how to help us too.  All we need to do is ask and repent.  It is truly such a miracle that everyone can take part in.  

Other than that, this is the last week before transfers.  I'm pretty sure I'm leaving (will be assigned to a new area) but we won't know until Monday night.  Hope you have a good week and know that I love you all SO MUCH!

Hermana Allison Scarlett

Titanic Pose on Terrace railing

I took in my companion's skirt for her!!!

Pool on roof terrace of our Apartment Building

Me and my companion on the terrace

Congresso - Post 11

Adrian's Baptism Day!

Well this week was pretty awesome!  ADRIAN GOT BAPTIZED!  He is way awesome and was way prepared.  Our district leader told us that the baptismal interviews he had with Adrian and Simon were the best baptismal interviews he's done during his mission.  He said that they really understand their commitment and want to Endure to the End.  I feel like I'm doing something right.  Not exactly sure what, but I'm gonna keep on doing it :) 

 

This week we had a ward activity.  It was a festival of the nations.  Everyone made food typical to their home country and brought it to share.  I had no idea what to do but there is a guy here in our ward from California and he had the idea to do S'mores.  So we did and everyone LOVED IT!  People were asking me for the recipe.  I just laughed because there isn´t one.  You just toast the marshmallows over a fire and put it on graham crackers with milk chocolate.  But it was a lot of fun.  It was interesting to try foods from different places.

 

You know what I realized this week.  NO ONE HERE EATS SOUP!!!! Oh man thinking about what food I should take made me start thinking about some of my favorite things to eat.  Like grits, Chicken n dumplings, Chicken Noodle soup.  But nobody here eats soup.  No idea why....  SO if anyone reading this can, I would really enjoy having some quick and easy  delicious soup recipes :)

 

What else?  Edgar is doing good.  The bishop wants to wait one more week to baptize him because he wants to be sure that he understands the importance of keeping the sabbath day holy and tithing.  But he´s progressing really well :) 

 

My companion and I are doing good :)  We still have our difficulties sometimes but we are learning to let go of the little things and just laugh. But I learned something this morning in my personal studies that I really like.  I was reading in 3 Nephi, Chapter 12 in the Book of Mormon when Jesus came to visit the people in the ancient Americas.  He was teaching them and in verse 22 he said, "But I say unto you, that whosoever is angry with his brother shall be in danger of his judgment. And whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council; and whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire."  When I read that I was thinking "wow, that´s pretty intense.  I really need to try not to get frustrated or annoyed or angry."  Then I thought about the scripture in Matthew 18:20-21 where Jesus says that we need to forgive people until 70 times 7.  So my goal this week is to try to be more patient and not get frustrated or angry about the little things, because really there´s no need for that. When I think of Mom saying "is it pertinent to your salvation"  or the phrase "What would Jesus do?"  things are put into perspective and it's a little easier to let things go and focus on what´s really important.

 

SO yeah, It´s crazy that we only have 2 more weeks until the next transfers.  I'm pretty sure I´ll be transferred to another area.  If I am, I'll be sad because I´ll really miss the ward and the members but a change of scenery would be nice. I don't really know what else to say.  This week was good and next week wil be even better!  Love and miss you all bunches!

 

Hermana Allison Scarlett

Congresso - Post 10

Simon's Day of Baptism

SImon is doing excellent!  He just soaks everything up like a sponge!  He has such a strong desire to learn and act.  It´s really amazing :)  We had a lesson with him and Hermana Villanova, an older member in the ward, about temples.  He´s really interested in the temple and wants to go.  They talked and talked and talked and he was just really happy.  And then this sunday we arrived a little late but when we walked in Simon was about to be confirmed. I just about cried because he looked so happy and content.  And then when he took the sacrament, participated a lot in the Class - I was on cloud 9. In the class he was talking about how now that he´s a member of the church he can see a difference in his life now he has the company of the Holy Ghost and wants to keep the commandments and is going to continue learning and growing as a member.  AWHHHHH! I just about cried right then and there.

Mission Temple Day!

Buenos Aires Argentina Temple

Adrian, He´s super awesome!  He has all the lessons, has a testimony of the Book of Mormon and received his answer that the church is true.  He told us in one of the lessons about an experience that he had.  He was in the Subway and people from some church were passing out flyers.  One of them asked him what church he went to. He said "I'm Mormon" they said "oh" and continued on without giving him a pamphlet.  WHAT?!? He isn't even an official member but he is living the gospel. Also, he´s already read the WHOLE BOOK OF MORMON!  He read it in 3 weeks! He will be baptized this sunday and he is ready.  He is a very nervous person so in one lesson we read Ether 12:27 (And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them). He started talking about how his nerves have helped him to take this decision seriously so that he´s sure that this is the right thing to do.  He said he is 100% sure that he´s doing the right thing and is ready to be baptized.  Talk about Elegido (Chosen)!

Playing with a Member's new pet!

We also found Edgar.  My companion had strong desires to eat cheese so we entered a chino and went to grab some cheese real fast.  They didn't have what she wanted but we began to talk to the guy who worked there.  He is 19 years old and reads the bible and is trying to do what God wants of him.  He told us that he doesn't smoke or drink or anything. We talked about the Book of Mormon and invited him to be baptized and he accepted.  He is learning and really interested.  In one of our lessons he said "I feel like God is calling me"  I was like yeah!  God is calling you.  He wants you to live with him again.  That's why he sent us to find you and help you.  He will be baptized the 2nd of March. 
  
SO yeah that´s what´s happening here.  It´s starting to cool off but it´s not quite as cool as it is there in NC.  Que loco no?  


 Ciao!
Hermana Allison Scarlett 

Sugary sweet popcorn snack - my new addiction!
In english,  the brand name is  "The Two Sisters"

Congresso - Post 9

This post covers several weeks of Hermana Scarlett's mission life....

January 20th email:  
Hello everyone!  This weekly e-mail isn't going to be as detailed as normal because today for P-Day we took a tour bus around the city of Buenos Aires (way cool!) Just want to say I love you all and miss you.  And also that I'm doing good :)  I hope to have lots of emails waiting for me next week because emails make my week so much better :)  I love you all and love to hear from you.  I'm trying to do my best to keep in touch and if I´ve been slacking tell me! I'll catch-up next week. LOVE AND MISS ALL OF YOU <3

PS:  Any of you who have served missions I would love to hear some different ideas and success stories about finding people to teach.  

January 28th email:

Last Day Together :(

Today we had transfers and I'm still in the same area but I have a new companion!  Her name is Hermana Pilliza and she is from Ecuador but has lived in Spain for a little while.  She has been in the mission for 6 months and is really short.  When I was with Hermana Mowry I felt pretty short but now I feel like a GIANT!  She seems really sweet but very different from Hermana Mowry.  I'm really excited to learn new things and to work with her here.  It's strange though because she doesn't know the area or the members or anything so I'm leading the area.  It´s kind of a stressful thought.  And crazy.  I mean I'm kind of directionally challenged so..... we'll see :)  (Editorial comment - "kind of directionally challenged" is an understatement!)

Me and my crazy Trainer :)

SO Hermana Mowry went to another area and Hermana Dunn also.  Hermana Escobar stayed (this is her last transfer in the mission) and her new companion is Hermana Keith and she is AWESOME!  I'm really excited for this transfer.  However Hermana Pilliza said that she forgets things a lot so I need to remind her of things, but then I was like, I forget things a lot too!  And then right before we left I was searching frantically for my wallet and Hermana pilliza was searching frantically for her agenda.  We just had to laugh.  We are going to spend a lot of time looking for misplaced things this transfer.  But yeah we're going to work hard and have lots of success.  As for the people we are teaching, we have Simon, Adrian, Oscar, Nacho, y Mariella.  I'll tell you more about them next week.  I don't really know what else to day.  I'm happy and safe and enjoying my time in the mission!  Love and miss you all!

February 10th email:  SO this week has been pretty flipping awesome :D  

First of all, we had a Sisters Conference where all of the sister missionaries gathered together in the mission home and talked about a lot of stuff in classes or sessions.  We talked about getting along with companions, how we're all children of God and also Representatives of Jesus Christ and how if we want to love and serve others we first need to love and serve our companions.  My companion and I are doing much much better.  There are still some rough moments and sometimes I just need to remind myself we're from different places of the world with different cultures and I need to have a little more patience.  But we're doing really well.  Also they talked a lot about the vision of missionary work, how to gain it, and how to keep it in focus.  Everyone always says the vision is Baptise!  But for me it´s so much more than that.  So I set out to figure out what my own vision is.  

Sunday, I had my first baptism, Simon.  He's super awesome and was ready for this.  It was kinda stressful trying to get everything planned and ready and we had to work out some last-minute kinks but it was great.  I spoke about Baptism (my first discourse to give in spanish!)  everyone was laughing because I got up there all smiley and I was just like "What a great experience this is to have the Baptism of Simon today.  I'm happy, Simon's happy, We're all just really happy."  Everybody chuckled and now it's a joke, but that's how it is. And it was true :)  So what I was honestly expecting for my first baptism was a huge grand experience where everyone is just whalloped by the Spirit, but that's not how it was.  It was just a simple and beautiful experience where we helped a Child of God make a covenant with his Heavenly Father.  Just so simple, sweet, and beautiful.  

And today we went to the temple as a mission.  It was such a great experience to be able to go in and just feel peace and the love of my Heavenly Father and remember a little bit more of why I'm here on my mission.  My Vision for my mission is to help others accept and live the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ through making and keeping sacred covenants.  Yes, that includes baptism, but it includes so much more.  It includes the things we have to do each day to continue to progress and to make all of the covenants necessary in order to return to live with our Heavenly Father again.  That is my vision and I will keep that as my focus.

My District - Playing Pool on P-Day

Funny moment for the week:  Recently, more and more Young Single Adults (unmarried members between the ages of 18-30) have been moving into our ward and are helping us out with missionary work.  Two in particular, named Harold and Edgar (Edgar is from California),  are pretty cool.  One morning, Harold came with us to an appointment and after he went back to his house.  About 2 hours later, we got a call from his roommate Edgar and he was asking us for a huge favor.  Edgar had left to travel about 1.5 hours to visit his Grandfather and accidentally locked Harold into the apartment and couldn't get out! SO we run to the rescue.  When we got to the apartment, Harold dropped the keys out the window and we came up and unlocked the door from the outside. We couldn't stop laughing!   He had been locked inside the apartment for 4 hours!  Their door has 1 lock on the inside and 2 on the outside, so they don't lock the second one on the outside because you cant unlock it from the inside.  We we're just laughing really hard. Pobrecito.  But yes that´s my week.  I love and miss you bunches!  

Ciao!  

Hermana Allison Scarlett

Don't you love my form!!!!

Congresso - Post 8

Me with my self-cut bangs!

Wow what a week!  First off, we aren't teaching Felipe anymore. We went back for our appointment with him but he wasn't there. We tried time and time again to set another appointment with him but he was never there when he said he would be so yeah.  

But We ran into Patsy in the street!  Patsy was one of the investigators Hermana Mowry had taught before I came but Patsy got busy and stopped taking lessons.  Hermana Mowry always was talking about how awesome Patsy was and how ready she was for the gospel.  She is from Mexico and is super fun and sweet.  We went by her house and had a mini-lesson.  She had been on vacation to Peru and Brazil and now she´s back.  We invited her to come to church and continue reading the Book of Mormon.   She wasn't sure if she would be able to come to church but she´d grab her Book of Mormon and start reading again.  We passed by Friday and she said she would come to church!  Yes! She came sure enough and afterwards there was a baptism and she asked to stay. It was such a beautiful baptism for Cintia - she is 15, super mature and on fire!  Even though we didn't teach her, I feel like she´s one of my friends :)  Well Patsy thought it was so beautiful and really felt the spirit.  So we invited her to also be baptized.  She took a moment to think about it and then decided yes!  She knows that this is the true gospel which was restored to the earth through a Latter-Day Prophet and she knows that this step will bless her life. We are super stoked!

We made cookies!

Saturday, we had 2 members accompanying us and we walked past this man sitting outside his apartment. Hermana Mowry stopped and started talking to him. His name is Nestor. I asked him what he was doing sitting outside.  He said he was just thinking.  SO I asked him what he was thinking about.  He said, Just stuff, the world, my life.  SO we just started talking and we gave him a Book of Mormon, read the introduction with him, and invited him to be baptized!  He didn´t say yes but he said he was interested in what we were talking about. SO we invited him to church and he said yes!  I could tell just from talking to him that he likes to think about things before acting.  So we passed by Sunday morning and rang his bell and he came down and was ready to come with us and everything!  THen he asked if he needed to bring his LDM (Libro de Mormon or Book of Mormon) and we said if he wanted to he could.  He came back down with his LDM but he had changed his mind. He said he want more space and time to think about it.  This broke our hearts because we know that he will learn so much and feel the spirit at church but we also respect the agency of others.  SO we asked him if we could come by and talk later and he said yes. In the collectivo (entryway) Hermana Mowry started crying and during the sacrament meeting I started crying. I was pretty sure he had some kind of concern or doubt in his mind, but we weren't sure what. We were super sad about Nestor changing his mind about going to church at the last minute, but then in walked Patsy and we felt better.

My Argentine Oxfords - super comfy!
The best tan my legs have had in Winter!

So we went by Sunday afternoon to visit Nestor and brought Hermana Diaz with us.  We started talking and we were talking about the Restoration and he started talking about making decisions.  We tried to talk about how we are here on this earth to make good decisions and try to follow Christ and do the will of God.  It became very apparent that his concern is that he´s been trying to make good decisions but they just never turn out good.  We tried to resolve his concern but he was being very vague and very intense.  I got lost in his words too. We just invited him to read a part of the Book of Mormon to resolve his concern and we are going to talk about the plan of salvation to see if that will help him.  He really is a great person looking for help and guidance but is really hung up on whatever these decisions are that he´s made or has to make.

Other than that, we contacted someone in the street last night that we feel super good about.  Her name is Paula and her husband´s name is Peter. (She´s married!  That´s a big deal here.) And she said she was Christian but hasn´t been attending any church since she moved here from Uruguay. She has 2 dogs, which is how we started the conversation because i LOVE dogs, especially Golden Retrievers :)

As for my Companion and I, we have learned how to work together well and are having a lot of fun together.  I feel like one of us is going to get transferred in 2 weeks and I´m going to miss her when we do get transferred. 

Oh and one more thing!  I cut my bangs! by myself!  At first I was panicking because i thought I did them wrong, But now they´they've grown on me :)  Although they are nowhere near as good as when Juliegh does them :)

I Love and Miss you all and thanks for all the prayers and Support!
Hermana Allison Scarlett

Congresso - Post 7

Sorry this post is a week or so late - the New Year has us running in ten directions at full speed!  So without further delay, here is Hermana Scarlett's first post for 2014......

So what happened this week?  Well, IT´S 2014!  QUE LOCO! It´s even crazier to think that I will be in the mission THE WHOLE YEAR!  It´s kinda awesome because I can focus all of my goals and what I'm going to accomplish here in my mission this year.  What a blessing :)  So how did we festivate this holiday?  Eating of Course!  We had a HUGE lunch and 2 HUGE DINNERS New Year´s Eve!  Oh man I was just way super stuffed.  As for the rest of this week, just the norm - talking to loads of people, visiting the members - both less active and recent converts.

As for Santa.  We had 2 more REALLY great lessons and set an appointment for another one, but she cancelled. All week we've been trying to set another appointment but she kept cancelling or wouldn't set a specific time. Then she stopped answering our calls and texts.  I was super worried about her.  We saw her Sunday morning in the street before church and stopped and chatted with her.  She said she's grateful for our help and what but decided she doesn't want what we have. I asked her if she prayed about what she taught.  She said yes.  Then I asked her how she felt and she said "I just want to continue with what I´ve always had."   What can we do?  She had it set in her mind that she was just going to continue in her old ways.  She didn't want to change.  It was sad because she is looking for more in her life to help her and I KNOW without a doubt that we have it. I want to help her so much and really have a lot of love for her.  But what can we do?  Everyone has their own agency.

On another note, we have another investigator.  His name is Felipe and lives with Jose Navarro, a less active member we are working with.  They are friends from Colombia and came here to study together. We passed by to have a lesson with Jose and Felipe and his girlfriend were there.  So we invited them to join us in the lesson and they said they would.  We talked about the Book of Mormon and why it´s important.  I invited them to be baptized and they said Yes!  They are so sincere and really want to have God more involved in their lives.  The girlfriend doesn't live in our area though.  We gave them each a Books of Mormon to read and are excited to continue working with Felipe.  

As for my Spanish, I am doing WAY better than my first day here.  I am able to have conversations with people and I'm really working hard to have good grammar.  Sometimes I'll be talking and then a minute later realize I said it wrong!   But I am doing so much better.  It´s so much easier and I am loving every second here.

So that´s pretty much it.  Feliz Año Nuevo les amo mucho!

Hermana Allison Scarlett