Hermana Hooke in Salta: I'm going to Argentina on Monday!!!!

Saturday, September 6, 2014

Hola,

Yes, the rumors are true, I am indeed leaving Monday morning for Buenos Aires! I'm starting to get nervous because some other hermanas going to Salta told me that Salta is the hottest mission in the world, it gets up to 130 degrees (but don't worry, after 115 it all feels the same), and that there is a 30-hr bus ride from Buenos Aires to Salta. Hopefully these rumors are misinformed, but if not, as dad says, it's a good thing I'm tough. And Cath, no more complaining about how hot it is in La Quinta! haha. Oh and I can call from the airport...I have a 5 hr layover in Atlanta so I probably will then. I will probably call mom's cell cause she birthed me and stuff...sorry Cath unless I can make more than 1 call. [She WAS able to make more than one call! And it was GREAT to talk to her!]

Thank you so much for the book "Em's Mems!" I love it!!! I have already looked at it like twice a day since I got it and it makes me so happy! Thanks Mom for all the work you did on it and thanks everyone who wrote letters and stuff!

Hmm what has happened since Tuesday? We have had some terrible lessons, some wonderful lessons, cleaned the campus at 6:15 am a couple times, oh and I saw Grace Everton yesterday when we were on main campus!!! One of said terrible lessons was with "Jonathan" and he was trying to hint to us that our lesson was boring him by looking at us through 2 half closed lazy eyes and Herrmana Velazco and I could not stop laughing for the life of us....haha hopefully that doesn't ever happen in real life...but then the next day we taught by the Spirit for the first time and we could feel SUCH a difference!! It was amazing. The key is to listen to the investigator and the Spirit, ask to be guided by a prayer of faith, and most of all, teach people, not lessons. Focus on their individual needs.

I don't really feel ready yet to be going to Argentina already, but I'm like 28x more ready than I was a week ago, so that's good. Wellllll I love you all dearly and hope life in your respective homelands is swell! Mom and Dad and Grandma have fun visiting the Hookes in Ohio! And Cath and Jon keep having fun and Jon good luck with school this week! Have you had any races already?

Also thanks everyone for the Dear elder letters.* I always love to hear from you! I sent a package to Ventura so I hope someone will be there to get it. PS the pictures at the temple are me with my district. Coincidentally, I know Hermana Tate's identical twin from BYU! The hermanas in my district are me, Hna Velazco, Hna Tate, and Hna Makin. Our district is great, I'm giong to miss them! 3 elders will be on my flight with me though, and elder Cruz is going to my same mission. Espero que tengan una buena semana! Next time I write I'll be in ARGENTINA!!!

Besitos,

Hermana Hooke

*[You can write to Emily at dearelder.com for free! Mail leaves Salt Lake City every Friday. Go to dearelder.com, select mission (Argentina Salta), click "write a letter", fill in your return address, select title (Sister), then Emily Hooke. Write the letter, then click "send"]