Gypsy Miracle...

Heyyy!!

Well I have literally 4 minutes to write this.......

 

My new comp is Hermana Ostler from Oregon, she has 5 months in the mission. We have a lot in common and she's super sweet, so it should be a good transfer (6 weeks)!

 

We had a really neat experience where we really saw the hand of the Lord and I felt just a little bit of how big this work really is and that we are only little pieces to bring about God's eternal purposes. We went to visit the Funes family (gitanos [Gypsies]) and for the first time we met the dad. Not gonna lie we were really scared of him. But he started to ask us lots of questions, and a member that was with us helped a lot to answer them and then the dad told us that he has been looking for the truth in a lot of churches but not finding it. And that VERY DAY he had prayed to God asking for a sign. And we showed up. He was very resolved to attend church with us on Sunday. I've been told that hips don't lie [I had to look that one up on Wikipedia: "Hips Don't Lie" is the name of  "a salsa and worldbeat song"--you'll have to look up "worldbeat" on your own!], but also gypsies don't lie when they say they will do something. Unfortunately he got called in to work at 4:30 am so he could not go to church, but he is for sure going to go next week. So that is your gypsy miracle for the week. 

 

Love you all immensely! And always remember that when things go wrong and life doesn't make sense, someone is actually in charge and helping to mold us into something much better than we ever imagined. 

 

Love you! 

Best, Hermana HOookeee

¡Feliz Día Papá! (ayer)

Heyyy there!

Hope all is well! This week was pretty good here in Metán! I was on divisiones for 2 days. I stayed here and Hermana Castillo went to Bella Vista in Tucumán. For one day I was with Hermana Moss who is going home in 1 week and the next day I was with Hermana Christensen who lives with us and has 8 months here. It was really great and we saw a lot of small miracles. Especially that we have 2 families that are progressing a lot! Please keep them in your prayers - family Caliuolo (Dad, they said there last name is from Sicily [where Chris served his mission], cool huh?) and family Núñez Angelicola. They are seriously the best. We are gonna work a lot with them so they can go to church this week! Thanks for the prayers, after the tribulations always come the blessings!

The picture is us with Reina, a blind lady who is really cute. The other is at lunch with a member who cooks realllly well and her 99-year-old dad. Also Agustín is doing a lot better than the last couple weeks!

I was reading the talk from the last conference by Elder Causse (I think thats how its spelled) about how so many times we have marvelous things in front of our faces and are just so accustomed that we stop noticing them, like little miracles and blessings, the doctrines of the gospel, especially the atonement. But when we have the company of the Spirit, he brings all things to our remembrance, including the miracles we have seen and don't want to forget! I thought that was pretty cool.

Well have a great week! Most likely my last week with Hermana Castillo....we shall see. 

Love you!

Hermana Hooke

There is something good in every day (or week)

Well, time is flying by. Can't believe its Monday, of week 5. Wat. This week was not the best because after working for 4 weeks to find new people to teach, none of them are progressing or coming to church. (when I got here we really didn't have any investigators). Also we couldn't even see Agustin once all week. But all is well. We are just going to keep working and we are going to see miracles this week, I just know it! As a líder capacitadora once taught me, ¨Every day (or week) might not be a good one, but there is something good in every day (or week).¨

This week we traveled to Tucumán to go to zone conference and it was the best! We talked a lot about following the Spirit and even planning by the Spirit but not being so caught up in our plans to not follow the Spirit in unforeseen ways, because sometimes when we have ¨perfect¨ plans, God has other plans for the day! I don't know if that made sense haha but it was cool. AND we got to eat good food and see the proverbial "Meet the Mormons" movie! Also taught piano and it is soooo much better when my alumni are older, better behaved, and actually want to learn to play the piano. haha

Wellllll I don't really remember anything else interesting that happened this week, so I'll sign off...love you all! Hope you have an amazingly wonderful week!

Best, Hermana Hooke

El tiempo se va volando, ¿que no? [Time flies!!] [ Fun photos of a jungle hike:) ]

Heyyy de nuevo I don't have very much time....sorry!

Today we went to Rosario de la Frontera (the area of our lider de distrito) and hiked some ridiculous jungle path that would have been easier with a machete. We were looking for an old chapel, but we never found it. haha but it was lots of fun.

Jungle Hike...

[Not a chapel:)]

Well all is weell in Metán! This week was pretty cool because we were working a lot but not seeing the results so we stopped to think about what we were doing wrong. We realized that we weren't inviting everyone to be baptized because sometimes we were a little scared of what they would say. But we decided to do it no más and de inmediato we started to see milagros. For example passing by a house that we had knocked before and they didn't receive us, we both felt the soft but distinct impression that we needed to try one more time. We did, and they let us in to teach and now we have a family of oro [gold--a sincere humble family]! Also we found several people who are sincerely searching for the truth. Please keep Agustín in your prayers, we are going to see how he is doing this week and hopefully we can carry through with his baptism this Saturday. 

Yup the Church is true, the Spirit changes hearts, and God loves us and has a plan for each one of us if we accept His guidance. 

OHH PS I saw an elder who did divisiones [visits] in what used to be Huaico and he told me that Liza (my first convert) is super strong and preparing to go to the temple!!!! Woohoooo!!! 

Well love you all lots!!!!!! 

Best, Hermana Hooke

Heyyy!

Hola!

Sorry I only have a few minutes because there were probs with the computers all day. But I am alive and well. The pics are my favorite street in Metan (Maipú) and my favorite companion in Metan!

Hermana Castillo [Looks like they've had a bit of rain!]

La verdad--I don't really remember what happened this week....oh yes we found some super great new investigators! We wanted to focus on finding new people because we didn't have very many investigators and also focus on using the Book of Mormon well in the first lesson. And we are seeing the results! A lot of people are really interested in the Book of Mormon and reading it already! Also we had district conference this week and I had to make up a [piano] arrangement of "Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing" (that's not in the Spanish hymnbook) in the range that the 5-person choir wanted...fun times.

Mmmm... Agustin is doing well. Found out Carlos (the oldest Rojas son in San Pedro) is 2nd counselor in the branch presidency now!! Haha isn't that great? Mmmmmmm yup don't really remember anything else interesting and don't have time anyways..

Love you all very much!
xoxo Hermana Hooke