Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Updated Blog

As you can plainly see, I have FINALLY made the time to update Mary's Blog. I am sorry that it has taken me over 3 months to do.
Enjoy!

p.s. I will be updating it weekly from now on!

Talofa!

That´s Saaaaaamoan for ¨¡Hola!¨

So hey! I´s gots only a few minutes because todays transfer day and there have been a TON (yes, 2000 pounds) of changes and movin´ and a´shakin´. Hermana Delgado is flying home to Peru today. And tomorrow, I´m receiving a new missionary. I´m to train her in the ways of the Mission Buenos Aires South. Wowza! It seems every day I learn that I´m so much weaker than I think I am, yet I find such great strength in leaning on the Lord. I´m confident He´ll help me out in this here training business. :) Everything is splendid and I love the mission oh so much.

Happy Easter! I love you all muchisimo. One day, I´ll tell you to your face. For now, I say it behind your back.... jaja (<-Spanish laugh) Hahahaha I get such a kick out of Spanish laughs.

Okay, I´m not making sense and I gotta get.

Smiles and hugs and rainbows!!!!
Hermana Lindquist

Heeeeeeey

If you wanna see some pictures, I think you can add ¨Hermana Crook¨ on facebook and find some from this morning. Also, Destinee Bushman. There are some others, but those two in particular I believe will have some. I´m hoping to send some soon. :)

Yesterday four people were baptized. Four wonderful kids from two different wonderful families. Each family has a long, complicated story but upon feeling the spirit of the baptismal service, many people decided to make some very important changes. Many in the congregation rededicated themselves to serving the Lord with greater faith and confidence. It was a beautiful experience that I know will be etched in the memory of the members of the ward here for years to come. Please pray for the missionary work in your areas. And if you´re reading this and you´re not a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, please pray for the missionaries still. The work they´re doing in your hometown is a labor of love and happiness. The message they bear will do more to end sadness and inequality and depravity than any other work any other people can do. And if you´re not one to say prayers, try it out. Many talk of seeking learning and experience in the world, but few are those who take the steps toward really learning. I know and I testify that we have a Father in Heaven who is the Author of all and knows well His creations. He´s ready and willing to teach. He just needs willing students. You and I are His children. Think about that claim. Think about all you´ve heard said and taught about the nature of God. Ponder your own understanding of Him. And then consider what it means to be His son or daughter. I promise you that if you thus do and then you take your thoughts to Him in prayer and ask for His direction, you will receive it abundantly. There is a spirit that teaches men to pray. There is a spirit that teaches men not to pray. Whether you pray or not, you are responding to the influence of one of these spirits. In like manner, one of these spirits leads to spiritual bondage while the other leads to liberty and eternal life. I know and feel very strongly that the spirit that entices a person to pray is the spirit that is sent forth by the power of God. That God is our Father who desires our freedom and eternal happiness. Such rewards are reserved for those who diligently seek them. Seek in prayer and you will find. That´s a promise! In like manner, your prayers in behalf of the missionaries will allow them to find others who are seeking and offer them the keys to true happiness. In other words, the missionaries can bring them the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ. That really does bring joy and freedom. Piénselo. :)

Argentina says HI! Actually, it says, ¨Hola buen día¨. Actually a lot of people in the street, instead of saying ¨Hola¨ say ¨Chao¨ or ¨Adios¨ when you say hi to them. It´s a cultural thing. And hey, why not start a conversation backwards? Makes for a fun time. While you´re at it, try walking backwards and wearing shoes on your hands. Oh for the fun of living!


Giant hugs to you all!! I love you and am muuuy contenta. Please take care and smile big often. Whenever you realize you´re not smiling, smile! Then you´ll find your always smiling. Happiness takes work, and sometimes a good memory. Reming yourself with a smile! :) :) :)

Peace love and daisies,

Hermana Lindquist

Alooooooooha!

I love the mountains, I love the great big sky, I love big bridges, I love when great whites fly. I love the whole world and all craziness. Boom de yadah boom de yada boom de yada boom de yada...
I love the villa, I love mullet hair cuts, love funny accents, I love the alfajors. I love Argentina and all its sights and sounds. Boom de yada...

This week in Argentina: Fun food, mental institutions, and baptismal interviews.

I just was eating in a Peruvian restaurant (mmmm mmm good) and their was a hair in my soup! And attached to that hair was pig skin. Yes, it was all put in the bown intentionally. Hey, I don´t make the cultural rules, I just eat.
Furthermore, this week Hermana Delgado and I were walking and musing over how incredibly unsanitary the gutter is (and when I say ¨gutter¨ it refers to the mini, street-lining rivers filled with any manner of disease and pestilence....and barbie dolls) when we noticed some kids playing in said gutter a ways down the road. As we came closer we saw that they had some sort of snake-like creature squirming about in their arms. We asked what it was. They informed us it was an eel. Yes, an eel. They had fished it out of the gutter. And what good is fishing if not to feed the family? That was the plan, it turns out. But when they realized the foreigner had interest, they quickly offered to put it in my backpack or cut it up for us to take home and cook ourselves. Now see here! If you´re ever going to try and sell me fresh eel from the sewage gutter, you´d better think twice. Or at least offer to throw in a couple of street rats in the offer. I mean, come on!

We´ve been visiting a mental institution of late. Well, a rehab center of sorts. The man we visit is stable, but it´s interesting to see how many different situations and challenges people can have. There is so much good to be done in the world, and so many who need it done now.

You know, with all the work we do daily encouraging people to take steps toward Christ through scripture study and prayer, one of the absolutely most rewarding moments is when we arrive at church and someone has taken the step of attendance of their own initiative. There´s a man named José who we´ve been working with who is one of the ¨humble seekers of happiness¨ that I´ve met here (Alma 27:18). He works in a parking garage of sorts and has had many a trial in his day. As we teach him of the Atonement of Jesus Christ, it´s clear that He desires the happiness that comes with aligning our lives with the will of God. However, we didn´t think he was going to be in church yesterday, however when we arrived, there he was smiling in his Sunday suit and eager to learn more. And this when just recently he´d not been able to attend at all because of his work schedule. The Lord worked His miracles and gave José Sunday mornings free from work. Yay! José is going to be baptized within the next couple of weeks.
We also have some other people who are very eager to be baptized and will be seeing that dream come true within the next couple of weeks as well. So, we spent Saturday running around with the District leader and his companion so that they could interview a few of these folk. I´m so excited for them all. The Church is true and it blesses the lives of everyone - members, soon-to-be-members, and nonmembers alike.

Keep the faith and Keep on smilin´!

I love you!

Hermana Lindquist

I Love Missionary Work

It´s the best! Please please please just give someone a Book of Mormon and suggest a part to read. ¨Hey, I want you to have this. And you know what, the chapter that begins on this page is one of my favorites. Give it a gander.¨ Even better if you bear your testimony of the book and invite them to pray to know if it truly comes from God. The Book of Mormon is so powerful. If any person has any sort of desire to know if the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is true, or to know if Jesus really is the Christ, or to know if Joseph Smith was a Prophet of Go, all you have to do is ask. 1 Nephi 10:19 - The course of the Lord is one eternal round, and He responds to people in our days just as readily and openly as He ever responded to people in times past. And He´ll forever speak to those who will listen (2 Nephi 28:30). I know God lives. And He doesn´t just nap the day away. He lives actively. His Church is a living church. The Prophet receives revelation for the world, and we receive revelation for our personal lives. The channels of revelation are flowing constantly. Tune in!

Argentina is so beautiful. I learned this week that La Plata is the capital of Buenos Aires (province). The soccer team here is Estudiantes. In case you´re wondering... Everyone is very surprised when I tell them that I have no idea what teams are in the U.S. Here, you know the teams.

Hey! Some members made us tacos yesterday because they knew I´m in love with Mexican food. I was soooooo happy. Another woman played mariachi music for us. I never realized how much I love Mexico until I came to Argentina. Huh.

I never know what else to write about the culture side of things. I´m trying to think of things. Number one food: milanesa. Number one drink: Quilmes (beer). Alcohol is so destructive, physically, mentally, and spiritually. I´ve met so many sad sad people who are in the cycle of causing and combatting their problems with alcohol. I would love to see a complete disappearance of booze.
Speaking of vices, I made the most delicious dessert in the world the other day: brownie mix+ ripe banana+milk+chunks of chocolate=unbearably delicious for the majority of South Americans. The Yankees (¨Jhahnkees¨ as they call us here) were big fans.

I´m running on stream of consciousness right now. Sorry that nothing I say makes sense. Working on being a coherent humanoid. I still lack practice.

Today was transfers! I´m staying in La Plata with Hermana Delgado, which is awesome!! Because we are teaching so many wonderful people who really are progressing. They´re looking for answers, and they recognize them when they come. What great blessings!

The Church is true. I know it with all my heart.

I love you all very much and thank you mil veces for your support and love.

Peace, love, and daisies.....and big ol´ smiles all around!

Hermana Lindquist










Happy Monday!

Call me lazy, but I just love this ¨copy whatever I wrote to President and send it home¨ thing. Very nice:
¨I need to practice greeting in different languages: there are people from all over the world here in Buenos Aires! Fun global moment: Hermana Delgado and I were walking along and noticed a beautiful painting on a building. We then realized there was a man sitting there painting on the finishing touches of his autograph. We stopped to talk with him and shortly met two more of his friends. They´re two young grafiti artists from Brazil and one friend from Argentina. Very nice and very interested in Jesus Christ and the importance of serving a mission for him. So there we stood, two Brazilians, an Argentine, a Peruvian and an American - four countries standing in a small children´s park sharing our love for life and the gospel. We´re sending the references along, and I just can´t wait to hear back about when they´re getting baptized. I thought about the prophecy of the Gospel going forth to every nation and every tongue; I find myself so grateful to live in an age when it´s so easy to meet people from all over the world. The rate at which the gospel rolls forth is sure to speed along faster and faster.¨

So that´s a piece of what I told President Asay this week. La Plata really is full of all sorts of different people. I am just loving it. There´s an especially large number of Peruvians it seems. I don´t know if it´s just because my companion is from Lima and there´s some sort of patriotic attraction that draws more Peruvians to our path, or if the Lord knows they´re especially prepared, or if there really are just a ton of them. It´s probably a delicious mixture of the three. Coolest PERU moment: I got a referral for the Trujillo mission! Don´t tell Elder Reas though. I want it to be a surprise. :)

I´m off to meet new people and boldly go where no Hna. Lindquist has gone before....and some places where she has. It´s all in the agenda, don´t worry. :)

I love you all and hope you´re smilin´ it up! I know this life is meant to bring us experience and joy. That is acquired and amplified by th gospel of Jesus Christ. Life and light: seek them, cherish them, and spread them around.

Chaocitos!

Hermana Lindquist

Happy New Year

It´s still a new year until it´s old. (and you can quote me!)

Hello again to all my friends, I´m glad to write today. Our fun and learning never ends, here´s what´s the news today: (<-that´s me plagiarising the closing lines of ¨Barney¨)
I´m in a new area! They dun moved me out. Oh well hey, here´s part of the letter I sent to my Mission President today, shortly after arriving to my new area:
¨I´ve been here all of about 30 minutes and I already love it. Hermana Delgado is wonderful and the district is full of ¨capos.¨ I feel sort of like the country mouse that came to the city: everything´s so modern, big and fancy - and airconditioned! Leaving Burzaco was very hard. It reminded me of when I had to leave Guatemala, which was one of the most heartbreaking moments of my life. Leaving Burzaco ward, I was quite surprised by how difficult it was to sit through sacrament meeting, trying not to give away that I was leaving but crying like a little llorona (cry baby). I thought so much about the members of the ward, the investigators, and the other people I´d met and talked with there. So many good people! I love knowing that the Lord cares for those who keep their commitments to Him. Because I know the Church is true and God is true to His word, I can rest assured that there are no real ¨goodbyes¨ among the righteous. And besides, Burzaco has Hermana Bushman! One step closer to a translated city. :)

As I was saying earlier, I love La Plata! And I loved what Sis. Asay said in the transfer meeting: Make this transfer the best one of your mission; do now what the Lord wants you to do. That really hit me. I just feel alive, especially in the face of these new beginnings (new year, new transfer, new area, new fabulous companion,etc.). When the past has been so blessed and sweet, I can´t help but think of the excitement of the future. I feel like I´ll have to make a lot of small conscious efforts to work with all my heart, might, mind, and strength - to be an agent for good. That doctrine of acting (not being acted upon) is so key.¨

I don´t know much about my new area, other than that it is a bonified big city. I am currently in the nicest internet-place I´ve ever seen (yes, even in the states) - it´s very high-tech and sleek. Turns out, this is a college town. Woot! I´ve not met many people here in the city yet, but I met a lot of nice people along the way (train, taxi, Burger King, etc.). Burzaco (my last area) was in the zone of the offices. My district was the office elders, the Asistants to the President, a ¨Senior¨ couple (bah! they´re young, say´s I), and we sister missionaries. We were very much ¨in the know.¨ Now, I´m in the zone that everyone thinks of as ¨very far away.¨ I´m excited to see the differences in how things run. But I thought too I should let you all know, because it also means a delay in receiving mail and such. Just so´s ya know...

Hey! My new companion, Hermana Delgado, is from Lima Peru (the area of the central mission)! She´s super. I think that means she can see through walls and fly and such. In any case, I´m sure she has many super powers that I will be reporting on in the coming weeks. Keep her identity on the D-L if you don´t mind. (And for those of you who don´t know what that stands for, all the more likely you will do it....ya know.)

Okay, I´m done speaking in riddles for now. The truth is marching on, and I must now as well.

I love you all. Keep smiling! Smiles are spreading like crazy here in Buenos Aires.

Hasta pronto!

Hermana Lindquist

Burzaco = happyland

Hello!

I´m gonna try and find me a way to record my voice and send that in this emails every now and again. That´d be loads of fun!
Hermana Bushman and I are absolutely in love with Burzaco. The ward is really mobilizing lately. It´s very exciting to see the members getting excited about missionary work. It´s true that we hold great power as members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. With the understanding that we have of this world and our purpose in it, we are able to stand confidently in the midst of the storms of life. And not only that, but we are able to walk into stomrs when necessary and grab hold of those who are lost and hurting, blinded by sadness and pain, and bring them to light and joy. I know that Jesus Christ really is the light of the world. Those who choose to open their eyes see that light and are drawn to it. And best of all: His arms are open to receive.

Thank you all for offering to send me things I need. I´ll be sure to let you all know as needs arise. I really appreciate how eager everyone is to offer support. You all rock!....AND roll!!

Hey, this internet café has eclectic taste in music:
If I can´t have you, I don´t want nobody baby...
Octups´ Garden
My darlin´ I can´t get enough of your love baabe...

Please send a special HOLA to the Atkinsons, Longs, the singles branch in general and Sis. Reas. And hola to anyone else you see that I know. Odds are I´d say hello to them too. :)

I love you family!

Ch-ch-ch-chao!

Hermana (Hija, Tía, etc.) Lindquist