BURZACO!!

Almost exactly a year ago, I arrived in Argentina and came to my first area: Burzaco. Today, I write to you from the same. How deliciously nostalgic! I have been asked to train a new missionary, and so while I await her arrival, I am working with the Sister Missionaries in Burzaco. Once my new companion arrives, it´s back to Monte Grand! The city and I will miss Hermana Hill like crrrrazy, but I know she´ll keep working miracles in LA PLATA! (Another of my beloved Stakes here in La Argentina.) As for me, I´m cramming anew, reading the mission manual along with the other books and manuals that describe the mission and its rules, and I´m going to do my best to read through all of Preach My Gospel anew, so that I can help this new Sister Missionary get off to the best start possible.

Excerpt from letter to President Stapley (our amazing, loving, and faithful Mission President):
We have an investigator in Monte Grande who was very excited for his baptism and had studied everything and was quiting smoking and everything great, so it seemed. We stopped by his work one rainy evening last week and he told us he didn´t want to learn anything else for a while and that it was clear it wasn´t the right thing for right now. We were shocked. After much internal prayer and calming words, Hermana Hill and I were able to convince him to meet us again in his home. When we went to that cita, it appeared he was still a bit ¨desanimado¨, but we started off reading Helaman 5, with an Hermana from the ward who accompanied us. The investigator mentioned that he´d need at least a couple of months before being baptized. A bit after reading, I felt my companion needed to speak, and I needed to keep quiet to let her. Keeping quiet is hard for me. But when Hermana Hill opened her mouth, I realized why I had felt to do it. She taught simply the doctrine of Christ, that the hermano needed to have faith, repent, be baptized, and receive the Holy Ghost. The Spirit entered the conversation. The investigator started speaking and again began making excuses and straying to other conversational topics. I looked at him at one moment, opened my mouth, and the Spirit filled it. I testified to him of what my companion had said, explaining that he already had faith, and he already had repented, and that he could not resolve his problems - personal, familial, etc - without living the Gospel as he had learned it. I felt and knew that the Spirit had revealed to me his thoughts, in a way. It was amazing. He looked at us and said, ¨No se preocupe, hermana. Entendí. Me bautizo en dos semanas¨ (Don´t worry, Sister. I just understood. I´ll get baptized in two weeks¨). Rarely have I felt the Spirit so strongly in teaching. I learned that it has to do with being humble and allowing the Spirit speak. I hadn´t any idea how to resolve this problem, neither did Hermana Hill. There in our most desperate need to know how to help this beloved brother, Heavenly Father could use us best. I need to be a better instrument in the Lord´s hands. Working on it!

And HEY! Happy birthday DAD!!!! We had preparation day today (Wednesday) instead of Monday, so I didn´t get to tell you beforehand. But hey, you get the whole year! So FELIZ CUMPLE!!! And guess who else cumplirs soon....Brandon too! HAPPY BIRTHDAY! October sure is a good month. :) You know who ELSE? Marissa Gardner! FELIZ CUMPLE AMIGA! If I´m forgetting someone right now, my apologies. And to you too, happy birthday!

Thank you, family and friends, for all your goodness and enthusiasm for life. Thank you for your prayers, thank you for your letters. Thank you for working hard and living every day with faith. That in and of itself is HUGE. Así que, les felicito, y más, les agradezco. MUCHAS GRACIAS!! (So, I congratulate them, and more, I thank them. MANY THANKS!!)

UN ABRAZO GIGANTE Y MIL SONRISAS, (A GIGANTIC HUG AND THOUSAND SMILES)
Hermana Lindquist

Hello young lovers wherever you are.....

....lovers of missionary work, that is.

I love missionary work so much. Hermana Hill and I have been fighting this week, like loco. So many people are kept from salvation, because they´re simply afraid of ultimately minor, temporal things. Satan is so astute. Sometimes I just want to shout repentance (like Alma wanted! In chapter.....I´ll get back to you on that). People cannot be truly happy under the weight of sin. That´s what makes the Gospel such a tool for peace. Through faith, repentance, baptism, and receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, people are cleansed from sin and at PEACE. Peace and joy and love. That´s what everyone wants. It´s amazing.

Thank you all for your love, support and prayers. They are felt and very appreciated. I hope you can feel my prayers, and the prayers of many investigators and members here who ask the Lord to be with you, my family and friends. The Gospel makes the world a network of love!

I love you!

Hermana Lindquist

Loor al Profeta!

Raise your hand if you´re happy that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ restored the true church to the earth again! Is your hand up?? Get it up there!! And if it´s not, send me your address and local representatives of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints would be humbled and grateful to visit and explain why your hand should be up. For ¨what do we hear in the gospel which we have received?¨ A voice of gladness! A voice of mercy from heaven; and a voice of truth out of the earth; glad tidings for the dead; a voice of gladness for the living and the dead; glad tidings of great joy...Let your hearts rejoice, and be exceedingly glad. Let the earth break forth into singing. Let the dead speak forth anthems of eternal praise to the King Immanuel, who hath ordained, before the world was, that which would enable us to redeem them out of their prison; for the prisoners shall go free.
Let the mountains shout for joy, and all ye valleys cry aloud; and all ye seas and dry lands tell the wonders of your Eternal King! And ye rivers, and brooks, and rills, flow down with gladness. Let the woods and all the trees of the field praise the Lord; and ye solid rocks weep for joy! And let the sun, moon, and the morning stars sing together, and let all the sons of God shout for joy! And let the eternal creations declare his name forever and ever! (Doctrine and Covenants 128:20-22)
And let everyone reading this letter raise their hands!!!
Haha, okay. You can put your hands down now. :)
Besides, you are an agent unto yourself. Man, this last week, I had studied so many themes that were beautifully analyzed throughout the General Conference. One of the greatest was of agency. My favorite study: Ephesians 6:12 (10-18) + Alma 48:12, 24 + Amla 57:20-27 + 2 Nephi 2 + D&C 58:26-29 = We fought before this life, and continue to fight now so that we may be free to anxiously engage ourselves in good causes. If we don´t act, we will be acted upon. Heavenly Father created us for greater things than that. Jesus Christ paid the price for our sins and took upon Him our weaknesses and infirmities (physical, spiritual, emotional, etc.) so that we could be free to follow Him into eternal life, eternal perfection, and eternal happiness. I know the Church is true and that Christ lives, directing it from above and within. He has called Thomas Monson as Prophet for these years. His voice is the voice of the Lord. What a statement, ¿no? But it´s true! God Himself said so. Ask Him about it. :)

Gotta go! Smiles and thanks to you all!

Hermana Lindquist

And again I say, how glorious is the voice we hear from heaven, proclaiming in our ears, glory, and salvation, and honor, and immortality, and eternal life; kingdoms, principalities, and powers! (D&C128:22)

Subject? Like I Need a Subject!

I have no time! But check it out: This week I heard the song ¨Polvo en el Viento¨ while walking in the streets. Yes, Kansas´ ¨Dust in the Wind¨ but in Spanish. Hna Hill and I appreciated that. I ate butter sandwiches the other day. I thought it was cheese. My veins were so sad when they ound out. We trapped the biggest spider of my laugh the other other day - comically big! I didn´t even fear it, it was so big (more like a cartoon).
I dreamed I was in space with some missionaries and there was a musical theatre and aliens that wanted to eat some meat, but I chose mozzarelly pizza (meat and pizza are so Argentine). When I get home, I expect to hear ¨Terra´s Theme¨ from Gone With the Wind. You can mix any random food, put it on top of a crust with a hard boiled egg and make it a ¨traditional¨ Argentine dish. The man who washes our clothes has demanded that we return after the mission and kiss him on the cheek like every other civil person would do. Our rules make us weird, but they protect us. :)
I absolutely love Argentina!

We taught José and Cynthia the message of the Restoration of the Gospel. José felt a fire within him, but had never experienced something like that before, so he was very confused. He actually went to wet his head with cold water. He said he knew that what we were teaching him, about the Book of Mormon especially, was true. He didn´t really understand everything we said (in part for our accents, I´m sure), but he knew that it had to be true. We all looked at him - his wife, mother-in-law, taddling daughters, Hna. Hill and I--surprised and humbled by how strongly he felt the Spirit. And this all within a meeting of about 10 minutes. We are very excited to go back and teach him more about the guidance the Holy Ghost can give him as he makes and keeps sacred committments with his Father in Heaven.
The Church is true. I have read the Book of Mormon, pondered in its message and the way we came to have it in our day, and I know it is true. Joseph Smith truly was a Prophet. There is no doubt in my mind. I look forward to the day when I can personally thank him for his faithful fulfillment of his mission. I hope to serve my mission with as much faith in Christ and His words. It is Christ word´s to which I owe all of my happiness. (Alma 44:5)

This Saturday and Sunday, we get to hear from living prophets! Enjoy!

I love you all oh so much!

Hermana Lindquist

p.s. family, many Argentine families think you are beautiful. VERY beautiful

Hiya Family!

A short list of some top sights this week: A dead man, a three-legged dog chasing a car, fried meat smeared with mayonaise (actually very common), and an African lion. And yet the best moment was when someone saw a picture of Joseph Smith´s first vision and asked sincerely, ¨Could this be true?¨ Yay for the diversity of the mission!
Pity time doesn´t permit for the many stories and lessons learned in a day, much less a week. Let´s just have a big dinner when I get back and we can talk about everything! For now, the African lion story. In short, we were walking down the road, turned the corner and out of nowhere, flashing lights and a circus tent! A real, ol´ fashioned Dumbo/Big Fish-stlye circus tent with carny trailers and inhumanely caged animals and all! It was one of the biggest, most exciting surprises. We basically screamed with glee (glea?) as we came closer and examined the gaudy signs proclaiming the arrival of the ¨Circo Magico Houdini¨. It was so perfectly movie-like! And then, yes, there was a giant African lion pacing back in forth in a tiny barred cage. I was newly grateful for the quality of life for the animals at the San Diego Zoo.

We had a week of ups and downs and all arounds. We´ve established some new goals for our area, and Hermana Hill and I are so excited to work together and bring help, healing, and happiness to our brothers and sisters in Monte Grande. I´ve decided to start over as if I´m brand new on the mission, but with the advantage of some months of experience (given, I still feel like I know very veeeery little). I reread my call letter and am beginning Preach My Gospel anew. It´s SO good. Read the introduction and think of about planning family home evenings like District Meetings. Good stuff.
I know obedience and humility make us worthy of the blessings of Heaven, and I know that faithful prayer and work are the way to call down that celestial help. I am convinced of the reality of Jesus Christ and His Atonement. I need to study both much more. I wonder if we´ll ever, in all eternity, understand the impact of His immortal sacrifice. I just hope I can live in sincere gratitude to Him forever. I love Jesus Christ and Our Heavenly Father. And I love His children! Sadness and disappointment are dreadful distractions to the supernal peace and joy that God has in store for all those who love Him and desire goodness and righteousness. Look for good. Nourish and cherish it. And ¨keep on the sunny side, always on the sunny side; keep on the sunny side of life!¨
Spring is here in Monte Grande, and life is good and beautiful. Fine and dandy!

Thank you for your prayers and support. I love you all so much. Thank you, thank you, thank you. I´ll never be able to say it enough.

Smiles and rainbows!

Hermana Lindquist

Rockin' and a rollin'

The first time we met Fulana (yes, I changed the name), it was late a night and she was clamoring to gather some plastic bags and enter into her cement-walled home. We greeted her, she responded demonstrating a bit of frustration with the day she´d gone through. She then sighed, shook her head, and said, ¨Just a minute, chicas¨. She wrestled with a tangled mass of keys, found the one to her home, and opened the door for us. Well, she opened the door first to harness her seven frenzied dogs and store them in a room a bit further from the front.
Once we entered, she slammed the cigarettes on the table, shrugged her shoulders and began to tell us of her whirlwind life of problems: renters that don´t pay, family that have died and left nothing for her, health that limits her dreams and ambitions, and - most distressing of all - a heart full of ¨ravia,¨ hate, sorrow, anger, and everything she avioded in her youth.
I don´t remember what we said to her that first time. We taught her to pray. I remember that. We prayed together. She prayed. We pleaded with her to understand that she is a precious daughter of God. She doubted. Can´t says I blame her; she didn´t know any better.
The subsequent visits were filled with expressions and love and tenderness, and we emphasized much the love of our Heavenly Father and the sweet peace the Gospel brings. We read to her Christ´s words to the Nephite nation in the Americas shortly after His resurrection: ¨Behold, I am Jesus Christ, whom the prophets testified shall come into the world. And behold, I am the light and the life of the world; and I have drunk out of that bitter cup which the Father hath given me, and have glorified the Father in taking upon me the sins of the world, in the which I have suffered the will of the Father in all things from the beginning¨ (3 Nephi 11).She felt impressed by the Spirit - although she didn´t fully realize it at the time - that Christ really drank from the ¨bitter cup¨. The venom of oppressed years that she felt she had been drinking became, in her eyes, a cup the Lord had shared. The truth is He did.
We visited other days with sisters from the local ward (congregation). It was amazing to hear these sisters´ testimonies of the changes they´ve seen in their lives as they came to understand the cleansing, supporting power of Christ´s Atonement.
In a few short visits, Fulana´s countenance began to change drastically. She began wiping down the table before we´d visit. Then, she started having crackers ready for us. One day, she didn´t complain at all about anything. Another day she was saying good things about many things. Her jokes became more positive. Her smile became more radiant. She began to rearrange her tiny room - a goal she´d had for months. She had at one time given up on her talents; now, she was making little paper maché flowers to sell in the street. They are beautiful.
Now, when we see her, she is cheerful. She is happy.
The difference? She began to pray every night. She prayed with faith. She also took real interest in the scriptures. The Book of Mormon contains so much hope. Yesterday, she came to church for the first time. She found there the family she had missed so terribly. I am so humbled and happy to see the changes she´s made. I loved her from the start, but now I´m so happy because she loves herself, and she knows not that God loves her too. What a tremendous difference that knowledge makes.

Smile at everyone. Love them with all ya got, and teach them principles of love and faith. That way they can love themselves and see the value they have. I know that the Lord always sees our value. Always! He wants so badly for us to see and understand it as well. I know that the principles of the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ, as taught by modern day prophets, teachers, and revelators in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, really make all the difference in a person´s life. By applying these things, with faith in Jesus Christ, we can progress toward eternal life - life as God knows it. Life with our families and friends, in perfect harmony and joy for the rest of all time and beyond. Sounds pretty sweet to me!

I love you all oh so much and look forward to a bright future tomorrow, the next day, a year from now, and ¨to infinity and beyond!¨ (I always knew Buzz Lightyear was inspired.) :)

Muchísimas gracias por todo. Les amo un MONTÓN!!

Hermana Linksquidsky

Just enough time to tell ya I´m alive

And there ya have it! I live! But yeah, I have about thirty seconds. Sorry! And this week was soooo good! We had a baptism, a birthday party for a woman who´s been alone for years, a tango-singing competitcion in the chapel, many an inspiring lesson, and a total renovation in Hermana Hill and my´s weekly planning methods. We´re are bound and determined to help the most people possible and in the best ways!

Happy Aniversario de la muerte de San Martín!! He´s a big deal. Ask half of South America about it.

I love you all mucho! Thank you for everything!

Hermana Lindquist

p.s. Brandon, my buddy Ida says to say hi to you. She´s from Trujillo, and you served there, so you´re practically already best friends. There ya have it!
Mom, I learned this week that you´re amazing. I´ll write later. If not, remind me to tell you about the lunch with the Pederson family. It´s code.... :)
Dad, could you please send me your chocolate cake recipe. I´ll try my hand at it....
p,p,s the song Total Eclipse of the Heart has been chasing me. Today, we literally ran away from it. The music video was playing in the restaraunt we were in. Talk about temptation to watch t.v.! But, like good ol´ Joseph of Egypt (who I´ve been studying and am completely in love with), we ran!