Week 21 - Bell Ville - November 23, 2014

Wow folks, 

wow.  thanks you jerks!!! I have just been sitting here bawling for your letters! Today is a holiday so the cybers arnt open.  Now we are in a different one, and we couldnt go twice to print, so the letter today might be a little shorteer,,,,,. But you trunky foolllllssss!!! I was just fine on my 6 month mark, but today Ive missed you more than you may ever understand,

We did it!!! Six months have come and gone, and thank goodness that the time will only get faster from here!!!  I am so well and ready for the challenges God has lined up for the next 12 months.  Ive conquered so much already, and it kind of scares me how much I might change when I come home!  It is good though.  God is refining me in this sacred process and blessing me with countless blessings.

This week has been great with many miracles.  It was better this week for sure with the other hermanas gone.  Hna Vela and I were able to really work on our companionship with out the others interfering.

This week we went to Cordoba for a Joined zone conference! CAN I JUST TELL YOU THAT THE TIME IS SO CLOSE!!! the savior is on his way and the lord is preparing the way right now.  There is a huge porject that the church is putting out this week!!!!!! it is called HE IS THE GIFT!! look it up on christmas.lds.org tomorrow (I think it will be opening tomorrow the website).  We are going to be given a quota of 10 specific pass along cards each missionary around the world to spread the good news of Christs birth.  10 cards per missionary per week.  We have a billboard lined up in times square, the heading in youtube and so much more.  URGENCY!! we are going to be spreading the word like wildfire! You have no idea how strong I felt the spirit when they presented this worldwide plan to us missionaries.  I know this is the lords work and that it is so much more than knocking doors, or living with a companion, or learning a language.  This is all for Him, and he is the gift.  He is the reason for my joy and happiness.  He is my savior, master, brother, friend, and so much more.  I love him.  

Thanksgiving... uh doesnt exist hahahaha!  I will be with my trainer on thursday though! So it is kind of like my "family" is getting together for the holidays! Since she is the sister leader, we have exchanges this week! I am super excited to work with her again.

Paola came to church again by herself again this week.  Her baptism is planned for this week, but we will see if that happens because of her learning disability..... still some things to work out there.  But, we found her nieces and are now teaching them as well.  

Know I am well, happy and grateful for all you do for me.  The strength I receive from your letters and prayers makes it all possible.  You are the best and te amo hasta infinito y mas alla. 

Hermana Woolley

Hurrah for Isreal!

PS 1 YA! someone said Malcreada (spanish slang for rotten kid or the like) this week, and I couldnt hold back the tears (remember that you said it was my middle name dad?).  I just cried and it triggered so many memories It was pretty funny :)

PS 2 hunger games! How cool! haHA a member here told us all about it and even showed us the song that she sings to get everyone pumped up for the war.  too funny.  Im glad Ive forgotten about all the world y things.

 Six Month Postre (cake/dessert)  in my face yum.

 Pancakes

 Hermanas doing my nails.

Week 20, Bell Ville - Nov 17, 2014

Wow!!!!  Where to start for this week!!! ok, once again, I didn´t have time to write out what I wanted to say, so I hope that it comes out ok in the end :)

P*!!!! Our investigator has a baptismal date!!!!! The story with her is a little crazy.  She has a learning disability so it has been interesting teaching her.  But one thing that I have loved, is seeing her love.  She is so pure, and can definitely feel something different in her life.  For this reason, she continues to do the right thing.  This week, although it is always crazy teaching her because of the fact that she lives on the farm (killing rats mid lesson, raving dogs, huge farm machinery making obnoxious noises), she is progressing.  As we explained her situation to our mission leader of her circumstances, he told us that he wanted to see if she would attend church with out us passing by to pick her up.  It would be like a test to see if church really was imporatant to her.  We were feeling anxious about this, because she needs to come to church!  We went to go teaach her a lesson on sat morning, and to tell her that we would not be passing by the next day, BUT SHE WASNT HOME!!! we were freaking out, so last minute on sunday morning, we decided to go pick her up for church since we didn´t have time to inform her that we had planned on not going.  So, we walked all the way to the outskirts of the city to her farm to go and get her.  right as we were walking in her yard, we got a phone call from the missionaries at the church and they told us P* was at the church!!! SHE WENT BY HERSELF!!!!  We chatted with her fam to see what had happened.  They told us that she got up`early to shower and was waiting for us to get her, but we were late.  So finally she said, "I can´t wait any longer for the hermanas, Im going to church by myself!" And she walked all the way to the chapel, even though she didnt know the address of the church!  WHAT A MIRACLE!!! Now she has proved to us, and to the mission leader that she is in this for the long road.  We were so happy!!! a little bugged that we had to walk so much extra mileage, BUT she went to church! BY HERSELF!!! we were so so happy! :) and p* is happy too!

Im just gonna throw this out there real quick... Ive gained a little more than 10 kilos... thats about 23 lbs.  Phew, it feels good to just get that off my chest! Don´t be alarmed if Im different when I get home in a year... jaja I just get what I want when I want. and I feel just fine!

bueno, moving on....  I almost died by a man eating dog with teeth the size of a beast.  As we were walking down the street trying to locate some less actives, in the BAKING sun (which I hate and loathe, and despise and every other synonym to that word - and the worst part is that it is going to get worse! Its only spring!)  We were walking along, Hna Costello and I.  We heard some barking.  But didnt panick.  Barking dogs are always behind the fences.  As I looked to my left, i saw a dog charging towards us.  As if the fear from his noise and teeth wasnt enough, I soon enough discovered that THERE WAS NOTHING BETWEEN THAT DOG and his lunch... me. no fence.  no bird, no nothing.  I went into a pure panic and started running for my life and could physically feel the pain of him biting into my innocent calf.  all in my mind of course, imagining the worst.  Suddenly my comp screamed, WAIT WE PROBABLY SHOULDNT RUN! so we immediately started walking, going against every self defense method in my conscious.  But hey, it worked.  THe dog stopped chasing us, and we made it away without a scrath.  Only pounding hearts and a nervous laughter.  we treated ourselves to some ice cream after that little fiasco because we had basically beat the final boss on the final level of some crazy hard video game.  And that was that.  

This week I did a lot of walking.  Before, during siesta, you could find someone to talk to, but now with the blazing heat, it is IMPOSSIBLE to have success during those dead hours.  So, we just walk, and walk, and knock, and walk.  It is the life.

The hermanas are going to be leaving tomorrow.  Im distraught.  They definitely were the break that I needed.  Yes, it did cause a bit of drama living with 4 girls, but I am going to miss Hna Wade like crazy.  We truly are the best of friends and I will probably cry when she leaves. WE have seen miracles together, and she is a friend that I will always have.  en serio.  I cant wait for you all to meet her after the mish at BYU,

Another quick miracle before I run out of time.  We had a less active come to the church!! It wasn´t a sunday, but it is progress!!!!  She is an ex missionary, and after marrying a non member, she has fallen to the deep end.  After visiting her countless times, we finally have reached a LANDMARK! As we were talking about family history and I showed her my booklet, she got so excited.  So we set up a date with the ward consultant, and we went to do the work in the church!!!  She is so excited, and we are now one more step closer to her happiness! She had not gone to church in over 25 years, and since then, the church has been rebuilt.  So, the member took the iniciative and showed her through a tour of the church.  We were like, "I thought we were the missionaries... But this is even better!"  Now she knows another person in the church, and seen the changes, and has felt the love of God just by simply stepping inside his house for a moment.  

We are doing the work.  Again, its not easy, but There would be a problem if it was.  

"Si no intentamos, no lo hacemos. Si no lo hacemos, Por que estamos aqui?" Pres Monson.  

 (If we don't try, we don't do.  If we don't do, why are we here?

Do your duties and keep working hard back at home.  I cant believe that in one yr from today I will be released from this calling as a missionary!!! :(((

I love you all!

con mucho amor,

Hermana Woolley

Week 19, Bell Ville - Nov. 10, 2014

Bueno, this week I don´t have a lot to say!! It has just been so fun that I can´t remember all that happened.  Normally I prepare a letter outline so that I can hit all the best moments, but I forgot... sorry.  Looks like you may be getting more of a Cameron Herald Robins letter today. 

Hermana Wade!!!! She is my new best friend and we are killin it together.  She is from AZ and goes to BYU.  She swam with Kenzie Wells for a little before the mish.  We are basically the same person, and we have so much fun together.  The days don´t seem long, and we just laugh.  The very first day, the alarm went off and we got straight to work!!! We both got up, said our prayers, and started our exercise.  As I was timing myself while mastering a plank, I did a double take looking at the time.  IT WAS 3:30 IN THE FREAKING MORNING!!! Talk about butt crack of dawn.  We went straight back to bed. We had already done 20 mins of exercising!! It all made sense after. why it was so dark outside, why the other sisters didn´t get out of bed. todo.  The story is that Hna Vela had set an alarm to take a pain pill in the night, and Hna Wade and I just got right to it.  When we woke up at the right time, we couldn´t stop laughing.  And we haven´t stopped laughing since.  We are already talking about the fun times we will have together at BYU after the mish.  Being with her has been such a blessing.  I finally understand what it is like to have a friend in the mission.  Comps are great, but sometimes you just need a true friend.  That she is, and it has only been one week.

We had an investigator come to church! P*.  She might be legally insane, but we will find out soon.  

It feels so good to actually go to church and not be the inactive missionary.  It feels so good  to have investigators again.  It feels so good to bear my testimony.  It all feels so good.  I love it here and the days are only getting brighter.

I love you all!!!

Love, 

Hermana Woolley

PS I got a letter this week from Grandma Lambert for Halloween!! She said she sent it Sept 30, and I got it Nov 6.  I am not sure still with the whole package thing... sorry.

President,

How are you?

I am great!  This week was MUCH better.  It was difficult for me to stay in the apartment for so much time.  Now with the other sisters here with us, I have a lot less stress.  Sister Wad and I are good friends and are very happy to be together for this short time. Also, we are doing some

Interchanges so that Sister Costello can get out too.  Sister Vela is getting better, little by little, we are going to beat this!

This week we visited with many of the converts.  There are two with health problems and other lacking in testimony.  But, we are working hard and speaking about the temple.  Meanwhile, the other Sunday, 5 recent converts gave their testimonies in sacrament meeting.  Cool right?  Also, our branch has a temple trip planned to Buenos Aires at the end of the month.  For this we are talking a lot about family history and the blessings that the temple brings us and showers on us.   We are all excited.

We had and investigator come to church for the first time and after she asked us to help her full in her genealogy book.  She doesn’t understand everything yet, but she has a desire to move forward and understand Jesus Christ.   We are going to teach her cousins, dad and brothers.  Her name is P*.

We have other new investigators and plans to visit them this week.  We are working to make up the time we lost from the surgery and we will be successful.

Thanks for everything.  You are an example to all of us and we love you.

Hermana Woolley

  chocolate from an ice cream bar with dulce de leche in the middle.  divine. but kinda melty.  

Mate. LOVE IT! I finally drank my fist one here.  burnt my tongue. but tasty!

 Us "tracting" at the cemetery.  so so so creepy there!!!  Us three crawled into the place where they put the tombs.  My body was literally shaking and I was reminded of the time we went to the catacombs! haha

Week 18 - Bell Ville - Nov. 3, 2014

Family, Friends, Ward Members & Cuzco (mi cuzcito)!!!!

Wow... what a week of nothing! hahahaha  ok.  I havent read your letters yet, so I will print them and read them later tonight.  So sorry if I don’t respond to something important... I haven’t read it and just thought that you might like a letter instead of me using all my time to read your letters!

First off, I want you all to know that I love this gospel with all my heart! I love it! Because it is perfect!  It is not easy, and it never will be, but we knew the road would be tough before we came here!

This week I have been locked up.  I have not left the pension (apartment) for NOTHING!!!  I have not taught one lesson, not even crossed the street.  I did however take the garbage out to the curb as my comp was watching me from the balcony.  I felt so naughty. haha.  But ya, Ive just been cooped up!  We´ve watched Disney movies (2x each).  Ive read and studied a lot.  I´ve attempted to solve the Rubix cube without any luck.  I´ve cooked everyday.  I´ve cleaned.  I´ve slept.  I´ve dealt with Ruben- nuestro dueño (landlord).  We have had the floor crack and the shower flood in the past week.  And who has to take care of all the dirty work when their comp is on her death bed? oh ya, that would be me.  Truth be told... I´m scared that I´ve forgotten how to be a missionary!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well, here I am.... in CORDOBA MY NEW AREA! haha.  Jokes on you.  Im still here in good ole Bell Ville!!!  I will be here for at least another 6 weeks with Hna Vela.  BUT, 2 hermanas have come from Merlo to help me out a bit.  Since the pension is so big, 2 more hnas are going to live with us for the next 2 weeks so that we can do exchanges.  Hermana Costello and Hermana Wade.  Both are gringas!!!!!!!!!!!! Thank goodness.  Such a relief!  I am way excited to have a bit of a change and have the chance to work again and do what I came out here to do!  I am a little sad because now I will be leaving most likely Bell Ville Dec 18.  Which means I will only have a few days to get to know my new area before we party the night away for the holidays, but you never know.  I could stay here for 7  1/2 months like Hermana Gonzalez!  

Bueno, there is not any news to update you on, so I am just going to share with you all some things that I have read and studied this week.  

While I was writing about my family for my pamphlet, I was filled with such a spirit!!  I KNOW that I am sealed to you punks forever, and I couldnt be happier!  It would be so much easier if you were really punks because then I wouldnt miss you... but know that I know that I have so much joy in my heart with the blessings of the temple.  

Bueno, que mas.... oh ya! I finished Matthew this week and as I was finishing his book, I read of Christs atonement.  I cried as I read the precious words of that sacred moment.  I know that it is real and it is perfect.  Use it Everyday.  It is the only way to get through!  I also was reading in Alma 7.  It is so interesting to me that in both Matthew and Alma 7, they explain so vividly the Atonement of Christ, yet immediately afterword, there is an invitation to be baptized.  Coincidence? I think not.  (Brother Heaston saying)  We can show our love, devotion, gratitude and todo by making covenants with Christ and choosing to follow him forever.  He constantly will be there for us.  All we have to do is act.  I love this gospel!!! Did I already say that? well its true, and I will keep saying it forever!!!

ok, update on hna Vela.  She really is healing slowly. For this reason, this morning I studied a lot about patience.  Do the personal study in PMG for patience! It will change your lives!   I feel so much hope now and am grateful for this opportunity to serve in another way.  When I was set apart, I was told to be patient with my companions.  Thats what I am trying to do right now!  Pray for me, but know that it is getting easier and I am happy!

Lastly, I want to share a quote from Elder Hollands talk called "The Miracle of a Mission"  he says, "I had a missionary ask me once if I would give my life for the church.  I said, ´¨Élder, I am giving my life for the church.´  I know what he meant.  What he meant was ´Would I die for it?¨´  Well, thats the easy part. Thats a snap!  On some days it looks really appealing.  Thats the easy part, to die for it.  Well, what God needs is people who will live for it, people who will go the distance, people who are in this race we´re talking about that will go all the way to the tape.  And some may die along the way, and thats wonderful, but he needs people who will finish the work.  He needs people who will wrap this up, and thats the pledge I make to you, and thats the pledge He has asked.  We´re in this together."

Holy Cow.  How cool right?  The hard part of this live is to live, but only by living can we love, learn and complete the job we are here to do for our Father in Heaven.  Keep on living on with patience.  The work is not done.  Live your testimonies and Endure with diligence.  D&C 103 :36, sorry I only know it in spanish but it says "Todo victoria y toda gloria os es realizada mediante vuestra diligencia, fidelidad y oraciones de fe."

Finish strong, We´re in this together.  Hurrah for Israel.

I love you all!!!!

Con mucho amor, 

Hermana Woolley

Her letter to the President,

Hi President,

This week we were in the apartment the entire time, but I have learned a lot in my studies and in serving Sister Vela in her pain.  I have used this time to take advantage to become more and to learn what the Lord wants me to learn.  I have worked a lot on the family pamphlet and also felt a very special spirit.  While writing about my parents, grandparents etc, I could feel the this is all real.  Everything is real.  Everything is perfect.  The temple is the House of God.  I have a family forever.  And now, I want to share this with everyone.  Thank you for the opportunity and challenge to do this work.

Also, thank you for sending two more sisters here to Bell Ville for some time.  I was starting to worry that I had forgotten how to work!! Haha.  I am excited to work again, and I hope that with this change, Sister Vela can feel better too.  I am going to do every thing that I can to be a missionary worthy of my plaque and calling.   I am going to be here in Bell Ville for six more week for some reason.  I am going to find my purpose here and fulfill my responsibility.

With love!

Thank you for everything President.

Hermana Woolley