Kendall Michelle: {ESTOY VIVA!} #1

Hola my most favorite people ever!!

I have arrived in the beautiful beach town of Pinamar in Argentina. I can´t believe I am finally here!! Today is a beautiful breezy day.. the air is fresh, the birds are singing, I'm smiling, and speaking Spanish!! Can I understand it all? No. But I'm still always smiling and working through it because I want to be able to communicate with these wonderful people! The accent here is strange though because of the way the ll and y is pronounced. Plus, everyone speaks like Italians where they raise their voices! haha It is so funny and I love it! I am consistently learning more Spanish because my companion is from Santiago, Chile!

Hermana Rodriguez is the sweetest and I love her to death! The Lord truly placed me with the best! I prayed for my trainer every day in the MTC and I was blessed immensely. The day I got to the mission home (Oh boy, let's not talk about how little sleep I got on the plane ride!) We had lunch, met our trainers and eight of us got on a bus to head to the coast.. Seven hours later we arrived at 4:30 in the morning! We slept in until 10:00 in order to get some sleep and then started the day!

The first day was so difficult because not only was it raining, but we got lost, and I was soaked because I forgot my raincoat! I didn´t let it get me down though. So yes, it does rain a lot but the sister before me left rain boots in my size! What are the odds!? My rain coat, now that I'm wearing it, has been so great as well! To top it all off, I am rocking a street cruiser bike! In serving this mission, I have been given an unbelievable amount of positivity and joy. I am so grateful for that!

Argentina is Argentina. If you want American stuff, get ready to pay up! Fortunately, my apartment is the best in the mission so I´m so lucky to have it my first area! The shower is hot, there´s only been a few spiders and it´s right next to the church! Plus... did I mention I really love my bike?? haha.

So we have a branch here. Not quite enough members for a ward. Probably 50 people total. It isn't very organized and the way my companion describes the branch is... They need A LOT of work! Apparently they are always fighting and stuff.. I cannot wait to get working with them! haha So we are really focusing on the members and also the inactive members. Investigator wise, we have quite a few to work with! One family very special to us is the Duarte family. They have six kids and really enjoy the lessons. Every time we visit we see different positive changes happening in their lives and we think we will accomplish a lot with them. More details to come later on that! We also have Norma and her three children. The girls come to church but Norma has no interest and like most people in Argentina, she is not married to the father of her children. They live together but they are not willing to get married in order to be baptized. That's a big problem here but we have also seen miracles with that. Norma's family lives in a literal shack. The same as a lot of people in our area. There is a high end and a very poor end. I am humbled every day but absolutely LOVE it. It is so special. All I want to do every day is help, work, work and more work!

The spirit is so prevalent in my life. I am always lead to say certain things in lessons and the members tell me daily that I sound so good with my Spanish! I have been able to throw away my fear of speaking publicly in Spanish and just go for it. How else would I learn!? It's been so fun learning! Plus my companion DOES speak a little English thankfully! Sometimes though, I like to make her really confused and talk really fast in English. She just stares at me blankly. haha

I love her so much! Luckily when I speak slowly she can usually understand me. I seriously try to speak as much Spanish as possible though. I'm truly like a little child learning this language!

Speaking of kids.. I'm obsessed!! The kids here are so cute!! The little son of the Branch President is so adorable and always screams "Chao Manas!"(Chao Hermana's) whenever we leave. The kids treat us like we're angels... jumping all over us and fascinated by our bikes and just climb right on like they own the place. Seriously, just too funny! Even more funny that I'm worse at Spanish than them! The kids love playing with my "yellow hair" haha Everyone here helps me with my Spanish and I always feel so loved.

The food! Yep, let's talk food! Pizza, Pasta and Empanadas are the staple food triangle here in Argentina! Every single restaurant is Pizza and Pasta haha BUT let's talk sushi for a second. They are opening a new restaurant near our pench! Hermana Rodriguez and I both LOVE sushi so we decided that after a long special occasion day we would treat ourselves! The members also feed us SO WELL. Seriously. I tell them that I'm studying Nutrition and they kind of stare at me blankly and continue to serve me heaping plates of pasta.. I am not complaining one bit though!
I have the biggest appetite ever here! We are always biking up what seems like San Fran hills! They kick my butt but then again, I'm probably exaggerating just a bit. So favorite foods yet are the Empanadas and Dulce de Leche ice cream! The ice cream here is so rich and good! So anyway, I hope you all are having fun while I'm here gaining 50 pounds! No, totally a joke. I think I'm starting to lose weight from the bike and gaining calves of steel! We shop weekly for making food in our kitchen. I'm doing all of the shopping because Hermana Rodriguez wants to eat healthier!

Oh! BTW... I taught an English class.. who knew!? haha And we have an activity for Family History in the library! Also, Hermana Rodriguez teaches a class on how to make clothes and the public attends (two people) and they will soon be our investigators! Yeah? Yeah? ...always planning ahead!

The scripture I am living this week is D&C 19:37-4137

37 And speak freely to all; yea, preach, exhort, declare the truth, even with a loud voice, with a sound of rejoicing, crying—Hosanna, hosanna, blessed be the name of the Lord God!

38 Pray always, and I will pour out my Spirit upon you, and great shall be your blessing—yea, even more than if you should obtain treasures of earth and corruptibleness to the extent thereof.

39 Behold, canst thou read this without rejoicing and lifting up thy heart for gladness?

40 Or canst thou run about longer as a blind guide?

41 Or canst thou be humble and meek, and conduct thyself wisely before me? Yea, come unto me thy Savior. Amen.

What a joy it is to be here! It is so hard at times but it's also the best of times.

I am able to print my emails out every Monday Mom, so no worries about writing too much! There is no such thing as too many letters! It was so wonderful to talk with you last Tuesday from the airport!! I'm grateful the calls finally went through! I am so glad that you had fun in California Mom, Dad and Price and I loved hearing all about it!! Seriously cannot wait to go back with you guys! I love you all so much! Pray for missionary experiences, trust me, the Lord is always listening! Life is great, keep on smiling :)

I have to finish up now. I could write for hours but my time is up and there's always next Monday!

Off to another great day of work!! Can't wait to hear from you all soon!

XOXOXO

-Hermana Barrett

Until Monday, Stay amazing! Paz y Bendiciones Siempre