12-19-2011

Mabel's Baptism

Whewwww what a week!  We witnessed a big miracle this week.  MABEL GOT MARRIED AND BAPTIZED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (that was mostly for Hermana Payne because really no one else will really understand... haha, I hope you´re reading this hermanita!!) So wow.  A lot happened, but mostly we spent Tuesday-Saturday planning, preparing, and carrying out a wedding and baptism for Mabel.  How 2 gringas who don´t speak spanish did it, I have no idea.  I guess the Lord´s hand just might be in this work or something. :)  But seriously... we did a LOT of work.  Mabel has been working with missionaries for a year and a half now, and we have been with her for about 3 months or so I think.  She´s pregnant so right now her emotions are all over the place, haha, and last week I was really down and starting to lose faith in her because she told us that she would be baptized ´some day´.. which meant not this Saturday which is when we had the date.  I told her we were going to announce it in church anyway and see how she felt with more time throughout the week.  So we announced it, but she was still kinda up and down.  The zone leaders came with us for a lesson with her on Tuesday and everything went really well and something changed in her.  We set the date for Saturday for sure, and the wedding too.  It was such a miracle... her husband was there and everything was up in the air because they didn´t know if they could get their bloodwork done in time because he had to work.  So he was inside and we were getting ready to leave with things in the air still, and he called out from inside and said ´Mañana.  Mañana en la tarde´ (tomorrow, tomorrow in the evening).  He just called it out... and I got a rush through my body and felt the spirit so strongly, and we knew he was talking about getting his blood work done.  He came out and said ´puedo hacerlo mañana en la tarde´.  We all kind of just sat there in awe.  I don´t know if he went in and called his boss, or if he knew already that he could do it but he didn´t really want to work with us or what, but something changed and he came out, and we all just got huge smiles on our faces.  Bueno... so after that we had to find witnesses and go and get the papers for everyone to sign and get all the documents copies and everything, not to mention planning a wedding party for them and the baptism... whew! We were smoked.  We worked super hard all weekend, but it was ALL so worth it.  I have NEVER seen Mabel or her family so happy before!  This week they changed so much because she made the firm decision to be baptized.  She was more ready than I have ever seen her and more sure than ever.  And it all went through smoothly! One of the happiest days of my mission so far!  Armín her husband will be baptized too with time.  It´s funny because he is always inside watching tv or whatever, but she told us that he is always listening from inside.  He kind of acts embarrassed or like he´s too cool to talk to us, hahaha, but we know it is really touching him too and he knows it´s true.  Mabel told us that he invited some of his friends to the wedding and were telling them that because of this gospel they have seen big changes in their family.  It was all so sweet! Sooo... that´s the exciting news this week!! It was incredible. :)  We also have a baptism this week for Miguel.  He and Mirta are getting married Thursday and he will be baptized Friday.  We are having a lot of success and all I can do is thank Heavenly Father for everything he is doing to bless us!  Bueno... now for the funnies of the week!

AWKWARDS INCOMODOS Y CHISTOSOS

• I hardly ever use my glasses when we´re walking around, which is usually fine except for when we´re waiting for the bus at night and I can´t tell that I´m trying to flag down a truck instead of a bus. How embarrassing. haha
• during our awesome and spiritual lesson with Mabel and the zone leaders, Mabel´s daughter Yeni finds a dead toad outside their house and starts throwing it around above our heads. Ohhhh Argentina :)
• so we´re at the wedding and we were already starting late (which is normal) and a lady had just had a seizure and we were still waiting for people so the stress was rising.  My comp and I were outside talking and she was stressed out so I was trying to calm her down and then we both get calm and start being all cheesy and hugging because we are so happy that Mabel´s getting baptized and everything.  No one else was around, and just then, Armín mabel´s husband walks up. Bahahah. It was soooo awkward.  We couldn´t even find the words to say in Spanish, we were just like ´uhhhh..... yeah...... vamos al dentro ahora!...´ hahaha
• of course, in the most busy weeks our cell phone runs out of credit.  So we´re in the church making phone calls when the relief society president runs in and seriously throws her baby in my lap.  She said really quick ´un ratito no mas!´ or something about how it would just be for a second and then she ran off before I could even tell her that we aren´t allowed to hold babies as missionaries. Hahaha so we´re sitting there in the office, just me and hermana green, alone, and I have a baby in my lap. Wowwwwww. Super funny.
• going to the libreria every day, sometimes twice a day, to make copies and buy stuff for the wedding and baptism.  All of the workers there now know us pretty well :)
• for some reason it is really popular right now to say the F word in Argentina... I think it´s from a song.  The funny/sad thing is that NOBODY knows what it means.  We had 2 different teens in the ward ask us ´what does ´what the ----´ mean?´ and we were both shocked and freaked out and told them to never say it.  It´s definitely weird seeing that phrase come out of the mouths of church members!  We are now trying to spread the word that they should NEVER say that phrase
• we had our ward christmas party this week that started at 7:00.  What time did it actually start? 10:00. Not. Kidding.  They served the food 3 hours late. Bahaha! AMO Argentina

Bueno... I think that´s about it!  Seriously this week was awesome.  Stressful and busy but awesome.  I can´t believe Hermana Green and I already have 4 p-days together.  The time is going by WAY too fast!!  But we saw miracles this week, and I am so happy!! Seriously Mabel´s family is changed and I am so proud of her for making the decision.  I saw a huge change in her this week, and a lot of people sacrificed to help make it happen.  Armín was so cute when we was signing the papers... mabel was asking him if he wanted to practice more.  I guess he had been practicing all week, because he gets really nervous and his hand shakes a lot and I don´t think he can read or write very well.  When we went to finalize the date and time for the wedding Yeni was with us and she started jumping up and down yelling ´se casa se casa se casa se casa!!!!!!!!´ .... she was really really excited that they were getting married. :)  I am so grateful for this opportunity to be here and share the gospel with these people, and watch their lives and their families change!

Hope you all have a fabulous Christmas!  And I hope everyone is remembering Christ and all that he has done for us... the real meaning of Christmas, the miracle that we CAN change, we CAN improve and receive the strength we need to move forward and receive this pure joy that comes only from Him and his gospel.

I love you all!!! FELIZ NAVIDAD!!!

--Hermanita Hunt