Christmas!

Asado (barbecue) roasting on an open fire, Juan frost nipping at your nose and folks dressed up as gauchos (cowboys)... #Argentinenavidad

I can`t believe how fast this year has passed! This year of my life has been completely dedicated to missionary work. 

My Christmas in the mission was one of my favorites! We ate breakfast burritos in the capilla,(Church building)  then we did secret santa. I received a picture of Alina and us at her baptism and a bar of mantecoal (an Argentine chocolate bar) (be still my beating heart. I do love that stuff :)) 

Then we ate lunch and skyped with our families. We also watched Big Hero 6 and the Minions. 

I loved skyping with my family. It was good to see their happy faces and introduce them to my missionary friends :)

This week we also went caroling in the plaza. we stood on a cement thing in the middle of a busy intersection. People in the cross walk filmed us and all the cars had their windows rolled down as they passed. They especially loved it when we sang Jingle Bells in English. I love spreading Christmas spirit! #stillbelieveinSanta #Christisthegift #wearetonedeaf

As for the challenges of December: 

I finished the New Testament a few days before Christmas. From this experience I gained a greater testimony and appreciation for my Savior. He is the perfect example of selflessness and love. I put myself in the place of the disciples to learn how I can improve as a missionary. The disciples are bold and loving in their teaching. They testify of Christ in every moment and have complete trust in him. I encourage you all to finish the New Testament if you haven`t yet.

My sacrifice was fear. I often find my fear of failure getting in the way of my success. This month my comp and I set the goal to reach the standard of the mission. It seemed like a big goal and i had my doubts, but I threw them aside and dived head-first into the work. We saw so many miracles and my faith was strengthened. God is on our side and keeps his promises. In the end we were able to go over the standard. It reminds me of the miracle when Christ multiplies the bread and fish. If we give Him everything He will make it so much more. I love my Savior.

Challenge: Make new year resolutions, but get Heavenly Father involved. Pray for help to know which resolutions to set and pray for strength to keep them. We can do ANYTHING with the help of our God. He loves us and wants our success.

Love you all a ton,

Hermana Davis

The best week of my mission!

Hermana Cardenas, Hermana Davis 

and Alina on her baptism day!

Group picture on Alina's baptism day!

Group picture on Alina's baptism day 12. 19. 15

Alina on her baptism day 12. 19. 15

"Welcome to your baptism Alina!" 

I just finished the best week of my whole life!

I can´t say everything, (I have to have a few surprises for when I skype the fam :))

But, Here are some of the miracles:

1. I completed a year in the mission

2.  Claudio, the son of Violeta, acepted a fecha!!!!! He entered the room and Violeta said, "He´s the one you should be teaching." 

Claudio looked at us and said, "I´d listen to you guys. You just have to ask me."

So, we sat him down and talked about baptism. He said, "I know you guys are from God and I will follow whatever you tell me to do." Capo!!!

3. Do you remember the aunt of Rodrigo from Puerto Madryn? Well, she got baptized on Saturday. :)

4. Alina got baptized! She is my first baptism and it was an amazing experience. Her whole family ended up coming to support her. We had three people in the font. After the service we watched this awkward city choir performance in the capilla. They had this one really big guy who belted out "Río Gallegos!" every 30 seconds in the chorus. It was a musical work written to praise the city... #RíoGallegospride

#MarvinPayne #supercultured

Anyways, there are lots more miracles.

I hope you all enjoy the Christmas season. Remember to focus on the gift that your Father in Heaven gave you - his son.  

Challenge: Keep doing your sacrifice. My sacrifice is fear and I am having some really neat experiences and miracles :D

Love, 

Hermana Davis

Glacier "Perito Moreno and LOTS of pics!

Hermana Davis at the Glacier

District on their way to the glacier on P-day

District at the Glacier 

Hermana Cardenas and Hermana Davis at the Glacier

Map of where this glacier is in comparison
to her area of Rio Gallegos. 

"I love my mission!"

So, this week was chock-full of super adventures (but, what else is new?)

1. Zone conference - we drank animo (encouragement) soda and learned about how to be good missionaries. We also had a special Christmas program. 

Hermana Cardenas and Hermana Davis
at Zone Conference 

Zone conference dinner 

2. Ramona, one of the puppies that follows us, got hit by a car and broke her leg. Two strangers picked her up in their car and drove her off. We haven¨t seen her since. 

3. A miracle: We put a fecha (baptismal date) with Juan, the boyfriend of Violeta. I can not express to you how excited I am for this couple. Juan is very humble, doesn't know how to read very well, but is ready to make changes in his life. Violeta´s kids and grand kids arrived from Cordoba on Saturday, so now there are 11 of them living in the house. We are going to baptize them all!!!!! (except those who are under the age of 8.)

4.  Divisiones with Hna Lock. She is a beast-boss. We laughed and stayed up almost all night talking about the mission and life. She is so chill and has a great way of looking at life. It was an energizing day :) Plus, we almost killed the rat that has been living behind our stove. We were doing dancing exercises in the morning and it ran across the room and hid in my hat that was on the floor. We almost killed it with a broom. When I say "we" I really meant that I filmed and Hna Lock was holding the broom. I´ll show you the video in a few months.

5. All of our 4 fechas (people committed to baptism) came to church! We visited Juan Silva in the morning without telling him beforehand because we couldn't find him earlier this week. He opened the door and said, "hola!"

We replied, "Hola Juan, let´s go to church!" Turns out that he is the uncle of a member of our ward. What a surprise! 

6. We went to the glacier. Definitely put this one on your bucket list! It is stunning and so tranquilo (peaceful)  I met people from Brazil, Holland, Germany, and Colorado. So worth the long 5 hour drive each way.

7. We have something very special planned for this week. Pray for a giant Christmas miracle! We could use all of the help we can get :)

Panorama of Rio Gallegos

Hermana Davis and empanadas

I love you all a ton!

Hermana Davis

Family, 

I can´t write a ton because I´m pressed for time...BUT I just want to let you know that I am very happy and I am working super duper hard. My comp and I are doing great.  She is such a capa (awesome) and I love seeing her progress. We have fun together and she has had a lot of great experiences in just her first transfer.,

Ugg. Dopey (one of the dogs that follows her)  is sitting under me right now and he smells putrid...pero, bueno. Así son las cosas acá (well, great, this is how things are here!)

Hermana Davis the CIA agent :)

Fun fact about Rìo Gallegos: You know those holes in the ozone layer that everyone talks about? I am actually living in one. Yes, they exist. Don`t worry, I put on sunscreen every morning. The people think it`s funny when I burn because they are used to people getting darker when they burn, but I just turn red and get more freckles.

You may not believe it, but I think I`m also becoming a social butterfly. That`s what happens when you spend all day talking to strangers :)

Anyways, it`s been an eventful week. This morning I decorated our pension so it looks like an Argentine winter wonderland. We are going to make snowflakes tonight after planning.

This week my compa put her first fecha (baptismal date) with Juan Silva, a Chilean grandpa. We taught him the restoration and the plan of salvation. His wife died 5 years ago, but she had a book of Mormon and was reading it. I felt that she is helping Juan find the gospel so that he can accept it in this life and do her temple work. It was a really neat experience.

Adelina is an antigua (old investigator) that doesn`t believe in God. We passed by last week and she said that she had been praying. This week was passed by and testified of the atonement. I was testifying from my heart just wishing that she could feel the love of God. I thought about how how much God loves us and I began to cry. It was a powerful lesson and a moment that I will never forget. I have such a testimony of the atonement. God loves us and we are NEVER alone.

Violeta is a boss. I just can`t believe how fast she is progressing! She came to a ward asado that we had. Instead of sticking by the missionaries she ran off and made her own friends. Then I introduced her to an hermana that likes doing family history. It was instant friendship :) At the end of the activity she was exchanging phone numbers with the sisters from the ward. I feel so lucky to be part of her conversion process to the church. Sometimes I look at her and see her in white clothes on temple grounds. Then I imagine seeing her again in the life after this one. It`s a joy that can`t be described with words. She also comes to church by herself and has more than 4 asistencias! (church attendance) She also stayed for Relief Society yesterday for the first time and then stayed even longer to watch a baptism service that took place after the church meetings. She has a different light in her eyes and I can see the change that is taking place in her heart. The gospel makes people happy. It`s a happiness that comes from the inside and shines outward.

Alina`s baptism is still schedule for the 19th. She came to church this last Sunday and also stayed for the baptism. There are some kinks that we need to iron out before her baptism. Please keep her in your prayers.

We had a ward asado (barbeque) out in the campo (wilderness/ camp ground) We played a game of soccer on a giant dusty field. Violeta was the goalie. It was like the moment in the Secret life of Walter Mitty when they played the soccer game in the mountains. Yeah, except there wasn`t any mountains. It hit me once again that I am in Argentina, my home away from home :) I love this place.

We had a Christmas inspired zone meeting. This is my favorite zone I`ve had in my mission. It`s a different spirit - we are all working so hard to be better and to find the people that are prepared here in Rìo Gallegos.

Now for the crazier parts of the week:

We were knocking doors and we found some crazy old investigators. The drunk uncle would only talk to Hna Cardenas and was trying to tell her to be careful because I was from the CIA. (Shhh...no one is supposed to know.) It was a weird lesson and the spirit was not there. I felt that we needed to leave, so I said, "Is it alright if we end with a prayer?" Then I explained how we pray. I asked if it would be alright if I offered the prayer. The Dad said, "No, I`ll say it." The only thing he prayed for was for the food on the table. There was no food on the table, only cigarettes. #pleaseblessthecigarettes #noreturnappointment

We have a rat in our pension. Don`t worry folks, this morning I set a trap and sprinkled venom pellets. We will kill this thing.

We now have 4 dogs that follow us everywhere we go. It is preparing me to have a big family. People ask us, "Are they all yours?"  #thanksforthecontactsRocco

(Rocco is the Guardian angel dog)

I have seen lots of miracles and I may even have a baptism or two in the next few months. Jesus taught the most at the end of his life and I feel the same way about the end of my mission. I don`t want to burn out or get super tired in the last six months. I don`t want to start walking when the finish line is in sight. I`m ready to sprint. It`s a good feeling and I`m really enjoying the work.

Bueno, remember that you are supposed to sacrifice one thing this month. I am sacrificing fear. I want to be a Bold missionary like Ammon and Amulek.

Love you all!

Hermana Davis