"Don't cry for me Argentina" LAST EMAIL

Hermana Davis

Hermana Davis and Littlefield in Ushuaia

Hermana Davis, Littlefield and Jose in his store

Hermana Davis

Beautiful Ushuaia 

Ushuaia 

Ushuaia 

Hermana Davis with her mission president and wife - the Rogers

Hermana Davis, The Rogers, Gilda and Hermana Littlefield

Hermanas and their feets!

Rio Grande Zone on P-day

Well, this is it. The end has come in the end of the world. Not much happened since I wrote last week (On Wednesday). We went on a hike today to the Laguna Esmeralda. It was super icy and I fell a few times, but it was so much fun! We got together with the zone from Rìo Grande, so I was able to see Hermana Càrdenas :) We are going to have an asado in a few minutes. 

This week I am going to work harder than ever to have a baptism on my last day. Josè (from the kiosco) is progressing and has a fecha (baptismal date)  for Friday. Please pray for him! 

Here are the plans: on Saturday at 5am I leave Ushuaia to go to Comodoro. On Monday I have my final interview with President and then on Tuesday I leave for Buenos Aires. I arrive Wednesday morning in Salt Lake. 

It`s hard for me to put into words everything that I`ve felt and learned in the mission. I can`t count the ways that I`ve grown spiritually and as a person. I can`t describe the feeling of having a prayer answered or being able to testify of the Savior. 

All I can say is that I feel very grateful for the opportunity to be a missionary. I feel grateful for the many people that I've met and how they've each touched my life in a special way. I`m grateful for my Savior and the opportunity to start the week with a clean slate. I`m grateful for the tender mercies of our Heavenly Father. I`m grateful for the rainy days, wind, dogs, cold, and the many "no"s. I`m grateful for the faithful members who show me that a life devoted to Christ is the only way to be completely happy. I`m grateful for my family and the ways that they have grown during these 18 months. I`m grateful for all of the people who mention the missionaries in their prayers. 

The list goes on and on and on...

I want to share my simple testimony that I know God lives. I know because I feel it in my heart and I see His hand in my life. I know that the Book of Mormon is the word of God and that it has power to change hearts. I know that the atonement exists. It cleans, comforts, and strengthens us. I am grateful for baptism and the sacrament. I know that God wants families to be together forever. I know that there is life after death. I know that this is the only true church and that the fullness of the gospel is here on the earth. I know that Pres. Monson talks with God and I am grateful for his guidance and counsel 

I can`t thank you all enough for your support and prayers during my mission. I love you all very much and I`m grateful that you are a part of my life.

Con mucho amor,

Hermana Davis 

Side trip to Buenos Aires

Hermanas Woodbury, Davis and Littlefield 

Leadership Conference

HOTEL ROOM!  In Buenos Aires

Buenos Aires at night

This last week was full of adventures! Bueno, firstly we found a bunch of new investigators! It turns out that one of them was a inactive member that rejected a baptism fecha (we felt better about it when we realized that she had already been baptized :) #awkward #inviteeveryone)

We also had conference with Pres. It was my last conference and Pres`s last conference too! We showed off our baptism capes, learned how to baptize everyone, and felt the spirit. I shared my last testimony (such a surreal experience) and we said a kneeling prayer as a zone. 

Later in the week President had a going-away fireside. Gilda came with us and took a picture with President. Now Gilda is attending seminary! :)

The craziest part of the week happened on Monday. We had consejo on Tuesday at 9am. We were supposed to catch a planeon Monday at 2pm to arrive in Comodoro at 5pm. Turns out that the flights were canceled. The people in the office pulled a few strings and got us a flight...to BUENOS AIRES! That is really far from our mission boundaries! So, at 8:30pm Monday night I borded a plane in the end of the world and flew to the capital of Argentina. When we stepped off the plane it was a different world. It was warm, humid, with palm trees and huge buildings! The city is ginormous! My comp and I were preparing to sleep in the airport to catch our early morning flight to comodoro, but just then a taxi driver who works for the church picked us up and took us to a hotel. They gave us food and put us in a nice hotel room. It was like a dream. I couldn`t (and still can`t) believe that we were in Buenos Aires for a night. #missionadventures We made it to consejo and had an awesome spiritual experience. There is such faith as a mission. Our goal this month is to have 100 baptisms and I know that we can do it. 

As for right now, I am in Good ol` Rìo Gallegos. We missed our bus this morning because we had to do paperwork to cross the border of Chile. We are going to stay with Hna Woodbury and Hna Fontenla and then catch the bus in the morning to my beloved Ushuaia. 

I say this every email, but I love the mission. When I was sharing my last testimony in zone conference I realized a few things. There have been moments in my mission where I felt like I was drowning in my weaknesses. In those moments, when I felt a weak as ever, I was able to feel the love that God has for me.

There are countless things that I have learned from my mission. I have been thinking a lot about 3 specific points.

First, That the church of Jesus Christ is the only true church on the earth. It is the only church that has the authority (the priesthood) to give us access to the atonement and to help us make promises (covenants) with God. These promises are essential for our Salvation. Without them we can not return to the prescence of our Heavenly Father.

Second, the atonement is for everyone. Through the atonement we are forgiven, strengthened, and healed. Repentence is a gift to be used everyday. God doesn`t want us sitting around suffering in our sins. He wants us to be free from addictions, guilt, and pain. The atonment is first applied through baptism and then through the sacrament every week. Through the atonement we can know that God paid for our sins, that he paid for the sins of everyone else (this helps us to forgive others), that we are never alone, and that we will all be resurrected after this life. It is the universal medicine to heal the afflicted soul.

Third, if we have faith we can do all things! It says this so many times in the scriptures. God always always fulfills His promises. Let us not put limits on His power or in the ways He is able to bless us. If we trust in God and put in our part there isn`t anything that we can`t do. I have seen this in my mission. When I change my thoughts from "We can`t, it`s too hard, there are too many obstacles" to "let`s do everything possible and then put the rest in the hands of the Lord, I know all things are possible through him," I have seen incredible miracles. Get rid of fear, because fear and faith can`t exist together. Faith always proceeds miracles. 

I`ll write more next week. :) I love you all a bunch! 

Hermana Davis

Gilda and Abel got baptized!

Littledavis or is that Davisfield? 

Hermana Cardenas and Davis

Hermana Oberman and Davis

Text from Gilda:
"I decided to be baptized this Saturday.  Sorry that I didn't tell you sooner"

Hermana Davis, Gilda and Hermana Littlefield

Susana, Abel, Hermana Davis and Hermana Littlefield

So, This week was amazing! Abel and Gilda got baptized on the 28th of may. It was such a miracle!

Abel had been investigating the church for 5 years. His wife, Susana, is a returned missionary, but was inactive. He had had so many baptisms dates, but he never arrived at the font. His moment finally arrived and he made the decision to get baptized. He also received the priesthood on Sunday! Such a capo! He is a completely different person and there is a different spirit in their home. Roberto, the menos activo brother of Hermana Susana, went to the capilla for the first time in 12 years to see the baptism of Abel. Our investigator, Maria Elena, also went with her Boyfriend. :) 

Gilda was such a miracle! She is the niece of a menos active family. Now the family is getting active and Gilda is such an example. She sent us a message on Thursday saying that she had decided to get baptized. She is such a capa and I bet she´ll be a future missionary. She is excited to go to semanary and participate in the youth activities.

We also found a bunch of new people and we have citas with them this week. 

I am so grateful for the miracle that we have seen this week. God loves us so much and He loves each one of His children. 

Love, 

Hermana Davis

Is it your birthday?

The birthday girl!  Hermana Davis in
beautiful Ushuaia, Argentina

Hermana Davis and Hermana Littlefield in the Baptism
capes they made for their zone (16 of them!)

Hermana Davis in her baptism cape

Super Hermana Davis and Littlefield!  

 Birthday sign Hermana Littlefield made for Hermana Davis

Hermana Davis turned 21 today!
 Super thoughtful Hermana Littlefield made her breakfast

Kiosko (store) where Jose works

So this week was a big one. 21 years ago today a little red headed baby girl was born in St. Lukes hospital. Today that red head is in the very end of the world in the midst of her Argentine homies. Mission birthdays are the best kind of birthdays :) Thank you for all of your kind emails! I love you all so so much!

Also, we have 4 baptisms scheduled for Saturday the 28th of May! The people who are getting baptized are Abel, Miguel, Gilda, and José. Please pray for them! 

1. I completed 17 months on the 17th of May #17

2. We were walking to lunch in the elders´ area and a little girl contacted us. She asked, "Are you hermanas biblicas?" We said yes, gave her a Book of Mormon, and sent the info to the elders. They returned and put a fecha with her. #milagros!!!

3. We showed José the Restoration movie. He shut down his whole kiosco just so we could watch it :) The spirit was so so strong! We are going to do everything possible so that he gets baptized. He came to church on sunday for the 4th time and he loved it.

4. Miguel is reading and praying. He is so capo! María Elena said that they are going to read and pray as a family to help him prepare for his baptism.

5. Abel is so excited for his baptism. We can see the change of heart. We had a noche de hogar (FHE) with him and the familia Polanco. The members just love Abel and Susana, but not as much as we do :)

6. Gilda loved when we taught her about baptisms for the dead. She wants to get baptized for her relatives after her own baptism. 

7. With my comp we have been trying inspired contacting. We say a prayer before to choose the street. We have seen lots and lots of miracles. It´s like asking for references from Heavenly Father :)

8. Our zone set up a table in Centro and we gave away Books of Mormon. We had a lot of success and it was neat to testify of the book of Mormon in 2 minutes or less. I have such a testimony of the power that it has to change lives.

9. We found Alicia. She is an old investigator that loves the Book of Mormon. It was really a miracle how we found her, but that is a story for my homecoming talk ;) 

10. Did I mention that I love Ushuaia, I love my comp, and I just love being a missionary!

11.  Also, Elder Goodman called (he´s the new assistant) and he said that my comp and I are really making a difference in the zone. We made the baptism capes and also we are pushing the zone to focus more on the Book of Mormon. We also have the most fechas (not that that depends on personal skills, it all comes from Heavenly Father). We are finishing super strong!  

I love all of you so so much!

Hermana Davis

Hike to La Laguna de Tempanos

Happy Hermana Davis at Tempanos glacier and lake

 

Hermana Davis at La LagunaTempanos 

I did it!  A long, cold hike to La Laguna de Tempanos

My Zone at La Laguna de Tempanos 

Ice skating on the frozen lake at Tempanos

La Laguna de Tempanos

Dear friends and family:

Bueno bueno, this morning we went on a long hike up to the very top of a mountain to see a lake and a glacier. It was freezing cold and super stunning. We walked out onto the frozen lake and did some freestyle iceskating. I also drank glacier water (yet another thing to check off the bucket list :)) I sent a bunch of photos for your viewing pleasure :)

As for this week...

1. We put fechas with Gilda and Luis. They are the niece and nephew of an hermana menos activa. They already have assistencias and came to church on Sunday :) Their fecha is for the 28th of May.

2. José came to church!!!! He now has 3 asistencias and almost all of the lessons. He still has his doubts, but we talked to him about opening his heart and recognizing his answer. His fecha is also for the 28th of May

3. We visited Natalia, a new investigator. She believes a lot in Jesus and listened to the missionaries when she was younger. She was going to get baptized, but her parents didn´t give her permission. She hasn´t accepted a fecha yet, but we are planning on inviting her again this week :)

4. We had 2 great lessons with Abel. He and Susana came to church and loved it! Our little branch is changing for the better. They are really taking the whole "every member a missionary" thing to heart! Abel has a fecha for the 28th of May.

5. I got a little sick this week. It was like a regular cold, but it went into my chest. Luckily I took some antibiotics and everything cleared right up!

6. We made baptism capes for the zone. It was such a crazy idea, but it turned out so so awesome. We borrowed a sewing machine from an hermana and we sewed almost all night to make 16 capes. I´ll send some pictures later (I forgot to take some...pucha)

7. We contacted a 90 year old man while knocking doors. We gave him a book of Mormon and set a cita for this week. I´ll let you know how it goes :)

I love you guys,

Hermana Davis

Consejo (leadership counsel) and Coconut rice

Hermana Littlefield and Hermana Davis

On their way home from  leadership conference - super tired!

Notice the red trees in the background - in Ushuaia, Argentina

Aubrey with some of her Hermana friends

Coconut rice...made by her favorite Hermana Littlefield

Happy Mother´s Day! (bueno...yesterday)

This week we went to Comodoro. It´s a 20 hour ride to Comodoro and another 20 hours back in Collectivo. In Leadership conference we talked about having the faith to baptize. If there is one thing I´ve learned from the mission it´s that faith always PRECEDES the miracles.

Speaking of Miracles:

José said a prayer and opened the Book of Mormon to a random part. We invited him to do this to find his answer if this is the true church. He opened to 1 Nephi 14 and read the chapter heading. It says something like, "There are two churches. The church of the Lamb of God and the church of the devil." What a powerful answer, no? I know that God answers prayers.

We invited Miguel, the 12-year old son of María Elena, to be baptized on the 4 of june. He and his mom came to church and both have 3 asistencias! (attendance at church)

We had a great lesson with Abel y Susana. I had the feeling to share our testimonies. We did so and the spirit was so strong. Then they opened up with us about why Abel was hesitant to get baptized and their other concerns.

We had a great zone meeting! I am so excited for this transfer. My plan is to go out with a "bang!" We already have a few ideas... :)

I really love you guys and I´m so grateful for what you all have done for me. Thank you for your support, your prayers, and your examples.

Con muchísimo amor,

Hermana Davis

Semana en sus pasos

Hermana Davis

Hermana Davis and her companion Hermana Littlefield

Lake in Ushuaia in fall time

Fall trees in Ushuaia 

"Beware of the cat"

This week we did a "semana en sus pasos" (week in His steps). We worked extra hard this week to be more like Christ. We also made the sacrifice as a zone to get up at 6am everyday and read the book of Mormon. We also made personal sacrifices. On Friday we had a super day. We had Marianela, a member, accompany us for the afternoon. We did a bunch of contacts and had a few awesome lessons.

We also did divisions with Hermana Flores and Yañez :) 

Maria Elena said that marriage is in her future plans. We tried so hard to put a baptismal fecha with her, but she doesn't want it right now. We are going to keep passing by and hopefully we can find her boyfriend in the house (he leaves super early and comes home super late) and teach him too.

Laura was a menos activa, but now she is super active. Her sister, Abi, was baptized in September. We were talking to them about temples. Laura said, "The chain before us was broken, but now Abi and I are fixing it." Such capas!!!!

After a special shipment this week we now have 8 boxes of 36 book of mormons in our pension. We have made a goal to give them all away by the time that I finish the mission (around the 20th of June.) So far so good :) We have to give away 6 everyday to reach our goal. We are also thinking about getting the zone involved and doing a Book of Mormon Tsunami :) 

We now have a new branch presidency. The new president is a capo and I'm excited to see the change in our little branch. 

Now for the fun stuff:

This week I contacted a leperchaun. He had bright red hair and a red beard with green eyes and freckles. He said that he was born here in Ushuaia. We took down his address and invited him to church :)

We were making cookie dough (weird 9:45pm cravings...) and we didn´t have eggs. I remembered seeing something in pinterest about replacing eggs with mayonesa. I put pinterest to the test and squeezed a huge glob of mayonesa in the cookie dough mixture. It tasted fine, but our stomachs have been a little off for the past week. I would recommend buying eggs :)

Challenge: Tell someone about the Book of Mormon. Share the gift :)

Love ya,

Hermana Davis

Divisiones 3 times!

Hermana Davis - sea lions in background

Happy Hermana Davis with lighthouse

Hermana Davis

Hermana Littlefield and Hermana Davis 

On splits with Hermana Cardenas! (Aubrey was her trainer...her mom)

Aubrey and Hermana Villanvicencillo from Ecuador

Hermana Toone from Canada and Aubrey

Hermana Davis and Littlefield

Hermanas in Ushuaia

Snow outside the pension

International signs

 Below are all pics of beautiful snow-covered Ushuaia where Hermana Davis is serving

This week we did Divions 3 times! It was crazy, but we got a lot done and learned a lot from the hermanas. I did divisions with Hermana Villavicencio from Ecuador, Hermana Cárdenas (my hija from Oklahoma), and Hermana Toone from Canada. 

As for our investigators:T

Jose: He is reading and praying! After explaining (once again) the importantce of baptism. He finally understood that he must be baptized in order to return to the prescence of God. Everything is starting to click :) He came to a point in the lesson when he said, "I don't have anymore questions. I understand." It blew my mind because he always has a ton of questions that are off-topic or super deep doctrine.

Abel: He is struggling a bit. Please pray for him! He isn´t as excited for his baptism and his family is passing through a rough time. 

Sebastian: We contacted him before we went to Comodoro. We finally found him yesterday. We taught him about the Book of Mormon while on his doorstep. It went really well and he said that he would read.

We had 3 less active families come to church yesterday. One of the Hermanos that came hadn't been to church in 2 years! It was such a miracle :)

Spiritual Thought; CPR saves lives...spiritual lives.

Church

Pray

Read

Do it! I have seen so many people slack on the basics and that´s how they lose their testimony and go inactive for years. It´s the small and simple things that help our little seed of a testimony grow into a big tree of conversion. 

Love you all,

Hermana Davis