La Última Carta

Queridos Amigos,

The mission has been full of many firsts. First companion, first week, first area, first lesson, first baptism, first day of homesickness. But it's also had a lot of lasts. Last companion, last week, last area, last chance to share the joy of the gospel before it all ends.

I started my mission in Banfield 2, and I'll also be ending there. My firsts and lasts are coming together.

Many people ask me why I decided to serve a mission. My response has always been one word, "Joy". I felt so much joy from the gospel in my life that I couldn't go without sharing it. I felt that it would be selfish to not share the joy that I felt. This joy is hard to explain, but so wonderful to have. It's a feeling I don't ever want to lose. Like Lamoni, "I will give up all that I possess... that I may receive this great joy" (Alma 22:15). And if "men are, that they might have joy" (2 Nephi 2:25) how could I not go out and share it with all that would listen to me?

Luckily I didn't have to give up all that I possess to declare "good tidings of great joy" (Luke 2:10). My sacrifices weren't that great. My family and my studies are still waiting for me and jobs are easy to find.  The message that day after day I share with my fellow brothers and sisters is a message of joy, and this joy comes from Christ.

This week I had my last interview with President Calquín and he shared the following scripture: "For it must needs be, that there is an opposition in all things. If not... righteousness could not be brought to pass, neither wickedness, neither holiness nor misery, neither good nor bad..." (2 Nephi 2:11). Those words went straight to my heart as I thought about these past 18 months. I have felt moments of pure joy, but I only felt them because I felt moments of sorrow. As missionaries, "we have suffered all manner of afflictions, and all this, that perhaps we might be the means of saving some soul; and we supposed that our joy would be full if perhaps we could be the means of saving some" (Alma 26:30). Every rejection, every rainy day, every moment of exhaustion was worth it because my joy is full because I could be the means of saving some. I've seen that joy in others as they receive their answer about the Book of Mormon or as they leave the baptismal font glowing for joy.

My joy is full.

My joy is full through my Savior, Jesus Christ. He is my rock and my salvation. He has conquered death and sin and I know that thanks to Him, one day I can too. I know with all my heart that He lives. I know it just as I know that the sun will rise tomorrow. He died and rose again that we might all live again. I know that this is His church and that He guides it. He is the author of man's salvation.

These past 18 months representing Him has brought me so close to Him. I've had Him in my thoughts and everyday I've strived to be a little more like Him. I invite you all to accept His invitation of, "Come, follow me". He offers peace and joy unto all that are willing to come unto Him. Of these things I testify in the sacred name of our Redeemer, Jesus Christ, amen.

con amor,

Hermana Chaffin

"The joy of living comes from immersion in something that we know to be bigger, better, more endureing and worthier than we are"

-John Mason Brown

Amo Argentina

Queridos Amigos,

This week was abosolutely amazing! I learned so much and really saw a personal growth in myself, my companion, and the other sisters.

We went to Adrogue this week and I had the blessing of being with Hermana Hernandez (from Mexico) after 9 months of not seeing her. She is my best friend in the mission and I had a blast working hard with her.

This week I was reflecting a lot on what my mission has meant to me and how it has shaped my life. Sunday morning we passed by an investigators house to accompany her to church. She ended up being sick and couldn´t come. As we walked to the church, I had a moment to reflect on these past 14 months. I was filled with so much love for Argentina as I walked through the mud, looking at the leaves on the trees. It´s a love that I can´t express with words.

I love this country and it will always have a special place in my heart. It´s not perfect and it´s not paradise, but I love it. I love it because it has completely changed my life. My time here has brought me closer to my Savior and to my Father in Heaven.

I wouldn´t trade these past 14 months for anything. I can´t wait to see what these next 4 bring. I know that they´ll be great.

I love this work.

Con amor,

Hermana Chaffin

Hola

Queridos Amigos,

I don´t have much time (5 minutes to be exact)

I loved being in Monte Grande for another week.

It was flag day, so we had an activity with the ward there. I got to see Roxana again and it was a sweet reunion.

The mission is such an amazing experience. I´m learning so much and I love my Savior more and more each day. I know that this is His work and I know that He loves each one of you.

I´ll catch you all up on my latest adventures next week.

Lots of love,

Hermana Chaffin

I find the great thing in this world is not so much where we stand as in what direction we are moving: To reach the port of Heaven, we must sail sometimes with the wind and sometimes against it- but we must sail, and not drift, nor lie at anchor.

-Oliver Wendell Holmes

Ataque de los Perros

Queridos Amigos,

Wow, what an amazing week!

Hermana Ochoa and I went to Ezeiza to work with Hermana Lohman (California) and Hermana Hernanadez (Guatemala). They split their area in half and Hermana Ochoa and I took turns between each area. So one day I was with Hermana Lohman and the next with Hermana Hernanadez. I had a blast working with each sister and seeing the different ways that they teach and work. We found lots of new investigators and we worked hard the whole week. It´s so great to get to know all of the sisters in the mission.

We had lots of adventures this week and some crazy things happened, hence the title of this email. One day I was with Hermana Hernandez walking down a dirt road of Argentina. We had just finished talking to a man and I stopped to write down his address in my notebook so that we could visit him later in the week. As we stopped to do this, a swarm of dogs came running to greet us. One in particular was very interested in me. It was actually a very pretty dog and not very big. I turned to talk to Hna Hernandez to comment on how cute the dog was when I felt something warm and wet on my leg.... In disbelief, I turned and looked down to find the no longer cute dog marking me as his territory. I couldn´t believe it!!!! Mid-calf to heel was soaked..... Luckily I didn´t wear tights that day and I was wearing my crocs. Hahaha Hna Hernandez was laughing so hard she could talk.

My experiences in the mission never cease to amaze me.

The next day was just as exciting. That day I was with Hna Lohman. We were teaching an investigator about the Law of Chastity. Her name is Mili. She has a 2 year old daughter and a 3 month old puppy. As we were teaching, everything that could go wrong, went wrong. The toddler began to open my backpack and umbrella while at the same time the puppy used me as a chew toy. The little stinker has some teeth! While all of this a happening simultaneously, I´m trying to teach Mili with a straight face ( and not flinching for the pain in my ankles) the importance of living a chaste life.... haha it was great. Luckily, the spirit was present for the lesson and she understood all that we taught.

So, I´m not a dog whisperer and I think I´ll stick to teaching the gospel.

This week we are headed to.....Monte Grande! Haha one week and they´re sending me back. I´m excited to go back to my area and work with the sisters there.

I love you all and hope you have an amazing week.

Con amor,

Hermana Chaffin

ETM

Queridos amigos,

First off, let me apologize for not sending emails. I promise that I will be better this go around.

This week was crazy and jam-packed, so I´ll try to make sure I don´t forget anything.

Lunes- P-Day. We had a district activty that was amazing! We had a scavenger hunt in the church and then we went to a buffet restaurant and had a blast! I think I ate too much icecream but it was worth it. While we were there, I had the surprise of seeing a member from Banfield! Norma Sanz was like an adopted grandmother. It was so sweet to see her.

Tuesday- District Meeting. We learned a lot and had a fun time taking photos and saying goodbye because it was the last one of the transfer.

Wednesday- We traveled to Adrogue for a special meeting with L. Whitney Clayton. It was incredible! His spanish is astounding and his wife speaks really well too. It was great to get together as a mission. I loved getting to reunite with old companions and friends in the mission.

Afterwards, we went back to our area when I got a phone call from one of Presidente Calquín´s assistents. Elder Tenhoeve said, "Hermana Chaffin, tomorrow you need to come to President´s house at 9:30 to have a meeting with him and the assistents. Have a nice day."

At first, I didn´t know what to think. My first thought was, "what did I do?" and then, "oh no!" This leads to the heading of this email. Many of you are wondering what ETM stands for. For those of you who thought Extra-Terrestrial Missionary you are unfortunately wrong. In our mission, we used to have viajeros (travelers). Elders that change areas every week helping different companionships. Presidente Calquín changed what they did along with their name. He changed it to Especialistas en Trabajo Misional, or ETMs for short. So, when I got the call Wednesday I knew that I was going to have a meeting with the ETMs. And I was right!

So, I no longer have an area. Every week I will be going to a new area to help out different sisters. My new companion is Hermana Ochoa from Argentina! I now have a blow up mattress and I will be living out of my suitcase!

Hahaha it´s a good thing I like camping. I´m excited for this new adventure and I hope that I can help the other sisters with the things they need. This week I´ll be going to Ezeiza, which should be a blast!

Thursday-Meeting with the ETMs. There are 4 Elders and 4 Hermanas. It was amazing! It was fun to have some one-on-one with Presidente and to prepare for this transfer.

Friday-Weekly planning....it was a little weird planning for an area when I already knew that I would be leaving

Saturday- We got the call about transfers. Hermana Santos will be going to Villa Madero and two new sisters are going to be in Monte Grande. We spent the rest of the day contacting and then packing and cleaning the apartment to have everything ready for the new sisters.

Sunday- Church was great, and I had the best surprise ever! Graciela from San Vicente came to visit me!!! She came with her whole family! I cried like a baby and was sooo happy to see her. She stayed for all of the meetings and told me that she´s still preparing to be baptized.

Later, my taxi came and I went to Banfield (where I stay when I´m not traveling) to be with my new companion!

Well, I hope that my english made sense! Thank you for taking the time to read this email!

I love you all and hope you have a fantastic week!

Con amor,

Hermana Chaffin

Un Año

Queridos Amigos,

How time flies! This week will mark one year in Argentina. One year full of trials, challenges, lessons, heartaches, laughter, love, and much more.

My life has completely changed in this past year. There are no words to describe it, but I´ll try to explain it with a poem that my companion Hermana Medford shared with me a while back.

A mission is a strange experience

It´s a trial and a test

A mission throws at you the worst

Yet, teaches you the best

I´ve never been so happy,

I´ve never been so depressed.

I´ve never felt so forsaken,

I´ve never felt so blessed.

I´ve never been so confused,

Things have never been so clear.

I´ve never felt my Heavenly Father so distant,

He´s never been so near.

I´ve never been so discouraged,

I´ve never been so full of hope.

I feel I could go on forever,

I think I´ve come to the end of my rope.

I´ve never had it quite so easy

I´ve never had it quite so tough

Things have never been so smooth,

Things have never been so rough

I´ve never traveled through more valleys,

I´ve never ascended more peaks

I´ve never met so many nice people

I´ve never met so many freaks!

I´ve never had so many ups

I´ve never had so many downs

I´ve never worn so many smiles,

I´ve never had so many frowns.

I´ve never been so lonely,

I´ve never had so many friends

Boy, I hope this is over soon,

Gosh, I hope this never ends.

Every single word is true. It´s full of contradictory phrases, but it´s all true.

I´m incredibly grateful for this opportunity and privilege to serve the Lord. This week has been one of the hardest ones of my mission, but it´s brought me closer to my Father in Heaven.

I know that I´m here in Argentina for a reason. I know that my message is true and that it has the power to bless the lives of all those who will take the time to hear it.

I love my Savior Jesus Christ. I´m grateful for the ability that we all have to repent and receive forgiveness.

I encourage each one of you to ponder where you are in the path of life. Are you continuing onward? Did you stop to take a breather? Do your feet hurt? Is the sun hot? Sometimes the path of life is boring. Sometimes we get pebbles in our shoes. Keep the end in mind. Don´t see the path as something hard and necessary to follow. It is something to be enjoyed. Learn to dance in the rain! Whistle a little tune as you continue your hike.

I promise that the Lord is mindful of each one of you. He knows you and He loves you. As His representative I testify that He lives. He is our Redeemer and through Him all things are possible.

I love you all more than words can express. Have a wonderful week.

Con amor,

Hermana Chaffin

"Never discourage anyone who continually makes progress, no matter how slow." -Plato

"You cannot teach a man anything. You can only help him find it within himself." -Galileo

Hola

Queridos amigos,

Another wonderful week in the Lord´s work! I´m loving Monte Grande and my time with Hermana Santos. I can´t believe how fast time is going by.

This Saturday we will be receiving the call letting us know about changes next transfer. We´ll see what happens.

Saturday we were in Ezeiza for 12 hours for an open house in the church there. We worked until we were dead. It was wonderful to work so hard with a bunch of missionaries. I had a blast and learned a lot.

Yesterday Sonia surprised me and showed up after church in Monte Grande! It was so great to see her again. I love her so much and I´ve really missed her.

That´s one of the best things about the mission, meeting amazing people. But the hardest thing is leaving them behind.

The weather has started to cool down a little and my companion from Brazil isn´t taking it too well.... Haha we´ll see how she handles winter.

I´ve got to go, thank you for taking the time to read this.

I love you all,

Hermana Chaffin

"Do your work well- God´s recompense to yo uis the power to do greater things" -Lucy Gertsch Thomson

Oh Esta Todo Bien

Queridos Amigos,

I hope you all had a wonderful Easter! I can´t believe that it has already come and gone. The time is passing so quickly.

This week was amazing! I learned so much!

Last Monday my companion received some bad news about her dad. He needs a risky surgery and her mom wasn´t very hopeful in the email. My companion began to sob in the internet cafe. I was trying to console her the best that I could and just held her while she cried.

This week was really rough for her. She tried to be positive and focus on the work, but it was really hard for her.

Tuesday we had district meeting, and we were able to talk to the zone leaders and they were able to comfort her and help her feel better. They did little acts of kindness throughout the week that brought smiles to her face and I could see her burden begin to be lighter. In the end, many in our zone got involved sending scriptures or words of encouragement.

It was truly incredible to see everyone working together to brighten someone´s day. I love Hermana Santos so much. She´s funny, spunky, and super sweet. I was able to come to love her even more as I served her this week and tried to lighten her burden.

The little acts of kindness that you all do really make a difference. A simple smile, a text, or a Facebook message can make all the difference in someone´s day. Please make that difference. Don´t ask them what you can do to help, just do something. Tell a joke, bring them cookies, or tell them you love them. We are here to lighten the burdens of those around us. I promise that as you seek to help others that you will find that your burden is made light as well.

Thank you all for your love and support!

Con amor,

Hermana Chaffin

"A goal is nothing more than a dream with a due date"

-Joseph Fielding McConkie

"Your faith will perform miracles, especially when you get your hands and feet involved"

-Spencer W. Kimball

Sonrisas

Queridos Amigos,

What a week!

In the mission we have 2 sets of sisters that don´t have an area. They just travel and visit other areas for one week at a time aiding in the work.

My second to last week in San Vicente we had them, and then this past week we had them here in Monte Grande, and this week we will have the second set. So, I have been with one of these other sisters during the week and not with my actual companion. So, I don´t know Hermana Santos super well, but the few moments that I´ve had with her have been amazing.

She is super sweet and sincere. She likes to work hard and have fun. Her spanish is amazing and she has a love for the gospel.

This week was amazing. We ended up handing out A TON of Books of Mormon. We gave away all but 8 books and we started out with 3 boxes!

I´ve truly come to love the Book of Mormon. Our mission is still doing the challenge of reading it in 3 months (in spanish of course) and I´m learning more than I ever did. There is always something new to learn.

I also had a leadership meeting with all the leaders in the mission along with Presidente y Hermana Calquin. I got to see some old friends in the mission and I learned so much. I´m grateful for the chance that I have to help others.

This weekend we have the wonderful opportunity to listen to General Conference! I´m so excited to hear from the prophet and the apostles. I invite you all to take the time to watch or listen to it. If you´re not sure how, please visit lds.org Saturday and Sunday (at 10 am and 2 pm). I promise that you will receive the answers to prayers and invite the spirit into your hearts.

Thank you all for your sweet emails and letters.

con amor,

Hermana Chaffin

Monte Grande

Queridos amigos,

First off, I´m so sorry that I´ve been falling short in the email department. Things have been so crazy busy that I haven´t had time. Thank  you for your patience and love.

A lot has happened since I last wrote, and seeing as I only have about 5 minutes left, I´ll do a few points:

-I had my first embarassing spanish error where I asked for diapers instead of tissues....

-We had a week with two sisters that don´t have an area but visit the hermanas to help them out for a week.

-We found a few new investigators that have a lot of potential.

-Hermana Johnson and I ate peanut butter!!!!!

-We made no bake cookies with the peanut butter!

-I got transferred to Monte Grande yesterday and I´m now with Hermana Santos who is from Brazil

-I am now a sister training leader, which means I´ll be having a lot of exchanges with other hermanas in the mission

I´m so incredibly grateful for the time that I had in San Vicente. It will always have a piece of my heart. I met the most amazing people and I grew so much in so many ways.

I´m also grateful for my time with Hermana Johnson. She is the most amazing person ever. I will miss her so so so much. She was a true companion and friend.

I´m excited for this new change and I hope that I can achieve a lot in my new area.

I love you all!

con amor,

Hermana Chaffin

¡Bautismo!

Queridos amigos,

This week was absolutely amazing! It was busy and crazy and I loved every moment of it.

Monday we had a lesson with Victoria and she said that she felt ready to be baptized this week! So, we left that lesson trying hard not to shout for happiness.

Tuesday we had district meeting and then we were in charge of a ward activity. We basically had a free yard sale. We had a bunch of donations of clothing, and we organized it and then gave it away to those that need it. We had a great turn out and we really enjoyed ourselves.

Wednesday Victoria had her baptismal interview, and it went amazing! She was so happy and seemed so at peace with her decision. We also celebrated my halfway mark by buying icecream and wearing pants!

Thursday we had a bunch of amazing lessons with investigators and we just had a fantastic day.

Friday was the day of the baptism!!! It was absolutely amazing! All of Victoria`s family came to support her and it was simply beautiful. The spirit was so incredibly strong. I love her so much and it will be so hard to leave her and her family. They are a huge part of my life that I will never forget.

Saturday we had a normal day teaching and testifying.

Sunday Victoria was confirmed, and her family also came to support her in that. It was so wonderful to see that whole family sitting on the bench in front of me and my companion. One day I hope to see that as a regular thing with all of them baptized. They`re all getting there, some just slower than others.

I`m so grateful for this blessing that I have to serve a mission and get to know some of God`s wonderful children. I could never learn what I´ve learned here in any other place. I`m truly humbled to be a small part in the Lord`s work here.

Thank you all for supporting me in this decision. I love you all so much! Keep smiling!

Con amor,

Hermana Chaffin

"The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph" -Thomas Paine

Hola Hola

Queridos Amigos,

How did the week go by so fast? So much has happened.

The best part of the week was Wednesday when we did a surprise service project for our investigator Victoria.

She had grass almost up to our knees and we cut it all while she was at work. We had an absolute blast!

It felt so good to work hard and to just enjoy working. I love teaching and I love meeting knew people, but it just felt so good to do something for someone that I love.

I had intercambios for a day with Hna Abate Daga from Argentina. I learned a lot from her.

Hermana Johnson is the best companion ever. I absolutely love her! She works so hard and just loves sharing the gospel. I seriously hope that I have one more transfer with her.

I received a letter from Oscar!!! He´s doing great, and he has baptized two of the converts of the missionaries in Banfield. It was such a sweet surprise to hear from him.

I´m so grateful to be a part of this work.

This week will mark the halfway point of my mission. I can´t believe how fast it is going by. I`ve learned so much about myself, the gospel, and our Heavenly Father`s plan for us.

I`m out of time, but I hope you all know that I love you, God loves you, and I´m grateful to have each one of you in my life.

Have a wonderful week,

Hermana Chaffin

La Vida Loca

Queridos amigos,

There are random occasions in life that cause us to reflect on who we are, where we are, who we want to be, and where we want to be in the future. This week I had one of those moments.

I was trudging through the mud with my companion (with our bright purple bikes and shiny orange helmets) when we turned the corner and passed a house blasting the song "Livin´ la vida loca". I smiled because a year ago I would have never imagined that I´d be where I am today.

Argentina is beautiful, the people are great, and the work here is amazing.

I´m extremely grateful for all that I´ve learned here in these short 7 (almost 8) months here in Argentina and my short 20 years here in this beautiful world that our Heavenly Father created for us.

This morning I looked in the mirror and asked myself if I am who I want to be. My immediate answer was "No, but I´m getting there".

This life isn´t perfect, but our Father´s plan for us is. It is for us to learn and to grow. We must experience sorrow to truly experience joy.

I challenge each of you to ponder your lives, however "loco" they may be. Are you where you want to be? Are you getting there? What needs to change?

La vida es loca, but I wouldn´t want it any other way.

Thank you all for being a part of my vida loca. I´m grateful that I have a part of yours as well.

Thank you all for the sweet birthday wishes and thank you for your support. I truly appreciate each one of you. You wouldn´t be receiving this email if you weren´t important to me.

I love you all and I know that our Father in Heaven loves you too.

Con amor,

Hermana Chaffin

"Everything you are learning now is preparing you for something else" -Marjorie Pay Hinckely

"Are we prepared to leave our comfort zones to reach a better place?" -Elder Godoy

Milagros

Dearest family and loved ones,

This week has been amazing! The only thing that could have made it better was if there had been a baptism.

Tuesday we traveled to Alejandro Korn for district meeting. It then proceeded to rain like nobody´s business. It flooded everywhere! The water was almost up to the doors of the church!

We were so grateful for the rain! We knew it was going to rain and we intentionally left our umbrellas in the apartment so that we could fully enjoy the rain. After taking the bus back to San Vicente and happily trudging through mud and a lot of puddles we arrived at our lunch appointment (with members) completely soaked! Haha it was great! Our clothing actually dried quickly and then we went and taught a lot of lessons.

One of our lessons was with Sonia and her family. We taught about the Plan of Salvation. The Spirit was soooo strong! It was incredible. Everyone was crying in the end. There aren´t words to describe how wonderful it was (I also don´t have time to find the words because I have 6 minutes left...)

Sonia ended up coming to church yesterday! After 3 years of listening to the missionaries she came to church! We are positive that she will be baptized this transfer!

Saturday we had a service project with her that was amazing. We have daily contact with our investigators now and they are all progressing so much! I can´t believe that I´m so tired and yet so happy. Missions are the best!

Sorry, out of time!

Love,

Hermana Chaffin

Feliz Año Nuevo

Queridos Amigos,

Okay, I would like to appologize in advance. This email is going to be short.

Today has been all sorts of crazy and it´s only 1:30pm.....

We had personal study and then companionship study and then we headed to the cybernet café to email all of you wonderful folks. Guess what.... it was closed! Have no fear, Hermana Chaffin is not so easily discouraged. Yes, there is only one option in this small town for computers, but I rubbed a few brain cells together and called the Branch President to use the computers in the chapel. He answered right away and said come on over. Sweet! Problem solved right? False.

We arrive at his house and he´s not home.... But, some friendly construction men are and we talk about missionary work with them while we wait for presidente to return. After 20 minutes he arrives. At last we receive the key and head to the church. Unfortunately, there must be oposición in ALL things in this life.

We get to the chapel and unlock the 6 locks to the computer and discover that two of the outlets aren´t working.... So, after jiggling cords, stretching extention cords to their max and several very heartfelt prayers we connected the computer to another outlet-only to discover that the internet wasn´t connected. At this point I was laughing hysterically at our situation and my companion was giving me concerned looks....

So, if you received this email today please now that I suffered a lot to send this to you. I hope that it made you smile and I hope that you forgive me for not being as frequent in my emails. Things happen (see example above)

This week was amazing. We had many lessons with many investigators. I love this área with all of my heart. It is amazing. Hermana Chappell is the greatest and we are having a blast sharing the góspel with others.

I hope you all had a wonderful 2016 and that 2017 is even better. I probably won´t see most of you until 2018, but through cords stretched across church hallways and keyboards across the world we can keep in contact. I hope you all see this year as an opportunity to strive a little harder to reach your true potential. Set goals and make plans to achieve them. You can do anything you set your mind to. The wise Dr. Seuss said, "You have brains in your head,you have feet in your shoes, you can steer yourself in any direction you choose"

Lots of love,

Hermana Chaffin

The Puddles in San Vicente Are Deeper Than They Appear

Queridos amigos,

Wow! Que loca semana!

San Vicente is pretty and tranquilo. It is a lot like Salmon, Idaho minus the sagebrush and mountains. Throw in a few palm trees an put everything in spanish and you´ve got San Vicente.

I miss seeing Oscar everyday, but I know that Hermana Medford is taking good care of him.

To explain the heading of my email, first I need to explain that San Vicente is very country. So, we use bikes. Sometimes, Hermana Chaffin thinks she knows everything and decides to take the shortcut instead of follow her companion around the puddles when riding to the next appointment. Sometimes these puddles are rather deep. And sometimes bikes get stuck...

Hahaha it all worked out well, and I got to baptize my shoes :)

Hermana Chappell is super sweet, hard working, and funny! We are enjoying our time together and working hard in the area.

Yesterday, we had a meeting to practice some songs that we are going to sing in a choir. We ended up singing in the train on the way there and the way back and then we handed out cards and talked with the people in the train. It was super awesome, and I hope I have the opportunity to do it again.

I find the greatest joy in sharing my testimony with others. I hope that this week you can all set aside some time to share your thoughts on our Savior, Jesus Christ with someone.

Thank you all for taking the time to read this.

Con amor,

Hermana Chaffin

San Vicente

¡Hola!

¡Otro día glorioso en Argentina! This week was fantastic. It was also my last week in Banfield. It was a pretty laid back week after a crazy one preparing for a baptism. So, it was nice to focus on lessons and finding new people.

Saturday I had a "last supper" with the Hermanas in Banfield. We cooked hamburgers and fries and had icecream. It was the best way to end the transfer. I love those sisters so much, and I had wonderful times with them in Banfield.

Yesterday I said goodbye to sweet Hermana Medford (who will be training a new missionary in Banfield) and headed to my new area. I´m sad to leave Banfield but I´m also excited for my new area and my next adventure.

My new area is San Vicente and is so pretty! It´s very calm and peaceful. My new companion is Hermana Chappell (Chappell and Chaffin isn´t confusing for the people at all haha) from Phoenix, Arizona. She is super sweet and funny. I can´t wait to get to know her more and to work hard together.

That´s all for now!

Gracias por todo!

Hermana Chaffin

"Worry a little bit every day and in  alifetime you will lose a couple of years. If something is wrong, fix it if you can. But train yourself not to worry. Worry never fixes anything" -Ole Helgerson

Bautismo!

Queridos amigos,

This week was truly a week of miracles!

Tuesday I had exchanges with Hermana Walker and then we had a lesson with Oscar. He was still struggling with smoking, and we had a great lesson on faith. We discussed showing our faith with actions.

Faith is not waiting for the Lord to help us and then doing something. First, we need to act, showing our faith, and then we receive the Lord´s help.

During this lesson, I received the strongest impression to ask Oscar to be baptized this Saturday. I would have thought I was crazy if I didn´t know that this thought was from the Holy Ghost. I could not deny that the Lord was telling me to invite Oscar to be baptized.

Oscar said that he would pray that night and then let us know the next day.

Wednesday I was reunited with my sweet Hermana Medford and when I told her what happened Tuesday I think she thought I was a little crazy. When we went to talk with Oscar, we could sense that something was different. He told us that he´d gotten his answer and that he wanted to be baptized Saturday! We felt the Spirit confirm that this was the will of the Lord, and we were so grateful that so many prayers had been heard. Oscar quit smoking from that moment on, and we began to set up everything for his baptism.

Dieter F. Uchtdorf said that a sacrifice is when we give up something good for something of far greater worth. I´ve been in the mission for 5 months now, and up until 6 days ago, I was sincerely questioning if the mission was worth it. Not that I wanted to go home, I simply felt like I wasn´t fulfilling the purpose God has for me. I couldn´t see the "far greater worth". I felt stuck. I was obedient and trying to be humble, buty I wasn´t seeing the fruits of my labors.

My experience with Oscar has been nothing short of incredible. The Lord is truly working miracles here, and I´m deeply grateful to be a part of those miracles.

I´ve come to realize my weaknesses and all my falts. I´m quick to doubt but just the same I´m quick to ask the Lord to sustain me and strengthen my faith.

I don´t know what the future holds for me here in Buenos Aires, but I do know that the Lord has great plans and I´m going to do all that I possibly can to help Him fulfill those plans.

This is His work, and I´m going to do it His way because His way is the best - and only way.

I know that this is the true church of Jesus Christ and that it was restored through the prophet Joseph Smith. I know that we are led today by a prophet of God and I know that the Lord has a plan for each and every one of us. Jesus Christ is our Savior and only through Him and His Atonement can we return to the presence of our Heavenly Father.

I love you all, you are in my prayers.

Con amor,

Hermana Chaffin

Sabrina the Teenage Missionary

Queridos Amigos,

Wow, I can´t believe that another week has come and gone.

This week was really busy. We had a lesson with Oscar that went really well. He committed to stop smoking, and he is progressing little by little. He started smoking when he was 11, so it is a difficult process.

This week we had interviews with the mission president, and they went really well. It´s great to know that he cares for us and the mission and wants to help us in the things we need so that we can have a lot of success.

Two days ago, we were walking near the border of our area when we found a secret street that isn´t on our map. We named it Narnia because it is seriously the most beautiful, peaceful street we´ve ever seen. We knocked a few doors, and several people asked us to come back and visit later this week. We are super excited about that 😀

This week is going to be super busy because we have lots of appointments, which is awesome.

I´ve come to have a love for the scriptures in my life. Every day I have 1 hour of personal study, and I´ve learned so much. I´m incredibly grateful for all that we have to learn from the Bible and the Book of Mormon. They are more than just books full of stories. They are proof of God´s love for us and His willingness to give us guidance and direction in this life. I hope that you all can find some time in your day to read a verse or two and see what the Lord has for you to learn.

I love you so much, thank you for reading my emails and for supporting me.

Con amor,

Hermana Chaffin

Note: For some reason the exlamation point key wouldn´t work today, so if it sounds like I´m not excited, it´s because I could only use periods.....

Happy Mother's Day!

Queridos amigos,

Buen Día! Man, it is super hard to type in english after a week of total spanish. Haha hopefully you all can forgive my spelling and grammar mistakes.

This week was absolutely amazing!!! I seriously love my companion. She is a rock star! I love her so much. I love her work ethic and I love that she is super diligent in the work. We´ve seen a lot of success these past 2 weeks, and I´m excited to see what we´ll have this week.

We had 2 lessons with Oscar this week. He is progressing a lot, and making changes in his life. Yesterday he went to church again! I think it´s still a little uncomfortable for him, but he always asks if he can come, so there´s something that he likes.

Yesterday was Mother´s Day here. It was really weird to be walking among the streets and seeing all of the families walking together and not being with my family. My companion and I felt really guilty that we hadn´t contacted our moms yesterday when we realized that it wasn´t really mother´s day for our mothers. Haha the mission changes a lot of things. So, once we realized that our mother´s weren´t at home awaiting a phone call, we were able to focus more and continue sharing the happiness of our message.

Today we have district activity. Somehow I got put in charge of it, and I´m sure it will be a blast. We´re going to eat pizza and everyone is bringing a dessert. Then, depending on the weather, we will play soccer or volleyball and then pool and ping pong. It should just be relaxing and fun.

My companion and I made chocolate chip cookies for our dessert. This was the first time that I made cookies in the mission and they turned out pretty good considering brown sugar really doesn´t exist here. So, we added a little dulce de leche to the dough, and I think they´re pretty tasty. I´ll try to send photos if this computer decides to work.

Hermanas Walker and Hernandez moved out of our apartment yesterday, which is bittersweet. I had such good times with them. It will be nice to have more time in the bathroom and more one on one time with my companion, but I will miss them.

That´s it for now! I love you all!

Keep smiling,

Hermana Chaffin

"My people must be tried in all things... he that will not bear chastisement is not worthy of my kingdom" D&C 136:31

"Many men owe the grandeur of their lives to their tremendous difficulties" - Walter Spurgeon