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

Libro de la Vida

Queridos amigos,

Another amazing week in the Lord's vineyard! We were in Burzaco with Hermana Hernandez and Hermana Rotela. We learned a lot from them and had a bunch of fun experiences with them. From combing their hair for lice and eating a bunch of icecream, the week was complete. We found a few new investigators, one of which is named Sven and is from Switzerland! What a crazy world!

I started my mission planning to write a story, but ended up writing a different one. There's no rough draft and there's no sequel. There've been adventures and moments of fear. Sometimes it seemed like the characters just couldn't catch a break. Some chapters were short and others seemed like they would never end.

As I've written the story day by day, I've come to realize that I started out with the wrong story in mind. I thought that I was the hero coming to save the day. But I'm not the hero. I'm the awkward sidekick trying not to mess everything up. The hero of this story is Jesus Christ. He is the protagonist of this story. He is the author of salvation. I just try to be a good pencil in His hands so that He can accomplish His plans here.

Every page has been worth it. Every tear shed, every rainy day, every heartfelt prayer has been worth it. Every moment of suffering and of joy has been worth it because it has brought me a little closer to Him. I've come to know Him better because I've tried to BE like Him.

Every book has a purpose, some lesson to teach. I've learned many lessons from this wonderful story that I'm a part of. I'm getting to the last few pages and I'm coming to better understand what my Heavenly Father wants me to learn.

Thank you all for being a part of this story. You've all played a role in shaping me into the person that I am.

I hope that Jesus Christ is the protagonist in the story of each one of you. And if not, it's not to late to start a new chapter.

con amor,

Hermana Chaffin

¿Cambios?

Queridos Amigos,

Another week has come and gone in the glorious work of the Lord.

In our mission, the transfers are always every 6 weeks, but this transfer was 5 weeks because Pte. Calquin has a special seminar when we would be having changes, so we had transfers early. So, I was very nervous this whole week waiting to know what was going to happen to me for my last trasfer. I wanted to know if I was going to have an area and a new companion. Usually missionaries are ETMs for only 3 months and I've had 4 and a half, so I wanted to know what the future had in store. Saturday was the day of "the call", but the call never came. All the other sisters learned about their new areas and companions but we didn't hear anything!!!

I have yet to develop a broad scope of patience, so at 4pm I couldn't take it anymore and called our leaders to know what's up. The answer brought me so much happiness that I literally jumped and shouted for joy! I will end my mission as an ETM! Hermana Rivarola is still my companion!

I am so grateful for this opportunity. I've learned so much from each sister here in the mission and I've grown so much. I absolutely love my companion and she's teaching me so much. She is the most loving and patient person that I know.

This week we were in Alejandro Korn with Hermana Velasquez and Hermana Evangelista. They are so sweet and such hard workers! I had many spiritual experiences and my love for this work grew even more. We worked our hearts out, and ended up finding 15 new investigators!!! It was absolutely incredible! The spirit was so strong in each lesson.

I've been reflecting on what I've learned in my mission and what I would like to learn in this last 7 weeks that I have left. I've learned a lot. How to make rice in different ways, how to run 20 blocks in 8 minutes and arrive at the apartment on time, I've learned how to speak spanish, I've learned how to set goals and achieve them. But, as great as these things are, I've also learned how to see people through God's eyes. I've learned the importance of patience and love when helping someone who feels like there's no hope left. I've learned to suffer with joy and to come closer to God in my sufferings. I've learned that God's plan is PERFECT and that there is always a second chance. The Atonement of Christ makes everything possible. I've learned that this truly is the Lord's work and the only way to do it is His way.

I love the mission and I don't want it to end, but like all good things, it must come to an end. Life is short, so make the most of every moment. Dance in the rain. Share a smile with a stranger. Stop to smell the flowers. This life is meant to be enjoyed.

con amor,

Hermana Chaffin

Live the story you want to tell

Otro día glorioso

Queridos Amigos,

This week was absolutely amazing! We were in Adrogue this week with Hermana Ochoa and her new companion, Hermana Callister. It was a great experience because Hermana Callister just started her mission. She's only been here for 3 weeks! It was great to hear her talk about the crazy things that we do here. For me, they've all become the norm, but I remember when they seemed strange to me too.

She talked about giving kisses to people on the cheek and clapping our hands outside instead of knocking on the door.

She asked to see pictures of me when I started the mission and she said, "Wow, you changed a lot! Why do we change?! I don't want to change!"

Little does she know, but that change is the most beautiful thing. I love seeing my companions change and I especially love seeing the changes in people that come to know the gospel. That change is repentance in action. I wouldn't trade anything for the change that I've seen in myself. I think and act differently now. I still like the same books and the same music. I'm still me, but I'm not at the same time.

That's one of the reasons that the mission is the best thing ever. We change. We change to become more like Christ. We learn to forget ourselves and serve others. I hope that you can all see changes in your lives thanks to Jesus Christ and his sacrifice.

I love you all so much!

con amor,

Hermana Chaffin

Oscar the Baptist

Queridos Amigos,

This week was absolutely amazing! I wish I had enough time to write about every funny moment and every miracle of the week.

We had zone conference this week and one of the assistants did something special this time. He'd gone and interviewed some recent converts and learned about their story and filmed it.

He started out by first showing a picture of them at their baptism and asked the missionaries who knew the people to share the story of each person. Then, he showed a video of the new members explaining why they got baptized. He ended each interview with a question. He asked, "if you had the missionaries that taught you right here in front of you, what would you say?"

Almost always the people shared their gratitud and many teared up. One of the last videos that he shared was of Oscar. He asked me to share how I found Oscar and the story of his baptism. After I finished talking, he showed Oscar's interview and I started balling. It was so incredible to see how much that man has changed. He's a completely new person and he's changed my life.

Oscar goes to the same church building as the assistant, and apparently the ward has given Oscar the nickname of "Oscar the Baptist" because he's baptized 6 people! Haha the whole ward knows that Oscar loves the gospel and wants to be an example of Christ.

My whole mission is worth it just for the chance that I had to meet Oscar and play a small part in his conversion.

I invite all of you who are members to remember your own baptism and ponder how it has changed your life.

I love you all so much!

con amor,

Hermana Chaffin

Lluvia

Queridos Amigos,

Esta semana fue... haha I'll write in english...

This week was amazing! I learned so much and really felt the spirit teaching me this week. I love my new companion and we make a great team. I love her humility and her constant desire to be a better person.

I had the blessing to be in Banfield 2 again this week. I was grateful for the chance that I had to see Oscar again. He never ceases to amaze me.

This week my beautiful sisters, Rochelle and Sydney, start college and I can't believe it. Time has passed by so quickly and I'm sure that these next 11 weeks will pass by even faster.

I've missed out on lots of important events and occasions, but in the end it really hasn't been a sacrifice. Getting up at 6:30am or walking all day in the rain isn't a sacrifice. I'm really not sacrificing anything because all that I have is from God. My time, my energy, my everything, is from Him. The least I could do is set aside 18 months to serve Him and His children.

I invite you all to set aside time to serve Him as well. You don't have to come to Argentina, but a smile can work wonders. Look for opportunities to help those around you. I promise that you will see a difference in your lives.

Thank you for blessing my life.

Con amor,

Hermana Chaffin

Barro, pizza, y helado

Queridos Amigos,

This week was absolutely spectacular!

I had the lovely opportunity to be in Burzaco with my bestfriend in the mission, Hermana Hernandez. She's been there with me every step of the way and I was so glad to have the chance to work with her this week. We worked our hearts out and had a blast doing it.

We had some very spiritual lessons this week and I loved to see the lives of others changing. Many people here don't have a very good life. They have humble homes and work hard to just get by. Their houses flood when it rains and mud fills their homes and streets. Single mothers raise their families and give their last pot of rice to their sick neighbor. It is a privilege to be able to sit down on a wobbly chair with a dog nipping my ankle and bow my head and offer a prayer asking God to bless the lives of the humble people who allowed me to enter their home. It is in these moments when I most strongly feel my Father's love for His children. It is when they read the Book of Mormon for the first time and say, "Chicas, this is the truth!"

I love walking 20 blocks in nasty mud while I sing church hymns with my companion. I love feeling the rain on my face and smiling at all the people I pass.

I'm never going to have another chance to do all the crazy things I do day after day.

I've met the most amazing people, and they're not amazing for the sport they play or the car they drive. They are amazing for their hearts and spirits. They are amazing because they are children of God and He sent me here to visit them.

This life is such a beautiful gift and we have a gorgeous world to live in. I hope that you all take a moment this week to see the many blessings you have.

This week marks the start of a new transfer and a new companion! My new companion is Hermana Rivarola from Cordoba, Argentina. I continue as a traveling sister with all the adventures that implies.

Thank you all for your love and support,

Con amor,

Hermana Chaffin

Banfield 2

Queridos Amigos,

This week was absolutely amazing! I had the wonderful opportunity to return to my first area, Banfield 2. It was great to walk the same streets that I walked a year ago. Not much had changed. The same old potholes and the same man selling churros in the train station. But, there were some changes and they were the most incredible changes of my mission.

Monday we had an activity in the church with all the recent converts, and Oscar was there! I couldn't believe how he's changed. He was answering all the questions and laughing and having a good time. He shared his thoughts and feelings and helped those that were new. He looked so happy and I was filled with joy when I saw his happiness.

I don't know what I expected the mission to be, but it was't this. I thought that it would be hard work, but easy to love. I thought that it would be full of success and that missionaries are always happy. The mission is full of disappointments, failures, tears and exhaustion. But, every once in a while you experience moments of PURE JOY and it makes it all worthwhile. I wouldn't trade any minute of suffering or pain that I've had while on the mission. I wouldn't trade the moments of hunger or the homesickness. It's all shaped me into the woman that I am today. Those little moments of pure joy are amazing and they are pure. They usually aren't even moments of our own joy. Pure joy comes from seeing others accept the gospel of Jesus Christ and let it change their lives. That's what it's all about.

Oscar probably knows more than me. He gets it. He studies the scriptures everyday and is always helping his neighbors and the members in the church. He understands what he promised when he was baptized and he entends to keep that promise. I'm just a simple girl from Montana trying to do the Lord's work here in Argentina. I'm not always happy and sometimes it's hard to work everyday. But, I go out and I give my best because that's what God's children deserve. It's not about me, it's about Jesus Christ. It's about coming unto Him and allowing Him to change your weaknesses into strengths.

I've come to know my Savior much more in my mission and I will strive everyday to live up to His expectations of me.

I hope that you all have a wonderful week,

con amor,

Hermana Chaffin

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

Libertad

Queridos Amigos,

This week was amazing!!!! I hope you all had a wonderful Independence Day. It was different celebrating it here in Argentina, but it was the same day as district meeting and the Elders went all out. Haha the non-Americans looked at us a little funny, but they all said that it was so awesome that we love our country so much. It was interesting because July 9th is Independence Day in Argentina and nobody celebrated....

This week brought a lot of reflection. I had the opportunity to be with Hermana Medford again and it was great to work with her. I can´t believe how much the both of us have changed.

The mission passes so fast and it´s always changing and I love it! I love the oportunity to change and constantly strive to be a better person. I´m no where near perfect, but I´m trying. I think that the fact that we can change is one of the happiest parts of the gospel. Jesus Christ and His Atonement make it possible for us to repent. Repentance means change. I´ve felt Him urging me on and lifting me when I was down. I know that He lives.

It´s amazing how the Lord can take such imperfect people and mold them and teach them and make them instruments in His hands.

I love this work and I love what I´m learning about my Savior and myself.

I love you all!

Con amor,

Hermana Chaffin

"find the extra in the ordinary"

"we need to always share the gospel, and when necessary open our mouths"

-share by example

Banfield 1

Queridos Amigos,

This week was amazing!!! I absolutely love Banfield 1 and it was so fun to work with the sisters.

My companion is a convert (she got baptized 2 years ago) and has the biggest testimony. I love her so much and I´m so grateful that I have the opportunity to be her companion. She´s a hard worker and we both use every moment to the max.

We have lots of conversations about the gospel and seeing her love for the gospel has reminded me of the many blessings in my life.

I am so grateful for the knowledge that I am a daughter of God.

This week I was focusing on my prayers and tried to improve the quality of my prayers. I am constantly amazed that the grand Creator of the universe loves me and wants to hear from me. He asks that I call Him by Father and He cares about me and my desires. I know that prayer is that way for everyone. Our Father has a plan for each one of us and wants to bless us. He will help us if we put our trust in Him.

I hope that you all take a moment to reflect on who you are and who you want to be. The sky´s the limit! You are all children of God with incredible potential.

I love you all and hope that you have an amazing week!

Con amor,

Hermana Chaffin

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

¿Como se dice "miércoles" en ingles?

Queridos amigos,

What a crazy week!

Tuesday we had zone conference with 4 other zones and afterwards we played soccer. My team won! We ended up having a blast and I got to see Hermana Johnson. It was a great reunion!

Wednesday we had exchanges planned. I ended up going to Ezeiza around 5pm, when my companion, Hermana Santos, called me saying that all of Argentina was going on strike the next day and that we wouldn´t be able to end exchanges until Friday. So, we taught a lesson and then took the train back to Monte Grande so that I could be back in my area.

Thursday everyone did go on strike. Not a single bus or train was running. All the stores were closed and nobody was outside. It was crazy. But, when Friday rolled around, everything was back to normal. I´m not so sure that the strike was super effective but.....

This week a woman walked into the church wanting to baptize her baby. A member told her that we don´t baptized babies and then told her that the missionaries could explain why. So, the member gave us the info from the woman and we went to visit her. Her name is Yaquelin and is amazing! She has 6 children and is super sweet. We taught her about the Restoration and baptism. We read Moroni 8 together and after reading she said, "wow, so I was wrong. My baby doesn´t need baptism, but I do." It was incredible! She accepted to be baptized and we will visit her later this week. The work is great here!

I´m so grateful for the opportunity that I have to get to know a few of God´s children. Each one is unique and important. That includes you. Yes you! You reading this. You are important! Don´t forget that.

I love you all! Have a fantastic week and a wonderful Easter! Remember why we celebrate this holiday. Please take 4 minutes of your day to watch the following video:

https://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2017-02-1000-the-prince-of-peace-find-lasting-peace-through-jesus-christ?lang=spa

We're dead! We're alive but we're dead!

Queridos amigos,

First off, don´t be too alarmed by the quote from the Incredibles in the email heading (that means you mom).

This week has been insane.

Monday- I wrote you lovely folks and then did grocery shopping for the week. We deep cleaned the apartment and that night we had a family home evening activity with our investigator Graciela and her family. It was great. We made stir-fry for them and they loved it! Juan, Graciela´s boyfriend had never tried broccoli before! He´s 52! But, they all liked it, broccoli included.

Tuesday- We had district meeting and we got a little bit of rain. My comp´s permanent retainer fell out, but we had so many lessons scheduled that we did divisions with members so that I could teach and she could go to the dentist.

Wednesday- We had a worldwide conference for missionaries where we learned about new changes to schedules and studies in the mission ( I´ll write more later about those when Pte. Calquin approves them)

Thursday- My companion woke up with a headache (not out of the ordinary because she gets migraines occasionally). We had a lesson with Victoria (she accepted to be baptized 17 de Febrero) and then one with Olimpia (she accepted to be baptized 11 de Febrero). Then, we had lunch with Graciela. Graciela didn´t have water, so we went with her to her mom´s house to eat. My companion started to get chills and was shivering up a storm. She did not look good, poor thing.

Graciela is a nurse, so she took her blood pressure and checked her oxygen level. It was all very low. So, she gave her some mineral water with some sugar and then sent us home. Hermana Chappell went to bed and slept. I washed laundry and cleaned the apartment while she slept.

Friday- I continued to clean and do things to keep myself busy. My companion was still sleeping until 2pm. We called the mission president´s wife and she gave us the rest of the week off and told us to rest.

Saturday- Hermana Chappell felt a little bit better, so we did weekly planning and then rested some more. We decided to go visit Graciela and after we left her house, I started to get a headache. We then headed to visit Sonia. When we left her house, I felt nasty. My head hurt and I was dizzy. My skin hurt to touch and all of my muscles were sore. It was a blessing that we made it back to the apartment without any problems. That night I had a fever of 101.8 F and I was taking Ibuprofen and Tylenol like it was going out of style. My fever never went away and it was a rough night.

Sunday- I slept until 8am and then we slowly made the walk to the church. I felt a little better, but not that great. I made it through all of the church meetings and then we had lunch with Graciela. After lunch we walked back to the apartment where I went to bed to die. I was close to overdosing on Ibuprofen and my fever wasn´t going down. So, what does one do in times of desperation? Turn to God. Or, His servants the Elders. We got a sister to drive us to the chapel ( I couldn´t walk to the chapel and the Elders can´t enter our apartment) and the Elders met us there.

They gave me a priesthood blessing of health. During the blessing, I felt my fever break and all of the pain left my body. I couldn´t believe how fast it took effect. I´m truly grateful for the priesthood and the miracles that it works in our lives. When I entered the chapel my temperature was 100.6 and when I left it was 98.3.

I know that God has restored His church through the prophet Joseph Smith. I know that Joseph Smith received the priesthood authority of God, to act in God´s name and that through this power miracles are wrought. Today, worthy men in the church hold this power and have the great responsibility to use it to bless the lives of others. God is a God of miracles. He always has been and always will be. I´m grateful for the daily miracles that I´m seeing here.

I hope that you all look for the miracles in your lives. They are everywhere, just stop and look.

I love you all and hope you know how much you mean to me.

Con amor,

Hermana Chaffin

"The sheep is worthy of divine rescue simply because it is loved by the Shepherd" -Dieter F. Uchtdorf

"The highest ideal of man is the will of God" -Anonymous

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