Por fin!

Dear friends and family,

It`s finally P-Day!!! I don`t know if I`m more excited to have a break or have something to read in english!!! It has been so great hearing from all of you (especially my dear family).

So much has happened since I last wrote!

I left the CCM on Tuesday, had lunch with President Calquin (he is from Chile) with his wife and the other new missionaries. After lunch, and a little debriefing on our mission and our goals, we went to the church to meet our new companions!

My companion is Hermana Medrano and she is from Bolivia. She has been out now for 14 months! I feel like a toddler around her when it comes to knowledge. We are in an area called Banfield 2B. Normally, when you come to your first area, your companion has been there for a while and knows the area. However, that is not the case with me (I always knew I was special). We are in what is called a "white-wash", we are both new to the area and are learning together.

Our area is super nice and the members here are so sweet! They`ve fed us a lot of delicious meals that I`ve enjoyed immensely.

The missionaries before us were only teaching 2 investigators before we got here, and we`ve only been able to contact 1 of them. Hopefully we will start teaching people!

Fun fact, I bought some new perfume before I left on my mission, and I`m allergic to it!!! I broke out in a nasty rash on my neck. I guess I`ll stick to lotion for a while :(

Haha no worries, it cleared up in 3 days and I just used makeup to cover it up.

This week has been pretty rough, but I`ve had the strength of the Lord. The scriptures have especially helped me. I love you all so much!!! I can`t even express how much I love you all.

He lives!

Con cariño,

Hermana Chaffin

Scripture that helped me: Be patient in afflictions, for thou shalt have many, but endure them, for lo, I am with thee, even uto the end of thy days - D&C 24:8

Last P-Day at the CCM!

Queridos amigos,

This week has been wonderful! I can´t believe I only have 4 days left! I have no idea what the future holds, but I´m sure it will be great!

Last Saturday we went proselyting in in area called Moron. It is in the Buenos Aires West Mission. It is much nicer than the first area we went to. I had my first empanada! It was so amazing! Words cannot describe how magnificent it was! I can´t wait to get some more this Saturday.

The first two hours it was overcast, but the last three it rained steadily (fear not, for Hermana Chaffin is always prepared with an umbrella and thermal tights). I stayed perfectly toasty and my toes didn´t feel a drop (shout out to the dansko shoe company). Around 3:30 we came across a very frinedly man. He asked us who we were, and we talked to him for a while.  He tolds us that we were too pretty to be missionaries and that it was too bad that we couldn´t have boyfriends (this man was about 50 yrs old).

After about 5 minutes, his friend showed up with 2 teenage boys. All but one boy went inside, and we started talking to him. He told us that his name is Ian (he is 17). We ended up talking to him for almost an hour in the rain. The poor kid was shivering! I offered him my umbrella but he wouldn´t take it. We had a wonderful conversation and he ended up giving us his phone number and address. After talking to him for several more minutes, everyone came out of the house and he left with them (he and another man took a book of mormon and they both promised to read it).

We wandered around our area for about half an hour, clapping doors and talking to people to no avail. Hna. Warnock had to go to the bathroom, so we started heading to a gas station near our drop off spot. We were one block away from the station when we heard someone yelling "chicas!" We turned around to see Ian running after us! He told us that he had been driving around for several minutes looking for us. He asked if we could talk to him longer. We of course said yes, and went into the gas station where there was a dining area to sit down at. When we got inside, all of the Elders from our district were there! It was so strange! Everyone had something to add to the conversation, and we gave a short lesson to Ian.  Elder Bednar was right when he said, " There´s no such thing as a coincidence when you are on the Lord´s errand"

I was seriously smiling for the next two hours after our bus picked us up. The gospel is true! All of it! I can´t wait to go out again on Saturday and then after Tuesday it´s my full-time job!

I hope everyone has a wonderful week!

No pierda la fe,

Hermana Chaffin

Our only concern should be to do better than we did yesterday. Step by step is the law of growth. God does not expect the acorn to be a mighty oak before it was a sapling. -George E. Carpenter

D&C 64:33

p.s. please enjoy the photos from our rainy Sunday at the temple

Una Otra Semana Bonita

Queridos amigos,

It has been another beautiful week here in Buenos Aires.

Let me start off by saying that I love my district. Even with the 3-6 sister to elder ratio I love it. We´ve been practicing memorizing the baptisimal invitation, the missionary objective, and the first vision. I am the only one so far that has them all down. We were practicing as a district, and Elder Belnap noticed that when I recite them, my right eyebrow twitches! I practiced saying them in front of the mirror, and it really twitches! I am now working on saying them while controlling my facial expressions! Everyone thinks I´m a hoot!

The Elders also love to comment on my hair. I don´t think that it is that humid here, but my hair does. I have beautiful curls every morning when I wake up. Elder Hazelgren´s quote of the week is "Hermana Chaffin must be stressed, her hair is poofier than normal"

Saturday we went proselyting in Banfield. We got dropped off at 12:15 and around 12:30 we saw a guy riding his bike. We shouted a greeting across the street to which he waved, paused, started to turn towards us and then decided against it and continued on. We were sad that he rode away because he had the biggest smile on his face. After 4 more hours of walking and talking to people, we came across this man again! This time he rode right up to us! We were soooo excited!!! He told us his name is Jorge and then talked about himself and his family. He said that he´d never seen sister missionaries before and was very interested to hear about why we would give up everything to serve missions. He accepted a Book of Mormon and said that he would read it. He even gave us his phone number so that some other missionaries (that can speak spanish better than us) could come visit him. It was such a wonderful experience. I was able to understand everything he said, and I was able to give (simple) answers back.

It was just amazing! My companions did great as well! Their spanish has improved so much!!! After we said good-bye to Jorge, we were talking about how well our discussion went. Hermana Wunderli shared something so sweet with me. She said that while I was talking to Jorge she was praying that I would be able to understand him and be able to respond to his questions. I feel so blessed to have a companion that loves me so much. She is so wonderful. I´m sad that after the CCM I won´t have the opportunity to be her companion because she is going to the Bs. As. Norte Mission.

My comps and our roomates

Sunday was wonderful (as usual). Elder Lambert (a new norte americano) was conducting and asked me the night before if I would give a talk in sacrament meeting - IN SPANISH! It is so fun to write a talk in spanish when you are given the topic at 7:30, don´t get done with class until 8:00 and have to shower and then have lights out at 10:00. Just kidding, it was great. It was actually a fairly nice talk.

Tuesday we taught a fake investigator (all investigators are based on real ones that the teachers taught on their missions). The teacher that was acting did a fabulous job! He was pretending to be drunk and was very believable. At one point in our lesson, he was sharing how hard his life was. His family didn´t want to see him, he felt that his parents´divorce was his fault and that he couldn´t be forgiven because of all of the things he´s done. He then started to tear up! This teacher can cry on demand! We were able to testify about the Atonement and forgiveness when Hermana Wunderli shared a scripture. Unfortunately, she shared the wrong scripture...... She shared Alma 32:3 (I´m not going to type the scripture because I´m almost out of time, so look them up!) when she meant to share Alma 36:3. The teacher went with it, and it turned out really well. When we got back to class and looked up the scripture in english, we were dying laughing! At least we are making mistakes here and not in the field.

District of goof-balls

Yesterday, we watched a recording of Elder Bednar giving a devotional at the Provo MTC. There are not words to describe how wonderful it was. It wasn´t a topic that I´ve ever really thought about, and it made me contemplate a lot. He then shared that for several years he´s been writing a song in his head, and recently he worked with some people to make it into a song. At that devotional, some primary children and some missionaries sang it. That was the first time the song has been sung. It will be appearing in next month´s New Era magazine, and I implore you all to look it up.

Well, time´s up. I love you all!

-Hermana Chaffin

I love Thursdays!

Dear friends and families,

How is everything going? Everyone seems to be busy! Today has been crazy! This Tuesday all of the missionaries (except for the americans that arrived with me) left for their missions, and the CCM was empty. It was soooo nice having it to ourselves. Today the new "shipment" arrived. It is super funny to see how confused everyone is 😀 . I cannot believe that I was ever like that. So much has happened these past 3 weeks. I cannot believe that I am halfway through my time here at the CCM.

Buenos Aires Temple

I never fully appreciated Sundays until I came here. I have been in dire need of a day of rest. Our days here are so spiritual, but Sundays seem to be especially motivating spritually. Also, it is really nice that we get cake every Sunday. Haha.... I love the food.

My companions and I the third time we visited the temple

Proselyting on Saturday was AMAZING!!! We had such a great time. Even with our small vocabulary of spanish, my companions and I were able to share a lot of messages. We ended up giving away two Book of Mormons, several pamphlets, and all of our pass along cards. I have no fear when it comes to talking to people, but I am sure that the more I get rejected the more that will change. The gospel is real people! Jesus is the Christ!

My district at the CCM

On Sunday, President and Hermana Benton were visiting the Buenos Aires West Mission for a new stake that was being created, so Elder Hazelgren and I were in charge. Two of President Bentons counselors were here, but we conducted everything. Because of that, I had the opportunity to teach the Relief Society lesson. It was sooo great! I learned so much while I prepared, and I loved every minute of it. It was on the Atonement, and everyone should read Bruce R. McConkie's (YAY I JUST FOUND THE APOSTROPHE KEY!) talk called The Purifying Power of Gethsemane.

My companions and I have been playing volley-ball with the sisters from the other district this week. It has been a blast! I have actually been getting in a lot of spikes! Who knew?

That's it for now. Lots of love,

Hermana Chaffin

"You can live the impossible dream, or you can live an excuse. It's all up to you" -Paul Kane

p.s. Everyone should read Alma 16! It's my favorite!!!

Hermana Chaffin at it again

Hola todos!

This week has gone by soooo much faster than the last one. I feel like I can actually put in everything that has happened this time.

Last Thursday after I email all of you, my district went to the temple. It was a wonderful experience and I am so glad that we get to do that a few more times before we leave.

Friday was pretty mellow, it was hard to focus after having a day off, but it was so nice to have a schedule again.

On Saturday, Hermana Rios (my morning spanish teacher)  took us over to the temple hostel where people stay if they have traveled a long way to go to the temple. Each companionship had to talk to 5 different people and share a short message. It was awesome! We were able to understand so much after just 2 weeks of being here! All of the Latinos (and the one group of norte americanos that has been here for 3 weeks) got to go out proselyting. So, it was just two districts of norte americanos here at the CCM for several hours.

On Sunday, we got to walk around temple grounds again (I did take photos, and I will send them when I am able to).  That evening we had a devotional with the President of the CCM and our district did a musical number. We sang Nearer my God to Thee in Spanish for the 1st and 3rd verse and then Hermana Warnock and I sang the second verse in English.

I did not write down what we did Monday and Tuesday, and I do not remember what happened, so I will move on to Wednesday. The two norte americano districts that arrived June 2nd made a goal to speak only in Spanish on Wednesday, and it was amazing! I could not believe how much everyone has progressed. The Lord is truly blessing our efforts.

Today has been wonderful as well. We went to the temple at 8 this morning and afterwards had lunch. The food here is amazing! I love it so much!!! They leave two bowls out in the cafeteria at all times, one with Argentine rolls and the other with assorted fruits. The bread is soooooo good!

Before I go, here is a quote a fellow sister shared with me last week,

It comes from the Ensign in 1995. A talk given by Harold G. Hillam titled. 'Sacrifice in the Service'. In response to the question why missionaries serve:

"It's because they have a testimony of Jesus Christ. And when they know Him there is no bed too short or too hard, no climate too hot or too cold, no food too different or language so strange that they are unwilling to serve Him. No sacrifice is too great to serve the Master, who sacrificed his all to provide the way for His brothers and sisters to return home to their Heavenly Father. And because they are faithful to their callings thousands will revere their names throughout the eternities."

I know that I am where I am supposed to be.

Love,

Hermana Chaffin

John 16:33

Primera Semana

This week has been the longest but best week of my life (so far, I am sure that I will say that again).

My flights to Argentina were great and I made it here safely. The first thing I saw when I made it to the airport here in Buenos Aires was a poster of Simon Baker for some cologne. That made my day honestly.

The MTC here is called the CCM (Centro de Capacitacion Misional). My group of "norte americanos" is the third group of Americans to ever come to the CCM, so that is really cool.

I am in a trio because we have an odd number of sisters. Hermana Warnock is from Salt Lake, UT and Hermana Wunderli is  from Alpine, UT. They are both wonderful girls and I love them to death. My district is amazing and we have a great time together. There are 6 Elders and 3 Hermanas in our district. I am the sister training leader for our district (sister equivilant of district leader) and I conduct my first district meeting later today :)

My other two roommates are great. Hermana Muñoz is from Buenos Aires and Hermana De La O is from El Salvador. We were able to have our first real conversation with them two days ago. It was amazing how much we could talk about Lord of the Rings :)

All of the Latinos think it is really cold here (50 degrees) but this Montana girl thinks it is great.

I am not able to send pictures on this computer, so when I am out in the field I will send all that I have taken so far. 

That is all I have time for, so I will email all of you next week!

Con Amor,

Hermana Chaffin

Topsy Turvy

Well, it happened again, the game plan changed.

This week has been fantastic. Monday was my last day of work at Chinook Dental and everyone surprised me with flowers and pizza.

Tuesday was even better! I got my braces off! It's an amazing feeling that I can't even describe. I'm so happy with how my teeth turned out and I'm grateful that my dad was willing to do it for me. Putting up with all the pain and inability to eat really paid off. Below are the before and after shots of having braces.

 

Wednesday (today), has been a bit different. I got up at 6:00 (still sleepy with my bed strongly calling my name) and read my scriptures. Whoop whoop for mission prep. After showering and eating a breakfast of champions (delicious blueberry pancakes smothered in syrup). 

I decided today was going to be super productive. I gathered all of my mission supplies and suitcases and began sorting, folding, vacuum-packing, and organizing. I separated my stuff into the following categories: Stuff I'd need in the Provo MTC, Stuff I wouldn't get into until I made it to Argentina, and Extras (toilitries, towels, laundry stuff).  Guess what? It was all under weight!!! Yay! 

Once that project was done, I moved on to packing all fo the stuff in my room that I won't need while I'm away so that it's out of my family's way. Sometimes I can't believe how much crap I have, although it was nice to reorganize my college stuff.

After boxing all but my bedding, I ate lunch and took a well deserved break. And that's when I got the phone call....

President Pfile is the sweetest guy ever and I love him to pieces, but when I get a call from him it's usually a little life-altering. For instance, telling me that my reporting day got pushed back like he did a month and half ago, or that my MTC had been changed, which is the news I got today. That's right folks, I'm now going to the Argentina MTC (or should I say CCM a.k.a. Centro de Capacitacion Misional). So yay! Stress level went up a bit, but no biggie. I'm just rolling with the punches :)

I'm supposed to get a call from the MTC soon, so I'll let ya'll know what's up later.

Gracias for reading!

-Soon to be Hermana Chaffin