Service, Baptisms and Pokemon!

Goodmorning for the last time from the promised land!

This week we had a lot to do! 

Last monday was district activity, the elders made a creamy chicken brasilian dish and i was seriously empressed! The first time in my mission that the ELDERS have cooked in the activty, normally they give the sisters that job haha. But.......

Tuesday at district meeting the elders had the asignment to bring the snack, they really went all out making a peach cobbler... but they put 1/4 cup of salt instead of 1/4 spoon of salt! haha, poor guys are Americans and read 1/4 C and thought it meant cup, but no.. it means cuchara (spoon) haha.

But they didnt let us down, they bought us cookies instead. Nice try Elders!

Other funny thing that happened this week: We contacted the Elders house! haha About 6 weeks ago before the previous elders were transfered they gave us a reference of a man called Juan. We have gone at least twice a week all transfer trying to find this man, but whenever we went there was no one home. This week we went and this time the door was answered! By the elders.... yes, the previous elders pulled a prank on us! It was quite funny haha. Obviously "Juan" was never home because when we are working the Elders are also working haha. It just so happened that they were doing weekly planning that day and were home. It was like:

 "ummmm hello Sisters.... is everything okay? Can we help you?"

"Ummmm we are looking for Juan?" hahaha

Well this new app Pokemon Go arrived here about 2 weeks ago and there is an increase of youth in the street and an increase in cell phone robbings since everyone has their phones in plain view these days haha.

Somehow our chapel is a PokeStop, I dont know what that means, but I do know that there are colections of youth outside the chapel. 

The Buenos Aires Temple is a PokeGym... so temple assistance has also increased haha.

Perhaps this is a new iniciative to draw people to church? haha

Wednesday was a pretty normal day, our little investigators had their baptsm interview and afterward we all pitched in to paint the sets for the youth activity this week.

Thursday we were painting the base coat on the walls in the house of a lovely lady Dora who has just one leg. And taugh english class.

Friday we made apple pies and  we sewed costumes for the young womens Porta Rica dance this coming thursday 

and Saturday! the most beautiful thing was the baptisms of Valentino Ripamonti and Agustin Prudente! They are so special, i feel honored that i got to finish my mission with the baptisms of two kids so pure. They were overjoyed and even got up and bore their testamonies, we hadnt even thought to ask them to do it coz theyre just kids, but they came and said: "Hermanas! We have been practising our testamonies and we want to bare say them in our baptism!". Hearing 8 year old Agustin  say so eloquently: "I have taken a great step! I am happy. I know that the church of jesus christ of latter day saints is the only true church." and to hear Valentino say: "I am ready to follow jesus christ and keep his comandments. This is the true church and where I want to be." was so powerful and left almost everyone there all teared up! Including their mum who is not a member and their big brother Gino who was baptised 2 months ago. 

We sung with the kids "When I am baptised" from the primary hymn book :

 I like to look for rainbows whenever there is rain

And ponder on the beauty of an earth made clean again.

I want my life to be as clean as earth right after rain.

I want to be the best I can and live with God again.

I know when I am baptized my wrongs are washed away,

And I can be forgiven and improve myself each day.

I want my life to be as clean as earth right after rain.

I want to be the best I can and live with God again.

I Love you all! 

Hermana Wilson

"I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith" 1Timothy 4:7

Well, the time has arrived, Thursday 11th of August I completed 18 months here in the mission and next monday at this time I will be in my final devotional here, just a few hours short of heading to Buenos Aires International for my 14 hour long flight home to Auckland! It is a bitersweet feeling to be at this point.

I cannot express what my mission has meant to me, what these people mean to me, what this church means to me.

I came here hoping to be a tool in the hands of The Lord to build up His kingdom here on earth, but it is I who has been built up. This service has taught me to be diligent, patient, humble and more than anything else to love all people.

I have been through the refining fires and I feel stronger, more confident and more tha ever sure that I am on the right path, that the best decision I ever made was to be baptised into this Church. 

It was not a coincidence that  I was sent here to Argentina Buenos Aires South to serve. This mission is, was always, and will always be my mission. These are my people, my family, I didnt meet them, i was reunited with them, and they will always hold a special place in my heart. 

I hope that my service has helped in some way, that Argentina is just a little bit better because I gave my heart, might , mind and strength to these 18 months. 

Thank you all for your support and love durring these last 18 months.

 The Lord promised me:  "I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up." and in many ocations, although far away, you have been those angels baring me up. 

I dont know if i could have done this without that knowledge.

I Love you and I cant wait to see your faces!

For the Last time as: 

Hermana Wilson

 "Yea, and from that time even until now, I have labored without ceasing, that I might bring souls unto repentance; that I might bring them to taste of the exceeding joy of which I did taste; that they might also be born of God, and be filled with the Holy Ghost

 And I have been supported under trials and troubles of every kind, yea, and in all manner of afflictions; yea, God has delivered me from prison, and from bonds, and from death; yea, and I do put my trust in him, and he will still deliver me."