I feel like I have so much to say to you all, but no way to express any of it. I´ll work on that for next week´s email. President Carter asked each of us to share our testimonies with our families when we called, but I forgot with all the rush and trying to get everyone in. I´d like to share it with you all now.
I know this Church, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, is true. I know Christ leads His church through a living prophet and that He restored it through Joseph Smith. Every time we teach the first lesson on the Restoration, my testimony is renewed. I know God is our loving Heavenly Father and that He has a plan for us. He loves us and wants us to be happy and have success in this life. He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to the earth to set an example, perform the Atonement, and teach us the way to get back to the Father. It is only through His Gospel - faith, repentance, baptism, the reception of the gift of the Holy Ghost, and our perseverance until the end - that we can be saved. We can have faith in Him and repent because of His infinite sacrifice. Jesus Christ is at the center of the Plan of Salvation. We owe everything we have and everything we are to Him. I love Him. I love sharing that love with the people here in Argentina. I pray every day that I can be the conduit of the pure love of Christ to the people Hermana Reales and I get to teach. I know the Book of Mormon is true. It testifies of Christ and builds our faith in Him. We can find the fulness of the Gospel within its pages. I love the Book of Mormon. Because of the Book of Mormon, I know who I am, I know our Savior better, and I know how to follow Him more. There is nothing more simple and more fulfilling than the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We have that Gospel restored in its purity and perfect form today because we have a prophet. God loves us enough to show us the way. I love being a missionary, even though it´s hard. I love what the Prophet Joseph said, "Shall we not go on in so great a cause?"
I hope you all will work to strengthen your testimonies of the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ and share it with the people you love. The Savior said, "Lovest thou me?....Feed my sheep."
I love you all so much more than words can express. May God bless you all and inspire you to be more like His Son. It is in following His example that we find true happiness. I am so grateful for your examples of obedience and service to God. You love Him and do His will. I have learned so much from you and I am so proud to call you my family.
Hermana Erin Litster
Monday, December 26, 2011
Monday, December 19, 2011
December 19, 2011 from Argentina
¡Hola!
This week was really good. I´m happy, but there are still those moments when missionary work is hard. I still don´t like doing contacts. I´m not afraid to do them, I just don´t like it. That´s my goal this week. I´m going to like doing them by my next letter. I´ll be out of my comfort zone a lot this week, but I have faith that if I do more and more every day, I will like them eventually. They might even be fun.
It's still difficult to imagine it being Christmas when the stores are selling swim suits and inner tubes next to Christmas trees and statues of Santa Clause (or Papá Noel). I´m excited to get my packages today. Today almost the whole mission is getting together for P-day Navideño. Each zone is presenting something and we´ll have musical numbers and things like that. Hermana Reales and I are doing one, too. I´m going to sing "Jesus, the Very Thought of Thee" and she is going to play the clarinet. Hopefully it goes well. We haven´t really been able to practice. There isn´t really time in the missionary schedule for things like that. On Sunday, we´re going to sing "What Child is This?" in sacrament meeting, in Spanish of course. I´m not sure how well that one will be either, but that´s okay.
I´m making a little book for Hermana Reales for Christmas. For each of the 12 days of Christmas I have been writing her a letter. I´ve been thinking about how the day went and what I admired about what she did. I´ve been finding a scripture to go with it and a picture to put on the page. I hope it turns out and that she likes it. I´ve been writing it all in Spanish, too. I think that´s been helping me with the language. I hope so anyway.
Our investigators are doing well. We turned those two men over to the elders in the ward, just to keep it safe. The ward is split into two areas. We have one and the elders have the other. We work with the people in our area. We don´t really get very many member referrals yet, which is sad. That´s something that we´re working on. President Carter wants us to win references from the members, not ask for them. It´s difficult, though, when no one here will let us do service for them. Any ideas?
We have some investigators that I love un montón (a lot). Ramona is a woman that we found doing contacts and she is amazing. She is reading the Book of Mormon and praying every day. She won´t pray in front of us yet, but we´re going to be patient and pray for her. She always talks about how she wants to change her life and how she feels like we can help her do it. Elena is her friend and we found her and her "husband" at the same time as Ramona. They´re from Bolivia and are reading the Book of Mormon together. It´s a little more difficult for them to make changes in their lives and keep all of their commitments, but we´re praying for them. Lily is una viajita (little old lady). We taught her the first lesson on Monday and challenged her to be baptized on the 21st of January. She accepted. She says she attended our church something like 14 years ago and really loved it. I don´t know why she wasn´t baptized then, but I have faith that she will this time. She even lets us help her and do service, which is a miracle here.
Overall, I´m really happy. Some days it´s a struggle, but then I remember all of you at home. I think about the faith you have in my and all the things you´ve said to encourage me. It keeps me going. I really want to be the missionary you all think I am. Thank you for praying for me. I will do my best to live up to your expectations and the expectations of our Heavenly Father. I love you more than I can express and I feel your love more and more with every letter. Thank you.
Hermana Erin Litster
This week was really good. I´m happy, but there are still those moments when missionary work is hard. I still don´t like doing contacts. I´m not afraid to do them, I just don´t like it. That´s my goal this week. I´m going to like doing them by my next letter. I´ll be out of my comfort zone a lot this week, but I have faith that if I do more and more every day, I will like them eventually. They might even be fun.
It's still difficult to imagine it being Christmas when the stores are selling swim suits and inner tubes next to Christmas trees and statues of Santa Clause (or Papá Noel). I´m excited to get my packages today. Today almost the whole mission is getting together for P-day Navideño. Each zone is presenting something and we´ll have musical numbers and things like that. Hermana Reales and I are doing one, too. I´m going to sing "Jesus, the Very Thought of Thee" and she is going to play the clarinet. Hopefully it goes well. We haven´t really been able to practice. There isn´t really time in the missionary schedule for things like that. On Sunday, we´re going to sing "What Child is This?" in sacrament meeting, in Spanish of course. I´m not sure how well that one will be either, but that´s okay.
I´m making a little book for Hermana Reales for Christmas. For each of the 12 days of Christmas I have been writing her a letter. I´ve been thinking about how the day went and what I admired about what she did. I´ve been finding a scripture to go with it and a picture to put on the page. I hope it turns out and that she likes it. I´ve been writing it all in Spanish, too. I think that´s been helping me with the language. I hope so anyway.
Our investigators are doing well. We turned those two men over to the elders in the ward, just to keep it safe. The ward is split into two areas. We have one and the elders have the other. We work with the people in our area. We don´t really get very many member referrals yet, which is sad. That´s something that we´re working on. President Carter wants us to win references from the members, not ask for them. It´s difficult, though, when no one here will let us do service for them. Any ideas?
We have some investigators that I love un montón (a lot). Ramona is a woman that we found doing contacts and she is amazing. She is reading the Book of Mormon and praying every day. She won´t pray in front of us yet, but we´re going to be patient and pray for her. She always talks about how she wants to change her life and how she feels like we can help her do it. Elena is her friend and we found her and her "husband" at the same time as Ramona. They´re from Bolivia and are reading the Book of Mormon together. It´s a little more difficult for them to make changes in their lives and keep all of their commitments, but we´re praying for them. Lily is una viajita (little old lady). We taught her the first lesson on Monday and challenged her to be baptized on the 21st of January. She accepted. She says she attended our church something like 14 years ago and really loved it. I don´t know why she wasn´t baptized then, but I have faith that she will this time. She even lets us help her and do service, which is a miracle here.
Overall, I´m really happy. Some days it´s a struggle, but then I remember all of you at home. I think about the faith you have in my and all the things you´ve said to encourage me. It keeps me going. I really want to be the missionary you all think I am. Thank you for praying for me. I will do my best to live up to your expectations and the expectations of our Heavenly Father. I love you more than I can express and I feel your love more and more with every letter. Thank you.
Hermana Erin Litster
Monday, December 12, 2011
From Argentina December 12
Dear Family and Friends,
Thank you for sending all the audio clips. It was so good to hear your voices and even better to hear your testimonies of the Savior. They strengthened my testimony. It´s so strange to me when we talk to people and tell them we´re missionaries from the Church of Jesus Christ and people tell us they´re not interested because Jesus hasn´t done anything for them. I want to cry! But every time that happens, I have the opportunity to remember everything He has done for me and how much I love Him. I guess it´s a blessing in disguise.
I still don´t know how Christmas will go. They celebrate it differently here, mostly on the 24th, so we´ll be spending the 25th like it was just any other day. I miss American Christmases with all the special traditions and snow, but I still get to focus on the Savior and tell people how wonderful of a gift He is.
The work is picking up. We had Zone Conference on Friday and I learned a lot of new things and got all pumped up for the work again. I defninitely have a testimony of meetings like that. We need to re-evaluate our goals, look at our progress, and get excited for what we do periodically, in whatever it is we´re trying to accomplish.
I´m beginning to understand more Spanish and I can speak a little better. I speak English way too often, since I know Hermana Reales can understand me, but it´s frustrating to try and express myself in Spanish when I don´t know how yet. That´s one of my goals for this week, to speak Spanish first, ask for help with words, and then if she still doesn´t understand, I´ll say it in English. Hermana Reales is a great blessing in my life. I´m trying to think of ways I can serve her better and be a better companion. I´m trying to do my part more and share more of the load.
We´re slowly starting to work better with the ward. We have to have 15 lessons with a member present every week now, which is a challenge, but we have such good ward missionaries. Almost all of them are still in the Youth program, but do what they can to help us out. We had one of them come with us at the last minute yesterday for about a half hour or so, and because he came, we were able to get our 15 lessons. These young men and women are so solid. There´s a reason they´re the ward missionaries. Sometimes it´s difficult to remember that I´m not on the leaders in the ward. I´m used to having a little more control than I do now. I am merely a tool for the ward to use to move the work forward, not the other way around. I´m learning so much about how the church organization is inspired, how our leaders have been called of God and how I need to be patient with them as God teaches them how He wants things to be done.
Our investigators are doing a little better. We met some really good people in the last few days and I hope they continue to be interested and keep their commitments. One of them, Juan, is a cartonero (he pulls a cart around the streets and sells stuff) He lives in the villa and we weren´t sure he even knew how to read. Turns out he does, which is good. We left him 3 Nephi 11 to read and he only read the introduction on the first visit. We read and explained a few verses on the next visit and told him to read the rest of it by our visit the next day. We came back and he had read all of chapter 11 and chapter 12, too. We were shocked. There´s a lot more to him than we thought. We´re excited to keep teaching him. It gets a little complicated, though, because as of yesterday, we can only teach him with an adult male member of the Church.
Another of our investigators lives in the same house. There are 2 or three families living in a little house with Juan and their 11 dogs. Our other investigator, Marcelo, is an alcoholic. He had a baptismal date, and was trying to stop drinking, but it fell through and he hadn´t been keeping commitments. The last time we met with him before yesterday he was shaking because he hadn´t had any alcohol that day, which was good, but he´s a little creepy when he´s sober. We stopped going to see him for a little while, but yesterday when we were teaching Juan he asked if he could talk to us. He told us he had read what we left for him and that he felt like he needed to repent. We were excited about that, but then he asked if I was married and allowed to get married and what my name was. Needless to say, I was a little uncomfortable. We talked to our Zone Leaders and our ward mission leader and we´re going to have a member with us every time we go see him. Since Juan lives in the same house, we have to have a member with us for him, too. We hope we can help these two as well as avoid any problems. If it doesn´t get any less creepy, we might have to turn both of them over to the elders in our ward.
Every week the mission sends out a newsletter with a message from the mission president, the assistant, and the numbers for the week. Last week President Carter told us that his father had died and shared with us what he learned from him. I thought about the talk from General Conference, the one about the importance of a name. I realized then that I´m not here to represent myself. I have two names on my nametag. The Savior´s and my family name. My name isn´t even on it. I want to uphold both names well and I´m so grateful for the legacy I have with the names I hold. I will do my very best to be a good servant of the Lord here in Argentina.
I learn so much every day. I wish I could share all of it with you, every experience, every thought, feeling, and word. I love you and hope you are all well.
Love,
Hermana Erin Litster
Thank you for sending all the audio clips. It was so good to hear your voices and even better to hear your testimonies of the Savior. They strengthened my testimony. It´s so strange to me when we talk to people and tell them we´re missionaries from the Church of Jesus Christ and people tell us they´re not interested because Jesus hasn´t done anything for them. I want to cry! But every time that happens, I have the opportunity to remember everything He has done for me and how much I love Him. I guess it´s a blessing in disguise.
I still don´t know how Christmas will go. They celebrate it differently here, mostly on the 24th, so we´ll be spending the 25th like it was just any other day. I miss American Christmases with all the special traditions and snow, but I still get to focus on the Savior and tell people how wonderful of a gift He is.
The work is picking up. We had Zone Conference on Friday and I learned a lot of new things and got all pumped up for the work again. I defninitely have a testimony of meetings like that. We need to re-evaluate our goals, look at our progress, and get excited for what we do periodically, in whatever it is we´re trying to accomplish.
I´m beginning to understand more Spanish and I can speak a little better. I speak English way too often, since I know Hermana Reales can understand me, but it´s frustrating to try and express myself in Spanish when I don´t know how yet. That´s one of my goals for this week, to speak Spanish first, ask for help with words, and then if she still doesn´t understand, I´ll say it in English. Hermana Reales is a great blessing in my life. I´m trying to think of ways I can serve her better and be a better companion. I´m trying to do my part more and share more of the load.
We´re slowly starting to work better with the ward. We have to have 15 lessons with a member present every week now, which is a challenge, but we have such good ward missionaries. Almost all of them are still in the Youth program, but do what they can to help us out. We had one of them come with us at the last minute yesterday for about a half hour or so, and because he came, we were able to get our 15 lessons. These young men and women are so solid. There´s a reason they´re the ward missionaries. Sometimes it´s difficult to remember that I´m not on the leaders in the ward. I´m used to having a little more control than I do now. I am merely a tool for the ward to use to move the work forward, not the other way around. I´m learning so much about how the church organization is inspired, how our leaders have been called of God and how I need to be patient with them as God teaches them how He wants things to be done.
Our investigators are doing a little better. We met some really good people in the last few days and I hope they continue to be interested and keep their commitments. One of them, Juan, is a cartonero (he pulls a cart around the streets and sells stuff) He lives in the villa and we weren´t sure he even knew how to read. Turns out he does, which is good. We left him 3 Nephi 11 to read and he only read the introduction on the first visit. We read and explained a few verses on the next visit and told him to read the rest of it by our visit the next day. We came back and he had read all of chapter 11 and chapter 12, too. We were shocked. There´s a lot more to him than we thought. We´re excited to keep teaching him. It gets a little complicated, though, because as of yesterday, we can only teach him with an adult male member of the Church.
Another of our investigators lives in the same house. There are 2 or three families living in a little house with Juan and their 11 dogs. Our other investigator, Marcelo, is an alcoholic. He had a baptismal date, and was trying to stop drinking, but it fell through and he hadn´t been keeping commitments. The last time we met with him before yesterday he was shaking because he hadn´t had any alcohol that day, which was good, but he´s a little creepy when he´s sober. We stopped going to see him for a little while, but yesterday when we were teaching Juan he asked if he could talk to us. He told us he had read what we left for him and that he felt like he needed to repent. We were excited about that, but then he asked if I was married and allowed to get married and what my name was. Needless to say, I was a little uncomfortable. We talked to our Zone Leaders and our ward mission leader and we´re going to have a member with us every time we go see him. Since Juan lives in the same house, we have to have a member with us for him, too. We hope we can help these two as well as avoid any problems. If it doesn´t get any less creepy, we might have to turn both of them over to the elders in our ward.
Every week the mission sends out a newsletter with a message from the mission president, the assistant, and the numbers for the week. Last week President Carter told us that his father had died and shared with us what he learned from him. I thought about the talk from General Conference, the one about the importance of a name. I realized then that I´m not here to represent myself. I have two names on my nametag. The Savior´s and my family name. My name isn´t even on it. I want to uphold both names well and I´m so grateful for the legacy I have with the names I hold. I will do my very best to be a good servant of the Lord here in Argentina.
I learn so much every day. I wish I could share all of it with you, every experience, every thought, feeling, and word. I love you and hope you are all well.
Love,
Hermana Erin Litster
Monday, December 5, 2011
From Buenos Aires December 5, 2011
I´m doing really well today. It´s so crazy to think that in two days I´ll hit my three month mark. Thank you so much for your letters and advice and for sending me the ones from my friends at home. It really means so much to me that I have others thinking about and praying for me. I don´t have a lot of time today, and I´ll try and make sure I have more time next Monday to write. Will you tell the Garibaldi family and Mary and Pres. Patterson how grateful I am for their letters? They were really what I needed this week.
This week has been difficult, but good at the same time. All five of our baptismal dates fell through in the last two days and we lost two of our investigators yesterday. I thought I would feel a lot worse, but I only feel peace. I guess that just goes to show how God has a plan for everything and this is really His work. Of course it hurt to hear these two people, Juan and Lizandro, tell us that they weren´t interested anymore, that they didn´t have any faith. I don´t think that will ever get easy to hear, and it probably never should. Hermana Reales and I just feel like we need to work a little bit harder, plan a lot better, and trust a lot more. God will take care of us if we will do our part in the work.
In our last District meeting every companionship set baptism goals for the month of December. We really felt like three was a good number. The rule in the mission for baptisms is that a person must attend Sacrament Meeting at least three times before they can be baptized. That means that in order to have anyone get baptized this month we basically have to have them come every Sunday for the rest of the year, since we didn´t have anyone come to church yesterday, despite our efforts. We have faith in the inspiration we´ve received and trust that it will happen if we do our part.
Hermana Reales and I get along great. I´ll try and get some pictures taken and send them to you. She has helped me a lot, especially since this week has been hard and I haven´t been as motivated as I´d like to be. She keeps me going. Argentina is beautiful, though the days are getting hotter and hotter. We bought a little Christmas tree today to decorate and put in our apartment. We´ll be spending Christmas with one of the member families and a recent convert so she doesn´t have to spend it alone. They do Christmas very differently here, so it will be interesting to experience.
I haven´t really had to face my food fears yet, though I´m sure I will. It´s a lot of beef, potatoes, and they put hard-boiled eggs on and in everything, even pizza. Tang is a huge staple here, too, but they have all kinds of different flavors, not just orange. I like it a lot, but really miss my real orange juice.
I had an interview with President Carter this morning. It went well and I learned a lot. I know he´s been called by God to lead this mission. He reminded me of how important it is to have faith and patience, that the two are pretty much inseperable. I need to focus more on how far I´ve come and how bright the future is if I have the faith and patience necessary to make it so. Since today was la Conferencia de los Resfuerzos (conference of the reinforcements - newbies) we got to meet with all of my friends from my district at the MTC as well as the local newbies.
One of the sisters is a mini-missionary. She´s only here for one or two transfers and lives in the mission. She´s only 18 and has been a member for about a year. Hermana Gomez´s strength and willingness to serve really inspired me. Sister Carter said that the missionary who found and taught her family said he would have worked as a missionary for ten years to find them. It reminded me of the story in the Bible where Jacob worked for 7 years for Rachel, but it only felt like a few days to him because of the love he had for her. It was an amazing and spiritual experience for me. If I love the people here and love God even more, every minute of every day will be worth it to me. They time will go by too quickly and I won´t want to leave when the time comes. That´s the kind of missionary I want to be.
Thank you all for your examples, prayers, and love. I feel it all more than you know. I love you and pray that God will bless you in all that you do.
Hermana Erin Litster
This week has been difficult, but good at the same time. All five of our baptismal dates fell through in the last two days and we lost two of our investigators yesterday. I thought I would feel a lot worse, but I only feel peace. I guess that just goes to show how God has a plan for everything and this is really His work. Of course it hurt to hear these two people, Juan and Lizandro, tell us that they weren´t interested anymore, that they didn´t have any faith. I don´t think that will ever get easy to hear, and it probably never should. Hermana Reales and I just feel like we need to work a little bit harder, plan a lot better, and trust a lot more. God will take care of us if we will do our part in the work.
In our last District meeting every companionship set baptism goals for the month of December. We really felt like three was a good number. The rule in the mission for baptisms is that a person must attend Sacrament Meeting at least three times before they can be baptized. That means that in order to have anyone get baptized this month we basically have to have them come every Sunday for the rest of the year, since we didn´t have anyone come to church yesterday, despite our efforts. We have faith in the inspiration we´ve received and trust that it will happen if we do our part.
Hermana Reales and I get along great. I´ll try and get some pictures taken and send them to you. She has helped me a lot, especially since this week has been hard and I haven´t been as motivated as I´d like to be. She keeps me going. Argentina is beautiful, though the days are getting hotter and hotter. We bought a little Christmas tree today to decorate and put in our apartment. We´ll be spending Christmas with one of the member families and a recent convert so she doesn´t have to spend it alone. They do Christmas very differently here, so it will be interesting to experience.
I haven´t really had to face my food fears yet, though I´m sure I will. It´s a lot of beef, potatoes, and they put hard-boiled eggs on and in everything, even pizza. Tang is a huge staple here, too, but they have all kinds of different flavors, not just orange. I like it a lot, but really miss my real orange juice.
I had an interview with President Carter this morning. It went well and I learned a lot. I know he´s been called by God to lead this mission. He reminded me of how important it is to have faith and patience, that the two are pretty much inseperable. I need to focus more on how far I´ve come and how bright the future is if I have the faith and patience necessary to make it so. Since today was la Conferencia de los Resfuerzos (conference of the reinforcements - newbies) we got to meet with all of my friends from my district at the MTC as well as the local newbies.
One of the sisters is a mini-missionary. She´s only here for one or two transfers and lives in the mission. She´s only 18 and has been a member for about a year. Hermana Gomez´s strength and willingness to serve really inspired me. Sister Carter said that the missionary who found and taught her family said he would have worked as a missionary for ten years to find them. It reminded me of the story in the Bible where Jacob worked for 7 years for Rachel, but it only felt like a few days to him because of the love he had for her. It was an amazing and spiritual experience for me. If I love the people here and love God even more, every minute of every day will be worth it to me. They time will go by too quickly and I won´t want to leave when the time comes. That´s the kind of missionary I want to be.
Thank you all for your examples, prayers, and love. I feel it all more than you know. I love you and pray that God will bless you in all that you do.
Hermana Erin Litster
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
November 29, 2011 from Argentina
This week has been good overall, but really, really hard. I´ve been humbled and I´m trying to be patient. I was really frustrated that I wasn´t getting the language quicker and could teach the doctrines as well or remember scriptures I´d studied. I was so upset because I knew I knew all of the stuff I was trying to say. I had studied it before, for a long time. The problem was that I was trusting in my own strength. I...I...I... I´ve needed to repent. I´m trying to learn more about faith and how to have it. How to be more humble and put my life in God´s hands. It´s difficult to do, since I like to be in control of things. I hope it gets easier. I can understand a lot of what people say, but it is kind of uncomfortable when I know they´re talking about me and think I don´t know what they´re saying.
President Carter has made some changes in the mission recently. From now on, every missionary will be in their area for 6-8 transfers! Crazy, huh? I´ll be in Libertad B for at least half of my mission, maybe more. The point is to have us work better with and gain the trust of the members. In the announcement President Carter said, "When you get to a new area, unpack completely and prepare yourself mentally and physically to be there forever." I guess I had better learn to love the people and learn the language pretty quick. I might not ever leave.
I´m excited for Christmas, but it just doesn´t feel like the holidays when the days just get hotter and hotter. I´m trying really hard to focus on the work and not think about home, but it´s difficult. I miss you all terribly and love you so much. I wish I had more time to write about everything. Thank you for your prayers for me and for our investigators. I feel them so much.
The address for the house we live in is O. Andrade 2614. I don´t really know how the addresses work here, but I know we live in Libertad, Merlo, in the state of Buenos Aires. I don´t really know why you can´t send mail to our house. Other people here get mail the regular way. Maybe it´s just more secure through the mission office.
The mailing address is:
Iglesia S.U.D
Hermana Erin Litster
Misión Argentina Buenos Aires Oeste
C.C. 92
1702 Ciudadela
Buenos Aires, Argentina
You can still write DearElder´s and I´ll get them every time I´m at the mission office. In general, we go to the mission office once a transfer, but if anyone else in our district is there for any other reason, they pick up the mail for us and pass it out in district meeting.
President Carter has made some changes in the mission recently. From now on, every missionary will be in their area for 6-8 transfers! Crazy, huh? I´ll be in Libertad B for at least half of my mission, maybe more. The point is to have us work better with and gain the trust of the members. In the announcement President Carter said, "When you get to a new area, unpack completely and prepare yourself mentally and physically to be there forever." I guess I had better learn to love the people and learn the language pretty quick. I might not ever leave.
I´m excited for Christmas, but it just doesn´t feel like the holidays when the days just get hotter and hotter. I´m trying really hard to focus on the work and not think about home, but it´s difficult. I miss you all terribly and love you so much. I wish I had more time to write about everything. Thank you for your prayers for me and for our investigators. I feel them so much.
The address for the house we live in is O. Andrade 2614. I don´t really know how the addresses work here, but I know we live in Libertad, Merlo, in the state of Buenos Aires. I don´t really know why you can´t send mail to our house. Other people here get mail the regular way. Maybe it´s just more secure through the mission office.
The mailing address is:
Iglesia S.U.D
Hermana Erin Litster
Misión Argentina Buenos Aires Oeste
C.C. 92
1702 Ciudadela
Buenos Aires, Argentina
You can still write DearElder´s and I´ll get them every time I´m at the mission office. In general, we go to the mission office once a transfer, but if anyone else in our district is there for any other reason, they pick up the mail for us and pass it out in district meeting.
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
1st and 2nd weeks in Argentina
Hola! I´m doing well. My companion is Hermana Reales. She is from Córdoba, Argentina. She speaks English very well and I´m sure I´m going to learn so much from her. A lot of times I don´t really know what she is saying because she says it so fast, but she is trying to be patient with me. I understand a little bit more of the language every day and I´m getting a little more confident in speaking. Usually one of two things happen. Either I can understand almost everything and can´t say anything in reply, or I can´t understand barely anything, but can think of a ton to say. It makes it difficult when we´re supposed to teach to our investigators needs.
Down-town Buenos Aires isn´t actually in our mission, but we´re not out in the boonies too much. I think there´s only one or two areas in the mission that are actually out in the country. I´ve been put in an area called Libertad. There are a lot of blonde people, but not many natural ones or people as pale as me. People stare at me a lot and kids always ask me where I´m from or try to speak to me in English when we pass. Some of the people really pay attention when I talk because they know I´m really trying, and others look at me like I´m the biggest idiot in the world.
The people here are mostly nice, but in a different kind of way. They say yes, just so they don´t seem rude, but aren´t really interested and pretend to not be home when we come by later. It´s very rare for us to actually get into a home to teach, too. Most of the people aren´t very trusting, hence all the gates and bars on the windows. We do a lot of our teaching on the porch or in the street. It makes it really difficult and it´s not at all what I imagined missionary work to be like.
We have a couple of investigators that I really feel good about. Aleida has a baptismal date, but hasn´t been able to come to church because she´s pregnant and has morning sickness. She´s married, too, which is a miracle for missionaries here. It doesn´t cost anything to get married here, but a fortune to get divorced. Silvia, one of other investigators, has been taught all the lessons, but won´t commit to getting baptized because her ¨husband¨ has to divorce his first wife and they have to get married before she can get baptized. She´s been with him for like 20 years so it´s a pretty difficult thing to do. I don´t think they even know where the first wife is.
We met a family in the villa (ghetto), which I think are truly interested in the gospel and how it can change their lives. We have an appointment with them tonight. Germán is another one. He is really looking for an answer, but is having a hard time recognizing it. Hermana Reales feels that he won´t receive an answer until he goes to church. 9 am comes really early for the people here, who don´t eat dinner until 9 or 10 at night and have parties all the time until 2 or 3 in the morning.
I guess something really funny happened the other day, but I couldn´t understand what was going on. We were teaching the mother of one of our recent converts and his 42 year old brother, who still lives at home, sat in on the lesson. Hermana Reales said he was crazy, but I didn´t understand what she meant by that. Apparently he said that he believed the Bible was written for people who believe in a dead God and that he believed in a living one. He also believes that he is that living God and all the apostles. He read us a page in the Bible in which he had replaced all the names with his own (Tito). All I heard was Tito, Tito, Tito.... over and over again. It was weird. Needless to say, we didn´t get very far with him.
Hermana Reales set a really good example for me on the first night. On the way back to the pensión (missionary apartment), she contacted the remis driver and basically taught him the first lesson. I wished I could have helped out, but couldn´t follow the conversation enough to be able to say anything really relevant. She is definitely an example to me and I hope I can be as good a missionary as her. Everything is so planned out and organized. It´s so efficient. I really am so lucky to be in this mission and have the leaders I do. I´m sure they call it the best mission in the world for a reason. I can tell that the next little while is going to be very difficult for me, so thank you for keeping me in your prayers.
Something that one of the assistants, Elder Godfrey, has shown me is something I want to develop during my time here. He has so much good to say about everyone. Whenever he´s presenting something, he always thanks the person who spoke before him and talks briefly about why they´re so great and what he loves about them. He seems so grateful for everyone and everything we do. I hope I can develop that in some amount while I´m here. It´s so fanastic to see the change in people during their missions. The elders in my MTC district have already grown so much. I can only imagine what kind of men they´ll be by the time they go home. I hope everyone who has the opportunity to serve a mission does so. I´ve only been out 2 months, but I´ve already seen so much of what this dedicated time has to offer. It is definitely hard, but so incredibly worth every moment of difficulty. This really is the biggest and best adventure I´ve ever embarked on.
Every day is so hard, but I go to bed happy. Thank you for your prayers. I have really felt them this week. Thank you for letting me know what´s been going on in your lives. Let everyone know how much I love them and am praying for them. I love you!
Love, Erin
Down-town Buenos Aires isn´t actually in our mission, but we´re not out in the boonies too much. I think there´s only one or two areas in the mission that are actually out in the country. I´ve been put in an area called Libertad. There are a lot of blonde people, but not many natural ones or people as pale as me. People stare at me a lot and kids always ask me where I´m from or try to speak to me in English when we pass. Some of the people really pay attention when I talk because they know I´m really trying, and others look at me like I´m the biggest idiot in the world.
The people here are mostly nice, but in a different kind of way. They say yes, just so they don´t seem rude, but aren´t really interested and pretend to not be home when we come by later. It´s very rare for us to actually get into a home to teach, too. Most of the people aren´t very trusting, hence all the gates and bars on the windows. We do a lot of our teaching on the porch or in the street. It makes it really difficult and it´s not at all what I imagined missionary work to be like.
We have a couple of investigators that I really feel good about. Aleida has a baptismal date, but hasn´t been able to come to church because she´s pregnant and has morning sickness. She´s married, too, which is a miracle for missionaries here. It doesn´t cost anything to get married here, but a fortune to get divorced. Silvia, one of other investigators, has been taught all the lessons, but won´t commit to getting baptized because her ¨husband¨ has to divorce his first wife and they have to get married before she can get baptized. She´s been with him for like 20 years so it´s a pretty difficult thing to do. I don´t think they even know where the first wife is.
We met a family in the villa (ghetto), which I think are truly interested in the gospel and how it can change their lives. We have an appointment with them tonight. Germán is another one. He is really looking for an answer, but is having a hard time recognizing it. Hermana Reales feels that he won´t receive an answer until he goes to church. 9 am comes really early for the people here, who don´t eat dinner until 9 or 10 at night and have parties all the time until 2 or 3 in the morning.
I guess something really funny happened the other day, but I couldn´t understand what was going on. We were teaching the mother of one of our recent converts and his 42 year old brother, who still lives at home, sat in on the lesson. Hermana Reales said he was crazy, but I didn´t understand what she meant by that. Apparently he said that he believed the Bible was written for people who believe in a dead God and that he believed in a living one. He also believes that he is that living God and all the apostles. He read us a page in the Bible in which he had replaced all the names with his own (Tito). All I heard was Tito, Tito, Tito.... over and over again. It was weird. Needless to say, we didn´t get very far with him.
Hermana Reales set a really good example for me on the first night. On the way back to the pensión (missionary apartment), she contacted the remis driver and basically taught him the first lesson. I wished I could have helped out, but couldn´t follow the conversation enough to be able to say anything really relevant. She is definitely an example to me and I hope I can be as good a missionary as her. Everything is so planned out and organized. It´s so efficient. I really am so lucky to be in this mission and have the leaders I do. I´m sure they call it the best mission in the world for a reason. I can tell that the next little while is going to be very difficult for me, so thank you for keeping me in your prayers.
Something that one of the assistants, Elder Godfrey, has shown me is something I want to develop during my time here. He has so much good to say about everyone. Whenever he´s presenting something, he always thanks the person who spoke before him and talks briefly about why they´re so great and what he loves about them. He seems so grateful for everyone and everything we do. I hope I can develop that in some amount while I´m here. It´s so fanastic to see the change in people during their missions. The elders in my MTC district have already grown so much. I can only imagine what kind of men they´ll be by the time they go home. I hope everyone who has the opportunity to serve a mission does so. I´ve only been out 2 months, but I´ve already seen so much of what this dedicated time has to offer. It is definitely hard, but so incredibly worth every moment of difficulty. This really is the biggest and best adventure I´ve ever embarked on.
Every day is so hard, but I go to bed happy. Thank you for your prayers. I have really felt them this week. Thank you for letting me know what´s been going on in your lives. Let everyone know how much I love them and am praying for them. I love you!
Love, Erin
Saturday, November 12, 2011
The (next) Adventure Begins!
Dear Friends,
Erin is in Argentina! We are so excited for her and the wonderful experiences in her future. As I talked to her yesterday, I felt an assurance that Erin has been given the tools she will need to become a successful, effective instrument in the Lord's hands. She is filled with the Spirit, and that will give her the ability to perform whatever work the Lord has prepared for her to do and touch the hearts of everyone the Lord has prepared for her to teach.
Thank you for the love and support you continue to give to her. I know how much strength and encouragement she feels when she gets a letter from you. You may look up the mission office address on the Buenos Aires West Mission blog on the tab at the top of the page for their mailing address and other mission information.
Sincerely,
Tina Litster
Erin is in Argentina! We are so excited for her and the wonderful experiences in her future. As I talked to her yesterday, I felt an assurance that Erin has been given the tools she will need to become a successful, effective instrument in the Lord's hands. She is filled with the Spirit, and that will give her the ability to perform whatever work the Lord has prepared for her to do and touch the hearts of everyone the Lord has prepared for her to teach.
Thank you for the love and support you continue to give to her. I know how much strength and encouragement she feels when she gets a letter from you. You may look up the mission office address on the Buenos Aires West Mission blog on the tab at the top of the page for their mailing address and other mission information.
Sincerely,
Tina Litster
Friday, November 4, 2011
MTC Week 9
I really think this delay is a blessing in disguise. I am so grateful for the extra time I have here at the MTC. I've already been able to see a difference in just one extra day so far. It's kind of like a second chance to do everything I wish I'd done in the MTC and be everything I wish I had been.
Devotional was phenomenal on Tuesday. People always say that they feel a message was meant just for them and it always seemed so cliche until now. On Monday, we had a workshop with Hermano Rosales about receiving revelation. He promised us that if we came up with a question for God that we really needed to know, we would receive an answer within the day. We spent pretty much the entire workshop in silence - pondering, praying, and receiving revelation. I had a different question at the beginning than I ended up with, but that just goes to show that God knows better than us what we need. He inspired me with a question, which was actually a question I've had for a really long time and have really struggled finding the answer.
By the time the workshop was over it was easy to tell that many of the other missionaries had received their answers. I hadn't, though, and wasn't sure if I had not been listening well enough, studied hard enough, etc. I'm easily distracted and was worried that I had not payed enough attention to the Spirit giving me my answer. I spent all of my personal study time on Tuesday looking for answers. By the time we had devotional I still hadn't figured it out. I was just praying that i'd be able to find my answer in something the speaker said that night.
Elder Craig Zwick came and taught about prayer. It was like no one else was in the room and he had prepared his talk with only me in mind. He gave me the direct answer to my question: How do I improve my relationship with God through prayer? My personal prayers have never been very personal. I've always struggled with knowing what to say or how to do it. I've never doubted that God loved me or that He knows me. I know who I am as a daughter of God and so I didn't think that was my problem. I just didn't know how to do it. Elder Zwick told me how, step-by-step.
It was an experience that taught me how very aware God is of me. He loves me so much and wants to hear from me so much that He would send one of His servants to tell me how. There was so much more that he said, but I think I'll be reading John 17 every day for a long time now. The Savior is the perfect example in everything, especially prayer. I want to be able to talk to my Father the way He talked to Him. It was a beautiful experience, one I will never forget.
I hope you all are aware of how much God loves you as His children. He knows you perfectly and is directing your life. I love you all and wish you the best. May God bless you as He has blessed me.
Hasta luego!
Hermana Erin Litster
Devotional was phenomenal on Tuesday. People always say that they feel a message was meant just for them and it always seemed so cliche until now. On Monday, we had a workshop with Hermano Rosales about receiving revelation. He promised us that if we came up with a question for God that we really needed to know, we would receive an answer within the day. We spent pretty much the entire workshop in silence - pondering, praying, and receiving revelation. I had a different question at the beginning than I ended up with, but that just goes to show that God knows better than us what we need. He inspired me with a question, which was actually a question I've had for a really long time and have really struggled finding the answer.
By the time the workshop was over it was easy to tell that many of the other missionaries had received their answers. I hadn't, though, and wasn't sure if I had not been listening well enough, studied hard enough, etc. I'm easily distracted and was worried that I had not payed enough attention to the Spirit giving me my answer. I spent all of my personal study time on Tuesday looking for answers. By the time we had devotional I still hadn't figured it out. I was just praying that i'd be able to find my answer in something the speaker said that night.
Elder Craig Zwick came and taught about prayer. It was like no one else was in the room and he had prepared his talk with only me in mind. He gave me the direct answer to my question: How do I improve my relationship with God through prayer? My personal prayers have never been very personal. I've always struggled with knowing what to say or how to do it. I've never doubted that God loved me or that He knows me. I know who I am as a daughter of God and so I didn't think that was my problem. I just didn't know how to do it. Elder Zwick told me how, step-by-step.
It was an experience that taught me how very aware God is of me. He loves me so much and wants to hear from me so much that He would send one of His servants to tell me how. There was so much more that he said, but I think I'll be reading John 17 every day for a long time now. The Savior is the perfect example in everything, especially prayer. I want to be able to talk to my Father the way He talked to Him. It was a beautiful experience, one I will never forget.
I hope you all are aware of how much God loves you as His children. He knows you perfectly and is directing your life. I love you all and wish you the best. May God bless you as He has blessed me.
Hasta luego!
Hermana Erin Litster
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Delayed!
Hello, friends.
Erin called today to say that her whole district is being delayed by a week to 10 days. So, we'll find out soon a new date for her to go to Argentina. This must be a day with mixed emotions for her--she will have more time to prepare, which she will appreciate, but she had prepared her heart and mind to leave Thursday.
But, as Elder Waddell said in General Conference, "Just as with missionaries past and present, the Lord knows you and has a mission experience prepared for you. He knows each of your companions and what you will learn from them. He knows each area in which you will labor, the members you will meet, the people you will teach, and the lives you will impact for eternity."
Erin's delay will undoubtedly give her a unique opportunity that she will need to become the missionary and the servant of the Lord that she needs to be. And for my part, I am excited to have a few more chances to write, and have her get my letters almost instantly through Dear Elder. I know I've said it before, but I have learned to appreciate that service!
Again, thank you for your love and prayers in her behalf.
Sincerely, Tina Litster
Erin called today to say that her whole district is being delayed by a week to 10 days. So, we'll find out soon a new date for her to go to Argentina. This must be a day with mixed emotions for her--she will have more time to prepare, which she will appreciate, but she had prepared her heart and mind to leave Thursday.
But, as Elder Waddell said in General Conference, "Just as with missionaries past and present, the Lord knows you and has a mission experience prepared for you. He knows each of your companions and what you will learn from them. He knows each area in which you will labor, the members you will meet, the people you will teach, and the lives you will impact for eternity."
Erin's delay will undoubtedly give her a unique opportunity that she will need to become the missionary and the servant of the Lord that she needs to be. And for my part, I am excited to have a few more chances to write, and have her get my letters almost instantly through Dear Elder. I know I've said it before, but I have learned to appreciate that service!
Again, thank you for your love and prayers in her behalf.
Sincerely, Tina Litster
MTC Week 8
Well, this is the last email I'll be sending from the MTC. We had In-Field Orientation all day yesterday and so our Preparation Day got moved back a day.
This week has been so great! It went by so quickly, too! I just can't believe that the next P-Day I'll have will be in Argentina. This week we had to meet with the Argentina visa agents on Tuesday and with the Consul on Wednesday. The Consul was nice enough to send a representative to Provo so the Church didn't have to send every one of us to LA to sign the paperwork and present ourselves. It was good, but it took a long time. We haven't had a whole lot of class time this week, but I've still learned a lot. After our meeting with the consul we got to be hosts for the new incoming missionaries. I got to be Janiece Collins' host! It was great to see her and show her around on her first day. I also got to see Katie Curtis (Grandma Dahl's neighbor). She's going to Berlin and Hermana Pullan and I are friends with her Zone Leaders. I hope she has a good time here.
I've been singing in the choir here for devotionals every week and it's been such a great opportunity. We've sung "Consider the Lilies," "This is the Christ," "Where Can I Turn for Peace?," and a few others. This last Tuesday we got to sing an incredible arrangement of "Precious Savior, Dear Redeemer" and some members of my zone and I are singing "Come Thou Fount" in Sacrament meeting tomorrow. It's been so wonderful to be able to sing so much and build my testimony at the same time.
I learned a lot in this last devotional about my dedication to being a missionary. We talked afterwards in District Meeting about being fully invested in the work and making each of our decisions a part of who we are. I learned that I want to serve my mission with such dignity and power that everyone around me will know what my mission means to me. I have a long way to go before I think I'll get to that point, but I've got time and I know I can do it if I stay focused on my purpose.
Everything we do here goes back to our purpose as missionaries: To invite others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored Gospel through faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the Gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end. We teach the doctrine of the lessons according to the needs of those we teach and begin our lesson planning with the end in mind. What do we want this investigator to do as a result of what they have learned? We evaluate each discussion by asking if the investigator's faith has been strengthened. It truly is an inspired process and I'm so blessed to be able to participate in it.
In In-Field Orientation yesterday we had a workshop about working with the members. The members are the missionaries greatest allies. As missionaries, we need to earn the members' trust and have them help in the teaching. Members are also our greatest tool for finding people to teach, too. Never be afraid to invite a person to meet with the full-time missionaries. Everyone I've ever talked to has said that, even if the person says no, he or she has never gotten offended by the invitation.
Thank you all for your examples of missionary work to me. They make me want to be a better missionary and give everything I have to the Lord. I'm on His time, and you all help me to remember that. Thank you. I love you all!
This week has been so great! It went by so quickly, too! I just can't believe that the next P-Day I'll have will be in Argentina. This week we had to meet with the Argentina visa agents on Tuesday and with the Consul on Wednesday. The Consul was nice enough to send a representative to Provo so the Church didn't have to send every one of us to LA to sign the paperwork and present ourselves. It was good, but it took a long time. We haven't had a whole lot of class time this week, but I've still learned a lot. After our meeting with the consul we got to be hosts for the new incoming missionaries. I got to be Janiece Collins' host! It was great to see her and show her around on her first day. I also got to see Katie Curtis (Grandma Dahl's neighbor). She's going to Berlin and Hermana Pullan and I are friends with her Zone Leaders. I hope she has a good time here.
I've been singing in the choir here for devotionals every week and it's been such a great opportunity. We've sung "Consider the Lilies," "This is the Christ," "Where Can I Turn for Peace?," and a few others. This last Tuesday we got to sing an incredible arrangement of "Precious Savior, Dear Redeemer" and some members of my zone and I are singing "Come Thou Fount" in Sacrament meeting tomorrow. It's been so wonderful to be able to sing so much and build my testimony at the same time.
I learned a lot in this last devotional about my dedication to being a missionary. We talked afterwards in District Meeting about being fully invested in the work and making each of our decisions a part of who we are. I learned that I want to serve my mission with such dignity and power that everyone around me will know what my mission means to me. I have a long way to go before I think I'll get to that point, but I've got time and I know I can do it if I stay focused on my purpose.
Everything we do here goes back to our purpose as missionaries: To invite others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored Gospel through faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the Gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end. We teach the doctrine of the lessons according to the needs of those we teach and begin our lesson planning with the end in mind. What do we want this investigator to do as a result of what they have learned? We evaluate each discussion by asking if the investigator's faith has been strengthened. It truly is an inspired process and I'm so blessed to be able to participate in it.
In In-Field Orientation yesterday we had a workshop about working with the members. The members are the missionaries greatest allies. As missionaries, we need to earn the members' trust and have them help in the teaching. Members are also our greatest tool for finding people to teach, too. Never be afraid to invite a person to meet with the full-time missionaries. Everyone I've ever talked to has said that, even if the person says no, he or she has never gotten offended by the invitation.
Thank you all for your examples of missionary work to me. They make me want to be a better missionary and give everything I have to the Lord. I'm on His time, and you all help me to remember that. Thank you. I love you all!
Friday, October 21, 2011
MTC Week 7
Hola, everyone!
This week has been so good! We got our travel plans today and we leave the morning of Nov 3 for Argentina. Our whole district is flying down to Buenos Aires together on the same plane. I'm looking forward to it, but also aware of how much I still need to learn before I get down there. I don't know how much I'll get done before I leave, but ready or not, I leave on the third. I'm sure experience will be a very frustrating, but very great teacher for me. I definitely need to speak more Spanish this week and get used to hearing it rather than English.
We have been so blessed here! We had another apostle come and speak to us on Tuesday, Elder Richard G. Scott. I learned so much and the love he had for all the missionaries was felt so strongly. Charity is the pure love of Christ, which I knew, but what I didn't know or realize was that when we have charity for others, others feel Christ's love for them through us. He also talked about receiving personal revelation. He advised us to never go anywhere without the ability to write down impressions we receive from the Holy Ghost. If we show God that we will make a point to remember and follow the promptings we receive, we will be blessed with more. He used the scriptures to illustrate and teach us different principles. It gave me a stronger testimony of the scriptures and a stronger desire to use them in my teaching.
He shared the scripture D&C 50:26 with us. It says: "He that is ordained of God and sent forth, the same is appointed to be the greatest, notwithstanding he is the least and the servant of all." It was confusing at first, but then I made a connection. This is the type of missionary I want to be. Jesus Christ was the greatest of all, but descended below all things and served all men. Everyone else was and is more important to Him than himself. I thought about those I perceive to be the most Christlike. They have time for everyone who needs them and know each of them well. They sincerely care about them and they are more important than their To Do list or schedule. I thought about my relationship with the Savior before we came to the earth. He is our brother and knows each of us. I imagine He took the time to talk, play, and help each of us. He is the older brother each of us admires and wishes we could be like someday. If he was that kind of friend to me then, and always, why would I estrange Him here?
It was also interesting that Elder Scott talked about marraige. Most of the talks we hear are about being obedient and "locking" our hearts. He stressed that after our missions, we need to make it a firm decision to be on the path and moving towards a temple sealing. He urged us to seriously consider the future and having an eternal family. He told us to not go back to hanging out, that it is "idleness in flocks." It made me want to be the best missionary I could and be worthy of that blessing when I get home. Like Sister Beck said last week, "Everything in this church is done with the temple in mind."
Thank you all for your prayers and support. I feel them all, especially when times are hard. Have faith and never lose hope. Jesus Christ is our Savior and we can do all things if we put our trust in Him.
Buena Suerte! (Good Luck!)
Hermana Erin Litster
This week has been so good! We got our travel plans today and we leave the morning of Nov 3 for Argentina. Our whole district is flying down to Buenos Aires together on the same plane. I'm looking forward to it, but also aware of how much I still need to learn before I get down there. I don't know how much I'll get done before I leave, but ready or not, I leave on the third. I'm sure experience will be a very frustrating, but very great teacher for me. I definitely need to speak more Spanish this week and get used to hearing it rather than English.
We have been so blessed here! We had another apostle come and speak to us on Tuesday, Elder Richard G. Scott. I learned so much and the love he had for all the missionaries was felt so strongly. Charity is the pure love of Christ, which I knew, but what I didn't know or realize was that when we have charity for others, others feel Christ's love for them through us. He also talked about receiving personal revelation. He advised us to never go anywhere without the ability to write down impressions we receive from the Holy Ghost. If we show God that we will make a point to remember and follow the promptings we receive, we will be blessed with more. He used the scriptures to illustrate and teach us different principles. It gave me a stronger testimony of the scriptures and a stronger desire to use them in my teaching.
He shared the scripture D&C 50:26 with us. It says: "He that is ordained of God and sent forth, the same is appointed to be the greatest, notwithstanding he is the least and the servant of all." It was confusing at first, but then I made a connection. This is the type of missionary I want to be. Jesus Christ was the greatest of all, but descended below all things and served all men. Everyone else was and is more important to Him than himself. I thought about those I perceive to be the most Christlike. They have time for everyone who needs them and know each of them well. They sincerely care about them and they are more important than their To Do list or schedule. I thought about my relationship with the Savior before we came to the earth. He is our brother and knows each of us. I imagine He took the time to talk, play, and help each of us. He is the older brother each of us admires and wishes we could be like someday. If he was that kind of friend to me then, and always, why would I estrange Him here?
It was also interesting that Elder Scott talked about marraige. Most of the talks we hear are about being obedient and "locking" our hearts. He stressed that after our missions, we need to make it a firm decision to be on the path and moving towards a temple sealing. He urged us to seriously consider the future and having an eternal family. He told us to not go back to hanging out, that it is "idleness in flocks." It made me want to be the best missionary I could and be worthy of that blessing when I get home. Like Sister Beck said last week, "Everything in this church is done with the temple in mind."
Thank you all for your prayers and support. I feel them all, especially when times are hard. Have faith and never lose hope. Jesus Christ is our Savior and we can do all things if we put our trust in Him.
Buena Suerte! (Good Luck!)
Hermana Erin Litster
Saturday, October 15, 2011
MTC Week 6
It's so hard to believe that I've been here for six weeks already. I feel like I've learned so much and am so unprepared at the same time. I am learning, though, that whom the Lord calls, the Lord qualifies. As long as I do my part in preparing as well as I can, He will take care of the rest. I'm also learning that doing my part entails a lot more than I thought it did. It's amazing how much I've already changed and learned. There's a scripture that says the Lord prolonged the days of the people and I really feel like He's done that for me. The days seem so long and the weeks are so short. I've never done so much in one day in my entire life. I love having every day be dedicated to learning and sharing the Gospel.
I've learned also that "by small and simple things are great things brought to pass." The small things this week are what have brought me the most joy. I've realized how aware of each of us God really is and how He listens to and answers our prayers. Every day I'm reminded of how much I love the scriptures and my love for them grows more the more I read and study them. I'm learning to read them with a different point of view - through new eyes, as if I've never read it before. I wish I could convince the whole world to read them and learn what I have learned and know what I know. The scriptures really are the words of Christ and the words of Christ really do "tell you all things what ye should do."
We've been so blessed here with devotional speakers. I got to sing in the choir this last Tuesday. We sang a beautiful arrangement of my favorite hymn, "Where Can I Turn for Peace?" We got to hear from Sister Julie B. Beck and her husband. She talked about how everything in this church and gospel is done with the temple in mind. Everything we do is based on the goal of bringing those we teach to the temple to receive the ordinances of salvation and make the covenants that will allow them to live with God again in eternal families. It was beautiful. Today at the temple I read section 109 of the Doctrine and Covenants and was reminded so much of the blessings of the temple and what I need to do to better keep my covenants and prepare those I teach to make their own covenants in the temple.
I am so grateful for this Gospel and for my opportunity to share it with the people of Argentina. I hope we never take for granted what we have that the world has no idea it's missing. Never be afraid to share it. If it blesses your life, it will bless the lives of everyone else, too. I love you all and wish you the best.
Hermana Erin Litster
I've learned also that "by small and simple things are great things brought to pass." The small things this week are what have brought me the most joy. I've realized how aware of each of us God really is and how He listens to and answers our prayers. Every day I'm reminded of how much I love the scriptures and my love for them grows more the more I read and study them. I'm learning to read them with a different point of view - through new eyes, as if I've never read it before. I wish I could convince the whole world to read them and learn what I have learned and know what I know. The scriptures really are the words of Christ and the words of Christ really do "tell you all things what ye should do."
We've been so blessed here with devotional speakers. I got to sing in the choir this last Tuesday. We sang a beautiful arrangement of my favorite hymn, "Where Can I Turn for Peace?" We got to hear from Sister Julie B. Beck and her husband. She talked about how everything in this church and gospel is done with the temple in mind. Everything we do is based on the goal of bringing those we teach to the temple to receive the ordinances of salvation and make the covenants that will allow them to live with God again in eternal families. It was beautiful. Today at the temple I read section 109 of the Doctrine and Covenants and was reminded so much of the blessings of the temple and what I need to do to better keep my covenants and prepare those I teach to make their own covenants in the temple.
I am so grateful for this Gospel and for my opportunity to share it with the people of Argentina. I hope we never take for granted what we have that the world has no idea it's missing. Never be afraid to share it. If it blesses your life, it will bless the lives of everyone else, too. I love you all and wish you the best.
Hermana Erin Litster
Sunday, October 9, 2011
MTC Week 5
Hola Everyone!
I don't have much time to write today, but I'll say what I can. It's so weird to think that I've been here for exactly one month today and I have less than a month left in the MTC. I really hope I learn everything I need to before I head off to Argentina. As that time gets closer and closer I feel more and more excited and more and more apprehensive. In just a little while I'll be teaching real people and helping them come unto Christ. It's a pretty mind-blowing idea. I'm working hard and trying to learn as much as I can.
Spanish is coming along pretty well. I have the concept down, but the application is a little less mastered. My district decided to go on an English fast for the day on Thursday. I really didn't think it would be that hard since I can usually communicate pretty well (it's a little cave-man like, but understandable). We did this challenge where we each had five tabs on our name tags and every time we spoke English we had to take one off. We decided we could speak English during mealtimes and ask permission to say something in English, but if you ran out before a meal you had to speak only Spanish. It was so hard! I ran out of all five before lunch! I would just forget to speak Spanish or ask permission. It was very frustrating, but I learned a lot - mainly that I know a lot more than I thought I did. We're doing it again tomorrow. I guess we'll just have to wait and see how that goes.
Our teaching is going well. We're learning so much about teaching and that it's not about the teacher or lesson at all. It's about the investigator and what they need to hear and feel. There really is a difference between teaching people and teaching lessons.
General Conference was great! It was so nice to just sit and watch it, then go eat, sit and watch, and then go eat again. The sisters watched the Relief Society General Broadcast while the elders watched the Priesthood Session on Saturday and we had a fireside on Sunday night. It was probably one of the best weekends I've ever had and was a really good break half-way through my time here. It really helped me to re-focus and get back into everything with a new point of view.
I've learned a lot about the kind of missionary and person I want to be while I've been here. I wrote in my journal on Monday: "I want to be the type of person who everyone automatically loves. I want people to want to be their best around me and never want to disappoint me. Hermano Zivic (a teacher here from Argentina) is like that. He has so much love and so much confidence in each of us. He makes me want to work harder, better, and love and care more. He truly is an example of a Christlike person." I hope I can learn to be more like that during the next 17 months.
God bless you all. I love you and feel your prayers for me. They are so appreciated.
Hermana Erin Litster
I don't have much time to write today, but I'll say what I can. It's so weird to think that I've been here for exactly one month today and I have less than a month left in the MTC. I really hope I learn everything I need to before I head off to Argentina. As that time gets closer and closer I feel more and more excited and more and more apprehensive. In just a little while I'll be teaching real people and helping them come unto Christ. It's a pretty mind-blowing idea. I'm working hard and trying to learn as much as I can.
Spanish is coming along pretty well. I have the concept down, but the application is a little less mastered. My district decided to go on an English fast for the day on Thursday. I really didn't think it would be that hard since I can usually communicate pretty well (it's a little cave-man like, but understandable). We did this challenge where we each had five tabs on our name tags and every time we spoke English we had to take one off. We decided we could speak English during mealtimes and ask permission to say something in English, but if you ran out before a meal you had to speak only Spanish. It was so hard! I ran out of all five before lunch! I would just forget to speak Spanish or ask permission. It was very frustrating, but I learned a lot - mainly that I know a lot more than I thought I did. We're doing it again tomorrow. I guess we'll just have to wait and see how that goes.
Our teaching is going well. We're learning so much about teaching and that it's not about the teacher or lesson at all. It's about the investigator and what they need to hear and feel. There really is a difference between teaching people and teaching lessons.
General Conference was great! It was so nice to just sit and watch it, then go eat, sit and watch, and then go eat again. The sisters watched the Relief Society General Broadcast while the elders watched the Priesthood Session on Saturday and we had a fireside on Sunday night. It was probably one of the best weekends I've ever had and was a really good break half-way through my time here. It really helped me to re-focus and get back into everything with a new point of view.
I've learned a lot about the kind of missionary and person I want to be while I've been here. I wrote in my journal on Monday: "I want to be the type of person who everyone automatically loves. I want people to want to be their best around me and never want to disappoint me. Hermano Zivic (a teacher here from Argentina) is like that. He has so much love and so much confidence in each of us. He makes me want to work harder, better, and love and care more. He truly is an example of a Christlike person." I hope I can learn to be more like that during the next 17 months.
God bless you all. I love you and feel your prayers for me. They are so appreciated.
Hermana Erin Litster
Monday, October 3, 2011
Under Construction
Hello, Friends.
This is Tina, Erin's mom, and she's given me the job of updating her blog while she's on her mission. This is completely foreign to me, so I hope you'll be patient while I experiment and try to get this technology to work for me.
Thanks for being Erin's friend. Your love strengthens and sustains her. I know she'd love to hear from you (Dear Elder has become one of my favorite tools, for obvious reasons). The information you need to send a letter to her is on the blog under "Mission Contact Information"
This is Tina, Erin's mom, and she's given me the job of updating her blog while she's on her mission. This is completely foreign to me, so I hope you'll be patient while I experiment and try to get this technology to work for me.
Thanks for being Erin's friend. Your love strengthens and sustains her. I know she'd love to hear from you (Dear Elder has become one of my favorite tools, for obvious reasons). The information you need to send a letter to her is on the blog under "Mission Contact Information"
Friday, September 30, 2011
MTC Week 4
Hola, Everyone!
This week has been good. All of your letters really made my week. It's so nice to know I have people at home thinking about me and praying for me. I love hearing about everything you have going on and the things you're learning. It helps me feel a little more connected with you all; like you're all here and I get to talk to you like I used to. Keep them coming and I'll do my best to reply back to you.
Spanish is coming along well. Our district has a goal to only speak Spanish during lunch. Some days are better than others. It's difficult, but not as difficult as I imagined it being. I have been very blessed. Hermana Pullan and I had an incredible lesson with Kevin yesterday. We could feel the Holy Ghost so strongly and I feel like he really wants to know more. I feel like he feels he needs it, whereas before it was all just new and interesting information. I was able to share my testimony and tell him how Jesus Christ has blessed me. I bore testimony of the Atonement of the Savior and how I know God answers prayers. He asked me how I know these things and I was able to tell him how God has told me they were true by the power of His Spirit. It was absolutely incredible. He said he believes that God is his loving Father. Before he wasn't sure if there even was a God or that we needed one. He keeps his commitments and has been praying. We didn't know if he would ever get this far considering his background (Buddhist), but I guess that's how it all works. If we have faith and do our part, God will take care of the rest. We aren't able to convert anyone, only the Spirit can do that. I know God knows each of us, what our needs are, and how to have them taken care of. I also know he often uses someone else to do so. He has done that in my life and He is using me to bless the lives of others. It's times like this that makes missionary work so worth it.
They stress so much here that we need to teach people, not lessons. We are "fishers of men" and God has prepared so many of His children to receive the fulness of His Gospel. I am so grateful for the opportunity I have to share it with them. Even though the people we teach here are mock investigators, the Spirit is real. Our teachers are portraying actual people and we are helping them receive the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ. It's amazing how much you grow, learn, and accomplish in a "fake" lesson.
There are a lot of rules for us to follow as missionaries, but I've come to know that the Lord will prepare a way for us to accomplish everything He asks us to do. In our devotional on Tuesday, we were able to hear from a memer of the Seventy - Elder Clarke. He talked about how each of us must follow the "commandments" in the missionary handbook. If we don't, how can we expect those we teach to keep the commandments we give them from God. The handbook is inspired and the things we are asked to do are a million times easier than what we ask investigators to do. We ask them to change their whole lifestyle in some cases. It made me want to be a better missionary and keep my covenants more willingly.
I love you all so much! Thank you for all of your prayers and support. I really feel them.
Hermana Erin Litster
This week has been good. All of your letters really made my week. It's so nice to know I have people at home thinking about me and praying for me. I love hearing about everything you have going on and the things you're learning. It helps me feel a little more connected with you all; like you're all here and I get to talk to you like I used to. Keep them coming and I'll do my best to reply back to you.
Spanish is coming along well. Our district has a goal to only speak Spanish during lunch. Some days are better than others. It's difficult, but not as difficult as I imagined it being. I have been very blessed. Hermana Pullan and I had an incredible lesson with Kevin yesterday. We could feel the Holy Ghost so strongly and I feel like he really wants to know more. I feel like he feels he needs it, whereas before it was all just new and interesting information. I was able to share my testimony and tell him how Jesus Christ has blessed me. I bore testimony of the Atonement of the Savior and how I know God answers prayers. He asked me how I know these things and I was able to tell him how God has told me they were true by the power of His Spirit. It was absolutely incredible. He said he believes that God is his loving Father. Before he wasn't sure if there even was a God or that we needed one. He keeps his commitments and has been praying. We didn't know if he would ever get this far considering his background (Buddhist), but I guess that's how it all works. If we have faith and do our part, God will take care of the rest. We aren't able to convert anyone, only the Spirit can do that. I know God knows each of us, what our needs are, and how to have them taken care of. I also know he often uses someone else to do so. He has done that in my life and He is using me to bless the lives of others. It's times like this that makes missionary work so worth it.
They stress so much here that we need to teach people, not lessons. We are "fishers of men" and God has prepared so many of His children to receive the fulness of His Gospel. I am so grateful for the opportunity I have to share it with them. Even though the people we teach here are mock investigators, the Spirit is real. Our teachers are portraying actual people and we are helping them receive the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ. It's amazing how much you grow, learn, and accomplish in a "fake" lesson.
There are a lot of rules for us to follow as missionaries, but I've come to know that the Lord will prepare a way for us to accomplish everything He asks us to do. In our devotional on Tuesday, we were able to hear from a memer of the Seventy - Elder Clarke. He talked about how each of us must follow the "commandments" in the missionary handbook. If we don't, how can we expect those we teach to keep the commandments we give them from God. The handbook is inspired and the things we are asked to do are a million times easier than what we ask investigators to do. We ask them to change their whole lifestyle in some cases. It made me want to be a better missionary and keep my covenants more willingly.
I love you all so much! Thank you for all of your prayers and support. I really feel them.
Hermana Erin Litster
MTC Week 3
It feels like I've been here for forever, but it's only been a little over two weeks. I still have so much to learn before I leave for Argentina, but I'm excited for when that time comes. An elder in our zone, Elder Daybell, was scheduled to leave for Argentina on Tuesday, but has been reassigned to Wisconsin. I guess his visa didn't go through or something. I just wanted to cry for him. He's spent 9 weeks preparing for it and now has to wait even longer. The Lord will be able to use him in Wisconsin, too. I hope he feels that. I'm praying that my visa will be approved and I'll be able to leave on time.
I've learned so much this week. It's been amazing. We had another devotional with an Apostle on Tuesday. Elder Nelson came and spoke to us about the Book of Mormon. Each missionary received a copy of the October special edition of the Ensign to read before his visit. I got to sing in the choir and we sang "Consider the Lilies." I love that song and it's accompanying scripture. It has been a source of comfort to me the last couple of weeks. Elder Nelson talked about how the Book of Mormon is our greatest tool for conversion. I'm really learning that as we teach our investigators here.
Sister Nelson talked about obedience and repeated the same phrase I've been hearing over and over again here: "Obedience brings blessings. Exact obedience brings miracles." I know that is true. As I've tried to be more exactly obedient, I have seen miracles. Hermana Pullan and I were able to teach two lessons this week in Spanish without any notes. That really is a miracle. Our investigators, Felipa and Kevin, have been kind of tough. Felipa has been kind of apathetic about everything and Kevin is Buddhist. It's been difficult to find ways to connect with them. We've been praying for and been blessed with the Spirit to help us know their needs. Both of them have committed to start reading the Book of Mormon. Hermana Pullan and I have been offering a lot of prayers of thanks lately. It's amazing that we've been able to understand what our investigators say and been able to answer their questions effectively. I definitely think we've seen a glimpse of the gift of tongues. The Lord really does love His missionaries.
I have really loved getting everyone's letters. They are sometimes what get me to keep going through the day. Missionary work is hard, but it's so worth it. I love you all and hope you're well. You're in my prayers.
Love,
Hermana Erin Litster
I've learned so much this week. It's been amazing. We had another devotional with an Apostle on Tuesday. Elder Nelson came and spoke to us about the Book of Mormon. Each missionary received a copy of the October special edition of the Ensign to read before his visit. I got to sing in the choir and we sang "Consider the Lilies." I love that song and it's accompanying scripture. It has been a source of comfort to me the last couple of weeks. Elder Nelson talked about how the Book of Mormon is our greatest tool for conversion. I'm really learning that as we teach our investigators here.
Sister Nelson talked about obedience and repeated the same phrase I've been hearing over and over again here: "Obedience brings blessings. Exact obedience brings miracles." I know that is true. As I've tried to be more exactly obedient, I have seen miracles. Hermana Pullan and I were able to teach two lessons this week in Spanish without any notes. That really is a miracle. Our investigators, Felipa and Kevin, have been kind of tough. Felipa has been kind of apathetic about everything and Kevin is Buddhist. It's been difficult to find ways to connect with them. We've been praying for and been blessed with the Spirit to help us know their needs. Both of them have committed to start reading the Book of Mormon. Hermana Pullan and I have been offering a lot of prayers of thanks lately. It's amazing that we've been able to understand what our investigators say and been able to answer their questions effectively. I definitely think we've seen a glimpse of the gift of tongues. The Lord really does love His missionaries.
I have really loved getting everyone's letters. They are sometimes what get me to keep going through the day. Missionary work is hard, but it's so worth it. I love you all and hope you're well. You're in my prayers.
Love,
Hermana Erin Litster
MTC Week 2
Hi Everybody!
So much has happened this week! We taught our last lesson with Adalberto on Wednesday. I think it went well and our Spanish is getting better. We got two new teachers on Thursday (Hermanos Steele y Wilkes). Hermano Wilkes was pretending to be Adalberto for our discussions. When they came in to teach, they spoke way faster than Hermana Ricks ever has. It was a good wake-up call. I appreciated it even though I couldn't understand much of it. It will be good for us, especially since Argentina will be a major shock for us all. I feel like we might be a little better prepared than some missionaries have in the past, though. I've been so blessed in learning the language. I'm so surprised that I remember so many words and phrases. We get two new investigators on Monday and we'll be teaching a lot more.
We practiced extending the baptismal invitation for a long time. I can tell it's going to be a bit scary doing it in the field, but it's so important. Investigators need to know how important it is. We've also learned a lot about planning. It's so good for me. I am so easily distracted that it's helpful for me to have a main focus for evertyhing I do. Everything is centered around the investigator's needs and following the direction of Spirit.
We had a wonderful fireside on Sunday night about 9/11. We watched some footage from the actual event and then the "Music and the Spoken Word" presentation. It really made me think about what I find important and who I'm grateful for. Thank you all for your support and prayers. I don't know where I would be without you - probably not here. On Tuesday Elder M. Russell Ballard came and spoke to us. I learned so much about being a good missionary and what I need to do to make good things happen. I wish I could share everything I'm learning here with you, but there isn't time.
Every day is so difficult, but by the time the day is over I feel like it's been the best day ever. My journal entries are all starting to sound the same. "Today was great!" There is joy in working, especially when you're working to build the kingdom. I don't recall ever having been this happy or this exhausted. Every day I am more excited and more determined to be a good missionary and tool in God's hands. Never dismiss an impression to share your testimony, even if it seems scary. It will change your life and the lives of those you meet and love. It is always worth it. I love you all and hope to hear from you soon!
Hermana Erin Litster
So much has happened this week! We taught our last lesson with Adalberto on Wednesday. I think it went well and our Spanish is getting better. We got two new teachers on Thursday (Hermanos Steele y Wilkes). Hermano Wilkes was pretending to be Adalberto for our discussions. When they came in to teach, they spoke way faster than Hermana Ricks ever has. It was a good wake-up call. I appreciated it even though I couldn't understand much of it. It will be good for us, especially since Argentina will be a major shock for us all. I feel like we might be a little better prepared than some missionaries have in the past, though. I've been so blessed in learning the language. I'm so surprised that I remember so many words and phrases. We get two new investigators on Monday and we'll be teaching a lot more.
We practiced extending the baptismal invitation for a long time. I can tell it's going to be a bit scary doing it in the field, but it's so important. Investigators need to know how important it is. We've also learned a lot about planning. It's so good for me. I am so easily distracted that it's helpful for me to have a main focus for evertyhing I do. Everything is centered around the investigator's needs and following the direction of Spirit.
We had a wonderful fireside on Sunday night about 9/11. We watched some footage from the actual event and then the "Music and the Spoken Word" presentation. It really made me think about what I find important and who I'm grateful for. Thank you all for your support and prayers. I don't know where I would be without you - probably not here. On Tuesday Elder M. Russell Ballard came and spoke to us. I learned so much about being a good missionary and what I need to do to make good things happen. I wish I could share everything I'm learning here with you, but there isn't time.
Every day is so difficult, but by the time the day is over I feel like it's been the best day ever. My journal entries are all starting to sound the same. "Today was great!" There is joy in working, especially when you're working to build the kingdom. I don't recall ever having been this happy or this exhausted. Every day I am more excited and more determined to be a good missionary and tool in God's hands. Never dismiss an impression to share your testimony, even if it seems scary. It will change your life and the lives of those you meet and love. It is always worth it. I love you all and hope to hear from you soon!
Hermana Erin Litster
MTC Week 1
Hola, everyone! I don't know how to do all the fancy Spanish symbols yet, but I'll make a point to learn those. I love it here! It was wonderful to get the DearElder letters you sent yesterday. Keep sending them! :)
From almost the very beginning they had us in class and learning to be missionaries. I hear almost no English in my classes at all. It's a little frustrating, but I'm so grateful for it. I understand almost everything that is said and I'm learning how to respond. Every day I get more excited for missionary life and to do the work. Yesterday was a little nerve-wracking, though, as we taught our first lesson completely en espanol. It didn't go very well, but I'm sure everyone goes through that. We are teaching Aldaberto again today and feel much better about it. My companion, Hermana Pullan is great! I have been so blessed. We are good friends already and I look forward to spending the next weeks with her. We are helping each other learn the language and I love talking to her about what our investigators need. My district is great, too! We have one other set of sisters who are going to the Argentina Cordoba mission and a set of elders going to the Dominican Republic in two weeks. The rest of the elders are going to Buenos Aires Oeste with Hermana Pullan and me. We have so much fun together. So much that it can sometimes be difficult to focus and stay on task. We're working on that, though. I love being around so many people who love the Gospel and are completely dedicated to it. It's been weird to be so completely outnumbered by men, but I'm getting used to it. I've also stopped realizing that most of these boys are younger than me. They have already grown up so much in the short time they've been here. It's amazing to watch. The only time I really do notice it is when they do something stupid like put all of their table scraps into a cup to see how gross it is and dare someone to drink it. That's when I remember they're only 19.
I'm really learning to rely on the Spirit and put my trust in God. Teaching a discussion in a language you don't know will do that, I guess. I'm getting better about praying and doing a better job of it. I'm even doing it en espanol! I'm really so surprised at how much I've learned in just a couple of days. I'm really looking forward to learning the language and being able to carry on a complete conversation. I'm really trying to not worry about gettting everything right and speaking with the correct grammar. That's difficult for me, but I do a little better every day, especially since I realize I won't learn anything if I get caught up in having everything be perfect. I really don't have time for that. I don't have time for really anything here.
They schedule us like crazy! We only have about 15-30 min to detox at the end of the day. I'm not used to being so busy, but I love accomplishing so much in such a short time. We have gymn time every day and I'm so sore! I feel great, though. I love that we're "forced" to exercise here. It's really the push I needed. I'm really struggling with gettting ready in just a half-hour, though. The elders have it so easy! I'm sure I'll figure it out sometime in the next 18 months.
I've tried to be pretty thorough, and I'm not sure what else to say. I hope you are all doing well and I'd love to hear from you! I love you!
Hermana Erin Litster
From almost the very beginning they had us in class and learning to be missionaries. I hear almost no English in my classes at all. It's a little frustrating, but I'm so grateful for it. I understand almost everything that is said and I'm learning how to respond. Every day I get more excited for missionary life and to do the work. Yesterday was a little nerve-wracking, though, as we taught our first lesson completely en espanol. It didn't go very well, but I'm sure everyone goes through that. We are teaching Aldaberto again today and feel much better about it. My companion, Hermana Pullan is great! I have been so blessed. We are good friends already and I look forward to spending the next weeks with her. We are helping each other learn the language and I love talking to her about what our investigators need. My district is great, too! We have one other set of sisters who are going to the Argentina Cordoba mission and a set of elders going to the Dominican Republic in two weeks. The rest of the elders are going to Buenos Aires Oeste with Hermana Pullan and me. We have so much fun together. So much that it can sometimes be difficult to focus and stay on task. We're working on that, though. I love being around so many people who love the Gospel and are completely dedicated to it. It's been weird to be so completely outnumbered by men, but I'm getting used to it. I've also stopped realizing that most of these boys are younger than me. They have already grown up so much in the short time they've been here. It's amazing to watch. The only time I really do notice it is when they do something stupid like put all of their table scraps into a cup to see how gross it is and dare someone to drink it. That's when I remember they're only 19.
I'm really learning to rely on the Spirit and put my trust in God. Teaching a discussion in a language you don't know will do that, I guess. I'm getting better about praying and doing a better job of it. I'm even doing it en espanol! I'm really so surprised at how much I've learned in just a couple of days. I'm really looking forward to learning the language and being able to carry on a complete conversation. I'm really trying to not worry about gettting everything right and speaking with the correct grammar. That's difficult for me, but I do a little better every day, especially since I realize I won't learn anything if I get caught up in having everything be perfect. I really don't have time for that. I don't have time for really anything here.
They schedule us like crazy! We only have about 15-30 min to detox at the end of the day. I'm not used to being so busy, but I love accomplishing so much in such a short time. We have gymn time every day and I'm so sore! I feel great, though. I love that we're "forced" to exercise here. It's really the push I needed. I'm really struggling with gettting ready in just a half-hour, though. The elders have it so easy! I'm sure I'll figure it out sometime in the next 18 months.
I've tried to be pretty thorough, and I'm not sure what else to say. I hope you are all doing well and I'd love to hear from you! I love you!
Hermana Erin Litster
Monday, September 5, 2011
Mission Contact Information
MTC Mailing Address (aprox. until Nov)
Sister Erin Nicole Litster
MTC Mailbox # 348
ARG-BAW 1104
2005 N 900 E
Provo, UT 84604-1793
Please note:
Only immediate family are allowed to send emails directly to a missionary. Please follow mission rules. For all others, please be advised of the following methods of communication:
Dear Elder Letter Service
Letters can be sent (free of charge) through
http://www.dearelder.com/
Just click on the "Select Misson" drop-down menu on the right hand side of the website, and (Until November 3) choose "Provo MTC", Mailbox #348 and Departure date Nov 3. Then click the 'Write a Letter' button underneath the drop-down menu. You may set up an account if you wish, but it is not necessary.
Pouch Address
Sister Erin Nicole Litster
Argentina Buenos Aires West Mission
50 E North Temple
PO Box 30150
Salt Lake City, UT 84130-0150
*They will only accept one single piece of paper written only on one side. Fold the paper in thirds and tape it shut with one or two pieces of tape. (Don't tape the sides). Address it, place a stamp in the corner and send it off.
Address to send Packages and Letters directly after November 3:
Sister Erin Nicole Litster
La Iglesia de Jesucristo de los Santos de los Ultimos Dias
C.C. No. 92
1702 Ciudadela
Buenos Aires, Argentina
*We have heard that it's more likely that the packages you send will arrive in a timely manner if you put religious pictures on the outside.
Sister Erin Nicole Litster
MTC Mailbox # 348
ARG-BAW 1104
2005 N 900 E
Provo, UT 84604-1793
Please note:
Only immediate family are allowed to send emails directly to a missionary. Please follow mission rules. For all others, please be advised of the following methods of communication:
Dear Elder Letter Service
Letters can be sent (free of charge) through
http://www.dearelder.com/
Just click on the "Select Misson" drop-down menu on the right hand side of the website, and (Until November 3) choose "Provo MTC", Mailbox #348 and Departure date Nov 3. Then click the 'Write a Letter' button underneath the drop-down menu. You may set up an account if you wish, but it is not necessary.
Pouch Address
Sister Erin Nicole Litster
Argentina Buenos Aires West Mission
50 E North Temple
PO Box 30150
Salt Lake City, UT 84130-0150
*They will only accept one single piece of paper written only on one side. Fold the paper in thirds and tape it shut with one or two pieces of tape. (Don't tape the sides). Address it, place a stamp in the corner and send it off.
Address to send Packages and Letters directly after November 3:
Sister Erin Nicole Litster
La Iglesia de Jesucristo de los Santos de los Ultimos Dias
C.C. No. 92
1702 Ciudadela
Buenos Aires, Argentina
*We have heard that it's more likely that the packages you send will arrive in a timely manner if you put religious pictures on the outside.
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Choose This Day
Most days, I write a "To Do" list of all the things I need to get done. What I have realized is that I really need help with prioritizing my list. Maybe I'm not the one should determine what's most important on my list today. Maybe what's most important isn't even on my list. But that doesn't mean I shouldn't make one. If I didn't I'm sure my life would just give way to complacency and soon turn into a downward spiral. I have always struggled with time management. It's the only class I have ever failed. I didn't write it down and forgot to do it. How pathetic is that?! Maybe my problem has been that I haven't consulted God in the creation or execution of the items on my daily or weekly lists. I let other things become more important and come up with excuses to justify why. That's something I'm really working on. What does God want me to do most today? What of the things on my list can I add to it? i know God cares about what is important to us and what we want to accomplish and become. But He knows, better than I, what I need and how I can become who He wants me to be. There is a balance and I can better balance my life if I put my trust in Him.
Sunday, April 17, 2011
By small and simple means...
I've been on a bit of an emotional roller coaster during the process of submitting my mission papers. There have been times when it's all I want to do, times when I dread it, times when I'm excited, and times when I've been extremely nervous. I know this is what God wants for me right now and it's been so difficult for me to want it, too. I want to want it, though. But, something happened this week that has given me so much more confidence in my decision to serve a mission. On Friday, my mom and I dropped Sonja off at the airport to go back to school. While we were there, we saw a stooped, humble old woman walking down the hall. She was a nun dressed in a white habit. She was one of the most beautiful women I have ever seen. I thought about how she has spent her entire life, probably since she was my age, serving God. She gave up everything for Him so she could serve His children. I thought about this woman and the joy she must feel every day in sharing God's love with everyone she meets. I realized that it should not be a difficult thing for me to give up 18 months of my life to serve the Lord. It's the least I can do. This sister probably doesn't know the impact she has had on my life or the lives of so many others, but I will be eternally grateful. This experience has strengthened my testimony, and I know now more than ever, that God is mindful of every one of us. He has a plan for each of us and will help us to realize that plan and the blessings that come from living it. The tender mercies of the Lord are numberless and limitless. I pray that we can all learn to open our eyes a little wider to see His hand working in our lives. He loves us and knows us completely. He finds ways to show His love and guide us to where we will be the happiest and grow the most.
Monday, March 21, 2011
What am I afraid of?
"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Out deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us. It is in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates other." - Nelson Mandela
I've heard this quote so many times, but I don't think I've ever really understood it, or what it meant to me - I'm not sure I ever will, or that it will ever mean the same thing to me in every situation. But for right now, I feel a connection with it, and I know if I don't write my thoughts down now, I won't remember them later.
I guess what I'm feeling is that I know who I am and I know myself very well. I love who I am. I have my flaws, but I love the strengths I've been able to recognize and that others have helped me see. I am passionate....about so many things. There are times, though, that I feel like my passions make me intimidating or cause me to radiate a vibe that says, "I'm intense. Just you try and keep up with me." I don't want to make people feel that way, and maybe I don't. Maybe I've just over-analyzed all of this, but I know one thing for sure - I should never be ashamed of who I am. There's nothing wrong with being passionate - I think it's what brings so much joy to my life. I think what I'm going to do now, though, is learn to "bridle my passions" (We've been told to "liken" the scriptures to us, right?) I want to be passionate and approachable. As I work on letting my own light shine, I hope it helps the people around me let their lights shine, too.
I've heard this quote so many times, but I don't think I've ever really understood it, or what it meant to me - I'm not sure I ever will, or that it will ever mean the same thing to me in every situation. But for right now, I feel a connection with it, and I know if I don't write my thoughts down now, I won't remember them later.
I guess what I'm feeling is that I know who I am and I know myself very well. I love who I am. I have my flaws, but I love the strengths I've been able to recognize and that others have helped me see. I am passionate....about so many things. There are times, though, that I feel like my passions make me intimidating or cause me to radiate a vibe that says, "I'm intense. Just you try and keep up with me." I don't want to make people feel that way, and maybe I don't. Maybe I've just over-analyzed all of this, but I know one thing for sure - I should never be ashamed of who I am. There's nothing wrong with being passionate - I think it's what brings so much joy to my life. I think what I'm going to do now, though, is learn to "bridle my passions" (We've been told to "liken" the scriptures to us, right?) I want to be passionate and approachable. As I work on letting my own light shine, I hope it helps the people around me let their lights shine, too.
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Not my will, but Thine
This life is such an incredible experience. I've learned so much about myself, God, and my role in His plan in the last little while. I feel I've caught a glimpse of heaven and what life is like there. It gives me hope for this life, and has helped me realize more and more that life is what you make it. We choose whether or not we want to be happy and our every day choices reflect our attitude and help maintain our state of mind.
Up until this moment, I felt like this life was all about me coming unto Christ and making sure I get back by making and keeping covenants, which it is, but there's so much more to it than that. I think what my calling has taught me about the Plan is that we are meant to seek truth, follow the Savior, and bring as many back with us as we possibly can. Heavenly Father loves me infinitely, but He also loves everyone else, why shouldn't I? It's not all about me anymore - it never really was. I feel llike my blinders have been removed and I can see everything so much more clearly.
When I received the call to be the new branch Relief Society president, I immediately went to work on thinking about all the things I wanted to accomplish and do during my service. Every one of my goals was good, but as I began to study and pray for help in knowing how to successfully accomplish them, I realized that what I wanted for the Relief Socity was important, but not nearly as important as what God wanted for the Relief Society. It's not my Relief Society or my work. It's His and it needs to be done His way. It was a humbling experience for me and I'm so grateful for the reminder. Now all I have to do is make sure I keep that in mind and focus on following the Spirit. That's how I can help the Relief Society become the best it can be. This is His work and I'm only a facilitator.
Up until this moment, I felt like this life was all about me coming unto Christ and making sure I get back by making and keeping covenants, which it is, but there's so much more to it than that. I think what my calling has taught me about the Plan is that we are meant to seek truth, follow the Savior, and bring as many back with us as we possibly can. Heavenly Father loves me infinitely, but He also loves everyone else, why shouldn't I? It's not all about me anymore - it never really was. I feel llike my blinders have been removed and I can see everything so much more clearly.
When I received the call to be the new branch Relief Society president, I immediately went to work on thinking about all the things I wanted to accomplish and do during my service. Every one of my goals was good, but as I began to study and pray for help in knowing how to successfully accomplish them, I realized that what I wanted for the Relief Socity was important, but not nearly as important as what God wanted for the Relief Society. It's not my Relief Society or my work. It's His and it needs to be done His way. It was a humbling experience for me and I'm so grateful for the reminder. Now all I have to do is make sure I keep that in mind and focus on following the Spirit. That's how I can help the Relief Society become the best it can be. This is His work and I'm only a facilitator.
Monday, February 7, 2011
Cloud Nine
I'm on a spiritual high and I never want to come down. It's been a while since I've been this happy and I love it. I feel an increased measure of the Spirit in my life and the love of the Savior is so easy to recognize right now. I have begun to understand a little more of how the saints in the Book of Mormon felt after hearing King Benjamin's sermon. They said, "the Spirit of the Lord Omnipotent...has wrought a mighty change in us, or in our hearts, that we have no more disposition to do evil, but to do good continually" (Mosiah 5:2). I feel closer to the Savior than I have in a long time, and it's wonderful to feel that He approves of the things I'm doing in my life.
The Single's Branch is fantastic this time around. There is a sense of unity developing. I can tell that we are beginning to really "hunger and thirst after righteousness" (Matt. 5:6). I know a real Zion community can and will emerge if we all sincerely do our best to make it so. We seem to have been able to eliminate cliques and create an environment in which everyone is welcome and testimonies are freely shared. There are still a few outliers and I hope everyone else will help me to bring them into the "fold." I have been able to rekindle old friendships and start new ones this year. I really feel like I've come home and I no longer wish I was back in Rexburg. This is where I'm supposed to be and I can do the most good here. I'm excited to start serving!
The Single's Branch is fantastic this time around. There is a sense of unity developing. I can tell that we are beginning to really "hunger and thirst after righteousness" (Matt. 5:6). I know a real Zion community can and will emerge if we all sincerely do our best to make it so. We seem to have been able to eliminate cliques and create an environment in which everyone is welcome and testimonies are freely shared. There are still a few outliers and I hope everyone else will help me to bring them into the "fold." I have been able to rekindle old friendships and start new ones this year. I really feel like I've come home and I no longer wish I was back in Rexburg. This is where I'm supposed to be and I can do the most good here. I'm excited to start serving!
Monday, January 31, 2011
I don't know everything, but I know enough
I've been on a bit of a journey this last month, and I'm pretty sure I've still got a ways to go before this adventure is over and another one begins. I feel like I've been avoiding the task of updating this blog because I wanted to have something special to write about; an insight I had or a trial I was able to get through, but couldn't put my finger on any one thing. I guess that's it, though, we grow the most during the journey and, hopefullly, finish it prepared for the next big adventure in our lives.
I've learned so much, and yet I feel like it's not enough. There's so much more I want and feel I need to know. I have to remind myself thatI don't know everything, but I know enough to make it through today and to get me to tomorrow. As each day passes,the "enough" we knew yesterday is added to, to the point that "enough" is more than it used to be. It's a wonderful blessing to have a Heavenly Father who loves us enough to send us His Spirit and His servants to tell us what we need to learn and remind us of what we already know.
I've learned so much, and yet I feel like it's not enough. There's so much more I want and feel I need to know. I have to remind myself thatI don't know everything, but I know enough to make it through today and to get me to tomorrow. As each day passes,the "enough" we knew yesterday is added to, to the point that "enough" is more than it used to be. It's a wonderful blessing to have a Heavenly Father who loves us enough to send us His Spirit and His servants to tell us what we need to learn and remind us of what we already know.
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Tender Mercies
It never ceases to amaze me how aware our Heavenly Father is of us and what we need. With all the confusion around me and all the questions in my mind, I'm still able to find that peace and sense of direction when I study my scriptures and pray. It's my time to put my life in order, escape from the chaos, and just figure things out. I think it's incredible how, no matter where I'm reading in the scriptures, there's always an answer waiting for me. It's such a testimony to me that I am unique and loved by God. He knows me better than anyone else, even better than I know myself. Why not go to Him when I have a question? I am also so grateful for the gift of the Holy Ghost and that I can have it with me always. I need it and I want to live every day to be worthy of its companionship. That way I'll always have a direct line of communication and always have a way of knowing what God's will is for me.
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Buenos Aires Temple Rededication Announced
The first presidency announced the re-dedication of the Buenos Aires Temple in three sessions on the 9 of September. Oh happy day! There will be a public open house from the 4 of August to the 25th of August with the exception of Sundays. Saturday, the 8th of August there will be a cultural event as part of the celebration.
December 2011 & January 2012
Hermana Litster is in Argentina!
MTC Photos September- November
