A new companion

This week was good. Hermana Azcurra is an amazing missionary. I´m really trying to learn all I can from her. She teaches in such a caring, simple way that helps those we teach understand the importance of all of these things and want to learn more. I hope I´m as good a missionary as she is by the time I have 16 months in the mission. Something that I really like about how she does the work is in how she contacts people in the streets or knocking doors. Before, if the people didn´t show any interest or said no, I would just move on, but she knows how to help them have the slightest bit of interest and feel comfortable with us. We are able to teach a lot more people and share more of the gospel because of the way she teaches and the way she cares.



I spent a lot of time this week wishing for the "simpler" times. Last night, though, I realized that the "simpler" times weren´t all that simple in the moment. I was reading through my past journal entries from before my mission and in the MTC and discovered that each difficult experience I had and overcame prepared me for the next tough thing. I thought about how scared I was to do a door contact in the MTC (and it wasn´t even real). I thought about how it´s still so hard to understand and communicate sometimes, but then I remembered how I couldn´t understand anything my first few days in the MTC or when I arrived in Argentina. I can´t believe how far I´ve come.



It´s so true that whom the Lord calls, He qualifies, but that doesn´t eliminate our personal responsibility. We need to do our best to do our duty to God. Every day I realize how God´s hand is in all of this. If I trust in Him, it will all work out okay. It won´t be perfect, but if the Spirit is there, I´m allowed to make mistakes. I hope none of the youth feel like they´re not ready or good enough to serve a mission when the time comes. If they have a testimony of the truth and a desire to serve God, He´ll take care of the rest. They won´t regret a single minute if they trust in Him and do what they can. Every day I am more impressed with the youth of the Church, here in Argentina and back at home. They have bright testimonies and strong desires to follow the Savior. You are all already great instruments in the hands of the Lord. I know He is even more proud of you than I am. I love you all.



I still have so far to go before I´ll be the missionary God sees in me, but I´m slowly tugging along, taking one step at a time. I have to remember that I can only be my best. I can´t be Hermana Azcurra´s best or the best I wish I was. My best today only needs to be better than it was yesterday, and tomorrow better than today. If we focus too much on what we wish we were, we won´t ever become so.



The work is going well. Hermana Azcurra and I are really focusing on finding good new investigators. I have a lot of high hopes for the people we met and taught this last week. I wish I had time to tell you all everything, with every little detail. So much happens every single day and I pray that God will bless me with a good memory. I don´t want to forget anything, well any of the good things. I´m going to do my best to be more specific in my following letters home. That way you can be a little more a part of my mission experience. I love hearing about what´s happening in your lives. I´ll try and be better about writing back individually to each of you. Thank you for your love, encouragement, and prayers. I really feel them and they help lift me up and move me along every day. I love you!



Erin