From Buenos Aires August 13, 2012

We had a good week as far as numbers go. We were able to find some really great people and teach some great lessons. We have more investigators that are truly progressing than I´ve had in a long time. We have a baptism planned for Agustín on the 26th. He´s nine years old, but I don´t know if I have ever met anyone so young with the understanding of the Gospel and desires to follow Christ that he has. His mom and older brother are members, but have been inactive for 2-3 years. I guess this is what they needed to get them going to church again. I love teaching them. We have a 16-year-old girl, Evelyn, that we´re teaching, too. She really wants to follow Christ and live in the way He would have her live. She´s come to church twice now and we´ve been inviting her to pray and ask God if she should be baptized. We´re hoping to set a date with her this week. We´re also teaching a lady named Alicia and her son Ezequiel. They have so much faith, which is good, since they have almost nothing else, literally. She has a problem with smoking and is working to quit so they can be baptized. Being with these people really helps me realize how blessed I am in every aspect of my life.

We moved apartments this week, too. Our old one was full of mold and the walls and ceiling were falling apart. Hermana Rojas said it looked like it came from a horror movie when she arrived here. The new one is a lot nicer, but smaller. I don´t think Hermana Rojas and I will be companions for more than one transfer. It was a really hard week for us and I think every one of my faults showed itself in all its shining glory. I didn´t know I had so manyJ. The mission really does refine us and I have a lot of thing to change and learn in the next few months. I think the mission really is an accelerated course in the school of life. If it was hard to accept the Lord´s will and leave for my mission, I don´t know how much more difficult it will be to give myself completely over to Him and let Him change me. I don´t know how to do it either, but He´ll help me. I´m trying to have more faith in Him and in myself to do what it takes to change and believe that I can.

The temple here is beautiful. It makes me more and more excited to see the temple in Kansas City and be able to worship there often. We haven´t been able to take any of our own investigators to visit it yet, but we`ve been able to receive quite a few referrals from the people who have and are willing to receive the missionaries in their homes. I`m excited to see the effects this open house will have in our mission, as more than half of the referrals received are coming to our mission.

Well, we´re out of time. I love you so much and I´m so grateful for your prayers and support. I´m really needing them.

Erin