Dec 12

That's kind of the life in P, it rains one day and the next it's really hot with humidity, then the people say yes and no a lot, so yes, that song is now about p :D I love it here! This morning my companions were talking about how I may get transferred the 8th of January and how I would not like that at this point, but wherever the Lord need me I'll go, of course. So! This last week we did find a few more people! One is an ex who is living with a woman who is still married to someone in another lado and I think they have ganas to get baptized but not enough to change things right now. But we'll see. We also had lunch with a recient convert couple who is really sweet and we ended up taking the husband out with us to citas. He's a really good guy and I hope they can go to the Temple as soon as they can. We also visited some investigators who, I don't think they're ready for the change yet, during the lesson the scripture kept coming to mind in Jacob 5, it grieveth me to lose this tree. But it seems I don't have control over anyone else, it's the way it needs to be for all of us to learn and grow but it still hurts to see someone reject or even mock the message that has changed my life and could change theirs for the better. We're not here to say that they're all wrong and we're right and all the other churches have evil evil people in them, no! We're here to tell them about the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, from Christ Himself! Through a prophet that truly was called of God. And a record that no evil man could write! And that a good man wouldn't write unless it was true. But we are not without help. The ward missionaries are usually available for us to use and they are re-enthusiastic about it. One's even taking notes. We teach them other important things, like "you better watch out, you better not cry" and "It's where it's at" Ha ha, "The Train's where it's at!" Yes, thank you Kim! We're also working well one with another so I'm happy. There is always things we need to improve on but I'm looking up. That's kind of been the week. My sunburn went down, OH! and N got the Holy Ghost yesterday! Her boyfriend was being weird about her coming to church but she came anyway! She's great. We need to find more investigators now though, that's the only problem with baptisms, your investigators are now recent converts and you are looking at different goals with them now. But it's good, progress and all that :)
Savior of the World! Woot! I think that show is wonderful and it is a lot about missionary work, about love and about the greatest gift that ever will be shared. It also (apparently) plays at Easter time too! Yes, I really enjoy that show. I'm glad Dad's birthday was good! I did send off a letter that will hopefully get there by Christmas today, but don't tell him, I want it to be a late surprise! I love that spinach cheese stuff! And I'm sure yours was super good! There may be something here made like that, but I've yet to eat it. Maybe it's regional......no se. It sounds Argentine though! I'm glad Jack isn't sick, I was nervous for a little bit about that. Give grandpa and grandma hugs and kisses from me when you see them! Hawaii eh? I think I still have better weather :P But not for Christmas, it's really weird here with all the Christmas things but no snow, and a lot of ice cream. People go to the beach for Christmas! And if you decorate your tree before the 8th it's bad luck. Argentines are superstitious in general. YES!!! Skype is an option! We're chacking with the Elder about calling beforehand to say what the account is and everything but we don't know how that's all working yet. I do need to know when is good for all of you. I'm pretty sure we have an hour, we are 4 hours ahead but if you can tell me mas o menos when you'll be available we can work around that. I'm pretty good all day...well, at least when you'll all be awake I'm good :D So yes, we'll get all that figured out by next monday! Crazy right! I've been out since the end of May! I definately feel more confident in the language but I still need it to be slow and clear, and there are words I still don't know, but then again there are words in english like that, like difinisrate, it's to throw something out a window. Hna Orten taught us that one :) On the whole I am happy and working well! And I love your mints! all of them! even the filling threatening ones that I still don't think you've EVER made.
I love you so much and I'll talk to you soon!
-Hermana Aubrey Pixton

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December 12 Fwd: Mas!

And there's a creepy cat that looks at us a lot, and we have a real tree

December 5 White and Red...and blue

Momma!
YES! We had another baptism this last Sunday! N almost didn't but then we resolved her fear and it was all good! She was in white, my skin was red and my dress it blue! It was slightly more patriotic that I wanted it to be ;) OH! and do you remember S? She set her baptism fecha for the 23rd! Both Hna Sleight and I were shaking with excitement and M was with us and later said how great/funny it was to see us so excited. I was SO happy! we also have a few more potentials, they just need to come to church! It really is the best hours of the week if not solomente FOR your week! Go to church people! Yes, that's what we're working with right now.
Yes, bugs bit my face repeatedly, but the swelling went down by wednesday so that was good and they don't itch anymore, I have been eating more garlic though....G is still doing really good, we're working on getting her more friends to feel more comfortable in the chapel. She's great though. The other metal thing on the other shoe broke this week too but bobby pins are magical things, I'll get them fixed soon though. I love the festival of trees a lot! I'm really glad you were able to go! Hair cut! He's a good lookin kid right?! IT WAS Savior of the World! Hna. Orten was in the ones in Idaho and she has the music so we've been listening to it a lot! How it jack doing? I heard he was sick! And How's grandpa!? I love his stories and the drive Kim and I took to Idaho to Wagon w-h-e-l-l-s park was Wonderful! Ha ha, can't go many places without pants! I hope he's ok, send him my love! I'm so happy about Joseph and Grandpa! I always thought they had a special bond! He's great. Hey, cold dates are snuggling dates! I'd be ok with it! (chiste). I can't believe how long I've been on the mission, it's crazy, I'm a third done! Gah! I have so much more to do!
All is well mom, I'm good, (if not too well fed) and hoping to do better and better. I'll be talking to you in about 20 days, so I'll try and think of what to say! I feel like I didn't write very much but that's how this last week is, I definately need to be better about journal writting. I love you mom so much and I hope I can be who the Lord needs me to be at this time.
Love you!
-Aubrey

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Fwd: Promised Photos!

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Aubrey Pixton <aubrey.pixton@myldsmail.net>
Date: Mon, Dec 5, 2011 at 2:40 PM
Subject: Promised Photos!
To: Momma <1102connie@gmail.com>


I'm not sure which ones I've sent, so if there's two of one.....perdón. Yes we built a vaca, and that sign....that street isn't Edison...

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November 28

November 28, 2011

Yesh, I woke up and my face was itchy, they attacked my face! it swelled a bit but not too bad, just itchy.

It is getting a lot hotter here! There's a bunch of humidity and the bugs are flying.
OH! yes, translados! So I'm still in Puerto with Hna. Sleight. Hna Arancibia left to train again, and guess who else is training! HNA Vaughan! Yeah! Wow, she's incredible!
But Hna Israelsen is now with Hna. Orten from Provo. She has a few more transfers in the mission than I do, like 9 months ish. She seems really nice and cool and stuff.

G was confirmed yesterday! Woo hoo! and this friday is the entrevista for N, so we need to find a time to teach her still, but she really wants it. She should be baptized either on saturday or sunday, she prefers sunday because more people will be there but we'll see.
Let's see, our district is the same except Hna Orten, and two of our investigadors decided they didn't want to commit to anything right now so we'll have to "kill" them. But this next week we're planning on finding a lot of new ones so that should be good. We'll be getting a lot of help from the members this week too so I'm excited!

Bueno, the dizzy really is just from lack of good sleep, I've been stressing lately but I haven't been dizzy regularly so I'm not worried. We walk....depending on if we can get lessons or not and where. I'm not sure how big our area is but we generally walk anywhere from 4-5 hours. Yeah, you'd think I'd be getting thinner right? My shoes are holding up really well actually so I'm happy.

For thanksgiving we made rice and put tuna on it with some mayo and then I tried to make pastas froles which is kind of like a pie but not.

I totally forgot my camera today! But I'll send all the pictures next week! Promise! Yes I took pictures of our food that day :)

Oh, how was the show?! Oh man, why in the world didn't Jacob want to go to prep day, I looked forward to that because it was where I could be with people again and not miss the show so much.
But that's ok,. he can sleep if he wants to, you can dance if ya yunk to! Ja ja aja ja. The Robaldis have a baby...mira..Is Adam married, or did I just think I saw that before I left? The coco motion! I totally forgot those existed! Yeah it would be recieved well! Oh, yo quiero. Dad's cool and awesome like that to surprise you, ah, I love him.

Ha ha, the original plan was to get the emails from our families, print them off so we could read them later and come back tomorrow (that's why I didn't repond to all the photos), but then Hna Sleight was able to get on a computer so we decided to stay.

This P-day was crazy, we dropped Hna Arancibia off at the terminal last night at about 11 and went to bed at about 2, got up at 6:30 and went to a ward thing because one of the other Hnas' investigadors went, then we went to pick up Hna Orten at about 3:30-4 ish and then we bought food and went to the server. It's a holiday so a lot of things are closed but this one is open with limited computers but llegamos :)

ANYWAY I opened my mailbox and Hna Sleigh and I both went woh! What a happy surprise to get to see most all of the family! Thank you mom! You've always been clever like that!
Warm soup is one thing I'll not be having for quite some time, but at least I'll come home to it! Mi favorito enserio!

Oh dear, if there's one thing I have a much bigger testimony of from the mission it's going to church. We need to study the scriptures, pray always and go to church, that's part of the enduring to the end bit of the plan. Go to church! Like really!

The week is better and there are not a lot a good excuses not to go to church and renew a covenant with God. It's one thing I relish now.

Mom, how are you so awesome as to get a man like dad to snatch ya? He's my example really of the type of man I want to marry, he's so willing to help and has a fire about living the gospel. I love that about him.

And I think they would melt if you sent peanut butter balls, BUT I GOT THE PACKAGES!!!!! Wow mom thank you so so much! don't worry I didn't open the wrapped stuff yet :D And Hna Sleight says your awesome for sending her stuff too! Te Quiero Mama!

Yes pictures and physical letters! and maybe marshmellows, no wait, there's no maybe there, yes marshmellows! They only have flavored kind here so we can't make cool things or roast them. I can print off the letters but it's so much more special to have a person's handwritting.

I absolutely LOVE the at this moment pictures! And always shopping isn't necesarily a bad thing...... :) Thank you so much for your letters, your thoughts, your ideas and your prayers. I love you so much mom and really hope it'll be a good week for you!
-Hermana Aubrey Pixton

PS. Hopefully orangeleaf will still have awesome flavors when I get back, I don't have to worry about Roxberry being awesome though ;) Ha ha, love you all!

November 21, they got her to sing!! warms mamas heart

WOO! Ok, So we had a baptism yesterday! Yes! Gladis Sulca se llama y ella es increible! Enserio! It was really great to see her finally in the waters of baptism! Sadly none of her family came to see her take this step, but we're hoping on teaching some of them if not all. We also have a girl named Nadia who really wants to be baptized but she's making sure that she knows in her heart and not just that she likes it, which we can definately respect, still we're going for her baptism this saturday! We need to find new people to teach though! We had a zone conference on Friday with Elder Aiukietis...algo asi, and he bajar-ed la caña pero mal! I just finished feeling like dirt this morning! But it was needed, we have some really good goals for the end of the year and so I'm more excited now. Ha ha, so we got another District leader llame Elder Thomas, he's from Utah and he's the new companion of Elder Knudson who we also very much enjoy. Anyway, we told Elder Thomas one night that we felt like dirt and he was all, you girls are like clouds....because...they're higher than dirt... Ha ha. It made me feel a bit better. So yes, we need to find a lot more new investigators this week and get them ready to take the step of baptism. Wow, my brain is dizzy, anyway! Other than that it's gotten really hot. OH!!!! I washed my clothes today in a bucket! Yes! I was pretty excited about that. They smell clean and everything but they're all hanging on nylons in our bathroom drying now, so that's the only downside, is they're still wet. But it was fun! This is the last week of the transfer but I'll probably stay in this area until....April or something. Which I'm ok with, I really enjoy Puerto and there is still work here for me to do. The language is coming still. I have a hard time with questions todovia but I think it'll get better.
I'm doing well, a bit dizzy but good. Hna Sleight is doing better than me! She has a very good hope for this next week and I'm very grateful for that. We work really well together actually and we're growing a lot together. Let's see, eating opportunities....we ate normal things.....like sandwiches with hotdogs for the meat and ravioles and other pasta, and chicken and rice and......bread. Yup, we eat some awesome things, we have the Dia that is our main food supplier, and really, mostly I just buy cereal, oats, raisens (this is my cereal mix) milk and sometimes things for the house, like butter or rice. I am learning to make quite a bit of fun things, like arros con leche, it's pretty epic. Because of the emergancy transfer where we got our new district leader we didn't get mail this last week. Hmm, but I'll let you know, ALSO! I took out 417.12 pesos from my checking account, that should be about 100 dollars or close to it. So when you see that on my account, yeah, that's what it is. I haven't taken anything out of there since the MTC, just so the record is clear :) I had this idea for christmas but I forgot! But if you want to get Joseph to make peanut butter balls I'd be ok with that ;) He generally ate all the ones I made so I think he needs to make them this year. It's almost thanksgiving! Crazy stuff, we'll probably buy some chicken and make a "pie" which is actually pasta froles. Vamos a ver. We did bust out the Christmas music this morning and for some reason I have a bunch of music on my ipod like "Mr. Grinch" and "12 days of Christmas" we'll avoid those on normal days :D But it was fun. We're invited to the Bishop's house for Christmas dinner so that should be good, and we're praying Hna Arancibia gets to stay for Christmas and New Years. We had a little cold scare but it passed with only a head cold for Hna Israelsen (there's 12 kids in her family, ha ha Israel...yeah, it's cool to me) But yeah! I hope thanksgiving is great and all the apples are cut really really small for Grandpa and there is a lot of pecan pie left over so eat the next day! That's the best with turkey sandwiches and all. Yes, Hna Sleight wants to buy a little tree for our house and I'll break our the cinnamon sticks and make it awesome, and then we'll have a baptism that saturday and it's be great! Oh! For the baptism of Gladis, our ward mission leader told us to prepare a musical number the day before. We ended up singing "Come thou Fount" in english and spanish and I was elected to sing the first verse solo and the last line of the song too. Yeah. But it was good and I got a lot of members shocked faces telling me how good I sounded and that they didn't know I could sing like that. It was a good feeling. Hna Sleight sang the third verse and Hna Arancibia sang the first one in Spanish. I can come in the morning and print them off and have them and then respond in the afternoon, that'd probably be best, I'll do that next week! Love you Momma!
-Hna Aubrey Pixton
I'll try to respond to the other emails!

November 14, 2011

Wow, this week was a bit crazy, so we have two investigators who have their baptism date for this coming Sunday, the problem is we aren't sure one of them has a testimony and so we may need to change that one, the other one llame Gladis is spectacular, she reads and prays and when she has a questions she reads and prays to know the answer! She came to church yesterday...for the first time. Yeah, but she really liked it and the Bishop and Pres both said that if she passes the interview she'll be baptized! With Nadia, the other investigador, we're not able to meet with her until maybe thursday...that's the other thing, so I'd definately feel better about baptizing her on the 26th or algo. But I think they'll both be baptized this month! The other Hnas have a couple of 50 years who aren't married yet, but they really really want to be baptized so they're getting married! it's really hard to get married here so that's kind of a big deal! We also found another woman this last week llame Edith. We were trying to find a street (with my random up and downs of other streets) and we rounded a corner and there she was sweeping the walk. We started talking and she invited us in to share our message. Hna Sleight started saying something like how this Gospel is the way that Christ made for us to obtain peace and joy and this poor woman started crying! We decided we make lots of people cry, this wasn't the first time but it was so strong to me. We went through the first lesson with her and she got the Book of Mormon and said she was going on a trip to Buenos Aires this week but that she would read and call us when she was done! After we got to the house that night we got a text from her saying thank you for the peace we brought. We decided that in this work, we don't do anything. It's all the Lord and we just open our mouths and walk and stuff like that. It's been a great week and Hna. Sleight and I are working much better together.
Bueno! I totally enjoyed the pictures! Siempre! I haven't gotten any other packages yet but tomorrow's another day. 5!!!!!!! Oh wow mom! Thank you so so much!!!!!! I haven't had to pay for my packages but I'm wondering if I've just been lucky. Apparently they go through and randomly choose a few that the people need to pay for them, but I don't think with the last two I was chosen. We'll see though. But thank you so much! Furlong....I feel like he was but I can't put a face to him, I'll keep an eye out though. YES! It's super warm now, my colerbone area is much darker now and my face has been protected by my makeup and such so I think I look funny :) We have a big ol fan in the apartment that we'll probably utilize soon though. Clothes for the mission....really I'm good with anything, they don't seem to be super strict on the buttom up shirt deal but skirts need to reach the mid-calf. I may have a much different style when I come home to be honest but we'll see. I trust your judgement :) I can shop a bit here, it's just interesting the price conversion, like a good shirt is anywhere from 50-100 pesos but I can pull the money out of the account from home, so if that's easier on you I can totally take care of that. We'll talk to each other really soon! Navidad is almost only a month away! Crazy huh? And don't get too excited about hearing my spanish, it's still super slow and not in good grammer at all! But we can teach somehow so that's good enough from me! Know that all is well here :) I was talking to Hna Sleight about how Elder shopping is SO much easier than Sister shopping, so that's good for Jojo, mucho mas stores to buy shoes and all that :) That day is gonna creep up, what's up with the 25th? That was the day I went in too! I'm really glad about Grandpa and the funness of the celebration of the birth of one of my most favorite people ever! And I remember during the high school plays when I made the costumes, I loved seeing them in action and helping the actor create the character for the audience. Jo jo is such a good boy and I'm so proud of him and Jacob, they're growing up really well. Oh! B& t B! Woot! Hopefully the wig doesn't fly off or the case around the rose doesn't break :) Ha ha! I miss that show, though I'm more likely to see a Tango than a play out here. The ward has a show de talentos on the 25th and so that should be really great! Other than that..that's about it. I'll keep working and praying and walking and talking and hope I can be a tool somehow in the hands of God. He really does guide this work and we are nothing without Him. "Look to me in ever though, doubt not, fear not" This is so great a work and if this gospel wasn't true, the missionaries would have messed it up a long time ago. I love this so much! I love you all so much and thank you for always writing me and sending me pictures and helping me know that I am still loved back home. Thank you for your prayers and know that I pray for you too. I love you momma!
-Hermana Aubrey Pixton

November 7

Who's that kid with Eryn? Glasses! Oh Family!!!!!!! Love it!
Bueno, Yay! My brain is everywhere right now, I'll start off by responding:
Oh Grandpa! I'm glad he's feeling better though! Yes! We will go in December to get frozen yogurt and pedicures! I love this plan so much! Weirdy huh? I only have about a year left. I'm also so glad that the chocolate cake is still at Mac Gril. If that had changed...well then.....we'd have to find another chocolate cake! It sounds like you had a really really good birthday! What better way to celebrate life than with those who're in your life. Oh good! You got my letter! I would've mailed it earlier but we only get to write once a week...but I'm glad it got there. And I can't believe Joseph's call came that day too! Que loco! Que bueno! Oh yes, it's so good. He did indeed write me and I was very happy to hear from him and his enthusiasm and everything! TEMPLE!!!!! It's closed? Lame, oh well, if he's ok with another one there's the same work done there but I can understand if he has a preference. I'm really excited for him, for this journey he's starting out on. It really has been the best thing for my life (not to mention being raised by awesome parents :D). I asked Hna S about ordering garments and aparently I can get them by telling our district leader about it, so that should be good. Ummmmmmm......Birthday mio..........I'll get back to you on that one, I may discover things I'd really enjoy having out here a bit later in another area or what-not. Transfers are on the 26th and we think Hna. A will be transfered because sh's had about 6 months in this area and that's about the limit. So maybe the rest of us will stay in P. Anyway! I can't really think of anything else I'd like for Christmas, letters, photos, from everyone..... ;D. We actually don't have daylight savings time down here, yeah, I guess it's a states thing. Like right now it's 6:15 ish. I personally LOVE the Christmas idea! I'm not sure how it'll work on the mission because we're not supposed to give plata. I'll see what I can think of though. And I'll definately comprar algo for todo la family at one point, maybe next year when I'm closer to coming home so I don't need to llevar everything with me for a year...yeah, that'll probably be better. Oh wow, Jan 25th.......That's so crazy! I remember when I got my call, it was so...grounding. I knew what I was doing and where I would be going and when! it was a great feeling, I may have written about it in my journal that's still at home.
This last week was had a few lessons with a new girl named N, she has real questions and really wants to ponder these things and figure it out and I love that in an investigator. It doesn't matter what we know, it matters what they understand about this Gospel and how we can help them find it's treaure for themselves and she wants to find it. She also came to church so her baptism day is still on! She said she'd like to come this next week to so I'm pretty excited! We also have G and we hope she went with L (our recient convert) to another ward with Ls neighbor SA. If so, we can give her a date too and maybe have two that day! I really hope we can be led to those who are ready and can teach something. Our catillano is getting better, it still isn't awesome but we're leaning on each other a lot more when we teach so that's good. I'm almost out of time and I need to send pictures! I love you and I'll try to get some better letters out next week! Chau!
I love you so so much Mom!
-Hermana Aubrey Pixton

October 31

Happy Halloween! But more importantly, (a few days early) Happy Birthday! Yeah! 35! Right? :D
Wow, this week was interesting, but for suerte I'm still moving and thinking and I'm ready to work another week! We had stake conference this last Sunday, it was really good to hear from the leaders and our mission President. I leaned over to ask Hna. Arancibia about how many wards are in a stake and it turned into us talking about how we could have another stake by the end of the year and hopefully a temple in our mission really soon! That would be so great for the people here. Oh! I miss the Temple! I brought the Stephen Capp Perry Come to the House of the Lord with me on my iPod and it makes me miss the temple. Then there's the ensign talks and things about covenants and things...yeah, I miss it. So stake conference was good, I did have another encounter with the snake though and the other Hnas have told me that yes he is indeed a snake. I'm not too worried about it, I've not said a whole lot to him and the other Hnas are really good at getting me out of potentially hazardous situations so I should be fine. No worries mom, not thinking about men at all right now, flirting can't get our investigators to church (they're all women). Ha ha! Bien. Today we were thinking about what to do for Halloween, they kind of have it here but not a lot of people actually celebrate it, I think it's a States thing but I'm not sure where it came from before that. I still have the packs of fruit punch drink mix so we'll probably get back tonight and drink some "blood" and maybe put oven mitts on our heads and knock on the bedroom door and do a dance or something after we plan. Yes, it should be fun :) Any pizza and Harry Potter tonight? That's generally what I think of when I think about Halloween. But what an exciting week! Birthday and a call and todo esto! Divertido to say the least. Party it up! Ha ha :) Oh! Have you read the Book of Mormon Liahona yet? I got through a lot of the talks but then felt guilty for not studying the Book of Mormon so I still have the rest of the issue to finish :)
This last week was interesting but good, I think Hna Sleight and I finally feel like we have a foundation and we know more about how each other teach and so it's definitely better. We've been working with menos activos and converso recientes....recently...That's fun to say. We got a call on saturday night from one of our old investigators, like the end of my first transfer kind of old. He was a little drunk but agreed to come to the last bit of saturday night part of conference but since we haven't been able to get a hold of him. We've also been trying to contact a reference from the Elders who is apparently really awesome, so we're super excited! We have Sofi still and she told us that she'd be baptized by the end of the year by one of the ward missionaries! It's not really a date but I'm happy with it! We're giving her a calender tonight of december so she can set the date tranquilo. We also have two new ones, C and A, a mother and daughter who are a reference from a contact. We're really hoping to teach them for a while and we also have G. She's so special! She just needs to come to church! That's really the only thing that keeps her from being baptized. And we're still trying to find new ones to teach. There is work to do and I'm excited to do it! We have a cita soon, that's why this'll be a bit early. I still need to write Pres. so if you want to send me another email I can read about the week just after :) I completed 5 months in the mission this last week, so weird, so weird I was in the MTC from the 4th of July and now it's Halloween. I know right! Wow. I love you and I hope you have a great great week! Love!
-Hna. Aubrey Pixton

October 24

Yes, I am very happy right now, which is super weird because we didn't have a lot of exito this week. We were pretty much trying to find the ground beneath our feet, only to discover that we were walking on water out to Christ. Yeah, that was a bit scary, and I felt like I was sinking for about a day, then I realized that all I need to do is ask for help, call out and ask for help, and straightway the Savior reached out and pulled me from the water. I am so thankful for that right now. I have a testimony of the power and reality of this Gospel. People may think that we're disillusioned (like this lady at the beginning of this week) but it's so reassuring to have that testimony of Christ, to know that at the base of all our beliefs is Jesus Christ. Wow. Yeah, I'm feeling good, and not dis animated. I've been feeling the forces of Satan working on me this week, it was intense. Satan uses all he can to cause us to fear or to lose faith. But we know that God gives love and power and a sound mind. It's when we adjust our focus that we (o por la menos mi) see that if we give our burden to Christ, He will carry it for us, His yoke is light and His burden easy. He loves me and I know that my Father in Heaven is mindful of everything that happens on this planet. If I share the Gospel with someone who maybe isn't ready for it right now, I know that God doesn't forget them. This is a HUGE comfort to my heart. Anyway..... :D
Yes, I know I slip into Spanish sometimes, I think it comes from living with a Chilean. I have grown to love her so much! She's my "tia" in the mission and she's been such a help to me, from planning to figuring out why my stomach hurts (it was stress, don't worry :D) I've really learned a lot about myself in this last week too, how I cope with things, how I can be a better companion, how I can communicate better and how I can share the Gospel clearer. It's so simple and wonderful, I can't believe I was trying to make it complicated! I also was reminded that it's really hard to leave someone you love a lot. But I know that with this new companion, Hna. Sleight, we will both grow to bear fruit that before we couldn't have thought of. I'm excited. GAH!!! Joseph's call!!!!!!!?????? No chiste!!!?????? Freaking enserio! That's awsome! Yeah, China was an impulse, I really have no idea, maybe rome, that'd be cool, or preston Idaho (say HI to the Sleight's for me!) Yup no tango ni idea, but let me know! I love the board too! That's so awesome! Yes! and I'll keep an eye out for the new sister. I may be a trainer soon....no, Hna S and I were thinking that Pres. is trying to get us ready to be trainers, but maybe not. We'll see. How freaky would THAT be? I'l check with the garment ordering, and...I may not send anything home this Christmas, apparently it costs more to send it than it's worth, so I officially owe all of you presents in about a year and 2 months. I LOVE that quilt mom, it's really awesome and I may need to make one with you in a year or so :) I have a bunch to say but I still need to respond to the fam e-mail! but I love you and I'll definately let you know how this next week goes!
Love you so much!
-Hermana Aubrey Pixton
PS. Apparently I have a package (so say the elders) Gracias!!!!!

October 17

So this one time, it was transfers, and I'm still in Puerto! Yay! (Oh, and you asked for the address last week but I forgot, so here it is.
It's an apartment above some stores.) and I got a new companion, her name is Hna Sleight. She was in the same group as me coming into Argentina. YEAH!!!! I'm a madrastra to my madrastra! I'm.....a little shocked. But I know that our President speaks with the Lord, and that all flesh is in His hands, so I'll try not to be nervous. Anyway! Wow, this week was so loco. We had to stop teaching one of our investigators and we can't find one and the other one is having trouble coming to church, BUT we will encontrar, enseñar, y bautizar until the Lord tells us to stop. My brain is so everywhere right now. OK, so Hna Clark went to...somewhere to be the companion to Hna. Jensen! and living with Hna Bingham! Yeah, it's pretty fun. Hna Sleight is from Preston, Idaho but we don't know much about each other yet, I'll let you know as I know ;) OK, ready for my random ideas for Navidad!? OK, Ziplocs, more tights, PB, simple recipes (meat is a bit expensive here), PHOTOS! LETTERS!!! Home made stuff (that one is up to your discretion), white out, maple syrup extract and Reece's. Yes, those are what I've come up with as of late. I can buy mascara but I'm not wearing it a whole bunch so I still have some. And it may be against mission rules for you to be my maid (though it's a sweet gesture) Maybe some more garments, but I may want those closer to my birthday, unless you don't want to send me stuff near my birthday, in that case they would be great for Christmas. Hna Arancibia has Hna. Israelsen from Cash(?) Valley Utah, and she's been here one one transfer less than Hna. Sleight y yo. This letter may be super short because I'm really tired, Hna. Israelsen got here at 6ish in the morning and we got Hna. Sleight around 10:30-11 ish But yeah. I had SO much to say in this letter but I can't think of any of it. I'm so glad everyone's good. OH! Jack! That's adorable! And the Jacob story made me laugh. And don't worry about having an Argentine son in law, I'm funny invested in this work and not my own....eternal progression...ha ha, no I'll most likely get home, serve another mission later in Provo and meet someone from Canada or algo asi. Oh, and yes, Hna Clark gets home some time in February I believe and she lives in Tracy California. I love hearing about things everyone is doing! Never boring nor predictable. Normal life is medio raro a mi ahora. Sorry this is so short! Once again, my brain is everywhere. But I love you all and hope to hear from you soon! Love You Momma!
-Hermana Aubrey Pixton

October 10

Woh! So much is happening! It's so great that it's not "so boring" anymore ;) Oh! Thank you for the package sendingness! I promise not to open anything that's wrapped until Navidad. Sorry this one is a little late, we got back late from Centro and I don´t have my camera or agenda or nada, BUT I did take pictures so hopefully the anticipation for them will not drive you wild. Guess what song I heard today at the ward missionary party? That thing you do. Yeah, a little weird, they listen to a lot of music in English here. I'm so happy Dad could come home early! and that Kim comes home los fines de semanas! y José es trabajando! Y Laura and Steve and Jack are probably having a great time! Y for the pictures! I'll bet being a scarer is weird, I don't think I'd like to do it either. We were talking about the power of Satan in our apartment one night and it got a little intense and we all had to stop, sing a hymn and say a prayer, it was scary. It's moments like those that remind me there are forces of Good and evil in this world and we need to choose who to listen to and heed. So yeah, this next week will be the final week of the translado, Hna. Clark thinks she's leave because of the amount of time she's been here, I just hope that I've learned all that my Father had for me to learn from her. We did a lot of walking this week and my body had an interesting response to working after being sick (I was just tired and it felt weird). OH! So you know how I talked about creepy men here and that they're snakes, well aparently the girls that go after Elders are also snakes! AND the men who go after sisters are snakes too, AND the other Hnas think I have a snake. To be honest I do not remember his name, but he was at General Conference and was talking to me A LOT and "flirting" with me to quote Hna. Vaughan. It was funny, I didn't think too much about it but then Hna. Clark told me that he's looking for a wife....yeah no. But he showed up at our fast and testimony meeting and Hna. Arancibia and Hna. Vaughan almost died. The former saying to the latter, "He's here for Hna. Pixton" It was creepy, but maybe I'll be transfered! Wishful thinking but hey, it could happen....
ANYway, we've been working a lot with Maria and I think she's progressing, she had a busy week so we only got to teach her once, but it was good and she WAS going to come to church but then her daughter got sick. We went to get another investigator and she said she couldn't come, come to find out she didn't think she could bring her daughter...we need to explain church better :) Then another was at him house but his dad must not have known that because he said they were gone...All in all it was a kind of depressing turn out. BUT We are missioneras and we will work until we are called not to work anymore! Go fight win!
"What is sister clarks moms email? I'd like your new companions home email too if you get a new Chica.
What do you want or need for Christmas? Dad and I thought we'd put some $ in your account so you could buy a great Argentinian something that you could use and then bring home as a memory too. What do you think of that idea? I'm happy to send anything not too big or something that will get stolen or be a pain for you to pack around. Give me some ideas!! Did you have to pay any extra for the package I sent? I hear stuff from the other argentina missionary moms (all the southern missions) and they talk of extra costs. I'm hoping Bahia blanca being a port city is really on top of the shipping receiving situation. Is it a port city? What,also, is your physical address? I just wanna know so I can google map your neighborhood."
Hna. Clark's mom's email....carolynclark1 at juno, for Christmas, ok you ready for my cleaver ideas? Shirts, good chapstick, and a journal. Yeah, epic eh? I'm not sure, because like you said, it'd have to be something useful and I could carry with me from place to place, I asked Hna. Clark for ideas and she was all "a maid".....useful but not too portable, or practical for a mission ;) maybe more socks for flats, like the no show footie socks I could wear with my mary-jane guys. Um.......I'll think more and get back to you hopefully next week with all the ideas you could ever want. I didn't have to pay for the envelope that I know of but Hna. Vaughan got a package and had to pay more for it but I'm not sure how that works, I'll ask. yes, I believe Puerto is a port city, not for the name but for the smell. Yes, of fish and things I'm not sure what they are, but it's lovely igual.
I love you mom and I'm so glad that you're busy and being creative with your sewing! and using the word "weirdy" Have a great week and I'll send more later!
-Hermana Aubrey Pixton

October 3

WAAAH! Yes, conference was awesome! We all went to the stake center which is in centro and watched the broadcast, Hna. Vaughan y yo got to watch it in English and hear their voices and the funny thing Pres. Monson said that we're scripted, like We love you Bob! Elder Nelson! Que Paso!? that one was such a shock to me. I loved Saturday first session, probalmente porque Laura came with Hna. Alcoria and we got to bring Maria! She was having a really hard time and one big thing was she didn't know if God loved her or not. After Pres. Uchdorf's talk I was in tears thinking about Maria and what she had just hear one of the 12 say. She only could come to one session and I know that that one session had to have been the first one on Saturday! Yes, our Heavenly Father answers prayers! It was really cool to sit among all the missionaries and hear the prayers for us and the talks directed toward us, I really hope I can be that real missionary everyone sees missionaries as. It was also really cool to see the unity of the church, the break between sessions on Sunday was fun, we brought this lentil sopa stuff Hna. Arancibia had made and were heating it up, lots of families stayed in the gym area of the church and ate and drank matte (which smells really.......feo) and shared their food with everyone, the Hermanas in centro made a torta and were sharing it with anyone who came to get it, the meshies gave us chocolate cake stuff with dulce in it, and we had soup left over so we compartir-ed it to the people who wanted some, it went pretty far and it was fun to see the look of surprise on their faces when they realized, yes it was good, hermanas can cook. I thought it was funny Angry Birds was mentioned in conferencia, they bajar-ed la caña on a few this, por ejemplo my former life of computerness. It was so good though, this time out here has really helped me see that you need to make real connections and not just electronic ones, though those ones are usually easier/more convenient, but the real ones are more worth it. I LOVED the talk on how dads are their daughter's heros. That was so good and all us Hermanas teared up.
This week otherwise was really different. I was sick. yes but I am better now and Hna Clark will let me work again. She was such a mom this week, I got really sick (flu-ish kind, no nausea or anything like that) on Tuesday during our district meeting and so I got a blessing (Gracias Elderes!) and was put to bed with the instructions to sleep until I felt better, that happened to be on Thursday but then we got up from our prayer and I was super dizzy and weak so Hna Clark told me to get in bed again. It was rather funny to me. So I don't have a lot to say about the work of this last week. BUT Hna Arancibia got to go work with Hna Clark and that was good because she's been in casa with Hna Vaughan this little bit, we still don't have much of an idea what's going on with her foot but she's sick of not working. Oh, yeah, so you know the argument that is all, soccer is football because you play it with your foot, we discussed this last week and found that 1) it's spelled "fut" down here 2) you would play it with your "pie" here and 3) no, don't argue in different languages, it's pointless. Hna Clark y Hna Arancibia were able to fijar TWO fechas this week with people! Maria and a joven named Marco (he's the brother of the man named Sebastian I'm pretty sure I've told you about but I'm not sure) Those dates are still valid and I'm happy! We'll try to get a lot more investigators this week. Oh, yeah, The man Wilson.....he called and we think he may have been posessed, not really but it was a bit freaky, he was yelling and wouldn't let us finish sentences and it was weird. Ha ha, Hna Vaughan asked how he was doing and we told him that he "died" (meaning we stopped teaching him) and because of Hna Hebe Rodriguez who really did die, her eyes got so big and was all, Another one! It was funny. Hna. Vaughan also got left on the bus! The bus driver closed the door before she could get off and all of us were shocked, then ran after the bus. Hna Aracibia was yelling in her Spanish accent "My companion!" It was rather hilarious and I stopped running after a few steps. We love Hna. Arancibia's english, it makes us happy daily as I'm sure our spanish does her.
I do have to say, HAPPY BIRTHDAY LAURA!!!!! Yay! But she's on a disney cruise so I guess it's ok if she doesn't get this......yeah, disneycruise......awesome...Anyway! I hope you peeps get to go on the halloween cruise, that sounds exciting with light fun and I'm so glad to hear about Jacob's jobs! For the win! It maked my heart hurt that you're alone. You may need to buscar alguen concinar con. O algo. How're grandma and grandpa? I've been thinking about them a lot lately. OH! could you search for things that are distincly Argentine that maybe I could comprar for the fam? A lot is the same here, and I'd like to get distinco things for yawel. Except these really feo pants, don't ask for those ones. So yes, ideas for me would be helpful but I could probably dig something up without them. Bombillas for everyone! Or matte, whatever, maybe alfajors.... ;) How's kim doing? Thank you so much for the pictures and letters every week Mom, they help so much to let me know you all are safe and happy.
Well that's about it this week. Anyone can email me at this address and I will answer them, I'll write a letter if they aren't family but I will answer them. Love you Mom! Let our neighbors know you love them and see if you can help them. I get so sick of people saying they don't know their neighbors, I hope to know all of them and be able to help where I can, we'll see if I can do that when I get home though, I'm a bit worried about these "when I get home goals" como, I want to go to the Temple every week, because we're 5 minutes away and not 5 months, I just hope I don't let stuff get in the way. ...anyway :) Oh! I saw a Havanna sign in centro and they were selling chocolates, I thought of you. Don't forget that I love you and things people say and do remind me of your love all the time and I thank my Father in Heaven for that tender mercy. I'll send those really old letters tomorrow and hopefully you'll have them before too long. Hasta proximo Lunes!
-Hermana Aubrey Pixton

September 26

Momma! ¡Hola!
Everything is crazy! We've been talking to people and trying to find people to teach and teaching and all that.
I'm not excellent at Spanish but I can understand what's being said to me generally, except direct questions....I'm bad at those. But I'm gaining more confidence in speaking and not so embarrassed when I mess up. On Saturday night the bishop called us and asked Hna. Clark to give a talk and me to share an experience and testimony. I was so scared!
In Spanish there's two kinds of past; preterit and imperfect....I'm not too good at using them yet, so sharing a past experience was a bit nerve wracking. Afterward the members were so great to me and told me how great my testimony was and how much better my Spanish/Castillano es ahora que antes. It really helped me. But I'm not so much worried about the language as I am about the teaching; I really hope that I'm able to teach what these people need to hear.


*my cat brought a snake in to the house, shes responding to that picture.*
A snake!? Wow Sweetie, you've got something in your system ahora. Oh, and I didn't respond to the picture of Jacob! He's turning into such a stud! Man, I'm gonna have to get out the fences and big sister protectiveness for him (it's already out for Joseph in case he was wondering).

Oh, yes snake. We kind of have snakes, more they're men that say interesting words in Spanish Hna Clark says I don't have to know right now, more we have spiders and weirdy silver tiny worm bugs that turn into dust when you kill them, they're weirdy. I haven't thought about hot water warmingness of peanut butter! Yes, doing it! This week I was craving the frozen berries, creamer stuff and oats we warm up and eat a lot of, and a cupcake, but they don't have those here, which is ok because they have facturas. I crave random cosas cada dia y record them in a personal log in my brain. I've been hungry a lot, which is so weird because I'm eating a lot! I still fit into my clothes but I'm eating a lot. Today for P-day we went to the gym in the capilla and did some crazy dancing and such. Then we went outside and ate sandwiches and climbed on the basketball hoop frames. We took pictures but this computer isn't wanting me to send them, I'll see if Hna Clark can send them from her computer. So that was super fun. I've been getting sick, my body's been feeling weak and my throat is sore...and smoking peeps don't help! Peeps! Don't smoke! It's not healthy.

ANywAy! Wait, isn't conference this coming weekend? Isn't is? Well that's what it is for us, the RS one was this past saturday right? No se. We will actually get to watch all of it hopefully. We go to the stake center and watch it all together, and apparently I can hear it in English! Yes! Being taught the Gospel in my own tongue! I was excited about that, igual I'll get an ensign/liahonna of conferene talks but I do like to hear the words from their mouths.

Sewing! Yes! You can do it! ¡Lo Puede! I really enjoy watching a sewing project come together, that's a lot of the reason I like to sew. Oh! I have letters for Megan, Kellie and Sara and You and Dad but we had expenses this month we didn't anticipate and so I couldn't send them! But I can next week! They're from forever ago so I hope they're still ok.
Hna. Clark and I are really good, both of us are kind of sick but we're fighting it and working igual so we'll be fine. The next translado es the week after next, the 16th I think and I'm not looking forward to losing Hna. Clark. She's such a strength to me. But I know that changes need to happen and I'll go or stay where ever the Lord needs me. It is getting warmer, the wind is still cold. Oh! On wednesday was the first day of Spring down here and it was tan lindo! Both Hna Clark and I got little sunburns. The next day was really cloudy and coldy windy! Que cambio! it's apparently typical of Mar del Plata though and it's not a big switch for me either coming from Utah where it was pretty one day in April and then snowed 5 inched over night. But yes, it is getting warmer.


Ok, the people! We found a woman named Brinda in the calle but when we got to her house she was busy or something, but she has a vesina quien answered the door and let us teach her. We asked her to pray at the end of the lesson and it was so sincere and pure. I love the prayers of the people down here that we are teaching to pray! She said she's come to church but then she wasn't there. We'll see. We're still working to get Sofi to church and we found three other men whome we need to utilize the ward missionaries for. Two are brothers and one is...interesting. I'll let you know how that all goes when we find out. Oh, and yes, Elder Sonderegger was in my MTC district! It's great to see him every week at meetings. Thank you so much for the pictures and the letters that you send me every week! I love hearing about the family and what you are doing! I love you Mom and hope you are enjoying this time of year!
Love you!
-Hermana Aubrey (I have a first name...) Pixton

September 19

Yay! I got your package on Wednesday (we had our district reunion that day, which is usually on Tuesdays and we get our mail those days)! I'm loving the little Belles that you sent me! They make me smile every time I look at them :). And the peanut butter was a warm hug from home, and the gummies reminded me of you, and what could be better than that!? And you found the pictures! I totally wasn't expecting that! But now my zone leaders know what you look like and my companion and company totally know where Jack was coming from with not know if I was his mom or not. Hna. Vaughan was so funny with that too, she was all, You all look the same! It was great.
Ha ha, Yes I'm still eating crackers, we eat them with jam and cheese, or just jam, or crushed into our cereal, they're kind of vital here. We do consume a good amount of fruit though as well and canned veggies are the safer and more convenient form for veggies. So yes, I eat food :D I did have to buy apples to go with the peanut butter though, we don't have a microwave but it was good all the same. It is getting warmer! There is a great deal of wind and that keeps it rather cool but it's no longer freezing when we wake up. I asked Hna. Clark if there are any regulations on packages and she said probably, but we'd have to ask the district or zone leaders for what they are. Oh! We got to our district meeting (we have three districts in our zone) and guess who I saw! Elder Sonderegger! Yeah! He's in our zone this translado! He's not in my district or Hna. Vaughan's district, but the other one. It was nice to see him.
This week was good, lots of walking and lots of working with Menos Activos, Converso Recientes. MACRs for short. We finally got a hold of the Flia. Carbonara. We've tried to contact them a lot of times but this was the first time they contestado nostotros. They were very friendly and talked about the war (there was a war for those islands off the coast of Argentina a few years back, like 30ish probably.) It's kind of a tender subject to those in the war and we don't call the islands by their actual British title here because of it. So that was good and hopefully we'll get to teach them a little and rekindle the fire in them. We've also been working with the references of members a lot. There's this lady in our ward named Tita, she's probably late 70s ish but she's still hopp'n. She took Hna. Arancibia y me (Hna. Vaughan can't walk) to this other lady named Tita. I think she was a pirate in another life! She has two gold plated teeth, portholes in her doors, and ships everywhere, and ship steering wheel things as her chandeliers! She's pretty awesome. At one point in the lesson I asked her if she believed these things (the Book of Mormon, the message of the restauración, y otro cosas de la lección) were true. She answered me with a resounding Sí! It was great. She didn't get to church on Sunday and so we're going to go see her today to check on her. We're still working to get Sofi to church too. She feels she can't leave her husband and we tell her to bring him along but it's a bit complicated. I believe she knows she needs to be baptized but she is held back by something. We're going to do all we can to help her.

*mom editing here, just to keep things clear**

(regarding a Jacobs ecent audition for the HS play)
I remember when cast lists would go up and it was super hard for me to focus on anything because yes, the anticipation had been built and my hopes were high. Life goes on and it's actually better when you don't have a lead, you can be with friends and not focus on the play drama as well as high school drama.

Joseph's papers! Gah! That's so crazy to me. I think that letter thing they gave to be read was more a precaution because some parents can get a little too crazy about where their child goes and when and all that jazz. And you're not crazy, so you don't need to worry about that ;) He'll have his call in no time....aw, he's all grown up ish and stuff :D Let me know how that goes!

Oh! Laura! Half way there! Crazy crazy. (regarding a new baby coming)

Oh, and apparently you don't have to be completely strict with the button up shirt deal. Yeah, but whatever. I still fit into mine so I'm happy :) I would love new pajamas :)

(I asked her what to send for Christmas)

I may have to wait until march or april to wear them but I'd have them and that would be happiness. I'll let you know if I think of anything else. Ok, I've got to go, but I love you and hope everything is going really well with all. Give them my love and I'll try to bear both the names on my chest well.
Love!
Hermana Aubrey Pixton

 

September 12

Yes, you guessed it, I got lice! It was really interesting actually, I've never had them before so I didn't know what they were, but we bought some stuff and I think they're all gone. That's only part of the love, weirdy men tell me I'm beautiful everyday. I may not like that phrase much for a while.....Ha ha
Anyway! Yesterday Laura was baptized! Yes! Satanas didn't kill her and she is SO happy! She'll be confirmed this coming Domingo and I'm muy excited para her. Yes, castiyankee happens a lot of the time :) But yes, we're still working with Sofi, and we found another lady who is less active but wants to come back to church! She's the mom of another less active member so that was a nice connection to make! She has so many questions and it sounded like she has been pondering for a long time about things and wants to know exactly what the answers are. She's in luck ;) No, I know that Heavenly Father knows all things and has His eye on all the people that we teach and even contact. No one is forgotten. This work is so good. That thought has helped me these last few weeks. I may not ever see these people again or get to teach them anymore, but God doesn't forgot His children. I'm not worried when I realize this a nuevo.
Ziplocks!!!!!! Jaker, you may need to do an intervention. That is so funny. Ah well, I guess it's also that time of year, how did canning go? OH! Tanner! If you see him again tell him congrats and that I'm so excited for him! I think I'll be ok with sheets, I have the liner and the flat sheet from an old comp de Hna. Clark, but if I need to get some I can probably buy them here, hopefully.
Kim went repelling?! Upside down!?¡¿ Woh. I'm so glad she's doing well, and not falling on her head while repelling. And the MTC!!! Gah! When is Joseph gonna cut his hair? He needs a photo for his papers doesn't he? Hmmm.
I'm super sorry this is so short! But I absolutely LOVED LOVED LOVED the family email! I don't think I have time today to reply to everyone individually, perhaps I'll escribir actual cartas para vosotros! Maybe, we'll see how next week goes. Thank you for that! Thank you for the advice and the love and everything! I love you and hope this email isn't TOO disappointingly short. BUT! We have a lot of work to do this week and some very potential baptisms. I love you!
-Hna. Aubrey Pixton

September 5

Creo que este semana pasada fue mi cumple-mes. The 25th? Yes? No se, PERO, I've officially been out on the mission for three months! I sort of speak castillano, I enjoy crackers and jam a lot now, and I have seen miracles. It's so amazing mom! I often took this gospel for granted, that we had the knowledge of where we came from, who sent us, how we can be forgiven of our sins and what we have to look forward to in the future. We have hope and the promise of a better life when we follow the commandments of God, a loving Heavenly Father who wants us all back with Him again. It's so amazing, I can't even describe how it is. I haven't the words (in english or castillano). This week we're most likely going to have a baptism! L, the woman we're working with is so excited for her baptism! I don't want to say we will for sure have a baptism and condemn her to death or something with those words so I'm saying we'll most likely have a baptism! We also got a lot of help from the Elders in our zone with our area, they came and contacted here for a day and gave us A LOT of referenes. We've also been able to find some other people to teach and so far all is progressing. It's still hard, I can't imagine it ever being easy, but it's so worth it. Hna. Clark had another cumple-mes ayer, we were going to make brownies today but no one has brownies right now! The stores were all out! It was sad. Sorry for my lack of time last week! I have time now so I'll respond to last week's and this week's letter. Thank you so much for the points by Elder Bushe! They´re great and really help with times out here. So what are the 4 class periods Jacob has with Miss Nelsen, I'm so curious. Let me know how the casting goes! And tell him not to freak out too much about it. There are, oddly enough, greater things in the eternities. I´m so proud of my brothers! They're growing up so well and being all awesome like that. Joseph can put his papers in this month!? Has he started them? Gah! Let me know about that too. My advice there would probably be, read Preach My Gospel. Read it and study it, you use it every single day out here. It may not seem so applicable to you right now, but if you have that knowledge with you before you enter the MTC, you´ll be so much the better. Go in with lots of faith, be completely clean (nothing that would keep you a step away from God), and know that it will be hard. It's the best thing you could do for your life, and it will be hard in ways you don't expect, it's different for everyone but I know that I am a better person now than I was 3 months ago. Other advice will need to be requested in writing and specified ;) Oh! If only dad had brought a pocket knife to church! Oh! My shoe broke. It was the klog brand one, the metal ring the allows the shoe strap to be adjusted snapped. We were about....we were a long while from our apartment and still had people to contact in that area AND we were with one of the ward missionaries. So I threw a bobby pin in there and there it has stayed to this day. There is apparently a shoe repair place here that can fix that (Hna. Arincibia says) so we'll try that. My other shoes are still alive (and they're more comfortable than the klogs) so I'm perfectly fine. Woot to Brock! Hopefully he has hermanas in his district! Apparently we make a big difference in the elders. What a great thing for the boys to experience (the oil consecration). The elders in my zone at the MTC did that their first week there and I was very happy about that. The priesthood is incredible, to power there is so real and you can feel it. The meshies (F and M, they're ward missionaries that I think have their papers in) gave L a blessing and I could just feel the power there. It was a great experience. Kim's in provo? Do you know what complex? Actually, tell her to tell me, because I don't have her address. Oh :) How is roxberry. I think of that place sometimes. They don't really have smoothies down here. And I don't have pictures but maybe Hna Clark does. I'll ask her.
Ok, I've got to go now but I love you and hope you are getting all the frozen yogurt you can before it becomes slightly unreasonably cold to get it. Love!
-Hermana Aubrey Pixton

 

August 29

So we have a cita at 6:30 and it´s way far out in no where so I may need to cut this short! Oh there´s so much I want to say! Thank you for your letters and words of encouragement! I´m so glad to have you all and so blessed with such an awesome family! Ok, really fast. We had our zone conference this week and that was fun, we had it scheduled for the morning so the night before we planned that in and planned people to try to contact that night, then the elders called and said, yeah just kidding, it´s in the middle of the day. Yeah, we didn´t have time to see people that night! It was sad, but the conference was good. We have maybe.....10 ish or more, I could be lying there, companionships and then there were the assistants and the President and his wife. The assistants planned a half hour at the beginning to ¨Bajar la caña¨ or Drop the cane, like....tell us what we need to be doing better. That never actually happened that I know of (then again I´m not understanding half of it) but it was funny to look at.
The cita we have is with Laura, she´s in the same building as a member and so she has daily interaction with her so that´s really good. She´s progressing really well and can recognize Satan´s opposition, it´s really cool actually that it´s so aparent to her, the difference. We have her baptismal date as the 10th and I´m so excited for her, she came to church yesterday and Hna. Clark said that she(Hna. Clark) thinks she(Laura) liked it.We also went to see Ismael on saturday. He is such a joy! He´s older and in an old person´s home and I can´t understand a lot of what he says but he´s so great. I learned that he folk danced, sang and taught tango when he was younger. I´m enjoying him so much now I cannot wait to meet him in the next life! We also have been trying to work with Juan Carlos, he´s shown borachado to the citas and so we can´t teach him, then he didn´t come to the last one and when we were buying fruit today we saw him and he said he got a job. That´s good, I hope he can keep progressing though and realize that jobs are good now, but eternally you need more. Also! The Familia Moscuzza! They´re doing so well. I love going over there. The ward is helping them to make their house better, putting in outlets and redoing the walls and helping them like that. I´m so excited for them. (They´re recient converts).
This week I was reminded of the worth of what I´m doing by two different things: the scripture "the worth of souls is great in the sight of God", as well as the story of the little boy throwing starfish back into the sea, and when confronted by a man who told him that he couldn´t possible make a difference in such little time and with so many starfish strewn across the beach, he picks one up and throws it into the surf. "It made a difference to that one." It´s been so great to re-realize that this week. Tambien, there is a talk this last conference on chastening, it is SO GOOD! I need to remember that if things are hard and I´m doing all I can to be a good missionary or even just a good person, maybe God is refineing me, and showing me my weakness so that He can help me make it strong.
Los Lunes´are so interesting to me because it´s a time to reflect on what happened in the week and realize how much I´ve learned. At times it all runs together and I have a hard time seeing the moments, but it´s so good to look at the little things that make the week worthwhile.
"I must know! Are you ok? Are you happy? Are you eating ok? Are you warm at night? Do you need anything?"
Ha ha ha :D I´m Ok and Happy and I´m eating too much but will eat better this week, I´m kind of cold at night but it´s been better lately, we have bedbugs so that´s a bit annoying but we´re not getting sick so I´m ok with it. And all that I need is love, and I feel that is given to me with every email and during the week through prayers :) Thank you so much mom! (Oh! I got the Dearelder letter this last tuesday!)
I love you so much Mom! You may have no idea how much of a strength your words are. I´ll try to write more next week!
-Hermana Pixton

August 22

Woot! Ok, English....odd. Ok not really :) I am able to understand it a lot better now, as in I can figure out what words I don´t know....I may have said that last week...oh well, I can understand better than last week by a few words, my speaking still needs work though. This last week was Hna. Arincibia´s cumpimes. It´s the day they arrived in the mission, por ejemplo, mine is the 25th. Which is this week. Yay! ALSO! Happy late anniversary! YAY!!!! and Laura and Steve´s is this week! YAY! That´s really all the enthusiasm I can get through an email, but I hope you feel my love and happiness. So yeah, 3 whole months in the mission, pretty weird eh? We have a zone conference tomorrow in Centro, it´s...I think Centro is a city but I´m not positive. Anyway, I´m excited for that to see what we all need to work on as a done. The work is hard because I don´t know what else I can do to be better. That sounded really cocky....I don´t know, of all the things that I am doing wrong, that I need to be doing better. Yes, that´s better. So hopefully I´ll get a better idea of that tomorrow. We don´t know when it´ll end so we´re having a hard time setting citas. Today we´re going to go teach Juan Carlos again, he´s the man we met in the middle of the street. He has a drinking problem but is working to overcome it. He says he can tell there is something different and special about the people in our church. The first day he attended the chapel, I think he was in the foyer the whole time but afterward two of the hermanos went and were talking with him and he poured out his whole life to us. He´s a really sweet guy and I can see this changing his life forever. We´re also going to go by some menos activos and give them an invitation for the 2nd of Septiembre por un noche de hogar. We´ll be watching the Joseph Smith movie and I think the ward mission leader will explain more about the apostacy and the need for a restauración. It´s so funny to me that we´ll be teaching about the restauración and people will say they understand when we say that after Christ and His apostles died, the gospel was distorted and the priesthood power was taken from the earth. But then they´ll say that their pastor or whoever has the power from Christ and we´ll be all....no, he doesn´t, remember, the apostasy......It makes me laugh sometimes but we need to help them as much as we can so that they understand que pasó. Other things that make me laugh: Hola! Somos missionaras de la Iglesia de.....O, no quiere nada? Verdad? Vida Eterna? No? Ok...we´ll just teach you later then.... Or the little hand wave that can either mean that they don´t want to listen or that they´re going to get the keys to the door. I haven´t figured out which is which yet. And the amount of dogs here. There are SO many dogs, and Hna. Vaughan wants to take them all home. I love my mission roomies! It´s so fun with 4. I also love when people see Hna Clark´s name and say it´s hard, and then see mine and are all, AAAHHH MUY dificil! I ALSO love when we have citas! It gets hard tocar-ing doors and getting the same little wave time after time. A member told me that half the people that do that think we´re Jehovah´s Witnesses. I´ve not had enough interaction with them to know how to fix that one yet. But when people actually are like, yeah I´ll listen! come on in! It´s so great! Or even like yesterday, it was La dia de los niños so people were at home and together and stuff, which is great for sort-of-ish contacting but you can´t teach them because they want to disfruitar the time with their family, but you can usually tell when people actually do want to listen and when they´re just rejecting you in a more polite way. But they love it in the end! It´s not easy but living this gospel is SO worth it. It´s like Pres. Packer´s talk last conference, it´s not easy to be a latter-day saint because we require people to actually do something with their salvation, it´s a process that isn´t set by one day or one act. I´m not going to be perfect when I get off my mission, I´m not automatically saved because I´m doing this work right now, everyone has their agency and that is something that will never be taken away. We can give it up, or to the control of something else, but I´d rather follow Christ than be lead down by an addiction to drugs. People need to know God. They need to know He is and that He loves them still, that He speaks to us through a prophet today and that if we pray to Him, He will give us answers through the Spirit and through the scriptures. Really, that´s what we need to do: Read, pray, and renew our covenants/keep our covenants.
Yes, good :) Love the gospel. I thought I knew how to do that before, now I know I´m still learning.
I´m so happy to see the pictures of Hawaii! It´s sounds like so much fun and so warm, it´s supposed to get colder this week than it has all winter...yeah. Animado all around. But! I´m still happy! Hna. Clark keeps me smiling with random awesome things that happen. Hna. Vaughan let me use one of her hats and it was small for mi large head. I put it on and Hna Clark looks at me and goes....You look like a pirate. Yes, it was a happy time. It´s getting easier to talk to people and easier to walk down another street of doors we may have knocked before.
Yes! Sibs can write me at this address, I´m pretty sure anyone can write me from email but I can only respond to family via email. I get actual mail once a week on Tuesdays and can write on Mondays (which doesn´t mean anything because I only have so many addresses in my book because few have actually written me). But it´s all good! The Elders say you have a dead year so I may as well get started on that one and let all my friends get married all at once. yes, it happens. Chiste. Creo que mi password is the same but I´m not sure, if not you can get into my email and change the facebook password, yeah, you have all the power as far as my home affairs go :) Oh, I also thought to tell you about crackers, cheese and jelly, try it. It may change your life as far as those three things go. What else have I eaten here..this torte stuff that was wonderful, it was flan on bottom with pudding stuff and cream stuff and cake stuff and chocolate frosting stuff on top. It was probably SO good for me ;) ALSO This thing with....it´s a pizza, only the crust is a very thin steak. Yes. wonderful. Lots of crackers here....yeah, it´s all good so far, just in case you were wondering.
I love you all and keep me updated as to what´s going on! Thank you for doing that already! How´s the extended family doing? Anyone have any advice? Oh, and tell Steve Clark I have not forgotten about the less active members! And tell Jim I´m not wishing away a single moment. Tell Grandma and Grandpa that I love them! Hna. Clark´s grandpa just died and it brought me back to knowing about life being short. Give the family big hugs from me and tell them I love them. Love the people you´re with! It makes things go SO much better! It´s hard to love people that don´t want to have anything to do with you, but it´s important that you do. I wouldn´t be able to serve if I couldn´t at least try. Love is the answer, at least for most of the questions in my heart :) I love you Momma, so much. Enjoy this time of the year in Utah!

August 15

Woot! So I´m good and I´m really not THAT awesome at spanish yet, but I´m getting better! I can actually pick out words I don´t know yet and ask Hna. Clark about them later so that´s good! I´m teaching much much more than I was before and I´m happy things are getting a bit brighter on that front. I just got the photo...oh airplanes. It´s safe to say I´m glad not to have to be on one for another long while.....17 hours ish....ugh. Anyway! So it´s a no on the instant chat. Yeah, I thought as much but I thought I should ask and legitly tell you now. But weekly is still good. I don´t have much time this week because we have a cita in 20 minutes. Also, no picture this week.....I KNOW I´m sorry, it just didn´t happen. OH! but I found the train tracks! They run through the villa, the people build their houses on the tracks so they don´t pay anything. I can´t get a picture because my camera may be gone the next minute. But you told me to avoid the "trains" anyway, so I will, unless there is someone in there that needs the gospel, which would be all of them, but I´ll do my best not to be there at night! Not a lot a citas this last week so a lot of walking and lots of contacting, a few other citas but not a lot. They also had elections this week so people didn´t come to church because they were voting, so we need to move a baptism date further out. Yeah, sad stuff. Ok, so odd things that happened; This old guy on the corner shouted at Hna. Clark and me as we were walking out, in English "Oh! Lookin´good! I like you!" We walked past and then swiftly laughed at wrote it down. Also, we were going to see an investigator, and we say the end bit of a house getting robbed. That was interesting. Hna. Clark was all, I had a phone if no one else in their houses had a phone. And I was all, I´m in a skirt and really don´t want to run after them. It was interesting and we decided to see that contact later and just call her. Ok, your questions: "How are things there? What was the best part is your week? How are allyour clothes holding up? Any thing I can send you when I send the bookI WILL find?"
You totally NEVER/NUNCA let me down and never will, and a photo album is only a thing, I´m just glad it was somewhere and I didn´t loose it on the three flights. Things here are great, still cold but warming up. Once again, not a lot of citas but I´m getting to know the members a lot more and teaching them in spanish (so when I totally mess up it´s ok). Hna Clark and I will teach together with investigators but I´ll give the thought or whatever for almuerso appointments. The best part of my week.......Hm, that may have been the moment when I realized I could recognize words people said instead of just hearing blurrs and not much else. Oh, yeah, random note. It takes 9 pesos to get a letter to the states, that´s like 3 dollars. So people may not be getting bunches of mail from me ALL the time, but I´ll write back if they write me.....The elders say they have a "dead year" when people kinda forget they´re gone. I may already be dead. Or people just don´t know where I am, either one I´ll need to accept one of these hours. Ok, more. My clothes are all fine, a snap came off of my coat but it´s just for the weather flap and I´ll find a way to fix it. Everything else is good, I´m not sure what will happen by my birthday, which I realized is about my half-way mark as well as the day Hna. Clark goes home. Ironic eh? I can´t think of anything I need at this moment in time....OH! If people randomly get engaged and you see it on my facebook page, could you tell me please? I don´t want to be left out of that one. Ok, gotta go! But I love you and I hope you all have a great time in Hawaii and I love the picture from Kim´s graduation and am so proud of her and I LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE YOOOOOOOOOOU! Lots :) Chao!
Oh! And everyone needs to read the conference Ensign again, it was so good!

August 8

Whaaaaaa? Another week gone? Shoot dang! :) Hna. Clark say "shoo´" It´s wonderful.
SO! This week was really good, we have district meetings on Tuesdays and we had a baptism on Wednesday! Oscar. He is Hna. Vaughan´s first in the mission but I´m sure she´ll have many more. Our ward mission leader put Hna. Vaughan and me in charge of the "half-time show" aka while the people were changing clothes and so we showed part of the 12 witnesses movie of the testimonies of the Prophets and apostles and then bore testimony afterward. Before we got up to do this, Hna. Clark told us that investigators were in the audience and that we would be mostly talking to them. Talk about nervious! But I was told we did well.
This week has been a lot about not losing hope and keep going and knowing that there are people waiting for this even if they don´t know it. Yesterday we were contacting a bit and walking to a reference´s house and Hna. Clark decided to tocar a door on the street. The man let us right in and I was able to help teach my first real lesson with the parts on how to start and everything! We both felt that they felt the Spirit. It was so great to be able to do what I´m called to do and what I´ve been training for. We were about half-way home when we realized we never invited them to baptism OR set up another cita! Gah....I felt so bad! That was my part in the lessons this week, but we hadn´t had many new lessons so it may have caught me off guard. We´re hoping to go by again and see if they´ve read (we left them a Book of Mormon and a folleto on the Restoration) and see if we can teach them again, we´ll see.
We´re also working with new converts and less active members. One couple is having trouble knowing if they want to be sealed or not because of how some things are now. We went over last night and the husband was asking about the Temple and we directed him to the bishop because we didn´t know how much to say because of the sacred nature of the subject. I was listening and I thought I heard him say "when" they go to the temple. I waited until after to ask Hna. Clark if that is what he said and she said yes and I got so excited! What a blessing for them so be together and not have to worry about the life afterward! We are still working with them though to help them stay positive about it.
I´m doing really well! The Spanish is coming and yesterday when I was able to teach I got super excited! I´m understanding more and more and I know it´s only through the power of God that I´m able to listen to these fast speaking Argentine people and get the jist of what they´re saying! No other power could do that. And then on top of that I´ve been able to pray and bear testimony and help invite the Spirit! That is huge to me! If the Spirit is there the lesson, no matter how awkwardly said, can touch the hearts of the people. I am so grateful to be here and learn from these people as well as teach them what I know to be true. I have felt the Spirit in my life so much more now that I know I need it. I pray for it and I do all I can to keep it here with me.
On Saturday we went to the ward mission leader´s house and he had made the Argentine barbecue for us and the ward missionaries! Carne! It was so good! And we ate calamari. It was pretty awesome actually. Let´s see what else....Oh, I may need sheets and a pillowcase. Thank you for your emails Mom! I love you and I´m so glad things are going well. Give everyone a hug for me! Oh! and my mission office address is:
Mision Argentina Bahia Blanca
Chacabuco 1755
8000 Bahia Blanca
Buenos Aires
Argentina
Yes, that is where I´ll be for the next little bit and I think I get those letters every week if I´m not mistaken. So yeah. Life is good. I´m loving it here :) Love the Lord, Love the family and know I love you!
-Hermana Pixton