Monday, August 23, 2010

HOlA!!! Its me again, Hna Payne!

Week 3.... not a complete failure.. but not successful! We went to church with the promise of at least 4 coming! We went to get one, but she never came to the door.. we get to church, and no one! So we go and sit hoping that someone will come! We take the sacrament and still no one. We get up to leave and to our astonishment and delight Ramona was standing outside! YAY!!!!!!!! She only stayed for the rest of Sacrament meeting and had to go. Ramona has a date to be baptized.. but that doesnt mean a whole lot at this point. it just gives us something to work towards. She has good feelings when we come to visit her and such.. she is the one that feels that God sent us to her.. but she doesnt have a testimony of anything yet. She cant read so that makes things a little more difficult! We shall see what happens! I have faith!

This next week is a conference where two of the 70 will be here. That is super exciting! However, like church, we cant go unless we have investigaters! That is a hard rule for me because then I dont know if im sad for them that they arent getting the blessings of church, or sad for me because I cant go.. Well its definitely both.. but I need to get to the point where its not about me in any way, shape, or form.. darn, still not there! You´re right, dad! Forget myself and go to work! This work isnt about me! I have lots that I want to do.. and I have an idea of what I want it to be like when im done.. I just dont know how to get there! All of it is work.. we arent given anything! Where would the growth happen if we were just given everything¿

So today is Pday and we met as a zone for volleyball! I wish we would see Argentina if we are going to meet and do stuff! Maybe that can be arranged.. I dont know. Dad, I had a hamburger today! It wasnt as good as yours but still pretty good. It had an egg on it too! Yall are still keeping the tradition of fast sunday right? Right now I am in the mission of the waterfalls. If we meet our baptism goal as a zone we get to go! I think the number is 16?? (yay! I figured out how to do a question mark) Oh soo I get two pdays this week.. not really but Wednesday is the day that I go back into Resistencia! Its like a welcoming lunch thing with the new missionaries that are just coming in.. (I didnt have one because of when i got here) but I leave wednesday at 3=30 pm and then spin the night there and come back the next day. Mom, the President and his wife seem really nice. It was really comfortable talking to him the first day.. (ha i had a translator) .Im looking forward to this bus ride because I will get to sleep on the bus! YAY!!! A nap two days in a row! hahah I wish that it was easier to get up.. i mean I get 8 hours of sleep for crying out loud! But if Drew said that it was hard to get up you know that its definitely hard for me. I think it would be easier if there was sun.. but nope, still dark at 6=30!

So we have zone conference this coming monday.. I think we still get to write home that day.. not too certain. Im not really sure how everything works. We will see after monday =) this week is transfers. People get a call Tuesday night and then they leave wednesday if they are being moved.. I think quite a few will be leaving my area.. i think they have been here for a while. Maybe Elder Beckstead will be transfered here. He only has till December until he goes home! My comp had him as a zone leader for like 6 months. She said he is a great missionary.

Mom, more questions =)

Yes, internet is really close. My cave man spanish is still exactly that.. but still getting better everyday. I need to be better at speaking with my comp in more spanish.. she understands a lot in english. And I cant believe the laundry situation either.. lucky us. im jsut being spoiled now.. it wont happen again! My feet are fine! IM excited B is getting to come stay with yall! Lucky! Give her hugs and kisses from me!

Okay well that is all for now! I love yall and miss ya! Yall are always in my prayers!

Love Hna Payne

Pat!! I love you and am praying for you to be and feel better =)

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

HOLA!!! Its me again, Hna Payne!

I know yall have been checking to see if I have written! Sorry, yesterday was a holiday and so we had pday today! I really have no idea what yesterday was.. Anyways, we usally print off our mail in the morning and then write back in the evening. Man, there are not enough hours in the day.. any day, but especially pday. Mom, you asked if we got together as a zone, and the answer is yes. Today we had lunch as our activity. The activities are a time sucker! NO TIME!!!! But I guess that is the way that it is. I would rather just do stuff on our own. Even then I dont think there would be enough time in the day!

Okay so you asked like a million questions! I will try to answer them..

This week is tons better! Everyday gets better and better... everything about it! The language is of course still difficult. But I feel that I understand more everyday. I just want to understand whAT is going on so that I can CaveMan spanish my way through. Oh well, with time it will come!

We walk everywhere except church. Our area is really small and we can get everywhere pretty fast.

We flew to Resistencia! Then took a bus into my area. It was a 5 hours bus ride. On the bus was a missionary from this mish that got home like 2 months ago. That was cool because we got to ask him all sorts of questions!

I have hot water!! Yay! Life is good.!

I HATE dogs! Eh they are everywhere and some of them want to eat me! But I carry my pepper spray around all the time and dare them to try and bite me.. which some do. i havent used it yet thougho... i really hope I dont have to. im too chicken. Dad, I know that you are sitting there laughing and saying Great, now its just even more pissed off! Ha anyways, it makes me feel better =)

About church! I am in a branch. I haave no idea how many people that consists of.. There is also another branch that meets after us.

Food! There is a supermarket super close, which is nice. Today we went to a different one so that I could buy a pillow. I havent had one. I also bought another towel, and sheets. We have a lady in our ward that washes our clothes (minus our underwear). I think everywhere else is fend for yourselves, which means hand washing. I havent actually washed anything yet. This last week was really weird. Hna Marilaf had trainings monday through thursday. We had to travel for like 30 minutes one way. We would get there about 9 and then I went on splits with an hna also from chile that has only been here for about a month. Then we would walk back to the church and get our comps back at like 4ish. So the days were really short. Week number 2 at church.... fail! Ahhh! But this is actually my first normal week!!!!! This is the week, I can feel it. We are going to have people at church!!

We are supposed to have 6 people at church every week. That sounds really hard, especially since we havent had one in two weeks! But my comp brought up a good point.She was reading in Nephi and it was talking about how Nephi could do anthying... if the Lord commanded! I dont remember what scripture.. but 1 Nephi 3´+7 (i dont know how to use this key board) says the same thing! Well the Lord has commanded that we have 6 people in church.. so that means it is definitely possible! We just have to be creative and find ways to get people there. I know we can do it, but Im definitely working on having more faith ¨=)

Dad, you always tell me to look for the miracles. Ahh, there are miracles everyday! Maybe not huge, but someone reading the Book of Mormon, or getting an answer to their prayers.. that in itself is a miracle. We had a referance from the elders and went to try to find his house. We were having difficulities but had been asking people if they knew how to get there (which is a good way to then talk to the about the gospel) Well we got to a house that had the same number, but wrong letter.. but at the way we had been talkin to people I suggested we go ahead and ask.. that maybe she needed the gospel in her life. We clapped at her gate, and she finally came up to the gate and talked to her. We asked if she knew where we could find this particular house. We then introduced ourselves as missionaries, and she let us come in and talk with her. We sang her a hymn and then pretty much just listened. (everyone here is soooooooo long winded. they can talk for hours without us gettting in 3 words) But in all of that she started to cry and say that she felt like God sent us to her!!! At first she wondered what we were doing, and then saw that I looked different so she decided to come up and talk to us. But yes!!!! God did send us to her! It´s miracles like that that happen everyday! I see the hand of the Lord in His work. I cant believe that he allows me to be a part of all of these little miracles! One of these days I will actually get to help in them.. and not just be a tag along! But that will come! =)

I cant remember what else you asked... but this week really is much better! Everything about it is better! The members are great! We are trying to get them more involved in the work. That is a great way that we will get people to church! We get lunch with a member like everyday.. apparently it is the same families every week. Now I am just praying that the hair isnt in my serving of food... and that I will be able to stomach the food! Ha apparently this is a really rich area compared to the other areas. That means i havent seen anything yet =) I will try and send pics next week, especially for you mom.. ha i can just see you at the computer researching Posadas!

So 2 more weeks and you will have brecken_ ( i dont know how to put a question mark...) That will be fun! Thanks for the pics kels, dad, and dusty!

Okay well that is all I have time for today! I love and miss you all! Thanks for all the letters =)

Love Hna Payne

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

HOLA, HOLA, HOLA! It´s finally me again, hna Payne!

I know yall have been anxious to hear from me! Dad, I can hear the aggitation in your voice as you talk about the mission not sending you a letter the second i landed. did you finally get one?

Oh man, I have no idea where to even start this letter! I guess first of all, Im here!!!!! Wow, i never would have thought i would actually get here. Now that im here... ahh totally overwhelming! It took me 3 days to actually get here. i left provo tuesdsay, got to argentina wednesdsay, went to my first area on thursdsay, and started my official first full day of being a missionary on friday. im not too sure what to think! ha! well my comp is from chile and speanks quite a bit of english, thank goodness! she is really nice and really patient! Again, thank goodness! Oh, her name is Hna Marilaf.

So the language ?? HA soooooo hard! I feel like an idiot all the time. And pretty much dont understand anything. im way more of a tag along than help! Boo! I know, to be expected but frustrating! I need the language NOW. I think im understanding a little more everyday.. which is not a lot, but still..

Im in a little place, when i say little i really have no idea how little it is. but im in Posadas. i think there are like 3 areas with missionaries here. so i guess it would be my area that is small, not Posadas. I dont really know how to explain it here except that everything is sooooooooooo dirty. Ha go ahead and laugh, yes, im being humbled, and fast! I LOVE America! It is soo clean! My residence is small.. and gross. Apparently it was WAY worse before my comp was there.. she cleaned it a lot. it still needs some work though.

The mornings and nights here are pretty chilly. It reminds me a lot of Texas Yamboree time. Which is kind of annoying because i need a jacket to start and end with but then have to carry it around the rest of the day. I need to buy some gloves! Im still not sure how the whole money thing works with my card.. Eh, I hate not speaking spanish!! I feel for the people that come to America and dont speak english! So the whole cold shower thing.. I took one and it was the worst thing of my life! I take back the whole i can handle it thing. I dont want to experience that again =) i was about to swear off showers all together! But then my comp said that we did have hot water. i think she took it all... that or im too retarded to make the hot water work... either is likely. The shower is quite gross! I will try and send pics of my humble abode in the next week or two.

Okay, so the food! We have eaten lunch with members everyday that i have been here. Noodles, noodles, and more noodels. There has been hair in my food like every meal, and yes i still had to eat it. Dad and Kelsie, you would have died. I about did, but after gagging a couple of times I continued to eat! Eh soooooo gross! But hey, i think that the Lord is preparing me for worse food. My comp said some of the gross things that missionaries have to eat. Im sure at some point i will be begging for the noodles with hair, just so i dont have to eat cow eyeballs! Let the fun begin =) We dont really have dinner. And for breakfast I have had cereal. The milk is weird.. it comes in a box and doesnt have to be in the fridge.

Hna Jones!! I totally understand your last experience for church!! So I thought that church was going to be a breath of fresh air! HA I was wrong. It would have possibly have been if I got to actually attend... President recently made 2 new commandments in the mission. 1. Missionaries cannot attend church if they dont have any investigators. 2. No missionary is allowed to quit going to church. Ya, first Sunday, and im a failure. We had like 10 people that said they would come.... but they lie! Not a one came! So we went to this lady´s house.. if you call it that.. and clapped, instead of knocking.. its what you do here. No one would come to the door! So then we went to another house to get a married couple. The wife wanted to come but the husband didnt.. so neither of them came. Then we had a phone call of a family of 5. All were ready but then the dad didnt want to come. so we then went on the bus to the church to see if anyone else might have showed up. we missed the sacrament! We were there long enough for me to bear my testimony in my broken spanish.. im pretty sure i bring a whole new meaning to caveman spanish... and then left to go find someone to go to church with us. we ran around going from house to house. and not one of our investigators wanted to come. Eh why do they hate me? Everyone is sooo flaky here.. they always say they will do something like they will come to church, or that we can come back and teach them but they dont really mean it! I just wish they would be honest and not waste our time. So then where is the line of being bold? Not that I have the language to be bold.. but there is such a fine line! Im pretty sure we need to be talkin to more people... but again, i dont have words to do that! eh.. failure! I know, to be expected =) Oh and then we went back to the church to take the sacrament of the next ward.. or branch??? and missed that too. We WILL have investigators next week! We will have to be like Hna Jones and leave the house at 6-30 to get them there.. but we WILL get them there. It is kind of a weird rule to not be able to go to church.. but i guess is makes sense. if the investigators arent at church they cant get baptized. and its not about me here, its about the people!

Lori Darlin!!!thanks for your email!! It soudns like you are doing well. Thank you soo much for that scripture. I liked your insite about becoming one of the people. Im definitely not there yet. But I hope to get there!! P.s. you will be in my prayers! Ha I can just hear you telling me that you are becoming more bitter by the day! =)

Kelsie! Im sorry but I cant look at your blog )= Will you please forward this email to that one add that i sent you

Mom! Thank you sooo much for standing in line at Chelsees wedding. i can just imagine you crying as you talked to her wishing that i were there =) I loved the pics. Is Dust going to send me some? Thats cool that you got to meet his fam!

Well that is about all that I can think of for now! I love and miss you all! Untill next week =) hopefully i will have better news to tell you about our investigators!!

Love Hna Payne
xoxox

Monday, August 2, 2010

***Sent Wednesday July 28th***

Hermana Payne leaves the MTC tomorrow, August 3rd for Argentina!


HOLA!!! It's me again, Hna Payne!

Yes, I'm still sitting here in the good ol' MTC. Time continues to tick by..... but guess what?!?!?!? I GOT MY VISA TODAY!!!!!!!!!! YYYYYAAAAAAAYYYYYYYY! I'm the happiest person ever! Except now that I have it, I dont want to go! Im cofortable in the MTC. I dont know that I can really become the missionary that I expect, or even more, what the Lord expects! Ah!!! So much to do, so much to learn! I know that I can do anything with the Lord's help, I know that! Anyways, I dont have travel plans yet, but they think that it will be next weeek that I leave. Argentina, here I come!

So as of late... ya, I still dont really have a lot so say... sorry. But hey look at the bright side, the next time I email home will have all sorts of adventure... well at least more so then here.

I looked for ALI today, when I say looked, I should use the word stalked her.. but to no avail. I still havent seen her, but I have been lookin hard for her. We will for sure and get a pic this week.

So Lake Powell tomorrow? That is soooo cool. So yall werent supposed to go yet? And yall were going to go with Skip? That is really cool that Kels is coming. Take lots of pics! And give my baby hugs and kisses!
Mom, does that mean that you will get to go to Denver for B's bday?

Derek leaves this monday. Maybe we will be on the same flight! That would be way cool!

We had an amazing devo last night! It was someone from the seventy. He talked about the converts and what needed to happen for them... and since it was needed for them, we as well had to incorporate it into our lives. Ya, I know you got nothing from that... I just wish you could be here to hear and feel all the same things!

We went to the temple last week for service! We put together chandeliers! They are sooo beautiful! Anything beats cleaning lockers with toothpicks and qtips! The Lord blessedd me there. Fun fact: The Prove Temple has more then 3000 lockers. Wow! Who knew?

Well, sorry that my letter is all over the place... more so than usual! But have sooooooooo much fun with my baby at Lake Powell! Please be safe! Im saying this right now! I will have NO calls from any of you while i am gone!!! UNDERSTAND? Levi? That goes for you too, especially you! I love yalll all soo much! Thank you, thank you, thank you for all that you do!

Love Hna Payne

Peace out P-town! Argentina, here I come!!!!!!!!!!!!!