Anna's third week in Argentina!

We've received another email from Anna. Other than having some major blisters and food poisoning, she's doing well! Here's her latest email:

SO I believe that I've been here for about 3 weeks now??? Everything is starting to blur together...Lots of things have happened...hopefully I can remember them all...the mosquitoes are eating me alive out here!!! They are huge!!!! I found out why my feet are in so much pain from another Sister who served here!! Its because the ground is mostly sand so your feet grip the ground differently. I have horrible blisters in between my toes (which I;m sure you all want to hear about ) so I'm in so much pain as I walk around. Hopefully my body will adjust soon!!!

I'm also eating alot of food here which is horrible for my weight...........the second I come back home- I'm going Vegan again!!!!!!! The food is very good and the people give us giant plates of food but I kept getting sick my first few weeks.......I found out the the butchers don't sanitize the counters here........which is the most disgusting thing I've ever heard of in my life. My companion from Peru has no idea about bacteria/sanitation and food poisoning so now I keep a REALLY close eye on everything she does with our food. I also realized that the people here drink water straight out of the sink which is dangerous and they serve it to the missionaries too. The Doctor in the MTC warned us about all of this stuff! Its okay though because after my mission the church will give me medicine to kill worms and other scary stuff thats probably in my body right now.

Last Saturday I had my first Actividad de Zona in Posada (the big city part). My companion and I got on a bus (Rio Uruguay) at 10 pm Friday night (we had to get permission because we're not allowed out after 9 pm) there's a set of sister missionaries are Hermana M and Hermana Trisch in our District in Posada. We spent the night with them and then took a city bus to another area in Posada to the church. It was sooo cool to be on that bus! You have to hold on for dear life!!! I was like I can't believe I'm in Argentina on this bus right now.We arrived at the church where our mission President was with other people in our Zone.

I also found out why we are not allowed to use both straps on our backpacks because thieves on motorcycles will drive past you and grab your backpack and literally drag your body with it!!! Yep I'm the most paranoid missionary with a backpack when I'm in the big city of Posada. All of our churchs here have metal bars and iron gates around them here.

It was sooo awesome b-c I got to see Elder Meeks from my district in the MTC!!! Its so ironic because somehow Elder Meeks and I always end up together somehow......he's older like I am and we just relate really well to each other. Hes just a really real person and hilarious. He and I are both going through major culture shock and we just wanted to talk forever about all the crazy stuff we've seen and experienced!

It was pretty cool to be in the bigger part of POsada and I could tell which people were German!!!! People still look at me pretty weird though......I've actually experienced my first rejections from people which I didn't enjoy very much. I was thrilled because I was able to buy a pillow and sheets at this giant store called Libertine ( I think) which is like Argentina's version of Walmart!!! (Mom I used my credit card which in american money should be only about $30) I was using this filthy pillow that I think is about 10 yrs old and yep....I'm sooooo thrilled to just have a clean bed to sleep on with a new pillow and clean sheets!!! Its amazing when simple things make you soo happy and you realize how blessed you are back home!

We were out friday night and it starting pouring like hurricane weather!! It was sooo scary with all the lighting and thunder! Of course my companion and I were out in the middle of nowhere when it started pouring.......... I just looked at the sky and like -God you better protect me because there's no way I would be here right now if I wasn't serving a mission!!!!!!! I had never missed a hot shower so much in my life!! I was soaked wet!! But after boiling water on the stove to bathe with, I felt so better!!

I have good news!!! We have been visiting with Oscar and he actually came to my english class saturday night! It went really well!! I taught everyone how to pray in english!!!! Then Oscar came to church on sunday too!!! I was sooo thrilled to see him!!! He is still smoking but at least he's attending church now. He can't receive the Priesthood right now but its good that hes in church! We were visiting his apartment so much that we started teaching his older sister who is a single mother with 2 children from 2 different men.......every time I go to that apartment I get bitten by fleas on their couch but its worth it after seeing her children's faces while looking at pictures of Jesus that I bring. Shes not interested but I know she feels the spirit while we´re in her apartment!!! I pray that Heavenly Father will soften her heart daily.

Another investigator has agreed to be baptized but she has to get married first. Her name is Nioami llanes and she has been taught for a really long time by the missionaries but because she's not married and living with a man & child they had together.....she has to wait until she's married. But she has agreed to be baptized!!!

Sunday was kinda tough for me......the Bishop asked me how I was doing with the Language and I just burst into tears and left the room. There are different kinds of Spanish here and so its confusing and my Companion is WONDERFUL but she has no education therefore isn't able to help me with the grammar of Spanish. Argentinian's speak a certain kind of spanish called Casteliano where we pronounce the double ll and y differently. I love it!!! But its confusing because other people speak Paraguayan also.......I don't really understand it really but there are just lots of different words and ways people speak here.

The Bishop and his wife were soooo sweet to me after I left the room bawling. Everyone is REALLY kind and supportive to me with my language. But everyone says that I've improving fast and when people write stuff down I understand better. I have to remind myself that 3 months ago I knew NOTHING!! Also many people say that I know more than other missionaries who come here first. I just want soooo badly to understand people when they talk to me!!!! I want to be able to really talk to them and help them!! But I am teaching more and more everyday in Spanish.

I am starting to really care for & love the people we teach and I find myself wanting them to have a fullness of happiness in their lives. I want the people who are suffering & struggling to know of their Savior and his love for them. Through the atonement of Jesus Christ all things are made fair.......that is my favorite line in Preach My Gospel. The Savior has the power to change us and heal our hearts. I realized recently that its a HUGE lie when others say People can't change!!! The Savior has the power to change ANY & ALL but we must reach out to him to help change us. After all we can possibly do....we acknowledge that we are powerless and then allow the Savior to step in and make up the difference. I'm grateful for this opportunity to be here in Argentina and serve these people. This is REALLY crazy hard and some days I question my sanity because honestly if this wasn't God's church on the earth with priesthood power than mormon missionaries would be the craziest people alive!! But because its true and Jesus Christ paid the ultimate price which is sooo difficult that we can't even imagine/comprehend the pain he went through......I too can can handle the pain & challenges I face everyday here.

Yeah....so don't worry about me - I'm in a safe little town here and in a blessing I was told that my family doesn't need to worry about me because I'm in Jesus Christ's hands right now!!! God protects his missionaries!! I love you all!! Mom, please tell me how much is in my account every week so I know!!! And......tell me whats going on with my family & America.....I have never had sooo much pride for my country than I do right now!! We are so blessed- its disgusting!!!!! love you all!!! -hermana Anna Schmidt