Hello everyone!
So I didn't write yesterday because it was a national holiday and our Mission President has made a change where if there's a national holiday on a Monday the missionaries work and then have their P day on Tuesday.....but its only when the president says this. Its because lots of families are together on National Holidays.
Anyway I made it through another week.......right now I feel pretty frustrated because every Sunday all these people say they want to go to church but then when we pass by on Sunday....their are either not there or have excuses. Soooo...that's frustrating! But we actually had the members assist church this past Sunday!!!!!!!!!! About half of the people in Ituzaingo are members but totally inactive......so we have a branch not because there are few members but because everyone is inactive...
Well I gave a talk this past Sunday in church and to be totally honest.....I "ripped everyone a new one"..........My talk was about obedience and I just let the ward have it because people don't attend church every Sunday. People's expressions during my talk were hilarious!!!!!!
I talked about how the only good excuse not to attend church was because you or your child is sick in bed.....Not cause you're tired, its cold, there's rain. I also talked about how you can't allow your children or teenagers choose if they want to go to church.....they don't know better and the parents have a responsibility to help their children choose the right and I talked about how in our house how mom and dad always made us go to church and my friend`s parents too.
I also talked how sad I think it is when I see other church's members help each other attend church and how pathetic it is when I see more people in other churchs here in Ituzaingo than the true church.......And I said.....how many people are here today??????
Everyone's eyes were HUGE!!!!! I also talked about how we can repent and be better because of our Saviors atonement for our sins. Yep......the sacrament meeting was dead silent during my talk. Afterwards I had many people come up to me and say....Hermana Schmidt - You taught with power and authority!!!!!!!! (You all know how passionate I am when its something I care about)............
What was good was there were many inactive people in church this day and I think they all got my message. There are families in this ward who don't make their kids or teenagers attend church so I really let them have it about that!!!! Anyway lots of people came up to me after and just told me how much they appreciated my talk and felt the Spirit. SO I was really happy about how well it went.
I always have a million things I want to tell yall and then I forget........Seriously there are days where I just can't believe the things I see here.....and I just have to laugh so I don't lose my mind. Safety and Sanitation don't exist here. Everything that is illegal in the US when its comes to driving - is totally done here. People are on motorcyles with their babies or children......everyone sits in the back of trucks.....no one wears seatbelts......all types of motor vehicles are allowed on the roads.........I see very few helmets.
Its crazy.....also people let their kids play with just about everything.........fireworks, saws, slingshots, sharp objects, axes...........I kid you not........I explained to my companion why it would be dangerous for 3 yr old to play with scissors.....even if their not very sharp....because you might lose an eye...well my companion's reaction was hilarious because I think shes used to seeing people play with dangerous things.
After I explained to her why it was dangerous....she went and explained to the Mother ( who is a member in our ward) and the Mother took away the scissors!! VICTORY!!!!!!!!!!
Yep....Ituzaingo is like the Galveston in Texas. But South America style.......so the areas that we think are slummy and crappy in Galveston are nothing compared to what I see in bad areas here.......there are people who literally live in wooden shacks that are rotting and falling apart. I have now figured out what a "bad house" is here. If you have cement walls with brick and glass in your windows you are doing just fine!!!!!! Also lots of people dont even have tiles on their floors......the normal person doesn't have carpet here.........my companion doesn't know what carpet is......if you have tiles.....you're doing great!
I have learned that my mission is comprised of some of the poorest states in Argentina where the government is corrupted. But there are really pretty houses too and I have love for Ituzaingo as well................I am still going through culture shock....... but everyone says my Spanish is getting better. And there are active members in this ward who I just love!!!!
This upcoming tuesday is transfers.........please pray that the Mission President will really be inspired about who my next companion will be. It could stay the same but I am hoping for a change and someone who speaks english also so I can get much more help. Anyways tomorrow my companion and I go to Posada for District meeting......I am ALWAYS sooo excited to leave Ituzaingo and go the city!! I love you all very much and pray!! PLEASE WRITE TO ME IN EMAILS ALSO WITH LETTERS!!! Love hermana Schmidt
Once again, here are Anna's addresses:
Hermana Anna Schmidt
la Misión Argentina Resistencia
Avenida Rivadavia 323
Resistencia, Chaco 3.500
Argentina
Pouch address
Hermana Anna Schmidt
la Misión Argentina Resistencia
PO Box 30150
Salt Lake City, UT 84130-0150
United States
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