The Best 18 Months of My Life

I can't believe this is my last email of my mission. These last 18 months have been the best 18 months of my life. I can't begin to express how greatful I am that my Father in Heaven let me serve here in La Gran Misión Buenos Aires Norte, and to represent His son, Jesus Christ. I am SO happy. I also don't have words to explain everything that happened during these last 18 months. How much I grew, learned and changed. I love this mission with all of my heart, and I don't want to leave at all. 

First, I want to thank each of you for your love, support, and prayers during this time. I love you all so much! I want so badly that each of you could have walked the streets with me, talking with everyone, and feeling the same things I feel every day. To see the miracles and the hand of God in each moment. It's beautiful!

I know, without a single doubt, that this is the church of Jesus Christ, the only true church on the face of the earth. I know that Christ lives, and that He and our Heavenly Father love us, and have a PERFECT plan for each and every one of us. I know that the Book of Mormon really does have the power to change lives. I´ve seen it, I'm a witness of it. I know without a doubt that God called Joseph Smith to restore the church. I love my Savior. He is my best friend. I am so thankful for Him and His infinite Atonement. For the opportunity that I, and we, have to change and improve everyday. It is the most incredible thing! I will never be able to repay God for the blessings that He has given me during this year and a half. I have met the most incredible people that have changed my life 100%. I love this gospel. It is the only thing that can give real, lasting happiness. 

I can't believe it's all coming to an end. That in a week I have to take this nametag off, and won't be a full-time missionary anymore. It breaks my heart to have to leave behind my beloved Argentina. It has my heart. I love this country and these people. 

I love my mission, I love being a missionary, and I love this gospel! 

I love you all and I am so thankful for you!

I will see you all in about a week! 

LOVE YOU!!

13 March 2017

I'm going to write 2 of these, and this one is just going to be a rundown of my last week.. won't be too long.  

Well. Sara and Briyit. We finally got in contact with them again, and we set up a lesson. We went with a weird feeling in our stomach as she had been acting super weird, avoiding us and all. But we got there and it was one of the BEST lessons I have had in my whole mission. The spirit was so strong and I could literally feel Him talking and testifying through mine and my companions words. Sara opened up, tears were said, and she started to recognize the answer. We left feeling amazing. 

Well, we had set another appoitment for Saturday. So we called to confirm, and she didn't answer. We called a couple more times and nothing. So we decided to be persistant and go by anyway. So we got there. From her gate outside, we can see her but she can't see us. So we decided to call her again to see what happened. So we saw her go get her phone, give it to someone else and say "will you answer this for me please?" The man then answered, saying that Sara was working, and had left her phone at home. So we left. And she didn't come to church yesterday. So...We´re planning on focusing on others. 

We have a couple more people that are listening, but have yet to come to church. One is named Norma. She´s great, she actually listens without interrupting us every 30 seconds. It's just that she´s angry with God and doesn't feel the need to read or pray or go to church, but she´s listening. 

The other is named Cynthia. She is RE ELEGIDA.... But not married. But she is awesome. She so sweet and LOVES the idea that families are eternal. 

So our plan is to focus on them while always keep looking for more. 

It's been a good week, went by way too fast. I was sick again, so that took away a few hours of work time, but all good. 

I love this gospel, and I love being a missionary. 

Love you all!!

Hermana Prestwich 

Last pday with my best friendssss. I'm going to miss them :( 

The Final Countdown

Oh friends and family. It hurts me to say that after this email, I only have one more left to write.. Where did the time go?? 

We´ve had a pretty good week here en El Talar. On Wednesday we had a super cool activity. The zone got together in Talar for 2 hours Wednesday morning. Basically we split up and exploded El Talar. It was cool. We had 18 missionaries there and in 2 hours we set up about 46 appointments. It was awesome! 

We had an appointment with Sara and Briyit this week. We went there thinking we were going to teach lesson 3, but the spirit directed us to talk about other things. We talked about prayer and how we can recieve an answer. She said she hasnt recieved one.. Then says its because she hasn't prayed. We told her that we always pray for her, but that we can´t recieve an answer for her. That it depends on her. We also mentioned that we had set the goal for her baptism for the 5th which was yesterday. She didn't feel comfortable. She said that if she got an answer she would be baptized, but she hasn´t received that answer. That was on Tuesday. We set another appointment for Friday and she cancelled it. Then didn't come to church on Sunday. We´re a little nervous. But we´re just going to keep working and hope that she has the desire to keep going. 

We´ve found some other people, but we haven't seen them enough to know if they´re going to progress or not. BUT there is a girl named Kiara, that is pretty much a member, just lacks the baptism. She comes every Sunday and goes to every activity. Her parents gave her permission to listen to us so basically she can be baptized this coming sunday! 

We have a member of the ward that is a convert and I don't know if he has problems or what, but he asks the most random questions. For example "Why first, second and third nephi? Who are the nephis??" Or (talking about the offices in the priesthood) "But where does the pope fit in to all of this?? And there arent prophets and apostles today, right? Oh, there are?? But only for the people in north america.. right??" He kills me. 

But honestly, I love being a missionary. I love having the nametag, being able to represent Christ here in Argentina. I can't believe I only have 2 weeks left to do it. Breaks my heart. :( I love being a missionary!! I love the mission and I love the people here.

I love you all. Have a great week!!!

Love,

Hermana Prestwich

1. Compiiii

2. Ice cream 

3. Rodri :) 

27 February 2017

Helllooooo again! 

This week was awesome and went by amazingly fast as always.. And a lot happened so Im just going to sum up some highlights for you! 

This week we did some service helping Sara and her daughter Briyit move. It was awesome but was only about 1000000 degrees outside with 100000% humidity. But it was fun! And better because now we´re going to be able to teach in her house, instead of in the park. The sad thing is that they didn't come to church yesterday, due to them being busy getting settled at home... So I'm not sure if they will be ready for their baptism on the 5th, because we still have to teach them, but if not this week, the next! I love them so much.

Also this week was I think a record heat wise and we just happened to not have power. I think that was the WORST night of my life. We were DYING of heat. We all woke up at one point for lack of air, because even at 3 in the morning there is 100% humidity... 

We had a mission conference this wek, with a member of the seventy, Elder Levrino. It was super baja la caña, but it was sooo amazing. I got so many answers that I was looking for. It gave me so much desire to finish the mission giving everything I have. Which was the plan anyway.. But it made me even more ready to do so. Something he said was super direct but I think called everyones attention. He said, "If you work for the prizes of men, you don´t deserve the prizes of God." I loved this. We´re, and I´m, not here for recognition of men. I'm here because I love God, and I want Him to be happy with what I'm doing. 

I love you all and I hope you have an amazing week! Share the gospel with someone :) 

Love,

Hermana Prestwich 

1. Servicio!!! 

2. They travled far to come see me today

3. Preaching the gospel at 10pm in the rain 

4. Hermana Anderson :) 

5. When the power goes out and you´re drowing in your own sweat (thats gross im sorry 

6. The best lunch with my favorite family :) 

1. Hermana Bautista! She has my heart :)  

 

2. Hermana Rodriguez... she also has my heart 

20 February 2017

Hey everyone!  

This was a good week. We´re progressing well with Sara and Briyit! We had a good lesson with them this week and they´re doing awesome. They're still set to be baptized on March 5th! I'm so excited. 

This week we did divisions with some sisters from the zone. I was with Hermana Doxey here in Talar. It was one of the hottest days, I swear. We walked and walked and walked and got rejected over and over and over. But who cares right? Well God always blesses us, and we saw a miracle. We were walking down the street knocking doors, when I saw this guy outside. Felt like we should talk to him and then got distracted with the door contact and we left. We were about 2 blocks away when we heard someone whistle at us to call our attention. I looked back and it was that same guy, and he goes "want cold water?" My first reaction was to say no, but then I realized this was our chance to talk to him. So he goes "are you guys mormons?" And says that he's familiar with the church because "his friend was on drugs so he went to church to get help" which made no sense to me, and then I realized that his "friend" was him. So I asked if we could go by later and he said yes, and then goes "as missionaries, are you able to help people with drugs? Like change their lives?" So I said. "we teach the gospel of Jesus Christ. The things that we teach help people come closer to Him, and change their lives in the process." It was awesome. So we have an appointment with him this week. Wish us luck! 

This week my testimony of the atonement was strengthened. It was a hard week for me, and I was going through something that I didn't understand. I prayed so hard. And during those prayers that I said asking to be able to understand, I felt something really cool. I don't need to understand. That´s why Christ suffered for us. So when we don't understand, there's someone that does. I don't need to understand, just trust. 

I love you all and hope you had an awesome week!

See you in 4 WEEKS!!!

Hermana Prestwich

1. Train Tracksss

2. My comp thought I was smiling hahahah

Elder Muchaca came back for a visit 2 weeks after he was released.

Milagros en El Talar

Holaaaa! 

This week had a lot changes. But besides all those, it was a good week. 

Monday was the last day of the transfer, so we all got together, knowing that some would be transfered or going home. Then Tuesday was transfers. It was a sad day to be honest. I said goodbye to some of my best friends as one got transfered and the other went home. 

Butttt thats the mission I guess, life goes on, right?

Right. Remember Sara and her daughter, Briyit? They came to church a couple times. Well Sara called us the other day to see if we could meet in the plaza to talk. Me with my experience that an investigator wanting to "talk" is never a good thing and my obvious lack of faith, was praying the whole way there.  Well we got there and she goes "well, are you going to teach me?" hahaha so we taught the restoration and even though we had planned to not invite her to be baptized again, because she said it was too fast the last time, the spirit prompted us so strongly to do so. So we invited her and Briyit to be baptized, and they accepted. They´re set to be baptized on March 5th! It was so awesome. She kinda talked herself into it. We invited her, promising that her life would change, and she said it was fast, and then ended up saying that she needs to do her part and keep going so that God will bless her. She´s in a really tough spot in her life and really opened up to us during the lesson. Tears were shed and confidence was gained. The Spirit was there, and he touched her heart. 

Other than that, the mission goes on. Im learning to love this ward, area, and the members more and more every day. I had a long conversation with my companion the other day about how thankful I am for the mission. I thought about the person I was before and I am 100% different. Im still way far from the person that God wants me to be, but Im trying. And thanks to the mission I was able to progress and change so much faster. My weaknesses have been turned into strengths... and because Ill never be perfect and because Im far from it, I have more weaknesses. But now I know how to trust and rely on the Lord to work and turn those into weaknesses. I dont think there are words to express how grateful I am for the mission. 

I´ve already written enough, sorry they´re always so long. Just know that I love each and every one of you and Im so thankful for you all! 

And thanks for wishing me a happy birthday! It was great! Love you all and hope you have an amazing week!

Love,

Hermana Prestwich 

1. Even the rain cant stop us

2. Soccer every morning!

3. Mi cumpleeeee! 

Roomates

The Beginning of the End

Well, here we are. Today I officially start my last transfer. I dont even know whats happening. Never thought this would happen.  

This week there isnt much to tell sadly. I dont even know what happened. Sara and her daughter didnt show up to their appointment, so we werent able to teach them. But she did happen to see us and came up to us to talk, and explained why she didnt come, but that she would be there on Sunday.. and didnt show up. But she sent a message later Sunday night saying she couldnt go but next Sunday she would be there. 

This is a hard area. Im honestly tired of walking around and contacting and not getting anywhere with anyone. Im tired in every way possible. But I know that miracles come after the trial, right? I hope to see a ton of miracles this transfer.

Yesterday we had a great lesson in relief society, about whether or not we really know Christ. The teacher said something interesting. That one day, Christ is going to come, and He´s going to call us by our names.. Will we recognize His voice? 

That´s all I have this week, sorry :( Next week will be better, I promise. 

Love you all and have a great week!

Hermana Prestwich