6.13.11

Hola!!
wow today has been kind of a crazy day and i am here at the comp place and i have hardly anytime to email so sorry but this week you arent going to get very much!! This morning my comp and I had to go to Resistencia which is about 40 minutes away from our area because I guess once you have about a year out you have to go sign some papers to be approved to be in the country longer so she had to go sign papers for that so we woke up at 530 this morning to head there and somehow we didnt get back till about 430 and we have to be out working by 6 so i am rushing to email today. but I was so excited today because when we got to resistencia this morning my comp from the mtc hermana hammans comp had to sign papers so i got to spend the day with my mtc comp chatting with her and catching up. It was so great to see her and be around someone that really understands what i am going through right now. i think she is struggling with the language just as much as me so that made me feel a little better. but guess what else!! i finally got the package you sent!!! i was so excited!! the one with the mini BOM and the watch. yay!! thanks so much! Im glad to know that doing the envelope thing worked and it wasnt opened at all. Everyone was laughing so hard at the picture that you put on the front of the package the catholic pic of Jesus! haha but yay that was fun to get that and i also got another dear elder from dad. i guess mail really isnt to bad here so yes send mail. its even better recieving mail in the field. I dont know if this is what you did with the package you send but my comp said to use ups and do it express. so i dont know if thats what you did but i guess that is the best way to do it. and dad was asking me about sending shoes. I am not really sure what the best thing to do with sending shoes is. I am thinking it might be best to send the shoes in two different packages because when you send an actually box the people will open it up and go through it and who knows if they will steal something or not. so ya... i think the envelope thing is such a great thing. anyways... as far as missionary work...

Estamos en la lucha ( we are in the struggle) We are struggling a bit at this time because we are working hard and talking to people but we are really having a hard time finding people that are really interested and want to listen to us. It is frustrating because when we talk to someone one time they really dont understand the importance of our message but they reject us. We have let a lot of investigators go because they just arent doing their commitments or attending church and we just cant keep visiting people when they have no desire to change. and the elders just keep asking us about baptisms and how come people dont have baptism dates. its just frustrating because i just feel like we are not having a lot of success right now but i just have to remember that even if the people arent getting baptized or listening we are planting seeds that hopefully will effect these people in the future. I just have to stay positive and I am sure there are people here that are ready people are just very stuck on their catholic ways here and they dont want to change the traditions of their families. People here are literally obsessed with Mary!! There is a huge huge statue in our area of Mary aka Maria and people go and pretty much worship it. It is absolutely rediculous and i just dont understand it one bit. Man these people are crazy. haha but i sure there are people here that are prepared to listen and accept our message we just need to find them!! pray for us that we can find those people!! we need references from members but getting references from members is like pulling teeth. ya it doesnt happen!! haha I could talk about the food we eat here. We are very lucky because pretty much everyday but sunday and monday we have lunch with the members (lunch is the big meal here) and now that i have been here for a transfer i think i pretty much have down what they eat here. LOts and LOts of rice, pasta, potatoes and MEAT!! pretty much every single meal is either rice or pasta and they always put some random potatoes with either of those and then they put either chicken or beef with some sauce. that is pretty much every single meal but just made a little different with a different sauce. they always eat a lot of empanadas with is a tortilla thing with meat inside folded up and fried. and pretty much everything they make is covered in oil. I hate watching them cook things because i always want to die when i see all of the oil they add so i need to just not look. haha and there are a ton of delicious sweets here. ya i am pretty sure weight is going to be added. ughh!!!! haha dad was asking about laundry.. we are very lucky because we have a lady in the branch who we have lunch with every week and she just bought a washer so she is so wonderful and will wash our clothes for us. when i first got here we were washing in a sink but now we are blessed to be able to leave our clothes with a member!! ahh its great!! hmmm que mas?? life is good. it is def not easy but i am staying positive and working hard. things will work out. i just have to remember that my heavenly father is there and i need to rely on him. i love you all very much and am greatful for you. have a wonderful week!!!
mucho amor
hermana VANWAG

oh and grandma said that my new mission pres was in the church news. wow thats great! he comes in like 2 weeks. thats going to be pretty crazy to have that change. we will see what happens!!