5/17/2010

HOLA!!! how is everyone!? first of all, i want to welcome my wonderful new little niece Anna Lynn Cope into the world! she was born on saturday and i couldnt be more thrilled. congratulations austin and laura! im so excited for you. well lets see... this week has been a pretty chill week but still pretty amazing! i was a little worried when we started out the week with the anniversary of our dear aunt carolyn´s death coming up and just everything but it went really well. i was able to have some really cool experiences and really feel a lot of comfort from the lord. as far as work wise we took it easy this week cuz poor hna ung was still coming off the drugs that she had to take for her root canal. im happy to tell you that she is pretty much a normal person!!! hooray! haha weve had some pretty good times together and i feel very blessed to have her as my companion (even when shes a crazy person) dont tell her i said that though... the good thing about all this is that we have been able to make some AMAZING meals in our humble little house. we made some pasta the other day that was to die for! holy cow we both thought that we had died and gone to heaven! who needs olive garden when you have your own two hands and a companion that is pro at cooking? haha so i love food alot now! ive probably gained like 5 or more pounds out here but dont worry they are pounds of happiness:). i cant help myself everything is just so good... and even when it isnt i end up eating too much of it anyway! i need a stop button! help me! haha but just like laura said.. the devil tempts the elders with the rules and he tempts the sisters with food! i believe it! one more food story.. last night we visited the giosas like we normally do on sundays and they gave us this bread/cake thing that was sooo goood! we each had three pieces at first and demolished those in like no time flat and so she brought 6 more pieces out and just guess how long those lasted? NADA! needless to say i love food and sometimes i use it so i dont have to talk.. my black little secret :) haha

we worked alot this week with the family of estela, the wonderful lady that we met my first day here. she has two granddaughters that we have been teaching who are 12 and 14. their families all live in this humble house and there isnt much order. its kind of like their hill billies... not many rules but they are still awesome! so we taught camila on tuesday about the law of chastity and how we need to take care of our bodies. we both thought hey that went really well but little did we know what was waiting for us at the next meeting. we showed up and were talking to estela, waiting for camila and angela, well they snuck around the corner and came to greet us. and boooommmm.... looky there right there on there lips they had decided to get lip rings! we COULD NOT BELIEVE IT! haha we looked at each other and did not know what to do! we were appalled! haha well to make a long story short by the end of the week we had them both in church without their lip rings! hahah the GOSPEL ALWAYS WINS! :)

this sunday we had the treat of listening to elder aidukaitis of the 70. he came to paysandu to change the stake presidency. he is amazing! if you can find talks by him and send them to me i would love that alot! oh and you should read them too. also, if you arent having family home evening please start! it is sooooo important!

so like i said before, this week is the anniversary of the death of my aunt carolyn. i had some really amazing experiences. we went to the temple on wednesday and i knew that she was right there with me. i felt her excitement for the steps in the gospel that she is about to take! i am sooo thankful for the temple and for the fact that families can and will live together forever! that through the gospel of jesus christ we can overcome death and live in a state of interminable happiness! oh how great is our god! how great is his mercy! i love him so much! there is a scripture that i absolutely love and that comforted me greatly on saturday when i was just trying to get through the day, alma 40 :11-12, 23. i know that my aunt is in a 'state of happiness which is called paradise, a state of rest, a state of peace, where she is resting from all her troubles and cares'. also i found great comfort in this scripture as well, msh. 16:7-9 'the sting of death is swallowed up in Christ.' 'the grave shall have no victory.' i know this to be true! i have felt the help of my aunt throughout this week especially! i am soo thankful for this.. i want everyone to know of the joy that comes from KNOWING that we can live forever in happiness with the ones that we love! i know without doubt that our savior loves us and that this is the true church of god! i LOVE IT! i love being a missionary!

i wrote a little poem during the free time that i had this week for carolyn..

who she was..

who was she

how can i help you see

a woman filled with laughter and grace

always had a smile on her face

instilled hope and faith in all

no mountain for her was ever too tall

she taught to dream and to believe

nothing is impossible for you to achieve

she loved everyone as best as she could

if there was anything she could do for you she would

a mother to many in need

she left a mark on my life in word and deed

and though she is gone to a different place

through our savior we will again see her face

and when we feel lost or tried

we must remember she is right by our side

we also had a little tea party in memory! it was awesome! we went to a members house and even had a tea set and everything. tender mercy :) i love tea right now alot.. and drink like 3 cups a day! dont worry its the approved kind. well ive gotta go but i love you all so much! thank you all for your examples and prayers. i am praying for you all daily :)

oh also.. they changed the address to the mission again :( it is:

hermana amy crofts

uruguay montevideo west mission

1167 Enrique Martinez

Montevideo Uruguay 11.800

USE IT!!!

ok love you! haha bye!

hermana amy crofts