May 13, 2013

*Abby will come home on May 31, 2013 at about 4:00P... everyone is welcome to come to the John Wayne Airport in Costa Mesa, CA if they would like! 

**Also her homecoming is June 9, 2013 at 1:00P in Orange, CA and you are all welcome to come to that also. She loves you all and wants you all there!!!! 

***Email me at hi@elizabethmarchant.com for the exact times and addresses :-) 



Abby's Email:

Hola! False Alarm!! They changed the date of the conference with Elder Cook, and I didn´t know. I´ll be here a few more P´days!!!!!!!! It was soo good to talk to you all yesterday! All the funny stories you asked for came to mind about 10 seconds after we disconnected :) Well I love you all. THis weeks were en Capital so we dont have time. LOVE YAAA TAlk to you this coming week! xoxoxxo besos

Hna Marchant

May 6, 2013

Hi!!

Well this coming week on pday I will be going downtown to Capital.  That means I wont have much time to write you guys.  So, this basically is my last letter: I´ll try and make it good.

First of all, I have 2 more weeks to kick some Argentine butt, I´m so lucky it’s not over yet!! I was thinking about a few of the 3000 things I´ve learned this past year and a half, and which of those I´ll be able to apply in life. Basically all of them! (Except how to kill flying cockroaches...that one, I hope I´ll never have to apply). No, but really, my mission is the best decision I´ve ever taken. I want to encourage all of you who are thinking about it, to DO IT!! It is so worth it.

Besides being a witness and instrument of helping people have their salvation, Besides starting to really understand the atonement,

Besides becoming converted, and

Besides all the other awesome things I´ve learned, one of my favorite things is: that Heavenly Father REALLY loves each one of us. How do I know that? Because I´ve felt it for these amazing Argentine people (and Peruvians, of course ha-ha).   If he feels like that for them, I’m sure he feels that for me, and I know he feels it for you guys too.

I´ve learned that Happiness is a choice. I´ve been the happiest I´ve ever been in my whole life at the most stressful parts of my mission. Why? Because I choose to be. That´s something so simple, but if you really get it, it will change your life. Just because its hard, doesn’t mean you can´t be happy. Or in Mom´s words ,´´Hard's not bad, its just hard.´´

I´ve learned how to receive revelation. That’s a process that I will have to improve my whole life, but I FEEL SO GRATEFULL that I followed the little bit of revelation I received to come on the mission. That was a blind choice, and I know I was guided. I´ve seen miracles for following the spirit, and I’ve also lost a lot of opportunities for not following it.

I want you all to know that I know this gospel is true, and not only that it’s A true gospel, but it’s THE true gospel. The only one. I know that the Lord died for me, and for you. I know that he loves me. I know that our Heavenly Father knows us. I know that the Book of Mormon is true and really was translated by Joseph Smith. I know that it will answer whatever question you have. I know that families can be eternal. I know that one day I will meet my Savior and Heavenly Father again and that will be the best day of my life! 

I love you all SOO much. Thank you for everything. I hope you have an awesome week. Ill talk to you on Sunday for Mothers day!!!!!!!!!!

Besitos

Love,

Hna Marchant!

Apr 29, 2013

Hola!!

Congrats Steve (Archibald), happy wedding week!!!

This week was one of my favorites! I don´t even know where to start. Half the time this transfer I’ve been waking up in the morning not knowing where I’ll be sleeping in the nighttime.  I’m traveling all over Buenos Aires with my little suitcase!

For a few days this week I was in Congreso (one of my old areas) with the Hermanas working there. I was trying to see what types of things I could help with before I go, so I started to ask one of the Hna’s. what scares her about missionary work. She told me that contacting in the street scares her. Well contacting in the street is just a part of missionary work so I knew I was going to have to somehow help her get over that fear! So I started praying to be able to explain the ´´why´´ of some of the hard things we do in missionary work, and invited her to pray about it.

I explained to her what Pres. once explained to me…that this moment to accept or reject has been promised to them for thousands of years. That it’s not ´´just another person´´ but a real child of God and that its an ´´eternal moment´´ for them.   If we’re not careful it could just be ´´another ordinary moment´´ for us- and on top of it all, it’s what Jesus Christ would do if he were here.  He would talk to everyone and We are his representatives.

It was literally instantaneous, the change I saw. She looked at me and said ´´I GET IT¨!    She started talking to EVERYONE and I mean EVERYONE. It was amazing. Remember that feeling from your mission when someone just all of a sudden understood something, and you were a witness of the spirit changing his or her heart? That’s the feeling I had! I LOVE seeing these little miracles in each area.

Well then right after, we were walking to an appointment and we saw a house with the door open, we passed it and felt that we need to go back. So we went back and spoke with the women sweeping just inside the door. She looked at us and said ´´God sent you two to me! ´´ She then continued to tell us that she was released from jail about 2 months ago for robbing, and how she wants to start her life over. I then encouraged the other Hermana to invite her to be baptized (something else that scared her).  Then, the second that the invitation to be baptized left her mouth, the woman said ´´THERE IT IS. I WANT TO BE BAPTISED. THAT’S WHAT I WAS WAITING FOR! ´´ She accepted the invitation, and then continued to tell us a few of her beliefs! She nearly quoted parts of the BOM with out even realizing it. She ALREADY believes what the BOM teaches and has never read or heard of it!!!!!!!! The Lords work is the best work in the world. I feel SOO blessed!! Did you know that a blessing for doing missionary work is that your love for God and everyone else will grow??

DO YOUR MISSIONARY WORK :) It’s the best thing ever! xooxoxox

Love,

Hna. Marchant

April 22, 2913

**update: This morning (April 23) we got a call from the mission Pres. Wife and Abby- it's all good!  She has been asked to stay an extra week for a special conference with some General Authorities from SLC.  She's excited and doing well.  She should come home around the 30th of May.**

Hi!! Thanks for all the birthday wishes.

I’m not exactly sure what were going to do ha-ha baptizing hopefully! This week was awesome. I went to an area called El Talar and had American food like 3 days in a row! I was planning on going there Wednesday morning we were walking out the door to go when I got a call from Hna. Gulbrandsen (Pres. wife). She asked me to be at her house in about 45 minutes, and told me that we are going to pick up an Hermana that is flying in from Mexico. So I get there and her Pres. and I went on our way.

On the way there they were telling me funny stories about their lives and family before their mission. I was laughing so hard. We got there, got the Hermana, and went to the temple!!!! We took pictures went to the distribution center and then...went out to eat!! At a place called Kansas I’m not sure if they have it there in the States, but it was all American food. It was sooooo good! I love my life.

Then the new Hermana and I went to El Talar to meet her trainer and I stayed for a few days to help them get established. Her trainer is the youngest senior companion we have, she has 6 months but she is one of the most successful missionaries.  She is doing awesome and they just clicked right away. I was planning on staying for about a week to help out but soon realized that they don’t need help they are amazing, so I came back to my Vicente Lopez (with hna. Kapp!) Its where I’m stationed out of I think that will be changing this week to Tigre (YES!!). 

I love going for such a short period of time and seeing the little changes and improvements. Trying to receive revelation of what each area needs is both challenging but fun! I will never forget this transfer! Well I love you all!! xoxo

love,

Hna Marchant!

PS: this apartment has the biggest cockroaches I’ve ever seen. literally l__________________l (that big). I’m dying, and oh yeah my mattress is on the ground cause there is like not room. I seriously wake up 500 times each night paranoid that there are roaches on me. EWWW. But I think ill be moving all my stuff to Tigre anyways to be closer to the other areas! YAY. Be thankful for your high beds and lack of cockroaches this week :)

Apr 8 ,2013

Hola!          
             Well this week was awesome! First things first, our zone broke the mission record/ and mission broke the Argentine mission record of all missions in the history of Argentina, for baptisms this last month.  So our zone won a trip tooooooo THE TEMPLE!!!!! It had been so long since I had done a session at the temple. It was awesome! And in Spanish it was interesting! We took a ton of pictures, but my cord is packed (you´ll find out why in a minute) so I can´t send them today!
              We had transfers today. I’m going to tell you the story. So, Sunday night is always when they call to tell us the transfers.  Monday morning is when we all go to the offices and find out new companions and go to our new areas. So last night the zone leaders called and said ‘Hna Marchant you’re leaving’. And I said ´´ok where am I going´´ and they said ´´we don´t know it says unassigned you´ll find out tomorrow at 9am in the offices´´.  So I packed ALL MY STUFF, gave a ton to my companion because I have accumulated a ton of stuff in my mission, slept only a few hours (because they tell us between 10:30 and 10:45 at night the transfers) woke up early, called a taxi, and we were on our way to the offices. When we were about 10 minutes away (its about 1.5 hour drive) Pres. called and said ´´Hey Hermana, what did the zone leaders tell you about your transfers?´´ I told him and he started to laugh he then said ´´Go back to Caballito for right now, you´re going to be the traveling sister missionary. You will be stationed out of Caballito, but will be traveling each week to the other Hermana’s!´´. So we turned around and returned my heavy suit cases to their spot, called the members and converts that I had already said bye to, told them I would still be here, and took happy pictures together with my companion! She will have a new companion that will finish her training, and I will be here a few days of the week, and traveling a few days of the week! I´m excited/nervous! We´ll see how it goes :)
             Conference was awesome! As always. Yes, I got to see each session. No I didn´t get to see it in English. But it was still awesome. I loved Elder Holland’s talk on faith, and Cook´s on peace were my favorites. Obviously I loved the one on missionary work too!!  I hate to say it but we actually didn’t hear what the prophet talked about because the zone leaders put us in charge of filling the baptismal font for them. And as usual everything went wrong! You will LOVE my companion when you hear what she did. We went to fill it, and the other elders that had a baptism the previous night didn’t drain the water. So there was cold dirty water. (The font takes 3 hours to fill) so we decided to drain it. The plug is a plastic plug with a chain that you have to put and take out manually. So we took it out and it started to drain. Then we thought about what we were doing and realized that it will not be full on time if we wait for it all the drain, so we decided that we have to drain it half way, and then fill it up with only hot water the other half so that its not cold. Then we thought again and realized that to put the plug in someone will have to go down INTO the font and do it manually. Thinking ´´my companion would never do that. I have to do it.´´ and preparing my self in my mind to go in my companion said ´´ILL TAKE OFF MY TIGHTS AND ILL GO IN TELL THEM TO SHUT THE DOOR SO NOONE SEES ME´´ and then went in. and did it. Well long story short, it didn´t work a bunch of times so she had to go in 3 TIMES. We ran to our house (luckily we live 2 blocks away) she changed and no one knew what happened. They had their baptism and we missed what the prophet said ha-ha I also have pictures of that. I´ll send this coming week.
             We have an investigator names Jennifer. She will be baptized this coming week if all goes according to plan. She comes from a really hard family and an abusive mom. She talked to her mom with attitude one time so her mom as a punishment chopped off all her hair. It was really long to the bottom of her back and she cut it above her shoulders. Jennifer is sooo shy but sooooo sweet. Pray for her lots that in church she can find the loving family she doesn´t have. We actually found her on the way to church and she ended up being the only investigator that attended! Were looking a lot for new investigators. Pray for us please!! I hope that you all enjoyed conference and received answers to all your questions!! Have an awesome week!! xoxoxoxo

Love,
Hna Marchant

Apr 1, 2013

Hola!
This week was awesome!! Want the good news or the bad new first? Let´s start with good news!! Sara was confirmed! It was one of the biggest miracles I have witnessed in my mission because (here comes the bad news) her mom and sister were totally against it and her mom was not baptized as was planned and set this past week. I have never seen someone soooooo set on not being confirmed before (Sara).

Our leaders were calling us off the hook, and Sara was so- so set on ‘NO’ that we didn´t know what else to do or say to help her. We fasted and prayed harder than in my whole life for this confirmation. We told her (Saturday night) that even though she said ‘no’, we were going to come Sunday morning to get her for church. So, Sunday morning came and we got to the door.  Luckily, her evil sister was in the shower and her mom said ´´do whatever you want´´. But that wasn’t the whole problem. Sara DID NOT WANT TO BE CONFIRMED. So I prayed, and prayed, and prayed in my heart before I started talking and BEGGED my Heavenly Father to guide me and give me the right words to say so that she will be confirmed.

It was one of the weirdest experiences I have ever had. I just started talking and to be honest I don’t remember all of what I even said. I explained that God had a plan for her and that this is all part of the plan.  I explained that Satan doesn’t want her to choose the right and so he scaring her and saying that she doesn’t want her to go to church. I told her all this in a story-type way that she could relate to; about a ´´girl named Sara´´ her ´´dad´´ who was Heavenly Father and her ´´two best friends Hna Marchant, and Hna Leiva´´. By the end she was laughing and excited about her confirmation...and then was confirmed!!!! I´ve never felt so guided in my whole life. I was in shock. I know the Lord loves every single one of his missionaries, and that he is guiding and helping us in every aspect.

Well, the other awesome news is that a MARRIED couple came to church alone Sunday, RIGHT after the meetings ended. They told us they were passing by ready to buy ice cream and saw the church and thought ´´we haven’t been married in a church ceremony, only civilly. Let´s see if we can in this church.´´ They then continued to explain to us that they don’t agree with the other religions because you can’t get married if you have been divorced before. We explained Eternal Families, and the temple and they instantly feel in love with the idea. We explained that there are a few things they much do before to be able to be married for time and all eternity and they committed to be baptized!! We have an appointment today with them. They were truly guided to us. WHAT A MIRACLE!!

AMO LA MISIÓN. I LOVE THE MISSION. Well that’s just a few of the awesome things happening here in Caballito. And on top of it all General conference is this weekend. I HOPE I CAN WATCH IT IN ENGLISH. Last time I had to in Spanish and although I understand it all it’s just not the same with weird voices stuttering to translate. Well I love you all. Go to conference with questions!!!!! xoxoxo
Hna. Marchant

Mar 25, 2013

Hi!

We had a Baptism this week, Sara!! Her mom Maribel will be baptized Saturday! Now we need to find new investigators so PRAY FOR US PLEASE!!! We are actually really struggling we only have 2 investigators right now and It stresses me out.

 EVERYONE is talking about the new Pope. In Spanish the word Pope is “EL Papa”, which can be confused with potato – “la papa”.  The other day I accidently said LA PAPA to one of our contacts and they GOT SOOOOO OFFENDED because I called him a potato and not the Pope!  Argentine Catholics are very loyal, even if they have not stepped foot in a church in years.

Yesterday we were talking to the father of this young girl that wants to come to church but he wont let her. We were sharing the things she´ll learn at church, how to be a teenager with values, why its important to wait until marriage to have sexual relationships, how to say ‘no’ to temptations etc.   He said  “yes but she can learn that at our catholic church” .  I said , “oh you guys are attending your church on Sundays so that she can learn these things?”  He said  “no..... but ummm, well,  she can learn that in our house”.  It made me sad.  I was just thinking that he is literally choosing the worst for his child by saying no and not allowing her to come to church! 

Mom asked if I am getting trunky  No I am not getting trunky, I actually don’t believe it’s going to happen!

We need all your prayers this week. Pray that we will find families with married parents that will understand the gospel and be baptized.  

Gotta go LOVE YOU ALL! XOXOXO