Week 37 in Mendoza with big news!

Hi peeps!  So this is the end of week 36 here in Mendoza. I was thinking this week that I have lived here longer than any other place besides home, consecutively. Crazy. So last night one of the assistants called and told me that I would be training the hermana from Peru that another hermana was supposed to train 2 transfers ago. He wasn't 100% sure about if she was coming and if not I would go in a trio in another area. We are supposed to open back up the area in Gazcue where the office is and share the ward with the office elders. The area by the office has a lot of touristy stuff which will be cool to know. I’m not sure how much success they have had there lately but we will see. There were sisters in Gazcue for four transfers a couple of transfers ago and they didn’t have any baptisms but maybe I will be like you Dad when you were close to the office. The office assistant called this morning and said she is supposed to be coming next week on the 1st, so it will be easiest to stay here in Mendoza until she comes.  I’ll be in a trio with Hermana Vera, my 2nd companion from Peru, and another newer sister, the one Hermana Mcentire just finished training. Hermana Mcentire is also training again. It is nice to know the Lord and the mission president trust in me. We will see if the visa actually comes. I had a feeling about training again when Alexis said she was training...crazy twin stuff.  They are combining Mendoza back again so it will only have one set of missionaries and my companion is leaving the area which she didn't want to do. Having the extra week here will make it easier to show the sisters where our investigators live and close the extra house. We went to the store today and I have been packing and getting stuff together. I am sooooooo happy to hear you talked to Chessy. I want to hear all about it.  It’s so fun that Alexis is on the computer right now, too. We had a good week this week. We said goodbye to Hermanas Loftus and Kamisese this morning. It is kind of sad but exciting for them. Hermana Loftus said she would eat an ice cream for me on Wednesday. J  So we are teaching this guy from Egypt that I think I mentioned last week. He is so awesome and I am glad I get to stay a little longer to teach him. We asked him to read 2 Nephi 31 about baptism and then went on Tuesday night to teach him with the stake president. He said it was still hard to read in English, so the stake president pulled up on his laptop the Book of Mormon in Arabic. He started reading and summarizing what it said, so we had lots of languages going on. We asked him what he thought and he said that these were not the words of men but that they were the words of God. It was so cool! That was probably one of my favorite lessons. I really have an appreciation for the gospel being preached to all in their own tongue. Technology is awesome. My companion said that he is why I stayed here so long. She did not want to teach him as she did not want to teach in English and he lives in an area without missionaries so it is a bit complicated, but I would love to see him baptized. If that is why I am still here in Mendoza, it would make every second worth it. And if he doesn't, I am still happy to be here and I am super excited to spend this week with Hermana Vera and Hermana Avery. If you could look up a talk by Elder McConkie called, “The Power of Gethsemane”, that would be great.  A member mentioned it and it was the last talk Elder McConkie gave before he died. Anyways, I would like to read it. I love the people here in Mendoza and feel like I have a fresh new perspective with Hermana Vera. This transfer wasn’t easy but I am excited for transfer 7. I have done 6 and have 5 transfers left, so I definitely have spent the majority of my mission in Mendoza. So on Saturday we walked and did contacts from about 3 to 5:30 in the heat. We decided to go to a member's house with hopes she would give us juice. She was giving a massage and when she finished she said she was going to give us a foot massage. She was irritated last week that we wouldn't eat with her, but she said a foot massage was not against the rules and pointed to the picture hanging on the wall of Jesus washing the apostle's feet. Funny. I love her. We shared a scripture after, about service. J  I do still have to move tomorrow because we are closing the house I am living in and moving into the one the other hermanas are in, but shouldn't be too big of a deal. I don't think we get our trunky paper (that Alexis mentioned) and flight plans ‘til the transfer before we leave. The Peruvian hermana not coming two transfers ago was a tender mercy because I was so glad to be companions with Hermana Loftus in the trio. She is awesome and the Peruvian not coming for a week now is a relief for me and Hermana Vera since we will have time to get things squared away before I leave. Everything works out how it should. I am really excited for whatever this transfer holds with new companions and maybe a new area. I am off, but I love you a million bazillion. I’m off for week 37 in mi querido (my dear) Mendoza. Thanks for all of the birthday mail! Thanks for everything.  I am glad I will be celebrating my birthday in Mendoza. Love you, ejc