Week 5

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!!                                                                  November 27, 2014

I am grateful for all the support that I have from home, all the prayers and letters I receive help me tremendously. I love you all!!

I have less than a week left before I head out for the field!! We took our picture on Wednesday that will go up on the wall with all the other groups of missionaries that have already left. It has come so soon I can hardly believe it.

So, a little update--remember that challenge I extended to all of you? The 30 day one? I do it every day and I´ve been so amazed!! Every day I find an answer to another question.  The other day I found a scripture that I absolutely love. I feel like it´s my own personal purpose to serve a mission.  It´s Alma 29:9, and as you read, remember that repentance means turning away from yourself and turning to God.

This week came with some struggles, but that means more opportunities to increase my faith.  Hermana Cooper has been struggling with some digestive issues with getting used to the food here (which hasn´t been a problem here for me, don´t worry, mom) and the beginning of this week was particularly bad for her. I felt so bad for her.  At one point she was curled up in her bed and I told my comps that we should pray. So we all knelt down and prayed for her health. Later, I was scratching Hermana Cooper´s back as she was in her bed and we were able to get three of the elders from our district to come up and give her a priesthood blessing. It was an absolutely amazing thing to experience.  The priesthood power is Real. And it is so Powerful.

The other day our district leader wrote our teacher´s mom a really silly poem in Spanish asking her to please bake our district some cookies (we had been asking our teacher for weeks, because his sister who works here brought cupcakes for Her district) and a few days ago, we got yummy cupcakes!! it was so fun, haha.

Speaking of dessert (and to explain the title of this email:(Let there be cake!)), this week we North American girls did something kind of silly.  One of the girls wanted cake for after dinner on Sunday, so we all got on our knees and she prayed that we would have a healthy meal and some cake. And you know what? We had cake that night, haha :)

On Saturday we got a new proselyting area. This one is really different.  But we talked to some really amazing people and twice we were offered something to drink! We handed out a Book of Mormon to someone who we didn´t even think would stop to listen to our message because he had his headphones in.

I feel so full of the Spirit today.  I attended the temple for the last time here in Argentina this morning, and I just returned from an amazing broadcast from Provo by Elder Bednar.

Remember as you enjoy this Thanksgiving holiday that I miss you and I know that you all miss me too.  But as Elder Bednar said today--let my absence be a witness to you. A witness that I would only be spending all this time and all these holidays away from the people I love the most on this Earth if I knew with absolutely certainty that this church is true, and this work is important. And oh boy, is it true.

Stay strong, and know that I love you,

Hermana Autery

Enjoying some ice-cream.

Cupcakes!!( From their teacher's mom) By the look of their faces you can tell they are grateful.

Outside the Argentina Temple.

Paige says this funky tree is on the verge of becoming over-weight.;)

Moroni!

Thanksgiving picture that sent out to the parents.:)