Buen Dia de Argentina!

Alright so first off I´ll get my heart break out of the way... ARGENTINA LOST THE WORLD CUP. WHAT. THE. HECK. I told my comp in the mtc when we found out: "alright thats it. im not going anymore. im staying here." she laughed and said that was fine with her because shes staying in the mtc for a while cause of her transfers being messed up. But alas im here anyways and its great!

So the flight down more or less kinda sucked. I was smack in the middle of the plane for 10 hours and slept on and off and it was dark and there was turbulance and yeah. I was basically in this weird state between being awake and asleep and it was kinda dreamy. Weird. Anyways then we had customs and all this other fun stuff and long story short basically lost a night of sleep.... WHoop. so yeah. But the first day in Argentina was FANTASTIC (besides being deathly tired). We got to go to the cathedral where the current pope is from and see the casa rosa and everything else that if you search buenos aires argentina those pictures pop up on the internet. We then got to go to the site where south america was dedicated for missionary work (20+ years ago) and where earlier this year argentina was dedicated. super cool. then to the mission home for a discourse on everything and lunch (we were STARVING) and it was soooo good. holy cow. empanadas are my FAVORITE. Then we got our companions and my companion is Hermana Keith! shes from ogden utah and speaks english! thank the heavens. although we try not to. 

So about the country and my mission. So my mission includes the city of buenos aires! yessss. so great. we call it capital (pronounced cahp-ee-tall). Were basically the smallest mission in s america but we have the same amount of people haha. it supposably takes about 3 hours to get from one end of the mission to the other. super tiny. so yeah. 

I´m currently in an area called san fernando. It looks kinda like europe (based off movies and pictures) but a lot more run down and a lot dirtier. A lot of the roads down here are cobble stone (?) brick ish stony yeah... and very uneven. THERE ARE DOGS EVERYWHERE. Just walking around in the street trying to get food from the trashbags out for collection. Super crazy. BUt all the dogs just do what they want haha its kinda funny. 

The people here are super nice. They always greet you with a hug and a kiss on the cheek even if they have just met you. (we shake the hands of the men though). its kinda different cause a lot have gates around their house or whatnot and no doorbell so we stand outside the gate and clap and say hola and then someone comes out to greet/talk to us. The members are so great and we almost always have a member with us when we´re not in the apartment. Super awesome. 

the work down here is great. President Ayre told us on the first day and i see it to be true that the work is super fast down here. There are so many people that are ready for the gospel. Our goal is to meet them, invite to be baptized first encounter and 3 weeks later they are baptised, thats how ready they are. It is crazy but so awesome. You have to work so hard but it is great. My first full day was great and the lessons were great. But because the work is moving so fast here if they don´t have a date or arent progressing we drop them (we try to teach each person every day). We don´t tract but get a lot of references and street contacts. The members are so supportive and always go with us for lessons. 

THe spanish is good. Not coming along as fast as i could have hoped (and i mean like overnight haha) but its going faster than it would with the Lords help. I understand quite a bit but speak less. 

The area that im in the water is drinkable but i use a filter anyways cause im used to american water haha. BUT the shower water is cold. well fluctuates from lukewarm to pretty hot I find myself praying in the shower a lot for the water to be hot haha. also we wash all of our clothes by hand! 

The food is AMAZING and dulce de leche is definitely my weakness. Heaven help me. Also, IT IS SO COLD DOWN HERE. we almost always are wearing our heavy winter coats and always when were outside. I went from 100 degrees in provo to who knows what down here. (i cant remember and if i did they always tell me in celcius...) Oh back to food. so down here lunch is their big meal so instead of going to members houses for dinner we go for lunch! Its the best! Oh man the food is so good. Then we don´t eat dinner cause we just have lessons and its great valuable time to teach so yeah. i usually carry a snack with me. 

anyways thats all i can think about for now! Hope your week is well! ill take more notes and write more about things down here next week! love you all!

with love

hermana ostler

Settling In

 1 my comp and i

 2. welcome decorations

 3 my first lunch in the field (not at presidents house)

 4. view from the apt

5. washing clothes

First Day in Argentina

1. a friend from college

 2. The arriving group in the Buenos Aires North mission in the big plaza thing first day. The other sisters are from the Argentina Missionary Training Center (MTC), and the elders were my´´companions´´ and were in my district in the MTC in Provo.

 3. a panoramic of the cathedral we visited

  4. casa rosa

  5. casa rosa

6. dedication site

pictures from the last day of class with hermano rios!

 

Your daughter has finally arrived

Dear Family,

We are thrilled to report that your daughter, Sister Ostler, has finally arrived safely in her mission here in Buenos Aires.  She was picked up at the airport, and after a brief tour of Buenos Aires was brought to the mission home for a luncheon, followed by an interview with the President.  You should expect to hear from your missionary on her next P-day, which will be on Monday, July 21^st.  Thank you for your prayers and support.

Presidente y Hermana Ayre

Argentina may have lost the World Cup, but Hermana Ostler is going anyway!

I was sent this picture this morning!

Your darling missionaries!

I had the pleasure of sitting near your missionaries on Frontrunner this morning. I have a son serving in England now and I love to get surprise pictures. So, asked the three of them if I could take a picture and send it to their moms. They all looked happy and anxious! So grateful for their willingness to serve. Happy Monday!

-Erika Munson

CHAO AMERICA

HOLA! This week has again been fantastic! The Fourth of July was a party! We woke up and got out of the apartment to find the sky filled with hot air balloons! My comp was super excited because its just like that in Napa. We then proceeded to have breakfast and classes and what not which was eh cause class on a holiday haha BUT we did get to sing in english because all of the patriotic songs arent translated into spanish for the spanish hymn book. go figure. so yeah that was fun. But THEN we got out of classes early and went to a special fourth of july devotional at the chapel here in west campus (they broadcasted this one from main campus where usually we get bussed over to main campus for devotionals) which was super awesome and there were a bunch of musical numbers and a speaker and it was amazing. Then they were like ok so now were going to watch 17 Miracles and that was so SUPER awesome and such a neat experience with the environment that im in and it was such a cool spiritual experience. After that the mtc president was like "well since you guys have been so good tonight, we've just received word that sister carrie underwood just ended her show and theyre about to start the fireworks and there is ice cream waiting outside for you." so we all charged the doors and we had a GREAT view of the fireworks. It was so good, in fact, that there were a bunch of kids and their parents sitting on a hill by where we were (my comp and i went to join them cause it was an even better view) and soon the MTC president and his wife showed up (the people were their kids and grandkids) so obviously if the MTC president and wife show up and their kids are there you know its better than the main campus MTC. ALSO I would like everyone to know that I have not broken my record of "seeing someone wearing an Angels Baseball shirt on the fourth of july" just because i wasn't in southern california. One of the Nally's grandkids was wearing one and i may have flipped out a little bit cause it was like a piece of home :P So then we went home (WAY past our missionary bedtime) and that was my fourth of july! It was great.

Then sunday was a BLAST (besides having to say goodbye to a district we had been with for 5 weeks). But so on thursday night after pday ended we were all sitting in our classroom studying like the good missionaries we are and we hear through the door a radio (like a police or security radio) outside our class. It was going off for like 30 seconds so we started to get a bit concerned but then this security guard walks in and asks for me and my comp, the other 2 sisters in our district, and one of the elders. So were like uh yeah thats us then he hands us these little envelopes and leaves. So were like ok thats kinda weird. So we open them and they said we were performing on sunday night for the entire MTC for devotional. So were like WAIT WHAT. We had auditioned a 4 part piece + piano and violin of I Need Thee Every Hour (the Sally DeFord arrangement; pretty sure the northwood ward has sung it before) but thought we wouldn't make it so just kinda did it for fun then performed it for sacrament meeting in our branch. So we were shocked and amazed then were like ohhh we should probably get that together and get it performance ready.... so we did and performed it on sunday! It was crazy cause it was a huge gym full of missionaries and the spirit was so strong and it was the best we had ever done on the piece and you could really feel the spirit. We were all so grateful for the talents we had been given and the opportunity we had to share them. So that was just one part. In the morning we had a mission conference (again broadcasted from main campus) where the whole MTC presidency and their wives spoke. Such an uplifting meeting and they talked about so many changes that had been made to missionary work in the new mission presidents' seminar that had a lot to do with things concerning new converts and how missionaries were to stay involved with them so that was cool. We also had a fast and testimony meeting in our branch which included a lot of "yo sé que..." but was so great to hear everyone simple but powerful testimonies. Such a great meeting. Oh. Also me an my companion are sister training leaders here in our zone! super fun except for the fact that its our companionship and the other 2 sisters in my zone haha. (basically its like being zone leaders with a little less responsability) but yeah we currently have 4 sisters and 17 elders in our zone at the moment haha.

Welp now were to MY LAST WEEK IN EL CCM (MTC)! After a bit of a scare with my FBI clearance for one of my visas I will OFFICIALLY be leaving the country for the next 16.5 months! I cant believe it! Speaking of, ARGENTINA IS IN THE FINALS OF THE WORLD CUP! VIVA ARGENTINA! I swear if they lose to Germany... So sad. Pero, esta bien. But just saying it would be SUPER BIEN if they won the world cup while i was on my mission cause it would be cool to tell people. Just saying. But yeah. So on monday we got to do another (our second) skype session where we get to practice our spanish skills (or lack thereof) with a native so this time we got to skype with a member in ARGENTINA! It was SO cool. She was the sweetest and it was super cool cause shes in school to be an english translator major. Super awesome. Also on monday morning one of our teachers was like ITS YOUR LAST WEEK! Then gave us a scripturally based "you still need to work hard" and said that the last week is when you need to work your hardest cause thats when it really counts the most and miracles can happen. So i get this little nudging in my mind after he promised us that, that i should suggest that we speak all in spanish this week so i suggested it to our district and the teacher was like yeah you should! and the rest of the missionaries were like uhhh... but then they all agreed, so yeah. We're now ESPANOL ONLY (until saturday and excluding gym and when were around people who don't understand spanish cause thats rude and kinda mean). THEN like an hour later my companion goes to use the restroom and comes back poking her head around the corner into the room and starts talking in english and were all like "QUE?! ESPANOL SOLAMENTE!" and shes like "I know, but um this is kinda an emergency... the toilet has flooded" so we all kinda laughed and ran down the hall to go look, our teacher first and the elders just stayed put and sure enough the floor is covered in water and our teachers like "ohhhhhh. no es bueno....." while stepping around the water then turns down the hall toward our classroom and yells "ELDERES! ELDERES! AYUDAME, AYUDAME!" and there was a collective groan and laugh and they came down and started to mop up the water with us. such a sight. and so funny. 

Other than that its just been BLAZING hot here in provo. Were all about to die. BUT no need to fear, once i go down to argentina it will be winter! (hey i wonder if down there they that all the birds fly north for the winter...) but yeah i'll try not to melt before i leave. Also note that i DON'T have to be up super early for my flight (like most other foreign flights), I only have to be at the bus at 6AM cause my flight out is at 11! YEAH~! I have already planned with my zone leaders (the two of the who are in my district are also going to my mission) to get cafe rio in the airport for the last time in a year and a half cause theyre going to be my companions for 24 hours while travelling.... not sure whether or not to be excited about that. (this is happening cause the 3 of us are in a travel group with no one else and im the only sister; don't worry its allowed). So I'll see you all on the other side of the world!

Peace out America, its been real. 

With love,

Hermana Ostler

Fourth of July Pictures

 me and my comp on 4th of july (you can see the balloons that i was talking about! :))

  the hot air balloons in the morning of the 4th

 SELFIE! me, h ralston, and h medina

 the h's on the fourth! were so festive! also side note. the elders kept the verde viernes on the fourth of july....

our board in class to celebrate

missionaries watching the fireworks!

Lots of Pictures for Week 5

morning shadow shots of the hermanas

 our zone on sunday a few weeks ago before a district left. 

 h cannon passed out in class

 me an my comp studying outside. WE <3 PMG (or PME in spanish)

our district

toilet flooding disaster

  e fowlke and e hirsh at dinner (fowlke is basically bobby from byui looks and personality and hirsh is basically connor mccombs looks and personality)

e perry and h cannon

More Pictures for Week 5

 me at the temple with my tag. super artsy i know. 

 waiting for the bus on pday after the temple 

 people in my district. left to right: elder fowlke, elder danneman, elder perry, hermana cannon

 elder fowlke being his goofy self with his drawing

 pday selfies in the laundry room

  hermanas in our district/zone + a bunch of newbees. the 2 elders in the middle have scholarships to play football when they get back (both are straight out of high school)

 our district and our obsession with chips.

  it may or may not be a problem. 

our zone walking on main campus toward the bus (after elder fowlke bought 4 bags of tortilla chips and salsa)

our zone

Happy Girl!

 I saw the look on her face in this picture and thought of this picture. - Maggie

 1. it was bright and the light reflected off the paper and couldn't see so hermana ralston wore sunglasses in class

 2. two of our elders fell asleep while doing language study on the computer

 3. ducks in the waters of mormon! (our stream that we study by)

4. a package that i got yesterday!

Week 4 in the Provo MTC

So last week on wednesday we got a new district! and we got another this week on wednesday too (although we havent met the newest) 14 new elders and NO SISTERS. Like what. so we have 8 sisters in our zone and almost 20 elders. holy cow. its insane. but the newest district is really fun. half of them are straight out of high school. you can totally tell. haha but theyre all really good guys. 
Also fun story: so im in the mtc choir and we perform on tuesday nights as part of devotional (all 500+ of us). so we go and rehearse on tuesday night before devo and somehow a BAT got into the multipurpose room. It was flying around and all the missionaries were just gone. the poor choir director. finally they caught it and the tenor section all cheered because they got to see it. 
*side note*Meanwhile our district leader just cut an apple in half by putting his index finger on the top of it and smashing his head into his finger. YAY SCIENCE! 
So this week i learned the importance of following promptings. so on thursday we were teaching an "investigator" (one of our teachers) and we were following up on our commitments (none of which he kept) and he started making excuses for why he didn't follow through with them while in all the previous lessons he was super interested and outside of the lessons out teacher had told us "COMMIT HIM TO DO SOMETHING! he wants the gospel! you have him in the palm of your hands!". so as we kept following up with each commitment i felt like i should do something about them and ask him why he wasn't keeping them and such but my companion was just moving on with the lesson so i just went along with it. so we kept going and i kept feeling to go back but didn't want to throw anything off then finally our teacher/investigator said to stop/pause the lesson cause it wasnt going super well and he just wasn't very receptive of anything we were saying. then he was like so how is he? then when we responded he basically told us to do everything that I had felt prompted to do. naturally. needless to say i wont be ignoring those thoughts/promptings again. it was a really good eye opener for me.
now an update on my "progressing investigators" the couple who we think are real investigators. so this week we only have the wife to teach through the TRC assignment. so we taught her the restoration the other day and i recited the first vision (yes; by memory and in spanish) and it was SO powerful and we invited her to pray about it and she said she would! it was great. we have also been talking with her about baptisms and baptisms for the dead and the spirit world and everything and how everyone has a chance to receive the gospel and she loved that! so then today we were teaching the husband (cause we have that time set up to teach them originally when we contacted them before the trc assignment) we told him about baptism and were on the subject for the whole lesson and told him what we told his wife and he loved it too because of all the things we had told him and because of people in his life who had passed on who he was worried about. so then hes like what do i need to do to feel like this all the time and for everything that you have taught me. so im like first you need to be baptised and recieve the gift of the holy ghost and im sitting there like I NEED TO COMMIT HIM TO BAPTISM! but then he went into talking about how he felt about certain things in his life and then all of the sudden he was like so when can we meet next? and im like NOOO we cant leave now! so then i was like wait before you leave... then asked him if he would be baptised and he said "i think i will, because of the spirit i feel when we meet and because of what you have taught me. this feels right. so yes. i think so. thank you sister ostler." I DIED. it was so great. but yeah. its been such a great week with our investigators and overall in the MTC! 

until next week!
with love,
Hermana Ostler