email from 2-11-13

Hola!!!

Congratulations Mom in your calling and Dad in your skills competition!!

How is everyone going? Things here are moving along. The other week, we were approached by Susanna and her family. They are the ones that live in the take in building and live on the 12th floor. For those who don´t know or remember what a take in building is, it´s a building that isn´t finished and people live there for a lower price. There is not an elevator, so we climb 12 floors everyday. It´s a good work out. We are working hard with them. They didn´t go to church again this sunday, because they slept in. We did everything we knew how to to help them: daily contact, reminding them every appointment, doing practices, asking ¨what if¨ questions, and have as many members as possible involved. They still didn´t go to church. We stood knocking for a good 20 minutes. We identified some reasons as to why they didn´t come and we are going to work on them this week.

Other than this family, we don´t have any investigators. The search still goes on. I can´t help but encourage and invite all who read this to pray for a missionary experience. If it´s because of fear or timidness, you can pray for courage and strength to accomplish it.  Moroni 7:33 says¨ And Christ hath said: If ye will have faith in me ye shall have power to do whatsoever thing is expedient in me.¨ Now some might think to themselves: ¨It´s easy for you, you´re a missionary.¨ The thing that has been the hardest for me to do in the mission is the thing I need to do every moment of every day: opening my mouth. Few know the kind of struggles and experiences I have had to go through to become who I am today. I have come to know the scriptures and my Savior in a way I never knew possible. I have felt His love as well as my Father´s love; not only for myself but for all of His children. I have gone into the depths of despair and have seen His hand in every part of my life. We cannot feel joy if we do not know what sorrow is. That is what Adam and Eve came to understand. Is it hard? Yes. Is is possible? Absolutely. Is it Heavenly Father´s will? Definitely. He wants His children to come home. The only way for them to come home is through ordinances. The first is baptism, the second is the sacrament, the priesthood (if you are male), and then the ordinances of the temple. Heavenly Father has told us His plan and Christ has shown us the way. Not only has He shown us the way, He is the only one that makes it possible. We often don´t completely understand or apply the Atonement. We know that He suffered for our sins. We know that He took upon Himself our pains and our sorrows. Yet how often do we really apply that. The Atonement means that we are never alone. There is someone who understands our hardships and heartaches. There is someone with the power to comfort us spiritually and emotionally. As we have our own experiences with the Atonement we will want to share that joy and freedom with those closest to us. Alma and his friends understood that. They had tasted the sweetness that comes from repenting and feeling the love of God in their lives. As our testimonies grow from our own spiritual experiences, we gain the desire and testimony necessary to share the Gospel. We do not need a lot of knowledge. That is not what converts people. I believe President Brigham Young´s experience helps us understand that. President Brigham Young (1801–77) said he knew the gospel was true when he “saw a man without eloquence, or talents for public speaking, who could only say, ‘I know, by the power of the Holy Ghost, that the Book of Mormon is true, that Joseph Smith is a Prophet of the Lord.’” President Young said when he heard that humble testimony, “The Holy Ghost proceeding from that individual illuminate[d] my understanding, and light, glory, and immortality [were] before me.” It is the Holy Ghost that touches hearts and converts people, and He will only do so as you bear a sincere testimony.

The Gospel is a joyous thing. God wants us to be happy, not just for the moment with temporal joys and indulgences, but genuinely happy. Remember that His work and His glory is to bring to pass the inmortality and eternal life of man. Eternal life is when we come to know our Heavenly Father and what our relationship is to Him. Don´t forget the bascis: obedience is the first law under heaven; ¨Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.¨; search, ponder, and pray; and finally go to church. The Lord does not ask us to be perfect to go to His home. He asks that we do our best. The healthy don´t need a physician. We don´t need Christ if we are perfect, but we are not perfect and we do need Christ. That is His entire purpose, go to Him. Let Him heal you. It´s hard when someone offends you at church, but you aren´t there for them. You need the sacrament; you need the Holy Ghost. You can only receive those two things as you attend church every sunday. Satan´s most effective lie is that you can wait until next time, or tomorrow; that you can be casual. It is a lie. Four months ago, we heard a prophet of the Lord call on the younger generation to step forward and become missionaries to spread the Gospel to all the earth. The Lord is quickening His work and we can either be a part of it or fall behind. There isn´t much time. ¨It´s getting late¨ (Elder Holland General Conference April 2012). This is the time for men to prepare to meet God. He will never ask us at the final judgement: ¨What did others do to you? or What happened to you?¨, but ¨What did you do for others and What choices did you make?¨.

In 8 weeks our mission will receive 81 new missionaries. There are about 200 missionaries in our mission and, on average, we normally receive 10  new missionaries every transfer. I imagine that it is the same in just about every mission now. As members and missionaries, we need to be prepared to receive them and forward the work according to the vision that Heavenly Father has for each area. It is not a short range vision. The stone cut out of the mountain without hands is rolling forward and covering the whole earth.

As missionaries, we have very little time to write. I try to follow the Spirit to know what you need to hear. I know that I am not perfect, but I pray that the words I do feel to write will touch your hearts. You are all wonderful and amazing people and I love you soooo much. Keep moving forward. It´s possible and it´s worth it.

Love

Hermana Alvey

Hola!!!!!!!!!

So another week has come and gone. We are dying of heat one minute and the next it´s freezing, but that is a normal week here in Buenos Aires. We are searching for the people the Lord has prepared and it is a dilligent search. We are working hard together and it has been a wonderful experience. Hermana Peralta has been through a lot in her life because of health reasons and actually has a prostetic in her right hip, yet she still goes forward. We are absolutely exhausted, but we are in the Lord´s work and He will take care of us if we do our part.

We are trying to find those who are prepared by the Lord and in turn are walking a lot. We know that the Lord is preparing people and that we need to do our part. It is a struggle when you aren´t teaching. The cycle is to teach when you find and find when you teach. Getting that cycle going is a little harder to do sometimes. We aren´t discouraged and we are trying every day to do better. I still remember what President Gulbrandsen told me when I first started the mission. You can´t be a missionary and be happy if you aren´t doing missionary things. I can finally say that I want to be here. Yes, there are things that I still long for at home (washing machines, sunday naps, etc), but I am no longer tempted by them and I know that they will be there when I get back. It´s a long struggle and it´s getting late (as Elder Holland says). I know that this is the Lord´s work and there is much to do.

I´m not really sure what else to talk about. We are expecting about 30 new missionaries this coming transfer and we normally receive about 10. It´s going to be fun. We are excited to see what happens in the mission. I went on intercambios with Hermana Renteria. We have practically been together in one form or another for our entire mission. I often think to myself about Mom and Dad with their companions 30-40 years later and what it will be like for me and my companions. We have all grown and changed so much. There are inside jokes and stories that only we know. 

Well, I wish that I could say, I had things to talk about, but it´s been very quiet and nothing you haven´t heard before. I guess no news is good news. I am very happy to see all the progress you all are making. I pray that you will continue moving forward, firm in the faith. Keep your chin up and never give up.

I love you.

Hermana Alvey

Hola!!!

Happy Birthday Mom!!!

So there isn´t really too much to tell about this week. I got a nice sunburn. ^_^ We were sad about Americo, because his wife said that he couldn´t meet with us anymore or she would leave with his daughter. We always try to include the entire family, but we can´t obligate anyone. We feel good, because we did all that we could and the ultimate choice was theirs. We don´t have investigators right now, but we are looking forward to see what happens because the members are starting to talk with their friends. The youth just got back from EFY so they are all excited to share the Gospel. We are happy to work with them.

I really wish that there was more to tell. I couldn´t write yesterday because we had a meeting with one of the seventy, Elder Wilhelm of the 7th quorum of the seventy. It was an amazing experience and we have much to repent of. I love repenting, because it means that the Lord is teaching me and purifying me. I have a long way to go and everything helps. Hermana Peralta is so kind and I´m sad that she goes home in four weeks. She is determined and patient and has had to pass through many hardships. I am very grateful to be her companion. We will have a lot of adventures together. I wish that I could chat longer, but we have to get moving.

I love you all sooooo much and that you are doing good. Thank you for all the support and love and prayers. I pray for you everyday. Keep moving forward and never give up.

Love

Hermana Alvey

Hola!!!

Happy Birthday Anthony!!! (Sorry, I know that it´s a day late)

So the changes have come. I don´t remember if I told you about Hermana Peralta. I went on divisions with her last week in Nuñez. She is wonderful and I loved being with her. She goes home at the end of this transfer. She is from Cordoba, Argentina. She works hard and loves learning about everything. It was an interesting change. We still have the entire area of Villa Urquiza so we will still be working in a large area. Hermana Peralta was with Hermana Binks in Nuñez and Hermana Binks just went home now. We all thought that Hermana Peralta was going to stay there, so we were very surprised with the changes. That is just one example of the surprising changes. We did not receive any new hermanas this transfer, but we are expecting about 30 new missionaries in the next one. We will see how many are hermanas.

So, we are teaching a wonderful person named Americo. Hermana Kapp had the feeling one day to talk with some youth that were playing on their front porch during a birthday party. They looked for an adult (that would actually leave) and out came Americo. He started talking with us and actually was intrigued and listened. We went back and he had read a little bit in the Book of Mormon. Every time we pass by, he likes offering the first prayer and then letting us know what caught his attention from his reading. He is a wonderful person and we love teaching him. He is so excited and so open. We are praying that his wife will let them get married so that he can get baptized. 

So, about the photos. The first one is of me saying goodbye to Hermana Kapp. The second is of me and Hermana Peralta when we arrived at the apartment. Which reminds me. Hermana Kapp had been quoting ¨A Knight´s Tale¨ all week and it sounds hilarious. So if you want to see a movie let me know how it goes.

I love you all soooooo much. I feel your prayers every day and I pray for you every day. I know that you are in the Lord´s hands.

Love

Hermana Alvey

Goodbye Hermana Kapp

Hello Hermana Peralta

Hola!!!

Things here are moving forward. We actually had a pretty good week. Today we received an interesting conference call from President Gulbrandsen. Turns out that a member of the Seventy is going to do a mission tour with him in two weeks and President said that we couldn´t get on the internet today until we thoroughly cleaned house. We had already mopped and cleaned just before we received the call, so we thought that it wouldn´t take too long. It took 4 hours to finish cleaning everything. Now, I want to explain something before you all fall over laughing. We have had many sisters go home recently and there are always things left behind. We decided to take the time to go through all the stuff left behind and the places that we hadn´t touched in a while (under the bed, cupboards, etc). It was very satisfying, but we don´t really have that much time for other things, now. A talk came to mind as I was cleaning that made me think. I hope you like it: July Liahona 2012 ¨Unspotted From the World¨ by Julie Thompson.

The weather is always playing games. Sometimes, it´s hot, sometimes it´s hot and humid, and sometimes it rains (which really means, it pours). The mosquitos are finding us in the night, especially, so, although I use everything everyone has sent me (and then some), I still find myself eaten alive. ^_^ Hermana Kapp is just as bad off as I am. We only pray that the time of the mosquitos ends soon or that we go back down south. I doubt that we would go back down, neither of us have enough time left to go down. 

As far as investigators go, we don´t have any that are really progressing. We are looking for new ways to find . We know that working with the members is the best way to find and help them remain faithful. We have prayed and received counsel from all of our leaders and the Lord. We are putting into action, this week the revelations that have come and we are hopeful in the Lord.

Transfers are this coming sunday and we have six more sisters leaving: Hermana Quispe, Hermana Hermosa, Hermana Malhue, Hermana Lobos, Hermana Shelley, and Hermana Binks. We shall see how many come in this transfer. It´s going to be exciting. The transfer after, we are going to receive an amazing amount. I can´t believe how young they are all going to be. I can´t believe how old I am. Hermana Kapp did a calculation and in mission life, she is 79 years old and I am 86 years old. ^_^ It´s such a funny way to think about things. But I promise that I am not trunky. I am more focused now than ever before on my mission. I have been able to meditate on how far I have come in the mission and far I have to go. We are working hard and doing the best that we can for the areas that we are in. We do not know how things will go this transfer. Hermana Kapp has 4 transfers here aka 6 months. The thing is, I will have only had 3 weeks to learn her side of the area. It could be that there only remains two of us, or it could be that we receive two more. They could be completely new or have time in the mission. The Lord could even take both of us out and put in elders. On top of the fact, they are cutting this next transfer by 1 week. It will be interesting to see what happens.

Well, we have to be on our way in an hour and we still have to buy food. So I´ll talk to all of you later. I love you all soooo much. 

Love

Hermana Alvey

Hola!!!

So another week has gone by and we are working the entire area. Hermana Kapp is such a sweet heart. I love working with her. She has so much love and humility. She loves to help others and only wants to please her Heavenly Father. She is from Utah and is studying psychology in BYU Provo and is the oldest of 5 girls. She has a lot of love and a lot of dilligence. I´m excited to see what happens these next two weeks together. I don´t know how she cooks, yet, but we sure like to talk.

Well, it´s been a week of miracles and difficulties. As I told all of you last week. We had the amazing miracle of Yolanda´s baptism and confirmation. She is amazing and very prepared. Her daughter, Luciana, is amazingly prepared as well. There was a ward baptism saturday and they both loved it. I asked Luciana how she felt about her baptism and she said: ¨I feel faith. I have the ganas (or drive) to be baptized.¨ She was so happy and we were so excited for her. Sunday, they hadn´t arrived to church so we went to go pick them up. We get there and knock for a while. Finally, Yolanda answered and we were able to get in. She tried to tell us that We asked her to try and wake up Luciana so that Luciana could make her own decision. Norma woke up and came out. She tried to force us to leave and leave the family alone. She got mad when we tried to talk with Yolanda and Luciana. Yolanda got upset at the entire situation and left to enter the bedroom while we stayed out in the living room. Norma continued and finally, when we felt the Spirit telling us that we had done everything we could, we left. We went back later that night and Yolanda said that we couldn´t come back and that she wasn´t going to church again. She said that she couldn´t stand the contention in the home. She also said that she wouldn´t leave God, but she couldn´t go to church now. You can imagine how broken our hearts were and are. It´s rough, especially when things were going so wonderfully. We don´t know what will happen, but we feel that everything will be ok. We don´t know when or how, but we have the Lord´s promise that it will be ok. It has been a great test of faith, prayer, dedication, patience, and charity.

The members are working wonderfully with us and we are seeing the missionary spirit come to life in this ward. We are looking to find a way to help them share with their friends. I often wonder how to help people listen and feel the doctrine of Christ. We teach and sometimes they seem to listen and other times they don´t. There are a lot of things that we know, but fail to do as human beings. I knew that I was supposed to share the gospel to others. I thought being an example was enough. I have come to realize that that is a wonderful and necessary way to share the Gospel, but without an invitation, or more action, they will not know where to go. I think of Lehi´s dream. Had he not called out to others to come, it is very unlikely that they would have found the iron rod or even known about the tree. It´s true that some would have found the way by accident, but there are many others who are prepared and are only waiting to know where to go. I have come to live the scriptures and truly understand, at a deeper level, what they mean. One of my favorite examples is James 2:17-19. ¨17 Even so ^afaith, if it hath not ^bworks, is dead, being alone.

 18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my ^afaith by my ^bworks.

 19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the ^adevils also ^bbelieve, and tremble.¨ I have come to realized that I need to be different than the devils. I can´t simply say that I have faith: it´s not enough. I have to act.

I love all of you sooooo much and wish you all the best. Stay happy, stay safe, and stay warm. Talk with you soon.

Love

Hermana Alvey