Dedication

Dear Family,

We worked really hard this week. Big surprise there.... Just kidding but this week was awesome. Mom, you said something about the fourth semester starting, that is insane! Random fact that I find hilarious is that today starts week for of school here in Argentina and the kids have only gone to school 4 days of the last 3 weeks and will only have school on Friday this week. All the teachers are on strike until the government gives them a pay raise. All the parents and children are getting restless but hey, who can complain about having an extra month of Summer?! 

And Maddy, I don´t even care if you become every ones favorite Aunt but make sure you just enjoy all the time you have with our nieces and nephews. I cannot believe that Seth got a job!! Tell him he needs to write me again! 

The leafs are changing and falling and along with that comes the change in temperature which has left both Hna. Cooley  and I talking like dying cows but actually people listen more carefully to see if they can disypher what we are saying. We found this awesome guy from Haiti. By the time everything was cleaned up from the baptism we only had like 30 minutes left to work so we hit the streets to reach the daily goals and saw miracles. 

But the highlight of my week was when I was working with Hna. Flores in her area. They have been teaching a 17 year old for about 2 months and they haven´t been able to get permission from her father for baptism. Hna. Flores and I started the intercambio on our knees praying for the opportunity to talk to her father. As we entered her house she told us he wasn´t there. We taught the lesson and toward the end he entered the house and headed upstairs with the word ´´chau´´ or goodbye.... Hna. Flores brought up the story of Ester and the spirit was so strong. We prayed together and we asked her to take the steps of faith to invite her father to listen to us. As she asked how she was going to do that we heard him start to practice is guitar. So we invited her to ask him if we could listen to him play. She was terrified but stood and with steps of faith asked him to enter the room. She entered again followed by her father who is an excellent musician. During the first two songs she sat her back to him with her head down. I recognized his second song he played (turns out listening to the Herb Albert CD on repeat on Saturday morning cleanings did help me prepare for my mission) I was so grateful for the confidence that comes from hope and the knowledge that God will fulfill his promises. His response to my question was ´´I will support my daughter in her decision¨. I don´t think I will forget the facial expression of T.....We invited him to listen to what we were teaching his daughter and he said next time. And ended with a final song. I couldn´t help but radiate the happiness that I could see in T... eyes her held was held high and I couldn´t help but think of all the modern day Esters all around the world.

Love you all! And remember it takes steps of faith to accomplish those things that are most important. 

The gospel is true.

Life is wonderful!

Hermana Amanda Ray Hill