Hermana McNiven's Emails: Book 2, Chapter 17: The Saga Continues

Ladies and Gentlemen, Boys and Girls!!  The votes have been counted and the verdict is.............DRUMROLL PLEASE!!!!!!   

I'M STAYING IN CONCORDIA FOR 6 MORE WEEKS!!!  Book 2 will make up a third of my mission!!!!  I am super pumped that I have the chance to continue to see the growth of the people of Concordia, and help them to increase their faith in Jesus Christ!!!!

*Tristemente, several of the other missionaries in my district changed areas, *pero así es en la vida misional, no?  It was really sad; I felt like I was watching some of my best friends roll away on the bus, but I know they'll be able to bless so many more lives in their new areas, just like they have mine.  I think that's one of the super cool perks of the mission.  You get to meet so many incredible missionaries who become your LIFE friends.  And that's pretty dang awesome, if ya ask me.  Shoutout to Hermana Bailey, Elder Smith, and Elder Conde for the part they've played in Book 2 up to this point!!  The WEIRDEST thing is that all of the missionaries who served with my in Concordia when I got to the mission have changed areas, except for me!!  The Lord's got something important for me to do HERE in the next six weeks, I suppose!!!

BELOVED READERS, IT WAS THE MOST BEAUTIFUL WEEK.  Ya wanna know why???  Even if you didn't, it's my book, so I'm going to tell you. ;)  On Saturday, Nicol was able to be baptized a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, and make sacred covenants with God.  A covenant is a two way promise that binds us to God, and he promises us blessings as we follow the example of Jesus Christ!!  Pretty incredible, am I right??  Before the baptism, both of the speakers fell through, and the baptismal font was full of cockroaches, but Nicol did not let any of that stop her from being baptized!!  (Don't worry, we took out the cockroaches, and found two people who were willing to give impromptu talks!  I thought one of the cockroaches was dead, so I picked it up and then it jumped out of my hand, so that was exciting!)  I just have LOVED seeing all that she has gone through to get to this point of submitting herself to the Lord.  She has SO much faith and is SUCH a light for her family and for all that she meets.  I feel truly blessed to have been able to be an instrument in the hands of God to help her. 😊 

I've been thinking so much this week about how much God truly provides a way for us to do his will.  In the Book of Mormon and the Bible, so many of the prophets had to sacrifice SO much to do the will of the Lord.  In these days, we usually don't have people trying to kill us for following God, but we have to make our own sacrifices for the Lord.  In these days, it's usually a sacrifice of time, comfort, and even other GOOD things to choose the BEST things.  But the thing is, when we put God at the FOREFRONT of our lives, he blesses so so so much.  There's a part of the Book of Mormon in 3 Nephi 13:31-33 that says, "31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? 32 For your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. 33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you."  I KNOW that as we put the Lord at the top of our priority list, the Lord WILL provide.  

Have faith, Beloved Readers, and don't forget the promised blessings for all who follow him!!!! YOUR HEAVENLY PARENTS AND SAVIOR LOVE YOU SO MUCH!!!! 

All My Love, 

--HERMANA MCNIVEN☀ 

*tristemente: sadly

*Pero así es en la vida misional: But thus it is in Missionary life.

Hermana McNiven's Emails: Book 2, Chapter 15: "Soy Católica." "Hola Católica, Soy Elder Matos!"

Well Folks, we're back with the newest installment of my autobiography!   To start, I would like you all to know that the other day I had a nightmare that I accidentally wrote the date and wrote that it was 2019.  That's how seriously I am taking this 2020 goal.  Let the record show that in real life, I'm still going strong!! 

I've also decided that someday I am going to actually compile these chapters and bind them in a book.  If you'd like to be on the PRE-pre-order list, let me know. 😉 

It was a pretty incredible week in Concordia!!!!  In order to tell you all about the coolest part of the week, I'm going to have to back it up a few weeks.  As we visit one of our friends, Graciela, we always pass *un montón de personas and we say hi to all of them!!  About three weeks however, a woman who I had greeted in the past, was painting her house orange and as we passed, we stopped and I asked her if we could help her paint!  Sadly, she told us that they were almost done, so *todo bien, but thanked us for offering.  Flash forward a week and a half: she was outside of her house as we passed,  I told her that I really liked how her painting job had turned out, and we began to talk!  We told her who we are and why we're here, and she told us that she'd love to drink mate and chat with us one day.  We let her know that we can't drink mate outside of our apartment, but that we'd love to talk more with her!!  NOW, flash forward to this week!!!  On Wednesday, we stopped by to visit her(To her GREAT surprise.  She told us that she was sure that we weren't going to come because of the heat.)  and we began to talk more with her and learn more about her and her life.  As missionaries, we meet LOTS and LOTS of people, and a lot of them are really going through some HARD stuff in their lives. The incredible thing is that we really, truly share a message that brings peace and happiness into lives of hardship.  As Mirta told us that she doesn't ever feel peace or happiness in her life, I felt SO STRONGLY the love that her Heavenly Father has for her.  HOLY COW.  When people are in these hard times, the hope that comes from Jesus Christ literally CHANGES LIVES.  As we talked to Mirta that night, I felt the Holy Spirit so strongly in my heart and I promised her that if she listens to our message and is willing to act on our invitations, that she WILL find the peace and happiness that she so earnestly seeks. 

A few minutes after promising her that, she grabbed my hand and told me that as I spoke, she felt peace for the first time in a LONG time. She said that she doesn't think it is a coincidence that we passed by her house and met her.  We shared with her Galatians 5:22(if you haven't read it, you should look it up!  It's super short but really good!) and helped her to recognize the source of the peace that she felt as being from the Holy Spirit.  As we left than night, she hugged us tightly and thanked us profusely.  Beloved Readers, I KNOW that at one time in our lives or another, we find ourselves in moments where we feel like there is no peace or happiness to be found.  But I am here to PROMISE you that that is NOT TRUE.  There is ALWAYS PEACE, JOY, LOVE, AND PURE HAPPINESS TO BE FOUND BECAUSE OF JESUS CHRIST.  

I invite you all to take just 4 minutes and 10 seconds to listen to this song and think about the message it contains. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R46J-GjbRWA   

"When there's no peace on Earth, there is Peace in Christ." 

I testify that this is true.  One of the most incredible parts of being a missionary is having the chance to see this peace and happiness enter the lives of the people of Argentina.  We've continued to see PURE happiness in the eyes of Nicol as we help her prepare to make a sacred covenant with God when she gets baptized.  It's SO real, beloved readers.

The rest of the week was filled with lots of *fútbol, ringing the bell of a woman who lives in a building and being LET IN by someone else, even though she didn't answer, and continuing to feel super illegal and spy-like as we tried to find her door to leave her a note, a BEAUTIFUL DAY OF RAIN, BUT THE SUN WAS ALSO SHINING THE WHOLE TIME, and a super creepy guy who gave us all Planes cards.  The missionary life, am I right?  

May your week be blessed and full of HOPE!!!  I love you all, and I hope you enjoy the title, which is something that one of the Assistants to the Mission President likes to say to people when they start off saying that they're Catholic.  Translation: "I'm Catholic." "Hi Catholic, I'm Elder Matos!"  Dad jokes are real, even in Argentina.  Until next week!!

--HERMANA MCNIVEN☀

*Un Montón de Personas: a ton of people

*Todo Bien: all is well

Hermana McNiven's Emails: Book 2, Chapter 14: We'll Edit it in Post

Once upon a time, in a land far far away, there was a group of 6 missionaries.  These 6 missionaries were just going about their normal p-day activities of writing to their friends and calling their families, when BOOM. 

In a single moment, our day took a very unexpected turn. Little did we know what the future held for the six of us.  DUN DUN DUNNNN!! 

You may be wondering what in the WORLD happened!  If so, then I've done my job. (Before I continue, how are you doing?  And by that I mean, how are you doing REALLY?  I deeply hope that you are having the MOST WONDERFUL JANUARY THUS FAR!!!!!! I'd love to hear what's new in your life!)  Anyhoo, back to business.   Our p-Day was entirely changed when  a storm made its way to the heart of Concordia.  Here's the thing about storms and our chapel:  Every time there is a storm(without fail), we lose all connections to the outside world as we lose electricity.  On normal days, with normal people, that's not the hugest deal, right?  Right.  But for missionaries anxiously awaiting their one opportunity in the week to talk to their families, that really put a dent in our plans. ;)  Pero *seguimos adelante, and we made the best of the situation.  Of course, when an Argentinian storm comes your way, there is an OBLIGATION to *DISFRUTAR.  And thus we did!  We spent several hours playing basketball and soccer in the rain, and it was SO SO MUCH FUN.  If you haven't played in the rain recently, JUST DO IT.  YOU WILL NOT REGRET IT.  I am entirely convinced that playing in the rain is one of the purest forms of FUN that exists.  Let your inner child take the W on this one, dear readers. 

After all of our rainy day shenanigans, our evening took yet another unexpected turn as we realized that we had locked ourselves out of the chapel.  (If you would like the real version of that story, please email jessica.mcniven@missionary.org with your request, and seguramente the complete story will be sent in the next 8 days.)  Long story short, we were able to overcome our situation using a huge palm tree branch, our sparkling intellect, Elder Johnson's long arms, and a handy-dandy rolly chair.  'Twas quite the extravaganza, lemme tell ya. 

The rest of our week was a bit more tranquila.  We spent the dawning of the new year with the WONDERFUL Elder and Hermana Frazier!  YA KNOW WHAT WAS A TENDER MERCY OF THE LORD?  AS WE ATE TACOS, WE LISTENED TO SOME BEAUTIFUL CLASSIC, JAZZY CHRISTMAS MUSIC AND IT WAS SO GOOD FOR MY SOUL.  I hope you all gave the jazziness of Christmas music the attention and respect it deserves.  *Cue "Ya Don't Know What You've Got Till It's Gone"*  After the eating of some delectable tacos, we engaged in the playing of Phase 10 and rang in 2020.  The most important of my New Year's goals was that I will make it through the year WITHOUT miswriting the year as 2019.  As of today, the 6th of January, I have not yet succumbed.

The most meaningful parts of my week were the studies I had of the Book of Mormon.  I just have to let you all know that the Book of Mormon TRULY answers the questions of the SOUL.   It has been such a strength for me, and I know that it can help you in all of your personal struggles!!  IT'S SUCH A BLESSING!!!  Turn to Christ when you can't find peace or consuelo anywhere else, and I promise you that you'll find it!! 

I LOVE YOU ALL!!

--HERMANA MCNIVEN☀

*Seguimos adelante= We press forward. 

*Disfrutar=to enjoy. 

Hermana McNiven's Emails: Book 2, Chapter 13: "You threaten my Manliness."

Have you ever had a really "A-ha!" moment?  In my life, I've had some moments that may seem small and insignificant at first glance, but hae truly had a grand impact on my direction in life.  For me, one of my most profound "A-ha!" moments came to pass as I conducted a choir for the first time and I realized that I wanted to be a choir director.  Another of my "A-ha!" moments took place when I realized why some things had to happen the way they did in my life.  In all of these moments, it blows my mind how well our Father in Heaven knows us and how well he orchestrates events and moments in our lives. At the beginning of this, the thirteenth chapter of the second book of my autobiographical series, I want YOU to know that your Father in Heaven is SO aware of you.  The orchestration has already begun.  Balls are already rolling and little chains of events have already started that are going to change your life.  I promise that even if you can't see it right now, he's there and he has your back.  His love never faileth.

This Christmas week, this has been ever present in my thoughts!  Our week was anything but normal!  We started our Christmas Eve by getting in the elevator of our building, riding it to the 14th floor, and then stopping on EVERY floor and giving Light the World cards to everyone in our building!  I would highly recommend it.  SO FUN, honestly.  The rest of our day was filled with preparations for our upcoming dinner and calling Hermana Loayza's family because Christmas Eve is the important day in Peru!  Before going to our dinner, I felt that we should make at least one visit to be able to do more for the work before dinner.  We had one *budin left and were trying to decide who to visit between two families, and I felt strongly that we needed to visit the family that lived further away.  It made a lot less logical sense to visit this family, but I've learned to follow spiritual promptings like that!  The following of that prompting led to one of the most HUMBLING experiences I've ever had.  We stopped by the house of this family, met them, and gave them the Budin along with our wishes of a very Merry Christmas.  Before we left, this Hermana looked down at the budin in her hands, close to tears, and said, "Thank you.  Now we'll have something to eat for Christmas."   All I can say is that I'm so glad we decided to visit her that evening.  

After a delicious Peruvian Christmas Eve dinner and fireworks at midnight, CHRISTMAS WAS UPON US!!!  We had to stay in the pension for the morning because the only people who are in the streets at that time are the drunks.  After hearing a car crash outside of our window and talking about life for a while, we all headed to the chapel for a Christmas lunch, gift exchange, and game playing as a zone!!  SO FUN!!  I love playing card games.  My family is a game family and my competitive side definitely made an appearance. ;) As we played Egyptian Rat Screw, I may or may not have creamed them all.  😎In my family, we slap the pile pretty quickly and pretty hard, which was definitely the case on Christmas.  Elder Johnson looked at me and said, "Hermana McNiven, I'm going to be honest, you threaten my manliness." That gave me a chuckle.  After a few hours of playing games and calling our families, we did my FAVORITE THING EVER.  We went to a hospital and sang Christmas carols for the sick patients and gave them candy and Light the World cards.  I absolutely love doing things like that to bring the love of Christ to others.  

The rest of the week was super abnormal because we spent it in Santa Fe and Rosario!!  I had to stay legal, so I traveled all day, signed a paper, and then traveled another day back to Concordia.  The small part of the week that we spent in Concordia was FILLED WITH MIRACLES!!  We happened to take a different route last night to get to the house of some members, at an abnormal hour, and we happened to pass a man who came up to us on the street and told us that he had met with missionaries before, but then he had to travel to Israel!  In a matter of about 2 minutes, he had told us his address and invited us to visit him and told us that he wanted to learn more about the church!!  Crazy, right??  Especially as we've been having a lot of difficulty with finding people who are interested in learning about our message, Fernando came from out of nowhere!!!   If I've learned anything as a missionary, I've learned that we always need to be obedient and TRUST IN THE LORD TO WORK HIS MIRACLES.  That moment could not have happened if lots of little things had not lined up for our paths to cross!  I promise that if you're looking for the hand of the Lord in your life, you WILL find it. 

Guys, lemme tell ya.  You are so beloved and your Heavenly Father has SO much in store for you!!!  As the New Year approaches us this week, change tends to be on our minds more than usual.  I encourage you to really dedicate some time to thinking about the little things you can do every day to become a true disciple of Jesus Christ.  Find little ways to serve other people: friends, family, strangers, anyone!!  They're all God's children too!!  As you do so, you will feel the true happiness that comes from serving others.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!  I wish you all a wonderful night of card games, snacks, and Harry Potter marathons!!  All my love, 

--HERMANA MCNIVEN☀

*budin: a bread-looking cake that is a common Argentinian delicacy at Christmas time.