One More Time... (Email) 12.14.2009

Hola! How are you all doing? I hope that you are all doing very well. I´m doing well as well. I have actually been in the mission home all day, but before talking about today, I think I will explain the week.

We had a great last week! We did some more divisions this week to make sure Hna. Johnson met all the progressing investigators that we had found. She met about all of them I believe, and I know they are in great hands with Hna. Johnson. And.... guess who is coming here! Hna. Hedquist! I think she´s following me... jaja

Wednesday we had a good field trip in Allen. I worked with Hna. Legrow, who actually got to Allen when I left, and Hna. Schafer worked with the other sister. It went well. I was able to see the Peñalver family (Santiago Peñalver got baptized when I was there), Irene (oh how I still love her!) And a couple of other members as well. It went well. It was definitely dejavu (sp?) but enjoyable. A little weird. I´m worried about the Peñalver family. They´re really struggling. :o(

I don´t really know why we went there. Something new I guess. Maybe it was for me to help compensate for the fact that I didn´t have a last zone conference. jaja

We were able to teach Santa and Miguel again this last week. The last time we talked to Miguel he was kind of distant, but it was really different this last week. We didn´t share much, but we read a little from the Book of Mormon in 2 Ne. 5:27. They were happy because they lived the Gospel. Anyway, they both expressed how grateful they are that we are passing by to teach them, and they love it when missionaries from our church come by because they always feel such a peace in their house. Pretty amazing huh? I´m convinced that they´re going to get baptized.

Sunday morning we stopped by Gabriela´s house to go to church with her. She´s an investigator that Hna. Schafer taught when she was in the Limay ward before. Anyway, she initially said that she couldn´t go because her husband doesn´t want her to, but we convinced her into going for at least a little bit. This week was actually Stake Conference and it started at ten. But at nine they had a special meeting for investigators and recent converts. Anyway, she loved it. She stayed for like an hour, and I know she felt the Spirit.

Did I tell you all about Jorge and Conce? We found them last week as well. Jorge has some pretty serious health problems - depression. Anyway, he went to church on Sunday! It was a little miracle. He seems to have really enjoyed it, and ward members actually gave him a health blessing afterwards. Yay!

And now my favorite story for the week... yesterday Hna. Schafer and I had been knocking doors, and we weren´t having a lot of success. So after one door and told her that I just wanted to enter a house! So we suggested we pray, and ask for guidance. In this prayer she asked Heavenly Father to guide us to a family who needs the Gospel, and we promised to teach well, and to invite them to be baptized.

We decided afterwards to walk down a street, and we saw a man walking towards us. So we talked to him. His name is Daniel, and he explained that he was headed to work, but he believes strongly in God, and told us where he lives. Well, more or less. He told us the streets close by and described his house, since his house doesn´t have a number.He also told us his wife´s name, and we decided we would pass by later.

The minute he walked off, I looked at Hna. Schafer and told her, this is the family! So even though we had another appt. pretty soon, we decided to go and find this house. We found it immediately. We introduced ourselves to Cecilia, and that her husband had sent us to her house, and she immediately let us in.

We told her how we arrived to her house, and that Heavenly Father had sent us there. He knows that she needs this message. She listened, and then told us she wanted to tell us something. She just found out this last week that a loved one has cancer, and she has really been struggling. She hasn´t been able to sleep at night because she is so worried. She has really been praying for help. We assured her that this is exactly what she needs, taught her a little bit about the plan of Salvation, and Hna. Johnson and Hna. Hedquist are going to pass by this week.

So anyway, that was a huge miracle for me. I know that Heavenly Father has been preparing this family. And I´m so grateful that Hna. Schafer and I were working last night at /:00. That we endured to the end! I think it was a trial of our faith at the beginning of the day, but then a great blessing afterwards. The Spirit is amazing, and I know that Heavenly Father is involved in every detail in our lives.

So we got to the mission office this morning at 8:30. I had the first interview with Pres. Peterson. It was a great interview. I´m very grateful that he is my mission President. He is a very amazing person. I want to write down in my journal the advice that he gave me.

So today we have basically just been relaxing and hanging out. Pretty nice if I do say so myself. :D We´ll have dinner and some meetings tonight, and then I believe we´ll be getting up bright and early to fly out of Neuquen in the morning. We are going to be in Buenos Aires for like 12 hours tomorrow. Pretty crazy huh?

I love being a missionary! I know without doubt that this is the true church of Jesus Christ. I know that He lives. I know that He loves me, and that He has plans for me. I know that we can have eternal families. We are so blessed to have the Gospel in our lives. Thank you for your continued love and support. It has made a world of difference in the mission.

So, I will see you all on Wednesday at 6:00! Please, travel safe! I will too. :o)

I love you, and the church is true!

Love Always,
Hermana Jana Pincock

Christmas is Coming! 12.05.2009 (Email)

Hola! ¿Cómo están? So fun to read that you´re all getting Christmas ready at home. So fun. I love Christmas. To tell the truth, I´m actually very excited to have a good old, U.S. (LDS) Christmas. I´m definitely getting forward to the music as well. I love the music! :D

I actually don´t know if I´ll be able to write next week or not. I´m guessing that I´ll be able to, but I´m not sure. But, I´ll for sure be talking to you all on Wednesday next week. :o) I´ll be there with bells on my toes as well. :D

Aaron, I´m going to try to get my hands on some good Argentine recipes. The food is delicious!

Well, the work here is going well. We had another really good week. We´re working really hard and it feels great. I broke my personal record for the number of contacts during this last week. Yay!

We did some divisions this last week as well so Hna. Johnson can get to know some of the investigators. It went really well. It´s fun to work with different missionaries. Everyone has their own style. I remember when I first got to the mission, and my style always changed with my companion. When I was with Hna. Celis, I taught like Hna. Celis. And when I was with Hna. Riquelme, I taught like Hna. Riquelme. Now I finally feel like I have my own style. The way I teach changes, but I like it. I love teaching. It´s one thing I´m really going to miss... to go from teaching several lessons every day, to teaching... I don´t know when or where... but it´s okay. Can I teach FHE every once in a while? I´ll try to prepare good lessons. :D

We were able to find new investigators this week as well. It´s really a miracle to find all the people who are willing to listen. I have decided again recently, that there is a great need for sister missionaries in the world. I really think that sister missionaries can get in some houses that Elders can´t enter in so easily. Both sisters and Elders I think are very important.

I´m really impressed with Hna. Schafer, Hna. Johnson, and Hna. Passas. They are super hard workers, and really good things are passing here. It´s exciting to see.

Marianela continues to progress. We taught her the plan of salvation the other day and she really liked it.

We did have a mini FHE with Verónica and her family the other day. Making ¨waffles¨ ( that are really pancakes) took longer than we thought. However, we were able to share with the whole family. Verónica and her 3 kids, and her sister, Lorena. And then we also met her brother and sister-in-law. Successful I think. We need to set another appt. now.

Oh, we had another lesson with Santa, the investigator from the DR. We had set the appt. but got there with a member, to find that they were celebrating her daughter´s birthday! However, we were still able to share a little bit with them. So we met her husband and friend, and talked about the importance of families, and that the Gospel strengthens families. I was impressed that Santa was totally willing to let us ¨crash¨ the birthday party, and still talk to all of them. She´s great. I feel like she has a great need to go to church.

We also found a man named Juan this week. As we went to the first appt. he had a ton of questions for us. He wanted to know how our church got started. What a great question, since we almost always start out by explaining the Restoration! Anyway, it was a really neat lesson. He has a lot of knowledge about history, and so we understand a lot. Usually, we spend a good amount of time explaining prophets, what an apostasy is, the fact that Jesus Christ organized a church, with apostles and the Priesthood, and the fact that we actually need a church, and to belong to a church through baptism. Anyway, he already understood the basics, so it was really fun to teach. He went to church yesterday, so that´s great. I hope he progresses.

Oh, Hna. Schafer and I are going on a field trip to Allen this week! We´re just going to be there on Wednesday I believe, but it should be fun. We don´t know a lot of details. The assistants just called and let us know that we´re going. Road trip! jaja

I have started writing down things that I have learned on the mission. I have had a lot of learning to do. How grateful I am that we have this life to learn and progress. I have often thought that the mission is like a mini ¨life on earth¨. I´ll tell you about more of my conclusions later on, but it really makes me think.

I love the mission. I love that I get to teach people about Jesus Christ, our Heavenly Father, The Plan of Salvation, and the the Gospel of Jesus Christ every day. I have no doubt that I was supposed to come here on the mission. Even though I had a hard time deciding whether or not to come, I am so grateful I came. I definitely don´t regret coming (Shari, you were right!)

I really don´t know where to start or end as I think about the mission. I hope that I´m a better person than I was when I left, and that I have been able to help others come unto Christ. I love the missionary´s objective: ¨Invitar a las personas a venir a Cristo a fin de que reciban el evangelio restaurado, mediante la fe en Jesucristo y Su Expiación, el arrepentimiento, el bautismo, el don del Espíritu Santo, y el perserverar hasta el fin¨.

In English more or less: Invite others to come unto Christ through faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, repentance, baptism, the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end¨.

I know that this is the true church of Jesus Christ. I know that Jesus Christ lives, and that as we follow His example, we become more like Him. We become better instruments in Heavenly Father´s hands. I love temples. Mom, I´m excited for your talk this next week. I feel like the temple helped me so much. I became much closer to my Heavenly Father through baptisms for the dead. And Jesus Christ. We are doing something for others that they can´t do for themselves. It´s like Jesus Christ. He suffered for us, because we couldn´t do it on our own. I am convinced that when every young adult, or member, is determined to be temple worthy, every day, their lives change. Our priorities change. Temple worship makes all the difference.

I love you all so much. I´m excited to see you all. Take care of yourselves. If I can´t write next week, remember to travel safe to Idaho. See you there! I love you!

Con Amor,
Hermana Jana Banana Pincock

Hola! and Happy Thanksgiving! 11.30.2009 (Email)

Hello everyone! How are you all doing? It was good to hear from home as always. :D But Aaron, I must say, it was SO GOOD to hear from you!

Well, the week went by really fast this week. We were very blessed this week in finding new investigators. I think it was a little miracle really. We are actually in a section of the area where the sisters haven´t worked in some time because it´s farther away from the apt. However, I think there are a lot of people prepared there. Yay!

First thing interesting, we have an investigator from the Dominican Republic! Her name is Santa. Who would have thought right? We found her house earlier in the week, and taught her the message of the Restoration yesterday. Very enjoyable. She has been here in Argentina for like 9 years, but I was very excited to tell her that my sister lived in her country! A great lady, and she´s even married. :D

We also found an investigator named Marianela. We actually found her the week before, but we were able to teach her brother and mom this week as well. Marianela has two kids, 12 and 14 years old. Anyway, it went super well. Marianela´s dad passed away a long time ago, and they all seem to have some questions about that. It actually makes me sad, because the mom really believes that she´ll never see her husband again. And if she does see him again, she doesn´t believe that it´s possible that he´ll be her husband, or her kids father. Sad huh? But we´re teaching her.

We also found a lady named Veronica. She has three kids. Like 5 years ago she was baptized, but none of her kids were. We have an FHE planned with them tomorrow. We´re going to make them pancakes/waffles and watch a church movie with them. We´re excited about that.

Lots of blessings this week. We´re really receiving lots of blessings for doing lots of contacts every week. Yay!

Lets see, some funny things... Hna. Johnson and Hna. Schafer are constantly paranoid that they have lice. They don´t, but they always want that they check them for lice. So far so good. :D

Hna. Johnson, Hna. Schafer and I generally by things with a little less fat: low fat milk, light cheese, etc... and Hna. Passas is completely amazed. She thinks we´re crazy. She wants everything with all the fat possible. haha.

I´m eating my fair share of ¨alfajores¨. They´re like ding dongs, but different. I figure I have to take advantage of them while they are available.

We north americans are realizing that we like things that we didn´t eat much of before. For example, jam on crackers. They´re basically salt crackers. Or this cheese, that is like sour cream, on crackers.

The houses here are really different. Maybe it´s because we´re more in the central part. I don´t know. But I think they´re nicer than in Bariloche. And they about ALL have fences, with locks. Well, lots in Bariloche as well. Okay, maybe in all of Argentina. I should take more pictures so you can see more of what Argentina is like. And I don´t want to forget.

Okay, back to the ward. The ward here is really great. There are lots of return missionaries, and it actually makes a big difference in the ward. Elders and sisters. The Bishop here is really young as well. He and his wife served the mission in Chile. They got back like 5 years ago. They have two young kids. She´s actually from Uruguay. Anyway, we had lunch with them the other day it was really fun. A really good, young couple... with a lot of responsibility.

Dad, I think it would be neat to have you release me. Sounds good. :D

Today we are going to go bowling again. We´re going to meet up with other sisters here in the area, and I believe I´ll actually see Hna. Schwab, so that should be fun. Kind of ironic that we are all here in Neuquen.

I am almost finishing ¨Jesus the Christ¨. I love that book so much. I learn SO much when I´m reading it.

Well, I think I´m going to head out now. Thanks for everything. I know that this is the true church of Jesus Christ. I´m so grateful for the simple truths that we take advantage of: we lived with Heavenly Father before we were born, Jesus Christ really is the Savior of the world, this life is a test, Jesus Christ is the Creator of the world, and the heavens are open. We have a prophet today, Thomas S. Monson, who continues receiving guidance, to guide the true church of Jesus Christ. How important it is to share our knowledge with our brothers and sisters in the world. I love you!

Love Always,
Hermana Jana Banana Pincock

I forgot! On Thursday we got together with Elder and Hna. Graves (the mission couple) as well as two elders, and two members, and had thanksgiving. Can I just say that it was SO DELICIOUS! Real North American, Thanksgiving food. I didn´t realize how much I missed it until I ate it again. Very fun. And I´m happy that Hna. Passas could experience a real ¨Thanksgiving¨. So so fun. Oh how I love our traditions! And very fun to reflect on what I´m grateful for.

I love you!

Con Mucho Amor,
Hermana Jana Banana Pincock

It's Warm in Neuquen! 11.23.2009 (Email)

Hola mi familia! How are you all doing? Well, first things first... Dad, Happy Birthday! I have been thinking about you today, and I hope you have a fantastic day. Birthdays are good, aren´t they? Funny thing, there´s an hermano in Bariloche who was actually born the exact same day as you. The same year and everything. We jokingly said that maybe you´re twins. :D

Mom and Dad, thanks for the letter and pictures. So fun!

Well, transfer news! I spent Tuesday and Wednesday trying to get one last appt. in with investigators and members. It was good, but sad as well. Man how I loved my time in Bariloche. There are a lot of amazing people there. It was good to reflect on all the good things that happened there. Very enjoyable - stressful at times as well - but very good.

Wednesday night Hna. Makelani and I left together to Neuquen. She had to go to Neuquen as well to get her new companion. So I found out a while back that there are actually two sisters already serving in the Limay ward here in Neuquen, it´s just that there are four of us now! So when Hna. Makelani got here to Neuquen Thursday at 5:00 (yes, 5 :D) we went straight to the sister´s apt. A few hours later Hna. Schafer got here as well.

So, there are four of us living in our apt! Hna.Schafer and I, as well as Hna. Johnson from California, and Hna. Passas, who is from Santa fe, Argentina. They´re all really great. Hna. Johnson is actually a speech pathologist. She already got her degree and everything. Anyway, that´s just a side note. So it´s basically a party at night in the morning when we´re all together. ;o)

We weren´t really sure how to do it... split the area up or what. Because we have never shared an area before! But we decided to split it up, and then we´ll basically have divisions once a week or so, so they can get to know our investigators that we´re finding in our area. I think Hna. Johnson will be the only one that will stay here after this transfer, because Hna. Passas will be finishing six months here. Anyway, we´ll see how it goes. Hna. Schafer and I are basically working from scratch. There´s one investigator in our ¨area¨ but it´s going well.

Oh, Hna. Schafer was here before, so she remembers pretty well the streets. So it´s working out just fine.

It has been good to be with Hna. Schafer again. It´s fun to see the progress we have made since the MTC - especially with the language and teaching. I´m grateful for all the improvement we have both made. It´s true - progress is often sure but slow. But it happens.

Here´s a tender mercy... we ran into Hna. Makelani and her new companion on Thursday here in Neuquén. She was born in Mexico, but has been living in Las Vegas for like 14 years. But she speaks perfect spanish! So I feel good about the transfer - a little more at peace about leaving Bariloche.

Oh, and it´s warm here! I´m about in shock to tell you the truth. The first day I got here from Bariloche I thought, no, it can´t be! I´m walking around with a short sleeve shirt! It has been a while. It´s really beautiful here in Neuquén. No mountains, but very pretty. I had forgotten. :D

Happy Thanksgiving on Thursday! We are actually going to get together with the missionary couple and have a Thanksgiving lunch on Thursday since they´re here in the office in Neuquén. It should be fun.

So, I wrote last week asking about flight plans, because I really didn´t know how it all works. Then on Tuesday I was talking with an Elder who used to be serving in the office, and he said that they write to the families, telling you not to tell us about the flight plans. Oops! So I feel a little guilty now, but what can you do. I didn´t know!

So here´s a good story for you all... when I heard about transfers, and that I would be leaving Bariloche with just part of a transfer left, I wondered a little bit about how it would be. I had thought I would finish in Bariloche, so was a little sad. But thought it must be for the best. When I thought about this change, I realized that I might not have a final zone conference because of the mid-transfer change. So when I got here to Neuquén it came up with the other Hna´s, and sure enough, they already had their zone conference here. Neuquén is always like the first place, and then they move south.

So to tell the truth, I felt kind of bad that I wouldn´t have a final zone conference, but decided to not think about it. Then Saturday morning Pres. Peterson called, and he talked to Hna. Johnson and Hna. Passas, and then I talked to him. He asked me how I was doing, how I was doing with the transfer at this point, and to apologize, because he realized that I was the only missionary who wouldn´t have a final zone conference. He feels really bad about it. But I assured him that it´s just fine. I´m just fine. I had lots of other ones! But he assured me that this is where Heavenly Father wants me to be. So anyway, I really appreciated his phone call. I appreciate that he cared enough to call, and see how I was doing. I´m grateful for the Spirit who prompts people, to know how to help others. The church is true!

So last night we were able to go to a fireside that was by Elder Bednar and his wife, and Steven Snow and his wife. It was for all the members in Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay. It was very interesting. Really good. They did a question - answer session, for two hours! Elder Bednar got up first, explained what would happen, and they even put a phone number up on the screen so people from all over Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay could participate. It was pretty amazing. He talked a lot about the Atonement of Jesus Christ. I am so grateful for the Atonment of Jesus Christ. He emphasized a lot the strengthening - uplifting power of the Atonement. I think I almost always think of the Atonement as a way to be cleansed from sin, but forget that there is a great strengthening power available through the Atonement as well.

He said that as members of the church we often say that it´s hard to live the Gospel. He said that it´s hard to live the Gospel if we try to do it alone. But we don´t have to do it alone! Jesus Christ is here to help us, and lift us through our trials.

Well, I had better be going. Thanks for everything. I love you all very much!

Love Always,
Hermana Jana Banana Pincock

P.S. I hope you´re all practicing your spanish! :D

Hola! 11.16.2009 (Email)

My Family,

Hello! How are you all doing? I hope that you are all doing really well. Sorry I am sending the emails to different addresses, and not to Aaron. The computer is having small issues, and I am having to copy your addresses and paste them in from your last emails you sent me. So anyway... sorry about that.

Well, we have had a good week! We have worked hard, and it feels really good. My favorite part of the week is... we did a lot of contacts! I always struggle doing lots of contacts. But, we decided that we were going to do it. The mission goal is 154 per week, and we did 156! Yay! So that was exciting.

We also had some good lessons with members this week. There is a member named Melisa Ganga in our ward. She is 21. Anyway, she is serving in YW, and we asked her to help us out with a few girls we are teaching - investigators or less-active members. So we went and invited Karen Ñancufil and her family. Their less-active. We invited her and her friend, Daiana. They seemed excited, and they went to the YW activity on Saturday! And something else interesting... we had knocked Daianas door the other day, and we talked with her Dad. He really didnt have much interest in listening, but was nice enough. Anyway, he drove Daiana and Karen to the activity Saturday, and we were able to give him a little tour of the church. It went well, and I think he has a little better idea of the church now. :D Hopefully Daiana will be able to keep participating.

Yesterday Mariahelem, Eduardo, Angelica and her daughter Pamela, and Pablo went to church. Pretty good, but we should have a lot more there. Slowly but surely.

Pablo needs a wedding date!!! Im pretty ready for him to get baptized. Hes so ready! The mission definitely teaches patience. ;)

Mariahelem and Eduardo are thinking that maybe they want to get married, so thats good. A good step.

We went with Melisa Ganga to invite two of Angelicas daughters as well. Antonela is 15, and Yamila is 13. I think if we can get their daughters involved the family will progress faster. It should be good.

Were working on deciding who is progressing and who really has serious intentions, and spending time with them. Those who arent progressing... we have to let go. Its so hard for me to stop visiting people because I have so much hope that it will click for them. But my job is to find and teach those who are prepared. Maybe their time is in the future.

Oh, we had a great lesson with Carlos and Ashelen the other day. Carlos always says that he's looking for the true church of Jesus Christ. We talked to them again about the church of Jesus Christ - that He orgainzed in His earthly life. We talked about authority, etc... We got him thinking. He agreed that we need a prophet today, but he doesnt know who it is. We explained the importance of the Book of Mormon, and that its the only way that he can know if this is the true church of Jesus Christ, and to know if Joseph Smith was a true prophet. He admitted that in the past when he saw the Book of Mormon, he had already decided that its bad. But he promised us that he will read it with an open heart, really wanting to know if its true. :D Im so excited for him. Thats a huge step for him. We saw him later that night as he was walking to work and he had his Book of Mormon with him that he would read during the night at work. :o)

I'm excited about Ashelen as well. She is reading more in the Book of Mormon. We asked them at the beginning of the lesson if we need prophets, who can give us more of Gods word. Carlos said no. Ashelen said yes. She said that Nephi had written the plates, and that if he was a prophet, who wrote more, that the same thing can happen today. We testified that we have a living prophet today. Ashelen believes. I'm so excited for her.

Hna. Makelani received a letter today that she has a meeting the 19th in the mission home - the meeting with the trainers and new missionaries. So it seems to me that I'm headed to Neuquen. I'm sure we will hear for sure, and with more details, but I think my time in Bariloche is coming to an end. :o( But its okay! I have loved my time here, and I have seen lots of miracles. I know that things happen the way they do for a reason.

I have been thoroughly enjoying food with flour. Although I was eating flour before, not so much because Hna. Porter couldnt eat it. Yummy Argentine foods with flour. Oh, speaking of flour. Here they have a thing called facturas. They are like little rolls that have dulce de leche inside, or chocholate on top... like dessert rolls. Anyway, they are absolutely delicious, and everytime we walk by a bakery, you can smell facturas. Thats something I will miss. :D

Have you received a letter giving details about when Im flying home? Just wondering, because Hna. Makelani said that Hna. Schafers family got flight details. As for me, I have no idea. I know I leave the mission the 15th. Thats about it. I realized the other day that I won't be going to the Buenos Aires temple, because its closed. It's tradition that the missionaries go to the temple before flying home. But... the temple is closed for like a year and a half for repairs/changes. So anyway, thats a bummer. But its okay, there are temples in Idaho and Utah as well. I hope that a temple trip is in the plans for one of the first days that Im home. :D Oh how I miss going to the temple!

Well, I think thats it. I love being a missionary. I feel so blessed. I'm constantly learning and I always try to improve. I know that the church is true. I know that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ live and that Jesus Christ is guiding His church. I know that Thomas S. Monson is His prophet today. Be careful, take care of yourselves, and I will write again next week. I love you!

Love Always,
Hermana Jana Banana Pincock

Pictures! 11.09.2009

My Family-

1- Hna. Makelani and I the other day.

2 - Lucía, Me, Hna. Porter, and Melisa (two members here, but Lucía actually just moved to Zapala - where Hna. Porter went!)

3 - me dressed up in an Argentine Folklore dress. Good times. :D

4 - part of our zone when we went to the waterfalls.

Love you!

Hermana Pincock