Going Back to San Rafael!

Como andan?

Dang I still can't believe Rustin's graudating from High School! I can't say I'm super sad that I'm missing the endless ceremony naming off 20593 kids, but I hope it's awesome! Way to graduate seminary too! That's hilarious that Bill surprised you guys in the pool, that must have been exciting to say the least. Speaking of exciting, I can't wait to see what you guys are going to do with the house! I hope it's not too stressful and that everything goes smoothly. That's awesome that both your talks turned out well, it's definitely stressful to think about what will help people out the most and what experiences to share, but it sounds like yours were great! 

So this week's been pretty eventful! I know you're anxious to hear about Johni.. he cancelled. Twice. We had members there with us and everything. It's ok though, he cancelled because his mom got sick again and he had to stay and take care of her a bit longer. So yeah. It's fine though he'll probably be back in G. Cruz in a few weeks or so.

Last week the Elders gave us a referral and we were able to contact it on Saturday. It was a fam who's house recently burnt down and they are still trying to recover. There were 8 people in the lesson- the grandma, two daughters, the boyfriend, and 4 kids. They told us about the struggles they were having because they have no money and no one has helped them at all. The kids are getting sick because of the cold and they don't have windows so people have been trying to break in with guns and take the little that they have left from the fire. It was pretty sad, but they all listened to us and we were able to comfort them a little and let them know that the message we share will help them get through their trial. Next week we'll go again so I hope they'll be able to progress!

In other news I got a surprise the other day when an Elder told me I had a package, and when I looked at who it was from it said Harrison Budge haha! It was something he put together for a school project, I'm sure he told you a long time ago, and other families in the ward collaborated. I got nutella <3, lifesavers (the green ones), trail mix, popcorn, and drawings from primary kids. It was awesome and even though it was supposed to be for Christmas, it came at a good moment! Thanks to everyone who put it together!

You're not gonna believe when I tell you that we had another piojo aka LICE scare this week. The victim will remain unnamed, but basically we had to go through the whole process of shampooing, washing all bedding, and lice-hunting over again. It sucked!

We also had zone conference this week! It was amazing, and it was our last with Avila! They go home to Buenos Aires on July 1st I think and then our new Pres will be Pres. Goats from Sierra Vista AZ! I'm going to miss the Avilas so much though, they're the best!

The most exciting part of the week was seeing none other than Hna Hatch on her last days in Argentina!! We were walking in our area last night when I hear a girl in a truck yell my name- it was my homegirl Hatchy! Haha we were able to eat a small dinner with her at Ashby's house, and then she slept at our pench. She's more hilarious than ever, she's so excited to go home! She's insane! It was a blast to see her and to hang out with her and catch up. Hopefully you guys can meet before I get back! She's new to Gilbert and doesn't know where all the good restaurants and stuff are at. If you could go to her homecoming talk and video it for me that would be awesome haha! Her Spanglish is rough..

Last bit of news- we got transfer calls last night! I had been feeling like I would stay another 4 weeks (this next transfer is only 4 weeks and the last one will be 8), but it looks like that won't be the case...........................

I'm going back to San Rafael, but to Barrio 1 this time, and I'll be with Hna 

Anderson who's DYING this transfer aka she goes home mid June. I finally get to kill someone! I'm excited because back when I was there and Medrano was my leader, I did a bunch of exchanges in that ward and I already know a lot of the families there! I'll die there too for sure!

I was calculating last night and I figured out that I'll have a total of 14 comps in 18 months. I wasn't with any comp for a full 2 transfers (10 weeks was the longest). I had 3 gringas, 8 latinas, and then probs 3 gringas. I'll have 6 areas total. I've never been or will be in an area for a full 3 transfers- I was 2 weeks short of 3 in La Punta. So yeah, just thought I'd give you an overview of how cray my mission has been...

This week will be full of packing, saying goodbye, and getting used to a new comp, ward, and area! It'll be the last time I'll have to do all of this though!! It's going to be awesome! Wish me luck, and good luck with the house stuff and with graduation/finals! Love you!

<3,

Hna Crawford

Pic from the zone meeting (not the conference) where Schiess and I had to give part of the presentation along with the ZLs!

lesson with Hna Ashby and Miriam & her fam

surprise: we get to hang out with Hna Hatch on her last few days in Argentina!!

sleepover last night!

ast zone conference with Pres & Hna Avila :/

<3 Miriam (the recent convert)'s puppy

zone conference pic

Dia de la madre (Mother's Day)!

We had a wonderful Skype conversation with Tess yesterday! 

It was so much better than Christmas because we had a good connection and she wasn't hot and tired and frustrated. She seemed like she had bounced back from her terrible week last week. When I asked her if she was all better from being sick, she had forgotten that she had even been sick! That was a good sign. Apparently the men in Argentina wear their hair long in back and even a rat tail that goes down the back and many have piercings in their upper lips. Many of them think she is from Beunos Aires because her first several companions were from there and so that's the accent that she has developed. 

She knew we would want to hear her speak spanish so she actually prepared something for us! She had translated a funny youtube video "Ain't nobody got time fo dat" and did it for us first in English, then in Spanish! It was awesome and cracked us up! Tess is quite the performer. :)

Her and her companion have fun whistling hymns while they walk and even whistle in harmony. Tess is the only one in the whole branch who sings harmony during the sacrament hymns. Everyone looks at her funny. They have no choir and no one knows how to harmonize. They play frisbee and basketball at the church sometimes on p-day. Her charity shoes are holding up pretty well, but the color is rubbing off the front already. She is going to have a hard time sitting still when she gets home since she is so used to walking everywhere all day every day. 

She asked the kids to make lists of movies, videos, songs that she's missed. She also wants to know what's in style to wear when she gets home. 

They have a new investigator (which is a MIRACLE!). His name is Johni and he texted them the other day and said he wants to learn more about the church!! He was on a trip visiting his mom, so he went to church where he was yesterday, but set up an appointment to meet with them today! She is really excited and we have been praying for Johni. They also found this older lady the other day and she wanted them to guess how old she was and Tess figured she was about 90 so she guessed young and said 82. The lady made a face and said she was only 79. Tess was glad she guessed low!! She was going to have a tour of the church but she cancelled. 

She told us a couple funny stories, 

When they were at general conference they were watching it in English with the other Gringas and this young guy comes and looks through the windows and tries to get their attention and asks to talk to them. They invite him in and he was really nervous and excited and tells them that his girlfriend isn't a member but she had been watching conference with him and she loved everything she heard and wants to get baptized. But they aren't from here but he wanted them to have a lesson on the restoration and Joseph Smith and get her a Book of Mormon before they head back to where the girlfriend lives.  Tess and her companion couldn't teach her that night because they had another appointment but the other sister missionaries did, then a few weeks ago Tess ran into her old companion, Hermana Saenz, and she told Tess that she had a baptism of a girl who had seen conference with her boyfriend and was so excited and wanted to get baptized and they were going to get married and then sealed in the temple. And Tess told her, she was there when the boyfriend hunted down the missionaries during conference! Such a happy ending!! :)

Then she told us about a time when 3 of the white hermanas and 1 from Peru were heading to an activity in another town and had to take a bus there. Tess and her companion were on the bus already (they had split up for lunch) and they saw the other sisters get on the front of the bus and talk to the driver, but the driver told them this bus didn't go where they were wanted to go, but Tess was way in the back and knew it was the right bus, so she stands up and starts yelling at them in English "sisters, get back on the bus!! What are you doing? Get back on the bus!!" The sister from Peru saw her finally and heard her but had no idea what Tess was saying because she was yelling in English. Tess couldn't figure out why she was just giving Tess the blank stare and not getting on the bus! Everyone was staring at the crazy American standing up and yelling in English. Then the other sister, Hermana Sanford, finally noticed Tess yelling and they got on the bus, but they went in the back doors and forgot to pay and sat down and Tess yelled at them to go up and pay, then they were on their way! 

Tess says that the food is still boring and that for desert they only have a banana or an orange. No one bakes or makes cookies. She can't wait to eat out at all her favorite restaurants and make real food again but plans on working hard and having a great last 3 months! 

The Crawfords, Koskis, Wilsons and Halls all chatting with Tess. 

Family "togetherness"

Claire and Lucy up close and personal with Hermana Crawford while Chloe snaps a few pictures.

Our favorite missionary!

Tess's letter from today....

Hey everyone, tanto tiempo eh?

It was awesome to get to see/talk to everyone yesterday! It was a lot better than the Christmas call haha. Everyone looked great and happy. I hope everyone had a great Día de la Madre. I'm glad you liked the stories and are working on those lists for me! The sweet brown impression wasn't the best I've done at all- my voice squeaked a lot because I was nervous but I guess it could've been worse. I really am better though, thanks for the support and everything you guys are the best. I think most missionaries have been having it rough recently- we only had 28 baptisms last month and there's like 200 missionaries. It's all good though, what Pte. Holland said in his talk is 100% true. 

So I don't really have a ton to write about. We did have an activity on Saturdaythat was pretty cool. We pulled our little cart around San Martin park and talked about self sufficiency. It really was hilarious to see them in their pioneer clothes and with their mate. It was a fun day and we got to know our members more! Today should be a good one too, I'll let you know how things go with Johni. I think we're just going to chill and drink mate or something. 

Can't wait to see you all for real in 92 days! Get ready to party!

Love,

Hna Crawford

our Stake Pioneer activity this Saturday- this is our ward's handcart that our bishop built

las hermanas from our ward!

I'm gonna miss my new favorite soda H2Oh!

I seriously think I should get an award for this picture of an Argentine Pioneer. Classic.
I'm sure the pioneers drank mate, right?

more from the activity: our ward in front of the "temple"

Locro, our lunch. It was like a stew of white beans, corn, chorrizo, and pig skin I think..?

All of the hnas gathered around listening to our Bishop speak about self-sufficiency

Mother's Day!!

best meal of my LIFE

she made butternut squash pie because pumpkins don't exist here.. it turned out pretty well actually

touched an iphone (Hna Ashby's) for the first time in 15 months

I looked out the window and what did I see..

The Worst Week!

what up. 

It's good to hear that everyone's doing well and that you're anxious to have missionary experiences- I am too. Haha and I'm glad you had a great birthday and that you're excited about the changes that you're going to do in the house. I think it's going to be the weirdest thing ever walking through our front door after 18 months.. don't change it too much or I'll probably freak out or something. 

I loved hearing about Brooke's dessert food truck, she's a genius! Her cookies are probs 109583 times better than the nasty ones we try to make here. I really don't know why we keep trying.. 

It's sad to hear that the lax season is over though, that's gotta be hard. That picture of the girls holding up Kira is awesome though! Tell Kira and Hailey I said hi if you get the chance to see them again.

So my week... was probably the hardest I've had since I've been here, if not the hardest of my life for personal reasons that I won't get into, but I think you all know me well enough to know that I wouldn't say something like this if it weren't true. I'm really trying not to depress anyone or anything but I'm just being honest. Part of why it was hard was because we had our leadership meeting which was great but definitely opened my eyes even more to the seriousness of the responsibilities that we all have and the expectations that we have to live up to. Then I got sick. I calculated that I slept a total of 13 hours extra on top of the 8 we get each night from monday to thursday, which for a missionary is a lot of extra sleep. My throat hurt and I was so exhausted that I couldn't think, so I either had to sleep or try to teach, and teaching wasn't going to go well. Anyways we don't actually have investigators right now besides Teresa who we finally found again, so I guess it's all good. We were walking the other night and we randomly ran into Alejandro (the one who wanted good values for his baby daughter) who informed us that his wife doesn't want anything to do with us and so we can't teach him again. A little while later we were walking and suddenly "another one bites the dust" started playing.. it was funny it a depressing way. Yeah so that was my week. The next one will be better though because I'll get to talk to you guys. I've already got some questions and stories ready that I'll ask and tell you guys. Haha these skype calls always seem to happen during the hardest moments that I have on my mission, so sorry if I'm a little boring, awkward, or frustrated this time too!

Thanks for your support and for all that you do for me. You're the best. Seriously, don't worry about me, I'll be fine! I've got all the tools I need to figure this out so it's going to be ok. 100 days!

Love,

Hna Tess Crawford

Hermana Sanford and I about 4.5 years ago… and now

our lovely pench

more of the pench, our apt. is the one straight ahead on the second floor

cool building

Catholic church in our area by the Godoy Cruz Plaza