Rivadavia Week 2

Well  hello there everyone!  Every week in the mission is an adventure.  You have life changing experiences. Some for the good and some for the bad. For the bad... Haha wow this week we had lunch with a member.  Hermana Groucho. I was so hungry and stoked for some food. We got there and lets say some anxiety kicked in. We all know I love cats. I LOVE them.  But now im questioning it.  SHE HAD 16 cats, 6 dogs. and 8 pigs.  And they all roamed free all over the house expect some pigs.  It was so hard to eat but the whole time I stayed humble. The good thing was everyday i get to see how blessed I am. People here have no heat and dirt floors and its freezing.  So it humbles me to be here. The members will feed us and its usually all that they have.

 We had an area 70 come and speak to us so we got to go to Mendoza city so that was cool!  He was awesome but very honest and up front. Missionary work is serious because we are dealing with the life of others so we can't forget that.  We need to always be thinking of others in order to think of Christ in our life. 

This week we gave service to a 94 year old lady whose daughter has cancer.  Its so great to serve and to see light in there eyes.  I also helped push start an old car and I thought that was so cool for some reason haha.  It was just going and then boom it started! 

We have not one progressing investigator which is really hard.. so we did the thing I struggle with most and that is fasting.  And now we are testing our faith and working hard to have a new investigator.

 People here love to play games. We walk everywhere so sometimes we will walk for an hour to get to someones house and realize its a fake address. And then we just laugh and sing and walk away. Cause what else can you do?  Well we figured out something we can do.  We play games too.  We knock on doors and say does so and so live here and make up a fake name.  And then they say no and we give them a lesson!  Haha we are super good at this game.

 We visited with a family who is less active. We were talking to the boys and I asked one what he wanted to be when he grew up. He said I am going to be a missionary just like you hermana!  Wow!   I wanted to cry but I just smiled so big.  Being a missionary doesnt mean we preach to people and tell them what they are doing wrong or missing.  We tell them they are LOVED and that this life is meant to be joyful.  We preach of hope and happiness ahead even through hard times.  If you are going through something hard KEEP GOING cause the harder the trial the bigger the blessing and lesson ahead.  Remember someone is there for you always.  He is strength and happiness. 
He is love.  If you question his exsistence then find him.  He is there I PROMISE.  Being a missionary is the hardest thing ive ever done.  You think about home and you work and walk till you dont think you can anymore.  But i watch us missionaries and I think there are so many of us and why do we do this? We are all teenagers with perfect lives and cars and friends and we come to hard places all because love.  We love our Heavenly Father and we want to help others feel loved.  I would not be here if the Gospel wasnt true cause i could not do this alone.  Trust me.  I miss you all so much and I hope things are going good for everyone!

Ariel happy birthday I hope you had a good day!  Addee, Rhett. Kellsie everyone I hope school is great! Cory good luck with that new job.  You are an old man now haha.  And mom and dad you rock!  Hang in there and I'll be there with you through it all.  Keep me in your heart okay? :)   I'm just a few countries away!  Haha have a great week everyone!  Love you all and I'm so blessed for your support!

First Week in Rivadavia: WOW!

Yes everyone I am here in ARGENTINA.  As you all remember I took luggauges the size of my whole family with me so getting here was embarassing to say the least.  To get to my area I had to ride a bus.  Just like any bus in South America.  Crappy and smelly.  Well we got on and it was full but that's fine we just shove as many people in as possible haha.  So I get on with my 3 luggages and then we were on our way to Rividavia.  Its an hour and a half a way from Mendoza. So I had to stand up cause it was full with 3 luggages the whole way and it was fine cause I'm a strong woman and it's part of the adventure right... HAHAHA jk I got to pench which is my room and I cried.  It was such a long trip.  My pench is pretty sketchy. haha.  Its pretty dirty and the shower sometimes works.  But seriously it has been a wake up call.  Im a so blessed. I honestly feel bad. Sisters here have maybe 2 skirts and they think my Ipod is the best thing ever.  Sisters here never have had a car and dont travel.  So I am blessed to say the least. I almost want to give everything away here because the Hermanas here are so humble. 

So first story.  We got to Mendoza after 2 days of traveling and it was so tiring.  An elder accidently took a man's lugguage cause it was black and this man saw.  To say the least he was mad.  He started screaming at us in Spanish andI knew what he was saying cause it was bad words.  He said our religon is F uped.  So.. I was angry about that.  He then started kicking all our luggauge and then walked past me and he SPIT on me.  Like hey welcome to Argentina... Oh I was furious. T hen he left and came back and tried to fight the Elder but sercurity came.. Wow it was an experience.  I was super upset. But that night I laid in bed and I was so tired and I was just praying for help.  And I found myself praying for that man that was mean to us.  I couldnt believe the words that were coming out of my mouth. On a mission its about the people and not me.  So I'm blessed for that experience.

 Since I am an honest person I will be honest. This has been the hardest week of my life.  No joke.  I have been homesick, I have cried, I have laughed andI I have prayed more than ever.  But the only reason I have made it through is by my companion.  Hermana Martinez from Nicaragua.  She is an angel.  I'm not kidding she is my best friend from the pre earth life. Her whole family is converts and she just loves everyone.  She comes from nothing and I am blessed so she has taught me so much.  I am so lucky to have her. 

Second story. We taught recent converts a lesson on faith. The Mercau family.  Brother Mercau has cancer and his wife Rosa, parkinsons. They blow my mind.  They have nothing.  Expect love and faith and tons of it. They said why are we both sick and why are we so poor and then they bore testimony that its God and he knows everything and he carries them through. They are at church everyweek and Rosa is in a lot of pain. So i massage her legs for her.  She was in so much pain right in the middle of Sacrament we gave her a Priesthood Blessing. 

I have seen so many beautiful things.  I know this is where I need to be.  My companion is helping me so much.  Argentina is the land of cows and I have not seen one so thats a JOKE.  I want to see these famous cows. I love this gospel and through God I can do hard things. I  love to see pictures so PLEASE email me pics everyone!  I have to get going but I want to challenge you all to PRAY.  By 10 in the morn I have prayed 5 times. All I can say is i am strong and still here because of that.  So 2 prayers a day.  It will change your whole day!  I promise.  Thanks for all your letters and support!  I love you all so much!!  Mom I love you!! 

Con Amor, Hermana Bonner

Letter from Mission Secretary

Dear Bonner Family, 

We are happy to inform you that your missionary has arrived here in Mendoza alive and well!

 Following a short orientation and dinner with President and Sister Goates, the new missionaries were then brought to the mission home to do a few formalities, recuperate from the flight and have a brief testimony meeting.

Today they will meet their trainers, receive trainings from the assistants to the president, and have their first individual interview with President Goates. After this they will be off to their first assignment area. I am putting with this email a few pictures we took the first day in Argentina and you can even follow the blog of the mission at http://argentinamendozamission.blogspot.com.ar/

May the Lord continue to bless you and your family for all that you do in order to support your missionary.

                                                                                   

Sincerely,

Elder Barton

Secretario

Misión Argentina Mendoza

Hermana Bonner y Hermana Martinez

Letter from my Mission President's Wife

Dear Parents of new missionaries,

We wanted you to know that your missionaries arrived safely last night in Mendoza. This group is not only exceptionally large, but from what the president read of their profiles, they are exceptionally able and prepared. Thank you. There is a tremendous need for their faith and efforts here, and we are very grateful the Lord sent His very best to us.

The group traveled from the airport to the mission home where the wonderful Rasteli family had a dinner of Argentine ravioli and salad for them.  Very few turned down the dulce de leche flavored ice cream. We sang a hymn from our sixth floor balcony  “Joseph Smith’s First Prayer”, in four part harmony before having a prayer and sending them to their hotel for the night. They were in amazing spirits, for being so tired from their flights. Oh, to be that young again. Rest assured we will love these young people and help them fulfill their potential as the Lord’s servants.

Sincerely,

Hermana Goates

Hermana Bonner at the Buenos Aires, Argentina Temple

En Route to Mendoza

                      My MTC companion, Hermana Cannon (from Lindon) and I at the airport in Atlanta

MTC FUN! :)

Hermana Bonner and Hermana Lesueur (after her arrival on 9/6/14)

Practicing my handshake with Elder Isaiah Kaufusi 

Hermanas!

My  MTC Companion, Hermana Cannon

Posing with a familiar face like Parker Anderson at the MTC

MTC EMAIL

SO IM A MISSIONARY!!!  Seriously how crazy is that.  This week has been insane I'm not even kidding.  Okay all we do is study eat, study eat, study eat.  The first day was like okay Jam this is a joke.  I used the mens restroom and my teacher knocked on the door speaking Spanish so I didnt understand him.  So AWKWARD. But then that night I got ice cream and I was so so happy.  Comfort food is just great.

  So something so exciting... I got my travel plans!!  That means my visa came so yayayay!!  I leave August 11th.. earlier than expected so yesss.  I fly out with 26 missionaries.  I fly Delta so mom check the website for weight and cost! I leave for Georgia at 11 and then we leave that night for Buenos Aries at 9 getting there the next day at 8. Then we have a 3 hour flight, or a 14 hour bus ride to Mendoza depending on your Mission President.  So I will be traveling for 2 straight days.  But I'm SO EXCITED!! 

 I am the senior comp which just means they tell me that to feel better about myself haha.  I dont do anything so thats great that I have a cool name and dont do anything.  Also I am white girl.   No joke everyone here is Mexican or Costa Rican or from Guatamala so my Spanish is a joke to them.  I am the entertainment so they laugh at me.   My district bought me a Spanish dictionary cause they wanted to help me so that was so cute of them haha.  I love my district.  We are like family and we are known as the loud or rowdy district.  We laugh so so much. It's so fun. 

 Also I see Ryan Fife, Parker Anderson and Mitchell Morris everday.  It'S so weird to see each other here.  I am so so happy here.  I learn so much it blows my mind.  The MTC is the happiest place on earth to me not Disneyland so sorry guys . Everyone is smiling and everyone just is so happy to be here. I am in the west MTC so it's the Spanish MTC.  We have about 500 people here.  It's a party for sure.  I really cant speak English anymore I forgot how to!  We aren't allowed to speak in English so when we went to the temple today a lady said thanks to me and I couldnt remember you're welcome.  Sorry about my spelling I'm forgetting how to spell too.  But Spanish is really hard and stressful sometimes.  I have learned SO much but i have so much more to learn.  

My comp is AMAZING . We found out we order the same things at Zupas so we automatically are BFF's.  She is so great cause she lets me have fun, but then reminds me I have to try to be better.  She doesn't eat sugar so I try to do the same and then that night I get to my dorm and I eat sugar in my closet.  (thanks for the chocolate mom they dont have it here)  Also caffenine free diet coke?  What is this?  I dont understand. 

I would like to say THANK YOU to those who have sent me something.  It means more than you know.  An email or dear elder or letters (which are the best thing ever) seriously are the things pushing me each day. The days here are long and to get home and see you have letters make you bawl.  I cry every night cause I need that support to keep going.  If any of you have a minute please please watch the talk, Character of Christ by David A. Bednar.  It's just a talk reminding of the forget ourselves and focus on others. That talk changed my life.  We have to remember we are down here to carry others who have it harder then we do. We are blessed so we can bless others.  Never forget someone else has it harder than you so forget yourself and lose yourself in service.  Watch to talk its something we all need in our lives. 

I love it here and I'm happy I really am!  Please send letters or anything.  It makes my day. I love you all. Thanks for you support!!  ARGENTINA HERE I COME!!!  Next time I talk to you all I will be in Argentina so before i leave send letters or anything!  I cant wait.  You guys I love you all.  And I'm so blessed for you. Have an amazing week and say your prayers!  Your Heavenly Father listens to you i promise.   My fav part of the MTC is i can pray WHENEVER i want and people think its great.  I pray more then 10 times a day and everytime I pray He is there comforting me.  I know He listens and i know He is blessing my fam.  I love you all!!!

Love Hermana Bon Bon