Rivadavia Week 7: Two Months!!

Wow time actually goes on haha. Just kidding!  But those first 2 months really took their time. So I'm glad to have them behind and I'm ready for more to come! 

This week was another week of "seriously".   It started out with bed bugs......YES me and my comp have bed bugs. I woke up with bites all over my eyes and my neck, well basically my body.  So we just walked and itched and laughed all day.  It was pretty funny. 

We worked super hard this week and we have more new investigators so yayay!!  That's always great. For those who are wondering, Yes I am a legit Argentine now.  EVERY house we go in I drink Mate. They drink Mate all day.  I mean it's like hey let's drink Mate and eat bread all day.  That's what I feel like they do here sometimes.  I love my Argentines! 

We had a special Stake Conference yesterday and I got my picture taken so I just might be famous in the Ensign!  Haha I'm being serious mom look for me :)  But it was awesome cause they opened another Stake here!   Which means the Gospel is growing.  President Goates came and spoke and I really loved his words.  He said we need to have faith and patience with everything.  He really loves us and is a great man! 

This week I really focused on my vision of others.  Whenever we knock on doors you never know whats's going to come out and talk to you.  But I always just love and accept them!  This week I focused on what people can be, not what they are right now.  Every single one of us is working to be a better person each day, maybe to be more fit, maybe to be more spiritual, everyone has something to work on. So let us look at people for what they CAN BE.  Each day my comp says, "Hermana I see your potential!"   And I wanna cry cause she believes in me. That's what we need to do is see the potential in others and love them for what they can be!  When we are loving them, supporting them, and not judging them it allows them to grow stronger and quicker.  So basically everyone love everyone!  Cause we are all doing our best :)  

I love being a missionary.  Even when people think I'm a nun or when drunk men follow me down the streets telling me I'm beautiful haha.  I always smile each day when I get to put my name tag on. It's THE hardest thing I've ever done but it's the least I can do for my Savior. 

 I love you all and have a great week!  Mom and dad HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!  I love you guys so much. Keep looking great cause you guys are killing it. 

 Con Mucho Amor,

 Hermana Bonner!

Hermana Bonner celebrating 2 months playing dress up!

A cheesy message for her "El Novio"

Hermana Bonner skating at a skate park

Hermana Bonner and a "cool" tree that she liked!

Rivadavia Week 6: Every Week is a New Adventure!

Hello Everyone!!

This week was another week of hard work. We traveled to Mendoza for some training from President Goates which was awesome!  Then we gave more service!  I made brownies and banana bread for investigators and memebers and they all loved it!  So today I have to cook more.  American food tastes so good somedays.

We teach a fam that lives really far away.  So we take the bus and always catch it on the way back.. Well this week we missed it.  And it was 12 which means its the SIESTA freakin siesta I hate it so everyone is sleeping.  So we did all that we could and we started walking.  And I was so grumpy and I didn't want to be grumpy so I decided to think positively like ¨hey i'm burning calories or hey i'm exploring Argentina or it could be super hot"  but that helped only a little.  We walked form 12:40 to 3:15 haha  I'm not lying!  My legs were dying.

So then I had to go to the bathroom... So I had to pee in grape fields out in the open and my comp thought I was crazy. But when I have to go I go!  So we made it made to the pench and we ate like crazy. I have never been so physically tired. That was a real test of my faith.

Then the next day we did service for a lady with cancer. Then she fed us after and it was basically oil. Noodles with oil, tomatoes with oil.  It was pretty bad.  We got back to the pension and my comp started throwing up cause the oil made us so sick.  But we laughed it out in our beds and it was pretty funny. 

We have a new investigator Elisa. Her son was shot by police officers for a reason i don't know.  He was addicted to drugs and lived a rough life.  We were walking one day and we had been trying to teach and no one wanted to listen.  It was rough, And my comp goes Hermana knock on that door, we need to talk to them.  We knocked and Elisa answered the door crying.  She told us the story of her son and she said she had lost her faith.  We are now teaching her and she loves the lessons. We tell her she will see her son again and to have faith cause God loves her so much. It was amazing to me the spirit that testified to comp to knock on her door.  We were lead to her cause of hard work and faith.  I love her and I love teaching her.  The work isn't easy but its worth it.  I SUFFER WITH JOY!  Cause that's what missionary work is.

 I am really grateful to be here.  I was talking with a family in our ward and they are thinking about selling their car in order to go to the Temple.  How amazing is their faith and desire?  May we all have more faith and suffer with joy!  Heavenly will bless us but sometimes suffering is part of life to only make us stronger.  So take on the hard days with a smile. :)   I love you all and I'm so grateful for your support!  Te amo mucho!

Mission Training in Mendoza

Hermana Bonner in Rivadavia

Pigs and grape fields!  

Argentine Pizza w/ ham, mozzarella cheese, eggs and olives

Hermanas Bonner y Martinez

Rivadavia Week 5: One Transfer Down!

Hello everyone!

This week was another hard but great week in the mission. We gave a lot of service this week which I really liked, cause for one second I wasn't thinking of myself or how I was homesick. We painted a members house and that was super fun!  And then we weeded a ladies garden.  And not like pulling weeds.. we had this big tool and had to just sit and hit the ground with it.  I was dying it was so hard. Haha  but she fed us after and it was pretty good.  My comp used her bathroom and the water was broken.. so we were in the bathroom forever trying to figure something out and I was just laughing. Haha. 

Then me being Jamee.. Lost the keys to our pench so we were climbing walls and crying and got bit by bugs but we got in and then I found the keys in my pocket so there is another mission adventure. 

We got to go to the city and we had to do Visa paper work and it was a busy day.. so for lunch the elders bought us McDonalds and I was a little angry haha. Then I ate it and I secretly loved it!  Cause it was finally something AMERICAN.

 I gave one of our investigators a massage cause my comp said i would.. it was so awkward!  Haha but she loved it and we are teaching her again today.  So whatever I can do to get investigators I will!   This week I learned so much and I was talking with another Hermana from Utah and she was just crying cause she can't speak spanish or teach lessons. And I felt the need to talk to her. So i just said Hermana are you treating yourself the way Heavenly Father would want you to? And she said no.. That is something I have learned.  We all need to love ourselves.  We all are doing our best and trying to get through the hard days.  So be patient and loving and kind towards yourself.  Treat yourself the way you Heavenly Father would treat you.  Remember we all make mistakes but we can get through those and become better.  So this week everyone love yourself!!   Then go and love others :) 

I met the fam Marua and I couldn't handle them at first.  There house smells, and there kids are out of control and the husband smokes will we teach.  Last night we did a lesson with them and we walked in the house and I felt so much love. I LOVE that family so much now.  One of there sons is actually my boyfriend... He is 2,  yes I'm so lucky..  And the husband has a testimony that makes me cry.  I was patient with myself and know I love them.

Im so blessed to be here learning.  Even on the hard days when I cry I know the lord is blessing me and he is blessing all of you.  Love you all!!   Thanks for much for your letters or emails.  All your supportive words keep me going!  

Love Hermana Bonner

Hermanas Martinez y Bonner

Hermana Martinez fixing the toilet!

Companions--Hermanas Martinez y Bonner

Conferencias de Zona--Valle de Uco, San Martin, Godoy Cruz y Las Oficinas

Rivadavia Week 4: Another Week!

Another week done!  This week went by pretty quick.  We were busy with zone conference in the city and so that was a whole day trip.  President Goates talked to us about getting members to church so they can feel peace. He is awesome!

I made brownies for my favorite family here who feeds us every week.  And I was doing so good and then they told me they dont have an oven... So i made them on the stove top and they were interesting.   They pretended to love them.  I was like okay stop these are so bad im sorry!  They are both converts,  They are in their 60s and never could have kids.  So they are my Argentine grandparents!  They bore their testimonies on Sunday and said they are blessed cause they have 2 Angels in Rividavia.  They were so sweet and they were referring to us so I just cried.  It made me so happy.

 We left their house and were walking and my companion is so sweet and goes.. Hermana I don't understand.. all you eat is fruit and you still gain weight!  Well bless here heart!  haha I was like THANKS  hermana for that. She was just trying to be nice haha.  My stomach honestly hates the food here. I  have been sick a lot..... So I decided to start taking the Activiva 14 day challenge.  No joke haha lets see how it goes!

This week was slow and hard again... i feel like all I do is complain but Missionary work is hard.  It will for sure be the hardest thing I do in my life.  But I'm blessed for that because a mission is the best 18 months FOR my life.

This week i learned so much.  I had members yelling at me for speaking English with an Elder cause I didnt understand them, or for turning on a heater, dumb things like that..... Argentines are crazy but I love them.           I learned that everyone is going through something.  Big or small.  Everyone sins big or small.  But that is life and that is why we are here.  So if someone offends you . All i can say is we have to get over it.  They are going through something we do not understand.  EVERYONE is a child of God.  No matter what they do or what they believe.  So this week.  Love everyone.  Cause this life is hard and we all mess up and go through rebellious times.  Everyone is always in need of something.  A hug, a compliment, a simple text.  So never forget what they are going through.  Love, be patient, and dont judge.  Because thats exaclty what our Savior did.  Thats what I am trying to work on this week!  Its tough but when we love, we feel more loved by the Savior and that is the best feeling.

Mom and dad Happy 25th Anniversary. You guys are seriously so great!! And such a hot couple. Im lucky for such good looking and supportive parents!  Dyl happy 2 year anniversary in the church!  Youre on a mission now and its crazy how far youve come.  I love you all and I pray for you each week! 

Rivadavia Week 3: One Month Down!

Hermana Bonner eating an Argentine "Milanesa" sandwich---chopped beef, ham and eggs

Hermana Bonner found a little "Utah" in Argentina!

Hermanas Sorenson y Bonner

Okay i did it!!  I got that first awful terrible month done and out of the way.  I will not lie I feel like I have been out over a year. But that is okay we just keep pushing.  Everyone here tells me 3 months and then it all starts working. So patience Jam I can do it.

This week was a hard week but thats when we learn the most.  We had exchanges so I went with Hermana Sorensen to Maipu. She is from St. George so I finally spoke English and long story short I just balled to her and she was so sweet.  She goes home in December and so she really helped me with advice.  She asked me to teach and I said I couldn't.  But she made me.  And little did I know I actually do speak Spanish.  With the help of the spirit!!  Haha words just came out and I finally was happy with myself and where I was at.  I was there for a day and then came back to Riviadavia.  We worked and worked and had some lessons and 2 girls wanted to be baptized but now they are in the city and so we have to wait for them.  I have the faith though!  I know God's timing is perfect.

This week was a struggle.  I was sick for 2 days and then my comp was, so we slept and it was bad.  You just feel useless cause youre just doing something for yourself and not for others.  We didnt get any lunch appiontments so one day we were eating hard boiled eggs and rice and tomatoes its actually good.  Haha and Ii opened the oven and the boiling pot of water fell on my legs and feet and there went our lunch.  So I was upset after that.  We then had to study and it was sunday and I missed my family so much.  But I went and I prayed to the Lord.  And I just asked him for help.  I have never needed so much help I swear. And that's why this Gopsel is amazing.

 We all fall and sometimes we fall HARD.  But the Lord is ALWAYS there to pick us up and put us where we need to be.  And I need to be here.  And as hard as it is. I know it.  Cause I can feel it in my heart.  I know there is people here and for me, my mission is to forget myself and help others.  That's what this life is all about is, helping others.  Im not the best at it cause I cant speak Spanish with them but I have a love for them. I  love the people here and that's a good starting point.s So this week lets all have more love.  Cause that's all the Gospel is.  Just love!  I am blessed for all your love and support.  Thank you all and have a great week!  I know the Lord will always be there to pick you up.