Dante and Annabella this Sunday.
They are the best!!

Happy Birthday to Dante!!
We cracked a dozen eggs on him and then threw a bunch of flour
 all over him as well. So funny!! But to make up for it we had also made tacos
for him and his family as a surprise lunch.
As everyone was eating birthday cake, I was able to quickly shove a piece of cake
in Dante's face as well!!! It was a super fun day :)

Just a cute pic my mom sent to me for my birthday.
I love you Mom!!!

Elder Texeira from the Quorum of the Seventies

This Wednesday over half of the missionareis in the Mission Neuquén went to Neuquén City for a conference with Elder Texeira from the Quorum of the Seventy!! We were able to ask him whatever question we had, and through his stories and experiences he shared with us, he taught all of us the things we need to do in order to be better missionaries.  It was a really neat experience and he inspired me to do all I can to talk to every single person around me!  Some other things I really like that he said is that during our missons, we will always have highs and lows.  But if we learn from the lows to have great highs, our mission will be successful and will always be an "uphill experience."  I loved that because I think that it applies to life as well!! He also told all of us missionaries that of all the amazing things he has done in his life, (just so you know he was a mission president in Brazil, lived in Germany, can speak 7 languages, became one of the Seventy in the church, has talked to international government leaders, was the leader of the church missions in all of Europe, and much more!) the best thing he did was learn English!  Elder Texeira is from Portugal and he said that without knowing English, he couldn't have been able to accomplish all the amazing things he has done because not only is it an international language, but it is the central language of the church as well!  Super interesting and it helped a lot of the Latins to understand how helpful it will be for them if they study English in their mission!

His darling wife Hermana Texeira shared the scripture John 8:29 which says "And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him."  She reminded us that we truly are never alone although sometimes we may feel that way, even in the mission!  Our Heavenly Father is always there.  And because our Father loves us, we should always do those things that please Him through our obedience as missionaries and members of the church :)

At the conference I got to see lots of good missionary friends and my old comp Hermana Huisar!! I also met a sister missionary who is now in my old area in Villa Regina and she updated me on Fabian who was baptized when I was there!  She said that he is doing great and still going to church which made me SO happy.  She also told me that all the members in Villa Regina have the photos up that I sent them of their families and I!! Definitely one of the best days ever :)

Whelp I hope you are all doing well and I love every single one of you!! My investigators are doing pretty well but we haven't seen much progression since they aren't completing the committments we leave them, but I will fill you in more on how they are doing next week!  I love being here in the mission and I couldn't be happier.  Keep being disciples of Christ and serving those around you, talk to y'all next week!

Fav scripture of the week:
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God...
Romans 8:28

Quote of the week:
They do not love, that do not show their love.
William Shakespeare

Make sure to alwasy show those you love how much your truly love them!! I love you Mom, Dad, Jake, Toshy, Britt, and Torb!!!!! :)

HAPPY LABOR DAY Y'ALL!
xoxo
Hermana Anika Van Boerum

Hermana Huisar, Hermana Christensen and Me

Hermana Eppley and Hermana Parris
Part of the group that got here with me in December

Elder Herrara, Hermana Huisar
From my old Chos Malal District

Missionary Friends

Selfie with my favorite Spring Flowers.
Happy almost Spring here!

Hermana Husiar and Me

I made Mom's sugar cookies to celebrate Spring!

More Miracles!!! :)

This week has been wonderful and full of lots of spiritual experiences!  On Thursday we had exchanges with the hermana leaders from Zapala and I got to spend the day with Hermana Maldonado from Buenos Aires, Argentina.  We had a fun time together and taught five awesome lessons which is great because we never have that many lessons in one day!  We worked super hard without stopping that day and it was fun to have an Argentine comp for a day!  Nadia, one of the recent converts, when we visited her said to Hermana Maldonado, "You're from Argentina?  FINALLY! Someone who know how to talk Spanish!"  Hahaha she was just joking around but we were dying of laughter!

Whelp, unfortunately Mica didn't get baptized this week like I had hoped and prayer for.  We had a lesson with her Wednesday night after having fasted the day before and she told us that she wants to be baptized, but she can't because she is the godmother of a little girl named Josefina in the Catholic church.  She had committed at the beginning of the year to not only be the godmother of Josefina, but to never leave the Catholic church as well.  So when she went to Josefina's parents to tell them that she wanted to be baptized, they told her that if she chooses to do it, she won't be Josefina's godmother anymore.  As Mica was telling us this she was crying becasue she has received an answer from God and she wants to be baptized, but Josefina's parents just won't let her.  I could tell that she really wants to be baptized and I started crying as well because I love Mica so much and I know that this gospel would be the best thing for her and her life.  And I told her that as well as I bore testimony to her, but now we are just going to have to pray hard and wait for Heavenly Father to work His miracles.  The day after that sad lesson with Mica, I read a scripture during my personal study that really stuck out to me in 1 Corinthians 2:6-7 which says:

6 I have planted, Apollos watered; but God that giveth the increase.  7 So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.  

I loved this scripture becasue it helped me realize that although I have done my best to "water" and "plant" with Mica, at the end of the day it is only God who at this point will truly be able to increase her desire to be baptized according to God's time and will.

On the plus side, with our investigator named Claudia, this week she decided to share with us all the miracles she has seen in her life since we started visiting her two months ago.  In our last lesson we had kneeled and prayed together, and when we stood up, Claudia started thanking us for all the blessings that God has brought into her life because of us.  How there is now a different, happier feelig in her home.  How her kids are usually super sick all the time but they have been happy and healthy for two months.  How sometimes she doesn't have enough money during the week to feed her kids but now she has sufficient.  Even her best friend Romina told Claudia that "the girls" (us) should keep teaching her because Romina has seen a big difference in Claudia and her life as well!  But more than anything, Claudia told us how grateful she is for our visits because she can truly see the desire and happiness we have to share the gospel and it has changed her life :)  Claudia's words were a testimony of the love God has for every single one of us and how he loves to bless His children when they live the gospel.  

I hope you all have an amazing week and I love you all so very much!!

Quote of the week:

It matters not how straight the gate,

How charged with punishments the scroll.

I am the master of my fate;

I am the captain of my soul.

William E. Henley

xoxo

Hermana Anika Van Boerum

My new car #holla

I got my birthday package!! Two more weeks and it will be my birthday!
And the package from the Monsons...thank you Heidi!!!
And thank you Van Boerum Family for signing the
darling pillow cover!

For Pday our district went to see the nearby
 volcano with Dante and his family.

P-day!!!

Us in back of a truck because we decided to hitch hike
instead of walk 45 minutes after our p-day activity.
(Mom does not approve of the hitch hiking :( )

Sunday with President and all the members.

President Casariego visits Chos Malal!

Mica is doing super well and her baptismal date is this Saturday!!! Tonight we have a lesson scheduled with her and hopefully everything falls into place this week so she will be able to follow the example of the Savior and be baptized!  Fingers crossed and lots of prayers!! :)

Caro and Aníbal are our new investigators and they are so awesome!  Caro, 20, and Aníbal, 18, are dating and have two kids.  They found out about the church through Noelia and Ignacio, who are both dating as well, and are the brother (Ignacio) of Aníbal and sister (Noelia) of Caro!! Hopefully that all made sense haha.  Anyway, Caro and Aníbal have gone to church the past two weeks and want to be baptized, but the only thing holding them back is that they don't want to get married becasue they believe it isn't necessary.  They both are such special people, but I want to ask all of you to pray hard for them so Heavenly Father will be able to soften their hearts and help them realize that marriage is a divine commandment and blessing from God!!

Juana is still doing great!! She works a lot so it is hard to find and teach her but last night we had such a wonderful experience with her.  At the end of our lesson we asked her to pray and ask Heavenly Father if our church has the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ.  We all kneeled down in prayer and as Juana spoke her first few words in the prayer, the Spirit flooded the room.  She said, "If you give me an answer God that this is the true church, I promise I will never leave it."  Literally I have never felt a prayer so powerful in my entire mission and it was such a special moment for Juana, Hermana Vilca, and I.  Juanita has so much faith and I just know that she is going to receive the answer she is looking for.  Please pray for her as well!!! :)

President Casariego, his wife, and his daughter all came to visit Chos Malal yesterday!! It was such a special special day and they were able to meet all the wonderful members here :) 

Quote of the week:

It is not so much what you believe in that matters, as the way in which you believe it, and proceed to translate that belief into action.

-Lin Yutang

HAVE THE BEST WEEK, I love you all!!!! Hope everyone is having a great start in school! And congrats to both Beth and Jordyn for getting married this week!!! So happy :) love you both!!

xoxo

Hermana Anika Van Boerum