Why do we have goals?

Dear family,

Well, thanks for the emails!! I am having a good week. This week we didn't do much work because my companion was sick. She slept for like 3 almost 4 days straight! We took her to the doctor but they said she only had a swollen throat. I don't know why but she was feeling really weak, really tired and just drained.
   

Hermana Zubeldia and Hermana Williams

The weather changed drastically this week. One day it was super hot, and the next day we had to wear tights, scarves and heavy jackets because the wind was really cold. Maybe that is why she wasn't feeling well. Not just this, but all four of us sisters have had a strange week. First, Hermana Cruz twisted her ankle, my companion got sick and Hermana Pizarro got kinda sick. Hermana Cruz is bedridden for the next two weeks so that her ankle can heal up!!! Haha, its funny to see her hop to the bathroom and try to move around. Because she is going to be inside for another week, Hermana Williams and Hermana Pizarro and I take turns going out and working. One day we are in our area, and the other we are in their area. It definitely makes the days interesting and new.

Well, honestly, we have had a tough couple of weeks. But we aren't going to let it get down on us. We have tons of faith that we are going to see miracles. I know that miracles happen because I have seen them before.

Thought of the week:
   

Why do we have goals? We have goals to help us reach our potential and work hard. If we work with faith and have the confidence in the Savior, He will help us make our goals.  Just like a high jump. As we keep raising the bar we keep getting better each time. However, if the bar is gone, or if we don't have goals we don't have anything to make us grow.  We don't have anything to reach. We need goals to help us reach our full potential.  Its like if we ask the teacher in school to postpone a test for another week. We will still study the night before anyway.  We need to make the change now and master our goals with faith. Enos wanted to make the change and know for himself if the gospel was true.  As he prayed with faith he received an answer.  If we want to change we need to make the change ourselves and reach higher.  (Read Enos 1)

Os quiero familia!!!

I hope you have a fantastic week!!!

Having Faith in Tandil

Dear Family,

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!!

Well, this week has been pretty good. We didn't teach much this week but that is okay. We are trying our best to find people and we are talking to everyone. I know that we can do better and put in more effort though.  Even though it is hard we have faith that we will find those who are  prepared to hear the gospel. I know that there are people who are prepared, we just need to find them. I also know that miracles happen after the trial of our faith. It was after 6 months in Villa Mitre that I got to see the fruit of our labors. I know that I just need to Have FAITH!
   
We are still living in the elders home. I can't wait to go to our other home. It really is a lot better. haha.
   

Thanks for the email everyone!!
     
This week we went to Mar Del Plata for a multi zone conference with Presidente Parreño and Hermana Parreño. We also had the opporutnity to listen to Elder Ávila from the seventy. It was a fantastic conference. I really learned a lot and felt strengthened to keep going this week.

Hermanas Pizarro, Cruz, Zubeldia and Williams

The bus ride to Mar Del Plata with the Elders

It was a long ride

Hermanas Williams and Zubeldia

Eating along the way to Mar Del Plata

 Here are a few of my notes from the conference:
- ¿Cual es la clave para que el misionero tenga éxito?.... Es cuando vive y aplica el manual misional.  Nos ayuda a tener éxito, a lograr las metas y a tener el Espíritu.  The rules are a protection and help us be prepared for eternal convenants.  

- Elder Ávila said that we need to  be happy and forget ourselves and serve. When we forget ourselves and focus on others we will feel the love of the Savior and be really happy.

- What is real conversion and how do we get it??  La base de la conversión es a través del Espíritu Santo. Necesitamos leer y orar para continuar a aprender más.

- What is the Obra de Salvación?? It is... llevar los hijos de Dios a su presencia. Este es el tiempo para prepararse para la salvación. 

- To make the Obra de Salvación move forward each member and each misionary needs to have faith and repent and use the Atonement in our lives. When we put this into practice we will be able to let the Atonement change us and help others as well.  Without a testimony of the Atonement we cannot help others come unto Christ.  As we teach the Atonement and repentance, it helps people change and grow their testimonies of the gospel. La Obra de Salvación includes rescate (rescue), baptisms for the dead, and missionary work with our non member friends.  And as we share the Book of Mormon people will have the plenitud del Evangelio. And what does plentitud del Evangelio mean?  The Book of Mormon teaches the Atonement clearer than any other book in the world. As we read the Book of Mormon and apply it to our lives we are truly learning how to use the Atonement. 

We even found Ramen Noodles at Carrefour!

We really are having a great time even though we aren't finding anyone to teach. The weather is beautiful. Its getting colder each day. We are eating very well. Each day we eat with the members.

Yesterday we had a fireside with the stake about missionary work. The missionaries directed the fireside. It is one of 4 firesides that we are having. In each fireside the missionaries teach the members how to be missionaries and how to teach and share the Gospel with their friends. Yesterday we talked about how to hermanar and to include the investigators in church meetings. We talked about sitting with them, and how to present ourselves. We also split the members into groups and had a pair of missionaries with each group and we talked about how to invite their friends to hear about the Gospel. It was an amazing fireside.  It truly is when we work with the members that the work of salvation can move forward.

I hope you have a great week!!! Te quiero!!! Know that I am thinking of your and that I share our family picture with everyone!!

Hermana Susana Zubeldia

Faith in Tandil

Dear Family,
 

Congratulations Sarah for going to the temple!! I am so happy for you. I thought of you all day Saturday!!  Sorry Daniel that you broke your finger, it will heal. Also, Carlos, Sofía told me that you saved a girl in your class while skiing and that you hurt your foot because of it! You are a superhero! Papi, I'm glad that what you were going though is finally over. Mami, I am glad you are doing better. Martín, I hope that you enjoy riding your bike everyday! haha. Katie, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! you are officially an adult! Soraya, have fun at the doctors today.  I can't believe that you are going to kindergarten!!! You are growing up so fast!!!! Pablo, TE QUIERO!!!!!!!

 

Me and my companion Hermana Williams

Well, this week has been kinda hard. I don't really want to lie or not tell you.  Our faith is definitely being tried these last two weeks.  We haven't been finding and we haven't been teaching at all.  We really are trying so hard to go visit less actives, old investigators, contacts, etc. Even though we are not teaching much we are trying to keep having faith that as we keep going and keep doing our best we will eventually find those who are prepared.  I know that there are people who are prepared (I know because I saw miracles last transfer) and all we need to do is find them!! It's really not that hard, all we need to do is find them! The hard part is just the walking! :)

  

This week we have Zone Conference and so we are going to go to Mar del Plata and meet with 3 other zones! Its going to be great! I really love zone conferences because they help me focus on what is important and get a chance to talk to President Parreño.

  

Yes Papi!!! There are tons of Zubeldias here!! And almost all of them are in my area!! We still haven't gone past any of them, but we do have all their addresses thanks to the phone book.  None of them are members though... yet! haha. Everyone here thinks its so cool that my last name is Zubeldia. They always comment on it and ask where I am from.  They are always surprised that I say that I am from the USA.  I am proud to wear the Zubeldia name!

  

Soaking wet... the night we walked to the bus stop in the rain.

Another rainy day... Selfie inside elevator.

Thoughts of the week....

1. We are still in the elders apartment waiting for ours to get fixed. I think I will pass this whole transfer here in this apartment. Its okay, since we cleaned it now! haha

2. An investigator of ours came to church on Sunday! it was a miracle!!

3. Also, we were in a lesson with a recent convert when the elders in our ward knocked on the door! I love when this happens!

4. It rained a lot this week and we got soaked!! We had to walk like 12 blocks to get to the bus stop to go home. We sang in the rain and continued contacting people. We didn't find anyone, but we kept going and had fun.

5. FAITH!!! continue to have faith even when the results of your work aren't coming. It is truly after the trial of our faith that the miracles then happen. 

I love you all so very much!! I hope you have a great week! Did you guys get my package of letters I sent you?

Love,

Hermana Zubeldia

Cooking with Hermana Williams, on a preparation day.

Hermana Williams and I look just like these fairies!

First full week here in Tandil

Dear Family,
 

Well, I am loving it here in Tandil!! (you should look it up online) Its a beautiful city and it reminds me a lot of the País Vasco and Santander! Its green and there are tons of hills. It is such a change from the heat and dryness of Bahia Blanca.  The similarity to Cantabria so amazing! No wonder why there are tons of Basque influence here. Men and youth walk around wearing the boina (the basque berret). And guess what?? there are like 10 Zubeldias that live in my area!!! I have to go and contact them. We will see what happens. Eveyone here just loves my last name and they always say they know someone named Zubeldia. Right now I know there is one that is a lawyer that lives next door to the fire station. 

Plaza de la Independencia de Tandil

With Hermana Williams, my companion in Tandil

 

My area is really big. It includes the center of Tandil and the area around. We also have a small town far away that is part of my area. This area is like 5 times bigger than my last area in Villa Mitre. I know that I won't have a problem going to new areas to contact.

  

This last week we (four sisters) have been living in the Elders apartment. There was a problem with our apartment and so we were moved to the elders apartment and they were moved to the zone leaders apartment. From the day I got here I have been living out of my suitcase haha!  Because it is an elders apartment, guess what we did all last p-day?? yep, we cleaned all day! How grateful I am that my brothers are relatively clean (haha, just kidding).

Hermanas Cruz and Pizarro

Hermana Williams, cleaning the Elders' apartment

However, since we live outside of our area we need to take a bus to our area to work each day. Both my companion and I are new to the area and so trying to learn the bus system has been kinda difficult. We have gotten lost a couple of times.

 

My companion and I are both learning this area together. It's great because we are starting fresh. It's kinda hard though because neither of us know the streets very well and don't know where anyone lives. We are managing though.

  

On Saturday we found a woman and her two kids and  guess what...when we went to pick  her and her family up for church they were all ready and waiting for us. Her kids loved church and made friends.  She said church was really long but that she liked it. We are going to visit her again on Tuesday.

 

Well, this last week I was thinking a lot about obedience. For some reason everything I was reading about in the Book of Mormon seemed to be focused on being obedient.  In Mosiah chapters 2, 3,4 5, 6 I learned a lot about why it is important to be obedient.  The Savior only asks us to be obedient to his commandments. Its the only thing that he asks us to do. And if we do so, he will bless us with many blessings. I know this has to be true, since every prophet in the Book of Mormon talks about the why of obedience. I hope that as we go about your daily activities you remember the blessings that come as we are obedient and remember our baptismal and temple covenants. They truly are for our protection and learning.
  
I hope you are all doing great! From the emails of mami and papi I hear that you are all having a great week!!! I love you all so very much. Know that I am doing well and am having a great time serving the Lord!!!
  
Te quiero!!!
 
Sarah, have a fantastic time at the temple with mami and papi!!!!
 
Hermana Susana Zubeldia