Hermana Karras

Excerpt from April 26th email:
"I have a new companion. I was sad to see Hna. Herrin go, we really did enjoy our time together, but I am happy that she gets to start another adventure in the mission. I remember being sad to leave my first area, but also excited when I was able to see how much I had grown. My new companion, Hermana Karras, is from Ogden and has already graduated in Journalism. . . I am excited to be able to learn a lot in these last weeks of the mission. The Lord really knows what we need to keep us on our toes!"

New Companion

Excerpt from January 31st email:
"My new companion is great and we get along really well. Her name is Hermana Alyssa Herrin and is from Idaho Falls. She studied Opera at Idaho state for a year and then studied drama education at BYU, she has already sung 3 solos in her five days here…her voice is beautiful and I get embarrassed having to sing hymns with her. She really reminds me of me when I got to Argentina: totally lost and uncomfortable with the fact that the mission is nothing but glamorous. I am really proud of her though, she is a trooper and everyday complains less. We are really going to enjoy this time together, I am sure of it."

¡Feliz navidad...prospero año y felicidad!

December 21st email:
I want to wish you a merry Christmas! I want to wish you a merry Christmas, I want to wish you a merry Christmas from the bottom of my heart! I taught this song to my companion (Hna. Hernandez) and when she sings it, it sounds a little something like this: I want to wesh you a miri critchmash...from de butum of mi hirt! I am not making fun, I love her from the butum of mi hirt...but it a little reminds me of "A Christmas Story" when the family has to go out to eat at the Chinese restaurant...

Another transfer come and gone...and full of more changes! Hna. Hernandez got transferred to Terminal (the area right next to mine) and I was given a mini-missionary (or a local missionary)...I am with a sweet girl named Josefina Barrios and she is 18 years old, just finished high school. She is a really great missionary and we get a long really well. I am not going to lie, I was scared to death when they told me. But, once again the Lord has given me an opportunity to learn and progress. Having a mini can be pretty tough, mostly because they get no missionary training whatsoever, but she has been a big blessing! Unfortunately, she can only be with me until the 24th, so the mission is looking for another companion to replace her. I may have to wait until the 1st or 2nd of January...in which case I will be with Hna. Gilman and Hna. Marilaf to work for a few days. I get to spend Christmas Eve with the family of Hna. Barrios and I am really excited, it has been really fun working with her, and I will def miss not having her as a companion.



Yesterday was another great day at church. Even with transfers, being with a mini and the holidays, we had 6 investigators come to church. One of the investigators, Pedro, was really excited after because all the members invited him to activities. He is really shy and doesn´t talk much, but he is really starting to open up to us. He is friends with a recent convert named Alejandro who is preparing to receive the Priesthood this coming Sunday. In my short time here I have seen him progress a lot and he is even talking about serving a mission, so that is exciting. He comes with us to teach investigators and also introduces us to all his neighbors...It makes me happy to see him progress so well.
In the middle of church the lights cut out because everyone was using their ceiling fans and air conditioners. It was extremely hot and hard to concentrate...then Martín Martinez, one of the Young Men (he is 14) got up to give the opening prayer in Sacrament meeting and asked Heavenly Father to please let the lights come back so we could enjoy the meeting. I thought to myself, that was odd...and then as soon as he said "amen" the lights came right on. Everyone was pretty surprised and I am pretty sure I heard someone clap...not sure if it was an adult or a child. Anyway, we could all enjoy the meeting with air conditioning and a microphone...then, the branch president got up to give his message and compared the humble and faithful prayer of Martin, to the prayer of Joseph Smith. Both asked to receive light, and it was given in one form or another. He also pointed out that only a child (or young boy) would be humble enough to ask for something like electricity in a Sacrament Meeting prayer. As adults we believe that it is inappropriate to ask for something so simple in a formal prayer to begin a meeting. It was incredibly strong the spirit that was felt. It seems so small and simple, but I learned a big lesson. He testified very boldly that the Lord answers our prayers and that this was a testimony to him that the Lord answered the prayer of Joseph Smith as well. The spirit continued very strong throughout the meeting. It was the most reverence I had ever seen in a Sacrament Meeting in Argentina.

We are having a dinner/service activity as a ward to celebrate Christmas in a orphanage for girls. My companion and I are in charge of the decorations and singing a song, and a member is dressing up like Santa to give out presents.. We have a girl in our ward who used to live in the home and is going to share a spiritual message...I will be sure and send pictures.
The spirit of the season is strong here in Argentina! I am happy, healthy and trying to keep up with all the Lord has given to me. I hope you are all able to look around you and find ways to serve, ways to love and lift those who have fallen. We are all in need of something, and we all have something special to give.

Stay awesome!
xoxo
Hna. Schmutz

Hna. Tritsch

Excerpt from August 26th email:

"My new companion [Hna. Tritsch] continues to amaze me everyday with her ability to fearlessly speak a language extremely foreign to her. She is a superstar and she is really teaching me how to do missionary work. You really can learn something from ALL your companions."

Excerpt from August 19th email:
"Saturday morning I went to the mission home to pick up my companion. I was so nervous and anxious…But, tried to pull myself together so I looked confident and strong. I knew I would be training a North American, and only one came, so when we went to the backyard I knew at first sight who my newbie would be. Her name is Hermana Sarah Tritsch and she is from Las Vegas, Nevada. She is a sweetie and we get along really well. I was thinking that because I had been so hard to train I was probably in for the same fate, luckily there is no such thing as kharma in the mission and she is great. She talks to people in the street, has confidence, and speaks the language very well for a new missionary. She is a blessing, to say the least."

Hermana Schmutz is having a BABY!

Excerpt from August 12th email:
"...we got the transfers call last night. Obviously, I knew I was getting a new companion because Hna. Glade is going home, but what came was a little bit of a surprise. The Elder asked her if he could talk to me, and asked, "Hna. Schmutz, how much time do you have in the mission?", "9 months tomorrow, why?" "Not bad hermana, I am proud of you." Although I was grateful for his praise, all I really wanted to know was who my companion was. I thanked him and kindly asked who Hna. Glade´s replacement would be. That´s when he said it..."You are TRAINING". I couldn´t believe it, and most elders like to make jokes before telling you what is really going to happen, so I actually didn´t believe it...then I realized as he happily gave me the details of travel that he wasn´t kidding, I would be TRAINING. I quickly ended the phone call and sat down on the couch (we were at a Family Home Evening with Hna. Dirié) and I started to laugh, but that quickly turned into tears...Hna. Glade and Hna. Dirié were really excited and both gave me hugs and pats on the back to calm me down. I can´t exactly explain the feelings I had, or the feelings I am still having. It is an understatement to say that I feel inadequate, nervous and scared out of my jumper…But, I also have received a lot of comfort from the promises we receive so many times in the scriptures. The Lord only gives us experiences that will help us grow and He will always provide a way for us to accomplish what He would have us do. I am putting myself in His hands, because He knows what I need a lot better than I do."

Ituzaingòoooooo!

Excerpt from Hermana Schmutz's April 15th email (right after being transferred):
"I am in a city called Ituzaingó and our area covers the whole pueblo. Our area is pretty big and we spend most of our day walking from appointment to appointment in the sand. . . . It´s a beach city and the people here are great."



A beautiful day in Ituzaingó