Getting comfortable with uncomfortable Week 1.5 in Corrientes

Man what a week it has been. I feel so incredibly blessed. I am not gonna be writing super long emails cuz I just do not like writing. So I won't recap every event of the week because it would be an essay. This Argentine Spanish is a whole other level than I could possibly imagine. It is more like Italian tbh, but I love speaking it. It is so much fun. I have made it my goal to whenever I feel uncomfortable speaking with someone, to go and talk to like 5 other people lolll. It has helped so much. I have been able to share my ideas in ward councils, sacrament meeting, and in lessons me and Ramos have had some miracles happen. I can basically understand the gist of what people are saying, and at times fully, but my spanish has gotten exponentially better in 7 days. My companion Elder Ramos is so ´´capo ´´ as they say here. He is seriously amazing. His desire to serve the people here in the Armenia Branch has truly changed my perspective on life. Everything we do is with the goal in mind to grow the branch into a ward, grow the district to a stake, and grow this area to be able to get a Temple. I get chills just thinking about a temple in Resistencia. These people in this branch have hearts of pure gold. We are in the North of Argentina where there is a lot less education and more agriculture/shops. There is a lot of poverty here, and there are some members that live in literal huts of 3 metal sheets and contaminated water. Yet still, the people are some of the happiest I have met in my life. It really puts into perspective where our hearts should be.   "The joy we feel has little to do with the circumstances of our lives and everything to do with the focus of our lives."- Russell M. Nelson

When our desires are what the lord desires for us, our lives completely change for the better. God is going to make things uncomfortable and very difficult at times, but the Lord's plan for us is better than anything we could possibly imagine. We are all currant bushes in the Lord's eyes and he is crafting us to become our best selves. When we think, "How could you do this to me, I was making such wonderful growth and now you have cut me down!?". The lord is the gardener. One day we will thank the gardener for loving us enough to cut us down to bring forth the greatest fruit. 

Now I have done the opposite of what I said I was going to do and wrote a full on essay. Oh well. I felt the need to share it. I love Argentina so much. For the next two years I am not American as much as I love America. I am an Argentine. I love this place, people, and culture. I thank God everyday for blessing me with the opportunity to immediately serve here. I am needed here and I need the people here. Email me!!! I miss you all and want to hear about all of your lives. Love you!

Elder Rose