Finally in Argentina

HELLLLLLO!!!!!

WHERE HAS ARGENTINA BEEN ALL OF MY LIFE!!! 

But serioulsy...haha this place is absolutley beautiful! 

I left on Monday morning and it was pretty rough. I wasn´t ready to go. I wanted to help our investigators more and just a whole mix of emotions. On the plane ride to Atlanta, I wanted to just go back to Kansas. But, holy cow, I KNOW this is where I am supposed to be. I am so grateful for the time I had in Missouri, but I am SO PUMPED to be serving here in Argentina. 

Anywho, about the flight and life in general right now, things are great! I arrived in Atlanta and there was a billion of missionaries there! I was able to meet up with 2 Elders in my district from the CCM. SO GREAT! It was awesome. And then we began the flight. The dreaded 11 hour flight! haha I sat next to this guy from Ecuador who was traveling to Argentina for work. It was awesome to be able to talk to him and share more about the gospel. HIS SON HAS MESSI´S AUTOGRAPH!!!!!!!! I am still so jealous...haha we got two meals on the plane! Dinner and breakfast! and a pillow and a blanket. I felt so rich...haha.

But, I finally arrived and after going through immigration and cutsoms, I was able to reunite with everyone in my district! It was great!!!!!!! We then headed to the Mission Home. 

It was about a 5 hour Bus ride to Rosario. Then we arrived at the mission home and ate a quick dinner and headed to bed. 

We got up in the morning and studied and just kind of chilled. IT WAS AWESOME, but so weird at the same time. I haven´t just chilled for a while. But, I thought it was really nice that they let us take a breather after our travels. We had different trainings throughout the day and then a super fancy dinner at night. THE MISSION HOME IS GINOURMOUS!!! and so beautiful! It was fun! Then the next day we got up and headed to the chapel to meet our companions. 

My companion is Hermana Telfer from Highland, UT. SHE IS AWESOME: I am so pumped to work hard and get stuff done! I am serving en 5 Esquinas which is in the City of Parana which is the capital of Entre Rios which is a Provincia here. It´s beautiful! PALM TREES. Seriously. this place is sooo great!

So, then we took the bus for about 4 hours to Parana. It was great! Our pench is so weird...haha our bathroom and shower are in the same area. and yeah its interesting. I´ll have to send you pictures of it some time. This week was kind of weird because we were in a trio with another Hermana in another area because her companion got her visa for Ecuador and this sister was leaving to go home so we preatty much just made visits to people that she wanted to say goodbye to. It was good though becasue I was able to meet lots of the ward members. THEY ARE AWESOME. 

Church was great and this week we are really getting to work. Its great! Usually my p-days are Monday but it was different this week because of transfers. 

Update from Hermana Haynes

From Hermana Haynes, October 7:

"TRANSFERS! I'm still serving with Hermana Fuenzalida in Kaw River and I couldn't be more excited and grateful. The only addition to our district is a new Elder. Elder Christensen. He is from IF. We had to drive up to Independence on Transfer Day to drop off Sister Borges because she is heading to the Visitors Center. While we were there, I was talking to another sister and I felt someone tap my shoulder. It was President Keyes. He is awesome! Well, anywho, he said "How are you Sister Haynes?" I replied and said that I was great. He then said "Well, I received an e-mail last night and... (DRUM ROLL PLEASE)... YOU HAVE YOUR VISA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! HOLY COW! wowwwwza. I have my visa! I get to go to Argentina! I fly out on the 22nd of Octubre! A perfect amount of time to get business done here. SO AWESOME SO AWESOME SO AWESOME!!!! I love President and Sister Keyes so much. It has been so great to be able to serve here and now I get to start out on another adventure!

"CONFERENCE!!!!!!! AHHH!!! Loved it. And very interesting. The issues and subjects that we addressed were things which were needed of course, but man the way its delivered. PERFECTION right there! So great! I also thought Elder Holland's address on mental illnesses was very interesting. I love how every message brings such hope. Like President Monson's address. Everyone has struggles and the only thing that will pull us though these trials is Jesus Christ. WOW. so awesome! Honestly, I can't choose a favorite. They were all so great and so applicable. But, I will put in a little plug for Elder Ballard...Who is going to be the one person YOU bring into the gospel by Christmas?

"We have an investigator on date named Serena! She is awesome! She came to conference with us yesterday and loved it. I'm really excited to see where this goes. She also let us help her make some "soul food" I now know how to make some mean sweet potatoes."

 The whole group that arrived with me in front of the Kansas City, Kansas temple.

 The Sisters I arrived with in the field.

 First day in the field with Sister Fuenzalida.

Here's a pic of us after Zone Conference! 

 We had dinner at Gladys' house on the 21st because the 21st is an Argentine holiday. Gladys is one of our investigators. She had been an investigator for about 9 months now. Her husband is a member. She moved from Argentina last December! 

 Us and will and his "Crime Dot" tattoo....

MEXICAN MARKET!!!

Reassignment

From Hermana Haynes, August 16:
"I finally got reassigned! Wahoo! I honestly was super anxious for my reassignment! I had no idea where I would be going and all I wanted was someplace I had never been before, no freezing winters, and fire flys. And....for the most part its real!!! MISSOURI INDEPENDENCE MISSION!!!!  I am super stoked. I know that there are people there that I need an that will help my testimony grow. I know that I am supposed to go to Missouri for a reason."



From Hermana Haynes, August 26:
"Things are so great! I flew in on Wednesday and then President took all us of new missionaries to Liberty Jail. It was awesome! I really liked that. Then, we headed over to the visitors center and had a little tour there. That was also super cool. Then, we headed back to the mission home and had dinner, some training, and interviews. There were 31 of us new missionaries there (the biggest group they have ever had come into the Missouri Independence mission) but it seemed like it was just one big happy family. In our interviews, he told us who our companions would be and where we would be going. 

"So, then the next day we headed to the stake center to meet up with our new companions! My trainer is Sister Fuenzalida. She is from Salt Lake but both her parents are natives of Chile. She is SO awesome! She helps me out so much! She is bilingual in spanish and english so that is super helpful. Then, we traveled to our area. Oh the area...haha. I am serving in Kansas City, Kansas, in the Kaw River ward. It's an interesting place that's for sure....It's literally a ghetto. There is only black people and Latinos, mostly Mexican, and its a jungle! I have met all walks of life here that's for sure! Everyone is SUPER poor. It's a great place! It has really opened my eyes on life. I was expecting poorer people in Argentina, but not in Missouri. It's pretty different. But, everyone is super humble. 

"Its hard to keep progressing investigators because no one is really into commitment here so we have just been finding like CRAZY!!!! Missionary work is hard, but its so great! I wouldn't want to be doing anything else! Its also super hot here! Like 95+Humidity. Pretty crazy. But, things are great. Our ward is actually bilingual. There are headsets which you can use to get the message translated and then there are English Sunday schools and relief societies and then Spanish Sunday schools and relief societies. Our ward had 600 members, and 200 come...so reactivation is also a huge priority right now too! 

"We have an investigator named Nancy. She is 15 and awesome! Yesterday we were able to commit her to baptism on the 14 of September! During that lesson with her, it really hit home why I am here. I love it!"

New Address:
Hermana Haynes
3117 Barnett Ave.
Apt. A 2nd Floor
Kansas City, Kansas 66102

Update from Hermana Haynes

Makenzie is doing great!  She is in the middle of her fifth week at the MTC.  She says her Spanish is coming along pretty well; some days are definitely better than others, but she has been catching on pretty quickly.  

There are 10 people total in her District, six of which (including herself and her companion) will be going to Argentina.  Her companion is from Boise, and she actually already met her through a Facebook group.  She said it was nice to see a familiar face right when she got there.  She has seen quite a few other elders and sisters from the Rupert area and has met even more who have connections to people living there.

There have been some problems with getting Visas approved to go to Argentina, so many missionaries have been waiting in the MTC or getting reassigned to other U.S. missions in the meantime.  Makenzie was supposed to get her reassignment last week in order to leave the MTC this coming week; however, with so many missionaries needing reassignments, she was told that she would have to stay another week at the MTC until her reassignment came.  So, she should be getting her temporary reassignment this week.  She was a little disappointed but also knows this will be a good opportunity to continue studying and learning.

She has loved her time at the MTC, but is excited to go out and preach the Gospel!  She loves hearing from her friends and family and loves getting mail.  Her address at the MTC is:

Sister Makenzie Alyse Haynes

AUG13  ARG-ROS

2007 N 900 E Unit  86

Provo UT 84602

She will get an updated address when she gets her reassignment.  Her email is makenzie.haynes@myldsmail.net.

District 17F

She chopped her hair.  Six inches!  It's taken time for her to get used to it, but it's so much easier to take care of.

Las Hermanas

Photo Sesh.

I know mission pics can be sometimes 

well...

a little cliche.

But...who gives. 

My lovely sis took some for me

the other day. 

Here's a million few.

There you have it. 

A whole hodge podge of pictures. 

17 days folks. 

The Goodbyes are starting

I know goodbyes were bound 

to happen once I made

the decision to serve a 

mission. 

And, with only 25 days 

left until I leave, 

they have begun, 

and I haven't quite figured

out how I feel about them. 

A little bit ago, 

I said goodbye to a 

couple of my best friends 

before they headed off 

on their Summer adventures. 

It was hard, but,

we are all doing great things

and I know that we will keep 

in touch while we 

are all doing our various things. 

Paige is doing a study abroad in Paris!

Check out her adventures here!!

http://paigeisinparis.blogspot.com/

The Farmhouse- Best Omlet of my life. (AZ-3)

We went to breakfast one 

morning at this cute little 

restaurant named 

The Farmhouse. 

The whole feel of 

the place was home-y 

and the other shops 

around it had 

a cool vibe.

and the food...

Oh the food!

One of the best 

breakfasts of my life. 

I am not even kidding you. 

We also went to the temple 

which was also fabulous. 

We went on a hunt for 

some fruit, but sadly, it 

was all out of season, 

So, instead of fruit picking, 

we took the classic jumping picture. 

Sadly, the time came where I 

had to say goodbye to beautiful AZ 

and my awesome family. 

Luckily, I was able to soothe 

my pain by stopping 

by one of the best 

doughnut shops 

and getting the most delicious 

Devil's Food Cake doughnut.

I Love Sunshine. (AZ-2)

The next couple of days in AZ

were full of sunshine. 

and I loved it. 

We lounged by the pool 

and then went and ate 

at the coolest place evvvva. 

Joe's Farm Grill

I highly recommend it. 

All of the food that they 

serve is grown on the farm 

that they own. 

I got a veggie pizza

and it was SO delicious!

Okay, I know these pictures 

are a little weird. 

And its weirder that they 

are of the bathroom, 

buttttt...I just had to!

Barbies and a TV.

Awesome. 

Another cool thing 

is that the owners of 

the farm and restaurant

have developed a 

neighborhood named 

Agritopia. 

It was awesome. 

The next day we headed to  S E D O N A

That place is so GREAT!

A little more mountainous 

than the regular desert Arizona. 

We went for a sweet hike

up Cathedral Rock 

and then went swimming. 

It was beautiful! 

Redrock and green trees

Perfect combination!