week eight.

week 8 - January 13, 2011

SOOO this has been the moment I have been waiting for!!! (as well for the souls in Argentina as well :-)
MONDAY I FLY OUT!!!
The flight from GA to Buenos Aires is 14 hours long!!! I think I will sneak and take some heavy sleeping pills for that flight since we don't get to watch the movies and our reading is limited to scriptures--and I dont think people will be too happy with me contacting them while they are trying to sleep haha. I really am so excited. Once I got my flight plans I danced around my room like a little girl. Then realized I needed to learn a LOT more spanish haha. This week we (my district) have made a goal to talk in spanish as much as we can. It really has improved, and when I teach I can teach all in spanish without too much confusion. At least the "investigators" say they understand me, and some are natives from Argentina which helps. I just stink at some of the grammer. It really wouldve helped if I learned english grammer first, but I still am learning very fast. If anyone could explain Ser vs. Estar in Preterite and Imperfect, I would love that. I really don't get it.

Ok so about addresses....I am working on that. It should be in my call packet but I cant find that right now. For everyone using Dear Elder, just switch to the Argentina Rosario mission, and it should be free because I only recieve mail via pouch. I have to say I am so grateful for ALL the wonderful support I have had from everyone who has written me while I have been here. There have been some days where I have been down because of the studying and other trials, and then I get a letter and my whole world is brightened. Thank you so much. I really have been so blessed with the best friends ever.

So, ELDER HOLLAND CAME YESTERDAY!!! And I think that hands down it was the best talk that I have ever heard. Like, after he finished I could hear Elders all around me sniffing because they were crying. And I was crying too. His main thesis was how Preach My Gospel was written. And he said that first WE need to come to Christ and get a testimony of everything, then we can go and preach. And that is so true. I am so grateful for how much the MTC has stregthened my testimony of Christ because I know that will make me such a better missionary. And I am really grateful I am serving in a time of Preach My Gospel, where I teach to needs and not memorization. If you were to ask what I am most excited about for Argentina, it is the people. I really cannot wait to meet the people. My future best friends are there and I cannot wait.

This email is short today because I have a lot of flight stuff to send out. 30 mins is so little to write!!! But chances are I will be emailing a lot more of you personally when I am in Argentina because it is a lot faster and I will have more time to type and stuff. Oh, last story. The other day Hermana Loftus and I were sitting and studying, when President Smith (the MTC prez) and Elder Gong from the 70 walked up to us and started talking! They shook our hands and thanked us for choosing to go on missions. It was pretty dang cool!

I will try to look for my address now and then send that again. Love you all. for reals.
Hermana Collins

ps. whats up with the Ducks losing??? The Janitor here told me it was on a last field goal kick. Lame...its ok. I hear BYU Ball is going great :-)