Michelle's first letter from Argentina

Hey all, so I made it safely to Argentina!! It was a really really long flight, but so totally worth it!! I LOVE IT HERE!!! So, I´m in Tigre, which is beautiful, I'm right on the river my apartment is on the 10th floor of the twin towers, and it is a pretty nice apt!! Much nicer than I was expecting!! My companion is amazing, better than I could have hoped for! She is actually from Buenos Aires, which is very rare she from the west mission area, and she thinks Brock taught her sister-in-law but can't remember or not! Her English is so good, but we usually only speak in Castellano. I don´t understand hardly anything, the members try to speak slow for me, but I still have a hard time!! But man I love the people here, they are so freaking awesome!! The mission leader in our ward is so nice and his wife is so funny!! Then there is another family that has 2 little boys and they are from Peru, they are so cool, we had a baptism scheduled for this sat, but he has to stop smoking so we pushed it back, but he loves everything we teach, and gave us a reference and she is so cool I really like her, even though when we taught her she couldn´t understand anything I said so my comp took over! Whatever that was OK with me because I didn´t understand anything she was saying! My comp was confused because she said I was speaking really clearly and everything, but we just figured it was because she already thought she wouldn´t understand me so she didn´t really try! I don´t think I´ve had any culture shock, I guess it helps that I´ve traveled a lot, but of course I´ve never been in a place like this! The people live so humbly here, quite seriously I don´t even know how to explain it! Its something like what pictures of Hooverville looked like during the great depression!! It is unreal! But the people are all so kind and happy! I´m def in love with this place!!

So when I got here my comp was at the airport which is very odd, but since they had had the transfer the day before she had stayed at the mission home the night before, my mission president's wife and 2 of his kids were there as well, but not my mission president, which is odd too! So anyways as soon as I got my stuff and went through customs I was greeted into Argentina by my comp, she came right up to me and hugged me and kissed me on the cheek (Argentine fashion) I was a little confused because i had practically just gotten off the plane and all the instructions I had were to look for a guy named Alberto!! So then we went to the mission office and and I got financial orientation from some of the office elders, one of whose girlfriend was in my zone in the mtc! And I still didn´t meet the Mission president! Then we had lunch (a salad) and then they sent us off to our area, we dropped off my stuff and turned straight around and went to work, I didn´t get completely unpacked until like a few days after I got here! It was fun meeting everyone! So yeah I still havent´t met my mission president! Which is very very very rare! He called me this morning and said hey I just want to let you know that you do have a mission president!! HA HA we have a zone conf coming up so he says we will just meet then! He seems really nice! I like his wife she was really nice!

Hmm, what else to say about this place, there are a ton of stray dogs just wandering around, it is crazy!! Oh and I haven´t bought any food yet, I´m so glad you sent me snacks and those south beach bars, because every morning I´ve had the south beach bars and when those ran out some of my comp apples, we are going to shop today so I can have food, the members feed us lunch and they don´t really eat dinner here, just a really big lunch!! I seriously don´t understand how people gain weight on their missions here!! All we do is walk which I don´t mind, my ankle only hurt the first couple of days, and we take the bus sometimes to get to our farther areas but I don´t like it, so as soon as my ankle is completely healed we will stop taking the buses!!!
Welp, I hope you enjoy this letter, I love it here, my p-day is Wednesdays and I only get letters and packages at zone conferences!! Anyways, I love you all and hope everyone is doing great!!

Love,

*Hermana Gosnell*

She has arrived!

Here is the e-mail Patsy received and forwarded from Michelle's mission president. There was a picture attached, which is attached here, sans red-eye.

Dear Family,

We want to tell you that Hermana Gosnell arrived in Buenos Aires safe and sound. She met her companion immediately, Hermana Riquelme, and then we went to the offices to do some training. After lunch we sent them off to their area to work. Hermana Gosnell’s first area is Tigre in the Litoral Stake. She is very excited to get to work and serve full time. She has prepared well to serve the Lord full time. Thank you for all you have done to help her arrive to this point. We are very excited to have her here with us. We consider it an honor and blessing to serve side by side with the missionaries in this beautiful land of Argentina. May the Lord bless her and you as she sacrifices all she can give to build up the Lord’s kingdom.

With love,

President and Sister Argyle
Argentina Buenos Aires North Mission

Argentina here I come!!!

For those following the posts, I decided to let everyone know that Michelle was cleared to leave on Thursday October 23rd. On the day she hurt her ankle, she was instructed not to put any weight on her ankle. She was obedient and then the next day started trying to put a little weight on it. When she did, there was sharp pain that really surprised her. She asked an elder to give her a blessing and then on Wed. when she saw the doctor, he told her that he was going to delay her a week. She begged him to let her prove that she could walk. She had been using crutches, but put them down and walked with no limp for the doctor. I asked her if she was gritting her teeth in pain, and she said no! She feels that the blessing and all the prayers helped her heal faster. She called from the airport and was in very good spirits. She is traveling with 6 from the MTC, and one of the elders insists on carrying her duffel bag everywhere for her. The doctor did say that he was going to call the mission president and tell him that Michelle is not to do too much walking for awhile. She hopes that doesn't mean she will get stuck in the office. Anyway, she is now in Argentina. We won't hear from her until her pday, which we don't know when that will be. She will be able to send one email a week to me, and I will send it out to everyone. She can recieve emails from everyone and will probably respond to all emails in the one email she sends to me. Hand written letters can be sent to her and she will respond to those, but we hear that it can take up to a month to get those letters. We will let everyone know if we hear anything different.

Letter from Michelle

Remember how I sometimes break things!!!

Welp I'm at my old ways again! No the ER doctor says my ankle ISN'T broken just badly sprained and I can still leave on Thursday, but the MTC doctor I saw today thinks I will need to be delayed a week... when he told me that I started crying and begging him to change his mind I was on the verge of sobbing and I was like no I can walk no one has let me even try, please just let me go! He was like ok well I will put you in lacer and you need to come see me tomorrow! So you may be wondering how this happened... well let me tell you. I got all my letters and read the one from you in class, I wasn't very happy because of the news about Carrie, I was crying and my teacher said our closing prayer and blessed that Carrie will be blessed because of my service as a missionary. It was very sweet because he blessed her by name! Then I wanted to be cheered up so I opened my letter from Devon and was reading it as I was walking down the stairs (which is what I do every night) well I was so distracted by the news of Carrie and what I was reading, that i didn't notice I wasn't on the last step. SO I took what I thought was the last step and it wasn't, so I fell and amazingly hurt my right ankle and not my left!! I've hardly ever cried when I've done that but I was so done, I just started bawling, all these elders gathered around and asked if they could help, one person actually asked if I was OK, I laughed and said no I just like to hang out on the floor and cry every night! Good thing my sarcasm was still intact!! Well I wasn't crying because of the pain, even though it hurt like crazy, probably on a scale of 1-10 an 8!! I was crying because I was mostly still so worried about Carrie and then maybe a quarter of me worried about if I would be delayed. The rushed me to the er took an x-ray and I was out until 12:30am, and I had woken up early to see one of our sisters off, so needless to say a very long day! They gave me crutches and said not to put any weight on it! Well that brings me to today, I went to the doctor, and I've already told you everything that happened there, I'm supposed to start packing today and I want to be optimistic and start packing, but I'm just so worried, the doctor said I can start to put a little weight on it with my crutches, and start to experiment with walking, and I have appt. with him tomorrow at 9:40am!! When put a bit of weight on it, it hurt really bad which actually surprised me because it hasn't been hurting today! So I'm really really worried! I'm exercising all the faith I have that I can be healed by tomorrow morning! I'm asking my elders for a blessing tonight, please prayer for me with all the faith you have!! I can't be here in the MTC for another week without my companion, I will go CRAZY!!!
Ok sorry for that, please don't worry about me, just have faith that I will be better!! Other than that my week has actually been good, it flew by really fast and I've been looking forward to leaving and to calling you all!! I don't know what is going on now, but if I still get to leave on Thursday I will try to call you before we leave salt lake if I have time! I did get the calling card today! Thanks!! I have everyone's numbers, so I'm good, I made sure to write them all down before i left!! I probably won't be writing any hand written letters today because we really don't have any time because it is 4:30 already and I haven't done laundry yet!! Well I don't remember anything else I need to write, because I don't have anything with me or anything written down!! You will be getting a letter from me today prob. I'm sorry this letter is a bit depressing, but hopefully tomorrow will be great!! Well I gotta run, but please please please remember to keep Carrie in your prayers!! Her needs are so much greater than mine!!!! And if you have anymore details please let me know ASAP!!

Love y'all

~Hermana Gosnell

Edit: To those wondering who is Carrie, and what happened, Carrie Akemon is best friend of Michelle's from Paris KY. Carrie is also a good friend of Michelle's. Carrie was here for Michelle's farewell. Saturday, Carrie was in an ATV accident in Rexburg and broke her neck in 3 places. We don't know the extent of the injuries yet. She is talking and moving some. We hope and pray that there is no permanent damage, but only time will tell. Please remember her in your prayers.

I'm leaving October 23rd

I leave Oct. 23rd!!!!

I totally can't wait to talk to everyone!! I plan on calling all my siblings, so make sure they are aware and ready to take my calls!! Don't worry I will call you first mom, and if I have time hopefully from the Salt Lake airport!! I forgot my flight plans so I'm not exactly sure but I know I fly out of here at 11:50 and land in Dallas, I'm not sure when but i have a 4 hour layover!! then I fly to Buenos Aires (it is a 15 hour flight!!) And I have some interesting news about that, so I'm on the same flight as my companion, but they put us into groups according to what mission, so we are in different groups, and the only one other person going with me had surgery a couple of weeks ago and if she doesn't get the doctors approval today then she won't be flying with me, so I will technically be flying solo, and once we get to Buenos Aires I'm on my own cause my comp will have to catch a bus, and I will have to find my mission president!! So I've been praying hard that sister Collinwood will get the doctors approval today!!!!

Flight Plan Friday was fantastic, I was a little worried at first cause my thing said I was leaving Monday the 20th, and I was like wait I won't have my visa, so I went to the travel office and they changed it for me, I was happy about that!! I'm a little sad though because the Neoquen mission in Argentina is delayed a week so they don't leave till the 27, there are 3 people in my district going there so I'm sad for them!! 3 people from my district leave Monday, then me and Hermana Blouin on Thursday, and then the last three leave the next Monday!! We are all so pumped and ready to go!! Your gum story made me laugh mom, I can't wait to get it even though I can't chew it in public!! I will chew it on the plane though so my ears won't explode!!
Give Becky an extras huge hug for me... I'm so happy for her!! It is so weird to me that life is going on. I feel like it is standing still!!

Sorry nothing much happened this past week, I have one more time to write you from the MTC, then I will be in ARGENTINA!!! I can't wait till then!! So start sending snail mail to Argentina, also I want to suggest only e-mails in Argentina, and if it isn't an e-mail or a package, then send it through dearelder, because it is so much easier because you can't send envelopes through the pouch system!! anyways that is all I have to write, I love you all and can't wait to talk to you next Thursday!!

Love,
Hermana Gosnell

Snail Mail Letter to Noelle

I received this letter from Michelle yesterday. (Hey, that's two different Beatles songs! "Michelle" and "Yesterday")

Noelle,

Thanks for putting the pics up on my blog! I really appreciate it! I'm gonna make a CD of pics to send home my last week here at the MTC, so if you want to wait till you get those pics that's fine! But tell me which ones you put on my blog, cause I don't know which ones I sent you! Just want to let you know how amazing you are! (Here Noelle blushes modestly.)

so I totally remember Rachel's screaming tantrum skills when she was just a bitsy baby, in fact I'm pretty sure my ears still REALLY remember! And I can only imagine she has perfected the tantrum! I'm sorry you didn't really get to enjoy conf., it was amazing! I truly loved loved loved it!!

Well that is all for now! Oh, could you explain on my blog that us missionaries here at the MTC don't go out in the real world EVER unless we have to get glasses or we are really sick! Some people have been asking me if I get Wal-Mart runs or if I got to go watch conference at the Conference Center. The answer is a no! I don't get to go out into civilization . . .EVER!!

(Noelle edits here to mention that Michelle never ever ever gets to leave the MTC unless it is an emergency, or in other words, never.)

Anyways, that is all I have! I love you and appreciate your letters a lot!!

Love,
Hna. Gosnell

P.S. Give Rachel a hug and kiss from me!

:)

Snail mail letter dated Oct. 7th

So, something interesting happened this week. We did a class activity where we wrote our name on the top of a piece of paper, then passed it and the next person wrote what Christlike attribute they think I possess.... We keep doing that until it gets back to us! I was really surprised at the responses I got! So everyone wrote about how humble I am, how I have patience and charity! Which I find so interesting because I feel like those are the three attributes I need to work on the most! It is definitely interesting seeing how other people see you. because it is so very different how we see ourselves.

Now I will write a little bit about the devotional I just went to...it was AMAZING probably top 3. It was given by Tad R. Callister & his wife. Sis. Callister started by saying if she asked any of our Moms, what kind of missionary we are, all our Moms would say "the best missionary!" So she said we all need to become the missionary our Moms think we are! Just a few other points are: I need to change my nature, not just my behavior, because if we just change our behavior, we will stay the same person! It's not about what I want, it's about what the Lord wants! He said there is no retreat to our former lives no matter how difficult it may get! Then one of my favorite lines was : My weaknesses are Not greater than my potential! Which really struck me hard because some times I feel like I'm too week and I will never be able to reach that potential everyone says I will. So I really like that. And the last thing I will quote is "The Lord doesn't expect immediate perfection, but he does expect immediate progress!" So I shouldn't overwhelm myself with being perfect tomorrow, but I do need to be progressing! I'm pretty sure this talk was written just for me!

I struggle so much with the natural man! I always feel like I'm not doing enough or being good enough, but I don't know how to do more! I used to think it was such a compliment when people said oh, you will be such a great missionary, but now it stresses me out. How can they say that? How can they know? I try my best, I work my hardest, but always feel as if it isn't good enough! But we are always told as long as we give our all that is all the Lord asks us to give... So that is what I try to do everyday! Pray for me to have the strength to overcome the natural man and give my all! It is so much harder to do than I ever thought it would be! I'm so grateful for the opportunity to be a missionary, to be in the army of God, fighting to save His precious souls! It is so humbling to know that the Lord called me, called me in my many weaknesses so that he can make them strengths! I often wonder why he chose me, and I don't think I will ever understand, but all I need to know is He did call me, that is enough!

I will end this letter with a simple testimony! I know Christ is my Savior! I know He lives and He loves me! He suffered for all my temptations and sorrows, He understands me and wants to help me in every way I let Him! I know that I am in the right place at the right time! I love you all and thank you so much for all your love, support and prayers! I feel it! In the name of Jesus Christ Amen!

Love, Hermana Gosnell

Oct. 7, 2008

Hey Family,

Alright so since it was conference this last weekend we were able to write letters, so I actually wrote you a really really long letter and sent it yesterday, so... you should get it by Friday hopefully!! I sent you the package address as well, I don't know anything about mailing packages except it has to be to that address!! Also I suggest when you write letters to my mission only use dearelder, because the pouch regulations are very strict, you can't use envelopes!! Billie and Bethany are in my prayers, I just put Billie on the prayer roll here in the Provo temple today! I can't wait to find out what Brian and Amber's baby will be... I'm hoping for a boy... but another little princess wouldn't be too bad either!! Oh tell Lewis that I'm doing well, i think I lost another 3lbs but I"m not sure!! I still hate the food here, I seriously can't wait to leave and eat real food!! Oh and I have slightly bad news, I think I'm going to be here in the MTC for another week!!! We have to meet with the consulate before we can get our visas, and he doesn't come until Oct 21, and I heard a rumor that that means we won't be leaving till the 27th... i might go slightly crazy if that's the case!! But there isn't anything I can do about it so oh well! I'm sorry this letter is so kind of blah, I did send you a hand written letter which
should be better!!

Conference was seriously amazing!! I hope you all enjoyed it as much as I did!!

Love you all!!

Hermana Gosnell

More Pictures from the MTC

Yeah I made it!! Me and my companion!!

Me and my companion with our dork dots!

My first package from Trish
Yeah baby, I'm so ready!
Me being Moroni . . . :)
Yeah, Paul and Brian should be proud!
Hermana Strasser, Hermana Olmeda, and me
These guys are intense!

Snail Mail Letter to Noelle

Noelle,

Hey, I just figured I'd jot you a quick note! I wanted to get Rachel a b-day gift since she is now a whole year old! But unfortunately there isn't anything I can get for a 1 year old! I looked and looked and the best thing I could find was this Children's Primary Songs in Spanish! I figured as long as you don't already have it you could enjoy it as well. If you do have it I won't be offended if it gets re-gifted!

I've decided Rachel needs to be bi-lingual, so when I get home I'm only speaking to her in Spanish! So you may want to prepare her for her crazy aunt!!

I've really enjoyed your letters, but I've noticed they've tapered off a bit. I'm chalking that up to the crazy storm and living with my parents for a while, so you are excused!!

I love you all and miss y'all. Please give Ray Ray loves and kisses from me!!

Love,
Hermana Gosnell