Season 3 Episode 21 "It looks questionable to me" (10-23-17)

US on a BUS

Season 3 Episode 21 

"It looks questionable to me"

So this week Hermana Harker and I decided that as every change does we needed to have a little catch phrase. With the storms and a bunch of funny stories later we decided that the quote would come from Tarzan, it is the part where the little elephant looks at the water and says "Is that water sanitary? It looks questionable to me". We have used it on quite a few adventures this week. 

One of these experience came when we had the opportunity to be in a hailstorm. Yes, for those who did not know it does downpour here and when it does it then turns into hail. This led us to one of the coolest lessons with a family called FLIA'LealRodriguez. Their daughter passed away three years ago and they asked a bunch of questions about the Plan of Salvation and it was awesome to be able to help them receive some comfort of the Gospel truths that we have. 

We also had two weird contacts this week where one just wanted to fight about the Book Of Mormon and really was just one of the most talkative and feisty people that we talked to. We are taught not to Bible bash or attack others' beliefs, but man someone should tell this guy that. Then the other came on Sunday when this homeless man asked us where the church was and how he could help. Then he looks again at me and asks "Is she pregnant?" YES, I was asked by a weird homeless man this question, when he started talking about God... Just A LOT questionable??? Still not clear if he was talking to me or to God??? 

Just US

However, the best part of this week was by far the Temple trip!! We left the church at around 5:15 in the morning and were on this adventure in the bus up until about 1 in the afternoon with our ward. It was fun to go on a little road-trip together and to end up at the temple. On the way there we saw some cool things, like plaso de los torros (the middle of Uruguay), the airport, the peñarol stadium, and a lot of modern houses. Then of course the Beautiful MONTEVIDEO TEMPLE!! I also had the chance to see a bunch of people from Paysandu!! The best part was watching the two recent converts do baptisms for the dead. The ward had brought names of their ancestors to do and we got to help. We did about 8 baptisms, then we went and did a session. The Temple is a great place!!! 

Me with Mozzy

Hermana Harker, Mozzy and I

Funny part...so our trip took a funny turn when we got to play with the Olsen family dog Mozzy in the dark, yes I was excited to play with a clean dog!! Then we tried to get on the bus to come home with the WRONG tickets. We ended up in Tres Cruces (three crosses) for about 2 hours from 1030 - 1230 am eating some McDonald's... yes, when you buy the wrong bus tickets it is acceptable to buy McD's at almost one am... :) 

Sunday, was also a great day where we got to hear the members that had just gone to the Temple for the first time share their testimonies with the entire ward and that was a really powerful meeting. I am still getting to know the people and investigators from up here in Rivera Chico 2 but I am loving every single minute of it that is for sure. 

Us being US

Us being a little more Formal

          

Lorena, me, Harker, Lelys and the MVD Hermanas

Hermana Soba (mom)
(started with me and is now in California)

US at the Montevideo Temple

Challenge... So today near the Brazil and Uruguay border we had the chance to talk to the missionaries that are serving in the Brazilian mission. It was cool to see missionaries. I know that sounds weird because I am with missionaries all the time... HOWEVER, we got to talk to them about the work in Brazil and that was new. So this week get in contact with some missionaries, talk to them about the work and ask them about their investigators or even give them a reference. 

THEY love that!! 

Possum anyone???

LOVE YOU!! 

Hermana Sanovich

Hey look its the Elders 

Lunch...it's called a xiz

Storm this week

Here Rivera becomes Brasil
H' Martinez, Huntsman, Harker ME, Funke and Johnson

Some friends from Paysandu were visiting here
I was able to see some familiar faces :)

Paso drink in "Paso"

Season 3 Episode 20 "Milanesas and Buses what else?" (10-17-17)

Season 3 Episode 20 " Milanesas and Buses what else?"

Picture of Milanesas

So this last week had a bunch of once again random but wonderful little adventures for us in Fray Bentos. One of them would be that in the last 9 days we have had Milanesas for lunch the last 7 of them. I am not sure that I have ever explained in detail what exactly they are but to eat them that many times is not healthy and it kind of gets a little boring as well. 

Other than the food, we met a few new investigators that I am excited to hear about. One has a lizard that is in a jar full of chemicals so that she can keep it as a pet for her son. The other has about 3 little puppies so they are very cool houses to go and try and find. One of them led us on an adventure asking for this guy by a nickname all day and then figuring out that we had been saying it wrong the entire time. Gotta love those crazy nicknames. 

The biggest news is that we had changes!! I am now in Rivera which is on the other half of the country. I went from being very South to being up North. Let me tell you after the day of traveling and about the 9 hours on a bus to get here and to actually being here is just amazing. I am back by Brazil and loving getting to know another city and a whole new culture again. It is a little funny because I am with Hermana Harker who I know well from back in Salto, because I would sleepover at her house every single week. 

Well I am sorry for the lack of excitement this week but we were crazy with the changes coming...  However, I beat my personal packing record and packed up all of my things in about an hour and a half in the dark. I was pretty impressed. It is still weird to realize that all of my belongings fit into suitcases and that I can just pack up and get on a bus and be in a totally different city in a few hours... OH URUGUAY!!! 

Challenge: Stepping up the challenges because we don't have too many left. This week according to me and Hermana Harker's conversation we are challenging you as a family to give away a Book Of Mormon before Christmas with a testimony written in the front... 

What do you think?  I think YOU can do IT!!!!

I know that this church is true. I love being a missionary and cant wait to just enjoy everything that Rivera has to offer in the next 5 weeks...

At the terminal saying goodbye is hard to do.

LOVE YOU ALL, 

Hermana Cassidy Sanovich 

My view for 9 hours - not too bad!

STOP 1 

STOP 2

Last Week in Fray Bentos and Argentina Pics 10/14/17

Saturday Afternoon (before I left) and a cute puppy!

YES it's a wall of Mayonnaise 

Some MONEY!!!

Cute family from Fray Bentos

I FINALLY made it to Argentina!!

Gualeguaychu, Argentina - US the Hermanas

Flags flying in Argentina

Band in the PARK

Selfie with the ZONE

Gorgeous View when we left the park last week...

Season 3 Episode 19 "No lloras por mi Argentina" (10-9-17)

Hermana Curbelo a cute little member
of the church here in Fray Bentos

Season 3 Episode 19 "No lloras por mi Argentina" 

(You do not cry for me Argentina)

So this week the biggest accomplishment was that after trying two other times with Hermana Wagner last change to enter Argentina I FINALLY GOT IN!!!! I had a chance to visit Argentina! It was a funny little trip of about a day and a half, but we did get to see some of the sights and to meet some cool Argentinians. I was able to spend some time with both Hermana Chavez who is from Peru and Hermana Calarco who is from Argentina, they are both amazing Hermanas and work really hard to help the people.

Then the funniest thing happened this week on Thursday morning while we were planning. We get a frantic phone call from an Hermana telling us that they were going to be coming to our house and living with us until Tuesday. I think I had a look of sure panic on my face and Hermana Taylor was a little scared. So with 4 Hermanas in a house built for 2 was interesting to say the least. 

Hermana Mattos, Hermana Galvez, 
Hermana Taylor, me and Hermana Curbelo

We had a funny experience at a lunch appointment this week where we needed to eat and be out of there quickly.  The four of us were trying to eat so fast while the two older ladies talked and talked and talked some more. I sadly got a raw chicken milanesa (breaded) and had to eat it super fast so that we could be to the service activity on time. We ran from their house to the Catholic church where we were meeting up with the other ward and the Boy Scouts to paint and clean up a bunch of their little yard that they use at the Catholic church. We were able to make some new friends and it was nice to feel united with the entire community for a change. We took a picture where the Catholic Padre(Father) decided to put his arm around me. Now the ongoing joke is that Sanovich is the new reason the Catholics are our friends...lol. You gotta do what you gotta do... 

Service at the catholic church with
Hermana Taylor and Elder Padilla

Another cool experience was going to the family Baptism of the Bishops son on Sunday afternoon. We were able to go and see Matias Selios get Baptized. It was one of the most spiritual meetings that I have been to here in Uruguay. Both of his Grandmothers were there and they were able to share their strong testimonies. It is not a normal thing to have a long family line within the Gospel here in Uruguay because, the church has not been present here for a long long time. However, the Selios family is full of strong members in the church, his parents both served missions and his great-grandparents are how they met the church for the first time. When Matias 

came up out of the water he just hugged his dad and then you could see as they were leaving the water his mom, dad and him hugging. The spirit was so strong during his Baptism that it made the entire day. 

I loved this past week! Between Argentina, the other Hermanas, the crazy people we have been talking to here in Fray Bentos, and then the amazing Baptism was just the icing on the cake.

I know that this church is true that is for sure!!! I was able to see how the Gospel blesses families down here in Uruguay as well as in the United States. I am blessed to be part of a family that is strong in the Gospel and that they have always helped me have a strong testimony and have made me who I am today.  THEY are the best!!! 

Capybara/Carpincho Family at the Zoo

Challenge comes from Elder Tholstrom 
"Give someone a Genuine Complement" so ya...lets do that this week, ok? 

Love you all and I hope you have a GREAT WEEK... 

Hermana Cassidy Sanovich

Peacock at the Zoo

Gorgeous Sunset on Monday night

Season 3 Episode 18 "Conference Chicken" (10-2-17)

16 Months on the Mission

Season 3 Episode 18 "Conference Chicken"

This week was none other than what we missionaries like to compare to Christmas. 
That is right with all the same snacks, happiness, and laughter minus the family Skype :(. You got it General Conference!!! It was a great weekend and we were able to hear the words of the most amazing people out there. However, before we had a chance to sit in front of the computer for about 10 hours a couple of other things happened here in Fray Bentos. 

#16monthssanovich #5monthstaylor

We had a silly little puppy that followed us around, and because we both care a little too much about animals, we carried it back to its home to make sure that it was taken care of. Finally, I have a companion that is just as animal crazy as me :)  Later that same day we were able to teach Maria Nuñez about the Plan of Salvation and explain how it relates to baptism and the importance that following Christs example has in our lives. Later on in the week we were able to have a funny little contact where I heard an excuse that I had never heard before about why she could not come to the door. Her little kid who was about 10 comes to the door and says "my mom cant come to the door because she has lots of diarrhea and is in the bathroom."   Hats off to you kid, that is a new one.....hahahaha 

Some funny lessons we had this week included us teaching 2 new investigators from the back of their car. We walked past them and they were both dead asleep laid back in the cars seats. We thought that we would have to come back another day. But the cute little old lady who is about 4 ft tall jumps out of the car and tells us to hop in the backseat. Yep! We have officially taught a lesson while sitting in their car in the back seat behind our investigators while in the hot, parked car. Very interesting for sure.  Then we went from that lesson to a lesson with Maria Centurión and talked to her about the Law Of Chastity, she is our 70 year old who has a 30 year old boyfriend. She seems to want to follow ALL of God´s commandments...so that was good.

Friday, was just what we needed before Conference. We were walking in the rain when out of nowhere a member who lives in the other ward is talking to us about some people that he wants to share the Gospel with that live in our ward. Before we know it he is showing us around and within about 30 minutes we have found two new investigators and have received two solid references. MEMBERS = POWER!! It never ceases to amaze me how great the members are at missionary work even better than us missionaries. People just trust them and want to listen to them... We also taught Yudith and her family, they are great and each time we go there is a new family member that wants to hear more about the Gospel. It was also a great chance to see her be so excited about getting baptized that she put it into her phones calendar. 

CONFERENCE and Chicken!!! --- We got to watch General Conference and it was absolutely amazing!! We also made some spicy fried chicken to eat in between the two Conference sessions on Saturday. However, word of warning, if you are going home to fry chicken in between sessions, change your clothes before you come back to the church or everyone will know that you went home and fried chicken. :D just saying!!! It was delicious and made watching Conference feel that much more special!!! 

Challenge - Well it might be an obvious one...but go and watch a Conference talk... Taking some words from Elder Nelson "There is a treasure chest of Heavenly direction awaiting your discovery in the messages of General Conference. The test for each of us is how we respond to what we hear, 

what we read, and what we feel.…" 

Here are a few quotes that I liked to give you a little taste of what you may have missed out on. 

"Doubt NOT. Fear Not!!" 

"We are not perfect but he uses us anyway" 

"Hard makes us stronger, humbles us, and gives us a chance to prove ourselves." 

I loved every minute of watching Conference from seeing the Salt Lake Valley, hearing the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and of course receiving all the Revelation from Prophets and Apostles. I know that we are able to hear from God through his chosen leaders and that if we take their advice we will be blessed every day of our our lives. 

LOVE you all, 

Hermana Cassidy Sanovich 

         We had a chance to visit an Art Museum

                                      

    

Lunch by the River

                                                      Some Pics of Our Apartment