Don´t cry for me, I´M IN ARGENTINA!!! September 5, 2013

Hey hey hey errbody!!!!!!

 

I´m just gonna go ahead and apologize RIGHT NOW for any typos or weird symbols or unnecessary capital letters I make. This keyboard is SUPER weird and not everything is in the same place. Plus, our email time is six thirty but we could start at six if we wanted to, which means we definitely got up at five minutes to six. That extra thirty five minutes is probably going to kill me later, but I gotta give the people what they want!  I´m still trying to type quickly to give all you fine folks the lowdown on what{s been going on. So this is all for you! So no judgin´!

 

So anyway, I don´t think I´ve ever laughed so hard in my entire life.

 

Where to even start??!?!

 

I guess I´ll start with the airport. The night before I left had  a lot of anxiety and fear that was clouding my excitement. It wasn´t until I finally got to the airport and said goodbye to the fam and finally got started that I started to feel that excitement again. AND THEN I walked up to the get and saw about 15 other missionaries sitting and waiting for that same flight. That´s when I was like "I´m ready! Let´s go baptize some peeps!"

 

From Salt Lake I flew with one other Sister and FOURTEEN Elders. What a joy. At least we had plenty of priesthood power? But in Atlanta we met up with two more Sisters and five more Elders. The Elders are so funny. At the airport they had this need for everyone to stay together, even when we were just getting food. So we were just this pack of teenagers in suits and skirts walking in a herd around the airport. We got a lot of double takes! So funny.

 

The flight from Buenos Aire was fine until about 2 am, and then we were all just sooooo ready for it to be over. I think I´m just gonna stay in South America for the rest of my life, because I don´t want to take that flight again. Ugh. So if somebody figures out how to apparate me home, give me a holler. Otherwise I think I´ll stay here....or swim home. Or something.  BUT on the plus side there was a lightning storm right below us in the middle of the night! So we watched a lightning storm happening BELOW us. Pretty cool. I didn´t get much sleep though because I was sitting next to an Elder and I was legitimately paranoid that I´d fall asleep and start drooling, or fall on his shoulder, or something. Plus I was just way too excited! We all were. Sleep? What is sleep? But let me tell you, nothing will beat flying ABOVE the Argentina sunrise. That made it alll worth it....okay almost.

 

Finally finally finally, we arrived at the EEEEEMPPPPPTTTTEEEEEEEE SEEEEEAAAAAAAA. Aka SEEEEAAAAA SEEEEEEEAAAAAAAA EEMMMMMMMMMM (it´s the CCM when you say it in Spanish.) We started out by finding out our companions and who would be in our District. I know you´re all dying to know about my companions, so, drumroll pleaseeeee.....

 

HERMANA BUSS AND HERMANA HUNT.    

 

That´s right kids, I´m in a trio!!!!!

 

I´m with the two girls I met up with at the Atlanta airport. I LUUURVE them!!! A trio can be a little harder at times, but we get along SO well and we are always laughing. I wish I could tell you all of the funny things we´ve said and done, but that would just take too long! The Elders in our District think we´re just a bunch of crack ups. And let´s face it, WE´RE HILARIOUS. Finally, someone who recognizes how funny I am! Some of our one liners we say all the time now because one of us would say it once and now all three of us say it:

 

"Bless OUR hearts."

"We can´t take you anywhere!" (whenever someone struggles at mealtime or trips or something.)

"Well, MY grandparents....." (one of the elders in the other District who speaks Spanish really well never stops talking about how his grandparents served as mission presidents and that just makes him better)

"I´m gonna shoot em.....with the utmost LOVE."

"Behold, eh?" (said in a Canadian accent.)

 

Maybe it´s funnier if you´re here. We certainly crack ourselves up. Even if I do feel the need to beat up Hermana Hunt sometimes (that´s another joke. No worries.)

 

So as for Districts. They split the group up that flew together into two Districts, so Hermana Sanders (who flew with me from Salt Lake) and Hermana B., who met up with us in Argentina, are in the other District, and my companions and I are the only Hermanas in our District. Six of us in my District are going to Uruguay, and the rest are going to Paraguay. In the other District, three are going to Uruguay and the rest are going to Paraguay. Which means total there are nine people from this group going to Uruguay. Wanna know something way exciting? I am the ONLY Hermana in the BUILDING going to the Uruguay Montevideo West mission! There´s one other North American District here who has been here for three weeks now, but they´re all going to the Montevideo mission, not West. Soooooo lot´s fun except for it´s super scary!  My District is the best District around. We are already like a family and I feel like I have known them for waaaay longer than a week! It is going to be so sad in five weeks when I have to say goodbye to everyone going to Paraguay. :( I´m just gonna not think about it....

 

Elder Boyer is our District Leader and he´s from St. George. Elder Dye is from Washington, Hermana Hunt is from Arizona, and Hermana Buss is from Wyoming. Elder Page in the other District is from Colorado and Hermana B. is from Texas. All the rest of us are from Salt Lake is area, which is pretty cool!

 

Okay so as for stuff about my companions. Hermana Hunt, as I said, is from Arizona and she´s my age. She is the funniest person I´ve ever met! And put us together, and boy are we just a couple of people meant for the loony bin. I wish I could send you guys pictures here but I can´t. She played basketball, softball, and volleyball in high school. Hermana Buss is 20 and she is so kind and nice! She´s a little quieter, enough to keep me and Hermana Hunt more calm, but not by much haha. She whips out a lot of funny one liners without warning. She went to BYU for two years before coming here, which I guess I can forgive because she´s pretty darn awesome. Have I mentioned I love those two? We are already best friends and i think we will be for a long time, even though they are going to different missions.

 

Alrighty, so on for the rest of the week! After meeting our District on the first day, we had to unpack what stuff we would absolutely need for the six weeks here, and put the rest in storage. Then we had to wait for interviews with Presidente Openshaw and his wife. Presidente is AWWWWEEESOME. Hermana is cool, but she is super scary. I can´t even describe it. We´re all a little scared of her. After our interviews, we had a couple hours of free time, which I chose to use by taking a shower and having a nap. Oh yeah, my companions and I are in a six bed apartment that we share with one companionship of two Latino girls. Hermana Ferrari is from Argentina and she´s going to Spain (they send all the South American people going to Spanish speaking missions to this MTC), and Hermana Rodriguez is from URUGUAAAAAYYYYYY and she´s going to one of the Argentina missions. Rodriguez speaks pretty decent English so she translates for us and Hermana Ferrari, who doesn´t speak any. It was funny the first day we met them. Hermana Ferrari walked up to me and held her face out, which was for me to give her a kiss on the cheek and her to do that to me since that´s the culture, but I had no clue what she was doing. So I just stared at her for a good ten seconds until I actually figured out what was happening. Hahhaa. Stupid American I am. They are really funny and it kills us whenever Hermana Ferrari repeats something we say in English. Our favorite is "sweetdreamsgoodnight." She really does make it all one word, no joke.

 

After a nap and finally not smelling like the undead, we first had a lesson from Presidente and then from Hermano Agüero, who is the manager of the MTC. I love that guy! He speaks French, Spanish, English, Portugese, Italian, and knows some Russian and Japanese. He is HILARIOUS. Of course, I also think their accents hear make funny things sound even funnier.

 

We started our first day of classes the next day. Everyone lied when they told me none of the teachers here speak English. They ALL do! They try to speak as much Spanish to us as possible though, but they´re going easy on us since it´s our first week. We started Spanish classes and classes on how to teach. Our teachers are Hermana Gutierrez who we have in the morning and Hermano Abad who we have in the afternoon. Hermano Abad is seriously the funniest person and Gutierrez is a really good teacher and has a very powerful testimony.

 

After just one day of classes, the next day we had to teach our first Investigator! Her name is Rocío and she is played by Hermana Gutierrez, but she seems really real. The lesson did not go well. Our Spanish is just so poor and Rocío is only fifteen and really shy so we don´t really know what to teach her. She wants to be baptized but won´t go to church, so we´re still trying to figure out what we can do to help her. We´ve taught her three times now. Our Spanish is still really bad even now but we´re trying our best.

 

Sunday was AWESOME. Even though it was Fast Sunday. Man, that was rough! But it also meant it was a testimony meeting, which was cool. We just do church with the North Americans and the Latinos do church all together separate from us. You know what´s great about Sundays here in the CCM? They actually give us free time, which really means NAP TIME!!!!! I actually got a Sunday nap. That´s what I call a miracle.

 

We had a lesson from Hermano Eckel, an American who is the FBI agent who oversees Paraguay, Uruguay, and Argentina. He gave us a lesson on sacrifice and dedication and how we need to teach that principle to our investigators while also understanding what sacrifices will be too big for them. He reminds us all of home so we really liked him. Later, we got a lesson from Presidente. He had nothing planned, just said "hmmmm. okay. let´s talk about the Atonement." And with every question someone asked he immediately knew where a scripture was to answer it without looking. He is brilliant. I loved that in that lesson he focused on Christ´s anguish and how that anguish was not given to Him by Heavenly Father, but it was something that came from His heart because that´s just who He was. Presidente told us how we will feel that sort of anguish for our investigators and people who reject the Gospel, and that´s when we will truly know Christ. It was an amazing lesson. I took really good notes on it, so you can ask about them a year and a half from now!

 

That night was MOVIE NIGHT. Where we watch a past devotional or something like that. We watched a devotional from Elder Holland given in Provo back in January. He basically talked about conversion. He spoke for an hour just completely relying on the Spirit. He is my favorite speaker. he focused on the importance of converting ourselves first, THEN going to convert others. The really powerful part was when he said, in his loud, blunt, Elder Holland voice "you had BETTER come home with at least one convert and it BETTER. BE. YOU." That knocked our socks off. I also loved that he explained that every dispensation before us has failed, and this is the one that will be successful! And how Heavenly Father must really love us to send us at this time and trust us immensely if he´s willing to put the salvation of the world in the hands of a bunch of "Aaronic priesthood escapees." Hahaha. If his talk didn´t bring everyone to their knees that night, then there´s no hope for that person. Amazing.

 

The days here are basically the same routine, but they do a really good job of mixing it up and giving us time outside the classroom so we never feel like we´re there for too long. Every day we get an hour and a half of exercise, and a couple days ago we played Ultimate Frisbee as a District. We played Uruguay vs. Paraguay, which meant I was the only Hermana on my team. And basically I found out I should´ve been a professional frisbee player, so I think I´ll just leave the mission and go do that.

 

Okay so not really. But our Elders did tell me I really surprised them with how good I was! Yeah that´s right. We´re not technically supposed to keep score, but if we were keeping score, (and we were), my team won. We DOMINATED.

 

I love our Elders. They really are like our older brothers (even though some are younger than us. But they protect us like older brothers do.) and take good care of us. Plus they are just a bunch of crack ups.

 

Okay I´m almost out of time! If I don´t respond to people´s emails, I´m sorry. I´ll get to them enxt week, I swear!

 

Fun facts about the MTC real quick:

 

it is so much better than Provo. We are learning the language a lot faster and things are so much more chill here.

 

There are five Latino districts and three american districts. That´s about thirty people (the americans) that we do everything with, including meals and everything. I LOVE it! It´s so fun to know everybody.

 

The food here is sooooo good! Family, you would be in Heaven because it is meat and potatoes like all the time! A few days ago we had mashed potatoes and beef with gravy and it was sooooooo goood. Reminded me of your mashed potatoes mom. Mmmmmmm. WE get fed super well here and they make sure they give us fruits and veggies too. I´m all about the bananas and kiwis.

 

There is a really attractive teacher here named Hermona Pedersyn. It´s called Pedersyn fever and all the Hermanas here have it! Just sayin´.

 

The Latinos are HILARIOUS. Especially the Elders.

 

Okay time is almost up! I love being a missionary and I love being here in the Argentina MTC. I love love love you all and I pray and think about so many of you more than you know! Tell my cousins Topher and Conner they still owe me a letter or email, so they better get on that if they want a gift.

 

We´re going to the temple today! SOOOOOO excited!

 

LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE YOU ALL! the gospel is true and Jesus Christ lives! Amen!

 

All my love and awesomeness,

 

Hermana Dolan

 

Arrived in Argentina, August 29, 2013

HOWDY.

I have arrived safely in Argentina and we are at the CCM!!!!!!

I´m safe, I´m ready to shower, sleep, and eat non airline food. I´m in a trio and I am soooo happy and excited to be here!!!!

This keyboard is weird.

LOVE LOVE LOVE YOU

Hermana Dolan

Salt Lake City International Airport August 28, 2013

I was here, here at the airport!  My Dad took me over to have my luggage weighed, YUP, it was over, and not only didn't they charge me for being over, they didn't charge me for my bags at all!  What a blessing.  My big sister, Jennifer (her hubby was at work) was there with the two cutest little boys ever, my nephews, Jackson and baby Sean.  Soon my brother Justin and my new sister in law Amanda arrived.  There were so many missionaries there, and we were all going to the MTC in Argentina.  Some were going to the Paraguay mission, and some mine, and others just Montevideo mission.  I was excited to see an Elder who just graduated from my high school, Olympus High.  Yea for Elder Jacob White.

When it was time to say good bye I was excited but of course going to miss my family terribly, and I was thinking of Mackenzie and how it would be so long before we would see each other again.

And so it BEGINS.............................

Getting Ready for the Airport, August 28, 2013

The day finally came, and it was so strange that after so much time, that I would soon be leaving this country.  I said goodbye to my dog, Charlie, who even helped me pack.  :) I had this awesome luggage that was given to me by my mission angels, John and Lillian,( thank you ), and my next 18 months was packed inside of them.

Argentina CCM (Missionary Training Center) Here I Come

August 28, 2013

Last night, August 27, 2013 I was set apart as a missionary of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in the Uruguay Montevideo West Mission, by my amazing Stake President, Pres. D. Russell Wight.  It was so great to have my family there to support me.  Then it was off to dinner to one of my favorite places to eat, and one of my favorite peoples favorite places to eat.  Chuck-a Rama!, Yup that's right folks, Chuck a Rama!  My "Aunt" Barb loved that place, and I do to, so I couldn't think of a better place to go with memories of joy and happiness and love of family.

I came home to find balloons flying around my fence with good wishes written on them by our good friends and adopted family the Woods, Blisses, and Yenchiks.  Thank you so much!

Farewell August 11, 2013

August 11, 2013

This was a big weekend in my family.  My brother was married to my new sister in law, Amanda Lim, on August 10, 2013.  Wow what a party it was.  It was so much fun, and I had such a great time with my cousins, and my second cousins.  We danced like crazy. Phew, then I had to speak in church on Sunday!  I was so grateful for everyone that came to hear me and support me.  I truly felt loved!  So thanks everyone!  Big Hugs.

Below is a picture of me, my Grandma Dolan who serves as a missionary at the Tabernacle in St. George, and my big Sis, Sister Mackenzie Dolan serving in Japan Tokyo/Tokyo South mission.  It was a stand up photo of her we had done for the wedding.  She arrives home on Oct. 8, we will miss each other for 3 years, but it will be worth it!

  My Dad had this great idea to hang flags of where our family has served missions.  So the Union Jack Flag is representing my Dad, who served in England Leeds mission, my brother in law, Jared Day who also served in England Leeds, so for him just the flat England flag, my big brother Justin Dolan, who served in the Thailand Bangkok Mission, and my sister Mackenzie Marie Dolan, serving in Japan Tokyo/Tokyo South mission.  The Japanese flag is the small one because she is the one currently serving, the big ones for those who have served and will serve, so then there is the flag of Uruguay.

The pics have been taken.... it's gettin' real!!! And received my Endowment in the San Diego Temple! So amazing!

I took my Mission Pictures last week at FotoFly in Draper. NEVER DID I EVER THINK I WOULD EVER HAVE MISSION PICTURES OH MY GOSH WHAT IS HAPPENING THIS IS SO CRAZZZZZZYYYYYYYY. AND ESPECIALLY NOT PICTURES WITH ME HOLDING A FLAG FOR URUGUAY! WHAT?!

Okay, freakout moment done.

In all seriousness, it was a really excellent experience! I actually had a Megan moment and thought my appointment was at 10:15 when it was actually at 11:30....So my mom and I drove out to Draper and they told me it was at 11:30. But they were so understanding of my hairbrained mistake, and even found me a photographer last minute! And lo and behold, her name was Jessica, and she was an R.M.! Holla! As you'll see, she is really creative and has excellent vision (I feel corny saying that. But it's true.)

They did a great job and I'm really happy with them. They're all just so chill and easy-going and fun. If you're going on a mission, definitely ch-ch-ch-check it out here.

And enjoy!

So in case you couldn't tell...I'M GOING ON A MISSION AND I AM SO EXCITED! :) 

My family was going to be in San Diego for our vacation in May, my older sister and hubby, her two little boys, my brother and his fiance, so we thought we LOVE San Diego, it was one of my parents and my brother's favorite temple, so why not go through the San Diego temple. So before we left we made arrangements for me to go through on May 7, 2013. It was amazing.  When I entered the Celestial room to see my brother and sister and my brother in law and parents was an incredible experience.  My sweet soon to be sister in law was back at the beach house watching my nephews.  While we were standing in the Celestial room, we were asked if our family wanted to do sealings!  What?  Really?  So my first day I got to do sealings with my family.  I missed Mackenzie being there, but ironically on that very day, May 7, 2013, she was in the Tokyo temple!  What are the odds? I love the temple!

Me and my parents above!

My oldest sister Jennifer, her hubby Jared Day, me, and my only brother, Justin.