Note from Mom--Just catching up. Kind of fun to see Elise's command of English slipping a bit; does this mean she's thinking in Espanol?

Hi dearest family!

Wow, it feels like I was just barely writing you less than a day ago, and here we are on another Monday.  Crazy how fast the time flies, sometimes it makes me sick when I realize how fast this precious time is whizzing by.  But at the same time, this week has been jam-packed with teaching, walking, meeting new people, and work work work!  

In the last email I mentioned really rapidly that we are working more with some youth right now, which I absolutely love.  And oh my goodness, do we have some amazing youth.   About three weeks ago, we had the greatest blessing of meeting Rosario and Jesus.  They are brother and sister, Rosario 16 and Jesus.  They moved here from Argentina about 2 years ago and are the most adorable tiny people on the planet.  The first time we met Rosi, she talked with us for a while and then said, “Hmmm, I think I would like to be a missionary someday.” And we were like, “Um YES!”  We had a lesson with her and when we talked about baptism she said, ever so calmly and matter-of-factly, “I think baptism would be really good for me.  I have this feeling inside that this is going to a really good year.”  She is incredibly mature and lady like which makes a funny little contrast because she literally looks like she is about ten.  (I’ll have to send pics next time.)  Then we met her brother Jesus, a little more rebellious, but absolutely adorable and super open to our message.  It’s been a roller coaster of lesson after lesson ever since, and after every single lesson, Hermana Castillo and I walk down the street, look at each other with the biggest grins, and the only thing we can say is, “Oh. My. Gosh.” They are just absolutely amazing, and every single lesson there are moments where my heart is about to burst with joy as I watch them grasp hold of a góspel principle. 

For example, after watching the Joseph Smith movie with Rosi, we asked her how she felt about Joseph´s Smith’s experience, and she said, very matter-of-factly once again, “Oh I know it’s true.  I don’t know how, but I felt this weird feeling in my heart during the movie when God and Jesus appeared.  I know it’s true.”  It’s a wonderful contrast teaching both her and Jesus in the same  lesson because they are very different.  Jesus talked a bunch with missionaries back in Peru about four years ago (it was a requirement to go to church if you wanted to play in the church soccer games), and he’s a lot more questioning and wary than Rosi who just embraces everything.  But he reads the Book of Mormon every night and says a prayer every time before reading with a real intent to know, which I admire so much.  Our daily 8:00 lessons with Rosi and Jesus and a member from the ward in their tiny little kitchen are the greatest highlight of my life, and I thank Heavenly Father in every prayer for the blessing of teaching these two incredible people.  They are going to be baptized on Nov. 17!  Oh and in case you're wondering why we haven't taught the mom, she works super long hours, so we have yet to meet her, but this Thursday is the day and we're super excited!  And I forgot to mention that Rosi went to a Super Saturday activity and brought her friend with her; she's a better member missionary than us members!  :)

So needless to say, between my heaven sent companion and dearest Rosi and Jesus, I am in love with Peruvians.  And Argentines of course. :)

Mom, you asked me about the members and ward, and holy cow.  They are incredibly supportive of missionary work and us missionaries. It's something that the San Justo ward is famous for, taking care of their missionaries. We never go day without lunch with the members (even if they don't have time to eat with us they make us come to their house to pick up a "vianda" which is just a huge packed up lunch that we take back to our apartment to eat.)  There are a ton of less-actives in the ward, which is a shame, but I was a personal witness back in Washington to the miracles that missionaries can work with less- active members, and I'm excited to get to work with them.  So every Sunday we have about 80 people in Sacrament Meeting, and it's like a tight little family. Seriously, I never imagined feeling this close to the members in any ward other than my own.  

Ward Council: absolutely hilarious.  These ward councils could not possibly be any more different than those in the Highland 23rd ward.  The bishop sits at the front of the room with all of us facing him, and for about the first 2 minutes there is order in the room until the hullabaloo breaks loose. And for the next hour and a half it's everyone talking at once (in VERY loud, Argentine Spanish) people standing up and yelling, and Hna. Castillo and I just sit in the back and chuckle.  They all love each other a ton, they're just super expressive and a little unruly. :)

Well, I've gotta run now, but I hope that all continues to go well in wonderful Highland, Utah.  I love hearing about the fallish things going on there, while spring is most definitely settling in here. It's a heavy, sticky warmth that I've never quite felt before, but we'll survive.  :)  I love you all so much, and I pray for you many times every day!  This work makes me happy beyond belief, even though there are a lot of tired moments, I love being a missionary for Jesus Christ.  He is guiding and directing His work through a living prophet so that people in Peru and Africa and Washington and Argentina alike can have the incredible joy of His Gospel and the hope that it brings. Til next Monday!

Love, Hermana Leavitt