Free Chocolate, Sonya, and Beautiful Eyes

Hey guys! Today is my last P/day before I am in Paraguay!! It is crazy how quickly the CCM seemed to go buy, even though in the middle of it, it seemed like it would never end. Today has been pretty interesting, I am not feeling to good, just feeling sick so I was in bed all morning, trying to sleep it off... so that is always fun. I can not believe I am almost to Paraguay, I am so excited!! So because here my P-days are Thursday and in the field I am pretty sure they are Monday this will be the last time you will hear from me for a while.. so I sure as heck better have a ton of emails, from my lovely sisters who are out of school now! This past week as fun, I guess biggest milestone was we as a district reached our 100th meal here at the CCM, we did a toast during the middle of lunch, it was great. Also the elders in my district are the sweetest guys ever!! They all gave their chocolate to Bledsoe and I.. I am not really sure why, but hey you do not turn down free chocolate! It was great... I am pretty sure I have mentioned how funny my teacher is but one of his quotes this week included "when I was a baby I loved to share my testimony" and also always right before we leave to proseltismo, we get 'don't get shot, or robbed"he is the best, it is going to be weird to not have him as a teacher anymore! During proseltismo last week, I totally saw parrots!!!! Just chilling at the park, they are like pigeons here, I did not have my camera with me because I follow the rules, but it was the coolest thing, we fed them some bread during our lunch stop... so cute!! Another cool thing that happened during proselitismo, we started talking to this women, who was in a wheelchair, and she was saying how she had seem us earlier that day, and how she really wanted to have us come talk to here, and she couldn't believe we stopped and talked to her. Bledsoe and I had not even seen her earlier, but it was amazing and we talked to her for about 45 minutes, she seemed really receptive to the gospel, and I hope the missionaries here in Argentina can help her come unto Christ. This women, Sonya the entire time we were teaching her kept going on and on about how pretty my eyes were, and that is how she could tell we were different, two girls in church clothes with red and blonde hair kinda stick out in South America, but Sonya said it was my eyes that really made her want to talk to us. It was so cool!! In less then 5 days, I will be in Paraguay, and I am so excited (can you tell, I have only mentioned it like 4 times) so mom, and dad you will be so proud of me.... for the first time ever!!! I AM EXCITED TO PACK!!! it is crazy and I never thought it would happen, but I am so excited to pack everything up, hop on another plane and fly to Paraguay!!! It is really happening!! Keep me updated on all the happenings!!!Love, Hermana Douglas 

Mega Desk

From: Taina Douglas [mailto:taina.douglas@myldsmail.net] 
Sent: Thursday, June 18, 2015 11:01 AM
To: Daniel Douglas
Subject: Things at Home

 

Hey guys!!

This past week has been jammed packed! There is absolutely no time for anything and yet the days drag on for days... I am loving every second of it! We were able to go out a do proselytism again which was a lot more successful then last week, It was a really great day. One of the guys we meet lived in a solid stone house that was partially deserted and was kinda scary, but we taught him a lesson and he seemed really interested! It was great! As a district we also have created our class room into a mega desk and we have clap wave type of thing, that travels around the class room. It is really great. A favor, could anyone send me a audio file of a river flows in you, an Elder here could play it on the piano, and I absolutely love it! Also some news I have finally been able to learn the cup song, just the clap part, the song is really hard to do with it, but it will come! Emma should be proud of me!! On the way back from proselytism, there was a riot on the side of the highway, with fire and everything, it was really cool! We are getting a new batch of North Americans today, which is cool I guess, I can not believe I only have two weeks left, until I am off to Paraguay! The language is coming, and my i.p s a re going well, I can not wait to get out and speak with the natives of Paraguay. The pic I just sent is of all the north Americans that were in the CCM! Most have left now, but we get to be the ones to leave next!

Love, 

Hermana Douglas 

Missionaries from North America in the Argentina MTC; Taina is in the top middle

Tengo Gozo en mi Alma Hoy

From: Taina Douglas
Date: Thu, Jun 11, 2015 at 9:20 AMSubject:To: Shelby Douglas

Hey guys!!!

This past week has kinda been surreal.. We got to go and do prosilitismo and it was really scary, I was kinda freaking out, but I am really grateful for one of our teachers whose family lived in the area and fed us some lunch and helped me feel better. But really how was I supposed to be anything but scared the last thing our teacher said before we left was, have fun do not get shot, or robbed! For realsies... It turned out to be really great I did not take my camera out cause I was worried about it getting taken, and they told us not too but I have a ton of pictures to send of the CCM and my room and other such things. All the Elders in my District are really funny and I am loving having such varied experiences with all of them. One of my favorite to tease is Elder Crofts, he is from Idaho and is just fun, the laughter helps we keep calm, when everything else just seems crazy! One of the Elders in our group is Elder McDowell and he is a convert and likes to spout off sad and depressing facts about his life so another Elder in out group every time he does it says, and this has been another depressing thought with McDowell, join us next time for more depressing thoughts with McDowell, It was great. All the teasing is in good fun and the elders are all getting a little stir crazy.. anywho I leave the CCM in three weeks and get to go to Paraguay, how is my visa coming? i love you guys so much and the language is coming better now, we have three baptisms on the books and we are committing another one of our investigators tomorrow! It is amazing to be able to see the progress. Our districts favorite song is Tengo gozo en mi alma hoy (There is Sunshine in my soul today)! The elders never stop singing it!!! Jake, Mangotta said hello and wants to know how you are doing! But things are really good and I am loving this work!!! I am sorry I don't write much but I am writing in my journal everyday!! Yo yo ma, I want an email from you, tell me what is up... love you

Have a great week, I know I will!!!!

Love,

Hermana Douglas

Taina with MTC buddy and her companion Hermana Bledsoe

At the LDS Argentina Temple

View outside Taina's room at the MTC

Taina's Bed!! She sleeps and prays here!  (Notice the shoes under the bed...)

Room 106

Hallway in the MTC

Emails from Paraguay, Part 2

On Thu, Jun 4, 2015 at 9:08 AM, Daniel Douglas <DouglasDW@ldschurch.org> wrote:

Dear Hermana Douglas,

I hope all is going well and you are learning lots. Here at home thing are going well. We are very busy with end of the year school and work. I'm heavily involved with Elder Perry's funeral. The viewing is tonight and the funeral tomorrow. We have been busily planing and making preparations this week. We are ready. Mom went and started to work out. This is good for her but she is now very sore.

So how is the food? How are you doing? Do you get time to look out into the country side much? I understand from your last letter that you have or will be working with the people of Argentina. That would be fun.

Funny thing, I changed the name on your phone and now it shows my name I picked for it. I'll get it changed when I get to work. "Honking the Struggle Bus:)".

We sure love you. Know that you are in our prayers. Have a wonderful day.

Love Dad

rom: Taina Douglas [mailto:taina.douglas@myldsmail.net] 
Sent: Thursday, June 04, 2015 9:44 AM
To: Daniel Douglas
Subject: Re: Mission

Wow thanks dad!! One time I may of been honking the struggle bus, but if I do say so myself I have been doing much better... Things are good here, we eat a ton of meat which is great but -I can hear myself getting fatter! Tomorrow we get to take some time out our day and watch the funeral, streamed from salt lake so that will be good, I can not believe that he is gone. Good on mom, that is great news tell her to keep it up :) things are good, some days are better than others but it all evens out in the end- good luck with tomorrow I am sure it will go off without a cinch.

I am writing a lot in my journal so it kinda feels like I am telling you guys everything twice:)

but my teacher likes Coke, you would like him mom. He says coke is the elixir of life, and all you need to succeed on a mission is the holy Ghost and Coke. We are practically living on temple grounds. (The Argentina temple is right across the street).

So fun things that happened this week: the language is coming along faster now, and we are eating a ton of meat everyday! I am learning a lot and have been doing well. This Saturday I get to go out and teach in the streets so that is really exciting and scary. All is well... Could anyone send we the talk by Holland Lord I believe. just the words would be great, which reminds me if you are going to send any talks just the words would be super!!! Also we do have a teacher here named Mangota, someone ask Jake if it is the same dude that he served with, also how is my visa coming? love you guys tons!!!!

Love,

Hermana Douglas