02/19/16 O está todo bien :)‏

Hello!  I hope all is well way up there in the North.  All is just dandy down here in the Southern hemisphere.  Thank you for all your prayers!  I am feeling so much better, and Dengue has cleared my system.  We are back to normal work and it is just so GREAT!  It is so happy to be working!  That is why I am here and I just enjoy it so very much!  I love to see the miracles God is working in the lives of all!  It is just a pleasure to be a member of the Greatest Work on Earth!

I have told you all a bit about LA. , I believe.  Her husband has not been up to listening much.   Hermana. Ehlert and I have prayed, fasted, pondered, and studied for him and we truly feel that he is going to come out of His little, "I don´t need religion man cave".  When we went and visited her on Saturday night.  We sat down, and without even asking, the whole family brought chairs, came and sat down and listened and participated!  It was such a exhilarating spirit filled lesson.  Before CN., (the husband) had never sat down, but he would stand in the room and kind of listen, but walk in and out.  When we were talking about Christ being resurrected he said, "Ya and then He went and visited the people in Jerusalem and in America, like you guys said before, and probably went and visited His other children, but we just don't have records".  Both of our jaws just dropped!  I love watching when testimonies of people start to grow!  It is the funnest thing to watch! 

It was so much fun to teach a complete family.   This was maybe the second time in all of my mission to teach a whole family!  The gospel is perfectly formed to help families!  We have focused on trying to find and teach families, but they are so hard to find! 

 The Gospel of Jesus Christ is such an incredible plan God has created for us, and it works beautifully for everyone, no matter the situation!  I have seen it work over and over again in my life, as well as in the lives of many others.  I invite you to live it, love it, and watch the miracles fill your lives!

Yael, (pronounced shy-el) has been the highlight of my week! The hermanas had taught her 2 times before, and when I got there and sat down for the first time with her, she brought out her Book of Mormon and literally started teaching us the whole thing from the introduction!  As she was talking I just kept thinking she is going to end soon, but she continued, from Lehi to leaving Jerusalem to Nephi returning to the ship to entering the promised land.  I was literally awestruck!  I finally stopped her and asked how far she had read..."Oh just right here (pointing to 2 Nephi 9)!"  WHAT?!  And she understands it, I'm afraid better than me!  I started to think it was too good to be true, so I said, "Well, ya this story is great, but it doesn't do us much good unless we can apply it into our lives."  She stopped me and then went off and all the things she had learned and how she was starting to apply in her life!  I love HER!  Literally her story is filled with miracles, but I don't have time to share them all!  For now her spouse is not letting her come to church and is laughing and making fun of her for "becoming religious".  So for now we are praying out little hearts out, and acting in all that we can.

So it is a humid mess down here.  I walk out side and literally I'm just soaked in my sweat.  I have never sweated like this in all of my life!  There has been lots of rain.  Basically, Im just a walking ball of mold.   HAHA!  All is happy and great and good!

I love you all and hope all is well.   Remember I love you, but more importantly God loves you.

See you soon,

Hermana Fox

starlee.fox@myldsmail.net

So today we went to the San Ignacio ruins. They are from the ancients? Ha.  The story is that the are the Catholic missionaries that came here.  We went in their temple.  :)  (That is why the providence is called MISSIONES...from the catholic missionaries that came) Sorry for the History Class :)

PS. SORRY.  pictures arent sending...so you can just imagine me taking goofy pictures at the ruins!

2/9/16 ZZZZ...

Well, hello again!  I know it is a bit odd that I am writing on Tuesday, but yesterday was a National Holiday, so everything  was shut down in our tiny little town.  That means our "cyber" was closed, but also the bus system out of Corpus was closed.  So we finally were able to get out today!  Ha.  That explains a bit about my new area!  It is crazy little! 

So this week...I will call my Dengue week.  Blood results came back positive for Dengue Fever (Zika Virus) on Wednesday, and so I was out all week!  Dengue gives you a really high fever, body aches, 0 appetite, and you have ZERO energy to do anything!  I literally slept about 20 hours a day, every day this week.  My companion had to come wake me up every 6 hours to take a pill so that my fever would stay down.  Thankfully I didn't pass out anymore, but when I woke up I felt like it, so I was confined to the bed.  So basically my week in review...sleep, wake up, take a pill, go to the bathroom, and sleep again. It was slightly pathetic!

On Saturday I felt alright in the night, so we went out for an hour.  It was so great to get out of the house,  (BUT hard to leave my air conditioned cave. ) We met with Lorena, who is an amazing woman! What I love about her is that she thinks, she listens, and comprehends, and then thinks for herself.  She wants to be baptized and realizes how important this promise is with God.  I am so excited to keep working with her!

Sunday we went to church, and it was all going really great, we actually had a big group of 17!  In the end of 2nd hour, we were teaching the youth and we heard a bunch of commotion outside.  When we opened the door our room filled with smoke, and then we ran outside.  The AC that was recently installed had caught on fire!  WHAT?!  Ya, so we put that out and then President came and told us we were going to finish church with a prayer.  (Our members are a BIT dramatic!) HA.  Needless to say, I was exhausted, so it was perfect, I went home and slept the WHOLE day!

I am feeling much better, and I am so grateful for all the prayers that are coming my way!  My fever has gone away and we started working again yesterday!  I have high hopes for the week, and I am so grateful to be back at work and see the miracles start pouring down! :)  It is so hard to just stay in the pension (probably a lot harder for my companion than me), all day. My mind wanders and I kinda wanted to just come home.  I dreamt so much about all of you guys, and thought lots about my life, after the mission.  BUT, oh how amazing what a little work will do, when we get out of ourselves and go help others!  It truly works miracles!

Love you all and hope its a good one!  Enjoy the snow, because I only get to dream about it!  

When it comes down to it, I love my Savior, I love the gospel, and I feel so privileged to be able to share this special message with my brothers and sisters.

See you soon,

Hermana Fox

starlee.fox@myldsmail.net

Saturday night, and waiting in the bus stop :)

2/1/16 It's a great day to be alive!

I have arrived in my new area!  I am serving in Corpus Cristi and Roca.  We actually have 2 areas and 2 pensions,so we split our time at both!  I am so very excited for this transfer!  Corpus is just the smallest little town you have ever seen.  Everyone knows everyone.     We have a small branch and it doesn't help that everyone is on vacations.   We had a church attendance of 7, including us. Ha Ha.  That was different, but I am really enjoying it.  

My companion is just a doll!  I am so happy to serve with her, and we both have so many expectations for the transfer.

Leaving Eldorado. That was hard to say good bye.  It was hard to say goodbye to Ca., but it was so rewarding to see her conversion.  On our last lesson we taught the law of Chastity.  She was wearing a mini skirt and tanktop, and when we finished the lesson, she hurried and got up and changed.  She is just the greatest! 

 

 I am loving my companion.  We have clicked so well, and I just feel like she is my friend! We traveled to our new area on Thursday morning at 3:00 am.  All was fine until Friday night.  My whole body just hurt, then Saturday I had a really high fever...like 39.4°C.   I had slept all day, and then when I woke up I passed out and was out for about 25 seconds.  We went to the hospital and they gave me a shot to control the fever and some pills.  Today we came to Posadas to the bigger hospital.  I was still burning at about 39°C and so I got another injection and blood draw.  We are going in just a bit to find test results.  We are pretty sure that is  Dengue/zika virus ( it is really wide spread right now),  but I will know tonight.  If that is the case I have to stay in bed for 1-2 weeks.  My body doesn't hurt so much right now, but lymph are swollen, and I have a rash on my stomach and back.  I don't want you to worry.  All is fine.  I feel very taken care of.  My companion has been helping and serving me with everything.  I am so taken care of! 

 

I'm so greatful to be able to take part in this work.  I love watching the conversion of others and the difference it makes in their lives.  When we accept Christ in our lives we are changed.  Life is more fully lived.  Joy is more fully felt. I am so grateful for my Savior!

Thank you all for you support, and your letters!  I so appreciate it!  I am so blessed to have such great family and friends.  I am sorry am not able to respond to any letters today.  Thanks again. 

See you soon,

Hermana Fox

starlee.fox@myldsmail.com

01/25/16 Oh Happy Day!

Hola! ¿Como estan todos de ustedes allá arriba en el frio? Todo esta bien aqui abajo! :)  It has been a super great week!  Transfer calls came in this morning...and I am being transfered to Corpus. It is 5 hours away?  I don't actually know, but I do know it is in Argentina.  (maybe one day I´ll finally cross over to Paraguy ;) ) Ha...I will be serving with Hna. Elhert, she is from Canada, but recently moved to Alpine Utah!  Wahoo!  We get to serve as Sister Training Leaders together.  I am going to miss Eldorado so much, and it will be hard to say goodbye, but I know that is where God would have me be in this moment...entonces...BUENO!  :)

So I ate cow tongue this week...that made me want to vomit.  We were in the bus terminal and we were starving, so we stopped at the buffet.  I thought I was choosing chicken (because who puts cow tongue in a sauce and does not put a HUGE sign warning everyone what it is?!?!)  But...no...I finally asked my companion...when I finished the dish.  BLAH!   So gross.  Here in Argentina, people eat every part of the animal.  Intestines. Kidneys. Bone marrow. tongue. what ever you can chew.

We had a great conference broadcasted of the apostles for all the missionaries!  WOW!  How loving is God to send us living guides!  I know they are men called of God, and I am so grateful for them!  :)  January has flown by and I have a feeling the rest of the year will too.

So we had contacted a couple last week and this week we passed by.  We were in the middle of the lesson when their son walked in.  There was an IMMEDIATE change in the atmosphere.  Everything felt so dark.  The Spirit immediate left us.  Both of us felt it so strongly...neither of us could hardly talk.  When this son left the room, the spirit entered the room again, and we were able to quickly wrap up the lesson and run home.  Literally run!  You may wonder why I share this, but it was a testimony strengthener to me of how powerful the spirit is.  As a missionary we completely rely on the spirit...without it, we are NOTHING!  We couldnt even speak.  I felt so alone, lost, confused, and scared with out Him.  I am so grateful for Him, and the promise we have that He will always be with us.  But we MUST be aware, that if we are not in holy places...HE CANNOT ABIDE! 

The spirit is so real and I am so grateful for Him.  I could tell you countless experiences from this week alone, but I dont have the time and you probably dont want to hear all of them.    So I invite you no matter where life finds you to have an experience with the spirit this week.  Invite him in your life, and RELY on Him.  With Him it will be given ALL things what ye should do. :)  I love this gospel.  I love my Savior.  I am grateful for His love, and I love Him.  I want to serve him until the end of my days and beyond!  Im grateful for this privilege  to serve a mission!  Thanks and love to all!

See you soon! 

Hermana Fox

starlee.fox@myldsmail.net

1/18/16 I work in a Giant Sauna!!!

 

Well...we are reaching the peak of summer...and oh, can I tell you?  Words can't describe it, but you can feel and see it all. My clothes are literally WET when we get back to the pension at night.  Yes, that would be wet with SWEAT!  Ha!  Lots of water, and lots of showers :) 

 

It has been a great week!  We have continued to contact and find the ELECT. 

Ca  ...SHE IS DOING SO GREAT! She attended church again this week.  :)  She has chosen to honor the Sabbath and stop working on Sundays, and this week she beat us to church!  We were sitting in Relief Society participating in a great discussion about the peace that Christ brings in our lives, when Ca. raised her and hand and asked if she could share something!  She shared a simple parable that truly added to the spirit of the meeting!  How joyful is it to see the testimony of another grow!

We have also found 2 young women named Ma. and Jr.  We had almost stopped passing by, because they were never home, but we happened to be in the area to visit another investigator.  That appointment fell through and we walked past and found them outside, so we started to talk with them.  We shared the message of the Restoration and WOW!    We used Jenga...to show the establishment and fall of the Church of Christ.  As we testified of the simple truths the spirit testified once again of the truthfulness of this message.  I know it with all of my heart!  Joseph Smith is a prophet of God and was called by God to bring back the eternal truths that were once lost.  God loves us and wants us to be happy, therefore he has given us this beautiful pathway called "the gospel of Jesus Christ".  I love teaching others, and helping them find that which is of GREAT worth!  

A FUNNY story:   We contacted a 75 year old man this week and started to teach him about the love of God.  About 2 minutes into the lesson, he turned to me and said, "I have been looking for a Senora or Senorita.  I have money in the bank.  If you want to get married for the church we can get married in the chruch or civil, whatever you would like!"  HAHA! I sat there probably with a "deer in the headlights" look and my companion quickly explained our purpose as missionaries, (AGAIN) and then he asked if we could talk on the Internet.  HAHA!  Let"s just say we very quickly left!

  

Thank you all of everything! I love you, and hope its a good one!

 

My foot has healed up well from the worm.  It is quite common here in the heat of the summer.  If it is not taken care of there is a risk of tetanus, but it hasn't bothered me and I feel good about it.  It was really quite a funny experience!

See you soon,

Hermana Fox

starlee.fox@myldsmail.com

Yes that is the same moon that you see.  We really aren't that far apart!

1/11/15 Wow! Happy Week!

 This week has been so SUPER great!

First of all...Ca. came to church!  Wow, how happy are missionaries when they see their investigator walking towards the chruch?!  Well, my companion and I danced a little in front of the church! Ha!  She is doing so great, and has a baptism date on the 30th of January!  WAHOO!  After chruch she told us of her feelings, and basically that the spirit testified of the doctrine in her heart and she knows its the right way!  The spirit works in amazing ways. You just have to recognize it, and run with it! 

We have been working SO. SO much!  We are looking and looking for people to teach, and I know we are going to start finding those who want to listen! As for now a bit of rejection will do.   How can we prize the good without knowing the hard?  That is something we have been studying as a companionship, and it has been so great!  D&C 58: 2,4.  How can we ask to recieve all that the Father and Son hath, and have Their glory but not be willing to go through a little bit of what He went through to recieve His glory?  Think of Christ's life.  It WAS NOT easy!  If we want to recieve His glory, how can we think that it is going to be easy?  

Well, this last Saturday, I finally decided to look at my toe that hs been bugging me for 2 weeks.  Well that ended in a small operation, by my companion.  She cut out a worm and all of its eggs!  Blah!  That was a little gross, but super funny!     :)  All is well now!  It comes from dogs and there are dogs everywhere.  Yes, I always wear shoes.  We have done a lot of cutting and cleaning out and there was a small hole in my shoe.  All is well.

Today we got to go to the Cataratas d Iguazu Waterfalls.  I believe they are one of the 7 wonders of the world.   It was breathtaking!  God is so AMAZING and CREATIVE! It was honestly SO COOL!  Pictures don't do it justice, but I will add a few! 

 

My companion is so great!  It is such a lift to be with her and I feel like I am able to grow. 

 

Thank you all for everything!  Youre so great, I love you more than the most and hope you have a great week!

See you soon,

Hermana Fox

 

starlee.fox@myldsmail.net

1/4/16 2016! Wahoo!

 Wow, what a great week!  Well, for those who don't know, we had transfers and I am now serving with Hermana Lz.  She is so great!  She is from Buenos Aires, and is a little ball of energy!  We have been working like crazy!  The branch is starting to help us out.  That is fantastic!

We have been teaching some awesome people!  Ca., she is an amazing woman whom we have found and are working with! She is so great, because she actually thinks and listens with her heart and not just her ears!  Her son Ao. is also great!  We gave him a Book of Mormon and the next day, he sewed a cover to keep his book nice.  So cute!   He has been reading and is progressing as well!  It is amazing to see the process of one finding the truth and recognizing it as such!  

She also told me she would cut my hair...so I got a hair cut!  It took about 3 minutes, and it actually looks great!  Ha.  (I have never been so nervous in all of my life!)  

This week in district meeting one Elder said, "Enthusiasm and happiness are decisions, not conditions!"  I love that, and I hope that we can all apply that in our lives! 

Today we hiked to Salta Küpper, a waterfall a couple of kilometers away!  It was so pretty!  YES, the water is red.  It is like that in EVERY river here.

Love you all!

See you soon,

Hermana Fox

  my email:       starlee.fox@myldsmail.net

XOXOXOXO

The falls, New Years dinner, Me and Hermana López :)