The Journey Homeward

Just wanted to send one last post saying that Amanda's parents arrived in Salta, Argentina this past Monday to pick her up.  They then spent 2 days visiting with the members that she served and the new converts that she introduced to the gospel of Jesus Christ.  They will be spending the next 2 weeks touring South America, including Macchu Picchu, and will arrive 'home' May 20th. 

We will post pictures of their journey home if we receive any.

Baptisms and More Baptisms

Hermana Castillo is winding down her mission and will be leaving the Salta, Argentina Mission on May 3rd when her parents pick her up.  She is doing great!  She had 3 baptisms this past Saturday and has another on this coming Saturday.  This baptism coming up means a lot to her because of all of the hard work that she had to put in to help out this person.  Today, she will be getting her final companion.  She will be a 'newbie' from either Chile or Arizona.  She's very excited to finish this final leg of her mission strong and continue to share the gospel with the Argentine people.

Final Transfer

So, Hermana Castillo has been to her final transfer.  She loves her new location, is having great success and is not ready to fathom returning home.  Her emails have been with her parents planning their trip to pick her up in May.  Her final day as a serving missionary in the Salta, Argentina Mission will be May 3rd, in which her parents will then pick her up for a fabulous vacation around her mission and to Macchu Pichu.  Continue to keep her in your prayers and below are some photos of her new area with her companions & Mission President
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Feliz Navidad!

Oh, Amanda!

So regarding the 'Head Incident' ....
About a week ago my comp and I got home before the other hermanas, which is a miracle because that never happens. Typically, we get home last and the other ones are in their rooms planning and then we never see them until bed. They are a little anti-social, not because they want to be but because they are really shy and don't know how to mix with my comp
and I. One of them was my comp that was from Nicaragua.

So anyway, my comp thought it would be funny if we scared them when they came home so she ran and hid behind the door and then told me to jump under the bed. Mind you, I was across the room, so I ran and super slid under the bed. So to better explain what happened, I looked as if I was going on a slip and slide. Anyway, I made it under just fine from running across the room, but what I didn't know was that there was lying somthing beneath the bed for me. As I slid under perfectly agile like, my head caught the corner of a nail and split my left upper brow open, leaving a deep gash. Well needless to say I bled a really nice puddle of redish black. So being me, I didn't want to tell president that I was diving around my house and now needed stitches for my head so I pulled out some skin glue I had bought from the MTC and had my comp clean my gash, apply the glue and then pinch the skin together while putting on the eye bandaid. When the glue came on I don't think I ever bit my teeth so hard. That glue numbed everything, which was not a smart idea because I didn't read the directions until after wards. It says specifically not to apply to deep wounds. Well, I am sure now that I have damaged some type of nerve because right where the glue was, I can't really feel anything. lol But maybe in a week or two, it will come back. lol The glue and tape worked along with lots of ice and now it is closed up and I can hardly tell where it was at. I just wore my hair down for a while. lol

Speaking of hair, I colored my hair. Actually, I highlighted it. lol My comp put in carmel highlights for me and it only cost a total of 6 pesos ($1.25). It looks good! It's not super noticable because I didn't want to leave in the bleach forever but to me it is and I like it.

So as for my 'Tooth Story'...
I am not quite sure how it chipped. It might have been while I was eating breakfast. We have hard bread here. (Soft bread really doesn't exist.) I know I ate the pieces from my tooth, because I felt the scratchiness later and that is when I looked in the mirror, saw my teeth and just about died. So long story short, I went to a member's dentist that is from the capital of Salta who happened to be in town that day and had some time free. It was awesome! He lived in the states for 8 months studying and did a better job on my teeth than most people in the states.

I have to get going but I will talk to you later.

Quick Chat

A few days ago, Amanda had to chat with us regarding chipping her two front teeth. (Oh, how that can go along w/ a Christmas song right about now.) She doesn't know how she chipped them, but thinks that it might be from the food. She says that it is really hard there. In this quick conversation via email, she managed to inform us that her companion colored her hair and she now has carmel colored highlights that make her look like Jessica Alba or J.Lo. She was so excited to say that she only paid $1.25 for it as well.

She also plans to update us on a few funny stories with one being that she gashed her head open right above her eye, but managed to seal it with skin glue. Yes, she did say that she is better now and it was a funny story.

..... to be continued.

New Companion

I don't really have pictures of me this week because it was my comp's last week so I took pictures for her. You will enjoy getting to know her and more of my area. I loved being with her. I have to say that she was my favorite comp I have had my whole time here. She may not speak well but she gave it her all. I have never been able to work so hard as I have been able to with her. She is amazing! It was hard to see her go. My new comp is a girl I was comps with in Tucuman for a week. She came early so I was her comp until the end of the transfer before moving to a different province. She is great. She knows both languages perfectly and I am way excited for her. We are going to be doing great.

Well, til next time...
Love amanda