Letter #33 all you need is faith..

HOLA FAMILIA Y AMIGOS!!! :)

hermana taylor & hermana forte... draper girls in argyland. 

nbd. p.s. real talk. love her. ha ha. we always update eachother

 on news from home and weddings we have heard of... ha ha. 

draper gossip in argentina. gotta love it!!! :)

another week has come and gone and my beautiful sister in albania is on her way home... trips me out!!! where has the time gone!? feels like yesterday i was in hawaii finishing up my student teaching and we facetimed the opening up of her call to the ¨adriatic south mission¨... and there was a silence cuz no one had any idea where the crap that was!!! ha ha. so classic!!! oh boy!!! but yes. now here she is a sister training leader totally rocking the mission of albania!!! dang... such a proud older sister i am!!!! please give her the biggest warmest welcome home that has ever exsisted people!!!! she definitely deserves it!!!!! :)

also... glad to hear your trekking adventure was a total and complete success!!!! dang... i really have stud´s for family members!!! blows my mind how i got so freakin lucky!!!! ahhhh!!!! definitely feeling so incredibly blessed!!!! I LOVE YOU FAMILIA!!!! :)

but yes. this week here in the great floresta, BsAs, has been another great one!!! we had a reunion of hermanas this week and i got to see all my bestie hermanas here in argentina and receive amazing words of wisdom from our incredible mission president and his wife!!! that was OSUM!!! then this sunday my ward had ward conference and my comp and i got to sing in the choir... that was OSUM too!!! :) i was one of three sopranos... thank goodness the melody of the hymn was the same as it is in english!!! ha ha ha.

hermana escalante & hermana forte 

& some cool totem pole in retiro... i was lovin it!!! 

it was so rad!!! i love argentina!!!! :)

but yes. at the beginning of the week i actually had an amazing experience that has really made an impact of me and my testimony that i have reflected on throughout the week... (disclaimer: mom, before you read this, know that as i am sitting here in the ciber typing this i am almost 100% better... i only have a minor cough every once and a while... so no worries. ha ha.)

anyways, so i mentioned last week i got hit with bronchitis. yeah. no bueno. but the recovery has been up and down as the weather here has been up and down as well. ha ha. anywho... so one night as i was trying to go to sleep i could not stop coughing. and it was horrible because i was so congested i couldn´t breath through my nose. so, obviously, i was breathing through my mouth, which would dry out my throut and cause my lungs to get agitated and i would cough... blah. well i had run out of the coughing pills that i bought from the farmacity. and the decongention pills have caffeine. so as i lay there trying to sleep i begin to

have a coughing attack. like bad. i couldn´t even get a breath in between my coughs. i was coughing so hard becuase i was trying to breath it resulted in affecting my gag reflexes. so as i jumped out of my top bunk and ran to the bathroom i began to vomit. blah... i apologize for the graphic details. but this literally was the worst moment of my entire life. i felt hopeless. i didn´t know what to do. i didn´t have the proper medicine to help myself. i didn´t a mom to wake up for advice. i didn´t have a dad to give me a fathers blessing. blah. and i´m not an elder so i couldn´t wake up my comp to give me a blessing either!! blah. it was horrible. i felt hopeless. i felt alone. i really didn´t know what to do. all i knew is that i needed sleep. and that i needed to stop coughing to be able to sleep peacefully. so i hopped back into my top bunk and rolled up into a kneeling ball and prayed... the most helpless prayer of faith i have ever said. i pleaded with our father in heaven to bless my lungs to calm down so that i could sleep peacefully and continue to heal. i explained how i know i´m not an elder with the preisthood, but i know i have the same calling and authority as a missionary. they always say faith can move mountains, so i knew in this moment that my faith in our loving heavenly father could help me sleep. and what do you know... as i closed that prayer in the name of our savior, i coughed three more times, rolled over and don´t remember anything until my alarm went off the next morning at 6:30....

hermana mowry & hermana forte reunited again...

 woohoo!! she leaves next transfer... so trippy!!!

 gonna miss my soul sistah out here in the field with me!!! :)

my dearest family and friends... i´m so grateful for the horrible experience that i was able to have... ha ha. as weird as that may sound. because i know my prayer was heard and answered. i know my little faith that i have was enough to calm my lungs and help me get the sleep i needed. i know our heavenly father loves each and everyone of his children. and i know he listens to every single one of our prayers... all you need is faith. faith is all you need. :)

i love you my dearest lovelies.

hope you have a fantabulous week filled with love and laughter!!! :)

i love you. i love you. i love you.

xoxoxoxo.

love always and forever,

hermana jordan ashley forte

Letter #32 TALENTED PEOPLE: do your duty.

ALOHA MY BEAUTIFUL FAMILY && FRIENDS!!!

(thought i´d mix up the hola to aloha today... missin muh island && the warmth of the beach and sun!!! ha ha. not about this cold life... blah.)

our zone had a taco party last p-day... so fun!!! i love being a missionary!!! :)

but yes... as many of you already know... MUNDIAL HAS OFFICIALLY BEGUN!!! (translation: mundial=world cup)

&&& yes. lets just say last night as the national team played bosnia the whole city shut down. like literally. closed. everyone in casa. dead. && the few kiosco´s that were open had a big screen tv blaring the game... ha ha. it was OSUM!!! :) but... when we got the text that we weren´t allowed to watch any part of the game... this created the dillemma. ha ha. THE GAME WAS EVERYWHERE!!! the big joke was: we can´t ¨watch¨ the game, but we can´t help but hear it echo through the streets out the windows of the apartments above and the houses below... ha ha. oh man. but yes. confession: i may or may not have stopped and watched a full 30 seconds as we walked passed a few homes... hopefully president will forgive me. ha ha. but yeah. we also had to be in our pench earlier, before the game ended, for safety procautions... but when 9 o´clock rolled around and we heard cheering and honking through our apartment window... we assumed the great team of argentina dominated!! dasss wassssup!!! ha ha ha. anywho, there´s my new found argentine pride for ya!!! ha ha.

but yes. on the spiritual side of things... this week was a great one for studies!! i unfortunately got sick with bronchitis this week and had to be in bed for two days... no bueno. no worries though mom, im alive!!! i just have a nasty deep bronchial cough that scares people. but it

s all good!! :) ha ha. but since the mission doctor said i was contagious... i was confined to our quaint apartment... and lets just saying there is NOTHING worse than being sick in the mission!!! i just feel so incredibly grateful it was only for two days!!! cuz seriously... its horrible. i just wanted to get out and work!!! blah!!!

anywho... so in between napping i was able to get in a little extra study time in... and seriously... reading the new testament is changing my life!!! perdon the length of this email today... but i have to share with you the parable of the talents... matthew 25...

 14 ¶For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods.

I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH!!!!

 15 And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey.

 16 Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents.

 17 And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two.

 18 But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord’s money.

 19 After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, andreckoneth with them.

 20 And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more.

 21 His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithfulservant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make theeruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

 22 He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them.

 23 His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

 24 Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed:

 25 And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo,there thou hast that is thine.

so... i taped this on my ceiling to help motivate me 

to get me out of bed in the mornings... ha!! 

perfect timing right before i got sick eh!? ha ha.

 26 His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothfulservant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed:

 27 Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury.

 28 Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents.

 29 For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall haveabundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath.

 30 And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

wow. i dunno why this parable effected me so... but i definitely don´t think the word ¨talents¨ for money is a historical coincidence... each person i know that could be potentially reading this email is an amazing daughter or son of our loving heavenly father and has be blessed with an inmeasurable amount of special gifts or TALENTS from our father in heaven. therefore... its is our DUTY to use these talents for all they are worth!!! we can´t bury them in the ground and hide our individual gifts... we need to use and expound our gifts and talents and ultimately allow them to flourish and increase like in the parable!!! :) as i was reading a general conference talk i found a poem that i fell in love with && i couldn´t help but apply it...

i slept and dreamt

that life was joy

i awoke and saw

that life was duty

i acted and behold

duty was joy!

-rabindranath tagore

entonces... its our DUTY in life to use our TALENTS and expand our gifts in which we have been given!!! and its been promised to us that when we use our individual gifts and talents to help and bless others, in turn we will be blessed... hence, DUTY IS JOY!!!! :) and seriously... thus far in my mission, i have gained a living testimony of this... duty truly is the most pure joy we can find in this life!!! i have NO doubt about that!!! :)

as president monson said it best: ¨there are feet to steady, hands to grasp, minds to encourage, hearts to inspire, and souls to save!¨

missionary work isn´t just for missionaries my wonderful people that i love so much... EVERY MEMBER IS A MISSIONARY!!!! :)

so go out and share your light, be you and expand your talents!!! :)

ahhhh.. i just love you all SO freaking much!!!

thanks for all your constant love, support and prayers!!!! :)

xoxoxoxo.

BESOS!!!!

-hermana jordan ashley forte

Letter #31 our natural yearning...

wow.. can´t believe another week has come and gone... 

but... first of all... for this next upcoming week...

HAPPY FATHERS DAY DADDY!!!!

i hate missing all these important holidays... but just know that i´m thinking of you and remembering how incredibly grateful i am for you in my life dad!!! :)

the zabala family!!! (minus the oldest laura)

so yesterday was a bit of an emotional one for me and my comp as we visited this less-active family... the zabala family. and wow. fell in love with them at first sight. they are incredible!! background: 3 kids. laura (11), bianca (9), and faustino (7). && more background: their mom was a member. but died 4 years ago from cancer... hence why they are inactve now... wow. and yesterday we went to have a family home evening with them AND WE MET THEIR DAD!!!! ahhh. long story short he told us the whole story of his wife. how they met all the way till her very last days in the hospital... hence why it was so emotional. anywho. after our way fun family home evening with the kids, i seriously was struck with the spirit and began asking him questions... like FORWARD questions... like what in the world!? who am i!? oh yeah. i´m a missionary. speaking for god. ha ha. but seriously it was incredible. he´s in a very sad and dark place emotionally as he is mad and bitter at god for losing his wife. but i just testified like it was nobodies business that he can live with her again through this amazing plan of salvation that our loving heavenly  father prepared for us!!! wow. so... long story short... we´re praying that carlos, the father of these 3 incredible kids, felt the same spirit that we felt and has a desire to come to know his personal heavenly father and savior.... then this morning i came acrossed something so perfect in my personal study...

welcome to floresta... 

i love sunrises on the way to church!!! :)

¨eternal life fulfills the deepest longings of the human soul - the natural yearning for endless association with beloved members of one´s family!¨

- elder nelson

my weekly tempation... the argentino soho!! ha ha.

wow. if that doesn´t say it all, i dunno what does!! this amazing plan fulfills our natural yearning!!! we were ultimately created to procreate. to create relationships and bonds with our amaizng families here on earth!!! bonds that are eternal!!! wow. my testimony of this plan has been so incredibly strengthened during my time here in argentina... because yes. after this next amazing year of my mission, i never ever wanna be away from my loved ones again!!! ahhhh!!! i love you all so much!!!

hope you have the bestest week ever!!! and remember to smile!!! cuz this life is made for smiling!!!! :)

xoxoxoxo.

BESOS!!!

-hermana jordan ashley forte

Letter #30 coming to ourselves & reaching our potential..

HOLA MI AMOROSA FAMILIA!!!

first things first... i need to send a few shoutouts to the wonderful people that i love so much...

no worries, just the sunrise from my bedroom window

 as i´m doing my morning personal study... nbd. ha ha.

HAPPY FREAKING OSUM BIRTHDAY DYLAN TODAY!!!

HAPPY FREAKING OSUM BIRTHDAY DADDY IN 3 DAYS!!!!

&&& HAPPY FREAKING OSUM BIRTHDAY JARED IN 4 DAYS!!!!

whew... i´m glad i got that off my chest!! ha ha. so... this week was once again another amazing week here in argentina!! i seriously fall in love with the work and gospel all over again from week to week!!! seriously blows my mind how this really is the lord´s work, and us missionaries really are HIS hands, working hard in the field to find his lost sheep!!! :)

the cutest little family in the whole wide world... 

the perez familia kids... every noche de hogar (family home evening)

 we have with them is a total blast and a half!!!! :)

hermana forte and hermana escalante... 

together for yet another transfer... thats whats up baby!!! :)

anywho... this week the topic that has been galavanting in my mind all week has been ¨our divine potential¨... it all began in my interview with president as he advised me to ¨focus learning this language, as he can really see ´leadership potential´ in me...¨ bahhh!! no pressure or anything pres!!! ha ha. geez louise!!! but yes. so all week the ´idea´ of POTENTIAL has been floating in the membrane... then i read the most inspiring talk by elder hales, called: coming to ourselves. and seriously. read it. its life changing!!! :) but it talks about the prodigal son and how in luke 15:17 it decribes how ¨he came to himself¨... he remembered who he was, realized what he has been missing and began to desire the blessings freely available!! and it made me think... he ultimately realized his divine potential in the eyes of our father in heaven!!! :) but... how many of us are TRUELY LIVING up to our individually divine potential!? kinda an interesting thought right!? then elder hales quoted a poem by john greenleaf whittier. that i basically fell in love with...

¨of all sad words of tongue or pen, the saddest are these: ít might have been!´¨

THE TITANIC ELEVATOR...

 everyday we go up & down in our apartment i think of jack & rose... 

oh boy!!! i miss movies... #moviedeprived #sueme

let us not live our lives in regret of what we did or did not do!! let us live up to our individual potential and ¨come to ourselves¨ remembering WHO we are and WHAT we desire most!!! :) ahhhh!!! i´m just so incredibly grateful for this gospel and the road map it provides for us to truely reach our FULL potential!!! and i´m so grateful for this opportunity to be a missionary and help these people here in floresta, buenos aires, argentina reach their own divine potential as well as they come closer to their father in heaven and let HIS love shape their lives!!! :) ahhhh!!! life. is. wonderful. thats all i´m sayin!!! :)

never forget who you are, and let the love of our father in heaven change your life, come to yourself, and ultimately reach your full potential!!! :)

anywho, i love you all SO much!!!

have a fantastic week!!!!

xoxoxoxo.

BESOS!!!!

- hermana jordan ashley forte

Letter #29 i'm walkin on sunshine..

¨I´M WALKIN ON SUNSHINE.. WOAAAAH.. I´M WALKIN ON SUNSHINE.. WOAAAAH.. AND DON´T IT FEEL GOOD!?¨ :)

MY BEAUTIFUL SINTIA!!!

 feel so honored to have had this opportunity

 to know this amazing woman!!! :)

woah.. oh baby!! this song is seriously the soundtrack of the week... this really has been the bestest beyond bestest week ever and ever!!! and seriously... i feel like i´m walkin on sunshine baby... WOAAAAH!!! and YES IT FEELS GOOD!!!! :) ha ha.

so.... first it began with the birthday of my osum comp.. she´s the big 29 baby!!! whoop whoop!! so i insisted on my american traditions and bought her a cake after lunch, cuz lets be honest... errrrbudddy needs cake on their birthday!!! ha ha.

chink-eyed temple happiness... 

dasss whatsuppp!!! ha ha ha.

then the whole rest of the week was filled with awesome stuff as well, but due to lack of time we´ll fast forward to yesterday... SINTIA GOT BAPTIZED!!!! yes. we´ve been preparing her and teaching her these passed couple weeks and seriously... SHE. IS. GOLDEN. ahhh!!! i cried like a baby yesterday!!! (no surprise i know) but real talk - the spirit was SO strong... it was undeniable!!! seriously... it was the sweetest most amazing feeling!!! THIS IS WHY I AM HERE!!! ahhhh. i seriously love this girl so much. and i could go on and on with word-vomit ramble about how much i love her and how amazing she is... but the most amazing part about it. is... that i found her!!! ahhh!!! it brings tears to my eyes just thinking about the words of how i can explain this to you.... so i was looking through our area book filled with a humungo stack of ¨old investigators¨ that the elders before us dropped or stopped visiting for various reasons... well... as i came across her name something stood out to me. i have no idea what or why. but i turned  to my comp and said, we should visit this girl!!! :) next thing you know... whaddabig. whaddabooom. she was open and ready. like SOOO ready for this gospel in her life!!! wow. seriously day after day after each lesson with her we would walk back to the pench in awe of her undeniable faith as she dumped her boyfriend, quit drinking coffee, and began reading the book of mormon every single day!!!! seriously, every day she had more and more light in her life!!! and then yesterday her baptism... WOW. seriously. i´m at a loss of words. its was perfect. it was seriously beyond perfect. she came out of that water PERFECT!!!! ahhhh. i love this gospel so much!!! and i´m so grateful for this opportunity i have to serve and gather HIS lost sheep that he has prepared for us missionaries to come in contact with. i now have a testimony of that. i have no doubt that sintia was prepared by the hands of the lord before we met her... and its such a testimony to me that our heavenly father knows each of us individually and each of our individual needs. before when the elders met with sintia she wasn´t ready and needed more time... but now she is ready and has made that step into the waters of baptism, making a sacred covenent with her father in heaven and next sunday she will confirmed a member of this amazing church!!!! ahhhh!!! BRINGS ME SO MUCH HAPPINESS!!!!

birthday cake time!! whoop whoop!!! :)

forte. escalante. && the buenos aires templo

anywho, so as if this week wasn´t already the bestest week of my life... we got to go to the temple today!!! :) :) :) ahhh... seriously, no sweeter spirit then the spirit that is in that sacred building... and it was cool to see that i indeed could understand more than last time i had the opportunity to go in my first transfer!!! ha!!! (thank goodness for progress!!!) obviously still have alot more to learn so i can understand every word... but i feel so incredibly blessed to be able to see my own progress!!! :)

anywho.. thats my ramble of happiness for this week. hopefully its understandble... ha!!!

i love you all so so SO very much!!! never ever forget that!!! :)

xoxoxoxo.

love always and forever,

hermana jordan ashley forte