Letter #45 that one time my clumsyness found a soul..

HOWZZZIT MI FAMILIA!?!?! :)

oh how i love and miss you all so much!!! :) pero... no worries. i´m not trunky!!! just reminding you of how much i love and miss you!!!! :)

i love being a missionary!!!! 

end of story!!!! #mormonhelpinghands

but yes... this week was defintely an interesting week here in congreso... && lets just say... all our investigators dropped us or we dropped them... #theworstpartofbeingamissionary #missionaryrejection #itsworsethandating

ha ha ha ha. but yes. in the midst of all this breaking up and saddness... the lord ALWAYS send us miracles!!! but... sometimes in odd unexpected ways... ha ha ha. okay. okay. okay... let me explain myself...

so the other night after ALL our lessons cancelled or totally blew us off we decided to find people in the park close to our house. it was 8:30 p.m. so we had like 30 minutes to make contacts before we had to return to our pench at 9 o´clock sharp. okay. so as we entered this park we prayed that we could find a new investagotor. a daughter or son of our heavenly father that is ready to hear our grand message of the gospel. so yeah. that was our ultimate goal. so in this park people always brings their dogs to play and make friends with other dogs... #doggydaycare. ha ha ha. so we started talking with this one woman with her cute fluffy dog and as we began to bring up church and invting her to church her dog bolts in the other direction and basically she ran away from us in search of her disobient dog... #contactfail.

hermana forte y hermana palacios... #dassswhatsup

so yeah... after much time in this plaza amongst dogs and people... we decided to make our way to our pension... so as i stepped back to begin to leave... i failed to see a large old dog directly behind my legs. so... as i awkwardly and clumsyly stepped over this dog to catch my fall. this old incoherent dog stepped with me in the same direction... oh man!!! it was horrible!!! this patteren continued as i was basically dancing the russian step dance over this old dog and resulted with me on the ground and everyone and their dogs getting a lovely view of my underwear and everything!!!! #ihateskirts #nuffsaid ha ha ha ha. but yes. as i lifted myself off the ground, everyone and their dogs had circled me to make sure i was okay.... how freakin embarrasing!!! my face was so red with embarrassment!!! everyone was probably thinking ¨this poor drunk american missionary....¨ ha ha ha. okay. i promise. i wasn´t drunk. ha ha ha. but to the outsiders eye... it may have appeared so... #soembarrassing!!!! but anywho... this awful and traumatic experience turned out to be a total and complete answer to prayer and blessing because... we made the contact we were looking for!!! we found the son of our heavenly father that´s ready to hear this gospel!!! the owner of this old inconherent dog!!! ahhhh!!! his name is sergio. and seriously... i´m so excited to teach him!!! we have an appointment with him en martes (tuesday - wow. that toook alot of brain power to remember in english!!! #thegiftoftongues #finally!!! ha ha ha.) but yeah... seriously... i love this gospel SO freakin much!!!! and i´m so incredibly grateful for the power of prayer and to know that if we pray with sincere hearts our heavenly father is ALWAYS listening and is ALWAYS ready to answer our prayers!!!! :) don´t believe me!? try it yourself!!! the love from our father in heaven in undeniable!!! i have such a testimony of that!!! :)

service time!!! woohooo!!!

 i finally got to wear the ugly yellow vest!!!!

 ha ha ha ha ha. #mormonhelpinghands #sostoked!!!! 

but yeah. all the missionaries in capital 

got to work and serve as we remolded this hospital!!!!

 #sorad #lovemylife

ahhhhh!!! i love you so much my lovelies!!! never every forget that!!!!

have the bestest beyond bestest week ever!!!!

xoxoxox.

chau chau.

besos!!!

-hermana jordan ashley forte

Letter #44 nuestro hermano mayor..

MY ADORE-ABLE GODOY TWINS!!!!

 awe... i seriously love them so much!!!! :)

BUEN DIA MI COPADO FAMILIA!!!!! :)

¡hola! ¡hola! ¡hola! :)

how in the world was your week!? wow... my week was seriously incredible!!! i love being a missionary so much!!! just so you know!!! :)

but yeah... this week we had divisions with the sister trainer leaders and seriously... hermana matamotos from honduras is freakin rad!!! i learned so much from her in such a short day together!!!! seriously... my goal is to be as bold and amazing of a missionary as she is!!!! she seriously is incredible!!!! :)

also... the godoy twins... love them so much!! unfortuantely we have to push their baptism back though cuz their are going on vacation as a family for their birthday... i am praying its a real excuse and not just the dad delaying time to eventually not give us permission... they are seriously SOO ready for baptism!!! and its incredible to me to see their desire to learn more and more at such a young age!!! kills me!!! ahhhh!!! i love them so much!!!! :)

NUNCA DIGAS NUNCA... translation: 

NEVER SAY NEVER. yeah... 

justin bieber and jayden makin

 their way to argyland!!! ha ha ha ha.

anyways... this week really was incredible and i feel like i have grown so much!!! but we were visiting a woman in the ward named silvina. shes from germany and is living here in argentina as a diplomat.... yeah. lets just say shes been blessed with lots of money and experiences in her lifetime!!! ha ha ha. she really has lived quite the life!!! i was trippin from her stories (and her amazing five star apartment overlooking ALLL of buenos aires... its was unreal incredible!!!) but anyways... she told us many different stories about her life... but one of her stories really touched my heart... and obvio i want to share it with my lovelies back home!!!! :)

MY SISTA FROM ANOTHER MISTA :

 my amazing cintia godoy... 

shes a recent convert, the twin´s older sister... 

but seriously... were soul sisters!!! ahhhh!!!! i love her so much!!!!! :) :) :

) she also speaks english, loves katy perry, 

and plays soccer like the mia hamm!!!! ha!!!! :)

so yeah... she telling us about one of her very first memories she can remember in her lifetime when she was about 4 years old... she was the first child born into her family in germany. but for some reason at such a young age she believed she had an older brother a ¨hermano mayor¨... and she remembers fervently searching the house looking for her older brother... in the cupboards, under the bed, in the closet... everywhere!!! and her poor mom had to break the news to her that she didn´t have an older brother... but she told us when she was 26 years old and was listening to the elders and they testified that we all have a ¨hermano mayor¨, jesus christ and that he suffered and died for our sins... she knew then that she had finally found her ¨hermano mayor¨!!! and she later told us that when she was 4 she obviously had still a faint memory of the premortal exsistance, and our life with our ¨hermano mayor¨!!!! faaaa.... my dearest family... i can´t explain it. but this story touched my heart!!! probably becuase i too am the oldest of my family... and... i too remember wishing i had a ¨hermano mayor¨ to guide and protect me, to give me advice and help me in this life... but little did i realize I HAVE HAD A ¨HERMANO MAYOR¨ THIS WHOLE TIME!! and yes... he HAS guided and protected me throughout all the hardest times in my life... faaaaa!!!! i love my savior so much!!!! i love wearing his name next to mine on my badge every single day!!!! i love being his representative here in argentina and sharing his glad message!!!! ahhhhh!!!! JESUCRISTO ES NUESTRO HERMANO MAYOR!!!! no if´s, and´s or but´s about it my friends and family!!!! he suffered and died for us!!!! but most importantly... 3 days later... he LIVED FOR US!!!! :) :) :) ahhhhh!!!! i am seriously so grateful to have this knowledge and testimony to get me through the hard times, and amazingly happy times!!!! :)

we be crazy... sorry bout it!!! ha ha ha. 

seriously love my cintia so much!!! our phrase: 

¨I LOVE YOU MAN!!!!¨ ha ha ha ha. kills me. love her!!!! :)

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

my amazing familia... TE AMO!!!!! :)

have the bestest beyond bestest week ever!!!!!

xoxoxoxoxoxo.

chau chau.

besos.

-hermana jordan ashley forte

Letter #43 he knows our divine potential..

HEY MI RE-COPADA FAMILIA!!! :)

what up!! what up!! what up!! :) wow... this week has been a crazy roller coaster of emotions and struggles... i can´t even lie about it. BUT... i still am loving every single minute of it!!! i really do love being a missionary!!! :)

our first zone meeting of the new transfer... 

bad self timer. ha!!! elders running in place. oops!!! :)

also... por fin (finally) my spanish is really starting to improve... even one of the members commented on my progression!!! dassssswhatsup!!! so yeah!!! i´m pretty freakin stoked to finally be able to see improvement!!! :)

but yes... i love our investgators: the godoy twins!!! (still need to take a foto with them so i can show you how freakin cute they are!!!) but seriously, their excitement for their baptism in two weeks is such an example to me... this gospel is so exciting!!! end of story!!! we need to remember to have enthusiasm for this grand blessing we have in our lives!!!! :)

also... the familia salcedo: edson, franco, y yhadira. if all goes according to plan they should get baptized this next week!!! woohoo!!! bahhhh!!! so happy!!!! edson seriously is such an incredible exmaple for his family as he only has 14 years, but he w

ants to know more about this gospel and is pushing his family in the process... its incredible!!! :)

anyways... hermana mayor is like kinda hard. just so you know. ha ha. its lots of pressure and responsibilty. but its crazy how i can really feel myself growing as a missionary... i dunno. i know the lord has givin me this opportunity to push myself and to grow!!! also... my comp, hermana polocios from mexico, is so incredible and seriously is the greatest most patient blessing in my life!!! :)

talk about luck... this guy landed on the leg 

of our member while we were teaching in the plaza... 

SO RAD!!!! :) #loveargentina 

#lovebeingamissionary #lovedragonflies

muh baggg. hermana forte && boca. dassssswhatups!!!! :)

but yeah... in a little part of my personal studies i´m reading jesus the christ. (real talk: its life changing. read it.) but yeah... i was reading the part about when satan tempted christ 3 times to ¨show his power and miracles in a way not in parrallel with the father will.¨ and it explains how christ was in the flesh, and so probably didn´t have a full understanding of his ¨divine potential¨... but satan did!!! hence why he was trying so hard to tempt the only perfect man that had ever lived and will ever live on this earth!!! and then... i dunno. i can´t explain it. i just had an epiphany... (not to put ourselves ANYWHERE near to the potential of christ, our savior and redeemer...) BUT... i believe its the same concept. SATAN KNOWS OUR DIVINE POTENTIAL!!!! we may not remember our life and duty before this life... BUT HE DOES!!!! hence why he is trying so freaking hard to tempt us and keep up from reaching that divine potential!!! ewe... i seriously hate satan so much!!!! ha ha ha. but at the same time, i know its is ALL apart of the plan and without the temptations of satan in our lives, we wouldn´t have the opportunity to grow as we conquer his temptations!!!! :) faaaaa!!!! my dearest loved ones... i LOVE this gospel!!! this gospel provides us the way to reach that divine potential we had before this life!!!! that divine potential we came to the earth knowing... but passing through the veil was blurred!!!! bahhhh!!!! i love life. i love this gospel. i love my savior. i love missionary work. && i love you!!! :)

yup yup. && thats the way the cookie crumples my lovelies!!!

keep being amazing people that i know you are!!!! :)

chau chau.

besos.

xoxoxo.

-hermana jordan ashley forte

Letter #42 becoming new creatures..

HOLA MI FAMILIA!!!

beautiful dia en congreso... aka. my area is called congresso

 cuz this building in the back is like the congress building... 

aka: i´m proseliting in the D.C. of argentina... 

dasss whatsup baby!!! :) :) :)

dang.. i love and miss you all so much!!! but dang.. this week here in congreso has been unbelievable!! seriously, this area... this ward... faaaa!! its seriously is a ¨preach my gospel¨ based ward. the whole ward is gunghoe for missionary work and asking US when they can accompany us!? like what the junk!? its incredible!!! :) but yeah. one member that loves to accompany us is simon... he´s a recent convert. and guess who found him, but none other than my old comp hermana mowry!!! anywho... this guy is in-cred-ible. like real talk. anywho. just an example... we were talking to a woman. asking her questions about her family, how many kids she had etc.... and this guy totally cuts off the conversation... and... pulls out his book of mormon and asks the woman, ¨have you heard of this amazing book!?¨ wow. seriously. my mind was BLOWN!!! this dude LOVES the gospel. he knows its true. so much so... he wants to share it with EVERYONE he meets. like literally. ha ha. i dunno... so throughout the week i´ve been thinking about it... wow. whats he difference between simon and other members... and the conclusion i came up with was... simon is TRUELY CONVERTED to the gospel. so... this began my study... what is true conversion!? it is when a person is changed through the power of the savior´s atonement and through the power of the holy ghost. to be truely converted we need to change. or is better words: we need to be changed. conversion is a change in behavior, but it goes beyond behavior. it is a change in our very nature!!! in mosiah 27 it decribes it best...

my awesome new district of congreso - boca!!!

 my comp is in front and i´m in the back from some reason. 

we all set our cameras up and then ran to place... oops!!!

 ha ha. i really do love my comp though... i promise. 

wanna hear how cool she is!? she´s obsessed with the killers. 

yup. were basically besties. ha ha.

 25 And the Lord said unto me: Marvel not that all mankind, yea, men and women, all nations, kindreds, tongues and people, must be born again; yea, born of God, changed from their carnal andfallen state, to a state of righteousness, being redeemed of God, becoming his sons and daughters;

 26 And thus they become new creatures; and unless they do this, they can in nowise inherit the kingdom of God.

and this made me think... have i been truely converted!? have i become a new creature!? then i was reading in true to the faith and it describes the charateristic of people who are truely converted... people who are converted...

-desire to do good.

-don´t rebel against the lord.

-desire to share the gospel.

-are filled with love.

so now i´m here to challenge you my beloved family and friends to ask yourself... ARE YOU TRUELY CONVERTED!?

beautiful capital congreso at sunset... 

seriously. i´m living a dream!!! :)

i know that is quite the question and its important to remember: conversion is a process, not a event. BUT... each person has their own primary responsibility for their own conversion. no one can be converted for you and no one can force you to be converted. this ultimately is the plan of our father, we have the choice to be converted!! we have the agency to create our own conversion... but the fabulous thing about it all is all we have to do is humble ourselves and align our will with our father´s and ultimately he will do the rest!!! :)

ahhhh... lets all recommit ourselves now to begin our journey and become new creatures of the gospel of jesus christ of latter-day saints!!! :)

i love this gospel and the potential it brings to each and everyone of our heavenly father´s children!!! i love this work and i love being a missionary!!! the end.

love you all so so so very much!!!

xoxoxoxo.

love always and forever,

hermana jordan ashley forte

Letter #41 salvation isn´t a cheap experience..

HOLA MI FAMILIA!!!!

wooweee... another week has come and gone... and it was fabulous as ever!!!! :) seriously... have i ever told you that i love being a missionary!? CUZ... i really really like super duper do!!!! :)

forte && barli takin on the world!!! 

(she really is a happy person i promise... ha!!!)

 real talk tho... dunno how i keep gettin 

so lucky with such amazing comps!!! #soblessed

but yes. the work here in argyland is fantastic as ever!!! we have 4 people on date to be baptized in the next couple weeks... and... i´m just so freakin happy about it!!! :) our first and primero date is silverio and he´s actually the neighbor of edwin and brian (my last adoreble little converts - seriously love them so much!!!) but yes. then we have the cutest little family of 3 kids on date to be baptized in two weeks... the salcedo familia (edson, franco, && yhadira) and seriously its the greatest joy to see the change in these young things as their testimonies grow and they begin their conversion to this gospel... ahhhh!!! LOVE IT SO MUCH!!!!! :) their parents still need time to accept the teachings... but they WANT us to teach && BAPTIZE their kids as they have been able to the see the change in their kids as well... ahhhh!!! its just so incredibly wonderful!!!! the oldest, edson has 14 years (yes, hes kinda the clone of my dear edwin... kinda funny. both peruvian as well!! ha!!!) but yes, we gave him the book of mormon for kids (the one with pictures) and he

´s almost read the entire thing... ahhhh!!! its incredible!!! and he´s applying the stories to his own life... and wow. seriously, every lesson we have with him i leave in shock && happiness!!! ha!!! :)

but yes. lets go back to silverio... as our lesson with him about ¨the gospel of jesus christ¨ really left an impact on me... (seriously i love having the spirit work through me, as i end up learning from my very own words that i say... its freaking amazing!!! ahhhh!!! i love being a missionary!!!! wait... did i already say that!? ha ha.) but yes. seriously. we were talking about perserving to the end... and i began testifying about how i know ¨perserving¨ isn´t easy. but its possible. and if we perserver till the end... the promised blessing is eternal life!!! what an amazing promise we have!!! if we work hard to keep the commandment and use this amazing atonement, and perserver till the end, we can have eternal life with our father in heaven and our families!!!! :)

big city lyfe. i love buenos aires. the end.

and then i was reminded of a talk by elder holland directed to the missionaries, where he explained that:¨missionary work isn´t easy...

because salvation isn´t a cheap experience!¨

but we can apply this quote to just life is general... becuase yes!!! its true!!! salvation isn´t cheap!!! alll the greatest things in life require effort and hard work on our part... including eternal life!!! but its possible my loved ones!!! its is so incredibly possible!!!! that is why our savior suffered and died for us!!! becuase HE KNEW we couldn´t do it on our own!!! HE KNEW this life would be a struggle!!! HE KNEW we would fall short... BUT... if we use the atonement - the very blood our lord and savior shed for us... WE CAN HAVE ETERNAL LIFE!!! we can leave this life spotless and return to live with our father in heaven!!! no. its not easy. it requires work. hard work. every single day. it require humility. every single sunday during the sacrament. it requires faith. especially when trials and struggles come our way... BUT ITS POSSIBLE!!!! and thats the grand message people...

SALVATION ISN´T CHEAP... BUT ITS POSSIBLE!!!

faaaa... i´m so incredibly grateful to have this knowledge... and even better... to have the opportunity to share this knowledge with the people here in congreso, argentina!!! ahhhh!!! i love being a missionary so much!!!

hope all is well and wonderful back at home!!!

keep being amazing and shining that light i know each of you have!!!! :)

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

the end.

nada mas.

xoxoxo.

besos.

chau chau.

-hermana jordan ashley forte

Letter #40 that one time i became senior companion..

HOLA MI HERMOSA FAMILIA!!!!

some cool fountain in front of the casa rosada... be jealous. ha ha.

happy birthday hermana quintana!!! #fiestasenargentina

wow... seriously at a loss of words at this moment... your reading the words from congreso´s newest senior companion... and i´m freakin out!!! bahhh!!! but im so honored that the lord has entrusted me with this honor and opportunity to be a leader and grow as i work as an instrument in his hands!!! :)

jusss forte and barli ´guitaring´... ha ha ha.

i´ll have you know that my new adore-able comp who only has 2 transfers in the mission is from mexico and for reals FOR REALS doesn´t know ANY english... oh boy. really gonna need to rely on the lord for this one!! but i know with his help this transfer can be as successful as we have planned...

the last foto as a zona... so sad!! love these people so much!!! :)

my dearest loved ones. congreso is the gold mine of golden people looking for this goespel in their lives!!! and right now we have 6 people on date for baptism!! and i couldn´t be happier!! the gospel changes lives... and i´m seeing it right before my very eyes!!! and its blowing my mind!! :) this gospel brings the light, happiness, and direction into our lives that we all ultimately are looking for... even if we don´t realize it yet!!! ha ha ha. oh man... i love being a missionary so much!!! and i´m excitedly nervous for this new challenge this next transfer is gonna bring... but i know with my faith in the lord i can do hard things. and i know that this is the lord´s work and i am meerly an instrument. and through me, he will accomplish what he has in store for his children!!! :)

ahhhh... being a missionary is seriously the greatest blessing of my entire life!!! :) thanks for all yoru love and support always my lovelies!!!

hope you have a fantabulous week!!!

xoxoxo.

besos.

chau chau.

-hermana jordan ashley forte

Letter #39 opposition in all things..

HOLA MI COPADA FAMILIA!!!

wow. this week was incredible!! we had a duo baptism of my favorite little family!!! they are brothers... edwin and brian. and seriously. it was the most beautiful baptism ever!!!  oh yeah... and... i dunno if this is allowed. but the mom of edwin and brian made us their god mothers. aka. this week i became a god mother of edwin and my comp became a god mother of brian... ha!! seriously love them so much!! and seriously am so honored that she trusts us enough for such a title.... lets just hope she doesn´t die anytime soon... cuz i dunno how much edwin would like the united states... ha!!! :P

MOST BEAUTIFUL BAPTISM EVER... 

love this people so much!!! this gospel is life changing. 

nuff said. new goal: getting the mom baptized. 

its gonna happen. i can feel it.. ahh!!

 LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY!!! :)

anywho... this week was basically focused on the preparation and planning of the wonderful baptism on sunday... and well... obvi satan doesn´t want us to change this family... so hes gonna do all he can to try and bring us down... so... he sent is rats. in our tenth floor apartment. still beyond me how they got in. we think it was by the cables... but anywho... that has been another preocupation this week. but no worries!! that didn´t keep us from being excited and preparing our wonderful baptism for our edwin and brian babes!!! :) but yeah. we caught one of the rats on our sticky trap. but.. it was still alive. and it was horrible cuz we had to put it out of its misery.. but i wasn´t gonna kill it with my hands!!! ewe. we had an elder give us advice to throw it off the balcony. and another told us to hit it with a pan... but we ended up taking the advice of our district leader and had a bbq on the balcony. (and no dom, we didn´t eat it!! ha!!!) but we sprayed hand sanitizer (with alcohol) and then threw a match on it!! ha ha. pobresito!! but yeah... me and my comp were discussing WHY IN THE WORLD WOULD THIS HAPPEN TO US... THIS WEEK!? we had so much to prepare for. so many things to do. this week was critical!!! and we get a freakin rat!? but then i started thinking... OBVI it happened THIS week. satan is

gonna do all he can to try to stop this baptism from happening!!! he doesn´t want this family to be changed and converted  by the spirit in their home!!! he doesn´t want this family to find the hope and happiness this gospel brings... THERE IS OPPOSITION IN ALL THINGS!!! end of story. its like in 2 nephi 2:27 it says... satan ¨seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself.¨ ewe. i seriously hate satan so much!!! and maybe this is a far fetched mind travel due to our rat problem... ha!!! but real talk. satan is working. and he is working hard. LOOK AT THE WORLD. satan is working. and unfortuantely he is succeeding...

bapstism dinner with edwin and the fam!!! 

chicken soup peruivian style... delish!!! 

love this people so much!!! :)

and then i remembered a quote that i found in a church talk that i had written in my quote book a few transfers back...

¨who received the most persecution and rejection?

CHRIST.

why? because HE is the truth. and the truth is ALWAYS fought against.¨

we have to fight back my lovelies!!! it is true!!! THERE IS OPPOSITION IS ALL THINGS... but we need to look for the light!!!! we need to strive for the righteous path!!! we need to keep on fighting!!! this life wasn´t meant to be easy... but its definitely possible. and with our savior, it is not only possible, but wonderfully enjoyable!!! he can lift our burden and carry our sorrow... we just need to let him!!!! :)

ahhhh... i love this gospel so much!! brings so much joy to heart to share it!!!! :) i love argentina. i love congreso. i love my companion. seriously... life is SO good right now!!!! :)

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

keep being wonderful my loves!!!

xoxoxoxo.

besos!!!

love always,

hermana jordan ashley forte (or fuerte. ha ha ha.)

Letter #38 one year older && wiser two..

MI HERMOSA FAMILIA!!!!

.... hola. :)

my segundo cake with the surpise at the familia pizarro...

 so shocked!! i thought we were going to have a lesson 

with the son but he wasn´t home 

so we had to wait for him to return... ha!!! 

jokes on the birthday girl!!! ha ha ha.

no words can express my love and appreciation from EVERYONE back home and for all the love and support i feel at this very moment. when i opened up my emails today it was LLEÑO with emails!!! faaaa... i seriously feel so loved right now!!! thank you. thank you. thank you!!!! i really am the luckiest beyond blessed missionary in the entire world!!!! :)

but yes... the big 23!!!! can you believe it momma!? i sure can´t. i feel so old. but for the record... last year i posted on IG a pic of me in a ¨matt forte¨ jersey to represent the big 22!!! and well... lets just imagine this year i posted a pic wearing a ¨michael jordan¨ jersey... the big 23 baby!!! por fin!!! (finally. ha ha ha.) perdon... my brain still thinks in instagram posts a veces... ha ha ha. oops!!! ;)

so... the birthday girl always cuts the cake apparently... 

too bad i´m the worst cutter ever!!! ha ha ha.

but yes... wow. this birthday was really a birthday i will never forget. i´m gonna be honest... i was slightly dreading having my birthday in the mission, as usually birthdays are spent with family and friends, and i didn´t wanna be reminded that i´m not even in the same country as my loved ones...  ha ha. but seriously, i regret EVER having such negative and horrible thoughts!!! cuz real talk... it was one of the best birthdays yet!!! the lord really does love and bless his missionaries... and i am no exception!!! my 23rd birthday was filled with more love and happiness then i have every felt in my life!!!! seriously... my mind is still blown!!!! :)

the 4 missioneras of congreso... 

seriously love these girls so much!!! 

these 4 planned everything!!! 

ahhh... (from left to right: quitana (salta), 

van wagner (riverton), forte (draper), y barli (buenos aires)).

so let me fill you in with what happened on my birthday... lets just say i had TWO families in my ward throw me a surprise birthday party. yes. es verdad. i said TWO. as in... TWO surprise walk ins. TWO birthday songs. TWO birthday cakes. aka: TWO different families prepared a mini celebration just for me!!!! faaaa... seriously... still feel a little bit overwhelmed from all the love shown for me... a junkie missionary from utah.... go figure!!!! ;)

familia villeneda fiesta... drinks all around baby!!!! ha!!!

but yes... all i can say is gracias a dios por todas las bendiciones en mi vida.... (thanks to god for all my blessings in my life)... my heart is so full for all the love i feel from home, from my home here in argentina, and from my loving heavenly father!!! this life really is made to bring us happiness.... and this gospel ultimately brings us the most happiness we this life could EVER offer!!!! i feel so blessed to have this opportunity to be an instrument in the lord´s hands here in argentina... no greater joy than seeing this gospel change lives right before my very eyes!!! :)

faaaa.... this church is SO true. nufff said.

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

xoxoxoxo.

besos.

-hermana jordan ashley forte

Letter #37 confirmations, rats, && stolen cameras..

HOLA HOLA HOLA MY LOVES!!!!! :)

so this week was quite the roller coaster... ha ha. like no joke. but.. i´ll fill you in on the highlights...

awe... my cute little edwin in his white collared shirt and tie!!!

 he kinda looks drunk in this foto tho... ha!!! 

but... had to show off how fly he looked!!! ha ha. :)

barli, edwin, me, hermana edgar, y valentine!!! 

teaching these fools in the plaza of congreso... 

no big deal. ha ha. #lovebeingamissionary

the best news of all news... edwin && brian got confirmed yesterday!!! woohoo!!! seriously. it was so beautiful!!! edwin was wearing his new white collared shirt and tie that a member gifted him at his baptism... and seriously. i almost cried. he looked SO GOOD!!!! i felt like a proud momma watchin her son grow up!!!! ha ha. also... through edwin and brian now their cousins wanna get baptized!!! but they are not in our area... which stinks... but still!!! they all came to the confirmation!!! awe man... thats why we have had so much opposition!!! cuz real talk... we have CHANGED this family!!! okay. we havent. but this gospel has. and it makes me SO incredibly happy to be able to witness the change right before my very eyes!!! :)

oh, pobresito... his own dang fault

 for crawling into my bed at night!!! ha ha ha. 

okay... and as for the ¨argentina stories¨ this week... yup. we found the final rat!! the next day AFTER i felt it crawling on my feet in my bed in the middle of the night... yeah... i dont wanna talk about it. ha ha. but yeah. the freakin rat is finally dead!!!! goodness gracious it was a 2 hour struggle... but... after lighting it on fire and hot boxing the kitchen... it eventually ran out from under the oven and i smacked it to death with a broom... ha ha ha. thats OBVIOUSLY the nut shell version. ha!!! but yeah. lets just say... i hate rats. and that poor rat felt all my fristration... via broom. ha ha ha ha. but yeah. i´m kinda the mission joke at the moment though as our ¨mission email¨ this week had a little joke about ¨smashing rats...¨ very funny elders... ha ha ha. but yeah. our theory is... we had 2 baptisms && confirmations, so satan sent us 2 rats. ha ha. oh man. then the next depressing update... my comp got her camera stolen as the mom of edwin and brian was using it to take fotos of her sons... yeah... real talk. oppostion sucks. ha ha ha. but were not gonna let it get us down!!! were still happy as a clam and preaching this gospel to everyone we meet here in congreso!!! :) i found this quote in my quote book that i forgot i had...

¨DON´T GIVE UP!!! there are occasionally hard days for each of us! do not despair! do not give up! look for the sunlight throgh the clouds!¨

-president gordon b. hinckley

wow. if that doesn´t say it all... i dunno what does!! :) today is a bright and sunny and freakin happy day (like literally - i´m not wearing my huge jacket to keep warm!!! ha ha.) but real talk.... i´m so happy!!! i love being a missionary and seeing the change this gospel can bring into peoples lives!!! :) we have the secret to happiness!!! no if´s, and´s or but´s about it!!! :) ahhhh... i love you all so much my lovelies!!!! :)

the church is true && the book is blue!!! :)

xoxoxoxo.

besos!!!

-hermana jordan ashley forte

Letter #36 thank you, gracias, mahalo, y kapkhunkha..

WHAT. IS. UP. FAM. DAMILIA!?! :)

some normal argentina we met in the streets..

 couldn´t resist a foto con ella!! ha ha.

 wow. so here i am in congresso, argentina. aka: mass capital. more big city life - concrete jungle. didn´t know it was possible.. but oh. it was possible. ha ha. i´m like only 15 minutes away from the obelisco!!! rad huh!? i´m determined to visit one of these p-days!!! :) but yeah. definitely missing hermana escalante and my peeps in floresta... but i know this is where the lord needs me right now. and i´m excited for this adventure here in congresso with my native argentina comp that speaks no english for reals this time!!! ha ha ha. whoop whoop!! think i´m finally gonna learn this language!!! cuz my last comp was a cop out... she spoke english like a native north american!! ha ha. love her so much!!!

so yes. this week i had a huge ¨eye-opening¨ experience during my personal study as i was reading the bible in mark... and i was reading about when jesus was teaching the people and fe

d the 5,000 from only 5 loaves of bread and 2 fishes and it describes how they all were filled. wow. one of the many miracles our savior performed, but the part that really called my attention was in verse 46...

 46 And when he had sent them away, he departed into a mountain to pray.

wow. even the savior himself humbled himself after one of his many miracles to go up and thank his father in heaven... then later in verse 56 it explains how the apolostles didn´t recongize him walking on the waters because...

 52 For they considered not the miracle of the loaves: for their heart was hardened.

wow. i dunno why this totally plucked at my heart strings... but it made me stop and think... am i thanking my heavenly father for all the miracles that happen in my life!? is my heart softened enough to consider all my blessings in my life!?

gorgeous full moon in beautiful floresta... 

ahhh!!! i love argentina!!! :)

VAMOS ARGENTINA!!! 

yes. this is me and my comp rooting 

on our messi from our pench... TORTURE!!! 

(messi is still da bomb.com.) 

p.s. yes. i definitely bought this messi flag... 

don´t judge me. its rad. ha ha ha.

wow. i dunno. this life is so easy to get caught up in the flow of things, and its so easy to forget all of our many blessings and miracles in our lives... even as a missionary!! let me tell you my dear family and friends... i am SO incredibly grateful for all the many abundous blessings in my life!! i´m so

very grateful for the wonderful support system i have rooting me on day in and dy out!!! i´m so very grateful for the strength this gospel brings into our lives and for the clarity and peace this knowledge can bring!!! :)

another small miracle i would like to announce... THIS MISSIONARY ROLLED HER TONGUE FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 22 YEARS!!!! yes. its true my family. somehow. someway. i did it. it has taken ALOT of weird gurgling practice... but i can officially roll my tongue!!! and seriously... i can´t stop thanking my father in heaven. seriously the first time i actually felt the vibration. i started to cry. this seriously is such a miracle!!! now... i just need to practice more and more and apply it to my langauge... thats the next hurdle. BUT.. most importantly i know its possible!!! and oh baby!!! i´m so incredibly happy!!! :)

anywho... i want to invite all of everyone who reads this awesome email to take a step back and consider ALL your blessings. cuz really. you have SO many. and then next thank your heavenly father. it doesn´t matter how, or in what language: english, spanish, pigeon, or thai... but thank him!!! soften your heart and show our father in heaven your gratitude!!! thats all he asks!!!! :)

anywho. thats my updates for the week... and sadly i have no pictures this week cuz this ghetto ciber won´t read my memory card for some reason!!! lame...

anywho.. but i love and miss you all terribly!!! never ever forget that my beauties!!! :)

xoxoxoxo.

love always and forever,

hermana jordan ashley forte

Letter #35 VAMOS ARGENTINA!!!

oh yeah!! our relief society had an activity

 where we made puppets for the children

 in the hospital!! so fun!!! love these women!!! :)

HOLA MI INCREÍBLE FAMILIA!!!

ahhh.... i love you all so much!!! :) like more than any words on this computer screen could ever express!!! :)

so.. as you probably know... argentina is totally killin it in the world cup. and normally during games we have to be locked up in our pension for ¨security purposes¨... so lame. BUT... last week we got to participate in a ¨cultural devotional¨... aka; all us missionaries met together in the auditorium of a school and received words of wisdom from our amazing mission president... but then after. we were suprised with the news that we were gonna get the opportunity to particpate in a argentina cultural event... THE GAME VS. SUIZA!!!! ah. MADE MY LIFE. all us missionaries, serving here in argentina got to watch the game of this amazing country that we serve... ah!!! best moment of my life. we won all us missionaries were like animals in that auditorium. SO MUCH HAPPINESS!!! ha ha ha. (i´m my father´s daughter... what can i say!? ha ha.) anywho... i´m stoked to announce that we get ANOTHER grand bendicion this week and get to watch the game this week if.... we have a investigator and a member present. but... we have to cut our p-day. so... my apologizes familia... we´ll catch up next week!!! :)

but yes. with all this ¨MUNDIAL EXCITEMENT¨, the wise words from an email my amazing sister sent out in one of her last weeks in the field keeps coming to mind, and i hope she doesn´t mind me sharing...

all of us sisters with the president,

 can you find me!? 

kinda a bad pic. the elder forgot to lift the flash... #sillyelders

yup. thats what 8 layers looks like... 

#fatkidstatus #the overcoatwasagiftfromaninvestigator 

#gorditalife #sooooverthisrainandcold

¨Life is more like a soccer game. Good versus evil. Our actions and choices that we make determine which team we are playing for. I once read this great scripture mastery verse in the Bible that said,  "No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon." Luke 16:13.

Now this scripture has been taken to a whole new level. We can only serve one master. We can only satisfy one coach. We can only score points for one team. Therefore, Who's side are we on? The Lord's or Satan's? I will tell you one thing. We already know that outcome of the match, so the decision is pretty easy. We are on the Lord's team! So we better play to our full potential because we only got one shot. We got to give our all all of the time! Because we never know when the ref is going to blow his whistle.¨

hey remember that one time i got to watch 

a world cup game of argentina IN argentina!? 

ahhh!!! i love my life. that is all. p.s. i love my argentine comp too!!! :)

now i dunno about you, but i´m pretty sure that could convert even messi himself!!! ha ha. but yes. this game of life is one humungo blessing we get to take part in and i´m so grateful to have the ¨play book¨ with all the guidance and answers we need in this life to ultimately succeed and get that ball in that net baby!!! :)

ahhh!!! i love this gospel. i love being a missionary and having this unforgettable opportunity to share this gospel with those who have no idea why they are even here on this planet... ahhh!!! i love life!!! :)

thanks for all your prayer and support my loves!!! :)

until next week... VAMOS ARGENTINA!!!! :)

xoxoxoxo.

besos!!!

-hermana jordan ashley forte