of times it's in the smallest moments that I really feel grateful that I have the best friends. Well, first there are a few that I will forever forever call my best friends because I know that they would give anything to help me even if that means traveling 3,000 miles just to give me a hug....here they are. Marcela and Marinela. They made me laugh harder than I ever thought possible with an achy body, tired feet, sore muscles, and sometimes wounded faith. They
yelled at me when I I was on the brink of giving up or just not caring about the work. They were always my best company in the kitchen hehe. "...and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a sister." Proverbs 18:24 These two amazing women were both enourmous blessings and balls of energy. Thanks Hermanas! You helped me to see the people of Argentina as Christ sees them and try to love them as he does. Thanks for loving me all the same.
Ah Carlos and Sofia. Both are spiritual giants. Sofia is a convert and the only member in her family. Carlos as well. While I was struggling with my health and the work in my last area, I dreaded not being able to love the people of San Miguel like I did the people in Caballito. My birthday came and Carlos and Sofia and Matias came to visit me. They traveled over 2 hours to be there with me the entire day
They helped me to be myself in my new area and see the beauty in the people of San Miguel. I was felt indebted and foolish that
I wasn't able to do that on my own. Everyday I think of Sofi and Carlos. They constantly are still sharing their testimonies with me whenever they get the chance, and I am grateful.
It's been almost a year since I have actually seen Joe, BUT...he will always be one of my very best friends. He changed me in so many ways and I learned so much from him. During my most difficult years and saddest times growing up he was unfailingly there. Without question he was there. Just to listen. To take me to a funny movie, or to make me see humor in the irony of adolscenece. I miss him everyday, and I hope he knows that I would not be everything I am today without his push in the beginning.
Valeria. She's the one in the middle. I'm not sure I can really explain how special she is without meeting her in person. When she is in a room whether she is talking or just sitting in silence, she lights the room, because she is so confident, but just carries such a powerful prescence that it's impossible to miss. She will love you the moment you meet her. You could have some contagious blisters all over you and she would hug you without thought and genuinely want to know everything about you. Vale would often teach me the same things I taught her, when I would forget or lose sight of things.
This crazy girl is Natalia. Before I left Argentina. I showed up at her door, and she tackled me (literally) with the biggest hug. I met Natalia in the most random way, but I had no doubt that it was anything but divine intervention that we came together. She was the most amazing example to me of a mother, and a friend. I felt like we were always on the same page, and if we ever disagreed we would always laugh about it. She was the first person I was ever that close to that was in a situation of domestic violence. Still to this day I fight and try to advocate for every victim I meet everyday because to me they carry her face. She helped me to be more real with myself and those we taught. ....and don't worry Nat I still carry your power puff girl on my keychain. Hasta Pronto. 
ROU! What can I say.....somehow the crazy people and moments found us wherever we went. I started to wonder if just us being together caused all of the awkward and weird forces to combine against us. Hehe. In the short six weeks that we were with each other 24-7 I lived the extreme in every sense of the word. Anything she did she did it 110%. It could have been reading to Maria Delgado out of her giant over sized Book of Mormon,with her 12 cats climbing all over us, and she didn't care that Maria didn't understand all of it. She put her whole heart into everything. She is dramatic, and she feels, and she helped me to open my eyes to the masterpieces in each individual we met. How can so much energy exist in one tiny 17 year old?
I'm sure you have already heard too too much about this little lady. She captured my heart even before I was able to hold her for the first time. She has been my bestfriend in the most simple moments. The coolest part is, she has no idea how many times she has saved me. Kaed, you are so precious, and I know Heavenly Father sent you to our family in the exact moment he did, because you had and still have a very sacred and great mission to complete here on the earth. Thank you for being so strong. I lub you! :)
Adam, Adam, Adam. We pretty much hit it off in 2nd when he pulled out my hair during music time. Or was it when I threw his homemade grill cheese sandwich that he made me to the goats? I can't remember. I do remember that no one has ever made me laugh harder. I can say without a doubt that 7 years could go by...I could call him out of the blue and it would be like we hadn't skipped a beat. I miss you...please come throw rocks at my window soon.
This is Jeana. Also known as "The Denim Monster." Ha. Is there such a thing as humor therapy? It seems like i've heard of it, but if it doesn't exist I think Jeana should coin the term for developing it. Countless times I have been at a loss of what to do, where to go, and how to cope. Jeana is constantly there leaving me insanely long messages on me phone. I feel so blessed when I think back to how Heavenly Father guided me so carefully until I was able to be placed in an apartment randomly with Jeana as a roommate at college. "A friend loveth at all times, and a sister is born fo adversity." -Proverbs 17:17. This says it better than I ever could.
Even though I want to mention so so so many more, Meg will be the end of my long long list of friends to thank. Megan is by far the most loyal person I know. whoa. Trust me I know quite a few people. haha okay not really. Meg was swimming in one of those giant green garbage cans and it's been roses ever since. It is rare that I find someone I can be 100 % myself. Sometimes we find ourselves dancing out of control in clothes stores, or attacking the wrong people after jumping out of clothes at Target. The best part of all is that when I found myself at the one of the most crucial turning points in my life, Meg made me question my testimony and also testified to me of the power of the atonement and the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon. I love that I can always count on Meg and when I am stressed out from sometimes being who other want me to be I can hang out with her and just be....weird.
"It is one of the blessings of old friends that you can afford to be stupid with them."- Ralph Waldo Emerson
"Grief can take care of itself, but to get the full value of joy you must have somebody to divide it with."- Mark Twain
"A friend should be a master at guessing and keeping still."- Friedrich Nietzsche
