It's Only Fall and I'm Already Freezing!

hola famila,

This week...where to start...I think the theme for this week can be found in the lyrics to the hymn More Holiness Give Me. "More holiness give me, more paciencia y amor (patience and love)...I've learned a lot this week about patience and love with those dang menos activos (less actives). They are great, yet sooo frustrating some times. Pero Bueno... paciencia y amor. Paciencia y amor.

One menos activo we are working with haaha...it's a long story (that I started last week), but she finally has agreed that she needs to stop smoking. She smoked 20 a day, 2 at a time. We went over to her house with a priesthood holder and gave her a blessing of strength. We have been visiting her every day this week, sharing scriptures and 3 minute Mormon messages. AND GUESS WHAT!!! Within the past week she has dropped to 15 a day!!! So awesome!!

And it is freezing cold. Freezing, freezing cold. It's been raining and windy and como (about) 45 degrees out. I'm going to die in June in the dead of winter. I'm healthy, kind of, I have a cold but I've had it for about 2 months and will probably have it for the rest of the winter.

The language is going great, transfers are this week and I think my next comp is Latina!

On a non-missionary note, if you ever need to unclog a toilet and don't have a plunger, boil water and pour it into the toilet. It works like a miracle!

You guys are awesome!!! And Kyle, Jake and Joey....escribame porfa!!!

Les quiero muchooo

Slackin' in Chile

Ola Familia!
This week has been crazy! The mission is literally the best thing ever. I can't even express how much it sucks and how incredible it is.

Accomplishment this week:
I had my first telephone call where I could understand what they were saying and respond to them! Whoop! First tele call with no help! Haha I'm a big girl now.

So this week there was a really big storm over Futrono. I have never felt wind so strong and there was so much rain. It was kind of scary, actually. Especially when the power got cut and we were in complete darkness in the street at 8:45 at night. It was fun though. We were able to pioneer it for daily planning with our candles and little fire. The power was restored later the next day but then got kicked out again...good thing for our 72 hour emergency kits! I guess storms like that are common in the winter and we are going to go without power often. On the bright side, with freezing cold winters...NO FLEAS!

An awesome experience I had this week:
We are working on reactivating a less active. She is progressing REALLY well and has been going to church for a while, but told us just the other night that she has a smoking problem. Yesterday we met with her to make a plan of quitting smoking and brought a priesthood holder to give her a blessing of strength. Her mom (who isn't a member) was there and we were chatting with her (the daughter was out quickly buying some bread). We were still there and I thought, well, might as well make a lesson out of this since we have a nonmember and a member with us. I started flipping through my scriptures to share something and found a verse that I like, Mosiah 4:9.

"Believe in God; believe that he is and that he created all things, both in heaven and in earth; believe that he has all wisdom, and all power, both in heaven and in earth; believe that man doth not comprehend all the things which the Lord can comprehend."

But the scripture just didn't feel right. We have taught the mom before and have invited her to be baptized many times...anyway, I couldn't think of anything else, so I said a prayer and began thinking of scripture masteries and Doctrine and Covenants 18 popped into my head. So I began the lesson and shared that. It turned into a powerful lesson with her mom and the power of the love of God.

"10. Remember the worth of souls is great in the sight of God;

11. For, behold, the Lord your Redeemer suffered death in the flesh; wherefore he suffered the pain of all men, that all men might repent and come unto him.

12.And he hath risen again from the dead, that he might bring all men unto him, on conditions of repentance.

13. And how great is his joy in the soul that repenteth!" 

I am so grateful for the gift of the Holy Ghost. I am nothing without his guidance and support. We are so blessed to have him as comfort and help in our daily lives. Never do anything that could impede you from being worthy to have the Holy Ghost with you!

The family we found when we were being chased by a pack of dogs is doing awesome! The mom told us that she probably won't get baptized because she promised her mom that she would stay catholic, but she wants us to work with her husband. He is mad at God because he and his brother got in an accident and he walked away but his brother died. The mom told us that what we have will help her husband. She knows we have something special, she is just confused a little at what she wants. But she told her daughters if they wanted to get baptized, hagalo! (Be my guest!)

Haha for Pday, Hermana B and I made a makeshift slackline and did that in the park. It was AWESOME!! So relaxing and just what I needed after a stressful week. Haha and we attracted a group of little kids. They were too scared to try it, but ahh, it was fun!

Hope all is great! Les quiero MUCHO!!!

 

conferencia general, angeles, y lluvia (General Conference, angels and rain)

¡Familia!

les quiero tanto! (I love you so much!)

We have two investigators who are waiting on their baptism. Their dad is really sick and is going to die soon and they are too preoccupied with that to really think or pray about anything else so... we are still working with them but now isn’t the right time for them.

We have an appointment this week to teach the family I told you about last week. The one with the attacking dogs…

Can I just say, conference weekend is my favorite holiday? We weren’t able to watch it all because the internet is really bad. AND IT CUT OUT RIGHT AS ELDER HOLLAND BEGAN TO SPEAK!! Que fome! (Chilean slang meaning “what dumb!”)

But we downloaded conference onto a pen drive and are going to listen to it later.

Pero bueno (But good)... I learned so many things this conference and have a renewed animo (good spirits)  for the Lord’s work and renewed confidence in myself and what I can accomplish if I put all my trust, troubles, and doubt on the Lord. Here are just a few liners that I loved. Click on the person’s name to see the entire talk.

President Uchtdorf= we were designed to become. Those sheep that wander, those precious sons and daughters of God that fall, they are worthy of His help and love, simply because they are His.

Mervin B. Arnold = GO TO THE RESCUE. Don’t wait, just go. There are people that need your help now. There are souls that only you can touch. Go out, find them, help them, love them. They are in your neighborhoods. They are your old friends. They are your family.

Bonnie L. Oscarson=You are already at the tree. KEEP FEASTING! I feel like this is me now, seriously!! The scriptures have so much power. Study them. Pray for guidance and help. They are the way to happiness.

Cheryl A. Esplin= throw away the mirrors and look through the windows.

Neil L. Anderson= he talked about leaders, and just a shout out to all my amazing Sunday School, Seminary, Primary and YW leaders!! You guys are amazing. Thank you so much for all your help, advice and guidance in my life. I love you guys so much. Keep doing what you are doing. You are my heroes and part of the reason why I am here on a mission. 

yep... the perfect present. I love conference! hope you all enjoyed it as much as I did. 

Now we have 6 months to use these talks, study them, and receive more guidance, revelation and help from God and from our trusted leaders. I sustain President Thomas S. Monson as prophet, seer and revelator of our church. I sustain all the men and women in the church. I know they are called of God and worthy of their callings.

les quiero mucho! Review and relisten to all the talks throughout the next 6 months! Disfrutalos! (Enjoy it!)