the itsy bitsy spider went up the water spout...

hola familia! 

¿como estaispo? Just a brief hint on the title, there are millions of spiders here in Osorno! They aren’t too harmful, just leave a little bite that itches for a day. But it’s like the huge spider in Harry Potter that gave birth to all those little spiders. And all the little spiders are trying to find a home and a job.

I can’t tell you how many times I’m walking and I look at my arm and there is a spider or I scratch my head and there is a dead spider now under my nails. They all are flying on their webs, being blown by the wind. We walk into webs all the time or they are blown into us. It’s great.... 

Another funny memory... Red Hot Jesus? hahahaha remember that game? We were walking to church on Sunday. It just popped into my head and totally made my day. I started laughing out loud and my comp looked at me as if I were nuts. 

There is an old man that is sitting at a table across from me and he keeps looking at me. I looked at him and he winked at me very sexily. (…As sexy as an old man can wink.) It’s sad that I’m so used to that now that it doesn’t even affect me. haha he looks just like Stan Lee... maybe I should wink sexily back at him... I might get asked to be in the next Marvel movie.... 

ay ay ay..... I think all of you are familiar with the poem of the footprints where a guy is walking on the sand and he sees two sets of footprints and the Lord says that He was always walking by him and when the guy says that in the hardest part of his life he only sees one pair of footprints and the Lord says that that is when He (the Lord) held him. When I look back on this week and this cambio, I think, no I know, that I will only see one set of footprints.

The Holy Ghost can heal whichever hurt, frustration, pain or wound that we physically, spiritually, mentally or emotionally have. It is truly amazing. I hope that all of you at some point in your life have felt or will feel the calming, loving, soothing power that only the Savior can offer.

Not much to report on this week. I’m trying to keep a positive attitude, without entering into the mentality of “it’s almost cambios, just hold on until cambios.”

We had the privileged opportunity to have an FHE (Family Home Evening) with presidente Isom and his wife, us and one of our investigadoras.

I love the mission house. It literally feels like the temple there. The spirit is so calming and renewing inside. I want my future house to feel like that. We had the FHE on a night where I felt that I could not give anymore. I could not do this anymore. And for many circumstances, I did not want to do it anymore.

Just by walking into the house, I immediately felt at peace. All my troubles fears, anger, frustration and pains went away and I felt a calm embrace of peace, encouragement, love, support and an "everything will be all right."

We got to the house about 30 minutes early to ask for a blessing from President. I know that I have said this before, but I know and testify that he is a man called of God. I love and sustain him as my mission president. He feels like my grandpa. The moment that he placed his hands on my head, I felt a reassuring strength.

In the blessing he blessed me that I could have the strength the keep fighting that I could find joy in the work and that I will be able to know what I need to do. I am so grateful for my misison presidente and for the priesthood that he holds. I am so grateful to live in a time when we have the plentitude of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I love my Savior and I am forever grateful for the strength that He continually gives me. 

Satan is very good at what he does. And like the scriptures says, he wishes and fights that every man might be miserable like unto himself. I’ve heard that everyone in their mission passes through their own "Garden of Gethsemane" on the mission. That is not to say that’s how I feel, and what has happened is anything close to what the Savior went through. But, this cambio has knocked me to my knees almost every day. It’s a good thing the Lord has asked us to pray on our knees! I think I now understand why.

It is also very interesting to see how the Lord has prepared me for this through all my other companions and sectors. Truly the Lord will never give us more that we can handle. Sometimes I wish I just wasn’t as strong.

For various reasons this has been the hardest cambio for me. Many reasons... but I am grateful for the strength that I have received and the miracles that I have witnessed. I have never had to work so hard to be happy, be obediente, see miracles, feel the spirit and enjoy the mission.

But also I have never had an experience so marvelous as to feel the Savior carrying me, literally reaching out and pulling me up from the dirt and helping me along step by step. Step by step. Brick by brick. Knock by knock, Soul by soul. Building up Sión in South Chile, preparing the way for the second coming of my Savior. Shouting the voice of warning to all who will hear.

I know that this gospel is true I know that Padre Celestial lives and He loves us so much. Every trial is worth the pain. Every cost is worth the sacrifice to know Him personally. I love Him and I know that He loves me.

I hope you have a great week and Alaina!! I hope you feel better!!! You can do this!   

ten couraje sé fuerte sé de gran corazon (I know you are strong)

kia toa kia kaha kia manawanui

HURRAH POR ISRAEL

Not My Will, but Thine

I’m sorry no pictures!! I don’t have my sim card because of the virus and my comp's camera isn’t working... :(((((

hola familia mia!

This week was spectacular. I am so grateful to my Padre Celestial for allowing me to be with my companion.

This week was just incredible.

For starts... Monday, Tuesday, I wasn’t too happy. I was sad and frustrated. I knew I was supposed to be here in Osorno, with my comp, in this ward, in this sector, I had gotten many promptings that this is where I need to be.

But I was tired, worn out and frustrated. We were walking in the street late Tuesday night knocking doors when a thought came into my mind, "Why am I complaining? I am HERE. No amount of wishing I were in another sector or holding on until cambios is going to make the time pass any faster. I just need to accept it."

As I thought about this for a little while, I began laughing at myself, how stubborn I have been, and how foolish. I said a little prayer in my heart asking for forgiveness and I told Padre Celestial I’m sorry and I’m tired of fighting, I’m done with kicking against the pricks. I accept it. I am here. Right now. In Osorno, knocking doors at 9 pm on Los Aleleis. After that little prayer and accepting my circumstances, my attitude changed completely! This has been something that I have been thinking about this week.

Why is it so hard for us to sometimes accept God’s will? Why do we complain, why do we lack the faith to accept it, work hard, and find joy in the journey? It is so much easier when we give up our will for that of Padre’s. He is so kind. He knows sooo much better than we do. He wants us to become like Him, He wants us to achieve our eternal destiny.

Submitting our will to His is the only way that we can truly find happiness and receive all the blessings that He has promised us. Just like the quote on my missionary plaque, we must submit our will to His.

From Tuesday night on, I have been very content. No, it hasn’t been easy, and yes, Satan many times has tried to drag me down again to doubt and despair, but the hope that this Gospel promises us, the hope that accompanies the Resurreccion makes it all possible. That hope makes it all sufferable.

I don’t want to go into a lot of details about what happened in the past, but I wish you guys could see the change that I have seen. I wish you guys could have witnessed the miracle that occurred in me. Life is so good. 

Some funny / sad experiences we have had this week:

This was actually from last week but I forgot to add it. We found a guy named Antonio. He stopped believing in God about 20 years ago and we were able to talk to him. The day we passed by he was home alone so we couldn’t enter. We stopped by the next day with a member and began teaching him.

Come to find out that at 3 pm he lost his job. 4 pm we knocked on his door. 7 pm he got word that his best friend died. It was awesome to be able to teach him about the Resurreccion of Christ and of us and the hope and comfort that this Gospel brings.

He said that he thought that God had forgot about him, and we were able to show him that no, in fact, God sent us to him! It was really special.

In the end, we got his number and he got ours. I told him that he could put "missionaries" for the name of our number because we are always changing companions and he said, "no, I am going to put Jesus Christ". 

A few days later, we were on the same street knocking doors and a woman, very friendly, let us pass by (come in).

We went into her house and began teaching her the first leccion. She was really easy to talk to and listened. It was the best leccion that my comp and I have taught together so far. We both could feel the spirit really strong testifying of our words. It was awesome.

I thought for sure that she would accept our invitation to learn more, but she politely said that she doesn’t really have any interest in learning more about God. It almost broke my heart. Here we were, we had just taught the best leccion ever together as a companionship, the Spirit had testified strongly of our words, yet she wasn’t listening with her spirit. She was listening just to listen, without real intent.

We left with mixed feelings. Sad for her, but content and in fact happy that we were able to feel the Spirit strongly, allowing us to know that we did our part. We did everything we could. I hate agency sometimes....

Yesterday for Easter, we ate lunch with los McArther, the senior couple missionaries here in Osorno. It was really fun. It was us, the elders in our ward and another companionship of hnas. (The hnas are SOOO cool. We’ve already planned a road trip together #trunky)

We had taco salad. It’s been sooo long since I’ve had taco salad!!! MOM for my first meal home I want your enchiladas. Oh! and now that we are on this page, I also want a group of people the in the airport dancing the cueica and playing Chilean tribal music. If you can’t find any... I guess I’ll settle for a mariachi band. :)  

Sooo, back to my story. After lunch we went out to work. Just a normal day knocking doors and trying to motivate one another. It was late in the afternoon.

We started walking up a street. There were 3 young adults drinking under a tree on the other side. They waved at us so we waved back and they started laughing.

We continued up the street and a thought entered my mind. “Talk to them.”

I thought, “Why? They are drinking. It could be dangerous. They look rowdy.”

Then the words of the sister that gave the lesson in soc soc (Relief Society) today entered my mind. She said, "I was walking down from the plaza and saw two young people smoking. I was going to walk by them but then felt that God too loved them, so I took a deep breath and went to go give them a card of Jesus Christ for Easter. I gave it to them and told them that God too loves them and that they are needed and important.”

With those words in my head, I told my comp, “crucemos la calle y hablemos con ellos.” (Let’s cross the street and talk to them) she looked at me like I was nuts but followed.

There was a man near them so I decided to contact him first to kind of scope out how sober the jovenes were. He was rude, but when I glanced at the girl she motioned at me to come over and yelled, “Hey! We want to talk to you.”

I said to my comp, “vamos,” and with a prayer in my heart that God would protect us, we started talking to the girl and her 2 guy friends. They were a little buzzed but still coherent and everything. They invited us to sit with them and began asking us tons of questions about who we were and what we doing. It was awesome. We were able to teach them the first lesson about the Restoration of the Gospel.

The girl was really getting into it and told us that her mom is evangelica and her dad is Catholic but that she has never found a religion that has filled a part that she fills is missing. She said that none of the churches had really left her feeling fulfilled. She was really eager to meet with us again and we will be talking with her tomorrow.

Her friend began joking saying, “haha watch out here comes hermana Soto!” She just looked at him and said, “But this is really interesting. This could be what I’ve been looking for.”

We asked if the next lesson we could do without alcohol and she said of course! It was amazing, especially when walking away I could feel God’s great love that He has for her. I felt that she was going to get baptized and hopefully become hermana Soto!! It was so neat. I am so grateful that I followed that prompting.

That night I called the sister whose words came into my mind, thanking her for sharing that. She almost began crying with emotion that she was able to help influence someone. Life is so good.

I know that God lives. I know that He loves us. I am so grateful for the difficulties and hardships in my life and in the mission. I love my mission. I love every single part of it. It is the best decision ever.

Keep loving, keep trying, keep believing, keep submitting your will to that of God’s and you will see miracles in your life and in the lives of others. Have a great week! 

I love you all!! les amo tanto!

ps yesterday I completed 16 months on the mission. I never thought this would happen....

this tastes...funny

hola familia

I hope you are all doing good! Sooo I want to start with a funny/not funny story. So, as you know my comp suffered from the beginning with diarrhea and headaches and other stuff. Two weeks ago, I also started to come down with the same stuff. Then on Tuesday we were washing dishes after dinner and suddenly the water (that we drink) turned brown for a few seconds and then went back to normal.

What?

We have been paying closer attention to it now and it is happening more often. We called our landlord and she got all sassy with us saying that it is normal and that we are sick because we are foreigners and aren’t used to the water and food here.

I pointed it out that I’ve lived here for 15 months and this is not normal. Neither have I ever felt like this before.

She told me that it was our problem and not hers. We have been having a lot of other problems with the house…no hot water, water leaking near our fireplace and the carpet is always wet... a huge headache of problems.

Long story short, our water is contaminated. We started buying water and have been feeling so much better. We don’t have diarrhea anymore and my comp doesn’t feel like she is going to pass out every once in a while.

…All I’m going to say is that it’s a good thing you can drink your pee a few times before it kills you...

 haha our water isn’t that bad, but it’s amazing what bad water does to your body. 

This week, not going to lie, was extremely hard for me. I’m one of those missionaries that for me I’m happy if we are outside talking to people, working, having lessons, and serving. But this week happiness felt just out of reach for me. We had to call a “maestro” to fix all the problems with the house—so we lost a lot of time working. And with the health of my comp…for me the hardest part is how slow she walks…but it is also good because it was giving me a chance to slow down a bit and enjoy the flowers.

This sector is unlike any other that I have had. It is small and people are so mean. It is trying every part of my faith, patience and hope. For the most part of the week I have felt useless. We were walking A LOT. We were talking with everyone that we could draw out of their houses.

I now understand so much more the scripture that talks about that it’s easier for a camel to go through the eye of the needle than a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of God.

I feel like Abraham (I believe it was) when God said that they need to leave Sodom and Gomorrah because He is going to destroy it and Abraham said, “No, let me find 50 good people... 40.... 30... 15... 10... 5... 1.”

I know there are people here that are ready. I know that Padre Celestial has prepared at least ONE person for us. It’s just a matter of finding them and being at the right time at the right place.

Throughout the week (as I’m sure passes with all trials), I began to doubt if really I was good enough.

Maybe I’m not obedient enough, that’s why we aren’t finding anyone.

Maybe I don’t have enough faith.

Maybe, maybe, maybe.

A few days ago, while my comp was eating dinner, I went into our bedroom and fell on my knees and began to ask these questions to Padre. I asked Him to tell me or show me in a way that I can recognize that yes, I am doing all that I can or no, I need to change this or that. Afterwards, I felt a little better.

Throughout the next days, I have seen signs from Padre that helped me to see that I need to hold on. That I need to be DILIGENT in the things that I am doing and all will work out, all will finish good.

With every frustrating thing that happened this week, I could feel or see a small good thing that resulted from it. I think many times we hope for angels or big miracles and we miss the little signs and whisperings that tells us that we are okay, we just need to hold on. And Satan is always trying to chase away our hope and faith.

Padre Celestial has so much patience with me. Haha one minute I’m good and thinking positive and the next I’m sad and feel like nothing is going right and that I am just wasting the Lord’s time. I know everything happens for a reason. I know that everything will work out right.

Unfortunately knowing and feeling are two different things.

I was really looking forward to writing today, to be able to write to you mom and dad and share more detailed what is going on and how I feel. I’m really sad and tired and just done. This cambio has been the hardest cambio that I have had yet. This week was really hard for me and I just need someone to tell me it will be all right.

All week I kept thinking, “just get to Monday and you can talk with mom and dad. They will help you out.” When I logged on the computer, the first email I read was from you guys that said that you right now are camping and climbing and probably won’t have signal to get my email when I send it...

…but Padre Celestial is sooo merciful and loves us so much!!! THANK YOU,Sister Haggard and Sister Enia Castillo for your emails. Sister Haggard wrote me:

“Ryan is home and reflecting on his mission.  He sees that maybe the mission is not really about baptisms, although that is the work of the mission that puts us in situations almost daily to be touched by the spirit.  I agree with him that the truly amazing thing is the changes that happen in the missionary.  This is your Zion's camp.  You know that story? And the people you also put in a position to feel that spirit and be changed are not always converts and it doesn't matter.  Every soul is precious unto Him.  Companions, ward members, youth who will be inspired to serve a mission, families that seal loved ones because you helped then find and ready the names, bishops that learn about the law of chastity and teach others in their ward.”  

I am reading OUR LEGACY right now that talks about the beginnings of the church. I just read about Zion’s camp. Sister Haggard, thank you so much for this email. In Zion’s camp too, the brethren were tried in their faith, patience and hope. There were many who felt useless and who were ready to give up. They had to drink rotten water and were tried physically, mentally, spiritually, emotionally. Those that held on, that were faithful, later became leaders in the church. The prophet later said that Zion’s camp’s purpose was to try and distinguish those that were converted and those that were not. WE MUST KEEP TRYING. WE MUST KEEP FIGHTING. WE MUST KEEP BELIEVING.

I feel like this is how this cambio has been. More of a testing to really see how strong my faith is. 

Hermana Enia Castillo also wrote me something that gave me a renewed feeling of hope and motivation: 

“Sigue intentándo, seas creyente, seas feliz, no te desanimes, las cosas saldrán bien.” 

(“Keep trying, be a believer, be happy, do not be discouraged, things will turn out well.”)

I am so grateful for friends and leaders that knowing or unknowing were led by the Holy Ghost to help me this week. Thank you for putting things back into perspective for me! I love you guys!

There are 2 reasons that we are here on this earth: to be tested and to be happy. I am so grateful for the tests, although they are horrible and sometimes seem impossible to overcome, I know that because of the Gospel and the Book of Mormon, we can be happy.

I hope all of you are heeding the words of profeta Thomas S. Monson. STUDY THE BOOK OF MORMON EVERYDAY. It is the key to righteous, happy living.

I love my Savior and my Padre Celestial. I testify that They love us and do answer our prayers. They are always there, cheering us along. I love you all and pray for you every night. Tengan una semana espectacular y nunca olviden que Jesus es el Cristo que nuestro Padre Celestial nos ama y que la Iglesia de Jesucristo de los Santos de los Ultimos dias es el reino de Dios sobre la tierra. les amo con todo mi corazon. (Have a spectacular week and never forget that Jesus is the Christ our Heavenly Father loves us and that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the kingdom of God on earth. I love you with all my heart.)

Hey!!! Tell Uncle Rex that I am going vegetarian when I get home because meat here has scared me. I’m never eating meat again. I’ll be calling him for tips and help!

THIS WEEK WAS AMAZING

Hola familia! 

This week was action-packed!! Not really, but in my own mind and thoughts yes!! But first, Mom your questions: 

-Yes, my comp is 30

-Yes, she is really shy. With the language—that’s one of the miracles I’ll tell you about.

-Every day we get along better. 

-The big city is okay... I miss my dogs in the street, drunk men trying to hit on us, and unpaved roads.

-Yes, we are Presidente Isom’s ward. We see them very often haha it’s still kind of weird to me. We were walking home from conference and walked passed the mission home to get home and hna Isom saw us from the window. She ran out in her slippers to give us a hug and thank us for everything we do (she is just amazing). 

Soooooo por que fue bakan su semana? buana pregunta, les diré....

Remember how I said last week that my comp wasn’t feeling well? Well, she was right. After we wrote our emails, we had to go back into the house and she fell asleep in her bed. I woke her up about 10 minutes before p day ends and she looked like a truck hit her.

I took her temp. She had a fever. So I called the nurse (hna Isom) and we were put on house arrest (Monday). 

Tuesday... woke up and felt a little better. We had interviews with pres so we walked to the mission home and it was my second to last interview!!!!! aaahhhhhhhhh I’m dying.

He is an amazing man. In the interview he told me that I need to get everything figured out for when I come home and college and stuff so that I can focus completely here on my last cambio so... I’ve attached a list of what I want when I get home and what we need to figure out now so that you don’t bug me about it my last cambio.

We got home and my comp ate a huge breakfast. We proceeded to study and she went to the bathroom and threw up.

House arrest Tuesday.

Talking with her, my comp FINALLY told me that for the past week she has been feeling like she is going to faint sometimes and that her hands begin to shake and they sometimes get really pale. I asked her why she didn’t tell me sooner. She said that she didn’t want to bug me. That’s my comp... such a sweetheart, always trying to help and please others that she sometimes doesn’t give time for herself.. :(

Also a back story about my comp. before the mission. She weighed about 300 pounds. 2 years ago she had an operation that shrunk her stomach and now she weighs about 200 pounds. The mission has been rough from the start for her. Walking all day when she never walked much, the food which is really greasy fried and a ton is always served.

On Monday I finally asked her if she has diarrhea because the bathroom has been very smelly. She told me that yes... since her first week on the mission.

About 7 weeks of diarrhea. We figured that was probably why she feels like she is going to pass out and always has a headache and no energy.

We got permission to call her doctor in Brazil because he knows her condition and has worked with her through the operation and everything. I was really nervous because she still is trying to change her eating habits and get used to mission life... sooooo.....

On Wednesday we called her doctor and he told her that she has to eat better and only drink water, not juice and soda. She needs to rest more and just take better care of herself. She was really sad and nervous that maybe she would have to go back home. It was really sad to see. After the dr call, we went to our zone reunion.

It was perfect because we talked about being happy in all circumstances and accepting the will of Padre. We went to a member’s house, ate lunch, went home to finish her “12 weeks” which is a program that they do in their training. In the middle of it she went to the bathroom and threw up.

House arrest again.

BUT we had a lesson scheduled in the evening and she was feeling a little better so we went to that and that’s where the language miracle occurred.

My comp is very quiet. Never talks much. We did a few practices of the lesson in our house and then right before we entered the investigator’s house, I told her, “just as we practiced at home, but know you are going to start the lesson.”

She looked at me terrified. Maybe I’m a mean trainer, but I figure I only hurt her with every word I say, so I barely talked in the lesson. It was VERY uncomfortable. There were many awkward glances and pauses. But she did it!!! She started the lesson, she taught and she testified. I was so proud of her. She did it.

We had another lesson but she said that she felt like she was going to faint so we went back to the house. She didn’t say much but looked in a lot of pain. I asked her how she felt and said that she was in a lot of pain and wasn’t sure if she could make it home. I asked how she felt in the lesson and she said that she felt perfectly fine, it wasn’t until we left the house that it all hit. Another miracle of teaching. 

Thursday. I woke up with the alarm and turned on the light. My comp lay in bed looking in a lot of pain. I asked how she felt and she said that she couldn’t move. Her shoulders and neck were so tense and tight. I made a rice bag for her and heated it up. I then made fire and got the house really hot so her body could relax. She stayed in bed until about noon.

There is a virus that is going around. President had it too, poor guy, and is still badly affected. It starts with a headache, then there’s throw up and major stomach pain, then it goes into your muscles and you can’t move.

President had it about 3 weeks ago and still during interviews and zone conference was really stiff and looked like he was in pain.

We were able to leave a little bit in the evening when her muscles relaxed a little and another miracle happened with the language.

I did the same thing and she began to teach with so much more confidence. It was still VERY awkward in some parts but afterwards, she talked soooo much to me!!! She talked for about 6 minutes straight!!! And her accent had improved so much!!!

She still was in a lot of pain so we went back to the house and she went to bed. The whole week I had been praying a lot a lot a lot. Then Friday when she woke up, another huge miracle. She woke up pain free. Huge miracle because presidente still has a lot of pain and he has had it for 3 weeks now.

We were able to leave and work for a while, still taking it really slow, but we could leave and we continued to see miracles with the language. 

Sorry for the strong language, but being in the house SUCKS. We were inside not working from Sunday to Thursday. So why then was this week so amazing?

In the beginning, I began complaining in my prayers to Padre. “Why is this happening!? I don’t have much time left! I just want to work.”

Our sector is really hard and we don’t have many investigatores. We need to work every day if we want to keep our sector alive. I began studying the scriptures a lot and reading nuestro legado (Our Heritage) that talks about the first couple of years in the church and the difficulties that the early saints felt. It is sooo true. We receive personal revelation when we study the scriptures and other books by the church.

Through my studies, I really felt like Padre was telling me through the Holy Ghost that it is okay. My answer came in one short sentence (did you know the Holy Ghost speaks Spanish!?)

“Padre Celestial sabe por qué las cosas pasen, confías y te bendecirá.” (“Heavenly Father knows why things happen, trust in Him and you will be blessed”).

I then was reminded of the strong feeling that I got my first day in my sector, that I needed to be here and that I needed to be with my companion. From then on my perspective and everything changed.

Yes, it SUCKS being in the house, but I learned so much from the scriptures. I was able to write a lot in my journal. Our companionship relationship strengthened a lot too, me serving her and her feeling my love.

I felt also really strongly that I need to be happy and patient. I could see that she felt really bad about being in the house and taking away the precious time that I have left. I assured her with the same words that the Holy Ghost assured me with: “it’s okay, Padre Clestial sabe por qué las cosas pasan."

We were able to have a really good heart to heart and she really opened up to me about her struggles and everything that she has felt from when she started the mission. I felt impressed to translate the letter that you wrote me Mom when I had 18 days in the mision.

You wrote it el 14 of February last year and talked about how when I serve, I am completing my purpose as a missionary, when I smile I am moving the work along and about how you wanted to go home in the beginning (she wanted to go home too). It was amazing. You wrote it unknowingly for her Mom. Thank you.

We had so many miracles this week. Even though it was a really bad week we were able to see the hand of God in all of it. I am so grateful for the Holy Ghost and for His role as comforter and testifier.

That is my response to Elder Stevenson’s question, “How does the Holy Ghost help you?” What’s your answer?

Sorry, I don’t have much time now, so I will write about conference next week! IT WAS SOOO AMAZING!!!! I LOVE CONFERENCE! oh,,, and another little rant.... It was soo cool when they announced the 10th temple in Brazil!!! haha there are 8 Brazilians in our zone and when they announced it, they all went crazy, and then remembered that they were in the sacrament meeting room and that the profeta was speaking.

It was a moment of pure delight and my love and joy for temples increased so much. It continued to increase when after wards I asked my comp how close she lived to the temple. She said that she lived really close. Only 5 hours away. They go every 6 months. And every time they go it is always packed because it is a small temple and the only one for 100’s of miles so they are only able to do one session per trip.

They leave at midnight, arrive at 5 am, eat breakfast, do one session of everything, baptisms, initiatories, endowment, sealing, then leave and get home about midnight. Then they wake up the next morning for work and school....

We are so blessed to have a temple so close. It really hits me, just how often and how willing people are to sacrifice to go to the temple. It is such a maravilla (wonder).

I love the temple. I love my Padre Celestial. I love my mission and I love this gospel. I know it is true and I bear my witness of it. 

Now... for a laugh... haha I love working with new convert bishops. Yesterday the bishop kind of got demanding asking us why we weren’t working more fastly with an investigador.

“He wants to get baptized! Just teach him all the lessons this week and have the baptism this Saturday!!” he told us.

“Bishop,” I said, “We’d love to, but he is still working on his papers to get divorced.” (He is now living with his less active girlfriend and they have a kid).

Bishop: So? Let’s have a baptism!

Me: Are they going to separate? Last I heard that wasn’t an option.

Bish: no... why do they need to separate? He wants to get baptized! This Saturday is perfect!

Me: He can’t get baptized if he is living with someone and not married.

Bish: What? Whose rule is that?

Me: He’s breaking the law of chastity. Do you remember the missionaries teaching you that?

Bish: I think so... it sounds familiar.

Me: Here’s a pamphlet that talks about it. You can read it in your free time :)

Hahaha it was pretty funny.... the bishop thought I was just making up some rule... 

Now... for when I come home... in the first few days/week I would like: a deep tissue massage, doctor check-up, dentist check-up, camping/rock climbing trip or backpacking trip.

Mom can you get my college track changed to Fall/ Winter? And when do I need to start planning classes?

For Mother’s day skype, I want all of the family to be there- Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles. And those that can’t, can we do a 3 way skype?

... ummm anything else that I need to get planned out before hand?

Love you all so much and hope that you are seeing all the little miracles in your life!!  Les amo muchhoooooo!!!!!