Hermana Hess en Chile: Another Week Come and Gone

sometimes it hits me and I'm like wow I'm in chile. wow I'm at the end of the world

Hola familia!

This week was wonderful! Haha La Hermanita (Sis. Cookson) and I are learning a lot of things... I’ve never felt more at fault and more weak/challenged than this week in the mission. But I testify that God hears our prayers and answers them in His time.

Haha funny story, we almost lost an investigator because of my lack of understanding... haha we are teaching the family that I told you about last week that accepted a baptismal date after the first lesson. They are from Colombia, which usually their Spanish is super clear but this guy has a lisp and it’s soo hard to understand him. Anyway, we are teaching him and his daughter.

I called his daughter the other day to see how she was doing and said something about her dad.

She was like, "who?"

"You’re dad, Mario."

And she got all Colombian at me and was like, "umm you mean my HUSBAND?"

I just about died.

I started apologizing and she hung up on me.

Then her husband called me and was like, "my wife just told me that you thought that she was my daughter..." and I started apologizing otra vez (right away).

We worked it out. But ironically, I didn’t feel bad. I knew that I had done all I could to understand them and obviously I misunderstood, but I can’t help it.

Haha and I thought I was getting better at Spanish. Yes, it is difficult but I am learning a lot.

Also, I am learning a lot about working as hard as you can and not getting the results or any that you desired. We worked really hard this week, knocking doors, teaching lessons, inviting people to church and baptism. In the end, none of our investigadores (investigators) came to church because they were sick or had other commitments.

One of our investigadores with a bap date is struggling with depression and it is really hard that we can’t do a lot to solve her problems and help her. The only thing that we can do is invite, testify, serve, love and have patience.

Although it feels like we are working with no rewards (them coming to church, accepting bap. or completing with their commitments) there are so many little rewards throughout the week. Like when Marta prayed and thanked the Lord for sending his servants to teach her about His will for her. Honestly there is no other reward that when the people can recognize you as a servant of the Lord. Or when you feel prompted to stop and knock a door and the door you knock happens to be of a less active that is really struggling and wants to come back to church but doesn’t know how.

I love this work. We are doing great things here in Rio de la Mano. I know whose errand I am on and there is nothing greater that I could be doing. I have felt the authority and power of my calling in the hardest moments, in testifying of my Savior. A mission is the best choice anyone could ever make. I love my mission. I love waking up every day and being able to devote all my time effort and energy in helping others. I am so happy.

hhaha a fun story (not really) we were in the house of a less active (a two room house that reeks of cigarettes and has mold all on the walls and all sorts of bugs crawling around). We were teaching her about the Book of Mormon (less active and never read or heard of Book of Mormon....) and all of the sudden, her son who has Asperger’s, threw their ash try at me and got all the ashes of the cigarettes all over me. We had to go back to the house and change because I smelled sooo bad.

Pero bueno.... hahah gotta love the bad with the good :) patience....patience....patience...

I took some money out for more wool socks :) if it gets any colder I'm buying a longer coat, but I think I can tough it out until September when spring is.

Tenga una buena semana (Have a good week)! Les quiero mucho!

Glad that everyone is well!! Tell all the cousins that I love them and say hi!

yo sé que vive mi señor. le quiro con todo mi alma y estoy tan agradeciad por todo lo que él ha heco para mi. soy tan debil pero sé que con su ayuda puedo superar cada desafío que tengo. (I know that my Savior lives. I love Him with all my soul and I am so grateful for all that He has done for me. I am so weak but I know that with Him I can overcome any challenge).

love you all so much! til next week. i want more info!