¿chile o colombia?

Hola familia!

How’s it going? Hope this finds you healthy and warm!

Sooo for all you that don’t know anything about Punta Arenas, winters are dark and cold. Summers and bright and freezing. Jaja

I thought it was going to warm up but I was wrong. It is sooo crazy here! It’s just the beginning of spring and already the sun doesn’t set until 9:30. In the middle of summer they say that there’s only 3 hours of darkness. Talk about being at the END OF THE WORLD. It’s awesome.

The sun is really strong here but we get no heat. Haha I’m going to come home with skin cancer. And lung cancer. Because everyone smokes and 2nd hand smoke is a problem.

Why don’t we feel the heat of the sun you ask? Buena pregunta (good question).  Because it is sooo windy!!! The Marilyn Monroe struggle is real. But seriously. I’ve never felt wind this strong before. And it is always windy. A nice freezing wind that kissed the icebergs in the distant estrecho de magallanes. I love it. It’s hard and I’m cold. But #dasboot I can do anything ;)

Dorothy

En Centro they have to put up rope along all the buildings so you can hold on while you are walking. There were a few times where we would be walking and then the wind would change and we would get pushed into a bush or the street.

We haven’t experienced it yet, but there are some days when we can’t leave the house because it is so windy and dangerous because stuff like street signs and roofs and trees take flight. It’s an adventure.

Also, we are at the start of tourist season. It’s funny because we can tell who’s not from around here because they are bundled up with hats, gloves, and huge jackets. Haha and we are walking around with a windbreaker and a skirt.

¿chile o colombia? We had a baptism last Saturday!! His name is Libardo and he is another Colombiano!

So far the majority of people I’ve taught and have been baptized are Colombianos. They are awesome!! So humble and meek. So cheerful and positive despite all the trials and disadvantages they face in their country and en Chile. Many come here for 3-4 years to send money to their kids and wives in Colombia.

Libardo is amazing!! I love him so much. He is going to be a great leader in the church. We taught him the plan of salvation and when he heard that there are missionaries in the spirit world teaching people (like many of his family members that have been killed) and that he can go to the temple and save them, he almost began crying and told us, “I never knew that! I thought they were lost forever. I need to go to the temple. I need to save my family.” He just got baptized and is already preparing to go to the temple in a year. I’ve never felt so happy to see someone come out of the water. I wish you guys could meet him. And it was awesome because his cousin is a convert of 11 months and had the opportunity to baptize him and give him the Espiritu Santo (Holy Ghost). We are working with his brother and the brothers of his cousin Jorge. (They are the good times family).

Libardo after his lesson on the Plan of Salvation

Libardo and his cousin, Jorge

Luis Edwardo received the priesthood too yesterday! He also is amazing. Got baptized without the support of anyone from his family and yet he has changed soo much. He now is preparing to go on a mission and to the temple. He is such a grande ejemplo (large example). He completely changed his life around when he heard the message of the Restoration and is still facing a lot of problems with his family but he is pushing through and learning little by little, growing precept for precept. I love him too.

Ahhh I am sooo happy!

I feel like I’m going to a new area in two weeks when we have transfers. It is going to be so hard to leave Punta Arenas. I feel like here in Punta Arenas, I became a woman. I have gone through some of the darkest moments in my mission and in my life here in Punta Arenas but I have also gone through the happiest most spiritual moments in my life. I feel like this verse in alma 28 :14 y asi vemos el gran llamamiento de diligencia a los hombres para obrar en las viñas del señor, y asi vemos el gran motivo del dolor, como tambien del gozo.

(And thus we see the great call of diligence of men to labor in the vineyards of the Lord; and thus we see the great reason of sorrow, and also of rejoicing--sorrow because of death and destruction among men and joy because of the light of Christ unto life.) 

tengan una buena semana! les amo!

¡HURRAH POR ISRAEL!