This Week

Hola hola familia,

This week has been meh. But I guess it happens to everyone... some background info first: They construct houses here how I thought houses were constructed when I was younger. You stick a piece of wood in the ground, and then 3 more, and make a box shape and then throw some tin on top and you’re set to go! Its actually pretty cool, like camping without commitment. You’re safe, kind of, from the rain, but you still get your spiders, fleas, animals and freezing cold air... and slugs :)

 

We get a lot of visitors

Soooo Sunday I was out for the count with vomit and diarrhea. Fun. Then Monday morning I woke up and still felt sick so we had a chill p day. Then that night I wanted to work since we wasted a day inside on Sunday. So we went out and that was a mistake... Tuesday morning I woke up and my bottom lip was swollen but just in the middle. As the day progressed, so did the swelling and pain. Then that night, it began to blister. On Wed. I woke up and my lip was white, pussy and swollen. So we went to the hospital. Which, don’t freak, it’s not really a hospital (the closest is 2 hours away in Valdivia). But it is the only doctor clinic in Futrono.

So we go there and by a miracle we were able to be seen right away instead of waiting for 5 hours which usually happens. Haha this “hospital” was like those 1920 army hospitals in the movies. I was in one “room” and on the other side of the curtain someone was getting their hand stitched and on the other side of that curtain someone else was in pain. Anyways... the doctor comes in to see me. He smelled like he just finished smoking. And, without gloves or washing his hands, he begins to touch my lip and sticks his hand in my mouth, to check out the sore. Turns out a spider or something bit my lip while I was sleeping and it got infected... so he put me on antibiotics. That all would have been great except it has been super hot here and we walk everywhere and people aren’t very sanitary, so I came down with a really bad cold, headache thing... and that’s how I feel right now :) . I could not talk for a day because it hurt so bad, it’s better now.

Pero (but)... an awesome experience this week:

Hermana Braithwaite and I performed a special musical number for our rama (branch) yesterday. I played guitar and sang and Hermana B sang. It was awesome! The spirit was really strong. 

Speaking of music, I play each Sunday on a little keyboard for our branch services… Thanks Grandma Hess, I’m cashing in on all those lessons. We had stake conference and I was asked to play there too! Cha-ching. No opportunities yet to teach kids the keyboard… but looking.

We are working with a menos active (less active member) and she is progressing sooo much! It is amazing to see the power of the Atonement work in her life. When we found her, she was about ready to end her life. Now, FOR THE FIRST TIME, she went out with us, OUTSIDE, to go visit an investigator. She has changed so much! Yes, she still has far to go, but to see how far she has come, where she would sleep all day and hardly eat, now she is coming to church, talking to other people and COMING TO VISIT PEOPLE WITH US!!! We were sooo shocked when she agreed to come! Hermana B and I were smiling ear to ear as we left her house.

The power of the Atonement is real. I am so grateful for my Savior, Jesus Christ, and everything He has done for me. I know that this is His church. I know that although at times life can be really rough, I am so grateful for these experiences to prove my faith and to act and choose how I will handle situations. Faith without action is merely a belief. And one way we can show our faith is by our attitude. I am learning a lot about faith this month, and of the love of our Father in Heaven.

Hope y’all have a wonderful week! Remember, the Lord loves you. Keep doing what’s right. Blessings will come, I promise. The church is true. Read your scriptures. They truly are the key to winning at life.

Tenga un buen dìa! (Have a nice day!)  Les quiero mucho!! (I love you very much!!)

What a Week!

This week has been pretty great! We had a goal to have at least one lesson a day with a member present and we ALMOST achieved it,... faltamos (we missed) one day... BUT an awesome experience with that.....

 

Saturday: we weren’t sure who we could ask in the rama (branch) that wasn’t working that could come out with us to a lesson. As we were praying, we asked the Lord to help us and just as we said those words, our phone rang. We ended the prayer and called back. It was Hermana Laura, a 76-year-old convert. She said that she hasn’t been feeling super spiritually enlightened this week and wanted to go out with us! Talk about a milagro (miracle)!

 

We went to the lesson we had with a young mother named Paulina. Paulina doesn’t believe in God, but in December when Hermana Braithwaite and her other comp found her, she was depressed and without hope and willing to listen. Paulina then had to leave for work in the city for three months (very normal here since there isn’t a lot of work in the small town of Futrono).

 

Paulina just got back and so we decided to reteach the first lesson, about the restoration of the gospel. After talking with her a little and catching up, it was evident that Hermana Laura was here for a reason! Everything that Paulina was struggling with, was the exact same thing that Hermana Laura had struggled with before she got baptized. Paulina’s life was Hermana Laura’s life, and Hermana Laura was able to bear a powerful testimony of the power of the Book of Mormon in changing bad habits and addictions. 

 

Then, yesterday, at 4 am, I got my very own WELCOME TO CHILE fiesta, “Montezuma’s revenge” themed. Ya... our bathroom got destroyed. My poor companion... I am feeling a lot better today. My body still aches and I feel a little dizzy, but I can walk and I can work :)

 

Tomorrow we have cambios (transfers—every six weeks or so, some missionaries are transferred to a new area and a new companion)!! Crazy that my first transfer is going to happen. Although I know I’m staying here and we are 96% sure Hermana Braithwaite will stay too.

 

Have a great week, and you should study Ether 12 if you have time. it is powerful!

 

Kyle, Jake Joey, y’all need to write to me!

 

Love you!

We baptize in this lake, but in a different spot

Tantos Milagros (So Many Miracles)

Hola hola Familia!

Mom, to answer your questions: with the rama (branch), we are just doing our part, fasting, praying and working, and just waiting for them to want to become a ward…gotta love the gift of agency…our investigators with fecha (a date to be baptized) haven’t been completing their compromisos (commitments), so…we are studying Preach My Gospel (the missionary teaching book) Chapt. 11 for companion study this week (“How Do I Help People Make and Keep Commitments.”)

Fleas fleas fleas…the problem is walking because it is dirt trails and bush whacking, so…sufferer con gozo! (suffer with joy). The weather has been freezing and raining then hot and humid the next day…fall weather, but for winter yes, I will need heavy duty leggings. They don’t sell great clothes here, so please send me leggings J

The food is oil and grease…yum! They fry everything and put oil for salad dressings and other dressings…please send some veggies!

There were two days this week that were amazing!! Milagro (miracle) after milagro!

MIERCOLES (Wednesday)

We had a lesson with a woman. She works all day, every day, so we teach her in her clothes store. Milagro (miracle)—no one came in the 45 minutes we were teaching her. The Spirit was really strong. The week before, I felt prompted to tell her about Russell and how I am so grateful for the Plan of Salvation. Then on Miercoles (Wednesday), she told us that seven years ago her brother was shot and she turned to me and painfully asked how I found relief and acceptance with Russell. I could see the pain and grief in her eyes and wanted so badly to tell her everything that helped. It started out rocky, but I just spoke from my heart, because I wanted so badly to help her. I testified of the power that comes from the Book of Mormon, and attending Church, I testified of the Atonement and Christ’s love for us. The Spirit was so strong. After we left, I felt great, but felt that she might not have understood me, because I hadn’t focused at all on my Spanish. I was sure I sounded so bad. Then Hermana Braithwaite turned to me and told me that that was amazing and I spoke almost perfect Spanish when I was talking to Angela. Talk about the gift of tongues!

JUEVES (Thursday)

Today was a day of lateness—which is not good! We were late to every cita (appointment) because of a late bus from Paillaco (we had district meeting), and then we had to get on another bus in Futrono to go to Llifen which is part of our sector about 30 minutes away and that bus was late too. BUT the Lord works in mysterious ways. Because we were late to cita one, the girl’s mom was there and we showed a video that softened the mother’s heart and she talked to us. She shared with us her experience with prayer (in the last cita, the mom made it really clear that she hated us). Because of that, we were late to cita 2. We helped her take paint off her house for an hour and then taught her. Because we were late we were there when her boyfriend came home and we got to meet and teach him as well—nuevo (new) investigator! Then, we were walking to the bus stop to go home, and we stopped to talk to a woman and her daughters. When we told her we are also known as the Mormons, her eyes got big and she said that she had been looking for us for 20 years! She started taking the lessons as a teen but the people she was living with wouldn’t let her continue. Then she lost track of the missionaries and has been looking for them ever since! If we had been on time, we would have never seen her. Hahaha, now the fun part! By that time it was 7:45 pm. The last bus left for Futrono at 7…the members that do have cars (who could pick us up) were at work in the city, which meant we were about 20 miles away from our home. Time to make like the pioneers and walk! We got about 3 miles in when a bus, A BUS, came around the bend!! We were able to get on and ride the 18 or so miles to home. The Lord is mindful of all of us.

Other cool things:

We had a broadcast for all missionaries in Chile, Argentina, Paraguay y Uruguay. Elder Bednar spoke for three hours. It was amazing.

We have finally become a stake!! AND you know why? Because they only build temples where there are stakes! There have been a few apostles visiting sur de Chile (Southern Chile) to look for land. WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A TEMPLE EN SUR DE CHILE IN THE COMING YEARS!!!!
Anyways...I love you all. Keep doing what's right. The church is true, read your scriptures.


the little yurt where we live

 

 

Chile hot tubs. they burn coals in the shaft and that heats up the water

 

Blessings and Trials

I LOVE my companion! She's the best comp ever! Literally. I am so blessed to have Hermana Braithwaite as my trainer. She wants to work and loves working hard and for the full hours.


I'm in Valdivia today. We need to buy rain boots...winter is coming. Haha, it literally rains sideways here...


This week has been amazing! We are going to have 2 baptisms and I am feeling more confident with the language. Paso a paso (step by step). I can feel your prayers!


This week, the Hermana leaders came for intercambios (exchanges) on Friday, and it was awesome!!


(Editor's note: there are Sister Missionaries who help lead and train the newer Sister Missionaries. They visit the Sisters in their different areas and teach with them and give them effective teaching tips and ideas.)


My trainer and I have been running out of ideas of what we could do to help and teach and the Hermanas helped a ton. The next day, mi comp y yo (my companion and I) were determined to put into action what we learned and decided to literally talk to everyone, not just a hola, but a conversation.


We talked to 76 people, taught 3 lessons, invited 3 people to be baptized and 2 SAID YES!!! They wouldn't commit to a date, but they promised to read, study and pray! We also have 11 new investigators.


With all the hard work and going out of our comfort zones, I testify that the Lord does work miracles in you. but in order to do so, you have to act and not be acted upon. There is a great talk by Elder Bednar entitled, "Ask in Faith." (General Conference, April 2008).


I have learned a lot this week about talking to people and leading a normal broke Spanish conversation into a Gospel teaching discussion without them saying, "I'm already evangelico, bye," I have also learned a lot about how much we need the members to function.


So.....your homework for this week: GO HUG THE MISSIONARIES (if you can) or give them a handshake. Thank them for all they do and ask when you can go out and teach with them. We need the members to come and teach with us! Without the members, our investigators and converts will have a hard time adjusting to church and Mormon life without a true friend.


Missionaries are full-time teachers, you and I are full-time finders. Invite everyone to talk to the missionaries, or invite them to activities. You will never know what will happen unless you ACT.


We were created to be agents unto ourselves. Merely praying for help and waiting is not enough. We need to pray, as Joseph Smith, with a determination to ACT.


I hope you all have a wonderful week! Pictures next week! I love you all and thank you for your prayers. I can feel the help. Mom, Dad, Kyle, Jake, Russell, Joey and everyone else! I love  you so much and not a day goes by that I don't think of you! Be strong and ACT!

The Lord is my Strength

Hola Familia!

Your questions, Papa—the language has been a real struggle for me this week. I want so badly to understand what people are saying so I can start actually talking to them, not just smiling and nodding and pretending to know what they say, then fearfully looking at my companion when it appears they have asked me a question.

Oh—can you look up some awesome hiking trails anywhere between Non Tuela and Llifen? Gracias!

It’s interesting here, what is normal, like the food, the weather, dogs on the streets and … fleas … I’ve had fleas off and on for the past two weeks. I got them after visiting an investigator. It was really sad, their kids and baby were covered in bites, but it is normal.

This week was another difficult week…the language is coming slowly…everyone is on vacation until Marzo (March), so we did a lot of door knocking and contacting. Haha we asked an older lady that was sweeping if we could help her and she said no. We then told her we were missionaries and asked if we could share with her a message about God, she said, “No, sorry, I’m deaf,” and slammed the door…

All of our progressing investigators dropped us and most of our appointments fell through as well, which was really discouraging.

The members are pretty new in the Gospel here and the culture is so different. We get members calling us for the most unique reasons, like one called us because her cat was acting weird and she wanted us to come help her with it.

With the members being somewhat new in the branch there is a need for guidance and help, and I want to help them so badly. I just can’t. I don’t know the language well enough and it’s not my job to be a counselor. There are so many vices that afflict our little branch. I want to help.

I know I need to be focusing on the positive and look for the miracles and there are a lot, but I just don’t feel like I am fulfilling my purpose if I am not teaching. We walked a lot this week too and my feet are starting to be a problem. Usually by 8 pm I have to sit for about 15 minutes to rest them and I feel so guilty for it.

Everyone is on vacation and don’t have time to listen to us…and there are so many drunks here it’s ridiculous. Yesterday we saw a guy passed out in the front of one of the saloons from drinking so much.

Yea…it’s just difficult because this month is vacation so no one really has time or wants to listen and have the missionaries over right now.

But enough of the bad, I want to share an awesome tear-jerker with you guys about faith:

There is an 86-year-old member in our branch. He is slowly, painfully dying of cancer. It is so sad to see him struggling, but he walks to church every Sunday and is there every week without fail. Sometimes he only stays long enough to take the sacrament and then stumbles home. We went to visit him yesterday. In the conversation, he told us how lonely he has been. His wife passed about nine years ago. His children come long enough to cook him breakfast, lunch and dinner and clean but then have to go to work or watch children. When asked why he comes to church every Sunday when it is evident he is in so much pain, he told us that he wants to live with his wife again forever. He’s tried all his life to keep the commandments so that he can. Keeping the Sabbath and going to church is included. He said that he has faith that struggling to go to church to partake of the sacrament and becoming clean from his sins will make all that possible. It is heartbreaking to see this broken old man, and know there is nothing I can do to relieve him of his pain.

But, the Lord is my Strength. I have received so much strength from the other side. I know God is aware and that it can only get better from here! Don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine.

Love you all!

My Amazing Trainer--Hermana Braithwaite!

chopping wood for a widow in the branch

We live in a yurt-like hut in the back of the pink house

ugggh-bugs!

so beautiful here!

Fast and Ye Shall Receive

Hola!

To answer your questions Dad:

Our Momita is a member of the branch, the water is safe to drink but tastes weird—I’m getting used to it though, there is a lady in the branch that does laundry for us, but we have to wash our whites by hand.

…we don’t have a car, but we take the bus to neighboring towns in our sector (I’ve gotten sick all the times on the bus because we are usually in the back, but I’m getting better! By the end of my mission, I should be cured of carsickness. It is all so fun, because the bus seats about 30 but there are usually 45 to 50 people jammed in, sitting or standing super close. It’s fun…especially when it is 90 degrees…and smells great J)

We DO have hot water but it is off and on…I met with President Obeso once on my first day for about 5 minutes, but  I have an interview with him tomorrow in Paillace. There’s about 30 active members in the branch and about 150 less active…of the 30 there are 5 Priesthood holders, which makes it really challenging. Especially because most of them are recent converts and are still trying to learn the way to do things.

Oh! And there is a guy who is from Brazil in our branch and only speaks Portuguese. It sounds like a mix between Spanish and German and is really difficult to understand him. Our house is about the size of our kitchen and our shower is half the size of Dad’s portable camping shower (which is super small). It’s tiny.

We have three new investigators and have seen a lot of miracles with people changing. But a lot of them have decided later that they don’t want to change right now and it is really sad. It is also hard to find a lot of people because it is summer right now and Futrono is a tourist town. Just about everyone we talk to says that they don’t have time to listen because they are on vacation or going to the playa…

This week was probably the hardest yet since I’ve left home. We had three awesome days where we found people and did service and helped a lot. And then we had three really hard days of 90 degree weather, lots of walking, lots of rejection, and most of our investigators didn’t have time to complete their compromisos (commitments like reading scriptures and praying to know if they are true), or time to talk…it was really hard but this scripture helped me out: Hebrews 12:9 and 14.

Funny moments: a little girl never saw blue eyes before and when she saw mine, she jumped up and grabbed my face and just stared into my eyes for a good three minutes!

Anyways…time’s up…so much to tell LIt is hard because I only get one hour to email and have a lot of people to email, including the mission president (BUT DON’T STOP SENDING EMAILS!) Sorry, I didn’t have time for pictures! Next week, I promise!

Send me more pictures and videos of all you guys, but make them like vines (6 secondish).

Oh, and Mom, when you and Dad sent me the picture of you guys at the Redlands Temple…YOU WERE WEARING MY JACKET!!!!

Love you all so much!

WOW!

Well, I am here in Chile!! And WOW!!! I love my area, Futrono. It is beautiful. A mix between Idaho, New Zealand and Utah. Lots of rolling hills, groves of trees and farms. There are also a lot of dogs and cats that roam around the streets. I learned REAL fast that if a dog starts baking at you or charges you, just pick up a rock. It scares them off.

My companion is Hermana Braithwaite from Oregon and she is AMAZING!!!! She is dedicated to the work and loves it. We already have seen so many miracles here. We are in a branch of 30 strong. And yeah, it is weird, well, just a different culture and it will take some getting used to…

They look to us for a lot. We have so many responsibilities that shouldn’t be ours and it is a bit frustrating at times because we should be teaching people, but instead we have to do other things…haha, but it is great. Everyone calls me Hermanita (little sister). 

In our sector, we have Futrono, Llifen and Non Tuela. We travel a lot. Futrono is a small town, like half the size of Rexburg, and the other two towns are even smaller. (editor's note: I couldn't even find Non Tuela on the map, it's so small...) Each are about 30 minutes away from each other by bus. We walk everywhere and my feet were really swollen the first two nights but are better now.

The food is good…although they literally cook everything and eat everything with oil! My arteries are going to be in trouble by the end of my mission…but it’s worth it!

Jeez, no time!

We are teaching some twins how to read right now. They are nine and in school but the teachers aren’t great and the twins don’t know how to read.

Something funny, we were in a lesson and I invited the investigator to be baptized and her daughter (who is a member of our church but doesn’t come very much) started, not yelling, but raised her voice at me and started talking super duper fast. What I got out was that I can’t ask her mom to be baptized because her mom doesn’t know if the church is true. Haha, pretty intimidating, because it lasted for like five minutes! But in the end her mom said yes she’d be baptized, once she gets an answer!

Dang I wish I had more time to tell you all the miracles that are happening. (We visited a woman and invited her back to church. She wanted nothing to do with it. She hadn’t been to church in four years. Two days later we testified to her about the power of prayer and she said she would come back to church!)

They talk SO fast here!! And don’t complete their words…it’s a fun guessing game trying to understand what everyone is saying. I am definitely learning patience! I can understand when they talk fast if they say words I know, which I am happy about. I can usually follow a conversation semi-well and my talking has improved a lot. The Gift of Tongues is real!

Oh! And mom, my trainer, it was her companion that got bit by the dog! Moonboots!

Anyway…she is the best. I have learned so much from her already and we both love to work. I am so blessed!

We live in a small casa (house). It is one room, just like a yurt! Seriously, future house right here! We have a “mamita” who cooks lunch for us. Breakfast and dinner is on us.

I love it here! Everyone should go on a mission! I’ve never felt so nervous, worthless and happy! Haha, it sounds weird but oh, I am so grateful for the person I am becoming.

Love you all!! I hope you have a wonderful week!

Work hard, help others, serve God! He is real! Les Quiero (I love you all)!