Week 60: More Than a Teacher

This week was quite good, what with all the Christmas celebrations and such.  Today there are cambios and I am going to stay in Talcahuano. That makes me happy, because I like this ward and I didn’t want to leave yet. My companion is going to Tome and will finish training a new hermana there. I’m sad to separate from my companion since I really enjoyed the time we had together. We laughed a lot. But it’s also good to have change, and it will be interesting to be with an American again. My new companion is going to be Hermana Vawdrey from American Fork, Utah. There are now four Americans in our sector. This is the first time in my whole mission to be with all gringas. I’m a little nervous about not having a translator anymore. It was nice having a Chilean companion to help me understand the slang, and the people connected easily with her. However, it will be nice to be able to joke with someone who for sure can understand me. It’s hard to joke well in another language.

This week we taught an atheist. He was saying that he has a hard time believing that Jesus Christ really was a god. He believes that he existed (since there are so many records about it) but just as a great philosopher or teacher who knew how to fool the people with magic tricks. I got to thinking about the scriptures in the Book of Mormon, which say:

 6 Thou fool, that shall say: A Bible, we have got a Bible, and we need no more Bible. Have ye obtained a Bible save it were by the Jews?
 7 Know ye not that there are more nations than one? Know ye not that I, the Lord your God, have created all men, and that I remember those who are upon the isles of the sea; and that I rule in the heavens above and in the earth beneath; and I bring forth my word unto the children of men, yea, even upon all the nations of the earth?
 8 Wherefore murmur ye, because that ye shall receive more of my word? Know ye not that the testimony of two nations is a witness unto you that I am God, that I remember one nation like unto another? Wherefore, I speak the same words unto one nation like unto another. And when the two nations shall run together the testimony of the two nations shall run together also.
 9 And I do this that I may prove unto many that I am the same yesterday, today, and forever; and that I speak forth my words according to mine own pleasure. And because that I have spoken one word ye need not suppose that I cannot speak another; for my work is not yet finished; neither shall it be until the end of man, neither from that time henceforth and forever.
 10 Wherefore, because that ye have a Bible ye need not suppose that it contains all my words; neither need ye suppose that I have not caused more to be written. (2Nephi 29:6-10)

As it says here, the testimony of two nations helps us to believe in Christ. It has always made sense to me that Christ would show himself to other people living in the world, since all are important to God. Now the genius of God to have a second witness of Christ is clearer to me. Christ showing himself to another part of the world is proof that he really was a god. There would be no other way he could appear to the other side of the world if it were not so. The Book of Mormon is so important for our time - to help us believe in Christ. If we can gain a testimony of the Book of Mormon, then we can truly know that Jesus really was a god and not just a great teacher!

Merry Christmas!

Good-bye!

Hello!

Week 59: Feliz Navidad!

- Sunday, a whopping eight of the less-actives we are visiting came to church. That was awesome! :)

- Saturday, we walked ALL day, not entering a single house. What a bummer it was. All of our appointments fell through, so the poor members that accompanied us just walked around with us, contacting in the street and keeping us company. It was a super long and exhausting day.

- Friday, we had a Sister zone class, which was super fun. We had everything themed to what gift we can give to Christ this Christmas. My companion and I shared about how we can work with the members as a gift. Then we did a secret sister gift exchange. Hermana Davidson and Hermana Garcia came out all dressed up as Santa. So funny! Hermana Davidson pulled a prank on me, and the gift she gave me from my "secret sis" was a stocking full of carrots! Then she gave me my real gift, which was from Hermana Garcia. Our sister training leaders are great! :)

- On the way back to our house my companion and I saw a young boy flip over on a bicycle with his grandpa. We quickly ran over to help. The poor little boy fell headfirst and wacked his teeth. His foot had gotten caught in the front wheel and was definitely broken. My companion was studying to be a nurse before her mission, so she handled it all pretty well. I am calm in those situations, but I find it all a little traumatic. I don’t think I can ever work in the medical field.

- My companion and I did service for an investigator of ours. We helped her cut the grass and clean out the plant beds in her yard. It made me very happy. I like doing garden work - just not all day every day. Haha!

- Today I played dodge ball for a bit, which was super fun! Then Hermana Blanca and Hermano Feliciano took us all to the beach and for empanadas de queso. Great times! We’re going to spend Christmas Eve with them too. 

Santa and Her Elf

Christmas Carrots 

Yummy Empanadas!

Week 58: Miscellaneous Pictures

Week 57: Painting and Preaching

We were able to find some new investigators finally, and one of our older investigators came to church for the second time. She appears more interested to learn about the gospel and is asking more questions during the lessons. She has been investigating for months, but suffers from depression, so her progress has been extremely slow. It has been hard to help her be motivated to act (read scriptures or go to church), but lately she is seems happier. So it was quite a breakthrough for her to attend church again, and this time without a member to pick her up. Super great! :)

My companion and I painted the faces of little kids for free again this week. This time it went much better because we had a member come with us who knows how to paint faces. She painted the faces all professional-like while we talked with the people. It worked quite well, and it was super fun to see the kids excited to get their faces painted. :)

We also got to clean out a jungle-of-a-garden for a service project this week. It looks much better now, and we felt super happy to have helped the member. She was also super happy to have the help. 

This Saturday was my companions 23rd birthday. Our convert, Hermano Feliciano, went out of his way to have a surprise party for her. The YSA’s also had a little surprise party for her. It was a little difficult for me to coordinate all this secretly, and make sure we didn’t use too much of the Lord's sacred time in parties.

Happy Birthday!

Week 56: Much Progress

This was a pretty decent week. Sunday was particularly awesome! We had a whopping two investigators, two recent converts, and four less-actives come to church. Later that day we had a lesson with a new investigator and a member, another lesson with a less-active and a member, and a third lesson with a recent convert and a member. It was awesome!

Today, we went over to President and Hermana Arrington’s house to eat yummy cinnamon rolls and decorate their Christmas tree. All of the sisters in our zone and a few elders were there.

This week we got to do a service project for a member and help clean out weeds from her garden. Afterwards she gave us pizza, which was yummy! Pizza here is not the same as in the states, but it is still good the way the Chileans make it. :D It usually has corn, which actually taste great.

Week 55: First Baptism

I finally had my first baptism in the mission! And it was at the beach. I have always wanted to see a baptism on the beach. His name is Hermano Feliciano. His wife is a member and his son and daughter are both on missions right now. Lots of people get baptized while their kids are on missions. God takes care of the families of missionaries. His family has been members for about eight years, but he never really looked into the church much. This past year, he started listening a little to the missionaries. Then with Hermana Dietz and me, he came to the conclusion that he wanted to get baptized. He and his wife are super great people! They help us with so much as missionaries. It was fun to be able to be a part of his baptism. It made me ubers happy! :D

This week we were able to visit one of our investigators a second time. She really seems like she has desires to know the truth and what God wants her to do with her life. My companion and I have high hopes for her. We also have a couple other people who seem interested to know the truth. We feel like there are a lot of good possibilities in this sector. I feel very excited for this area! We have a lot of people who may be ready to receive the gospel here. 

My companion and I get along really well! We are always joking and laughing during the day, which makes everything else easier. So all is well.  

Week 54: Christmas Carols

Today was cambios again. Luckily I will be staying in Talcahuano with my companion, Hermana Dietz, who is super great. Hermana Wallis (one of my CCM buddies) will also be staying, and another American will be coming to live with us.

We missionaries tried something creative this week, and did face painting for kids so we could talk a little with their families. It was fun!

I auditioned, and have been accepted into a little choir in my ward. A guy here sings really well, and wants us to perform something special each week until Christmas. There are five of us and we will be singing every Sunday. I never thought that I would join a little choir. It will be practically like doing solos.

Face Painting

Giddy with Anticipation

Ready for action!

What's up with the tv?

No wonder this place has gates.

Hey, get back here!

Week 53: One-Year Out

Can you believe I’ve been living in other countries and speaking Spanish for a whole year now? I only have six months of my mission left. It’s a lot - but it’s also like nothing because I know that will go by super fast. I don’t know whether I feel happy, nervous, or sad that my time is nearly finished here. It’s strange. My second trainer, Hermana Tejerina from Bolivia, goes home in one week. Also Hermana De Leon, who I lived with in Chillancito, is leaving. It’s weird/sad that so many of the missionaries I’ve gotten to know are starting to finish their missions and leave. I can’t believe how time flies!

This week I feel like God has blessed us and guided us to where we should go. We had many instances where things all seemed to happen as if planned and we were really in the right places at the right time. This hasn’t happened often on my mission, and then this week it seemed to happen all the time. It made me so happy, like I was really doing something important. :) Hopefully next week we will continue to have more success.