12/31/2007
Hermana Pratt
Misión Chile Osorno
Junio 2007 – Enero 2008
My entire life I have heard people say that the mission was the best and hardest two years of their life. I never really understood that statement until now. Now, I can testify of the truthfulness of that statement.
When I decided to go on a mission, I felt as if my reasons to go were a bit selfish. I had two main reasons to go on the mission. One, I had prayed and fasted a lot to know if it was a step I had to take and I felt so strongly that if I didn’t go I would regret it for the rest of my life, wondering who needed me and I didn’t help, always thinking that I had to do something and never did it. The other reason was because I really wanted to learn how to be charitable, to have the pure love of Christ, to really love my brothers and sisters here on the earth and desire their salvation as much and more than my own. At first I was a little embarrassed to admit that to my Stake President because I felt like they were both for me. But to my surprise he assured me that they were righteous desires. But never did I really ever expect what I have experienced in these 18 months here in Chile, the most wonderful and most difficult experiences of my life.
A scripture in Alma has really sums up what I have experienced and felt on the mission. Alma 36:20-21
“Y ¡oh qué gozo, y qué luz tan maravillosa fue la que vi! Sí, mi alma se llenó do un gozo tan profundo como lo había sido mi dolor. Sí, hijo, mío, te digo que no podía haber cosa tan intensa ni tan amarga como mis dolores. Sí, hijo mío, y también te digo que por otra parte no puede haber cosa tan intensa y dulce como lo fue mi gozo.¨
I have come to feel as Alma did as I have shared the Gospel with my brothers and sisters here in Chile.
In my first area, I grew to love a family as if it were my own. As we shared with this family and taught them the truthfulness of the Gospel and how they could have an eternal family brought me a joy I had never experienced. I felt a love for this family and a desire to see them sealed as a family for all eternity. I desired that more than I did for myself. It was a wonderful feeling that quickly turned around as the family rejected the truthfulness of the message that they knew was true. I had truly never felt a pain in my heart like I felt that day as I could see that some of Our Heavenly Father’s children had rejected His plan of happiness, the only way to get back to Him. But in this moment, I realized the change that was happening within me, how God was working in my life and refining me. It is an experience I will never forget, the joy and the pain that comes as you love someone else and give them all you can so that they can be happy in this life and in the next. I continue to pray that these people that have rejected this message will one day open and bland their hearts so that they will be able to be with our Heavenly Father once again.
The mission has definitely been a growing experience for me; I have grown leaps and bonds that a person outside looking in wouldn’t see. I have gone through things on the mission that I would never wish for another person. I reached moments that I thought it wasn’t possible that I could get through it, at times they were physical trials and others mental and emotional trials. It has been a time where I have never been so stressed, concerned, and pressured in my life like I have been on the mission. Times where I have never felt so down, depressed, alone, without hope, and without the power to go on. There are things that I don’t understand why I had to go through or why it happened to me.
Thanks to these trials, I have never felt God’s love as strong as I found the comfort, answers, help, support, and everything I need in the scriptures. I had never pleaded so sincerely, from my heart, and powerfully in my prayers before like I have on the mission. I have never seen God answer my prayers as quickly as I have had to use all of my faith and all of my being to get through the trials and help the Chileans. The scriptures have come alive and have been amazing how God leads me to exactly what I need right when I need it. I have never fasted with such faith and fervency. I have never been an instrument in God’s hands like I have been on the mission. I have never seen so many miracles, God’s love for every one of His children, His grace and mercy like I have in the last 18 months. And I have never understood the extent and the intensity of Christ’s Atonement, the pain and suffering that Christ went through for me and all of the humanity. I can never thank my Heavenly Father enough for every one of those experiences. I know that after the trail of your faith come the blessings from heaven, I have seen them and have received them. God has given me such a wonderful blessing being able to be here and serve Him as I serve my brothers and sisters here. I know that everything that has happened to me will be helpful in the future, begin able to help others through their trials and get through some of my own.
On the mission not only have I been able to understand a little more about what Christ has done for me and what he suffered for me, but I have been able to taste what the eternal happiness we will have when we arrive in our Heavenly Father’s presence. I have truly tasted that as I have found people that were waiting for me. I have found my best friends from the preexistence and have been able to be there for them and lead them to the correct path. I now understand why I had felt what I felt when I prayed about going on the mission, that if I didn’t go I would regret it forever. Because there were people here who were waiting for me, especially a lost sister that had been prepared when over 7 years ago had had a dream of when we said goodbye in the preexistence and how I had promised to find her here on the earth and bring her back to the truth. It is a dream come true, something I had only ever heard about but never thought I would live it. As I have watched her and her family change, come into the church once again, and see the happiness and joy that has come into their life has brought me the greatest happiness I have ever felt. It has helped me see what we are fighting for every day; understand what the blessings will be in the end. There has been nothing else sweeter or greater than being able to help these people return to our Heavenly Father. I can understand a little better the scripture in Doctrine and Covenants 18: 13, 15…
¡Y cuán grande es su gozo por el alma que se arrepiente! Y me traéis aun cuando fuere una sola alma, ¡cuán grande será vuestro gozo con ella en el reino de mi Padre!
I am so thankful to my Heavenly Father for truly helping me to reach the two goals that I had before my mission. I know that this is where I had to serve my mission; I know that Gordon B. Hinckley is a prophet of God that receives revelation for all of us. I know that this is the true church because if it wasn’t and if the President Hinckley was not a true prophet, I would have never been here nor found the people that I was sent to find by our Heavenly Father. I understand now why things happened in my life before the mission, how the Lord prepared the way for me to go on the mission. I am so very thankful for the promptings of the Spirit and because I was able to follow them and do what the Lord had prepared for me from before this life. I know that none of this has been a coincidence but we have such a loving Heavenly Father that prepares the way for us continually.
He has also touched my heart in many ways unimaginable. He has changed my heart and has taught my how to love. I feel like He has set me on my path to be able to really be able to have charity. I have never loved so many people so deeply like I have here on the mission. I will leave the majority of my best friends here in Chile. They are a wonderful and loving people. They have taught me and given me much more than I have done for them. God has given me the greatest blessings I could have ever asked for, the true happiness that comes as I have learned to love these people with all of my heart, might, mind, and soul. Many times I wonder why I have received so many blessings I really don’t deserve. But, I thank God everyday for giving me the wonderful family I have that has taught me the Gospel and now being able to share the happiness and joy I have in my life with other people. There is no greater blessing nor happiness than forgetting about yourself, losing yourself in the work of the Lord, and finding yourself by helping and serving other people.
I have grown to love my Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ much more and have felt the love that they have for me and for everyone else. I know they live. I know only through Christ we can be saved and be happy now and forever. I know God guides and protects us in every step of the way. I know He loves us so much that He sent His only begotten son to take upon our sins. I know He loves us so much that He has restored His church on the earth so that we can have the sacred ordinances of salvation we need to we can return to Him. I know Joseph Smith restored Christ’s church and that today we have Christ’s true church, the true path that leads us straight to our loving Heavenly Father. I know the Book of Mormon is true, I have found all the answers and comfort that I have needed in this magnificent book. I know that God loves us, after everything I have seen and been through, how can I not know and feel the truthfulness of it all. I thank my Heavenly Father for every one of these experiences, good and bad; I wouldn’t change it for the world.
Monday, December 31, 2007
I have learned so much
12/31/2007
Hi, i am here, i am glad that Alejandra emailed you to tell you i wasn’t going to write right away. i have p-das Mondays now but next Monday is my last p-day on the mission, so that is it and we will be seeing each other. i am in rahue alto, which is just another part of osorno, i am with hna morphis and hna mcrbide, we all know i never wanted to be in a threesome but such is life. my companion went home on Christmas, Christmas day i dropped her off and she went and took the plane, merry Christmas, it was an interesting Christmas. i have lots to tell but we can wait until i get home.
Okay, i am not going to write too much today. We have lots to do. But here I am, with the gringas. It is amazing how all of my trails have come at the end of my mission and they have come full force, wow, they have been some of the most difficult things ever. I have officially been out for over 18 months!! Wow!! Crazy.
I feel like on the mission I have become a psychologist with all of the counseling and things I have had to do with my companions, trying to get them to feel good about themselves, get lots in the mission, it all. It has been a very interesting experience all of it to say the least. But I feel like I really have learned and developed many important skills for the life ahead. I have learned to go by the spirit a lot, say things and not know where they came out of. To be able to really learn to love and care for people. To really love the gospel and share it. I love getting to know people now, and share what I love, make them happy.
Mom, should I keep my sheets or leave them here? I don’t know how much weight I will be able to carry back home, I think it is not very much, less than when I got here.
It is weird being the companion that speaks Spanish best, one guy asked me to talk because he only understood me. It is funny. I love speaking Spanish, I try to say I am Chilean but no one believes me. I tell them god got confused and sent me to the states and not to Chile. It is funny.
Tomorrow, with the ward we are going on a trip to the beach for new years, that will be way fun. We have got lots to do in these two weeks we have left. Lots on the mind. It is hard getting used to my new sector knowing I am finishing soon, I feel like it isn’t´ my sector. Pres told me to have more faith, there is a reason why I am there, I just have to do the best and most I can in these two weeks!
Happy new year.
Happy birthday to Ethan.
I don’t know how many presents I am brining home, if any for the weight, just to let you all know now.!
See you next week, I have to write a letter to the pres about the mission, the last letter.
Hi, i am here, i am glad that Alejandra emailed you to tell you i wasn’t going to write right away. i have p-das Mondays now but next Monday is my last p-day on the mission, so that is it and we will be seeing each other. i am in rahue alto, which is just another part of osorno, i am with hna morphis and hna mcrbide, we all know i never wanted to be in a threesome but such is life. my companion went home on Christmas, Christmas day i dropped her off and she went and took the plane, merry Christmas, it was an interesting Christmas. i have lots to tell but we can wait until i get home.
Okay, i am not going to write too much today. We have lots to do. But here I am, with the gringas. It is amazing how all of my trails have come at the end of my mission and they have come full force, wow, they have been some of the most difficult things ever. I have officially been out for over 18 months!! Wow!! Crazy.
I feel like on the mission I have become a psychologist with all of the counseling and things I have had to do with my companions, trying to get them to feel good about themselves, get lots in the mission, it all. It has been a very interesting experience all of it to say the least. But I feel like I really have learned and developed many important skills for the life ahead. I have learned to go by the spirit a lot, say things and not know where they came out of. To be able to really learn to love and care for people. To really love the gospel and share it. I love getting to know people now, and share what I love, make them happy.
Mom, should I keep my sheets or leave them here? I don’t know how much weight I will be able to carry back home, I think it is not very much, less than when I got here.
It is weird being the companion that speaks Spanish best, one guy asked me to talk because he only understood me. It is funny. I love speaking Spanish, I try to say I am Chilean but no one believes me. I tell them god got confused and sent me to the states and not to Chile. It is funny.
Tomorrow, with the ward we are going on a trip to the beach for new years, that will be way fun. We have got lots to do in these two weeks we have left. Lots on the mind. It is hard getting used to my new sector knowing I am finishing soon, I feel like it isn’t´ my sector. Pres told me to have more faith, there is a reason why I am there, I just have to do the best and most I can in these two weeks!
Happy new year.
Happy birthday to Ethan.
I don’t know how many presents I am brining home, if any for the weight, just to let you all know now.!
See you next week, I have to write a letter to the pres about the mission, the last letter.
Saturday, December 22, 2007
Toughest Time EVER!
12/22/2007
I won’t write too much today nor do am i in the mood to. this week has been one of the hardest weeks ever. i am exhausted, haven’t slept for two or three weeks. and i have been on the biggest emotional roller coaster ever. I probably got closer to depression this week than ever, i probably went started going into and, realized and pulled myself out. my companion is paying a toll on me. it is so hard. i can tell you more later but thisprobably sums it up...she is going home next week, whenever they can find her a plane ticket.
i am sure you understand...al this happening to me my last 3 -4 weeks of the mission. it’s tough, like i have told the president and hna faulkner, i am not superwoman, i get worn down too.
So yeah, that is all i am going to write this week. Merry Christmas to everyone, I hope everyone ahs a great Christmas. It has finally gotten hot here, I have gotten sun burnt for like three or four days because the son is soooooooooooooooooo strong here. So strong. We sang in the plaza last night Christmas carols and today too. It is weird Christmas in the summer time. So that is me. My companion is going home this week and they will probably send me to a different sector, in a threesome with hna morphis and her companion and they will probably close my sector, which makes me sad, I want to talk to the pres and try to get him not to close it. We will see. I would make me sad to see it closed again, the ward without missionaries again. That is me. Talk to you all soon.
Hna pratt
I won’t write too much today nor do am i in the mood to. this week has been one of the hardest weeks ever. i am exhausted, haven’t slept for two or three weeks. and i have been on the biggest emotional roller coaster ever. I probably got closer to depression this week than ever, i probably went started going into and, realized and pulled myself out. my companion is paying a toll on me. it is so hard. i can tell you more later but thisprobably sums it up...she is going home next week, whenever they can find her a plane ticket.
i am sure you understand...al this happening to me my last 3 -4 weeks of the mission. it’s tough, like i have told the president and hna faulkner, i am not superwoman, i get worn down too.
So yeah, that is all i am going to write this week. Merry Christmas to everyone, I hope everyone ahs a great Christmas. It has finally gotten hot here, I have gotten sun burnt for like three or four days because the son is soooooooooooooooooo strong here. So strong. We sang in the plaza last night Christmas carols and today too. It is weird Christmas in the summer time. So that is me. My companion is going home this week and they will probably send me to a different sector, in a threesome with hna morphis and her companion and they will probably close my sector, which makes me sad, I want to talk to the pres and try to get him not to close it. We will see. I would make me sad to see it closed again, the ward without missionaries again. That is me. Talk to you all soon.
Hna pratt
Saturday, December 15, 2007
My Companion Has Chicken Pox
12/15/2007
Hola to all at home. I hope everything has gone great at home. I am going to keep it short today, I am not full of a whole lot of energy or really want to talk much. It has been a very very very difficult week this week, we have had our ups and downs and some more downs. My companion last week, on Sunday found out she had chicken pocks….longggggggggggg story. Anyway, she can’t go out anywhere. So it has been reallllllllllllllyy hard to work. I have worked my tail off trying to make it so that I can go out and work. What are the odds of having a comp with chicken pocks your last cambio, at the end of your mission. It has helped me to see that I really love to teach and visit the people. I realized how much I love to talk to them, get to know them, and be able to help them. It is so awesome. I have had some very good experiences as I have left with some of the members here in osorno. They are special people and have strong testimonies. We found an elderly lady that is just great, we have an appt today but we will have to see how it goes, if I can find someone to stay with my companion. I really love the mission and have learned so much.
Oh, lael, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!, I don’t remember how old you are now, like 40 I think!! I am not going to send you anything this year because you won´t open it for another 9 months!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I hope you have a great birthday, I will be thinking about you! Party it up…with your two kids!! Love ya!
So we had our conference yesterday of the zones around here. It was really really good, It was really spiritual. It was great. So when someone is going home they make you give your last testimony in the conference. So hna morphis, two elders, and I gave our last testimonies. It was so weird. It doesn’t really seem like it, time as gone by soooo fast. It is incredible. Time flies. We still feel like we are the new ones on the mission, it is crazy. It was weird that I am one of the people who has been on the mission for the most amount of time. But it has been a good 18 months so far. They have been some of the best and worst times of my life and I am grateful for every single one of them. There are things that I don’t know why or understand why I had to go through them but one day I will understand. But every minute, good or bad has helped me draw closer to my savior and heavenly father. And that is what has been so sweet and rich about the mission. No where else in my life would I have been able to gain the testimony, love, knowledge, and life experiences like I have here. What a blessing the lord gave me to call me on a mission. I would reiterate pres papa´s words anyway, I wish that all my kids and grandkids, girls or boys, can go on a mission.
My comp has been very very very depressed and is not going well. Every day I have to talk her into staying on the mission and not going home. I am not sleeping, I am stressed and I am at my wit ends. I thought things were find and bammmmmmm. She says she will try and stay but every day we go through the same thing. The morning she is fine, nighttime no, morning bad, evening no. it has gotten to the point where I don’t want to go home anymore, I don’t know what I am going to face. But that is the story. I am plugging along, the good news is that I am not trunky and not thinking about home at alllllllllllllllllllllllllll. Keep us in your prayers please.
Next week we as missionaries are singing in the plaza, Christmas songs. It will be fun. I have enjoyed being with hna morphis this little time. She is a great missionary.
Okay, that is me for the week. I will write next Saturday and we will talk next Sunday.
Send my love to all. Hope everyone has a great week!
Love, hna pratt
Hola to all at home. I hope everything has gone great at home. I am going to keep it short today, I am not full of a whole lot of energy or really want to talk much. It has been a very very very difficult week this week, we have had our ups and downs and some more downs. My companion last week, on Sunday found out she had chicken pocks….longggggggggggg story. Anyway, she can’t go out anywhere. So it has been reallllllllllllllyy hard to work. I have worked my tail off trying to make it so that I can go out and work. What are the odds of having a comp with chicken pocks your last cambio, at the end of your mission. It has helped me to see that I really love to teach and visit the people. I realized how much I love to talk to them, get to know them, and be able to help them. It is so awesome. I have had some very good experiences as I have left with some of the members here in osorno. They are special people and have strong testimonies. We found an elderly lady that is just great, we have an appt today but we will have to see how it goes, if I can find someone to stay with my companion. I really love the mission and have learned so much.
Oh, lael, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!, I don’t remember how old you are now, like 40 I think!! I am not going to send you anything this year because you won´t open it for another 9 months!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I hope you have a great birthday, I will be thinking about you! Party it up…with your two kids!! Love ya!
So we had our conference yesterday of the zones around here. It was really really good, It was really spiritual. It was great. So when someone is going home they make you give your last testimony in the conference. So hna morphis, two elders, and I gave our last testimonies. It was so weird. It doesn’t really seem like it, time as gone by soooo fast. It is incredible. Time flies. We still feel like we are the new ones on the mission, it is crazy. It was weird that I am one of the people who has been on the mission for the most amount of time. But it has been a good 18 months so far. They have been some of the best and worst times of my life and I am grateful for every single one of them. There are things that I don’t know why or understand why I had to go through them but one day I will understand. But every minute, good or bad has helped me draw closer to my savior and heavenly father. And that is what has been so sweet and rich about the mission. No where else in my life would I have been able to gain the testimony, love, knowledge, and life experiences like I have here. What a blessing the lord gave me to call me on a mission. I would reiterate pres papa´s words anyway, I wish that all my kids and grandkids, girls or boys, can go on a mission.
My comp has been very very very depressed and is not going well. Every day I have to talk her into staying on the mission and not going home. I am not sleeping, I am stressed and I am at my wit ends. I thought things were find and bammmmmmm. She says she will try and stay but every day we go through the same thing. The morning she is fine, nighttime no, morning bad, evening no. it has gotten to the point where I don’t want to go home anymore, I don’t know what I am going to face. But that is the story. I am plugging along, the good news is that I am not trunky and not thinking about home at alllllllllllllllllllllllllll. Keep us in your prayers please.
Next week we as missionaries are singing in the plaza, Christmas songs. It will be fun. I have enjoyed being with hna morphis this little time. She is a great missionary.
Okay, that is me for the week. I will write next Saturday and we will talk next Sunday.
Send my love to all. Hope everyone has a great week!
Love, hna pratt
Saturday, December 08, 2007
Chile is the Best
Her camera cord seems to be missing as we havent had any pictures forever!!
12/08/2007
Well, hello. We have had an interesting week and we are absolutely exhausted. Such is life. But a couple of questions first as well...
Okay, i had other questions but i don’t remember now.
I was going to warn you, don’t be scared when you get here, the people are veryyyyyyyyyyyyy touchy feely. They hug a lot and give lots of kisses on the cheeks. They don’t have personal space like we do. And mom, for example, it would be a privilege really for us to be there with Alejandra. Their culture is more like that, that you stay with people, that you are close. They aren’t really a people of privacy or personal space. Like they would be more than happy to have you there. For example, i would love to stay there with her. If you guys don’t stay with her i probably still will. But i know that you might be uncomfortable there in her home but it is a big house and there is a bedroom downstairs that has it’s own bathroom and everything, so you would have your own personal space. And they speak English. But i know you might be uncomfortable, but for what i want to do, i want to be with her. That is my vote. But do what you feel is best but i know it will be just fine.
With the stuffing you guys have to remember that i haven’t eaten American food in a year and a half, any American food now tastes like the best food ever.
i don’t´ know anything about calling home, they will probably tell us the week before. sorry, no clue, give me another week. i always tell you when i know.
it is such a blessing that we have prophets today. it is amazing how many people are lost and confused on what to do, who to believe, what to think because there are so many churches and people saying things that contradict. i feel so blessed to have prophets today because we know exactlyyyyyyy what god wants from us. we are anything but confused, we have truth adn light and guidance and these other people have confusion, darkness, and doubts. but what a marvelous life we can lead if we follow gods trueeeeee commandments that we learn through his prophets. it is amazing how much it really changes our lives and in the end, our eternal lives.
sorry, i stink at speaking about the gospel in ingles.
okay, mom, Alejandra says just stay with them. mom, she is amazing! she says that when she comes to the states she is going to stay with us in our house!!! :) why pay for a hotel when she has us and we have her! but really mom, don’t worry about it, she is awesome, and you know that i am not just friends with anyone and i wouldn’t just to whatever. really, she is one of my best friends. she is awesome, her husband, they are great. we will be fine. but write her more so you can be friends and be okay with staying with them, more comfortable. call her and get to know her more, i told her you are nervous about it all. but you will be fine. thank you for everythinhgggggggggggggggggggggg.
Well, with me there has been some interesting things that have happened. Cambios came and went and we both stayed here. I am going to end my mission here in osorno. There are two sisters who got here to osorno in another sector to open a new sector and they are looking for a house, they don’t have one. They are in the same shoes we were. But they are living with us. Our house is sooooooooooooooo small. Let’s say that in the old house, where Leanne and justin are, our house maybeeeeeeeeeeeee is the size of my two bedrooms and the bathroom. Imagine four people in that, with suit cases and all, and that is the bathroom, two bedrooms, kitchen, and everythingggggggggggggg. We are a little tight squeezed. And of all the hermanas, you would never believe you it is, they are two gringas, hermana morphis and her companion. After only seeing each other once our entire mission we are ending living together until they find a house, they found one and will probably move on Monday, it really is a tight tight tight squeeze. But it is just fine.
So more than anything that is my story. We have just been trying hard to work hard. My family doesn’t help much since they have gotten so trunky. (Means we miss her and want her home)All the missionaries here in osrono are in a choir and we are going to sing Christmas songs in the plaza for Christmas. That will be fun, hopefully we sound good in the end. We are not very many but such is life.
We have had a fun week this week. My comp has been overly excited to stay with me natoher cambio. I was secretly praying i would be with hna monsalve again but she is stilllllllllllll in punta arenas. Sometimes it is hard to accept what the lord has in store for us.
12/08/2007
Well, hello. We have had an interesting week and we are absolutely exhausted. Such is life. But a couple of questions first as well...
Okay, i had other questions but i don’t remember now.
I was going to warn you, don’t be scared when you get here, the people are veryyyyyyyyyyyyy touchy feely. They hug a lot and give lots of kisses on the cheeks. They don’t have personal space like we do. And mom, for example, it would be a privilege really for us to be there with Alejandra. Their culture is more like that, that you stay with people, that you are close. They aren’t really a people of privacy or personal space. Like they would be more than happy to have you there. For example, i would love to stay there with her. If you guys don’t stay with her i probably still will. But i know that you might be uncomfortable there in her home but it is a big house and there is a bedroom downstairs that has it’s own bathroom and everything, so you would have your own personal space. And they speak English. But i know you might be uncomfortable, but for what i want to do, i want to be with her. That is my vote. But do what you feel is best but i know it will be just fine.
With the stuffing you guys have to remember that i haven’t eaten American food in a year and a half, any American food now tastes like the best food ever.
i don’t´ know anything about calling home, they will probably tell us the week before. sorry, no clue, give me another week. i always tell you when i know.
it is such a blessing that we have prophets today. it is amazing how many people are lost and confused on what to do, who to believe, what to think because there are so many churches and people saying things that contradict. i feel so blessed to have prophets today because we know exactlyyyyyyy what god wants from us. we are anything but confused, we have truth adn light and guidance and these other people have confusion, darkness, and doubts. but what a marvelous life we can lead if we follow gods trueeeeee commandments that we learn through his prophets. it is amazing how much it really changes our lives and in the end, our eternal lives.
sorry, i stink at speaking about the gospel in ingles.
okay, mom, Alejandra says just stay with them. mom, she is amazing! she says that when she comes to the states she is going to stay with us in our house!!! :) why pay for a hotel when she has us and we have her! but really mom, don’t worry about it, she is awesome, and you know that i am not just friends with anyone and i wouldn’t just to whatever. really, she is one of my best friends. she is awesome, her husband, they are great. we will be fine. but write her more so you can be friends and be okay with staying with them, more comfortable. call her and get to know her more, i told her you are nervous about it all. but you will be fine. thank you for everythinhgggggggggggggggggggggg.
Well, with me there has been some interesting things that have happened. Cambios came and went and we both stayed here. I am going to end my mission here in osorno. There are two sisters who got here to osorno in another sector to open a new sector and they are looking for a house, they don’t have one. They are in the same shoes we were. But they are living with us. Our house is sooooooooooooooo small. Let’s say that in the old house, where Leanne and justin are, our house maybeeeeeeeeeeeee is the size of my two bedrooms and the bathroom. Imagine four people in that, with suit cases and all, and that is the bathroom, two bedrooms, kitchen, and everythingggggggggggggg. We are a little tight squeezed. And of all the hermanas, you would never believe you it is, they are two gringas, hermana morphis and her companion. After only seeing each other once our entire mission we are ending living together until they find a house, they found one and will probably move on Monday, it really is a tight tight tight squeeze. But it is just fine.
So more than anything that is my story. We have just been trying hard to work hard. My family doesn’t help much since they have gotten so trunky. (Means we miss her and want her home)All the missionaries here in osrono are in a choir and we are going to sing Christmas songs in the plaza for Christmas. That will be fun, hopefully we sound good in the end. We are not very many but such is life.
We have had a fun week this week. My comp has been overly excited to stay with me natoher cambio. I was secretly praying i would be with hna monsalve again but she is stilllllllllllll in punta arenas. Sometimes it is hard to accept what the lord has in store for us.
Saturday, December 01, 2007
Notes To Dad
12/01/2007
I know dad, it is all they talk about is how much time i have left and how short it is, everybody asks, strangers even ask more than they used to and everybody always wants to talk about it. it is a pain It is funny though. I am doing well, it is amazing to look back at the mission and see all that has happened, what has happened and what i have learned. i wouldn’t give up this year and a half for the world. it was the best decision i ever made, the best thing i have ever done. it is one of the greatest blessing i have had in my life. i am so blessed in so many things.
you can’t tell anyone but i am about ready to be home. i loveeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee Chile. i loveeeeeeeeeeee the people here, i love the mission, i love everything. i have not had one single problem on the mission being away from home, missing home, missing the family, nothing, which is a blessing. but i am ready too. it will be perfect in January, i know it is the perfect date for me to go home, not any more nor any less.
god knows and has everything planned out
dad, i was going to tell you something funny. for some oddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddd reason, i don’t know why. for the first time in my missino i missed something from home and it was the weirdesttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttt thing. for some reason, all of a sudden i missed one of teh dad plastering smothering hugs that you give.
maybe because it makes me laugh, get embarrassed and shake my head at how weird you are sometimes! it made me laughed, i told my comp and we laughed about it for awhile. it was funny.
a
alright, i am out of here. i hope you do well on your test. tell all from the church hi and the family too. tell allie i will hang out with her, no need to worry.
i am down with that, it really is alllllllll about the people, they are my family here. on the plane we will have lots of time, you will have to tell more stories about your mission. and mom shouldn’t worry, I know the loops, i have lived here for so long there are no worries, i know how to get around, what is dangerous and what isn’t, it will be great. we will eat a lotttttttttttttttttttttt, so be ready. and things you might not like, but you know, you just eat it anyway, why do you think i have gotten so fat! :) okay peace out. love ya dad
I know dad, it is all they talk about is how much time i have left and how short it is, everybody asks, strangers even ask more than they used to and everybody always wants to talk about it. it is a pain It is funny though. I am doing well, it is amazing to look back at the mission and see all that has happened, what has happened and what i have learned. i wouldn’t give up this year and a half for the world. it was the best decision i ever made, the best thing i have ever done. it is one of the greatest blessing i have had in my life. i am so blessed in so many things.
you can’t tell anyone but i am about ready to be home. i loveeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee Chile. i loveeeeeeeeeeee the people here, i love the mission, i love everything. i have not had one single problem on the mission being away from home, missing home, missing the family, nothing, which is a blessing. but i am ready too. it will be perfect in January, i know it is the perfect date for me to go home, not any more nor any less.
god knows and has everything planned out
dad, i was going to tell you something funny. for some oddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddd reason, i don’t know why. for the first time in my missino i missed something from home and it was the weirdesttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttt thing. for some reason, all of a sudden i missed one of teh dad plastering smothering hugs that you give.
maybe because it makes me laugh, get embarrassed and shake my head at how weird you are sometimes! it made me laughed, i told my comp and we laughed about it for awhile. it was funny.
a
alright, i am out of here. i hope you do well on your test. tell all from the church hi and the family too. tell allie i will hang out with her, no need to worry.
i am down with that, it really is alllllllll about the people, they are my family here. on the plane we will have lots of time, you will have to tell more stories about your mission. and mom shouldn’t worry, I know the loops, i have lived here for so long there are no worries, i know how to get around, what is dangerous and what isn’t, it will be great. we will eat a lotttttttttttttttttttttt, so be ready. and things you might not like, but you know, you just eat it anyway, why do you think i have gotten so fat! :) okay peace out. love ya dad
Awesome Turnout for our Activity
12/01/2007
Well, mom that is quite the little thing with the cat. You went a little overboard, I will read over it to see what really happened I haven’t read your letter yet. (Our cat Nara has started scratching on the furniture and won't stop...so I heard about these nail caps that are plastic that cover the nails and when they scratch they won't ruin the furniture. So sent Jamie a picture of her with her red nails on. This way she didn't have to be declawed)
So, it looks like things have been going good for you guys. That is great the granny is home now i hope she does well. I have come to understand a lot more about the gospel and the love god has for us as granny has been going through all of this. I have talked to many people who have helped me a lot to understand that god really is so merciful and loves us so much but it is us that are so hard headed and hard on ourselves. It is amazing the love he has for us.
Okay, with the trip. I am sorry that it has been such a head ache, i wish i could have been more help because i actually know Spanish. Anyway, i don’t remember what i am supposed to answer. Oh yeah, if we want to stay in pto montt. Really, pto montt they say is a lot dangerous and i don’t know how much there really is. My mamita in frutillar said that we could go stay with her for free, she has like a bed and breakfast and she would hold a spot for us if we tell her ahead of time. But because you don’t know Spanish i don’t know how down you would be for that. My vote would probably be to stay in pto varas. I want to see alejandra as much as i can. I would say there. You can ask her where to stay, or just drop her the line and tell her we are going to stay with her! JJJJJ i know she wouldn´t mind. But i know you gusy aren’t all the comfortable staying with other people, and less when you don’t speak the same language as everyone else! JJJJ but they know English, don’t worry, and speak it well. I hope you guys are practicing your spanish, learning a few things. Don’t worry, i know enough Spanish to get around. You guys are really going out of yoru box, thanks. Chile is great but remember that it is a lot poorer than the states, don’t come with the same expectations fro example with hotels and such. But i love Chile really. Do you want me to ask Alejandra if we can stay with her.
So we organized our own activity this week, our mission leader is not active so we are working by ourselves, but this is nothing new. It is always like that, amazing how that is. We had a ward family home evening. Like 25 people got there, it was a greatttttttttt turn out and the best was 6 investigators’! It was awesome. We are improving last week there were 31 or 34 people at church, there were sooooooooooooooo many. It was the most we have had in a long time. We were so pumped. We are working really hard. The members are really starting to trust us and it is going great with them. It is just hard to get people to go to church, everybody wants blessing but nobody wants to do anything for them. So it was a great turn out our ward activity.
I had an interesting experience. I don’t know if i told you, i had a dream about one of the hermanas here in our sector that doesn’t go to church, that is living with her boyfriend and has been to the temple. Long story. But this dream impacted me sooooooooo much, for what i felt, i felt so much painnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn for her not being active and the need for her to go back to chruch. We had a lesson with them that was wonderful. I told her a little about the dream and we were talking about how we were prepared to come to this life before, in the pre-existence and how we were taught the plan of salvation and knew what was coming and we promised to live the gospel and go back to live with god again. I know she was one of the valiant’s that fought hand in hand with Christ and that is why she is hear. I told her we don’t´ remember the other life, some people do, but i don’t but i have feelings or experiences that make me remember what i felt before, who were my closest friends before this life and that i know this is the true church and the prophet is called of god because he sent em here where i have found some of my best friends and because i had promised them i would come back and that the lord as put me with my Chileans again. And as I was saying all of this she started crying and pointing to herself, admitting that we knew each other before and that i was sent there to find her and bring her back. It was such a sweet moment. I wish i could describe the things that i felt but it was something that just pierced my soul and my heart. A confirming testimony that this is the lords work and there is no other, this is the true gospel and no other because if it wasn’t i wouldn’t be here and be helping these people and i wouldn’t be feeling these things that i feel now, knowing that they were my best friends before this life. They are such sacred experiences that i will forever treasure. I wish everyone could just feel and see and experience the things that i have experienced in this time on the mission. The lord loves us, makes the things happen that we need. He takes care of us and is our loving heavenly father and that is why we have he gospel restored on the earth today. I love it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
By the way, my English is going down hill again... oh no.
We have cambios this week on Wednesday, it is my last cambio, so we will see how it goes. My comp thinks that she is leaving. I feel like i am staying as usual. We will see. I am game either way. So, if i don’t write on Wednesday i am still here in osorno and if you hear from me on Wednesday i was transferred.
Mom, i think melanie ends her mission in like three more weeks but i am not for sure.
Times flies by soooooooooooooo fast.
Oh by the way, i have walked around for 2 weeks now without a jacket, just sweaters! Yeah!!!! Oh happy day.
no mom, thank you for your help seriously. you don’t even know how much i want to go back and see all the people i have known and grown to love. there is a talk that i love from the conference. read the talk by elder wirthing called the great commandment, it is amazing, the mission has taught me soooooooooooooooooooooooooo much about that, and that is truly why i wanted to go on a mission. amazing how the lord answers our prayers and wants. you don’t´ even know how grateful i am to you and dad, seriously. i am so blessed with the family i have and i know i have never shown it to you either. but truly fro the bottom of my heart thank you.
Love to all! Hna pratt
Okay, with the trip. I am sorry that it has been such a head ache, i wish i could have been more help because i actually know Spanish. Anyway, i don’t remember what i am supposed to answer. Oh yeah, if we want to stay in pto montt. Really, pto montt they say is a lot dangerous and i don’t know how much there really is. My mamita in frutillar said that we could go stay with her for free, she has like a bed and breakfast and she would hold a spot for us if we tell her ahead of time. But because you don’t know Spanish i don’t know how down you would be for that. My vote would probably be to stay in pto varas. I want to see alejandra as much as i can. I would say there. You can ask her where to stay, or just drop her the line and tell her we are going to stay with her! JJJJJ i know she wouldn´t mind. But i know you gusy aren’t all the comfortable staying with other people, and less when you don’t speak the same language as everyone else! JJJJ but they know English, don’t worry, and speak it well. I hope you guys are practicing your spanish, learning a few things. Don’t worry, i know enough Spanish to get around. You guys are really going out of yoru box, thanks. Chile is great but remember that it is a lot poorer than the states, don’t come with the same expectations fro example with hotels and such. But i love Chile really. Do you want me to ask Alejandra if we can stay with her.
So we organized our own activity this week, our mission leader is not active so we are working by ourselves, but this is nothing new. It is always like that, amazing how that is. We had a ward family home evening. Like 25 people got there, it was a greatttttttttt turn out and the best was 6 investigators’! It was awesome. We are improving last week there were 31 or 34 people at church, there were sooooooooooooooo many. It was the most we have had in a long time. We were so pumped. We are working really hard. The members are really starting to trust us and it is going great with them. It is just hard to get people to go to church, everybody wants blessing but nobody wants to do anything for them. So it was a great turn out our ward activity.
I had an interesting experience. I don’t know if i told you, i had a dream about one of the hermanas here in our sector that doesn’t go to church, that is living with her boyfriend and has been to the temple. Long story. But this dream impacted me sooooooooo much, for what i felt, i felt so much painnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn for her not being active and the need for her to go back to chruch. We had a lesson with them that was wonderful. I told her a little about the dream and we were talking about how we were prepared to come to this life before, in the pre-existence and how we were taught the plan of salvation and knew what was coming and we promised to live the gospel and go back to live with god again. I know she was one of the valiant’s that fought hand in hand with Christ and that is why she is hear. I told her we don’t´ remember the other life, some people do, but i don’t but i have feelings or experiences that make me remember what i felt before, who were my closest friends before this life and that i know this is the true church and the prophet is called of god because he sent em here where i have found some of my best friends and because i had promised them i would come back and that the lord as put me with my Chileans again. And as I was saying all of this she started crying and pointing to herself, admitting that we knew each other before and that i was sent there to find her and bring her back. It was such a sweet moment. I wish i could describe the things that i felt but it was something that just pierced my soul and my heart. A confirming testimony that this is the lords work and there is no other, this is the true gospel and no other because if it wasn’t i wouldn’t be here and be helping these people and i wouldn’t be feeling these things that i feel now, knowing that they were my best friends before this life. They are such sacred experiences that i will forever treasure. I wish everyone could just feel and see and experience the things that i have experienced in this time on the mission. The lord loves us, makes the things happen that we need. He takes care of us and is our loving heavenly father and that is why we have he gospel restored on the earth today. I love it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
By the way, my English is going down hill again... oh no.
We have cambios this week on Wednesday, it is my last cambio, so we will see how it goes. My comp thinks that she is leaving. I feel like i am staying as usual. We will see. I am game either way. So, if i don’t write on Wednesday i am still here in osorno and if you hear from me on Wednesday i was transferred.
Mom, i think melanie ends her mission in like three more weeks but i am not for sure.
Times flies by soooooooooooooo fast.
Oh by the way, i have walked around for 2 weeks now without a jacket, just sweaters! Yeah!!!! Oh happy day.
no mom, thank you for your help seriously. you don’t even know how much i want to go back and see all the people i have known and grown to love. there is a talk that i love from the conference. read the talk by elder wirthing called the great commandment, it is amazing, the mission has taught me soooooooooooooooooooooooooo much about that, and that is truly why i wanted to go on a mission. amazing how the lord answers our prayers and wants. you don’t´ even know how grateful i am to you and dad, seriously. i am so blessed with the family i have and i know i have never shown it to you either. but truly fro the bottom of my heart thank you.
Love to all! Hna pratt
Saturday, November 24, 2007
Happy Thanksgiving
11/24/2007
Mom, thank you so much for sending the picture to the people in punta arenas, they loveeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee it. Thank you. I appreciate all of your help and everything you have done for me. It is great having such a support at home, a slowwwwww support but slow and steady. I really do appreciate it and there are words to describe. There are missionaries on the mission that their families don’t even write them, let alone do things for them like you do for me. And I loveeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee my shoes!
The cake looks great, they have some patience for that. Good work. Sounds like you guys had a great thanksgiving. I actually did too. Mom, thanks for the trip stuff. I am sorry about the wedding thing. I would still like to be in Santiago for a little bit because I still want to be able to see her and visit her. Because if we don{t stop by for more than that I won{t be able to see her at all. Just let me know the dates. Alejandra was asking me the dates so she can arrange things and get off work to be able to be with me. I know you have a ton going on.
Mickey Mouse Club House Cake and Birthday Girl and Gang
So I will tell you about my thanksgiving. It was actually the best thanksgiving of mfe mission, of the two. Ten of us missionaries went over to the Allen’s, and she made a ham with honey and syrup, it was soooooooooo good, and home made stuffing, unlike papa’s. we had apple and pumpkin pie and a chocolate éclair dessert. It was sooooooooo good. We had so much fun. Half of us were gringos. We talked about what we all do for thanksgiving and as we talked we realized how much we have forgotten about home. Nobody remember about the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade, I didn’t until after a long time, I remember you always watch it. So it was a great day. We ate good gringo food, it was a great day. We ate it for lunch though and then we went to work as usual. Because they don’t celebrate it here.
So it seems as if granny is doing better. Did she say anything about the letter I sent her last week? I wrote her a long one.
I have had some interesting experiences this week. I have always wanted to have dreams like the people here have. They all have them, and I neverrrrrrr dream anything. So I asked the lord to give me dreams and reveal things to me. Well since then I haven’t been able to sleep. I haven’t slept all week, so my bright idea wasn’t so bright after all. I did have a very interesting dream about an inactive that I really don{t even know. It is amazing how strong feelings can be in even a dream. It is incredible. I felt things soooooooo strongly and intensely that I wanted to call her right then and tell her, I tried to tell her last night what happened and what I felt but she was sleeping and so next week we will be able to. But it is amazing how the lord reveals to us who really are his chosen ones.
We have a new bishop in the ward, he is great. Our other bishop is moving to argenitna. We are doing great with the members. The elders weren’t here because they had messed up and had problems with the members. So we have had to work on getting their trust again and they are a lot of fun now and helping us a lot more. We are really progressing, littleeeeeeeeeeeeee by little but progress is progress. It is fun to work with the members and get to know them.
We also had an experience where we got invited over and there were three ladies that were going to have their little bible study meeting thing. And we got there and they were in charge and it was sooooooooo weirddddddd not being in charge and directing the lesson. I am soooooooooooooooo use to being the one who does all that, starts the lessons, the prayers, the song, the scriptures, closing everything and they did it all. They wanted us all to take turns praying, which is fine but out of the normal lds tradition. But it was soooooooo interesting. When they were praying I felt something cold inside, an emptiness. Then when my comp started to pray it was amazing how my body was filled with a warmth and a comfort and it stayed as I prayed and then when the other lady started it left again and the coldness came back. We talked about it afterwards. And it is weird because they pray from their heart as well but we realized the difference is that we have the gift of the holy ghost and they don{t. it would be interesting to know if they felt the difference as strongly as we did or if we are just that much more sensitive to the spirit. My comp says that I am very very sensitive to the spirit and very in tune. Which makes me laugh because I beg to differ I struggle soooooooo much knowing if it is the spirit or what we should do. And she pointed out some examples and helped me see that she was right and that I do it with out even noticing or realizing that I am doing it that is how sensitive I am to it, I just follow it because I know it is right. Comps are great to help you learn and see what is going on.
We had an awesome lesson to the other day with an hermano that went to visit a family with us. It was great. We still aren’t having any baptisms but I am beginning to see that maybe not many people have been baptized with me but I have been able to see how the lord really really has used me to help other people in their times of need. And that it what it is about, opening the door to show them that we have the true church, the holy ghost, and can receive the revelation personal from god that we need to be able to get through this life. It is amazing.
So our mamita here is the sister of my mamita from Puerto varas and they are amazinggggggggggggg. They are the best two in the whole mission. We will have to come back and visit them both. She went to her sisters in Puerto varas they other day and talked all about me. They are awesome, even the elders, well I know the elder that is there, he has been there forever. I loved Puerto varas and everything about it.
Mom, thank you so much for sending the picture to the people in punta arenas, they loveeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee it. Thank you. I appreciate all of your help and everything you have done for me. It is great having such a support at home, a slowwwwww support but slow and steady. I really do appreciate it and there are words to describe. There are missionaries on the mission that their families don’t even write them, let alone do things for them like you do for me. And I loveeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee my shoes!
The cake looks great, they have some patience for that. Good work. Sounds like you guys had a great thanksgiving. I actually did too. Mom, thanks for the trip stuff. I am sorry about the wedding thing. I would still like to be in Santiago for a little bit because I still want to be able to see her and visit her. Because if we don{t stop by for more than that I won{t be able to see her at all. Just let me know the dates. Alejandra was asking me the dates so she can arrange things and get off work to be able to be with me. I know you have a ton going on.
Mickey Mouse Club House Cake and Birthday Girl and GangSo I will tell you about my thanksgiving. It was actually the best thanksgiving of mfe mission, of the two. Ten of us missionaries went over to the Allen’s, and she made a ham with honey and syrup, it was soooooooooo good, and home made stuffing, unlike papa’s. we had apple and pumpkin pie and a chocolate éclair dessert. It was sooooooooo good. We had so much fun. Half of us were gringos. We talked about what we all do for thanksgiving and as we talked we realized how much we have forgotten about home. Nobody remember about the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade, I didn’t until after a long time, I remember you always watch it. So it was a great day. We ate good gringo food, it was a great day. We ate it for lunch though and then we went to work as usual. Because they don’t celebrate it here.
So it seems as if granny is doing better. Did she say anything about the letter I sent her last week? I wrote her a long one.
I have had some interesting experiences this week. I have always wanted to have dreams like the people here have. They all have them, and I neverrrrrrr dream anything. So I asked the lord to give me dreams and reveal things to me. Well since then I haven’t been able to sleep. I haven’t slept all week, so my bright idea wasn’t so bright after all. I did have a very interesting dream about an inactive that I really don{t even know. It is amazing how strong feelings can be in even a dream. It is incredible. I felt things soooooooo strongly and intensely that I wanted to call her right then and tell her, I tried to tell her last night what happened and what I felt but she was sleeping and so next week we will be able to. But it is amazing how the lord reveals to us who really are his chosen ones.
We have a new bishop in the ward, he is great. Our other bishop is moving to argenitna. We are doing great with the members. The elders weren’t here because they had messed up and had problems with the members. So we have had to work on getting their trust again and they are a lot of fun now and helping us a lot more. We are really progressing, littleeeeeeeeeeeeee by little but progress is progress. It is fun to work with the members and get to know them.
We also had an experience where we got invited over and there were three ladies that were going to have their little bible study meeting thing. And we got there and they were in charge and it was sooooooooo weirddddddd not being in charge and directing the lesson. I am soooooooooooooooo use to being the one who does all that, starts the lessons, the prayers, the song, the scriptures, closing everything and they did it all. They wanted us all to take turns praying, which is fine but out of the normal lds tradition. But it was soooooooo interesting. When they were praying I felt something cold inside, an emptiness. Then when my comp started to pray it was amazing how my body was filled with a warmth and a comfort and it stayed as I prayed and then when the other lady started it left again and the coldness came back. We talked about it afterwards. And it is weird because they pray from their heart as well but we realized the difference is that we have the gift of the holy ghost and they don{t. it would be interesting to know if they felt the difference as strongly as we did or if we are just that much more sensitive to the spirit. My comp says that I am very very sensitive to the spirit and very in tune. Which makes me laugh because I beg to differ I struggle soooooooo much knowing if it is the spirit or what we should do. And she pointed out some examples and helped me see that she was right and that I do it with out even noticing or realizing that I am doing it that is how sensitive I am to it, I just follow it because I know it is right. Comps are great to help you learn and see what is going on.
We had an awesome lesson to the other day with an hermano that went to visit a family with us. It was great. We still aren’t having any baptisms but I am beginning to see that maybe not many people have been baptized with me but I have been able to see how the lord really really has used me to help other people in their times of need. And that it what it is about, opening the door to show them that we have the true church, the holy ghost, and can receive the revelation personal from god that we need to be able to get through this life. It is amazing.
So our mamita here is the sister of my mamita from Puerto varas and they are amazinggggggggggggg. They are the best two in the whole mission. We will have to come back and visit them both. She went to her sisters in Puerto varas they other day and talked all about me. They are awesome, even the elders, well I know the elder that is there, he has been there forever. I loved Puerto varas and everything about it.
Saturday, November 17, 2007
Off to see some Country
11/17/2007
We are going on a trip today with the Allen’s. we are going to a place called las aguas calientes. It should be fun. I will write in the afternoon when we get back. I broke my camera. I think it still works but the pictures part doesn’t work, I don’t remember what it is called in English, it shows the break, I am sure you can get it fixed, I will probably just wait to get home to fix it.
Mom, what are the plans for Chile. hna agurto emailed me and said that the temple is going to be closed when they have it planned to get married so they are getting married the 25th or something like that. she asked if we could change our plans but i am sure that costs an arm and a leg. it sucks because that is why we are doing it all. but i don’t know. if not, oh well. we can only do what we can do. thanks for everything. i will write later. tell dad to write, he is getting lazy writing me these days.
Well, okay, this week was interesting. I will fill you all in a bit on the week.
Well, about granny that was a shocker. It was hard for me to take, not going to lie. It hit me hard. But I am doing better now. There is nothing I can do but pray for her. That is life. I feel really bad for her and only pray that she will last at least two more months. I will probably be home January 18th, so two more months and we are good to go and the time flies by. So keep her strong.
Today we went with hna and elder Allen to a place call pehyue and it was gorgeous, it was fun to. I will send pictures but I don’t have any and I don’t know why my camera isn’t´ working I am going to pray a lot and play with it a bit and then see what to do. Then, if not, go to a place next week and see what they can do for me.
Dad, I was thinking about it the other day. Thank you for going on a mission, for setting that example.
I saw hna iribarra the other day at the conference. She was my first newbie. It was fun to see her and chat with her for a bit. It is so difficult being with the newbies. It is really hard, I would just rather be with a normal companion. But I haven’t had a whole lot of normal transfers on the mission.
Happy thanksgiving to all.
Happy birthday Paige.
I am not going to write much this week so I can write granny.
I am doing fine, we are doing fine. In a couple months I can tell you about a miracle that happened yesterday. Pretty much we saved a man’s live, he told us everything and was ready to rent a hotel room and drink and take pills until he killed himself. We are going by today so to see how he is doing today. I had noooooooooo clue what to say or do but just knew I had to talk to him. I am so glad the spirit prompted me so strongly and that I followed it and didn’t worry about what to say because in the end the spirit told me and things turned out well. We have to get him to stop drinking and face life. It was veeryyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy interesting experience….only on the mission. I love the gift of the holy ghost. Maybe I haven’t had a whole baptisms on the mission but time after time I have seen how the lord has used us to help someone right at the right moment. How amazing is that. Only the true church of Jesus Christ can do that because it is the only one that can receive revelation. What a blessing we have.
Thanks for everything you do. Appreciate it.
With hna agurto´s wedding. I don’t´ know if we can be in Santiago the 25th for her wedding at 6pm or not. it is kind of irritating that just now she is telling them and that is why we are coming back in the first place. But patience, it is for a reason, everything happens for a reason.
I got the shoes, thanks soooooooooo much. They look soooooooooooooooooo different. I will take a picture and then throw the others away, they are embarrassing.
We are going on a trip today with the Allen’s. we are going to a place called las aguas calientes. It should be fun. I will write in the afternoon when we get back. I broke my camera. I think it still works but the pictures part doesn’t work, I don’t remember what it is called in English, it shows the break, I am sure you can get it fixed, I will probably just wait to get home to fix it.
Mom, what are the plans for Chile. hna agurto emailed me and said that the temple is going to be closed when they have it planned to get married so they are getting married the 25th or something like that. she asked if we could change our plans but i am sure that costs an arm and a leg. it sucks because that is why we are doing it all. but i don’t know. if not, oh well. we can only do what we can do. thanks for everything. i will write later. tell dad to write, he is getting lazy writing me these days.
Well, okay, this week was interesting. I will fill you all in a bit on the week.
Well, about granny that was a shocker. It was hard for me to take, not going to lie. It hit me hard. But I am doing better now. There is nothing I can do but pray for her. That is life. I feel really bad for her and only pray that she will last at least two more months. I will probably be home January 18th, so two more months and we are good to go and the time flies by. So keep her strong.
Today we went with hna and elder Allen to a place call pehyue and it was gorgeous, it was fun to. I will send pictures but I don’t have any and I don’t know why my camera isn’t´ working I am going to pray a lot and play with it a bit and then see what to do. Then, if not, go to a place next week and see what they can do for me.
Dad, I was thinking about it the other day. Thank you for going on a mission, for setting that example.
I saw hna iribarra the other day at the conference. She was my first newbie. It was fun to see her and chat with her for a bit. It is so difficult being with the newbies. It is really hard, I would just rather be with a normal companion. But I haven’t had a whole lot of normal transfers on the mission.
Happy thanksgiving to all.
Happy birthday Paige.
I am not going to write much this week so I can write granny.
I am doing fine, we are doing fine. In a couple months I can tell you about a miracle that happened yesterday. Pretty much we saved a man’s live, he told us everything and was ready to rent a hotel room and drink and take pills until he killed himself. We are going by today so to see how he is doing today. I had noooooooooo clue what to say or do but just knew I had to talk to him. I am so glad the spirit prompted me so strongly and that I followed it and didn’t worry about what to say because in the end the spirit told me and things turned out well. We have to get him to stop drinking and face life. It was veeryyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy interesting experience….only on the mission. I love the gift of the holy ghost. Maybe I haven’t had a whole baptisms on the mission but time after time I have seen how the lord has used us to help someone right at the right moment. How amazing is that. Only the true church of Jesus Christ can do that because it is the only one that can receive revelation. What a blessing we have.
Thanks for everything you do. Appreciate it.
With hna agurto´s wedding. I don’t´ know if we can be in Santiago the 25th for her wedding at 6pm or not. it is kind of irritating that just now she is telling them and that is why we are coming back in the first place. But patience, it is for a reason, everything happens for a reason.
I got the shoes, thanks soooooooooo much. They look soooooooooooooooooo different. I will take a picture and then throw the others away, they are embarrassing.
Saturday, November 10, 2007
Me Social? I think So!
11/10/2007
It is so funny. I always said before the mission that I was going to go on the mission to learn to be social on the mission and it is amazing how it has worked, we talk with anyoneeeeeeeee in the street, it is amazing. I just walk up to people and start up a conversation with anyone. It is amazing how the people really get interested when we show them that we are interested too. I have learned to be social, so don’t worry. It is been really fun getting to know people and seeing how strong people can be and all they have to go through. Well, there are a lot of bad examples to that you learn what not to do.
This week has been good and it has been interesting too. My comp is still missing home a ton. She cries every other day. That is really hard for me and her too because I just don’t know what to do and she thinks I am really hard and mean I am sure because I tell her she has to get over it and forget about her family and her house and get lost in the work and the people here, easier said than done right. So that is the life. But little by little. She Is just fine other than that. She doesn’t need a trainer she knows all she needs to do, she just has to get in and do it.
I don’t really have that much to share this week. I translated last week and it really went well. It was fun talking to them. In the adult session of stake conference the hna, the counselor’s wife gave a talk and I had to translate it as it went. It was very interesting because right there on the spot she would say one sentence, I had to memorize it and say the exact thing in Spanish, after translating it from English to Spanish of course. I know the lord helped me a lot. It was a really good experience. The people congratulated me afterwards for how well I did. They said that lots of gringos never really to speak Spanish well and it is true. I have been very blessed with Spanish and I know. I know I speak with an accent but it was nice how they all complimented me. I really feel like the lord has just given me the biggest blessing ever being able to understand and speak Spanish.
Well, that is too bad with granny. I know the lord completes with his promises. I feel that if she doesn’t´ give the coffee up the lord won’t be able to help her with her problems, and I know that it is said to say but I feel like if she doesn’t´ give it up she might not be there when I get home. it is interesting because I was thinking about it this last week and I really was hoping that granny would be around when I get home and I thought, oh she is fine, two more months and that is it. but now, two months is a long time if she is really going through all that. It stinks but her eternal salvation depends on the cup of coffee because more than anything it is the principle of obedience. I know she can do it.
In all life is going good. i got my hair cut today. It is still cold. The work is getting a little bit better, we are with some good people, it is just hard for them to make commitments and get the to church and really say they are going to do when they have said they are going to do. but that is how life is. it is hard for people to really trust in the lord. so, if you all want, don’t send me anything for Christmas, just wait to give it to me when I get home. nana and papa didn’t write this week, what’s up. Well, I got to go. keep us in your prayers. as the time draws close, and having a comp that is trunky things get harder and harder. But more than ever I am committed to be obedient and do what I am supposed to do. it is amazing how your view changes on the mission. I saw hna johnson, the general authorities, and her it was amazing I really saw a successful women, a women with power. a mother of 9, strong testimony and has the power of god which is the strongest power of all. the women in business really aren’t successful. their happiness is momentary. but people like hna johnson, really are successful and powerful, their happiness is forever and will only grow and grow. people think i am over the top sometimes with the rules but if i don’t do what the lord wants i feel bad and know i am letting him down. i want to do everything i can to show him i really love him and appreciate when he has done for me and for the atonement.
send my regards to Tara for her baby shower. thanks for everything you guys do and your sacrifices for me. it means a lot, until next week. take care, pray, read your scriptures! don’t get lost in the world, in the things that really aren’t that important.
mom, if something happens to granny in this next little while you can call the mission directly. elder hart right now is the secretary and you can call him, the cell number is 91624916 or you can call before hna faulkner. but don’t hesitate and they can communicate to me directly. prayers.
dad, send whatever you want and i will translate if i can.
It is so funny. I always said before the mission that I was going to go on the mission to learn to be social on the mission and it is amazing how it has worked, we talk with anyoneeeeeeeee in the street, it is amazing. I just walk up to people and start up a conversation with anyone. It is amazing how the people really get interested when we show them that we are interested too. I have learned to be social, so don’t worry. It is been really fun getting to know people and seeing how strong people can be and all they have to go through. Well, there are a lot of bad examples to that you learn what not to do.
This week has been good and it has been interesting too. My comp is still missing home a ton. She cries every other day. That is really hard for me and her too because I just don’t know what to do and she thinks I am really hard and mean I am sure because I tell her she has to get over it and forget about her family and her house and get lost in the work and the people here, easier said than done right. So that is the life. But little by little. She Is just fine other than that. She doesn’t need a trainer she knows all she needs to do, she just has to get in and do it.
I don’t really have that much to share this week. I translated last week and it really went well. It was fun talking to them. In the adult session of stake conference the hna, the counselor’s wife gave a talk and I had to translate it as it went. It was very interesting because right there on the spot she would say one sentence, I had to memorize it and say the exact thing in Spanish, after translating it from English to Spanish of course. I know the lord helped me a lot. It was a really good experience. The people congratulated me afterwards for how well I did. They said that lots of gringos never really to speak Spanish well and it is true. I have been very blessed with Spanish and I know. I know I speak with an accent but it was nice how they all complimented me. I really feel like the lord has just given me the biggest blessing ever being able to understand and speak Spanish.
Well, that is too bad with granny. I know the lord completes with his promises. I feel that if she doesn’t´ give the coffee up the lord won’t be able to help her with her problems, and I know that it is said to say but I feel like if she doesn’t´ give it up she might not be there when I get home. it is interesting because I was thinking about it this last week and I really was hoping that granny would be around when I get home and I thought, oh she is fine, two more months and that is it. but now, two months is a long time if she is really going through all that. It stinks but her eternal salvation depends on the cup of coffee because more than anything it is the principle of obedience. I know she can do it.
In all life is going good. i got my hair cut today. It is still cold. The work is getting a little bit better, we are with some good people, it is just hard for them to make commitments and get the to church and really say they are going to do when they have said they are going to do. but that is how life is. it is hard for people to really trust in the lord. so, if you all want, don’t send me anything for Christmas, just wait to give it to me when I get home. nana and papa didn’t write this week, what’s up. Well, I got to go. keep us in your prayers. as the time draws close, and having a comp that is trunky things get harder and harder. But more than ever I am committed to be obedient and do what I am supposed to do. it is amazing how your view changes on the mission. I saw hna johnson, the general authorities, and her it was amazing I really saw a successful women, a women with power. a mother of 9, strong testimony and has the power of god which is the strongest power of all. the women in business really aren’t successful. their happiness is momentary. but people like hna johnson, really are successful and powerful, their happiness is forever and will only grow and grow. people think i am over the top sometimes with the rules but if i don’t do what the lord wants i feel bad and know i am letting him down. i want to do everything i can to show him i really love him and appreciate when he has done for me and for the atonement.
send my regards to Tara for her baby shower. thanks for everything you guys do and your sacrifices for me. it means a lot, until next week. take care, pray, read your scriptures! don’t get lost in the world, in the things that really aren’t that important.
mom, if something happens to granny in this next little while you can call the mission directly. elder hart right now is the secretary and you can call him, the cell number is 91624916 or you can call before hna faulkner. but don’t hesitate and they can communicate to me directly. prayers.
dad, send whatever you want and i will translate if i can.
Sunday, November 04, 2007
Not Missing Home! NOT!
11/4/2007
Well, hello to all! I hope that everyone has had a great week. I have had a good week so far. I have been dyinggggggggggggg to know what has happened with alejandra. She had her disciplinary council and now they just have to send it all the the first presidency and wiat for their response!! That is sooooooooooooooo awesome! I am wayyyyyy pumped for that! I can’t wait.
Yeah, here for Halloween, they have only been celebrating for a few years like we do. They have the day of the dead people. Nov first they all go o the cemetery and put down flowers and all for their dead family or loved ones. So it is not real huge trick or treating but it is going and they say they just copy us all the time. Such is life.
Mom, look into it they have something in frutillar called the semanas musciales, the musical weeks, where they have shows and stuff the whole time, from Jan 27th to Feb. 5th, if we want something else to do. We should go check out the glaciers. Or there is a place al little ways from pto varas, on the other side of the lake llanquihue that is called pellehuey, something like that. I have heard it is gorgeous and you can only get there by boat. Alejandra would know about it. Just ideas.
Yeah, so this weekend we have stake conference and the general authorities that are coming is one of the counselors in the area presidency here in Chile. So he is coming with his wife and they have been here just a few months I think, I am not sure, they just recently changed the presidency. They are from the states. And the stake president asked me if I could go today and tomorrow to translate for the hermana johnson. That is just fine but then I thought, wait, that means she will probably give her talk in English and on the spot I will have to translate so the congregation can understand her. Today is okay for the rs but tomorrow for the general meeting. Well, prayers will be great so I don’t get nervous and choke up in front of sooooooo many people and that I can have the words I need to translate. It is an honor too really.
So we got a reference yesterday from the elders, for an older couple, viejitos and said they were great and always home. Well the elders gave us the pres´s address and I kind of knew but didn’t click. So we went and it was hilarious because it was pouring raining and we went all the way over, to knock on the pres´s door and right now his entire family is here in Chile because their daughter is getting married in the Santiago temple so they had all their grandkids and kids and in laws there, they looked sooooooooooo happy. It was so funny.
My companion is having a reallllllllllllly hard time missing her family. She is very very very very very homesick. I don’t know how to help her because I have never been homesick, sorry I have never really missed you guys that much. All she thinks about is home and three or four times a day thinks how she wants to go home. She is great though but she cries soooooooooooooo much. I am not used to the criers either. She has never been away from home, never had cleaned a bathroom before, never done anythinggggggg before, her mom always did everything. Ay ay aya. She is amazed at how self sufficient and independent I am. It is better that way. So that is the struggle we are having. But other than that things are going great. It has rained a lottttt. It is never nice here in this country, at least in the south.
Are you guys making me another video? Or at least a slide show with pictures?
(This last sentence cracks me up. She's doesn't miss home at all.)
Well, hello to all! I hope that everyone has had a great week. I have had a good week so far. I have been dyinggggggggggggg to know what has happened with alejandra. She had her disciplinary council and now they just have to send it all the the first presidency and wiat for their response!! That is sooooooooooooooo awesome! I am wayyyyyy pumped for that! I can’t wait.
Yeah, here for Halloween, they have only been celebrating for a few years like we do. They have the day of the dead people. Nov first they all go o the cemetery and put down flowers and all for their dead family or loved ones. So it is not real huge trick or treating but it is going and they say they just copy us all the time. Such is life.
Mom, look into it they have something in frutillar called the semanas musciales, the musical weeks, where they have shows and stuff the whole time, from Jan 27th to Feb. 5th, if we want something else to do. We should go check out the glaciers. Or there is a place al little ways from pto varas, on the other side of the lake llanquihue that is called pellehuey, something like that. I have heard it is gorgeous and you can only get there by boat. Alejandra would know about it. Just ideas.
Yeah, so this weekend we have stake conference and the general authorities that are coming is one of the counselors in the area presidency here in Chile. So he is coming with his wife and they have been here just a few months I think, I am not sure, they just recently changed the presidency. They are from the states. And the stake president asked me if I could go today and tomorrow to translate for the hermana johnson. That is just fine but then I thought, wait, that means she will probably give her talk in English and on the spot I will have to translate so the congregation can understand her. Today is okay for the rs but tomorrow for the general meeting. Well, prayers will be great so I don’t get nervous and choke up in front of sooooooo many people and that I can have the words I need to translate. It is an honor too really.
So we got a reference yesterday from the elders, for an older couple, viejitos and said they were great and always home. Well the elders gave us the pres´s address and I kind of knew but didn’t click. So we went and it was hilarious because it was pouring raining and we went all the way over, to knock on the pres´s door and right now his entire family is here in Chile because their daughter is getting married in the Santiago temple so they had all their grandkids and kids and in laws there, they looked sooooooooooo happy. It was so funny.
My companion is having a reallllllllllllly hard time missing her family. She is very very very very very homesick. I don’t know how to help her because I have never been homesick, sorry I have never really missed you guys that much. All she thinks about is home and three or four times a day thinks how she wants to go home. She is great though but she cries soooooooooooooo much. I am not used to the criers either. She has never been away from home, never had cleaned a bathroom before, never done anythinggggggg before, her mom always did everything. Ay ay aya. She is amazed at how self sufficient and independent I am. It is better that way. So that is the struggle we are having. But other than that things are going great. It has rained a lottttt. It is never nice here in this country, at least in the south.
Are you guys making me another video? Or at least a slide show with pictures?
(This last sentence cracks me up. She's doesn't miss home at all.)
Saturday, October 27, 2007
Now I translate!
10/27/2007Mom, someone was talking the other day and they were making me think. We should get hooked up so we can go and see the glaciers that would be way cool. We should try to do that. Or do whatever it is that we can do.
So it was funny, a couple of weeks ago we were in the church and next week is stake conference and the general authority is coming, he is a part of the area presidency in Chile and the stake pres asked if I could translate for his wife. I thought that was funny. I was like, um me, but, okay, it is just really weird that I really can speak another language. I forget that other people can’t understand them here. It is weird because I understand. I just think that everybody should.
So, it is interesting being with a newbie. There are there pros and cons. She is funny because she does everything I do. She just says that she will obey me! JJJ don’t worry, I don’t take advantage of that, I am not like that. But the bummer part is they think sooooooo much about their family. Los Latinos never have been away from home before in their life and so this is the very first time and they miss home like crazy. And I don’t understand that, because I have never missed home. I have never been home sick. But things are great.
Mom, will you send me Christmas music. Last Christmas I didn’t have anything to listen to and I would like to this Christmas, that would be great, thanks.
Erica, don’t worry about you guys coming, there are no problems with that. I would love to see you guys. You don’t have to ask me permission, but granted if I want to go and do something, I can, like go running and exercise, I will need to be doing a lot of that when I get home.
thanks for making fun of me lael that I don’t know what a wii is. nobody has explained it to me still!!
So, because I had just barely written I don’t have a whole lot of news this week. I have decided that because our sector here is so incredibly difficult we need to do something different. So I copied what Melanie says that she does all the time. We have stopped people in the streets, as always, como siempre y hemos cantado, cantamos tengo gozo en mi alma hoy, imaginese, yo! It is so funny. Pero a la gente le gusta mucho y hemos sacado muchas direcciones, asi que funciona, solo tiene que tener el valor de hacerlo. Ya, so we have been stopping the peopel in the street and we have been singing to them there is sunshine in my soul today, meeee, ya me, but it has been really good and they want us to go to their house afterwards. It has really worked because when you sing hymns you really can feel the spirit. It was great.
yeah, it is funny with my comp, teaching her about the culture too, the food, stores, Spanish, their slang, their words, their everything. it makes me laugh because I think, what do I know, I feel like I am still new and people are teaching me. it is sooooooooooooooooo crazy, I can’t believe that this is my second to last cambio on the mission, boy does time fly by.
thanks for everything. appreciate all you guys do for me. I took out money to buy shoes. see you guys later!! nos vemos!!
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
A Fresh Start for My Mission
10/24/2007
hello to all. Can I tell you how exhausted i am today!!!!!!!!!! ay ay ay!!
bueno, les cuento entonces. pero voy a contar en español para que no entientan!! soy mala. bueno, todavia estoy aqui en osorno. mi compañera se fue, it was a relieve. no podia hacerlo mas, fue una prueba tannnnnnnnnn grande. estoy entrenando otra vez. crazy! no puedo creerlo. mi comp es de el salvador, how cool is that.
Yah so I was just saying that my compaino left today and I am in osorno. But my comp needs to write her family even though it isn’t p-day, so I will be writing on Saturday too, lucky bums. It is an exception today because my companion is new and just got her, I am training again. She is a newbie and is from El Salvador. How cool is that. She is awesome. You can just feel it when you meet your comp how it is going to be and it will be awesome with her, we are going to have a great time. I am going to be able to teach her a lot of Chilean things. She says I already have the Chilean accent, and I said of course, I was born in punta arenas and am Chilean already. I love saying that to the people because nobody believes me. I am pumped to be with her, I think I got the best one of the bunch. we had two sisters stay the night at our house last night because one was training and was coming from way far away. It was a lot of fun, something different, a little sleep over. But I am exhausteddddddddddd today. It was sooo hot here yesterday, like 20 degrees but not in what we use, Celsius. It was warm, I don’t´ know the conversion, or maybe 22. Today it is way cold, windy and rainy, I left yesterday for the first time in foreverrrrrrrrrrr without long johns, I think like 5 times on my mission I haven’t worn long johns and my jackets, pocas veces. So I am a happy camper, we are going to have a great time. It was great to see the other hermansa, one that I am going to end with, she is awesome and so much fun. So I had a bunch I was going to tell you guys but now I don’t remember I wrote it all down but now I don’t have it all with me.
hello to all. Can I tell you how exhausted i am today!!!!!!!!!! ay ay ay!!
bueno, les cuento entonces. pero voy a contar en español para que no entientan!! soy mala. bueno, todavia estoy aqui en osorno. mi compañera se fue, it was a relieve. no podia hacerlo mas, fue una prueba tannnnnnnnnn grande. estoy entrenando otra vez. crazy! no puedo creerlo. mi comp es de el salvador, how cool is that.
Yah so I was just saying that my compaino left today and I am in osorno. But my comp needs to write her family even though it isn’t p-day, so I will be writing on Saturday too, lucky bums. It is an exception today because my companion is new and just got her, I am training again. She is a newbie and is from El Salvador. How cool is that. She is awesome. You can just feel it when you meet your comp how it is going to be and it will be awesome with her, we are going to have a great time. I am going to be able to teach her a lot of Chilean things. She says I already have the Chilean accent, and I said of course, I was born in punta arenas and am Chilean already. I love saying that to the people because nobody believes me. I am pumped to be with her, I think I got the best one of the bunch. we had two sisters stay the night at our house last night because one was training and was coming from way far away. It was a lot of fun, something different, a little sleep over. But I am exhausteddddddddddd today. It was sooo hot here yesterday, like 20 degrees but not in what we use, Celsius. It was warm, I don’t´ know the conversion, or maybe 22. Today it is way cold, windy and rainy, I left yesterday for the first time in foreverrrrrrrrrrr without long johns, I think like 5 times on my mission I haven’t worn long johns and my jackets, pocas veces. So I am a happy camper, we are going to have a great time. It was great to see the other hermansa, one that I am going to end with, she is awesome and so much fun. So I had a bunch I was going to tell you guys but now I don’t remember I wrote it all down but now I don’t have it all with me.
Saturday, October 20, 2007
Tough Week
10/20/2007
Well, where do I begin. First of all. Thank you nana and papa for the prayers and putting my name on the temple roll, that was nice of you.
Well, with my week. I don't know what is going on with me. We all know that I have never been a stressed person, I think before the mission I had never been stressed before. I always critized mom and couldn’t understand how she could be stressed. I have been stressed for a long time now, in this cambio. I feel the stress everyday, I feel the tension in my body in my mind, everything. I have had a constant headache for two weeks now. I am having one of the biggest trials of my life inside of me. Trying to give things to the lord and let him take care of me.
I did have a special experience this week in my personal studies. I had gotten all worked up about something; my companion has changed in a couple of things but keeps going the same in most things. So she did something and I got a little hot, and we know I really never get mad either. So that is also something foreign to me that I am learning how difficult it really is to deal with these feelings and emotions. Anyway. So I have prayed, fasted, and studied and then some. Saturday night last week I didn’t sleep at all, our neighbors had a party and I heard things nobody ever wants to hear. I didn’t sleep. Then the time changed and nobody told us that it was changing. So we got to church at 10 but it really was 11 and we got there for the end of the sacrament meeting, and I was sooooooooooo looking forward to sacrament meeting. Well, the story goes on and on. So Tuesday morning I was fried. I needed comfort, peacefulness in my heart, a comfort, something, I needed the spirit again, I was longing for it. So I was studying and prayed and studying and praying. As I was doing that I heard a small voice tell me, I will take care of you and all the bad feelings in my heart went away. I was left with that peacefulness that I was looking for. I was able to go to the district meeting with the spirit and feel it strongly and participate in the meeting this week. I was soo comforted. I have also learned that Satan is strong and those feelings don’t last forever unless you work at it. I have just been so down in the dumps. I am sick of working by myself. I have written down everything I am thankful for and tried everything to be happy. The elders keep telling me what I need to do to make things better. For the first time in my life I feel like I have reached my limit. I am being stretched sooooooo much this time. I feel like the little things they are asking me to do are things that are not within my limits anymore. The AP called me last night to ask how we were and how things are doing and I asked him if he was calling and asking and giving me advice because we need to work things out because we will be staying together, they are in the process of doing the cambios right now. And he laughed but can’t say yes or no. but still. I cried myself to sleep last night because I don’t know what else I have in me. I am so tired. I know that Satan is working on my soooooooooooo strongly. I was meditating again yesterday a lotttttttttttttttt and I just put my head down on the table and just prayed and poured it all out to the lord. It was amazing. I felt such warmth around me and pictured the lord with his arms around me. I know he knows what I am going through; I know he is there for me. I don’t want to carry my own burden and then I give it to him and then something happens. It is a constantttttttttttttttttttttttttttt battle. I know I am going to come about a better person in the end.
Today, I was studying and I had no clue what to study. I just sat and opened my triple wherever it would open and read whatever popped out, the lord real was communicating to me through those scriptures. I really found comfort in what he was trying to tell me. Something’s seem impossible for me to do, but I know with him they aren’t impossible. The part really stuck out just ENDURE TO THE END, to the end of everything. That means, I have no clue if I will be with my companion for a few more days or six more weeks. I don’t know. But if it is only for a few more days then I am going to make them the best few days ever. I would hate to look back for the rest of my life and leave things on a bad note and remember that I had just given up in the end, that I got worn out and just pooped out. No, I want to remember that I went fighting to the end and that Satan didn’t win us over to ruin the work of the lord. That is the last thing I want. I just pray that my headache goes away, that I can find more peace in my heart and joy. And that I can get rid of this stress that I have and feel.
So, in a nutshell that is me for this week.
So Wednesday are the cambios. If I stay here in osorno I will not write on Wednesday because it is not our p-day. If I get transferred and go somewhere else I will write on Wednesday. But if I stay, even if my companion goes or stays I will not be able to write. You will all just have to wait.
Thank you for all that you guys do for me, your love, prayers, letters, thoughts, everything. I really appreciate it. I am so blessed to have the family that I have and to have the friends that I have. I am so lucky. I don’t know what I have done in my life to receive so many blessings and to have so much. I know that god really is our heavenly father and I know that he really does love us more than we can imagine. I know that god lives and so does Jesus Christ. I love my heavenly father and am soooo grateful to him. I love Jesus Christ and the happiness and hope that he gives us in this life. I am so grateful for the scriptures and how god can communicate with us through them. I am so grateful to be on the mission and to learn soooooo much and see sooooo clearly what I have to change and how I can be a better person. I love this work. I love really and truly what I am doing. And I love getting to know the people here in Chile and doing all I can do to help them to be happy. I love the power of prayer and that through the Holy Ghost we really can receive answers and have personal revelation. It is real, I know with all my heart it is.
Mom, dad, thanks for teaching me all of these things so that I could be so blessed to share them with other people.
Take care all.
Love, hna Jamie Pratt
Well, where do I begin. First of all. Thank you nana and papa for the prayers and putting my name on the temple roll, that was nice of you.
Well, with my week. I don't know what is going on with me. We all know that I have never been a stressed person, I think before the mission I had never been stressed before. I always critized mom and couldn’t understand how she could be stressed. I have been stressed for a long time now, in this cambio. I feel the stress everyday, I feel the tension in my body in my mind, everything. I have had a constant headache for two weeks now. I am having one of the biggest trials of my life inside of me. Trying to give things to the lord and let him take care of me.
I did have a special experience this week in my personal studies. I had gotten all worked up about something; my companion has changed in a couple of things but keeps going the same in most things. So she did something and I got a little hot, and we know I really never get mad either. So that is also something foreign to me that I am learning how difficult it really is to deal with these feelings and emotions. Anyway. So I have prayed, fasted, and studied and then some. Saturday night last week I didn’t sleep at all, our neighbors had a party and I heard things nobody ever wants to hear. I didn’t sleep. Then the time changed and nobody told us that it was changing. So we got to church at 10 but it really was 11 and we got there for the end of the sacrament meeting, and I was sooooooooooo looking forward to sacrament meeting. Well, the story goes on and on. So Tuesday morning I was fried. I needed comfort, peacefulness in my heart, a comfort, something, I needed the spirit again, I was longing for it. So I was studying and prayed and studying and praying. As I was doing that I heard a small voice tell me, I will take care of you and all the bad feelings in my heart went away. I was left with that peacefulness that I was looking for. I was able to go to the district meeting with the spirit and feel it strongly and participate in the meeting this week. I was soo comforted. I have also learned that Satan is strong and those feelings don’t last forever unless you work at it. I have just been so down in the dumps. I am sick of working by myself. I have written down everything I am thankful for and tried everything to be happy. The elders keep telling me what I need to do to make things better. For the first time in my life I feel like I have reached my limit. I am being stretched sooooooo much this time. I feel like the little things they are asking me to do are things that are not within my limits anymore. The AP called me last night to ask how we were and how things are doing and I asked him if he was calling and asking and giving me advice because we need to work things out because we will be staying together, they are in the process of doing the cambios right now. And he laughed but can’t say yes or no. but still. I cried myself to sleep last night because I don’t know what else I have in me. I am so tired. I know that Satan is working on my soooooooooooo strongly. I was meditating again yesterday a lotttttttttttttttt and I just put my head down on the table and just prayed and poured it all out to the lord. It was amazing. I felt such warmth around me and pictured the lord with his arms around me. I know he knows what I am going through; I know he is there for me. I don’t want to carry my own burden and then I give it to him and then something happens. It is a constantttttttttttttttttttttttttttt battle. I know I am going to come about a better person in the end.
Today, I was studying and I had no clue what to study. I just sat and opened my triple wherever it would open and read whatever popped out, the lord real was communicating to me through those scriptures. I really found comfort in what he was trying to tell me. Something’s seem impossible for me to do, but I know with him they aren’t impossible. The part really stuck out just ENDURE TO THE END, to the end of everything. That means, I have no clue if I will be with my companion for a few more days or six more weeks. I don’t know. But if it is only for a few more days then I am going to make them the best few days ever. I would hate to look back for the rest of my life and leave things on a bad note and remember that I had just given up in the end, that I got worn out and just pooped out. No, I want to remember that I went fighting to the end and that Satan didn’t win us over to ruin the work of the lord. That is the last thing I want. I just pray that my headache goes away, that I can find more peace in my heart and joy. And that I can get rid of this stress that I have and feel.
So, in a nutshell that is me for this week.
So Wednesday are the cambios. If I stay here in osorno I will not write on Wednesday because it is not our p-day. If I get transferred and go somewhere else I will write on Wednesday. But if I stay, even if my companion goes or stays I will not be able to write. You will all just have to wait.
Thank you for all that you guys do for me, your love, prayers, letters, thoughts, everything. I really appreciate it. I am so blessed to have the family that I have and to have the friends that I have. I am so lucky. I don’t know what I have done in my life to receive so many blessings and to have so much. I know that god really is our heavenly father and I know that he really does love us more than we can imagine. I know that god lives and so does Jesus Christ. I love my heavenly father and am soooo grateful to him. I love Jesus Christ and the happiness and hope that he gives us in this life. I am so grateful for the scriptures and how god can communicate with us through them. I am so grateful to be on the mission and to learn soooooo much and see sooooo clearly what I have to change and how I can be a better person. I love this work. I love really and truly what I am doing. And I love getting to know the people here in Chile and doing all I can do to help them to be happy. I love the power of prayer and that through the Holy Ghost we really can receive answers and have personal revelation. It is real, I know with all my heart it is.
Mom, dad, thanks for teaching me all of these things so that I could be so blessed to share them with other people.
Take care all.
Love, hna Jamie Pratt
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Osorno
I always have done a little write up on the city where Jamie is living at the time. I am a little behind with the info on Osorno. What's new huh? So here goes!
Osorno Volcano
Cathedral desde Plaza de Armas
Osorno, city in south central Chile, capital of Osorno Province, at the confluence of the Rahue and Damas rivers, in the heart of the lake district. A road hub on the main railroad line, it is a tourist center and gateway to the numerous lake and mountain resorts to the east and southeast and to the Argentine national parks across the Andes Mountains. Called the Pearl of the South, Osorno is a trading center of agricultural valleys in which wheat, oats, livestock, and timber are raised. Industries in the city include meat processing, flour milling, sawmilling, brewing, and the manufacture of agricultural equipment and dairy products. Osorno was first founded in 1553, on the site of the Native American village of Chauracahuin, by Spanish conquistadores under Pedro de Valdivia; it was originally called Santa Marina de Gaete. After the original settlement was abandoned, the site was resettled in 1558 and named San Mateo de Osorno. Destroyed by the Araucanian tribe in 1602, it was reestablished (1776-1796) on the orders of Ambrosio O'Higgins, Irish soldier of fortune and father of Bernardo O'Higgins. In the late 19th century an influx of German settlers spurred growth, and in 1895 the railroad reached the city. Population (1998) 141,468
Saturday, October 13, 2007
More Trials then Miracles Happen!
10/13/2007
Yeah, dad thanks for your advice but we are the only sisters around here. The closest ones are about an hour away. So that makes things difficult to do divisions or splits. But such is life.
So what is this thing that dad has this, wii, I have nooooooooooooooooooo clue what on earth it is. I am out of the loop, I have no clue. Sorry, I am a missionary bien enfocada en la obra del señor. Anway. Erica, I go the blog this week and the picture of Allison, it was really cute. Thanks for the blog, Ii was really cute, I read through it and looked at all the pictures, there are some good ones on there.
So, I thought that I was going to die this week. It was one of the hardest things ever. I am soooooooooooooooooo sick of talking to the president, I am sick of interviews and going to his house. I had three interviews with him this week, talked to him on the phone like every day. I am soooooo over it. My companion is incredible sometimes. Lets just say that I have never been insulted and treated so poorly like I have been by some of my companions on the mission, the worst Is that you live together and you are supposed to have the spirit and how does that work out. I was dumbfounded by some of the things that she told me. I just took it and let her say what she wanted. Then the pres chewed her out pretty good I am sure. I asked her why on earth she said all those things to me that were jus t lies but most of the below the belt and hurt a lot. She said she didn’t know. Pres says it is like laman and lemuel with nephi. They knew the truth, they had testimonies, were just wicked. He say s that my compaino is my most important convert. I told him that if she was an investigator I would have left her already and stopped going by . she hasn’t been willing at all the take the blame or responsibility and shoves everythingggggggggggg off on me. But anyway, I don’t want to sit and complain about her, maybe when you have a few hours one day I can tell you all about it and you wouldn’t believe me. So, she has been good for a couple of days. I have been sooooooooooooooooooooooooooo stressed in everything and we all know that I am not stressed person, frustrated and upset and we all know that i don’t get mad either. A lot of things have happened in this last month. We know I don’t yell either but I was talking to her fairly firmly and stern. But the pres talked to her for a long long time and I think things will be moving up.
We had a miracle happen this week, it was so awesome because I have missed soooooooooo much doing what normal missionaries do and working by the spirit and seeing the small miracles every day. So we went on divisions, my companion went t with an hna and the hna allen, the senior missionary that we lived with , she went out with me and her husband with the elders. So we were way far away from the house and here you just walk and it was getting late and all of our appointments had fallen through, nobodyyyyyyyyyyyyyy was home . so I decided we would walk back towards home and go by a lady name veronica. So we headed down. One of the elders over a month ago was teaching a couple that lives in our sector and we have tried for over a month to find them and teach them. We were walking down the road to the other lady’s house and we had passed the house of this couple, but really passed it, one or two houses down, and all of a sudden I turned around and said, lets see if they are home and there is light on. So I went all the way back and their light was on. So we knocked, It was such an impulsive decision. They were there and let us in. hna allen doesn’t speak Spanish and she doesn’t understand it either. But we had theeeeeeeeeeee most spiritual les son and talked about the restoration. When I repeated the first vision It was amazing, the spirit was sooooooooo strong, hna allen bore a testimony so powerful. It was great. It was one of the best lessons I have had in a really long time, the spirit was sooooooo strong and they were so receptive. The wife is five months prego and they have only been together for a year and have kids with other people and aren’t married. So she walks us out, like they always do. And there on the doorstep she starts crying. She thanked us for going by because we were an answer to her prayer. She said before we got there they had been fighting hugeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee, and that s he was going to leave him for good but was waiting for god to give her an answer if that is really what she needed to do and that is when we got there and she knew it was her answers and that more and more she is seeing the our church is the true church and the book of mormon really is the word of god. It was so awesomeeeeeeeeeeeee.. to think that really god answered her prayers through us and that I listened and did what the spirit told me to do w hen I needed to do it. It all worked out soooooooooooooo perfectly. It was so awesome. It was such a spiritual experience. God really loves us and takes care of us. After a month of trying to find them and then right in the perfect moment we found them at the end of the day when we were heading towards the house and going to some one else’s house. It was awesome. I loved it, it pumped me up huge.
Mom, I was told by someone that goes to punta arenas all the time, the hotels here just aren’t the same like at home. And if you buy tickets for inside of chile instead of chile it is cheaper, but if you buy them from the states they charge you more. So if a Chilean buys them they are cheaper. Interesting. I don’t know where I would like to go to church here in chile. Just wherever we are going to be will be fine I am sure. It would be fun to go with Alejandra and her family but if it Isn’t´ like that it is no big deal. Whatever is fine with me.
mom ,thanks for all of your hard work, thanks for all you are doing for me. so that i can be able to see all the awesome people from here again before i won’t know when i will be able to see them again. thanks or your help. hope all is well at home. until next week, next Saturday. love , hna pratt
So what is this thing that dad has this, wii, I have nooooooooooooooooooo clue what on earth it is. I am out of the loop, I have no clue. Sorry, I am a missionary bien enfocada en la obra del señor. Anway. Erica, I go the blog this week and the picture of Allison, it was really cute. Thanks for the blog, Ii was really cute, I read through it and looked at all the pictures, there are some good ones on there.
So, I thought that I was going to die this week. It was one of the hardest things ever. I am soooooooooooooooooo sick of talking to the president, I am sick of interviews and going to his house. I had three interviews with him this week, talked to him on the phone like every day. I am soooooo over it. My companion is incredible sometimes. Lets just say that I have never been insulted and treated so poorly like I have been by some of my companions on the mission, the worst Is that you live together and you are supposed to have the spirit and how does that work out. I was dumbfounded by some of the things that she told me. I just took it and let her say what she wanted. Then the pres chewed her out pretty good I am sure. I asked her why on earth she said all those things to me that were jus t lies but most of the below the belt and hurt a lot. She said she didn’t know. Pres says it is like laman and lemuel with nephi. They knew the truth, they had testimonies, were just wicked. He say s that my compaino is my most important convert. I told him that if she was an investigator I would have left her already and stopped going by . she hasn’t been willing at all the take the blame or responsibility and shoves everythingggggggggggg off on me. But anyway, I don’t want to sit and complain about her, maybe when you have a few hours one day I can tell you all about it and you wouldn’t believe me. So, she has been good for a couple of days. I have been sooooooooooooooooooooooooooo stressed in everything and we all know that I am not stressed person, frustrated and upset and we all know that i don’t get mad either. A lot of things have happened in this last month. We know I don’t yell either but I was talking to her fairly firmly and stern. But the pres talked to her for a long long time and I think things will be moving up.
We had a miracle happen this week, it was so awesome because I have missed soooooooooo much doing what normal missionaries do and working by the spirit and seeing the small miracles every day. So we went on divisions, my companion went t with an hna and the hna allen, the senior missionary that we lived with , she went out with me and her husband with the elders. So we were way far away from the house and here you just walk and it was getting late and all of our appointments had fallen through, nobodyyyyyyyyyyyyyy was home . so I decided we would walk back towards home and go by a lady name veronica. So we headed down. One of the elders over a month ago was teaching a couple that lives in our sector and we have tried for over a month to find them and teach them. We were walking down the road to the other lady’s house and we had passed the house of this couple, but really passed it, one or two houses down, and all of a sudden I turned around and said, lets see if they are home and there is light on. So I went all the way back and their light was on. So we knocked, It was such an impulsive decision. They were there and let us in. hna allen doesn’t speak Spanish and she doesn’t understand it either. But we had theeeeeeeeeeee most spiritual les son and talked about the restoration. When I repeated the first vision It was amazing, the spirit was sooooooooo strong, hna allen bore a testimony so powerful. It was great. It was one of the best lessons I have had in a really long time, the spirit was sooooooo strong and they were so receptive. The wife is five months prego and they have only been together for a year and have kids with other people and aren’t married. So she walks us out, like they always do. And there on the doorstep she starts crying. She thanked us for going by because we were an answer to her prayer. She said before we got there they had been fighting hugeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee, and that s he was going to leave him for good but was waiting for god to give her an answer if that is really what she needed to do and that is when we got there and she knew it was her answers and that more and more she is seeing the our church is the true church and the book of mormon really is the word of god. It was so awesomeeeeeeeeeeeee.. to think that really god answered her prayers through us and that I listened and did what the spirit told me to do w hen I needed to do it. It all worked out soooooooooooooo perfectly. It was so awesome. It was such a spiritual experience. God really loves us and takes care of us. After a month of trying to find them and then right in the perfect moment we found them at the end of the day when we were heading towards the house and going to some one else’s house. It was awesome. I loved it, it pumped me up huge.
Mom, I was told by someone that goes to punta arenas all the time, the hotels here just aren’t the same like at home. And if you buy tickets for inside of chile instead of chile it is cheaper, but if you buy them from the states they charge you more. So if a Chilean buys them they are cheaper. Interesting. I don’t know where I would like to go to church here in chile. Just wherever we are going to be will be fine I am sure. It would be fun to go with Alejandra and her family but if it Isn’t´ like that it is no big deal. Whatever is fine with me.
mom ,thanks for all of your hard work, thanks for all you are doing for me. so that i can be able to see all the awesome people from here again before i won’t know when i will be able to see them again. thanks or your help. hope all is well at home. until next week, next Saturday. love , hna pratt
Saturday, October 06, 2007
Learn from Trials
This is hard to see...but these are her shoes with holes in the soles and the small pebbles (rocks) she has removed from walking. I have sent her a new pair of shoes that she requested!
10/06/2007
Well, I am sorry I don’t write longer letters, there are just less new things. Things are the same ole same ole. Lately I haven’t really wanted to write much because I haven’t had too many good things to say. I have really had some hard times since I have been here in osorno. I have had a really really hard time with my companion this go around. It has been terrible. I have never talked to the president so much. The other day we even went to his house so she could talk to him. So it is just better not to mention much. I have never met anyone so incredibly dependent. And we all know how independent I am and how I just don’t have patience for that. But in the last two days things have gotten a little better. I have had a huge struggle within myself. Because I know that the bad feelings are my fault. When I get frustrated, when I don’t have the spirit, when I let her bug me. It is just so hard. But I am doing better. She is gotten better with some things too. On top of it all it is so hard when your companion takes away your agency, if she doesn’t want to work, neither can I. so that is why I have been so frustrated, I told her to quit wasting my mission, she can waste hers but not mine too. But things are much better.
Osorno is very very difficult. We have walked and walked and walked. It is incredible how much we have walked. We are in our own house now. It is cold again. It got a little warm and now cold and rainy again. It is spring time though. I miss the Allen’s, the couple missionaries. They are so awesome. They were like family, I miss chatting with them, they are great. I was very blessed to be with them, they helped me sooooooo much. It was amazing. They have taken care of us so much. I loved getting to know them. Yeah, so really I have zero time today because we have conference and it takes away our entire p-day but what can you do.
This time in my mission, since I have been in osorno has been one of the hardest times yet. For me, I have been stressed a lot. I am doing my best in doing here what the lord sent me to do. I miss teaching. We really don’t have investigators. I miss helping the people, focusing on them, studying for them, sharing my testimony with them, my love for them and the love that god has for them. I miss the normal things that you do on the mission other than just walking. Yesterday we didn’t even enter a house, we walked all afternoon and evening. But after the trails of your faith come the blessings. I just want to be happy again and be able to have investigators. I know the lord has protected us from these people here these last few weeks because we weren’t prepared for them, he didn’t want to ruin their chance. Hopefully we can get our act together so the lord can lead us to these people. We have seen a few small miracles. It is amazing how the lord puts us in people’s paths or how he puts them in our paths so we can find them and help them. I have never talked to sooooooooooooooooo many people in one day at a time. It is incredible. But I do love the mission. It is interesting how my challenges on the mission have changed in this year. A year ago I was in putna arenas and my challenge was with Spanish and I was with my good friend hna agurto. Now, the lord is refining me more and more by the trials I am faced with. But that is why we are here on the earth. I recognize it and accept it and only want to get through it with his help, he is working on me so much, and softening my heart.
happy birthday to kaylee!!
happy birthday to tracie!! tracie you have the same bday as my friend alejandra here!!
Sunday, September 30, 2007
Found a House
9/29/2007
Hello all...
I can’t begin to tell you how happy your letter made me!!! I am pumped!!!!!!!!!!! That was theeeeeee best news ever, seriously!! Hna agurto is going to be soooooooooooo happy too because every week she writes me and tells me how badly she wants me to be there for her wedding, it will be soooooooooo awesome. We will have so muchhhhhhhhhhhhh fun, there is so much to see and it is soooo gorgeous here!!!!!! Seriously!! It is amazing! thank you so much, it was amazingggggggggggg news after a really really hard week.
We had conference this week and it was really good. I have been so frustrated I called the president to call him. And you all know me, I just hold things in and hold and never do anything about it. I have had a hard time with my compaino, so we had special interviews with the president .my companion is also sick but doesn’t do anything to help herself. On Monday we will go the a specialist to look at her again. My saving grace has been living with the Allen’s. They are amazing. They are so cool. They have helped me and it is nice because able to go to them and talk to them. We finally found a house and Tuesday we are going to move into our own house, that will be a hugeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee change, going from a wayyyyyy nice apartment to a Chilean house, they just aren’t the same. But such is life. The president helped me a lot a lot in what I need to and what is happening .it is jus tso hard because time is ticking away, I feel suchhhhhhhhhhhhh an urgency to help the people in this sector. I know there are people waiting for us but where are they, it is a hugeeeeeeeeeeee sector, enorme!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And it is hard because we walk and walk and walk, nobody lets us in. and it is just frustrating, that is all. I could go on but why. And to ,every time you turn around somebody else is telling me how I am ending my mission soon and I don’t have much time left, so then it makes you want to work even harder but when your comp doesn’t want to leave the house, It is not like I can leave without her. But I hope we get it all worked out with her health.
Thank you Jake for your letter. It was really nice. I really liked what you had to say , it was very uplifting and encouraging, I appreciated it a lot. Thank you. You guys are in my prayers and I will be seeing you soon…and you might take everything nice you said back.
I am sorry to hear about aunt jewel and rosemary. I hope granny is doing okay , she has got to keep kicking though because we are all going to go to the temple together soon!!!!!!!!!!!
Hello all...
I can’t begin to tell you how happy your letter made me!!! I am pumped!!!!!!!!!!! That was theeeeeee best news ever, seriously!! Hna agurto is going to be soooooooooooo happy too because every week she writes me and tells me how badly she wants me to be there for her wedding, it will be soooooooooo awesome. We will have so muchhhhhhhhhhhhh fun, there is so much to see and it is soooo gorgeous here!!!!!! Seriously!! It is amazing! thank you so much, it was amazingggggggggggg news after a really really hard week.
We had conference this week and it was really good. I have been so frustrated I called the president to call him. And you all know me, I just hold things in and hold and never do anything about it. I have had a hard time with my compaino, so we had special interviews with the president .my companion is also sick but doesn’t do anything to help herself. On Monday we will go the a specialist to look at her again. My saving grace has been living with the Allen’s. They are amazing. They are so cool. They have helped me and it is nice because able to go to them and talk to them. We finally found a house and Tuesday we are going to move into our own house, that will be a hugeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee change, going from a wayyyyyy nice apartment to a Chilean house, they just aren’t the same. But such is life. The president helped me a lot a lot in what I need to and what is happening .it is jus tso hard because time is ticking away, I feel suchhhhhhhhhhhhh an urgency to help the people in this sector. I know there are people waiting for us but where are they, it is a hugeeeeeeeeeeee sector, enorme!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And it is hard because we walk and walk and walk, nobody lets us in. and it is just frustrating, that is all. I could go on but why. And to ,every time you turn around somebody else is telling me how I am ending my mission soon and I don’t have much time left, so then it makes you want to work even harder but when your comp doesn’t want to leave the house, It is not like I can leave without her. But I hope we get it all worked out with her health.
Thank you Jake for your letter. It was really nice. I really liked what you had to say , it was very uplifting and encouraging, I appreciated it a lot. Thank you. You guys are in my prayers and I will be seeing you soon…and you might take everything nice you said back.
I am sorry to hear about aunt jewel and rosemary. I hope granny is doing okay , she has got to keep kicking though because we are all going to go to the temple together soon!!!!!!!!!!!
Sunday, September 23, 2007
First Week in Osorno
Cathedral desde Plaza de Armas9/22/2007
Well hi there,
So Erica, thank you for the setter from you primary class, i got it a few weeks ago but i forgot to tell you, sorry and thank you. You can tell your class that I loved it, it was really really cute.
Mom have you sent the pictures yet to the people here?
Yeah, so mom and dad we have to decide what is up with after the mission, I got my moroni letter, that is what they call your letter that tells you are going home soon so and to check all your info so they can buy your plane ticket. So if you are coming to pick me up you have to email elder hart, he is the secretary and my district leader. Then you have to call the lds church travel 8012405093 stephanie asalone to arrange the flights. Could you pleaseeeeeeeeeeeeeee decide for sure what we are going to do. I am ending January 16 si o si, yes or yes. I would love to come back with you guys when I am not a missionary and to so I can be in Santiago feb 8th for hna agurto´s wedding, she asks me about it every week. So, that is what I want to do but I know it isn’t all about what I want to do. So by next Saturday you have to have an answer so too the mission an start planning and booking flights. If you guys come to pick me up we could be here 1 week 1 1’2, I would like to go back and visit all my sectors, I would like to go to punta arenas too but you do have to buy another plane ticket it is like going to salt lake from home. Well, if we came back when I wasn’t a missionary it would be cool to stay for 2 weeks or something. So let me know, that would be great.
So those are my plan, that is what is going on. And I would like to go to byu for the second block if at all possible. It doesn’t matter if they say it is a waste of time, I would like to get in and get going. So that is my thing. I think you start signing up in November if I remember right.
So yeah, I went from a town with out stop lights to a town bigger than Chico. I think they said there are like 160 thousand people here. It is a whole new ball game here. We have walked sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo much. It is incredible. I have never talked to so many people in my life. It is so hard here. We have a total of 3 investigators, that is nothinggggggggggggggggggggggg. Then it was crappy because we didn’t go out for 5 days for their independence day. We are still with the allens. They are awesome. They made me hay stacks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! JJ burritos!!!! French toast!! Breakfast burritos!!!!!!! Brownies, oh they are awesome. They are so cool. I am really enjoying staying with them. They are really sweet. They are a kick in the pants and they take care of us so much. And so yeah, we still don’t have a house, they are still looking, we are still looking. Things here are expensive.
It is really really hard here in osorno, that is why I never wanted to be here, but that is what the lord wanted. I don’t know. I have been so exhausted, I have never walked so much. It is amazing how the people are so different in every ward. We have an ex 70 in our ward, he is a good guy. There are 35 people that go to church every Sunday. Our bishop is argentino so his accent is funny.
Mom, if you could have only read the letter that alejandra sent me, if you could only understand it, she is amazing. Seriously. We were reading a story the other day about when two people were in heaven and promised they would find each other, I felt the spirit so so strongly because I have actually lived the stories that these people just tell, things you believe but it never happens to you. It is amazing.
We have an investigator that is so awesome and so ready to go. She was a member reference, and she has been going to church almost more than the members. All the activities and everything, it is great. She introduced us to her friend too that is awesome but doesn’t live in our sector. I know the lord has prepared people for us to find here, I know it and I feel it. I just don’t know where they are. Our sector is hugeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee and there are soooo many houses. Just where are they. That is the hardest part. We have yet to really enter any houses in our week here. Where are they. Things are a little hard with my companion. I have lost a lot of patience after my last complicated companion. I know it is always a humbling experience for me. I know that that too affects the work. Lots of prayers and fasting. So that is pretty much me. I am a little boring. We just have walked and walked and walked.
So Erica, thank you for the setter from you primary class, i got it a few weeks ago but i forgot to tell you, sorry and thank you. You can tell your class that I loved it, it was really really cute.
Mom have you sent the pictures yet to the people here?
Yeah, so mom and dad we have to decide what is up with after the mission, I got my moroni letter, that is what they call your letter that tells you are going home soon so and to check all your info so they can buy your plane ticket. So if you are coming to pick me up you have to email elder hart, he is the secretary and my district leader. Then you have to call the lds church travel 8012405093 stephanie asalone to arrange the flights. Could you pleaseeeeeeeeeeeeeee decide for sure what we are going to do. I am ending January 16 si o si, yes or yes. I would love to come back with you guys when I am not a missionary and to so I can be in Santiago feb 8th for hna agurto´s wedding, she asks me about it every week. So, that is what I want to do but I know it isn’t all about what I want to do. So by next Saturday you have to have an answer so too the mission an start planning and booking flights. If you guys come to pick me up we could be here 1 week 1 1’2, I would like to go back and visit all my sectors, I would like to go to punta arenas too but you do have to buy another plane ticket it is like going to salt lake from home. Well, if we came back when I wasn’t a missionary it would be cool to stay for 2 weeks or something. So let me know, that would be great.
So those are my plan, that is what is going on. And I would like to go to byu for the second block if at all possible. It doesn’t matter if they say it is a waste of time, I would like to get in and get going. So that is my thing. I think you start signing up in November if I remember right.
So yeah, I went from a town with out stop lights to a town bigger than Chico. I think they said there are like 160 thousand people here. It is a whole new ball game here. We have walked sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo much. It is incredible. I have never talked to so many people in my life. It is so hard here. We have a total of 3 investigators, that is nothinggggggggggggggggggggggg. Then it was crappy because we didn’t go out for 5 days for their independence day. We are still with the allens. They are awesome. They made me hay stacks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! JJ burritos!!!! French toast!! Breakfast burritos!!!!!!! Brownies, oh they are awesome. They are so cool. I am really enjoying staying with them. They are really sweet. They are a kick in the pants and they take care of us so much. And so yeah, we still don’t have a house, they are still looking, we are still looking. Things here are expensive.
It is really really hard here in osorno, that is why I never wanted to be here, but that is what the lord wanted. I don’t know. I have been so exhausted, I have never walked so much. It is amazing how the people are so different in every ward. We have an ex 70 in our ward, he is a good guy. There are 35 people that go to church every Sunday. Our bishop is argentino so his accent is funny.
Mom, if you could have only read the letter that alejandra sent me, if you could only understand it, she is amazing. Seriously. We were reading a story the other day about when two people were in heaven and promised they would find each other, I felt the spirit so so strongly because I have actually lived the stories that these people just tell, things you believe but it never happens to you. It is amazing.
We have an investigator that is so awesome and so ready to go. She was a member reference, and she has been going to church almost more than the members. All the activities and everything, it is great. She introduced us to her friend too that is awesome but doesn’t live in our sector. I know the lord has prepared people for us to find here, I know it and I feel it. I just don’t know where they are. Our sector is hugeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee and there are soooo many houses. Just where are they. That is the hardest part. We have yet to really enter any houses in our week here. Where are they. Things are a little hard with my companion. I have lost a lot of patience after my last complicated companion. I know it is always a humbling experience for me. I know that that too affects the work. Lots of prayers and fasting. So that is pretty much me. I am a little boring. We just have walked and walked and walked.
Saturday, September 15, 2007
Moved to Osorno!
9/15/2007
hellooooooooooooooooooooooooo. It’s been awhile. I no longer have p-days on Monday. I am now in a zone w here we have p-days on Saturday only, so it has been almost two weeks without one. Let’s say that I left from frutillar, a place like Biggs and now am in a place like Sacramento. I am in downtown osorno, my sector is hugeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee and it is downtown, the city. we are opening the sector. they have not had missionaries here for 3 months and they haven’t had hermanas for like 15 years. it is huge the area.
Yeah, so sorry I haven’t been able to write we have p-days on different days. Like I said we are opening a sector. I never wanted to be in osorno but here I am, such is life. We still don’t even have a house yet or anywhere to eat or anything. They have been looking for over a week for a house so we can have somewhere to live. The mission office is in our sector and the president and hna Faulkner also live in our sector. It seems like they wanted to keep an eye on meJJ I must have been doing something J. No but we have walked and walked and walked. This is the richest sector I have seen since I have been in Chile, the entire sector is rich. It is amazing. I felt like I was in the states last night with the houses. It is incredible. We are living with a senior couple right now in their apartment that are from California too. They have been here for two months and don’t know much Spanish. My compaino is hna sullca and is from Bolivia and she doesn’t know any ingles and so it is a little interesting with them all. But such is life. We are in an apartment so nice. It is amazing, just like home again and she made pancakes today for breakfast, it was incredible. It is fun to be with them but we need our own house soon because we are intruding in their house, they say no but too it is hard for us to do all we have to do with them there too, studying and all but they are great. So that is pretty much me, lots of working because we don’t have one single investigator. And this week is 18 de sept, their independence day and from today to Wednesday can’t work unless we have appointments and seeing that we don’t have an investigators yet it will be a longggggggggggggg few days. But the lord will provide for us and make things happen. Osorno is a lot hotterrrrrrrrrrrr, tons hotter. It is nice here, a big change from frutillar. It was reallllly sad leaving frutillar. I made a long of great friends, the members were sad that I was leaving. I was too but excited, it was time, I was a little bored there, needed a change. But at least I know I will be back to see them again.
hellooooooooooooooooooooooooo. It’s been awhile. I no longer have p-days on Monday. I am now in a zone w here we have p-days on Saturday only, so it has been almost two weeks without one. Let’s say that I left from frutillar, a place like Biggs and now am in a place like Sacramento. I am in downtown osorno, my sector is hugeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee and it is downtown, the city. we are opening the sector. they have not had missionaries here for 3 months and they haven’t had hermanas for like 15 years. it is huge the area.
Yeah, so sorry I haven’t been able to write we have p-days on different days. Like I said we are opening a sector. I never wanted to be in osorno but here I am, such is life. We still don’t even have a house yet or anywhere to eat or anything. They have been looking for over a week for a house so we can have somewhere to live. The mission office is in our sector and the president and hna Faulkner also live in our sector. It seems like they wanted to keep an eye on meJJ I must have been doing something J. No but we have walked and walked and walked. This is the richest sector I have seen since I have been in Chile, the entire sector is rich. It is amazing. I felt like I was in the states last night with the houses. It is incredible. We are living with a senior couple right now in their apartment that are from California too. They have been here for two months and don’t know much Spanish. My compaino is hna sullca and is from Bolivia and she doesn’t know any ingles and so it is a little interesting with them all. But such is life. We are in an apartment so nice. It is amazing, just like home again and she made pancakes today for breakfast, it was incredible. It is fun to be with them but we need our own house soon because we are intruding in their house, they say no but too it is hard for us to do all we have to do with them there too, studying and all but they are great. So that is pretty much me, lots of working because we don’t have one single investigator. And this week is 18 de sept, their independence day and from today to Wednesday can’t work unless we have appointments and seeing that we don’t have an investigators yet it will be a longggggggggggggg few days. But the lord will provide for us and make things happen. Osorno is a lot hotterrrrrrrrrrrr, tons hotter. It is nice here, a big change from frutillar. It was reallllly sad leaving frutillar. I made a long of great friends, the members were sad that I was leaving. I was too but excited, it was time, I was a little bored there, needed a change. But at least I know I will be back to see them again.
Monday, September 03, 2007
Spring is on it's way!
9/3/2007
Hello there to everyone. Well it seems as if you guys are doing absolutely wonderfully. That is great, on the lake, hot, and the Works. It is sooooooooooooooo cold here today and rainy. But we are coming into spring in one more month so that will be great. I am really happy to hear that chan is doing better. I pray for her a lot but know that the lord will take care ofo her. Know that she will be blessed and things will all work out. The lord promises that to the parents who are faithful, so mom and dad, you better be good!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Congrats erica on your job, it is amazing how god really does do everything for us. He truly takes care of us and does it all for us. And we have no idea. I am a firm testimony of that and have gained much of it for being on the mission. I love how the lord takes care of us and how the spirit guides us. There is nothing better than that, truly. And it happens more often, well we realize too that it happens more when we are living righteously and have the spirit with us, that is why it is so important!!!
Mom, you have a lot of homework that you have to do for me. I want to go back to school to byu the second block in February. I feel I need to finish my mission until January 16th. But i don’t want to wait until may to go back to school because it is a longgggggggggggg time. And i wont´ know what to do with myself. I realize now that i am going to have a really difficult time leaving chile, really difficult. As well as a difficult time leaving frutillar. So mom, you have to look up or talk to dr z or something to see what classes i can take the second semester. Can you write melanie´s mom too to see what melanie is doing. I would like to live with her, you can put something on her blog and ask her.
Happy birthday granny!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! how old is she, i don’t remember?
Yeah, so last week we didn’t end up seeing her. It didn’t work out. But yesterday all of a sudden she called and said that in a week they are going to columbia for her work and so she won’t be here for when we have transfers, so she wanted to say goodbye to me because we don’t know when we will see each other again. She came and brought her little family to frutillar to be with me for a little bit. She just wanted to see me one last time. She is so awesome. I love to be with her, her husband matthias is so awesome too. He got up to bare his testimony yesterday at church. It is awesome how well he is doing and how firm his testimony is. It is awesome. She is a little down in the dumps for not being baptized already and her bishop doesn’t know what he is doing. But can i tell you how amazing it was yesterday to have been with her. she makes me so happy. I can’t rest until she gets baptized. I feel like it is my mission. I feel like her salvation is more important than mine. I want her to get married and sealed in the temple more than i do myself and worry about myself. There is something sooooooo special with her, seriously. So they came and we hung out for like 45 min and boy does the time flyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy. It was like 5 min but it was amazing to see her to be able to hug her for a little bit. It is bitter sweet because it is one of those moments that you never want to end. You want it to last forever. One day...christ gives us that hope. I was so happy to see her.
But long story, yeah we had our interviews with the president this week. And my interviews have always been short because i don’t ever have problems, accept once and it was a long interview but he started asking me about alejandra because i told him i wanted to see her again before i left from frutillar. We started talking about her and how she can get rebaptized. Well, he told me that it is a lot easier than we all thought. She just needs a disciplinary counsel and she should be ready because she is repentant and her husband is a priesthood holder now, go to church, do everything. So i was sooooooooooo pumped to hear that. He told me not to underestimate my faith and prayers and the lord can do anything. I have been praying soooooooo hard. It would be amazingggggggggggg to be able to go to her baptism but it would take a miracleeeeeee but i know the lord can do it. Keep her in your prayers pleaseeeeeeeeeeeeee, she means so much to me. So i told her all that yesterday. Pres faulkner took down her name and number and was going to call the stake president to get things going. So alejandra was excited because she had people from high power working for her too. I can’t rest seriously until she gets baptized and can go be sealed to her family in the temple. With things like this i have zero patience!!!!!
So it was the coolest thing ever yesterday. All of my converts from frutillar were at chruch yesterday and it was so awesome. They are soooooooo much happier with the chruch,they are so happy. I love how the gospel changes our lives. How we know the truth. The abuelito that just got baptized is getting ready to receive the aaronic priesthood, how cool is that. They are so excited, with lots of animo.
Oh yeah, and mom, we have transfers this next week. September 12th and so i won’t be writing this next week. I think i will be somewhere else. You never know. But i need to leave, i dont´ know what else i can do here. I am ready. But we will see. I could go anywhere because all of my old sectors were closed and there are elders there now, so whatever place could be.
Hope you guys had a great time on the lake. Peace out. Nos vemos, cuidense mucho. Thanks for everything you do for me. Work hard, live the gospel, there is nothing better than living it! That is how we really are happy!!
Love ya all!!
Hna jamie pratt
Hello there to everyone. Well it seems as if you guys are doing absolutely wonderfully. That is great, on the lake, hot, and the Works. It is sooooooooooooooo cold here today and rainy. But we are coming into spring in one more month so that will be great. I am really happy to hear that chan is doing better. I pray for her a lot but know that the lord will take care ofo her. Know that she will be blessed and things will all work out. The lord promises that to the parents who are faithful, so mom and dad, you better be good!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Congrats erica on your job, it is amazing how god really does do everything for us. He truly takes care of us and does it all for us. And we have no idea. I am a firm testimony of that and have gained much of it for being on the mission. I love how the lord takes care of us and how the spirit guides us. There is nothing better than that, truly. And it happens more often, well we realize too that it happens more when we are living righteously and have the spirit with us, that is why it is so important!!!
Mom, you have a lot of homework that you have to do for me. I want to go back to school to byu the second block in February. I feel I need to finish my mission until January 16th. But i don’t want to wait until may to go back to school because it is a longgggggggggggg time. And i wont´ know what to do with myself. I realize now that i am going to have a really difficult time leaving chile, really difficult. As well as a difficult time leaving frutillar. So mom, you have to look up or talk to dr z or something to see what classes i can take the second semester. Can you write melanie´s mom too to see what melanie is doing. I would like to live with her, you can put something on her blog and ask her.
Happy birthday granny!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! how old is she, i don’t remember?
Yeah, so last week we didn’t end up seeing her. It didn’t work out. But yesterday all of a sudden she called and said that in a week they are going to columbia for her work and so she won’t be here for when we have transfers, so she wanted to say goodbye to me because we don’t know when we will see each other again. She came and brought her little family to frutillar to be with me for a little bit. She just wanted to see me one last time. She is so awesome. I love to be with her, her husband matthias is so awesome too. He got up to bare his testimony yesterday at church. It is awesome how well he is doing and how firm his testimony is. It is awesome. She is a little down in the dumps for not being baptized already and her bishop doesn’t know what he is doing. But can i tell you how amazing it was yesterday to have been with her. she makes me so happy. I can’t rest until she gets baptized. I feel like it is my mission. I feel like her salvation is more important than mine. I want her to get married and sealed in the temple more than i do myself and worry about myself. There is something sooooooo special with her, seriously. So they came and we hung out for like 45 min and boy does the time flyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy. It was like 5 min but it was amazing to see her to be able to hug her for a little bit. It is bitter sweet because it is one of those moments that you never want to end. You want it to last forever. One day...christ gives us that hope. I was so happy to see her.
But long story, yeah we had our interviews with the president this week. And my interviews have always been short because i don’t ever have problems, accept once and it was a long interview but he started asking me about alejandra because i told him i wanted to see her again before i left from frutillar. We started talking about her and how she can get rebaptized. Well, he told me that it is a lot easier than we all thought. She just needs a disciplinary counsel and she should be ready because she is repentant and her husband is a priesthood holder now, go to church, do everything. So i was sooooooooooo pumped to hear that. He told me not to underestimate my faith and prayers and the lord can do anything. I have been praying soooooooo hard. It would be amazingggggggggggg to be able to go to her baptism but it would take a miracleeeeeee but i know the lord can do it. Keep her in your prayers pleaseeeeeeeeeeeeee, she means so much to me. So i told her all that yesterday. Pres faulkner took down her name and number and was going to call the stake president to get things going. So alejandra was excited because she had people from high power working for her too. I can’t rest seriously until she gets baptized and can go be sealed to her family in the temple. With things like this i have zero patience!!!!!
So it was the coolest thing ever yesterday. All of my converts from frutillar were at chruch yesterday and it was so awesome. They are soooooooo much happier with the chruch,they are so happy. I love how the gospel changes our lives. How we know the truth. The abuelito that just got baptized is getting ready to receive the aaronic priesthood, how cool is that. They are so excited, with lots of animo.
Oh yeah, and mom, we have transfers this next week. September 12th and so i won’t be writing this next week. I think i will be somewhere else. You never know. But i need to leave, i dont´ know what else i can do here. I am ready. But we will see. I could go anywhere because all of my old sectors were closed and there are elders there now, so whatever place could be.
Hope you guys had a great time on the lake. Peace out. Nos vemos, cuidense mucho. Thanks for everything you do for me. Work hard, live the gospel, there is nothing better than living it! That is how we really are happy!!
Love ya all!!
Hna jamie pratt
Monday, August 27, 2007
Another Baptism!!
8/27/2007Well hello there. How has it all been, sounds like it has gone well. Well, I didn’t know Justin had a wake board or a boat, they have more than just their pontoon boat, just trying to keep up on these things.
Nana and papa, when you see those investigators at church you need to help them, talk to them, be their friends. It is so stressful having people at church because they need to be able to feel the spirit and the love that comes from the members. The only thing i wish when we have people at church is that the members talk to them, take them to their classes, sit with them, are with them the whole time because as missionaries we come and go but the members are always there.
Mom, when we visit frutillar and pto varas we can stay with alejandra and matthias, nice how i volunteer them but it is true and they both speak English and so you don’t have to worry about it, you will be able to talk, adn the couple in punta arenas, he speaks English, there are people here and there. Plus i will be with you the entire time. So don’t worry about a thing. So, hna agurto wrote me and told me that they are getting married the 8th of February. Mom, i have no idea but do i have money in my bank account to be able to pay for my plane ticket? So that i can be there for her wedding? Let me know. Keep me updated on that. I don´t know what is going to happen with my classes, i am going to have to pray and all to let you know. I will get you back on that. I think i want to get back in february with whatever classes i can take, i don’t want to wait so much time, but classes for my minor or for religion or something to get back in the groove.
We had a baptism this week....!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! it was a miracle!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! They were sooooooo catholic. They are sooooooooooooo funny. They almost got baptized three times and backed out everyyyyyyyyyyy time. When my new comp got here i was ready to stop visiting them, I was done. But that day they said they were in for it and going to keep up with their baptism. Satan worked soooooooooooooooooo strongly with them, they are 78 and 77. their family doesn’t want anything with the church. So we have worked osoooo hard with them for the last month. But i have shared with them for like four or five months already. We went to pick them up for teh interview and they weren’t there, we couldn’t find them!!!!!!!!! Ahhhhhhhhhh. Satan. Then for their baptism it was raining soooooooooo hard and soooo cold. So they didn’t get there and there they came. JJJJJ soooooooooo cute. Then yesterday at church they never showed up, church started and everyone was like oh noooooooooooooo, where are they. So we left the sacrament meeting to go find them, and there they came, hand in hand walking to church!! JJJJJ just in time. It was soooooooooooooooo awesome. They are so sweet and so happy. Their family doesn’t know they got baptized. Satan worked sooo hard on them. But I put my whole soul in to them too. They love each other so much it made my heart hurt to think that they couldn’t be together for the eternity if they didn’t get baptized. Esteban, teh husband is just like add but this guy neverrrrrr shuts up. Seriously, neverrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr. He is so funny. I have gotten really close to them. They are amazing and it was so amazing when they received their answer to know the truth, to know this is the church and to know it is what they had to do. They were so excited to receive the holy ghost. She has depression badly and ever since sh e got her answer she has been so happy. I loveeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee the gospel!!!!!!!!!!1 i love it, it makes people soooooooooooooooooooooooooo happy.
Baptisms always go badly too. Nobody gets there, nothing is organized, blah blha balh. They are always a disaster and it doesn’t matter how much you plan and organize. Yeah, so it was the most amazing thing. The pres is out of town and the pres of rr also. And so we knew we were going to have to do everything by ourselves. We got to the church an hour early and everythingggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggg was ready and perfect, it looked so pretty the rooms the chapel. The font was being filled, there was music playing, obsequieos ready to go for visitors, everything as perfect, the heater going. I wanted to cry. The branch has never done that, never done anything like that. I was so happy. I wanted to give the guy the biggest hug that did it. I told him i would but he is a man. JJJ and i am a missionary. Seriously i wanted to cry, it was so awesome. A perfect baptism. It was awesome and they were so happy. It made mee sooooo happy. I I pray that they will make it to the temple in one year more.
it was the most amazing thing. i can’t tell you happy i am for them. the gospel is true. I have been studying the bible a lot lately. the more I study it the more i realize that our church is true and that everythingggggggggggggggggggggggg we teach is supported in the bible, that it is so true. god lives, Christ lives and through him we can be happy and we have the restored church on the earth and I love it and I am so happy to be able to share it with people. I know the lord loves me and has so much in store for me. I am so blessed. I do love the mission, it doesn’t matter that I have had a cold for six weeks and am not getting better, only getting worse, but I love life, I love what I am doing. I have met so many amazingggggggggggg people that have such big places in my heart now that mean so much to me.
mom, you would be so grateful for hna rojas, she does soooooooooooooo much for us. she takes care of us sooooooooooooo much. she brought us fire wood last nights, sticks because we only have big logs. it was soooooooo cold and we were dying. she is amazing and has the biggest heartttttttttt and her family is aweosmeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee. they are so fun and are the only ones that always help us.
anyway, take care, hope all is well. thanks for everything you do. peace out.
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