Hola From Chile!

Mon, 29 Dec 2008

The first day I was in Chile I went straight to work! As all the missionaries were standing around trying to figure out the bus situation. I looked at my companion and said ‘Contactos?’, she said ‘ok.’ So we contacted people at the bus station and it was great. Even though I didn’t understand everything I could understand there body language. I’m glad I had a companion that spoke the language. I was just so excited to be doing real missionary work, because I had been working and praying for these people for 3 months that I just wanted to be with them and hear them talk. When we got home we went to work again and we contacted the people on the street. It was great! I knew I wouldn’t know what they were saying, but I knew that if I put my effort in and worked, the Lord would bless me and the people we taught.

When we got home my companion was talking to me about what I needed to do better the next day and I just started crying because I just wanted to do my best and teach, but I could hardly talk because I couldn’t understand what anyone was saying unless they did pictionary and acted it out which also makes me feel like a child. So I just broke down and cried. She would say words that I didn’t know, so she would repeat her self louder and that didn’t help. I’m so thankful when she is patient with me. I’m thankful that she is my companion because she knows the language and she has great faith. When I was crying she told me to have patience and that we were going to start a fast tomorrow for me to understand the language fast. Her faith touched me deeply and it was a very successful fast because the next day I could understand everything she said in the companion prayer. I know it was an answer to prayer and I consider it as a great blessing!

The first change for me to adjust to is the language then of course it is the culture. I love how nice the people are and how they give kisses on the check and they are very welcoming in the home and give you food. One difficult time was when I was walking down the street after a lesson and I heard some men yelling about Soccer, which I heard was a huge sport. So I was looking and smiling out of interest, but my companion jumped in front of me and yelled ‘Don’t smile! They want to rape you! Listen!’ This took me by great surprise that the men in the culture would do that just by me smiling. It was also very embarrassing because it was in front of a member of the ward. I tried to explain the difference in culture and how I always smile because I’m a happy person, but I guess i just need to change that while I’m here.

I’m so thankful for the prophet Joseph Smith. My testimony of him grows everyday. Whenever we teach about the prophet Joseph Smith I feel the Holy Ghost so strong my body quakes inside even to my very core that he was a Prophet of God! So I know that everything else is true especially the Book of Mormon and I know that I need to follow all the commandments. : D

How are you? I hope you had a great Christmas holiday with your family. It is a great time of year to be with family, give service, and reflect about our Savior Jesus Christ. My Christmas was Chilean! I asked everyone what there Christmas traditions were and they said just be with there family. I was able to have a very nice Christmas dinner on the 24th that was picture perfect! Hermana Claudia and her daughter, and Hermana Veronica and her little son, and my companion and I ate a delicious feast. We ate in the living room of Claudia’s log cabin home around a circle table. Everyones faces glowed as we laughed from the glow of the candles on the table and the light of the Christmas tree. It was a spectacular moment filled with love and service that I will never forget.

I’m so glad that I have this opportunity to serve a mission for the Lord at this time in my life to learn and grow. I know that I’m going to serve missions with my future husband, but I wanted to experience it on my own first so that I can become that person I want to marry. I also wanted to learn more about the scriptures so that I can be well versed by reading and applying. It’s very important to me to know the Lord’s purpose for me specifically is. I also wanted to give Heavenly Father 18 months of my life to Him because he blesses me so much. I’m a very loving and service oriented person and I wanted to share that love by working hard for others.