BIRTHDAY TRANSFER!

December 10, 2014

It was a really short p-day today because of our mission-wide Christmas activity this Saturday that we are getting ready for.  We prepared until 3 o’clock today and didn’t get to relax at all. Despite our crazy schedule, somehow everything worked out.

Miracle #79: NONE of our citas fell through and that was awesome!

         This sector is really starting to pick up. We have about 20+ lessons a week now.  Personally I am shocked at how much progress I have made in the 12 weeks of training.  I feel like I have had exposure to every missionary experience that there is except for baptism. I know that this does not happen for every missionary, but I have been really blessed to be with my trainer and in my area for the past 12 weeks.

 December 11, 2014

         Today was pretty good.  This morning was really fun because we had to lift a closet up through the back of the roof and through the window of the zone leaders.  It was really entertaining to work with the elders and figure out how to get the job done. Our miracle of the day was when we were contacting.

Miracle #80: We were talking to a man who gave us water and when he asked how long we had been here in Chile, he was really surprised.  He said that my Spanish was excellent.  This just confirms that the gift of tongues is real!

         Other than that, we didn’t have too much happen today.  I smashed my knee on a door today when Elder Oscarez opened it right in front of me.  It took a huge chunk of flesh out of my knee and it hurts like a beast. Also I got shocked by our super ghetto electrical outlet.  220 volts can really make you jump!

December 12, 2014

         Wow, another good day today. We really ended up jumping back and forth with our citas because all of the people were super flakey.  Our first cita was awesome.  We were teaching our little German lady about the plan of salvation and I was bearing my testimony, but I was using a words, “I believe and I feel.”  She stopped me and asked me, “Why aren’t you saying that you KNOW these things are true?”  It made me ask myself that same question and it made me think about how each thing that we say is interpreted by our investigators.  We have to be able to testify very clearly in language that is well understood in order to be effective teachers.  In the end of the lesson, I bore the most sincere testimony that I have ever given.  I said, “ I don’t know many things, but I do know this, God is our loving Heavenly Father who knows us each individually and he has a plan for us to return to Him….(and many other things that I am too tired to write.)”

         Our miracle happened when we met a random person on the street selling cologne.

Miracle # 81: I stopped to buy cologne and just started up a conversation with the vendor and as it turned out, he and his wife are both very receptive less active members who do not show up on our registry!

December 13, 2014

         I am at the 4 month mark today!  Wow, tie is flying by so much faster than I thought that it would.  This morning Elder Soulier was still super sick so we weren’t able to go to the Christmas activity in the morning.  I decided that I wanted to use my time well so I cranked up my missionary tunes and did a deep clean of our entire house as a present to the other elders.  I also wrote notes to every single one of the elders in this house. It took me 3 ½ hours, but it was totally worth it!  This was my way of showing my gratitude to the amazing elders who helped me adjust to mission life in Chile. When we got to the mission activity I found out that I we missed the only movie that we can watch the entire year and it was “Princess Bride”….SHOOT!

Miracle #82: The great happiness that I felt while cleaning our house was a miracle considering how much I hate cleaning.

December 14, 2014

         Today was a day of goodbyes. I have been dead all day because Elder S. woke me up every time he had to get up to “destroy the bathroom.” He is still very sick. Packing sucks.  I hope that I don’t have to leave stuff behind, but it is going to be close.  I am going to a really mellow area. 
        We went to a Christmas concert at the temple with our investigators:

Miracle #83: Ivan’s entire family was able to go to the Christmas concert with us.

December 15, 2014

         Today was an amazing last day in my first sector.  The absolute hardest thing was saying goodbye to our investigators, especially the V. family.  Every single person was in tears (holy cow….I sound like an Hermana.)  I love that family so much, it is just weird how you feel things so deeply as a missionary.  I grew up with them as a missionary over the past 12 weeks. 

Miracle # 84: Hermana F.(the mother) said that the reason she got interested in the church again was because of me.  Not because I am awesome, but because in the beginning of my time here I wanted to express my thoughts and testify so badly but I couldn’t .  The simple struggle and faith I showed in learning the language so that I could teach her, sparked an interest and made her want to know why I felt as strongly as I do.  This was my miracle because it was the first confirmation that I have had that I was called to serve in this place for a specific time and purpose. 
LOTS OF GOODBYES WERE SAID:

         On a much lighter note, I broke the rules 3 ties today when the V. family women hugged me goodbye and wouldn’t take no for an answer.  The same thing happened with another lady who said goodbye to me.  Elder S. thought that was terrible and was super uncomfortable, but I had no issues with it because that is just how I am.  The longer I am here, the more I realize how “Latin” my personality is. I just love these people and I understand them.

 MORE GOODBYES:

December 16, 2014

TRANSFER DAY - saying goodbye to these great zone leaders and district leader/trainer and hello to my new companion was a new experience for me.  Elder Soulier has been a great trainer and example to me!

Elder Colvin always finds time to play.

         Today was a bizarre birthday! I am sure that it is pretty rare to get transferred on your birthday.  My best gift was my new companion!  I love Elder Leon!  He is incredible and despite having all of our citas fall through, we had fun contacting ALL day!  We got to know each other a little bit and Elder Leon says that I speak Spanish with a Spain accent.  I can’t figure that one out at all!  He told me that his goal for me was to give me a great South American accent!  Elder Leon is from Colombia and he is fluent in English which is really awesome for me because I am going to be able to learn so much Spanish from him!!!  He is a great guy and I am very lucky to have him for a senior comp! 

Miracle #85: We found a girl who speaks English and is interested in taking the missionary lessons.

         I am exhausted!  It is not just the rigors of missionary work, but I also haven’t been sleeping very well lately (probably because my companion has been so sick.)  I think that I am just going to be tired for the next two years of my life.  I was so tired a week ago that I literally fell asleep standing up on the sidewalk. I might be the only sober person to have ever done that. But, I am so happy with my new area, comp., housemates, and house.  I am looking forward to my first phone call home next week.  It is exciting that Sister (Taylor) Colvin is going to be home with you for Christmas. The elders in my house are nearing the end of their mission and they were looking through my family photo album and thought that Taylor was pretty cute ---- freakin’ trunky elders!