Week 24

Hola!!

Happy Thanksgiving! (LATE)  Also, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO DAD THIS WEEK!!!!!!  I love you so so so much and hope it is incredible!

We have transfers!  Hermana Egbert is leaving and Hermana Campos is coming to el Estrecho!  She is from either Santiago or Viña del Mar (I don't remember), but the important thing to know is she is Chillean!  It's going to be so fun!  Hermana Egbert and I have had a good ride!

For Thanksgiving we used up all our meal time in one chunk and cooked thanksgiving dinner the best we could!  Actually, it ended up really well!  We made applesauce, veggies, gravy (thanks Mom), mashed potatoes, fruit salad, sparkling juice, etc.  The best part is we found turkey slices at this super little Tienda!  Miracle! It was so much fun.  But I loved taking a day to be especially grateful.  We are so so so so so blessed.  When we always have a grateful heart, we can always be happy.

Nothing too wild or crazy has happened this week so I dont have too much to say.  I bought a coloring book and markers to bring to sacrament meeting so that the kids can color and it really helped them stay quiet.  Actually, there was almost complete silence during the Sacrament and there was a very special spirit.  So thank you mom for showing me how to keep kids quiet(:  I miss you guys!  

I've been thinking a lot about Christ and His miracles lately!  Like I said last week,  I've been trying to study from one of them every day and it has really made a huge difference in the Spirit that I feel and the way I teach and interact with others.  I'm sure you guys have already heard about the Church's Christmas initiative.  But basically everyday leading up to Christmas we do one act of service for someone else.  I invite you guys to do it!  I promise that you will feel a more profound and undeniable peace in your day to day life and that this Christmas can be one of the best ones that you have had!!  If you haven't already, watch the video!  

https://www.mormon.org/?cid=HP_FR_24-11-2017_dMIS_fMORG_xLIDyL1-A_

Anyway, I love you all so much!! Missions are the best! Sorry this email is a lot shorter!  Have an incredible week!!

--Hermana West

Last Door Fourth Floor. Rejected.

Thanksgiving meal

Week 23

HOLAAAAA!!

Hello again!  What a week!!  After a little bit harder last week, this week has felt like Heaven.  I have been able to feel so close to you guys.  Heavenly Father has put so many reminders that He loves me in every day and I've been so blessed.  Thank you for all of your prayers.  I love you.

 This past week was really good and full of lots of miracles.  We are really enjoying the work.  I keep learning more and more about how to become an even better disciple of Christ and missionary everyday.  We had intercambios this week and that was really good.  I stayed in my sector with Hermana Hanosek.  She is awesome.  She has an incredible gift to connect with people and I loved watching her talk to the members in my ward.  She jumped right in at Consejo de Barrio and really just started giving good ideas.  You know someone is an incredible missionary when they treat the work the same wherever they are--in their sector or not.  I learned a lot from her(:  Hermana Egbert and I are doing really well.  We keep learning everyday how to teach more like Christ.  Something I've started doing is picking a miracle from Christ's life and trying to put it into practice in my day.  For example, He healed the blind.  So I try to help someone who is blinded by fear see clearly that God is in charge and has a plan for them.  Another time I studied Him walking on the water to the disciples.  The disciples were afraid because they didn't know who He was.  They didn't recognize that He was their source of help, so they were frightened and Christ tells them to "Be of good cheer.  Fear not. It is I".  So I tried to help people we came in contact with really recognize that we were representatives of their Savior and that we bring a message of peace that can help them to be happier and have profound peace.  I've really been growing a lot closer to Christ in the mission and it is such a privilege.  

Once again, we have seen a TON of miracles in the work this week, even though sometimes they don't show up in numbers. Two people from part member families that have always rejected the missionaries and been kind of harsh with us are showing interest and inviting us to meet with them.  That is incredible.  We have found a few new people, taught some pretty powerful lessons, and so much more.  Missions are the best.

After P-day, on Monday night we went to visit a lady (abuelita that has been investigating the church for a long time and whose baptismal date fell through) and it was a pretty sad experience.  We watched finding faith in Christ with her and afterward the Spirit was really strong.  We started talking and things were going really well but then she started to cry.  She proceeded to tell us that she had an experience the other day and that she wants to stay with her church.  At first, I was really confused, then I was sad, then I was confused AND sad, then I was peaceful.  Completely peaceful.  We sat there and just listened to her and loved her.  We told her that we still would visit her and be her friend but she asked us not to come by again until we are leaving Punta Arenas so that we could say good-bye.  That will rip your heart out every time haha.  It’s hard to see someone that you love SO much reject a message that is so beautiful and that you know will bring them the most peace and happiness in this life and after.  She is so special.  The whole time we were talking I just felt Heavenly Father reassure me that she is His daughter and that He loves her.  That we did everything that He wanted us to do and that now she is in His hands.  It was a very bittersweet experience, but I know one day she will accept the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

But on a positive note, I GOT TO TALK TO JACOB ON HIS BIRTHDAY!!!!  That was my favorite and happiest moment of the week.  He works in the MTC in Provo and they had to call the missions to verify if we could receive texts or not and he had permission to call me!!!  It was such a miracle too.  I was thinking about him all day because it was his birthday.  An appointment had just fallen through and we were a little bit down.  We decided to take our dinner and go sit on the beach.  A few minutes later, JACOB CALLED!  It was actually really funny because Hermana Egbert answered the phone and she was like, "Someone wants to talk to you...I think it might be Elder Shields (someone from the office)".  But right when she handed me the phone she said, "Wait!  It might be Jacob!!" Right when I heard his voice I started crying because I was so happy.  It felt like I had never left. I was able to sing him happy birthday really quick and it was so special.  For about 2.5 hours after that I couldn’t stop smiling.  And then every time I felt a little bit down throughout the week I remembered that experience, and it reminded me that God is aware of me and that He wants me to be happy.  Sometimes I cant believe how blessed we are.  I love being a missionary!!

Anyway, thank you for all your prayers. I can really feel them.  There is nothing better than serving Heavenly Father and playing a part in His work.  Find a way to touch someone this week.  There are so many ways to serve and I promise you will be able to feel Gods love for you as you do.  Have an incredible week!!  I love you!!

--Hermana West

Week 22

Hola Familia,

This has been a really good week full of so many miracles.  I cant even begin to describe all that happened.  First, I want to say HAPPY BIRTHDAY JACOB! I love you.

Anyway, I have grown a lot this week.  Ive been thinking a lot about Jesus Christ and how he is our source of strength.  Satan was really working hard on me earlier this week. I was fighting off a bad mood for about 2 days, random problems kept coming up, and I was really tempted to be impatient and lose faith or give into negativity.  I didn't, but it was exhausting trying to fight that.  One day, I was super exhausted and I knew I couldn't keep going without getting more help from my Savior.  I was talking with Hermana Egbert and just sobbing because of how exhausted I felt.  We have been really put through the ringer (hahah please correct this because I don't know how it is spelled) this last week and we are both wiped out.  It feels like we are running the 400 meter in Track.  The last stretch of the race you just want to quit so bad.  You don't want to keep running.  It hurts a lot.  Your lungs are on fire, your legs are jello, and you are exhausted.  But then you remember your coach and everything he has taught you and you keep running, and you push through it extra hard so that you don't let your team down. Even though its a lot easier to lose faith and be in a bad mood/negative, I can never give in because I NEED the spirit.  My "team" needs me.  There are lives I NEED to touch, people I NEED to bless and be strong for, and things I NEED to learn for my future family.  And I cant do that, I cant become that person, if I lose the spirit. I just pictured myself running the last leg of the race and being so exhausted and wanting to stop and starting to trip as im coming around the corner.  My strength is exhausted, I cant keep going and im about to stop, but then I look over and see my Savior is right there with me.  I colapse in His arms and he takes us the rest of the way and we win the race together.  In reality, He wins the race.  He runs the whole race, and he can carry me the whole way if I let him.  Its like the gun goes off and I start running and think "Im doing it!  My strength is enough!"  And then about 10 seconds in I realize that im weak and that Im in pain and that I need help.  Im learning to start running the race with the Savior and keep running it with Him.  I dont do it on purpose.  In fact, a lot of times Im trying to jump into His arms but I dont know how.  But ive discovered that the way I do it is by learning about Him everyday.  The more I study His life and His teachings, the better I know His character.  The more I know His character, the better able I am to trust Him and put my Faith in Him, and then He is able to carry me because Im willing to let Him.  I need my Savior every second of everyday.  My strength is not enough, I HAVE to do the work with Him.

Ive also been thinking a lot about how God is love.  I pictured myself sitting on the beach looking out at the water and sitting with the Jesus Christ having a personal interview with Him.  He wouldnt start pointing out everything that im not doing, he wouldnt start pointing out my weaknesses or things I struggle with.  He would hug me and tell me how much he loves me.  He would thank me for the things im doing.  He would thank me for being patient with my companion, with the investigators, and with myself.  He would thank me for tyring to serve others and learn the language so that I can better help them.  He would thank me for leaving my family to serve Him.  He would point out everything I am doing right and then if I tried to talk about my weaknesses or sins he would just lovingly say, "I do not condemn thee, go thy way and Sin no more."  I know its the same with you all.  Focus on what you are doing right.  And if you make a mistake, realize that you can choose to change in one second because of Jesus Christ and that you can start over immediatly, whenever you want, because of Jesus Christ.

Our investigators are doing really well and we are finding LOTS of new people.  The ward has been really working hard and fasting with us.  Missionary work is the most successful with the help of the members.  

My Spanish has really improved.  Thank you for all your prayers.  We give talks every month and yesterday I decided to just trust Heavenly Father and really rely on the Spirit to bless me with the gift of tongues.  I didn't go up with a script like I usually do.  I spoke from the Spirit and it went really well.  I was blessed with the words to say.  It wasn't perfect by any means, but I was able to convey the message that Heavenly Father needed me to.  I'm really learning to purify my faith.  To put all my trust in the Lord, and no trust in myself.  Its a process, but I'm learning more everyday.

With every person we have contacted this week, we have really felt the Spirit work through us.  Sometimes we are rejected, but we still feel good because we followed the Spirit.  We have just seemed to be in all the right places at all the right times this week and its been so special to see God work miracles in the lives of His children through His servants.  Its by no means anything im doing, we are just trying to do what Heavenly Father wants us to do.

I love you all and hope you have an amazing week!!  Study the life of the Savior and come to know him better and you will have lots of peace.  I love you!!

--Hermana West

Week 21

Week 21

Helloooooo!!!

I have some wild news...we found out if we are having transfers last night...and...HERMANA EGBERT AND I ARE STAYING TOGETHER AGAIN!!  This is wild!  That means by the end of this transfer we will have been together for almost 5 months, but also we will have seen months July through December together.  It’s gonna be fun!!!!!  We are pumped!!  And along those same lines, you’re probably wondering why that is the title of my email.  After being with someone 24/7 for 4 months, sometimes you come across moments of contention.  Disclaimer:  Hermana Egbert and I get along realllllyyy well and we don’t really have things that we fight over or anything.  But sometimes if we are really tired or feel sick then one of us becomes quiet and then after a while of that it feels weird.  We both become annoyed for absolutely no reason and we can’t figure out what’s going on, but Satan is working hard to get us to fight.  In these moments of frustration, we usually separate and go take a 5 minute break to pray and then come back together, give each other a hug, and keep moving on.  This week though, moments like this were happening every day.  Satan was attacking us really hard, and we were getting tired from trying to fight off bad moods for so long.  It’s easier to give in to the bad mood and be sassy or annoyed or whatever it is. But it’s really hard for a few moments to be humble and change your mood.  One day early on in the week, Hermana Egbert had one of those moments and we were talking about how we weren’t going to let Satan win at all!!  The next thing we knew, we were doing the hokey-pokey in the street.  It was so uncomfortable at first, but then we started laughing and got out of our bad moods!  We had to stay on guard the rest of the night so we said things we were grateful for, we laughed, and we looked outside of ourselves!  It’s hard work, but its soo worth it!  Ever since then, we promised Heavenly Father that we would do the Hokey-pokey whenever we started to feel like that.  It’s seriously some of the hardest ten seconds deciding to change and laugh, but it really works.  My favorite moment with that was when we were dragging around a HUGE vacuum that we took from the church to vacuum our house out.  We looked really strange already and to top it off, one of those moments came.  So we stopped in the middle of the sidewalk and started doing the dance.  

We felt so awkward but we were laughing so hard, especially when we looked over and saw some people in their yard watching us with really confused looks on their face.  TAKE TIME TO FIX YOUR PROBLEMS IMMEDIATELY!  You CANNOT and SHOULD NOT go on living without the Spirit.

Anyway...This week has been really good!!  It has been such good weather down here lately!  The sun is beautiful and we have felt so deprived of it for so long!  Halloween was fun!  Hermana Egbert and I dressed up as each other and we even Trick-or-treated ourselves when we got back to the house that night.  We have really been thinking a lot about balance this week.  Any virtue taken to the extreme becomes a vice.  Take time to ponder and think.  Take time to work hard and study.  Take time to do something fun.  Just find a balance in all things(:  Sometimes as missionaries we feel like we have to kill ourselves from work every day.  But that also takes the spirit away.  So we have to find a balance!  Sometimes missionaries feel like they have to be "consecrated" and they can’t think about their families or their homes or anything.  But, families are forever and that includes right now.  The key to happiness is in finding a balance through the Spirit!  I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again...THE SPIRIT IS EVERYTHING! 

One of our investigators told us that she didn’t want to get baptized on Saturday.  That was pretty sad, but we have felt very peaceful.  We know one day in the future she will get baptized, but for now there are some things going on in her life that are pretty overwhelming and she felt like it would be better to wait.  Another one also told us that she doesn’t want to get baptized anymore.  That was sad too, but once again, we feel peace.  We are going to keep being patient with her and relying on the Lord.  It’s been a really good week though!  And with both of them we had really powerful lessons!  God is in charge.  He has a plan.  These are His children and He loves them more than I do. So I can have complete trust that He will do all he can to help them return home to him!  I LOVE being a missionary!!  I still think back to when I opened my call and how shocked I was.  I had no Idea what was coming back then, and I had no idea how happy I would be!  I love you all so much and hope you have an amazing week!

--Hermana West

Week 20

Hola!!!!

This week has been another incredible week as a missionary!  I’m being stretched in a lot of ways...most of them random.  Such as...Singing Karaoke in front of everyone for a ward activity Some funny things that have happened this week...

1-We were walking along the beach for our dinner and it was pouring rain and the rocks were super slippery.  Hna Egbert was walking ahead of me and I was just walking along enjoying life when all of a sudden my foot slipped on the rock and I went down--Hard. Hahah it was super funny though.  I slammed my knees on the rocks and then I full on face planted.  I've never done that before in my life and even though it hurt, I immediately started laughing.  It was super funny.  Hermana Egbert turned around just in time to watch the face plant and it was like slow motion.  We have laughed about that a lot since.

2-We had a stake meeting and all of the Sisters in our zone were asked to sing!  We sang two songs.  The first one went really well....the last one..not so much hahaha.  The last song was Glorious by David Archuleta but we only had time to practice it one time before hand.  Anyway, halfway through the song everyone randomly changed key and it sounded horrible hahah and I LOST IT!  I started laughing so hard in front of 160 or more people and I couldn't stop.  For the rest of the song I was trying to stop laughing but couldn't.  Don't worry you couldn't really hear it, you could just see it.  The congregation was fine until they saw that I couldn't stop laughing hahha then they all started laughing too.  It was super funny.

3-Sorry I forgot this one...I guess it wasn’t that important hahah.

Ok now for the Spiritual things:

1-One of our investigators is getting baptized this weekend!!  We are so happy for her!!  She has had problems with keeping the Sabbath day holy because she is super good at Karate and she has practices and competitions on Sundays sometimes.  We had a really good lesson with her this week and we asked her to pray and ask Heavenly Father what he would like her to do about coming to church on Sunday.  Saturday night we passed by and talked to her for a second.  SHE TOLD US SHE WAS GOING TO COME TO CHURCH!!! And she said it with a huge smile too! That means that she chose church over her Karate competition and that she would have to explain to her coaches and parents and everything why she wouldn't go.  She has so much faith!  Her mom is sick too and since she is only 12 she can't drive, but she was willing to go by herself!  These people are incredible. They are so full of faith.

2-Saturday night our music practice went over by a ton.  We ended by 9:35, but we had to be in the house for sure by 10:00.  We were in the Ovajero chapel which is about a 25 minute walk to our house from there if we are walking REALLY fast.  Also, we couldn't take a taxi because its the end of the month and we were out of money.  Anyway, because it had been raining all day my companion and I wore our big rubber hunter boots.  The back of my heals were pealing off.  Hahahah that sounds super gross but its true.  The skin was coming off from walking in them for a few days and it hurt so bad.  We had to walk really slow all day.  So we left the chapel and tried to walk fast but its wasn't working. Hermana Egbert and I tried switching shoes to see if her shoes wouldn't hurt me as bad but that was a mistake hahah it made it 10 times worse.  We stopped and said a prayer asking for a miracle.  We told Heavenly Father that we wanted to do our best to keep His rule of being in the house by 10:00 and that we were willing to try our best.  After the prayer Hermana Egbert said that it would probably be faster for us if I took off my shoes and walked barefoot home, so I did!  We both took off our shoes (she didn't want me to suffer alone) and started to walk home in the freezing rain as fast as we could!  People were looking at us SO WEIRD and we were trying to hide our name tags so we would just look like to crazy gringas instead of two crazy missionaries.  After about 5 minutes of laughing super hard but also realizing that there was absolutely no way we were going to make it home on time, a miracle happened.  A member had been driving by and saw two tall girls walking and thought it might be the missionaries and that they could give them a ride!  They turned around and took the long way so that they could make sure the missionaries had a ride home.  To their surprise, they pulled up and saw us all wild looking and barefoot. They were super confused hahha but they were really kind and gave us a ride and we were in the house at EXACTLY TEN!!!  We were laughing a ton but at the same time we wanted to cry because we realized that Heavenly Father is super aware of us and wants to bless us.  As we try our best to do what he asks us, he will always provide a way.  Our Heavenly Father is a God of miracles and he has everything planned out to the last detail, we just need to exercise our faith and act. 

And those are the highlights of the week!!  I love you all so much!!  Jesus Christ still lives and He is the way to lasting peace and Joy in this life!!  Have an amazing week!!