Hola familia.
Ok
we only have 45 minutes a week to write home. Its crazy but I’ll just get a typing.
SPIRITUAL.
WHAT
A CRAZY WEEK. First I got to meet and shake hands with Elder Ballard. It was so
cool. He came and gave a special conference to just our mission so we got to
bus and take afield trip to Porto Vares. Amazing. He has such a crazy spirit
and it totally got us pumped that night when we were teaching it was crazy. And
right after the conference we went to the city square right by the 2 volcanoes.
And all 60-70 of us sang hymns. It was crazy cool.
Ok
so I asked my first 3 people to be baptized- and all three said yes! And we're
just making plans. And this might not seem this big but in this area it is
huge. All the missionaries where shocked when they heard everyone I have asked
has said yes. It’s so hard here.
Also
it’s crazy we have 90 percent inactive. Think of that number- its way too big! So
we have about 500 people in our ward but only about 40 are active so we are all day with the inactives- but I love it.
Ok
can we just talk about José and Guissa? Seriously they are the best. I love
them so much. They are Michael and Julia Iverson. Their personalities and
everything. I love it. Every time I am with them the spirit is so strong.
And
they are truly my family here. The other day was really hard- I felt like I didn’t
contribute to the lessons, I had no idea what anyone was saying; I was tired
and hungry and really sick. The food here has wrecked my stomach. But I am much
better now we got meds and I am just being really careful with the food. But it
was a rough day- and most of our appointments fell through and it was getting
late and we went to visit Guissa. When I walked in I just felt love- the girls
gave me kisses and Guissa gave me a big hug and got me some food and just knows
me and asked how I was. We just cried together as I explained how much love
there was in their home and how for me it is home. Man I love them.
Oh
also there were 30 of us that bused to the conference and before we all sang
hymns in the bus station at 7 am and it was so cool. I love the hymns
in Spanish.
It’s
so humbling here. I wish I could explain it. But I am having such wonderful, truly life changing experience and it has only been under 2 weeks. I love it. It
is sooo hard. But I love it.
Ok
this was so good and so funny. So we stopped by a less actives house and she
let us in and gave us a little coca cola (best) and so we ask how we can help
then she starts talking so fast and I have no idea what the heck she is saying
so I just go with it and hear 2 words; hard times and how life’s hard so my then
I hear her ask us to say a prayer with her. So we go to say it and before I’m
like wait-so I pull out my scriptures just going with it because I super feel
like she needs to hear a message- so I get D&C 121 7-9 and explain it and God's
love and how we are her friends are here to help. ya know. Just a quick little
thing. So then my hma says the prayer then the lady just stands up and gives us
kisses and opens the door and we leave- right before this I'd felt the spirit
something strong so then I got worried I said something wrong or had offended
her- ha-ha because she full on just kicked us our of her house. Turn out when
she was talking she was explaining how she has no time for us or a message because
life is hard and dadadaddad so then I just ignore her and pull out the scriptures anyway. Hah so we were laughing about it because my comp just knew I had no
idea what was going on but it turned out to actually be really good because she
really did need to hear it. Ha-ha she hasn’t let us back in the house, but all
in good time ha-ha
BEST
Ok
so we are with another inactive and we ask to start with a hymn so we ask her
to choose her favorite. When she tells me she wants the pretty song from the Titanic. So I am so confused thinking "what the heck- they have Céline Dion my
heart will go on in the Spanish hymnbook?" And I am way confused but honestly
loving the idea. And my comp is confused we are just looking at her when I
realized she meant "Nearer my God to me" which they play at the end
when the boat was a goin. So we just have a little crack up while trying not to
laugh at her and keep the spirit. So funny.
Oh
my empanadas. I thought I had tried them before I got here. No. Holy cow. Seriously
they are crazy. José and Guissa made then for me then just died laughing at how
much I loved them. So they made more and dropped them by the house. What
gems.
Oh
then there is a favorite family in our ward. Family Zapata. So we had dinner
with them and they are seriously the best. But we had hotdogs- cumplentos)
which are a really really big deal here) and it seriously was like having
hotdogs with the simpkins clan. Ha-ha so I cut my bun the wrong way which I
didn’t know was a thing. Then they took it from me and just threw it away and
gave me a new one cut the right way. Then I put the avocado on before the
tomatoes- not good. Hah I loved it-. It was just like being home again.
I
still don’t have fleas! Hooray!
Oh
this week I was mistaken for being Chilean a couple times- I get comments like "öooh
what a tall chileano." hahahaha then they find out immma gringo and I love
their faces every time.
Also
everyone here thinks my name is so funny. Every time I explain hma. Ball is Hermana
pelota they die laughing. They love it.
Oh
this was funny- so we sang in the choir for the special conference. Which was
way pretty and cool. But I was so tired because a lot of it was in Spanish and
it was so hard to understand so I had just a little moment of the head nods and
I guess for just a minute I fell asleep- I had a big head nod forward and wake
up and look up to see a whole family just laughing and pointing at the gringa
asleep on the stand. Ha-ha luckily they are members and know its my first week, it was so funny.
Oh then
I also get 100 mentions about my tan and red face. Like one lady came over and
just stared putting ice cold cans of soda on my face to cool me down when
really I was fine. Ahah
Oh
hah momma you’re going to die. So I was on a little dirt road
in the middle of nowhere Chile. We were just walking and laughing and I got
scared by what I thought was a rabid dog- but turned out to be a fire hydrant
and it scared me so bad. Then we got
laughing so hard it was just bad and it was one for the funniest things ever.
Oh
this was a rookie mistake. So I promise I don’t sleep all day- hah just these
couple of times. So it is so hard in our lessons because the houses are so hot
they keep the window blinds shut and they don’t turn on the lights because it
cost money and makes it more hot- so we teach in semi darkness all day. Then
not understanding a solid chunk of info- and just being so tired is hard. But I
accidentally nodded off again in one of our lesson and I get caught right they
are just laughing so hard and I am so embarrassed so I pull the ultimate gringa
¨oh perdon, me es muy emberasado. ¨Which of course means oh sorry I am very pregnant." Ha-ha it just made it so much worst yet so funny. 
Then
today was the best. So some members took us to the beach and it was so
beautiful it was a much-needed break from the city and I loved every minute. They
spoiled us so much with fancy treats and it was amazing to take my shoes off in
the sand. Breathe in the fresh salty air and seriously just think. Best.
Its
crazy here, and I am dead tired. But I love it and I wouldn’t have it any other
way. I love working with the inactives and re seeing their lives change and
they come back. It’s the best.
I
love you so much. Your in 100000 of my prayers everyday and I just loooove you.
Xoxoxo
viva la Chile xxoxo Hma
ball.
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