Hermana Ball

Hola familia!

¨Be not afraid, only believe."  -Mark 5:36

Yesterday I taught our New Testament class on the miracles of Jesucristo. This was one of the theme scriptures. Which I absolutely love.

Not only was it a theme scripture for yesterday’s class- but really a theme scripture for my months here in Puerto Cisnes and especially this week. It is so hard here. Which I love- it's cool to see that it's hard and different. Then work to find why and how to ¨fix¨ it. Kind of like a game. But there are many times when I really just have to believe no more.

And the thing is it always works out so good.

But this week we came down with a stinking nasty Patagonia cold. It has been rough because we have had days of really, really sun- scorching hot. Then we had 3 days of straight torrential rain- without end. Then again really hot sun. 

Our immune system quit on us- and we were dying. We had a bit if time in the house but I was going crazy. So we tried leaving and teaching but people would not let us in because we looked and sounded so bad. But now we are out and working and looking and sounding real nice.

But it was good because we were warm all the days and plenty of tissues to keep us going :) I was sitting doing my study and sometimes I would have moments where I realize how uncommon my life is here. Like reading "preach my gospel" all the while throwing nasty tissues straight in the fire next to my desk, like its the most normal thing. Love.

Ok the coolest lesson of the week. One of ¨those¨ street lessons that I love so much. So we were out doing contacts (just talking with the people in the street, knocking doors, you know.) when we saw a lady who was obviously distressed. So we greeted her and she explained her son, who is mentally handicapped, was lost. We offered to help look for him and that was it. We went one way, her other, and it all turned out well.

But in the hustle of it all we didn't get her address or phone number. Boo. So we were thinking about her but didn't know how to visit her next. But the next day we were out doing our work and all of our plans fell through. And we had gone through our next plans for the next hours. So I was just going and remembering people along the way we could visit... turns out it was a straight up map to her house! Heavenly father sure love us because how ¨lucky" were we.

Looong story short- we ended up talking to her about her son and the plan of salvation. I started off by explaining how we could see the love she has for her son and how it was possible to see how scared she was for him. I explained how many times people are scared for what will happen after this life- for them and their families, etc. 

She had been looking down at a pass along card we´d given her and she looked up with so much love and fear and tears and simply whispered that she was scared. We were able to testify of the plan of salvation and I was able to share my experiences with dear Curt and what we know through revelation for those who are ¨special¨ and all about the love Heavenly Father has for her and her son. Right there in the Street we read the scriptures with her and left her with a pamphlet of the plan of salvation and plans to visit this week.

 

I am so grateful for this experience. It was my favorite part of the week. 

 ¨Be not afraid, only believe. ¨

Another favorite experience now (in the moment not so much.) was that this week we have knocked over 100 doors. Literally. I have a map that we are filling out and completing and I did the count. With over 100 doors only 14 opened up. 

It was hard to keep going, and honestly I felt I had to keep going a little bit alone because my companion had giving up just a bit. I just have to have faith to keep knocking, keep looking and keep trying. Because good will come. It always does.

But we found one who might be an option to really teach! Hopefully more to come. :)

Ok fun gems of the week.

-We had a crazy ¨service project¨ ha-ha.  We were walking and saw an older lady walking with two bags full of meat. She wasn't struggling but it definitely looked uncomfortable for her. So get this, we walk over to see if we can help, to which she gladly accepts and goes to pass me this bag of meat. But she’s all, (ok first a cute grandma right) "your friend should help you because its heavy"- to which I smile because she’s older and I am a fit young one. But she refuses to pass it to me until I have one side of the plastic bag and Hna C has the other. Ha-ha then she lets it go.

OH MY GOSH. It was sooo heavy. This little army grandma totally stood us up. It was more than 10 kilos of meat. Which she was carrying in one hand because the other hand was full of a different bag of 5 kilos. So funny. We just look at each other and carry this crazy thing down by the beach to her house. So funny.

-My companion and I have a competition to look for wishing rocks. Thank you mom. Ha-ha it’s so fun. We are full of bello deseos.(beautiful wishes)

-We were knocking and one of the 14 doors was a man who opened up and I had the hardest time contacting him because I was just trying not to laugh to hard- his shirt was one of those ¨proud army wife¨ shirts. (This happens all the time- when they don't know what the shirt says- its only cool to have inglish.)

-Other door story. This older man opens and we start explaining who we are and he’s all "yeah, yeah, I´m a missionary too. But we´re competition."

 And I say, ¨oh sweet. But we´re all just helping Jesus right?¨ Ha-ha.  However he started to quickly run away (well more old man shuffling) before I can finish... I´m guessing not. Sometimes they are so scared of us and I don't know why. Ha-ha.

-One of my very favorite members had the ¨quote of the week¨

¨Hermana ball, with the way you sometimes sit in a skirt I´m guess before the mission you were the 'rather be camping' than 'a dance party' kind person¨.

(Ha-ha don´t stress mom, I really, really am elegant missionary lady-like. sooo don't stress ha-ha)

Well family I got to run. Lots o love. Have a happy week in Hawaii and send happy sun vibes this way!

xoxo teaching my companion the words to "Come, Come Ye Saints" in inglish- but cracking myself up in the rain singing ¨All is well. All is wet. ¨ xoxo

hermanita ball