It´s
true. I know I am exactly where Heavenly Father has called me to be- I love
Puerto Cisnes. I have just over 3 months here and I love it.
Yes, I´ve knocked
every door (and a lot twice!), talked to just about every person, it rains all
the days and is cold and there are 1000 dogs and we literally don´t have
investigators (this is the hardest part. we are trying so hard and have no one
progressing.) Buuut, we have successes.
And
I know these scriptures were written just for me- That I am where I have been
called and He´s with me, even here at the end of the world.
I
love this branch. We´re few. Like 30. (We have about 5 families and a
handful of faithful women who come alone.) But I have really come to know and
love these saints.
Yesterday,
we were in Ward council and I just again looked around and thought about how
lucky I am- every single person in first generation member and they are rock
stars.
We
have been teaching each family the lessons. This week we had a lot of success
in teaching the Restoration- but also not only teaching it, but also teaching
how they can teach it to others.
Also, there is one of our members who want to serve a mission in the temple with her
husband- so tomorrow I am going to start English classes. So cool! She
knows a bit so we are going to just focus on phrases and things to help people
in the temple. LOOOVE. When she was explaining her idea to me she said, "I want
to help people, you know like, you need a pair of socks...¨ ha-ha so cute.
Her
dad wasn´t too interested in the message before- then she pulled out the Book of
Mormon and testified and the spirit was so strong and he completely changed.
Then we had our other lesson fhe (family home evening) and explained the
restoration. It was so good. I am excited to see what happens. The only bummer
is N had to go back to Viña and her dad had to leave to work in the ocean
for the rest of this month. We have a lesson today with E (the girlfriend)
so hopefully when R comes back we´ll still be good!
Also
we are finding a real big problem here. The people don´t feel the need to
repent or be cleaned from sin. It's a small and chill pueblo and they really
aren´t doing anything bad or crazy. Just living good simple lives. So we have been trying to fight this. But it’s all good. We have
a few people who might be able to progress. Hopefully R and E or a
couple others. But we´ll just have to see.
We
saw Heavenly Fathers hand with one of our less actives. We have been trying to
get to know her and teach but without luck. Well we saw her and got her phone
number and had an appointment for the lesson the next week. Well that afternoon
we called right before the lessons to see if she was still good and we went
over and started to talk when she got emotional explaining she had forgotten we
were going to come by today and she is in a really rough situation. And was so
lost and didn't know what to do so she prayed and just close to tears asked God
what to do when she said amen, we called. I am so grateful to be a daughter of
God. Or more so to know that I am and what that signifies. We just testified
of Him and His plan and have another appointment planned. Wooohoo. I hope this
time she is ready to act. The other times not so much, but I think now is the
time!
Then
we had a second cool little miracle- we had 10 minutes left of the day that we
could enter a house to teach or we had to be in the house for the day. So we
were a knocking and a lady let us in- we had rock star super simple but
great 15-minute lesson. But here’s the thing- shooot. She works and leaves today,
like everyone else. We have great lessons, feel the spirit and then they have
to leave for a month of work and then come back for 2 weeks then leave again
for half a month then have a week etc. because we are on the ocean. So it’s
cool. But rough.
Other
cute thing, Hermana O. So we had lunch with her this week and she explained
how she was in the mountains and it was quiet and she was alone and thought
about José Smith and how wonderful it is and what if God appeared to her. I
love little conversations like this because it shows that this gospel really is
becoming a part of her!
Also
still love being a Hermana Líder. (Sister trainer) its cool and great and the
best. I love the meeting and calling and helping and loving and serving the
girls.
Our
mamita (a mamita is the member who feeds us 5 days of the week. its a lot of
work and a big sacrifice here. then for her to have the weekend we eat with a
member on Saturday and we cook on Sundays) our last mamita was so
good to us. Really, really crazy good. And i don´t know if I’ve explained-
grandma Simpkins wrote and asked about here so here’s a bit about our Darling
mamita Hermana Bernarda.
She
doesn´t just feed us but she does it with so much love. Like the other night
she just showed up with two pieces of homemade cake while we were doing
planning. So cute. She makes the BEST meat empanadas. And feeds us like
royalty. Everyday we have a 3-course meal. A starter (salad, soup or empanadas)
then we have the dish (today was salmon that was fresh from this morning and
yummy onion.) then we have salads, juice salad everyday we end with a little
dessert. Crazy. She is so loving.
Also
gem number 2. Sometimes we have random little service things that I love. I’m
now a pro 15 minutes woodchopper.
We
study right next to the fire because it gets pretty cold with the rain and this
week I was studying and I guess I was sitting a bit close and burned a big ole
love mark in my skirt. Ha-ha so sketch. But I’ve got a needle and thread so
it’s good.
Also
people are still telling us about they have seen us on YouTube and Facebook or
we were also on the pueblos TV cannel from pescado frito. Hah the Mormons are
famous! We were in a lesson and the lady’s all ¨hey i saw you guys on the TV¨
I
love you!
Sending
Patagonian vibes your way.
xoxo
Hna Ball
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