June 15, 2015
¨We walk in His light. Our journey on the path is personal and well
lit with the Saviors love. ¨ -Rosemary Wixom
This week was pure crazy. One of “those” weeks.
The kind with 11 hours in the bus and only 2 lessons in our sector.
Oh boy. So like usual we got up
at 4:40am to get ready to bus out... but this time no light. Ha-ha
thank you so much grandma simpkins for the head lamps- we use it daily for one
reason or another. But, we got all our stuff together and headed out to wait on
the road. There isn´t a bus station here- the bus just passes on the side of
the road and you never know really what time it´s going to there.
Sometimes we
wait 15 minutes, some times an hour. Well, we head and see that a bus had crashed
into the light post at the end of our street. Here’s the crazy thing. It had
just crashed before. The police were their and all. But the craziest thing-
that lamp post is where we wait for the bus because it’s a nice light for the super
obscure mornings! So to say if we have been waiting there that would
have been us! Craaazy. I can´t even explain how crazy that morning was. We are just
here in the pouring rain with my headlamp and the police and the workers and
all then they all leave and we ended up waiting about 40 minutes soaked through.
I love Patagonia. Seriously is way too much fun.
But we were able to make it right in time for
our meeting with the Elders where they brought us mushroom and chicken empanadas. So its was all worth it, ha-ha. And mtgs with the Elders means; mail. I got the
last letter from grandma ball- so sad. I’ve loved these ever week. And I got
dads letter from Perú... love that it was from the same hotel we stayed in. So
cool. And mom I got your package. xoxox.
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| Hermana Torres |
But intercambios were rocking. It was sad that
they were my last. For almost half of my mission we´ve been rocking the
intercambios and I love them so much. We hit it hard and ended strong.
I was with Hermana Torres from Mexico. We had
a really successful day. A lot of lesson really, really good.
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| Hermana Pinto |
One was the
best. It was a young couple and we taught about the book of Mormon and I have
never had a lesson like it before. It was perfect. They were so interested- seriously
my whole mission I haven´t seen someone so completely fascinated and excited to
know more about the Book of Mormon. We watched a little Mormon message with
them and right as it ended I went to say something and he is all- "again. I have to
see this again." So we watch it and they are just glued to the TV. Then they
were asking such great questions.
She had a Book of Mormon from the Hermana’s but he didn’t
have one. He was so excited that I ended up giving him mine that I use in the
street and I think he was touched that I gave him mine that was marked with my
notes. It was so cute because he held it like a gem. I am so excited for this
family. They are killer. Can´t wait to be their best friends in the Celestial
kingdom.
Then in Aysen I was with Hermana Pinto from
Colombia. We stopped by to teach a less active and we were teaching her the different
steps of the gospel with a focus on the Sacrament. We have a little cute
example thing to teach it, so I was kneeling next to her and she just cut us off
and looked right at me and explained that that morning she had had a dream that
two angles came to her and had a candle and they were helping her light this
candle and it was brighter and brighter and she knew it was a candle of ¨Gods
love.¨ She explained that she knows that she dreamed about us, that we
are her angels. It was really, really darling.
We also got to teach G, she an
investigator who was just baptized. It's cool with the Hermana’s because I have
had so many intercambios that I have been able to teach their investigators a
lot and know them pretty well. Almost like my investigators. When we were
heading to teach her we saw the branch presidente and his daughter so we had
them come with us and had a killer lesson on daily book of Mormon studies. So
cool. I love the book of Mormon. I seriously love this book so, so, so, so
much.
But in this intercambio I achieved a new personal
best. Hahaha. I chopped 3 freaking full on wood stumps. Like the whole tree
base into small fire starting parts in less than 20 minutes. So sorry to brag
and all but it really was siiiick.
What else happened? Oh I slept on the floor on
a little sleeping mat that has gone through it all.... a fire, has mold and I woke up this time with more than 20 nasty flea bites all over. We have tried to
get rid of this but are in the process of getting a new one. I used to just
sleep on the cement and I think it was better, hahahaha. But my back and spine got pretty bad so it
was back to the mat. Ewww.
Well family. That was this week.
I love you.
Oh yeah and don´t you like the quote of the
week. That's what I love about this gospel- its purely personal and so
lovely.
xoxoxo hermana ball.
June 22,
2015
¨He see´s who you really are. He looks on your heart. And He
loves you because you are His child. Seek Him earnestly and you will find Him.
¨ -Elder Uchtdorf.
This is one of my favorite parts of being a
missionary. It is seriously so cool to explain to people that they really are a
child of God. And what that means.
But family. Get this. Yesterday at church they
told me only one more Sunday and then I am home. But really? What?
Happy father's day dad. We were in our district
mtg for Skype and I almost skyped you. Seriously. We get to call for mother’s
day, so why not.... :)
This week was crazy. Here´s a quick rundown because
we are going to go explore a waterfall with Norma and Rodrigo.
Speaking of Norma. This week we were with her
4 times. If one of us mentions that I only have a week left the other starts
getting teary. So we just don´t talk about it anymore. We stopped by and
watched a video about the atonement that is so powerful. We all ended up in
tears. It’s the very best at the end of a lesson to hear them explain... "I never realized what the atonement was.... ¨ followed by a pure testimony. ?ove.
Then we had a cute family home evening. They
really are family. That family where the "knock- and-walk" with a little ¨hola¨ happens
and then we set the table and I know here all the stuff and what she needs
before even asking. That whole... can you get the hot chocolate? And it's already
in my hands. Ha-ha I love them so much. We can laugh so hard and then
feel the spirit so strong. Love.
Then we had a road trip. We had to head to Coyhaique so instead of the nasty bus we took their car. Chilling with the
music, stopping for empanadas and just busting up for 4 hours. Love.
Then we helped R with his first ever
talk in church. We were all there with our scriptures and the other books throwing
out ideas and they are so cute. They were both really nervous for him and he
rocked it. He really opened up with us and it was such a dear really special
experience. He gave a rock star talk. Seriously one of the best I’ve heard because
it was given with so much humility and heart.
Ok, enough about those little punks. I could go
on and on. But when we were in Coyhaique it was crazy.
Crazy with the Hermana’s. Also, we had
interviews with presidente and he is the best. I went in and he just looked at
me with that little pres Obeso look and is all "Hermana ball, how you feeling?" It
was so good to chat with him.
Then he talked to me about why I have 7 months in
this tiny little pueblo. It was amazing to hear about the real revelation he
has received. He knew he felt so strongly that I had to stay here. I guess the
elders where saying that I needed changes. That no one can stay in Puerto Cisnes so long because it’s rough. And he said he wanted to be sure. He said one day
he called me. And I remember this call. He asked a bunch of just random little
things and then that was all. He said he did it because he simply wanted to
hear my voice, feel a little bit of my spirit and he said again he just knew
it. It was confirmed that I had to stay here.
I am so grateful. I have really learned so
much here. So that was really cool to hear.
It was crazy to have my last bus ride home
from Coyhaique. There’s this crazy feeling at the end of the 4 hours when we cross a certain bridge and right then you can see all the lights of the little houses
in Puerto Cisnes. Every time we are there, there’s a little moment of just
breathing in and out. You know that feeling of home after a long trip? It was
bittersweet this time. Shoot.
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| Cow legs for dinner? |
But here in Puerto cisnes we have been rocking
it. It’s been cold. Last night they say it got to minus 4.
Ok little gems of the week.
-Everyone cooks and warms the house with fires
so it’s not uncommon to have a fire start. It’s crazy because an alarm goes of
and I feel like I am in a world war bombing. And we just stop and listen to see
if it’s close to us. Crazy. Lucky they are used to it so nothing bad
happens.
-We had to make a 20 second video of what
we´ve learned in the mission. I tried and just ended up crying. So we left to
walk around. And God loves me so He sent over this huge beautiful lab. It jumped up and
both hind legs and literally gave me a hug. And made me scream and laugh. I
know it sounds crazy but I know, I just know, that it really was a little love
message from my Father in Heaven. Its funny and all but also it was so crazy
perfect that I just think about it and feel so happy.
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| President and Hna Obeso in front of our church building |
Then we were sitting in lunch and get a call
from president obeso. ¨Hermana where are you?¨ ¨We´re in Puerto Cisnes.¨ "Oh, us
too! ¨
President made the crazy 8-hour drive to be
with us for an hour and a half. It was so wonderful. We ran out of lunch. Met up
by the beach. Went and ate a completo (Chilean hotdogs) chatted and laughed and
then took him on a mini tour of Puerto Cisnes. Him and Hermana Obeso had never
been here and I’ve chatted with them about coming for 7 months. So they finally
made it down my last week. Love, love, love. It was soooooooo cute to be with
them.
Well family. I've got to fly. There´s a waterfall
waiting for me! I love you.
Like elder Holland always says ¨Gods
plan is total victory. ¨ so here’s to finishing this week strong. Because
it total victory no mas.
xoxo hna ball
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| I taught them the Wendy's fries in frosty idea. They loved it! |
This is my last week. Crazy. I can't even believe it. Ha-ha
and no one here believes it either because there have only been sister
missionaries here for 1 year and of that year 7 months were with me so they all
think I just moved here. Ha-ha
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