Living the simple life

 ¨Trust in God, then go and do. ¨-Henry B. Eyring. 

I LOVE Puerto Cisnes! It sure is a beaut. It,s hard, because it is teeny tiny. But oh boy do I love it. 

This week we had some really cool experiences. 

We have been working with the video ¨He is the gift.¨ We introduce it to every contact we make and this week we found 6 solid new investigators because of it. (Which is crazy!) We knock the door, explain the video and ask them if they have just a couple of minutes. Then we watch it, explain a little about our message, set an appointment and leave with a prayer. It has been magic. 

We stumbled across the video in English and it was shocking. Go watch the difference in English then in Spanish (él es la dádiva.) I had forgotten how crazy life is. I love living in Rio Bueno and now, Puerto Cisnes- because life really is tranquilo. (quiet) It’s such a simpler way of living. It was crazy for me to watch it in English.  First, just to hear English- then to see what was ¨normal¨ life. It almost scares me to think about returning home, to the crazy. 

The rest of the day I couldn´t help but notice how simple, humble and wonderful my life is right now. 

We have 2 investigators we are working with right now.  S and M-mother and daughter. And O- who is the cutest little lady ever. 

We had a family home evening with S (22 years old), her mom and a member who gave us the reference. It was awesome. We watched the restoration and talked about the Book of Mormon. It was then we realized for the first time ever both me and my companion didn´t have an extra Book of Mormon with us. We both looked at each other a little frantically and then told her that our next lesson we would love to give her one. And that’s when the member stepped in and explained that she had one that was given to her from her son that she would like to give them. She went and got it and it had a sweet little note from her son- but she explained how she would like them to have it.

It´s amazing how Heavenly Father works. It meant so much more to Silvia to have this book then it would meant for her to have one from us. 

I know this was a little gift from Heavenly Father and I love it so much. I love finding these little gems throughout every day. 

We also had the cuuutest lesson with O. She has been investigating the church for a year now and is just dear. She asked if we could come by and help her decorate her Christmas tree. Which was so good. I thought about you all family- having all of us down stairs, dad fixing the TV to make the huge fireplaces, mom passing out the ornaments and us fighting over who gets to put up the pickle, the devil from Lona and the Harry Potter kids. I sure missed you, but it was sooo fun to do it with O. 

Then she asked us to help her make the nativity. (A tradition here for the families.) They don´t sale nativities. But what they do is they start with jesucristo and each year add a piece on. Olga has a whole set that is so cute. I love how it turned out! Its so fun, we just used what she had, we all went out and picked grass and flowers then went in and used stuff from the tree. I love Chile. I love O. I love Christmas. I love gold glitter garland and I loooove being a missionary. 

Gems:

- So this was so funny. In Rio Bueno there aren´t any stop lights. But then when we were in Coyhaique, it's a crazy city, and I had forgotten stoplights are a thing. So I almost got hit because I’m just walking around like normal. Well my companion is happy because here in Puerto Cisnes we don´t have to worry about it either. Ha-ha no stop lights so no problems. 

Also our house is so ghetto. Literally, we don’t have electricity in the bathroom and I use a big white candle. Or when it is cold we can actually just jog in circles in the bottom part of the house. So huuge. But its cool and our tables are situated right between the fireplace thing- I'll send photos next week. 

Oh, so the picture of a rocking cat. Get this- it's outside of the Relief Society room in the church. Hah, I loooove Puerto Cisnes. I feel like it was just made for me to live here. 

Also, we don´t stress about not really having a church or a lot of members because the ones we have the are the best, and literally they are all one family. The mom and her three daughter’s families. With a couple other little members. And we have a Ping-Pong table. So it’s way cool.

We had the primary program yesterday. Last week we helped them get all prepared and it was so cute. It's way different then our programs- only 5 little munchkins!

This week we had sun! I actually used a little sunblock! 

We had two skype reunions- and everytime we have one I get so excited for Christmas. We found out we have 40 minutes nada mas (nothing more) to chat. But, ooooh boooy. 

I "elfed¨out house. :) I cut out a bunch of white, blue and purple snowflakes and hung them from floss from our roof. My companion, Hna Segura, is from here in Chile- close to Santiago. And she loves it. I am so excited to do Christmas with her! Seriously, I’m just doing these little ball family traditions and it’s so fun. She loves having a big "American Christmas¨ (when really it"s just crazy Hna ball. hahah)

Hna S is finishing her mission this cambio.  (transfers)  It’s wacky. But we´re just working along like its not real. I’m just making sure she finishes strong and happy. Its fun. 

Also I looove being a Hermana lider. (Sister Trainer).  This week we did a lot for the Hermana’s and we had a couple experiences where we saw that they really trust and love us. I love it. This week we have intercambios (splits with other sister missionaries) and I'll be busing it for 10ish hours. But I am excited to get out and work with them. 

Also, no one here knows how to play the piano but the branch has a little keyboard- so I am teaching one of the member’s piano classes to learn to play for sacrament! The branch is pretty excited. 

The testing moment of this week was preparing to teach the Old Testament class- in Spanish. I still really struggle with Spanish. I know it’s my test here in the mission- to not be able to explain myself completely, it is the most frustrating thing. But the Old Testament is hard in English- then in Spanish there are a bunch of words I don’t understand. The lesson was about esdras and nemahíah. Oh boy. 

I was stressing before. During personal study it was one of those frustrating moments when I just was close to tears. I said a little pray and got back to work. It was one of my favorite parts of the week. Because then the next morning I had a plan but was still stressed (I don’t even know why because there are like 2 people in the class). But more it was just the whole Spanish and wanting them to understand this hard doctrine in a simple way. But then in the class it just flowed and they got it! 

Well family I got to run. Ha-ha Hide the pickle for me. 

I am just so grateful for where I´m at in life. I am loving it. 

xoxo Go and Do xoxo Hna ball

P.S. - also I took out some money for a new coat because it rains so much. It’s the blue one I’m wearing.

The green building the photos is the bed and breakfast we eat in. 

Then, the crazy oceans ones are just when we are walking and working and snap a quick pic because it's so crazy that this is real life. 

Also, the cool wooden building is the library. Where I am writing you from right now. 

And the bridge is where we cross from our house to the other part of the sector about 4-6 times a day. Looove. Also, when I got home I realized how funny the picture is because it is so normal.  Then to see I’m holding a little bag of eggs to eat.  It is just so normal for me now.  I love this sector. 

Well family I gotta run. But I love ya.