The craziness that is Patagonia

Tacos with the Hermanas

¨Don´t have fear. Get rid of fear and change the mission. ¨ -Hermana Obeso, the mission president wife. 

My week in Coyhaique was crazy. I had so many opportunities to testify and serve- it rocked. I had 6 different companions so it was good fun! 

I was able to have a couple really great lessons or things with the Hermana’s (sister missionaries) - because with so much time with them I was able to be a little part of every part of the mission work. 

Also, we picked up the new Hermana’s and it was cool because I was talking with one of the new girls and I asked her how much time she had in the mission. She said 4 months and then asked me- and when I said 15 it was a crazy dejavu moment. Ha-ha her face was priceless and just completely in shock. And I remembered when my Hermana lider, Hermana Nielsen told me she had 15 months and I was the very same. Sometimes it’s the little things like this when I forget how fast time is going by- I still feel like the youngling!!! 

But it is so wonderful to be a Hermana lider (sister trainer). I honestly was hoping to be a trainer for the last couple months of my mission- but Heavenly Father answers prayers in interesting ways. Because, now I get to train a new Hermana lider! She is really great. Super happy. I am excited to see what’s going to happen these next couple of weeks. 

Ok the crazy news from the Patagonia. There had been a crazy strike that has been going on for 3 weeks. The kids don´t have school, the hospital is only open to emergencies and all government buildings are closed. Its crazy. Just the other day we found ourselves next to a street ¨parade¨ of protesters of about more than 500 people. The good thing about Chile is that is waaaaay tranquilo, super chill, so we aren´t in any trouble. But it really is crazy. They have blocked off all the roads and we have had to buy a 2 week storage of food because they don´t let the trucks in. Ha-ha its fun. 

 

Beds at 1:00am

But here’s the crazy thing is when Hermana C was suppose to fly out they almost couldn´t because the roads were all blocked. Finally they found through a member a way to get out of the city to the airport. Then the next day the other missionaries where suppose to fly out, but couldn't.  So the Elders ended up calling us past midnight explaining that they were taking the missionaries out of Aysen and that we needed to make room for them to sleep. Ha-ha crazy. They had to pretty much sneak them out in the dead of night to get past the bridge. So I turned into Lyle Ball and made beds for us all. It was a crazy night with a bed of jackets- we were up until who knows what hour and again up at 7 to prepare for them to fly out. 

 

Girls from Aysen

Ha-ha to be the only Hermana leader with the girls was like herding cats. So crazy. So fun. 

But then all was well and we bused back to Puerto Cisnes. My new companion I think is in a little bit of shock with how tiny it is and that I know lots of town members by name.... :) but its going to be great. Grandma asked if I think I am going to ¨die¨ here. (Finish my mission) I really don’t know. But am up for anything. We will see. Because it can be I am here for this cambio then change or I can be here for the next two. 

 

Us on the bus while everyone took a smoke break

Fun fact about our zone. It's crazy huge. Literally half of Utah. Ha-ha one of the members googled it to tell me. So that’s why traveling here is so crazy long. 

But it is good to be back in the sector. I love this branch. I told you guys about the branch a couple a letters back, but messed up--- every single person I wrote about is a convert. It’s so cool. I never get over it. 

My family here in Coyhaique

But it was cute when I got back because we entered the house to a big warm fire our branch president made, a big bag of fruit from my ward mission leader and my cleaned clothes with a hidden Easter basket in it. They are so good to me and oh I love them. Its literally home here. Just serving with family. 

These last cambios were hard. And it hit. To know I really only have 1 more normal cambio then it’s my turn to have all the crazy I have seen with Hna Segura and Hna Contreres. Shoot!!!!  But thank goodness for the Priesthood. I was able to receive a really sweet blessing and I know it's all good. It hurts to think how fast it is going. But I am just trying to live it up! We had a cool meeting with all the leaders of the mission and Hermana Obeso said, ¨Don´t have fear. Get rid of fear and change the mission. ¨ which I love. 

 

I am going to eat corn on everything when I get home!

We had one of those little changes here! We had a fast as leaders here in Puerto Cisnes for the missionary work. In the middle of our fast we literally saw the hand of God. For the first time in mooooonths we had 2 investigators in the church..... :) 

It was S and her mom. We are going to try again with them! :) Today we are going to see if it’s for real or not! FHE lesson and baptism and repentance. Woohooo. 

I love you! xoxoxo Hna ball