Going up flames...

(As Ali becomes more fluent in Spanish, English is starting to slide a bit.  Her Dad translated parts of this week’s letter for us.  His translation is in blue)

Tomorrow cannot come faster! I am so excited to talk to you- every time I start thinking about it I have to stop because I get little tears in my eyes- thats how excited I am. So prepare yourself for the waterworks tomorrow.

This week was soooooo good. Crazy. Good. But so hard. Luckily more good than hard.
Transfers are the best. Literally I couldn’t be happier. My companion is darling. Hermana Rodriguez from El Salvador. She is a tiny little thing and I already love her so much- she is very patient and kind. Which I was praying for. Then she knows the gospel and isn’t afraid to talk to everyone. Which here, the people are scary so this is good. Also her accent is way easier to understand than the Chilean. Por eso (FOR THIS) I am so happy. Enserio (SERIOUS). Oh, I can’t even explain how good and how hard it is.

My head actually hurts its so hard- I’m leading the sector, doing all planning and phone and stuff. Luckily she is catching onto the sector rapido (quickly) pero (but) its hard. I love it. I love the challenge of it.

SPIRITUAL
This week was crazy spiritual- I think its because I am 100 percent obedient with the language (well I have to be) but seriously el don de lenguas (gift of tongues) (I cant remember what this is in English. Sorry for the Spanish mom I know you hate it ha-ha) is real. And it is crazy.

My favorite lesson we had this week was with R.  The mother of José, my favorite. This week we stopped by and helped her and her husband clean the truck of mud and after she explained how she has been scared and nervous lately and how she has depression.

So we turned to the scriptures, because what’s better. Am I right? We read in Mateo (Matthew) 14:24-33, I think (go read it) about Jesus and Pedro (Peter). How el (he) had fear and such. Oh so good. My favorite is  ¨he was afraid... cried Senor (Master), save me.” And immediately Jesus extendiendo (Jesus extended) his hand. Then I explained how it the same with her right now and the spirit was so strong. It was crazy- the power in that room and the power of a pure testimony. Both me and Hna R just testified to her and I had little tears and R had little tears and José almost did but then he is a ¨man¨ or something like that :)  But we have committed her a date for baptism and for church on Sunday. I love Hermana R so much. I love teaching her and seeing a little more light in her eyes every time. I love being a missionary- being able to bring people to Christ all day every day. Nothing better.

The other power moment of the week goes exactly along with my loving being a missionary. I was in the choir for stake conference and as we sang "creo in cristo" (I Believe in Christ). Don’t know the English. But to have the spirit of the conference and to have the spirit of that song then to be standing there looking out at my members and investigators. The best of feelings. Little tears and a lot of love felt this week.

TEARS
Tears of the frustration of only Spanish and its so hard. Tears from being so happy about understanding Spanish. Tears from so much love. And tears just because. You know? Luckily most of which were when I was in the shower so we are all good. Ha-ha-hah. So my companion doesn’t think I’m a baby.

CRAZY
Oh, one of these tear experience were from laughing. Ok, get this. So it’s my comps first morning here so I have the best idea to make her muffins and cute stuff. Only our stove is really ghetto and sketch. Super sketch. So I’m all fiddling and half asleep and next thing I know there is fire on my face! Literally! I singed my eyelashes, eyebrow and half of my hair and face. Painful?  Yes!   Ugly? Not to bad. Nothing a little mascara couldn’t fix for the eye (the hair- eeeh) but funny and in shock.  I just yell for her and my hair is all nasty and its falling out on the front and all burned and oh my it was so bad. But so funny. And now you cant even tell I fixed it up real nice.

Oh dad, I thought of you this week- a lot, because it is your birthday week. You old man. What a fart. But last night we were just doing our thing with C,Z and her dad- our old mission leader and the best and my favorite. Gold. But he was coming home so I run and hide behind the door and I scared him so good. It made me think of our all-scare wars. Miss you pops. A lot. Oh no, now I have little tears again this really had got to stop. ha-ha

RANDOM:
Ok moving on. The dogs here are nasty, oh I hate them. So gross. But they keep it interesting. Right? So this one is trying to pretty much eat my leg, which happens a lot, so I’m just speaking kind Spanish to it while trying to kick it away when my knight in shinning armor came. And when we say my knight, we mean the drunk on the street. This was so funny, so he starts going loco como (crazy because) he wants to save me and he’s waving around these beer bottle and todo (totally) is crazy. But were just giggling and he is going at it- except he is so drunk he cant see straight and at times is talking to the dog pero (but) its in the wrong direction and all this fun stuff. Love it.

But really this week was gold. I am excited to see how the rest of this transfer will be. Things are really good with Hna H. We work really well together. The language is a coming. Slow but it’s coming. And it keeps it fun. Who else gets to play charades with their companion all day! Woohooo.

Well family I better sign off. I love you. I will talk to you tomorrow (tears. naaaah)

keep on keeping on. Xoxo. Hna Pelota. (Sister Ball)

Transfers and a "gem" of a scripture

I swear I just wrote you- because I did! This week has been crazy short. But first, we found out about transfers and sure thing I am staying here in Los Laurels. But get this- Heavenly Father loves me so much. My new companion literally is the person I wished and hoped and almost prayed I would get. But I didn’t pray I would get her because I just trusted what ever happened would be for my good- so when they told me little tears happened. He is so good. 

BIG NEWS:

Hermana Rodríguezes-Oh I love her so much-she is in my zone right now- we went to the beach together on Monday- she is from El Salvador and soooo cute and the best little missionary.  She doesn’t know English- which I am really excited about! Best news ever. (Though I will really miss Hna J!) We have transfers on Wednesday so news to come! 

The last two transfers with Hna J have been so good. I loved having her as my trainer and we had a lot of fun and crazy experiences- but change is good! I will no longer be a trainee but an equal companion. 

SPIRITUAL:

Lets see here- this week we taught Roxanna, the mom of our convert and my favorite Jose. So last week we had the craziest lesson. Gold. We started the resurrection and it was so good. She got why there was an apostasy and the role of prophets. Then we started talking about praying to know if it was true and Jose gave the question for baptism- so cool to see him give it to his mom and testify of how truly happy he is now. Then this week we finished the resurrection and we were starting it and it was crazy- the kids running around the telephone and people coming in and out- which happens literally every time we go to teach about José Smith and Jesus and Heavenly Father appearing to him. I am completely positive its Satan trying to stop us or stop the spirit because every time we teach this part it truly is powerful- its crazy. 

But I’m like "Hna j this isn’t working" (imagine me whispering muttering this to her) then I'm like, "ok jump ship?"  And she’s like, "hhhhmmm."  And I’m like, "hmmmm" because we really wanted to do this in the right way.

So we started  and went for it.  And it just wasn’t working you know. There were so many interruptions. But we kept trucking and then I showed the picture of José Smith in the grove and started the first vision. 

Mom and dad, I wish you were here for this. I am so happy. Before I said it I just prayed for the spirit and it was magic. I started with the usual in his own words- "vi una collumna." (I saw a column).  And it got silent. The kids all stopped, everything was dead silent and I was looking at her and I was saying it and I just felt in that moment that what I was saying happened. That God truly appeared and answer the "pregunta de Jose y este fue verdad." (Joseph, this is true).

Then when I finished I bore a small testimony and then it got real loud again, real quick. It was crazy.  I love the spirit and the power of the resurrection. So much. So so much. 

BEST:

This week I found this gem. 

(Ok mom right here copy and paste Doctrine and Covenants 84:80)

“And any man that shall go and preach this gospel of the kingdom, and fail not to continue faithful in all things, shall not be weary in mind, neither darkened, neither in body, limb nor joint; and a hair of his head shall not fall to the ground unnoticed.  And they shall not go hungry, neither athirst.”

So this doesn’t specifically mention:

-Backache from chopping wood

-Open sore in ma throat

-Scabbed, peeling, bruised knees from kneeling 

-An upset stomach and messed little bowel issues

-Wet, shriveled toes from the rain. 

However, this scripture gave me so much comfort this week. I know Heavenly Father knows what’s up, fleabites and all and he’s got my back. All I need is faith. 

Speaking of which my throat is a little better or at least it isn’t worst so I think the meds are kicking in. Woohoo! Yay for prayers!

Also, I am eating better so don’t worry bout me. 

And it’s getting cold so the pulgas (fleas) are running away- yayyaya- but they are running in to my bed. Ha-ha. But the colder it get the less well have so this is good. It’s still gross killing them. 

But what ever right? 

Oh this week we had Labor Day! Which meant we had a pichanga (music) party with José and Guisse because its the first time they didn’t work! Best lesson of the tastiest of Chile. 

RANDOM:

Fun service of the week. We were walking and saw this menos activo- (less active) suuuuper older lady trying to cut this tree down. So I jump in there- oh so fun. I was doing the splits holding two rose bushes back- my tights are all cut up and blood dripping. Then I have this old saw and I am literally just cutting away at these trees. Soo crazy, but that’s what we love right? 

Oh, I have the best family. So this week we got shots and they hurt sooo bad. And I’m just hurting and then the Elders give me mail! Best. 2 from grandma ball and a package full of warm cozy things- scarf, gloves, hat and candy and hot cocoa. Then this week I got 2 letters from mom. Mom- you are killer. Looove the letter from you and Nate. So cute. Little tears cute. I miss that little punk. And you are the best mom ever. I love the Moab pin. 

This week we had daylight saving which is crazy because it gets dark about 6:30 pm. and we are out until 10. Which means it’s a little chilly. But luckily we are in houses a lot and teaching lots so that good! And I have 1000 scarfs and gloves and jackets and such so I am all cozy don’t stress. 

Well family, I got to run we have stake conference tonight and we want to go grab investigators and drag them through the rain to it. Ha-ha

I love you so much. I miss you so much. 

Keep trucking, keep praying and reading and praying more and serving and praying. 

Xoxox doubt not fear not... unless it’s a creep three legged dog trying to eat your leg because that when I have fear xoxoxo 

Hna Ball.

Much needed beach time!

Hey family! 

Sorry I didn’t write on Saturday- I know how much you hate it. That's why I didn’t write. Naaah! We got to change our p-day and went to the beach with 8 of the Hermanas in our zone. The beeeest. We just got back and I’ve got sand in my hair and seaweed in my toes- literally its in my shoe- ahah. But my soul is rejuvenated and I feeeeel good. 

This week was crazy and next week will just be crazier. Its already time for transfers and I cant even believe it. We will find then out on Saturday- so news to come. But I am 100 percent sure I am staying in Los Laureles because Hna J has been here for 6 months and that is the max in an area- but I am cool with it. I love this ward and our investigators. 

FUNNY:

However I'd be lying if I didn’t miss the annual Moab trip. Looked siiiiick.  But the funniest thing happened here. So we wanted to make José and Guissa a fun meal for Easter- with all American stuff. However they don’t have much here ha-ha so I had a bunch of tuna from grandma S. and it was perfect. We had the great idea to make tuna melts with potato chip and do smores. (Remember how hard it was to make stuff in Italy? think of that times 100 worst) so we buy all the stuff and are excited. Then we get to their house and realized we left most of it at our house which is such a long walk and we have no time- so we have to go to plan b and then plan c and then it just ended up with the worst meal I have ever made. It all was wrong and we had to chop wood for the stove so it took forever and it was terrible. Ha-ha burned, cold dry tuna sandwiches with out cheese or any condiments only pickles and no smores because we ran out of time. Ha-ha we just sat and laughed and cried from laughing because it was so pathetic. 

Poor kids. Luckily they are good sports. And it turns out they love the tuna and pickles. We went back over 2 days later and they made it for us for dinner and when we took the first bite they asked if we made it right. So cute. Hahah. I love them so much. 

Ok then it’s been crazy here will all the earthquakes and fires. We had a ward fast and it was really really powerful. It’s amazing the love this church has for everyone. 

Then we were visiting with one of our Young Women) one of the 2, her name is yasmin. Oh she is the cutest. But has a pretty hard home life- so we were talking about it and we felt she needed. So we headed to one of the members and he gave her first blessing since her baptism when she got the holy ghost and it was such a beautiful blessing of comfort and truly one of those so sweet and dear experience. It also just reminded me how happy I am to have a dad who has the priesthood and all the love and blessing I have received from it. 

Easter Breakfast

Then this week was hard- super powerful and super satisfying but hard because I took the lead in everything, every lesson, all planning, everything with the cell phone- everythingI Obviously Hna J helped a lot, but man it was rough but so good. Tears hard and tears good. You know?

BAD:

Ok lets just get the bad over with.

Throat update- so it's still nasty and it's still siiiick but we have been to two little pharmacies here and we sent a picture to a doctor in Santiago and one lady here looked at it and we are figuring it out. I am on medicine so we will see if it kicks in.

Then pulga (flea) update. Siick. Hate them. Every morning checking the bed- eww then killing them is sick because their shells are so hard you have to put them between your finger nails.  

Oh then you know in "nacho libre" the line ¨nacho... I’ve had the runs since the Easters¨.  Hah truer words never spoken. Maybe because I’ve never had an Easter in South America. Ha-ha I think that’s enough info on that. 

CRAZY:

Oh this was hilarious. So we had to do all these errands and I’m just going with it and we walk way far and its through all this weird stuff and then we just walk into this little ghetto building and all of a sudden all of these men have guns and I’m like "oh my!" and they take us into this room and Hna j pulls out her wallet and I am still just sitting there not understanding anything.   There are 3 of them and then I ask her what the heck going on because I’m a little nervous. Then she just leans over and says "its the FBI."  Apparently we had to do this stuff for her visa and it turned out to be super chill but so funny. In a month I will have to go back for my visa.  At times like this I love not knowing what’s going on- it keeps it interesting I guess. 

LANGUAGE:
Oh this week I had mess ups with the language.  And these are just the two best. It happens way too much. 

The difference of mama with an accent on the a and mama. 

mama (accent) mom

mama - breast. 

So that one actually got me in a lot of trouble as a missionary. Ha-ha

And the other best was this old man talking to us on the street and I have no idea what he is saying but I just go with it and he tells me this whole thing- turns out he was saying ¨the trasndecent dove who shine bright and beautiful this is God, right? This is God. ¨ And I’m like yeah. Exactly.  And Hermana j- no. No its not. No. Ha-ha

Also, I still can’t get over how good the beach was today. It’s getting cold here- like camping in winter cold. Where every night I put on 3-4 pairs of sweats and 3 shirts and a sweatshirt and a hat (from cinda, I love it!) and gloves and I curl up in my bed and it is only the end of autumn- we haven’t even hit winter. Its times like this I remember I am at the end of the world. But I love it. Oh the beaches are called malcolque and bahia mansa if you want to look them up- so pretty. 

But I’ve just about got to run. But before I do one last thing. Go put on that Beatles song- sending all my love to you. And just imagine me sitting in this crazy lady’s house (the one who I sent the rocks from and who will be mom in a couple years) and imagine this song on repeat 4 times while she shows up these pictures of her vacation to the beach and me just thinking about you all and how much I love you. 

Well fam I love you muchly. Think of you always and pray for you sooo much because you all are little stinkers and need little blessings. Ha-ha miss you like crazy. 

Xoxoxo the beach was like Peru and Italy and different but I just thought of you all xoxxo

Hermana ball.