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. 

The city of Swans

This week has been the craziest week ever. I only have 35 minutes because today is a holiday- the "day of the Virgin" so none of the computer cyber's are open and we are just pumping this through the church. 

First, I love being a Hermana lider (trainer) so much. It is so much fun to be talking with the girls and helping them out. We live so far out that we got to spend the night with some of our girls in a layover and I love them so much! I love learning, serving, teaching, and laughing with them. 

Well family I am in Puerto Cisnes! Look it up. You are going to die. It took me 2 taxis, 5 buses, and an airplane to get here. It is the most isolated area in the whole mission- one of the buses was 4 hours up the Patagonian mountains. CRAZY. 

I love my little pueblito. It is a fishing town with the population of about my high school, Lone Peak, and it is smashed between three sides of beautiful mountain and the ocean! I LOVE Puerto Cisnes. Fun facts- I sent a picture home of our house- the big yellow one. It’s an old church. 

our house

Next cool thing, our actual church is just a house church. And have a branch of about 24 people. It is so cute- and it is a crazy experience because we do it all, we lead the music, we do talks, we switch off being the teachers- this week I am the teacher of old testament and part of primary. I looove it. 

It's crazy. But, we have 2 investigators right now who I have faith in! Puerto Cisnes hasn’t had a baptism in 2 years and we are working with O, who is about 55 and so cute. She came to church with us and is sooo cute. 

Fun facts about Cisnes:

-It rains. Oh boy, does it rain. But its all good because its crazy beautiful. Right now we were heading into summer, but I got transferred which means I haven’t seen real sun or had summer since Mexico and I won't see summer until I am back in good ole Utah! My whole mission has been in rain or more rain. But luckily here it stops in the afternoon for a little bit- ha-ha that’s when we snag photos. 

Also we had our first Lider (training) meeting with all the zone leaders. It’s crazy because we had to Skype in. We also will be doing this for all of our district meetings because we are so far out. Ha-ha 

There aren´t any grocery stores- Hinds quick stop would be a dream and we eat sooo much bread- (shoot.) but the cool thing is we eat in a little bed and breakfast with some members and the food is soo good. The best I have had my whole mission. 

I am the only gringo for about 4 hours. So it’s a little overwhelming for some of the people. Lets just say in Sacrament a lady bore testimony of prayers being answered because she has been praying for a "gringa" to teach her English!

Our sector is so tiny. I love it. It takes us about 25 minutes to cross from one side to the other. 

However, this week has been crazy. One of the member’s houses burned down, so as missionaries and as a branch we have dropped it all to help them out. It’s been incredible to see the love and service. All the women are cleaning the objects or clothes. The priesthood is helping with the house. And as missionaries we have taken over their daughter’s unfinished house to get it all set up for them. 

Thank you dad for teaching me the ways. We have it gutted and painted this weekend. Then today we are going to head back over to paint and finishing up. 

Most people would blame God or be lost or broken to lose so much. But it has been amazing to see the strength of these real pioneers. 

I got to run. But I love you so much! I loooovve Puerto Cisnes and next week will have lots of adventures to explain.

xoxo Hna ball

Slugs, toasters and the capitol of Patagonia

What a crazy week! First of all we found out cambios. (transfers) I am so sad to leave Rio Bueno- but so excited for this next adventure!

First, guess what? Hermana Parkinson is going to be a trainer- I am so happy. We have worked so hard and so well together. We really have had such a spiritual and such a fun, happy and laughing all the days cambio. I know she is going to do sooo good. I am so proud of her. 

Crazy thing- this week I called it. I just knew she was going to train- this cambio there is a huge serge of new missionaries and I knew she was going to be called.

This week was really, really great. It’s so sad because I have seen these last two cambios (transfers) work paying off and I won’t be here to see it through. But no importa. (not important)

C was baptized! It was so beautiful and perfect. She is so wonderful and seriously glows. I loved getting to know her, being able to teach with her and see her progress so quickly- and it was fun to teach with the Elders. So good. She is in our mission prep class and wants to prepare to serve a mission.

So we have 3 people that are going to be baptized in the next 3 weeks. I love them so much, M (who is a rock star- in the last 2 weeks she has progressed so much.) In two weeks she has been to church twice, 2 ward activities, English classes, primary program practices, then her kids were in the primary program and she wants to be baptized the 27th of December with her son. She knew the Elders a little bit in a different area- and has seen her life with them, then without the church, then with us. I love her so much because she know the Book of Mormon is true, this church is true and she is happier with the church. I can’t wait to hear about her progress.

 

Our district

We also had seminary graduation- where as missionaries we sang "We'll bring the world his truth" and "as sisters in Zion" in Spanish. Crazy powerful. Mom and dad, remember when the primary sang "We'll bring the world is truth" right after the age change conference?  Well, I thought about that while were singing. Remembering how it was my DREAM, how I couldn’t wait to be a missionary? Then to sing it now- as a missionary. So happy!

Then I ran into presidente vergara from Valdivia- him and his wife were my favorite family in Valdivia. He is the stake presidente and she was the relief society pres. We did a lot with them and it was so nice to catch up.

Two little funny things- I've been waking up with slug slime trails everywhere- luckily they haven’t got in my bed yet but my shoes and everything has these little glowing trails.

And I saw a toaster for the first time the other week. So cool. I had forgotten about toasters.

Also this week, our branch went to the temple! We went and waved and sent them off. It was so cute- they have been working for months to get the money and it was so cute to see how excited they were. Oh my, also H went and said it was amazing- he loved being able to do baptisms for his grandpa and seeing everyone in the branch gathered together in white. Love.

Also I sent a picture home of a horse- get this, so we are just walking down like it's nothing and see this little pony, so obviously we laugh and the man came out and told us to take a picture- so without thinking I go over and giver her a big ole hug and then about 5 minutes later my entire face, neck and arms were covered in hives. craziest thing ever- worst than any other allergic reacion (reaction) I've had- we were close to the mamitas so she helped us out then I got home and showered- now I am good. But it was craaaaaazy. Never more. No importa (doesn't matter) how cute it is.

Also, you see it snowed in Rio Bueno- oh wait, nope that’s just a whole lot of cotton. So this week was fun with the allergies. But it’s pretty looking so that’s cool.

Also we snagged a picture of our little English class- we asked them what they wanted to do and learn so we taught about how to order at McDonalds and what the different money means and all. Hahaha so stereotypical.

Well family this week it going to be awesome- I FLY to my new area on Wednesday. (What?) They are shipping me off to the second most southern part of the country and our mission. (Its called

Coyhaique, it's the capitol of Patagonia)  Where I am going to be a new Hermana Lider. (Training sister) I am so excited! Stories to come! :)

My new companions name is Hna Figuroa- I don’t know her but I am just soooo excited, she is Latina!

Gem of the week: Just imagine cute little presidente Hinckley saying this because I love it-¨You can be smart and happy or stupid and miserable... it´s your choice. ¨

So family lets be smart n happy. Right?

I love you muchly. I cannot wait for this next week!

Hna Ball

Double the Thanksgiving, double the fun!

What a crazy week! I love being a missionary for weeks like this one.

First of all C is a rock star- I sent a photo of us and her (in pink dress) right before her baptismal interview! All is well and she is going to be baptized this Thursday! I love her so much- especially her love and understanding of the Restoration. We asked her what the significance of José Smith being a prophet was for her and she just testified that because of him we truly have the truth- that we can receive revelation and that we know that Jesucristo (Jesus Christ) has His church on the earth today- sooo good.

I love helping people prepare to be baptized because I can see how their lives change through living the gospel. How much happier they are and how they find a purpose to their lives through their knowledge that they are children of a loving heavenly father.

Last week I mentioned R and A. This week we went back and asked if they had prayed and what they felt- they said they understood it and felt good. But they wanted to know about the Book of Mormon (which was our lesson plan!) so we went through it and they have such great questions. We again invited them to keep praying to know and they really have started understanding the restoration. We have another lesson with them in a couple hours and I am pretty stinking excited.

However, he works every Sunday morning so we have to see what we can do about helping them come to church... prayers please! :)

So a crazy thing happened, I made a contact and it was awesome- so we invited her to the ward activity in 2 days and went from their hoping to see her again. Then the crazy thing- she actually came to the activity (its hard enough to get the members!) then that Sunday she came again with her 3 kids. She is awesome! The only thing is she also has a problem- that is that right now we can’t visit her in her house because it’s her aunt’s house. But we have plans to visit her in a member’s house this week. Honestly she is so cool.

Ok, lets see here- also we have been teaching J and his sister P. P came to church! Then we had a lesson with them, and their mom and brother (23 yrs.). They are an awesome family- but like I said they live way out in El Campo. So it’s hard. Hah, the other day we had a lesson and we couldn’t find a bus so we were late and then we had the lesson but it's late at night and have no way to get home. 

So we called a member to come find us. So they live about 15 mins walking from the main road through cow pastures and dirt roads to their house. So we called the member and then just take off hauling through the dark to get to the road. Ha-ha we got to the road and just start walking down and its dark and pretty late. So the member finds us by this sketchy little light- hauls it back into Rio Bueno and drops us off 2 minutes before 10 o’clock curfew. Soo crazy. But the lesson was sweet.

Then the coolest thing- we had that activity on Friday night and P and J ended up walking to the church to come, which was about an hour walk. Then on Sunday they and their brother D came to church.  They are soo good. J has the baptismal date for the 20th of December and we are way excited.

I feel like I have 10 more cool little lesson stories from this week- we had close to 30 lessons! But I have no time! The last is A. So she was a contact from a couple weeks ago. We talked to her and I felt really strongly we should give her a Book of Mormon even though honestly she didn't see that interested. So we did and let it go there. Then we tried to visit her at her house a couple times and nothing. They yesterday we were in the rain and thought we should stop by- we had such a sweet lesson. We asked her if she read the Book of Mormon, if she prayed and knew it was true and knew this is what God wanted her to do- if she would be baptized- all that jazz. And she explains she had been baptized before (like everyone else in Chile.) but that she was a baby. 

We explained how that must be a big blessing in her life that her parents chose to have her baptized her to grow in faith. We talked about Jesus baptism and the difference of hers and His. Then invited her to make the decision for herself and be baptized as He was. She accepted to have the 27th of December as a goal to work towards! I am so excited because I know if she does the work- then she can know. Hopefully si!

We had so many crazy good lessons this week. Seriously so good. I love teaching! This week we also had two activities. The first was Friday night where we had a little lesson about how the sacerdocio (Priesthood) is like a cupcake shop- then ate yummy cupcakes. And played a game- "do you love your neighbor"- sooo fun. It was crazy because we had a ton of investigators come- 7! Which was so fun!

Then we had another activity with the youth where we made "soy Mormon" video. (I'm a Mormon) We had them come with a talent and we recorded them and interviewed them- then we asked them and did a little interview about a spiritual question. It was a crazy success! The videos turned out so good. The elders are edited them right now then we are going to have an activity to watch them with their nonmember friends and their families. But a couple of the talents were siiick. Like crazy skateboarding and parkcour, beat boxing, typical Chilean cloth painting and one girl does crazy finger nail painting (definitely thought of megs) but like the cool pinterest ones. Such a fun activity.

Also every Monday night we have a noche de hogar (Family Home Evening) with president Matus and his family and investigators. I loooved it. Its one of my very favorite traditions of the mission here in Rio Bueno. (Mom just for you to know they are the family I am in with H. love. photo attached)

Also (ha-ha) this week we thought it was Thanksgiving. So we had a huge noche de hogar (Family Home Evening) with one of our favorite inactive families (pictures included). Whatever ha-ha, looks like we will just celebrate it again this week. But we planned with a lesson about being grateful with the Mormon message "gracias a el" and all this sweet stuff. 

But the sweetest part was them literally pulling out all of the food they had- emptying the fridge and drawers with all the little packets of stuff or cans so we could have a feast. It was so humbling. I love these people so much. It is such a truly good culture.

This 2-week thanksgiving (ha-ha) I just have double the opportunity to think about all the things I am so grateful for. And it all comes down to knowing I am a daughter of God. I love, love, love this knowledge because of I have the happiest family, an eternal family, I have the book of Mormon and I know who I am- which is why I am a missionary.

I love you muchly. Xoxxo Hna Ball