23rd B-Day 5 days past my 5 month mark!!!

23rd B-Day for Hermana Talbot RN Mission Nurse Specialist

5 days past my 5 month mark 

(but who's counting eh?)

¡¡¡Hola mi familia y amigos!!!

So I want to write in Spanish because I am a really mean person and I know you will all have to use google translate (other than Fransisco and Mrs. Garcia haha). However, I HATED IT when missionaries wrote me in a different language because it was a pain in the butt to go translate it! So English it is. I can talk Spanish to you guys all you want when I get back home. I can't wait to be able to talk to people at home in Spanish; however, I highly doubt I will be able to. BECAUSE Spanish in Chile is very different! They have many slang words that no one else understands, they talk very fast, they speak with a lot of fluctuation in their voices and almost every sentence ends in a higher note than when you start (they say they sing while they talk), and they do not say their S's. Soooo I will be coming home not being able to communicate with people in Spanish and have a funny Spanish accent in my English. Great. =) But really, my Spanish is definitely Chilean. It scares me sometimes how Chilean I sound (oh mind you, I still have my Gringa accent too). Oh ya for example. If someone is really intelligent, they use the name Mateo (Matthew) to describe them. Like: oh he's so Matthew. HOW WEIRD IS THAT. Another one... when you're wasting time they say you are "painting monkeys" or "drinking juice". Gotta love it. I am going to come back saying the weirdest things.

So yesterday we had the opportunity to go to CVC. That is what the pictures are. (oh ya and the other picture of the highchair is for you Mom. isn't that adorable?). Okay anyway. CVC is Centro de Visitantes en la Capilla. Translated to... The Visitors Center in the Chapel.... So what happens is there is a Cristus and we play some words/testimony of Christ and after there are posters that are absolutely gorgeous about different principles in the gospel... like the temple, families, the gospel of Jesus Christ, etc... and we do a little tour of the chapel. Hermana Rivera, Hermana Leishman, Hermana Jennings, and I were the sisters for this round. (they do these tours in different chapels every weekend). 

So we taught the lessons. Elder Menendez (Guatemala) and Elder Covarrubias (USA) taught about baptism at the font, Elder Bustamante (Peru) and Elder Aravena (Chile) were for references for the missionaries to come visit them another day, and there were members from the ward and Elder Schade (USA) and Elder Espinoza (Chile) that invited people off of the street into the tours. Also the members were there to explain more about the organizations (like young mens/womens, relief society, etc). It was a wonderful experience. I love teaching people about the gospel and bearing my testimony about the difference we can feel in our lives when we are living the gospel of Jesus Christ. I love my Savior and my Heavenly Father.

I don't have any good nursing stories. But hey that means that we are healthy right now. Right? Hahaha. I'm still getting calls all of the time. Everyday. Ingrown toenails. A twitch in an eye (huh? haha). Back pain. Etc. The normal! Oh ya this week we got a new doctor for the mission. Doctor Johnson and his wife, Hermana Johnson. I am going to go into the medical office on Wednesday, a little early before our meeting with our district, and catch him up on a few things. Poor thing just feels overwhelmed and lost. But as much as I have talked to him already, he's going to be amazing!!!

Okidoki. I think that is all for now. I love you all! A lot. I am going to go take pictures of the 12 Step Addiction Program that the church has so we can continue helping our recent convert with his efforts to quit smoking. =) He's been valiant so far, but I tell you what he is crankier than ever while he's been going through withdrawal. Sometimes I just wanna hook him up to ativan and morphine to make him stop whining. (that's for all of my co-workers).

LOVE LOVE LOVE

22nd B-Day of the one and only Hermana Talbot

22nd B-Day in Santiago, Chile 

of the ONE and ONLY Hermana Talbot

Also I do have a funny story for you today. So we were talking with one of our families who are members about Maine. And he asked me what we ate at my house. So I told him the regular things... chicken, rice, pasta, etc. So after we got talking about the kind of wild animals that we have in the woods and he freaked out. I was like WHAT? and he says "I can just see it. Hermana Talbot with her gun shooting outside of her window... shooting a bear... and lo and behold, there's dinner!". I started laughing so hard. These people are so funny, especially when it comes to things that they have never seen (like a bear).

 We got this reference of a name and address from the office. So we went to the apartment and tried to get in contact with the person. Come to find out it's a 14 year old kid who passed by the temple a while ago and got curious about the church. He asked his Mom who's temple it was and she said "the Mormons". So he hopped online that night and started researching. He got into a chat session with the missionaries there in Utah and asked if he could have a Book of Mormon. So we called him because he wasn't at the apartment and the first thing he said was "wait, stay there, I'm going to run home. do you have my Book of Mormon!?". He is amazing. Absolutely amazing.

This scripture is for you guys. It's from Moroni 8:2-3...I changed it just a little bit....My beloved family and friends, I rejoice exceedingly that our Lord Jesus Christ hath been mindful of me, and hath called me to his ministry, and to his holy work. I am mindful of you always in my prayers, continually praying unto God the Father in the name of his Holy Child, Jesus, that he, through his infinite goodness and grace, will keep you through the endurance of faith on his name to the end.

We are all doing well. Getting ready for Hermana Rivera to leave. I am not quite sure if I have it in my head that she is leaving and I will get a new companion. Now that our companionship is golden, it's so hard to start anew. But I know I have much more to learn of myself and from others. =)"

Last, but not least, we had Elder Holland come to see us this week, as you know. It was AMAZING. Talk about being bold. He's one of the boldest men I know, but you can feel his love just radiating towards you. He talked to us about how this is real life. We talk so much about going home back to "real life" however, this is real life. Teaching the gospel of Christ to our friends and neighbors. He made me realize that I don't want to be the missionary who comes home and nobody even realizes that I was once in Chile preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ. He talked about us living what we're teaching. Not just for these 18 months, but for forever. How this time on our full time missions should be the changing and most pivital point in our lives. This should change our hearts, attitudes, everything. He told us to: "kick when you dont want to kick and stroke when you don't want to stroke". Our strokes and kicking are: the Book of Mormon, a real desire to be better and more Christ-like, and personal progression. WOW. He talked about us teaching with power and authority. How we should astonish people. (Does that mean we are supposed to be bold?) He mentioned Doctrine and Covenants 18:15 and how that one soul it's talking about... is ourselves... It has changed my attitude a little bit as I have realized how much I need to learn and grow. What habits I need to change in my life. Lastly, he talked about how this life isn't easy. I loved what he said. He said "the scripture says: take up your cross and follow me.... it doesn't say: take up your featherbed". He said: "the road to salvation always passes through Gethsemane". And lastly, most hilariously (oh btw, he is a very funny man!!) he said "you know what? we need to cherish these scriptures. do you think it was easy for them? they wrote on plates with an icepick!". It was a wonderful, spiritually, uplifting conference. I am so grateful he was able to come see us and talk with us. It was just a little wake up call for me.

I love you all so much! Thank-you for all of your prayers and love. I am always with you... in spirit and in heart.

LOVE LOVE LOVE

I am eating a DD donut. The joys of going to the office once a week to chart nursing stuff.

 Me and my old companions from the CCM and Hermana Martinez (nurse in the Santiago South) when we saw each other at the conference with Elder Holland.

One is of the raisins here. THEY'RE HUGE.

21st B-Day Eating Blood Sausage, and Bone Cartilage and Missionary Dog Bites....

21st B-Day 

Eating Blood Sausage and Bone Cartilage 

and Missionary Dog Bites.... 

all in the day of Hermana Talbot

Hey Family!

 Hermana Runnells and I. We are twins today. Ahh love her. 

(story about this picture... I noticed her very wrinkled non-ironed skirt.... and teased her about it... Brooklyn said, "I said this morning, my mom is going to kill me if I send her this picture".)

A gorgeous building in El Centro in La Plaza de Armas.

We were there to get our visas this week and I wished I had had more time to take photos of the cool buildings, but maybe someday. (highly doubt it). Anyway, so we went and got my visa process started this week to be come a Chilean. haha. It was the longest process ever. We stood in lines of people all day at the police station (equal to the FBI at home) and at the Registro Civil (like the state building). It really was a simple process of finger printing, paying money, answering questions... just a long day because there were soooo many people. Oh another funny thing was there was a whole bunch of missionaries that went together... at least 50 of us. I was famous! Everyone was like, "oh so you're Hermana Talbot!". I just wanted to hide, because I knew the health questions were going to start... hahaha. From the time we got up in the morning (5am) to the time we got back home from the visa run (4pm) it was a total day of visaness. =)

So Hermana Rivera told me something gross this week. She says at home after she's eaten the meat off of the bones of a chicken, she then cuts the bones open and eats the cartilage. I told her that was disguisting. HAHAHA. She laughed and said "what? it's really good!" hahaha. Nasty.

"prietas or morcilla" AKA blood sausages. They love them here. It's the outer layer of the intestine of an animal stuffed with peppers and their fresh blood. Not cooked. I almost barfed. BUT I DID NOT EAT THEM.

=) Last picture together probably because Hermana Rivera is leaving me this next change (she is going home her mission time is over) and I will have a new companion.

One other thing that Hermana Rivera taught me (and I have no idea where this started) but during a lesson if you touch your ear and then right after touch your nose... that means that the other person needs to end the lesson because we need to leave. It's quite hilarious at times because I've started using it and she just starts laughing hahahaa. I thought it was the weirdest thing ever, but yet a good signal. haha.

Hermana and Doctor Mikesell are leaving me this month!!! NOOOO. But we have a new doctor coming to us. Doctor Johnson. I am excited to meet him and see what changes will be coming to the health world of Santiago, Chile. I could not have done this without Doctor Mikesell or Hermana Mikesell. They are so wonderful to me. =)

So we have started the 12 step addiction program with one of our converts. I never realized how much we could use that programs just in our regular lives! The church has done a wonderful job of putting together a program for addictions. I have learned a ton!

Tomorrow, we have the grand privileged to meet with Elder Jeffery R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. The meeting will include all missionaries from the Santiago South, East, North and West missions and may be the largest gathering of missionaries in Chile in the history of the Church. HOW COOL IS THAT?!?! We are so excited to hear from him... and I am excited because it will be in English. haha.

Okay, so Dad wanted more nurse stories. So yesterday, I almost killed an Elder. So he called me and said "Hermana Talbot, I just got bit by a dog and have a huge hole in my arm. You can even see the bone!". I flipped out and told him to go to the Emergency Room. Well after talking for a couple minutes, I realized he was not seeing his bone. He was seeing FAT. I almost died because I know I had a mini heart attack. Another story. I had an Elder call me last night to ask if he could take two medications together because he has a cold. He was reading off all of the ingredients to me in Spanish of what was in them and all that jazz. I just had to shake my head and listen. Hahaha.

Alrighty, I think that is all. I love you all! 

Hello to my friends and co-workers at good ole EMMC. =)

Love Love Love

20th B-day EARTH QUAKE IN SANTIAGO, CHILE

20th B-day Never a dull moment... 

EARTH QUAKE IN SANTIAGO, CHILE
address reminder:

HNA Brooklyn Talbot

Mision Chile Santiago Este

Cristobal Colon 6824

Casilla 27.144 Las Condes

Region Metropolitana

Santiago, Chile

HEY GUYS!!!

So this week. First, I am not going anywhere. Changes were today, but I am staying right where I am. Hermana Rivera is still my companion as well. She goes home at the end of this change, so I definitely will be getting a new companion next change. So in the mission the first companion you have is your "mom". So because Hermana Rivera is going home and she is my Mom... 

 I never realized how hard it was for missionaries to go home. We talk a lot about what she needs to do and change when she goes home. But at the same time, we are trying to work the hardest we can so that she can say she went through her entire mission working as hard as she possibly could to bring people to Christ.

This last Sunday was the confirmation of Elvira. She is officially a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and has been given the gift of the Holy Ghost. I have never seen someone so happy before. She just smiled all day! 

Then after Sacrament Meeting (I play the piano every Sunday), I realized that the Sunday School Teacher for our class wasn't there... Soooo, off I went to teach the class. Origionally, I thought Hermana Rivera and I were going to teach together, but she sat down in the class and I was like, "oh, ok, here we go...."... keep in mind I hadn't even read the lesson and it's in Spanish too. (Afterwards she said, "ya I just thought, her Spanish is a lot better, she'll do just fine without my help" hahaha). The class was on Repentance and what a powerful lesson it was thanks to the members who were there and their participation. I have come to realize that I love teaching. =)

So Kassy (love you) sent me a video a couple of weeks ago and I finally was able to watch it. I had never thought of that before, but you guys can email me videos!! Short ones probably, so that I can hear your voices and see your faces!! =) Please!

OH MY GOODNESS. THERE WAS AN EARTHQUAKE (temblor in Spanish). I have never felt such a think in my life like this... So we were in our apartment (5th floor) and all the sudden everything just started shaking. My jacket was hanging off of my bed and it was swaying about a foot in each direction. I was in shock! Hermana Rivera was just sitting there waiting for it to stop... (She's from Honduras and they have earthquakes there too all the time.) And it just wasn't stopping and was getting stronger and stronger... So she says "if it doesn't stop in a few seconds or gets any stronger, we're leaving". I didn't even hear her say it because I got my camera out to video my jacket that was swaying. BAHAHAHAHAHA. But it stopped right after... we were fine. It was like 30 seconds long. I can't even imagine what the earthquakes were like when they had all of the destruction down here a few years ago.

So the photos... The first one is we all "dressed up" for Halloween. Hahaha. Gotta love the sense of humor of missionaries. 

The other is of me and a bilboard here about a movie I think? I honestly don't know. But the reason I took it was because I am called the "butt-kicker" in our house. Because I just tell people how it is and don't beat around the bush... (no, does that sound like me?) 

And the last one is of the city the other night. Gorgeous sunsets here.

Sister Rivera and Brooklyn eating a "flower"

Okay, I think that is all. Oh ya, no. I have some seriously funny stories about these calls I get from missionaries. Hahahaha. They are hilarious at times. Rabies shots for dog bites. Sprained ankles. Allergies. Stomach pain (the food here really isn't healthy for you at all). Colds. Flu. And the list goes on. =) I need to start writing some of them down during the week to send to you guys. But all is well, no one has died yet. (crossing my fingers). I get anywhere from 0-20 calls a day. Granted, there are over 200 missionaries in this mission.

Is there anything you all would like to know?

LOVE YOU ALL!!! A LOT. (CALETA = Chilean)