Tuesday, April 29, 2014

44th B-Day Hermana Talbot's new friend???

44th B-Day Hermana Talbot's new friend???



Dear Family & Friends!


First, we ate banana pancakes this morning... they were delicious and reminded me of home. =) But I have to say, I cannot wait to come back to lost of salad with ranch dressing. Here in Chile, for dressing on their salad and veggies and everything... salt and lemon... I am used to it now, but phew, it was a trial at first. I miss my homemade ranch!

Thank you Ellsworth Branch sisters for the package

Thank you Ellsworth Branch sisters for the package


It's getting colder! I'm trying to get myself all prepped for winter. Boots. Thermal leggings. Thermal tights. Etc. Saturday was one of the coldest days yet. Not sure how cold it was, but I was pretty cold. (I'm gonna die in Maine when I come back.) I think I will start carrying around a thermal mug of hot chocolate. :)

Mom, we have an investigator (Pilar) who is on strike! She told us this week that she was just sick of doing everything in her house with her husband and two children in college. And they aren't helping her. Anyway, she's doing a Martha Strike. I told her about you going on strike and she says "yup, I'm gonna do it." hahaha.
BROOKLYN'S MOM WENT ON STRIKE WHEN SHE WAS ABOUT IN 3RD GRADE...BY THE END..... HER CHILDREN WERE BEGGING HER TO COME BACK TO HER FULL TIME MOM POSITION....

Hermana Wright went procelyting with us this week. It was so fun to have her with us. She's such a good mission Mom. Oh ya, guess what we talked about while we were walking to appointments... the health status of the mission. Haha. I have no life. ;)


For all of the missionary Moms: Alma 19:23. Thank-you for trusting Him enough to let us serve missions. I know we are protected.

{I wrote this next part to Kassy this week and thought I would pass it on.. She asked me how I was "really doing" hahaha.} As to here in Chile (still can't believe I'm here some days).... I am doing well. Loving the ups and downs. Behind the scenes the mission isn't sunshine and flowers all of the time. Most of the time yes, but with companions and teaching people and praying and doing all you can to help them progress and finding less active members and trying to work with the ward and being the nurse and EVERYTHING that happens to a missionary... (breathe).... sometimes it's very taxing. Needless to say, though, I have seen so many changes in my life and the lives of others.... I see miracles everyday and am trying to recognize more and more the blessings of our Heavenly Father that He gives me daily. I wouldn't change this experience for the world.

I truly know that the mission is preparing me for marriage. Seriously. It's scary sometimes. Just yesterday my companion and I talked about how that we needed to make decisions together and that, without doubt, our actions and attitudes affect the other. I am learning unity, love, to think about someone else before yourself, to serve, etc. I never thought being here would teach me such life lessons. I thought I was just coming for a spiritual experience.

I'm never bored! This is a good thing! In fact, I am terribly busy. 24/7. Every time I get a new companion they say "you really have no life". A missionary can have a little free time (talking at night with others in the house, playing games, studying more, on our P-Day to have peace of mind and do whatever they want like hike or sleep or eat, etc) ... Doesn't exist for me. Even on my PDay I do not have a free day. I am constantly calling people to check up on them or they are calling me. But the most amazing part is ... I love it. :) Who can say they are a nurse and missionary at the same time?! I debated serving a humanitarian mission as a nurse and a procelyting mission... And I chose a proselyting mission... Only to be called as a nurse mission specialist. I've got the best of both worlds! I love getting to know and help the missionaries out. I have seen their confidence grow in me as they see that I really do want to help them. I must have proved myself trustworthy because I know many personal things about our missionaries. I feel good when they call about such things because I know they confide in me and know I'll do my best to help them. Also, I have watched the confidence of my mission president and his wife increase, as well, as they just flat out tell people to call me not them and that they trust my judgement and suggestions. Hahaha. (little do they know who I am lol). I have been given more freedom to make health decisions for others as they respect my opinion, which makes me feel good because I am doing my job to lighten their burden of the medical needs of over 250 missionaries. Yayyy!

I have seen so many people change here. Not just investigators, but also less active members and missionaries. I have gained a hope that anyone can change. A hope that I do not want to ever die. A hope that I, too, can continue to change after the mission... To continue with my scripture studies, prayers, doing what I know is right, not getting sucked into the world, callings, and listening to the Spirit, etc. I know if I do these things then I will be guided. The future scares me right now (you know it's the first time in my life that I've never had a plan or a step ahead), but I know it's not something I need to worry about right now. So I will freak out about it in 8 months. (wow how time flies!)

I was looking through my journal from college and saw these entries. They are random, but caught my attention once again. Enjoy!

Sacrifice is giving up something of value to in return receive something of greater value.

The gospel brings blessings to our lives which we never realize. Sure, we do know of many of them, but there are also blessings which we don't give the credit to God.

Jesus walking on the water in the storm. "Be not afraid". Matthew 14:27. We have storms too. He calls to us not to be afraid. He is there waiting for us to open the door.

But for the grace of God, there go I. We have a part too though. We have to work to put off that natural man. It becomes requisite that we are doers of the word and not just hearers only. For we know it is by grace we are saved after all we do. Romans 6:14-15.

Matthew 14:22-33. Peter got out of the boat to experience a miracle even though he wavered once he got onto the water. The rest of the apostles didn't even get out of the boat! *We need to get out of our boats to experiences miracles.*


I love you all. I want to hear next week about what miracles or blessings you were able to see this week. :)


Love love love.

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