51st B-Day This week marks one year in Chile

51st B-Day
This week marks one year in Chile

Hola a todos!

Hey family. :) 

Hermana Talbot and Hermana Tax "Women in Black"

First, Mom. I need your help. I show people often our family tree on NewFamilySearch to give them a vision, but I need something else. A story... Tell me about the most spiritual experience you've had with family history. AND what motivates you to do family history?

I hit my one year mark this week!!!!! I can hardly believe I have been here for that long, but I think it's true. =) There's usually a big party for the 1 year mark, so I will have lots of pictures next week. Wow. One year.... I will be home soon, seriously.

We had 2 conferences this past week. One with President & Hermana Wright and the other with Elder Lynn G Robbins of the 70 (Santiago Norte and Sur together). I love the opportunities we are given in this mission to hear from our leaders, especially the 12 Apostles and the 70. I will share with you all just a little of what I personally learned if I get some more time to write.

Guess what? I put on a new name tag this past week. I made it to a year with the same one everyday, all-day. However, it kept falling off. Including once in church when I was heading to the pulpit. Oooppppssss. Figured it was time to change the name tag or face further public shame.

I thought of you Mom this past Friday. We were talking to a lady outside of the mall and a father (in his 70s) and his son (in his 30s) passed by. The son physically and mentally was challenged with disabilities; however, as they were walking, everyone that passed by he said in a very loud voice, "Hola! Hola! ..." until they responded and then he just smiled and moved on to the next. I was touched in my heart to know that all he wanted was a "hola" from people, then he was a happy camper. Life truly is simple. We truly complicate things. 

Making chicken delights Santiago, Chile way

(Why do you ask would such a thing remind her of her mother... I LOVE those with special needs... and have always taught my children "the handicapped "are not the ones being tested here on earth but we as a "normal" human beings will be judged as to how we take care of, treat and love these special people)

Why do we always say: oh someday.... "There is a danger in the word someday when what it means is “not this day.” “Someday I will repent.” “Someday I will forgive him.” “Someday I will speak to my friend or family again.” “Someday I will start to go to the gym.” “Someday I will return to the temple.” “Someday …”
The scriptures make the danger of delay clear. It is that we may discover that we have run out of time. The God who gives us each day as a treasure will require an accounting. We will weep, and He will weep, if we have intended to repent and to serve Him in tomorrows which never came or have dreamed of yesterdays where the opportunity to act was past. This day is a precious gift of God. The thought “Someday I will” can be a thief of the opportunities of time and the blessings of eternity.
All of us will need His help to avoid the tragedy of procrastinating what we must do here and now to have eternal life. For most of us the temptation to delay will come from one or both of two feelings. They are polar opposites: one is to be complacent about what we have already done, and the other is to feel overwhelmed by the need to do more.

(see: https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2007/04/this-day?lang=eng)

Let's not be complacent nor overwhelmed!! I am learning that there is no someday; there is no tomorrow. But I do have today. :) 

Hermana Tabot's BOOTS (and her L L Bean rain coat yea)

This week I was thinking an awful lot about my boots (weird I know). I sent a picture last week of when I had the great idea to submerge them in a lot of dirty water. Little did I realize until later that such boots have holes on the sides where there are buckles. I wish I had realized that sooner... after walking around with wet socks all night (that stunk really bad too). I also realized that I have some holes in my spiritual boots. That my protection against the floods of the world is, at times, allowing the dirty water to enter. I learned that I need to pay more attention (now and when I get home) to where the holes are in my boots, so that I can mend them and work on bettering myself as a person and a daughter of my Heavenly Father. And it won't just be someday that I decide find and mend, but today. :) 

THANK YOU ALL for the mail

I have been sending lots of crazy people to the clinic lately. Eye infections due to wearing contacts in Chile (that's a big no). Severe stomach pain (appendicitis). Torn meniscus in an Elder's knee (who now has gone home for surgery). Etc.... I can't wait to go through all of my notes after the mission to remind myself of the crazy stuff that I have delt with. For example, an Elder called me and said "Hermana Talbot, I just want to make sure I am going to be okay. I totally just ate a cupcake that had expired months ago that my parents sent to me and the package didn't get here until now... and the cupcake had some white things in it and tasted kinda weird. Am I gonna be okay? I don't need to go to the clinic or anything right?" HE WAS COMPLETELY SERIOUS. No worries, he lived.


I love you all.
Talk to you next week.
MWAH.


P.S. Beth Tilton, Emily Howe, Rebeca Garcia (!muchas gracias!), Toto, Brooke Sherlund, Lindsey Johndro, Lily Ellison, Lisa Wilcox, Carole Wright, Roger Hemphill, Aaron Moses, Betty Lou, Harry Moses, Heidi Tucker and everyone from church..... Thanks for all of the comments from my facebook!!! I will try to get an email out to you all for my Mom to respond... next week. =) Thanks Mom for the great idea. It made this Hermana happy.