73rd Blog we are getting closer by the day to Brooklyn arriving home

Hey Family and Friends!

I hope you all are doing well. I'm going to try to find some stuff to write you all about. Haha. Nah, mission life sure is a happening life. It seems like the surprises never stop.

We talked to Esteban this week. I don't think I've ever told you about him before. He's a guy from a Evangelical/Christian church who we contacted a while back because he always makes copies for us. Anyway, he loves to talk about spiritual things and listens to pastors all the time as they come by to invite him to their church. So we got teaching him and as more time has gone on, I have seen a change in him. Before he was all up in arms about many things because he didn't believe it. It was as if he listened to find things to disagree with. I can't even tell you how many times we talked about listening with an open mind and heart so he could take something away from our lessons. He also stated that he felt like he was betraying the Bible when he read the Book of Mormon. Then all the sudden His countenance started to change. He listens with all intentions of learning. He has stated on multiple occasions that what we are teaching him is what he's believed for years from reading the Bible; however, he couldn't find a church that believed the same. How cool is that?! I will not deny it; I felt a slight fear to ask him to be baptized due to his possible reaction. I was uncertain it the answer would be an explosion of Bible passages or if he would really think about it. However, the fear of Esteban was a lot less than my fear of him wanting to accept a baptismal date but I didn't want to ask. So I did. And his response was flabergasting! "but I dont know which of all of the churches are true! I've been baptized 2 times and I still don't know." ... However, he's been thinking about it a ton. Also, we invited him to church in Sunday and he said, "no" because he didn't feel ready. However, he was quickly to ask if we were going to keep coming. Haha. I find it utterly interesting that a man, who knows the Bible cover to cover and listens to so many religious pastors, finds it faith strengthening that two 20 year olds come and teach him about a restored gospel. I know this church is true. I can't convince anyone to believe as I do. I can't brain wash them either. I can, though, touch their hearts with God's truth and invite them to come unto Christ and follow his teachings.

We found a new, amazing family on Saturday. Well it's a family that we've been trying to get ahold of for months; and they finally let us in their house. We're excited to teach them! Also, we made a pact with them... if they welcome us into their home once a week for Family Home Evenings then we will do service and help them make and sell empanadas every week. Sounds like a good buy to me! :) They said yes.

Also, no worries about my skin. I have started using sunscreen everyday because I made a pact with Esteban. If he smokes 5 cigarettes less a day, I will wear sunscreen. And he's totally doing it. :) I'm not so sure why he's so worried about my skin, but I win!

Hermana Tingey and Hermana Villalba (divisions for the carnet run) had an appointment with Alejandro. He's reading the Book of Mormon more! It was such a challenge for him to take time to read before his baptism. He also told them that this restored gospel and the Book of Mormon has changed his life. He states if every person on the earth had and read a Book of Mormon, then wickedness would end. I am so grateful he is finding love for the scriptures.

Totally had some weird health moments this past week. I had an allergy attack and my eyes got all painful, puffy, itchy, and red. It was terrible. Brandon, I feel for ya. And also, I had one of those weird migraines and lost some of my sight in my L eye for an hour or so. But no worries. I'm okay now. :)

Hermana Tingey moment: she asked me one day why I was so excited. And I said I didn't know and asked how she knew I was excited. She responded "because when you're excited you wiggle your legs when your sitting and do a side to side shuffle dance when your standing." How embarrassing is that?!?!? I'm like a little kid who can't control her emotions. Haha.


Hermana Talbot moment (written by Hermana Tingey to her family haha): "The other day Hermana Talbot and I were talking about who would be the champions of arm wrestling tournaments. And Hna Talbot kept saying champignon which means mushroom. So who would be the mushroom of arm wrestling. I laughed for like a long time." ---- I totally said "chamignon" on purpose. Hahaha.

I went with Hermana Berthelson to the center of Santiago (Plaza de Armas) to extend my Chilean visa. It is so beautiful there even though we only had a few minutes to look at the buildings. I am slightly worried about my visa with the extra extension that I made into January. However, the office has it under control. For now, I am legal until the middle of December. Then I will go through the process again for January. Can you imagine getting to the airport and them being like, "nope, you can't leave Chile cause you're here illegally!"??? Panic moment. Hahaha. But that's not going to happen cause Hermana Mayer in the office is on top of it now that I've told her I extended. ;)

Here's the new address. It's not really new. It's just reorganized. Haha.
6824 Cristobal Colon
Las Condes, Santiago
Santiago Metropolitana
CHILE

Highlight of the week: We're having a 21 year old baby tomorrow!!!!! We're not really sure who is the Mom and who is the Dad or if there's 2 Moms or what... But either way, it totally happened... we're having a baby!!! And she's a BIG one at that! 0_0. She will be delivered to us at 9am tomorrow morning, November 18th, 2014. We have bought clothes and baby food and a crib and all that jazz. We are sooo excited!!


Funny story: so President usually calls Friday night or Saturday morning to tell us about changes. We waited all night for his call. (We knew we were going to have changes but didn't know if Hermana Tingey was staying or going.)... Anyway, the call never came. Then we waited all morning. And we thought he wasn't going to call. Until my phone rang and it was Hermana Wright... We thought "how weird". But it was so cute, she says, "I have a surprise for you this morning..... You have changes and your going to train!". Hahahaha. I said, "Really? I can't believe it." Hahaha. So we ended the call and THEN we realized that President had called 30 minutes earlier and we were the ones who didn't answer. Hahaha. Oooppps. We are excited to receive her tomorrow!!!

I hope you all have a wonderful week and that you don't ever write me to tell me your having a 21 year old baby. Seriously. It's kinda creepy.

Love.
Hermana Talbot


P.S. Do you realize how close we are to me coming home?