This week was full of meetings and fun times. From teaching 0 lessons on Monday and 1 lesson on Tuesday, we were exhausted. My health had started acting up again waking up with a nasty sore throat and weakness. I got up anyway and we got to work. After the trial of my faith to just forget myself and get to work, Wednesday we taught 8 lessons. Miracle #1. Throughout the day, my foot and knee problems had started to resolve. Miracle #2. Also my sore throat has been forgotten. Miracle #3. I'm starting to wonder how long my old body is going to hold out... it's gotta have till February. That's all I ask.
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| Atilio, Hermana Filomena, Angelica, Hermana Tingey, Me. =) |
Question. How are we preparing ourselves for October general conference? I decided to prepare myself that I would go back and read the conference from April just to see how I was doing and if I had progressed or changed in the past 6 months. If I had achieved my goals from the last conference before I began making new ones. I have been able to find some things that are helping me become more open minded and hearted, in order to listen with the Spirit. I have seen a pattern in the teachings of the gospel with us as missionaries that can be applied in any teaching setting. (1) the desire comes first, (2) then we exercise faith in order to continue, (3) we listen, (4) we learn, (5) we act. In order to complete this cycle we need to prepare ourselves, our minds, our hearts, our spirits. Then we will feel of Lord's love as His servants speak to us. Let us prepare as families to listen to a prophet's voice as if they were the words of the Savior himself.
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| Loros! They have trees all around that they "own". They talk so loudly |
Pre-note: Recently, we have been struggling with our investigators. Not finding new people. The people we have aren't progressing (they just listen to us to be nice or cause they like to hear the word of God, but never want to act on it.). No one has been coming to church. Etc....
We had an absolutely wonderful experience this week with Atilio and Angelica. They are two investigators, early into their 70s. They are Catholic, strong and eternally Catholic; however, the most loving grandparents I have had in the mission. We have been teaching them for a while now and have never been able to see much progress. Until this past week. Angelica told us that for the past 4 months she has been disagreeing more and more with the Catholic church's practices. She has been taking care of a prayer house, which has the Virgin Mary inside, that's in the community. She has many rosaries and statues of Mary, the mother of Christ, in her house, etc. She told us this past week that she has been trying to find someone else to take care of the prayer house and has no desire to pray to the Virgin Mary. I was absolutely shocked; but more than shocked, I felt the Spirit as she was testifying of the change she is starting to have in her heart. This is why I am here. So that people can receive the answers they are looking for to the questions of their souls. We talked about traditions that our families have and how we need to find out for ourselves if the traditions are right or wrong. She stated she felt more and more that her religious beliefs had become a tradition not a conversion. Christ is the one who brings us the light of conversion and through the Spirit we feel the truth of all things. Whether or not Angelica and Atilio will be baptized or not, I am content to know that she knows what it feels like to follow her heart and to feel the Spirit.
Another experience, but this time with Alejandro. We were in the Bishop's house because we can't enter his house (his mother hates us) and it was raining and dark outside. Anyway. So we're with the Bishop's wife and kids teaching Alejandro and we started off asking him about how it was going with his reading and prayers. After talking a while about it he said that he has finally been able to recognize the Spirit and he knows, amongst all of the trials of his faith, that this is the path he needs to follow. We weren't able to teach him for 2 weeks and he did not come to church...and I think he is finally receiving answers to his prayers. Well, he said he's been receiving answers and he feels really good. :) I am grateful for these moments as a missionary. They really do keep you going after all of the "no's" and lack of desires to listen and act. We are seeing miracles. We are seeing the hand of the Lord in His work. I couldn't be more grateful.
We passed September 11th. Here in Chile it is a, generally speaking, trouble making day. Especially in the night. It's like a police rebellion day or something. They even shut off the lights in some parts of the ghetto so that people will go home and go to bed. Anyway, the next day we were told that there was a forest fire. In our mission in Cajon de Maipu. They are investigating now of it was intentionally started or not. I find it very weird how September 11th is a memorable day here as well as in the US.
We saw a really old, Spanish Book of Mormon and church pamphlet. Published in 1960. It smelt old. The front cover has ripped off (no worries, Juan II taped it back on). The many footnotes we have now are nonexistent. The guide at the back was just a mini dictionary. And so much more. It was very cool to see such an old book (sorry to all those readers who are older than this book haha) and to see the difference in the Book of Mormon now. How grateful I am for the edition I have with all of the study helps it contains! I guess I can only thank my Heavenly Father by reading and studying.
We had a conference with President and Hermana Wright this past week. As a guest, Elder Esteban G. Resek from the 70 was there with them. They talked about the living water (the gospel of Jesus Christ), repentance, and how we can become better missionaries and teachers. It was absolutely wonderful! I love my mission leaders. They are inspired and loving people.
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| Me and Hermana Torres. She's going home soon. =( I remember our first day we met... when I came to the mission... the first day in the chapel. She made me laugh so hard and made me feel so comfortable even though I was completely lost and didn't understand a word anyone said. |
September 13th was a world wide LDS church service day!!! We cleaned up a park that was absolutely a disaster; but the after pictures are amazingness. :) Like a real life 4 hour home make over. We cut grass (it literally was knee high - and we did it by hand scissor style), raked, cut around trees, picked up so much garbage, alcohol bottles, dog poop, etc. But it felt so good afterwards. Not just to physically get some good exercise, but also in my heart to now walk by that park and be proud of J. P. Alessandri. The heart of service has always been a priority in the Talbot family and for that I will always be thankful. We need to serve more often, that's for sure. As Mom says, "It builds character..." hahahaha "and muscle." I might add. I've been walking pretty slow for the past 2 days. I am trying to learn I am not super woman, Mom. =)
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| Manos que Ayuden!! SUD!! Los Mormones! =) J.P. Alessandri, Alicahue, Chile. |
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| Manos que Ayuden!! SUD!! Los Mormones! =) J.P. Alessandri, Alicahue, Chile. |
Love you all. Take care of eachother. Help out your missionaries. They can't do this work alone.
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| Easter Island chocolates. =) |
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| Me with the Rasmussens... they went on a mini vacation to Easter Island and brought us back chocolates. =) |
(I wrote Brooklyn and had to erase it. It feels weird today. Plus, I'm only gonna be Hermana Talbot for 20 months... :D)
P.S. Mom. I made the peanut butter cookies you sent for Hermana Villaba's one month mark in Chile as a missionary. They were soo good. Thanks!!
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