Wow, what a crazy week it has been. I have been getting to know my new ward little by little. This ward is amazing. There is a unity that screams ZION! and I love it. I know that part of that has to do with the fact that there are four missionaries in the field from this ward right now. The missionary blessings aren't just for the family. They are for the entire ward. I hope my home ward is receiving these same blessings of unity too. I sure am grateful for all that my ward at home does to support us out here in the field. Thank you all so much!
When I changed wards right before Christmas I didn't really know what to expect, but I was pleasantly surprised. I have felt such a great love from all the members and investigators here, and like always they are showing their love in food. haha. I'm sure you all are realizing from my fotos that my cheeks are getting fuller and fuller. haha. good thing I only have one more year or my clothes might stop fitting! (I can laugh but no one else should be laughing! :) and no one should be forwarding pictures to Caleb so he can laugh too!)
Christmas Eve was wonderful. We had mission conference that started at 8 am and lasted until 5 pm. It's a good thing Hermana Argueta and I practiced all the Christmas hymns in the bus ride to the church because when I got there I was asked to lead all the music for the entire day and then later I was asked to sing a solo in the conference! I think the Lord is trying to tell me something about my future in music...I may be returning to a previously thought about major directing music. I absolutely love doing it. Well, we will see in one year how I feel. When the conference ended we worked and then went to the house of the family Osorio, a young couple with a little baby. They are both return missionaries and we had so much fun listening to them talk about their missions. We even had permission to be out until 11PM! WooHOo! haha.
The next day, Christmas day, our zone got together, all 20 elders and me and my companion, to cook breakfast, watch a movie, and play dodgeball. The dodgeball part was super interesting. haha. Then we went to sing Christmas carols in a nearby hospital. It was a beautiful experience. We all had Christmas hats(Hermana Arguetta and I wore ours all Christmas Eve evening and all Christmas day!) Then Christmas night I got to talk to my family! Yay! It was so great. Hard to talk in English...but still great. It's weird to think that I have been away from them for 6 months already and that in 1 more year I will see them all. I got an email from my companion, Hermana Barre, that is now in her house in Ecuador and that was even stranger...to think about my companion at home. Really though, I was a bit scared to talk to my family. I thought it might distract me, but it was all the opposite. They gave me the energy and strength that I needed to push on and do what the Lord has called me to do, to teach the people of Chile about Jesus Christ and His restored church in the earth with a baptism that is authorized by God. I am so grateful for the opportunity I had to share such a wonderful message during this beautiful Christmas season and every day of my life! I love my mission! I love every minute of it. Its not always easy, but I am learning and growing to love my Savior Jesus Christ in a way I never thought possible. Thank you all so much for your love and support. It means the world to me.
Just so you all know, this Christmas I celebrated Halloween with a package from Janay, Thanksgiving with a package from my memaw and Christmas with a package from the Duncan family. haha. I guess the mail between the states and Chile isn't the greatest, but that's ok. It was super fun and I loved it ALL. Thank you so much! If you sent packages and I did not get them yet, don't worry, maybe I will get them for my birthday in March!
love
hermana Canal
Hermana Canal with President and Sister Gillespie
In front of the clock in Vina del Mar
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Feliz Navidad
Wow...I could write a 5 page letter full of all that I have done, felt, and learned this week, but I will try to contain myself...where to start?!
Last Thursday my companion went home...it was really weird. Wednesday we had a group family home evening in the kitchen of the church with our three converts and their families. Also one of Hermana Barre´s converts and his family from La Ligua came (that is an hour and a half drive for a family home evening! wow) It was sad but fun at the same time. Everyone was saying their goodbyes and crying and eventually when I just couldn't handle the tears anymore I went to wash dishes. haha- my stress relief. When it was all finally over and we got to the house I was up until 2 am with Hermana Barre packing. It was fun to talk to someone who knows they will be home in the next 24 hours after a year and a half without seeing family, giving all of your time and energy to the Lord. Her thoughts are probably a lot like mine will be in one more year. Hermana Barre was a great example to me and I hope to finish my mission having learned as much and become as close to my Savior as possible, like she did.
The weekend was super interesting. I did a lot of splits because we were left with 3 missionaries in a ward with 2 areas. I still needed to be in my side of the ward and so I spent part of Friday and the entire day Saturday with one of the 21 year old girls in our ward, Valeria. This day I learned so much about so much and I feel like I still have so much to learn and will never learn enough! At least I am improving... I hope. haha. A lot of what I am learning is more like relearning and refining. For example, Valeria helped me remember how it is to be a member of the church and not a missionary. She has a boyfriend who is not a member and they have been dating for a year now. She has talked to him a little bit about the gospel, but is scared to really bring it up. I had forgotten about this fear that members have about sharing the gospel with their loved ones, but I hope that now that I remember I will be able to use this experience to help the members understand how to be missionaries. I really hope Valeria decides to serve a mission. She would be an amazing missionary.
I also learned this past week, little by little, how to be more humble...I don't know how many of you know this but before the mission I was very proud...I'm sure you all know. I am sure it was obvious to everyone but me...the sad thing is I had no idea! Now that I am realizing I feel absolutely ridiculous. I hope you will all forgive me for the ingrate that I was and the stubborn impatient prideful daughter, sister, grand daughter, niece, or friend that I was. I will not promise that in one more year I will return much better, but I want you all to know that I have realized, I am sorry, and I am praying for help and working my hardest to improve.
Something, more like someone, that helped me to realize my faults is Elsa. This lady of about 55 years is absolutely wonderful. I love her. In our first lesson with her she cried with joy when we explained the restoration and living prophets and she accepted the book of Mormon immediately as the word of God. In her second lesson we presented and she accepted a baptismal date for the 22 of January. Ithe her third lesson Valeria and I explained Joseph smith more in detail and taught more about prayer.When I told her at the end of the lesson that she needs to pray to know if Joseph Smith was a prophet she looked at me and said, "like I'm doubting?" ...WOW. amazing. This is all possible because in her first lesson Elsa felt the spirit, we were able to explain what she felt, and she recognized it for what it was. She feels the spirit testify to her that what we are teaching is the truth and has such great faith that she accepts without doubt all that we teach. Her humility and faith is astounding. I have so much room to grow.
Sadly I will not be in San Francisco to learn more from Elsa and watch her progress and change her life...I have been changed. Tomorrow at 8am I will be leaving San Francisco for Vina and then for my new ward in Trunk al uno Quillota. It's like 3 hours from Vina. woohoo! I am excited for the bus ride. haha.
Not gonna lie, it was a big surprise to me that I am moving, but the Lord knows best. I am trusting in him. My new companion is Hermana Arguetta. She is from El Salvador. I know her a little bit already from a few days we had together in my first month here. She will be a wonderful companion and I will learn so much from her I am sure, but it is still sad that i am leaving a place that i love so much. i didn't want to cry in church so I didn't say anything to anyone, but somehow in the primary Christmas presentation last night the word got out...I was crying, everyone was crying, it was horrible. haha.
Well next week I will let you all know about my new ward and companion and everything, but I am out of time and you are all probably tired of reading.
lots of love,
hermana canal
Last Thursday my companion went home...it was really weird. Wednesday we had a group family home evening in the kitchen of the church with our three converts and their families. Also one of Hermana Barre´s converts and his family from La Ligua came (that is an hour and a half drive for a family home evening! wow) It was sad but fun at the same time. Everyone was saying their goodbyes and crying and eventually when I just couldn't handle the tears anymore I went to wash dishes. haha- my stress relief. When it was all finally over and we got to the house I was up until 2 am with Hermana Barre packing. It was fun to talk to someone who knows they will be home in the next 24 hours after a year and a half without seeing family, giving all of your time and energy to the Lord. Her thoughts are probably a lot like mine will be in one more year. Hermana Barre was a great example to me and I hope to finish my mission having learned as much and become as close to my Savior as possible, like she did.
The weekend was super interesting. I did a lot of splits because we were left with 3 missionaries in a ward with 2 areas. I still needed to be in my side of the ward and so I spent part of Friday and the entire day Saturday with one of the 21 year old girls in our ward, Valeria. This day I learned so much about so much and I feel like I still have so much to learn and will never learn enough! At least I am improving... I hope. haha. A lot of what I am learning is more like relearning and refining. For example, Valeria helped me remember how it is to be a member of the church and not a missionary. She has a boyfriend who is not a member and they have been dating for a year now. She has talked to him a little bit about the gospel, but is scared to really bring it up. I had forgotten about this fear that members have about sharing the gospel with their loved ones, but I hope that now that I remember I will be able to use this experience to help the members understand how to be missionaries. I really hope Valeria decides to serve a mission. She would be an amazing missionary.
I also learned this past week, little by little, how to be more humble...I don't know how many of you know this but before the mission I was very proud...I'm sure you all know. I am sure it was obvious to everyone but me...the sad thing is I had no idea! Now that I am realizing I feel absolutely ridiculous. I hope you will all forgive me for the ingrate that I was and the stubborn impatient prideful daughter, sister, grand daughter, niece, or friend that I was. I will not promise that in one more year I will return much better, but I want you all to know that I have realized, I am sorry, and I am praying for help and working my hardest to improve.
Something, more like someone, that helped me to realize my faults is Elsa. This lady of about 55 years is absolutely wonderful. I love her. In our first lesson with her she cried with joy when we explained the restoration and living prophets and she accepted the book of Mormon immediately as the word of God. In her second lesson we presented and she accepted a baptismal date for the 22 of January. Ithe her third lesson Valeria and I explained Joseph smith more in detail and taught more about prayer.When I told her at the end of the lesson that she needs to pray to know if Joseph Smith was a prophet she looked at me and said, "like I'm doubting?" ...WOW. amazing. This is all possible because in her first lesson Elsa felt the spirit, we were able to explain what she felt, and she recognized it for what it was. She feels the spirit testify to her that what we are teaching is the truth and has such great faith that she accepts without doubt all that we teach. Her humility and faith is astounding. I have so much room to grow.
Sadly I will not be in San Francisco to learn more from Elsa and watch her progress and change her life...I have been changed. Tomorrow at 8am I will be leaving San Francisco for Vina and then for my new ward in Trunk al uno Quillota. It's like 3 hours from Vina. woohoo! I am excited for the bus ride. haha.
Not gonna lie, it was a big surprise to me that I am moving, but the Lord knows best. I am trusting in him. My new companion is Hermana Arguetta. She is from El Salvador. I know her a little bit already from a few days we had together in my first month here. She will be a wonderful companion and I will learn so much from her I am sure, but it is still sad that i am leaving a place that i love so much. i didn't want to cry in church so I didn't say anything to anyone, but somehow in the primary Christmas presentation last night the word got out...I was crying, everyone was crying, it was horrible. haha.
Well next week I will let you all know about my new ward and companion and everything, but I am out of time and you are all probably tired of reading.
lots of love,
hermana canal
Monday, December 13, 2010
Monday, December 13,2010
2 weeks till Christmas!
So this past week has been really interesting. We have been climbing lots of hills and meeting lots of new people in an area where the missionaries before didn't have time to visit, or maybe they didn't want to because of the hills! Now that there are four missionaries here we have the time to go and find people out there in the sticks. It really has been such a blessing. The only hard part is that it is so far from the chapel and the people here don't have cars...how are they going to get to church on Sunday? They could take the micro (like a big bus) but it is expensive and these people are super humble in their living standards. Well, I guess this is where the faith comes in. I truly believe that we will find the people here that are ready for the gospel, ready to sacrifice a little in the beginning to receive amazing blessings afterwards. The Lord's will often seems like a sacrifice to us, but he knows the bigger picture. He knows that as we choose to do His will we will be blessed with happiness and joy temporally and spiritually (Mosiah 2:41). We just have to have the faith to do His will without knowing the consequences beforehand.
So yesterday we finally got a Christmas tree in the house! It is super little and doesn't have very many ornaments, but all the same it makes me feel very happy. I even made a paper chain to count down the days! I guess in Ecuador they don't make paper chains though. when I started ripping off a link every day Hermana Barre was a little distressed. She was like, "you made a Christmas chain so beautiful and now you are ripping it up!" haha. I had to explain and now all is well.
we have been singing Christmas hymns like crazy and they are always stuck in my head, well when feliz cumpleanos isn't...Hermana Barre had her birthday last week and we sang feliz cupleanos all day long. haha. she also taught me another birthday song in Spanish about being old and wrinkly. I will have to translate and send it later. Its awesome. She is 23 years old now...super old. haha. Just so everyone knows, when i have my birthday in march i will be completing 21 years again. this year and every year after. I have decided to be 21 forever. thank you all for cooperating.
Well, time is short and Ive got to go. If you have a chance, watch the first presidency Christmas devotional online. It was wonderful. absolutely wonderful.
So this past week has been really interesting. We have been climbing lots of hills and meeting lots of new people in an area where the missionaries before didn't have time to visit, or maybe they didn't want to because of the hills! Now that there are four missionaries here we have the time to go and find people out there in the sticks. It really has been such a blessing. The only hard part is that it is so far from the chapel and the people here don't have cars...how are they going to get to church on Sunday? They could take the micro (like a big bus) but it is expensive and these people are super humble in their living standards. Well, I guess this is where the faith comes in. I truly believe that we will find the people here that are ready for the gospel, ready to sacrifice a little in the beginning to receive amazing blessings afterwards. The Lord's will often seems like a sacrifice to us, but he knows the bigger picture. He knows that as we choose to do His will we will be blessed with happiness and joy temporally and spiritually (Mosiah 2:41). We just have to have the faith to do His will without knowing the consequences beforehand.
So yesterday we finally got a Christmas tree in the house! It is super little and doesn't have very many ornaments, but all the same it makes me feel very happy. I even made a paper chain to count down the days! I guess in Ecuador they don't make paper chains though. when I started ripping off a link every day Hermana Barre was a little distressed. She was like, "you made a Christmas chain so beautiful and now you are ripping it up!" haha. I had to explain and now all is well.
we have been singing Christmas hymns like crazy and they are always stuck in my head, well when feliz cumpleanos isn't...Hermana Barre had her birthday last week and we sang feliz cupleanos all day long. haha. she also taught me another birthday song in Spanish about being old and wrinkly. I will have to translate and send it later. Its awesome. She is 23 years old now...super old. haha. Just so everyone knows, when i have my birthday in march i will be completing 21 years again. this year and every year after. I have decided to be 21 forever. thank you all for cooperating.
Well, time is short and Ive got to go. If you have a chance, watch the first presidency Christmas devotional online. It was wonderful. absolutely wonderful.
Monday, December 6, 2010
Feliz Diciembre
I am getting so excited for this Christmas season! It is super
different here in Chile, but I love it all the same. The people don't
deck out their houses like they do in the states, that's for sure and
the stores arent quite as decked out either, but at least they have
Christmas music playing! (normally in English. haha.) We listen to
Christmas music every morning in the house too, and although I am very
far from my family I have a little family of sister missionaries here
in Chile. The 4 of us in our little house are so full of the Christmas
spirit that I feel so happy and at peace, not homesick at all. Next
year though I will sure be happy to celebrate with my family and
friends at home. I hope you are all getting excited for this special
time of year and I hope you all remember the real reason that we
celebrate. I am so grateful for my Savior Jesus Christ. "He is the
light and the life of the world; yea, a light that is endless, that
can never be darkened; yea, and also a life which is endless, that
there can be no more death." (Mosiah 16:) Merry Christmas!
Last week was super interesting. It had its ups and downs like
always... like life. I am grateful for all the ups and downs because
they help me to grow and become more like the person that I want to
be, more like my Savior. Every time I am faced with a challenge I try
to think...I can choose to respond in a negative way and deter my
progression or I can choose to respond in a positive way and become a
better person. We all have this opportunity every moment of every day.
These trials of life are really blessings. They help us to become more
like Jesus Christ. It all depends on how we see them.
The best part of this week was going to the temple with Veronica. We
left Saturday morning at 1130 and got to Santiago about 2 hours later.
Veronica was able to do the baptisms and confirmations of her
grandmother and great grandmother and Hermana Barre and I were temple
workers at the baptismal font! It was so exciting! I want to work in
the temple every day after my mission. Then Hermana Barre and I each
had a name (one the grandmother and the other the great grandmother)
to take in and do endowments the last session of the day with our
ward. I can not express how special this was for me... to first baptize
someone so amazing and to then help her do the work for her family. I
was reminded again just how wonderful the temple is and I felt a
confirmation, like so many times before, that this church is THE
church of Jesus Christ in the earth. The one and only. I feel so
blessed to be a part of this church. I feel so blessed with the
opportunity to serve and share this knowledge with others! It is the
only way that we will ever find an everlasting joy.
Thank you all for your continual love and support. I feel it
strengthen me every day.
Love,
Hermana Canal
different here in Chile, but I love it all the same. The people don't
deck out their houses like they do in the states, that's for sure and
the stores arent quite as decked out either, but at least they have
Christmas music playing! (normally in English. haha.) We listen to
Christmas music every morning in the house too, and although I am very
far from my family I have a little family of sister missionaries here
in Chile. The 4 of us in our little house are so full of the Christmas
spirit that I feel so happy and at peace, not homesick at all. Next
year though I will sure be happy to celebrate with my family and
friends at home. I hope you are all getting excited for this special
time of year and I hope you all remember the real reason that we
celebrate. I am so grateful for my Savior Jesus Christ. "He is the
light and the life of the world; yea, a light that is endless, that
can never be darkened; yea, and also a life which is endless, that
there can be no more death." (Mosiah 16:) Merry Christmas!
Last week was super interesting. It had its ups and downs like
always... like life. I am grateful for all the ups and downs because
they help me to grow and become more like the person that I want to
be, more like my Savior. Every time I am faced with a challenge I try
to think...I can choose to respond in a negative way and deter my
progression or I can choose to respond in a positive way and become a
better person. We all have this opportunity every moment of every day.
These trials of life are really blessings. They help us to become more
like Jesus Christ. It all depends on how we see them.
The best part of this week was going to the temple with Veronica. We
left Saturday morning at 1130 and got to Santiago about 2 hours later.
Veronica was able to do the baptisms and confirmations of her
grandmother and great grandmother and Hermana Barre and I were temple
workers at the baptismal font! It was so exciting! I want to work in
the temple every day after my mission. Then Hermana Barre and I each
had a name (one the grandmother and the other the great grandmother)
to take in and do endowments the last session of the day with our
ward. I can not express how special this was for me... to first baptize
someone so amazing and to then help her do the work for her family. I
was reminded again just how wonderful the temple is and I felt a
confirmation, like so many times before, that this church is THE
church of Jesus Christ in the earth. The one and only. I feel so
blessed to be a part of this church. I feel so blessed with the
opportunity to serve and share this knowledge with others! It is the
only way that we will ever find an everlasting joy.
Thank you all for your continual love and support. I feel it
strengthen me every day.
Love,
Hermana Canal
Monday, November 29, 2010
Well, I thought we weren't going to be able to write today, but turns out president said we could write our family.
This past week we had two baptisms. Arlette and Veronica were baptized together. It was absolutely beautiful. They both had their fair share of trials throughout the week but made it through with flying colors. It always seems like the week before a baptism is the hardest.
Arlette invited 3 nonmember friends and they all enjoyed the baptism. They had lots of questions too. I loved listening to Arlette bare her testimony to her friends. She did so with great confidence and love for the gospel. I am excited to watch her grow and learn more and more. She was just baptized Saturday and has already invited us and the Donoso family over to her house tonight for Family Home Evening. I am so glad that she is putting into practice all that she had learned. Family home evening is one way that she will be able to help her daughter, Cloe, siempre learn and grow in the gospel, although she can not be baptized right now.
Veronica invited friends and family too but they didn't show up... this young woman has been though so much. She is such an example to me. She invited us to have lunch with her Friday although she is not working and barely has the means necessary to feed her four children, but when someone invites you can't say no. We ate a very humble but delicious lunch and being with her and her family is always a treat. I love her kids. They are wild and drive their mom crazy, but I love them.
This week we are practicing Silent Night in parts with the relief society because Friday we are having a ward activity and we are going to sing! I am so excited. Hermana Jones is going to teach the alto part and I am going to teach the soprano part. I love the women in our ward. they are absolutely wonderful. Pray that all goes well in the activity and that lots of nonmembers come! We are going to watch a Christmas video and have hot chocolate and sing. It is going to be lots of fun!
So if you want better health go on visits with the missionaries! Hemana Mirtha was having bad back pain all day the other day when we stopped by her house on the way to teach Arlette and Cloe to see if she and her daughter could accompany us. When we found out she was having back pain we of course said that if she didn't feel up to it she should stay home and rest, but she wouldn't hear it. She and her daughter went with us to make the visit. When we got in the house and started to teach she bore her testimony of the church and the miracles that happen when we serve...turns out that she stopped having back pains when we got to Arlettes house and felt wonderful all through the evening. Miracles. I love them. Hang out with the missionaries!
Monday, November 22, 2010
Monday, November 22,2010
I hope that everyone is eating lots of pumpkin pie for me this week. Thursday, Thanksgiving Day, we will be eating with Hermana Ameyer, which is actually quite funny because she is the Hermana in our ward that always feeds us until we are about to explode!...Chileans show their love in food quantities. haha.
This past week was awesome! My favorite part of the entire week was Sunday because we had the primary program. It was wonderful. I cried...of course. haha. What you have to understand is that for the past month I have been working with the 15 kids that make up our primary, teaching them the three songs that they sang. It was not easy...but so worth it! In church this past Sunday I directed the music of the program. It was beautiful... The best part of the entire program was not the music though. The most special part for me was when Joshua, the son of our convert Luisa, a little boy of only 5 years bore his testimony of the gospel. Thank goodness Hermana Donoso carries tissues in her purse! Everyone loved the program and everyone was so touched spiritually. It was testimony to me that we should all try to be more like little children.
So I know have evidence that I am dreaming in Spanish! Well, at least half way. haha. This past week Hermana Barre and Hermana Jones heard me talking in my sleep in Spanish and English! The best part of all is that I invited someone to be baptised in Spanish. Woohoo! I hope they accepted the invitation but I have no idea who it was!
This coming week I am super excited because we are going to start doing tours of the chapel in a very different way. We are going to be able to teach lesson one and give a tour of the chapel at the same time. We are decorating three rooms with the prophets Adam, Noah, and Moses. We will walk from room to room. When the light is on it is the dispensation of that prophet. when the light is off it is super dark and without the prophet the people are lost and confused (the apostasy), but because God loves us he always sends another prophet(as we walk into the next room to do the same). We will then end up in the room with the baptismal font to talk about the life of Jesus Christ and how he was baptised by immersion at an age of accountability by John the Baptist, someone with the authority of God to baptise him. There will be 13 seats set up with the name of each apostle and one for Jesus Christ at the head. We will then be in another room super dark for the great apostasy that happened after the death of Jesus Christ and his disciples when the authority to direct the church of Jesus Christ and to baptize was taken from the earth. There will be chairs grouped to represent all the different churches that are in the earth right now. Then we will open the partition in between the overflow and the room where we have sacrament and as light floods in there will be a picture of Joseph Smith and the first vision. We will talk about how he restored the gospel and was given the authority to baptize and direct the church as a prophet with 12 apostles. We will have 13 seats in this room also, but the with prophet Thomas S. Monson and the 12 apostles as they are today because the Church of Jesus Christ continues the same even today. We will then talk about the Book of Mormon and the Bible with a map representation to explain that they were written in different places and to talk about the coming of Jesus Christ in both places. It is going to be so awesome!
Sadly you will all have to wait two weeks to here how the tours go because next week my pday will be Friday and I am going to the temple in Santiago! WooHOO!
This past week was awesome! My favorite part of the entire week was Sunday because we had the primary program. It was wonderful. I cried...of course. haha. What you have to understand is that for the past month I have been working with the 15 kids that make up our primary, teaching them the three songs that they sang. It was not easy...but so worth it! In church this past Sunday I directed the music of the program. It was beautiful... The best part of the entire program was not the music though. The most special part for me was when Joshua, the son of our convert Luisa, a little boy of only 5 years bore his testimony of the gospel. Thank goodness Hermana Donoso carries tissues in her purse! Everyone loved the program and everyone was so touched spiritually. It was testimony to me that we should all try to be more like little children.
So I know have evidence that I am dreaming in Spanish! Well, at least half way. haha. This past week Hermana Barre and Hermana Jones heard me talking in my sleep in Spanish and English! The best part of all is that I invited someone to be baptised in Spanish. Woohoo! I hope they accepted the invitation but I have no idea who it was!
This coming week I am super excited because we are going to start doing tours of the chapel in a very different way. We are going to be able to teach lesson one and give a tour of the chapel at the same time. We are decorating three rooms with the prophets Adam, Noah, and Moses. We will walk from room to room. When the light is on it is the dispensation of that prophet. when the light is off it is super dark and without the prophet the people are lost and confused (the apostasy), but because God loves us he always sends another prophet(as we walk into the next room to do the same). We will then end up in the room with the baptismal font to talk about the life of Jesus Christ and how he was baptised by immersion at an age of accountability by John the Baptist, someone with the authority of God to baptise him. There will be 13 seats set up with the name of each apostle and one for Jesus Christ at the head. We will then be in another room super dark for the great apostasy that happened after the death of Jesus Christ and his disciples when the authority to direct the church of Jesus Christ and to baptize was taken from the earth. There will be chairs grouped to represent all the different churches that are in the earth right now. Then we will open the partition in between the overflow and the room where we have sacrament and as light floods in there will be a picture of Joseph Smith and the first vision. We will talk about how he restored the gospel and was given the authority to baptize and direct the church as a prophet with 12 apostles. We will have 13 seats in this room also, but the with prophet Thomas S. Monson and the 12 apostles as they are today because the Church of Jesus Christ continues the same even today. We will then talk about the Book of Mormon and the Bible with a map representation to explain that they were written in different places and to talk about the coming of Jesus Christ in both places. It is going to be so awesome!
Sadly you will all have to wait two weeks to here how the tours go because next week my pday will be Friday and I am going to the temple in Santiago! WooHOO!
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Monday, November 15, 2010
This week has been SO good! I have so much I want to write and I know I am not going to have the time to write it all, but I will try!
Friday we had an awesome activity in the chapel for Relief Society. Luisa, our recent convert, taught a class on mosaics. The turn out was amazing. Half of the class was investigators! It was so good that they are going to continue the class next Friday. This is so good for Luisa, who has depression, because it gives her something productive to do and she feels so usful and loved. She has been having a hard time this week...her kids have been sick and she hit a bit of a low point. I would really appreciate prayers in her behalf.
After the activity Friday we gave a tour of the chapel to one of our investigators, Anna Castillo. Anna is very special. She is a mother of 4 boys. One of them, Carlos, is mentally and physically handicapped. Another of her sons killed himself last year because of a bad breakup. Another of her sons is a worlkaholic and alcoholic. The last of the four is somewhat responsible and lives on his own. He drives his mother to the cemetery every Sunday morning to visit her son that passed away...a bit of a hard life. We have been teaching her for about two months now. The tour of the chapel was wonderful. She loved it and felt the peace and trenquility that is inside a house of the Lord.
The best news is that the next day we taught her The Plan of Salvation, the plan that God created for us so that we can find true joy in this life and in the life to come, the plan whereby our families can be together forever. We taught her about the missionaries that are in the spirit world teaching her son the way we are teaching her. We taught her about the reserection, and how when that day comes her son, carlos, will have a body and mind that is perfect. We taught her what she needs to do in this life to be with her family forever afterwards. Part of that, of course, is baptism. As we taught the Holy Ghost bore whitness of the truthfulness of what we were teaching. Anna Castilla will be baptised the 25th of december, a white Christmas! She is going to talk to her son this week to change her schedule so that she can start assisting every Sunday at church. This is a miracle and I am so happy for her. I feel such joy becasue I know she is finding greater happiness every day in the gospel. She has hope in her eyes.
Sunday we had an awesome sacrament meeting. There are now 4 sister missionaries in my ward and this Sunday we all spoke. It was a Sunday of pure missionary power. I spoke about charity, the pure love of Christ, and how if we really care for someone we show them our love by sharing with them what has made us the happiest in this life, the gospel of Jesus Christ. I know it is hard. Before my mission I didnt share the gospel as much as I should have. I was scared. I didnt know how to start talking about religion with people, and I didnt want to loose friendships. Now that I am on the other side of the equator and I have had the practice of teaching and sharing the gospel my fear is gone and I am left feeling so stupid for the way a behaved before. I am not going to say that I regret my past because I have learned so much. My priorities have changes so much. I can now say that I will forever be a missionary. I will talk about the gospel of Jesus Christ with anyone that can enter the waters of baptism. I will never loose another opportunity to share what I know and believe with all my heart, mind and soul. There is temporary happiness in this life that we get from a slice of cake of a new car. This happiness is fleeting. There is everlasting joy that we get from the gospel of Jesus Christ. This joy lasts forever. Dont hold back the knowledge that you have. Sing it from the housetops. Show your charity for others and share the gospel. Ever member is a missionary. We are building Gods kingdom on earth. Do your part. Every family should have a Preach My Gospel in their house. This book was written by apostles of God and can help members in so many ways be prepared to share the gospel. You can use it in your personal study and family home evenings to help your familty prepare to be missionaries every day in every moment. It is awesome!
Well, I am done preaching for the day. haha. Sorry if I bored anyone. I love you all so much. If you are a nonmember reading this find the missionaries and make them teach you the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ. You will not regret it. I promise.
Love,
Hermana Canal
Friday we had an awesome activity in the chapel for Relief Society. Luisa, our recent convert, taught a class on mosaics. The turn out was amazing. Half of the class was investigators! It was so good that they are going to continue the class next Friday. This is so good for Luisa, who has depression, because it gives her something productive to do and she feels so usful and loved. She has been having a hard time this week...her kids have been sick and she hit a bit of a low point. I would really appreciate prayers in her behalf.
After the activity Friday we gave a tour of the chapel to one of our investigators, Anna Castillo. Anna is very special. She is a mother of 4 boys. One of them, Carlos, is mentally and physically handicapped. Another of her sons killed himself last year because of a bad breakup. Another of her sons is a worlkaholic and alcoholic. The last of the four is somewhat responsible and lives on his own. He drives his mother to the cemetery every Sunday morning to visit her son that passed away...a bit of a hard life. We have been teaching her for about two months now. The tour of the chapel was wonderful. She loved it and felt the peace and trenquility that is inside a house of the Lord.
The best news is that the next day we taught her The Plan of Salvation, the plan that God created for us so that we can find true joy in this life and in the life to come, the plan whereby our families can be together forever. We taught her about the missionaries that are in the spirit world teaching her son the way we are teaching her. We taught her about the reserection, and how when that day comes her son, carlos, will have a body and mind that is perfect. We taught her what she needs to do in this life to be with her family forever afterwards. Part of that, of course, is baptism. As we taught the Holy Ghost bore whitness of the truthfulness of what we were teaching. Anna Castilla will be baptised the 25th of december, a white Christmas! She is going to talk to her son this week to change her schedule so that she can start assisting every Sunday at church. This is a miracle and I am so happy for her. I feel such joy becasue I know she is finding greater happiness every day in the gospel. She has hope in her eyes.
Sunday we had an awesome sacrament meeting. There are now 4 sister missionaries in my ward and this Sunday we all spoke. It was a Sunday of pure missionary power. I spoke about charity, the pure love of Christ, and how if we really care for someone we show them our love by sharing with them what has made us the happiest in this life, the gospel of Jesus Christ. I know it is hard. Before my mission I didnt share the gospel as much as I should have. I was scared. I didnt know how to start talking about religion with people, and I didnt want to loose friendships. Now that I am on the other side of the equator and I have had the practice of teaching and sharing the gospel my fear is gone and I am left feeling so stupid for the way a behaved before. I am not going to say that I regret my past because I have learned so much. My priorities have changes so much. I can now say that I will forever be a missionary. I will talk about the gospel of Jesus Christ with anyone that can enter the waters of baptism. I will never loose another opportunity to share what I know and believe with all my heart, mind and soul. There is temporary happiness in this life that we get from a slice of cake of a new car. This happiness is fleeting. There is everlasting joy that we get from the gospel of Jesus Christ. This joy lasts forever. Dont hold back the knowledge that you have. Sing it from the housetops. Show your charity for others and share the gospel. Ever member is a missionary. We are building Gods kingdom on earth. Do your part. Every family should have a Preach My Gospel in their house. This book was written by apostles of God and can help members in so many ways be prepared to share the gospel. You can use it in your personal study and family home evenings to help your familty prepare to be missionaries every day in every moment. It is awesome!
Well, I am done preaching for the day. haha. Sorry if I bored anyone. I love you all so much. If you are a nonmember reading this find the missionaries and make them teach you the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ. You will not regret it. I promise.
Love,
Hermana Canal
Monday, November 8, 2010
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Halloween sure was different here in Chile. Every year they celebrate here a little more and more, but the people here are much more superstitious than the people in the states and there are tons of people completely against Halloween. Those that do try to celebrate don't really know how because it is suck a new thing still. It was weird not to see any houses decorated. There were hardly any decorations in the stores and very little Halloween candy in the supermarket too. Of course, i had to buy candy for the few trick or treaters that we did have. They trick or treat super late here though. The kids start at like 9 PM! I hope you all had a wonderful Halloween and that you got lots of good candy or at least gave lots of good candy!
Monday you did not receive an "hola from chile" email because i was in the process of climbing a gigantic mountain...LA CAMPANA! This mountain is 2000 meters high! We started climbing at 730 am and reached the bottom again at 330 pm. I just about died keeping up with twelve 20 year old elder missionaries. I fell 5 times, got sunburned (although i did use sunblock dad!), was dying of hunger and thirst (i didn't want to have to use the bathroom while climbing...), and am still feeling the pain 2 days later, but when we got to the top the view was worth it all. It was amazing! We could see the Andes mountain range from the top. I am sending pictures. There are a few of my companion and I at the top and one of all the missionaries that went.
This week we had 9 nonmembers assist! It was amazing! We also had a super awesome "Festival de Postres" last weekend and we had 11 families from the ward participate. Every family brought a dessert and set up a table to serve. All the tables were in a square and the 7 nonmembers that assisted tried every dessert and judged which was the best. Guess who won...Our recently baptised convert, Luisa! She made a super yummy corn cake. I even liked it and i don't even like corn cake! haha. There were like 45 people in total. That is like as many people that show up in a Sunday. WOW! WOOhoo! Heavenly Father works miracles. I love my mission!
Monday you did not receive an "hola from chile" email because i was in the process of climbing a gigantic mountain...LA CAMPANA! This mountain is 2000 meters high! We started climbing at 730 am and reached the bottom again at 330 pm. I just about died keeping up with twelve 20 year old elder missionaries. I fell 5 times, got sunburned (although i did use sunblock dad!), was dying of hunger and thirst (i didn't want to have to use the bathroom while climbing...), and am still feeling the pain 2 days later, but when we got to the top the view was worth it all. It was amazing! We could see the Andes mountain range from the top. I am sending pictures. There are a few of my companion and I at the top and one of all the missionaries that went.
This week we had 9 nonmembers assist! It was amazing! We also had a super awesome "Festival de Postres" last weekend and we had 11 families from the ward participate. Every family brought a dessert and set up a table to serve. All the tables were in a square and the 7 nonmembers that assisted tried every dessert and judged which was the best. Guess who won...Our recently baptised convert, Luisa! She made a super yummy corn cake. I even liked it and i don't even like corn cake! haha. There were like 45 people in total. That is like as many people that show up in a Sunday. WOW! WOOhoo! Heavenly Father works miracles. I love my mission!
We had changes again today and I am staying with Hermana Barre here in San Francisco! I am both excited and sad. We get along super well and she is helping me to learn and grow so much, but I know that this will be our last change together because this is her last change in the mission. It is going to be hard to watch her go home to Ecuador... We did have a bit of a surprise though that will make her leaving a little less painful... We are getting 2 more hermanas in our ward and we are all going to live together! But that's not all... the biggest surprise is that Hermana Jones, my first companion, will be one of them and she will be training a new hermana. I don't know how we are all going to fit in our little house, but all I can say is we will be feeling a lot of love all squished together! haha. For a couple of nights we will all four be sleeping on twin mattresses on the floor until their mattresses and bunk beds arrive! Sleepover! WOoHoo!
So miracle of the week... Veronica. This mother of 4 (three boys and one girl) recently moved into our town and stopped us in the street the other day to ask about church services. We told her all she needed to know and of course were anxious to talk more but she was in a rush to get somewhere so we didn't have time to even write down her information, much less fix a time to pass by her house. To our surprise and great joy the next Sunday she showed up at church and we learned that she has been assisting for 3 YEARS and still has not been baptised. Two of her children, the two oldest boys are baptised though. Well, we set up a time to talk, Friday, and when the day and time arrived we met up in the chapel. All I can say is this woman has suffered so much in her life and I feel grateful to have the chance to know her. She, like all others in this world, has made mistakes. She feels horrible guilt and pain because of her past life and has not been able to be baptised because of the way she was living. I watched Veronica shed more tears during the hour that we talked then I ever thought possible. We talked about her goals in life, for herself and her family. We talked about the happiness that families find when they are united in the gospel of Jesus Christ. We talked about eternal families and the choices she needs to make now to be with her children forever. It was heart wrenching, and in the end she had to decide to make the changes she needs to in her life to be baptised or not. We decided to start a fast with her so that the Lord would show her the way. When we ended the fast Sunday after church we received a wonderful response. Veronica has decided to leave her old life behind and start anew. She now has a baptismal date and a light in her eyes that sings "hope"! I am so excited for her and her family. Her children are wonderful and I know they will be so blessed to have their mother be the example that they need in the church of Jesus Christ.
I know my Savior lives. I know he loves me and every single person on this earth. He made sacrifices I can not even begin to imagine so that we can all return to live with Him, our Heavenly Father, and our families FOREVER. He wants us all to come unto Him, but like Veronica, it is OUR choice. It is hard to change, but I know that after the trial of our faith the blessings are innumerable. Test it out! I know you wont be disappointed. Give your Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ the time of day in prayer, church, and scripture study and you will feel for JOY than in any other way. I PROMISE!
The scriptures say it all better than I can,
Mosiah 2:41 And moreover, I would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and ahappy state of those that keep the commandments of God. For behold, they are bblessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual; and if they hold out cfaithful to the end they are received into dheaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness. O remember, remember that these things are true; for the Lord God hath spoken it.
Love You all tons and bunches!
So miracle of the week... Veronica. This mother of 4 (three boys and one girl) recently moved into our town and stopped us in the street the other day to ask about church services. We told her all she needed to know and of course were anxious to talk more but she was in a rush to get somewhere so we didn't have time to even write down her information, much less fix a time to pass by her house. To our surprise and great joy the next Sunday she showed up at church and we learned that she has been assisting for 3 YEARS and still has not been baptised. Two of her children, the two oldest boys are baptised though. Well, we set up a time to talk, Friday, and when the day and time arrived we met up in the chapel. All I can say is this woman has suffered so much in her life and I feel grateful to have the chance to know her. She, like all others in this world, has made mistakes. She feels horrible guilt and pain because of her past life and has not been able to be baptised because of the way she was living. I watched Veronica shed more tears during the hour that we talked then I ever thought possible. We talked about her goals in life, for herself and her family. We talked about the happiness that families find when they are united in the gospel of Jesus Christ. We talked about eternal families and the choices she needs to make now to be with her children forever. It was heart wrenching, and in the end she had to decide to make the changes she needs to in her life to be baptised or not. We decided to start a fast with her so that the Lord would show her the way. When we ended the fast Sunday after church we received a wonderful response. Veronica has decided to leave her old life behind and start anew. She now has a baptismal date and a light in her eyes that sings "hope"! I am so excited for her and her family. Her children are wonderful and I know they will be so blessed to have their mother be the example that they need in the church of Jesus Christ.
I know my Savior lives. I know he loves me and every single person on this earth. He made sacrifices I can not even begin to imagine so that we can all return to live with Him, our Heavenly Father, and our families FOREVER. He wants us all to come unto Him, but like Veronica, it is OUR choice. It is hard to change, but I know that after the trial of our faith the blessings are innumerable. Test it out! I know you wont be disappointed. Give your Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ the time of day in prayer, church, and scripture study and you will feel for JOY than in any other way. I PROMISE!
The scriptures say it all better than I can,
Mosiah 2:41 And moreover, I would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and ahappy state of those that keep the commandments of God. For behold, they are bblessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual; and if they hold out cfaithful to the end they are received into dheaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness. O remember, remember that these things are true; for the Lord God hath spoken it.
Love You all tons and bunches!
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