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