A rainy day in Punta Arenas

Jan 3, 2011
A rainy day in Punta Arenas
Hey there family...

I just love you guys.

Things have been great this week. I am learning a ton. I am pretty sure I always say that, but it is true...I feel and think a lot different these days. What a beautiful experience the mission is.

Feliz Año Nuevo...(Mom, I got the "ñ"...but I cheated a little bit...I´m using a Spanish keyboard :) ) Everyone here says, "que sea mejor"...pretty much I hope this one´s better for you, but then some say it with almost a sad face....and it´s so funny because it almost comes across as "I just kinda feel like you had a really rough year...I hope this one´s better for you...". It´s just really kinda funny. Anyway...

Well, I am going to give you all an overview of the week...

We had a really rough Monday and Tuesday this week...all our citas fell through, but we just kept on keeping on. It felt good to hold on to that faith when I felt like it kinda wanted to escape. Then on Wednesday, we had intercambios with the Hermanas in my old sector in Magallanes...It was the best day of my life pretty much. It was so surreal. I got to go back to my old sector and work with Hermana Neubert (she is the Sister that I worked with at BYU before the mission and we got our mission calls at about the same time). It was so cool to go back and see the progress some of these people are making. It was such a blessing to see. So I just loved that. I got to go back and see Blanca, Hno. Balladares and his daughter that we were teaching, Daisy, and we found a nuevo DE ORO! It was just a really good day. Then Thursday, was back to Ovejero, but not before Hermana Neubert cooked up some pancakes...I didn´t realize how much I have missed pancakes these past ten months until I smelled them. Thursday we taught a friend, Gabriel, of a member, Daniella, for the first time. He is agnostic, but he got on the church website and studied about Mormons, and he said he felt something, and it really made sense to him. He told her that he wanted to learn more, so there we were! He is just great. He´s really interested in learning. Also, Thursday, Hermana Byam and I made plans to take a church tour motorcycle trip after the mission. I think that we should get one of those side car buggy-type things to ride in, and then we can take turns driving. Tell Vic that we´re going to need to borrow his bike :) It´s going to be legit. Friday, we got to teach this man that we found the other day. A testimony that when citas fall through..."it´s like God picking up and putting you right where you need to be." On Tuesday, when all our citas fell through, we were wandering. We decided to pray and figure out where we needed to go. We did, and we were led to Pedro´s door. He came out and smiled, and we asked if he lived by himself (as we generally do to men...just so we can know if we can go in. If there isn´t a woman in the house we can´t go in without a member.)...he said with a few tears in his eyes, that he does now. He explained that his wife died almost a year ago (Jan. 11). We couldn´t go in on Tuesday because we didn´t have a member, but on Friday we got to go back and teach him. He is just so humble and grateful for the message of hope that we shared. On Tuesday we left him the Plan of Salvation pamphlet, and he read it all by the time we got there on Friday. He had some good questions and hopefully we can go back and teach him soon. He has a crazy job schedule, so pray that we can find him again. At the end of the lesson, we asked if he had any questions, and he said he did..."when are you all coming by again?" :) So great. Then on Saturday, we were walking down the street and he drove by and honked. He stopped his car right there on the street to talk to us and offer us a ride. (We couldn´t accept the ride because he was by himself again, but it´s the thought that counts! :) It was so great. I felt like he was happier. Sunday, was just a good day. I just felt a huge love for the Saints and people here in Chile. I felt so happy to serve them. My compi has been pretty sick the last few days, but she toughed it out yesterday, and I was so proud of her. I know that it would have been much more comfortable in her bed, but she worked the best she could...and it was good. I love her.

There you have it the week summary. I also wanted to tell you about some of the people we are teaching so that you can pray for them...please :)

Well, we have Bernardo and Martin (his little boy). His wife is a member, and he has been sharing with missionaries off and on for 15 years. We went and had one of our Christmas dinners at their house. He is just terrified to commit to baptism, but this week, we asked him if he would at least pray about it, and he said he would...that´s a big step, so please pray for him that he will be persevering until he receives an answer. Martin told his mom the other day, "hey tell the missionaries I want to get baptized...just tell them not to asked too many questions. " It was so cute. He´s pretty shy.

Also we are teaching Pedro...I already told you about him above. Just pray for him. I can see him being a great leader in the Church here.

Also pray for Janet...She is the daughter of a menos activo member. But we contacted her right ou side the church one day...I don´t have time to explain why she is a miracle to me, but just know that she is an answer to a prayer that we said a few minutes before the contact. She has real interest in the church, and many doubts, but she is willing to pray and study. She´s going through a break-up right now though, so it´s been hard to find her. Pray that we can find her again, please.

Also we are teaching Angel, the husband of a member, Hermana Jessica. he also has been sharing on and off with missionaries, but also is (I think) scared of making the commitment of baptism. Please pray that his mind will be prepared and his heart softened. This is a very special family. I love them.

I leave it to that right now... Oh, mom asked what "once" meant. It´s in reference to the number "11" ocho, nueve, deiz, once, doce, trece...etc. But here "once" is like their dinner. But they have desayuno, almuerzo (the biggest meal), and then once (around 5pm) and then cena (around 9 or 10pm)...once is like tea and bread and jam and cookies, or ham....it´s once, po! :) Also I sent pictures of our humble little house...:) It´s so little! But it´s great...full of love:)

Today for p-day...me and my compi got into the Sara Braun palace...it´s this museum that normally isn´t open on Mondays, but we talked the guys there into letting us take a tour today...it was the coolest. I´ll have to explain it more when I get home...but just a little highlight of today .

Well, I love you guys tons and tons. I hope you all have a great first week of 2011!

-Abrazos.

-Hermana Bertagnole