April 16, 2011
WELL the winter is here...I sit here in the internet cafe with wet and cold feet....it´s been raining today...and will rain probably all day long, but I think I will miss the rain, once I return home to Kansas.
We are having a great week and we are working really hard. Those two always seem to go hand in hand. We are really working on teaching better with the three of us. It´s a lot different teaching with three missionaries than it is with two. I am really trying on getting us to all teach with more unity, and more clarity. It´s a work in progress, but it is really good for us. It´s a great experience being in a trio.
I feel more now than ever before in my mission that there really isn´t time enough in the day. I am trying to stay as organized as possible, but there are times that I feel like I am running around with my head cut off...I think that with training and with cambios it made things really hectic, but now I think things will start settling back down again. I am trying to still focus a lot on helping Hermana Hunt get trained thoroughly and also helping Hermana Turcios become familiar with the sector. I am still really trying to focus on keeping the Spirit with me at all times, and being sensitive enough to feel it and hear His whispers.
I am really enjoying the work that we have before us this cambio. I am trying my best to do the best I can. I love this sector, the people, and my comps. The work is beautiful.
We found an old investigator again!!!! We put him with a baptismal date again, and he accepted. We taught with his sister also this week, and she cried as she said the closing prayer. It was beautiful. However the last time that we passed by his son told us that he doesn´t want us to come by anymore and that no one likes us coming by...as he was asking us to leave, the father came to the door and invited us in with a smile. We had a heart to heart with them...we straightened things out, and hopefully the both of them will be coming to church this Sunday. I had to rely so much on the Spirit during that meeting I left just physically, mentally, and spiritually exhausted. It was intense, but hopefully we got things cleared up so that he and his family can continue to progress and receive these blessing that they need so very much.
I have gotten a lot of great news this week, including news that hermanito in Punta Arenas, who always used to help us in the work, got his mission call to AFRICA!!!! That´s big news for anyone here. Usually the farthest that Chileans go is to Columbia. I was really excited for him. Also, we have got some really just rock solid investigators right now...I know that we will be seeing baptisms.... One investigator mentioned casually this week that "when she and her daughter get baptized...." I was sitting there thinking...WHAT??! She is really starting to embrace the doctrine.
Well, this is all I have time for. I love you all so much. Thank you for your letters and the news from home. I loved it. I pray for you all every time. I miss you lots and I love you way, way more than you can ever know. I just realized that the Mother´s Day phone call is comin up! Can´t wait! Tell Scott congrats on graduating!!!!! I miss that kid. I am glad that he´ll be in Utah when I get back. I love you all tons.
Sent with bear hugs,
Hermana Bertagnole
Saturday, April 16, 2011
We are in a trio now!!!!
Hey family,
The big news this week is that we are in a trio now. I am still with mi hija, Hna Hunt, but we got another new Hermanita from Honduras. She isn´t brand new, but this is only her second sector, so she is still pretty new. But it is so nice to have her. We are getting a ton of work done. Every time we have a member come out with us (a sister from the ward) we can do divisions! AWESOME! We are working hard and loving the work. The first week of trios has just been great!!!! I am not going to lie, I was really a little bit nervous. I prayed for strength and more faith, and I received peace. These last couple days with Hermana Hunt and Hermana Turcios have been great. We are getting a lot of work done. The days are flying, and I am really trying to focus on making every second count and be memorable. I don´t like when the days just blur into weeks..which I feel like happens a lot. There are so many miracles that happen around me, I just want to make sure that I am recognizing each and every one of them. I know there are miracles that are happening that maybe I´ll never know about as well. I have seen the hand of the Lord so much.
We have some great people that we are teaching. The people that we had at Conference are just progressing like crazy. The family that we brought are great. The father is the son of a very faithful member in Franke (another ward in the stake). I got to meet his mom at Gen conference. She was SO nice, and so happy to see us. The son has been inactive since he left for college almost 40 years ago. He is active and participating in the Church now. His wife isn´t a member but she comes to Church with him and their daughter every week. They are so great. It´s so refreshing to teach them.
Also we had two new investigators attend the Conference. They are both so great and so interested. They are progressing very well. They have such a conviction to know the truth. One has already read half of the Book of Mormon...and apologizes that he hasn´t finished it already! So great. We are focusing on the power of prayer with the both of them so that they can receive powerful answers. Our meta is to put them with fecha this week; help them to really take hold of the vision, and the plan of our Heavenly Father.
I am learning to be more bold. I feel the Spirit more when I do so. I know that we share a strong and powerful message, and I have learned that that is how it needs to be shared. With faith and confidence. Sometimes when you love people, it´s better to just tell them what´s up, than trying to do things suavecito....:) Palos con amor digamos. And it is always received well when it is done with love...and I LOVE THESE PEOPLE!
I am loving working with Hermana Hunt and Turcios. I can see Hermana Hunt just progress so much every day. Hermana Turcios has such a strong testimony and a quiet but very powerful presence. I feel a strong love and admiration for her already. I can tell she will be a very dear companion for me. She reminds me a little of my momma Aponte. Hermana Turcious has quite the story. Very strong hermanita. It´s a priveledge to walk along side her.
Well, I am trying to be like Jesus. I hope you all are doing the same. If we apply what we all learned in primary...we will be the happiest people on earth.
I love you all so much. Thank you for your letters. Sorry I forgot to tell Eric and Stephy HAPPY BIRTHDAY last P.day, but know that when the day of your birthdays came...I was aware and thinking of you
THE SECRET TO LIFE:
Read your scriptures everyday (personally and as family), pray sincerely (personally and as family), and have a Family Home Evening every week...(even if your kids aren´t home). I love you all so much...if you don´t do it...I will have to give you all palos con amor when I get back...I mean it :) Love you!!!!!!
The big news this week is that we are in a trio now. I am still with mi hija, Hna Hunt, but we got another new Hermanita from Honduras. She isn´t brand new, but this is only her second sector, so she is still pretty new. But it is so nice to have her. We are getting a ton of work done. Every time we have a member come out with us (a sister from the ward) we can do divisions! AWESOME! We are working hard and loving the work. The first week of trios has just been great!!!! I am not going to lie, I was really a little bit nervous. I prayed for strength and more faith, and I received peace. These last couple days with Hermana Hunt and Hermana Turcios have been great. We are getting a lot of work done. The days are flying, and I am really trying to focus on making every second count and be memorable. I don´t like when the days just blur into weeks..which I feel like happens a lot. There are so many miracles that happen around me, I just want to make sure that I am recognizing each and every one of them. I know there are miracles that are happening that maybe I´ll never know about as well. I have seen the hand of the Lord so much.
We have some great people that we are teaching. The people that we had at Conference are just progressing like crazy. The family that we brought are great. The father is the son of a very faithful member in Franke (another ward in the stake). I got to meet his mom at Gen conference. She was SO nice, and so happy to see us. The son has been inactive since he left for college almost 40 years ago. He is active and participating in the Church now. His wife isn´t a member but she comes to Church with him and their daughter every week. They are so great. It´s so refreshing to teach them.
Also we had two new investigators attend the Conference. They are both so great and so interested. They are progressing very well. They have such a conviction to know the truth. One has already read half of the Book of Mormon...and apologizes that he hasn´t finished it already! So great. We are focusing on the power of prayer with the both of them so that they can receive powerful answers. Our meta is to put them with fecha this week; help them to really take hold of the vision, and the plan of our Heavenly Father.
I am learning to be more bold. I feel the Spirit more when I do so. I know that we share a strong and powerful message, and I have learned that that is how it needs to be shared. With faith and confidence. Sometimes when you love people, it´s better to just tell them what´s up, than trying to do things suavecito....:) Palos con amor digamos. And it is always received well when it is done with love...and I LOVE THESE PEOPLE!
I am loving working with Hermana Hunt and Turcios. I can see Hermana Hunt just progress so much every day. Hermana Turcios has such a strong testimony and a quiet but very powerful presence. I feel a strong love and admiration for her already. I can tell she will be a very dear companion for me. She reminds me a little of my momma Aponte. Hermana Turcious has quite the story. Very strong hermanita. It´s a priveledge to walk along side her.
Well, I am trying to be like Jesus. I hope you all are doing the same. If we apply what we all learned in primary...we will be the happiest people on earth.
I love you all so much. Thank you for your letters. Sorry I forgot to tell Eric and Stephy HAPPY BIRTHDAY last P.day, but know that when the day of your birthdays came...I was aware and thinking of you
THE SECRET TO LIFE:
Read your scriptures everyday (personally and as family), pray sincerely (personally and as family), and have a Family Home Evening every week...(even if your kids aren´t home). I love you all so much...if you don´t do it...I will have to give you all palos con amor when I get back...I mean it :) Love you!!!!!!
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Janelle's March 26 letter
HOLA HERMOSOS!
AWESOME about the story of the angel Moroni!!!! I can´t believe the temple is so far along!!!! I just got SO excited to hear that! COOL experience. That one better go in everyone´s journal. Well, also I hope that everyone is enjoying life in the good ol´ USA...I heard that Obama was here in Chile this week. Go figure...he didn´t even come say hi to his midwest homegirl...how rude. Oh well, I am over it. Anyway, loved seeing the picutres and hearing your news this week. Thank you! Also, I got the scripture stickers you sent...THANK YOU!!!! I was to the point where I could only mark the really, really good scriptures...and that´s just not right to play favorites like that. Thank you. I love you. My bishop said next time you send a package he wants beef jerky :) Hahahaha. ew. He had one too many gringo comps in the mission, I think.
I am sending a picture of the best family EVER! He is/was a menos activo for almost 40 years and she was a missionary for the Testigos de Jehova, and that´s how she met him. What a love story, eh? They are so great. They have started coming every Sunday. Bishop gave them the Our Legacy book and they have both read it almost all the way through! She liked it a lot. We had a really powerful lesson with them this week. We talked about baptism. They are the ones that I bought the BOM, BIBLE, HYMNAL, and Children´s scripture study (like we had when we were kids!!!!). I love this family. Please pray for them and another family that we are teaching They both need lots of prayers. Thank you.
Hermana Hunt and I are working hard here in Ovejeria. I feel so blessed to have such great support of our ward, and especially our Bishop. I know that all missionaries have problems with members falling through, and we have experienced that a little this week, but I still feel so blessed to have their support in the work. I know that they have the best intentions in the world to help us and go out with us, but life just gets in the way sometimes. I understand that. We had a great Noche de Hogar as a ward last night. It was fantastic. The importance of avoiding gossip. So good. I hope that it will be a reminder to all the members so that we avoid potential problems in the ward. We had a great turn out.
This Sunday we are hoping and praying for another great turn out of investigators in Sacrament meeting. We are working hard to make sure that they all get there. We are trying to get the members involved to give them an added push. Obviously the members make more of a difference than we do. Please pray for us!!!!!!!! We are trying to get a couple families to church, as well as a young woman that we are teaching.
Hermana Hunt is progressing well. She feels bad sometimes about her Spanish, but I keep telling her that she is progressing every day. I know she feels bad when people can´t understand her...I remember that. I remember how it was...and still is sometimes, but I know that it doesn´t matter as much when we teach with the Spirit. We are trying to really do things right here. It´s hard...and impossible to be perfect...in the mission or out. We always teach our investigators, that it´s ok if they are not perfect, but as long as they are trying their best...we teach them that glorious message of the Atonement, but sometimes I think we forget it as missionaries. Just because we are missionaries doesn´t mean that we are perfect...we just have to give it all we have. I am learning a lot of patience, and a lot of faith. I love the work. It is beautiful and inspired.
I am loving life as a missionary. What more can I say...it´s just so great.
Oh and just so you know...NEXT WEEK IS PDAY ON FRIDAY...because of conference....so if you´re going to write me (and I hope you do ) write before Friday, por favor.
I love you all, I hope you are all having a great week.
GO TO EVERY SESSION OF CONFERENCE!!!!!!!!!!! D&C 1:38 IT IS A BLESSING TO HAVE SO MUCH IN JUST TWO DAYS!!!!!!
ALso read your BOM and pray every day...don´t get lazy on the small and simple things...that´s what brings salvation. If we don´t do it, we put our salvation at risk.
Welp, with that being said. I love you all so much. Don´t you ever go forgetting that. I love you and think of you and pray for you all so often. Thank you for existing.
-BESOS!!!!!
Hermana Bertagnole
AWESOME about the story of the angel Moroni!!!! I can´t believe the temple is so far along!!!! I just got SO excited to hear that! COOL experience. That one better go in everyone´s journal. Well, also I hope that everyone is enjoying life in the good ol´ USA...I heard that Obama was here in Chile this week. Go figure...he didn´t even come say hi to his midwest homegirl...how rude. Oh well, I am over it. Anyway, loved seeing the picutres and hearing your news this week. Thank you! Also, I got the scripture stickers you sent...THANK YOU!!!! I was to the point where I could only mark the really, really good scriptures...and that´s just not right to play favorites like that. Thank you. I love you. My bishop said next time you send a package he wants beef jerky :) Hahahaha. ew. He had one too many gringo comps in the mission, I think.
I am sending a picture of the best family EVER! He is/was a menos activo for almost 40 years and she was a missionary for the Testigos de Jehova, and that´s how she met him. What a love story, eh? They are so great. They have started coming every Sunday. Bishop gave them the Our Legacy book and they have both read it almost all the way through! She liked it a lot. We had a really powerful lesson with them this week. We talked about baptism. They are the ones that I bought the BOM, BIBLE, HYMNAL, and Children´s scripture study (like we had when we were kids!!!!). I love this family. Please pray for them and another family that we are teaching They both need lots of prayers. Thank you.
Hermana Hunt and I are working hard here in Ovejeria. I feel so blessed to have such great support of our ward, and especially our Bishop. I know that all missionaries have problems with members falling through, and we have experienced that a little this week, but I still feel so blessed to have their support in the work. I know that they have the best intentions in the world to help us and go out with us, but life just gets in the way sometimes. I understand that. We had a great Noche de Hogar as a ward last night. It was fantastic. The importance of avoiding gossip. So good. I hope that it will be a reminder to all the members so that we avoid potential problems in the ward. We had a great turn out.
This Sunday we are hoping and praying for another great turn out of investigators in Sacrament meeting. We are working hard to make sure that they all get there. We are trying to get the members involved to give them an added push. Obviously the members make more of a difference than we do. Please pray for us!!!!!!!! We are trying to get a couple families to church, as well as a young woman that we are teaching.
Hermana Hunt is progressing well. She feels bad sometimes about her Spanish, but I keep telling her that she is progressing every day. I know she feels bad when people can´t understand her...I remember that. I remember how it was...and still is sometimes, but I know that it doesn´t matter as much when we teach with the Spirit. We are trying to really do things right here. It´s hard...and impossible to be perfect...in the mission or out. We always teach our investigators, that it´s ok if they are not perfect, but as long as they are trying their best...we teach them that glorious message of the Atonement, but sometimes I think we forget it as missionaries. Just because we are missionaries doesn´t mean that we are perfect...we just have to give it all we have. I am learning a lot of patience, and a lot of faith. I love the work. It is beautiful and inspired.
I am loving life as a missionary. What more can I say...it´s just so great.
Oh and just so you know...NEXT WEEK IS PDAY ON FRIDAY...because of conference....so if you´re going to write me (and I hope you do ) write before Friday, por favor.
I love you all, I hope you are all having a great week.
GO TO EVERY SESSION OF CONFERENCE!!!!!!!!!!! D&C 1:38 IT IS A BLESSING TO HAVE SO MUCH IN JUST TWO DAYS!!!!!!
ALso read your BOM and pray every day...don´t get lazy on the small and simple things...that´s what brings salvation. If we don´t do it, we put our salvation at risk.
Welp, with that being said. I love you all so much. Don´t you ever go forgetting that. I love you and think of you and pray for you all so often. Thank you for existing.
-BESOS!!!!!
Hermana Bertagnole
Janelle's April 1 letter
Es tan bonito aca....you all should probably come pick me up :)
We have seen lots of success so far this week. It´s strange having Pday today...even though it´s only one day early it feels like they´ve cut my week in half! Oh well, for a very, very good cause. CONFERENCE! I am so excited. We have quite a few people lined up to come and hear the Prophet! Including some new people that we have just started teaching, and a young man that is inactive since he was a little boy, and now doesn´t really believe in God. It is so great to see the change that takes place in people. Speaking of change....our APs just came back from visiting in Punta Arenas, and one of them used to be my Zone Leader down there, so he always heard about the people we were teaching. There was a little old lady...I don´t know if you all remember me talking about her. She is 81 years old and we taught her, but the progress was slower than she was, ...but there was still something that kept bringing us back to teach her....well, the AP came back and he told me today..."You wouldn´t believe who got baptized down there..." WHAT????? !!!!!! I always worried she wouldn´t get to be baptized here in this life, but I was SO overwhelmed to hear that. She is a very special old lady...I loved her so much...Some of my best memories of the mission are with her. So funny. I´ll have to show you all the videos I have of her when I get back. Our Heavenly Father works on people´s hearts. It´s beautiful.
Well, we are really trying to help keep our investigators having the vision of baptism. We began teaching a woman this week...she shared years and years ago with missionaries, and we invited her to be baptized, and she accepted. However we learned the second time that we visited her that she and her husband aren´t legally married, so we have some work to do there, but there is great promise in her. Also we began teaching a woman, her son, and his two friends ....de oro. They are so great...they just need to overcome a little bit of fear, and believe and have faith in the answer to prayer. They are really special people. We are teaching them tonight at 7pm...pray for us! Also we found a young man in contacts the other day. AWESOME. He shows great promise, and is planning on coming to Conference this Sunday. I am excited for him. You can bet on the Prophet to convert.
Well, that´s all I have time for this week. Thanks for your letters. I am glad to hear that everyone is having a great time on vacations, at work, and finishing up school. Sounds pretty good to me.
The pictures I sent are the graffiti outside the momita´s house and the other one is from today´s pday activity...we played broom hockey...and we broke all of the brooms from our houses. Hahahah it got kind of intense...but no one got hurt...a testimony that Heavenly Father protects His missionaries :)
Well, sorry I don´t have time for more, but the time is short. I love you all so much though. I hope you are all doing well. Thank you for all you do for me...you letters, prayers, love and support. Thank you. Love you.
-Hermana Bertagnole
We have seen lots of success so far this week. It´s strange having Pday today...even though it´s only one day early it feels like they´ve cut my week in half! Oh well, for a very, very good cause. CONFERENCE! I am so excited. We have quite a few people lined up to come and hear the Prophet! Including some new people that we have just started teaching, and a young man that is inactive since he was a little boy, and now doesn´t really believe in God. It is so great to see the change that takes place in people. Speaking of change....our APs just came back from visiting in Punta Arenas, and one of them used to be my Zone Leader down there, so he always heard about the people we were teaching. There was a little old lady...I don´t know if you all remember me talking about her. She is 81 years old and we taught her, but the progress was slower than she was, ...but there was still something that kept bringing us back to teach her....well, the AP came back and he told me today..."You wouldn´t believe who got baptized down there..." WHAT????? !!!!!! I always worried she wouldn´t get to be baptized here in this life, but I was SO overwhelmed to hear that. She is a very special old lady...I loved her so much...Some of my best memories of the mission are with her. So funny. I´ll have to show you all the videos I have of her when I get back. Our Heavenly Father works on people´s hearts. It´s beautiful.
Well, we are really trying to help keep our investigators having the vision of baptism. We began teaching a woman this week...she shared years and years ago with missionaries, and we invited her to be baptized, and she accepted. However we learned the second time that we visited her that she and her husband aren´t legally married, so we have some work to do there, but there is great promise in her. Also we began teaching a woman, her son, and his two friends ....de oro. They are so great...they just need to overcome a little bit of fear, and believe and have faith in the answer to prayer. They are really special people. We are teaching them tonight at 7pm...pray for us! Also we found a young man in contacts the other day. AWESOME. He shows great promise, and is planning on coming to Conference this Sunday. I am excited for him. You can bet on the Prophet to convert.
Well, that´s all I have time for this week. Thanks for your letters. I am glad to hear that everyone is having a great time on vacations, at work, and finishing up school. Sounds pretty good to me.
The pictures I sent are the graffiti outside the momita´s house and the other one is from today´s pday activity...we played broom hockey...and we broke all of the brooms from our houses. Hahahah it got kind of intense...but no one got hurt...a testimony that Heavenly Father protects His missionaries :)
Well, sorry I don´t have time for more, but the time is short. I love you all so much though. I hope you are all doing well. Thank you for all you do for me...you letters, prayers, love and support. Thank you. Love you.
-Hermana Bertagnole
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Raincoats and umbrellas
March 19, 2011
FAMILIA HERMOSA:
Thank you for the letters this week. I just love hearing from you all. I love you so much. I know I say that every letter...but I feel like I love you all more every week. De verdad. So thank you for all you do. Thank you for your prayers and love. Thank you for thinking and praying for me. I can feel it. If ever the work gets a little rough, I just think of all your prayers, and I am cured. Just love the missionaries. Spoil them. Treat them like their part of our family. They need it. I feel sometimes very spoiled here in the mission...I just hope every missionary in the world is spoiled by the members in the wards in which they are serving.
Well anyway, the rain has begun! I am teaching Hermana Hunt to do contacts in the rain....a whole new technique. She is really continuing to progress well. I enjoy being her companion. We are really working hard to apply what we learned in the training that we had this week with President Lovell. We reviewed the other trainings a little before and after the training this week. As we have been applying these next two points of capacitation, I can tell a difference in the Spirit of our lessons. I feel very bad that we have not had baptisms in so long. I know that if we don´t improve or change what we are doing, nothing will change or improve in the work. No matter how hard we work, if we don´t work effectively, nothing really changes. I know, and I have faith that there are people that we are teaching and finding that can progress and be baptized. At least one a month. I know it. We just have to apply the Spirit in the teaching and make sure that we do our part. I know that the Lord is and has been preparing people to enter the waters of baptism, and I am 100% positive that if we improve our teaching, and most importantly we teach more with the Spirit, they will be ready and excited to take that step.
This last zone meeting we had a pretty intense talk about what we need to do as a zone. We are so short on the thing that matters most, which is the number of souls we are saving. Our zone leaders presented to us that as a zone we have 5 baptisms for this year so far...we should have 24. When they presented that I felt sick. I know that there is a way that is prepared...sometimes I think there is some magic thing that we are missing, and if I only knew what it was, and applied it the work would suddenly transform. I know there´s no "quick fix", but I have been able to tell that we aren´t teaching people as much as we are teaching lessons. Hermana Hunt and I are trying to practice every day at getting better at that. We fasted yesterday. I think part of my fast had to do with a bit of repentance...to help me change my attitude and have more faith, and to truly love EVERYONE that crosses my path. It is easy to get frustrated sometimes in the work...and I felt like this last week I fell a little bit into that Laman and Lemuel attitude, rather than the Nephi attitude. I have felt a lot better after I have fasted. I know that every time we humble ourselves, we are blessed, and our Heavenly Father is pleased. I am so grateful for His perfect patience with me and His perfect forgiveness and love.
We have really had a hard time the last two weeks finding the investigators that we have or have had with a baptismal fecha. We still haven´t been able to find Orlando...(breaks my heart), but we are going to try and pass by again tonight...pray for us. I know he´ll be there. I know it. We have seen so many blessings this week in finding new people to teach. We have found 2 families, and a young couple to teach! They are all really great. I am excited to continue teaching them, and seeing them progress.
Well, that´s all I got time for this week. The picture I am sending is of a prank that our Zone leaders played on us. They stole everyone´s nametag and then gave them back to us...in jello. Hmmm Mmm...
I am growing and learning everyday...I am so grateful for all the lessons learned on the mission and in life. I love you all so much. Be good.
-Hermana Bertagnole
FAMILIA HERMOSA:
Thank you for the letters this week. I just love hearing from you all. I love you so much. I know I say that every letter...but I feel like I love you all more every week. De verdad. So thank you for all you do. Thank you for your prayers and love. Thank you for thinking and praying for me. I can feel it. If ever the work gets a little rough, I just think of all your prayers, and I am cured. Just love the missionaries. Spoil them. Treat them like their part of our family. They need it. I feel sometimes very spoiled here in the mission...I just hope every missionary in the world is spoiled by the members in the wards in which they are serving.
Well anyway, the rain has begun! I am teaching Hermana Hunt to do contacts in the rain....a whole new technique. She is really continuing to progress well. I enjoy being her companion. We are really working hard to apply what we learned in the training that we had this week with President Lovell. We reviewed the other trainings a little before and after the training this week. As we have been applying these next two points of capacitation, I can tell a difference in the Spirit of our lessons. I feel very bad that we have not had baptisms in so long. I know that if we don´t improve or change what we are doing, nothing will change or improve in the work. No matter how hard we work, if we don´t work effectively, nothing really changes. I know, and I have faith that there are people that we are teaching and finding that can progress and be baptized. At least one a month. I know it. We just have to apply the Spirit in the teaching and make sure that we do our part. I know that the Lord is and has been preparing people to enter the waters of baptism, and I am 100% positive that if we improve our teaching, and most importantly we teach more with the Spirit, they will be ready and excited to take that step.
This last zone meeting we had a pretty intense talk about what we need to do as a zone. We are so short on the thing that matters most, which is the number of souls we are saving. Our zone leaders presented to us that as a zone we have 5 baptisms for this year so far...we should have 24. When they presented that I felt sick. I know that there is a way that is prepared...sometimes I think there is some magic thing that we are missing, and if I only knew what it was, and applied it the work would suddenly transform. I know there´s no "quick fix", but I have been able to tell that we aren´t teaching people as much as we are teaching lessons. Hermana Hunt and I are trying to practice every day at getting better at that. We fasted yesterday. I think part of my fast had to do with a bit of repentance...to help me change my attitude and have more faith, and to truly love EVERYONE that crosses my path. It is easy to get frustrated sometimes in the work...and I felt like this last week I fell a little bit into that Laman and Lemuel attitude, rather than the Nephi attitude. I have felt a lot better after I have fasted. I know that every time we humble ourselves, we are blessed, and our Heavenly Father is pleased. I am so grateful for His perfect patience with me and His perfect forgiveness and love.
We have really had a hard time the last two weeks finding the investigators that we have or have had with a baptismal fecha. We still haven´t been able to find Orlando...(breaks my heart), but we are going to try and pass by again tonight...pray for us. I know he´ll be there. I know it. We have seen so many blessings this week in finding new people to teach. We have found 2 families, and a young couple to teach! They are all really great. I am excited to continue teaching them, and seeing them progress.
Well, that´s all I got time for this week. The picture I am sending is of a prank that our Zone leaders played on us. They stole everyone´s nametag and then gave them back to us...in jello. Hmmm Mmm...
I am growing and learning everyday...I am so grateful for all the lessons learned on the mission and in life. I love you all so much. Be good.
-Hermana Bertagnole
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Nothing to complain about….
Mar 12, 2011
Welp, here I am, loving life in Chile.
Thanks for your letters and pictures this week. I loved hearing how everyone is doing. I hope that you all have a great week next week. You are all in my prayers. Thank you for your encouragement and advice and prayers. It means more than you might realize. What can I say, I just love you guys :)
This week we had a great week. Pretty normal, but as you know, normal in the mission is just full of miracles. We feel blessed and well cared for in this sector. The work with the members was a little slower this week, as well as finding new people to teach, but when you put the numbers aside, we had a great week of really great lessons. The only sad thing is that we couldn´t find Orlando AT ALL this week...but even with that we saw miracles. I think sometimes as missionaries we are a little bit like stalkers...jajaja. We passed by everyday this week to try and find him, and he just wasn´t home. However, we did get to teach his brother (menos activo) and his sister (not a member, but is just awesome). So that was great. I hope that we can see some great progress with this family, and really help them all get to church this Sunday. Please pray so that we can find them, especially Orlando.
The other family that we are teaching that is just AWESOME is Juan and Paola...I don´t remember if I have told you about them or not. But they are just great. They are working on getting married. I love this family so much. This week they came to church and loved it and said they are making arrangements so that they can come every Sunday. He bought a tie, and they asked if they could order the Reina Valera Bible and the Triple combination, and the hymnal from the church so that they can be prepared in all the classes...Just so you know I ordered it for them as a surprise. It was really cheap though...like 16 bucks for all of it. And I got their little girl the Book of Mormon picture book that we used to read when we were little. I am excited to give it all to them . They are just so great. His mom is a really active member in another ward and I know that for her, having her son come back to church after almost 30 years of being inactive is just a miracle. I am happy to be a witness of it. It´s really special.
Also, funny story for the week... the other day we got out a collectivo and we heard someone whistling away at us...usually when that happens we just don´t pay any attention to it, but my companion, being new, isn´t quite used to it yet...we exchanged a few eye rolls at each other, thinking that it was some jerk man. A few days later we walked down the street that it happened on and we saw this parrot. Whistling away! HAHAHAHAHA....oh so vain we are :) We didn´t realize that the parrots found us so attractive!
Well, That´s all I have time for. I love you guys. The mission is the best thing that has ever happened to me...except for the Gospel in general, and a family like you guys :) Thank you for the life and love that you have given me. I love you guys so much. I miss you and pray for you always. Thank you for everything.
TONS of abrazos....
-Hermana Bertagnole
Welp, here I am, loving life in Chile.
Thanks for your letters and pictures this week. I loved hearing how everyone is doing. I hope that you all have a great week next week. You are all in my prayers. Thank you for your encouragement and advice and prayers. It means more than you might realize. What can I say, I just love you guys :)
This week we had a great week. Pretty normal, but as you know, normal in the mission is just full of miracles. We feel blessed and well cared for in this sector. The work with the members was a little slower this week, as well as finding new people to teach, but when you put the numbers aside, we had a great week of really great lessons. The only sad thing is that we couldn´t find Orlando AT ALL this week...but even with that we saw miracles. I think sometimes as missionaries we are a little bit like stalkers...jajaja. We passed by everyday this week to try and find him, and he just wasn´t home. However, we did get to teach his brother (menos activo) and his sister (not a member, but is just awesome). So that was great. I hope that we can see some great progress with this family, and really help them all get to church this Sunday. Please pray so that we can find them, especially Orlando.
The other family that we are teaching that is just AWESOME is Juan and Paola...I don´t remember if I have told you about them or not. But they are just great. They are working on getting married. I love this family so much. This week they came to church and loved it and said they are making arrangements so that they can come every Sunday. He bought a tie, and they asked if they could order the Reina Valera Bible and the Triple combination, and the hymnal from the church so that they can be prepared in all the classes...Just so you know I ordered it for them as a surprise. It was really cheap though...like 16 bucks for all of it. And I got their little girl the Book of Mormon picture book that we used to read when we were little. I am excited to give it all to them . They are just so great. His mom is a really active member in another ward and I know that for her, having her son come back to church after almost 30 years of being inactive is just a miracle. I am happy to be a witness of it. It´s really special.
Also, funny story for the week... the other day we got out a collectivo and we heard someone whistling away at us...usually when that happens we just don´t pay any attention to it, but my companion, being new, isn´t quite used to it yet...we exchanged a few eye rolls at each other, thinking that it was some jerk man. A few days later we walked down the street that it happened on and we saw this parrot. Whistling away! HAHAHAHAHA....oh so vain we are :) We didn´t realize that the parrots found us so attractive!
Well, That´s all I have time for. I love you guys. The mission is the best thing that has ever happened to me...except for the Gospel in general, and a family like you guys :) Thank you for the life and love that you have given me. I love you guys so much. I miss you and pray for you always. Thank you for everything.
TONS of abrazos....
-Hermana Bertagnole
Sunday, March 6, 2011
March 4, 2011
Well hello there!
Well, I hit the year mark. It still doesn´t feel like it, but es lo que hay. I am just loving every second...even when it´s hard. I have noticed that when we are working our hardest, we don´t have as many "hard times"...not that everything comes easy, but it´s just we don´t pay attention to ourselves. I am convinced that if ever we are having a hard time...in whatever aspect of life...if we work hard serving others, we´ll forget about it and we´ll be much more grateful for what we have.
One thing that I was very grateful for this week was a referral of an Hermano in our ward...Hermano Caro referred us a man that he met...he´s the blind man that I told you about. We talked to him about the Restoration and baptism......he accepted to be baptized the 2nd of April... (!!!!)....He accepted full-hearted. I just feel so blessed to know him. He and the deaf woman that I taught in P. Arenas...gosh, they truly have such a blessing of feeling the Spirit so strongly. It is amazing. They remind me a lot of one another. What a blessing to teach them.
I am out of time, but one fun fact....our kitchen sink pipe busted this morning and we had about a 1 and a half standing water in our kitchen this morning :) Hahahaha! Oh the adventure of the mission. :)
Well, I love you all so much. Sorry this one´s kind of short...short on time.
Love you!!!!!!!!!
Hermana Bertagnole
Well hello there!
Well, I hit the year mark. It still doesn´t feel like it, but es lo que hay. I am just loving every second...even when it´s hard. I have noticed that when we are working our hardest, we don´t have as many "hard times"...not that everything comes easy, but it´s just we don´t pay attention to ourselves. I am convinced that if ever we are having a hard time...in whatever aspect of life...if we work hard serving others, we´ll forget about it and we´ll be much more grateful for what we have.
One thing that I was very grateful for this week was a referral of an Hermano in our ward...Hermano Caro referred us a man that he met...he´s the blind man that I told you about. We talked to him about the Restoration and baptism......he accepted to be baptized the 2nd of April... (!!!!)....He accepted full-hearted. I just feel so blessed to know him. He and the deaf woman that I taught in P. Arenas...gosh, they truly have such a blessing of feeling the Spirit so strongly. It is amazing. They remind me a lot of one another. What a blessing to teach them.
I am out of time, but one fun fact....our kitchen sink pipe busted this morning and we had about a 1 and a half standing water in our kitchen this morning :) Hahahaha! Oh the adventure of the mission. :)
Well, I love you all so much. Sorry this one´s kind of short...short on time.
Love you!!!!!!!!!
Hermana Bertagnole
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