Chile

I found myself rereading some of my old blog posts today....bad idea! I shed a few tears as I relived some of the sweet sweet memories. It's funny--time generally weakens our memories, but even now, just a few months shy of being home for two years, it still seems like yesterday that I was changed for good. There is certainly a piece of my heart that was left in Chile with those amazing and wonderful people that I met there. The miracles that happened in my life were so incredible and huge, that I can't even begin to comprehend them.

Today is a day when I miss it so much my heart aches a bit. 

Funny how all us missionaries seem to have days like this. It just goes to show how real the work and the love is. 

If anyone out there reading this ever has one of those Mormon missionaries with the black name tag show up at your door...let them in and listen. You'll forever change each others lives....

what a guy...

Can I just take a minute and brag on my husband for a second? Thank you.

I came home from work today (longest day ever...) and guess what I found:

-All the laundry neatly folded (no small task)
-The bedroom spotless
-The bathroom spotless
-The kitchen spotless
-The living room spotless
-A clean car

-A husband studying OCHEM like some sort of genius boy

Have I got it made or what?! :)

#besthusbandintheworld

a year ago yesterday...

One year and one day ago, life changed forever. So much has happened in this past year! I decided I had better keep documenting it...it is all too exciting to miss! As I thought about all that has happened in the last year of my life, I feel so very grateful for all the blessing that have been so abundantly poured out upon me....

Homecoming - Sept. 23, 2011

Went back to Chile with the family - November 2011

Spent Christmas in Kansas City - December 2011

Brought in the New Year - January 1, 2012

Got Engaged to Mr. Jimmy Sweeney (!!!) - January 13, 2012

Engagement Pictures - March 2012

Bridal Shower - April 2012

Sealed for time and all eternity - May 8, 2012

Honeymoon to Cancun, Mexico - May 2012

Trip to San Francisco - June 2012

Spent the summer in Washington and Oregon

....and then back to Utah!

As of now, I am working full-time in the BYU Admission Office and finishing up my last two classes to graduate. Jimmy is taking full-time classes and rocking them!!! He just got a 97% on his first test of the semester...yes I am bragging on how smart my husband is. ;) 

Life is good and we are oh so very happy. 

Bittersweet

Well, to start off, I´ll just let you know, I thank you for your letters this week. I had every intention of reading them to respond to them, but I started crying, so I´m going to print them off and read them when I get home. (I´m turning into a cry ball like mom. :) Hahaha. Oh geeze. I think I have become more like Mom and Dad, more than ever in the mission! It frightens me sometimes when I say something, and then I think to myself..."that is exactly what Dad would say to me...." Hahaha.

Well, anyway. I just gotta tell you all how very much I love you. I thank you with everything that I have for all that you have done for me in making this possible for me. Thank you for your prayers, and your letters, and your support. I love you all so much. Can´t wait to see you all.

Mom and Dad. I love you. Thank you for everything. I can´t wait to give you both a huge hug. I have missed you both a lot, and I am excited to talk to you all about the great things I have learned. Thank you for all of it. I love you more than I am even able to say. (Dangit I can´t stop crying! que vergúenza! shoot!) Yeah, but anyway...I just love you a lot, ok?

It didn´t set in until yesterday that the mission here in Chile is coming to an end. While I am very happy to see you all, it´s been hard to leave my beloved Chile. I am unable to express really what or how I am feeling right now. My heart is heavy, but at the same time so very full of gratitude for this, the biggest miracle in my life. What I feel is overwhelming...the love of my Heavenly Father. I know He lives. His Son Jesus Christ lives. I want to tell the world. I want to tell them of the boy Joseph that prayed in faith and received an answer. I want to tell them of the Restored Gospel and eternal families. I want to invite the world to read the Book of Mormon, and let it change their existence. I am so grateful that the Lord will still bless me with tons of opportunities to share His Gospel. I am grateful that the mission doesn´t end here. I am just sad that it won´t be in Chile anymore. These people are incredible. I want you all to know them, and learn from them as much as I have. They´re miracles, I will miss them so very much.

Well, enough of this mushy stuff. We got a lot to do, and if I do it crying, it won´t be very graceful. :) I love you all so much. See you soon. Wow. See you so very soon.

LOVE,

your daughter and your missionary,

Hermana Bertagnole

p.s. we had a very great 18 de septiembre...I´ll show you all the picts when I get home.

So little time! (to write...obviously)

Sorry this email has got to be pretty short...poco tiempo tengo!

In response to Dad´s question, "bakan" means cool...in Chilean...or should I say "chevre" en Columbiano.

WOW...cualquier gossip this week! I can´t wait to participate. Hahahahaha. Just kidding. What great stories. Congrats all around. Keep up the good work everybody. Love you all. (However, Scott...I´m pretty sure you already stole my car...don´t steal my Marilyn. Please. I beg of you.)

Anywho. Things are great in Rahue. This week we had a triple baptism!!!!!! Marcos was our investigator and there were two other companionships that had a baptism in our zone, so we did the baptismal service together. It was amazing. Hermano Marcos, was just so excited. And yesterday when after he got the Holy Ghost, he told me "this is almost just too much excitement for a weekend!" (He´s made a big change in his life from being a bit of a "weekend at the bars" kind of guy to a church going man...so I thought that his comment was perfectly stated. The Gospel gives real joy...and he gets that now. Let´s just say the last few days have been soul warming.)

Well, we are still trying hard to find new people to teach. That´s what we struggle with more than anything here in this sector. I am praying hard to be able to leave here with a good teaching pool ready for the next missionaries that come in.

On a trunky note, I had to give my farewell testimony in the Zone Conference this last week....it was hard. That´s all I´m going to say about that.

Oh! I wanted to know if Scot-bro was going to be at home when I get home...? I want to see that son of a gun. Just let him know...if not maybe we could roadtrip?....Sorry, trunky, I know. That´s all as well.

Well, like I said, not a lot of time. I love you all SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO much. I miss you. Pray for me lots this week, ok? Thanks. Love you.

A labor of love

Well family, it´s been another great week of letters. I thank you all for that. I love you all so much. I want you to know how grateful I am for all the support and prayers and love that you all send my way. It means more that you know. Well, the highlights of this week are as follows:

1. We are preparing for the baptism of Marcos this Saturday!!!!!! WAHOOOO! He is great. We are really trying to get him a good strong support group in the church because he found out this week when he told his family, that they are zero happy with him. They aren’t even going to come. SO, he´s taking this step/leap of faith pretty much solo. He´s got us, and a few members that are obviously very happy for him, but no one that is outside of the church. His family won´t even let us come in and teach him, we have to teach him in the members’ homes. But I realized this week that that it has actually been a blessing in disguise, because he´s already got a pretty good relationship with a few of the members because of it. Yay. We are really happy for him.

2. The 3rd of September I turned 18!....well, 18 months old in the mission. Boo... but my comp bought me a Berline to take away some of the pain. :)

3. REMEMBER THESE GUYS?! This is Juan and Paola and Isidora...from Ovejeria!!!! The hermanas told them where I was, and they left their meetings a little early in Ovejeria to come over to Rahue to see me before the meetings got out here! IT WAS AMAZING TO SEE THEM!!!!! They are getting married and then she will be baptized! They have been going to church every week over there. They are just so happy. I don´t know, and they don´t know exactly the dates of the wedding and baptism yet, but I was thinking that it would be SO cool if it was in November when we are going to be here! Oh man, I would just die. I really want to see them when they get sealed as a family, too. Oh, que bakan. I love this family so much. I was SOOOOOO happy to see them.

The other picture I sent you is of me and my compi. Hermana Herbert.

Well, that is pretty much all I have time for. Time flies. I love the mission. I love you. I miss you. Be good. I hope everyone is doing well. Congrats on all the cool stuff that´s been happening! Love you all.

Exito

Aug 29, 2011
An excerpt from my letter to President this week:

" I love the mission...if you are willing to put up with me for awhile longer, I would be happy to extend the mission for a few more years... :)"

.... sorry, Mom.

Well, Family (and friends...obvio) on that note, I thank you for your GREAT letters this week! I loved hearing from you all. I just love you guys...(I miss you all too, but we won´t talk too much about that). I am glad to hear that all is well. I love hearing the mission stories, and the adventures of life. Keep up that good work. Be good!

Things are so great here in Rahue. It seems like it has been a pretty slow sector in the past. When I got here there were super poco people to teach. But we are seeing some great progress. This week we found some awesome families! FAMILIES!!!!!!! FAAAMILIIIIIES!!!!!!!! YEay! The mom of one of them, accepted a baptismal date already...in the first visit. She is SO prepared. She is a single mom, with two boys. She is working hard, and has so very much faith. She has been so prepared, it´s just incredible. I am participating in the process of her conversion. Also, we found another family, with mama, papa, and hijo. They are great...we found them yesterday. As we were teaching I asked the Mother, how she has come to have so much faith in her life....She told me all the blessings that she has seen in her life, a few difficulties, and then she just said, “I just believe so much in God.” Her little boy, 6 years old, pipes in..."But Santa Claus doesn´t exist." I busted up laughing. It was soooo funny. I then asked him, "Well, where to the presents come from then?!" His response..."el supermercado." Hahahahaha. But in the end, he and I both agreed that God exists and that he loves us :) SO funny. I am excited to teach this family.

A ver, what else happened this week....OH! I have got to tell you all the coolest thing ever. We are teaching Marcos, right? He is preparing for baptism on the 10th of September. (PLEASE pray for him). We went over to his house on Saturday morning and we were talking about his baptismal plan. He got really excited, and we set the interview date and what not. We closed with a prayer, and then he said "Oh hey, I wanted to show you all something cool…." He pulls out his cell phone and he pokes around on it and then shows me...I see the words "El primer libro de Nefi...." HE HAD DOWNLOADED THE BOOK OF MORMON ON HIS PHONE!!!!!! He was all excited that he would be able to read anytime, anywhere. I was pumped! I gave him a high five, and then was just so excited I gave him another. What a cool thing to see. He´s awesome.

So all is well here in Rahue. We are happy. I hope that you all are found happy and healthy (spiritually and physically). I love you all so, so much.

-HUGS AND KISSES!

-Hermana Bertagnole

Oh, and this is for Roddy (hermanito from Ovejeria). He´s reading my blog.-- Hermanito!!!! Estoy super feliz para saber de usted! Que bueno las noticias de su trabajo neuvo aya en Coyaihque...(deletreado mal...proablamente jajaa) Ojala que le vaya super bien en eso. Igual, sigo orando para usted y su familia. Mire, se que la iglesia esta aya en este parte de Chile igual. Busquelo para que puede seguir adelante con su progreso ayi. Conozco algunos miembros aya, y son super buenos. De hecho la Hermana Carolina (from Ovejeria) es de aya. A lo mejor pueda contactarla para poder saber mas de los datos (donde esta, a que hora empieza, etc)....que se yo. Bueno, gracias por escribirme, y siga adelante aya. Hay mucho oportunidades para usted a servir aya. Los santos aya nesicitan muchos buenos lideres y ejemplos tambien, asi que a lo mejor, eso es porque El Senor le mando pro aya. :) Que este super bien, hermanito! Nos vemos!

Ok, Family...I love you guys. Have a great week. Keep those prayers up. Be good!

Great news

Hey beautifuls,

Thank you so much for your letters this week. I love hearing from you all. It sounds like all is well...glad to hear it.

I hope that you have had a great week. We are happy and working hard in Rahue. We are seeing some great progress with our investigators. There are relatively few investigators, in general, here in this sector, but we started finding some great people to teach. We are trying to focus on inviting everyone to be baptized, and we have seen real miracles. We are still working hard with the members to try and help them participate in the missionary work. We have many, many hermanas signed up to come out with us this week, so hopefully we will be able to get quite a few investigators that will benefit from their testimonies.

We are happy. As a zone we are doing a "purification" so that we will be more able to have the Spirit. It is something that I have been praying for. I have heard that many missionaries lose focus their last cambio, and I have been praying that I will be strengthened against such temptations. I am grateful for the commitment that our zone leaders gave us to "purify" ourselves. It´s given me great direction and good goals to keep me focused on powering through to the end. I am grateful for the small miracles that our Heavenly Father provides for us.

I pray that this week will be another successful week. We are working hard with a young man. He´s seeing real changes in his life, and he is enjoying coming to Church and meeting new members. He will be getting baptized on the 10th of September. We are pleased to see his progress. HE IS AWESOME! He told us on Saturday that he was working the night shift at work, so he would get home at about 7 in the morning, sleep for an hour and then get up and go to church. He did! And even though he almost fell asleep during gospel principles, he said that he loved it. :) We are excited for him. He has wanted a change, and has now found where he can find it.

Other good news from Villarrica (Hermana Chamorro wrote me to give me all the new news). Diego got baptized on Saturday, and RUTH IS GETTING BAPTIZED THE 10TH OF SEPTEMBER, TOO!!!!!! I was so excited to hear her progress. She deserves this happiness so much!

Anyway, that´s all the news I have got right now. I am happy...in fact, never been happier.

Oh, and one other thing, Pres. Rappleye has a mission blog too: www.chileosornomission-rappleye.blogspot.com

Oh, and just so you know, I have started a wish list of the things that I want to do when I get home...such as FHE with the neighbors, washing the elders clothes so they don´t have to take it to a laundry mat, bringing the missionaries food, teaching Saturday morning English class to the Latins in the ward, buying a box of BOMs to give away, a list of inactives to go visit, people to go pick up for church, etc....if you want to get a head start for me, you are more than welcome! YAY MISSIONARY SPIRIT!!!!!!!! Hahahahaha. I might be a pain in the hiney when I get back. (lo siento) :) Sorry if this was a trunky list.

I love you all so so so much! I pray for you always, and I thank my Father for the amazing family he has given me.

Be good!

-Hermana Bertagnole

Ya'll Are Soooooo Trunky!!!!

Hey trunky little family of mine! (wink wink) I love reading your emails every week. Each week you are more and more trunky...I hear that there are countdowns? Hahahah I LOVE you guys! I am really just loving and trying to enjoy as much as I possibly can. I am trying not looking too far in advance, and I am just happy to be a missionary everyday when I wake up. Gosh. I love it so much.

I have to admit that I have thoroughly been enjoying my time here in Rahue. Hermana Herbert (my new compi) is just so great. I think I spend most of the day laughing. She is super funny, and we have a pretty good time together. It's great. She definitely has a very special, lovable personality. She is AWESOME! We are also seeing great things happen in the sector. We put the mother of one of the recent converts here with fecha this week. She will be getting baptized the 27th of this month!!!!! She is so prepared for baptism. She will be a great and faithful member of the Church. This is a great family.

The ward seems very, very welcoming. I am sad that I won't be able to get to know them a whole lot in just one cambio, but there is great work to be done with the members here. It's a big ward. They are a great group of saints. I am so excited to be here and to meet all these new and great people.

Well, THANK YOU for all the great letters, everybody! (Scott, your house ROCKS! felicitaciones...I want a movie marathon or something there when I get back...get working on a projector or something.) I am going to try and send pictures now...maybe from a different city it'll work better. Pray hard.

LOVEYOUSOMUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

-Hermana Bertagnole

Need for repentance...

Hello family of mine...

Well, the theme of my heart is a sad one....cambios are this week. I thought I would be finishing my mission here in this sector....but the Lord had other plans. I am getting transferred back to Osorno...a part of Osorno that is called Rahue. I can´t lie, when I first heard I was half-way devastated to leave this sector, right when things are just going so well. But don´t worry, I have tried to humble myself...hahah. This morning I asked for forgiveness. Hahaha. I understand and I realize that I just gotta do it with the best attitude ever, and with cualqueir fe and animo! WAHOOO FOR TRANSFERS!!!!!!! I am still in the process of figuring out tell our investigators. I feel sad for them, more than anything. I don´t want to leave them, but you gotta do what you gotta do. I am, however, excited to go back to Osorno, maybe I´ll get to do some intercambio´s in Ovejeria!!!!! Keep your fingers crossed for me.

The work here is really going great. One of our investigators is reading and praying so much! It makes me so happy to see her desire to learn. I am worried to tell her that I am leaving, but I know that she´ll be fine, and will continue to progress...she´s in it for real. Also, a young man is getting baptized soon. His interview is this Saturday, and his baptism will be next Saturday. He´s excited, as are we and his family. They are saving up little by little to be able to go to the Temple. I hope that they make this process as quick as possible to be able to receive the blessings as soon as possible. They are a great family.

Well, apart from this, things are pretty normal here. The work is progressing every day. It´s the most rewarding part of the mission work, to be able to see progress in your sector. I hope to be able see progress in Rahue as well. That´s the idea, right? Leave everything better than you found it. En eso estoy.

It´s another short letter, but it´s going to be a very, very busy day. So for now, this is all. I love you all so much. Congrats on the new houses, bro´s! I am getting decorating antsy already! :) Thanks for the updates and the letters. I love you and I miss you and I pray for you all every day. Take care, and be good.

Love,

Hermana Bertagnole

Eyes wide open!

Aug 1, 2011

How was the week? I hope that it was a great one for you all. We had an awesome week last week. We are working really hard with the members. Ok...we are SO excited about getting this plan into action. Changing the vision of the mission work. We set up a meeting with our ward mission leader (who was menos activo, but now reactivating!), as well as our district president, President Molina, and tonight we are going to meet with our Branch President to put together a plan on how to greaten our vision of missionary work. IT ALL HAS TO DO WITH THE MEMBERS! We had a great meeting with President Molina. I feel like he´s really excited to put a plan together to make some changes. We left his house last night, all smiles! We are praying that we can help all the members catch the vision of every member a missionary. I know that literally the world would change if we followed this commandment as faithfully as we follow the commandment of food storage. I think sometimes we, as members, pick and choose the commandments that we obey. For example..."food storage is easy, so I´ll save a year’s worth of peanut butter in my basement, but the whole ´share the restored gospel of Jesus Christ´ thing is just a little complicated, so I´m going to let someone else keep that commandment."...and that is how we enter casually into disobedience. I did the math yesterday in the morning. If every member of the Church brought one person into the Church every year...the ENTIRE world would be members in 9 years! I feel so inspired by the quotes that are in Preach My Gospel (p. 12) from all the Prophets about the importance of missionary work. Let´s just say that this is our calling, both as missionaries, and members....ok, I better stop there because I feel like I could go on and on about this.
Hey, thanks for all the letters! I am glad that I finally realized what the problem was with the emails...well, it was probably the Spirit that gave me the hint. Hey, I am just super happy here in Villarrica. Things are great, and we are seeing some great progress in the sector. It´s really just turning around. We had 6 investigators in Church yesterday, and 2 of them are already preparing for baptism. We are so excited to help change the vision of the missionary work here. I know that this ward needs this revolution. I know that it is what the Lord would have His saints do. Every time I read or talk about it, it´s just a flood of the Spirit. DO IT! Be part of it!!!!!!!!!! Talk to everyone! Don´t be scared...get over it. The blessings are HUGE. Don´t let fear get in the way of eternal salvation.

We are working hard with a woman and her son. She is pretty much one of my best friends here in Villarrica. She loves us and we love her. She is so awesome. I´ll tell you all about her when the time comes. She´s just a huge miracle...and her little boy is just awesome too. Yesterday in church, he frantically was searching all the scriptures mention in the talks. It was so cute, and he´s good at it too! Pray for them lots please.

We had a great turn out in Church yesterday, as well. We are really seeing some great progress of some of our investigators. Prayers (both theirs and ours) are being answered, and we just couldn´t be happier. We are happy doing the work of the Lord. It´s the best thing ever. I feel so blessed to be able to be a small part of it.

I love you all so much. Thank you to all my friends that are writing me! (Oscar, Roddy, Karin, Steph, Chels, Jimmy, Susie, etc.) I appreciate them all...I am getting them and I am loving them. The sector that I am in right now is a little complicated to send mail, so if I can´t write for awhile I apologize, but know that I love you all and I am thankful for your prayers and support. Stay strong. Be good!

To the family, I just love you all more than life. I thank you infinitely for everything. Be good.

LOVE YOU!

Hermana Bertagnole

I really didn't forget about you.... I promise!

July 25, 2011

Ok, first of all, I did get word from Pres. Maldonado that he talked to my family. First reaction: panic! Second reaction: why? He then explained that you didn´t get my last two letters!? I really hope that you get this one. I am sending them to the same address, so I hope that there is nothing wrong with mine or yours. I forwarded the letter I wrote from 2 weeks ago, and the letter from last week (that I don´t know if you got or not) was very short because the time was very limited. But I hope that you are getting my letters. :( Que triste! I still love you, don´t worry! I haven´t forgotten about you!

Well, on to this week´s letter...

I can feel a change talking place in me every day. I am still (obviously) not perfect, but the desires of my heart have changed and are changing. The Lord´s mission has been the biggest miracle of my life...the biggest learning process, and I just don´t want it to stop. I want to have to push myself to the limit every day. I feel that I am on a quest to obedience. Its sounds really strange, but I have realized things change with obedience. I was telling Hermana Chamorro this morning that every day I feel like the topic I study, without even really trying to, is obedience. I guess that is why it is the 1st law of heaven...everything depends on it. I thank my Heavenly Father everyday for His perfect, flawless, and genius Plan of Salvation...and that fact that I know what it is and I understand a small fraction of it, is something that has changed my eternal existence. How blessed.

Well, things are well here in Volcán. We saw some fantastic miracles yesterday. As we were walking to Church, from the other direction we saw a family that we have been teaching walking up to the gates of the Church. They are fairly recent converts that went inactive due to family problems. We have been working hard with them for quite some time to get the back to church. They finally came! AND THEN...as if that miracle wasn´t enough...behind them came walking one of our investigators, who told us the night before, that she wasn´t going to be able to come to Church...and there she was. My eyes filled with tears at the sight. I was feeling a little discouraged on the walk to church because most of our investigators are out of town or wouldn´t be able to come to Church. Clearly, I was fighting for that faith to see miracles. And there it was. And if those two miracles weren´t enough, after the meeting started in walked an old man that we had contacted and invited to church a few days ago. He said he might come, and we smiled and told him that we´d see him there, but I never in a million years thought I would see him again. He´s an 81 year old man, that is close to blind, close to deaf, and half crippled... and he walked to church, from the other side of town...and that is why he was late. I don´t know if he saw or heard very much at church, but he said that he felt good. What an example he gave to me, and to all the members. Some people act, and others are acted upon, I guess. :)

Another change that has taken place in me this week, as well as gradually throughout the mission, is my thirst for knowledge, and my thirst to know my Savior. And with this thirst brings a huge desire that others can really come to know their Savior through His Atoning Sacrifice. This is a theme that has been occupying my mind a lot this week: how can I come to know my Savior better? If you have any advice or counsel, I would love to hear it. I heard in a talk once that it´s different to know Jesus Christ, than it is to know about Him...I think in the mission we learn so much about Him, we lose track a little bit, of really getting to know Him. This is a life goal of mine...it´s going on the bucket list. :)

Well, that´s all I got...well, at least all I got time for. I am going to send a ton of pictures...or at least try to.

I love you all so much. Thank you for your letters, and your concern for me. Know that I am happy and healthy and working hard. I love you all tons. Mucho mucho mucho mucho. Be good, and you´ll be happy.

Love,
Hermana Bertagnole

ps...tell me if you get this please!

Jose', can you see?

Hey beautiful family of mine!!!!

Thank you all so much for all your letters (both friends and family). Unfortunately, I don´t have much time to read them all right here in internet, but I am printing every one of them so I can read them during lunch. I hope that you are all well. I am praying for you all every day.

Well, as far things go for the sector Volcán, things are really going well. We are working with two people right now that are really progressing well towards baptism. They should have very few stumbles in their process, as it is very obvious that they have been prepared to receive this glorious message. We also have a mother her three daughters with a baptismal date for the end of July, but they seem to really struggle with the commitments. They are very receptive, and have shared with the missionaries on and off for a long time, but we are struggling to get them in church on Sunday. We are praying and studying for guidance in this regard, but I know that this family has great promise.

The girl we are teaching is AWESOME! Such a smart girl. We also starting sharing with her mom this week!!! Her mom loved the message of the Plan of Salvation. She loves that the Church´s main focus is the Eternal Family. It was such a great lesson. She supports her daughter totally in getting baptized, and hopefully she and will be soon to follow. The other is a 10 year old boy...he is the son of a family that we are starting to teach that has been on and off faithful in the church. They have been inactive for a while now, but they have begun to return!!!!! Yesterday the whole family came. He has begun reading a verse from the Book of Mormon every night before he says his prayers. I am so excited for this little kid. I think he really is taking this seriously, and he´s just a really good kid. Keep them in your prayers this week please. They are really special.

We had a great week at finding new people to teach. I am so excited to keep working with those that we found this week. There are some true miracles, and there is great promise in these people. We had a rougher week with the work with members, but we are making adjustments this week so that it will work out better. Hermana Chamorro and I are really having a good time together. She is such a very special hermanita. I see lots of potential in her as she goes throughout the mission. She has such a strong testimony of the Gospel.

One thing that I am gaining a stronger testimony of every day is the fact that our Heavenly Father puts us exactly where we need to be. I have seen so many miracles this week, just from being in the right place at the right time. I know that so much of that is a result of obedience and faith, as well as shutting out the fear that prevents you from talking to everyone. That is something I am trying to do better at, is talking to everyone and sharing the gospel with EVERYONE that crosses our path. Miracles come to pass through small and simple things.


Well, that´s all I got...Time to go celebrate the 4th of July with my gringo compadres :)

Be good.

Abrazos grandisisisisimo.

-Hermana Bertagnole

Ashes, ashes, we all preach the gospel

Mon, Jun 27, 2011

Hey there family. I love you all.

Thank you for all your letters this week. I am glad that you all survived the week...and the trek.

There is ash falling from the volcano that erupted a few weeks ago. What will happen next....

Things here in Villarrica are well. I am with a new little companion now. Her name is Hermana Chamorro. She is from the Robinson Crusoe Island of Chile. She is so so cute, and sweet. I told her that I will teach her English, if she helps me perfect my Spanish. We both win. But today is English Monday. I taught her how to pray in English, and now she does it all the time. It is so sweet. It makes me tear up sometimes. Today I said a prayer in English...because we are only talking in English today...mas o menos....I just cried. I haven’t said a prayer in English in a long time...it was hard at first....but I felt very very close to my Heavenly Father. I felt the Spirit very strong...she did too. It was kind of a neat experience.

The work is going well. We are struggling to get the family we are working with to church. They are all preparing for baptism together for the 23 of July, but they struggle to get to church. We called them, and then passed by, and then left them a note, but they still didn’t come. I was a little sad, but I know that they just need more loving, more understanding, and more member friends. I know how to fix it, it’s all just a matter of working hard and being an instrument in the Lord’s hands. Please pray for them, too.

This Sunday we will be fasting again for a friend, so that she will be able to ask again for permission to be baptized, and this time receive it. I really love this girl. She is so very special and faithful.

Well, this week President leaves, and President comes. It will be a good experience to see this change take place. Even though I will miss President and Hermana Lovell....like crazy, it will be a special treat to be able to have two Presidents and Hermanas. I am excited to see how this week goes. What changes take place.

Well, I am very happy. I am sorry once again...short letter, and no pictures of the house. I am going to write that in the good old mission agenda right now...by doing so it becomes sacred...feel honored.

I LOVE YOU ALL SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO MUCH.

Be good.

Hermana Bertagnole

The best day ever!

Jun 20, 2011
Ok...you guys are not going to believe the letter I just got in my email...Roddy wrote me and told me that Orlando (the blind man that I loved so much in Osorno) is getting baptized this Saturday....and that Orlando chose Roddy to baptize him!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Is that not the coolest thing of your life!? I just sat here and teared up with joy. It is so cool to see Roddy progressing like crazy, and then to hear that Orlando is getting baptized!!!!! I just love the mission. I just feel like it filling up with miracles. So many that there is not room enough to receive them all! I was so so so so overjoyed to hear that. YAY!!!

Anyway, on another note. The cambios have been cut short this round because Pte. Lovell is going home, so he is doing the cambios a week early so that when our new President Rappleye gets here at the end of the month, everything will be ready. We found out that my dear dear dearly beloved Hermana Gebara a.k.a. Coop is getting transferred to Punta Arenas. I am excited for her, but I am very sad that she is leaving. However I will be getting a new little compi...a Chilean. Her name is Hermana Chomorro. She is really pretty new in the mission. She is finishing her training up right now. I have met her a few times, and she just seems really sweet. I am excited to be with her. What´s scary though, is I think she might be my last companion...ugh. Time is flying by so fast....and you all (mostly Eric and his kids) aren´t helping with your trunky letters! :) Hahahaha. I love you guys, and I miss you lots.

Well, on to the work which I am in here in Villarrica. We are seeing some great progress in the sector. Unfortunately not many, investigators or members, showed up at church yesterday. It was Father´s Day, and it was raining...a bad combination. But the Spirit was strong and I learned a great deal. We are still working with our investigators with fecha to help them keep their focus and vision on baptism. I love these people and their pure desires to serve their God.

Well, I can´t write very much this week. Cambios = craziness. Just know that I am well. I am glad to hear that all is well there in the states. I love you all tons, and I miss you. MOM! I forgot to take picutres of the house! I am sorry. I forgot. I´ll try and remember next week :) I love you all. Be good. And do the simple things of the Gospel ALWAYS!

Hugs...big ones.

Hermana Bertagnole

You think you have tornadoes in Kansas?

Well, hello family. I know I haven´t sent pictures in a long time so I am going to use my time this week mostly sending pictures...I¨ve got some good ones! All from this week actually...sorry none of them show my house, but I´ll try and send those next week.

1. Pte and Hna Lovell´s farewell. I´ll miss them sooooo much. They are like our mission mom and dad. They are such special people to me. It was hard to give them that last hug goodbye.

2. I don´t know if you all heard or not, but the same day that we went to Valdivia for our Zone Conference to say goodbye to Pte and Hna Lovell, a tornado passed through Villarrica...right through our sector. There has never in the history of Villarrica been a tornado. I told them I´m sorry...I´m probably the only "tornado alley baby" in the whole town...it´s probably my fault. Hermana Gebara and I are counting our blessings though because if we were not in Valdivia for the conference all our plans that day were right where the tornado passed through, but we are safe. We found many opportunities to serve...starting at our church building.

3. The tornado stole our steeple...but luckily that was about the only damage, apart from the debris.

4. Other big news...I´m an old lady now. Hit the big 23 this week! I went with Eric´s advice and got the mil hojas cake. Yummy. Please note the homemade candles. :) Classic.

5. My new friend....I am becoming a very animal friendly person on the mission, I think. (this is at our momita´s house)

6. We went to the waterfalls in Pucón this week. So pretty.

7. This is our zone in Villarrica...somos pocos...pero fuertes.

8. ...but we´re the most fuertes ;) Obvio.

Anyway, so that´s that for the pictures. Brief summaries, I know. I apologize that I am not writing more, but time is short. In other news, without pictures...is that I got to talk to the ex-companions in Osorno, and they said that Orlando (the blind man) is getting baptized the 25th of June, Belen and Carlos are getting married the 8th of July and then she is getting baptized the 9th, and Juan and Paola are getting married and she´ll get baptized in August! Miracles. I love these people so much. They told me that Roddy is also preparing to receive the Mel. Priesthood this November and is just doing great. I love the mission. I love the miracles that happen, and the blessings of serving the Lord.

The work here in Villarrica is really starting to progress well as well. We finished this week finding two families of GOLD, and we have another family that has a baptismal date and came to church this week, and loved it.

We are blessed and happy, and safe. I LOVE YOU ALL LOTS. Thank you for everything.

LOVE,

Hermana Bertagnole

Milagros!!!

June 6, 2011
Ok family,

First of all I want to thank you all sooooo much for all your birthday greetings and treats...Mom and Dad, I got your package...I LOVE THE SLIPPERS (you´re right they are like walking on clouds...heavenly clouds), and my compi and I REALLY enjoyed your cinnamon bears...mmmm mmmm good. Thank you very much. And thank you mom and dad and grandma for putting money in my account. That is so GREAT! I love you all and thank you so much. My comps birthday is the 16th so we will be having a "party week" and hopefully celebrating with a baptism and lots of success and hard work.

Just of few of the many miracles that we have seen is that we have found SEVEN (!!!!!!!!!) people in our sector who have accepted to prepare for a baptism. We are, needless to say, very excited with this. We focused a lot this week on getting them to church...and we are going to continue to focus on getting them all to Church this week. I know that we are going to keep seeing miracles in the work here. The branch is just incredible. I am blown away every week by their faith. These Saints here have many desafios, but they just keep fighting. They are amazing to me...they are miracles for me. For example: we and all the youth here fasted this week for a special purpose that a young woman who is 14, can receive the permission of her father to be baptized. She has investigated the Church for many years now, maybe I told you about her. She has begun attending seminary every morning and she goes to Church every week, but her father won´t give her permission to be baptized. We have been teaching her, practicing with her, fasting and praying for her, and we are waiting to see what will happen. The Youth have really made her part of their family. The youth group here is so tight...they are literally like brothers and sisters. I love sharing with them. This week we taught seminary early in the morning, and it was so powerful to see them all in the church at 6:30 am in the morning! So faithful. So valiant.

We should find out today or tomorrow what will happen with her. Please pray that it will go well. But the best part is that for almost all of these kids in the youth group, they have gained a huge testimony of fasting. You should have heard their testimonies in sacrament meeting...so powerful.

Well, the work is really pushing forward here in Villarrica, and Hermana Gebara and I just couldn´t be happier. There are just miracles happening everywhere. (we found a young man yesterday, that is so golden that it just made my jaw drop). SO MANY. WE are exercising a ton of faith, obedience, just a lot of pounding the pavement! I have never been happier in the work.

Thank you for your prayers and your love for me. I am praying and loving you guys more every day. I hope that all is well.

I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH!!!!!!!!

-Hermana Bertagnole

The Goose Coop

Well, here I am loving my life. I thought that the mission just couldn´t get better...and well it has. I thought I couldn´t get any happier...and well, I am.

Thank you for your letters this week. I had heard that there were tornadoes in the Midwest, but I had no idea how big and how close to home. I am very glad that everyone is ok.

I am loving working in Villarrica. This sector is so special...especially the ward. I feel great love for this ward already. We are, however, very much in the preparatory stage right now. We are really working on finding people to teach that are really going to progress. We are trying to really work with the members so that we get references. We are starting to have a Mormon Movie Night every other Saturday, so that they can invite their friends and we can help investigators get to know the members. This week we watched Mountain of the Lord. I felt the Spirit very strong...a great spirit of gratitude to the pioneers that built that. Our eternal family just happens to be a result of that 40 years of sweat and tears.

As far as the work goes, we are trying to get everyone to Church. We have one young woman that is just amazing. She is 14 and she comes to church every week. She wants to be baptized, but hasn´t been able to get permission from her dad for over 2 years. This Sunday, we invited the youth group here to fast with us next week in behalf of her, so that she will be able to get permission to be baptized. I think it will be a great experience for her and the youth, because I think that very few of them have ever fasted before. It will teach them something very special and I know that we will be seeing some miracles. Please pray for her. She´s way special.

Well, if you´re wondering why the subject line is written in code...you might just be happy to know that my companion really came through in the nickname factor. PURE INSPIRATION. So remember that I said she´s the real life version of Marissa Cooper...but much much, much more wholesome and pure. Well, anyway...I call her Coop. She felt bad that she didn´t have as cool of a nickname for me, until one day, it hit her and she said to me, "talk to me...GOOSE! Goose! You´re Goose! Like from Top Gun!"....Let me just say, I am honored. So now we are known, amongst at least the two of us, and now you all, as the Goose Coop. (Like chicken coop, but of geese). Ok, so she and I are cracking up about this right now, as I hope that maybe you are too, but if not, you just have to be here. Oh, the joys of having a compi in the mission that at the same time is your best friend. We laugh lots together.

Well, again this is a short letter...sorry. Time just really flies while I am in Internet. Pictures next week!

I LOVE YOU ALL A LOT!!!!!!!!! Be good. Read and pray every day. Don´t forget to do the small stuff....it´s the most important.

-Love you.
Hermana Bertagnole

Janelle's May 24 email

May 24, 2011
From the beautiful beach of Villarrica

Hey family,

Got transferred.

Somehow, I have managed to be in the prettiest sectors of the whole mission...my whole mission. Suerte. President must like me or something :) Villarrica is just GORGEOUS. It´s built at the base of a volcano and there is a huge beach from a beautiful mountain surrounded lake. Wow. And I get to work this sector every day. There is a lot of touristy stuff here, but being as it is winter, there aren´t that many tourists. Gosh. You all are just going to die when you see this place.

Well, there isn´t much time to write, but I am just happy as a peach. I am not going to lie though, it was a hard goodbye to Osorno for me. I think it was some of the hardest goodbyes for me my whole mission. I just can´t believe the love that some of these people have there. I was given some very beautiful recuerdos from some of my very special investigators.(I´ll show you sometime, and probably bawl as I do it). I can´t believe these people´s generosity. What an honor to know them and share these miracles with them.

Best news of all, though, is that Roddy´s baptism was just exceptional. The baptism was combined with a baptism of the elders from another ward. We had it in the Stake Center. Over a 100 people came. IT WAS INCREDIBLE. Almost our whole ward showed up. And even President and Hermana Lovell came. President gave the closing remarks, and he called it a "perfect baptism". He thanked the members for being so supportive, and he gave them the call to help them progress. It was so great. So powerful.

Here in Villarrica, things have been struggling in the work quite a bit it seems like, but we have seen some great progress already in just a few days. We have found 7 new people to teach, including 1 part member family. The work is beautiful. I am loving more than anything, working with Hermana Gebara. She is just spectacular!!!!!!!! We are already best friends. And making plans to remain that way after the mission. For all my O.C. loving friends out there...she is basically Marissa Cooper. Hahaha. She is from So. California. and beautiful. We are hitting it off great. I love her tons! I call her "Coop". Jajajaja.

Well that is all I got for now. Sorry it´s so short, but I gotta run. I ´ll write more next week. LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

-Hermana Bertagnole

Janelle's May 14 email

Hello family!

SO good to talk to you this week. What a blessing!

Well, I thank you for your letters. I am glad that everyone had a great time in N. Carolina....looked great. Who´s up for a return visit in October? :) By the way, Mikey, my comps are impressed that you have your own jet plane :) CONGRATS!

I was so shocked and sad to hear about Aunt Sarah. But I had an instant realization that the Gospel cures all pain and that Jesus Christ conquers the pain of death. I realize how grateful I am for the Gospel. Dad´s family has seen many hard experiences like this recently, but I know that because we all have the Gospel present in our lives, I know that they´ll be fine. They are well watched over, and well taken care of. I know that our Father in Heaven is taking them by the hand and guiding them through this rough patch. I am grateful for the restored Priesthood that makes it possible that we can be together forever. My testimony of this grows every day. Send them my love, and let them know that they are in my prayers.

This week´s letter is going to have to be a shorter one. This Pday is loco...it´s the last pday of the cambios...I have a hunch that I might be getting transferred, so there are a ton of errands to run. Also, tonight we have Roddy´s baptism!!!!!! So we are running around getting errands done for that. Pray for us that it all goes well!

Roddy will be getting baptized tonight. I´ll send you all pictures next week. I love you all so much. Keep them smiles, even when it might be a little harder than normal. I love you. Be good, and remember what´s important.

-Hermana Bertagnole.