i feel like it´s been quite a long time since i´ve been able to write calmly and thoroughly about the goings-on of my week...and unfortunately this week will be no different. my comp and i are running behind schedule, so we had to cut our internet time short to be able to get to our first appointment on time...sorry to be so neglectful, loved-ones! the most important thing to know though is that i am happy. i truly love sharing the gospel with others. i love seeing the difference a smile or a relatively short conversation about the savior really can change someone´s day, and lead to even bigger changes further along. i love that the lord is changing ME. i love that i can literally say that i am a different person than who walked into the mtc that first day. i have learned too much to be able to express. and i don´t mean knowledge gained about the church, or the doctrine necessarily, but the kind of learning that come from experiences, that changes on one from the inside out. i´m hopeful that in these 5 months that i have left here as a missionary in chile that i´ll be able to change, through the process of repentance, into the daughter of a heavenly father that i came to earth to be. it´s an awesome process of self-discovery that only comes from submitting yourself to the lord, and letting him refine you in a way that only he can, into the person that he knows you can become. i love it. it hurts sometimes, but i am so grateful that he loves me enough to teach and change me.
also, great news: juan cisterna got baptized and confirmed yesterday! he was SO excited. he was talking all week about how he just wanted sunday to arrive already! the service itself turned out really well, and his mom and cousin were able to attend, and they loved it. we´re excited to be able to teach them more frequently as well. the next step for juan will be to receive the priesthood, but the elders already set an appointment to teach him this week, and he´ll have an appointment with the branch president to be able to receive it on sunday! i´m so excited for him, because i see how happy he is, and how sure he is of his decision. that´s what this work is all about!
we´ve also seen several miracles in the branch itself. the members are more warm in their interactions with us, the sister missionaries, and are more willing to help us overall. as we´ve made a concerted effort to serve and show our love for them, they´ve responded extremely well, and we are able to feel a lot of support. also, as we´ve visited less-actives, many have come back to church, and we are literally starting to fill the sacrament room! the attendance this week was 78, and only 6 weeks ago, it was 50! i´m loving the changes that we´re seeing, and i feel so blessed to be able to play a small part in it.
also, completely un-related, but in case you were wondering, the relief society is basically exactly the same here in chile. it makes me laugh every week. the president is a little chubby, and is the most warm, loving, sweet woman on the face of the earth. but she also has a bit of a mouth, and is good at spreading the word, if you know what i mean. we also have a little table with a tablecloth, and don´t worry, fresh flowers in a vase every week! it´s so great. i love that the church can be so similar anywhere you go, no importa the culture.
i can´t believe that i completed THIRTEEN MONTHS yesterday. i´m officially one of the "oldies" among the hermanas in the mission at this point. speaking of which, my trainer, hna miller, goes home this week! she´s in the mission office in concepción for a few days, but she´ll be in the states on wednesday! how quickly the time goes. i can´t believe it´s been almost a year since i got here in chile. i´m old.
also, i want to share with the world: i´m officially sorry for being so neglectful! i´ve recieved many lovely letters and awesome packages, and i haven´t been able to share my gratitude as i´d like to. honestly, my free time is about 1 hour a day, in which i need to write in my journal and tidy the house. on p-days, we have between 11:30 and 6 to get everything done that we need to, and it´s super hard. sorry for so many excuses, but i just wanted all to know that i truly appreciate the care and concern that you´ve shown for me, and i hope to be able to make time to respond personally. thanks for being so patient :)
bummer, out of time. i didn´t get a chance to load fotos today, but i´ll try next week.
lots of love,
hna wright
No comments:
Post a Comment