February 4, 2013

he other day when i told a taxi driver my name, he said, "ALL RIGHT pretty blue eyes!!" and if i hadn`t heard it the first time, he made sure to repeat it at least 7 more times. 

yesterday we greeted a woman that we`d met and shared with at her door for a few minutes the week before. when we asked how she was doing, she first said. "good, good." but immediately admitted "actually, i`m just OK. i have diarrhea." uhhhhh. it was pretty awkward, but things like that have happened so many times here in the mission that i think i`m getting used to it. chileans are just so honest!

on our way to the mall today (where we do internet) an older man approached my companion and i and confessed that he was a less-active member. we talked to him a bit and as we tried to say goodbye, he mentioned that he had a gift for guessing people`s age...in springs...as in, how many springs (yes, the season) they have. he said, because of the beauty of my eyes, i must be 22 years old (good guess!)...but he then added, "that`s a lot of springs for someone like you to still be single!" WHAT? not sure how to react, i smiled, thanked him, and my companion and i continued quickly on our way. i love these priceless experiences i``m having. haha. life as a missionary is great.

speaking of life as a missinary, this last week has been especially strange in the sense that i can really FEEL that things are coming to an end. it`s a terrible, ugly thought, because the last thing i want is to be trunky, but i can actually feel the difference in my body and mind in terms of tiredness. also, my companion and i have the same time in the mission, so we`ll be ending together, and we have to be very careful not to let ourselves get distracted with what is to come after the mission. i haven`t lost in the least bit my drive nor energy for the work, and love what i`m doing more than ever, but i can feel more at this point the opposition working to tire or distract us. this morning, though, i read a couple of scriptures that helped a lot:

2 corintians 4:6, 8-9, 16-17

6 For God, who ^acommanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath ^bshined in our hearts, to give the ^clight of the knowledge of the ^dglory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

 8 We are ^atroubled on every side, yet not distressed; we areperplexed, but not in ^bdespair;

9 ^aPersecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not ^bdestroyed;

 16 For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the ^ainward man is renewed day by day.

 17 For our light ^aaffliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and ^beternal ^cweight of glory;

even though my body may be tired, i experience a renewel EACH DAY as i pray, search the scriptures and preach my gospel, am obedient, share my testimony with others, serve, and repent. i am also reminded that every moment of tribulation will bring a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. i know that this life is my time to prepare to meet god in the heavens, and that he is shaping me into who HE knows and needs me to be. i love my heavenly father for his patience as i make mistakes, and his confidence in me that i can overcome my weaknesses. as it says in MOSIAH 24:14, I know that christ is with me in my afflictions, and will ease the burdens on my shoulders.

i love this gospel. i love you , family, for SO many reasons, and am so grateful to have you. don`t give up. this life is about PERSERVERING and ENJOYING the journey. ¡vamos!

les quiero,

hermana wright