Week Twenty: Pena (Pain)

Hermana Anita Gaillard with her daughter, Mariela Jarpa, and her nietos (Paloma y Gaspar)

Area: Chillán
Companion: Hermana Hillary Harris
Companion's Blog: http://hjhmissionabroad.blogspot.com/2014/05/give-it-your-all.html

Querida familia!

Holy guaca-stinking-mole. For the third week in a row, Hermana Harris and I have seen cambios. And this time the news is heartbreaking. I am not writing you from the freezing tundras of Chillán ... but from the sea-side hills of Tomé. I am now serving in Frutillares (FUN FACT: This is where Hermana Harris served right before she trained me). My companion is Hermana Peterson from Wyoming. We live in this beaut of a house on the top of a hill. I am serving in a Rama [branch] ... in just two days, my whole missionary world is different.

Distance from Chillán to Tomé

Oh, wow. Before I go into talking about this change, let me tell you about the week. Hermana Harris and I were finally on the same page about the importance of members. We started just being as creative as we possibly could be and served like crazy. We ding-dong ditched. We bought flowers. We handed out candy. This week is really the first time that I have really felt super oriented ... like I knew what I was actually doing. The Spanish was coming more and more easily, I was starting all of the lessons and getting us out of there on time. I was helping the members and menos activos to see that I loved them ... because I really do.

Great news about Javiera ... SHE GOT HER ANSWER! We didn't even have to talk about her about the three things. She started reading the Book of Mormon on her own in the night time and she prayed to know if it was true. I asked her if she wanted to be baptized ... and she said yes! MIRACLE. Also, we were able to teach her super dura mamá and it seems like she is starting to be softened as well. This really is such a blessing. I am so glad that I got to be a part of this beautiful girl's life.

Javiera and I

Also, we REACTIVATED this super stinking awesome family! The Alarcons are so amazing, and they were less active for reasons that I didn't understand. We started visiting them four or five weeks ago and now they are back to being really, really active. The dad has a calling again. The mom and grandma are staying for all of the meetings. Their active kids are so happy. I think that if I only did this one thing on my mission, I would be completely content. Yesterday, when I said goodbye to the dad, he said, "Because of you, my family is at church today. Thank you so much. I am grateful."

Okay, now about the cambio.

So, we were in a study with the Hermanas from the zones of Chillán when we missed a call from the Zone Leaders. Well ... that's weird. Hermana Harris and I skipped out into the hallway and called them back. It wasn't on speaker phone, but I heard our zone leader say, "Hey, can you guys get into a separate room?" My heart started to pound. Oh no ... either we were in trouble (which was highly unlikely because we were striving so hard the whole time we were together to be exactly obedient) or there was going to be another emergency transfer.

This couldn't happen! We just had an emergency transfer LAST WEEK. What was this? I was just praying, Please ... let Hermana Harris and I stay together. Please, please, please. I can't leave Chillán. "You guys are going to have an emergency transfer in your companionship. Hermana Harris ... you are going to be staying in Coyquen. Hermana Blau ... you are leaving to Frutillares tomorrow after church. You get your new companion today. Is that okay?" Is that OKAY? I wanted to ask. Nooooooo. This is NOT OKAY. It wasn't my best moment. I said, "Of course, of course it's okay." We entered back into the room with the Hermanas just dazed. I wanted to cry but I couldn't. I had to keep it together. And anyways, it was like ripping out the rug from underneath my feet. I didn't really have time to think about what was happening. They called us back.

"Hermana Blau, you have permission to take the night to despedir [say goodbye] ... don't tell anyone the details of what's happening. Just say that there is going to be a change." Okay ... I made a list in my head of the people that I NEEDED to see. Carolina. Javiera. Nicol Molina. That was when it hit me. I was leaving these people that I had let my heart love so much. I was leaving the only sector that I have ever known in my life as a missionary. It was heartbreaking.

We went around and said goodbye to everyone that was important. It was so incredible to think about how many lives are now a part of my life because of the three months that I have served in Coyquen. When I bore my final testimony to the people yesterday, I just cried because I saw the pena in the faces of the people too. So sad.

Rebeca Gutierrez, Abuelita (I don't know her real name, I just ADORE her),
Priscila, and Javiera

Hermana Ester, Nicol, and Hermano Molina (he's the new bishop now!!)

Hermana Monica, Hermano Cesar, Anais Navarette

But don't get me wrong. Every week I write to President that I am willing to do whatever he needs me to do. I am willing to go wherever Heavenly Father wants me ... no matter how much it hurts. And after I got over being in shock with the change, I accepted it with tranquility. In fact, I felt completely at peace with what was going to happen. I didn't understand why it was happening, but I am CONFIDENT that Heavenly Father needs me in Frutillares now. I am with an AWESOME companion (seriously, I think we are going to be super good friends), in a beautiful sector, and I am really trying to live up to the promise that I have made to Heavenly Father that I will do whatever He wants me to do.

I am so grateful for the time that I had in beautiful Chillán. I am grateful for the lessons I learned with Hermana Harris and from the people. I am grateful for the growth that I felt while I was serving in Coyquen. I am SOOOOO excited for the growth that I am bound to see here in Tomé. Yeah, this change was really sad for me. I think it was sad for all of the companionships ... but I KNOW that Heavenly Father has so many great things in store and that he has got it all under control. I know it! And because of that, I really will go where He wants me ... because that's where I need to be.

I love you all SOOOO much! Say a prayer for me and my dear Hermana Harris. I am gearing up to start a new adventure!! :)

Love,

Hermana Blau

Carolina, Carolina, Colomba, y Emelia Molina Brevis (Cesar was working afuera)