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| What Laney's idea of puppies was before her mission to Chile. |
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| What Laney's idea of puppies is now. |
Area: Frutillares
Companion: Hermana Caseres
Dear familia,
I am a grateful little hermana this week. This week was so weird, but I was happy during all of it. I guess that I am hitting the stride again.
After receiving that awesome email from Elder Shank, I felt sooooo happy and so animated. [For those of you who did not catch that last week, you can read Elder Shank's email to Laney HERE.] It is just so incredible to me that God knows every single one of us so personally and that the little things that we do can have such a big influence in the lives of other people. I am starting to come to peace with the work that I have done in Frutillares. I feel like I have been here just long enough to start seeing the fruits and I am way excited to see the fruits in my life.
One of these fruits is with Hermano Carlos Garrido. I love this man sooo much! When we started visiting him with Hermana Peterson, I didn't have a lot of hope for this family. The lessons we had were always so random because they talk and talk and talk. They never ever ever came to church when we asked them to because they always made an excuse. But with more visits, Carlos began to change. We talked and talked and talked with him about his mission and his time in the church ... and he began to get excited again. We haven't been able to pass by so much now, but they come to church every single week as a family and he has a calling.
Yesterday, we had a cita with an ETERNAL INVESTIGATOR. He comes to church every single week, but he never has accepted fecha because he has a lot of fear that he can't stop smoking and drinking. Anyways, we were thinking about people that could come with us to visit him and Carlos came to mind. I kind of pushed that thought away. He's way busy ... maybe he won't want to. But eventually, I called him. He came with us and it was amazing to see how he taught. Basically, he taught the lesson to Josue ... and Josue accepted fecha for the fifteenth of November. Who knows what will happen?? I was soooo happy walking away from this appointment with Carlos. Basically, if I was here in Frutillares just to help him come back to church, it was worth it.
We had the talks for Sacrament Meeting yesterday. I LOVEEEEEE giving talks. For this one, I talked about the small acts of kindness that we do that can make a difference ... even if it is just in the life of one person. I also sang Dear to the Heart of the Shepard and everyone loved it. I just love being led by the Spirit to know what to say and do. It is wonderful!
We met a few really prepared people this week. I don't know how they have been hiding all of this time, but they are starting to come out of the woodworks. Girlfriends of menos activos, old investigators, etc. etc. It has been really fun to find and to teach them about the gospel. I hope that we can start helping people to progress!! That is the most important thing for me right now.
Big news of the week,
Hermana Caceres got bit by a dog. That's right, my dear familia, another one of my poor companions got bit by a dog. They tell me that I have been saved from this missionary plague for one reason and one reason only. I have been here so long that even the dogs know who I am hahahaa. The day that she got bit, we were walking down a secret passage way to go see if we could find a contact. We found the house. Hermana Caceres at this time was talking on the phone with a menos activa when, suddenly, a dog ran up to her and bit her. AHHH. It was way worse than the bite of Hermana Bucarei ... and I was ready to kill that stupid dog. HEY, DON'T YOU KNOW WE'RE WORKING HERE??
We headed over to the clinic and got it cleaned up. I know all of the people there, as well ... which was enjoyable. We spent a couple of hours waiting, Hermana Caceres entered the ER, and then it was over. Basically, we have to go back to the hospital five more times to get shots. And I live another day, bite free. Yeeeeeehawwwww.
We were able to serve this week, which was a big deal because we never get to serve. There is this really, really old couple in the ward that is soooo cute. They dance the cueca professionally and have been together for fifty years or something crazy like that. One day, Wenceslao (the husband) came out with us to work and told us that his entire body hurt because he had been cutting grass all day by hand. The next day, we showed up at his house with our workout clothes and put ourselves to work. I love working with the earth. It makes me feel so good ... and it also makes me feel super good to help other people.
During correlation this week, I realized that I have been here for a lot of incredible things. I was here for the activity with the Book of Mormon. I was here for the activity of Pioneers. I was here to see the asistencia of the church grow a ton! It has been such a blessing to be here. In this cambio that I thought was going to be sooo hard with the work, I have been way surprised and way pleased. God works in mysterious ways. You know, I guess I have grown a lot here.
We are going to have a baptism in two weeks! WHOOOOO! Constanza is only 9 years old, but she really wants to follow the commandments. We taught her allllll of the commandments yesterday and it was awesome. The great thing about her getting baptized is that it is helping her family as well. They are reading together as a family and are really progressing. :)
I feel like everything is just normal. Things are looking up and I am feeling a ton better. I am not sure what changed exactly, but I am well. I hope that you have a great week! (American Pie is playing and I am thinking about Hyrum and Myyyy Myyyyy Mister Anakin guy). I don't know what needs to be going on with my applications and everything for college. But if Savannah and I live together, I want to be in a place where I can have a cat. :) [Laney's response when we asked if she would want a dog ... "I will never have a dog. Never."] I love you all so much!!! I pray for everyone often and I thank my Heavenly Father for all of the blessings that I have thanks to my dear family.
Lots of love from Chile,
Hermana Blau
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