Week Forty-Eight: Chau, Blau ... On to New Adventures

Area: Frutillares
Companion: Hermana Caseres

Oh, dear family ...

I am so content. I am so so content. I am so so so ... well ... I guess you get the picture. I am feeling a little short for words ... so ... apologies in advance.

This week was great. We walked and walked and walked soooo much ... but it was still rewarding. We had a focus on finding this week, and Hermana Caceres and I knocked on so many doors and talked to so many people. We didn't see a dramatic increase in new investigators, but it feels good to plant the seeds and then watch them grow.

I think that the biggest thing that happened this week happened yesterday. The people heard that cambios were happening tomorrow (not sure how ... because I have said absolutely nothing about them), but the people just hugged me and hugged me and ordered me not to leave. In the sacrament talks, Carlos Garrido talked about how much we have meant to his family. I looked around and the chapel was filled! I don't know how to describe how I felt in that moment. It wasn't really pride in what I have done ... because I have only done so very little ... but Heavenly Father helped me to feel good about the little that I have done and it felt so good.

Margot, Maria José, and Juaquin

Manuel Aravena (our AWESOME INVESTIGATOR) and me

A surprise from yesterday ... right after the priesthood passed the sacrament, I looked behind me to count the number of menos activos that we had in the church. To my surprise, I saw MATIAS SEPULVEDA sitting in the very back. Remember that kid that we visited for the first time a couple of weeks ago?? Ahhhh, I was soooo sooo sooo happy. This was something that I thought would never ever ever happen in my time in Frutillares. After Sacrament, I went to hug Noelia and she said, "Hermana, thank you so much. I think we saw a little miracle today."

Noelia and Matias Sepulveda. YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!

This was another eye opener for me.

A little miracle.

Do you know how many little miracles I have seen on my mission? Do you know how many evidences I have seen that help me to KNOW that God lives? It is so incredible ... and what is more incredible is that we don't even realize when they are happening. It is only at the very end when we look back that they are oh so obvious. It is in the hugs goodbye that we see the depth of love. I want to get better at seeing the daily miracles ... but for now, looking at the things that have happened to me in my mission so far are enough.

Paz Cartes and me. We have to walk super far to visit this family and eat lunch with them,
but I love them soooo much! Paz reminds me of Minsy so much!!

Just like when I left the CCM, I can say that I feel content. I didn't do a perfect job here ... but I sure did the best that I could. I tried my hardest every day ... and I know that my time has been accepted by Heavenly Father. I didn't have that much success with my numbers, but during my time in Frutillares, I saw the attitude of the rama change. I saw attitudes and lives change. Making a real difference ... I don't know if I did ... but I feel like I helped a few people and loved a lot more. This cambio actually wasn't all that bad like I thought. I learned sooo much here ... I think that it will be like my holy ground for my life ... because I cried so much and hurt so much, but in the end, I GREW sooo much. I think that the biggest thing that I learned is that Heavenly Father hears and answers my prayers. Every single night, I have felt so much relief while praying. I know that he hears me. I know it. And I know a little bit better how to hear him. It's awesome. It's something that I have always wanted to learn. I didn't know it would require so much, but I think that it will be worth it in the long run. It is so sad to go, but at the same time ... I think that I am ready. 

Last night, I got a call from President. My hands were shaking, shaking, shaking as I answered. My heart was pounding. President said, "God has extended the call as Sister Training Leader to you." I didn't even know what to say. I think I sounded stupid ... he asked me if I would accept the call and I just said, "Yeah, I think so." I am going to Penco (which is just thirty minutes away from here) to be with an Hermana that I hardly know, Hermana Romney. We are WHITEWASHING! Whooooooo ... It is going to be sooo interesting, working in a barrio again. The area in Penco is huge ... and we don't know anything about it. Ah ... I am excited. I am sooo excited. I don't know how I should feel.

The Hermanas of the Zone. Hermana Sheppard (Virginia, USA), Hermana Marroquin (El Salvador),
Hermana Ponce (Mexico), Hermana Lorea (Argentina) , Hermana Bucarei (Chile),
Hermana Tejerina (Bolivia), Hermana De Leon (Guatemala), Hermana Mendoza (Honduras)

Hermana Caceres is a little bit sad. She doesn't feel like she can take hold of the sector. She is a little nervous about her new companion because she is a little wild (or so the Hermanas say). But I KNOW that she is going to be fine. I am sooo proud that she is my daughter. It hasn't been the easiest ... this training thing. But I have felt so blessed as Hermana Caceres and I have been working together. She is such a wonderful missionary ... and I really have learned to see her as Heavenly Father sees her. It's awesome.

Doing service with a sweet hat!

Cleaning up with the familia Cartes after the font overflowed
for the baptism of Bastian.

I love my life. I love it a lot! I hope that I can be the kind of missionary that Heavenly Father wants me to be. I hope that I can be someone that he can be proud of. That is the most important thing. I also hope that I can keep seeing the little miracles in my life. They are there. They are always there.

I hope you have a great week! Just FYI, I am going to start having just one hour to write. Also, Skype for Christmas is going to be for 40 minutes. I love you all sooo much! Thank you for your prayers and support. Also, thank you so much for loving me. It means so much. Enjoy the winter wonderland! I think we are going to head to the beach. :) Also, Nandy!! HAPPPPPPY BIRTHDAY! :) I don't know anyone else's birthday ... could you send me dates of the close relatives so I can send a shout out? If I have missed a birthday, I am sooooo sooo sorry!

Love lots,

Laney

Tomé. This is the beach right outside of the chapel in Centro. Beaaaaautiful.