Week Sixty-Five: More Disney ... Better Week

Saying goodbye to Hermana Tew

Area: Penco

Companion: Hermana Antillon

Dear familia,

First of all, FELIZ CUMPLE to Katie-bell. I cannot even believe that she is thirteen. Baaaaaaah, everyone is growing up so so so fast and I can't believe it! I hope that when we get home we can still be friends ... I think that Katie might be too cool for me now.

This week was still a little bit crazy ... but DEFINITELY 100 percent more tranquila than last week. Thank you so much for your added prayers and support. They were definitely felt. I was able to feel pretty peaceful with all of the things that were going on. I have seen time and time again on my mission that God has everything under control. Even when I get stressed out, he has everything under control. It is sooo hard to remember sometimes!!

We had a newby conference this week that was sooo much fun! Hermana Poulson from Utah was in a TRIO with Hermana Antillon and I. [Here's the link to Hermana Poulson's blog, if you are interested: http://hermanapoulson.blogspot.com/] Oh, it is so much fun to be in a trio. You really can get so much work done! We had Hermana Flor come out with us and we just did divisions. I went with her and we had a sweet lesson with a menos activa together. I hope that I can be just as awesome as Hermana Flor when I am a normal member. She is such a great member missionary!! I got to work with Hermana Poulson when we were doing contacts. She is such an awesome missionary. I feel like the more and more new people that start rolling in, the more older I feel ... but I notice so many awesome things about them and it stuns me. It really is a great time to be a missionary. Every single group comes in more and more prepared.

Sister Tew

On Thursday, we sent Hermana Tew home. It was soo soo sad, but her health did not allow her to stay here in the mission. I loved that girl sooo much! But as she left, I felt that same reassuring peace that I have felt so much in the mission. It is God's will. We can't fight it. It is always better to accept it and work to see how we can magnify ourselves where we are at. So ... that was a huge rollercoaster of emotions ... it all ended up working out.

That day, we found IVONNE!! Yeeeehaaw! She is the little sister of Carolina and I love her already. We started off on the right foot with her and we taught her about the Restoration. I was amazed by how smoothly the lesson went. She told us her needs. We applied the Restoration. We committed her to read and pray the Book of Mormon ... She was left without a single doubt! I think that she will pretty easily decide to be baptized (even though she told us that when she shared with missionaries a couple of years ago, they gave up on her after two lessons because she said that she wasn't sure if she wanted to make the commitment). She is living with someone right now ... but the hope is that we can help them to get married and start working with them as a family! I am so excited!!

Hermana Antillon and I both love Disney a lot. A LOT. We talk about the ones we like and then we try to make it into a Gospel discussion. This week, we discovered a gem like nugget of information. We think that we are like Pain and Panic from Hercules. Haha, I don't know how to describe how perfectly that fits us ... because you guys aren't with us every minute of the day, but we laughed for a good three hours about that. We laugh a lot together.

We had a Family Home Evening in the church this past week ... Elder Dabell came up with the idea for it a couple of weeks ago and we committed every single person in the ward to come -- with refreshments. We were in charge of doing a skit ... the elders had a presentation. We were soooo excited! We just knew that this was going to help the ward with their animo for the work.

Until 7 o'clock came around ... and nobody showed up. Hahaha, that is really typical. The skit was less than amazing but the presentation was great. Luckily, there was a ton of food. So much food. So it ended up being alright. Really, when we all get together, it ends up being the best activity ever. I am so excited for the other activities that are coming up in the future!

Mission call opening of Carlitos

The son of our Bishop opened his mission call this week. Oh, I was soooo excited for him. He just graduated High School, and he was so anxious to get out and serve. He is a good kid. We were invited to his call opening and I let myself be a little nostalgic with the whole scene. I remember how I felt when I opened my call. Reading it and knowing that it was right! I was so excited and nervous ... but mostly excited. Carlos had those same feelings. He opened his call ... and it was completely in English (he really wanted to go English speaking haha). What they could understand was CHILE ANTAFOGASTA!! Ahhhh, the gospel is so amazing! I am so happy to be a missionary.

I really am! I am growing more than I ever have in my life. I feel so good! I feel like the Atonement is working through me to help me to become a better person. I still have so much to learn. I still feel like I am starting from square one every day, but I have the same animo that I had on day 1, so it is okay! Taking it one day at a time!

I love you all so, so much! I hope that you have a great week!!!

Love,

Laney

We are beautiful ... in every single way.