CHI CHI CHI LE LE LE VIVA CHILE!

Crazy Bus Week!                                                                                                             August 25, 2014
This week has been the fastest week of my mission. I am so tired and overwhelmed but at the same time so happy and excited to be here and to be a missionary. Right now I am in Concepcion because we had the leadership council (my first one!) and it was really great. The Spirit was so strong and hearing all the missionaries and President share and all of us talking about how we can improve in the mission gets me so pumped! We talked a lot about the studies and their importance and I was thinking about how that is someting that will apply for the rest of my life. Effective study of the scriptures gives us strong roots and strength and a lot of times when we were looking at problems in the mission the solution rooted back to effective studies and starting out the day by feeling the Spirit and receiving revelation. It's something I want to be able to do forever., not just read the scriptures but study them!

Hermana Soria and I had our first exchange with some hermanas in a little town about 2 hours away from Angol in the next zone over. It was a lot of fun and just really crazy. All the time it's just traveling and running from place to place and having to plan ahead and make sure our companions are okay with just them two working together. It has helped me to learn to be grateful for the time I have in my area or in another area and how I need to take advantage of all the time I have wherever I am, to be where I am 100%. If I am able to be the whole day in my sector we have to make sure we do everything we can because maybe I won't be able to be there for the next day or two. I don't know. Sorry, I am rambling a bit here. Time is just flying and it is because I am working harder than I ever have in my mission.

The other day I was pretty overwhelmed and feeling a tiny bit discouraged like I just wasn't cut out for any of the things I was doing but today in the council the Spirit comforted me and helped me to know that it is true what Mom told me, "whom the Lord calls, He qualifies." President read us Ether 12:27 to end and even though I have read that verse a bunch of times it was exactly what I needed to hear. If I give all I have and turn my heart and will to the Lord, He will make me strong and make me an instrument in His hands to help others. 

I love you guys a ton!

Love always,

Hna Megs

me and my hija and hna soria and her hija

Angol

HEY FAM!                                                                                                                                                              August 18, 2014

I am so happy! My companion Hermana Kylee De Groff is so awesome. It is crazy to see how prepared this group of missionaries is that came to the mission. It makes me happy to know that the mission is in good hands in the future and with the passing of time the missionaries become more and more prepared to serve and work. She is from Mesa Arizona and is 19. It has been so great to work with her and see her diligence and positive attitude even though I know it's hard. She just goes up and talks to people and teaches in lessons and it is so sincere, all of it. I am learning a lot from her. It also makes me think a lot about my training and the things I learned and experienced and how they are helping me now in my mission. Training has shown me even more the importance of obedience in all aspects. The example of our obedience teaches our companions. 

It has been a stressful/exciting/great week but I am happy and I am really excited for this coming cambio even though there are lot of things about it that make me nervous and make me wonder how I will be able to do this but it will all be alright I know.

Also, we met a guy named, Fuad (FWAD) this past week in a contact and I thought you guys would like that name, especially Dad. Hahah.

I was thinking about what Dad said about having the conversion experience and thinking about how awesome it is to see others change their lives for something that we love and to be a part of it. You grow closer to God and to them and feel a love that is filling, if that makes sense. I want you guys to be able to feel that as well! 

I am so happy here in the mission and I am grateful that the Lord has called me in my weaknesses to serve Him even when I didn't think I would be able to. I doubted myself but I realize now that we must trust ourselves in the Lord's hands. He will makes us enough and He will help us to fulfill our duties and callings and all will be okay. 

I love you all!

Love,

Hermana Chalmers

Alma 41:15

My camera broke so I haven't really been able to take pictures.... DANGIT

Cartas y Fotos de Agosto 4 & 11, 2014

Hey guys,                                                                                                                          August 11, 2014

TRANSFERS! I am staying here in Angol and I am training! We are going to Concepcion Wednesday morning to pick up our companions. Also I've been called as an Hermana Líder Capacitadora (Sister Trainer Leader) with Hermana Soria who will also be training. Definitely was not expecting that! As a Capacitadora I do inter cambios with the Hermanas in our zone and the zone just north of us and helping them out with their investigators and such. This really is an opportunity to be humbled and to learn. I still don't quite understand how Heavenly Father thinks I wil be able to do this but I know that if it is what I am called to do that I will be able to and be happy so it will be great! I'm feeling pretty overwhelmed and nervous but excited. Pray for me! My companion and I were talking about transfers this morning as we packed her suitcases and how every change and opportunity that comes at us in the mission is an opportunity to learn and is exactly what we were called to do. The Lord will never give us a trial, a change, a companion, an area, a calling, whatever it may be, that we can't handle. He calls us so He can help us and we can know Him and become more like Christ. I know that I have been called in my weaknesses and that it is a chance for me to continue learning and inviting others to come unto Christ.

Also, this past week two investigators of the other Hermanas were baptized. One, Aida, has been coming to church for a couple months but always refused to be baptized and she finally decided to do it! Her daughter, Beatriz was baptized in March and they wanted it to be a surprise for her so we helped the hermanas by distracting her all day and she didn't know until we were sitting in the chapel and her mom walked in dressed in her white baptism dress. It was so sweet. Beatriz just started crying and laughing. Also that day, Guillermo was baptized. He is missing one leg that he had to get amputated at the knee a while back. They had three hermanos in the font to help him be baptized and it was a really special moment. There are people like Guillermo who are faced with trials so big and they still choose to follow Christ. It reminds me that my trials aren't really even trials and made me think about how blessed I am and also about how the Gospel of Jesus Christ applies to every single person and every single situation out there. 

Also, does Guillem speak Spanish? Tell him I say hello, welcome to the fam and I hope he is doing great and loves St. George! 

Alma 38:5   
Love,
Hna C

Mi Distrito

I love Angol!

Who knew I could play basketball....!?

Aida at her baptsim

                               





                                                                                                                                         August 4, 2014
Hey! I don't have much time today because I am with an Hermana in one of her old areas because she is going home this Monday. Her companion can't walk right now so I am with her in a place called Pitrufquen, its about 40 minutes South of Temuco. 

This past week has been one of the best and most stressful/full of emotions week of my mission. But al final, Suyay was baptised! It was so so great. There were a lot of ups and downs leading up to her baptism on Saturday. When we went and met with her Tuesday, she told us that she has slipped up and drank some alcohol the night before when she went out with her friends. She had wanted to go out with them to sort of "test" her conversion and see if she could resist the temptation and to prove she had really changed. Oh gosh. She told us that the moment she took a drink of the beer she felt terrible and went home right away and prayed a lot because she felt so bad. She said that night she decided she would never drink alcohol again in her life. We were really happy she was able to have that experience to help her learn but also nervous that it would impede her from getting baptized on the day she was so excited for, but it turned out to all be okay. She was really excited and calm the whole week even though she kept telling us she couldn't believe what she was doing and that no one would ever believe that she was getting baptized. That the "old Suyay" would make fun of people like her. So we went and visited her on Friday the night before her baptism and it was evident that Satan had been working hard on her. She was freaking out a little bit and doubting a lot of things that she knew and felt. She told us she felt lost and empty and was scared to take a step of faith when she wasn't 100% sure about everything and didn't have as strong a testimony as others. It is crazy to witness how Satan really attacks those who he knows have a bright future and will do so much good like Suyay. She told us she didn't know what would happen the next day at her baptism and that she needed to think and calm down a bit. We left the lesson and said a prayer for her. That night my companion and I were talking about Suyay and what we were going to do and then she called us! She said, "Hermanas, I made a decision and I don't know if you are going to like it.... Naahh...5pm tomorrow sounds great. I'm doing it!" Oh man we were so happy for her! 

Her baptism was so sweet and spiritual. I don't have a whole lot of time left but it was such a special experience. I know that God loves every single one of us and that He is worried about us. Suyay helped me better understand repentance and the power it has in our lives and the example we set for others and we try our best to do all that is in our reach to become more like Christ. Sometimes we don't have a perfect knowledge but that's okay. We are here to learn everyday and all that we are asked to do is our best. To keep trying even if we make a mistake. There is always something more we can do to improve and seeing Suyay do her best to change showed me that anybody can change and that this gospel is for every single one of us. The atonement applies to everyone and it is so beautiful to see it take place in other people.

I love you guys!

HNA CHALMS

        SUYAY'S BAPTISM!

     Scenes from Angol

Hna Rosdahl and I