Hermana Chalmers: The first three weeks of October

October 20, 2014
Hey! This week was really good. We found some really cool new investigators. Yesterday we went to visit this guy, Cristian, that we had contacted earlier in the week and when we got there he was waiting for us! I love when that happens. We got to know him a little bit and taught him about the Book of Mormon and how he can know for himself if our message is true by reading, pondering and praying about it. He was so interested the whole time and when we finished he asked, before we could even get to it, if he could offer the prayer. We taught him how and he said a sweet little prayer and then asked us and the member we were with if each of us would offer a prayer because he said he felt so peaceful and calm. So by the end we had said 5 prayers because after we had all prayed he asked to say another! It was the coolest thing. We left his house just feeling so calm and happy. The simplest spirit had been with us and we could all feel it. The member we were with got so excited as well. He told us, "Man, if only all people you taught were just like that boy!"

Iris and Antonio went to Santiago for the weekend and Lalo was left home alone so we went and visited him on Friday and Saturday because he was pretty worried about getting lonely and not having visitors. We taught him about the priesthood and how he would be able to recieve it after his baptism. Then he began to ask about all the hermanos from the ward that he knew and if they were baptised as well and also had the priesthood and were able to baptize other people. After every name he would ask and hear our answer of, "Yes him too!" he would widen his eyes and get this real impressed look on his face. haha it was pretty funny.

Also the other day Lalo taught some sweet life lessons. He said, "The key that opens all doors in life is the respect." Also, "Respect is humility." This guy is full of solid one liners.

This week we also taught this guy who owns a sandwich shop in the centro that is the most American food I have eaten here. Pulled pork sandwiches! crazy bus! He lived in Florida for 7 yrs and Canada for a little while after that and speaks English really well. He had all these profound questions about the Law of Moses and Jesus Christ's mission and stuff but it was really throwing teaching him in English.

We also found this guy, Walter, who is paralyzed on the whole left side of his body. He told us he used to be a professional soccer player and that everything changed when he got sick and how all of the hard things that have happened to him have made him come closer to God and realize how much he needs God's help and love. It was really sad to hear his story but it also made me think about what I had read in the Book of Mormon in Helaman 12 when it talks about how God sends us trials so we can remember Him and humble ourselves before Him. I think that is pretty interesting. God knows us so well, better than we know ourselves and He knows exactly what we need to learn to grow and to stay humble and teachable. Lots of times those things end up being difficult but in the end they are for our benefit. That is the reason we are here on this earth in the first place; to learn, to change, to prepare.

Today we had lunch at the coolest restaurant in Angol, I think. I attached a picture of Hna DeGroff and I in front of these famous dolls they make in Angol called, Indio Pico.

Thanks for everything. Love you guys a ton!

Hermana Meg Chalmers

Helaman 3:27

October 13, 2014
HELLOOOOO TEAM! This week was wild. We were traveling every day but it was a lot of fun as well. We did a "Gran Intercambio" like a big tradeoff thingy... I'm not sure what to call it but where you switch companions for a day... with the Hermanas from our two zones in Angol and in Victoria that is a little further south. It was a lot of fun. I got to work with Hermana Lozano from Mexico and we met some of the most interesting people. One guy, Oskar, recently had the last of his family members he is close to pass away and is so so sad and angry at God. He told us that the only real solution he could think of was taking his own life and we testified to him of the power of the atonement and the truth of the plan of salvation that it is so that we can find happiness and hope in this life and afterwards.. Later we found out that we had actually been teaching him inside the cantina he owns, which we thought was his house but thankfully it was mid day, we were with a member and it was empty so no problems there. hahha. Also we met the most catholic lady ever, Zunilda, who answered almost every question with "Es que... soy catolica" Welcome to Chile. Catholic city 2.0. THEN we met this lady Marisol that told us how she was ran over by a bus when she was 19 and was coming home from Concepcion for christmas break and everyone thought she would die or be in a wheel chair forever and not be able to have kids. She said she had never prayed so hard in her life or put so much faith in God to heal her and help her. She told us she had a dream that someone came and replaced her heart, kidneys and lungs and that later on the doctors were blown away by how quickly she recovered and how little they had to do to help her. She was able to have one son and the only evidence now of her accident is she has a fake eye, but that all. It was pretty cool that we were able to meet that wide of a range of people in one day. But it helped me to know and understand that the gospel really is for EVERYONE. Christ wants every single one of his brothers and sisters to follow Him and to know Him, not just those who seem more friendly or those that are easiest to talk to. I was greatful for that because sometimes when we contact I think I, without thinking, maybe don't talk to certain people based on what I see or think I know about them but doing that just doesn't make any sense at all. There is no one exempt that doesn't need the gospel of Jesus Christ and to know His true church is restored today.

Also yesterday, Iris, Lalo and Antonio all came to church! Dang one of the best Sundays in my whole mission. A member went and picked them up in his car and brought Lalo's walker that he uses to get around now since he is still pretty weak from his operations. It was the sweetest thing ever seeing him slowly make his way to the classes. In Gospel Principles he was making little comments, because we had a lesson on sharing and developing our talents, on how he was very good at playing the guitar and other instruments and he would love to please us with a song or two when he was a little stronger and healthier. I love that guy!

Now we are in Concepcion but we are taking a bus home today.

I was thinking the other day specifically about you guys, my family, that are so willing to support me and Cam and make it so easy for us to focus in the mission and enjoy it 100%. It is a huge blessing that not everyone has. Thanks for everything! I love you guys a ton!!

Hermana Megan Chalmers

Helaman 3:35 (one of my favs)

Lalo (Gerardo) - my favorite guy in all of Southern Chile

pic of the intercambio I did with Hna Lozano from Mexico

October 6, 2014
HEY. I am so sun burned right now. My skin hasn't felt the heat in so long and today our zone went to Las Canteras. It was so awesome, but I am a tomato now. But it's okay, it was worth it.

Anyway, this week just flew by with Conference and everything. I hope you guys were able to catch all the sessions. So cool. We had to watch it all in Spanish but it was especially cool when some of the members of the 70 spoke in Spanish! I loved Elder Bednar's talk. Killed it. Also Dallin H. Oaks' talk and when he talked about remembering the Golden Rule. I thought of you, mom and how you always told us that and that little kids' song that sings about it.

It was pretty wild though. This young woman in our ward ran away from home with her boyfriend last week and still hasn't been found. It's all over the news and stuff so our ward has been all over the place. Also our bishop's wife had her baby but there were complications with the birth and they had to do an emergency c section and then drive her baby right up to the Concepcion hospital. We were talking to an hermana during lunch and she was saying how she just couldn't understand how terrible things like that could happen to good people and how she thought that the trials that the members in our ward were facing were so that the members can become more unified and more like a family. I was thinking about that and how it is interesting how the Lord has to send us trials many times to teach us things and to humble us. There are so many instances in the scrips where the people are compelled to be humble or they are humbled through their faithfulness and diligence.

This past week was a little tough at points. There were moments where it felt like the entire city of Angol hated missionaries, and Hna DeGroff and I realized it was our choice on whether those things were going to make us feel discouraged and frustrated or drive us to work harder and do better. THEN WE SEE MIRACLES. It was pretty cool. Even though things are tough sometimes with the ward and with work there are still lots of blessings and happy moments every day.

There is a little old man, Lalo that lives with some investigators, Iris and Antonio and when we went and visited them yesterday, Lalo was sittiing up to the kitchen table with the biggest pair of tiger paw slippers I have ever seen just peeling some peas. It was one of the funniest things I have ever seen. We had bought him some chocolate since he had just come out of the hospital and he goes CRAZY for treats and when we handed it so him his eyes got all huge, he kissed the chocolate bar and looked up at me and said, "You are a queen!" Hahaha.

I am going to try and send some pics of Las Canteras today. CHILE IS BEAUTIFUL! I was so happy to be able to go see some of the natural parts of Angol today. so great.

Love you guys!