18 MONTHS IN CHILE: PAJARO EN LA CASA‏

Hayley and Nora

Hey family!!!

This week was crazy. Oh my gosh there are no words to describe how much I LOVE being a missionary!!! Seriously. We have seen so so so many miracles this week. I can´t even begin to describe it!! THE BEST.

Okay let´s start out. Monday was again horrible with the whole A deal. We left him, and it was really hard. And Gabriela, our convert, her husband said that none of them can go to church now and that he doesn´t want anyone from the church in the house. HEARTBREAKING. But we are fasting and praying for them and we know it will turn out okay. He´s letting us in now, but didn´t let them go to church yesterday... but we know he will. But that night, we were just heartbroken. So, we decided to re open Chorrillos. Just start from scratch.

So we did! The next day we just went and contacted and explored ALL DAY. We found really good future investigators and found a FAMILY :) The crazy twist is that the parents are deaf, so we teach them with a lot of pictures, scriptures, and through the children, who know sign language. CRAZY, huh?! This is when I need Hermana Bluth again who knows sign language!!! haha

But then wednesday was awesome. I literally have the best district ever. All I have to say about that. And our district leader, Elder Flake, challenged us to invite someone to be baptized every day. So now it´s our goal. We were able to invite some new investigators to be baptized and they said they would! Not with a date yet, but seriously, they´re progressing!!

Thursday brought to a close my dentosalud days (knock on wood, FOR NOW at least!) Hermana Evans finished her root canal!! WOOO :) So that was great.

Friday was intercambios, and it was miraculous. We found less actives that are endowed that we haven't been able to before that LET US IN and we set a couple baptismal dates and found a ton of new investigators, AND on top of that, I got to see ARLETT :) one of my favorite people from Placilla!! Turns out she is Perla´s, a girl from my branch here in Chorrillos, companion from the mission! So they had that surprise for me and gave us... BROWNIES AND ICE CREAM. So I was just in heaven basically hahaha.

Saturday was also full of miracles, we found new investigators, including someone named D who said he would get baptized but not with a date until he goes to church and finds out for himself. He's kinda old, and walks around with a walking stick and lives on the top of the hill and church is at the bottom, but we invited him and prayed that he would come. The rest of the day was great as well!

So on Sunday we were waiting for like 5 people to come to church, and sacrament meeting started and no one was there... :( MAJOR bummer. But then, halfway through the first talk, who walks in but D! Walking stick and all, in dress pants and a sweater! It was so great haha we were SO happy! And a ton of people know him! So it was just PERFECT. And he stayed for all three hours and said he LOVED it!! Okay but then... the trial of the day. FOOD. We ate with a family that makes really yummy food, homemade noodles and alfredo sauce and avocado and celery salad and then AMERICAN BRAND ice cream for dessert. So we ate a ton. Then after, we were contacting and this AWESOME golden family let us in and gave us this strawberry milk (filling) and then a raspberry meringue cake! We were SO FULL. But oh my gosh the family is golden. So two gold families last week!! AHH. We´re gonna see them on Thursday, let´s hope it goes well! But then we had to RUN to another appointment we had with a recent convert, and so we had to RUN UP THE HILL and a million stairs to get there, but then a colectivo driver stopped and offered to take us up for free! BLESSINGS. But then the recent convert was like surprise, I have FOOD FOR YOU. yep. Chicken, mashed potatoes, salad, bread, and avocado. Topped off with herbal tea. Let me tell ya, I thought I was gonna vomit.I was praying WAY hard on that one. But then we were bummed, because we hadn´t invited anyone to be baptized but we had to go teach some recent converts, not investigators! We had made no bake cookies for them and everything. But then.... we walk in to their house... and OUR INVESTIGATOR is sitting in there!! Turns out she´s old friends with this recent convert! So we were able to invite her to be baptized, and she said she would on the 15th of march if she got a spiritual confirmation!! AHHH. seriously, I have never been so happy and grateful.

So basically, it was the best week ever. I love the mission. I love being here. I LOVE Chile!!! And even more, I love this gospel. It is amazing to see the hand of God in my life and in the lives of others. It´s all so carefully prepared, and I am so grateful for the chance I have to be here, serving him, and helping him make his plan happen. Remember that our Heavenly Father loves each one of you, and that he WILL take care of you if you are faithful! Everything turns out good in the end :)

Sorry this is so long, just a TON happened, love you guys lots, have a great week!!!

Hermana Hansen

ps. don´t worry, we ran off all the food today, we ran in the morning for excercises and then ran AGAIN all the way from chorrillos to downtown viña. also there was a bird in our house this morning. talk about random. but i love it. chau!!!