Mollie #28 - Angol, Chile - No Transfer, Saying Goodbye, The Importance of Faith

                                                                                   May 6

Not sure how these cambios go exactly - being my first one - but I am hoping things will settle quickly. I think it will help me with my Spanish a lot faster. It is hard not to be understood or understand sometimes. Patience and faith, of course, no mas ;)

    Hermana Nelson will be my new trainer. She is a Grienga, but her Spanish is almost, if not, perfect because she lived several years in El Salvador. Her father was a mission president there. She is one of the two sisters that represent all of the sister missionaries here for conferences and such. So that is all good.

   This week has been crazy saying goodbye to all the people leaving sectors, conferences, etc... so many people that I have worked with and bonded with, making some incredible friendships.

All of the missionaries in our zone

    Your advice about possibly feeding the members as an activity is something I've thought about, but almost everyone works. It is just that time. Food is nice, but the members have to walk to the church and many just don´t have the energy to do so even for food. IF they don´t walk it is a taxi and that costs money, and they could be working. I think I just need to plan a specific activity and go all out with invitations, music, and everything.

    Life is a search for truth, and faith is necessary for us to actually move in our search - spiritually AND physically.

On my mission, I have grown, because I have chosen to. Spiritually, I make choices to pray, read my scriptures, teach what I know, and to serve others. On cold mornings, my companion helps me to always get up on time, physically beginning my day with faith that I will go to the people who I can help. In return my testimony grows, which strengthens my love for them and my Heavenly Father each day. There is strength that comes from having this truth and faith in my life each day. There is happiness, too.

Love this family! So fun to spend time with all of them!

   As I get to know the people better here, I am more aware of their personal struggles and problems that have fallen into their life, such as the sick baby due to a hospital error. I can't explain why problems occur, but I can explain that no one is alone, that their prayers are listened to, and their faith will help strengthen them and pull them through. 

The truth that Heavenly Father and his son, Jesus Christ, both exist and are there for every single one of us, should be shared. It something that is eternal, so they will always be there - to talk to, to lean on, to ask for help, to feel support from.

One of the families we teach

     Our everyday relationships are so important, because they help define our life. If this is the thing most precious to us, then we should express it. One thing that my companion taught me is this ~ When something or someone is important to you, make sure they can see it in your actions, not just by words or by assuming "they just know."

     Of course, this goes for our Heavenly Father, too. I pray to Him, serve Him, and try to be as Christ teaches us to be as my expression that He is important to me. I wish others here could feel His love for them, could understand that money or hurt feelings are not what should drive our actions in life.

    I have been thinking how Faith is the basis of all of this. That to move both spiritually and physically, there must first be Faith. As my companion helps me on cold days get up on time, so I can do serve with faith, I hope I can help the people we teach to get up and exercise faith.

PS Skype is for one hour. Can't wait to see and hear from everyone. I hope the Skype works.