"I am completing a year this week! Ah! No lo puedo creer! (I can't believe it)

Well...Chile played Switzerland today. I heard from my window an irruption of screams. Like the entire city. I heard horns blowing, I think I even heard fireworks. Later, we went to go buy a few things for the week and that is when Chile won. A guy ran into the store, decked out in a Chilean flag, amongst other Chilean attire, cheering for his team. It was a little crazy, but fun to see the love the Chilean people have for soccer. People will be happy, at least until we play again; how can we relate soccer to the gospel? Maybe they will let us into their houses now. Chile is advancing.....woo hoo! Its worse than American Football, the noise and the emotion!

Investigators to pray for:

"Marcos, Andres and Diego- that they will go to church and accept the gospel/know that it is true and get baptised soon.

Julianna and Rayel- Support from their family, that they will get baptised this weekend.

Carla and Nicole- Go to church next Sunday and get baptised on the 30th of June.

We have four baptisms planned! Pray for these people please!

"Being Senior Comp. is strange. My companion has a lot of confidence in me. I lead the lessons and decide stuff. Weird. Its a great feeling sometimes, but a lot of responsibility. She is a great support. She is very tranquila (laid back) and I know we will have a great time together.

"Last night we were talking to this viejito (older man). He started talking about himself and starting crying for having lost his wife amongst some other things. I just felt this great love come over me in this moment. I really could feel the love that the Lord has for this man, as well as the pain from the hurt that he has. I became teary eyed. We really feel the Lord's love as missionaries. I will never forget just this blanket of love come over me. That is extremly powerful love. There is a level of love that we grow to understand amongst our brethren and within our families. I am so grateful to have felt that love that the Lord has for Jaun and testify of it to him."

"Today was good. I got a new companion from El Salvador. She has 5 months in the mission and all the missionaries told me to take care of her. I am really exited to have a Latin companion again. That will really improve my Spanish. I am terrified to be Señor companion though (this means that La Hermanita is responsible for what the companionship does. She will make the big decisions!). I feel the responsibility on my shoulders. My companion's name is Hermana Romagoza. She seems very chill and very sweet. I am excited to learn from her. I know she has a lot to teach me. I really hope we will make a good team. I have a goal not to speak in English for these next 6 weeks. Nothing de ingles. I can think in Engish and listen to music, but I need to start thinking and doing in Spanish. It will be a blessing.

"There a a lot of people that can get baptised at any moment, but they just have a small desafio (challenge). We just have to work so that we get over that.

"It sucked having my last companion leave. By the way, I told you that I dyed my hair dark brown right? Anyway, my companion is here with her parents (her previous companion is done with her mission, and her parents are picking her up). We went and had lunch with them today. It was emotional. Dad and Lisa want to come and get me. It will be the same type of situation. I am going on only having 6 more months in the field soon. Crazy. Crazy.

"This week will be crazy. Getting to know new companion, trying to get into the groove of things. I just don't want to be bossy in any way. I just want unidad (unity) so that we can work together and carry the weight together. I know God has trust in me. I just have to trust in him and myself."

"Nothing has happened with Olivia yet. Her granddaughter said she was out of town and she doesn't come out when we go by.

However, God is blessing us...

"So on Friday, we were planning for the week. We realized that one of our investigatores could get baptised at anytime. And we felt like we should do it asap, or in other words, the next day. It was a little stressful, getting everything done and ready, from the interview (anyone who gets baptized is interviewed first, just to make sure they feel ready) to getting the keys to the church, etc, but so worth it. We said prayers and Lorena, nine years old, got baptised on Saturday. It was a beautiful, beautiful baptism. She is just this little, beautiful innocent girl, that has gone through some rough family situations. It was great to see her following the example of Jesus Christ. Then she got confirmed yesterday. The Spirit was strong in the sacrament meeting when she received the Holy Ghost (those with priesthood authority from God give new members a blessing to always have the Holy Spirit with them). God did a lot of miracles for this little girl and her family this weekend. It was such a change from last week, which was rough. God blessed us so much this weekend! He is doing miracles!"

"This was a really rough, rough weekend for me. I've had a challenging past 2 days. I want to share with you my weekend, beginning with Friday. This is about Olivia, our investigator who is just wonderful! Well, we went to her house to prepare her for her baptismal interview questions. Everything was great. Her friend was there, accompanying her for the weekend. It was rough. She was contentuous. We tried to keep the Spirit and things focused on Olivia. Olivia answered all the questions great. She is prepared. Then, we get a call that night. I answered and she said, "no me voy a bautizar." (I'm not getting baptized). My heart sank. I asked her why. She said that she earns little money to pay tithing! Olivia has never, ever had a problem about tithing until her friend showed up...and she said that her son didn't want her to get baptised either. That's not a problem; she is the mom, she runs the house and does what she wants. So, the next day, Saturday, we went over there with a member and his daughter. His daughter is 8 and recently got baptized; she has talked to Olivia before and has shared her testimony with her, so we thought she would be good to bring over.

Well, we got there and the friend of Olivia was there! We talked to Olivia to try to help her, to see what the problem really was. She changed her reasons again for not getting baptized. And her friend...kept interjecting! Olivia was totally sad and passive during this time. I was praying, praying for the Spirit and my companion was trying to keep things loving and peaceful. Well, then the member, the dad of the daughter, starts fighting back a little at the friend....there goes the Spirit. It was just not a good experience...we tried our best, doing everything we knew how to do.

Oh my gosh. This sector these past two changes, I have never, ever felt or seen such strong opposition with the people we are teaching! It is crazy! Satan is SO strong right now. I feel like we did everything we could. We are going to go when her friend is working, so we can really talk to Olivia. This was my weekend, and I had some rough challenges."

(pictured is La Hermanita with the other sister missionaries in her mission, and a Chilean street)

"This is my companion, Hermana Aranda, and I. Like our aprons? We did a noche de hogar (you meet with a family and share a spiritual message) and made tacos for a family. It was fun.

We didn't have a baptism this week, but the Elders did. That is one every week for our area in the month of May. And we are planning on 2 next weekend, one on our side, one with the Elders.

Chile is getting cold. It was a fast week. We are having conference this weekend and they called me today to ask to lead music. I don't lead. That puts me way out of my comfort zone..but what do I do? I had to say yes. But my comp is teaching me. I am going to be so nervous Wednesday.

Last night was good. We worked to the death, running to the last house because we had like 4 more mintues left (before we were supposed to be home). It was great. I love working hard. This is peoples' salvation!"

By the way, happy birthday, little sis!

"We had a baptism yesterday. It was like pulling teeth to get it. I swear that is why there are missionaries. Satan works so hard on people who are going to get baptized. I think only people who focus on nothing but baptism have the patience to fight the fight. It is exhausting and stressful, but so worth it. It was a 10 year old boy. He is very cute, but very devious. God seriously did miracles to get this kid baptised. Literally did miracles.

Can you pray for our potential baptisms? We are hoping for 2 this weekend. Rosa- pray that she will have the desire to get baptized May 16th and that she will be consistent in reading the scriptures and praying for that date. Paulina-pray that she will be happy to get baptised, even if her boyfriend doesn't do it and that she will get baptized May 16th without any problems.....That would help me and these people and the Lord so much! Please pray for them!

I think there are between 16-20 Hermanas (sister missionaries). I tried to count, but that is my guesstimate. There are an odd amount right now. I am sure more will come next change.

I am feeling really good with Spanish. I am speaking and understanding and feel good about it. Clearly, there are still things that I can't say or don't understand, but I am feeling confident and very grateful to our Heavenly Father."

"We had a nice surprise this week. We had an investigator call us to tell us she wants to get baptised the first of May. WOW! Incredible. it was such a miracle and we are so happy to plan it and be apart of it.

It is starting to turn cold here. I feel more able to work when it is cold. The sun just sucks the living day out of you.

We had interviews this past week with the president of the mission. He is so inspired! It was good. We are starting a new way of teaching, kind of, more short and sweet, which produces more simple lessons. I have felt an upgrade on my spanish this week...which makes me feel good. I feel like I can really communicate better now. I have been telling more stories and such.

Have you checked out the mission blog lately? (santiagomissioneast.blogspot.com) The president of the mission took a photo of us.

I am hitting 10 months this week! Ah. Crazy. I am getting into the big numbers now. One of the Hermanas here said that it is weird when you start having companions that are younger than you. I bet that will start happening in these next few months."