Jan 26, 2011

So this is Camille, I'm taking over her blog as Bekah goes off on her own mission (!). I'm still trying to get the hang of it, so if there are any questions let me know.

Ok, so Hermana Lovell asked all of us to send her our testimony of the Book of Mormon and she´s going to make a book out of it. Since that´s probably going to take up most of my time, I don´t have a ton of time to update you on what´s been going on, but it´s pretty much the same. Fernando is still doing great, it´s a blessing to be able to witness what a miracle is happening in his life. I was thinking the other day about how blessed I have been (and currently am) in my life and I think the words of Enoch describe it best when he says "Lord, who am I to have found such favor in Thy sight?" or something like that, I don´t know it word for word, but I have realized that I have been far far too blessed in my life to use the blessings and opportunities that I´ve been given for anything other than dedicating my life to doing what the Lord wants me to do and fulfilling the purposes that He has for me. It would just be plain unfair. My companion is awesome. It´s not as bad as I thought it would be guiding the sector, a little stressful, but we´re surviving.

I´ve decided that in my rebellious nature, I´m refusing to accept that there are so many menos activos and weaker wards in Chile. Yeah, people may say it´s just the way the culture is and that there´s not much we can do to change it, but I for one have never been the kind of person to accept what society says can´t be changed. We have a calling to change it, and when you have a calling from the Lord, there´s a way. (1 Nefi 3:7)

So here´s the testimony that I´m sending to Hermana Lovell, there are probably a lot of grammar mistakes because I haven´t had a chance to ask anyone who actually speaks Spanish to proof read it, so forgive me, but here it is.

Es interesante para mi para pensar en mi testimonio del Libro de Mormon. Siempre he sabido que es verdadero, que las personas, las historias, las cosas que pasaron son real, que en realidad Jesucristo vino a las Americas para enseñar y hacer milagros por Sus discipulos aquí, pero no sé si realmente entendía porque es tan importante para mi. Porsupuesto entiendo que es la clave de nuestro religion, que es una herramienta por cual podemos saber que José Smith fue un profeta y que esta iglesia, entonces, tiene la autoridad verdadera de Jesucristo. Pero, para una persona que ya sabe todo de eso, ¿Por qué es importante para MI este libro?
Yo estaba muy preocupada en esta pregunta algunos meses antes de salir a la misión, y con mucho oración, pedí ayuda para entender eso. Él me ayudó mirar a mi vida y todo de las maneras en cual yo he crecido en mi fe en Jesucristo y las cosas que he aprendido y ahora puedo decir que sé, sin duda. En este momento, me di cuenta que todos de los principios que me han ayudado se encuentran en el Libro de Mormon. Cada desafio, problema, o pregunta que he tenido en mi vida, la respuesta está en el Libro de Mormon. Este libro es un don de Dios para nosotros, para guiarnos cada día, y para enseñarnos los principios que edifican nuestra fe en Jesucristo en maneras grandes. Tengo fe en mi Salvador, Jesucristo, que Él me ha cambiado, que Sus promesas son reales, que uo puedo tener esperanza en todo por Él. He encontrado y crecido en esta fe por medio del Libro de Mormon. Estoy tan agradecida por tener la oportunidad en mi vida de conocer este Libro y Jesucristo de quien testifica.

-Hermana Gebara

January 19.

¡Hola! ¿Cómo están todos? Today in Osorno it is raining. A lot. I have a feeling it will be like this until next December. Wednesday was Cambios so I now have a new companion, Hermana Larkin. She is really sweet and I am really excited about this cambio, it´s really scary being the one who has to know where everything is, who everyone is, and how everything works, but I´m surviving. Hermana Larkin got in without a problem, but Hermana Baum´s (the missionary in Ovejeria) new companion was stuck in Punta Arenas because Wednesday they started a protest because the government raised gas prices. They weren´t letting anyone in or out so the missionaries had to walk for two days (something like that, I´m sure the story has been made a little more dramatic by now) around the barricades to the airport to fly up here. In the mean time, Hermana Baum was with us in a trio. It was fun, but really difficult to balance teaching and to always stay together. It was cool that we got to switch off which sector we worked in though. Hermana Baum is great and Hermana Bertegnole finally arrived last night safe and sound, I´m really looking forward to getting to know the new Hermanas because they all seem really awesome.

So we had a lesson with Fernando yesterday. One of the first things we did was ask him if he had any questions that he´d like us to help answer. He then said, I kid you not: "Yes, what do I need to do in order to get baptized?" Yeah. Awesome. We´ve got his baptism planned for the 5th of February! I don´t think we realize the effect that we can have on people just as members. Everytime we talk to him about something, he says something to the effect of "Oh yeah, I already know about that. Caituska told me." By now our lessons pretty much consist of him explaining to us what he understands about a certain principle and us saying "Exactly." It helps that Caituska is amazing. I always joke with her that I want to be her when I grow up, even though she´s 18... Anyway, don´t forget the great help you can be to the missionaries and investigators!

So also, random cool moment yesterday. I had a Ricky Ricardo moment where I just went off in a rant in Spanish. Then it hit me... "Oh my goodness... I speak Spanish!" It was cool.

It´s been a really crazy week with cambios, we´re still working with a lot of great people and I´m really excited to be working in this sector. I love being a missionary. I love the ways I am able to grow every day. I love being able to see Heavenly Father work miracles in peoples lives. I love being able to see more clearly the love that the Lord has for me. I´m trying to follow the direction that Christ gave in Matthew about "Lose your life to find it" and I´m trying to do that one step at a time.

A mission is a miracle. It´s not always easy, but everyday can be a lifechanging experience if you make it.

Love you all,
Jamie

January 10.

So today we went down to Llanquihue to spend the day at the house of the Hamiltons, a missionary couple that is serving here, but also own property here individually, it was amazing, we had an amazing view of volcan Osorno, I´ll try to send pictures!

Our miracle of an investigator, Fernando, is still doing great. We are so excited! He´s going to try to stay home from his trip this weekend to go to church with us because he really wants to know 100% that it´s true. Honestly, I always heard stories about these golden investigators, but now I get it, prepared by the Lord does not even begin to describe it. We also found 3 new people who we are really excited to start teaching, and another one of our investigators is starting to really progress. Ah the life of a missionary, tiring but amazing. I was walking around Friday just super excited and happy even though I was exhausted. I love it. Not that it´s always easy or always fun, but I will be VERY sad when it´s over. I still have plenty of time to not have to think about that, but I´m glad that I still have a lot of time to take advantage of here. Things are really picking up in our ward as well, I´m so excited to see the progress!

Cambios are this week which means Hermana McShane will be leaving and I´ll be getting another companion. I´m sad to see her go, and very scared to have to be the one who knows how to get places, because we all know how I am with directions, but that´s why we have faith, right?
I´m going to miss our zone, but I´m sure that I will grow to love my next zone in its own special way.

Thanks for your letters! I finally got some Christmas cards and letters this week. I really appreciate all of your love and support!

Love,

Jamie