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