Tuesday, September 27, 2016

Hi!

Hola!
Como esta todos? We are getting used to the new changes and with it, working harder in our area! We have been able to meet with new people and see new miracles every day. We do have a little less time working in our area, but that doesn't seem to make a difference with all the stuff that has been able to happen! Since people are back from their vacations we have been able to teach them this week. It's been great!
This week was also the first session of conference for women. Our stake had a tomar once activity before streaming it live in the chapel, where everybody came to eat food, talk, and then we got to hear the prophets. They also had a room for the English speakers (because there are a fair few who exist in our stake) and it was really nice. It was just basically us and a family from another ward. Because it was streamed live, it started at 9 PM, but we had permission to stay until 11. We were super tired in the morning, but it was worth it.

At the General Women's Conference with one of our members, Victoria Hernandez.

We also went to have a lunch in the community La Florida to meet our past companions and see how things have been going. It was awesome and we got to eat some delicious brownies (which doesn't happen that often here). It was great!

Our lovely lunch with the sisters of Los Copihues, Los Cañas, y Vicente Valdes.

Les quiero!

Hermana Reed

My area. Look at the beautiful smog.

A sign we found in an elevator in a subway station. Translated, it says, "This elevator is a huge help for people who have reduced mobility. It is not a bathroom! Please, take care of it."

Tuesday, September 20, 2016

The 18th of September that Didn't Happen

Hola,
This week was the week where everybody left on a trip. All of our investigators set up citas with us this week because they left, but we ended up finding new investigators, which was a blessing in the end. I have also heard a lot about the 18 de septiembre in Chile, with missionaries saying that I would eat so many empanadas that I would be full, but on the 18th, nobody really wanted to meet with us and the only people in the street were from Brazil or Palestine. But don't be afraid; we managed to make the most of this time by calling a bunch of people and setting up future lessons with them! To make up for the 18th that didn't happen, I will include pictures from last week's party which was fun!




We also had a zone conference to help the missionaries in Las Condes, and with my new calling I had to help facilitate. It was a little scary, but it worked out really well and we were able to inspire them and feel the spirit.
Ciao ciao!

Hermana Reed

Tuesday, September 13, 2016

Changes!

Hola!
So a new change has come and gone and I am...staying in my same area as before! This will be my fifth change (a change for me is six weeks) in Cristobal Colon, and my hija has left to everybody's surprise. Everybody thought I was going to leave, but the Lord has other plans for me! Besides that, I have now been made hermana capacitadora (I think in English it's called sister training leader) for my zone. My new companion, Hermana King, also has never been hermana capacitadora, so we are going to be learning together! It's going to be so much fun.
This past week we had our ward party for the Chilean Independence day! All of September is full of Chile celebrating and flags are everywhere. There were a lot of people who weren't from our ward at our party enjoying the food, the dance, the bouncy houses, and the trampoline they set up for everybody. Hermana Hirchak and I helped pass out alfahores and cuchufli to everybody who came. We also got to see people dance the cueca, which is the traditional dancing in Chile.


We now have a Chinese investigator! She came into the church basketball court with her little girl when we had our zone activity and were playing soccer and basketball, and some of the other missionaries got her number. We passed by with a Chinese Book of Mormon, which she was really grateful to have. Other than that, we couldn't talk much because she doesn't know much Spanish and her English is survivable.  So we went back with a member who speaks Chinese and are planning to meet her more often! Her name is Dina and she has the cutest two year-old girl named Ming Ming. Her husband works so much we haven't gotten to meet him at his house. But we saw him at the ward party and got to know him there! But the Chinese member is also really excited to share the gospel, so we've asked for a couple more Chinese Books of Mormon for her to share.
We also have been able to share more of the gospel and meet more and more people! It's been crazy how we've been able to find people, but I know it's not only because of me. Not to mention one of my favorite scriptures lately is Joshua 1:9.
Exito!

Hermana Reed

Tuesday, September 6, 2016

Las Condes and Cristobal Colon

This week has been crazy! Hermana Lewis, the missionary who came to live with us unexpectedly, ended up staying with us until Friday. We tried to work in her area and our area. On Tuesday we did splits with a sister in our wad, who is actually from Australia and doesn't speak any Spanish. Hermana Lewis and Hermana Hirchak went to Las Condes to go to a couple citas that were planned earlier, and I stayed with Sister Clay to go to the things that were planned out in Cristobal Colon.
Hermana Clay was awesome and super brave to go out with me. She moved here with her family to work in the Australian Embassy, and they have been struggling a bit in church because they don't know how to speak Spanish. But she still goes, and the members are trying to figure out ways she can also get something out of church. She came out with me, and I helped her a bit with the Spanish she's been learning. We actually got to contact some tourists on our way to a cita.
One cita fell through, but she got to come with me to another cita. She was mainly silent as I taught, but I got the thought to ask Diego (the person we were teaching) if he understood any English. When he said he understood some, I asked Hermana Clay if she could share an experience she's had with the Holy Ghost. She was really surprised, because I had only helped her write her testimony in two sentences in Spanish. But she shared a great experience and it changed the whole lesson. Even if Diego didn't understand everything, I could tell he was touched by her testimony. He was so sincere as he asked questions and I answered. Hermana Clay was also happy after the lesson and laughing. I was glad I was able to help her and help her adjust to living in Chile.
Besides that, we had intercambios and had to go back to Registro Civil to help Hermana Lewis get her visa card. It was super fun with her around and getting to see some of her sector and letting her see some of mine. We worked hard, going to citas, contacting, until she got a new companion this last Friday. Now things have returned to normal. At least she's in the same ward building, so we get to see her Sundays.

Hermana Reed