Week 35 (Buin with Hmna Arias)

HEY! 

Change of plans!  I have new companion!  her name is Hna Arias (she came to replace me when I got transferred out of Lontué, and now she's my companion) from Lima, Peru.  Monday night as the three of us were returning to the house, we get a phone call from the AP's telling us that I would be getting a new companion after all and that she would arrive Wednesday afternoon.  The great part is that now we don't have to divide our time between the 2 sectors and my comp and I can focus 100% on Alto Jahuel. 

We found an awesome new investigator this week, her name is Ana.  She practically contacted us one day in the street while we were talking to a friend of hers. We asked her if she'd like us to pass by and she said, "yes"! We finally got a chance to pass by this week and she was SO happy! She said the closing prayer in our lesson and while she was praying, she burst out in tears and just poured her heart out  in her prayer.  When we taught her about Joseph Smith she told us that she feels EXACTLY like he did because she wants to draw closer to God...but she's afraid to take a step in the wrong direction.  She is loving the lessons and is so open and wonderful!  Also, she came to church with us this Sunday and loved every minute of it!  She is like 50 - 60 years old and so sweet! hah  She's great! We're stoked about it! 

Things are different with Hna Irrazabal gone, but the funny thing is that she says Hi to me or sends me a message almost every day through the members that talk with her on facebook. lol 

This week we were under the sun a lot, I'm a little pink.  OH! and you should see the watch tan I am rockin' right now! haha  Summer is just starting and I cant wait to see the tan lines I'll have by the time fall rolls around.  This week we spent a lot of time searching for people on the list of less active members.  I actually enjoy it, even when we walk all day and only find a few names because all of the directions are out of date or whatever it be!  haha  (wow, I just put this this in italics and I don't even know how, so now I can't take it off.  Oh well haha)  But anyways, it's like an adventure looking for these people and when we find them its even better, because there are always opportunities to meet new people and share the gospel in new ways.  I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY! :) 

Other than that, not much else is going on, just doing well, working hard, and enjoying it!
Love you so much family! take care of yourselves, don't forget your prayers and scripture study! You are the best family in the whole world!

Oh and mom, I read your stake conference talk... NAILED IT! ;) 

I love you!!! 
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

Week 34 (Buin with Hna Trujillo & Hna Zelaya)

 WOW! What a week... what a morning! We (Hermana Trujillo, Hermana Zelaya, and I) all said our goodbyes  to Hna Irrazabal and sent her off to the airport with the secretaries... I cried like a baby. She is incredible and I'm going to miss her like mad and that's all Im going to say about that because if I try to say more I might just start crying again. 

NEWS: SO, as for cambios.... I am staying here (obviously) BUT I am going to be in a trio with Hna Trujillo and Hna Zelaya and we are going to have to divide our time between the 2 sectors we have (Alto Jahuel and Buin).  It is going to be crazy and very interesting but we are all overly excited! I love Hna Trujillo and Hna Zelaya, Hna Trujillo has been in the house with me since I arrived, she goes home at the end of this cambio but she is another one of those noble and great ones and I know that I will learn A TON from her as well.  Hermana Zelaya has 6 months in the mission but is also amazing and we get along great!  Oh and she is from Bolivia.  These next 4 weeks are going to be amazing, theres no doubt about it! But I also know that where much is given much is expected so I'm preparing myself! lol  We are aware that we will most likely face a lot of oposition from the adversary, but we are putting on the "whole armor of God" ;)  I really feel spoiled at this point as far as companions go, because I remeber all this time living in the house with Hermana Trujillo thinking about how much a admire her as a missionary and that I would love to have her as a companion to be able to learn from her as well (because Hna Irrazabal and she are both AMAZING missionaries, but they both have different forms of teaching and different ways of being).  At the time I was sure it was impossible to be her companion as well, but now I got my wish! haha  Like I said, I feel really spoiled, but we 3 as a companionship are SUPER excited!

What else?  This week has been amazing, we worked hard and finished strong as a companionship and my companion never for one second got trunky, she is s real trooper.  We made a pact that we have to see each other again SI O SI [yes or yes...or no doubt about it] lol.

I am excited for these new changes and to see the miracles tha await us in this cambio. This week we had our zone conference and it was superb! Like every zone conference and meeting with the President, APs, etc it was SO inspired!  It was exactly exactly what each one of our investigators needed!  I always leave from meetings like that feeling like someone has taken the blind fold off my eyes that I didn't even know I had on!  I love how the Lord really guides us through His representatives here on the earth, I know He loves each and every one of His children with an infinite love and that He is aware of every last one and knows them by name! He guides His representatives here on the earth through revelation and they truly recieve revelation for each and every one of us.  How wonderful is the Gopel of Jesus Christ!  How merciful is our God!

Fam  bam! Love you lots and lots!  Portense bien, si no, les mato ;)  Sigan adelante con firmeza en Cristo! LES AMO MUCHO! Cuidense! Disfruten su semana!  [Everyone behave or I'll have to kill you;) Keep moving on firmly in Christ!  I love you so much!  Take care!  Enjoy your week!]

Kiss all the kids for me !  Tell them I love them! 

Week 33 (Buin; Last week w/ Hermana Irrazabal)

Yahoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Vivi and Victor finally got married this week! YIPEEEEEEE haha it was awesome! They looked great, in their own very them way. lol  I'll send the pics! haha

The only down side is that with all their friends and family staying at their house visiting and wanting to celebrate (in the non-Mormon way), they caved to pressure and drank over the weekend. So, we had to postpone their baptism date for the next weekend, and unfortunately, now my comp won't be able to be there to see them get baptized with Akori, who turns eight on the 20th!

We had a super good lesson with them last night on repentance, I think it was a break through lesson because, although we'd taught it a million times before and tried to explain it in every way we could think of, they didn't understand the need to repent, or the "why" of repentance.  But with how the lesson went last night, and with the help of a member accompanying us and the spirit guiding the lesson, we were able to share experiences and explain things in a new way and judging by their responses, I think they finally are beginning to understand. We also explained to them that faith is required as well, and as we have the faith to live the commandments, we begin to understand them more and more, so they committed to repent and continue preparing and making the changes necessary to get baptized.

This is my last week with my companion, she will be heading home next Monday... ¡triste!  [sad]  I love her SO much! I can't even begin to explain how much I have learned from her!  She is an awesome missionary and will continue being an awesome member after the mission.  Sad to see her leave!  Excited to see what opportunities and changes the Lord has in store for me and my new companion, who ever she may be! lol

Fam bam, love you lots! The gospel is true!  Keep on keeping on!  Give lots of love to Quinta for me! You are always in my prayers!

HAVE A GREAT WEEK!

Hermana Davis

Week 32 (Buin w/ Hermana Irrazabal)

HEY FAMILY!

So, I hear you are still doing daily family scripture study and personal study... HOORAY! That makes me so happy!  You don EVEN know! Keep it up! You ROCK Davis family! LOVE YOU SO MUCH!

SO, who loved conference? ME ME ME ME ME ME ME!!!!! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!! I LOVE CONFERENCE! I'm like a conference junky I swear!  It's pretty much better than Christmas in the mission! The cool part was that we missionaries (gringos) got to watch it in English too!  I love Spanish, but it just isn't the same if you can't hear THEIR voices.  It was kind of funny sitting in the English room of conference at the end, just us missionaries sitting around listening and taking notes.... the closing prayer ends and we all just stay there like... DANG IT! How can it be over???? And my district leader started fake balling... although he may have been faking it on the outside, I was really feeling that way on the inside! lol  But now I'm chomping at the bit to be able to study it in the Liahona.  I LOVE CONFERENCE!!!!! 

This week passed by SO fast!   OH! we found out cambios [changes] Saturday night.  My comp and I were thinking we were going to be put in a cambio until she heads home (in two weeks), BUT it turns out we have no changes in our companionship, but that means we will have special cambios in two weeks when Hermana Irrazabal goes home.  One of the sister that lives with us is getting transferred to another zone, so sad!  It's amazing how close you can get to someone living 2 cambios together in the same house, even when you're never IN the house together. 

 

This week we found an investigator of GOLD!  She is married with 2 teenage kids.  The family was really close friend with the missionary couple that was here earlier, and we ran into her the other day and she invited us to come eat lunch at her house Friday, so we went and while we are eating she tells us about her life and her friendship with the Grants (the missionary couple) and tells us that she sometimes says to her husband that she wants to be Mormon, but after being catholic (formerly) for so long she doesn't now if she could change her life style so much etc. BUT she came to one of the Saturday sessions of conference and brought her daughter.  We called her Sunday to see if she could come and she said she couldn't because they were celebrating her son's birthday... BUT that she'd been watching it from her PHONE!  Does it get more golden? I think not!  I think if we can just start working with her family and get them all in together then they will all get baptized. They are so amazing! They are the perfect Mormon family, just with out being Mormon! lol They even have plans to go visit the Grants in Georgia in January.  ¡Ojala que se bauticen antes de que se vayan!  [I hope they get baptized before they go].

 

Vivi and Victors wedding is supposedly this Friday, but they haven't been able to verify their date in the registro civil, but supposedly early this morning the registro was going to start working with marriage dates, and Vivi was going to go.  We will see what happens... prayers please! 

OH! and I forgot to tell you last week, we had a baptism! Victor, the 9 year old whose dad is a less active, or WAS a less active :) got baptized, that was awesome! He's a smart kid! 

Not much else going on! But I love you a lot! keep up with the AWESOME work! you're the best family in the whole wide world! ¡Cuidense MUCHO! ¡Les extraño! [Take good care of yourselves!  I miss you]

Hermana Davis

 

Week 31 - **Late P-day** (Buin w/ Hermana Irrazabal)

HI!!!!!
Tanto tiempo! (por favor no me maten) lol [It's been a while! (please don't kill me)]

This week felt like the longest week in my life! lol  Not really, I just feeling like I haven't talked to you in years because of the whole moving p-day thing. 

We have been working hard and focusing in on some of our weak points/numbers the last couple weeks, and this week we were able to reach some higher goals...and that was cool for us. 

We have really been struggling with Vivi and Victor lately.  Before, Victor had his whole heart in for the change and Vivi was just there so so, but now the tables have turned.  At the beginning, Victor had gone full force to stop drinking (& other "recreational" activities not in accordance with the Word of Wisdom), fighting with Vivi, etc, etc.  It seems he has been dabbling in those things again as of late (this has been over the past couple weeks), although nothing like before.  He just does it because he's loosened up/relaxed/gotten lazy.  Meanwhile, Vivi has raised the bar.  We have been racking our brains trying to figure out what to teach, how to teach it, etc, etc so that they pull themselves out of their laziness and get in gear.  I think we finally had a break through this week, when were having lunch with Vivi and talking about a lesson we'd had with them when we reprimanded them with much love and how they hadn't taken it well and afterward had felt bad.  Then, we started explaining our intentions and apologizing and talking more about it to the point that my companion broke down and started crying because she felt bad, because we REALLY try to do the very best we can, but even still we mess up, and we were feeling guilty for having made them feel bad.  When Vivi saw my comp cry and talked to Victor about it, I think it was exactly the wake up call they needed because they had been turning a little bit rebellious.  We will have to wait and see what happens, but personally, I feel like the air has shifted back to good now between us and them. They really are so awesome, and we love them SO much, they're like children to us, we get so happy when they do what's right and it tears us apart when they don't. The registro civil [Civil Register] FINALLY, FINALLY opened up this week so we are waiting anxiously to see if they can still get married on the 11th, or if they will have to do it later with how upside down everything is now in the registro civil.  

We have also been working a lot with Viki and Waldo.  Waldo has this fear of getting married, we haven't discovered fully yet why, he's a tough shell to crack.  He has been through some pretty heavy stuff in his life.  I think he is at the point now where he understands the importance of getting married and everything but he really has a fear of it.  Because of that, he has been driving us crazy recently with, yes, we'll get married, no, I don't want to, yes, I will, no, I don't want to.  BUT nothing that can't be fixed.  We just have to persevere and get to the root of his doubt and help him get over it.  This Friday we are going to do a fast with Viki so that Waldo can get over his fear or whatever it is that is holding him back.  With three kids together, you'd think it wouldn't be so hard lol. 

Other than that, my companion and I have been searching for new people to teach and working a lot on the list of menos activos [less active members].  

We don't have the "5x5 ministering visits"  thing here in Chile.  I actually haven't even heard of that. Right now, as a mission, we have a goal of actualizing/updating all of the list of member for all parts and branches of the mission before Nov 1st.  We are a bit less than half way there as a mission. What we have to do is go to every single one of the houses and addresses on the list and find out if the people are still living there or not and if not, try to get a new address for them.  It's really a cool thing!  I love it!  Along the way you find lots of part member families, new spouses or children that haven't been baptized, etc etc, but I also really just like working with the menos activos [less active members] and watching them, step by step, gain their testimony back, just as if they were an investigator. 

I love these people SO much. I hope I get to stay in this sector like 6 or 7 months. That would rock!  I love our investigators, I love the members, I love the less actives, the leadership, etc etc..  Like every where and every branch, it has it's challenges and weaknesses, but I LOVE the Buin Branch and I LOVE ALTO JAHUEL!  [the area & branch she is working in] 

I read this SUPER awesome message in the September issue of the Ensign that you all HAVE to look up and read it's called! "His Grace is Sufficient" 

It´s really helped me to deepen my understanding and LOVE for my Savior and the Atonement. I love my Savior!  He is my strength and my joy.  He is my message. 

I love you so much family!  Keep up the awesome work with family prayers and scripture study!  I know that everything is going to turn out for the best because the Savior is the center of our home and the rock upon which we have built or foundation, therefore, we will not fall.  I LOVE YOU MORE THAN I COULD EVER PUT IN WORDS!  Behave yourselves ;)

Thanks for loving me and loving the Lord enough to let me have this amazing self losing and self finding experience.

Your loving daughter/big sis,

Hermana Davis

P.S.  Hey, I'm trying to send pics right now but the computer I am on isn't reading my card and the Hna I'm with is currently downloading music to her card and can't lend me her computer.  I would ask for a different computer but my time is almost up.  I hope that's acceptable because I put effort in trying to write a long email, and I didn't write to anyone else (besides my mission president) not a single person, nor did I read any other emails. but i will make sure and START with pictures Monday (soon!) please forgive me for last week and other times that have been lame and short. thank you for expressing your feelings about it.  It was the wake up call that I needed.  I am and will continue to do better.  I really love you a lot, things just get tricky sometimes.   Please forgive me.