Week 71 (Rancagua, Zona Tupahue 1 [Villa el Sol]

My crazy family<3,

MY PACKAGE FINALLY ARRIVED!!!!!!! yayyyyyy thank you! thank you for the bracelet mommy, I'm going to wear it everyday! haha :)

This week was great! we FINALLY had a ward activity! and it turned out GREAT!!!!  Hopefully that will help convince our bishop to let us do activities more often!
We had 2 investigators that came to the activity, and one Sister, who just HAPPENS to be a returned missionary, brought 3 non-member classmates, to the activity!  Also, Melissa Campos came! She is progressing little by little, but the awesome thing is that she is progressing! She came to church again on Sunday and already committed to come next week as well.  Her older sister and her sisters husband (and their new born baby) had to move back in with Melissa and her parents because the husband had been out of work for a while. It´s been rough on them, but I am starting to see it as a blessing because she will be able to help Melissa be more diligent in going to church, reading her scriptures, etc. (Her sister is also a returned missionary:))


We also found a really great investigator this week! Her name is Diana. She was a reference from a sister in the ward who works driving colectivos.  She gave her a ride one day in her colectivo and Diana told her about how 2 of her three children had passed away, one form sickness and the other had committed suicide, so the sister, hermana Guacolda, talked to her about eternal families and about the gospel, and then asked her if she´d like to listen to the missionaries and she said yes!  Saturday morning hermana Guacolda drove us to Diana´s house and we taught her about the restoration of the gospel and the Priesthood authority to make covenants to be sealed as families, etc.  She was super receptive and prepared!  That same night she went to the activity, hna Guacolda picked her up, and she had a great time. Then she also committed to coming the next day to Sacrament Meeting.  When we saw Hna Guacolda at church Sunday morning she explained to us that she had passed by Diana´s house in the morning and called and called but that she must have slept in because no one answered.  But about half way through Sacrament Meeting there is a knock on the door and in walks DIANA! She had come all by herself when she realized that she´d slept in! I have never seen such dedication in an investigator!  Then because it was the 5th Sunday everyone but the people from Gospel Principles met up to have a ward chat/inventory/lesson.  SO we stayed in the gospel principles class and the teacher started to ask if anyone had questions and Diana started asking more about eternal families and what she could do for her sons that had already passed. Well, one thing lead to the next and we ended up inviting her to be baptized right there in the not-gospel-principles-gospel-principles class…. AND she accepted!!! So now she has a date set for the 26th of July and is going to be preparing for that in these next couple weeks! YAYYYYYY!

What else?? Oh, yesterday we thought there was somebody robbing our investigator, Jocelyn´s house. We got there for the appointment and everything was dark and turned off and silent, but he front door was WIDE open, so well called and called (Halo-ed) out side the gate and nobody answered. SO then we stopped calling for a  little bit and start talking low about what could have happened or why the door was open when all the sudden we hear someone inside coming down the stairs. Somebody dressed in dark colors, a tall guy. And we start to freak, because Jocelyn is married, but her husband works in Punta Arena and doesn’t come back for like a month or two. BUT long story short, it was her cousin who had come to visit and was baby sitting her kids. So that was a fun non-adventure.  We got all spooked for nothing. lol

Other than that, all´s good in the neighborhood! Love you  guys so much! Hope you are having a blast on your crazy trip!!!  You are all Davis studs! ;)  Be safe!

Hna Davis




Ps.. Zoe, that´s it, you are SOOOOOOO busted! Totally going to hang you by your toenails in 2 months! Asi que, ¡prepárese!  [prepare yourself]

Week 70 (Rancagua, Zona Tupahue 1 [Villa el Sol] - w/ Hna. Arellano from Tabasco, Mexico)

Hey Fam bam!
SO this has been a good week! We started another cambio here in Villa el Sol together.  Things have been kind of interesting with the world cup going on and everything.  I feel like the weeks are seriously FLYING by and skipping days too!  Monday, Thursday, Sunday. haha SO much to do, so little time.

I'm sitting here in front of the computer screen mind blank, just thinking, What happened this week? What can I tell my family about???  I think the fact that I'm a little wound up isn't helping me think at all.  Here's what's happening:... Today Chile plays in the world cup again at 12pm (right now) and we have to enter the house before the game ends at 2pm, and be enclosed in the house the rest of pday. BUT the thing is that they told/informed us yesterday that we didn't have to be in the house until 3pm, so we made all our plans around that because we had to clean the house this week (deep clean) and then take pictures of it to send into the office and we had to do all that BEFORE going to use internet because we have to send them by email. So in total we have like 4 hours tops out of the house, and 2 of those hours are used by writing the family (and walking to and from the place), and my comp and I had to go to the center to go buy boots and fleece tights because the boots I was wearing had a huge hole in the sole and we were both freezing to death for lack of thick/warm tights. And that takes a while because we don't know the center very well and it's a little far away.  SO we leave at like 9:30 to go to the center, go to the bank, take out some cash, go buy boots at some sale place, then its like 11 something and our DL calls to let us know that we actually have to enter the house before TWO pm.  SO long story short I'm in the internet place right now rushing to write everything I need before I have to go home and we won't even have time to go grocery shopping or anything and I'm not going to lie, its a little bit frustrating, because they informed us badly.  But "everybody makes mistakes and everybody has those days", plus I'll get over it and bounce back shortly.  Sacrifice brings blessings!!! haha

On Wednesday we had to go home for a few hours too because Chile played Spain AND WON!!!! VAMOS CHILE!!!! hahaha  The people were screaming and driving by honking their horns, waving the flag out their car windows until they went to bed that night, and the game started at like 3 pm! I've never been one to get all excited about sports, let alone soccer, but their enthusiasm is definitely contagious.

Ok, so this week. This week we were finally able to teach Patricia again, and that was awesome because she is a great investigator! And for her schedule and everything we hadn't been able to teach her in like 3 weeks, it was crazy! But it was awesome to see that she is still very interested and open to listen to us and read the Book of Mormon and everything! :)

My companion got bit by a dog this week! haha but luckily it didn't break the skin (narrowly escaped the 6 rabies shots haha)! It was the craziest thing because we were walking along the side walk - and here ALL the houses have gates around their front yard/garden, and almost everyone has dogs that stand there and bark at you while you are trying to contact people lol,- so like I said, we were just walking along the side walk, passing by the houses, and there in this little hole in a wooden gate where you put your hand through to open the gate and as my companion passed by, this crazy dog jumped up and grabbed her elbow through that little tiny space in the fence!  She almost started crying, but more for being startled/nerves than feeling pain.

Other than that all is good here, we are happy and working hard. This Saturday we have an activity put on by us missionaries and our ward mission leader.  The theme is unity and friendship and we are going to try to unite the ward a little better so they work better together by playing games and everything, then we are going to have sopaipillas as refreshment! YUMM! sopaipillas con pebre!!!  haha it's going to be awesome and we are inviting the whole world, so we have high expectations! I'll let you know how it goes next week.

Love you guys lots and lots! I hope you are all well and making good choices haha. you are the best family in the whole wide world!  Thanks for sending pics of everyone! that´s so cool that mike´s fam cam to visit! Send my love to everyone! Take care!!!!!

Hna Davis

ps. ZOE!!! write me a letter or I'll hang you by your toe-nails.

With care, your long-lost/forgotten/abandoned/neglected sister. :)

Week 69 (Rancagua, Zona Tupahue 1 [Villa el Sol] - w/ Hna. Arellano from Tabasco, Mexico)

HEY FAM BAM!!!!

This has been a crazy week!  Well, like you were saying in your emails last week, I don't even think crazy weeks exist anymore because every week is about the same on the level of craziness! haha

This week I did divisions with the sisters in Graneros and it was super fun!  A grand adventure! Their sector is pretty campo [out in the country] and really LOOONG, SO... we went... wait for it... ON BIKES!!!!!  First time in my mission where I got to ride a bike in the sector! And first time in my life that I rode a bike with a skirt on! ...and first time in my life that I rode a bike when it is raining cats and dogs!!! hahaha and did you know that when you bike in the rain you get WAY, WAY wetter than if you were just on foot carrying an umbrella around??? hahaha Hna Villareal and I got back to the house soaked all the way through, but even so, we had a great day! and we just laughed about it. The thing was that despite the rain, it was like a dream day for a missionary, because every house we went to let us in!!! and a bunch of them were just contacts (future investigators) that the sisters had made and set appointments to go back (NORMALLY like 80% of those appointments fall through). It was sweet! I also always love being able to go to other sectors to see and also be with the other sisters to get to know them better and love them even more!  They are ALL super awesome!

So that was Wednesday-Thursday.  Thursday afternoon my comp had an appointment in the clinic to get an allergy test where they prick your arm with a bunch of different stuff like pollen, dust, etc to see what you are allergic too, the results: ... nothing! and the lame thing is that we are 80% sure it's food that is causing it, but they only do the food test in Santiago... BUT luckily she hasnt had any allergy episodes lately so we are hoping we wont have to worry about it anymore....

Friday: Chile played in the world cup so we had to go home early, at 6pm (the time Chile started their game) because Chileans LOVE their football and they get pretty dang wriled up, not to mention que son muy buenos para al alcohol (generalmente) [that they're big on alcohol (generally)], so for our safety all the missionaries had to retire early to do our weekly planning. It was funny though because without watching the game we knew that Chile had won and exactly how many goals they had scored, because every time Chile scored a goal the WHOLE neighborhood errupted in shouts and cheers and everything, then when the game ended they all went out in their cars screaming and cheering and honking their horns driving like 3 times around the neighborhood screaming and honking before going to some place to celebrate.

This week we had some really awesome spiritual experiences!  I just LOVE being a missionary, and having the PRIVILEDGE to share the restored gospel and the TRUTH everyday, and to be the Lord's mouthpiece and hands here in Villa el Sol, with my compi.

BTW we're not changing!  We get to stay together another cambio and I get to finish Hna Arellano's training!  We are SUPER happy about it!!!!

This cambio is going to be AMAZING!!!

Love you fam bam!  Hope you had a great father's day daddy. Take good care! make good choices ;)

Hna Davis

Week 68 (Rancagua, Zona Tupahue 1 [Villa el Sol] - w/ Hna. Arellano from Tabasco, Mexico)

Hey fam bam!

Today has been an awesome but super crazy day! We did a lot of awesome things but the result was that now we have no time for anything else! haha So sorry if this email comes out short.

Today we went to this place up in the mountains called COYA, looking for snow (my comp wanted to conocer la nieve [get to know the snow]) lol We woke up like half an hour earlier than usual and got ready and left the house at like 7:15 we and picked up a member then walked to the bus station, waited an hour for the bus to come, and took the 45 min bus ride up into the mountains. It was crazy how much parts of the ride up looked like the 18 Highway coming up the hill haha, but there there was this one part where we came up over a ridge and started dropping down into the valley and when we came up over the ridge, the whole view opened up into the huge valley in the MIDDLE of the mountain range and it was BREATHTAKING!!!! I'm sorry to have to say this but it was way more breathtaking than anything I've ever seen in the Sierras. Of course, pictures never do it justice, especially not from a bus window, but even so I took some and I'll attach some. It was absolutely amazing. Then in the afternoon, an awesome family here, family Campos made us an asado [BBQ] in the afternoon for lunch and we went there but then couldn't leave until like 4 ...and then we had no time left to do anything because we still had to clean the house and write to the fam. We didn't even have time to buy food, so I'm hoping what I have in the house lasts. lol but even so its been a good day, it´s just that I sometimes stress a bit when we are tight on time lol



This week was good but it rained almost all week and was super cold, so that's sometimes hard on us missionaries especially when no one wants to open their doors and let you in. They just open up, ask you what you want, then tell you no because it´s cold or it´s raining and then tell you to go to your house and get out of the rain. And at first when they tell you that it´s cold or it´s raining you´re thinking "Aw really? I hadn't noticed! You know, because I'm standing here IN the rain hiding under my umbrella and shivering so hard its probably visible." haha Then when they tell you to go home and your like... yeah... I CANT but if you'd let me IN it'd be MUCH better! hahaha but no, we were blessed to be inside teaching more than out in the rain, although my companion did get SOAKED when a truck drove through a puddle of water next to the sidewalk on Tuesday (while I was in divisions in Santiago renewing my carnet). Poor thing! hahaha I think she won all the good sport points that day.

This week we set a new baptismal date goal with jopsely (because here the investigators have to go to church at least three weeks before getting baptized and she hasn't been able to come yet). This Sunday she was going to come with Hna Jimenez (they were having a pj party because hna Jimenez´ spouse was going to be out of town for the weekend and with her chemo and everything she can't really be left alone), BUT they both slept in. I guess they forgot to set their alarm. CHOOTA! but NEXT WEEK! SI O SI!!!! haha

What else can I tell you? We have a lot of good investigators and are seeing that the sector is starting to pick up, there was a point there when we pretty much had nothing (when all the craziness was going on with my other trainee who went home, and being in trios and 2 sectors, etc, etc) but it´s been awesome seeing a slow but steady progress now that I've got an awesome new companion and we have been back in business 100% of the time in OUR sector. :) The hardest thing has been SEEING all our investigators regularly because they all have complicated schedules and we have an appointment set for the end of the week with them (for example) and then they can't make it for a surprise meeting or a changed work shift and then there goes the week and we weren't able to visit them. But it´s not that big of a challenge. We are working on calling them before hand to remind them and calling them more during the week, setting goals and making plans to overcome the challenge lol :) doing what missionaries do :)

Something cool that happened to me this week was it just like "clicked" in my brain (a little better than ever before) that through the Atonement we can not only become better and stronger in our strong points or less weak in our weak points, but that through the Atonement, I can actually make my weaknesses STRENGTHS! I don´t know why that had never "clicked" before, but it did this week and I'm very grateful for that and putting a stronger effort and emphasis on making my weaknesses strengths, not just bettering them a little tiny bit.

Other than that, they tell us the cambios this Saturday. I have never been so nervous for cambios in my whole mission. haha We will see what happens.

Love you all SOOOOOO much! Take care our yourselves!
Hna Davis

Week 67 (Rancagua, Zone Tupahue 1 [Villa el Sol])

Heyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!!!

This week was crazy! It absolutely FLEW by!

Monday, P-day activity with the hnas- making home made pizza at our house 

Tuesday, divisions with the sisters in Graneros (from the other zone)

Wednesday, come back from divisions in the morning, doctors appointment for my comps allergies in the evening.

Thursday, mission leadership council with Elder Salas from the 70

Friday, ZONE CONFERENCE WITH ELDER SALAS!

Saturday, and Sunday normal, and here we are on Monday again!

It was so awesome having the opportunity to be in the leadership council and then in the conference with Elder and Sister Salas! It was absolutely INCREDIBLE! It was like they just came into our dark room and turned on the light! WOW! Everything seems SOOO much clearer now!  I have been so privileged to be able to be around them for 2 days! ...And the coolest part was that after the conference ended on Friday and we were all eating lunch, the sisters at our table and I notice as elder and Hna. Salas walk in, get there plates of food and start looking for a place to sit, so we all flag them down and they come and sit with us at our table! So all during lunch we were talking with them and asking them questions talking about doubts and doctrine, like an open discussion with a member of the 70!  How cool is that?!?! The poor things had to take turns answering our questions so that while one talked the other could eat.  Then before Elder Salas could even finish off his lunch they called him up to do interviews with some missionaries.

In the Conference I was the second speaker, after Hna Warne (the Mission President's wife).  I was super nervous preparing my talk all week because with how busy we were, I could never find the right time to prepare it and what happened like two times is that I sat down to write it, after having studied, and NOTHING came to mind!  By Thursday night, I had a ROUGH idea of what I COULD say and about a paragraph and a half written, so I woke up at like 5 something on Friday morning to finish and practice my talk.  I was really nervous, but I felt good about it after I´d finished.  It was really funny during the conference because I kept breathing super deeply and couldn't sit still before I got up to speak, but then after I finished I was as happy and relaxed as ever! haha The hermana that was sitting next to me laughed at me for it. 

My compi and I are doing really well! she is great! and so patient with me hahaha.

This week we found an investigator (an 84 year old named Clara) on Saturday night and on Sunday she came to church with us! Tania also came to church for the 2nd time this week and one of the YW told us afterward that they are getting together during the week to eat, and she had already invited her to all the activities for the month of June!!! hahaha I love it!

 

Well times up folks, love you so much! be good! Byeeee!