Newbies Conference

So this week we had a conference for all the newbies that came in with me. It was amazing I learned so so much about teaching, finding, obedience etc. Along with the conference I went on a mini cambio (exchanges) with an hermana leader in another sector, Hermana Fisher. I went to Tome, it is so beautiful there. From area you can see over the whole city and out to the Ocean. Hermana Fisher was in a trio with, and helped train Hermana Howe when she was a newbie, I met her few weeks ago at the zone activity when we went to the beach and so I was so happy I got paired up with her. She has taught me so much. She has incredible energy. I love her.

Spanish is coming. Very... very.... slowly. It really depends on the day and the person, but I am doing my best to improve always. It seems like I will never really be fluent, but right now I would just be satisfied to say more in the lessons.

In other news my ward went to the temple this week and Leontina went through the temple!!! Yes! She is so strong. I only wish a few more of the cute little ladies in our ward would catch her spirit.

Not to much else is happening. Next week is Cambios and there is a good chance Hna Howe will be leaving me (she has 6 months in Barrio Norte), but life is great here. 

Cheek kisses, chow

Hermana Saunders

Winter in Chile

Not much time to write, but I wanted to share a little about the people we are teaching.

Leontina! LOVE her. she is a less active and she is going to the temple this weekend, we are so happy for her. she is amazing

Elena another less active who has stopped smoking and took the sacrament 2 weeks ago for the first time in years. she is changing so much. We gave her a bible this week to read with her LDM and she was absolutely beaming. She is wonderful.

New family I will call 'The James' Both mom and dad are less active but are so ready for the gospel in there life again. They have 3 sweet daughters and we have been helping the oldest prepare for baptism. They are progressing so much.

(We have a few more but these  are the most progressive)

We recently had to cut a few of our investigators because of some different things but we are doing our best to find news and help prepare the ward for them

to answer some questions I got to see all but the women's session of conference in English. Did you catch the Chilean speaker? He was awesome.

We had a conference with Elder Oaks this week. We watched him from a live feed from Santiago. It was so so good. He said the brethren are going to speak a lot more about sacrament in the coming months. His words will really help some of our investigators and the members. He also spoke on converting people to CHRIST not the 'church.' So awesome really.

Winter is here! Here comes the rain! It was a down pour all night on Saturday. 

Have you ever heard the term 'fishers of men' well let me tell you something umbrellas are the fishing poles. Contacts were so much more friendly when we shared our umbrellas with them when we talked. It was actually really fun for once. 

With the winter our apt has really cooled down. I have literally slept in my coat this week. Hot chocolate has become our best friend! 

Cheek kiss! Chow!

Hermana Bleu- I read her blog before I left

The view from our apartment

Tome Beach

Hermana's sang as they walked and walked and walked and walked

Blessing 1 of the week: I found another brand of salt and vinegar chips!!! Yes!

Here in my mission I was lucky enough to be 'born close' to Centro Concepción where they have a Walmart! Yay! Well it is actually called Lider but it is the same thing. There are corner markets EVERYWHERE where people buy bread, sweets and few other house hold items (I guess you could compare them to gas a station.) but there is really no place like lider.  It is so nice to find the same types of food we have at home there. 

The food here is pretty good. They serve a LOT of it but I enjoy it. The pan here is the best. I don't know how I lived before it. It is dangerously fattening but with all the walking we do I feel like I am working off all the food.

We are starting to work with people on their family history. Most of them are converts, so they are doing work for there parents and siblings which is so cool. Every week we get 2 hours to work on our own family history and one day Hermana Howe and I were complaining that we really have nothing to do during that time because our families have been member since the church has began. After visiting a sister who was a first generation convert, our minds were changed. She is the only one of her family who is a member and her family is not so supportive of her in the church but she is so strong and wants to do work for all her family. My family has been members for generations! What a blessing. We are so supported.

Things here are great. When we have conferences with other missionaries they all give me the "How are you really?" but honestly I am so good. It is true, I am still kinda just a warm body in most of the lessons and it is frustrating but I am happy. I am very tired but I am happy. I am so so sore, but I am happy. There are so many difficulties each day but there are so many blessings. I have never understood this exactly but our happiness, our success and even our quality of life is up to us. As long as you keep things in perspective, life is good.

We had zone conference this week with the Arringtons and it was good to see them. They are such wonderful people.

We went to the beach today in Tome and played games with another zone and that was so fun. I kinda got attacked by a dog when we were there but all is well. I went to tag someone and fell into the sand so it came to bother me. I didn't get bitten and I got a few good kicks at it so all it well. Good story. 

Cheek kisses

Hermana Saunders

Just call me Greengita

Hola! Week 2 has been awesome here! I am coming to love the area more and more each day. Forgive me for not mentioning it in my last email but I am in Andalièn, an area just North of Centro Concepción. We are in the Barrio Norte Ward with a set of Elders. It is one of the closest areas to the city that they allow Hermanas in. I am lovin it.

Another thing I forgot to mention in my last letter is that I experienced my first earthquake last week!!! Exciting stuff. They are very small, only last a few seconds and basically all you can feel is a little shaking from the ground. Harmless. But fun.

So this week I learned the valuable lesson of how to shower from a bucket. Our gas went out on Thursday right before all stores were closed for Palm Friday. So we have been having fun taking very cold showers and boiling water each day to bring with us into the shower. Hopefully we will have gas by the end of today.

Speaking of Palm Friday I hope everyone had a happy Easter and enjoyed conference, I sure did! Three new Temples and one in Thailand! I was so so happy to hear that! Anyone know why Elder Scott did not speak? I was a little bummed about that, he is my fav. Anyways, so many amazing things were said, not all of our investigators came to hear but we will be waiting eagerly for the Liahona to come out so we can share it with them. We are so lucky to have a living prophet on this earth.

Things are great here. I am learning more and more Spanish every day! Right now I am working on doing contacts on my own. If I am being honest I have definitely had some pretty awkward moments with it this week but I sure have learned a lot. It is an intimidating thing walking up to a stranger who speaks a different language than you and trying to get them to understand that God loves them and wants them to listen to you. Funny thing is through all our the weirdness of it the Spirit is always there. I may not know Spanish but I do know the language of the Spirit. Right now that is what is important.

I will be sending more pictures soon I promise but I forgot my camera cord today so you will just have to wait until next week (:

Love you!

*Cheek Kisses*

Hermana Saunders