Fabian's baptism

Linares: City of Dreams‏

Okay, so this week has been great. I am absolutely LOVING Linares

It is NOT little. Everyone told me it was this little campo town, but it is at least 5x bigger than Hualqui- it is surrounded by farms so people think there is nothing out here. There is a huge city center that is beautiful. I am absolutely thrilled to be here. I got to jump right in a start teaching this week with a good of investigators. I can tell the difference in sectors in the city that are near Concepción and out here in 'campo' people are a little more friendly and willing to listen which is awesome.

We are teaching two families who have dates for baptism this next month. Right now I don’t know if either of them feel ready to be baptized, but this week we are going to do our best to help them learn how to understand the voice of the spirit so that they can know they have received an answer to their prayers and feel comfortable and ready for this big step.

Our home here is HUGE. It is so sad there are only 2 of us in it. We are actually the only Hermanas in the zone too.

Here we also have BIKES. It has helped out a lot this week because this sector is so big. They have to be fixed up a little this week, but they are super nice to have around.

We also have our own washing machine. I am not really sure how this sector can get better, but I will let you know. It really does surpass my dreams. Well Love you. I will let you know more in the coming weeks about the sector. I am loving being with Hermana Ovando once again and excited to learn more from her.

Besos

Hermana Saunders

Fabian's baptism

We had a baptism yesterday! (¡Por fin!) It might be the most beautiful thing I think I have ever witnessed. We had it after church and so many people helped out which was awesome. His family came and while we were taking pictures President and Hermana Arrington showed up! Hermana Arrington had taught him with us a few weeks back and we had invited her to come (but didn’t hear from them after so we expected them not to come) It was such a pleasant surprise. We started the meeting with two talks from a youth in the ward and one of Fabians mentors in his basketball team. Hey were really neat. We then went to the font and there he was baptized by his neighbor, Hermano Colla- It was a really emotional moment for me and Hermana Prettyman. After that We heard his seminary teacher give her testimony and then Hermana Prettyman and I sang a musical number together. The Spirit was so strong in the room when Hermana Arrington then got up and bore her testimony about how Fabian was a chosen spirit to help the Lords work and share the gospel- tears were shed.

I feel so lucky to have had the chance to teach Fabian. I know that God put him in our path for a reason

Other craziness CAMBIOS today! I am going to Linares! It is literally a dream come true! Hermana Ormeño and Hermana Prettyman have both been there and LOVED it- their favorite sectors. I am thrilled to meet their converts. It is 'Campo' or away from the city which I am really excited about. I will be with Hermana Ovando AGAIN! Crazy right?  I am excited 3 weeks just wasn’t enough together.

I want to testify that God lives and he loves each and every one of us. He has a beautiful plan for each and every one of us. He will help us achieve heights that we never could alone.

I love you!

Besos

Hermana Saunders

Fun tidbit- we woke up to the sound of meows and when we looked in our garage the tom cat that hangs around our house had kittens on an old sleeping bag in there. We now have 4 of them that wake us up every morning.

What sign do I want to show God

Hello Family and friends! How was your week? Mine was fabulous. Uneventful but it is absolutely wonderful to be in the service of my God.

Fabiàn is doing so great. We are preparing him for his interview this week and his baptism on Sunday. We made invites and everything.

Jannier as well continues to progress and this week we will complete all of her needed teachings before her baptism. In talking to President Arrington, he would like her to attend church for another month before her baptism, so she will be set for the beginning of November.

We have a reading chart for both of them that we are all doing together to help them get to know the stories and teachings of the Book of Mormon.

When they are both baptized we will be totally dry without investigators...So we went finding this week. Many days of a of walking and praying, but we reached our goal, only through the miracles of God. We will have some new people to visit this next week hooray. I'll let you know if any of them progress.

This week we taught about la Dia de Reposo or the Sabbath Day. In our zone conference last week we learned about how the First Presidency sent out training videos to all stake presidency in the world about the importance of the Sabbath day. They promised us that if we keep the Sabbath day holy we can increase our faith and have lasting conversion! That is a huge promise! Especially when we are looking at the number of less actives in our area.

Something we taught it that the Sabbath day it not just going to church. It is devoting ALL of our day to our Heavenly Father to do HIS work. It is a day to rest from our labors. It means using our time to do HIS work and not ours.

My invitation for you guys this week is to analyze your dia de reposo and as Elder Nelson challenged us from his last conference talk 'what sign do I want to show God?  Then with our actions show Him that he is first in your life.

Sending my Love from Chile!

Besos

Hermana Saunders

¡Conferencia General!‏

What a wonderful week. A long, but wonderful week.

Here are some highlights

 

On Tuesday we invited our mission President's Wife, Hermana Arrington to come out with us on so visits. It was such a great day! We visited Fabiàn with her and her testimony brought such a great spirit to the lesson. We taught him about prophets and he asked us if we'd be happy if he became prophet one day. It was a joke, but we told him that we would be very proud of him if he became prophet but that first he needed to be baptized. He has always related to Joseph Smith so we joke and call him Fabiàn Smith. He came to all sessions of conference and told us of his excitement to become a teacher after his baptism. He is so incredible. He has such desires to change and please God. He is so excited to be baptized in 2 weeks.

 

We also put a date for Jannier for baptism at the beginning of November. She attended 2 sessions of conference and really liked it. Despite the fact that her mother and father do not want her to be baptized, she has a testimony of the church and is following what she knows to be true.  I love her. She so brave.

 

It is weird that our focus group has turned into the youth program! It show me that really in these final days Heavenly Father is sending his strongest soldiers to come and grow in the gospel. I look up to Jainner and Fabian so much. I feel so blessed Heavenly Father trust us to teach them.

 

We also had zone conference this week. (15 hours of conference for us)

 

We spoke a lot about helping our areas understand the importance of keeping the Sabbath day Holy. I learned so much, even about how we as missionaries can consecrate our Sundays more fully to our Father in Heaven.

 

I was so moved by General Conference, and I just want to invite you if you haven't already had the chance to listen to the talks, to do it. And then review it. I know we have a prophet of God on the earth today. I know that through the words of his servants the Lord tells us all that we need to know and do. God can answer any questions and doubts that you have if you are willing to act on the words of his prophets.

 

I love this mission. Through everything I know that this is where I am supposed to be. I know that God has a path for all of us. He Loves us and knows our needs.

Besos

Hermana Saunders