Hola FAMILIA!!!!! Como le va?! :) :) :) :) :)
I CANNOT BELIEVE THIS IS MY LAST LETTER TO YOU IN
AMERICA! The time here as absolutely flown right on by, I can't believe we are
now here...leaving to Chile in what... 4 DAYS! I am feeling all sorts of
emotions let me just tell you. Estoy muy animada pero tambian muy preoccupada.
Es feliz, es triste.... a WHOLE jumble of emotions! But I can't wait for this
amazing opportunity to go and teach, become the Lords hands in Chile. Teaching
and talking to people... :). I love them already! Every morning this week I
have woken up with the thought... this time next week I’ll be in Chile! It's a
very surreal feeling!!! I think I need more training her at the MTC, I might
ask for an extension. ;) Chiste. :) My thoughts are all over the place with it
all. Satan tries to fill my head with many doubts, I don't know Spanish yada
yada yada... but I’m not going to have it. Yes, I might only know how to say
the first vision, bare my testimony, and pray. But that's all the important
stuff right!?? :) Yes, language is the thing that I get most frustrated
with. At some points I feel like I’m going to be the first missionary to go out
not even knowing how to speak the language. haha but I know when I give it all
I got, the Lord will make it more. With language it's hard not to get
discouraged though! But I believe in miracles!! :) Like you said Dad, patience.
I have no doubt the Lord is testing me with patience right now, that's one
thing i've always struggled with. I've prayed for it every day and i'm
definitely learning my lesson! :)
This is about how much Spanish I feel like I know. It's all going to work out!!
Learning the last little bit before we go on Monday!!
I want to say thank you family for ALL the amazing
valentines packages last P DAY!!!!! You're love is SO greatly appreciated! I am
so very loved, and I hope you all know that you are loved as well!!! I think
and pray for you continually! I got my license and that great package from all
the aunts. SO thoughtful of them. LOVE those little microfiber towels.... they
really do the trick when it comes to taking off makeup! :) Tell all the aunts
THANK YOU SO MUCH for everything!!!! Also got packages from Jordan and Taylor!
ALL SO AMAZING AND THOUGHTFUL! Thank you to everyone! All of your support means
the WORLD! :) ha dad I loved how you said you are dissecting the pictures...
ha. I am so happy and I do love this WORK! I might look tired in them.... cause
we always are. Simper. ha. But that's part of it, I’ve gotten used to only
getting so much sleep! My body is adjusting! I love wearing the names tag each
day. Constant reminder of whose service I am in. What a incredible opportunity
to be a representative of Jesus Christ at all times 24/ 7 :)
Taylor, you are a sweetheart and know just what I would love!!
Yum, Yum and can I say Yum... Turtle Cheesecake!!
Should we invite the Elders, what Elders. Should we use the plates, what plates.
It sounds like you all had such an amazing weekend! I
can't wait to hear about your weekend in Jackson Hole boys and Lauren, and Mom
and Dad, I'm so glad you were able to go get some sun and spend time in Vegas
together! :) Thank you so much for the SD cards (they will be perfect) and the
cute scarf and shirt mom! I LOVE IT! :) I'll be looking stylish down in Chile
because of you mom! I hope your headaches have been getting better and
you are feeling healthy mom! :) How's the Diet Coke challenge going?! :) Tanner
that's absolutely amazing about your science fair project You are SUCH a smart
boy. WAY TO GO :) I would love to see pictures!!!! :) Mom I loved your letter
yesterday! Thank you so much! Always brightens my day to get a letter from my
mama. :) YOU ARE THE MOST AMAZING PARENTS.
Thank you all for your letters they are always so good
to get! :) Dad that poem was amazing! I wrote it down in my journal! I
absolutely love it! It definitely lifted my spirits... that we can achieve
anything we want if we work hard and depend on the Lord! :) And about the
Hymns...we always sing Secreta Oracion!!!! It's honestly one of my favorite
himinos en espanol! :) Our district also loves scatter sunshine... it gets
stuck in your head SO EASILY!!! Simper goze siempre al andar. paz y gran
consuelo, a todo ser^^^^^^^. ha That's
our district himino pienso! :) So about everything that's been going on here.
We finished teaching out investigators Joana y Jorge yesterday. It's so crazy
cause I feel like we didn't teach them for long at all! There is still so much
more for them to learn!!! We taught Jorge ayer manana and just said we are
leaving to Chile so we can't teach him anymore but we asked if he would like to
continue on this path and learning and we would have the other missionaries in
the area come and meet him. He said he would like that. We bore testimony of
the few things we taught him. We taught him of the importance of baptism and then
asked if he would be baptized. He said he likes what he is learning; he wants
to keep learning more because baptism is a huge commitment. We butchered
Spanish in that lesson, but the spirit always helps us to get our main point
across. :) So things left on a good note with him. I wish we could teach him
more so we could find out his fears and his thoughts, but it was a gran
learning experience! :) We had hosting in the middle of the day yesterday.
Got to help all the cute new missionaries! :) I hosted 3 girls, one was going
to Chicago Illinois Spanish speaking. I freaked out because KAITLIIN DAVIES
just left there on MONDAY! :) Saying goodbye was very hard. I don't really like
all of these goodbyes... ha. She is going to be an amazing missionary! After hosting
we taught out second investigator Joana. She has grown so much since the first
time we taught her. From I hate God. God doesn't love me... to diligently
reading the scriptures, pondering them, and PRAYING. Wow. Such an amazing
experience to see that growth and that light come into her life. In the
beginning we did not like her because she was so hard, but I have come to love
her so much! hahahaha sounds weird cause these investigators are just our
teachers but the person they portray you really do come to love! In our lesson
yesterday with her we taught her about baptism as well. She has been reading
Alma 32 and has loved the comparison of fe to a semilla. Just like a seed needs
water and sun, we asked her what things she needed to do to "feed"
her faith and testimony. In the visit before she expressed the joy she felt
when we were there and how she wanted to exhibit more faith. I try. I try. She
said. Well, Baptism was just the lesson for her! She loved the idea of getting
all of her sins washed away! It was so exciting to see her reaction!
:) She asked many questions like why is baptism in our church any different. We
explained it's because we had the Priesthood Authority of God! So... we read
a few scriptures about baptism and then it was my turn to ask her. Right
as I was about to ask her I inhaled wrong and started choking. hahaha I
literaly could not breath, face was twitching, tears were streaming down my
face and both Hermana Pendleton and poor Joana looked at my with WIDE EYES!!! I
tried talking but no sound came out... as I turned purple
hahahahahahhahaha (if you can only picture this) Joana said Necesita
AGUA?!?!? We had to abort the lesson real quickly. Get a drink. Regain my
breath. Then we were good. hahahahaha. In a soft voice... or else I would start
choking again I asked if she would have the faith and follow the example of
Jesus Christ and be baptized. SHE ACCEPTED!!!!!!!! She is getting baptized
March 21! :) We expressed how exited we were for her and how great of a
decision she is making! :) It was such a great experience and I thank the Lord
for it. Even through the choking... ha. I cannot wait to meet those in Chile
the Lord is preparing! :)
Every time we walk by this picture, we think yes that's us the tall one and the small one!!
Look at how well we imitate them!
Eating time at the MTC
I have learned so much her in the MTC! I am going to
miss this place and the constant spirit I feel here. I am going to miss
everyone in my district they are all so amazing! We have all just grown to love
each other SO MUCH!!!! I can't say I’m going to miss the food... I’m kind of
done with cereal, bananas, and PB and J's ;). I have loved being companions
with Hermana Pendleton. She has really taught me so much! That girl is strong.
With everything she has gone through in her life she is so amazing. We study
hard, and laugh a lot. I can even say enough to both peeing our pants. yeah....
us girls. hahahaha. But l love her! So amazing great memories and experiences
here! I have loved the devotionals, the talks we have watched the things our
teachers and fellow missionaries have taught... but I’m ready to get to
Chile!!!! I cannot wait for this next step of the adventure!!!! :)
"Home is behind, the world ahead, and there are
many paths to tread." :) HERE WE GO!
So travel plans are:
1st flight American Airlines: Flight 436 LV: SLC
6:00am Feb 25. AR: Dallas/ft Worth, TX 9:45 am
2nd flight American Airlines: Flight 2244 Lv:
Dallas/ft Worth, TX 10:55 am AR: Miami, Florida 2:35 pm
3rd flight Lan Chile S.A.: Flight: 501 Lv: Miami, FL
8:25 pm AR: Santiago Chile 6:50 am February 26,2013
^^^ yeah. It's kind of weird to look at that. Is this
really happening?!?!? :) Kay so I could call you guys in the morning before I
leave Salt Lake just for a bit. Then the majority of the talking time I could
do in the Miami Airport!? I CANNOT WAIT
TO TALK TO YOU!!!!!! :) :) :) : ) :) THANK YOU SO MUCH! Mix of emotions but I’m
exited!!!! :)
We have talked with a couple of the Chilean
workers here and they are like oh it's not even Spanish down there. Don't worry
about not knowing Spanish because you won't be speaking Spanish. It's a whole
other language! Haha. It's going to be fun :) :) Question for you guys.. Did
you ever watch the heavenly father, earthly father Mormon video?!?! IT's
unreal huh?!?! Well guess what they came our with ANOTHER ONE yesterday! It's
called mountains to climb. It's incredible. I challenge you to watch it as a
family. I was balling my eyes out! It's incredible. It just talks about having
faith to endure our trials!
I read D&C 78: 17-19 this morning and it really
comforted me. "..Be of good cheer for I will lead you along..." I
know this is going to be another big change but I know the Lord is with me,
with all of us, every step of the way. Footprints in the sand. :)
I want you to know the testimony I have of this
Gospel. I know that it is the only true church on the earth today, even
that same church in which Christ established during his ministry. I know that
through a young fourteen year old's faith and simple prayer that it was
restored on the earth in these last days one last time. I have a testimony
that with the power and authority of God Joseph Smith was able to translate the
Book of Mormon, which is in deed another testament of Jesus Christ. I have
a testimony of prayer and it's importance. For the 2 greatest events in history
started in a humble prayer. The Atonement of our Lord and Savior Jesus
Christ, and the Restoration of this gospel through the prophet Joseph
Smith. Here at the MTC I pray all day for strength, for patience, for charity,
for answers, for peace, and I TESTIFY the Lord answers my prayers. Not always
while I am on my knees but as I am acting, working, and listening. I know that
we are literal Children of God and the he loves us. I know He loves his
children in Chile as well,. I know that he loves me. I know Christ died and
suffered for me so that I may be able to repent and live again. I am grateful
for the gift of the Atonement and Repentance in my life. I know that when we
turn our lives over to the Lord he is bound to bless us. I love my Heavenly
Father. I love my Savoir Jesus Christ. He is my Redeemer and my Salvation. I
know with every fiber of my being that this church is true. In a talk in the
Sunday night devotional the speaker talked about sharing the gospel. He
said if you had an endless pot of gold would you be shy about sharing it?
NOOOOOO. You would just want to give and give and give until EVERYONE had it.
The same goes for the gospel. This is the most important message anyone could
EVER hear. THIS IS SALAVTION! When this was said it really struck me. my goal
to to share it with everyone I come in contact with!!! Our brother and sisters
need our hands to left them up and come back onto the path! :)
I love you all so much! :) :) Thank you SO MUCH! FOR
EVERYTHING you have given me. All that I am I owe to you! :)
Dad had a glass of milk just for you this morning in
the temple. Ha taking my last hot showers... I could live without the hot dogs.
;)
Sister Mansfield in our branch presidency lives in
Highland, so she offered to take my things I’m not taking and come drop them
off at the house! So on Sunday or Monday! She will hopefully be dropping some
stuff of for you! I LOVE YOU SO MUCH!!!! CAN"T wait to talk to you in just
a few short days!!!!!! :)
xoxoxoxoxooxoxoxo
Sonrisa. :)
CON MUCHO AMOR SIEMPRE:
Su misinonera, Hermana Katelyn Smith :)
We get to be host's today!!:)
Sister Allie Vincent is in the MTC!!
Mail Room Crazy
Companionship inventory today!! It was a little small!
Writing home and family and friends... last time from the MTC
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