Flooding the church building

EEELLLLLLLOOOOOOOOO!!

This week was different. I feel like I start all emails off that way...because in reality all weeks really are different! This one especially. This will be short. We have a doctors app we need to shimmey on to in a min. 

Chritsmas came!  We had lots of plans for it but sadly the morning of me and my companion woke up sick with a flu sort of thing. It could have just been food poisoning again...who knows. Anyways..we had to change plans a bit for that. We ended up just getting up for the bare minimum....callling our families and visiting the abuelitas we had promised to visit. It was a good day despite the inconvenience of sickness. 

Here the main event of Christmas is Christmas Eve. Everyone has a big dinner around 11 at night and then a huge sleepover. The next day most people just go to the beach or up to the mountains. Its just a normal day. So Christmas eve we spent with one of my favorite families in the ward. We sang every single Christmas hymn in the book and chowed down on MEAT! The sweet hermana of the house made us all stockings and stuffed them full of chocolate (chocolate is pretty rare here). They even called a taxi for us to ride home in beacause they live in a really dangerous part of town and it was past 11:00. It was great! 

Saturday was a special day because it was MARIA´S BAPTISM!! We really thought we had everything ready for that but since it was my first baptism...there were things I just hadnt thought of. Like filling up the font…

Two hours before the event we remembered that important detail and ran to the church building. We turned on the faucet and watched as none of the water would stay in the font! The drain was completely broken. I was all for just getting on a bus and having the baptism in the ocean but instead we got trash bags out of the trash and started stuffing the drain with them. We thought that would do the trick so we turned the water back on and watched it fill up nicely. Until it was about three feet full when the trahs bags rose to the surface and the water slowly started draining. There was a moment of panic as we tried to decide what to do. We didnt have time to wait for it to drain all the way before we fixed it...so we just dove in. We splashed around in the water trying to unscrew different drains on the wall and connect pipes. I was wishing I was a bit more educated in plumbing at this point. 

The water was also coming in freezing cold so I was trying to connect the water heater with the foucet....basically it was a mess. Eventually we stuffed enough bags into the drain to stuff it up and then put a stack of plates on top of it to keep it from floating up. We got the water to heat up and then left to go pick up Maria while it filled up all the way. 

Maria wasnt ready when we got there so we sat on her couch waiting. It was a super hot day and had already been exhausting. We may or may not have fallen asleep on her couch. Eventually she came out and looked so excited and happy and I was able to remember what we were actually doing that day. We had a little program and then we all walked over to the hallway where the font is. We were greeted by a partially flooded hallway and a very very much overflowing font. Appartenly someone had turned on the cold water faucet to speed up the process....and well it really sped it up! We spent some time mopping the hallway and taking buckets out of the font (I was not going to mess with that drain again!). 

Once the whole water situation was taken care of we had a beautiful baptism! We were sopping wet at the end which turned out to be a blessing because of the heat. Next time I am going to put someone else in chrage of the font. hahahahaha

We are looking forward to a little more calm week ahead. I´m about out of time. 

Hope everyone has a great New Years and makes lots of really aweome goals! 

Hermana Orchard

P.S. My sweet friend and companion in the MTC, Hermana Page, has been super sick and in the hospital for three weeks. Please pray for her to get better TODAY so she can stay and that they can figure out what is wrong! 

Pictures: Christmas eve

 Me on my third cumplemes!

Maria´s baptism. I know Maria looks unhappy but she really does smile when we arent taking pictures!

Another cumplemes picture and cutting tomatoes on my hand Christmas Eve. (sorry you have to tilt your head on that one)

 Feliz Navidad, todos!! Les quiero mucho y estoy tan emocionada estar en la misma zona. Cualquier cosa que necesitan, llàmenme! (De verdad, porque nadia me llama y me siento abandonada. jaja El mio es 58581866)

Christmas eve...and my meal at home on christmas. A boiled egg, rice and an empanada. The meal on christmas eve also

Feliz Navidad! *Feliz!!!* *Feliz!!*

Feliz Navidad from the Sunny South!

This week was probably the most different than any I have ever experienced. But I´ll talk about it next week. This week is Christmas! Although thats hard for me to realize as I am literally dripping in sweat.

 haha

A few stories…

Days here are hot hot full of sunshine but nights get really cold. One night we were bustling home through the frozen streets- I was rubbing my hands together realizing just how close to Antarctica we are here....When we came across a man. He was a usual of that part of town. Always hanging out near the bar-shouting at passerbys-sometimes asking for money or food. This night however he didnt seem drunk like normal. So when he called out to us and half ran/limped towards us...I decided to talk to him. It started out as a normal contact...telling him who we were, asking his name,,,and then I started on a little correr of how God loves us. I looked at him and said  "And God loves you Juan". When I looked back up at him huge tears were rolling down his cheeks. His eyes held so much sadness and despair. It was painful to look at. In almost a whisper he said "no one has ever said they loved me before". This man must be in his 60´s. How sad! How heartbreakingly sad! To have lived 60 years on this earth without ever believing that anyone loved you. That someone somehwere cared about you. And he is not the only one who is desperate for love-for someone to care and reach out a hand through the darkness. No, sadly there are countless others like him. Who need Love. We must start looking outward and develop an unquechable desire to help everyone we see. Everyone needs help and love. Its hard to tell sometimes- who needs some extra care. So just assume that they do. Everyone needs to be reminded of God´s care for them. Of their purpose...and of their Savior.

As President Monson has invited us- we must RESCUE our fellow brothers and sisters.   "The world is in need of OUR help! There are feet to steady, hands to grasp, minds to encourage, hearts to inspire and souls to save."

Last week my dear companion was taken from me. And after a few days of not understanding anything around me and feeling suppressed and stamped out...I became discouraged. Well thats not really the right word for it....Something deeper than that. And my days filled with endless prayers of emergancy transfers. I know its only been a week in this new situation but if feels like 10 years. And this week, God did not give me what I wanted..no emergancy transfer for me. And I was reminded once again that God does not always answer our prayers in the way we want or think we need. Instead of this trial being taken from me- I was given the strangth to live through it. And the reminder that God´s timing and infinite wisdom is where our trust needs to be. It´s sometimes a painful and long lesson..but I learning and TRYING to be grateful for this opportunity to grow more.

Sometimes it is so easy to feel alone. To get so discouraged in this fallen world we live in. There is so much evil, sandess, hurt and anger. So many are suffering. Can I remind you of my favorite Christmas hymn (I sing it every morning).

"And in despair I bowed my head. There is no peace on earth I said. For hate is strong and mocks the song..of peace on Earth goodwill to men."

But we are not alone. And there IS hope and we DO have a Savior and a way to escape from all the darkenss.

"That we are lifted up into life because He was lifted up unto death, that He bore our griefs and carried our sorrow and with His stripes we are healed. That He came from God as a God to bind up the brokenhearted, to dry the tears from every eye, to proclaim liberty to the captive and open the prison dorrs to them that are bound."

And as I sit here in Chile..in the heat. Lacking my family, Christmas lights, trees, hot chocolate, stockings, fudge and everything else I thought made Chritmas...I am finally able to see what Christmas really is. I mean I´ve always known..but its never really struck me this deep beofre. Because of Jesus Christ- and his birth some 2013 years ago? We have hope. That whatever hurt or sandess, despair, stress, worry and wounds we have now...will one day be taken away and replaced with a perfect healing and joy. Oh I am so thankful for my Savior and Redeemer.

"Then pealed the bells more loud and deep ´God is not dead nor doth he sleep´. The wrong shall fail the right previal, with peace on Earth goodwill toeards me. Till ringing singing on its way..the world revolved from night to day. A voice, a chime and chant sublime of peace on Earth goodwill to men."

So today, tomorrow, and the next day. Try to remember who and what we really are celebrating. But dont just think about it. Go and out and do something! Give someone the greatest gift possible- HOPE in Christ´s LOVE for them.

Love you all! Eat some extra fudge and rolls for me!

I´m excited to talk to yáll wednesday!

Feliz Navidad!

Hermana Orchard

Our Church building

Not the highest quality picture out there but we took it this morning. My new companion..this is right next to the church builiding.

Earthquakes, Transfers, bus wrecks and all that jazz

FELIZ CASI NAVIDAD!!

Except it doesnt feel anything like Christmas here. Our days are filled with endless sun, HEAT and BBQ`s. 

I have been thinking about a Christmas present you can all get me (because I know you all want to give me a Christmas present). Anyways, I thought of a real good one. 

I want ALL OF YOU to do something nice and thoughtful for someone else and then WRITE me about it! Snail mail or email...nothing would make me HAPPIER! Cant wait to hear about all of your great acts of LOVE and service! :) 

Its kind of hard to write this today. My head is in a fog. I think I have the flu. And they just announced tranfers. All I have to say is "Bye Mother!". My dear madre and trandadora is leaving me. I feel abandoned. Luckily I get to stay in Chillancito for another 6 weeks and welcome in my new latina companion. I think she is from Guatemala. Now is probably the time I should learn spanish. And Hermana Lee`s is staying too!!! YAYYY!!!! That made me so happy!! There will still be many tears though I am sure. 

So I had the wonderful opportunity of experiencing my first earthquake!! We were at an FHE singing christmas songs when everything just went crazy. It was super fun not gonna lie...I was sad when it was over and hoped for another!! Everything here is just like being on one crazy ride. The busses her are better than any roller coaster. They go like 80 over these hills with 100 people stuffed inside. We always have to stand...but we arent really standing because most of the time we are airborne! Its an adventure I cherish everyday. And one day our bus crashed into another while it was trying to pass another bus on a one way street. The drivers here are crazy. I love it. 

Last P-day me and my companion got on the wrong bus home and ended up going on a nice 2 hour tour of Chile. It was great because we had all our groceries with us (just cookies) and had a little fiesta! 

Remember that time we ate a cow in a sauna? 

I had my first chilean BBQ on saturday! Not sure what to say about it. Except that I dont really like meat as much as I thought I did....I mean eating 3 or 4 hunks of steak and sausage is fine...but after 7 or 8...it just doesnt taste as good. BBQ`s here are different. Well more of how they should be. You just eat meat. And nothing else. And a lot of it. It was also really hot and with the heat of the fire and sight of blood and endless meat everywhere..we were all feeling a bit faint towards the end. 

Your carnivore daughter might just be coming home a vegetarian. 

Yes you did read that correctly. 

I dont want to eat steak..or pig...or any other animal ever again. 

We think Americans eat a lot of meat...uhh well I think Chile has us beat by..well a lot. 

Last night we got to thinking about tranfers and how not fun it would be having to lug around our presents. So we just had an early Christmas! It was great! We sat on the floor underneath our huge paper Christmas tree and ate chips and salsa and opened presents.

I dont think I have mentioned dear Maria before. But she is getting baptized next week! We were gonna do it on Christmas but we decided that would be too mean to the leaders. Anyways, she is awesome! We are also teaching her whole family now so hopefully they can join her in a few weeks! She owns the best bakery in Chillancito. Basically lessons with her are the best! Except I dont really understand the whole hot drinks on super hot days thing..

Even though in none of the pictures she is smiling..she is a very happy person and one of the sweetest ladies on the planet! She is always a little nervous about church and will hold my hand very, very tightly for the three hours. She also keeps talking about her 40 year old son she wants me to marry. hmmmm maybe one day. Änyways, pray for HER! I love her to death and am super happy I get to stay for her baptism! 

One day after a lesson with Maria we were carrying around an extra cake (Maria always gives us cake). And we came across a homeless man. He was just sitting in his usual place on an abandoned buildings doorstep. Normally we dont go up to homeless men because they just flash us. But today I felt like we should just give him the cake. So we did. And as we walked away he said "Thanks..its my birthday today". And I just thought...isnt it so great that we have a God that cares about each person so much? I certainly didnt know it was his birthday. But God did. And he cares about him. And through us...we can remind others that God loves and cares about them too! God´s little tender mercies are everywhere. I hope we are always looking for them and trying to be the answer to somone else´s prayer. We dont know everyone and what a person needs at a specific point in time. But God does. And our job is simply to follow His leading one step at a time. 

I hope everyone has a wonderful week before Christmas! Dont forget to write me about your service act! 

Love and miss you all! 

Hermana Orchard

Hermana:'))  aquí están las fotos:), lo siento por enviarlas un poco tarde.

le quiero mucho:') cuidese^^

me in front of our new apartment complex! (those objects you see in the grass are wild horses!!) 

all that meat was split between 6 people

us at the BBQ

A good peach cake

YW´s in excellence

Me and Maria

ME. MY COMPANION and maria

Another good cake

Moving and such things as that...

Okay okay okay. I have to start this off with a confession I have been hiding for awhile. 

I like fruitcake. 

Like I actually enjoy it and get EXCITED when people give it to us everyday. AND I ACCEPT seconds!! 

You know...that really dry bread with weird dried fruit and who knows what else inside. 

What is this place doing to me??
Also I have confused the smell of mold with the smell of home. hmmm

Time to move

And move we did. Finally!

Our new little apartment is lovely. As in it doesnt have mold..its a bit latrger than the last and its walls are a nice shade of lavender! Much better than the lime green. Sadly its in the sketchiest part of town. Like we cant walk back there at night...we have to take a taxi straight to the building. Nice going assistants. HA! But its fun! Except when we cant get a taxi and we have to sneak through fields and run away screaming from the literally naked men that chase us yelling stuff I am glad I still cannot understand. Oh its so fun! It really is. We havent seen any guns this week though! Thats always a plus. DONT WORRY! I AM SAFE! All the dogs will protect me. ;)

I wont miss taking twenty mins to prepare for bed. Prepare as in

drench my body in bug spray. Put tights on (2 pairs), then socks, really tight clothing that bugs cant crawl through. Then spray my mattress. Each sheet. Each blanket. And the air surrounding my bed. Open the window so we dont suffercate from the bug spray
and then turn little space heaters on so we dont freeze.

And maybe we will shower more now that we dont have to ....start a fire...turn the kitchen faucet on 3 times---run and turn the shower on after precisely 34 seconds--then run and turn the fire up...run back...turn off this faucet...and HOPE that maybe some warmish water will come out.

Yes we are enjoying our new little lovely lavender place!

Also our neighbors play in a mariachi band until like 4 am. So if we wanted to we could dance in our dance studio room (thats what we call the room we get dressed in and have all our suitcases) all night long! Maybe one night...:)

Our ward is so sweet. We had pretty much all the men in our ward come and help us move...plus all the elders in our district. But it turned out to be one of those cases where there are too many people and no one to direct. LUCKILY I have lots of moving experience and we were able to get it all done in an efficent manner. I knew there was a reason we moved so much!! Somehow in all that craziness I twisted my ankle. Im pretty sure its  not broken..just sprained. So I just soak it in salt water (the chilean cure for everything) and hope that walking 7 miles on it everyday will help it!! Fingers crossed! Right now it sill fits into my shoe so I think were good!

Our little house has had a fit of laughing attacks that has lasted a couple weeks. Its gotten to the point we cant say a prayer or sing a hymn without bursting into laughter and tears. Its kind of bad. But its like you have to be professional and focused for so long everyday...eventually your mind just cant take it anymore and it just crashes in the worst possible moments. Its fun though

We threw together a little thanksgiving activity for our ward last week. We played fruit basket. I am so used to playing that game really intensely though...litke pushing people over and screaming and turning it into a wrestling match. So first thing I know I`m knocking my investigators to the floor and throwing my companion into a stack of chairs. No one got hurt. Dont worry. ;)

We also made some pies for it...well we TRIED to make pies. We really made peach cobber with a topping hard as a rock. We didnt have a recipie or normal ingrediants so we just kind of threw stuff in. The members LOVED it though and asked how we made it..our response "how DIDNT we make it!?" Just throw your whole kitchen in. We also made cheesecake but since none of the ovens have temperatures and run off real fires-we rally burnt it. They still loved it though! It turned out to be a great activity.

We were invited to seminary graduation since we taught seminary. Our precious students gave us roses and we even got a certificate! I love them all so much! They are SO great!! And afterwards they had a dance! (we didnt stay for that). But they have dances all the time. Well not really dances they more of just turn on music and EVERYONE dances. Unlike our dances where no one does. So after the seminary graduation in the chapel they just opened the doors to the gym and everyone ran in there and did some tengo and quakas.

Today I got my visa! It took awhile but now I am legal! 

I`m having a hard time realizing its Christmas. Its been super hot and I was starting to think that maybe I wanted to be home for Christmas. But then I looked around and realized I AM home! Chile feels so comfortable and like home to me. I cant imagine wanting to be anywhere else. The people are so friendly...its hard to not instantly feel like family with them. And even though Ill be a sweaty and hot walking around knocking doors on Christmas day...eating more hot dogs, oil and mayonnaise than you would believe...I will be with these people! Who are the greatest in the world! Who are teaching me so much and love me even though I cant really speak their language and sometimes dont finish all their food.
Who care so much about everyone and always make very sure we arent hungry...and buy me socks when they realize I only brought 4 pairs (how did I forget that?)..and drop off fresh fruit everyday..and curtains for our new apartment...and make sure we know they want to help us with everything. I cant believe the generosity and the love these people are always shining with. They are so wonderful. Im frusterated at my lack of ability in expressing how truly amazing they really are. Just come see for yourself!

Transfers are next week. I am crossing my fingers for 15 more months in Chillancito! 

Go show some chilean love to someone today!
Here`s to a wonderful week!

-Hermana Orchard

Pictures: some people next to our Gracias board

Excited on moving day!
and my old bedroom. 

Is it too late for this?

HOOOOLLLLLLLLAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I know Thanksgiving was LAST week but since we didnt even acknowledge it at all...we actually all forgot....here is my thankful list!! Whoohoooo!!!!

I am thankful for...

1. Dogs who are nice enough not to bite me

2. Times when my shower decides to grace me with semi warm water

3. Evenings...when the whole city is enveloped in a cloud of baking bread

4. People who let us in their homes and give us fresh raspberry juice...mmmmm

5. Meals that arent covered in mayonnaise

6. Meals that are not the size of ten thanksgivings

7. People who understand my spanish (or at least pretend)

8. The green mountains that tower around us

9. The taste of sea salt in the air

10. The lime green walls of my casa...it feels like we are inside a leaf!

11. The pet black slugs that crawl out and play during the night

12. The colors of Chile! Vivid green, pink, blue and yellow houses that line the streets and twist into the hills. The colorful giant flowers that cover the roofs, sidewalks, streets, streams, ditches, mountains and bridges of Chillancito. 

13. The HUGE roses that grow literally EVERYWHERE! 

14. The countless fruit trees that make the air smell like lemons

15. Fresh peach juice

16. Mango juice

17. Strawberry juice

18. The children who walk along the streets with us-holding our hands and saying "hola amigas"

19. Nights when we buy hot empanadas from the panaderias and have little parties in our casa

20. Sopa pies- they are kind of like scones but a lot more chewy and airy. They are amazing with salsa, or jam, manjar. Dont you fret...I got the recipie!

21. Lemon pie- kind of like our lemon merengue pies but 10000x better! The bottom is like a soft sugar cookie, then a creamy lemony custard middle topped with mountains of merengue! Its amazing...and there is a bakery about every ten feet that sells a slice!

22. My essential oils...they have been my best friend these last ten weeks.

23. My mini spanish hymn book-my other best friend

24. The fact that 99.9% of the woman here have the name Maria. So when I forget someones name...I can just guess Maria and I am right 99.9% of the time. Same goes for men and the names Jose and Juan

25. The ice cream here. I thought the ice cream in Mexico was good but here its just a whole nother world of creamy delightfulness! Flavors of fruit I have never even heard of...and why?? Its too good. 

26. The fact that almost all the members were evangelical before and spice up the middle of prayers with "hallejulah", "Amen", "Praise the Lord" or just singing, yelling, humming...its always hard to get through without having a laughing attack. 

27. The cobble stone streets. They are just so much more fun than regular streets. Little tough to walk on though

28. Days when they dont add sugar cubes to my juice or soda

29. Evening when we happen to be on top of the mountains and get to watch the skys do a little fire dance

30. That I still have teeth in my mouth...That is extremely rare here

31.That every person in Chile has their own rose garden...and that they are all blooming NOW!

32. That fruit cake is a real Christmas thing here. Its really gross but fun!

33. For the lifetime of camping that has prepared me for this 18 month camping trip. 

34. For the pills that make my blood taste like garlic so every bug in the country doesnt try and eat me up at night

35. For lavender to rub on my spider bites

36. That I never actually see the spiders biting me

37. For the mice and rats that clean our floors at night

38. That I dont have to sleep on the floor

39. For my plaque- and the opportunity I have to wear it everyday

40. For the heavyduty waterbottle- it is a gread handy weapon

41. For people who send me letters! (hint hint)

42. That Jacob promised to not to marry until my return

43. That as long as I say "permisso" first...I can get away with pretty much anything here

44. For Hermana Lees- not only is she also going through this whole first cambio of change and distress with me but she is also the funniest person ever. She is so blunt and honest and just makes me laugh all the time! She also has fire running through her veins instead of blood...thats always a cool thing!

45. For my planner...where would I be without that thing??

46. For spiders that are dead

47. For any other bug that eats spiders

48. That that one spider which is the largest in the world and originates here in concepcion....has not made an appearance yet. 

49. For the friendliness of chilean people. Always ready and wanting to feed us and make us feel at home. For their friendliness in kissing and greeting everyone. For their never ending kindness and generosity and the way they will give away everything they have at a momnets notice. For their complete inability to judge others. They are teaching me who to love and be a real person...totally deviod of all false pretenses or fake faces. I never realized how rude we are in America. Was there really a time when I didnt greet every person I came across...and just ignored people?? These chileans have got the just slow down and love people thing down! 

50. The opportunity I have to have a front row seat in the greatst miracle of all- The Atonement as it changes people`s lifes

YEAH!!! Okay. Ciao for now. :) 

Hermana Orchard

Week 9: Birthdays and soap

Hola Hola! 

I have a new address for all of you! The other one still works and I will get anything that you send there...but this one is just BETTER! :) 

Chile Concepcion Mission

Castellòn 1063 Oficina Norte 

Concepciòn

Bio-Bio Chile

This week was such a roller coaster. I really need to just sleep off all the craziness that happened...but there´s no time for that so I´ll just write about it instead.

I found out the hidden meaning to why I needed to take anatomy. So much of what I see here I wouldnt be able to handle without my cadaver time. Like...we visited a lady who was missing half her head...and a few people who were literally missing portions of there head tambien. She is a tad bit crazy now  but a super sweet lady who promised to teach me the queka-Chile´s national dance. We see dogs everywhere we go who are in every condition...missing eyes, feet, tails, legs etc. We also visit lots of elderly who love to show off their wounds and sicknesses. Yes...my anatomy study tolerance has helped me a great deal.

Contacting is a great way to meet all sorts of people! While out we contacted a man who`s appearance made me a bit apprehensive. While talking with him about how baptism can wash away his sins and stuff he got really excited and said ¨"oh that would be real good! I´ve got some blood one my hands a couple times". He then proceeded to act out on us how he stabbed someone or something. We got out of there pretty fast. And that folks, is why you dont go to the cerro! Have I mentioned yet that we get flashed at least ten times a day? We will just be walking by and men will start yelling or singing or something and just undress...in the middle of the street! There is nothing we can do about it though because its totally legal here. Its only happened while we are contacting them a few times though...

I´m having a bit of a hard time transitioning from english to spanish. And that is what it is...a transition. Right now I cant speak english...but I cant speak spanish either. Its just this weird in between language that only a select few are able to understand.  haha

About the whole food situation...it is BETTER! I bought a tuberware container and its basically my new best friend. I have used it a few times now and the members dont seem to be offended by it. I also have started asking for water instead of accepting the soda they give me. That always shocks them. We explain that in the US lots of people drink water...PLAIN! They laugh at that. I have learned and practiced how to say "Im full...I cant eat anymore. Its really good...can I take some home in my container?". Its working out pretty good. But its kind of too late...I already dont fit into two of my skirts. Whoops!

These past two months I have learned with a new depth how even our smallest and simplest prayers are answered. Three stories...okay here we go.

Last week after I emailed I was just so discouraged. I craved everything about home...warm showers, non mayonnaise coated food, a bed clean of fleas and bugs and being able to communicate with people. I needed to talk  to a friend. And then BAM! I looked up and there was my MTC companion aka my bff! ;) We hugged and screamed and cried and admitted that this whole thing wasnt the easiest piece of queque in the world. And somehow when our little therapy session in the computer lab was done...I was better! I am so thankful for all the people that God places in my life to help me just in the moment when I need it most!

Later on in the week I was discouraged again and was swirling into some dense fog of despair when another of my unspoken prayers was answered! I went on little mini cambio to santa Sabina. A BEAUTIFUL town right on the beach. Its also extremely rich and I felt like I was back in America! My companion was hermana Romney...she is wonderful and was SO kind and patient with me. She just pulled me up from my drowning exsistence and gave me hope and the ability to handle all of this. She also is the one on the womans BYU basketball team (on the poster) who is pointing out from the middle (fun fact- I knew I recognized her!). I was able to see a new way of being a missionary that allowed me to be ME! And their house was not a little shack full of rodents and bugs...that was nice too. I got what I needed most in those 24 hours..hope! Hope that one day I will be able to communicate with these people...one day it wont be a struggle every second with my companion and one day I will have a stove and a real bathroom again! And thats all I really needed to know. ··Added note. Hermana Romney also looked and acted like Aleza Yerkes. So ALEXA I saw future missionary you and you are a GREAT missionary! :)

Third story. Our living condition is pretty awful. I thought all mission houses were like this but after visiting a few others I realized we arent even on the same sphere as them. Me and my roommates health has been not as great  since we got here and I thought...maybe its the fact that the walls are literally BLACK covered in mold?  So we did some scrub a dub dubbing and got some of it off.   There are also holes in the wall the size of...well about 2 feet wide. Its just not super fun to live there and we are always literally tripping over each other because theres just not really enough space to move at all. So I decided to pray that we would be able to move living spaces. Cambios is in three weeks but I dont want any other missionaries to have to live here either. So I prayed. And we got a surpirse visit from the mission presidents wife who started crying when she walked inside. She also said "please dont tell your moms you live here". But I already told you before. Anyways, we now have a mandate from the president to make our first priority finding a new place to live. I hope to be out of there by this weekend! And Im sure we will be...either in a new house or a different sector. So dont you fret!

I think that has been the best lesson I have learned so far. That prayers are always answered. My prayers, our investigators prayers...everyones. Not always in the way we want or think would be best...but in the best way. I feel so protected here. I never worry about anything. God controls everything. And being able to see that so clearly everyday is SUCH a blessing!

Today me and my house went to the presidents house and helped Hermana Arrington make some food and we had a mini thanksgiving meal! It was great! It is also my two month birthday so they sang to us and we had a little party. Can you believe Ive been out for two months? I cant decide if it feels more like 10 years or 2 days.

Welp Im out of time. I am doing GREAT! Dont worry about me (Im tempted to delete my whole email now). I expect MIRACLES and LOVELINESS this week! Have a wonderful thanksgiving!!!

Love you ALL!! 

Hermana Orchard

 Happy Birthday Mom!

 My favorite lady ever on her birthday!

 The beautiful place where the ocean meets the sand...

Us at the presidents house for thanksgiving