I am so happy to be back!
And the best part...my new area is pretty much summer! Its the warmest area in the mission...I dont want to be here in the summer but in the dead of winter...its not too bad!
Sun all day long and I can skip around without my snow jakcet! Its wonderful!!
This week has been interesting...as all first weeks in new places are.
First...I have to say that this week my heart is at Camp Taylor. I didnt even think about coming home for Christmas but its really hard missing a year of Heart Camp!! Im wearing my Camp Taylor necklace and shirts under my clothes this week! Give my heart campers my love!!!
Okay. So last week we took a little detour into the mountains. Well it was really the base of the mountains but it was gorgeous! Dad always says the cure to stress and problems is to go to the mountains and I agree. It had been so long since I had been up in the mountains...or really just away from the city. It was a healing experience. We went to this river thing at the base of the Andes and some members brought a little picnic. It was lovely. Something about nature just makes all troubles melt away.
I had to say good bye to everyone at night. That was really hard. I´ve never been good byes but everytime it just seems to get harder! I just leave little bits of my heart in all these places. I dont know why we cant bring every person we love with us whereever we go...then there wouldnt have to be any pain. But I guess thats what heavens for! Right? What a wonderful party there will be there!!
Sometimes I dont understand how can there can be so much love in such short time. I learn more every day here that our amount to love doesnt depend on time. We can love completely and fully instantly...it really depends on us. Sometimes I wish I could love less so I wouldnt have to miss so much. But. These are not good byes or endings. Just temporary interruptions. We have eternity together!
Tuesday morning I got to travel out of Linares with my dear Hermana Lorea. She also was being transferred so we got to have four hours on the bus together. My heart broke a little to wave goodbye to the mountains that I love so much but I know one day I will return. My heart broke even more when I had to say goodbye to Hermana Lorea. She has been my little lifesaver my time in Linares. Literally carrying me when my leg hurt too mcuh to walk...and emotionally carrying me through all the trauma that went down. She is planning on coming to America but I´m also thinking of visiting her like every year in Argentina. I think we should adopt her. Please prepare a spot for her.
At the terminal I met my new companion. Hermana Villanueva from Mexico. Shes a pretty cool little mexican but I am having a hard time understanding her accent. Every new comp has their own country accent and words...its like learning a new language every time. But she loves rapping and is really fun. She takes my dance lessons very seriously and has made a dance schedule of all the dances I will learn in our 6 weeks together. I´m getting better I am proud to say!
Haulqui is the most beautiful place ever!!! It is a tiny little village wrapped up in hills. We are super close to the ocean but you wouldn't know it because there are hills in every direction. There arent really stores here or much of anything. I love it so much! It is gorgeous! There are horses and cows and pigs and chickens (and of course millions of dogs) walking the streets. I just walk along a sigh and the pure beauty of everything. The air feels fresher here and everything is just better!
There is actually a functioning ward here too! The members are the nicest people ever! Overly nice. The food is ever better here! The members call us to ask if they can accompany us. I have just been in shock all week. It is another world here! The bishop called me into his office to tell me I was his new hija and all I have felt from this beautfiul place is love! Its pretty much night and day from Linares.
The only sad thing is that its a super poor area. We asked for money a lot. The thing that breaks my heart the most is to see dirty freezing 3 year olds out on the street asking for money. I never saw that in my other areas.
While out one day we were walking down a dirt road and saw two eggs! They were still warm so we took them home and ate them.
Yesterday we had a good lunch. Its something you can make because its really easy. Want to try a Chilean dish....here you go..
- cook and cut up steak, chicken and sausage.
- Make french fries.
- Cut up tomatoes and avocado. (not too much of this)
- Add all that together. Mix it all up and then ,melt some cheese on top. Then pour some extra oil over all that...just for kicks!
Yes its not the healthiest thing ever...but hey...welcome to Chile!
Its good. Go try it.
Saturday an awesome couple in the ward accompanied us all day long. They returned home to find they had been robbed. I felt AWFUL! They had been robbed while helping us! Now they dont have any money. But you know what...even though they knew that the robber was going to return...they still went to church the next day and left their house vulnerable. And what else.,,,,they are going to accomopany us again. The faith of the people here....amazes me! Of course they are going to be blessed for their faith and for their diligence of not getting mad that this happened....and just serving more!!
A girl we have been working with all week really wanted to come to church. And we really wanted her to come! But her parents didnt want her to go....she is like 25 years old but in a really bad situation. Get this....they purposely drugged her so she would be too tired to come...then turned off her cellphone so her alarm wouldnt go off. We tried calling her but expected her to not come when her cellphone was turned off. She lives too far away to look for for church so we just went not expecting to see her. I said a little prayer while I was in the shower that she would wake up on time. And we walked into church to see her there!! She came up to me and said "thank you for waking me up!" I was confused and asked what she meant. She said she was sleeping when she heard my voice saying "ello". It woke her up and she thought we were outside her house. She got ready for church and came. And I am just grateful that God is taking care of our investigators when I can't.
The longer I am here, the more I am realizing that pure love is the driving force of everytjhing...or at least should be. Love cures everything. I have been trying to have more love for everyone.,..even the dirty dogs on the steet. Even if people wont listen to us we can still love them. They can feel that and something in them will be healed by our love. Sometimes all we can do is love people...and most of the time that is more than enough.
I LOVE you all!!!
Have a beautiful and LOVE filled week!!
Hermana Orchard
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