Hola mis amigos y familia!
How goes it back in the U.S of A? This whole week was filled with red white and blue.. and strangely enough stars and stripes as well ha ha. We celebrated fiestas de patrias, which is like a whole week filled with patriotic parties, asados (barbecues), dancing cueca, and lots and lots and lotttsss of drinking. For the missionaries in Chile this week is by far the worst week ever in the entire year... We got a quarter of the lessons we usually get and we found zero new people! It doesn't help that our sector is mostly rich people, so they all leave to their other houses by the beach for this holiday :( wah wah. Nevertheless it was a fantastic week because we worked hard to get as much as we could :)
So remember when last week I told you that Mauricio was going to get baptized? Well we went to his lesson on Wednesday to set a certain date, and he said he would get baptized this Sunday. Seriously we about fell off our chairs. It is crazy that he has been investigating the church for almost 3 years and he had about 3 days from the time he set his date to the time he got baptized.... I will get to the part about his baptism really quickly. Don't you worry. :)
Tuesday: We walked. a lot. and even more. and more. lessons taught : 0 . Blisters on my feet :2 . Tights worn through to the very thread : 4.
Wednesday: BEST DAY EVER!!! this day was actually the 18th of september, which means it is THE holiday. We got invited by Mauricio to go to his house for a barbecue. We were super excited because we absolutely LOVE his family :) It is super crazy to think that the first like 4 times we went with them we thought that they didn''t like us and it was really awkward becuase no on talked. Goes to show that we can't judge people before we get to know them. Anyway so their house is literally up a mountain, so we were hiking past the other houses built on the hill and when we just were about to make one more switchback to get to their house we heard a very ominous humming noise. I looked up to see what was making it and we realized we were 2 feet away from a giant swarm of bees. Okay when I say giant. I mean giant, I was scared for my life, and I have never seen my companion run backwards so quickly in her life. We called Mauricio and he said that it was okay just walk past them quickly but don't move our hands. We took about 2 minutes to build up courage and did as told. We were okay. Turns out the guy next door (kind of next door) is a bee keeper, and the queen bee had escaped its box so the other bees followed her. Just happens that she loved the tree in the Cortes' yard. I got an awesome picture of all the bees settled down in a huge lump and of the bee keeper coming and trying to get the queen bee back. Mauricio suffered from one bee sting. and we said if he was allergic we were going to stop at the church on the way to the hospital to baptize him. It was funny. Also we played with their baby goat. So cute! But it tried to eat my skirt. Goodness, I am realizing how funny my sector is when I start to write you guys. It is awesome that I get to see goats and bees and horses and all kinds of nature.. I never want to leave Pirque! Well. yeah I kind of miss America, but as long as I am on my mission I want to stay here!
most important thing about today. Mauricio accepted a date :)
Thursday: We had a zone conference which was amazing. Elder Zabellos from the seventy came and talked to our zone. There was one parable that I loved that he and his wife told. She cut an apple in half and said "How does this relate to your mission?" There of course were many diligent missionaries that had their own theory, and finally she told us "You can count the seeds in this apple.. but can you count how many apples come from those seeds?" It was a great analogy to the mission. Yeah we can count our baptisms, how many lessons we teach, and how many people we contact, but can we count how many souls we are actually affecting? NO. It was a great lesson to me to not get worried if I am not having "success" because I don't baptize every month ,but as long as I am trying my hardest I will be able to make a difference here in the mission. It was pretty cool. Also.. I opened up the most amazing package I have ever recieved in my life. Thanks Mom and Dad and ash, bubs and aubs. I seriously was soooooo happy to open up that package! It made my whole week :)
Friday: divisions. pretty cool. with sis jackson she is awesome. but we had zero lessons.. just lots of good convo about life.
Sat: I can't remember
Sunday: BAPTISM DAY BABAAAYYY! So Mauricio got baptized today. Best day ever! I seriously cannot explain the joy that I had in my heart to see Mauricio be baptized and to hear a beautiful talk from his wife. Mauricio is a miracle. If you guys could just understand how many missionaries have taught him, and how far away from accepting the gospel he was 4 months ago, you wouldn't believe that he was being baptized. The members were SOO surprised. They didn't believe it. It really goes to show that if we are working sooooooooooooooooooooo hard and praying and fasting and doing all we can.. The lord is going to bless us. . It reminds me of Ammon and Alma in the book of Mormon when they convert the lamanites. It seems impossible, and they endured lots of hardships and pains (a lot more than me of course) But finally the lord blesses them. I think it is in Alma 20 something ha ha. Anyway, When Mauricio was baptized I got this new excitement to try as hard with everyone I talk to as I did with Mauricio. I want to work so much harder! So his wife shared her testimony after we gave a special musical number "families can be together forever." and there was not a dry eye in the chapel. She thanked us as missionaries and said it is crazy that it just took two hermanas to soften Mauricios heart. But the sweetest part of her testimony is when she started to cry and said that now her family can be together forever. I was crying so much to think of her son in the mission that is going to recieve an email today of a picture of Mauricio being baptized.... I think the Lord has blessed him for being out on a mission. I am so excited for their family and I can't wait to attend their sealing as a family :) Seriously guys I can't express to you the joy I feel to know that there is a complete family now in the gospel :) I know it is a happiness that I have never felt before. A happiness that only the gospel can bring.
Ohhh yeah!!! Another bit of info!!! I got a phone call on friday from President Wright, the mission president. it went like this.
Me: Hello President how are you?
Pres: Hey sister sommerfeld I am great. Hermana, are you up for a challenge?
Me: I am always up for a challenge... what is it?
Pres: I want you to train.
Me: of course! (my heart pounding increasingly faster and a lack of confidence in my voice).
Pres: Awesome, you are going to be great. We have changes on Monday.
Me: It is a latina right?
Pres: would you still say yes if it was a gringa?
Me: Yes, but I would have to pray a lot harder.
Pres: ha ha ha I hope you still pray, but it is a latina.
Me: okay!!!! sounds good!
once off the phone I am thinking ... What the heck!? I don't know spanish yet! Or how to teach yet! But I am going to train! Crazy.. So I am getting my new companion tomorrow! Hooray!!!!!! So excited but nervous! I will send pics and let you know how it goes!!! :) At least I will still be in PIrque!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Love you guys like nothing else! You are the best! Remember that God loves you and that you are his children, and that if you serve one another you can feel that special witness :)
Hugs and Kisses
The church is true
CTR
all that good stuff...
Mwah!
Hermana Sommerfeld
hailey.sommerfeld@myldsmail.net
Mission Chile Santiago Este
Cristobal Colon 6824
Casilla 27.144 Las Condes
Region Metropolitana
Santiago, Chile
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