Spunky Sisters and Fields of Flowers

Hola queridos! (Hello Dear/Loved Ones)

This week we had a baptism!  The family we've been working with to reactivate baptized their daughter on Sunday.  It´s been a blessing to see the change in them and the desire that´s grown to follow their Saviour.  Aramí is a very smart girl and says a lot of wise things for a 9 year old.  Out of the mouth of babes... she often reminds her mom to read the scriptures and loves to share what she's learned.  

 

Afterwards, we had an BBQ to celebrate.  We couldn't stay long but we had the chance to eat some great pork chops before we left.  A spunky sister (that likes to speak with a Columbian accent even though she's Chilean) and Aramí decided to photobomb our selfie.  LOL!

 

 

In our sector we have a pueblito (village) called San Ramón.  We can visit there sometimes but it's quite far from Padre las Casas (our sector).

After writing last Monday, we went to a field filled with flowers close to San Ramón to take pictures with the spunky sister. 

 

 

We helped with a service project Saturday morning.  We pulled weeds in the garden of a less active member named Leslie.  She's a really sweet girl and has a really cool plot of land with every kind of fruit tree you can imagine!  Her pololo (Chilean slang for boyfriend) isn´t a member and we´ve begun teaching him a little.  Alan is a musician but performs for the love of music.  He doesn´t like the fame and fortune.   We asked him to play a song for us but he´s a little shy so we listened to his CD instead. He´s really good!

 

 

Sunset in our sector

 

My scripture for this week:

Mosiah 2: 41.  The Lord blesses us temporally and spiritually when we keep the commandments

 

And moreover, I would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God. For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual; and if they hold out faithful to the end they are received into heaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness. O remember, remember that these things are true; for the Lord God hath spoken it.

 

Les quiero mucho! (Love you lots!)

 

Hermana Jakob

 

Fasting and Prayer Brings Miracles

I don´t know where to start....  This week has been a whirl-wind of activity.  We started the cambio (transfer/exchange) off with a fast.  To help us grow in unity and find people that Heavenly Father has prepared for us to teach.  This week we saw milagros (miracles).

With Hermana Resek (from Utah) in the picture having lunch.

On Sunday, our ward had the Primary Presentation (children 3-12 take over services for the day and sing songs and share the things they have learned with the congregation throughout the year).  It was so cute to see all the children singing and sharing their testimonies.  It reminded me of my time in Primary teaching music.  Two of our investigators came to church, Camila and Nayareth.   They had a great experience and Nayareth became a little teary eyed when the children where singing ¨He Sent His Son.¨  

We´re working to help reactivate a beautiful family.  Their daughter, Arami hasn´t been baptized and she is 10 years old.  She wanted to be baptized but her dad didn´t want her to. We decided to fast and pray to know how we could help them. Claudio is a RM (Returned Missionary). He served in Paraguay.  We decided to visit with him and talk about his mission, his experiences and remind him of the things that he taught and the importance of baptism. It went really well.  The next day we talked to the Bishop and with permission were able to set a date for the baptism of Arami. It´s this Sunday! We´re so exited to help Aramí and her family prepare!  She is a very smart girl and has a lot of wisdom for a 10 year old.  The things she says amazes me sometimes.

 

It was also the birthday of Claudia this week. 

 

The family here is papa Claudio, mama Arminda, Arami and hermanita Claudia (Arami's younger sister).

 

Also, we climbed the mountain of our sector, contacting houses on the way.  When we reached the top, we saw a breath taking view!  The sun was setting and we could see all of Temuco.

 

 

My scripture this week is Alma 17:3

 

But this is not all; they had given themselves to much prayer, and fasting; therefore they had the spirit of prophecy, and the spirit of revelation, and when they taught, they taught with power and authority of God.

 

I know from experience the power that comes through fasting and praying. The windows of Heaven really do open and Heavenly Father gives us spiritual strength.  This week, for me, is one of the examples of the blessings that we receive when we fast.

 

I invite you all to participate in the next fast Sunday (first Sunday of the month), if your health permits.  Pay your fast offering and seal it with sharing your testimony.  I promise you will see miracles and receive the help and strength that you may be searching for. Miracles do happen! :)

Love you all lots!

Hermana Jakob

BTW- I talked to Hermana Caitlyn Rowden, por telefono (by telephone)!  She's doing great.  She's in Gorbea about an hour from our sector.  We live with the Hermanas Capacitadoras (training sisters) so I´ll probably see her during an intercambio (exchange)! So exciting! (Hermana Rowden is a friend from Kitchener who happened to be called to my same mission.  Sometimes it's a really small world.)

LOTS of Walking in Maquehue!

What a change this week!  I´ve gone from the far north of the mission to the south.  I´m good with that though.  I wanted to be in the south for the summer.  It´s so beautiful!"  Reminds me a lot of the North of Canada with all the pine tree forests, mountains and lakes.

I couldn´t be happier here in Maquehue.  There is so much work to do here. We fall into our beds exhausted at night.  It´s funny how you can be so tired and so happy at the same time.  There are many prepared people here, ready to accept and embrace the gospel.

 

Padre de las Casas is a HUGE sector.  It´s probably the size of Cambridge and we walk all parts of it.  The barrio (ward/congregation) is pretty big too, about 150 people attend regularly.  It´s a little overwhelming when I´ve only been in branches or small barrios before.  I´m really excited to get to know everyone and work with them.  

When I arrived here, I was surprised to find that we had a wedding followed by a baptism planned on Saturday.  I felt bad for Hermana Enriquez because she couldn´t be here to help celebrate with her investigator.   But the Spirit was so strong during his baptism.  I felt that Heavenly Father really prepared José for this moment.

I think the biggest thing I´ve learned this week is that Heavenly Father truly understands the desires of our hearts and if our desires are righteous, when we keep the commandments and ask in prayer, He will give it to us.  What a wonderful Father!  I remind you all to trust in the Lord.  At times things seem bleak but in the end, it will all turn out right.

 

My scripture of the week is Doctrine and Covenants 6:33. 

 

"Fear not to do good, my sons, for whatsoever ye sow, that shall ye also reap; therefore, if ye sow good ye shall also reap good for your reward."

 

What are some of the things we can to "sow" good works?  What blessings have you received from the decisions you´ve made in the past?  What do you hope to have in the future? What can you do now to reach your goals?  I invited you to read and meditate. :)

Love y´all lots!  

Hermana Jakob

 

 

My new companion Hermana Mamani!

 

Selfie!

With members from San Pedro branch.

Bus trip to zone conference with Elders and Hermanas

With 2 awesome kids, Ezekiel and Jeremy

With Hermana Ivonne and Hermano Raul

 

I'm Getting Transferred!!!

I`m leaving La Marina!  They`ve decided to close down the sector for Hermanas and open it back up for the Elders.  It`ll be a little bit of a shock for the members here but all in all, it`ll be a good change.  The people here are more receptive to the Elders (we saw that during the zone attack in our sector). 

 



Areas where I'll be serving in Temuco below. If you notice in the above map, Temuco is close to my first area of Caracautin.

 

I`ll be travelling back to the south to serve in Temuco, Maquehue.  Hermana Lockling will be in my Zone too!  It`s cool that we`ll get to see each other every week in district meetings.  My new companion`s name is Hermana. Mamani.  She`s from Bolivia and is super sweet! I met her once in the bus terminal about 4 months ago and we talked for a long time.  I felt the impression that one day we would be companions and here we are!  I`m excited to work hard this cambio (transfer). I´ll go there with a lot of references too. There´s a family here of converts and they have LOTS of family in Padre de las Casas. How beautiful will it be to teach their brothers and sisters?!

 

How amazing was the General Conference!? I am so thankful that I could watch it in English to help get the full grasp of the messages.  President Uchtdorf (I just love him) gave amazing talks.

 

https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2015/10/a-summer-with-great-aunt-rose?lang=eng 

 

He actually answered a lot of my prayers and questions.  I wanted to know how I could help our investigators feel more joy in their lives and how I could improve as a missionary and as a person. 

 

Many of the Apostles and Seventies talked about how to find happiness and how to improve and spiritual strength.  I love the talk about how we should pray and asked ¨What lack I?  What should I improve?¨ I decided to take the challenge and when I prayed, I felt that I need to express my love for others more.  So, I´m going to make it my goal to be more expressive in my words and in my actions.  I also decided to take up the challenge to "ponderize" (A combination of ponder and memorize) scriptures every week for the rest of my mission.  I´ll be sharing with you my scripture every week and invite you all to join in, choose a scripture to ponder and memorize and share it with others.  Like Elder Durrant said, it will help uplift our thoughts and give us a greater knowledge of the gospel.

 

https://www.lds.org/general-conference/watch/2015/10?lang=eng&vid=4531487647001&cid=4

I know that God speaks through his servants. I know that they guide us for good and give us a vision of what we can become and the actions we need to take to reach our full potential and fullness of happiness. I´m so thankful for the love that Heavenly Father has for us.

 

Les amo mucho (I love you lots).  I invite you to take up the challenges that were extended during this conference and to study the talks that were given.  I promise that you will receive the spiritual security and happiness that the Apostles and the Prophet have promised us. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

 

Hermana Jakob