October 26th - Week 21 "Eyes, Ears, Mouth and Nose"

I cant believe it is Monday again! This week flew by. 

We are finally seeing progress with investigators this week which was really encouraging. On Wednesday, we were out working in the morning and went to knock a door of a future investigator but sometimes I get confused between which apartment building is which and we ended up in the wrong block, but it was meant to be because we found a new investigator! Her name is Nevenka and she recently moved here to Arica and lives with her boyfriend and their daughter. Her boyfriend works in the mines, 7x7, so I haven't met him yet but he will be here this week. We shared The Restoriation and it was really powerful. Then she told us that her sister was moving to Arica the next day. Her sister is Ninoska and is a member! She is 18 and moved here to earn money for her mission! It was perferct. We have had 3 lessons this week with them and Neveneka is keeping all her committments which is fantastic! We just need her to get married...But she loved the Plan of Salvation and was so excited when she learned she would see her dad again, he passed away a few years ago. This week they were going to come to church but ended up in the wrong chapel but at least she went to church. 

Nicole is also progressing but she just needs time. She says she doesn't want to feel rushed. She still hasn't come to church though which is a bummer. We had a lesson with a member this week and if we can keep working with the members I know we can get her to church! 

We also found a new investigator, Paulina. Hermana Espinoza and I found her one night when we helped her carry some bags and we have been trying to get a hold of her for about a month now. We finally found her in her house and she invited us in. We asked if we could share something and she said it needed to be fast because she needed to dye her hair. Hna. Requejo told her she could help her after the lesson but we ended up in her kitchen and I taught the Restoration while Hna. R dyed her hair....it was bizzare but I got a good laugh out of it. 

Not much else happened this week other than interviews with President and it is always super great to talk to him and he had such great advice for my sector and everything. 

And to explain the subject line. Hermana Requejo is always trying to confuse me with Spanish so when the opportunity presented itself I finally got her back. She was practicing "head shoulders knees and toes" in English the other day and was so confused with the "eyes ears mouth and nose part". She kept pointing to her nose and saying eyes. I started laughing and she knew she was wrong so I decided to help her. I taught her that her eyes are her ears and her ears her eyes. She has been practicing and practicing and has showed other people and everything. I'll repent and should probably help her fix it today, but hey karma....

Hope you all have a great week! Happy Halloween!!!! I will be dressing up as a missionary! Very original. 

Love,

Hermana Freedman

October 19th, 2015 - Week 20 When in Doubt...DON'T LEAD A BLIND MAN

Hello Everyone!

This week was pretty great! Hna. Requejo and I have started to find new ways to find new investigators and have really started involving the members in the work now that all the ward presidencies are organized and we have a ward mission leader. Hopefully we will continue to see progress with that!

On Monday we had a big lunch with the Vasquez family and Hna. Requejo made peruvian food...wow...so good and Hna. Requejo is such a good cook. Everyone is inviting us to their house to cook lunch now. 

On Friday night we had once (late night snack) with Hna. María and Fabiola and Fabiola invited us back for lunch on Saturday. I had my first asado (BBQ) here in Chile and it was so good. We had a really great time conversing with their family and are really gaining their trust which is awesome. I do have to admit that I don't know how but I got put in charge of making their ponche which is like an alcoholic fruit drink. I don't know if I should admit to that but oh well. We were laughing so hard, I was just trying to be helpful! But...don't worry I kept the word of wisdom. They have invited us back for lunch in 2 weeks or so for Hna. R to cook. We will see if it happens. 

Story of the week. On Saturday we were out working and there was a blind man that was at an intersection waiting to cross the street. We decided to go help him and he told us he was going to his church. We helped him cross and asked if he needed anymore help he accepted and we started to follow his directions. To make a long story short, we ended up really lost and he could tell we were lost. He started yelling at us and both he and Hna. R lost their tempers. I couldnt stop laughing. We eventually found someone to drive us to his church but oh man. Definitely learned my lesson. 

The work this week was better. We had a really great lesson with our investigator Nicole and her son Benjamin. They really have desires to keep their commitments and were going to come to church on Sunday but there is always something that gets in the way. A pipe or something broke in their house and their neighbors apartment flooded. something like that. but  I really feel like they will continue to progress. 

We also had 2 great lessons with a less active we recently found. Her name is Virginia and she is the sweetest. She has the strongest testimony and knows she needs to come back to church but is scared to leave her love for the virigin mary behind. That is often a big problem here. 

We also decided to try something new and knock doors. It actually worked and we ended up finding 2 new investigators! One of them is from Brazil and she was speaking in Portuguese but I understood it all! The gift of tongues is real. 

I don't have much else to say, but I read Elder Ballard's book "Our Search for Happiness" this week and there is a thought I want to share. He is talking about the plan of salvation and how when we live the gospel we will be satisfied with our lives. 

¨A quality life is one that positively influences others and makes the world around it a better place in which to live. A quality life is one that is constantly growing, expanding its horizons and enlarging its borders. A quality life is one that is filled with love and loyalty, patience and perseverance, kindness and compassion. A quality life is one that is based on eternal potential and not confined to this life only. A qulaity life is a life well-lived¨

Just remember that it is living the gospel that makes us happy! Have the greatest week! I love you all and thank you for all the prayers!

Hermana Freedman

October 12, 2015 - Week 19 The Armour of God

Hey everyone!

Wow, new transfer! This week was REALLY slow and I honestly don't have very many stories to tell. We are really stuggling to find new people here in our sector, and nobody is opening doors but I have faith that if we just keep working, we will find someone. 

We had a lesson with Claudia and Patricio again and it was great! They just need to come to church!!!! That is one thing we stuggle with more than anything is getting people to come to church. The people here are pretty lazy, and nobody wants to be in the chapel at 9.30. But we will just keep inviting them. They have 2 great families in the ward that are helping them out, but at some point they are going to have to choose if they are going to progress or not. 

We also had a lesson with a less active we found, Virginia. She is the sweetest and has such a big testimony. But once again doesn´t feel the need to come to church or do anything. It is really hard to find her because her schedule is crazy but I hope we can reactivate her and hopefully in the future teach her 2 kids who arent members. 

Hermana Requejo my new companion is great. She is 27, from Peru, and this is her last transfer in the mission! She LOVES to cook and all she talks about is food. We are actually going to a members house today and she is going to cook them lunch. From my experience Peruvian food is super good so I'm pretty excited. 

I dont have anything else to tell you, but one thing I studied this week that I loved was in Ephesians 6 about the armour of God. I loved reading about all the different parts of the armour and the different protection they provide. In the world we live in today we always need to remember who we are and what we stand for, and be prepared in every way possible!

Have the greatest week!

Hermana Freedman

October 5th - Week 18 Christmas Came Early!!!

¡Alo!

Wow...General conference was incredible. Better than Christmas (I'm just assuming because I don't actually have a Christmas in the mission yet). [comment from Bill: I can tell she is really thinking in Spanish because this phrase is a direct translation from how it would be said in Spanish.] Here are some highlights of the week:

-On Monday Hna. E and I spent our p-day with an investigator, Claudia. she took us to Azapa Valley where there is a mummy museum and also a hummingbird sanctuary and farm. It was so much fun. The mummies were super cool. They are from the Chinchorro people and are dated 6,000-4,000 years before Christ. The sanctuary was really fun too. It is crazy because in the middle of the desert there is just this place with tons of giant green plants and animals. I don't know how and I never will understand how but it was super cool. I felt like I was in Honey I Shrunk the Kids. We really enjoyed our time with Claudia and we are really gaining her confidence which is great. 

It was a miracle. I opened the Liahona to make a thank you card for Claudia and there was a picture of a hummingbird on the page I opened too!!!

-We also had an FHE with Claudia and a family in the ward and we shared the Restoration. It was such a powerful lesson and during the movie the faces of Claudia and her husband were priceless. It was a great first step to helping them accept and live the gospel. 

-On Thursday morning we were out working and decided to go visit a future investigator. She has a dog and she keeps it on a super long chain outside her house. We knocked the door and her dog was outside and it always bugs us at our feet so Hna. E and I were running back and forth to get away from the dog. Finally I gave up and just decided to let the dog bug me. Bad choice because it wasn't too long till I had a dog using me for a fire hydrant all over my feet and legs! We both started lauging so hard and the woman answered the door. I did not know what to do, but she invited me in to wash off my feet in the shower. We got in that's all that matters.

The work was a little slow this week so I really don't have anything else to say. I can't believe I am finished with my training and am actually a normal missionary now. I will be staying here in Arica and Hna. E left for Antofagasta this morning. My new companion will be Hna. Requejo. She is from Peru, is 27, and apparently super short, I guess I will really find out later this afternoon when I meet her. This will be her last transfer in the mission so we will only have 6 weeks together. 

Goodbye for two sisters!

 

Hermana Espinoza made this cute poster for Catie when she hit the 4 month mark

But the highlight of the week was definitely conference. The testimonies of the apostles and prophets were so strong and I can't believe we have 3 new apostles! I received the strongest spiritual impression that they have been called of God. I'm sure you all have your favorite talks but I particularly loved President Nelsons. I loved how he talked about our generation and that the distinction of his generation brings both privileges and responsibilities. I feel so blessed to be on the earth at this time, because right now is exciting! There is so much that we can do to serve and help our savior in building his kingdom and I get to be a part of it!

Hope you all have the best week!

Love,

Hermana Freedman

NOTE FROM THE EDITOR:

We are so grateful to the wonderful Hermana Espinoza for being like a true sister to Catie. We feel blessed that Catie was able to learn from her, how to be a successful missionary!  Hermana Espinoza, you will always be part of our family.

Love,

The Freedmans

Estamos tan agradecidos a la maravillosa Hermana Espinoza por haber sido una Hermana real para Catie.  Sentimos bendecidos que Catie pudo aprender por medio de ella y aprender como ser una misionera exitosa!  Hermana Espinoza, siempre seras una parte de nuestra familia.

Con Amor,

The Freedmans