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

September 28th - Week 17 4500 m.

Hey Everyone!

Wow I feel like I haven't written in forever and that so much has happened! Probably because so much has happened!

Last week was one una semana bien Chileana. The whole Chilean experience earthquake and all. I don't even remember what day it was because they all blur together but I think it was Wednesday night there was a huge earthquake in La Serena. It was 8 at night here and Hna. E and I were at a members house with the other Costanera Hnas. to meet up with the bishopric to go on visits. We asked Hermano Patricio how he was a he told us that he wasn't doing to well because there were earthquakes in Santiago and La Serena. We ran to the family room and started watching the news. Hna. E was really nervous because she didn't have communication with her family or anything. We had an appt. at 8 so we ended up leaving his house and then the general tsunami alarms started going off so we ran back and got the other Hnas. and started running for the hills. Our sector is on the beach, which usually is a blessing but when your apartment is the closest building to the beach and there's a tsunami threat it's not the greatest feeling. We ended up running into a member and we got in their van and drove to the cerro. Eventually we ended up heading to a chapel for a differnt ward because all the missionaries needed to be in the same location. We were there till 12 and then they lifted the tsunami threats. I was so glad that nothing happened but I know that misión viña, has a lot to clean up. There have been a few temblores, replicas here but really small. But that was a crazy experience. 

On Friday and Saturday were fiestas patrias here! Such a fun experience! On Friday Hna. E and I made empanadas in our pension which was fun and then she tried to teach me how to dance Cuecha, but although I'm improving in a lot of aspects of my life here in the mission, dancing sadly isn't one. Friday night there was a ward party, with Barrio Pukarani too. Everyone danced and we had some traditional Chilean food. Hna. Leslie did my hair as usual.

Saturday we just visited members. President gave us permission to spend Friday and Saturday with the members because you can't find anyone during fiestas patrias. We ended up watching the big military parade with some members and wow...I have never eaten more in my life. It was like thanksgiving. Every house was just more and more food. 

The work last week was a little difficult with all the activities and earthquakes and stuff but the biggest miracle I saw was that less active, José prayed!!!!! That is a big deal! He has now been at church for 6 weeks in a row, and went from not believing in God to praying! So happy for his progress. 

Agostina, sadly has decided to move to Pose Asurmonte with her boyfriend. But she has intentions to read and pray, but when I talked to her last she hadn't been...but we got their direction and the missionaries are going to visit them there. If her boyfriend will start listening to the discussions that would be awesome. But she should be moving back in a month or so, so in the meantime I will just keep praying for her. 

This past Monday I went to Lago Chungara!!!! It is one of the highest lakes in the world at 4500 m. It is very beautiful and there is a big volcano in the background. We went with 6 other hnas in the van of a member in a nearby ward. We left at 8 in the morning and got there at 2. The trip started off great and Brother Gonzalez had this traditional Chilean flute music playing and we were driving through the desert and I felt like I was in a movie. About 2 hours into the drive, with what was supposed to be 1 hour left, his car broke. Also because of the altitude the car just wasn't working as well. There was a big hill that we needed to get up and the car was too heavy so we all got out and he started going up the hill. We started walking but because of the altitude everyone started getting light headed. One of the Hnas. ended up passing out so we all got back in the car and just waited for the engine to cool down. To make a long story short, 4 hours later and after lots of black smoke we made it to Lago Chungara. It was gorgeous! There were tons of alpaca and this other animal that is native to the North of Chile. It's like an alpaca but smaller. There were tons of birds including flamingos! It wasn't that cold but with the wind it was a little chilly. We all started taking pictures and then another Hna. passed out. Everyone had warned us to be really careful and walk super slow but being that I am a teenager I tend to think I am invincible but really the altitude is insane. You can definitely feel a difference, but I never felt sick or anything so that was good. The drive down was much better but my body ached from the fast change in pressure. We passed Putre and a bunch of other mountain cities which was fun to see. Also there are two valleys here in Arica. Azapa and Lluta, and they are super green and filled with tons of fields. We drove through both and it was amazing to see the valleys with the desert hills as contrast. Such a fun experience. 

This week we visited Hna. María a few times and as usual there are always stories. I was on an intercambio with Hna. Ibarra and we went to visit her. We walked in and she just kept telling us that she was dying and had 4 days to live. We quickly started teaching because obviously she wasn't doing to well and during my prayer I prayed for her and her daughter Fabiola, who was also in the room. María started talking, and kept saying, and Nicolas (so I said and Nicolas), and Gustavo (and Gustavo) and she went on to list her genealogy and I had to pray for them all. I was busting up. But hey at least she knows her family history. Hna. E and I went to visit her later in the week and she fell asleep in the middle of the lesson but we just ended up talking to her daughter Fabiola. That is proabbly the biggest miracle of the week. Like José I have been watching Fabiolas heart change! She started talking and told us that she felt different when we were in her house. We started teaching her about the spirit and she just won't accept that she is feeling the spirit. But slowly her heart is changing and it would be incredible if she and her fmaily would start listening! The spirit was so strong as we bore testimony and it was an incredible experience. 

We also are making really great progress with an investigator Claudia and her husband Patricio. When I got here they wouldn't let us in and now we have plans today to visit some hummingbird sanctuary with her. We ended up visiting with her and her husband for a long time the other day and we also have an FHE planned with them this week. Claudia's best friend is a member of our ward. All they need is time. I don't doubt that they soon will accept the gospel. 

Hna. María Eugenia had her birthday this week. She is like our mamita here in our sector so she invited us to her birthday party Friday night. We had an Argentine dish, carne a la masa which was really interesting. It was fun to converse will all their neighbors and was a good missionary opportunity. 

Saturday morning we helped with a service project in the stake center. A preschool from our sector used the chapel for their folklore dance activity. We went early with the stake president and set up chairs and then watched the performance and after had a table with pass along cards, Book of Mormons, The Living Christ, stuff like that set up. We got some good contacts and hopefully will see results from that opportunity! 

A youth from the sector of the other Costanera Hnas. was baptized this week! Her name is Diolett and I actually taught her the first discussion during an intercambio so it has been neat to watch her change and progress in the gosepl. I finally played the piano at her baptism. I have missed the piano so much so that was a good opportunity. 

I don't have much else to say. I'm so sorry this email was so long but a ton has happened recently! I hope you all have the greatest week! I can't believe I am in the last week of my training, and this is my last week with Hna. E. I'm sad shes got to go but also excited to find out where I will be serving next and who with. (also heads up, if I do end up having to go to a different sector there is a chance I will spend my pday in a bus and won't be able to write next week. So if I don't write I'm still alive, just traveling). 

Chao!

Hna. Freedman

Sept 21st - Week 16 It's Better Than Nothing...

Hey!!!! We just got back from lago chugara but I dont have time to write this week so I have a ton to tell you guys next week because this week was packed!!!! 

So sorry and love you all. I am going to print all your letters and read them this week so I will be caught up for next week. 

Catie

September 15, 2015 - Week 15 Manos Mormonas

Hey Everyone!

This week was good! But every week in the mission is good! 

Some highlights from the week:

- Agostina is really progressing but we haven;t set a date. She needs to have a testimony first but she is keeping her committments and we are watching her continue to change which is incredible. 

-We also are teaching 17 year old Melanie who is incredible. She lives with her boyfriend so if she chooses to be baptized she will actually be in the neighbor ward, where her grandma lives but we are taking advantage of the teaching opportunity for now. She always has the greatest questions and we shared the Plan of Salvation with her this week and after she started asking if she could serve a mission. SHE WANTS TO SERVE A MISSION! But it's really hard to find time to meet with her so that is our biggest struggle right now. She lives inbetween her boyfriend and grandmas house. Hopefully we can meet with her this week. 

-This week was the world wide service day so we had a multistake project and we picked up trash on the morro of Arica. But....it was really just all the missionaries and then one ward, Zapáhuira, from our stake but it was still fun. 

-We also have a new investigator who lives in the old folks home here in Arica. It is so fun to go in and talk to all the elderly people and I feel like I'm working back at Aspen!

-We also had stake conference this week which was great. But highlight was Hna. María. She was sitting with ward members but her phone rang twice during the conference and she answered and had both conversations! She just has no clue what is going on around her and lives in her own world. It is so funny when she talks on the phone because she listens and then when its her turn to talk she puts her mouth to the screen and talks. I always get a good laugh. President Dalton was on the stand and I could tell he was looking at her like "what is she doing!!!!" so its probably a good thing she wasn't sitting with us. 

-We also had zone conference yesterday and it was super great. The spirit is always so strong in meetings like that and I always want to be better afterward. It was kinda weird being that it was my first zone conference and Hna. Es last. 

I am so excited for this upcoming week! Fiestas patrias!!!! Being that I'm in the north it's kinda like a mix between a celebration for Chile, Peru, and Bolivia. so that will be interesting. 

Spiritual thought for the week:

I have really been studying a lot about faith. But more than that. Faith in Jesus Christ. There is a difference and we always need to make sure that our faith is in Christ. We can have faith in anything, including ourselves but faith in Christ is the faith necessary to witness miracles! 

Mormon 7:33 says, "If ye have faith in me ye shall have power to do whatsoever thing is expedient in me."

I love that! And we can develop our faith in Christ by coming to know Him! We can know Him through reading the scriptures, praying, and listening to the prophets! (So excited for general conference!!!) 

I know that Jesus Christ is my savior and I'm so grateful to be a missionary!

Love,

Hermana Freedman

September 7, 2015 - Week 14 Jack Sparrow

¡Alo familia!

Another great week in the field! This week there were SO MANY temblores. During district meeting on Tuesday we were saying the closing prayer and everything just started shaking. It was pretty big. Like a 5.6, but still not an earthquake. For the rest of the day there were little temblors sporadically. 

Ive had some sinus problem this week I dont know if its that the climate is changing or if Im just sick but my balance has been a little off. Walking around I proabably looked drunk because I kept loosing my balance. Hermana Espinoza kept calling me Jack Sparrow. But really...hopefully I will feel a little more stable this week. 

Its finally September here! Chileans arent very patriotic but during september they show enough patriotism to last the year. Everyone is staring to decorate their houses and cars for the 18th and 19th of September. Hna. E wont stop talking about it, but I like that because it just makes me more excited. 

We didnt teach very many lessons this week but the ones we had were pretty great! We met with Ada and Hugo again and I went in a little nervous just because Hugo just likes to bash. But we shared the Restortion with minimal questions from them and when I shared the first vision the spirit was so strong. They went silent and just starred at the picture I was showing. It was really spiritual and really cool. And then we finished the lesson without one word from them! #miracle In the end Hugo asked a few annoying questions but then he ended up mostly agreeing with us so that was nice. 

I know I promised a baptism date for Agostina but the situation has ended up being really complicated. We chose the 12th but then realized that stake conference is the 12th. Also she wants to go live with the mom of her boyfriend in his city but that isnt allowed and we arent allowed to baptize her if she chooses to do that. She needs to get married or stay in Arica and live with her family. But all the other lessons we had planned with her this week fell through. We have an appointement with her tonight and hopefully can get the situation figured out. 

I had an intercambio with Hermana Randall the other day which was fun. We were in the same group in the CCM but different districts. She is super great and it is always an experience working without a native. 

This week we worked a lot with Hermana Mária. She is my favorite! She turned 69 this week and we found her in the street and sang to her. We also went and visitied her in her house a few times. I always laugh so much. She has such great desires for her family to join the church and this week we really have watched her daughters heart change! She wants to have us for lunch, she has started talking to us, will come in and out of lessons. Big progress. We also brought Mária to church this sunday. Holy cow. It was so much work because she constantly needs someone to help her around. But she bore her testimony in Sacrament meeting and told he whole life story and kept talking about us and how we are her best friends. She is literally the cutest. Dont be suprised if I bring her home with me. 

i also forgot my tag on sunday.....I didnt realize till after all 3 hours of church that I didnt have it! And right after church Agostina´s brother Marquito was baptized and we sang and I didnt have my tag! Rookie mistake. I make a lot of those. The baptism was really beautiful and a youth in the ward Gabriel Barraza baptized him. Now I just want to find someone to baptize!!!!

Have the greatest week!

Hermana Freedman

August 31, 2015 - Week 13 Fleas Help

¡Hola!

Sorry for the pathetic subject line but that is honestly the worst part of every email...haha

This week was great as usual! Hermana Clawson left on Monday and we waited in the bus terminal for 4 hours Monday for Hna. Roldans new companion to arrive. Chileans have no understanding of the word schedule...and then when they are Mormon its even worse. Haha. So we waited in the bus terminal all day Monday for Hna Hokanson to get her. She is super cute. From West Jordan and she has 5 months in the mission. Almost 6. Haha we call her Hna Cookie because Hna Roldan can't pronounce her name and it sounds like cookie when she says it. So the whole ward calls her Hna. Cookie. 

We saw a lot of miracles this week!!!!

We have a few new investigators. Melanie is 17 and she is super awesome. She has such great desires to learn and her beliefs are super similar to ours but she has no religion. We can't meet with her till later in the week but I'm sure the 2nd visit will be just as good as the first. Also we have a new investigator Patricia. Hna Espinoza found her when we were in intercambios but we have had lessons with her everyday. She has a lot of problems...a lot...and will need a lot of time before she could be baptized but she has a huge desire to change her life around. Haha but...she is a cat lady. She lives with her 17 year old sons and tons of cats. They are all over us during the lessons I want to die everytime. Haha I will be sitting on the couch and there will be a cat behind my head that just starts chewing on my hair, stuff like that. And Hna. Espinoza is convinced she has fleas. Her legs are COVERED in all these tiny bites. Hahahaha. But Patricia really is amazing. Satan is working so hard with her though. She was going to come to an activity with us this Saturday but she started having really bad back pain and she has been talking about church all week but when she found out where the chapel is she started having a panic attack because there are certain places in the city she can't go because she is scared. Its complicated. But hopefully we can help her overcome some of her problems and get her to church!

We had a lesson with Gustavo this week and it was kinda our make it or break it lesson. We haven't been able to teach him for almost a month now and he hasn't been keeping his commitments but when we went he had read! And the spirit was so strong! We are kinda starting from ground 0 again and are going to keep meeting with him, so that was really great. 

Jose came to church! I don't know if I've really written about Jose but he is a inactive who has no belief in God. His uncle was a member of the ward who passed away a week ago. We have been trying to meet with Jose since I got here and have had 2 lessons but with the passing of his uncle he came to church! haha that is huge. Honestly a miracle!!!

We had a stake activity this Saturday which was really fun. All the wards got assigned a different country in Latin America (plus the US) and the relief society had to prepare a dance and food from their country. Our ward had Venezuela and it was really fun to see the ward come together and prepare their stuff. Also we got an investigator to dance which was awesome! 

And the big news for the week.....we have a baptism!!!! The same investigator, Agostina, who danced is going to be baptized!!!! Her brother is 8 and getting baptized on Sunday and the bishop called us the other day and told us that Ago wanted to be baptized too!!!! Hna E. is shocked because before this she has had no interest and when the missionaries started teaching her initially she rebelled and got a bunch of tattoos, stuff like that. But she just had a baby, and with the death of the ward member and her brothers baptism it was a perfect storm. The Lord has a specific time for everyone. The problem was that her plan was to get baptized before the 15th and then move out to live with her boyfriend..so we taught her the law of chastity and did a lot of praying and she has decided that she still wants to be baptized. We are going to pick a date with her tonight. I am so excited! Her mom and sisters are recent converts and I love their family!!!!

It was a great week filled with lots of miracles! Also the weather is changing and its getting really warm here! Everyone have the greatest week! Find someway to share the gospel!!!

Love,

Hermana Freedman

August 24th - Week 12 Dumb Blonde...

Hey Everyone!

Another great week in the mission and I can´t believe it but I have one transfer in the field under my belt! Also I never thought I would be able to call myself a dumb blonde but...crazy things happen in the mission. Everyone here refers to me as the blonde. The Hermana´s in our pension refer to me as ¨their blondie¨ and when anyone in the ward is trying to differentiate between my companionship and the other companionship its always, ¨the Peruvian and the Hawaiian or the Chilean and the blonde¨. And all the time in people's doorways too they will comment on my blonde hair. I think I'm color blind or something because I don't see it. 

And I had so many mistakes with the language this week...I can't count the number of times that I confidently answered someone's question later to find out that they had asked something totally different. Haha we were in a taxi back to the pension last pday and the driver asked ¨por donde van¨ I thought he had asked me where I was from so I said Ëstados Unidos¨ he looked so confused and just started laughing. I also always have trouble with the words mayor (older) and mejor (best). When I'm speaking in sentences I always get stuck when I use one of those words. I start second guessing myself, but anyway people will often ask if any of my siblings have served missions and I always tell them that I'm the oldest but usually what ends up coming out of my mouth is, ¨soy la mejor¨....haha I'm the best rather than oldest...but Thomas, Andrew, Char, and Jilly I think we all know that's true too. Isn't the oldest always the best too??? Just kidding.

Oh man this week I was in the shower and the power went out. Hahaha the bathroom was pitch dark and the water went from super hot to freezing. I just started laughing because I had shampoo in my hair and I was just feeling around the shower trying to find my conditioner and stuff. Oh man...

Also there were a bunch of temblores this week and I always think they are kinda fun but Hermana Espinoza hates them...she has reason too but this morning my bed started shaking, we have a bunk, and I thought it was Hna E just turning but it woke me up which I wasn't very happy about because I had 30 minutes left to sleep. But all of a sudden Hna E started yelling, ahhhhh temblor. Once again I just started laughing so hard. 

I had intercambios with Hna Scalise this week. She is super great and from Argentina. We had a good time and thats always a good opportunity. 

Yesterday was Hna. Roldans birthday so I cut out feliz cumpleaños and put that up on the wall and then we sang in the morning. That was really fun. 

We taught a good lesson on the Plan of Salation with Alejandra this week. She is probably our investigator that is progressing the most so I always look forward to lessons with her. She is the cutest young mom, but she needs to get married so thats always a challenge. 

We also got two new investigators Hugo and Ada. They are both super Christian but have very different beliefs. Haha we couldn't teach the lesson because everything we said was followed by question or a story. I am scared to go back....I need a professor of religion with me. I have no clue the answers to half their questions. Really gotta prepare before we teach them, but I'll just use the BOM to knock'em down. 

Other than that we didn't really have any other teaching opportunities this week. A member of the ward passed away so we worked a lot to support the ward this week. We were able to attend the funeral yesterday and that was really nice. It was pretty interesting to see a funeral of a different culture. 

Oh and cambios. I am staying here in Costanera with Hna Espinoza. AND HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!!!!!!! Have the greatest day! 

Spiritual thought from a talk I studied this week from Elder Nash. ¨Faith in times of trial creates steadfast men and women, and gives sure and steady direction when potentially disorienting storms rage.¨ I loved that! All of our experiences in life are to help us learn and grow and in the future we will be better prepared to face other trials that come our way. We can handle anything when we have faith. 

Have the greatest week!!!!!

Hermana Freedman