November 23rd - Week 25 "We Are The Message"

Hey Everyone!

Great first week here in Tocopilla!!!  A little background info on Tocopilla. It's a little coastal town, about 3 hours from Antofagasta and it's one big hill. Holy cow. I have never been more tired in my life. The streets are kinda like roller coasters. Up and down, up and down, but I love it. Its fairly nice, because in 2007 there was an earthquake that destroyed everything so all the construction is new, also after the floods (this is the city that flooded with all the mudslides in the news a while back) there have been some updates to the city. I also thought there were lots of dogs in Arica but I was wrong. Never in my life will I see more dogs. They are everywhere. EVERYWHERE. The branch here is fantastic and the people are the greatest. 

I am still getting to know the people here but we were able to make a lot of contacts this week which was great and hopefully we will have some new investigators this coming week. We had one progressing investigator this week, Elena, who had a baptism date for next Saturday but it ended up falling through. She is 9 and her family is less actives, so really it's probably a good things we wait to baptize her. As of now we are really going to focus our efforts on reactivating her family and helping them create a home with more love. 

Hermana San Martin is a dream and we get along so well. She definitely speaks Chilean Spanish and I thought I was used to it but I was wrong. I can't count the number of times I have to ask her to repeat things, but hopefully after her I will be able to understand everything. She is the spunkyest person, loves to dance, and loves to move the furniture around. Haha. Last night we spent 45 minutes moving everything around. We spent the whole time laughing together. 

Hermana San Martin and Catie in Tocopilla

The highlight of this week was definitely the conference we had in Antofagasta with Elder Cook!!! Our bus to Antofagasta left at 4:30 on Saturday morning and we arrived at about 8:30. It was so fun to be with the whole mission and see some of the missionaries from Arica, and especialy Hermana Jacobson from the CCM!!! It was a little weird that neither of my previous companions were there but that will never happen again, considering that Hna. SM has less time in the mission. 

The conference was incredible and I received mountains of revelation. We were able to hear from Elder Gonzalez (President of South America South Area), Elder Soares from the presidency of the 70, and Elder Cook as well as their wives. Elder Cook had us write down 4 things and I have really been pondering them. 

1. We are ward and branch builders.

-He talked a lot about how we need to continually be building the youth of the church because ultimately they are the future leaders of the church. 

2. We succeed when we invite, regardless of the outcome.

- We can never have fear of sharing the gospel. We don't know the impact we can have!

3. If we are disciples of the savior, WE are the message.

- Our examples are everything, and people should be able to know what we believe by how we act.

4. Foucs your spiritual power on your teaching, planning, and purpose.

- For those of you who aren't in the mission maybe teaching and planning don't apply as much but really we need to always have our focus on our spiritual goals and focus our spiritual power on accomplishing our goals!

The conference was incredible and he bore such strong testimony. But...it was a little bit of a bummer because at the end there was a special musical number by some elders. they sang Praise to the Man, but there was a problem with the piano and speakers and I think they were oblivious to what was going on, but it was a rock concert. Holy cow. I'm surprised they didn't blow out the speakers. Elder Cook was painfully smiling on the stand. Always adventures in the mission. 

I hope you all have the greatest week! Love you all so much!

Hermana Freedman

Wonderful family who game this shawl to Catie as a gift!

Shout out to the Salle Family!

Goodbye to great friends!

View of Tocopilla

November 16th - Week 24 Tocopilla!!!

Hey everyone! 

I don't have much time to write because I spent my whole P-day (9 hours on a bus) to get here to my new sector! Every time I travel in bus I remember that really I am in the middle of the desert...it looks like the moon (not that I have been to the moon to compare...but just trust me) and sometimes I feel like Nephi traveling through the desert to the promised land...Tocopilla!!!! I already love it. My companion is Hermana San Martin. She is from Santiago and has 3 months in the mission. One transfer less than me.

Here are some highlights from last week:

- Claudia and Patricio are starting to progress!!! We had 2 lessons with them this past week and the spirit was very strong. They expressed their desires to continue learning and shared their testimonies of what we have shared. They invited us to an Once (dinner) and Claudia had made homemade pizza, and all these desserts. They also went to a baptism this week and loved it. They said they felt the spirit and realized that it is a sacred covenant. Hopefully the elders that are arriving to our sector can help them progress!

-Also Priscilla is really progressing!!!! I don't remember what I have told you about her but she was a contact that I made with Hna. Espinoza. We never could find her when we passed for her house and all our appts. always fell through but I felt so very impressed to keep visiting her. We had 2 lessons this week, both very spiritual and she expressed her desires to change her life, and expressed that she has received an answer that this is her path God is preparing. She came to church this Sunday and cried the whole time. I am so happy for her and am sad to leave here but all the ward members were so great to reach out to her. 

-I can't believe this last transfer with Hermana Requejo went so fast. I learned so much and we are such great friends. 

Sorry I don't have more time to write. I promise I will send pictures next week....

Love you all!

Hermana Freedman

November 9th - Week 23 30 Minutes with Rachel... Requejo

Hey everyone!

I don't have much time to write this week and not much happened so this email will be short but here are some highlights of the week!

Natisha one of our investigators came to church this week and is really progressing. The YWs president even told us that she participated more than the ward members in her classes. But she is 14 so sadly probably won't be getting baptized anytime soon because she doesn't have much support from her family but we will continue to help her build her testimony. 

We also found a new investigator Natalie last week but this week were able to have a few lessons with her and she really opened up and we were able to find her need. She has family who are members and loves their example of the gospel and wants it for her family. Hopefully we can have the opportunity to share with her boyfriend at some point and help them progress as a family. They have 2 kids and Natalie is super great!

This week Hna. Requejo ended up cooking lunch at Claudia and Patricios and also on Sunday with Hna. Alma from our ward. Everyone wants her to cook for them! Her food is the yummiest and it was also great to have a little time to share with Claudia and Patricio. They are progressing very slowly but its progress! 

I can't believe the transfer is almost over. I am sad that Hna. R will be leaving. We are BEST friends. I have learned so much from her in just 5 weeks and will miss her like crazy. 

Hope you all have a fantastic week!

Love,

Hermana Freedman

November 2nd, 2015 - Week 22 "Dulce o Referencia"

¡Alo!

I hope that everyone had a happy Halloween and is enjoying the Fall weather! Another great week here in Costanera. This week we found a few new investigators which was great and also were able to meet with some less actives, who before wouldn't let us in so that was exciting.  

Tuesday was a day of miracles. We were out working and all our plans were falling through, but we decided to visit a less active who usually just tells us she is busy and doesn't have time. We knocked her door and it was inspired. She let us in and told us that she had been praying for us to come visit her, minutes before. We were able to find her need and gain a little bit of confidence. We also visited with another less active that also never lets us in but something was different on Tuesday because she opened up and now we know  what we need to do to help her come back to church. It really is incredible to see the Lord working through me. It is very humbling to learn and understand this principle.  Despite my own weaknesses, he finds a way to work through me. 

We also had a great lesson with Claudia and Patricio this week. They still wouldn't agree to be baptized but they understood about baptism and want to see a baptism and then make a decision. Patricio told us that he thinks the Joseph Smith story is logical and that it all makes perfect sense! We just need to help them progress as a couple!

We also visited Hna. María and tricked Fabiola into staying for the lesson. She was very aware we had tricked her into staying and we all just joked and laughed about it the whole time, but we read the introduction to the BOM and started talking about Joseph Smith and she asked us if we could come and watch the movie with her, about Joseph Smith so the next day we went and all watched the movie together. Fabiola isn't progressing, but really it's just because she can't imagine that it is possible to change! But her faith is growing and that's what is important. She will have her time. 

On Halloween, a ward member sewed us doll hats and in the night, us 4 Costanera Hnas, went around to the members and knocked their doors. When they answered we yelled ¨dulce o referencia¨ (candy or references) and handed out candy. It was really fun, and we didn't actually end up getting any references but I think we brought a little bit of Halloween ánimo (excitement) to our ward so that was good. 

But behold, I, Nephi, will show unto you that the tender mercies of the Lord are over all those whom he hath chosen, because of their faith, to make them mighty even unto the power of deliverance. 1 Nephi 1:20

I loved this scripture in my study this week. Nephi is the greatest example and really when we have faith the Lord will help us. There are tender mercies in our lives everyday, we just need to recognize them!

Have the greatest week!

Hermana Freedman

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