Dearest Family and Friends,
First i just want to say how grateful I am for the opportunity that I have as a missionary to understand Christ´s Atonement better and to see and feel how it works, not only in my life, but in the lives of God´s children. I know that what he did for us is something that gives us all hope. We were not there when he suffered or died, the prophets that testified of His Atonement before it actually happened were not there either, but through faith and hope and the Holy Ghost, we can know that Christ was born, lived, died, and lives again for us and that He did what he did because of love. I love Him and I know that he lives! Thank you all for being examples of Christ and for being the best family and friends ever. I love you all!
We had a meeting on Sunday and I learned something really neat from our Stake Pres. I learned why baptism is a miracle. A miracle is something that the natural man can´t understand. The natural man can´t understand that by entering a font, or a river, or whatever it may be, and saying a prayer, that one is born again and cleansed from sin. The covenants that we make with God are miracles! Because the natural man can´t understand them. Speaking of the natural man, I was reading in Preach My Gospel and it says that we cannot develop Christ like attributes on our own, and that we NEED the help of God and The Atonement of Jesus Christ. The natural man does not have Christ like attributes and cannot have them. In order to receive these attributes, we have to apply Christ´s Atonement and rid ourselves of the natural man. I have a lot to work on! There are still many things that I need to let go of in order to rid myself of the natural man and i know that with the help of the Lord, I can do it!
We received some great news this week from Carlos, the big brother of Lautaro (cousins of the family Rocha), that if we talked to their mom about Lautaro being baptized, she might give him permission if he starts behaving better. Lautaro is 11 years old and has always loved coming to church and always listens to the lessons when we are teaching the family Rocha. He has come to church many times and wants to be baptized. About a month ago, we asked permission from his mom and she said no but did not tell us why. This week we found out that it was because she didn´t want her son doing something so important if he was not going to be completely committed to it. And according to Carlos, his brother, Lautaro is sometimes a pain to his mom. But I guess Carlos talked with her and she said that he could be baptized if he started behaving better and helping more. So we will see! He could be baptized this Sunday if all goes well. And we are going to pray and do all that we can so that this son of God can be baptized and confirmed and become a faithful active member of Christ´s church! God is blessing us greatly. Although we do not have many investigators, we are continuing to try and show our faith so that we can find the elect that are here in Chacabuco 3. We know there are many and that they are waiting for this message of hope and peace.
Alejandra Rocha had her baby!! :) It is a boy and his name is Benjamin :) We were able to visit her the other day for a few minutes and she is doing great! They are all still doing great and are progressing each day and becoming closer to the Lord! I love seeing it happen! It is the best feeling in the world! Yoselin gave a talk on Sunday on prayer and did so good! She was nervous but it was a very beautiful talk. I think I told you this already but Roberto is the second counselor in the Priest Quorom and really loves it. We love this family so much!
We had a sisters conference this week and my comp and I had to speak on baptism and the importance of it and also on the power of our calling. Sometimes it is hard for the sisters because the elders seem to have the better areas (the villas), where everyone wants to be baptzied, and that the areas of the sisters are more difficult. We talked on how each area is set apart from God and that there are no bad areas and that God has elect people everywhere we go! :) And also, that each of us were set apart with the power of God and we have the same power and authority as the elders to preach the gospel! :) It was a nice conference and was fun to be with all the sisters.
Some of the investigators that we found last week didn´t come to church but we are going to continue with the ones that we feel God is preparing! Eduving didn´t come because he had to go out of town and help his brother move. But he wants to come next Sunday! We have been finding a bit more this week. Yesterday we did our visits with Roberto and Kevin. Oh ya! Kevin received the priesthood yesterday!! :) :) He and Brian are both progressing well and are participating in the activities and are both very happy converts :) Yesterday with Roberto and Kevin, we contacted a woman in the street who was with her son and they had just been robbed but were ok. We talked with Julia and later her sister and mom showed up. We shared a message with them and gave them a book of mormon and they accepted to be baptized on the 13 of July! We will see what happenes with them! I know that if it is God´s will and if they really have been prepared by him, that they will be baptized and will have such happier lives! :) God is with us and is blessing us!
I love you all so much! And I love being a missionary :) Thank you for everything and have a great week! "Happiness is the destination, but it is also the path." Pres. Uchtdorf
Con Amor,
Hermana Syphus
I have a few random things to tell you like always ha! First, when we went last monday to buy a coat for my comp, I bought one as well because last winter here was pretty rough will only my rain coat and grey zip up. So I thought, what the heck, I might as well so I don´t suffer again. I didn´t have money with me so Hermana Lines paid but i of course am paying her back. That being said, i took out 1000 pesos from my account from home and I hope that is ok. I think that would be like 100 dollars or something like that. I am not sure now what the rate is. But it is pretty high! Would you happened to know how much money I have left in my account? Also, you asked me if I needed anything. Nope :) I am doing great and am going to buy a new memory card for my camera I hope today :( I need to take lots of pics here to make up for what I lost. Not that it makes it any better but oh well. Serves me right for not sending my stinking photos each week like any normal missionary would do. I am so sorry :(
For your information ma :) So the last few weeks I have actually been pretty sick. Nothing bad bad but I think I got the flu with the body aces and such and a little fever. I tried to work through it a few days and got worse and our zone leaders got to me and told me that I needed to repent because they had told me to stay in the house one day and we did, but not until later that day. I think I haven´t been dressing as warm as I need to either. So it is my own fault. All these members are so kind and keep telling me to dress warmer and are giving us scarfs and hats and tights and all that jazz. I am starting to dress warmer though so no worries! This week I received a blessing from the zone leaders and was told to stay in the house and rest. So I did. It was super hard and I really actually hated it. I can´t do that anymore. It drives me crazy. Being leaders, our area needs to be an example and we should be always meeting the goals. And me staying in the house means that we cant work! I felt so guilty. But anyway, my companion is the best and is very diligent, and we were able to go on splits with some hermanas. An hermana came to stay with me in the house and my comp went out working with another hermana. And the Lord blessed us because of the diligence of Hermana Matamoros! :) When I could leave, we worked real hard and were able to still meet most of our goals. Man I am just so grateful for how merciful the Lord is with us. I know that he loves us and wants the best for us and desires that we are successful and happy. Oh yes, and I am doing lots better now and am mostly healthy and very happy :) :)
I think that was all the random news. Or for now at least :)
Sisters Conference
Alejandra and her new baby Benjamin
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