Week 41 St. Patricks Day. A Green Mean, Preaching Machine.

First, the title is misleading. St. Patrick´s day does not exist here. I wore green anyways though. And we taught a TON of lessons this week!

We has a Zone Meeting on Tuesday, where among other less interesting things, we discussed how we can set daily and weekly goals with faith. And Hna D´Angelo and I really thought long and hard about that. And we both realized that lately we had been setting goals according to what WE thought WE could accomplish.... And that is not what missionary work is. So now we are trying harder, praying more specifically, and LISTENING HARDER. The goals that we have set this week have seemed almost unrealistic at times, but we both felt that they were correct. And you know what? Not only did we meet the goals. Once or twice we passed them. I have seen so many small miracles this week. I realized that I hard started to depend on my own strength here. Not a ton. But more than I should have been. I had a good wake up this week. And putting the faith to work has really only increased the faith that I have. I really have a testimony of goal setting. Of seeing what we can do as missionaries. Seeing that number. And then saying a prayer and asking God what he KNOWS we will accomplish today. Following what we can do we will teach one lesson with a member a day maybe. Maybe two other lessons. Maybe one new investigator. Very average. This week we were blessed to have 3 lessons with a member, 9 others, and 5 new investigators. For El Salvador, this is a week of miracles.

Sadly this week we also experienced a death in the Branch. One of our Sisters passed away suddenly this week because of a heart attack. Hermana Seline. She  has two children 13 and 16, and the whole branch is in shock. But one thing that has been amazing to see, is how the knowledge that we have of the Plan of Salvation brings us peace. We are sad. We miss her. But we are not destroyed. We know we will see her again. There is an incredible peace in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This week has been a week of faith, and of peace. During this time of Easter and remembering the Resurrection. Moments like this are even more poignant. (Here´s hoping I spelled that right... English is hard guys.)

We were also able to see our convert José pass the Sacrament for the first time, and give a talk in Sacrament meeting about prayer.

This is basically what happened this week. Ending on a story though. We had a lesson yesterday with a family of investigators. Ingrid y Claudio. They are very Catholic. Even though ALL OF THEIR EXTENDED FAMILY ARE MEMBERS. When I say all, I literally mean all. And they are just okay living their lives the way that they are. they are happy and content and don't want to change. Missionaries have been sharing with them for the better part of forever. But yesterday something may have changed. 

We were at a loss of what to teach them, until we started thinking about the upcoming conference. And then thinking about the conference that we just had in October. At this time I invite you all to watch the talk, or read it, ¨What Lack I Yet?¨ From Elder Lawrence of the 70. We shared this talk. And we discussed how we can all continue to progress. After sharing stories and experiences, we challenged all of them to pray and ask for one thing that they can work on. And Ingrid said, ¨I will ask. I do not like to ask. That is why I recite my prayers. That is why I haven't asked about your church. Because I am afraid someone will answer.¨ She knows. She knows. SHE KNOWS. So we are working with them at the moment as well (shout out to Hermana Eliza Handley!) 

We also hiked on of the larger hills here in El Salvador this morning and got some really cool pictures.

But that really was the week. So challenge for all of your. Read the talk. Talk to your Heavenly Father and look for one thing that you can improve. You will receive specific answers to specific questions. I love you all, and I hope to see you all constantly improving. 

Love you,

Hermana Randall

PS. Transfers are next Monday. And its almost a sure thing that I'm headed somewhere else. I've been here for a long time. So I may not write next Monday. But instead on Tuesday or something. We´ll see! Wish me luck!

-- 

Week 40 The Unsinkable Hermana Randall

First of all. Ten points to whoever gets the movie reference in the title of my email.

Second, Hello everyone! Officially another week has gone by and I have the pleasure of once again using technology and talking to my friends and family. 

Hope this email finds you all well and good. Things here this week were pretty uneventful.... With the exception of a Strike where they halted all traffic and we were stuck in a bus for 2 hours..... 

Assuming you would all like to hear the story I will proceed to tell you. 

We had a Zone Conference planned with our Mission President on Tuesday, so we caught our bus at 8:00AM and an hour later normally we arrive at the halfpoint mark. A little town (bigger than El Salvador), called Diego de Almagro. But our ride was slightly different because when we were about 10 minutes out of Diego traffic stopped in both directions and we were in a huge line of buses and work trucks from the mine. 

So turns out that a couple different companies fired a whole bunch of people or cut their pay or something like that. So in order to attract attention to their Strike, these people began burning tires and all sorts of things in the road. And the side roads as well. They had blocked all entry or exit to Diego. So we sat on the bus and waited for people to make a bunch of calls. We waited. And waited. And waited. And by this time all of the people that were on the bus with us, got off and walked to Diego. Which we couldnt do without permission from the Mission President. And he was traveling and didnt have cell service for a little while. 

When he finally called us we told him the situation and he said some of the scariest words I have ever heard from a leader....  Hermana. Do what you think is best. 

So after praying out the options, we walked about 30 minutes into town, managed to find the Plaza, hire a taxi (super expensive) to Chañaral, and make it to the Zone Conference only an hour late. President was very pleased. 

So that was my super adventure for the week. Other than that not much happened. We found a couple new investigators this week that have a lot of potential and we are really excited for the progress that El Salvador is making. 

Yesterday there was a specail conference broadcast from Salt Lake city for all of Chile, and we were privlegded to hear fromPresident Russell M. Nelson. And he spoke Spanish! It was really cool! All the members were so excited that he chose to speak in Spanish. You could tell that he hadnt used it in a while, but he spoke very well, and he had a beautiful message about following the commandements and doing all of the small and simple things that really build a home and a testimony.

I hope to find that you are all well at home. I miss you all, but in reality I have no idea how much I miss you. Im too busy to miss you all as much as I thought that I would. Haha!

I love you all, thak you for all of your thoughts and prayers, you are all constantly in mine! Congradulations to the friends who got engaged this week, and the families that continue to grow and change in my absence. LOVE YOU!

Hermana Randall

Week 39 Over the Rainbow. Officially Halfway.

Hey Everyone! All is well in El Salvador, Chile!

Before I get to the news about my week I would like to give a couple shoutouts:

1. My little brother Jarrett made the High School Soccer Team and I am beyond proud of him.

2. My little sister Emma is Sunshine in Human form.

3. Cassidy, my not so little sister, is getting closer to graduation every day, and is about to start college. I love her. And she scares me. 

4. My parents are the best parents. Thanks for being the best parents.

5. I have the sweetest Grandparents.

6. I have a couple cousins whom I love quite a bit, who are both returned missionaries, and one finished his mission while I was in mine. AND NEITHER OF THEM HAVE WRITTEN ME ANYTHING. THIS IS NOT A SHOUT OUT. IT IS A THREAT. 

These have been my shoutouts for the week. 

Well world. I hit 9 months this last week. My mother very proudly has sent me a photo of my half filled countdown calender. And I feel as if I should write the obituary. I still have a lot of time, but I feel like I got kinda kicked in the pants this week. I know that I am working hard, and I am a better missionary every single day. But I always feel like there is more that I could be doing. And now I only have 9 months left in the mission to do them. So these 9 months are going to be the best of all the months. Thats a goal. A resolution. And a fact. 

Other than this not much has happened this week. Hna D´Angelo was out one day with a pretty bad cold, but she is all better now. And we are back to working with all our hearts, mights, minds, and strength. 

El Salvador has also helped to increase my belief in the Resurrection, because this week our ghost town of no one, has exploded back into a place inhabited by real people. School starts today, and the world is back in order. Slowly we are reciving all of our investigators and Members back and we are over the moon about it. 

Our investigators that are progressing have slowed in their progress a little bit, but they are still progressing. Just do to factors that we cant control, like interfamilial issues, etc... They have slowed a little. However I am confident in their futures.

This was basically my week. Taking care of a sick companion, hitting my ¨Hump Day¨, and seeing all the people coming back from vacation.

We do have one investigator that comes to church every week because his wife is the Primary President. We had a lesson with him this week that he thought went really well. But after testimonies and everything. He just kind of stopped us and said, ¨Im not saying that it isnt true. I just dont care.¨ And thats the truth. He likes his life. And he does not care. That was almost more heartbreaking than being rejected. I have a feeling that many missionaries are going to come and go. But the people that are ultimatly going to make all the difference are his two little boys.  So we continue to visit and love them. But until he decides to care. There isnt anyone of any religion, that can do anything about it. 

Isnt agency annoying some times? 

However that was our week! We begin week 5 of the transfers today, and continue to Preach His Gospel. Love you all and thanks for all that you do!

LOVE YOU!

Hna Randall

PS. I found a Hersheys Cookies and Cream Bar! And tried on the first pair of heels in 9 months. It was weird. I was tall.

Week 38 Traveling, Another Conference, Battling Sleep, and Knowing What Love is

Hello there Regular World! Hope to find you all well and happy today!

We had a good week here in El Salvador. It wasnt a week that will stand out in my mind for the rest of my mission, but there were some very special moments that I was able to be a part of.

The first news to share is that we had a great satelite conference with Elder David A. Bednar from the Quorm of the 12 Apostles. He was in Buenos Aires, Argentina, but thanks to technology, missionaries from all over the South America South Area (where I am at), were able to see this amazing conference and recieve the training that we needed this week. 

Elder Bednar is amazing to listen to. I had only ever really seen him in an ¨Offical Apostle¨ roll before. So it was really cool to hear him joke around and laugh and just have fun with the missionaries and his translator. He actually is a really funny guy, we were all laughing pretty hard at some points. And yet feeling the spirit so strongly. One of the thing that he shared that I just loved, was when we were talking about our own personal conversion. He was telling us about how spiritual experiences are more a bunch of little things than one big moment. He said that there is a really good reason to not want to see an angel when we want an answer, quote, ¨Paul saw and angel... Paul was REALLY MESSED UP. Alma the Younger also saw an angel... AND HE WAS REALLY MESSED UP. Do you REALLY want to see an angel?¨ That had everyone laughing and thinking at the same time. He is wonderful about asking questions that allow people to think and learn from themselves. I think that I learned more from watching Elder Bednar, than I did from actually hearing what he had to say. That is what a true leader does. Teaching by example, as well as through his words.  

To top off the whole week we had a lesson with Javiera and Daniela. Our two progressing investigators. They are doing well! Really well! We had given them the homework to read the Book of Mormon a little bit and the pray to know if this was the path that God wanted them to follow, and when we got there they hadnt done it! So you know what we did? We read with them. We answered their questions, got them excited and then invited them to go into the other room and pray. They left the room and we immediatley sunk to our knees in a companionship prayer. We ended our prayer to see the two coming back with tears in their eyes. Daniela told us that she already knew it was true, but she wanted just to say a prayer, and when she was praying as normal she thanked Heavenly Father for the Sisters (us), and she said her whole body was filled with light, and she knew. Javiera said that she began her prayer and asked spcifically if the Sisters were just here to annoy her and give her homework(she literally asked that), or if the message that we were sharing was true. And when she asked she also said she was filled with something that she couldnt describe, and that she knew what she needed to do, was to follow the things that we were teaching. The next morning they were both at church even though they had to walk the whole way (about a mile with a screaming 1 year old in your arms. I was impressed.)

I love being a missionary so much. The best feeling that I have ever felt is walking out of someones home, and just loving everything. In those moments I know what Charity is. Im not far enough along in my path to have Charity all the time. But these moments when God allows me to see the world through his eyes.... These are moments of refinement, and moments of peace. I love being a missionary. I love being able to help people understand that God has a purpose for them, that they are loved, and that they are not alone. I feel so blessed to share this message with member and investigator alike. I hope all of you reading this one day have the opportunity to share the gospel like this. It is something more beautiful than I could have thought possible. 

I love you all. And Im glad that I can also share the gospel and my testimony with my friends and family every week through email. I love you, thank you for your thoughts and prayers. I pray for you all more often than not. 

Les quiero mucho,

Hermana Randall

Week 37 Another Day, We Don´t Use Dollars

Hello Friends. Family, and Avid Readers alike.

We had a great week here in El Salvador. Although there were two days or so that I thought I literally might melt into a puddle in the street. It was very hot this week. Apperantly it will start cooling down around the middle of March. So looking forward to that day. 

We have a little family here that is progressing rather well. We were able to set them up with a baptismal goal and we are going to have a Family Night tonight at our recent convert Mauricio´s house. We also have another investigator with a baptismal date, and she came to church yesterday! We are so excited for the progress that she is making, and we know that with the desire that she has to chnage her life she really can do it. 

The Sacrament meeting yesterday was certainly somthing super weird to experience. Our Branch President is out of town, the 1st counselor doesnt exist because he moved, and the 2nd counselor had to work today.... So the two people who have the Melquisidek (cant spell that word)  Priesthood werent there..... So we couldnt have Sacrament meeting until 9:00PM when the 2nd counselor got off of work. So there we were 9 at night, partaking of the sacrament and listening to talks. It felt like a really special fireside or something. 

Also big news. I have been moderatly successful in playing the piano here since Hermana Handley abandoned me (that´s right Hermana. Lookin at you.). The only problem is that the people here are so used to just making up the tune they dont really listen to the piano. And then I mess up super bad because they arent singing the right notes, and then I just screw everything up and feel like a failure.  BUT, I give a warning to all! IF  YOU USED TO TAKE PIANO AND THEN JUST STOPPED. PLAY AGAIN. THERE IS GOING TO BE SOME RANDOM TIME IN YOU LIFE WHEN SOMEONE IS GOING TO ASK IF ANYONE PLAYS PIANO AND YOU WILL BE ABLE TO STEP FORWARD AND SAY YES! HERE I AM! SEND ME!

Rant over.

But little by little I am remembering things and learning to play the piano again. Probably more for my benefit than for the benefit of the branch.....

But that is basically the week here. We have been getting a long really well as companions, we have been finding new pwople to teach through references and members, working with our recent converts (Mauricio is doing REALLY well! They are goin gto the temple this week to do baptisms for the dead! They even have researched and found their own names to take to the temple!)

I love this work. I love my companions. I love my family. I love my friends. If I have learned any thing from the mission, it is the principle of love. I knew of love before the mission, and now I am learning how really TO love. To love as Christ loves. This type of love is a gift from God. I invite you all the read Moroni 7:45-48, and ponder what this type of love really means for you. FOr your mission. For your life. Your family. Friends. Etc... This is my invitation for the week. Study what it truley means to love someone. And what it truly means to know that God is your Heavely Father and that he LOVES you. 

I love you all as well. And I am humbled by the amount of people I know love me. Thank you all for your prayers and your emails. I am constantly amazed by how my mission is not only changing my life, but the lives of everyone I love.

Dios les bendiga,

Hermana Randall

 

Week 36 New Transfer, New Companion, New Adventures.

Hello World!

I hope that you all had a very Happy Valentine´s Day! Which is something that is celebrated here in Chile, but a super watered down version. SUPER WATERED DOWN. Which made it easier for the missionaries, but still is super fumé. (Lame, boring, not cool.) We have so many holidays in the States, never realized that. But we really do. Here each of the saints have a day though, and people get out of school sometimes, so that is an interesting cultural difference as well.

This week has been a pretty good week. I was able to collect my new companion Monday night around midnight, and then we left for our apartment on another two hour bus ride at 2:00 the next day. It was supposed to leave at 12:00 but that so did not happen. I got burned pretty bad waiting for the bus for two hours in the sun. It was horrible. There was no shade, and no where to sit. It was about 89 degrees outside with about 80 percent humidity.

NEVER WILL I LIVE IN A PLACE WITH HUMIDITY. 

Anyways. Hna D´Angelo is super great. She is from Argentina, just like my trainer! She is 22 years old and has a month less than me in the mission because she was only in the CCM for 2 weeks instead of 6. She is funny and loves to talk, especially about all the crap Elders pull. Thats sort of fun to listen to. She is determined to make this Transfer super great because in her own words (translated) ¨I have been a super lazy missionary, I know that. My trainer never did anything, and I didnt understand what it was to be a missionary. Then when I was with someone else that did everything the way that they were supposed to, I rebelled because I thought it was all too hard and too strict. But now I understand why and I want to be better.¨

Turns out President Dalton had a very strict interview with her about a month ago and told her to straighten up and fly right, and to not waste her mission. And now she says that she has finally caught the message. So we are working really hard. I feel a little like I am training though. She has the same time in the field as me, but less experience, and I´m helping to teach her how to be a missionary again. So as long as things keep going the way that they are going. I dont forsee any problems. I like her. And she likes me. :) And we both are here to work. 

The work is progressing rapidly here in El Salvador. We are finding new people and teaching lessons. Our shining stars for the moment are Javiera and Daniela. They are sisters, and both have children. Javiera is 16 years old and as a 12 month old. And Daniel is 22 with a 3 year old. They have had a lot of problems in thier life, and the thing that is really getting them the most is that they can be an eternal family, and that God loves them. We invited Javiera to say one prayer and Daniela to say another. Both broke down and began crying during thier prayers. They asked if they were crazy, and we were able to bear testimony of the Holy Ghost, how he helps us to feel when things are true. They both know that these things are true. Now we are just here to help them understand what to do with that feeling. They are both super cute, and progressing very well. We love them very much and I am so glad to have met them. 

In other news, we will be having another conference with an Apostle next week. Elder David A. Bednar is coming to our section of South America, and they are doing a special broadcast for all of the missionaries in our Area. We are all very excited to hear more of what we can be doing to help our area of the world progress even further. 

Love you all. I know that the work that I am doing is something precious and unique. I am so grateful to be a part of the Gathering of Israel. The time is approaching that the Savior will come again, and Im here in Chile to help our Brothers and Sisters be prepared for that great day. I love you all, and I invite you all to find one thing this week that you would like to improve on. Write it down, write the things that you are going to do to improve that thing. Stick it somewhere you will see it all the time. Then get down on your knees and take that problem, that weakness to God. He will help make ¨weak things to become strong¨ (Ether 12:27).

Thank you for all of the support and love I feel from all of you. For your prayers and for your emails. I love you very much. All of you. And I know that this gospel is something amazing and true.

Love,

Hermana Randall

Week 35 8 Months.....

That´s right. The title is correct. I now have 8 months in the mission. How scary is that?

Time was something that I was really worried about when I first left for the mission, but that is not the problem. The problem is not having too much time. But not enough! 

This week I killed off my companion. Hermana Handley officially is just Eliza again. I had a really hard time letting her go. She´s off on another great adventure though. And I will be companions with Hermana D´Angelo. She is from Argentina and has the same amount of time in the mission as me. We left the MTC together. So I guess that I have 4 weeks more than she does. But that doesnt really matter. Im excited to get to know her better. As I type she is sittin gon a bus and heading my direction. She is coming from Arica, just like I did. 18 hours in a bus is a great way to start the transfer!

Also this Sunday, our recent convert Mauricio blessed the sacrament during sacrament meeting. It was such a beautiful experience to watch him set everything up and break the bread. And then with obvious faith and humility, bless the bread and water. I will forever be eternally grateful to have been a part of his story. 

Our water was also turned back on Monday night. So we werent without water for too long. But now another pipe has burst on the OTHER side of the yard. And that means it isnt clean water.... The sewer is spilling.... We are having tons of interesting smells at all times of the day. We are working on getting it fixed though. Here´s hoping its soon. 

There isnt much more to say. Things are progressing day to day, and the work is really moving forward here in El Salvador. I feel so blessed to have been a part of the progress here. 

Next week I will write and tell all about my new companion! Love you all and I hope this email finds you well. Let me know if I can ever do anything for you all.

Dios les bendiga,

Hna Randall