March 19th 2012

HOLY CRAPPERS! The mission is almost over. I remember thinking a year and a half ago that this would never come. But to say the least, it`s been a good week. I got my bike fixed, we went to find a place to weld it and this random guy who was building a house fixed it. I batted my eyelashes a bit and he didn`t even charge me :) It was working great until Saturday night when we were on a busy road. We were riding on the sidewalk, and I was gawking off, looking at the stores and went off the little lip and when I tried to go back on the sidewalk, it didn`t work very well and I fell, I didn`t want the bike to fall on me so I did this little jumpy, skippy thing and then fell down. haha:) It was so funny. This guy comes out of his store and makes sure I`m ok, all I have is a few scratches, but nurse Bramwell cleaned the gravel out of my knee. It was pretty funny, I wish I could see a replay of that thing. But now my wheel and handle bars are a little crooked, but it`s not that big of a deal... haha:) 

I have a question that I have never thought of until this week, why do we celebrate St Patricks day and why is it a tradition to wear green? I always just did it but we just realized we don`t even know why. On another note, this week we went to 2 new parts of our area. We found some really great people and it was fun to explore. In one of the areas, it was kinda lame but there was this big hill, so we decided to make the trip worth it and climbed up it. We could see everything (even though there's not much to see... haha) and almost had to slide down on our butts, but it was a nice little detour. Also, good news- this member fixed my camera card so it doesn`t have a virus, and he backed up my pics for me. So next Sunday (when we eat with them again) I`m going to take my other card with a virus on it and he is going to do the same. I was so excited yesterday! But you know I'm getting ready to go home when you look at me, I look like a bum - my only black skirt isn`t really black anymore, its more of a rustic black so this morning I cut the tag off and now I'm wearing it inside out because on the inside it still looks good :) Only in Chile right... haha!

We don`t know what we are going to do for P day, we decided we have to live it up my last one so we are going to go to Santiago and do whatever we can think of. Last week we went to the cemetery just to see how it is and that is all we had time for because I locked the keys in the house and it took a while to find a way to get in (it`s a little harder when the windows are caged in and you are locked outside the house but inside the fence... haha:) Hermana Bramwell is a genius and got us out. 

This week our plans are 1) live it up! Tomorrow I have my last district class, then on Thursday a couple missionary invited us to lunch (he is Mexican and is going to cook us some GOOD legit food) and then on Friday we have to help the RS prepare for the birthday party on Sat night. So it`s going to be a good week. I can`t imagine how I'm going to feel Saturday and Sunday knowing Mom and Dad are like 30 min away. It`s  crazy, after being half way around the world for so long, 30 min is nothin! But then I'll have the lovely delight to be on the airplane for 14 hrs to come see ya'll. :) Who knows, maybe we will get bored and send a little message to update you on how things are going in the Chilean world. It`s still pretty hot here, I`m not sure how hot but I imagine about 80 during the day. But in the night it gets pretty cold. So we`ll see if I freeze my rostrifying neenees off when I get into Salt Lake. I think I've turned into a warm weather person. But ya, I'm just blabbing off so I'll just stop because I`ll probably do it even more when I get home. Thanks for everything! It`s been one heck of a ride! I don`t want to think about how it`s going to be leaving Chile. I hope I don`t cry :) I'll just have to think in the excitement of seeing all of you and not all the friends and good memories I'm leaving behind. But at least Mom and Dad will help me transition between the 2 worlds. They can tell me the things that are really cool and what is really lame (and I just think is cool) because my judgement is pretty bad now I think... haha:) Anyways, have a rockin week and I will see you soon!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ahhhhhh!!!!!!

LES AMO MUCHO!!!

XOXO

Steph

March 12th, 2012

So this week has been a little crazy. Paula was going to get baptized but turns out they got kicked out of their house and are living in Santiago with her G-ma now. So that was super sad:9 Also, Hermana Escobar got transferred today to a different area for her last two weeks because a Sister went home. So now it`s just Hermanna Bramwell and I ruling this joint. It`s going to be interesting to see how much we get lost, but we are excited to be together still. Here in a couple weeks we are going to have our 6 month anniversary :) I have never heard of a pair of missionaries being together so long. Luckily, we are basically the same person so we still get along and love each other.

Also this week I complete 1 1/2 years in the mission!!!! WHOOT! Now I can really say, it`s all just down hill from here. I thought my last weeks were going to be the longest weeks of my life, but up until now it`s flown by. I guess having a lot of changes makes the time go by faster. This week our bikes have caused us a few problems. Hermanna Bramwells tire was flat so we went and filled it up and he said there wasn`t a hole in it, then the next day it was flat so we went to go fix it again but the place was closed for lunch (when we go to fix it we have to walk about 20 min to the place each time) so we dropped it off at a members house and went to lunch. We get back and fix her tire, go to our apt (at the other end of the sector) that wasnt there and find that Hermanna Escobar`s tire is flat... haha:) So, we walk back and fix her tire. But meanwhile, I have been hauling a lot of people on my bike and with all the weight, the metal part where my seat  broke so now my seat is really low and turns whenever I move! haha:) It makes it for a pretty fun adventure. So we are going to see if we can find a place to get it welded this week. So now our bikes are better we can finally get back to preachin!! haha:)

Hermana Escobar went to get her visa so Hermana Bramwell and I went to Santiago and worked with another sister in a place that is super nice. I felt like I was in the states (it was a lot like CA) and it is where Hermana Bramwell started her mission so it was fun for her to go back there. Then on our way into Santiago to meet up with Hermana Escobar we got stuck in this huge traffic jam in the bus for about 1 hr. It was so hot and all the babies were crying. Then after all that time, they told us to just get off and walk to a different road and take a different bus. So when we got back to good old Lampa country it felt so good. But that was pretty much my week. Nothing too exciting. I'm excited to see you all here in a couple weeks (well at least Mom and Dad, and the rest of you in 3) but I hope things are good! Easton- have a rockin Birthday!!! I loved your dinosaur cake! It was awesome! I am loving that Annie is taking photo classes so she can show me all of the things going on. I seriously think Easton is the size of Noah when I left. I have the feeling I'm going to be floored when I get off the plane. Anything else going on? That`s all from my part...until next week :)

I LOVE YOU ALL!!!!!!!!!!! MUCHO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Steph

March 5th 2012

Can you believe it? We have gone all the way from 18 fast Sundays to 0! Only 3 more weeks of Sister Whyte (well, actually I^ll have 5, but only 3 more of riding bikes in the streets of Chile. But it`s been a good week. We actually didn`t have fast Sunday because we had Stake conference. It was via satellite from SLC and Julie B Beck talked about how our mission is to serve the Lord, Elder Andersen talked about tithing, and Elder Perry talked about the BOM. Everyone but Elder Perry talked in Spanish. Everyone was so excited to hear their real voices and thought their accents were funny. But it was a good conference. It was in Colina, about 1 1/2 away so we went as a branch in a bus, it was fun, like a little field trip. 

This week we took an adventure to the counrty. There is a place called Chicauma, it`s further north and there is no public transportation but there is a recient convert there, so we went on our little bikes and went pretty well, but then with time, every little incline made my legs feel like they were going to explode haha. We never got to the members house but we found a nice lady who listened to us and gave us some water (she doesn`t have water, but the city brings it out to her every 2 weeks,. there were a lot of floaties in it, but it didn`t matter, it was better than dying). We only went about 7-8 miles but we are going to go back to explore some more this week. I was going to attach some pics to show you our adventure but my camera has lots of viruses and it won`t work (I`ll have to put that on the list to buy when I get rich, new camera) so you`ll just have to wait til I get home. But it was fun. 

Yesterday at lunch the member taught us how to make calzones rotos (broken underwear) it`s a dessertish snack here. It`s kind of like a scone but not really at all. But they are pretty good and she was so excited to teach us, it was fun. I`ll have to make them for you when I get home. On Monday we went to Santiago and I felt so weird, there were so many people I didn`t know what to do with myself. I adjusted to the country a lot faster than I thought. But we are going again today so we can get a few things to take home with us. And good news on our end, our water heater got fixed so we don`t have to take cold showers anymore. It`s been a joyous last 2 days to take hot showers. Luckily it`s been in summer and not winter. But that is pretty much all that is going on here in Chile. What is going on there?

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CALVIN (a little late, but better than never) you are getting so old :) but it happens to the best of us. I feel like I`m 30 and people always think I am about 26 so who knows. But I hope you had a good bday. Annie sent me pics of some of you. All my little nephews aren`t so little anymore! and mom sent me pics of Keshia and her baby. SO CUTE! Congrats! Also, mom and dad said they have a ton of wedding invites and baby showers- oh the changes of life. But for now, just have a great week and remember I love you and will be seeing your perty little faces soon.

LOVE YOU!!!!! XOXO

Steph

Feb. 27th, 2012

Seriously, when I went to write this letter, I realized that this week was super lame as far as stories go. Nothing happened. I am loving the area and everything. People are nice here, at least they usually stop and talk to you (which is nice because it`s hard to chase them down when you are dragging your bike with you). And I am loving the whole bike factor too because my last pair of shoes are pretty worn down and probably wouldn`t have lasted me another month. So gratefully God sent me here where we ride bikes 90% of the time. And I should like it when member accompany us but I secretly don`t because then I have to haul them around on my bike, sitting behind me. And after about 30 min my legs feel like they are going to explode... haha. :)

But yesterday, the Elders had a baptism of the cutest guy ever. He is 76 and lives super far away from the church. He is a farmer and lives by himself, but he loves coming to church. He is super humble and doesn`t have money to take bus (plus the bus doesn`t go out where he lives) so he walks 1 1/2 hrs to church every week. And we saw him on the corner in front of the church on Friday and he said he was waiting for his baptism interview. It was 6:10 and the interview wasn`t til 7. But he was afraid to be late so he stopped working early to come and make sure he was on time. He is seriously one of my favorite people. 

Hermana Eborn (the girl I trained) is now training. I saw her in the office when we had changes and she asked me for words of advice, did I have any... no! But it`s crazy to think that I`m getting old in the mission. I still feel like I'm a newbie who is the one that needs help. But oh well. On the bright side of being old. In a month I'll be seeing my family, that is good news. Everyone is all grown up and I`m afraid that I've just grown out... haha:) just kidding but not really :)

Well, I tried to attach some pics but the USB port of this computer doesn`t work so maybe some other day. But now that I`ve spilled my guts out, how are y'all doing? Any new news? I heard Noah is rockin' the piano and Annie is going to be a photographer, our family just keeps getting cooler. :) But have a great week and know I freaking LOVE you all.

XOXOX

Steph

Feb. 20th, 2012

Lampa is rockin' my socks off right now. It`s the best place ever! It`s kinda in its own little world. It`s about 35 min north of Santiago and has 1 stop light. Everyone is pretty nice and it`s just a branch here, but we usually have about 150 to church (the biggest ward I`ve seen is about 130) but the other branches are super small so they can`t be a ward/stake. But there is a lot of country but there is also a little town. it`s hard to explain. But we have bikes and we only had two so I was packin' around Hermana Bramwell and my butt and legs were dying (that`s what I get for not riding a bike for I don`t know how many years) haha:)  I seriously thought I might die. But on Sat. they sent us another bike so we are so happy that we can cruise along without one person dying.

We take a lot of buses to get to places (members that live in the middle of no where, and for district class) On Tues. when we went to class, the freaking bus driver ripped me off, charged me more than it was and then it went to Santiago instead of Colina (where our class is) so then we had to take another bus back and finally got there. There is a senior couple that lives a couple blocks away from us (los Arellanos) she is from Idaho and he is from Mexico but they have spent most of their lives in North Carolina. They are so stinking awesome, so at least we were lost together. It`s kinda like home here. Lots of hills and dryness. It`s kind of like Inkom (the closest I can think of to describe it). There is only 1 grocery store that is really small. The other day we left our bikes outside without locks and no one stole them :) They also give directions like we do. We were taking the bus to lunch and they told us to get off where the bug palm tree is and then go to the end of the road and take a right. But the problem is that there are lots of palm trees and we passed it by about 2 miles... haha  Everyday is an adventure!

But we have found a lot of great people this week. There is an 11 yr old girl named Paula. She is so cute and loves what she is learning. She went to a baptism that the Elders had (we share the branch) and it was AWESOME and then she accompanied us to our apt. because her dad was drunk at home so she didn`t want to go home (some parents, I just want to strangle them) but we are hoping that she stays excited to get baptized on the 11th of March.

So, that is pretty much it. I`m out of time but I hope things are good there. Have a great week and you better be enjoying my letters because you're only going to be seeing 4 more of these babies. :)

LOVE YOU!!!
Besitos
Steph

This is on the way to district class. Nothing exciting but it was my fist time outside the city in over a year so it was pretty exciting :)

Hermana Escobar, Bramwell, and I this morning trying to not look tired... haha:)

Hermana Bramwell and I feeling like we are doing a reenactment of Dumb and Dummer

Feb, 13th, 2012

I´m getting transferred! I can´t believe I´m finally leaving this stake after more than a year! I am going to a place further north, Lampa. Its kinda in the country but a little bit of city. (I´m just going off of what Hermana Player tells me, my comp, she was there). I will be riding a bike, so that will be fun/an experience. I´m going to have to invest in some shorts to wear under my skirt. I am still going to be with Sister Bramwell (from Rigby) and we are going to be in another trio with a girl from El Salvador (Hermana Escobar). It´s funny because she is the one that trained Hermana Bramwell. I am SUPER excited to go and have a little bit of a change. It was hard to leave people there but it will be fun to get to know new people and a new place for my last 6 weeks.

Luckily President Essig gave us our changes on Saturday night so on Sunday we could say goodbye to some people. We went out to the country with some members and said goodbye to Claudia. She is doing a lot better. She is at home but on bed rest. She is so cute and is just waiting. It was so hard to say goodbye to her. Also Margarita, the 84yr old granny, told us she is going to get baptized. She wants to wait til her grandson gets back from his mission in May but she was so cute. She just said, ¨I´m going to get baptized.¨ we were so surprised because she usually has a little doubt. But last week they had a family lunch and she was nervous about what her kids were going to say about her getting baptized. But they said it was just silence and all she says is ¨I¨m going to get baptized!¨and surprisingly her daughter didn´t say anything about how she shouldn´t ect. So we were really excited and when she started crying when we left we all started to tear up... haha:) I love cute little old people. 

Lets see, on Thursday we went to get my Carné to be legal in Chile. Mine expired so we had to go get another one. It was fun to see Missionaries that I haven´t seen in ages that I was in the MTC with. It´s crazy how times change, but yet we are all still the same. Hermana Player goes home today and is super nervous but  super excited. I don´t even want to think about how it must feel. Yesterday a little kid in the ward got baptized. It was perfect because he turned 8 the same day. He is so cute. He was born with lots of problems and after 12 or more surgeries he is the cutest little kid. He asks the funniest questions and had the best comments. We only taught him 2 times but he made us laugh. In one of the talks for his baptism, they said you are a special child of God and he just asks, ¨Why am I so special?¨ and then they said that he was going to remember the sisters that taught him forever and he said ¨uh oh, I can´t remember their names.¨ haha it was so funny. 

That is pretty much all I can think of that happened this week. Thanks for all your prayers for Claudia, she is very grateful. Things are going great, just REALLY hot (about 90 everyday) and they say it´s even hotter where I´m going. But I hope things are good there and that your lives are normal and grand. Let me know whats going on and what´s new (or not so new). 

LOVE YOU ALL!!!!!

XOXOX

Steph

Saying goodbye to one of my favorite families in the ward. P.S. Do you like my BRIGHT yellow shirt? It was a Christmas gift from a member :)

Baptism of Maximo yesterday

ENJOY

Feb, 6th 2012

Bueno,

This week was about the same as the last year and something weeks but I did do some new things. I tried horse jerky for the first time. It was actually pretty gross. We have an investigator who has a liqour store and we were there and he gave me some horse jerky. It was kinda tough and had a weird flavor. I don`t know if it`s just because it`s spiced with the things of Chile, but it wasn`t the best thing I`ve ever eaten. Also, we helped an investigator who makes flowers and stuff out of leather. It was pretty cool. It`s a lot of work but she makes barrettes for your hair, rings, necklaces, everything. It was cool to see how she does it. 

Also we had a zone conference with Pres Essig and I had to give my goodbye tesitmony because this was the last conference I will have. I didn`t even realize, I just thought my comp, Hermana Player, would have to give her testimony (because she goes home next week) so I just got up there and rambled a bit I think. But if they don`t want you to get trunky why do they have you give your final testimony 2 months before you go home? haha!! jk:)  I`m not that trunky. But we did do service of helping a sister in the ward learn how to make a red velvet cake. To say the least, it was delicious! Everyone loved it but they thought it was so sweet with the cream cheese frosting. They only put 3 things on their food: oil, lemon, and salt. So anything out of the ordinary is super sweet.

The bad news is, well I don`t know very much, but Claudia (the convert from the country who is pregnant) is in the hospital and might loose her baby (she is 6 1/2 months along). We don`t really know what is happening because her husband just called yesterday and said she was in the hospital. They are all so excited to have the 1st boy in the family so I hope everything turns out ok.

and how could I forget to tell Dad and Mom HAPPY ANNIVERSARY  33 years tomorrow! WOW when they said eternity, they really meant it :) You two are the greatest parents ever! I hope you are all doing grand and have a great week. There are transfers this weekend so I'll let you know what happens. dun dun dun...my last transfer! Well, keep it real, and keep it fun, but save some fun for when I`m there too :)

LOVE YOU ALL!!!!!!

Steph

Jan. 30th 2012

It sounds like everyone has had an exciting week. Keith and Amber, I hope you enjoyed your cruise (although, how can you not, it`s a cruise) and it looks/sounds like Ethan had a rockin b-day party and Dad lived it up in Vegas. So many things going on it seems like. But I`ve been good here too. This week I learned a little quechua (it`s an indian dialect of Peru) a lady in our ward speaks it and taught us a few things but it`s so weird and I don`t remember anything, but it was cool anyways. And another sister in the ward taught us how to make a cake. It`s soooo moist and good. I am actually really excited to do it when I get home so you can all try it.

Hermana Player finishes her mission here in 2 weeks! She went to the temple and we went to go get her in the subway station. We were there waiting for a long time and I had to go to the bathroom so bad (yes, yet another bathroom story) but there aren`t public bathrooms here but I asked the worker anyway. He radioed his boss and said, I have some girls here who need to use the bathroom. His boss answered back that it`s just for handicapped and pregnant people. The worker said back, they are young women from the United States can they use it? And he didn`t answer back so they worker took us up stairs and we had to enter into a whole group of workers and they were discussing, if we could use it or not (I don`t know why it`s such a big deal to use the bathroom, but it was) and in the end they escorted us to the bathroom. I should have known there would be no toilet paper, there never is. But at least I got to the bathroom. 

On the bus ride back we were doing contacts and missed our stop, but we live almost at the end of the route so I thought, oh no big deal, the bus will just go up to the round about where it ends and come back to our stop on the other side of the road. So we just wait, we are the only ones on the bus. And then it pulls into the gravel place where all of them park and the workers wait their turn. Feeling so stupid we get out and are walking across nothingness and all the workers are whistling, making kissing noises, and yelling ¨I love you¨ in their best English... haha! It was so funny because we felt so stupid but at the same time I couldn`t help but laugh.

Then we were walking to an apt and this drunk homeless lady that is always in the street and tries to talk to us came up with her dirty face, ratty hair, and nasty alcohol breath and was talking to us and then when we started walking away she took me by the shoulder, turned me around, and tried to kiss me on the lips!!! Luckily, I turned my head fast enough and she just got my cheek. But now Im so scared of her whenever we see her we always take a different road. It`s so funny because my comps just laugh. 

We have been teaching the Grandma of this member who told us we had to paint our nails. She is so cute. She loves it when we come over. She calls us her angels. But her family always dresses her in the lowest cut shirts she always has her old lady cleavage hangin out, but she is so funny. She learned how to pray but she always forgets how to start. So she says she can`t do it but then when we tell her Heavenly Father she says oh ya, I can do it. She makes our day.

But that is my week in a novel of a letter. I hope things are going good there and that you enjoy your week. LOVE YOU ALL TONS!!!! Thanks for everything you do!

LOVE ALWAYS

Steph

Some of the sister missionaries at the post office after sending letters (the position of the pic is super lame, thats what you get when you ask an elder to take it, but oh 

well)

The subway station

We ¨heart attacked¨ a member that lives in the country. It`s cool because in the country there aren`t fences so you can go right up to the house.

Hope you enjoy

Jan. 16th 2012

This week flew by, but at the same time thinking back to what happened seems like forever ago. But things are going good in our little trio here. We always stay up late talking and then in the morning we are so dead. So at lunch we always try to eat really fast and so we can take a little nap. It`s a pretty good system. We decided to make things a little more interesting this week so we rotated cameras. So one day, I had Players camera, Bramwell had mine and I had Bramwells. It was fun to take some random pictures of our day. I now have a lot of mission pictures... haha:). But on Tues. Hermana Bramwell went to the dentist in the richest part of Santiago and there was an Applebess. So we ate lunch at Applebees (we felt like the highest rollers... haha) and fajitas have never tasted so good. :)  Yesterday I tried a new Chilean dish. It`s called Carbonada, it`s basically like a stewish thing with rice and veggies. It`s pretty good and I was grateful that they served it a little cool because it`s so ridiculous when it`s 95 degrees outside and for lunch they give you this steaming soup. (just a note for when you give the missionaries dinner)

And yesterday we ate so much food! We had this carbonada stuff and then we found this new investigator who was telling us about how she doesn`t have any money and she spends it all on her medicine for diabetes. And then she insists on giving us watermelon, a la chileana (this is how I explain that she is Chilean so she served us 1/4 of the watermelon. So we were dying to get all of it down. And we were laughing so hard because the whole visit was an adventure. I used her bathroom but the toilet didn`t flush and then I go to wash my hands and the lift up faucet thing just comes off, so I just decided to forget it and then find that the door knob is broken and I can`t figure out how to get out. Hermana Bramwell heard me trying to get out and she asked the lady ¨can she get out?` but she didn`t pay attention to her and just kept talking. But then I finally got out and we choose to sing I Believe in Christ, but we forget that it is different in spanish so we are slaughtering the song and laughing. But in the end, she enjoyed the visit and so it`s all good. 

Then a member told us to stop by and they gave us 2 pieces of cake and 2 glasses of pop. The cake here is soo good! It`s all moist and delicious. (She said she will teach us how to do it:)) So we were dying from all this food and passed by a ladies house and she gives us pop and a completo (hot dog with avacado, mayo, ketchup, mustard, and tomatoes) We went running to the house (because we were going to be late) like big marshmallows. 

But we did find some really good investigators this week. We contacted a lady in the plaza and she was so excited. She talked to missionaries in a different part of Chile about 10 yrs ago but then moved here and hasn`t gone since. Her, her son and daughter came to the primary pool party and liked it so, that was good. Then we found this family, like all the missionaries talk about but that I have never found. We contacted this lady one night outside her house and set up an apt. to go back the next day at 5pm. Things happened and we didn`t stop by until 9:30pm, so we started getting to know her and she starts crying and says, I know what you are going to teach is true because every time I have talked to you I feel this burning inside and I know that you are sent from God. So then we went back the next day and taught about the restoration and the Mom started crying and said she knows it`s true. So things are going good there. But there always has to be some kind of doubt if they really understand but they are a great family. They have a handicapped daughter in a wheelchair and the other daughter is a little hard of hearing but they are so great. 

I hope things are going good for yall and that you have a great week! Keith and Amber, enjoy your cruise! Play on the beach for me:) I`ll be here in good old Chile land prayin for ya'll. Thanks for everything! 

LOVE YOU

Steph

Hermana Player and I on the bus coming back from the country. She was so excited because we just saw an airplane land and remembered she was going home in less than a month

Yesterday my 2nd convert, Maria, came to our ward because she was making a skirt for Hermana Player and came to give it to her. It was SOOO great to see her. She is doing so good and told me to tell you all "Hi" :)

Jan 9th 2012

So I feel super lame writing because I really don`t have much to say. Just some stories that, for you guys, probably aren`t that funny. Oh well, I`ll just tell you anyways.

Bueno, first things first. Matias got confirmed yesterday. He was so happy. It was great. We called to make sure they were ready to leave so they weren`t late but no one answered so we were a little nervous but then when we got to church they were just sitting there waiting... haha:) Oh and last Monday we went to a museum that was about the people that died when there was a bad government here in Chile. It was kinda cool but more just depressing. 

Oh, and if I forgot to tell you all. I am now in a trio. I`m still with Sister Bramwell from Rigby but I`m also with Sister Player, my old comp from Nibly UT (close to Logan) It`s pretty much the bomb to have 2 comps. I think if it was with other people I would go a little crazy but it`s so fun with us three. We are basically the same person so everything goes good.

As far as the stories. Well, for those who know me, know that I have to go to the bathroom a lot and when I have to go, I have to go. So it`s about 9pm we have an hour til we go back to the house and I am dying from all the pop that people give us. So we were looking for the house of this contact and we were on the right street but I just couldn`t wait any longer!! So, I just say "Hi" to this old guy standing outside his house and ask him if I can use his bathroom. He says he has to go ask his wife (and that is usually just stalling before they say no) so I was thinking, oh great where are we going to go? But then he comes out and says "Ya, pasen." So we go in and use his bathroom and before we know it we are looking at pictures of the grandkids and his wife is giving us all sorts of chocolates that she makes. It was so funny:) Then last night we were walking home and they pull up in their car and offer us a ride, so we get in and she starts driving towards our apt. then asks us if there is a liqour store close by. haha:) We told her where one was and were laughing because we are horrible missionaries telling people where they can buy their alcohol... but is was hilarious!!! They crack me up. 

Then 2 days later, it was about the same time and I, once again, needed a bathroom... bad! So we knock this door and they wont come out. So we start walking and the neighbor has the door open, so we knock it and it`s this old lady and just as she was about to say that she was busy I asked to use her bathroom and she looks up and says, the bathroom? And so she lets us in and she serves us pop and cake and her grandaughter gives us a bag of cookies. And then they start talking about their life stories. It was a great adventure with bathrooms this week. 

A Sister in our ward who is from Paraguay (who married a Chilean) made us this dish called Chipa Guazu from her county. It was good, kinda a corn dessert type thing. I don`t think I would eat it for fun but it was super fun to try. Everyone is so nice here! But ya that is pretty much my week. I'll try to make this week a little more exciting so I have something more to say than just rambling about random people who let me use their bathroom. 

I hope all is well and that you are all loving life and missing me a little :)

BESITOS y AMOR

Steph

Bramwell, Player, and myself when Bramwell went to the dentist this week (in the fancy part of Santiago) there was a Starbucks so we went and got a frappachino. It was delicious!

Jan. 3rd 2012

2012 here we are! We didn`t do too much to celebrate there were a lot of drunk people everywhere we went and one invited us to their BBQ but luckily we got out of that one. Then there was this guy who had a baby in his arms, probably about 4 months old. And he was telling us how much he loved him but it wasn`t his baby and all this jazz and he wanted us to give him a blessing. We tried to explain that we can`t give blessings but he was so drunk it was pointless so we told him that we would say a prayer. And afterwards he went around  telling people that his baby was blessed.,, haha:) It was pretty funny! That night, we went to this families house, the Mom is a member but the Dad isn`t. She is from Peru. They had a BBQ (everyone here has a BBQ for New Years) so we ate with them and they have a handicap daughter, Milagros (20 years old), who is SO funny. She cranked up the music and started dancing and singing. I think it was my favorite part of New Years. We were laughing soo hard. Then we watched fireworks from our balcony. We live on the 3rd floor so we could see pretty good. They just aren`t the same when you are far away... but it was still good.

Then on Sunday we celebrated the New Year with A BAPTISM!!!!! Matias got baptized!!! Everything went really well. He was so excited! His Grandma (who he lives with) is a member but both his Mom and Dad came to... so it was great! The primary kids sang him "I am a child of God". It was so off tune but it was cute. As a gift we gave him the movie "The Testaments." He was so excited to watch it, it was funny. Not much else happened this week. In the country we helped a lady peel beans. There is a member in our ward  from Paraguay and she made us this fruit salad stuff from her country. It was good. On Sat., I decided to keep track of how much pop we drink, because everyone gives you pop. In one day I had seven glasses of soda pop. That is so disgusting. It`s so hot outside you just want a glass of water but when you tell them that they think your crazy and give you a huge glass of pop. ah los Chileanos. 

Have a great week and a late Happy New Years and I`ll be talking to you soon

MUCH LOVE

Steph

Luci (mom of the Milagros) member from Peru (there are lots of people from Peru here!, well, not in my area, but here in Chile)

Baptism of Matias (best New Year Ever)

 

 

 Milagros dancing :) Video wont load...Ill try again later

December 26th, 2011

Hi there,

So I don`t have much to say because we just chatted yesterday but it was amazing to see you all and I`m glad you have a good Christmas and that Santa found you all. Don`t worry he found me here in Chile too :) All the members here are so nice. I now have a sweet key chain and a BRIGHT yellow shirt and a whole bunch of pens and markers and a Chilean map thingy. Also, thanks for everything you do for me. Yesterday I felt like I had never left, except all my nephews are freaking huge and I saw my little chunker Will for the first time. They are all so cute. I`m excited to hear how Easton liked skiing today. You guys will have to make a run or two for me :) 

This week went by a little slow just because it was a hard week for Sister Bramwell. But now we are starting to sleep a little more, so we aren`t walking about like zombies so much. We watched her Sisters funeral on Thursday. It was really good. It was funny at the end because people came up to the computer and said "Hi" to her. Her Grandma came along and said "Hi" and stuff then she came back a second later and said I`m so sorry I thought you were Dezi (Dezi is her sister that passed away) She was so cute and we just laughed. 

Then on Friday we went to the mission home for the party. We went caroling in the subway and had dinner. When we got back we were laying in bed trying to sleep and we heard a big crash. We look out our window and there was a car all smashed. So we go running outside and Sister Bramwell uses her sweet nursing skills and helps the lady who we think is ok. I felt like a tard because I didn`t have my contacts or my glasses so I couldn`t see anything or anyone. There were a ton of people and I was looking for Sister Bramwell and in the end decided that she will have to find me when she is done helping the lady. But everything was ok. Both the people were drunk but no one was hurt too bad. The car was like a hamburger and it smelled like crushed car all night long. 

On Saturday we went to a members house (the same place where I called from yesterday) and had a great dinner. The husband and ourselves were the only members there and so there was wine but it was good because they had lots of questions about why we didn`t drink, plus they loved our accents. So maybe someday they will listen to the missionaries. Then when we got home at midnight we decided to have a real Chilean Christmas so we opened our packages on the 24th. It was different to just be the two of us but it was fun. 

That`s pretty much all that went down in Chile town this week. We are excited for Matias to get baptized on Sunday for the New Year! I`ll be sending some pics :) What are you all going to do for New Years? We live on the 3rd floor of our apt. building so we are going to try to see some fireworks from the different communities around. I am excited, its going to feel like the 4th of July :) But that is pretty much all. I`m sure we will have some interesting drunken contacts and stuff to keep life interesting. 

Have a great week and a HAPPY NEW YEAR!

I LOVE YOU ALL!!!!

Steph

Christmas Eve with the members

I was excited to get some real chocolate :) (cadbury eggs)

caroling just outside of the subway

Hermana Sampson (in my zone, from UT), Bramwell (my comp) and me and the mission home dinner

Pics

1- I was excited to get some real chocolate :) (cadbury eggs)

2- Hermana Sampson (in my zone, from UT), Bramwell (my comp) and me and the mission home dinner

3- Christmas Eve with the members

4- caroling just ouside of the subway

December 19th 2011

¡¡¡¡¡MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!!!!!

Do you have any snow yet? I hope you get some for Christmas, or if you don`t maybe it will feel like you are closer to me, in the heat :) I am getting excited to talk to yall on Sunday! It going to be great to see everyone. I am praying that everything works out. Tonight we are going to go to the members house and help them with their camera and skype and all that jazz. Seeing as how I have never used skype (except for mothers day) it will be interesting. But I am exited to use it after the mish to chat it up with all these crazy Chileans. But I`ll be calling you Sunday morning about 9am your time. I know it`s probably the worst time of the day for yall but that`s how we have to roll with the 4 hours difference in time. So keep posted...

This week was a great week. We helped one of our investigators decorate her tree. She had a real one there but said she didn`t want to put it up because she was too tired. So we put it up and decorated it. It was a blast! It finally felt like Christmas. Then she gave us some rice milk (which was good but not as good as Moms because she didn`t put any cinnamon in it) so it was fun. Also we went to a ladies house who is a member to help her clean her windows. She is old,alone,  and can`t do much. So we went over their and started cleaning her windows and she says she doesn`t feel good. So she undoes her pants and starts rubbing her belly then she says ¨uh oh¨ and shuffles off to the bathroom. Then she comes back and hands us her paper of prescriptions and asks us to go to the pharmacy. So we walk to the pharmacy and buy her stuff. Then when we get back she was so grateful she made us sit down and eat some jello. Then, she had us put the lights on her Christmas tree. It was quite an adventure when we just went over there to wash a few windows. 

We also found a huge family out in the country to teach. Well, on Wed we went to this one house and taught this old couple who doesn`t know how to read, so we told them we would come back and read the BOM with them on Fri. Then we contacted this girl with her Dad and they said to stop by when we wanted so, on Fri we stopped by for her and come to find out, the old couple are her grandparents. So we went over there together and the whole fam was there! It was great! So now, we have the grand kids to read to their grandparents. 

But on Sunday morning we got a call from Pres Essig to come to the mission home at 5pm. So we were so nervous thinking about what we did wrong and everything. Then we get to church and there isn`t anyone to talk so we gave talks, but Claudia got confirmed, she was so happy! And then we get to the mission home and find out that my comps sister died. She was in a car accident on Ririe Highway. Dezi, was only 26, going to be 27 in Jan. Sister Bramwell was going to buy her a soccer jersey today for her birthday, crazy how fast things change. So that changed our whole week. It`s been so hard the last 18 hours but Sister Bramwell is doing amazing. She is so strong. I feel so bad because I don`t know how to help her but she is chugging along. When you leave on the mission you know that anything can happen but you always think of your grandparents or someone older but you never know when you walk out the door in the morning what is going to happen. But they are a great family and at least we have the gospel in our lives and God always knows better than us. 

But on a happier note. IT`S CHRISTMAS!!!!! It`s the most wonderful time of the year! This year has passed by flying but after 7 months of not talking to you, I`ll be seeing you in less than a week! I have been trying to think of Christmas songs, but not too many come to mind. No one listens to Christmas music here, and a lot of people still haven`t put up their Christmas trees. I don`t know why they are so behind on the times. I LOVE Christmas, maybe a little too much, but hey, it only comes once a year right. 

Well, have a FELIZ NAVIDAD and drink some hot chocolate and throw a snow ball for me. I love you all so much and hope that you enjoy your Christmas!

LOVE ALWAYS and always and always

Steph

 

Nayareth, Edwardo, Matias, and Inez (investigators and member) who put up their tree so we had to take a pic :)

Me cutting the tree so it fits in this short little house

A guy in the street selling peanuts. I don`t know how he makes a living off of this but it`s fun how he goes around with his cart selling warm peanuts. Not sure why the pic didn't transfer all the way?

 

Dec. 12th, 2011

BIG NEWS this week! Claudia got baptized yesterday!!!! It was the best day in 3 1/2 months. She is so cute and was so happy. Everything went wrong though, her husband didn`t come but left the car for her to take but then he left with the keys in his pocket. So she calls 15 min before church starts and says she is waiting for the bus, which passes about every 1/2 hour. So then she gets to the church late, after walking super far in the hot hot sun and 5 months pregnant, poor lady. But everything goes smoothly until we get to the baptism part and we are all there waiting for her to get into the water and we are waiting, waiting. Turns out they can`t find the keys to open the font. So they finally get it open and then the water was too hot so we waited a little longer while they put cold water in, and then finally, she got baptized. The Bishop baptized her and he said that when she came out of the water, she started crying and was so happy. It was the best! The only sad part is that her husband and her daughter didn`t come, but she did have her oldest daughter there so it was good. We are hoping she is our next baptism :) We were joking about when her baby gets baptized when he is 8 he can really say that he got baptized 2 times.

 

As far as Christmas goes, we are getting really excited!! We have been singing lots of Christmas songs and are planning on going caroling to the members. Also, we are excited to see you! I am going to see little William for the first time, yay! And if I`m lucky I`ll get my friends wedding announcements too :)

 

I feel super lame because I don`t have anything else to say, the only exciting thing of the week was Claudias baptism. We helped this old guy that goes around to the stores collecting boxes and junk and puts it in a hand cart and goes around the neighborhood. We always feel so bad for him because he is soo old but he is so cute. So we helped him pull his cart all around town. We didn`t understand a lot of what he was saying becasue he only has about 1 1/2 teeth. But it was fun to talk to him and he said we could come and visit him and teach him. He lives in Elders area but Hey, it was a good time.

 

Are you all getting excited for Christmas? I can`t believe that its here already! It`s going to come and go and it will feel like it never even happend. Just another day in the mish :) but I hope you all have a great week and I`ll be talking to you soon!

 

LOVE ALWAYS

Steph

Claudias baptism yesterday, Obispo Urra, me, Claudia, Sister Bramwell (my comp from Rigby area) and Claudias daughter Barbara

After the bapism, the member we were going to eat lunch with forgot so we went to our apt and made PB and nautella sandwiches to celebrate. We found them for the first time in a long time and we decided, Hey it`s Christmas, we are going to buy us some PB and nautella. It was delicious!

Our presents under the tree. We may be ghetto Chileans but, we are loving life

  Abunch of sisters last week when we had a sports day.

 

 

Hope you enjoy them :)

Dec. 5th, 2011

Good morning, well it`s morning where you are at at lesat :) How was your week? We have been busy here but doing good. Good news, we found a place to skype for Christmas. I will be on at 9 am Sunday morning and can talk for 40 min. This family is great! So, it will be fun! They have a bunch of Christmas decorations and a big tree, its about the only place here that I feel like its actually Christmas. And we are spending the 24th with them (because that is when they celebrate here) too! So, we will just be best friends after being together for 2 days.

So some funny things that happened this week, we were walking from church to lunch and this family was in the plaza and the guy said ¨Come here please¨ (when they say please in their little accent you just have to go.. haha:) He was drinking but I figured, Hey, why not? So we were talking to him and his little one year old son started playing with and licking his beer bottle. His wife starts laughing and says ¨look, look!¨ after we walked away I was thinking, you`ve got to be kidding me. That`s how they roll here in Chile town :)

One night we were walking to our house and  these 2 teenage boys came by on a bike and whistled at us, it was so funny because they were sharing the bike piggy back style! I`m not too sure if I would be so proud of that. But then they get off and they are walking with the bike trying to get our attention and they ran into a sign. We coudn`t help it and busted out laughing. Then in the morning we left the house and we didn`t get 2 blocks away before a guy on a motor cycle yelled the B word at us (in English because I don`t know the swear words in Spanish... haha) and then some teenagers threw paper and stuff at us... haha:)  You never know what is going to happen out here :)

 

Claudia is doing good. If everything goes as planned she will get baptized on Sunday. We are so excited and she is so ready. She had a baby shower this week and was so cute. (Baby showers aren`t very common here, it`s kind of a new thing) and then yesterday we went with the presidency of RS to see her so everything worked out good. This week was the Telethon here, its a orginization that has a big 2 day fundraiser for kids with disabilities. EVERYONE watches it and they go to the bank to give money. You know at that time that no one is going to come out of their house because they are too busy watching the Telethon. But it`s pretty cool that they do it.

 

That is pretty much all that has happened this week. We are just living and lovin everything. I hope things are good there in the northern lands and that you are all enjoying the holiday season :)

LOVE YOU

Steph

Nov. 28th, 2011

It sounds like yall had a good Thanksgiving weekend. It seems like a lot of stuff went down throughout the week. My week wasn`t quite as exciting as yours but it was a good Thanksgiving. We cooked a pretty good meal. We went to the fair where they sell a bunch of food and made mashed potatoes and bought some chicken but when we took it out and cooked it, it wasn`t very chickenie. It was falling apart and what not but we ate it and in the end, it wasn`t too bad. It wasn`t chicken but at least it tasted kinda like chicken :) But both of us have been a little sick this week with head colds so we didn`t celebrate too much.

Monday was kind of a bummer because we went to the country with this family (who are members) to have  FHE with our investigator who was going to get baptized yesterday and when we get there found out that she got in a car accident and was in the hospital. It was with a big bus but nothing to serious happened. She is 5 months pregnant and started having contractions so she had to be in the hospital for a day and now she is on bed rest so she coudn`t go to her interview or get baptized yesterday. But everything is good and she is going to get baptized on Dec 11. 

Then as a Zone Saturday morning we had a turkey bowl where we played football Americana for 3 hours in the blazing sun. It was hot but fun. But now we are feeling it. Our whole body hurts but it was fun to do something different. Because usually we just play soccer. Every Sat at 6:30am, every zone activity, soccer soccer soccer. But my skills havn`t gotten any better because the Elders are ball hogs... haha:)

Yesterday was the primary program in Sacrament. It was good but I missed our programs. Here, there are only about 15 kids in the whole primary and none of them did anything funny. But it was a really good program. All of the older kids wrote their own talks about different subjects and it was good. But I am excited to go to our primary program to get a few more laughs. Oh and we were teaching a lesson with a member and we heard a crunch outside... It was another car accident! Luckily, the member who was with us is studying to be a doctor and so he was there to help this kid whos head was split open all the way across. We decided, that is why he had to accompany us :) So we had a week of excitement with car accidents. 

Thats my week for ya. We found a lady who is so confused. She is catholic and all that jazz but she watches this stuff on TV about how scientists say that they can`t find evidence that Christ lived and another says he lived but that he wasn`t perfect, he had sins because it`s impossible to not sin. And she just believes everything she hears. So it`s always interesting to hear what she is going to say.

Have a great last week of Nov and I`ll be talking back at ya in a jiffy

LOVE
Steph

Sergio, he writes music about God and wanted to give us a little flavor, every time we watch it, he makes us laugh

Our delicious Thanksgiving lunch

Hermana Bramwell and I sending our Thanksgiving love

Nov. 21st, 2011

So... this week...just lots of good, but not so interesting news.

1) We didn`t get transferred. So starting today we are going to start looking for a place to Skype for Christmas. We didn`t want to do it before and jinx ourselves with transfers. Not too many people have internet in their houses and if they do they don`t have Skype. There is a family that offered but they live way far away so we will see what happens. 

2) We contacted this guy who is a hair dresser, Rodrigo. He starts going off about the picture of Christ we gave him and how it looks like something from "Jesus Christ Super Star" and all this jazz. Then he starts touching our hair and asking us who does it and if we could be his models. But he was the type of guy that I would never let do my hair. He says he`s not a hair dresser he is a style designer. It was so funny because he thinks he is the hottest thing to touch the planet. He told us we could come back but we both never want to go back again. 

3) We were contacting this old lady and these guys were opening up their meat shop after lunch and they started talking to us and he offers us a glass of water because it`s really hot outside so he brings us a huge wine glass with carbonated water (I hate water with gas in it) and so we take turns sipping out of it while we are talking. Then this drunk lady comes in and is looking at the meat and she falls down and goes off about how we must  have waxed the floor with stuff , we decided we should leave. So we down this sick water and then he fills it up again. So we down it again and say goodbye. Then as I am walking out he sees my water bottle on my backpack and dumps out my water and fills it up with my favorite gassy water. Oh, how I love Chileans :)

4) The best news ever...Claudia from the country is going to get baptized on Sunday! She is excited and a little nervous. But she is amazing. She is 4 months pregnant and her niece is a member but her family doesn`t want too much to do with the church. Her daughter who is 16 comes with her sometimes but her husband and other daughter don`t come. We are so excited for her! I feel like we haven`t done anything. She accepts everything we teach her and so it`s been super easy. Plus we get to go to the country to visit her 2 times a week so it makes our week better too :) 

 

Yesterday we had a ton of people at church. 5 investigators and a bunch of people who are inactive that we have been visiting. It was a great day. But I`ll be sending pics of the baptism next week. 

Have a great Thanksgiving there! I will be thinking about ya'll feeding your faces :) But looking on the bright side, one thing I wont be missing is the sweet potatoes that I have never liked and I`m sure I still think are nasty. Remember that one time that we had a big Thanksgiving dinner at Granny and Grandpas when they lived in Ogden and we went to dish up our plates and we thought the sauce for the ham roll-ups was gravy and we dumped it on our potatoes and then they were super nasty. ..haha:) I didn`t realize that Granny puts eggs and jazz in her gravy, I thought I was just getting the gravy that was plain. We live and learn right... haha:) Good times. 

LOVE YOU!

Besitos

Steph

The back of the Santiago temple and myself:)

We took this pic after church with Roxanna, who got baptized a year ago, and her daughter, Fernanda, who got baptized in Jan. Now we are just working on their Dad and brother :)

Nov. 14th 2011

This week I  have completed 1 YEAR IN CHILE!!! Can you believe it?! I remember my first month, I thought I would never get to this point!! haha:) But also with 14 months in the mish, the news I have gets to be less and less.

This week, Claudia, from the country, said she wants to get baptized on the 27th. So we hope she comes to church before the sacrament because she always gets their late. But she is excited. We made cheesecake and took it with us. They liked it a lot. They aren`t used to things that are so sweet but they thought it was good. We also made fudge with another investigator and they liked it but they couldn`t eat very much because it was so sweet for them. They could never live in the states... haha:)

We had a lady in the street contact us and ask us to come by. She has a cute little 2 year old girl and then when we looked down realized she was playing with a cigarette. Who knew it was the latest toy for your kid. Some people, I don`t understand them. 

Yesterday in Gospel Principles the teacher asked this lady to say the closing prayer and so she stands up and starts praying but not only a prayer, its her life story about her sicknesses and her kids and her neighbors. I couldn`t help but laugh a little and then after about 5 min of this, I open my eyes to see what we should do and the Elders are looking at us and we all start laughing and then I look back and she is praying with her eyes open and is more like she is giving a talk so the teacher signals for her to finish, so she tells one last little story and then finishes. I think it was the longest prayer I have heard in my life... haha:)

We are still eating the beats that this guy gave us. We both got a little sick to our stomach from eating them so much so I think we are going to give the rest away. We have transfers this weekend. We are starting to pray even harder that we don`t get transferred because we already have lots of plans for Christmas and everything. And I want to be with Hermana Bramwell for at least one more change and stay in this area, for the rest of my mission if I could :) But I`ll keep ya'll updated on what happens and all that jazz. 

Start preparing your stomachs for Thanksgiving, only 10 days more :) 

LOVE YOU ALL!!!! 

Steph

 

View form our 3rd floor apartment at night!

 

Nov. 7th 2011

This week was an amazing week. We got lots of gifts from random people. Yesterday we were counting it up and besides the normal things like fruit we also got red beats, onions, sandwich, pop, and cotton candy. It`s like the people love us or something!!! haha:) just kidding.

When we were in the country we went into a little store to buy cookies for a FHE that we were going to have that night. And we started talking to the people in their and they bought us a sandwich and pop because they didn`t want to listen to our message but thought we were so great for being here to teach the word. Then we were walking to our apartment and there were people harvesting something, so we took a pic because they harvest by hand and then throw it in the back of a pickup and so we stopped and asked if we could help so we unloaded the truck of beats and helped cut off the tops. (Picture included :))We were so happy to have dirt under our nails and our hands all dirty, and then we taught them about the Restoration. The boss is actually form Israel (the first person I`ve met here from Israel) then they took us on a tour of their place and showed us their pigs, fields, onions, and sent us home with a bag of beats and onions. Then yesterday we were walking and there was this guy that has a bike with a cotton candy maker on front and he gave us cotton candy (yes, picture included again) I remembered about half way through that I don`t really like cotton candy a whole lot... but what the heck, I`m only in Chile once right. Oh, we also had this guy give us an army salute too. He was a little off his rocker and was up walking on this fence when saw us he jumped down and gave us an army salute. I thought about contacting him just to try to find out why he is the way he is but knew I would start laughing so we just went on our merry way. Hermana Bramwell and I always have that problem and if one of us starts laughing we both start and it`s hard to stop, but life is made to laugh, right.

Also, this week Elder Cook and his wife came and we had a conference with the East mission. It was great. He talked a lot about D&C 31 and how our calling is to establish the church here in Santiago by helping members, in-actives, and baptizing. Then yesterday we had a stake conference with them again. They focused everything on the family and how we have to have prayer, scripture study, and FHE together because in the future everything is going to be attacking the family and if we don`t prepare we will fall apart. When we were with him as missionaries, we all went up and shook his hand and then afterwards, he got up and said he loved that because it was like a spiritual interview looking into our eyes. It made me think, oh shoot, but bueno, it was fun to be there. Sister Cook talked about the song (the special musical number) ¨Lord, I would follow thee¨ and in the 2nd verse it says ¨in the quiet heart is hidden, sorrow that the eye can`t see¨ and when McCloud was writing this she or her sibling or something had a baby die and they went and bought a dress for the baby to be buried in and the clerk was so happy and so excited that  the pretty little girl could wear this for her blessing and all that, but she didn`t have any idea that it was for her to be buried in. Then these words came to her mind. I liked it a lot, so I thought I would pass it on. Songs always have more meaning when you know where they came from. 

Well, thats pretty much all from my life this week. We found a lady yesterday who is so ready to get baptized. So we are going to start working with her. Her son who is 18 is on the wrong path but he wants to listen to us (I don`t know if its just for our accents, but thats not important, at least he is willing to listen) But the kid who was getting ready didnt come to church yesterday so we are waiting to see if he really wants it and that he is going to prove to God that he wants it. So ya, we are just workin away here in our summer wonderland of what should be fall :) I hope things are good there and that your teeth aren`t falling out from all your Halloween candy. Have a grand ol' week and I hope you`re lovin life!

Con todo mi cariño,

Steph

ps. another town in the country is called Campo Alegre, yes, Happy Country. So I had to take a picture. And actually the airport is right behind me, about 1/4 of a mile.

 

More beets then one will ever need!!!

Cotton Candy

Happy Country

 

Oct. 31st, 2011

¿P-day on Halloween? It`s pretty cool. I don`t know what we are going to do but we are going to live it up :) I can`t believe that we are almost to Nov! Que loco! First off, I want to send a big shout out to Amber, HAPPY BIRTHDAY this week! 

It`s been a good week here in grand Santiago. Last Monday I tried my first ¨ass¨. Its a hot dog bun with chopped meat and whatever toppings you want. I got one that I couldn`t pronounce very well and it was pretty good. Its not to die for but I have seen it on the menus my whole mission and I couldn`t not try an ass. So now I can at least say I`ve tried it :) 

We ran into one of our investigators (Luis) who`s wife and daughter got baptized about a year ago. We were talking to him in the street one night and we finally found out his doubt! It was a miracle! He has been coming to church for the past year and has only missed 4 Sundays. He`s stronger than most members... haha:) But he is afraid that after his baptism he won`t endure to the end. So we are working with him and we have faith that he is going to get baptized this next change. It would be the best Christmas present ever! Also last night we were there, and they have a son who is a little rebellious and never wants to share with us, he just goes upstairs and turns on his music ( he and his Dad are DJs) But last night, we got him to sing and everything with us. Then we had him show us how to DJ. It was awesome!! Sister Bramwell and I decided that it should be our future part time job!! haha:) So now he (the son) is our next project :) One day, they are all going to be in the temple together!

We have been tired this week and so everything is super funny. Plus here, for day of the dead it`s a 4 day weekend (they don`t work today or tomorrow) so everyone has been drinking their lives away. We were outside the fence of our investigators calling him and a drunk lady that lives in the street came and asked us for money to buy alcohol and then she wouldn`t leave us alone, she kept telling us how beautiful we are and how we have to be careful so people don`t rob our backpacks but the worst part is that she kept kissing me. It started with my hand and then she kept kissing me on the cheek with her slobbery alcohol lips. It was so funny!!! Afterwards we couldn`t stop laughing. I wish I had my camera to take a pic with her. Then yesterday we listened to a drunk guy explain to us the picture on our pass along card. I freaking love those Chileans haha:)

This week, we have someone from the 12, a 70, and the presiding Bishopric coming. We have a big conference with them on Sat and then on Sunday we have a special conference with them in our stake. It will be sweet to hear. That is pretty much all that is going on here in the southern lands. Its getting really hot and I`m already having to use a lot of sunblock. But life is good. 

Have a great Halloween and don`t eat too much candy :)

LOVE YALL

Steph

My first A&$

Kiss the Lamb??

A random super hero board thing that we found yesterday. Obviously we had to take a picture :)

Oct. 24th, 2011

Bueno, where to start... This week was a little crazy but it was good. We had a conference with the 1st counselor of the Presidency of Chile (Elder Zeballo), he is Chileano but lived in Utah for a couple years. It was fun to hear from him and his wife. He talked about how we have to use our Spanish after the mish and we can`t forget all that we have learned about the language. And how we can use it to fulfill our church calling and help other people. Little did I know that this would come up later in the week. Because the 2nd counselor (Elder Richards) was coming to our stake conference Sat and Sun. I got a call Sat afternoon asking me to translate for his wife in the conference for the adults on Sat. I asked ¨Me?, Sister Whyte?!¨ and then I thought of Elder Zeballos talk and of course had to say yes. So we went on Sat night and we got there right before the meeting started because we were teaching before and they told me that they already had someone else doing it so I was off the hook. I was so relieved and enjoyed the conference and then afer wards they asked me translate for Sunday. That is even worse because it`s the huge meeting and there are quite a few youngsters that speak English, so I was  nervous and Sister Richards said I have no idea what I`m going to talk about but just pray for the Spirit and you`ll do fine.

So on Sunday we had to go early because they did a special meeting for all the recent converts and investigators. Which was  great because I got to see all my friends from my other ward. Then for the conference I had to translate the whole time for Sister Richards and the wife of my mission pres, which was a little hard but not too bad. It was hardest when a teenage girl got up to speak and you know how they talk, super fast! But it went ok and then when Sister Richards talked I had to go up to the microphone and translate everything in front of I don`t know how many people, a lot! It was full, even the stage on the other end was packed. And I really don`t remember how it went at all... but people said that I did good and that they could understand. So despite all my fears, it turned out ok. Plus, its like a huge family reunion because I`ve been in the stake so long that I have gotten to know a ton of people, plus it was good to see my old converts and friends from my other ward. 

I was also on divisions for 2 days this week. I was with a Sister from Mexico City. It was so great to be with her and talk about our favorite Mexican foods and everything. I didn`t realize until I was with her that her accent is so different. She has a little more of a Chilean accent and it got me thinking, I hope I can understand other people when I get home... haha:) It was fun to be with a latina comp for a couple days. 

I can only think of 2 things that happened this week that were funny. We were walking to an apt and there was this drunk lady that is always lingering in the streets yelling and asking for money and all that jazz. But this time she was passed out in the street. It was the first time Sister Bramwell had seen her, the funny part was that she was laying down in the sidewalk but her pants were undone!  Sister Bramwell asked if we should help her feel a little bit better about herself and pull up and button up her pants so the poor little kids didn`t have to see her. I wasn`t about to do it so we just kept walking. A few min later we passed  2 guys who were gawking at us and yelling "Hi" and everything and then they tripped on a broken part of the sidewalk and fell down. It was too funny... we couldn`t help but laugh:)

Also, we tried 2 new things. There is a fruit here that is called chirimoya. They have it in everything. And I like it in cookies and yogurt and everything but I had never tried the fruit. So this week we bought one and tried it. It was so weird, there is nothing like it. It has a little bit of the taste of a pear (but not) and the texture of an old weird kiwi. It was interesting to say the least. I didn`t finish my half. I didn`t think it was worth it. Then someone gave us the coconuts that they grow here in Chile. They are the smallest things I`ve ever seen. I didn`t think that they could really be coconuts but an investigator helped us crack them open and sure enough, it`s a tiny little coconut. OH the things I`m learning about Chile  :)

Well friends, that`s all for today. Stay tuned for the happening in the wild life of Hermana Whyte haha. Have a great week and I`ll be talking to yall laters

Con MUCHO cariño,

Steph

 

This is the tiny coconut

Sister Bramwell and I after stake conference yesterday, they gave us a tulip for translating

This is the strange fruit, chirimoya

Sisters at the conference on Wed. The one to the right of me is the mexican (Hermana Martinez) that I was with this week.

Hope you like em

BESITOS

Steph