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