It's a GIRL!!!

Oh my gosh. What a week. SO MUCH HAS HAPPENED these past 7 days that I don´t even know where to begin. So on Tuesday, I packed up my life into my 2.5 suitcases and got on the bus to San Pedro. The bus ride is about 5 hours long, and when we got there, the Elders in the office gave us a ride with all of our suitcases to the mission home. We ate pizza, and I got a really plesant suprise, 3 of the other missionarys I was with in the CCM are also training! I don`t have the cord to my camera, and so the pictures we took I don`t have, but Elder Gray, Elder Christensen, Hermana Curtis (my ccm companion!) and I were all there to pick up our noobies! AND, drum roll please, my new companion is HERMANA GALIZA FROM THE PHILIPPINES!!!! HAHAHA she is one of 3 sisters from the philippines in the mission right now! Something new I learned, English is the second official language of the Philipines, and so she`s going to know 3 languages!! She`s flipping incredible! She`s from the northern most island, Laoag. I don`t remember where you served Holland, but wasn`t in the more southern part? She is incredible and really wants to work hard. She`s 25, and all of her family are members but she`s the only active member. One thing I want to ask you guys, if you could, to maybe write her an email or two. She writes and understands English and everything, but her family doesn´t write her, so she doesn`t have a ton of emails. maria.galiza@myldsmail.net  If you could write her something about how amazing she is, I`m sure she`d appreciate it. She`s absolutly amazing!

So this week we got to know the sector a little bit. We have practically no investigators, one, because San Pedro is kind of a hard sector (everybody says), and two, because the sisters who were here before we`re only in the sector for two weeks. It`s not opening a sector, compleatly, but it might as well be because we have practically nothing. But to me its exciting! It means we have to find everybody on our own! It means how strong or weak the sector is compleatly relys on how we treat it. So it`s a ton of responsability, but it`s just the kick in the butt I needed to really get down and get to work, or at least want to.....

This weekend was 18th of September, a HUGE holiday in Chile, their independance day. And what do people do on important dates? Leave and/or drink. So we recieved special instructions the 17th, 18th, and 19th of september to NOT WORK!!! It was awful!!!! Hahaha it was so boring and awful to not be able to teach people. I`m really starting to love the mission to the point where if I`m not working, I`m suffering. So while we spent the free time well, getting to know Concepcion and San Pedro and visiting festivals and going to partys, I was internally dying. I can`t wait to be able to start hitting the pavement again. And the sector needs it to. If we want success in this situation we`ve got to get working, now.

The ward threw a huge party on the 16th for the holiday, and I got called into the center of the cultural center where everybody sang me Feliz Cumpliaños, which was cool hahaha. We ate a TON of traditional chilean food and watched the members dance the national dance of Chile, la cueca. It`s SUPER flirtatious, and I felt very emberassed watching. But at the same time it`s really cool. Just about everybody knows how to dance it, and theres all kinds of different forms. Mom and dad, your package arrived exactly on the 16th! Thank you so much for all the goldfish and treats and stuff. I love you guys to bits =)

Being in this uniquely difficult situation, I have already had SO many experiences testify to me that this work is the pure work of the lord. That I was called to be in this situation by the lord, and that I with my companion are going to have an amazing time in this sector, but only if we put all of our heart and pride and will on the alter of sacrifice. I know this church is the restored church of Christ. I know with every fiber of my being that it`s true. That the Book of Mormon was written by ancient prophets with our days in mind. I know Joseph Smith found, translated, and published that book, and that he was CALLED, but did not choose to be the prophet of the restoration. I know that Thomas S Monson has carried that line of authority and calling to our present day. I know that a deep and abiding testimony of these things is the only way we can survive the trials we all are facing. I love all of you and I`m so greatful for your help and support =) Have a great week! Chao!

Sister Ashlee Bowling
♥ from Chile!