The greatest gifts

Dear familia,

Wow, Skype . .  BACAN! Loved it!  In the moment when the whole familia is together there is so much to be said and so much to be shared, but the words to express feelings that are carried in the heart are hard to find, and at the end of forty minutes we are still searching, so in the end nothing is really said, but more is shared through the tear filled eyes and the ring of laughter, and through the simple words of "I love you" we say goodbye for 5 more months.  You guys are really just the greatest and I loved every obnoxious second we had.

This Christmas, as I said, was one of the most spiritual and memorable Christmases I have experienced in my short 21 years of Christmas experiences.  My Christmases have slowly been changing from receiving to giving, over the years-  It is a process we all go through. What changed this year was not a ratio in which I gave more than I received, but rather in what manner of gifts were received and what manner of gifts were given.

Every year the question is asked, "what can I give?"  After the question runs through our mind, we start to think of the latest and the greatest.  Things that can be bought to give to our loved ones.  We think of the prices, we think of the wrapping and the bows.  We run to the store time and time again, searching for the perfect gift.  But this Christmas there were no stores, there was no wrapping, no bows, and no calculating the price.  This Christmas for me changed from what I could give from a store to what can I give from myself.  Instead of searching through the aisle and the shelves for the perfect gift, I walked the streets, searching for the person who needed the perfect gift.  And this gift I talk of is not one that is bought in a store, but it is one that comes from inside.  This Christmas I gave of myself.

As a representative of Jesus Christ, I knocked doors, looking for the hands that drooped, looking for those who needed help, searching for those who needed Jesus.  And When I found them, I only shared the light that is inside.  Sometimes that was a simple hug to an old friend who is dying of cancer and doesn't even know it.  And another time it was a Christmas song to a woman who recently lost a husband.  Then there was another who needed a bag of soap, shampoo, and a box of chocolate cereal for her kids, cause they had none in the house.

When Christ was on the earth what did He give?

He gave himself.  So as his representative this year I tried to do the same, and this Christmas will be one that I never forget.

The greatest gifts I received this Christmas were the hug from a little girl who hadn't tasted chocolate cereal in who knows how long, the tears of a women who just needed a Christmas song, and the smile of an old friend.  Then of course, there was the amazing skype session. My companion had to split her time.  That broke my heart.  While, at the same time, it made me so grateful that I could talk to ALL my family in 3 parts of the world at the same time.  It was great, and I’m happy that you all enjoyed your Christmas and that my package got to you!  Yeah!  I hope you enjoyed the homemade gifts.

Lets see, what else for this week? It is really really hot!  But my comp and I try to keep a good attitude even when we are swimming in our own sweat.  We found a mother and son this week who are awesome!  They have potential to progress.  On Sunday we passed by our investigator, Ja* to wake her up cause she always misses church cause she is sleeping. We got to her house and she was sleeping . .jajaja . . so we woke her up and then had to wait for her to get ready. We were NERVOUS ABOUT BEING LATE CAUSE HNA MORELY HAD TO GIVE A TALK (sorry I hit capslock, I’m not yelling) But, luckily JP has a car.  So he drove us . . but this care was like build in the 80s ..  so there were a few times I was worried that we wouldn't make it . . jajaja.

Ummm . . . what else?  I actually got the package in Christmas!  I think I got like 15 letters. A ton of people from the ward wrote me, and I loved it all!  The best treat was from Mr. Porter!  I read his letter like 3 times cause it is a literary piece of art, and it really was inspiring!  So that was great!

Sorry, I didn’t really plan this email, I just decided that I was going to sit down and write, so its a little scatterbrained.

We found an awesome place to buy empanadas!  Like the best I have tasted in Chile!  So good!  I might come home fat from just eating empanadas!

January will probably be a hard month just cause everyone will be on vacation, but the Lord always blesses us when we are working hard!

I eat a lot of palta con salsa and chips!  So good!  Also, my comp and I eat so many apples! There is a little fruit store across the street from our apartment building, so we are always just stalking up!

My comp is going to sing for zone conference this week and I am going to play the piano. So we have a little key board in the house to practice and it is so fun!  She is going to sing o my Father but with the tune of if you could hie to kolob!  So that is going to be great!

Yep, I don’t remember anything else . . well I remember a lot of stuff .  . but I love you all! And it was so so so so great to see you!

Con Amor,

Hna Ostler  

This is our investigator with the batman puppet I got at our white elphant we had for our district.  I loved that batman puppet and I kept forgetting to take the batman puppet our of my backpack.  When we visited him on Friday and heard about all the things that had been happening, and seeing him so sad, I reaching into my backpack to pull out my scriptures, but instead found the batman puppet I had forgotten to take out.  It only took a few seconds for me to decide to give up a mission trinket for a friend who needed some love.  When he saw the puppet his face just lit up!  So instead of bringing home a puppet, I have this picture (he let me hold his darthvader action figure) and a memory I will never forget. 

Cat delivery!

Chat with Hermana Ostler

Hermana Ostler: Sorry, the email is short and kinda scatterbrained, but I just came up with it on the spot!  I have some time if you want to know anything else.

Mom: Awesome email. You write so beautifully

Hermana Ostler: That just came out of me today!  I have felt for awhile that I needed to write something, but I just didn't know what it was.  Today as I sat down what had been waiting inside me just came out!  I will probably print it, edit it, and put it in my journal, cause I kinda liked it too . . jaja

Mom: Have someone record your musical number. That would be awesome to see. Everyone here is still sleeping.  So quiet. What are you guys doing this afternoon?

Hermana Ostler: yeah, we will probably record it on the house.  I don’t know how it is going to turn out.  I haven’t played the piano in so so so long and my fingers are rusty.  Today we are going to a flee market type thing to buy awesome Chilean pants for the new year.

Mom: Chilean pants? Can't wait to see pictures of that! We're getting ready for the New Years party. Is New Years a big deal there? When do you have to be in your apartment?

Hermana Ostler: Yeah, I think they celebrate new years.  Honestly I am just so out of the world I think I forgot my own birthday . . jajaja.  No, there is going to be a firework show that we can see from our balcony on the 20th floor . . so that is going to be awesome! But, we just have a normal schedule unless we see something dangerous.  It doesn't really feel like the new year to me.  It doesn't really feel like time is passing.  I got to go though, I love you!

Celebrating Christmas for 10 months

Dear familia!

FELIZ NAVIDAD!

Hey, you guys are great, and I am so excited to talk to you all!  No, I don’t think it will make me homesick, actually, sorry if this hurts our feelings, if I didn’t get to talk to you, I would probably be fine . . jajaja.  I love you though, and stuff like that!

So, this week was an interesting one.  Last pday I could barely walk cause my foot was just so swollen, and turning purple.  So, my sweet, loving companion made me go to the doctor even though I kept saying I was fine and stuff.  So, on Tuesday we got to go back to proviencia!  That's where the temple is and I just love it there!  But, turns out I got an infection in my foot!  WHAT?  So, that was no fun.  But, the doc gave me some anti biotics, and some other pills ‘n stuff, and some cream to put on my foot four times a day.  After about 3 days of taking all the pills the purple on my foot started to fade, and we were back to walk at our normal pace.  My foot is fine now, I just have to keep taking my pills and putting that cream on it for another 3 weeks, but I still get to work, and I don’t have to stay in the apartment all day  .. so that's good!

Ward party with our investigators

This new sector is growing on me slowly, but sometimes I feel like my heart is still in lampa.  In the beginning of the mission I tried to take my heart and my mind out of Richland and put it in Chile.  Well, now I have both heart and mind in Chile, but they're just in the wrong part.  I don’t think they received the news about changes yet.  But I am really trying to love this ward and the people here, sometimes I just wish that I was in lampa, so that I could spend Christmas with Ca*.

The Elders had a baptism this week!  Well, basically they baptized an old old man, that can’t walk who is the father of a less active member.  The chapel is upstairs in our building, so you got to get like 4 guys to carry him up, then down, then back up again and then down. It wasn’t very organized the baptism service, and after the ordinance, the elders hadn’t planned anything to do while we waited for him to change (which took about 45 minutes) so Hermana Morely and I improvised.  We sang we played the piano, and we almost considered dancing, but then they finally carried him back up the stairs and we continued.

When we was baptized, his son was just holding him up in the water, cause he can’t stand. Then when they dunked him, he just sunk down to the bottom, and I was worried that he wasn’t gonna come back up.  There were a few people saying "Sacelo"  Which is: take him out!  But they eventually got him back out of the water, and Hermana Morely and I had a good laugh about it.

After the baptism (which was 2 hours!) Hermana Morely and I went to knock doors, and we found W*.  He is a young adult who believes in the concept of God, but not really in God. He is Agnostic, and I don’t really know what that means.  But he was very open to talk to us.  We mostly talked about what our beliefs pertaining to God are, and he shared with us his.  It was a very simple lesson, but Hermana Morely and I both commented on how we felt the spirit very strongly during the lesson. We went back to his house a few days later, and we taught him lesson one, the restoration and stuff like that.  In the morning during my personal study, I was thinking about him the whole time, worry about what we could teach him, but I kept coming back to the restoration.  So we taught it, and again, it was simple, and he understood very well.  De hecho, he had even read the pamphlet we left him, and said that he already believed in the apostasia, but he had never known what happened after. I don’t know why, but he is very interested in our message . . bueno, obviously I know why, but at the same time I don’t . . hope that makes sense.

At the end, we asked him to say the prayer, and his words almost brought tears to my eyes.  He talked to his father in heaven, like he was talking to an old friend.  He said that it was time for him to start strengthening his faith again, and to go forward with his dreams, and that everything in his life was finally falling into place.  Basically it was a great prayer.  The only down side is that he will be busy until January!  So we aren’t going to see him for about 2 weeks!  But, again, when we left, Hermana Morley and I talked about how strong the spirit had been during the prayer.  I have thought a lot about W*, and how there is something very special about him, and almost familiar.  Maybe he too is one of my premortal friends, in fact, as I typed that I felt it was true.  Yep, we were definitely buddies. I hope I can help him home.

So there is this member that always accompanies us to lessons.  A sweet widow in his middle age.  Well, on Saturday I found out that he is like a secret detective, and I totally freaked out!  His has like a badge and stuff.  Jajaja . . he is just great!

About Ma* and her son, I don’t know what we are going to do with them.  They haven't been coming to church, and I think we might have to drop them for a few weeks.  But before that we are going to give them a cat.  Every time we go to teach them we hear these mice running around behind their bookshelves.  It is slightly disturbing, so we decided we needed to find a cat for them.  Well, on Friday we had lunch with a sister who owns 11 cats, and one of them barfed up a hairball during lunch, and another one ate it . . yep, it was gross.  So on Sunday we asked her if we could borrow one of her cats ..  the situation was actually pretty hilarious.  She said yes. So for Christmas, we are giving them a cat with a bow around its neck.

About Christmas stuff, honestly, I will skype when Harrison can.  The members we are skyping with are super chill.  We are planning between 2 and 4 but whatever will do. Everyone feels so bad for us that we are so far away from home during Christmas time, and its funny.

Lately I have been thinking about Christmas, and realized that I don’t feel that usual Christmas cheer.  Then I thought, well, maybe its because there is no apple pie, there is no snow, there is no tree decorating, gift wrapping, sugar cookies, marshmallow gun wars, and no live nativity.  But, that’s not it.  It’s not that I don’t feel the Christmas cheer, but it is that I don’t feel a fault of Christmas.  Everyone always says that Christmas is about being with the family, well, I just feel like I have extended my family beyond a blood line, and will be celebrating this Christmas with my spiritual family.  If Christmas is a time to remember Christ and focus on others, then I have been celebrating Christmas for a little over 10 months now.  I love you all so much, but I don’t think I will miss you too much this Christmas, because I got my family down here in Chile, and we are just gonna party!

You all are the greatest, and I hope you enjoy your Christmas, and remember that even though we are far apart . . . well actually I don’t have anything mushy to say there . . so we are just going to end it . . love you!!

Con amor, 

Hermana Ostler

Today, I was able to 'chat' with Hermana Ostler following her email. Below is part of our conversation.

Hermana Ostler: I finished my email if you want of work out Christmas details . . Harrison is on right now

Mom: I'm reading the email. At the baptism of the old man part. Are you talking to Harrison? And just to make sure - it's 12:20 where you are, correct?

Hermana Ostler: No on the Harrison part, but he just sent an email to me, and yes on the time part.

Mom: You have a typo and I can't figure it out. At the end of your email you said you don't feel a fault of Christmas. Fault? 

Hermana Ostler: A lack, sorry, that is Spanish grammar.  The word in Spanish is falta, but we say lack, I forgot

Mom: ha ha ha ha ha - that is funny. Dad will get a kick out of it too.

Hermana Ostler: nope, no box, and I now have a total of 4 letters!  Oh  . Kevin wrote me . . tell him thanks . . I love his letter.  It made my day!

Mom: I hope the office delivers mail before Christmas. Cause I know you have more letters and I know the box is there. But if not, nothing I can do about it now. So, we'll plan on Skype around 3. But don't freak out if it's not right then. I still haven't heard from Harrison, even though you say he's on. Hopefully you can stick around your computer for a little longer.

About the foot - no wonder you've been exhausted and feeling worn down. An infection will do that to you. Do you want to tell me how bad it is? And what's the name of the anti biotic?

Hermana Ostler: Wait, back to the other message.  What is funny?  My Spanish grammar or the baptism?

And the infection, honestly I don’t know how bad it is, the doc said for me to take the pills until they are gone, and that will be 10 days.  I don’t think it was bad, and I’d only had symptoms of it for like2 days before I went to the doc.  So I’m fine, really.

Mom: The grammar is funny. It's funny that you mix the languages, and it's funny that the word that came out was 'fault.' Funny to me. What's the name of the pill?

Hermana Ostler: No idea, I tell you in two days.  Also, we do get mail on the day of Christmas.  Also I thought we used the word fault in that way.

Mom: Ahhhh - no. We don't use fault like that. We use fault like this. It's your fault that the glass broke because you dropped it. There is a fault line in California caused by an earthquake. Through no fault of your own, you are just beautiful.

Hermana Ostler:  Is there another way to spell fault? Like a different word with the same sound?

Mom: Fault in America means to blame or accuse. Or the earthquake thing. Sounds like fault in Chile means more like you're missing something. It's a mild term. But here, it's not so mild.

Hermana Ostler: Also, my comp is going to use my skype to call her family, so when you see that I am on, don’t call me until I send you a message, cause it might be her using my skype to talk to her family.

I have learned not to question the spirit

Dear familia,

Thanks for the email . . always love them.  Honestly it feels like yesterday that I was siting at a computer typing to you.  So much happened this week, and it went by so fast!  My companion had phase 2 for all the new missionaries, and I had to go to compania for the morning to study for like 4 hours, it kinda sucked.  Then my comp was sick for about 2 days with stomach problems, but she is such a trooper and we went out and worked anyway.  Also, we had intercambios and I had to go to Quilicura with the hna lider.  But I learned a lot, mostly about doing contacts.  Also, I got to see Hna Peralta at the boarder of the sector cause she is in the other half of quilicura . . so that was fun.

Okay, my comp is just amazing!  She is on fire, I am learning so so so so so much from her, more than she will ever learn from me.  Here is a quick experience.

We are teaching a woman named Ma*, and her son who has asperberger, but honestly he is just the sweetest most sincere, and funniest person I know.  About a month ago they had a baptismal date, but didn’t answer the door for their interview and then didn’t show up at church the day of their baptism.

When I showed up to the sector, Hermana Morley didn’t know what to do with them, cause they weren’t progressing.  After a few lessons with them, basically teaching the same thing over and over again, I decided we should drop them for awhile.

So we went to their house on Wednesday to drop them.  We started with telling Hermana Ma* that she is an example to her son and that she needs to come to church.  Then we continued with explaining our purpose as missionaries to invite people to come unto Christ through baptism.  As I was talking, I tried to form in my head the words I needed to tell them that we wouldn’t be passing by to visit them anymore, but I couldn’t seem to find them.  So I ended what I was saying to let Herman Morley talk.  She started out a little slow, but then started talking about the importance of baptism, and how much we, as missionaries, wanted them to receive that blessing.

While she was talking the thought came to my head that we should invite them to be baptized for 29 of December . .. what? But, the spirit was very strong in the room, and I have learned not to question the spirit.

I was preparing myself to make the invitation after Hermana Morley finished talking, but the spirit must have been talking to both of us, and Hermana Morley said "Hna Ma*, segira el exemplo de jesucristo y sera bautizado en la fecha 29 de deciembre?"

There was a moment of silence, then Herman Ma* said "Si."

I helped her recognize the spirit in the room that was so strong it almost had me in tears. Then I told the son to commit his mom to come to church with him this Sunday.  It took a little pushing, but he is a natural, and she eventually accepted.

Hermana Morley is amazing and her ability to invite the spirit never ceases to astound me.

Also, this week, well yesterday I had to give a talk in church.  Do you want to know when I found out that I was going to give a talk? During the opening song!  The first counselor caught my eye and mouthed the word "Discuros."  Yeah . . . wasn’t prepared to that.  My talk was a bit disorganized, but in the end I think it came out good for practically zero preparation.

This week we have also been inviting everyone to be baptized.  We have 6 with fecha.  An* and C* have some serious potential.  In fact, An* is just on fire, the only problem is that he is going to move!  We are so devastated cause he could really be a strength for the ward.  C*, also is great, he is just a little anti social, so it is hard to find friends for him in the ward.

As far as Christmas goes, we have district class at 11 and we are hoping to finish at 1, and are thinking that we will skpye at around 2ish our time.  I don’t know Harrison’s schedule, but I only have 45 minutes to skpye, talking to him would be great, but if it is not possible, well, I guess I will just have to wait for next Christmas.

I got the Christmas package, the tree I have tired to tape up about 4 times but it always falls cause its so heavy . .jajaja. . . but I love it!  But we have a little fake tree in the house, and my comp and I have now both received presents to put under it.  We are going to open them on the 24th at night like the Chileans.  Also, I have received one green envelope that is also under the tree.

The absolute best part of my week was yesterday, when we got to go to the Christmas presentation at the temple.  The rules are that you can go if you take an investigator.  Well, we were planning on going with an investigator with a car.  We were going to get their early and find good seats and everything.  But, as we were walking to her house, she called us and flaked out!  I was so upset. Cause I really wanted to go.  But, Hermana Morley pulled out the phone and started calling ALL our investigators, while I was doing contacts.

Me & Hermana Morley at the temple with our investigator

Turns out one of our investigators who is moving next week could come, she is totally going to get baptized in her new ward.  But she doesn’t have a car, so we had to take the subway and got there later then planned, so we didn’t get to sit down, but we had to go around the back to stand in the field.  There were a ton of people and trees blocking the stage, so we couldn’t see well, but they had it projected, so that was good.  But, in the end, it was way better to be in the back, cause I got to talk to my x-companions and there were ward members from lampa who totally attacked me when they saw me.

But the best part was finding Hermana Lima, cause guess who she brought to the presentation?  HNA CA*!  I almost cried when I saw her, and she just hugged me and hugged me and wouldn’t let go.  It was great!  She got baptized and confirmed.  I knew it right when I saw her, cause there is a light about her now.  Wow, it was just so so so great to see her.  My comp also got to see a bunch of her MTC friends who went to the south mission.

Me and Hermana Lima with Ca*
There is definelty a difference in this woman,
I noted it the moment I saw her.
She has the holy ghost.

Oh yeah, and David Archuleta was there, and I met his son (an elder he trained).  That was pretty cool.  We had to leave early so that we could catch the subway before it closed, and we almost didn’t make it . . jajaja . . that would have been fun . . NOT!

So it was a good week.  I just love Chile so much.  I never ever want to leave.  Like ever!  I completed my 10 months in the mission . .  what?  Where did time go?  I love you all, but I really don’t want to come home.

Hope all is well, awesome that David got is call!  Love you all!

Hermana Ostler

I get to wear tennis shoes casue my left foot has been swelling really bad and cause
me to limp which then caused blisters.  So I have permish to wear tennis shoes until I get better.
Hermana Essig thinks that I bruised my foot or something.  We'll see.

I smell every rose I come across

Dear Familia,

Wow, I can’t believe what is happening to Harrison, not because it is shocking that that kind of stuff happens in the mission, but because it sounds SO FAMILIAR!  The only difference is that with my comp, she was more obedient.  But, the Lord sends challenges to those who are ready to progress.  Learning a new language, obviously wasn't enough of a challenge for Harrison, being in a foreign land wasn’t gonna cut it either, so the Lord had to get creative.  He is passing through what he needs to pass through. I know that is not comforting, but I promise you that, "this to shall pass."

Okay, so I usually have something beautiful planned to tell you all, but this week I had no no no time to think about what I would send home.  So basically vivaceta is the most opposite you can get from lampa.  We are talking city, there is not a cow in sight.  For the first few days I was just so sad, the only thing I could focus on was to keep from crying. Plus, I just felt like a disappointment to EVERYONE!  The sister who I replaced was a blond and with every person we visited all I heard was "What happened to Hna Ireland?"  I just felt like no body even cared to ask me who I was, how I was feeling.  Here I am, just wishing I was back in lampa, and then I find out, everyone else wished I was there too.  So it was a hard couple first days.

But, I never stay down for two long.  18 months is so short, so why should I waste it wishing I was somewhere else.  I remember when Amanda got changed from that one sector she loved, and she was so sad about it, but then the sector she got changed to ended up being one of her favorites.  So, when the members and investigators started talking about how much they missed Hermana Ireland, I would humble myself, and remember that in lampa there are a handful of members and investigators saying the same thing about Hermana Ostler.

In this sector we teach a ton!  Like just so so so so so so much!  We teach in 3 days what we taught for the whole week in lampa.  Obviously that had my spirits up, but the lessons are different.  No, we didn’t teach a lot in lampa, but the people we did teach were people who really wanted to listen.  Here, people are more likely to invite you in their house for a friendly conversation, or to learn about what the states are like.  So the quantity of our investigators shot through the roof.  But, I believe that the Lord will lead us to those who are prepared.  De hecho, my second day here we found a family that might be golden.  We have an appointment with them tomorrow, so I will keep you updated.

There are McDonalds in my new sector! BACAN!

Okay, my companion . . wow . . where did this girl come from?  She has no fear!  And she just works and works and works!  She had to lead the sector for a few days until I met everyone and got orientated.  But she is really amazing, and helped me make the transition between lampa to city. Her language skills are through the roof, like she sometimes will even use the subjunctive verb form, and a few times I heard her use imperfect past subjunctive.  WHAT?  I didn’t start using those forms until a few changes ago.  She is proof that every wave of missionaries that comes out is more and more prepared.

Man, she can sing!  Wow, she will like put harmony in the hymns we sing with the investigators, and it just invites the spirit like nothing else.  This maybe golden family we found, well, the dad was speechless after we sang I am a child of God.  The spirit was pretty strong.  It was awesome!  She preformed in the Navoo pageant last summer.  She quotes Shakespeare with me, so she’s pretty awesome.

Her last companion was pretty strict, I think.  I follow all the rules, but like dad has said, I do enjoy myself.  We have 20 min to rest each day if we want, and sometimes I take that twenty minutes.  On Wednesday, when a few of our citas fell through I said we should go by a completo and take a 10 minute break.  She was so excited that we were going to take our break.  A few of my past companions have told me that I have really helped them enjoy the work more, to laugh more in the streets, and to not be so serious.  I always make friends with the little shop owners and smell every rose I come across.

We live in an apartment building on the 20th floor . . .  umm TOTALLY AWESOME!! Also, our neighbor is a less active, and he is so funny!  From his balcony you can see the horse races.  Yes, in our sector there are horse races every Friday and sometimes Thursdays. When he is home we go watch the horse races after planning.  So, I am excited for that.

Our view

The ward is really struggling.  There are only about 40 or 50 members that come. There is so so so much we can do for this ward.  They haven’t had a convert baptism for almost a year.  Its sad.  Every man who holds the priesthood of Melchizedek has a calling, cause there are just no men in the ward.  The primary program was yesterday, and there were 6 children who participated . . SIX!!  It was sad.  So I went from Lampa, which was just an amazing branch, with over 150 active members, to vivaceta. But, my goal is to leave this ward better than how I found it.

Um . . . honestly, I don’t have much else to say.  We have a few investigators who are on track to be baptized, so, I will let you know how that all turns out.  Even though my heart still longs for lampa, after seeing the state of this ward, I know that I am supposed to be here.  This ward needs more than a few sisters who do 150 contacts every week, this ward needs life.  

Well, I love you all . . and hope life is good in Richland ..  enjoy the cold. . jajaja

con amor, 

Hermana Ostler

Districto en Lampa

The truth just knocked on your door

Familia,

First of all, I knew I would be getting emails from Amanda and Jackson . . . thanks for that. They usually email me, I love hearing about their missions . . jajaja.  I know they are really busy with "Real Life."

Second of all, I have adopted a daughter.  So I am now a step mom.  Yep, I am finishing the training of Hermana Morley from Utah.  Which came as a complete utter shock.  The terrible news is that I am no longer in Lampa.  They took me out, and I honestly can’t talk about it cause it still brings tears to my eyes that I am not there.

So, this week was full of ups and downs.  We had to do intercambios and go to Los Andes, but to get to Los Andes from Lampa is super dificil.  We had to wait under a highway for about 40 minutes waiting for a bus.  Basically we lost a ton of time during the intercambios. Also, we finished knocking EVERY DOOR in our sector . . that was a little disheartening cause we really didn’t know what else we could do.

Basically my two changes in Lampa were very trying.  I lost count of how many people yelled at us, of how many doors were slammed in my face, of how many times I wanted to give up and cry.

This week I was reading in D&C and found this verse:

And he that is faithful in tribulation, the reward of the same is greater in the kingdom of heaven.

Ye cannot behold with your natural eyes, for the present time, the design of your God concerning those things which shall come hereafter, and the glory which shall follow after much tribulation.

For after much tribulation come the blessings. Wherefore the day cometh that ye shall be crowned with much glory; the hour is not yet, but is nigh at hand.

In section 58.

It was on my mind all week.  I thought about all the tribulations I had past through, and all the times I had wondered "Why me?" But I realized that I cant see with my natural eyes what God can see, and that the blessings always come AFTER the tribulation.

The Lord blessed me beyond my expectations this week.  I have the greatest news in the World, Hna CA* WANTS TO GET BAPTIZED!  She wants to go to the temple and baptize her whole family.  I can not effectively express the joy that filled my heart when she told us that.  Also, Hna H* wants to get baptized so that she can get married in the temple.  Her baby got blessed this week in church, and the members have really taken her hand, and she loves the church!  Also, we found two new investigators that both said "I just don’t know where the truth is."  Well, good news, the truth just knocked on you door!

We knew the cambios were coming, but I was almost sure that I would be staying.  Hermana Lima has 4 cambios in Lampa, and we were all prepared for her to go.  Even though I had knocked every door, I was ready to keep going, and to keep working in Lampa.  Hermana Ca* is getting baptized next week, and all I wanted was to see her in white.  Hermana H* will probably also get baptized this next change, and I wanted to be there.  We don’t have a ton of investigators, but the ones we had were progressing, and I wanted to be there.  Then Sunday night the AP called me to tell me I had to be in the office at 8:45 for trainer training.  He said I would be finishing the training of Hna Morely in Vivaceta.  At first I was in shock, then I cried my eyes out.  Lucky Hermana Ca* got back from her vacations so I went to say goodbye, and I just cried and cried as she hugged me and told me that everything would be okay.

Honestly I can’t keep typing about this cause even now tears are gathering in my eyes.  I feel like an open wound that needs more then a few bandaids to heal.

Saturday was a hard day.  My backpack was just weighing me down.  I felt like I was dragging cinder blocks around.  We didn’t teach a single lesson.  All our plans fell through. When we went to lunch, I was so exhausted I could barely bring the fork to my mouth cause my arms were just dead.  Honestly, I can’t remember a time in my mission when I was more exhausted.

Throughout the whole day I was thinking about Jesus.  I was thinking how he asks us to take up our cross and follow him.  He carried his cross up Golgotha, and all he was asking me to do was carry his gospel to the people of Chile.  As Elder Holland said "He told us to take up our cross, not our feathered bed."  So if the Lord wants me to carry his word to the people here in Vivaceta, I will do it.  I guess my work was done in Lampa, even though I didn’t want it to be.

My new comp is awesome!  She is 19 and just loves the mission.  Basically I won’t be training her, cause I think she came pre trained and she is almost done with the 12 week program.  So we are just going to work our butts off here in Vivaceta.  Because in Vivaceta or Lampa, the work is the same.

Sorry, this email is super disorganized, my mind right now is disorganized.

Okay, I love you all,

Con Amor,

Hna Oslter

I might not be moving mountains, but step by step, I am climbing them

Familia,

First of all, Jefferson, you are a Rock!  We should change your name to Peter or something cause you are just solid!  The Lord is preparing and UNSTOPABLE, and you are a part of it! If I could be at your basketball games this year, I would be calling you Peter for sure!

Second of all, I feel Harrison's pain.  Emotional abuse in the mission is the WORST! Especially so young in the field.  But, I know he will get through this and he will be stronger for it.  It still brings me great pain to think about my time with you know who. I have seen her a few times since, and it literally makes my stomach hurt.  But, I wouldn't change or trade my suffering, because I am a better person.  So mom, don’t try to fix this, because you can’t.  The only person that can fix this for Harrison is Jesus Christ.  You know why?  Jesus died and suffered for Harrison.  He knows this pain, and this frustration like no one else does.  Yes, it is completely wrong what the companion of Harrison is doing, but it was also completely wrong what the Romans did to Jesus.  Who is Harrison, or me not to suffer?  The Lord will make it all right someday, and Harrison is learning something that he won’t be able to learn at any other time in his life.  So pray for him, and let the Lord take care of him.

Third of all, I don’t know if you remember when I told you about Iy* but she taught us how to crochet.  Tell Wilson he is lucky he gets his classes in english!  JAJA.  Our grand success this week was when she and her inactive husband came to church!  It was branch conference, and the theme of every class was Temples.  It was so great for them.  The teacher in Principles of the gospel was talking about how one has to be baptized to enter into the temple to be sealed, and the husband leaned over to her and said "So when are you going to be baptized!"  So we will see what will happen with this family.  She is really amazing, but she is slower to understand, and she doesn’t complete with her commitments. So we will see.

Crochet Class

Also, Ca* came to church, like always, and after learning about baptisms for the dead she wants to baptize her whole family!  She was just on fire with the spirit of Elisha.  She gave us a list of family members that needed to be baptized into the true church! BUT SHE STILL DOESNT WANT TO BE BAPTIZED HERSELF!  What is up with that?  So we are going to teach her about family history on Tuesday and tell her that she can do those baptism for her family if she gets baptized first.  Maybe this will be the push she needs to get into the baptismal font.  We'll see.

But, other then that, we had a pretty hard week.  The people seem more hard hearted every day. The first contact I did this week yelled at me.  I just hate that.  I hate when the people yell at me.  Harrison will probably never suffer that in Brasil. Hna Lima says the people are just so kind there.  But, hey, I got called to the land of the amalakites, I’m just happy they aren’t trying to kill me . . . yet . . . jajaja.

I hit a couple low points this week.  Honestly, I had no desire to continue, and I started wondering if I had the faith to get me through to the end.  I remembered that quote that mom sent me a few weeks ago from Gordon B Hinkley, and I read over it in personal study. He says that faith "Enables us to do what we said we will do."  It is the power we can draw from to "press forward when we are tired, or hurt, or afraid."  Right now I am tired in mind, body, and spirit.  I have never felt this kind of exhaustion before.  My knees hurt every time I kneel down to pray, and my throat is so dry from yelling 'allo' at every door.  I am afraid, afraid that we won’t find anyone to teach, that we won’t complete with our contacts, and that I won’t become the missionary that God needs me to be.

Now, I ask myself one question: Do I have faith?  Am I willing to finish something that I said I would do?  Will I "keep going when the challenge seems overwhelming and the course unceratian"?

Do I have faith?

I don’t know how to answer that question.  Yes, I know that Jesus is the son of God and I accept Him as my Savior.  But faith goes so much further than knowledge.

Faith is that small spark that lights a fire within you, then it is the fuel to keep that fire burning.  Faith is what pushes you beyond what you can do.  Faith is the first principle of the gospels.  Without it, your testimony falls.

Faith is not measured by what you achieved in this life/mission, but rather by the diligence in which you worked.  Was Ammon more faithful than Abinadi because he baptized thousands when Abinadi died before seeing the fruits of his labor?  Faith can’t be measured in numbers, but rather by what is inside of you.

Faith is your conviction to follow Christ even when the reward is undefined.  Faith is taking the one step beyond where you thought you could.  Faith is closing you eyes, hearing the masters call, and following Him even when the path is uncertain.

"Faith is something greater than ourselves."

So I ask again, Do I have faith? 

The answer is yes.  You know how I know?  Because I am still out here, struggling down this road, and it doesn't matter if I baptize one person or thousands as long as I keep going, cause that is faith.

I might not be moving mountains, but step by step, I am climbing them.

So, even though it was a tough week, I’m going to go back out there and do it all over again, because that is all that the Lord asks.  Just keep Climbing.

I didn’t take a pic with Jose Leiva, but I hope that I see him again so that I can.  Also, YES I WANT TO GO TO MAUI!  About college . . . can you look up to see if there exists a BYU Chile, cause that would be my first pick . . . jajaja.

Okay, I love you all, and I hope you are all doing fantastic!

Con Amor, 

Hna Ostler

My first, and proably last thanksgiving eating watermelon!  Better then turkey!

He preached the back wall out of that place

Dear Familia, 

Thanks for the letter.  I’m glad that my letter got to Harrison and that it helped.  Wow, that is crazy about the Philippines, just crazy!  But the Lord protects His servants.

So, it has been a long long week.  I can’t believe that Elder Holland came this week, because it feels like year ago.  But it was amazing!!  Just amazing!

We had a 6 girl sleepover in our house for two ....  jajaja that was fun!  Not!  Two of the sisters arrived close to midnight, so we didn’t get much sleep cause we had to wake up at 4! But only our district was in the bus . . well, it was actually two minivans.

We got to the chapel at about 7:30, and it was already packed!  We decided to sit up on the stage in the back, back, back.  We could have sat closer, but then we wouldn’t have been able to see over all the tall elders heads.  So we sat front row on the stage.

This is where we were.  Back in nose bleed . . but it was stil amazing!
I swear that they could hear Elder Holland in Switzerland.

Elder Holland showed up at 9:30 and we started right when he got there.  Obviously we all stood up when he came in, and he shook a few hands of the people on the stage, then goes over to the mic and says "no more, k, sit."  It was so funny.  An area seventy and his wife talked, then Sister Holland talked, then finally Elder Holland talked.  He spoke English with a translator.  But sometimes he would get so excited, or just so full of the spirit that he would cut the translator off. .  jajaja.  It was so funny.  I was glad I speak English though, cause a lot of it got lost in the translation.  Basically he preached the back wall out of that place .. .  it was amazing!  A few key points I will share with you.

He said that this moment in the work ranks with the first vision, the restoration of the priesthood, and the coming forth of the Book of Mormon!  Wow .. . thats pretty incredible. He said that the mission is demanding more of us than missionaries of the past, and that we needed to step up.  Oh I forgot, the first thing he said when he took the mic was "I am so pumped up.  I should be popping off the wall and taking down the curtains.  I am just so pumped."  Bahahaha . . . never thought I’d hear an apostle say that.  So funny.

Another key point he talked about was that we will always be missionaries.  He said we have to do this forever.  Maybe not knock doors, but we are committed to this work for life. This isn’t a 2 year 18 month thing we do until we can return to real life.  THIS IS REAL LIFE!

He also talked about how we are all Gods investigators.  Then how we need to be powerful teachers.  You don’t get a second chance to teach a first lesson.  But the best thing he said was "Go asombro someone."  So funny!  He mixed Spanish and English all the time - loved it! He also talked about how the Book of Mormon is our best missionary tool, because before there was PMG there was only the BOM.  SO USE IT! He ended with saying that we should stop wondering why our missions aren’t easy, because it was never easy for Jesus. The Road to salvation goes through Gethsemane and we will all spend time there. Basically, it was just amazing!

I found Hermana Peralta at the confrence with Elder Holland!  So WONDERFUL!

So, also this week, was my hump day, and I got the package on Nov 13th!  Wow, good timing.  We had intravistas that day with president and he told me that I have progressed so much and that he can tell I am giving this my all.

I have been doing a reflection on the first half of my mission and thinking about the significance of "Hump" day.  Hump day means that you have reached the top of a hump, or a hill.  That you have gone halfway, and the struggle, the hard part is behind you, cause now you can just coast down for the next 9 months.  WRONG!  THERE IS NO COASTING IN THE MISSION.  I realized that the whole mission is up hill.  Heck, your whole life will be up hill.  When you choose to follow Christ, you leave the coasting to the followers of the devil.  You take up your cross and you follow Him UP to gothal.  If you ever find yourself coasting in the mission, or even in life, then you are doing something wrong.  Like Elder Holland said "Salvation is not a cheap experience."  Its a fight, its a struggle.  So yeah, I might be half way done with the mission, but I am no where near done with the constant up hill struggle.

Also, I have been thinking about when president told me when he said that he can tell I have given my all.  As I have read back over the first few entries in my journal, and read over some of the most difficult time in my mission, I realized that I really have tired to give the Lord all, but it has never been enough, and it never will be enough.  I only have 5 small fishes and two loafs of bread . . .  thats not enough to feed a family of 9, let alone thousands.  But the incredible thing that I have seen throughout the course of my mission is that when I gave the Lord all, He multiplied it and made it enough.  I have nine more months, and I will have to dig down deep to find more within me that I can give to the Lord, so He can multiply it can get me to the end.

We didn’t knock doors all week, but it wasn’t the greatest week we’ve had.  Ca* is still great.  K*, our neighbor we saw one time this week, and was asking about baptism!  What? We won’t get to see her until next week cause we passed by yesterday and she said that this week she has a million things to do and she won’t be home much.  So we are just going to pray our hearts out for her.

E*, the investigator that gave us the reference of K* took a leap toward progression.  She has always been a mas o menos investigator, but this week we went by and taught in depth the apostasy.  She was very thoughtful through the whole thing, and at the end when we invited her to pray to ask if Jose Smith really was a prophet she was quite for a moment, then she said "Jesus said we need to beware of false prophets. . . . (Pause .. . in a quite voice) But I really want him to be a prophet.  I want this book (the Book of Mormon) to be true.  I want it to fill me."  I then promised her that it would.  She had to be diligent and patient, but that his gospel was exactly what she was looking for.  She then offered a very powerful prayer, pleading with God to guide her, and to let her know if Jose was a prophet. It was just amazing.  The spirit was so strong.

We found a few people who have potential to be investigators.  We took out appointments with them for this week, so we will see how that goes.

Yes, Hermana Lima and I were matching this day.
We didnt' realize it until after we left the house.
We had a good laugh.
These are kittnes of one of the recent convert in our area.
They look like rats . . but in a cute way.

I could tell you a million other stories from this week, cause like I said, it was long, but the one I will tell is of Jose Leiva.

Jose Leiva lives alone.  His wife dies of Alzheimer about 9 months ago.  Hermana Lima said that they had shared with him one day, but then he left Lampa for about 5 months and they could never find him again.  We see him in the streets all the time, but whenever we pass by to visit, he is never home.  Finally on Friday we took out a cita with him for Saturday. When we passed by on Saturday he was home!  We spent about 50 minutes with him, honestly just talking.  We had planned to teach the first lesson, but we ended up just talking about life. He has lived a lot of life, and it really an amazing man.

One thing he said that really called my attention was "The world is the way it is because the men do not take care of their wives anymore.  So the women have to leave the home to work, to support their families, and the kids are left alone.  Then the kids get into drugs and all sorts of bad stuff cause their mothers are not home to raise them.  So the world raises them, and in this way the family is destroyed and the world has come to what it has come to and Men are to blame.  If men would only take care of their wives, the world would be a better place."  Wow, what wisdom.  He talked a lot about his wife, and got a little teary eyed a few times.  Then before we left, we sang him a hymn, lead kindly light, and he read us the lyrics to a song he sang to his wife on their wedding day and just lost it.  (He married his wife when she was 15 and he 19)  He then asked me to pray.  Pray that he could find his way in this world, and that the Lord would lead him to the correct path.  It was a very special experience for me, and I couldn’t stop thinking about it all through the night. Talking to Jose Leiva that day will probably be one of my most memorable experiences of my mission and I have no idea why.

Well, I hope you are all well.  I don’t want anything for Christmas, so whatever you send will be great.  Thanks for the package, and all the support.  Jefferson, it is so great that you are so excited to serve a mission cause it is the best.  You know what the best part is?  It’s when you remeet someone that you already knew, and you spend 50 minutes just talking to them about life.  I love this so much.  Even when it is hard.

Con Amor, 

Hna Oslter