BLAHHHHH! BEST PHONE CALL EVER!!

Ostler Lawn & Garden new & improved

Familia!

Wow, dad . .  amazing!!!  Congrats on the calling!  That's amazing!

So this week was better than the last.  Taught more lessons and found two new investigators that have potential to progress.  We visited Car* . . . well, Hna Lima visited her, I was in Ranca doing exchanges . . . lame!  But Hna Lima said that she really missed me and that she was interested in coming to church, but in the end didn't come.  She is really progressing and loves it when we visit her.  We have an appointment tonight.

Okay, mom you don't need to worry about Hermano Lu*, he is harmless.  In fact, I have a story for you.

So on Tuesday we were in a lesson with Car*, and the cell rang.  I cut the call so we could continue with the lesson, but I immediately had a feeling that it was something important. When we got out of the lesson I saw that it was Hermano Lu* who had called us.  He also calls us to ask when we will come visit him, but I had a feeling this was something different. So I called him back.  He answered and then teased me for a few minutes about not answering his call and how we had forgotten about him.

Then he cut right to it.  He said, "So, I was reading the Book of Mormon, and I came across a verse that said we need to be born again to be saved."
And I said, "Yes, that's true."
Then he said, "Well, how are you born again?"
I said, "Through baptism."
And he said, "Yes, I know."
Then there was a pause, and I said, "Hermano Lu*, Do you want to be baptized?"
And he said, "Yes, I want to be baptized.  I want to be born again and be saved."

BLAHHHHH!  BEST PHONE CALL EVER!!

Hermano Lu* has truly changed his life.  It took two years, but he stopped drinking, he stopped smoking, and just before I got to the sector he started coming to church.  After I hung up the phone I was freaking out!  I wanted to sing and dance and run around in circles!  That night we surprised him by showing up at his house.  As we were on our way I felt like I was on my way to answering a prayer.  When we got there he was so happy to see us, and said that he had been praying we would find time to come see him so that we could share in his joy.  He told us how the night before he couldn't sleep, and all the things that we had taught him kept coming to his mind.  So he took out his BOM and started reading.  He opened to Alma 7, and read about being born again, and had a strong desire to be baptized.  He thought about it all day, and then when he took the decision he called us! Oh, I just couldn't stop smiling!

So that is the big news of the week. He will be baptized on 20 de ovctober!

I got sick this week from somehting I ate.  It just didn't fall well with me, so at 4 AM Thursday, I threw it up.  That was fun . . not!  But I'm all good now.  Also, last Monday I finished reading the book of mormon in spanish!  I never thought that would happen . . . now I started reading it again!  I just love the book of mormon!

I love the mission, even though it is hard, and there are still days that I don't want to knock doors anymore . .. like yesterday.  But then you have moments when your investigator calls you and tells you he wants to be baptized.  Its just incrediblle!

Also, I got a new bike!  I named my bike Lu* . . hehehe.  Sometimes it makes a weird ticking noise, but I checked, and its not a pìpe bomb.  Its a little hard of steering and I almost crashed once.  Also, when you are starting out it is hard to petal.  You got to give it about 8 good pumps before it starts going.  But once you get goping you just fly!  I love it!

I guess that is kinda like the mission.  In the beginning it is hard.  You have got to give it all you got, and with each step, each pump, your legs burn, and you can't see yourself finishing.  But, a while you pick up the speed and it gets easier.  Then you start flying and you don't want to stop.  Its amazing!  I love it!

Also, I am so good at riding a bike.  Like honestly, I can ride a bike in a pencil skirt . . . straight up skill.  Also, I ride on the bumpy Chilean roads with one hand on the steering, and the other holding my skirt down . . . jajaja.

Thanks for the letters familia!  Loved them!  Also, dad, most people here are from Manassa, and the rest from Ephram.  But I've heard some weird ones like benjamin and Juda!  RADO!  For mutual . . . well its not as organized as the states, but it is basically the same idea.  The YM usualy play soccer, and the YW do some cute crafty activity . ..  so its the same . . . jajaja!

Well, I love you all, and could probably say a ton more, but this keyboard is really hard to type on!  Have an amazing week.

Con Amor,

Hermana Oslter

Ps. Dad, I think the regular RM will have to do, cause I don't what to marry an old man.  Oh our Branch presidnet said the coolest/funniest thing in church. He taught a lesson about the law of chastity and told the men this "Men, your wife is your queen.  She is your queen. Love her like a queen.  The women here are better than us cause they don't need the priesthood to get to heaven.  We do.  Always remember that she is your queen.  And women, your husband . .. (pause) . . . well, at best he is another son.  But take care of him and be patient with him cause he needs you."  It was so funny!  We all cracked up casue we thought he was going to say somehting amazing about the men cause he just went on and on about the women.

We knocked so so so many doors

Familia,

Sounds like you all are doing great!  Loved the Spanish dad, keep working on it!  Wow, I just knew something was up with Harrison.  I have been thinking about him ALL week!  I think I have sibling powers. I'll hopefully have time to send him an email.

So, about Car*, we haven't seen her this week,  . . .well we actually saw none of our investigators this week cause it was the independence day of Chile and they celebrate for like a week.  I hear it is bigger than Christmas.  Our sector was super tranquilo though.  Its where all the rich people live so they were all traveling, or partying with their families. Basically no one was home, or didn't want to talk to us on their vacations.  We taught one lesson this week, and three with members.  But we worked our butts off all the same.  We knocked so so so many doors, and talked to 110 people, and asked everyone for referrals, and contacted 18 of those referrals.  So, it was a hard week for numbers, but we didn't take it as an excuse to sit around in the house and take a vacation like all the Chileans.

Also, I've realized that at the end of the mission, numbers won't be remembered.  What will be remembered is if you gave it your all, even when you didn't want to.  I honestly felt like I gave it my all this week.  Of course, there is room for improvement, but that's what this week is for, to do a little bit better.

On the 18th of Sept (independence day of Chile) we went to the house of a menso activo, Hermana B.  She is an ex missionary, but went inactive.  She just stopped coming to church. Anyway.  After we knocked doors (well, we don't really knock, we yell, "allo" because they don't have doorbells, and you can't get to the door cause ever house has a fence), until our throats were dry, we went to Hermana B's house, and she was there with her family celebrating the holiday.  They fed us empanadas and Mote (a classic drink of Chile), and then danced the queka for us. It was fun.

But, on the 20th we had a branch activity to celebrate independence day and it was SO MUCH FUN!!  Basically this branch is amazing!  Plus, we had three investigators come to the activity, so that was amazing.  We started out the morning playing games, and of course, my team won like every time!  Then we had lunch .  . ASADO!  SO good!  Then their was a queka competition.  Obviously we couldn't participate, but it was so awesome to watch just EVERYONE, Young and old, dancing.

Then, right before we left, they had a rhyming game.  Where you have to make up funny rhymes and then say them.  One of our investigators gave me one, and I was so scared to say it into the mic, but I did and everyone laughed, so that was fun. I was one of the only missionaries, out of 6 who was participating.  Hna Lima is on the tranquilo side, but she participated, and then there was another elder who got into the games, and two of the elders are new, so they are still getting on their feet, but our district leader just sat around and did nothing.  LAME!  But I thoroughly enjoyed myself.

One of our investigators lives in the sector of the Elders, but he doesn't like elders and he only wants hermanas to teach him.  Basically he has been investigating the church for 2 years, and I just LOVE HIM TO DEATH!  He is just a jokester, and I love it.  He came to the activity, and basically is like a member.  But he had a lot of problems with the doctrine of the church, and is just recently starting to actually come to church, read the scriptures, pray and drop drinking and smoking . . . so basically after 2 years, he is finally starting to change and I love seeing it.  Actually, like 15 minutes ago he called us just to talk and ask when we would be coming by his house.  We told him that we were doing internet right now, and guess who shows up at the internet? JAJAJA, I seriously just love him. He is one of those people that I feel I knew before this life.

Okay, so one funny story, and then my metaphor.

So on Saturday we were "knocking doors," and we passed by a few people in the street.  As we passed them, one of them called out:

"Hey, Where are you from."  Like in English.

I said, "The United States, Washington."

"Oh Washington."

His accent was good, so I wondered if he could really speak English.

My companion was behind me and she said. "Do a contact in English." 

Well, I really wanted to, but I  had to see if this guy could really speak English.  So I put forth my tester question.

I said, "Where did you learn English?"  If they answer this question then that usually means they can understand pretty well.  But they usually answer: "Only a little bit."  Which means they understood this question instead: "Do you speak English?" And therefore do not speak English well.

Well, this man answered: "Only a little bit." Which means that he doesn't speak English and I couldn't do a contact in English.

Then he asked me: "You are vacation?" 

And I answered. "No somos misioneras do la iglesia de jesucristo.  Comparitmos un mensaje do dios y jesucristo, y como es que la iglesia de jesucristo esta nueva aqui en la tierra.  Alguno vez usted ha compartido con misioneras?"

He was silent for a moment, just starting at me.  Then he said (in Spanish.)  "Um, I think your Spanish is better than my English."

Jajajaja!

IT WAS SO SO SO FUNNY!

Well, after that, his drunk friends started talking to us, cause they knew we spoke Spanish, and stuff.  We gave them a pass along card, and continued on our way, but as we were leaving, one of them kept saying: "I love you, I love you, I love you!"  I was so so so funny. Hna Lima and I almost died laughing!

This week, I got down a couple times cause it is just hard being out in the streets all day, without teaching a single lesson.  But, I am learning that getting down happens.  I am learning that loving my mission does not mean that I will always enjoy it.

The road we travel is full of potholes, and a lot of people think that when you hit the potholes and get down that means you are not a happy person, and you let situations or circumstances trip you up.  But that is not true.  The road is filled with potholes, and you will hit them.  You will get down, but that does not mean you have to stay in the pothole.  A lot of people stay in the potholes because they think like this: "Well, If I got out of this pothole then I will just hit another one."  Yes, that's true, but what these people, and sometimes me, fail to realize, is that IT IS OKAY!  It is also Okay if you get stuck in the pothole and you need someone else to help you get out.  That does not mean you are weak. God did not send us to earth alone.  We are here to help each other, and its okay if you need help.  The road has its smooth spots, and those are always easier and more enjoyable, but when those rough spots come its okay to feel down, as long as you don't stay there.  As long as you keep moving forward then you are going in the right direction.

SO I hit a couple potholes this week, but a super fun branch activity, and some empenadas and a cup of mote helped me get out and keep going again.

The mission is hard . . heck, life is hard, and I don't think that God expects us to smile through the whole thing, He just expects us to keep going, even when it is hard.

Well, that's all I got . ..  actually I got a ton more, but I don't have time!  I love you all and think you are the best like ever!  Keep going, Keep fighting, because if you keep fighting then that means you haven't lost.

Con Amor,

Hermana Ostler

This is me at the branch activity wearing
traditional ropa de Chile.
I'm with 2 branch members and our investigator.

A miracle from God

This is our awesome district
with our awesome sweaters

Familia!

Thanks for all the support!  You guys are amazing.  Yes, leaving Los Andes was so so so hard, I am almost positive that I won't go back now, but I truly feel like the Lord needs me here in Lampa.

Lampa is 100% different from all my other sectors.  Hna Lima and I are in the rich part of the area and so the people are really hard of heart.  Like every house has at least one car and some have 4! WHAT?  The houses are like separated and they have lawns!?!?!  Its so weird. There are like lawn mowing businesses too . . . I'm like literally in culture shock.

Hna Lima and I live in a cute little two story duplex.  We have a cute little lawn that we have to cut with scissors . . like giant scissors, but still.  Also Hna Lima is the sweetest most kind hearted person I have ever met!  Her is an example of her character.  We were in the streets one day, and she saw a dog eating poop because it was so hungry.  It literally broke her heart.  She couldn't watch.  So she reached in her bag and took out her cookies and gave them to the dog.  She loves the people here so much.

We ride bikes EVERYWHERE!  And my bike sucks!  The front tire doesn't have a lot of air so it is super hard to go up hill . . . and we live on a hill!  But I am getting a new bike, hopefully next week.  There is only a branch here, but it is huge and I think that it should be a ward.  But the people are great.  The name of the branch is Lampa.  There are two sets of elders in our ward and us.  So yeah. We have an oven in the house, but I haven't made anything yet, one because we don't have pans, and two because we don't have time.

My first day out in the street, Monday night, was super hard.  It is just SOOOO different here.  I honestly felt like crying cause I just didn't think I could do it.  Like here I am in this sector, I left behind three people who were on track to get baptized and I come here and . . . nothing!

This is D*, she got baptized a week after I left. I love her so much.

We have a few investigators, but none are like golden.  Plus I didn't know the sector, the streets . . . just everything.  And I am senior companion so all the pressure is on me to turn in good numbers.  I honestly felt like someone had handed me a hammer and some nails and told me to build a house, but I am a baker, and the only thing I do well is bake cakes.

So last Monday night was hard, plus I was just so exhausted.  I spent about 10 minutes on my knees that night, just begging Heavenly Father to guide us, to help us find people to teach.  Hna Lima told me that the last week they only had one lesson taught . . . what? I'm used to about 10 to 15 lessons in a week!  I really didn't know what to do.

On Tuesday we went out into the streets, and I was determined to do all that I could . . . like everything. I was going to do my part and trust that the Lord would do His . . . and oh He did.  That day we taught 3 lessons!!  Every lesson was a miracle from God.

We tracked into a woman named Car** who invited us in her house.  She started out by saying that she was Catholic but respected our religion.  As we talked to her, she told us that 7 years ago her 18 year son died in an accident, and that that experience helped her grow closer to God.  After she said that, Hna Lima pulled out the folleto por leccion 2 .. . we think the same. . . jajaja.  We taught her about the plan of salvation and how she would see her son again.  She loved it!

As I was summing the lesson up, I briefly mentioned eternal families . . .  something like "Y se que usted y su familia pueden vivir juntas para siempre. Pueden ser una familia eterna . ." y despus sige dando mi testimonio . . .  pero ella interrupted me and said . . "wait, what did you just say?"  and I said: "about what?" and she said: "about eternal families."  Then I briefly explained about the temples and how our happiness in the family could continue on forever.  Then she looked at me real serious and asked: "Are you happy?"

I paused, and thought about the question.  She didn't say "esta feliz?" she said "Es feliz?"  In Spanish there is a difference.  esta feliz is to be happy in the moment, pero es feliz is more like having that river of joy I talked about.  I answered her "Si, SOY feliz."  Then I paused and asked her, "Es feliz, usted?"  And she said, "I don't think so.  I still carry around alot of pain, but I try to be strong for my family."  We then taught her about how all her wounds and pains and all the wrong in the world, all the injustice can be healed through Jesus Christ and his Atonement.  She had so many questions ..  . like about everything!  The Book of Mormon, the atonement, temples . . just everything.  So we set another cita with her for Thursday.  But when we went by she wasn't there!  Hna Lima says that happens a lot in this sector, people will invite you in then you never see them again.

I was praying hard for her all week long!  We found her again on Friday and she said that she had completely forgotten but the we could come by later that day, like at 6 and that she had something to tell us!  We were dying all afternoon to hear what she had to tell us. When we went by at six, she told us that she had prayed, and felt a heat fill her and asked if that was holy spirit!  It was amazing!  We then taught her Lesson 1, about Joseph Smith and stuff, and she liked it . .  . not as much as the plan of salvation, but she started saying, "I was raised catholic, but I don't participate in any religion."  That's a change from what she first told us.

I have a lot of hope for her.  We won't see her this week, cause its like the independence of Chile and they celebrate for a week.  Like it is bigger than Christmas.  So we will see her next week.

I realized this week, that no one has asked me to build a house, I was just being asked to bake a wedding cake.  Its a little bigger and more complex than what I am used to, but I know how to do it.

I might not be the best missionary, but I try my best, and at the end of the day I literally feel like I put my best foot forward.  I might not baptize 50 people (like the brother of my companion) but, maybe I can help a few people realize that they are children of God, and that they have worth.  Trying your best doesn't always mean you will be the best, it just means you will be satisfied with what you did, and that God, too, is satisfied with your work.

I am starting to feel like I can speak Spanish.  So that's good.  We got a lot of doors slammed in our face this week, and it still hurts . . every time.  But all you can do is love the people, even when they don't love you.

Also I got a ton of mail!  Thank you to all who wrote me!  Amy, Siara, Kelly, Mary, and of course, FAMILIA!  I will try to write you all back . . . but no promises!

Well, I will try to send some pics now.  LOVE YOU TONS!!

Con amor,

Hermana Ostler

La abuelita who had the Lehi dream
I love her so much

On our way to the office

Written in your heart

Familia!

Okay, so are you ready for the big new!??  I got changed . . AGAIN!!  What?  Sometimes I really don't understand president. Hna Peralta and I felt like we would both stay one more cambio, and if anyone was going to leave we thought that it would be her since she has almost 5 months there.  But nope. I got changes again.  I felt like I had just packed all my bags and started over again, now here I am in the same situation . . . but harder!

So I am in Lampa now, it is like a suburb just outside of Santiago and it is really pretty here.  My companion is la Hna Lima.  I bet you think she is from Peru . . . WRONG!  She is from . . drum roll ..  BRAZIL!! What?  I am so excited to be working with her and I hope to learn a little Portuguese while we are together.

Hna Lima just finished being trained and now I am her senior companion.  Basically I am scared out of my mind!  If the sector tanks it is my fault, and President just changed a bunch of things about the mission and what counts as a contact and how we are supposed to count references and stuff.  Its a lot stricter now and I really don't know if I can do this.  I literally feel a weight has been dropped on my shoulders and I just feel like crying.  But I've cried enough.

The night we found out about combios I was just in shock. I couldn't believe it.  It was like my first cambio all over again.  Then, on Sunday while we were eating lunch with a member in a cute little farm house it just hit me that I was leaving Los Andes . . again!  While we were walking back to our house, we were walking along this beautiful road lined with trees and I wanted to take a picture.  So I searched in my backpack for my camera, but I had forgot it at home.  That was the straw that broke my back.  I just started crying.  Not like bawling, but the tears wouldn't stop.  I didn't want to leave.  I love the ward and the people so so so much!  One of our investigators, D*, is getting baptized on the 15th, and I won't be there.  Hna Peralta started crying too.  Man, I just love that place.

We were able to stop by the house and look for my camera so I could take picture with our investigator and such.  Well, as we were leaving the house again, I snapped a photo of the mountains that I loved to see every time we left the house.  As I looked at the photo and then the real thing, there was no comparison.  A photo could never ever capture the beauty of those mountains.  As we were walking down the road, I was just in a terrible mood.  Then a thought came to my head: "There are some things in life that can't be captured on a camera, but must be written in your heart."  Its so true.  If someone took a video of my entire mission, it wouldn't do it justice.  I have pictures of my mission and videos, but if you really what to know what it looked like, what it sounded like, what it smelt like, and what it felt like, you'd have to look in my heart.

So yes, I am sad to leave Los Andes again, but I can't cry because it is over, I have to smile because it happened.

My last week in San Felipe was great!  I finally got my birthday package!  Oh man I LOVE THAT VIDEO!  We had to steal the Elders DVD Player, and I watched like 4 times before we returned it, and I recorded it on my camera!  You guys are the best!  And Mom, I love you to death and if it were up to me I would tell you to send me packages until your heart sings, but today the wheels of my suitcases broke!  I really can't have any more stuff! Unless I specifically ask for something, just send food from here on out!  Thanks!  Love you to death, and it is always an adventure to open the packages and think ..  oh what has mom sent this time . . . but I just don't have any more room and changes are a pain.  I don't think I will have many more changes in the mission.  Once a missionary advances to senior companion, President leaves them in a sector for 6 to 8 months.  So I think I will be here in Lampa for a while.  But, who knows . . . anything could happen.

So, I had notes of all the stuff I was going to tell you guys, but I left it in my other agenda which is buried somewhere in my luggages.  But a few things from the week.  I am no longer with a cold . . my nose is still a little runny but that's all.  Also, we forgot to change our time on Sunday and got to church late!!  Jajaja.  But D*came to church, so that was great!  It was hard to find our investigators in their houses this week, so we did a lot of talking to people in the streets.  But, two of our investigators who last week told us not to come by anymore, accepted us in their houses again!  So that was great!  I just wish I was in San Felipe so that I could keep visiting them and maybe see them enter the waters of baptism someday.

Okay, I got to go, and this is the last day I will have 1.5 hour of internet time. Starting next week we only have an hour!  Bummer.  There have just been a lot of changes in the mission.  I really don't know what I am going to do.  PRAY, I guess that is my only option.

Love you all, que tenga una linda semena!

I Love This Work

This is me and Chile . . . . we are good friends!

This is me and completo . . . . we are also good friends!

Familia!

Loved the email!  Sounds like you guys are just doing the same old thing you've always done.  Awesome story mom . . love it!!  O, and you can send the stuff to goodwill.

My week was mas o menos.  For a couple days it was just so hot I wanted to die, cause we still have to wear winter clothes cause in the night it gets pretty cold.  So that was no fun. But there are little things that happen every day that make all the walking, the sore legs, and the tired bodies worth it.

For example, I just love listening to the people we teach pray for the first time.  They are usually so nervous, and sometimes they laugh.  But then there is always a moment when they realize that they are talking to their heavenly father, and there is a change in them. Most of the people haven't prayed in months or maybe years, and it is like music to hear them talk to their heavenly father.  Also, I love singing hymns with them too, cause over half the population of Chile is tone deaf and I always have to try so hard not to laugh cause we sound quite terrible.

I haven't gotten any mail, but this week I talked to Sister Essig, and she said the strike is over, so our mail should be coming in little by little. . . yay!

Thanks for the companion advice mom.  I really need it.  Hna Peralta is amazing.

I don't know if you guys remember me ever talking about D*.  She is one of our investigators.  She is AMAZING!!  This week we took her to a member house and while we were walking there I started asking her questions about her life . . . wow . . . her life story is like incredible!  She is 63 right now and has Parkinson's, but she is just so happy and always looks for the good (maybe I can learn something from her). She is the youngest of 21 children!!  All from one mom and one dad. Her mom married her dad when she was 12 years old, and he was 32 .. . crazy!  She had her first child at 12 and her last at 53.  Her dad died when he was 93 and her mom died when she was 103.  They never got divorced or anything.

D* got married when she was 23 and her husband was 32.  They had three kids.  Then her husband died suddenly from diabetes that he didn't know he had at age 37.  She never remarried and raised her three children practically on her own.  INCREDIBLE!!  She said she was born an aunt, and out of the 21 kids, 4 are still living.  As I was talking to her I was just overcome with gratitude.  It's incredible the people you get to meet on the mission. Every single one has something to teach you.

This week I got sick, so I have been kinda miserable.  The work was pretty hard, and we had no one in church.  BUMMER!!  The mission/life is like running a marathon, sometimes it is all you can do to put one foot in front of the other.  That was my week.  But, the second, forth, tenth wind always come.  The hills pass and the way straightens out, and as long as you always keep moving forward then you are doing okay.

So, I only have one cool story for you this week.  So, we have this investigator, she is 65, but seems a lot younger.  She knows the gospel is true, but doesn't want to get baptized. When we teach her, her mom is usually there too.  Yes, her mom is alive, and has 95 year!! She is good of health, but a little cookoo in the mente . ..  jajaja.  We call her Abuelita cause she loves it!  Sometimes she will get to talking and no power on heaven and earth can make her stop, so we just laugh. The other day we went to teach her, and of course la abuelita was there too.  I remember looking at her, and a very strong feeling of love came over me.  I felt an impression that I would see her again in the next life, young and beautiful.

While we were teaching la abuelita fell asleep in her chair . . . hilarious!!  Hna Peralta, touched her arm to wake her up, and she nearly jumped out of her chair.  SO FUNNY!  Hna Peralta asked her if she was dreaming about a tree that had white fruit .  . like Lehi's dream, as a joke.  La Abuelita's answer surprised us all. She said "one time I had a dream about a tree that glowed and it had white fruit."  WHAT?  We asked her if in the dream she tasted the fruit.  She said: "I tried, but I couldn't reach it.  I never found out what it tasted like."

Hna Peralta and I were silent!  I don't know if you have ever watched the movie about the conversion of Wilford Woodruff, but there is a person in the movie who had great influence in the conversion of Wilford, and he had a dream very similar to that of la abuelita, and the interpretation of the dream was that he would come close to finding the restored gospel, but would never taste it in this life!  I remember the impression I had had not 10 minutes before, and I knew that la abuelita would accept the gospel in the next life.  Now is just not her time.  It was a really cool experience.

The mission is really amazing.  It is incredible how you can just love people so much. People that you just meet, or barely even know.  This is the Lords work.  I know it, and I love it.  Every time I teach the gospel and invite people to come unto Christ, I know it even more.  I wouldn't physically, emotionally, and spiritually exhaust myself every single day if I didn't know for sure that this is the church of God.

We get rejected . ..  A LOT!!  If I got a dollar for every time that a door got slammed in my face or for every person that puts there hand up and says "I don't have time, and I'm not interested," I would have a lot more than one dollar.  But none of that matters, because every time I hear someone pray for the first time, and I see that change in them, it's worth it. Every time I see someone lean forward in their chair as they feel the spirit and hunger for more, it's worth it.  Every time someone that we invited, walks through the chapel doors, it's worth it.  It's true, that sometimes the mission is really just putting one foot in front of the other, but once you catch that wind, and you pick up the speed and you can feel the air rushing by, filling your lungs, well ..  there's nothing like it.  I love this work!  

Con Amor, 

Hermana Ostler

Ps.  Hermana Leyva went home on Wednesday :(  I don't know anymore details.  Hermana Essig says that it was super fast.  They found out the problem and she was gone.  Hermana Essig says that she thinks Hermana Leyva will come back, once she gets her ankle all taken care of.