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.