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