"This is my life"

Dear Familia:

Wow, I wish I had time to just tell you all everything!  But, alas, I might need a full day to type.  Since the last time we talked, I have done 5 exchanges . . . I LOVE IT!  Honestly, I am learning so much from the sisters in my group.  But, I feel exactly how dad described. Like when they ask me what they should do to improve, I honestly have no idea what to tell them, and sometimes I feel so inadequate to help these sisters, because I’m just me. I’m just Saydi.  I don’t have any grand nuggets of wisdom to share.

I have to travel a lot to the other sectors.  I usually use that travel time to get to know the sisters.  I ask them about their families, why they are serving the mission, and what they hope to accomplish.  Usually in that time they will count to me if they are having struggles or issues.  One sister told me she was having troubles with her companion.  She is training, and feels inadequate.  While she was describing some things that were going on, it reminded me of my time with a companion.  So I was able to give her a few ideas.

Another sister who is new in the mission is having some difficulties adjusting to mission life. This sister reminds me a lot of how I was in the beginning of my mission, so I was also able to share some experiences with her.  But really, I think that I am learning so much more from these sisters than they are from me.  I love working with them, and I am surprised for the genuine love that I feel for each one of them.  Every night that I pray, I plead for each one by name.  I pray for their investigators, and for their sectors.  I pray they can overcome their challenges, and find joy in the mission, because I know that I really can do nothing for them, but the Lord can do what I can’t.  So it has been a very special experience serving as a leader.

But this week was absolutely crazy!  Between all of the exchanges, I still have my sector and my companions to worry about.  Hna C came back, and it is a little difficult to work in three.  I prefer two, but hey, what can you do?  But right now our sector isn’t doing so great. Hna Arroyo has been here for a long time.  I’m trying to adjust to the way that she works and learn all I can from her.

Actually, something crazy happened this week. One of our investigators died.  Yep.  We had been working with him to help him stop smoking, but on Sunday he didn’t come to church.  A member who lives close to him went to see if he was okay, and found him.  The member called us and told us that they had found him on his floor passed out, but we didn’t know he was dead until we got there and the ambulance was out in front of his house with a crowd of people.  We broke through the crowd and entered the house.  Hna Arroyo broke down crying.

It was a tough experience.  I don’t know him as well as hna Arroyo, but I do know that he had changed since meeting the missionaries, and just that day he had been planning on coming to church. We all went to the house of the member, and while we were there, we had a short testimony meeting about how the gospel has helped us change our lives.  I cried as well, but there was a very special spirit there.  One member told us that there would be missionaries that would find him in the spirit world, and that we could do his work for him in the temple.  I looked at hna Arroyo and said "Lucky missionaries who find him, cause he already has all the discussions."  That helped lighten the mood, and we all chuckled.

Later that night we went to E's house and had a noche do hoger with the other sister missionaries in our branch (actually there is 9 of us, but only 2 came).  Basically it was us, about four recent converts, a member, a less active and an investigators, in a tiny room in the house of E.  As I sat there and looked around the room I had a "This is my life" moment. Thats where you find yourself in a situation that you never imagined yourself coming to.  I took over the lesson cause Hna Arroyo was still pretty sad, and I read the part in 3 nefi 11 when the people come and touch the hands of Christ one by one, and I talked about how Christ heals us personally, and had everyone share an experience when Christ healed them, helped them, or let them know that He was there.  It was a super special experience.

But, the best part of the whole week was the temple.  Actually, that is why I am emailing so late.  We just got back.  I cannot describe the joy that filled my heart as I sat in the session. It has been a year since I had entered in the house of the Lord, and SO much as changed in that year.  First of all, I understood EVERY WORD of the session.  Second of all . . . well .. . I don’t think that I can detail all the changes, but I just felt different. I couldn't stop smiling.

While I was in the celestial room, I tried to receive inspiration, but nothing was coming to me, then I realized that I wasn’t asking a question.  So I tried to think of a question I could ask God. . . . nothing came to my mind.  I was just content.  I know who I am.  I know why I am hear.  I understand my calling and I am trying my hardest to fulfill it even though at times I fall short.  I realized that I am doing okay, which might have been the grand difference from the last time I was in the temple.  Also, while I was sitting their thinking, I thought of the time that I was in the celestial room with mom and dad before entering the MTC.  Actually, I think about that moment a lot.  It was very special to me.  Not many people get to sit in the celestial room with their parents and feel the peace that I felt that day. As I pondered on that experience, I began to miss you guys, especially mom and dad, but then I realized that this separation is only temporary, and we will soon sit together in the celestial room, but this time the bitter pain of separation will be replaced with the joyful gladness of reunion.  I love you guys.

I haven’t heard about this "Because of Him," video.  That sounds way sweet!  Also, way to go Wilson on passing the sacrament.  And Benson, I hope you are mowing lots of lawns to save up for the mission.  You have a grand blessing to work and pay for you mission BEFORE you graduate from college.  There are very few who have that blessing.

Bueno, I can’t remember much else from my week.  They eat a lot of asado here in llay llay . . so good!  We got invited to an asado for Sunday!  I’m so excited!  I love you all . . thanks for the love!

Con Amor,

Hna Ostler

Service in skirts