Monday, December 30, 2013

Happy New Year!

Dear friends and family,

It was so good to Skype on Christmas--to hear your voices and see your faces.  I love you all so much!! There is really nothing new to tell you since we talked three days ago. I can tell you a little more about the transfers.  On Saturday Hermana Sanchez and I got a call for her to pack her suitcase and bring it to the Christmas p-day because she was being transferred.  She is training one of the new Hermanas, who just got here from Brazil.  She was kind of scared because she has spent her entire mission in 9 de Julio.  She was transferred to Castelar (my first area and where my Sister Nielsen is and some of my other friends.) So I was able to tell her a little about the area and some of the people.  She will be awesome wherever she is! 

A little more about my new companion. Her name is Hermana Cordova, and she is from Arequipa Peru.  (I'll send a picture next week.) We had a mini-transfer meeting after the mission p-day last week.  She is possibly the most humble, Christlike person ever.  So when you spend 24/7 with a person she can start to get on your nerves, but Hermana Cordova is just so nice I can't even get mad at her.  Haha. We share the same fear--phone phobia (you know I don't even like to order pizza).  Only she is worse than me, so I have to do all the talking on the phone. I do it because I have to, but my first language isn't even Spanish, which makes it worse--talk about phone anxiety. Haha. 

I have been soooo tired lately.  My celiacs gives me fatigue, and I have been eating bad lately.  Then combined with the 2 am bus ride for Zone Conference and the long day for the Christmas p-day, I am behind on my sleep.  I hope to get everything back on track this week.

Happy New Year! The gospel brings so much joy and purpose and light into our lives.  It is amazing!  It is everything! Is it the most important thing in our lives?  If not, what can you change to make it the most important thing? Is there something you need to stop doing that is keeping you from having a closer relationship with the Savior?  Is there something you need to start doing? Everyday is a good day to repent, to start over, to commit to being a little more diligent in our service, be a little better.  

I have learned not to worry or think too much about the future on my mission.  I try and focus on making each new day a little better than the last and on loving the people around me a little more.  Be a little kinder. Be a little more generous in how I see people.   I love this church.  It is just so true!  I try and talk to everybody I meet and share this gospel with them.  Everyone needs a little more light in their lives.  Everyone! We can't be afraid to open our mouths.  I was guilty of that in the past.  I didn't share the gospel with some of the people I love the very most back home.  Because I was afraid.  I didn't want to offend.  But I am so blessed and have so much, I should have tried to share. Just before coming in to write I was talking to someone on the street and was rejected.  This year I'm going to open my mouth and share the gospel. No fear. Just faith.

Here are a bunch of pictures--sort of a picture week in review. I love you all.  Thanks for the Christmas letters and all the prayers and support.


xoxo,

Hermana Chloe

 Last Thursday we had zone conference, but because of the bus schedule we had to leave at 2 in the morning, and arrived a little bit early for our 9 am zone conference at 4 in the morning.  So we took pictures in the empty chapel.

  I did a little ballet in the chapel for Hermana Sanchez. Haha.
Me on my bike!

Recent converts, Florentina and Pedro, their neighbor they brought to the Christmas party, and Ines and Jose one day before their baptism.  This was at the Branch Christmas party!
 The Christmas tree!

 Baptism of Ines and Jose :)


On Monday we had a Christmas p-day.  We went to the temple and a Christmas program.  Templo Buenos Aires!

Hermana Bangerter!

Temple!


Last photo con la Hermana Sanchez on Monday before she was transferred  :(


Christmas Skype!

We had a Christmas party in the qincho of Bartolo!  This is me  helping to set up :)


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