Q & A * February 23, 2015

MAIL:

Just so you know there is one down side to going to Talca.  I have heard that it is so great and the people there are so nice and everyone loves it there, but all the mail still gets sent here so it can take a very long time to get mail there. I will have to ask how long, but I know it can be  a few months sometimes because they have to wait until someone is going down there to send the mail with them.  Just so you know that other thing is it is a biking sector and I may or may not be kind of panicking about the whole biking thing. I am really hoping I am wrong about that, but that is just a minor thing other than that Talca is supposed to be really great and the people there tend to be more open and receptive, because it is further south which will be cool to see!

GOING TO TALCA:

I have to go on a bus. It is a 4 hour bus ride early tomorrow morning. I should be with other missionaries, not my companion though because she is already in Talca.  They always try to put us in bigger groups to go together and there are a lot of people from here going to 

Talca, so I wont be alone.  I love you so much!  I will talk to you next week from Talca! 

Earth Quake!

We received this letter:

February 18, 2015

Dear Parents of missionaries serving in the Chile Rancagua Mission-

You are no doubt aware that Chile is a country with significant seismic activity.  Last evening there was a 5.0 earthquake near the city of Curicó which is in our mission.  While we felt the earthquake in most parts of the mission there was no damage in our mission boundaries and no one was hurt.   

 Our missionaries receive annual training on earthquake preparedness and each has an emergency backpack with essential supplies in case they have to leave their apartments with little notice.  We have emergency communications protocols and the few missionaries who live near the ocean know about seeking high ground if necessary.  None of these missionaries lives near enough to the beach to be of concern in the event of a tsunami.

 We want you to know that we have taken every precaution possible.  While we cannot predict when or where the next earthquake will occur we have faith in the divine and preserving hand of the Lord on behalf of our missionaries.

 I will not communicate with you after each event but will do so if they are close to us or if there is damage reported.   As always you can contact me at tomwarne@ldschurch.org.

 Thanks for your prayers and support for your missionary, our mission and this great work.

 Warmest regards,

 Presidente Warne

Misión Chile Rancagua

Hermana Stringham's Response:

There are lots, but there was one that was supposably bigger. It was felt all the way through Chile, but I didn't even fill it because we were outside. So don't worry."

Week #30 * February 23, 2014

Hey everyone,

This week has been really great.  Last night we had cambios (transfers) and I found out that I am going to Talca tommorrow.  Talca is the farthest south of the mission and I am in the north part so I am excited to see a different part of the mission.  My new companion is Hermana Skwyers.  I have met here before and she is really nice she has just a month or so less than I do in the mission.  I was surprised to find out I was going to be with another gringa, but I am so excited, But sad to be leaving my first ward here.  Saying goodbye to everyone has been really sad and given me the opportunity to look back on my mission, as all of these members were with me when I first got here and didn’t understand a word of what was going on.  They helped me so much and have touched my life in ways that I will never be the same.  I am going to miss them so much, but I am excited for the new opportunities and new people I have to meet waiting ahead of me.  I know that Talca is where I need to be  at this time.  I am also going to miss my companion a lot. We have had a lot of fun working together, but I am excited to get to know a new companion.

Javier is doing really good this week he is going to go the temple to do baptisms for the dead and on Sunday is going to receive the priesthood and is also going to enroll in seminary when school starts in a couple of weeks.  The members have really taken him in I feel good that I know I am leaving him in good hands.  

 I am so grateful for the decision I made to go on a mission it has been the best decision I have made in my life.  I have learned so much.  I will admit it has been the hardest thing that I have ever done and the mission always has its ups and downs, but the rewards are oh so sweet.  I want you all to know that I know this Church is true.  I know that I have a Heavenly Father who loves me and he loves everyone of you.  He has a plan for each and everyone of us so we can return back to Him and live in His presence with our families for all of eternity.  I know that missionary work is a huge part of that plan and that ever single one of us have a responsibility to help in that work.  One thing that I have learned in my mission is that missionaries cannot do the work alone. We need to all be more anxiously engaged in missionary work and remember that we are all representatives of Jesus Christ, with or without a missionary plack.  I love you all so very much and I am so grateful for all the support you offer me.  Know that you are in my prayers!

Love ya,

Hermana Stringham

Baptism Day - Javier

Week #29 * February 16, 2015

This week has been so amazing!

Okay so this week has been so amazing and crazy busy.  We worked really hard getting everything ready for the baptism this Saturday, as we still had more to teach Javier before and a lot of plans to do.  It was amazing to see it all come together as there was a lot of opposition.  We didn’t have any oposición in teaching Javier as he was ready and prepared by the Lord, but there always has to be oposición in all things.  We had members who fell through for lots of different reasons and we had to cancel lessons.  We had our musical number cancel 3 times with different members for various reasons and then the Font overflowed and the church flooded (luckily the floors are tile, not carpet here).  And then when they drained the Font too much was let out and they couldn’t get it to plug and so they had to use a towel.  It was all crazy, but miraculously it filled way faster than normal and we were able to have the baptism although we started a half hour late with everything going on and waiting on people that needed to be there.  It was a long day, but all the members really came together as we all worked to get the font filled, before the baptism and the elders volunteered to do a musical number.  A member came up to us after and told us that Javier must have a lot of potential and is going to be a really strong great member one day, because he had never seen this much oposición to bring a baptism together.   It all came together and the spirit was really strong, especially when Javier shared his testimony. He was really emotional and I could just see him beaming.  He has changed so much in the short month we have been teaching him, as before he didn’t even believe in God.

I am so grateful for the Lord giving me the opportunity to be a part of this.  My testimony has been strengthened and I know we are truly just the instruments in the Lords hands here, as missionaries. I feel like we didn’t do much the spirit did it all.  It was also a very special experience because Javier’s family and friends came who aren’t members and it was a very emotional experience for them all.  We could tell that the spirit touched them.  Some of his friends are now going to receive the missionaries where they live as well.

The member who confirmed him, also blessed him that he would one day serve and be a great missionary. 

I am just full of so much gratitude after this experience that the Lord has entrusted me and my companion to teach Javier and to see him grow and gain a testimony..  I am so grateful for all of you in supporting me in my decision to serve a mission. I love you all and will talk to ya next week!

Hermana Stringham

Answers to questions:

On p-days we sometimes do activities with other missionaries like they play a lot of futbol (soccer) here and we do a lot of different activities like bowling, volleyball.  We actually don’t do a lot of service. We try to but the members tend to use the elders especially since their are 6 elders in our Ward and people don’t tend to let us help them on the Street, but we are always looking for service opportunities.  We email from these internet places they have a lot of them here. Working with Hermana Makin is different because we have the same amount of time and my other companions were always finishing their missions.  We have a lot of fun and actual work really well together.  I have loved having her as my companion. 

Transfers are actually next week though and I have been here for more than a third of my mission so I am pretty positive that I am going to a different area.  I am going to be sad to leave the members and the people we are teaching here, but I guess we don’t know for sure yet, and I know the Lord will send me where I need to go.

Week #28 * February 9, 2015

Happy Valentines!

Hey everyone,

This week has just flown by I swear it was just yesterday that I was emailing.  This week has been really great we were able to work really well with the members which always makes for a good week.  The finding process has been  slower than normal lately and we didn’t find anyone new to teach this week which was a bit of a downer, but we are working really hard and I know that it is going to pay off as it always does.  Please pray for us and our sector as our focus this week is to find new people to teach as we have been really struggling with that.  

I got your valentines package this week which was a huge surprise and I was so excited! It definitely made my whole day as I didn’t know it was coming.  We loved the treats and the pajamas are so cute. We bought cute heart shaped cherios and we are really excited for valentines day as Javier’s baptism is that day.  We have been crazy busy working with him as we still have a lot to teach, but he still wants to go through with his baptism and says that he feels ready.  It has been so cool working with him because he is really easy to teach and has progressed so fast, as he was atheist before. I know that the Lord has been preparing him for a lot of time.  Every time we teach him he often already understands what we are teaching, because he has been reading the for strength of youth and the youth in the ward have been helping him out a lot.  We are so excited for his baptism this Saturday and to continue teaching him.    

Other than that I don’t have anything new to share.  We are just working really hard to find some new people to teach and working really hard to help those we are teaching to progress, as that has been a struggle as well.  

I love you all thanks for all you do.  Talk to you all next week!

Love ya,

Hermana Stringham

My Companion and the rest of the Hermanas in the Zone * February 9, 2015