December 23, 2013
I feel like Moroni sometimes writing these emails. I look back at the week and I'm torn between things I should write and what is important. I can only write 1/100th of what I want to write. But, well.
What I have been thinking about a bit lately is the power and reality of priesthood blessings. I had an incredible experience earlier this week and I feel impressed to tell it. We had one day where we had 5 lessons in a day, which never happens -very rarely. We had several minutes between one and the other and decided to contact somebody up the street. I have gotten into a habit of not looking where I'm walking. It's just sort of a downfall of mine since I was a niña. Well, this time, I stepped off a curb. I can solemnly swear to you that I felt my ankle bone snap. When suddenly, what seemed like two strong, powerful arms lifting me and setting me on my feet again. I know it sounds strange. But in my setting apart blessing I received before I left, I was promised that if I am obedient and always do the will of the Lord, I will have Nephite warriors from the Book of Mormon on the left, right, behind and in front of me to guide and protect me. That night, if we had missed any of the citas, we would have missed opportunities to lift spirits and give comfort to the comfortless. God needed me to have my leg. He needed me to be well so we could later sprint to arrive on time at home. The Lord blesses and protects His obedient missionaries.
Random tidbit fact. I'm related to my mission President. We share the same bloodline. Not coinsidence, not in the least. There is something incredible and inspired about this bloodline. My dad served here, there are people serving as mission presidents in the Sur and Norte missions that are both from the Whitney line. There are big plans for this area of Chile.
We felt an earthquake! We totally felt one. It was tiny, but nonetheless. We had time to register it as an earthquake, look at each other with frightened excitement in our eyes and then it stopped. So cool.
Surprise - when I come home. You will all be amazed at the amount of and the variety of food I can eat. It is really quite incredible. Even to me. I still despise tomatoes, but I am beginning to eat just about everything. I had pizza the other day with peppers, mushrooms, some meat and other such things. It was delicious. Just you wait, mom. Can't call me the picky eater anymore!
I love Spanish! I do. It is wonderful. I read and understand the Spanish LDM better than in English at times. I love when I make mistakes in my english and say the verb or word in spanish. It is such proof to me that there is a gift of tongues and I have been blessed with it. I cannot wait till I've got a year in the mission. I wonder if I'll be fluent by then..
All right. Spiritual thought. Pensamiento Espiritual. I finished Jesus the Christ. I don't have words to tell you how inspired James Talmage was and how inspired that book is. I learned more than I ever knew about Jesus. His life in general and the miracles he wrought. Reading about the signs of the last days was sort of a crazy experience as well. Because there are signs already appearing in our day. We realized one of them several weeks ago. When things cease to progres. Well, there are songs we hear when cars drive past that sound exactly the same as the next. The beats, the music and the singers. It's a bit frightening and exciting to realize that we are on the earth when it's living through its last days. The Lord and Savior Jesus is coming. He is near and He is very present.
I think it's appropriate to give my testimony in Spanish seeing as I am serving a mission in the language. Bueno. Aquí estamos. Es increible para me a realizar las bendiciones que tengo. Antes tuve pensar y realmente no sabia la abundancia de las bendiciones en mi vida. Ahora solamente necesito ver el mundo. Veo las personas que tienen mucho, todas las cosas del mundo, cualquier dinero y posesión, y me realizo que en realidad tienen nada. Tengo Jesucristo. Tengo Su Evangelio y todas las bendiciones de amor, caridad y la oportunidad a aprender y cambiar. Tengo la Expiación de mi Salvador, mediante que puedo ser una diferente persona cada día. Una mejor, mas feliz y lleno del amor de Dios. Tengo esta oportunidad a llevar personas y sus almas a disfrutar las bendiciones de la vida eterna. Puedo ayudar personas a realizar sus designas eternas y potencial.
I know I'm a bit scatter brained, but I have lots running through my mind. I hope that you all realize the blessings in your life and that your Christmas doesn't revolve around the gifts you get but the ones you give. I love you and pray for you.
Feliz Navidad!
Hermana Castleton
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