Week 44 - "...she was probably the most receptive human being I have ever met who was immediately touched by the First Vision. You could see the light of the Spirit burning brightly through her eyes. When I asked her to be baptized, she said yes without any hesitacion."

June 2, 2014

Whoa, May is over. Where has the time gone? We cannot already be in June. That is completely unacceptable. Surprise, I have 10 months in Chile! To the day, yesterday. Crazy, right? And I feel like I still fault in so many things that I only have 6. But I know the Lord uses weak and simple things to effect His miracles, so I am all right with my weaknesses for now. 

Interesting week. Very interesting. We found and taught a gitana, or a gypsie, called Maria. We found her in the carpeta de area and decided to pass by her home. Turns out, her mother-in-law was baptized last year two months before she passed away of cancer. We taught the Restauracion and she was probably the most receptive human being I have ever met who was immediately touched by the First Vision. You could see the light of the Spirit burning brightly through her eyes. When I asked her to be baptized, she said yes without any hesitacion. It was incredible to see the Spirit work through her. She is a very believing person, but never joined a church because she thought the other churches weren't for her. Whoa, she is very prepared. I am excited for the progress she will make in the next coming weeks.

Another cool lesson we had was with a woman named Cecilia. She denied the fact that she was the reference we were searching for for the first 15 minutes of the contact, but eventually allowed us to sit and teach her. In Preach My Gospel, not sure which part exactly - I believe at the end of Chapter 3 lesson 1 - it tells us to invite people to be baptized the first lesson. For me, that has always been a bit of a fight because if I was a person looking for truth and someone tried to force me to baptism within the first 15-30 minutes of meeting them, I would be a bit confused and deny them. But I tried the instruccion with a bit more confidence in the Spirit and asked her to be baptized. She didn't say yes, but didn't regect it. I think she will just need more time to meditate and think. We left them both with a Book of Mormon and a compromise to read and pray. I believe both with promptly recieve their answers because the lessons we had with them, the things they told us, the experiences they've had, I would be surprised if they do not know this is the true Church within the next week.

Sorry I didn't write much this week. I woke up this morning and basically couldn't move my arm because my elbow was so swollen. I believe it is from a previous injury I had years ago because sometimes it happens when I write too much or am in a certain position for too long. Off the subject, but I wanted you to know the pain I am suffering so you know what I have done this week.

I am finding my purpose. Slowly and surely, I am coming to recognize more fully and with greater power the influence of the Holy Ghost in my life. I am becoming a servant of God through the hours and days of seemingly endless contacting, through the finding of people prepared to come to Christ, and by the dedicacion I make to my Heavenly Father every day. I have never felt so close to my Father. I have never prayed so hard, never worked and sacrificed myself, and never loved anything as much as I love the mision and the people I serve. Truly, this is God's work. It can come through no other source because there is nothing so pure as serving the Lord through constant determination to change and to become better. I love God, I love His Son and I love Chile.

Peace out, my amigos! Until next week

Hermana Castleton

I asked Whitney some specific questions for her to answer and I thought you'd like to hear her responses...

Questions I had for Whitney...

Well, so...PLEASE tell us all about your companion. We are dying to know what she's like. What are her likes dislikes, personality, spirituality (is she picking up missionary work), her home life and family, her talents, her strengths, what you do together when you have free moments? 

What you cook and/or eat lately? 

Eat lunch or dinner with members lately? 

How's your feet?

Also tell us what happened with you this week? Anything funny? Anything out of the ordinary? Anything boring and typical?

Here are Whitney's responses...

The greatest Family Night of all time

"My comp. What can I say about my comp. Hermana Jerez is what I would consider one of my best friends. We are similar, yet there are so many things that are different, but we get along so well. I am surprised at the amount of the Spirit we can bring into the lessons we teach. She is very strong in her testimony and it strengthens mine every time she shares it. She is a convert of a year and 7 months and the Elder that baptized her is still serving. She is an incredible misionery. she knows how to tell people things how they are and is cool and chill with everything that happens. We don't have many free moments, but what we do when we have moments is we laugh. We laugh so much! We probably look and sound like we belong in the insane asylum because we laugh out loud with those laughs from your gut, We like to eat. And drink mate, which is a very popular herb from Argentina.

The first night of Cambios (changes)

We eat lots of beans. Chilenos eat beans and lots of soup in the winter. It is rather disturbing still how much a Chileno can eat in one sitting. I know how to cook rice. I am an expert in cooking rice, so if any of you need help any time afterward, I am your hermana. Mom, remember that miracle tea you sent me? Well, it works! I learned my lesson that I shouldn't attempt to clean my intestines during the day in the calle, but it sure cleaned my system. I feel so much better. We usually eat almuerzo with the members. Almost every day. I wish sometimes that we didn't because I would eat a lot less, but I appreciate a lot the sacrifice they make and the food I don't need to pay for.

My feet are fine. I am using the therepy or cuestion that dad sent me on the heel of my foot and I believe it helps. It doesn't hurt as much as it did before. that is a good sign.

Funnyy... A ver. No nothing particularly funny, Out of the ordinary. I find it out of the ordinary that I am actually getting tired as time goes on in the mision. I always pictured that the more time you have, the more energy you received. Well, I actually find it very hard to wake up. And very hard to go to sleep knowing I still have so many things to do. Also, I am always hungry. ALWAYS. It is a curse because what I am trying to avoid is coming home looking like an elephant.

Food we made for the FHE with Tamara, Nela y Milla

I cannot believe how fast time is passing. Ash isn't old enough to go off on her own, Michael isn't old or mature enough to go into high school (she said with all the love in her heart), Courtney shouldn't be wearing makeup, Josh shouldn't look like he is ten years old and James shouldn't be able to make faces on his own because he should still be a little snot-nosed kid (which she also said with all the tenderness of her soul). And you and dad still look the same, but have somehow changed in my eyes as well. Stop it! Ash is way too beautiful for her own good. You are going to have to ban her from college or she will be married before you know it. And Court .- what are you doing with a beautiful dress and with more good looks than I have ever had? My gosh, I am not going to recognize any of you when I come back.

Everything here is just wonderful. Missing you guys every day, but I know that like the last 10 months have passed, the next 8 will FLY with way too much velocity. I love you each of you so much and hope your week is just sunshiney and warm and Full of the Love of the Savior!

Whitwoo"