Fun week.

Choripan!!!

Hola Hola Hola!

This week was a great week. It was a little crazy. We were all over the place. Rain and sun. Days full of citas (appointments) and days with out. A ward party. And a trip to the doctor (don't worry my comp is fine). Some highlights:

1. Last Tuesday we went and did a tour of the temple with 2 of our investigators. Santiago and Juan Carlos. They are 17 and 18 years old. It was awesome and the Spirit was really strong. They really loved visiting and were able to feel the spirit strongly.

2.Thursday was a rainy day. And I am not just talking about light showers. I mean full on rainstorm. And at one point there was even hail!

3. We found this awesome new investigator named Constanze. She is golden. The Spirit was so strong in our lesson. Her first prayer was so heart felt and simple. I look forward to teaching her again.

4. Saturday. WARD PARTY. We ate good. Empanadas, Choripan, mote con huesillo and asado. Man it was good. And what made it even better was that so many of our investigators came. We had a really great turn out. Food, games and lots of people. And of course la cueca (Chilean Dance) .

Ring toss.

3 legged race..

5. Today for pday (preparation day) our zone got together played basketball and ate pizza. Yes I was in heaven.

6.Another miracle I want to share. Well this Sunday we didn't have any citas(appointments) again. We had passed by quite a few houses and nobody could receive us. So yet again we found ourselves pouring our souls out to our Heavenly Father on the streets. And yet again He answered. We decided to pass by an investigator hourse. At the time it seemed really weird because she is NEVER home. But we went and guess what? That is right she was there. We were able to visit her. 

Everyone,  I know God lives. I know He loves us and He heard us. More than that HE ANSWERS PRAYERS. And you can tell me He doesn't it because I wont believe you. He does. I have see miracles. God lives. 

Have a great week everyone!

Love, Hermana Showalter

Liliana

Javiera

Hermana Lourdes and Sara

EARTHQUAKE!!

 

Hello from the QUAKING country.

I am sure you all have heard about the earthquakes in Chile and I have received many concerned emails so just to let everyone know I AM ALIVE AND BREATHING! The epicenter was actually north of here so there wasn't any damage done in Santiago but it has been shaking quite a bit. There were two or three strong ones here but I am good and the work is going on. It was a  very new experience for me. It was a little scary. But sure made me realize how I really have no control over things and how important it is to rely on the Lord. Wednesday was the big one that you all heard about. At the epicenter the first one was a 7.9 and lasted for 1.5 minutes and the second one was a 8.4 and lasted 50 seconds. Of course the earthquakes where I am weren't that strong so no need to worry. I was really touched by the love and thoughtfulness we received from the people here. We received many texts, calls and  invitations. Hermana Lourdes even had us come over and drink hot chocolate and she emailed my mom. I am so blessed. So more highlights this week:

 

1. We celebrated the 18 of September which was independence day. We ate empanadas, mote con huesillo, asado and lots of tasty treats. We saw them dance the cueca and had a good time. We pretty much party hopped. Visiting investigators, less actives and part families. The same thing on the 19 because they celebrate it for two days!

2. I tried tiramisu, the Mormon kind with caramel instead of coffee and fried yuko.

 

3. I had intercambios.

 

4. Hermana Lopez and I ate some pretty good completos from Dominos.

5. Sunday we saw a miracle. We had no appointments and had tried to contact and then go visit some houses. We walked for a long time and at 8 we had no idea who to visit . We decided to pray. Hermana Lopez said a really sincere prayer. Then we followed the impressions we received . Five minutes later we received a call. It was a recent convert who needed our help urgently . And we were close and we could help . I know God answered our prayer. This experience strengthened my testimony and that God loves us and that He is with us.

 

Take care and have a great week

love Hermana Showalter

Hair cut!

Hey everyone!

Well this week has been a crazy one.

Starting off with Wednesday. It was cambios. Hermana Lopez and I are still in Violeta Cousiño so no news there. But I did get to see Hermana Stokes, Jose Luis, Hermana Yasna, Hermano Del Castillo and Hermana Marta. My Jose Miguel Carrera Family! It was so good to see them. I miss them a ton but they are doing great. It was such a blessing. And a "shout out" to Jose Luis because he reads my blog! Thursday and Friday we had to enter the house early because on the 11th is golpe del estado which can be a little dangerous. Nothing happens in our sector but rather be safe than sorry. On Thursday we went contacting at the feria (which is like a farmers market- bizarre) and that was a lot of fun. On Saturday were talking to a guy and we gave him a pass a long card with Christ on it and he says ¨Hey I kind of look like him, I look a lot like Jesus¨ And to be honest he kind of did.  I cut my hair really short and today we went shopping at the feria. Lilianna cut my hair and she also made us this cake called pauloua.

 And lastly the miracle of the week. It was a rainy day and we could not find anyone. We had been walking for 4 hours, we wanted to go in and call it quits but we still had an hour and so we decided to go talk to a guard of a neighborhood that likes to talk with us about our message. Well at 9:55, just five minutes before we could go in, a man stops and asks us if we are Mormons. We of course reply yes and then he asks if we know where our church is and if there is a way he could find more about our church. We got so excited and he told us to come and visit him. We haven't had a chance to visit him but the point is to never give up because sometimes the blessings come after some time. Enduring to the end that is what it is all about.

I am super excited about this week because the 18th is Fiesta Patrias which is there Independence day. They eat, dance and party. So stay tuned. Love you all.

Hermana Showalter

Lost a name tag and found it plus more..

So, funny story... I lost my name tag and the next day we are walking and look what I found - my name tag!

Hello Everyone!

Well this week was the end of cambios. Hermana Lopez and I surrived a 6 week white washing( meaning both of us are new to the area) and are luckily enough to stick it out another 6 weeks here in Violeta Cousiño. We sent out a recording which my mom should have posted on the blog along with the pictures but if you cant get to it here are some highlights of the week.(Blogspot doesn't do straight audio files, so I have to figure out how post it the audio later.)

1. We had our first ever Mission President fireside this past Sunday. It was really beautiful and the missionaries did a few musical numbers.

2. A recent convert took us out for gelato with her son which was sweet!

3. A bird pooped on my jacket. I was not thrilled about it but my comp sure thought it was funny.

4. Lilianna gave us coconuts to drink and also these things called Zonzos which is Bolivian food a fried potato called yucca with cheese.

5. The sun was hidden this week and we jumped the gun when we put away our coats and tights because they came back out this week,

6. We helped Hermana Lourdes with her garden. It was a lot of fun to switch it up.

7. Today we ate Philly cheese steak empañadas with the Taylor family

And to end on a spiritual note today I was reading in the end of Matthew about the resurrection. I invite you all to read chapters 26 to 28. Reading this really made me grateful for the sacrifice that Jesus made for me. He suffered for me. He knows my pains and He knows your pains. I know that when we are going through trials and challenges He is right next to us helping us through it. Christ is our light and our strength. Walk with him and accept his invitation to follow him.

So that is pretty much it. Hope you all have a great week and I love you all. 

Love 

Hermana Showalter

I walked into a pole this week!

I have five months done and going on 6 next week!

Sopapillas and calazones rotos

A yummy lunch we had with a member from Bolivia called saltenas or something like that..

We climbed this dirt hill with the Taylor family.

Hey everyone. Well the nasty cold weather is gone and now there is 70 degree sunny weather and a big smile on my face. This week was an awesome one. Here are the highlights:

1. Well started off the week not so good. I was talking on the phone while walking and I had to look down at something.  Then boom!  I walked right into a pole.  I didn't get hurt or anything but it was a little embarrassing. My companion got a good laugh out of it!

2. This week for lunch a member made us fish. Baked fish. I am not really a fan of fish but I ate some anyways but it was a little gross. Well lets just say I am thankful for plastic bags and big pockets. But it took a day or so and lots of hand sanitizer to make the smell go away from my pocket.

3. An investigator of the other Hermanas got baptized this past Sunday. His name is Francisco. When they asked Francisco who he wanted to baptize him he said ¨Hermana Showalter or Hermana Lopez¨.  Well, we didn't baptize him obviously (Baptisms can only be performed by men who hold the Priesthood), but I find it funny that he wanted one of us over the Hermanas that had taught him.

Francisco's baptism.

4.  We had some really yummy empanadas this week.

Things are going great and everyday I see more and more blessings. God is helping us every step of the way. My faith in my Savior has grown so much and I have a testimony in the principle of enduring until the end.

Love you all,

Hermana Showalter

My district

My Zone