World Cup Soccer

June 23, 2014

So this week Chile played Spain and won what who would have thought. So that same day we go out to work and we had to wait 2 hours for a bus so we just sat at the bus stop in the middle of nowhere singing “Beautiful to Him”(Herman Diaz memorized is in El Golf cause I played it so much and we have it on our cell phone) and we screamed CHI CHI CHI LE LE LE VIVA CHILE at all the cars that passed by.  People were hanging out of the windows with flags and horns and all that jazz it was like that time we were in Paris mom after someone won and it was awesome. We finally got to our city and had a great lesson with Carla -  her father died last week. We taught the Plan of Salvation.  Hermana Diaz was so great in this because she really knows the pain Carla is going through because her father just died in January.  I know that she was sent here for a reason to help Carla through this time. I don’t know how she does it but she pushes through and we help each other along this path called life.

My love kolipoki. He is a stray dog that lives in our neighborhood and I wish I could take him home with me. He loves me and I don’t even feed him haha Dad he reminds me of King. I would say kolipoki is a real dog that’s for sure.

Hermana Jennings

my beautiful pirque! I love it out here, the peace the tranquility. The people that are like family right after you get to know them. I am going to miss this place. My little piece of complicated heaven.

Super Chilly in Chile :)

June 9, 2014

This week has been super chilly and on top of that both of our heaters broke so we had to layer clothing even in the apartment to keep warm.  haha I am kind of used to it so it’s not bad. Pour Hermana Diaz and Lastra were so cold. They were hopping around all morning in their sleeping bags cause they were so cold, (well Hermana Diaz was hopping in mine hhaa)  It was so funny I’ll send pictures haha.

We had so many neat lessons today and I love being with Hermana Diaz because I know her already and we get along great. I think we both have changed a lot since we lived together before. We had this neat lesson with Victor who was not progressing at all - he has been investigating the church for 20 years and today we had a lesson with his wife and she was like “We are looking for the truth and for an answer” and I was shocked she said that cause she never stays for the lesson or gives an excuse of why she can’t listen to us.  Today was different -  it was amazing. She said that they want to know and that they want to go to church, she explained how they might lose their job, where they work on Sunday and then they could come to church. Bitter sweet blessing… but ya it was neat.  Also the time before we read victor all the questions to be baptized and this time he told us that there are two that he is not doing and he said going to church will help him with these two things. It was pretty neat. Now we are going to pray to know which two things he is struggling with.

Wednesday we got to go see Loreto. Sure love her. This time her mom joined us and we read “The Living Christ”. It was so amazing because her mom said she was never going to listen to us but she did and it was so neat to see Loreto teach and testify of the gospel to her mom.

Later that day we went to go see Matias and Carla with President Molina. It was so great to have Pres Molina come out with us and to see Carla and Matias progress! Carla even went to mutual this week, her first time in the capilla!

Remember the story of Paola who got her answer in sacrament meeting during the song of Hermana Huber?   Well we visited her this week and she now has the goal to get baptized. We talked about that sometimes with answers from God we get a very strong answer and then we need to walk by faith and do what the Lord wants us to do. He won’t give us the same strong answer every day.  I shared my experience about when I wanted to know if I should serve a mission. Well it goes a little like this. I didn’t want to go on a mission but when the age that missionaries could serve changed I felt the strongest impression that I needed to go. I was not too happy to be honest, I’m a big fan of honesty, but I had been raised by good parents that had taught me that being obedient to the promptings of the Spirit is very important. I went into my room and picked up my phone to call the bishop to ask to get an interview because I wanted to go on a mission. Right before the call I said a prayer just to make sure. Let’s just say a tidal wave of the Spirit came over me and I felt loved, I started to cry and I knew that the mission is where the Lord wanted me to be for the next year and half. It was my answer. I then started the process of filling out my papers and all that stuff and I remember thinking, “I still don’t know if I want to do this, what am I doing?”  But I would think of the time the Lord gave me my answer and I would feel peace. I knew that there was a reason I needed to serve a mission and even though I didn’t know at the time the Lord did and I knew it was important to trust in the Lord because He really knows what is best for us. After telling my story I told her,  “Paola serving a mission was the best thing that has happened to me  in my life,  I got my answer and then had to walk by faith but now I can testify it was the best for me and God knew that.”  I told her the same thing will happen to her with her baptism. She got her answer and now she needs to go forward with faith and do the things the Lord wants of her and she will look back and realize that her baptism was one of the best things that has happened in her life and it will bring her more happiness that she can imagine. She said. “You are right I will be steadfast in the things I need to do.”  It was so neat. I know that God knows what we need. He knows us better than we know ourselves and He will guide us in our lives to what we need. I have seen that with my mission. I really didn’t want to go on a mission but it has changed my life. I love my mission and I love God and am so thankful for Him to help me get to where I am today. I know that He will never lead us astray so go forward with faith because I know one day you will look back with gratitude that the Lord sent you down this path. He loves us. Follow his counsel.

Hermana Jennings

Last Changes

June 2, 2014

 So first I have to break the news that I had changes. Hermana Huber left me sad day right L  she went to my old zone and my new comp is Hermana Diaz, the sister I lived with in El Golf haha funny huh? We are going to kick butt these last 6 weeks together. Well this Sunday, fast and testimony meeting, Hermana Huber sang as her testimony and Hermana  Gabriel got up and was like,  “I felt inspired to say this. If you aren’t a member of this church and you felt something special during Hna Huber’s song - that is the spirit and it is testifying to you that this church is true and that this is where you need to be.  Paola the Pareja (girlfriend?) of Andres who wasn’t sure about if this church is true, whereas Andres wants to get baptized after they get married this month! and stops smoking.... Well she leaned over to me and was like I felt something special inside during Hubers song - it was like I felt a happiness and a warmth.  I told her that was the spirit that was God telling her that this is where He wanted her to be and that He wants her to have an eternal family (they just had a baby).  It was so neat.

I am going to miss Hermana Huber but I know that I am going to love Hermana Diaz it is nice to have a new comp that I already know so we can just go to work!

Well love ya’ll

Hermana Jennings

Attacked by a Pack of Dogs

May 26, 2014

Not even sure where to begin…

Ok well I guess I could start with divisions. 2 stories

1.       We contacted this guy and he is just a neighborhood watchman and the Hermanas would stop by and teach him. He never has given them his address where the missionaries could go to his house and teach him. We went over and started talking to him and he was just talking and ranting about stuff and it was not productive - so I just blurted out, “Where do you live_ Do you live here?  He told me he didn’t.  We talked a little about how it would be so much better for him to really find out about what we teach if he went to church.  Randomly still don’t know how this worked out he had gone to church once - and he then described to us the church building where I go to church. I was like that’s my sector. What street do you live on_ Got the address! The random thing is that he lives like 30 minutes from that building and doesn’t live in my sector. It was a neat experience for me because I saw the hand of the Lord in my life and in this man’s life. I have no idea what I said that was different but it was what he needed to give his address and commit to go to church with the Elders the following Sunday. Miracles happen - sometimes they are small things like the investigator that wouldn’t give his reference to anyone for over 7 months and then one day give it to us this week. I think a lot of people don’t believe in miracles because one they aren’t looking for them and two they aren’t praying for them. I know that if we will pray for miracles we will see them because they are present.

2.       2nd story. The sister I went on divisions with just found out the other P day that her cousin is probably going to die and that he is in the ICU. They are more like brother and sister than cousins and she is having a hard time. We talked about peace and how we only can find peace in the Savior and how the world tries to seek peace doesn’t work.  We can just go to a spa to have find peace for maybe an hour, but true inner peace can only come from the Prince of Peace, Our Savior. We must turn to Him and strive to be like Him and live our lives according to God’s will and through this we can find peace.  I loved this quote from a talk

 "Even with the trials of life, because of the Savior´s Atonement and his grace, righteous living will be rewarded with personal peace.”

We decided to pray and we each said a prayer. And when she was saying her prayer to put her cousin’s life in God’s hands. I felt 1) that her cousin was going to die and 2) I felt an incredible peace. After the prayer she told me she felt the same thing as I did. We just sat there on the floor and cried. I put myself in her shoes and cried with her. But at the same time we felt peace.  We know that this life was meant to be hard and that death is a part of this life and it’s ok to cry but we also know that our Savior has come and He lives and through him we can return to live with loved ones again.  We felt peace from this. It was a tender moment. I learned how to really empathize with someone. We need to put ourselves in their shoes and that God loves us a whole lot because I could feel it.

Ok so Wednesday I came home from divisions (keep in mind they are all sick over there) so of course I came back sick.  We made it to lunch and I passed out at the Cabezas house. I don’t know what it was but I was all weak and achy and was freezing and a little confused. Let’s just say I remember laying down and waking up in Nicole’s bed…Nicole is the one ya’ll met on Skype. I was so sick. So Hna Molina came and picked us up and took us home in her car, she is a saint and saved us the mile walk home!!! So we get home and went to sleep and the next day I woke up and I felt a little better until like 10 in the morning and then I felt all weak again.  I was tired so I took a nap and couldn’t get up when my comp woke me up. I then made it to the couch and was wearing all the layers I could put on with like 5 blankets and I was in my sleeping bag not to mention Hna Huber and I bought those masks which have eye holes and mouth holes yes I was that cold!   So I was homebound another day… not cool right so Hermana Huber left with Hermana Portillo and I was left at home with Hermana Chavez. So after sleeping till 4 I got up and was feeling better so I was like Hna Chavez let’s go and work for a bit because I feel better. I put on like 3 pairs of leggings cause I was still cold… and we left… yep shouldn’t have left!!!   It’s just when you sit at home 1) You feel terrible cause you should be out helping people and 2) super boring! So off we went.  We ended up contacting in the middle of nowhere right and the weakness hits again and I had to just sit down on the side of the road and rest. Then the sun starts setting. I am like we’ve got to go home before I pass out. We got up and start walking to the next bus stop - it’s an hour walk away and then we would need to wait for the other bus that could take us home that passes by every hour. So we are walking and Chavez is supporting me and the sun goes down and down and it’s almost all the way dark. We are in the middle of nowhere and it was worrying me cause I didn’t feel so good so we started or attempted to flag down cars to take us home (hitch hiking is normal out here in the boonies) we didn’t have success and then out of nowhere we hear growling… yes I look behind me and see about 6 or so dogs… I have lost all fear of dogs here in Chile cause if they get too close we just scream “fuera” or get away and they leave. Hna Huber is an ex-softball player and she has great aim with rocks for the dogs that try anything.  I saw all 6 of the dogs and was like no big deal and kept walking - the next thing I know I look down at my knee and this dog has got my leg in his mouth. It’s like everything froze and I was like, “What in the world is this really happening?”  yep…Welcome to Pirque.  I started screaming and fighting this dog, I kicked if off of my leg and started kicking at it while I’m screaming at it.  Meanwhile Hna Chavez got bit too and she was fighting off 2 other dogs and the other dogs were just barking like crazy.  Hna Chavez goes “Hulk” on the two dogs and realizes I’m screaming and comes to kick the dog trying to get me and instead.  I don’t know if she kicked me or tripped me but the next thing I know I am flying through the air and I land on the pavement.  A couple things run through my head first…I’m like fetal position and then I think, “Wait I’m in the middle of the road and I’m at the level of the dogs where I could get attacked by even more dogs or I could get hit by a car.” Neither was a good idea so I just got up and started running and Chavez was right by my side. We made it out and stopped to assess the damage when we made it to “safeish” ground.  I just started laughing because the turn of events was so random I just had to laugh at what just happened it had been such a random day.

 When life throws you a bunch of lemons just laugh your way through it right haha  well by that time it’s dark like really dark and we couldn’t see if our bites were bad or not but it really didn’t hurt and there is no bus in sight so we start trying to flag down cars and someone finally stops after like 15 minutes of this.  This person took us  and takes us to the closest bus stop and we took the bus home. When we got home had to take off all my layers. I was still on an adrenaline rush and I saw my bite isn’t that bad because of my 3 layers of tights saved me… but my leg was still bleeding… and Hna Chavez´s was worse and she was bleeding more.  We cleaned them up they really weren’t bad at all but I’m thinking.  Ya they weren’t that bad but it broke the skin and bled… so that means we had to get rabies shots… cause I have no idea why they bit us.  We were just walking along normally and they came up from behind and bit us.  Not normal right?  There is no way we can find those dogs again to see if they actually have rabies. So the next day we woke up with lovely bruises and head over to interviews with President. There Hermana Wright told us that we have to go get rabies shots. I’m kind of freaking out cause I’ve always heard that rabies vaccines hurt so bad and you have to get them in your belly button so I was not looking forward to that. So they sent us to a clinic in the ghetto… not sure why we went to that one but there was a member there and he let us stay together the whole time so that was great. So Hna Chavez and I hop on a bus and head out to the sketchiest sector in our mission for our first check up and the rest we could do at a clinic in Pirque. We got there and I’m not going to lie the ghetto was freakin me out!  This nice lady walked us to the clinic from the bus. She was like are you scared to be here?  I said no we will be alright. (thinking to myself -  you bet I am hahah) it reminded me a  lot of the sketchy parts of down town Atlanta haha.  We went inside and got our shots and left. (They gave us the shots in our arms and we have to go back weekly for the next month to get more!) It was an adventure this week that’s for sure. Never thought I would be getting vaccinated for rabies in my life haha,  but it’s all good cause this whole thing was all free even got the flu shot for free whoo hoo.

Sunday was so neat because bro Coburn came to church. It was fun to see a familiar face and it was so funny one of our investigators called him the Arnold Schwarzenegger - the terminator= so funny. Our branch has come such a long way I feel like we are all family now and that we are more united. I’ve seen miracles here in Pirque. Thanks for all the stuff! Everyone loved their stuff. Hermana Portillo almost cried she was so happy. She says lots of hugs and thanks so much for the ring mom. She loves you mom she tells me that she just feels your love and how neat you are just from the photos of you and all that you send. I thought that was cute, mom - people love you and they have only seen your photo. Well I sure love you bunches too. This Sunday Andres and P aola came to church! And they blessed their baby Jaime. It was so neat cause they aren’t members yet but they wanted to bless their baby.  It was so cute cause Brother Coburn sat next to them in church and with us! This week was an adventure that’s for sure I’m ready for a normal week next week, but I think that’s what I said last week!  hehe asi es la vida and that’s just life! Well love ya’ll and know that I know that this work is so important and that Christ is our Savior and we can do all things through Him!

Love ya’ll

Hermana Jennings

Cats

May 19, 2014

Dear Family,

This week we got to do lots of service which was great!

We got to go to the family Cabezas house and with Nicol, ya’ll met her on skype, She is a recent convert and we made sopapillas with her so we could bring them to an investigator named Carla. Her home situation is hard. Her father got into an accident and he can’t work and her mother can’t either and they don’t have a bathroom that works and their kitchen is a microwave. It’s sad so we brought her sopapillas because she asked us to and it was so sweet to see her face light up as she ate them, and her mother too. She is reading the Book of Mormon but she still hasn’t come to church but her brother came last Sunday I hope she can come this Sunday. She really is the sweetest thing and needs the gospel in her life to build her up and give her something to hope in.

 

We also go to help border some blankets that our stake is going to send up to Valparaiso for the victims of the fires up there. It was fun. We are going to finish it up the next week.

We got to go to a nursing home thing with the relief society of our branch and we got to clean up an outdoor area that was covered with leaves. So we raked leaves - well with brooms… they do that a lot here. We founds lots of fun little critters there also. They didn’t bother me till I had to go get trash out of the huge compost pile and then I’m pretty sure I scared some old people with my screams cause there I founds lots of giant spiders… I so don’t do spiders. But it was so fun to work with the women in the branch even the presidency of the relief society came from our branch. Service really is the best. After Hermana Molina took us out to eat at an Italian restaurant it was so yummy.

The last service project almost did me in. We went to go do service for Hermana Farfan because she fell and fractured her ankle, but her sister got there before all of us did.   So all of us sisters, Nicol, and Hermana Cabezas and Hermana Marta went to Herman Gonzaleses house because her house is on the same lot as hermana Farfans and we started cleaning her house because she just got back surgery and she can sweep or mop.  I started sweeping. Let’s keep in mind that she has 2 cats that live in her house and never leave right so there is just cat hair everywhere. Its funny cause every time we go over there for lunch she has to give me an anti-allergy pill so I don’t sneeze the whole time and this time I didn’t take one and I was sweeping up all sorts of cat stuff. I started in the back of the house and I just was sneezing like crazy like for 3 minutes straight that’s a long time to sneeze without stopping by this time I had almost made it out to the living room. And every time I sneezed it has making it harder to breath and when I got to the living room I could feel my throat closing up and it was really hard to breath. I was like this is scary got to get out of this house. So I ran outside and after a minute of coughing I could get air in again. Ya I went back over to hna Farfans house to talk with her and recover. Yes I can’t clean people’s houses with cats. I sat down for 5 mins and by this time my voice was gone and in walks Marta because she couldn’t breathe either. I’m thinking I  didn’t think that this would be a dangerous service project. It was bad so she had to go home and get her inhaler and we left and I sounded like a frog when I talked but  don’t worry I survived.  It was interesting that’s for sure. But all in all it was great to serve people this week. Just remember that we are God’s hands and that He can bless others through our service.

Well we are working hard. Andres and Paola are doing the paper work so they can get married. I can’t wait for you guys to meet them and their extended family. I love them so much but they are having a rough time right now but I know that they’ll make it through. Well I hope ya’ll are having a great week and know that I love you and that I know this church is true with all my heart and that by living its principles we find true joy. Thanks mom and dad for teaching me the things that bring true happiness sure love ya’ll!

Hermana Jennings

Rather Be Out Working

March 12, 2014

This week was a great week because I got to talk to yall! Loreto came to church and so did  Matias, he is the Hermano of Carla. Neither are members but their older siblings are and their parents. They are going through a rough time because their father got into some kind of accident and he is bed ridden and has a tube coming out of his neck to feed him and some other stuff. We finally met him this week with  President Molina and Hermana Molina and it was the saddest thing  I was fighting the tears. They have no money because the parents can’t work because the dad is sick and the mom has to take care of the dad so the branch is going to help them out and we are going to do a service Project for them son. Pray for this little family that is struggling.

This week we went out a ton with the youth from our ward it was great - shoot they are great!  Autumn it makes me think of you and how you go out with the missionaries a lot! Way to go girlie! And this week my comp was sick for 2 days so we were homebound.  We played Uno when she was awake and I finished the Book of Mormon. I testify that the Book of Mormon is true and I always learn something new from it. I would rather be out being a missionary. It’s funny cause sometimes when there is a hard day I think – I wish I could just go home and take a nap…. Ya now after 2 days of being stuck in the house I am not going to wish for that again.  It is definitely better to be out doing something than sitting at home doing nothing.

This Sunday Loreto came to church she is so amazing! She loved it so much and in gospel principles we talked about gifts of the spirit and she commented that gifts of the spirit are like a taste of what we can have after this life if we are faithful…what! She is awesome never really thought about it that way before because God has all of the spiritual gifts and we can develop a few here, but after this life we can have them all.  God wants to share with us and that he wants us to become like him but we must put in our part just praying and doing nothing or saying I have faith and doing nothing will get us nowhere. We must act work and sacrifice to become like God. I love Loreto because not only does she get to learn about the gospel from us we always learn something from her about the gospel.  Her thought process is amazing and its nice cause she thinks out loud so we know exactly what she is thinking – it’s great! I love her honesty and she doesn’t try to hide who she is and I like that about her. But ya she is progressing but we are praying for her boyfriend who lives with her to listen to us.

THIS week also we went to visit Victor - last week we went and it was a complete disaster so this week we were going by to tell him we couldn’t come back anymore. We saw a miracle because we were straight up with him, like victor we can’t help you anymore unless you take the initiative to read, and go to church. Just praying isn’t enough to get salvation - action is essential. I compared it to having a cake in front of me and I look at the cake and just pray all my little heart out that I can taste it but I never act and don’t do anything to pick up my fork place it in the cake and taste the darn cake. hhaha It sounds ridiculous right?   Well it’s just as ridiculous if all we do is pray to God  all day but yet we never act on His commandments to go to church, read our scriptures, serve others, and work  on changing who we are inside to become more like Christ etc. He was like you are right  - I will come to church next week. We will see. I hope he can see the importance of acting in this life. We cannot be passive disciples of Jesus Christ. Well I know that my savior Lives and that this is his church.

Love ya’ll

Hermana Jennings

Spiritual Insight

May 5, 2014

This week I want to share something i learned in the Book of Mormon and what it really means to take upon yourself the name of Christ. I was Reading in In Alma 14 where Alma and Amulek have to watch the horrible scene of all the ¨believers in Christ¨ get burned alive by the wicked people of the city that they were preaching in. They had to watch that horrible scene, I can’t even imagine, and then they were thrown into prison and were deprived of food and water,  their persecutors  stripped them of their clothes and came daily and mocked them and spat upon them and tried to get them to deny Christ. I can’t imagine how they must have felt in this trying time, many of the saints were murdered and they were in a cold dark dungeon having their physical and mental strengths tested to the maximum. This experience reminded me a lot of Joseph Smiths time in Liberty Jail. I bet they wondered where is God? When will this end? but they did not deny their faith in Christ. They actually found strength in Christ. 

Alma 14:26 “And Alma cried, saying: How long shall we suffer these great afflictions, O Lord? O Lord, give us strength according to our faith which is in Christ, even unto deliverance. …”

 in spite of all that was happening they held fast to Christ. They walked with him the road to Gethsemane and they were truly examples of what it means to take Christ’s name upon us.

 I don’t think I really understood the meaning of taking the name of Christ upon us. It means that we walk the road he walked. We stay true to Him and his commandments even when others make fun of us when no one listens, when its hard, when we are tired, cold and hungry. It means we lift up the broken hearted and seek after the lost sheep even if they never come back. It means always fighting for the cause of Christ even though it seems like all your work is in vain. It was never easy for Christ. Nothing he did was easy. He worked for it and he did the will of the Father even though it was incredibly hard and we are asked to take up his cross and follow him. The path may be long hard and even sometimes lonely but the thing is in the end we will triumph just like Christ did in the end when he beat death and rose again in all his glory. Just like Alma and Amulek received the strength to break their bonds and the prison walls crumbled down around them and there persecutors where destroyed. They walked out of there and their enemies fled. Christ had not forgotten them. And he has not forgotten you nor will he ever forget you. This too shall pass. Be patient in affliction and hold fast to Christ. Your efforts of service for Christ are not in vain even though you see no fruits of your work in some seasons. You covenanted to take upon you the name of Christ and walk the road to Gethsemane and even have your own Gethsemane's in this life but in these times remember that we know who will win in the end and that we are on the winning team. Christ rose from the dead. He won. We too will rise from our hard times so push on. Don’t you quit. Remember Christ is always there next to you walking the hard and long and sometimes lonely paths. And as we remember that and look for the tender mercies of God in our lives every day and the joy in the little things in life and live the gospel, we will find joy in the journey whether  it be in a path of trial or a path of prosperity. This life is a test that shapes us and molds us into the person our father in heaven wants us to be. So come what may and love it. Don’t look back continue the journey you have started when you took Christ’s name upon you.

Hermana Jennings

I'm 21!!!!

April 28, 2014

So Tuesday was my birthday and it was great! The best part was that Andres and Paola are going to get married June 2! Yay! I am so happy! Andres has changed so much. It is was so neat to hear him say he wants to continue to change and that he just wants to do what is right. We have seen miracles with this family. Also during the day Hermana Leishman, Hermana Diaz, Hermana Torres, Hermana Porras, Maria Alicia, and Jorge called me to wish me happy birthday. Maria Alicia is from El Golf, she is like family can’t wait for ya’ll to meet her but it just made my day to talk to all these people that are such dear friends. Oh and Hermana Barrales brought me a cake too it was so great cause I didn’t have one but she brought it by at night and I wanted to cry was so happy. Tender mercy of the Lord. All and all it was a great birthday. WHoo hoo this girl is 21. Where does the time go haha

OH and we also came home to all of our trash spread out all over the front yard of our little house… some mischievous tiny dog slipped through the fence and went to town on our trash…. Yep brought back bad memories of when we lived on Angela Drive and that black dog always knocked over our trashcans and we had to clean up the trash….dad you remember that_ but ya life is good and Christ is our Savior!

So this week we have really been working with the youth in our ward. We went out with Cata Wednesday and it was a miracle because she comes to church sometimes but everyone is like she is pesada and we were like no she is great and she loved it and shared her testimony and helped us teach and Friday we worked all day with Ephraim and it was so great because he is working on his mission papers and it was good for him to come out with us. We are trying to save a youth as elder Evans said. We are here to build the kingdom where we are that means do all we can help with service save youth, baptize, and love those that need it. I love the mission but I also what to continue to do all I can and do my part to build the kingdom were I am.

So Sunday was my comps birthday! We ate so much cake this week! But it was great  I have a ton of photos to send yall and in church on Sunday Pres Molina announced our birthdays over the pulpit it was cute hahah but ya

This Saturday we had a family home evening with the branch it was so fun we had a lesson then we played who wants to be a millionaire and it was so fun and we laughed so hard and then there was karaoke it was neat to see lots of people from the branch united we are becoming more united little by little and these FHEs (family home evenings) are going to help so much! It was funny because during the lesson part my comp and I were sitting on the ground and little by little all the little children that we there were surrounding us it was so cute. Dad you are right kids just like me hahah and I like them. We should be more like children, love everyone and find joy out of the little things. It was so cute there is an investigator and he brought his 6 year old son and during the FHE he was my little buddy and on Sunday his mom wouldn’t let him go to church with his dad and he told his dad I have to go because if I don’t they will miss me. Awww right. He is so cute and we did miss him Sunday.

 

So since I’m getting so old, 21 years!, I have started exercising again…. Yep I’ve been bad at that but my comp and I are going a 20 day workout challenge and I like it!

I really love the new sister Hermana Chavez we all get along great.

Well this week was so great. Learning a lot and loving it here in Pirque like this Sunday I got to lead in sacrament and I was looking at all the people in the audience and I was just like I love all of these people they really are like my family and I feel at home here it’s going to be hard to leave. This is so great.

Hermana Jennings

No Power

April 14, 2014

So this week was great! I learned that sometimes you have to push through to the end to receive the blessings. We started off the week visiting Maria and Sergio and they gave us the news that Maria has cancer. We walked into their home and right as I walked I could feel something was not right. My comp started the lesson and then i asked if everything was alright in their family. Maria started to cry and told us the news. We then shared with them the hope we can find through Christ and we ended with a hymn, Quedate conmigo Senor, it was a neat moment. She felt the peace that comes from the spirit and we are going to continue to work with them and pray for her. (Elath – not sure what this means).

So another neat story we went to at lunch at a members house and their grandmother came over for lunch and I got to share a scripture with them and I read Helaman 5:12 and she was like that is exactly what we believe.  She is of another faith.  It was neat because I listened to her testimony for a good while.  I was then able to give her a Book of Mormon because I asked her if she enjoyed the scripture and she said yes and I was like, “Would you like a copy of the Book of Mormon?” and she said yes.  Then later we were doing service with this same family and she was sitting on the couch reading the Book of Mormon! So awesome!

We are also teaching this 16 year old girl named Carla her family are members but she isn’t but her family is less active and we have started teaching her. She is (demasiado?) shy.  This week after like 4 visits she is really opening up to us and  it was so neat because she told us,  “I just feel good inside”  and I was like,  “That is the spirit testifying of the truth of these things.”  It was so neat. She has had a rough go of life so far and she is starting to realize the joy that one can find in the gospel.

 So this week I have been working on being more bold  - you know like sin is sin and we are here to call others to repent. We have been telling people to get married – when they are living together, forgive others and come back to church, etc. And you know what it went well and they agreed. I was shocked really but you know it’s important to be bold, but you must do it with love because without love it really has the opposite effect.  We told these people to repent because we loved them dearly and we wanted them to have these blessings and we must help them realize their sins so that they can change and come unto Christ. I  just love the people here and i feel some neat things are coming real soon!

 Did I mention we were without power for 4 days! haha It was quite an adventure. I felt like we were camping as we came home at night and used candles to read and plan and were cut off from music, blow dryers, heaters, washing machines, dryers, microwaves etc. I already sleep in a sleeping bag anyways - it was a lot like camping hahha Once we got the problem solved we got lights back Saturday night.   I am just thankful we had gas and hot showers and our stove is gas powered so we could heat up food. Got to love the adventures of the mission!

Paula and Andres brought home baby Jaime from the NICU and now they just have to get married so they can get baptized. It’s been a week of miracles because we are now teaching the parents of Andres.  His dad was so not receptive before but now he is and yes they need to get married too!  So we are working on that and teaching them the gospel. I sure love this family and ya’ll are going to meet them when you come to pick me up! The sad thing is their other son has has some struggles.  Can I just say to whoever is reading this not to do drugs they aren’t cool. They ruin familias. But other than him we have seen the gospel unite the other members of their family so step by step they are progressing.

Well all in all we are doing good working hard going through good and bad days just like you guys. Well love you all so much! 

Hermana Jennings

 Please watch this - it is wonderful!

http://easter.mormon.org/?cid=HPTU041514694

Ever Learning

April 7, 2014

So this week we had zone class and I thought I would share with yall what I learned.

1) There are many spiritual gifts. One that would help you develop all the rest is the gift "To forget oneself." Christ is the perfect example of this gift put into action

2) The atonement did not begin in Gethsemane. It began when Christ was selected or volunteered to be our Savior. It is not one event. He has been carrying our sins since the time of Adam until now and he will continue to carry them till all sin has been resolved.

3) ‘So this thought came to me during zone class ¨Sure what you did or have done on your mission was great, you changed for the better and you helped others to do the same, come unto Christ. But all of this is in vain if you stop progressing after the mission."  If you can continue to progress and grow after your mission then your mission was the sturdy foundation for the rest of your life -  if not go do something to change that TODAY.

‘Just go read Isaiah 53 and think about what Christ did for you.

4) ‘Where are you going spiritually?- Read Moses 4:15: "and the Lord called unto (Lauren)and said unto (her) where goest thou?. This was so neat because God knew where Adam was going but it was a question to help Adam to evaluate his life just like we can if we place our name in the place of Adams name like I did.  We can answer that question and we can also ask ourselves, What is holding me back?

5) ‘Farmers have to get up at 3:30 am to feed the animals. This hour is crucial, if they don’t get up and feed the animals then the animals will not have the strength to work the rest of the day. They may not love getting up at 3:30 am to go outside and feed a bunch of smelly animals but they know what their sacrifice will bring and what blessings they will receive from their sacrifice. We can apply this to our lives. We also have 3:30 am moments, they are trying but they make all the difference and what we do in those times determines our later down the road results. What are your 3:30 am moments? What are you doing during this time? work now. The work you don’t do now when you should, will be paid for in the future in regret.

So this week was Conference! Yay! It was so great! My favorite talks were Robert D Hales, Russell M Nelson, Uchtdorfs, Bednars, Thomas S. Monson, and Michel John U Ten.

Some notes of mine:I loved how the speaker that was talking about Jose Smith and said in his haste to know he was not hasty. That got me thinking about something I learned earlier on the mission how Christ was not running around all day as fast as he could checking things off of his check list. His work was urgent but he took time for the one and he love all that crossed his path. We too must be in haste or attend the things that are urgent but we must not be hasty because hasty makes me think of sloppy work and we didn’t come here to this earth to have a sloppy mortal existence.

I also loved the Family Ordinance chart Idea. Im thinking FHE idea and some sweet Sunday activities would be working on Family history work.

I loved the quote from ( don’t know who said it) that said People can do amazing things when they feel trusted. And Are you tied back to God? I love a good question that can help us evaluate our lives and improve.

I also loved the sister that talked about how daily scripture study and prayer were more important than anything else. I am thankful for your effort to do this every day mom and dad I know we kids didn’t make it easy but I knew just how important the gospel was and is to you two. I now look back and am thankful for the times we would head out somewhere in the car and yall would share your testimonies with us in the car, cause we couldn’t go anywhere, and all the times we listened to the scriptures during breakfast, family time, and more. Thanks for every effort because it has helped me become who I am today and I sure think yall are great love you mom and dad!

Well this week was great. Well for some country happenings down here in pirque. This morning I found half of a chicken breast that had been left out on the counter so I was like guess ill go lay it out in front of our gate because all sorts of stray hungry dogs are out there but ya wasn’t expecting what happened next. Our neighbors chickens sneaked in our front yard again, still cracks me up, and after I put the chicken breast on the ground… yes the chickens were going at it… ew right they were eating like their aunt= or something… not right.. but ya #onlyinpirque

I did get to hold a duck this week that was a first I'll be sending pictures of that.

EARTHQUAKE yes so we had an earthquake nothing crazy but the house was moving it was the weirdest thing it was a small one but super awesome but ya nothing like the one that happened up North those poor people pray for them. But ya sweet experience.

love ya'll!

Hermana Jennings

We have a Purpose on Earth

March 31, 2014

So this week was a great one here is what I learned

Tuesday:  During my personal study I have been really trying to study the scriptures and really get the meaning out of them.  I am taking my time and really trying to internalize the truths in the scriptures. Our president of our mission told us that if we study like that and study for ourselves or for questions we have then something we study will be exactly what someone needs that day. I thought that was so neat so I gave it a try. I am reading this talk about who were before this life and how that can help me understand my purpose in this life. I feel if I don’t understand who I was and the choices I made then I can never understand my potential here. It lead to an intense study that was great.  Then I read the scripture Abraham 3:22-23 about how we were noble and great before this life and how here we must remember that.  This is where our true colors shine. We may have been  noble and great, living with God but the veil takes off our masks and reveals who we really are when  we don’t live in the presence of God. I was just thinking how important it is to know and remember who we are and that nothing is more important than God,  praying, scripture study, and going to church. This day we had the opportunity to go visit a family who is not inactive but has not been coming regularly to church like they should.  I shared this scripture with them and it was amazing because I asked them for any comments.  The father said, “Thanks for that;  we had been distancing ourselves from the church lately and I could feel the spirit testifying to me that these things are true and that we need to make some changes in our lives”. It was amazing that by just reminding people who they really are we can help them better fulfill their purpose here in this life. I am so grateful that the Lord led us to their house yesterday because they needed that reminder. I know that the Lord guides us in this work and that happenstance doesn’t exist. God’s hand is in everything.

We are teaching this couple named Maria and Sergio and they are so great. They are reading the Book of Mormon and really have open hearts to listen so pray for them that they can continue to progress.

Ok so miracle! Andres got over his beef with leaders. He has had a complete change of heart and it’s crazy! We went over there Friday and had the neatest lesson with them. They now are teachable and we now can help them progress because they have dissolved their hate. Let’s just say it was a tender mercy of the Lord because this week was rough!   I know that the Lord does visit his people in their afflictions, Mosiah 24:14. We are striving to help unify this branch and experiences like this with Andres makes me believe that step by step it is possible.We have a ways to go but we are determined and know that all is possible with the Lord and in His timing. 

love you  guys

Hermana Jennings 

Drunk Man Comes to Sunday School

March 24, 2014

I thought I would share with you an exceptionally random day in Gospel principles. I am not sure how ya’lls gospel principle class was yesterday but ours was indescribable with that said I am going to try to describe what happened; bear with me. It starts off with the other Sisters teaching the lesson about the Gifts of the Spirit, great topic right? They were teaching one golden investigator with his 5 year old son (not sure why he wasn’t in primary, today was a really bad day to bring your kid to gospel principles). Everything is going great till we hear a knock on the door like 20 minutes into the lesson and in walks toothless Jesus in his red jumper and sun glasses. The look on the other Hermana’s faces was pure shock as he is an investigator of theirs, well more of like someone they talk to as they are waiting for the bus. We were like “Who is this?” because he sat down and then would get up and kept trying to kiss the teacher  then we properly informed him he can’t kiss the teacher we got him to sit down. They then try to proceed with the lesson. Every time they mentioned “Jesus”, Jesus would stand up and proceed-yelling my  name is Jesus while he was showing his carnet or ID to everyone it was kind of an distraction. He kept making random comments half in Spanish and half in English but we couldn’t understand any of it because of his lack of teeth. Can it get anymore awkward?  … another knock… yes it can. Coti calls 2 of us out Hermana Huber and Hermana Portillo and the rest of us are like where the heck are they going? We then tried to save the class. Meanwhile Hermana Huber went with Hermana Portillo to the gate that surrounds the church, yes the churches have large pointy sharp metal gates surrounded  down here in south America.  Coti pointed and said there is a man mumbling out there and left. They were like ok… and went to go talk to him third hour so they were all waiting outside as we bring out this drunk guy who literally is about to fall over. Everyone’s looking at us pretty weird by now but I’m just like we got to get him out of the church. We get him to the door and our branch president stops us and then takes him out the front gate having to step over another drunk guy who passed out on the church lawn/driveway. Yes I am not so sure what was with all the drunk people today but it was quite an experience.  It was sad but funny all at the same time.  All I can say is drinking is so bad please don’t do it because it really ruins lives.  It’s not cool.

. Point of view of Hermana Huber; “oh dang it I know that man”. And Hermana Portillo asked who is i?   Well a little background information -  like 2 ½ months ago Hermana Huber and I were waiting for the bus  - cause they take 20 minutes to show up. And there is this incredibly wasted man in the middle of the street shouting at the cars. I had never seen someone that drunk.  We were worried that he was going to get hit by a car and die. So as we could not leave him there in the middle of the road to die.  We were like, “ Hello - come here” trying to get him out of the road. It was a challenging task but we got him to sit down at the bus stop. It turned out his house was about 10 feet away so we took him in to his mom. It’s so sad because he is like a 45 year old man and still lives with his 80 mother.  She started to cry when we brought him in because he is always drunk. It was a sobering experience.  Ya while we were there we shared a thought with him and his mom and invited them to church and told them where the church was. We left, and time passed and we forgot about the drunk man until yesterday.   So back to point of view of Hermana Huber; so we are standing on one side of the gate and him on the other and he is  slurring the question “How do I get in?  Naïve Hermana Portillo says,  “It’s right here come on in.” Hermana Huber said,  “He is so drunk he can’t talk and can barely walk I don’t think bringing him to church right now will help him.” They  brought him in anyways after avoided the kisses he was trying to give them…uncomfortable… meanwhile Hermana Cabezas & I were in the class with Jesus and Pedro (peter) = oh the irony of this whole thing. The door opened and I see the other Hermanas and  this incredible wasted man walk in,  I’m like I’ve seen that nose before (because he got in some crazy drunk fights and his nose literally is like an “S”) and then I remembered who he was. I was like what?!! How the heck did he remember ago to come to church today when the one time we visited him, more like we saved his life, bcuz he was drunk was 2 months ago. I’m thinking why did the other Sisters bring him into the church?  We have children in this class!  Well the damage was done and now we had this drunk guy in the class.  It was going well till the drunk guy wanted to comment;  he wouldn’t stop talking and we couldn’t understand him between his drunk slur and hiccups.  This made Jesus angry and he started fighting with the drunk man. We had to separate them and finally we got some order in the class.  We are all trying not to burst out laughing because the whole thing was so ridiculous.  Well we ended up going over like 3 minutes and of course the room we were using is also the room for the Priesthood brethren for the 3

But ya on a more positive note we an open house in our branch Sunday and so many people came. We gave the tours and we were running around like crazy teaching and got so many references. The branch really came together and it was a success. The bummer thing is all the people who came don’t live in our sector but the elders got some sweet references and it was a neat experience giving tours about the gospel over and over because we could really feel the spirit testifying to us of the truth of the gospel. It was a powerful

experience.

This week was also went to Zone conference  - best ever. One of the things we learned from President was about making your scriptures you own. With your markings, your own testimony, revelations you have received, or words from the modern day prophets. He talked about how from 10 years from now we will not be carrying our mission study journal but we will still have our scriptures. He talked about how he has done this in his life and how they have helped him and others. We all are now striving to make our scriptures ours and to use the conference talks and study them by the scriptures in each talk and writing the words of the prophets next to the scriptures they expounded on. President talked about the importance to slow down while reading our scriptures and really pondering and studying verse by verse.

Together, we studied the parable of the Good Samaritan found in Luke 10. We likened this parable to the Plan of Salvation. In verse 30 the symbols we found are Jerusalem represents the premortal life, and Jericho represents the world in which we live. A man went down or left the premortal life, the man can represent Adam or ourselves,  the robbers represent Satan. When the man fell to the robbers represents the fall of Adam or our own sin.  The man being half dead represents how we can be dead spiritually but not yet physically. The next verse a certain priest represents the Law of Moses, he didn’t help the wounded man because he couldn’t save him, he didn’t have the power to do it and in the next verse, the Levite couldn’t either. In verse 33, a Samaritan represents Jesus Christ; He journeys on the SAME PATH and has compassion on each of us! I know that Christ has gone through what we are going through now. He has gone on the same path as us and knows how to help us! In verse 34 the oil and wine signify the Atonement of our Lord, his own beast is the life of Christ, and the Inn can be a number of things like the Church or the temple, the office of a bishop of mission president  - anywhere we go so our Savior Jesus Christ can take care of us. In verse 35 the two pence symbolizes that we do not have the pay the whole price. In this verse we see that the Samaritan trusted the host to take care of this fallen man. As missionary I need to take care of the people the God puts in my path. Most of them have fallen and he trusts us to take care of them. I know that Christ will return!     

Hermana Jennings