Wednesday, November 17, 2010
November 1, 2010
I dont have much time to write but I´ll give yall an update on everything! This week was good... A little hard on the feet but Good. I hit a year in my mission this week.. CRAZY.
Lets see. What new happened this week. I didnt get bit by a dog. But I do have 53 bug bites. I dont know why but when I get bit I get bit alllll at once! Im itching like crazy. I have cream so it helps! Last night was halloween. Well Chile recently just found out about halloweena and so they are starting to do it. But its so sad because all the kids use all the left over costumes from the U.S from like 1992. I know you adults don´t think that that is like that long ago but It is. Sorry. hehe. But it was cute...to walk around and see kids last night in costumes.
I have realized that I am definetly getting used to chile. I feel so much more comfortable in someones house that has a dirt floor than someone that has a big house with leather couches. I guess I have just learned to appreciate how humble some of the people are. One family in particular. Just built a house. It is the size of my sisters bedroom at home. I walked in and just complemented them on everything from the sheets that were hung up to seperate the kitchen from the bedroom... to the old wood floor and tin roof. I love these people. Some of the lower class people have nothing materialistic but THEY LOVE THE little things. And so do i!!!! Most of the dads sell fruit from their trucks. AND if you know me u know I LOVE fruit. Especially strawberries. And Avacado!! I eat them by the pound! So everytime I just walk by their house the run to faucet clean off some fruit for me and run it out. I freak up and Yes I like to over exagerate. BUt its just because I reallly just LOVE these people so much!
So yesterday in church was my favorite church in my whole mission. A bunch of the people that we recently helped get baptized were in one of the classes we have after sacrament and one of them began to bear his testimony how he never wanted to be mormon. He said he always had this fear of knowing that the church was true but he almost didnt want to know because he didnt want to change. He said with time he started to feel things he never had before and the spirit begin to convert his heart. Until one day he knew. He said I just knew. This really was christs church. I didnt look at him when He was talking because I knew i would break down and cry but I felt so great knowing I could help him in his progress. There were so many other people in there that bounced off of his thoughts and began to share how they recently have come to know that this is all true. It was amaziing!! I had chillls.
I love this gospel so much! It really mends a broken heart and brings TRUE happiness into peoples lives. THINGS...the World can not give. IT doesnt fase one with happiness for a few hours or even days... Its forever happiness.
Funny experience of the week.
So we were walking and we started talking to this 19 year old guy and were telling him a little bit about why we were here and figuring out a time when we could come by and teach him. Then these kids playing soccer kinda kicked to ball over towards us (happens everyday) So I looked at em and Im like ya wanna play? I was like bring it on! So my companion and I dropped our backpacks on the ground and kicked butt for a little bit and then went on our way. They beg us to come back and play everyday because NOOO girls play soccer in chile. We fell like every 7 seconds though because we don´t have good shoes and we were in skirts. haha. It was fun though!
Anyways,
thats all I got for the week! I love and miss yall!!! sooooo much!
Hope everything is going greattttttttttttttt!
write me!!
Love paige
October 25th, 2010
Lets see. I had a rock in my soup.
Yup. Here I was just sipping away at the Typical Casuella. Which is soup basically made up of leftovers and OIL. and then I kinda bite down on something but it was big and hard. I tried to not let the lady that made it see... so I snuck it out of my mouth and looked at it. It was a rock. The size of a penny. haha. ohhh chile.
What else...
The bads of the week.
On saturday we were walking along a main road and there were these 2 little kids that walked by us and a few others right around us. Then out of knowwhere...this German Shephard just starts moving his head like around and around and Runs up and Just Starts biting me. My thigh. I wish I could say that it didnt hurt. BUT IT KILLLLLLLLED. I was in so much shock that I couldnt even cry. Good thing is...is my thigh muscles are sooo strong. so he didnt break the skin. No.. actually it was because I head to layers on. So he didnt break the skin! And I am so happy or else I would have to go to the Hospital and get rabies shots (its a mission rule) So anyways, Everyone around ran up to see if I was okay. And then they called a bus over to come bring me to the consultorio....(the ER for the town) and they check it out and bandaged it up and everything. So that hurt.
But its starting to get better. Just verrrry bruised.
Other than that, I dont really have too many updates. Its so great because its starting to get a little warmer out and I just LOVE when its sunny out!! It just makes me That much happier
--
Hermana Conley
Paige Conley.
Concepcion. CHILE
October 18th, 2010
Hey family!
What a week of miracles.
First off...the whole country cried together as the Minors came out of the ground. What an emotional special experience that was. Many Many fathers work in the mines here and so that story touched the hearts of many of the Chileans.
The other miracle was that Sigfrido was baptized. He is a changed man. Wow! It was such a great baptism. So special. He is just such a happier man with a huge desire to keep progressing. It was very special to help him in his journey thus far. Also Christian was also baptized. Christians wife is a member of the church and so is her mother. Its been hard for them to stay strong without the support of him. For 2 years straight he has been taught by the missionaries everyweek. Sometimes 4 and 5 times a week. He just did´nt really have much of a desire to change although he knew the church was true. When I arrived here to Santa Sabina, I Saw that he had been taught for soooo long and many of the missionaries talked about baptism because that was the only step he had left to take before he really could progress. So I decided to take a different approuch on teaching him. My companion and I taught everything based around the families and the importance of the Preisthood in the Home. We worked with him for Months and Months. One day he said, I need to be baptized. I JUMPED up in the AIR LITERALLY!!! He said he wanted to be baptized Oct 14 on his birthday. Wow! What a beautiful baptism. Almost all the missionaries that have come through this mission know of him or have taught him. My mission president and his wife even came to the baptism! It was beautiful!! Now his family is complete and He will be able to baptize his daughter in a few weeks. He has a whole knew light about him, Im not kidding. Its amazing!!!!!
Sad news is my companion is leaving me... She got transfered. I am very sad to see her go. My new companion is part chinese part american. She reads the book of mormon in chinese. haha. She comes tomorrow. Im a little nervous because the President Pulled me aside today and said he put me with her so I can help her. She is older than me in the mission and knows spanish way better. Im sure he just wants me to help her be a little happier. I can do that.
I will be honest though. Im a little nervous...
Also 16 missionaries finished their mission today. We were in the office when they were all saying goodbyes. WOW! Some soooooooo sad. Some soooooo happy. Its just mixed feelings Iv heard. SO happy to see your friends and family again...but yet so sad to leave something you have lived and loved for 2 years. Two of my best friends Elder Reynolds and Elder Jaar are leaving. Elder Reynolds was my Zone Leader. Two of the best funniest missionaries ever!!
What elseeeeee....
I miss everyone sooo much! I just love my mission to death. I just also love my family and friends back home too!!
--
Also. We also have been teaching a couple.. Josue and Lyceth. They are a great couple that live together and have a son together. They have been wanting to get baptized but they need to get married in order to do because they live together. SO They asked us to be the witnesses at their marriage... And Im gonna be able to plan a lil wedding!! Yayyy a chance to be creative again!!
Every second Im not doing something I am thinking and praying for my lil sissy. My heart is broken in peices. I wish that I could be there for her...but I know that Heavenly Father will bless her even more if I continue to work hard here. This really is the work of the Lord. There is no question in my mind. We are not just teaching people about christ or serving people. We are helping people change their lives and really Come Unto Christ. I know that I need to be here... even though I cry as I write this thinking about how much I wish I could hug her. Please please pray for my sis.
beat it brit. Beat it.
Love paige
Hermana Conley
Paige Conley.
Concepcion. CHILE
*Side Note From Monica: Pictures from this week, to come soon!*
What a week of miracles.
First off...the whole country cried together as the Minors came out of the ground. What an emotional special experience that was. Many Many fathers work in the mines here and so that story touched the hearts of many of the Chileans.
The other miracle was that Sigfrido was baptized. He is a changed man. Wow! It was such a great baptism. So special. He is just such a happier man with a huge desire to keep progressing. It was very special to help him in his journey thus far. Also Christian was also baptized. Christians wife is a member of the church and so is her mother. Its been hard for them to stay strong without the support of him. For 2 years straight he has been taught by the missionaries everyweek. Sometimes 4 and 5 times a week. He just did´nt really have much of a desire to change although he knew the church was true. When I arrived here to Santa Sabina, I Saw that he had been taught for soooo long and many of the missionaries talked about baptism because that was the only step he had left to take before he really could progress. So I decided to take a different approuch on teaching him. My companion and I taught everything based around the families and the importance of the Preisthood in the Home. We worked with him for Months and Months. One day he said, I need to be baptized. I JUMPED up in the AIR LITERALLY!!! He said he wanted to be baptized Oct 14 on his birthday. Wow! What a beautiful baptism. Almost all the missionaries that have come through this mission know of him or have taught him. My mission president and his wife even came to the baptism! It was beautiful!! Now his family is complete and He will be able to baptize his daughter in a few weeks. He has a whole knew light about him, Im not kidding. Its amazing!!!!!
Sad news is my companion is leaving me... She got transfered. I am very sad to see her go. My new companion is part chinese part american. She reads the book of mormon in chinese. haha. She comes tomorrow. Im a little nervous because the President Pulled me aside today and said he put me with her so I can help her. She is older than me in the mission and knows spanish way better. Im sure he just wants me to help her be a little happier. I can do that.
I will be honest though. Im a little nervous...
Also 16 missionaries finished their mission today. We were in the office when they were all saying goodbyes. WOW! Some soooooooo sad. Some soooooo happy. Its just mixed feelings Iv heard. SO happy to see your friends and family again...but yet so sad to leave something you have lived and loved for 2 years. Two of my best friends Elder Reynolds and Elder Jaar are leaving. Elder Reynolds was my Zone Leader. Two of the best funniest missionaries ever!!
What elseeeeee....
I miss everyone sooo much! I just love my mission to death. I just also love my family and friends back home too!!
--
Also. We also have been teaching a couple.. Josue and Lyceth. They are a great couple that live together and have a son together. They have been wanting to get baptized but they need to get married in order to do because they live together. SO They asked us to be the witnesses at their marriage... And Im gonna be able to plan a lil wedding!! Yayyy a chance to be creative again!!
Every second Im not doing something I am thinking and praying for my lil sissy. My heart is broken in peices. I wish that I could be there for her...but I know that Heavenly Father will bless her even more if I continue to work hard here. This really is the work of the Lord. There is no question in my mind. We are not just teaching people about christ or serving people. We are helping people change their lives and really Come Unto Christ. I know that I need to be here... even though I cry as I write this thinking about how much I wish I could hug her. Please please pray for my sis.
beat it brit. Beat it.
Love paige
Hermana Conley
Paige Conley.
Concepcion. CHILE
*Side Note From Monica: Pictures from this week, to come soon!*
October 11, 2010
The pics are of the beach and my two like besttttttt friends in CHILE. They end their missions in 1 weeeeeeeeeek! crazzyyy
Wowww what a week. Just flew by!! I feel like I just wrote u all!!
This is prob. my last week with Hermana Rockwood! She has been in this area for a while. We have had like 10 weeks together...But we work really well togther!! I dontk now what he is going to do. We will see. It all depends on the Lord. Lets see lets see! 2 of the people that have been going to church are getting baptized this week! Its going to be amazing. Two men. Two men who have made some HUGE HUGE HUGE changes in their life to get to this point! I am so excited to be at their baptism to just see how they feel after. A baptism can be sooo special especially when Those getting baptized are baptized like christ...with Immersion, with an age of accountability and with the Authority of God.
Hmm Lets seee. Let me think of some interesting things to tell you about Chile. We kiss everyone to show respect. Actually we GET kissed on the cheek. Or else we get yelled at. Well we don´t kiss drunk people. Oh one thing I found interesting is they serve everything on a plate. Even if its just a little cookie. They put it on a plate for u before they give it to you. All drinks are served in a cup on a plate and everythingggggg else. just a little fact. It costs 70 cents to take a bus around the area. Sometimes we get it free because the bus drivers feel bad they we walk 3948729348 miles a day. We smile and say mucho gracias! hehe Im starting to like some of the music here. But Everyone knows that I can´t dance if someone knocked me with a beat... so I just pretend.
I love the latin culture. They people here are so welcoming IF THEY LIKE YOU. That usually isnt a problem.. hehe
My spanish is getting better. Only becauase Im getting better at studying. Iv realized I don´t like to study. I need to be using my hands making something. I just can´t sit and study words. I have also realized how much I LOVE to be with children helping them and teaching them to act and be someone... I love these people. I just love people. All kinds shapes and sizes. I wish everyone could have an opportunity like this to share something they know to be true... I just love this work. Don´t get me wrong, WE HAVE HARD DAYS. Days that we just feel like we want to curl up on the floor and cry... But it is sooo worth it when you get to realllly help people. It reminds you of why your hear.I know that before this life... There were people I met that I promised I would find in this life. I promised them I would help them. And Im finding them... I really am. And i have 6 months left to find the rest. Please keep the Chilean people in your prayers.
As its starting to get a little more chilly for you. Its starting to warm up a little bit down here. Thank goodness!
Here is my favorite lil chunks singing and dancing
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CjZPlwGpHRw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Od6WzlIB6nQ
These should get you to laugh. These girls are the bessssssssssssssssst!! so strong in the church and always reading and studying the scriptures.
love you allllllllllll
September 20, 2010
Hey Everyone!!
Wow, What a crazzzzy week! Chile celebrated its 200 years of Independance so it was crazy here!! FOOD FOOD AND MORE FOOD! And we ate like crazy!! Its also tradition to wear the Clothing from back in the day, so we went all out! It was fun, and we really got to learn and feel apart of the culture here in Chile. Did I mention we ate A LOTTTTTTTT!!!
I am back with Hermana Rockwood now, and its fun! We work really well and get along really well! We laugh alot! We met some great fun people this week. 2 infact happen to work for an oil shipping company or something like that and so they know english and can speak it perfect!! They want us to come back to teach them tomorrow, so were excited! Hm What else... We had a girls activity this past weekend. It was fun! It was nice to just relax a little and have girl talk...
actually it was us mostly getting caught up on the people that were in our old areas that we used to be in. I love this mission. It really has changed my life. Its opened my eyes to soooooo many things. I still have the same personality, I still goof off all the time and have stuff spread everywhere because Im always working on something, BUT Iv really realized the importance of this life. How we need to enjoy our time here on earth. Have fun! But also cherish our family and put the important things first in life. I love the people Here!! They are soo great. And i love you all! I miss you like crazyyyy You dont even know.
But life is good. Spring starts today here.
Yayyyy hopefully itll start warming up!
p.s. Its a Law to have a chile flag out on the Independance day weekend so There is thousands of flags everywhere. Want to know something even funnier. Chile and Texas have the same flag. So, I feel right at home. hehe.
I love you
Love paige.
p.s. write me letters!! I never get mail anymore!!
Make sure you tell me if you dont recieve the pics I send.
Wow, What a crazzzzy week! Chile celebrated its 200 years of Independance so it was crazy here!! FOOD FOOD AND MORE FOOD! And we ate like crazy!! Its also tradition to wear the Clothing from back in the day, so we went all out! It was fun, and we really got to learn and feel apart of the culture here in Chile. Did I mention we ate A LOTTTTTTTT!!!
I am back with Hermana Rockwood now, and its fun! We work really well and get along really well! We laugh alot! We met some great fun people this week. 2 infact happen to work for an oil shipping company or something like that and so they know english and can speak it perfect!! They want us to come back to teach them tomorrow, so were excited! Hm What else... We had a girls activity this past weekend. It was fun! It was nice to just relax a little and have girl talk...
actually it was us mostly getting caught up on the people that were in our old areas that we used to be in. I love this mission. It really has changed my life. Its opened my eyes to soooooo many things. I still have the same personality, I still goof off all the time and have stuff spread everywhere because Im always working on something, BUT Iv really realized the importance of this life. How we need to enjoy our time here on earth. Have fun! But also cherish our family and put the important things first in life. I love the people Here!! They are soo great. And i love you all! I miss you like crazyyyy You dont even know.
But life is good. Spring starts today here.
Yayyyy hopefully itll start warming up!
p.s. Its a Law to have a chile flag out on the Independance day weekend so There is thousands of flags everywhere. Want to know something even funnier. Chile and Texas have the same flag. So, I feel right at home. hehe.
I love you
Love paige.
p.s. write me letters!! I never get mail anymore!!
Make sure you tell me if you dont recieve the pics I send.
Monday, September 27, 2010
August 23rd Email
This week has been a roller coaster ride. But Good. Never bad... Just somedays are better than others. We just walked alot this week. And when I say walk..I mean we walked for like 6 hours straight at a time sometimes without sitting down. Im absolutly Exausted. This mission is wonderful..But it wears you out..being on a scedual 24-7.
my Birthday was great.
I was very well taken care of. My zone had a pizza party thing for me with lots of pizza and I brought my ranch!!! It was fun. We played catch phrase! And we got to use the cupcake mixes christy sent! Sooooo goooood. Then On my birthday- I woke up to breakfast in bed. We cleaned a ladies house for about 4 hours after that. (It was fun- I like organizing other peoples stuff) Then we had Beans for lunch. A huge bowl of beans. I told the lady that made them for us that I was was nervous because My companion already has Really bad Gas. She just looked at my companion and was just like, Oh dont you worry....Its normal. We all just lost it. She Thought I was serious! I loved her... Shes so funny. Anyways, After that We had a meeting with our Missionary Leader of the Ward. He is famous for his Lemon Pies Here. I am not of a pie person as you all know..But it was quite Delicious. I am just starting to Lose my taste Buds because I pretty much will eat anything now.But anyways, we taught and then later that night 2 families had a birthday party for me! It was so fun!! I felt so thankful. My mouth hurt sooo bad from Smiling sooo much. Then later that night... When we go home, One of the return missionaries in our ward (who knows what it feels like to be away from your family for so long) Brought over 24 Dunkin Donuts!!! We were sooo stuffed we couldnt eat them all! But we ended up using them for a family home evening activity (hang a donut from a string hehe)
Back to missionary work.
Its be rough. We had a couple rough days. But the good times make up for the bad. There is some rough things that happen but when I write to ya´ll I dont even feel the need to bring up the rough stuff because its really not important. I love this work with all my heart. I Cant even Imagine the mixed feelings I will go through on that plane ride home. Its really eaty for me to feel like Im not doing enough. Especially lately....I feel like I could be doing even more. But Iv been told that As senior companion you go through that alot because the responsibility is kinda on you. But were teaching alot of people right now. One especially, named Sigfrido. He is about 48. He´s really nice and wants to change his life . He´s in need of many prayers. And we are also working with a great family! And many other people...! Lots to do!! We had a big fammily home evening with this family. They are so poor. I just want to give them everything I have. My companion and I decided we were going to do something special for them. So we did the donut hang...and then we went a bought A huge tub of ice cream and I used some of the candy that I got in the mail and we made ice cream sundays. It was like watching flies on poop. THEY LOVED IT! It was a good day.
Love,
Paige
Sepember 6th Email
Hello Friends and Family,
This coming weekend we are going to have a sisters activity! Im really excited. They are going to bring in all the sisters from the whole mission... 18 of us and were going to stay at the Presidents house with Hermana Humphrey (his wife) and were going to eat good food and have an activity and a testimony meeting. It´ll be fun! Itll be kinda nice to do something with just girls for a day or 2. We are getting worn out. Its kinda hard being here... Im just so tired. But its all part of it I guess. The ups and downs.
This week one of the members (Yollanda) of the church died of cancer. She was just baptized earlier this year. All of her family came to the funeral at the church. There was so many people. We sang and I got chills ( my roomates are amazing singers- AMAZZZING) we all had tears in our eyes. The spirit was sooo strong. It really made me realize how life can just end at a snap of a finger. This life is a test. We are preparing to live with our father in heaven again. We should not procrastinate becoming closer to christ. I have grown to Feel and know that the scriptures are the Words of our father in Heaven. We have a guide map for our life. We just have to read it. . . and follow it Or we will find ourselves lost. Yollanda followed that map. . .
Love,
Hermana Conley
This coming weekend we are going to have a sisters activity! Im really excited. They are going to bring in all the sisters from the whole mission... 18 of us and were going to stay at the Presidents house with Hermana Humphrey (his wife) and were going to eat good food and have an activity and a testimony meeting. It´ll be fun! Itll be kinda nice to do something with just girls for a day or 2. We are getting worn out. Its kinda hard being here... Im just so tired. But its all part of it I guess. The ups and downs.
This week one of the members (Yollanda) of the church died of cancer. She was just baptized earlier this year. All of her family came to the funeral at the church. There was so many people. We sang and I got chills ( my roomates are amazing singers- AMAZZZING) we all had tears in our eyes. The spirit was sooo strong. It really made me realize how life can just end at a snap of a finger. This life is a test. We are preparing to live with our father in heaven again. We should not procrastinate becoming closer to christ. I have grown to Feel and know that the scriptures are the Words of our father in Heaven. We have a guide map for our life. We just have to read it. . . and follow it Or we will find ourselves lost. Yollanda followed that map. . .
Love,
Hermana Conley
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Powerhouse.
So we had a HUGE seminar with the president and his wife and assistants to the president this week During the days until 6. IT was one of the best things EVER!! First off we ate amazing food! Lasana and enchaladas...Ahhh real american food. AMAZING! And because the President is implementing this new program we learned soooooooo much stuff. Our focus is on realllly helping the people feel the gospel for themselves through prayer and reading. Its what Iv been waiting for since my mission started. Its an amazing way to teach only using the spirit and just asking questions. ITS WORKING!!!!!! I love our new president and his wife they are great!!!! SOOO fun and loving!
So one of our investigators claudia... had her interview this week with the zone leader to make sure she was ready to be baptized. She has a peircing on her lip and shes 35. Yah. So we told our zone leader to find a way to tell her to take it out. Technically she doesnt HAVE to take it out...but She would look so much better and much purer for her baptism day. So he was talking to her for about an hour because she really struggles with smoking also..but shes working on quitting! She went 2 weeks but then she had a cigarette the other day. Were trying to help her. Anyways so Our zone leader is talking to her in another room...and P.S. this family is like Latina Rednecks. They have 3 trailer homes connected together with boards and 19 people live there. Yeah, its sad. They are soo humble though. They fed us one day and we had fried eggs and rice for dinner. I loved it...Just because they were so proud to feed us. Anyways back to the story. So Claudia is in the other room and Me my companion, the companion of the zone leader and claudias three kids were in another room waiting for her. Her 2 youngest kids sabastian'4 months and alexas´3 have been realllllly sick lately. And when she was about to go into the room to do the interview Sabastian threw up allllllll OVER my backpack and one of my books. Like this was not spit up. It was chunks. TONNNNNNNNS. it took two huge towels to get it up. I just cleaned it all up cuz I could tell she was stressing out. It smelt sooo bad though we were like all gagging when she went in the other room. I just kept thinking of this poor lil baby. So alexis (He´s in some of my pics) He was playing with me after I got all my stuff cleaned up and wiped off and Then all of a sudden he just throws up allllll over me. All over me. I just had to laugh. I love these kids. THEY HAVE NOTHING. They have hardly any toys ...they play outside in the dirt with marbles all day. They play this flicking game. Anyways...so that was the experience for the week with That family!
We had 2 people get baptized this sunday. Oscar (used to be addicted to marajauna and drinking now he has cleaned up his life) He´s AWESOME! And fransisca is the other little girl who got baptized...There is pics of her and her whole family attached! It was an awesome baptism.
So the area that I am in right now is really tough. Like the people are very hard. I got my first door slammed in my face. Literally she opened the door and BOOM I looked at my companion Like...DID THAT JUST HAPPEN. And we just decided to laugh about it...or we would have gotten angry. Haha. Anyways, So I guess the past couple months had been really tough here for all the elders and sister because there is a lot of rejection and also because people are just really busy..(we are in the city basically) So the zone leaders asked president if He could send a sister here that was really Positive upbeat and Had alot of faith for the Area (becuase the missionaries were starting to lose faith) So One of the zone leaders said that President said to them, Im going to send you a Powerhouse then.
THEY SENT ME HERE!!
I never ever ever would think of myself as a powerhouse because I just have such a language barrier...but Things are just going realllly well here! I know I am supposed to be here. ITS hard. But I love it. Its a whole different world than Linares.
Our bishop is so funny...Claudia...the one that will be baptized this coming sunday if she doesnt smoke this week (please pray for her)...IS a heavy set woman. So when we went up to the 2nd counselor to the bishopric to ask him if he would baptize her because shes really nervous (cuz shes heavy) The bishop Looked at him and goes Um.. You better get a trainer this week and start working out. hahha. Aw.So mean...but it was funny. The bishop then went on to tell us that they once baptized someone that was 3 times the size of claudia...She weighed over 400 pounds. And 3 elders had to baptize her because just 2 couldnt lift her up out of the water...how sad would that be.
Pray for the people in chile.
Love paige.
Hermana conley
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Paige in Santa Sabina.
Wow...has my world changed. I feel like Iv moved to a new country. Its a whole new world. So much to say hmmm...where do I start? Lets see... My companion Hermana Jillian Rockwood is A'mazing! I am senior companion but I feel like she is because she knows spanish so well. We are in the city so the people are alotttttt more closed off but we are working with some great people. Its cold and rains like crazy. Like you have not seen rain until you have come to Santa Sabina. Cold and wet is what i am everyday. Oh and absolutly EXAUSTED. i feel like im pregnant carrying 7 kids up these hills. we literally walk up Mountians everyday. Im not exagerating. haha. But other than that its allll goood! I love it here!
It was realllly hard to leave Linares this week! i HAVNT SEEN SO MANY PEOPLE CRY IN MY LIFE. It just shows how the Gospel can really bring people together...No matter if we are the same skin color, speak the same language, or are from completely different continents. My testimony has strengthened. I have realized how we really have the plentitude of the Gospel. So many people have gone from feeling fine to feeling SOOO HAPPY...and others have gone from feeling like something was missing their whole life...to now where they have found the truth. We are def. working really hard. Yesterday we walked for 6 hours and did not sit down once. Last night when we were going to plan for the next day I about feel asleep during our prayer.
Funny story.
We are teaching this old man. Manual. He is 89 and wants to be baptized. He is very receptive but kind of hard to understand. Yesterday he let us know that he wants to go to church and find a girlfriend. He said in a redneck-spanish accent, ¨for years and years my daughter here has had to clip my toe nails. I wanna go find a girl at church that can CLIP my TOENAILS! We just smiled and he was like...NO im for real. I had such a long toenail the other day that it curled around my toe and my daughter had to dig them clippers down in there to pick it out. It took a couple hours. I wanna find me a girlfriend that will clip myyyy toenails.¨ I seriously go to his house sometimes just to be entertained. hahha.
We are also working with Claudia who will be baptized this coming sunday and fransisca. They are awesome!! Then next sunday Fransisco and Antonia will be baptized! And the next week Ivonne, Edwardo and Camillia will be baptized! We have really been teaching by the spirit this week. Letting the spirit take over our words. Iv realized you cant prove the gospel to be true, like you cant just prove that there is a God. BUT you can have faith and pay attention to the spirit and then Heavenly Father will do the rest. We are humans, not perfect...and its really easy to want to have an answer for everything but THAT is when we have Faith. And THAT is when we will grow closer to our SAVIOR.
It was realllly hard to leave Linares this week! i HAVNT SEEN SO MANY PEOPLE CRY IN MY LIFE. It just shows how the Gospel can really bring people together...No matter if we are the same skin color, speak the same language, or are from completely different continents. My testimony has strengthened. I have realized how we really have the plentitude of the Gospel. So many people have gone from feeling fine to feeling SOOO HAPPY...and others have gone from feeling like something was missing their whole life...to now where they have found the truth. We are def. working really hard. Yesterday we walked for 6 hours and did not sit down once. Last night when we were going to plan for the next day I about feel asleep during our prayer.
Funny story.
We are teaching this old man. Manual. He is 89 and wants to be baptized. He is very receptive but kind of hard to understand. Yesterday he let us know that he wants to go to church and find a girlfriend. He said in a redneck-spanish accent, ¨for years and years my daughter here has had to clip my toe nails. I wanna go find a girl at church that can CLIP my TOENAILS! We just smiled and he was like...NO im for real. I had such a long toenail the other day that it curled around my toe and my daughter had to dig them clippers down in there to pick it out. It took a couple hours. I wanna find me a girlfriend that will clip myyyy toenails.¨ I seriously go to his house sometimes just to be entertained. hahha.
We are also working with Claudia who will be baptized this coming sunday and fransisca. They are awesome!! Then next sunday Fransisco and Antonia will be baptized! And the next week Ivonne, Edwardo and Camillia will be baptized! We have really been teaching by the spirit this week. Letting the spirit take over our words. Iv realized you cant prove the gospel to be true, like you cant just prove that there is a God. BUT you can have faith and pay attention to the spirit and then Heavenly Father will do the rest. We are humans, not perfect...and its really easy to want to have an answer for everything but THAT is when we have Faith. And THAT is when we will grow closer to our SAVIOR.
Sunday, May 9, 2010
Friday, April 16, 2010
Some Pictures!
sabastiann is 18 and was baptized on sunday...hes awesme
the shelf is of my clothes my companion folded for me she used to work at abercrombie and loves to fold
love you alllll
A Little Story
So I thougt Id give a little update on some of the things I have been able to do with YOUR donations and your help and your prayers. The church has sent many goods and food and help in so many ways its unbelievable but Iv been able to help people more on a personal basis...the ones that do not want help because maybe they are embarrassed or feel they are just fine when they really are not...
So I will share a little story with you.
Gladys is a late 50s woman who lives alone in a little tiny house. She is such a spunky little lady always running around helping someone. She barely makes it from day to day...but SHE sacrafices in order to feed us missionaries meals almost everysingle week. She always puts her name on the list. And above that she finds a way to stuff fruit and vegetables in our bags for our `long walks` everyday. haha. Well her roof fell in during the earthquake making her house unlivable (if thats a word)
When ya`ll started helping, I was trying to figure out how to use the money wisely. I was able to purchase many supplies and things for people but Something just kept telling me to help her. I found a way to pay for her housing for the next couple months. I wanted to be a secret...but somehow she found out and found me....She cried and cried and wouldnt let me go. She said that she never thought anyone would ever do something so kind for her...but I told her it wasnt me...it was my friends and family. She said to send you all allllll her love and gratitude.
So thats the story for the week.
thank you for everything.
Things are going well... we still feel after shocks of the earthquake..but im pretty much used to it...
I love you all.
more to write next week.
and i will be able to email more next week and respond to your emails.
love paige
So I will share a little story with you.
Gladys is a late 50s woman who lives alone in a little tiny house. She is such a spunky little lady always running around helping someone. She barely makes it from day to day...but SHE sacrafices in order to feed us missionaries meals almost everysingle week. She always puts her name on the list. And above that she finds a way to stuff fruit and vegetables in our bags for our `long walks` everyday. haha. Well her roof fell in during the earthquake making her house unlivable (if thats a word)
When ya`ll started helping, I was trying to figure out how to use the money wisely. I was able to purchase many supplies and things for people but Something just kept telling me to help her. I found a way to pay for her housing for the next couple months. I wanted to be a secret...but somehow she found out and found me....She cried and cried and wouldnt let me go. She said that she never thought anyone would ever do something so kind for her...but I told her it wasnt me...it was my friends and family. She said to send you all allllll her love and gratitude.
So thats the story for the week.
thank you for everything.
Things are going well... we still feel after shocks of the earthquake..but im pretty much used to it...
I love you all.
more to write next week.
and i will be able to email more next week and respond to your emails.
love paige
Friday, April 2, 2010
Stories of Tears and Smiles of Joy and Happiness.
Well well, Another week in Chile has flown by.
This one was a little tougher than most ... But I´ll share why.
First off, We have been visiting and teaching a man and his wife named Ramone and Angelica. They own a shoe repair shop on on a street near we live. Very very neat people...so in love. They are pretty poor but are always smiling. We loved to Talk to ramone because he is so smart and knows the bible like the back of his hand. He shared with us a couple months ago how he has always read the bible but when he got cancer years back, his relationship with God grew even stronger. He was very close to dying but he Beat it! This 5´11 strong man had gotten down to 85 pounds. I always loved to go visit him at his shop because he would make the neatest things out of leather. He was definitely a handy man. We got really close with his wife and him. A couple days after the earthquake we went to check on him and his wife and make sure they had food and supplies. Their house didnt have much damage but Angelica shared with us that they found out that Ramones Cancer came back.
Since that day he has spent his time in the Hospital and in a hospital bed in his home. It is very hard for me to see him laying down in that condition because he is a Working man... He could barely move. He always would ask me to sing for him because it reminds him of angels he says. I always would mess of the words in spanish but he didnt care...he just would always tell me I need to record my voice haha. Well Friday Night, we found out that Ramone passed away. I have a gulp in my throut as I write this...
This weekend Hermana Conley and I have spent helping with his Funeral. This man was a family-neighbor man. Everyone knew him...so HUNDREDS showed up to his viewing and Funeral. His wife asked me to sing his favorite song for him at his viewing and my companion shared a message. And then at the Cemetary, My companion and I sang to close the Funeral. The spirit was so strong that day. . .And although there were hundreds of her family and friends there, She wanted us right by her side during the Funeral.
The experience was rough, sad, spiritual, and full of mixed emotions but it was another Testiment to me that I am where I am supposed to be. I cant understand everyone, I cant speak near as good as I want to, I cant always communicate very well but I absolutly LOVE this people. I am so thankful for the comforting feeling of knowing if we live our life according to the will of God, we will have to opportunity to return to live with our Heavenly Father again along with our Brothers and Sisters.
I love this gospel and this church. It gives me the guidance I Need for my life and is helping know how I want to live the rest of my life. I will update you next week on the amazing things that have been done with YOUR donations. I have so many stories of TEARS and SMILES OF JOY AND HAPPINESS.
I love you all and miss you!! Thank you for your letters!
Paige
-Hermana Conley
This one was a little tougher than most ... But I´ll share why.
First off, We have been visiting and teaching a man and his wife named Ramone and Angelica. They own a shoe repair shop on on a street near we live. Very very neat people...so in love. They are pretty poor but are always smiling. We loved to Talk to ramone because he is so smart and knows the bible like the back of his hand. He shared with us a couple months ago how he has always read the bible but when he got cancer years back, his relationship with God grew even stronger. He was very close to dying but he Beat it! This 5´11 strong man had gotten down to 85 pounds. I always loved to go visit him at his shop because he would make the neatest things out of leather. He was definitely a handy man. We got really close with his wife and him. A couple days after the earthquake we went to check on him and his wife and make sure they had food and supplies. Their house didnt have much damage but Angelica shared with us that they found out that Ramones Cancer came back.
Since that day he has spent his time in the Hospital and in a hospital bed in his home. It is very hard for me to see him laying down in that condition because he is a Working man... He could barely move. He always would ask me to sing for him because it reminds him of angels he says. I always would mess of the words in spanish but he didnt care...he just would always tell me I need to record my voice haha. Well Friday Night, we found out that Ramone passed away. I have a gulp in my throut as I write this...
This weekend Hermana Conley and I have spent helping with his Funeral. This man was a family-neighbor man. Everyone knew him...so HUNDREDS showed up to his viewing and Funeral. His wife asked me to sing his favorite song for him at his viewing and my companion shared a message. And then at the Cemetary, My companion and I sang to close the Funeral. The spirit was so strong that day. . .And although there were hundreds of her family and friends there, She wanted us right by her side during the Funeral.
The experience was rough, sad, spiritual, and full of mixed emotions but it was another Testiment to me that I am where I am supposed to be. I cant understand everyone, I cant speak near as good as I want to, I cant always communicate very well but I absolutly LOVE this people. I am so thankful for the comforting feeling of knowing if we live our life according to the will of God, we will have to opportunity to return to live with our Heavenly Father again along with our Brothers and Sisters.
I love this gospel and this church. It gives me the guidance I Need for my life and is helping know how I want to live the rest of my life. I will update you next week on the amazing things that have been done with YOUR donations. I have so many stories of TEARS and SMILES OF JOY AND HAPPINESS.
I love you all and miss you!! Thank you for your letters!
Paige
-Hermana Conley
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Time is FLYING.
To begin...
Earthquake- I want to thank you all for your donations and prayers. You will not believe what we have been able to accomplish. It amazing. Things are slowly starting to get back to normal but supposedly we have another one on the way. Could be 10 min from now or another year. But All is well, we are back in our secure house and things are going well.We still feel the aftershocks almost everyday..but we have gotten use to them.
News- I just found out today that I get to be with Hermana Egbert for another 6 weeks! Yay! We work really well together! I love her! We laugh allll day. Shes hilarious! We are back to doing a lot of more normal missionary work. Its amazing what this experience has done to actually help people. People have opened their heart and are more receptive to learning about Christ. We have 3 people that we have taught this week that are getting baptized coming up! They are amazing!
The work-We have been doing a lot of service. Its a great feeling helping these people. You cant even imagine the things that we see. Its unreal. But we are able to help these people not only get back up on their feet physically but spiritually. I love watching people change for the better. It feels like we get to witness little miracles everyday. People from Chile think that we are crazy for still being here after all this and being away from our families...But i could not be anywhere else than right where I am. I love this mission. I cant believe I am already about 6 months through it. Time is FLYING.
Thank you again for everything! I love you allll sooo much!
Write me letters!!
Paige
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
