Paige's Mission Blog

Check out all of the pictures from Paige's Mission!

2011-04-04T16:07:00.001-07:00

Here are all of the pictures that Paige has sent me thus far! Check them out!

March 7th Email

2011-03-28T10:34:00.000-07:00

Hey family!

How is everything going! Not too much news this week. We had a conference which was fun. We learned a lot and got to see alot of the other sisters and elders from other parts of the mission. Its so exciting to see them because these missionaries become your family here!

On Sunday, Our investigator Karen got baptized. It was very special. Its starting to get cooler here in the mornings and in the afternoons. Eek. I will be here for the beginning of winter_rain season! noooo!!!

then i´ll be going home to texas hot weather! I love sun! Makes me so happyyyyy! Just not walking it 10 hours a day.

I cant imagine what it will be like being a normal person again. Kinda makes me sick to my stomach. I LOVE this mission with alllllllllll My heart!! I love these people and their way of life. I love sharing something I KNOW to be true. And watching it change peoples lives. This experience is the best.

10 weeks left. And i am going to enjoy every second of it.

Hermana Paige Conley

February 28th Email

2011-03-28T10:23:00.000-07:00

Hey family!

Wow. what a week. Well i went to training meeting. OKAY: the assistant to the presidents. THEY need to have the preisthood so they can do interviews. BUT i along with another hermana will be training the other hermanas LIKE they do! Right now IM training a girl that just got here this week from EL SALVADOR!! shes precious!!! I LOVE HER SOOOOOOOO MUCH. we cant communicate everything want to say but its fun because we just Laugh our butts off! She doesnt get sarcasm...and I joke about everything and so its soo funny because shes so gullable. But so great! SO HUMBLE! so beautiful!

Wow. what a ride it has been with my companions. Iv had 3 companions whos fathers have cheated on their mothers. And My companion Now...Hermana Tovar her Dad was very high up in the Government in El Salvador. He was Murdered a little over a year ago. Wow. I swear...what people have to go through just breaks my heart. Shes so cute though, shes just soooo great I LOVE HER!!!

Lets seee. MIRACLE of the week! José, THE MOST RELIGIOUS man I know... got baptized!!!! HE WAS SOOOO HAPPY!!! He didnt want to for soooo long but finally he felt the testifying spirit of the Holy Ghost. I love him!!

Hmm what else is NEW!! Not much....just teaching and walking and sweating!! I love this work sooooo much. I did have a strange craving for cream cheese the other day and just kinda got mad because there is just some foods that dont exist here. haha! But im loving the fruits STILL!!

I feel like so many cool things happen everyday but then I forgot them all when I go to write emails! I need to go better at writing them all in my journal! I really love chile so much! I just want to apply so many things I have learned about their culture...to my future family! I love the foods! EVERYTHING is so fresh! And they learn how to live in small spaces.

Ok. So Chileans are notttttttttt big on spicy things whatsoever. But the CHILE is spicy somewhat. Its called Aji. And i love it. So I went and bought some last week. I told him I wanted the spiciest one. So Last night I was soo hungary after we got home. So i Cut one up and put it in my pasta. And i ate part of one. And Got some type of allergic reaction on my lips. OMG. they swellled up and hurt sooooo bad! (I attached pictures) the girls i live with were DYINGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG laughing. But i was seriously in HORRRRIBLE PAIN!!! Finally about 45 min later it was normal again. I had to put my mouth to the freezer ice!!

We also did a huge youth activity and invited a ton of people and had a d.j and A huge ice cream table. We got tubs of icecream and just dumped them on the table with a table cloth taped down and had cookies and candy and carmel and chocolate syrup. We thought it would be easy clean up... (with out having bowls and stuff) until they started a food fight.

but it was fun! A good way to unite the youth!

February 21st Email

2011-03-28T10:20:00.000-07:00

Hey family!

Its been a great week! 3 Different people out of the families we are teaching are getting baptized this sunday! Nacho-15 SUCH A FUNNY kid who is always soooo nervous! Jose- An older man who is soooooooo religious and has been in his church for such a long time but Just knows this is Christ´s TRUE church here on earth. He KNOWS! i have never felt the spirit soooo strong than this week! Seriously. I left like... wow. That feeling only comes from God. Its just like the most peaceful yet giddy feeling. I can´t explain it. And there is also another girl Karen-20. Shes getting baptized too! Its just sooo awesome being able to watch these people change their lives through the Gospel. So many of them say.. I just never knew that I was missing this.

They are so happy!!!

Febuary is flying by! My companion who I love soooo MUCH is leaving this area because I need to Train a new girl coming in. She will either be from the states from argentina or from El salvador. Maybe my spanish will improve if I get a latin companion! I feel like iv kind of platuaed (i dont know how to spell that word)
I can communicate just fine but I cant really say everything i WANT to say!

I am so ready to make the best out of these next 3 months! I am just so ready to get out there and give it all I got!
I miss you all! thank you for your emails of Love and support!

LOVE PAIGE

February 7th Email

2011-02-08T13:00:00.000-08:00

Hey family!!
whewww im out of breath. I just chased down the empanada man. He sells these fried cheese things that are sooooo good with aji (spicy sauce)!! He drives around in his truck with a megaphone. they are amazing!!
How are you all doing!!
WOW. WHAT A WEEK. . One of the most exciting things of the week besides all the cool lil miracles we saw...was I bought 3 gallons of berries for 6 dollars. hehe. Yah and their all most gone. I have been eatting berries everyday and making smoothies none stop. I put them in freezer bags and stufffed them in our shoe box size freezer... Delicious RASBERRIES AND BLACKBERRIES freshley picked!! We also have been teaching a meeting a lot of new people! Its sooo fun! Its been a hot week! Def. Different than yalls week! SNOW?????
We all have farmer tans! I´ll send you a pic of my companions feet! Its funny! There is not too much new to say! I cant believe these saturday I will only have 3 months until I come home! Aghhhh im scared! I dont rememeber what life was like before. Im probably going to be so weird. I have become so used to this lifestyle. I will say, I am excited to rest my feet. They are a mess. I have blisters all over them and they just hurt.

But everything is going well!
Iv been starting to run 1-2 miles in the morning... And it feels good. For the first time in my life.. I enjoy it. Its actually a time where I can just take a breather...and just feel free. haha

I am praying for you all! I love you sooooooo much!

Love Paige

January 17th Email

2011-02-08T12:53:00.000-08:00

Hey family!
so iv moved! Im now living in a little town called San Carlos. It is from like a movie! Old old people are always sittin out on a the porch drinkin cherry coke in a glass bottle. love it. Sometimes I wish I had my slr camera so I could do photoshoots. I LOVE it here though!! The people are sooooooooo nice!! I have more energy than ever before. i just want to run from house to house. I just have a desire to share this gospel with everyone! I have see it work miracles on the lives of those around us. I just wish Everyone had this type of happiness.

My new companion is great! She just got here but knows spanish well! We get along great. I am excited to work reallllllly hard these next couple months and just give it alll I have!! There is so many people out there just waiting for the gospel. There looking for that something They know their missing.. Or maybe they don´t even know they were missing it until they find it.
Iv seen that happen every week of my mission.

Funny/grossest experience of my life.
So were teaching this man José. José lives in a room made out of tin. It just has a bed in his room. So we teach him outside. José had a major drinking problem after his wife left him. He has such a desire to change his life. So we said we would help him. Monday we went. I could smell a little alcohol on his breath so I told him José, We want to help you and I know that the only way we can is if you don´t drink before we come so that you can have a clear mind. So we came back the next day... He didnt have alcohol on his breath but I asked him anyway. He said that he drank one glass that day. We talked to him for a little bit and he began to cry. He had not showered it what smelled like weeks. I am not trying to be mean but it was thw worse smell iv ever smelt in my entire life. I had to cover my nose and pretend to be itching it most of the time. And the wind was blowing the smell right towards us But I just love this man so much and just feel his desire to change. Then i look over and and this dog in his yard is ripping apart this skull of an animal head. And guts and blood are everywhere. And am starting to get gag reflexes. Normally blood and guts doesnt bother AT all..but i think combined with the smell I just couldnt take it. So I asked umm what is that animal head. And he´s like oh thats the lamb that they ate for dinner the other night. We talked to him for a few more minutes that left him with a prayer and said we would come the next day. We invited him to pray to have strength to make these changes in his life.The next day we came and he had cutt all his long hair. He had taken a shower and was completely sober. I wanted to cry.

I love this gospel.

Prayer is powerful.

I am so thankful for all of yall! I love you. I love this mission...and Im sorry I can only share bits and peices of the experiences that I am going through. But some of them just hit me really hard.

Thank you for your prayers and your kind words and for those of you that send me cards! I like NEVER get mail...but when I do.. .wow it just makes my day.

thank you soooooooo much

LOVE PAIGE

January 3rd Email

2011-01-07T16:56:00.002-08:00

Hey family!!!

Wow. wHAT A CRAZY MONTH WEEK! i HAVE ONLY GOOD THINGS TO SAY. To be honest im seeing a lot of changes in myself and im just really at peace..more than any other time in my life. I have set some goals for myself to really be the best I cant be and do ALL i can do. I have realized how short the time i have here and i know i can step it up even more. I think the one really hard thing about being a missionary is you always feel like you can be doing more. It can be a little overwhelming.

I am pretty sure this will be my last transfer here in concepcion. I had an interview with my pres. on friday and he asked me if I would like to stay and train or if I would like to change sectors and train next cambio. I didnt really give him a real answer but Im kinda hoping to change and train next cambio. I only have 3 transfers left so itd be nice to spend them all in another sector even though it will be hard to leave where I am.

Christmas and New years were nice!! We had some great families help us feel right at home!! And we ate greaaaaaaaaaaaaat food!! This week I working with 2 younger missionaries. My president send them to my area so I could do some training with them. Sometimes I just feel so inadiquet ( i dont know how to spell that word haha)

I have really been able to communicate much better lately with the people. Im working on my accent..but I itll come soon hopefully.

i LOVED talking to my fam on christmas day!! It was sooooo exciting!!

I know being with a companion 24-7 will help me with my relationship with my future husband. Before my mission i was so independent and just liked doing everything on my own time and by myself. I have learned how much you can learn from other people if you let them be themselves!!

A mission really is a time to learn things I know I will be able to apply for the rest of my life!

I love you all thank you for your cards or letters!!

LOVE
Hermana Paige Conley!!

December 22nd Email

2011-01-07T16:56:00.000-08:00

Hey Family!!
not much to say this week!
Today i went to the beach! it was sooooooo fun and sooooo relaxing!! I love the beach!! NOt a single person was there except for us! I went with my companion and 3 girls in our ward that were recently baptized. 2 of them are twins and the other one is a lil older. Bet u cant guess how old they are. the twins are 15 and the other is 19. They are sooo fun and sooo close. Makes me miss my sisssy. They just lay on each other and just are soo touchy. So i made myself really comfortable with them!!

So this week we got to one of our appointments and they werent there so we had like a half hour to spare. So we went and knocked some doors to ask if we could sing to them. We knocked about 25 doors and everyone of them said no. So finally we got to this families house and the dad with his kids said Yes.. kinda with hesitation. Then the mom walks down the stairs with this weird look on her face and so i kinda got a lil worried. But then they just like had their mouths open. When we finished she was like astonished. Shes like... I never really thought people did things like this.. I though it was just in the movies. haha. SHe was sooooooo happy!! they loved it!!!!!!!!!! I think they will be the next family we work with!
well i better get off here. LOts to doo!!!
love ya yallllllllllllll paige

December 13th Email

2011-01-07T16:52:00.000-08:00

Hey fam!
As it gets closer to christmas and I play christmas music (carey underwood, mariah carey..ext) I just think Ahhhh id love to be with my family! But I know ill be there before I know it. Time flies. Ill be home in 5 months. Thats like NOTHING. 5 months ago was like when you got home from school i think. Idk

One of our investigators died. His name is jose. He´s the best guy and his family is amazing. His daughters are gorgeos. GORGEOUS. they have the best clothes. They look like they walked off a magazine. Breaks my heart.

I spoke and my companion and I sang at his funeral. wow. tough to see his family. ALL in black. Sunglasses. I felt like iwas in a movie. It made me so thankful for my family. I cant imagine losing a family member especially my dad.

Things are going well in the mission.Our traveling choir travels this week around chile to sing for the christmas program the mission is putting on. Should be pretty special. We have practiced for HOURS. and I have to sing Silent night ALONE. In spanish. AGhhhh!! The songs we sing are like very choirish. NOT country...like my voice. So one time during practice they were like ok just give it all you got. ANd i just pulled out a DOLLY PARTON voice and sang it. AND they all lost it!!! It was so funny
I love this time of year. Its a little weird because its getting warmer and Chileans don´t really celebrate christmas like we do in the states but they try. hehe.

I just want to wish you alllllllllll a merry christmas!! Thank you for everything yall do!

MISS YOU!

Paige

November 15, 2010

2010-11-17T13:31:00.000-08:00

Here are some pictures from Paige's week, since she didn't have time to write.

November 1, 2010

2010-11-17T13:24:00.001-08:00

Hola! Como esta!!
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

2010-11-17T13:23:00.000-08:00

Hey fam! How are you all doing!! it was good to be able to talk to brit on friday and get an update of everything. Its hard wondering about everything... wishing there was more I could do from way down here. Until I can, I will continue to pray and do the best I can to send things and make calls when I can.

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

2010-11-17T10:40:00.000-08:00

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!*

October 11, 2010

2010-11-17T10:36:00.000-08:00

Family and friends

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

2010-11-17T10:29:00.001-08:00

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.

August 23rd Email

2010-09-27T09:57:00.000-07:00

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

2010-09-27T09:56:00.000-07:00

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

Powerhouse.

2010-08-10T14:49:00.000-07:00

Wow. Its been a pretty good week. I LOVE my new companion. We get along perfect! She is realllly easy going and we just click really well. She is really tall and skinny. Im really short and fat. haha No. But I actually went to a store today and wanted to try on this pair of jeans I saw. I was jumping up and down and coulnt get them up. Whatever... haha. Im enjoying the food here. Its a nice area so for the most part we get nice lunches.

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

Paige in Santa Sabina.

2010-08-05T22:00:00.001-07:00

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.

Recent Pictures from Paige

2010-05-09T09:11:00.000-07:00

Some Pictures!

2010-04-16T15:49:00.000-07:00

Some pics for the week

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

2010-04-16T15:44:00.001-07:00

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

Stories of Tears and Smiles of Joy and Happiness.

2010-04-02T09:21:00.001-07:00

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

Time is FLYING.

2010-03-25T21:14:00.000-07:00

Family.Friends.

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

Service Project Pictures

2010-03-15T22:15:00.000-07:00

Earthquake Fund

2010-03-08T18:37:00.000-08:00

Family and Friends,

Wow...so much to say but its hard to put into words what i feel. I will be honest.. reality has hit and this country is going through a very difficult time. Things are picking up in my town, but every town surrounding is just destroyed. I was able to see some of them...and the news is not exagerating. Its awful. But we are doing all we can to help. All week we have filled up 2 liters of water (thousands) bagged food, collected clothes and done whatever we could to help. We have been feeling the aftershocks still everyday. But the problem is no longer the earthquake it is the economy. Most of the people lost everything.

I cant explain the feeling of holding a mother in your arms who has just lost her children...We just hold these people and give them all the love we have and show them we are here to help. I could easily breakdown but I know I was sent here to be strong for these people. They need smiles, they need to laugh..and they need that security to know that everything will be work out. They have No money. No Food. No Home. NOTHING. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints has sent trucks and trucks of goods which has helped THOUSANDS. But its a process trying to get entire cities back on their feet when they have No money.

I hope this is not inappropriate to ask, But I am going to start a fund. If anyone of you want to donate $5 $10 to this Earthquake fund Please send a check to

1105 Stratford Place
Keller, Tx 76248

I will then use that money to purchase food and goods from the warehouse here, to help these people. I feel so bad because us missionaries are so protected and we dont have to worry about going without food. In fact we are being overfed. But these People (especially in constitution-which is in my mission) are suffering. I would appreciate your help anyway possible. I will work it off when I get back!

I want you all to know that I have felt your prayers everyday. I am so protected here. This past week and a half has been difficult. Only because my heart goes out to these people. I never thought I would ever experience anything like this.

I love you all with all my heart and I cant wait to let you know things are back to normal. For now we will continue to serve these people and do what we were sent here to do.

thank you for everything,
Paige

"All the missionaries are safe.."

2010-03-02T16:13:00.000-08:00

Wow, so im sure you all heard about the earthquake. At 3 a.m. I woke up to my window shaking like crazy and the house started to move and we heard things breaking in the kitchen. JUST LIKE THE MOVIES...but way worse I have to say. My bed slid and I jumped to my companions bed we held each other and just prayed. We felt helpless...but someHOW we felt at peace. From then on people from the church were checking everyones houses in the city. Our church leaders wouldnt let us leave the house until all the roads were somewhat safe. THAT sure will be a memory I NEVER forget! Um im okay though! I love this church. We have food storage beyond belief...to last for weeks. Other cities...well they are not doing so well..but thats what were here for to help! I am doing fine! We have been keeping smiles on our face and IM sure the news is showing yall the worse. I got to talk to my parents which made it hard because I know they were so worried about me.

Some areas are horrible and Iv seen and heard some things I never thought I would in my life...but there is a peace that has come over us missionaries. We are here to help. We opened up the church since the day this has happened and have been cooking and feeding people who are sleeping at the church. We have water and electricity and PLENTY of food. ARE YOU KIDDING!? dO YOU THINK THESE CHILEANS COULD GO WITHOUT FOOD?! Were working on helping out the cities along the coast... its very bad there. Some of them that made it out ...are staying at the church. Some of them Lost everything. EVERYTHING.

I sure have become closer to my Heavenly Father. And I know that I am supposed to be here for a reason. I can still barely communicate with these people but I can hug them and help relax them with a smile. I think things in the city where I am in should go back to normal pretty soon... Just a lot of buildings are down. We moved into a different house yesterday...much more secure. The military took over for a while because people were stealing EVEN KIDS!! Im sure you have seen it all on the news..but things are okay here. We are feeling a little bit of the aftershocks here and there but its kinda become normal. ALL THE MISSIONARIES ARE SAFE. My 2 old companions were in contitution (which is one of the reallly bad areas) I am just so happy to hear they are okay. Im not sure whats going to happen with our mission...we might have some changes. I sure will have some stories when I get back. I wrote alot of them in my journal...but dont have time to write them all out in detail.

Just please know that I am safe! we have the most amazing people watching out for us! Please pray for the many people who lost their families. Several of them I know...
I love you all! I will write probably next monday! And dont watch the news!! Its too scary!!

LOVE HERMANA PAIGE CONLEY

Earthquake in Chile.

2010-03-01T06:11:00.000-08:00

Hello, This is Monica. If any of you have not heard, there has been a massive earthquake in Chile where Paige in serving her mission. We did receive word that Paige is alive, not injured and doing okay. Her house is no longer livable and she, along with other missionaries will be living in a church building.

Please, continue to keep her and the people of Chile in your prayers as there are still aftershocks in that area. I'm not sure how mail will be reached to her, or if she has a place to email, but please continue to write her.

Thank you,

Monica Johnson

"I love this work. I love life."

2010-02-22T18:06:00.000-08:00

I am laughing right now as i Start this email because my companion just asked me if she spelled roller coaster right. She spelled it like rolor costor. SHE WAS SERIOUS! She is losing her english. Its funny. She will say to me…Do you shower want to first. I´ll be like what?? And she will say Do you shower want to first? Im like omg you really are losing your english! I love love love my new companion we have such a good time together! I have already learned so much from her. She is very good at telling stories and relating to people. But she also is straight to the point. For example…the one big grocery store they have here is called Lider. Its kind of like a walmart. The lines are like 25 people long. We were finally like 3rd in line and this man comes up to us and he´s like hey I got the staff you wanted (he was pretending to know us so that he could cut in line) And she looked at him and said, What. And he´s like I got the ketchup you wanted and she said, Um im sorry but I know what your trying to do and I have No idea who you are. And he said, Yes, I know you missionaries …one of you visited my house. And she goes oh what was her name and he said Igred. Hahaha we just busted up laughing!! She said,¨ Ingrid! Of all names you pick Ingrid. ¨¨ then we started to be really nice to him and he continued to lie. I have tos ay …that is Hermana Egbert SWEET but straight to the point. She is not gonna let nobody push her around.

I love her..but there is one thing she does I cant stand. I tell her this everyday. Haha She has to go to the bathroom like every 20 minutes, so we will go in someones house and she loves to stay in the bathroom for as long as she can just so she can listen to me try and carry a conversation on with a chilean when i have no clue what they are saying. She seriously just waits in there…

Ahhhh we have sooo many funny stories and work so well together!! This week we were teaching this really old old couple and they were sooo funny!! But they were hard of hearing so we had to yell when we were teaching. Not just Talk loud but literrallly YELLLL. I have to say, everyday is interesting in its own way. But We are doing so well! We have been doing sooooo much service!! And plan on teaching a lot of people this week!

I can´t Express in words how much my testimony has grown on this misión. I have Developed a new love for my Father and Heaven and have SEEN the miracles that happen if you put your trust in him. This is not just something to teach. THIS IS REAL. This gospel Works miracles in peoples lives. I know this with my whole Heart. I know this church is true. We have the fullness and Whole truth. It is amazing to see peoples hearts change when they allow the spirit to touch them. I love this work. I love life. I LOVE chile! And I love and pray for you all! Thank you for everything!

Hermana Conley

P.S. MY NEW EMAIL IS paige.conley@myldsmail.net

New companion!

2010-02-15T17:31:00.000-08:00

Wow! This was the fastest week yet! I got my new companion on Tuesday! I was sad to say goodbye to Kory Williams. She teared up… I am going to miss her but I´ll see her at conference once befote she leaves to go HOME! My new companion is C. Egbert! She is hilarious!!! For example…There is 2 mcdonalds in chile. ONE of them is about 2 hours away in Talca. When we took the bus to Talca to take hermana Williams to get her other bus, we were craving mcdonalds. And so we were in the very back of the bus heading back home from Talca! And she walks up to the front of the bus and asks the bus driver, üm…small favor. Can you please make a quick trip to mcdonalds. We will run in really fast! Funny thing is we were like 15 minutes from mcdonalds! He is like i cant go that out of the way! She begged him. He couldnt… but we almost had him convenced. ANyways…thats her! She is hilarious!

This week was awesome! We talked to sooo many people. She is really helping me with my spanish because she has always known spanish ((her mom is from south. America))! She is very easy to relate to and I know we will always be good friends! Im excited to work with her because we are always happy together!

Funnies of the week…
I stepped on a dog. Um it was not funny at the time. In Fact it scared me to death. DOGS are everywhere on the streets. They sleep in the middle of the roads everywhere so normally you see them. Well i happened to not see this one and all of a sudden I hear feel this flip under my foot..and this dogs body like flies in the air. and it like literally flipped! I screamed and then kept saying sorry to the dog like he could understand me or something haha. I didnt hurt him.. i think i just scared him to death! haha..

Yesterday was a good day! We did a lot of service and they asked me to sing again in church. I was really nervous for some reason this time... because I had no music with me. FUnny story about church...so we sit in the back because alot of people come in late that we invite to church and so we get to observe everything. So this old old mans phone goes off in the middle of church and it was sooo loud. And then you think he would turn it off really fast ...well instead he answers and LITERALLY YELLS, ´WHAT DO YOU WANT! IM IN CHURCH´ and then he starts carrying on this conversation hahaha

i about lost it. I laughed sooo hard (inside)! it was funny! As im writing this email this little spanish girl next to me is just staring at me. haha shes adorable. ... I keep looking over and smiling and she just is like investigating me hhaha.

I am so happy to be here in chile! I dont have a lot of new things tosay because everyday is amazzing and hard and wonderful all at once! I Miss everyone so much yet I know this is where Im supposed to be! Thank you for your letters! talk to you soon!

I love this church, I love this work!

2010-02-15T17:30:00.002-08:00

Crazy crazy time is flying! Today I found out that my companion is changing to a different area to finish off her misión so I get a new compañón tomorrow! I already know her because she lives in the same house as us and shes awesome! I am going to miss Hermana Williams so much but I know that I am being put with Hermana Egbert for a reason! Shes soooo girly and she studied in Italy for fashion for the past 2 years before her misión! So i think we will do just fine! We already laugh alllllll day long and make fun of everything! Basically we make fun of ourselves…because I tend to say some dumb stuff at the time. Like for example this week we ate lunch at this ladies house 2 days in a row. The 2nd day, it was the most amazing meal. I meant to say to her, ¨this meal was the best meal ever¨ but instead I said, ¨this meal was much much better¨! everyone died laughing because we had just ate lunch with her the day before... it was funny. I was kinda embarrased because she just looked at me like, Um okay. hahaha Good thing, latinos have a sense of humor. most of them atleast.

Im starting to understand a little better... As long as the people have teeth, i can understand most of what they are talking about. Yesterday this old old old man with no teeth was asking me about the texas, and he said, ¨that is right next to mexico, huh¨and I was like yes it is! And I THOUGHT is said, what is that river that seperates the U.S. from Mexico, its really big... and so i said, Ummm I dont really remember the name, but yes it is really big. Well as we walked out And i was talking to Hermana WIlliams I told her what we were talking about and she said, that he had really said, YEAH the RIO grande seperates texas from mexico. I FELT so dumb...I thought he was asking me the name of the big river that seperates the two. Gosh. haha

One of these days I´ll write ya´ll and say, YAYYYYY i know spanish. That wont be for about 4 months im sure!

Okay, so something funny is people here dont have much but most of the time they try and take care of what they have. 99 PERCENT of people dont have grass in their yard. PURE dirt. BUt for some reason they water it. LIke there literally is not a speck of grass in the yard but they water it....we cant figure it out. Oh and chileans.... everysingle one of them think that they are a doctor! If we have a head ache or a stomach ache they will tell us...Oh did you eat watermelon and then drink sprite... or did you eat tomatos with meat. ITs so weird they just make up stuff for everything... its so funny.

But im starting to really love the taste of natural foods. They dont season their foods here really but I am starting to enjoy everything...!

We had some really cool experiences this week! There is a woman we have been trying to Help. I love her! she has 5 kids and her husband left her and just got another woman pregnant.. It breaks my heart because this week she hit rock bottom! literally she like broke down right in front of us. We were able to calm her down...and we are working with her. I love her so much. Good thing hugs are universal because i just hug her her and want to give her so much love. She calls me ¨chicitito¨ which is little bitty. AHh i wish I had more stories, I just can´t think of what else happens throughout the week! Everyday is amazing! We had 2 baptisms this week. THe day was unforgettable! amazing!!!! I love seeing people change and watching how having faith in our Heavenly father can work miracles. It really can. I have witnessed it many many times! its amazing. I love this church, I love this work! I LOVE LIFE!

Oh and i love ice cream. Im obsessed! And people always like to buy us an ice cream cone just because! And i dont mind it at all. Ice cream cones are like fifty cents here...but they are amazinggggggggg!!

haha I just have to say, I am sitting here at this internet place and these 2 guys are sitting across from me..and they are trying to speak random words in english so that we will look over. Most of the words they know are like may the force be with you. haha. funny.

Oh and I forgot to mention..There are gypsies here. They wear long skirts and everything and they try and steal from people. Its crazy. THEY are so slick and try and do it all the time. WE stear clear from them! but its crazyyy!!!

ANyways, LIfe is good! thank you all for your emails and please forgive me if I cant write back for a little while! we have lots of packing to do. She leaves first thing in the morning!!! lOVE YOU ALLL!!! write me write me!! letterssssss please.
its so much better. i know i know. emails are easier. but I would love it!!
thanks
paige

Miracles Happen Every Day!

2010-02-15T17:30:00.001-08:00

So its week 15 of the misión (week 5 in chile)! I am just loving this place. Sometimes I will just stop and look around and think to myself: I AM IN CHILE, SOUTH AMERICA! I love it! This week was full of miracles. First off I got a call from 2 guy missionaries (Elders) that I don´t even know who FOUND MY I.D.! They didnt even know I lost it or anything and they found it at the bus station like a couple hours north of here. They found my credit card too (which does me no good because I already cancelled it...but its just nice knowing knowone else has it) They didnt find my wallet or flashdrive or all the cash but....still My I.d. was my main concern! Now its in my HANDS! I will never let ANYTHING get stollen from me again. I am soooo protective now! So thats good news right!

I am just soaking up the Love of the Latinas! They are amazing. I love them. As I sit here and think Of things to write I cant even remember the struggles throughout the week because everything just always works out for the good!

Funny Moment of the Week: I was walking down the street...and i look over and there is Horse walking beside me. And I just looked at it and looked away...and then I looked back at it again and Thought...¨there is a horse walking beside me on the road¨ and then as the horse passed me...He was Pulling a guy on his bike. Just a man chilling on his bike as a horse pulled him....Sometimes I wonder what are these people thinking... hahaha...
but its all just normal now. haha We see some pretty strange stuff here.

Other funny moment of the week. The word for dishes I learned is the same word Chileans use for Butt in chile. SO THIS WEEK....I asked a lady if I could help her clean her BUTTTTT.

instead of help her clean her dishes.

hahahhahaha

So To all of you that get my email.
Please be thankful to live in the U.S. The people here would give anything to live in the U.S.
For most of them its just a dream....

My favorite Moment of the Week,
So there is a lady that lives near us with a family that just kinda takes care of her. She is deaf...So she cant talk. But she doesnt know sign language either...so she make up her own noises and signs for things. It just breaks my heart because she doesnt have any family. I sat down with her for a long time the other day and tried to teach her through hand motions and pictures. The only way she could really communicate was through her face because I had no clue what her hand signals meant. It makes me tear up as I sit here and type because her whole deminer changed from when we first got there and when we left. She was smiling and just sooo happy! I just love these people! Everyone told me that when you serve a mission, you will develop a love for people like you never thought you could... and I am starting to feel the truth of that.

haha.. its funny also because as Iv been typing this email half of my words I have been typing have been in spanish!!! thats a good thing!! Im starting to catch on!!!! yayyyyyy

for a while there I felt like I was in an Asian Nail salon everyday. I knew they were talking about me...but I had NO clue what they were sayingggg. he he.

ANyways, thats all I have for the week!! Its been amazing!!! I love life! I had pizza today which makes life even better. No ranch tho... :( and the pizza is nothing like americas but it was good!!

lOVE you alll!!!
Cant wait to hear from you!!!!

"The harder you work the happier you will be"

2010-01-29T07:40:00.000-08:00

Wow! I cant believe I am already writing about another week! Each day feels like a week…but the weeks feel like days! Its weird! But this week was wonderful. No complaints except for the Heat. 97 degrees most of the week. Its weird for me to think its January! I sometimos forget that I am in South America. Everything has become so normal for me here. But when I first got here I was like WHERE AM I! haha like for example today my companion was changing Money at the bank. And it was a HUGE bank..pretty nice. And I look down and there is a dog that just walked right by me. He had just walked in the bank like he owned the place or somthing. I just cant Picture Things like that happening in america. Nobody even tried to get him to leave. It was weird…but i laughed to myself.

Hmm Things have been good. Every week is very similar yet there is always crazy funny things that happen everyday. But everynight my mouth hurts from smiling all day. I am so happy. I have come to realize the harder you work the happier you will be. And you may not feel it at the moment but there is nothing more satisfying than laying in bed at night thinking about a day here after we have served with everything in us. Our toilet runs all night. Iv begun to try to Picture the noise as a waterfall.
So now I fall asleep to a waterfall.
Its not bad haha.

Last night we visited and helped an old old old woman. All she pretty much said to us was… Im all alone. I kept looking at my companion and thinking is she really saying this over and over again…or Am I just Still not understanding a single Word people are saying here. Well she was really saying it. She was just very sad… We sang for her and were going to bring her to church on Sunday. She is so excited!

Food is good. The fruits ahhhh!! I love them! Still amazing. But they dont have ranch here which im starting to miss. They eat mayo with EVERYTHING! It mean i like mayo but they dip EVERYTHING in it! Blah. We have a lady do our laundry for us here. We pay her 6 mill a month which is like $12.00. OUR CLOTHES come back cleaner than when we bought them. Im not kidding. She Works on every satín one by one. She said this brings her so much happiness to be doing OUR laundry. How sweet is she!! And you want to know something even sweeter. She puts a little stich of thread on the incide. We each have a color….So on the inside of my clothes I have this little stitch of red so she knows whos laundry is whos. I swear…its the simple things in life that are wonderful. Haha

This week we did a lot of service! It was fun! But the best part of the week was when we met this little girl and her mom. The 3 year old girl had downs syndrom and her name was rosia. I fell in love with her. She stole my Heart! My companion says Im never going to be able to leave this place because the Children FLOCK to me. I dont know what it is but I literally love the kids. I just play play play all day with them. But anyways, so we were teaching this woman…and 3 year old girl rosia kept trying to get my attention. So finally she went outside and starting climbing the fence. Okay so a fence here is different than fences in the status. They are taller than the house. The are to Project your home. So she starts climbing it and I run out to get here because there is only rocks on the ground and i was so afraid of her falling. So we brought her back in and we were talking to her mom and within probably 5 seconds I look OUT the window of her house and ALL i see is this little girls FEET! She has at the top of this 10 foot fence! I RAN OUT THERE SOOO FAST! So did her mom! I have NO idea how she got up there! She was sooo strong! Anyways. It was funny..but you might have had to see it for it to be funny. He he

Oh and Iv become obsessed with ice cream. They have the best here! And so ya know how I lost my wallet …well that sure didnt keep us from anything this week. We got free staff everywhere we went! The people are wonderful always giving us drinks, fresh fresh fruit, and ice cream! I love chile!

I will say…its not easy being here. I am exausted more than I have ever been. This is a ï feel like i just ran a marathon kind of tired…everyday. BUT OH SO WORTH IT!

I love you all and miss you….
Let me know if you need anything!! Or anybody in your prayers!
Thanks for your emails!!
paige

"AHHHHH LOOOOO"

2010-01-18T17:59:00.000-08:00

Its been a rough one…but Some how everything always Works out. First off I had my wallet stollen on the bus...pretty much from right under me. I walked off the bus and realized I didnt have it and we checked and it was gone! My knees went weak, I thought I was going to fall over. It had my mission debit card, My Own Debit card, my texas drivers license, my flashdrive with ALL my pictures on it, and (40 mill-chilean money) which is about 80 dollars. There bills are really weird here so thats why I had that much money with me. So its gone. I was sick about it at first. But I put a stop on my cards and There sending me a new one. But the cash and flash card and my texas lisence are gone. Whats really weird is right before I left that day I had this feeling to take my chilean visa (which whats keeping me in the country) and hide it in my house. If that would have gotten stollen I would not have been able to stay in chile. So im thankful for that. Everything is working out. My companion is the BEST. She is so selfless and has been helping me so much! She is obsessssed with dr. pepper (just like you mom!) and hasnt had one in over a year (They dont sell it in chile ONLY COKE)...so If someone wants to send me a Dr. Pepper for her, I would love you foreveR! HAHA Anyways, enough about the bad stuff... things other than that are good! I get to start over in Feb. cuz´I´ll get some more money put into my account.

This week has been great. I love it because EVERYONE HERE works at the COMPO...which is where they grow all the fruit! EVERYKIND! So you dont even ask someone what they do for work you just ask what type of fruit they pick. ITs awesome. All week Iv had the freshest berries! I eat really healthy here because We eat so much fruit and salad and yogurt and then at lunch we have full course meals. But the bread...ahhh the bread. They make it fresh everyday....so Im obsessed! I eat bread all day...to the point where Im like addicted. If im not walking with a peice of a food in my hand, I will STOP and get some food. haha I feel like thats all I talk about is the Food in Chile!

The people. Wow the people are soooo loving! Well most of them. One of the girls we help is a girl named KArin (the r sounds like a D) She loves learning english so I LOVE IT. But shes 18 and I LOVE HER. ONe day Im gonna figure out a way for her to come visit me! She is amazing! Yesterday we went to make breakfast for her. We brought all the stuff to make french toast because they don´t really make stuff like that here...and we were in her kitchen and I just developed such a love for their family. I just felt so sad that they live like that. They had NOTHING. Yet, They had everything. It just makes me realize how UN-important materialistic things are.

This week has been fun! We laugh all day and die of heat. Its so hot here!!!! But we´re fine. Oh yesterday I met a little downsyndrom girl with here mom and she hid behind her mom while we talked to her mom. And so were having a conversation with her mom...and All of a sudden she POPS out and YELLS ¨MICHEALLLLL JACKSONNNN¨¨!!!!!!!!!!! IT WAS HILARIOUS. She was adorable.

We were in this ladys home the other day with her little girl and she gave me this drink. And it was in a glass cup. It looked like water but it was kind of green and had little plants floating around in it and it was warm...and I was like Oh what is this....Except in spanish. And she said it was this drink she made up kinda like herbel tea. So i gave it a shot! I thought I was going to throw up. It was the literally the worst thing Iv ever tasted. And she kept asking me if I liked it...and I just like nodded...and I just couldnt keep drinking it, I thought I was going to throw up. So I just set it down. I hope she didnt get offended. I will just know to not drink those anymore...

On sunday I sang a solo in church. IN SPANISH. It was fun! I hope i sang the words right...People were crying all over...so either I butchered the song...or got it someone right.
The church was full because it was only an hour because it was voting day on sunday (cuz of the president elections) !! they love their new President here !

Today we met 2 americans!!! the first 2 since being here! Wow it was the biggest relief. I couldnt get a smile off my face. It felt amazing to speak english with them! ITs crazy how simple things like that make y day now. haha. Anyways!!! I gotta go we have lots to do today! Im gonna go sing on the street and try and make some money. hahajk.

Interesting fact about chile-
you dont knock on peoples doors...you stand at their gate infront of their house and YELL: AHHHH LOOO

its funny...Iv gotten used to it.

LOVE YOU ALLLL!! Thank you for all your emails! write to me if you can..its alot easier cuz I dont get too much email time!
LOVE,
PAIGE

Paige Corrine Conley
0´Higgens 940, Oficina 502
Concepción
Chile

"I felt so at home"

2010-01-13T19:09:00.001-08:00

Yay!! My second week in chile! Thank you for all your responses. We have to pay for Internet at the Internet café so i cant be on toooo long..so sorry if I dont get to respond right away! We also have to pay to use the restroom!! Hahaha I just payed like twenty cents to use a toilet with no SEAT. Haha

Everything is going well! I mean, I´ll be honest this week was a little tougher for me. Its really hard not being able to comunícate. I know I just need to be patient but I want to know now! Haha I have been trying to study really hard and listen to people as they talk but then i find myself nodding and smiling when they are asking me a question and then i just look to Hermana Williams and she helps. Shes awesome!

So let me share a few little things about the week. I have gained lots of weight. Im still being stuffed…but im getting a little more used to it. Actually i´ll be honest, a lot more used to it. Haha. I eat alot. We walk the entire day! So when your always moving, you always are hungary. There is fresh fruit everywhere but I like their bread….so I eat A LOT of bread. One day last week my hands swelled up after lunch, I was hoping that Im allergic to bananas so I dont have to eat them anymore and it would be a good excuse haha….but It must be something else because the next day it did the same thing. So im not sure. Haha. It was so funny though, my hands looked like mickey Mouse. My rings wouldnt come off. But that happens to alot of missionaries..they develop weird allergies. We also get eaten alive!!! I have like 20 bites on me. My roomate got like 45 bites from flees and other bugs one day and she doesnt have nails so I X´ed them all for her…. I love my roomates. We have electricity in our house…its not bad.. but If you saw it .. you would prob die. Haha. But im perfectly content. One other thing weird about Chile is they dont put ice in their drinks! And their juice is really thick. Its hard to get used to! So all the drinks are warm. It is a treta if someone gives you ice cube. Then you get atleast one sip thats somewhat cold haha. Everyone hear makes me sing! And they love to hear and learn English! They asked me to sing the titanic song yesterday….that shows how outdated they are here! Haha No, they know some american songs but everyhouse looks like your walking into the 1960´s. No joke.
Yesterday we me tour first English speaking person! It felt amazing!!!!!!!!!! He was sooo funny. He has family here and it was sooo nice to talk to him in english. I felt so at home. He is here until march and he gave us his phone number incase we need anything! He was great!

Thank you for all your emails! I was sooo excited to see them all! I know i cant respond to all of them but I apréciate them so much. Sorry if some of my words are misspelled. Microsoft Word keeps changing them because its formulated for Spanish. But my address is-

Paige Corrine Conley
0´Higgens 940, Oficina 502
Concepción
Chile

Mail takes awhile toget to me but I would love some letters! Also, I know im writing a mass email but if anyone has some good back strengthening excersises for me that would be great! I have to work out everymorning. Its a rule. (which is good) but I am having a lot of back pain so I need to build this back up. My mom just happened have very large breasts and I got that trait too….so its starting to wear on me. Haha. Just kidding.
But yes back exercises would be awesome!! Thank you!

I love you all sooo much! I think and pray for you always! This is an amazing experience and It is honestly the best decisión I ever made. I can tell there are going to be some hard days… But Your words of encouragement are so helpful!!
Love you alllllll!!
PAIGE

"I don't think I'll ever forget that moment."

2010-01-04T17:01:00.000-08:00

HOLA!!!!It´s my first week in Chile and I ABSOLUTLY love it here!! This is seriously the best decision I EVER MADE! I email on Mondays and I AM 3 HOURS ahead of texas time. There is so much I want to say´...There has def. Been some changes in Culture. Every single female you see that you know you have to kiss on the cheek. Its funny because if you don´t say hi and goodbye to everyone you know or meet... they get offended. I love it though- we talk to hundreds of people everyday! The people are sooo loving. They are treating me like one of their own...although I look opposite off everyone in this entire city! They have not seen a Blonde in forever (I literally am like the only blonde light eyed person in this entire city) All day I heard ¨Rubia¨yelled....(which means blonde in spanish)...I love walking the streets as people play soccer (le football). Somehow the soccer ball always ¨accidently¨ gets kicked in our path so they have to run by us to get it.
In Chile its just the beginning of summer here so its HOTTTTTTT!!! We are outside the entire day from early in the morning until 10 at night so my skin is turning Brown. (so much time wasted at a Tanning Salon---shoulda just made a trip to chile haha) Currently I am at an internet place where you pay to use the internet per minute. And this keyboard is very weird...so forgive my typing and spelling errors. There is so much to tell! First off my companion is Kory Williams. She and I go everywhere together and never leave each others side. She is Blonde also, graphic design major, worked at chilis, is bff with her sister, went to byu idaho, athetic, and doesnt like dogs. I DONT think I could have been put with someone more perfect! We get along so great and laugh all day. She is my translater. She didnt know any spanish when she first got here and now she is FLUENT so she is really helping me out! It is tough being here and being the onlyyyyyyy person who has no idea what is being talked about. Haha. I have learned to recognized when she is about to laugh or smile so i know when to laugh....that way people don´t realize that I have NO idea what they just said. Haha...I know it will come! It just tough. She and I have had some awesome experiences. First the funny stuff. Obviosly being light skinned-light hair people think we are either German or American. So if were walking the streets...Chileans will randomly yell any ENGLISH word they know. Yesterday people yelled, ¨BBQ CHICKEN¨ WINDOW¨ ¨DOOR¨ !! So funny!
I am in a city 3 hours north of Concepcion called Linares. Its pretty run down...but the people are so humble and treasure what they have. Here-Lunch is the BIG meal of the day. Its like a lunch-dinner combined at 2 p.m. And um let me just say I will not be coming home skinny. We are fed everyday at 2 by a member of the church and how much food they give you is a way of showing you how much they love you. They use their finest dishes and set the table perfectly to try and help us enjoy our 1 time of day where we are sitting. They save for weeks to be able to pay for the meal to feed us. And they made everything homemade. You are expected to finish everything on the plate and when they offer you food it is rude to not accept it. Id say that I am a pretty big eater...but um How to I explain this-I have been given a new idea of the word BIG. My first day she served me a plate full of just chicken. The other plate was patatos pork and squash all mixed together. THE ENTIRE PLATE was full. The other plate is for bread and salad. In spanish the lady that fed us said to my companion (in spanish obviously) , ¨Shes too skinny-Were going to STUFF her¨
It took everything I had to finish all that food. I felt like I was eating a cow. My stomach literally looked like a basketball. Then she brings out this little plate for desert and sets the BIGGEST BANANA on it Iv ever seen in my entire life. Somehow I managed to get it down. Omg....It was hard. When we were leaving the ladies said to my roomates, ¨Good, Now you won´t have to put rocks in her pockets to keep the wind from blowing her away¨ !! haha....I can laugh about it now because Iv gotten used to it. It is like that every single day. I love love love their salads here! No ranch in chile though!! But I already have some really cool foods I can´t wait to make when I get home!

My spanish is coming along. We talk to sooooo many people. But it is extremely hard to understand chileans. They speak super fast and slur all their words together. Aldjfaldjfañlkjfdalsjdfahdfowuerouofjñlsdkmnñ....They would say all that just to say Have a good day. Haha....No not really. But thats what it feels like. So I just smile and laugh! Good thing smiling is universal. Whats helped me the most is our English classes. On Saturday i taught the whole class! It was really funy. They helped me with my spanish too...so it was a 2 way teaching haha.

Chilean fruit is amazing! They selll it on every corner and it is FRESH! I had the best nectorine yesterday. People in chile are very loving and um verrrrry relaxed. For example we will go to see someone at 330 in the afternoon and they will still be in their pajamas. Brit would love this place for that rea son alone. Haha. Another example of that would be like yesterday when we left the house early in the morning and this ollld man and his friend were just sittin in a old chair out by the road and when we came back that night at 10 they were still sitting there. That happens almost everyday....
There is something wonderful about being here though. Its a feeling of protection. I know that God is watching over us and I know we will be kept safe. In fact I have never felt safer.
Saturday was wonderful day! We decided to stop by this house of an old woman. It was literally made of scrap wood and branches. As we sat on broken chairs and talked with her. She could not stop smiling. I looked at her tearfilled eyes and when I looked away I took notice of the ground. She was living on Rocks and dirt. And this was normal for her...it was all she knew. The world stood still. I though about how humble she was. I thought about how thankful I need to be for all that I have..And I wanted to make every second I had here in Chile count. I don´t think I will ever forget that moment. Here was a lady who later explained that she had prayed that someone would visit here that day because She has been alone for years. And for some reason we felt the need to stop. Tears streamed down her face as we taught her about the Love God has for her. Somehow the spanish words were poaring out of my mouth...I can´t wait to return and visit her again.
Another lady we help is a lady named Jacquiline. She has 2 children. Her husband used to beat her and whenever he comes to town she has to hide so he doesnt come after her. It is very sad. When we went by to visit her yesterday she was at work. She lives in a tiny 2 room house. There were dishes and things everywhere. So we cleaned the whole room for her. I have never felt so happy cleaning something (sorry mom) . We are trying to help her get her life back on Track.
Another old lady we visited was sitting on her pourch and so we decided to stop and talk to her. She could barely hear or walk. She couldnt really hear what we were saying so We asked her if we could sing to her. We started to sing and when I took a moment to look up she got really emotional. The song we sang was about how christ can comfort us during hard times. She told us that she had recently lost her husband and it was very hard for her-especially with the health she was in. She said that she felt uplifted and was so grateful for our smiling faces.
The funny thing is...something so simple can make someones day. Believe me-it can be tough being here. We walk all day and my back and body are killng. But it is soooo worth it.
People call me Missionary Barbie haha. Its funny! In my eyes I look the opposite of a barbie! I dress for comfort and I am like always covered (it keeps us safe here)! Oh a funny fact about chile.... If you ask someone for directions ....if they don´t know how to tell you how to get there, they will just make something up. I think its hilarious because it happens all the time. ....Because they just don´t want to sound dumb by simply saying they don´t know. Hahaha.

So heres a funny story. We constantly have to be drinking water because the sun soaks all of our energy out of us! Well....One of my roomates had to go to the bathroom so bad and not everyone has bathrooms. In fact, sometimes you have to walk forever to get to one. Well she was like not going to be able to make it and so shes like, ¨I cant do it anymore I have to go¨ She literally stood there and just peed! It was the funniest thing ever! I love her. She seriously couldnt help it! Sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do. Oh same girl- She is soooo awesome...but i swear she has the funniest stories. So last night she was visiting someone and she was sooo exausted. She was sitting there talking to the lady with her companion and I guess she felt like she was going to fall asleep...so she asked if she could go to the bathroom (cuz she just wanted to wake her body up) So she went to the bathroom and she said she sat on the toilet and accidently FELLLLLLL ALSEEP!!!!!!!!!!!! HAHAHA Her companion said she was in there for like 15 minutes hahahhaha.

We were teaching this 18 year old boyfriend and girlfriend (Karin and Orlando). They are hilarious! We love them! I can barely communicate through words but we always seem to find something to laugh at. The other day I was in the middle of teaching them all I could in spanish and I was like In deep thought and all of a sudden Orlando yells, ¨Wasss YOUR NAME¨ hahaha we died laughing. He must have been thinking of how to say the few words he learned in english class and finallly he rememebered them so he just had to blurt them out! It was so funny.

Pictures from Paige:

2009-12-13T08:45:00.001-08:00

>
Paige found our BYU-I friends, Monica Miller & Alisha Hashey!
This is the MTC World Famous Map! She is pointing to Chile.
This is all the elders coloring for their Thankgiving Service Project. They made 10,000 First Aid Kits and Coloring Books...etc.
"My companion can sleep anywhere!"
Paige's knee was swollen and bruised from playing sports.
"We're Weird"
Her package she received from her family and the Murray's! "Thanks MURRAY'S AND CONLEY FAMILY!
All the Chilean Elders. "I'm going to miss these guys"
Paige with Elder Lopez. HE is her favorite teacher!

I am putting myself into this work 100%.

2009-12-05T15:55:00.001-08:00

Okay, so I don't have much time But I figured I'd give you the "GOODS BADS FUNNIES SPIRITUAL and Other Things" of the week:

Um well lets get the bad stuff out of the way.... First off my favorite elders leave this week :( I love them so much-they make me laugh everyday and the have taught me so much. THEY ARE ALL SPANISH. I swear I love dark guys. They have a LOVE about them. Anyways, I had a really hard day this week. First off it started off good-I was learning alot and spanish was realllly starting to click and then I had class. (One of my teachers cares about us so much and has a love for us-but sometimes she doesn't know how to show it and she is extremely rude) And i'm talking like reallly rude. She knows how to make people feel really stupid. She spoke spanish her whole life (her mom is spanish) so I think she forgets that we are JUST LEARNING and don't know all she knows. She just will say things that make us feel so dumb. Well, I hadnt said anything about it...but it was starting to affect people. THen we had a combined class on Friday and so there were tons of people in our room (and one thing she told me to do in my interview with her a little while ago was to ASK QUESTIONS))) so we were learning about imperfect tense and I didn't get something she said because SHE ONLY speaks in spanish..so I asked her the question in spanish and she responded in the rudest way, making the meanest face and just was so mean about it FOR NO REASON. I just looked down and said, "Okay you don't have to be rude to me." And I forgot about the question. Only like 1 person heard me say that-but I know she felt dumb-so i talked to her after class. I CRIED. I cried because I felt so passionate about learning and was having the best day and she just tore me down. I guess this is a preview of what will happen in the "feild" with REAL people. Its just normally, I never get offended but when I talked to her-I was speaking for the class. After I talked to her, she apolojized to the class and cried to us and I know she will work on it. I also apolojized for saying my comment of her being rude. It's just she is only a year and a half older than me and she sure knows how to make u feel like your 5. But it's all good now...I love and care for her and I know she loves us. But that really kinda made the day bad. So that is the hard thing I had this week. .... BUT THINGS ARE BETTER. Well they are now. This morning I had this REALLY anxious feeling of "How am I going to do this?". I am trying sooo hard to teach in spanish and it is sooo difficult. Imagine getting up in front of a ward in Mexico and trying to teach them. Thats what we have to do everyday ....is teach in front of people...and I kinda go blank. So this morning was tough. BUT TODAY is p-day...so I was really excited to go to the temple. I NEEDED that peaceful feeling. So I went and it was nice. THEN i prayed. I prayed and asked heavenly father to give me guidance and So I opened my scriptures in the temple waiting room to D&C 6. It is where Christ is talking to Oliver Cowdery. I put myself in Oliver's shoes and THIS CHAPTER WAS FOR ME!!! It was amazing! PLEASE READ IT!! Towards the end my favorite scripture in it said to doubt not, fear not. And so thats how I am going to start to be. I am putting myself into this work 100%. I am praying as if everything depends on the Lord but working as if everything depends on me. SO LETTERS....will be slim for the next little bit. I've asked my district leader to not give me my mail until a certain day-so I can focus more. I got 12 letters yesterday. SOunds like a good thing?!! Well it actually stressed me out...Because I am trying sooo hard to focus but Satan will do anything to distract me. So right now I am focused on keeeping in contact with my family and very slim letters for everyone else.

Please read d&c 6
Honestly that was the first time I have opened my scriptures and recieved revelation for myself.

love hermana conley!!

"My heart was softened beyond belief"

2009-11-22T06:59:00.000-08:00

Dear Friends and Family!!
So good to hear from you this week. I got hand written letters and dear elders!! WOW did they brighten my day. Please keep them coming :)

So guess what-since I am here during christmas...general authorites come!! We have already had some of the most amazing speakers. I want to tell you about all of them...but One was so awesome. READY TO HEAR THE MOST SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCE OF MY LIFE??!! okay so dallin h. oaks wife came and spoke to our RELIEF socioty! How cool is that!! She was so sweet. Well the bestt part of it was that she brought a very special friend of hers... A girl with downs syndrome. This girl (prob. in her 20's) stood up in front of us and bore her testimony. So that brought sniffles to every woman in the room. THEN...they turned on background music and she began to sing a song. THEn she waved her arms to the Guy wayyy up in the audio box that controls the music and she said. HOLD HOLD ON. I need to start over!! and then she looked out at us and said, "Im sorry, I am just so filled with the spirit this morning" Right then and there-we all were bawling.. ..not just because she spoke with such a testimony and sang with her off pitch voice a song ....but because we alll felt the spirit FILLLLLLL that room. MY heart was softend beyond belief. That was one of the best times of my life.

So lately my companion and I have been meeting with 2 chilean elders (im not sure if i told you about him) But they are learning english and we are learning spanish....so they help us a lot! they know a ton of english already. I GET SOOOOOOO gidddy just talking to them!!! I can't wait to be able to learn the language. They both just crack up laughing at me because I make up words along the way.!!!! One day I was like HMMMM fine! You think you can make fun of me!! SAY: SUPERCALAFRAGALISTIC EXPEEEALADOSIOUS. hahhaa They tried sooo hard. and we were dying laughing!!!! I LOVE THEM!!!

Guess what Alicia Hashey comes tomorrow!!! I CANT WAIT TO HUGGGGGGGGGG HER!!! We're not supposed to hug, but i might have to sneak hahha :) jk

So one thing we do is get with our whole district every monday night and plan for the week-this monday my companion had to say 5 things she loved about me. Her things were: I NEVER COMPLAIN, I have such a desire to learn, and I know everybody here already!! ( i definitely don't--but I just love meeting people and she has a harder time with that).

I miss you all.
I am struggeling in spanish...lets just say: learning a language is not my cup of tea. Ask me to paint a picture or do a photoshoot-i'll do it. Learn spanish in 9 weeks, UM def. going to have to put 100% effort in- and learn to trust the Lord...because I need him. I guess I'll leave you with that.

I am very tired. ADIDAS means something new to me now . Its not " All day I dream about SOCCER".....its now "All day I dream about SLEEP" I AM VERYYYYY ORGANIZED THO!!!! YOu wouldnt believe it!!! I PROMISE I AM THOUGH!!! Get on the LDs.org website and watch the YOUTUBE VIDEOS: lifting burdens: the Atonement of Jesus Christ and What Matters MOST.
I love you byebyeeeeeeeeeeeee :)

http://www.youtube.com/mormonmessages#play/all/1/coef8G5ax6E

What A Crazy Ride...

2009-11-11T07:12:00.000-08:00

Wow! What a crazy ride it has been so far! I feel like I have been here for weeks and its only been like ten days! I have to say although learning spanish this quickly is the hardest thing I've ever done, it is sooo worth it! I am having the time of my life. I have never felt so at peace while being so overwhelmed. I can bear my testimony and pray in spanish, and I also know a bunch of random words. I have taught many 'investigators' of the church and cannot wait to teach everyday and serve the people in Chile. My companions are awesome. All 3 of us are so awesome! My district is awesome! We all get along so well! Each one of us has such different personalities, but we are loving getting to know each other. One of them cracks me up! I almost peed in my pants yesterday from laughing so hard. Let's just say they do things like turn the breakers off in people's room (only for their outlets). Then they'll stick a vacuum under one their buddies beds and turn it on, but it doesn't actually turn on until they go and flip the breaker in the middle of the night. Yeah, imagine waking up to a vacuum turned on under your bed. Haha. They do funny things that definitely keep me entertained. But, the spirit of the MTC is what is literally changing my life. You wouldn't believe what you can learn and feel if you escape the constant distractions like texting, Facebook, internet and TV. I have learned so much and have put my trust int he Lord. I have faith that I will learn the language and be able to serve. I would have to say that if you want to do something that will change your life for the better, this is it. Enough said. I can only write Tuesdays, so I'll try again next week.

Testifico:

Yo Seque el evangelio de JesusCristo ed verdadero. Dios restauro su evengelio a traves de Jose Smith. Podemos saber por media de Espirito santo que el libro de mormon es verdadero. El libro de mormon contiene la palabra de dios. Gracias a este testimonio puedo superar desafios y vivir feliz. Amo a Jesus Cristo y a mi padre celestial yo se que. Mi padre celestial! Me ama. En el number de Jesus Cristo. Amen.

"I was welcomed with open arms"

2009-11-05T18:30:00.000-08:00

Yayyy!! It's my P-day!!! And I can only write for 20 more minutes so excuse my spelling mistakes. I love those!! WOW! Do i miss you all. I am so sorry I didnt look back. Lets just say-if I did I knew I would have started crying. But, I was welcomed with open arms. Basically everything here is WONDERFUL (and I am not just saying that- I actually mean it!) This is the hardddddddddest thing I have ever done..but I have never felt so at peace. This is where I should be right now in my life. I have gained such a testimony of this gospel and how wonderful it is that we have the TRUTH! My companions and I are all so different (I have two!) But we all get along reallllly well so far. They laugh at me all day and think it's funny how I sing things and make funny noises and goofy faces. They are both very intelligent girls....and are helping me on my spanish!Anyways, I got to meet elder Uchtdorf yesterday!! He is just as wonderful in person!!! I loved it. I know he tans!!! hahhaa :) jk. Did you know we pray over 20 times a day here. NO JOKE. Before and after EVERYTHING!! And yes: IN SPANISH!!! I am progressing with spanish really well---Not as far along as everyone else..but Im getting there. Sometimes I just make up words hoping they work. Heavenly Father must have a sense of humor because sometimes he puts the right words into my mouth..and my companions will just die laughing-knowing those words did NOT come from me....seeing as i didnt even know how to say HELLO in spanish when I got here! (should have tried out that rosetta stone) There is sooo much to say but so little time. I am soooooo healthy!!! I eat sooo much and work out soo much! EVERY OTHER MINUTE OF MY DAY is spent studying. There is no time for makeup-or free time. FREE TIME....um no such thing. It can be a little overwhelming...My companion has cried all day almost everyday. I don't cry anymore!! BUT I did cry last night when I got your letters. SO MANY people have written me...but I have only written you guys. I literrally don't have time to write...and we are only supposed to WRITE on on our p-days!! Man, This place is crazy!! Unlike any other place you have been to...Did you know the FBI just did an investigation on the MTC...and is now trying to imply the teaching methods that they teach here for International relations (foreign language study) What they really don't know is it is the spirit that is teaching us!! I have come to rely on my Heavenly Father so much.... I even bore my testimony in spanish on sunday in front on my whole ward. It is ALLL ELDERS except for my 2 companions and I! ya. WEIRD. but they are soooo respectful. They make me think of Hunter and A.J. and Chandler. I CANNNNOTTTTTTT wait for them to experience this. It is absolutly amazing. . . I wont lie. I am very exausted. I have not written or heard from Elder murray in almost 2 weeks. Its weird..but I think of him everyday walking these halls and between buildings. SO when jamie said he gained weight-I UNDERSTAND WHY!!! I weigh 109 NOW. compaired to the last time i weighed myself at 102. MY stomach is sticking out haha... I have not near as much time as Jamie did. Due to learning spanish. One of my teachers ONLY speaks spanish in class. I raised my hand and said, "um did I miss out on a pre-spanish class...because I HAVE no idea what your saying"... My district is Awesome. 12 elders going to Baltimore spanish speaking and CHILE! One of them is so funny...and they all are kind of trouble makers....somewhat. BUT all have a testimony of GOLD! My letters will give you more of my spiritual experiences... and please share them with whoever you can..maybe even type them up and email them to whoever you can. I just can't be on email very long : ( I have really tried to "set the world aside, and obey with exactness" If you slack off here--you will not be prepared for your mission and being thrown into a Foreign country. RIght now I have running through my head that I have to teach do 10 "door contacts" learn 50 new spanish words today. 10 phrases and teach the 1st discussion to 3 people by the end of the day!! Yes. Its crazy how much you can get done w/o a cell phone and a computer to distract you. OH and Lovely lunches with mother. I LOVE my family sooooooo much. You don't even know. I would type everything in spanish but It would take way to long!! LOVE YOU allllll..... and i'll be sending pictures sooon. Wow... this gospel is amazing. I have never felt more at peace in my entire life.
Love,
Paige

Jamie, Alive and Well.

2009-10-31T13:15:00.001-07:00

Anyone who knows Paige Conley, knows Jamie Murray, or as at least heard of him. Well, Paige left on her mission and is the MTC right now, so I haven't heard from her yet. I will on Wednesday, but I found this picture on Jamie's mission blog and it looks like he is alive and doing well! From what I know, he is loving his mission and has even baptized someone! I can't wait to hear from Paige now!

Entering into the MTC October 28th!

2009-10-15T11:30:00.000-07:00

For all those who don't know me, my name is Monica Johnson and I'm going to be keeping a mission blog for our beloved Paige Conley as she leaves on her mission to Concepcion, Chile. Paige is in her FINAL COUNTDOWN before she leaves. If everyone could write a comment under this post and leave Paige some words of encouragement before she leaves, she would LOVE that.

Thanks!

Monica Johnson