Come along if you feel like a room without a roof! hahaha I'm happy:) and tired!

I'm so incredibly happy for Manuel. I can't even explain. One day we'll all have a long chat about it. But let me just say that his baptismal service is pretty much the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. Hna. Cubas and I were running around, and Valeska of course, doing everything at once, and we made him the nicest little compilation book of notes from all the members to congratulate him on his baptism day, and he gave his testimony after it was all over, and the whole thing was just wonderful.

hahaha but a baptism day is never complete without a few adventures: first, we got to the church early to make sure everything was fine in the font, and we asked how long it usually takes to fill up... the bishop's son, Nicholas, told us it takes about three hours. So we started the water, locked the door, and did all the regular stuff, everything was fine, until a DOG came through the open door, and lays down on the ground, and refused to leave the sacrament hall!!!!!!!!!!!! The meeting hadn't started yet, so I was trying to make my best effort at getting it to leave, because everyone else was extremely calm and normal about the whole thing. I couldn't get it to leave, and no one else seemed to care, even though I was telling everyone and then just thought, "eight, we're in Chile, it's probably not the first or the last time." So I left it alone, and we had a great sacrament meeting. As soon as it was over, the dog just got up and left. AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHhh. I just told myself not to hate the thing, especially on a Sunday haha. 

After sacrament meeting, we go back to check on the water, and it had already filled up so much it was overflowing... great. I stopped the water, grabbed the mop, and it got taken care of pretty quick.
After that, everything happened pretty smoothly. Manuel is amazing. Ah!

Haha we put videos on in the sacrament room (I don't remember what it's really called)  while Manuel was changing after his baptism, and we watched a couple Mormon Messages, and we just kept them playing until they were ready. I was just sitting there calm as can be, enjoying this one beautiful video, and all of the sudden the bishop leans over to me and says, "Hermana, this is English." hahahaha at least we know I've gotten to the point where english and spanish sound the same to me. That's good! Bilingual!

The primary president and her family are so adorable. They have four tiny kids, and one on the way. She took us to a part-member family's house yesterday, and we met the little girl, and she's never been baptized. Since her fmaily is reactivating well, we are going to help Diana get ready for her baptism that should be pretty soon. She already loves her Book of Mormon:)

This sector is cooooooooonstant contacting. But we are finding some new people. Two investigators come to Manuel's baptism yesterday! And we hope that it was a spiritual experience for them so that they will have the same desire!

Haha Valeska's aunt, Eva (Eve) gave us lunch one day, and when we walked in she said, "hermanas! I'm so glad you're here. No one can open this jar of peaches open." (her husband is a super athletic kind of guy) "Even my husband couldn't get it open, and he's been trying since Thursday, we don't want to break it open. But I think you two can do it. You're special." We just kind of stood there and didn't really know what to say or do, so we took the jar of peaches, and just kind of looked at it like "what are we supposed to do with this....? How are we supposed to open it if Eduardo can't." So we tried and tried, nothig was happening, and then I thought of Sword and the Stone " Waaaaaaaaaaaaart, brain not brawn!" hahahahahahahaha, so I asked for a screw driver and pried it open in two seconds. She was so happy. "See! I told you that you two could do it with the Spirit!" hahahahaha

 

I love you all so much. I'm so happy to be here where I am. I can't believe how much the Lord loves me. 

P.s. I'm giving you all an assignment. You HAVE to do it. READ PREACH MY GOSPEL. From cover to cover, before I get home. If you read a little more than a page a day, you'll be done in plenty of time before I get there. DO IT!!!!!!! You'll be glad you did, and you'll also understand why I'm asking you to. Please please please!

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Also, a thought I had this morning:

Being the best is relative. You'll only be the best until someone else is better. Don't try to be the best, just try to be the best 'you.'

Happily Ever After

I have heard so many different points of view and stories and events from the wedding that I'm sure I'll never know quite how it was hahahahaha. But it looks so beautiful!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am so happy that our heavenly family just got bigger! That is so exciting. I am so grateful to you all.

 

Being a missionary makes the whole vision of my life change and get clearer. Some days it's a little out of focus, but that's when faith comes in. I am so grateful to be a missionary, because I am learning how to be a blessing to others. I thought I knew how to serve and help before... that wasn't even the half of it. Haha get ready if you can. I can't believe how I was going through life with blinders on my eyes. I'm sure it doesn't seem like that to all of you, because everyone always sees me as open-minded and driven, and a little over-excited sometimes haha. But now I know how all of those gifts can be a blessing to more than just me. To more than just us. I am so excited to live the rest of my life, because now I'm learning how to live it. I see what the Lord wants me to do, and I am learning to have enough faith to not be scared to do whatever He tells me. It's a process, obviously. So be ready!!!!!!!!! Be ready... hahaha

 

Manuel is getting baptized next Sunday! We are soooooooooo excited for him. He is going to be such a strong addition to this ward, and we love seeing how much he loves the commandments. He is so teachable, and just loves to learn. We'll send pictures! 

 

Our ward mission leader is so great! He is the sweetest, most willing person I have ever met. He is so level-headed and great at making people motivated and feel loved. 

 

I love ward council! Haha I can see dad rolling his eyes (you say that now because you don't have anything else to think about). But it's true! I love being in this ward with good leaders, and we have a lot of potential if we can pull it together and coordinate and we just need to keep helping them be excited! There are so many returned missionaries, and it is so great to learn from them. I am learning so much about leadership and service, and how simple it is to make a difference. There is no other way the Lord could have taught me all of this. It's like Miss Frizzle taking her class on "field trips," they actually go and see and put it into practice. That's what it's like being a missionary. You see all the wiring and structure and ins and outs of the Lord's church. There is no way any one else came up with this haha. Because if it weren't the Lord's church, some things just wouldn't make sense. 

 

I am so gratefu lfor the Restoration of the gospel. I would like to assign you all your fmaily home evening lesson for today or next week. Read or watch President Uchtdorf's talk "Don't Sleep through the Restoration." It's great! Even though it's from Priesthood, I think it's a pretty important principle for everyone. 

 

We're trying to find more new people! I have learned that it really just depends on the individual's desire for if they want the Lord to soften their heart. Our agency is the most important. 

I love you all! Have a fantastic week! Happy ever after!

Love,

Hermana Coray