The Reason we Have Nieces: Sometimes you Need Angels When you Have Surgeries in Foreign Countries September 22, 2014

So I found out that Sara didn't write a letter for the blog last week because their computer service went down during her computer time.  Here are some great pictures I received from Kathy on Facebook.  She is a great friend to the sister missionaries in their ward in Ranaca Alto.  The first ones are from a ward party celebrating Chilean Independence Day. The last three are Sara and Sister Etchagaray  last week when they had Sunday dinner with Kathy Munoz and her family.

 

Friends and Family,

So EVERYONE and their dog knows about the feet situation. Thank you for nothing, sisterly circle of trust. You both broke that one. But yes, when I was sitting there on the kitchen table of the mission office, having flashbacks to all the little cat surgeries, Dave Jackson´s hand, when I fell in the cactus, when I fell down the hill, shot in the hand (ok Im going to stop listing the amount of home-proceedures I´ve had. Or Ill be here all day). Anyways, one of the missionaries brought me a letter from Adee, and I had been so worried that I was going to have to sit there and watch the whole thing, but my companion opened up the letter, and I just sat there and held those adorable little scribbles she sent me in front of my face so I didn't have to watch. WE NEVER GET MAIL OTHER THAN ZONE CONFERENCE. So that was my little miracle. But that day, it was a very big deal for me "it´s a VERY big deal ALBERT!"

      We had a miracle at church yesterday too! Hunberto announced in Sunday School that he recieved his answer (he's the dad of the two little boys who were baptized) and that he wants to be baptized this Saturday! It was so great to see how happy he was. 

      Also, I have been studying the attributes of Christ, and I highly recommend everyone studying those 9 attributes in Preach my Gospel, and making a goal to try to apply one everyday. Like something specific you can do or say or how to act.

      I love you all very much. My toes are feeling so much better. I don't even notice them now. I promise. I am getting more accustomed to everything, and working well with Hna. Etchegaray. 

      Our zone conference was amazing. We talked about how powerful faith is, and also the changes from the first presidency that we have to teach all five lessons before baptism now, and that we have to keep in contact with every one of our converts each month for at least a year. Even while we're on our mission. They are putting a lot of trust in us to help with retention of new members. 

      I am so excited for General Conference! I can't even put in words. 

      I love you love you. Pray for Hunberto, and also for Bryan and Jenny that they can come to church consistently so that they can be baptized. Your prayers are working. We are seeing miracles, and even though it is pretty rough some days when no one wants to listen or change, I am finding people to love.

      Have a wonderful week!

      Love, Sister Coray

Also, I need someone to look up the part of A Christmas Carol of the names of the creepy little children that are named "ignorance and want" or something like that. What does he say about them at that part? Thanks!

Toes alias "Tootsies" September 15, 2014

Sara didn't have time to write a blog letter today so here are a few excerpts from the letter she wrote to me. She answered a lot of my questions about her daily life.

Yes, the toes are a struggle, but don't worry. I am being smart and taking good care of them. I am so glad I've had all that training from Ron. And yes, our Ward Mission Leader is very active. They are great!

The language isn't really hard at all now. It's mostly just dealing with a culture that is so stinkin different and laid back. Today I finally didn't have to wear any jacket! Happy day. P-days we don't have time to do anything. We clean, buy stuff we need, write home, and go back home to prep whatever we need for the rest of the week for like an hour. And there really isn't anything we could do in this area even if we did have time. 

And it doesn't take very long actually for my packages to get here. We just only get mail once every transfer at zone meetings. So if you want me to get it in like less than two months after you send it, send it right after we have our last zone meeting. We just had one the 10th, so we will have one in about six more weeks. You can plan it like that, and that way it won't be sitting in the mission office forever. Because it only takes about 4 weeks for it to arrive to Chile. I hope that made sense.

 

Thank you so much for your prayers and love. I love you and miss you. Have a great week!

 

Love, Sara

 

 

Here are pictures of "wild life" she passed on her way home from the grocery store and from her toe surgery.  I wonder how many pictures I have of Sara's feet after surgical procedures.  This was one of the more mild ones. She had ingrown toenails removed last week.

 

Sorry, they're kinda gross haha

 

Sunday Will Come, September 8,2014

Sara with her new companion Hermana Marina Etchegaray. She is from Argentina. She has three months left in her mission.  she and Sara are complete opposites but have become good friends during their first week together. 

Celebrating Sara's 3 months in to her mission with a yummy breakfast!

 



 

 

Dear Friends and family,

If anyone was under the impression that the world is completely full of missionaries, think again. We need more. So so many more. So that's that.

We have a Zone meeting this week so that will be fun. Mom, will you look to see how much my card was charged? I used it for the first time the other day, so I just need to know that. 

I have like no time, but I would just like to say that no piece of anything I ever learned in my home has been wasted. It is crucial to teach your children. And teach them well. thank you mom and dad. I can't say it enough. Steve, get ready to hit the ground running. 

Everyone should watch the little mormon message from Elder Haight's talk Sunday Will Come. That is the hope I am hanging onto right now. I feel a little bit in the middle of Friday night. This morning I read Alma 31:31-38 and was crying at how similar I feel right now. It will all be ok. Sunday will come. 

I love you all so much. We need prayers for Hunberto, Bryan, Jenny, Juan, and everyone else. and lots of prayers for soft hearts. 

xoxoxoxoxo
Sister Coray

Took a Little Tumble off the Cliff

First of all, everything is fine. Second of all, I cant believe no one heard about a stinking 7 point something earthquake in the city where your daughter, sister, friend, etc. is serving.

But yes, we had a huge earthquake, and it felt a little bit like that part on Sword in the Stone where Merlin's tower is rocking all over the place, because we were at the top of the Reñaca hill, having a lesson with an investigator, and everything just started to shake (obviously). You guys didn't even have to be there! Watch that part of Sword in the Stone and you will have the clearest image possible haha. My companion started freaking out, because she's kind of dramatic (I realize that's the pot calling the kettle black, but it's true). And I was just really calm. It reminded me of tornadoes in Illinois. So I was just trying to calm down my companion... didnt really work... but whatever. And after that we just finished our lesson and stepped out into the torrential rain storm. The hill was pretty much a mudslide, so we just went as quick as we could to a member's house, where we experienced yet another earthquake. But it was really cool. It was kind of like... yes, we may possibly die right here in this little rickity shack on the side of this hill, but worrying isn't going to make it better. So I just sat and waited haha. And prayed out loud. There were a few more little earthquakes during the night too. 

It's very reassurring to know that you guys have actually no way of knowing if there has been some sort of disaster... so that's nice to know... not. 

But we had another baptism yesterday! Diana is so wonderful:) It was so beautiful. Latinos can't sing, and so they think my voice is amazing, so once again I was the musical number... how fantastic. We are trying very hard to help Bryan and Jenny realize the changes they need to make in their lives in order to be baptized. They know all the lessons forward and back... they can pretty much teach us. But it is hard for them to realize that they actually have to apply the stuff the Spirit is teaching them. 

Oh, if you want to know what it is like to scale the Reñaca hill up and down all day in mud, watch the other part of Sword in the Stone where the poor little wolf is about die from chasing after Arthur. Once again, you didn't even have to be there. Now you can all now. 

My companion left, so Im working back and forth with another sister between our two areas, and Wednesday I will have my new companion! 

I absolutely love to study my scriptures, like always, and it is getting easier little by VERY little to understand this language they pretend is Spanish. 

I am a little worried about staying here to work without my other companion, because she had been here for 9 months, and so all the members absolutely loved her, and I just hope that stays when Im here with someone else. But that's the normal missionary life I guess. Everything will be good. 

I love you all so much! 

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Sister Coray

p.s. I watched a dog get pummled by a car. I cried, even though I have decided I am never owning a dog for the rest of my life. Ever. Or a cat.

Little White Girl, do You Have your Sun Block?

I really wish that the question I heard most often was "When can I be baptized?" or "When can I come with you and your companion to an appointment?" But... usually, people are more concerned about my skin than the gospel haha. And so, I hear, a lot, "blanquita, tiene su block?" hahaha.

This week Ricardo and Sebastian were confirmed, and Ricardo recieved the priesthood, so that was awesome! It looks like their dad probably doesn't want to be baptized this week, so we are a little sad. That has happened with several of our other investigators too. But it's all gonna be ok. 

If anyone has any good ideas for ward missionary activities lemme know. 

The culture here is very respectful, but very relaxed. So there's the whole struggle with having to have a time schedule... let alone staying with the time schedule.

We eat luch with the members, and it is pretty formal, regardless of who's house your in. They serve different courses, and always on nice dishes, and it is kind of like one big tea party. Thank heavens I haven't had to eat a hot dog with mayonnaise or beans or gooby cheese yet. It is a lot of cilantro, tomatoes, meat, salad, soup, rice, and caffeine free coffee haha. 

Also, we have five neighborhood cows. They dont belong to anyone... they just roam free. 

Also, we are like the only mission in the world that goes to bed at 11 and wakes up at 7. So that's cool.

A few of our progressing investigators are not progressing anymore, just for lack of committing to things. That same laid back cultural thing kicks in and no one really feels like waking up to go to church, or reading their scriptures, or really anything. 

But there are still lots of blessings everyday. 

Pray for me and my companion as she gets ready to leave. Im probably going to stay here, and our sector is so huge......... soooooo huge. I wish I could remember every street and every name, but that just isnt going to happen yet I dont think. Guess we're gonna find out. 

Love you

Sister Coray

"But what if there is no tomorrow?!​?!?! There wasn't one today!!!!"

So even though I have this planner that has the date written on every page, I can't ever remember the day or the date. Also, every day is kind of a blur, and so it is hard to tell if time is actually moving, and usually it just feels like I'm living the same day over and over and over and over, (got it ;)) haha. But not in an awful way... mostly it's just a little disorienting. So I made this calender (fam, see video) to help with the time warp struggle. So if anyone has anything to contribute for exciting days that are coming up, I would happily add them to my calendar.

OUR BAPTISMS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It was the coolest thing. The water was freezing cold, but my precious little Ricardo and Sebastian are baptized now! I am so happy for them. Their dad came to church with the rest of their family yesterday, and that was super exciting too.

I'm not sure how detailed you guys want to know all my stuff, but here's a list of the people we are working with right now:)

 

Hunberto - Dad Fernandez, loves the gospel, is really having trouble getting work off, but wants to get baptized the 24th.

Dianna - her mom is an aethiest, but her dad is awesome, and she is going to be baptized the 23rd hopefully. She is an angel, 15 years old, and so amazing. 

Carlos - super old, and has a phobia of leaving his house, Jehovas Witness, but really receptive. Wants to be baptized, but, once again, has a phobia of leaving his house and his daughter at home (really, his daughter is his cat, but we dont tell him that)

There are others, but those are our focuses! Pray for Beatrice and her family, and Caroline and her family! We are trying to baptize families, and trying to build branches and wards. 

Love you all! 

these are pictures of the baptisms and yesterday was the day of ninos so Hno Marcelo made us these little cakes!

 Heating water in the microwave to try to warm up the font.

 Adding warm water to the freezing cold water in the baptismal font.

 little sister? Hermana Carias, Ricardo & Sebastian, Sara

Pictures!!!!

These are pictures of Sara and Sister Sanford  traveling from Mexico City to Chile.

 

First look at the mountains of Chile!

First look at the City of Vina!

Sara at the CCM with Algie Brown's sister, Hermana Brown