Itsy bitsy Spider

Good Morning Washington!

How's life going up north? Down south is full of all kinds of emotion and weather.

 

First off FOOD. So we were teaching this lady and she brought us some pear juice and I noticed a black thing floating in the juice but hey I got to drink it right? So I was drinking it and avoiding the floating dot and then as soon as all the juice was gone and the black dot was finally at the bottom of the glass POOF it sprouted eight legs and started crawling up the glass. Yup. It was spider. A live one. But the best part was she poured me another glass and we had a fun round two! EWWWW.

 

Oh and also my hair always ends up in my district leader´s food. One time he literally pulled it out of his throat. It was super gnarly and hilarious. Yesterday this family served us hamburgers..... YESSS: So I ate 5 of them. My comp was super mad at me, but hey they kept offering and I wasn't about to say no to hamburgers! Sooo good. Oh and mom I ate tuna and noodles and thought of you!! Also the mango here is cheaper than apples. AND I eat tomatoes like there is no tomorrow.  I LOVE TOMATOES!

 

Spiritual: So I have been thinking a lot about convenants and the strength that they bring us. Sometimes we forget that when we keep our convenants and keep the commandments we will receive blessings! It is a promise from God! And the happiness that we will receive is beyond imagination. Sometimes I hear a song in the calle that reminds me of home and the happiness is so different. I can almost tangibly feel the difference of the pure joy of the Gospel and the supposed happiness of the world. 

Also I have been reading the Book of Mormon a ton and been thinking a lot about the final words of each on the prophets found in that book. Wow. Think about Nephi. In 2 Nephi he is talking about all this crazy Isaiah stuff and then he goes, wait a second I have a little more to tell you. and boom we get 31 and 32 of second nephi. The clearest explanation of the Gospel of Christ. think about the words of King Benjamin, his last sermon teaches everything we need to learn in such clear, simple, and powerful terms but with love and kindness.

Lehi when he is giving advice to his children. Same with Alma the younger before he walks off into the desert to be taken up into the arms of his Savior. WOW. I want to write a book analyzing the final words of every prophet in the book of Mormon and Bible. But of course, the Savior´s last words are the most poignant of them all. Before he ascends into heaven, he tells his apostles in Jerusalem, preach the gospel to everyone. There is no greater calling. Every member is a missionary.

 

I have been thinking a lot about if I knew I was going to die, what would I say? There is a talk in conference about this too but I honestly have no idea right now. I hope I live a long life so that I can learn and grow and have pain and trials so that when I finally get to see my Salvador again, I can truly thank him for his sacrifice for me and show him that I worked everyday to become more like Him and leave a posterity behind me following in the same path to eternal life with our family and God. Es la meta!

 

Never been happier than in the mission! Never been sadder than in the mission!

 

Random stuff: First earthquake! Was super dope. and I am also super clumsy. Trip over nothing all the time.

 

Love,

Hermana Farner

Salvation is not a cheap experience

I can't believe I am saying this, but I miss chopping wood and getting wood and getting my hands dirty. I miss the garden the most. I loved watering it every morning! hah. I am so weird.

 

The mission. It really is marriage training. Can't really say anything else about it. My comp and I have trust and communication issues. Both a little stubborn and both a little proud. I am still praying for patience and humility and self control. I figure I might as well invite all the desafios and pruebas at once so I can learn faster and be a better missionary later. Not drag things out. My three month mark is in like 3 days! Whoa!

 

With that marriage training is the quote from Elder Holland "Salvation is not a cheap experience" that is why we have all of these pruebas de fe, moments of complete depression, times where we can't see the light. Salvation isn't cheap. It isn't something that someone just stumbles upon. It is the constant striving to hold on to the iron rod and move forward. It is straight and narrow, often difficult to stay on because ya it is difficult. But the view on the top of the mountain after being stuck in the rain, stuck in the mud, sweating to reach the summit, it is all worth it. Without a doubt in my mind when I get to that celestial kingdom and see my Savior all those "hard things" in my past, not even difficult. Nothing can compare to salvation, nothing can compare to the love of the savior. But baby it ain't cheap!

 

My testimony grew this week when we were with a couple of investigators named Marc.and Mar. They are Evangelicos. Super learned in the Bible and all that stuff. To a third party it may have looked terrible for Hna V. and I because they were just bashing us. But those moments when you can testify without a doubt in your mind that we need the Book of Mormon because it contains the fulness of the Gospel, and that I know Joseph Smith was a prophet, and that I know that we need the Priesthood in our lives, that authority to act in God´s name on the earth, there is no other feeling like it. They might not have felt the spirit, that is their agency, their choice, but I felt it. Hermana V felt it. And it gives me strength to move forward. I love it!

 

So there is this lady Hermana P, she is member. She is very direct but in a nice way. She gave us lunch with specific instructions to bring the tupperware back on Sunday. So I washed that stuff like no other and made one of the little crafts for her and gave a scripture and all this sweet stuff and what not and brought it to church yesterday. The other Elders forgot theirs so I was feeling pretty good! So I gave it to her, all shiny and pretty, and she goes "Why didn't you bring it in a bag? Seriously?" hahahaha. I didn't even know what to say!

 

So I was walking back to my pew and I saw Elder K. and told him what happened and he was like "No way seriously?" and then we went to Sunday School. But the Elders weren't there..... They had gone back to their house, brought the clean tupperware, IN A BAG, and gave it to Hermana P. Those Elders. Gosh. She was so happy with them.

 

Spanish was funny and rough this week. Some guy started laughing at me as I was trying to bear my testimony. But I realized something about why they are called Grandma´s cookies or Grandma´s bread, or Grandma´s chicken. It is because she is old and experienced. She has tried every ingredient every type of flour, variety of chocolate to come up with those perfect cookies that melt in your mouth. Occasionally in her past she had one of those perfect batches, but the next ones were burnt. But that is ok, there are times when there are going to be those burnt cookies because when we taste those, we remember the good ones. That is Spanish for me! I am improving every day, but some days it is like Day one all over again. But I know that through experience I will get that bomb cookie recipe.

 

One other thing of importance that I am learning is the concept found in Mosiah 2:33. About not listing. When I think of listing I think of a boat in the water. Just sitting there. Rocking with the waves. Perhaps it is faced toward the direction it wants to go, perhaps it is in idle, perhaps it is off. But regardless it isnt moving anywhere. This boat is like us, when we are listing, not moving forward, two things can happen. A storm can come, and knock us around and possibly worse, mold and algae can start to grow beneath the surface of the water. Without moving forward, staying active following the counsel of D&C 58 and James 1:5-6, we are drinking our own damnation. Don´t list! Don't wait! Pray for the spirit and follow it!

 

IS. AND MO. HAVE THEIR WEDDING ON MARCH 8! BAPTISM MARCH 15! If you have cheap wedding ideas send me them! They have no money. And we want them to have the best day ever! 

 

Love and miss you all! Addy is precious.Love her to death. Miss all yall!

Hermana Farner

WHY DID I PRAY FOR HUMILITY AND PATIENCE?!?

CONGRATS SCOTT AND EMILY!!! My comp in the CCM Hermana McBride is in the Richmond Virginia Spanish Speaking mission and so is my roommate Hermana McCrae! Emily you are going to lovvvee the CCM in Mexico. What a place! Make sure to eat lots of the salsa that stuff is magic and I miss it every day. Scott you are coming to the promised land my man!

 

A few lessons about praying for patience and humility. I can testify that God answers prayers. I have been praying for the ability to gain the Christlike attributes of patience and humility in this past week. A word of caution and advice for the future. Don't ever do this. God answers prayers.

Let me explain.

 

One day we looked in our fridge and realized that all the food was hot. And well that's just not how a fridge is supposed to work. So we took all the stuff out and ya it was super dead so we don't have a fridge, not to mention the broken shower, toilet and lack of hot water because we didn't pay the bill (haha that last one is just stupidity) but ya that is always fun!

 

Humble yet? Nope.

 

I accidentally drank some rotten milk and ate some rotten jam. (Let's just stay that I was starving and made cereal in the dark. bad idea (stupidity again)). The next day I was laying in bed trying to puke but not being able to. Then we ate lunch at a member's house and I had to give my postre to Elder K to eat because there was no way that was gonna go down and stay down. So then we went to an investigator's house and right in the middle of the talk about the first vision, ya it started to come up. I sprinted to the side of the house and just started puking like there was no tomorrow. It was super super super funny and gross and just awkward. The lady was old and half blind so I don't think she knew everything that was happening but she could probably smell it. After that we finished the lesson invited her for baptism; she declined sadly and we went on our merry way.

 

But that was no the end of that. I used that bathroom in every other house we went to that day and for the next two days. I remember laying on the ground and crying because I wanted to go work but I couldn't move my muscles and all I could think of was WHY DID I PRAY FOR HUMILITY AND PATIENCE. And also then the answer came to my mind. Revel in the trenches and run uphill. Haha-good stuff.

 

I had my talk! Went well. I almost pulled a Mike Farner and asked everyone who did their home and visiting teaching to stand but I figured that it was a step too far. But I definitely spoke with my cutting edge voice with this ward. I am very frustrated; they are very amazing but won't work together. So I gave some nice whacks to the head with the proverbial stick in true Hermana Farner fashion. Do it ancient with some power and authority. 

 

The miracle of the cambios. We are staying in Los Cerillos for another 6 weeks and thank goodness for it! We prayed every night for like three nights that she wouldn't get changed. Hermana V has been in Los Cerrillos for about 6 months already so we were pretty nervous!  We have 8 baptismals fechas for March and we did NOT want to miss those. These people mean so much to me. Especially my Mo. and Is. and G:   Love those kids. Also L. is 73 and S. is 84 and they are the cutest couple ever. She always mentions how she wants to be married to S. for eternity in the temple and he always responds with a resolute smile and silly joke. He is a character for sure. Deaf as a doorknob but just the funniest sweetest old guy. Their grandkids and daughter are getting baptized too and it is just a happy time for that family.

 

I miss all of you and hope life is great.

Love always,

Hermana Farner

Revel in the Trenches

I tried to talk in English to some lady yesterday and physically couldn't do it.  I can't speak English or Spanish really well. I am stuck in the twilight zone of languages at the momento. haha :)

 

Food:

We had some GIANT completos the other week. So good. I love them. Probs my favorite. Then yesterday we were at the house of menos activo and gave us literally a cuarto of cake. Super rico but really too much. I had to eat one and a half of eat of those things because Hermana V couldn't do it:) I had my first empenadas, homemade with our investigators last night. So good. They were filled with salmon I think. Couldn't really tell you but I woke up with pain in my stomach in the middle of the night. Hope I won't have a Nairne experience.

 

Spiritual:

Pöwer and Authority. If you have time look for all the examples you can of people preaching with power and authority in the BOM and  Biblia. Sooo amazing. And inspirational. There is no greater work than la obra misional. Also there is a little phrase I came up with called Revel in the Trenches. When we are in the darkest, hardest parts of our lives we need to revel in those moments because they are the defining moments of our lives. Seriously, there is no better time to build the light our faith than when it is the darkest part of the war with Satan. Find that hope and revel in the moments you have in those moments, always having hope.

 

Mo. y Is.:

MILAGROS. Not married 31 and 21 respectively. They are so faithful and poor and are ready for baptism....... after marriage. Yesterday they both got jobs both felt that 8 of March is their date for marriage and 15 of March is their baptism. I love them so freaking much it is scary. I have so much stress. I want them  to be happy and take their trials for them!!

 

WEEK 6

What the heck!  The time flies when you are working hard. We have cambios next week and I better stay here in Maipu. I want  to see my amigos get baptized. I love them so much! Their little baby G., is an angel;  chubby and adorable. Looks like that picture of dad we have in the living room but more white. He could be related to me. Super crazy!

Little sick otra vez. Sorry if this is too much info for y'all but I hate the bathroom let's just say that.

 

I have a talk next week!  Our district is legit we played volleyball today! Hermana V no le gusta deportes.

 

REVEL IN THE TRENCHES :)

 

Love and miss you all!

 Hermana Farner

Glory in the Moment, live in the Tender Mercies of the Lord

I don't have a lot of time! Ah! First off it is rough in the ward, we have a lot of menos activas but that is Chile in general. Lots of baptisms not a lot of conversions if you know what I mean. 

Got the letters in the CCM and the letters from you with the picture of Nairne! Love it and carry it with me always. Send him one of me!

WE have 4 fechas for baptism! Straight up magic and miracles out here. I have a strong testimony that if we work and focus on what our purpose is we  are blessed with people that are prepared to hear and accept the word of God in their lives.

Their names are Mo, Is, Vi and Ma. Mo and Is are not married but have a little baby boy Ga who has got to be the straight up cutest baby in the world. They came to church and want to change their lives. They live in very humble circumstances and I love them so much . I invited them to the USA after the mish so be prepared to have them over!´

 

Ma is Addy's age. He has some problems we can't get him to share at this moment but we are working on it. He believes and comes to church almost every Sunday. Don't have any young men in our ward so its hard to get him a friend which is one of the keys to retention. If you can, have the missionaries teach others in your home! Be a member missionary! Step out of the box and do the work of the Lord!

I still don't understand the currency here at all and I am starting to realize that everyone has their own way of doing things. Oh the things we learn on the mission! 

 

I am learning the principle of patience and thought control. Thought control is super hard. I pray every day that I can stay present and not get caught up daydreaming about the future or thinking about the past. It is hard! Especially when this 94 year old man is speaking rapid Spanish about his cat that died two days ago. I mean I want to relate it to the Plan of Salvation but it is stretch even in English if you know what I mean. It is so much easier to just think about how delicious food is and how much I love it you know? Haha, such a baby thing but when you can master your thoughts, you can master the world. It all starts in your spirit and your mind. Clean those up and your life is a lot cleaner too.

 

So many things I want to say to you all! I have a little post it note with all sorts of stuff written down to tell you but I have 5 minutes! Ugh!

 

I think I will do a spiritual thought:  So often times we are having a lesson about persevering until the end right? Perserverar hasta el fin. And other people when they give this lesson they talk about how we make mistakes and that we just have to take it step by step, little by little. I totally agree with this statement, but not in the tone of the statement. We should glory and realize how wonderful each step is. Not imagining oursleves scraping along. Glory in the moment. Live presently. It makes the view at the end much more beautiful.

 

Come to the mountain of the Lord right?  That mountain is hard to climb, but if you look on each side of you there are birds, rocks, trees, plants, flowers the little blessings that sometimes get overlooked when we are so focused on the colossal mountain in front of us. This is what I am trying to do. Take those little steps but enjoy them. Live in tender mercies of the Lord.

 

Sorry if I didn`t answer your questions. I am so bad at managing this time!

 

Love you lots. Get some family history done too hah ;)

 

Love,

Hermana Farner

First Sickness in the Mission

I have a fever and crazy back and neck pain. First sickness in the mission! I had to stay in the house over the course of yesterday. I feel a lot better but I am still constantly sweating. rough life.

 

Dulce de leche is SO delicious. And I am going to start drinking mate for my digestion because ya.... I have a problem with the bano. haha rough life!

 

Funny story we were cleaning at a house and there the floor was wood and the lady kept washing the wrong way and all I could thing of was WITH THE GRAIN WOMAN, WITH THE GRAIN. haha :)

 

Fun words: halo- you yell this instead of ringing  doorbell haha. it is weird.. catche- means like "you get it?" and if you do you say "catcho". Palolo-boyfriend.

 

I broke a mirror and a spoon and my watch this week.

Milagro! got my camera fixed! Best day ever! Now all I have to do is learn how to load pictures onto the computer. CURSE YOU SPANISH. haha :) Nah un chiste I love it here.

 

Learning a lot out here. A lot about the need to respect my companion. We have very different styles of living, styles of communicating, among others. and then there is the language barrier. She is an angel for being so patient with me. I am starting to see my stubbornness and how it is a weakness that is inhibiting my spiritual growth. I can say without a doubt that a mission is the best and hardest thing I will ever choose to do in this life. I know that God has an amazing plan for me and  I want to be the woman of God that he wants me to be, I can only hope that I am spiritually sensitive enough to change and grow to become as such.

 

Learned a lot from a discurso by Elder Holland! All about leaving our nets behind and being able to truly say YES Lord I love you more than those things back home and I will feed your sheep.

 

This week was full of milagros we were able to teach so many people with the same power and authority found in Alma 17. I have a new phrase for myself. Do it ancient. We need to preach like Ammon and Aaron and Amulek and all those great missionaries of ancient times.

 

One last thing, I have come to understand that faith is not a feeling that we have but rather a manner in which we do something. I am still learning a lot about faith, but that is what I am starting to learn through one of our investigators. 

 

It is a short message because honestly I am a little dizzy and can't focus well with this fever of mine. Shoot. but tell P Fox I say hey and the mission is the best decison ever! Love to all! Especially you mommy! Miss you and love you a ton ton ton. Can't wait to see you in 16 months! haha can you believe it has already been 2 months?

 

Love,

Hermana Farner

The Mission Truly Changes You!

Dear Family and Friends,

First THE FOOD: I can testify that yes. The mission truly changes you. Last week me and Elder T both ate a chile pepper whole and I loved it. Hollan watch out we are having a pepper eating contest when I get home! In Chile we just have salads of tomatoes with oil and salt and then lettuce in a different bowl with oil and salt (salt and mayo are the two staples to the Chilean diet. I have not changed in my love for those. Hate them both: tomatoes and mayo) But ya I serve myself tomatoes and eat them whole and I like it! Same with bananas. The other day we had "burgers" and I had lettuce and tomato on mine. Mission change!! haha ;) We also were fasting the only time I could have had cake. Lame. Sacrifice for something better :)

 

APARTMENT:  The toilet seat isn't attached to the toilet and I have to gather my hair that falls out in the shower and throw it in the trash can so the drain doesn't clog. I think of Addison almost every morning! haha :)

 

BUGS: Ya I kill spiders and moths all the time. Sin temor! So weird to see the little things the Lord has provided for me in this mission to make the transition easier.

 

STORY: SO we were at this meno activas house and asked if they needed any help with anything and they were in the middle of a moving furniture day and so ya we started helping them. There was this giant closet thing that needed to be moved and it was not the most sturdy of structure, but anyway we started moving it and slowly each side of the closet fell off and ya totally breaking and my companion and this old lady were both still going about life like nothing was wrong. I was wishing that DAD was there to tell them how to move furniture! Finally she was trying to get this giant closet into just the TINIEST doorway and it was not going to fit and in my broken spanish I was trying to explain but ya they shoved it and the whole thing collapsed. So we brought it in piece by piece and there I was standing on a table in my skirt with nails and a hammer in hand repairing it! Through much sweat and much spanglish I was able to rebuild it. hahahah. Twas an adventure.

 

HEAT: I need a translation of heat! But its like 36 degrees celcius here everyday. I DIE.

 

SPECIFIC PRAYER: The other day we had a specific prayer that we would find a family of 5 to teach that would let us into their home and would get baptized. The work is slow in baptisms out here. Sad life! So we went about our day and slowly we were finding people and at the end of the day this family of three with the cutest baby in the world invited us in and we taught the first discussion. As we were walking home my companion leaned to me and said that we had 5 new investigators that day. All day we had been teaching that we are all sons and daughters of God and brothers and sisters in His family. The prayer was answered in a way that I didn't expect., but what a milagro.

 

Sister Gudmundson. THANK YOU FOR THE STICKERS THEY ARE LIFESAVERS!

 

Mom: Ya the people here have the weakest handshakes ever. I have to lighten up because it is like a dead fish. Your quotes everyday also apply to all of my doubts fears and themes for the day. Thank you!

Hollan: You are so much like Jacob in the book of Mormon it is crazy!

Addison: I miss you so much and love you so much and wish I could talk to you!

 

SPIRITUAL THOUGHT: The work of a missionary is like a pebble being dropped it the lake. Each ripple adds to another until finally it reaches the other side of the shore. As missionaries we may be that pebble, we may be one of the ripples. But by tiny experiences are people brought to the Gospel and when they finally reach that shore of baptism. It is a great day .It is important to not become discouraged because as long as we are working hard that is what is important!

 

FEED THE MISSIONARIES!

 

Love and miss you all so much and I am trying not to think about any of you because it makes being a missionary hard! Stay Safe!

 

Love always,

Hermana Farner

My first completos!