Week 19

Hola!

This week was crazy... My comp is really sweet and quiet! She speaks zero English, but we're working on that.  To be honest, is insanely difficult.  We cant hardly communicate, so planning for our day is hard.  However we do language study together, I help her with English and she helps me with Spanish. I taught her the word "freakin" on day one. (Why? Well....why not?) On our second day together we were standing outside a house and at the same time she yelled "Alo" (that's how you get people to answer their door here) two cars drove past completely overpowering her voice. I said, "perfect timing" and she said, "freaking autos!" I'm so proud of her English improvements...haha

My area is really big with some fields. So in this area we get bikes!! It is really cold but it's fun. Also I thought I knew how to ride a bike, but when my skirt got stuck on the seat the first time and I about ate the ground, I was humbled. I must learn to ride a bike in a skirt now.  This is a much nicer (wealthier) part of my mission so our house is really nice! There's no mold, broken ceilings, or gross kitchen. I live with Hermanas B----/R----, and each companionship has their own study room. We all share a big room, and there's two bathrooms. I live in a constant state of frozen. We have tiny heaters and bed heaters but that's it. Hermana B---- gets up super early and she just stays in the study room. The other day I opened the door to see what she was doing and she had "hot boxed" the room! She turned on both heaters and shut the door, it was soooo warm! Genius!

Last Thursday we taught a guy named J----. We stood in the streets for almost an hour and taught him lesson one. When we talked about the Book of Mormon we asked if he would like a copy and he replied saying, "yeah, and can you write down a part for me to read too?" Ummm YES WE SURE CAN! Ha it was perfect. 

My Spanish is getting a lot better really fast. Saturday X----- (from Departamental) called me and we talked on the phone for 10 mins. I understood everything and was able to have a more normal conversation with her! It was a great feeling!  This week I found a quote that made me feel so much better about my Spanish! It said, "I throw my Spanish in the air sometimes, saying AYYYYOOOO NO COMPRENDOOO!" (Sing it to the tune of Dynamite by Taio Cruz). As silly as this sounds, that quote has kept me smiling and when I say something with awful pronunciation, I laugh. Because what more can you do?

The Ward is great, the bishopric does a ton and we have a really good Ward misión leader who helps a ton! We meet at his house on Monday nights and have potlucks snacks while discussing all our people who we are teaching/visiting and who we need help with.  It was really fun and productive which is a step up from my last ward where we didn’t have a ward mission leader…

We did a service project this week at a home for the elderly in Quimey.  When i first got to the place it looked like a nice garden area with broken down buildings.  After about 20 minutes the elderly in wheel chairs and walker started coming outside and i learned we were at a home for the elderly.  It was really sad.  The place was beautiful but there were far more people to take care of than there were people working there.  I would never put my family there, and the sad thing is....its one of the nicest places for the elderly.....we weeded a bunch and cleaned it up a bit, it looked a ton better! At first we were just shoveling the weeds into a pile....making it look better, but more or less just planting seeds for it to all grow back, not really helping the situation.  One Elder laughed when I said, "What is the purpose of this? To make it look good for a couple week until it all grows right back cause were just spreading seeds?"  His response was...."Poor missionaries who come in 9 months....theyll be here doing the same thing."  Kinda  funny and sad thought, we just created another service project for future missionaries....but in the mean time it looks great!

I started reading the Book of Mormon again, but this time I am using a black pen and writing/underlining anything that stands out.  I was reading in 1 Nephi when Nephi and his brothers go back to get the brass plates from Laban.  During the third attempt Nephi goes unto Laban and the Lord delivers him into the hands of Nephi and Nephi slays him.  Following he gets Zorem to give him the plates by dressing as laban and talking in his voice.  Many times ive wondered, “Why did Zorem go into the wilderness with Nephi?”  After reading I discovered, that Zorem first went because he thinks he is following Laban, but outside the city walls is when he learns that it wasn’t Laban and was Nephi instead.  Nephi talks to Zorem and convinces him to come with them into the wilderness.  Again I thought, “Why does Nephi want him to come?”  Then the scriptures say that Nephi wanted him to go because he was the only witness that he had killed Laban and fled to the wilderness.  If they took Zorem with them, then there would be no witness.  A few verses later it says Zorem made a covenant with Nephi, and Nephis “fears” left.  Following the footnote for “fears” it says, “Trustworthy”.  A convenant back in the times of the scriptures must have been one very powerful thing.  To simply make a covenant and then be deemed a trustworthy person would be really cool.

Well have a great week everyone!

Hermana Sullivan

Week 18

Hola familia y amigas,

Well, when one door closes another one opens! Yesterday was transfers, I left Departamental and I now live in Portuzuelo in San Bernardo! My new companion is Hermana C----- from Peru.  She speaks zero English…

I tried sushi this week....(don't worry dad, I got the one with fried chicken, not raw fish...gross), and it was...well, I wouldn't buy sushi for myself, but it wasn't the worst. I'm just saying, a cheeseburger and fries will win every time.

 X----- was walking down the street the other day with us and she said, "Como se llama?". So I said, "Josi".  She looked at me then pointed at herself and said, "Jo no". In Spanish "Yo" means "I" and they pronounce it in Chile like "jo". It was the lamest joke but we were laughing pretty hard. I wonder how long she was waiting to use that...?

Awesome scripture for everyone to ponder this week: "These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world."  Challenges and difficulties are part of this life, but joy and peace are the ultimate goal of the father. And so he says, "BE OF GOOD CHEER; I HAVE OVERCOME THE WORLD."  Literally through the atonement Christ made it possible for us to have peace and ever lasting life. Don't let life's bumps get you down. Be of good cheer and know that through Him everything will work out.

In Alma chapter 37:38-46 we learn about the Liahona which is a compass that was prepared by the lord. The liahona worked based on the faith of those using it. When they became slothful and forgot to exercise faith, it ceased to work. When there faith was strong and evident, it guided them in the exact direction they needed to go. In verse 44 it says, "It is as easy to give heed to the word of Christ, which will point to you a straight course to eternal bliss...." and verse 45 says, "...the words of Christ, if we follow their course carry us beyond this vale of sorrow into a far better land of promise."  Through our diligence and obedience to follow the word of God we too can have eternal life and endless happiness. Just as those of scriptural times had the liahona, we now have the scriptures and modern day prophets to help lead and guide us. But it is our choice to have the faith and walk the path to eternity.

Mormon message for this week is called, "Come what may, and love it". I don't remember much of Elder Wirthlin, but he has some wise council. Don't stop at simply watching the video, read the talk. It is remarkable!

Key points:

Learn to Laugh

Seek for the Eternal

Understand the principle of compensation

Trust the Lord

I love how he gives an emphasis on learning to laugh. In Genesis 21:6 it says, "...God hath made me to laugh, so that all that hear will laugh with me." God wants us to laugh, and to rejoice even in times of trial or when things don't go as we want them to. A couple months after Zak and I moved to Provo we decided to rent some tubes and float down the bitter cold Provo river. Part way down the river I pulled my phone out of the safety of a zip lock bag to take some pictures. After taking a few I handed it to Zak so he could also take some. A short time passed and we hit a small spot of rapids, small rapids, but big enough to bounce us around and splash water. Zak, holding my phone high in the air to avoid it getting wet, while I managed to grab a branch to help slow us down. My hand being weak (I had surgery on my wrist just a few months before) I lost my grip on the branch and it flung forward hitting Zak's hand just perfect enough to see the phone go flying into the air and wash away down the river. Now, we did get out of the tube and search for the phone but we didn't find it. I learned a long time ago, some things are not worth getting mad about. My phone was gone, what more could be done? I don't remember if we laughed while in the tube, but I know, I didn't get mad. And that's what made the difference. I look back on the "adventure" tubing with my brother as one of the funniest days together in Provo.  Don't get me wrong I have a temper, but I'm trying to learn to laugh and so should you.

I think I made my comp a little mad this week. She kept using the word "trunky" and when she asked what I thought I said, "I hate the word trunky. To me, all that word is, is an excuse to be a crappy missionary. Missionaries think it's funny to be trunky but in the long run, they are just being lazy and dwelling on things that aren't important right now." She didn't respond...Am I wrong? Honest thoughts, because that word bugs me...

I've been asked many times, "What is your favorite part of Chile?" Well, I have an answer. Juice boxes. They are more for adults than kids here, it's fantastic. For example, on any given Sunday someone will be drinking a juice box during sacrament. If you walk down the street and don't find someone drinking a juice box, then you must have been looking down the whole time. I love it! And they have really yummy pineapple, peach, and apple juice boxes! Peach is my favorite!

                Welp, have a great week!

                Hermana Sullivan

Week 17

Hola!

(May 17, 2017)

This week was incredible! I was able to FaceTime my family on Saturday for Mother's Day. It was awesome to see and talk to everyone!  We talked about Chile, a lot of the nursing stuff, my mission, home, etc. it was great! My family is incredible, and I have the worlds most amazing parents! Thanks everyone for taking the time to be there to see me! 

I also had permission to call Jen, she is amazing and I'm so glad I got to talk to her also. At the end her entire family sang "Praise to the Man" first verse in English and second verse in Spanish. When I was 12 years old Jen took me to Nauvoo for the first time. It was then, standing in Carthage Jail, at the end of our trip that I gained a testimony of Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon. In the tour of Carthage they play "Praise to the man", and ever since it's been my favorite. It was a fantastic weekend. 

On Friday I had my 11 week training in preparation for my training to be over.  Next week I will most likely have a new companion and a new area! Crazy how fast time flies! After the training we had lunch and I was sitting across from my mission president. They served us pink punch and he refused to drink it because it's pink. Thinking he was kidding we looked at his wife and she said, "Can you imagine 40 years of this? He cooks for himself now..." we busted up laughing. Following presidents refusal Hermana H----- (Senior Missionary) added that red coloring is the leading cause of cancer because your body has to get rid of the dye...I then said, "That's why my dad says Mountain Dew is healthy, you don't have to change the color..." I watched as my mission president thought about it, smile grew on his face and he simply shook his head. I told my dad about this during FaceTime and we all got a good laugh.  

Today I finished the Book of Mormon. It's the first time I've read it from cover to cover. I read it and simply marked the Godhead. It's incredible to see where and when the Godhead is most referenced. Some pages contained almost no references while others were filled. I know the Book of Mormon to be the word of God. There's not a single doubt in my mind. And what a blessing it is for us to have it, and the guidance it contains. If you haven't read it, I urge you to start now. I waited far too long to make it a priority in my life.  So don't make the same mistake that I did. 

Many times before my mission I was told or heard from people that "the mission was their biggest blessing and greatest experience". I've often wondered, especially now that I'm serving, "Why?"  Right now, my ward is falling apart and the bishop shoots down everything the missionaries suggest, I've taught one lesson in two weeks, knocked doors, passed out hundreds of pass along cards, prayed like crazy and.....Nothing. I've found myself thinking, "how could this possibly be the best thing you've ever done?!" Then, by inspiration I'm sure, I came across a six minute clip of President Erying speaking. In the video, he says, "...and when you look back on what seems like trying times of service and sacrifice...the sacrifice will have become a blessing and you will know that you have seen the arm of God lifting those you serve for him and lifting you."  I watched this video over 10 times while my comp was talking with her family. In video form, it seems as if President Erying is talking about missionaries, but after reading the talk I learned he is referring to any calling in the church, not specifically missionaries. If you can do one thing today, I ask you to give the Lord 6 minutes. Watch the video and tell me your favorite line. 

The Lord Always invites. Nothing is a rule, it's a simple invitation or a council to guide us to the best lives we can have. I read the story of Christ walking on the water. His disciples are first scared thinking he is a spirit, but then the Lord says, "Be of good cheer. It is I; be not afraid." Peter being filled with faith asks the lord if he can come to him on the water. The lord says, "come." Peter too began walking on water, but when the wind gets bad he doubts his faith and begins to sink. I find it interesting that peter gets a lot of crap from this story because he doubted his faith. But remember, Peter is the ONLY one who got out of the boat. All the others stayed and watched. I think to myself, do I have the faith to leave the boat? Or am I just along for the ride? 

Video of Erying- Rise to The Call

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=M8xwRIO_qMY

Henry B. Eyring - Rise to Your Call m.youtube.com Henry B. Eyring - Rise to Your Call. Given October 2002 General Conference.

Also, my dad is awesome! He starred on Jimmy Kimmel Live Last Night! Here's the link to enjoy my dad talking about our family store! Dad is the second person in the video!

https://youtu.be/128E6-M-Vsk

Jimmy Kimmel Talks to Owners of Oddly Named Stores youtu.be In an effort to shine light on the entrepreneurial spirit of this country, we scoured and found some interesting businesses that have multiple specialties an...

I hope everyone's week was as great as mine! 

Te Amo Mucho!

Hermana Sullivan

Week 16

Hola!

Most importantly Happy Mother's Day on Sunday! I am so grateful for all the role model mothers I have had in my life especially my mom! I cannot wait to talk to her on Sunday! My mom is hard working, funny, adventurous, intelligent, and loving! I love you momma!

I've been given this advice before, but never put this way: "Here's how life should be lived: when you walk into a room, decide if your the smartest person there. If you are, you can be content, but don't become prideful. If your not, decide who is and stand next to them, talk to them, and learn something." Can you imagine how different the world would be, if this is how we all lived?

So this week our lesson with J----- and his family fell through but on Sunday we went and visited with them for a bit. And a little mission miracle happened...A----- was talking about how this week was especially hard and she was really sad because of the war that's going on in Venezuela and her son is still there. They are trying to save up the money to bring him to Chile. Anyways she told us that the other night she woke up, really worried, and couldn't sleep. She then proceeded to get out of bed and read from the Book of Mormon!! And she was really excited because she had found the answer she was looking for! It's incredible how the Lord softens the hearts of those who are truly ready for the gospel. She didn't want a baptismal date because she doesn't want to feel pressured, however, all by herself to find comfort she chose to read from the Book of Mormon. She has progressed and her testimony is a lot stronger than I think she realizes. I am so excited to see them be baptized they are going to be a "power couple" in the church!

I read a talk this week about the atonement. "Atonement, Agency, Accountability" by Boyd K Packer. In it he talks about the scriptural uses of the word "Atonement". So I did a little digging, it is used in the scriptures very little:

Old Testament- 94

New Testament- 1

Book of Mormon- 40

Pearl of Great Price- 1

D&C- 9

As Elder Packer talked, I am also marveled at the fact that the word is used only ONE time in the New Testament. As Nephi taught in 1 Nephi 13:24, the Bible once contained the fullness of the gospel. But over time we see the formation of the great and abominable church. While the New Testament contains only 1 reference and the Book of Mormon 55, we see another witness that the Book of Mormon is truly another testament of Jesus Christ. It is the only book that contains the fullness of the gospel and the atonement of Jesus Christ. How blessed are we to have it! On my mission we are told to be cautious of who we give Books of Mormon to. When I was first told this I thought to myself, "why?! I'm a missionary and we give free copies to people all over the world!" But here, the sad fact is, people use the pages to make joints, to do drugs. Sacred pages disregarded and disgraced. I thank the father daily that i was born into the family I was, and so, being born into the covenant and taught by example the importance of The Book of Mormon. 

The phrase, "the Lord worketh in many ways to the salvation of his people" has always been an interesting statement to me. For most my life I always thought that that meant that He worked through visions, priesthood authority, missionaries, personal revelation, etc. As I have studied my scriptures this week I read in Alma 24.  This chapter is talking about the Lamanites coming to bring a war upon the people of the anti-Nephi-Lehi's.  In verse 19 it says, "...we see that they buried their weapons of peace, or they buried their weapons of war for peace." Those who have come unto God, quite literally put all evil aside and came to God for peace. When the people saw that the Lamanites were coming they went out to meet them, swordless, full of faith and they began to pray unto the Lord. The Lamanites killed 1,005 of the Anti-nephi -Lehi's.  The Lamanites were astonished that these people would lay down their lives and praise God even at the very moment of perishing under the sword. Because of this act of faith, in verse 26 it says, "And it came to pass that the people of God who were joined that day by more than the number who had been slain; and those who had been slain were righteous people, therefore we have no reason to doubt but what they were saved." The Lord looked at 1,005 people and knew that they could all die and come unto him and because of their faith and sacrifice more would join the church than had died. In verse 27 it says, "....thus we see that the Lord worketh in many ways to the salvation of his people." Now I don't know if we will find anything this extreme as a way to convert people in our day, but either way it gave a whole new aspect to God knowing the bigger picture and knowing what is needed of his children. 

Love you all!  Hope you have a great week!

Hermana Sullivan