Mi nuevo llamamiento

Bueno, he estado en mi casa para dos meses ahora y todo ha salido genial!  He estado mejorando mucho y me alegra decir que tratamiento está funcionando.  (Tengo mucho apoyo aquí en casa para ayudarme).  No es lo que quería, pero es lo que el Señor quiere y prefiero seguir su plan en lugar de mío.  Sabe mejor que yo.

Durante este tiempo la realidad de mi situación ha sido más clara para mí.  Lamentablemente la problema en mi espalda es un poco peor que pensé en el principio.  Yo esperaba que mi enfermedad no fuera tan mala como es, pero lo bueno es que me recuperaré totalmente con tiempo nada más.  Yo debería estar mejor y funcionando dentro de los próximos meses y cualquier otro tratamiento hago despues será para mantener lo que ya he hecho con mi quiropráctico. 

He pensado mucho en cómo voy a terminar mi mission.  A pesar de que me encantaría regresar al campo como una misionera de tiempo completo, he pensado en esta escritura: “Y mirad que se hagan todas estas cosas con prudencia y orden; porque no se exige que un hombre corra más aprisa de lo que sus fuerzas le permiten” (Mosiah 4:27).  Lamentablemente, no tengo la fortaleza necesaria para ser una misionera de tiempo completo.  Pero también pienso en una otra escritura, “Doy a los hombres debilidad para que sean humildes; y basta mi gracia a todos los hombres que se humillan ante mí; porque si se humillan ante mí, y tienen fe en mí, entonces haré que las cosas débiles sean Fuertes para ellos” (Éter 12:27).  El Señor sabe lo que necesito y me da fuerza cuando estoy débil.  Sinceramente estoy agradecida por esta oportunidad aprender y sé que esto es lo que el Señor quiere para mí.

Entonces ¡ahora tengo otros planes!  Hay muchas cosas que hacer en la iglesia y si no puedo trabajar en Chile voy a hacer algo diferente!  En Noviembre comenzaré una misión de tiempo parcial para Family Search en el internet y trabajaré de mi casa mientras termino mi tratamiento.  Estoy emocionada para terminar mi misión y estoy agradecida para saber que el evangelio es para ellos que viven y para los muertos.  En verdad, no es lo que imaginé hace un año cuando entregué mis papeles misionales y definitivamente no es lo que quise, pero debe ser lo que necesitaba.  El Señor me ha bendito más que merezco.  Estoy tan agradecida y me humilla para servir a Él en su obra gloriosa para sus propósitos eternos, no importa lo que sea el servicio.

Quizás no tenga yo que cruzar

montañas ni ancho mar;

quizás no sea a lucha cruel

que Cristo me quiera enviar.

Mas si Él me llama a sendas que

yo nunca caminé,

confiando en Él, le diré: Señor,

a donde me mandes, iré.

Sé que es verdad, y iré donde quiera porque esta iglesia es verdadera y la obra es de Él. 

Con much cariño,

Hermana Wood

A Different Call

Well I’ve been home for almost two months now and things are going great!  I’ve been improving quite a bit and I am happy to report that treatment is going well.  (I’ve got a pretty good support team here at home to help me out).  It isn’t exactly what I wanted, but it’s what the Lord wants and I would rather follow His game plan than mine.  He’s a much better coach.

As I’ve been home the reality of my situation has become a little clearer to me.  Unfortunately my back problems are a bit worse than I originally thought.  I had hoped to be a little less broken and battered than my x-rays suggest, but the good news is that I will make a full and complete recovery all in good time.  I should be up and running within the next few of months and any additional care after that will be to maintain the work I’ve already done.

I’ve given a lot of thought as to how I am going to finish my mission.  As much as I would love to return to the field as a full-time missionary, I am reminded of this scripture: “And see that all these things are done in wisdom and order; for it is not requisite that a man should run faster than he has strength” (Mosiah 4:27).  I unfortunately do not have the needed strength to be a full time missionary at this time.  But I am also reminded of another scripture, “I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them” (Ether 12:27).  The Lord knows what I need and He gives me strength when I am weak.  I am really grateful for this opportunity I have had to learn and I know that this is what the Lord wants for me.

With that being said, I’ve got some other plans!  There are lots of things to be done in the church and if I can’t work in Chile I will do something else!  So starting in November I will begin serving part-time as an online Family Search missionary from home while I finish up my treatment.  I am so excited to be able to finish my mission and I am grateful to know that the gospel is for both the living and the dead.  Truthfully, it isn’t what I imagined a year ago when I turned in my mission papers and it certainly isn’t what I wanted, but this must be what I needed.  The Lord has blessed me so much more than I deserve.  I am so grateful and humbled to serve Him in his glorious work for his eternal purposes, whatever that service may be.

“It may not be on the mountain height

Or over the stormy sea,

It may not be at the battle’s front

My Lord will have need of me.”

I know that is true, and I will go where He wants me to go because this church is true and the work is His.

Lots of love!

Lexie

Home...

Well, here I am at home!  One year earlier than I thought I would be.  It has been so hard to leave Chile and I will miss it so much.  Not for the food, not for the beautiful scenery, not even for the fun wood chopping, but for the people I loved and for the work I was doing.  It was the hardest thing I have ever done, but the best thing I could have been doing.  I was blessed with so many tender mercies from the Lord and I got to share my testimony of the Savior with some of God’s beautiful children in Chile!

I have talked to my doctor and he has a great plan: Get me healthy again!  I will be in AZ for at least the next three months working on that.  There will be some ups and downs, but everything is going to be fine.  My muscles might ache, my head might hurt, and my hands might be a little bit shaky, but everything will work out how God wants it to work out.  When I am finished with my treatment I will try to return to the mission and do whatever the Lord wants me to do, wherever he wants me to do it.

This week I got a letter from my companion Hermana Zortman.  She and I were together our first four months: First in the MTC, and then out on the field.  She is one of the best missionaries in the mission and one of the sweetest girls in the world.  She has blessed my life and I wanted to share with you the testimony that has strengthened mine.

Well I think the thing that has probably hit me the hardest this week is that two of my companions had to return home due to health problems. I can honestly say that I have learned a lot from all of my companions, but I will honestly and sincerely say that I learned and grew the most with Hermana Wood and Hermana Zanetta. They both had to go home for medical reasons, but they are planning on returning to the service as soon as possible, if possible. My first thought with this was: shoot i´m a danger in the mission. my comps are dropping like flies (alexis do you remember that week haha?). But i´ve decided something: the Lord has a grand work to do here in the south of Chile. He has a purpose here that is much grander than what I understand. Satan will work and work and work, but the Lord will always prevail. Due to unfortunate circumstances the mission has temporarily lost 2 of the best missionaries that it had, but the work will go on and we will do our part. I know that the Lord has a plan for my two sisters (i say sisters because I value them as such) and that with time that purpose will be discovered. I can only pray that they recover quickly and that the problems they have can be solved quickly and effectively. 

With this I have found a renewed desire to work here in Rio Bueno. I´ve realized that I have the privilege to be here in the mission, the privilege to serve the Lord and to help Him in HIS great work. Sometimes I get caught up in the "work" of a mission and I forget that it is a privilege to put on a name badge on my chest every morning that carries the name of my Savior. I´ll work even harder now. I´ll try to do the work that I know my sisters want to be doing here. 

I know the Church is true and that it was restored to the Earth through the prophet Joseph Smith. I know that it is only through the gospel that we can find eternal happiness. I know, from experiences this week, that when we really come to understand the Atonement and everything that Christ really did for us, we will develop the desire to share the message of the Atonement with everyone around us. I know that the mission is exactly where the Lord needs me right now. 

Thank you for supporting me in my mission. I know I am so blessed to have such a family supporting and loving me from the states and from their missions. I love you! Until next week!”

LOVE,

Chelsey Zortman

I testify that what Hermana Zortman says is true.  I know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is the only true church.  I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God.  I know that Thomas S. Monson is our current prophet today.  I know that The Book of Mormon is true.  It is the word of God and we will find all of the answers to life’s great questions in that holy book.  I know that the Bible is also the word of God.  I know that Jesus is the Christ.  He is our Savior and Redeemer and it is through His Atonement that we can be cleansed from sin.  I am grateful for the covenants I have made with God and I testify that His plan for us is perfect. “All that is unfair about life can be made right through the Atonement of Jesus Christ.” Isn't that beautiful?  No matter how weak we are, no matter how hard life is, the Atonement of Jesus Christ will make everything okay.  What a blessing it is to know that, and how important it is to share!

Thanks to everyone for all the love and the prayers.

With all my love,

Lexie

Coming Home to Recover

You are probably stressed and anxious to hear my news this week.  That´s kind of a bummer because what I have to tell you is probably going to make you more stressed and anxious, but please remain calm for the duration of this letter.  EVERYTHING IS GOING TO BE FINE.

So, normally if your missionary needs more than 2 weeks to recover from an injury or illness you should send them home to recover.  At home, they can focus on getting healthy, in the field they start getting depressed and stressed because they can´t work and the clock is ticking…Then after they get all healthy at home they come back to the mission and are super studly again.  I talked to President and the doctor and there is a high probability of me coming home for a little while to get better.  Obviously then the bad news is that I am going to need more than 2 weeks to get better.  The good news is I will get better faster at home then I can come back to work!  Coming home would probably be the best thing for me at this point but the only reason I am open to the idea is because I want to work and not die and I can´t work if I am dying...right?

So now you are probably all stressed out and worried.  Honestly...I've been better...but actually I've been worse so it´s okay.  I tell people every day that the gospel of Jesus Christ can heal our troubled hearts.  What kind of missionary would I be if I didn't believe that?  My problems are pretty non-threatening but I have still been blessed to experience the healing power of the Atonement.  It is amazing.  I have been sick on and off a lot the past few years but this time I didn't experience the frustration and anger that I had before.  I am kind of sad obviously because I don´t want to come home, but I really am fine.  I hope you are all fine.  Don´t stress out, don´t worry about me, don´t be frustrated or upset.  Heavenly Father wants me to learn a few things and this time I am finally starting to learn them.  Life is good.

Anyway, I've been indoors all week basically, but that has given me lots of thinking time and I have the GREATEST ANALOGY EVER!  It is how laundry applies to the gospel...

Picture your favorite T shirt.  It is new and clean and fresh.  Absolutely spotless.  But what happens to our clothes when we wear them?  They get dirty!  What do we do to make them clean again?  We wash them!  We take the favorite shirt, put it in the washing machine with soap and water and we wash out the stains.  We are like the T shirt.  We come to this earth clean and spotless, but with life´s experiences and the choices we make we become stained.  We are impure, we are unclean, and we need washing.

God has given us the washing machine:  It is Christ´s Atonement.  Through Christ and His Atonement we can be cleansed from sin.  How do we run the cycle?  Through the gospel of Jesus Christ which is faith, repentance, baptism, and receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost.  Baptism is like the water, the Holy Ghost is like the soap.  We need both to wash out the stains.  But what happens if I forget to plug in the washing machine? Without electrical power I can´t start the cycle, and no matter how many times I try the shirt will still be dirty.  Without the Priesthood power of God, we cannot be cleansed through baptism.  The proper power and authority of God is essential for the cleansing process to work.  Without it we cannot fully apply the Atonement because we do not receive the baptism or confirmation in Christ´s name. 

Now, after the cycle has been run and the shirt has been washed, it´s still probably going to get dirty and stained.  So what can we do to keep the shirt clean?  We wash it again.  Who does laundry once in their lifetime?  When we are baptized we make a covenant with God to keep His commandments, to take Christ´s name upon us and to always remember Him.  We renew our promise every week by partaking of the Sacrament.  In return we are renewed and sanctified week by week, we are cleansed, we receive forgiveness of our sins and we have the promise of God´s constant companionship through the Holy Ghost.

Remember that this is your favorite shirt.  Don´t you want to keep it clean?  As children of our Heavenly father He wants us to be clean.  He knows we've been stained and marked, but He has given us a very sacred, very special, and very specific cleansing process through Jesus Christ.  "Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow, though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool."  (Isaiah1:18).  No stain is too deep for the Atonement of Jesus Christ.  Now all we have to do is run the cycle. 

Isn't that the greatest analogy EVER?  I think so.

Well...I need to go now but someone will contact you this week to talk to you about me...sorry I am a problem child...oops:)

I LOVE YOU!

Love,

Lexie

God Loves Us

Hi!!!!!  How are you?   Basically I had a full relapse (back related)...I have been super tired, I have had tingling in my whole body, I have had a headache for about three weeks, and I have even had the twitch.  I have hardly worked in three weeks...I move...slowly...but I move.

The physical therapist has been helping lots.  I don´t have my twitch anymore and the tingling isn´t as bad.  So that means I am feeling better.

I went to the chiropractor and he told me pretty much what I already knew.  One leg is shorter than the other, my shoulders are misaligned and apparently I am just one crooked, unstable mess.  Of course I am a crooked, unstable mess!  I am 5´11" and I live in Chile where the tallest people come to about my shoulder.  Ok that is a lie, but still...I also carry the word of God around with me all day and that is pretty heavy...

I am keeping my President informed, don´t worry.  I call his wife like every other day... we are basically BFFs...

It has been a hard three weeks, I will be honest.  But I am fine.  I mean, I am in pain, but I´m not angry or frustrated or dying.  Obviously I want my mommy to come give me a big mommy hug, but that is probably the hardest part.  Lots of people are really nice to me.  The mamita lets me stay in her house so my companion can go out and work.  My companion is an ANGEL and I don´t think you could even pretend that I am "training" her at this point.  She is a stud, and she is helping me a ton.  And the zone decided they wanted to fast for me so I have been receiving lots of love.  Probably WAY more love than I deserve, but how can you say to someone, "Stop loving me."  That´s just stupid.

So...the good news...My physical therapist has a Book of Mormon and he is going to read it.  Haha, yeah, that´s right, best missionaries EVER.  Actually I was doing my therapy so Hermana Núñez is the best missionary ever.  But I pretended like I wasn´t finished so she could keep talking so I helped.  Haha, oh...God loves us...A LOT.

We have basically lost all of our investigators...That´s kind of a bummer.  I never understood the concept of "War in Heaven" until my mission.  It makes a lot more sense.  It also makes sense why there are so many war chapters in the Book of Mormon.  Because we are fighting a war right now!  Doesn´t that just blow your mind?  Anyway, I was praying for a miracle this week.  We haven´t had an investigator in church for 3 months...we have done everything we can to have investigators in church...so this Sunday the little granddaughter of a member came to church.  We have taught her one time, but we did absolutely nothing to help her come to church because she doesn´t live here...You might all think that doesn´t count, but let me just reiterate that God loves us A LOT.  And he really does answer prayers, but it is almost never in the way that we want.

I am doing good, I promise.  I will be healthy soon.

Love you all!

Love

Lexie

Sick But Still Okay

How are you all doing?   I don´t feel good, but lots of nice people are taking care of me and I have been blessed with the nicest, most patient companion in the world and I love her and she is nice:)  

I am not able to chop wood, but the good news is my companion has become an expert in both wood chopping and fire building so we are not quite as freezing in the mornings...I am so proud:´) except the wood is wet again, but we are working on that...

Anyway, what else can I tell you?  Oh last night I had kind of a weird dream.  I was in Southern Chile knocking doors to teach people about the amazing restored gospel of Jesus Christ!  (That is not the weird part) and I knocked one door and Beisha Hernandez came outside...then I asked her if her family was home and she was like, "Yeah!" and I went inside and started teaching the Hernandez family.  Weird huh?  I was dreaming in Spanish by the way...So now you can tell Brother Hernandez that I apparently am really excited to come home and speak Spanish with him.

I haven´t been working a lot this week but the Lord has blessed us with lots of tender mercies.  First:  Since we can´t go out and visit people all the time we are writing them little notes jammed pack with spiritualness.   We went by one of our investigators that hasn´t answered his phone for the past month and left him a note with a plan of salvation pamphlet.  Then we called him two days later and actually got a hold of him and we have an appointment with him and we found out that he has been having a hard time and this just happens to be the perfect opportunity for him to hear about the restored gospel...It is amazing how the Lord is preparing some of these people and how the Lord is helping us to find them and help them.

Some of our members invited their neighbors over for a family home evening with us and we had a great lesson and they really liked hearing what we had to say.  I think the members liked taking part in a lesson like that too.  Afterwards Hermana Núñez and I felt like the sisters in the District videos that have perfect lessons with members so that was fun.  Also one of our contacts that we have been trying to visit for a month called us the other day while I was stretching my back and said she really wants to talk to us.  She hasn´t been able to yet because of work, but this week she is going to take a day off from work so we can come talk to her.  We´ve also got more members bringing their friends over for us to teach!  We are excited about that.  It is really nice that people are bringing investigators to me because I can´t go out and tract:)  Ah, the tender mercies of the Lord.

Well, that´s all I´ve got for now.

I love you all LOTS!

Love,

Lexie

Being a Missionary is Cool!

I am being an awesome missionary.  Well I am trying to be anyway...

We went by one of our investigators this week for our appointment and she wasn’t home, but we talked to her husband.  He said his wife was at the hospital with their niece and her baby because the baby (3 months old) was super sick and they weren’t sure how serious the problem was.  He asked us to pray for them and we said a prayer right there, told him we would keep praying for them, and we felt prompted to say we would fast for them too.  He was really grateful and it was AWESOME because we haven’t had a chance to teach him yet.  So we fasted and one hour after we finished our fast the investigator’s husband drove by us in his car, stopped, backed up so he would talk to us and told us the baby would be leaving the hospital that day.  Then he thanked us again for the prayers.  It was a testimony to me that God really does know us.  He knows what we need, He knows when we need it, He listens to our prayers, and He answers them.  He loves us.  He wants to bless us, and He wants His children to know it.  And so He sends missionaries to spread the beautiful message of the restored gospel to people who need it whether they think they need it or not.

Being a missionary is so cool!  It is crazy...I am a 19 year old gringa and I sit down with a bunch of Chileans and listen to their problems and then somehow the Holy Ghost touches their hearts and lets them feel that God loves them...it is sweet!  I don’t even do anything...

Anyway, that is the most exciting thing that happened this week.  We are working really hard with all the less actives.  President Hinckley said it doesn’t do any good to baptize the whole world if nobody stays in the church...so that is our focus right now.  The majority of less actives have testimonies and they know the church is true and all the ones we’ve been able to visit have plans to return to church someday...now we have to convince them that some day is TODAY!  Wooo!  It is fun.  We have a program where we give them an assignment and tell them we need them, then they are supposed to accept and come to church and keep coming back to church and then all their nonmember family members get baptized.  Want to know something cool?  It works:o  You just have to get over the first couple of road blocks...The thing is we tell them that we need them, and it is true, and they feel it, and then they have a desire to come and serve the Lord.  Take care of your less actives!  

Well, that is all I’ve got this week I think...I love you TONS...I think my letters sound scatter brained...do they sound scatter brained?  I don´t know.  I like it when you email me and write me letters:)  It makes me happy:)  

LOVE YOU!

LOVE

Lexie