Musical and Brave

So this week was super crazy.  One of the sisters in the ward passed away so we had to help with her funeral.  She had been in the hospital for a while so I didn't ever meet her but we met with her husband a lot.  The funeral was planned and canceled about 3 different times.  The second time the zone leaders called us and said the funeral is starting right now!  So we ran from our house to the church in the rain and then we got there and they said, "It´s tomorrow..."  Sigh.  But by the time we actually had the funeral it was very nice.  I helped with the music and played lots of prelude and such so that was my contribution.  I am grateful that I can play the piano.  I can´t say much, but I can play and that is better anyway.  Plus it makes me feel useful because I don´t always feel very helpful at church.  People ask me questions and I stare at them really hard and try to figure out what they just said and then I turn to my companion and the person who asked me the questions decides to just ask her instead.  Haha.  Oh, except my companions brag a little too much about my musical abilities.  At the viewing the sister missionaries wanted to sing a few songs and they all started talking to me in Spanish really fast and asking me questions and I told them I didn't know what they wanted me to do and then my companion helped me understand that everyone wanted me to be in charge and direct everyone as to what to do about the music situation because I am "musical."  I really don´t think putting me in charge of anything is a good idea since communication is still a very large stumbling block, but there you have it.

 

So, I am a little wary to tell you more about my apartment again, but this is kind of  funny.  The other night there was a giant slug crawling up our kitchen wall.  Our apartment is gross as it is, a slug just did not make things better.  So one companion just crawled into bed so she wouldn´t start crying and my other companion made all sorts of less than helpful comments as I tried to scoop up the slug and throw it outside.  I am kind of wondering what they would have done if I hadn´t been there...but then when I went to bed I started having all kinds of anxiety that slugs would start crawling up the walls of my bedroom and there would be an infestation of something and I feel like I am only being mildly paranoid.  Today I cleaned the bathroom...but we are supposed to be positive in our letters so I don´t think I should talk about that...

 

Anyway, Conference was so awesome!  I got to watch all of it and in English too!  It makes me want to go be better...I need to repent.  Sigh.  One of our investigators came too!  It made me happy.  It is really hard to get people to commit to doing things that require effort...which includes just about everything.  She is 75, she smokes, she drinks, she lost everything in a fire in Santiago years ago, and has listened to missionaries before and this week she commited to be baptized and was just absolutely in tears over it.  We have lots of investigators, but I will tell you about one more.  She is 13 years old, went to church one time and now she wants to be Mormon.  We hadn´t even taught her yet.  Crazy right?  We will see how things go with her parents, but those are my manifestations that the Spirit is a whole lot more powerful than I am.  It is also amazing to me how the gospel is for everyone, at any stage of life and everybody deserves to hear the gospel no matter what age or circumstance they are in.

 

I love you all lots!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Love,

Lexie

Easter in Puerto Varas

Dear Friends and Family,

There are so many awesome things that happened this week!  I don’t really know where to begin.  

First, I have been thinking that people would be really surprised if they knew I was smart.  But then this week my companion was reading Jesus the Christ (the companion that isn't a native English speaker was reading Jesus the Christ in English...yeah she is a stud), and she asked me how to pronounce some of the ridiculously large words and then I kind of wondered if I am actually as smart as I think I am...

Second, I woke up with a bunch of bug bites on my arm one night this week and I was like, Agh I have bed bugs or fleas or something! But I haven’t gotten anymore so I think it was a false alarm.  Just wanted to let you know:)  Actually one morning this giant bug crawled on top of my bed and I gasped really loud because it kind of freaked me out and then I squished it with my shoe and my companion started freaking out too.  It was funny.

Third, I wore my purple tights!  They are cool.  Unfortunately I picked a very hot day to wear them so they weren't as cool as they could have been...but that’s ok.  Fourth, I only hit my head on the ceiling twice this week isn't that wonderful?  I didn't fall in the street either!  It was great.  Unfortunately, the bathroom is still flooding.  Tenemos un lago en el baño...

Okay, so more important stuff.  Did I ever mention there are 8 missionaries in the ward right now?  Three companionships: 6 sisters, 2 elders.  The other two new sisters are 19 and from Mexico.  Cool huh?  The ward is a lot like our ward at home.  Just smaller ... and not as many musically talented people.  I played the piano in church on Sunday.  The music coordinator came up to me and started talking to me really fast in Spanish and I was pretty sure I understood so I just said yes to everything he said and went and played the prelude music...and then I realized I didn't really know exactly what I was supposed to do, but it was ok because I figured it out.  Anyway, the ward ... yeah.  It is like our ward.  There are lots of good people that love the gospel and that are good members, but that need to do more than they are doing now and don’t.  Our ward mission leader is so funny.  He has a daughter serving in Santiago right now so he loves missionaries and he knows we can’t understand what’s going on half the time but he is nice and makes us feel loved.  He can’t say "Wood" though if his life depended on it.  He says "Goood."  It makes the American elders laugh...its okay I can’t say any of the names here either.

So this week was crazy!  The weekend was really slow because it was Easter and on Friday everybody remembered that they were Catholic.  I don’t think Sunday is as big a deal as Friday is though...interesting huh?  On Friday we visited one of our investigators and he answered the door and told us he read the whole Book of Mormon in one day and that he didn't like it and he didn’t think Joseph Smith could be a prophet and he didn't want us to come back anymore and he wanted us to take our book back.  It was sad.  And weird, because on his progress record it says he did the exact same thing a while back with some elders.  We were walking away from his house and my companion was looking at the Book of Mormon and she was like, "its okay we will find a better home for you."  And then we visited another family right after and asked if we could share a video about Easter with them and the husband was like "Sure but can I make you some juice first?"  Yes...yes you can make us some juice you kind, kind man.  So he made us juice and we shared the video and taught a lesson with the whole family and gave them the Book of Mormon the other investigator rejected and the husband even said the closing prayer without us having to beg.  It was fantastic.  Now, I don’t know what’s going to happen but if nothing else, that man will be blessed for giving us juice. 

It is so hard to teach the whole family because none of the men hear want to listen to the missionaries.  That is why there are never enough Priesthood holders in the church!  Yeesh.  Every time a man answers the door and tells us we can come back I am just like, "Yeah! Priesthood power!"  The good thing is as sister missionaries it is easier to teach the women and their kids because we are allowed to come into their house and then we can work on the husbands after.  The husband of one of our investigators was never really nice to missionaries, but the other day during a lesson he came into the room and tried to pretend like he was busy so that he could stay and listen a little and then he left and pretended like he wasn't interested.  But it is too late, now we know!  He is so funny.  He is trying not to like us but it isn't working.  Next month his wife will be baptized and I think in about 2 months we’ll get him there too:) 

Well I should go I only have a couple more minutes left but I love you!!!!

Love,

Hermana Lexie:)

Puerto Varas - Week 2

Dear Friends and Family,

There are dogs everywhere in Chile.  There are tons and tons of dogs and cats all over the place and the dogs are super loud.  I really can’t quite understand...It is kind of funny.  If you walk by some houses the dogs go nuts and start barking and then sometimes it sets off all the other dogs in the neighborhood and then all the dogs start barking and then you can’t hear anything.  Sometimes you don’t even have to walk by the house they just start barking if they see you.  Yesterday we were talking to one of our contacts and setting up an appointment with him, but there were three dogs behind him that were trying to eat each other and I was trying really hard to focus but I couldn't stop looking at the dogs.  Then we left and I was like, "Oh my goodness Hermana Wood, get your priorities straight.  What is more important, a son of God or a couple of dogs trying to eat each other?"  So now I am going to try to be a little more focused and not get so distracted by the giant dog population here.

It is supposed to rain here about 90% of the time but I got here during the 10% of sun fortunately.  Isn’t that nice?  I hope it lasts a couple more weeks, but I don’t know.  My nose is red. I need to buy some sunscreen.  One of the reasons I am glad it hasn’t started raining is because our apartment has problems.  The shower leaks, the toilet leaks, and yesterday something from the ceiling started leaking, so as you can imagine there are certain parts of the house that just don’t ever get dry.  I don’t know what we are going to do when it starts raining ... haha.  Speaking of my apartment, I told you the ceiling is really low right?  Well I hit my head on it A LOT.  Isn’t that sad?  There is a board that stretches across the ceiling and it gets me every time...I can’t decide if it is affecting my brain or not.  I know I am clumsy, but I feel like I have been extra clumsy lately.  This week we were walking in the street and there was one part of the sidewalk that had a bunch of little rocks and I guess it was just too much for me to handle because I totally slipped and pretty much did the splits in the middle of the street.  How embarrassing is that?  Then right after that we tried to talk to some people in the street and they didn’t really want to listen to us but they were like "Be careful walking!" and I was like...ugh...yeah...You would have all found it very funny.

Anyway, as a new American missionary fresh to the mission field I never know what is going on.  I try really hard to figure out what is going on, but I really just don’t know most of the time.  Sad huh?  It is pretty funny sometimes.  People would be shocked if they knew I was actually smart.  There is one investigator that talks to Hermana Zortman and I like we are the dumbest little girls in the world.  He is so funny, I love him.

Oh speaking of investigators, there is one guy we met this week that is super obsessed with family history.  He is crazy.  He has these enormous family trees in his house and all these little artifacts from Puerta Montt and Puerta Varas.  He is super funny.  I have a pretty good future planned for him.  First, he will get baptized.  Then in a year he will go to the temple and love it and then he will become a temple worker.  It’s perfect because he goes to Santiago all the time for work so he doesn’t even have to move!  I am so excited.  He doesn’t believe in God though, so we have some work to do but I don’t think it will be a problem.  He went to Santiago this week but he has a Book of Mormon and we showed him the cool genealogy parts so he will probably have read it by the time he gets back and then boom!  Hahaha, I love being a missionary.

I better go.

Love,

Lexie

I'm in CHILE!!!!!

I am in Chile!!!!  Isn’t that crazy?  I am trying to figure out how to type in English on this keyboard...It is tricky.  Anyway, except for the fact that I have no idea what is happening most of the time, I am doing really well.  But I'm serious I almost never know what is going on.  People try to talk to me and I just smile and nod and hope that they aren't asking me a question...

So Chile...it is super beautiful here.  I am in Puerta Varas near Puerta Montt and it is right by a lake with a couple of big volcanoes in the background and everything is green!  Weird!  It is seriously so beautiful I am so lucky.  Since there are so many Hermanas some sisters have to train two of the new hermanas instead of one...so I am companions with one of my companions from the MTC (Hermana Zortman) and my trainer Hermana Cartagena, that poor patient soul.  She is from Hungary and fortunately she speaks English but unfortunately I do not speak Spanish so I feel like she is kind of a solo act right now while Hermana Zortman and I figure out how to open the milk cartons and light the stove.

When I got here I just wanted to talk to everyone right away and then I realized I had nooooooooooo idea what to say.  It is really interesting to find out how much I don´t know.  Of course I knew that would happen, but it´s always different in the moment you know?  Also Chileans talk so fast...and they mumble...and they don´t say the s a lot of the time.  Even the Hermanas from Mexico have a hard time understanding some people.  Not that hard of a time obviously, but it is comforting to know.

There are lots of things to tell you and I don´t have very much time so I will do my best and if none of this makes sense that is why...Anyway, there isn't really any central heating so everything is heated with a gas stove or a fireplace or something.  All of the houses have enormous piles of firewood out front or in back and they told us that at some point we will be chopping firewood.  There are also lots of dogs in Chile and almost everyone has a gate around the house with a dog to bark really really loud at anyone who even walks by.  So imagine this if you will.  Three missionaries standing outside the gate shouting at the person inside the house about the message of the restored gospel and three dogs barking so loud that all the other dogs in the neighborhood also want to bark and then the Chilean inside the house shouts something back and the two confused American sisters looking at each other hopelessly.  It looks pretty funny. Haha.

I love being a missionary.  It´s so cool.  Obviously I have only been here a week but we just go out every day, knock on doors, get rejected, try to understand what people are saying and whether or not they are happy to see us or not, and then there is someone who says, "yeah sure come on in my house and teach me and I will be awesome and super receptive and make you so happy."  It is cool.

Oh I just remembered another thing about Chile.  Everything is small.  The people, the houses, etc.  In our apartment there is one panel of wood that is super low and I have to duck or I hit my head.  Super sad.  Because then I am always bending over and then the one time I stand up straight I hit my head on the ceiling.  Haha.  Dad would DIE here.  Seriously.  I don´t think he would be able to stand up straight in our apartment.  Maybe in most of the houses, but I won´t make any promises.  We were leaving one house and it is on a slope and I didn't really see the house next to it and then I ran into the roof...how funny is that?  And everything is little except lunch.  We eat so much food.  It is insane and I have to eat it all or I will be rude and it´s like...uh...I´m going to get fat.  We have a mamita that cooks for us every day.

Hermana Wood

MTC Week 5

I leave in a week!!!!!!!!!!!!  AGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!  That is scary.  I am pretty sure I am not going to be able to understand anyone when I get to Chile.  Awe well...Sometimes when I talk to people in Spanish I think, "Yeah, I am so cool right now I am talking to you in Spanish" and then about 2 seconds later I realize I have no idea how to talk for more than 20 seconds at a time without about 5 minutes of thinking in between.  But, that's not really all that surprising since I have only been here for 5 weeks after all...

 

Anyway, this week I have a funny story to tell; I am kind of excited.  I already wrote that I took my skirt to alterations because the hem came undone right?  And I will also remind you that the lady I gave it to was not the kindest woman alive and she may or may not have treated me like I was a shameless hussy for coming into alterations to get my hem fixed...So after about 2 maybe 3 weeks I figured, "Hey my skirt is probably done by now I am going to go pick it up!"  I went to alterations, picked up my skirt from a much nicer woman, took it to my room, noticed that the slit was sewn down, but the hem was still not sewed up.  Then I was like, "What the heck?  Why is that lady so mean?  All I wanted was my hem to be fixed!  Why is that too much to ask?  I am a servant of the Lord for crying out loud!"  Not really, but that's kind of how I felt.  Anyway, it was kind of funny.  Apparently she was really concerned about my modesty and it distracted her so much that she couldn't listen to what I was saying to her about the unraveled hem.  And apparently everyone else was so worried about my modesty they couldn't see the long flap of cloth coming from the bottom of my skirt.  I just think it is kind of ironic.  It is also ironic really because as coordinating sister it's my job to tell other girls when they are immodest. 

 

Mom sent me pictures of our family:)  My companions were pretty excited to see them.  One of them was like, "Wow, I'm so glad you showed us pictures they seem so much more real to me now."  So does that mean you didn't really believe me when I told you I had a family?  Oh ye of little faith.  Haha just kidding, but it was kind of funny.  Then my companions asked me about the picture where you are all holding me up and I am the center of attention and they were like, "Why are they all picking you up?"  And I was like...uh...I don't know...how did that happen?  I think it's because I am the favorite, but I can't really say for sure...haha.  Then they told me they didn't really see me being the center of attention, more just the quite peace maker that doesn't fight with anyone and goes with the flow.   That was kind of funny too.

 

I am excited to go to Chile.  Except I am scared and it kind of seems unreal...but someone said to me the other day that we only have about 17 more fast Sundays left and I was like, "Oh my goodness that is not very much time..."  So I am trying to make the most of everything.  It's hard to believe I have already been gone a month.

Hermana Wood

 

MTC Week 4

Hello!!!!!!!!!!

How are all of you?  I am good.  I like the MTC and I like being on a mission but I am getting weird and sometimes I miss being normal.  If I shake somebody's hand for too long I feel wicked.  Haha, no I am just kidding I'm not there yet, but I probably will be by next week.  I leave for Chile in two weeks!!!!!!!!  Agh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I get my travel plans Thursday or Friday.  Isn't that scary?  In two and a half weeks I will be in South America singing hymns in Spanish at church with a bunch of Chileans.  I think I am going to miss speaking English...I have a very nice Spanglish going on though right now...Fun, fun...

I am the coordinating sister so I have to make sure all the little Hermanas are taken care of all the time and some of them are pretty emotional and not coping and need to change, but can't...So I never get to bed on time because I have to visit them every night and half the rooms are on different floors.  Plus nobody tells me anything about my responsibilities so I am expected to know everything and everybody asks me questions, but no one has ever informed me of the answers.

As the coordinating sister I get to meet all the new districts and talk to them a lot.  There is one kid in the newest district that is just so weird.  He is funny, but he's so awkward that I just don't know how to respond.  Like, today I walked past him and he was staring at me creepily in the breakfast line and I was like, "Oh...hi...um..." weird...I just don't know what he expects people to do when he is so awkward...haha...it is funny.  It is interesting how often I am reminded that the missionaries are little 18/19 year old boys and 19-21 year old girls because they certainly act their age.  Did I mention that 3 out of 5 boys in my district are 18?  And one of my companions is 19.  Pretty cool huh?

I sang in church this Sunday.  I sang "I Need Thee Every Hour."  First I was going to accompany a girl on the piano and she was going to sing, but we started practicing and she was like, "This is a hard song.  Hey do you sing?  Do you just want to sing something a cappella with me?"  No...no I don't just want to sing a cappella with you.  But I did because I am nice and it sounded alright so it is just as well.  It is kind of ironic though because the Mission President just "happened" to be there that day because they released one of the counselors in the branch presidency.  But at least we have a branch and so there weren't very many people there.

Well I kind of need to go so I am going to go.  I love you though:}

Love

Lexie

MTC Week 3

Ok so one of the hems on my skirt...or one of my skirt's hem?  I don't know, but the hem came undone on a skirt and so I took it to alterations to see if they could fix it and all the old ladies here keep telling me how nice the old ladies are at alterations, but I just don't see it.  I brought in my skirt and the lady looked at me soooooo sternly.  I don't really understand, but maybe she thought I was immodest or something because she treated me like I was a shameless hussy...which I did NOT appreciate.  After I went in there I really wanted to say, "Look sister, I am a missionary on the Lord's errand and if you don't want to help me hem my skirt I will do it myself."  Now whenever the senior sisters tell me how nice those ladies are I have my doubts.  My companions noticed it too, I'm not just being overly emotional here...Maybe she was just having a bad day...

On Sunday I was called to be the new coordinating sister.  My job is to visit all of the sisters in my zone at night, talk to the needy ones, tell them if they are being immodest, and go to meetings...kind of a funny job really...Actually I do the orientation for new missionaries so that actually is kind of important so that the new sisters don't feel scared.  It's really funny because I feel like the people that have been here a week are so much more experienced than me, and I feel like I am more experienced than the girls that came a week after me...we count our age in number of days at the MTC...

IMy companions (I am in a threesome) and I are getting along really well.  Except one of the districts got broken up and I have a different companion during class this week and then my normal companions during the rest of the time.  Weird right?  I don't really like it just because I don't like switching back and forth but it is only for a week...which in MTC terms is like a month, but still.  It is good for me to experience teaching with just one other companion instead of two.  But when they asked for a volunteer from my companionship to leave the companionship it felt like the Hunger Games and after I volunteered we were all like, "I volunteer as tribute!"  It was kind of funny.  I am doing so much better with my companions and we have been growing a lot together.

Ok my time is up I've got to go.  I will try to hold back on my awesomeness so that people won't be intimidated;)

Hermana Wood