November 3rd

hola familia...

I received a package from Cindy and Greg. looks like Mr Greg bought a boat and is now going frogging? If you could relay the message back to them telling them not to worry- that I will get my frogging gear ready for when I get back. Tell Ms Cindy that I am trying to collect some box tops for her to send back and that I will try and send in a couple of weeks.- I have collected a couple and I will see if some of the members have so to send so that I can send them. I also got a letter from Hailey Persons... just a few months late it seems like. I also got a Christmas card from the Hampton family. according to the card, Devin will be turning in his papers in the next week or two.. gotta love the mail system in Santiago!
(editor's note: Elder Devin Hampton has been on his mission since May)

sorry for the short email. It was such a good week. Mainly for yesterday with our investigators coming to church. yes! 

Hermana Salazar also surprised my with a small get together. I had no idea she would be celebrating my b-day, but here is a foto. 

thank you for all of the updates. hope to write a little more next week. love  you !!!

November 10th

time gets shorter and shorter lunes. We were able to have a conference with Elder Nelson this Morning. It was phenomenal! He shared with us a lot of what we need to share as missionaries focusing on the Doctrine. His wife also gave a powerful message. 

As far as the rest of the week went, we had a few issues come up in the ward. Let me just say that it is difficult when not everyone does their part. Comparing it to a beehive- There are thousands of worker bees. If none of the bees collect pollen, there is no honey. Maybe I`m not the best at analogies, but our investigators certainly know when the bees don't work together. That is why I am sending you a photo as my blessing of the week. M____ G____. She is the best missionary I have ever known. there are a thousand more blessings that I

see from week to week. they outweigh the negatives. Thank you for all of the birthday wishes. It was a great day. Love you and Looks like the dolphin fountain ones-up the frog. haha. Love you all.

October 27th

A short email this week, there isn't too much to say. We are getting really close to putting a baptisimal date with P________ G______ and with D____ C_______. We also found a guy named P____ from Bolivia.. I think he´s got to be the most receptive investigator that we have had in a while. The only challenge has been finding them when they are home. One of the bigger challenges of the mission is finding them when they are home and having lessons with the members which are incredibly affective. I hope that when you two are not traveling that you go out with the missionaries,, maybe one of the biggest challenges has been to find members and have lessons with investigators. Not just to have a lesson with a member, but remembering the Christ-like example of love and friendship. The member has the biggest influence with the investigator. 

What a cool experience to have been able to work at the temple for a bit. I bet it is booming there on Pinnacle Peak. what a blessing to get to watch, members and non-members go through. Well after more than 5 years of planning and constructing it has got to be wonderful to see the progress and the finished result! Like Alex said, I am also really excited to be able to go through when I get home. 
I am doing well with my companion. I have got a lot of crazy stories.. maybe too much to put into an email, but my companion makes me laugh so much! I am learning that maybe I didn´t have the patience that I had before the mission. I am grateful because I am learning more than she is I think. Makes it a little bitter sweet that I have experiencing this during the last few months that I have left. 

I have a few pics of me and my companion. We also have been "hunting down" some old investigators. We have been trying to get more creative with leaving small gifts for them like the little cactus we bought with scriptures written on the rocks. 

 

I hope that everyone is doing well. I love you and am grateful for the emails that I get from yall every week. Have a good one.

October 20th

Hola 

A pretty good week on this end. It was pretty much a year ago that dad and k went to the Bahamas, i feel like I am re-living last year. I am so excited for the Temple to be dedicated!! I want to go first thing when I get back-

This week was pretty mello... I wasnt able to meet up with Sister Paulus.   Although i was very grateful that i was able to receive the backpack.It didn't work out and my mission president had to remind me about the rules with meeting up with people. It wasnt my intention to break the rules, but i am grateful to remember the part about exact obedience. Hey I got a lot of things about BYUi . I don't know if those were gifts from other people or hints.....

I wish I would have taken a picture of the Completo I ate with one of our investigators, C____. It was Saturday night, and maybe wasn't the best idea because I got sick for the first time in a long time!  but C____ is absolutely hysterical and the nicest guy. I don't want to say that it was worth it, but it sure was an experience. I told Karen that i was able to make it to the toilet every time. We also had a capacitacion the other day and I saw N______ M______ who has decided to serve a mini-mission in the areaa. just a few months ago she was coming back to church with her family and it was such a surprise to see her right along with us as missionaries.

I hope that everyone is doing well. I love you and will also forward the email that says when i will go home.

October 13th

(Hermana B almost wrote her entire email in Spanish - so I left it that way and used google translate to help me translate it for us)

Well, a week of ups and downs. But more ups than downs. Lots of learning, we have had a little trouble contacting all of our investigators this week, for work, time, etc. etc... Y como siempre, el desafío de que ellos progresan. Igual, podemos decir que algunos están progresando y que están leyendo el Libro de Mormón. Tenemos una investigadora se llama V_____ y cuando vamos, enseñamos a ella y su hijito Benjamín. El le gusta cantar los himnos y participa en las lecciones. Está leyendo el Libro de Mormón y es el niño mas capo que yo había conocido. 

And as always, the challenge they progress. Still, we can say that some are progressing and they are reading the Book of Mormon. We have a researcher called V____ and when we go, we taught her and her son Benjamin. He likes to sing hymns and participate in the lessons. You are reading the Book of Mormon is the most child hood I had known.
 

Estamos luchando con el D____. Más que J_____ porque D_____ tiene más interés con el Libro de Mormón. Un proceso lento.

 

We are struggling with D_____. More than J____ because D____ is more interested with the Book of Mormon. A slow process.

 

No estoy segura si he mencionado antes de P_____, pero él también está leyendo. También quiere bautizarse, así que ore por el para que tome la decisión hacerlo. Y a los de mas eran difíciles de encontrar.. Pero bueno, esperamos que nuestras investigadores vengan a la capilla! Aparte de eso, no ha pasado mucho. O quizás si, y no puedo pensar en mucho mas. 

 

I'm not sure if I mentioned before P_____, but he is also reading. He also wants to be baptized, so pray for to take the decision to do so. And the more they were hard to find .. But hey, we expect our researchers to come to the chapel! Other than that, not much has happened. Or maybe, and I can not think of much more.

 

Aparte de eso, esta semana me reflexioné mucho en el plan de Salvación y le Expiación. Con todo lo que pasó por parte de ustedes y el barrio y también aquí, me siento muy agradecido saber estas cosas y también enseñarles. Encontramos muchas cosas en la vida de cada uno, pero es cierto lo que dice José Smith de que la Expiación es el centro de lo que creemos y las otras doctrinas son extras. Pero sea necesario entender la Expiación porque nos da la razón "porque"

Other than that, this week I reflected much in the plan of Salvation and the Atonement. With everything that happened on your part and the neighborhood and here, I am grateful to know these things and teach. We found many things in the life of everyone, but it is true that Joseph Smith said that the Atonement is the center of what we believe and the other doctrines are extras. But it is necessary to understand the Atonement because it gives us the reason "why"

 

Yo recibí un paquete para la conferencia genial (GENIAL) porque fue maravillosa. Pero, no se me alcanzó a tiempo :( gracias igual por las dulces, chicle, marcadores, y notas. Para la próxima digo yo. 

 

I received a great package for the conference (GREAT) because it was wonderful. But I will not be achieved on time thanks :( equally by the candy, gum, markers, and notes. For I say next.

 

Me gustan las fotos. especialmente del cocodrilo porque me acuerdo de LA. (y para que sepan recibí noticias cuando voy a regresar :O) Y me alegro que ustedes (dad y k) estén viajando. K, saque muchas fotos. 

 

I like the pictures. Crocodile especially because I remember LA. (And so you know news when I got back: O) And I'm glad that you (dad yk) are traveling. K, take lots of pictures.

 

Y Alex, espero que estés bien! Sé que tiene mucho trabajo. Sigas fuerte hermano!! 

Que tengan una semana maravillosa! Hope you liked the spanish, Jazzed up my letter a little bit. Take care 

 

And Alex, I hope you're right! I know you have a lot of work. Follow stronger brother !!

Have a wonderful week! Hope you liked the spanish, Jazzed up my letter a little bit. Take care

 

 

 

Sister Jasmine Berthelson

Chile Santiago East Mission

Oct 6th

there is not enough time i am sorry! I sent sarah an email. I was shocked when i heard the news. I am praying for her and her family.. I am thankful for your emails this week . I will write more next week. 

Was also super pumped when President monson mentioned the PHX temple. It was also cool to hear the talks in Spanish.. for real.

Love you and hope yall are well this week. Alma 26:16

September 29th

hey yall

i am so sorry for what happened this week :( that totally stinks. I hope that the bitter feelings have passed. Like Alex said-better that nobody was hurt. So keep your head up and I hope you are able to appreciate the blessings even through the tough event

This week was absolutely incredible. We visited almost all of our contacts again this week. Let me tell you that we definitely had contacts of gold. We set 3 baptismal dates for our new investigators and we hope to set a couple more dates this week. We found 8 new investigators this week, some including families..

One of the days we were on divisions this week and a member was with us. Unfortunately our plans fell through and we weren`t able to visit the person we had planned. We walked by a little food vendor market and this one guy from behind asked me where my companion was and I explained that we have exchanges once in a while. I new he was a foreigner and so I asked him where he was from and he told us he was from the Dominican Republic and his name was J_____. I also asked J____ if he had heard missionaries before and he said no. I asked him if he would like to hear the missionaries and so right then and there he invited us to his house right across the street. Turns out there are seven of them from the DR and we started teaching J_____ and D_____. 

From a few weeks ago, there was a lady that contacted us and said she would like to hear the lessons and that she would like to be baptized, she gave us her address to visit her and unfortunately it was the incorrect address. but we found her again this week and she explained to us how she realized that it was wrong. we set up an appointment with her correct address and she has so many questions about what we are teaching. We have a baptismal date for her and hopefully for her 12 year old son as well. 

R____was one of our contacts during 18.. immediately she told us about her situation that she had a child about 5 years ago that only lived to be 6 months old. Since the time we met her, she has been reading the Book of Mormon and came to church with us for the first time yesterday. She also has a baptismal date for October. 

S____ is a friend of one of the members of our ward. He lives alone and he actually came to church the week before sitting in the front of the chapel and left before we could see an unfamiliar face. He is 70 years old and lives alone. He has severe depression, but has agreed to be Baptized after we explained to him that he wasn`t too "old" to make covenants and we are working patiently to explain to him the blessings of the plan of Salvation and why some sad things have happened in his life. 

 

We also met V____ during 18 when we were looking for a less active. She also has depression, but is a mother of 3 and is a stay at home mom. She and her son want to learn more from us and we were able to teach them this week. 

I got the package from you guys... thank you for the skirt- gave it to my comp who loves clothes. I am winding down.. the package was perfect. it was like you knew i had a headache (motrin) and i needed more laundry detergent,, 

So that is a little about my life at this moment. It was such a good week, but i think what is more important is what i am learning. It is about perseverance and just want to be an instrument in the Lord´s hands (Alma 17:11) I hope you have a good week and if you can pray for these people. I am so grateful for the message of the Restoration. It changes lives. -- 

service project from the other week and us singing"si vas para chile" for 18 at the ward activity 

 

Sister Jasmine Berthelson

Chile Santiago East Mission