Baptisms!- 7/23/12

Hello everyone!!

Yessss we had our two baptisms on Saturday, and everything went great!
Lorena and Alejandro really are special. They were so excited and
happy. The service went great, it was small just like 20 people or so.
But they were so happy. Their mom and sister and niece came, too so
that was nice. Sunday in church was awesome too. They make me so
proud- in the classes they were answering questions, they brough their
Libros de Mormon and Biblias, dressed in church clothes for the first
time, everything! They are awesome.  :)  Daniela and her family are
doing well too! Daniela and her mom came to church again on Sunday. We
were worried because we hadn't seen them since Tuesday. We had an
appointment with them but we had to cancel because Hermana Haycock was
feeling really sick. But they came anyway, and they continue to like
it a lot.  :)  Daniela did tell me she doesn't want to get baptized on
the 28th. Kinda a bummer, but I'll admit it was really fast. When we
put the date with her there were only 12 days until that date so even
though she already has her answer that it's true and wants to get
baptized, it would be super fast. She still does have plans to get
baptized, though. No worries. We're gonna try to put another date with
her for sometime in August, and maybe her mom too.  :)

So, my poor companion. Yes, she continues to be sick. President
Martinez called the other night and said they were sending all her
info to Santiago to see if they have any idea what might be wrong. If
they don't know, she will probably have to go home :(   It's awful and
we're really sad about it. But this isn't getting any better and the
medical here is so lame. So she might go home to get better and then
hopefully she can come back and finish her mission. That's all the
updates we have for now.

Funny quote from my friend Elder Gonzalez. He's from LA and was in the
Army. Super funny and nice, in my zone. The other day he was like,

Elder G: Hermana, how many sister missionaries are there in the mission?
Me: Like 24.
Elder G: You guys are like special forces in the mission.

Hahaha. It was hilarious, I loved it.


So, in Sunday school we talked about charity. I have been thinking a
lot about that, well my whole mission basically. Trying to develop the
pure love of Christ for others. In 1 Corinthians 13:8 it says,
''Charity never faileth.'' That is something that I've been thinking
about this past week. I have learned that when we love and serve
others, we are happier. I try to do it every day. Even when I feel
frustrated or like I want to say no to an opportunity to serve
someone, when I want to let it pass by and just not do it, I remember
that the Savior never would do that, and I do it anyway. Charity is
the single most important attribute we can develop, it is how we will
become like Christ. I think of my mission plaque scripture, that I
love so much: By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if
ye have love, one to another. Let us all try to be more loving and
kind this week. To serve someone else, even when we don't want to. I
promise that Heavenly Father sees every one of our efforts, and He is
grateful for our love and service to His children.

Well, next week is cambios and I'm nervous. I will let you all know
our fate next Monday haha.

Love you all, love the mission. Life is good but it goes too fast! So
enjoy every day.  :)

Les quiero un montón.
Hermana Anderton

Trials, miracles, confused!- 7/17/12

HI!!!

Okay so, this week was crazy. Well, I dunno. Okay so first of all, we are still not working much. Hermana Haycock is doing even worse, and it's awful. It breaks my heart. Last week we went to Concepcion again, this time for an ultrasound because that worked last time to find her problem. And they said everything looks normal. AH!! This is so awful. Hate it. So.... keep praying for her. Not much else to say on that...

Miracles, okay so Lorena and Alejandro are so fantastic. We're still visiting them, and we were able to go to church. Which, by the way, Lorena and Alejandro brought their niece with them, AND Daniela came AND her mom and little sister!! Her  mom's never come but always likes to listen to us. We finally saw Daniela after like 2 weeks last Friday. She had kinda lost interest it was sad. But the Spirit took over in that lesson and she has the desires again to learn and progress. So she came to church and they talked about the plan of salvation in young women's. Remember she had doubts about that before? Well, she came up to me after church and was like ''I understand now. I believe it's true.'' Ahh. Awesome. Then last night, we somehow put a baptismal date with her for the 28th of this month!!!! How? We don't know. It is seriously crazy. We feel like we really don't deserve it because we haven't hardly been working at all. But somehow and for some reason, we are being greatly blessed.  :)  Lorena and Alejandro are ready and excited for Saturday. Please pray anyway that everything will go smoothly, because there's always SOMETHING that comes up the day of the baptism to try and stop it. The adversary doesn't like baptisms that much hehe :) But yeah. Our investigators are amazing! And there were 44 people in church Sunday, the most I've seen in Los Alamos my whole time here. It was awesome!  :)

I cut Hermana Haycock's hair last week, and she cut mine this week. It's a good 3ish inches shorter, but I like it she did a good job (Yeah, we get bored in the house). When we were in Conce I bought cream cheese. It was a miracle I was SO happy. I haven't had that for 6 months! We also found a smoothie place and got some, THOSE I haven't had in 8 months! Haha, it was delicious and fun. Yumm. 

Well, yeah, keep praying for my comp please. I seriously love her so much. I wish there was more I could do for her but I am doing the best I can, and  we have to trust in Heavenly Father to do the rest. Pray for Lorena, Alejandro, and Daniela too please!!!

Love you all so much. Thank you for all your support. I know this is the Church of Jesus Christ, and I know He loves us so much.

Have a great week!!

Hermana Anderton  :D

Trapped! 7/9/12

Oh, I have GOT to stop praying for patience.

My poor companion. Is in so much pain. It's not any better, and it's
hard for me to believe that she hasn't gotten any better in so much
time. The doctors here are so lame, the medical sucks and they are
just telling us to wait. One doctor said one thing, the hospital said
something else, we went back to Concepcion Thursday to another doctor
who said nothing, and went to the hospital Friday night and they
couldn't do ANYTHING because they have like nothing there. It's
horrible!!! Now we have to wait until this coming Thursday when she
has an appointment with a specialist in Concepcion. She's hoping to be
able to do an ultrasound because that was the only way they found what
was wrong with her in high school last time she felt like this, oh
yeah she had a kidney infection and was hospitalized. Soo, she's
thinking it's back. Ahhh it kills me that she is in so much pain, and
I can't do ANYTHING!! So hard. :(   We got an order from President
Martinez that we aren't to leave the house. We got this order Friday
and are supposed to be in the house until Thursday. We couldn't even
go to church yesterday! Our zone leaders came last night and brought
us the Sacrament. It was weird having them bless it for us in our
house. But, it's that important. So, cool I guess. We got permission
to leave today to do internet. Haha we are so bored. SOOOOO
borrreeeedd!!!! I've never been stuck in the house for so long in my
life. Even before Friday we had basically been in the house a week,
but we would leave like for doctors appointments, or that zone
activity, or church. Sooo. Yeah. This is rough. We both feel so sad
that we can't work. These people need us. But we are trying to be
patient and take care of Hermana Haycock the best we can.

Lorena and Alejandro are AMAZING!!! So they are the ones that have
their baptism on the 21st. Brother and sister, Lorena is 21 and
Alejandro is 20 and their mom got baptized a long time ago. The zone
leaders went and visited them the other night since we can't, and they
are just so excited and ready for their baptism. They went to  church
yesterday without us! Yes!!! That is great news. Chileans are...
lazy.. and no matter what we do sometimes they just DON'T go to
church. Even members that are supposedly ''strong'' in the church
don't go sometimes because ''tienen flojera.'' Which means that they
have lazy or are lazy. They think it is a valid excuse, its
ridiculous. Anyway, Lorena and Alejandro are the best, and went
yesterday on their own. Yay. :D  Many times unfortunately people get
baptized for the missionaries, too, but this is more evidence in their
favor, that they really believe this and have a testimony. They want
to get baptized for them, not for us. Heavenly Father is blessing us
so much with them, we can´t go vísit them but we call them often and
they are doing great on their own. :)

Giselle and Daniela, it´s super sad but we don´t know what´s going on
with them. But hopefully we can start visiting them again soon... We
just don´t know when Hermana Haycock will be better so we can get to
work again. But okay. That's just how it is for now and we have to be
patient.

Gustavo is great, he went to church yesterday and last Sunday in
Concepcion. We are dying to keep teaching him, maybe Wednesday when we
go up to Conce for the doctors appt Thursday we can teach him again.
He's so great! So happy.  :)

A member lent us his laptop and we got permission to watch disney
movies in the house. Soo, we've watche Tangled and Prince of Egypt
like 3 times each, and Joseph King of Dreams and Cars 2 once. And I
have caught up on letters!!! I had a huuuuge stack to get back to. And
I have written 12 letters now. Haha, so friends and family, expect
some mail coming your way relatively soon.   :)

Well, that's about it to report this week. Please keep my companion in
your prayers. Especially that they find what is wrong on Thursday so
they can help her be better.

I love you all so much and I know this is the Lord's church, and His
work. Can't wait to get out there and preach it again.

Love and hugs,
Hermana Danielle Anderton

Baptism Picture!

Happy fourth of July!

Well HELLO everyone,

Coldest 4th of July of my life-- Dead of winter here in southern Chile.

Wow lotsss has happened. First of all, my companion is sick!! Ahhh like super sick.  :(  Like, was in lots of pain for two weeks but didn't say anything because she didn't want to make a big deal of it, but now it's like really really bad and we went to Concepcion Thursday to go to the doctor, and the meds didn't do anything. We basically haven't gone out to work since Wednesday. We worked a little bit Friday and Saturday morning. Went to church Sunday morning and then were home. Like I said she had meds but she was in so much pain... It was killing me so I called  Hermana Martinez and we went to Conce Sunday night to the hospital. They took a bunch of tests and apparently one of her organs is infected and inflamed and that's why she is in so much pain. Ah I feel so bad. SO we've been in the house a lot... I feel really lazy I'm getting bored. But the most important is that she gets better so we can get out to work and save the world!!! We're going up to Conce again tomorrow for another doctor appointment. And I am doing the best I can to take care of her. Making food, making sure she takes her meds (which she hates)... We're getting to know each other a loot better, telling lots of stories and just kinda hanging out in the house. Which is weird. Haha. But, what can I do?  Prayers for her please, she says she would like to throw herself in front of a car cause it hurts so bad  :(  ANnyyway, other news...

Giselle didn't come to church Sunday and we don't know why. Sad.. We gotta find her and see what's up. Also, Daniela we haven't seen as much lately and she needs our help to keep progressing. But they both have a lot of potential. Exciting news, I think I talked about the Familia Ramirez before. We found them knocking doors, the mom got baptized a long time ago with two of her kids. Sadly they died.. the kids, they drowned or something tragic and the mom hasn't been to church since. So we went back a few times to teach her and try to help her out, and then we ended up meeting her kids  because they wanted to learn. Lorena is 21 and so cute. Alejandro is 20. He came with his mom to church a few weeks ago but Lorena always had work Sundays.  But she would always read the Book of Mormon and pray and loved learning about the church. Well, this past week we'd been fasting with the Zone. We needed a miracle (I'll tell that story next). We had invited Lorena to ask her work if she could go in late on Sundays so she could go to church. We asked her Saturday morning (the only appointment we went to) if she had asked and she told us she actually doesn't have work there anymore. Obviously we feel bad about that, but now she can come to church!!! We taught them and put a fecha with  both of them for July 28th!!! They are so excited and they know it is true. Wow! Sunday they both did come to church. There were only 20 people there, the smallest it's been my whole time here. Ugh, Los Alamos, I don't get it. There are lots of members but obviously not many who are truly converted and have a testimony. It was fast sunday so it was testimony meeting, and there was lots of silence because there was hardly anyone there haha. I was like thinking oh my gosh this is terrible. But Lorena still loved it! She was like smiling and felt so good and agreed with the things people were saying. It was awesome. They stayed for all three hours of church and afterwards they asked if they could move their baptismal date up a week, to the 21st because they want their family to be there and they're gonna be visiting then. YES!! How fantastic. What a blessing!! We are just having tons of blessings lately, it's ridiculous. Hard because we can't go out to teach and work more, but the Lord is still blessing us. Thank you!! 

Gustavo is doing well. He's still in Concepcion, and I am dying I want to keep teaching him sooo bad. But we call him often and he went to church up there Sunday. HOPEFULLY he will be home soon! 

SO the miracle in the zone of Lebu!!! Every month, we make a goal as a zone for how many baptisms we want to work for that month. Obviously, it's not about the numbers rather about the people and their eternal salvation, but it's important to have goals and to work for them. The goal that we put as a zone was 12 for the month of June. By the 17th of June we had 11! We were soo close, but there were lots of obstacles that kept coming up. The last week of the month, this kid, Pablo, had a fecha and was preparing for his baptism. He's 17 and so he needed permission from his mom. His baptism was going to be Friday, and the Elders there went Thursday night to get her to sign the permission slip. And she said no. She said unless God tells her in a dream that night, that he needed to be baptized the next day, it's not going to happen. We were all fasting and praying tons as a zone. Friday morning Pablo goes to his mom and he's like soo....??? And she goes, ''Okay. Where do I need to sign?''   She had a dream that he needed to be baptized!!! And she gave him permission. It was AMAZING. We were so happy and shocked. I don't know why I'm still surprised when Heavenly Father works miracles. I know He can do anything, according to our faith and His will. But it was amazing. The whole zone got permission to go to his baptism to support and I gave one of the talks. It was a great baptism and to see us complete our goal together, with so much unity and love. Yay! So, today, we are having a barbeque for the 4th of July because we completed our goal. Lebu is doing sooo well. Our zone is leading the mission with 40 baptisms this year. It's great that we are working so well together and understanding our purpose to help these people here. Love it.

Well, that's it for today. I love you all so much, thank you for all your support and prayers and love! Pray for my comp, Hermana Haycock, please. Love her tons and it kills me that she's in so much pain. We gotta get out there, we've got souls to save!

I know this is true, and I know God loves all his children. 

Until next week, xo

Hermana Anderton  :)