Quite possibly the best week of my mission

Ohhhh my gosh. SO many things to write about!!! This week was great. Super great. Well, it was kinda slow in the beginning. The first couple days lots of appointments fell through, plans A, B, and C, and so we did a lot of walking and knocking, trying to find people. But then on Thursday Elder Garrett, our district leader, came. He came to interview one of our investigators, David. David is 31 and super sweet. He has been coming to church for awhile now, the Hermanas started teaching him in July or August but he hasn't committed to baptism yet. He says he knows the church is true and wants to be baptized, but wanted to wait til like next year for some reason. Which is crazy, because if you know it is true and want to do it, why would you wait to receive blessings? Anyway so Elder Garrett came to do the baptismal interview that they always do with people before their baptisms to make sure they are prepared. We were worried it was going to be really awkward because he didn't even have a fecha (baptismal date) but anyway he came. And they did the interview upstairs in David's house and we waited downstairs. They were gone for a long time and when they came back, Elder Garrett had this HUGE smile on his face. We were like,  ''What? What happened?!'' And he was like, ''He passed. He's ready!'' We were like wait, yes we know he is ready but does that mean he's going to get baptized now? And, somehow when they were in the interview David just realized he was ready and decided not to wait anymore. So, he is getting baptized this coming  Saturday!!! Wooooo miracle!!! We are so excited, and so is David. :) Yay.

Next thing. Saturday, we were out working and we were looking for this lady named Amanda who the Hermanas before me had taught like one or two times. Well she wasn't there but her son, Anibal, who's like 26 or so was there and he just let us right in. HE asked US if we wanted to come in, haha. Well he is awesome. He met with misisonaries like a year ago and liked it but his family kinda gave him a hard time so he stopped investigating. But he was saying that he wants to know if it really is true, and so he wanted to learn more and go to church. So we invited him to church for the next day of course, and he said he'd go. And, he did! Okay, awesomeeee sometimes we spend months teaching investigators and they still don't go to church. So that was great!! We talked to him after and he really liked it and said he had questions, so we asked him when we could get together again and he asked if we could today. Ha. Usually when we ask that they give us a day like a week away and then forget about it haha. So we're seeing him tonight.

Next, after church, we had a cita with David but he had to do something so he canceled. So we ended up knocking a few doors close by his house and this man Renato, 65, just let us right in. He was so nice, and he told us how he loves the church because it has helped him so many times in his life. When he was young, he was a drug addict. One day someone invited him to church and he went, and after that day never did drugs again! After one day! Then, he went to a Mormon school, I guess the church had some schools here just like there are Catholic schools or Baptist schools or whatever. So he went and really liked it, they actually gave him a free education so he is very grateful for that too. Then in some other hard time in his life the church came back into the picture. Now, he is married with a family. He is just coming out of cancer. He was hospitalized for the entire year of 2009, and the doctors had basically left him for dead. He prayed and picked up a Bible that he had next to his bed in the hospital, and the verse he read said ''Ask, and it shall be given you.'' He asked to be healed and left the hospital the next day. Then, yesterday, he said he was in a really bad mood and some things were going on in his life, and we knocked on his door. :)  Haha, love it. We taught him a little and invited him to pray to know if it is true. He said he would, that he really wanted to know, and said ''Who knows maybe I'll finally get baptized.'' I then invited him, ''If you come to know that these things are true, will you follow the example of Jesus Christ and be baptized by someone who has the priesthood authority of God?'' He said yes. Then Hermana Barbosa invited him to be baptized November 24th if he had his answer. First he said that was very soon, but then right after he was like ''Well, God could answer me later today if He wanted to, so yeah, sure.'' Haha! It was great! He is just awesome and we are so excited for him, to help him get his answer and prepare to be baptized.  :)  Yay!

We also have Esteban, who is the husband of a less-active member, Hermana Cristina. He has met with missionaries for a long time. He has a fecha for November 24th also.  He came to church yesterday, but we have to make sure he is keeping all his commitments and really ready for that date. So, we will see.  :) But we are having LOTS of success, lots of miracles and tender mercies from the Lord. We are so happy to have people that we are working with who truly want to know if this is the Lord's church and if they should be a part of it. We love it, because we know it is true, and that anyone who sincerely wants to know and prays will know the same thing. We want everyone to receive these wonderful blessings Heavenly Father has for us, that's why we're missionaries!

Well, this Friday I complete ONE YEAR in the mission. What?! How did that happen?? I can't even believe it. It has gone so fast. I am sure the last 6 1/2 months will fly by as well, and I am hoping to enjoy every last minute of them.  :)  Sometimes I never want to go home. I love this! There is no greater joy that I have experienced than seeing God's children grow and change and find the Gospel. 

So, this week I decided I'm going to do something new in my emails. I realize I talk about ''The Gospel'' alllllll the time. But I also realize some people reading this might not know exactly what that means. Or even if they do know, it never hurts to study it more and learn more about it. ;)  So, this week I am going to start with defining the Gospel, and the next few weeks I will explain each part. 

''The Gospel of Jesus Christ as restored through the Prophet Joseph Smith will bless our families, meet our spiritual needs, and help us fulfill our deepest desires... The purpose of the gospel is to cleanse people of their sins so they can receive the Savior's mercy at the day of judgement. Therefore, the work you (the missionary) do each day is to help others come unto Christ  by helping them receive the restored gospel, through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and His atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end''  -Preach my Gospel.

And a quote from a member of the ward yesterday, translated into English obviously... ''This is the Gospel in my life- the light. That light that indicates to us the path we should take.''

This is the reason I am here. To share this amazing, wonderful, beautiful gospel of Jesus Christ, with everyone who will listen. I know it is true. I know God loves us and wants us to be truly happy, and the Gospel is how we can do just that.  :)

That's it for today. Love you all.

Hermana Danielle Anderton

Independencia

Well, I got transfered! Boooo. I am now in Talcahuano, in the ward of Independencia. It's a great sector and great area- Talcahuano is the very north of the mission, so I am close to Concepción and the office, and also the BEACH! Yayyyy. I love being close to the beach. It's still pretty cold here actually, whereas in Los Angeles it was already getting warmer. I will be HAPPY to spend the summer here in Talcahuano, if it works out that I stay. Because in some parts of the mission (like Los Angeles) it is ridiculously hot in the summer. So.. Cool! Oh yeah, I am with Hermana Barbosa now. She is great! She is from Washington and has two cambios more than me (3 months or so). She is super nice and a good missionary. We had met a couple times before. And we are happy to be here together! Something interesting happened with the cambios this time... Our district leader called us Wednesday night at like 9:50 and told me I was going to Victoria (which is in the south) with Hermana Mateos, the other hermana that Hermana Hamblin (my mommy) trained. I was like okay.. cool. But it didn't really feel super ''right.''  I figured I would get used to it and that I just felt that way because I wasn't super exited to leave Villa Obispo and Hermana Shelton. But, like 5 or 10 minutes later the Zone leaders called and said there was a change, and that I wasn't going to Victoria that I was going to Talcahuano with Hermana Barbosa. And then I felt the Spirit. :)  I felt like ''Okay, yep that's right'' and I felt peace. It was cool. I called the Assistants because they're both my good friends (Elder Tavernier and Elder Morales) and I asked what happened with my cambio and they said that President Martinez called last-minute to tell them that he received revelation and the cambios needed to change. So, that was really cool!  I know I am supposed to be here this transfer with Hermana Barbosa, and I am excited for what it has in store.  :)

Bad news is I'm sick. Boo. I haven't been sick in a long while, but Saturday morning I woke up with a bad sore throat. I hadn't been sleeping very well, for like 4 nights in a row because I think I was nervous about transfers ha. But yeah so Saturday and Sunday were really hard for me cause I was soo tired, my throat hurt and my body was like sore and everything I don't know it was lame. But yesterday after  church I got a blessing and afterwards had more energy, and slept well the past two nights so I think I am getting better now. 

Maria José and Jorge are great- Last Wednesday we met with them again and it was so good, and they have a baptism date for November 10th!! They are just so awesome, and ready. They basically just need to get work off Sundays so they can consistently come but they are awesome. I wish I could be there for their baptism, but at least I was able to meet them and help them a little. No, Lionedes didn't get baptized yesterday. He's not ready yet. We are hoping he will continue to stay with his sister in Los Angeles so they can keep teaching him and keep preparing him to be baptized maybe next month.

Well anyway, sorry this email is a bit short today. But I am almost out of time. I just wanted to close with a scripture from the Bible that I love, goes like this:

''Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.''  -Matthew 5:14-16.

Let your light shine, family and friends. Be happy. Love life, because it is a gift! As we are happy and love others, others will see our light and be affected by it. I know that Christ lives, and this is His church. That we can be truly happy in this life and have peace in the life after as we follow Him! Have another great week!

Love you all mucho,

Hermana Danielle Anderton

Everyone will want to know Him,when they look into our eyes.

"Este es Esparta"   "this is Sparta!"  Like in the movie 300. A street in our sector.

Jumping on a trampoline, Sunday after church while at a member's house for lunch in the "campo."

Heyyy!!

Okay so we had a good week! Lionedes is still unsure about this
Saturday... He is coming to church and meeting with us, but I think he
feels kind of pressured. He does want to be baptized... But we have to
make sure he is ready. His sister who is 80 and super faithful really
wants him to be baptized so she doesn't go alone anymore. And
obviously we want him to be baptized! But we need to make sure he is
ready and also that he will be able to come to church every week.
Because he lives in the campo and has to get permission from his boss
to leave every Sunday, cause he watches the house for them. We shall
see. But we are praying that it all works out!!

We don't know transfers yet, but will find out tomorrow. I am nervous!
Part of me feels like I may leave but another part really doesn't want
to yet! Also, I just went grocery shopping and bought a bunch of food,
so I hope I don't leave ha. For more reasons than just the food I
would love to stay. But, as always, I will do what is needed of me.
''I'll go where You want me to go'' says the song, and I say it too! I
have two traditions with my cambios since I've been in the mission
field. One is that I've been with all my companions for their
birthdays, and two is that I've been with each companion for two
cambios. Hermana Shelton's birthday is November 10th. So, do you think
I will keep the tradition of being with my companion for her birthday,
or being with them two cambios each?? I can't keep both!! Next week I
shall tell you all which one it is!

So this guy, Diego, just got home from his mission, here in our ward.
Remember la familia Salamanca, where I had my birthday lunch? Well he
is their middle son and just got back last Wednesday. So it was kinda
weird to see his family all excited and see him just getting back and
all. Ah! Family I miss you! But at the same time, I don't ever want to
leave. It's a hard mix of emotions, I hope you understand... I love
the Chile and being a missionary, and I can't imagine not doing this.
But when the time comes, I hope to accept it and be okay. Anyway, I've
still got time so I'm not gonna worry too much about that right now.
:)

So Chileans are funny and they are completely convinced that a
temperature change of hot to cold and vise versa makes you sick. Like
when it's hot out one day and the next cold, they always make comments
like they're sick because of that. Or if we're in a warm house and
then go out into the cold they always tell us to cover up our face and
neck so we don't get sick! Hahaha, it's so funny! They even cover
their faces with a scarf or shirt and like don't want to come out and
talk to us if it's cold and their house is warm because they think
they'll catch a cold. It's like, hellooooo hot and cold air doesn't
make you sick! Germs do! Soo funny. But yeah the weather has been a
bit bi-polar lately. But not me, I've been happy.  :)

Okay, coolest story of the week. There is this family in our ward, la
familia Rosales. They are great. Mom, Dad, there's a son Jorge who's
24 and he's maried to Maria Jose who's 20, but they don't live with
the family anymore. Then there's Carolina who's 19 and little Javiera
who's 6. Okay. So Hno. Rosales has been a member for a long time. But
he went inactive and married a non member. A few years ago, like 3 or
4, the missionaries went to visit him and met his wife and Carolina,
and the two of them got baptized and Hno Rosales came back to church,
and they got sealed in the temple and everything and they're super
happy. Cute, right? Well Jorge the son was already moved out of the
house when his mom and sister got baptized, so he didn't listen to the
missionaries and he still hasn't really made time to learn about the
church but he is super nice, and they have a little 2 year old Sofia
who is adorable. Well the family Rosales has wanted us to share with
their son and daughter in law for awhile now, but every time we go to
find them they're always working and it just hasn't worked out. Next
part of the story: Carolina just decided last weekend that she is
going to go on a mission!!!! She is super excited and she is going to
come out with us more to prepare and we are going to help her with her
mission papers. Yay! Well anyway so Sunday night we were walking to
our last appointment of the night, this less active lady who has been
coming back to church. And we wanted to set a time with Carolina to
come out with us. We were walking past her house and I asked my
companion if we should just go stop by to ask her so we don't waste
cell phone minutes calling her (yes Mom, I'm better about watching my
minutes now!). So we were deciding for a minute what we should do and
eventually we just decided that we would stop by to ask her. So we
knock and the mom is like super excited and she's like come in come
in!!! We were like okay we just had a quick question... Anyway, lots
of details sorry. So we sit down and talk for a minute, ask Carolina
when she can come out with us. AND Jorge and Maria Jose are there!!
They had just finished watching a movie as a family and weren't doing
anything. I was kinda dumb and after we had a time set with them I was
like getting ready to go and my wonderful companion was like ''Yeah we
want to set a time to go visit with you guys!''  (meaning Jorge and
Maria Jose). I was like oh yeah, obvio. Then Hna. Rosales was just
like, ''Can you share something now?? I mean we're all here together,
for a reason you were brought to our house!''  ....Okay DUH I am
retarded. Haha so we shared a scripture about teaching your children
the Gospel and how they will have peace. And they LOVED it. The Spirit
was so strong and Jorge said ''For the first time, something like this
really got to me.'' He completely felt it and even asked if we had
another scripture we could share!! Ahh Hermano and Hermana Rosales
were then bearing their testimonies of the Restored Gospel and about
eternal families, and it was so beautiful. We were completely led to
their house at exactly the right moment, and if I hadn't read that
scripture in personal study that day it maybe wouldn't have come to my
mind to share with them and probably wouldn't have been just what they
needed.  Anyway, we have an appointment with them tomorrow.  :)

There are no coincidences. I am 100% certain that Heavenly Father led
us there, to their house, at that time to share with them and help
them... There is nothing better than feeling like a complete
instrument in the hands of the Lord, to do what He would do, go where
He would go, and say what He would say. I love it!!!!

''I know that which the Lord hath commanded me, and I glory in it. I
do not glory of myself, but I glory in that which the Lord hath
commanded me; yea, and this is my glory, that perhaps I may be an
instrument in the hands of God to bring some soul to repentance; and
this is my joy.''  -Alma 29:9

I LOVE THIS, and now I am out of time.  Have a wonderful week, everyone!!!

xoxoxo
Hermana Anderton  :)

Let us all press on,in the work of the Lord

Hola!!

Conference was so great!! It seriously went soooo fast here, I couldn't even believe it. You know what ELSE I can't believe?? That they changed the age for sister missionaries to 19!!!! Are you kidding me!!? I waited 3 years til I was 21 to leave, and now, they change it!? Ha, no fair. But no worries, I know I am supposed to be here now, not 2 years ago. I love my mission and I wouldn't change anything. :)  

SO, we have a baptism date!! For the first time in a lonng time! For October 20th. Yay! His name is Lionedes and he's the brother of a member in our ward. He is old... Well okay only 63, so not really that old, but he seems a lot older ha. He's come to church 2 weeks in a row now and wants to be baptized. Awesome. The only thing is we aren't sure how much he really understands, and he doesn't really live in our sector haha. So.. maybe he will be baptized in another sector. But his sister lives here and she is helping him. He's actually staying with her this month because he's sick. So we are teaching him for now.

Rocio and Amalia came to conference, too! Sunday morning. They loved it, but as far as we can tell it didn't change too much with them. We are going to go by their house later in the week to talk to them more about it. 

One thing that was really great is this member who has been inactive for 7 years, Elena, came to conference! It was so great. She was really active in the church for a long time, RS president, Primary president, went to the temple, everything. But then she started smoking again (she smoked before she was baptized) and then went inactive. We found her one day ''by accident,''  and have been visiting her along with other members in the ward. It was so great to see her at church, wanting to make things right and have all the blessings of the gospel in her life again. Yay!

The funniest thing happened the other day. We met this family and they were super nice and said we could come back to visit with them. So we were passing by to see if they were available, and this little girl opens a window on the ground floor. So here in Chile, like EVERYONE has gates around their houses. It's super annoying cause we can't just go and knock their door we usually have to yell (ALO!!) unless they have a doorbell. But anyway the little girl (she was like 4 or 5) opened the window and was talking to us. We wanted to invite their family to conference and we had an invitation printed out to give them. But her dad was in the bathroom (she told us) so we were like oh okay, can you come get this paper then? So she climbed out the window which was like 2 feet off the ground. Took the paper, and the tried to get back in the window but couldn't!!! So there was the huge locked gate, so we couldn't go help her back in, and her house door was locked. Her dad opened the window upstairs and told us he couldn't come right now, he didn't have a shirt on we could see his bare shoulders, so we were like okkay awkward he's in the shower. We were telling the girl, ''You can do it! Get back in your house!'' and laughing soo hard. Her brother who's like 7 was just sitting on the bed inside and didn't do anything! Which made us laugh even more. We finally were like yelling to him to go open the front door for his sister haha. Eventually, he ended up just pulling her in through the window by her arms. Haha. Too funny.

In conference they talked a lot about service! Let us all develop more love for our family and friends, and show that love by serving! Even if we don't feel like it, serve anyway. That is how we develop the desire to do it. At least that's my experience. Sometimes, with companions, I would have a thought like, ''Oh I could do this for them.'' And sometimes I was lazy or just didn't know if I wanted to do it. But every time I had a thought like that I just started doing it, and it made me happy! With time, I started liking doing it and even searching for opportunities to help out. I remember a quote by I think it was Sister Beckstead, that said, ''Never suppress a charitable thought.''  We should all be more like that, love one another as Jesus loves you.  :)

Well friends, that's all the time I've got for now. I will send pictures next week, I promise!

I know that God lives and that He loves us. Be happy, life is great! When you feel sad, just count your blessings and that will cheer you right up.  :)

Lots of love,

Hermana Danielle Anderton

General Conference

Helloooo, everybody!

WATCH GENERAL CONFERENCE!!!!!! Saturday and Sunday at 10am and.. 2pm I
think. You can watch it in any church building, or on lds.org.
Parents, you too. I would love for you each to watch at least one
session. I promise you will love it! I am sooo excited!!! This past
Saturday night was the Relief Society conference. It was really good
AND one of our investigators, Leila, came to it!!! We found her in the
beginning of our first cambio here. She is really receptive but takes
our lessons more in like an academic way than a spiritual way. It's
interesting. She believes in God but isn't super spiritual and so
sometimes it's hard for her to see the importance of all this. She
just likes to learn so she keeps meeting with us. She teaches high
school art classes, which is cool. But anyway, we always invite her to
church but she's never had a huge desire to go. But Friday we had a
good lesson with her and invited her to the conference Sat. And she
was like, Yeah! Haha and she came. It was awesome! She completely
CRIED even! I think that was the first time she's ever felt the spirit
like that. It was way cool. :)  But she left super fast after cause it
was late and her 6 year old son was with her. So, hopefully she will
start to progress more now.  :)

Sadly, Amalia decided to tell us she is not going to commit to going
to church more. She says she just doesn't have the desires to go to
church right now, the Church of Jesus Christ or any church, really. It
was super sad. Then she went on to bear her testimony of Joseph Smith
and the Book of Mormon. She said that she knows he was truly a prophet
of God, and that the Book of Mormon isn't a lie but true and holy
scripture. She knows that Joseph Smith was God's prophet and restored
Christ's church again on the earth. BUT... She doesn't  want to keep
going. Ahhhh. Some people, I will never understand. She's just scared.
Scared to leave behind her Evangelical church, because it's what she
grew up with. Scared to change. And so now, Rocio isn't progressing
any more either because well she's gonna follow what her mom does. But
Rocio knew way before Amalia that all this is true. It's so sad. But
what can we do? We aren't here to force anyone. We will continue to
stop by every now and then to see how they are doing and try to
motivate them to keep going. But that's about it.  :(

People in general just confuse me so much... When we say to them, Look
I know this is true, I know it because God has answered my prayers.
Listen to what we have to say but don't trust in what we say, ASK GOD
and He will tell you it is true.  Whhyyyyy don't more people want to
know???!!! How do they not understand? Ahh. It's hard. Because this
has brought me SO much joy, and is pretty much necessary for our
happiness in this live and our eternal salvation. Agh, I want everyone
to have this.

We have not seen very many fruits here so far, but we are still
working really hard. We are trying to keep positive and keep going,
knowing that we are doing the best we can and Heavenly Father will
help us to see the blessings/miracles later on.

I just wanted to close with the words to a Primary song, one of my
very favorites. It goes like this:

I'm trying to be like Jesus, I'm following in His way. I'm trying to
live as He did, in all that I do and say. At times I am tempted to
make a wrong choice, but I try to listen as the still small voice
whispers:  Love one another as Jesus loves you, try to show kindness
in all that you do. Be gentle and loving  in deed and in thought-  For
these are the things Jesus taught.

I love it.  :)  I know that Christ lives, and that He is the Savior of
the world. He loves us, so much, and so does Heavenly Father. Their
goal is our happiness and success. As we follow them, and strive to
become more like them, we will be happier. I am so imperfect, and have
so many areas where I can improve. Sometimes I feel insufficient for
my calling as a missionary. But I am doing what I can, and trusting
that the Lord will do for me that which I cannot do for myself. I love
this Gospel. I know it is true, and I will share it till I die.  :)

Watch General Conference. And watch it with a question, I know it will
be answered and that God wants to give us inspiration in our personal
lives.

Love you all.  :)

Hermana Danielle Anderton