Still Rockin Santa Sabina!- March 10, 2014

¡Hola Buenos Dias!

Alright so transfers were today, but turns out that I will still be kicking it in Santa Sabina for another 6 weeks making it 6 months in total at the end of this transfer! However, the other Hnas that we live with will sadly be leaving us :( And just when Hna Baturite was really helping me learn lots of Portuguese :( Their sector will be closing and so we will be back down to 4 missionaries in our ward. Two Elders and two Hermanas now. I think it will be really strange to live with just Hna Lino, but I am super happy that we are staying together!! I don`t have to let my hija go just yet!! We still have lots of work to do together here in Santa Sabina so let the good times keep rolling.

Also I let my comp cut my hair today....not quite professional, but she did a good job and the best part was that it was free! (Yes I am my father`s daughter). I just may need to get a good hair cut when I get back... but for the mission, it is great!

This week was another good one full of miracles! So this week I started to feel a little bit sick for the first time here on the mission, but we had a full day planned ahead of us and there was no time to be sick. So I decided to get down on my knees and pray and ask Heavenly Father to make me feel better or at least make some of it go away. I told him that I had the Faith that if we went out even when I didn`t feel well, that he would help me so that we can help more of His children. And guess what? It totally worked!! Just a little bit after we left I started feeling better and as the day went on, I totally forgot that I wasn`t feeling good and we had a great day! I know that God really is a God of miracles. I know that with Him, we can do way more than we ever thought and will have "strength unknown to man". Anyways, that was just one of the many sweet experiences that happen every week as a missionary!

Also this week on Friday we had Elder Zeballos (of the seventy) who is from Chile, come and talk to us. It was sooo great!!!! He talked a lot about that we need to be converted from the heart and have our missionary purpose deep inside our heart. To be able to do everything we can to help others during our short time as missionaries. To just try and do a little bit more and be a little bit better than yesterday. That concept really applies to all of us about how we all just need to try just a little bit harder to be a little bit better. I know we all have things to work on and during our journey in life, our job is to try and become a little bit more like Christ everyday so that we can return to our Father in heaven. Elder Ballard also talked with our mission president not too long ago and promised us here in Chile Concepcion that if every one of us missionaries contacted at least 10 people everyday, that we would see a huge success. That more people would receive the Gospel and we would have more baptisms as a result. I also invite each one of you back at home that you can try and talk to one person a day about the gospel. Just one person whether it is at the super market or out on a walk, just start talking with someone and there is always a way to bring the conversation to the Gospel.

Well we are hoping that Javier and Francisca will be able to get baptized her this weekend or the next. Our investigators are doing great and sorry I don`t have much more time to talk about them, but I LOVE the Chilean people!!!!! They are so hilarious and are "buena gente". I hope you all have an amazing week and keep sharing the Gospel whenever and wherever you can. It really does change lives!! Love you all sooooo much!!!

Hermana Romney

Pics:

1) Family Home Evening where I taught everyone how to make brownies!!!

2) Conference with the Pulsiphers -they are like my second parents here and they leave this month ;((

3) Just grillin a real Chilean Asadoooo!!!! So good!

 

The Atonement- March 3, 2014

¿Como estan todos, que me cuenten de este semana? ¡Ojala que todos esten muy bien!

So this is going to be a short one this week since we went to the playa today!! We had a zone activity at the beach here in Talcahuano where we played some sand volleyball and ate choripan since this will be our last P-day as a zone since transfers are next week! I have been here in Santa Sabina for 3 transfers now, so I could go, but I really don`t want to!! I love the people here sooooo much and they really have become my family away from home. Also Karen (recent convert) told me to send "saludos" to the family.

This week one of our focuses was on the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Everyday we tried to read a little bit on the Atonement and ponder it throughout the whole day. Wow what a difference that makes! I know I still have so much more to learn and understand, but as I try to imagine the sacrifice that our Redeemer went through for us so that we can have Eternal Life and live with our families forever, I am filled with gratitude and love. Love to know that someone cares enough for me and everyone else that has ever lived to be able to go through unimaginable pain for us. Even when He didn`t do anything wrong and was in fact perfect. I invite all of you to read Luke 22:39-44 and to remember the sacrifice that our brother has made for all of us. A sacrifice that makes it possible for us to repent and be forgiven for our errors. How great a message we as missionaries have to share!!! I know that even when I think that being on a mission is hard, or I am tired, or my body hurts, or everyone is rejecting us, it is not even close to what He went through. I know that we can`t expect Eternal Life to be easy or a mission to be easy because it was never easy for Him. There is no other way than to go through moments that are hard and will refine us so that we can progress. Yet how wonderful it is to know that we can repent and He will forgive us!!!! Ahhh I just love this Gospel!!!

As far as our investigators go, they are doing great and we really saw progress this week! Francisca`s baptismal date is this Saturday, but we have to make sure of a few things first, but pray for her! Also we had such an awesome Family Home Evening with Barbara yesterday. She is 19 years old and reminds me so much of myself and my friends in Mexico ( that I miss soooo much!!) She loves music and so we got to sing a little bit with some other members and she busted out singing "Stay" by Rihanna, so of course we are soul sisters already :) She told us she felt the spirit so strong and now really wants to take everything really seriously and read better than she has been doing. It was awesome! Javier also has his baptismal date soon and he loved church yesterday! I love seeing investigators progress, even if sometimes it is slower than I want! Also Roxana and Ricardo (recent converts) started commenting in our class on Sunday about how they are going to have an eternal family soon when they are able to go to the temple!!! Wooooo!!!!

I hope everyone has had just a lovely week and thank you for all of the support and love. You guys really are the best and I love you lots!

Con mucho amor,

Hermana Romney
 

Be Strong- Feb 24, 2014

¡Hola Hola!

How has this week been for everyone? It`s been another good one down here in Chile, Concepciòn! This past week I learned over and over again to not let anyone else determine our salvation or even our attitude for that matter. We met a lot with some less-actives this week and finally had 6 of them at church on Sunday!! Gisela, one of my favorites, had not been to church for about 10 years finally came! A little about Gisela: She had her first daughter when she was 17 and hasn`t had the best childhood and parents. Her daughter, Tami, who is 16 now is going through a lot of rough things in her life and all Gisela wants for her daughter is to have a bright future and do more than she was able to do. Gisela`s life got a lot better when she became a member of the church, but after a comment that another member said to her, she decided to not come back again. Obviously the comment was not nice and hurt her a lot, but that is no reason to leave the Gospel of Jesus Christ! After meeting with her a few times and helping her find her testimony again, she decided to come to church and bring Tami, who isn`t a member and is now our investigator!

They both absolutely loved church and some members invited them to a Family Home Evening tonight that we are going to go to with them! Anyways, with her story, it really made me realize that we CAN NOT let anyone else affect what we do. We CAN NOT let them keep us from receiving all of the blessings that Heavenly Father has in store for us. Occasionally while contacting people in the street, we will get a few rude comments, not many, pero hay de todo. When that happens, Hna Lino usually takes it personally and I can tell it affects her a lot. I always try and make a joke right after to cheer her up and to get over it...it usually just ends up me laughing at my own joke...haha. But point is, we cannot let anyone else determine our attitude and especially our relationship with God. People are imperfect, but God isn`t and his teachings aren`t either. Well I think after we banged that idea enough around in Gisela`s head and several others, they were able to come to church and renew their baptismal covenants!!

Funny moments:

- My comp told me that I was a "roadrunner" because I walk to fast... (It took me a while before I realized what she was trying to call me in Spanish. Haha.)

- We were talking to some little kids in the street yesterday and this one little boy told us about how he was so sad that in his new church, you can only get baptized if you are younger than 8 years old. Well this kid was 8 years old and we then we went on to tell him that in the Church of Jesus Christ, that you can only get baptized when you are 8 years and older. His face then lit up and he asked me if I had a pen. I said yes and gave him the pen and then he wrote on his hand "escuela mormon" or "mormon school" and then he ran inside and told his parents that he wanted to go to the mormon school so that he could get baptized. Haha! Too bad he was just visiting and doesn`t live in our area...so cute. I was touched by his simple desire that he had to follow the example of Jesus Christ at such a young age. I am so grateful that we have the knowledge to know that baptism is only necessary when we can repent of our sins and know what we are doing.

Well as always, I am sooo glad to be apart of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and to be able to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ everyday to the incredible people of Chile. I am so grateful for my family and continue wondering what I did right to be able to have the family that I do. I am so grateful for our investigators that we have and they continue to progress so much every week!! I hope all of you have an amazing week and know how much our Heavenly Father loves everyone of us. Keep choosing the right and we will be blessed.

Con mucho amor,

Hermana Romney

Not sure what order the pictures are in, but where my hair is crazy, my comp wanted me to send that one after she put lots of braids in my hair!! Then burning my shirt for my 6 month mark and some missionary cookies that we made!! They are supposed to be my small comp and me with Books of Mormon with us!!

 

Feb 17 2014

¡Familia!

   How has this week been for everyone?? Santa Sabina has been awesome and I just love it here in the mission. This week the other Hermanas in our ward had the baptism of Alejandra!! She is the sweetest lady and had such a sencire desire to know the truth. She was so happy as she came up out of the water and I had the opportunity to help teach her a few times so I was so happy for her as well!! Hermana Baturite asked me if I would sing with her during the service and even though we didn`t even get a chance to practice the song, it turned out so great! We sang "Divina Luz" ( I don`t even remember how it is called in English :)) but the spirit was so strong and we were so happy for her. Something about seeing people dressed in white makes me so happy!! 

    I feel like this week went by so fast, but so good as well. Karen our recent convert has been coming out with us a lot recently and she told us she has a dream to be able to go out and help all of the less-actives come back to church and so we are helping her make that come true! She is so pumped for the work and so are we! Everyone has still been going on vacations a lot so we have had to be very patient, but I have Faith that everything will work out in the Lord`s time. 

    This week we really got one of the "eternal investigators" to progress!! Her name is Francisca and her boyfriend is a member of the church and is less-active, but they are working hard to come back so that she can be baptized. This week Francisca expressed her desires to be baptized and to help her boyfriend come back to church and they both had tears in their eyes as she told us this. They finally both started reading like never before and this week they actually asked us for the first time when we can meet with them this week! You know they are good when they ask you that! We just have to help them both put their lives back in order so that they can both receive the blessings of the Gospel. 

   Also this week, one of the people who we taught on the street back on New Years named Hector called us and wanted to meet with us! I thought he was a little drunk when we talked to him, but we were excited because that like never happens... but he decided that it was his time to come to church and wanted to know more. He has a pretty tough life and we are hoping to help him feel happiness again. 

    Welp I love you all so much and will hopefully write more next week!! Keep the Faith strong and continue to read and learn more about Christ everyday so that we can become like him and feel true Happiness!!!

Con mucho amor, 

Hermana Romney
 

Also I hit my 6 month mark this week and burned one of my shirts on our balcony! I`ll send pics next week since it`s not working right now...

One Year!- Feb. 10, 2014

¡Hola mis queridos hermanos! ¿Còmo les han ido este semana? Espero que esten compartiendo el evangelio con los demas y recibiendo las bendiciones que nuestro Padre Celestial tiene preparado para cada uno de ustedes. 

   Well this week was great! But then again, when is there a week that isn`t great?? Of course every week has it`s ups and lots of downs, but when we think about it, our loving Heavenly Father has given us so much to be grateful for. The people that we get to meet everyday, the possibility to live with our families for eternity, Jesus Christ our savior, all of the prophets and people that came before us who kept the faith and made it possible for us to do the same, the scriptures that guide us and help us feel God`s love for us, the simple act of being alive, and the list goes wayyyyyyyyyy on!!!!!!  

   Also sadly, in exactly one year from today, I will be having my final interview from President and finishing my mission. CRAZY!! Really time has flown by sooo fast and I will hit my 6 month mark this week as well. I have got one year from today to give my all to the Lord and help as many people as possible. I have one year to learn soooo many life lessons and grow as a person that will affect me and my family for the rest of eternity. One year to strip myself of my pride and become who the Lord wants me to become. One year to experience the miracle of a mission and wear the name of Jesus Christ everyday. I want to take full advantage of this time I have been given to invite people to repentance, be baptized, and make sacred covenants. This scripture found in Words of Mormon 1:7 really impacted me this week, " And I do this for a ^awise ^bpurpose; for thus it whispereth me, according to the workings of the Spirit of the Lord which is in me. And now, I do not know all things; but the Lord ^cknoweth all things which are to come; wherefore, he ^dworketh in me to do according to his ^ewill."

I think this describes just about every missionary and what they feel. A lot of times, I feel like I don`t know enough or am not doing enough, but I know and feel comfort this is the Lord`s work and he knows better than me. 

*sorry it won't let me rotate the picture

   As far as our investigators, things have been going great and if all goes well, Daniela will be baptized on the 22 of this month. Lots of people have been going out of town since they all have their vacations now, but we are still doing great and finding people to teach. Hna Lino is doing great and we continue to become better and better friends each week. I love her so much! Also we had an incredible lesson with Roxana, Ricardo and their kids last night with one of our menos activos named Marcela who shared such a strong testimony of how families can be together forever. She is separated from her husband and wants more than anything to have a forever family and told them make sure they take advantage of the opportunity they have to go to the temple in a year. I am sooooo happy for that family!!!  I also love everyone of you and I feel my capacity to love becoming greater and greater as I try and become more like Christ. I have no doubt that the power of God has once again been restored on this earth and that we can all be eternally happy if we choose to be. Be good and do the Lord`s will. 

Con mucho amor, 

Hermana Romney 

The pictures are from the beach this past week that I didn`t get to put up before. Also my hair has gotten so blonde from being in the sun all day! It`s crazy!

Pura Locura- Feb 3, 2014

Hey everyone! 

    So first off, the computer cafe where we are right now had a problem with the computers (no surprise) haha and so I don`t have any time at all. However, this week has been great and definitely an emotional one! I am not sure what is in the air or what is wrong with me, but this week we had people crying to us just about everyday. I guess people just see us missionaries as people they can trust, because everyone seems to tell us all of their problems, especially this week. Also the other Hermanas who we live with have been having a hard time, so I have been trying to help with that as well. I don`t know if its because people see that I am emotionally stable or if there is just no one else to talk to, but it has been a good learning experience! I also just wanted to say thank you so much mom and dad for the wonderful childhood I was able to have and the support that you are for me. I really appreciate it soooo much more here on the mission. However, other than that, this week has been another great one! Hna Lino and I are working even more in union and every week I am more proud of my hija! 

       Today we went to the beach as a zone and it was gorgeous! Our zone also is now the biggest in the mission with 14 Hermanas and 12 Elders making up . Wooo more Hermanas than Elders! 

      Also while being here on the mission, I realized how much I really LOVE reading the scriptures, especially about Alma and the Sons of Mosiah because I understand them now!! It is so incredible to read about their experiences preaching to the people and the hard times where they didn`t have success and then when they were able to baptize hundreds of people. I encourage all of you to try and have your own missionary experiences so that you can understand what the prophets of old felt like in the Book of Mormon. It really is such an awesome feeling to be able to relate with ancient prophets in the Americas! Haha. Well I love all of you so much and don`t have any more time, but I will write more next week and remember just to be good boys and girls. 

Con mucho amor, 

Hermana Romney 

Karen got baptized!!! - Jan. 20, 2014

¡Hola mis queridos! 

           How has this week been for everyone? I just love being able to email every week and getting energized from the support and love I feel from each one of you! So as the title of this email gives away...KAREN GOT BAPTIZED ON SATURDAY AND CONFIRMED ON SUNDAY!!! WOOOOOOO! We were sooo pumped for her and she was glowing so bright that day! After about 3 years of meeting with at least about 20 different missionaries, she was able to receive the saving ordinance of baptism and the Gift of the Holy Ghost. She was finally able to take that step forward and progress towards Eternal Life. I think it was one of the most anticipated baptisms this ward has seen since she almost got baptized about 3 different times. Lots of members showed up to since quite a few of them said they had to see it to believe it. Haha. The spirit was so strong and Karen felt it too. Us Hermanas sang a Child`s Prayer and her mom gave such a sweet testimony. I have to admit that for a while at the beginning I was really iffy about teaching her since so many missionaries have taught her and she was still smoking. 

I wanted to drop her quite a few times, but we still kept teaching her and as she felt the spirit more and more in her family and seeing changes in her dad, her desire to follow the commandments kept growing. Also when she actually read the Book of Mormon (she said she never sincerely everyday had before), she changed and had the desire to God`s will. However, all of our efforts, the other missionaries efforts, and the Lord`s efforts paid off that day. I have never seen her so happy and her dad still has a hard heart right now, but he is still reading, praying, and coming to church, so I have high hopes for him. 

     Other than that, this week has been great! We had to look for a new house in our area for the two new missionaries that are going to be coming. There are going to be 6 missionaries in our ward starting next week! Crazy! Apparently our ward is the biggest in the mission, so I don`t think we will run into each other too much, but when I told the Hermana in our ward who organizes the lunches with the members for us, I thought she was going to have a heart attack. Hahahah. She works so hard to make sure that we always have lunch (and we always do!) But there are quite a few people that can only give lunch to 2 people and so that means she will have to schedule 3 different people everyday. I feel so bad for her, but I know that it will be awesome to have so many missionaries. Also Brielle, I know what this still doesn`t compare to the 10 missionaries that are in your ward!! Woo go missionaries!!! Anyways, since the only places that were available in our sector were brand new nice condos, the assistants said that the Hermanas will get to move into the place and the Elders in the slug and flea infested place we are in now. We are not positive that is what is going to happen, but we have high hopes!! 

      

    Alright not much time, but this week has been great working with the members and getting our investigators to progress. I love you all so much and don`t ever let go of the Iron Rod!!!! Read, pray, and go to church everyday. You will see the difference and will be blessed for it. This gospel is so powerful and absolutely true. Keep the Faith strong and don`t ever forget that Heavenly Father loves each and everyone of you. 

Con mucho amor, 

Hermana Romney 

1) Instagram pic: caption: Making cupcakes for Karen`s baptism!! #savingsouls (sorry emailing is the only thing close I have to social media on the mission :)) 

2)Isn`t she glowing?? 

3)Karen with all of the other missionaries that have taught her! 

4)Goofing around with the family