Last letter home - 2 Timothy 4:7- Feb 2 2015

¡Hola Hola! 

          Ahhh okay right now I really cannot believe that I am writing my last letter home to you guys. Well I think it will be the last, apparently we will have time to do whatever next Monday before our interviews and everything, but I don`t know if we will have time to email. Anyways, starting off, this week has been a great one! So many miracles and prayers answered. The biggest miracle of all is that Carolina and Andrea are for sure getting baptized this Saturday!!! They were quite hesitant about it for a few days since they have been listening to missionaries for about 2 years now, but we had an amazing lesson where we had Carolina (the mom) kneel down and pray and ask God right in the middle of the lesson if these things were true and if she could get baptized and it was incredible. I felt the spirit so strong as we knelt there in silence in their little house for about 5 minutes just trying to feel. Afterwards they said they felt such peace and an answer that all if it was true and that it was finally time to make that step to commit themselves. Yesterday we went to their house and organized everything for their baptism and I am so so happy that I will get to see my investigators in white one last time before I head home. There is no other greater feeling than seeing them in white making covenants. They are both so happy and I will attach a pic of them. 

        Otherwise with investigators, if a miracle happens, Claudia and her two daughters could also get baptized this weekend too. We went and made them french toast yesterday morning for breakfast to help them get up in time for church! It worked great and they loved it! (I have loved making breakfast for investigators in the morning many times on my mission - a great way to serve and to help them come to church:)) Just Claudia´s family told her lots of bad things about the church and she is having second guesses, so we will see, but if it is not this weekend, for sure in the near future. 

          Funny moment of the week: a couple of members started to comment saying that I could be Miss Universe and then they said, well maybe just Miss something... like Miss Oregon. Yeah not quite the comment I was expecting and I still don`t know why Oregon... haha. 

         

      Anyways, I really cannot explain how much I have loved my mission and what it has meant to me. My testimony has grown 100% stronger of the church and of my Father in heaven and the plan that he has for us, His children. My priorities have been set in order and I will be forever grateful for this opportunity and privilege to be a full- time missionary and to wear my black name badge. I am changed. I know that I still have one week left and during this time, Hna Blau and I are going to do everything possible and work our tails off. We set some great goals for this week and I can`t wait to see what is in store for us this last week. I love these people and this country and will forever be grateful to them. The good thing is, I know that even when I am home, I will still be a missionary. To better explain how I feel, I love this quote that Emmitt Thomas said in his acceptance speech into the NFL Hall of Fame that says, " Our talent is God`s gift to us. How we use that talent is our gift to Him. My sincere hope and prayer is that God finds my gift back to him a worthy one."  

       I love you all so much and your support has meant the world to me. See you soon. 

Con mucho amor, 

Hermana Romney 

Carolina y Andrea - don`t they look like mormons? 

Claudia with her 4 daughters!! 

Love me some Chileans - Jan 26, 2015

¡Buenos Dias!

    What a week. Starting off last Monday, I forgot to mention that we went to Chillan to buy souvenirs and I got the Hermanas in my old sector to tell Ivan and his family that we were coming so we got to meet up for the last time and he bought us ice cream and we got to say our last goodbyes. It was so good, yet so hard to say goodbye. It has hit me so hard recently how much I LOVE the Chilean people. Even if they are not good at keeping their commitments or are lazy to come to church or have incredibly hard Spanish, I love them so much and would do anything for them. They have given me so much love over these past months and I am eternally grateful for them and for this gospel that brings us together. I found a scripture the other day that explains this love I feel in 1 Thessalonians 2:8, "So being affectionately desirous of you, we were willing to have imparted unto you, not the gospel of God only, but also our own souls, because ye were dear unto us."

 

     This week was really fun as we had a ward talent night here and some hermanas from the ward did a skit making fun of us missionaries. Basically they just acted as if they were the happiest people around leaving notes for everyone everywhere (like we do after lunch a lot) and saying that they loved every lunch and every single person they saw. Hahah it was good and it made me laugh. Then Hermana Blau and I sang while she played the ukelele and then I played the uke while Rebeca (former Hermana Baturite) and I sang a song we translated from English into Spanish. As the obra misional we did a skit and it was a great opportunity for everyone to become even closer friends.

    Sweet story: The other morning we went to a ciber to work on "El Rescate" a website with all of the less-actives in our area and their address. We were just sitting their when the store owner came over to us and asked us if we were mormons. She then told us that she was going through a really hard time in her life and has depression and wants to know if we can help her. Of course! So we set up a cita to go see her and when we got there it turns out that she is already a member (not surprising here in Chile) and had asked her Catholic priest to help her, but he did nothing and she remembered how the missionaries helped her the last time and thought they could help again. She told us that as we entered her store that she could just see a glow about us and knew that we were the answers to her prayers! Cool huh? So we are excited to work with her and get her to come back. It just goes to show that we never know who is watching and always need to be doing what is right, whether we are missionaries or just members in general.

    Quite a few members this week have told Hermana Blau and I that we are "dynamite missionaries" as they put it and that they are getting so excited about missionary work! I just love hearing that and know that this ward has so much potential, they just need a little push. But as far as our investigators, our main ones went out of town and just got back, so we will see how everything is going, but we have been teaching them on the phone as much as possible so they are good.

   Well today we went to Dichato to the beach and it was beautiful just as the South of Chile is. I hate thinking about how little time I have left, but I know that this is the time when I can be the most effective and help lots. This gospel is soo true and I have no doubt of that now. I love you all sooo much. Take care.

Con mucho amor,

Hermana Romney

Ohhh and I forgot to mention that Ada Danielle Wells (my new neice) is so beautiful and I can`t wait to meet her!!! Also mom and Dad hope all is well in the DR. Tell me about it next week!

Obedience - Jan 19, 2015

Hola Hola, 

    So today I am just kind of at a loss of words. I feel like there is so much that I want to say and that`s what makes me feel like I don`t know what to say. But I guess I will start out that this week was another good one full of ups and downs. I really feel like I have just tried to enjoy every moment with out getting too frustrated or down on myself and that has made it good. We have been concentrating on Obedience a lot this week and it hit me a lot that my desire to be obedient has grown immensely throughout my mission. I remember at the beginning that I wouldn`t really feel that bad if we left the house late or things like that, but now I feel so guilty if we do or just little things like that in myself which has been a great realization. I have a complete desire to be 100% obedient. The mission really does change someone and how incredibly grateful that I am for that! 

    Anyways, this week we got to watch "Conozca a los Mormones" or in English Meet the Mormons and it was soooo good! I thought I was going to have to wait until after to see it, but we had zone conference this week and they showed it to all of us. Of course it made me cry when they showed the part about the missionaries - mom I can only imagine how you were. Haha. But it was all in Spanish and I loved it! Then right after they made a group of us give our goodbye testimonies and man was that hard. Mom, I hate to admit it, but I am so much more of a crier than before, just like you haha. The main point that I felt impressed to share with the rest of the missionaries was that everything was worth it. That all of the hours spent walking in the rain or being rejected by people or hard companions or investigators dropping us is all worth it. Not everything is going to work out like we hope, but it will be for our good. Just like Joesph Smith said in Liberty Jail in D&C 122:7, "And if thou shouldst be cast into the pit, or into the hands of murderers, and the sentence of death passed upon thee; if thou be cast into the deep; if the billowing surge conspire against thee; if fierce winds become thine enemy; if the heavens gather blackness, and all the elements combine to hedge up the way; and above all, if the very jaws of hell shall gape open the mouth wide after thee, know thou, my son, that all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good."

I know this to be true for a fact and I know I say this almost every week, but I am just so grateful for my mission experience. I wouldn`t trade the lessons that I have learned for anything. 

    As far as investigators go, Claudia and her 4 daughters came to church yesterday and are progressing great for their baptismal date for the 31st. Andrea, Carolina, and Emiliana went on vacation this past week and didn`t get back in time for church yesterday so their baptism will have to be pushed back too, but we made a packet of homework for them to do everyday while they are on vacation :) and they did it all, so we are excited to see what they learned. 

    I love you all sooo much and Bri I hope that your baby comes soon! I can`t believe that you are over due, but at least mom and dad can be there for it. Mom and Dad, glad you guys had an awesome experience in the MTC and will be in the DR next week! I can`t believe Elder Bednar remembered me and asked about me! That`s sweet! Enjoy every minute and make sure you are all good boys and good girls as Elder Bednar says. 

Con mucho amor, 

Hermana Romney

Sorry no pics this week since the compu is not working :(  

Church and Cookies. -Jan 12, 2015

¡Hola Hola!

      Wow another week gone by. This week we really were able to see progress and it made me so happy! So I have to admit that when we first got here to Penco, it was hard. There wasn`t much progression in the ward and we didn`t have anyone to work with. For weeks and weeks we worked so hard, but the people just didn`t seem to show up at church, which can be frustrating for a missionary. But finally we were able to have 7 of our investigators come yesterday and 3 menos activos that have never come before. It was a miracle and our ward assistance went up to 126 - higher than it has been in a LONG time. Andrea, Carolina, and Emiliana (fam. Meijas) came and they all are set to be baptized on the 24th if all goes well. Then Claudia with her 3 little girls came. Jorge who is a brother of a member finally got there all on his own and then Javiera, the neice of a recent convert came out of now where too. I wish I could write more about all of these investigators since they are all so special and I LOVE working with them, but just know that they are doing great. It was a day of miracles and I am so glad that Hna Blau and I were able to be a part of it. Oh and then the reason behind the title of this email is that a member came and gave us a huge bag of oatmeal cookies at church and they are so good! My back pack was stuffed with them so you know it was a good day haha. 

     As a mission our focus has changed quite a bit and the only real numbers that we are focusing on are baptisms and assistance at church. That`s it. It has been really really good though and we have been working together will all of the presidencies of the different organizations to help them. Then this week we had a really cool experience where we were able to go to a funeral of the dad of some members here. Here in Penco, they have a tradition where they take the casket after the funeral service in the church to the graveyard and everyone walks behind the hearse on the way there. So we joined in as we walked in almost silence to the cemetery. I had always seen people doing this and have secretly always wanted to do it, so it was a cool experience. Some people were soo sad and crying so loud as they put the body in the grave. It was such a strange experience and it made me so sad for those who were affected so strongly because they do not have the knowledge that the Plan of Salvation gives us. I have been able to teach the Plan of Salvation so many times during these 17 months out here and every time my testimony of its truthfulness grows stronger and stronger. I can`t even express how grateful I am to have known these simple truths as a child and that it is all possible because of our savior Jesus Christ. I just gives me even more of an incentive to give every ounce of my energy to share it with others. 

    

     So last night it was almost 10 pm and we decided to talk to one of our neighbors before entering the house and she just kept asking us how our moms let us come all the way over here and that she would never let her daughters do that. She kept telling us over and over again that our moms were so so bad for letting us come. It made me laugh to be honest and we tried to explain to her that if she would let us share with her that she would know why, but she was too Catholic to let us do that. But, don`t worry mom, I don`t think that you are bad at all for letting me come all the way over here at all. In fact, it`s just the opposite. I know that this gospel has brought so much happiness into our lives that it would be so selfish if we were to keep it all to ourselves. Plus, this has been the most amazing experience of my life and so thank you for trusting in the Lord enough to let me do it. I don`t like to think about time at all, but it has hit me that time is running out and my greatest hope is that I can completely give all of myself to this work. I love this work more than I can even express and I keep trying to tell President that it would be great if he would just let me serve a 2 year mission, but sadly that`s not an option. :( Good thing the mission doesn`t stop here. I love you all so much and hope you have a fantastic week.

Con mucho amor,

       Hermana Romney 

Pics: 

   So we had a dodgeball tournament with other zones this morning and so there are some pics from that. Also Javier (my convert from Santa Sabina) came and played too!!!!  Then with Hna Baturite (Rebeca) now!!  

Ahhh mom and Dad I forgot to mention that I hope you guys aren`t freaking out too much right now! Good luck getting set apart by Elder Holland in a few hours!!! Love you guys! 

2015!!! -Jan 5, 2015

Hola!

      Woahh I can`t believe it is 2015 already! 2014 honestly has been the best year of my life in the sense that I can grown and learned so much. I have lots of goals for this year to be able to continue progressing in the gospel which include keeping a similar routine of studying the scriptures always especially after the mission. That is the only way that we can stay strong in the gospel and really hold on to the iron rod. I hope you all had a wonderful New Years celebration. Some members invited us over to eat dinner at their house on the 31st and we had special permission to be out until 11pm, so that was fun. With the hermanas here in the house we brought out some glow sticks and of course everyone there was a huge celebration outside with a HUGE bonfire!!! We could see it from right outside of our house, so I will send the picture. I love celebrations here in Chile!

    Well this morning we had Consejo this morning with the mission leaders and man are we changing things here! All of our key indicators are changing and we have a huge focus on building the wards or branches where we are. Now we focus on baptisms and assistance to church instead of counting all of the different lessons with members and what not. It will be iinteresting but a good way to focus on getting people back to church and focusing on the people and not on numbers. Our key indicators went from about 15 to about 5.... way different, but I like it.

     Then just an update on what happened back in my old sector in Chillan, well rememeber Johana and Sebastian? The ones who weren`t married when we found them, but they came to church for almost 2 months when I was there. Well now they got married and baptized!!!! That made me soooo happy to hear!!!! They are awesome and I love them sooo much! Then Carmen got baptized too the week after I left - she was the sweetest older lady that we found. Made my day.

    Now to Penco, well we have been seeing miracles and the familia Mejillas (Andrea and Carolina) have a date to be baptized for the end of January if all goes well and they are so great! They actually shared with the missionaries for about 6 months before and came to church a lot, but never got baptized. We had an awesome lesson with the bishop last night and Hna Blau and I talked about it before and we decided that we were going to have them say a prayer during our lesson to help them know if they should be baptized or not. Well it turned out great! After the prayer Carolina said that she felt pure peace and loved everything that she has learned in the gospel so we had her read D&C 6:23 - where it talks about how Heavenly Father answers our prayers with peace. It was so powerful and after she read it, she just said, "I don`t know what I have been waiting for..." Where we then invited her for the 24th and she accepted. I know for a fact that God answers our prayers when we ask with real intent.

    Well the mission continues to be amazing and I love you all so much. Okay sorry one more random thing, so one of my old companions Hna Baturitè from Brazil was in Penco right before I got here. Anyways, she finished her mission and returned home, but is now back here living with a family in the ward because she is going to marry one of the returned missionaries here!!! Crazy!!!! Although it is great for us since she was one of my great friends and can go out with us and help us here!!! I couldn`t believe it at first, but if she`s happy, then I am too.

   Sorry my email this week was so random, but I love you all and hope that you continue to help the missionaries there in your own wards. The ONLY way to do missionary work is to work with the members!!

Con mucho amor,

Hermana Romney

 Johana y Sebastian with Hna Ayuso in Chillan! 

Last letter from 2014- Dec. 29, 2014

¡Hola y Buenos Dias! 

    I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and family it was sooo good to see everyone! I am sure that was crazy having all 18 of you in the house! Soo fun though and thank you all for remembering me in your prayers. I can`t believe how big my nieces and nephews have gotten! Here we were able to have a great Christmas where we got together with the missionaries who are close and played sports for about 3 hours so you know I was happy. Then we went out and talked to a bunch of people about our Savior and even got to teach too! Nothing better on Christmas day. 

       So this week we were able to have a few miracles with one of them being that Mauricio ( a new convert of about 6 months) came back to church after about 4 months of not coming! We have been working with him for a while and the first lesson when we got here to Penco he was so pesado (rude) with us. He just kept saying he didn`t want to pray or read and that he would go back to church when he felt like it. Well, after the first visit, every visit since has been better and better and he gets nicer and nicer. He is in Alma reading the BOM now too and he finally came to church! I have loved seeing his progression and I know he is going to come back even stronger this time. We have had a few lessons where we have felt the spirit so strong and I know that the Spirit really is the teacher and that is what has helped him along with the BOM. Our investigators are progressing slowly, but they are there! We also have been able to work better with our Bishop and he now gives us references all the time so we are excited to work with him! Oh yeah then I forgot to tell you guys that I had a parasite!!! My stomach was hurting so bad for about a week and I tried a few different medicines and nothing, so Hna Balden (our nurse) gave me the "bomb" to take which gets rid of parasites and it did the trick! I feel great now so no worries. 

       I hope we all were able to remember the true meaning of Christmas this year and are able to put new goals to be able to come closer to Christ this year. Well I am just going to send some pictures for you guys this week since we already talked, but I love you all! Also I will be staying here in Penco in the same ward for my last cambio in the mission! Ahhhhhhhhhhh can`t believe it. Now is the time to give it all to Him and work, work, work. 

Con mucho amor, 

Hermana Romney 

Pics: 

1) At the Christmas conference with a few previous companions. 

2) One of our HUGE lunches we have everyday. 

3) Our Christmas hats that we went around in on the 24th and the 25th! It was a great way to contact!!

4) Our pancake breakfast on Christmas morning in our house. 

5) A sweet homeless guy that we gave dinner too for Christmas and then shared the church magazines with! He has had such a hard life and is actually a member of the church too, but doesn`t go anymore. It was awesome and he has the desire to go back now! 

Christmas Spirit. -Dec. 22, 2014

Hola!

  Ahhh okay I can`t believe that Christmas is sooo close. This is going to be a short email since we will be seeing each other on Skype in 3 days! Ya know, not that I am excited or anything. This week went really well though, especially the Christmas Concert that we had on Saturday night. Hna Blau did an awesome job with her solo and it was the first time that I actually felt like it was Christmas time here. There was about 600 people that came out and we had the band of the carabineros (police men) there too. We gave out Books of Mormon during it, so that was awesome. No better present for Christmas than the book that will bring us closest to Christ. I realized that I really really love Christmas in the mission since there is no other greater gift that we can give to Christ than to share his gospel with others. This Sunday I gave a talk in church about Love and Charity and how if we have this attributes, then we are going to share the gospel with everyone. This is so true and I know that my capacity to love has grown incredibly while being here and seeing everyone as our Heavenly Father sees us. Tonight we are going to do a service project with the zone of feeding homeless people and singing to them, so I am excited for that. Tomorrow the whole mission will be going to Chillan and having our christmas conference where each zone has to present a skit. I get to be the angel in the skit (just like last year!!). I guess either me being tall makes me a good fit for the part, or I have just an angelic aurora about me. Probably the first, but I choose to believe the second. :) Well I love you all soo much and will see you on Skype soon! I challenge you all to remember the real spirit of Christmas and reach out to all those who are in need of help as we will be trying to do the same here. 

Con mucho amor, 

Hermana Romney 

Oh yeah and to explain the pics, the first is with 2 brand new missionaries that we had this week for a mini-cambio and they were awesome! Then at the concert. And on another mini-cambio a member in Lirquen had this shirt and I couldn`t not take a pic. :)

Christmas Time is Here! - Dec. 15, 2014

¡Hola! 

      Okay so first before anything, I just got an email from Hna Love back in Chillan talking about all the progress they are seeing in the ward and with our investigators/converts and I just had to share it with you guys. She wrote, "This Sunday I had the opportunity to see progress in action. A less active, Danilo, who we have been working with recieved the Priesthood and passed the Sacrament. (Ahhh when I met Danilo he barely even had a testimony!!!) Ivan blessed the Sacrament and is now the Executive Secretary of our ward!!!! Ivan and Diego are planning to go to the temple in Santiago to do baptisms next month. AND Joanna and Sebastian set fecha to be married the 22 or 26th and baptized the 27th this month! So now we get to plan a wedding yayyyy!"

      WOOOOOO I hope you guys remember all them from my previous emails. We worked so hard with all of them. Hearing that just made my week and I can`t believe how fast they are progressing. THIS IS THE LORD`S WORK. 

         Alright now back to what`s going on here in Penco. This morning we went to the beach in Colchogue and just got to hang out as a zone so I will be attaching pics. Each week we have had choir practice with all the missionaries in our zone and in Tomé for a Christmas concert that the church is doing, so that will be happening this Saturday! I have been chosen to represent the Gringos and talk about what we do in our country to celebrate Christmas and give a short testimony of our Savior, so I hope that goes well. To answer your question Mom, yes we are all getting together as a mission on the 23rd where we have to prepare a skit for it, so I am PUMPED for that just to see everyone. It kinda feels like Christmas with all of the decorations and activities, but it still is weird again that it is warm for Christmas, but that`s Chile for ya and I love it. 

      This week we have been working quite a bit with and investigator family, the Familia Mejillas. They shared with missionaries about 2 years ago, but when the mom had her baptismal interview a long time ago, the District Leader said she wasn`t ready yet and after that they stopped going, lame I know, BUT we miraculously found them again and they are willing to give it another chance. The 14 yr old daughter Andrea is the most excited and she came to church all on her own this Sunday. She actually told us that the day before we showed up at her house, she had told her friend that she wanted to go to the Evangelica church with her, but then we showed up and she took that as a sign from God that she needed to give the church another try. Talk about good timing!! She says that if all goes well, she will be baptized next month, so we have hope for her and we are working to get the whole family on board too! 

    Funny moment of the week:

 We were outside of a members out yelling "alo" and then all of a sudden Hna Blau freaks out and screams because she realized that the member`s dog had just peed on her leg!! Hahahaha man was I dying laughing! I still get a good kick out of it when I think about it hahah. #missionprobs 

     This week I studied Joesph Smith History a lot and I have come to LOVE it. I love the contrast of light and darkness that Joesph faces and how when it was the darkest, that was when he had to pray the hardest and when he saw a pilar of light brighter than the sun. Lots of times we have to pass through that period of darkness to experience the light. We just have to hold on, be faithful, and ENDURE. I love you all so much and hope you have a fantastic week helping others come unto Christ. See you soon on Skype!!! 

   Con mucho amor, 

                 Hermana Romney 

Also it was Hna Blau`s birthday this week and we celebrated by smashing her face in the cake just as a good Chilean would!!!

Summer in Penco.- Dec 8, 2014

¡Hola Hola!

     ¿Como han pasado este semana?? I hope all is well there at home and everything seems to be great from your emails. I am so glad that so many family members were able to go support Bryce and VP this weekend. This morning was so great because we got to go to President Arrington`s house with our hermanas and make christmas sugar cookies and eat pizza!! It was a morning in american heaven and Mom it reminded me so much of when we would make soo many chocolate chip cookies in the Bosch for all of the missionaries in Mexico because we were doing the same. I loved it. I will attach pictures below. 

      Well it has been yet another great week here with Hermana Blau and we have been continuing to find and help our investigators progress. Hermana Blau and I actually get along really great so that has been amazing! We have actually had a some really great lessons with some less-actives this week. We met with Andres and Solange who are trying to come back to church, but they are living together while they are waiting for Solange to get divorced from her previous marriage. Andres is a return missionary who knows that what he is doing is wrong and feels so much guilt from it. When we talked with them, Andres started crying and saying how he doesn`t even feel worthy to pray. At that moment, I had the strongest promting from the spirit to let him know that he has a Heavenly Father who wants to hear from him no matter what and that is a lie from Satan. We told him that we were sent from God to tell him that God loves him and wants him to come back. It was so powerfull and as we sat their in their little house, I felt the love of God just surround us. We are going to work hard with them so that they can be married ASAP and come to church meanwhile. 

     I thought about that for a while and how if we feel that we can`t pray because we aren`t worthy, then the sacrifice of our savior Jesus Christ was in vain. Yes it is not right to sin, but our Heavenly Father knows that we aren`t perfect and that is why He sent His son to this earth for us. That is an incredible amount of love that I can`t even comprehend. I have been studying a lot about Charity this week and it has helped me to see every single person in a new light and never ever want to hurt anyone else. It has helped me feel a little bit of that love that Christ has for us. 

     Well I encourage you all to study Charity as well this week. In my opinion, it is one of the most important attributes of Christ if it is okay to say that. The world would be a better place if everyone would try a little bit harder to have Charity in their hearts. Alright well I have to go because we are about to meet up with Karen (one of my converts from Santa Sabina) and I am soooo excited to see her after about 8 months or so!! Love you all so much!! 

Con mucho amor, 

Hermana Romney 

with hermana Arrington!

December!- Dec 1, 2014

Hola!! 

  Okay so I really have no time today at all, but first off, Happy Birthday mom!!! I hope you have a great day today and don´t worry, you are still just as beautiful as always. I really can´t believe it is december already.... my most favorite time of the year full of Christmas celebration. 

   Speaking of Christmas, if you have not heard of the He is the Gift campaign that the church came out with, you need to look it up now and watch the video at christmas.mormon.org and then share it on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, whatever it is, but just share it! We have been using it in our teaching this week and have been able to find 14 new investigators this week! Most of them were references of families that the members in the ward here gave us and we are so excited to help them progress. We are having lots of fun here and are seeing how working with the members really pays off and is the only way to go. 

    Well I love you all and hope that you have a wonderful week and that you had a great Thanksgiving. Thank you family for sending me what you are grateful for and Mom and Dad it always makes me so happy to hear that you are having investigators over to the house for dinner all the time. Keep working with those missionaries because the members here are helping us so much too. I love you all!! I´ll write more next week. 

Hermana Romney 

We had leadership council this past week and we had to make trees for our zones and here is ours! 

Crav, Penco- Nov 24, 2014

¡Buenos Días! 

       So many changes have happened this past week and Penco is so different from Chillan! I have to admit that for the first couple of days, I missed Chillan soo much and all of the people there. We had such a booming sector and last Monday it was so hard to say goodbye to all of them. The members, converts and investigators alike. It was a crazy night running around saying goodbye to everyone with tears shed, but at least technology is amazing and I will be able to keep in touch with many of them. I ABSOLUTELY LOVE so many people over there and I miss Hna Ayuso and Hna Love. We had so much fun together, but enough of things in the past because I am now in Penco!!! Hna Blau (19) is my new comp from Missouri and she is a boss. She`s got about 11 months in the mission and is going to be a great Sister Training Leader. She is very bubbly, obedient, and has tons of animo which I love! She reminds me a lot of my trainer Hna Lovell too. She also loves running, so we are taking advantage of that to get to know the sector better in the mornings and to go running along the beach. We already get along great and it should be a good cambio. 

    I will send some pictures of Penco because it is beautiful! It is a beach town and we have spectacular views of the ocean everywhere. There are soooo many hills though!! We hike everyday up these steep hills and man is it a good leg workout. Way different from Chillan, but I love it. The hermanas before us were great at working with less actives and new converts, but there are 0 investigators so we have just been trying to find as much as possible through the members. That has been a little bit hard, but we have found a few solid people already and are excited to work even more here. It is a really good ward with lots of potential, so lots of things to do. 

   Other than getting lost quite a bit, this week has been great and members have been vital in showing us around a going out with us everyday. I have learned a lot this week about what a successful missionary is. It basically all depends on the Spirit and if we are giving everything that we can while being completely obedient. Also this week I heard that a less-active that I re-activated in Santa Sabina is now the Ward Mission Leader and gave a talk at stake conference about how he remembered Hna Lovell and I and how we was so grateful that we were able to help reactivate him. Ahhh that made me so happy to hear!!! Well I`ve got to go, but I love my mission, my Savior, the gospel, and everything that it implies. Not too much time this week, but I love you all. Stay strong in the faith ALWAYS. 

con mucho amor, 

   Hermana Romney 

A few pics of Hna Blau and the sector. I will try and get some better pics for next week. 

Cherries, Fleas, and Baptisms- Nov 17, 2014

¡Hola desde el sur de Chile!! 

       Wow what an unforgettable week. I don`t even know where to start, but I guess I will start with my favorite part of the week when Ivan and Diego were baptized! It was one of the most spiritual baptisms that I have been a part of and everyone just had huge grins from ear to ear the whole time. They both looked so good in white and when I first saw them, in my mind they were in the temple wearing the same white clothes. That has never happened to me before on my mission, but I have no doubt that they are going to the temple someday and it brought tears to my eyes! Hna Ayuso, Hna Love and I all say that Ivan is going to be a great bishop someday. All went well at the service and us 3 with an Elder sang "Asombro me da" (I stand all amazed) as a special musical number since it is Ivan`s favorite Hymn. Ivan was then baptized by our ward mission leader, Hno Orellana, who happens to be his neighbor with tears in his eyes and then Diego after him. The best part was that Cony (Ivan`s daughter) told us right after her dad and brother got baptized that she felt the spirit and wants to get baptized too!!!! Ahhhh we were sooo happy and she is now set for the 29th of November along with Carmen. Ivan then gave his testimony of how is family was going through a hard time until we came to his house and then everything changed. He gave the most honest testimony about how he could feel in his heart that the church was true and that this is what God wants him to do. Ahhhh he is so golden and I KNOW that Heavenly Father was preparing him for a long time until he was ready and there we were to harvest the crop. I feel like we hardly did anything for him, but it was all Heavenly Father. I feel just like Ammon when he is talking to Aaron in Alma 26:12 saying, 

"Yea, I know that I am nothing; as to my strength I am weak; therefore I will not boast of myself, but I will boast of my God, for in his strength I can do all things; yea, behold, many mighty miracles we have wrought in this land, for which we will praise his name forever."

That is another thing that I LOVE about the mission, is that now I feel like I can relate so much better to the heroes in the scriptures!!! 

            Then the bad news of the day: Cambios were today and I am being transferred out of Copihues to go to Krav (Penco) with Hna Blau to train her how to be a Sister Traning leader and to white wash the sector (when they take out both missionaries and put in 2 brand new ones). This will be my third time doing that on my mission! I don`t know hardly anything about Hna Blau except that she is a ginga, but I am excited! On the other hand, I am really really sad to leave Hna Ayuso and Hna Love. I think we have had the most fun cambio together out of my whole mission and have seen so many huge miracles. This week alone we hit the mission standards of excellence in lessons and people at church! Miracles. They both will be staying in Copihues in a trio again for this next cambio with Hna Meyer replacing me. But I guess change is good. 

    All the rest of our investigators are going good here and luckily I can trust Hna Ayuso and Hna Love a lot, so they will be in good hands. Oh and President just emailed us today and let us know that we now only have 1 hour to write our families and friends instead of 1 1/2, so sorry folks, but the letters will probably be getting shorter now. And Mom and Dad, our Christmas Skype call will now only be 40 min instead of 1 1/2 hours like last time....lame, but all is well. 

     I hope you all have had an incredible week and next time I will be writing you from Penco. Got to go pack my bags and say goodbyes, but I love you all more than you know and that love only grows stronger everyday. I love my Savior and feel an enormous privilege to be one of His representatives. It humbles me everyday and I can`t believe how lucky I am to know Him and partake of His atonement while inviting others to do the same. 

Con mucho amor, 

Hermana Romney 

Ivan, Diego and their family! Yes, Ivan is a Ginger!! 

Playing ball after an Hermana study that Hna Ayuso and I taught.

Getting my shoes shined on the streets. I have always wanted to do that :) 

Ohh and I totally forgot to mention that I have gotten over 30 flea bites this week!!! They itch!!! But whatcha gonna do? And there are cherries EVERYWHERE on the trees and since I am tall, it is really easy to pick them off the trees and so we have been eating them all day erry day.

Matthew 19:26- Nov 10, 2014

¡Hola Hola!

       Isn`t life good? I hope we all can agree that it is very good. I know we have a heavenly father who looks out for us and can work miracles through us if we are willing to do His will. Sunday at church was awesome and it is such a good thing that there are 3 of us in our companionship! 8 of our investigators came this Sunday so Hna Ayuso, Hna Love, and I get to split up and sit with them! We had Ivan, Diego, and Cony (Ivan`s daughter that is going to seminary now) come to church!! Ivan was soooo happy that his daughter finally came with him and she loved it, so we have high hopes for her. She just has big fears to leave her evangelica church with all of her friends, but she is taking huge steps. Ivan and Diego stood up during sacrament meeting as they announced their baptisms this Saturday!!!!! We just have to find white pants long enough for Diego now since he is taller than me! They both told us they are anxious forthis Saturday and can`t wait! Elsa also came who is our investigator that still has to wait for her pareja (boyfriend) to get a divorce and then get married to him before she can get baptized. She knows that everything is true, but is sad that she has to wait to get baptized. Actually it is really cool because Elsa`s daughter is named Scarleth who is a less-active and is the girl friend of Diego. Funny how that happened right?? So we are reactivating her too. Hna Love sat with all of them. 

       Then we had Carmen and Antonella (her 9 yr old granddaughter) come who have baptismal dates set for the 29th of November. Carmen actually almost got baptized about 8 years ago when her son died the day before her baptism.... hard situation there, but she is regaining her faith. She loves the church, but she just has a huge fear that if she starts coming again, that something bad will happen again. Antonella LOVES church and every time that we come. She is adorable. So Hna Ayuso sat with them. 

      I finally sat with Johana and Sebastian who are hopefully getting married this month or the beginning of December. They really want to be baptized too, but their relationship isn`t too strong so we need to work a little bit on that since it is impeding them from getting married right now. They have 2 kids named Maxi and Trinidad. 

     So it was a crazy Sunday to say the least, but incredible. We actually reached the ward goal of having 120 people in church yesterday!!! We are making history here in Copihues. With my comps we always laugh at the fact that we are just like Moms at church since we have to bring snacks and crayons every Sunday to help all of the kids. Good practice I guess haha. Mom, I don`t know how you did it with 6 kids and with Dad having to sit on the stand most of the times, but you really are Wonder Woman. 

     Well I just feel so lucky that Heavenly Father trusts us in teaching so many of his prepared children. We are seeing so much progress and we are constantly running around every day going from one cita to the next. I love it! I recently have learned so much about Diligence. PMG says, “Diligence is steady, consistent, earnest, and energetic effort in doing the Lord’s work. 

      We have made a huge effort to be diligent in all things and the Lord is blessing us for it. I am so grateful everyday to be a missionary and wouldn`t change my experiences for the world. I love you all so much. 

Con mucho amor, 

Hermana Romney 

Tennis this morning!!! At zone conference. Playing soccer with the hermanas. 

Ohh and that is my "granddaughter" Hna Lance in the second picture with Hna Lino!

Expect the Unexpected- Nov 3, 2014

Hola familia y amigos! 

       This morning has been great as we went to Consejo with all the leaders and President Arrington who is amazing. Also before I forget Mom, Sister Arrington said that in the Mission President Seminar they saw the Santiago MTC Presidents and she talked to them and Hna Arrington said that she remembered you as she was talking to her. She said that you will have to be giving lots of talks and firesides in Spanish, so work on that Rosetta Stone!!! But don`t worry Mom, you will be just fine and I have no doubt that all of the missionaries will love you and your warm smile there.  

       We talked a lot in Consejo about how we need to be using Family History more in our efforts to retain, reactivate, and baptize. It is something I haven`t done too much of while on my mission, but I am excited to learn more and help our converts and members to do so. There is so much work to be done and thank you Carli for your email this week and how you are doing family history work!!! I want to do lots too when I get home, so I am excited. 

        So this week has actually been full of all kinds of miracles!!!! One of the biggest ones is that Ivan was set for his baptismal date on Nov. 8th (he would be the only investigator that I have ever seen get baptized in 3 weeks since the first time that we really got to teach him), but we went over last night after he went to church that day with his son Diego(17) for the second time and he asked us so polietly, "Hermanas, my son all by himself told me today that he also wanted to get baptized at my side and so I was wondering if there is anyway that we can push back my baptism one more week so that my son can get baptized with me?" Of course we said yes!!!! That was so awesome because we had only been able to teach Diego once before and he has felt the spirit so much at church that he has the desires to come unto Christ. So hopefully if everything goes well, we should be having 2 baptisms next week of some of the most prepared investigators I have ever met. Then his daughter Coni(15) who is really strong in her evangelica church said that she wanted to come to seminary with the youth this week so that will be awesome and I know she will be joining her dad and brother soon and then the mom will follow too since she is very receptive, we just need to strengthen her faith a little bit.  

         Last night we had such a huge miracle too. So I had called about 10 different members with us to go visit both Johanna and Sebastian and Ivan and his family, but no one could. I was just about to give up, when I felt really strongly to call Hna Marlen and we asked her to go with us and if she could be at there house in 15 minutes and she said yeah no problem Hermanas. Soo awesome!! And now I know why no one else could come because she was the prefect member for both of the families! So Johanna and Sebastian still have to get married so they can get baptized and they have been to church now 4 times. Anyways, so at the beginning they said they didn`t want to get married until next year, but Hna Marlen just got on them and was like, "No you have to do it as soon as possible!" And even offered to buy a dress for Johanna because that was something that was holding them back, so it was incredible. They finally decided to get married and baptized this month, so we are excited! Then she gave amazing testimonies to Ivan and his family and then drove us home to make it back right at 10:00 pm to enter our house. Lets just say, we were happy missionaries that night! I hope to be a member missionary just like her someday. 

       I feel like I could go on forever and ever, but I absolutely love being here and being a missionary. This is the most rewarding and fulfilling thing I have ever done in my life and will cherish these memories and friendships for eternity. The triple threat trio is a blast and unstoppable. The Lord is blessing us and I know that we are only instruments in His hands and that this is His work that he is fully in charge of. I love you all so much and feel so lucky everyday to have such amazing support and to have the fullness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ in my life. 

Con mucho amor, 

    Hermana Romney 

Sorry I`ll send pics next week.