I don't speak English!

Familia,

I am forgetting English. We taught a man this past week named Ivan, he wants to practice English with us, so we decided to practice by saying a prayer in English. I volunteered to say it, not knowing that it would be really hard. I kept saying things in Spanish, my pronunciation was terrible and it was really slow. Terrible. Terrible. My companion was trying really hard through the whole thing to not laugh. Yeah, next time she has to say the prayer and we will see how it goes.

But I still have so much to learn and another experience shows that I really need to work on my pronunciation. One night I introduced us to two kids and when I finished with the introduction one of the kids said, " I don’t speak English." Super sarcastically and with a little bit of frustration I said, "I’m not speaking English!!!!" Yeah, I am going to work hard this week on pronunciation.

This week we worked really hard, Hermana Chapman was sick, and we had a lot of fun. I forgot to tell you last week that it snowed here! I have never seen snow in August and to tell you the truth I didn’t enjoy it very much. We are always wanting to sing Christmas carols. It rained a lot last week, but today it is really warm. I thought I was going to die while we played soccer today. Yeah, I played my first match of football in Chile. Super fun. I scored a goal and I think I am going to have bruises from the collisions. I miss sports, running, and tennis, a LOT!

We are still teaching Bernardo and he is attending church. We had 4 investigators in Church yesterday and I really feel like things are changing here in Centenario. We are going to have BAPTISMS in September! I think I was a little bit spoiled in Los Mares and now I have learned to work hard and really appreciate seeing a person change their lives with the help of the gospel. Like Ben said, doing the work with order is really important. The work here was not in order when I arrived and with the help of Preach My Gospel, Hermana Chapman and I have created order. We are having daily contact with our investigators, making sure they know the importance of baptism and keeping their commitments. They are keeping their commitments now and for this are progressing. There is nothing better than hearing that your investigator read in the Book of Mormon and that they have questions. I LOVE IT!

I have run into a lot of people lately with connections to the United States. We are teaching a family and the sister of the father lives in Minnesota. We met this sister on Saturday and ,Dad, I think you need to return to your mission and baptize her family and I will baptize her brother and his family. Yesterday we contacted a girl and her brother that spend 6 months here in Chile and six months in Aspen, Colorado. After introducing ourselves, Carol said, "You guys speak English?" It was funny and she kept asking us things in English and we responded in Spanish.

We taught a man named Raul this week. We taught the restoration of the church and committed him to pray about Joseph Smith. At the end of the lesson, just before we left I asked what he was going to do that night to verify that he knew what he needed to do. With a look of wonder he said, "Hermanas, I´m going to ask tonight if I’m going to be a prophet." Ha ha ha. It was so funny, but sad too, because he didn’t understand what we taught him. But that moment was so classic, " I’m going to ask if I’m going to be a prophet." Wow. I think we are going to teach that lesson all over again.

We also met the reincarnated Joseph Smith this week. We were returning from lunch with the Bishop Saturday when a man stopped us in the street. He asked why our churches are locked during the week and then after our answer he asked if we know Joseph Smith. We said we don’t know him personally. Then he said, "Never forget the day that you met the reincarnated Joseph Smith." He gave us a piercing stare, kissed our hands and then left. Chileans are crazy.

We didn’t hike the hill last week. We are going to do it this next week. I don’t have time for pictures. Sorry. I was really jealous to see your pictures of scuba diving! Looked like fun. Mom can you send me my waffle recipes. Hermana Priscilla wants to learn to make waffles.

I don’t want to leave Los Andes. I am praying that I can stay here for at least one more transfer. Oh yeah I received a letter from Ha. Cuevas saying that you email her every once in a while, mom. Is that true?

I love Chile almost as much as I love all of you,
Hermana Arnold