Dear Family,
Thanks for the presents! I really thought that Jonathan sent me piroulines, until I went to eat one and opened the can to find ORIGAMI. I love your skills Jonathan. You have way more skills than me. I loved Matthew´s sentimental gift; I tell all my companions about that night. Mom and Dad thanks for the jewelry. The necklace…perfect! And my other white watch died when I was in Los Andes so now I have a beautiful replacement. I haven´t gotten Grandma´s package, but I think it will be here tomorrow. Thanks for making my birthday special!!!
We ate cake for breakfast, I opened my presents and then we went about the day as usual. It was so weird, because it was blazing hot outside. I can´t believe I am 22, it sounds old and really hit me yesterday when someone asked my age.
You need to research Chiloé, it’s an island in the south that I want to visit. Our investigator Felipe, is 27 and will start studying medicine this fall. When I said that he should visit the states after he makes a lot of money in his profession, he told me no Hermana I just want to go to Chiloé, live in a boat and attend to the medical needs there. He said the medical care is terrible there and the people are dying because they don´t have money. So he wants to just wander around down there in his boat and eat lunch with the patient instead of getting paid. That is his dream, isn´t it incredible? He has a little problem drinking, but he is working hard at it and is way excited to be baptized. He is sharing the gospel with everyone he knows. He is a cool Chileno and has a million bazillion records in his house. My friends would seriously love him.
We are learning how to set good goals. Last Monday we examined our plans and then carefully prayed before setting each goal. And we reached every single goal Tuesday. It was the best! The first time I have done that in my mission. Then Wednesday we had reached all of our goals except for finding a new investigator. We were walking down the street when we realized this and we just got so excited. Excited because we knew that someone was out there waiting for us, we knew it, because now we know that our goals are revelation from Heavenly Father. So we set to it, finding a new investigator and we found two! We taught them about the restoration and the spirit was SO strong. I felt it coming from my words and my companion´s words so strong that it must have been literally hitting Maria and Milagros.
I have felt and recognized the Spirit a lot more lately. Like Ben said the other week, I am trying to be more exactly obedient and focus all my thoughts and energy in the will of Heavenly Father. I have recently studied talks by Elder Scott and Sister Matsumori from the last conference about the spirit and revelation and highly recommend them.
Yesterday a returned missionary gave a talk about preparing future missionaries. It was excellent! It made me so excited to prepare my brothers. I am so grateful that my parents have invested a lot of time and energy in the scout program. Dad, thanks for going on the alpine challenge even though you were sick. I promise it was worth it. The lord needs missionaries, he needs missionaries with testimonies, that can do the work physically (thanks for getting me a gym pass before the mission) and emotionally. There are a lot of people who are living with a lot of pain; their lives don´t have much meaning and they don´t understand why they are here. They need missionaries to find them and teach them about the atonement of Jesus Christ. That is what gives life meaning.
We have been teaching three kids for a month and a half. Their names are Miguel, Orlando and Diaina. The ward wants them to attend church for three months before their baptisms, so they will be baptized the end of March. They are from Peru and I love them! Diaina wasn´t sure this week if she wants to get baptized, so we asked her if she knows the Book of Mormon is true. She said, “Yes!” and gave an explanation of how she knows. So with that I asked her to open to 2 Nephi 31, verse 7 I think. It says that if Christ being perfect needed to be baptized, how much greater is our need being sinners to be baptized. She read it, looked up with a face of wonder and said, “I am going to get baptized!” It was great. I love the Book of Mormon.
I have to go now. The time is sure flying. I feel like I last wrote you yesterday.
Love,
Hermana Arnold
Understanding the Atonement: Luke 22;39 Pay attention to the word “wont.” It means accustomed to or used to. So Christ went to a place that he was used to, to pay for the sins of the world. So when we are suffering we should go to the places where we feel good and draw strength from them.
Missionary tip: When you have a canker put lemon juice on it. I have also heard that cankers come from having a dirty stomach, but my companion tells me that, that is false, a south American wive´s tale.
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