July 22, 2013
Wow! What a week! Last Monday, we went to Playas Corazones, and it was the coolest, prettiest thing ever! I will send pictures next week because this computer does not have somewhere to download them, and I do not have much time. But anyway, the waves were HUGE and there were all these caves and really cool places to go exploring! I wish you all could have seen it. So sweet!
So guess what. You know a few weeks back how I told you I have had problems with bed bugs? Turns out that was not the problem. I had lice. LICE. I cannot believe I went for 11 WEEKS and did not know! We were visiting an investigator, and they were talking about lice, I do not remember why, but I mentioned that my head had itched a lot these past couple months. She went and got this really fine-toothed comb and went through my hair...and sure enough! Lice. Ew I could not believe it. I wanted to cry. She combed all she could out of my hair and killed them, and without even telling me, put this cream in my hair that smelled like a mix between sun screen and limes. It was weird. She told me I had to sleep with it in and wash it out in the morning, and they should all be dead. How embarrassing. We had intercambios that night with the sister leader trainers, and Hermana Osorio was pro at lice treatments. She sat there and picked out hair by hair all the eggs. Okay, not all of them because that is impossible, but she got SO many out! Do not worry, I bought some shampoo, and slowly but surely, I am being cured. Gahhh I still cannot believe it. But it all comes with the mission I guess! Hahaha, I will look back on this later and laugh...I hope.
So I guess while I was Hermana Osorio for the intercambio, Wilson (our investigator that was to be baptized last Saturday), called Hermana LeFevre and said he needed to talk to us. Great. He told her that he had been studying all that we gave him, and he really realized what kind of committment baptism is, and it is not something to be treated lightly. He decided he was not ready to be baptized last Saturday, but he will be ready this Saturday! We are also working with his friend, Franco, to be baptized this Saturday. Also, did I ever tell you about Kayla? She is an investigator we have been working with FOREVER, and she is 12 years old. Last Saturday, her mom FINALLY gave permission for her to be baptized! So she is this Saturday too! And today, our zone leaders told us that the Elders Quorum President's son still has not been batpized, so we are going to get him baptized this Saturday. Sooooo you know what that means? If all goes well, we will have 4 baptisms this Saturday! And Hermana Garcia and Miner have a baptism as well, so our ward should be getting 5 batpisms this Saturday. That is so nuts! I am so excited!!!!!!!!!
(And I have no idea why it changed to italics. Oh well.)
Hahahahahaha funnniest thing. We got permission and went to the pharmacy on Friday to buy my shampoo. We walked in, and the security guard comes up to us and tries to practice his English with us. First he says, "What is your problem?" So I tell him "Piojos" which is lice. He tells me where I have to go and everything is normal...then he keeps trying to practice.
"You can go to cine? Movies?"
"No, somos misioneras. Estamos aquí para predicar el evangelio." (We are missionaries. We are here to preach the gospel.)
"You are pretty. Very nice. Very beautiful."
"O...k....thanks."
"You living...live...life in Chile?"
"Um....what?"
"Vivir conmigo." (Live with me.)
"Oh. No."
After that my number had been called and I went and bought my shampoo.While we were waiting to pay, he comes up and says "I like you." and walks away. Hermana LeFevre and I were dying of laughter. He told us his name is Ignacio and he is 23 years old. Oh buddy. Thanks but no thanks. As we were walking out, we gave him a pass-along card. He immediately puts it in his pocket without looking and this is what happened:
"Your number?"
"Sí, puede llamar el numero atrás y recibir un vídeo sobre como hallar la fe en Jesucristo." (You can call the number on the back and recieve a video about finding faith in Jesus Christ.)
"I like you."
"Ok. Chau." (I have no idea how to spell that. Chao. Chau. Chow? hahaha)
That was so funny. Great times on the mission, let me tell you.
Oh Saturday, all of our appointments fell through, and we were trying to figure out who to visit. Hermana LeFevre said that Hermana Carranza (the sister she worked with during the intercambio) gave her some addresses for less-actives. We tried all of them and no one answered the door. Then the very last one, Carolina, let us in. It was the perfect timing. She told us how she had been feeling she needed to go back to church, but she felt really alone. We are going to visit her so much now! What a miracle it is to be a missionary.
Today was the coolest ever. We went to Chungara this huge volcano, it was awesome!!! We had a guide who is a member I guess, I did not feel sick or anything. It is about 15,000 feet above sea level, so not much oxygen. People vomit, pass out, and everything. So I was really nervous for that, but nothing happened! I didn't feel a thing. I have no idea why. I mean, I felt a lot more tired and had to walk a lot slower, but I did not feel nausea or dizzyness or anything. Like I said, I will send pics next week!
Well, that was an awesome week! I hope it will be just as awesome this week!
Love you!
Hermana Howell
