Week 44: Being sick and Mold

 7/28/14

Hola Familia y Amigas,

So I don´t even know where to begin!  It has been a crazy week.  I have never had a more hilarious couple weeks than here with Hermana Howe! It is literally insane all of the time, but it is so fun!!  I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY!

One thing I forgot to mention last week is that I learned how to knit. All of the women here know how to knit and so right now I am in the process of making leg warmers to match the scarf I just finished crocheting.  And by in the process, I mean 2 rows in because we literally have no time!!  But I knit and that is all I have to say about that!

So I have been sick with a cold most of the week.  At first I thought I got sick because on Tuesday it got really really cold and I was not as bundled up as I should have been.  But after 2 days in the house, Friday we finally found our culprit for the reason of me being sick!  MOLD!!! All over the window and wall right next to my bed!!  Yeah that was fun cleaning out!! After these last few weeks I can´t imagine what Hermana Howe’s view of the mission is.  haha yeah she was not too excited to clean the mold out of the indented wall!  haha Well anyways it is all gone now and today I am finally feeling back to normal.  Especially after yesterday when I had a really dumb blonde moment and I took the nighttime cold pill at 3 in the afternoon when I should have taken the daytime one.  Yeah at least Chilean pills are not as strong as normal ones, and there was not a too big effect! haha

I have found that my favorite thing about being a missionary is getting to do small acts of service to bless others in small ways.  And really feeling like I am a true representative of Jesus Christ.  I am doing what he would do if he were here, helping not only in the big ways but in the small ways too.  On Sunday we were walking home after lunch and there was a couple trying to get there car started my pushing it and then him jumping in and starting it, but once he got in the car she could never keep it going fast enough.  Well offered to help push and it started the first time!! It probably looked a little funny us running in skirts behind a car in the rain.  But it made me feel so happy afterwards.  Those little miracles and opportunities to lend a helping hand are what I look for her in the mission.  Anything I can do to not only share the message of Christ through words, but through actions as well.

I love you all and have a great week!

1.Mi y mis hijas

2,3, y 4. THE MOLD!!

Con amor,

Hermana Corbett

Week 43: MOST HILARIOUS WEEK EVER!!

6-21-14

Hola familia y amigas,

So my new hija is a gringa!! Not a latina, but it is okay, we are having so much fun!!  

So the first few days are always the hardest.  It just always brings me back to my first few days in the field.  Days of which I never want to go back to. NEVER!!  I love being a missionary know, but my training is not something I want to experience again ever!! haha But it has gotten better every day. And I knew it would, it just is hard the first week!!  So Hermana Howe is from Scottsdale Arizona and is the youngest of 5.  She is so so hilarious.  And we just laugh about literally everything, and this week especially.   Literally almost all of the lessons I have had with her are crazy with either a slightly old drunk man or old people that can`t walk or hear.  Or kids freaking out or investigators mad about something.  I don`t know, but it has been crazy and we have just been laughing about the whole thing!!! hahah Well I love it here and I really don`t have a lot of time to write but just know that I love each one of you and am thankful for all of your prayers!! I feel the strength from them each day!!  

Love you!!  I can`t wait to tell you all my amazing experiences both funny and spiritual when I get home, because there is just not time on email!! haha one day.  And thanks mom for updating my blog it looks great!!! Pictures soon!  katesmissionblog.blogspot.com

And a special HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my favorite 3 year old sobrino HUDSON!!!!  Have a great week and feel better!!! 

I WANT PICTURES!  You will be getting a card soon buddy!!

The blog of the mission just if you are interested:

http://chileconcepcionmission.blogspot.com

Con amor,

Hermana Corbett

Week 42: Cambios: Getting those training wheels put on again!!

7/14/14

Hola Familia y Amigas,

So first off I am so excited that Alemania (Germany) won!!  I was rooting for  them! Sorry Brooke!  We were at one of the recent converts house when Germany scored those 5 goals right in a row.  Her family was watching in the other room and we heard the whole thing.  Pobrecitos Brazil!   I saw the last one as we were leaving!! That was insane awesome!!! haha

Well secondly I am staying here in Bulnes for my 4th and probably last cambio.  Hermana Richards is going into central Chillan. Super cerca.  And I AM TRAINING AGAIN!! CRAZY!!! What is president think, or better yet what is the Lord thinking!  hah  Well we only have 3 new heremanas coming this transfer (15 next transfer) and two are american, one from UT and the other from AZ.  And then the third one is from Chile.  I think I will have the Latina one, but I am not sure!! Who knows?

But am excited and I really love being with the newbies, because I feel like we can both just learn together and I don`t feel dumb when I make mistakes. Because we can just make mistakes together and get better and better!! 

Oh and this week when all the members found out that we had cambios this week, there was an uproar.  Seriously I heard, "Cambios are unjust" at least 5 times.  Mainly for all the recent converts.  They were all like that is so unfair to let us love you so much and then just rip you away!  haha it has been pretty funny!  That are all so great, and I am jsut glad that I am the one that is staying at least for one more cambio!

Well I love you and I hope you all have a great week!!!

Con Amor,

Hermana Corbett

p.s. Sorry there are no good pictures from this past week.

Week 41: I AM SO TIRED!!

7/7/14

Hola Familia y Amigas,

So how is everything going for everyone?? I don´t really know because no one wrote me... haha but don´t worry, I already have forgiven all of you!!  At least dads letter from last week came late, so I got that today!!

So first how was the 4th of July.  I wore red, white, and blue that day, but it just looked like I was supporting Chile is all. But that is okay! 

So this week has been so exhausting.  I think firstly it is because I have not had the opportunity to have nap for the last 3 P-days and everyone knows I need my sleep!  We have been going to bed a little bit early everynight this past week, because we have all been so tired.  But I just want more!!  And I won´t have a nap today either because I AM IN CONCÉ!!!

And Concé is so worth no napping. We got to come in from Bulnes (which is a 2 hour bus ride to here) because Hermana Richards need to visit the doctor to get more perscription meds!!  So yeah meds!!  I have missed Concepción. I have not been back to actually do stuff here for 4 months. So I am pretty happy right now!!

Well other than that this week has been pretty great with just doing a lot of service!! We are encouraged to do at least one service project or thing a week to help the members and gain their confidence, BUT THEY NEVER LET US HELP THEM!  And when they do need help they always call the elders.  So we got a bit creative this past week and went all out!!  And we got to know a few members really well and just show that we really do care about them.  So after the international night, everyone has wanted to  know how to make the treats we made. Specifically, no bake cookies, Chocolate Chip Cookies, Rice Krispy Treats, and Brownies.  All things that are unknown to the people here.  So have been teaching people, in exchange to learn how to make Chilean food, such as empanadas which are my favorite!!! Def tots going to make that for yall when I get home!!! A lot!!!

And we also helped a member make a cake for her sons birthday, she was stressing so bad about it.  We helped a lot.  We painted with some new converts. Marilyn is 18 and she wants to serve a mission, so we got to talk a lot about that and really get to know here better and she is a really good painter, but has not painted in like 6 years, so we got here to paint again!  IT WAS SO FUN!! And we also had personal English classes with nonmembers that are friends of members.  All in all it was a great week!!!

Well my time is up and I have to go visit all my favorite places here in Concé still!!  So talk to you later!! AND I JUST RAN INTO HERMANA AYUSO(roommate in first sector) not that any of you care, bu I really need to go know!!

Con AMOR,

Hermana Corbett

p.s. Disfruten los fotos!

Week 40: The downward slope!

6/30/14

Hola Familia y Amigas!!

How was camp Mariah, Austin, and Dad??

So I am just going to explain this week with pictures!

Wow I have nine months!! So we thought it would be funny for my 9 months picture to take some pregnant pictures. And that is what I did!  Yeah so enjoy! haha

Oh and Hermana Richards and I have been talking pretty much all in Spanish to each other all week, so we celebrated with Vanilla Ice Cream and Oreos and the hot fudge you sent me mom!! Talking in Spanish with an English speaker all the time is harder than you think!

Oh and we had a internacional food night that was a big hit.  I made Chocolate Chip cookies and bought ice cream!! It was gone before I could have a bite!!  Also Hermana Quintana is in our branch right now and she lives in one of the wards Carson started in, in Peru!! cool right?!?!?

Also the Elders in our branch had a baptism this past Saturday, and something always goes wrong at baptisms.  And yep something did.  They went to grab lunch and the font was only half full, but it filled up faster then they thought, so they flooded the church.  At least, these churchs only have carpet in a few rooms and the water did not get to the carpeted rooms. Yeah that was really fun!! haha And yeah mom you are right, Hermanas are way better than Elders!!! I am so happy that we have Hermanas in the ward!!!

Well that is about it!! I love you all!  

p.s.  Yubeniz family is listening to us more and her husband and one of her sons want to be baptized!!  YEAH!!!!! We need sacerdocio!!! YEAH!!!!!

Week 39: Yubeniz and Yanela were baptized!!!!!

6/23/14

Hola Familia y Amigas,

So first off I would just like to say Happy Birthday to Grandma Corbett today!!! Only 60 right? haha love you a lot Grandma and all of our fun memories we have had together!!  Make it a great day!!

So second,  Yubeniz and Yanela were baptized!!!!!  It was such a great baptism and we had more nonmembers/family there then members.  So that was awesome.  It was so spiritual!  And I can´t get the smiles they had on there faces after they recieved the Holy Ghost out of my head!  It makes me smile just thinking about it!!  

It has kinda been a long journey for the both of them. Every investigator has a challenge.  Yubeniz´s challenges were smoking and coming to church.  But what helped here more than anything was that before we found here she was very depressed and so when she started applying the gospel and the Atonement into her life, she could see the difference so clearly that there was no way she could not continue forward and progress.  And the other cool things is that her whole family could see the change in her too, especially here sons!  Her family is not quite ready yet, but one day.  Actually Yubeniz is that family member that the missionaries 30 years ago probably said.  "One day"  Her parents investigated the church when she was about 19 and her parents never joined the church but all her siblings did and here younger sister actually went on a mission.  But Yubeniz was the rebellious child and left the family and never got baptized.  Crazy right? Well come to find out none of brothers at least are still active, but she is helping on of her brothers come back!  He came for the first time in like 20 yesterday!! So amazing right!!  She is so great!! I love her so much!

And then Yanela has been a 4 month journey and she was practicaly a member before she was baptized because she was at all of the activities and was always wanting to come visit investigators and other members with us!! She is so great too!!  The only thing that held her back was the law of Chastity, but she seperated and is doing great, and she had a lot of percings and when we told her that the prophets highly suggest only one pair I was so stressed.  And we saw her the day before and she still had them all in.  And then she came to the baptism with them all out and looking as bautiful as ever!! Love them both to death!

So now just a bunch of pictures!!

I love you all a bunch and keep watching the World Cup without me. I think Chile lost today.  I have not heard the results, but everyone is not all hyped up like last time after the game, so I am just guessing!!

Con mucho Amor,

Hermana Corbett

Week number I don`t remember!!

6/16/14

Hola Familia y Amigas!

So this week has really flown.  That is why I have no idea what week it is!  And I am too lazy to look it up. haha

Anyways first I will start with Yubeniz and Yanela our investigators are going to get baptized this Saturday!!!  They are so amazing and I have not really mentioned them too much because they are just to good to be true and I don’t want to over talk about them, because then I am afraid it will not happen.  Also it has taken both of them a little bit of a journey to get to the point of baptism and they are both just so pumped and ready to get into the font. I am just so so excited for them and that words can`t even describe it!!  Yanela has wanted to get baptized for a while.  She just has been living with her boyfriend, but now they are not together and after sometime, she is ready!!!  And Yubeniz we found through her husband who was a contact of Hermana Phelps if you remember.  Well when we found her she was the most depressed person I have ever seen in my life.  Now she is just radiating with the light of Christ.  And every time we tell that she will feel even better after baptism when she is clean and has the Holy Ghost with her, she doesn`t believe us. Well anyways if you could all pray for them and for them to stay strong that would be great!!  The last week is the hardest!! 

Also I got my package!!!!! The boots fit perfectly and are completely waterproof!! Thanks so much and thanks for all the reeses as well.  I will not run out for a while!!  I love packages!!! The anticipation of opening it was the best part!! haha

My mission President came to our sacrament meeting yesterday and that for some reason gave me a little bit of stress, but he is so great and chill and I really know that he has been called of God!!  I love my mission!!!!!!

So we had a huge wind storm this past week one night and then lots of rain.  But the last few days have been all sun and for that I have been very grateful!!!  And yeah don`t worry about me!! It is really cold but we have the spirit to warm us up and plenty of layers always!!!  So don`t even be concerned!!! Just don`t send me too many beach or pool pictures! hah jk

Also since the World Cup has started anytime that Chile plays, we have to be in the house because everyone is drunk!!  So the other night we were in for an extra 2 hours and we ended up just going to bed early!! It was great!!! Chile won!!! GO CHILE!!!

So now a few fotos, because I have not sent any in a long time!!!

1.Me with Yubeniz 5 weeks ago.  She has even more light in here eyes today!

Week 37: You know it is cold when...

6-9-14

Hola Familia y Amigas,

So it has gotten really cold this last week!! Like really cold!!!!!!  So I saw a world map for the first time in like 6 months and I was examining it and realized I am more south than like 95% of the world!!!! That is really south people.  I thought I was kind of south, ya know, even with Africa and Australia, but I am even more south then them!!! The only thing south of me is parts of Chile, Argentina, and the Penguins!!  Well anyways it has rained pretty much all week and it is called snow rain which means it leaves the clouds as snow, but hits us a rain.  So pretty much it is the worst of both worlds, because it is cold, but it also soaks in like snow doesn´t.  But we enjoy it.  And the whole family knows that I hate rain, but surprisingly I have started to enjoy it a little bit.  But if any of you want to send me anything warm, like socks that would be great!! haha

You know it is cold when...

...your wear 3 pairs of socks and your feet are still icicles

...you see your breath as you are singing in church.

...you can´t blow your nose because your snot is frozen inside.

...you put your face against a cement wall and it warms your face up.

...you can see your breath as you are falling asleep.

...when your electricity goes out for 2 days and you don´t have to worry about the food in the fridge going bad.

...when you have sheets, a normal blanket, an electric hot bed pad, a mummy sleeping bag, 2 thick wool blankets, a water holder thing that is super hot, and you are wearing 3 pairs of polar leggings, pj pants, wool socks, 2 long sleeve t-shirts, and a sweatshirt. And you still wake up a little cold.

...when the members tell you that this is not even bad yet and the worst is in July and August.  3  MORE MONTHS!?!? I can do this, I can do this!!!  Si se puede!!!!

The only other thing this week is that we have studied as a mission The Atonement of Jesus Christ and how we can apply it more to our lives and especially in being more obedient. And we did a fast all together at the end of the week to receive the strength to be more obedient.  It was such a good week!  The study of the Atonement helped me so much.  The main thing I have learned new about the Atonement is that it is not only when we fall or when we commit sin, but it is for those of us that are doing well as well.  Christ is here for me through everything, THE GOOD and the bad. He is here to say to me that for me to reach my potential I CANNOT do it ALONE!  I have to have him and rely on him to reach the goals that I have for myself and that he has for me.  And that his way is ALWAYS better!!  Read the talk from this past general conference: Sunday Morning, David A. Bednar.  I think.  It helped me so much!!!

Also we have been asked to invite our families to read and study Preach My Gospel.  It is such a great guide for missionaries, but it is not just for us! Its purpose is to help preach his gospel for anyone!!, Members and missionaries alike.

Well I love you guys a lot and thanks for all that you have done for me!!  Still have not gotten my package but I think I will be getting it in the next two weeks, because I think it is sitting in the office right now and no one is coming out here for a little while! :( But I am excited to get my boots!!!!! And REESES!! Love you all!!

Also Congrats to Brooke and Kirk you got their mission calls this past week!! Brooke is going to Argentina, and Kirk to Provo!!! YEAH!!!!! Go Missions!!!!

Con mucho mucho amor,

Hermana Kate Corbett

Week 36: I LOVE RAMAS!!!!!! (Branches)

6/2/14

Querido Familia y Amigas,

So have spent most of my time this week copying over pictures from Hermana Phelps and so that I can save them to a CD and never lose them!!! So if I don´t write back personally to any of you this week, I am sorry!  I loved all of the letters that you sent and it is always so good to hear from you!!

So the good news from today is that I am staying here in Bulnes another cambio to finish the training of Hermana Richards!!! I did not want to leave yet at all, plus packing on the mission is so terribly awful so staying is a bonus!!

Well in relation to my subject, ramas in the church can be very hard sometimes.  They are small, everyone has like 3 callings, everyone knows the dirt on everyone, everyone is a convert (most less than 5 years) and so many other things that make a rama hard.  But the one thing that I absolutely love is fast and testimony meeting. Yesterday was so amazing first hour!!!  It is a small amount of us so everyone pretty much got up and shared something.  All ages. Also every single testimony related to Christ, which is what a testimony is.  Also they we all 1-2 minutes and no one told long sad stories or woe is me, but uplifting things that invited the spirit.  It was just so great and we all could feel the spirit more and more with every testimony and more and more unity as a rama.  It was so great!!!

Love you all and thanks for everything!!! I love being a missionary!

Until next week,

Con Mucho Amor,

Hermana Corbett

Week 35: Just being humbled!!

5/26/14

Querido Familia y Amigas,

So there has not much new that has happened this week, except for the fact that I have seen a lot of my faults and really how I have to humble myself and rely on the Lord and use him as my guide otherwise this work will not get done. Here on the mission I am always continuing to learn, but sometimes once I have learned something I start to just stick to what I have learned and rely I my own knowledge like I know everything.  Well I have learned that I can´t do that!! If I do that I start to become prideful, I don´t rely as much on the spirit and I stop my growth as a missionary.

I have also really learned my lesson that this really is all God´s work and that none of this is me.  To really be like Christ I have to first do ALL that the Lord asks and then second, I have to give all the glory and praise to him.  And that is what I have been trying to do.  

Just one little example is that when Hermana Phelps and I were together she had this contact that she had done before I had gotten here to Bulnes and towards the end of our cambio she had still remembered him and so we went and found him and taught him once together.  Well we could not find him for a few weeks and both Hermana Phelps and her companion and Hermana Richards and I had tried at different time to find him again.  And then they one night had him in their plans at6:30 to try one last time and they ended up going a little early and the brother answer and flat out rejected them so they decided never to go back. Then we happened to be right in front of his house at 6:30 and we were not going to see if he was there because he was not in our plans.  But he ended up being right in front of his house in his car and so we said hi and he offered us in to the house. So we did.  And once inside I felt that I really need to invite his wife, but I pushed it off and then it came even stronger so I did.  And he was like yeah and we ended up teaching them both that night and they are our main investigators right now.  And his wife Jubeniz has depression, and we have just helped her so much!!! So it just shows that the Lord puts us where we need to be when we need to be there.  And the other Hermanas learned to really follow their plans exactly from then on.  And I kind of felt bad because it was the contact of Hermana Phelps. I think she was a little said that they had not followed their plans exactly and could not have been there for Jubeniz and Rene who have been prepared.  

Well this is the part where I learned humility. So this week, the exact same thing happened but in reverse.  It was a contact of mine Margarita and her mom Juanita and we had taught them once and then tried and tried again and again and both of us with our new companions too and they were never there when they said they would be or they were and would not answer the door.  And so we stopped passing for them.  Well we ran into Juanita this week and she was like yeah pass on Monday 6 and we were like okay, but I took it really lightly because she had not been there in the past. So when Monday came around we have another lesson right after hers, and something came up so we just went early to our other appt.  Well later on in the week the other Hermanas felt prompted to pass and she was there and they taught her and said she had been waiting for us on Monday.  And she is going to becoming to church this next week.  And it made me sad in two different ways.  The first is the prideful bad way that I have been repenting of, because I was a little annoyed that now she is there investigator and that she was my contact and I was always wanting to go back for her over the other Hermanas.  Well I have learned that this in not my work. It is the Lords and we all work together for him.  Really now, I am so so happy that the Hermanas were there for Juanita when we were not.  I have learned that we make plans for a reason!!! They are inspirited and I need to follow them.  The second part that made me sad is that I was not where the Lord wanted me to be on Monday.  And I really have had to turn to the Lord this week to humble myself and seek his guidance in where we should be and then follow it!!! So I am getting better at it, Little by little.  I am not perfect by any means what so ever!!!  But I am thankful for this opportunity again to be a missionary, as hard as it may be, it is great to be able to see my faults and be able to perfect myself a little every day.  And really be the daughter of God that he wants me to be.  And the missionary as well!!

  Well I love you all so much and thanks for all that you have done for me!!  

Only other cool thing this week is that I relearned to crochet and I am making a scarf right now!

Con mucho Amor,

Hermana Corbett

p.s. HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY!!!!

p.s.s. The comp. is being dumb again so no pictures sorry!!

Week 34: Fourteen Hermanas and Six Beds

5/19/14

Buenas Dias Familia y Amigas,

  So this week has been so great!!!  It seems to have gotten even more stressful in the training department. It is just that Hna. Richards is starting to get the hang of a lot of things.  And so there are new things that I have to know when to let her fall to make her own mistakes or when I need to save her so that she does not fall to hard.  If I protect her to much, she will not learn for herself.  But I can´t over stress her out and throw everything on her shoulders all at once.  So this past week has been stressing me out in just knowing in every decision what I need to do to help her the best!!  

  So as for the title, we had a tri-zone activity for the zones here in Chillan which is 7 sets of hermanas.  Well the activity was to go to the Andes and "know snow" as our leaders called it.  And most of the latinos had never seen snow ever so it was pretty cool for them.  But I still just thought it was funny that they called the activity ´knowing snow´.  Well anyways we had to be at the church in Chillan to catch the bus at 6:45 and the first bus from Bulnes to Chillan is not until 8 or something. And a lot of other sectors are outside of Chillan as well.  So we came into Chillan on Sunday and all of the Hermanas ended up staying in one house that is the closest to the church.  Luckily it was one of the biggest mission houses and they recently had a trio there so there were 3 beds and for some other reason they had two full air mattresses (Does that have one or two t´s? I can´t remember.  I can´t remember English at all really). And then one of the other sets of Hermanas brought one other full air mattress, so 3 companionships slept on the 3 single beds, one being me and Hna. Richards. One other companionship slept on one air mattress and then the other 6 hermanas slept 3 to the other 2 air mattresses.  It was pretty swishy, but it was fun and the only sleepover I will have for the next 10 months!!  Plus we only had 1 bathroom. That was fun!!! haha 

  Well anyways the activity was the fun part!! We took one bus with all 60 of us up to the Andes!!! We went to a ski resort (not in use for another month) that I guess has the best skiing in the whole world, in comparison to The Alps.  It was really awesome. The only part that stunk was that we were here at the end of summer, so there was pretty much no snow but there was a lot of ice.  And we had fun with the little that we did have.  Most people hiked up one the of the ski hills just to get to the parts with more snow, but another group of like 8 Elders were headed off on this our side that didn`t have snow but looked awesome and we decided to follow and it was well worth it.  It was quite the hike, but we took plenty of picture breaks.  And at the top we got a special surprise.  There were some hot springs!!!! It was so bakan!!  But it sure did smell awful like Yellowstone.  I will now just spend the rest of my time sending pictures, because I took like a 101. (Actually 143 to be exact.) Okay only going to send a few because the computer is being stupid!

Oh also I had to give another talk on Sunday, but this time it was 15 minutes and I had 20 minutes to prepare.  The speaker got sick and so our branch always turns to the missionaries when the speaker is unable to come.  So I found out as I walked into Church.  I accepted obviously even though I was so nervous.  And dad you know me when it comes to preparing talks. haha.  Well I prayed and then just started in on what I think the branch need to hear.  So I talked about studying the scriptures, not just reading but really studying and then I picked apart 3 scriptures that I love about the scriptures. So I will share these three with yall! 1 Nephi 19:23, 2 Nephi 32:3, and 1 Nephi 25:26. So the main thing I tied to all of the scriptures is really what is the purpose of the scriptures, it is not just to hear a good story, or learn new things, or follow the commandments. Those things are great, but really the purpose of the scriptures are to testify of Christ and to help us learn more about him and his ways and therefore have a stronger testimony of him.  Yep love you all!!  

Love you all and have a great week!!!

Hermana Corbett

p.s. Mom thanks for getting me the boots.  The only thing I can think of is blonde bobby pins, safety pins and show inserts.  And obviously reeses!! haha

And thanks so much Dad for always writing me too.  I will be writing a specific email back to you next week!!