Week 24: I being transfered out to the Boonies!!!

3/10/14

Hola Familia,

So I have about 10 minutes so this will be really short!! Well I am being transferred out to an area called Bulnes and my new comp is Hermana Phelps! I have heard she is super super hilarious!  I have met her a few times and she seems awesome! She has a little over a year in the mission, the exact same as my past two comps.  

I am excited for what the future will bring but, really really bummed to be leaving my Villa Acero Barrio.  This barrio has become like my home and I have so many friends in this ward and mini moms that have taken care of me!!  I am going to miss it so much!! And Monica my investigator is going to be baptized this Saturday...and I can`t be there!! And her daughter Valentina who is 18 is going to be baptized on the 29th.  I just love Valentina so much and I am going to miss them!  And Leonardo is going to be baptized on the 15th as well!!! Ahh I am going to miss it all!!! But the more important thing is that they are all going to be baptized. Oh and Leonardos whole story is super awesome and really funny so I will make sure to tell it next week!!

I am glad that it is starting to look like spring there! We are heading into fall right now, which in Chilean terms that means rain!! Rain is not in the spring here, it is every day for all of fall and winter. Or so I have heard!!  And for all of you that know me, I hate the rain!! Okay I don’t hate, but really really dislike!  I am a sunshine baby! So these next 8 months are going to be really fun!!!

Also Grandpa and Grandma, I got your package! Thanks so much! I am sending a letter back to you today!!

Okay and now the best pictures from the Zoo last week!! There were so many but here are the best!! I love tigers!!!

So just a few last minute things fo the package.  If you can't find them or don't have time dont worry.  

-Brown Sugar (I dont know if you are alllowed to send this, but brown sugar is the only thing that does not exist down here for Chocloate Chip Cookies.

-The Recipe for chocolate chip cookies

-slippers what ever kind, only thing is they need to have a somewhat good bottom.

-hot fudge for ice cream (Also don't know if you are able to send this because it is in a glass jar) If not don't worry

-Fotos!!! Still have been wanting some from the beach. And I need one of Me and Katelyn and Amber.  And also a good one of Just me and Mariah.  I have a bunch of us on my Laptop.

And lastly,

-I really don't need this urgently but eventually.  White down east tees.  And the Small size, so brand, white u-neck tees. 

I think that is all!!!

Thanks so much for always thinking of me!! I love you so much!!

Xoxo Hermana Corbett

Week 23: I love 9pm

3/3/14
Hola Familia y Amigas,

Sorry about the downer letter last week and I am sorry that you all had a hard week as well!!  This week was probably even harder but in completely different ways, but today I am doing great and I just love being a missionary!  This week the main thing I have learned to that really when no one else is there, the Lord is.  And we just need to get on our knees and pray and we will be able to feel him.  He will give us the peace that we need that the world can´t give us!   For all of you, no matter what difficulty you have, Jesus Christ is always the answer.  I will never be able to understand exactly what my investigator is going through or needs, but I am there to provide them with someone that can.  I am not the answer.  As a missionary I am just the guide to the answer.  I love Jesus Christ and I know he loves me, and each one of you, and everyone here is Chile and everyone of Gods Children.  I love this gospel and it has brought me so much peace, direction, and pure joy in this life.  I am excited for what the future brings!!! 

So about the subject!  3 times this week we have found new investigators that are really great and have had really good lessons at 9pm.  It is after a long sometimes really hard day and then the Lord rewards us for our diligence in the last hour of work!! I love this work!

Also we went to the Zoo today for a Zone activity!! It was so so so cool and we were so close to the animals. A white tiger breathed on my head! That is how close I was.  And one of the workers let us go behind the fence to feed the giraffes!!  They don´t have the same rules here for zoos so really anything goes!!! so fun!

I have a bunch of pictures, but this computer is not letting me download them!! I will send them all next week!   And next week is cambios again!! What we just had cambios!! I think I might train!! But who knows!

Love you all so much!!

Con amor,

Hermana Corbett

p.s. Thanks for all of your letters!! I hope your spring breaks were all great!  Everyone here in chile started school again after summer break, so that stinks for them but is great for missionary work.  Also I hope it stops snowing for you all!  It is getting colder here!  No no no!!

Thanks!! Tell Matt that I approve and welcome him into the family even though I don´t know him!! I am so excited for them!! I need there address! I have a letter for Heidi!!

Week 22: Only Spanish for a whole week!

2/24/14

Hola Familia y Amigas,

So this week has probably been one of the hardest of the mission so far.  Now having a new companion, that only knows a few English words, I have really had to expand my vocabulary and learn how to describe things in the weirdest ways. For example I described having a sharp pain in my shoulder as the light that is in the sky when it rains is in my upper arm.  Yeah she got the idea.   But it has been real fun with her and really can communicate pretty well.  She has taught me so much about how to be a better missionary.  

Also other than that it has been hard because I have been the one that has had to lead the sector and pretty much do all the planning, because she doesn`t know the sector. So that has been hard. Planning at night takes forever and literally I brush my teeth and fall into bed afterwards and then do it all over again the next day.  Another thing is that we have had a bunch of set plans this week and have had a lot of the young women able to come out with us (Our little ward missionaries, which is just another sign of the hastening of the work).  But our entire plans end up falling or the people just aren`t there.  The beginning of the week we only entered in one house each day out of the 5 or 6 set plans we would have every day, which was really really hard.  We were being rejected person after person after person.  It was so hard to not want to just yell back at them and tell them that "Really I am only trying to help you, because I love you, and I know this gospel will make you really be happy and really have the joy and peace that you need in your life."  And the hardest part was that is was not just the people on the street, it was the less actives too and even a few of the members.   Then when I was at my point of breaking down because I just wanted to help these people and they wouldn`t let me and felt like I was failing as a missionary, because we were not making our goals.  This is when Hermana Najera reminded me that our job as missionaries it just to invite and the rest is up to them and their agency. So even though we were not making our goals, we are still fulfilling our purpose to invite.

The other thing I have learned this week is that our invitation as missionaries is an invitation to repent.  Every commitment that we invite someone to make is an invitation to change a little part in their lives to live a life closer to the life of Jesus Christ. That is repentance right there.  As a missionary, I invite nonmember, investigators, less actives, and members to repent and get a little better every day.  Do you know how it is to tell someone to repent and do it in a way that will not offend them? It is hard, but Hna. Najera is such a great example to me and is helping me to be a better missionary by her example every day.

Although the miracles did come by the end of the week and we had two of our investigators attend church.  It was such an awesome experience for them I knew they could feel the spirit and they both want to come back.  

Oh and the funny story of the week. Our gospel principles class that is right after Sacrament Meeting for all of the new members and investigators is always a hoot, because there is much more of a diverse group in that class.  We have our ward mission leader leading the class, and then the patriarch always comes to and then all of the investigators that come mostly from Catholic back grounds and their ideas.  It is always funny and everyone has something to say.  And yesterday was especially was interesting because we were talking about the Fall of Adam and Eve.  Yeah...  Anyways one of the recent converts Matilde, who is 70, asked at the end, "Well my question is where was Adam when Eve was tempted.  He should have been right there by her side and helped her to not sin."  And everyone had to chuckle a little at that. She is the best! 

Oh and I have letters here for a few of you but I still don`t have your addresses...so please send them to me!!!

Also I was wondering what are Leisha and Matts birthdays?

Can`t wait to hear from all of you next week!!

Love you guys,

Hermana Corbett

p.s. sorry don`t have time for pictures this week.

So this week has probably been one of the hardest weeks of my mission, and I really need a pick me up from my family, and I didn`t get a single email from you guys this week.  I know what it is like to be on that end and having lives and having one million things to do and I know that it is not that you guys don`t think about me often, but I don`t know that unless you write me.  Even if it is just an “I love you “ or a small paragraph.  I need to hear from you!!!  I love you guys!  

-Hermana Corbett

Week 21: I guess I really just like kicking people out!

2/2114

Hola Familia y Amigas,

So as in the subject we had an emergencia cambio 2 days ago.  It was really sad to send Hermana Taylor away.  Now between the 4 that were in the house 3 weeks ago, I am the only one left. Well anyways my new Comp. is Hermana Najera. She is from Mexico and has one year in the mission.  She is super great!!  but since she is Latina, I have been only speaking Spanish for the past 3 days. It has been hard sometimes, but we can communicate pretty well.  It has definitely been hard without Hermana Taylor, with me having to lead the sector and all, but it is sure helping me to learn a lot fast!!

Raquel moved out of the member’s house she was living in back into her own house which is barely in a different ward.  But she is still going to church every week and the Elders and members in that ward are taking really good care of her!  So that is great! But I do miss her!!! 

We have a new investigator Leonardo that is awesome and has made some pretty bad decisions in his life, but I really know that he wants to start clean and just be a new person and he has so much faith. He is so great!  He also went to Church and this past week all the youth went to efy so they all went up and bore their testimonies about efy and the gospel.  It made Leo cry and I just love the youth so much and that have such strong spirits and testimonies. More than we give them credit for.  Love the youth in this ward.

Love you all

Have a great week!!

Con amor,

Hermana Corbett