What An Honor It Has Been To Wear His Holy Name On My Shirt Every Day!

February 16, 2016

Feliz Cumpleaños a mí! Jajajaja! Feliz cumpleaños, Madison!!

AHHHHH MI QUERIDA FAMILIA!! How I love you all so dearly. I am SO excited for my last week here in Chile. I LOVE my mission. Being a missionary is the BEST thing ever! I feel so grateful to have spent eighteen months here in this country. Heavenly Father has protected me. He has watched over me. I have felt the presence of my deceased family members, including mi abuelita Anna and my Aunt Bonnie. They have helped me press forward. Words cannot express how happy I am! 

Marianela got baptized on Saturday!! It was crazy! We got to the church suuuper early to start filling the baptismal font. We started with the hot water because we did not want the water to be cold. But the warm water was soooo little and it took forever. Finally, about ten minutes before the service started our ward mission leader started to put cold water in....and we FORGOT to stop the water. So when we went to the room so Marianela could get baptized the water was flooding over!! Can you believe it? Jajaja, it was a little crazy. Some hermanas from the ward got some mops and brooms and we were shuffling like crazy to clean up the water jaja. But it turned out well! A few of us sister missionaries sang "I Know That My Redeemer Lives". It went well. The spirit was so strong when Marianela got baptized! and her husband, Jose Eduardo, came! So great! Her confirmation on Sunday was awesome. We felt the Spirit so strong! She is amazing! We ate lunch with her yesterday and it was hard saying goodbye. She left today early to go on vacations with her husband and one of their kids. So I will not be able to see her before I leave next week. The Lord has worked miracles in her life. She was ready to be baptized. I know she will be able to be sealed to her husband in the temple someday. So excited to see what will happen in her future!

Our last district class was yesterday...so sad! Our district leader, Elder Mathewson, gave a powerful class. I think it was one of the best district classes of my mission. He talked about how we need to have a good attitude, be obediente and diligent, and work in unity. He had a bunch of awesome scriptures. It was a really honest class and I felt the Spirit so strong!!! 

Well, this is my last week as a missionary in Chile. Cannot believe it. So surreal. My mission is so special. I have felt Christ´s grace working within me. He has made me strong. I would not change this experience for anything!! 

I testify that Jesus is the Christ. He is the Savior of the world. Only through His grace and His mercy can we become the people we are meant to be. I love my Savior, and I know He knows me. I know He loves me. He takes me as I am and helps me. He lifts me and succors me. In Chile I have faced rejection, humiliation and opposition. However, I will not let anything nor anyone impede me from lifting my voice in testifying of the divinity of our Savior. I am His representative. I am His disciple. I will follow Him because I KNOW He helps me achieve great happiness. His way is not easy, but it is possible. What an honor it has been to wear His holy name on my shirt every day! I have truly come to know my Savior here in Chile. He is my Salvador. 

I am so happy. So pumped! Ready to finish strong. Jesus will help me finish strong. I love all of you, and I am so excited to see you soon!!! May Heavenly Father bless you all this week with strength, peace, and love.

Con mi amor, Hermana Mittleman

I Love Being A Missionary. Happy, Happy!

February 9, 2016

Hola, mi querida familia!

I have just two weeks left on my mission! Time has passed quickly, and I intend to make these last two weeks count.

Two weeks...two weeks.... What could two weeks mean? How many miracles have I yet to see? How many people will we find who are ready to accept the gospel? How many times will I conquer my fears and act in faith? How many times will I get to share my testimony of the Savior? Love it! I love being a missionary. Happy, happy.

Ok, so last Wednesday we went to the temple with President Morgan....it was AMAZING!! It was the best thing ever! Before our session, we got to meet with Presidente Dinamarca y su esposa. Presidente Dinamarca is the temple president. He talked about how we need to keep going to the temple when we go home from our mission. I was thinking, "um...of course!!!" I felt the Spirit SO strong. Seriously, the temple is a sacred place. It is like the embassy of Heaven. Whenever we walk into a temple it is like walking into a little piece of heaven (President Morgan has said that, it´s not my idea jaja). When I walked into the tempe Wednesday morning, my troubles and worries MELTED. I testify that the temple is a special place. The Lord visits His temples, and I could feel His presence on Wednesday morning. 

Marianela came to church on Sunday! She also had her baptism interview on Sunday. She passed, and is all ready to be baptized on Saturday morning. We are excited for her. She has progressed soo much. She is excited too! 

On Sunday I bore my testimony.... for the last time! I love El Parque. During the third hour of church we talked with our bishop about Marianela and he ended up talking about dating and how we are going to know if a boy is "the one" jajaja. Seriousy he is so funny hahaha.

In our mission we are focusing on repentance and baptism. We are not trying to invite our contacts to be baptized...it has been interesting! Jajaja, some people are receptive, and some people do not want anything to do with religion. But it is powerful inviting people to be baptized in the street! I know it is by repentance and baptism that we can enter in the straight and narrow path that leads to eternal life. It is important! So many people here in Chile think that all churches lead to God. It is frustrating because all the churches have good intentions, but I KNOW there is only one TRUE church of Christ. His church! How thankful I am to be His personal representative. I love Jesus so much.

Yesterday we had our zone training. I love our zone leaders! They are so amazing! We talked about why we have fear in the mission. We talked about how Jesus Christ can help us overcome our fears and act with faith. I hope in these last two weeks I can act with faith to raise my voice and testify of my Savior.

SERIOUSLY THE TIME IN THIS WORLD IS SO MUCH. WHO EVEN CARES ABOUT OUR FEARS. We have a SAVIOR! He loves us, and He gives us power, strength beyond our own. He makes up what we lack. I love Him so much!!!!!

I love you all! Have the best week ever!!!!! God lives!!! Christ lives and loves us. He is ever near us. I hope that simple knowledge is enough to push me through these last weeks. May God bless you all. I love you all, and I pray for you.

Love, Hermana Mittleman

PS MY CAMERA WON´T CONNECT TO THIS COMPUTER AND I DON´T KNOW WHY!!! THAT IS WHY I HAVE NOT SENT PI

Sometimes I Forget That I Am In A Foreign Country Speaking A Foreign Language.

February 2, 2016

It is February....how is that possible?? Last week was crazy! We had to go to central Santiago to renew my visa and renew my Chilean carnet. So crazy. Lots of subway and buses...ah! So beautiful in Central Santiago. Lots of people smoking jajaja.

I forgot to tell you! Tomorrow I am going to the Temple with Presidente Morgan and Hermana Morgan and the other missionaries that go home this change! 

Happy to be a missionary! Marianela came to church yesterday, so she is getting baptized on the thirteenth of February! So excited! She is so prepared. 

Today we went to an interactive museum. So fun! I love being in Chile. Sometimes I forget that I am in a foreign country speaking a foreign language. Talking about that which means most to me. I know Christ lives! I know it! He is our Savior! There is no doubt in my mind. Love you guys!

Hermana Mittleman

Hermana & Hermano Pinto Cortez visiting La Parque Ward

Pinto Cortez Family