I Was Thinking In My Mind Like "Oh No! What Did I Do!!"

(September 8, 2014)

Hola! Love you! Happpy Birthday Mom!!! Wish I could be there tomorrow! Eat cake and enjoy the day!! I sent you a card in the mail. I hope you get it this week!! 

This week went by soooo fast. The time just flies by here! It`s so crazy! Last P Day we bought a pizza at Papa John`s haha. It was soooooo good. We had a Noche de Hogar Monday night in a home of a less active member`s home. She is older, and her mother has dementia. She takes care of her, and she is unable to come to church. We watched The Book of Mormon: How Rare a Possession. It was great! I think the Switzerland Temple is in it at the end, and it made me think of Dad (hey, Dave!). So yes, yes, I am a missionary! Sometimes it’s still so weird. I know I will continue to be a missionary even when I come home...this work is so great. The message is fantastic. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is awesome. It’s way hard to teach in Spanish, but it’s all good. It’s still cold here! But the mountains are beautiful. Sometimes in the morning a bunch of snow is on the mountains, and it is just breath taking. I will have to take a picture and send it next week. 

Well, it is still verrrry hard to understand the people here. Chilean Spanish is just something else! Haha. But I just smile. And smile. And smile. And pray! It’s weird because some Chileans look like Americans or Europeans, but then they start talking and ok yeah you’re definitely from here. I have seen Chilean versions of Chris Farley (RIP) and Colin Firth. Good times. The food is good! Lots of mashed potatoes and vegetables. Meat. And pasta. People feed us lunch here, and we usually don’t eat dinner. I’m getting used to it haha. On Wednesday we ate in a member’s home, but it was just their three daughters and one of their friends. They had the radio on when we entered the casa, and One Direction was playing...WEIRD. 

This week there was a meeting with all the new missionaries. So I got to see my MTC friends! That was great. Sometimes it’s easy to feel alone on the calle, but seeing all the other new missionaries gave me strength. Presidente Wright and la Hermana Wright were also there of course. They are amazzzing. I hope I can serve a mission with my husband one day (wow, take it easy, Hermana! lolz).

On Saturday one of the AP’s called us, and he asked to speak with me. My companion gave me the phone with a confused face...I was so nervous!! I was thinking in my mind like "oh no! What did I do!!" But he just asked me to say the closing prayer in the zone conference on Thursday....I’m still nervous for that haha! 

My companion is wonderful! She is sooo patient and kind. She also speaks English pretty well. She is funny and so presh. I love her. I am sooo thankful for her! In our companionship study we read sections of the Mission Manual. I read in Spanish, and she reads in English. Her accent is soo funny haha. She probably thinks the same about mine! We get along well. We both want to serve and help the people here. United in purpose! So we are in a zone called La Reina. You can get to central Santiago in about 20 minutes by taking an underground metro. We aren’t too far out from the city. It’s different because at first I did not like the area. It was not what I was expecting (imagine that haha). But I read a quote that say’s "It’s not where you serve, but how you serve". ....Talk about humility!! Sometimes I have self centered thoughts and concerns about my speaking ability, my knowledge of the Gospel, etc...But I realized that’s not the way I should be thinking. I have been called to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and help others come unto Him...not preach the Gospel in perfect Spanish. I study Spanish every day, but I try and focus on helping others feel the Spirit, rather than delivering a perfect message in perfect Spanish. 

So last Sunday a woman showed up at church with her two twin daughters (yes twin daughters who are soooooooooo presh). She said she is a member, but has not come to church in a long time. She just woke up with the desire to come to church. So Friday night we went to a member’s home who lives in the apartment above her. We had a little noche de hogar with them. The twins are nine years old, so we will start teaching them! They are just too presh, and I always think of my own precious twin when I look at them. They came to church again yesterday, and they are all excited. So in the noche de hogar we had with them, we talked about the Holy Ghost. Afterwards, we all had completos...Which is like a Chilean hot dog...yummmm!! It’s a hot dog with tomatoes, guacamole, ketchup, mayo, and it is to die for!! The members drove us home afterwards which was great. It was weird being in a car! We always walk and take the bus everywhere. 

So yes, this email is poorly ordered, but know that I am happy! Oh my gosh it’s hard, but I am happy! I love being a missionary! It’s fantastic. This work is so important. We are in the last dispensation of times....Ahhhh! Christ lives, and His Gospel is on the earth today! He loves us. He cares for us deeply. What an honor it is to wear His name with mine every day. I am a representative of Jesus Christ! I am His disciple. I love Him with my all my heart! Whenever I feel lonely or sad, I think of Him. I think of His perfection. It is easy to feel close to Him when we are obedient and willing to serve. It’s so weird being on my mission! Every day I think, wow, I will be doing this for eighteen months! I miss my family and my home country! But after all that Jesus Christ has done for me, after His suffering, it is the least I can do to sacrifice some of my time to come and serve here in Chile. 

God lives. Jesus Christ lives. I love them. I am happy to serve them. I will gladly withstand the hard days. I will withstand rejection. I will withstand humiliation and embarrassment because I love them! I will not fear what man can do to me, because I choose to stand with my Savior. May God bless you all! 

Con Mucho Amor,

Hermana Mittleman