HALLLLOOO!!!

Oh my goodness I have so much to talk about and so little time! I made it to Chile!! I'm really, truly here, writing from a little internet cafe in Valdivia (my area, which is north of Osorno I believe).I am serving in the Angachilla 2 Sector and my companion is Hermana Ruiz. She is from Calgary, Canada, but was born in Columbia so she's fluent in both Spanish and English which is really such a blessing. She's a week older than me, and has been on the mish for 9 months!

Okay, okay.. but back up a little bit. So after our 8 and a half hour plane ride to Santiago which honestly felt like a crazy nightmare, we had a 6 hour layover in the Santaigo airport, which was really uneventful. From Santiago we had another hour and a half flight to Osorno, where we were greeted by the new mission president and his wife here in the Chile Osorno mission along with the tiniest airport I have ever seen in my entire life. Enserio, it had one gate, no terminals, one floor, one room, and a tiny little oval conveyer belt for our bags, that very well could have been manual. (okay that might be a bit of an exaggeration, but you get the gist). 

Our mission president and his wife are the cutest!! They are from Wyoming, but grew up in Holladay and both went to Skyline High School. How funny is that?? They have only been here since September 16th, I believe. When President Obeso found out he needed to leave, they were called to serve and had to prepare to leave in 2 and a half weeks!! Hermana Isom knows no Spanish at all and she is having to learn too, so it's really humbling.

Entonces.. the first night here in Chile Hermana H and I stayed in a cute little hotel in Osorno. The next day we took care of our visa stuff, I guess you could say, and then went to meet our companions. We had to take a bus to Valdivia which was about two and a half hours. Then we took a collectivo to our little apartment. Hermana Ruiz and I live there alone, but it is seriously so tiny. It's pretty nice though.. I like it, it's comfy. 

I honestly need like 2 more hours to tell you everything that has happened here, but I am almost out of time as it is. Let's just say, as a missionary you kinda just jump right into the water. I've been speaking Spanish as best as I can and bearing testimony when I don't know how to do anything else. I've been knocking doors, or rather gates, and saying ¨Halo¨, which is apparently how Chileans greet each other rather then using hola. It's honestly so crazy, and I truly can't believe I'm here! I've met quite a few people since I've been here.. families, less actives, recent converts, and investigators. I wish I could talk about each one of them individually, but I simply don't have time. I will try harder next week! Anyway.. yesterday I had my first baptismal invitation... it was one of the most intimidating things I've ever done for sure, but Maria said she would try and that she would prepare to baptized on the 12th of November. 

Last night we also had a lesson with an investigator named Antonio. It was a really awesome lesson and I felt the spirit so strongly, but it was also frustrating because Hermana Ruiz and I just really wanted him to understand our love for him and feel God's love for him and know that he could sincerely and truly repent. It's hard not being able to say what I want to say because I don't know how to say very much in Spanish. It's hard to have confidence, but I've learned that it's not about having confidence in myself. It's about having confidence in Christ. Of course I can't speak Spanish yet, I've been here less than a week.. luckily the Holy Ghost can.

Anyway, gotta go!! Love you all lots!

Hugs,

Hermana Sessions

General Conference October 2016

If you would like to hear the messages from General Conference, you can find the talks and videos published here.

I'm HERE!!!!

MONDAYYYYYY!!!

¡HOLA! 

In all honesty, not a ton has happened since Friday when I emailed last. Saturday was just another typical day at the CCM. Sunday was fast Sunday because of General Conference and we had a really great testimony meeting. Our district and 12A got to sing a special musical number and it was probably not the best, but the spirit was really strong, and in the end that’s all that matters!

We also had several devotionals like we always do. We heard another talk given by Elder Holland that was amazing, but I don’t have my notes with me so I couldn’t tell you what it was called. It was amazing though, because they always are! They made a new rule here that the hermanas have to sit in the front of the auditorium during devotionals so we can’t sit with our district and it’s really frustrating. We get a lot of special treatment here, but a lot of it isn’t wanted and feels more like punishment, haha! Hermana H was so upset that she started crying.. and I didn’t know what to do, but I felt really bad.

We have decided that we are probably going to have to disguise ourselves as elders this weekend so that we can sit with our district during General Conference this weekend. WE GET TO WATCH GENERAL CONFERENCE LIVE!!! I’m so stoked about it! 

Okay now for the most important news I have for you guys this week. Last night we got our travel plans and.. I LEAVE MONDAY!! Monday.. I can’t even believe it. We leave the CCM at 4:30pm drive 2 or so hours to the airport and then our flight from Mexico leaves at 8:25pm. We fly 8 and a half hours to Santiago and get there around six in the morning.. then we have a 6 hour lay-over in Santiago until our flight for Osorno leaves. Luckily that flight is only an hour and a half! It’s gonna be a looooong day, BUT I’m so pumped!!

Well people, that’s about all I have for you this week. Nothing crazy has happened since Friday, and I won’t have anything super out of the ordinary to write about until next time! I can’t wait for this crazy adventure, and just think, the next time I write you all it will be from Chile!!! WOOT WOOT!! Don’t get me wrong, I’m terrified. This week in the CCM has been super humbling and I honestly feel like I know next to nothing, but I know that the only way I’m really going to be able to learn the language and learn to be a missionary is if I jump right into it! So wish me luck, I’m sure I’ll need it!

I love you all so much and I really hope things are going well! I promise my email next week will be a lot more eventful! I’m sure I will have so much to say I won’t even be able to say everything! It’ll be craaaaaazyyy!!! But until then, just know that I am so so happy and that I cannot wait to share the gospel with the people in Chile!! Eeeeee I gotta go! Keep on keepin’ on!

hugs,

Hermana Sessions

ONE MONTH.. WUT??

I don’t know about you guys, but I definitely can’t believe I left a month ago today. Most days here it feels like it’s been a year and a half already, but I also feel like I just got here yesterday. Time is such a weird concept. If I misspell a zillion words in this email I apologize in advance, this computer underlines every word in red as if it’s misspelled so it’s really, really hard to read what I’ve written.

This week.. was honestly the same as the others. I wish I could say that something crazy and out of the ordinary happened, but I’m not supposed to lie as a missionary, so I can’t do that, haha. Last Saturday we had TRC which I think probably stands for “teaching recent converts” but I could be wrong. Hermana H and I taught a somewhat recent convert and a member and honestly just talked to them about their lives and got to know them. It wasn’t much of a planned lesson, but it still went really well and we were able to feel the spirit. 

What else.. there’s a really awesome missionary couple here from Arizona. They work as mental health counselors here at the MTC and for all of the missionaries serving in Mexico City. They’re super great! Elder Packard is the first counselor in our branch and we joke that his wife, Hermana Packard is the second counselor because well.. she practically is. Anywho.. we love them, but Hermana Packard is going home for a while tomorrow to figure out some health issues and she won’t be back until after we head to Chile so I’m really sad about that.. she’s the sweetest and has taken good care of us.

We had a pretty hilarious experience with a Latino here. We were asking if they had hills or mountains in Mexico and he said they were “cerros” which means hills.. so then he asked us what it was called in English and we told him “hill”. Well I’ve never ever realized it before but apparently hill and hell sound very similar, so he thought we said hell, and then was like "infierno..??" Huge misunderstanding, but way funny! English is hard.. hill, heel, hell, hail.. I’m glad I’m not learning English. He also thought brand and bread were the same word.. poor guy!

Alright.. I’m gonna run out of time pretty soon here, but I leave in roughly 10 days for Chile!!! WUT!!!??? I definitely can’t speak Chilean Spanish.. I can’t even speak Mexican Spanish and they’re dumbing it down for us like crazy here. I can’t wait to leave though and to get to my mission! I’m sOooOoOo stoked!! Wish me luck though.. I’m going to need it for a while! I’ll be lucky if I even get a word in in the next couple of months.

We were able to watch two older devotionals last Sunday.. one from Elder Bednar and one from Elder Holland. They were both amazing as always, but I especially liked Elder Holland’s. I actually have always just loved Holland so I’m probably super biased. Also, everyone in my district is passing around a talk called “The Fourth Missionary” and it is honestly incredible.. even if you’re not going on a mission, not currently a missionary, or never have been a missionary.. you should definitely still read it! Honestly it’s like the key to life. So many good quotes.. way too many to choose from, but one of my favorites is, "The purpose and central blessing of this life is change." Chills.. something to remember at least. 

Okay I’m definitely, totally, without a doubt, out of time! But I love you all so much, and I hope all is well! My p-day next week will be Wednesday so you’ll hear from me again in no time, but until then.. know that I love you all and that I am so thankful for your prayers and support! 

CON MUCHO AMOR,

and hugs,

Hermana Sessions

Bueno, bueno, bueno, bien!

HOLA!!!

What to say, what to say.. I still love it here! I honestly don’t want to leave in a couple weeks. I’m super excited to go to Chile, but I am going to miss the CCM and my district so much!

Last Saturday I completely lost my voice. It was such a rough day and all of the elders in my district were roasting me so hard because I couldn’t sass them back. We also taught a lesson to our investigator and I had to whisper the entire time and it was such a struggle! Not only was I trying to speak Spanish, but I had to whisper and I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised if he didn’t have a clue what I was saying. On Sunday Hermana H and I had to teach a 50 minute lesson in relief society and luckily I had my voice back, but I sounded awful. Anyway, the lesson went really well.. so that was good!

Both of our teachers started school so we got two new teachers this week. Hermano Tapia and Hermano Barroterran. Hermano Barroterran is fresh off his mission and is only 20 so it’s kinda weird that we’re the same age, haha! We taught Hermano Barroterran for the first time and it went really well, but at the end of the lesson I asked him when we could visit him next and after he responded I said, "Bueno, bueno, bueno, bien!" faster than you can even imagine and Hermana H won’t let me live it down. Also, I can’t say it that fast again to save my life.

Oh, I also decided to be slightly disobedient and I allowed myself 5 minutes to play soccer with the elders.. I kid you not, 2 minutes after I started playing, just as I made a pretty sweet cross the gym instructor came cruising by on his bike and said, "Hermana, you can’t play with the elders!" So moral of the story.. be exactly obedient.

We had two devotionals from Provo over the past week. One on Sunday night and one on Tuesday night from Elder Ballard and Elder Cook! They were both really amazing, but at the moment I can’t really remember what their talks were centered on. I don’t have my notebook with  me either so I lose, but just know that they were amazing as usual!

OHHHH!! And (Hermana B) got here on Tuesday and I saw her in the comedor and was SO happy to see her! It’s so fun to have friends here! Especially good friend! She’s in my zone I’m pretty sure.. which I’m not sure means anything here, but it’s still so good to see her around.

Last night we were able to watch this huge Mexican Independence Day ceremony which consisted of a ton of cultural dances, but it was really neat, and really loud!! We also heard fireworks and music all night, so sleeping was kinda hard.. but all is well.

Okay, I’m so sorry! I’m out of time and I haven’t even bothered to include a spiritual thought. I’ll make up for it next week! Oh and I’m going to try to send some pictures later today after the temple. Love you all so much and hope things are well back home! Keep on keepin’ on! 

Much love,

Hermana Sessions

** The picture of some of the elders in my district is necessary because we’ve decided we are all characters from The Office. In the picture there’s Michael Scott, Dwight, Andy, and Jim. Enjoy!

CCM or Junior High??

I don’t have a lot of time to write this week, but it was such a good week and it flew by compared to the first 10 days! I love it here, but I have to laugh because sometimes sitting in class all day with 10 elder feels like I’m sitting in a class full of 7th graders. A few days ago, some of the elders were tossing a duct tape ball back and forth whenever our teacher wasn’t looking. Also I forgot to talk about my teacher last time. We have two teachers that are also our investigators. Hermano Osorio and Hermano Trejo. They’re both in their early twenties and are from Mexico, they’re super great!

On Tuesday night we were able to hear a live devotional from the Provo MTC! Elder D. Todd Christofferson was the speaker and it was amazing. I didn’t even come close to falling asleep this time!

So another reason I feel like I’m in junior high.. on Tuesday, the day before my birthday, I found this chocolate egg sitting on my desk and had no idea who it was from. It had this little toy inside of it and it was totally weird. I thought maybe it was one of the sister training leaders in our zone, but totally wasn’t. Well yesterday.. I found out that it was some random elder from another district and all the elders in my district told me not to worry about anything because they were talking care of it. They seriously all feel like protective brothers. Funny enough the mystery elder/secret admirer’s name is Elder Paul. I have yet to see him, but I just thought I’d let you know that creepy things happen here..

My birthday was amazing! It definitely just felt like another day, but so many fun things happened and I loved every second of it. Thank you to everyone who emailed me and sent me birthday wishes! I love you all! I was spoiled with three packages.. a tier of Krispy Kreme donuts, a chocolate cake, and tons of candy. Our entire district suffered from sugar comas that´s for sure. Also, the sister training leaders organized a game of indoor soccer with a bunch of hermanas and I had so much fun! I didn’t really realize how much I miss playing until I got here and all I see are elders playing soccer everyday, and I just have to sit back and cry because I can’t play, haha! It was too much fun and I really hope that the hermanas can play again sometime before I leave the CCM.

Okay last funny moment, at dinner the other night one of our elders, Elder B (he is like the district clown.. so funny, and he’s shorter than me by like a half inch) found a hair in his food, and the way he handled it was just the best. He was all, "I found it! I found the hair! What do I get.. where’s my prize!" I was mid chewing a bite of a bean burrito and I was laughing so hard for so long that I couldn’t swallow my bite once I stopped laughing. Every time I attempted to swallow I just gagged and it probably took me a solid 10 minutes with about a gag/minute to swallow my bite of burrito without throwing up!

Really quickly, something that I loved from the devotional on Tuesday night was a quote from David O. McKay, "It is greater to be trusted, than to be loved." Another thing Elder Christofferson said was, "Yes, He loves you, but can He trust you?" I love this because Heavenly Father loves every single one of his children unconditionally, but just because he loves us doesn’t mean he can trust as. That is up to us. He’ll never stop loving us, but we have to earn his trust. As missionaries we have to work our hardest, be obedient, and do everything we can to earn his trust. I for one want to be someone that He can trust any time, any where, with anything! So I’m trying my best every single day to earn His trust.. because as great as it is to be loved, how great is it to be trusted?

I love you all and hope you all had an amazing week! Thank you so much for your support and love.. as Elder Braswell would say, "Shout out to you!" 

Hugs, 

Hermana Sessions