Happy Valentine's Day! (Guess what, this holiday means nothing here) Feb. 16, 2015

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MY DEAREST MOTHER!!! I couldn't stop thinking about you yesterday! So Sorry I didn't get a letter sent to you... I sent one today, but it won't get there for a month or so.

Nothing too exciting has happened this week. Just trying to stay sane in the heat and walk a whole lot... haha. I don't know how our bodies are able to do this, but they can walk and walk in the heat. We had a pretty cool experience contacting this week. We have these lists of old investigators that we're cleaning out. We were down in a street contacting at like 3 oclock, when it is so hot, and I had a feeling we should go to a street that is really far away. It was weird. So we decided to go. We had forgotten our water bottles at home and I was so dehydrated. I told Hermana Christensen that the next person to open their door we HAD to ask for a glass of water. We went to find the 5 houses we had on our list. We went to one house and an angry old woman came out and told us to leave. We went to the other 4 and no one was home. I felt pretty annoyed. But as we walked to the next street we passed by the house where the woman yelled at us. A man came out and yelled "Hey! Do you guys want some water? It's hot out here!" We said yes and then had a great conversation with him. His name is Carlos and he talked to elders in 2003. We set up another appointment. We were able to go and teach him yesterday and now he's a new investigator! Pretty great!

Yesterday we had a great Sunday! We called everyone on Saturday and everyone told us that they were either out of town or busy. But we went and passed by before church started for hermana Francisca. And no one was there. We went to the church without anyone.. We felt pretty disappointed. But when we walked in we saw a less-active couple who hasn't been to church in like 4 years sitting on the benches! I was so happy! And then Elsa came in even though she said she couldn't come. And then Eduardo walked even though he was supposed to work today! And Luis came up to me after sacrament meeting and said that he was going to go get a date to get married today! So he can get baptized right after he gets married! And right after the sacrament Hermana Francisca walked in! It turned out to be a great Sunday in El Parque. We felt very blessed. Love you all and hope you have a great week!

Love,

Hermana Flake

1. I love this stray dog that lives in our sector. I named him "Wolfie"

2. We went to the Birthday Party of Hermana Mittleman today :)

           3. Happy Birthday Mom

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No Cambios! February 9, 2015

Yay! We didn't have changes! I get to stay in El Parque at least another change! I am so happy. I absolutely love this sector and my ward. It is a privilege to be here with Hna Christensen again!

We had another great week! We were able to teach Eduardo and set up a baptismal date. He is planning to be baptized on March 1! He is so excited for everything and just wants to learn everything he can. I love teaching someone who has just got it. I don't know how to explain it. But it's like his mind has just clicked. It is so different to teach him now, than before. It is like I can see the desire he has in his eyes to be a better person. He just wants to have an eternal family!

We were also able to go to the temple on Wednesday! We get to go through for a session once a year. And because Jose Manuel got his mission call, Hna Christensen and I decided to go with him. It was so great! I love the peace there. It is so interesting to be in the temple with Spanish all around you and everything. And inside is so special and then we go out onto the streets and the buses and metros and it feels completely opposite. I love being so close to the Santiago Temple! 

Today, for Pday we played tennis! (Dad, you will be so proud!) We played for about 3 hours in the church. There is the soccer /basketball court. But it also has posts to put up a tennis net! We found some raquets and played with Jose Manuel. It was so fun! I haven't played in forever. I was pretty bad.. But hopefully with some practice I can get better again. Hna Christensen played in high school and is super good! I like playing with her. 

Love,

Hermana Flake

1. Felipe and I! He is so darling!

2. Jose Manuel when he got his mission call.

3. Margarita and Montse

1. We went to get hamburgers last pday!

2.  Sometimes you just have to have a nap...but only on pdays!

3. We finally got a fan! And I had to put it together. But the 

instructions were in Spanish, go figure and made no sense

It t ook a bit of work. But I did it!

1.  Temple!

2.  After Jose Manuel went through

1. Hermana Ximena. She is practically my mom here 

in the mission. She takes such good care of us.

2. Tennis today at the church!

Miracles Happen! February 2, 2015

Wow, I do not even know how to describe this week! It was full of so many miracles that I don't know where to start!

Miracle 1. We went to see Felipe last Tuesday, he is the adopted son of Hna Francisca, a less active. He is 10 years old and so adorable! He is such a gentleman and always goes to get us juice and ice cream! We taught him the Restoration and invited him to be baptized on February 15. He said yes! He was so excited. When we saw Hna Francisca later in the week she said that Felipe was asking all about her baptism and how it was and how she felt. We then got to teach him the Plan of Salvation. He is so dang smart! He has had a rough life. Hna Francsica took him in because his real mom couldn't raise him because they were too poor. But Hna Francisca pretty much is his mom. They are so sweet!

Miracle 2. We finally got to see Camilo! I wrote about him in the beginning of December. He is a golden investigator, he just is never home! But we found him this week! We went and taught him the Plan of Salvation and invited him to be baptized on February 22. He said: Yeah, I've never been baptized before, I would really like that. He is so great! He has this crazy cat named Leon and it acts like a lion! He always bites me during the lessons... 

Miracle 3. Our Zone leaders randomly called us this week. They told us they had an investigator for us. Apparently they had been visiting a less active sister in their ward and her boyfriend isn't a member. His name is Francisco and he actually lives in our sector. The zone leaders told us that yeah, he wants to be baptized. So they set up and appointment for us to go to. We went and he said that he wanted to be baptized! Pretty sweet! They're going out of town right now, but when they get back he'll be getting baptized!

Miracle 4. Eduardo! He is the boyfriend of Sharon, a member in our ward. We had taught him the Restoration in December but could never find him again. He was kind of avoiding us. But he showed up to church today and came to all 3 hours. After the Gospel Principles class he was talking the Sharon and she was telling him that He had to talk to us, that she wasn't going to say anything. I was a little worried, he is so awesome and I didn't want him to reject all of the blessings he could gain from the gospel! He came up to us and said: Okay, so here's the thing. I want to be baptized. Is that ok? Haha! I was freaking out inside and let out a little "Sí, está bien!" We got a lesson with him right after church. And we asked him what he was feeling. He said that he didn't understand before. But know he just understood. And he couldn't deny it and he couldn't wait to be baptized. He said that now that he knew he didn't see the difference from being baptized today or tomorrow, just as soon as possible! We just have to teach 2 more lessons and then he can get baptized! 

So yeah, pretty much this week was crazy!! Oh, I guess there is another miracle. Miracle 5. Jose Manuel! He got his mission call! He was really inactive before I came here in the sector. And for a few weeks during my time he was still considered less active. But he got his life figured out and got his mission call! He was called to Argentina, Cordova! He was supposed to leave in April, but had to go sooner because of school. So he'll be leaving in 3 weeks! 

This week was great and reminded me of the love the Lord has for every single one of us. He always wants to help us. We are never really alone. I love being a missionary! I feel like I can feel a little piece of the Savior's love for these people. It is an amazing feeling. I love the gospel and know that true joy can only come to us as we live obediently to the commandments of the Lord.

Love, 

Hermana Flake

This computer won't send me pictures... so lame. I'll send a bunch next week!