Monday 28 December 2015

Christmas in Chile, isn't so chilly.

 
 
When we talked to Shaylee Christmas day it was a whoppin' 35 degrees and 100% humidity, and minus 20 degrees here. We showed her companion what a white Christmas looks like and how you can see your breath in the cold air, I wish we would have recorded her shocked expression.
 Shaylee LOVES Christmas and sent a ton of pictures, and not much letter. Guess she figured we just talked a few days ago.
 
 
Sisters Christmas morning
 
 
Christmas Presents

 
Letter from the young women

 
Mataya's Christmas gift to Shaylee, funny girl!

 
Christmas dinner at Elder and Sister Lee's
 
 
 Necklace Natalya (investigator) made for her.
 I think the blue and green box in the background really brings out her eyes. LOL!
 
 
 Not looking very Christmasy outside
 

Our companionship has been waaay better since Christmas too because my companion would get a little annoyed because I talk about my family so much. She said, "you know, our families are really different,” After talking to you guys  she now understands why I need you all so much. She said for me to be here, is like giving 200 percent of me, just to be gone from you all. Which is totally true. You are my strength, literally! I’m seriously still just floating from how happy I am that I got to talk to you guys! To see you was heavenly! and my comp. was eavesdropping when I told you about how I post this quote above my bed to keep me motivated, stole a pic from me and made this for above my bed :D she is an animator :D Love her so much!
Love shay

 
 
Hermana Ricagno you are amazing!


Friday 25 December 2015

We Talked To Shaylee!!!

 
 
 
We were able to talk to Shaylee for 45 minutes this afternoon. The time went way to fast!!! She is so happy and doing great!!!
 
Here is a sample of her Spanish.
 
 
Shaylee and Hermana Ricagno, singing Jesus Wants Me For a Sunbeam. These two are not just comps they are sisters, wonderful to see!
 

Best Service Project Ever!


Guess what? We don’t work at all on Christmas! I’m going to Loma, to spend most of the day at the beach with Hermana Law, Hill, and all of them! Yay! I wish I was coming home!  Next Christmas I'll be almost home, I think I should get triple presents the next Christmas though. ;)

We taught a girl last night and one of the first things she said was, "I want to be baptized by water the right way." I was like, perfect well we are preparing a baptism for the 9th of January, and she was like sign me up! Ha-ha so cool .
 
 I love Christmas! :) Definitely not the same here :P but I did get to decorate two Christmas trees for service projects :) We asked if we could help them with anything and they said, "yes please decorate my tree", I was like yay!  I love Christmas time!
 
 
 



 In this picture of the yarn covered human, an object lesson de zona went wrong. He tried to jump onto the net, it was supposed to support him but... it didn’t: D funniest thing ever! Poor guy!


Wednesday 16 December 2015

Christmas Party


I asked Shay what I should tell the ward, when I speak about her mission on the 27th.  This is her response:

 Tell them the secret to missionary work is work. Ha-ha it’s hard!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

Guess I won’t be taking the full 10 mins. Lol!

Your week sounds so fun!!! It’s been raining lots here! :P the elders baptized an 89 year old lady named "Lady" on Saturday it was cool. These pictures are from the mission Christmas party, it was so fun! I looove Hermana Bluth, she’s great! She calls me "my cowgirl" every time she sees me which is often, since I’m so close :D  Mom they had GRAVY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It literally doesn’t exist here! They made gravy for everyone!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was in heaven!


                                                          Hermana Bluth, her mission mom.

I miss you guys so much! Tomorrow two newbies are going to come stay with us until they get there trainers :) and I know them from the ccm! Woohoo Hemanas Lange and Neilson, they’re super great :) I like them a lot and one of them is going to be in my sector! Yay! Random side thought but Afton Law is like my best bud here: D I hope were comps some day!
CCM=MTC
I’ll always be smiling I like it much more than the other option, I’m in a different country with people I never met before, might as well laugh! I’m much more pleasant that way :D

 Mataya darling! What did you sing? I sing in people’s houses it's super weird. My companion is like "hi can we sing for you?" and they’re like, "yeah" and we sing and then turn friendly chit chat into the restoration, it’s kind of epic. Super random things can connect to the gospel. I’m so excited to call you guys!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I’ll bet you did awesome! 
 
 
The branding pic is super cool! Wish I was there :)  Hermana law and I were walking out of the Christmas activity and something with cow crap was around there. We both inhaled deeply, ahh that smells more like home, and then we started laughing because we smelled cow pies and thought it was delightful! My comp fell asleep in the wrong room, on the wrong bunk the other night, ha-ha I took a picture before I woke her up. I was in the shower and she was going to change the sheets or something, I’m not sure.  She didn’t quite make it! It’s crazy how tired we are :P definitely the prayers are working because at this stage I would be asleep or incoherent :) but I’m still smiling and happy!
Hermana Nelson, Hill, and Ricagno
 
 
 

 
Look what I got!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! My companion is tempting me to open it, but I’m waiting until Christmas! 
Look at the tree in the back, it has Christmas decorations. That wouldn't last very long here with our wind.

Monday 7 December 2015

Two Months Out!


I am assuming this is part of what Shaylee wrote her mission president before writing us I don't know it's all Spanish to me! I also assume the paragraph after is the translation? Sister Amy Wright let me know if I'm right in  my assumption.
I sent her a picture of Riley and Rod cutting up their deer.
Her email this week was short and sweet.
 

 
 stoy muy contente con la vida missional ahora, despues reciebiendo plantillas de hermana balden, ella es un angel. :) tuve un momento muy rado ayer, olvido todo de mi español :P solo para cerca de diez minutos durante un leccion con un converso recidente. esta bien ahora, porque yo recuerdo todo :D estoy feliz porque de esta. lo siento para mi spelling :)

 

 We had a miracle this week, a contact called yesterday morning and asked if she could attend church with us, and when was the meeting! When we went to pick her up, she had her brother with her. We have a visit with them tonight and Thursday and they want to come to church again next week, they loved it!!!!!!!! so cool :) Natalia and Diego :) it was so cool!!!!

 My comp about threw up with the deer pictures ha-ha. I’m realizing as squeamish as I am I’m not that bad ha-ha.
 
 
 
Yeah the Christmas tree is scary it’s 11 at night after a loong day :) and I woke up to that on the mirror :) I’m so excited for Christmas!!!

 

 
                                         Today is my two month mark :) 
 



 
Hermana Rich and Hill cooking banana pancakes for the sisters conference :) they were yummy :D 
 
 
 
 I went on splits again this week with Hermana Burnham, she twisted her ankle really bad so this is a pic of us on our way to Concepcion to go to the hospital, we were in San Juana. She is going home on Tuesday :) lucky ducky :) 
 
 



Monday 30 November 2015

I’m here let’s do this!


The church here is super small. I only attended one ward this Sunday and it has maybe 50 people? There are 4 elders in my ward too. I knock doors, pester people on the street and all of it. Think of a mission when the church first started, no joke I feel so stupid sometimes. Hear ye hear ye! I even contacted a lady pushing her son in a swing a couple days ago.  My companion only speaks broken English because she is afraid I’m only pretending to understand her so well. I had a blast on exchanges with Hermana Hill we had so much fun!!!!! I took a picture with Scratt and we went to the beach with Hermana Law and Pemberton. I looooved it!!!!! Hermana Hill started the lesson and handed me the pamphlet and smiled and I got to actually teach a lesson! We’d pass back and forth and I loved it! She left the sweetest note in my agenda too! It was so nice to have someone who trusted that I was capable of doing something. Hermana Ricagno has a tendency to take over the teaching moments. I keep my thoughts to myself about the fleas and pray a lot. I used yellow dawn soap when I had a couple flea bites and it worked for me :) I’m a flee free human again! The food is pretty weird. The meat is awful. Think Mexico but with fat, Bleck! We had some really good salmon yesterday! People here eat sooo much though because they only eat one meal besides a small breakfast. I have to go to the bathroom immediately after so I have room to walk without puking. It’s super rude to not eat everything they give you, and they serve us.  We had a soup called Consuelo. I had no idea how to eat it, in my bowl was a whole cob of corn, a chicken bone, with meat floating around it, and a potato...... it was interesting. I waited to watch how they ate it.

I’m super-duper surprised you have the Christmas tree up before December!!!!  We have a ten inch Christmas tree in our apartment :) That’s super weird that borax will kill fleas:/  I got bit a couple times before I murdered them. You would not believe how they itch and if you scratch they scar.... no bien! I just don’t itch.
The first pic is Hermana Stevenson and me, she’s with us for a couple days since her companion is having passport issues, poor girl.  Then at the beach and scrat :) with Hermana Hill. I loove Hermana Hill she’s the best. I’m kinda nervous President Bluth is going to make me a trainer right after my training :O He acts like my work ethic and sense of self are the best thing since Studio C. I also know more Spanish than anyone can believe. Except Hermana Hill, she kept testing my limits ha-ha.
(I sent her a picture of our Christmas tree. I have no idea what intercambios is? any one who speaks Spanish let me know. I looked it up online, but only Spanish words come up!?)
It’s beautiful!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I looove the ribbon and my ornament :) I wish I was there :) but I can’t miss the 3 baptisms scheduled for the 26th. I met the investigators and challenged them this week after intercambios and its going to be cool :) One baptism for sure on the 21st as well. I pulled a Carter Lybbert and told one of our investigators who is living common law, to get married or move out, ha-ha. She’s willing to do one or the other. I just say whatever and people don’t get offended because they think I’m such a cute new missionary. :D My companion is trying to slow my goals down, ha-ha not happening sister! I’m here let’s do this! 
 
Love Shaylee
 
(Rod asked her how the missionary work was going)
We have 8 new investigators, 6 with a baptism date and it’s going great. Skidding along is more like it, my feet are burned literally from so much walking the whole bottom layer of my foot is worn off, its awful!!! But I guess that means I’m working? Who knows :)
I love you too dad!
 
 Shay loves photography
 Kristy, what is this picture of? Lol!
 Hermana Hill
 Hermana Stevenson

Amazing Graffiti!!!


 

 

 

Monday 23 November 2015

Culture Shock!


Tell them (Granny Gibb, Uncle Matt, and Uncle Mark) happy birthday! I don’t have much time because I had to email president in Spanish first. Chile is nuts I’m not sure loving is the right word, surviving maybe? The Americans just say to hang in there for a couple months then things start to make sense. My comp says its super nice here, she’s from Biuenas Aires, Argentina. I guess I should count my blessings. The wrapper thing, is the leftover lunch she hid in her purse for me when the members back was turned. You wouldn’t believe the amount of food they eat. It’s insane!  They get super offended if you don’t finish it. And they only eat lunch. So yeah it different...
No stove, no clock change and they use military time. I’m going crazy with all the changes. (Chile is 4 hrs. ahead)

 Please send me some flea removal and prevention ideas :) 
 

I'll check into the fleas. Do you have them in your house or just at others? 
My house, and everywhere else.  Please do thank you!
 
 Mataya,
I’m going to be insane when I come home, I think. Toilet paper goes in garbage not in the toilet! My comp is from Argentina, and so sometimes we speak mime. I miss you so much it was so good to be able to hear your voice on the phone :) these pics are of me Archuleta and Matthews (their so short! ha-ha), saying goodbye to people and the car drive to our areas. We got to stay in a hotel the first night. Heaven I tell you heaven! Now I’m in..... something different I’m a little confused. My comp has fleas, almost everyone here does so you need to tell me how to prevent them ok :) I’m wearing lots of bug spray at the moment. :P I’m serving in San Pedro which is the biggest city in the mission. So yeah, you know me and cities. And Hermana Law is with me!!!! (Sister from the MTC) Different houses, but it helps so much to be able to see her :)
Love shay
 
 
 

 


 
 


 Teacher I had Hermana Garcia she was great.
 MTC goodbye

Welcome from companion
 On the bus

 first day in Chile for all these sisters
Introducing Hermana Ricagno. Shaylee says she is great!



Wednesday 18 November 2015

Made it to Chile

This is the email we received Tuesday, November 17th. The phone call from the airport Monday evening was wonderful, until the 25 minute calling card cut us off before we could say goodbye.
 When the phone call ended a full minute early I wanted to scream, but I just sighed and went to board the plane :)
I’m here in Chile its super-duper weird :) I seriously feel so much better after last night’s call though. I love you guys sooooo much. The mission presidents first question for me was, "how did you manage to pay for your mission all by yourself?" He says he is incredibly excited to have me here just because of that alone,  he says he can tell I’m a hard worker. ;) I told him I hope so, and he said that everything information wise that he was sent about me was superbly complementary. He was bouncing in his chair:) Kind of makes me want to run and hide. I’m pretty much falling asleep at the keys here, and I have to go. 

Monday 16 November 2015

Off to Chile!


 
Elders and Hermanas,                                                          
 
It has been a pleasure to share time with you at the CCM.  We send our love and blessing with you as you begin this most important time in your lives  doing this most amazing work.  Felicidades.  We’re so very happy that you could all leave together.  We love you.  
 
Hermana Call
 District 16B

Last day as companions
 
 
 
Shaylee's new address:
Sister Shaylee Nelson
Chile Concepcion South Mission
Castellon 1063, Oficina Sur
Concepcion
Bio-Bio
Chile
 
OR
 
 

Saturday 14 November 2015

Almost Packed


I just finished packing, mostly :/ I’m so excited to get out of here!!!! Yay!  My teacher gave us five minutes on email while we wait for our 2 real investigators!! Our first real investigator was this morning, on accident he was supposed to be a member, but we taught him about baptism and how little kids are saved through Christ’s atonement, because he is catholic and had 2 sons die really young. We also invited him to be baptized and he said yes!!! I about fell off of my chair!!!!!!!!!!!! It was nuts!! So now he is going to be put in contact with Mexican missionaries and yay :) He has some stuff he wants to change in his life before he can be baptized but he’s willing to do it. Our first convert ha-ha

 I love you guys soooo much, talk to you on Monday/Tuesday morning!!! (The missionaries get to call from the airport. I really wish we didn't just have cell phones, it's going to cost a fortune. Super excited to talk to her!)

 
Love Shaylee

Wednesday 11 November 2015

Last Week At The MTC


I DO definitely know I’m loved!  I love you all so much!
I get to email again on Saturday this week!! And I’m allowed to call you at the airports!! What’s the best way to do that?
 I leave the MTC at 3:30, Monday and fly straight to Santiago Chile then have a two hour layover and a one hour flight to the mission :) Hermana Stone has promised to get me safely through the airport. I love her, she is great.
So the post office is closed for printing emails Satmon, so the last time I can get those is Friday before noon :) (She means the emails you send and they print for her that day)

This week I started crying during class and Maestra Gutierrez, she is the Mexican lady I sent a pic with last week she teaches with Silva who is the mex in the pic this week, took me to the bathroom and I put a wet cloth on my neck and I was crying and giggling because I was crying and had no idea why. Turns out I had heat stroke! The cloth cleared me right up!!
 She served in California English speaking and she had to learn to ride a bike when she got to the mission and at the same time she was learning English still ha-ha! That would be dreadful! I really like her, she is fantastic. 
 Oh I bought an oil vial and had Elder King consecrate some oil for it :) so I’m set with that :)
(I asked her what she would like for Christmas, I meant to send her but books have always been her fav gift)
For Christmas, I would love "sleeping beauty" by Tarrah Montgomery. Just put it on my shelf by "I’m not Cinderella":D I’m having reading withdrawals! Ha-ha

I love you!
 Shay
 
Shaylee is super excited to get to Chile and get to work. Her fav Elder, Elder Putman had his appendix out this past week. He is back at the MTC recouping now. Shaylee said she wishes she was an elder so she could take a turn staying with him so she could spend a day sleeping. Lol! She said she mostly just wants to sleep on p-days. She says she lives off salads and treats, hope the food is more satisfying in Chile.


 
 




 Her teacher Silva
 Smarties?