Mummy Bag

The skirts were presents from Margaret she said the blue one reminded her of me :)  I told her I’ll wear it to her baptism :D She’s working up the courage to leave Carlos :D yay!!! She’s hoping to be baptized on Saturday :D I really hope so! She deserves it :)

 

 

 

We're teaching a nine yr. old named Benjamin.

 Natalya is super excited to be baptized she just needs her parents approval. She doesn’t need it but she wants it. 

These pics are of me and Hna Zuniga, she’s from Mexico and talks like Speedy Gonzalez. I love her!!!

 

                                    

Ha-Ha good old Uncle David and Riley, I miss the fun we have in our house a lot :) Most people here are pretty serious. The other day we visited a recent convert named Monica and her daughter I love them! They’re more  lighthearted and great friends. I taught them the tie prayer game :) Monica loved it she was trying to tie herself up in the tie standing and jumping around it was funny! 

 

 I’m really excited for cambios (transfers) in 3 weeks-. I’m probably going to have a new sector :) I’m bored of San Pedro, ready for a change, yet I don’t want to leave the house I'm in because it’s literally the nicest in the mission :)

 

I sent Shaylee a few paragraphs from our RS lesson yesterday. I guess it would be easier to feel the spirit when you don't have to continually translate everything you read.

 I miss having lessons in English its a lot easier to follow and feel the spirit! :)

 Riley went with the missionaries on splits yesterday. I asked her if they ever took the laurels on splits, guess not.

We only have 1 laurel so we can’t do splits with her :( the church is small here. We only have 70 members in San Pedro ha-ha 71 with Rodrigo now. 

Uncle David :) should read the Book of Mormon while he's laying around recouping. ;) I love you Uncle!

It’s starting to cool off here :) I would love it if it would stay this temp. It’s perfect :)  Dad,Thanks for teaching me how to make my money work for me . We get $140 per month here and it works for me and I end with money to save and have more food than anyone else I’ve met so far. :) I love hearing from you guys!

 Not sure if this picture was in the morning or at night, but whenever it was you can tell her companion is not from Canada. I killed myself laughing at how funny/cute her comp looks.

 

 

Rodrigo Gets Baptized

 

 

Goodbye Hermana Ricagno. Sad day.

                             

                                            Hello Hermana Mendoza

Looks like they are getting along just fine.

 

Rodrigo was baptized Saturday, and confirmed on Valentine’s Day exactly 3 weeks after we met him. We contacted him and got his info while he was talking on his phone in the street ha-ha! I overheard him tell Pres. Bluth that we knocked on his door and changed his life. Then he introduced me to his mom saying, êlla, ella me salvo or she, she saved me. He just kept saying thank you thank you! Felt good.

                     Filling the font, closest she’ll get to swimming in a while.

Rodrigo, his mom and the Hermana’s. Shay says he takes pictures like Uncle David, never seriously.

                              Natalya, Diego, and Hermana Ricagno.

 

                  Shay got the package just in time for Valentine’s Day!

Totally safe and sound!

I’m getting a Peruvian companion tomorrow!!!!!! She speaks nada and I mean nada English!!!! Her name is Hermana Mendoza and I guess she’s awesome from what Hna Ricagno says.  Hna Ricagno is going to Temuco opening a new sector!  I'm going to miss her. 

 Mission t-shirts! They look great with their dresses. Lol!

 

 POP ROCKS!!!

 

 

Rodrigo is going to be baptized this Saturday. We met him a month ago, when he’s baptized it’ll be 3 week’s exactly from when we started  teaching him :) he’s gold! Was suicidal, depressed and a druggie, he’s a completely different person now.  We're going to teach the law of chastity tonight :) fun stuff. 

 Nat and Diego are living palabra de sabiduria perfectly now! Yay!

 

I sent her a picture of the collar bone David had surgery on...

Ouchy!!!!!! Tell him I love him, and give him a hug.  Tell him life’s too short to wait to come back to the church. There’s way more cool stuff in the church than out  :) qualquier blessing adentro!

 

 This is for savannah, how is the little ninja?

 

The Bisho, his wife, and Ricagno

Margaret found out Hna Ricagno was leaving yesterday, and started crying because she wasn’t baptized before she left.  Basically Carlos is a jerk, and her only option is leaving.  He’s abusive.

 This is Hermana Victoria’s family, she’s relief society pres.  She’s a social security worker and is going to help Margaret outa there, yay!!!

Shaylee and her companion had a scary incident the 2nd of Feb. They were walking down the street when two 18ish year old guys pulled knives on them, and demanded their bags!  Ricagno handed over her bag and they ripped Shays off of her right after she unclipped the strap around her waist. The muggers must have been inexperienced because they did not take any jewelry or check their pockets for money or cell phones. Ricagno had their cell in her pocket, called the police, but could not get through to them.  A kind gentleman who saw what happened came and helped keep the sisters calm and gather the things the muggers had thrown out of Ricagno's bag. They must have realized that there was nothing of value to them in the bag, so they ended up ditching Shay's bag in someone's front yard, untouched. Shay says they were going shopping Monday for the things Ricagno was missing from her bag. This is what Shay wrote to ease my worry...

 "I’m totally safe and sound, it’s all good." :)

Interesting thing is that I never got all worked up about it.  I know the Lord is watching out for her and all missionaries. I also know that doesn't mean she will never be in danger or unharmed, but I do know the Lord has a plan for each and everyone of us.  All we can do is live our lives the best we know how, and pray we will have the faith to endure whatever comes our way.

 

 

 

 

 

 

San Pedro Cup

la semana de hna ricagno y yo fue nutsy, pero esta bien, estamos feliz :) creo que hna ricagno habló sobre todo haha, pero esta semena con diego y natalya fue super bien vemos ellos muchismo mas esta semana y ellos estan progresando. su mama realmente esta la sola obstacula con ellos. natalya tiene el deseo para ser bautisado esta genial! tengamos muchismo esperanza que ella va  a tener su bautismo en sabado,y diego semena despues, vamos a enseñar el sobre commitments y los mandamientos. :) ellos realmente son genial. they aanylize and apply scriptures to sus vidas sin promptings a hacerlo. 

aprendè mucho sobre la necessidad a compartir emotions con mi compañera, tambien sobre paciencia.  un milagro esta semena fue rodrigo y la ordinacion de benji. rodrigo es oro.  haha excerpts from pres bluths letter :P we have to write him every week in spanish takes forever!

 

I  sent this off to Amy Wright and this is the translation.

Sister Shaylee says,

This week was nutsy for Sis. Ricagno and myself, but all is well. We are happy. I believe Sis. Ricagno wrote about everything. All was superfine with Diego and Natalya.

Saw them lots this week and they are progressing. Their mother is truthfully the only obstacle. Natalya has the desire to be baptized. She is agreeable. We have much hope that she will be baptized on Saturday and Diego the week after. We're going to teach them about commitment and the commandments. They are really agreeable. They analyze everything and apply the scriptures to their lives without any promptings from us.

I have learned about the necessity of sharing my emotions with my companion as well as patience. A miracle this week was Rodrigo and Benji's ordination. Rodrigo is gold.

Amy Wright

 

 

 

We won the San Pedro cup of fruit this week!!! It’s like the Vivint Cup.

ha-ha but you earn it for how many lessons you teach  instead of your number of sales.

 

 

 

It’s all the same business line :) I definitely use tactics from Dad a lot :)

 

 This is Margaret and us, and Margaret Chiquita waiting for Carlos at the not tiers. (The place they went to be married)

 

Terrible face Shay!

He didn’t show up to get married. Margaret was going to just go home, pack and leave, and be baptized the next day anyways, but we made her talk to the bishop first for counsel.  She’s waiting one more week. (To leave with good relations) yikes!

Polanka is starting detox for drugs this week and we’re probably going to teach her tomorrow morning.

We have an appointment with Rodrigo tonight, we're going to teach L3 with fire, literally. I’m such a pyro. :) I love it!

Nat and Diego’s mom is driving us nuts, she thinks they aren’t ready for commitment, but they’re over 18 :) Natalya for sure this Saturday or she’s going to be baptized in a swimming pool wherever she travels too next.

We planned our p-day today to have an hour for nothing. We are so exhausted. My feet are definitely healed from my past injury. I would be at home if not. We walked 100's of km this week. It was hectic. I would actually love to have time to sit and listen to 4-h speeches. ha-ha. Anything to sit down :P ha-ha if I was at home no way would I want be there. Ha-ha

 Did you see McKenna’s locket? It’s my favorite! I have a locket with me in it and a teddy bear named after me!!!!! :D

You are awesome! Remember to follow the spirit and bring him along into the lessons you guys teach.

Will always :) No way am I going anywhere in a place like this alone! I realized the other day that I’m getting used to all of the barred windows. Scary moment when I realized that :P

 

 

 

I love pizza :)

Love Shay

 

 Our sector is probably the biggest in the mission. These pictures don’t show even half of my area. Across the bio bio river is Concepcion, the river is the divider between missions.

Transfer time, this is our last week together  :( sniffle. I’m going to miss her.

Forgiven!

I told her a mother needed more than "hey thanks for the pics" I think I will forgive her after this fantastic letter.

Ummmm.... yikes! I thought I wrote you the big letter!!! I’m so sorry!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 We had 7 investigators in church this Sunday, broke the record here in San Pedro :D   Margaret, Carlos, and mini Margaretha, Carlos's daughter from his first marriage. This week we met with Rodrigo, Natalya and Diego!!! Whoohoo! That is who we are teaching this week :D plus a few others :D Margaret prebooked a time to get married this Friday, she wants me and Ricagno as her witnesses but I’m still waiting for my carnet (license) so it’ll be Ricagno and Charlize(her 20yr old son) as her witnesses, and she wants to be baptized sat at 8pm. I hope it works out! We’re going to light a fire under Carlos this week so he will marry her, they’ve been together for 23 years, its time. We’ve been teaching Carlos and he introduced us to his daughter who’s having a rough time with drugs.  On Saturday I told Carlos to write down a question, not to tell anyone what it was, bring it to church, and the question would be answered.  I told him that would be his answer to whether this church really is the only true church. He needs to marry Margaret on Friday, and be baptized himself. He did it, and after church he just said, I got my answer, I’ll talk to you guys about it later. He asked lots of questions about the priesthood. :D mini Margaretha just needs to turn 8, in May so she can be baptized as well.

 We’re teaching Nat and Diego tonight in noche de hogar (FHE), with some cool young members. They both know the church is true, Diego just needs to feel ready for baptism. I’m like "you’ll never be ready 100% just take the leap of faith boy!" Either this Saturday, or the 6^th of February are the dates they have for baptism.  

Rodrigo we met this week in a street contact, went to visit him and both of us almost turned and ran. He was super scary!!! But near the end of the lesson, I don’t remember what we said or asked but he opened right up and told us how he lost his girlfriend to cancer in 2001, and how he had major depression and stuff!  It all made sense and we taught awesomely and he accepted the 13^th of February for baptism. He wants to start completely fresh, erase the past, and have the spirit to guide him the rest of his life!  We came back to teach him with a member 2 days later and he told us how he felt the difference in the last two days reading the Book of Mormon and he wanted to come to church. Usually he doesn’t leave his house. :D  We're going back tomorrow with another member, members are like magic.

 

This morning we dressed up :D we found pipe cleaners and I was gifted wings during white elephant Christmas exchange. :D

 

 

Love the stache!

 

 

 

Yesterday we had a delicious meal for lunch.  I was super concerned the meat was horse because it had a weird texture, but its ok, Hna Ricagno asked some well worded, innocent questions and we discovered it was beef, phew! It was delicious it had flavor!!!!! Yummo!!! Completos or the guacamole hot dogs are my favorite! After 9:30 the other night we called out for sandwiches, and they were yummy! We were so hungry! I dream of your cooking!

Thank you so much for teaching me, guiding me, walking beside me, listening to me, for giving me books, hugs, an aggressive way of expressing affection,  and everything!!! Hermana Ricagno le mando un besito. I’m going to have my first interview with the president this week on Thursday :D  It’s funny because I see him and Hermana Bluth all the time :D  I’m more excited for cookies than visiting with the president! 

 

Love Shaylee

 

Hermana Ingrid cooked enchiladas, Hna Ricagno never had them before and loved them!!! 

 

 Picture Magaretha drew for Shay

 

 Study time!

 

 

 Studying King Benjamin

 

 

PUNK MISSIONARY!

Shaylee is obviously to busy, having to much fun, or both. She did not write anything to any of us besides a quick response to a picture or letter we had sent her. RUDE! LOL! I'm glad she is happy.  She did say last week she would be sending lots of pictures, here are a few. I better get a long letter next week informing me of all she has been up to.

 

                                                                     Mmmm... fish!

 

                                                    Dog was asleep on his back...strange.

 I did get this interesting little letter from Shay and her comp in the mail today. They wrote it while standing in line for something. They seem to have a lot of fun together.

 

                    Hermana Ricagno is pointing at the bird sculpture, not the photo bomber. haha!

 

Favorite Food: ICE CREAM?!

 

Natalya missed church and has to wait till the 30th to be baptized with Diego.  We taught them with a member, the member taught the lesson and it was fantastic! Diego said closing prayer, he asked that they  would be able to know where the truth was, and oh ha la esta en esta iglesia!!!! he hopes it’s in our church.  He came to church without Natalya yesterday!!!!! He’s 18, and if she’s not there he’s not there, but he came!!!!!!!!!! OH! The bishop at 4 o’clock Saturday asked me to speak on the restauracion for 10 minutes in sacrament yesterday. I was like... yo puedo, I think! But I survived!!!!! And people were thanking me for my message :) mom I was translating my talk from English to Spanish while I talked because I wrote it in 1 hour!!! I also went up to the podium missing the last 4 minutes of my talk because Hermana Ricagno had the pages!!!! Barbara’s mom was crying, called me valiente, extremely brave.

 We had a return and report, and Hrma Bluth (mission Mom) made me Hawaiian haystacks!!! She is awesome!!!! Seriously love her.

 I love you so much and am grateful to be your daughter. You taught me to have an attitude completely different about life than all  of the other girls here.  Haha Hermana Ricagno told me the other day, I’m like a man, in a good way, "things are the way they are, it’s not a big deal let’s make it work." Haha her translated words.

 I cried yesterday setting goals because we decided that 8:30am-10:30pm is only Spanish for me. I miss English. Oh and my iPod is working!!!!!!!!!!!! I love it!!!!!!!!!!!! Thank you!!!! Beyond 5! Women of destiny! Jenny Philips! Guitar solos! I love it all thank you! Makes the mornings so much better! There was even some Spanish songs in there :D I love it! We were super busy, I’m sorry I didn’t take more pics this week, next week there will be a ton!

 

"Baptism by water" chick is good, works a lot though.... oh well we’ll catch her eventually! 
( The girl that said she wanted to be baptized the right way)

Love Shaylee

 

(I asked her what her favorite and worst food was)

Favorite food is ice cream

Worst is anything meat it's HORRIBLE!

 

ME: Ice cream shouldn't be considered a food!

Ice cream here is food!

 

 

 

Sisters at return and report. I assume it is when they return to the mission home and report in person to the mission president.

 

Selfie while writing today.