Preachin in Pants

Pres. May says he will drive down to my sector so I can use church wifi to skype you guys at Christmas, so I can have a good connection so I can see and talk to Riley. We can talk for 40 minutes. :P 

Yeah, almost no one did their pre mission stuff that I know... honestly make him watch dad’s sales training videos as well, ha-ha, he´ll be glad he did. Make sure he takes a teeny tiny quad set of scriptures, his back will thank him. Those mini cute individual scripture books would work too. My dream is that those existed in Spanish. He’ll have to carry enough big, heavy stuff around. 

 This morning I woke up with a crazy head cold, I got an ear infection after the conference on Friday. The conference was from 10-6, it was so cool :D Hna Ricagno and I went for our last intercambio, and get this, it was exactly 1 year from the day she picked me up in Concèpcion at the beginning of my time in Chile. :D How crazy is that!  I was like whoa.... she planned that one good, ha-ha!  We went to get x-rays, then off to licanrye and it was fun :D After so much time apart, we teach pretty amazingly together I must say. We can just read each other’s mind.  Before bed we made popcorn and covered it in syrup, it was heavenly. :D  
I’m really glad Pres. planned another emergency conference with Elder Bragg, from the area seventy next week :D I get to see Hna Ricagno one last time :D We will definitely be going to Argentina to visit her when we come back to Chile with the family.

 

 Hna Mercau and I have been shocking people with our pants all week :D its sooo fun to see people’s reactions :D we’ve gotten some good ones ha-ha :D

                                                 The socks and flip flops look good. Lol!

 

My foot has not been so happy :P  I had an ultrasound on it Thursday, to see if I had plantar fasciitis I knew it wasn't, but did doc listen? No! Haha They did find a benign tumor near my heal. :P They said it is made out of fat tissue supposedly. That could be a part of it I guess if it’s pushing on a nerve or something. I still think they’re dislocated again, everything feels the exact same as before :P Oh well. I’ll get it figured out.

 

Next week on the 24 the new Christmas video of the church comes out, its sooo cool :D ilumina al mundo :D yay! New pass-along cards and everything :D

Oh and also I didn’t feel the earthquake this morning, here if it’s below 6.8 it’s called a tremor ha-ha, above 7 they might call it an earthquake.  If there is one, all of the church buildings are extremely earthquake safe.  I heard they don’t even move ha-ha :D 

 

 

Riley's Mission Call

Thanks for telling me my hair looks great :D  It's past my waist now, and its always in a pony tail.  Honestly... I’m thinking about bleaching the ends and flame tipping it purple and blue till I get bored, then cutting it all off :D  

 

 I’m kind of crying my eyes out about Riley. I’m so excited for him, I really am :D  I’m just sad, it's going to be a long 3 and a half years.  

 Oh no, tears are back, the radio just turned to photograph, that song Riley’s always playin. 😭 I’ll be fine don’t worry! ❄ conceal it, don’t feel it, put on a show, make one wrong move and everyone will know. ❄ Unless riley postpones his call or I come home early 😎 mwahaha. Honestly this is killing me slowly.
 

 I’m studying humility right now.... pushing myself to get the light back, ha-ha.  I started feeling like I was in a rut, cause when your training it’s a constant battle, everything feels so monotonous now :P ha-ha, especially since Goulding’s sassiness ha-ha. Never thought I would miss occasional back talking ha-ha (it was all in good humor)

 

 I did get called to be a YW teacher :D yay! I love it so much ha-ha we’ve done 1 activity and 1 lesson I love YW’s :D

The Hnas conference was fantastic :D I loved every second of it :D  They had gravy!!!!!!!!!!!! I almost died of happiness :D  The last time I had gravy was last Christmas :D yay! I love gravy :D  We learned about D&C 25, it was so cool, also lots of talks based from talks by Pres. Hinckley :D  Hna May was all so, "pants are not required ladies, don’t worry, you don’t have to wear them, it's not mandatory", so I raised my hand and asked if we can wear them if we want to :D  She said yes, if my comp wears them at the same time :D  So after this, were going to go buy pants :D yay!!!! por fin! woohoo :D I’m so excited :D I'll definitely be sending pics :D

 

This group pic is our mission family tree, we're only missing Galdino :D 

Ricagno trained me, and Bazaes, Bazaes is training the gringa Hna Saunders, Hna between Bazaes and Ricagno is Fres, she finished Bazaes training, and I trained Poyfair and Goulding and the girl beside Goulding is Hna Rico who started her training she’s from Spain :D I want her accent ha-ha

 

     Poyfair, and Goulding heading in for the cake ha-ha 

 I did my first split yesterday :D  I went with Maria Jose, we did a rescate rescue of all the menos activos close to the Capilla, it was fun :D 

I wicked miss Soledad ha-ha.  I wrote her a letter,
 which was good because Goulding told me she went into a mini depression when I left, which is not cool at all. :P I hope she’s going to be ok :D 

 This Wednesday I have doc appointment for my foot, but it looks too good since being transferred to my new area, ha-ha.  Maybe pray it turns back purple just for Wednesday? 

We have a zone conference with Ricagno, Poyfair, and Goulding again on Friday :D I’m so stoked! Yay!!!! It might be the last time I see Ricagno :( till I go visit her in Argentina :D  I’ll go pick amber up ha-ha

 

Riley wrote:

 
So I got my call Wednesday!! You ready to know where ?!?!
I'm am called to serve in the........... Canada........ Winnipeg mission haha 🤔🤗
I'm goin to the Provo MTC feb 15 2017.... so I'll miss you by 2 months😬😭

Riley,

You know you can call the mission department and postpone your call by one or two transfers, and you’ll only be put back 6 weeks or 12 weeks if you ask for two transfers, people do it all the time. Because honestly, I don’t know if I can do this if you’re not going to be at home at least for a day when I get home. They almost always issue the calls just based on the closest transfer to your availability date. If you talk to em soon it doesn’t even make a difference in the plans. 😭 I love you so much and if you don’t I might fill out my flights home to land in your sector. Ha-ha 

I’m so incredibly excited for you, it’s going to be so awesome :D with Morgan and Tanner :D :D 😂😅  You are awesome and I’m so proud of you :D I love you so much Riley :D You are going to be an amazing missionary :D

Love big sis, Shaylee

 

Earthquake in Concepcion

It is a little nerve racking to open your email and see a letter from your missionary, not on their pday, with the subject EARTHQUAKE!

November 8, 2016

This morning at 2 am there was an earthquake in Concepcion..... We didn’t feel anything this far south, in Victoria :D but there’s supposed to be aftershocks coming now :P that should be fun :P contacting on the street during an earthquake. I think I’m going to stand in the park and call everyone to repentance and baptism by water and fire, it should be fun :D  I’m all good :D no worries :D  I bought more emergency stuff yesterday so truly no worries if a big one comes again, or if there’s a second earthquake that’s bigger and all, I’m prepared :D I’m craving a strawberry cheese quake blizzard with skor bits now ha-ha :D I’m going to head out to work :D

 I love you all so much!

There’s also volcanos close to here, and ocean. Whatever happens don’t worry :D I’m like Olaf, I’ll be fine :D

Love amazing Shaylee

 

 

Adopt a Granny

They have been having quite a few earthquakes the last few weeks in northern Chile. I asked her if she ever felt any after shocks.

I’ve been blessed all of the members I talk to about earthquakes are surprised that we haven’t experienced one yet. There haven't been any down here for a while :D I’m to far down to feel the aftershocks ha-ha :D yay!

 

The Concepcion temple is a medium sized one...I believe :D it’s bigger than then the Santiago temple :D it should be done in a couple years.   

 I called Maria today, she says Goulding’s getting around roughly. She’s on number 3 of the five shot series for rabies. Poor girl, but it’s a fantastic story :D

 

It's agonizing waiting for Riley’s call!

I finally got a hold of Margaret, she cried when she heard me talk. She’s having a rough time, but she said she’s going to be good now. Wish I could be there to help her.

This week was interesting... we have run into many a drunk.

 

Hello Kitty toilet paper?!

 

                                       View from her window

 

 

I have an official favorite member here her name is Maria Jose, she’s so cute. She wants to come with us every Sunday afternoon. She thinks it’s going to help her keep the Sabbath day holy. Her hubby will probably come along. Yesterday we all went out, it was really fun. We found a 90 yr. old lady who is taking care of her handicapped daughter, still poor lady. She cried while she talked and we sang her a himno, she was so happy to hear the word of God. :) So sweet. We're planning to do an adopt a granny with this old lady, she needs company, and a maid :D 

 

 I have kind of started taking over the personal progress part of YW here in the branch, supposedly we're allowed to have callings in the branches and I think they’re going to call me and my comp to help in the yw :D it would be so fun, I love it so much :D

I’m really excited for the sisters conference this Wednesday with Hna May :D  I get to see Goulding, Poyfair, Ricagno, and Bazaes all at once :D 

                          I found these pictures on her mission presidents FB page.

 

 I can't wait to go the temple again :D I opened my last pair of new garments this week and I just took a minute to remember the temple... I miss it so much.

 

Transfered to Victoria

I told Shaylee she had many people fasting and praying for her last Sunday, you are the people she calls her cheering section.

Ha-ha my cheering section got me sent to the smallest sector in the mission I’m sure. I’m feeling a little trapped after being in Maquehue. (one of the largest areas) It’s a tiny pueblito (village) and the branch is even tinier. They just split the branch in 2/3 & 1/3 and I’m in the 1/3 sector :P I’m going nuts, but on the other hand I only have to take one 15 minute break during the day to rest my foot. :D Way less walking here.

Saying bye to Goulding was sooo hard :( I miss her lots that’s the lame part of cambios(transfers) you really learn to love people then chao no mas (you see them no more). I’ll admit it made the change a lot easier when Ricagno called just to see how I was doing, love being able to communicate with her. She told me we are going to have a 3 zone Hna’s conference with Hna May (mission Prez wife) on the 9th :D that means I get to see her, Bazaes, Saunders, Goulding and Poyfair all at once :D :D :D :D yay!!!!!!!!!!

 

 My comp was born here in Chile, but was raised mostly in the states, and partly in Ontario, then she went off to Argentina. She’s cute, is a little different, but we get along good. She’s really sweet. I’m more used to sassy after Goulding, but sweets good too :D

 

  We had a district costume party since Halloween is frowned upon here, it was fun. I just let my hair down for the first time in forever and everyone called me princess so that worked. The first thing every member always asks in every sector is if I dance ballet and then soon they start calling me princessa :D I’m not complaining ha-ha :D

 Elder Rueda my second district leader is my zone leader now, he was my district leader when I was with Ricagno and he about fell over when I announced my time in the mission to the zone during the introduce yourself part of the meeting. ha-ha He’s going home at the end of this cambio with Ricagno. My district leader is kind of mean. I’m going to tell him to... ask him politely to lighten up on the interogations tonight, haha... well see if it helps :D We had 13 new investigators, and he was mad we didnt have a baptismal date in the church I was like, seriously? Bueno 

 Ha-ha one last Hna Goulding story.  Monday night we're going around hunting out investigators so we can explain cambios (transfers), and we stopped real fast so I could say bye to Alma. Last week they had picked Rufus (the dog) up off the street... yeah Rufus attacked us and almost got me, but that blessing I got when I was set apart really is real! I can’t tell you how many times a dogs jaws have almost closed around my ankle when I’m not paying attention, and by a miracle the dog has missed by a millimeter. Yeah I’m fine, Goulding got bit. We had to go to Soledad and Arminda´s house and they took us to the hospital. Goulding had to get the required rabies shots in her belly button. Ha-ha poor girl, I felt so bad but I also laughed... oops :D It’s all good she understood, we know each other really well after 3 months of 24/7.

 

I found this train on the way here to the cyber (where they write emails) :D

 

 I live with Hna Salles from Argentina and Hna Vasquez from Peru as well as my comp. 

Oh the house is made of wood, so I freeze every night. It's super extreme temperatures here.

 

 

 

 I lost my gray cardigan yesterday :( that was lame. If you can pray someone’ll find it and use it to accept us missionaries that’d be sweet. 

Love you all!

 

 

Bano Girls Transfered

 

 I’m getting transferred!  You’re not going to believe this but Hna Ricagno is going to be my capacitadora (sister training leader) again for her last cambio :( she goes home December 6. We are going to have intercambios (exchanges) :D I’m going to Victoria. I'll be companions with Hermana Mercau. She was born in Chile but grew up in U.S., Argentina, and Canada. I’m not sure if she’s Gringa or Latina ha-ha :D 

 I’m kind of concerned with my foot cause Hna May called me yesterday to ask me questions about it :P  She’s going to send me to another Dr. I really don’t want to have to come home because of it :P I’m thinking about just not telling my new comp ha-ha. It’s thanks to Hna Goulding that I have rested a little, honestly, she watches like a hawk.  The instant I start limping she goes, "don’t be stupid", and we go to a bench for a little bit or back to the house if its reeeeaaaallllyyy bad :P It should be better in Victoria, I’ve heard it’s quite small and flat as a board. Maquehue, where I've been for the past 6 months, is the biggest sector possible for Hna’s and it’s all full of hills, so we’ve been using lots of buses. We’ll prob starve from all the bus fair we've been paying. ha-ha, nah we'll be fine. I know it’s going to be ok, I just have to convince them it’s going to get better. I wouldn’t have thought about the possibility  that they might send me back home, it was when the bishop made a reference to Elder Yamashitas talk about the elder who changed missions, and how I might end up with a similar situation. :P What a meanie! But I’m fine really! It helps when I wear my croc shoes (poor things are going to die soon I think ha-ha) It helps because they’re flat flat. Hna Jones (Dr.) and Hna May think that the more support the better :P I have officially been forbidden from flip flops again, so crocs are my life and those pillow shoes you sent me- like heaven ha-ha :D

 Soledad, my bff here in Maquehue, her mission call is going to get here this week :P  I’m really sad I’m not going to be here. I was here when she decided to go :D She’s going to come to the bus station tomorrow.  I’m going to miss her lots, she always came with us everywhere. She is from Paraguay. I have decided I want to learn guarani, (language of the Paraguay) such a cool language. Hna Pemberton described it an Avatar, blue people language ha-ha.

 

More Pics from the trip to the ocean, and  a zone conference.

 

 Waiting for lunch with the familia Muñoz. My last lunch in Maquehue, it was french fries, hahaha it was fun :D

 

 

Rosi, Christian, and Andrea is the youngin. Ha-ha Rosi was crying when we stopped by quick to say goodbye. She’s kind of like a momma bear, she hates us because we like to pester them to come with us,  but she loves us too ha-ha.

 Oh it was so sad saying bye to Maria, she was just bawling most of the time. She gave me copper coasters with Chilean pics on them, so sweet. I’m going to miss her a lot. She is so incredibly special, seriously. She’s searching out family history and preparing to take her husband to the temple for baptism and all the rest when she goes to the temple in a year, she is getting her eternal marriage sì o sì ha-ha

I can’t even explain how much of a disaster trying to pack has been after six months, I’ve kind of moved in. ha-ha.

We went to Hno Ruiz´s house, and when we left, he shook my hand, then let go and hugged me really fast! When he let go he was laughing his head off, and Pia, the little girl in the next pics, his daughter, was killing herself laughing too. She was so shocked, I was too. We aren't supposed to be hugging men! That just made him laugh harder!

 

 I really felt like slowing down last week until I realized I only have 3 cambios (transfers) left after this one!!!! NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hna Ricagno goes home at the end of this cambio we're starting, and I got to Chile just after she did!

 

                                       Hna Mispa and Bishop
 

             One last lovely pic of Hna Pintus, and Hna Calderòn.

I’m surprised the ward survived the weirdness of the four of us together for so long actually, ha-ha it was a fun time. :D 

Love your amazing Shaylee

 

Open Your Heart

 Dad’s an all or nothing guy, and honestly when I’m dying I just think ok now what would dad do? Then I just keep on going. 

 I actually can’t feel much pain in my foot at this point, I just know by looking at it now that when its bright purple, I neeeed to stop for a 15 min break ha-ha. It did hurt now it’s just numb, the nurse is thinking special insoles might help? Who knows :D I do feel better now though after being sick and resting.  Xuaqin, a recently ordained elder in my ward saw that I had a cold and asked if he could give me a blessing. He was excited so I said for sure, not going to turn it down. He began the blessing, then he stopped for almost a full minute and said I bless you with power, and that according to your faith your body will function in exactly the way God created it to work, and your foot will return to normal. So cool. He said lots of other cool stuff, but I have it written somewhere else :D Oh yeah, and that my heart will be open to the Chileans’ and others I work with. I was like how did you know?!?!?! Ha-ha church is true, nothing else to it :D I can work and work and work, yet I have had a hard time opening up my heart. 

 Hna Calderon found my Easter glasses, this is how I found her :D

        A note from Hna Bentley :D it was actually super sweet

                                                          (The MTC comp that didn't care much for Shaylee)

 

 

So on Sat. we went and did service for Hno Andy, he is from Peru, his wife is Chilean. Manoah is 8 and 3/4 pregnant with their fifth child. They’re really cool, and speak almost fluent English. We helped him haul stuff out of his back yard. Lots of wood, junk, and rocks. I weeded while we were at it because it was a mess. They recently finished building in this neighborhood, so it was still dreadful from that too :D  It was fun except for one thing... Spiders! Brown recluse spiders or arañas de rincon. Evil posionous spiders :P They were on everything, that’s why I volunteered to weed ha-ha :D Poor Goulding, she’s scared of spiders too, I’m just faster at grabbing the shovel :D Andy was shooing all the kids inside, "there’s spiders kids not safe outside!" ha-ha yikes! I hate spiders we didn’t get bit :D blesssings :D We did get the yard cleaned. Andy wants to do a neighborhood meeting, where we come teach about families so I’m excited for that, hopefully I’m still here for it. Transfers are on Monday coming up :D ha-ha I’m heading out I think after 6 months its time. It’ll be weird!

 

                                        Us after our service project

 

A doodle she made for Andrea C, a girl in their ward.

 

 

 

Baño girls sang for zone conference.

Struggles this week: Foot is staying the same, had a cold, struggling with having to be in the house, and the forced slow down my foot is putting on me.

Successes: I have a mute, and a politician investigator who are super cool. My other success is when I can work, I always do.

I can’t believe Riley has been ordained to an elder, so strange, but cool :D

 

 I’ve been studying lots on the Holy Ghost and on spiritual power. I've loved learning more about it :D

Love Shay