January 30, 2012

Hola friends and family,

Cultural tidbits about Chile for the week:

Everyone has a big round scar on their left arm, because here when they are little they get this gigantic immunization, so big that it leaves a big scar. (about the size of a pea) that grows and deforms as they get older. I don't even want to imagine what kind of huge shot that would be to leave that kind of scar. yikes!

There are also a few english words that they use here in Chile that have their own meaning. For example, full. People say it like 'I'm at full with my work'. Meaning i'm so busy, I have so much to do. They also use top. For example, they say ' that is so top'. Meaning something along the lines of chic or trendy. they also use plop. For example they say, 'and i was like plop', meaning all of the sudden they realized something, but it's usually something negative. Like, oh no!

One last tidbit, never in my life have i been barked at more than here in Chile. Every single dog (and there are a lot of them) bark at us. Sometimes dogs will run from the other side of a street to bark at us. I haven't been bitten yet, but I know people who have been.

Transfers

Well we had transfers last week. I am still here in the same area but with a new companion. She is so great! I am really excited to serve with her. Changes are always hard though. I was really sad to see Hermana Lopez go to another area, but this week I have grown so much. This week I have had to be more aware of what we are doing and where we are going, because my new companion isn't familiar with the area. And so this week I am a completely different missionary than I was before. And I feel great! I am doing things that I didn't do before. I feel more capable and more motivated! This experience has reminded me about the need for change and the great things that come from change. If there is no change, there is no growth. In the mission I am learning that at times change happens without us having control over it (like tranfers, they happen whether we want them to or not), but there are also changes that we have to work to acheive, and for that we have to set goals! Having said that I want to share my new years resolutions with you. I love making new years goals, and all of this year i will be a missionary so I was really excited to set goals specific to help me grow in the mission.

Goals

The theme of my goals this year is a General Conference talk given by Elder Eyring in Oct 2011 called ´´A Witness´´.

The objective of my goals is to become a real missionary; not just to do things that missionaries do, but to be a witness of Jesus Christ in all places and all times and in all things.

I have three categories of goals:

1. Be Exactly Obedient - this includes living the commandments of God and following all the rules of my mission.
2. Treasure the Word - for this I want to study the Book of Mormon 30 minutes everyday and read it completely 4 times this year. I also want to read Jesus the Christ and all of the Bible.
3. Bring Souls Unto Christ - for this I want to invite at least one person to be baptized everyday and with my companion meet 20 new people everyday.

I am really excited for this new year. 2012! For the changes that it will bring, and the growth that will come with it. If you haven't made some new years goals, it's not too late!!!

I love this quote from Elder M. Russell Ballard,

“I am so thoroughly convinced that if we don’t set goals in our life and learn how to master the techniques of living to reach our goals, we can reach a ripe old age and look back on our life only to see that we reached but a small part of our full potential. When one learns to master the principles of setting a goal, he will then be able to make a great difference in the results he attains in this life." (talk given to Salt Lake area young adults, Oct. 18, 1981)

Much love, Hna. Bowns