HUALQUI!!

Oh my WORD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm freaking out right now. I can't even tell you! Almost broke down into tears when I read the couple is officially paired together!!!! (sorry other family members and friends, but Jed & Amanda definitely beat you all in the news-bearing this week!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) hahaha CONGRATULATIONS!!! Oh my word, that is SOsoSO great! Ya-HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! I'm so excited for you both! Jed- props to you for like being really cute and clever with the whole asking part. And I dunno if you chose the ring or not, but like good job with spending your pocket change. Amanda's worth every dime and more that you could think of spending on her. Amanda- I'm so excited to have another sister - especially you! I can definitely trust you to keep my bro-ha in line, and plus you're like really cool :) no, but good luck planning and arranging everything! I'm sure everything will be just perfect (plus, if you don't mind me saying, you look really cute together!!) SO CUTE. AH! you don't even know how I feel, since typing never really portrayed my emotion!

I don't even know what to say after this....but I'm guessing you all have a few questions in your head about how I'm holding up here in my new sector and all the other changes. The following are a few things that have changed in the past week:
-I'm in Hualqui (mom, it's pronounced, WALL-key), which is about 45 minutes away from down-town Concepcion. This week has been crazy trying to even orient myself, and get to know the members, less-actives, investigators, etc....!!! It's A LOT smaller than Consti, and takes only 1/2 hour to walk at a good pace. The ward is incredible though! There was 170 in sacrament meeting this past week, and the Bishop and ward mission leader are incredible. I'm really excited to work with them.
-It is FREEZING. I'm guessing as hot as it is Guayaquil, is as cold as it gets here in Hualqui when the sun goes down. I'm bundled up in 4 layers and don't normally take of my snowman jacket. It's a little humid and so you definitely can see your breath in and outside of the houses. It's incredible how many people just love to stop and chat with you for hours on end about religion when it's below freezing. :). Think of me while soaking up the rays.
-My companion is Hna. Cortes. She is from Panama (let's just say that the cold is ... new... and not very kind to her). She is a gorgeous, scripture master who is pretty chill, but persistent. She has been in Hualqui for one cambio and will be with me for one until she finishes her mission.
-My house. Instead of an apartment, I live in a skinny 2-story house, which is cold except for our two bedrooms upstairs, where we turn on the electric, tiny heaters and shut our doors and soak in the warmth. I live with Hna. Young and her companion Hna. Da Luz, which is from Argentina. They are really incredible. We speak a lot more Spanish now, let's just say.
-My investigators. Instead of putting all my focus on Loreto and Nicko, this past week has been a switch of who I think about, pray about and focus on all the time. Your mind gets so stuck in one world, and then to be pulled out and thrown into a whole new world has been crazy, and I think mine still might be spinning a little bit. But, we're just going to go at it. We've got a few people that we're prepping for baptism, including a woman that's 70ish (husband is a less-active) named Petronila. Okay, let's just say that she's the most adorable thing I've ever seen. She's got the cutest giggle, wears the same beanie and large glasses and homemade scarf everyday, and the only thing that is holding her back from getting baptized is that she's worried she'll catch a cold and/or fall in the baptismal font. Please pray for her. She doesn't like leaving the house with all the cold, and she really needs to go to church a few more times to be prepared. We're also teaching her son, who is about 28, Jose Luis. He has some trouble with drinking, and so we're really trying to get him pumped and motivated to not leave with his friends and stick around for the Family nights with the YSA. :)
-OTHER THOUGHTS: The food's a lot healthier, there's a dog that has some sort of disease that hangs outside our door, we've affectionately named it "it," Hna. Cortes was sick this week, and doesn't really know her way around Hualqui, someone fed us brownies and icecream for dessert (I about died), I bore my testimony in sacrament meeting /to introduce myself, the ward welcomed me with open arms on Sunday, the other sisters had 3 baptisms this past Sunday, there are evangelical churches on every street basically, and I'm really starting to get the hang of this place!!

I have a feeling I'm really going to have to rely more than ever on the Lord and on this Spirit as I continue to work here in Hualqui. I'm learning more and more what faith is, what it means to have faith in the Lord's promises. Really, it requires a lot of trust in the gospel and in the promises of the Lord to testify, defend and teach the plan He has for everyone of us. The knowledge and tools that the Lord has given us to guide us through this life are truly amazing. The atonement being the greatest gift that He provided. I love telling people that they have a Savior, that He knows exactly how they feel, that He is willing to strengthen us and help us and only He can show us the way out of the lonely, confusing, dark, and horrible parts of our lives. The word repentance has taken on a whole new meaning for me. It's not just saying sorry and trying to be better. It truly is a process of coming to Christ. And how do we do that? We learn of Him, and we try our hardest to be like Him. Repentance is becoming like Christ. That's why inviting people to be baptized, after having repented, is so beautiful. It's a very visual act, a very visual symbol, of beginning on the path of discipleship. Of burrying who you were and truly trusting in Him and His life and example to lead you to the blessings and promises that each one of us really desire. Those of peace, happiness, forgiveness ... and having those forever ... with the people that we love the most.

This gospel is amazing! I love it so much! I feel so blessed to be here and to be doing what I'm doing!