Love Our Missionaries: My "Beautiful" Feet

Written by Sister Hannah Avery, serving in the Chile Vina del Mar Mission of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, speaking Spanish.

(*Note to reader: By clicking on the highlighted words, you will link to additional information about the words and phrases used in Sister Avery's email. Also, clicking on the photos will enlarge them.)

Hola familia y amigos!

Another week has FLOWN by, and guess what?! This Wednesday I hit my 100th day in the mission! Wow!!!! I can't believe it! It seems like just yesterday that I was in the MTC (Mexico Missionary Training Center), and now I have been in Chile for close to three months!

So, Ovalle is starting to get HOT! Summer is coming and we are getting lots of big spiders in the house too... ewwww! I am sending a photo of one of them. Literally, they are all huge and I hate that we find at least one everyday!! I am buying bug killer this week, for sure!

We found seven new people to teach this week! We are really seeing the fruits of our labors! As for our investigators with baptism dates, we have ZERO baptisms this week, and this is why..... for one, P** (our friend scheduled for baptism this week who was getting married to L**) is now no longer getting married because her dad died last week, and she can't receive her inheritance if she gets married. So they are postponing that, which means her baptism with her mom is postponed too. We are SOOOO bummed!

And as for M**, she told us that she had a dream about the First Vision and wouldn't tell us many details. But she did tell us that she knows without a doubt that the church is true and she wants to be baptized...BUT, she wants to be baptized with her family. Soooo...we are now going to try to teach her entire family! Woo hoo! Things are sad in some areas here, but the work is still progressing. And I always try to focus on the things that are going well rather than on the things that could be better. The Lord always blesses us. We just have to look for the blessings and miracles, and focus on the things that are going right!

Funny story: I have had about five people this week tell me that I don't look like I am American! haha! They all tell me that I look like I am Chilean. But then when I start speaking Spanish, they say, "Oh yeah, you are gringo!" haha! I guess I can still improve in that area. But the sun is making me super super tan, and I am starting to fit in here for sure! It makes me so happy! haha!

Yesterday, I gave my first talk in Sacrament Meeting. I spoke about missionary work and how members and missionaries should work together to share the gospel! It is the best way to go! I had sooo many people tell me that they have seen a significant improvement in my Spanish from Day 1 in Chile to now. That really boosted my self confidence! Hard work pays off, my friends!

I encourage you all to try to invite one person to come to church before Christmas. Remember that talk in General Conference?! If every one does this, we can touch millions of lives together! You don't have to wear a missionary tag to be a missionary! You are all disciples of Christ! Let's get this work going together!! :)

Well you guys, that is all that I have for this week since I am short on time. Sorry! Know that I love you all so much and as always, am thinking about you and praying for you all everyday! I LOVE YOU sooo much and hope that you all have a great week! I will talk to you next week! ¡Ciao!

xoxoxoxo,

Hermana Avery <3

Three Months in the Mission (November 11, 2013)

Obviously, We Don't Have Thanksgiving in Chile (November 25, 2013)

We walk everywhere...in dress shoes...everyday. So my
poor little feet look like fat potatoes! I remind myself what
Isaiah said, "How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet
of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace;
that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation;
that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!" My beautiful feet, haha!