"Off to Temuco!"

 

Guess what everyone!?!?! I am leaving Curacautin!!!!!!!!!!! SO CRAZY! Well, I actually had a feeling I was going to leave this transfer. I am super sad to leave, but excited to experience a different part of Chile. So I am going too......... TEMUCO!!!!!! A huge city with LOTS of people. Temuco Cautin to be exact :) My new companion is from Guatamala and I will be her mission dad! Which means, she only has one transfer in the mission and I will be finishing her training. I am a little nervous but super excited. It will be sad to say bye to Hermana Rimmasch though. She has been such a good companion. Good thing she is from Utah! Then I can visit her in the future :) 

We seriously had such a good week. We had 4 investigators at church! 4! I am still so shocked that happened, but I know it was a miracle too. It was so good to see my investigators in church and realizing just how awesome it really is :) We had Belen. She is the sister of Judith actually!!! We met her a while ago, but found her because 2 elders here during an attack, found her mom. And Belen lives with her. So when we knocked the door it was so funny. We were all, HEY! We know each other!!! So we started teaching her and she has a date for the 10th of January to be baptized! She is super prepared and LOVES the church. She is 19 and just super cute like all of Judith's family. That family is so cool. And they are just in love with the 2 gringas :) Hahahaha! But now I have to leave them. Transfers are so sad. But I know Hermana Rimmasch will keep up on them!

We also had Ignacia again. The daughter of Katya. She is super cute and loves the church still. I love her! We haven't had a lesson with her this week, but they are all over the place with traveling. Christmas season man. The worst to find people and teach. 

Florencio is a guy that Hermana Rimmasch contacted in a intercambio. Him and his grandson, Nikolas, were in the church too. Florencio is super cool! He is like 60 years old and really into it. He kept saying no to church for like 3 weeks and that he was prepared. Then a few weeks ago he said, oh the next Sunday. So on Friday when we asked, he said no. Then at this point I was like okay man. This is not cool. So I told him, hey. You promised us you would go this Sunday. Do you really want to break your promise with us? Then he said, fine. I will go. Hahahaha! Sometimes being straight up with people will get them to church! :) He came though and liked it a lot! And so did Nikolas. They are both super cool. 

But really, I just LOVE Chile. I never want to leave. I can't believe how fast the time is going already. I only have 1 year left! I want to be an elder and have 2 years. They are super lucky. But that is okay. I know that I am going to Temuco for a reason! I have complete trust in my leaders! I love the mission and I love helping others. I cant wait to see what more is in store for me!!!! :) 

Thanks for all the prayers. I feel their strength everyday here in Chile. It truly is amazing. 

Con amor

Hermana Burnham

 

"The Molina's.....my grandparents in Curacatin. Love them so much!"

 

"The Christmas Party!"

"Greetings from the Arizona girls again."

"Me and Hermana Robertson. I think I will be living in the same house as her.....not sure yet."

"Hermana Bluth"

"Elder Snyder.....this kid man. He is the funniest guy I have ever met! If anyone can impersonate a gangsta chileno....it is him!"

"The Santa's here are sooooo creepy!"

"Creepy, random Barbie!"

"With Ignacia (our investigator) and Nathalia."

"Saying goodbye to Hermana Contreras. Super sad :(! She will be back in Guatemala very soon. She was such a good missionary!!!!!"

"Fun time with Hermana Arce for 3 days."

"Yay for creepy Santa's!"

 

"Bring Others to Christ and Touch Lives"

Well, I guess I should explain a bit of the title of this email! Hahahaha! So me and Hermana Rimmasch were just knocking doors and at one door, a guy from across the street told us that no one lived in this house. So we said thanks and started walking down the side walk. But then he started to follow us, and he had on swishy workout pants. So it was all, SWISH SWISH SWISH. Hahaha I was just like, ignore him Hermana. Then he started yelling, Hola. Hola. HOLA! Just ingore him Hermana!!! Then, HE CHASED US! And we had no clue. He just ran up and right before he got to us he yelled, HOLA! He scared us so bad that we both jumped and he put his awesome drunk hands around us! Hahahaha we just like jumped away and were like, Hola??? Hahaha he then said, Soy Chileno!!! Ustedes son Gringas!! Soy Chileno. Gringas bonitas!! Hahahaha and we were like okay well, we have an appointment. So we shook his hand and he tried to kiss our cheeks (It's how Chilenos greet each other. But as sisters, we can't with men) But he held onto my hand sooo strong and tried to kiss my cheek like 3 times and I was all, no. I can't as a missionary! Then we walked away and he followed us again! Then the same thing happened. We walked away AGAIN and he followed us AGAIN! Finally we were just like, okay man. Here is a card with Jesus on it. Now we REALLY have to go. So I shook his hand again and he got SO CLOSE to kissing my cheek and finally I just pushed him away with my hand on his chest. Hahahaha! Oh my gosh. But hey, I provided service but making the people across the street laugh their heads off. There is my story. 

NOW! On to better stuff. My birthday in Chile was sooo awesome! Hermana Rimmasch is super cute and decorated our room and bought me ice cream and my favorite cookies here.and I got my gifts from my mom. Thanks mom!!! :) Then on Saturday Maria Cristina fed us some very yummy food and she like gave this cute little testimony of how she knows the gift of tounges exists because of me and how much she loves the missionaries. I love her so much :) She is the best!!!! All in all, it was a great birthday!

So this week we got in with Katya but she is super busy. Like always :( But her daughter, Ignacia, is now investigating hard core! She went to a youth activity and had a blast then she went to church! And she walked with Nathlia all those times and Nathalia said she asked soooo many questions about baptism and the church. She wants a personal progress book too! She is super cute! I love Ignacia :) She is 12 and is seriously so ready. And Nathalia is like best friends with her already so she has a super good friend in the church! We are going to keep meeting with her! LOVE HER!

With Judith, we never got into her this week :( But we ran into her mom a bunch in the street this week with Judiths 2 kids and her mom said Judith is super busy but not this week. Òjala we can get in with her! She is just super cute and super ready. I love her. 

We got more investigators this week! I was a little frustrated with some of them though. We had 2 families commited to come to church. And so we called Saturday to make sure we could still walk with them on Sunday and they both said yes. Then we called Sunday morning and they said, oh nos vemos in 20 minutes at our houses. Then we walked to their houses, IN GUAM, and they avioded us like we had diseases or something. We aloed a ton and called and they didn't answer. I was so frustrated. We then Had to walk to the church and we were running late because of them. I was so mad in the moment. I was just like, Heavenly Father. Why? We did all that we could. We taught, we testified, they commited, we called. We did EVERYTHING! Why did this happen? Why can't I get anyone to church or even get a baptism? I have 5 months and nothing. Then it was as if the spirit just whispered, its okay. You did all that you could. Now you just need the paciencia and them to act. And, they have their agency. 

After that, I was okay. It was frustrating in the moment, but now, I am okay. They have their agency. If I do all that I can, then that is okay. I will continue to keep doing all that I can though and if they never come to the church, then I had some influence, just in a different way. I just don't want to be a brain washed missionary and think my only way to success is through baptisms. Ya, that is my goal right now for 18 months, but I also want to bring others to Christ and touch lives. It's hard when you don't have the investigators in church, but that just means I need to work harder. 

Well, everyone. Hopefully none of you get chased by drunk guys! Hahahaha enjoy your week and do everything that you can to bring others to Christ :) 

Con amor,

Hermana Burnham

 

"Birthday and Christmas package from home!"

"This fountain is right outside our apartment."

"Watch tan line"

"Birthday fun!"

"Our group of children admirers" :)

"Our Christmas tree from Hermana Rimmasch's family"