June 29th!

This week was great! Elba keeps progressing and on Saturday she had her bautismal iterview. She is super excited and we are too. She came to church as well so that we could officially announce her baptism for this Saturday! Its a fourth of July baptism! How fun! We are going to have the service in the morning because in the afternoon is the ending of the American Cup (soccer stuff), so we figured it would be hard for people to give up their football haha. Nonetheless, it is going to be awesome.

It feels like the whole week was full of miracles. We found 10 new invesitgators and had a record number of lessons for the week. I really know that Heavenly Father has prepared people here to be baptised. This week we also we also had zone conference and President Dalton and the office group came to train us. Its my last zone conference, so I got to share my testimony at the end. How weird is that. I didnt think it would be any big deal, but it was a little nerve wrecking.

On Sunday, President and his wife were still in Chañaral,so they attended our meetings. Everyone was nervous which is pretty funny to see, but they both gave really great talks about the temple and sacriment. Sister Dalton mentioned that the temples are the most holy places in the world. Then she added that the temple in Santiago is the holiest place in all of Chile. Thats amazing right? To think that in one building you can find the most calming and peaceful setting in the whole country. It would obviously be nice to have 2 or 3 or 50 of the holiest building here in Chile, but to think that there is just one and that anyone who wants to and completes the requirements to enter, can, is amazing. I am really excited to be able to enter the temple again in just a few weeks.

Today is my second to last Pday. I have next week and then one other Monday, but I will be passing that one in Antofagasta, so it will be different. Its so weird to think about. But I guess everything is coming to an end. Anyways today we went with a the Rojas family to the mountain and made sopaipillas. It was super fun and I finally got to see a little greenery in the hills. We climbed up the mountain and the view was amazing!

​Well, I had a lot more photos to send, but the internet is really slow. I suppose two weeks isnt too much time to wait:)

June 22nd Finally feels like I'm Leaving

This week has been great. I think I am finally getting that "I am going home" feeling because everything is feeling like the last time. The funny thing is that I still have a few weeks until everything really becomes my last opportunity. So I just have to live it up until then. This week, we had a lot of success with E. We put a baptismal date for the 4th of July (she is a miracle for sure), and she is super excited. I cant believe that she is progressing so rapidly. This week will be the test though because we have to teach her the word of wisdom, tithing, and the law of chastity.  We are praying for her every night. She really feels that this is the true church and is  so sweet. I will have to let you know next week how everything went.

On Friday we travelled to Tal Tal to do exchanges with the sisters there. That truly was a "last time" moment, but I enjoyed it. I got to see some of the families I had met the last time we did exchanges there, so that was a lot of fun. Soccer is again taking Chile by storm now that the American Cup has started. Everytime Chile plays, everyone is having a BBQ and miraculously dont have time for the missionaries. To make things even worse, the American Cup is being hosted  by Chile, so all of the games are being watched by the Chileans since they feel that they must win. Its pretty exciting hearing everyone talk about what teams are going against what teams, but the whole American Cup thing couldnt have started in a few weeks more? Hahaha. I guess, I should consider it a blessing though, that unlike American football, the soccer games are during the week and not Sundays:)

Today, for p day we dedicated ourselves to the arts. We bought some tempera paint and paper and are doing our own interpretations of Chañaral. We havent finished yet, but it was a lot of fun and definitely helped unstress a little bit. This week we have lots of people to be teaching so that they can all come to church on Sunday. Wish us luck!

I love you guys:)

June 15th and Lots of new people

This week we met a ton of new people that are receptive. We havent been able to teach many of them, but thats what this next week is for. On Sunday we had our weekly Branch Family Home Evening and all of new investigators arrived. It was awesome! Before the FHE we had gone to visit one investigator Y, so that she could come with us. We ended up arriving a little late with her at the chapel, but when we walked in we were surprised to see that  almost all of the people that had come were our invesitgators! It was a lot of fun and hopefully, they will continue to come to the church.

One of the new invesitgators is E. She is a little elderly lady that we met in the market last week. She was adventist and then she went to the penecostal church, but she is still searching for the truth. we taught her about the restoration and she loved it. Everyone had told her that the Mormons worship Joseph Smith, and when she found out that he was a modern day prophet she was amazed. We were only able to visit her once before Sunday, but she came to church! She arrived like 10 minutes late and was confused on how to enter, so she entered the cultural hall and sat down. She could hear the talking through the dividing wall, so she listened. As the meeting was almost over, she saw that someone left the chapel and so she understood how to get in. She is so cute! She was one of the new people that came to the FHE as well.

June 9th!

This week was kinda slow. We had trouble getting a hold of our progressing investigators and then went to Antofagasta on Thursday for our leadership counsil. Yesterday was our zone conference and my companion and I talked about consecration and giving up all we are to be what the Lord wants us to be. We planned a little activity and I think it went over really well. Afterwards, I got a haircut! My old companion Hna W has been in our zone in another little town, but with the transfers is leaving us, so I took advantage of her mad skills and get my return home look:) It turn out pretty cute and I think for the first time in all of my mission my hair actually stayed stright for more than five minutes. Slowly but surely it feels like things are coming to an end. Although I still dont believe it entirely. 

On Saturday we went to the feria ( like a market or more of a giant garage sale of clothing) and we had a little stand. We asked people how they thought they could find peace and joy after everything that had happened in Chañaral. It was a ton of fun and we got to talk to so many people. The normal answer was that it is going to be hard to find peace again, and then we explained that we can have internal peace through the gospel. We also had several other pass a long cards that ask question like Why am I here on Earth, how can I have a happy family, and how can I know if God has a plan for me. I found that many people had asked the question, but few had found an answer. We took advantage and invited them to listen to us in their homes and now we have a million of people to visit. Hopefully, this week we can get a hold of them and see who is ready to recieve the gospel!

I love you guys, Have an awesome week!

Hna Biggs

Another Wedding May 25th

This week was all so great here in Chile. Our papitos that we lived with during all of the rain and flood problems got married today! The ceremony was at 9 am so that they could be heading to Santiago later and be able to get to the US to for their temple sealing. Despite that today was only the civil wedding, they were so happy. It was so cute to see them :) On Saturday we had had a little reception at the church with them to celebrate. She threw a fake bouquet, they cut the cake together, and even shared a giant kiss. How romantic. It was a lot of fun as well. 

On Saturday, I also got to be sick all day long. I think I had some sort of food poisoning which is not fun, but I kept thinking I would get better and be able to leave the house. Never happened. The good thing is that I am mainly repared now and working happily again in the field:)

We met a great new investigator named J this week. She is a single mom of 3 and has a really kind heart. Her father was one of the many who did not leave his home in time to survive the flooding, so she has been really sensitive for his passing lately. We have only taught her once, but it was really sweet how she felt the spirit. We invited her to church and she said that she doesnt want to come, not even out of curiosity. It appears we have our work cut out for us, but we feel that when she better understands why we go to church that she will definitely be more excited to attend. 

We have also had some cool experiences in one home. A few weeks ago we contacted two women on the street  and they invited us to come and visit and teach them. We went several times to their home, but they were never home or didnt have time for us. Then last week we passed by again, and surprisingly they had moved! However, we contacted the new home owners and they said that we could pass by in another opportunity. A few days ago we again went to the same house looking for the new family and guess what? They werent there; however, the woman{s mother was there. She is a member that got bautised about 20 years ago and has bee inactive for about the last 18 years. She was a youth when she got bauptised but enjoyed the activities and events of the church. Recently she lost all of her things in the flooding and is living in a small bedroom with her two youngest children. We were able to share with her and help her to feel happiness and love. She wants to be able to come back to church and this time hopefully she can have a real conversion. Its funny how in this one house we have met so many people hahah. We are going to pass by again to hopefully be able to find this lady{s older daughter, if she doesnt just move on us hahah. 

I love you guys have a great first week of summer!

May 18th!

This week M got bautised! She definitely had some struggles and pressures this week beforehand, but she clung onto the Book of Mormon and prayer to get hrough all of her doubts and fears. That was awesome to see. On Saturday we went to clean the chapel with her (I think the first time a convert has cleaned the chapel before their own baptism. She wanted to do it) and she told us that she was really ready. The start of the ceremony was alittle crazy because we thought that the font would fill a little quicker than it did. Lets just say that a garden hose and a lot of prayer filled the font hahah. I dont know how cold it was, but M didnt notice:)

This week, our progressing couple, P and M, came to church for the first time! It was so cool. M really liked the clases and everything and they are going to try to come this week as well. We are having them pray to know whether they should get baptised on the 20th of June and things are looking very good for that date. We are super excited.

I also had my last interview with President this week. Well, there is the interview when I am leaving the misión, but this was the last time that we were going to see him in traveling interviews. It was alittle strange feeling, but thats ok. Two months is still time. Hopefully I will be able to spend the rest of that time in Chañaral. I am so hoping for that.

Hna Biggs

Mother's Day! Letter from May 4th 2015

This week has been super busy. We have had tons of appointments, but its been really fun. Our new family is doing great. They are really pensive on everything, but are completing with their commitments. M is super excited for her bautism! On Sunday, we had our weekly branch family home evening in her home. She prepared all kinds of sweets to eat and loved having everyone there. Like no other time, they were like 30 people who came!! It was awesome. Hna R and I were in charge of the night and for the lesson asked who would like to eat the treats that M had prepared. Of course, everyone wanted to- We asked one of the elders if he was willing to do 10 push ups to eat a treat. He did the ten and then asked who else wanted to eat and with each person asked if the same elder would do 10 push ups so that that person could eat a treat. After 9 or so people and 90 push ups, the elder was weak and people stopped wanting to eat the treats. We then read Isaiah 53:3-5 and talked about how Jesus had suffered for us, so that we can have the reward. It was a really powerful activity and helped M understand the importance of Jesus Christ in her life. It went really well. We then played 2 truths and 1 lie which was a crack up. 

 

We have another couple that have begun to progress and they are adorable. P has been an investigator for about 8 months and just recently her husband has started listening to the lessons. He is super receptive and P already wants to be bautised. We are helpng them pray since her husband doesnt have a background of doing so. Our last lesson with them he said that he had wanted to pray one day to have peace at work, and he was going to do it at night, but he forgot to do it. I thought about how his simple faith.. Turns out when we asked them to pray at night to know if what we teach is true, he thought he could only pray at night. Of course we explained that he can pray in any moment. At the end of the lesson, we encouraged them to do a family prayer in the nights or a prayer as a couple. They both thought it was a good idea and accepted the challenge. As we were about to walk out the door, the husband asked "How do you do a couple{s prayer?" Is there arny thing more  than new faith? They are super great. The next day we went to have a FHE and talked about strenghtening families and then played Jenga. 

That pretty much wraps up this weeks miracles. Obviously there are always many. I love you guys have a great week and we will see or at least talk on Sunday!

Short & Sweet

This week was great. My new companion seems fun. We met a new family and they are actually a family. Its a couple with their three daughters. We met them in the park and then were able to go to their home and share the restoration. It was really fun teaching them all together. We have an appointment for Tuesday, and are constantly praying for them. 

"M" went to church again this week and to our branch family home evening yesterday. She is excited for her baptism on the 16th and is even sharing her excitement with the members. That is great because it means that she is commited to getting baptized. She shared her testimony again during the family home evening and is doing really great in her progress. This week we are really going to focus on getting some fellowshipping done so that she has more friends in the church.

This week we have a lot of contacts to check up with and some old investigators that we are going to try to get a hold of and see if they are more prepared now to accept the gospel. I love you guys have a great week!

Hna BIggs

A New Companion

This week went by really quickly here in the mission. On Friday us missionaries of Chañaral travelled to Antofagasta to watch a conference with Elder Oaks. He was in Santiago and wanted to do a conference with just missionaries. His words were really uplifting about our purpose as missionaires and how we need to be teaching the basics to our investigators instead of assuming that they know things like who is Christ and what our church services are like and even how to pray. It was a great reminder, because my faith and knowledge as a missionary is growing so much each day that sometimes its hard to remember that others dont even know the basics. We have to start with some at step one. After the conference we were able to run downtown to see some shops and stuff. Now that Chañarals downtown got washed away, theres no hope of shopping lol. It was fun, but I learned that I have really become accustomed to the little town of Chañaral. There were people everywhere. The buses were crowded and walking in a straight line at misisonary pace was impossible. We were dodging and weaving everywhere. I don't think I'm made for living in big cities anymore. hahaha. Well, I am sure that I could get used to it again lol.

Yesterday were transfers and I got a new companion. Her name is Hna Rivera and she is from Lima Peru just like Hna Arenas. She seems really fun and full of energy. The change up is nice, and hopefully we will continue to see miracles here in Chañaral. We have officially left our little house on the hill, where we were living with a family. It was sad to be leaving them, but they said that we have to return everyday for lunch. They are so cute. I am really grateful for their love and service these past few weeks. They have been so good to us. 

Well, I guess not too much more has happened. "M" couldnt come to church on Sunday. "J" is still a great convert and so glued to the gospel. It was hard for Hna Arenas to say goodbye and I dont want to imagine how it is going to be for me. We were unable to find "P" this week, but are hoping that we can still go forward with her and help her be baptized. There is a lot of work to be doing and so little time. Sometimes, I wish the days were longer so that we could be with more people, but we just have to pray that the time allows for everything. 

I love you guys so much. Have a great week!

Hna Biggs

Golden Missionary Opportunities

This week passed by so quickly. We helped a little more with the clean up of some of the members shops, but almost the whole week we were doing normal visits. We finally got to talk to some future investigators that we had met a few weeks ago. Luckily with all of the chaos a lot of people are at home with the families. Golden missionary opportunities! We were surprised to learn that the mom of this new family is the daughter of a less active, a less active that has become more receptive due to the disaster. Another golden opportunity! Hopefully we can get a two in one here. Reactivate a member and baptize a family. 

Some more great news is that "M" went to church yesterday for the first time! We were so happy! When we went to her house, she was still in her jammies, but she was able to get all ready to go and leave with us. She stayed for all three hours and really liked relief society. She wants to come to the weekly relief society meeting on Thursday:)

"J" has aso been accompanying us to our lessons on Saturdays. Its a lot of fun and she has a great testimony and story of conversion. This Sunday, she shared her testimony during the testimony meeting. How awesome. She talked about how three weeks before hand she had missed church because she was offered extra hours and went to work on Sunday. She said that she felt awful because she knew that she had made a commitment with Heavenly Father to be at church on Sunday. Hna Arenas and I were silently happy that she felt so bad (hahaha) and glad that she learned with certainity where she needs to be on Sunday. 

Besides all of that good news, many families are deserting Chañaral for the time being and also forever because of lack of work and problems with school for the kids and pollution. But still we are going strong! I love you guys. Have a great week:)

Hna Biggs 

The Music of The Gospel

We had a lot of fun here in Chañaral for Easter. We are still staying with a family for the time being, so I bought some Kinder Suprise eggs. They are chocolate eggs filled with toys. Considering the couple we are staying with is a little eldery, I didnt think it would be some big deal, but man they were super happy and entertained with their little gifts. It was a lot of fun. 

We did get to watch conference here. The only glitch was that the eletricity got cut just in time for the Sunday morning session, so we missed all of that, but the other sessions went really well. A lot of the talks focused on the family and marriage, which is always fun being missionary. However, I feel like again a new perspective on the sanctity of marriage I liked how many of the speakers explained their own reltionships and the importance of being married. My favorite talk was.... well I have a couple. I liked Wilford 

Andersen's talk about listening to the music of the gospel and his advice on how we can make that music sound in our homes so that everyone can learn to hear it. I thought the simile was powerful and creative. I also liked Dale Renlunds talk abut beng "latter day saints" not "latter day quitters or hypocrits or sinners". Another great talk about enduring to the end and living what we believe. The women's session was also really great. "J" loved that session as well and it was exciting to see her enjoy the talks. She saw all of the Saturday sessions, and is becoming a greater and greater member. It was a great conference and hopefuly I can listen to the session that I missed this week. 

Things are getting cleared up here in Chañaral. About half the week we were doing service and the other half we were doing our regular visits. The grocery stores have products again and every sector has electricity. There is a large part that still doesnt have running water and the sewers have gotten backed up due to the river, but besides that things are a little calm. School appears that it will be out of seesion for at least another month since several schools were affected with the mud and the others are being used as refuges and such. 

Just about all of the active members of the branch lost their jobs either because their shops were washed away or where they work was washed away. Last Sunday, the church meeting was a little sad. The members by then had settled emotions with what had happened, but still it is going to be a challenge to restart for them. Luckily, they are really supportive of one another, so I am sure that they will all get through this well. 

One of the many houses showing their support for Chañaral

I love you guys. 

Hna Biggs

Fuerza Chanaral

Hola from Chañaral. It appears that you may not know too much, but we had some great rain and flooding here in Chañaral this week. The whole downtown area and highway got washed away in the ocean. Also, several homes were demolished in the water. Luckily, none of the missionaries or the members were too affected, but yes lots of businesses of the members were destroyed.

At first, there was a lot of chaos and prices went crazy for food. However, things have become more tranquil and lots of help is arriving from the government and other people. The church as well has also sent a ton of stuff and so we are constantly putting together care packages and sending them out to people. It has been a little crazy, but definietly an unforgettable experience.

For the time being we are staying with a family of members to avoid the chaos. We have been there about a week now, and are super happy. We are still able to leave and do some visits when we arent helping members try to recuperate things from their business. There is a ton of mud and agua everywhere, but tractors are helping to solve the problems. There are also many people that have disappeared, which now means that lots of bodies are being found in the ocean and in the mud that the tractors are moving. 

Its going to take a lot of work to get things going normally again in the city, but at least the people are a little more tranquil. I think that this is one of the many experiences that help people become prepared to accept the gospel. Many are going to have to restart their lives, but its just one of the tests that we all pass here in this life. 

I feel blessed to be able to serve here in this way now. We are continuing onward, and are going to find many people ready to recieve us.

If you want to you can find tons of video and news reports online. Just know that I am safe and not in danger.

Before the flooding. 

After the flooding. The boats there in the ocean are military. They are now in charge of the city and we

even have a curfew at 9pm for the all of the robbers that are entering in the abandoned homes. Thankfully, we have electricity again now for the past 3 days and the water never got shut off. 

Helicopter rescue!

This area was once the highway 

Helping memebrs clean up the stuff from their businesses

Some of the homes that were in the path of the great river

Everyone has written fuerza chanaral on their homes and cars meaning "Strength Chanaral"

The downtown area. Tractors have been working for 3 three days to take out all of the mud. The line across the buildings is how high it was with mud!

I love you guys a ton. Keep chanral in your prayers. Fuerza Chañaral!

Hna BIggs