Survived!

This was a hectic week - divisions with new missionaries, trying to take care of all our recent converts, less-active members, and investigators while finding new people and working more with the ward (including being in charge of the Young Women's activity this week), and most of all, a baptism! Despite all the craziness I'm grateful for all we were able to accomplish and I know the Lord is helping us an guiding us through it all. I'm exhausted but happy. 

Francisca was baptized on Saturday! She's great. She comes from an atheist family. Hermana Oldroyd was actually teaching her when she was here but she didn't progress too much towards baptism until now. Hermana Meyer said that a little before I got there she recently had decided/discovered that she actually believes in God and had begun to change a lot. Through many great lessons and a lot of testimonies, she was finally able to make the decision to be baptized. Even though her family wasn't supportive and she was very alone in her decision, I know she won't be alone in the Gospel. 

I love knowing that the Gospel changes people and that even if we don't see the results of our efforts right away, there are always people that will be changed by our example. The Lord loves every one of His children and knows what they need and when. 

I don't have much time to write more, just know that the work is moving along like always and that I'm loving it more than ever! Even though it was a very rainy week, spring is in the air for real this time!

Con amor,

Hermana Glacer (as I say these days. I've finally settled on the easiest pronunciation of my name)

Gotta Eat to Live

18 de Septiembre Chilean Independence Day

And the week of 18 de Septiembre we basically just live to eat. So many asados, empanadas, mote con huesillo, pajaritos, etc. (One day I will make all of these things for you so you'll know what they are). Maybe. It's crazy how I've gotten used to eating this kind of thing. Also, the work was kind of complicated seeing as everyone we should have been visiting was either busy or out of town, including Francisca, who has her baptism scheduled for this week! More news on that next Monday. 

Despite all of the festivities, and even sometimes as a result, we were able to see many miracles this week. My testimony was once more reaffirmed that this work is not ours, but His. The Lord sets everything up, guides us, prepares the people, and if we're doing what we're supposed to he lets us come in an put in the finishing touches. He sometimes puts us in the right place at the right time, helping us know what to say even though we don't know why we're saying it, feeling like we should talk to a person we never would have talked to, or seeing someone change that we never thought would. Especially giving us the strength to keep doing better and giving us just what we need to believe that things will always work out for the better. I love knowing that it isn't all weighing on me and my abilities. (If that were the case we'd all be in trouble). 

Well, love you all, enjoy this week and don't forget about your dear daughter/sister/cousin/neighbor/friend here in Chile!

Love, H'Glazier

Spring is ALMOST in the air

This week I am very pleased to hear that my General Conference excitement is infecting a few of you people over there. And just think - we'll be watching it together!

This was quite the week. 18 de Septiembre (the biggest national holiday here) is coming up and everyone's getting out of classes and getting excited. It changes the work a little seeing as basically all the people we've been teaching left on vacation for the holiday. But we are very excited to keep working and participating in the festivities on the side. Empanadas here we come! 

We even had a zone activity today to celebrate 18 de Septiembre flying kites! It's a tradicion for the holiday so we went to try it out. It was fun even though there wasn't a lot of wind. And more importantly, now I have a great $2 Chilean flag-print kite as a souvenir. We had to buy them during work time on Saturdayand felt kind of dumb carting them around all afternoon, presenting ourselves as missionaries with this kite (folded up but still long) sticking out of our bags...

Last week we got haircuts. We were both very nervous to go, not knowing where or who or how to explain what we wanted. Almost backed out a few times, thinking yeah I can just do it when I get home. But in the end I was just thinking "Okay, I can knock doors, asking people to come in their house, in a far away country, not knowing any of these people, with another north American, without any fear. And I'm chickening out of just a simple haircut?" And we went! Final verdict: next time I'll just wait until I get home. I just wanted a trim and side bangs (they had grown out really long). The lady didn't understand what side bangs means I guess and cut them straight across saying "but you can style them how you want afterwards". Doesn't exactly work that way...so here I am with new bangs! It was weird at first but they're "growing" (ha) on me. My companion also ended up with hair a LOT shorter than she wanted. Looks like we need to start studying more vocabulary that doesn't have to do with the Gospel. 

This week we had a great service activity with all the missionaries around Concepción. We helped clean out the cemetary (taking out all the dead flowers and everything). The cemetary is gigantic and so cool! Definitely would be creepy at night, but I enjoyed it. Not to mention I got to use the Mormon Helping Hands jersy thing for the first time in my life! Service feels so more official with those things. 

I'm not gonna lie, I'm pretty exhausted these days. There's a lot of work to do here and I always feel pretty behind schedule (there are so many members, new converts we should be teaching, investigators, etc.). But I'm learning a little every day. I think that's how life is always going to be...we're never going to be able to do everything that we want to, We're here to learn how to prioritize. And if we put what the Lord wants first, things will work out fine.

Thanks for all, 

Hermana Glazier

p.s. I'm here until February 10 so you can still send me mail until like...the end of January. Just in case anyone was wondering.

p.p.s. we're making up for the not having many photos last week...

Eaten by Lions

We were not literally eaten by lions this week, but we were told that all the Mormon missionaries should be sent to Africa to be eaten by lions. Probably won't be returning to that house in the near future.

This was an exhausting week full of hard work and not many "results". We didn't get to teach a lot and had a hard time finding investigators. But we're excited and haven't lost our faith. I'm tired but ready to keep working hard this week! 

I'm not exactly a trunky missionary, but I have to admit I've been missing BYU a little bit lately. Part of our area is a university campus and we spend a lot of time with college students. Then to top it off, I received a photo of all my cousins that are attending BYU right now! Congrats, my friends. Enjoy the BYU creamery milk for me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Trunky-ness for BYU aside, I really am LOVING my new area. I don't know if it's being in the city or having lots of young people and young families in the ward or what, but it's easier to keep up the excitement here. It's also fun teaching the same people that Hermana Oldroyd (she can legally be called Erica now but I haven't gotten used to it yet...) was teaching. 

Well, the only other big news is that I have been, once again, eaten alive by fleas. I thought I left that all behind in Tomé, but the torcherous memories of yesteryear are coming back to haunt me. Okay I'm being dramatic but it's just another confirmation that I either A. have nice skin or B. am very sweet (ha). Or maybe fleas just hate me? Who knows. 

Well, love you all, be good, enjoy your week!
Hermana Glazier

Photo of all the leaders on the temple grounds (where they're going to build the conce temple!!!!) We're not supposed to tell all the world we were there so shhhh...haha. It was really cool. I'm so excited to come when there's a temple here!

Country Girl at Heart

I have to admit, my first week working in the city has been quite the adventure. Concepción has like a million different bus lines and there are tons of members to get to know. I got a little too used to just being in a calm little country town. I kind of always feel like I'm one step behind. But I'm doing great!

I LOVE my new area. Hermana Meyer's great too. She got to Chile the same day I did (over a year ago!!!) so we're basically on the same page. She's a hard worker and super chill. The Spanglish is at an all time high but at least we understand each other well. Not to mention we live in an apartment with CARPET and a couch. Definitely the classiest living conditions I've seen in my time here. 

Superficiality (don't even know if that's a word sorry) aside, I really do love this place. There are lots of young people because there's a university close by - something that brings a lot more energy to the ward. And I'm learning more every day about how much the Lord really knows what He's doing with his work. It's incredible how if we just do our best and are as obedient as possible, things work out okay. Even though we can get overwhelmed by all the responsibilities we have, He doesn't ask us to do something we won't be able to do. I know that He is guiding this work and has a purpose for each one of us.

I just want to tell you all how much I love the Book of Mormon and General Conference. I usually study them every day but this week I took a small break because our President asked us to study a specific part of Preach My Gospel. I missed having a big chunk of time just immersed in the Book of Mormon and past General Conference. I hope you guys realize how lucky we are to have those two things that don't exist in any other church! Such a blessing. Only approximately 35 more days until the next General Conference! Woohoo!!! (People here sometimes make fun of me because I'm so obsessed with it). 

Well, love you all!

Hermana Glazier

Photos: 

Last day with Hermana Arndt, view of the city, new house woot!, first time in the mission home with Hermana Meyer