Well this was my first week in the mission field! I am in Los Lagos Chile. It is a small pueblo(town) 2 hours from Osorno. My trainer is Hermana Gardner. Heavenly Father knew the companion I needed and that is Hermana Gardner. She reminds me a lot of Emily, Lizzy and Laura all mixed in one. 

President and Sister Isom are great and I am so thankful they are here!

First I will start with a miracle that happened 2 hours after I reached my area. So every companionship in our mission has a Mamita she is someone who makes lunch for us everyday. Well we went straight to her house and she is this cute 55 year old Chilean women. Well she saw my nametag and asked me do you know Arch Egbert and I said yes he is my Grandpa. She sat down and started to cry. She told me he was her mission president in Vina Del Mar 30 years ago. It was such a special moment. She loved Grandma and Grandpa Egbert so much. Everyday she tells me stories of Grandpa Egbert. She also has some pictures of her with them. 

Okay this meant the world for me. I knew at that moment that Heavenly Father knows me so well. We knows where I am and has me in this mission and this specific area for a reason. My testimony of Gods love for each of us grows everyday. 

Los Lagos is beautiful! It looks EXACTLY like Eugene Oregon plus there are black berries everywhere! 

It would be a lie to say this week has been easy and perfect because it hasnt. It has been so hard. The Chileans speak sooo fast and they barely open their mouths so I cant understand and my spanish is so limited. I have had to excersize so much faith and patience this week. But I know the gift of tongues is real because I see it everyday. It gets better everyday. As I make it about the investigators I see improvement. My mission is not for me. It for the people I am here to serve. 

I tell Heavenly Father that If he helps me with the language I will never deny a prompting or oppurtunity to open my mouth. So even though it terrrifies me to talk with people I do it. In every lesson I bear my testimony in simple spanish and pray it will touch the hearts of the people. I was asked to give a talk in church yesterday and I did it. It has been so cool to see growth in a short period of time. 

So even though it is hard it is also great because I laugh so much with my companion and the people are so loving. 

The men here whistle at us a lot or say some weird comments so thats kind of awkward/funny but we just keep walking.

When I get stressed or discouraged I take a minute and picture in my mind a certain part of the windrivers. It helps me feel close to home and to the family. Its great. 

This week I have been reading a lot in 1 Nephi about the Tree of Life. It is so interesting to read about the different groups that walk to the tree and how some leave the tree and others stay. I think that is so true with staying truely converted to the Church. 

Can I extend and Invitation? haha because its what I do all day. Can I invite anyone who isnt already to read from the Book of Mormon everyday? I know that as you do so you will feel closer to your Heavenly Father and your purpose as one of His children. 

Well I love our investigators. Anamaria has a baptimal date and she is working on quitting smoking. She is doing well and I know she knows this is the true church. 

Luciana wants to be baptized but her family doesnt want to so she is waiting. She saw a pass a long card fall from my back pack and it had a picture of a family on it with the saying that families can be together for ever. When she picked it up you could see the yearning in her eyes for an eternal family. I cant wait to visit her this week. 

Well please know how much I love you all! I have a strong testimony of the Book of Mormon. I know it is the word of God and that it is for us specifically in these latter days. I am so happy to be here and I am grateful for the trial it is to learn the language because I have to rely so much more on my Heavenly Father.

P.s. I will send you pics in a different email

Love,

Hermana Egbert