Hermana Egbert in Osorno Chile

It was Easter Sunday or El Domingo de Pascua. Have you all seen the Prince of Peace video? It is incredible! We have been using it as a way to talk with more people. Yesterday during Relief society one of the sisters gave a really good lesson on The Resurection. There is a story about President Hinkley when one person asked him " What is the symbol of the Lds religion?" because many churches have the cross, or the mother mary. He told them that our symbol is the members lives. How special is that? It is very true. As a missionary I am realizing more and more that the great message of the gospel is that we will live again.

This is Nicole! she is the little sister of Gladys! Were are teaching her and she is great!

 

   The days are long but the weeks are so short. I am not sure if that is possible but its the truth.Its like a time warp.

 Well something so special happened. Hermana Gardner and I had the opportunity to see one of our investigators, Gladys, be baptized. It was so special. And yesterday she was confirmed a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Wow. It is so amazing because this choice will affect her, her future family, her ancestors and others.She is from a strong catholic family.It is humbling to see someone have so much courage to make a choice like this when their family does not share their same beliefs. She is excited to make the 11 hour bus ride in June to do baptisms in the temple! 

     The language is coming slowly but surely. I can understand a lot more and speak a little more. Oh this is funny! We talked with someone in English this week!  And it was soo hard! Isnt that fun:)! I am stuck somewhere in between English and Spanish. My companion and I speak only spanish and so English is a little hard haha it was so funny! 

 I am amazed at the amount of patience I have to excersize  each day. But this week I as I really turned to my Heavenly Father in every weakness or trial I felt His love. He knows what we are going through in every moment. He is by our side every moment we ask Him to join us. That doesnt mean He will take away a weakness or a trial because I think that would be the opposite of love, but He is cheering us on saying okay go a little further, say a couple more words.  For one of the first times that I can remember I felt a real grattitude for trials and for my weaknesses. Its like our weaknesses bind us to our Savior Jesus Christ. They are a constant reminder of our need for a Savior. Its not like I am walking around  waiting for a trial because I enjoy it however, its comforting to know that when they come, we can do it. If we allow it we can be changed a little more into the person Our loving Heavenly Father knows we can become. I know that we can have a relationship with our Heavenly Father through prayer and through knowing the character of His Son Jesus Christ because He does all things after the will of His Father. A true knowledge of our identity and the identity of our Heavenly Father, His son Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost are so so so(x100) important in our lives. 

All the food I ate this week was pretty normal haha no more  cow hoofs haha no Chile is pretty normal and I learn to love it a little more each day. Oh yah! I learned that stretching in public is rude haha. Yesterday in Sunday School a sister was giving an answer and she started to yawn and stretch her arms and every one  kind of  gasped and got  uncomfortable. I was like uh what did she do because to me it was normal . Haha she got really embarrassed and said sorry. My companion explained to me what happened. Its interesting how in cultures social norms change haha. That is one of the  important things I learned this week :)

 Well, you are all just great. I am serious thank you for your letters and prayers. 

 I am just happy to know you all!

Love Hermana Egbert

   We were walking down the street and this man was taking out a tree stump the old fashioned way !

            two huge oxen

  

This week  flew by! 

 Funny experience from the week. In a members home one day they were cooking something special  pata de vaca or Cow foot. yup a literal cow foot. I was just glad we were not eating with them that night.  The next day we happened to be in their home. Knowing they  probably still had some left over I  made sure not to mention it   knowing they would share.  As we were leaving their house Hermana Gardner asked  " oh yeah, how did the pata de vaca work out ?"  Welp.  They  invited us to try it. My companion went first.  I watched as she choked it down with a smile. I knew I had to do it. Okay  so when they say jello is made out of horse hoofs I dont know if that is a joke but this was a jello like substance but so greasy and chunky. Sorry for the details but we can all laugh together. It was pretty weird. My companion and I laughed so hard after we left at the situation. We  bought an ice cream bar to get the taste out of   our  mouths.  Our stomachs still do a back flip when we see a cow. 

 How did everyone like conference? I hope you all loved it! 

 So on Saturday we were scheduled to have a baptism but last Sunday our investigator Gladys talked with us and said she wanted to wait until she recieved a sure answer that this was the true church. Gladys is a perfect example of how to go about recieving an answer from our Heavenly Father.    She keeps her commitments. She has been coming to church for 6 weeks in a row. She has been reading the Book of Mormon and praying everday. When we taught her the word of wisdom, that very moment she threw away her tea and said she would stop drinking coffee. However, there was one thing lacking. She was not asking specific questions in her prayers.  Whether this was something we forgot to teach or something she didnt understand we are sure. As she expressed her concerns about whether this was the true church and that she hasnt recieved an answer we were puzzled. We then asked her     "have you specifically asked in your prayers if this is the true church?" she said wait I can do that ? This was the missing piece. We promised her that if she could do this she would recieve an answer and  feel ready to be baptized soon. 

  Hermana Gardner went to conference a little sad knowing that April 1st was the planned day of her baptism but that it wasnt going to happen. Here is the miracle. Gladys showed up for the general conference. She watched in the sacrament room with the branch while Hermana Gardner and I watched in English in a different room.  In the middle of the morning session, Gladys came in the room and sat down. With tears in her eyes and a smile on her face she said " Yo  me quiero bautizar "  "I want to be baptized". We asked her what changed. She said all week she has been praying specifically for an answer and that it came during one of the talks. She said she believes this to be the true church, that the Book of Mormon was translated by Joseph Smith and that we have a living prophet. If all works out she will be baptized this coming Saturday and confirmed a member of the church on Sunday.

 I know that God answers when we ask. I know that as we keep commitments with the Lord we are blessed. I know there is power in prayer and scripture study. I used to think "prayer and daily scripture study..thats too easy" well its simple and it really is our armor in these Latter days. I loved President Monsons talk. He had  5 minutes and he chose to talk on these topics.

 I love you all! I hope it is a great week for everyone! For fun try to do a   random act of service for someone:)

 Love, Hermana Egbert