Week 9 - God is in Every Detail!

October 17, 2017

Familia y amigos,

This week. Wow so crazy how time flies!

Tuesday: We went to visit an investigator, R., but he wasn't home and when we called him he said sorry he was watching the soccer game, Chile vs. Brazil (fútbol is a big deal here). Now, normally that would be really disappointing, but after we stayed there talking about futbol outside in front of his house (which is weird because we always leave right after), a women came up who lived in the same complex house thing. We started talking to her and she eventually told us she had been at a church that day praying and crying to God for help. And then there we were on her front door. It was an amazing experience and shows how much God is in EVERY detail. There really are no such things as coincidences. She is excited to learn more and read and pray about the Book of Mormon!

Wednesday: Met with R. who accepted a Baptismal date! AH! So cool. Golden. Had a lesson with Ro. and A., a contact from a few days earlier was at her house, too! He started asking us all kinds of questions, like if we had boyfriends and such and what we were going to do after our missions and all about missions and how things work in the church. I think he honestly just wanted to know, but it was pretty funny. We kind of overbooked our schedule and had appointments every half hour, which were all over the place, so we were running everywhere! 

Thursday: Intercambios (Exchanges) with Hermana A. and Hermana Halling (from !!) So crazy, but it was super nice to talk about things from home with someone:) I learned so much this day. First of all, I got to sleep on the 18th floor on the top bunk next to a window overlooking the whole city of Santiago. How does it get better? Oh, but it does. Having a different companion that does things differently shows another way to do things, not wrong or better, but different. I learned I can and need to show personality while teaching. Because I'm trying to speak a different language and understand and teach the gospel by the spirit all at the same time sometimes its hard, but I was called here to this specific place for the person I am and my particular attributes, and I need to use them! I also learned I can teach in English, too! We taught a less active family from China who moved here about 6 months ago and opened a Chinese restaurant. They made us food and it was so good! We taught them about tithing and shared a scripture in 3 Nephi 13:26-33. It teaches that the birds-the fowls of the air- neither sow nor reap, yet Heavenly Father feeds them. Consider the lilies of the field, they toil nor spin, yet they grow. Are ye not better than they? That hit me so hard.  God blesses those who work hard. I've already seen God's hand here with many many miracles, but sometimes I feel alone and get really frustrated with myself.  But I know if I give my all, God will provide IF I put Him first.

Friday: The parejo (partner) of our investigator we couldn't contact found us! He called us out and we have an appointment with them. Ah, man, God is great. Also, Happy Birthday to my darling sister! Big 12. I thought of you a lot and how much I love you!

Saturday: Had a lesson that didn't go so good with L. We invited a member to come with us (which we were and are very grateful for his time and willingness to come) and during the lesson (which was about the Plan of Salvation and temples) he started talking about things that were going way over his head. Basically spraying him and his dad and sister with a fire hose. It was really hard to sit there and say nothing, and afterwards we felt so sick about it. We said a prayer to help him get the best out of the lesson and help us see the good. Afterward we realized that his dad, who is normally really anti and really closed to the church, opened a little and was showed a lot of interested in family history work. That was a blessing. There are always good things if we take the time to look for them!

Sunday: I love Sundays.

Monday: Don't have much time but let's just say it started out rougher but turned better. Communication is really important, and I had the opportunity to apply ¨reaching out when the natural man would look in¨ (from the talk by Elder Bednar I mentioned a few emails ago in the CCM. It's also in the Liahona for this month!) 

Click here to read Elder Bednar's talk from the Liahona magazine.

I love this gospel. I love being a missionary. It's hard, but God never said it would be easy, only that it would be possible and oh, so worth it with His help. Don't forget to do the little things this week! And find the good in everyday. God really is in every detail, we just have to open our eyes to see them. Love you all! Make this week the best one ever, or not. It's up to you:)

Much love,

Hermana Briggs