May 11, 2015 -- Mother's Day

These past few days have been super awesome! 

On Friday Orlando, Max's dad, said he wants to get baptized :D  This is a HUGE change because when I first got here Hna Espinoza told me that he was super nice but didn't want anything to do with the church.  He's been going every week for almost a month now, and he's made a huge change in his life.  This is one of the best if not the best part of the mission.  People, the gospel changes lives!  It's not always easy, and the trials and difficulties of life keep coming, but when people are living the gospel they are happy in spite of the problems life can throw their way.  I've seen it in my life and in the lives of others, and it's the best!

Got to Skype talk with the fam bam yesterday for Mother's Day, and it was the BEST :D  Families are the coolest, and I'm super happy I can call my family mine.  Shout out to them for always making me laugh so hard.  Love you guys!!

Today for P-Day all the missionaries got permission from the Mission President to watch "Frozen" and even though it was in Spanish it was super fun.  We met up with the Hermanas from Pucón and the Hermanas from the other branch in Villarrica to watch it, and now I have all the songs stuck in my head, haha.

Even though it's a day late, Happy Mother's Day to everyone (especially sweet sweet Margo).  Thank you to those of you who have been a "mom" in my life.  You all mean so much to me and even if you don't have your own children you've made a big difference in my life, so thanks :)

Stay sweet,

Hermana Coombs

May 4, 2015

This week flew by, and I can't remember a ton of what happened because I don't have my planner with me, but I'll do my best to remember it all.

This week I hit the half-way point in the mission, and I can't believe I've already been out in the mission for nine months.  I know everyone says this, but I can still remember my first few days in the mission as if it were yesterday.  Haha, back in those days I thought I could speak Spanish, but boy-oh-boy was I wrong :)  Nine months later I speak a lot better, but I keep learning everyday.  

It's really incredible how much one learns in the mission.  I've learned a ton about myself, about the church, about how to be a better member and person in general, and I'm sure I still have a lot more to learn.

The mission is the best :D  I love it here in Chile and the people are the best.  Even though I can't remember what happened this week I remember laughing a ton. 

The ash from the volcano hasn't been too much of a problem, but there were a few days when we had to leave with masks, and one day when we couldn't see the sun, but it hasn't been a problem since then.

Shout out to my family for being the best.  Love you guys!

Saw a lot of miracles this week, and we're looking forward to even more.

Have an awesome week!

Keep on keeping on,

Hermana Coombs

April 27, 2015

This week was a pretty good week :)  Lots of awesome things happened.

First of all, Nicolas (one of our investigators) went to church yesterday :D  He said it was the first time in six years that he was going to church voluntarily.  He said he really liked it too, so that's even better!

We're also starting to find some new people who are interested in what we're sharing, and it all starts with that.  Like the prophet Alma said from the Book of Mormon, "But behold, if ye will awake and arouse your faculties, even to an experiment upon my words, and exercise a particle of faith, yea, even if ye can no more than desire to believe, let this desire work in you, even until ye believe in a manner that ye can give place for a potion of my words."  Speaking from personal experience it's so true.  Even if we only have a desire to believe, if we experiment/investigate with this message we'll eventually receive our answer if these things are true or not.  I know they're true, and if you don't know for yourself make it a goal to find out :)

……..

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Other exciting news from this week, Volcán Calbuco exploded and the ceniza (ash) made it all the way here to Villarrica and Pucón.  The missionaries in Pucón have to use masks to not die from the toxitity of the ash, but we're all good here in Villarrica.  The morning after it exploded it was super grey in the morning, and there is a thin layer of ash still covering the cars here, but nothing compared to the ash covering Puerto Montt. ………..

………  Keep on praying and reading your scriptures.  It's the little things that make the big difference.

Stay sweet,

Hermana Coombs

April 20, 2015

Buen día a todos! (o tarde o noche depending on when you read this)

This week Presidente Obeso visited Villarrica for our Zone Conference, which was awesome.  It's always pretty top notch when we can talk with Presidente y su esposa.  Haha, la Hna. Obeso is one of the funniest people ever.  She always stresses that as missionaries we need to do our exercises in the morning, and even though it's such a small thing (and even though a veces I would prefer to "meditate" and call it mental exercise) it makes a world of difference during the day if I've done my exercises and done them well.  So if you're a missionary or not I'm going join in with Hna Obeso and say "do your exercises!"  Trust me, you'll see a big difference in your day. :)

This week it rained a bit, but not too much.  From what the people have said it can rain for months straight here in Villarrica, so I'm soaking up the sun as much as I can before the rains start and don't stop.

The majority of our investigators got sick this week and we couldn't visit them, so that was a bummer, but we contacted and talked with a lot of new people this week.  A lot of people like to ask where we're from and I always like to have them guess, and the majority of people think I'm German.  Pretty cool, but that I know of I don't have a drop of German blood in me.  The only German part about me is that I grew up in Schaumburg which was founded by Germans.

Embarrassing moment for the week:  We were walking in the street one night trying to find the house of someone we talked with, and when we decided to turn around and head in another direction I tripped and fell, but boy oh boy did I fall.  With my backpack I probably looked like a turtle on its back.  Hahaha :D  The good news is that we were on a really busy road and only my companion, 2 pedestrians, and a car saw it.  Luckily it wasn't in the morning when basically all of Chile can be found on that street.  Haha :)

Keep reading your scriptures everyday and revisit the conference talks again!

Les amo mucho!

Stay sweet,

Hermana Coombs

April 13, 2015

Well, not a ton of time to write, but I wanted to share a few quotes:

"Patience is not passive resignation, nor is it failing to act because of our fears. Patience means active waiting and enduring. It means staying with something and doing all that we can—working, hoping, and exercising faith; bearing hardship with fortitude, even when the desires of our hearts are delayed. Patience is not simply enduring; it is enduring well!" - Pres. Dieter F. Utchdorf

And remember, "You're never fully dressed without a smile" :D

Have an awesome week!!

Keep on keeping on,

Hermana Coombs

April 6, 2015

Hope everyone had an awesome Easter!  I love this time of year because it focuses on the most important event in history. Christ really lived, really died, and really was resurrected. He lives and he is present in our lives.  I know it. 

General Conference this weekend was incredible.  I loved the focus they placed on the family and the importance of families.  I'm so incredibly grateful for each and every one of the family members I have.  You guys are the best!  I know that the messages were inspired for each and every one of us, and if you have the chance to read them or listen to them again take advantage of it!  Try to find ways and set goals to apply what you learned in your everyday life.

The decorations turned out well for the activity, and it was an awesome :)  We all had a really good time.

Last but not least we found out cambios.......

Hermana Espinoza and I are staying together for at least one more cambio :)

Love you all tons!  Keep on doing the small things every day. "By small and simple things are great things brought to pass."  

Con amor,

Hermana Coombs

March 30, 2015

I don't have a ton of time, but I hope the pictures make up for it.

Highlights from this week

- Still haven't died from the volcano

- Intercambios with Hna. Pettitt 

- We got to chop wood for an Hermana en la Rama

- We're preparing an activity for Easter, and Hna Espinoza and I are in charge of the decorations (even though we are the least creative people on the planet), but the good news is that one of the Hermanas en la Rama is helping us out a ton

- We've laughed a ton this week :D

As you're all preparing for Easter take time to think about Jesus Christ and what his sacrifice means for you personally.  He lives and is present in our lives.  This weekend in the General Conference His prophet and apostles will bear testimony of Him and give us counsels that will help us grow closer to Him.  I am so thankful for all that He has given me thanks to his sacrifice for me and for each one of you.

Have and awesome week!

Love you all tons!

Hermana Coombs