August 19th Update

Hey family!

Spring is on the way here, and I'm pretty excited about it. Heavenly Father has really been helping us in the work. We got the BEST reference in the world: Her name is Mariana, and she is one of the coolest Chileans that I've ever met. She's the kind of person that even if I wasn't a missionary, I'd still love to hang out with her all the time. She's 22 and just trying to figure life out. And she doesn't know it yet, but a year from the 6th of September she is totally going on a mission.

My first seminary teacher was the best. He always drew these crazy drawings up on the whiteboard, and for some reason this helped me remember his lessons better. I still always remember when we came in and he had drawn this big football helmet. That lesson was all about how we are all actually on the same side. That a lot of times in life we start fighting between each other, but that's when we've got to remember that we're all on the same time. We are meant to help each other. It never should be me against that other guy that I want to punch in the face. We've always got to remember that the atonement not only works for us, but it should work for others, too. As long as those who have wronged us are trying to repent, we as well should support them in their efforts. I've been reading the new testament, and one of the things that stuck out to me that Christ said is that He invites us to feed the needy and the things we always hear. But He also invites us to visit those that are in prison. I think He was trying to say we've got to support people in their efforts to repent.

Sometimes, that can be so dang hard! You just want to keep being bitter. It takes a lot of effort, but life is definitely more enjoyable when we can have charity and love in hearts for everybody that is around us. I'm learning that. And I'm working on it. We'll still be doing that all our lives, right? Forgiving and being forgiven. And finding joy in the journey. Good stuff. 

Love you all!

Hermana Lovell 

August 12th Update

Hey everybody!

Cambios came and gone. I'm still here with Hermana Martinez! In my group of Hermanas that I'm over, 3 of them just got done with their training, and now they're all training. I'm excited to work with them and help them out.

The Chilean post office is on strike, so..... yeah.... Maybe it'll be over soon and I'll finally get that package that Brittany wrote about like a month and a half ago. I'm pumped.

Crazy day, I've got to go. But I love you all! Thanks for everything. 

Hermana Lovell 

August 5th Update

P-days, ladies and gentlemen. P-days are wonderful. Today we had a zone activity, and it consisted of watching church movies and eating food. I forgot how watching movies really can be so relaxing! We watched God's Army. That movie is a little chreca. We were all scandalized when the missionaries get married in the end. What a crazy depiction of missionary work. But at least it was funny to watch it.

I had some good quality time to write in my journal during the movie. Sometimes that's kind of my way to work things out. 

In life, sometimes it's super easy to get caught up in the details. That "one track course" that you can see in your head, and if it doesn't work out that way you can get really stressed out. But when it boils down to it, with the things that happen in our lives we can ask ourselves two questions: Are you having fun? Are you learning?

Right down to the most perfect person you see, we are all fighting our own demons. We all have things that are hard. But if we're all trying to become better everyday that what we were yesterday, there's really nothing to be ashamed of in our efforts. We are God's Children. He loves us. He trusted me to teach His gospel already full aware of all the imperfections that I have. He gives us our opportunities, even though He is fully aware that we are not perfect. I don't know why we expect to perfect when Heavenly Father sure hasn't ever expected that. 

If we continue on the path of righteousness we have chosen, we have every right to claim the blessings that we have been promised. We may have that one track course picked out for our future, but that's selling ourselves short. Life is meant to beautiful and joyful. We're just here to do our best. That's all Heavenly Father wants and He loves us. We've got so many goals, but if we really have faith in Jesus Christ, we will know that as long as we try our best and have fun, He will give us the desires of our hearts. And He knows those desires more than we do. 

You'll never know when opportunity will come out of nowhere that will change everything. All we need is a heart full of faith and put our faith in Christ. 

I love you guys, and I hope you have a great week. Enjoy the journey!

Love,

Hermana Lovell