November 25th Update

Well, here we are. The last post that'll be written in Chile. That's pretty weird. 

I wanted to talk a little bit about the Chilean people. You've got to know who they are so you can understand why I love them. Of course there are exeptions, and not everybody is the same, but this is a lot of what I saw this year and a half. 

They are such a riot. So, SO funny. They are so passionate and dramatic. They love their families so much. They are the most passive agressive people you ever did see. If they didn't want to talk to you, they just make up some great excuse. Sometimes when we were contacting, people would just yell, "There`s nobody here!". A few times, they'd go leave to go "find somebody", and then they'd just leave us there waiting with their door open. And they sure wouldn't come back. Anything to not be too rude. If you ask if you can share the gospel, they're always putting the baby to sleep, they can't come outside because they've just drank mattè or ironed and they don't want to get their face messed up, they're with their "babies" that are at least 13 years old, they're VERY busy with watching their soap operas or doing absolutely nothing, or "JUSTO estaban saliendo".

 They are just so so so so funny. They sometimes talk while they're inhaling to emphasize something. Sometimes the women are hilarious and boss their husbands around and aren't very nice to them. Sometimes the men are super chauvinistic. I sure didn't like that. They love their country. They love to party and have a good time. They don't mind if things are a little broken as long as they still work. They are very crafty and just make do with what they have. They usually are very nice to help one another. They LOVE el campo, and usually everybody is from el campo and has to go visit their family on Sundays. That's sort of a joke, future Chilean missionaries; Don't get too nervous. They have the most wicked sweet fashion taste. Some are super classy. A lot of the jovenes look like they are living in the 80's, complete with fanny packs and jean jackets and big hair. And 80's American music. The flitès walk around with a speaker box in their hand listening to their hardcore reggaeton. They have crazy dichos and talk crazy Spanish. I mean they don't speak Spanish, they speak Chilean. They love their completos and their meat. They work very hard so they can be able to go home and have a good time. They eat bread for basically every meal, espeically hallullah bread. Don't contact during the Once, which lasts from 4 until 11.They are a very believing people.They have an open culture of faith. They always give you a little jugito with you come visit, maybe even some cookies. They start their lunches with a soup, and then you get the main course, and then a postre. Always. Welcome to dessert everyday. Some are a little bit on the bigger side, and they don't care one bit. The government has put sweet exercise machines right next to the jungle gym if you want to get crazy. They love to live in the moment. They are very loving. Very "de piel". They want to like you, and enjoy being with you. 

In short, they're amazing. I love them so much, and I know they'll always be a part of me. I have learned a lot from them. 

Thankfully, I didn't come on a mission to get translated, as Hermana Humphrey told me, so I'm still coming home imperfect. Thank goodness. But I've learned how to love more. I've learned how to be happier. And most importantly, I have learned how to better love my Savior and my Heavenly Father. I know that I really am not much by myself, but with Them at my side I have seen miracles. I love the idea of the divine discontent that I'm going to keep in my life. To keep striving to be and give the best that is in me every day that I have. I'm excited to see what else Heavenly Father has in store for me, but I am so incredibly grateful for such a beautiful chapter of my life. Thank you for all your prayers, love, and support. They've meant the world to me. 

Just be good, so you can be happy.

Love you all. See you soon enough.

Hermana Lovell 

November 11th Update

Well, we all learned a great lesson in the house in Santa Sabina: Do not tick off the evangelical grandma landlady. For one reason or another, we did. And we had to spend a whole day cleaning our apartment. I also did a crazy mini cambio in Talcahuano one day. It's just been pretty crazy this week.

 

There was a pretty cool miracle, though. We were just using the Ward directory to try to find some of the members, and Heavenly Father definitely lead us to the cute family. Their little boy is named Mosiah and everything, but the RM dad had gone inactive. But! Just the fact that Heavenly Father lead us there, we were able to give him that extra push he needed so he could come back to church. Then yesterday we had this TOTALLY awesome family home evening with them and another family that we're working on. Then this RM dad totally taught the lesson and was this struggling new convert with his wfe and kids that are investigatores. It's just incredible how involved Heavenly Father is in His work. Of course, we do all we can, but we really are just humble and do what we should, it really just all works out in the end. Thank goodness.

 

I'll be honest, sometimes I`ll get weirded out and think, "Oh my heck, I only get three more weeks doing this? Not the rest of my life?" Because really, that normal life of college and family, and thai food (:)) all seems just like something I read in a book. But! I am very excited to see what happens. Life's just great.

 

Whenever you feel bummed out, you should just go serve someone. Just stop thinking of yourself, and listo! You're good to go. When you're unhappy, it's usually just a sign that you're bored.

 

I know that Christ lives, and this is His church. I know that miracles exist. The big kind, and the little kinds that you'll miss if you're not looking close enough. I know that Heavenly Father wants us to be happy, and if we look to Him for Him to show us how, we'll find more joy and happiness than we can imagine. Man! We're sure lucky to be alive.

 

Hope you're all doing great! Take care.

 

Hermana Lovell

November 4th Update

Hey Family and friends,

We're doing good in Santa Sabina. The ward here is a MACHINE. It's pretty incredible. There's like 40 RMs. Like 4 sisters that have served in Temple Square. Our sector is SO so diverse and interesting. We've got some sectors that are SO well off. There's a lot of gated communities, so every once in a while we'll dodge in and out of the gates when cars are leaving so we can get in. It's quite the adventure. 

We had a baptism! The Elders were teaching a man named Pedro who has Parkinson`s. He is the brother of a member, so that was pretty cool that he could get baptized. And do you know what was happened during his baptism?

Mariana got baptized!!!!!!!!!!!

I cannot tell you how happy I am. She finally was able to get rid of the skeletons in her closet, and now she's able to move on. It was kind of bittersweet, because if I hadn't of had the emergency cambio, I would have been able to see it. But, I guess it was just the way it was supposed to happen. 

Hermana Romney and I will be staying together till the very end. We`re Mike and Sulley! Woody and Buzz! We're pals. Sometimes we're a little competitive with one another, but it all works out fine in the end :) So, here I am in Santa Sabina. Starting my last month. It's a pretty weird feeling. If I think about all the things that will be happening soon and all the decisions and things, my head explodes a little, so I try not to. Life is good. Life is wonderful as a full time missionary. Life is wonderful not as a full time missionary. I'm excited to keep doing missionary work for the rest of my life, so I'm not too torn apart about that sort of thing. Life is good, and should be good no matter where you are. All that matters is that if you're obedient to the commandments, you'll be blessed.

Just be good, so you can be happy.

I love you all! Here goes nothing. 

Take care.

Hermana Lovell 

October 28th Update

How many emergency cambios can one missionary get? I guess we'll wait and see! 

Due to a series of unfortunate events, my companion and I, and Hermana Ayuso and Hermana Snyder were all transfered out of Chillan. Why not? So now I'm in Concepciòn. Hna Romney and I got transfered together. We're taking over an Elders sector. This is my third time doing that. What a party. But it is the first time that we also took over their house. It smells so RANK! Just in some key areas, I guess. There were some wet gym shorts in the sink when we got there. What a bonus. 

We got to meet the Bishop and his wife last night. They're like 30. Hna Lorena served in Temple Square, and Obispo Riquelme served in Santiago Sur. They seem super with it. We've got an assistence of like 180. I didn't even really know that could happen in Chile! The funny thing is, for whatever reason there were just two elders there. So at the end of this week, we`ll be having the normal planned cambios. And we're pretty sure that they`ll split Hna Romney and I up and one of us will get to open a sector. I'm sure not dying quietly in the mission! 

Conce is different. The people are more city folk. I really haven`t had any of that for my whole mission, so we'll see what happens. We definitely have some good times up ahead, and we're really excited. It's definitely been a whirlwind. Good news is, Mariana is getting baptized finally this week up there in Chillan. Hoorah! It bites that I won't get to be there, but still, she`s my convert :) She's the best. 

In the mission council today, we were reminded that it`s okay if the mission sometimes is hard. How else could we be able to understand the atonement, and participate in the salvation of souls, if we did not suffer just a piece of what our Savior suffered? I don't think that means we have to go around and be depressed all the time, but I do think it means that this work is real. Service and sacrifice are required. We should love it and enjoy what we do, but the hard times are part of the experience. 

I love you all. Thanks for all your support. I hope you have a great week.

Love,

Hermana Lovell 

PS Enjoy every moment for what it is! 

October 7th Update

Doesn't conference rock!? 

I love it so much. 

We had a pretty crazy week, for some pretty crazy stuff. But I guess that's kind of normal in the mission. 

I think one thing I loved most from conference is what type of role the Savior should have in your life. If you really are looking to feel his love, you will want to reflect who He is as you feel His love. You will able to give your heart to His cause because you already know that it's worth it. He will be your best friend. Someone you'll always feel the presence of in your life. 

I love the idea of what a family should be. It should be not only the most important social unit, but also the strongest. I love the focus of helping also those who have fallen away from the path to have the courage to come back. I love the advice to be meek, to be compassionate. To follow the two great commandments of loving God and loving others. You can't go wrong with that, now can ya? 

I love you all. I invite you to pick at least one thing you're going to change from what you've learned from conference. It's the best way to keep that peace that we feel in our heart. 

Take care!

Hermana Lovell

September 30th Update

Hey Fam.

It's been a pretty crazy week. We basically had an impromptu move houses moment, so that cut out a good portion of our working week. The good news is we're in our house now.

We ALSO got to have the baptism of Francisco. What a great kid! He is so excited to keep making changes in his life. He's already made some drastic ones. We're pretty proud of him.

One of the coolest things was that the husband of Julia came with them to church. Now the whole family is on board to investigate the church: Julia, José Miguel, and their 3 cute kids. We're pretty excited about them.

Mariana´s still coming along. She's going to beat her old habits! I just know it!

Love this work. Love you. 

Lose yourself in the service of others. That is where you find yourself.

Hermana Lovell 

September 23rd Update

So this week has been crazy. 

We had our cambios happen in the middle of the week because of a crazy mess up in the MTC. Our house stayed the same! We are all so pumped. We had 18 DE SEPTIEMBRE here, our indepence day. It was pretty crazy. A lot of happy people. A lot of meat. Dancing the cueca, even though I didn´t really do that. 

Hermana Romney and I are still together THANK GOODNESS. We really have such a good time together. The day after 18 it rained. And rained. And rained. And we were for sure outside for quite a long time. And it was really hard. And you know what? For some weird miracle, I was happy during all of it. All of those smiley rejections and not so smiley rejections. All of them didn't matter. After three hours, we looked up at we saw a rainbow. And then we got into a little old lady´s house and taught her about the Plan of Salvation. You know what? That was such a miracle. Heavenly Father needed to humble us so that we could be better. You always just have to keep holding out for a miracle. The next day we today found the cutest couple named Carla and Jorge. We did it by asking one of the members who always goes out with the missionaries to show us some old investigators. And you know what? That was a miracle, too. 

Mariana! That girl! We've had some setbacks, but we're still plugging along! She's an allstar, and she is going to get baptized. Francisco is actually going to get baptized this Saturday. Still awesome! 

The gospel rocks. I love it. SO. Much. It just makes so much sense. I love how Heavenly Father really wants to give us the desires of our hearts. We have to just have the courage to ask and look for it. "The Lord listens to the prayers of His obedient children". I read that in an ensign. True story! 

I love you all so much. Thanks for everything.

Love,

Hermana Lovell 

Picture. P-day madness with Hna Snyder, Hna Ayuso, Yo, y Hermana Romney