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

September 16th Update

Hey Family!

 

This week started out super rough. We had some weird stuff happen with some new converts. But you know what? Perserverance is the key. If we keep plugging along and do everything we can to do what we know is right, good things are always on the way. And that's true! This week, Francisco´s getting baptized. His parents don`t want to give Nicole permission, so she'll just have to be awesome and come anyway. Mariana and Mariana and still working up to baptism, but we're still just helping them make some pretty drastic changes in their lives.

 

For whatever reason, these past 3 or 4 days have been hilarious. I know it really is just an attitude thing. We are the architects of our own happiness. I know that accountability is the way have real happiness. That, at the end of the day, what we do with our lives is always been us and Heavenly Father. He knows what we're capable of.

 

Our pursuit of happiness is the pursuit of becoming like Him.

 

I love you!

 

Have a great week.

 

Love,

 

Hermana Lovell

September 9th Update

Faaaamily!

Me and Hermana Romney are having an awesome time together. I just know one of us with get transferred soon, because I don't think it's allowed to have as much fun doing the work as we're having. Sure I'm training, but she already knows everything, so not really. 

Please. Everyone. PRAY FOR MARIANA. She is the coolest Chilean you've ever met, and she's got her baptism this Friday. She's fantastic, but everyone needs help! Francisco is still a rockstar, and Mariela is progressing, too. 

It's starting to get beautiful here in Chile! And, surprisingly, hot. Just a little. I know it's going to be just fantastic being here for the summer. Chillan is renowned for their cold winters and hot summers. But, I lived in Utah my whole life, so I'm not too worried. 

Two weeks ago we got a visit from Elder Gonzalez, and he really stressed to us the importance of REAL growth in the church. It's looking to increase church attendance. More people receiving the blessings of the sacrament. If converts aren't being a blessing to their ward and aren't coming, that really isn't really church growth.

Fun fact: I have got a friend who is crazy. I don't know what she has, but she she's got something. She's like 30 years old, and a member of the church. She just does what she wants. Her name is Nancy. She's always got some serious style. She always rocks this sweet blue eye shadow that normally gets smeared everywhere. Somehow she found out that we have district meeting every Tuesday, so every once in a while she'll pop in out of nowhere. Like week she just came in while the zone leaders were giving us a pep talk, and I just like to act like it's totally normal. I just say, "Well hello, Nancy!" And I kindly escort her out. This time she came to tell me that she had a Christmas present for me. Why yes, it is September. But who cares! I sure didn't. She left it with the nice construction workers to give it to me later, but I told her it would be better for her to go get it and bring it to me. She went and got it gave it to me. I opened up the wrapping, and it was a beautiful stuffed doll with a little plaque in her hand that says "Gracias, Mamá". What. a. WIIIIIIIIN! It was pretty great. 

But Fact! I love being a missionary. So, SO much. I love working with the ward. I love teaching the people they love. I love talking to people on the street. There are so many people with desires to follow Christ. And do you what? We have what they're all looking for! The gospel is beautiful because it works, it's true! All the blessings that are promised our real! We've just got to open our eyes and see them! God blesses our lives in so many incredible ways. If we really can remember that, and put our faith in Him and not in ourselves, He really can make miracles happen in our lives. 

Love you all!

Hermana Lovell 

September 2nd Update

Hey everybody!

There is such a thing as an emergency cambio. When even though it's not time to change everybody around where they´re serving and who with, it happens anyway. Why yes, that happened to my sector.

The assistants called me last night to tell me that tomorrow I'll be going to the airport to pick up my new comp. I'll be training. Woohoo!!! Hna Martinez is going to Tomé where the beautiful beach is, and she's going to be in a trio with 2 of the coolest missionaries that there are, so that's not too bad. They told me that my companion is named  Hna Romney, and she played for BYU basketball. Oh my heck. I am so excited. I am sure she is such a rock star.  

Mariana is still incredible. We are pals. She is progressing wonderfully to her baptism. We also had the biggest coolest miracle of all: ALAN IS GETTING BAPTIZED.

Alan is the son of Carmen, he's 19 years old. Carmen and 3 of her kids got baptized about two months ago. When we first started teaching them, Alan was the super skeptic. He didn't really feel like there was a God. But, about 2 weeks ago we were having an FHE with them as a family with some other members, and I don't know who asked who but before I know I knew it our 2nd counselor in the bishopric had gone with Alan to give him a Priesthood blessing of health. And his problem disappeared instantly. And then, out of nowhere, HE came to US asking to be baptized. He told us "Before I felt like you were just here selling the gospel. But now I know that it's true." WHAT AN ALL STAR. So, all is well here in Los Copihues.

Change is a part of life, and it follows you wherever you go. You might as well learn to love it. Like our wonderful prophet says,

"The future is as bright as your faith."

True. Story. 

I love you all! I hope you enjoy every moment you've got. Life's too short to do anything else. Take care.

Hermana Lovell 

PS I think the mail strike´s over, so feel free to go crazy :)

August 26th Update

This week was a week of miracles. One of, dare I say it, the best weeks of my mission? :) And do you want to know what? It's because we're working with the members. And it rocks. 

Real leadership happens when Heavenly Father teaches you how to have success, and then you share that. You share it with your kids. You share it with your friends. That's real service. And do you know what the real way to have success in this life? It's the gospel of Jesus Christ! It's faith, repentance, renewing baptismal covenants or making them, listening to the Holy Ghost and doing to things to keep it a part of your life, and to keep doing all those things. THAT is only doctrine, the advice you need. There are a million other opinions and advice about how to have success or how to be happy, but really if you can do those 5 steps, you're nailing it. Heavenly Father has commanded us to do it, and if we do it, we will be blessed. We've got to patient sometimes, but the blessings. always. come. Believe it! Test it out!

Mariana is still a rockstar. I totally know she's going on a mission in a year. We've been finding some great people to teach by working with the members. I love being a missionary, and I love the things that I've learned that I know I'll apply for the rest of my life. 

I love you so much, and I hope that you take time to look for the little miracles that Heavenly Father does in your life. They're there. The trick in life is to look for them, and realize that you can't do everything. And that's okay. Because He'll pick up the slack. 

Hermana Lovell