Adjusting to the new life

OK, I thought I wasn't going to be able to write again this week because we didn't have electricity when we left our house today. I was really really praying that somehow I'd be able to and I could!!! SEriously, little things like that really affirm how much Heavenly FAther cares about the little things for us. 

I don't have as much time to write this week, but I want to let you all know that I am doing lots better. I am getting adjusted and I feel like I'm starting to enjoy it more. It has been kind of hard, especially because Hermana Olsen the other Hermana that came with me to this mission actually went home this last week because she was sick and honestly was having too much of an emotional time. It was pretty hard on me. It made me realize how fragile the mission really is. I keep on thinking about how long the mission is, but at the same time, I get frustrated at myself for thinking that, because I just want to enjoy the mission! I think I'm gradually starting to really enjoy everything more. I'ts just taking some time to adjust to everything. It's definitely different living with a foreign companion. We have different customs that she thinks are weird. It's kind of funny actually. Like she won't eat broccoli or carrots because she thinks they're dirty because they grow in the ground, but she will brush her teeth with the water here. Haha, seriously, that doesn't make sense to me. And she thinks its weird that I walk around when I brush my teeth and don't stay in the bathroom, ahah. Anyways, we're getting used to eachother and it's gradually getting better. 

Their culture is definitely different. A good way to explain it is... they are very loud and basically... bossy. yep, haha. you could see how they would be hard for me. Everyone has their opinion about EVERYTHING. sometimes our lessons go on and on because the people just talk and talk and talk. haha. Seroiusly, the people love to talk. I'm learning to be a really good listener, or at least look like I'm listening, because I can only understand about half of what they say, haha. Although, my spanish or at least ability to understand definitely is improving. I can understand way more this week than I could the first week. 

As for mom's questions... Yes we cook for ourselves and we do our laundry kind of by hand I guess. there's a machine that kind of mixes them around with soap for 15 min, but you have to take it out and wash it again and rinse and rinse and then you put it in this other machine to spin dry it and then take it out to hang dry. Definitely a longer process, but I'm getting faster at it. As of right now, I'm just grateful we have hot water in this house. Seriously... that is something I'll have to get  used to when I get transferred. It's not always super hot, but not freezing cold. I'm starting to learn the schedule of when we have electricity too. It's usually friday and sunday mornings and other random mornings when they forget to turn it off I think. I literally am super grateful when we have electricity. Oh the little things. I'm going to be in heaven when I return. This last week started out rough, but it really has gotten better. I can feel your prayers. Thank you. Really. They mean a lot of me. I know Heavenly Father is aware of each and every one of us and I'm so grateful for that.

Also, this last week we're really been focusing on getting the members to read the Book of Mormon. I have such a strong belief that the book of mormon can literally change someone's life. I'm so grateful for it. I know there's huge power in reading the book of mormon every day. Our family has confirmed that to me. Thank you family for being so awesome and writing me! I don't have time to write all of you back this week, but I'm VERY grateful for the letters!!!

LOVE YOU!!!!

Hermana Limb

Constanza! The mission has officially begun!

2/15/112
Ok, the first couple weeks in the mission. Where to start. It´s been hard, but at the same time, it´s gotten better as I´ve gotten used to it. So, we are actually the very first hermanas to be here EVER. The branch is way excited to have us here, so we hope that actually converts into wanting to help us a bunch as well. The church is this tiny building with tin roof. About 30 people come every sunday, but yet, we have 16 pages of members. There are lots and lots of inactives here.


As for the actual area, it really is BEAUTIFUL! the drive up here is a little much, because of the windy roads, especially when you´re in a guagua´¨ with 20 other people... but I´ll have to explain that later. The town is pretty much an agricultural town. Definitely not as city like as Santiago. The people really are humble here. Most homes are tin roofs, with concrete floors and walls pieced together with pieces of wood. Only the really rich have tile in their homes. Although, the people really are so friendly. They ALWAYS invite you in and ask you to sit down. Kind of gets rid of the door contact part, but at the same time it´s kind of hard, because everyone says they´ll do whatever you say, but when you return they never do any of it. It´s hard to know if they´re actuall interested in the gospel or just like the visits from you. I don´t think they´d ever actually tell you they didn´t want you to return. That´s the tricky part. Although, we have found some investigators and made some progress. Oh when we got here,
we had 1 progressing investigator. Who knows what the elders were doing here. We heard that Constanza is kind of the place that the elders go to be lazy and not do much. It makes sense to me know. You could definitely see it when we walked into the house the first day. That first day was a little overwhelming. Although, after much cleaning, it is much better now. The house is not too bad. Definitely better than the other homes in this area. Our house is probably the nicest in the neighborhood. All of our neighbors have tin roofs. I´ll try to send some printed pictures soon. We have hot water, but that is if we have electricity. We really don´t have electricity very often.
It has taken some getting used to, but I am definitely getting more used to it.


The whole city is in a valley in between beautiful mountains. Really, look it up if you get a chance.
Ok, now for the reason why I couldn´t email last week. Ok, so constanza is about an hour and half up in the mountains and then once you get to the bottom of the mountain, it´s about another hour or 2 to Santiago, depending on the waiting time in between guaguas. Guaguas are cars that they basically cram as many people as they possibly can and take them to other cities. I can definitley say they are my least favorite part. I´ve had old people, little kids, live chickens (not kidding), and barfing people. Oh and guaguas breaking down or running
out of gas. Well, we´ve had to go to district meetings, interviews, p'day in santiago and this last weekend again to santiago. Well our very first day to the zone meeting, we left our cell phone in one of the guaguas, so we were without a phone until yesterday. Then Wednesday, our zone´s turn to go to santiago, we went, but by the time
we got there and did everything we needed to and then tried to go use the internet, the place was closed and we had no time to search for another, because it was already almost 4 and it would take about 4 hours to get back to constanza. When I realized that I wasn´t going to be able to email, I couldn´t handle it anymore. The foreign country, the spanish , the people yelling at me every time I walk down the street, seriously, i couldn´t handle it anymore. I got in the back of the guagua, for our ride back to santiago, squished with all sorts of strangers and just sat there and bawled. Seriously, that was the hardest point in my mission to this point. I couldn´t take it anymore. I just cried and cried. Although, I had an ensign and so I started to read it. I swear every time I read one of those, it´s exactly what I need. I started to feel better. I really could feel the comfort and love from Heavenly Father. I had been praying for comfort this whole week. Oh and I had been praying for patience, side note... don´t pray for patience unless you really really want it, because Heavenly Father will for sure give it to you, haha. Anyways, I started to feel better. I knew this was just a small moment in the grand scheme of things and
I could handle it. I realized that I just needed to try as hard as I could and do the best I can and Heavenly Father will literally take care of the rest. I don´t need to worry. Especially with the spanish. Basically I´m ALWAYS confused about what is going on. My companion isn´t always good about explaining what we´re doing and when she does, it´s in spanish, so i´m usually still confused. Despite all of that, I´ve felt much more comforted recently. If´you´ve been praying for me, I can feel it. I really do feel like I´ve received extra strength recently. The mission is hard. But I know I can do it. Also, I was just thinking about all of the other things I could be doing right now
or other places I could be and I wouldn´t rather be anywhere else, doing anything else right now than right here in Constanza, sharing the gospel with people. It really is an awesome time in my life. This last weekend, Elder Bednar came and spoke to us. It really was an AWESOME experience. My companion and I went Sunday afternoon and stayed with Hermana Olsen and her companion. The next morning we had a 3 hour question and answer conference with Bednar. It was awesome. As he walked in, I was like 2 feet from him and he turned and made direct eye contact with me. Pretty cool.


Overall, with all that has gone on, I think I´m getting the hang of it. I´m getting more used to things and I´m more at peace. Pray for me. I´m praying for you guys!!!
LOVE YOU!!!!

Hermana Limb