Bus After Bus -Two Months!!

Pics:

1. Celebrating my 2 months whooop whoop!

2. Post-service selfie: we got to help chop and stack wood for one of our amigos in enseñanza. Somos hermanas fuertes ;)

3. Arriving in super rainy Villarica!

4. Sunset during one of our travels... on a bus

Hola todos!

This week was filled with sooo much traveling! We had interviews with President Gervic and also had intercambios, so I think we ended up spending over 10 hours on bus rides. I am also writing this email on a bus so yeah it's a lot. But I got to visit Lanco for a day and it was so nice to be in a new area with new members! I have been a little nervous about transfers because I love Paillaco, but it helped a lot to see and experience a new area as a greenie.

I hit my 2 month mark on Saturday! It's so crazy to me because everyone says the beginning of the mission goes by so slow and then it will start to pick up at the year mark, but for me I feel like it's been going by so fast, probably because I am so terrified of ever having a different companion and everyday feels like a blessing. Hermana Albornoz is seriously the best and I am so grateful for her. But also it's definitely because I love the mission!! Talking to random people on the street and asking them about their beliefs is so cool. And teaching!! That is the best. It's so amazing to see how the gospel brings so much understanding and joy into someone's life. I love being able to feel just a little bit of the love that God has for these people. He is a huge part of this work and we are only the instruments in His hands. I see so many miracles everyday and am so happy to be here. I'm really struggling to explain how awesome the mission is.

My biggest struggle lately has definitely been the language, surprise! It is so easy to get discouraged. Being surrounded by infinite vocab lists and fluent speakers makes it hard to focus on your growth, because all you see is the need for improvement. It has been super hard to feel like I am progressing which can be so frustrating.

BUT- I found this amazing scripture in the Book of Mormon that has brought me so much patience and gratitude for this learning point in my life.

Mosiah 21: 5 &15

5. And now the afflictions of the Nephites were great, and there was no way that they could deliver themselves out of their hands, for the Lamanites had surrounded them on every side.

15. And now the Lord was slow to hear their cry because of their iniquities; nevertheless the Lord did hear their cries, and began to soften the hearts of the Lamanites that they began to ease their burdens; yet the Lord did not see fit to deliver them out of bondage.

A lot of times we feel like we are surrounded on every side with tasks or expectations in life, and that there is no way we can be delivered. So we turn to God and hope that He will deliver us, but He knows what is best for us, and sometimes He does not see it fit for us to be delivered at that time. I am so grateful for this scripture because it made me realize how grateful I am to not be delivered from this challenge of learning Spanish. Yes it is hard, but it would be so sad if this opportunity to learn was taken away. Heavenly Father knows exactly what challenges and trials we need to experience to grow, and He is always there to ease our burdens when we are really struggling.

Sorry this email is longer than usual, but I am so grateful to be on a mission and to be a member of this church. God is so good!

Have a good week!!

Love, Hermana Stewart