6th Month Reflection

19 September 2016

Wow I love you all so much! I opened my email today and had so many amazing, wonderful emails to read. You all are such blessings in my life! My knees are doing so much better, literally I have felt all of your love and prayers. I am making sure to take great care of myself! Muchisimas Gracias!!! This week Chile celebrated so much!! Yesterday was the grand 18th of September but today as a rama we are celebrating and having a great time! I love this rama so very much!

President Isom is here but we have not yet meet him yet... I will try to send a picture! He and his wife are going to be amazing!

So we don’t have a ton of investigators right now and I am still trying to take it easy! So I decided I would do a 6 month mark checkup... I can’t believe I have been out for 6 months!

Last night we had to enter the house at 6:30 so I was just thinking a lot about this mission experience! I truly feel so blessed to be here in this beautiful country... I feel so blessed to have helped Jorge enter into the path and be baptized... I feel sooo blessed to have the most amazing companions and to meet so many amazing missionaries! I love the wards that I have been a part of! It hasn’t been easy to learn Spanish but I love it... Speaking another language and now being able to communicate with these people I love so much! I’m so grateful to be a missionary, at this time in my life... Everyday my testimony is being strengthened and my love for the gospel grows even more.

I just started crying last night because truly looking back from the start to now... Jesus Christ my Savior has been right there by my side through every step of the way. I was thinking back to my third night in the CCM and just how sad and frustrated I was with the language and now I just look at how far I have come. I know with all my heart that my Savior is right next to me through everything. I just can’t say enough how grateful I am for the mission... In 6 months it has changed my life in so many ways! This is experience is one I literally can’t find the words for.

During our meeting as a District, our District Leader had us stand and talk about who we were in the mission.. He then drew a line on the board and wrote before and after and on the line he wrote Expiacion (Atonement) and the Spirit was so strong for all of us! Truly the mission has changed all of us and it is because of the Atonement of our loving Savior Jesus Christ! I’m a changed person forever just because of these 6 months. I can’t even begin to imagine how much more I will be able to change. And the amazing thing is that the Atonement is for ALL OF US! We can all use it to be better than the person we were yesterday... He is by your side every step of the way cheering and waiting patiently for you to come unto Him. Go to church and learn of Him, go to the temple and feel of Him, pray to feel His love! I love my Savior with all of my heart and then some more, and He has so much love for all of you! Not only do I have the amazing opportunity to invite people to Christ every day, but every day I am coming more and more unto my Savior! I love you all and cant thank you enough for all your love and support! La mision Chile Osorno is the greatest! Con Mucho amor!

Ate lots of yummy food this week and got to even make some empanadas! Also Hermana Cook and I made keychains for our Zone... They all loved them very much!

-- Hermana Falslev

Week of Difficult Trials

12 September 2016

Alright this week was not easy for Hermana Falslev.

So Monday night we had a Family Home Evening with familia Villanueva in our ward so that we could help the dad with English. Well I just had this feeling to ask him how long he has been in the Church and he told us an amazing conversion story! He was baptized when he was 18 and got married to his wife who has always been a member... After being baptized he took up smoking and drinking again and was not doing well at all... He would do really well and then he would do really, really bad and he was involved with a lot of drugs. His son Bryan when he was 15 told his dad that he needed to change his life around and become a dad and he said that when his son said this that he felt as if God was talking right to him. He started crying while telling us all his story and now he is such a strong member in the Church... He teaches institute and NEVER misses Church. It was so amazing listening to him tell his story... The Atonement of Jesus Christ is sooooo real! It literally had such a big impact hearing his story and he is now 6 years free of drugs and alcohol! This Gospel is amazing and can truly help anyone... Mauricio Villanueva is an amazing example of the Atonement... it was probably one of the favorite moments of my mission to listen to his story. 

Monday night when we got home, my knee, that I have been having problems with, was really bothering me, so I called my cute Hermana Arroyo and she told me that I needed to stay in the house until Friday.. I’ll be honest I started crying because I DID NOT WANT TO STAY IN THE HOUSE ANYMORE. But she didn’t change her mind so Hermana Cook and I stayed in the house until Friday night when we left to take a member in our ward a card for his birthday... Well... We were walking down our stairs, and there is no light to help us see, so I missed the last step and fell right on both of my knees and it hurt so dang bad... I finally got strength to walk back up to our apartment and I look down and my knees are all bloody... So much pain as well... So Hermana Cook called Hermano Moreno who is in our Bishopric to come and give me a blessing with another Hermano because my knee was already bad and so this just made it so much worse. I called Hermana Arroyo and she told me I would need to go to Osorno in the morning.

Saturday morning I went to the hospital and had an x-ray and they said I had a lot of swelling in both of my knees...So there is my bad luck story. I am doing a lot better now! I’m just really frustrated but I’ve been able to stay positive through this! I found a scripture in Doctrine & Covenants last night that really helped me so much... D&C 24:7-8 “For thou shalt devote all thy service in {Chile} and in this thou shalt have strength. Be patient in afflictions for thou shalt have many, but endure them, for lo, I am with thee, even to the end of thy days.”

I think this is one of my new favorite scriptures. I love Chile and my mission so much and so I was so frustrated with myself that I couldn’t work. But I truly feel the love my Savior and Heavenly Father have for me. I’m so grateful to be here in beautiful Rio Bueno. I’m so grateful for the Priesthood! I’m still happy as ever and my companion has taken really good care of me and kept me super happy! I know that these experiences are just preparing me for the future... that is exactly what the mission does for me, prepares me and makes me strong for my future! I know my knees will be better this week! We have sweet Carla Ruiz that we are hoping can get baptized on October 24th for her 16th birthday! 

I love you all and I’m so grateful for all the prayers that are sent my way! The mission is amazing and thank you for all your love and concerns about amazing President Obeso! Our new President is President Isom from Wyoming and he will be here Friday I believe! Ahhh time is going by so fast! Love you allllllllll.

I CANT BELIEVE I HIT SIX MONTHS!! I hope you all enjoy my bloody pictures... the cow leg was so nasty, haha culture shock.... 

-- 

Hermana Falslev

Heart Breaking Week in the Mission

5 September 2016

Wow, so much happened this week.

Friday we had a Conference with President and the unexpected happened. He was telling us all how much he loves us and getting super emotional and then he told us he has cancer and he will be returning to his home in Mexico by the 16th of this month! WHAT! I think all of our jaws dropped and then he started to cry and so did his wife! I think every single missionary was crying, some were bawling.

All I know about our new President is that he is from Wyoming and his wife doesn’t speak any Spanish and they have three kids! I didn’t hear what is name was because I was still trying to take in what President had said. I still can’t believe it! He didn’t say what kind of cancer, just that he needs to receive treatments! He then bore his testimony to us and so did sweet little Hermana Obeso! Then we all got to take a picture with them and President gave all us Hermanas a hug and he told me thank you for all my excitement to share the gospel! I love him and his wife so much! So in two weeks we will be getting our new President.

This week was good just like always. I love Rio Bueno so much! We are teaching a girl named Carla and she is 15 and loves our Church. She comes every week with her uncle literally every week! So we are going to work and fast for her parents to let her get baptized on the 24th of this month for her 16th birthday! She is amazing! I love the families here and they are always so willing to help us out! Chile is getting ready for their Independence Day which is 18th of this month and I love seeing red, white, and blue everywhere! Also spring is coming and I didn’t even have to wear a jacket today. Everything is getting more and more beautiful! I love Chile so much! Not much really happened this week but every day we are looking for more people that are ready to listen to us! I love being a missionary and sharing this light with others! I feel so blessed to have had President Obeso! He is such a power leader and so loving and has the strongest testimony ever! He said he wants to see us after the mission with our spouse and to tell him that we are married in the temple and doing well! Sorry I wish I had more to write but I want to send more pictures of my beautiful Chile! Thank you for all your love and support! 

-- 

Hermana Falslev

New Area & New Companion - RIO BUENO

29 August 2016

Hola everyone! The mission just keeps getting better... My new area is Rio Bueno! It is a town a little bigger than Preston, ID I think, and it is about 40 minutes from Osorno! It was hard to say goodbye to my sweet Hna Arroyo. She was so cute and sad that I was leaving her. My suit cases were packed to the limit and so heavy, haha, I’m in trouble.

My new companion is Hermana Cook from Columbus, Ohio! She is 20 years old and she has 4 brothers! She is a huge fan of Ohio football. We are so much alike and are already best friends. I know that companionships come from our loving Heavenly Father and I feel like I just keep getting the best companions. Rio Bueno is so big.... I want to say three times the size of my old sector! We have lots of people to teach and I will talk about them more next week. The ward here is amazing and so loving. I feel like me and Hermana Cook are going to see so many miracles together this cambio! My birthday was fun and celebrated all week haha it was great! Thank you for all your love! 

Something I wanted to share was this week; I and Hna Arroyo went to Presidents house to talk to the new missionaries about their health and what they need to do to stay healthy and happy... So we begin our presentation with Hna Arroyo talking in English and I in Spanish and it was funny. They all thought we were so funny. But then we started the presentation and I could not speak English for the life of me and I was embarrassed... It was the craziest thing I could not speak haha all of the ones from the states thought it was so funny even my companion thought it was funny then I got a hold of myself! It was just a cool experience for me because I feel like I was just in their spot a week ago and I now I can speak SPANISH! Then I was talking to President and he was like Hermana Falslev I’m sending you to Rio Bueno because they need your excitement... Can you do that? And of course with the biggest smile I said, Si Presidente voy hacer lo! And that’s what I did these last 5 days. I’m giving everything I have and I really have seen so many miracles with my amazing Hna Cook! 

Sometimes I just think to myself that the mission should be harder or why is the mission so easy. And really I think it’s all about the attitude we have... Because it’s not easy to be far from family and friends in a different country speaking in a different language but I AM SO HAPPY and I believe it’s because I choose to be happy in every situation and it’s helped me rise above everything! Me and Hna Cook during our companion study on Friday morning just starting sharing our testimonies about the gospel and the mission and all the things we have learned and the Spirit was so strong! 

THE MISSION IS LIFE CHANGING.... I’m so happy here in this little part of the world sharing this beautiful gospel! I feel so blessed every single day and I know with all my heart it’s because I have amazing people at home praying for me! LOVE you all! 

--

Hermana Falslev

Birthday Week

22 August 2016

Hola!! This week was crazy just like every week haha. I went to work in Fresia with a Hermana Piscoya because her companion is sick so I was working in a different sector for three days! It was fun to leave my sector and help a different sector. This is the first time in over 20 years that Hermana’s are in this sector... So to see a blonde missionary for them was very different. I felt like everyone was staring at me... but no worries in about 4 months I believe I will be brunette. Anyways I don’t have much to talk about my sector and our investigators because Hermana Arroyo was working in our sector. Fresia is a small like town that reminds me a lot of Preston! I was so happy there... and there is a view of four different volcanoes and its breath taking! CHILE IS BEAUTIFUL!!!

This week we had Stake Conference and wow what a special experience to see so many beautiful members from all the different wards and our Stake President has been a member for eight years and is amazing and so bold! President Obeso and his wife talked in both sessions and it was all about FAMILY! And all the missionaries were dying about how trunky it was hahaha. There are truly no words to describe how much I love my family. Being 5000 miles away has grown my love for all of you more than I could ever imagine. I am so extremely grateful for my mom and the amazing example she is to me. I’m so grateful for where I come from for my sweet grandparents, for all of my cousins and aunts and uncles. I truly feel overwhelmed to have so many amazing people in my life. FAMILY IS SO IMPORTANT and we get them for ETERNITY if we endure to the end! I’m so grateful for the power of the priesthood and temples that allows us to be with our loved ones forever. I loved conference as you can see. 

After we got to the house my companion, Hna Barrios and Hna Piscoya decorated our house for my birthday because cambios are this week and who knows what is going to happen! I was so happy haha I love surprises! This is going to be an amazing week. I’m excited to see what this cambio has in store if I stay or go I will be happy! I’m so grateful for this amazing journey and all that I am learning every day! The mission is unlike anything and I’m in the most beautiful place in the world!!!! Chile Osorno!! Love you all!! 

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Hermana Falslev

Week 23

15 August 2016

Wow what a crazy and amazing week!

Tuesday Elder Packer came to our mission and he and his wife and President and his wife all talked to us and it was amazing! The Spirit was so strong and all the talks were based on the Holy Ghost and how important it is to have the Holy Ghost with us in our companionships, houses, and most important when we are teaching! We got to have lunch with them and everything! Such a special experience and he told us that Elder Rasband is going to be coming in November!! Whoooo so exciting!

Thursday was one of my favorite days of the mission so far!!!!! We had a cita with this lady named Sofia! We started the leccion and she was telling us how she doesn’t really believe in God because there is so much horrible things in the world and all this stuff and me and Hermana Arroyo just started testifying and teaching from the Book of Mormon and it was as if a light went off in her and she started crying and we bore testimony. My companion asked her that if she prayed and new these things were true that she would be baptized the 10th of September and she said YES! It was one of the most amazing experiences of the mission... To literally see an investigator change in a lesson... She then ended the lesson with a prayer and it was the sweetest prayer ever... I cannot put into words how I felt during this lesson...Sofia has been an answer to my prayers... someone that was ready to listen to us!

Sunday I was in Fresia with Hna Piscoya whose companion was with my companion because of sickness... so I got to experience a different sector and ward which was super amazing... This ward had 10 people show up and I had to give a 12 minute talk and lead the music! I was leading the final hymn and we were singing The Spirit of God and I just started crying... Looking out seeing this little rama and the Spirit that they had was amazing and the Spirit was so strong!! I love the power of the Holy Ghost! I cannot even write all the amazing things that happen each week because there are so many!!!! I LOVE MY MISSION!!

Today I am writing later because we went to Volcan Osorno!!! Let me just say that I believe that I am in the most beautiful mission in the world! The drive was MUY MUY BONITA! Familia Rodriguez took us and it was so much fun! I say it every week 100 times but truly I love my mission! This sector has my heart... I’m so nervous for cambios! I love this work! Thank you for all your love and support! If anyone is reading this and deciding if they want to go on a mission or not, GO!!! Best decision of my life!!! (Don’t be to jealous of my photos this week) haha

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Hermana Falslev