Week 39: HOLA Y OI!

HUMP DAY!

For starters, I can´t believe that 9 months have passed. Not that I am counting or anything...

We are seeing miracles here in Ovalle, and we are really progressing with Clemente. He came to church AGAIN yesterday. It humbles me, because for him it is so much effort. Yet he is up at 6 am (even though church starts at 10) and is ready to go! He makes me realize what it really means to be converted.

This week we brought out the bright colors, and the Christmas decorations! I´m my mothers daughter! Good think I have a companion that is supportive. (: It is just wierd to have Christmas in the summertime. It doesn´t feel right, but hey. What doesn´t kill you makes you stronger says Kanye West..(I think he sings it... I can´t remember)

I still love all of the stray dogs here and want to take them all in. We can´t, so our elderly neighbor who lives alone does. She´s an angel.

Hermana Andrade and I are super great friends, and really we are SO enjoying this change we have together. If we ever seperate, I might cry. Pretty sure we were friends before this life.

I love Ovalle. The members are GOLD. AND we are going to have a talent activity, and yes, we will be doing a Book of Mormon Rap. Gotta whip out my dancin skills.

So I am reading the New Testament, and I just LOVE Paul. Why did I never read it before in my life???

I loved this verse in Acts 19

11 And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul:

Short. Simple. But PROOF that the Lord works miracles through us to bless the lives of others.

GO and be somebody´s miracle!

I LOVE YOU ALL!

Hermana Watt

PIC: Just re livin my disney days

PICTURES

Comments from Amber:  Kam's offical "hump day" is Oct. 28th.  I sent her that shirt for her hump day.  Kam said the tradition for the Hermana's is to stuff their shirt to look prego because half way is 9 months.  Get it?  I told her that a fake prego pic of her when she is wearing a shirt that say's "hump" on it takes on a whole new meaning.  The other pic is of her and her comp and a member, Carolina.  Kam is still a trainer and her new companion is from Brazil.  I talked to Kam this morning via email back and forth and she is loving her mission.  She recently had an interview with her mission president and he is very pleased with her and her work.  She really needed to hear that.  He even told her to thank her parents for raising such an incredible missionary.  :)

Week 38: The Savior Makes All Things Right

WELCOME TO SUMMER.

This week I haven´t been able to tell the difference between Ovalle and an oven. Oh how weird it will be to have Christmas in the sun. Let´s just say I´m not in Rexburg anymore! (; 

This week was so great! We met a man named Clemente. He is in a wheelchair, and he lives alone. He LOVES the gospel and wants to be baptized. We are hoping he can be baptized in November (: 

My companion and I are doing super well here in Ovalle. We are so lucky to have an amazing ward, and to be here with all these people who are super receptive! It is a great blessing, and we are so thankful!

This week I learned so much about the power of TRUE happiness. Really, happiness is an option, and the Lord wants us to be happy. It is all about how we think. Bad thoughts, and critizism are from Satan. The Lord loves us. He really does. 

I can´t believe it is almost nine months. Where does the time go. WHERE. I have no idea, but I never want it to end! 

I LOVE YOU ALL!!!!

Love, Hermana Watt

PICTURES

Week 37: Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?

HELLO everyone!

FIRST off, we had changes! I am training again, and my new companion, Hermana Andrade, is from BRAZIL!!!!

This is a blessing, because I have been praying since the beginning of my mission that the Lord would help me learn Portugese. I have had this huge huge desire, and now, Hermana A is teaching me SO MUCH. Guys, I might just be forgetting english. But that`s okay. (: I love training, because really, I know I am only called to train because there is something that I need to learn. I have already learned SO much from Hermana A, and I am SO excited for this change!

Janet is scheduled to be baptized on the 26 of October. We are praying for her, and she is SO happy to be going to church and reading the Book of Mormon. In fact, she always invites her sister over to hear the lessons too (: She is progressing so much, and really, it has changed my life to see how the Lord has blessed her life. Her daughter Tanya, isn`t sure yet if she is ready, but we are praying she will see the example of her mom, and follow. 

I LOVE OVALLE. When we had changes, I was scared I was leaving, but I didn´t and for that I am so thankful. There is still a lot of work here to do in Ovalle (: What a blessing! 

ALSO... who would have thought that missionaries had to go house shopping? Yeah. Me either. We need to find a new house, so they called me and told me to find a house for them to rent! I learned that the mission teaches you more than just things of the gospel, but it prepares you for life! Wish me luck! 

In my personal time, I have started to read The Bible. I LOVE the bible, and I have already learned so much. Today I was reading in Romans, and these verses really stook out to me. 

 31 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, whocan be against us?

35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

 37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels,nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,

 39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Pictures

Hermana Andrade and Hermana Watt

Zone Conference

I wonder what she is teaching

The Zone

At an Organize Activity

Sister Andrade and Sister Watt

Week 36: I LOVE CONFERENCE!

What an inspiring week we had! And what a blessing it is that we have a latter day prophet to lead and guide us. 

The talk that stole my heart was actually the talk Dieter F. Uchtdorf gave in the women's broadcast. It changed my life, and I recommend everyone go watch it if you haven't already. 

This week was literally a week full of conferences for us, so look for pictures on the mission blog! Wahooo. 

Sorry I don't have many updates from the week, but I do love you all, and appreciate all of your support! 

LOVES! 

Hermana Watt

Pictures

Sister Jones and Sister Watt

Service Project...Painting a fence.

Watching General Conference

Sister Jones and Sister Watt

Week 35: That... mankind may be saved

I found this picture, and it really spoke volumes to me. 

I realized this week that the Lord, our beloved Savior, is there ALWAYS. Look at his gentleness in this picture. It reminds me of how He is with each of us, in every moment of our lives. Just like children depend on parents, we depend on our brother, to help guide us back to the Father. It was no small task to prepare the way... but He did it anyway, without hesitation, without resentment, without a doubt. In fact, He - with joy and determination -  paved the way for us to be HAPPY, to enjoy pure joy, pure love, pure hope, and most of all, He gave us purpose. 

Doctrine and Covenants 138:4

4 That through his atonement, and by obedience to the principles of the gospel, mankind might be saved.

Week 34: in behalf of those who knew not God

Hello to all! 

This week was SO much fun. For those of you who don´t know, September 18th was the Independence day for Chile. It is a HUGE deal here, and they celebrate it for a whole week! We had the opportunity to spend a few hours at the ward activity where we ate a lot of Chilean food, and we did some awesome games that I can only remember doing at girls camp!!! A lot of tug-of-war, and 3 legged racing. Not the easiest thing to do in a skirt, but we managed! We also got to try on some of the traditional dresses that they wear, because apparently dancing is a big thing here. They have these fancy dresses and everything. It was a blast to expierience a little more of their culture. I may or may not have participated in the potato sack race. I will neither confirm nor deny. 

We have a really good family that is progressing so much right now. It is a mom, a dad, and their daugther. Their names are Gustavo, Janet, and Tanya. They are seriously a family of gold, and they have been waiting for the truth, and ever since they have found it, they have been working so hard towards baptism! We hope and pray for their baptism on the 11th of October! Crossing our fingers! 

Ovalle has been FULL of blessings, and I have realized that really the Lord works in the most mysterious ways, and that these people really are people, not numbers. Each person matters SO much to Heavenly Father, and to be a mediator through the process is the greatest gift in the whole world.

I have a strong testimony of the power of fasting, and how such a small and simple sacrifice can bring about the greatest of blessings, more than we could ever imagine. 

I love the Lord, and I am full of joy that I have this opportunity to serve Him. Oh how I have reaped blessings unimagineable, and Oh how greatly He has blessed my family. I am forever grateful for the opportunity to learn and grow closer to Him everyday, because without Him, it is impossible to find true, and pure joy. 

I LOVE YOU ALL! 

Hermana Watt

Alma 6:6

6 Nevertheless the children of God were commanded that they should gather themselves together oft, and join in fasting and mighty prayer in behalf of the welfare of the souls of those who knew not God.

This ward party for Chile's independence day humbles me.  I complain when they run out of food at ward parties, lol. Tug of war, three legged races, potato sack races in real potato sacks.  It is so little house on the prairie!  Kam loved it though and participated skirt and all!  

Sister Evans and Sister Watt

Tug of war

Man down!

Three legged race

Kamryn in the sack race

Other Hermanas in the Ward

The jump for joy!

The View

More of the view, pony rides at the ward party.  ( I feel like I've stepped back in time with this ward party, lol)

Original Chilean Dress

In Chilean dress

Kamryn's Halloween decorations

Week 33: Cheerfully, and with patience

Hello!

This week was FULL of miracles, and really, it is times like these where I am just constantly praying and thanking Heavenly Father for all of the blessings he gives us. 

We found 2 famlies that have so much potential to progress, and I am so excited to teach them more about the loving plan that God has for us! They are amazing.

We have this less active family that we are visiting a lot because the mom is a drug addict. We stopped by this week to see how they were doing, and one of the little boys (Matias..5 yrs) said..."Hermana, I found a scripture that I love that I want you to read." He then flipped through the book of mormon to Mosiah 24:14-16.(below) I cannot even begin to tell you how much I learned in that moment from that 5 year old. He taught me that the Lord is ALWAYS there. He also proceeded to tell me that he KNOWS these words are true because the holy ghost tells him that it is true. What an example, and honestly, in that moment I couldn`t hold back my tears. 

I bear a firm testimony that the Lord DOES visit his people in their afflictions, and is always there to help us. It is one of the biggest lessons I have learned here on my mission. 

I am now a pro at washing clothes by hand, and I am proud to say that I have had to conquer my fear of spiders, because there are more of them here than there are people. Also I may or may not have a love for dogs... HOW did that happen? And, I am forgetting all my english. 

LOVE YOU ALL! 

Hermana Watt

PIC: Me and my ivestigators, Rosa and Patricio

14 And I will also ease the burdens which are put upon your shoulders, that even you cannot feel them upon your backs, even while you are in bondage; and this will I do that ye may stand as witnesses for me hereafter, and that ye may know of a surety that I, the Lord God, do visit my people in their afflictions.

 15 And now it came to pass that the burdens which were laid upon Alma and his brethren were made light; yea, the Lord didstrengthen them that they could bear up their burdens with ease,and they did submit cheerfully and with patience to all the will ofthe Lord.

16 And it came to pass that so great was their faith and theirpatience that the voice of the Lord came unto them again, saying:Be of good comfort, for on the morrow I will deliver you out ofbondage.

Pictures

Kam and her investigators, Patricio and Rosa (look someone taller than Kamryn finally!

Kam in front of "Why So Serious?" Street art

Kam's District

A menu

Kam and her dogs!

More wall art and Kam

Sister Evans and Kam in their Halloween headbands.  Amber says, "All this mom could find in August!"  Amber does a fantastic job finding things to send to Kam for all the holidays, birthday and Christmas.  Kudos to Amber!!  She is such a good mom.

More Halloween goodies sent by Amber

Another of Kam's doggie friends!

Penny gave Kam one of their family calendar's before she left and apparently Kennedy Taylor is Mr. July.

Sister Evans and Kam

The sink they do their laundry in!  Are we spoiled or what?

Even more wall art

Kam and the town in the background

Picture of her area.  Looks like a pretty poor area.

Another stray!  They sure love her!

Kam smelling the roses

Locking up their heat supply before they head out