Last Letter 8/3/15

Wow, I cant believe this day has actually come, my last letter in the mission. 

I actually don't really know what to say in this letter. I have so many feelings at this time and I dont know how to express all that I feel.I think more than anything I feel gratitude. I am so thankful to my Lord that He has given me the opportunity to step out of my comfort zone and serve Him with all my might heart mind and strength. I feel that I have truly given my all in this service. And in return, he has molded me into the person that He needs me to become. I am thankful for the people I have met. Who would have known that I could have met so many amazing people and that I could have loved them so much as I do. This past week, Carlos went to the temple and it is seriously the biggest blessing to have been able to teach him so that he could receive the Gospel. If it were only Carlos that had converted in my mission, my mission would feel complete because the joy I feel to have been the instrument in Gods hand to bring him the gospel. I am grateful for the companions I have had during my mission. there are so many sisters, who have truly changed me. I love each and everyone of them. I love my mission presidents and am so grateful to them for all that they have done for me. President and Hna Warne are some of the greatest people I have met. They have taught me so much and have truly loved me like one of their own kids and I am so greatful for their guidance in my life. I am greatful for the chance that I have had everyday to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It is an honor that everyday, I have been able to invite my brothers and sisters to come unto Christ. I will miss that when i return. Everyday that I have taught this last week in my mind I think, wow this is one of the last times that I can enter into the house of someone that I dont know and testify to them of the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ. I am also greatful for my savior. I cant express how greatful i am to know that I have someone who knows me perfectly that gave his life for me. I am greatful that everyday I can repent and try to do better.  I love you all! Thank you for all the support that you have given to me! 

Love 

Hna Ayre

More Miracles 7/27/15

Well, this week has been another week of miracles, we have seen the hand of God so clearly in this work. We had two great experiences this week. First, we were contacting one day because our appointments had fallen through and one of the councilors of the ward called us and told us that there was a member that had a younger brother who wanted to be baptized! He told us that we needed to call Brian to set up an appointment to visit his brother and we called and the next day we had an appointment and Cristobal told us that he wanted to be baptized! It was a miracle. He only has 15 year old so he has to assist church 6 times before he can get baptized but has the desires. 

Also yesterday, we were a little dissapointed because the people we had found have stopped progressing and we didnt know what to do because our pool of investigators shrunk. But we went to the house of a young man that we had contacted last week and his mom answered the door, after talking to her outside for a little while she finally let us pass in and as we were talking to her, her daughter and the boyfriend of her daughter arrived and then her other son came down stairs and all of them are soo amazing! They want to get closer to God and do things in the right way. We felt so blessed to be able to teach them. 

Also this upcoming saturday their is a trip to the temple for all new members and of the new members we have under our cargo there are 5 perople who will be going to the temple! We are so excited for them! 

Well have a great week! 

Love 

Hna AYre

Finding People 7/20/15

HOla!!!!!

This week has been a week of miracles for us. We found many new people to teach and we are hoping in these next weeks we really start to see progress in these people. I love the people here in Chile. They are amazing. Its incredible because I feel that they are part of my family. This week we started teaching a woman named Francisca. Its funny because her dad is neighbor of Catalina and Fernanda my first converts in San Fernando and I have talked many times with her dad. But right when I entered that home I felt that I was with family. Her two daughters sat right next to me and wanted to play during the whole lesson with me. ANd I could relate to Francisca like I had known her for a long time. I am so excited to continue teahcing them the gospel because they are such an amazing family.

We had lunch with the Bishop of our ward this week and at the end of lunch instead of us sharing a message with him, he shared one with us. He talked about Abinadi. He had made a list of all the great leaders in the Book of Mormon who came about thanks to Abinidi He told us that none of our efforts were in vain because we dont know how the life of one will be changed thanks to our service. It reminded me of Kyles story. Even if its not to the extent that we see tons and tons of people get baptized and arrive to be leaders I think the blessing is that every soul is important in the eyes of God and that even if it is one person that receives the Gospel, that one person is a son or daughter of God and God is so grateful that we can help them find the truth. 

Love you all

Hna Ayre

Working Hard 7/13/15

Hola!!!!!!!!

Wow,  I dont know where this week went, its crazy to think that its already been another week. We are working hard here in Rengo. This week we had divisions and it was weird because it was the first time in seven and a half months that I was on the other end of divisions. I am so accustomed to being the one who has to lead the divisions and help the Hnas, it has been super weird not having to be the one that makes sure the hnas are alright and that the work is going well in their sectors. Hna Hellbusch came to Rengo with me and it was so great! Mom, she knows Jill Walton. Also she is friends with Mason Merrill. Small world. But it was great to work with her because she is such a great missionary and I learned a lot.

 

We also had a really neat experience last night. We had a referral for a family of less actives and we passed by last night and the Hna told us her story. Two weeks ago she felt the need to go back to church and she didnt know where to start to begin the process of coming back. But she decided to go to the house of her mom that day and after she arrived the bishop and his first councilor arrived at the house and they started talking and the bishop invited her to come back to church. She told us how real she felt the atonement was. She said that she had always been on the end telling others about the atonement, that it was real and that he always had His arms open to accept them but she said that it has been the best experience to feel it in her own life. She decided that she is going to go back to the temple and that she is going to receive all of the blessings that God has for her. It was such a powerful testimony to me of the reality of the atonement. What she said touched me. Even more, I love that because our leaders were fulfilling with their callings in visiting those who are in need of aid, they were able to answer a prayer of a women who didnt know how to come back. It is so important that we magnify our callings, not because other people are going to see if we dont do things wel rather because God needs us in his work and if we dont work, He has children that He wont be able to touch in the moment that they need it.

 

I love you all!
con amor

Hna Ayre

Chile Gano! 7/6/15

Hola Hola HOla

Chile won the Copa America!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We didnt get to watch the game, we had to be in the house but it was still very exciting for us! I have been converted into a huge soccer fan from my time here in Chile. I love hearing about the games and I love to play. I will miss that about Chile.

 

This week we had an interesting experience, a man came up to us and asked us if we were building something, I told him i guess you could say yes. ANd then he started yelling at us I lvoe you guys but I dont want to see you anymore in my country. Chile is Gods select and we dont need your help. Get out of my country. Go to Africa. I had to hold my tongue because I started to get a little heated up because he wouldnt leave us alone. But I was more worried about Hna WIlliams because she gets more upset about that kind of stuff. I told this man, we need to keep working so will you please leave us alone? haha he didnt listen. We finally could get away from him and he yelled at us one more time I love you but get out of Chile! I just had to laugh.

 

So this winter has been super super dry here in Chile, normally it rains aton in the winter but this whole winter there has been no rain. So the area presidency asked us to fast for rain. At first, I didnt want to because I feel highly blessed that it hasnt rained so far but I did it anyways because I know that that is what God wanted but we woke up sunday morning and we did our studies and we were trying to decide if we were going to ride our bikes to church. We decided that it was better not too and when we walked outside it started raining! And when we got to church it started pouring rain! It was a miracle. It strengthened my testimony even more of the power of fasting. When we need miracles in our life we need to fast because our Heavenly Father is always willing to give us what we need. 

Well I love you all and hope you have a great week! 

Hna Ayre

Hna. Ribeiro Leaving 6/29/15

HOla Hola Hola

I cannot beleive how fast the time is flying, it feels like I wrote just yesterday! We have had a busy week! Its always funny to be in a trio. There is never a dull moment. Especially because we all ride bkes so its quite the parade to see the three of us riding the bikes together. The other day we were riding super fast to be able to get home on time and I changed my gear and the chain fell off my bike. It was super funny, I suddenly was pedalling but there was no movement! Also this week another one of Dads elders came to the ward Elder Martinez. Its crazy that I have seen so many missionaries from Buenos Aires here! 

This week, all of our plans fell through one day and we were trying to decide where to go, and we have a book with all of the menos activos and there directions in it so we decided that we would go find someone named Andres who lived in that neighborhood. When we arrived at the house a joven came out with the biggest smile on his face and told us to come in and we were in SHock! We were thinkng who is this person! He told us that he was baptized 5 or so years ago and that he had started working sundays and for that he hadnt been able to go to church but that this past week, he stopped working in that place and that he now was going to be able to go to church! He was so happy that we came to visit him because it had been a really long time since missionaries had passed by his house. He is 18 years old and we are going to start working with him to help him serve a mission. he and his mom are the only two in there house, his mom isnt a member, she is very catholic but super nice and we think that she has a lot of potential! Andres came to church on Sunday! We were so happy! It was a miracle. God always puts the people in our path who are waiting to here the gospel all we have to do is listen to the spirit so that He can tell us what we need to do.

 

Tomorrow Hna Ribeiro will be going to Curico and Hna Williams and I will continue here. Hna Riberio is going to Rauquen where I was almost a year ago. I left Curico in cambios especiales and I was so so sad because I felt that I still had more work to do there. But it has been such a tender mercy to me because even though I havent gone back, both Hna Chapman and now Hna Ribeiro will be serving there after being my companions and I feel that it is a way that I can continue working there even though I am not physically there. I am excited for this next change here in Rengo. I know the Lord will bless us with many miracles and much work to do. 

I love you all! 

Hna Ayre

Receiving Hna. Williams 6/22/25

HOla Hola Hola

Well, this week we had an interesting surprise, we got a call from Pres friday night at 10:30 and he informed us that we would be recieving another companion the next morning. He told us that we would be in a trio until next week and that Hna Ribeiro would be leaving and that I will stay in the sector with Hna WIlliams. Hna Williams is from Colorado and has 9 months in the mission. It was definitely a surprise. I am super sad to lose Hna Ribeiro, because we were working so hard and well together but so is the mission. The companionships that work great together never stay together for much time. God still wants me to progress and learn a lot more in the mission.

This week one of dad´s elders arrived home from the mission and he is in our ward in the Nieves. It is so funny because I feel that part of the family is here with me. He was telling me how big Nick and Alex are and said great things about mom and dad. its so weird how fast the mission goes because I remember meeting this elder in January of 2014 and he told me that I was going to love the completos! What a small world it is!

This morning, I read in John 21 where Jesus asks Peter if he loves him three times. the third time Peter felt bad and he said Lord, you know that I love you and Jesus invited him, then, feed my sheeps. It hit me so hard this morning. If we truly love our Savior, we must serve his sheep. It has been the biggest blessing in my life to be able to feed his sheep here in Rancagua and I know that I still have a lot more to improve and a lot more to give!

I love you all and hope you have a great week!

Besitos

Hna Ayre

Starting to get Cold 6/15/15

HOLA!

What a week this has been! We keep working hard here in Rengo. Its starting to get really cold. Especially on our bikes, but thats ok we dont want to stop using them because we lose a lot of time if we aren't on wheels. One hermana here told us that we should by one of those face masks to keep us from getting too cold, but i think it would be a little too ridiculous. Who knows, we may end up doing it. 

This week we had zone conference and the day before the assistants called me and told me that they needed me and the other hermana coordinadora, Hna Hall (who was my companion for two weeks) to teach about the importance of how to begin teaching in PME. I feel that I have changed so much because a year ago if the elders called me to teach in front of two zones the day before, I literally would have died. But now I just do it! It was actually fun to have to prepare what we were going to say and how to do it creatively! We did a practice with the whole zone of how to use the bullet points of how to begin teaching without being robotic and teaching to their needs. It was fun because Hna Hall and I had to do an example of how the practice was going to be and we used the assitants and president and Hna Warne to help us. I learned so much about how I can better my teaching for having to teach other people about how to better their teaching skills. 

Also this week, we saw a huge miracle. At the beginning of the transfer my companion and I contacted a women who was sweeping her driveway and she told us that she works alot and that the only day she had ffree was sunday. So finally last Sunday we found her and her and her husband let us into her house and we talked with them and explained a little bit of our message but becaue they have two little kids, it was hard to teach them  because the little kids were running around and the parents couldnt concentrate very much. But this sunday, we returned to teach them and there was a huge change in them! We could only teach Vilma because Pablo was sleeping. But she had been waiting for us and two minutes before we arrived, she went and locked the fence because she thought that we werent going to come. And she thought it was a miracle when we arrived. She had read the whole pamphlet we left her on the restoration before we came and was going to pray but she told us she didnt have a quiet moment to do it before we arrived but that she was going to do it when her kids went to bed. But it was a miracle because we sang and the two kids remained tranquilos during the whole lesson! The spirit was so strong! And Vilma accepted to be baptized! Her only concern was with work she didnt know at what time she was going to be able too! She is so great and her husband is so great too! The only problem is its not her husband its her boyfriend but recently before we arrived they had decided that they wanted to get married! 

Well I love you all and hope you have a great week! 

Un abrazo 

Hna Ayre

 oh also, there is a sister in my ward that served in the same mission as Lindsay in España! Her name is sister Bustamante. She said that she met Lindsay one time in interviews and that they had one of the same companions that is from Bolivia! Small world!

Large Spider 6/8/15

Hola!!!

Wow, what an incredible week! Hna Ribeiro and I are working so hard right now. We get to the house every night feeling soooo tired but it is a great feeling. We have seen so many miracles and we are working with many members who are helping our investigators. We feel so blessed that God has put us together and especially here in Rengo, it is a very special town. 

So funny story for the week. Last monday, we were going in colectivo to our house and I looked out the window, and I dont know why, but I looked up to the corner of the window and my heart dropped. There was a tarantula inside of the car right next to my head! I pretty much jumped into the lap of hna Ribeiro and screamed and she saw the spider and opened the door to get out of the car while it was still moving! and then the man couldnt stop so we had to wait til he pulled over and he opened the door and was to scared to get the spider out with his hand so he had to get a towel out of the back of the car to wipe it out! and then he smashed it with his foot! I was dying! My heart was beating so fast, I couldnt beilieve it. The man said that he had taken a woman from el campo and she had a box with a buch of old clothes and he thinks the spider came out of that box. 

I did divisions this week with a sister who has 21 brothers and sisters. Her family before, was polygamists and converted to the mormon church! Her story is incredible! 

Also I think one of the things that has most been on my mind this week is the difference between the happiness that the world gives us and the happiness that the gospel gives us. We have so many investigators who are incredible but who love to pass time with their friends doing things that they shouldnt do. I always ask in my prayers that they can understand that the happiness that they will receive in the Gospel has no comparison to the things of this world. God knows how to make us the happiest we can be in this earth and its by obedience to his commandments.

 

Well I love you all and hope that you all have a great week! Love

Hna Ayre

Baptism of Carlos 6/1/15

Hola HOla

Well this week just flew by. It was a very special week for me. We saw many miracles and to top it all off, we surprised Carlos by going to his baptism.

 

The baptism of Carlos was amazing. Its a happiness thats indescribable to see someone like Carlos be baptized. Hna Silberman asked me to speak at the baptism and also Mariela, Carlos´s wife spoke. Mariela spoke about eternal marriage and it was amazing her talk, you would never have known that she was inactive for so many years. She talked about how Carlos was just starting his journey in the church and how they both needed to work so that they can be sealed. Afterwards, Carlos gave his testimony and seriously, it was so heartfelt and just amazing! He talked about his process and how he could say for himself it was true and that the Book of Mormon was key in his conversion. Also at the end of the baptism it was so funny because Carlos chose to sing En el Pueblo de Sion, sorry, I cant remember its name in english, but it made me laugh so hard, it's typical Carlos humor, but it talks about the word of wisdom, and it was so hard for him to stop drinking coffee so it just made me laugh.

 

But also other news, today I received an email from a family that I taught in Santa Cruz, Patricia and Gaston and their son Gaston that recently moved to my first sector Centinela. Gaston (papa) was inactivo when I arrived to Santa Cruz. He this sunday, recieved a calling in Centinela as young mens consajero! I am so happy for him! He is so amazing and I can't express what a blessing it was to hear that they are still doing so well.

 

This week has reaffirmed my testimony of the power of the Book of Mormon. A person can't read the Book of Mormon without changing. In both cases of Carlos and Gaston, the key was the Book of Mormon. I know without a doubt that it is true and God revealed it with the purpose of helping us in these days. I know that if any of us need help, the key is that we search in the Book of Mormon how to resolve our problems. What a blessing it is to have this Book in our lives, we should never forget how blessed we are to have it. 

Love you all and hope that you have a great week!

 

Hna Ayre

Rengo is great! 5/25/15

Hola Hola Hola 

What a great week it has been in Rengo! The Lord has given me a huge blessing in sending me here to Rengo to be with Hna Ribeiro. She is such a great missionary and is so diligent. It has been such a blessing. The members here too are so great. They are always willing to accompany us and are super excited about mission work. Its going to be a great transfer. 

Its starting to get colder here, and my hands are frozen here in the cyber. Also here in Rengo, we ride bikes which is actually really fun but with the cold its even colder.

 

This week we had a really cool experience. We contacted a woman in the street and we thought that she was so prepared and we got an appointment and when we went ot the appointment she opened the door and flat out told us, look, I really am not interested in hearing your message so you dont need to pass by anymore. So we were leaving the street and in my mind I was thinking, there is a reason that the Lord wanted us on this street today and so I saw a house in the corner and there was a women outside and I thought to myself, we need to talk with her so I stopped and started talking and Hna Ribeiro whipsered to me that she was a member. In my heart I said a little prayer and asked why He wanted us to stop here or where we needed to go to find the person who was waiting for us. But we talked with this woman and before we left, we asked her if she knew someone who needed the message of the restoration and she told us yes, which was a miracle. SHe told us that her pareja worked with someone who was looking to turn his life around and put it in order and so we set up a noche de hogar and when we went the person actually was there! His name is Darwin  and he is so prepared! He accpeted a baptismal date and wants to learn more! Its such a testimony to me that its so important to listen to the spirit and act upon the promptings received becuase the Lord is in this work and He tells us waht we need to do when we are listening.

 

Also another miracle this week. We were doing our studies saturday morning and in the middle of studies, we received a call from President and I thougth, oh no, special changes, and I was so nervous and he started talking to us and told us that he had an invitation. He invited us to go to the baptism of Carlos with them!!!!! We screamed! We are so excited! It was such a tender mercy of the Lord.

 

Well I love you all! Keep working in the work of the Lord! SHare the gospel with everyone! You never know when there is someone who is waiting to hear this message! 

Un abrazo! 

Hna Ayre

Moving to Rengo 5/18/15

Hola! 

What a crazy week this has been! Being in a trio is loco! There is never a dull moment with my twocompanions. We have been working super hard. We found a golden investigator in Hna Hall´s sector this week. Her name is Camila and she is amazing but her story is so sad. Her mom is a drug addict and lives in the North and a couple of weeks ago got in a huge fight with her dad and recently moved into her boyfriends home. The problem is she is 15 and her boyfriend is a less active member who is 18. He lives in his own house. His parents got divorced and his dad and mom both have some problems and he kicked his dad out of his house and I dont really know what  happened with his mom. But basically Camila loves the church because of the peace she feels and the sense of belonging she feels but we are going to need a miracle to find a different place for her to live because we cant tell a fifteen year old to marry someone and depending on how big the problems are with her dad it will be very hard for her to go back but we know that God makes miracles happen every day and that he will help Camila. 

Also on saturday we put a Bapitsmal date with Carlos! He is so great. He will be the best leader. He assisted a baptism this week and it got him excited for his own. He has so much faith. He has changed so much since the day I arrived. He will be baptized may 30. The only sad part is that I will not be there. I got changed to another barrio. I will now be in Rengo with Hna Ribeiro. She is also from Brazil. I am excited to be with her! She is so sweet and seems like the greatest. She actually was in Machali right before I arrived and she was the one who found Carlos. But I had to give my testimony yesterday in the ward and it was so hard. I cried, which doesnt seem that abnormal for me but actually in the mission I havent cried hardly atall. Carlos was sitting behind us and he was crying too. It was so sad but thats how the mission works. I know that Gods hand is always in the transfer and he has a reason for why I cant be more time in Machali and he will show me why I need to be in Rengo. Also I know that the new missionary who is coming to Machali is also what the ward needs in this time.

 

But I love you all and hope you have a great week!

Hna Ayre

Trio, Carlos Progressing 5/11/15

Hola Hola Hola! 

This week has been a crazy week! We are now in a trio! I am now companions with Hna Hall and Hna Silberman. We are having so much fun together, They are great companions. It will only be for a week until we have cambios and Hna Hall will receive a new companion. 

Also this last monday, I decided that it would be a good idea to cut my hair. Yeah, it wasnt that good of an idea. This women destroyed my hair. Seriously it took all that was in me to not cry in the salon because I didnt want to offend the women but its so bad. Hna Hall says its like a mullet. Its bad. So hopefully it grows really really fast.

 

On the positive side, Carlos is progressing so much. This week when we talked to him, he told us that he is sure that he wants to be baptized! He has been going to church for 2 months straight now, its been a slow processs but its been worth it. He has a lesson last sunday on the priesthood in priesthood and he told us that his motivation for getting baptized is that he wants to have the priesthood, Before, he wanted to be a clergy in the catholic church but he liked women so in the end he couldnt do it. But he has always had desires to serve God. He has so much faith. He will be future bishop and stake president. His biggest challenge is that he has to stop drinking coffee. He hasnt drank in 5 days. We are pretty sure that he will not fall but he should be baptized the 23 May. Keep him in your prayers.

 

I love you all and hope that you all have a great week 

Hna Ayre

Interviews 5/4/14

Hola Hola Hola,

This week was a great week! We have seen many miracles. We have three baptismal dates that we are really excited about. Their names are Tabata, Daira and Andrea. 

Tabata turned 17 this week and last year she was listening the missionaries and was about to get baptized and her mom wouldnt sign the permission form. well, when I was with Hna Chapman, we contacted her mom one day in the street and she told us she didnt want us to pass by because the last time when the missionaries got changed it was really hard for them but after talking to her for a coulpe of minutes she gave us her direction so we could pass by. Well, this week we finally found them and they live in a really humble home, especially for Machali and its Tabata her mom and her brother and sister. The mom sister and brother didnt really want to listen to us but Tabata told us that she loves the church and that it is the church that she likes best of all of them that she has gone to. The only problem is that she told us she is a different person now than what she was a year ago and that if she gets baptized she has to change a lot of things in her life but she told us she wants to make changes! Her mom still isnt very supportive so we are praying for miracles.

 

We also had consejo de liderazgo this week which is also a very fun opportunity to learn from President and the other leaders also to see all of the friends from the mission. Hna Truman, who I lived with for 3 moths in Santa Cruz only has two months left in her mission, I cant believe it. We lived in the same building at BYU before the mission and I was convinced before i left on the mission that we would be companions. It still hasn't happened but we did practices in consejo and the assistants put us together, it was like a mini version of being comps. so that was fun.

 

Also we had interviews with President this week. He told me some really nice things. I feel so blessed to have him as President, he is so inspired and truly loves all us missionaries and the work. He asked me what are the things that I still want to accomplish while I am in the mission, it made me feel so weird. I cant believe how time flies in the mission. I just want to give it my all. I feel so blessed for this opportunity to serve the Lord.

 

Love you all, have a great week!

 

Besos

Hna Ayre

Book Of Mormon Challenge 4/27/15

HOla Todos!

 

Wow, this week has been a week of many experiences. But my companion and I are doing great. we are seeing miracles in our sector.  Carlos is so close to getting baptized. He is the most amazing investigator. We had a noche  de hogar as a ward on friday put on by the obra misional and him and his wife came and afterwords, he took the initiative to get to  know the members and he put together a basketball team to play basketball with   the members this upcoming saturday! He  is pretty much a member, he just needs to let go of his feelings for the catholic church. But we know that he will be baptized in this  change. Our noche de hogar went  great this week. Hna Silberman and I have had to take the initiative in putting on the activites  and bringing to life the activities  because we are lacking in energy among the missionaries in our ward so we have been trying really hard in our part to animate the members  because if it doesnt come from us, its not going to come from any of the other missionaries. But we did a noche de hogar on how to have a happier family and we taught  about a talk by elder Holland thats called Lo mas importante es lo que perdura. Sorry, I dont know what it would be called in english but you all should read it. Its a really great talk about how to  have better family relationships and how we can all live the gospel ttogether! 

Well as of two months ago, president challenged us to read the Book of Mormon and to finish before April 30 and so I am in my last week before i will finish the Book of Mormon, but it has been the greatest experience. I love how everytime I read it, I find something new and I find the Lords council  for me just at the time right when I need it. Something that I read this week that marked me was in 3 Nephi, the people prayed for the thing that they most desired and that thing was the holy Ghost.  Also afterwards Jesus prays for them too that they might have the Holy Ghost and that they might be one with him. It was intersting because I realized that we really can only be one with God and Jesus Christ if we have the Holy Ghost and if we dont have it, we are not one with him. Thats why it is so important that we have the Holy Ghost with us at all times and that we listen to His council.

 

Well I love you all and hope you have a great week! 

Besitos

Hna Ayre

Fecha Bautismal 4/20/15

Hola Todos! 

This week has been a good week here in Machali! Hna Silberman and I are such great friends. Seriously we feel so blessed to be together, also it's so great because she is such a great teacher and has so much fe that it is so fun to teach with her. I learn more every day. We are working hard here. Its interesting because here in Machali the people are wealthier people and are a little bit harder hearted but those who let us into their homes usually truly are interested in learning about the gospel. So thats good. 

This week, we taught a lesson to Carlos with President and Hermana Warne and we put a fecha bautismal. And Carlos accepted! We are so excited for him because he is seriously so amazing and has experienced so many changes. He will be an amazing member. Future bishop and stake president.

But it was funny because we are having zone conferences this transfer and president has been talking about faith and fecha bautismales and he has been sharing our story with the whole mission. it was weird for us but thats ok. also I had to direct the zone conference and it was fine but I was so nervous that we spent the two days before the zone conference practicing directing the meeting, I think Hna Silberman got tired of me, but thats ok.

Sorry family but I dont have much time this week but I will write more next week! 

Que tengan una linda semana. 

Hna Ayre 

Week of Miracles, Carlos 4/13/15

Hola todos! 

Wow this has been a week full of miracles. My new companion is so awesome. Her name is Hna Silberman, de Brazil. Everyone think she is gringa for her last name and the fact that she has red hair. But she is such an example to me because she is the only member of her family and had to sacrifice so much to come on the mission. Really I am so grateful for the circumstances and the family life that I come from, sometimes I think I take for granted the fact that I was born in the church and that I have so much support from my family and friends. But also I am so grateful for people like my companion who are truly converted to the evangelio. It is such a testimony to me that this church is true and that God never asks too much of us. When God calls, doesnt matter what our circumstances are, we need to obey him. And when we do, we have His promises and those are more important than all of the other things that happen in this life.

 

Well, funny story for the week. We ate lunch on saturday and the members were late bringing us to our house and late in serving the food and so we were just going to stay in our sector to work but we had forgotten so many things at home so we decided that we needed to go back to the house, which is about 20 or 30 minutes from our sector. So the member brought us back to the house and my comp had to use the bathroom really bad so while I was waiting for her I got the supplies we needed and then I looked into the room where our bunk beds are and to my surprise, the floor was completeley soaked. We live in a really old house and the bathroom drain sometimes doesnt work really well for the hermanas and so accidentally, one of the hermanas had left dripping the faucet and it overfilled the sink and soaked the entire house in merely 4 hours. It was such a miracle that we had forgotten our materials because the house would have been a disaster if we had arrived later. But we had to clean up all the water and we lifted the carpet wich is not an easy task to do. While we were cleaning we found 2 huge spider rincones which are super poisonous. we have lots of them in our house. It was an adventure to say the least. We left the carpet outside to dry and our room seriously looks like a prison cell now because underneath the carpet is cement and its awful. But as we sing here Es la Mision, esta es la obra.

 

We are seeing miracles in our sector. Last week hna Chapman and I went to a semi reference from one of our investigators, Carlos. Carlos works with all women in metlife and there was a women whose name is Andrea who was passing through a really hard moment and Carlos told her that she needed to pray and talked to her a little about the church. Well we had met Andrea in a contact about a month before Carlos told us that story so we made it a priority to go visit her. Our first visit was good and we got a second visit to go visit her again. We were had planned to teach her about the Book of Mormon but we had left the house late due to a certain situation, but  it slipped our mind to bring the Book of Mormon. So we got to Andreas house we planned that we were going to clear her doubts about the first lesson and get another appointment. Well, in the visit, Hna Silberman asked her, what questions do you have for us? and she told us, the only question I have is how you baptize in the church. We explained to her super well baptism and about the proper authority and afterwords we invited her to be baptized May 9, at first she said, isn´t it a little fast and then afterwords goes, no I just need to do it. I need to prepare myself to be baptized. And then she asked us what she needed to do to be prepared for the fecha. She is amazing! I have never had an experience like that in my mission. Wow, my testimony was strengthened that day that God truly prepares people for us. I know that there are even more people prepared and we just have to be valient in extending invitations to them. I also know that Andrea will be able to help Carlos be ready for baptism too. He is so close.

 

Well I love you all and I hope you all have a great week! 

Con amor

Hna Ayre

New Companion (Hna. Silberman) 4/6/15

Hola Familia! 

Wow,we have had many things happen in this past week here in Machali. But this was the last week of transfers and we will now be getting split apart Hna Chapman and I. We´re very sad but we knew that we weren´t going to stay together. When you get along so well with your companion, its a sign that its not going to last very long. My new companion will be Hna Silberman. She is from Brazil but has red hair and looks like a gringa, she has 4 months here in the mission. Voy a falar portuguese. Im excited President told me that she is great. Its funny because for the majority of my tranfers I have known them before hand.

 

But this week we had an amazing experience. We have been teaching this man named Carlos this whole transfer and he was very close to the catholic church and went every single day to  the church to pray at lunch time. But his wife is a member menos activo and two weeks ago, we gave Carlos a talk from president Monson, Examine the Paths of your feet and when we went back to talk to him, we asked him if he thought what was said in the talk was true and if he believed that Monson was a prophet of God and he told us Si! He actually cried in the lesson because he told us that he has seen so many changes in his life and he knows its because he met us. He told us that he knows the church is true! It was a miracle! I am very grateful for a living prophet and His words and that God still talks to his children in these days.

 

Speaking of conference, it was so great! I don't remember who´s talk it was but I loved the talk that talked about how we just need to be truly good and without guile. We don't need the praises of the world or positions of leadership to do good. The apostle said, actually some of greatest acts of service will only be recognized by God. It made me think of Grandma. I think she is one of the greatest examples of me to be truly good and without guile. Also I loved Uchtdorf´s talk on grace. We´re not saved because of all that we can do, rather we are saved after all that we can do, there is a huge difference. I think of Hollands talk too about the two brothers. Truly we cannot save ourselves. Only our Lord Jesus Christ could do it for us. I think to myself how grateful I am for Him. What a miracle it is to me that God could love such unworthy people even so much that He would give His own son to us. We fall short so many times but we have the hope that He is always there. I think it is the greatest blessing in the world that I have this time in the mission to be able to help other people know their Savior and feel of his love. Well I love you all and hope you have a great week! 

besitos

Hna Ayre

Week Full of Surprises 3/30/15

Hola Todos!

 

Wow this week was a week full of surprises. We got more hermanas in the house this week. We are so happy. I got used to living with one hermana and then the other hermanas got special changed here and we have been having so much fun together. The sad part is that the hermanas got a call and they will be having another special change and Hermana Mccubbins will be going to Talca. We were all shocked. So sad. But God always knows better and he is always doing what we need to keep progressing.

 

This week my companion and I have been studying alot about the atonement because it is the week before easter and it is amazing to me that eveysingle time we study more in depths about the atonement the more we learn and teh more we can rely upon him. We were studying a talk by James E Faust The Atonement, our greatest hope. Everyone should read it to help us prepare for this special week. I love it because we have been talking to everyone about the atonement and what it means to them personally, and for everyone it is something different because we all have experienced the tender mercies of the Lord in different ways. But yesterday in our lesson about the atonemnet our menos activo started talking about the second coming and we talked about how important it is that we live every moment in a way that if He were to come tomorrow, we would be prepared for Him. I always like to think, would I be ready if in two minutes I had to be judged by the Lord. We always need to be aplying the atonement and we always need to be relying upon him. Its the only true way that we can be happy in this life.

 

Well I love you all and hope that you are all prepareing for general conference because it is going to be amazing! We are getting really excited here! take advantage of the opportunity that you have to listen to a living prophet. It is such a blessing.

 

besitos

Hna Ayre

Not A Finished Letter 3/23/15

Hola Family! 

Wow, this week has flown by. Its kind of scary how fast time flies by in the mission. But I am doing great. This sector is a really great sector. I still don't know all of the people in the ward because its soo big. In other sectors that I have been, by now I knew all of them and their kids and there stories but hopefully one day I will know all of the members here. 

This week we had the mission tour with Elder Zeballos and his wife. IT was so great. He will be speaking in general conference and I am so excited to hear his talk. But He talked to us about the importance of the HOly Ghost in the obra misional. I truly have a testimony of the importance of the holy ghost and it is so important that we live every moment worthy of the companionship of the holy ghost. It is the only way we can work in the obra. Our words don't help the investigators convert rather what helps an investigator convert is the Holy Ghost. I have truly seen this in my mission, the more that I try to not get in the way of the spirit the more that a person progresses. 

This Monday, I got an email from one of our investigators in Centinela, Natalia. I loved hearing from her. Its crazy to think that it has been a year since I arrived in Centinela. It was such a tender mercy to be able to hear from her.

So funny story for the week. We found a new family this week and in first place they are so amazing and have so much potential especially the kids they have two daughters and when we taught the first vision the mom asked, and is there proof of what JS said and the daughter goes, mom by faith. It was so sweet. But they insisted on giving us once before we taught them. So we were eating and they put peppers on the table, I don't know what they are called in english but they are really spicy. And I felt pretty obligated to eat one because they put them on the table for us so I started eating it and at first it wasn't spicy but my last bite I think I accidentally ate one of the seeds but it felt like my whole mouth was on fire. I was trying to not make a big deal because we didn't really know the people but 

Great Experiences 3/16/15

Hola Todos! 

Wow, I really wish that I could write you all in spanish. I think it would be alot easier for my mind! This week has been a good week for us! We are seeing many miracles and we are having such a good time together. My companion has a twin and she told her twin the other week that she had found another twin because Hna Chapman and I are so similar. Really, its kind of freaky how much we think alike. I don't even have to finish my sentences. 

But this week we had two really great experiences. First off we found a woman named Claudia who is so prepared! We invited her to be baptized in the first lesson and she said yes but when we invited her for a fecha especifica, she only said no because she isn't sure if she will be here in Chile or if she will be in Buenos Aires. But she told us how she didn't know what her proposito in her life was and that she thought that this is what God wanted for her that she needed to take better care of her spirit! My comp and I left the lesson soo happy. We know that she is who God was preparing for us.

 

In one of the areas in our sector, the bishop of another ward lives. And like three weeks ago we were in that part trying to find a menos activo and we ran into him and he introduced himself and told us that we can always pass by his house and that him and his wife are always willing to help us. He really wants sister missionaries in the ward, for right now there are only elders. But yesterday we had a family night planned with his family and we arrived at their home and to our surprise, sitting in the house was a menos activo that we had found just that week. We didn't invite her but the bishop had noted the other day that we were in that part and we had left her home so he and his wife went to her house on Sunday and introduced themselves and just invited her to the noche de hogar. I was so happy. I love to see members who love to work in the obra and members who even more understand how to work in the obra. I think many times as members, we think that its hard to do missionary work but really all missionary work is is being a good neighbor and a good friend. Really all we need to do is think about the well being of others and when we realize that the best thing for our friends is the gospel it truly isn´t hard to share.

 

I love you all and hope you have a great week! 

besitos

Hna Ayre

Companions and Great Friends 3/9/15

hola!!!!!!!!!! 

This week has been a good week for my companion and I! We are just best friends. It's funny how much we have in common. Its really great because we have the same opinions of lots of things and so in that aspect the work is really easy. we are still in process of finding new people to teach but I know that they are there. Something that I learned this week is about seeing the people of how they can become and not who they are right now. Its truly amazing to think about the love that God has for everyone of us and that he is not a favor of persons rather he sees a ´potential gigante in every one of us. I have felt that as I have testified to the people this week of the truth of the gospel that truly every person is of great worth for our Savior.

 

We received the cookies that mom and dad gave us this week! And we have been super happy. It was a year ago since the last time I have eaten dad's cookies. Dad made them perfectly! 

So funny story for the week... On saturday we didn't enter any home all afternoon and we were leaving the poblacion where we were to go play soccer with members and investigators and as we were leaving there was an elderly woman who greeted us tan friendly that we had to return to talk to her and she let us into her house without us even saying anything and I was like, wow miracle for the day. And then her mom came out of her room and we taught these two abuelitas juntas and it was hard because they didn't really understand and they are super catholic so they weren't truly interested in learning more but as we were leaving Hna Chapman invited the woman Raquel to give the last prayer and she goes bueno, and stood up and in my head I thought oh know. So I quickly told her, when we pray we direct to heavenly father and I taught her the pasos and then she goes when we pray, we start by crossing ourselves and then her mom stood up and started doing the cross thing that the catholics do (i don't know what thats called) but I was trying so hard not to laugh not that it was funny that they were praying but just the situation that we were in was so funny that I couldn't control myself. And I could feel my comp shaking next to me so it was even harder not to laugh. and then she made us get up and stand in a circle with them hand in hand and they started reciting the Padre Nuestro and I almost lost it. I didn't know what to do, i felt that it wasn't really apropriate for us as missionaries to be participating in their prayer circle but then at the same time I couldn't stop them in the middle of their prayer. And I knew that they wanted us to recite the same thing as them so I just was kind of mumbling under my breath but my comp and I were shaking so hard because we were trying not to laugh and as the prayer ended I was like, we need to get out of this house as fast as we can so we don't offend anymore these woman than we already might have offended them so we said goodbye and left but we could only make it to the gate before the laughs came. I was crying I was laughing so hard. 

My companion is so great because she always tries to find what God wanted us to learn from the day because sometimes its hard here because we haven't been entering a lot of houses but she told me, I think today God wanted me to learn that this work is about being happy and enjoying yourself in the work even when it is hard. 

I have great news! Maribel got baptized in Santa Cruz on saturday! I wish I could have been there but I know that it is for a reason that I had to leave Santa Cruz right before her baptism. The most important is that now finally after 6 months, she is a member of this church. I am soo happy for her and I know that her mom will soon follow in her footsteps. I remember one night in Santa Cruz I was really stressed out for all that was going on there and I was praying that God could help me sleep and feel more tranquila and Maribel came to my mind and I felt that she was part of the answer to my prayer of how the rama was going to progress. I know this church is true and it is the biggest blessing in my life. I love you all! 

Love

Hna Ayre 

Machali 3/2/15

Hola! 

Wow, this week has been a crazy week. I feel that I am in a whole different world here in Machali. Our sector here in Machali is all the cuicos (rich people). Also its a ward not a rama and there are so many people that it is overwhelming. In my other area I knew all of the members and super super well but I don't know if we are going to be able to get to know all the members so well here. My companion is super great! She is from Herriman Utah. She is the first companion that I have had who is younger than me. I have always been the youngest in my sectors so it's really weird to not be the youngest. Hna Chapman is in the process of learning spanish. But she is really trying, she almost never speaks english. She tries her best to speak spanish. It was hard though because this week we had a lesson with a member Dani and Hna Chapman told me and Dani that in the last cita they had that they watched the video and I asked her if it was the video of the restoration and she said yes so in the lesson Dani and I were making references to the video of the restoration and the menos activo Nicol had no idea what we were talking about, and we were like, wait, you didn´t see the vid of the restoration and she told us no. And after the lesson, I was like, wait, hna Chapman what vid did you see and she was like the one with Elder Holland. It had nothing to do with the restoration. It made us laugh. But everyday her spanish is getting better. 

Well, this week our mission president challenged us to read the book of mormon from the begining and we need to finish it before april 30. I am really excited about the challlenge. I started over this week and it is amazing how every time you read the book of mormon you learn something new. I love the book of mornon and I love how as I read this book I feel closer to my savior and I learn what He needs me to learn if I am listening. 

Funny story for the week, we got home to our house on thurday night and when we walked in the house, I realized that I didn't have the cellphone and I was praying in my heart that Hna Chapman had it but she didn't have it. I left it in the house of an investigator. and normally I would just borrow the cellphone of another hermana in the house but we live solas and so we had to go to the neighbors house who isn't very happy with us because our grass is dead in front of the house and borrow her cellphone. Luckily we had written the number of the woman but the next day we had to go to the mission house and neither of us knew how to get their so I needed to call the elders but we didn't have their number and I had no idea what to do but then I remembered in my other agenda I had the number of the zone leaders in Santa Cruz so I had to call the zone leaders in santa cruz to get the number of the zone leaders here and then call them. I felt so dumb! I have a goal to be more organized because this isn't the first time that I lost the cell phone. But the good news is the next day we got it back so at least I didn't have to buy a new one this time.

 

Well hasta la proxima semana! Les quiero! 

Hna Ayre

Transfers 2/23/15

Hola Todos! 

Well, we received transfers this week and I will be leaving Santa Cruz. I'm sad because the people here have become like my family. I have lived so long here that its hard to imagine what it is going to be like without them. Yesterday in church la Hna Nadia came up to me crying because I was going to leave. It's amazing how much you can love the people you serve. I will be going Machali in Rancagua. Supposedly its the heavens of the mission. I will be going to finish the training of Hna Chapman. This will be the first time that I will live with one other Hermana no mas. It will be interesting but I have heard great things about Hna Chapman and we are going to be great friends. 

This week was a week of miracles for us. We will be having a baptism here March 7. An Hermana of our converso Oscar called us the other day and told us that she needed to talk to us today, and she lives far away so we were kind of hesitant in  changing our plans to go over there but we went and she told us about how she has just been feeling really down and how she feels that she is kind of stuck in her life so we talked to her and we told her that God wanted her to get baptized that this is what is going to help her get out of her slump and she was really excited and said si! And she came to church Sunday so all there is left to do is prepare the baptismal service. We are so excited for her. Im bummed because I won't be here but thats not what is important. We also have had our converts who have been super menos activo come to church this past week and our other convert who has been super menos activo came too! I am so happy that at least I am leaving the sector looking uphill even though it's a bummer because I would love to stay and work with them more. 

On Sunday, I had to give a talk super last minute and then afterwards, the teacher of Principios didn't show up and the elders told me that they would give the class but that they needed me to open the class because they had to give a blessing and talk with President Warne so I started the class and they didn't show up and so I also had to give the class. It was on exaltation. It actually didn't go so bad. Its amazing how the Holy Ghost can speak through you. Scriptures were coming to me off of the top of my head and we had really good participation it was great. 

I love the mission and am so greatful that God gave me the opportunity to come here. I have changed so much as a person and am becoming the person the God wants me to be. I love that in serving others that you can completely forget about yourself but then at the same time become a better person. This church is true and His hand is in the work! I love you all!

 

Love 

Hna Ayre

Faithful Servant 2/16/15

Hola Todos!

This week was a great week here in Santa Cruz! My companion and I continue working hard! We are loving being together and we are afraid that in this next week when we have transfers they are going to split us apart. its amazing to see how each one of us changes as we pass through the time in the mission and how we begin to see things differently. The mission is the best, even with all the problems there is nothing better that I could imagine doing with my life right now. 

We had a new member that moved into our branch this last week that taught the class in relief society and she talked about something that truly impacted me. This women is a single mom that has two little daughters and one of them has health problems. She also lives with her mother who is in the starting stages of parkinsons disease. She works all day to provide for her family and has passed through very difficult things in her life, but she is the most faithful servant that there is for the Lord. She talked about the importance of carrying our loads well. It truly impacted me that for someone who has all the reason in the world to complain about her circumstances doesn't do it. She puts on a good face and she does what she has to do to provide for her family every day. It was such a good reminder to me that no matter what the trial is, we can support it well. We don't have to be sad people. we can always choose to be happy. Also everyone should read DyC 64:33-34. its one of my new favorite scriptures. 

I love you all and hope you have a great week! 

Birthday Week 2/9/15

Hola Todos! 

I had such a great birthday this week, thank  you for all of the birthday wishes! Last night, one of the members had a noche de hogar with a convert family and invited us and they celebrated my birthday. It was so sweet of them. Also in the house the Hnas were so kind to me, they turned off my alarm and woke up before me and blew up balloons and woke me up at the hour singing happy birthday. We also found betty crocker cake mix and frosting here so I got a chocolate cake for my birthday. It was a day that I will not forget. I will try to send photos. 

This week something that has been on my mind a lot are the two first great commandments. That I think us all as human beings aren't fully obedient to. I think we all should try a little bit harder to love God and to love our neighbors. This world would be such a different place if we could all be a little bit more charitable. We had an experience this week that one of our investigators were kicked out of their home and had to move down the street to live with their mother in law. We went to go help them move all of the things out of their house. If it weren't for us two, they would have been left alone to move all of their stuff and it would have been something really difficult because they have two little girls that they have to take care of. As we were moving stuff around I thought, what a blessing it is to be able to help them. Later, we went and visited one of their neighbors who said I would have helped them but the husband isn't a good guy so I don't think they deserve the help. It made me so sad. The real charity of Christ is helping those that who have done or can't do any good for you, but you still help them because they are still our brothers and sisters.

 

I had such a great birthday present yesterday, we found a woman who is so special. Her name is Marina. She is living with her sister right now because her world was turned upside down this last year, Marina left her house to go live with her boyfriend at the age of sixteen and they lived together for six years but in the last year together, she got pregnant and her boyfriend left her. So she continued on but at the same time she lost her stable job that she had had. So she was left without her pareja and without a job and she kept preparing for the birth of her baby and when she was seven months pregnant she lost her baby. This was as of four months ago. This week, we were walking in the street and we passed her and I just felt that we needed to stop and talk to her and she told us that she had sundays free, so we taught her sunday night and she confided in us so much with the things of her life and she is really interested in our message. I know that she will get baptized, she is so prepared to hear this message, I am so excited for her. 

I love you all and hope you have a great week! 

Con amor

Hna Ayre