Its Raining, Its Pouring

Hola Todos!

What a week! It rained a ton and we have been a little wet. The bad thing about rain is that no one comes to church and sometimes people dont answer their doors because it is rainy. The good thing about rain is that sometimes people feel bad for you as you are knocking doors and let you in. Hahaha! We look like Teletubbies in our rain ponchos. I actually love the rain. 

Dita (daughter of Patricio) has been reading the Book of Mormon and feels like she has recieved an answer from Heaven but has fears of being baptized if she is just going to fall afterward. We are trying to help her with that. We also taught Cristobal a 15 year old that doesnt live with his family and his mom past away a few years ago. He reads every thing that we leave him and seems interested. We found a new investigator, Kata, a 14 knocking doors in the rain. She accepted a baptismal date for the 15 of May. WOOT! Miracles are real, yáll. Alejandro is still smoking and it is hard for him to stop. We will probably have to drop him .That is the hard part about missionary work. 

I have discovered something this week. It is not enough just to plan if we do not DO. Sometimes we sit around and plan and plan and plan but if we would jsut get on our feet and DO stuff then things actually get done. Sometimes instead of arguing about the problem we just need to be the one to fix it. Being a doer and not just a planner is an eternal perspective. 

 My two favorite Chilean foods combined. Empenadas and pastel de chocolo. This is Hermana Carreño. She reminds me of Grandma Larsen. She made this beautiful creation.

Haha. Also, I taught Hermana Camargo to say ¨Stinkin¨ instead of ¨Freaking¨because I said it sounded nicer. (She only knows a few English words). At one moment as we were knocking doors in the rain and no one would let us in she turned to me and said ¨Stinkin persons¨. I laughed super hard. I love her!

The church is so true. I know it! I am so grateful for this chance to serve. I love it more and more each day.

All my amor!

Hermana Leah Kelson

leah.kjeldsen@myldsmail.net

Hermana Leah Kelson

4 Norte 1112 Casilla 631 

Viña del Mar, Chile

Taking My Own Advice on Happiness

Dearest People of my homeland and anyone else who happens upon this,

How I love you all. Really truly. I love you all. Thank you for the part you all have in my life.

 

This is from the birthday party we had as a zone today for our district leader. Have I mentioned that Elder Quinton Dickerson is in my district and is the companion of my district leader. I see him at least once a week and we talk to him every night when the district leader calls. It is crazy that 2 OHS tigers end up in the same city in Chile. CRAZY!

This week was full of a lot of tears: because of the good, the bad, the ugly, and the many many miracles.

This week we had intercambios. The hermana leaders are great and suggested that my companion and I have interviews with the Zone leaders this week. Let me just say that sometimes we dont know we are unhappy until someone tells us so. :) Haha. I have been trying so hard these last 3 weeks to convince myself that I was happy. But each day it got harder and harder to be happy and I was more and more irritated with life, my companion, the work, investigatores, members. I got more and more depressed and wasnt laughing, wasnt smiling, and was just plain sad. My poor companion. I have just been super stressed as a trainer I think.

 

Anyway, this interview was exactly what I needed. The Elders told me they noticed I havent been happy. I started bawling quite unattractively and said they were right and asked what I needed to do to change. Haha. #hermanas. They helped calm my fears and told me I was doing enough. They shared personal experiences and helped me know I am not alone. I realized just how unfun I have been with my companion. POBRECITA. Thus, I have tried harder to be a happy missionary. And it has worked. :) You know how I always said, ¨Happiness is a choice. We have to choose to be happy!¨Yeah, I am trying to take my own advice. :)

 

 

 

This week Patricio came to church with Sandra and their daughter Dita. They all stayed for all of the meeting despite the fact that it was Patricio´s birthday! In the Gospel Principles class at the end he made a comment and told the class that we, Sister Camargo and I, had knocked on their door at just the right moment and that he has found a happiness that he had been craving. He was crying as he said this. It was one of the sweetest moments I have ever experienced. I have never felt something so fulfilling as missionary work. I am a literal instrument in His hands. After church there was a baptism of a few of the Elders in our ward and stake. We asked them if they wanted to stay. Dita really wanted to so they did! Dita told us this week that she really wants to know that the church is true and that she feels really comfortable there. She wants to be baptized when she knows it is true! MIRACLES!

This week I was also reading in Mormón 9. There it says that God is a God of miracles. I prayed that morning for miracles and then worked to see them. There were many miracles. Many many miracles that day. We found 3 new investigators and taught many lessons. I testify that God is a God of miracles. If we ask in Faith (faith meaning that we believe He will and then ACT to see those miracles) that He answers our prayers and miracles happen. 

I love you all. Miracles are real. I see them every single day. I love the mission. I really truly do. There is no other place I would rather be. 

 

A tarantula we found. We took this picture from VERY far away and with zoom.

 

 

Hermana Leah Kelson


leah.kjeldsen@myldsmail.net

Hermana Leah Kelson

4 Norte 1112 Casilla 631 


 I broke through my first pair of shoes! #missionarycheckpoints

Conference is Spiritual Feast

Hola Todos!

 

Aileen is a member that has been helping us lately. She is great! We love her!

IN between sessions Saturday we bought Chorrillana. Its is like Animal style fries from Inn and Out but on steriods. It is fries with lots of meet, fried onions, spices, and fried eggs. The three of us ate the whole thing. :)

What a wonderful conference weekend. This week was really really hard. I feel like I failed a little bit as a missionary at moments this week. I have been angry and frustrated more than once. But conference both humbled and comforted me. 

I loved every conference talk from President Eyring to Elder Holland. I cried through it all. I had the chance to watch it in English. My companion was upstairs on splits watching it in Spanish. We both rejoiced for the new temple in Lima Peru, where my companion is from. I testify that these are the Lords servants and that when we listen, understand, and APPLY their consejo we will be blessed more than we can imagine. I urge you all to make GOALS from what you learned at conference. It is not enough just to take notes and think ¨Well that was nice.¨What is the good if we do not apply it? I, myself, have much to apply. I was slapped in the face a few times and have a new resolve to honor the sacrament and my baptismal and temple covenants.

This week the word of wisdom and the law of chastity have been what have been holding back our investigators. That has been really hard. I testify that the commandments are real and that there is power when we decide to keep the commandments. When we decide to stop doing something against the commandments it will be very hard. There is no doubt about it. But it is possible with Him. 

People tell me my Spanish is getting better. :) Thats good. I am still very far from perfect but I am better. :) I feel like that is the theme of my mission. I am very far from perfect but I am getting better. I have never had my weaknesses so exposed. I have never wanted so badly to improve. I have never been so grateful. I have never had a love for someone that I just barely met like I have here on the mission. The mission is incredible. Incredibly hard but incredible.

Last pday we, had a picnic with the other hermanas in our zone with permission from the Presidente. SO GREAT.

Thank you all for your experiences and hope and emails. I love it all. You have lifted me more than you know.

You know you are a missionary when even your shampoo talks about the resoration.

Amor! Olay!

Hermana Leah Kelson

leah.kjeldsen@myldsmail.net

Hermana Leah Kelson

4 Norte 1112 Casilla 631 

Viña del Mar, Chile

Its and Easter Miracle!

Hello All!

Here is a tiny puppy we found in the street, yes I washed my hands.

This week has been absolutely amazing. This week has made my whole mission worth it. I am so so happy.

This week we had a zone conference with our zone and one other zone from Valparaiso. Presidente Diaz came and taught us. He talked about miracles. I loved that he said in the story of Moses parting the red seas that they people had to take a few steps in the water (faith) before the miracle could be performed. I believe in miracles. I also believe that faith proceeds miracles.

 Our ward mission leader and HIs wife had their baby. SHe is only 5 days old in this picture. They had us over for Sunday almuerzo after she gave birth. WHAT THE NICE PEOPLE!

 

Directly after our zone conference we called a member to accompany us and went for a cita that fell through. We decided to go for a future investigator. On our way, Patricio and Sandra (Patricio is nonmember and Sadra is a member) saw us walking and invited us in. My companion, smart little thing, launched into leccion 1. I followed and the Spirit was definitely there. In the end Patricio accepted to be baptized and when we told him we were preparing the date for April 10th he told us that that is his birthday. I started to cry. I told them I felt something special with their family and testified that they are no coincedences. In the end, we were all crying. The Spirit was SO strong. It was a HUGE miracle. I feel so blessed. And then this Sunday Patricio and Sandra and her daughter Dita all came to church and loved it! We all wanted to take a picture because they loved it so much!

We also had 2 other investigators (Alejandro and Carlos) come to church too! It was phenomenal. It was an Easter Miracle. I dont think anyone truly understands how happy missionaries are when an investigator comes to church. My companion and I were so excited!

We found a street sign for the sister missionaries! jaja

This is what a normal morning looks like. Its gets Chili! No pun intented :D Or maybe .

This week I also had the chance to watch womens conference. It was at 9 pm here in Chile. I cried as the choir sang. How powerful! I realized that there is no place better for me right now. I need to be a missionary here.

How I love this gospel! I know that He lives! I know that through the atonement there is power! I know that there are miracles every single day. I know that miracles are the manifestation of His love for us!

I LOVE YOU ALL! The church is true!

Hermana Leah Kelson

A picture of my Half Birthday!

leah.kjeldsen@myldsmail.net

 

Hermana Leah Kelson

4 Norte 1112 Casilla 631 

Viña del Mar, Chile

5 months, Baptism, and Miracles

Hola Todos!

Wow! It has been an incredible week. Last week was really hard and now I know why. He was preparing me for some really great miracles. I can always tell right before miracles happen because it gets really hard or Satan gets really bad. Other example of this: Joseph Smith and the first vision. Yes people, hard times actually mean that miracles are coming.

This week I got to be a part of a baptism. An 8 year old boy in our ward was baptized. His parents are married in the temple and all that jazz and have been members for forever but they asked us to come and teach him the lessons so we have been teaching him for like 3 months. (started with Hermana Mckendrick) His name is Bruno. He got baptized this week on his 8th birthday. So special. I cried. He is kinda like my first baptism. It was so sweet and incredible. He gave the closing prayer in sacrament meeting yesterday and the ward was dying of cuteness.

This Sunday was the first Sunday that investigators asisted the iglesia in my misison. Yes, gettting people to come to church is probably the hardest thing on the planet. And it wasnt even one of our investigators that we thought would come. Valentina and Alejandro are old investigators that hadnt been progessing so we left them. But this week my comp and I visited them and invited them to church and they came! It was glorious. The ward was really great with them too! Alejandro is 17 and Valentina is his mom of about 45 years. Please pray for them. They want to come next week.

Our other investigators are good but just need to COME TO CHURCH! Haha. It is wonderful. Time really flies here in the mission when you are working like crazy. I have officially been out for 5 months. Loco. I am seeing that I have changed a lot. For the best.

The church came out with a new easter video! I encourage you all to watch it! (https://www.mormon.org/easter). I have seen it a few times now in Spanish and it gives me chills every time. I testify that Jesus Christ lives. He lives to comfort me and you. He lives to support us and lead us through the hard times. I testify that He will be there to lift you up when you feel like you will never stand again. He will dry your tears and give you the strength to move on. He has done it with me So many times on my mission. 

I love you all! The church is so true! JESUS CHRIST LIVES! Go spread the news! Aleluia!

Hermana Leah Kelson

leah.kjeldsen@myldsmail.net

Hermana Leah Kelson

4 Norte 1112 Casilla 631 

Viña del Mar, Chile

Week of CONFERENCES

Hola Todos!

Wow! What a week! It has been wonderful, hard, and fun. We put a baptismal date with Liz! She told us she knew she had to get baptized and wants her daughters to get baptized too. She even broke up with her boyfriend so the law of chastity is no longer an issue! We also found some good new investigators. We have been hiking hills like crazy and are SUPER tired. My poor companion. But we have seen miracles. 

This week we watched a area missionary conference from Elder Bednar. HOLY PALTA! What an amazing amazing conference! He didnt speak. He asked the missionaries what the spirit was telling them and expounded on that. He also had the missionaries ask questions. Now I wasnt actually with Elder Bednar. It was a broadcast for all of South America. So no, I didnt shake his hand or anything but it was really really powerful. He is a master teacher. I loved that he explained that the SPIRIT is the teacher and that we must grow in a process. He told us not to take notes on what he said but on what we felt. My favorite part was Sister Bednar. Someone asked how we can be humble and keep relying on the lord for our whole mission. Sister Bednar explained many times in her life when she said Ï just dont think I can do this¨. (pregant with baby 3, when Elder Bednar was called into the stake presidency, when Elder Bendar was called as pres of byui, and when Elder Bednar was called as an apostle). She said that every time that happened she would fall to the floor and cry but that through CHrist she could do it. She says she regrets saying it the final time because she had seen the way he had strengthened her in the past and knew he would do it again. I have falled to the floor many many times and cried in the mission. It is really hard. But you know what? He strengthens me daily.

My sweet companion is an angel. My Spanish is improving rapidly. I love her. I feel bad that she got stuck with me as a trainer because I am learning more from her than she is learning from me but she is wonderful and we cry together daily. One thing we kept saying this week was ¨Why didnt anyone tell me a mission is like this?¨She has a sister that served a mission in Bolivia and she was frustrated at frist because her sister never explained how hard a mission is. But I explained that no one truly can. A mission is hard but it is also wonderful. Truly wonderful.

We also had Stake conference this Sunday. The hard part was that our investigators didnt show so our baptismal dates fell. That was really really heartbreaking and my eyes have never been so dry from crying. But the coolest part was hearing the talks in Spanish. This conference was for all of Chile! (A broadcast) It was awesome!! Mary Duham of the general primary, Dean M Davies of the bishopbric, Ulisses Soares of the 70, and Presidente Russell M. Nelson all spoke. The only talk that was translated was that of Mary Duham. The others all spoke in SPANISH! It was so cool! I made me realize that I need to keep up my SPanish skills. :)

I have learned this week that our challenges are very specific to us. He knows us perfectly and personally and thus our challenges will help us grow in the way that He needs us to grow. Sometimes you are so exhausted that you dont think you can keep going but He will lift us up to help us do His will. I know that He is there every step of the way and sees every tear that we shed even when no one else does. 

I love you all. I love this gospel. I love my Savior. More than words will every express.

Olay!

Hermana Leah Kelson

leah.kjeldsen@myldsmail.net

Hermana Leah Kelson

4 Norte 1112 Casilla 631 

Viña del Mar, Chile

Miracles, Pulagas, and Legal!

Wow! What a great and hard week! We have worked like crazy and seen some wonderful wonderful miracles. Hermana Camargo came trained and it is so fun to get to know someone from such a different country and with a differnent culture. I love it!

This week we found Renata. She is 16 and let us into her house when we knocked on her door. It had been a long day and we decided to knock one more house. It happened to be hers. She lives in a one room apartment thing next to her family. Its kinda weird but okay. :) We gave her a LDM and invited her to pray. The next time we saw her she said she read, prayed, and felt a feeling of relieve. I asked her if she thought that was an answer from God. She looked and me and said, ¨Si¨. WOW! Que milagro. She has a baptismal date for 27 of March. We invited her to church and told her we would come get her. The morning of we passed and knocked and knocked and called and nothing. I was really really down about it. During the sacrament I cried and prayed and asked, ¨WHY!¨ I just couldnt understand why it isnt easier to have people come to church. THis is the literally hardest thing as a misisonary. I was comforted by a hymn (I think number 62 in Spanish) and felt better when Conny, our antingua investigadora bore her testimony. It was beautiful. She should be baptized in April. 

We also found Ela. She is someone we contacted back in Enero but we passed for her this week and she let us in. We gave her a LDM and on our next visit she told us our hugs had given her a sense of relief that she couldnt explain. Que milagro! She prayed with us and is excited to continue. The interesting part is that she didnt read the LDM but her husband did. #chaching. Vamos a trabajar con eso.

It is getting colder in Valpo. My body is like ¨What¨cause I have had eternal summers. :)

Funny story: As we were walking to church there was a lady in the street with a broom. Kinda crazy. As we passed by she greeted us ¨Hola Señoras.¨and then began to say a bunch of things that didnt really make sense until she said ¨Señoras con vestidas de abuelitas¨. AKA She told us we had on grandma dresses. JAJAJA. Yeah, I know we look like granmas but whatevs. :)

Also I have pulgas (AKA fleas) again. Ugh. And today we did all my legal paperwork to make me legal in Chile! WOOT!

THe church is so true. Heavenly Father blesses His children daily. Sometimes the hard days are the best days. NOt because we are happy in the moment but because we learn the most.

I love you all!

Hermana Leah Kelson

leah.kjeldsen@myldsmail.net

Hermana Leah Kelson

4 Norte 1112 Casilla 631 

Viña del Mar, Chile