June 2, 2014

Familia and Friendos,
 

I am a happy camper today because you all decided to be comedians and good friends and send me some fun mail. I don't have time to respond individually today, but thanks to Nyla and Grandma Annie and my siblings and parents for the lovely emails. You all sound healthy and happy...and Nyla sounds like she is just living the post-mission life with her cute kids and new puppy! (that brought me back to reality that there really is a lot to do at home, its not just TV and sleep...so, thanks Nyla!) :)

I was just thinking back to this time last year and preparing to go to girls camp as a leader. I am so glad that I got to get to know those cute girls. There wasn´t a better place to be than with a whole bunch of great girls with strong testimonies right before the mission. I miss all my Suncrest Stake girlies and hope you are all doing well!
 

Onto this week. The weirdest thing that happened went like this....
 

¨Hi missionaries!¨ - The man who we always run into on his field trips from the hospital that is in our area.
 

¨You have beautiful eyes,¨ says he, pointing to me.
 

¨Doesn´t she have beautiful eyes?¨ Says he, to my companion, whilst staring deeply into my eyes, then winking causing my whole body to tense up and go into I'M AWKWARD AND A NUN mode.
 

¨Yes, she does,¨ Says my companion, dying because we are in a really public street and she is trying not to laugh...
 

¨Do you have a boyfriend?¨ He asks me.
 

¨I am a missionary!¨ I say.
 

¨Well, have a good day ladies. I will see you at church.¨ He smiles and laughs as if it is an inside joke.
 

Then....
 

MMMMWWWWAAAAH, before I know it he has my hand and is giving it a slobbery kiss, for what felt like an eternity. I had enough time to see the faces of the laughing Chileans as I tried to nicely pull away....
 

The saliva burned. Me and my companion waited about 20 steps before we both died.

The mission wins for the weirdest interactions I have had with men. Who woulda thought.

Good news! (and in other news) I am officially in Gerónimo for another transfer! I couldn´t be happier. Plus, it is just so fun to say ¨Gerónimo!¨
 

We have an investigator named Juan (but really, who DOESN´t have an investigator named ¨Juan¨ in a Spanish speaking mission?) and he is 70 years old. He speaks a little English, and the elders had been helping him with his English for a while. We randomly contacted him in the street in February, and have been helping with English ever since. We started to share our message with him. At first it was 10 % gospel and about 90 % scandalous English song lyrics (we giggle and tell him we have no idea what they mean), but now HE has changed that to the other way around. He is currently in 2nd Nephi and came to church yesterday! We were so very happy to see him. Its amazing the power of the Book of Mormon in conversion. People begin to change and they read it, and they don´t even realize it at times!
 

Yesterday I played from the BIG hymnbook. I never thought my one year of piano would lead me to being the ward organist. The Lord works in mysterious ways....
 

Hermana Burnett (my companion) is like a metal detector. She finds money all day everyday in the street. Pesos (pennies). I´m always impressed at the end of the month when she buys a bag of truffles with her collected pesos.
 

Saturday was a very long day. We had good plans, but then the plans decided to go to the beach or something and our area turned into a ghost town. It was kinda creepy, and the fog added to the special effect. We tried to talk to every sign of human life possible. It honestly felt like a weird dream.
 

Sunday we woke up and our bodies hated us because we had walked so much the day before. But, not to worry, the pain paid off when we had 5 investigators at church.
 

I am so proud of Christian for getting his papers submitted and am excited to hear where he will go! My guess is Rancho Cucamunga, California. (or is that the mission that got made into Redlands? I don't remember now.)
 

Eva will be here tomorrow! I am looking forward to seeing her, and I know she is going to be a great missionary. Its nice to know that Chile gets another chance to have an ¨Hermana VanCott¨ version 2.0. New and improved! She´s going to be the ward organist, I just know it.
 

This week I encourage you all to take 5 minutes and think of someone who you could invite to church, or an activity, or to listen to the missionaries. The Lord will help you know who is ready and needs the invitation!
 

Love you, keep the emails coming por favor!
 

Always,

Hermanita VanCottita