Interesting Week

Hello everyone,

FIRST OF ALL - Happy Birthday Mom!!!! Youre the best mom in the world. I love you so much and dont know what i would do without you. I miss your hugs and your comforting words. I cant wait to see you and hug you again! I love so much!

Well, this week was interesting. It had its good moments, but for the most part... well, let's just say it was a low week. First of all, the Broncos lost the Superbowl. haha I wasn't too upset cuz I didnt get to see any of the games and this year I obviously wasn't into it at all. Nobody watches football here. Anyway, my zone leader is a Seahawks fan and he was sooo happy last Monday when he found out. He had fun rubbing it in my face. haha. I honestly didnt mind, especially since it was his birthday!

But back to the mission - some of our investigators have hit some ruts. Manuel, for one, is not progressing at all and doesn't keep his commitments :(  so we probably won't pass by as much. The same with Melissa. We had a lesson with her last night and she has some trouble with the 10 Commandments, and she told us she doesnt feel prepared for baptism. We got to the bottom of it all, and understood. She also was not keeping any commitments and isnt willing to change just yet. But Im sure she'll get baptized in the future. Its just not her time. But we also will be passing by every once in a while.

Veronica and Lydia are... so-so. We are not going to drop them, but we are going to work extra hard for them. They are an amazing family but in some things aren't willing to change either. We will see what happens with them.

We passed by Leticia! She was sad that we hadn't gone to see her in a while (we were surprised she remembered). It was great to see her again, even though nothing has changed.

Alright. Enough of this sad news. Here's the good stuff!

The SOLIS-CASTRO family CAME TO CHURCH! All 3 hours. Jocelyn, Oriana, and Sebastian! They were super calm and listened intently to everything. They were lucky cuz this Sunday, the youth of the branch gave their testimonies on EFY!!! Their testimonies were super powerful and really brought the spirit in Sacrament meeting.

Javier also came! He was super touched by the testimonies of the youth, and really enjoyed the Sacrament meeting. It was great to see him, and it's great to see him progress, even if it's not in the ward he belongs. One day it'll happen, and it will be such a great day! But for now, its fantastic to see him come and listen and feel the spirit.

The Castillo family, who are very less active, came as well! Marcela has been getting more active lately and got called to be a Relief Society teacher! So her husband and children came to support her, and they haven't been in years. So it was awesome! We got to be there for her setting apart.

As I said before, the youth this week went to EFY (in Spanish, PFJ) and all came back with veeery high spirits and stronger testimonies! We went to visit Milsy, who was dead tired from the trip and couldnt stay awake, but she has changed so much. Its such a miracle to see a girl who just got baptized, who went to the temple a week after her baptism, and who went to EFY a couple months later! She is progressing like wildfire, and her testimony is incredible. I am so proud! haha.

Well, as we all know very well, we learn with our trials and become happier when theyre over. I know that it's true - that our trials are for our good, that we progress and become more like Christ when we are faced with difficulty. I am so grateful for the power of prayer, and for the solace of having a best friend there to talk to in every situation.

Let's hope this will be a successful week!

Thank you for all of your prayers, support, and love.

I love you all so much!

Hermana Amy Schrader

"Don't just walk in the light. BE the light."

Cambios Again

Hey everyone!

No time to write this week. But big stuff that happened: There was a fire next to the house we were having a branch mission meeting in. It was crazy! But everyones ok.

Cambios are this Wednesday! Dont know what to expect....we´ll see.

I taught the class this week at our District MEeting on personal revelation. It went super well!

ME and Hna Oliva taught the Relief Society lesson yesterday. Went well too!

Everyone thinks Hna Oliva is leaving... hmm... we will see.

Veronica and Lydia need more time, we continue to work with them, as well as the many other investigators here. I LOVE THEM ALL!

And I love you all too!

I promise Ill write more next week.

Sorry!

Love you,

Hermana Amy Schrader

Lucky Number 13

Hi everyone!
I hope you all had a great week.

Its been suuper sunny here! And hot! But the wind is still goin strong, unfortunately. haha.

Last PDay we went to the Cemetary and got to see the memorial for Omner Pratt, the son of Parley P. Pratt (first missionary in Chile), and Omner died here in Valparaiso. We had a little activity and took pics and read his story. IT was cool! We are the legacy of his missionary work in Chile!

Cambios are next Wednesday, and Im super nervous to hear the changes! I feel like Im gonna stay here but with a new companion. We shall see. Oh, and I passed my 13 month mark yesterday.

Man, we are working so hard with these investigators!!! Melissa was looking promising but lost her fecha cuz she was too tired to go to church. I know she will be baptized in the future, and its all in the Lord's timing. She is amazing and so loving. We of course are continuing to work with her. Lydia came to church on Sunday with her nephew Dilan! Veronica couldnt come cuz she was sick, but they are looking the most promising of all. :) Pray for them! :)

We had an amazing lesson with the Solis-Castro family, and the Spirit was so strong. We taught them the Plan of Salvation, and Jocelyn asked, "If I got baptized in the catholic church, could I still be baptized in yours?" Whereas before, she was suuper against changing. But we explained everything to her, and it actually turns out that she's had a couple dreams that she connects with our visits, and she feels like this is the truth. She is amazing and so spiritual! A very special person. We are so excited to work more with her. Hopefully theyll go to church this week!

We had a cool experience this week when Hna Oliva left her super expensive Americanino coat down in the quebrada (um...like..a valley type trench...i dont know how to explain it. its just super dangerous, ok? :) ) And so we went back when it was getting dark to get it back, but it was gone. Probably in the first 5 minutes of it being there, its so sketchy down there. So we asked around the area but nobody had seen it. Then we talked to this middle aged guy named Juan and asked him, and he put his head down and said, "I know who took it." He told us to go deeper into the quebrada to a guy named Eduardo. Then he saw our faces, and said, "Wait a second, Ill lock up my house and come with." So he came with us to this house that was suuuper flaite (gangster) and sketchy, where a group of gangsters were and asked for the coat. They were very nice and saw that we were missionaries and said, "Eduardo took it, he lives deeper in the quebrada. Ricardo!" Then a little 12 yr old comes out of the house and takes us to Eduardo's house and a guy on the other side of a fence down in the quebrada just throws the coat over the fence, and we walk away. And Juan and Ricardo are angels and Hna Oliva was so grateful! And we are now teaching Juan. haha.

But yeah. Dramatic story, eh?

That was pretty much my week. Quote for today: "They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick." -Jesus.

We all make mistakes and we all need help. The Church is not for perfect people. Its to perfect the people. :)

Never lose patience! With yourself, and others. :)

Love you all!

Hermana Amy Schrader

Progress!

Hey everyone!

I hope you all had an awesome week this week, cuz I sure did!

We had Zone Conference, and it was INCREDIBLE. All about missionary work and the Atonement and how we all have to go through our own "Gethsemani" to get to Salvation.

We had interviews with President! Man, he is amazing. He gave me a blessing, and I am sooo grateful for him and for the Priesthood.

The news of the week is that Veronica and Lydia, our "fechas" came to church! And they LOVED it! They said its different from any other chruch theyve ever been to. Her granddaughter Monserrat got loose during sacrament meeting and went to sit up on the stand with the Branch President, who gave her some candy, cleaned her mouth with a tissue, and let her sit there with him. So. Adorable.

They are coming back next week and are loving this journey. So am I!

WE met a suuuuper cool inactive named Leo, who is an RM and has like 3 different degrees. He is also a Zumba professor. What a cool guy! In the first 5 minutes of knowing him, he looks at Hna Oliva and says, "You have the face of a Chilean southerner." And then he looked at me and said, "And you're not from Utah." Anyway, no idea how he knew but he's pretty darn cool.

Leticia officially has Alzheimers and we are dropping her, but we will pass by every once in a while. She is such a love!

Javier came to our branch yesterday! Love that guy! (In a very missionary way, dont worry.)

We had another baptismal date for this guy named Manuel, but he didnt come to church so he lost his date. :( His family is a little bit anti mormon.

We got to witness our Elders giving a blessing of health to our less actives - it was so spiritual and amazing, and that family has sooo much faith. its amazing.

Hmmmm thats all I got time for this week! Im sorry! Stay tuned for next week. Its gonna be awesome.

I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH! Enjoy your week!

Miss you!

Hermanita Amy Schrader

P.S. My condolences to my Aunt Kim for her father in law, Nelson Brinkerhoff. He is in such a happier place now. :) I love you!