12/19/22 Don't Worry, Be Happy (recipe for life :)

 You ever get random american food cravings that don't make sense cuz you weren't like THAT into the food when you lived there, but randomly you just like really want it for like 3 days and then you just kinda get over it?? Yeah, I didn't think so. But that was me this week with Red Vines  someone eat a red vine for me please- like the kind from Costco in the giant tub. 

This week!! 

Tuesday: 

We had a lesson in the morning with La MAITE, and have I mentioned how much I LOVE her??? She's literally a Chilean version of Marlee (except she's into cats instead of dogs), and she's so cool. Most people, you invite them to read the book of mormon and like maybe they read what you tell them to, but usually they just don't. Or they read a tiiiiny bit, which is wonderful that they're trying... but Maite!!! We invited her to read the introduction... and she did, and then she also read all the testimonies and witnesses, and then she started reading 1Nephi, and as of now she's read through 1 Nephi 4!!!!! And she told us she takes it with her everywhere and reads it and the pamphlets we gave her whenever she is waiting for the bus, riding the bus, waiting for her friends, etc. 

Her challenge these days is........ her dad is kinda skeptical about all of the things, and said she is absolutely NOT allowed to get baptized  We're hoping to overcome that someday. 

PLEASE pray for her, and also for Maria who's in the same situation except that her parents won't even let her meet with missionaries anymore (her cousin just got baptized a month ago, and her grandpa is Oscar who wants to get baptized but needs to stop smoking first). 

Anyways, we had the lesson with Maite, who just turned 15, and also Antonella who's 13 and got baptized 4 months ago... which is really fun because it's us,  a couple or 20 yr olds, hanging out with a 13 and 14 year old... I feel like a teenager again haha. And so afterwards naturally we were like, let's buy some ice cream for our girlies... and Antonella picked the MOST expensive thing on the menu (a giant oreo milkshake no less than $6) while the rest of us got the cheapest thing on the menu, ice cream cones $1.50 it was kinda awkward, and we just barely had enough between me and my comp to cover it- we hadn't planned on spending so much!! (We try not to carry a lot of cash for safety.) My comp said Anto knows how to seize the situation (she said aprovechar, which means to take advantage of, but it has a different connotation so yeah). 

Later that day we were in our apartment doing Facebook when someone knocked on our door... it was the Pierces! And they were looked out!! AND there were BROWNIES in the oven 

We called the owner of the apartment and they saved the brownies just in time! They were delicious  

Wednesday: 

For the past couple weeks the elders have been really moody (and here in vallenar it's just us and 6 elders) so hna García and u decided to plan and throw together a district breakfast. We invited (exhorted) each companionship of elders to bring something (fruit, juice, etc.), the Pierces provided hashbrowns and ham, and i made soooo many pancakes, and we all ate in the Pierces apartment. I don't know how it came up but we were all singing Don't Worry Be Happy, and then the Elder Pierce put it on the Alexa (senior missionaries am I right?? Having an Alexa, that can play whatever kind of music they want ) and so we were all eating lots of pancakes and breakfast food while singing don't worry be happy. It was one of my favorite moments ever. (Afterwards he put on instrumental Christmas music, which was also my favorite.)

With my oven not working, I've been trying to figure out what I can make on the stove and the answer seems to be pancakes. So that night when I was just really craving something sweet and didn't wanna bother hna Pierce, I made chocolate pancakes (because apparently I didn't have enough pancakes that morning). 

In the afternoon we met this little abuelita who was so cute... she was telling us how pretty we were and how we were angels and all those things, and the way she talks is like she's an auction person almost. 

This week it seems like everyone I talk to is extremely fascinated by my blue eyes, and I'm just like... thanks 

Thursday: 

Remember the giant hill I talked about last week?? Well we climbed it on the hottest day this week (90⁰ and soooo humid) and it was miserable, but we were excited because we had two lessons, and more people to talk to! But after all that climbing and sweating and not complaining... both of our lessons fell through (didn't answer the door nor the phone)... and every. Single. Person. We. Talked. To. Rejected us. 

That night we had English class, and there's this member who's honestly one of my favorite people. She's like 35ish, returned missionary, single (never married), and scary at first glance. Like all the elders are scared of her hahahaha, but when you actually know her, it's not that she's mean or anything, she's just super sarcastic. Anyways, she always says "HEY seesters" to me and my comp, or especially to me when she has questions in English class... and went with us to a lesson after class as well  her name is Machi (and I already decided we're gonna be friends forever). 

Friday: 

We visited Milena who reminds me soo much of my grandma (my dad's mom). Her house was beautiful and full of christmas decorations and super clean. We talked to her for probably too long, but she told us she has all the information of her parents and grandparents and aunts and uncles but doesn't know how to use the technology to do their temple work. But we do! (Shes asked other people before but people are flaky and now its been like years.) We set another day when we're gonna come and help her and I'm super excited!! 

Saturday: 

We have this inactive member who's been kinda tricky to get ahold of. Like we'll schedule something with her and then it'll fall through because of whatever excuse... so in order to help us have an actual lesson with her/be able to talk to her, we decided to schedule a manicure (she does them out of her house). She told us they were $2 each, so we figured it would be something really fast and simple-like 30 minutes each and we would have a chance to talk to her and figure out if there's a reason she doesn't want to come to church and overall just be able to talk to her... well, it turned out to be an almost 3 hour ordeal and she wanted to charge us $12 and she didn't want to talk about herself, she just was talking about her cats and her daughter... and the nails are legit messy and uneven  mistakes were made, we will obviously not be doing that again (lol literally as I'm writing this, she sent us a text saying happy Monday, maybe it did do some good to listen to her talk about her cats for 3 hours). 

Sunday: 

At like 9pm Saturday I got asked to speak in church. I was super stressed about it and put a decent amount of work into writing a really good talk about service and Jesus and Christmas and stuff. 

And listen, I'm not the type to like brag or anything, but I nailed that talk.... until 20 minutes of talking had apparently passed and I got passed a note by the branch president asking me to please stop talking (I was wrapping up!!!)   the other two speakers were the elders who didn't even write talks!! They were both grateful I used too much time lol, and I had a bunch of people tell me afterwards that they wanted to hear the rest of my talk. But yeah, that's embarrassing. Normally I go way too short, but I really worked hard to make sure the talk was well written and well delivered. Anyways. It's fine I'm not bitter (I'm a little bitter) 

After church we were finding all day. It was exhausting and after all of that, we only found one person (we thought we found two other people but they gave us fake information). We also visited an abuelita who gave us both a gigantic bowl of cherries to eat, and had a tiny little dog who had sunglasses (but hated them lol). 

Today: 

we are going to be in a car literally all day driving to Antofa. We're going with the Pierces so that's pretty nice. The only thing is I wish we traveling overnight instead of losing our entire p day  

AND the worst part is we're going to be all week in antofa for visa stuff, so im gonna be spending my freaking BIRTHDAY in antofa  I had PLANS with members and everything. It's fine I'm not bitter (I'm a little bitter). 

Anyways, something I loved this week (partially stolen from David Butler): 

When Jesus was born, he was born in a very public stable, with cows and sheep and magis and drummer boys watching. His birth was not a private event like most births are. It was public and out in the open for anyone to see if they desired it. David Butler put it this way, "his birth came with an invitation: visitors welcome... He is the welcoming in" 

And when He was crucified they placed a sign at His feet written in Greek, Latin, and Hebrew "JESUS OF NAZARETH, KING OF THE JEWS," David Butler said "as if His death was meant for all the world." 

From His first breath to His last, Jesus welcomed in every type of person. He loved and accepted those who were shunned from society, and taught the true meaning of love. In this season of Christmas we should take advantage of the blessings we have and talents and serve others. Take care of others. Something I've learned is the difference between some wards and branches... if you want to have a really united ward, you have to be willing to love and take care of each other. I've seen so many people have contention and arguments over things that really truly do not matter, and it's so sad. Take care of your family, your ward, your neighbors. Even those who are shunned by society or by others. And this is my missionary invitation to you all :) les invito a hacer estas cosas en el nombre de Jesucristo, ámen. 

Love you all so much!! 

Also, in case I haven't told you, my birthday is this Wednesday I'm turning 21 which is so weird, because I'm actually just a 12 year old. 

xo!! -hna griffin