Week 9

No pictures this week because this computer is sketchy. Blahhhhh! But my memory card has been on the fritz, so this week for sure.

Anyways, this last week was an interesting one. I did a couple contacts on my own (In Spanish, of course) and had the doors shut on me, but hey, I tried! Usually people are both surprised and amused when I speak Spanish, though. I've been told that I speak very well and my pronunciation is perfect. The gift of tongues is so real!!!! I say prayers of thanks all the time because I can tell when the Spirit is directing my speech. The words just flow. =)

Still having a hard time understanding Chilean Spanish because they talk so fast and their words are kind of smooshed together, but if I can catch a few words here and there and put it into context, I get the gist of what is being said.

So last week during one of our lessons, one of our investigators got up in the middle of H. Rajapakse´s explanation of something, and she jumped into her swimming pool fully clothed. It was the most random thing ever.

Also, we taught another lady who did NOT want me to speak in Spanish. She was like, “If you speak English, just speak English. I don´t like it when people who don´t speak Spanish try to speak Spanish.” Sorry...? Hahahahaha I didn´t really know how to respond to that. XD

She told me to offer the opening prayer in English, too. So to be polite, I did, but it took me a second to begin because I realized that I haven't prayed out loud in English in almost two months. It´s kind of weird for me to pray in English now. Hahaha

I'm still singing a lot. Like A LOT. Many times a day. I sing as part of contacting, and I love it. The people we teach love it, too. =)

Hmm... OH!

I want to clear up a couple of myths about my mission:

1. It does not snow in the winter. Nope. Nada. The most it does in winter is rain. And rain a lot. H. Rajapakse says that once you´re wet, you stay wet because the houses aren't insulated. So if we wash our clothes, we have to dry them with hairdryers in the winter because we can´t hang them out to dry and we don´t have a dryer machine.

2. There are no jungles around here for miles. Lots of palm trees, random fruit trees and other plants, but lots of sidewalks, cars and light posts. So sorry, Matt. No machetes needed here. 

3. The water is safe to drink from the tap. It has kind of a ¨different¨ flavor, and it has some floaty things in it, but apparently it´s safe. It did take a little getting used to in the first week, but I can drink it.


I avoid it if I can, though. I eat a lot of fruit and drink juice. Hahaha

Anyways, that´s all I have time for this week. I want to give a shout out of thanks to all those who are praying for me right now. I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH!!!!

By the way, if I don't reply right away (or at all) to your emails. It´s because a mission rule for me to write a letter to my family (of course! haha), and then my mission president weekly. So by the time that´s done, I have little to no time left. But I do read each and every email! And I appreciate them so much! They brighten my entire week! =)

And I can´t tell everyone what´s up in my life in each individual email because that´s what my blog is for. Haha It´s like a mass email to everyone. Cause I can't email everyone individually for lack of time. 

Again, thank you SO much for any and all emails and letters! I love them so much and I love you all so much! I hope you´re all doing well! =)

-Natalie Darley