Important Life lessons

 Dear Family,
I think i have found a city with weather more bipolar than round valley. Newsflash everyone: Santiago Chile takes the prize. Although it still isn't even close in the windy category! It has been a good week though, like always. We had an activity for all the recent converts and 80 people came. It was huge, well huge for here! We played games and had an Mission President speak, he did a great job. The missionaries were in charge of the refreshments so you can just imagine what kind of ´treats´we had to enjoy afterwards. Haha there were a few brownies but of course the Elders don't even know how to make that so they brought...1.spaghetti 2 instant potatoes 3. Crackers and kool-aid 4. Mac and Cheese and 5.bag of candy. Haha oh man the poor people didn't know it is was dinner or a midnight snack or what to even eat. Not to mention no one brought forks or plates so it was pretty funny everyone eating the spaghetti with their hands:) But we left with the spirit and that's what counts right? :) These kind of things only happen when boys are in charge! Its a good thing Heavenly Father hasnt asked us to be perfect right?
It has also been a rather weird week, There are frequent dog bites in the mission seeing as Chile has more dogs than people i'm pretty sure. We have had a ton of dog bite briefings and the 911 rabies numbers are pinned to every mission refridgerator. However, this week the other hermana in our ward got bit by...wait for it... a grown man. It was pretty intense! Ha i have never seen a hand so swollen. dont even ask me how it happened either but now we all have to attend a ´{what happens if a man tries to bite you´´class that i am really looking forward to! I guess satan does whatever he can to stop the progression of the work of the Lord.
We also found a new investigator when we stopped a little kid from throwing a brick at his brother head. We came around the corner just in time as he was about to let that baby fly. I grabbed it and another girl grabbed the other kid and we broke up the fight. It turns out she is from Mexico and an exchange student here and we ended up laughing about how at 5 year old they dont really understand the consequences of their actions, but we as grown ups do. We were able to teach a really good lesson and feel the spirit even though is started out a little crazy.
Out of all the crazy things that have happened this week, i have learned that the Lord works in mysterious ways to help his work progress. He has a sense of humor and is okay if we enjoy our time here, in fact it is the reason we are here in this life. To learn that bricks are for building and not for throwing. That hands are for helping and not for biting, and that if you really want to enjoy the ´´feasts´´ of life, it works better when you have the right tools to do so.
Sounds like everyone is doing good. Thank you for your never ending support and love. Good luck this week in all you do and remember there is always someone waiting to hear from you! Lots of Chilean love, HermanaPhelps

Swaying Buildings

Dear world,
Dont worry i am still alive after the big Earthquake this week:) There are still a ton of earthquakes happeneing every day, Fun fact: ive experienced more than 200 this week! It makes for interesting days and things! nothing too serious happened in our sector though, it was more in the North so things are back to normal and all. Along the coast, where i was before, got evacuated for a little while but they are all good now! To give you a little play by play, we were up on the 11th floor when the first one hit. The whole building was swaying back and forth. We were able to get down and were in the street when the second one came. This time we looked up and saw all the building and the road moving. It was like a movie, such a strange feeling! But as far as i know there was no serious damage here or in my mission. The Chileans are kind of used to these kind of things so the building here have these crazy flexible foundations. It has made for a cool lesson, that we can compare our faith to the foundations of these skyscrapers. When we constantly lean on others and never really test our faith, it will not stand tall when the world starts testing it. But if we fortify our faith and testimony with lots of little experiences and lots of little things, then we can absorb the danger and keep on going. Strangely i've learned a ton this week and feel like i've become a lot better missionary. It was also the 18th here, that's Independance Day!  I sent a pic with a little girl in our ward that danced for us. Our ward didn't have the activity yet so i will send more pictures next week on what we do and all. But im way excited.

Also last night they called us to tell us the changes. I am staying here in my sectore but.  It looks like i will be recieving my ´´daughter´´ tomorrow in the Changes Meeting.  IM excited to see what this new adventure has in store for me and for all i will learn. Training is something that i've always wanted to try so im asking for your prayers for her and me this week as we start this new challenge!
Also, i know im a day late but HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!!! i love you so much and thank heavenly Father ever day for sending me to your womb:) I dont know how i have been so blessed, but i wish the the happiest Feliz Cumpleaños en todo el mundo! i hope it passed really well and dad forked out and at least took you to get ice cream or something!
Thanks for the video of Brooks. I think

his spanish is ready for chile, feel free to send him down here:) Love ya all and thanks for the support! Have a fantastic week. Work hard, Pray Hard:) Love hermana Phelps

Dustin

DEar fam, i am sending this message as a forward so it will include the picture i hope you are able to see them! This week has been very, testing, but we have also seen many miracles, ( i think i saw that about every week). First of all, this is the Fuentes Family that we have been teaching. They are my second favorite family in  the world, The husband is named Andres and his wife Liliana. Their two kids Javier 8 and Emilio 5. This week the went out of town to the country and called us saturday to tell us they couldn't make it to church. Lilian has been 3 times she she had accepted to be baptized. WE have been trying hard to get andres there so he can be baptized too but something always comes up. Then sunday we received a call fifteen minutes before sacrament meeting, ´´Sisters, where are you i'm waiting here in from of the church¨´. He had come all the way in from his family reunion to come to church with us! it probably doesn't sound like such a a miracle but it was. They now have the church attendence to be baptized and we hope they will accept the invitation for the 8 of august.
THis week we also did division with the hermana leaders. I was with Hermana Kioa from texas. It was fun, we did some exploring in our sector and went way out in the country to contact, im talking cows and chileans working in the fields! it was fun, we didnt have too much success, most o the poeple out there dont know how to read or anything so it was hard to explain the book of mormon, thank goodness it has pictures in the front!
Today we went to the CCM in santiago to see the doctor for hna martinez, she has been having some trouble breathing. ANyways its was good to op back and roam the halls where i spend my first few weeks here in chile. It hit me how much i have grown and changed. Hopefully for the better! it really has been a adventure to look back and think of my first contact, to my first baptism, the first flight with a companion, the first time i really felt at home here. Its a livign testimony that everythough i am far, i have never been closer to my father in heaven. Im so grateful that i dont have to wait till monday to talk to him and that he has unlimited minutes. This week i really learned and understood for the first time about how to listen when i pray.

Hope all is well. sounds like you're all doing good. We are preparing for changes ehre again in a couple weeks so i dont know where ill be going but i know that ill be going in the name of the lord and thats all that matters! If you see Rachel or Kylie give them a big hug for me! Have a good one! Hermana PHelps

Earthquakes

Dear fambam,
Sounds like you are all doing good! ready to end the school year and get down to some serious summer! Sadly we are just starting winter here and its getten pretty chilly these past couple nights. the weirdest thing is the fog! nobody knows why its so foggy but its crazy! nobody can see anything! it makes my hair really nice and lionlike so its fun to look in the mirror after weve been out on the streets all day! Both of my companions so far left for their casa this week during changes and i received my new comp, Hermana Martinez from Columbia. she has about the same time in the mission as me so its really good that were both young, fresh, and ready to work. I know were going to see many miracles this change and i can already feel that im going to learn a lot from her. She comes from a very humble circumstance and is the only memeber of herfamily. were opposites so i feel like we`ll be able to connect with everyone because we cover all the angles! im not super excited for my birthday but thanks for the birthday wish anyways. I am still here in Llolleo in the coast of San Antonio so im glad to not have a new sector. This week we also had another earthquake. it wasnt anything serious for the poeple here but it was the strongest one ive felt! it was during the night so i woke up thinking it was a dream an wondering why i wsnt snapping out of it! it is such a weird feeling to feel the earth literally moving beneath you, i guess its just something you have to experience for yourself to understand! But all is well that ends well i guess.
It was good to hear that everyone seemed to learn something from the stake conference. It was our ward conference here this past week and the topic was eternal goals. God has such a different perspective for us then we can see for oursleves. In the bible dictionary it saying ´´only the home can compare with the temple in sacredness.`` if the temple isnt our goal, we arent focusing in the right direction. Eternal goals can change our whole perspective, it doednt matter if we are less actives, the pres. of relief societry, investigating the church, or al the lowest point in life...the temple has the answers. And to prepare for the temple, we have to make our homes sacred places. I have gained such a testimony of the spirit in the home. its something we should make a goal eternal!
Love you all and hope everything is going good! Have agood week! ALSO PS i need recipes for simple desserts (cookies, brownies, ice cream in a bag...) if someone could send me some that would be great! LOTS OF LOVE FROM CHILE!!!! hermana phelps

Flea Bag

Dear family! i finally got some pictures to load so hopefully you end up getting them! We have had some struggles this week but i cant complain too much! The one picture is with members from my first ward i don't have many from this area yet. One is of the port here in San Antonio but its super ugly right now because you cant see much thanks to the fog. But you get the general idea! the others are a sign that is a tsumani warning which is actually really scary because there are a ton of earthquakes here in CHile and the tsumani rate here on the coast is actually really high thanks to the endless movement of the earth! dont worry though I definately know the security routes to higher ground. Actually the people are being more accepting recently because there was a huge flood earlier this month in the north where it never rains. And yesterday in the South there was a huge volcanic erruption  that has never errupted in all the years anyone can remember. From what a can gather the people think they are being punished for the laws the government is passing and they are completely sure God is punishing them. Gladly many people need a message of hope and a loving Father in Heaven at this time so its all working out good. Hopefully the natural dissasters continue to avoid this area here of the mission! We have a baptism coming up for a young chap named Javier. he is 23 and a really good investigator, he always does his part with the reading and stuff. The only weakness is our teachings im really sure. But hopefully everything comes through and we have a baptism here on the 10th! What a good mothers day present! Also may 21 here is some sort of holiday of a battle with Peru so im pretty sure we´ll be celebrating in some sort for my birthday!
A few interesting things have happened this past week. There was an outbreak of FLEAS (yuck) all along the coast and guess who was lucky enough to experience it? Yup, yours truly! It hasnt been a fun experience but at least im not the only one scratching. Almost all the missionaries and half the population have them. We're getting our house sprayed this week i hope so keep your fingers crossed for me! Other than some other health problems though, all is well!
 Love you all tons and Remember to say your prayers always. Love hermana phelps
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1st Tranfers, Moving over to the COAST!!

http://www.nationsonline.org/oneworld/map/google_map_chile.htm


So I got transferred! I am now in an area called San Antonio...not the one in texas but almost. My sector is called LLo Lleo and its my first day so we only got off the bus and came to write so i havent seen much yet bu the air is freshly respirating in my lungs. I am happy for the change and even happier that I don't have to train or anything crazy like that. Time to just settle down and do some real missionary work! My companion is named Hna Cahuna from Peru. She seems pretty nice so I have lots of hope or the weeks to come. She also goes home here in 6 weeks so ill have changes again here the next transfer but that's okay! It was sad so say goodbye to Maipu, my place of birth here in Chili. Its crazy how much love you can gain for the people in your sector. I have been taking lots of pictures but the truth is i think something is wrong with the cord to my camera because i still cant send pictures.

Conference was super great! I went with a question of what is my purpose here as a missionary, why is it important to leave my family and pass through these challenges. The answer was obvious...because of families! They are the basic unit of life. Never can I remember a topic being so profound in a conference. It seems like every talk focused on marriage and families. I got to go on splits and watch the Sat. session in English so i learned the most but I feel like i got inspiration the Sunday session too! i almost cried when elder Holland started talking and i couldn't hear his voice! I dont know how these people do it to not hear the tones of the prophet or  understand the lyrics of the beautiful choirs. I guess i felt especially blessed to know English! One talk i particularly enjoyed was the one about dancing and hearing the music with your heart. I know a think or two about awkward dancing and let me tell you...if you're not hearing the beat with your heart...is it really even dancing or just random movements? It was special to hear of the natives of Arizona making an appearance in the conference. I have never been more grateful for my family. Immediate, extended, and those who don't have the same blood but are family none the less. We are all here for each other because everyone has their week moments. Heavenly father knew we would never make it home solo so he gave us families to help us feel his love here on the earth!

Nothing super exciting happened this week with the work in Maipu. I am a little sad you didnt send a picture of dad in the bee suit! you better have captured that candid moment on film! Easter was something else that's for sure. I have never had a clearer understanding of the role of the Savior in our lives. How blessed we are to have a perfect plan from the father who gave up his son so that we could be saved! Funny things this week include English lesson with some members, i will have to video tape the massive amounts of charades that go on. Hna Day spent 20 minutes cursing my language book about how all the sentences were wrong when i finally pointed out that she was reading the "find the error in the sentence" section. Chilean desserts for the week included that they eat hard cream of wheat with jelly after lunch. Its not quite as delicious as it sounds but almost! Have an awesome week. Work hard, Pray Harder!

Dustin's Companion has had gall-stones for 6 months and finally had surgery 2 weeks ago. She hasn't been able to get out of their appartment much for awhile.

Hola Familia! Another week of missionary work! My comp is STILL sick though, so its kinda rough. holy cow its like i'm dying slowly from the inside watching my misson tick by! I feel bad for her spending her last few months of her mission in the house, but we are getting out some every day now which is good. Just not full days of missionary work. We found a new family this week who i have lots of hope for. They have tons of questions and crazy stories. They invited us in for a beer to get out of the heat, not the best invitation but we went inside and stated sharing with them. I was with a member from the ward, Maria Jose and we took advantage of the situation. thank goodness they were only on their first beer and not drunk yet. We felt the spirit so strong with them, it was awesome. When we returned for our next visit, they showed us a video up close and personal of their dog giving birth. That was fun too! but it opened the door to talk about the plan of salvation. I guess we're taking what we can get from the circumstances. I starting reading Jesus the Christ by James E Talmage. Holy deep doctrine....but I'm learning so much about our Savior Jesus Christ. I dont think im going to attempt to read it in spanish just yet but maybe one day! Before i forget...FELIZ CUPLEAÑOS GRANNY HAMBLIN. Sorry i had to miss the party but don't worry I'm saving some souls down here for you! I hope spring break is going good for you all and the nice weather holds up. Still no pictures but we have changes in 2 weeks and ill be finishing ym training so i might be in a new area where the computers work but i don't know! Nothing else too crazy happened i guess. I hope everyone is enjoying their spring break and is getting ready for the end of the school year. ITs crazy how fast it goes huh? Sending lots of Chilean love! hermana phelps