Flight 912

My final hours as Hermana Ibarra

2 John 1:12

"Having many things to write unto you, I would not write with paper and ink: but I trust to come unto you, and speak face to face, that our joy may be full."

Hermana Gladys Ibarra

1 for the little bitty baby born in Bethlehem

Last week in Chile!!! But it was my first in Catemu and oh do I love being back en el campo (country), the sector is beautiful! Lush green hills and valleys, snow on the mountains, streams and rivers and huasos (cowboys) riding around in horses. We had a Zone Conference and it was so great to see so many of the sisters I started the mission with and to be reutnited with them. The EDPERS taught were super funny and I felt like I was back home in Los Andes. I had an exchange with the sisters in Llay-Llay which was also fun. I had been there on an exchange a year ago and it was cool to remember some places. We found an AWESOME girl named Nicole who`s a single mom and had been taught by missionries a year ago in the South and was almost baptized but then had to leave cause of family drama. It was a blessing to find her, she really needs God in her life right now and thinks we found her for a reason cause she really loved the mormon church, she said we were "real" with life, haha! 

Some funny stories are that since we`re out in the country there are a lot of abuelitos (grandpas) in this town and it`s sooo funny to talk to them cause they just tell you their whole life story. One of them his name is Sergio, we greeted him and he said he was gonna go "viginear" we looked at him confused cause we didn`t know what that meant and so he said " I`m gonna go look at women, hahaha!" and just walked away, Hna.Clark and I busted out laughing! Another old man had alzheimers and when he shook Hna.Clark`s hand he leaned in for a kiss and she said, "Sorry we only give handshakes" and he flinged her hand away and said "Well why are you saynig hello to me them, I`m a gentleman just so you know! I may be a huaso but I`m not dumb!" We were knocking on a door (well really here you don`t knock on doors cause they`re surrounded by gates, you have to say "Alo!" until someone comes out) and out of the side kitchen door a man in a towel walked out not realizing we were standing there on his doorstep, we slowly backed away trying not to laugh too loud so it wouldn`t be awkward, and decided to go back another time. Lastly, we use bikes occassionaly and my bum is so soar from just one day on the bike, not used to it anymore but it was nice to feel the wind on my face again!

This week is gonna be hectic, we have so many appointments already, last week we had 32 easy, and with the new schedule we have to be super punctual cause we have to go home to study and eat throughout the day so we have short intervals of proselyting, but I like it a lot better and am already used to it! We have an investigator named Ramiro who will hopefully be baptized next sunday, he had a little downfall with coffee so we had to postpone his baptism yesterday to next sunday, but I think it`s for the bets cause he still needs a little more preperation, but it`s gonna be my last goal to ensure he makes it and well prepared!

Since this is my last e-mail I want to bear to you all my testimony of the things I once felt and believed, but that now, I know. I know we have a loving Heavenly Father who is guiding us and watching over us, I know he sent his son Jesus Christ to save mankind from sin and show us the perfect path to return to His presence, I know that even though his gospel was lost that it was restored through the prophet Joseph Smith and that Thomas S. Monson is His prophet today. I know the Book of Mormon is true, because I read it, analyzed it, questioned it, and prayed about it and received a personal answer from God. I know that the temple is a piece of Heaven on Earth, and that through the eternal covenants we make there we will have the priviledge of entering the Lord´s presence one day to inherit all the blessings he has prepared for his children. I know that missionary work is real, that to serve a mission was the toughest but best decision I`ve ever made in my life, but that every sacrafice, sweat, tear, and blood shed during this year 1/2 was the least I could give to thank my Savior for His ultimate sacrafice for me. As it says in Jacob 7:26 "the time passed away with us, and also our lives passed away like as it were unto us a dream" To serve a mission was the dream of my life since I was 14, throughout my youth I prayed to know if it was in God´s plan for me and received numerous confirmations, including in my patriarchal blessing, that a mission would bless not only my life but the life of others. I have seen these promises fulfilled and so many more that I never could have imagined and I´ll forever be thankful to God for putting me in the fire, shaping me, molding me, using me as an instrument in His hands to lift others and for the priviledge he gave me to represent His son Jesus Christ in Chile. 

I want to give some personal shout-outs to family and friends who have supported and encouraged me so much throughout this time. First to my mother who has ever been an example of virtue, righteousness and silent service in my life and for setting the spiritual standard for all her children and raising us in the Gospel. To my sister Sherlyn who is my #1 fan and always cheers me on and supports me in the decisions I make in life, whose ears are always open to listen to my heart and whose mouth always speaks words of wisdom, love, and counsel. To my brother who also gave me great advice as I prepared to serve so that I could be the best missionary I could be. To my neices and nephews who daily prayed for their tia! To Mike and Angel Anderson who have been constant dear friends since they were my seminary teachers which prepared my mind and increased my knowledge of the scripttures and for their generous monthly contributions which without would have been difficult for me and my mom to have funded my mission alone. And to all my friends who wrote me, sent me packages, e-mails and letters of love and encouragment and gratitude for how my experiences were uplifting and increasing their faith- that motivated me and increased mine. I love you all and can`t wait to see your beautiful faces and hug each and everyone of you! `Til next week :)

Spiritual cookie: "Often the deep valleys of our present will be understood only by looking back on them from the mountains of our future experience." -Pdt. Uchtdorf

Xo,

Hermana Gladys Ibarra