Dear family and friends!
Good week. I can't believe that the year mark is coming up soon, and I've been pondering on that and all it means for me. More than anything else, I've been looking for little happy mission moments and thanking the Lord for all the basic things that make me very happy. In any stage of life, it is so easy to get caught up in routine and become blind to the blessing that surround us. I've caught myself falling into that trap several times, and it always surprises me the increase of joy and Godly love that I feel after opening my eyes and pulling myself out of that trap.
As my Dad would sometimes say "When I write a book, (or more accurately, when he writes a script for a movie), I'm going to include a chapter on this." I've decided that one of the great secrets to life is loving who you are, where you're at, and who you're with. THAT brings happiness. I'm a missionary!!! I love teaching, I love walking, I love talking to strangers, I love the green Chilean hills, I love calling a whole family together and bringing the spirit into their home. I love when people think that I'm the Mexican instead of Hermana Call, I love when I see myself picking up Chileanisms (like serving mayo on everything, or giving a good heartfelt gift, or elongating my vowels a lot, or giving the latin kiss, or things like that). I love seeing the Lord speak to me through the scriptures, I love feeling my self take a deep breath and exercise patience, seeing myself grow in my humility. I love eating whatever I want (yes, that would explain the cheek change that you've all seen), I love putting up my hair when it is really hot, I love all the little table and blankets with fruit and jewelery in the streets, I love the dog zapper that Hermana Call has (one of things that plays a high frequency noise and makes them run away? Yes, that thing!!! Great invention.), and I love how much the people here go crazy for my brownies. I love peanut butter. I love bachata music and the American music that we hear a lot here, I love the moon and the stars and our suuuuper nice apartment. I love having a washer in our house and being able to wash our own clothes, I love letters and emails and pictures of all of you. Did I also mentioned that I love eating whatever I want? Because I really love that.
Life is good. The gospel is true, eternal, and ever reaching. The more we let it penetrate our lives, the longer our happiness can last. We are, after all, created that we might have joy.
Yours!
Hermana Oldroyd
p.s. The familia Toledo says Hi to all of you. There are a family of ex-missionaries and future missionaries, all boys, and are about the funniest family I have ever, ever met. We laughed until we cried when we had lunch with them on Sunday.
Hermana Call was working on the list when Kata appeared out of nowhere, just getting back from a shopping trip with her Mom. "Hermana, can I paint your nails?? We bought new nail polish!" Hey, sounds good to me!
Good week. I can't believe that the year mark is coming up soon, and I've been pondering on that and all it means for me. More than anything else, I've been looking for little happy mission moments and thanking the Lord for all the basic things that make me very happy. In any stage of life, it is so easy to get caught up in routine and become blind to the blessing that surround us. I've caught myself falling into that trap several times, and it always surprises me the increase of joy and Godly love that I feel after opening my eyes and pulling myself out of that trap.
As my Dad would sometimes say "When I write a book, (or more accurately, when he writes a script for a movie), I'm going to include a chapter on this." I've decided that one of the great secrets to life is loving who you are, where you're at, and who you're with. THAT brings happiness. I'm a missionary!!! I love teaching, I love walking, I love talking to strangers, I love the green Chilean hills, I love calling a whole family together and bringing the spirit into their home. I love when people think that I'm the Mexican instead of Hermana Call, I love when I see myself picking up Chileanisms (like serving mayo on everything, or giving a good heartfelt gift, or elongating my vowels a lot, or giving the latin kiss, or things like that). I love seeing the Lord speak to me through the scriptures, I love feeling my self take a deep breath and exercise patience, seeing myself grow in my humility. I love eating whatever I want (yes, that would explain the cheek change that you've all seen), I love putting up my hair when it is really hot, I love all the little table and blankets with fruit and jewelery in the streets, I love the dog zapper that Hermana Call has (one of things that plays a high frequency noise and makes them run away? Yes, that thing!!! Great invention.), and I love how much the people here go crazy for my brownies. I love peanut butter. I love bachata music and the American music that we hear a lot here, I love the moon and the stars and our suuuuper nice apartment. I love having a washer in our house and being able to wash our own clothes, I love letters and emails and pictures of all of you. Did I also mentioned that I love eating whatever I want? Because I really love that.
Life is good. The gospel is true, eternal, and ever reaching. The more we let it penetrate our lives, the longer our happiness can last. We are, after all, created that we might have joy.
Yours!
Hermana Oldroyd
p.s. The familia Toledo says Hi to all of you. There are a family of ex-missionaries and future missionaries, all boys, and are about the funniest family I have ever, ever met. We laughed until we cried when we had lunch with them on Sunday.
Work at the Temple site
I`m trying to decide if I have an "Hermanas can do anything an Elder can do" complex.... But when I saw the boys over there taking turns axing the tree, I couldn't resist! Got some tips from them on how to handle it, and it was a fun diversion
Unusual service- helping unbraid hair! La familia De la Fuente Pereira. Hermana Marleney and Hermano Nelson, their sister Monica.
Biggest bag of Manjar I have ever seen.... Have I mentioned that almost everything comes in little bags here? Spices, mayo, ketchup, ahi, manjar, olives, spaghetti sauce, Everything!!
This made me smile! Oh how I love reading sister Oldroyd's blog! What an amazing missionary. Can't wait to send my Maddie of on her journey tomorrow! Love you Oldroyd family and Erica!!!
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