New Companion!

Hola familia commmoooo estannnn!!!!!!

This week just flew by and also was really slow because it was a lil strange but all is well!!!!

Let me first just tell you about my cute new compi!!! Her name is Hermana Blake and she's just this cute little blonde gal whos from Spokane, Washington!!!! She is super awesome and so excited to do the work and it's already been just a great 4 days together!!!! I love her so much already and I can't wait for the great things this cambio will have to offer!!!!

But this week was just a bit strange because it was a lot of traveling and not a lot of like work. My compi's bus was late then got lost on Tuesday so me and Hermana Owen (a sweet gal in the other zone) were waiting in the terminal for like 7 hours, no joke for our new companions. But it was a great time just to talk. She is really struggling with Spanish so I was mostly there just to help her realize we are all struggling but it was such a good time just to let all the jitters out while waiting. I just love that gal so dang much!!!

Then I got my new compi!! Then the 1st lesson we taught, we invited her to be baptized and she said YES! It was such an amazing day!! Change is real hard sometimes but it's also incredibly awesome!! New insights and new opinions which is always needed. And Hermana Blake has some great ones. She has 9 months in the mish so she's like the perfect balance of experienced and teachable. We have set some really high goals for our sector and we are working so hard to meet all them!! But then my compi had to head to Rancagua for a meeting because she's a sister training leader and I was put with the sweetest most awesome Hermana. Hermana Sarmiento. She is this adorable Columbian that is 33 years old and has problems with her hearing and can't communicate very well! But she has the strongest spirit I've ever felt from anyone. She also has the best attitude and we just worked our butts off in the freezing cold contacting everyone in sight and finding new people to listen to the good news of the gospel!!!

Then Sunday came along and our investigator Jennifer didn't come to church when she promised she would and neither did Andrea and it really broke my heart just a lil bit. It's realllyyyy hard because we know how important it is for them but they don't understand. But I feel like that's how the Savior feels about us when we break the commandments. He knows it's so important but we don't quite understand. But he still loves us so much anyway and how awesome is that!!!!

I just love my Savior and I just always try to focus on Him when we have bad days because he already suffered so why do I need to? OH YEAH THATS RIGHT WE DONT!! I'm so grateful for Him and the knowledge of His love for me!!!! This week I just ask that you guys put our sector, Independencia B in your prayers because we need a lil help. It's a lil stressful because there's so much pressure on me knowing that I'm leading the sector and I'm struggling just a lil. But DON'T WORRY BECAUSE THIS TRANSFER WE ARE GOING TO KILL IT HERMANA BLAKE AND I!!!!

LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH AND HOPE YOU HAVE A GREAT WEEK!!!

Hermana Hilburn

 Saying goodbye to Hermana Peralta.. She will be missed

 New Companion....Hermana Blake

 Winter in Chile

A week of goodbyes to Hermana Peralta

Ahhhhh what a sad week!!!

This week was a lot of saying goodbyes for Hermana Peralta and wow the ward seriously loves her so so much. She truly was just such an amazing missionary and I'm going to miss her so much!

But I'm staying in Talca, in my same ward and I'm not going to lie I'm a little nervous. It's a little weird being the leader and being out of my training but don't worry it will all be just fine!!

I meet my new companion tomorrow. Her name is.... Hermana.... Blake?  I think, I don't remember but she's a greeenga from Utah and has been in the mission for 9 months, so it should be fun!!! I'm excited to be with someone new!! But I'm going to miss my companion so much, she's such an awesome one ahhhhh. It's hard because after 3 months of being with someone 24/7 it's a little weird when they leave. But all is well!!! Last night we said goodbye and dropped her off at the airport and the heart strings were being plucked that's for sure!!!

I can't believe it's already been 4 MONTHS, WHAT THE HECK WHERE DID THE TIME GO????? I remember after one month in the MTC I was like, this is going to go by so slow, but here we are at month 4???? ahhhhhhhhhhhh but it's pretty awesome. I'm done with my training and I'm a real missionary now. ahhh it's pretty insane!!! But I'm ready and I have my Father in Heaven on my side.  I just feel Him so close everyday and especially with our investigators!!

Andreas fecha(teaching appointment) fell because she expressed to us how she isn't sure that there's a God and that he loves her and that lesson was a little heartbreaking. She has a lot of problems in her family that has led her to believe that and it just breaks my heart thinking that. But I told her that there's no need to worrry because right now she can lean on my testimony. I told her that the more she wants to know her Father in Heaven the more He will show himself to her. It just was so sad that she didn't know how much her Father in Heaven loves her. Then I was so grateful for the knowledge I've had since a youngin' that I have a Father in Heaven who loves me. 

So don't forget that friends and family!!  When we are faced with hard things this is when we really have to remember the things we know with all of our heart and not lose faith. When we realize the greatness of our Father in Heaven it is so much easier to do all the other small things in the world!! I feel like I had to tell myself this very good advice I gave my investigator. I'm a bit nervous to be leading the sector and to get to know all the investigators without someone to fall back on. But I know that I have a Father in Heaven who will help me so why do I need to be worrried??? I don't right¿?¿ right!!!

Well I love you all so much and I hope you have a great week. Alway's remember He lives and He loves you!!

Hermana Hilburn

It's Raining Blessings

Thank you all for your prayers for my sweet compy we really felt them!!! For those fo you who don't know my companions bag was stolen last p-day with her scriptures, all her photos, all her memories of the mission and her money. So it was real rough as the week started off. Oh and it rained every single day.. BUT DON'T YOU WORRY HEAVENLY FATHER LOVES HIS MISSIONARIES.

It was really hard for both my compy and I to understand why this horrible thing happened to her just 10 days before she left for her home. She and I were both really sad, frustrated and a little angry about what had happened. Monday and Tuesday my companion was so sad mostly because the loss of her scriptures becasue she was so proud of the work she put into those beautiful things and she was devastated to not have them anymore. She also wouldn't have any of the pictures talks, or music from her whole mission. And to make life a little more dreary it rained so hard for 5 days in a row and it was just really rough. These past couple days have been spent on our knees praying for comfort and peace and help with the work.

AND WHAT DO YOU KNOW THE LORD HELPS US. No he didn't give Hermana Peralta's bag back to her with everything in it but he helped strengthen her. He also gave me the words to say to help her and also the people we needed to teach to help her and man it was just so awesome to see the Lords hand in our week!!!

Tuesday we found this really cute couple to teach and it was pouring rain all day and we couldn't find anyone. And when I say pouring I really mean it because here in Talca, it is known as the city of thunder. There was lightening and thunder and so much rain we could barely walk. But we both wanted to focus on other things and help others and the Lord put THESE AWESOME PEOPLE IN OUR PATH! We both cried a little after the lesson because of how amazing it was and the spirit that was there and I knew it was help for Hermana Peralta to focus on other things and it helped.

But I feel like I learned something real cool this week. That the Lord doesn't always answer our prayers like we hope. Both Hermana Peralta and I wanted her purse to show up on our door step and it never did. But he sent people in the ward and companions to help us through trials. We don't understand why things are hapeening but we don't need to. All we need to know is that we don't need to worry that he will help us and he loves us so much to do that. He also has such a greater plan for us and we just gotta trust in Him.

I'm seriously so sad my compy is going to be leaving me next week. It's so crazy how in a mission we can literally love and be friends with anyone. She has taught me so much and has touched so many lives in the mission.

Don't forget Gods plan for us family and friends. Put your trust in Him. He loves you all and he sure does love my comp. Look for the little blessings becasue when we do we can have a little bit of happiness!!!!!!

Love you all and keep my comp in your prayers. Oh and I guess throw me in there too. I'm not perfect and I need all the help I can get hahah but I know that with my saviors help I can do it!!!!!!!!

Love you all

Hermana Hilburn

 Party for Hermana Peralta

 Gotta Keep Warm

Mirror Selfies

Amazing Blessings this Week!

Hola fam bam!!!!!

This week was a whirlwind of goodness!!!!!!! Both my comp and I were so nervous to start the week because we only had 3 citas for the whole week and we just were a little bugged that we would have to contact all week and find new investigators. But on Monday when we started work, we both decided that we were so ready and pumped to find those people and LET ME TELL YOU WE SEARCHED; THE LORD HELPED US AND WE FOUND. I really saw the hand of the Lord in our work and he be liften us higher and higher!!!!!

It was also raining this week which meant we were on our feet walking. But I think we were supposed to do that because I was able to help my comp with her worries about home. She goes home in 2 weeks and this sweet angel comp of mine has a difficult life. Like real tough! When she goes home she doesn't know where she's living and what she's going to do so we spent all day Wednesday talking about it and helping her figure out what she was going to do. So we talked about it for half of the day and then we said a prayer that Heavenly Father would help her forget her problems and focus on helping others. After the prayer it was like BOOOOMMMMMMMMMM HELP FROM HEAVENLY FATHER. We haven't found new investigators in a week and we found 4 in one day! It was possibly the coolest thing. The people were basically begging us to come into their house and let us teach them and we were just like, stop begging, we are here. It was just so awesome!

One couple that we found are so interesting. They are both like HARD CORE CATHOLICS. Like practicing and everything... hahah which makes them hardcore here because everyone else isn't practicing. But they invited us in and we just started talking about how they couldnt believe there were prophets on the earth today. I just got real nervous, especially because Jorge knows just about every verse in the bible by heart, because he is a professor of religion at a catholic university. So we were a little nervous as we entered the the house but right as we said the prayer the spirit came in like a rock through the window. They didn't want to fight anything we said. They were just like,e oh yeah that makes sense. So we left them with the Book of Mormon and 2 of the folletas because they love to read and made another cita with them. When we left their house hermann Peralta just looks at me and says, ¨that was the coolest lesson ever!  I remembered everything from the bible that I've studied before". I was just like, "same!" ahhhhhhhh it was so cool. I felt like David going up against Goliath and the coolest part was that I was talking and not carrying the lesson but almost. ahhh God rocks! He just helped us so much and it was just so great!!!!

It was really cool seeing the hand of the Lord in our work.

I love you all and I'm so grateful for all your emails. 

Hermana Hilburn

While Kristen was writing this email her companion's bag was stolen! Kristen felt so bad because she had asked kristen to watch it while she got up for a minute. Kristen was so busy writing this email and so happy about the great week she had, that she didn't even hear or see anyone take it. Please keep her and her companion in your prayers this week. Her companion already is going home to a lot of hard stuff and it would be a huge blessing for her to be able to find her bag. Thanks for all of your love and support.

Teri

Happy To Talk to the Fam

HELLO FAMILIA OF MINE WHOM I LOVE SO SO MUCH!!!!!!!

This week roooccckkkkeeedddd especially because I got to talk to my dearest family and it was so great to see their lovely faces. Shout out to the Hilburns, you really are the coolest fam out there. But I'm feeeeellinggg ALIVE AND READY TO WORK MY BUTT OFF AND SAVE SOME SOULS OUT HERE IN CHILLLLLLLEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!

This week was awesome sauce. We had a zone conference and interviews with president which was so nice. He's so awesome and just is such an inspired dude I'm so sad he's leaving next month but I know that our next president is going to be just as amazing!!!!

We've just been working so hard to help our investigators progress and just help them see how awesome the gospel is but some people just don't want to listen!! But don't worry we aren't giving up because as reps of Jesus Christ we can't, because our savior will never give up on any of us. ahhhhh He's so awesome and I love how much he has done for every single one of us!!!!!

This week we threw a little party for this cute lady in our ward that doesn't have any family living close by her for her birthday. We also sang in a funeral so you know MISSION LIFFEEEEE!!! Lots of crazy experiences every single week!!! Then we went to Conti for p-day this week which is a little beach town 2 hours away and becasue of this I don't have a ton of time to write today because we sitll have to do all our stuff for the week!! But know I love you and that I'm sending all my love from Chile!! Have a great week and do great things friends, because we will be happier if we help others.

I love you all!

Hermana Hilburn One of the favorites. Hermana Janzick

 Companion Hermana Peralta

 All the Hermana's in the Zone

 Gave this sweet sister a little Birthday Party this week

Home sweet home

Another Great Week!

I feel like the weeks are just flyin bye!! I remember saying how far away Mothers Day was and look at that it's next Sunday!! But I'm not thinking about it until Sunday so I am able to work!!!!

This week was just a goody. Nothing crazy happened but our investigator Andrea is progressing so well. This week we had a CRAZY SPIRITUAL LESSON  with her. I swear I could just cut the spirit with a knife. She was telling us how her whole life has been focussed on other people and helping them and worrying about them and she feels like now is the time to worry about her self and worry about her relationship with her Father in Heaven and my companion and I were both like YESSSSSS ahhhhh it's so great. The elders that live in her actual sector are awesome as well and they have been inviting her to activities and are just really helpful and it's great. But yeah my companion and I are super happy!!

As for the rest of the week.. lots of contacting. I went on splits with the new sister training leader and I wish we could do splits every week because every time we do splits miracles happen. We found a new person and she's so stinking awesome. She let us in we were able to teach her and the gift of tongues was just working like crazy!!!! haha We found her and then contacted the whole day. Let me tell you it was so fun and so crazy as well because no one wanted to talk to us!!! But we tried new things every contact and as the night went on we both felt like masters. Practice does make perfect or at least better.

It's just real awesome how much the Lord helps His missionaries. I can't even begin to tell about all the love and support I've felt from my Father in Heaven on my mission. I just know He loves me and especially his other children and he wants them to find the gospel. He blesses us everyday to help find and teach his children and I just feel so blessed to be His hands in the work.

I especially felt this love as I fasted this week. idk why but fasting is so much cooler as a missionary. 1. Because we are working all day everyday so there's no time to think about food, and 2. we see the fruits of our fast like right after. ahhhhh it just rocks!

I love my Savior so much and I love doing his work. Sorry this was a short one but I just wanna share my testimony. Our mission president always says to share our testimonies with everyone because when you share, it grows. So I just wanna tell you all I know with out a shadow of a doubt I am a child of God and that my Savior lives and he gave his life for my sins and my pains and my afflictions. How awesome is that. He has given us everything and all we have to do is choose to follow him. I'm choosing to follow him and I'm so happy to help others make this choice as well. So grateful for all of you all and for all your support. I've been extremely blessed WITH AWESOME FRIENDS AND FAMILY AHHHHHHHH I love you all so much. Hope you have a great week and can't wait to see my fam next week !!!!!!! halllllaaaaaa

Hermana Hilburn

The Heaven's Be Singing

HELLOOOOO ALLLLLLL!! THIS WEEK WAS JUST OFF THE WALL FREAKING AWESOME!

Well it started off a lil crazy slash funny slash stupid Hermana Hilburn moment. So we were coming back from splits and were riding in a collectivo (taxi kind of thing) and I had put my suitcase in the trunk because no room in the cabin right? So we were riding and when it was time for us to get out of the car we got out and watched the car drive away. Then I remembered that my wonderful suitcase with everything my life has to offer was in the trunk of that car as I watched it drive away in the pouring rain. So like every person would do, I sprinted after that car as my companion watched and couldn't keep up. Luckily, because my Heavenly Father knows how stupid I am the driver turned around and started to head home. Then he saw this crazy loony missionary running after him and pulled over and gave me my suitcase and we laughed the whole way home. So that's how my week started off just the same old dumb forgetful gal who left yall!!!!!!!

BUT THIS WEEK JUST GOT A WHOLE KNEW TYPE OF BETTER BECAUSE MY COMPANION AND I FINALLY FOUND SOMEONE WHO WANTS THE GOSPEL AND LET ME TELL YOU THE HEAVENS BEE SINGING BECAUSE THE WORKS BEEN A LIL SLOW AND FRUSTRATING. Ahhhhhh but her name is Andrea and she is just the greatest human that ever walked the earth. I found her when I was on exchanges a couple weeks ago and we went back to teach her and she told us how she felt like there was something missing in her life and that she felt something special when she talked to us and learned about the gospel. So we taught her the first lesson and afterwards invited her to be baptized and SHE SAID YES!!! Holy cow I've literally never, ever, felt that kind of happiness, like ever! It was the greatest feelz of my life. Our lesson was just so great and when my comp invited her to be baptized my stomach was just in knots and I was so nervous but when she said yes, my heart was bursting! I'm not lying it was the greatest feeling and my comp and I were so happy after we had to celebrate with a lil ice cream duhhhhhhh. But it was just so nice. Especially because this was the 5th person we've invited to be baptized and she said yes when all the others said no. I was so happy that we could help her but I was honestly more happy that she was able to have the gospel in her life. Oh great is my joy right now ahhhh!!!!! And to top it all off she came to church this Sunday and it was just so awesome. Everyone keep her in your prayers that she will continue to learn more of the goodness of the gospel because it's real good. 

Also this week we had a ward talent show so YOU ALREADY KNOW HOW HYPED I WAS FOR THAT. The missionaries all did a skit and not gonna lie your gal was a star.. jk I didn't have any lines but I think I sold the audience with my class "A" facials. But it was so fun and our wards GOT MAJOR TALENT!  It was so cute and it's so fun because all of the whole ward was there and participated and it was a party and a half. Oh and you already know that it started an hour after it was supposed to because well... welcome to Chile! But it's all good because our ward mission leader was able to fit us 2 missionaries and his family of 7 in there 5 passenger car and we made it home in time for curfew. ahahah but again. Welcome to Chile! 

Lovin the work everyday. There is something so sweet with follwoing the spirit to find others to help. My comp and I decided to visit this random family in our ward whose husband passed away 2 years ago and see how they were doing and when we got there we sang "How Great Thou Art" This sweet sister/widow told us she was so grateful for us stopping by and for us bringing the spirit into her home because the week had been hard for her. 

I just love being a missionary and getting the opportunity to help others in just little ways. I hope you all have a fantastic week and find opportunities to serve others!! You all rock and I love and miss you all!! Can't wait to talk to my Fam in 2 weeks!!! YAY

Hermana Hilburn

 

Ice cream celebration!(An investigator said YES to baptism)    

Talent show with the ward

 These members sent this picture home through Facebook message the night they had the Hermana's to dinner:) so sweet

 So much FOOD!

P-day Fun

The Titanic?