Week 38

Our Christmas Miracle

Friends! Feliz Navidad!

Its been a week full of miracles and all the missionaries here are getting supper exited about the holidays and seeing our families! Its a good thing we have ipads I heard these events were pretty difficult to plan back then... in the dinosaur era...:) haha jk jk

So on to our miracles! For some background Hna Eastwood and I have been praying about finding some new investigators to teach. Its been kind of a struggle tying to get a hold of the same people every week that aren't completely progressing. Well mostly all of Murfreesboro has been knocked, but the other day we felt inspired to spend the day in this trailer park that is kind of close to the church. We hadn't tried it before because it would be the obvious place to go and so we figured there were ether no Hispanics and or a lot of dropped investigators but we tried it anyways and it was awesome! Every door we knocked were Hispanics and everyone seemed to be interested and had not heard or ever talked to missionaries! MIRACLE! So now we have a bunch of new investigators and renewed testimonies of the power of prayer. We are marching on with high spirits this week:D

That same day was Adiels birthday! Adiel is currently our favorite investigator:) We made him a journal and decorated it for him to write his thoughts down and we wrote our testimonies in it. So we drop by pretty early because we know it will be a drinking party and there are all these people watching James Bond and drinking beer... Is that normal? I don't know but we pull Adiel over to the kitchen and give him his birthday gift and he feeds us:) We talk and he seems very happy then right as we are about to leave he tells us that out of everyone at the party we were his only true friends... awwwww! We took some pictures and then before we left he told us he loved us:D ahhh so sweet! He's going to get baptized!

BUT... my favorite part of this story was when Adiel's drunk uncle came up to us and asked us if he needed to bring his Book of Mormon to study with at the party! hahaha then as we were eating he has Adiel throw away his beer and bring him a glass of water to "be respectful to the sweet ladies". I seriously love these people!:D

Well there is not much more to say other than this up coming week might be the funest week of my life! We have parties, spiritual Christmas thoughts to share, ginger bread houses, ugly Christmas sweaters, Salvadorian Christmas dinners, presents, naps, chocolate, chatting with loved ones at home and much much more to come! Ill make sure to take lots of photos:)

I hope y'all have a Merry Christmas and that you take some time to thank our Heavenly Father for the gift of his Son.

Love,

    Hermana Orellana

Weeks 36 & 37

This is going to be a long one!

So I just want to apologize now for not writing my weekly email last week we had a crazy activity with all the sister missionaries in the Zone. We all got together and played games and did a while elephant and I actually have a hilarious video to show yall! First off though some crazy/ funny stories:)

Funny Story #1

Last, last Sunday Hermana Eastwood and I were touching on some doors as usual and the first door we knock on is a sweet African American family. They let us right in and we start talking about Jesus and it turns out that they are Jews! Then I noticed that they had no Christmas decorations up and that Paul (the father) was wearing one of those hats and that his beard was braided... Anyways I got so exited because I had never taught Jews before (oh by the way they don't like to be called JewISH... that's a big no no... it took us 20 min to get passed that) Then I also noticed that they had a stack of books the height of a tall midget all about the Bible and its history and other books like the book of Jubile and the book of Enoc. So I start getting a little nervous and we start sharing our unique message but they keep interrupting us taking bout the ten tribes of Israel... to make a long story short it was one of the worst lessons I have ever taught although we got them really exited to read the Book of Mormon. We some how got on the subject of how Ishmael was of the tribe of Ephraim and all that cool stuff that you aren't suppose to talk about in a first lesson and so we end up leaving two hours later without having talked about the apostasy. The next day we come back and they had done their homework and look up all the information they could about Joseph Smith in the internet. Very bad idea! No no! If you want to know you have to go to the right source! Anywho then they really begin to bash and then they start bashing on the president of the United states and that's when Hermana Eastwood had it! She stood up (just like in that Joseph Smith story when those men were talking about killing all those Mormon women and children) she got up so fast and bared such a strong testimony I was still sitting on their couch with my mouth open by the time she was opening the door and walking out. It was AWESOME! Last Thursday during district meeting I had the pleasure of training about staying within the boundaries of simple doctrine and was able to share my scarring experience:)

Funny story #2

So most of you know that missionaries have a regular schedule specially in the morning. We wake up at 6:30 and exercise and then get ready and eat breakfast and are studying by 8. Well two nights ago something unbelievable happened... hahaha. So for some background info, our phone is this little slide phone that all the missionaries in the mission have. Its not very smart at all and recently it has been braking and telling us it is different hours of the day like for example it will be noon and its telling us its 9 pm... Well we go off to bed Saturday night thinking we will be waking up and sleeping in a little (since we don't have to exercise on Sunday mornings) So our alarm off our phone goes on and Hermana Eastwood gets up to shower and 15 min later she wakes me up to have me shower. I wake up and go to the bathroom and I think about going to get my towel and see the time so that I can plan how long I can shower for (I like long showers...) but then I realize that I have a longer time to shower and my towel is unusually hanging up. So I shower and by the time I'm done my sweet companion is already sitting down studying because its fast Sunday and she sometimes likes to get to the studying early. So I get ready and don't even look at the clock because i have an alarm on my ipad that tells me I have 5 min before I need to start my studies. Well it doesn't go off and I figured it was just having an off day (because it does that sometimes). So I finally decide to look at my wrist watch and it tells me its 2 in the morning... and i figure it might have stopped but then its still working so I look over at the microwave clock and it also says its 2 in the morning so then I ask my sweet Hermana Eastwood why the clocks say its 2 in the morning and she tells me, "oh i think the power might have gone out because both my wrist watch AND my ipad said it was 2" well both the ipad and the watch don't use electricity.... and i say "Hermana how call all these watches be wrong?" and she goes "I don't know but its been a weird morning look how dark it is outside. Do you think its a sign of the second coming?" and I cant believe it! hahahahaha I finally had to turn the phone off and back on before I could convince her and me that it really was 2 in the morning. So our phone woke us up @ 1 in the morning the other night... hahaha 

I want to write down this same story in Hermana Eastwoods own words:) because she is hilarious.... 

"This mornin we got up @ 1:00am and got ready. Long story: the phone said 7:00 am... so I showered and @ 7:15 started to study cause I was like 'yeah imma study a bunch!' It was 7:55 and it was SO dark! I was like 'dang I think it's a sign for the second coming or somthing.' Then Hna Orellana was like 'hermana you're trippin! its 2:00am.' All the clocks said it.. but I changed them all cause I thought the power went out.. IDK it was 1 am okay! Also awkward cause th ephone had been broken all week como por days... It was one of those things that you cant help but laugh. #halariousinthemoment #unforgettablememories

Spiritual Stories

La familia Rico has been coming to church for the past 2 Sundays! They are a famous less active family and we go over sometimes to help Hermana Rico with her math homework. The other day we were showing them the Christmas video and I have this feeling to show them this other video so I do and they decide there to work harder. They have been coming to church and doing their FHE and they are on their way to the temple! Oh happy day! The members are so exited and we had two requests yesterday to go on exchanges. Miracles!

We have also been seeing some success with Adiel. Yesterday him and his brother Noe came with us to watch the Christmas devotion and Adiel loved it. It wasn't until the end of the show that Noe told us that he didn't know English as well as he thought he did and hadn't understood anything... but he had liked the music:)

I love this Christmas season! Its the happiest season. There is so much service that come with these holidays and family love. Its a time for forgiveness and a time to show others the love that our savior asked us to have for all our neighbors. He might not have been born at this time but we celebrate his life and his teachings and the love our Heavenly Father has for us by giving us His Son so that we can return to live with him. If you haven't seen the new "He is the Gift" video, DO IT! Its awesome:)

Okay so on to the photos: I burnt Hermana Eastwoods tights for my 9 month mark. Last P-day some brought a cake for the white elephant exchange and everyone wanted to smash it on someones face so we got Elder Zabriskie to do it. We taught everyone how to say "mordida". No its not his birthday and no he didnt even know what it was coming... The jewish family taught me how to tie my hair like theirs so I did it... and took a picture.. and then I decided to show off my wild hair.. its a dramatic contrast! Oh and also I took pregnant pictures for my 9 months...:)

Sorry for the long email... Thanks for loving me guys:D

As my compa says, "Con todo el amor del mundo"

Hermana Orellana

Week 35

My Day In Nashville :)

I am currently sitting at the city library of down town Nashville! I got approved to drive down to renew some immigration stuff. It just happened to land on a Monday (Heavenly Father is good) and so we took the opportunity to spend the day here. Hahaha crazy! I have never been down here:) we have already been to some shopes down here and walked down Broadway (the famous street). Nashville is cool but I still don't like country... I feel like I'm getting there though!

This week was calm! We were so thankful that is started to warm a little later I the week! It's not fu. To ride your bike in freezing weather. On Monday my compa and I were riding our bikes to our friend Adiel's house to teach him about the gospel when her breaks froze! She couldn't move the back wheel so we had to take the break out and were some how able to make it home that night. The next morning my breaks were frozen too!

This last Sunday was stake conference and we had a general authority there! Sadly for me I cant remember his name but I believe is was Bishop Stevenson. It was amazing though! They talked all about missionary work and I got some great ideas on how I could help my members become more involved.

This week we have some really exiting things happening! Today I am in Nashville. Tomorrow my companion and I get to accompany Carolina, a recent convert, to the temple to do baptisms. On Wednesday I hit my nine month mark! Thursday is Thanksgiving and it's going to be the

coolest!  We get to have two dinners! We got invited to our friend Adiels house. He is an investigator Hna Eastwood and Hna Smith had been working with before I got here but I just started working with him a coupe, weeks ago:) He is supper awesome! We helped him paint his town home yesterday. And then we also get to to Erick's house and have some Salvadorian food. I'm pretty sure it's going to be the best thanksgiving ever!

I love serving here! I love my mission! I love all the trees and the suthern people. I love my mission president. I love every single one of my companions. I'm starting to love country music... I love all the religious diversity. I love the hillbillies. I love the strong members. I love the humid summers and the freezing winters. I love ridding my bike in the rain. I love the streets covered in tree

leaves. I love sharing my testimony. I love teaching the gospel. I love seeing someone change because of message.  I love the Book of Mormon and I love my Savior.

I hope y'all have an amazing Thanksgiving! Don't forget to actually think of all he things you are grateful for. I am sure grateful for every one of you:)

Hermana Orellana

PS I apologize in advance for all the pictures I am about to send... I will be spamming you:P

Week 34

My First Missed Transfer

We got transfer calls Sunday morning and Hermana Eastwood and I get to stay together for another transfer!! Whoo!! We prayed so much about this. I am tired of having to always to go transfer meeting. I told the Ward Mission Leader that I have had to switch companions every transfer after my trainer and he asked me if it was because I bullied them...:(

Hermana Eastwood and I will have spent three months together, Thanksgiving and Christmas!

It is also currently 34 degrees here in Murfreesboro Tennessee and apparently it snowed this morning but then it also rained so it got washed away. It will be a very cold week and lucky us we have our bikes this week:P

We had some awesome miracles this week! We had Zone meeting last Saturday and we made a goal to have 80 member presents as a whole Zone in one week. This morning we got a call and we reached 100 member presents! Hermana Eastwood and I contributed to that 8 member presents! How crazy! Our average a week is around 2. I have no idea how it happened other than with lots of prayers. This is truly a miracle. 

On Saturday we had our Branch turkey dinner party:) We had two investigators come Freddy and Neemias! We ate some good food and the branch got to socialize with them and made them feel welcomed and then... They came to church the next day:D Sadly they both have to go down to Florida to work till Christmas but hopefully they will continue to read the Book of Mormon as they promised and we will be able to pick them right up when they come back. 

I have been thinking a lot about authority lately and I read this scripture this morning "And no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron" (Hebrews 5:4). Literally no man can do anything in His name save he is called of God. Why then do some speak as if they had authority. Its confusing, I know, and no matter how much evidence I put in front of someone it doesn't matter because they have to have a sincere desire to ask God. 

Well this is all. I might have to get to all my personal email a little later because we have to run and buy the groceries. I do want to give a shout of to my girl Prachi! It's her Birthday today:) I sure love you Prachi! My life would be utterly boring and uninteresting without you<3 I hope they shower you with lots of love on your day!

Love, Hermana Orellana

PS: About the pictures.. No its not coffee its white chocolate hot chocolate with caramel and a cake pop!

PPS that light post was the wackiest thing I have seen all week!