"Wow! I am talking in Spanish ... and because I know the words are correct, the words almost taste good!!"

Carlie's computer didn't work for uploading her own photos this week

so I added the photo I took of darling Hermana Lori DeYoung and her parents

who returned to visit in Chile this week and delivered (successfully) 

a package and hug to Carlie.  Yep!  She's my new hero.  Love this girl, too!!

Happy Independence Day of Chile!!  (September 16)

So This week was pretty exciting...... First they have two holidays right next to each other in the last week and this week so we have been pretty exciting here.  The first holiday is not really a holiday. It is more like a 'We are angry at the world so lets set a bunch of stuff on fire day!!'

Yeah, I don't get it either.  But it is cool.  Exactly 40 years ago last week a dictator took power in Chile and a bunch of other South American countries too, so they show their anger at the government that day.  Anyway, we had to go home early because of it.  It turned out to be really fun because we stayed in and watched 17 Miracles.  Oh wait! It was not fun because we watched 17 Miracles.  What a terrible movie!  I cried like all night.  I feel pretty cool that I was here for their protest though. Nothing bad happened -- I am pretty sure my sector was pretty calm. 

In other news, my life is really good!  Last week we woke up early to get my carnet.  It is this day where you go to the middle of Santiago and stand in a really long fila.  It was super great because I got to see all of my friends of the CCM.  We so very much enjoyed the yummy treats mom sent to me in the mail while we were waiting in line.  This means I am almost a Chilean!  That makes me pretty happy!!!!

So my new hair is still freaking me out!  I look so much like mom it is kind of scary.  The other day when I walked past the mirror I scared myself.  Sometimes when I see myself I think that it is someone else and look for me.  But we have had fun with the only change we can have that is within the rules

Things are so great here!  I love how much Paola and her family are progressing!  Paola has made the decision and wants to get baptized!  But the bummer part is we have to wait until she can get married which is a good 240 days from now.  There is this terrible law that all of the women have to wait for 250 days before they can get remarried after a divorce.  And if you were wondering, men don't have to wait, but women do!  I hate that!  In the mean time they are all reading their scriptures every night, they are praying together as a family, and Paola just started paying tithing!!  I love them so much! Hermana Maciel was sick this week and she called us to make sure she was okay.  Juan Pablo stole the phone and told me that he was praying for us. Yeah, basically I could not be happier with them. 

We gave a Book of Mormon to Diana (the hija de Lourdes) this week. Lourdes was so excited and so were we!  It was a miracle that we were able to!  She took it with a pretty big smile so hopefully one day we will be able to teach her!  We are really going to continue to work with that family too. 

Javier is doing really well too!  He is the guy from Peru.  He is so cute!  We challenged him to baptism this week but I don't think he is quite ready.  We will see what happens.  He is a really good guy!  I love talking with him because he has obviously thought about this stuff a lot and is really educated. 

Ariela is a sweet heart and is struggling.  Dad was right in his letter ... that is exactly how I feel!  I know that principles of the gospel will bless her so much but she is not trying it!  It is so hard to expect it of her though, because she is so tired!  She just does not have the energy for church after working all night and I don't really blame her. 

My Spanish is better!!  It is so funny how sweet it is to have a conversation with someone now.  The words that I am saying almost taste good because I know what words are correct.  It feels weird still to think wow ... I am talking in Spanish!!  I love it!  My comp was so good to teach me!

Basically that is it.  We are doing so well.  We are loving life!  The only fome part is this could very well be our last week together.  Cambios are this week.  Pray that I don't leave!  I want one more change here!  I am finally getting Spanish and I want to finally have like a real relationship with all of these people that I love so much!

I want more time to write you all but I just don't have it this week!  I am still very happy with my family.  I had an interview with my mission president this week and first I had an interview with his wife.   She told me that she read my blog and cried. We just sat and cried for the whole interview about how much we love our families through the whole interview.  I am pretty blessed!

Carlie and her mission presidents: David and Cynthia Wright

God told Ammon that he could testify with power when he had the spirit.  I am so blessed because it is not hard to have the spirit when I am talking about you guys.  I testify of families every day!  I am obsessed!  I think everyone in the entire world needs to know of the power in the Book of Mormon and the power that can come from an eternal family! 

This mission thing is so great!  The other week I was crying really hard during personal study.  That day we were in a threesome and my new (for a day) companion was very worried about me. Hermana Maciel did not even notice and when Hermana Del Barrio pointed it out, Hermana Maciel looked up and said "oh, that is normal.  Yeah, I cry every day!  I am so happy I can't stop!  There is miracle after miracle!  God is so fast at answering my prayers in such beautiful ways!  I just want to change so I can continue to learn!  This is not just a big will power fight, this is our chance to completely change and not even want the bad anymore. (Mosiah 5)  I am so grateful for this year and a half where I have the chance to focus on that change.  I find every week more and more that the change comes easier when I am loving and helping someone else.  My intentions are purer, my prayers are more focused and my actions are more productive.  Love is always the answer!  It is how the Atonement works, and it is how there is power in our family and it is how we, as missionaries can teach with power!  I love you all!  And l love my Savior who granted all of this love to me!  I find more and more every day how true the quote is:   "The only thing that is good in me is Jesus!"  (from a Michael O'Brian song) 

It is so true!  I love being his servant even though I am so weak. I hope one day to always have my heart full of love because that is when I can really be cool:)

Love you all

Hermana Webb