This week I've learned the power of prayer

The Familia Ortiz came to church on Sunday! It was amazing! We hadn't been able to stop by during the week and I was thinking about them all during consejo de barrio (ward council) and during the beginning of the sacrament. Then I looked behind me and there they were! It was such a miracle.  Hermana Fani (the mom) told me that she woke up and decided she was going to go to church, even if Saul  (the Dad) wasn't.   She ironed his clothes and got all ready and he ended up going too! The ward just welcomed them back with open arms.  We are meeting with them on Wednesday and we are also going to start working with the familia de Saul, all of whom are menos activos.  Saul's sister, Pamela, is a return missionary and so is her husband.  We've already met once with her and she is really great.  I really just have so much love for this family, it's crazy.  

There was yet another emergency cambio and now my companion is Hermana Lainez, one of the latinas I lived with in Trompillo! She only has two months left of her mission, so it looks like I'm gonna be the one who kills her.  She's really great and we're having a lot of fun together.  This week was kinda crazy--we had to do a bunch of intercambios with sick hermanas and work in two areas, so we didn't have that much time to work in our area, but this week should be normal and there should be more time to just work and find the familias I know the Lord has prepared for us.  Something that we have noticed is that there are a ton of menos activos that the Lord is putting in our way.  Familias that are ready to go back and just need that extra push.  I'm really grateful for all the families the Lord has put in our path and for being in this ward! The mission is great and the church is true!  This week I've learned how powerful prayer is.  I know that Heavenly Father really does listen to our prayers and that often just the simple act of kneeling and talking to Him has the power to change our very nature.  I'm so grateful for prayer! 

I hope you have the very best week!

Hermana Willes

The hard weeks just make the good ones even better

My week could be summed up by two experiences: the first being when one investigator told us she likes the church because we do sports.  And, the other when we went to contact a woman and her son told us "she says I'm home alone".  Hahaha gotta love the mission.

It was just one of those weeks when it felt like no matter how hard we tried and no matter what we did, no pasa nada.  But it's ok, because all that means is that Heavenly Father has some really great miracles in store for us!

We had cambios and now I'm with Hna Choque from La Paz! She's really sweet and we're both really excited to work together in Guracal! 

Right now we are working with a menos activo family that has taught me more than any one else on my whole mission, the familia Ortiz.  The father is a return missionary and he was the ward mission leader when he just decided to go inactive.  They just barely started recieiving us, which is such a miracle.  It's really interesting, because with his head he knows everything.  And he knows that too.  He's told us multiple times how he knows all the lessons, he just doesn't feel it with his heart.  And he knows his heart is hard right now, but he's sure it will soften someday.  It's really sad because his wife really wants to go back, but she's a convert and he makes her feel like she doesn't know enough.  But, I just love them so much and I know that I'm here to teach them.  I know they will go back, we just have to work really hard with them and pray for them.

As hard as this week was, things are great! I love being a missionary and the hard weeks just make the good ones even better! I know the Savior lives and loves us.  I've learned so much about how much Heavenly Father loves us. I hope you all have a good week! 

Love you!

Hermana Willes

My mission has changed and blessed my life so much!

This week was so crazy! Hermana Furness had to rest because she had some problems with her feet and so we did a bunch of intercambios with Hermana Feddock and Hermana Bauldridge! It was super great because I got to go back to the villa! It was so good to see everyone and be able to say goodbye!

We also had leadership training, which was amazing.  Seriously.  The spirit was incredible.  We talked a lot about family history.  I always knew family history was important before my mission, but now I understand how important it is.  It is just as important as sharing the gospel with people that are living.  There are so many people waiting for their ordinances and we literally have their salvation in our hands.  President Willard got up and testified to us that if we use family history in our lessons and teach it to everyone we can, we will have miracles.  I know that is true!

Tell Kinsey congrats! She'll love Chile.  Spanish is so beautiful! If she has any questions tell her to email me! 

My mission has changed and blessed my life so much.    I can feel His atonement changing me everyday and I can't even put into words how it feels.  There is so much I didn't understand that now I do.  But the most important thing I have learned is that He lives.  He truly does live and it is only through His atonement that we can do anything.  How grateful I am for the atonement and for my Savior!   I am so grateful for the gospel and this opportunity I have to be a missionary. The mission is great!   Everyday is a blessing.  I hope you all have a great week! 

Love you all!

Hermana Willes

Hermana Willes and Hermana Furness

in their apartment

En la calle...

Hermana Willes and Hermana Furness

in front of the church building

Hermana Willes and Hermana Furness 

with ward members

Elizabeth got baptized on Saturday!

Well, Elizabeth got baptized on Saturday! It was a beautiful service and she`s so full of light.  I love her, she's just so great! 

We also taught Leticia and she just bore her testimony of The Book of Mormon to us.  It was incredible.  I know the Lord put her in our path because she is so ready to hear the gospel and accept it.

This mission is the hardest thing I've ever done, but it's also the best thing I've ever done. I can't even put into words how incredible it is and how grateful I am.  I'm so grateful for the gospel and the plan of salvation! The church is true and Christ lives! 

Have the very best week!

Hermana Willes

Hermana Willes, Elizabeth, 

and Hermana Furness

With Elizabeth and her family