Four

Another grand week here at the Santiago CCM!  If my spelling or grammar is off, I´m blaming the spanish keyboard I´m using...okay plus there is no autocorrect so you can see how bad my english spelling is getting.  One plus to Spanish...the spelling is identical to how it sounds!

My week was going fine, but yesterday was definitely the highlight of my whole CCM experience thus far.  I PLACED MY FIRST BOOK OF MORMON/ LIBRO DE MORMON.  One of our teachers surprised us and said that we had 20 minutes to go contacting on the street right in front of the CCM.  This is a hard area because most of the people really ignore you because they are so use to seeing tons of missionaries on this street.  However, I had been praying for the a while now that I would be ready for such an opportunity..(we get really exciting when we get to pass through the CCM gate jaja). Hna. Berrio and I started walking maybe a block from the CCM when we made eye contact with this guy.  He smiled but kept on walking.  I looked back and say though that he had stopped maybe 15 feet from us and seemed to be hesitating.  So we went up to him.  His came is A.  He is from Colombia (shout out to Elder Duffy) and I was actually able to talk to him about mi hermana serviendo en Bogota.  From what I got from talking with him...nice thing was he talked a lot slower than the Chileans here....was he has seen the angel on the temple in Bogota and the one here in Santiago, he has a close family member that joined the church, and that he has been attending lots of chapels trying to fill the void in his life, but nothing has satisfied his spiritual hunger yet.  He was so patient with me and my companera as we explained to him the Libro de Mormon, that there are modern prophets, that God loves him, and that he can find more peace and purpose in his life, by reading the LDM another testimony of Jesucristo.  In my broken spanish all I could really say was I know this Book is true and the peace it has given me in my life.  We gave him a Libro de Mormon and a pamphlet on the Restoration.  We got his contact information and have passed it on to the CCM leaders who forward it on to otras Hermanas who speak more spanish:)  This work is not of man but of God.  Christ lives.  I was having a hard time trying to process missionary work...how to open your mouth so all can hear...but I know with the guidance of the Spirit, I can be lead to those who are being prepared to hear more about the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  I love being a missionary in this great work!

This last Sunday I was able to bear my testimony during Fast and Testimony Sunday in Spanish.  I definitely brought notes up with me, but I know my simple spanish sentences in testimony are true.  My love of the gospel has grown so much.  My forgeting myself, I have found myself.  

Right now in the CCM there are probably only 20ish missionaries.  I guess tons of missionaries are going to the Mexico CCM instead.  It has been fun though.  It is like private language lessons here jaja en serio.  I have learned to be in a classroom for about 12 hours every day with guys about the same age as Cam and a little younger then Caden.  These Elders are working so hard, and it has been really fun watching them figure things out their first couple weeks being independent.  They try so hard to be respectful around Hna. Berrio and me...sometimes I feel like the Motherly/Medical Consultant in their life...but their desire to serve the Lord is so pure.  

Yesterday I worked with Dr. J for a couple hours and he taught me how to assess basically most body systems both in person and over the phone.  I am so thankful for his willingness to teach me.  He said he is hoping that the nurses will be given iphones to use so we will be able to text him questions/get medication recommendations etc instead of playing phone tag with him.  He is really shaping the medical work that is being done here.  I found out that one of the nicest hospitals in all of South America is in my mission.  So blessed.

I am so grateful that the Lord has entrusted me to be a representative for Him here in Chile.  

With much love,

Hermana Duffy

Three

This has been another fabulous week here in the CCM.  The saying goes...days are long, but weeks fly by.  I 

don´t know if I will totally feel 100% prepared to face the real world of missionary work (especially the spanish aspect) but I am excited to soon be tracking.  

I was so blessed to have my dia de preparacion on my birthday!  Best present ever:)  This morning the Mission President´s wife, Hermana Doll, gave me cookies and all the norteamericanos and latinos sang me happy birthday.  What a wonderful group of people to be surrounded by.  I have loved being here at the Chilean CCM, because it is really close knitted.  I get personal language help from teachers and I have become good friends with the Medical Senior Couples here.

Let the medical questions begin.  Word has officially spread through the CCM that I am a nurse so this week included:  rule out hernia, massive canker sore, sore throat, and popping pinky toe.  Pretty intense huh;)  I am so blessed to have had the education and training in nursing so I can help others.  I met with Hermana T this week.  She is another Nurse here in the Santiago East mission with basically the same training and work experience I have had.  She was telling me how she does things....she is truly a pioneer when it comes to the work she has done here in Chile.  She told me she gets 15 to 20 calls a day..so I am hoping that I get a Smartphone because I will be charting on each phone call I take.  I also got to spend some time with Dr. J.  He is AWESOME!  He had me help him assess a missionary and then spent time explaining how to rule out if something like back pain is serious or not.  I have a feeling I am going to learn tons from him!

So I got two new Latina Hermanas as roommates.  One is from Peru and the other is from Honduras.  The one from Honduras is a dentist, and if I have been understanding her spanish correctly, she has been doing a lot of volunteer work as a dentist with missionaries prior to serving.  Funny spanish language mistakes of the week.  When asking someone to pass a plate I used the word Planchas (like the scriptural ancient metal plates ...opps).  When you are hungry say ¨hambre¨not ¨hombre¨.  Before lunch, I was trying to say that I was really hungry but instead said ´I have many men¨.  oh well I try. 

We were able to do a English session in the Santiago temple yesterday.  It was probably one of the most spiritual experiences I have had in a temple thus far.  I know that the Lord is supporting me in His work, and for sanctifying this time to Him, I can bless others including myself.

On Sunday, my companera y yo sang a song at Noche de Hogar (family home evening).  We sang ¨Be Still my Soul¨in english because there isnt a spanish version in the Himno.  The words in this song are so simple but touching.  I dont think I have ever felt more peace in my life than I do now.  The Gospel is true.  I am here in Chile to help real people with real problems come unto Christ.  His arms are always reaching out.  I love the missionary approach that is being used to really assess the personal needs of investigadors.  It is easy to just teach set lessons, but when you really get to know the desires, fears, and soul stirring questions people have, then the Spirit can guide you in what you need to say.

Know that I love you, I pray for you, and am sustained by your prayers.  I love studying the Plan of Salvation, because it makes me so happy that I can spend eternity with you,

Share the light of Christ with everyone,

Te amo,

Hermana Duffy

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Two

What a life changing week this has been!  When you think you have fully developed a certain attribute, the Spirit stretches you a little farther in order to become a little closer to Christ.  This week I have really been pondering and studying the Christ like attribute of Hope.  Hope is simple in nature, but complicated in nature.  I have lots of hopes for serving the Lord here in Chile, but in order to work towards these hopes I need to ACT in faith.  

So this last week was more classes!  It has been really fun being a student again..me and my spanish dictionary are really close friends now.  A typical day consists of getting up at 7 am (they play the song Called to Serve over the loud speaker as our alarm clock), personal study for an hour, quick breakfast, we get to run in the park, get ready and then we are in class from 10 to 10.  It sounds daunting writing it right now, but I am truly loving it!  I can truly feel the Spirit supporting me physically, emotionally, and spiritually, as I try to prepare to serve more fully.

Today a big group of missionaries left the CCM to go serve in their assigned missions.  Im going to really miss them, especially my roommates Hna. F and Hna. E.  These two wonderful sisters were so loving and patient with me my first week while I was trying to pick up some basic Spanish phrases.  Funny story.  One night I asked Hna. E to clarify when to use the word bien and bueno.  She gave me the example of saying "A good investigator" "A buen investigador." I heard her say "A buen pescador (fisherman)" I started nodding in agreement, and acting out like I was going fishing.  She looked at me and busted up laughing.  Now our inside joke is that we are going to go preach to all the fishermen in the area.  Im so thankful for these beautiful sisters and I know they are going to be amazing missionaries!

The language is coming...slowly but surely!  Yesterday me and my companera Hna. B, taught a lesson to our practice investigador "Pedro."  The Spirit was so strong in the lesson.  We were able to pray with him, testify to him, and commit him to be baptized.  Even though now all of our lessons have gone that well, the ones where you know the Spirit is truly manifesting the love of God to an investigador makes all your Spanglish worth it!  A humbling experience I had this week was concerning my ideas on teaching.  For the past year as a nurse, I was trained to know the answers, to go off my own experience and to have that professional take on teaching.  However, when teaching the gospel, I am the vessel that the Lord and the Spirit are teaching through.  To teach you have to turn to the scriptures.  Im so thankful for Preach my Gospel, what an inspired guide

The weather has been very mild this week, but you can definitely tell winter is rolling in!  Let winter begin again! 

 I was able to run into my mission president and his sweet wife this morning.  They were picking up the missionaries that were leaving to go to the Norte Mission.  Hna E said that when I get to the mission I will have 10 days with her before they leave so she can train me on the medical part.  She said she is going to give me the responsibility of the "medical cell phone" probably my second day there.  Im so grateful that I will have her there to help me the first week or so.  Also this Thursday I will be meeting with Hna. T who is a Medical Nurse Specialist in the Santiago East mission, so maybe she can give me some tips also.

I love Chile I love the people here. They are so warm and loving, and I cant wait to serve them!

This is what Im suppose to be doing...I know the Lord needs me here, and I need to be here.  

Yo se que el Evangelio Restaurado is verdadero.  Dios is nuestro Padre Celestial.  Nosotros somos sus hijos.  Nos ama.  Estoy agradecida por la Expiacion, y el ejemplo de Jesucristo.  Yo siento el Espiritu Santo cuando yo ensenar.  Yo tengo paz y gozo porque familias son eternas.  El Libro de Mormon es la palabra de Dios y si nosotros leemos de las paginas, podemos felizidad y ser comodo.  

If anyone that is fluent in spanish and reading this their may be a few grammatical erros ;)  Give me a few more months.

I love you with all mi corozon.

Con amor,

Hermana Duffy

Week One

It has been exactly a week since I have arrived to the beautiful country of Chile!  I LOVE IT HERE.  The people are so loving and caring.  The climate is beautiful.  My dry skin has finally healed thanks to the humidity here.  The air quality is very similar to the smog in Utah. Supposedly there are mountains by us, but I can only see them some of the time.  So this week passed by like a dream, except it included many hours of sitting in classes trying to learn spanish and how to be an effective missionary.  I thought being a RN would help me be an effective teacher of the gospel, but teaching the gospel is something very distinct in itself.  It was interesting because one of our teachers was saying the North Americans sort of have an advantage because due to our limited spanish, we have to teach simply.  During the first practice lessons, I felt like I had to drive deep into doctrine, however I have learned that these simple truths are the things that really prick the hearts of the investigadors and invite the Espiritu Santo.  

Another thing I am working on is trying to view others (especially the Latinos) as nuestro Padre Celestial would.  Coming to a new place, it is easy to view yourself as very different than others, but nosotros somos todos hijos de Dios.  I am so thankful for the oportunidad I have to pray and serve the people here in Chile.  Here in this little corner of the mundo I have the oportunidad to hopefully make a difference in uno personas life.  However, I learned this last week, that with serving a mission our greatest convert will be ourself.  A mission really opens up your eyes to your weaknesses and what you need to work on to be a better disciple of Christ.  

Here in the CCM..we do something called ´"progressive investigators"  where we teach a teacher who is acting like an investigador.  Mi companera y yo tenemos dos personas...Carla y Pedro.  Right now we are able to use Spanglish to teach them...thank goodness.  The CCM right now has misioneros from 15 different countries.  It is amazing how strong the Latino misioneros are.  We were able to go to the temple yesterday, and a couple of them received their endowments during the session, because back home they live far away from a temple.  

Comida...like I said during Skype time....no me gusta esta comida, pero yo compre muchas fruta durante mi dia de preparacion.  Honestly, I´m not sure if any of the spanish sentences that I´m using in this email are grammatically precise, but I´m trying to use palabras here and there:)  

Another thing I am so grateful for is for such a support system.  I´m so grateful for family and friends and their prayers.  I can feel the support the Spirit is giving me during this time of transition and with el don del lenguas.  The past couple days I was able to make contact with Dr. J (who is over all the Chilean missions) and Senores O (who was the couple I met during my mission medical training back in SLC).  Im so lucky to have the chance to work with these amazing people for the next 18 months!  

Closing thought-  one thing that I have been thinking a lot about this last week is love and specifically charity.  1 Cor 13 sums it up beautifully.  It is something we must pray, and I know as we have more charity for others, we can feel more profoundly the love of God for His children including ourselves.

Enjoy the journey. You are in my thoughts and prayers.

Familias son eternas.

Hermana Duffy

She's Off!

 Exactly 50 LBS

Mother's Day SKYPE

Dear Family,

 I'm writing to you from a computer in the CCM.  I made it to chile!  I was able to meet up with about 9 other missionaries in SLC.  And then in Atlanta met up with 15 plus more.  I am so excited to be here, and if feels so right.  I can't write much write now, but know that I am safe and happy.  I can see the temple right across the sidewalk from the ccm.  I will talk to you on Sunday.

My Decision to Serve!

To many my mission call was a surprise.  What they don’t know is that my decision to turn my mission papers was a surprise to me also.  Here is my story.

A little background on LDS missions.  The decision to serve as a full-time missionary is recommended for all worthy young men, and is optional for young women.  Recently the prophet, President Thomas S. Monson was inspired to change the ages when young adults could serve missions:  Boys’ age change from 19 to 18 y.o, and Girls’ age change from 21 to 19 y.o.  Young men serve for 2 years, and young women serve for 18 months.  

When I was about to turn 21 y.o (before they lowered the age requirement) I did not really have the desire to serve.  However, due to some of my closest friends putting their papers in, I rethought my decision.  I was in the middle of BYU’s Nursing Program, but I had a slight kindling of a desire to serve.  I prayed about it, and felt neutral about the decision.  As I continued to ponder and pray about serving a full-time mission, I finally received my answer.  The answer was to finish school, which is what I did.  Even though I felt that was the answer to my prayer, a mission was always in the back of my mind.  I was not at peace with not serving a mission, even though I knew finishing school was what I needed to do.  In April 2013, I graduated from BYU.  I landed my dream job, the job I had wanted since the beginning of nursing school, on the Children’s Medical Unit at Primary Children’s Hospital.  I knew Heavenly Father’s hand was in leading me to this job position, which I was so elated about!  Working as a nurse soon consumed my time.  Finishing the New Graduate RN Residency Program, and getting used to being a full-time Pediatric RN is what was on my mind.  However, I felt like something was still missing.  I tried to fill this void with hobbies, trips, and friends.  Yet, nothing filled this emptiness.  The idea of serving a mission started entering the stage of my mind once again.  But, my life was going great:  new friends, great job, fun trips.  I knew I needed to make a decision for where my life needed to head, but I was scared to make any big decisions.

One night I was with one of my best friends who had just returned from serving a mission.  We started talked about missions, and something she said struck a heart string, and I knew what I needed to do.  I still fought the decision to put my mission papers due to fears for some weeks.  I read a talk though which this friend had told me about.  It was a devotional talk, which talked about making decisions even when the future is unknown, but going forth with faith.  This was my answer!   I made the decision to start my papers.  I prayed to Heavenly Father to stop me if this was not the thing for me to seek at this time.   Yet the correctness of my decision was quickly seen, as things quickly and miraculously played out.  I called my parents telling them about my decision, which I was surprised how supportive they were about this new decision I made.  With the help of my bishop, I was able to get my mission papers in about a week from the day I made my decision.  

Now the waiting game began.  Patience is a virtue I would love to have now, but that I need to work on.  First week went by, with no call letter in the mail.  Second week started, and finally that Wednesday the letter came!

That afternoon my mom, dad, and brother Cameron came to my apartment in Salt Lake City.  I ripped that envelope open pretty quickly.  Chile Santiago North Mission, as a Mission Nurse Specialist!  But wait I leave in about 4 weeks directly to Chile on May 7th….and I get to learn Spanish, which is something I have wanted to learn for years!  

I am humbled as I prepare to accept this call to serve.  I know my call is from the prophet, Thomas S. Monson.  I know Heavenly Father has a timetable for me, and this is what He would have me do at this time.

I’m so thankful for the support I have received from friends and family!  I am going to give my all, as I interact and serve those in Chile!  I know I can bring those in Chile a message of joy and peace:  families can live together forever, Christ lives, the Book of Mormon is true and is evidence of God’s love for His children, and there is a living prophet today who receives modern day revelation.

My new name will be Hermana Duffy for the next 18 months, as I serve my brothers and sisters who live in the southern country of Chile!

The Time Finally Came...the BIG White Envelope!