Photos of Missionary Life in Chile...

Their "califont" which heats all the water for their house

The Hermanas' tiny little washing machine

Bunk beds...Hermana Bailey sleeps on the top bunk

Chilean Pesos

The consequences of wearing closed-toed shoes in such hot weather...:(

Earthquake! But, we're fine...

Hows life in the United States? It's still hot as heck down here. But in a month it is going to start getting really cold.

As you may have heard, we had a earthquake yesterday! We normally have 4 or 5 that you can feel any given week but they normally are fairly short and not very strong. But, the one we had yesterday was a 7.2 and was almost a minute long. We were actually headed to our apartment so I could get something and just as we were about to walk in the door we felt it. It was strong enough to knock all cell phones out of service, some for more than an hour. We actually had another earthquake a little shorter and less intense the other night. A lot of people are talking about it because they say that when several intense earthquakes come back to back like that it usually means tension is building and a big earthquake will come soon. So we´ll see. But don´t worry we´re safe.

Yet again we spent most of our week working with menos activos which paid off because several of them came to church this week! Unfortunately Erik and Eliana still didn´t come because her dad was in town. But we´re going to keep trying. Things are going well with Scarlet. We´ve gained her confidence so now we just need to find a way to teach her the gospel without her mom jumping down her throat and them fighting the whole time.

But, we´re working away. Like normal. Lovin' the mish, saving one soul at a time!

Friends in Santiago...

Good Bye Hermana Vindas, Hello Hermana Singleton!

We had changes and Hermana Vindas left for a different sector. I received Hermana Singleton as my new companion. We lived together in my first area, but we weren't companions. Hermana Windous and Hermana Baldwin, my two BEST friends in the mission go home tonight. I am SO sad.

We had a nightmare of an adventure last night which involved 6 children, getting on the metro going the wrong way, wandering all over the most ghetto parts of our sector in the middle of the night and finally getting back to our apartment at almost midnight. It was awful. But, we made it home alive and without being mugged. I'll call that another successful day in the mission!

We found Erik and Eliana again! They are finally back from their vacations. We had an awesome lesson with them where we talked a ton about baptism. They are so awesome. We're going to try and set a baptismal date this week.

Training with Elder and Sister Richards

Mission Conference February 2012

Hermana Bailey is in the front row second from the end on the left

"This has been a good week. We had a training with Elder Richards from the Seventy. It was really good. He talked a lot about the importance of obedience. It was really inspiring. We had to take a survey a few days before and in the conference, he told us the results. According to the survey, the Hermanas are 96% obedient. The Elders were a little less...but it made me happy to see that as Hermanas we are trying hard to be good missionaries. We also had a great meeting afterwards with Sister Richards, his wife, that was just for the Hermanas. The Spirit was so strong. She talked about our special nature and responsibility as Hermanas. It was wonderful.

I've decided this week I'm going to try and take lots of pictures so you can all understand what life is like in Chile. It will be a nice little birthday present for you, from me, for my birthday. I can't believe I'm going to be 22! SO OLD! I think I'm going to stop counting now."

February in Santiago

"This week I was asked to play the piano for a special musical number for a three stake fireside that Elder Richards (of the Seventy and the Area Presidency of Chile) was doing with the youth. I don't know how people find out I play...I don't think I've played the piano once since being in this ward. Anyway, we spent a lot of time in rehearsal this week. A group of youth sang the EFY Medley and it turned out really well. The meeting was wonderful. Elder Garcia (from the Seventy) and his wife were there along with Elder Richards and his wife and they all spoke. Every talk was wonderful!

We've started teaching a girl named Scarlet. Her dad is an active member of our ward and her mom is an inactive member who now says she's Catholic. Scarlet is 13 and an atheist...which makes it difficult. But, she's a great kid. She has a little brother that is almost 12 that is listening to us as well. They are such a fun family and I feel like they have great potential. I just don't know how to help her gain a testimony when she doesn't even believe in God. I feel like I've always had a testimony, so I have no idea what it's like to start from scratch."