Week 41

'Who am I, saith the Lord, that have promised and have not fulfilled?' 

Doctrine and Covenants 58:31

Something I am struggling with on the mission is patience in waiting for blessings to arrive. On the weeks where I feel like I am killing it as a missionary, I sometimes feel the most afflicted. But then I am reminded of my new favorite scripture, when the Lord promises, the Lord fulfills. 

I know many of you are experiencing hard times, dark times, or not so fun times. I know many of you are pushing forward and doing what's right but you are still having difficulties. For those who are wanting to quit like I have the past few days, hang in there! "Some blessings come late, and some don't come until heaven. But to those who live faithfully, they come!" 

I know the Lord qualifies whom He calls because I am 5000 miles away from home speaking Spanish and living alone which is a miracle on its own. I love this gospel! I love the mission. And I love all of you. Keep on swimming! 

Hermana Beardall

 

P-day!

 

 

'White house'

 

 

Our bishop!

 

Week 40

This last weekend I hit my halfway mark on the mission and I am filled with so many mixed emotions! But the emotion I have felt the most is complete gratitude. I had no idea the effect a mission would have on me when I made the decision to serve. I can honestly say that the mission has been the best decision I have ever made and I am so grateful that I took the leap of faith and just did it. And this is basically the purpose of my email today. To all of you who are wondering if the mission is for you, just do it. Start your papers now and go! I promise that you will never regret it. I am not saying it is going to be easy or even fun at times. You are going to be cold, and rejected, and exhausted. But you also are going to laugh, feel the Spirit, find friends for life, and gain a testimony that will change your life. I can honestly say I am the happiest I have ever been! I have had companions from Argentina, Colombia, and the US. who will forever be some of my best friends. I have seen many of my friends enter the waters of baptism and change their lives for the better. I have a whole other family here with the ward members who have taken me in like a daughter. And most importantly, I have truly gotten to know my Savior through reading my scriptures and praying to Him more than I ever have before. I hope all of you can read "The Miracle of a Mission" from Jeffrey R. Holland in 2000. 

 

"This is hard work. Its the hardest work you will ever do. That's why I say its the most important work you will ever do. I think these two go together. Its hard work, but every day, in every way, it will get better and you will feel the Spirit of the Lord. You will know He loves you and the language will come, and baptisms will come, and you will make new friendships, both with your companions and with investigators and with ward members."

 

Like what you read? That's just a sample... Go read this talk!

 

On another note, this weekend was the 18th of September which is like the 4th of July for us. But these Chileans start Friday and party hard til Sunday. I have to say, this was the funnest weekend of my whole mission. I ate more meat and empanadas than I would like to admit. Then Saturday night I was washing my feet when a Rincon spider (Chilean Recluse) bit my foot.. The most poisonous spider here. I left to the emergency room at 11 at night and spent most of the night at the hospital with my mission president and his wife. I have a testimony that God protects His missionaries because I am perfectly fine. Just a mear flesh wound..ha 

THANK YOU ALL FOR THE SUPPORT THIS PAST 9 MONTHS. For all the letters, emails, and packages I have received. I miss you all but there is no place I would rather be. 

Love Hermana Beardall

Indapendencia De Chile!!

 

 

 

 

My New Chilean dress!

 

 

 

 

 Our festive little abode.

 Packages!

 

 

 Viva Chile!

 

 

 

 

It was only a matter of time before something bit me here.

 

Week 39

Not much happened this week to be honest. Its about 90 degrees and its still winter so that's been good.. I am definitely not ready for summer again, but come what may and love it. This week we had a meeting with President Woodward to talk about the vision of our mission and I love it. Teach repentance and baptize converts. To be honest, I didn't really understand repentance before my mission. I thought it was kind of a gloomy painful thing, something to be scared of. But here in the mission I have learned that repentance is something that brings hope and relief into our lives. 

Everyday for almost 300 days, I have walked and walked and walked with a backpack full of Books of Mormon, pamphlets, and greeting cards. When it hits 9:30 and we return to our home, I cant explain how good it feels to take my backpack off and relax for the night. And this is exactly what repentance is. We are all carrying backpacks filled with mistakes and sins that can be reduced if we simply pray to our Heavenly Father and then work to be a little better than we were before.

I am incredibly grateful that my Savior died for me and all of you so that we can repent and one day, return to live with Him again.

I have no doubt that the 2nd coming is getting closer and closer and I am shocked more and more everyday how mean the people are here to us at times. Its a testimony to me that we are in the last days and we need to get a move on it. I LOVE EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU

Hermana Beardall

 

Cheese!

 

 

 

 

My primary class! 

 

Week 38

Remember how I said last week that the rainbow comes after the storm? Well this week I got to see the rainbow. For 3 months we have been working with Ariel Cortez. His parents were married in the temple and everything but when Ariel was 8, they were offended and left the church. Hermana Grover and I found his parents Lorena and Antonio knocking doors one day and we made a goal to reactive them. At this time they were assisting the catholic church and had no interest in listening to us. NONE. ZIP. NADA. But we kept visiting them and showing them that we really did love them. Ariel started to assist with his parents and they didn't fault a Sunday for 8 weeks! But still when we would ask Ariel if he wanted to be baptized he would say no, that he would never leave the catholic church.(he was a catholic missionary.) We gave him the invitation to read the Book of Mormon with a question in his mind and then to pray after to ask if this was the true church. At this point I was kind of frustrated with him to be honest and said to my companion, "Okay if he says no again, we need to move on. He's not progressing." We hadn't heard from him in a few days when we received a text that said, "Hermana's, I have a surprise for you. I got my answer and want to be baptized."

We passed for him the next day because I thought it was a joke but when we got to his house his mom came out and said, "Ariel wants to be baptized, thank you Hermana's!"

Ariel was baptized this Saturday and it was one of my favorite days on the mission. His mom shared her testimony and said, "Hermana's, thank you for being so stubborn and never giving up on us." I feel so blessed to have had this opportunity to see a family being completed this weekend. I feel so blessed!! We all wore black at his baptism because it's his favorite color but Sunday he showed up in a shirt and tie we bought him and it was so cute! 

This church is true friends and family. I promise that if you read the Book of Mormon and pray to know if it's true, you will receive an answer. How do I know this? Because I have read the Book of Mormon and prayed and received an answer and I have watched many of the converts here do the same. I love you all and testify that with God, we can do all things!

HERMANA BEARDALL

 

 

Ariel's baptism

 

 

 



 

Sunday

Hermana's

 

 

Week 37

I struggled more this week than I ever have in my whole mission. We did not enter a single house contacting this week and many of our investigators have no longer wanted to listen to us. On Saturday it was freezing cold and we had been outside all day long. My companion started to cry and I told her to have faith to knock one more door. We did and the woman said, "Son mormonas? NO ME GUSTA." We left and at this point we were both crying. We sat in a park bench and cried for a good 5 minutes and then we prayed together. In this prayer I asked at what point we had to suffer and when we would receive help. No miracle happened when I finished praying. We didn't open our eyes and find 10 people pleading to hear the gospel or receive a phone call from an investigator telling us they wanted to be baptized. We only received the strength to keep going, and for me that was enough. 

I know God isn't going to make the mission easy just because I am faithful and work hard because we are here to be tested. How can I expect this to be easy when it was never every easy for Jesus Christ? 

As frustrated and sad and discouraged as I felt this week, I have a testimony that this is the Church of Jesus Christ and that the Book of Mormon changes lives every day. And with this testimony, I find the strength to do one more day. I know that God visits us in our tribulations in His own due time and with His gospel, nothing is impossible. 

I love you all and testify that Jesus understands your trials and your triumphs and will never abandon you. For those who are struggling this week, this month, or ever this year.. know that I love you and I am praying for you! But even more important, your Father in Heaven loves you. And remember, that after the storm comes the rainbow.

DONT YOU QUIT. YOU KEEP WALKING. YOU KEEP TRYING. THERE IS HELP AND HAPPINESS AHEAD.

Hermana Beardall 

Santiago Temple

 

 

 

 

Hermana Bedoya

 

 

 

Braving the cold!