Because Love!

Oooohhhhh familia where to start???

This week has been jam packed full of every single emotion known to man. Probably the biggest thing on my mind right now (ahhh but there's so many) is the fact that my companion got transferred! She was here 4 and a half short but FULL months. We saw Jaime, Paola, Jorge Vilches, and Ana get baptized. We saw the familia Murillo, familia Miranda, Nelly, Sara, Mireya, Claudio, Carlos, Manuel and Paula Bernales come back to church, some of them for the first time in 8-10 years. We found Daniel, Christian Catalam, Christian Cortez, Sonia, Alejandro, and Diego... all people who have been searching for God and have expressed their spiritual hunger.. Seriously ahhhhh my heart hurts knowing that my time with Hermana Gil has come to an end. But I'm also anxious and curious to know who my new companion will be! I'll be training again so that will be another huge adventure. I've been praying a lot and trying to guess what lessons my Heavenly Father wants to teach me this transfer... no idea haha. Okay I have a couple ideas. But we'll see if I'm right or not. Sometimes if we ask with a pure intention the spirit can prepare us for the unknown. Just hoping I can figure out and be humble enough to follow Gods will, and that way be able to enjoy and take in each moment to its fullest. Something else I learned from Hermana Gil is to actually appreciate the little things in life and let them fill up your moments and make them memorable. I've always had a bad memory.... and now I'm realizing that it's just because my eyes had been closed to the little signs and symbols of love that are expressed constantly by God and almost just as constantly by others. Life is rich. Also reminds me of a quote my dadio sent to me in one of his letters about being a life poet. I can't remember how it goes but it explained that we make our lives either dull or colorful depending on our willingness to become a poet and see the beauty. Christ's Atonement has also been an enormous reason why I've been able to start learning that lesson. And I can't wait to apply it in my next companionship and see what kind of life poems we can write through our experiences. :)  I just wish I was better at writing in my journal to remember them all... not to mention being an actual poet haha. That would help too. 

So yeah, I'm staying in Ñuñoa! Still in my first area. :) And that is totally okay with me because Ñuñoa has my heart. Going on my 6th transfer. 7 months in the field. And a life time ahead of me. Because missionary work isn't work... it's an attitude and a way of life. And by living with Hermana Escobar who will be going home tomorrow (ahhhhh tears) she has helped me realize that. I had absolutely no idea what this was all about before the mission haha... but the answer is simple and I had actually heard it a thousand times before... it's an invitation to come unto Christ. It just takes so long to learn what that means because it means LOTS of things. But each and every action that it implies is to help us come unto Christ. So if there is one or two or a few aspects of the gospel that gets you unsettled, just remember that the answer to the question "why?" is always "Christ." The spirit teaches us that, when we open our hearts. Our brain is the organ that is a little bit more easily deceived. Because it's only natural to try and figure out these questions of the soul ourselves, through comparison, verification, trail and error. But there are just some things you can't verify beforehand. Therefore making faith, hope, and charity literally the only reasons for spiritual actions. And actually if we want some kind of logical reason for making a spiritual action, I'm almost 100% sure that we will find it. But then the scripture comes to my mind that says that we are nothing without charity (Moroni 7:46). If we are doing something for some other reason besides love, why are we doing it? It's my invitation and personal constant quest to make love be the reason for our actions. Especially our spiritual ones. Maybe there's a part of the gospel that has us confused and asking why?? The answer should always be love. All you need is love. The Beatles got it and so can we. :) 

So yeah. I could probably keep writing for like 3 hours hahaha because AHHHH we went through so much together, Hermana Gil and I. 

Just know I love you all and CONGRATS to Amanda and Kyle!!! So so so so happy for you cuties. Tell Kyle to write me cuz I wanna know my future bro in law. But Jorge tells me great things so I already approve haha. 

All my love,

Hermana Cannon II

from January 19th (apologies from Vida -- overlooked somehow) Faith is so weird

Hey family and loved ones!

So sorry I haven't had as much time lastely as I've wanted to have! But now I'm tranquila haha.

I've been learning sooooo much lately about faith. So missionaries are always setting goals, right? well our mission has changed a lot and now the only goal that we set for the day is how many new investigators we plan to find. I've been trying to be more sincere when I set goals, which I'm learning just means that I'm having more faith. Because now when we write a number "2" in the section for new investigators, I start the day praying and expecting to actually find those two souls that God has been preparing to meet me all this time... so yeah haha I know that should be an obvious reaction to setting goals but it's easier said than done! So yeah as a mission, we all have set the goal to find 4 new people to teach every week. And this week, with my shiny new "eye of faith" we found FIVE! Five new friends to get to know, five new souls to share the good news of God's love, and five new people that now have the chance to accept the plan that they were made to understand, live, and take advantage of. I hope they'll let us help them. :) their names are Esperanza, Claudia, Ada, Daniela, and Antonio. I'll update you on their story once it happens! haha

Oooooo we had a super intense lesson with Jorge (the investigator we've been teaching from the beginning) this week. I don't even know where the words came from that I said to him haha. Jk they came from the spirit. And the things I've been learning during my studies. And from the love that I feel for him. And lots of other cool mysterious things about God that I can't explain but I try to anyways and hope that the spirit makes my words understandable for the people and personally applicable. But yeah the bottom line of what I wanted to explain to him was that his actions have eternal consequences. And that I was worried about him and that I just want him to have the happiest future possible. I'm worried that we might have to stop teaching him soon :(

I also learned about the importance of COMMUNICATION! haha. Me and my companion have the best companionship inventories EVA. And now we are bffs and feel so much love and have resolved so many conflicts and are just happy all the time now. I realized that love can be created from effective communication. It's basically the secret to life I realized haha. 

So yeah! Lots of awesome exciting things this week. I'm amazed by how much you learn on a mission. Way more that I thought I would learn. Because before the mission I always thought... yeah missionaries learn a lot, but I don't need to serve because life will teach me the same things. HA. With luck maybe I would've learned a fraction.... I'm just grateful I finally decided to serve. Thanks to each one of you who helped walk me through the decision process. :) SO GRATEFUL. 

Lots of love,

Hermana Cannon II

Me and my cute compi at the temple (we are allowed one trip for endownments a year)

Me and Hermana Escobar (she reminds me a lot of you Amanda!) we wanted to take a picture in front of the crazy wall in our apartment before we tore it all down. Now we have the Chilean and Peruvian flags hanging there instead)

Our last day with Hermana Phillips! She got transferred like 3 weeks ago.

Miracles and lots of em!

Hey everyone! :)

This week has been jam packed with alllllllllll the emotionssssssss!!!! Is it just me or does the mission just make you super sensitive?? haha. I don't mind. Because I'm happpiieeeeeeee. Even in the moments when I'm not, I remember things I've learned about Christ, and that always gives me a reason to remember that he already paid the price for my happiness :). So then I find the reasons I have to be happy and it's magic how my worries are erased. Yep. Power of the Atonement. I love it. :) 

Next miracle: 

Paola and Jaime got baptized on Saturday!!!!! It was beautiful. Almost allll of Paola's family came to support her! Some people came late so they're not in the picture but like 5 more people came from her family! We've been trying to start teaching them too because we love them and so does Paola and she wants an eternal family. They are so awesome. Her husband looks super rough and tough but is really a giant teddy bear in disguise. 

One of my favorite parts of the baptism was when Jaime came up to me and told me that he felt something in his body when he entered the water; something like a warm vibration and complete joy. Wow. I love the simplicity of his testimony. And Paola told us she felt a warmth that lasted for the rest of the service. Their comments reminded me of my baptism when I was eight and I remember that I felt that way too. :)

Now we have Ana's baptism coming up this Friday! She's so awesome. I wish you guys could meet her. Everything she does, she does out of a pure desire to follow Christ. We've seen a change in her and it's times like those that remind me of how powerful love is. Christ's pure love can make us change if we can understand it. And the more we read the scriptures to try and figure out why He loves us so much, the more we can accept it and let it change us. His forgiveness is a miracle and yes we should claim it--but with humility--so that His sacrifice doesn't run out in vain.... I can't imagine giving someone all I own, just to see them leave it all on the curb and then buy exactly the same things at home depot.... with a credit card, when they are already swimming in an unpayable debt. Like seriously?!?!? But that's what we all do when we chose to suffer in response to our circumstances instead of learn from them, become better because of them, forgive ourselves and others, and move on with a smile of understanding. Matthew 18 helped me understand that lesson this morning. Loveeeeeee spiritual epiphanies. 

So yeah. :) If you ever find yourself unhappy, frustrated, irritated, angry, sad, or depressed, just read Isiah 53:5 and remember to accept the peace and happiness that Christ has already bought for you. And try not to believe the lie that you are strong enough to suffer and pay the debt yourself, or else you'll be in jail the rest of your life... suffering to pay a debt that only Christ can pay. Because the hardest we try to pay it, we are imperfect and we keep sinning everyday... adding more and more to the debt we are in, more to our jail time, and more suffering, until it becomes endless and we find ourselves in an unending hell.... yeah haha it's heavy but true! But it doesn't scare me because Christ has given us all that we need to learn how to trust Him and let go of our suffering. And that vital truth we learn through the simplest of all things-- prayer, scripture study, and partaking of the sacrament. Never before in my life have I realized how vital those three little things are to our ability to figure out happiness.

Life is an adventure. Love is the reason. And Christ is the way. 

All my love,

Hermana Cannon II

Jaime's baptism day

Paola's baptism day

Holaaaa!

Hey everyone!!!

Wow it has seriously been an awesome week. Had an exciting experience with a new investigator! Her name is Sonia and has a five year old daughter named Amelia. We had contacted her last week and then set up an appointment with her in the chapel. She got lost on the way, called us, and was about 25 minutes off track. I was scared that she was going to say oh well, and cancel the appointment since she had ended up so far out of the way, but she just laughed it off and said she would be there soon. Then during the appointment she told us the believes God put us there in her life for something and she shouldn't just brush it off, and that is why she was so willing to walk all that way with her 5 year old daughter. I was inspired by her faith and we had an awesome lesson! The spirit was strong and she kept knodding her head throughout the whole thing. She didn't want to commit to come to church but she said she would read the introduction to the Book of Mormon. Really excited about her!

Paula and Jaime are both getting baptized this Saturday! We met with Paula yesterday and talked about Christ and she told us she was being baptized for Him, herself, and no one else. We also met with her family and they are really receptive!! Potential family sealing. Jaime's family is a little more closed off but we are trying to talk more with them about his decision. They said they would try to come to his baptism. Paula said almost her whole family will be there. We're excited!!! Ana is also getting baptized but on March 20, a Friday. She chose this date special for her because it is her father's birthday, who passed away. That touched me because it just shows how important her baptism is for her. 

Its one of the best feelings in the world knowing that these people are getting baptized because of Christ, and not because of us. haha funny story actually: 

We were teaching a new investigator named Luis, and he kept saying weird things like "I know I'm old but I don't ask for much I'm just looking for a woman who can love me etc etc.." Me and my companion exchanged a few wary glances, testing the tempurature and seeing if we should make a run for it haha. So then I told him that as missionaries we are only here for a short time and we are only here to invite others to come unto Christ. Then he said, "Oh that's not a problem, you just say the word and I'll follow you to the US and we'll live happily ever after" O_O hahaha. I felt kind of bad for him but man we have never said such a fast closing prayer. But before we left we told him that we were only there because of Christ, and for nothing else. Super direct, super clear. And then we ran for it haha. And that is why it makes me sooooo happy to know that Ana, Paula, and Jaime are getting baptized for Christ, themselves, and nobody else. :)

Love you all so much!!! 

Hermana Cannon

 

Me hugging Hermana Escobar (roommate) and kind of crying and giving her chocolate because we are sad she is finishing her mission and going back to Guatemala this month :( 

Me with Cata and a bunch of super cute puppies that I almost died over

 

AHHHHH.

This week has been SO EXCITING!!!

Not much time so I'll make it short and to the point. :)

Our friend Jaime has a baptismal date for March 14th and he paid his tithing this week! It brought us to tears. We didn't even know he had paid it--the bishop told us. 

Ana told us this week she wants to get baptized on March 20! We have been teaching her for about 5 months and she just kept telling us, I'll let you know when I want to get baptized, (aka stop asking haha). We respected that and kept the faith. :) She chose March 20, a Friday, because it is her dad's birthday who passed away kind of recently. That touched my heart. 

Paula is on date for baptism March 14th also! This week she told us more about her past... she has been through some cruel and unusual things that hurt my heart, but despite it all, is one of the most loving people I have ever met. During relief society the members were talking about how the members need to give us lunch and what not and then she signed up on the calendar to give us lunch every Saturday. Sooooooo sweet of her. She is so full of life and love and gives the best hugs! She reminds me of my cousin Mojgan Sami. :) 

We also started teaching a new friend named Susan. I'm amazed at how much hunger she has for the things we taught her last week about the Restoration... when we taught about how Joseph Smith was looking for the truth, she said right away, "just like me!" It's incredible how no matter in what country we live, what culture we've been raised with, or what language we speak, we are all one giant family on one giant search for happiness.  

I keep realizing more and more how simple life is. Before the mission, everything seemed so complicated because I could never find the common denominator between allllllllll the many things that make up this world. But I've realized that it's love. Every single thing in this life is because of love. And if something seems contrary to that, we just need to be creative and then we'll find the love behind even the most seemingly dark things. Read 2 Nephi chapter 2 about opposites and you'll catch my drift. 

There is soooooo much more I would love to share but ahhhh no time!! 

Giant shout out to my sister Cali girl for taking upon her the name of Christ by being baptized!!! I love you so so so much and am so proud of you and so excited for how this will help you in your future. :) 

Love you all so much! 

Hermana Cannon II 

I'm a gardener??? yes.

Hey family and other awesome people!

Sorry I'm sending the pictures late from the baptism... had no time last week! But it was suuuuuch an awesome experience. But you hear about that last week. Anyways. :) In the pictures from the baptism it's me and my companion, President Wright and his wife, and Jorge Bazaes who baptized Jorge Vilches! Very cool since they are both new converts within the last year. And President and his wife suprised us by coming!

The picture at the resturant is from today--we found another taqueria and got tacos!!! MMMM MEXICAN FOOD. It was delicious. But it was super expensive so all four of us split two plates haha. 

Do you miss my ugly faces??? I KNOW YOU DO. No fear. They are back. Hermana Young gets my humor so we have a lot of fun together hahaha.

Hermana Young is one of Sarah's roommates.

Oh here's some news! President called me to be a sister training leader last week! So I've been having lots of fun with that :). In case you don't know, sister training leaders basically just help train other missionaries by going on splits for 24 hours, staying the night and everything. We just get to know them, be their friend, answer their questions, help them out, and learn together and set goals! It's awesome. And one of the sisters I have is Hermana Phillips who lived with us last transfer! So that is awesome. I went on divisions with her companion last week and learned a ton from her. Had a great time. 

In a meeting with President and the other sister training leaders last week, (my trainer, Hna. Garcia also got called! So now we get to see each other at meetings) we talked about learning by faith and he asked us to have an experience with that during the week and then tell him about it. Here's what went down: 

Yesterday me and Hermana Gil had to study in the park because we didn't have time to go back to the apartment in between appointments. A drunken woman came up to us and started asking us about God and what we were doing there, etc. We answered her questions, taught a few principles, took down her information and made an appointment for the next day. We passed by her house on Sunday. We had been praying to know the will of God, not knowing what to expect... not knowing if she would remember us from the day before, or if she would even be home. But we prayed that whatever the situation, we would be able to know why God had led us there in that time to that house. 

She wasn't home. But her mom was. We expressed concern for her daughter and she told us that she hoped we would be able to help her out. We asked if we could share our message with her but she didn't accept. 

We left not knowing exactly why God had sent us there, only basing our enthusiasm on the true principles that we are guided by God, and that He prepares His children. So we kept looking. 

That is when we found a family of 3 women, 2 kids, and a mother. They accepted our message and we were able to set up an appointment for the following week. 

I believe God prepares His children and that He is guiding us. When things don't work out, we just need to be creative and find the reason God sent us there in that time. Sometimes we won't realize what it is even after we go to sleep that day, but that is just because we are human and can't see the whole picture. 

Basing my actions on the principles that 1. God guides His missionaries and 2. God prepares His children has given me energy when the days seem like "failures" because it reminds me that everything happens for a reason, but we just can't see it sometimes. Planting lots of seeds over here. :)

Lots of love!!

Hermana Cannon II

Sister Gil (Sarah's companion) with Sarah and Hermana Young

Sarah didn't send captions for these photos, but this is her sweet investigator's baptism day on Feb 14th. His name is Jorge and he's 80 years old, I think.

The other man dressed in white is also named Jorge. He came to visit us in December. Very nice, talented young man who just went through the temple himself. President & Sister Wright are on the left.