Estoy Agredecida para el Sacerdocio (I'm grateful for the Priesthood)

Hola Familia,

So, I just want to say that this time is really fast. Today my sister Sharlee is coming home from her mission! How crazy is that?! The time is really fast! And this is my last week of training! Saturday is cambios! Wow! We will see what happens! 

Josie's weekly email(:

So this week has been a great one! Let me just clear something out of the way, I have the flu. I am not exactly sure what kind of flu I have, but I have thrown up and my body is achey. So, this leads me to the title. I received a blessing this morning and I could feel the power of the preisthood come into my body. I am so thankful for those young men, my zone leaders being worthy to come to my house and give me a blessing. I still feel yucky, but better. 

Anyway, so that is enough of that. On Monday, last week we slept a lot. I slept for like two hours which is really rich for missionaries because we don't take naps throughout the week. We were able to teach Maria Cruz on Monday and it went really well! We showed the video Having faith in Christ and let me tell you I just love that movie so much!! Something that my sister told me just barely in an email that I received is that the Savior is always there when we need Him, and when times are tough. His hand is always on our shoulder saying to us that we can do it. We are able to do this. Which leads me to something else, a couple weeks ago Elder Neilson came and spoke to Oeste and Sur misiones de Chile and his wife, Hermana Neilson said something that is quite amazing and I think about a lot these days. Our premortal selves knew that this life here on earth would be hard and we were like yeah, bring on the heat and everythng. And then we went through the veil and forgot what our premortal selves were like. She then told us if we could just see ourselves in the life before this for ten minutes we would remember that when times are tough that we are able to do anything. And then she said that if we wanted to, we could begin praying to see ourselves before this life. And let me tell you I have not begun to do this, but I really do want to. So yeah! :) 

On Monday we were able to find Rosa and set a date for baptism with her and she accepted! Her name is Rosa Basquez and let me tell you the challenge with her is finding her because she works a lot. And doesn't have a phone... so yeah, we hope to be able to find her again! 

So, yeah that is some of the stuff that I have learned this week! Oh this weekend we had la conferencia de estaca and let me tell you it went really well! I really enjoyed it! I received a lot of revelation for our investigadores and for myself! Presidente y Hermana Barreiros were there too! I love them so much! They had such great things to say too! One thing that Hermana Barreiros shared with us is that every member is a missionary and that we need to be friends with everyone! :) It was super great! I love Presidente y Hermana Barreiros!! 

I love you all very much! Have a fantastic week!!

Hermana Durfee

Change, It Can Happen

I think if I were to sum up what I learned on my mission is that people can change. Their very nature. I've changed. I'm still dorky Charlee Durfee but I know the past Charlee Durfee would look at where I am now and wish and want it. Its happened and its never going to stop. HOWEVER, we can't change by ourselves. The reason we can change (aka repent and be forgiven) is only through our Savior Jesus Christ. Sometimes I feel like I don't deserve it. I've seen others feel the same way too. I know there are those who still feel this way. But that is just a bunch of nonsense. No matter what we may have done or who we might have been in the past, it can be washed clean and forgotten because the suffering of our Redeemer. Not only have I seen it myself but in all of those I've taught here on the mission.

It doesn't end there, the change isn't immediate. Its always going to require work. But He's not going to leave us alone. I can tell all of you, that this wonderful gospel, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is the only true church on this earth that has the proper authority to baptize, perform miracles, give blessings, and perform those sacred ordinances like sealing families for eternity. That through this power and the gospel in its fullness we can unlock that changing power.

I seriously cant wait for making more mistakes (because its going to happen, I know, I'm not perfect, weird right?) to continue to progress, to grow, to be happy, to cry, to be scared, to be strong... Its going to be a wonderful ride, a crazy one, but a wonderful one none the less. And of course it isn't going to be easy. Life is hard, we all know this. We all have loads to carry, but we don't have to do it alone. My favorite scripture is Mosiah 24: 14-16.
"14. And I will also ease the burdens which are put upon your shoulders, that even you cannot feel them upon your backs, even while you are in bondage; and this will I do that ye may stand as witnesses for me hereafter, and that ye may know of a surety that I, the Lord God, do visit my people in their afflictions.

15 And now it came to pass that the burdens which were laid upon Alma and his brethren were made light; yea, the Lord did strengthen them that they could bear up their burdens with ease,and they did submit cheerfully and with patience to all the will of the Lord.

16 And it came to pass that so great was their faith and their patience that the voice of the Lord came unto them again, saying:Be of good comfort, for on the morrow I will deliver you out of bondage."
To have the burdens on our shoulders eased, we must do what Alma and his brethren did, that is submit cheerfully and with patience to ALL the will of the Lord. He knows better then I do, then we ALL do. I learned that last night while having dinner with my wonderful cousin Lindsey. I want to do a lot of things and I was getting overwhelmed. I had the feeling to tell her what had been on my mind and she said what I needed to hear even though I didn't want to hear it. Since I read that scripture I liked to think that I was putting the Lord's will over mine but I guess I had forgotten for a little bit.

Its definitely a humbling experience, warning: some pride might have to be swallowed. Its worth it! The change and the blessings afterwards, maybe not right after but they do come, are incredible! I love you all thanks for what you have done for me, supporting me, encouraging me, making me laugh, being there if I needed you.

I do have one more time to e-mail but I thought I would make this one the last big one. This is my testimony that I say in the name of Jesus Christ Amen.

Hermana Charlene Durfee

Green Go

Hola Familia y amigos,

This week has been a bit of a crazy one! :) Monday not much really happened, I mean I enjoyed my p day if that is what you are wondering. We had barbeque chicken for almuerzo which was super, super good! And I wrote in my journal because I was a little behind.

On Tuesday we had a really good day! We were able to find one of our menos activas and she let us into her house and we read the Book of Mormon with her. It was super good! We were also able to teach a few more lessons. One was with a lady who doesn't want to change, but we were able to testify that the gospel is true and that the Plan of Salvation is real. We then had a lesson with Javier. I don't know if I have told you all about him, but he is a bit of a stubborn mule. He says that he wants to be baptized but then he doesn't let us know if he really does. We then had a lesson with Lolly. She is the best person in the whole world in my opinion. I just love her to death. What she needs is just to have her testimony strengthened! :) And then we had a lesson with Alejandro and taught the Restoration. It was a good day! :) I just love Lolly very much! She was the highlight of my day on Tuesday! :) She is like 60 or so and is very Chilena! :)

We then had splits on Wednesday which went really well too! We were able to visit one of our menos activos with Hermana Bustamante. Our sector was her sector before. We were also able to have almuerzo with one of our menos activas familias. And it went really well! :) We then had a new investigator lesson which went welll too! This day actually went really, really fast! The highlight of this day was probably being able to spend it with Hermana Bustamante. I really like her. She is one of our leaders and she is super nice! I hope that before she goes that perhaps I could be her companion. :) Jaja!

Thursday we had a reunion with Presidente Barreiros and let me just say I love it when we have reunions with Presidente! I was strengthened so much!! :) So much. This past week I have been learning alot about the atonement and myself. It has been a great experience and when we had the reunion with Presidente I was strengthened even more! :)

On Friday we had our reunion de distrito. And Hermana Flores taught the class and one thing that I learned was that we need to be direct with everyone with the gospel. They need to know that they can repent. They need to know that they can change and that the only way for this to happen is that we are direct and forward. We were able to have a great lesson with America ( yes her name is America :) ). She is pretty great! She just needs to come to church because she is reading the Book of Mormon and praying. She lacks church!

On Saturday we were able to have our planning for the week which went really well! :) And we found two new investigators! Jorge and Maria Jose. They are both super great! Maria Jose is a miracle!! :) She is very willing to listen to us! I am very thankful!!

And now Sunday! You are probably wondering why my title is  ^green go^ Well I will tell you. I was curious to why people in Latin America call us gringos and so I decided to ask the family we had almuerzo with. And so they looked it up on google and it means that we, those of us outside latin america are strange and need to go back to our country. It was interesting. And let me tell you the term gringo does not offend me. I actually kind of find it a little funny! :) jaja!

So yeah that is a watered down version of my week!

I love you all!

Here is a spiritual thought Alma 13: 14-16

Con amor,

Hermana Durfee
Or Hermana Durfeeta (as Hermana Flores calls me)