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)

La Obra Misional es Maravillosa!!! ES VERDAD!!

HOLAAAAAAA!! Familia!!!!!

Hello! I am now in the feild!! I have a latina as my companion! She is from Honduras and this is her first time training! Es muy muy loco! When Presidente assigned us our companions the assistants were reading who we were with and the said ¨Hermana Durfee with Hermana Flores¨ And I just had this feeling inside of me that I was going to be with a latina. Padre Celestial was preparing me. I am very greatful for the opportunity to be with her cause she doesn´t really know English so I have to speak Spanish to her to be able to communicate. And so far we have been getting a long great! Su nombre es Hermana Flores. Ella es muy genial. Genial es cool en ingles. Ella es muy patiente y el mejor entrenedora en el mundo. The best trainer in the world.

So, I have had the opportunity to teach lessons with people and to bear my testimony countless times. It is so cool! Two of my favorite lessons so far have been with Oriana we taught the Plan of Salvation and with Alejandro we taught El evangelio de Jesucristo. The gospel of Jesus Christ. Oriana asked me where I was from and I told her that I was from Estados Unidos and so then she asked me to translate this ¨Me gusto conocerte¨ Which in ingles means I want to get to know you. Haha! She wants to get to know me which is a good thing! :) lol. I love that everyone here is so kind I really appreciate that about the people of Chile. Especially the members. Anyways so we had a lesson with Alejandro on Saturday and it was super genial. I loved it. I got to teach like half of the lesson this time, and it was a struggle cause sometimes I will accidentally sometimes say english words and the person I am talking to will just smile kindly and wait for me or try to guess what I am saying. Haha! Which I appreciate cause most of the time it is what I am trying to say.

Yesterday, was my first Sunday in the feild and it was so cool cause el obispo, the bishop asked me if I would bear my testimony. And of course I did. I feel that it went really well and that the Holy Ghost was able to communicate to them in the ward my desire to work with them and for them. In my patriarchal blessing it says that I will be able to bear testimony to others and they will want to change because of my testimony and I have only been out for un mes y media and I have already been seeing the results of my testimony. I am so greatful that I have that blessing from Padre Celestial. It is on of the thing estoy agradecida por.

I love this work so much. I am living my childhood dream. I feel that I have the opportunity that not many people have. Oh, I forgot to tell you all Alejandro came to church yesterday!! Any Elder White is my zone leader. Garret White from South Jordan. Garret is this kid that I grew up with for those of you who do not know and I have experienced an earthquake during my fourth week in the Ccm. and I saw Daniel Argyle who is also serving in Santiago Oeste. But Elder White being my zone leader, whoa!!! WHOA!! CRAZY!! When I saw Elder Argyle I really wanted to hug him but of course could not, because Soy una misionera!! lol :) Entonces lots and lots of crazy things!! Ahaha! I am so excited to just work hard. Mi papa es el mejor porque el enseno me este principio en me vida. Trabar duro. DURO, Work hard!!

I love you all very much!! TRABAJA DURO!

Hermana Durfee. :)

P.S. La obra misional es maravillosa. I am so blessed to be a part of this amazing work.

...So yeah, Kidney Stones... cont. And A Little More.

So last e-mail I got kicked off so I'll quickly finish then tell you all about how awesome this week was!

Wednesday, while passing the kidney stone, Sister Mendenhall (my mission president's wife) came to check up on me. After a little bit she says she needs to talk to me about something other then my kidney stone. She then tells me that both her and President Mendenhall feel inspired that I should go back to Spanish... but here is the big part... that there are three Spanish sisters coming in my last transfer and that they want me to train. Honestly that didn't help me feel any better. Here I was having served a whole year in English out of my year and a half. They're asking me to go back to Spanish for my last two transfers and my last one they want me to train in Spanish. I felt sooo... whats the word, unqualified. Why me? Why was I called Spanish? Its been so hard for me to learn. I want to be able to teach. She asked me to pray about it and let her know.

After she left it wasn't even an hour later (and I hadn't even prayed about it) when I felt this crazy strong feeling of "You can do it! I'll help you! You'll dominate this next transfer and when it comes to your last you'll be ready to train!" I knew that was my answer to my unasked question. I called her to let her know and she was so happy! It so cool to see how the Spirit will help us in our lives. I suggest all of you work toward getting that haha. ;)

Come Friday, I felt really bad for Sis Claros. She just seemed so bored. So Sis Pitchforth asked Sis Mendenhall if we could watch Disney movies and she said yes! So guess what I watched?! Frozen! hahaha It was really good! Saturday we watched: Prince of Egypt, The Jungle Book, Ice Age, and a little bit of Up. It was pretty enjoyable (made me feel less of a missionary but again I was really sick soo... haha).

Saturday we also found out what was happening. I was indeed transferred to Spanish, back to my old area where I was before the YSA with my mom (trainer) Hna Espinosa. I was super excited. (still am!). AND that night when I woke up to take my pills i wasnt in pain so I waited for next alarm. Still wasn't in pain. Well! That was seriously anticlimactic. haha. So I went to church. The Branch was so sad to see me go. President Lloyd (second counselor) cried and had me bare my testimony which in turn made me cry. President Johnson, the stake president (my stake president for a whole year), was there as well and wasn't happy I was leaving either. BUT, the Lord knew that I needed to be here.

Its been so amazing to be back in Downtown Denver. Always a party like usual and since its Hna Espinosa last transfer we have all of our p-days planned with crazy fun stuff so I'll have some exciting e-mails coming up. (Speaking of that and not at all truncky comment ;) After this only 10 more e-mails). We have been working on finding investigators that "inquire of us diligently" instead of us "inquiring of them". Its been pretty awesome to see the crazy miracles that happen. We found... 4! investigators that already inquire of us. Its so cool! Plus I have been able to teach in every lesson and then last night we had an AMAZING lesson where I totally killed it! I wanted to cry because of how amazed I was. The Lord truly has helped me this last week.

One of our new investigators of this last week isn't so new to me. His name is Justino (can't exactly remember if I told you guys about him since that was 6 months ago). He's amazing and he had to drop us because his wife was getting jealous but he came to church tour (loved it) read to 1 Nephi 11 (loved that as well). He was doing so well but then had to stop seeing us. When I left the missionaries tried to contact to him but with no success so they put him aside. Well my first week back, guess who we were able to contact and see? Justino. He's still as amazing as ever and is getting a divorce with wife (which is not the best but he was really unhappy). And even remembered me! (The reason I say that is because hahaha there are a handful of people that remember the quiet missionary that was with Trujillo. Not even the Bishop. Dont worry I'm not upset about it but this time its going to be different.) Espinosa really likes him so I'm really happy and excited to see what happens.

Then on Friday unexpected we get a knock on our door. I opened the door too see a package and didn't even pick it up and ran to the window. It was my wonderful mom and dad who were in town for my cousin/sister's daughter's baptism. All we got was a wave at each other but it made this amazing week even better.

Alright friends and family. I love you all! Sorry this is so long(:
Stay Sweet
Dont Do Drugs
Write me if you can (1250 Main St, Broomfield CO 80020) especially since I only have a few more weeks left!(:

Hermana Charlene Durfee

...So yeah, Kidney Stones...

Man guys, I can't wait to go back and read in my e-mails how many times I say this but, missions are crazy!!!

Last week starting Monday I was feeling a little weird but I didn't think too much about it. Of course slowly but surely it got worse. I thought maybe it could have been... that time of month (haha sorry). We go to FHE and it was so sad because here it is my last FHE with the branch (I had a very strong guess I was being transferred) and I couldn't even play volleyball... I pretty much was laying on the stage stairs curled up in pain. It was awesome though to see how the branch took care of me. The following day I was still in a lot of pain. I took some ibuprofen and we went to have lunch with Justin.

When we get there he had taken his dog to the vet but Sis. Pitchforth was there. She happily let us in and made us lunch (which actually I didn't eat). She saw how much pain I was in and told me to go lay down downstairs. I did but that wasn't helping. Justin came home and started taking care of me. He got me water, midol (just in case), got me a hot pad, made me toast, played games with Sis. Claros. Around 3 I was still in a lot of pain and Sister Mendenhall told me to go to the hospital. Sis. Pitchforth sacrificed going to the temple to take me to the ER.

They took a blood test and urine test, and we waited... and waited... and waited. Keep in mind I'm still in a ton of pain. I thought maybe I was just being a wimp and here I was at the ER making a big deal out of nothing. Then they came in and took me for a cat scan because my white blood cells were high. Then we waited some more... and waited. Eventually Sis. Pitchforth pushed my pain button because I didn't want too. They came in and told me I had a kidney stone. That it would take 2-7 days to pass and I would be in a lot of pain during that time. So they gave me drugs! Oh thank goodness for wonderful technology haha. (Promise I'm not still high on them).

Sis Pitchforth insisted on taking me to her house and having me stay there, which Sis. Mendenhall approved. So the next 5 days consisted of drugs, sleeping, card games, Justin entertaining us and a ton of peeing. hahaha. If they were taking the dogs to the park they would drag me along on a long board to get some fresh air. I didn't feel like a missionary. I did feel lazy but what could I do about that?

Ugh. out of time. Okay so all you need to know is that I'm back to normal! (I'll finish the story next time! These computers kick us off).

Love you
Don't Do Drugs
Stay Sweet

Hermana Charlene Durfee

No journal, no organization! Uh oh...

Hola familia y mis amigos y everyone else... haha who am I kidding we're all friends here.

This week has been awesome! I have been so busy with learning el idioma y learning how to teach and follow El Espiritu Santo, I know there is supposed to be an accent in there Jeff, so don't correct me. Hermana Harden and I got lost today in Santiago so if you are wondering why I don't have a lot of time that is why... lol. We have been learning how to teach with unity cause that is the point of being in a companionship. If there is no unity there is no Espiritu. Anyway. So, I don't have my journal and I usually refer to that when I write emails, perro I forgot it today. I know, I know. Why did I forget it you tell me.

So, we got new teachers this week and they are muy great!! I love them so much. Hermana Araneda teaches us in la manana and she is so good! The investigator that is with her is named Lucia. Lucia is a golden investigator. She is so great! The next teacher is Hermano Cifuentes, I don't like him as much cause he has a such a great latn accent. He is great though. Then, mi favorito maestro es Hermano Ceballos! He is awesome! That pretty much sums up his whole personal ity. I love him!! He is so caring and wants to help so bad. He is always talking Spanglish which is so fun, cause he says things like muy great, and muy quick. Or like perro I am not going anywhere. He is my favorite! On Sunday we had such a great day! We had a devotional in the morning by Elder Ballard and he talked about not getting caught up in the news. One of the stories that he shared was about Joseph F. Smith and how he stood up for himself when a bad guy on a horse came up to him and asked if he was Mormon. He was like Yessiree! Diet in the wool! True blue! Through and through!! I want to be like him! I want to be that bold when I do missionary work!! We then watched the video about Thomas S. Monson  being always on the Lord's errand! I want that too, especially as a missonary! So a quick funny story the other night Hermano Ceballos was teaching and all of a sudden he was like what is that smell and no one really knew what he was talking about and then Elder Brush is bright red in the face telling him that he really needs to go to the bathrooom. It was hilarious. Hermano Ceballos explained to us that in Chile they are not that shy about farts and what not. And then we told him that in America especially if there are girls around we would not say anything! It was really funny!!! Ahhh, ay no mucho tiempo! I gotta go! I will talk to you all next week.

Hermana Durfee!! I love you all! I pray for you! And think about all of you! Have a great week!