Christ is important to Me!

This week has been so crazy! I realized how much I missed my family because when I saw them on Skype I just started crying. I am SO grateful for my family!! I am also so grateful for the chance I had to talk to each of you! Sorry I didn't have much time to talk to each of the McNinch's or the McClary's but just know that I love you all so so much and it meant so much that you were there for me.

I didn't realize how much food Chileans ate until it was Christmas Eve. We ate so so so much carne. I didn't know what to do with myself. Christmas night I got so so sick. I think I ate too much food because I ended up throwing everything up. I haven't felt so sick as the time I was on my way to Disneyland my the big RV that we rented holding the big metal bowl. I just remember wanting to die. Well that is kinda how I felt Christmas night. I felt so bad too because my companion was sick too and her birthday was the next morning. We ended up staying all day in our beds not being able to move for her birthday. I was so so sick I was told not to eat anything for 12 hours. I just slept all day. It seems like a dream now when I think about it. I had lots of fun though. It was hard to be away from my family but I was grateful to be with members that were able to share their love with us.

Tuesday before Christmas all our district went and sang for a community of people with mental illnesses. We all had our Christmas hats and sang hymns. They were all so grateful for the wonderful spirit that was there. I was so happy to be apart of that wonderful experience. They didn't need much to feel so much joy.

I have been thinking why Jesus Christ is important to me. And Jesus Christ is important to me because He was THE perfect example for all of us. And he did everything out of LOVE! He is important to me because without Him I wouldn't be able to change and become a better person. Without Him I wouldn't have a purpose. I know that on my mission badge my name is next to His name and I feel so honored and at the same time so inadequate to be his representative. I know that Jesus Christ really does know each and everyone of us personaly because of the Atonement. I know that if we really apply the Atonement more we can be so much better people and be so much happier.

This week has been hard because lots of people have been out of town and lots of our investigators haven't been progressing. For instance we have one family that is PERFECT! Alejandra and Edwin they are a cute married couple and they have one daughter. They are SO ready to change. They are just so nervous to commit to going to church. This week they told us that they will not go because they have to choose visiting their parents on Sunday or going to church. It is such a hard thing to deal with. But I know that if we do all that we can they still do have their agency. Agency is so hard as a missionary...because sometimes I just want to take it away and help people come unto Christ. But everyone has their time to accept or reject the gospel and I know that that is true! Hermana Ramos and I are on the hunt for new investigators! I cannot wait for this next week!

I hope everyone had a great Christmas! Happy New Year! BE safe and follow Jesus Christ!

Hermana McClary

Christmas Feast before I got sick!

I made Lemon Cream Pie!

Momita next door, Hermana Ramos, me

We sang at a mental illness center

Christmas 2014 in Chile- Skype

Merry Christmas Day 2014, Hermana McClary and Hermana Ramos is singing the First Noel, on You tube!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MbQurbqnq-M

McClary's house in Las Vegas, Henderson of course!

Christmas day in Chile via Skype 2014

Conference with Elder Vinas

Elder Vinas of the Quorum of the Seventies, came to Chile to speak, October 10, 2014
Bryce is the front row on the left

FELIZ NAVIDAD

"These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have tribulation:but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world" John 16:33 

I LOVE CHRISTMAS! This week has been so crazy but so much fun. I was in 2 different choirs and I was busy sings all the time. But something I realized is that when we sing we bring the spirit with us. We performed in Rio Negro and it was so cold we didn't sound very good but it was super fun and we sang in the plaza in the Centro part of Osorno. It was awesome to feel the Christmas spirit. 

Also this week I have realized that food is so much better when it is made with love. This little old lady in our ward has been feeling super lonely because her husband died a couple months ago and she now lives with just her crazy daughter so the Relief Society president asked us to go check up on her at her house. Well Hermana Ramos and I went and shared a sweet little message with  her and then as we were talking with her she was making lunch. But she is so little and fragile. I was trying to help her but she wouldn't let me do anything. She is so strong! Anyways I was just watching her prepare her nice lunch and as we were getting ready to leave she invited us to eat with her. She was so sweet. She lives in a humble little house and doesn't have much of anything but she was wanting us to eat with her. She finally forced us to stay and had lunch with her. The lunch was so simple...just pasta and hotdogs (the usual here in Chile) but it was so yummy! And I realized because she had made the food out of love it was so much better. I hope I can be like this little old sister one day. 

We had an awesome Christmas activity with our zone this week. We had a devotional about Christmas and about what we can give Christ this Christmas. I have been thinking alot about what I can give to Christ this year and I want to give my agency...I want to do what He would want me to do. I want to give more of myself to Him. I know that sometimes I am resentful to do everything but I know that I can grow to know the Savior more if I really give my whole self to Him. I have decided to memorize the Living Christ this year. That way I can really study and ponder the Lord's life throughout the year. I encourage you all to do the same! The Saviors life was so selfless and He didn't come to this earth with lots of material things. He was born in a manager. His life was very modest and very selfless. That is what I want to strive to be this year. More like the SAVIOR. 

I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas! We have a member that we will be eating dinner with on the 24th but we still don't  have any plans for Christmas. I just want to sleep and of course SKPYE my family!!! I cannot wait to see my family in just 4 days!! 

See you soon! 

Hermana McClary

Twin jackets

Hermana Ramos from Bolovia

p.s. here is a picture of me and a palm tree I found! It is the first palm tree I have found in Chile!! 

#Share the Gift

Hola!

This week has been very interesting, we have had lots of cool experiences and lots of weird things happen too. 

We started the 12 days of Christmas with our neighbor who is a less active! It is super fun! But it is super hard to translate everything in Spanish and to find all the cute little things to leave on her door. I LOVE Christmas and I know that she will love it and at the end of the 12 days we are going to sing her the song "12 days of Christmas" I cannot wait! 

We have lots of appointments this week to make sugar cookies! I am super stoked! Oh and a member in our ward had an extra Christmas tree so she is letting us borrow it for Christmas! Here are pictures of her and her family and me with our Christmas tree! 

Something weird that happened this week was an appointment with a new investigator his name is Pablo. It was so crazy. We were in the appointment for 2 hours! He and his wife were just trying to convince us that their church was right. I came out of the lesson so lost...feeling so bad because I couldn't feel the spirit at all. The lesson started good but then it just went into how they believe Jesus Christ is God and The Holy Ghost. It was so intense. They just kept trying to convince us with all these Bible scriptures. I felt so bad because we had a member with us too and she is preparing to serve a Mission. haha. So that was really rough. But today during my studies I was reading a WONDERFUL talk about our spiritual light and I loved this quote "If you want to give a light to others you have to glow yourself" President Monson. I love that because I felt so spiritually down and drained but this morning I realized that I cannot let this get me down. Just because I feel like I failed in helping them I know that this isn't their time to accept the gospel and I know that if I keep thinking about how I could have done things better I will let other people who need the gospel pass me by. We cannot let our light go dim. We must work all we can to continue to have our light shine! I am so grateful for this gospel and the Atonement because I know that I cannot do this work alone without The Holy Ghost.

I taught my first Relief Society lesson my first Sunday in this new ward! It was so crazy. I was super nervous but I was able to speak in Spanish...it looked like people understood me but I have no idea really to be honest. It was hard because I wanted to talk about the 10 virgins and how we need to be prepared but I totally couldn't explain it really well.I was grateful for a cute little lady in the front helping me explain the story. My companion had no idea what I was trying to say. haha.The ward here in Rahue is a lot bigger and it is actually a good functioning ward! Everyone has a calling and most of everyone actually fufills their callings so that is exciting! 

Remember Daniela? The girl I helped prepare for her baptism and then she moved?? Well, she is in my ward now! So that is such a sweet blessing! I love her so much. We went to go visit her and she has grown so much, she is really preparing to go to the temple and reading her scriptures and has SO much love for the gospel. 

Christmas is in the air! I am in 2 choirs here and we are preforming on Friday and Saturday. I cannot wait to sing!! I will have lots of pictures! 

Thank you for your prayers and keep thanking Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ for all you have! 

Until next week

Hermana McClary

Hermana Romas & Bryce

#Share the Gift

BBQ in Overjeria

Elder Warren, Sister McClary, Sister Vega with Steaks??!!??!

Good Bye, Overjeria!

This week was super crazy! I had to pack everything I have into suitcases! I was super stressed but I folded all my clothes nicely with my folding board so that was fun! So we went to the stake center and there was my new companion waiting for me. Her name is Hermana Ramos, she is from Bolivia! She is a really hard worker and she has the sweetest heart! I really do love her but it is hard to think of things to talk about because I am limited in Spanish. But she actually understands my Spanish so that is a plus! She has helped me a lot! My whole district is full of Latinos. So I literally speak Spanish all the time. Which is good but it is hard not to get discouraged. I still feel like I cannot be my complete self speaking in Spanish but I feel more confident now. I am slowing starting to love it. It is hard though, just because I was so comfortable with Hermana Vega but I know that the mission is constantly changing and that is what helps us grow. I love this scripture 1 Thessalonians 2:17 and I have been thinking a lot about change. We don't grow in a state of comfortable WE have to strain ourselves. Just like our muscles don't grow unless we get uncomfortable with more weight. I think that is so true. I have been having to stretch but I have been in a state of comfortable just because I was getting so close to the members in my ward in Ovejeria but I have learned that I need to move and grow. 

Did you watch the Christmas Devotional last night? We got permission to stay up late and watch it!! It was 10pm here so we went to the stake center and they had it on the tv broadcasted so we could watch it. I felt kinda homesick though. I miss all the pretty temple lights in SLC but it was fun! 

I loved the talk that Elder Richard J Maynes gave about the different characteristics of Mary and Joseph. It made me really reflect and think if I would be even able to be qualified to be the mother of the Son of God. That is an overwhelming task but the fact that Mary was so humble and out of all the women she was chosen to be the earthly mother of Jesus. I also love the characteristics of Joseph, he had to be so humble and strong for both Mary and to be the father of the Son of God. Heavenly Father had so much trust in them. I cannot imagine. It just makes me so grateful for this time of year. I love Christmas because we can share the gospel so much easier! 

Here is the video "He is the Gift" in Spanish! I love it!! I just watched it today and I am in love. 

http://www.mormon.org/spa/navidad?cid=HPFR112814529 #comparteladádiva 

I hope you all remember the true meaning of Christmas. I love Christmas and I love feeling the Savior more in my life. I hope you all can feel more of the Saviors love this Christmas season. 

Hermana McClary

Momita in Overjeria

Good Bye, Overjeria

Thanksgiving in Chile

This week has been super swell! We had a competition with our district on contacts. Ever since being on a mission one of my weaknesses has been stopping people and contacting them. I hate it. I just feel so awkward but I have really been praying to love it. Anyways this week we had a competition with our district to see who could do the most contacts. It was AWESOME! We were able to see so much more success this week. The contacts weren't necessarily the best but the fact that we were talking with everyone made us feel better and Hermana Vega and I had lots more appointments! Funny how that works. haha. 

Also this week was Thanksgiving. We told our momita that we celebrated Thanksgiving in America and that we eat Turkey and had lots of food on that day. So on Thursday she surprised us with TURKEY! It was amazing! It was the best food I have had since I have been here...because it reminded me of home! This Thanksgiving I am so gratful for my family and friends. I don't know where I would be without them. 

Then on Friday morning I made pancakes so we could enjoy the "Black Friday" holiday too! 

This week I got attacked with the fleas! I think they are all in my sleeping bag. So I took our whole room apart and sprayed everything and even vaccumed the bed and mattress. I think that I am just going to have to deal with bug bites throughout my mission. I am going to get home with scars all over my legs and back. #missionprobs

Hermana Vega and I bought a Christmas tree this year! It is super cute! ButI  just got a call that I am moving areas! I am going to a new area that is pretty close to where I am now but I have a new companion. She speaks only Spanish. She is from Bolivia! Which is super sweet. I know that Heavenly Father will help me. And I feel that this is my time to prove myself. I have to step up and learn Spanish. I am actually really excited because she doesn't know any English. I know it is going to be so hard but I know that I can do it.

Here are some pictures of the Elders that are also in our Sector. Elder Warren (he is leaving to go home this week) and Elder Hettinger. They are super chill and it has been a blast working with them in Ovejeria! My new sector is called Rahue Bajo! I cannot wait for this next adventure in a new area! :) 

Until next week! 

Hermana McClary 

p.s. here is a picture of me and my Christmas headband. I cannot wait to sing Christmas songs to everyone and wear them! I joined the choir here so we can go sing Christmas carols! I cannot wait! I LOVE CHRISTMAS! I get to speak to my family this month!! I am SO stoked!! 

Hola,

Hermana McClary

 Here is a picture of me and my Christmas headband. I cannot wait to sing Christmas songs to everyone and wear them! I joined the choir here so we can go sing Christmas carols! I cannot wait!

Elder Warren (he is leaving to go home this week) and Elder Hettinger. They are super chill and it has been a blast working with them in Ovejeria! 

Vega and McClary in Chile

Bryce and Carmen

Vega and McClary in Vegas

 Carmen Vega and Roz McClary

The Vega's in Las Vegas

Since our daughter's are companions in Chile and we both live in Las Vegas, We met up with Hermana's Vega Parents. We had lunch at Firehouse Subs on Sahara and Nellis. They are very nice people, it was wonderful to get to know them better and their daughter is also named Carmen.

I am a Window Cleaner in Chile

This week we started our "clases de cocina" they are our baking classes! We are starting something to get people excited to learn more about the gospel. Because there are so many people who are super skeptical about the church so the baking classes have been something that has been fun to invite people to! We made chocolate cookies this last week and they were such a hit! But the chocolate chips here in Chile are SO expensive. They are $4 for a small bag of chocolate chips. So it is kind of crazy! 

The Elders in our sector had a baptism this week and it was so spiritual. Our district got together and sang "As sisters in Zion" and "Army of Helaman"in English and it was amazing. Everyone was just in awe! The spirit was so so strong and even though it was in English you could feel the spirit. The spirit speaks every language and I LOVE it. One of the members even joked and said that one of the Elders in our district looks like a Ken doll because he looks too pretty. haha. I was dying. 

Daniella's Baptism

Also this week we started doing lots of service! Hermana Vega and I are starting a "cleaning windows business" we have been working hard at trying to go out of our way to serve others so we decided to ask people if we could clean their windows because it rains so much that the windows are always super nasty. So this week we asked lots of members and less actives to clean their windows. It was so much fun. But it is alot harder than it looks and alot of the windows are way taller than I thought. I have been having my work cut out for me. And now the word is getting around that we are cleaning windows so we are going to be really busy cleaning windows! But it is perfect because we clean the windows and then we share a scripture after and bring the spirit. I love it! I love that missionary work isn't all about walking and knocking doors in the rain (even though that is what we did all yesterday) it is about loving and serving others too. I have really started to love the Chilean people. They are my favorite.

Well this next week we have lots of lessons and I hope we can teach more receptive people! The work is moving forward here in Ovejeria! 

Have a great week! 

Hermana McClary    

 

Serving in Chile

An apostle in Chile!

My birthday was so fun! Hermana Vega and I bought a homemade cake from one of the members in the ward. He lost a job so I felt like I should ask him to make me a cake and it was actually really good! But it was HUGE for the two of us. I had cake for a whole week! I have been running to work off all the cake and donuts I ate this week because so many people gave me food! It was lots of fun though! You are only 21 once right? ;) 

Happy 21st Birthday in Chile!

The missionary work is moving pretty slow right now but I have been trying to just contact everyone. That is my goal this week. Just focus on contacting more because we don't have any real investigators right now. We are just working hard with the menos activos. Which is really good but still, our numbers are super bad. I'm pretty sure our district leader hates that. haha. 

But guess what!! Elder Russell M. Nelson came to our mission! He came with his wife this week and it was amazing!! His wife talked all about using our time wisely and how we need to use the scriptures more because when we read them we really do find answers to our problems just like when we go to General Conference. We can find inspiration and help when we read our scriptures. Cool huh? The scriptures have the answers to lifes greatest questions! I can testify of that. :) 

He also talked about our converts and how we don't see the end from the beginning and the people we contact or teach really do effect other people. It was super cool. And he talked about Marriage!! hahah, made me so trunkee!! But he said something that I wanted to share with you. He said "Sisters you have to marry a man that loves the Lord first because then the capacity he has to love you will increase and it goes the same for the Elders" How amazing is that!?! I have been thinking about that alot just the fact that I want to be a women that loves the Lord first that way I can be a great wife for my husband. I love the general athorities! They are called of God and I know that. I am so grateful that I was able to listen to the words from the apostle in person. The spirit was so strong. And it was in ENGLISH so I could understand! haha. So I was so happy. 

He also said that smiling is the key. We have to smile because we have a great message for others and we have to make sure that we are looking happy and that way people will want to talk to us. That was funny but it is so true! We must smile because then people cannot resist our message! :) 

Well I love you all. We went on a trip today but I don't have time to upload all the pictures. Here is one of Hermana Vega and I. It was so beautiful! 

I hope you all have a great week! 

Choose the Right

Hermana McClary 

Hermana Vega and Hermana McClary

21st Birthday... in Chile

This week was very interesting to say the least! I came down with the Flu so I had to stay inside to rest for 4 days!! Just imagine not having TV or a cell phone and just having to take drugs to make you sleep because all you have to do is stare at the 4 walls that are around you. It is not fun when we cannot work because we aren't fulfilling our purpose as missionaries. So it is the worst. But it was good. I caught up on ALOTS of sleep to say the least. My companion was very patient with me being sick. haha. I seem to have the worst luck with my health here. But hey I am feeling alot better today! 

I was reading the scriptures D&C 10:4 "Do not run faster or labor more than you have strengh and means provided to enable you to translate, but be diligent until the end." So I have been pondering about this alot this week. Just the fact that I cannot exhast my body and I need to be more patient with myself. Maybe there was a reason I needed to sleep. There is always a reason for everything! 

21st Birthday in Chile

Bryce still has her grace having the flu!

Today has been a wonderful day though! I woke up and my companion made me crepes! Then we got all dressed up and I opened all the presents my family sent me (thank you for all the cards and mac and cheese family) Then went to lunch at this cute cafe that I have been dying to try! It was so expensive so we just got smoothies! It was so fun! I felt super "cuico" (Chilean for RICH) haha. Then we went to eat real lunch at the food court and ate cheap hamburgers because we are poor missionaries! The Elders in our district called me and sang "Feliz Cumpleaños" That was a fun surprise! And tonight we have a Family Home Evening with our ward so that should be fun! The elders said they have something planned...cannot wait to see what happens! haha. All in all it was a good day! I miss you all so so very much but I could feel your love. Thank you for all the birthday wishes! I love being a missionary! I love serving others and I cannot wait for what this next year has in store for me! 

p.s. we were at the mall and they have all the Christmas deco up so we took a picture with the Christmas Tree! I love Christmas! But it is so weird because it is getting warmer here! 

Until next week! 

Hermana McClary

we got smoothies at the Cafe 

happy to be out of bed

HOLIDAYS in Chile

Hermana Vega, Hermana McClary

HOLA,

This week was super cool! Remember me telling you guys about Daniella? She was all ready to be baptized but she was having some problems with her mom because her mom didn't want her to be baptized. But we taught her all the lessons and then we found out that she actually didn't even live in our AREA! Like so crazy! She was just living with her grandmother and taking care of her grandmother while she was sick. So we were super bummed that we couldn't be the ones that baptized her. But we passed her on to the other missionaries in her area and they just just had to fill up the baptism font! Because she had literally already had a baptism date with us! So crazy. Anyways I hadn't heard from her in 3 weeks or so and on Friday the Hermana liders called me and told me that Daniella was getting baptized on Saturday and I could come! SO I got permission to go to the other area and go to her baptism! It was AMAZING!! I felt like I helped her so  much and we grew so close with her so it was so fun to see her. She LOVES English so the first thing she says to be when she sees me is "SISTER MCCLARY I AM SO HAPPY" It was a miracle! She has been such a blessing to me!

Halloween Costumes- switching with Hermana Vega

I LOVE Holidays on the mission because they make our awkward contacts more normal. So Halloween was super fun! I dressed up like Hermana Vega and she dressed up like me for the day! It was so fun...kinda confusing though! We handed out candy and taped them to pass-along cards! It was super sweet. We had lots of cool contacts. 

Then on Saturday was the day of the dead! It was so crazy here. Everyone was at the Cemetary and we just went to the big catholic cemetary and sang church hymns and passed out the Plan of Salvation pamplets! It was SO awkward but it was something to remember for sure! 

This week I also made EMPANADAS! The bishop's daughter is going on her mission in 2 weeks and she is raising money for her mission so she was selling homemade empanadas! We offered to help her make the empanadas and it was super fun! TONS of people ordered the empanadas so we made so many empanadas! The elders in our ward ordered 48 empanadas each! We just bought 6 empanadas...they are so bad for you so I am trying to not eat TOO many empanadas. Especially the way they make them here...they are all fried! So much fried food. I cannot handle it.

Spiritual high this week! 

I was studying in D&C 60:13 and it says "they have been sent to preach my gospel among the congregations of  the wicked. I give unto them a commandment thus: thou shalt not idle away thy time neither shalt thou bury thy talent that it may not be known"
We have all been given talents that we need to share. I have been thinking about this alot this week. Just the fact that Heavenly Father gives us talents to help others!!
I love this gospel. I also love how everything in the gospel is centered around families! How wonderful is that?? Well I hope you all have a great week! I have some more pictures this week! I love my companion and we are working really hard to see more miracles in this area!
CHOW
Hermana McClary

Diego's Baptism!

Hola,

So this week  I had my first baptism! It was AWESOME!! Saturday was so crazy, so we had the bishop come to the baptism and one of his counselors but our ward mission leader couldn't come and he didn't help us with anything! It was so stressful. Just because Hermana Vega was new to the area too so I had to pretend that I knew what was going on. But she helped me a lot! We were able to have our last lesson with Diego outside the church "in public" because none of the members could teach with us. It was so hard! But we made it work. We spent all Saturday just sitting at the stake center watching the water of the baptism font. We had to babysit the water just in case something happened! So crazy. But the baptism turned out to be amazing! 

I feel like I cannot take credit for anything though, Diego was so prepared and I just invited him to be baptized. He was so happy. It was so awesome to see his face after he came out of the water. HE WAS CLEAN! It was so cool to see the atonement work in his life. Diego is 19 years old and he is now working to serve a mission. He is a Golden investigator! Seriously Heavenly Father has been blessing me. I was so happy to be able to teach him and help him progress.

DIEGO'S BAPTISM

HAPPY BAPTISM DAY

I also have my new companion Hermana VEGA! She is from LAS VEGAS! So cool. I love her so much and it hasn't even been a week that we have been together. She is Mexican and she speaks really good spanish. She has 5 siblings and she has cool hipster glasses. One of the first things Hermana Vega said to me was "This cambio (exchange) you are going to gain weight" She LOVES food. hahah. So we get along great. But I told her that if we eat lots of food she has to run with me. haha, so that's a fair trade off. We are going to start running this week! I hope she is ready! She has been out on her mission for 10 months. She is really good at teaching and she has a really strong testimony. She shows me that you can enjoy your mission but still work hard! We are planning on starting BAKING CLASSES so that we can get more people excited to come to the church and get more people interested in Mormons. haha. I am so excited to start to work hard with her.
Also this week we had another sister with us on Thursday. She said with us for the day because her companion was sick so we were in a trio for a day. It was very interesting to say the least...let's just say there is a reason that we are suppose 

"two by two" like the scriptures say. It was really hard to teach with 3 people but it was fun to learn more from Hermana Ramos. She is from Bolivia!

HERMANA MCCLARY, HERMANA RAMOS, AND HERMANA VEGA

My memory card isn't uploading any of the pictures of the baptism but Hermana Ramos just gave me this picture so I will try to figure out what is wrong with the pictures and I will send you more pictures next week. But here is one of me, Hermana Ramos (in the middle) and Hermana Vega on the end. We had a pizza party the night Hermana Ramos came and we ordered pizza after a long day of working. 

It has been really humbling to be flexible. Everyday on a mission is so different. And when we get calls and people ask us if we have another bed and if we can have another sister with us for the day I have realized that you just have to say YES! I like my routine but this week was so crazy and I wasn't able to have the same normal schedule but I realized that I LOVED it. I loved being able to be flexible and I really grew to love Hermana Ramos.

She is back in her area now and her companion is doing so much better! 

Thank you for your prayers. The spanish is still really hard but I can really tell that I have grown so much in my Spanish. I just need to focus on working harder and really focus on being obedient on the time. You know me...I also had problems with being ready on time. So that is something that I am trying to focus on.

I know that Heavenly Father has blessed our family so much. I love you so much. 

More than you could ever know!! 

I am glad you got my letter! :) There will be another one coming soon! 

Until next week! 

Chow!

Hermana McClary 

4 Months

Hola,

Well I hit my 4 MONTH mark being on my mission! It has been super crazy but I am glad I am done with training because I now realize that time is passing! 

I have been so humbled this week. Our water heater broke and we had to get it replaced but everyone here in Chile takes forever to fix ANYTHING. So we didn't have hot water for a week! I have taken LOTS of cold showers. I will never get used to the FREEZING water. But I have been trying to focus on why this is happening and what I can learn from this. Also our baptism with Diego didn't happen. He had to work so TWO days before his baptism he called us to tell us he couldn't be there! I had sooooo much anxiety! Like no, I just want him to be happy. But this experience has really helped me be humbled. Everything happens for a reason! 

I had a talk yesterday in church and I was so nervous I couldn't SPEAK in Spanish I was stumbling for words and everyone in the chapel just looked at me like I was SO dumb! When I finished I just hurried off the stand and went to go sit with our investigator and just started BAILING! I couldn't hold it in. I was so embarrassed but I felt so horrible. I have been here for 3 months and I still feel like I don't know any spanish. But people tell me I am sounding alot better but I really think they just feel bad for me so they say that. 

This week I have been studying humility and in Mosiah 4:11 it says "humble yourselves even in the depths of humility, calling on the name of the Lord daily and standing steadfastly in the faith of that which is to come." I have been reflecting on that alot because I feel so selfish sometimes. I have been blessed with so much and all Heavenly Father askes of me is to "invite others to come unto Him"

And I know I need to get over myself and just focus on being the Lord's servant. Missions are so hard. But I really do love it! 

We have the baptism scheduled for this Saturday now! Pray that everything goes smoothly. I know that everything will be okay but it is nice to get some extra support from my family and friends. I love you all so much. Thanks for your prayers. 

I am working hard! 

con MUCHO amor,

Hermana McClary 

FAKE it until you MAKE IT

HOLA! This week I found the best scripture this week! "exercise a particle of faith, yea than desire to believe, let this desire work in you, even until ye believe in a manner that ye can give place for a portion of my words"

Alma 32:27

Sometimes in life we want to just change and be perfect that we give up trying to progress ourselves. It is overwhelming to change all at once and I have learned that this week we cannot change all at once. We have to focus on one thing that we want to improve and little by little we will grow.This week I really had to apply that. I just want to be good at everything. Contacting, leading the discussions, explaining a scripture to someone, teaching by the spirit and so much more but I realized that Heavenly Father doesn't expect us to be good at everything all at once. If we just focus on improving on one thing at a time we can really develop and grow. 

So my moto this week was "Fake it until you MAKE it" 

This week Hermana Aquino and I got locked out of our house for the 2nd time! We have a new house so we don't have any spare keys yet so we locked ourselves out and then we were late to our appointment and then it starting to down pour. We just started laughing. We had to call the married Elder and Sister to come drill a hole through the door knob so we could get into our house! Here is a picture of that fun event. It made my bucket list for sure! 

We had an AMAZING miracle with Ignesia, we met Ignesia the first day that both Hermana Aquino and I were in Ovejeria. She is 21 years old and she speaks English so of course I love her! But she has been so hard to schedule a lesson with. She seems so interested but she just is so busy. She is an event planner and works with her dad planning birthday parties! (btw my birthday is in less than a month, just a side note for those of you that want to send me a letter. haha, you better get to it! jkjk) anyways we always get so close to teaching her. And everytime we see her we always get a step closer to teach her a REAL lesson. Well this time our appointments had fallen through and we were right by her house and I felt like we should go see if she was home! So we knocked on her door and she was HOME! she was sick so she wasn't working (lucky for US) so we were able to go inside her house and talk with her. Well we started asking her questions and right after we said a prayer with her and we were about to start to teach her there was a knock on the door. Her friends came over to surprise her. We just started to pull out the Resturation pamphlet and she had to go! We said a prayer with her and next time I know we will teach her. She is going to read the pamphlet! I cannot wait to teach her for reals! She is amazing! 

ALSO this week is Diego's baptism! He gets baptized on October 18th! He is so ready! I am so excited!! My first baptism and this week is my last week of my 12 WEEK TRAINING!! Hollah!! I will have pictures next week of him at his baptism! Yesterday we ate with a Sister in the ward and she fed us Roast Beef and potatoes! It felt like I was at home! It was AMAZING! I am so glad. But I have one more Pday with my companion until we have transfers and she goes home. I am so scared who my next companion will be but I know whoever it is I will learn so much from them too. 

I love my mission! The weather is warming up and now the bugs are out! I have 6 bug bites on one of my legs! I guess I just have SWEET BLOOD because I cannot seem to get them away from me. But I love this work. I am so grateful for all of your support.

Until next week! 

Hermana McClary 

We got locked OUT!

Volcano

Volcano

Osorno Chile

Thermas de Payehue

Thermas de Puyehue National Park

This week was really FAST! We worked really hard with the members this week so that way we could encourage them to watch General Conference. It is so funny the people here don't understand what conference is. So I had to tell so many members about the power of listening to the Prophet! It was so amazing because I was able to strengthen my testimony of the Prophet. I know that Thomas S. Monson is called of God and all his apsotles are called of God. 

I had many of my questions answered and I wanted to share some of my insights. What were your favorite talks??

 I LOVED Elder Dieter F Uchtdorft's talk because he talked alot about gaining personal light. I have been struggling with the fact that I don't know Spanish really well and I feel like my knowledge of the gospel is so small because it is so hard to teach people about the gospel and in a different language. BUT during his talk he talked about how there are some members with strong testiomies and some with developing testimonies. And how the process of gaining spiritual knowledge is during your lifetime. And it might not come as quickly as you desire but he said "I promise you it will come! And when it comes you will be spiritually uplifted and it will gradually be reveiled to you"

That talk was written for me. I have been seeking my mission president and trying to get help because I just want to be good at everything right now. But I have been really trying to take it a day at a time. I realize I am developing having LOTS of patience for others but I am not patient with myself so that was something that I have been trying to work on. 

I also really loved Elder Goday's talk. I loved how he talked about our patriarchal blessings and if we continue to live as we are living will the blessings of our patriarchal blessings be fulfilled. That hit me so hard. Because I haven't read my patriarchal blessing in awhile and I know that that is something that I need to be applying more in my life. If you haven't read yours in awhile you should read it. I promise that you can quailfy for the blessings. 

We made it up the hike of Thermas de Payehue!

Also went hiking up the Thermas de Puyehue National Park. It is here in Aguas Calientes! I saw the 3 volcanos! 

Punti Agudo (here is a picture of that volcano) I also saw Volcano Osorno and Volcano Puyehue! It is SO beautiful here! And the weather is starting to warm up so that is always nice!

Well I love you all and I know this church is true. 

Hermana McClary 

Big Big trees!

cookies with MIRACLES

"It is impossible for us to fail when we do our best when we are on the Lord's errand" Elder M Russell Ballard

This week this quote has helped me so much!

Well to start I wanted to do something nice and make cookies to get more people to come to our "Clases de Ingles" so I made cookies but it was my first time cooking something in CHILE and they don't have any numbers here on the oven it is either really high or really low so I burned my cookies that I was baking for the class. BUT we had 5 people come to our class plus the Elders were there so we ended up having ALOT of sucess and it was a BLAST! We were able to get people excited about coming to the chapel...even if it was for my burnt cookies! They were AMERICAN chocolate cookies so everyone loved them! haha. 

This week we also had Intercambios so Hermana Aquino went with another sister and I stayed in our area with another sister for a day. It was difficult because I had to be the leader and show her around but I am still learning. It was good though, it made me get out of my shell and lead her around. I LOVED IT! I was with Hermana Pierce.She is from San Diego, CA. She is super good at spanish as well...of course. She is SO EXCITED about everything. We made up dances and she showed me that you can really enjoy being a missionary. I am so thankful for her. She also told me she made bucket list of things she wants to do on her mission before she "dies" as a missionary. So I decided I want to start a 

 BUCKET LIST for my mission. Things I want to do before I "die" as a missionary. To try to make my life more fun, haha. Help me come up with cool things. Maybe google somethings random. I think it would be fun. Here is my list so far:

Hug a penguin (obviously) 

Eat ice cream in the POURING RAIN 

Take a picture with Santa Clause (did that!) 

Go to the bottom of the world (I hope I get set to that area!) 

I need help with other cool things to do. What do you think?? 

As for our investigators it is getting hard because their baptisms are in 2 weeks and we are really seeing the opposition starting to play a role. We have been having a hard time with Diego just to make sure that he is getting baptized for himself and not for his girlfriend! YIKES! I taught him the Law of Chasity and that was pretty awkward. I taught him and his girlfriend the law of chasity and in Spanish. It was just awkward all around. But we have another appointment with him today and we are going to talk to him without his girlfriend there so we can find out everything. He has a testimony of this gospel and he is so righteous! We just want to make sure he is ready!

Same with Daniela, she is having a hard time with her parents. They are not 100% excited for her to get baptized. But I know she will make a good choice. 

Anyways CONFERENCE is this week! Make sure to watch it! 

I will be watching it at the bottom of the world! 

love you all.

xoxoxo

Hermana McClary