6 Months and a Cambio de Emergencia

Aaaaaaaaaaaaahhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That pretty much describes what this week is going to be like.

But first, some highlights from last week!

We had interviews with President Humphrey and in the opening exercises before we started interviews, they told us that with reference to the upcoming changes in our mission boundaries, what will happen is that President Humphrey will do cambios as usual for his final cambio, which begins May 20, and anyone who is put into any sector in the Talca or Curico stakes in this cambio will, at the beginning of July, no longer pertain to the mission Chile Concepciòn, but instead to the mission Chile Rancagua.  So it turns out there IS a possibility of me changing missions - AAAAH!  Of course we really have no idea who will be in Talca and Curico on May 20 and who will not, but I`d say the odds for sisters are pretty close to 50/50.  And the mere thought of having my mission change is just so strange.  I really can`t describe it.  There is a kind of anticipation (and panic) and yet at the same time I know that I have to trust that the Lord sent me here at this time for some reason, whether it be that my mission ends up changing or not.  For all you David Archuleta fans out there, whether I end up switching missions or not, you can find joy in the fact that an area where I served will soon be part of his mission and perhaps at some point he could end up here in San Javier, singing to the same people that I sing to now.  :)

Before interviews, they asked us to study the Christlike attribute about of diligence in Preach My Gospel and to write up our thoughts, favorite scriptures, and goals with respect to diligence.  My favorite scripture that I discovered in this activity is 2 Peter 1:5-10, which says:

"And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;
"And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;
"And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.
"8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
"9 But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.
"10 Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:"

When I read this I realized that of all the Christlike attributes that there are to develop - faith, hope, charity and love, virtue, knowledge, patience, humility, diligence, and obedience - we really can`t develop any of the others if we don`t have diligence.  You have to work diligently in order to develop Christlike attributes and to become more like the Savior.  After "giving all diligence" you ADD the others.  I found that very interesting!  And now I really need to work on being more diligent!

Another thing that happened at interviews is that Hermana Humphrey told us that they found out just last week that our mission is getting four new hermanas this week - right in the middle of the cambio!  From what I understand, it looks like we could just randomly be receiving missionaries almost every week for a while!  Anyway, when I heard this I thought it sounded pretty ridiculous, but it`s true!

Hermana Fajardo and I got a call last night from the Assistants, and we are having a "cambio de emergencia."  Tomorrow we are going to Conce to pick up our new, fresh-out-of-the-MTC companion.  That`s right.  ONE.  We`re going to be a trio....  Not sure who will be her trainer, though!  Hermana Fajardo is the senior companion technically since she has one more transfer in the field than I, but we both celebrate our six-month mark in the mission tomorrow (and she celebrates the anniversary of her family getting baptized tomorrow as well!) and though I keep telling her that she is the senior companion and she will be the trainer, (and I am sure that is what President and the Assistants intended) she keeps insisting that I am getting an "hija" too.  I just feel a little bad for this poor girl who will have two "moms," because it`s hard enough trying to learn how to be a missionary when you`ve got more than one person trying to help you do it!  We`re not quite sure yet either where we`ll put her - we luckily have an extra mattress in the house but have yet to receive a bed or storage units for her clothes or anything like that!  My head is still spinning a little.  But I am excited to get all dressed up and go to transfer meeting and give a great big hug to our new arrival!

So this week your commitment is to increase in diligence!  I know you all have personal goals, and whatever they may be, this week I encourage you to increase in your diligence in working to fulfill them.  We have been abundantly blessed by the Lord this week in our efforts to be diligent, and I promise you that if you do the same He will bless you as well.

I love you all and I really do thank you for your love and support.  Though you are all far away and I don`t have the opportunity to communicate directly with many of you, I can feel of your care and concern and love and prayers every day.  It`s like a little force-field I carry around with me that helps me and protects me and lifts me up when I get down.  I am ever so grateful for it!

Have a great week.  Until next Monday!

Lovelovelove,

Herman