Playing catchup with Christmas...

I can not believe that Christmas has come and gone and so have my children. This will go down as one of the most memorable Christmas'. We did a lot of fun things, made some funny memories, and grew closer together, and strengthened our testimonies of our Savior Jesus Christ, what could be more important or more wonderful than that. I now count the days till we get to gather again and strengthen, lift and love one another. It will be a few more years till we will ALL be here together, but I can wait for that. Love you all, and thanks for making this so wonderful!

To have the boys home again and playing soccer in the backyard was...well it almost made me cry. I truly miss that!

A trip to Greensboro was on our agenda as well. We made a visit to see Dad. Matt, Zach and Marissa had not seen him since last Christmas. He was soooo happy to see everyone, it made him cry. He loves having visits, so anyone who would like to do a kind gesture, go visit my dad, he would love it. He kept making comments about all the pretty girls, some things never change :) Always so good to see Dad and put a smile on his face, just so happy I could do it with more of my family.

We can't go to Greensboro and not go to YUM YUM Better Ice cream! So good! It was the first time for Marissa, Aubrey & Kimber, and I think they enjoyed it.

The Science Center was a big hit. Marissa wanted to go to see animals or an aquarium, so we chose the Science Center. I use to take the kids here all the time when they were small and we lived in Greensboro, so it was a treat for them to go back and think on their childhood memories.

Some of the most wonderful moments of Christmas break were when we gathered every night as a family and had Devotionals...so great!!! The kids were each assigned a night to do dinner and to give the family devotional, and they did not disappoint! The spirit was so strong and they taught such wonderful gospel principles, those were moments and feelings that I will not soon forget. Game nights are always fun, and sometimes intense, maybe too intense, but we were all still friends and loved each other in the end :) The night I brought out the cookie skillet...out of the way, they were ready to dig in and they were done in no time!

This year we put off doing gingerbread houses until Dallin & Jaclyn joined us after Christmas...its never too late to be creative, and wow are they creative! We paired everyone up! They all worked really well together and were supper creative, they turned out so good this year. Kimber & Matthew were good sports when their little house fell, but they had fun either way! Dallin & Jaclyn were so meticulous with theirs, Aubrey & Caleb was covered with colorful candy, Tory & Katie did a great job too, but no one was more proud of themselves than Marissa & Zachary. It was so fun watching them work together to a create something beautiful.

We all went out to dinner to celebrate Dallins graduating from UNC.

Aunt Bean along with Amber & Claire and Ashley & Violet all came down for a visit. Dallin could not get enough of these sweet girls.


The girls got a crochet lesson from Aunt Bean. I have already made 2 scarfs since that day :)


Dallin & Jaclyn finally made it back from AZ yeah!!!! Also Matthew had a friend come and spend some time with us over the break, Kimber Clayton. We all quickly got to know her and she fit right in. We tried to show her a great time while she was here. We hope you will come back to visit with us again Kimber. We also had another family gathering at Anne & Barry's house, celebrating those who had graduated, Tyler, Dallin, Jaclyn & Marissa and a friend of Christopher's. I loved the fact that we just got together again, you can never have too much family time, can you :/?


Ice skating was on the agenda this time over break. It was a lot of fun, for some it was the first time and for others the first time in a long time. Downtown Charlotte had a rink set up outside the Nascar Museum. I think it will be something we put down to do every year from now on.




The day after Christmas was family Christmas with the Pages. Its a crazy bunch when we are all together. We were missing 3 missionaries, and Dallin & Jaclyn. Its a rare occasion that we are all able to be together at one time.

We sure did miss having the rest of our Pages with us...oh and I also have some handsome boys, just saying!



Marissa's sisters also came to NC. We got to enjoy Aubrey as well as Marissa over the break. The kids enjoyed riding around in Caswell, something they have not done in a long time!





Christmas Morning we got to sleep in, not up as early as we use to when the kids were younger, but it was still about 8:00 am. We all got what we wanted for Christmas. Gift opening went faster than it ever has because so many got money...which is fine, I am good with that. After opening we headed out to deliver our Secret Santa, we had tried the night before but they were not home, so we had to make our attempt again Christmas morning. That is always one of the best parts of Christmas.




Christmas Eve was just like it usually is with just fewer Pages than normal. Dallin & Jaclyn were in Arizona over the holidays, we missed them so much, and of coarse Abigail was in Chile. That morning we had a Christmas Brunch, which the kids always love, I do to since breakfast foods are my favorite. We invited a few people, some were not able to join us so it was a smaller group than usual. I did not even take any pictures of the yummy food or our guest...oops! We exchanged our family gifts in the evening, opened our PJ's and had hot chocolate and watched a movie, this year we watched Prince Caspian.



Matthew, Zachary & Marissa arrived home for the holidays on the 20th, early morning, but they were good sports and hung in there with a short nap, while Matthew and I got caught up on a few things that are going on in his life. Grandma Myra and Will drove down for a few hours for a visit. That was pretty great, it was nice having visitors.

Catcalls...cockadoodledoo

Sabe que?? Today is my 5 months in the mission mark! Loco...y no loco. In some ways I think "wow 5 months! I thought I was in Charlotte yesterday in the airport..", but in other ways I think "this is my life...I feel like I´ve only done ´missionary life´, but really I´ve only been out for 5 months?". ...Like I always say, time is so weird!


This week, once again, I was reminded of the life lesson that "Princess Diaries" teachs us... "Miracles happen once in a while if you beliiiiiiiievvvveee!!"
But really! After weeks of not too much success, this week was incredible. We found lots of new people to teach, we have a new fresh pool of investigators, aaand the divorce papers for two investigadors (Ivon y Eduardo) finally went through after 30 years and lots of prayers and fasting, and as soon as they told us, we set a date for their wedding and their baptism! Wooohhooo weddings weddings baptisms! They are the cutest little grandparents in Limache, and they are like family to me. We found them in my first transfer here, so I am soo excited to finally see them have the chance to be baptized. Another one of my families here is gonna be a family forever :)


I´m really happy here in Limache. I feel really comfortable with the work and the ward and the flow of life here. Cambios are in two weeks, so I´m not sure if I´ll be here again or if I´ll go, but either way, I am so grateful for the opportunity I have to be here in Limache, in Chile, in a mission!
The Lord works in mysterious ways in order to make us better. And He definitely knows us better than we know ourselves. He knows what we can handle, but He helps us stretch to heights we never thought we could reach. That is one of the many things that I have learned here. I am so grateful for all He does for me and the person I am becoming day by day in His service :)


But I think that´s it for this week...pretty tranquila aquí.
Thank you for your prayers, love, letters, emails, thoughts, and support and all it´s forms. I hope I´m doin y´all proud!
I love you all til the end. More than Slaw y Chunk in the Goonies love Rocky Road.
Serve others, serve God. Be good. Don´t step on cracks, or you´ll break your mothers´ back!
Love always and always,
Hermana Abigail Page




**Dad, I don´t have that book. They have a program online, but we don`t really get much time to browse the web haha. I´ll ask and see if there is a printed copy that I can have.

Have no fear, Underdog is here...

Random news report: I don´t know how religiously Dad is checking the news for Chile, but just incase he sees something about this, I want to clarify now before Mom has any panic attacks. In Limache (during the summer especially), fires and earthquakes are really common. Fires especially cause it´s soooo hot and theres tons of wind, so hills catch fire randomly and then burn and spread super quick. And in the last two weeks, there have been huge fires in Limache every day and a few earthquakes. BUT I´M OKAY!! Haha. The other hermana missionaries in Limache and us joke that it´s the second coming.....but seriously. On the bright side, all the smoke blocks the sun, so the sun isn´t as strong as it usually is! The past couple of days it has been raining ashes from nearby fires.....so it´s kinda like it´s snowing! ....well sorta. But yeah, we all are fine! And I´m drinking lots of water! So nooooo worries :)


But anywho, I wanted to share two things that I have learned in the past couple days.
1) Fear is of the devil. This feeling, in it´s many forms (sadness, discouragement, anxsiety, doubts, embaressment..), it´s not of God. I´m not gonna lie, sometimes I fear a lot of things. And as a missionary, my fear is something that keeps me from having success and spiritual experiences of growth. In lots of different forms of counsel that I have been given, I´ve been told "have no fear" in one form or another. That has been on my mind a lot lately... "have no fear". And I have asked myself, how can I have no fear? So in order to find the answers that I needed, I have dedicated a lot of study time to this idea of fear. A few of the things that I have learned that have really hepled me:
-"perfect love casteth out fear", perfect love=charity.....have charity, and you won´t have fear, you´ll realize the divine identity of those around you (including yourself) and fear will be chased away by this love, act with boldness (Moroni 8:16)
-do not fear what men can/will do (their response, whether they will like you, what they will think...NADA), the faithful WILL have the help of God "in EVERY time of trouble", trust in the power of God (D&C 3: 7-8)
-"fear not to do good", God is with us, Christ suffered and conquered all..have faith in this power, "doubt not, fear not"...faith and fear CAN´T coexist, develop the faith to overcome any fear, be built firmly in the faith, doubt your doubt before your fear, "if ye are built upon my rock, they cannot prevail"...this is a promise from God..punto. Fin. (D&C 6:32-37)
-Just act, cause God is with us (d&c 30:11)
-the Lord will stand by us....so why have fear?? Be of good cheer, God is here!! (d&c 68:6)


2) The worth of EVERY soul is great in the sight of God. Literally every soul. Every person. Whether you personally like them or not, they are hijos de Dios and they are important in His eyes. Every baby, every abuelito, every miembro antiguo, every menos activo. Even when we pass by and they "aren´t home" (but we definitely just saw them jump behind their couch through the window.....when ever this happens, I think of the story from Dallin´s mission of " @#!*% street" and the guy with the Bojangles bag hahaha). Even then their important. NEVER forget the worth of the souls of all those around you. Visit them, love them, serve them, be their friend.



Question: Did Dallin open his present from me for Christmas? Did ya like it?? I hope so!


But my time has come to an end. I hope my spiritual rant didn´t bore y´all...there wasn´t much "news" this week. Just doin the work!
I love you all soooo much. I really can´t explain it, but know that I do!!
Make this year somethin special!!
Love always and always,
Hermana Abigail Page

oh Santa Baby...

I don´t think I can put into words how great it was to talk to you guys on Christmas day. To have to old banter and old laughter..and old cats. It was so great!! Thank you for y´alls counsel and support in my mission :) It really means everything.


It suddenly got HOT HOT HOT in Chile. Seriously, I wanna fan soooo bad. Like the little touristy ones that everyone has at Carowinds and Disney world that squirt water. Ahh yeah, that would be nice haha. Plus there´s a big ole hole in the ozone above Chile, so when I say hot I mean HOT. I feel like I can feel my skin baking when we are walking around. BUUUUUUT, atleast I´m getting a pretty sweeeeet tan (with really weird tan lines)!! Whooop whoooooop!


So on Friday, we were visiting our recent convert Carla, and we were about to leave when she suddenly said "Can Oscar (her son) get baptized tomorrow?" Uuuuuuuhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh DUHHH! He already had his interview a few weeks back and he has all the lessons but there were problems with his dad, so he could get baptized before. But when Carla said that I thought I saw the heavens open and a chorus of angels came down singing "It´s rainin´ [bautismos] HALLELUEHHHH! It´s rainin´ [bautismos], AMEN!"
So we spent all Friday running around and telling everyone and calling all of the ward counsel and all that jazz. And it turned out that this baptism had the largest attendance than any other! It was super sweet and special. Carla started crying when Oscar actually was baptised. Everything was just super cool how it all worked out. A miracle of the Lord!! (I have such a firm testimony of miracles cause of my mission....THEY EXSIST. everyday!).


But that´s all I have time to tell y´all about this week cause the timers tickin´.
Just know I love you all there and back again.
Go on an adventure. Use 2014 to be a little better and stretch a little farther...especially dad with the stretch part in his yoga. I believe you´ll reach your toes one day!! Si se puede!
Try not to conquer the world while I´m gone.
Love always and always,
Hermana Abigail Page

holy guacamole with sugar on top...

First things first: I´m gonna call/Skype you guys on wednesday 25 around 5ish on the afternoon. Esta bien? I hope so cause that´s when it´s goin down. We only have 40 minutes to talk though :( so maybe we should note the important stuff to make sure we cover it!

Second things second: FELIZ NAVIDAD PARA TODOS!!!!!!!!

Now onto the real news report:
Well y´all are never gonna guess what happened in the past week...
My Argentina Hermana Barros got transfered and called as a Sister training leader in a different zone. So (sorry mom!) we had an "early christmas" and opened all of our presents cause we wanted to do it together. THANK YOU SOOOO MUCH FOR EVERYTHING!!!!!!!! I was in Heaven! And Hermana Barros was too. Thank you so much :) So I know have a new companion se llama Hermana Perez de Salvador...and she is a baby in the mission (like only has 5 days).....which means......................... I´M HER TRAINER!!! :D Yep that´s right, I´m training Hermanita Perez. Crazy right? That´s what I´m sayin..
Getting the news that you are going to train is like finding out your pregnant...and that your due the next day.
I don´t even know what to say about everything. I feel so inadequet, but I know that the Lord is supporting me. I´m so sad and I miss Hermana Barros sooooo much cause she literally was my hermana and is such a great missionary. I´m excited the President and the Lord have such great faith in me to trust me with a new missionary. Nervous cause now I have to lead out in finding, teaching, talking, helping, and in everything when I still don´t know Spanish. Excited to see miracles in the work and to help a new misionary start out. No sé.... lots of different feelings mushed together, causing me to be a squishy mess that is on the verge of a nervous breakdown at any moment... All I know is that is this is what it feels like that have kids, I dont know if I want ´em! Haha

But that´s all the time I have to explain all the nonsense, so I guess I explain more when we talk in 2 days!! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH...it just hit me that we really are gonna talk in 2 days! I´m so excited :)

Hasta miércoles!
I love y´all to the states and back!
Have a great Christmas Eve and do something nice for someone else!
Love always and always!
Hermana Page


____________________________________________________________

Happy Birthday Zachary!

Happy Birthday Zachary! This was one of your many birthday parties, I believe your 4th, so cute. Last night you celebrated again with a few of your dear friends. What a joy you are, so happy you are in our family. May you have many many more birthdays to celebrate through the years. Love you!!!
.

4 months...

Hola mi familia! Como estan?
Sabe que? I have 4 months in the mission. Can y´all believe that? I can..but can´t but can... Eh, I don´t know. It´s weird. And then after this next transfer is my "yearish left" mark. Que en el mundo?
But I´ve been doing a lot of reflection this past week about the mission. And honestly, it sounds cliche cause it is what everyone says, but it really is the best time of your life...and the worst time, all wrapped up into one. One day you are on the verge on tears and super depressed cause...tons of different things. And then in a different moment, you couldn´t image being happier in your life because of simple things or steps of faith oooorr I don´t know, lots of stuff!
In a mission, I think that this is the time in your life when you are going to be closer to God and the Savior than in any other time in your life. You learn to literally rely on them in every moment, with every problem, saddness, and doubt. And yeah, at times we all forget stuff like that and then we learn it again and our testimonies of the divinity of Christ grow. It´s kinda funny isn´t it? How in one moment we have a super strong convinction of something and then after time, we forget or we lose it and then we learn it again....siiiiighh human probs I guess.
But really, this week, I have spent a lot of time on my knees. And now, I can testify that prayer is real. God really listens. He listens to every question, every sad event, every happy moment..He listens. And He answers. Always, He answers. It´s not always through the means that we are expecting. Sometimes He answers through ourselves, sometimes through feelings, sometimes through things that happen in our day, and sometimes through other people. But it doesn´t matter in what form He responds to our needs and questions, because the point is that He does. I know that with all my heart. And I am so grateful for the peace and rest our souls can find through prayer. And I´m so grateful for the miracles big and small that we can see in our lives through prayer.


And about Christmas, apparently we use Skype in this mission, so Mom, if you would be so kind to send me my old skype info (like username and password) so I will be able to skype you guys on Christmas, I would be extremely grateful. As for the time...I have no idea. Sorry :/ We are going to be in the house of a less active and her family so we need to confirm the plans with her first. So I´ll let you know next week at what time exactly...we are thinkin in the late afternoon though.


But that´s all for this week! I love you guys sooo much, and I´ll talk to you in 9 days!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Love always and always,
Hermana Abigail Page

Nativity Night

Last weekend we had a Nativity event at the church. It was a lot of work to pull it together, but it turned out to be a beautiful couple of evenings. There were nativities from every where, all over the world, different renditions of the Saviors birth, it was a sight to behold.

Baby it's HOT outside...

To start with the most important news first... (coughcoughcough) I GOT 3 PACKAGES THIS WEEK!!! Woooooooooooooooooooooooo and a boat-load of letters!!!!! Whooooopwhooopp! But now all the elders in my district officially hate me haha. Poor fellas who don´t have a ´Momma Page´ like mine ;) I´m so excited to go home and open ´em all up...EARLY CHRISTMAS! whatwhat!
After mom told me that a package for Hermana Barros was in the mail, I told her that I was going to pray for a package for her. And she (on multiple occasions) called me crazy and told me no and didnt believe she could get one. But I just kept asking her, "Donde esta su fe, hermanita??" tehehe....Secret Santas are the best! Today she was so confused when the elders handed her her big ´ole package! She is so grateful for it Momma, so thank you! She kept telling everyone "this is from the family of hermana Page!!" :) (she is gonna write you an email to say thanks, mom.....but it´ll be in spanish. so dallin or matt...or google translate should be able to help you).
Oh, one more things about packages that is super funny but slightly uncomfortable. Our zone leaders and district leaders pick up our mail about once a transfer and then bring it to us. But of course they are curious, so they read the customs form on the outside that says whats inside...eh ya mom, next time PLEASE don´t put "tampons and bra" on the customs form!! Oh how uncomfortable it is when the other elders ask the ZL´s/DL´s what I got and they turn a little red and say "ask hermana page youself". Bahahaha...poor little guys. (I LAUGHED WHEN I READ THIS BUT THEN THOUGHT HUM SERVES THEM RIGHT FOR SNOOPING)


Summer Christmas is so weird. I don´t think I´m gonna get used to it anytime soon. In general I´m just really confused with the other hotness and Santa Claus and Christmas lights and the sun not setting til 9 stuff all at the same time.. Eh, whatdaya do.


Anywho, to be honest, I don´t have much to say this week. It´s been a crazy week...but crazy normal for a missionary. Lots of walking (and sometimes running). Lessons...spanish (ha)...more walkin.. ya how we do.
Oh! We are in a trio until 18 de December with one of the hermanas of the other side of Limache (there are 2 areas en Limache), pero ahora we have both areas to manage. Limache is en our control!!!!!! Nahh, just kiddin´. The only difference is that know, we walk and contact TWICE as much. Wooo. But I really like Hermana Lopez and Hermana Barros, so ´erdays a fiesta...but all we want is una siesta. Haha, see what I did there? Ahhh, I crack myself up sometimes.


Oh pucha! It´s time to leave!
I love you all and I hope the you all are enjoying the Christmas season! Please remember your Savior in this of the year. Through Him, we are never alone; through Him we have hope and joy in this life; and through him, we truly can live again. Of this I am certain. Oh what joy this sweet sentence gives: I know that my Redeemer lives. With all my heart I know He lives. Turn to him, and watch the miracles.
Love you all to the moon and back again. More than words can describe!
Choose the right.
Love always and always,
Hermana Abigail Page

Thanksgiving was a little different this year...

It is hard to believe that Thanksgiving has already come and gone. I really can't wrap my head around time any more, it just goes much too quickly. We were missing so many that we love this year, it just felt a little different than in years past. I miss my Aunts, and Uncles that are no longer with us, but most of all Momma. Holidays are so very strange without your mom there to make things like they are suppose to be...you know, perfect. There were missing siblings, cousins, nieces, nephews and some of my children...they are what make everything perfect too. My heart was in many places this Thanksgiving, here with family, in Utah & Chile with my children who were not with us, with Mom...but it also caused me to stare away thinking of memories I have made with all of them, which made me laugh and also cry. I have so much to be thankful for, so very much.

Cowboy take me away...

This week we had intercambios (splits) with the sister training leaders..and it was my turn to stay in Limache. Needless to say, I was a bit nervous after they called us cause it was going to be my the first time in Limache without Hermana Barros. And then after the sister training leaders phone call, our district leader called and asked if I could teach in the district meeting the next morning...and that the assitants were going to be there. Of course I said yes, but after I hung up, I kind of had a panic attack (not gonna lie). The next day, there were no buses in Limache so we were late to intercambios and then late to the district meeting...and so when we got to the district meeting we started opening the door saying "lo siento, lo siento, lo-- PRESIDENTE??" ...Yep, the mission PRESIDENTE was sittin´ in one of the chairs cause he had decided to attend the meeting as well. I about turned around and left the meeting..or died right there, one or the other. Talk about crazy day, ya?? It was crazy when ya think about all the stuff that happened. But to be honest, it was one of my favorite days in my mission so far! I think it´s because I kinda of proved to myself that I know more than I think I know, that I can lead out, and that I am a good missionary. It was a day of...progress? Ehh, that´s not the right word, but my english is failing me and I can´t think of the one I want. That´s a good sign right??
And there is no doubt in my mind that the only reason things worked out okay and I was about to do everything during intercambios is through the grace and power of the Lord. I prayed like the dickens during all of this, and I know that the Lord was there helping me every step of the way..with spanish, with confidence, with remembering stuff, with the spirit, with TODO. I am so grateful that we have a merciful and powerful Savior who can help us with each unsure step and make our weakness strengths. Surely he is a God of miracles :)

yyyyyyy Yep, but other than that, it was a normal ´ole week in the life of a missionary...and I´m here, livin´ the life :)


(Oh and yes Mom, I got more letters! But I myself won´t get them til our next district meeting....and the zone leaders are going to Viña next week, so I´m hoping they will come back with my Christmas package! YAAAYY CHRISTMAS)


Let´s all for this week folks!
I love you all there and back again!! Thank you for your prayers and letters and emails and for being my family/friends. Y´all mean the world to me!
Til next week!
Love always and always,
Hermana Abigail Page