Uruguay Has My Heart

Man what a wild week we have had!!! It has been very interesting. I have learned that Satan is a strong man. He has really put fear into our lives at night here but we did a fast and the ward has been helping us a ton and we are finally getting back into the swing of things. I am super grateful for this area and to have Hermana Sandoval as my companion. I am really learning to love her.

So this week we have really just focused on Julio. Yesterday we went and cooked with him and he came to all of church (like always) and we did a charla so we were basically with him all day and he only smoke 4 cigarettes!!!! That is so amazing considering it was almost 140 3 weeks ago. He is getting there little by little and we are hoping he will be prepared for the 20th of May to be baptized. His nieces are also getting baptized the 20th and wow!! They are amazing. They went to the stake dance this week and loved it and are just rocking in the Book of Mormon and are now going to mutual every Wednesday. They are so awesome!

This week we finally won our bishop over. We had a ward council and made a bunch of goals concerning missionary work and that each leader needs to accompany the missionaries for at least one charla a month and we have a family night with him this friday and we are so excited. We are taking Julio and his sobrinas and it will be the first family night the bishop has done with missionaries in over 6 months!!

I am so grateful to be here because I am seeing how much I am changing. I am so happy and I have learned to trust in the Lord so much. This week I will hit my one year mark and it is absolutely insane how quickly time flies. I am so grateful for this wonderful year I have had and all the friends I have made. The mission was the best decision I have ever made. Have a great week!! Love you guys.

Hermana Labrum

The Lord Protects His Missionaries

Well this has been one of the most interesting weeks of my mission I think you could say, haha! Saturday night Hermana Sandoval and I were heading to a charla and ended up just waiting outside for about a minute because he was with his son and his son does not like the Mormons so we just figured it was better to hangout for a minute. Well we saw a motorcycle with 2 guys on it and it looked like they were going to come into the house because the gate was open so we did not get nervous at all. Well I turned around and felt something cold on my head and turns out it was a gun. Well that was a feeling I have never experienced before. He told me to give him my bag so I quickly did and then he did the same to my comp and they left fast. We called the police and got to ride in the back of the police car with lights which is not something I never expected to happen in my mission, haha! We had to give a report and then they took us home. Sadly I did lose my camera which is a sad loss but we are okay. The ward is being super helpful and will have members to walk or drive us home every night so I think this experience happened for a reason as we can now see our bishop and our ward supporting us in ways they never have before. 

This week Julio also dropped down to 22 cigarettes!!!!!! He and his two nieces have baptismal dates for the 20th of May which is super super exciting!!! He is just amazing. I have never had an investigator in my mission that is so willing to change and is trying so hard to find the love of God in his life. I am so so grateful to know him.

This week we also had a NDH with the familia Pereira. These are the ones that have been inactive for 6 years and he was a bishop. We decided to try the approach of the Book of Mormon and that did not turn out well. The mom has completely lost her testimony of the BOM and her son never had one. It was the weirdest thing - I just started to cry, It hurt me so much that they could not see this truth anymore due to anti doctrine. The mom then told us that she did not believe in God anymore but wants to so we are going to really try and gain this testimony back. If anyone has any ideas we would love to hear :)

It has been a great week all in all. The Lord protects his missionaries. More than that all of your prayers protect the missionaries. Thank you. I love you all and hope you have a great week.

With all my love,

Hermana Labrum

******note from Mom (SO HAILEE WAS ALLOWED TO CALL HOME AFTER THIS HAPPENED. HER MISSION PRESIDENT WANTED US TO HEAR IT FROM HER DIRECTLY AND NOT THROUGH AN EMAIL. FOR THAT I WAS SO GRATEFUL! WE ONLY HAD ABOUT 2 MINUTES TO TALK BUT SHE REASSURED US THAT SHE WAS OK. SHE LOST HER CAMERA, MEMORY CARD OF ALL HER PICTURES, AND HER SPANISH SCRIPTURES. I WAS SO IMPRESSED THAT HER MISSION PRESIDENT AND HIS WIFE WENT OUT TO SEE THE GIRLS AND CHECK ON THEM. WE ARE SO INCREDIBLY GRATEFUL THAT NO ONE WAS HURT AND THAT THEY WERE BEING WATCHED OVER!!!)

Note from a Friend

hola hermana!! como esta?? espero este bien..nosotros aqui en casa con Javier...la extraño muchisimo...hoy vino la hermana collazos con la nueva misionera...le envio besos..cuidese mucho..love you!

Lo Que La Quiero, Lo Que Me Queda Por Querla La Mejor

Well it has been a very very interesting week. My companion is a tough one. This will be a little bit of a harder change but that is okay because I am gonna learn a lot of patience and learn to love her. I think I forgot to mention last week that she is also only a convert of less than 2 years and is the only member in her family!! She's great though.

My area is very different than all the others, haha. It is extremely trashy (like literally there is just trash everywhere) and only dirt and rock roads so I ALWAYS have rocks in my shoes but I am getting used to it.

So this week we had 6 investigators in the capilla!!! That is more than they have had in 6 months. It was awesome!  I also was asked to give a talk this Sunday and it was awesome. I finally have Spanish well enough that I could just talk and did not have to write it out and that was a HUGE blessing. I was super super happy.

So Julio our investigator that was smoking 150 cigarettes as of last week each day is now only smoking 45!!! He came to all 3 hours of church and then a baptism after! He and his two nieces have baptism dates for May 20 so we are really hoping he can stop smoking so that he can make this covenant! He is praying and told us for the first time in his life he feels like someone is listening to him. I was overwhelmed with happiness for this man as we watch his life completely change as well as his nieces.

This week we found some members that have been less active for 6 years and the husband was a bishop and a part of bishoprics for more than 10 years. They dropped the church due to anti Mormon commentary. I had a really amazing moment as I felt the spirit so strongly to tell them that they will be active again before I leave. The wife began to cry and told me if we could help her find her faith again then I was right. It was amazing!

This week we had a ward activity that was AWESOME. We played minute to win it games and the ward loved it. Even the bishop participated which is huge for this area!! We had lots of nonmembers show up and it was just a super awesome night.

I am grateful to be here as I know that I am here for a reason. I am so grateful for all of you and your support. Have an amazing week.

Love,

Hermana Labrum

New Area Full of Adventures

Well this has been one of the most interesting weeks. San Jose de Carrasco is an area on the coast and is a little town about 30 minutes outside of Montevideo. When I showed up they did not have a single investigator and have not had a baptism in almost a year. This is what they call a dead area haha and not to mention the bishop wants NOTHING to do with the missionaries. But, I am coming into it with faith and know we are going to find miracles and we are working as hard as we can (literally we are walking 8 miles a day at the menos). My companion is the sweetest. Her name is Hermana Sandoval and she has 3 months in the mission. She is from Peru and 19 years old. She is pretty quiet and chill but she is learning to open up with a crazy comp like me haha.

Fun story of the week: I made some cool friends here that are about 20 years old and yesterday they tell me in our charla: Hey Hermana Labrum, we are pretty good friends right? And of course I answer that yes. HAHA OOPS. Well they go on to say: So we wanted to see if you are willing to marry one of us here when you finish your mission and take us to the states with you and then once we are there you just leave us and we will pay you to marry us HAHAHA! It was awesome. It has come to the point where people are trying to marry us gringas just to get into our country and then drop us. Haha, priceless!!

This week we found an awesome investigator named Julio. He has been through some really hard moments but really like really hard!  Because of this all he has believed in God on and off in his life and really wants to believe but does not know how. He says that he has done a lot of really bad things in his life and just cannot forgive himself and find relief from the burden. We taught him about the Atonement of Jesus Christ and baptism and how he can start all over with a clean slate and he wants it more than anything; however he smokes about 150 cigarettes a day. Yeah, quite a bit. So, we made a cute calendar and set goal to start with 70 cigarettes today and 65 tomorrow and then we will go from there. He is a really amazing man so I will keep you guys updated about him.

This week I found two quotes that I am just living by here in this area and things that have really impacted the way I think. Sometimes we just need to have a greater vision of what is possible. We have got to see everything in the biggest and most miraculous way possible. I know I will have the first baptism here in San Jose de Carrasco with Hermana Sandoval and I know we will find the people prepared by the Lord. All He expects of us is to try but we have got to really try. I know He will bless us and help us to complete all the duties that we need to if we trust in Him and give it our all. I hope you all have an amazing week. Love you with all my heart.

Hermana Labrum

Another Letter from Hailee's Companion Hermana Collazos

Y bueno, cambios, áreas nuevas, compañera nueva.

Esto fue de ayer, por la mañana fuimos a Durazno, estaba lloviendo a full, nos encontramos con otro compañerismo en la plaza, y hermana Labrum fue con una de ellas primero a la iglesia, porque la otra misionera teniamos esperanza de que pasara la lluvia ( pero al final no) y su hija se quito los zapatos y se puso sus crocs (sandalias) y salieron corriendo hacia la capilla con un paraguas, luego fuimos con los elderes a su casa, ibamos a ayudarles a pintar, fue re-divertido, era lo que precisabamos, ya estabamos re estresadas con lo de los cambios y allí nos olvidamos de todo eso, volvimos en la noche y una familia vino a buscarnos, pasamos con ellos, se despidieron de su hija, y fue lindo, ayer en la noche supo donde se iba, y al principio estaba llorando tanto que no queria irse, luego otra hermana le dijo que habia un shopping y se le paso jajaja, tuvo mas animo, y bueno, hoy nos vamos a Montevideo para no tener que viajar tan temprano, estoy un poco triste por su hija que se va, la quiero muchisimo, pero asi es la mision!!! y bueno, que sepan que su hija es una muy buena misionera, se hace querer muy rapido y aunque se que va a llorar los primeros dias de su cambio porque asi paso conmigo, extrañaba a su compañera anterior, luego se adapta a las personas, que tengan una buena semana Familia Labrum :)

Well, changes, new areas, new companions.

Yesterday, in the morning we went to Durazno, it was raining full, we found another companionship in the square, and Sister Labrum went with one of them first to the church, because the other missionary hoped that the rain would pass (But in the end did not) and your daughter took off her shoes and put on her crocs (sandals) and ran out to the chapel with an umbrella, then we went with the elders to their house, we went to help them paint, it was really fun , It was what we needed, we were already stressed with the changes and there we forgot all that, we came back at night and a family came to look for us, we spent time with them, said goodbye to your daughter, and was nice, yesterday in The night she knew where she was going, and at first she was crying so much that she did not want to leave, then another sister told her that there was a mall and she jajaja laughed and had more encouragement, and well, today we go to Montevideo not to have to travel So early, I'm a little sad about your daughter leaving, I love her very much, but that's the mission !!! And well,  know that your daughter is a very good missionary, she makes herself loved very fast; although she will cry the first few days of her change because it happened with me, she missed her previous  companion, then adapts to people, Have a good week Family Labrum :)

11 Meses y Hermana Labrum Se Va

Well and I am off to a new area and new experience. I will be going to San Jose de Carrasco which is a little town right outside of Montevideo. I will be companions with an Hermana from Peru who has 2 months in the mission. I will also be living with two of my best friends in the mission, Hermana Rich and Chadwick so that is super exciting! I will not lie it has been a hard week saying my good byes. I really love Trinidad and will be leaving behind a big piece of my heart here. I am really grateful for the chance I had to be here and to feel the love of the members and each of my converts. Hermana Collazos will be staying here and training and I am SUPER excited for her. She will be really missed!

This week we baptized Samuel and Sharon and it was one of the most spiritual baptisms that I have had. At the end they both bore their testimonies and it was the sweetest and most simple, beautiful thing I have ever heard. It really touched my heart and will be a moment I will always remember. 

This week was full of asados and mate considering that I am leaving haha! Everyone threw us little goodbye parties.

This week we also helped the elders paint their house and wow it was so so fun!!!!!! We saw lots of little miracles as well this week as we went to our stake conference and learned a lot about member missionary work and the members are super excited to get involved now!!

All in all I'm really just grateful for the time I have had here. It is an area full of miracles that will be a part of me forever. I am really leaving behind an area that is the best in the mission. I am grateful for this new opportunity to have a new area and companion and know that the Lord is in charge and that everything happens for a reason. I love you all and have a great week!!

Love,

Hermana Labrum