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

Answers To Prayers

This was one of the coolest weeks in my mission in regards to personal matters. I have really been praying and fasting and trying to decide what I want to do with my life when I get home. Yes, I still have 7 months left but I have been wanting to have a clear head before I will have to sign up for classes again. We teach everyday that Heavenly Father answers prayers haha and it is so easy to teach but not so easy to learn alone. I think I have been looking for an answer for like two months now and I finally recieved an answer during General Confernce. I was being super attentive to try and find an answer and it came through Elder Hollands talk and I believe I will be coming home to study physcology. I am grateful for a heavenly father who listens and answers our prayers.

This week Teresa finally got confirmed so her baptism is complete. This week we will be baptizing Samuel and Sharon and I am really really excited for these two sweet baptisms.

This week we met a new investigator named Sara. She is 88 years old but very intelligent. She asked us to baptize her right now because she knows the path is right haha - it was super inspiring. She cannot walk but promised to crawl to the church to be baptized so of course we found a driver and she will be baptized in about 3 weeks. Really inspiring lady!

I am grateful for my companion. As we have cambios next week it makes me sad. It has not been the easiest change but I am so grateful for her and the things I have learned. I know we were toegether for a very inspired reason. 

Have a great week,

Hermana Labrum

Letter from Hailee's companion

HI, I´m Sister Collazos, The companion of Sister Labrum, Your daugther is very crazy, but She´s aexcellent missionary, I´m sorry my english is very bad, i´ll write in spanich, 

Su hija me esta enseñando un poco de ingle´s, yo tengo poco tiempo en la misión, pero creo que con su hija es con quien mas a gusto me siento, ella siempre esta halando de ustedes, y se ve que sonuna familia muy unida, siempre esta reclamando su comida, los consejos de su padre, jugar con sus hermanos, su caballo, pero vive la mision dia a dia, ama lo que hace, y si nos aburrimos hacemos algo para estar de mejor animo, al principio era un poco raro, porque la veiva tan diferente, no sabia que saldria de este compañerismo, pero ahora nos encanta, saludos, les quiero mucho ♥

Your daughter is teaching me a little English.  I only have a small amount of time in the mission, but I believe that I enjoy being with your daughter the most.  She is always talking about about you all, and it appears that you are a very close family.   She is always talking about your good food, the advice (or counsel) of her father, playing with her siblings, her horse, etc.  But she lives the mission every day, and she loves what she is doing, and if we get bored, then we do something to get us more motivated.  At first, it was really different, because she sees (I think that is what she meant) things so differently.  I don't know what will happen with this companionship but right now we enjoy each other.  Best wishes.  I love you.

Flaca y Blanca con una Placa

This week was super great. This week Patricia and Teresa got baptized and it was amazing to see them both so happy. However, Patricia got confirmed Sunday but Teresa did not show up so we do not really know what is happening with her...Hoping to figure that out this week. But man, Patricia is really a convert. She shared her testimony with us about how amazing she felt and how strong the spirit was for her when she was confirmed. Her family is not supporting her in any way and her mother told her she was only her daughter before she became Mormon. It is honestly heartbreaking the opposition she is seeing from her family but she is strong and is just moving forward in the gospel.

This week we received a reference from the church of an 11 year old girl here in Trinidad that wanted to be baptized!!! Her name is Sharron and she is a miracle. She came to church Sunday and is reading her Book of Mormon and has such a desire to be baptized. One of the sweetest little girls I have ever met. She now has a baptismal date for the 7th of April and is VERY excited.

Samuel continues to teach us more than we teach him haha. An 8 year old with a way to teach better than me. He is very very excited as well for his baptism and his family is really reactivated. The parents as well as the grandparents have been in the church two Sundays in a row now.

This week we did a big service project and painted and cleaned a house and it was super fun and different which is always great to do something different haha. Also we plan to have 4 baptisms the 7th of April which is super super exciting.

This week the biggest miracle of all is with our ex stake president who now has an interview with the stake president and HIS DAUGHTER WANTS TO BE BAPTIZED IN 2 WEEKS!!!!!! The Lord is really making so many miracles happen here. I am super excited!!

This week I learned a lot about faith and that faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. There are more ways to see than with our eyes and more ways to feel than with just our hands. Anything that is really essential to this life is something that is invisible to the eyes and something that can only be seen with the heart. I have watched so many people here take a leap of faith to just trust in the Lord and His love and it has strengthened my faith and my testimony of faith. I love you all and hope you have an amazing week!!

With love,

Hermana Labrum

You Are Going To Be Good Enough

Wow it has been quite the week!!! I had the opportunity to go to the temple for the first time in 6 months and it was amazing. I was so so grateful to get to go and just instantly feel the spirit so so strong! It was a really amazing start to the week. Not to mention, I SURVIVED MY FIRST AND ONLY SUMMER IN SOUTH AMERICA!! It was not a fun experience but it is over and is finally starting to cool off. I am a very happy missionary haha.

This week was really great, We are teaching a little boy named Samuel who will be getting baptized the 7th of April and he is amazing. His family is all menos activo but want him to be baptized and they want to return to the church and they all came this Sunday!!! It was amazing. I have learned so much from this 8 year old boy and his testimony. He honestly teaches me more than we teach him. He, like all little children, has a way of teaching in a way that is so clear but also with so much power. I am really enjoying getting to know him and his family.

This week we did two service projects in retirement homes. We went and painted all the womens nails and it was so so fun (haha) to listen to all there crazy experiences from back in the day. Also we had a trial this week. We were all ready for Patricia to get baptized Saturday and then we get a call from bishop that we did not have gas to heat the water so we could not have the baptism. It was a real bummer but this week we will be having the baptism of Patricia and also Teresa.

This week I had the opportunity to meet a lot of new people that came from really rough circumstances and really hard pasts with lots of mistakes. I learned a lot about the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Many of them feel unworthy to pray because of their mistakes. I found a quote from Elder Holland that I shared a lot this week that not only helped them but helped me: "However many chances you think you have missed, however many mistakes you feel you have made I testify that you have never traveled beyond the reach of divine love. It is not possible for you to sink lower than the infinite light of Christs atonement that shines." It does not matter our past one bit if we are wiling to march forward and change our ways. I know that we are never out of reach of the arms of our Savior and that He is always here to save us. I love you all. Have an amazing week.

Love,

Hermana Labrum

10 Months - Double Digits

Well I am in the double digits and it is actually really sad! The time is flying like crazy. I am loving every second and really had a week full of memories and miracles.

This next week we are going to have two baptisms!! My favorite Patricia is getting baptized and also Hugo and they are both SO excited and super prepared. Hugo is dealing with serious health problems so his baptism will be performed by two Priesthood holders which will be super interesting and then Patricia is just rock solid in her testimony. Crazy to think we only have been teaching her three weeks and she is already 100 percent firm in the faith.

This week I had two new experiences, haha, as I got the opportunity to dye and cut my companions hair and I also gave matte another try and man both were an awful experience but I gave it my all haha.

So this cambio is an interesting one. I really love my companion but it is definitely a different situation. She is really tearing my spanish apart piece by piece but I am super grateful for it because I am getting the opportunity to learn spanish 100 percent correctly.

 

This week we had a miracle bigger than any other. My sweet ex stake president that has been giving his all to do his repentance process is now finally seeing results. He will have an interview this Wednesday to start all the process and truly it is the biggest blessing and miracle I think of my whole mission to watch how happy he is and how ready he is to start his life over once again.

Not a ton of time to write today because we are off to the temple! But I love you all and hope yall have an amazing week.

Love,

Hermana Labrum

Trinidad - A City of Miracles

Well started off the new cambio with a bang. My new companion is Hermana Collazos. She is from Peru but moved to Spain when she turned 14. She has 5 months in the mission and speaks absolutely no english but wants to learn so we are working on that haha! She is super sweet and loves the mission. I will be honest it was really hard when Hermana Ortega left. I really felt like I had lost a best friend. She stayed up all night our last night and left pics and all kinds of things all over the house for me to remember her by and I will not lie it has been a hard week without her but I am trying to give all my love to Hermana Collazos so that we can have an amazing friendship as well.

Today has been an awesome pday!!! Today my convert from Maldonado, Fernanda, traveled 6 hours pregnant and with her 3 year old daughter just to visit me. I have really had just the best day getting to catch up with her and my ward in Maldonado. It really made me miss that area in all honesty but I a know without a doubt that I am here in Trinidad for a reason!

WOW. Working the two sides of Trinidad is not easy!!! We are walking so much I think my feet are going to end up falling off haha but we are seeing success. We continue to see major progress with Patricia our miracle who is VERY excited for her baptism. She loved church this week and we are watching her testimony grow so so much!!! Also, Hugo who is an investigator came to church this week with his two little kids and it was so fun. I felt like a little mom helping him take care of all the kids. He plans to get baptized as well in about two weeks so we will see how that goes!

This week we found an AMAZING new investigator!! His name is Samuel and is 8 years old AND IS SOOOO EXCITED TO BE BAPTIZED! His family is menos activo but they want him to be baptized and also want to return to church and he is amazing. I am learning so much from him. Maria, Washington, and Richard my converts here continue to progress well and all three have plans to head to the temple here in the next couple of months!

This week was a really fast and packed week full of walking to all of the places we needed to go. We are really seeing the Lords hand in this area with all the people that He is preparing for us. 

This week I learned a lot about the power of a testimony. I learned that we are always always growing or losing our testimony. There is never a stand still. We have to continue moving forward and learning and having spiritual experiences or we are only moving backwards. I learned that my testimony is not as strong as I believed it to be and that I still have so much learning and growing to go. I am learning that we grow our testimony through prayer and scriptures and that we truly are capable of having a firm testimony in each gospel principle in itself. I am grateful for my mission and the opportunity to watch  my testimony continue to grow and change. I love you all and hope you have an amazing week full of miracles and happiness.

Love,

Hermana Labrum