Surprises All Around

From: Alison Royal <alison.royal@myldsmail.net>
To: Patricia Royal <azroyal2@yahoo.com>
Sent: Monday, January 2, 2012 10:41 AM
Subject: well... suprises all around!

well my dear family, Are you ready for the sad news?

I'm leaving Limache tomorrow! Limache has really become my home. I Love it so much! I don't think I can express to you how much I love this ward, these people, but I will try to explain it in a moment...

Well, the other surprise is... I'm training again! That's a big surprise. I going to Valparaiso, and we are going to be opening a branch. I'm feeling pretty out of my comfort Zone,hah But I am SO SO SO excited to go to Valparaiso. I have drept about it since the beginning of my mission, but there were never Hermanas there, so it was impossible, but here we go! The Lord answers prayers! Just google Valparaiso, Chile and tell me it is not the most beautiful place you have ever seen... hahah I will be training HermanaMamani who is from Peru. Surprise huh? What a great way to start the new year!

I really am going to miss Hermana Hart so much! I love that girl. I don't think she realizes how much, (or maybe she does, because I tell her ALL the time) haha. but we are definitely going to live with each other (and Hermana Ellsworth) at BYU, so no sweat. We just are so blessed, and I am so grateful to have spent Christmas and new years with her. She is just a A plus.

So let me tell you about my week! It just has been a great one! Hermana Hart and I celebrated the New Year with the Guajardo Family. I love this family so much! They are so rich, and basically perfect. A lot of the poorer members in the ward don't like them very much, but I just love them. They are a very faithful family! We ate a very delicious dinner at their house and then we went to the pension and were able to hear the fireworks, didn't quite see them, but it felt like we were sleeping through WWII. haha

Also, Last week, I was starting to feel pretty discouraged, because I knew that It was VERY probably that I was going to be transferred. Hermana Hart have worked our little behinds off here and we both just wanted to be together for one more change, just one more to see fruits of our labors. We have several people who WILL be baptized in January, including a wedding of Fabiola and Vilfo, and their baptism. I seriously was feeling pretty discouraged thinking that I wouldn't be here to see the success I worked so hard for. Hermana Hart and I decided to fast. We started with the intent to fasting for just one more changed together, but then we decided it would be better just to do a fast ofgratitude, to thank the Lord for all we have seen and passed through together. During the whole day, I found myself sad, thinking "Heavenly father what did you want me to do here for 3 changes, just prepare people??" I was having a hard time holding back tears all day. But then something amazing happened! As we ended our fast, kneeling in prayer, I just felt so so filled with happiness and Love and Joy, Like I have never felt before!! I was just so happy I started crying from pure joy! I felt like the Lord was just telling me that I had done my part. I then realized something, I realized just how much I have come to love these people. I love them, with every inch of my being. I have prayed and fasted and studying and worried and hugged and kissed, and comforted and counseled these people as a representative of Jesus Christ. I love them! I love them more that myself! that is something I have always wanted to accomplish, but I didn't think it was possible, but i realized this week that it is so possible to Love to that capacity. I love Mauricio, I loveFabiola, I love Lydia and Marisol and her family, I love Bishop Guzman, I love Bianca, I love Carola, I love the Family Palma, I love Antonia and Elizabeth and Camila. I loveHernan. The list can go on, but I wont bore, you. but I am just so full of happiness and joy. I gave them all I had! saying good bye yesterday was really really heartbreaking for me. I literally felt exactly how I felt as I left my family to leave on the mission.

I hope I can bring this love and Joy with me where ever I go! Anyways, these are my thoughts, sad, yet happy, excited, yet heartbroken. but Over all grateful for the sacredexpereinces I have had here. And I just love my heavenly father so much! He knows me so well. I prayed so hard to be here for one more change, and I have also prayed so hard to go to Valparaiso since my first change. I am grateful the Lord answers prayers, even if we probably make it hard for him by all of the things we ask him for. haha but I just know that he loves me, and that he directs the Work here. each missionary should feel the confidence that the Lord will send them to the people that are waiting for them.

Also, one of our investigators has a very very serious breast cancer. She knows she doesnt have very much time left, and Hermana Hart, who is a nurse says that she probably has about 2 or 3 weeks. its the second time that it has returned and she is scared and her family is looking for comfort. today Hermana Hart and I were looking for guidence and fasted today. I just found our answer. http://lds.org/pages/we-can-live-with-god-again?lang=eng This life is just a small part. We have so much hope and happiness waiting for us. I know it. I know it.

I LOVE YOU ALL! I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY! I am almost 1 year in to the mission. I wish I could be forever a missionary.

Hermana Royal!