Danielle Cook Chile Santiago South Mission July 31, 2013-January 27, 2015: This week was full of food and stomach aches and a lot of beautiful rain!

Okay familia!!

This week we were in side because of Diece Ocho for about a day or so because the streets are a little crazy. They had an incident with their hermanas and I'm not sure how much I'm allowed to really say, but the sector was basically very unsafe, so we had to have a huge meeting about safety and stuff that the headquarters at Salt Lake put together for us, so that was kind of... uhm, interesting! But all is well :)

Anyways, this week was full of food and stomach aches and a lot of beautiful rain! It was another successful and great week. My companion is a true disciple of Christ and is always helping me and we work so well together.

Prayers have been answered with her being my new companion! She's a great trainer. About a week ago I started experiencing terrible back pains again but it's a lot easier to ignore on a mission because all you can think about is the sacrifice Christ made, so it practically numbs it out. It's hard to explain, but when your studying Christ’s life and trying your hardest to represent him best, things are just easier and my testimony of that has grown so much this week.

I don't have too much time to write all that I want to say, but I love my ward. There are only about 30 to 50 active members and they are so sweet and want to help the church grow. I hope and pray this church grows quickly and strongly here! I will say this in many of my emails I send home, but the members are SO great. At least in our sector so far :) That is a huge blessing!

Oh, I'm also getting a calling this week and I'm a teensy bit freaking out because if I get a teaching calling, were in trouble, because I don't speak Spanish that well! heehee. Yesterday, I told Ema, a lady in the ward, that I ate a spider for lunch... but I meant to say ORANGE, in my defense, the words are VERY similar. But it was a great laugh for my companion and she very kindly helped me out of that situation and explained to both myself and Ema... my error! LAUGHING OUT LOUD HERE♥ I just love it. Well Landon, Austin, Daddy, Brooke and mommy! Love you guys all so much.

Glad things are going well. Keep studying and having fun and enjoy some pizza for me..and hamburgers!!!! Love you all so much to the moon and back always and FOREVER ♥

xooxox

~Simpre, Hermana Cook!

I sent a picture of a Family on Diese Ocho! We ate so much, I almost threw up, but it’s rude if you don't eat everything. They have an unusual family! Their mom is the only active member and it’s really hard on her. All her kids aren't married but at least have one kid. We taught them a lesson and one of the mothers asked super good questions. This is the Burros Family!

This week was Diese Ocho! This is like a week of the 4th of July but for Chileans! They all know this dance called the Cueca! It's way fun! I sent some pictures that were at the ward activity!

Hermana's Party

First Pizza in Chile

Hermana's Party

I also sent a picture of a house looked like Charlie in the chocolate factories house so we took a picture with it! lol this is THE NICEST HOUSE EVER in Chile.

I sent a picture of little girl that loves us so much. She's the cutest thing ever! Her name is really long so I forgot it!! eeeek! But this week she made us Chilean pins out of beads and I have it on my back pack :) she’s SO cute.

I sent a favorite picture of my name tag. It's taken on a fence of a house. All the houses here have glass smashed and cemented on top because stealing is a big problem here, but it’s considered art as well. I also love the flag in the background. It's like my name among the thorns (well, in this case among the glass) It has a lot of symbolism for me.