Hermana Ostlers First Week In the Field!

Ola! Or I guess I should say Hola.... because I am spanish speaking now.

This week has been a whirlwind. It has been one of the hardest weeks of my mission. I am in California now. My companions are great!

The language is soooo hard. I don't know what to do about it. In my language study every day I study Portuguese for an hour, because I don't know when I will be shipped off to Brazil. No news on the visa yet BTW. I don't understand one bit of Spanish. You would think that learning Portuguese would have helped me in my efforts with spanish but it just made it harder. I still, after a week, cant even put one sentence together in Spanish. I just sit quietly during lessons because I don't understand, and If I did, I wouldn't even know what to say back. God is definitley trying me right now, but I am trying to look for the reasons I am supposed to be here.

We knock doors for 2 hours a day. its about %50 English and Spanish so I can contribute a little bit there. We found an awesome investigator through knocking and it was great but we then had to give her to the English missionaries and that sucks. But I enjoy being able to teach the gospel those 2 hours. 

FUNNY STORY

We knocked doors and st up an appointment with an investigator  named Amber. She was kinda weird, but we went back the next day and taught her a lesson. SHES A NUDIST.  She was naked. So was her family. We got out of there real quick.

I had my first baptisms on Saturday. Even though I didn't understand what was going on the spirit was wonderful and I was happy that Ana and Jose were happy

My favorite time of the day is study time. It is great. I get to work on my Portuguese (I never realized how much I would miss it) and Just spend time growing closer to God.

I have another scheduled baptism on the 14th and I am very excited. We are also planning a wedding!!

I am always tired and always hungry somehow. The mission is not what I expected but I am learning to roll with the punches and "come what may and love it." That is my goal this week! To find the positive in every situation. 

I love and miss you all and can't wait to eventually get to Brasil!! Tchou

-- 

Sister Ostler

Hermana Ostler made it to California!!

I know I emailed yesterday!! But in California today is pday, but just this week. My normal pday will be mondays. I am in a trio!!! Again!!! haha but my trainers are super nice.

GUESS WHAT

I am now Hermana Ostler. I AM SPEAKING SPANISH. Without knowing any. This will be an adventure. Anyways I don't have a ton to say, Today has been really long and I am very tired. It was good talking to my parents at the airport. It is warm here and I have a car which is awesome. I miss you all! Tchau! I have got to go start learning some spanish!!

I will send pictures next week if I can!

Eu te amo!!!

-- 

Sister Ostler

Week Six! Sister Ostler is getting excited for California!

Ola! 

This week has been a long one. Elder Neil L Anderson came and spoke to us on Tuesday and that was way cool. We have heard from 3 members of the 12 Apostles, and that is way cool! Combined with David Archuletta, The Piano Guys, and BYU Mens chorus, it has been a lucky 6 weeks. 

My district all flew out to Brazil this morning, other than the few who didn't get visas. My companions left this morning. It was hard saying goodbye to my district last night. I have gotten super close to all of them.

Thats pretty much it for this week! Next time I email I will be in California! wish me luck!

 

Week Five! Sister Ostler gets a new call!

Wow. This week has been a crazy week!

On Sunday I broke my tooth. I have no idea how because I didn't eat anything hard but it happened. My back molar broke, like almost 1/4th of it. So I got a dentist appointment on Tuesday. WHICH WAS ACTUALLY WAY FUN! Just because I got to leave the MTC with my Companions. It was like a field trip. Everyone was super jealous. It was way weird seeing the outside world. Ill send pictures a little later today. After the dentist Dr Cook finished I went to the front desk and OH MY GOODNESS TENDER MERCY the dentist likes to help the missionaries and he fixed my tooth for FREE. I was so worried because it would have been super expensive for my parents but it was such a blessing, and I am sure my parents are grateful too!!

Everyone in my district has been sick, so that is no fun. Its kind of hilarious because they all come to me with medical question like how much medicine they can take... etc. Its funny to me and thankfully I haven't gotten sick again. 

My Mission presidents wife came yesterday! She is from Highland and her daughter is getting married so she came and visited!! It was so amazing to get to meet her and makes me so much more excited to got out in the field......

Which brings me to my next point...

I HAVE BEEN REASSIGNED TO SERVE IN THE CALIFORNIA SAN FERNANDO MISSION!!

It is just until my visa comes but I don't know how long that could be! Almost all of my district got their visas last Friday. It was really hard for me because everyone was so happy and I was being selfish and struggling with why I cant go to Brazil. I have had a couple days to think about it and I am still struggling but I need to put my trust in the Lord and everything will work itself out.

I am doing great and I hope you all are doing well too!!

Eu te amo!!

-- 

Sister Ostler

Week Four!

I can't believe it. It has already been a week!! and on Wednesday I will have been her a whole month!!! that is crazy to me. Time is flying but i also feel like i have been here forever

Tuesday: One of my companions Sister Fullmer flew out to Brazil. I thought that it would just be Sister Hansen and I left but we got a new companion! Her name is Sister McKenna. She was already in out district and her comp left too so she just joined us. I really like her a lot. We get along well. 

We Didnt do anything fun for new years, It was just like any other day in the MTC. My days are just flying by. its probably because I do the same thing every day haha. 

I have taken up volley ball! I am horrible but my district gets way into it and my arms have bruises all over them because its not a very good ball but it is way fun. Everyone says they like playing with me because even though I am horrible I am positive and keep it fun haha

funny story of the day

We were teaching our investigator the law of chastity and i told him in portuguese that he needs to have lots of abortions. yep. I am glad I made that mistake here so I dont have to make it in the field!! Hahahahaha

I dont have lots to say this week so just keep me updated on all of your lives!!! Send me letters!!! 

Eu te amo

Tchau Tchau

-- 

Sister Ostler

Week Three!

Feliz Natal everyone!!! It has been such an amazing week!!

Elder Oaks came and talked to us on Christmas!!!  His spirit is undeniable. 

My lessons with my investigators are improving! I am able to begin to speak from the heart when I am talking to them in Portuguese! That has been a really good feeling. 

I think I have a new skill. I am able to fall asleep anywhere I want! I fall asleep so much, and at least once a day. hahah I have never been so tired in my life!

MIRACLE(S) OF THE WEEK

1) Getting to talk to my family was so nice but it was really hard. I went back to my classroom afterwards and my whole district was there and the atmosphere that they bring is so amazing. I love each of them so much and I can feel the love coming from them and it really helped lift my spirits. We went and played games and it made me forget about my worries and have fun

2) We had a christmas devotional last night and it was DAVID ARCHULETA. He came and sang Christmas songs and it was so awesome. But if you know me you know my favorite hymn is Be still my soul, specifically the version he sings. I even wear a ring every day that says "be still my soul" (Shout out to Sister Maddie Seamons who got it made for me) I wasn't  expecting him to sing it but I was hoping really really hard that he would, but I didn't have high expectations. Then he read a verse in D&C 9 (the one the song is based off of) and he said "I am going to sing a song that means a lot to me. Its not a Christmas song but I hope it will still touch your hearts" AND THEN HE SANG BE STILL MY SOUL. I started crying when he first started to sing it. It was amazing. It literally was on my bucket list to hear specifically David Archuleta sing that song and it was amazing. Thats two things that have been crossed off my bucket list since I have gotten here (David and Holland)

3) After David Archuleta sang I got to go shake his hang and as I was walking away I saw Sherri Berry!!!!! She is one of my very close friends and I care about her so much and it was so amazing to see a familiar face. I hugged her and cried and it was so amazing. In my opinion a Christmas miracle because there were so many people in the gym and my odds were very slim of seeing her. It was the cherry on top of a slightly bitter but mostly very sweet day. Shout out to Sherry who stayed late to try to find me! I love you!

That sums up my week!! Thank you to everyone who sent me something for Christmas! Shout out to the Seamons for the cake and cinnamon rolls! as delicious as they were it meant more that you were thinking about me. Oh and my district thanks you for those as well hahahaha. Shout out to my mom for an amazing Christmas package and for everyone who wrote a letter to put in it. I love you all and miss you like crazy but i know i am where I am meant to be! I can do hard things!

-- 

Sister Ostler