HELPFUL HINTS for Future Rancagua Chile missionaries :)

hey future hermana h    !! 

i am so glad you emailed me i am so excited that you emailed me and are comming down here!! you will love it!! the most important thing to remember before you leave on the mission is that God has prepared you, and He wants you specifically to be His missionary. to serve His children. no matter what happens never forget God knows what He is doing and You are Called to the work.  there is almost everything you would use in the united states found down here, ....almost....but the question is how expensive it is...your houses should all have big blankets to keep you warm, and cooking materials. the members feed the missionaries normally but sometimes no...so recipes are awesome, the desserts here are NOT thesame....they just arent as sweet so cookie and brownie recipes that take less then an hour and a half prep and cook time (because you wont have much time). 

as for your questions:

it is both extremely hot and extremely cold..so be sure to bring a big warm wool coat. and it also rains a lot so an umbrella and a rain coat rain boots are allowed in this mission. boots and wool tights are necessary some areas have bikes so elastic shorts that will cover your garments are a great idea, slips for your skirt, shirts that are modest by themselves and lightweight are perfect for the summer because you will bake. and sweat. layers are key to the cold, but most houses dont have heating and are VERY cold inside and out. so basically clothes that one uses in places that have snow. beanies (that are appoved on the website) scarves, gloves, etc

dont forget photos of your family. becuase your friends and companions will want to know what they look like. bring a durable bag with enough room to fit both your scriptures and a book of mormon with wiggle room. i brought boots with heels that i could walk with in the states for the whole day (because i sat a good porcion of the day....) ya i wanted to cut off my legs when i had to use them for two days in the mission ....its not worth it...

dont worry about bringing enough clothes for 2 years, just enough for 6 months, because you trade clothes with other missionaries often times. 

follow the instructions your packet gives you more than anything :)

you will love it! more than anything just know that god will take care of you. and if you need anything it only takes a month and a week to send stuff...american candy is heaven(just a ps)

hermana ming

On Sun, Aug 31, 2014 at 5:38 PM, Ellen Huish <ellenhuish@icloud.com> wrote:

Hi Hermana Ming!!

So I'm friends with Torra, and I'm heading down to your same mission soon!

I wanted to get some advice from  a sister down there about preparing and everything!
I just have a few questions:
How hot does it get in the summer? Is it pretty hot or is it bearable? And then I heard it gets really cold in the winter?
Is there anything you wish you had packed before you left?
Just any advice you have would be super appreciated!! Thanks so much!!

-Ellen

Just a little momma sisde note - I stopped publishing on the blog and now just forward her emails to those who want to read them... Just FYI   

December 16, 2013 THE REAL SOURCE OF POWER

So, I am going to be quite frank with all of you. a mission is hard. imagine that? the words of so many missionaries before me. but let me tell you why it is hard. 

It is hard because Satan knows how powerful we can be as missionaries. He knows we can change lives forever. He knows that with God we can literally affect generations and for that he is afraid. Honestly this week was tough and i realized for a time i had lost hope that really there were people out there that really were prepared to listen to the missionaries to our glorious message.i felt very alone, and still had faith in God but not necessarily that there were people out here for me to find or to teach. and i felt like i kept feeling this way and just could not find the balance.I kept trying to push through it and would sincerely be fine one day with out any problems but i kept having these days of breakdowns where i just felt overwhelmed and couldnt handle it. there really was one day where i did not want to go out to teach, i didnt. but know that in that moment of difficulty i said a prayer with my companion (who was really being fantastic and comforting me) and i told God exactly how i was feeling. that i felt i had lost hope, that i was discouraged, but that i wanted badly to believe there were people out here for me. that there was a reason i felt so stuck and that there had to be something to learn from it, but that i was tired and needed his help, His consuelo (comfort), and i needed His strength. I bore my heart out to my Father in Heaven, telling Him everything and did it out loud. 

Afterwards, i felt so much better. i felt true peace in my heart and felt like i really could go out to work. to find the lost sheep, find a person that really needed us. sabe que (know that or i like to think of it as guess what). that same day not 20 minutes later we found a woman that we had taught a little bit a month ago and learned that she didnt feel like she had faith. and so we told her to read Alma 32 (i dare you to read it. it is amazing, so many inspiring scriptures)...but we could not get a hold of her for about a month, always busy (and we were beginning to think uninterested) but we passed by for her. and sabe que, not only did she invite us in, but she opened up to us (after very inspired questions that God gave us) admitted that she had actually read the chapter in alma (seriously that is a miracle) admitted that she didnt necessarily believe it (another miracle because normally they just tell you it was nice or they dont remember what it said) and basically confessed she was feeling lost of hope and like she couldnt find balance and was just tired. EXACTLY HOW I HAD DESCRIBED HOW I FELT TO HERMANA MEEKS THAT VERY MORNING HOURS OR MINUTES BEFORE. and God had given me a chance to study scriptures that week to help me and to really understand how this woman was feeling. because honestly before this week i had never felt that way. and through my own trial of faith i was able to understand how she felt and be able to guide her to the answers and help she needed. to show her that she really wasnt alone that God knew who she was, but also that God knew who I was. that He answered both of the prayers of our hearts. 

God has power. we really do not. and to be honest we need the help of God in our life. we need it! but we have to "Ask and ye shall receive, Seek and ye shall find, Knock and it shall be opened unto you." really we just need to ASK. in prayer. it is incredibly powerful.

i love praying aloud with my companion. i just feel the power of prayer. seriously. i challenge you to try it. to pray vocally and open your heart to him. sincerely tell him what you are going through and feeling and plead for his help...i love the results. you will feel a difference. I promise as a representative of Jesus Christ that He hears your prayers and will answer them. really He will.

I love you all and I hope you take the time to really enjoy the Christ in Christmas and let Him in and allow Him to help you.

Hermana Konrie Ming

Sabe que, we have special transfers this week, because some missionaries are ending their missions so people are going to get moved around so that their companions arent solo...all the hermanas in our house are so close (like a family) i am really worried that one of us will leave soon...

hermana meeks is so amazing she is my best friend and i love her. she always tries to help me feel at home.

hermana dardon is so awesome;) she loves pink, and is very blunt, and talks like a racecar in that it is dang fast! it honestly took me a while to understand but she is really wonderful. she loves to pull our legs with little white lies. (last week she told us pday was cancelled....as we were going to sleep and would have no way to verify or replan...stinker

hermana chachi is so funny, gullible and always laughing. very loveable and she is always trying to learn new things in english...

they all loved the advent calendar that we received last week its really fun and we share everything so we all gret to try new things. latinos dont like beef jerky but love cashews just a heads up!

December 9, 2013 FEELING THE LOVE

ok so...now i will officially start my weekly letter...sorry if you wanted some of this stuff on it and you have to copy/paste etc.

and yes i am always excited for letters/packages and all that jazz :) every missionary is. it makes us feel loved and remembered.

i LOVE grinch ! i hope you remember the phrase soon:)

Congrats to keith and tracey!!!!!

and to liz and travis:) and others

and the joy of grandma ming is that this isnt the end, we really will see her again :) i am grateful i had the small chance to know her so long ago. 

ok the other email coming up!

so this week i really focused on the good with my companion, and you know what? we found it. we found a lot of it. 

mañana tenemos una actividad de navidad en Rancagua con muchos do los misioneros, estoy animada por eso, va a estar divertido. y no tenía una oportunidad a mirar la devocional porque fue a las 10 en la noche por nosotros y regresamos a nuestras casas a las 10 (10:30 si tenemos una lección tan buena) (tomorrow we have an Christmas activity in Rancagua with many of the missionaries, I am very excited for this, it is going to be bery fun.  I did not get the opportunity to watch the devotional because it was 10 at night and we go to our house by 10 or 10:30 if we have a very good lesson) okay I will talk in english again. but i am hoping maybe tomorrow at the activity we will getto watch it (the Christmas churchwide broadcast) ...but no guarantees.

so I know that every week my email seems to be the same but its crazy how true it is! so yesterday hermana meeks and i were just feeling tired and decided tostart counting our blessings and practice our faith that God would lead us to the families, less actives,and really just people that needed us. and we began counting the people in our branch whom we had gained the friendship of that really wanted to be involved in the work of God, 

the investigators, recent converts, and less actives that always welcomed us in with warm arms

the people we had found out used to be investigators and loved the church but had gotten lost in the cracks and God provided a way for us to find them again (this happened 3 or 4 times this week).

the times that God had guided us to someone the other missionaries had recently began to teach so we could tell them that Godreally wanted them to listen to the missionaries and know of the importance of this message. and the opportunity to remind the other missionaries of these people and tier importance to God

the many many people we find on the street that are actually quite amazing that want to hear our message, but dont live in our boundaries...well that justgoes to show you thatGod trusts us to talk to his children in the street and to see their potential and to help the missionaries in their area to find them and see their potential too.

really there is always something to be grateful for. always. you just cant be lazy and expect it to jump in your face :) you have to look forit, and snap into a spirit of joy and gratitude. 

also know that there is always ALWAYS someone there rooting for you. whether it is parents, siblings, ward members, bishopric, home teachers, visiting teachers, (other) missionaries, your leaders, friends, or the greatest of all support team members; our older brother, best friend, rescuer (savior), confidante, Jesus Christ. Always someone. 

so my invitation for you is to try it out.make the effort to look forthe good and quit just being lazy and down on yourself...it feels better to be happy...and i KNOW that at first it is difficult...but it feels so sooo much better to be happy....it really lifts a burden. TRUST ME and TEST ME on this.

and know that you really can find inspiration and answers to every problem in the book of mormon. try it. but try it with a prayerful heart and begin with a prayer it makes a difference. really. really really reallly! 

i love you guys and I know that God is watching over you for me and i know he is watching out for me too. and i really have found people hear that care about me and want the bestfor me. 

like hermana Rosita (converso reciente)(recent convert) that i call the abuelita de las misioneras (the little grandma of the missionaries), hermana Olea una miembro fiel en nuestra rama( a firm member of our branch) that al}ways loves to joke and help and speak english shes like an aunt that takes care of you and spoils you and makes fun of you all at the same time :) and so many other loving ´people...i am safe i am happy and i am a mormon missionary :)

hermana konrie ming

Monday December 2, 2013

YOU HAVE TO CROUCH/BEND DOWN TO JUMP

so this week really started off rough but dont worry, after some wonderful words of wisdom, elder utchdorf´s talk of forget me nots, and a completely new way to look at things this week quickly turned into a week of miracles.

we began to open our hearts to literally talk to all the people we passed on the street, to dwell on the good things and for me-focus on people not schedules or lessons....to really and trully enjoy my time wherever and whoever i am with. that is when we began to really see the miracles. 

to be honest here in chile, i completely forgot about thanksgiving, its kind of a tender mercy that holidays arent that difficult for me. but i didnt forget about the people i left back home...how much i loved them and how i pray for you all every night. 

ESPECIALLY ZALE!!!!! Zale! I thought about you a ton yesterday and how you are now 8 years old. so grown up, and able to getr baptized. I am so proud of you!! (Renna and Jared I thought about you guys too on your birthdays dont be too jealous i just often forget to write about it)

we already saw a huge miracle on sunday. we had lunch with a family in the ward well call them the ALLEN and it was so much fun and we really got to know the family and feel at home with them...and later that day due to a series of changes in our plans God directed us to our family of conversos recientes, where we had an opportunity to learn that she really needed a priesthood blessing of comfort because she was really stressed and hurting, so hermana meeks and i went to work trying to find someone in the ward that could come that night to give her a blessing (because she works every day from 3-midnight so really that night was the only opportunity)....we literally called every priesthood holder we knew  in the branch and no one was available...and just as we were about to give up, we thought of the son of the family ALLENS and called them. we did not know him before that day, and neither did the hermana that needed the blessing and to be honest we were a little worried about it, but told him to find whomever to accompany him  and come over asap and when he came...he brought the elders...whom the hermana knows well and were previously occupied when we tried to call...so the hermana received a blessing from someone she knew and felt comfortable with, and afterwards the son ended up talking to her for a long time and he was exactly the person she needed to talk to to feel understood and conforted...and honestly we never would have thought to plan any of this...god really had His hand in the middle of this night.  

and really so many other miracles happened that day its hard to explain.

i have a testimony that this church is true and i know that i am where i need to be. and i know that god knows who i am and who i can be and i know that if i trust in him and strive to seek His advice I will become so much better than i could on my own.

Hermana konrie ming

NOVEMBER 25, 2013

I'm Trying to be Like Jesus

Ok so this week it really hit me that I need to be be better. I mean i am always telling my investigators that as believers in christ we need to try to better ourselves everyday and strive to live in harmony with HIS teachings not only the ones that come easily. 

this week was a bit difficult as i learned to humble myself and strive to be teachable, patient, and longsuffing. yesterday we were talking to a recent convert in the ward after our plan A, B, C, and D fell through and hearing his conversion story and why it took him 6 monthes to finally be baptized (an eternity to missionaries especially because we can teach all the basics in 1 month and he had a testimony and knew that it was true).  it really helped me to gain more perspective that it really is the LORD´s work not mine, I need to just be willing to listen to what He wants me to do and say....not just randomly think what do I  think they need...but rather what does the Lord want me to say so that i can MEET their needs. I really put that to heart in a lesson with a   Hermana V and her daughter S. both of whom are less active. I really tried to pray for whoever was speaking at the time the entire time and i prayed for the heart of hermana v. that it would be softened and that the words would enter her heart and be what she needed to hear. and while i was in there, i no longer worried what i should say or how we had other people we wanted to see but instead i felt love for her and really discovered the true reason she was less active so that we can really help her.

afterwards, hermana meeks told me she could see the difference. i had the gift of tongues language was not a problem, and she also saw the difference in hermana v. 

christmas call- they will give me a calling card for sure...the question is if i will meet with one of the members to use their skype....so family, now is the time to practice using skype. i have permission to use skype if there are members available that have it...and i think there are...i will figure out more info for you guys. its 1 hour...im pretty sure and i think it is actually the 26th but i am not positive...i will find all that out asap!

(Konrie told us about several of her investigating families, but  sadly we have been told that there are people using blogs to contact the new converts and give them a hard time.  I think it is best that I don't post their names and situations) 

we sing before every lesson...its a great excuse for them to let us in their house to bring the spirit and to help them feel more comfortable in church when they attend and the songs are a little familiar.

it is so weird that you guys have had halloween and thanksgiving...holidays really dont exist in my mind right now...it is still august 2013 in my mind...at the same time i know that it is the end of november... but ya...im going to return and be really confused when its 2015 

i like my shoes (sas grandma shoes are the best) i am sick of my shirts and my skirts are all neutral colors....i can deal with it all, but for Christmas i would really like some new shirts that are fun and slightly nicer. and remember we are in the middle of summer here....it is extremely hot! and gross....

i love you all so much and i enjoyed writing this letter for you all. with lots of love and faith in your ability to touch lives and be gods hands

hermana konrie ming

(Konrie learned that one should never lock yourself out- ha)

(A sweet family that is in their branch)

Monday November 18 2013

2 Transfers 2 Companions and Still Keepin the Faith

iron pills...yes i am taking them....i am trying to remember to take two every day...im on my last bottle...i really can feel an increase in energy than when i started my energy...it isnt perfect but it is much better then before.

so today my companion hermana gallardo goes home....her family is thrilled...she is devasted...you can really see all the lives she touched while she was here...she will really be missed....this is the kind of missionary i want to be....one that will touch lives by my example and my love of the gospel. 

i am in a trio with hermana chachi and hermana dardon my house companions. hermana chachi is from pèru and came to this sector/area at the same time as me. we are buddies i love hna chachi we love to joke with each other, i am helping her learn english :) she has about 7 monthes in the mission and hna dardon is from guatemala shes been in this area for roughly 4 months and has about 6 months in her mission. both are phenominal and i am really excited to work with them today....we all cried really really hard this morning for many hours while waiting to send hermana gallardo off and also when she was officially gone...her presence will be missed but during our morning studies we really could feel the saviors love, comfort, and strength to carry on with the work. we all will miss our companion and dear friend here in our house in this mission in this country, but we know we are still needed here

all i really know about my new companion and trainer is her name is hna meeks, she is from the US and she has about 6 months out on her mission...oh and other people say she works hard...and she will arrive sometime in the morning tomorrow.

there really arent that many WARD activities but the youth have their activities the relief society theirs,...and i think the primary too but to be honest the missionaries arent super involved with the ward activities...i think with time and an increase in their confidence we will plan ward activities with our less active families, recent converts, investigators and of course the ward members...but for right now i am just trying to show them i am here for them...as missionaries we try to strengthen the ward and help it grow. but we cant be the glue...the ward needs to be the glue....that way it is much more permanent...not just for a month or 5 months but for years and years...

ok now for something light to lift the mood...so we have stairs at our house that have gaps in between...i hope you know what i mean...well one day hermana chachi was walking down the stairs when i was behind them...so i did what any child with a sense of humor and lots of siblings would do....i grabbed her ankle as she was walking,.....she screamed sooo loud...i laughed soo hard! "hermana ming!" and naturally with this commotion hna dardon was curous and wandered down the stairs too...."AHHHHH!!!!!! Hermana Ming!!!!!!" hahahahahaha so much fun and so much laughter i really couldnt resist it!!! so worth it! sadly hna gallardo stayed upstairs just yelling to find out what happened and then ran down stairs too fast for me to catch her too....but my oh my did i laugh HARD.  that really helped us to bond, relax, and just enjoy each others company...because as missionaries we need a break and fun too...that is one thing i definitely learned here..

i love you all and i want you to read 2 nephi 4:20 and the first half of 21...it really helped me today

 (20 My God hath been my ^asupport; he hath led me through mine^bafflictions in the wilderness; and he hath preserved me upon the waters of the great deep.

 21 He hath filled me with his ^alove,)

hermana konrie ming

keep the faith and work hard

not the actual staircase just a visual image for you - ha

Tuesday, November 12 , 2013 11am

Answer to a couple of our questions:  
my branch has about 600 members but it was a record when 103 people were in church a ccouple weeks ago. reactivation is huge here...but the sad thing is it is mostly the job of the missionaries to reactivate because the number of active members is so small. they have a lot to worry about.

my showers and bathrooms are relatively normal smaller and the shower is about the size of the downstairs but with a curtain that tries to eat you while showering. 

honestly i want you guys to see pictures but i hate how long it takes to set it up and send them... but i will try. just for you...

then her letter began:

i don't know what my problem is but i dont want to talk about my week.-..probably because i am sad because i really really really dont want my companion to leave and everyone in the world wants to talk about it...please remember...when a missionary is leaving...they normally do NOT want to leave and it is a topic of sadness...and kinda makes us trunky aka when our mind is on our home and not on the work....

but please forgive me i also forget you guys have no idea what is happening over here....ok

D- he is a young man that we are teaching and had a baptism date but it fell because he didnt attend church...so we prayed to see if we should quit teaching him...spirit told both me and my companion the same answer...wait a little bit.-..so we gave D the talk...you need to know for a fact if this church is true and you need to know now. really blunt and to the point. and asked him to give the closing prayer while all of us was kneeling...and as we were leaving he was a little ....different more withdrawn than normal...but he committed to pray if it was true...turns out he had received his answer and committed to 7 december for baptism and to attend church with us !! so we went to his house in the morning of church with french toast we had made so he wouldnt have any excuse....and he SAID HE COULDNT GO TO CHURCH!! big bummer...but he knows the gospel is true he knew that trials would come...now he just needs to act...

but R- a mama is progressing spoothly i honestly have no idea why she doesnt have a baptism date...but dont worry we are going to fix that...she really is wonderful and totally gets it. 

know that i love the mission and i love the holy ghost and my opportunity to listen to it...we had a miracle the other day...we were contacting in the street when i had a random thought to go to the opposite part of the area across the street a ways...so we acted on it...and a while later we saw that the same street we were at...a house caught on fire! scary right! god really protected us...and hna gallardo was really worried for the family at the hose and the people involved so we prayed for them and found out later no one was hurt :) tender mercies siempre!

i love god and i love the work and i am so proud of your missionary efforts i know that god will bless you with a miracle...it is a righteous desire...simply be open to the whispers of the spirit. love ya lots read mosiah 28:3 to know exactly how i feel about missionary work

hermana konrie ming