FRIOOOOOOO!!!! (Cooooooold!!!)

My dear beautiful family,

I am in Curicò!! So, yeah, I was only in Talca for one change (cambio, I think it is called transfer in english missions?) and really I don`t know why! At first I thought it was because I thought I was a trouble missionary and president needs to put me with good companions so I don`t mess anything up or lead a sector, but I don`t think that is it... ;) I actually really think it is cuz someone here needs Hna. Kinikini and I to teach them the restored gospel so they can enjoy the blessings God has prepared for them!! ;) So yeah.

Wow this week was amazing!! A ton of nuevos were found this week and we are SO excited because one of them came to church, by herself, in the cold, with over 70 years of age, walking!!!! We were so suprised!! She just told us that she knew she was supposed to come to church when we invited her, and so she came!! Oh my goodness I was so happy to see her. She really likes the book of mormon and already a family has invited her to a noche de hogar with them! We have plans to invite her to accept a baptismal fecha and we really hope she will pray about it. She is praying right now about Joseph Smith and the church. Oh it is so amazing!!

We also have the mom of our recent conversa that is LOVING church. She actually asked her husband (menos activo) if they could stay for all 3 hours, which they have never done before. Oh it is so amazing!! We also want to put a fecha with her. We really hope she`ll will accept it. I think she has really noticed a good change in her family, especially in Nicol, her daughter, who just got baptized. I love the mission!!

Anyway, so the mission is pretty awesome when you find people guys... just so you know. 

My companion is Hna. Kinikini. She grew up in West Valley!!! It was so crazy cuz we probably saw each other one time, and just never knew it. Both her parents are from Tonga, so she looks Tongan, but is pura gringa ;) We are having tons of fun and enjoying the mission tons! I am learning tons from her because she has almost 16 months! I might kill her... (which means be her companion when she goes home) and I hope that happens because we work super hard together. She speaks Spanish like she is speaking Tongan, and it is so funny, cuz I think I am picking up her accent.... If I come home sounding like a tongan instead of a chilean, you know why... ;) Also, I LIVE WITH HNA. VORWALLER!!! Oh my goodness, I thought we would never live with each other. It is SO awesome, because now when I tell stories or something, she knows who I am talking about! Hna. Squires is up North in Buin I think. Not sure though.

So it has officially started winter here, I think, because we are FREEZING!! We have bikes here! And at night and in the morning we almost become missionary-sicles! ;) It is awesome, because when we have to travel a little longer than usual, we just start laughing and trying to stay warm by talking to each other, otherwise our faces freeze! It is so awesome. ;)

I heard Derek is going to the mission where Brynn Andersen`s sister, Abbie, is!! That is SO cool! Brynn told me Abbie has only good things to say about the mission, so Derek, you are super lucky to go there. I can`t wait for you! You are going to LOVE the mission. Friendly reminder, read the Book of Mormon ;)

Yeah, so that is the life right now here in Curicò. I love you guys so much! Just so you know, you have to come pick me up when I come home, because I won`t be able to find the house if you don`t... ;) Love you guys!!

Hna. McCubbins

Jessica from before her mission.

Me Voy a Curico!

(This is Jessica's Mom. Derek, Jessica's brother, was called to the Missouri St. Louis mission this week. He leaves at the end of August. Jessica just found out about it and this is her response to Derek.)

Oh my lovely family. 

I am so excited for all of you! There are some crazy awesome things happening at home and it is actually kind of fun to just hear the news and not experience the stress.... But I love you guys ;) It is SO crazy that Derek is going to Missouri!! Just be ready for the polygamy questions. Also, if your mission is like mine, (which is probably won´t be anything close to it) you might get to learn a different language anyway. Our mission president makes the latinos and brazilenios learn English because it will help them in their future lives, so maybe your mission president will make you guys learn Spanish or something. If you get a Spanish companion, you have to make them teach you their language!! It is super possible to learn a different language in your mission even if you are serving in your native language. Tons of Latinos have gone home speaking like us Gringos, simply because they forced their gringo companions to talk and teach to them! So take that opportunity! It would be awesome! So I have tons of mission tips, what do you want to know? Basically you will learn all the tips from the missionaries around you in the MTC and once you get into the field. The one tip that will help you above all else, is make sure you have the Spirit and FOLLOW the Spirit (you do that by praying and reading the scriptures sincerely). Heavenly Father knows all and will tell you what to do if you aren´t sure. Also, be obedient to ALL the rules. ;) That is pretty much all the tips I can give you. And above all, stay yourself. Don´t turn into a robot and work only for numbers. Remember that every person you baptize, or get back to church, isn´t really your baptism or reactivation. And it wasn´t you who baptized them or reactivated them. Heavenly Father decided to bless you with that experience of being the tool in his hands. Be yourself, recognize your faults, and just keep Christ at your side always, because He will be walking by your side at all times if you let Him ;) I love ya bro! 

You guys have to send me tons of pictures! I miss you guys and want to know anything and everything! Keep it up!

One last thing. I learned a super cool thing about the book of Mormon yesterday. It is the key to our religion, not because it contains all of the truth that God has every revealed to men, but because it contains all the things we need to recieve salvation! Isn´t that cool?? The other books are awesome cuz they have really cool knowledge and other things, but essentially, we could have only the Book of Mormon and still get to the Celestial Kingdom!! It is awesome! Go read the Book of Mormon! I just read it in Spanish all the way and it is amazing!! 

Love ya guys!!

I only got to stay in Talca for one change, but it will stay in my heart! ;)

The man is a converso reciente that just completed a year with his family, but now has gone inactive. So we are helping him get back to church cuz his wife really wants to get to the temple. They are SO cute!!
Name: Hno. Fredi Dominguez.

Ladybugs and Dust

Dear Beautiful Family,

We have a serious infestation problem!!!! There are ladybugs EVERYWHERE!! Why ladybugs?? We have no idea, but they are everywhere, and dying because it is cold outside! And the weird thing is that they are all old! They are all yellow and have TONS of spots on them. We feel so bad for them, but we really can´t do anything for them. They just come into our warm house to die... It is sad. There is probably a gospel principle I could tie to this... but I can´t think of it right now...

I LOVED talking to you guys on Saturday night!! I didn´t know I made that many faces until we talked, and now I am noticing that I do that with EVERYONE, and that might be one of the reasons so many people stare at me, besides the fact that I am a tall Gringa. WHY DOES SCOTTY SOUND LIKE A MAN??? That is not fair. And I can´t believe that Lindsey is almost as tall as Mom, and that Kate has really long hair! Derek still looks and sounds the same, but he will probably change when he gets his call. Mom looks more blonde, and Dad more grey ;) Hna. Rajapakse and Hna. Cook made AWWWW sounds when I showed them the picture of your guy´s wedding ring at the temple. They thought it was pretty cute.

This week we had interviews with president and I learned something really cool. I have been a little worried about how some people have been judging both me and Hna. Raj because we laugh all the time and are happy! I expressed these concerns to President, and I love his reponse. First, he said we are amazing missionaries because we are obedient and love the mission. Second, he said that we need to express ourselves as people, laugh, be happy and joyful, because that is what the gospel is all about!! JOY!! Third, he said as long as we are striving to have the attributes of Christ, we are trying to become like Him and nothing else matters. He said we are people and we were made to have joy. We were also meant to weep and experience frustration, and tiredness and excitement! We are people with emotions and expressing them does not mean we are disobedient. I love his answer because it is exactly the thing I am striving for in my life and striving to help others achieve here in the mission, and that is to become like Christ. I read Ether 12 today and LOVE verse 41. In Spanish it says ´´buscar a este Jesús´´ which is like search after Jesus. We should always be striving to be like Him and I LOVE it!! To work to be like Him and follow His example is the thing that will bring us the greatest happiness in the end. That is why missionaries who serve with all their HEART, MIGHT, MIND and STRENGTH, are filled with light and joy, because they are becoming like Him. That is why I am SO excited for Derek to go on a mission, and that you, Derek, have taken this decision. It is one of the hardest things I have ever done in my life, but it has made the happiest ever! I want to tell you to just be yourself as you prepare to serve a mission. Be your goofy Derek that makes jokes, laughs, and likes to make other people happy. Also, grow in your love for the scriptures and for the Savior! With this will come a love for the people and love for the mission and love to live life to the fullest! I am SUPER excited for you to get your call and go on a mission. You will never be the same, but you will become someone better than you could ever DREAM! 

I love you guys TONS! I feel so blessed to have an amazing family that supports me from so far away, and that I get to talk to every week! You guys are an inspiration to me, and keep me going when times get hard! Stay strong in the faith and stay close to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. They are the best!!

Love ya!

Hermana McCubbins

:) I am singing in the rain!

This week will be a short one.

I believe in the power of the fast and prayer. We had a special fast to find a family this week. As I was praying (I decided to pray in English to make it more personal) I suddenly started seeing this family, not clearly, but like blurs in my head, and I thought I heard them laughing! It was super different and I wondered if I was going crazy, until after the prayer when Hna. Raj and I looked at each other and she said they are real and exist and we are going to find them because they need the gospel!!

You guys, if I have learned anything on the mission, it is that Heavenly Father answers our prayers when they are sincere, specific and from our hearts. I LOVE prayer now and it increases my faith every day and I feel closer and closer to God. I challenge you guys to pray to Heavenly Father like He is your best friend and just tell Him EVERYTHING! Cuz He wants to know! 

I love you!

Hna. McCubbins

This is Nicol who was baptized last November and we are teaching her and helping her get used to the ward and learn more and more! ;)

Today we learned a little bit of Singhala, which is the language in Sri Lanka, where Hna. Rajapakse was born.