FALL HAS ARRIVED IN CHILE!

Family/Friends...You're all family...!

BAPTISM! Melisa is the best person on earth! The baptism was beautiful.  She wore the temple dress of her neighbor and when she came out of the water we just cried together and shared a big, wet, hug and she thanked us for bringing this to her.

Short this week, but we have zone conference.  Well, fall has arrived...I smell wet dry leaves and it gets dark at 5 now.  I wear at least four shirts, a sweater, a jacket and then my parka to stay alive and we are LOVIN iT!  You know how when Moroni appeared to Joseph Smith and he described him as being above the whiteness of the snow?  I´m pretty sure Moroni lived in Punta Arenas.  We are translucent here.  I´m gonna go out on a limb and say I´m pastier than Sophie (love you honey).  Happy birthdays to dad and Adam Case and Tanner!  Way to go everyone!

Katie, thank you for your emails...Loved them.  Ummm...advice about getting answers to prayers.   I had a hard time with this at the beginning.  How do we know when its us or God speaking? What if there are 3 great options and we´re confused?  What I have found is to stop worrying about it, DO what is right (aka, pray, study the scrips, serve), and in the course of being a good person, God will lead you for your good.  Obviously, we have to actively SEEK the answers...but in the meantime, be a good person...keep your covenants and you will be led for good.  The Spirit is the most delicate thing in the entire world.  OH! I have a good example.  We are teaching this 9 year old daughter of a less active family who´s returning to church.  We spent hours studying and planning and worrying about how we were going to teach her a specific concept.  We came up with about 7 analogies, stories, examples, or pictures and prayed and went in there not knowing what or how we were going to teach her.  Right after we said the prayer, my companion started with something completely different than ANYTHING we had even planned and I suddenly knew where to take the lesson.  It ended up being one of the best lessons we´ve ever taught and she´s ready and prepared for her baptism.  Yes, we didn´t use ANY of our planning, but it wasn´t wasted.  I believe that our preparation QUALIFIED us to have the Spirit, which then showed us what to do.  Whatever you are planning on doing this next year....think about it, pray about it, talk to mom and dad about it and then just live right (or, be qualified to receive the guidance of the spirit, of light!.  You´ll be great.  God expects us to create our own lives (check out D and C 58) and to do many good things of our own free will.  Use what you learned in Jerusalem as a jumping board to now make these next four months even better.  You´ve obviously experienced a lot of improvement and wouldn´t want to lose any of it.  keep going at this pace!  I´m really proud of everything you´ve learned and how you´ve changed and whatever you choose to do (I secretly hope a mission) will be just wonderful.

Fam, I love you all.  Lizzie, remember you promised to wait till March :)  Mom, I will be fasting on the 22nd for Bette and she´ll be in my prayers.  Just remember everyone that even in times when we don´t understand what´s going on or why, there is a living and loving God who does and sometimes we just have to rely on that. Love you all! Keep up the good work!

Hermana Bourne

Mom, I´m praying for you and love you so much.  Dad, have a blast in LA and happy birthday...I baptised the best convert I´ll ever have here on the 17th and she was confirmed on the 18th. I don´t know where the time is going.  I want to slow it down. I have 7 months already and I have interviews with president tomorrow so we´ll see who my new comps going to be.  LOVE YOU BOTH.  Ps, james, that painting was phenominal.....was a bit of a shock to see a naked man as a missionary, but you are ridiculously talented! Love you all!