RAININ' MIRACLES!

Before I forget, we´re having P day this Saturday.  So all those people who KNOW that I´m calling them to repentence for not writing me....REPENT! And then write me before this Saturday because that´s when I´ll be doing email.

People, it didn´t rain once this week.  Someone get me a tamborine to celebrate!  It DID, however, rain down blessings all day, every day last week.  I´m going to go out on a limb and say it was the mas genial week of all the weeks here.  Lets give this week a big HOLY SHRAPNEL!

Ive always heard the classic mission story about how the woman opens the door and says ¨I´ve been waiting for you.¨ I´ve always given it a big role of the eyes as well.  So anyways, we get into this house that we have been trying to get into all cambio and we began to teach this family about the baptism of Jesus Christ and why we should be baptized exactly in the manner that he left us.  The father interupted us and asked us why we were teaching about that.  We told him that it was the door to salvation and 100% necesary for our progress in this life and in the life to come.  He then listened to everything else and asked very insightful, appropriate questions.  We felt the Spirit all the way through.  At the very end, we challenged him to be baptized and he said he wanted to pray.  We pulled out a Book of Mormon and started to explain it and he said ¨I already have one of those...I´ve read it from cover to cover and prayed about it and have been praying for you two to come for a long time. I have some questions about the Lamanites and Nephites¨ He has never shared with missionaries but is a very well read man with a wife (legally wed), two kids, and one on the way.  Hermana Kelley started to tear up and I tried to act like this happens to us every day as I scheduled citas for every day of this week.  (He works a lot and wants to ¨aprovechar¨ his vacation.)  We invited him to church and he said he wasn´t going to be able to.  But wait a minute! He randomly walked into sacrament meeting with a giant smile on his face and loved the whole thing.  I don´t know.  That is just one of the miracles of the week.  We met three other married couples who want to share with us and the skies were blue and our teaching is improving and everything is just getting wonderful!

During that incredible lesson with that family (named Victor), I just kept sneakily looking around looking for Mormon camera men that were filming us for an MTC video or something...unreal, seriously.

Grandma Cynthia, my comp really wants to do the Bourne Family Challenge and we´d love if you could send us another one of those!

Funny: We were knocking this new street in our sector and we started singing the Mario Bros theme song and I was jumping around like Mario (Bau, bau! Bling, bling!  sound effects) and I landed in front of this door and knocked the theme song of Mario.  THe man opened the door clad in a bright red shirt, black hair and moustache and a smile and says, Hola, me llamo Mario.  Almost couldn´t do the contact I wanted to laugh so hard.  Luckily, I´m a sister missionary and I´m ALL business so I got composure and we got in that door.  Taught him the Book of Mormon and he´s loving it.  Now only if he has a friend named Luigi to baptize.

People, Hermana Kelley is the best thing that has ever happened to me.  The last few weeks were a little rocky...no one opening OR listening oR coming to church OR completing their commitments.  On the billionth day that it rained last week, it was 8pm and we hadn´t sad down, gotten in a house, or stopped for five hours.  We had really bad cramps in our legs (someone take your treadmill outside in the rain and walk uphill with dogs trying to attack you for five hours) Hermana Kelley looks up into the dark, rainy night and said ¨Heavenly Father, is today a fat joke?¨ She makes everything (even the hard moments) awesome and I just love her.  Cambios are coming up and we´re praying that we stay together (which means that we´ll be separated, of course!). Shrapnel.

Anywho, a few of the things that have been happening this week.  REALLY a good one.  I love all of you.
Hermana Bourne

I'm a frozen popcicle...

Dear people,

A big HOLA from Osorno! Yet another hilarious week in the Grand Mission Chile Osorno. We started off the week right.  WE were out in the street talking to people, about to pick up a member to go to an appointment when we received an urgent call from the Elders...that we had to run to the church that very instant.  Naturally, being the very obedient sisters that we are, we took off running in our giant rubber boots to the chapel.  After about five minutes...we made it.  We probably should´ve been a little more reverent as we flung open the door to the chapel because all twenty people that were seated in front of the casket looked over at these two out of shape gringas breathing really hard.  THe elders gave us the smile-with-really-wide-eyes look that seemed to say... ¨Hi, Hermanas...us four are in charge of a funeral right now.¨  I slowey and solemnly made my way over to the piano where I had to play the hymns and then make up a special musical number on the spot with another girl right after one of the Elders gave the eulogy of this man we had never even heard of. (blob, thank goodness I followed the law of practicing!)

It was a very strange thing we were called to do on the spot, but the funeral turned out really nice and everyone thanked us after.  I felt really good to be able to go to and help out in a funeral because I wasn´t able to make it to Bette´s.

Other than that, we are working really hard here in Rahue. The sector is just like my very first one, except we have (for some reason) an overabundance of incredible young men who are all preparing to serve missions.  They are just the force of this ward and I´m excited to see what they´ll do in their lives.  Investigator-wise, we´re getting there...we have faith that if we do what we´re supposed to and stay worthy of the Spirit, God will lead us to those who are chosen, ready, and willing (and hopefully married!)

Shout outs go to SBLOOD! Baby sblood is on the way and I just DIED! Congrats my friend! Blob, congrats on a great talk...you WOULD use puns in a sacrament meeting talk...Dad and SOph...PHILMONT! How fun was that? I wish I could go camping! (Oh wait, it´s how I live all day, every day :) ). Mom, don´t get dizzy reading this.

Me and the Kellster were just talking about how blessed we are to have the families that we do.  MOm and dad, a public shout out of gratitiude goes to you.  The gospel of Jesus Chirst makes everything so much richer and happier and more wonderful and more meaningful.  Thank you for teaching me and more importantly, thank you for being examples for me....most people in the world don´t have it, and I don´t deserve it.  Love you both.
I really do love the work and feel incredibly grateful to have this mantle at this time in my life. I´ve seen many people changed as a result of God´s hands...it´s beautiful. The mission is a gift. LOVE YOU ALL.

Hermana (¨I´m a wet, frozen, popsicle 16 hours a day because the other 8 I´m sleeping¨) Bourne

Brick Wall

Wow, a whole bunch of news coming from up there...Mom and Bubba, I´m still praying for you..I´m glad to hear the funeral was a beautiful experience... and Barton family, you are on my prayer list.  Dad, I´m praying for you too. It´s incredible that things like that happen, but with our faith put squarely in God and His goodness, we can survive. 

Me and the Kellster are truckin´ along in Rahue Alto.  We´ve made about ten really good friends that live in our bathroom.  For some reason, a whole family of slugs have moved in and don´t want to move out...it doesn´t matter how many times we Raid or salt them.  Gross! Rahue Alto is turning out to be a really interesting experience.  I feel like I started jogging in Punta Arenas and got up to a good run when, BAM, Rahue Alto hit me like a giant brick wall.  Every aspect of the work is different here and we don´t even have a bishop and we´re the biggest ward in Rahue.  THe people are different and it rains all day every day and I´m getting more responsibility and we´re not seeing the same type of progress that was going on in Punta.  I´m basically uncomfortable.  But we all know what that means, right? Growth!  We´ve changed the whole teaching pool and we´re praying and swimming from lesson to lesson and the Lord is leading us to the right people at the right time...I have no doubts about that.

WE´re seeing an unusually high amount of sin, doubt, and apathy that is destroying lives.  I just wish people would put their trust in God...even when its hard,,,especially when it´s hard.  That´s the hardest thing to do...but it´s the only thing to do.  Of course they aren´t going to understand at first...that´s why faith exists...but when people do it, they are immediately blessed.

I guess my shoutouts are going to my mom, my dad, mikey, blob, and noah! Thank you so much for writing to me and letting me in on whats going on!  Katelyn Fullmer (soon to be Katelyn something else) CONGRATS! I´m so excited for you!!

Well, family and friends, lame letter I know.  There aren´t any excuses.  I´ll keep the saga of the slugs going  because I´m sure you´re all dying to know whats going on.... but keep the faith, serve others, do what Christ would do...it´s the only way God has given us to be happy in this life.

MOm, your letter was beautiful...tell Katie to write me! Let other people serve you.

Dad, I know that callings sometimes require more than that which we are able to give...I´m praying for you.  Slash do you know Eric Boswell? Served in Belgium Brussels..he´s my comp´s stake president in Alabama.

Kaite, give sophie a huge hug from me please. love you slice

 

 

Emily's dear Grandma Bette leaves us...

          I feel really at peace.   What a blessing to know where she is and to have a firm knowledge of whats going on. Thanks for writing to me.


'DEATH IS NOT EXTINGUISHING THE LIGHT, BUT PUTTING OUT THE LAMP- BECAUSE THE DAWN HAS COME...

For the funeral:
What an absolute blessing to have had Bette as my grandmother.  I have innumberable happy experiences with her that I will cherish the rest of my life and her incredible influence is manifest in the life of my mother, my life, and hopefully the lives of my children.  It is a blessing to have had her as a huge part of my life and another blessing to know exactly where she is. I love you Bette, Bubba and the rest of the family.

Mom, I´m just glad that you have a testimony and knowledge of the Savior Jesus Christ. What a powerful thing- this knowledge.  I´m sure everyone around is consoling and loving and helping, but just know that I´m thinking about you and praying for you by name- that you can retain this confidence, faith, and hope.  It says in Moroni 7 that the great hope of our lives is that through the atonement of Jesus Christ and the power of His resurrection that we will be raised to life eternal.  THAT is our hope.  THAT is my greatest hope for myself and for our family. THAT is the eternal truth that I will hold on to the rest of my life.

Mom, I love you and know that if you bear patiently and with faith the hard things and times that are sure to come, God will strengthen and bless you.  In Mosiah 24,  Ammulon has Alma and his people in captivity. They are forbidden to pray and their affliction grows too great.  God promises to help them.  Though their burdens are not taken away, they ARE aliviated so that the people can not feel them upon their backs and I think that their backs were strengthened as well.  I love that story and know its a true principle.

Love you all and wish I were there to help during this difficult time, but we all know where Bette is.  Like that guy in general conference said....¨Does anyone have a problem with the plan of salvation?¨ Because I don´t.  Not one bit.  Love you all.

Em


OUR FAMILY...Forever, for always and no matter what....

                                          

Father's Day!

Happy Father's Day with Ashley's parents: John and Jill Peay!

Mike and baby Haven feelin' the love!

James loves Haven...

I love my Auntie!

Just chillin' with mom and dad poolside...

I'm my daddy's little girlfriend....

Lamest blog ever...

Well, I have pulgas again.

Hey fam and friends...I´m back in Rahue Alto where the dogs are even
nastier and you can´t see the next street over because the air is so
smokey from the fires we have to make to stay alive. I love it.
I am with the most HILARIOUS hick from Alabama (hick was a little
strong...lets say...chick!) named Hermana Kelley. We just die
laughing all day and she basically IS Ashley Peay Bourne with an
accent. I´ve started picking up the accent and love it. This is
shaping up to be a really good cambio.
I´m not going to lie, I felt a little part of myself die when I left
Punta Arenas...it´s a very special place for me. I saw the hand of
God daily down there and know that the purposes of God will be
accomplished up to the extremes of the earth!
Shoutouts to Miladon McClellan who finally wrote me from Sunny
California! Good to hear that all the Latinos within 5 miles want to
marry you! Courtney Beans Sanders what the shrapnel!! Congrats to you
and Lucy Schreyer and Riley....holy shrapnel...marriage. Bahhh...it
makes me laugh. We´re just working our hardest down here to have
people get married so they can get baptized...maybe you can all come
down and teach them how to get married because I obviously have no
clue. :) COngrats, seriously thats just so wonderful! Done Sean, way
to go!
Blob...that was the worst news I´ve heard...I hope it all worked out,
I´ll be praying for you.
Other than that, I´m just trying to learn a whole new sector, whole
new ward, whole new everything....had to relearn how to build a
fire...but we´re working on it! It´s weird to be so close to everyone
and all that jazz.
Katie I love you. and I´m still praying fo ryou if you know what I
mean (slash off the charts tests...I knew it!) James I knew it too.
Mikey, way to go with the Wasatch Back. that is intense....familiy,
if someone can roll the wasatch back, I´m in.
Dad, I love you--you are a phenominal father.
Everyone, I think this letter WINS for being the world´s lamest blog,
but you´ll just have to forgive me...I´m just getting my bearings here
again. Know I love you all...when I remember I have friends and
family, I pray for you....and I am grateful to have you all in my
life!
READ; PRAY; AND GO TO CHURCH (slash temple) AND YOU WILL BE HAPPY. I
don´t know why people let that stuff slide..... probably just because
its easy. Don´t be lazy people. Keep it up! WRITE TO ME!! LOVE LOVE
LOVE LOVE
Hermana Lame Blog Bourne

GOOD-BYE ANTARCTICA!

Fetal positions everybody!

 

Cambios just came out like 5 minutes ago and I found out I´m returning to infancy. Rahue Alto here I come! (In case no one remembers, I started my mission in Rahue Alto in the sector Camino Real...I´m going to Zona Rahue Alto Sector Rahue Alto).  I´m going to be with Hermana Kelley who came to the mission in January and she is just southern belle. At Christmas, all us sisters were in the mission home and prez pulled out her picture and said ¨look who´s coming to the mission¨ we all just died because she´s so beautiful, but then consoled ourselves with the fact that we all get fat out here and one day she will too. :). Nah, it´s all a joke.  But seriously, we are in for some good times.

So the elders called us last week and said ¨Hermana Bourne, you have to be downtown at 930 tomorrow with your first suitcase to send because you are leaving.¨ LAME. I won´t lie...I cried. I can honestly say that I´ve absolutely enjoyed and relished every day I´ve had down here...wind and evil gross dogs and slipping on the ice and menos activos and all. 

 I think one of the greatest joys I´ve felt was yesterday was during church.  During the sacrament, I was praying and then ended and looked up to take the sacrament and who should it be but Davidcito...Melisa´s son.  I hadn´t realized that he was passing the sacrament.  It was his very first time and he did it with such reverence and dignity I just burst into tears.  I just stared at him the rest of the sacrament (not creepily...don´t worry) with disbelief at the joy and love that God has allowed me down here at the end of the world.  I watched him pass the bread and water to Melisa and she just cried with joy.  ah, the simple things. I LOVE this family.

I was sitting at the piano when all this happened and tried to compose myself...but then I saw Alvaro and Laura (the Uruguayans) take the bread and water and just smile and just about died with love.  I looked at every single face in the congregation and knew their names and what was happening in their families and what their worries and hopes are and my body just filled with a love that I don´t think I´ve ever felt before.  I know Heavenly Father loves these people. I know He cares for them in their worries and problems and I know our Savior died for every single one of them.  There are many of them that I think I might do anything for.

Speaking of love. BAPTIZZLE! Alvaro and Laura were baptized this Saturday in a small, reverent, beautiful, and joyful baptism.  Their hyperactive four year old named Franco laughed with childlike joy as he watched his parents get baptized.  Then he shouted ¨I´m going to swin when I´m eight.¨ No wonder we have to become as little children.

Good-bye Straits of Magellan!!!

Shoutouts....ALmost died laughing when I found out that Haven cries every time dad holds her! BAAHH! Don´t feel too bad dad, I make children cry unintentionally down here all the time.... Maybe we just have really creepy faces...no se. 

 Blob, thank you for your hilarious emails! My papito is getting LASER surgery this week so that just makes me happy we´re on the same wavelength. I love hearing from you- you are phenominal..don´t let my family push you and your gigantic head around.  James, thank you for writing me. It seems you are getting better and better every day.  Done Sean, ask my little sister out on a date for pete´s sake!  Tiff, I love you so much. I hope you´re doing well.  Good luck in Europe, it will be the adventure of a lifetime!!

Katie, keep up the amazing life and the awesome grades! Holy shrapnel!  You know my opinion about the whole schpeel...listen to Ashley and mom--ALWAYS...they will never lead you wrong....

Well, I´m headed off now. Love you all!

Hermana Bourne