Week #45

Week 14 in Valle Azapa!!!

HOLA!!

Well just got done with a good week. We had some good succes this past week! Things were pretty normal, just that our ward did a ward conference and we got put in charge of the activity ( I fogot to take pictures...). Well Elder Montgomery and I did a New Testament Jeopardy and it was pretty fun!! There was some good questions that no one could figure out!! Other than that tons of people went to church on sunday. I had an all time record for my mission of 91 people in church!! hahaha. Today was very relaxed except that we went and hiked a semi-mountain! Plus I brought along my kite I bought and it pretty much got lost.... I have videos and pictures to show... that was sad but we got some really good exercise!!

Well I promised a story for this week, soo, this past week we had a lesson with one of our investigators David. He´s a cool guy that we found just knocking his door!! So we´ve been teaching him for about 3 weeks or so and we´ve been reading parts of the Book of Mormon with him to really get his confidence up in reading. So last sunday we left him with the homework of starting the BofM from the beggining. Well we came back thursday and he READ!!!!! Even better, he kept reading more than what we left him with and afterwards looked up this living scriptures video ( cartoon nariation of the Book of Mormon) and shared it with his little daughter!!!! It was a great experience to see the progress in him and also his desire to know more and share!!! 

As for this week we got some good work ahead of us since we pretty much lose Saturday and Sunday with General Conference! Gen. Conf. is the best in the mission!!! Hope you all are good and enjoy your week!!!!

Con Amor,

EE

"When we look to see the evidence of Creation all around us, from a grain of sand to the majestic planets, we begin to realize that we are the greatest of all God’s creations; we are created in His image. God created the earth in all its magnificent glory, not as an end in itself, but for us, His children. Indeed, we are His children, His offspring, and He is the Father of our spirits."

—M. Russell Ballard

Week #44

Week 13 in Valle Azapa!!! ¡¡VIVA CHILE!! ¡18!

Hola!!

Well this past week was super hectic and just super great all in one!!!! Tuesday we left around midnight in a bus to go to a special conference in Antofagasta so that was around a 12 hour ride (there and back)! We were there all day wendsday and it was awesome seeing so many other missionary friends from around our mission!! Also the uplifting messages and meeting a Seventy(always a great experience)!! Something cool and funny is that my two old companions, Elder Ruiz and Mendoza, are both companion right now and are here in Arica!! ( It made the bus ride alot funner!!) So after this conference we made it back here to Arica again Thursday where we basically recovered but still worked!

SO for those that don´t know, the 18th of September is pretty much the 4th of July for Chile. Also the chilenos like to extend there festivites so basically Friday until today it has been pure barbques and fiestas!!!! I cannot describe how much I have eaten the past few days and the amount of food that is in our fridge... but there ain´t no one complaining about that ;) So really the past week was extremly hard to get in some good missionary work but not to get your stomach filled. But this week we´ll be putting in some big work as I really got about 5 weeks left here in Valle Azapa (...I think...) I hope you´re all well and next week I´ll try and share a cool teaching experience!!!!

Con Amor,

EE

"The gospel of Jesus Christ challenges us to change. “Repent” is its most frequent message, and repenting means giving up all of our practices—personal, family, ethnic, and national—that are contrary to the commandments of God. The purpose of the gospel is to transform common creatures into celestial citizens, and that requires change"

—Dallin H. Oaks

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Week #43

Week 12 in Valle Azapa!!!!

Hey!!

 

Very interesting week! Really the beginning of the week was very normal, nothing very interesting happened. Until Friday..... Well once a month other missionaries that are our leaders come to inspect our pension and see if we are cleaning are our house isnt a mess. Well they forgot to mention to us that the president of the mission would come to do it personaly..... so I had gottten out of the shower and I was putting on my socks while I was in my underwear looking out the window when I saw a car pull up across the street, about 30 yards away. I figured, "yeah, it must be them in a taxi" so I continued putting on my socks but when I looked up again, I saw none other, than our president getting out of the car.... I really belive I broke a world record in "How Fast Can You Get Dressed". Actually afterwards my companion and I related this experience to Star Wars when Han and Leah walk in on Lando Calrissian (AKA Zone Leaders) with Darth Vader (President)!!!! Well President was quite apaled with our house to say the least.... ( he wouldnt let his wife enter the bathroom) and so you all know it has nothing to do with our cleanliness, just that the house is super old and falling apart!! So due to this it is quite possible we will be changing houses in the next few weeks... Im not to excited about it but Im fine with it. Also, the district Im in pretty much disolved so next transfer as I finish up the training with Elder Montgomery, I wont have to deal with the responsabilities of District leader, something that is somewhat nice.

Well this past week was great as far as the work!! Lot of help from the members and we had a activity with the ward which awesome since a good bit of members showed up and all of them said its one of best they have had!! (we did a Jeopardy with the scriptures) Also a lot of people we've been working with are getting more and more ready and I feel that as we finish up these next 6 weeks in Arica we'll be seeing many fruits from our labors!!!

Love you all and take care!!!!!

Con mucho amor,

EE

Week #42

Week 11 in Valle Azapa!!!!! (Gran bendiciones!!!Great Blessings)

Hola!!!

Man!!!! One of the greatest weeks!!! So many blessings this week!!!! Its crazy how much missionaries are loved!!! To start it off last Monday one of our members did a surprise Family Home Evening with one of her neighbors which was great since we had nothing to do! Tuesday was great because during an exchange with Elder Vannatter, we had a lesson with Bastian ( a teenager that has been assisting the church here for like a month) and all of his family!! His mom is ¨catholic¨ ( just like every other chileno) but is totally fine with him and possibly even her daughter to be baptized and members!!! But it was very interesting during the lesson because she was showing more interest and asking questions than Bastian!! Entonces, ¡¡HAY BAUTISMO!! (Then, There's a Baptism)

Wendsday was a regular day but thursday, the heavens opened up and literally poured us blessings!!! To give some backstory, when I first got her to Arica our house didnt have hot water. So for the past 70 days or so its been very difficult to get up in the morning and carry on in the work. Well the reason why was do to the fact that a plummer, came and did an ¨inspection¨ on our califont (basically a 6 liter boxed water heater) and said it had a problem to where it was just better to buy a new one. Even worse is that our mission office doesn't have contact with the owner of our house so we have basically been stuck with this problem due to that. Well after resurfacing problems with the office and owner and also being sick of cold water, I decided to be like Nephi when his bow broke and I did my own ¨inspection¨. After borrowing some tools and half an hour I found a broken wire, the cause of so much suffering, in the califont. We found a replacement and there was much rejoicing Thursday along with shouts of ¡¡¡AGUA CALIENTE( Hot Water)!!! in Arica Chile!!! After that the week just got better as I recieved a package from home which was spectacularly filled con mucho cariño y goodies!!!!!!(with Love and Goodies!!)

So I really want to testify that the Lord knows each of His children. The past while I´ve really been struggling or really just in a plateau and the Lord has just really shown his love. And this love is for each and everyone of us and especially more when we fight to keep his commandments and guard our covenants we´ve made with him. I know this church is true and hope you all can really see and recieve all the blessings the Father has in store for you this week!

Con Amor,

EE

"Don't camouflage who you are and what you believe. If others know what you believe, you will influence them for good. They will protect you."

—Quentin L. Cook

 Hand got in the way of fixing the hot water heater!

 Package from home!

 Letter from Mom!

 Fish Hook Tie Tack!

 Favorite Cereal!

 Favorite snacks!

 New PJ's

 Favorite Candy!

Letters from cousins!

Week #41

Week 10 in Valle Azapa!!!!!!!

Hola mis queridos!!!!!!!!

Well we had a great day this past week!!!!! We were able to find so really cool people that are truly ready to hear the gospel!!!!! I can really say we saw the Lords hand this past week in the sense of him guiding us in what to say and where to go!!!!! Insiration rocks!!!! Such a testimony builder for me!! Well today we went to the beach and played fútbol!!!!  Badnews, I got sunburnt pretty bad..... Elder Montgomery and I are starting to click now in the work so things are coming along great and things feel alot more smooth in what we do which is great. He really is a great example for me, he is super obedient to the point where he evens fastens his seatbelt in the taxis and stuff hahaha!!! Its great!! really gives me ganas (dont know what this is in english) to be even more obedient!! 

I really dont have much time to tell specific stories (something I´m bad at mentioning and sharing) but this past week another elder gave me over a 160 different talks from profets and apostles all the way back the the 60s and more and they´re awesome!!!! I incurage you all that this week you listen to a talk or other stuff from the profets and learn from the Lords mouthpieces!!!

Con Amor,

EE

"Work hard to achieve your dreams. Don’t let discouragement or mistakes delay you. Move outside your comfort zones. Push yourselves. Expect more. You can move beyond the limitations set by ordinary men. Don’t let the low standards and expectations of the world and others cause you to aim beneath your nobility and ability—dream big!"

—Elaine S. Dalton