July 28, 2014

This week we had our Branch activity and church tour! And it went soo good, by far the best activity that we have had so far in Yungay. We had a great turnout of about 35 people (which is double the amount we have in church) and we had 7 investigators there!

We separated into two groups and went throughout different rooms of your small church building to teach the Doctrine of Christ. Faith, was in the Principios Del Evangelio (Gospel Principles) room where we decorated the walls with pictures of Christ, so that Christ was literally everywhere. We taught repentance and the sacrament in the sacrament meeting room and showed everyone the prayers and explained the promises included when we participate. And last of all we met everyone on the patio in the back to explain baptism. We showed the video when Jesus was baptized and demonstrated everyone that we baptize the same was with the same authority. The spirit was super strong and I know that everyone felt it.

This week I have learned a Lot about our personal growth here in this life. And it all comes down to a basic principle.

We get out what we put in.

We can read the scriptures, we can pray and we can go to church but if we are not doing these things with real intent it will profit us nothing.

In Jesus the Christ it talks about when Christ spoke in parables...

"He that hath ears let them here" Matt 13:19, 11:15, mark 4:9

And the more studious inquirers the master added

"Take heed to what ye hear: with what measure ye meet it shall be measured unto you: and unto you that hear shall more be given. For he that hath to him shall be given, and to he that hath not from him shall be taken even that which he hath" Mark 4: 24-25

(See also 2 Nephi 28:30)

"Two men hear the same words; one of them listens in indolence and indifference. The other with active mind, intent on learning all that the words can possibly convey; and, having heard the diligent man goes straight way to do the things commanded to him. While the careless one neglects and forgets. One is wise, the other is foolish; the one has heard to his eternal profit, and to the other his everlasting condemnation" (Jesus the Christ 297)

The scriptures are the same way. When we study because it’s a commandment or because we have to, we are being like the foolish man in this case and learn nothing, but when we treasure the words of Christ AND then apply them into our lives we will gain eternal profit.

 in 1 Nephi 19 23 it says that we need to apply the scriptures to ourselves and I believe that is soo true, we will get nothing out of the scriptures unless we read and then apply those principles into our daily lives.

So I have homework for you. For everyone that is reading this... yeah family friend’s siblings and missionaries.... This week I read 1 Nephi chapters 3 and 4... When I read about Nephi and his bros going to get the brass plates, I then applied it to MY mission. And just about every verse in those 2 chapters are applicable to the mission. I want everyone to read those chapters or other chapters and stories in the book of Mormon or bible and apply those stories into your life... I would love to hear about your studies next Monday! ¿lo haran?...que bueno.

I want to testify of the reality of Christ. He is so close. So real it’s insanely wonderful when you feel his presence and light. But like I said before we get out what we put in.

We need to pray like God is listening, because he is. We need to study the scriptures like those are His words because they are. And we need to live like Him because one day we will be.

If we give him more of us, he will give us more of him.

I love you family! And next week I will share with you what I have found in 1 Nephi 3 and 4... It’s great.

July 21, 2014

We had a service project this morning in the church building deep cleaning the back patio and the baptismal fount. Our Building here in Yungay is not a real church Church, but it’s a house that we are renting until we have enough members to build our own CASA DE ORACION (house of prayer) in the plaza (we have the property and the plans, but only are missing the people).  This patio desperately needed cleaning and I figured if we want to have baptisms we better prepare the place for us to do the service. Before, the back patio and fount were covered with mud and dirt that was smeared all over the floor and moldy construction supplies and remains thrown about, The back patio of this house is where we have the baptismal fount which is actually was more like a  Jacuzzi  which was filled with nasty black water that smelled like death.  I said that the fount was so dirty because when people are baptized their sins are washed away, but because the drain doesn’t work, their sins stay in the fount and they leave clean. But we needed to get this sin filled water out somehow, so we drained it the old fashioned way with my hands and a bucket.

This week we are planning on having a Noche de Hogar (FHE: Family Home Evening) and Puertas Abiertas in the church building and we want to focus our message on baptism,  and go outside and show everyone how beautiful the newly cleaned patio and fount are and help our investigators know how we baptize and their importance of this ordinance. Then we will eat chorrepanes outside of our new patio! Which are super delicious sausage hot dog things that you eat between bread... no one really knows what’s inside but it’s tasty! (Haha Mychal remember the restaurant tasty crusts in Hawaii! Haha best name for a diner in the world) I think it will be a fun activity for everyone and a good way to focus on our investigators while at the same time helping unify the Branch.

This Week started off so very difficult. In the first 4 days all of the investigators that we had suddenly decided to reject our message and our visits and they all died (they didn’t physically die but that’s what we say when people don’t want us to visit anymore and teach them). We were doing all that we were supposed to be doing but we did not see any results, and were left to contacting and knocking doors and visiting the few members that we had. But when we are obedient the Lord will always pull through for us, and he did and we were blessed. Greatly with an amazing family that we found and many other investigators to teach at the end of the week. Hope, patience, and obedience are so much intertwined and we need all 3 (and much more attributes that Christ has) to get along in his work.

This family that we found are so chosen! But not married. I feel like no one’s married in Chile but that’s fine became I LOVE wedding parties.  AND as I said before I have hope and I know that if a person really understands the importance of baptism they will do anything that it takes to get it done.

ALSO the mission is creating a blog that you guys can check out and understand more about the mission and the work that we are doing here in Chile!.. I think it will be completed by the end of this week

Love you all! And I don't have much time for pics for this week but here is some...

http://chileconcepcionmission.blogspot.com

July 14, 2014

It has officially been 1 cambio, 6 weeks 42 days that I have been here in Yungay! And Im staying another cambio with elder Villegas. How crazy the time has passed here... I feel like I have been here for a life time, but then again only for a moment.

I’m sure this is how peter Edmund Susan and Lucy felt like when they fell out of the wardrobe out of Narnia and into their home and no time passed at all.

 That is the mission, I am spending a lifetime here but in the eternal perspective it’s no time at all.

The Chronical of Narnia books are GREAT. I had a dream that I went to Narnia so I think that’s why Im thinking so much about this.

This week was quite bizarre. And I blame it on the moon.

I don’t know where I read this but I heard that when there is a full moon people act strange. Or different... or things happen out of the ordinary. I heard from somewhere that the moon pulls the tides. And also has some sort of pull in our bodies when it’s in full.

Now this is just a myth. And I have no solid proof, nor have I seen werewolves of anything this week but a lot of our investigators have just decided to not be home and/or completely ignore us.

For example we knocked on the door... and one person opened said that she was home alone when I could clearly see her family siting down around the dinner table conversing. If people are going to lie do a better job covering it... but better don’t lie...it’s wrong

But we are still doing great here... because God has blessed us this week with new people to teach and I am way excited to work with them.

 And we finally sat down and had a lesson with a Jehovah’s Witness this week. I have been trying to talk to them for so long but they always avoid us or don want to talk, but this guy no... He is a very interesting man named Heraldo, his wife passed away 1 year ago and we taught him a little about the plan of salvation. How awesome is it that we have answers to questions that everyone wants to know. And even better everyone can know through study and prayer.

Among all of the weird experiences that we have had this week we had a giant family home evening in the church building and played quiddich with balloons!

It was a blast and a lot of people came.                                                                             

I also saw a giant fat cat this week. It literally looked like it weighed 50 pounds.

In my first week we had 9 people at church this week we had 29! Whoohoo! Slowly and surely we are seeing progression here.

I love this gospel and I know it’s true. And through baptism anyone can change, anyone can be made clean.

Joseph F smith said ¨baptism... is literally a transplant or resurrection from one life to another: of a life of sin to a spiritual life¨ (translation of elder Stewart)

Anyone looking to be clean, to start a new page, to change can do it through the restored power of God on the Earth.

And it’s awesome.

July 7, 2014

I MADE IT THROUGH A YEAR! So crazy thing is, I am actually really sad about this. I don’t want to think about being more than half way done with my mission... up until now I just feel like I will be here forever...

And HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!! To celebrate I went to a catholic funeral.  One of the mother in laws to a members passed away and we went to support the family. It was the first time that I have ever gone to Mass but it was a neat experience. There was a guy playing guitar and singing for background music the whole time and I was way into that.

I met a new less active member this week. His name is Sabastian and he is a GINGER! From Germany and his girlfriend is from Canada... And they are living in Chile... Weird right. Anyway, this week we helped them clean up their new (very very old and run down) house which is about a mile away from Yungay. They didn’t tell us it was so far away until it was too late to turn back, I think that was their plan... Germans…

But it was great to have a chance to serve... Actually this week we have been doing a bunch of service and I learned that I am pretty good with an axe. And work has been getting around about that so it looks like I will be chopping wood all winter.

This week we had a Family home evening with the parents of the First counselor (Gustavo) and the Secretary (Leo). Arturo and Teresa the parents are not members… but have read the whole Book of Mormon! They believe that is true because it makes sense... And it’s logical, and impossible for a young farm boy to have made up form imagination.

During the lesson I asked them if they have ever prayed specifically to God and have asked him if the book of Mormon is true. They both said no. And their lays the problem.

I am convinced that a person can read the book of Mormon cover to cover 2 times over and never come to the knowledge of the truth of this book UNTILL they have asked God for an answer specifically.

If we want a specific answer we better ask a specific question.

If we need a divine answer we better ask someone divine.

There is no other way to know the truth of all things.

I love you family and friends and miss you!

I went on an awesome HIKE TO A WATERFALL TODAY!!!! IT WAS THE BEST!

It’s called Salta de Itata.

June 30, 2014

This week was full of a lot of exciting things, that don’t usually happen in this Small pueblo of Yungay. We have Interviews with the mission president, stake conference in Chillan and I also had the opportunity to have 2 mini-cambios, one with Elder Barrios a missionary from Guatemala and the other with the Zone Leader Elder Wiese from Sandy Utah.

Stake conference was definitely a hassle because we had to organize all of the member’s rides with the bus schedules and still trying to commit investigators to track along with us for an hour and a half for the church meeting Saturday and Sunday. But I loved the talks that were given. President Arrington is literally the man. I loved what he did in his conference talk Saturday in the afternoon. He explained that members need to participate in the mission work with the missionaries, with means they need to act like missionaries and prepare to teach and talk to people as missionaries do. So what did we do? Practices! 2 missionaries did an example practice in front of everyone to demonstrate how to invite a friend to a church activity, then every had the time right then and there during the conference to do practices with someone they were sitting next to. I believe that a lot of people had a great experience doing that practice and for most, it was the first missionary practice that they have done in their lives. I practiced with a little kid and his mother. I was the kid’s friend, and in this practice and we were waiting at a bus stop to go to school. He invited me to an activity and bore his testimony about how awesome the church is. In that moment I totally saw him as he will be in a couple years as a missionary. It was a sweet experience.

Because this stake conference I was in Chillan with the zone leaders Saturday and Sunday. I slept on the tiled floor. And I was soo cold all night. But it was fun to be in a big city again and actually see people.

On the way back we brought with us materials with we were lacking so finally we had sufficient supplies.

So With those new supplies I decided to contact our bus.

 It was so great to see half the bus reading about the restored Gospel that day. Walking to my seat in the back of the bus I could just see those orange pamphlets opened to page one, "God is our loving heavenly father" and I was happy.

Everyone needs to know that God is our loving heavenly father, that he sent his son to the earth to save us, and this his church has been restored. Mission work is so great

 It is crazy to me the magnitude of the work of salvation or the missionary force that is today, and to me it’s even crazier to think about how he completes his will.  And it’s through us. I have learned this week that "through small and simple things great things come to pass" (Alma 37:6-7)

Through the small experiences, quiet promptings, simple actions and an extra

Ounce of courage we can see miracles in the Work, IF we pay attention and act.

 These experiences are very easy to pass by. This week I have been focusing on these simple things and have been great results. Actually all of our new investigators that we have found this week, were through small and simple acts of obedience, or acts of service or something simple as following plans and praying for guidance.

Love you family and friends!

June 24, 2014

So there I was standing in the rain our side of a grocery store, an old lady walks out with both of her hands full of heavy bags. Being a young strong and charitable missionary I automatically went over to offer help. But in passing the bags form one hand to the other one bag slipped and fell on to the road. Of course it had to be the bag with the eggs in them. They all broke.

we all stood there for a good long while soaking in what just happened, staring form the broken eggs, to the old lady, to the broken eggs, to my companion, to the old lady, and then again to the broken eggs.

 So awkward.  But I will not accept the whole blame for this incident. My all too puffy gloves were the culprit. Plus this lady seemed to have wound these bags in knots about her fingers so I could not see clearly where the bags even were.

Anyway I bought her new eggs and gave her a slightly wet pass along card of Christ so she better be happy.

This week was quite a hard one. But I have learned how to confide in Christ more than I ever have this week.

We just can’t do everything on our own, when it all comes down to it we are, one day, going to have to take that blind leap of faith. We are all going to have to just lay everything on the line, give everything to him and pray... and he will always lift us, help us, and sustain us.

I am convinced that in this life after all that has been said and done, we will all need to rely on our faith in Christ and His tender mercies.

   

I don’t have much time this week...

But I love you all and am doing well

But...

Thank you HERMANA CASTRO FOR THE SCARF!!! I love it

.I ate a rather weird fruit this week called mankaki. It is very good on toast

June 16, 2014

HAPPY LATE FATHERS DAY AND

HAPPY EARLY BIRTHDAY CAYLEB

 Better late than never and better earlier than late...

(That’s a pretty catchy)

I LOVEEE YOU GUYS

This week in Yungay we very busy. We have been trying to work with the members as much as possible to strengthen them. Because as missionaries e can only do so much, but if we have the members on our side there is no stopping us!

We have come up with some plans and ideas on how to involve and strengthen the members here...

-we passed out a calendar of daily scripture study to every member and less active to help develop the habit of reading more consistently.

-our correlation meetings are now not just with the mission leader but with the whole branch, so that the members can join in on the fun that is being on a mission.

-we are planning a training class to help the members know how to teach home and visiting teaching lessons, and so they can know who to act and what to do when there are less actives and investigators in the church

-every Friday we are having English class and movie night open to the public!

-AND we are planning a huge branch activity... but don’t have one set ideas yet (so if anyone has any ideas I would like to hear them)

This Sunday was the first Sunday that I conducted the Sacrament meeting and sat up front with he president and our other counselors... it was rather odd looking at every one look at us for an hour but hey, better get used to it, I might be conducting a lot of the meetings for the next couple of months.

There is a lot to do here if we want the work to progress. But we are not alone in our efforts...

It says in Jacob 5...

 70 And it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard sent his servant; and the servant went and did as the Lord had commanded him, and brought other servants; and they were few.

 71 And the Lord of the vineyard said unto them: Go to, and labor in the vineyard, with your might. For behold, this is the last time that I shall nourish my vineyard; for the end is nigh at hand, and the season speedily cometh; and if ye labor with your might with me ye shall have joy in the fruit which I shall lay up unto myself against the time which will soon come.

 72 And it came to pass that the servants did go and labor with their might; and the Lord of the vineyard labored also with them; and they did obey the commandments of the Lord of the vineyard in all things.

I know that if we are obedient and work as a team both members and missionaries we will not be working alone, but the Lord with be working with us, side to side with his servants.

I love this work and I love the Lord my God.