February 8, 2010

Hello everybody

It was a good week... we got the transfers today and I'm leaving Chillan.  I don't want to go, but I know it's the best thing.  I couldn't have asked to be sent out in a better way.  Yesterday we had a big lunch behind our house... there were five families there.  We had a huge BBQ and one of the hermanas made a nice cake.  It was so awesome.  I was even lucky enough to receive some gifts.  They have some weird traditions here for birthdays...some that I won't tell you about. It was a party ha.  And the hermana that made the cake for me is going to give me her recipe for the empanadas she makes... I guess that's a really big deal.  They told me she hasn't given it to anyone in about 5 years.  I love this ward so much... so much.  I love these people.  I know this is the best ward I could have come to.  I realize that I will like my next places, but I know nothing will have my heart like this place.

Anywho... the party was for lunch. We then went out to work for a couple hours. We had a video in the church for members, investigators and new converts.  We watched the Joseph Smith movie and it was awesome - just like always.  We made it very spiritual... people came in their formal clothes. After the movie lots of people gave their testimonies...it was so awesome.  Afterward there was a big surprise that 5 other hermanas did and they pulled out a bunch of cake they had made for my birthday and sang Happy Birthday and stuff.  Honestly, it was one of my best birthdays I've ever had. I can't complain about one thing. I didn't even get upset when Elder Poma smashed an egg on my head at 7:30 in the morning (oh yes he did).  

Yesterday it rained a lot in the morning and so the church attendance went from 130 to 90 and we only had 3 investigators in the church.  Santiago came. On Saturday night I taught him with the first counselor in the bishopric. It was a good lessons. It's hard because he has so many doubts, but he's moving along.  I hope Elder Higham can help him get over all of his doubts... I truly believe he will do it.  Right after we taught Santiago (we taught him at the church) we went to another appointment.  It was raining hard at this time and I didn't have an umbrella and the first counselor didn't either (he was in his suit) but we taught this kid named Christobel.  This kid is a miracle.  I could tell you a long long story about how we met him, but basically it's that I contacted his mom a LONG time ago in the street. She is very, very religious and didn't want anything, but she gave us her address.  One day we entered their house and were teaching their 28 year old son when this kid appears from the back room. He's got long black hair, 17 years old, and has an earring in his right ear.  He asks us if we want juice then he gives us some and sits down and we teach him.  He believes in God a ton, but not in the churches.  So we taught him a lot and the spirit was strong and remember when I told you how awesome it was after I taught Oscar the first time... well, it was almost the same.  He accepted a baptism date for the 28th of this month... and so that all happened on Monday.  We taught him about the Book of Mormon on Thursday... We then go back on Saturday and he had read a ton in the Book of Mormon and he asked us some questions that were just like WOW!!! He still has some doubts and questions, but he is doing amazing.  But on Saturday I said, "You already told us you'll get baptized when you feel these things are true, but I want to know if you'll serve a mission like us?" (because he was saying about how incredible it is that not everyone has these things... they have like a library in their house... I wish you could hear some of the questions he asked... he asked some about the Masons... not because he went on the internet but because he was reading about them in his house along with the Book of Mormon) Needless to say he accepted and he said, "I'm just going to do what God wants me to do."  On the way home it was raining hard and Michael (the 1st counselor) was like, "Wow! He's awesome he'll get baptized and serve his mission and the shame is that you won't be here to see him get baptized... ha".  He got a good laugh out of that.  So pray for Chirstobel that he feels and knows the Book of Mormon is true and Joseph was a prophet. The thing is with him being a convert we... or I should say they (the other missionaries) well teach the mom and dad more and they will be baptized too!!!

So while all this was happening Elder Higham was with hermano Jose Candia teaching some people... he taught the plan of salvation to a mom and her two daughters and son.  We have been teaching them for a long time (well a month) and it went really really well and they are getting so close to baptism also.  The two daughters came to church yesterday even though it was raining really hard. 

So I'm going to the zone of Penco and the sector of Frutillares... I've heard it is a branch of about 75 people.  Patricio told me that it is poorer down there... its on the beach and everyone is a fisherman for a living.  He said there are a ton of hills and I will die walking up all of them.