Good Morning!
Hey everybody. Thanks for the letters. I loved them. I love hearing from you guys and finding out how you're doing. RPitch... looking good. It's weird when you said it was for Preference because here we are going into spring and spring for me still means April, not November, so when I read Preference I thought 'don't you mean prom?' I hope you had a good time Ry.
Hey everybody. Thanks for the letters. I loved them. I love hearing from you guys and finding out how you're doing. RPitch... looking good. It's weird when you said it was for Preference because here we are going into spring and spring for me still means April, not November, so when I read Preference I thought 'don't you mean prom?' I hope you had a good time Ry.
Its crazy to think that it is Thanksgiving. Last year I didn't even know it was Thanksgiving. I was with Elder Poma and I would imagine he didn't even know what Thanksgiving was. I remember we had a Mission Conference that day. I found out it was Thanksgiving when President Chavez got up and said, "Happy Thanksgiving... I know you always eat turkey on Thanksgiving, but we are going to be eating the turkey's cousin, chicken." That was nothing new, because we always eat chicken and rice.... ALWAYS eat chicken and rice.
It's very possible I get changed this cambio. I don't want to, I love my sector and we have some great investigators that I love. I also love the ward. We have a great bishop... he is so awesome... and his wife is amazing also. He is 24 years old and she is 21. I haven't had a better relationship with my bishop here on the mission.
So like I said we have some neat investigators. Mady is a 16 year old girl who is just awesome. She has gone to seminary a lot and she has been reading in the Book of Mormon. I asked her the other day if she knew that what we teach is true and she said yes. I asked her if she knew the Book of Mormon was true and she said yes. I asked her how she knew, if she had prayed or how she knew, and she said, 'I honestly haven't had to pray. Since the first time I entered the church I knew it was true, and every time I listen and learn more I believe more.' It's very interesting that answer she gave. We always want people to gain their testimony by the spirit, and we always teach that if you read the Book of Mormon, go to church and pray you will feel that spirit and know it's true. But after listening to Mady, and meditating in what she said, I thought about a scripture in the book of John, when Christ said that his sheep hear is voice, and recognize it. She has shown a lot of faith in what she is doing, and it really is a pleasure to teach her.
Yesterday after church I was talking to Alejandro. He went on a mission, came home, but afterward had a lot of trials and ultimately stopped going to church. He had been away from the church for a lot of years. Not really 100% away, but he would go to church 2 times a year, or go to the activities. He is extremely intelligent. I really love him, and since about the 6th week I was here in Talca he has been coming to church. Yesterday after church we were talking and he mentioned how he needed to go home and open his internet shop. I said, 'What?' and he just got a look on his face.... he started explaining... he said how about 5 months ago he had to start opening on Sundays because his mom had some problems and basically he was paying for all his college studies with the money he made on Sunday. He told me how he had talked with the Bishop and was told 'Do what you think is best'. We talked a long time about obedience and faith. We talked about the scripture Mosiah 3:19 and how the Atonement can't take full effect in our lives unless we yield to the Holy Ghost. He told me how he always needed to be 'in control' - in control of his future, and understand what was going to happen. I told him 'Faith sometimes requires walking in the dark, not knowing what is ahead.' He told us to pass by his house in the afternoon. When we got there we shared a scripture and he started to talk again, his internet shop wasn't open. He told us that when his sister asked him if he was going to open it he said no. She said 'But what are you going to do? What is going to happen?' and he said 'I don't know, but God does'.... I get teary eyed even writing this story to you. She ran and got her scriptures and shared with him D&C 82:10, you know, the one that says (mas o menos) 'I the Lord am bound when ye do what I say, but when ye do not what I say, ye have no promise.' He said, with swollen eyes... I don't know what is going to happen. I don't know if the things are even going to turn out good. They might not turn out the way I want them to, but God knows. I am doing what he wants.
I was thinking again, about the sins of omission, and how Hard and Difficult it is to repent of them. It is very hard, almost impossible, to make up for the things that you don't do. That is why it is so important to be obedient, always. Repentance is always there, but it isn't easy.....
I love the gospel. I love the plan of salvation. I love my family. I love the mission. I am so grateful for everything I have been given. I am lucky.
I love the gospel. I love the plan of salvation. I love my family. I love the mission. I am so grateful for everything I have been given. I am lucky.
With much love
Elder Pitcher.
A spider that we saw one night in the house - I thought it was kind of cool.
The baptism of Matilde a couple weeks ago
Patricio and his family and Adela in Chillan
Me in part of downtown a couple weeks ago... it was a holiday and so NO ONE was there, that is why I thought the picture was so cool... you can see damage from the earthquake still.
