Week 19 - September 21st, 2015

This week was a little crazy. So first: there was the earthquake and the tsunami. My companion and I, and all the missionaries in our zone, have been helping out with service down where it really hit hard. We do service from about 10 to 1, and then we have lunch and then back to work as missionaries! Im pretty sure we will be doing the same this coming week. So we have been doing a lot of service, but then to top it off, probably the biggest holiday in all of Chile was this last Friday. The 18th of Sept is their independence day so there is a gigantic field next to the ocean where they have stores, resturants, games, a rollcoaster haha, dancing, concerts, etc. And the festival is pretty much the whole week, Soo all the people have been there, so we havent been able to find anybody haha. So on the 18th we were told just to stay with the members the whole day, and the recent converts. But yeah! Thats what has been happening! Hopefully we can find more people this next week, soo keep us in our prayers please! AND all the people that lost their homes, and businesses, and everything. Im soo grateful for all your support! Ok thats it for this week! Chao!!

The view from his room

"La Destrucción"

Elder Johnson his new companion

"My companion & I ate BBQ blood. It's actually pretty good."

EARTHQUAKE UPDATE: Friday September 18th, 2015

Hey mom!! Yeah so I was in the 8.3 earthquake!! Me and my companion were walking in the street and talking, and all of the sudden I started to hear a rumbling sound, so I was like, hey stop. And then thats when it happened! we were standing in the street, like holy crap hahaha. It was gigantic!!! It felt like we were on a scateboard or something, we were swaying back and forth and so were the buildings, the light poles, everything was shaking. that was probably the coolest thing that ever happened hahaha. For the rest of the day we were feeling tremors, but before we went back to our pension, we found members who were walking to go watch the tsunami! so we were like.... OK lets go!! Hahaha so I was really high up and I got to watch the tsunami come and take out cars, boats, and we were next to a dock for cargo ships, so there were tons of those giant cargo boxes that went past us. BUT yeah. Thats what happened. My whole area is on a hill right next to the sea, so I was safe and I got an awesome view of everything. There were some missionaries that werent able to sleep in their pensions, but everything turned out OK. I have some great photos! I will send them to you next Pday so yeah, I just didnt want you to worry or anything! We have been doing a lot of service too because of the tsunami. The tsunami was probably the most destructive part, most of the center of our city was like taken out, and a lot still dont have lights. We are using member´s computers because everything is closed, because they dont want anything stolen. Anyways, thats what happened!! Im fine so settle down!! ya weirdo. I love you tons!!!! Everything is TOTALLY OK. Chao!!

Oh haha I didnt answer some of your questions: YES im soooo happy that I lived through one and I cant wait for the next one next year!! There is suppose to be another big one next year, so we will see!! and yes I knew what it was when it started, thats why I told my companion to stop talking, because thats what I thought it was, but I didnt know it was going to be that huge!! Hahaha yeah so I saw the tsunami, but I couldnt see a lot of the actual ocean because it was at like 10 oclock at night, so I only got to see what was coming on the land, but it was still awesome to see hahaha. No I didnt loose anything in the flood hahaha im really high up on a hill so the water didnt even come close to me. Hahaha alright soo you can be at peace. Hahaha I love you tons!! Chao!!

Week 18 - September 14th, 2015

Weeeell, Changes were this past Wednesday, AND my companion left, AND I left. Yep Im no longer in Olumé, there are now two new Elders in that sector. That was totally not expected! When the zone leaders were reading the names of the missionaries leaving, they first read my companion´s name, which we both saw coming, but then they read my name and I was like . . . . . What? Hahaha so now Im in the North! The place where I am now is about 6 hours to the North of Viña del Mar, called Parte Alta, Coquimbo. My sector is basically a penisula, almost completly surrounded by ocean. Im actually really happy about that, because the winds that we get from the ocean are great especially now that summer is starting to come. ANYWAYS, my new companion is Elder Johnson, he is from Arizona, 18yrs old but his birthday is 28 of this month, and he has 6 months in the mission. Soooooo, yeah hahaha. My new area has a lot more flighte people, which is basically like gangster, or *cough* white trash *cough*. So its been really interesting! The people are a little strange here, but the members are awesome:) Thats one of my favorite parts of the mission! OH YEAH. The view from my pension (my house) is so incredible. Like, its freaking beautiful. I also live about 2 minutes walking from the biggest monument(..?) in Chile! Its a gigantic cross called Cross of the third millenium. Hahaha, but you can go inside it and look out at the ocean from the view! We are hopefully going to go up it next week! I dont have pictures today, so next week. But yeah. Thats may new area! Its been a crazy past couple of days! Oh and one more funny thing that happened, my old companion: Elder Henriquez, is now with my companion from the MTC haha. Yep so thats about it!! Chao!!

Week 16 - August 31st, 2015

This week has been pretty slow hahaha. But here´s whats new: We started teaching a class for the members of the ward so they can start teaching the lessons to the recient converts. We are only teaching the ward leaders right now, but its been a lot of fun!! Hahaha so thats been happening and last time I had to teach the English class all by myself. It was good I hope haha. We started contacting in new areas which makes me really happy, and we now have some really good investigators so Im excited to start teaching them, BUT! Changes are not this week, but next, and the city Im in, Olmué, is becoming one sector! So it will now be either just Elders or Sister missionaries:( So Im probably going to be leaving which sucks because I really love this area. But if Im not suppose to stay here, then I guess I will do more good somewhere else so now Im just waiting to see what happens haha. Anyways! Thats about it for me. I started wearing short sleeves now because its really starting to get hot:( Dang it haha. Oh!! I have now finally had liver!! Yaaay. Its so gross hahaha. The mean people here keep giving it to me hahaha. Its not even meat. Its like sand or something hahaha. Other then liver, the food is actually really really good here. And there is a place close by my house where I can buy french fries and empanadas!! Im so happy hahaha. Alright, well thats all for this week!! Chao!!

(The pictures below aren't from this past week, but they are from the MTC! He just got them & they're fun so I thought I would post them)

Week 15 - August 24th, 2015

So this week was a lot better! We had one girl that had a date for her baptism, but it fell through because her family who lives in Rancagua (however you spell that) wants to come, so we just have to find out their schedule now. Its for the best that it fell through though, because there are a lot of problems, especially with her family that needs to be resolved first. Anyways, we got a lot of new investigators this week in the nicer, greener areas of my mission so that was nice! One of them is really really receptive and has lots of friends in the church so Im excited to start with her, aaaaand she likes to longboard so she is really cool hahaha. Anyways, thats been going on, and My companion and I and the sister missionaries in our ward started having another class (besides our english class) for the members of the ward so they can be able to teach the missionary lessons with the pamphlets. It went really well! We are starting with only the leaders of the ward, but after, if it continues to have a good turnout, we will start with the members. Because they already now the doctrine, they just need to now how to put it order and in a way that other people can understand it. Soo yeah. Hahaha today I have to go to Viña del Mar to talk with the Missionary doctor and nurse because last week one of my tooth-caps broke so I have to go talk to them about that. Anyways! I have been feeling pretty good, time is flying by for me, Im sure about you guys, but Im about to finish my second companion change! Crazy hahaha. Alright well thats all for me! Chao!!

"Service project with the Bishop!"

Week 13 - August 10, 2015

This week was really good! We have been talking with a less active family and the husband is an investigator, and yesterday they all attended church!! Woot woot! And the greetings from the members was great, because this family use to be very active, but after a divorce they stopped going.... But not anymore hehehe. Anyway, other than that, not too much has happened. It has been raining like crazy here! The dirt and earth here is not very strong, so the destruction from all the rain has been pretty serious. Our house started to let water in so last Tuesday we spent a lot of time trying to fix it haha. But now it is ok! Anyway, thats all for this week! Thank you for the continued support! Chao!!

"This is not Olume. I was on intercambios with an Elder in a place called San Fransisco haha"

"Rivers that form in the streets"

"Us with some of the members in the ward. I love these people!"

"One thing I love about this place are the little terrariums everyone has."

Week 12 - August 3rd, 2015

Soooo my companion and I survived this last transfer! Woot woot, but one of the sisters in a ward left after being there 7 months. Very sad, but its for the best haha. Anyway, this week we had one Investigator attend sacrament meeting and we got an inactive family to go also! Its really good to have people attend Sundays were its testimony meeting, because its like having the whole ward bare testimony in one lesson. This past week we also had an activity that we organized and yeah..... it was good haha. Hahaha well it wasnt terrible and now I know what not to do next time! Hahaha I also found a gigantic tarantula, but we were in a hurry so I wasnt able to pick it up:( Next time haha. Well, other then that Im feeling really good for this coming week! I sure hope it all goes according to plan haha.... yeah, weeeell, anyway, thanks for all the letters and your support! I love all yall. Chao!!