knives... knives. everywhere! haha

Dont worry its not as bad as it sounds haha. My week was a little crazy but hey, its part of the mission. 

Our sector

So the knife stories... The first was a man i started to talk with that was eating a melon with a knife, i asked him about his day and he pointed the knife at me saying he was innoecent and that he knew we were from the FBI. he put the knife in MY pocket and said that he is fine. but then i gave him the knife back and he left thinking we were from the government. And the other was when we were talking with some people outside of their house and they were all sitting but my comp and i were standing. A man came out of the house a drunk and told his family to have respect for us and let us sit. he poited a knife at them and wanted us to sit, it actually escalated until my comp had to grab the knife before someone got stabbed from the fighting! again we quickly left that situation.

MAIL!

But after all that it was a good week haha. i am doing a lot of missionary exchanges, like two every week, because my comp is district leader. so i am always with other missionaries and it is so fun! I finally got all of these christmas letters and mail this week. it takes a little longer to get here.

Service- digging up a tree

I love to share with the people who are so kind and loving, especially when they talk to us first and call our name. An older man this week was outside of his house and we ended up teaching him and getting to know him. He is very catholic but had lots of interest in our message. We have many investigators like that who will listen to us and actually feel that it is true as well. We pass by for them every other day to keep them progressing. But at this time during the year it is hard to keep teaching everyone. many are going on vacations or moving houses. But we are passing along our message at this time and i know that other missionaries will continue to help them progress.

This week we had lots of rejection and slammed doors. but i continue to the next person or the next house hoping they will accept. many people are prepared and waiting to hear and i just have to search for them. 

I know this is where i am supposed to be, serving the lord for two years. It is my favorite thing to do. THanks for all of your help, have a great week. Love you:)  -Elder Jaeger

Chile watermelon is different then California watermelon

Work hard Play hard

Yeah i dont know whats up with me wanting to title my emails like this but here we go. This week has been nice and hot and sunny, i think i have to start wearing sunscreen. 

We were all in the CCM together.  Now all being trained.

This week we found a man on the street who was drinking and didn't look so good. He is about 45 years old or so and makes furniture. We talked with him quickly and told him we would help him and pass by his house one day, not thinking much of it.. Then we got to his house which is a beautiful apartment that has so much. We taught him and the woman he lives with and he really wants to change his life. We invited him to be baptized and will help him every day not to drink and to coninue reading every night. I know he will be so happy to change his life around and love sharing this message to better the lives of people.

Me and my new companion Elder D get along great and have a good time together. He sings aweosme and we have the same view of the mission and how to help people. But sadly only 5 weeks to end my training then i willl have a new comapanion because always after training we get a latino companion.

I am staying safe and warm. Also getting lots of blessings and sharing with people who have lots of interest and potential.

I will be writing some letters today to send off next week. And and a side note is that the letters you send go to the office first and then the next week to be sent to me so at times it can be like 4 weeks. THanks for always emailing and talking with me. Have a great week and enjoy the cold while it lasts.   Love you all!:)

My new companion! and a great week!

That first cambio went by quick (i think transfer in english). Its hard for me to think and write this in english. My mind is solely set to español ahora(now). I can understand ever word and conversaciòn con la gente(with the people). alright i will try to write this all in english. But it is hard to traducir(translate i think in english) because i have learned this spanish by speaking it not really by translating it. So i know how to say so much in spanish but its hard to put it in english. 

Entonces, (so) i had a few intercambios(exchanges? man this is difficult) with the leader of the zone and the assistant to the president. i learned so much from them and also had to direct the sector because i know all the things for this sector. As well all the missionaries from the ccm came to my sector while i was on exchanges to see how we do things. So we had all the other missionaries come to my sector to help and go contacting with the missionaries. it was fun and we were all in the streets. Since we had C with us( a 14 year old recent convert) i walked around with him and we had fun contacting. But i feel comfortable with having to lead this sector for a little bit to help my new companion to learn the sector.

My new companion is awesome, Elder D. We are getting along great and i am excited for him to train me and to have this transfer with him. I always love learning from these great missionaries.

We have an investigator named D who is 65 or so. We taught him once and gave him a book of mormon to read, Then we didnt see him for two weeks while he was on vacation. But when he came back he read 3 nephi 11 like 7 times. He had it memorized! He asked about baptism and wants to be baptized really bad! He came to church this week and loved it, we will continue to help him for 3 weeks then he will be baptized! People are always being prepared.

Oh and i want to let you guys know that you have to be the coolest family for the missionaries. En serio(seriously). I have a awesome family in my ward that we stop by all the time whether its is only to use the bathroom or to teach or anything. But they have a son who is home from his mission and always helps us teach. So if there are sisters in the ward kelsey should teach lessons with them occasionaly, and always let the misionaries into the house. let them teach in the house if they need. i just know that missionaries love great members who can help with the missionary work. 

Thank you to my ward back home!  I got the christmas package!

Last ward picture

thanks for being a great family! We will always have the best. And thanks for the help and prayers. I love this mission and this work. Especially the people. ¡Have a great week and have fun!

New Years

Happy New Year from Chile

I just want to start by saying since jaeger is german for hunter and casador means hunter in spanish. i explain to people that my name pretty much means Elder Casador! So new years was fun other than not being able to see fireworks:/ we were in the house and there were lots of trees and buildings so we leaned out the window to see the ones we could. But we still celebrated, obviously wihtout a new years kiss. haha.

New Years Eve  -  New Years Day (no one is out)

My favorite street - I'm doing good!

This week we met a really great family. We first met the boy N walking on the street and he said we could pass by his house any time. And then we stopped by the next day and met the whole family. a grandma a mother and 4 kids. They were so nice and kind to us. We shared with them and they all commited to read the book of mormon. we returned yesterday and they actually all read the part we assigned as a family! and we answered their questions. They have lots of interest and will continue to pass by often and share with them. I will keep you updated on how they progress.

We also have the investigators who want to be baptized but need to be married first do the paper work. Always times where things get tough but we work with them. He wants to do so much for the church and have a calling but we have to wait two months or so. I will be so excited when he is baptized!

We continue to find lots of people each week. This place is california. lots of fires this week and heat. I already feel at home here. Well have a great week and start to the new year. Talk soon

Trying to gain some weight  -  Elder S from the Chile Santiago CCM

Christmas week woot woot

Our District

SaY wHaT sAy WhAt?!? Christmas already passed? dang is time picking up. And going by fast. I like to think of a roll of toilet paper for how a mission goes haha. it starts off with a lot and seems like it will never end. But once it starts being used it goes quick. You can start telling that you have less and less as it gets nearer to the end. And then before you know it you are out! And your stuck in the bathroom yelling for more toilet paper. haha but serioiulsy this is going fast, i hope you understood what i was trying to say.

Christmas dinner.  Can't have it without soda and mayo!

Anywho, This week was great and did so much. Christmas night we didnt have a time to be home really and got in at 12:30ish after dinner. oh dinner was huge and good. lots of food and vegetables. oh and mayo on everything, the rice, corn, potatoes, carrots, beats, peas, but it was soo good. the pruvians know how to cook here. And on christmas we went to visit all of the members that lived alone and had nobody to visit them. so the four of us in this ward visited them and sang and just had a good time. we washed a car for one member who is reactivated. Just lots of fun with them all. I opened my packages and loved all the gifts and candy. haha but chile isnt as bad as you think, it is pretty much los angeles. its not hard to find food or candy, but thanks for the american food! i already ate all the candy haha. I dont know why im feeling all funny today and im actually writing this all fast.

Christmas service project

Gifts under the tree  -  Thanks for all the gifts  -  Elders in our ward skyping our families

We found some awesome new investigators this week. One is a haitian who is friends with and lives with the other haitian members. He shared of who he has been here for 6 months away from all his family trying to find work and it has been hard. He told us all about his life and cried explaining the difficult time in his life. But we helped to make him feel better and shared so much with him as he had lots of interest. And the best feeling came over me on sunday. Just as we were singing the first hymn in church he walked in! he sat next to me and i had the biggest smile on my face and felt so great. During the meeting he was giving his full atention and was reading the book of mormon he brought with him. After the meeting i asked him how he got here. He said he walked and kept asking people on the street where the building was because he really wanted to make it to church. he woke up and didnt even eat anything just so he could make it to church. He has lots of interest and we will coninue helping him gain a testimony. Definitely one of the most loving people there is.

As well our other investigators came to church and i was so happy for all of them. things are starting to pick up here and we are still continuing to work every day. never a moment to stop working. 

Early morning studies in Chile...

well a new year and new goals and resolutions, so im gonna make 2014 a year of straight working non stop. Thanks for all your support and love. And thanks for the letters and packages and emails. I love you guys and pray for you. bye!

Getting ready for christmas!

I love this place!

I am so pumped! i just have energy like the energizer bunny! I dont know what it is but i love all of this. Hahah well this week i had a little sickness in my stomach and spent most of my week on the toilet. Never eating fish again. They food is different and i'm getting used to it.  We just share whatever and eat whatever. I love them all and want to help as many as i can.Hahah just in the middle of this a man came up and asked me to light his cigarette.  

Went on interchanges and rode bikes!

This past week has been getting better with trying to find more people to teach and talk with. We stopped by a house the other night looking for a someone but ended up talking to an older man in bed rest. He can only move his right arm and gead after a attack in his brain. but we talked to him for a while and he ended up being a member but many years ago. It was really special to talk with him. He has been in bed for a few years and hasnt been in contact with the church for many. But we are going to help him the best we can. My companion and i love to sing songs and the older man asked us to sing his favorite song for him. while we were singing he was holding his heart and smiling big:) He also told us about how he prayed this morning and knew that we would be coming. It was very special, and i know he is one of the many who are waiting for the missionaries.

Me & my companion Elder C.  We email here every p-day.

I gave a talk this week in church. I prepared a 5 min talk but gave a 15 min talk in spanish because the other speaker wasnt there. It was actually good and understandable. I'm always willing to speak!

Many people try to get us with a kiss on the cheek because it is customary, but we always have to say no kiss for the rules. BUt the haitins are so loving and will always greet with a kiss. Haha too many actually. The kids gave on on the lips and i was thrown off. So we had to tell them no more. But they are kind and loving. All of our investigators and members of the ward.

The wedding or baptism didnt happen this week because the certificates and papers they had were bad. But in a a few weeks they will be baptized and married! So awesome! 

Shhhhh.  I took out the mac & cheese and put in trix cereal!

Have a great christmas week everyone. see you soon -Elder Jaeger

I got a spray tan! haha noo. But this HEAT!

Stray dogs everywhere!!!!!

This week has been so hot. the total opposite of you guys in ca. And boy have i gotten tan... well a nice farmers tan. I told people i got a good spray tan deal down the street. Buy two completos (hotdogs) and get a free spray tan haha. j/k SO much sun but i love it. Just getting as much color as i can. 

I am always so pumped to be out here serving so nothing will get me down. Even though this week has been tough because of only walking in the heat all day, and many people wont accept us. But i continue with no problem. My companion says it has been the hardest week for him and that it can only get better from here because it has never been so hard. 

I pray for help with my spanish, for teaching people, and to find new investigators who are prepared. Always searching and talking to everyone. I really feel great and have so much energy so that means there will never be a sad or dull moment in my mission. I always walk around with a smile on my face, smile and say hi to every person in hopes to make their day. At times they ignore or dont notice but i still always do. I am so happy to be out here helping everyone i can. Like the recent converts like a couple from haiti. We teach them in there one small room where there live, eat, sleep, everything. I think in english, teach in spanish, while he reads the doctrine in french, and translates to his wife in the language they use fom haiti. The investigators we have are great and i love them! This week we are planning a baptism... and a wedding!

A wedding! i never thought i would be planning a wedding this saturday and hopefully a baptism this sunday. He is so awesome and has a great testimony. He will teach other investigators with us even though he is and investigator too. He is a dad haha, and he asked about a mission but cant since he has a kid. I love him and will definitley keep in touch with him always!

New friend and Companion Elder C

So a little bit about each day. we wake up at 7:30 for excersise and get ready from 8-9. Then study until 1 in the afternoon. go out for a bit and eat luch from 2-3ish with a member. They normally feed us first and just keep bringing food so kind. then the rest of the day is work until 10 and go home to prepare and be in bed by 11:30ish. Its a little different. But im getting used to it.

The few members in our ward members do everything for us! They wash and iron our clothes, cook for us. it is awesome. And our house doesnt have a stove or washing machine. Just a fridge and microwave. So i eat a pb and j sandwich every night i get home. I have to have peanut butter every day haha. its easy to find at a store call liders which is walmart for chile. And everything here taste fine to me. I ate the biggest meal this week! like ever! a family from peru cooked so much for us. A huge bowl of soup, the best potatoes and meat, and fruit! Enough to feed a family of vour. And i ate it all! 

Also i got so scared from a dog this week when i went to a door. side note that every house here has a front gate and you have to yell ALO! And this dog comes running at me and jumps trying to bite me. but i got away safe! Some dogs here are crazy.  

Anyways i am loving it and cant wait for next week and all this week with the wedding and baptism. Have a great week in the cold while i am hot as heck haha. love you bye.

First week in the field

I will try my best to put all i can in this letter but we only have an hour and i have two weeks to talk about. oh and the keyboard on this public computer is terible haha. This week has been crazy trying to get used to everything here. right as i got my companion i got thrown on a subway with all my luggage and then had to walk all the way with it. i get to our goregous house which is pretty much a treehouse haha. its different for sure and i have to get used to it. i wish i had time to explain it all but the pictures will do.

Home Sweet Home.  I do love it here!

so on my first day we went to go visit a family. the kids were baptized a few months ago and the mother just started taking the discussions. well i ended up asking her to be baptized... and she said yes. there family is so happy. two little girls 10and 12, then a 18 year old boy who wants to go on a mission. so we have few investigators being baptized before chrsitmas hopefully. another is a 17 year old boy named f who first contacted us as a joke but became very interested. he wants to be baptized by christmas. the investigators we have right now are great.

My first completo.

The ward and my companion are cool too. elder C knows T.G from home so we get along haha. I have 12 weeks of training not like the girls 6. my spanish is pretty good and i can have a conversation with anyone. its started to feel like english to me. itll be good to go by the end of training.

My favorite street

so this week was pretty crazy but im getting into the routine.a lot of walking and talking. i feel great and love everything. the food is pretty good and they love to put mayo on it all. i actually am liking it all!

just to let you know whats up we took the metro here to a internet place. but had to get off and walk becuase someone jumped in front of the train. now there are dogs walking in and out of this place. but the dogs are everywhere. haha just some random stuff.

hope you guys have a great week. Chao pescado. which means bye fish in spanish. haha -Elder Jaeger

All the Elders in our Spanish Ward

Tallest building      ~       CCM latino friend

District Christmas Card!      ~     CCM District

My name tag & Chile Santiago Temple

Out into the FIELD!

President and Sister Essig

All new to the field (Chile Santiago North Mission)