English Classes getting bigger

All of us missionaries pile on a bus after district class.

This week went quite well for us. The best part was probably the English class. Somehow we were able to have about 30 people in our class. It has been growing a lot lately with the help of missionaries, members, and those who attend class. We might have to split the class into two if it keeps growing. 

We have actually been able to see the fruits as well. The other day Elder B and I were able to set many appointments with certain people who come to our class. We have been able to visit many of them and teach them after already having a great confidence and friendship with them. The other missionaries are visiting those that respond to their sectors and seeing progress as well. We will keep focusing our efforts in finding new people who could have an interest in the gospel.

An ex missionary as well came back to visit some people and was able to go out with us and help us with our sector. So we are now able to work a lot more with people he used to visit that seemed really nice. We will see what we do this Thursday for thanksgiving!

Happy for you girls/sisters to get your jobs and get things ready in Utah. Love you guys and ill talk soon:) bye.

Picking cherries

Biking in new sec

Some crazy bike trails. Other missionaries of the branch, haha yes the same Elder from my last sector.  My new Companion Elder F.

 I have been getting to know my sector a little bit more. And it is freaking huge!!! like more than 50 almost 60 square miles. and it takes forever to get around on bike but it is fun. Like it took almost 30 minutes just to get to lunch the other day. And it takes 20 minutes in a bus to leave our sector and an hour to get to district class.

The people here are great. We have an investigator named E. He has learnd so much and has such a strong desire to be baptized. We are helping him the best we can with all his doubts and questions, but he says he knows it is true. I am very happy to be helping him and getting to know many other great people here. Everything is going good here, getting used to the bike and the heat!

So i found my spanish name and it would be, Agustin Carlos Cazador, just something for the week haha.

Love you, have a good week. and you boys starting school too!

I cleaned up the house pretty well

The snow doe!!

Posing with some guys board.  Cant
wait to come back after my mission.

Went to Portillo, Andes Mountain between Chile and Argentina.  Crossed into Argentina for a bit. Another elder andI  we were looking at the map of which route we "would take" if we could ski.  haha. A few more years.

This week the two quotes that i have thought a lot about are not from the scriptures but really mean a lot to me. One is from Mumford and sons in a song that says, "keep my eyes to serve, my hands to learn." And it helps me to think of my service as a missionary. My eyes to serve as i should always be looking for those who are in need in any kind of way, and that i may learn from the lord in using my hands as instruments to preach the gospel. It has many meanings the way you look at it, but always makes me think of what i am doing with my service to the lord. And the other is from a different song that says, "If you're lost and alone, or you're sinking like a stone, carry on. May your past be the sound of your feet upon the ground. Carry on." This one means a bit more of whatever may be happening, just keep going. Move forward no matter what. 

 Grandpa look what i found  -  Kids, Kites, siesta

I am having a good time in my mission and these activities lately help a lot. Our district is probably the closest in the mission. A few nights back we all got together in our house because with all the changes . We all talked about what we needed to and it was good to have a little devotional/ meeting thing. 

Dont worry about me, this is my service to the lord, not to any other person. We've had lots of exchanges for the day in our district to help us all stay energized. All is well for me as usual. - Love you Bye:)

Early in the morning waiting for a taxi

 Crossed into Arentina for a bit - dreaming

Me, snowman & Elder B  -  Portillo

 

Portillo, Andes Mountain between Chile & Argentina  -  My trainer Elder D

Pday up the mountain  -  Some famous dog hotel

Bus ride.  Long day

Lots of scripture reading this week

Makes me happy!  From a member

So i pretty much spent a bunch of my week just reading the scriptures. There are many great scriptures i have been marking. I keep finding more and more of an importance to the scriptures. That is probably where my testimony has grown strongest during my mission. They were written hundreds and thousands of years back but we can still understand and use them in our day. Our mission president is probably the best out there. He knows exactly what to say and do. We are all pumped here with our president. 

Ive been learning a lot lately in the importance of a companionship and the way the lord does things. Well it just started raining haha and i dont have a jacket or anything, so this will be fun to walk home to. Thanks you guys for everything. I hope you all have a good week:) chao

Headed to the Santiago Temple.  Comp Elder M and I 

Santiago Chile  -  Tallest building

Got to see my friend Elder C from home in the CCM. Other Elders who had seen my blog

Temple

Elder Robbins came!

Waiting for the Metro

So this past week we had Elder Robbins come to talk to our mission. I didnt know much about him, but then found out he is in the presidency of the 70! He talked to us for a little bit and then said, "alright ask me anything!" so we were there for two or three hours asking him many questions we had about any church topic. I learned a lot from him, and took notes but forgot it in the house to write some things this week. 

One of the many great things that Elder Robbin said is that every person may feel and learn something different than another. Because the holy ghost brings it to that person with what thy need to hear. And i defintley learned something that might not have been important to others. He said that he grew up in the church as well and was always taught that these things are true. He never doubted nor question anything, just new it was true. And thats how i feel to. He said that we dont have to have any life changing event that converts us because for many it is a process that happens over time. That gave me a little more confidence in knowing that i have always felt and known the church is true.

It snowed today on the little hill in our sector

After the transfers we just had i am going to stay in this sector and lead and direct the work here. I am grateful that the lord has trusted me and will do my best to help all that i can. Just a little nervous and worried, but know that everything happens for a reason and i will put my trust in the lord. I hope everything goes good this week. Pray for me please. I love you all and hope you are enjoying summer!! love you bye

Saying my goodbyes

Everyone is pumped for the World Cup, even the dogs!  
Chi Chi Chi.... Le Le Le

Saying goodbye to my Companion Elder E :/

The cold is coming

On the Metro

Finally we are getting cold here. As missionaries we love the cold more than the heat. We just layer up and good to go! 

Things have been going great for me and my companion. We really are looking forward to the baptism of M. The ward boys are getting along with hiim great. He is becoming more comfortable with the church and wants to come to every activity! Like yesterday he walked all the way to church alone and stayed for all the classes. We are teaching him every other day to prepare him. Hes a great kid and i know that this will also help reactivate his mother in the church. I hope to stay in this sector and see my first convert from beginning to baptism. It makes me so happy to see the difference and change in the lifes of those who want to follow jesus christ.

oh my foot is all better. i actually have a damaged nerve in my foot too. but i only get random shocks sensations in my foot at times. but it's all good and i don't have any pain. it'll all heal perfectly over time.  

We get plenty of earth quakes every week. and they are huge. like during the middle of the night.

The other day we had to come in the house a few hours early becuase it was a day of the ´´young combatents´´ i think it is in english. where many tennagers go out to mess around and just do bad things so to be safe we got home early.  The next morning as we are walking around we say many things sad things.  But were safe.

All is well, i keep working and i hope to stay here next change, we will find out the end of this week. But im happy as always for everything. Love you guys so much. later alligator

New district & companion & house & everything

well this week i got a new companion Elder B and had to switch districts. because my past companion knew spanish really well and they made him zone leader. so i am still in a way cool district now and stay at this place called Alcantara. It's like a huge mansion.  The day before i packed up and left the ccm dorms i played piano, and a bunch of elders came around and started to somewhat freestyle rap while i played. it was a pretty fun night. 

This is my new home while finishing at the CCM
(Alcantara-Sweedish Home)

I am just going to throw around all my favorite parts of the week. So last night when we got home the older missionary couple who is watching us at alcantara had a scoop of ice cream for each of us and it was soo good. They might be doing something on thanksgiving for us. Oh and speaking of that i need to see what im thankful for. Obviously my wonderful family, parents, siblings, and kennedy we can count as family. Also for the church and the opportuntily to serve in chile. A teacher asked me this week what the one thing i dont like here is because everyone has one. i told him that i absolutely love it here and there isnt a thing i would change.

This week was really special. so we get to practice speaking spanish and talk to people walking around the temple. i saw a group of a dozen or so kids and had to go say hi. as i came up they all had future missionary tags on. we all talked for a long time and i told them why i am here and some of my testimony. i really loved it and remember being one of those kids looking to the missionaries and it feels wierd to actually be one now.

 Alcantara Missionaries - this is how we get to the CCM everyday by bus. 

haha Also everyone i guess really likes my ties. no lie though i get some pretty good compliments. and guys like to trade ties but i always tell them no because they are from my girlfreind. so by now everyone knows that im the Elder with his girlfreinds ties haha. nope i aint giving them away. and jokingly they made a list of who gets what when i get a dear john letter haha but that wont happen so we are good.

This week was great and i leave real soon to the field. thanks for all the support and love. i will not have a p day next week but will be going to my mission. have a great thanksgiving. i love you all

View from my room in the CCM of the Chile Santiago Temple

***THANK YOU Sister B for the pictures :)

Next group leaving the Chile CCM

Cile CCM Zone.  Staying at Alcantara

All of us in the Chile CCM