Week 42 - Alzheimer's and termites

I don't have a way to listen to voice messages here.  It's pretty sad  because people keep sending me voice recordings and videos.

This week I had an interview with the mission president. He talked about points that he had spoken to the whole mission and asked me if I had any questions.  It went fine.

I was able to play the piano this week.  I played for church.  The chorister wanted me to transpose down the music which I was able to do.  I have a lot of members ask me to teach them to play.

We have been teaching an older lady this week.  I'm pretty sure she has Alzheimer's because we always ask who she wants to the pray and she always says me!  She says I never do it even though I've said it every time.  I'm the lucky one to be chosen!

We taught a man that lives next to the church.  He complains that the runoff from the church is making his yard wet and attracting termites.  He also said he finds basketballs on his roof from the basketball court.  At the end of his complaints I agreed with him the building wasn't perfect, but bore my testimony that the teachings of Jesus Christ are true.  The Spirit testified of what I was saying and his countenance completely changed.  We are going back Saturday to teach a lesson.

We taught "C' this week.   She's almost done with the lessons and her uncle is coming to church!  The bishop gave permission for her to be baptized so the baptism is this week!

We need new people to teach.  We attract a lot of people through ping pong, but it is hard to convert that to gospel discussions.  Our zone has done well though.  Recently, we've had nine enter into the Lord's church.

I had exchanges with Elder Hunsaker which was interesting. We contacted an entire street that was very long.  It was pretty interesting because Elder Hunsaker doesn't know to much Spanish but he has a higher voice than mine.  I've noticed this helps people understand.  I feel people don't understand me because my voice is so low.  Having an American accent doesn't help either.   Most contacts try to talk to the Elder that speaks Spanish the best. The people understood him and complained about my Spanish so they gravitated to Elder Hunsaker.  They would tell him they didn't understand me but he didn't understand them.  He would turn to me and I would translate the conversation for him.  Hahahahahah!

Week 41 - Teaching and Singing

This week was better!  We taught a lot this week.

We've been teaching an older lady for a while named "A".  She was on date for baptism but we had to cancel it because she didn't come to church.   She's good and solid but doesn't always remember important things.  She's pretty funny because she's really dramatic too.  We taught her the plan of salvation and that families can be together forever.  She was like "NO WAY!"  It was super funny.

We taught a young girl name "E".  I feel really sorry for her.   Her mom is inactive but a member. This girl is only 9 years old.  They say they see spirits.  While we were teaching, we asked "E" how she felt when she prayed.  She told us it scared her.  I honestly felt like crying.  This girl has so many things going on in her life.  It's scary.

We taught "C".  She changed her baptism date to the fifth because it's her grandmothers birthday.  She wants to remember the day, so we are excited for the fifth.

Pingpong night

We went to a baptism for a young convert in Santa Julia and the assistants showed up.  They said I should try out for the Christmas choir.  It's really big here.  Thousands of people go.  It's a huge production the church puts on.   They kept telling me I should go and tryout.  I thought why not.   I went and sang in front of so many people.  My mission president was video taping me, all the assistants, and the office staff there.  A lot of sisters and elders tried out.   I think I sang pretty good to be honest.  It was interesting.  We'll see if I am selected...

And that's the highlights of my week.

Week 40 - From Spanish to Spiders

This week was pretty rough.  I had a lot of people tell me I didn't know Spanish, but that's okay.

I had an exchange with Elder Olivera.  He's really cool.  It was hard for a lot of reasons but by the end of the night was way fun.  He's the only elder that's been given permission to have a guitar.  He can play everything to Mozart to Ed Sheeran.   He sings really well.  He's from Brazil but barely has an accent.

Last Monday we played soccer for p-day and I played super well.  All of the players asked what sport I played before my mission.  I told them I was a swimmer.   They told me I was swimming up and down the field.  I made some points with those playing that day.

Elder Furlanich and I get along well.  He's a really cool and funny guy.  He's good with little kids. His skills come in handy when there are screaming kids.  We fit well together.

I hope we will have a baptism next week with "C".  She is super cool.  We don't have to do much with her which is great!  Often, with others there's much work needed first.  She just wants to be a member of the church.  She's not getting baptized for us.  She's getting baptized because of her desire to be a member of the Lord's church.   We don't have her mom's written permission yet so it might not happen, but my new area is doing really well.  There are a lots of baptisms this week!  It's so exciting.

The video above is of a big spider in Chile.  It lives in a hole and jumps out to catch insects when the web around the hole is disturbed.

Week 39 - Transferred

This week week has been hard.  I felt like I was starting the mission all over again.   I've been transferred to Las Maravillas (the sunflowers) Achupalles and have Elder Furlanich as my companion.  He's our district leader.

I said goodbye to many in Salamanca.  We went to "O's" family and I cried a good bit but I was pretty good until we began leaving.  The whole time "O's" wife wouldn't come into the room.  We were wondering why she wouldn't come in and say goodbye.  Finally she walks into the room balling and I just had to leave because it made me cry too.

An investigator's cat had kittens

Then I said goodbye to "R".  She told me she would always remember me and that I was like a angel to her.  She tells me she is heartbroken I was leaving and it was tough.

Then I left Salamanca which was pretty hard.  It was really hard to say goodbye to Elder Eyre.  He is a good friend.  He is just like some of my close friends back home.

My new companion is pretty cool.  He was born in Argentina.  He has a super hard Argentinian accent which is difficult for me to understand.  He pronounces the L's and Y's way different.   Although he is a little hard to understand in Spanish he also lived in Canada and Utah for most of his life.  He knows English perfectly and can really help me.

I've felt pretty bad this week because everyone seems to be advancing much faster with their Spanish. I was with Elder Hunsaker on splits.  He is new and being trained.  His Spanish is already close to mine. There is a sister that has been out half as much time and she definitely knows more.  It makes me feel bad at times.  But I know we are given weaknesses to humble us and strengthen our faith. (See Ether 12:27 or  It isn't a Sin to be Weak)

A view from Gómez Carreño while on splits

I happened to go to the only other place in the mission that has four missionaries living in the same apartment so that is pretty cool.

We have a investigator that's come to church three times now and has a baptismal date for the 22nd! We have had some other good people we are teaching and that's my week.

Week 38 - Conferences and Transfers

This week I had zone conference.  It's a big thing in the mission.  The mission president speaks to all the missionaries.  He gives us direction and guidance and it is so cool.  In this conference he talked about the apostasy.  Conference was really good.  It was really interesting to see and listen as a missionary.  All the talks taught gospel principles. We often teach the same principles in our missionary lessons.  It was fun to hear others teach the principles we do everyday.

Afterwards we played pingpong during a break.  The mission president came in and trounced every missionary in the room.  He walked out like nothing happened.  He beat me 5 to 1.

I played volley ball last p-day and I'm about to play it again.  I'm pretty excited.

General Conference was really good and fun to watch.  I watched it in English. It was nice to have a time were it was okay to speak and listen to things in English.  It's not against the rules to speak in English, but when you are in another culture that speaks a different language it's better to immerse yourself in it as much as possible.  It was nice to have a reason not to do everything in Spanish.

We also taught "C" and "R" a couple of times.  "R's" sister has started to join our lessons and I hope she can start progressing.  She said she would like to get baptized but she's also kind of a tease so well have to see how that works out.

At the end of one night we had no one else to teach.  The thought came to both of us that we should visit "F" and "A".  ("A" is a member and has a friend "F" that we taught once.)  We went and he was there in the house.  Usually, he's never there.  It was awesome to receive revelation like that.

We didn't really teach many other people this week.  We've been having a hard time finding people.  I hope this week is just an anomaly.

Transfers are Tuesday.  The last transfer cycle I thought I would be leaving.  I hope when I am transferred all is well in this area.  I've packed my bags again in case I'm transferred this time.  I've only been in this area and think I'll be transferred soon, but we'll see.