Week 67 - Impressions from the Spirit.

This week was good.

We have a baptismal date for a lady in our area.  When I first got here I started teaching this woman, but for four weeks, we were unable to return.  45 minutes into our lesson, I was trying to figure out how to help her.  I felt impressed to share a scripture that came to my mind.  Then I was prompted to promise her a very specific blessing.  Elder Yaress shared a scripture that was just perfect.  She still said no to being baptized, but must have thought about what was said after we left.  Her daughter came and told us she wants to be baptized this Sunday!  So, we will have a baptism soon!!!  It was pretty special.  I felt the Spirit really strong while teaching and in my promise to her was able to feel the Spirit stronger than I've felt in a long time.

Elder Yaress and I have been looking for new people to teach. We found some and have taught the first lesson, but I am not sure how many are interested in a second lesson.

This week census workers came by. We had permission to stay in the house until they stopped by. Elder Yaress and I had lots of plans to clean and organize.  We were the first people to get recorded! We ended our studies at 11:30.  They showed up at 11:40 so we were able to get more missionary work done.

One morning we were super energetic and excited for the days activities when missionaries from the Jehovah's Witnesses contacted us at our house.   It was funny.  One of them said

"Oh no. They are Mormons".

We were nice and tried to be really personal with them.  They spoke briefly to us, gave us a pamphlet, and went on contacting.

Today we played soccer with Coquimbo.  Our two zones played on a turf field.  It was really fun except I got put on a team with really good people.  They just wanted me to be the goalie. I did play pretty well as goalie but it was kind of lame.  I would jump in on the other teams and run around like crazy when I could.

I've focused lately on my prayers.  It's been remarkable to see the results.  I have been saying my prayers and asking specific questions.  I've found as I sit, ponder my question, and listen that Heavenly Father answers!

Week 66 - Contacting!

This past week was pretty eventful.  We had three activities!

On Wednesday we had an activity for Easter.  Elder Yaress and I contacted outside for three hours. We invited many people to come unto Christ. We met a girl from New Jersey in the street.  It was the first time I heard someone say a foul word from the States in a really long time.

Then Saturday we did the same thing in Vincuña.  It's one hour away and is super pretty.  I took a lot of pictures.   Vicuña has all the observatories.  I couldn't take a picture of them because there were trees in the way.  I just caught glimpses through the trees.  We contacted again.  It was pretty fun going to Vincuña and seeing everything.

As far as investigators go, there aren't any.  We'll be doing more contacting.

Week 65 - Likening the scriptures to our times.

I had an intercambio (split) with Elder Koeven.   It was really fun.  Actually, it was one of my favorite splits!  Elder Koeven is a really cool guy.  Initially, I didn't think I was going to enjoy it very much.  But my impressions were so wrong!  See 1 Samuel 16:7.  He is really cool!

At the end of our intercambio he said some things to me that were 100% inspired.  It was like a direct message from my Heavenly Father to me.  I felt so good afterwards and cried like a baby.

I had a zone conference on Thursday.  Our mission president talked about some of the evidences that the Book of Mormon is true.  We know all can receive a spiritual witness it is true, but it was fun learning of other evidences.  See Moroni 10:3-5.  It was really cool to learn a lot of new things.

He also showed us how the Book of Mormon relates to our day and age. He likened our time to that found in the book of Helaman.   We have been through many wars:  World War 1, World War 2, Vietnam, Korea, etc.  In Helaman's day they went through many wars just before the Savior came to his sheep in that part of the world.  See John 10:16 and 3 Nephi 15:17,21.  The people had become increasingly wicked -- much like the people of the world today.  It is very similar to our time just prior to the Savior's second coming.

Then on Friday  I got a flu shot.

Saturday we were walking and there was a terrible smell in our area.  We keep walking and soon saw a ton of water flowing down. We looked at the water and it was brown.  It was raw sewage. It gave me a headache that lasted four hours.

One investigator didn't go to church and lost his phone.  We haven't been able to talk to him much.

Two other investigators have baptismal dates but they didn't go to church either.  One didn't go because a member forgot to pick him up so he was a little upset about that.

Week 64 - Conference and my new area

This week was good.  My companion and I are working together and doing well.  This week we found a young man that has been going to church but was never baptized. He's about to turn 18.  He's a pretty good guy that is very attentive to us and our message. 

My new ward (congregation) is great. From what I've seen I'm pretty impressed.  I'm excited to work in the area.

I mostly make pancakes everyday.  Elder Yaress loves maple syrup.  I was able to find it at Líder (the local "Walmart").  I've found that if you put flour and concentrated milk together it can make a pretty good pancake mix.

I watched Conference in English.  I don't feel like I got as much out of it this time.  I was so tired.  Most of the time I was just trying to keep my eyes open.  I'm going to have to listen to the recordings.  I really liked the Seventy from Argentina (Elder Joaquin E. Costa) and Elder Jeffrey R. Holland!

This week is zone conference. I'm hoping to get some new shoes that were sent from home.  If not this week, it will be another four weeks before someone will probably come up.  I think I will be all right though.  The glue seems to be holding now. I found a special glue that has rubber or something in it so its more flexible.

A lot of people wrote me this week.  Thanks!!!