12-11-11

Monday: I remember a time, when I was with Elder Calaway, right after
we spoke with our families, when we wanted to know how much time we`d
have, when we spoke with them again. I calculated that I would have 19
1/2 months. Today I completed 19 months! That`s one of the numbers I
always thought was really high when I was new. Haha. Time just won`t
stop and let you sit. I didn`t really get a Pday today. At 7:30 I was
on a bus to Concepción with Elder Corliss and Arnett, on our way to a
Training session for District Leaders only. When we got there, I saw
Elder Lisonbee and we sat by each other, enjoying each others`
company. The first persons to train us surprised me. It turns out that
Pres. Martinez has Sister Assisstants! It was definitely a different
feeling to be taught by Missionaries without ties. Anyway, they helped
me realize a quality that I want in my wife: I want her to support and
encourage me in my callings. They were telling us things like, 2We
trust your decisions. You are men of God, and you are here for a
reason." It was an interesting spirit that accompanied them. We
learned that we have to give our Missionaries "The Vision of
Baptizing," in order for them to know where all this is going. The
Assisstants (Elders) taught us more about our responsibilities in
Exchanges and things. Pres. Martinez explained the importance of
having the HOly Ghost. Elder Richards, when he visited, explained that
the enthusiasm we have is recognizable as the Spirit, or was it the
other way around? If someone`s depressed, it`s because they lost the
Spirit. We had a long ride home, and then wrote the family. All is
well. Mom loves being a Temple Worker and is hearing a lot of cool
stories.

Tuesday: Today went pretty well. I got up to shower early, so my comp.
would get up on time and shower and we`d still have plenty of time
before the bus came. It kinda worked. This was the first Distrizona we
did, implementing the new "report sheets"--forms that included our
Weekly Planning and progress of news--and I got to put some of the
things I learned yesterday into practice. Up until now, I`ve ben too
casual with my District. I thought I was being happy and friendly with
them. But I found a balance where I can still be my happy self and
still be able to correct them. In my class, for instance, they tried
to joke and put off the class for as long as possible. Before, I
wouldn`t have known how to take command or, more importantly, WHY. But
that time I have, to teach and inspire them is so vital, so I took
command, had better posture, and kept them focused. It worked. They
started listening to me and behavin better. In the Afternoon, I went
with Elder Maldonado to visit an Investigator while our comps. went to
an INternet Café to do an emergency transfer of moeny. They said
they`d be 10 min. Alvaro, the Investigator I visited with Elder
Maldonado, is great. He`s gonna get baptized on the 24th. We taught
the Restoration and he felt the spirit and it was great. We did
contacts for a while after that.

Wednesday: So we worked pretty hard, today, doing our best to do what
we should...and we had some amazing experiences! We started out the
day a little differently. we traveled to Lebu to start my second
Carnet. I`m actually late, and I might be arrested. We got there, only
to find that the man who had to attend us wasn`t in today. I`ll be
busy for the rest of the week, so I have to wait for Monday. Lame. We
got back in time to pick up the clean clothes. Then, we went to have
lunch with Hna. Diaz. It was funny because we had tough meat with
bones and cartilag eand I had trouble cutting. She (or I?) made the
joke of meeting my future in-laws at a dinner with meat like that, and
the impression Id make. That`s why I`m going to order sammon, or
mashed potatoes, or some other more malleable substance. haha. We
didn`t have any appts. set up for the Afternoon, so we did contacts.
It actually went really well. The Lord must have known how hard this
was getting for me. I remember we`d been contacting for about 3 hours
before our first Spiritual Experience. We were too early for where we
wanted to go, so I chose to "explore" and take the scenic route. Well,
actually I took the route and then came up with the reason because I
wasn`t sure. I decided to knock a few doors on one random alley. We
got in the first hosue. We started talking about her son and eternal
families. Eventually, we found out her father died 3 weeks ago. We
wouldn`t have found her if we`d taken the "quick" route. Later, we
were walking and we passed a man in his doorway. we kept going before
I felt to turn around. He didn`t want to let us in. We spoke and I
pulled out a pass-along and he invited us in. We talked a lot before I
offered to say a prayer. He hadn`t paid attention well. When I
finished the prayer, he wasn`t reactive. He wouldn`t talk or blink or
move. I had a very strong impression to reach out and touch him on his
right shoulder. As I did, he jumped as if shocked. He explained he`d
felt as if something warm had fallen on him. I invited him to be
baptized and he said yes. Guided by the Spirit much? OH YEAH!!!

Thursday: Today was an alright day. During our weekly Planning, our
Zone Leaders came and joined us. the 6 of us went to lunch with the
Neira family. The Dad was ticked, `cause he thought we`d spread romors
that we got sick, last week, due to his cooking. we never did! elder
Arjona went to Cañete with Elder brady to work for the day. i stayed
here with Elder Hall. We were outside ALL DAY knocking doors. Usually,
when we do contacts, we get into a few houses. Not today. aBut I LOVED
eing Elder Hall`s comp. It was so great to not be working alone. He`s
such a dedicated guy. I planned out all of the people that gave us so
much as a "pass by some other day." We were banging on all cylinders!
But, for some reason, we weren`t able to find someone to let us in. We
met several people that said they don`t like the church, but couldn`t
give a reason why. one lady told us to come by another day. When we
asked which day, she told us, "NEVER!" I don`t know how people can
treat their Salvation like that. By the end of the night, I was
freezing and my legs hurt so bad it gave me tingles.

Friday: When I woke up today, after the 5 other times I woke up during
the night, I was completely stiff. Every movement created a creaking
of muscles. My night was so restless because my recently aquired
snburn kept overheating me. I was wearing SPF 80! Elder Hall and I
left aound 8:00, to Cañete, for Interviews. He wanted to change and
shower. Elder Arjone (bless his soul) offered to buy us breakfast. We
had a ham and cheese sandwich followed by a banana split...when I
think about it, that is like a Missionary Mom`s nightmare. Haha. It
was delicious. Our Interviews went really well. First, the Assisstants
gave us some really cool training. Last July, a new program came into
the Mission field. it includes 8 steps on how to help an Investigator
be really converted. First they asked us to put ANY concern we had on
the board. They said they would give an answer to each of them. And
they did...just not how I was expecting them to. they showed us that
any concern we have can be resolved with one of those 8 lessons. Then
the Sister Assisstants (still weird) got up and reviewed the 6 steps
of teaching by the Spirit: Observe, listen, discern, ask inspired
questions, teach pure doctrine, invite to act, repeat. We did a
practice that was different. We were to use those steps to find and
resolve a person`s doubts. But instead of Investigators, we taught the
Assisstant and Zone Leaders and themselve. I had my Interview with
Pres. where he gave me a pep talk and told me to have patience with my
comp. Then i returned an hopped into a practice, teaching Elder Arjona
with a new Misionary. Afterward, Elder Arjona said I really touched
his heart and helped him. I love him. The Assisstants bought everyone
completos. then, we came back. Right as we got hom,e a Policeman from
Lebu, where i`d started my paperwork for my Carnet, called me. He
saiid he`d finished mys tuff and was in Curanilahue. He handed it to
me and saved me $5 in travel. YES! My sunburn, and the sun, gave me a
pounding headache that forced me to retreat home. Elder Smith and
Elder Brady went to our appts.

Saturday: Today kind of sucked. On the bright side, my muscles stopped
hurting. I spent the morning writing my talk I have to give tomorrow.
The other Missionaries were doing their own thing and just tried so
hard to avoid getting distracted and staying focused. I had a really
great time exploring the topic of my talk. Little tip: If there`s
anything youre unsure of, or want to learn more about, just write a
talk about it. The revelation that accompanies the process is so
great! I wrote my talk about Family Home Evenings, as was assined to
me. I discovered something I hadn`t known before: An
advantage/blessing for the parents, thanks to FHE, the Father is
viewed as the authority in the house. How many broken families do we
have in this world, that wouldn`t exist if they just followed the
Prophet? Well, I guess if everyone did that, they`d end up getting
baptized. Haha. Before we went to lunch, I called Elder Lisonbee, to
wish him Happy "monthday". He turned 22 in the Mission! I love him.
Haha. W ehad fried fish and rice for lunch. i loved it! Afterwards, my
comp. told me he wasn`t feeling well. I told him to lie down. I took
his temperature later. 101.4 So I had him take a drink of water
throughout the day, as well as have him take some ibuprofen. We pretty
much just laid in our beds. I had a fever of 99.something. it was
relatively cool, but we were both sweating a lot. Gross, right? My
head still hurts and it`s late. I`m going to bed.

Sunday: We were blessed today. we worked so hard this week, when we
could, but before today we hadn`t found more than a few people. Before
Church started, we had our meeting with our grouchy Ward Leader. One
of the four of us has problems getting going in the mornings and we
didn`t make it out on time. Anyway, we arrived 5 min. late and Hno.
Neira accused us of sleeping in. It`s tough, paying the price for
someone else`s mistakes. We shared our stuff efore going to pick up
Miguel. He didn`t answer. But when we started the firt class, a member
walked in with a non-member friend. He totally lives in our sector!
His name is Manuel. He said he just came with his friend, this time
only. Elders Smith, Maldonado, and I had to give talks today. I went
first and talked about Family Home Evenings. Elder Smith spoke on the
power of prayer. Elder Maldonado spoke on why it is important to read
the scriptures. A Sister said my Spanih was like listening to a
General Authority. Boo yeah! I spoke with the non-member afterwards.
He said he anted to hear us out. His member friends invited him and us
to an FHE tomorrow. In te afternoon, I got the fever Elder Brady had.
My temp. kept rising, until it stopped at 102. As I was resting, I
thought of something. Everyone alays asks, "What would Jesus do?" I
didn`t know, before the mission. Now I know he`d do the will of the
Father. SO... We should ask, "What does Heavenly Father want me to
do?" For me, that makes it easier. When I was back in bed, Elder Smith
brought me medicine and Elder Brady brought me a hot water bottle. I
felt cold, taht`s why. They`re good guys.