Monday, April 27, 2015

Teaching Natalia

Sounds like a pretty hectic week. Things went pretty well this week. We are getting in contact with Natalia a lot more than before. We hadn´t had lessons with her in over 2 months and we had a couple with her this week to help her receive her testimony of the gospel. She has attended many times and we are working hard now to help her. We shared yesterday a lot about Joseph Smith and she told us that she hasn´t gotten her answer clearly ever about that so we invited her to try again and she accepted. I am really hopeful for her and doing everything I can right now to help them.

We have been doing well. The week was great. We had a few more lessons, but still not as many as hoped for. We are preparing all of the recent converts to go to the temple as a zone on the 9th of May. We are working to make sure all that can go actually do. I am really excited.

I went through my camera here and I don´t have a photo of Elder Argyle and I together yet. Sorry it slipped my mind I will see about getting one and sending it when I can. Sounds like everything is going well and that everyone is enjoying what they are doing right now.

The Zone photo you sent didn’t come through.  I only got the top third of it.  Send that one again please.  Did you take photos when you were at the temple?  Send me any photos.  I just want to see your beautiful face.

I am glad things are going well with Natalia.  Keep praying for her and I will, too.  How are things with Daniel and Catarin?

Do you have any details about your Mother’s Day call?

It will be good for you to go to the temple again.  I assume you are doing baptisms.   Will Carlos and Soley go?  What about Camila and Guillermo?  Do you need any family names for that day?

Have you been in contact with Rodrigo and Carolina, the Catholic Family?

Tell us about Daniel’s birthday.  What did you do?  What did you give him?

My companion and I decided that we want to do it at 6 pm here which is 3 pm there on Saturday, but that might change by our temple trip. They haven´t updated us on that yet, for the hours. So for now can we plan on that and I will let you know next week if we need to change it or what. Thanks and I am doing my best to get the details. Thanks for all of the support.

We haven´t had a lesson with Daniel in 2 weeks because he hasn´t had time and we haven´t been able to get in contact with Catarin. We are always doing more and looking for more people who are ready to progress. 

Saturday night will be fine for the call.  We will plan on that and we are flexible with the time.  It will be fun to hear about your temple trip.  Take photos while you are there.

I hope you are able to meet with Daniel and Catarin.  I am sure it is discouraging when the lessons don’t work out and when you can’t get in contact with them.  It is hard to know if they are still interested or if they are just busy.  Some weeks are very busy for us, so I can see how that would be a big problem for you.  I am hoping this week is less busy than last week.

Are you healthy and happy?  Do you need anything?  Do you want anything?  Tell me a favorite snack that you have missed having.

Do you have any conferences this transfer?

I am fine and everything. I honestly don´t know what I am missing, to tell you the truth. Just general things. Sometimes I wish that the food had more flavor, but Chilean cuisine is different, but good. I don´t know. I have been pretty happy with the things you have been sending. I don´t know.  I am always missing cheese, at least cheddar and other types. Little things, but that´s normal. I don´t know about conferences. They haven´t told us of any yet and we don´t really have a planned calendar, so we will have to see about that.

Cheese is one thing I wish I could send, but I worry about it spoiling.  If it were just the 11 days it takes to go from here to Chile, I would send some, but it usually takes another two to three weeks before you get the package.  I could send powdered cheese, but that is just not the same.  Grandma Goode sent Dad cheese all the time, but he got it within a week.  I did read something the other day about dipping cheese in cheese wax and being able to preserve it.  That has me curious.  I may check into it further.  I would love to have cheese in our food storage for emergencies.

What did you give Daniel for his birthday?

He really like the Christus statue and other things. It was really good and we made cake and other things. It was really nice. I´m fine without cheese, but just some of the usual things that I like. I have been able to find some chips and salsa here, but other things are nice. Don´t stress too much. Anything that comes is nice and you spoil me a lot anyway.

Yes, I do spoil you a lot.  I hope you know you are loved.  Don’t ever forget that and when you are discouraged, just think, “My Mother loves me!”  That has to make everything better!  LOL   I look forward to doing fun things for you.  You are my last missionary, so it is okay if I spoil you a lot. 

I am glad you have found some chips and salsa.  I thought of you the other day when I was cleaning out the fridge and found a half jar of salsa in the fridge.  If you were home, that would not be there and there would be no bags of chips on the shelf downstairs.  Clain has been eating your popcorn and his root beer floats.  He has gone through three big containers of cheese balls lately and he is working on a big container of Jelly Belly Jelly Beans.  He is always snacking, but he eats different snacks than you like. 

Did you know that Daniel lived just four miles from Adam-Ondi-Ahman?  Have him tell you about it sometime when you are walking or waiting.  I would love to visit there someday.  Maybe after you get home we could go on a Church History Vacation.  Everyone else wants to go to Disneyland or up the Oregon coast again.  Where would you like to go?

I don´t know. Daniel has mentioned wanting to go to Utah, to college so I might be able to meet up with him and we will have to see how things go. He has mentioned where he lived and other details. We talk a lot and things are really great.

I am out of time sorry about that. I hope that this week goes really well and thanks for the update on everything. I am glad that everyone is doing well. That makes me happy. 

I love you Son.  I wish you had more time each week.  I miss working on the Family History stuff with you.  Have an awesome week.  You are always in my prayers.  Be Goode!

Love always and forever,

Mom

Monday, April 20, 2015

Santiago Temple Trip

Braxton's District before Transfers


It was a really great experience. I enjoyed it and had a great time. It was nice to be back at the temple and really peaceful. I was a little sad because I got there and realized that I had forgotten the family names that I have at our pention. It was frustrating for me, but I just went with things and enjoyed the day. It was a great experience. The session was in Spanish which was nice.

Things are going well. We are working really hard. We have several people attending church right now, but the hardest part is finding time when we can visit them. Many people are making appointments but later cancelling because things don´t work out for their schedules. It is a little frustrating, but we are just doing our very best to keep working and staying in contact with them and preparing them for their baptisms, even though they don´t have set dates yet. Many cases just haven´t worked out because of inconveniences and other problems, but we are doing our very best to help them arrive at their baptisms. We have Natalia, Daniel, and Catarin who have attended, but we are having a really hard time getting lessons in with them.

Yes the package came and Elder Argyle´s birthday is this Wednesday. I pulled out some of the things from the box and then we enjoyed the food and things. The majority is gone already, but we are enjoying everything. Thanks for always being willing to do special things for us. So, yesterday we asked a brother from the ward that we had lunch with, if he could find us dry ice to make root beer and today he brought us some. So we were making root beer this morning and we made several liters of it and we are going to enjoy it this week. We hadn´t been able to find a place where they sell dry ice in our sector, so he went and bought it for us. It was really nice.



We are doing great but having a lot of setbacks like recently we had a lesson planned with Daniel one of our investigators for today. They called us about an hour ago to cancel which is sad and frustrating because there are only certain times that we can actually meet with a lot of the people, so it slows down their progress a lot. Thanks for all of the support. I am really enjoying the work.



Monday, April 13, 2015

Zone Activity

Do you like this tie?

Are there any tie colors you wish you had?
Stripes?
Solids?
Plaids?
Designs?

Do you need any other clothing items?  New garments?


Not too much the orange and blue clash and the red doesn´t really fit. I´m pretty good on ties I will probably need garments in a little while. I am still using everything that I have but I will probably need others.

Are the garment sizes still okay?  Have you gained or lost weight?

They don’t clash.  They look awesome!  However, I know you wouldn’t let me buy you any plaid ties when you left, so I thought I better ask before I bought it.

Lost more than anything, but the sizes are still fine. Well, last Monday we got our water back so everything is going well. We actually get to go to the temple tomorrow. Our zone is the first zone that is going to the temple, so it is a lot sooner than others. I am really excited for it.

We have quite a few people we are working with.  We are teaching the boyfriend of an active member that doesn´t live in our sector, but we are hoping to establish the basis so that he can be baptized where he is living. We are also teaching Alfredo. He is another man that teaches at one of the colleges near our sector and he is really interested in the history of the Church and the Book of Mormon. We don´t have baptismal dates, but we are really working toward it. Things are going really well. We are still trying to get back in contact more with Rodrigo and Carolina, a Catholic family. Also we are trying to get to Flavia because she got separated from the less active member from our sector and has a basis. But we have had some hard moments trying to get in contact with people.

The zone is starting to work with real baptismal dates because generally the missionaries put baptismal dates to have them and the leaders want us working to have them get baptized. So even if we had put baptismal dates they don´t count in our numbers until the investigator has attended church. I really like that because more people will focus on the people that are prepared and actually helping them get baptized.

I love the photos. Sorry that I haven´t gotten any out yet and I doubt that I will have time today either. We had a zone activity today and it went a little longer than planned and we live about half an hour away. Thanks for everything. I hope that everyone is doing well.

That is great.  I am glad you are seeing some success.  Keep trying.  I am praying for you every day.

I am so happy you got your hot water back.  That has to make you happier.  I want to see your happy face, so try to send me some photos this week.  Even one would make me very happy!

What did you do with your zone?

I am excited that you get to go to the temple.  That is sweet.  I will think of you all day long and know that you are in a special place.  Enjoy the spirit there.

Are you out of time already?

I am almost out of time. Sorry, the weeks feel so short, writing and my hands are always tired when I finish writing. Thanks for all you do and I will look for opportunities this week to send some. I will do my best. Sometimes I just haven´t had internet in the houses or have forgotten when I was in locations that I could have used. Sorry....

The zone played a game to pass time. It was a game of police. So it is like there is one investigator trying to find the culprit who is slowly picking people to kick out of the game, but without everyone´s knowledge. There is just one mediator with all the knowledge. It is really fun. They played a lot of rounds. It was really nice with snacks also. 

Great.  I am glad you had some fun.  You will have to teach the game to us when you get home.  What were the snacks you liked?  Who are your Zone Leaders and District Leaders now?

It seems like your email time gets shorter all the time.  I know you are writing other people, and I appreciate what you can do.  I would just love to know more about what you are doing and the great experiences you are having that are strengthening your testimony.

I love you so very much and miss you a ton.  I know you are doing what you are supposed to do and I know you are where you are supposed to be.  It is just hard sometimes to have you so far away.  I miss our long talks.  I wish I could be there for a week as a fly in your pocket and see all the great things you are doing.

Make sure you are checking your shoes for spiders before you put them on.

Did you get your package yet?

No, we have pouch this Wednesday. My zone leaders are Elder Cowan and Elder Daniel. My district leader is Elder Perrogoria. We will see if the package comes on Wednesday. Hopefully it does. That would be really nice. I´m out of time. Thanks for everything. Love you!

Thanks.  I love you, too.  A nice, long handwritten letter would be suck a surprise to get in the mail for Mother’s Day!  Have an awesome week and a sweet day at the temple tomorrow!




Monday, April 6, 2015

We Are Both Really Excited and Happy to Work!

Sadly, we don´t have hot water yet, but it should come really soon. We went to our church to watch the sessions and we could watch in Spanish or English. I chose to watch in English with my companion, but I wanted to watch the Spanish talks in Spanish. Just a side note, Elder Zeballos that is from Chile has talked to our mission in conferences before and I met him in the 6th week in Chile. I really enjoy his conversion story. It is not the first time that I have heard it though. This week has been better even with cold water and my cold, but I am happy and working hard. We had changes today and my companion and I are staying together for another change here. We are both really excited and happy to work. He and I get along really well, so it was a happy surprise since I thought that I would get changed today. I am excited for this change and things are going to be great. The mission has sent us the receipt of the pention costs, so we are going to give that to them (the apartment managers) today and we should get our warm water back for tomorrow.

I really love the photos and that you had a great Easter weekend. There wasn´t a fancy Easter concert and we still haven´t heard anything about one. Our mission president didn´t let the Elders go to the Priesthood session, but is going to let us watch it in our zones this Saturday. Also he decided to let the whole mission go to the Temple as their Districts, so I will get to go to the Temple anyway this next month which is really exciting.

Don´t stress out too much over me. I am happy here and love the work. Things are going well and I really hope that Dad is doing fine. He has had to suffer a lot of pains that most people couldn´t have handled. I know that he has had a long struggle and often wonders why he has to pass through so much, but I love that he just keeps trying to do his best. I love his persistent attitude even though things come up against him. It has always been a great example for me when I have been lazy or just haven´t wanted to do the hard things. Thanks for everything and I love you all. Thanks for all the support and love!

Tell Clain to keep working hard and that he can accomplish the hard things in life that push him to his limits. He just has to believe that he can accomplish them and do all that he can and the Lord will show him His way. I have been taking my medicines and it is a minor cold just mostly a chest cough and minor mucus issues. I am fine with any challenges thrown at me as long as I can keep working and helping the people. Thanks for everything. Sorry that I haven´t gotten pictures sent in a little while. I will do my very best to send some this week from a house or something. I need to find my best recent ones to send. 

Sorry that I wasn´t able to write more. I have been doing my best to get to everyone in more detail. Don´t stress too much about the messages. We get the Liahona in the mission and for the American missionaries we get it in English and usually we have a copy in Spanish or something but things are going well. They get us the Liahona to study which will really be nice to go over the talks again. I really enjoy re-reading the talks to learn more. Thanks and enjoy this week. I am really happy that there were lots of great family moments this last week and that you were able to go to the Temple. It sounds like you all had a great time.

Happy Easter!  I am so happy to hear from you.  I was thinking you had been transferred because I hadn’t heard from you.  I am glad all is well and especially glad that you are happy!  I think you are good for Elder Argyle and he is good for you.  I hope you are able to resolve the water problem soon.  I am glad your cold is only a minor thing.  I love you so much. Thanks for this positive letter.  I will look forward to some photos.  If nothing else take a few selfies.  I miss your happy smile.

Thanks I am out of time and will talk to you next week. I love you!

It was a great week.  I will send you some photos of the grandkids next week.  They are on my digital camera so a little harder to get to than the ones on my phone were. 

Your package cleared customs today, so you may get it on Wednesday if this is a pouch week. 

When you go to the temple, take all of the temple cards you have that need endowments and share with the elders and sisters.  It helps us to get the endowments done and I am sure these ancestors will be happy to be endowed in the Chile temple in Spanish.  Sort of a nice surprise for them.

I know. I will. I know right where all of the cards are. I appreciate everything. It may not be this week, but it will happen in the month. Thanks!

I love you, too.  Don’t ever forget that.  We are here rooting for you all the time and praying for you and know that your ancestors are there as angels watching over you each day, also.  They will protect you from harm and accidents if you are obedient.  I am trusting in their power to keep you safe.  I love you, Son.   Have a fantastic week!