More Emails because of Power Outage

We are working with Yaresla mainly because she will need more knowledge of the Commandments and less with Alexis because he won´t have as many possible challenges. We are also working to have Karla helping us more in the lessons, so that her kids get baptized. We have the baptismal interview for Alexis this week. I did a baptismal interview last Thursday and she got baptized on Saturday. I have another one that I am doing today and possibly another this weekend, to do for Sunday.

Things are going great. I am writing because I was writing and the power went out here. We couldn´t finish our time to write, so we got permission to write today. Sorry, that is why I disappeared briefly. I didn´t get the package, but I did get the one that Alex Cox sent me for my birthday. I will get the other package tomorrow, because we have a reunion in Maipú as a mission. I will go and ask for it from Elder Chuquel and Elder Allen. We also had interviews and inspections in our houses today. It went well. They want us to find another house to move into because this house is a little old and slightly worn down. We are going to start looking for another house to live in. It will be a process as well. 

That will be neat to go to the temple with recent converts.  Take some photos with them there.  Are you helping them to prepare names for baptisms for the dead?  Which families are you working with? 

I don´t even remember holidays anymore. I don´t remember them until after they happen or someone reminds me. We are working with Karla, Marisol, Monserrat, Fernanda, and Sandra. Sandra is a member that has a little more than a year but we can take her as well. We are planning and verifying everything still and we need permission. We will also be looking to take Gid with us to help. 

This picture is funny for us. We were working to find new investigators in a group tracting activity and we found a street named lluta which said in English is Utah. We also found new investigators there it was really funny for us. 

Note: I think he meant Spanish when he said English, because the double L in Spanish is said like a Y sound.

Baptism of Karla

The week went really well. Karla got baptized and her kids all came. She didn´t really want to invite many people, so we had it as well with another person from the other ward that we share buildings with. It went really great and we are preparing her son, Alexis for this Sunday, because he attended church this week. Her other daughter, Yaresla didn´t come to church, but came to the baptism. She also is listening to us now and we are preparing her for the 6th of December. So both weekends we are going to have baptisms. We are doing our best to prepare them and keep on finding more people prepared to be baptized in the weeks to come. 

Congratulations!  I am happy it went well and that you will have more baptisms coming up.  Tell me more.  Is Lissette still progressing?  Are any of her family members or friends interested in the church?

Awesome!  It looks like she chose Elder Espinoza to baptize her.  That is great!  Did you get to confirm her on Sunday? 

We haven´t been able to teach Lissette since last Monday and she didn´t come to church, but we are going to see about putting another baptismal date for the 6th of December. We are looking into a lot of details and working to help many people all at the same time. We are looking into going to the Temple with many recent converts this weekend. The last time that we wanted to go, it fell through.

When does Mikayla Holt go into the MTC? Is she going to be in Chile for the MTC? Also can you send me her email address so that I can keep in contact with her?

From one of Kathy’s emails. 

Makayla recently received a mission call to Chile Concepion and will be departing December 2^nd to the Mexico MTC where she will learn Spanish. 

Makayla.Holt@myldsmail.net

That will be neat to go to the temple with recent converts.  Take some photos with them there.  Are you helping them to prepare names for baptisms for the dead?  Which families are you working with?  This seems like a very appropriate week to take them to the temple.  Have gratitude for the many blessings you have in your life and help them to see what they can have for eternity if they continue to receive all of the ordinances and make covenants.

I saw a post on Facebook about making this Friday a White Friday by going to the temple instead of a Black Friday with all of its crazy shopping.  I am planning to go to the temple that day.  I am hoping dad will go with me.

Then we are going to have a late family Thanksgiving with our family on Saturday.  We probably won’t have Jeff or Rob, but everyone else should be there.    

No, we let the Bishop confirm her. I could have, but it isn´t so important, the details. I have confirmed at least 2 people that are my converts so far. I don´t stress over the details just over the ordinances that bring salvation.

That was very thoughtful of you.  Her Bishop will be there a lot longer than you and it will give her another connection to help her be active in the ward.  I hope this family is able to make lots of friends in the ward and feel that they belong.  They are a beautiful family.  I wish they had the stability of having a father in their home to help them.  The Lord will bless them and maybe someday they will have that blessing in their lives.  Do the kids see their father at all now?

Makayla will spend Christmas at the Mexico MTC.  That will be hard for her, but she will be fine.  I made a Merry Christmas banner with the photos of Christ for Makayla and took it and a couple of other things up Sunday for Kathy to put in her luggage to send with her as a surprise.  Kathy has been so busy she hasn’t had time to think about Christmas on top of the wedding and missionary preparations.  She was grateful.  I also made a banner for Braiden that I am going to ship to him. 

I told Makayla that I would give her address to you and that you would write to her.  I know she will appreciate it.  I know you and Braiden have been examples to her and have helped her to decide to go and serve.  If Braiden can go and serve with all of his health problems, then anyone can.  Braiden is doing awesome.  You should write to him, also.  He might not write back.  He has a hard time writing emails, but he sends his parents the videos he records on his camera and Kelly gets lots of photos of him from the ward members where he serves. 

Braiden.Parkinson@myldsmail.net

Are you still there?  Do you have any plans for Thanksgiving Day this week?  I hope you get your package.  It is at the pickup point waiting to be picked up.  Hopefully that will happen today, so you can receive it tomorrow.  The package has some Thanksgiving foods that you can fix for you and your companion or there is enough to share with a couple more people if you wanted to. 

Do you have any more photos of your sweet face or your district or zone?

I love you so much and I am so proud to be your mother. 

Another parent posted these two photos on Facebook this week.  They are photos of Braxton's district in Penaflor before he was transferred in.  The elder with red hair is Elder Hansen and he was the trainer for Elder Espinoza.  Braxton replaced him in this District.  I believe the other missionaries are all still in his district.  

Second Week in El Sauce (Saw - Say)

Noemi Torrejón is the mom. She fed us last Tuesday when we don´t normally have lunch. She lives in the sector of Hermana Erthal and Hermana Pizarro. They live in our ward. Her daughter is the one by her in the photo. The Zone Leaders are the ones that are with us. Elder Alcaraz is the one by the sister in yellow, which is the sister Noemi. Elder Brooks is by me. He is the other Zone Leader. Elder Espinoza is my companion there.

All of the upper half or B, D, F, H, J, and the upper half of A, C, and E. That is only a portion. They changed the limits and we have a section that is called Esperanza, Santa Monica, San Luis, and Los Aromos as well, and everything North of the Highway that goes out that way from near the church. The streets all start with names of Presidents of Chile. The sector is really big as well.

From what I can tell from Google Earth, Braxton's area is about this big.  I don't know exactly where the borders go, but this encompasses the cities or towns he mentioned in his email.  It is another very big sector to cover. 

Karla is our only baptism for this weekend. Her kids haven´t attended yet. She isn´t married and we had 3 investigators at church. The wife of Oscar Acuña who is the dad in the family of 9. There are 4 children there, but only 2 of the children are baptized. There is a future marriage and 2 baptisms that will come with it. Another daughter, that needs to get married, but her Husband doesn´t want anything to do with us and 2 kids in the family. We also had a member that was baptized a little over a year ago, bring her neighbor to church. We planned a lesson with her and it happened to fall on the neighbor´s birthday, so we planned a party. She is 15 and her name is Lissette and her mom lets her listen and participate. We invited her to be baptized yesterday and she accepted the baptismal date for the 28th of November.

Piña is pineapple not Peña. Flor is Flower but Peña I don´t know what it means, but the area I am in is called Padre Hurtado for a Catholic Priest that did a lot to help it develop.

(I looked this up.   Peña means pain and also rock or boulder, so it could mean pain flower or rock flower or boulder flower.  None makes a lot of sense.  I will have to do more research).

I had heard about the bombings in Paris.

Things are going great and everything is coming along well. Every companionship in my District should baptize this change they all have at least 1 person progressing towards baptism with a date placed and the majority with attendances. 

Hello.  That is awesome that everyone in your district will baptize.  It sounds like you have been working really hard.  Your area is very large again.  It is a good thing you have bicycles.  Tell me more about your sector.  What do they grow in all that space?  How did your divisions and inspections go?

Inspections got cancelled and divisions with the zone leaders went well. I also had divisions with Elder Tenney in Peñaflor. We are going to try to do divisions this week again to get the Baptismal Interview in for their Baptism this Saturday as well.

When the Zone Leaders have a baptism, who does their baptismal interview?

Elder Velasquez their District Leader. They are part of a District as well. I haven´t even met the Ward Mission Leader. He is a little less-active.... We work mostly with the Bishop because of that. We don´t have a very good relationship there.... 

Well go to his house and introduce yourselves.  You can win him over. 

I don't know the two Elders on the left and right.  In the center are Elder Goode, Elder Chuquel, his trainer, and Elder Prisbrey, who was also trained by Elder Chuquel.  In the mission, the two elders on the outside who were trained by Elder Prisbrey would be grandsons to Elder Chuquel.  Elder Goode and Elder Prisbrey would be sons to Elder Chuquel.

With the mission family. The two others by us are the kids of Elder Prisbrey.

Nice.  Curtis said you are the Step-Dad to Elder Espinoza.  Does Elder Chuquel go home in January?

Elder Chuquel goes home in December. So does Elder Cardona. I am the 2nd companion of Elder Espinoza, but here the step-dad is if you finish training them. He is in his 3rd change, so he has finished his training. In my case Elder Chuquel was my Dad and Elder Vasquez was my step-dad.

They will both make it home in time for Christmas.  That will be great for their families.  Tell them to find me on Facebook when they get home, if you get to see them again.  I just became friends with Elder Vasquez on Facebook.  Did you know he did a lot of dancing before his mission?

Before you are out of time, tell me if there is anything you need or want for Christmas.  Are you okay on all your medications?  Are you taking your vitamins and allergy pills every day? 

I won´t need medications for a really long time... Basically I will come home bringing a ton with me. I have been using them, just they don´t run out.... I don´t have any Rubix cubes right now.... I just can´t hang on with one.... I don´t have a lot of needs and I gave away all of my Cristus Statues to companions. I also have given away many tie pins and ties and traded a lot. I am doing great. Material things aren´t that important. The sentimental value is much more important.

I have noticed a few ties in photos that I didn’t think I had sent you, but then I have sent so many now, that I have forgotten which ones I did send.   You have never been too attached to stuff, except for your Gameboys and DSs.

From Left to Right, Brother Mario, Sister Sandra, Gid, Elder Goode, Elder Espinoza and Lissette

This was our visit with Lissette, with Gid, the son of the Bishop. We were also with Sister Sandra and Brother Mario. Mario isn´t a member, but he doesn´t have a desire to change right now. My companion and I with them.

Nice.  Is that French fries you are going to eat?  Has Gid been going out on visits with you a lot?  How did things go with the Counselor in the Bishopric?

We didn´t go out with him, but we can when we need help. Gid helps us sometimes. We have around 5 members that have gone out with us or are willing to right now. We have a lot of help. It is a mix of potato chips and cheetos and other chips here in Chile.

Interesting!  I am glad you are getting some members to help you.  Who is your Ward Mission Leader in this ward?  Is he working hard to help you?

Also, I gave away my Rubix Cubes in Bollenar, so now I don´t have any.... Oh, well. They were good gifts to people who really will use them. One to my Ward Mission Leader there and the other to his nephew who is less-active. I made an impression on his nephew, named Edgar and he was going to Mutual with us.

Things are going really well. I don´t have pictures with Karla yet. We have a Family Home Evening today with her with another recent convert named Marisol, who is also a single mother with a 4 year old. We are going to be there later, so we are going to take pictures there and I will have them for next week, as well as baptismal photos. We still don´t know who will baptize Karla. We are waiting for her to choose, but we told her that she has to choose at the latest by Friday, so that we are ready for Saturday. 

What is the nephew’s name?  Was he in those videos of the family singing?  Which one? 

How old are Karla’s children?  Does she have a husband?  How come the kids have not attended church with her?

I hope you get to baptize Karla.  You have been waiting a long time to wear your white tie.  I am excited for you.

I said that the nephew is named Edgar and the family singing is in Lo Espejo. Karla has a 13 year old, a 9 year old, a 6 year old, and a 5 year old. She is not married and she is single. She never got married, but is separated now and isn´t going to be living with him. The first week the younger 2 came and the other 2 slept in and this week all the kids didn´t want to get up. They are going to come to her baptism on Saturday, so it will help and we are planning for them in December. 

Okay.  I wondered about the singing family, but the older guy looked a lot like Ulices, or at least the photos I have seen of him.  That will be good that you can work with them and hopefully have more baptisms in December.  Are the kids boys or girls?

The kids are a mix. The oldest is a girl, then a boy, then a girl, and then another boy.

Then the 13 year old would be in Young Women’s.  That is a good place to get her involved.  Do they have Cub Scouts down there for the younger boys?

Scouting is rare down here.... Things are going really great though.

Elder Cardona and I when we finished being companions.

That is a really great photo of both of you.  Where did he end up to finish out his mission?  Did they put missionaries back in your old sector?

He is in El Monte in Talagante and they put Elder Oliver and Elder Rivera in Bollenar.

I am glad they put missionaries back in your area that can keep working with the young men you had progressing there. 

Yes, I knew that (that Elder Vasquez danced before his mission) and I lived with the majority of my companions for 3 months. I kinda’ got to know them really well. I am out of time talk to you next week. I hope to have baptismal photos as well to share. Love you bye! 

I love you, too.  Have an amazing week!  Thanks for the new photos!

Photos of Elder Goode's District in Penaflor

I guessed wrong on these photos, so I will update the information.

These photos were shared by Noemi Aguilera on Facebook tonight.  She is the sister in the orange shirt in the photos.  The hermana in the purple skirt is her daughter and these were taken at their home.  The photos show two of the four companionships in Elder Goode's district in Penaflor.  Hermana Tolk and Hermana Vincent are not in the photos and Elder Tenney and Elder Anderson are not in the photo.  

In the bottom photo, Elder Goode is on the far left.  His companion, Elder Espinoza, is the third elder from the left.  The elder next to and in front of Elder Goode is Elder Brooks.  The Elder next to the Hermana in the orange shirt is Elder Alcaraz.  Elder Brooks and Elder Alcaraz are the Zone Leaders.  The sisters on the far right are Hermana Erthal in the pink skirt and Hermana Pizarro in the white skirt.  

I am grateful that Hermana Aguilera was kind enough to share these.  

District Leader and Upcoming Baptism

I am doing fine. I am in the Zone Peñaflor in the sector El Sauce 1. As you heard I am serving as a District Leader. I was surprised as well. I have a District of 4 companionships. My companion is Elder Espinoza from Ecuador. He is from Guayaquil but lives in the South Mission. My other companionships are Elder Tenney and Elder Anderson they are both newer missionaries and Elder Tenney is training Elder Anderson. They are in Peñaflor 2. Elder Tenney is from California I believe and Elder Anderson is from Utah. I also have 2 companionships of Sisters. Hermana Tolk and Hermana Vincent that are in El Mansano 2, which their ward shares a building with mine. Hermana Tolk is from my group but this is her last change in the mission and Hermana Vincent is from Texas. Also Hermana Erthal and Hermana Pizarro are the Sisters in El Sauce 2. We share a ward with them. Hermana Erthal is from Brasil and I was in a District in Talagante with her. Hermana Pizarro is from Perú, from Lima.

This is a photo with Elder Espinoza on the far left and his trainer, Elder Hansen on the far right.  Elder Espinoza has been out for two changes and is starting his third change with Elder Goode as his companion.  

I don't have any photos of Elder Tenney and Elder Anderson yet.

This is a photo of Hermana Tolk on the left and Hermana Vincent on the right.  

This is a photo of Hermana Erthal.  I don't have a photo of her companion, Hermana Pizarro yet.

Things are going great. My first day in the sector with Elder Espinoza we had a new investigator that had listened to Elders for a long time, but had never progressed and they stopped passing by. We found her the first day and she accepted a Baptismal date and to read the Book of Mormon every day until she gets baptized. She is doing really well and went to Church Sunday and has a baptismal date for the 21st of November.

Things are going really well. Elder Espinoza just ended his training and I am his 2nd companion. Things are really great. I am lucky to have a bike because walking really hurts.... I don´t enjoy walking anymore. It is a lot of work.

The Zone Leaders are Elder Alcaraz from Argentina and Elder Brooks from Utah, from Brigham City. He has one change less than me and started in the zone Ochagavia while I was there. The work is going really well and we have so much to do. The attendance Sunday was 97 which supposedly is higher than normal and we are doing really well. I am happy with all that is going on and doing my very best to serve and do all that I can.

These are the Zone Leaders, Elder Brooks and Elder Alcaraz.  

I am so happy for you!!!  I am happy that you will have a baptism soon and that you are going to have this opportunity.  I will look up each of these on the Mission Christmas Poster, but I suspect some will not be there as they are newer than when the poster was printed.  It is weird to think that the sisters that came out with you will be going home in one more change.  I am sure there families are so excited that they will be home for Christmas. 

Is El Sauce the name of your ward?  I can look it up on the church maps and see where you are.  Which half of the ward do you have?

Are you getting along well with your companion?  That is neat that he is from Ecuador.  Maybe Curtis can write to him if things slow down with their house.  They are hoping to move in this weekend, but there is still lots to do to get the house ready.  Curtis has been working so hard, probably the hardest he has ever worked on a project.

I did call about your glasses.  They are trying to find them and are supposed to call me when they do.  I may have to send the package without them and put them in the next package.  Crazy!!!

Be a good leader and love these missionaries like they are your family.  Take some photos and find a friend in the ward willing to email me some photos of you.  J  Does this ward feed you well?

This cyber lets me send photos so you will get them from time to time.

Yea!!!!  J

So take one of you and your companion and send it to me today, if you have time.

Is this still the bishop of your ward?  Zapata Rubilar Bishop

Did you get to speak in the ward on Sunday?

Yes this is my Bishop and they let me present myself on Sunday. Also the 2nd counselor to the Bishop is a member that used to live in Lo Espejo which is awesome. The ward is feeding us well. Karla our baptismal date also has 2 other children at the age of baptism which is awesome as well. She has 4 kids.

That is so awesome!!!  You have waited a long time for some great baptisms.  I am so excited for you.  It is cool that you already know the 2^nd counselor.  I think this is going to be a very special place for you in the mission, a place where you will make many great memories and find people the Lord prepared just for you.  Good luck!  Work hard!  Heavenly Father and Jesus love you and so do I! 

I know thank you so much. The 2nd counselor asked for our phone number to go out and visit with us, because he already knows me. And I remembered him and then he was able to remember me. He was so surprised when I remembered his name and wants to help us. Things are going so well. There is also a family of new members that not all are baptized yet, where there are 6 other people with potential to be baptized and only 3 have been so far, so 9 in total from the family. I am so excited to be working here. I have divisions with the zone leaders tomorrow in their sector in Malloco with Elder Brooks tomorrow after District Meeting and Pouch. We also have inspections of our houses on Thursday so there is a lot going on and I am so busy. I love you and I am out of time. Talk to you next week!

Do you know your street address?

Is your bike in good condition?  How about your companion’s bike?  Do you live with any other Elders?

Tell me more about your companion next week?  What does he like?  What is his family like?  What do his parents do for a living?  How many siblings does he have?  Etc. 

He is a convert and he was the first to convert in his family and afterwards his mom and his sister. He likes soccer and played professionally in Argentina in El Rosario for 8 months and has traveled to Brasil to play as well. His parents aren´t married and are separated, but open to visit together so not distanced. I don´t know what his parents do for a living. He has 5 siblings. There are 6 children. He is the 4^th, I believe. We live with just the 2 of us in the Comúna Padre Hurtado in a condominium. We have good bikes. I just need to repair the pedals and the motor and after that the seat, that has minor issues, but it is working great. His bike is doing well also. 

Your bike has a motor? 

Does Elder Espinoza want to play soccer professionally for his career?

He wants to be a Police Officer, but wants to keep playing soccer as well if he can to make money. Motors inside the cranks.

Have a great week.  I love you lots.  Remember that always!  Be Goode!

Transfers this Week

Well, we got our change call last night and I have changes, as well as my companion.... We are leaving the sector to whitewash. I am stressed, because they might close it with our mission going down more in missionary numbers. We haven`t had investigators at church in a long time and we are going to be changing sectors tomorrow. Today is my last day in Melipilla and tomorrow we go to Santiago in Maipu for changes. You will know where I am next Tuesday.

Things are going great and I am enjoying, but it is hard to leave the sector like this knowing that they might not open it back up with new missionaries. There are so many special people in Bollenar that we have met. It is hard to have to say goodbye to so many of them, but that happens and it will be for the better and with new things coming soon after.

I am doing well, it is just odd is all that I have changes again and I am starting to get sick of whitewash.... Wherever I go now, there are whitewashes when I end my time there. It really is frustrating for me. I don`t like that, but oh well.  I just need to trust more and accept the Lord´s will and that He will watch over these places well and do the best for the Salvation of His children. He allows us to be where He needs us to be in order to help more of His children to receive the blessings and ordinances of the Gospel. I love you. Sorry that I wasn`t able to get around to writing much more and I only have 5 minutes left and I really appreciate everything. I love you and we will see what happens tomorrow with my day being a long one to come. I love you so much!