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!

Happy Birthday Braxton!

I hope you have had a magnificent week and a fabulous 20^th birthday! 

Love always and forever,

Mom

I am fairly exhausted we have started moving to Melipilla from Bollenar and we will be finishing everything tomorrow. My bags are all packed and ready to come. I am doing well. Yes, I got the packages. Holidays are limited and Halloween they celebrate, but lower scale and Thanksgiving they don`t really. We played soccer today for a zone activity. I sent to the temple two or three weeks ago. I can`t remember. I think 2 weeks ago. We didn`t have investigators attending and we are working to improve things in Bollenar. We have very few people attending in way of new members and less-active members. I am fairly exhausted. I was at the Hospital yesterday with Elder Houston and those from the new house we are moving to. He was sick, so we were all there. He is doing much better, but I was up until around 1:30, before going to bed, but now I am doing just fine.

Hi!  Was the hospital in Melipilla or did you have to travel to Santiago?  What kind of sick?  Contagious? 

How many Elders will be in your new house?  Why are they having you move?  Is something wrong with the house or are you unsafe there at night?  How will you get to Bollenar on Sunday if the buses do not run?

I am glad you got to go to the temple again.

 

Have you opened your packages or are you saving them for your birthday?

In Melipilla there is a Clinic Called Las Maitenes here. Elder Houston has a stomach issue and it is not contagious. There will be 4 elders and we will have to travel every day to Bollenar to work and return every evening. The owner of our house in Bollenar wants us to buy the house or leave and the mission only rents, so we are moving. As well as our mission president wants the missionaries living in groups of 4 for more safety. Buses run. They just don`t as often and we already have been staying with them for a week, but moving our last parts of our luggage will be tomorrow. I opened the packages already everyone wanted food.... Oh well, I opened them and we are trying to eat everything before changes, because I might leave and it will be hard with a ton of stuff. I need to reorganize my stuff. We have interviews this week with our mission president, in our houses, which means a very hectic week.

I am glad you are willing to share.  I hope you all enjoyed the food.  I hope you will have time for a little birthday celebration with the cake and candles and photos.  You should be able to get rid of your old garments and your old pants and gain a little room.  Did someone help you haul the beds and washing machine and dryer to the other place in a truck? 

Change is always good and refreshing.  It would be great to have these baptisms, but as long as they continue to progress, you will have made a difference in their lives.  I am sure they will love you forever.  I hope you will be able to stay in contact with them all throughout your life. 

Who is the fourth Elder?  You, Elder Cardona, Elder Houston and ?

We are moving those things tomorrow. Elder Watson is the other elder. We are doing great I will talk to you next week. I am out of time. 

Young Men's President

Some new photos of Elder Goode that I got from the Ward Mission Leader in his Branch.  I love that smile!  I am glad he is always happy and seems to be loving his mission.

This is a photo of Antonela, his most recent baptism and Elder Cardona, his current companion.  I think the little boy is probably Antonela's brother.

I am doing really well.  Things are going well. I haven`t received packages yet, that would be tomorrow. We didn`t have investigators at church. They didn`t come yet. I had a spiritual experience yesterday evening with Nicolas and his Mom. We shared with them and David the brother of the mom. They are doing well. I am in charge of The Young Men here in Bollenar. So I have been assigned to be the Young Men`s President, so I go to Mutual each week here and am in charge, so it is something else as well. We talked about the Book of Mormon and afterwards the Mom, Jessica, I believe is her name, wanted to talk with us to give Nicolas counsel because they have been having some difficulties. She is inactive and living with a guy and has two kids from different dads and Nicolas has a little bit of stress and anger issues over details related here. And we were able to counsel them and advise to help them. I know that Nicolas and David will be baptized. There is nothing keeping them from it. They almost came to Mutual this week, but didn`t. We are working with them slowly and even if I leave, I know they are going to progress. Nicolas is a golden investigator. He is so alert and concentrated and knows what he wants. He wants to be baptized. So does David. We haven`t placed a date recently, but if they attend this week and the next week they could get baptized on my birthday, if we work hard before changes. I am really happy with them.

The Hormazabal family is doing amazingly. The parents are attending even though not all of their children are wanting to. Antonela has been a little lazy and hasn`t come for 2 weeks, but her parents are going, which is more important. We had 41 people at church. There has been a good amount of growth in Bollenar. We are doing all that we can and I love this Branch, even though it stresses me out not being able to work everywhere and help everyone. But I need to be patient and do what I can. I am learning a lot more patience and diligence in the work. I am really happy.

We occasionally feel the earthquakes. We felt one yesterday morning.

The scripture that you chose is one of my favorites that Clain always quoted and I memorized as well but I don`t have it memorized in Spanish.

It rained a little yesterday and the rain is frustrating but there is work to do so we go and do.

Sorry that I wasn`t able to get around to writing more, but I love you all and thank you so much for everything.

Sorry, I just got back to my office.  I love you.  Have a really great week!

I am very, very proud of you.  You are an amazing son and missionary.  I am happy that you have found Nicolas and David.  They will love you forever for changing their lives for the better and their influence may change the mother’s life and her boyfriend and the other children.  Sometimes progress is slow. 

Be Goode.  We love you.

Love always and forever,

Mom

New Investigators

It has been a long week. We talked with tons of people this week. We were able to teach many new people and we are seeing many miracles. My primary interests in people you could pray for are Nicolas Castro and David Farius they are two young men one 16 and the other 19 who are investigating now. The mom of Nicolas is inactive and it is David´s sister. So they have family that are members that we are starting to work with. The Lord is providing the way to get into their hearts. We are working to baptize them the 31st of October and have them get confirmed on the 1st of November. They need to attend this Sunday and the next one and get baptized on Saturday and confirmed on Sunday. We also need to finish all of the missionary lessons. I feel like this will be my last change in Bollenar. I have 3 weeks to pull off the last miracles here. If I don`t have investigators attending, then I won`t baptize this month. We haven`t had investigators attending, but The Hormazabal Family is activating. The parents went to church this Sunday and their daughter that we baptized didn`t want to go, but they still came. It was amazing and I feel great about this success. It is hard in a Branch to add new people because many times they don`t feel comfortable, especially in small branches and wards. We are working with a lot of other people that we have met and contacted, but we are pushing for so much and I have to be really patient in the work, something that I am still working on. I have improved a lot but there are my moments of pride and frustration... Things are going really well. I am happy and just trying to make a difference and many people have been affected by what I have been trying to do. Thanks for the support I love you so much.

Hello.  I am happy you have found some possible candidates for baptism.  I hope that they will attend so that your dreams will work out.  Don’t get frustrated.  Patience is a hard virtue to work on, because you have to experience trials in order to improve.  We will pray for Nicolas and David and for the Hormazabal Family.  How are the couple you mentioned last week coming along?

We haven`t been able to visit them, because Walter works so much. It makes it really hard for them to progress. We have been doing our best to try focusing on fewer people that have more potential to be baptized. We used almost all last week finding people and now we are trying to visit them more and prepare them quickly so that they can be baptized. There is so much to do and with a sector that is so large it really makes it hard to focus on key people and their progress. There is so much to do and I always want to do more, but I can`t sometimes... I am working on my patience, because I really need to focus in on some people and do all that I can for them.

You are always too hard on yourself.  I hope you are enjoying the work and not stressing all the time.  Do you and your companion have fun during the day?  Are you smiling and laughing and being happy? 

I got your glasses finally and I have ordered a new pair.  They were still under warranty. 

I mailed two packages to you.  They cleared Customs today, so it is possible you may get them this week or next in your District Meeting.  Where do you have to go for District Meeting?  You take the bus, right?  Do you walk from the bus back to your home?  One package was 15 pounds and the other 10.  Sorry.  They will be heavy to carry very far. I hope you enjoy them for your birthday.  Yes, you can open them early if you want or you can wait till your actual birthday, or open some and save some.  There are lots of pictures from Taylor and Alex.  Please take some photos of your birthday celebration.

I did get a few more photos on Sunday from Ulices.  Most were the ones I already had, but there were a few more new ones.  There were none of your latest baptism.  Did you take any on that day.  There are lots of blurry ones.  Do you know to hold the shutter down halfway so that it focuses and then push the rest of the way to take the photo?    

I wanted to share another thing from Fast and Testimony Meeting.  John and Jennifer Smith live across the street from us.  Their youngest son, Hyrum, was born with lots of health issues.  One of those was that he had no ear canal on his right ear and his ear was small and misshapen.  They recently took Hyrum to California where two specialists did surgery on Hyrum to create an ear canal and all the inside connections in his ear and to add to his outer ear to make it more normal size, shape and appearance.  I have been following their story on Facebook, so I had read of their miracle, but Jennifer bore her testimony about it Sunday.  She talked of how Jesus Christ used the Priesthood to heal people when he was on the earth.  She said they had experienced a healing, but it was through modern day medicine, which she feels is inspired of God.  She said one afternoon a week or so after the surgery, they were driving in the car in California.  Hyrum said he had heard a pop in his ear and now he could hear out of his ear.  She said she was so happy for him and to be able to witness this modern day miracle in their lives, one of many that they have had with Hyrum’s health.  It has made me think about all the many ways that our Heavenly Father is inspiring miracles in our lives and on the earth at this time.  Medicine is just one of the many places where miracles are seen regularly and though they do not all come through Priesthood Power, they do all come from God. 

Thanks I love you talk to you next week!

I love you, too.  Be Goode and Be Happy!