It has been a long 6 weeks, but I am finally here in Santiago Sur. I woke up early and we were out by 9 am. Then we took a LONG bus ride down to the SUR, where we met the mission president, learned a little about the mission, ate sandwiches, and met our companions. My companion is from Ecuador, and it his his last 6 weeks in the mission. This mission is obviously the best mission in the world. The areas are in big need of reactivation. The mission president considers reactivation almost as good as a baptism. In some wards the activation percentage is under 7%. It´s poor down here, but the people are humble, or so I hear, and I am ready to get to work. It´s time to get the wards working as hard as they can with the missionaries, and building the church into something substantial and strong. I am ready to work. It´s pretty safe too, but if we do run into problems they told to do three things. First, Point to our badges and tell them we are representatives of Jesus Christ and to tell them we are only here to help. Next, offer to give them the most valuable thing we have, The Book Of Mormon. And third, dump out our bags and run the way. But everything will be OK. Everything will be great and fun, hard, but great. I can´t wait to learn the language, I can´t wait to get things moving within the wards, and can´t wait to reacivate, and I can´t wait to baptize. I am so excited to get to work and share the reason of why I am who I am today. I can´t wait to change people´s lives, I can´t wait to get to know the people of this worderful country of Chile. I can´t wait to get my hands dirty. It is so beautiful to have time to just think about the lord and his work, not school or your personal life, but truly forget yourself and become a representative of the Savior. I know that this church is true with all of my heart, with everything that I am in ways I can´t even explain. I feel so strengthened by the Lord, so important in his work. I am going to obey all the rules 100%, and be a person the lord want´s me to be. I invite you all to do the same. It isn´t easy, it´s really hard, but as you trust in the Savior, and strive to become an instrument in his hands you will be changed even more than you can imagine. I know I will change a lot. Keep doing the good work, keep doing His work. I am prepared to be in shock for a little bit: language shock, culture shock. It´s going to be a really hard few months. I love hearing from home, so please keep up the emails. I´ll talk again next week, but I just wanted to tell you that I got here safe and sound. Everything is great. I love you all, Elder Chandler.
|