Transfers, my new companion is elder De Leon, from Guatamala. I think he will be my last, meaning that every one of my companions have been from a different country: Ecuador, Bolivia, Mexico, United States (California), Argentina, Peru, Comobia, and Guatamala. I have hook ups all over the world if I want to do some world traveling later in life. I am excited to hear from Kris about the food and culture there, I should be an expert on Guatamala by the end of my mission. It was way awesome yesterday, we ran into Akisa, a future investigator, while he was leaving work to make a copy of his passport, and he started asking a lot about what makes our church different and how to know which church is Gods true church. He said he wanted to go to a park and learn more, so we sat down outside our apartment building and shared the message of the restoration. He only had one big doubt, because he had heard that when the veil was broked in the temple that meant that God had stopped speaking through prophets, and that he would reveal his truth only through the holy ghost. We testified of the importance of latter day prophets and invited him to pray to find out for himself. He prayed for an answer, and said he felt good afterwards, but that he wanted to know more and get to know the book of mormon. We then invited him to be baptized when he felt that this was true. We invited him to read the book of mormon. The hatians are so awesome, so much have been prepared and are waiting to hear the truth. On thursday we are doing a zone activity cleaning a Israelite church, and then eating lunch with them. It should be fun. Today we had an awesome barbeque, eating choripanes and playing ping pong, Jenga, and Uno. It was a night before planned activity, but a lot of missionaries went and we had a blast. Brother Reyes taught us how to make the best 3 leches torta, sooooo good, I will have to make one when I get back. Congrajulations Jeremy on your baptism, it has to be hard being white washed right before the baptism. You are having so many amazing experiences on the mission. Congrajulations Joshua, I love you, and am so happy that things went so swell. From the photos it looks like you had a blast. I still can`t believe Amy and Kate are so tall. I wish you a long happy marraige. What an amazing week. I love you all, we will talk more next week. Elder Chandler
Cristofer and Andrea: what a suprise, it just keeps getting better and better. Remember them from my letter last week, how we knocked his door, and he let us in right away, and turned out to be really receptive, he is looking for more meaning in his life, and wants to draw nearer to God. We commited him to pray to know that our message is true, and also read the introduction of the Book of Mormon. He said he wanted to go to church sunday with his 8 yr old son, Martin. We went Wednesday with brother Sequida, and said he had read until the testimony of Joseph Smith. We were able to answer a few of his questions and teach a little more about the book of mormon, and brother Sequida invited him to a family home evening in his house monday. My companion talked about Arepas, and we set up an appointment friday to make arepas, which by the way are amazing, my companion made me some for breakfast with ham and cheese, so goood and to die for. So we went friday and they commited to go to church, and we made the arrangements to go with him for the first time. Christofer was so excited and told us that we had come in the perfect time, and Andrea told us that at any other time Christofer would probably not have let us in. How God works in miraculous ways, huh. He said we could pass by when ever we wanted, and he wanted to give us a gift when we change sectors. It was incredible. Unfortunately we called saturday night to confirm, and he didn`t answer, nor did he sunday. We stopped by his house on the way to church and he wasn`t there. When we got a hold of him he told us that he went to visit his sister. We weren`t able to do the family home evening because his wife and son got sick, but we will pass by again when they are better. I am hopeful that it will all work out. Daniela is excited for her baptism, we taught tithing and fast offerings this week. Her mom, Ana commited to go to church on sunday, and went for the first time scince I`ve been here. Sunday we made Arapas with them, and Tuesday we had a Family Home Evening with the Costa family. She is progressing rapidly for her baptism. Monday Elder Harrison went home and Elder Witmore had special changes, closing their sector. The apartment is wierd with just me and Elder Lopez, the lunches too. We are working in thier sector, and getting to know the people they were teaching. Brother Velasquez arrived in Chile sunday. He is an RM from this mission, I know him from when he was a missionary here. It is so weird to see him back. He flew in from Mexico to marry a chilena, and Today they are getting married legaly in the chappel, and Saturday they will be sealed in Mexico. I have been talking to him a little about it, the story is really wierd. He only saw her a couple of times on the mission, really breifly, then when he got home he got a hold of her on Facebook, and have been talking by skype. The first time he saw her in person, and not as a missionary, was this sunday, and they are getting married today! The first time he kissed her was sunday, and they were already engaged. Too wierd for me, but god does work in misterious ways. All this wedding talk from the members just reminds me of Debbies wedding and Joshes wedding, wich is so close. Incredibly close. I wish you the best of luck Josh, wish I could be there too. I love you all. Thanks for writing me. Have a fun week.
P.S. friday I went to the MTC doctor because I had an ingrown tonail, thought it would hurt a lot to fix it, but it went by smoothly. Monday I was with Elder Peña knocking doors contacting, and decided to go to an old Carabinero (police) department building to give it a shot. We started at the bottom, at the first door nobody came out. We knocked one door over, and Cristofer answered, and shockingly invited us to come in right away. That was amazing in its self, something that never happens here. We got talking, and he started to tell us a little about what his work, then he told us that he believes in God, but was a little far from where he should be. His wife, Andrea has an uncle who is a member, and knew a little about our church. She had been attending an evangelical church, and also was familiar with the Jehovas Witness. We started to share about the Restoration of the Gospel, and said they would like to know if our message was true, and bring their daughter to church so she could learn more about the gospel. Cristofer finished with a prayer, at first he was reluctant, but we taught him how to pray, and gave it a shot, but said the words didn`t come out. He wasn`t afraid to pray, but said that he had been away for so long. We helped him telling him that the most important thing is that it is from the heart, like a talk with a friend, and he prayed. The spirit was so strong. He said we were welcome to come back at any time, and share more. He gave us his cel and house number. He offered us once, a small meal, for the next appointment. I don`t know if I have ever met anybody so open before. We hope they can come to church sunday. Definately Golden Investigators.
Here in the ward, Parque Subercaseaux, as a result of so much missinaries going this transfer, we will be reduced by two missionaries, or in other words it will just be me and my companion, and the sister missionaries that are in San Miguel Ward, which are also working in the ward when they recieve a reference from a member, or we cannot get in because there is not a man older than 18 present. I have been meating the other elders investigators this week, one named Milanko who is awesome. Elder Harrison goes home before the end of the transfer, next monday. We had to move Danielas fecha, because we lack time to teach all the lessons, but it will be here soon. We are also helping her mom who has health problems and has been in the hospital awaiting a complicated surgery, the whole family is very nervous to see how everything goes, because the public hospitals here are poor quality, and a horrible waiting time. There is a ward activity comming up, a play of the parables of Jesus. The Elders Quorum is doing the good samaritan, and I will be playing the role of the priest. My companion made me arepas today for breakfast, look them up, it is some amazing colombian food, with ham and cheese in the inside, MMMMMMmmm. Elder Lopez is the best. I am excited to see how next week goes. Congrajulations Debbie and Garth. That is so cool that you got married. One more on the way, Josh and Dani. How cool all the rain you are getting. How awesome baptisms for the dead are, did you do your own names. Tell everybody I say hi, I would write more but I am out of time. take care. It has been a beautiful, Rainy day! I love the rain, and they say we will have rain all week long. It is just a light drizzle, with a cool breeze, the perfect climate. I have seen miracles this week in the field, God has put us in the perfect place, at the right time to make a difference. First, if you remember we are preparing a 12 year old girl, Daniela, for baptism. Last Saturday her mom, Ana, went to the hospital for a surgery that she has been waiting for for about a month now. They did a few examens to prepare her for the surgery monday. We visited her in the hospital to show our support. Monday, when they started they ran into an unexpected problem, that the public hospital couldn`t handle. They were really worried, so they called us, asking if the ward could help out. We called the bishop, and he went at night to visit with the family to help out. Then yesterday his 2nd counselor went to the hospital to find out more about the situation. It was amazing that the members could react to help out, so Daniela`s family could feel their support at this difficult time. Ana has been going to church alone, with the help of the ward, but with the help the bishopbric has given when they need it is helping change their feelings towards the church. I hope everything goes well in the hospital, and Ana can get better. Please pray for them. I also hope the family will be more receptive and humbled through this experience, and start participating and going to church with Daniela. They really need the gospel to strengthen their family, because they have fallen a little into the ways of the world. There have a lot to overcome, but I have high hopes, and want the best for Daniela, who is working so hard towards baptism. Please pray for them. Yesterday durring the lesson with Daniela, the girlfriend of her cousin, Valentina, suprised us and showed a lot of interest in our message. She asked about what we do as missionaries everyday, and we started to get to know her. She told us that she had participated with an evangical church, but had fallen away a little. She asked how we knew the church was true, and we shared our personal experiences, and asked her if she would like to know more. She said she was very interested, that she had asked her preacher how to know if that church was the true church, and he said she had to pray to find the truth, the same that we teach. She prayed, and felt nothing. We shared about the restoration of the gospel, and invited her to pray to know if it was true. We invited her to read the first pamphlet to find out more, and told her we would like to talk more about it the next time. She joyfully excepted. I was so suprised, it was a miracle. Maybe she had fallen into some bad habits, like smoking and other worldly things, but you should never judge somebody without knowing thier story and giving them a chance to know the truth and change thier life. Maybe she has a long way to go, but she has the desire and I know that if she is willing to know the truth, she will see everything change. God is just that cool. Another miracle, all the appointments had fallen through monday, durring divisions with another elder, so we started knocking doors. 8 hours of knocking doors, and talking to people in the streets. We had talked to a lot of people that just weren`t interested, there are always peole like that. A small barking dog even peed on my foot through the gate when I wasn`t looking. But we found some people who were really interested in our message. One, Akilis, a Haitiano who we stopped on the street returning from work, and said he had never heard of the mormons, that never happens! He said he was living in a factory, and couldn`t invite us in, but liked the message of the restoration, and said he would like to meet up somewhere elso. We got his phone number, and I feld strongly that he would be the one we were looking for all day long. God works in misterious ways. This week we have talked to people in the streets, in elevators, and outside there houses that have been really receptive, people prepared by god. Today we went to buy mate yerba and the woman we always buy mate from started to ask about what we do as missionaries. She had seen a lot of missionaries buy mate before there. We shared a little of the gospel, and she opened up, talking about her dad that was sick in the hospital, and the faith and trust she had in God. We talked about the restoration, and the blessings and strength that she could have in her life, and she accepted the challenge to recieve the missionaries were she lives. I felt the spirit so strong, it was definately another miracle. This is the work of God, and He is at the head. It was a great week. We also went to Franklin, and ate colombian food with my companion, and bought a few things to try. It was a good Pday. I am so happy to hear from you all, I love you all. I am excited for Josh`s wedding, and Debbie`s wedding, Kris`s mission, School to start, and the success Jeremy is having on the mission. There is just so much going on. Thank you for remembering me though it all. Have a great week, Elder Chandler
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