July 29, 2013

July 29, 2013

Hey, Everyone!

It has been a great week. Trying to really change the focus to make some more things happen in this sector, really all by way of the members! We are trying to make some changes so that we can find people that are really interested in being taught. But it’s going to start with some good practices--we have a lot to improve in our actual lessons. But we are sure that the Lord has a lot of blessings waiting for us, and we are trying to be the missionaries to deserve those blessings.

We had interviews with President on Tuesday; he has a ridiculously awesome house. I would send pics but I forgot my camera cord. Next time. President Arrington is a completely different man than President Humphreys was but has such inspired advice. Just a reminder that even those new to the mission are qualified for the callings they have. We had a good interview and then all that afternoon I was with Elder Rees; we went in the assistants’ truck to Concepcion to be with one of their investigators that’s getting divorced in order to get baptized, to the lawyer’s. It was up in one of the classiest offices in Concepcion, big tall building way up in the sky with all the big shots, ahoy! That was a new experience. Then we worked, taught Law of Chastity to Pamela, thought it went well. And then the next morning had a great study time. He’s a really inspired missionary and guy and I always learn a ton from him.

We also did some more baptismal interviews for other sectors this week. The sisters have a bunch of really, really great investigators right now; it’s pretty awesome to see them go. We are trying to follow their example in that regard. The Kimballs, one of the mission’s elderly couples, brought me my packages one night, that was sweet. Big win with the cookies, Mom, and waiting for the 4th to open the rest.

So then Pamela was avoiding us kind of but finally, yesterday, we were able to talk it out. She had felt offended [by the Law of Chastity discussion] and obligated, though I really feel like we didn’t really say anything. So we just apologized but firmly explained that it is not just a thing of the church but a commandment of God that marriage is a holy institution, etc, etc, etc. We felt inspired to teach about the Book of Mormon, and we explained how that is the key. If that book is true, everything else is, as well. So we left them a part, with the invitation to pray, and we will go back tomorrow to see. Hopefully both her and her pareja can make the right choices.

With Elder Rees, we studied the talk, "Where is Thy Pavilion," by President Eyring. I had been wondering how to feel more spiritually guided all the time, and we had a good talk about how we sometimes put that barrier between us and revelation, how often it comes from where our desires are, where our motivations are. It was a good moment of self reflection to figure out what I am doing here--the quote Dad gave me from Plato stands out. “Man does not live for himself alone.” So, with that attitude, I am looking forward to keep trying to humbly serve the Lord and give Him my all. If we do it all for Him, it´s all about them. With that focus, I think everything else will just follow.

It’s a process, but I feel I have been progressing a lot and am excited for this next week. Lots to do and grow, but what’s better than that?! It would be too easy if it were any other way, right?!

Hope everyone is doing great. Live up the summer, all that tennis, running, hikes, swimming, golf, etc. Love you all! For my birthday meal, I hope you all eat some good avocado and tomato and mayonnaise hotdogs (completos) for me!

Chao chao

Elder Brown

July 22, 2013

July 22, 2013

Hey, Everyone!

It has been a fun week--got a letter from the Durham YSA ward, from Christmas, I think—thanks, Chilean mail! But that was still cool. Thanks, Durham YSA!

It was a pretty fun week, same old same old. We have been teaching a young family, and the parents are unfortunately not married but they are super nice and have a lot of desires to learn. Their names are Pamela and Cesar. So keep them in your prayers that they can receive responses to the truthfulness of the Gospel.

Elder Durrant gave his first talk in church yesterday--it was awesome! He is progressing so much and just has a lot of desires to be really diligent, which is super awesome. And his Spanish is finally starting to come together a bit--more than anything, I think he is just gaining confidence in himself.

The health is okay, lots of skin problems, and it has been super cold--the tradeoff with less rain is that it is freezing, add that the mission told us we couldn’t use our electric blankets at night anymore, so there have been some cold ones. Rough stuff. Don’t let me ever complain about summer again.

The Lirquen sisters are baptizing! It’s awesome! They have made a lot of progress and are seeing lots of blessings, so that’s neat. We are hoping next week they will have another; the lady, Jamie, just needs to keep from smoking! But she is doing great. Elder Durrant and I gave her a priesthood blessing. Great family.

Anyways, this week we have interviews with President and tomorrow Elder Rees is going to come do a minicambio with me! I’m super excited; Elder Rees is my hero. If I were Catholic, I’d probably have an Elder Rees shrine. Real solid guy who knows his stuff. So that should be a great chance to learn from the best.

So this week we are going to be working with Pamela and Cesar and keep finding those good prepared people. I have been thinking a lot this week about what I wish I would have done to prepare for my mission more. I think learning to recognize and follow the promptings of the Spirit would have been the most key thing to practice and really internalize. I was just thinking about that the other day. I have also been reading in the New Testament--gotta love Timothy. Good old “fight the good fight,” interesting how that is what we are called to, and it’s really talking about covenants there. So, through our covenants, we can fight the fight of faith, which is what we have all been called to do. Neat stuff.

That’s pretty much all that’s been going on here for the week. In three weeks, the cambio ends, Elder Carter goes home, and I’m almost positive I will be leaving Valle Hermoso. So we only have a few more weeks to find families and to leave the sector better than I found it! Working hard and smart and really just loving the people more than anything!

Elder Brown

July 15, 2013

July 15, 2013

Hey, Everyone!

It has been great hearing from everyone, sounds like a lot of trips and a lot of summer busyness. Isn’t it funny how summer breaks are supposed to be breaks but they always end up being more busy than the school year? I guess it’s good to be making a lot out of the time but I also like President Uchtdorf’s talk about never wearing busyness as a badge of recognition; “Of Regrets and Resolutions.” Relax, and enjoy the journey. Do we listen to beautiful music just waiting for the last note?! That talk is a favorite, especially when given in a German accent.

It has been a pretty fun week; we had a good Monday in Conce. The mission office changed locations to an old, abandoned chapel that they shut down about ten years ago. We also went to good ol’ Mamut, which is like Chilean American food. Picture the Texas Embassy in London, which actually isn’t that great but you think it’s delicious because there is nothing else like it. Yep, that’s Mamut.

We had a pretty good week, had a good district meeting to start it off, where we practiced our first lessons and how we can really help people understand our purpose as missionaries and help them actually be committed to their commitments to read, pray, come to church, be baptized, etc. It went pretty well. The sister missionaries have some great people that they are teaching that I have met, and I’m really excited for them. We are all kind of struggling to really find new quality people that can progress, though; we are going to make it a really big focus this week to find those families that need the gospel and that are looking for changes in their lives. The escogidos, or “chosens,” that as D&C 29:7, I believe, says, “listen to the voice and don’t harden their hearts.”

We have seen a lot of miracles in Elder Carter and Elder Marte's sector, which just happens to be our same limits but just a different name. I went out with Elder Carter for a day to see what was up, not sure exactly what it is that they are doing differently from us that helped them started finding all these people. More than anything, I think that as we keep working with an attitude of gratitude for the many blessings that we do have, and really try to work with the ward to make things happen, we will start to see lots more interested investigators as well.

I think it is all in attitude, though, and that the good attitude starts with humility and gratitude for blessings. I have been studying the “Beware of Pride” talk (actually the whole district did) from President Benson, as well as a talk from President Monson about gratitude. I think just seeing all the good, rather than the bad, might be the trick to starting to see more blessings here.

I have really been struck recently with the importance of Preach My Gospel, and how it is really a handbook to life more than just the mission. It’s really cool—it’s interesting how everything that we are learning here will apply for the rest of our lives--I have learned that I am going to have a very clean house as an adult. It’s interesting how little things like that really make a big difference! Laziness, stress, disappointments can all really be avoided by just living good, healthy lives and the principles of the gospel. Wouldn’t it be easy if everyone could just realize that?!

I have also been really struck by what a team effort this is--from Grandmas emails about all their prayers and how worried Mom always is for me and Dad’s chill advice and the rare times that Maggie sends me letters and the girls' spiritual thoughts or Rachel’s complaints or letters from friends, I guess I really am blessed to have such a great support team! So thanks for that.

I think we are going to eat some fish today. That’s what Elder Durrant wants, and gotta keep the kids happy, right? Good stuff--ate some cochillullo, which is like an algae--not great. But have a fun week! Pray for us to find some peeps to teach!

Love,

Zach

 

Zach with a huge spur for dancing the Chilean queca

Zach with ram's horns

July 8, 2013

July 8, 2013

Hey, Everyone!

As we have put a lot more trust in the Lord and really just searched how we can do things His way better, we have had a lot more successful of a week as far as teaching goes--also all the focus that we have been putting on our recent converts is finally paying off--they were almost all at church this week, it was awesome! Even with them all, though, the attendance was low--we are really putting a big focus on doing a lot more activities and everything to get the members excited to come. We have been going around to a lot of people, as well, just trying to help them understand the importance of keeping their covenants TODAY. Alma 34. A great chapter to help people feel some godly sorrow and repent. Which we all need, am I right or am I right?!

We had some really good days--Just a chill p-day in Penco, ate some greasy food, slept, got some haircuts (that took forever). Tuesday it rained hard all day, that was real good stuff. Good news was that more people let us in! We made this week a big focus on this one family, Yeni and Andres and their kids, but they aren’t married and are living in really bad circumstances so it has been tough. We are really helping them, though, and they were excited for church but, at the last second, something happened and they couldn’t come. That would have been the perfect end to the week but instead we will just have to wait until next week. Unfortunate.

We saw some real blessings in the district, though--the sisters of Lirquen have just come alive and are taking over the town. They have been working very hard and seeing a lot of blessings--we are very excited for the people they have, as well as the possibilities we have in our own sector.

We had fun half celebrating July 4th--got a bunch of little cakes and cookies and junk and roasted Twinkies over a half fire for the five minutes we had to spare that night. But it was worth it. Great times.

Also, we had a great conference on Friday! Met President Arrington, he is a great man and really had some inspired words, as well as his wife who just seems so nice and excited to be here. They both are very inspired and clearly excited to be here, although definitely seem a little overwhelmed. The Assistants just kind of have the mission on their back right now!

Helped take off a roof this week; I think by the time I leave Chile I will know how to build an entire house. I can already do the walls, and the roof--electriciy might be tricky but who needs that anyways. These Chileans sure don’t. Wood stoves is where it’s at. That’s really all you need--and bread and mate. That sums up a Chilean winter pretty much.

We have had a much better and more spiritual week as we have really just depended on the Lord more. We are going to keep working hard and just doing the best that we can! We are here to serve and we are going to live up to the great callings we have. And reach all the potential the Lord has for us!

Love you all! Thanks for all the letters and the prayers! Keep praying for us in the cold and rain!

Elder Brown

 

 Roasting Twinkies to celebrate the Fourth of July with Elder Durrant

One of the young men from the ward made them this great flag

Making peanut butter cookies with Francisco, Romina, Victor, and Lesly

 Spending good times with Elder Saenz, Elder Carter, and Elder Blomfield at the conference with his new president, President Arrington.

Taking off a roof, crowbar in hand. They call a crowbar a "diablo," which means "devil." Wonder why?