January 6, 2014

January 6, 2014

Hello, hello! 

All the little kids here yell that at us--that and, "One, two, tree, one, two, tree, was yer name, was yer name" and other things that kind of sound like really bad words... The other day, a little kid in the street, like eight years old, with his mom right there, asked me what some profanities in English meant: kinda shocked me at first and then I told him that it means, "I want to be Mormon!" The mom laughed--but then they accepted to get baptized in three weeks. Ha ha, just kidding, that would be cool, though!

We have seen some amazing growth this week. All the missionaries are working super hard, even with some tough days, what with the holidays and all. Ain’t nobody want to talk with missionaries on New Years’, what with all the alcohol. Not even the members! On New Years’ Day, I think we woke up people in every single house we went to. Good stuff. 

Amazing to see the contrast between the poverty and vice in this sector compared to the peace and hope that the Gospel brings. We have been teaching a family recently, who live in a block that shouldn’t have people living in it—it’s condemned and everything. But they have gotten super active, and it is amazing going to that place, feeling so dark all around, and then entering their house with pictures of Jesus, the temple, and a happy little family all around and the Spirit there. And the awesome thing is that their neighbors are starting to feel it, too-- this Friday, we are doing an FHE in the chapel, and inviting ALL of them! So pray for that, we really have a great chance to change all these people’s lives, maybe save some of their kids from the same future even. 

We have been having fun and working hard. I get along real well with Elder Solari but it is hard finishing the mission. I think when it’s my turn, I’m not going to tell anyone when I’m finishing; the members love to talk about it and that’s when it gets rough. Poor old missionary. Thank goodness that ain’t me!

Today we are going to go check out the Huascar, a Peruvian ship that the Chileans beat in battle and is now in the harbor, supposed to be really cool but usually closed Mondays but we have a hookup in our sector. Gonna be sweet.

The gospel is true! Have a great week everyone!

Elder Brown

December 30, 2013

Merry Christmas to all, and Happy New Year’s!

It has been an amazing week. We have gone caroling, done a Christmas concert for all of Chiguayante, taught some great lessons, talked to a lot of people, had a lot of fun with our missionaries, and built our relationships with the members. We have tons of potential in this ward, and in the zone, and are excited to see miracles as we keep just applying the Gospel of Christ. 

Got some cards from the Bradford family, the Wardrops, and a package from David Bradford that I’m excited to open! Say hello to all of them, and thank you! Also, while we are at it, say hi to Brother Seamons, Brother Wynder, Brother Bachelder, Sister King, Sister Cox, and all the rest of the great ward family. Being in other wards and seeing the importance of the organization, I am SO grateful that I have always been in a great, functional, amazing ward, where I could trust in my leaders 100 percent to be there and always make fun things happen for us youth. And there is nothing like having those elderly examples in the ward, that just teach us so much through their experience, and all the charity and kindness they have. I think it’s still my favorite to visit the fun older members of the wards, they just love everyone so much! And it’s true with the Riverwood Ward, as well. 

It has been a fun week but we now need to get all the zone back on track. Time to put the nose completely back to the grindstone, and, now that no one is distracted by Skype or anything like that, we are going to get things clicking. We are trying to put the focus in the zone of being owners of their sectors-- really just being on top of everything, leaving nothing to chance, following through with all the responsibilities. If we can apply that in all the zone, we will see miracles this month. 

Elder S and I are working hard and having fun, and this week is going to be Great! With a capital G! It is his last week to find people that can still get baptized while he is here, so there is a ton of urgency. We are going to be talking with EVERYONE! Just like we should be every week... Intersting how that works sometimes. 

But, I hope everyone had an amazing Christmas focused on Christ and are making Christ-focused goals for the New Year. My goal is to memorize more scriptures and be a more consecrated missionary. Won’t bore y’all with the specifics but, in the end, what else do you need?! 

Say hello to everyone, and have a great New Year’s!
Zach

 

Just before Christmas, Santa made his customary visit to the family home in Provo and spent a traditional moment with Zach on his knee.

December 23, 2013

This is Zach's Mom writing. Zach didn't really send a letter this week because we were mostly just coordinating our Skype session on Christmas morning (exciting!) but he sent some fun photos...

Saying goodbye to his Tome companion, Elder Rhodes. Sad stuff!

Hello, Chiguayante! There's a pretty river running through town (behind him).

His companion, Elder Solari, from Uruguay, on the far right. He has one month left. His former companion, Elder Durrant (left of Zach), "his son" (since he trained him). And Elder Durrant's companion on the far left, Zach's "grandson," since Elder Durrant (his son) is training him. All four live together in an apartment. They are having a great time!

Playing soccer today with the Concepcion Zone. In the Chiguayante Zone and the Concepcion Zone, there are only 3 hermanas total, which is highly unusual.

December 16, 2013

December 16, 2013

Hey Everyone!

It has been a great week. We had seven recent converts come to church and four less actives, so the work is going well there. I think that in my time in Tome I’ve really been able to help a lot of people and feel the spirit and grow in a lot of different ways. I am very excited to apply all that I have learned here as I head out to Chiguayante tomorrow! I will be with Elder S from Uruguay; he was comps with Elder R before and seems to be a great guy, so I’m excited for that. I’m leaving the zone in a good place, which I’m happy for, but I wish that the work in our sector was going better. We are still struggling to find some good people. 

I am happy for what I have learned with Elder R. He has been a great example and really helped me grow, I think, in a lot of ways. And aside from all the tough times here, I think that I have had a good effect on the missionaries, which makes me happy. Our district leaders seem like they have grown a lot, and that’s great to see. 

Maybe the most important growth I have seen here, though, is in myself. I have learned to be more direct, trust in the Spirit more, be a better example, and use every opportunity to do what the Lord would. I have learned a lot and it’s been a real shaping time in the mission. I’m so excited to go and apply all that and keep progressing out in Chiguayante! 

Here are some fun pictures of Chilean life. It has been a weird Christmas season, with definitely less emphasis on the commercialism this year. Maybe it’s just a Tome thing but there aren’t many lights, and it still hasn’t really hit, which is a weird feeling, especially with it being so nice out on the beach all the time. Livin’ the life out here in Chile!

So pray for all us missionaries and for the work here! Hopefully all the cambios go well tomorrow and we will see y’all next week!

Elder Brown

Pretty exciting baptism of "my main man" Fabian

The graffiti says Tome is again ZB. How sad!!

Pretty awesome tie we found at the Fam Ortiz!

What a talented zone!

The Tome Zone

The sisters are spelling out "Tome"

Zach is beautiful Dichato

December 9, 2013

December 9, 2013

It has been an interesting week. Fabian got baptized finally! He was super happy, and his family all came! He is going to be a great missionary someday. 

We have been seeing progress in the zone, as well. It’s amazing what a good direct talk with the leaders can do--I was able to have a good study with one of our district leaders, and the attitude really changed. We are going to start having a lot more success from it. 

I have been really trying to stay focused all the time, to remember the importance of every little thing we do. Someone always sees our example, and the results of our actions. If we ever betray that trust living or doing or saying things that don’t correspond with what we want to be or portray, it can take a long time to rebuild that reputation. So I am trying to be that exact example of obedience, animo, humility, and kindness with firmness that I know that the Savior expects from me. 

We have been working with Claudia, the wife of a less-active member from my old sector in Penco a lot. She is a great mother but we need to help her follow through with her desires and get to Church! And then her family will follow--in the end it all starts with the Mom.

It is interesting to me that it is almost Christmas. When you’re still waiting for the snow to fall, it doesn’t really feel like Christmas at all. I guess in the misison it all just feels the same, we have that same focus on Christ year round. That is such a blessing, and it’s amazing the progress we experience from that. Testimonies build, and our desires to be good turn into actions, which is really the important thing.

We are having fun and seeing the effects in our members, less-actives, recent converts, and investigators! I hope you are all finding ways to spread the love of Christ to all those around you!

Elder Brown

Elder Brown and Elder Rhodes amazed at another enormous lunch provided by Domingo

Fabian's baptism

Fabian with Elder Rhodes and Elder Brown

The mission olympics, which completely failed because no one from the ward came

Jumbo asparagus, Maggie's worst nightmare

Crazy huge hamburger lunch from Domingo

Hermana Maggie made the elders chocolate chip cookies but possibly without any brown sugar but still very delicious

Always too much food!!

December 2, 2013

December 2, 2013

Hey, Everyone!

It’s been a good week! We have had some great baptisms in the zone, and it has been neat to see the changes in the ward! In testimony meeting yesterday, some of the members got up and said some really nice things about us as missionaries, that we had helped them--it is always great to hear that, since the nature of being a missionary is that we don’t always see the real fruits of our labors right there. 

I have been thinking a lot about just how simple the gospel really is. It really is just love God with all your heart, might, mind and strength; and love your fellow man. It really includes everything else in there, all the other commandments and things we do, the ordinances and covenants just really fall into place with that one biggie. I was reading a part in the Bible about the Athenians that would listen to the apostles but, as soon as they realized there was nothing new, they lost interest and rejected them. It happens a lot; but the crazy thing about the gospel is that it’s just that simple, and that’s what makes it so amazing. It’s just about how deeply we apply those simple concepts that we begin to see truly intricate and complex blessings in every way.

These are the questions that always help me be a more devoted disciple of Christ:

How much faith do I really have?

How repentant am I really?

How focused am I on the ordinances, and how much respect do I have for them?

And how devoted am I to keeping my covenants?

Right there sums up the gospel, I think. Applying those is what brings the Spirit and changes everything, makes it all run nicely and brings the blessings. 

Looking forward to a great week, having a great time here in Tome! Say hi to everyone!
Love,

Zach