December 17, 2012

December 17, 2012

Hey Everyone!

So we just finished up this cambio this week! We have been really busy working with the ward, biking all around Talca, Chile, to find all the members of the ward that have died or moved or lie to us and say they don’t live there any more... all that good stuff. The ward really appreciates us, and the bar is very high for us here in this ward. We have lots of room to improve-- I am looking forward to the opportunity to try out being companero mayor for at least a few weeks-- I think Elder Urubali, something like that, who is going to be my new comp, is going to be district leader here; he has about a year in the mission, I think. These seven weeks with him should be great.

I have gotten four packages I think-- one from the Taylors, one from Gma and Gpa, one little one from Mom, and a big one from Mom. I wrapped them all up so it actually feels a little like Christmas-- but not really because it is really hot, we don’t have a tree; it’s really different and weird. But we have lots of things to do and a lot of work so no time to miss home.

This Wednesday we had our mission conference for Christmas! It was pretty neat-- about 100 missionaries there, the half of the mission. President and Sister Humphrey spoke briefly, there were some special numbers, we watched the video of photos from all the mission they had made which was really cool and funny, and then ate and got our packages. Ate a ton of chicken, rice, gravy, banana, and an AMAZING brownie. Its been a long time since I’ve eaten something chocolatey. That tasted good, at least.

We had a good English class on Thursday-- We compared the Book of Mormon with the Libro de Mormon, reading a Christmas part, Helaman 14:5-8. One guy got really mad-- said he was there to learn English, not about the Mormons, but whatever. His loss.

Yesterday we had lunch with the bishop--our favorite lunch. He lives outside of Talca, and always takes forever-- we never get back before 4, and we are supposed to start working at 3:30. But oh well. Not really anything we can do about that. But his sister-in-law was there, from North Carolina! She is very Chilean and is not very good at speaking English, even though she has lived there for 20 years, in Fayetteville, go figure. But it was fun to talk to her.

Lots of funny stories too-- and miracles as well. Elder Conti, who gets really offended whenever anyone confuses Paraguay and Uruguay, and I were in a part of Talca where all of the street names are names of countries. I was teasing him about Uruguay, oh woops, Paraguay, and he said the next time I said something he was gonna hit me (joking of course). But the next person we talked to told us the person we were looking for lived in "the pasaje Uruguay.... woops, Paraguay.... ah, it’s okay, they’re the same." It was hilarious. We both started laughing, and the lady had no idea what happened.

A sidenote-- Elder Call, who used to be in this sector, is from Rock Hill, South Carolina. So there ya go, Tom and Cars. By the way-- hope finals went well for all those studious students! Allie, Cody, Tom, Cars, anyone else who is in school and happens to be reading this!

Also-- The Story of The Negrita
Elder Conti, about six weeks ago, ordered a jersey of Paraguay from a store near our house. The guy told him it would be ready in a week. We came back, he said it would be ready in two days. This has gone on for about the past six weeks, each time with Elder Conti getting more and more frustrated. About three weeks ago, I told him that if his jersey was there the next day, like the guy said, I would buy him a negrita, a really good cookie thing they have here in Chile. He said that the Spirit had manifested to him that his jersey would be ready. It wasn’t. So I told him he could wait to buy me my negrita until it came. It never came. So finally, here we are with my negrita.

We have had a lot of good lessons and seen a lot of changes in the ward and in ourselves, but one experience sticks out from this week. Before the English class we met in the chapel with a member and Felipe, the boy from the streets that has had a lot of problems with drugs and is homeless. We had given up on him a little because he didn’t show to help us do service. But they showed up, and we taught about faith. He was having a really hard time understanding-- he has clearly been pretty damaged by the drugs. But we invited him to give the closing prayer, which he eventually did, and as he was praying, he just started to cry. It was a really powerful experience, and even though he didn’t come to church Sunday, hopefully he will continue to progress.

Love you all! Feliz Navidad! 2 Ne 19:6. I think. Go Handel. I mean Nefi. I mean Isaiah.

Elder Brown

All the bread we got one day from families. Dont worry, the next day someone gave us some marmalade. Apricot (damasco).

That sign says avoid disturbances. Like missionaries.

December 10, 2012--with photos!

Hey folks!

Welp. Another cambio is coming to its end. A short one, only five weeks, so that the elders who are leaving can get home before Christmas! Fun for them. A little sad for us. But we are going to have a great time with all the activities comin up with the ward and everything here in TC! 

It will be weird going back to school again after the mission, but definitely not any harder. The schedule on the mission really teaches you how to use your time wisely- one mess up in the schedule and literally nothing else goes as well as you would like. 

So let’s see. Lots going on this week in Talca Centro. We have had a lot of people who we thought were golden just completely go off the deep end. One called us completely drunk and I talked with him for about 5 minutes how he just loves us but has different views of the Word of Wisdom and convenios and all that. Good guy, but honestly, the Chileans can be pretty frustrating at times. Chismosos, mentirosos, orgullosos. But it’s great to find those that want to listen to us and change their lives. We have a few that we are visiting that are promising, but it is still early and we will see. Really it all depends on if they can have enough faith to try to go to church. If they can just go once they are gonna feel something special there, and that makes all the difference. 

It’s us and Jardin del Valle in our district now- we had a minicambio this week again, me with Elder Silva again, but this time in TC. He is pretty tough to work with. Very quiet direct, but a good missionary. Didnt have a lot of success with him. Didnt plan well enough, and didnt get all the visits we needed done. But this week should go a lot better. We have some investigators that should start to progress. Ill share about two of them.

Javier has talked a lot with missionaries in the past. He is a real nervous guy that suffers from panic attacks. Lives with his parents, he is almost forty. I think he has troubles with smoking. He has gone to church once, and he wants to be baptized, but he has a hard time going to church because it makes him really nervous. Which is sad. But we will work hard with him and pray that he can have the faith and courage to do what he needs to.

Felipe is a young guy that was in Church on Sunday with a member. She found him on the street and invited him to church. He has worked as a clown in the circus but got into drugs and now lives on the street. He is a good guy, but seems like he has a hard time understanding, and we are pretty sure he can’t read, although he says he can. We talked with him at church, then visited him in the members house later in the afternoon. We are gonna look for a job for him, do some service with him, and really just try to save this kids life. It’s possible, if he is willing to just do it.

But that’s how it is. It’s all there- people just need to ACT! Super simple- like lookin at a snake on a stick, but still, for pride, or malcomunicacion, or other things, people who honestly need what we have won’t do anything! It’s sad. But we do what we can. I am learning lots of patience and I think I have learned a lot about the balance we need as missionaries with Elder Conti. Fun, but spiritual. Direct, but loving. Focused on our purpose of bringing others to Christ and helping them receive eternal life, rather than the darn numbers. And more patience. And probably above all, humility. Poco por poco thats startin to come too. 

We have been fixing the ward records all week- updating them to all the people that have died, moved, the houses that no longer exist after the terramoto, and all  the menos activos that lie to us when we ask if they know the member.

While we were updating that, we realized that Rayen Concha, a less active daughter of Fabiola, our favorite lady who washes our clothes, hasn’t been baptized. We are working on that, but Fabiola is really strict that she won’t force her daughter to do anything and she doesn’t want us doing it either. So we have to tread really carefully there. Jose our golden investigator who won’t keep the word of wisdom and doesn’t understand repentance is living in a house of all guys who yell at us. Drunks. Awkward the lessons there. 

We are having a mission conference this week- should be really neat to see everyone! Hopefully I see Elder Shumway! Keep me updated on all the mission calls- Awesome that Steph Tidwell is coming here! I met an elder Riley Greenwood today, the son of Ann Perry, the daughter of Peggy Wheelwright today. Had no idea I had a relative in this mission. Whoda thunk. 

Say hi to Allie and Ben and Thomas and Carson for me- they're all great and I hope things are going well as they finish up their semester! Game time! 

Well, that’s all for now folks. Check in next week to find what happens to us in our next transfer. Should be interesting. 99 to 1 says that Elder Conti is outta here. Me- I’m guessin at least one more. Probably two or three. Cause that’s how I roll. Kinda scary- but exciting!

Have a great week!
Elder Brown

This is me in front of a weird rock church by our house. The sign says they are preparing the saints for latter days, and talks about the same organization, apostles, profetas, etc. They are called "Hijos de trueno." Like James and John. Boanerges. Ha ah funny stuff.

Me with my Christmas packages! I took the liberty of wrapping them on up.

Me and Elder Greenwood. Good guy. Good at soccer too. He was just here for the day- not really sure why. But cool! 

December 3, 2012

December 3, 2012

Hey, Everyone!

Sounds like lot’s going on... not a ton of time to write but we are working better here in Talca Centro! Had an inspection of our house today (passed with flying colors) -- and we played tennis, too! It was great. The courts were all dirt, and I don’t think we were supposed to be playin’ on them... but hey, tennis is tennis. Borrowed racquets from a member and played with Elder Skyler Smith from St. George. Good stuff. Fun stuff.

Our fridge broke this week as we were cleaning it. So...workin’ on that one.

We baptized Sandra this week! She was so ready and the baptism was great! Both of us were in the font to help her out--she has had a stroke, and she has a hard time moving.

One experience that really stands out this week is when we were on divisions with the ward. I was with one hermano, Cristian Chamorro, and we were trying to visit a less active. Couldn’t find him but I asked him if there was anyone else we could visit, and we totally found a good investigator. He was really excited and it was great. I’ll try to share more experiences, but we don’t have a lot of time today between playin’ tennis and having that inspection.

Let’s see--we don’t have any really great investigators right now--lots that could be great but we are just starting with all of them. We are working really hard, though, to get a lot of them in the church so they can progress. I am getting’ the swing of things here in Talca Centro--Elder Conti thinks he is going to leave this transfer and that I’m going to train. Don’t think I like that idea--going to be even more stress doin’ that. But it’s whatever. Better to be focusing on that than missing everything that’s going on at home.

I have seen President like three times, I think? At conference, our interviews, and a training we had on Thursday. Good stuff. Nice guy. Seems really relaxed with everything, which is kinda how ya have to be in Chile, I guess.

So we have been working hard this week. I got a letter from Tom and Cars! Sounds like things are great. Good to hear from them. Classic Tom quote: 'Forget UNC anyway, am I right?' Ha ha. And Carson in religion class with his Buddhist teacher. I’m sure that’s been interesting. I sent a letter to them, too--should get there by the time I get back to Duke. Hopefully.

We got cussed out this week by a drunk in the street, yellin’ at us that we lied to his mother. He had a really long white beard. Basically we got cussed out by the Chilean Santa Claus.

(About the photos from Carson, Tom, and Allie)

Wow, classic photo of Carson with a HUGE beard. What a man. And James! Good guy. Send my regards to him, as well. And great photos of Allie—I’d love to know more about those guys she is with... Na, just kidding. Great Christmas photo of them. In plaid. Lumberjacks. Tom with the pumpkin! Ha ha good stuff. And Molly Culhane... what dance was that? Looks like it was a party. Looks like Cars Daddy trimmed the beard up for that one. Well... looks like all is going good out there. Are Tom and Cars gonna visit Utah this winter?

What else happened this week. Had a good training session all Thursday morning with the president. It was about how to teach more like Christ. I’m really confident in Elder Conti and my abilities in teaching. We are doing well. Just need to keep working hard. Had a mini change with Elder Silva from Santiago this week, in Jardin Del Valle. Super hard two days—lots of walking really fast--taught like three lessons total. Super hard. I learned a lot, especially about optimism and keeping the good attitude! Really essential to the work. Havin’ fun!

Have fun in Hawaii, too. Send my love to everyone! And Maggie, too, even though she doesn’t write me. Punk.

Heard you talked with Al Sanchez! Good stuff! Awesome! Love that guy. He alone will make it hard to leave TC. Give my love to everyone!

Zach

P.S. Tell Carson to shave the beard! That thing is ridonk. He looks like the Chilean Santa Claus that cussed us out.

November 26, 2012

November 26, 2012

Hey everyone!

Sounds like everyone is doing really well and had a great Thanksgiving weekend!

Hard week this week in Talca. We have lost a lot of our investigators. We need to find a lot more people, through references from the ward, checking old investigators. We are in for some long afternoons and some long weeks ahead, I fear. We don’t really have any great prospects for December, besides Sandra. The future is as bright as our faith, as Pres. Monson dice.

For Thanksgiving, we ate soup. A little depressing. We have eaten a lot of artichoke and fried fish this week, strangely.

Saw a kid in the streets of Chile this week with a Duke shirt on! “Duke Basketball: It’s worldwide.” If you didn’t get that... repent. Ha ha, broma. Look it up on youtube.

Well, I think that’s about it for this week. Write me with questions; the days are really just starting to blur together here. I don’t always remember what to write. But we are doing relatively well, pushing forward, and I am learning a LOT about what we will change in the future, like patience, charity, having optimism, and moving forward with faith; also about the kind of missionary I want to be-- focused on my purpose and ready to walk the walk, not just talk it.
I like a quote that I saw in relation to the story of John Tanner, an early Mormon. An apostle, Neal A Maxwell, said that ¨Consecration is the only surrender which is also a victory.¨ Important to remember.

Love you all and send my regards to everyone!
Zach

p.s. I got some letters this week-- the latest was from Oct 20, I think. Got one from Ben-- how is he doing? I’m also sending some letters today-- to Allie, Tom and Cars, and Ben. What’s the news with all of them?

It’s hard to be here right now, thinkin’ about the holiday season. Easier when we are working hard and focused on the investigators. We helped Alejandro Sanchez hang some ornaments and stuff in his house-- and everyone has their Christmas stuff up. Should be lights on the houses soon! Fun stuff.

And just some silly photos... 

"Adrienne!"

(An investigator gave him a boxing glove)

"I wear many different hats as a missionary."

November 19, 2012: Darth Elder

November 19, 2012

Hey everyone!

We have been working really hard this week. They don’t really do Thanksgiving at all in Chile. But I will celebrate by myself if I have to.

We had a good, busy week with lots of appointments and new people to teach. I played the piano in the ward conference for the choir.

Good to hear about Duke basketball, thanks, Dad! Sweet that they beat Kentucky. If they win a natty champ while I’m gone, voy a matar un perro.

We have been working with menos activos all week and trying to get our baptisms! We hope to be baptizing Sandra this week! She was a reference from a member; she has had a stroke and she has a hard time walking. The baptism will be interesting-- should be a good week!

Right now I am with Elder Rhodes of Garland, Utah; Elder Conti went to Chillan for the day. We played some soccer this morning, but all in all it’s been pretty quiet here in Talca Centro this week. Not as hot this week, which was nice. But I think we might have a couple of long months in our future of hot and dusty days. Huzzah!

Starting to feel like I can really understand everyone, contribute well as we teach, help with all the stuff, voice my thoughts in Spanish, and, all in all, it’s really coming together. Weird to think that Christmas is right around the corner. Should be good.

Love you all and mande mis saludas a los de Duke! I’m going to try and write some letters today to Tom and Cars and Allie, that I’ll send next week, I think. We have to go to Cancha Rayada tonight to work! Elder Rhodes only has one more cambio than me in the mish-- he isn’t great with Spanish either--tonight should be lots of fun!

Also this week we had our Ward FHE-- lots of fun. We played a scripture chase game which was fun and ate some goodies we made. Elder Conti and I spent two hours that morning making a bunch of rice crispy treats out of corn flakes (no rice crispies in Chile) that the ward loved. The recipe is secret. It’s our go to--super easy to make.

I think we are going to try to play some tennis next Monday! Also, I want to try and make some chocolate chip cookies. I miss good American food. Ugh. For Thanksgiving, Grandpa is eating turkey for me, Grandma is eating pie, Rachel is eating vegetables I think--I need someone else to take care of the rolls, potatoes and gravy obviously, and whatever else good stuff there is. Add mayonnaise and oil to any of that and it becomes Chilean!

Lots of love,
Zach

Darth Elder Brown with Vicente

November 12, 2012 (Week 16)

November 12, 2012

Hey folks!

Well, here we are in Talca Centro. Elder Conti y yo. Got our cambio noticias this morning! And... we are staying in Talca Centro. No surprise there. I´m really glad I get to hang around here for Christmas with this great ward and with Elder Conti! Even if it is getting hot in a hurry.

We heard about the elections on Wednesday from an hermana in the ward. One of our worse almuerzos-- she didn’t know we were coming. We ate tuna with tomato and pan, with a little rice. Starving for the rest of the day. Her house is just kind of a dark place-- kids are all living a tough lifestyle, she is separated, just feels dirty. And she just dropped it on us that 'el negro salió´(todos Chilenos dicen eso en vez de Obama). The rest of the week we have been answering questions about which I wanted and what I think and all that. We aren’t supposed to talk about politics at all so I just bite my tongue and say they both had good and bad things and kill the subject. Sad stuff, though. Sorry, Mom.

We had another baptism this week! Of Cristofer—finally! It was great-- his ENTIRE family was there-- like twenty Chileans running around in the capilla, none of them members. Wahoo for referencias! We have been working hard with the ward, as well-- trying to really make the work here in Talca a joint effort with everyone. I did the baptizing-- it was neat to pull out the ol’ blanca ropa and give the prayer in Spanish. He was really excited, and I hope he really stays strong in the Gospel all through his teenage years. Life is rough in Chile for the jovenes.

We have been working hard with investigators, as well-- we updated our big map with names of all our investigators and futures and members, etc., to help us plan our days more effectively. We are working better as a team, Elder Conti and I, and I am getting better at just relaxing a little and letting the work happen. It’s frustrating when we don’t meet our goals when we had planned well, or when we spend too long in a house, but it’s better to be charitable and always demonstrate amor than to let that frustration show. I have been working on that.

Had a minicambio with Elder Hernandez, one of our zone leaders, this week. He is from Peru and he is an excellent missionary. A great example for me. Very punctual, very good at controlling conversations, and he teaches powerfully and gets results. He taught me a lot about accountability-- how every goal we are accountable for, if we don’t meet them, and will feel pesar if we don’t get them. Also about planning better and getting more done. Fun guy, too.

We have been working hard and having a great time. I love Talca Centro-- the time is flying by, I can’t believe we are close to halfway through November! Wow! It’s a little sad to think of all the great family and friends and food and relaxing I’m missing at home but we are going to have a great Christmas with the ward, and I am learning so much, and I think am making a difference in many people’s lives. I hope at least a little.

Plenty of time to still enjoy the summer in Talca, love the sweat, the broken bikes, the fallen citas, the porotos, the huge lunches, the arta bebida (literally, my kidneys and liver and spleen and all of me are going to have huge health problems with all this darn Coca-Cola. I hate it), the people, the beautiful city, the good times with the ward and other missionaries!

I hope all goes well this week with everyone! Saludes a Alice, Ben, Tom and Cars, Hno Tonson, Bro Rogerson, Jordan and Han and Adrienne, and all the other Duke people!

Lots of love,
Elder Zach Brown

Elder Brown and Cristofer

November 5, 2012

November 5, 2012

Hola Familia!

I finally got some letters in the mail! Always good to hear some good jokes from the Taylors. Gotta love the mix between a hippi and a hobo. Some great Elliot humor never fails.

So I have started taking notes during the week so that I can write better emails. Here goes. Monday- P-day. Our funds ran out. Unfortunately, we did not receive more until Thursday. After the initial panic of what we were going to eat, we planned it out, got our haircuts, and then went to a member’s house. They gave us a bunch of food, without us even asking, for us to take home. We spent the next couple of days eating these weird cheeto things with mustard. Miracles. Turns out that happened like three other times in the week. We still haven't bought more food.

Did a minicambio with Elder Carter, a zone leader, in Independencia on Tuesday. Talked with this lady who told us the year before her husband and her had been planning to kill themselves and their children because they had zero money and lots of problems. But they pressed forward and now they have baptism dates.

Visited a less active that had two references for us-- it was weird. We spent way too long in their house because he kept asking us to show them things and stuff, awkward. But he was a really funny guy, and he really loved Journey, and wanted to show me all the songs on his phone, and if I knew all of them. It was funny. The Chileans love the eighties and John Denver. I’m not complaining.

Halloween was cool here in Chile. The Chileans have super ghetto costumes they throw on, and everyone just goes to get candy. Lots of people think it’s really demonic. I accidentally asked some really good folks about it (adventistas) and they gave us weird looks. Elder Conti told me later they see it as pagan and I need to be more careful. Woops. Just trying to make some conservacion. But we spent the night in Cancha Rayada with an Elder Zach Broadhead from Bingham-- we met a couple that had gotten married at 13 and 15 years. Awkward-- but they now are preparing for baptism!

We have had some cool experiences with investigators, as well. Met Sandra, who is gold. She walked to church this Sunday, about a mile and a half, even though she has had a stroke and still has a hard time walking. Really amazing. We knocked the last door of the night, turned out to be a member, and taught her husband Raphael with her and gave him a blessing. We came back the next day and he told us after the blessing he felt way better and it was great. Super cool. He was at church Sunday, too.

We had our first English class at the church this Thursday. Nobody came. Awkward. Everyone asked about it after though, and we were just like, uh, yeah, about that. Everyone said it was probably because of the festival this weekend-- oh yeah, huge party week in Talca-- Dia de los Santos on Thursday, Friday, Sat, Sun., everyone was partying and stuff-- so we are going to try again next week, this time a little earlier. We will see.

We have been working hard with the members as well. We work a lot with the youth and try to match our investigators to people in the ward that can help them. It’s really important that we animate the members about the work-- they are SO important. But we go with Germaine, Gabriela, Pablo, los gemelos Kandalaft, etc. All really friendly and helpful usually. We called them once and all the member girls were watching 'Crepusculo' marathon-- Twilight. Funny how some things just don’t change. Speaking of things not changing-- testimony meeting in the ward. Lots of people with very long testimonies. The bishop had to cut it short, but Mamita Fuentes pushed by and bore her testimony real quick. Funny stuff.

But the big news of the week-- Claudia Mundaca got baptized! On Saturday. The baptism had a few problems but it worked and was very spiritual. She even brought a friend! I played the piano-- I play a lot here, thanks Mom-- and she was confirmed the next day. Good stuff. She gave us a scare and didn’t show up to be confirmed til like the second they called her up. Phew. After church we had a great lunch with the bishop of Mexi food and torta de panqueque, tons of manjar. He had one of those marble games that Grandma and Grandpa have in Oakley where you jump and take it away, and I did it with only two left. The bishop was really impressed. I told him Kristy or Mare or someone claims they did it to one once, but he didn’t buy it. Not sure I buy it either. We then went to this missionary activity for the young people of the stake, and taught workshops on missionary service; it went well and got them pumped up to serve and to share the gospel.

Today was great, as well-- we climbed up to the Virgin statue with both zones of Talca, and had a barbecue of churripan, and Hermana Pulsipher made us all Texas sheet cake. Soooo good. I miss good pastries/desserts. All they eat here is fruit with cream or manjar or alfahor-- not much with flavor.

This week we have the baptism of Cristofer coming up-- we have planned it really well and put out lots of invitations-- way more than usual. It’s really important to his mom, and there are going to be a lot of nonmembers there. Hopefully it goes really, really well! He asked me to baptize him, even though I have a really hard time understanding them. They talk really, really campo. But I am definitely getting way better. Comin’ along.

Feeling pretty good about everything! Having lots of good spiritual experiences! I hope that the elections go well-- excited to hear! I hope all is well with everyone, Allie, Ben, the Jacobs, the ward, Duke people, etc.! Sorry to hear about the hurricane--we have answered a lot of questions about the end of days this week. Even members don’t really understand here-- Chileans are very superstitious and have some weird ideas some times. Getting super hot here, too-- summer is going to be pretty tough. Good thing we have a nice rainy winter to look forward to!

To end, a funny story: The bishop asked me a question at the baptism about something. I was pretty sure he said, “What is Claudia's favorite hymn,” to which I answered, “41.” Grande eres tu. Turns out he asked what her full name was. Pretty sure not that. Ah.

Love you all! Have a great week!
Elder Brown