August 2015

David Andres Espinance sent us this picture of Elder Pineyro and Joshua

August 5th

I didn't get a group email from Joshua this week. He said that he didn't have a lot of time. I thought I would share something interesting that he sent in his email to me. (At least, it's something that is important to me.)

Also! I should advise you that there is a very high chance that my trunky papers (in other words, the paper that the mission wants me to fill out letting them know which airport I want to go to and what my
plans are) will be coming in 2 weeks, just because flight tickets are starting to get super expensive. Just a heads up.

Love you mom! Tell everyone else that I miss them!

Elder Faber

David Andres Espinance sent us this picture of Joshua

August 12

 "The Encounter With the Jehovah's Witnesses"

Well, this week has been pretty interesting to say the least. It all started with a new policy that President wanted to start, and then it kind of backfired on us. Let me explain: President Cook wants us to
start creating friendships with other churches, so we have permission to assist their meetings (without wearing name tags) and talk with the members and the pastors/leaders/pope or whatever they have so we can get service, and to show that we aren't a "closed" church. So here's our story...

Thursday, we had a lesson with Juan Ossorio. We went back over the 10 commandments, and he remembered the majority of them! But then we had to chew him out because he wasn't reading the Book of Mormon. Luckily, he has been reading!

Friday we taught Claudia Feliu, a lady that Romney had found with his last comp elder Littlefield. It was a pretty cool lesson, we taught about Christs Atonement, and tried to invite her to baptism. She said
that she would, but at her own pace. However, her mom, Carolina, is an ex-Mormon Jehovah Witness (didn't deny her baptism and is still in MLS; therefore shes still technically a member). She also happens to be very active in her church, but cant seem to convince Claudia to be baptized with the Witnesses. So then we started to teach Claudia because her mom thought it would be OK for her.

BUT!

With Presidents idea in mind, when Carolina invited us to church, we decided to say "yes".

Saturday we had a lesson with Waldo, who is an 80 year old man who plays Ping Pong like a pro. We taught half of lesson 1, mainly because he stopped paying attention halfway through the lesson and tried to change the topic. Romney then had the brilliant idea of inviting him to church, and surprisingly, he accepted! We were thinking, "if this guy comes to church, hes totally getting baptized". At night we talked with Guillermo, and went over the baptismal interview questions. He passed, but there is still the issue of getting his divorce taken care of.

So, unlike the rest of Christianity (except the Adventists), the Jehovah Witnesses have their meetings on Saturday, because they deny the Godhood of Jesus Christ and think that his resurrection doesn't
change which day the Sabbath Day should be. So we met up with Carolina, and went to church(ish). It was a rather cool experience, it really does put you in the shoes of your investigators. During the
meeting they noticed that we didn't have a "Bible" or a hymn book so they gave them to us. However...

At the end of the meeting we got swarmed by Witnesses. Witnesses everywhere... It was like a sea of people that were just drowning us. "How good it is that the Mormons are finally getting to know the
truth!" and "You two will be baptized soon!" and "its good to see potential members!". Luckily, after like 15 or so minutes of people saying hi and such, it calmed down to just us and 3 of the Witnesses
"missionaries". They were really cool people! They walked us home and offered us to play soccer with them. They even offered us a tour of their equivalent of the temple. AND when we told them we didn't have anything to eat when we got home the went and bought us "once". They were super nice.

Sunday I went back to the only true church that exists on the face off the earth. It felt sooooo good being back in the chapel... We didn't get to teach too much the rest of the day tongue emoticon Mostly just walking and contacting.

Monday we ran into the missionaries that walked us home on Saturday. That was interesting! Apparently one of them was so impressed on how willing we were to go visit other churches that she as well started to investigate our church on the Internet, and told me how surprised she was that the church had such a large Welfare Program! AND SHE STARTED TO READ THE BOOK OF MORMON. I helped her understand a little bit of what was going on in 1 Nephi 13. Amazing how just trying to be nice works miracles? And they also gave us their sector map, with all of the times and places were all Witnesses will be at at any given time.I have no idea why they did, but they did.   At night we did a Family Home Evening with Patricia and Javier, and it turned out really well! Talked a lot about the The Family, a Proclamation to the World. 

Yesterday we found out a surprised. After Waldo beat me in Ping Pong 20-8 (that sucked...) we talked about how he felt at church and everything, and then he told us that HE WAS ACTUALLY BAPTIZED
ALREADY... The we found Karmen Gloria again and taught the Restoration. She promised us that she would go to church, so lets see how that goes. Then! Guillermo, we taught the importance of enduring to the end, and finally we finished with teaching Juan Osorio the importance of prayer.

So, that's my week! Hope you enjoy my stories, and let me know if you have any questions!

Love you all! Thanks for everything!

Elder Faber

Picture taken by Paula Morgendorffer

August 19

To start off, its been a good week smile emoticon

Thursday we taught Karmen Gloria with Javier, a kid that has been straying from the church a bit, but we convinced him to start coming out with us so we can keep him out from worldly distractions. It went
well! Javier got to share about how important Christ is in his life! Also we found a lawyer and we took him to see Guillermo about getting divorced with his last wife. This might take a bit, because the
process could either last a week or several months up to several years. So we don't know. But were working on it!

Friday we did divs all day with a kid named Nico, who's planning on going on his mission soon! grin emoticon With him we taught Claudia Huenchuman, who's less active about prayer, and he bore a really powerful testimony on how he feels while he prays.

Saturday we didn't get into any houses... But there were some really good contacts.

Sunday we were able to teach Jorge again! And then... The Farewell meeting... Elder Aguero and Prada are leaving Chile... My comps are leaving!

Monday, we went hard with contacts. We found a lady in the park named Lesli, and we had a really good Plan of Salvation lesson with her! She was pretty cool, and shes going to be going to the Capilla Abierta in 2 weeks! Then we taught Coni, who was baptized last year. We taught about prayer and learning in the church. Then, we ended the night with a really cool kid that Javier (who we did divs with) recommended to us! His name is Frabicio, and holy cow that guy is prepared... More to come!

Yesterday we taught Waldo! That was cool, Javier showed up with Frabicio, and we had a lesson between us three grin emoticon Then to finish the day we taught Juan Osorio Sr. about the temple, and we are going to set up a temple trip!!! grin emoticon

Today, we had some really good contacts, and I hope that we get a lot of fruits from our labors the next couple of days.

Love you guys!

Elder Romney and Joshua with some kids in the park.

August 26

I'm still with Romney this change! Wahoo! We've had some pretty good success together grin emoticon

Anyways, Thursday was really good. We taught Frabicio, and holy cow... That was a good lesson. We taught the Restoration, AND HE ACCEPTED THE BAPTISM INVITATION!!!! We put a date for the 4th of October grin emoticon That kid is so prepared

Friday we taught Guillermo about fasting. We step up to have a group fast before going to the temple, but unfortunately they got sick Saturday so we couldn't do a temple tour tongue emoticon But other than that, we
taught Claudia Huenchuman about the importance of the scriptures by using a trick I have in Alma grin emoticon Ill have to show you guys what it is later. And, then we taught Claudia Feliu... She is very good, but her
mother... Very, very active Jehovah's Witness, and she absolutely destroyed the lesson... Too many questions off topic can really chase the Spirit off.

Saturday we taught Juan Osorio Sr. Hes starting to go inactive... And he was just baptized too!

Sunday we taught Jorge Alvarez again. He's really cool, and he's loaded with experience. We've probably learned more from him than he has from us haha. He went over how the small and simple things that he did to change his life slowly really do make a long run (Sounds like Alma
37:6-7 don't it?). Hes good, HE JUST NEEDS TO GET BAPTIZED

Monday we did a family night with Javier, his mom, and Frabicio. That was pretty cool, Frabicio got to see how we get families together grin emoticon We talked a lot about how to better the bonds between family members.

Tuesday we taught Waldo. That was interesting. He keeps destroying me at Ping Pong... I lost to an 83 year old man 21 to 8. But we need to figure out if hes a member or not, Ill keep you updated.

Love you guys! Now I'm a district leader of 3 wards, Brisas 1 and 2, and the zone leaders. I hope I can do it!

Elder Faber

Yessenia Monja Perez sent us this picture of
Joshua and Elder Lewis

July 2015

July 1

 "The Sun Is Rising Once Again."

Well, one thing I can definitely say, is that things are getting better! And with an epic email title for this week as well!

So, this week has been a lot of suffering more than anything. With the sector division our side of the sector has been dying. I have been dying. My companion has been dying... It could just be safe to say
that everyone in Condell is dying grin emoticon

But! This week once again I'm just going to go over the people we taught and not by days. And maybe Ill throw in a miracle at the end as well smile emoticon

We have been visiting the Cisternas for a long time now, and they haven't really progressed much. Then again, they really cant progress due to all of their medical problems. So! We've been spending a
good amount of time with them so we can get their enthusiasm back up and going (I had to relearn that word this week... I keep using animo haha)

Martin is doing pretty well. I don't know how he does it, but he can actually understand all of the Isiah prophecies in 2 Nephi...

Oh! The Anniversary of the Mission! Our mission just turned 2 grin emoticon

We also taught Maca this week. SHE JUST GOT HER TEMPLE RECOMMEND!!! MUWAHAHA! She can go to the temple again! We got permission from president to do divs with Fernelius grin emoticon

Anyway, that's about it! Chile made it to the finals, but no one is happy about it except Chile haha. My comp is cheering for Argentina this Saturday.

July 8

"Life is Great, Ain't It?"

So this week has been full of adventure! A ton of divisions, but I really cant complain. This week I'm going to go more into an experience more than just going over the people we are teaching.

First off, I mentioned to some of you that lately I've been having some difficulties. However! I've learned a very important lesson this week about the power of prayer and fast.

I was reading through some of the conference talks from last April, and one of them hit me hard about fasting and offering to the poor. But what hit me more than anything was the fasting part. It had quotes
from the Book of Isaiah, and how Jehovah (in Spanish, every time it says "the Lord", it says Jehovah. There is a reason which I could explain if anyone has questions) will help anyone that is in need.
Well, I was in need! So what I decided to do was begin to fast.

The first day I did it was terrible. Because when I decided to do it, a family that Elder Peterson is visiting decided to offer us once, or in English, dinner. And I had to say no! I explained what I was doing,
but still, declining food is like saying you don't like the person.

But something weird happened. The next day, I woke up, and I was just happy! If you have ever heard the song "Happy" by Pharrell Williams, it was almost exactly like that (PS, they play music very loud in the streets, that's how I know)

Then I felt like I should do another one, and I did! And the day after that, I couldn't get the smile off my face! I just felt happy! It was seriously like a spiritual high, minus breaking the word of wisdom.

I think my testimony on the power of fast has increased tenfold in less than a week. God really does provide ways for his children to progress, all we have to do is have faith that the fast that we are
doing will really work.

The ward assistance is dropping... Its getting really, really cold. When I wake up in the morning, I can just see my breath freezing in the air. No one really wants to get out of bed anymore, and on top of
that, the pollution is in the danger zone. So no one really has any desires to go to the chapel.

We have visited the Cisterna family a lot this week, they are going through some problems because they cant afford the oxygen tank refill that they need. The bishop did divs with us and we were able to talk to them for a while.

Other than that, I haven't been in my sector at all... I really don't know how my people are progressing.

Love you all! Have a great week!

Elder Faber

Pictures ~ Saying Goodbye to Condell

Maria and Hernesto, very fun and kind family!

Sandra Chamorro, very cool lady that I found with Aguero

The Mancilla Family, Hno Pinto, Hna Carmen, Hna Kati, and Hno Mancilla

 Maca attacking me with a Katana

The Cisterna Family, Jose and his wife (with Elder Pineyro)

July 15

I GOT TRANSFERRED!!!

So after being in my last ward for about 9 months, I got transferred!!! I did have a lot of difficulties in that ward, but I had a ton of people that I loved and taught. I will never forget the wonderful experience that I had in Condell.

Anyways, the last couple of days that I had left in Condell I used to say goodbye. There was a lot of people that I had to say goodbye too, many wonderful people. Luckily, I get to go back pretty soon (within like 4 and a half months) to say goodbye to Chile.

Anyways, now I'm in Parque Combarbala in La Cisterna Sur. Its a really, really good sector, a ton of work. AND OF DECENT SIZE! I was very happy about that smile emoticon Now I'm with Elder Romney, who is also from Utah. AND HE IS FREAKING AWESOME. This change I'm very sure will be amazing.

I also now live with the Zone Leaders, Elder Ware (that I lived with in Los Pensamientos) and Elder Lewis (who's from my district in the MTC). Which means, everyone in the house has over 18 months, and everyone, I mean everyone, is insanely trunky. But its alright, were just going to be doing a lot of gringo things over the next 6 weeks
grin emoticon

Anyways, love you guys! Ill give you an update on who I'm teaching next week!

Joshua and Elder Romney

July 22

So my time with Elder Romney thus far has been fantastic! We have a few people, but we hopefully will have a baptism here pretty quick!

Thursday we taught a guy named Guillermo. Hes an old guy that after hearing the missionaries for about 20 years, he finally decided to get baptized! But he has to get divorced first and remarried. Which might take a bit but its still super exciting!

Friday we taught Juan Osorio Senior. Hes a really good guy. He just got baptized this last week (before I left) and holy cow hes fantastic... We was an ex equivalent of the swat team (GOPE), and was
on the police force. He has a ton of history, and loves the gospel. Super easy to teach and remembers basically everything!

We also taught the Barros Muñoz family. They were super fun! We are trying to get them back to church, and we managed to convince the mom that if her daughter doesn't go to church every week for the next 4 months, she gets her phone taken away haha.

Saturday we taught Patricia. Shes a mom in her 40's with a rebellious child named Javier. Javier just turned 18, so we are going to help her get him out of the house and do divs with him haha

Sunday, I got to meet Bishop Jara. He was... Interesting to say the least. He has a very distinct type of humor.

Monday we had a very massive zone conference... Holy cow it was long... But really good. President Cook talked about the importance of the Sacrament and how we are saved through grace and acts, and how important the promises from each prayer are.

Tuesday we visited Juan Osorio, however my comp and I did something really cool to start our lesson... Romney knows a few card tricks, so what we did is he gave me one of the cards from the deck before we walked into the house and told me to hide it. So I snuck Juans triple, and hid the card in one of the scriptures that we had planned to use in the lesson. Before we started the lesson, Romney asked him to pick a card, any card. Juan looking puzzled chose a card and put it back in to the deck. Romney then shuffled the cards and then put on a face like as if he was confused. "Where'd you hide it? I cant find it anywhere!". Juan looked really confused at that point, so we told him, "Well, we cant find the card anywhere, so we might as well just start the lesson". We started with prayer and started to teach. Then we got to the point where we started to utilize the scriptures. Juan opened up to Doctrine and Covenants, looked at Romney, then looked at me, and then back at his scriptures. His face went completely red. We got scared for a second because we almost thought he was going to have a
heart attack.

Best trick ever

Anyways, that's my week! Love you guys!

Elder Faber

July 29

So... We've been doing a lot of contacts and such like that. And its been rather interesting... I have no idea why, but this area seems to be completely covered in drunks.

Thursday I did divs with Elder Martinez, my new district leader. He was a really cool guy, but holy cow his sector is rich! I taught an old guy who has been an investigator for 20 years, and his wife was
one of the first people that had been baptised in Chile! And shes like 90 years old!

Friday we taught Juan Osorio Senior. hes a really, really good guy. We taught him about Prophets and he loved it!

Saturday was probably the best day I have ever had on the mission. We were contacting, and a bunch of old guys yelled at us and invited us over for an asado, a chilean barbecue. So we talked with them for a while (they were mildly sober so we could actually have a decent conversation with them) until a very, very drunk man that couldn't walk straight came up to me and started talking. I ignored him at first, but he wouldn't stop talking! So after just nodding my head and listening to straight up apostasy (saying that man doesn't have spirits, the soul is actually located in the blood, and that the rest of the new testament is a lie because no one could crucify Jesus because hes God) he told me to go tell it to my friend so I could stop "cheating" on people. I was thinking "what on earth..." and then all of a sudden, he grabs my face and kisses me! I seriously had desires to 1: punch him 2: throw up and 3: get the heck out of there.

After getting the heck out of there, we were walking past a park, and ANOTHER family was having a barbecue in front of a mini soccer court (here they call them baby courts) with a bunch of kids playing. They kindly (and not drunkenly) invited us over to eat! That was amazing. Then while they were having a break and letting the adults play soccer we organized a little race between all of the kids. I swear that there was about 20 or so kids in that group. Romney and I ended up winning (obviously), but holy cow it was amazing... I'm pretty sure all of their moms loved us haha

Sunday we taught Guillermo about Missionary Work. He loved the verse in D and C 18:17-18 (I think that's where it was at) were it talks about the value of a soul and how much our joy will be if we help them come unto Christ. He told us that he will have a reference for us next week! grin emoticon I also met Jorge Alvarez, a guy that is about 48 years old and looks like hes between 35 to 40. Seriously, this guy knows how to take care of himself. But hes really cool, the only thing he has left is the baptism itself! he already believes in the Book of Mormon, the only problem is that he feels comfortable in his church.

Monday we contacted another drunk while walking the perimeter of the sector (holy cow this is a ton bigger than condell)... That was probably one of the funniest contacts Ive had thus far. He kept trying
to chew us out because we didn't know everything. Literally everything. Like he would ask "Do you know about George Bush and G20?" and yell at us for responding "I only know George Bush, but I have no idea what the heck you are talking about". We then decided to just teach him the Restoration to prove that we actually know something. He then got really quiet and walked away. Why on earth to people drink alcohol anyways? It just screws up your brain and leaves you unable to control your body...

Yesterday we had 4 lessons set. 4! And all 4 of them fell through...
Oh my gosh that was a day of just pure walking and contacting..

Today was epic. We rented out a full sized indoor gym and invited like 20 different missionaries. We played basketball for an hour, and for the last half hour we played soccer. That was a fun day (photos to come)

Love you all! Thanks for everything!

Elder Faber