Two Weeks of Emails in One Post (Again - yup I'm a slacker)

August 20, 2014 Email

So, this sector is really cool. Seriously.

So recently I have been getting sick... Sucks a ton, my throat is clogged 24-7 and my nose is literally a waterfall on drugs... hopefully I can still work. I hate being indoors.

We have campo! In other words, fields... Huge, massive Fields... It is super cool. We hiked out to one of them when we had nothing else to do and everyone was inside. So we went contacting out there! We weren't very welcome there, but it was alright. Im really learning how to do contacts with Elder Dueñas. (I asked Joshua what he meant by fields, it's farmland.)

Dueñas is really cool. Hes got a sick accent from Peru, and his voice completely changes when hes speaking in Spanish. Hes not fluent in Spanish, but we are working on it together. Ive also been helping him out with the lessons, mainly because he literally has no time out in the field. Then again, neither do I! We have a lot to learn and only 3 months to do it! Hopefully my Spanish will get a lot better this change.

Um, Tank this week has been locked inside... I think his owner got sick of him following us everywhere and finally locked him up... I miss that dog. I don't have any photos of him to send yet, but Ill get them there.

Other than that, I'm still learning everyone, I still have difficulty remembering peoples names. Were going to try very hard to improve this sector, and I have a couple of ideas to strengthen the ward up. Still working hard, still in Chile...

Love all of you a lot, sorry I don't have too many impressive stories or anything, and I'm terrible at sending pictures. Please forgive me.

Love,
Elder Faber

August 27, 2014 Email's 

This week Timo Tio (the local neighborhood drunk) was yelling at everyone. "Oy! Los chicos alla son mis amigos!" "Oy tio! Nesicita dejar bebiendo vino!" "No! No puedo! No puedo!" The guy is super holarious. We also got another free taxi ride from him, and determined when he isn´t drunk, he´s drunk. Even when he´s not drunk he´s acting like a drunk. Do not worry, he´s a pretty decent driver.

They moved Prada out so he can recover in a smaller sector, so we have 2 elders in my old spot that do no know the area or any of the people they are supposed to visit. Luckily I get to go back and talk to them for A BAPTISM! AND GUESS WHAT! I´M BAPTIZING ISABEL!

Alright, the rest of my email is going to be dedicated to Conner Thredgold... I really didn´t know the guy very well, but I grew up with him and was in the same school and class as he was up until high school. From what I can remember, he was a really cool kid. Super social, and really liked to have fun. I´m sorry that he´s gone know... Right now he´s in the spirit world, still continuing the work, helping the people that didn´t have the chance in this life to change understand and hear the gospel. Peter 4:6 talks more about how the dead will have a chance to hear the gospel, accept the principles and accept the baptism that we offer them on ear. It´s like being a permanent missionary! That would be amazing... I love being a missionary, and I know that he´s happy right now continuing the work.

The plan of salvation is pretty legit. I think it´s become one of my favorite lessons to teach, just because it´s central to everything we do on this earth.

Well, I hope you all have a good week. Know that I love you guys, and that I´m doing my best.

Forgot to mention, but we have been teaching English! We´re teaching a ton of kids every Friday in some apartment buildings and we got to go to a school and teach! I got a really cool reference out of it! She was super interested and wanted the missionaries to come and teach her! super excited. Her mom was baptized a while ago and is inactive now, hopefully they´ll get a baptism and a reactivation out of it.

The Week of Companions

Joshua had a very interesting week. I'm going to share bits and pieces of here. Some of you may have already received the group email. 

He named the email "The Week of Companions" and compared it to a Star Trek episode....

Instead of being in a star ship stuck in space, I´m in another country serving a mission! So I guess the latter is a better experience!

Tuesday, we went to therapy again, and while we were in the mission office, we ran into our Zone Leaders, Elder Babbitt and Elder Chavez. Elder Babbitt just got his wisdom teeth out (the name for those is so much cooler in Spanish, the dientes de juicio, or translated, the teeth of justice) so he decided it would be a good idea to do divisions. We agreed, so I went home with Elder Chavez to do divisions. HOWEVER, in both sectors because I had appointments and he had set appointments as well. So we managed 2 sectors that are about 20 minutes apart from each other by foot. And none of us had money so we could not afford a taxi. We went to a cita in his sector and taught a super cool family that got baptized this last Saturday, and then we went to my sector to my investigator family of gold (Isabel and Daniela). They had their whole family there, I shared a thought about our purpose here and why our message is important, AND WE GOT REFERENCES FOR THE OTHER MISSIONARIES TO TEACH!!!

Wednesday, we got up early so we could do contacting in the subway. Why early? Because neither of us could sleep. So we went with two other elders from the house and got to the subway station at about 8. I forgot to mention that I still absolutely suck at contacts. So we passed out pass along cards and getting to know people. The first person I talked to was super nice until I gave him the card, and he completely rejected me. That wasn´t fun. I kept offering him the card but he said that there are other people that could use it more than him.

Thursday, got back to the house after doing contacts in the street market (didn´t go very well, but I did get some stuff I needed). We said our goodbyes to Babbitt and Chavez, and they left.

Friday, did divisions with Elder Ware. We had several people contact us! Not bad people, just a guy that knew the bible and the new testament like the back of his hand but did not have a belief in Jesus (seriously, that guy has read 3 different versions of the bible and written essays on the thing), and 2 evangelico missionaries. That was interesting. They all said that we could come back and share, just they said that we might be converted to their religions. CHALLENGE ACCEPTED!

Saturday, did divisions with Elder Taborga again. He was almost hit by a car, nothing much happened that day, just I only saved a life (about time, so busy saving everyone else´s spiritual lives and I haven´t saved a physical one yet?)

Sunday, I GOT TO SEE MY COMP AGAIN! I almost cried... Super long week. I finally got to rest spiritually in church and start again with some appointments afterwards.

All in all, in one week, I had 5 companions, and a whole bunch of new experiences and new people. Because of that, I am now perpetually tired... BUT STILL LIVING BABY! WHEW!

Joshua actually ate this hot dog..
50 cm or about 18 inches.

Time to Ponder

So my companion has a massive problem with his back, and when we had the activity with the ward, he over did it. In other words, he was suffering from severe back pain and couldn't get out of bed. So for the past week, we've been in the house because he can't move... We went in for his first therapy session today, we have to go to the clinic everyday now, and it's about 45 minutes from our house by bus. So super early every day in freezing weather. GREAT!

So that got me thinking... So the other elders and I got together and we started to make plans to reboot the missionary spirit in the ward. So first we are going to change everything. We're meeting with the bishop this week so we can actually get a ward mission plan together, and we are going to try to start visiting the members to get them go on divisions with us. We are dividing the families by companionship.

Today we went to a competo place called Corbatas (means tie in Spanish). I ate about a 50 cm hot dog. Flipping delicious. I want another.

So we heard rumors that I might be leaving this next change. But all of that got shot down when Prada broke his back (practically). So what might end up happening the next change is that I might be still in my sector for another 3 months while Prada gets moved to the office for therapy (because the clinic is right next to the office, it's painstakingly logical...)

So that just about sums my life right now! Reading a fantastic book about our Savior.

2 Baptisms this week.

So, this week is a special week. Why? because this last week we got 2 baptisms and 2 reactivations with the families we´ve been working especially hard with. And we are expected to put two more fetchas (dates) by the end of this week! Prada and I are trying to hit the end of this change hard. We also have a family that´s getting married! Finally... Their kids are super excited to come to church every week, we´re still working with their parents to keep the word of wisdom and getting them to church, but hopefully, we can get the entire family baptised before the end of this change. Also, we have been working really hard with Omar, who´s living all of the commandments except baptism... I´m going to see if I can get a date put on him within 2 weeks. That is my goal. I want to leave a massive mark in this sector before I leave.

The activity we had was a super success. We have 2 full investigators show up and Daniela is just loving the members and church. We have an appointment with her today and hopefully we can place a baptismal date.

I baptised Joseph Davidson Barrientos Stevens. They thought the name was too complicated for me to do for some reason... Everything turned out good! I remembered the baptismal prayer perfectly and I got to help confirm both him and Yojan, his brother. Man, that day was super fantastic.

Thanks for all of the love and support! Glad I´m loved!

Other than that, I scored 2 goals today in our mini mundial! It was pretty epic, but we were eliminated our first round... And I was wearing my Alexis jersey... Meh, it was a pretty epic match anyways. I played for like 4 hours straight today! Whoa!

So my spanish is getting super ghetto. Seriously. I´m starting to yell Oye! and po and cosas asi. It´s getting really bad. But it´s getting better! I can barely even understand myself at some points. 

The mission took a hike up the mountain.
This is Joshua's favorite pic.

Me, elder denning and elder dufour, bowling!! I won hehe

Chile and FIFA

This is a little late, but it's Sunday and I figured it was appropriate to share parts of Joshua's letter last Monday today! I should probably do some editing, but then it wouldn't be authentically Joshua!

Chile was eliminated... The streets were quiet for about 2 days after the match. I think there were riots somewhere, but everyone was depressed. Rather saddening, but I heard Chile put up a fantastic fight. Alexis Sanchez of course scored their only goal, the guy is basically their national symbol! But he does play soccer pretty well!

So apparently I can´t speak english anymore. People keep asking me to speak english and random spanish words keep finding their way into EVERY SINGLE ONE OF MY SENTANCES. Luckily, my fingers are spanish free (ish). I can still type!

One Year Anniversary Video

I just received a link to a video that was made to celebrate the 1 year anniversary of the Chile Santiago South Mission.  To see the video, click on this link... https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10152450012071311

I did receive an email on Monday from Joshua, but I haven't had the chance to sit down and cut and past it together into a  post.  I will do that soon.

Thanks,

Lisa

( I found out how to embed it into this post, so I'm going to leave the link up there for the source. Here it is!)

Post by David Cook.

FIFA and the missionary

Email from 6/16/14 ~ Today we did a Zone vs Zone soccer match. I didn´t score because I was playing defense. But they didn´t score because I was playing defense (Imagine a smiley because I cant do it on this keyboard). We dominated 6 to 0. it was almost like spain vs holland! (Spain got creamed, I´m just pointing that out)Oh! And we have permission to watch FIFA, and only on P days. And we can watch replays online, onl.y on Pdays. Other than that, if you want to watch a game on another day, just type in google the two teams that are playing and it will give you instant statistics. Super amazing how that technology works.

Email from 6/24/14  ~ So... Yesterday was terrible... As I have mentioned before, we are not allowed to leave the house when Chile plays. We can do what we need to before the game, but after we have to stay indoors. And because Chile played yesterday (and was dominated by Holand, sorry chile) none of the shops were open so I couldn´t email. Or eat...

So Fifa... Wow, people here really like their football. After Chile lost against Holand, the streets were completely silent. No one left thier houses. I think I heard our neighbors crying after the game. Strangly pathetic, but admirable, because the people here are super patriotic. They love their country.

Umm, WE HAVE SOME FANTASTIC INVESTIGATORS!!! I WANT TO BAPTISE THEM SO FREAKING BAD. Already they have promised to obey the word of wisdom, they have prayed and recieved an answer, AND THEY CAME TO CHURCH BEFORE WE GOT THERE. Ah my gosh... I freaking love life right now. Isabel and Daniela como se llama.

AND THE SPANISH IS COMING! WHEW! I can´t even understand what is coming out of my mouth anymore. However, my spelling is getting REALLY BAD. I can´t even write correctly in my journal anymore

Temple Trip

Joshua, Elder Prada, Elder Norman, Elder Romero, Elder Taborga, Elder  Chanler

Como estai po! (Mom's note... I ran that through Google Translate, I have no idea what he is trying to say.)

That was really, really bad spanish. But thats how they speak here. Super weird.

Anwyays, TEMPLE TODAY!!!! Super exciting! Except the entire thing was in spanish and I could barely understand... But it was still a good experience anyways. Pictures to come in a minute

This week, while we were in the subway, a guy got on and started rapping about the mormons. It was pretty cool. Couldnt understand worth anything though, it was very fast spanish. I think he was just rapping about random people on the train and he saw 2 greengos and 4 latinos with plaques and started rapping. Super weird.

Rain... Holy flip there is a lot of it. The temperature has dropped to about freezing every night, however it doesnt freeze over because polutants from the atomosphere mix in with the water so it doesnt freeze until it drops below 0 celcius. Interesting, but weird. Also imagine this, a city without a drainage system. The streets literally turn into rivers.

The Rain

And because of that, our church attendance dropped from about 55 to 18 in a week. Super bad, and now none of our investigators want to come to church because its on the very northern side of our sector. About a 20 walk. Yeah, really bad.

Elder Prada, and Joshua

Fun fact, the advertisement for the S5 in chile is that it is ¨messi powered¨. Thought that was funny

Anyways, love you all! Thanks for the support!

Elder Faber

Chile MTC

Joshua & Elder Prada