Tuesday, November 3, 2009

From Kent 11/2

Aprendizaje

¡Hola más querido familia!

Fantastic to hear about the success of the Wiggle! It´s always a great feeling to have things go right, especially when you're the one that organizes them ;). Things are tuckering along here in Chile, some better than others.

I realize I haven't given the day-in-life of the happenings now that I recognize the rhythm, so here goes. 7:00, wake up and do the exercising. 7:30, light the water heater and shower, get ready, eat breakfast. 8:30 Turn off water heater, personal study, 9:30 companion study, 10:30 language study, 11 go hunting (not fishing). Depending on the day, we'll either have some lessons planned, or we'll go contacting. People don't tend to live at their houses, which makes things rather tricky, also considering that only a handful have phone numbers. Schedules aren't of quite the importance here as they are to United Staters, so quite often people won't be there for their appointments. Round about 1, 1:30 we have lunch with one of the members (unless it's P-day, then we're on our own) When that finishes -we try to keep it less than an hour-we head back to the apartment for any extra planning, studying, or resting we need to do, because we aren't given the hour for dinner, because it is a false meal, and we are strictly commanded not to partake of it.
3:30 we head back out for the hunting. Perhaps one of the trickiest things isn't getting people to teach, but getting in contact and setting appointments. Most people don't know their schedules for the week, so appointments are like battleship. 10:00 we return to the apartment, plan for the next day, and at 10:30 update the area book, teaching records, get ready and go to bed at 11.
Cultural notes I forgot to mention: Like the beloved Europeans (rather, the french), the Chileans are very friendly, stranger or no. If you are both men, more often than not (very rarely, only in very professional circumstances or an unsure first meeting will you not) shake hands, hug, then shake hands again. If you are a woman or child you give the cheek kiss, which can become a problem with new investigators, as such is not permitted.

Updates for the week! Habraham passed his interview (a whopping 1 hour and half, we're quite certain both he and our district leade Elder Jensen were taken away in the Spirit after the manner of Lamoni). Bad news is that his mother changed her mind and is insistent that he is not ready, and is too young to make this decision for himself because he hasn't seen the world yet. We did our best of explaining, but she did think so. I firmly believe Alma 31 verse (16?) is the route on this one (The word of God has a greater power to change the desires of men than the sword or any other thing, so Alma thought it expedient that we try preaching the word of God-something like that)
Diego's parents are slightly the same way, his mom doesn't think that there's been a change in his behavior to warrant fruits for baptism (we explained that it is the port, the gate to the path of improvement, and not a finishing, climactic graduation of your religious life-to no avail) and his dad doesn't really care either way. Which is a horrific shame because they're both members, though highly inactive. So alas, no baptisms this week, we will continue to work with these parents.

Good news! Yoselin came to church again, and has a testimony of the Prophet Joseph Smith! (This I didn't know earlier) Though she still is a bit hesitant to be baptized on the 15th, worries of friends, family and boyfriend mocking, which are a bit of a problem, Alexandra still gets ragged on by her grandma about converting to the Church of Jesus Christ and not staying Catholic. More good news! Nelly Sepúlveda (the mother of Yoselin and Alexandra) accepted a Book of Mormon and kind of accepted the commitment to read and pray about it. Considering that when the missionaries first met with Alexandra they weren't allowed in the house, and when they were allowed the rest of the family would flee the room, this is much progress. More good news! Two of the less active recent converts of the ward came yesterday! By themselves!! So that made us happy! Also, Yoselin didn't have any uncomfortableness with testimony meeting (she was a little offset by the many testimonies given during the talks her last time at church).

Found the rest of the iceberg with Onésima. Turns out coming to church isn't her biggest problem. She's moving in a few weeks. Moving in with the man who we thought was her husband... who isn't actually her husband. She does have a husband though. Ayyyyyyyyyy.

We have more battleship to play in finding Solanch (the investigator that moved back in last week) Escarlet, and Maria (the woman who had met with the missionaries before, mom didn't like it, but she doesn't live with her now)

News on Juaqin: After pegging mutliple white pegs in the area of HMSS Juaqin, we got a red one. We were able to meet with him and his grandpa (nonmember father of the mother of Juaqin, not the inactive father of the father of Juaqin) Ivan. Ivan wants a change in his life, more than any other thing, he's struggling with Alcohol, and wants to repair his life. So we taught him all about the atonement and gospel of Christ, and he's willing to try, and wants the same for Juaqin. We'll need to keep close contact with him, and check if there's the Church's addiction recovery program here. (There was an Ensign article about it back in... July or June, something I didn't know the Church offered.)

We went to Chifflon del Diablo today for a zone activity, it's a coal (I think, the spanish word is Carbon) mine that goes under the ocean. Very neat.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is true. Absolutely and completely. Jesus is The Christ, our Redeemer, Saviour, and very Best Friend. Thomas S. Monson is His prophet on the Earth. Shall we not go on in so great a cause?

Elder Kent Pimentel

No comments: