from Kent 2/1

Subject: ''...para que tal vez podamos''‏

¡Hola de nuevo!

It's been a better week than usual, better lessons, more contacting, more lessons, etc., but that ol' problem keeps rolling around called going to Church. So this week we're going to focus seriously on having as many lessons as possible in houses of members and having the members do things to be friends with them. A lot of the investigators are a bit uneasy simply because they don't know anyone there at Church. We're also going to focus teaching a lot more of the Atonement and Sacrament, as well as Commandments 1&4. We had our interviews with the President last week; it's bizarre to think we're in the last week of our first cambio (transfer) together, halfway through our companionship. The time is zipping by ridiculously too fast, there is no time to lose.

Yesterday was fantastic, notwithstanding the low turnout of attendance to Church. Kaori (the cousin of a ward missionary) was the only investigator who came, and man is she good for it all. We just need to really sit down with that father of hers and get the permission. There was a very good talk given about the need for all members to help in the missionary work by the 1st Counselor, and he used our motto from Alma 31:5 ''Un efecto más potente.'' The family we had lunch with committed to invite their neighbors to an FHE with us (though it was tough for them to do). They're a fantastic family and have a son out in Santiago on his mission, and he is just FANTASTIC! He was ward mission leader here before his mission and from everything I've heard he's amazing, and in every letter he writes them he keeps telling them ''You have to do more to share the Gospel!'' So that should be great! We also talked with one of the parking lot attendants by the grocery store (it's named BIGGER -yes in English-) and he told us that he wants to join the Mormons. He was asking what were the things he had to do, so we explained a bit and have appointments set up for this week. We also met some of the members talking to one of their friends in the street and then we started talking with him. He was very interested in everything about the Church, saying how he's seen that his friends ''have something different, something beautiful'' and that he wanted it. So we set up appointments to start teaching him in the house of the members, and he was very excited about going to Church.

Funny funny thing! Every time we have a lesson with Jean Pierre and Kevin (grandsons of the Stake President) they always ask in the prayer to bless the missionaries, that they may have many sons and daughters, and that they'll grow up healthy and strong. They're 10 and 8 mind you. There's also a food item/treat that I've discovered lately, it's called Mote con Huesillos. It's one or two dried peaches put into a cup of juice (like the water type when we have it preserved in the fruit room) and a bunch of puffed wheat, all in the cup. It's actually very very good.

The English class was a success! 25 people showed up, 9 of them non-members, but with interests more or less to come to Church. We're going to meet with them this week a bit more to see if we can teach them. We're great friends with these two people that run a sandwich shop on the corner, nicest people you'll ever meet, and Jessica (one of the workers) came to the class and loved it, and we found out later that she was talking with one of the members in the class and wanted to come to Church! We taught them how to present themselves and how to pray in English. This week we're going to go over pronunciation and pronouns. It was very interesting, I'm used to everyone here speaking Spanish, so when in the class they were speaking English with Chilean accents, it was as if they were different people, a different personality.

Progress Reports:
• Kaori- so far is our best- 9 years old, but very mature for her age, blessed with the abilities of listening and understanding. She really wants to get baptized and is actually inviting her other friends to Church as well.
• Jean Pierre- Ready to go, the problem is his mom is easy to be persuaded to the beach by friends and cousins. On sundays. So we're going to need a specific just with her lesson that isn't lowered down to the kid level. She knows it's necessary and wants to support them, just a slight lack of diligence. I'm thinking the ''More Diligent and Concerned at Home'' talk will help.
• Delia- Still very difficult fo find, she gets home around 9 some nights, others 11, and may or may not have to work Sundays, she never knows until 10 the night before (when we have to be home) She still is reading every day and loves it, though her mom is super Evangelical, so we can't teach the lessons in her house. That's actually better though, because now we HAVE to be with members. Her son, Felipe wants to come to Church and be baptized as well, and her niece Avivana as well.
• Cecelia- Not so great this week, both our appointments fell through but she's still nice to us and likes to talk with us, we're guessing something her husband said or what-not, so we're gunning to share with him this week. But she does feel the Church is true and likes all the family emphasis.
• Suzana- She's about 40 years old, asked for pictures of Jesus a few weeks ago and we were able to find her (por fin) and teach a lesson. She said she wants to learn more and get to know the Church (she lives very very close, that's a bonus). She has a great Christian upbringing, not solidly related to a Church (Catholic, but not diehard Catholic, just diehard Christian), learned to read with the Bible, read it cover to cover before 10 years old. Trick with her is that she's not married, but she understands and feels that it's wrong and that she needs to get married, so that's great. Not often at home though.
• Karin & Claudio- Young family that we found sunday night (week ago), have a son and currently have been questioning Catholic roots, specifically about baptism. They're having a bit of a struggle in the marriage right now so are turning to Christ for help. They really want to learn more, but both work Sundays, so it'll be tricky, but not impossible.
Be good, have fun, keep your elbows off the table, chew with your mouth closed, remember who you are and what you stand for, don't let it get you down.
The Gospel's true, God loves you, so do I.
Have a good day, doo good work, love ya love ya!


--
Elder Kent Pimentel