Glad Tidings of Great Joy

Feels like an eternity since the last email. We passed the 18 of September without any problems or crazy experiences. It was the Tuesday before cambios, so we were able to use the time for my companion to despedirse to the members. The Monday before, we had a very nice, relaxing Pday and went fishing with a member. I can not say I was able apply the techniques I learned from my father growing up, and perhaps that is to blame for the lack of success on my part. However, a member caught one fish and my companion another! A very large trout with red spots. Not the typical rainbow trout but supposedly they have those here too. With the lack of fish catching I was able to just relax and enjoy the beautiful surroundings and reflect upon life. Had a good conversation with my companion, Elder Azeredo as well. By the way, I can skip a pretty mean rock:) I'm working backwards here I guess. On Sunday, we got a phone call from President Isom. Elder Azeredo was being moved to Puerto Var...

Elder Brighton ran out of time last week before he wrote his group letter. They took a trip to a nearby volcano. We are writing on Saturday this week because the next week is the week of the 18th of September. It is more less the equivalent of the 4th of July here except the celebrations last all week and businesses will not be open on Monday. We are even told not to do contacts on the 18th because of potential danger from intoxicated, partying Chileans. More on how it all goes next week. We finished teaching Gloria all of the required lessons before she can be baptized this week. Now she just has to continue to come to church and then will get baptized. Yesterday we (and she) found out that her husband surprised her with tickets to Santiago to visit her mother who she has not seen in over 2 years. She is so excited and I am really excited for her too. She asked us for the address of the chapel there so she could go with her mom! That is great. She is really preparing for her bap...

The month of August has passed and with it I hope the cold and rain too! That is a hope in vain, but we did have some beautiful days this week and the sun is out now. Spring is coming and lots of trees are budding out in flowers. I might have to bust out my short sleeve shirts for when I shed my jacket in the afternoons. We had a lot of opportunities to teach our investigators and also to get to know them a little better. Gloria taught me how to make sopapillas, and Raul and Ana showed us around their home and kitchen where they make sausages to sell as their source of income. We also had the chance to offer little acts of service to Moises and various hermanas in the ward with different things. The better I get to know and love these people, the more my desires to help them grow. It is such a grand opportunity to meet and serve so many people.  I try everyday to better myself and search to do what the Lord wants me to do. That is not something just for missionaries, but ra...