Arrived
Dec 5 2016
Love
the family more than golden arches! We went to our mission center of Santiago
this week for exchanges with the assistants, both super good amigos of mine,
and to finish up the day we briefly drove by the arches haha my first time in
almost 10 months I think
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| The great view of the "golden arches" |
This
week I have a tender mercy for you mom.
It
started out as a difficulty when a new convert and recently moved-in-sister
from Nicaragua, invited us to a family night and we spent 40 minutes wandering
around looking for it. We had a fun time and then went to a part of our area
nearby, not realizing we were avoiding some problems. There was a juealga (strike)
that started Monday and went into Tuesday that we managed to completely avoid.
I only briefly saw my first burning tire.
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| Horrible picture, but great Family Home Evening with yogurt for a treat |
Tuesday,
us and the assistants spent the day in Santiago. It was a little frustrating to
have all our good lessons set for that day and then have to cancel all of them,
but I really enjoyed the day. I got to be assistant for the day with Elder Eddy
from my group as we drove around on errands, talked about several things and
then proselyted a bit. We also had a good study time on “Unity and the United Force
of the Gospel, making us One with Christ.” With Jose our best investigator, we
shared the plan of salvation and Him and I ended up crying a lot. It was very
spiritual and he understood it all. He had previously underlined 1 Corinthians
15:40 in his bible, but had forgotten about it. I loved how the lesson went. We
taught different than normal, following the spirit and it really helped him. He
was super excited to go to church.
This
week was more letting go the old and lookin for the new. Like the wheat and the
tares. We had a good exchange with cotui again. They have a baptism planned
every week this month which has made us really pressed with traveling time and
money and all that stuff. We are keeping track of how much money and time we
spend on traveling. I really admire the new missionaries. Elder Harrop from
Layton (Northridge High School) is a super good guy and great missionary. I
wish I could have been like our new missionaries when I had started haha.
We
have an old investigator who is a little strange and has a lot of problems with
addictions. We have started to teach him again and did a fast with him. Sunday
he stood up and gave his testimony and said he is getting baptized Saturday.
Well we didn’t know he was getting baptized that day haha we are gonna review
with him some things and try and do his baptism in a few weeks.
We
had a good lesson with a family Sunday night with our branch president. It’s
always interesting trying to bring members since we can’t ride their
motorcycles and streets and houses don’t always have organized directions. We
finished the restoration and challenged them to be baptized in January. They
accepted well and said they would go to church if Alen (the dad) is feeling
well. He is kind of similar to John Tanner. Pretty successful consulate who
speaks Cantonese, but after a shower out on the back porch his diabetes and a
infected cut on his foot got him hard. He has a few amputated toes and his foot
and ankle are in a battle against the infection. We are gonna watch the John
Tanner movie with them this week and see how things go.
I
was a little let down this week when Jose once again got robbed away from going
to church. Many things are working against him with work and his wife’s health.
We are going to have to postpone his baptism. Our other investigators are
having difficulties as well. Those going to church have problems with
addictions or need to be married and those not going to church are ready except
for work or school. I was discouraged but Thursday night I got a call from
Elder Lebron my old companion in my old area... CORONEL
DE LUNA HAS A BAPTISMAL DATE FOR THE 17th!!!! The good old Oldroyd and
Sheffield contact who had problems with his girlfriend finally got a way out of
the relationship and legal problems and is going to be baptized in a few weeks.
I consider him my greatest convert even though he hadn’t been baptized and we
didn’t think he could for at least a year. I’m so happy.
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| Celebrating the first day of December with leftover turkey and egg nog |
My
spiritual message stems from our family night the other week and the church
initiative Ilumina el mundo (light the world). We were talking about how we can
truly appreciate the Christmas season and how we can follow the 25 days and
give service. I encourage all to look it up on the church website. But I really
liked when we talked about what we can give to Christ, I also bore my testimony
on it. We were given the Son of God and in this season we remember that,
focusing on his birth. What could we give back for what we have been given?
What is it we have to give? What do we give to the one who has everything, what
do we give to Jesus?
We
give ourselves.
He
doesn’t want so much of our money or possessions, He wants us, you and I. He
wants our heart, might, mind and strength. He wants it all, the good and bad,
which He can make perfect. Isn’t that the greatest thing ever. How blessed we
are to be able to do that. IT isn’t enough to just give our imperfect selves
but continually try to be better and give that better self, everyday. He was
born and brought to pass, brings to pass, his mission for us to give ourselves.
(Romans 8:17) I wish I could explain it better and share it with the whole
world. May we all give ourselves, not just of ourselves and of our time of
service, this Christmas season.
Love,
Elder
Sheffield
(Andres
Guillermo Cocinero Campos)
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