Weekly EMAIL

Hey EVERYBODY!! :-D Howzit Going?!?!
Hey guys, How`re things? :-) I hope the best. I liked that picture
Dad, ``We will rebuild`` :-D My first weeks in the mission were filled
with tremors like that and honestly, I`ve slept through bigger.
American Wussies :-D Thinking about all these earthquakes, there are a
lot of earthquakes in divers places if you know what I mean he he he
end of the world :-D Naw just kidding :-D We learned something the
other day, If you are prepared you shall not fear :-) True.
Things are going good here in Chile :-) I forgot that I didn`t
explain much about my eyes so i`ll do that :-D They`re very bad :-D
The doctor was like ``You have very bad eyesight James, You need
contacts``. So we go in on last tuesday to do that and we`re there in
the doctors office and he`s trying to get some numbers for my eyes so
that he can order contacts and its kind of taking a little while.
Finally he says ``This usually works a LOT faster`` and then says ``I
can`t find the solution`` :-P So he tells me that he`s going to take
all of the information from the tests and talk with some collegues
(spelling) of his and they`re going to figure out what to do with me
:-) So now I can`t hear OR see well and to top it off I forget things
sometimes too :-D. An Elder the other day said that I might be
developing Parkinsons and I punched him. :-D I`m alright though just
so you all know :-D Now that I`ve been ``enlightened`` I can see how I
have bad eyesight. Before monday last week I thought that I was just
tired all the time and for that my eyes would get blurry. Now I know
that its for Parkinsons I mean bad eyesight :-D We still don`t know
what we`re going to do yet but it shouldn`t be too complicated :-D I
hope nobody gets too worried :-D
Besides that things are going great here in Cañete :-D Last
Saturday Graciela was baptized as well as the daughter of Laura, Jenny
:-D Graciela told me to hold her under for a little while so that she
could think and I was like``. . . Yeah we`ll see`` Jenny laughed in
her baptism :-P Some people . . . :-D They are really cool :-) Thanks
for all of your prayers :-D
Now to explain people. Carla is the girl with me and the tall Elder
Brandt. Claudio is the guy in white with Elder Aizpurùa and Graciela
is the lady next to Carla giving the hug to the kid next to her (
whose name is Jose Luis bytheway and Meredith this is the guy you`re
talking to) :-D I think that I said like two weeks ago if you guys
could buy a bible and triple and then put your testimonies (from all 6
of you) and a picture that`d be really cool :-)
Cambios are tomorrow but me and Elder Aizpurùa are staying :-)
Until october 11th at least :-D
Thats it for me guys. The Church is true, the book of mormon is
also true, Joseph Smith was a Prophet of God and Thomas S Monson is
the Prophet on the Earth today (and both men are very true :-D ) but
the most important truth of them all is that I KNOW that my Redeemer
Jesus Christ lives. Thats kind of a lot of gospel but the world needs
more truths like these :-D Until the next guys, Mom Dad Sam Meri Grace
and Sophie, I love you all and Be Happy!!!
Sincerely
Elder Jamie McConnell

Weekly Letter

HEY EVERYBODY :-D HOWZIT GOING?!?! :-D
Hey Guys, how`re things? The pictures all looked really cool bytheway. Sam that picture was tight of you by the wheat field :-D I miss you a ton man, its been awhile :-P ALmost a year :-D Time flies when you`re on a mission from God :-D How`s it feel to be getting out of the house?
Things Are Good :-) They could be better but perfection is overrated and causes stress when you obligate yourself to achieve it :-P :-D The week went by really fast :-D Graciela is fine bytheway :-) We were over there last monday in the afternoon and throughout the entire week :-) She`s so full of faith. Yesterday she told us that she maybe has 300 pesos (a little more than fifty cents) and she`s not even worried. She told us that she has sugar, wheat, potatoes, oil, and enough of all that to last her for a little while AND Carla, Claudio and Fernanda(daughter of Carla,2yrsold). She`s so awesome :-D Thanks for your prayers :-)
THe week was fun :-) We had a conference which are always a good learning experiance :-) That was on tuesday. On Friday we had interviews :-) I am SO glad I can speak spanish because that interview would have been the worst thing ever if I couldn`t have understood my own mission President :-D Pres Martinez is really cool and very fired up. His goal is that we all become 100% missionaries of Preach My Gospel. For real Sam, make a point to read PMG a lot right now because everything you learn will be helpful :-D I also asked him some questions like how could I help Elder Aizpurùa better and how I could improve as a missionary and how could I help the people understand that what we have is important to them and he said ``Predicad Mi Evangelio le ayudarà a ayudar a ELder Aizpurùa y tambien contestarà a sus otras preguntas`` . . . Basically that I should read PMG because it already has all the answers. He said it a lot more eloquently and inspiring if you weren`t convinced :-D But he is completely right bytheway. If you guys ever have a question on how to help somebody know the gospel, PMG. :-D
Things are going good with Elder Aizpurùa :-) Sometimes he likes to take things into his own hands but that`s mostly because he`s really fired up :-D He`s a great worker and a great missionary. We are probably going to be together until october so we should have a lot of fun :-D
The mission is a weird place :-D You have to talk to so many people COMPLETELY RANDOMLY and then invite them to change their lives. Try doing that for an entire day, at least 20 people, you don`t even need to talk to them, you just need to TRY and talk to them and it counts :-D I always think of Grandpa McConnell when we go out and do contacts because I`ve seen him meet people out of nowhere and in 5 minutes or less he becomes friends with that person. THAT is very handy on the mission :-D I`m glad that I wasn`t ever really the kind of person that got shy in front of people. :-D
Something I learned the other day. We were walking with a teenage member and the day had gone kind of bad and for some reason everything was kind of annoying and I was about to say something kind of angrily like ``Guys stop goofing around`` BUT I thought not to. And then I calmed down. I AM SO PATIENT NOW :-D You all wouldn`t BELIEVE how patient I am now :-D I can`t wait for anything still but with people I can wait forever :-D I wanted to say two things 1: Patience is a virtue that helps SO much to face life`s trials with a smile and good attitude :-) 2: If you can wait long enough NOT to say anything out of anger you will Uno: have more friends who respect who you are and Dos: Be happier. I promise that with all that I have that that is true :-)
Thats it for me :-) Something kind of different, it is maybe kind of`possible that I might need to get my eyes checked :-D and then get glasses :-D Just joking but for real my eyes have kind of been pushing to read things lately so I`m going to see if I can work that out. Just letting you know Dad because I think that I`ll have to pay for a checkup because the mission doesn`t cover glasses and things like that. AND I was wondering if you all do me a favor :-) I wanted to know if you could send another triple and bible to Graciela Carla and Claudio :-) Don`t send it yet, I need to get some information first but I wanted to know if you all could right something for them :-) Even if its in english, I could translate it :-D Like a photo of you all and your testimonies. Don`t write anything yet because I`m going to get their names and send a picture of them all first so that you all can get to know them before you write :-D
Thats all :-) Until the Next Mom Dad Sam Meri Grace and Sophie, I love you all and BE HappY!!
Sincerely
Elder Jamie McConnell

Weekly Letter

HEY EVERYBODY!!! :-D HOWZIT GOING?!?!
Hey guys, How`re things? I have good news, then bad news, then more good news, then more bad news. The first good news is that the boots didn`t fit me because they were filled with delicious fruit candies :-D The bad news is that when I took the candy out they still didn`t fit :-P I still get the candy though :-D They`re long enough but my feet are very fat :-P I don`t know whether or not to send them back or give them to another Elder because I don`t know how expensive they are :-P If you could let me know Dad the next week that`d be great. Now to the second good news. Claudio got baptized on Saturday :-D It was really cool too :-D Their family is doing really really well :-) Graciela has her date for the 27th as well. They are really special. The last bad news I will keep for later.
Things first, HAPPY BIRTHDAY GRACE AND DAD!!! :-D How`s it feel to be eight Grace? and Dad, How`s it feel to be . . . I forgot. :-D And Grace, that is SO cool that you got baptized on Saturday :-D I am SOOOOO proud of you (and SOOO happy that there will be NO Elders at our house teaching her a year from now. Mom and Dad I think will understand). For real Grace, this is something that is very VERY important in your life and something that you should never EVER forget. You now have the Gift of the Holy Ghost which is the best gift you could possibly have on the face of the earth. Ask Mom and Dad to explain to you ANY question that you might have because it is very important that you understand how cool this present is :-D For real, it`s really cool to think that we were doing the same thing on Saturday :-D
Something cool this last week. There is a goal every week of contacting 140 people (which means trying to talk to them or invite them to church) which is kind of a challenge if you don`t focus in the week. They changed it last week. To 500. Guess who talked to more than FIVE HUNDRED people last week. . . We did. Thats whats up. When we heard about it on Tuesday, I almost laughed. Other Elders DID laugh :-D But we did it and I am very pleased :-D We get to the 500th person`s house and we are so pumped to baptize the snot out of this guy so we go and knock oo the door, it opens, we begin ``Hola we`re the missionaries`` and he says ``No thanks`` and closes the door. . . . . . . . I was so disapointed and tired that I took a picture of his house with Elder Aizpurùa and then we left a note saying ``Dear Sir. You were the 500th person we talked to this week. Maybe another day we can come back and talk more``. Even if the people reject you, YOU WORKED and THAT is what God asked you to do, not how many people who decide to listen. Good week.
Elder Aizpurùa and I are doing great :-) I feel bad because I feel like he could use more practice with lessons but we`re not having many :-P But he already is a great Elder and time will only make him better :-D
Now the second bad news. Graciela worked at an old folks home very close to where we live. I say worked because the home burned down last night y nueve abuelitos murieron en la accidente. Graciela wasn`t there, so she is fine, but she knew personally everyone of them(and so did we) so obviously she isn`t doing too well. We are going over tonight to visit and share of course about life after this life. I love the gospel when you want to share it and the people want to know :-) I was hoping to ask you all to pray for her and for the families of the abuelitos. For real guys, prayers are answered and your prayers have been answered here in Chile. I testify of that with everything I have.
The church is true, the book is blue and God`s a mormon and there is no force or power on this earth that can change those truths. Life is hard but with God and Jesus Christ and our own families it isnt lonely :-) I tesify of that.
THats it for me guys :-) I would like to send some presents to Dad and Grace sometime so Dad let me know if I should send the boots back or no. Until the next Mom Dad Sam Meri Grace and Sophie, I love you all and Be HappY!!
Sincerely
Elder Jamie McConnell

Weekly EMAIL and Pictures

HEY EVERYBODY!! :-D CÒMO LES VA?!?! (HOWZIT GOING!?!?)
Hey guys How`re things :-) I`m glad that the letters got to you :-D I was kind of worried :-D By the way mom that story that I wrote to Meri was actually given to me by the pearsons who probably found it in another book that`s already published Good story though huh?
Good news Carla Jara was baptized on Saturday As well as Laura and her son Diego Laura was perfectly fine last weekend It was really fun :-) THe members came, there was food, very fun :-) It was all in all a very stressful week :-P I haven`t had to organize my own baptism since Febuary and its COMPLICATED But it was good :-) As well Graciela was able to come to both the baptism AND to church :-D We were talking with Carla and Graciela yesterday and they both were saying how they just felt like flying :-) That we had just brought something so special into their lives. It`s something really really special to see someone and know that yesterday they didn`t have the gift of the Holy Ghost and that today they do THAT is a good feeling :-D Graciela says that before I leave that she wants to get baptized so we`re going to see if we can find some time off of work or at least find the breaks necessary :-) Thanks for your prayers :-D Bytheway this Saturday Claudio is getting baptized Carla and Claudio are friends of mine on Facebook if you want to meet them

Something that Graciela told us yesterday that she feels so good about all of this and hopes that she doesn`t ever lose what she`s feeling, that it never leaves her :-) THere`s a scripture in 2 nephi somewhere where stuff is given line upon line. The verse ends with something along the lines of ``and anyone who says that they have enough, what they have will be taken away from them`` in terms of knowledge and light. THIS IS TRUE. YOU are the only person that can take away your testimony and faith. There is no power on earth, in heaven, or in hell that can make you lose those things. This is why NOW I love primary ``What do we need to do to be happy children?`` ``Say our prayers, read the scriptures and keep the commandments teacher.`` ``Thats right. Have a candy :-D``If we do these things, we will keep these feelings that we have had about the church, the Book of Mormon, and Joseph Smith :-) I like guarantees from God :-D

Elder Aizpurùa is doing really well. He already is teaching and challenges everybody :-D I try to have everything perfect so that its all fun and spirit and thats starting to stress me out. :-P SOmething to Sam specifically but to everyone generally :-D The mission is not all fun and games. You all hear and read the vast majority of the GOOD stuff that happens :-D There are other stuffs I say this because when you`re in the mission Sam and having a hard time thinking that you could be doing better like you`ve heard from other missionaries, KNOW that there is no such thing as a perfect mission :-) It is ALL worth it so even when its hard you can go home and put your head on that wonderfully soft pillow and say ``Well, I will try again tomorrow`` and sleep :-) The mission is pure growth :-) and pure blessings :-D Its that sometimes it doesn`t look like it at the moment :-D

Thats it for me :-) I believe I will have the package this week So I`ll let you all know next week. Until the next Mom Dad Sam Meri Grace and SOphie, I love you all and Be HappY!!
Sincerely
Elder Jamie McConnell