HEY EVERYBODY!!! :-D HOWZIT GOING!!! :-D
Hey, How`re things? :-D How is life on the other side of the world? Things are going alright here in Gorbea :-D Its weird to say something else than Ohiggins :-D This week we weren`t really able to go out and work for conferences, Elder Gonzalez being sick and activities, so there`s not much to say :-P Some surprise blessings at the end though :-D Yesterday the husbands of two member mothers both came to church which apparently never happens :-D So that was cool. Ruben and Nivaldo :-) We were able to talk to them about the Sacrament meeting (because it`s the first meeting) and they both said that they really liked it :-) They`ve apparently gone to the church various times because their wives are long-time members, so they basically know everything. So later on in the day we went to have dinner with Nivaldo and his wife, Difrozina (Have fun with THAT) and their children. Elder Gonzalez told me that its really good to have people eating when you ask them to do things and he was perfectly right. Before the night was through, he set up a date for them to get themselves married, and for Nivaldo to get baptized :-D You can imagine that that is kind of a big deal. Let me explain the marriage thing. Chilaens ( and i assume the vast majority of south america) are completely fine with just pairing off with other people for the rest of their lives without even a word about marriage. Marriage for some people is like a shiny gift that would be nice to have but isn`t really necessary. That makes the Law of Chastity really fun :-P I remember one time, this lady, when we had asked why she wouldn`t get married with her ``husband``, told us that if she ever got mad or if he ever did something stupid, she could just go without any problems. She said that while holding her almost two year old daughter in her arms. That was awkward. So you can imagine that when Elder Gonzalez helped Nivaldo and Difrozina put a date to get married, that was kind of a big deal :-D A whole week of almost doing nothing and suddenly a baptism date :-) Something that Pres Swenson said in the conference friday made me think. He said that baptisms are GIVEN, not earned. I think that that is very true :-)
So thats basically it for the work this week :-P Bytheway things, I did get the package with the reeses and hymnbooks, and the one with socks and chapstick and letters from both Grandma and Grandpa Utley AND McConnell :-) I was able to write some letters today to some other people and I figure that I`m just going to send the birthday cards without a gift, cuz I`ve found nothing :-P :-) Something funny, Elder Gomez and my old comp Elder Merrill called me in the morning today to wish me a happy birthday :-D Its crazy to think that Elder Gomez is all the way out here in Chile :-D
Thanks for all the Happy Birthdays guys :-) Today I wrote some letters and then we went ``fishing`` for the rest of the day so that was a blast. Elder Gonzalez has a problem with accepting that he needs to practice with something because we didn`t catch ANYTHING ALL DAY LONG. He said that there was fish but they must have been really really tired all day long. All well :-) I still have candy at the house :-D
Something that Pres Swenson told me the other day was that when Nephi went to pray to the lord in order to make the ship, the lord AT TIMES answered his prayers. later while they were traveling on the boat the wind would push them along one direction and then at times stop, and then begin and push them in another direction. The lesson was that sometimes the Lord is gonna leave us on our own for awhile and we are going to sometimes feel abandoned when really we`re learning more about ourselves and developing a greater faith. The Spirit is always there when we are ready and worthy to have it. Thats a promise of God. Even if we don`t feel it, it doesn`t mean it isn`t there.
Well thats it for me :-) I`m twenty bytheway :-D Crazy stuff to think that a fifth of my life has just finished :-P :-D Until the next monday guys, Mom Dad Sam Meri Grace Sophie and Dani, i love you all and Be HAPPY! :-D
Sincerely
Elder Jamie McConnell