Encircled in safety

 I love reading your emails and seeing your pictures. Happy anniversary to the best parents I have ever had! I'm glad that you had a good time even without your favorite kid!

 

We have changes today. I'm going to stay in Dorsal again with Elder Jimenez. We have good plans and good goals for this change so I'm really happy about it.

This week was a little bit slower of a week. Everybody in Chile leaves for vacations in the summer. So a lot of investigators and members left for vacations. It's alright. Our classes of English and classes of Piano are going awesome. Its funny but I think the combination of the English and Piano classes are really turning out to be a significant contribution to this area.  I think its why Jimenez and I are still sticking together.  A lot more people are showing up now. It's cool because everybody wants to learn both piano and English. So we start off forty-five minutes of English. There is a few people who have been to a lot of classes and they know how to conjugate some verbs in the present and put together sentences. It's actually cool to see some of them take it so seriously. But they do have a really good teacher so it makes sense :) after we switch and the next forty-five minutes are for piano. 

This week we met with a really cool person. We were talking about the atonement with her. I love teaching about the atonement because the spirit is always so strong. She had a lot of good questions. In Alma it says 34 16 And thus mercy can satisfy the demands of justice, and encircles them in the arms of safety

I like how this scripture says encircles them in the arms of safety. What amazing news it is to know that the atonement has already been performed, and we are already encircled in arms of safety.

 

 With my new positive attitude ;) I have been saying this quote alot to myself.  I just wanted to share it.

“It isn't as bad as you sometimes think it is. It all works out. Don't worry. I say that to myself every morning. It all works out in the end. Put your trust in God, and move forward with faith and confidence in the future.

-Gordon B. Hinckley

 This week will be great. I love you guys and hope you have an amazing week!

Mr. Positive is out and about

I love reading your guys' emails every week. It's good to hear that everything is going good over there.

On Tuesday we had interchanges. I love going on interchanges because you learn so much going with another missionary. Everybody has their own style and it's awesome to pick up on new stuff that works good for other missionaries. During interchanges we talked with this lady named Genesis. She told us she doesn't understand why she can't quit smoking. She's tried so many times but she just can't do it. We asked her if she believed in God and she said yes. We asked her if she believed God loved her perfectly and she said yes, again, really robotically. We asked her if she could love herself like God loves her. And she said no I can't because I can't quit smoking. After that we had a really good conversation. We talked about self love reflecting Gods love and we honor him when we feel the way he feels about us.  I truly do think if people understood how much God loved them, and they are patient with themselves and love themselves, they can overcome anything in their life. I can overcome all things.....through Christ.....who strengthens me.

We went to the temple this week with Pedro. It was a really good experience. The missionaries in that mission offer tours for investigators that explains why we have temples. The tour starts in a chapel and after we go through the gardens of the temple and after end with a video. The craziest thing, when we were walking by the temple I saw a soccer team from Utah. So I went over and talked to them and they were super cool. I guess their coach served in Santiago and they were here for a tournament. But anyways, the best part about the tour, is the video that they have at the end. They show this video of Jesus in the Americas. No words just music. It's a short clip, but shows him blessing and healing the people and hugging the children. I've seen the video a few times, and every time the spirit is so strong! The Santiago temple is small and simple but so dear to my heart.

On Sunday the teacher for gospel principles class was gone. As soon as I walked into the class they asked me if I could teach. That is such a typical story for missionaries getting thrown into situations like that. But of course I said yes, and the class went really well. The best part was Julio and his wife came. My heart almost exploded with joy.  Julio is the most amazing man I have ever met. We talked about the atonement and he said something that I really liked. He said we didn't come to earth to live a perfect life. But to get up each time that we fell. He said God does not judge us harshly on when we fall, but more on how we get up. I had tears in my eyes the whole time. And it's only possible through the atonement. He said I'm not perfect but I trust in my Savior and in his atonement.

I've thought a lot about the phrase ´´trust in God.´´ It's a phrase we say all of the time, but what does it really mean? In the bible topical guide it gives five other words similiar to trust. Assurance, believe, confidence, faith, and hope. I absolutely love the way that Nephi describes trust, in 2 Nephi chapter 4:

 18 I am encompassed about, because of the temptations and the sins which do so easily beset me.

 19 And when I desire to rejoice, my heart groaneth because of my sins; nevertheless, I know in whom I have trusted.  

Even though we aren't perfect we can still feel the same as Nephi does.

21 He hath filled me with his love, even unto the consuming of my flesh.

Filled me with love to the consuming of my flesh......those words are deeper and more powerful than we realize.  I hope this is the marker of my life.  Being consumed head to toe by his love for me and for my friends.

It's a nice cloudy day in Santiago today. It's nice to have a break from the heat. Were going to go play basketball in a little bit with other missionaries and some investigators. Today will be a good day. This week will be a good week. I'm trying to live a more positive life haha it's hard but it's so much better. Just start calling me MR. POSITIVE.  Have a wonderful week!

Saving Chilean kids lives

 Im telling you guys, the sky here is different, its the most amazing thing youve ever seen.

                                          my mission buds. My comp loves his byu Christmas shirt ;)

I love hearing about Paul and Luke's basketball. That's awesome that they're doing so good! And I liked emma's photo as a zombie, and especially how sneaky mom was about the photobomb. :)

We had a really good week this week. In two more weeks I'll officially have six months in my sector. I love my sector!

On monday we passed by one of our investigators. His name is Alberto and he lives with his sister and his dad. When we first got into the house it was such a bad situation. Alberto and his sister were fighting and trying to get us to get involved and choose a side. We just listened to them fight for a little bit and after awhile we were like can we read a scripture together? So we read a little bit in the book of mormon. After they were still talking about what they were fighting about but after reading the book of mormon the environment was a lot different. There was such a sweet spirit in the house. It ended by them telling each other sorry and how much they loved each other. A little bit cheesy, but it was really cool. Jeff Franklin would've loved it (director of Full House.  Paul and Luke will love this reference.  Trust me).

I love all my investigators, but my favorite is Pedro. He is 21 years old. He honestly has such a good heart. Me and Elder Jimenez have gotten so close to him these last couple of months. This week after reading the Book of Mormon with him he told us that he knows the book of Mormon is true. I wish you guys could see the reaction of missionaries when people say things like that. It makes me so happy! I know the book of mormon is true and I know that this gospel provides a way to have a very deep and real relationship with the savior. Espero que el estè leyendo esto, porque soy famoso con mi blog y ahora el lo es tambièn jaja.

Friday night we had finished planning and were about ready to go to bed when we got a call from a member that said a bunch of kids were locked in the church-because the church has a gate around the outside of it and somebody let them in but left and locked the gate-and needed our help because we had keys. We had keys because the next day we were going to have piano and english class. So we ran over to the church. There was like 10 kids that all started cheering for us and yelling our names when we arrived.  Ive never felt so much like a rock star in my life. When we unlocked the gate all of them came running out hugging us telling us we saved their lives haha. I honestly love the people here but especially the kids so much. 

So yeah we had a good week this week. Oh yeah they banned coke in our mission. Everyone was so mad about it ha. Chileans drink coke with everything so we're all addicted and than they banned it. oh well. 

 

This scripture is the best knowledge I brought with me to Chile from our house. I find myself saying these words to investigators who dont feel alot of hope for their life over and over.  Thanks for making sure I always knew this.  Have a great week family.

Romans 8: 35, 37-39 

35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

 38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,

 39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able toseparate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

New Year

Happy new year! Glad to hear everyone is doing good! Too bad vacations are over and you have to go back to normal life!

So something we've done these past couple of weeks for Christmas and the new year is we bought wrapping paper and wrapped up Book of Mormons as presents. It was actually really funny. People were so bummed out when they found out the present was a book of Mormon. One example was with a family. The mom was anxiously waiting to open up the present while her two daughters were wrapping their arms around her neck. When she opened it up her only response was ´´oh, another bible´´ I almost felt bad haha. But not so bad I couldnt hold back the giggles.

We had interviews with the President on Wednesday. I was a little bit nervous because my first interview with him went really bad because I could not speak the language yet, and he speaks no English. When I got into the room where the interview was He shook my hand, hugged me, and kicked back in his chair. I love the president Videla, he's so chill. The interview went really good. He told me a few things that I really liked. He said it's important for missionaries here to be balanced with finding new people and also visiting less active families. The fruit of our labor is to see less active and new investigators in the church taking the sacrament remembering our Lord. He also told me it's necessary that I always share my testimony in my email to the family. I really liked that. Basically, I was a little nervous for the interview but it went really good.

We spent the new year with a family from Peru. I don't know why, but everything I have ate that was a Peruvian dish, has been so good! And new years night was no different, the food was awesome. The Hermana set up the table all fancy for us (see mom I did notice those things) and really tried to make it a good night for us, bless her heart. There were fireworks all night long. Something they do here in chile is at 12:00 everybody gives each other hugs. Like everyone hugs their family and their friends. 

The next day we went on interchanges. It was seriously maybe the best day of my mission. I went with Elder Rice in my sector. We get a long perfect. We had so much success that day. I really felt like we were being guided by the spirit that day. We found a lot of new people and also met with old investigators that were interested to talk to us. I love interchanges because you learn so much from how different missionaries work. Everybody has their own style of how they do stuff and it's nice to pick up on new stuff that works good.

I want to tell you guys about the most heart tugging moment Ive had yet. I'm pretty sure I've talked about this family before. Julio and Karen and their adorable little daughters. They really are my favorite family here and closest to my heart. I especially love Julio. We got a phone call that said Julio had been drinking and we should pass by their house. I didn't even know that he had a problem with that. When we got to their house we saw Julio outside sitting in the dirt. When he saw us he got up and starting acting all strange. I asked him how we was doing and he immediately responded, ´´bad.´´ We just stared at each other and my heart was breaking for him. I know this sounds dumb but the pain he was carrying actually felt like my own for a second.  He hugged me and started saying ´´I'm sorry, I'm a bad person, I'm poor, I have nothing´´ I really did try my best, but I started bawling into his shoulder also. It hurt me so bad to see somebody I loved so much in so much pain. We went in the house and gave--not his wife but basically--Karen, a blessing. I guess he hadn't drank in two years. So when he drank this time, he didn't just drink a little, he drank a lot. The next day when we passed by his house he was still drunk. It's totally his life and his decision, but I know that's not what he wants, and I know that's not what his family wants for him either. Please pray for Julio family.  Anyone reading this, please please say a prayer for my friend Julio.  I dont understand addiction but a ward member told me there arent really any options for someone in Chile who is addicted to alcohol.  I think I would like to return to Chile someday and fix that problem if I can.

I really like these verses in Mosiah 28: 23, and 30. I am really beginning to see how wonderfully loving and merciful god is to us. He doesn't want us to live with guilt and shame in our lives. He will take that away from us and we can truly feel forgiven. When he says he will forgive us, he means it. He cannot lie.

 23 For it is I that taketh upon me the sins of the world; for it is I that hath created them; and it is I that granteth unto him that believeth unto the end a place at my right hand.

30 Yea, and as often as my people repent will I forgive them their trespasses against me.

I hope everyone has a wonderful week, I need to learn how to close my emails without saying the same thing everytime ha. chauuu. I absolutely refuse to say carry on.  ;)

 Elder Terry