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