Somthing Better

Ok I just gotta hurry and get this out of the way.  Mom, I bought a new cord for my camera but it isnt working.  It wont let me load any pictures.  I am actually really thankful that I am halfway around the world telling you this so I cant see your reaction ;)

I'm glad everybody had a good week! I loved to see the pictures of Emma going to prom! She's growing up so fast :´( jaja

On Tuesday we had a very neat experience. We met with this man that was living with his mom. His mom was 93 years old and was about to die. She hadn't ate or drank anything in about a week. My companion said a prayer for her. During the prayer her son left to do something on his phone. I was so bothered that he left because I was thinking a little bit selfishly that we were here for him and to teach him. But after awhile I realized what was happening. Me, my comp, and this older woman who was about to pass away were alone in a room and my comp was praying for her and for her family. It was a very tender moment. 

We also met with this kid from Peru. A lot of people here are from Peru. Anyways he is twenty years old and really cool. He moved to Santiago by himself, and is living on his own for the first time. He is a really humble person and was really intrigued with us. After our lesson we asked if he had questions and he said he had a lot. But his main question was when he could come to church. It was so awesome! His name is Bruno and I really hope he can progress. Sadly, he's never heard of Bruno Mars haha.

The Atonement is individual, and if you have something that is bothering you—sometimes so long ago you can hardly remember it—put the Atonement to work. It will clean it up, and you, as does He, will remember your sins no more. Boyd K. Packer

On Tuesday Elder Pope also got a call that said he would be district leader. He was pretty excited about that. The next day he left for a meeting. Our mission changed a lot of things this past change. They made a lot more districts with few missionaries in each one. So now there is only six missionaries in my district. The idea is to have better and more effective district classes. I like the idea. I think it'll work well.

We have two recent converts, Francisco and his mom Angelina, and both of them are completely awesome. On Friday Angelina invited us to her birthday. A bunch of people showed up, like all of her extended family and us two missionaries. Angelina made so much food bless her heart! Everybody ate completos until they were stuffed! The whole time Angelina was making food and doing everything possible to make it a good time for everybody. She could've just hung out, but she wanted to serve the people that she loved so much. I had a hard time relaxing thinking about how hard she was working but I felt grateful for her sacrifice in our behalf. I'm so lucky to know such wonderful people like Francisco and Angelina.

On Saturday we had a lot of lessons set up to teach. We had really high hopes to teach all of our lessons. But it was a bummer, everything fell through, like everything. It's starting to get cold here, especially at night. So Saturday night when our last lesson fell through I was pretty discouraged and cold. But we decided to try for one more investigator. We went to his house and he wasn't there, but his mom was. So we talked to his mom a little bit that night. And the next day at church, Their whole family showed up! I was so happy! Honestly felt like a miracle. It was just a reminder that when we think we cant do one more thing as missionaries, God will step in and do somthing even better for us.

I am certain Nephi knew that the Savior’s grace allows and enables us to overcome sin.³⁴ This is why Nephi labored so diligently to persuade his children and brethren “to believe in Christ, and to be reconciled to God.”³⁵After all, that is what we can do! And that is our task in mortality! Dieter F. Uchtdorf
 I love you guys.  Think of me every now and then in the cold Santiago air, and I will think of you in the beautiful warm Utah sun.  Love, Elder Terry

Breathlessly Waiting

Greetings Family- 
Sounds like everyone is enjoying having Marie back.  I was mostly happy to hear that you went on vacation to Salt Lake for spring break, since last year when I was there we went on a cruise.  Don't take it personal Marie.  Im sure it has nothing to do with the favorite Terry missionary being away in Chile.

This week I heard a quote that has really had me thinking.  It is " To know all is to forgive all."  I think there is just about nothing we could not forgive, including ourselves, if we could know everything, and see everything clearly.  People usually have a pretty good reason for where they end up and doing what they are doing.  Including ourselves and I am learning we usually dont see ourselves very accurately.  I think we are more critical and less loving with ourselves than God is with us.  The test is to gain his eyes and act like he would.

I am dying to tell you guys the fun my comp and I are having with his amazing skills. So before my mission I watched a show with David Blaine doing ridiculously cool  magic tricks. After his trick people would go crazy because they could not believe they had just seen what they saw.   That is exactly how people react when my comp does his rubix cube, it's so awesome! It is the coolest in we have with people we are trying to teach. 
OK for example. With one family we were talking to he was kind of hustling them, doing his rubix cube fast but not as fast as he usually does. I know how fast he usually does it so I was just smiling to myself waiting for him to go full force. They were all pretty impressed. Elder Pope had somebody mix his cube. They mixed it up really really good.  Then somebody pulled out their phone for a timer. Elder Pope finished his rubix cube in 21 seconds. Everybody was screaming and running around. It was honestly hilarious!  It opens up people so we can schedule appointments and talk to them.  God moves in a mysterious way.
The work for us is really picking up.  It was going too slow for my taste but this last couple of weeks it has really picked up and it has been the most rewarding thing that has ever happened to me.  Man, I love the work when we are busy and loving people and are schedule is booked.  Its the happiest thing you could dream of.  Even better than a cruise.  Even better than a Salt Lake trip ;)

Something I love about this ward is that the members are very willing to help us out and join us in visits. I know that isnt common in every area so we are really counting our blessing on that.  We had a great visit with a member with one of our investigators Sergio. We taught about the plan of Salvation. It was incredible to have the member who was about the same age as Sergio with a family bearing testimony about the atonement. Afterwards he asked us if we could help him in his garden in the backyard. Well, not really a garden and not really a backyard but there was a tree that he needed to pull out. So me and my comp ripped a huge tree out of the ground. It was crazy but I felt so much joy doing it.  I know that sounds weird but its true. 

Today I was reading in Alma 25. In Spanish instead of saying that they looked forward to the coming of Christ, it says they waited anhelosamente. My dictionary gave four English words for this word. Yearningly, Eagerly, Breathlessly, Panting. I like that translation of people were waiting for the coming of Christ and his atonement yearningly, eagerly, and breathlessly. Basically, I think the Spanish Book of Mormon is more true :) Just trust me.

15 Yea, and they did keep the law of Moses; for it was expedient that they should keep the law of Moses as yet, for it was not all fulfilled. But notwithstanding the law of Moses, they did look forward to the coming of Christ, considering that the law of Moses was a type of his coming,

 

We should have a great week this week. Dallin H. Oaks is coming to Santiago Saturday! So that'll be awesome. Maybe Elder Oaks will have the honor to meet Mr. Positive.  Ok that sentence even made me laugh at my computer.  Have a great week!

Conference is missionary Christmas

I'm really glad to hear you guys had a great experience in Buenos Aires and everyone is home safe.  The picture of you guys all at ihop after Marie came back stabbed me in the heart for a minute and I just really missed my fam.  But its all good and I'm glad I am still the one Terry missionary representing.  Sorry Marie, I get all the glory now.

We had a great week.  We are still trying to meet everyone in our area because we are both new to it.  It is keeping us busy.  The more people we meet, the more renewed energy we get.    We met a girl named Karen.  When we knocked on her door, she stuck her head out of her window.  She was shocked we knew her name.  I kept calling her Karen and she looked at us with her mouth wide open in shock.  We ended up talking with her on the stairs of the apartment because she said her family would not be warm to missionaries, but she felt this overwhelming feeling to listen to us.  She said we actually knocked on her door and called her name (which we knew from a referral) in a moment she needed support the most.  Its interesting to me how many people say the missionaries showed up at their door at the moment they needed them most.  Gods hand is so perfect.

Another investigator we have is 35 years old and his name is Sergio.  He has the cutest 5 year old daughter.
 His wife lives in Columbia and their relationship, well let call it "complicated"  He works a ton of hours.  I used to think that was good because so many people live so poor I thought they could earn more money.  But Im learning its not really like that here.  Usually the poorer you are, the more hours you work.  I know, it just doesnt seem fair at all.  Anyway we have a good energy with him, and he is a good hearted man.  He is trying so hard to choose the right, but the truth is his life is so full of stress and anxiety its just really hard for him to make the best decisions.  Our lessons go so well with him and the spirit is always very strong.  Please pray for Sergio.  We really want to bless him and help him out.

We have been doing alot of service recently.  We got an "emergency" call this morning telling us we needed to be in Santiago in twenty minutes.  We rushed over and helped another mission out with a service project.  We picked up tons of trash.  It was really rewarding to see so many missionaries working together.  GUESS WHAT?  I got to see my Pedro again (the one I baptized)  He is doing amazing.  I felt like a proud father.  He is the president of his institute.  Seriously.  My heart was so happy to see him I almost exploded.

I found a quote recently that I have memorized.  Just because I love it I want to share it
Jeffery R Holland
The thing God enjoys most about being God is the thrill of being merciful, ESPECIALLY to those who dont expect it and most often feel they dont deserve it.

I also went on interchanges with a missionary named Elder Saldivia.  He is from Chile.  We had a blast.  I really enjoy the friendship with other Elders.  There are so many good Elders out there.  I feel lucky to be friends with them.  On Friday I was in charge of Family Night at the church.  Its different than Utah.  Everyone comes!  We played a mormon version of pictionary and I havent laughed that hard in a long time.  Everyone was going crazy.  It almost got out of hand, but Mr. Positive kept control of the situation ;)  It was one of the best nights Ive had here.

Well, conference is like Christmas for missionaries.  I loved hearing how L. Tom Perry and Henry B. Eyring went to Rome with other religious leaders to discuss the family.  It really touches me that every religion is in unison about the importance of the family.  Everyone coming together with the same love for God and for families is really inspiring to me.

Well, my comp always says, Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.  He stole it from Abe Lincoln but its still good.  Make up your mind to be happy family.  Our minds are much more powerful than I ever realized.  I love you guys.  Good luck Marie adjusting to real life.  I will just chill out here in South America and enjoy the beautiful sights and people for a while.  Elder Terry

Second best city in South America

The parents touched down in South America! I'm glad that your flight went alright. Tell Marie I say como estai! haha

We had a really good week here in Simón Bolívar. The ward here is fantastic. The Bishop works so hard here. There is a lot of work to do, and he is always at the church sometimes until 1. He's the coolest. I'm so happy to be here in this ward.

We met a really cool family. The whole family was baptized and went through the temple but haven't gone to church in about 8 years. We have met with the wife and her daughter a couple times but we never met the dad of that family. On Wednesday we knocked on their door and Luis, the dad, answered. We were a little bit worried because we didn't know how he would react to us. But as soon as we started the lesson he totally opened up to us. He was sharing his testimony with us that was so strong. That night we had a meeting at the church and he was there waiting for a interview with the bishop. It was such a neat experience. The best way to work here in Chile is to find less or inactive members and talk with their families. Because they're almost always part member. 

Francisco, the one who got baptized last Sunday, was confirmed this Sunday. His friend George, the one who baptized him, also confirmed him a member. They were both really happy about it. Francisco is really excited to share his new testimony and is always asking when he can come with us and the other missionaries in the ward on visits. He's a total stud. Last night, we ate empanadas in the Fransico´s house with George. We've only been here for a couple weeks, but it felt like we had been buddies for a long time sitting around eating empanadas. 

Dieter F. Uchtdorf mentioned in one of his talks that gratitude is the parent of all virtues. I've realized how blessed I truly am. I'm so grateful to be here on my mission and to have such a amazing family and great friends. 

Enjoy Buenos Aires. I heard it's the second best city in South America :)