I am now Senior Companion

Wow...what a day. It has been really weird. I thought I would be the younger companion. Well, that just isn't in the cards for me...I am receiving a new companion who has 12 weeks in the mission. It's really scary...because my spanish is bad enough but now I don`t have a choice. I'm really scared...but the Lord feels I am ready...and what luck because hermana Kitto is training this time around! Haha, I was laughing really hard, because of the fear on her face. I don´t think that the fear will last very long.

Wow, Cody is leaving on his mission....and Logan is in his. This is so weird....I seems like only yesterday that they were all still in school together. Time flies by now that I'm not living at home.

Haha, Mexicans talk really slow...Chileans talk much, much faster than them. There are a few living here in this part of the world for work and schooling...its really crazy.

I know Janika...wow...Sam is a ladies man....I wonder who will be his first girlfriend?

Yeah, Elder Lund is dying with my Trainer Elder Muñoz. It's really, really weird, but so many people are dying this combio that it's hard to believe. Things like this are normal now...and I am now Senior Companion....Crap....

Oh, the Oil Vial you sent should be here soon...as for Christmas I really have no idea what to do for Momita. They are really hard to read on what they want or need. They don´t like to talk about stuff like that...only about family, dreams, and other stuff not pertaining to them. Haha, but wow Momita was really sad when we left Puerto Natales. She cried, and so did Elder Galarza. He´s getting sent to the office in 2 more weeks but will spend some time here in Punta Arenas. I have 2 days to prepare myself for whats about to come. Haha

Wow, Fezz is really starting to become a character. More than before I feel...haha Its been really good, I never got sick from eating those eggs and they were really really good. The birds finally left after I took their eggs. Haha, I felt a little bad after but not much.

The other day, Paula and I were talking about Yoga. Its so funny, because I can do a lot of the moves. But, I have only won one game of chess with Popito out of 100 times. I can win against Elder Galarza but, Popito isn´t as easy to win. I am going to buy a little chess set for the road...it will be really cool.

There was another volcano close to here that went off. Wow, planes can't go to Osorno...or at least not as many. I have no idea how the everyone going to the mission home in Osorno are going to get back there.

We bought masks and tried to scare Momita and Popito...but they saw us coming! Shoot, its was really well planned out...but I didn´t think that they would see us. Oh well...we tried.

One of the sisters here had problems with her Appendix. She had to have surgery on it...and now she is going home for a bit. It's really hard....

They other day, I don´t know if I told you, but I had a dream that I went to the doctor. He asked me what was the problem, and I pulled up my shirt sleeve and showed him 3 purple spots on my arm. He told me, that each of these was an event to happen in my life, acording to how close it was to my body, and when they got to my body it would cause me a lot of pain and that there is nothing we can do...but the only thing I can do is prepare for these things to come. And during the night, Elder Galarza woke up to me saying, Oh crap. When I woke up, I could still remember the thought...wow one of them was really close. I knew the meaning on the dream...and felt a lot of peace. It was very, very weird for me. I told Momita and she told me that I should remember this because at times these dreams mean more than just a dream haha. We will see...

It's been really good...first baptism next combio hopefully!!! Hermana Kitto told me that she has had 5...wow...haha awesome! I will do my best to help my new companion out and to make really good habits. And I pray that the Lord will bless us and the Rama (branch) with a baptism...or 2.

I love you all very much,

Ben

I want to come back here after my mission

Hey hey,

Yeah, its a good thing things are going well for me...Thanks for sending the oil vial for me. Its very possible I have one combio left here, and will leave one week before Christmas...how sad...So if you want to send stuff for the momita here, its probably best to send it a bit earlier.

That's crazy Cody got his call to his mission! This goes by way fast when you are in the mission...It feels like just one month ago I was getting here to Chile...and now look...7 months in my mission. I also found out a friend of mine Parker is going on his mission to Ohio. Its been really crazy to see all these people coming and going...getting the news about my friends leaving, and all the other stuff.

Aww yes, Lagoon...the great world of excitement and fun haha. Its weird that mom is sick with the flu...My throat started to hurt the other day and now its kinda gone, but I have a lot of coughing. I think that its from the change in weather, and the 160 km hour winds. Its been really crazy...it rains really hard for about 10 minutes, then nothing, and its blue sky and sun, then 10 minutes later its the same thing...rain...again...Its been really interesting to have this wind here. I love it...I want to come back here after my mission.

Haha, I miss temple square and all that good stuff. Here, we can´t go to the temple and thats one thing that I really miss. Haha, Silas...he may not want to go on a mission now, like me when I was that age...but in the end he will want to go. God doesn´t let people like him not go...Thats really cool you signed up to feed the missionaries around Chirstmas time! It will be weird not having you around...but we get to call so that will be nice. I´ll try to practice my english...haha

I forget how you call this bird (that I got the eggs from) but its really really annoying and loud. The eggs are red inside...and they are very very good. OH, you need to eat Dulce de Leche...its sooooo good! We went to Punta Arenas for the Stake Conference...and I found ELDER WOOD AND HERMANA KITTO! I was so happy to see them! We talked and talked...its was amazing. Elder Hauver, Elder Wood, and Hermana Kitto had all seen each other already and not me...Elder Wood told me he was waiting to see me. Haha, it was really good...but the strange thing is...I have been to this Church before. But Elder Galarza told me that we´ve never been there. Its been really weird. Plus, I watched a dog get run over with a car...he lived with minor cuts. Haha, it was weird.

My Trainer Elder Muñoz will die this combio...Farwell Elder...His girlfriend waited for 2 whole years! Haha, but he doesn´t know if he wants to be with her...what luck...

Its been really good here for me, and I have been really hoping to my first baptism soon...just gotta keep trying till it happens....

I love you all very much, and can´t wait to tell you my combio next week....When I know....

Love,

Ben

There were some birds outside the church messing things up so I took their eggs and got a cake!!

HEY!

How are all of you at home doing? We, here, are doing well. We finally said, this is enough...lets go work. For the past 3 days with pain in his knees we went to work like normal. He will for sure get transferred here next combio and the truth is I think he will go to the office to rest up...for his surgery. I know he will have to have one. We have been resting and the pain is worse than before...Things for us are getting better; most likely due to the end of the combio in 2 weeks.

OH, you all need to make Manjar or Dulce de Leche! This stuff is soooo good! I don´t know how to make it but you can look it up on the web...its really really good. I don´t think we have it in the states.

Home teaching is the same here. They have 2 people go to about 3 or 4 families and share a bit...but its really hard because a lot of the men went out to fish for 3 months or so...so we do a lot of splits to cover members and investigators. This sector is really struggling...and I don´t know what to do to fix it. I have prayed, and prayed...but still no answer.

Our family has a really interesting past. The truth is...when I get back I want to do some geneolgy work because I taught how to use the site new.familysearch.org to do the work here. And I really liked doing it...so I have plans to do that after.  

We got a new member here named Gonzalo. He is Chilean, but he lived in Washington DC for 6 years. He reminds me of Josh haha...he's a skater. His English is really really good...and I thought he was an American.  It's been really cool to have him around.

There were some birds laying eggs in the grass outside the church...and well...we can´t have that because they were messing a lot of things up. So, I took the eggs (3) and gave them to Momita.  Paula, the daughter, made me a nice cake...with my spoils.  It was really good...YUM! The birds finally learned and left.

Wow...Sam and Silas like Minecraft...that's worse than me, guys....

I am so excited for the video game that I pre-ordered for Sam and Silas before my mission to come out too...I can´t play it, but I will when I get back for sure haha.

Hey, can you send me an oil vial here really quick...I will give you the address to the house of momita...because I am giving mine to Elder G, because he doesn´t have one.   I need one to give blessings...and he will leave really soon. So hopefully you can send one my way really quick like...Sorry but they don´t sell stuff like that here...go figure.

I am really happy and content with this type of life. Although, its hard at times...I can´t help but feel blessed. This changes how you view things...and who you want to be. I feel really bad for all the things I could of done...but never did for the church. Really, its quite interesting.

Thank you to all who are praying for me...I know its making things easier.

I love you all so very much, tell Fezz I love him and I miss him. 

I miss you all very much!

Love

Ben 

We had a great P day...lunch, soccer, ping pong, chess, and pig...

Haha, It was a good chance to share what I have in English. The gang (branch) is alright. We had a great P day today! We had lunch with all the members and played soccer, ping pong, chess, and pig. We haven´t done much work this week, Elder G went to the hospital for pains in his knees...for 2 weeks! So we´ve been stuck in the house...finally we went out and worked. He wasn´t supposed to...and I called him dumb. The doctors don´t know what's wrong, but most likely he will need surgery and go home for a bit. Oh, the fun of the mission.

Sam & Silas are playing Minecraft or World of Warcraft? haha, because Minecraft is crazy weird..and most people don´t know what that is. It's a game for the geeks of geeks! Aww, the good ol´days playing World of Warcraft, making video games, doing computer stuff, and hanging out with friends. Never have really missed it much, living in another country is really fun and I love it! Its great to learn and work on me and who I am. I am getting better at guitar...its interesting to see how after some time away from things you seem to be able to learn quicker, and start to solve old problems you had in computers by dreaming, and just random thoughts coming in your head. It sucks I have had so many problems with the other Mp3 player again....I have given up trying to listen to music. I don´t have my tools to fix it...chanta (piece of junk?) . It's amazing...blessings for all!


You´ll have to forgive me, I know this email will be short...we have 10 minutes till we go back to work. Haha, sorry about that...For Christmas...Socks, gingerbread cookies, and thats about it. So far my stuff is holding up really well...and I don´t really need a whole lot of things. Wow, Christmas already...not to much longer till my year mark. How weird is that?! But remember we get to call home on Christmas and so...that will be really cool! Haha, it might be hard to speak in English I can barely do it now...haha.

I love you all!

Chou!

I did get to watch the priesthood session here

Your welcome for all the pictures.  Sorry that I haven´t sent more for you all. Paula is the younger one. She is the daughter of Momita. She had a stroke about a year ago. She stills has trouble moving her arm and leg...but she has pretty much gotten most of the control of her body back. She got blessed by Richard G. Scott. (Or some other apostle...I am almost positive its him.) She had just finished serving a mission a few years back...when she was talking to her mom about how everything is going really good. One week later...she had her stroke. Sorry, that I can´t help you label the photos on the blog...Its hard to help out when Its been so long since my last view of their tools.
Its been really interesting to see the many countries here in Puerto Natales. I have contacted people from, France, different parts of the US, Asians, and other Latin American countries. I saw some Germans the other day...but I didn´t have time to contact them. This place is full of so many different people. Its been really cool to talk in Spanish, then switch to English, then to using my hands and a piece of paper to contact the deaf. Its been really nice to see the different people, and show them how normal we really are. I contacted a priest from a Evangelical church. He was so funny...he tried to talk to me in English. He told us we were wasting our time...and we said that's impossible. Everyone is important to us. Not matter what race, color of skin, rich or poor, country, or beliefs are.  I don´t want to lose a single soul. It doesn´t matter if they won´t listen, I will always offer them a chance, and then again another chance will I give to them.

I didn´t help reactivate Denis and Rudi...but Elder Galarza did. We get to teach the lessons and their daughter is really happy to learn them.

I did get to watch Priesthood Session here in the end of the world! Wow, my computer skills came in handy and I got all the stuff hooked up and running for us. Which was a blessing because I didn´t want to go all the way to Punta Arenas. It was awesome! I could understand in Spanish, which was a blessing, and I got a lot of good stuff from this conference. Is it just me or were there a lot of warnings for us (more than normal)? Oh, that sucks that Sam had to work...I love conference now. I can´t believe I didn´t want to watch it before. Did you realize I only get to watch 2 more here in Chile? That makes me a bit sad...Time really can fly.

The change of the high school seniors...this is a very rare event to watch. All of them start to become who they will be for the rest of their life. Finally, they can´t mess around as much as before...with more pressure than ever they start to adapt to their new environment. Haha, its going to be crazy not to be there when Sam finishes school. Its hard to believe that all of them are finishing up...and that Silas is close to driving. Its a good thing that they are all reading scriptures and learning because honestly...its better to know more. Tell Sam, if he wants to go on mission...he and his friends should study Preach my Gospel. Its really handy for all the things they need to know. I hope Josh turns in his papers soon...and I hope he gets sent here! Haha, this place has all the food you can eat. Its perfect for him! This mission is awesome!

As for the Birdies...I sent a sketch I made of Fezz this morning after studying. Haha, I hope he likes its. I had a dream about him the other night which was crazy. He´s so cute.

I just wanted to share a little experience I had...During this conference I had many questions for the Lord and I really wanted to know what I can do to better myself. Lately...around 6 in the night time I get really tired and its hard to focus on the work and the people. I was reading scriptures in the morning before conference when I found like 15 scriptures that told me...the lazy have their damnation. Haha, it was a bit hard to take...but the wicked take the truth to be hard. I have a strong testimony that through scriptures we receive answers for our questions. If any of us have need of wisdom...let us not wait till its to late. Ask God, our eternal Father in the name of our Savior Jesus Christ for help. Revelations, visions, blessing, angels, and all other things of God are not of the past. Today, we have the right, as Children of God, to know what is right and what is the truth. If we have fear, we must overcome it through prayer. I don´t just believe in these things anymore...I KNOW they are true. God loves us more than we know...we only need to ask and talk...seek and search. And in the end we will find the truth and love of our God, Our Father in Heaven.

I love you all very, very much.

Ben