Monday, March 26, 2012

Yesterday we had a little earthquake...

Hey family!

This has been a crazy week, and it includes earthquakes...HAHA!

Fall in Pucon

It's finally gotten cold here, and the rain hasn´t hit just yet...we will see what happens. It's really cool to be here to start my last winter here. I will miss the crazy weather here...oh wait...no I won´t because it's just like Utah... As for me, there have been lots of crazy things going down here. Yes, I am learning to play himnos and I know I will be tranfered. The other day the AP called me to check on how I am...and told me that he would be seeing me soon...and said that combios would be cool and I need to prepare myself. We´ll find out why in 3 weeks...Things with Elder Guerra are like a rollercoaster...one day is good the other not...and he is all over the place. Haha, it's so weird. But hey, I get to learn a lot about that kind of stuff. It's a good thing.

Elder Guerra getting his foot looked at

P-day

Chilean Santa Pose

Beach Dog



I AM SO HAPPY to hear the Chuck blessed the sacrament! GO CHUCK WOOT WOOT! It's really cool to hear that they are all going to church. I know it's the best thing for them. How are they holding up?

Wow, Rebecca with a Chilean...that's pretty sweet. I know a few Chileans...haha and they are really really good people. They are hard workers, if they don´t pick up drinking. And they can be very strong in the church. Thats so crazy that a sister missionary from Honduras is there, because I have an Elder and a Sister in my district who are from there.
I sent you the picture of the Sister. They can be very fun to talk with.

Hermana Chacon from Honduras

Elder Amato from Argentina

I remember the good o´l days when I was ready to get done with school. I hated the wait. Haha, the good old I dont think about things much farther away than getting done with high school trick...a good trick...but I know it's not true! He should do his paper work for the mission now. It's a lot better to just do it, than to wait. As for him wanting to see how I am...tell him all he has to do is wait till May for the Skype call and he can ask me all he wants to. That way he doesn´t have to wait till next March when I get back.

As for the the package I will be going to Villarica today to get it...it should be really cool to see whats inside!

As for me, I have been sick for the past 3 months with weird sharp pains, losing lots of weight, and headaches that make me want to die! Haha, but now I am taking Meds to help me eat more...and we will see if it helps me. I lose exactly, 4 pounds every month. It's hard on the body at times, but good for the soul. Haha I had to buy some meds from the store to take...and I will have to take out more money (I hate it so bad) because I need to buy other stuff and we don´t have money. Sorry... The momita is taking really good care of me, and is giving a lot of help and stuff when I feel really really bad.

Yesterday we had a little earthquake...it was so weird to feel the earth moving and the house too...I felt a weird feeling in my gut when it happened and I laughed my head off - it was so fun! Haha, I loved it to death! The people we were teaching were laughing at us, laughing! I loved it...I can't explain the way it feels...it's weird.

I love you all and stay safe...

Ben

Monday, March 19, 2012

I am old in the mission!

Hey Family,

Crap, Sam...well time to pull out the good bag of tricks for him. Put a GPS chip in his neck to keep track of him. Then put a camera in the car to know who he is hanging out with...that´ll stop him in his tracks! Haha. It's funny to hear that Sam has actually got a girlfriend. Weird stuff man...weird stuff.

I can´t believe that school is about to end. It's going to be a bit weird...Sam and Brock will be done with school...and well they have lots of stuff to choose. Silas gets to be the big brother still in school and Mom finally gets a break for a bit. The thing is, I will be leaving Pucon in about 3 more weeks. Everyone is getting a change! Haha, it's so weird. I hope that I hear we´ll be having more misioneros in the house.

I can´t believe you actually went to see a movie in Spanish. Haha, that makes me laugh so hard! I am so happy to hear someone celebrated my one year mark. I still can´t believe I made it over the mark. It will be really cool to see how the end goes for me... I will be ending one cambio after a Hermana in my District who started 6 months ago! It's weird, because now...I am old in the mission!

I am glad to hear that the Trek is here again! I would go if I were Silas...it's really fun! I liked doing it, but wow, 6 years ago is a long time ago. I can´t believe that we are all growing up so much!

Chuck! Oh, wow that's got to be really, really hard. I know that the times of trials come and come hard. For me, my trials are here, too. Not nearly as bad, but hey, I promise if he prays and reads the scriptures everything will work out. God will lift him up and make him much stronger. I know that's true. This is a perfect time to help his son come to the truth of things and I promise that he can do. I love Chuck and Colette so much, and thanks to them I gained courage to do speak up and do the right thing. And for that I am grateful! Tell him to remember to go to church...and everything will be ok! The lord loves him.

As for the birds, I love them too. And in one year, I will get to see my best friends again! Haha, keep them happy and healthy for me for the time being.

The lord will strengthen us if we do what is right...and if we keep doing what he wants even when it's hard...

Monday, March 12, 2012

One year down, and one to go

Hey Family!

I am glad to hear that all is well (I almost wrote that in spanish). As for me, I feel really good and everything. It's going well for me, finally I feel better. Haha, I guess I have changed. That's weird. I love getting cheered up by all of you. I know that you all love me, and I love you all very much; more than I ever have in my entire life. I am grateful for the counsel that you give me and the support that you give to me as well. I know that, we have a relationship as a family that a lot of kids don´t. And for that I am grateful. Its wonderful to be part of this family!

I can´t wait to see where Josh goes! I have a feeling that he will keep up the old family tradition and go to England. I wish that he could come here to this mission, but I don´t know if they will do that. I think it would be so sick to see him in the mission. I wonder if my ideas will come true. I know Josh will be a very good missionary. It's hard work, and you change a ton on the mission; in the end it's all worth it. I know that 2 years really isn´t a lot of time. He broke the transmission in his car? That sucks! Haha, mine is still living I hope. Leaving on the mission is hard for everyone, the brothers and sisters, the dad, and the most difficult for the mom. I can´t imagine how our heavenly parents felt when we left for earth. The knew the outcome, and we don´t. It's got to be much worse. As for me, I am feeling grateful for being able to leave on the mission. I know Cody will do really well, and honestly he will pick up the language faster than I. He is very smart. Daniel will do amazing! He will get out there and share this gospel up! I know that he will be really good missionary. He is really funny, and will use that to his advantage. Josh, is very experienced in things. He knows how it is and that will give him the ablitity to help others understand the gospel and how it works for people.

One year down, and one to go. When I get back, be ready.....MUAHAHA! You have one year to prepare. I love Chile, and I WILL visit it again. I can´t believe all the friends that I have here with me! I honestly, can´t wait to see how the rest of my time goes here. I am so happy.

Wow, a blizzard in Utah. I remember those...I really do like them. I miss driving my car around. She does so well in the bad weather. I am glad to see Sam is a good driver in the snow. And he is smart. I love Utah, I remember how I wanted to leave...but now I would like to stay there for some time. It's a good place to live and grow. I have seen how the world can be and I really don´t like it.

As for the whole Fezz bird thing...Papito is loving that stuff up. I am serious, he always telling me the stuff he says and laughing it up. I say, you guys are just crazy and he says that's how good parents should be. Haha, the remind me of you guys. They are a really good family!

The other day, I had a bone problem where my bone slid a little out of place, and one of my nerves moved out of place. Haha, it hurt so bad! But, lucky for me I know some people here in Pucon, and Marta fixed me up. She grabbed my arm and slid the bone out a bit, and moved the nerve back into place...then took my bone and put in in place. It was a small bone, and only hurt a bit. I couldn´t tell it was out of place unto she started to move it back into place. I heard it snap, and felt it line back up. After she did that...the pain went away instantly. Haha, the face of Elder Guerra was priceless when he heard it snap. Didn´t hurt one bit. I got messed up, from using a lot of force. She told me, that at times it happens...it's not really bad but it hurts she says and with time is goes back into place by itself...but she's a bone doctor so she fixed me up. And in return she wanted a blessing of comfort...which I offered freely!

As for me, I know the sun will always come again another day. Like Sister...whatsherface...said in her talk Sunday. Not all days are good days, but just as well not all days are bad days. Haha, it made me feel really good.

Sorry I don´t have a lot of pictures to be sending to you all. I haven´t had time to take pictures...it's been raining for days. The cool part is now I have a friend who's a horse and he tried to put me on his back! Haha, but we can´t ride horses so...that sucks a bit.

I will be taking out 30,000 pesos or 60 dollar from my account for some food. I am running low on money because he had to go to Osorno for my companion 2 weeks ago.

I love you all very much,

God Speed (that just sounds cool)

Monday, March 5, 2012

This week has killed me...Nothing has gone right

This week has killed me... I can't begin to explain to you what happened this week. Nothing has gone right...and I hope and pray that this week will get better. But let me start off by answering your questions.

I have lost of lot a weight and boy is it hard to keep my pants up. The truth is to do it, I had to add two more holes to my belt. The secret is the walking and constant level of stress that I have. Haha, and with those two, and only eating a little food here and there (except for lunch) the weight just falls off. The fact that I was a little sick didn´t help all too much. But, I was ok...I felt really, really sick and aching more than anything and never did puke.

I am glad to see that Kayleigh remembers my talk from a year ago. Haha, I still love cheese.

Papito told me that Fezz started talking to him. Haha, he was laughing so hard. And I found out that the girl talking to Sam is Jessica. She's a really good person, and she gave the best testimony this last Sunday. Makes me feel happy to see her active again in the church. When I got here, Jessica, Jasna, and Johana were all inactive. And now, all of them come to church! Haha, and as well we have activated 2 other families here, too! Haha, I love it so much...I almost cried when a family who said they probabaly wouldn´t come back to church came! I told the dad of the family that this Sunday is the Sunday when you come back to church. He did.

I'm glad to hear Sam and Brock have gotten on the dating scene! I haven´t haha... but I'm good with that. Haha, and already Mom is trying to hook me up. Haha, that makes me laugh so much! Maybe I´ll take the offer up when I get back.

As for the sector, it's pretty dead. We have had problems between us and other issues. We had to go see the President. We still don't know what will happen. It's been hard for the two of us. We will know this week what will happen. I know he feels bad...and I wish I could help, but now it's up to him.

As for combios, it's today! Hah, I am staying here in Pucon as the District leader. Surprising enough, God still wants me to be a District Leader. I didn´t think that would happen here. In 6 weeks more I should be getting transfered from Pucon to another place. I don´t know where, but I know that it will be weird. As for other cool stuff the Seventy Elder Corbridge is coming here on the 15th. That will be really cool.

As for Elder Lund, I feel for him. Things just seem to go badly. During this week, we have fought, the cell phone got stolen, the kid of the momita and papito got sent to the hospital, and the rain hasn´t let up. We had to go to the President, and oh ya...I have been sick again. This week has sucked so bad for us. We have only taught 3 lessons. It kills me, the sector is dying, my companion isn´t doing so well, and wow...I feel stressed.

Thanks for taking care of Fezz for me. I love him so much, and finally I saw a bird just like him, only that Fezz is much better looking!

I love you all very much!

Ben