Hey Everyone -

This week wasn't the best. We had good numbers and everything but the work didn't really progress very much.  We met a couple of good families this week so they will hopefully progress these next few weeks.  

Eating completos WITHOUT mayo

One awesome thing that happened this week is on Sunday we went around to ask all the members to set up stuff and we set up 5 Family Home Evening's and 14 members to go out and work with us throughout the week.  The ward is really excited to be involved in missionary work again.  

One crazy thing that happened this week is we saw this guy on a tractor fighting with some old farmer who had 2 horses with him.  We didn't hear what they said but the old guy started throwing massive rocks at the guy on the tractor so that guy started driving his tractor at the horses who went crazy and they were kicking at the tractor.  Gotta love Chile. 

Valle Hermoso

I hope you all had another great week.  Sorry this letter is so short - just a reflection on my week haha.  Next week will be better! 

Love you all,

Elder Vincent

RAIN with Elder Boveda

Our room after getting packages - like Christmas morning

Elders Dawson, Perrett, Boveda and me

Pablito taking a siesta

Hey everyone!

Constanza on confirmation day

Killer week!  We had our investigator Constanza (Conni) confirmed in church on Sunday.  She was so happy!  I got to do the blessing which was nice.  It’s amazing to see the difference in her compared to when we met her.

Last Monday we went to Pablito’s house and made empanadas for Pres and Sister Catala.  The zone leaders helped too.  It was a really cool experience.  This Thursday he is going to come and work with us so we’ll show him what’s good in Valle Hermoso.  

One highlight this week was taking one of our investigators, Sefayna, to the Temple in Concepcion.  We met up with President and Hermana Catala and he taught her about the Temple.  Sefanya doesn’t speak Spanish or English.  Her sister translates and we use hand motions haha!  She’s also reading the Book of Mormon in Spanish.  Even though she doesn’t understand it she still reads it because she likes the way she feels.  She’s not progressing as much from understanding/learning as much as she is from feeling the spirit.  It’s amazing.  

We celebrated Elder Perrett’s birthday this week.  There’s a tradition in Chile to smash an egg on someone’s head when it’s their birthday.  So, I smashed an egg on his head and he took a shower.  Once he got out and got dressed Pablito smashed another egg on his head so he had to shower again haha.  

Overall, it was a really good week.  Our goal is to have 8 more baptisms in the next 3 weeks.  Elder Perrett and I are still working really hard and having a ton of fun.   I hope you are all doing well back at home!

All my love,
Elder Vincent

Elder Boveda

In Coelemu on an intercambio

Dancing with the wild dogs

One of the kids at church that drew a picture of us

Hi guys!

This was an awesome week!  Elder Perrett and I have been working really, really hard and the hard work and obedience are paying off!  Our investigators Ramon, Ingrid, Daniel, and Adriana all have baptism dates!  Two on Oct. 21, and two on Nov. 4.  We are super excited for them.

Nothing too crazy or exciting happened this week - just a lot of hard, focused work.  We still had a fun week full of soccer games with little kids, service projects, and throwing rocks at dogs that try to bite us.  Our members this week were awesome.  We taught 26 lessons with members, 16 new investigators, 20 references contacted, and 4 people with baptism dates.  It was a really solid week.  

On Saturday we were walking home and decided to go find one more person.  So even though we were exhausted and didn’t want to keep working we turned around to keep working.  As we were walking down the street some guy came up to us and said he was a missionary but is now completely inactive at church.  But, his son just turned 8 and he wants us to baptize him.  It’s crazy the ways Heavenly Father blesses us for doing one more thing or working just a little harder.  

Life is awesome right now, I really can’t complain.  There are definitely long and tiring days but I’m really happy.  It’s amazing to see people’s willingness to change and improve their lives and the pure joy they get from it.  I’m grateful to be a part of it and to help them find this happiness.  There is no greater joy than living the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  I have personally experienced it and have seen the same with the people here in Chile.  I love this Gospel and I love you all!

Have a great week!

Elder Vincent

The oven we helped Pablito build

Making empanadas at Pablitos house for Pres and Sister Catala

Elder Perrett!!!

Home sweet home

This week was awesome!  We got some rainy days and it was really cold but we still worked through it.

Two highlights this week were:

-One of our investigators, Belen, really wants to get baptized the 21st of October.  She’s really excited but she needs permission from her dad because she’s not 18.  Whoever is reading this PLEASE pray and fast for Belen and her dad!  We need a miracle right now.  

Watching Conference with Elders Miller, Bromley, and Perrett

-General Conference was awesome.  So nice to hear the voice of the apostles and to hear their messages.  Two big things I took away that I want to share are first a quote by President Deiter F. Uchtdorf: “Blessings do not come from our abilities but our choices.” 

 And second is advice from Bonnie Oscarson about service.  She said we should always be asking “who needs me today?”  The essence of living the Gospel of Jesus Christ is service!

I hope you all had a good week.  How is it already October?!  Time is flying by.  As always, thank you for the endless love and support.  It’s truly carrying me through the tougher days.  I’m thinking and praying for you guys constantly.  Keep making good choices and keep serving!  I love you!

Elder Vincent

Ping Pong between Conference sessions

Spray paint outside of the Church

Hi Guys,

 

My week was kind of good and kind of bad.  

I'm not really sure what to say.  Elder Perrett and I were having a good day of work and we were walking on the train tracks by the ocean to our next lesson and we saw 2 men rob and beat an older lady.  It really messed Elder Perrett and me up.  I am just mad that two people would do that and I'm mad at myself for not running over to help her.  But, it wouldn't have been safe for us.  It was a horrible situation and a horrible thing to see.  

We kind of walked around aimlessly the rest of the day and didn't accomplish anything.  We were hoping the following day would be better because it was zone conference and we were looking forward to learning from Pres Catala.  

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Zone conference was good and I learned a lot from President and Hermana Catala.  His talk focused on us changing our mentality and spending our time on people that have problems and want our help.  It was super cool. 

We had been working with one of our investigators, Carlos, everyday.  He was excited to be baptized on Saturday until his nephew talked him out of it.  It totally killed our drive but we just ignored it and worked crazy hard.  We are working with some more Haitians and lots of other people.  We found a couple cool kids on the soccer field (cement field) who then met us at church on Sunday.  Obviously, the Carlos situation was disappointing but we did a really good job of getting over it by working harder.  Great life lesson, haha. 

In church I presented an idea I had to the members to have them think of one person they know that would have a happier life by having the Gospel.  So, this week we will visit those people with the member who wrote the name down.  Should be a solid week of work. 

For Family Home Evening this week we watched the Tree of Life cartoon with 13 investigators.  The cartoon was the same we used to watch as kids at home.  I was surprised at how much I remembered and how powerful it is to me at 19 years old.  The Tree of Life message is one of my favorites and I really felt the Spirit.  

Working this hard makes me so exhausted but it makes the time go by way faster and I'm enjoying it a lot more.  

I love you all,

Elder Vincent

Sling shots to help with the wild dogs

Awesome Week!

Hi Guys,

This week was awesome!  I have a new companion so now I'm working with Elder Kayden Perrett from Alberta, Canada.  We also got to move houses to a place that actually has hot water!  Super excited about that. 

Elder Perrett and I have worked super hard every single day since we’ve been together.  And we’ve had a ton of fun while doing it.  So far this week has been the best week of my mission.  We had 27 lessons with 10 investigators and worked on a fun service project.  Plus it's starting to get hot now so it's a perfect time to be right near the beach.  

A couple of highlights for this week were:
1) We made an oven out of bricks and mud for a member who regularly goes out with us to teach.  It's so sick.  And that's where he makes all his food.
2) Our investigator, Carlos, accepted our invitation to be baptized the 23rd of this month.  I can't wait. 

One day this past week we were walking along and this dog ran at us and started barking like it was going to attack us.  We picked up rocks to defend ourselves so it got a little scared and wouldn't come within 10 feet of us.  So Elder Perrett and I started hitting whips and cranking it and dancing like idiots and the dog was going crazy - it wanted to kill us but every time it got a little close we would hold up a rock to throw and it would back up!  So I guess I’ve at least figured out how to deal with the wild dog problem for now.

I had to speak in church on Sunday and I asked Elder Perrett if I should make a certain joke in my talk and he said it wasn't funny but that Chileans would think it is funny.  So I made this joke in my talk and the congregation was absolutely silent.  I saw Elder Perrett's face in the back of the chapel crying from laughter.  It made me start to laugh because I got absolutely zero reaction.  Guess I still need to work on my sense of humor in Spanish.  
Overall things are awesome here.  I really do love this work and I love the Chilean people too.  Can't complain (especially since we get hot water this week)!  I couldn't be happier working here and being in the service of our Heavenly Father. 

I love you all!  Have a great week!

Elder Vincent

Hi Guys!!

I’m in Valle Hermoso, Penco!  Right on the beach.

It reminds me a lot of the Palisades, straight from the beach to the mountains.  But we walk so many cerros (hills) all day so it’s a little more tiring.  My companion is from Guatemala so no English.  He has 3 months left on the mission and is definitely ready to go home, haha.  He has pretty much tapped out and doesn’t want to follow any rules.  It sucks.  I’m here to work and not mess around and when he screws around time goes by so much slower.  So yeah, it was overall a slower week.  But I think we will work something out this week.  

Elder Miller

One cool thing from this week is that my new zone leader is Elder Josh Miller from Aliso Viejo!  He knows Garret and a bunch of my friends down there.  I did 2 splits with him this week and they were super fun.

Hope you guys are all killing it back at home!  You are all in my thoughts and prayers.  Keep working hard, being happy, and remember who it all comes from.

Con amor,

Elder Vincent

Local school kids doing a presentation on America

Elder Perrett and Pablito

Pablito, a member that likes to join us to teach

My bud, Pablito