A new P - Day!

A new P-Day? What? I used to love having all day Sunday to reflect and write to my boy. Now it is going to have to be a Friday night date night thing. I am happy to have Alex inside too! It is very hot in Chile and now he gets to be inside for most of the day. Although there is a bit of stress in the office, I think it will be good training for when he is a Doctor! All good skills to have, as well as teaching the Gospel. Go Elder!


So I guess my P Day is Saturday. Monday has too much office stuff.

In my first day, I had a come-to-Jesús with a landlord to get his security deposit back, flied and PDF´d like 4 reams of papers and receipts generated by the senior couple that does all the pension stuff.

That's apparently how every day here is. Oh, and I handled in my hands about eighteen hundred dollars and then carried it through a plaza terrified of getting shanked.

The sector and ward is amazing. The office elders before have been much busier in the past, so the sector is untouched. We had a calculated 800% increase in effectiveness from my last sector. No one even really knows us, so the people who were easy to get in other wards are still floating around. We don't have to dig that deep - the really good people are still just there for us.

There is certainly a large uptake in stress, though. All kinds of crazy stuff happens. For example, I may be in the middle of counting some money and the reference phone (which is also my job) will go off and I have to run over and answer and write something, just to come back and start over. Then let's say I'm waiting for an email so that I can actually pay rent for this month at the same time, and someone's lights just got turned off. Are you starting to get this? (I watch a huge outlook inbox as well.)

I am currently in a trio with a fellow Provoite, another relative of Elder Christensen's, Elder Monsen, the last financier, and Elder Spencer, the Secretary, who does all the visas, handouts for missionaries, etc. Being a trio is mostly fun, but also unwieldy in teaching sometimes. Elder Monsen is teaching me how to do all these things, and while I am not ready to do it alone he won't move on. Elder Spencer is my real companion.

I probably get along with them the best out of all my companions. Elder Spencer is from Idaho and wants to go to med school too. Fun all day, seriously.

This is rather different than before. All my computer skills an stuff are paying off hugely. I already started an Access Database for references, and fixed up the big numbers spreadsheet. It works pretty well so far. The job isn't that hard usually - like Doctor Snook said, "I could teach you to do an appendectomy in three hours. Med school is all about the part that comes if something goes wrong." That is my job. Once a week or so we have a nutty crisis. On the other hand, we are obscenely powerful. We could theoretically do any bad thing to anyone. And we have unlimited access to all the records and purchases of everyone. One of my assignments is to drill into weird transactions to see if there's some dishonest stuff happening. It's a 40-year-old job for a 20-year-old. President said only a few can be trusted at this level. Here we go.

It is going to be hard to hang on to the spirituality. But I am super compartmentalized, so I'l be fine. Office box, mission box.

Also, this calling is the only one a missionary can have that can in and of itself cause excommunication. Is that scary?

Well, I need to send in some pictures for the mission review christmas video.


Love,

Elder A Conrad Crist
Atte.
______________________________________________________

Élder Alex C. Crist
Secretario Financiero
Referencias
Misión Chile Santiago Oeste

So, I am going to be an Office Elder. Cool!!

I lied about getting an audio this week, wah. Oh well, there is not a lot I can do about it though. I wish I could call him up and make him do an audio right now. That would be amazing! He is in the office now so I actually think I could do that. Hmmmmmm I guess I probably shouldn't, it defeats the purpose right? Oh, but to be able to would be so amazing! I can't believe Alex is going to be working in the office. That is so great for him. I know that is the one place he said he would love to serve. He is very good about all that computer stuff and I am sure he will be able to do a great job there.


Well, this is my third three-changes sector. Because I am shortly leaving. Tomorrow.

(After having read the gospel of John (probably my favorite book of scripture), the number kind of jumps out to me - three sectors, three changes each. Three is the number of divinity, by the way.)

I also have the unique power of knowing where I am going. I am no longer a District Leader, nor will I be going to be a Zone Leader.

It all started when I wrote my weekly report and mentioned that if President King ever needed me for some video or audio stuff or general computer help, I was a professional in that. He didn't even respond to that. However, last night he called me. Personally.

"Elder Crist, how are you doing?"

"Very well. We got 4 MAC (member lessons) this week - a record." (Notice I get sort of militaryish when I talk to President)

"Well, I've been thinking and I think you should be the next Financial Secretary."

"..."

"I had been thinking that you would be good for the job, then you sent me that report and I knew it was for something. You'd be handling the references, money, and legal matters of the mission. Would you do that?"

"... Absolutely."

"Good. Thanks for what you did in Villa Brasil. I look forward to serving with you."

"Okay. See you Tuesday."

Click.

So, I am going to be an Office Elder. Cool. I probably will help do the "Retrospectivo", which is the mission's end-of-year video. Very cool stuff. (Elder Christensen was just in the office three months ago.)

The mission is going to be very... atypical now. Very, very atypical. Lots of driving around to deliver mail and packages. Lots of computer stuff and Excel. And Google Maps. And lunches with members are over - we will be eating out or cooking always, for we'll have no time to do anything else. How cool is that?

This last week has been a week of Ascension. I had my Gethsemane in the mission in Melipilla. But after every Gethsemane comes and Ascension.

In the last two changes we have had one lesson with a member. Until this week. Because we enacted something we recieved from our Zone Leaders and it worked. We decided to go to each person and ask them individually, instead of hoping our inactive mission leader will do something. It worked. Through a lot of planning and a complete fluke, we destroyed our goal, which I thought was too high. It was a victory for sure.

I am satisfied with the sector; I feel that I left it better than it was before. The ward is very strong- it wierded us out that we weren't having success. The thing was that they simply had no direction. We had to be the direction. When we were the direction, thing started happening. Nothing about having four of those lessons is impossible now that they've worked. Every time someone goes out with us his vision multiplies and his testimony puts down more roots. It's very hard for someone who goes out with the missionaries to go inactive. Or really fail in Church at all. President Hinckley said that the genius of the Church is involvement.

We did it. Elder Burk has five to seven easy baptisms now. Not a joke. I really don't even feel that someone is cherrypicking my work. I know that was what I was to do here. And I did it. And man, is the time going fast now. It seems that I was in Melipilla four times as long as I was here. But it was the exact same. Nuts. I guess not having companion issues is nice.

I also get to be part of training the new incoming greenie noobcake missionaries at the beginning, which is cool. Elder Christensen said I'll have to work out hard to not put on weight because the sector is small and we sit and drive all day. Also, the ward is supposedly the best-functioning in the mission - in such a way that the missionaries can have an emergency and not go out for days and people still see their investigators. Not bad. Just lots of working out.

I am really thirsty.

See? All that computer stuff did pay off. I knew it.

Don't tell me about Dad's iPhone. I might die. Nothing but Windows and Nokia poprietary operating systems as far as the eye can see. Did he get an iPhone 4? Oh.

Well, here we go. To the office. The office is almost always a six month assignment, so I pretty much will leave here and only have like three or four months left. Is that sickening? Yes.

As Elder Christensen would say,

"Go! You're in! Go!"

Love, etc.,
Elder A Conrad Crist
Apparently Financial Secretary

An audio next week? Yay!!!!

Today I waited for the letter, at about noon I got apparently the second half of a letter and it was very short. I was bummed because I had no idea what he was talking about and I didn't think I was going to get the real letter. I checked tonight at 7 and yay, the first letter was actually there. I love to get to hear from Alex. It seriously makes every Monday bearable!! The knowledge that He has gained since going is out is an amazing thing and I truly love to see the growth. Knowing that he is well and that he is bearing all things well is also a good thing.



Well, here we are. I'm probably leaving this sector. Nothing's really happened, besides that Fernando didn't go after a very spiritual lesson. And we found one of the fastest-baptizable families ever. Like I said, nothing much.

Every missionary knows that having members in you lessons is somewhat key. This lesson made that rather abundantly clear.

"It was a very exciting week, even thought it appears that nothing happened. Fernando is unfortunately thinking that his spiritual path does not require a baptism. We taught a very simple lesson about the most important things, and we pointed to the gift of the Holy Ghost as the thing that he still lacked. For all our efforts, he finally committed to pray to see if he should go to church. And he didn't come, and we haven't talked to him since. It may not be his time.

On the other hand, we got into contact with someone Elder Myres and I taught some time ago. We set the time, passed by with a member, and he wasn't there. We went to our plan B, and he wasn't around either. We decided to go back to the original - and they had randomly returned. They apologized profusely for having left during the cita, and let us in. Having already taught them, we started up with another very similar lesson about the Holy Ghost. He asked about what the church was like, and our accompanying member filled him in. He talked about how it's always with an "abrazo," and everyone will notice any new person. The investigators told us that they would like to reserve time Wednesdays and Sundays to have more consistent lessons. We're a little excited - new people in the chapel is what this ward needs - to see that something really is possible. I am tempted to add them to the December goal.

The district is noticeably low on animo and contacts. I am going to give a class to treat it next week. The whole zone is moving into it. I guess after so long without success the animo to contact is falling. We'll work on it, thought."


LIke I said, interesting, and very good because of the members.

I don't think I've ever wanted someone to get into the Church more than Fernando. I am consumed with it. He is so close. He just has to ask. He is so sure of his spiritual path that he won't look out. Even though what we say to him makes a lot of sense to him, it's all just truth that may or not apply to him. That's the weird thing with the Catholic-rooted philosophy of most Chileans - there can be a perfect right church, but each person can find their own perfect truth, and it can be different.

I thought a lot one time when Dad asked me, "Should every boy serve a mission?" There are some people that think that every person who doesn't is a complete failing sinner, and there are some that think that you really should, but if you don't feel like you can, or you're not psychologically ready, etc, it's not for you.

The truth is, God knows where he has everyone - could he not make a unified Church?



Anyway, that's the life.

We received a palo (when a leader tells you that you need to do something and it's a rough experience) about dedication the other day. They said we have to have our minds completely in the work too. I don't know if you remember, but I think about everything in a day. When I first received that

Okay, sorry. When I first received that, I thought, "Well, there goes everything. Time to be an automaton. Time to stop enjoying this and stop actually having a relationship with the members and missionaries. As time went on, one of the biggest things I've learned on the mission came back into my mind - "Think about everything but yourself." I've been practicing it and, even though not every word that comes out is gospel, I am not unfocused, nor robotic. Listen to the song I sent. I don't think I've ever heard something so relaxing.

Faith is not the Force.

I'll do an audio next week. I may been changed somewhere else by then.

Love and stuff. Chau.

Elder A Conrad Crist
(Did you know that that name signs way, way better than Alex?)



Note for the pictures - Ass is a kind of sandwich. I'm serious.

Attempt to focus

Am I this selfish? I want my son home...right now! Not in 10 months. I feel very selfish saying this. I just want to make him some cookies or his favorite cake or something and deal with stuff that I can actually deal with. And at the time he needs them dealt with. Like the no money thing. I have some cash in my pocket I want to give him. Make sure he has a cold drink and doesn't get too much sun. Why? Why is this getting harder and not easier? Will it get easier? Will it be like this until he actually is home? Am I just too weak to have him gone so long? I shouldn't be complaining, I know that. Other people have it harder than I have ever had it but I want him to be happy and fulfilled and loving his mission and companions and everything. I think if he was, I would be happy for him and this would be easier. I don't know, I don't want to be negative or anything, I just want him happy!



As I have said, this internet place is kind of sub-standard. I suppose it's cheap, but beside that nothing much. I am pretty sure I do not like windows. And there's a kid playing Grand Theft Auto behind me really loud.

But hey, let's attempt to focus.

Weekly Report to President to save some time:

"Fernando and Natalia have reached the point wherein they must choose to pray or stop. Out lesson ended very clearly. What we claim is that the Church is the only church. They understand now that they can only know from God. My only fear is that they don't perform the prayer with enough effort. We will only know next time we go.

We are working on MAC right now. Our zone is coming out with an initiative to raise MAC and Asistencia that I will be teaching this Wednesday. One part is seeking MAC in the Sunday Meetings, and the other is passing by or at least calling and teaching the doctrine of the Sabbath Day. We figured that if we get MAC, it will show the members that missionary work actually works. I think the opinion has drifted that way in our ward. I'm seeing it a little in the whole zone La Cisterna. We just need a little success, and the members need to see it.

I'm starting to think that the attitude is seeping into the missionaries. I'm not sure what we can do about that. Elder Van Dyke says the same, and Elder Christensen has noted it as well. What more can we do? How can we raise the animo so that we can have more success?

We'll keep doing our best.

Elder AC Crist"

*MAC means lessons with members, and asistencia is church attendence

Beside kind of being in a psychological low as a zone, we are doing okay. My companion was bitten by a dog. We were going out of a house and their normally normal mutt went nuts and came for me. He ultimately bit my companion because I already had left. We even got to call the doctor to see if he had rabies. There was not rabies. Lame.

I'm not gonna lie (as the trite expression goes that was just starting up when I left), I'm kind of disanimated. I'm kind of bored with this place. Nothing has been super amazing for a while, especially the week. We found a place in which one can buy "mayor" quantities of ice cream products - so I bought ten ice cream bar-on-a-stick things. For three dollars. Then I got a box of thirty candy bars for three dollars. I like wholesalers.

On the unfortunate side it seems that an ATM charged my account and gave me no money so I have one dollar in my church account. I do certainly hope they can figure this out, because there's no way to prove it was my money or anything. I may have no money this month. That could be bad-ish.

I just called the financer and he said, "Well. I have no idea what to do. I'm going to call President." I might be in trouble. I already used the home card for groceries once on the 31, plus got out more money. It seems the ATM misfired, charged me, and kept the money. I didn't suspect it had done this, so I continued on normally, no I couldn't make the employees get me my money. Perfect storm of terrible things. Well.

Oaky. Okay. Because your same hand types the word okay, it's easy to misspell.
It's so hot in here. And I have no money. Blast.

In our lesson with Fernando and Natalia I had something happen to me that I've never experienced before. I felt like a prophet. I felt like they weren't going to actually do the challenge - pray about the Restoration. I said, uncharacteristically boldly, "I cannot leave here without leaving it clear that you have to do this. I can't imagine a life without the understanding you can have." Fernando, tending always to be pensive, thought for several minutes before saying he would do it. That is my only hope.

Cool, I do care.

Well, that's a depressive email. Good. See you.

Elder A Conrad Crist

I like avacadoes now, btw!

I wondered how long it would take for Alex to really get into the culture of food in Chile. It looks like he has done it. I wonder though if he likes mayo, mustard, ketchup, etc yet. I think I will have to ask in the next letter. And tomatoes, forget it. But he is eating them. Now there is some growth! The only picture this week is of the whole group with a General Authority and I am pretty sure he is one of those tall guys in the back row, middle (ish). The picture is quite fuzzy and far away so I cannot be completely sure. He sounds great and I am getting excited to talk with him at Christmas. It seems far but really it is less than 2 months! I can do two months!



This holiday (holy day? I think not.) is perhaps 1/8 of what it is at home. They usually have a party at school, but there's not really anything in store windows and you don't ever see people just walking around in costumes. Today is a holiday here, but not for Halloween. It's some Saintly Virgin of the Andes day or something today and tomorrow. Which means a few less people aren't working normally. But that's all.

It's now officially hot, but still there's some wind. The things people cook have changed completely. Suddenly it's all empanadas and salads and an occasional meat and potato plate. It's fine. One must drink Chilean "Zuko" gatorade all day though.

Fernando and Natalia are doing good, but we could only see them once. At this moment they have gone to the outsides of Santiago to an area not unlike Melipilla, though a little bit more to the south insead of west. We had hoped that this would be the time for them to go to church... blast. We started to read from Alma 32 in response to their collective doubts about the necessity of scripture. We read one verse aloud, and asked a question. He was silent, as was his wife. We waited, thinking they had to think or process what they'd read. After a pretty long time, we re-asked the question. More silence. Then Fernando looked up and said, "What? Sorry, I got stuck in this chapter. I really like it. I read until 42. (We were on 28.)" They committed themselves to read the chapter without us saying anything later. If we can just get over their non-institution stuff we'll be set.

Some people have already developed quite deep Christlike attributes when we meet them. These people are the most likely to progress, I'd imagine. The Spirit and the Light of Christ work outside of the Church. It's evident that Fernando and Natalia are possessed of these attributes already. They cannot let us sit down without drinks and sandwiches. They are very good with their daughter of four.

I'm really starting to understand what Alma meant when he spoke of people having the Image of God graven in their countenances. You can simply see it. Not with your eyes, but you can see it. What is that? The light of Christ?

I did divisions with Elder Christensen again. That was fun. We worked in his sector, doing contacts and generally having a very successfull day. One thing you learn in the mission is that missionaries who get along do well. Even if two companions are good teachers and everything- if they dislike each other it's very noticeable and they simply will not have success. Elder Christensen and I get along like I get along with Brennan and Riley. It was just plain fun and success all day. We had four lessons, including two new investigators in the same day. Then to end it all we had sort of grilled cheeses (Boy Cheeses) with salami in them with avocado on them. (Have I mentioned that I like avocadoes now? I do, but it absolutely must be accompanied by something of hard texture. The flavor, I find, is of similar use to eggs. Not the same, but still close to eggs. I still don't like tomatoes at all, though I've learned to eat them raw if necessary.

Speaking of food, I ate a bad empanada for lunch yesterday and it wrecked me for the whole day. We didn't do anything yesterday after lunch. I just slept and visited the toilet. I'm wierdly better today, if feeling a little electolyte loss.

Gross. Sorry.

Okay. Have a good week and stuff.

Elder A Conrad Crist