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.