Doing well and National Day

Well this week has been a party week for the people I am serving and they know how to party.  There are amosads everyday at every house, the parks are always full of people playing soccer and bolantin.  It’s a festive country and I love it.  There is a dance that some how you know or learn called the Cueca and it is really cool.  I would say look it up in YouTube or something.  I am doing well, I love the mission and all the experiences I have.  I honestly think that I have learned a million times more things here than if I would have if I stayed home.  The mission is preparing me and the Lord helps me through trials, but I want them, they make me learn and grow and the more I do that, the more I can do to help and serve others.  So I am having a fun time and don’t worry the Spanish is coming fine, even to the point that I dream a few times in Spanish.  It becomes a part of how I speak, instead of thinking for 10 seconds then talking.  Thanks to all who read my blog and all your support I definitely need it and very much appreciate it. -Elder Shelley

Continued work with Elder Villagran from Guatemala in Renca

Well ok this week has been crazy, I got sick and that put me out for a day.  We had a very bad companion who has now left.  We have lots of visits to make out of our sector for our chuaco elder. This may be a short blog, because not much happened and I don’t want to write sad stuff.  We have had a baptism.  He is a 12 year old named Isaac; he has a strong relationship with God and believes in the church firmly.  He talks of serving a mission, and his baptism has been a catalyst.  We have a friend of his taking lessons named Katy, the sister of his friend.  We have had changes and are now entering a new 6 weeks.  I and my companion, Elder Villagran from Guatemala, are excited and ready to keep working hard.  I am doing great and love how I can actually speak another language and learn so much about our Lord’s church and the truthfulness of it—there just isn’t anyway that it is not true. Thank you all who read and your support, the blogs are short, but they hold a testimony that this work is true and the Lord is watching over us and helping us. Love you all.

-Elder Shelley

A trio of Elders and eating horse.

Well this week I found out I ate horse and a member peed his pants laughing at our skit in the noche de talentos (talent night).  We have found 4 new people to teach, 3 families:   Javier, Carlos, and Patricia; the other is a cousin named Esteban.  All are around 10 to 14.  We taught in the patio, because the parents where busy.  During the lesson I knew they felt the spirit and they knew it also.  We asked if they would want to be baptized when they know if the Libro de Mormon is true, and they said yes!  Also this week we had another elder join us making us a trio.  His name is Elder Ruis and he is from Peru.  I also had a pack of dogs beg attention from only me and follow us around.  Here in Renca everyone is very poor and we meet lots of interesting people.  One time we meet some good kids and Elder Villagran accepted a smoke from them; "accidentally" dropping it.  We meet very humble people here in the slumish suburbs.  One family is just really nice and loves having us over and share about Christ.  The mission is the best and I have never been happier.

New sector in Renca

This week I had a transfer and am now in Renca with a new companion.  I’m now with Elder Villagran a Guatemalan.  He is very friendly and just a great missionary.  We get along fine; he also loves learning English.  We live in an apartment with two other missionaries, one from Ecuador the other from Midway, Utah.  The one from Ecuador is a convert of about a year, he was a Jehovah Witness and took the lessons in secret and was baptized in secret as well; and it’s a great story.  We live in a more impoverish part of Santiago, but I really find it better because in my old sector we had both rich and poor and both where very distinct.  The more impoverish were a lot more receptive to us and our message.  I meet the members of the ward in my new sector yesterday at church.  We also have a baptism coming up.  I get to confirm and will need to practice the words for that.  Speaking of language it is coming great and I’m told that I don’t have a gringo accent anymore.  That’s really great.  Thanks everyone for your support!

Some Pictures

I am a Chileno

This week has been long, I got sick.  I also had to wait a few hours in lines for a card that says I am a Chileno and nobody is really listening to us.  We did service on a farm in the middle of nowhere.  We dug holes in the very wet mud.  We have found a for sure baptism.  Francisco is his name and he wants to be baptized; but first he wants to know for himself if the Church is true, not because his family is all members.  The week has been full of thinking and recovering.  I still love the work and will try to remember more to write next week, because I just can’t remember anything right now....

New companion and baptisms

We had transfer and I am staying.  My new companion is Elder Robustelli, he is from Argentina and knows no English....so I hope we can communicate well enough.  Also, I have to lead the sector for a bit.  I’m excited, but just worried about understanding each other and all that.   There is a lot of change for me right now but I know it will all help me grow.  We had two baptisms yesterday and it was awesome.  I felt the spirit so strong; there are really no words to describe what I felt but pure joy and happiness.  Natali and

Fransisca, are the two young mothers we have been helping getting to baptism. The mission is just wonderful; the happy times go by to fast.  Thanks for all the emails and letters, I love you all.