tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-78003798795921189492024-03-18T20:23:34.772-07:00The blog of meTrevhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14557931464366938895noreply@blogger.comBlogger89125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7800379879592118949.post-32736526942500229042011-07-11T17:19:00.000-07:002011-07-11T17:26:42.480-07:00July 11, 2011Hello hello!<br /><br />Alrighty, so I don't have too much time this week. I'm sure you won't mind since we'll be seeing each other before too long. Today we went to visit my old sector Lican Ray to say goodbye to some people there. Saying goodbye isn't fun...I love these people so much, it's going to be hard to have to leave the mission. Can't I stay another two years??<br /><br />Nancy and Jorge were confirmed yesterday! Jorge will be ordained a teacher next week and later this year when he turns 16 he'll be ordained a priest. Vilcún is growing rapidly! This weekend we'll be having three more baptisms! A good way to finish up the mission, I think :) The people getting baptized are named Daniela (16), Renee (14) (they're daughters of a member that haven't been baptized yet - they will be the first young women here in Vilcún), and Luis (24). Luis is the boyfriend of one of the members here named Dina. At the end of this year they should be getting married! Last week in one of our appointments they told us they had a surprise and they pulled out their engagement rings - I'm really excited for them. Luis should be ordained an elder by the next stake conference and then when he completes a year as a member he could be branch president! Vilcún is such an amazing place - I wish I could stay more time here.<br /><br />Llaima hasn't been showing any signs of life recently - it did errupt a few years ago but nothing too serious. We almost had a volcano in the middle of the gospel principles class, though! One of the gas heaters had a leak in the hose that we didn't know about and in the middle of class it burst into flames, haha. Without thinking I jumped up, ran across the room, reached in and flipped the switch to cut the gas flow. Luckily it didn't explode! That wouldn't have been very pretty, haha. We called the stake president and the church should be bringing new stoves this week. Have no fear, Elder Vincent is here!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/July%2011%20-%202011/?action=view&current=Ourstove-ifyoulookcloselytheburnmarkslooklikethenorthandsouthamericancontinents.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/July%2011%20-%202011/Ourstove-ifyoulookcloselytheburnmarkslooklikethenorthandsouthamericancontinents.jpg" alt="Photobucket" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center; font-style: italic;">Our stove - if you look closely the burn marks look like the north and south american continents<br /></div><br />There's always something new to see or learn each week, and I definitely saw something new this week. Everyone knows which is Anderson's Second Coming painting, right? (if not you can look it up on google) I saw that painting in the house of an investigator family! Elder Torres and I were looking at the pictures and paintings that the family had on the walls and before sitting down to begin sharing something with them we saw in the stairwell a familiar painting: it was the Second Coming by Anderson! They told us that they had bought it from a street vendor in Temuco and had no idea that it was from the LDS Church. How cool is that? The mother and one of the daughters came to church with us on Sunday as well, so looks like they were prepared a bit before meeting us, haha.<br /><br />Well, we've got to get back to Vilcún. We're a little backed up because some of the visits in Lican Ray went longer than expected. Looking forward to seeing you all! But not too soon! Haha. I'll probably be able to jump onto a computer at some point next Monday, but if not I'll see you all soon! Don't forget to bring the red carpet to the airport! Hehe...is joke. But seriously...:)<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/July%2011%20-%202011/?action=view&current=WemadecinammonrollswithDanielaandRenee.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/July%2011%20-%202011/WemadecinammonrollswithDanielaandRenee.jpg" alt="Photobucket" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center; font-style: italic;">We made cinammon rolls with Daniela and Renee<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/July%2011%20-%202011/?action=view&current=Iwantedtograbitshorns.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/July%2011%20-%202011/Iwantedtograbitshorns.jpg" alt="Photobucket" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center; font-style: italic;">I wanted to grab its horns<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/July%2011%20-%202011/?action=view&current=NewbornlambsTheydopoomyhandisawitness.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/July%2011%20-%202011/NewbornlambsTheydopoomyhandisawitness.jpg" alt="Photobucket" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center; font-style: italic;">Newborn lambs! They do poo....my hand is a witness<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/July%2011%20-%202011/?action=view&current=Mariohasanewpuppet.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/July%2011%20-%202011/Mariohasanewpuppet.jpg" alt="Photobucket" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center; font-style: italic;">Mario has a new puppet<br /></div><br />Love,<br />TrevorJasminehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09900647122265790819noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7800379879592118949.post-75827211107255904622011-07-04T17:06:00.000-07:002011-07-11T17:16:23.857-07:00July 4, 2011(sing the tune to the star spangled banner while reading this)<br /><br />Oh say can you see, the ice on my pillow. Oh how my face sticks to it, I might just throw a fit.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/July%204%20-%202011/?action=view&current=FrostinVilcn.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/July%204%20-%202011/FrostinVilcn.jpg" alt="Photobucket" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center; font-style: italic;">Frost in Vilcún!<br /></div><br />I'll just leave it there so that I don't destroy the national anthem anymore, haha. I'm glad to hear that you've all had an enjoyable holiday! We've had a good one here so far as well - we had a zone activity with a barbeque, soccer, frisbee, the works. I was the only one with a flag, haha. In the morning I realized that I had a version of America the Beautiful by Wayne Burgeron (excuse my spelling errors!) so I safety-pinned the flag to my shirt and put my jacket over it, and when we got to the chapel I had Elder Torres put the song on full volume at the part where Wayne plays really high and I unzipped my jacket Jim-Carrey-in-Bruce-Almighty style. Everyone got a crack out of that, and then we all sang the national anthem. Cool day!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/July%204%20-%202011/?action=view&current=Theflagofchampions.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/July%204%20-%202011/Theflagofchampions.jpg" alt="Photobucket" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center; font-style: italic;">Flag of Champions!<br /></div><br />Jorge and Nancy's baptism went really well on Saturday! We filled a van with members and investigators from Vilcún and drove over to Temuco. Jorge actually brought his uncle who said that he wanted to be baptized as well, so we'll be more than happy to help him out with that! I feel blessed to be able to work here in Vilcún - it's amazing! Something happened on Sunday morning that had never happened to me in my time as a missionary - Jorge got hit by a car on his way to pick up his uncle to go to church and they rushed him over to the hospital in Temuco. Nancy just about had a heart attack so she was hospitalized here in Vilcún as well. So they weren't confirmed yesterday, but the bishop from Temuco went to the hospital and visited Jorge - no serious injuries. They should both be back home today so we're going to go see them. What are the odds of something like that happening!? I'm just glad they're both ok.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/July%204%20-%202011/?action=view&current=BaptismofNancyandJorge.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/July%204%20-%202011/BaptismofNancyandJorge.jpg" alt="Photobucket" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Baptism of Nancy and Jorge</span><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/July%204%20-%202011/?action=view&current=JorgeandTorres.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/July%204%20-%202011/JorgeandTorres.jpg" alt="Photobucket" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center; font-style: italic;">Jorge and Torres<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/July%204%20-%202011/?action=view&current=Nancyandme.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/July%204%20-%202011/Nancyandme.jpg" alt="Photobucket" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center; font-style: italic;">Nancy and me<br /></div><br />Not this weekend but the next (the 16th of July) we should have another baptismal service for the daughters of a member and also the boyfriend of one of the members. It'll be a good way to finish up the mission :) There are so many great people here in Vilcún that are prepared to recieve the gospel in their lives. I really wish that I could stay a couple months more to work with them and see their testimonies of Christ and the gospel grow. It's going to be hard to leave this...well, leave the being a missionary part. I'll still continue talking to everyone here through facebook and stuff, hehe. It's a huge blessing to be able to communicate so easily with people on the other side of the world. One day you'll have to come back here to visit with me. Maybe when the Concepción temple is dedicated.<br /><br />Last night I was reminded of living out in the country in Virginia. There is a member family here that lives just outside of Vilcún in the country and their son turned 13 yesterday so we went out there to make some brownies and celebrate his birthday. There are no street lights or anything on the way out there, so we were walking in almost complete darkness. Really the only thing that could be seen was the sky and stars - there wasn't a single cloud! I was reminded of walks in Virginia when there wasn't any noise from the city or anything, just the silence of nature. I'm just amazed at how all of this could be created.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/July%204%20-%202011/?action=view&current=LlaimafromVilcn.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/July%204%20-%202011/LlaimafromVilcn.jpg" alt="Photobucket" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center; font-style: italic;">Llaima from Vilcún<br /></div><br />Well, that's about all for this week. I had better get some pictures attached before my time runs out. Have a great week! Love you all!<br /><br />Love,<br /><span class="il">Trevor</span>Jasminehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09900647122265790819noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7800379879592118949.post-68098676594348368762011-06-28T17:02:00.000-07:002011-07-11T17:05:30.756-07:00June 28, 2011Hooooooola!<br /><br />Wow, last week went by really fast. Elder Torres and I are having a great time in Vilcún - the people are really receptive and love the things we teach them. This weekend we'll be having a baptismal service for Nancy and her son Jorge. This last week somebody from one of the local churches told them that we didn't believe in God and that what we had been teaching them is false, but Jorge stood his ground and told them that he knew it was true and that he wasn't going to change because of lies that they told him. Jorge has had a bigt change in his heart since he started coming to church and learning with us, and he realizes it. He's very excited to recieve the Aaronic Priesthood in a week or two and is very determined to magnify whatever calling he is given. I'm excited for them.<br /><br />Last week my testimony of the Book of Mormon grew even more - one of our investigators, Jimena, that is also preparing for baptism tells us that every day she reads and has a spiritual experience. She told us that she had a doubt as to whether or not there were people on the earth still alive from the times of Christ and when she opened the Book of Mormon to read she read 3 Nephi 28, which talks about the three Nephites that were granted the blessing of staying on the earth until Christ comes again just as John. Jimena is fighting the addiction to cigarettes, but is making great progress and will be baptized very soon. I'm so grateful that the Lord has helped us find so many great people here in Vilcún.<br /><br />Yesterday we had the last conference with President and Sister Swenson. They are leaving the mission tonight or tomorrow - the new mission president is President Martínez from Los Angeles, Chile actually. Many missionaries already know him; I've seen him briefly a few times. I'll probably see him two times before I leave - a conference in the next three weeks and for my last interview. So I won't get to know him too well at all. President and Sister Swenson are confident that he'll do a great job, though. We'll see within the next couple of weeks if he wants to change any rules, haha. Won't matter too much for me if he does, though.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/June%2028%20-%202011/?action=view&current=Thewholemissioninwhite.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/June%2028%20-%202011/Thewholemissioninwhite.jpg" alt="Photobucket" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center; font-style: italic;">The whole mission in white<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/June%2028%20-%202011/?action=view&current=PosterityofElderTorresandme.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/June%2028%20-%202011/PosterityofElderTorresandme.jpg" alt="Photobucket" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center; font-style: italic;">Posterity of Elder Torres and me<br /></div><br />It continues to get colder in Vilcún! The other day I found a surprise - my shower soap was covered in a thin layer of ice! We're grateful to have a gas stove to heat up our study room, haha.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/June%2028%20-%202011/?action=view&current=Torreswithhiscoatonbackwards.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/June%2028%20-%202011/Torreswithhiscoatonbackwards.jpg" alt="Photobucket" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center; font-style: italic;">Torres with his coat on backwards<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/June%2028%20-%202011/?action=view&current=Cookinglunch.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/June%2028%20-%202011/Cookinglunch.jpg" alt="Photobucket" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center; font-style: italic;">cooking lunch<br /></div><br />Well, that's about all I've got for this week. I'll look forward to hearing from you next week!<br /><br />Love,<br /><span class="il">Trevor</span>Jasminehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09900647122265790819noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7800379879592118949.post-41532618680781771472011-06-20T16:47:00.000-07:002011-07-11T17:01:14.882-07:00June 20, 2011Hello, hello! What's your name! (that's what many Chileans will yell at you if you come here)<br /><br />I keep forgetting that you all are in summer right now! Down here it gets really cold in Vilcún - we can actually see the Llaima volcano very clearly from the town. It hasn't snowed here yet, but it has rained quite a bit. I've actually started to go and work in the black shoes that you sent me about a year ago because my other shoes just have too many holes to be working in them while it's raining. At this point it's not really worth the trouble to buy a pair of boots - I don't have the money to do that either! Haha. But it's ok, I've got enough to last me for the last month. I mean...for the next two years! Didn't you hear? Missions are now 4 years for missionaries named Elder Vincent. It's a pretty cool new rule (that sounds cool if you say it out loud), I think.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/June%2020%20-%202011/?action=view&current=Llaima.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/June%2020%20-%202011/Llaima.jpg" alt="Photobucket" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center; font-style: italic;">Llaima<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/June%2020%20-%202011/?action=view&current=ETorresJimenaMariomevolcanointhebackground.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/June%2020%20-%202011/ETorresJimenaMariomevolcanointhebackground.jpg" alt="Photobucket" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center; font-style: italic;">E'Torres, Jimena, Mario, me, volcano in the background<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/June%2020%20-%202011/?action=view&current=Mywater-proofsocksourtablehadntarrivedyet.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/June%2020%20-%202011/Mywater-proofsocksourtablehadntarrivedyet.jpg" alt="Photobucket" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center; font-style: italic;">My water-proof socks (our table hadn't arrived yet)<br /></div><br />Last week we had our last training meeting with President Swenson - he leaves on the 28th of this month! So I'll be about two weeks with the new president (probably won't even meet him), and then I'll skidaddle. After the meeting President Swenson and Sister Swenson will take those that are leaving in July and August out to dinner at Ruby Tuesdays. It's been awhile since I've been in a restaurant like that! Yummmy, haha.<br /><br />This week was amazing here in Vilcún. Elder Torres and I are really excited to be working and we do it very well together, so I'm happier than ever. On Sunday there were 24 people in church, 12 of which were our investigators (Nancy, Jorge, Luis, Natalia, Jimena, Mónica, Carlos, José, Daniela, Renee, and two of our neighbors that accepted an invitation last-minute)! Five of them have baptismal dates for July, so we'll probably be duplicating the number of members here in Vilcún in July. The people here are amazing - almost everyone lets us in (sometimes they think we're catholic missionaries or JWs haha) and is excited to hear about what we teach them. I really could not have asked for a better way to finish the mission.<br /><br />Funny story:<br />About an hour before church yesterday Elder Torres and I decided to go out and visit some people to make sure that they were ok to come to church and everything, and we got into a house of some people we met a few days before...they had lunch on the table waiting for us! Apparently they had been waiting to celebrate father's day until we arrived! I felt bad that we had to pretty much wolf that food down and then RUN across town to open the doors of the house/chapel so that the people waiting outside for us could get in. Elder Torres didn't even have time to change into his suit, hahaha (I changed before we left just in case, played out well), so he went to church in just slacks and jacket.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/June%2020%20-%202011/?action=view&current=Loadingthecarwithstuffforthehouse.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/June%2020%20-%202011/Loadingthecarwithstuffforthehouse.jpg" alt="Photobucket" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center; font-style: italic;">Loading the car with stuff for the house<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/June%2020%20-%202011/?action=view&current=DonutsfortheridetoVilcn.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/June%2020%20-%202011/DonutsfortheridetoVilcn.jpg" alt="Photobucket" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center; font-style: italic;">Donuts for the ride to Vilcún<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/June%2020%20-%202011/?action=view&current=Thehouse-chapelinVilcn.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/June%2020%20-%202011/Thehouse-chapelinVilcn.jpg" alt="Photobucket" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center; font-style: italic;">The house-chapel in Vilcún<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/June%2020%20-%202011/?action=view&current=Viewfromthesecondfloorofourhouse.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/June%2020%20-%202011/Viewfromthesecondfloorofourhouse.jpg" alt="Photobucket" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center; font-style: italic;">View from the second floor of our house<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/June%2020%20-%202011/?action=view&current=HermanaHerminiamadelunchforusintheoffice.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/June%2020%20-%202011/HermanaHerminiamadelunchforusintheoffice.jpg" alt="Photobucket" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center; font-style: italic;">Hermana Herminia made lunch for us in the office<br /></div><br />I am absolutely loving the last assignment I've been given out here. If I could I would extend my mission to be here longer. But as always it is what the Lord wants that is more important that what I want (Alma 29:1-3).<br /><br />Well, that's about all I have time for this week. I'll get some pictures attached this week. Love you mucho!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/June%2020%20-%202011/?action=view&current=FreddyCarmenGloriapregnantandDarleny.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/June%2020%20-%202011/FreddyCarmenGloriapregnantandDarleny.jpg" alt="Photobucket" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center; font-style: italic;">Freddy, Carmen Gloria (pregnant!), and Darleny<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/June%2020%20-%202011/?action=view&current=Cuttingdownweedstoharvestpotatos.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/June%2020%20-%202011/Cuttingdownweedstoharvestpotatos.jpg" alt="Photobucket" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center; font-style: italic;">Cutting down weeds to harvest potatos<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/June%2020%20-%202011/?action=view&current=Burningweedsandcuttingupmycompanion.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/June%2020%20-%202011/Burningweedsandcuttingupmycompanion.jpg" alt="Photobucket" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center; font-style: italic;">Burning weeds and cutting up my companion<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/June%2020%20-%202011/?action=view&current=Gettingatasteoffarmlife.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/June%2020%20-%202011/Gettingatasteoffarmlife.jpg" alt="Photobucket" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center; font-style: italic;">Getting a taste of farm life<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/June%2020%20-%202011/?action=view&current=Gottagetlunchsomehow.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/June%2020%20-%202011/Gottagetlunchsomehow.jpg" alt="Photobucket" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center; font-style: italic;">Gotta get lunch somehow!<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/June%2020%20-%202011/?action=view&current=ImVincentElderVincent.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/June%2020%20-%202011/ImVincentElderVincent.jpg" alt="Photobucket" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center; font-style: italic;">I'm Vincent, Elder Vincent<br /></div><br />Love,<br />TrevorJasminehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09900647122265790819noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7800379879592118949.post-50435573637660943962011-06-13T16:45:00.000-07:002011-07-11T16:46:45.272-07:00June 13, 2011Hello there!<br /><br />I'll have to make this quick cause I'm really short on time. We got back late from our P-Day activity and I don't have too much time, haha.<br /><br />Vilcún has been AMAZING! The people here are so receptive and nice. This last week we got into 25 houses! Those are different houses, we returned to many of them more than once, so we were inside houses a lot. It is very cold here - it's close to the Llaima volcano. It rained just about every day all day this last week - perfect for me and my holey shoes! I'll have to see if I can get my hands on some boots or something. Or maybe I'll just use my black shoes that aren't dress shoes. If I polish them nobody will notice, right? Haha.<br /><br />My companion, Elder Torres, and I get along fantastically. I've known him since I got to the mission so there wasn't a period of get-to-know-you things; we just got straight to work! It's been really great.<br /><br />There are about 15 members here in Vilcún so on Sundays the leaders and their families from the Ñielol ward come out to support us. During the week they'll also be having the ward missionaries come out to work here in Vilcún - I'm glad the ward is excited to help out here.<br /><br />This last Sunday we were able to bring seven of our investigators to church (Nancy, Jorge, Mario, Jimena, Luis, Margarita, and Ana) - we know we'll be able to bring many more this week! One of our investigators, Jimena, that had accepted a baptismal date couldn't come because she found her cousin dead in his house on Sunday morning. That was a hard hit for her because they grew up together. We were able to see a tender mercy in that situation, though. Just a day or two before we had taught her about the restoration and left her a chapter in the Book of Mormon to read: Alma 40. Perfect for what she needed in that moment. She told us that she read it and found some peace and comfort. Jimena is really excited to have us come back this week to visit her.<br /><br />Today we went out to the country side to visit some investigators that I taught in Padre las Casas who are now living out here (Mario and Jimena). They are working on a farm, so we spent the morning helping them out take care of the cows and pigs and then we harvested some potatoes and cut weeds down in the field to burn them. Good old manual labor!<br /><br />Shoot, I've got to get going. I'll send pictures next week. I love you all! Take care and be good! Enjoy that warm weather! It's freezing here in Vilcún, Chile! Until next week!<br /><br />Love,<br /><span class="il">Trevor</span>Jasminehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09900647122265790819noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7800379879592118949.post-74354840765008378302011-06-05T16:45:00.000-07:002011-07-11T16:45:37.329-07:00June 5, 2011Hey!<br /><br />So I don't have much time - we're busy taking care of all the elders and sisters that are leaving on Tuesday and on top of that we've got to get back to our sector to say goodbye to some people, so I'll just drop a quick note to let you know about my cambio.<br /><br />I'm staying in the office!<br /><br />Just kidding! Haha. Nope, I'm leaving<br /><br />So I'm going to be sent down near Temuco again to a little town called Vilcún. As far as I know there have never been missionaries in Vilcún - it's part of the Ñielol ward in the Temuco Ñielol stake, and once in a while the missionaries from there have gone out to the town, but it takes an hour to get there so it's not the most efficient use of time for them. Anyway, so President Swenson was going to send me there to train (which I was REALLY excited about), but then he realized that Vilcún should be a branch within the next few months and so it wouldn't be the greatest idea to have the weight of that fall onto the shoulders of a new missionary. So now I'm going to open the sector with another missionary that go there at the same time as I did: Elder Torres from Santiago. We're already good friends so I'm really excited about it. As of right now there are about 15 members in Vilcún, and President Swenson has given us the assignment of getting the attendance up to 50 people. There is only one less-active person there, so it's going to be pretty much all us working with the members there to sky-rocket that place. I'm SO excited! The bishopric from Ñielol will be traveling out to hold meetings in a house (where we will also be living) which will start at 4pm, so it's going to be INSANELY easy to bring people to church. I couldn't have asked for a better set-up for my last 6 weeks. I'm just itching to get down there! If you have a map of Chile Vilcún is north east of Temuco. I learned the other day that Vilcún is mapudungún (that's the mapuche language) means ''lagartija'' in spanish, which means ''lizard'' in english. So I'm going to the town of lizard!<br /><br />Other quick note - I bought a new camera this week, so I'll be able to send pictures and stuff. I have a bunch from this last week, but no time to send them.<br /><br />Alright, we've got to run. I'll write as soon as I can. Tomorrow I might have time after our consejo meeting with President and I'll try to write, but if not I'll just send a letter next MONDAY. That's right, my p-days will be changing back to Mondays for the rest of my mission.<br /><br />Alright, talk to you later. Love you!<br /><br />-<span class="il">Trevor</span>Jasminehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09900647122265790819noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7800379879592118949.post-91799172958297772162011-05-28T16:40:00.000-07:002011-07-11T16:44:29.644-07:00May 28, 2011Greetings.<br /><br />This week was really busy for us - it was the last week of interviews, so we were traveling through the north of the mission doing meetings and intercambios with the missionaries of those four zones (Talcahuano, San Pedro, Coronel, and Lebu). Both Tuesday and Wednesday I stayed in my sector, Hualpencillo, while Elder Rubilar went and worked with one of the companions in their sector. It's always fun to work with the missionaries that have a lot less time than I do because I get to see they're learning process and I get to learn things as well (you're never too old to learn something - that's a life lesson, haha). Elder Rubilar and I have challenged the entire mission to challenge at least three people to be baptized each day, so when we go out and work with the younger guys it's fun to see them overcoming the fear of doing that. On Tuesday I was with an Elder Palmer (who is now Elder Laurito's companion) - in the 4 hours that we were together we were able to challenge about 5 people to being baptized, two of which accepted the baptismal dates! So that was a good experience. We would have been able to put another one with an investigator named Scarleth, but right as we were heading over to her house with a member we got a call from the elders in Centinela saying that they had been playing soccer for a ward activity and one had somehow split his leg open to the bone. So I had to cancel the lesson and run over there to take him to the hospital. It was about a 1 1/2-inch gas that did, indeed, go down to the bone. Apparently he had slid into something that opened it up. So we took him to the hospital and waited until about 1 in the morning until he was done getting stitches and stuff. So we got home really tired and then had to drive down to Coronel in the morning for a meeting at 9am. It takes about 45 minutes to get to Coronel, so we left the house by quarter to 8. That night we worked with the elders in the sector of Lota Medio: Elder Jackson and Elder Allen. I worked with Elder Jackson and my companion with Elder Allen - they're good missionaries. Elder Jackson took me to an investigator they are teaching named Dog. Or at least that's what I understood his name was, haha. He's a man who is flipping his life around to live the gospel of Christ; he's got great faith and has just about conquered a smoking addiction, so it was nice to meet him. Dog's friend, Leo, showed up near the end of the visit, and we challenged him to prepare for baptism as well...he accepted! There's great people in Lota (which is the exact center point of Chile). So we got back to the house in Lota after a tiring day to find that there were no extra mattresses or blankets in the house...haha, what luck! I think I woke up every 40 minutes that night, and by the next morning I was more tired than I was when I went to sleep! Luckily I wasn't driving down to Lebu the next morning, so I took a nap - it's about an hour and a half from Lota to Lebu. Depending on how fast you drive, of course.<br /><br />Interveiws with Lebu went really well. For the two weeks of interviews we've been teaching about being self-disciplined when it comes to planning. Usually what happens at night is a companionship will get home tired, hungry, wanting to sleep, etc. But planning at night helps the work be more efficient, and on top of that you already have everything fresh in your mind when you get home, so it's easier to think of productive things to do. So what we did to help teach self-discipline was have each missionary hold his/her hand straight up in the air for as long as he/she could. There were three rules: 1. You can't lower your hand. 2. You can't support your hand on anything. 3. You can't talk unless you are participating in the discussion or answering a question. They were to keep their hands up for our entire training, which lasted usually about 18 minutes. During those 18 minutes we would have them add things to their hands, like their triple, the bible, and their backpacks. Some zones were really impressive, and some just dropped like flies, haha. But it was a good exercise to illustrate the principle. Anyway, I kind of got side-tracked there. After the meeting was over we did an intercambio with some elders from Lebu (there are two companionships): Elder Gibbs and Elder Lamoreaux. We finished that up and then went up to Curanilahue so that I could say goodbye to some converts. That's also what we did this morning. Seeing all the people that I taught and saw get baptized just filled my heart; they've progressed a lot. I can't explain how much I love these people - they really are my family and I'll miss them.<br /><br />That's enough talk about leaving, though. I've still got ages left in the mission :)<br /><br />This coming week we'll start working on the cambios with President Swenson. He has told me that I'll get to finish the mission..er...continue working forever, back out in the field. That is, working in a sector all day every day. So I'm excited for that. I've wondered about if he'll ask me where I would like to go, and I don't think I would be able to choose! I love every part of this mission - I feel blessed that I was able to see each part of it. So I think I'll just leave that decision up to him and the Lord if he does ask me. I'll be happy to go wherever I'm sent.<br /><br />Well, I think that's about it for this week. Oh! You asked about the protests. There are actually a lot of different reasons why there have been protests. It's kind of disorganized, I think. They're just like, ''Oh! There's a protest! Let's go complain about this!'' And then other people say the same thing and then it all just gets mixed. From what I've seen, though. The topics are about some hydroelectric dams that they are going to make in the south to power the bigger cities (it won't lower the price of electricity for everyone so that's why they don't like it), something about the government not wanting to give the students some kind of public transit discount, and various other things. Personally I don't think much will come of the protests just because stupid young kids get involved and start throwing rocks and junk at the police and then just randomly attack them. Not the smartest thing to do. But I'll stay out of it.<br /><br />Anway, I'd better get going. Thank you for the letter! It's good to hear from you! Love and miss you tons!<br /><br />Love,<br />Trevor<br /><br />PS. Pictures included are of me saying goodbye to converts/friends in Curanilahue.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/May%2028%20-%202011/?action=view&current=FamilaMedina.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/May%2028%20-%202011/FamilaMedina.jpg" alt="Photobucket" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center; font-style: italic;">Familia Medina<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/May%2028%20-%202011/?action=view&current=GerardomeJocelynYoshiJavier.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/May%2028%20-%202011/GerardomeJocelynYoshiJavier.jpg" alt="Photobucket" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center; font-style: italic;">Gerardo, me, Jocelyn (Yoshi), Javier<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/May%2028%20-%202011/?action=view&current=HnaMoralesmePaola.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/May%2028%20-%202011/HnaMoralesmePaola.jpg" alt="Photobucket" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center; font-style: italic;">Hna Morales, me, Paola<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/May%2028%20-%202011/?action=view&current=MeAngelaKamilaOscar.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/May%2028%20-%202011/MeAngelaKamilaOscar.jpg" alt="Photobucket" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center; font-style: italic;">Me, Angela, Kamila, Oscar<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/May%2028%20-%202011/?action=view&current=MeFabiolaDavidFernandAgustina.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/May%2028%20-%202011/MeFabiolaDavidFernandAgustina.jpg" alt="Photobucket" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Me, Fabiola, David, Fernand, Agustina</span><br /></div>Jasminehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09900647122265790819noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7800379879592118949.post-84378021615850412762011-05-21T16:29:00.000-07:002011-07-11T16:40:08.040-07:00May 21, 2011Heylo!<br /><br />Wow, that is a lot of music stuff you've got going on there! The most music I've got going on in my life right now is what we listen to in the car/while studying and choosing the hymns that will be sung in our meetings.<br /><br />This week was really busy for us. We left early Monday morning down to Pitrufquen for interviews with the Nueva Toltén zone (it's about a 4-hour drive). That night we went to work in a small town called Gorbea with the elders. That was the first time I had ever had the opportunity to work in that zone, so it was nice. However, I didn't get to see much because there was a really dense fog - the furthest point I could see was the other side of the street. Anyway, so I didn't see much of Gorbea, but I did meet some great people that they're teaching. The last appointment of the day especially sticks out in my mind: Elder Gómez (who I was working with) felt that we should pass by to see a man that they had met named Israel. When we got there he opened the door and just looked at us. We asked if we could come in, he said yes, so we followed him into his room. Three things told me that this man was having problems - a pack of cigarettes on the bed, a container of alcohol on the floor, and a knife on his pillow. We sat down and talked with him for awhile and he was just torn up inside, he had been contemplating suicide. Turns out he had just found his girlfriend/wife cheating on him that night or the night before. Israel was absolutely furious, so we talked with him and helped calm him down. We offered him a priesthood blessing which he accepted, and it was incredible to see the change in him afterwards. Before we left the house he was feeling very optimistic, even laughing about some things, and was very excited to have the missionaries over again the next day. So I'm glad we were able to pass by and see him - who knows what would have happened if we didn't.<br /><br />The next day we had interviews with the Temuco Ñielol zone and the day after that with the Temuco Cautín zone. I had the opportunity to work in Lican Ray again! That was really enjoyable because I was able to drop by converts and say goodbye to them (who knows if I'll be able to go to Temuco again) and meet some of the people they are teaching now. One guy named Frank (he actually lived in Chicago for a number of years) insisted that we speak english the whole time. He's working his way out of depression and smoking habits and is preparing to be baptized. In the half an hour that we were with him it looks like he took well to me, haha. He calls me whenever he's feeling down or tempted to smoke and wants me to call him in the morning on Sundays to make sure he gets to church. He's a great guy. Oh yeah, something I noticed during those two Temuco days - my right shoe has a giant hole in the bottom, haha. How did I miss that?! I'll tell you one thing, though, it's hard to miss a hole in your shoe when it's raining outside and there's puddles everywhere. So what I've decided to do, since it's not even worth buying new shoes at this point, is just try to use my older shoes (if I can get my feet in them) and use the newer ones on days that it isn't raining.<br /><br />The day after that we had interviews with the zones of Angol and Victoria, and then we did an intercambio with the elders in a sector called El Mirador (Elder Hong and Elder Nelson). Elder Hong and I had the opportunity to deliver a free DVD about Finding Faith in Christ to a family who called for one (that almost never happens here in Chile - happens quite a lot in the states, though). SUCH a good family - they're worried about how the way the world is today will have an effect on their family, so they want to get closer to Christ. They made a GREAT decision. Elder Hong and Elder Nelson will be going back to teach them.<br /><br />Yesterday we had our last day of interviews for this week with both of the Los Angeles zones. We finished the interviews at about 7pm with Los Angeles South, and it just so happened that the San Martín ward was having an activity that night, so I was able to see all my friends from that ward, including an investigator I found with Elder Heiser last August, Patricia (I believe I've mentioned her before). I actually spoke with Patricia for a little while and she committed to being baptized in June! That made my day :)<br /><br />This morning we woke up bright and early...well, dark and early because it was raining...and made our way over to the Antuco volcano. As I mentioned it was raining, so we couldn't actually do too much volcano-hiking, but there is a lake up there as well, so we climbed all over the volcanic rock and got some nice pictures of the lake and some other cool things around there (one of the office elders let us borrow their camera).<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/May%2021%20-%202011/?action=view&current=CliffsbytheAntucolake.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/May%2021%20-%202011/CliffsbytheAntucolake.jpg" alt="Photobucket" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Cliffs by the Antuco lake</span><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/May%2021%20-%202011/?action=view&current=RubilarandmeinfrontofthelakebyAntuco.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/May%2021%20-%202011/RubilarandmeinfrontofthelakebyAntuco.jpg" alt="Photobucket" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center; font-style: italic;">Rubilar and me in front of the lake by Antuco<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/May%2021%20-%202011/?action=view&current=MebytheAntucolakeitwasraining.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/May%2021%20-%202011/MebytheAntucolakeitwasraining.jpg" alt="Photobucket" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center; font-style: italic;">Me by the Antuco lake (it was raining)<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/May%2021%20-%202011/?action=view&current=WaterfallnearAntuco.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/May%2021%20-%202011/WaterfallnearAntuco.jpg" alt="Photobucket" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center; font-style: italic;">Waterfall near Antuco<br /></div><br />So that was pretty much my week in a nutshell. We got back to Concepción today to find that there are more protests going on. Fun stuff! Last time there were a lot of injuries, so hopefully it doesn't get that far this time.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/May%2021%20-%202011/?action=view&current=ProtestdowntownConcepcin.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/May%2021%20-%202011/ProtestdowntownConcepcin.jpg" alt="Photobucket" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center; font-style: italic;">Protest downtown Concepción<br /></div><br />Alrighty, I think we're going to head back to the house, get all cleaned up and then go get the car cleaned - on Sunday and Monday there is a conference for the sisters of the mission and Elder Rubilar and I got roped into playing taxi-driver for them. Thank you for the letter! I'll look forward to hearing from you next week!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/May%2021%20-%202011/?action=view&current=ElderRubilarIvoneVillalobosgoodfriendfromLAme.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/May%2021%20-%202011/ElderRubilarIvoneVillalobosgoodfriendfromLAme.jpg" alt="Photobucket" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center; font-style: italic;">Elder Rubilar, Ivone Villalobos (good friend from LA), me<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/May%2021%20-%202011/?action=view&current=Maikelandhisfamily.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/May%2021%20-%202011/Maikelandhisfamily.jpg" alt="Photobucket" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center; font-style: italic;">Maikel and his family<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/May%2021%20-%202011/?action=view&current=VernicamePedroCristinaPedrito.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/May%2021%20-%202011/VernicamePedroCristinaPedrito.jpg" alt="Photobucket" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center; font-style: italic;">Verónica, me, Pedro, Cristina, Pedrito<br /></div><br />Love,<br />TrevorJasminehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09900647122265790819noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7800379879592118949.post-14781066454699618372011-04-23T21:02:00.000-07:002011-07-10T21:03:34.341-07:00April 23, 2011<span style="font-style: italic;">Note from Trevor's mom: </span><span style="font-style: italic;" class="il">Trevor</span><span style="font-style: italic;"> and I have been, as he says, back and forth all week getting him registered for USU in the fall. His itinerary actually arrived in my email the other day, too -- time is getting short! So I didn't get an actual letter written to him this time, but he still wrote us a nice letter.</span><br /><br /><br />Well, we've been back and forth all week, so this week's letter may not be so special, haha. But I guess I could tell you about some things that went on during the week.<div><br /></div><div>First things first, the cambios...dun dun dun! President Swenson decided to keep Elder Rubilar and I together again here in the office so I won't be going anywhere for another six weeks. I'll definitely be leaving the office for my last cambio, though, so that'll be good. This week we've pretty much just been working on cambios for the mission. The last two weeks have been draining - interviews and lots of intercambios with the missionaries of the mission, the volcano llaima trip, so it was nice to get back to our own sector. Also, it was nice to get back to my own bed :) There's something we tend to take for granted.</div> <div><br /></div><div>The other day we had a pretty insane wind/rain storm. It just so happened that Elder Rubilar and I also had an appointment out in Lenga (a tiny little coastal village about 15 minutes outside of Hualpén), so I got to see raging ocean for the first time in my life (in person, anyway). The wind was so strong that I could feel it pushing the car off-course. The sand from the beach was also pelting pretty hard against the car. Well, we got to the house and found that the family wasn't home, so we decided to go out onto the peninsula because there was a house up on the hill we hadn't contacted yet. We drove up the hill until we got to a closed gate and then forced the car doors open against the wind so we could walk up to the house. I'm fairly sure that it's a summer home because there was no sign of life when we did get to the house. So we walked back down to the car, backed down the hill (the road was a thin Agner's-Mill-Road-esque thing with ruts in it) and started heading back towards Hualpén. Just before leaving Lenga we noticed a number of houses on the edge of town that we hadn't contacted either, so we decided to pull over and do it. Elder Rubilar needed to get his rain jacket...which happened to be in the back of the truck - meaning that we would have to get out, run to the back and open it up to be able to reach it. So we parked with the back of the truck facing away from the wind so as not not get the back of the truck filled with water. I pushed the door open against the wind and rand behind the truck to shelter myself from fierce wind and pelting rain. Elder Rubilar, on the other hand, jumped out with his umbrella. Instantly the wind pulled him out of the car and all I heard was a yelp and then a few seconds later he appeared behind the truck with a massacred umbrella. I got a good laugh out of that. We got his jacket out and then we went to knock a house - the lady inside opened up the curtains and looked out at us...and did absolutely nothing else, hahaha. She refused to let us in, so we just ran back to the truck, now soaked, and drove back to Hualpén. It was like being in another Hurricane!</div> <div><br /></div><div>Elder Rubilar and I had a fun lesson this week that taught us a lot of patience. We're teaching an older lady that is a little bit slow, and just when it seemed like she was understanding we asked her questions to make sure and she either went blank and said I don't know or gave an answer that has nothing to do with anything, haha. My feeling is that she hears us, but doesn't listen to us. Two different things. Anyway, so we were very patient with her during the lesson, and when we got out to the car Elder Rubilar said, ''Wait a minute.'' He bowed his head and started to breath deeply (I thought he was going to pray or something). And then out of nowhere he flipped out and let out a good yell (the car did shake from side to side, hehe). We were afraid that she might have heard us, so when we got home Elder Rubilar stood about the distance from the car that the house was and I let a good yell out and shook the car a little bit. Couldn't hear a thing, so we're good :) We love the lady, she's very nice and very humble. I'm glad I have had so many opportunities to learn patience.</div> <div><br /></div><div>We are teaching a really good person in Lenga called Marilín. At the end of our first appointment we asked her to give a prayer, which she did. By the end of that prayer she was crying and she told us that she knew she had to come to church. Yesterday we invited her to be baptized and she said she would be baptized when she knew that the Book of Mormon is true and that the Church was restored. She also introduced us to her boyfriend last night and he was a REALLY nice guy. They'll be coming to church this Sunday, so we're excited for that.</div> <div><br /></div><div>Well, I think that's about all I've got for this week. Today I'll be going down to Curanilahue for a baptism of someone I taught while I was there. It's nice to see everyone down there again. I don't have any really cool pictures for right now, but I'll be sure to get some over the weekend and next week to send to you. </div> <div><br /></div><div>I hope you're all doing well. I'll look forward to hearing from you!</div><div><br /></div><div>Love,</div><div><span class="il">Trevor</span><br /></div> <span></span>Jasminehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09900647122265790819noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7800379879592118949.post-5276491337585398432011-04-18T20:53:00.000-07:002011-07-10T21:01:15.623-07:00April 18, 2011Hello there!<br /><br />Well, looks like the Disneyland trip ended up taking away writing time, but that's ok - it's bound to happen every once in awhile. I didn't have time to write on Saturday nor Sunday, so I guess we're a little more even.<br /><br />Last week was craaaazy. We left Concepción on Monday evening and didn't get back until Saturday evening. Each day we had a meeting with the zones of the middle and south regions of the mission, and then following each mission Elder Rubilar and I did some intercambios with the missionaries of those zones. I really enjoyed working with all the missionaries - it's a great learning opportunity on both sides and it gave me a chance to get to know some parts of the mission where I had never been before. The focus I had in my head when I was working with the missionaries was to get into houses and teach families, so each day we worked really hard to do that. I would say each intercambio we got into at least 4 houses and found a lot of good people that are willing to listen to and hopefully accept the gospel.<br /><br />On Tuesday night I had the opportunity to go back and visit one of my old investigators in San Martín - her name is Patricia Provoste. I believe I actually sent a tape to you all with a short story about teaching her when I was with Elder Heiser. After I left San Martín she had continued to go to church and had even tapped into genealogy a little bit, but for one reason or another had stopped going to church and reading the scriptures a few months ago. I didn't call her to tell her that I was coming to visit her (I actually went with Elder Harper, my MTC companion, because we did an intercambio with him and his companion Elder Bustos) so when we showed up her mom let us in and then went to get her without telling her who was in the next room. She was really surprised - didn't expect that I would ever be back there to visit again. We talked for a little while about what was going on in her life and why she had left her spiritual progress to the side (she had been making REALLY good progress), and I could just tell that the Spirit was teaching her because she was thinking a lot and kept saying that she knew that she had fallen away a bit. When we left she told me that she knows now that answers come from the Lord in one way or another. I didn't really know what she meant by that (could have been a lot of things), but when I opened my e-mail last night she had written me telling me that the next day she received her answer and had decided to go back to church and to be baptized. That made me SO happy! Elder Heiser and I worked so hard with her; I had to learn a lot of patience, but I'm glad I did. Patricia is a miracle - the Lord prepared her and helped her to gain a firm testimony - she'll be a great member.<br /><br />Another cool bit of news: An investigator I left in Curanilahue named Paola Morales is getting baptized this Saturday! She was actually supposed to be baptized the week after I left, but for one reason or another she stopped her progress for a little while. Last week I was able to go visit her with the elders in Curanilahue and she committed to baptism again. She asked that I be there so I'll have to get permission from President Swenson. Maybe this peanut butter that you sent me will help out with that....haha.<br /><br />This last Saturday was probably the most adventurous p-day I've had in my whole mission. Elder Rubilar and I spent Friday night in a little village called Cunco (we stayed with the missionaries), so that we could wake up early the next morning and drive out to the Llaima Volcano. So we got up at 7, left at about 7:30 and got to the volcano at about 9 am. Earlier in the week it had rained for two days straight, but on the volcano it didn't rain, it snowed! So we got there and everything was covered in snow. As you may already know, missionaries are always equipped for all weather conditions - so for mountain climbing we pulled out our trusty ol' sneakers, put on a coat, borrowed some ski poles from the base camp, and made our way up. Obviously we wouldn't be able to reach the top of the volcano without climbing gear and a guide, so we just went as high as we could on one of the neighboring peaks. The view from the top was gorgeous - you could see the entire valley and even the Villarica volcano off in the distance. When we were going down we decided to hike over to another peak (we later found out that the peak is called the Japanese Hill), and there we encountered a military Sergeant - Sergeant <wbr>Muñoz. We talked with him for a bit on top of the peak and then he took us down to the barracks and gave us an apple before we headed back up to Concepción (about a 4-hour drive). I'll be sure to include pictures. We did take a little time to eat a snack on top of the highest part we got to, I took a video of it so I guess you'll just have to wait until I get home to see that.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/April%2018%20-%202011/?action=view&current=Llaima.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/April%2018%20-%202011/Llaima.jpg" alt="Photobucket" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center; font-style: italic;">Llaima<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/April%2018%20-%202011/?action=view&current=Llaima2.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/April%2018%20-%202011/Llaima2.jpg" alt="Photobucket" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center; font-style: italic;">Llaima (again)<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/April%2018%20-%202011/?action=view&current=RubilarandmebyacrosstheyputupwhenJuanPablo2died.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/April%2018%20-%202011/RubilarandmebyacrosstheyputupwhenJuanPablo2died.jpg" alt="Photobucket" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center; font-style: italic;">Rubilar and me by a cross they put up when Juan Pablo 2 died<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/April%2018%20-%202011/?action=view&current=Rubilarandmeonourhighpoint.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/April%2018%20-%202011/Rubilarandmeonourhighpoint.jpg" alt="Photobucket" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Rubilar and me on our high point</span><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/April%2018%20-%202011/?action=view&current=Thevalleybelowthereisadrop-offbehindme.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/April%2018%20-%202011/Thevalleybelowthereisadrop-offbehindme.jpg" alt="Photobucket" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center; font-style: italic;">The valley below (there is a drop-off behind me)<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/April%2018%20-%202011/?action=view&current=Wedecidedtoskidown.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/April%2018%20-%202011/Wedecidedtoskidown.jpg" alt="Photobucket" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center; font-style: italic;">We decided to ski down<br /></div><br />I'm also going to include pictures of when we went to Collipulli - what is so important about the little town, you might ask? Well, the biggest bridge in South America is there, it's called Malleco. We were going to go out to the middle of it, but it was a rainy morning and the planks were all wet so we decided that would be a bad idea. Maybe next time! We did get some good pictures, though.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/April%2018%20-%202011/?action=view&current=GettinalittlequeezyonMalleco.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/April%2018%20-%202011/GettinalittlequeezyonMalleco.jpg" alt="Photobucket" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center; font-style: italic;">Gettin' a little queezy on Malleco<br /></div><br />Well, that's about all the time I've got for this week. Better get back to work now. Love and miss you tons! I'll look forward to getting your letter!<br /><br />Love,<br />TrevorJasminehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09900647122265790819noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7800379879592118949.post-26207358892218825622011-03-26T20:49:00.000-07:002011-07-10T20:53:03.231-07:00March 26, 2011<div>First of all, I'm sorry to hear about <span style="font-style: italic;">(name omitted for privacy)'s</span> girlfriend. It's always sad when things like that happen. In moments like these it really helps to have an eternal perspective - internal peace can be found in God's words communicated either by himself or by His past and present servants. I love the comforting words of Christ in 3 Nephi 9:14 - ''Yea, verily I say unto you, if ye will come unto me ye shall have eternal life. Behold, mine arm of mercy is extended towards you, and whosoever will come, him will I recieve; and blessed are those who come unto me.'' Anyone can come unto the Lord. Naturally this will require repentance (key word, come), which can be a difficult process, but just as it says in Psalms 147:3 - ''He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds.'' It is my hope that <span style="font-style: italic;">(name omitted)</span> and all who are hurting may search the comfort that comes as a result of the healing power of Christ's Atonement. I know it will help them achieve internal peace.</div> <div><br /></div><div>This last week we were traveling the mission, once again. I feel like I've driven more here than I ever did back in the states! Except for that one trip from Nebraska to Utah...and from Utah to Virginia... It's a good experience, though. This week we had three multi-zone conferences in the north, middle, and south regions of the mission. Elder Rubilar and I prepared a message about focusing on teaching people, not lessons. We started out by picking a missionary and bringing him up in front of everyone and then had Sister Swenson buz a line across his head, haha. After she did the hack job she said, ''Alright, done!'' and sent the missionary back to his seat. A nice shock factor, don't you think? The message of that was that there isn't a ''one-size-fits all'' in missionary work; every person is different and has different needs so we must adapt how we teach to make sure that the Spirit is there and testifies to their hearts of the truth. To demonstrate a good example we spliced a few scenes from Patch Adams (the four scenes with the terminal cancer patient), and that got everyone thinking. It was a good experience - the missionaries seemed like they had a lot of good ideas to put into practice in their sectors.</div> <div><br /></div><div>Oh wow, it's almost conference time again! I LOOOOOVE conference - Kelton better not skip priesthood session! I've decided that I will make sure I have work off and studies planned so that I will never miss another session of general conference. Could be a little difficult...but not impossible, right? </div> <div><br /></div><div>We had a cool day this week - Elder Rubilar and I hardly had any time in our sector because we were getting everything ready for conference and all that jazz, but Monday we did manage to be there from about 6:30 to 10 pm. We only knocked about 5 doors, but we got let in to many of them! One of them was an ''athiest'' guy named Franco. He actually ended up being really receptive and cool (Ian would get along with him - he's a metal head with long hear, haha). Before leaving we left a picture of Christ in Gethsemane and he told us that whenever we wanted we could come back. So we'll take him up on that offer! The next person who let us in was just amazing. Her name is María José, and she just barely moved to Hualpen for work. We got into hear house by offering her a picture of Christ and asking if we could come in and share a short message about Him. She said yes, and after a little while talking to her we found out that she had gone to an LDS church with an LDS friend before and loved it, but had never decided to continue in any religion. For awhile she has felt confused and a little lost spiritually - or maybe just not so decided. She does know that God exists, but nothing much past that. We decided to give her a Book of Mormon, which she said she would read and then she said she'll come to church with us on Sunday. It's so refreshing when you find someone like that! And then that night we had a FHE with a family in the ward, to which they brought a non-member mother of a member-girl. The mom is battling depression and doesn't really know where to turn. Something cool that happened with her is that after the FHE while I was saying goodbye to her I asked her if she was going to come to the ward activity on Saturday (today) and to church on Sunday, to which she said ''no''. I asked her why and she asked me what good it would do her. Peace in your life was the only thing I told her, and I knew that she felt the Spirit and wanted more because her attitude changed immediately. She, Edith, said that she would be there with her daughter to learn more about it. So yeah, that was an amazing day!</div> <div><br /></div><div>Well, I think I've blabbered on for enough today. I didn't really take any pictures this week...should have done that...but I'll get on it for next week and get you all some good ones. Sorry! Love and miss you tons!</div> <div><br /></div><div>Love,</div><div><span class="il">Trevor</span></div><div><br /></div><div>PS. When does registration open up for USU? I hope everything is being taken care of there - I can't do too much from here. Thank you!</div>PPS. CUMPLEAÑOS FELIZ!!! TE DESEAMOS A TI, CUMPLEAÑOS FELIZ!!! QUE LOS CUMPLA FELIZ!!!! That's for all you old fogies that had birthdays recently! Love you!Jasminehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09900647122265790819noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7800379879592118949.post-83847611527817662782011-03-20T17:08:00.000-07:002011-07-10T17:15:22.495-07:00March 20, 2011Hello Mammy!!<br /><br />Alrighty, sorry about not writing last week! Things just got really busy and then Elder Corbridge came to visit the mission so we were busy with that as well. But here I am, starting out another cambio with my new companion Elder Rubilar. On Tuesday I took Elder Moreno to the airport along with some other elders. Elder Heiser is also going home this cambio, but is now touring the mission with his parents, so I didn't take him to the airport. It was a really crazy sensation when Elder Heiser's mom ran up to hug him when we brought him to the hotel. It was also a weird sensation to see parents of a missionary here in the mission period, haha. It would be cool if you and dad could come down here when I finish, but I think we already decided that it's not possible. Oh well, you can come down with me when the Concepción temple gets dedicated! Sound like a plan? I thought so.<br /><br />Let's see, what's new in the life of Elder Vincent.<br /><br />The baptism we had last weekend was awesome! Nataly asked me to baptize her, and after the ordinance she just stayed there standing in the water with her eyes closed and said that she had never felt anything like that before - she had the biggest feeling of peace come over her and knew that God was pleased with her. When we got back into the tabernacle the ward councelor asked Nataly to share her testimony, which she did. It's been a little while since I've heard such a strong testimony coming from a recent convert. Hearing someone you taught say the things she said just fills your heart with joy - it's those moments that make every bit of the work worth it. The promise is real in D&C 18:15-16. One of the ward missionaries told me that Nataly went out with her to do some of her visits to recent converts and less-active members, so she's getting really involved right away!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/March%2020%20-%202011/?action=view&current=Natalysbaptism-PungMorenoNatalyMeBernal.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/March%2020%20-%202011/Natalysbaptism-PungMorenoNatalyMeBernal.jpg" alt="Photobucket" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center; font-style: italic;">Nataly's baptism<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/March%2020%20-%202011/?action=view&current=LeavingthefontwithNataly.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/March%2020%20-%202011/LeavingthefontwithNataly.jpg" alt="Photobucket" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center; font-style: italic;">coming out of the font with Nataly<br /></div><br />I've got a funny story to share with you all. Well, first of all you should all know that Elder Rubilar and I work hard and play hard. And well...we also make the work fun, haha. I'm really enjoying working with him - he's a great missionary and a great leader, so we're going to get a lot done for the mission this cambio. Anyway, so the other day we were driving in our sector to go visit one of our investigators, Katy (she actually has a baptismal date now!), and I decided to take a little short cut. There's a small dirt field between two roads, and instead of taking the long way around to get to the other side, I decided to just drive through the little dirt field. The cool thing about this dirt field, though, is that it is just FULL of potholes. One other key point of information: I didn't mention this to Elder Rubilar - best to just find these things out for yourself, right? So there we were going through the pothole field, Elder Rubilar and I were talking, and then the truck begins to shake side-to-side. Just a little at first, but then it got pretty violent, hahaha. Elder Rubilar let out a little yelp and then smacked his head against the window! PRICELESS! I'm still laughing about that one! I think I'll make that the official initiation process of Hualpencillo - gotta get your head smacked against the truck's window :).<br /><br />I think I should explain a little bit about one of the pictures that I've attached. So this cambio three new missionaries got to the mission. After the first meeting with them in President Swenson's house Elder Rubilar and I decided to take them all to their sectors: one went to San Pedro, the other close to Coronel, and the other to Curanilahue (I LOVE that place). So we dropped the first two companionships off with no problems. Then on the way through the curvy roads along the coast to get to Curanilahue one of the trainers, Araya, got motion sick or something and painted our car with lasagna. Hahaha! I got some nice pictures of it - including one with the artist - so I hope you enjoy!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/March%2020%20-%202011/?action=view&current=EArayalefthismarkonthecar.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/March%2020%20-%202011/EArayalefthismarkonthecar.jpg" alt="Photobucket" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br />On a more spiritual note, I'd like to share with you a portion of my studies from this last week. I'll translate it to english for you (names might still appear in spanish):<br /><br />I was reading Alma 47 (the story about how Amalickíah conquered to king of the lamanites and gained power over the kingdom) and I realized that I was being taught about how the devil uses sin to TRY to destroy the kingdom of God on earth. <div>*In verses 10 and 11 it is seen that Amalickíah subtly tried THREE times to make Lehonti come down from his refuge. Each time Lehonti said no, but Amalickíah persisted. Likewise, satan persists with his temptations.</div> <div>*In verses 12 to 14 we see that Amalickíah tries in another way to get to Lehonti - he goes a little closer, thus making it appear as if he were making himself weaker to make Lehonti feel more comfortable. Amalickíah even says that if Lehonti joins forces with him that he will make him the first chief, and that he (Amalickíah) will be the second chief. Satan lies to us and makes his plan seem harmless, when really he has no intentions of fulfilling what he says.<br /><br />*In verse 16 we learn that Amalickíah only used Lehonte as a means to get to the end he desired. And just as is evident in verses 18 and 19, satan does the same: he uses us while it is convenient for him, but when he no longer has need of the us he will leave us in an instant to despair (known as spiritual death).</div> <div>*In verses 20 to 35 we see that Amalickíah continued to conquer the whole kingdom with his lies and frauds. And all of this because Lehonti went HALF WAY DOWN THE MOUNTAIN. Satan leaves ruin and heart ache in the lives of people and nations when they let themselves be lead by his influence. Key word being LET. Lehonti did not have to go down, rather he CHOSE to do it. The key to avoiding this is virtue and righteousness - doing what is right, even when nobody is looking, and searching diligently for what God wants us to do. This will, as Nephi wrote, ''give no place more for the enemy of [our souls]''.<br /><br />* Verse 36 shows us that an entire civilization, even one that has been taught the ways of God, can dwindle in wickedness if they apart themselves from Him.<br /><br />*Read verses 11-13, and 17-18. It talks about the example of Moroni.<br /><br />I feel that this could be applied to our lives in more ways than just sin and temptation, but those are my feelings and thoughts, so I'll have to leave it up to you and see what the Spirit tells you. I hope you can enjoy this chapter as much as I have.<br /><br />Well, this coming week we'll be going on another road trip - we've got mulit-zone conferences in the north, middle, and south of the mission. We should be back by Saturday, though. So hopefully I'll be able to write.<br /><br />Update on letters: none have gotten to me, I'm guessing that's because nobody has sent any, haha. I am going to be sending one out today and that should get me all caught up on letters. Taadaaa! Magic.<br /><br />Alright, I think that's just about it for this week. I'll get some pictures attached to this and send it off. Thank you for remember to write! Love and miss you tons!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/March%2020%20-%202011/?action=view&current=LeavingEMorenointheairport.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/March%2020%20-%202011/LeavingEMorenointheairport.jpg" alt="Photobucket" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;">leaving Elder Moreno in the airport</span><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/March%2020%20-%202011/?action=view&current=Theoffice-RubilarBrimhallMorenotheSullivansMeArskey.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/March%2020%20-%202011/Theoffice-RubilarBrimhallMorenotheSullivansMeArskey.jpg" alt="Photobucket" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center; font-style: italic;">The office - Rubilar, Brimhall, Moreno, the Sullivans, Me, Arskey<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/March%2020%20-%202011/?action=view&current=Thisishowweseehowmuchweweigh.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/March%2020%20-%202011/Thisishowweseehowmuchweweigh.jpg" alt="Photobucket" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;">this is how we see how much we weigh</span><br /></div><br />Love,<br />Trevor<br /><br />PS. Thank you for getting in touch with USU. When does registration start? I need to get all that stuff figured out. I think I've decided to keep my music major and then double minor in spanish and political science. So if you could talk to USU and figure out what I need to do to get all that put together I would really appreciate it. Let me know ASAP!!! Thank you!</div>Jasminehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09900647122265790819noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7800379879592118949.post-29328827813262118362011-03-09T16:49:00.000-08:002011-07-10T17:08:43.223-07:00March 9, 2011Well hello!<br /><br />Finally found a quick moment to write a few lines! Things have been really busy here this week and all last week as well.<br /><br />I don't think I wrote on Saturday...probably because I didn't have an e-mail to respond to! Haha.<br /><br />So last week we were traveling again - training sessions with all the zones of the mission. Elder Moreno and I trained about revelation through church attendance and how to work well with the members. We had a fun game to demonstrate: two companionships had one cup each and they had to gather water from one bowl on a table and walk heel-to-toe to another table about 20 feet away and dump the water in another bowl - the first companionship that filled the other bowl won. The catch is that one companionship had a bunch of holes in their cups, so obviously they weren't going to get very much water to the desired destination. We all got some good laughs, some got some cleaner shoes, and hopefully everyone learned a thing or two.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/March%209%20-%202011/?action=view&current=Mygroupatconsejo.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/March%209%20-%202011/Mygroupatconsejo.jpg" alt="Photobucket" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center; font-style: italic;">my group at Consejo<br /></div><br />On the way home from Temuco Friday night (we left a town called Lautaro at about 10pm because we had to do a baptismal interview there at 9 pm) we got pulled over by some Carabineros! It was about 10:30 pm - we had just been pulling out of a gas station where we bought some snacks and drink for the ride (it's about 3 1/2 hours from Temuco to Concepción). As I pulled over I was thinking....what in the world? This can't be a speeding ticket, I was only going 30 (about 18 mph)! So I rolled down the window and the officer said, ''Where are you going?'' (in spanish, of course ;-) ) ''To Concepción.'' I responded, a little confused. He then asked me if we could take one of their captain's up to Concepción - apparently he had missed his bus. We said that would be fine, loaded the bags into the back, and then started the 3 1/2 hour drive. The carabinero was actually a really nice guy and we had a lot of time to talk about the gospel and some things about life in general. We got back to our house in San Pedro at about 2 and immediately fell asleep.<br /><br />This week I've been really busy every minute of every day - President Swenson has asked us to pull out the records of a program called ''permaneced'' (it's a program to help reactivate members) from 2010-11 and to compile it so that he can have the totals and the averages. Sounds like a simple task, right? Well, it would be if the elders last year had done their job better! There weren't any sheets in microsoft excell with the totals from each month, so we have had to go through and do all of them, haha. Today we should be finished with that assignment.<br /><br />We'll be having a baptism this Saturday! Woooo! Her name is Nataly Candia - she's 26 and is very ready to be baptized. The other day when we were in an appointment with her and another member the member voiced a concern that Nataly's family doesn't really like the idea of her getting baptized. So we asked Nataly how she felt about that and she said, ''No, I'm getting baptized. I was praying last night and God told me: Nataly, this 12 of March you will be baptized.'' We didn't even have to do anything! It's a great feeling when the people you teach and care about just follow the promptings of the Spirit.<br /><br />Alright, I've got a fun moment to share with you all. To prep this moment, it's important that you know a little bit about the other two elders that I live with: Elder Brimhall and Elder Arksey. Elder Brimhall is a pretty new elder from Arizona - really good guy; he's got a good heart. Elder Arksey is from Canada and will also be studying law. He's also a bit of a comical cynic, haha. It's entertaining at times - such as this moment that I'm about to be sharing with you. Ok, so last night we were getting ready for bed, Elder Brimhall was feeling a little bummed about something, so I told him to keep his chin up. And then out of nowhere Elder Arksey says, ''Yeah, that way it's easier to punch you in the throat!'' Hahahahaha! I hope you all enjoyed that one as much as I did.<br /><br />This week I get to have a new experience - cambios! Why do I say new experience, you might ask? Well, because President Swenson asks Elder Moreno and I for our opinions about cambios for the mission (new leaders, etc.). It'll be a good experience - hope to learn a lot from it.<br /><br />Quick letter update: I had a little bit of time to write some letters and send them out, so some may expect letters in the next couple of weeks. I'll do my best to respond to the others that are left - I believe there are about 2 or 3. Thank you for being patient! I have a LOT on my plate down here!<br /><br />Well, I think that's about it for this week. Hopefully I'll have a little time to write again on Saturday, but if not I'll just get to it at some point during the week. Thank you for writing! Love and miss you tons!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/March%209%20-%202011/?action=view&current=FHEBernalDanielaHnoRojasHnaFuentealbaEmanuelMorenoPung.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/March%209%20-%202011/FHEBernalDanielaHnoRojasHnaFuentealbaEmanuelMorenoPung.jpg" alt="Photobucket" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;">FHE - Bernal, Daniela, Hno Rojas, Hna Fuentealba, Emanuel, Moreno, Pung</span><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/March%209%20-%202011/?action=view&current=FHEgame.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/March%209%20-%202011/FHEgame.jpg" alt="Photobucket" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;">FHE game</span><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/March%209%20-%202011/?action=view&current=MorenoFHEgame.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/March%209%20-%202011/MorenoFHEgame.jpg" alt="Photobucket" border="0" /></a><br /><br /></div>Love,<br />TrevorJasminehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09900647122265790819noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7800379879592118949.post-70553522935638868102011-02-26T16:30:00.000-08:002011-07-10T16:46:45.121-07:00February 26, 2011<span style="font-style: italic;">Note from Trevor's mom: Oops -- I'm having the hardest time with his new p-day schedule! I did indeed forget to write him, but at least he's in the office, so I was able to connect briefly last week, and now I've written. Maybe he'll get to check tomorrow...</span><br /><br />Looks like I've been forgotten about! Haha. This is my second week without a letter (I think)! Lucky for you all I'm able to jump into my e-mail account at times during the week so I'll be able to read it when you send it. Actually, this week I won't, haha. We'll be traveling around the mission again this week doing training sessions with all the zones. And on Monday we have consejo with President Swenson in Los Angeles, so I won't get on that day either. Oh well - stuff happens, right?<br /><br />What's new in the life of Elder Vincent this week?<br /><br />One of the office elders, Elder Brimhall (from AZ), and I have started to play a new sport. Well, maybe not-so-new, but for us it is - office soccer! Yup, after lunch to burn some calories we set up some goal lines in the office and kick a mini-soccer ball around. I'm not sure if I've mentioned it before, but that's actually the most popular kind of soccer here in Chile. Not office soccer, but with the mini ball - they usually play on mini-concrete flats like a basketball court. It's called ''Baby'' and is insanely fun. I've actually gotten alright at it and have pretty much lost any ''skills'' I might have had before to play on a full-sized field. That's alright, though. If I play on a big field I just load my team up with latinos and then I'm good, haha.<br /><br />Today Elder Moreno and I went on a trip all the way out to the tip of the Talcahuano peninsula to a place called ''Caleta Tumbas''. Directly translated that means ''Cove Tombs''. When Elder Moreno told me the name I thought I had better get prepared, so I brought along my eye-patch, my wood leg, and my arrrrrrr voice...but then didn't end up needing it because everyone there was alive...haha. I was actually surprised to see that people lived there, because it's on the other side of a ton of military land and then it's just this tiny little cove at the tip of the peninsula before the biiiiiig ooooooooll' ocean opens up. I'll include some pictures - it's really cool.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/February%2026%20-%202011/?action=view&current=CaletaTumbas.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/February%2026%20-%202011/CaletaTumbas.jpg" alt="Photobucket" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Caleta Tumbas</span><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/February%2026%20-%202011/?action=view&current=MorenoandMeCaletTumbas.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/February%2026%20-%202011/MorenoandMeCaletTumbas.jpg" alt="Photobucket" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/February%2026%20-%202011/?action=view&current=MeCaletaTumbas.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/February%2026%20-%202011/MeCaletaTumbas.jpg" alt="Photobucket" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/February%2026%20-%202011/?action=view&current=MeCaletaTumbas2.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/February%2026%20-%202011/MeCaletaTumbas2.jpg" alt="Photobucket" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/February%2026%20-%202011/?action=view&current=ElderMorenoCaletaTumbas.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/February%2026%20-%202011/ElderMorenoCaletaTumbas.jpg" alt="Photobucket" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/February%2026%20-%202011/?action=view&current=Nicespottoretire.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/February%2026%20-%202011/Nicespottoretire.jpg" alt="Photobucket" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;">a nice place to retire</span><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/February%2026%20-%202011/?action=view&current=Climbingthereef.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/February%2026%20-%202011/Climbingthereef.jpg" alt="Photobucket" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center; font-style: italic;">climbing the reef<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/February%2026%20-%202011/?action=view&current=Aboatthatgotknockedoverintheearthquake.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/February%2026%20-%202011/Aboatthatgotknockedoverintheearthquake.jpg" alt="Photobucket" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center; font-style: italic;">a boat that got knocked over in the earthquake<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/February%2026%20-%202011/?action=view&current=Boat-building.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/February%2026%20-%202011/Boat-building.jpg" alt="Photobucket" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center; font-style: italic;">boat building<br /></div><br />Tonight is the one-year anniversary of the earthquake last year. A lot of people think something huge will be happening tonight, but that's all just superstition garbage. I'm sure the earth has its earthquake calendar just sitting on the table saying, ''Oops! I quaked exactly one year ago in Chile! Which means I have to do it again the same day this year! It's a tradition, you know!'' Hehe, silly people.<br /><br />Have you found anything out about USU yet? I would really like to not have to worry about that - but if I need to do something I want to get it done early. As far as what I'm going to study, I think I'll stay with the music performance major, and then do a double minor in Spanish and Political Science. I've been reading and thinking about it a little this week and I think I'm beginning to decide exactly what kind of law I want to study: at the moment either Litigations or International Law. Out of those two I think I like international law more, but I've still got some research to do on all that. Anyway, just wanted to make sure all the education stuff is lined up, because I don't really have that much time left to do that. (I tried to log on to my USU account the other day and it wouldn't let me - do you know why?).<br /><br />I have a recommendation this week for all interested - WATCH Elder Holland's talk from the October 2009 General Conference. It's a big testimony builder, and nobody quite conveys this type of message in the way that Elder Holland does. One of my favorite lines from the talk is when Elder Holland states that ''no wicked man could right a book (the Book of Mormon) such as this; and no good man would write it, unless it were true and he were commanded of God to do so.'' The Book of Mormon has changed my life in so many ways - and there's not a chance in this world that that could have happened by only reading it. I had to pray about it - a lot. Along with that it was necessary to put into practice the things I was learning, to see for myself if the blessings really were true. The Book of Mormon is not just another book - it can bring us all closer to God than we can even imagine. I encourage you all to read, and STUDY it - this requires effort and time, but is worth every second. I promise you that if you make it a priority to study this sacred volume of scripture regularly, it will change your life forever.<br /><br />Well, we've gotta head back to the apartment to get ready to go work now. I love and miss you all very much! And I'll look forward to hearing from you soon!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/February%2026%20-%202011/?action=view&current=Drummeratawardactivity.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/jpurles/Trevor%20Mission%20Pictures/February%2026%20-%202011/Drummeratawardactivity.jpg" alt="Photobucket" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center; font-style: italic;">drummer at a ward party<br /></div><br />Love,<br />TrevorJasminehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09900647122265790819noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7800379879592118949.post-51904137450071699882011-02-13T21:09:00.001-08:002011-02-13T21:17:31.720-08:00February 13, 2011Hellllooo!!<div><br /></div><div>Sorry about not being able to write the day after an earthquake! We were on a road-trip for the week! All last week and this coming week we are traveling through the mission with President Swenson while he does interviews with all the missionaries. So while he does the interviews we train the elders along with their zone leaders. Busy, busy, busy! When the earthquake happened we were in Lebu - a coastal town! There wasn't a tsunami, so no worries there. When it happened I was loading things into the truck, and Elder Moreno had just been there, so when the truck started shaking from side-to-side I thought it was just him goofing around. But then I realized that he had already gone back inside, haha. So I ran in and all the newer elders that hadn't been here for another quake were pretty scared. It wasn't nearly as strong as the one last year, so I didn't get scared at all, but you could definitely feel that the earth was shaking. The epicenter was pretty close to Concepción, so it's been shaking pretty consistently around here with all the aftershocks. We even had one during sacrament meeting today! Haha, it was right when the person who was speaking was giving his testimony, so we all joked that he has a really strong testimony if he can make the earth shake. Then I threw in a side comment that maybe it was just God's way of telling him that his time was up, haha. Could be either one, right? People told us that there were also several during the night, but only one woke me up - stupid aftershocks robbing my sleep after a sleepless week! (I fell asleep in elders quorum, haha).</div> <div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDA77J1LdjAqyLGtAv2xfZAEIs7l_faCFPF1FyYLePLaJn5Esb19vrtX2KSqxUYWdCGctJlFKqSq44dGj8Vs0FGKvRFf3n-AmLi6pqEr8geRzPAaJlW-LXhdwrQa9DOLsToqtotcnjC8g/s1600/Above+Lebu.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDA77J1LdjAqyLGtAv2xfZAEIs7l_faCFPF1FyYLePLaJn5Esb19vrtX2KSqxUYWdCGctJlFKqSq44dGj8Vs0FGKvRFf3n-AmLi6pqEr8geRzPAaJlW-LXhdwrQa9DOLsToqtotcnjC8g/s400/Above+Lebu.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5573408615204057954" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Above Lebu</span><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitQpkazI3qhEWYodb8C4DGc6oYJ3RmDSjp93CIXLga8W4ORoCqk5apBBymAPJO5gub7UH2NM_0NtLBl_w_jWuw9t7jcEZ73rLQ82t8kFPBbPvEXJZ67qSEFWA7HO-UntpdKTCk51D8pOE/s1600/Driving+by+the+coast+near+Lota.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitQpkazI3qhEWYodb8C4DGc6oYJ3RmDSjp93CIXLga8W4ORoCqk5apBBymAPJO5gub7UH2NM_0NtLBl_w_jWuw9t7jcEZ73rLQ82t8kFPBbPvEXJZ67qSEFWA7HO-UntpdKTCk51D8pOE/s400/Driving+by+the+coast+near+Lota.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5573408628651549266" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Driving by the coast near Lota</span><br /></div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg94M9H3qOsJIhLfQZnkkivpa-xsBHt87OdVRGy3hX-acuH9KqA7061VFDYzslDjoFkpufRPWk3Ao7qac1M3L1YP85H_uvsYjFjgDy5Nd4lkCh-89d_BU21v_tfyd2KBBPT1E7krucIMEQ/s1600/Driving+by+the+coast+near+Lota+2.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg94M9H3qOsJIhLfQZnkkivpa-xsBHt87OdVRGy3hX-acuH9KqA7061VFDYzslDjoFkpufRPWk3Ao7qac1M3L1YP85H_uvsYjFjgDy5Nd4lkCh-89d_BU21v_tfyd2KBBPT1E7krucIMEQ/s400/Driving+by+the+coast+near+Lota+2.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5573408625008485506" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnRcl1u95ItzTkjyXSwxPIZTPDh3nDs2VkTfxCnb6NGTHp0nhT3gaVbHkPNnIdSt62czBQFrrOwgd2uRXirERjfz0UbsY-tRhGlzu-5bBTaLYL6R6BuuFSWYD3lYAwfo3OX2uMIHjB2Qw/s1600/Driving+with+style.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnRcl1u95ItzTkjyXSwxPIZTPDh3nDs2VkTfxCnb6NGTHp0nhT3gaVbHkPNnIdSt62czBQFrrOwgd2uRXirERjfz0UbsY-tRhGlzu-5bBTaLYL6R6BuuFSWYD3lYAwfo3OX2uMIHjB2Qw/s400/Driving+with+style.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5573408631550418530" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Driving with style</span><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgBPDum2de8OoOtZ5479EJPS9-yl9iizj2SiBBwuusmo_6pNZJqf75Zn64HnPEE3-kIOs-mKGvPXqFKstfMhN3rL_3a3j7S6nH7Der4vZ_SbnmMv_CZUh7FWQgdUbMLYAk1Oe0OuKw144/s1600/Moreno+fell+asleep%252C+hehe.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgBPDum2de8OoOtZ5479EJPS9-yl9iizj2SiBBwuusmo_6pNZJqf75Zn64HnPEE3-kIOs-mKGvPXqFKstfMhN3rL_3a3j7S6nH7Der4vZ_SbnmMv_CZUh7FWQgdUbMLYAk1Oe0OuKw144/s400/Moreno+fell+asleep%252C+hehe.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5573408891641774322" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Moreno fell asleep...hehe</span><br /></div><br /></div><div>It was really cool to be able to travel around and visit all the missionaries this week. It's kind of weird - all the missionaries know me now, but I don't know the majority of them (a lot of new people have gotten here in the last year). I'll get to know them in the coming months, though. The ones that I have left! On Saturday I was able to go visit Curanilahue! That was SOOOO cool! It was good to be able to see the converts and hear about how their testimonies have grown and the challenges that they've had. Gerardo and his sister Jocelyn were so excited about it that they called me after they went to church today to tell me what they had learned, haha. Just thinking about how it will be when I go back to visit them in a couple of years...it'll be amazing.</div> <div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuLVJ5DhmUd3vqhgFgV67ZDCqcj6Lj-GcC110RmelhxXLv80EAy1H6rO-jFwvhgCEn5frbmrbd_8S2_lYK04cLIEo-2UTBV5tSnYFS1AwhPldbFMYEG5nWMFxppdOstiJSWfCLbX3mPdE/s1600/Fabiola+and+the+fam%2521.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuLVJ5DhmUd3vqhgFgV67ZDCqcj6Lj-GcC110RmelhxXLv80EAy1H6rO-jFwvhgCEn5frbmrbd_8S2_lYK04cLIEo-2UTBV5tSnYFS1AwhPldbFMYEG5nWMFxppdOstiJSWfCLbX3mPdE/s400/Fabiola+and+the+fam%2521.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5573408639200734690" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Fabiola and the fam</span><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV9ro2GWysS4qwtsWklTptPWb9PAAD7OVdcrpn9RC87tzEf7hrf77FGoDajpQX3-dw9kYxgOyX5DfopjOYTzne-MbKyY4EtRvTyfXSbILvYURk9UQiv76VD9f7uUuX9pRRULipJeingHU/s1600/Visiting+Freddy+and+Carmen+Gloria%2521.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV9ro2GWysS4qwtsWklTptPWb9PAAD7OVdcrpn9RC87tzEf7hrf77FGoDajpQX3-dw9kYxgOyX5DfopjOYTzne-MbKyY4EtRvTyfXSbILvYURk9UQiv76VD9f7uUuX9pRRULipJeingHU/s400/Visiting+Freddy+and+Carmen+Gloria%2521.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5573408893991351522" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Visiting Freddy and Carmen. Gloria!</span><br /></div><br /></div><div>A little side note before I forget: I have gotten several letters in the last week and a half, but I won't have time to respond to them for at least another week and a half. I don't have them with me, but I believe I've recieved letters from: Addie Lott (I don't remember her new last name, haha), Serena Lever, Katrina Broughman, Lauren Berry, Aunt Marianne, anddd....I think that's it. When I get a moment I will respond to those letters, but for the mean time: THANK YOU TO ALL THAT HAVE WRITTEN! I APPRECIATE IT!</div> <div><br /></div><div>This week we'll be starting off with interviews in Los Angeles (I hope to be seeing some converts there as well), then we'll be going to Angol and Victoria, and then we'll finish up the week Thursday and Friday with the 2 Temuco zones (Cautín and Ñielol) and Nueva Toltén. 11 zones, 2 weeks of conferences, lots of driving, and less sleep than I've gotten in a long time, haha. But that's ok, I'm loving the experience.</div> <div><br /></div><div>That sack-person thing is pretty rad! I'm in the process of getting badges made - I'll be sure to get one home to you asap. But what kind do you want? I can make the pocket ones, magnet ones, and the ones with pins. So let me know on that one and I'll get it made.</div> <div><br /></div><div>Let's see...what else could I say from this last week...</div><div><br /></div><div>I had the chance to work with Elder Tonumaipe'a again! He's a zone leader now with Elder Neira (my old companion) in the zone of Coronel. They work in Lota, which is a coastal town/city (it's pretty big), so I got a chance to see the ocean and get a wiff of the wonderful fish factories in that area. I don't know how I would do living in a sector like that...the fish smell is pretty strong, haha. President Swenson once said that if you start to get used to the fish smell, it's about time that you move to another sector.</div> <div><br /></div><div>Yesterday Maikel (convert from Maquehue) baptized his mom and brother! His dad is going to be getting baptized on the 25th of this month - how cool is that? I wish I could have been there, but I was too far away to make it. I'll be sure to drop by when I go down there this week, though. Maikel is going to be an amazing missionary - he's excited to share the gospel and use the priesthood. Awesome convert!</div> <div><br /></div><div>Well, I kind of feel like I'm just spitting out random thoughts, haha. And plus, I should probably get working on all the stuff we have to get ready for this week - just wanted to send a quick e-mail to all y'all! (yes, I do remember the plural of y'all, hehe). I love you all very much and I'M NEVER COMING HOME! Mwahahaha. Just kidding, I am. But not for another....5 months :(. Mission-ending-time? Mission-ending time poohead. That's what I say. Anyway, haha, love you all, take care, be good, and take advantage of these last months TO WRITE ME!!!!!</div> <div><br /></div><div>Love,</div><div>Trevor</div><div><br /></div><div>PS. Send more ghardettos :)</div>Jasminehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09900647122265790819noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7800379879592118949.post-31887774067035016582011-02-04T17:29:00.000-08:002011-02-10T17:39:55.866-08:00February 4, 2011Alrighty, so about the updates on my end of things:<div><br /></div><div>At about 4 o´clock on Saturday, President Swenson called me up and asked, ''Elder Vincent, how long have you been in Maquehue?'' ''About 3 months.'' I replied. ''You haven't been there nearly long enough,'' (YES! I'm staying! I thought) ''but the Lord wants you to be in a different spot for now. You're going to go to Hualpencillo 2 with Elder Moreno.'' ''Wait a minute...'' I thought to myself. ''That's the...assistants sector...'' So here I am working in the office now as one of President Swenson's assistants. It's a lot of work, but I'm loving it. I get to drive a stick-shift truck, hehe, so that's a bit of a plus. Our apartment is awesome - it has real carpet, two bathrooms (there are four elders living there - all the office elders) and a Chilean bunk-bed. Why would I say Chilean bunk-bed, you might ask? It has an exceptionally small space for the bottom bunk, which just happens to be where I sleep. And for some reason I have woken up in the middle of the night each night and sat up a little to get more comfortable, and smacked my head on the boards above me. Haha, so my head has got some stylish bumps on it for now.</div> <div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx_z3474gsqbMVX36KtO-54RSsbsyuPIOtcoPWCaVS7xpk3mQ-wl-t_2kFrVHmjFOyDZUtbH-iK5bzGgfYxEaoyPHlqX-fZJOP5GzOMGeN4TreABIGwcGcg4_vwNCBHBfZqmtY7qx57_U/s1600/Missionaries+of+Maquehue+%2528Jensen%252C+Noxon%252C+Lusk%252C+Vincent%252C+Laurito%252C+Sanchez.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx_z3474gsqbMVX36KtO-54RSsbsyuPIOtcoPWCaVS7xpk3mQ-wl-t_2kFrVHmjFOyDZUtbH-iK5bzGgfYxEaoyPHlqX-fZJOP5GzOMGeN4TreABIGwcGcg4_vwNCBHBfZqmtY7qx57_U/s400/Missionaries+of+Maquehue+%2528Jensen%252C+Noxon%252C+Lusk%252C+Vincent%252C+Laurito%252C+Sanchez.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5572238746434268482" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Missionaries of Maquehue (Jensen, Noxon, Lusk, Vincent, Laurito, Sanchez</span></div><br /></div><div>Dad, you won't have to ever worry about me scratching a car again - the parking garage where we park the truck is like driving through a small cave. Well, there are two places we park, one smaller than the other. There is one below the office building, which is a maze of pillars - and our parking spot is on the second level below, so you have to go down twice. Other elders have scratched the mission van, but the mission truck hasn't been touched yet. *Knocks on wood* The other place is a normal parking garage, but it's a little tight, so you've gotta be really careful while parking.</div> <div><br /></div><div>My companion's name is Elder Moreno - he's from Vahia Blanca, Argentina. I've known him since I got to the mission (he was in my district my first cambio in Cabrero, and then we lived in the same house for a cambio when I was in Lican Ray) so we're already friends. I'm really enjoying being his companion - every elder that calls me thinks they're talking to Elder Moreno, haha, so I think his accent might be sticking to me a little bit. That's ok, though. I was also with Elder Laurito, and the Argentinians and Uruguayans speak very similarly, so that could have something to do with it as well.</div> <div><br /></div><div>I've finally been put in a sector that is ''dangerous'' haha. It's in the rural area of Talcahuano (the city north of Concepción on the peninsula) and there's some delinquency there. But I'm not worried about it - on top of being one of the Lord's missionaries, someone told us that whenever we drive through the neighborhoods (we leave the office around 6-6:30 so we need to drive to be able to get things done; it takes about 20 minutes to get from the office to our sector) people get scared because the truck looks like it's from the PDI (Policia de Investigaciones) so they don't do anything. Pretty cool how everything works out, huh?</div> <div><br /></div><div>I feel really blessed - when I was a zone leader I noticed that the Lord blesses the leaders in the mission in their sectors because they dedicate a lot of time helping the other missionaries. Now I spend even less time in my sector (maybe 3-3 1/2 hours a day) but Elder Moreno have been able to find great people in that little window of time. In the next two weeks, however, Elder Moreno and I probably won't be able to be in our sector at all. Starting Tuesday of next week we're going to be traveling through the mission with President Swenson so that he can do interviews with all the missionaries. Those meetings usually go from 9 am to about 3 pm, but after that we've planned to work with certain companionships from each zone to check up on their progress. Road trip! Haha.</div> <div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKAOW7he9DMJ75RSJc8fpsEWi0IFftfoKAeX1JO5SoIAvFgXFqtiHYyporYZBtsb7OHfbzle_WsNjkTREROm2UGhx-HMyIX-7EtU9Oc8utdvC60JbP8c_24hE4TAGL0_3yD0atZGNTesA/s1600/Temuco+Caut%25C3%25ADn+January+2011.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKAOW7he9DMJ75RSJc8fpsEWi0IFftfoKAeX1JO5SoIAvFgXFqtiHYyporYZBtsb7OHfbzle_WsNjkTREROm2UGhx-HMyIX-7EtU9Oc8utdvC60JbP8c_24hE4TAGL0_3yD0atZGNTesA/s400/Temuco+Caut%25C3%25ADn+January+2011.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5572238759082919954" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Temuco Cautín January 2011</span> </div><br /></div><div> Well, I think that's about all I've got time for this week. My p-days are Saturday while I'm in the office, so don't forget to write me! I think you can still write on Sundays, I just won't respond until Saturday - that is, if I have time on Saturday, haha. If not, it'll probably be some day during the week. I love you very much and love hearing about the family. I wish I could hear regularly from all of the family, but I'll be happy with what I do get. Take care, be good, and don't sit on your sandwich.</div> <div><br /></div><div>Love,</div><div>Trevor<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjDv7gtcqq_T00EAxfgBRM2lm_HJKT_Kdoeau_iE1h59q_WY0pFmMQbfclCpdR1F-oqsebVhuSj2FYsEEwGCPyMum74ajJSupEq2FCiERH0ACnYJKLRMTO39lD-ChB8JXZooYcljoaMiM/s1600/Crossing+the+bridge+on+the+way+to+the+office.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjDv7gtcqq_T00EAxfgBRM2lm_HJKT_Kdoeau_iE1h59q_WY0pFmMQbfclCpdR1F-oqsebVhuSj2FYsEEwGCPyMum74ajJSupEq2FCiERH0ACnYJKLRMTO39lD-ChB8JXZooYcljoaMiM/s400/Crossing+the+bridge+on+the+way+to+the+office.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5572238740590162162" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Crossing the bridge on the way to the office</span> </div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd-aH6XVXVgi7g4hj1ohwGukfyZC1GTSN1qiMoWbw2FiFa77w_JDjNq5P7m4fueU4oWwwGbtrNpRY2RbB64Kf-eHmXhUdvfpDQzh2gXpVP_BosM4XwjcDlHM9ZC2YjbXvMoxKPWwPCork/s1600/View+from+President%2527s+office+1.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd-aH6XVXVgi7g4hj1ohwGukfyZC1GTSN1qiMoWbw2FiFa77w_JDjNq5P7m4fueU4oWwwGbtrNpRY2RbB64Kf-eHmXhUdvfpDQzh2gXpVP_BosM4XwjcDlHM9ZC2YjbXvMoxKPWwPCork/s400/View+from+President%2527s+office+1.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5572238762612033570" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">View from the President's Office</span> </div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTqQb1fK_OjVJexhrnFE_JZxCYZYb5j7-G46KBHGCD7N46kxSE0fvGE7Ktq_-jFxisBaUAoNRcFnvohQDiJnZ-zRz8WWACOtBPMNf6boE7vm5CIbDJ2ws52qGpR1__GwHhFkjD1y2mcjM/s1600/View+from+President%2527s+office+2.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTqQb1fK_OjVJexhrnFE_JZxCYZYb5j7-G46KBHGCD7N46kxSE0fvGE7Ktq_-jFxisBaUAoNRcFnvohQDiJnZ-zRz8WWACOtBPMNf6boE7vm5CIbDJ2ws52qGpR1__GwHhFkjD1y2mcjM/s400/View+from+President%2527s+office+2.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5572239164820468098" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWRSbd97xx5aG9jX1zAbYczMxz_WwF3Uxb4oq_0MWK8APRjwGBfZOQx6SupgdxatnkGUIb-RqyNwVJrqWsFbnK4ADjCkdD4FR-N8XPdP33DWPMyC36_aJllEyb9VjwV9IH-fPxtUxIEDE/s1600/Working+hard.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWRSbd97xx5aG9jX1zAbYczMxz_WwF3Uxb4oq_0MWK8APRjwGBfZOQx6SupgdxatnkGUIb-RqyNwVJrqWsFbnK4ADjCkdD4FR-N8XPdP33DWPMyC36_aJllEyb9VjwV9IH-fPxtUxIEDE/s400/Working+hard.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5572239174847640466" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Working hard</span> </div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2rFAjYJ4hyhU59FqL2YF7eWiVzLkfv5-t25EpKBamzwxgreZMdRxyOZJZb_m5brQtZ5zql1RFJW3viB-tXTDiKMT6LXs3ZjuLULwBlTjVOKpbyHuexRGW-VDVq5Dt_i5XdlN-64j_1Ug/s1600/Working+harder.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2rFAjYJ4hyhU59FqL2YF7eWiVzLkfv5-t25EpKBamzwxgreZMdRxyOZJZb_m5brQtZ5zql1RFJW3viB-tXTDiKMT6LXs3ZjuLULwBlTjVOKpbyHuexRGW-VDVq5Dt_i5XdlN-64j_1Ug/s400/Working+harder.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5572239178448485362" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Working harder</span> </div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmOUlRrFL08x31UkQQQL9YS7-wtdTwMnk65zMafMjfm5m5EaQ49Q4vDKJtLPOHw_OdQFBYVU2Acd0YZ-DIxjLkF9S0yIiDFcA9BNVgf1KWvea2nh4rc7BvzFKQ60-Xv6nO9fuYgTQsN6E/s1600/Multisandwich.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmOUlRrFL08x31UkQQQL9YS7-wtdTwMnk65zMafMjfm5m5EaQ49Q4vDKJtLPOHw_OdQFBYVU2Acd0YZ-DIxjLkF9S0yIiDFcA9BNVgf1KWvea2nh4rc7BvzFKQ60-Xv6nO9fuYgTQsN6E/s400/Multisandwich.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5572238754150670354" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Multisandwich</span> </div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtwKwWo6WC5BxkaxHb70Q0fUbVl93inDBRAjcCL3UalR86dWRh-LzATdTldZLigosvHVbqPC3uNLqu6pKbqlCfY4XqEp2jRhoPqLyLGQ24_y5Kav5kdAkJinNa78eYr98GOQS5Y0JgmuE/s1600/What+do+I+do+with+this.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtwKwWo6WC5BxkaxHb70Q0fUbVl93inDBRAjcCL3UalR86dWRh-LzATdTldZLigosvHVbqPC3uNLqu6pKbqlCfY4XqEp2jRhoPqLyLGQ24_y5Kav5kdAkJinNa78eYr98GOQS5Y0JgmuE/s400/What+do+I+do+with+this.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5572240549361440930" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">What do I do with this?</span><br /></div></div>Jasminehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09900647122265790819noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7800379879592118949.post-86009426625394967622011-01-31T17:29:00.000-08:002011-02-10T17:29:44.603-08:00January 31, 2011Hi!<div><br /></div><div>Ok, so I only have just a minute. But I figured it would be good to tell you why I might not be able to write today.</div> <div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>I've....been called to the office to be an assistant to the president! So yeah, I'm back here in Concepcion, driving a ford truck...the works. Haha. Our P-days here are Saturdays. I'm not sure if I'll be writing on Saturday or before that, but thank you for the letter! I love you all and will be writing as soon as I can!</div> <div><br /></div><div>Love,</div><div>Trevor</div>Jasminehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09900647122265790819noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7800379879592118949.post-51155599222759668542011-01-24T17:26:00.000-08:002011-02-10T17:29:15.611-08:00January 24, 2011Mommy!<br /><br />You are now recieving a letter from an elder who now has NO MORE PAPERWORK TO DO IN THE GOVERNMENT OF CHILE!!! Wooooo! This morning I applied for my second carnet (id card) and I'll pick it up next week. I am officially an old fart in the mission. But that's ok, I still have 5 1/2 months to enjoy the mission.<br /><br />The weather has been a little weird here for the last week and a half. We've had really hot days and then the next day it's raining, haha. But that's ok - it's nice to get some refreshing showers every once in awhile. I keep waiting for it to get hotter, but I'm realizing that we're already in the middle of summer and this is about as hot as it's going to get. Cool beans! I'm not suffering, hehe. Just getting more tan. And that's getting more dificult as well because we have so many people to teach that we're really just running from appointment to appointment without spending too much time in the sun. We'll just have to spend some time at our missionary pool to get some tanning done....oh yeah, I didn't tell you about our pool! It's an indoor pool with a nice vinal floor. The cool thing about this pool is that it doesn't fill up from the bottom, but rather from the top. It doesn't get too deep because the water just goes down the drain after falling on you. We do have towel racks, though. And a sink...and a toilet....yeah....our pool is our bathroom....haha. I'll bet I had you going for a minute there. Hehe.<br /><br />We had an awesome teaching experience this last week. We took the bishop with us to teach Maikel's family. The lesson was based on 1 Nephi 8 (Lehi's vision). The bishop gave an awesome testimony about how the gospel has blessed his life (he was baptized in 2000 at the age of 22 or 23 and was married about 3 years ago - he's really young). Maikel's dad said (before we taught him about the Word of Wisdom) that he's already trying to quit smoking, that he really enjoyed church, and that they can't let Maikel go to the Celestial Kingdom alone while they stay behind with something else - they have to go together! This family is amazing and I love them so much. I hope I don't get transfered next week! Maikel is going to baptize his family next month, I would love to be here to see that.<br /><br />This Friday we're having a mission conference with Elder Amado (the president of the area presidency of Chile) - the assistants called me today and asked me to...umm....not preside...how do you say it....dirigir....to direct? Yeah, that works I guess. To direct the meeting! So I'll get to sit next to Elder Amado on the stand, haha. They better not be doing this as prep to be assistant next cambio, I don't want to do that just yet! Give me another cambio here in Maquehue, President Swenson! The zone is on fire here - everyone is bringing people to church, and most of the sectors are helping people enter the waters of baptism. The missionaries here are just full of energy and they're all friends of mine. I'm praying to be able to stay here another cambio!<br /><br />I want you all to know that I love you very much and I pray for you every day. Out here in the mission field I've really come to have a love for the Gospel - and it feels great to not have to depend on somebody else for this testimony. Being a missionary has put me through the fires of purification (if anyone knows about metal-working then you'll know what I'm talking about: when metal is purified it is torched, hammered, and pounded into its perfect form) - I've had to learn how to stand on my own but at the same time be interdependent with my companion. The promises that God has made to us are REAL. However, He will not force us to recieve those blessings - we have to diligently search for them. At times, yes, it is very hard. Life was not meant to be easy, it's a test to see how much we do love our Heavenly Father. Purify yourselves - push when you don't feel like pushing. Read your scriptures when you don't feel like reading. Go to church and search for the blessings that God has put there. Men and women are not perfect, but God is and His organization here in the earth is as well. He loves us and wants us to be happy - let's not let the opportunities we have been given pass us by. God needs us just as much as we need him, so let's do our part!<br /><br />Well, time has flown by again - we've gotta run over to the chapel for an activity with some members and investigators. I love you all very very much and can't wait to see you again. But I ain't trunky! Take care and READ TALKS FROM GENERAL CONFERENCE! There are message there for everyone.<br /><br />Love,<br />Trevor<br /><br />PS. I believe I left a list of the classes I needed to be registered for in a big envelope - hopefully that's not lost. Let me know if you find it - and please do find it this week! Haha.<br />PPS. I'm glad you liked the gifts :)<br />PPPS. I got a liiiiittle lazy with pictures this week. But I do have 2 good ones for all y'all. I'll get better for the last 5 1/2 months, I promise!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWyFpUiJblzkR27BY7McgOCI4Wl4nFxD05UHuVOWhRsRhNlKJ6XmHhlKPgrYsglPYzSy0NpPolMUN6WYkoya7_XpwDAsBa_rkEHn4-BUKqMgDeLI_G5MJcl6wSL5u07H5ROqTYo3QvgKU/s1600/Dr.+Pepper+finally+came+back+to+Chile%2521.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWyFpUiJblzkR27BY7McgOCI4Wl4nFxD05UHuVOWhRsRhNlKJ6XmHhlKPgrYsglPYzSy0NpPolMUN6WYkoya7_XpwDAsBa_rkEHn4-BUKqMgDeLI_G5MJcl6wSL5u07H5ROqTYo3QvgKU/s400/Dr.+Pepper+finally+came+back+to+Chile%2521.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5572237567923191666" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Dr. Pepper finally came back to Chile!</span><br /> </div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgm-mEiZGU8iS3lx-NIvLpj1O5-Y7x0q_IpC27-S6OOBWX_6lEKAWTTgzUFajXmkrN02Msz4ijFiRzT7dP9Ok0a5PmuJf_CjJdtdngkwpOz9SkGj44yaZBo8hmsZgmvq_2ADVe2dZCF0w/s1600/Now+I+know+why+mom+always+cried%2521.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgm-mEiZGU8iS3lx-NIvLpj1O5-Y7x0q_IpC27-S6OOBWX_6lEKAWTTgzUFajXmkrN02Msz4ijFiRzT7dP9Ok0a5PmuJf_CjJdtdngkwpOz9SkGj44yaZBo8hmsZgmvq_2ADVe2dZCF0w/s400/Now+I+know+why+mom+always+cried%2521.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5572237570012435074" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Now I know why Mom always cried</span></div>Jasminehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09900647122265790819noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7800379879592118949.post-60896428983090645032011-01-17T17:20:00.000-08:002011-02-10T17:26:41.432-08:00January 17, 2011Heyo familyo!<div><br /></div><div>How's that cold treating you up there? It's hot down here today, but all weekend it rained. Saturday night was the worst - it was raining really hard and I woke up at about 2 in the morning because some cats were...making little kittens outside of our window. And if you're not familiar with that sound it sounds like someone is torturing them. So that woke me up and then they just kept at it and at it for what seemed like an eternity and the next thing I knew it was 7 and time to get up. All day yesterday I felt really sick, so we arranged some splits and I stayed at a members house all day and slept while Elder Sanchez went out and worked with a young man from the ward. Stupid cats! This morning was great though - we played a game of soccer against our rival zone - Temuco Ñielol. We lost by one, but only because they brought members who play in soccer clubs and we were only our 85% gringo zone, haha. That's ok though, we had a good time. We even made a flag (pictures to be included)!</div> <div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQYCVnegpKOvz9p_9nZ_qQD_8viBI8IO0nYheUg_RmOObmmU5VB4LGFpfYIic4GZ3CHk5rFmlZGvQgu0p4fQgWQVRyv-j4GUB77OOUuFFrFNcR_ukcz7LIyBcS34vTKpzU7sSD3uymdms/s1600/Temuco+Caut%25C3%25ADn+soccer+Flag.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQYCVnegpKOvz9p_9nZ_qQD_8viBI8IO0nYheUg_RmOObmmU5VB4LGFpfYIic4GZ3CHk5rFmlZGvQgu0p4fQgWQVRyv-j4GUB77OOUuFFrFNcR_ukcz7LIyBcS34vTKpzU7sSD3uymdms/s400/Temuco+Caut%25C3%25ADn+soccer+Flag.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5572236238624365298" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Temuco Cautín soccer Flag</span></div><br /></div><div>The work is moving along amazingly here in Maquehue and our zone. This last weekend a boy named Robinson got baptized, and we finally got his father to come back to church! And on top of that he (the dad) brought his girlfriend to the church and she ended up being really receptive and wants us to come over and teach her more. So we're happy to be seeing fruits of that. Maikel's family also came to church and loved it! His mother, Gladys, and his little brother, Sebastian, have already said that they would like to be baptized by Maikel - he was ordained to the office of a priest yesterday :). It'll be really cool to see a convert baptize his family. I really hope President Swenson keeps me here another cambio so that I can be here to see all of the cool things that will be going down in the next couple of years. We're also reactivating two mothers who want to return to the church and baptize their children from ages 8-14. So we're happy to be helping them with that. Mario and Jimena are getting closer and closer to being able to be getting married and baptized! By the end of this month Jimena should have all the papers necessary to go to the judge and file the divorce - supposing that there are no objections from the ex-husband the divorce should be finalized in about a month. Jimena doesn't think there will be any problems - yes!!!! Oh yeah!!! FREDDY IS GOING TO THE TEMPLE TO BE SEALED TO HIS FAMILY THIS WEEK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!<wbr>!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!<wbr>!!!!!!!!!!!! If you don't remember he's the man who got baptized at the waterfall. I love him and his family so much - I can't explain how happy it makes me that they're finally going to the temple! He's definitely going to be a stake president someday.</div> <div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzcpBU173ov6S0ytpBnFnuVRzRN2gHr9N79AMJGWLEecN0P1dyhl6IlaemeQvf6eexs-aHUXxRlrQQU7qahHAYNCr6wKYz9hYHuIqJVUex-nCoUeYQ-6fJ3mS7b0SPNfSjLFZUwyQC_74/s1600/Robinson%2527s+baptism+2.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzcpBU173ov6S0ytpBnFnuVRzRN2gHr9N79AMJGWLEecN0P1dyhl6IlaemeQvf6eexs-aHUXxRlrQQU7qahHAYNCr6wKYz9hYHuIqJVUex-nCoUeYQ-6fJ3mS7b0SPNfSjLFZUwyQC_74/s400/Robinson%2527s+baptism+2.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5572236231860525138" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Robinson's baptism</span><br /></div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEx-VrdRAMb6uvEMSVhSbVKcsVI1YiU_PhLgAUgD5YyL8AYh2rbem9HTXE3ZZxSx4iitNVcQZpUl7KRlp5fLbEolhEv0z6NRlxJzGUXLzRiMQJdvrruJhvVjYmhDqBrDa8CH0L2KRmNZg/s1600/Robinson%2527s+baptism.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEx-VrdRAMb6uvEMSVhSbVKcsVI1YiU_PhLgAUgD5YyL8AYh2rbem9HTXE3ZZxSx4iitNVcQZpUl7KRlp5fLbEolhEv0z6NRlxJzGUXLzRiMQJdvrruJhvVjYmhDqBrDa8CH0L2KRmNZg/s400/Robinson%2527s+baptism.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5572236236912578434" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div>Ok, so I was reading more of the General Conference talks this week and was very impressed by the talk Elder Neil Andersen gave: Never Leave Him. It talks about how we can stay close to our Father in Heaven and Jesus Christ and the danger signs of ''offended'' and ''ashamed''. I encourage you all to read it - I hope it can help you in the way it has helped me. I love the word ''choose''. Our Father in Heaven gave us the ability to make our own decisions in this life. That includes how we react to problems we meet in the course of our lives. This talk is very inspiring and uplifting - read it!</div> <div><br /></div><div>What's this talk about the tabernacle burning? I hadn't heard anything about that. I just checked it out on youtube....wow. That's crazy. Maybe it's the Lord's way of saying His tabernacle needs an elevator *dun dun CHEEE*. No use in crying over spilt milk, right?</div> <div><br /></div><div>This coming week we're going to try to organize a zone trip to the <a href="http://www.fondospantallagratis.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/Volcan_Llaima_Chile.jpg">Llaima volcano</a>. It's about an hour away from Cunco, which is about an hour away from Padre las Casas, which is about 15 minutes away from Temuco, which is about 4 hours away from Concepción in bus, which is about an hour and a half away from Santiago in plane, which is about 13 hours away from Salt Lake in plane, which is about 45 minutes away from home in car. So really we're only going to be about 20 hours away from each other! Not so much, huh? Hahaha. If we end up going I'll be sure to take lots of pictures. </div> <div><br /></div><div>Well, I'm just about out of time for this week. Thank you for all the updates! I'm still waiting for letters from the rest of the family, btw! Love and miss you all very much!</div><div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrEEMJR6RP-O_RT0d2-j-nx6ZbzFweOyBpkJCB2Z7-IinDzXdq3bkjz7Sk7NQecUXPYRF8k-_ebp0L6p_YS_IHl3Ryt6d2lch5_QFrFJ5JEXvRafWuyLGCeNnvFQ10JbbCtTbezY5QDRM/s1600/18+months%2521.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrEEMJR6RP-O_RT0d2-j-nx6ZbzFweOyBpkJCB2Z7-IinDzXdq3bkjz7Sk7NQecUXPYRF8k-_ebp0L6p_YS_IHl3Ryt6d2lch5_QFrFJ5JEXvRafWuyLGCeNnvFQ10JbbCtTbezY5QDRM/s400/18+months%2521.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5572236228522048562" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">18 months</span><br /></div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjubB7tHi0bGic98hkpB3NU-saDPi8c132etITCuaE-YrXwg4iUwlStDXbcqoIz6_qfdp2RuIsaoicbI9yj1kKUe5icuIquiOALLKGtuOliykF1WRrYzby5bhfyKKomHgNyyw6k3VKDLQ/s1600/18+months%2521+2.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjubB7tHi0bGic98hkpB3NU-saDPi8c132etITCuaE-YrXwg4iUwlStDXbcqoIz6_qfdp2RuIsaoicbI9yj1kKUe5icuIquiOALLKGtuOliykF1WRrYzby5bhfyKKomHgNyyw6k3VKDLQ/s400/18+months%2521+2.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5572236217930349378" border="0" /></a></div> <div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIOKo-weg8ByiH23aouF2fLzd0qjSJO_v_qgwcqvsQEdxIupwfAGHF90fB6a_1cCv24r9v7Yo1xxMYsYQyiwcRzGSGHsxSd5XI94CxutDkBQj4STmynxiWqgsLIgQz39c53fZQIunbruQ/s1600/Temuco+from+Padre+las+Casas.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIOKo-weg8ByiH23aouF2fLzd0qjSJO_v_qgwcqvsQEdxIupwfAGHF90fB6a_1cCv24r9v7Yo1xxMYsYQyiwcRzGSGHsxSd5XI94CxutDkBQj4STmynxiWqgsLIgQz39c53fZQIunbruQ/s400/Temuco+from+Padre+las+Casas.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5572236320120098034" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Temuco from Padre las Casas</span><br /></div><br />Love,</div><div>Trevor</div>Jasminehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09900647122265790819noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7800379879592118949.post-68170804335611653352011-01-10T17:18:00.000-08:002011-02-10T17:43:57.998-08:00January 10, 2011Querida Mamá,<div><br /></div><div>Oh my goodness I am going to die when I get home - cold doesn't exist here! Haha. Actually it does get pretty cold...but not enough to snow. Right now, however, it has been REALLY hot every day. One day it was so hot that it made me sweat so much that my backpack stained my shirt, haha. I got it washed, though, so no worries there. I hadn't washed my backpack in a little while anyway...and when I say ''little while'' I really mean not ever :) But yeah, it's been pretty darn hot down here - that's expected, though, considering we're in the middle of summer.</div> <div><br /></div><div>So I sent a box out for you all today - there's a little something in there for all of you. I hope you enjoy it!</div><div><br /></div><div>Yesterday we had a really cool experience. Maikel Espinoza was confirmed a member of the church (we had to wait a week because the baptism was after church last week) - they randomly decided to have me do it, haha. I hadn't confirmed someone a member since I was in Cabrero, so that was a neat experience. Anyway, so after church we went over to Maikel's house to watch a video and share a message with his family. Maikel's girlfriend was there and she asked why it would be important for her to know if Joseph Smith was a prophet or not. So we talked about the Restoration with her (Maikel testifying of everything every step of the way! Go convert!!!!), which cleared a lot of things up and at the end she decided that she would have to ask God as we had invited her. On top of Maikel sharing his testimony of the Restoration his DAD also did something very similar! Haha, it was awesome. He said that before we started teaching Maikel he thought that the ''Mormons'' worshipped Joseph Smith, but that after he had taken the time to listen to us he realized that that was not true. He said that Joseph Smith was just a prophet that God called in these times to help His children find the way home. We invited the whole family (Maikel's parents, his little brother, and his girlfriend) to read the pamphlet of the Restoration and pray about it before the next time we come - they all said they'd do it. Maikel should be recieving the priesthood this coming Sunday so we're hoping to have him baptize his family in the next month or two. I love this work with all my heart.</div> <div><br /></div><div>This weekend a boy named Robinson will be getting baptized. He's the son of an inactive member and the grandson of a member couple that we've recently reactivated. He and his little brother (who has 7) are really happy to be coming to church and we're hoping that Robinson's baptism will help to reactivate his father, who is also named Robinson. He's actually a really great and receptive guy, so I'm confident we'll be able to do it.</div> <div><br /></div><div>This week I was reading Elder Richard G. Scott's message from the last General Conference called The Transforming Power of Faith and Character - this talk is AMAZING! Read it through several times and I hope you can all grow to have an appreciation for it like I do. And remember the 4 principles of a happy life:<br /><br />- Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and His program to acquire the power to achieve.<br /><br />- Repentance to rectify the consequences of mistakes of omission or commission.<br /><br />- Obedience to the commandments of the Lord to provide strength and direction in our lives.<br /><br />- Selfless service to enrich the lives of others.<span style="font-size:85%;"><br /><br />I remember that Elder Scott came to the MTC while I was there - his talks have always been very personally motivating and very inspiring for me. Study this talk!</span><span style="color: rgb(47, 57, 58); line-height: 18px;font-family:'Lucida Grande','Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Sans',Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;" > <div><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;">Well, I'm pretty short on time - Elder Sanchez and I have to go to the government buildling to make him legal, haha. He took longer than he should have to register his visa. Last week he had an interview with the police of investigations and now today we're going to go finish up all the paper work. Fun stuff! *Note* ALWAYS DO YOUR PAPERWORK AND GOVERNMENT WORK ON TIME! Or you'll have to sit around for a long time, haha.</span></div> <div><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;">I think that's about it for this week. I got kind of lazy taking pictures again, but I did find a funny-looking lawn gnome while I was on an intercambio in Nueva Imperial. Maybe I'll include a picture of that, hehe. </span></div> <div><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;">I love and miss you all tons! For those of you who have not written me yet you have about 6 more months and that's it! So write me! Chaoito pescados! (Bye fish! -it's a Chilean thing)</span></div><div> <span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span></div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:100%;">Love,</span></div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:100%;">Trevor</span></div></span></div><div><br /></div><div>PS. Sorry about the picture! It's the only one I have for this week, haha. I hope you can get a laugh out of it.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_I0Y1NHDYfQrOJVwghgMHqt5dV4h3LCwhAuwC9XmiLl4Wm_s6ugaK3SMhsNCpjDSJHGz3M95GEQ32FHDdWaNFrknqQSPTlVYpKY-WRgYxOyhnow55GYhE9RMn3MEdptPpEFSQqsdBTj0/s1600/DSCN2554.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_I0Y1NHDYfQrOJVwghgMHqt5dV4h3LCwhAuwC9XmiLl4Wm_s6ugaK3SMhsNCpjDSJHGz3M95GEQ32FHDdWaNFrknqQSPTlVYpKY-WRgYxOyhnow55GYhE9RMn3MEdptPpEFSQqsdBTj0/s400/DSCN2554.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5572235505100796898" border="0" /></a><br /></div>Jasminehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09900647122265790819noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7800379879592118949.post-84030903504995634912011-01-04T17:12:00.000-08:002011-02-10T17:18:33.894-08:00January 4, 2011Hey howdy hey!<br /><br />Well, I didn't die. That ''earthquake'' was just a little movement. I'm pretty darn sure the magnitude was made up for the actual earthquake last February - because if they're saying what happened the other day was a 7.1 then the earthquake last year was definitely more than an 8. I've heard it has to do with insurrance and stuff like that. Oh well. It is what it is.<br /><br />I didn't have time to write yesterday because I was in a meeting with all the zone leaders and President Swenson until about 3, and then we had to go to the mission office in downtown Concepción to get all the stuff our zone needs, and then we took a bus back to Temuco around 7. Didn't get here until almost 12 so we just went straight to sleep. But anyway, here I am!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUCXG9rDqaVT6w4ePyzqmZw6K4Za0HxuLYT22_B6aIPYWYX9qrNpCkY5_kZhSsYPnzmJx4c6_yB46cep-DzGf-VrivWXPeEfjC_M8CI-LjL-HSVBixcdosFSOEzO-Ec__Tvq_0w4lheKk/s1600/Consejo+with+President+and+Sister+Swenson.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUCXG9rDqaVT6w4ePyzqmZw6K4Za0HxuLYT22_B6aIPYWYX9qrNpCkY5_kZhSsYPnzmJx4c6_yB46cep-DzGf-VrivWXPeEfjC_M8CI-LjL-HSVBixcdosFSOEzO-Ec__Tvq_0w4lheKk/s400/Consejo+with+President+and+Sister+Swenson.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5572233995252336242" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Consejo with President and Sister Swenson</span><br /></div><br />We had a really good New Years here - we had lunch with a member who cooked a giant turkey (the same member where we ate sheep the last time). After eating a gigantic lunch we played around with his remote-controlled helicopter...those things are HARD to fly! We ended up getting it stuck in his neighbor's tree, haha. We did get it back, though. After that we worked the whole day until we went to Mario and Jimena's house around 9ish. There we cooked ANOTHER barbeque - they're called ''asados'' here. We left there around 11 (the mission had permission to be out until that hour) and made it back to our house just in time to wake Elder Laurito and Elder Lusk up for the new year, haha. Apparently they didn't have a place to go so they just went home and got into bed. BORING! I ran into the room screaming and pulled them out of bed and then we jumped around and stuff when it finally turned 1. Then after that we sat down and were like...what should we do........ ... ........ . . and then we went to bed, haha. I wasn't feeling up to another jenga tournament, so we just called it a night. The next day was P-day, but everything was closed so we couldn't really do much. Elder Sanchez and I ended up going back to our old sectors in Temuco to visit some people. Something pretty wierd that happened to us is that we both woke up feeling a bit sick...probably from eating WAY too much the day before, hehe. That's ok, though, it was New Years.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqv1Nct_ijqD5txPIwEYd_6ki6QfwVxLgNTnBGiPhGHA0funHfPcaGrIh8b77MInqbnUV59E0YzFwPVBKXdtS2jhyphenhyphenq70_LEssEOIxE-CGAv3-bHq-vSiMRaJP_Ur-0ReVnXqTKH802_Hs/s1600/FIRE%2521.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqv1Nct_ijqD5txPIwEYd_6ki6QfwVxLgNTnBGiPhGHA0funHfPcaGrIh8b77MInqbnUV59E0YzFwPVBKXdtS2jhyphenhyphenq70_LEssEOIxE-CGAv3-bHq-vSiMRaJP_Ur-0ReVnXqTKH802_Hs/s400/FIRE%2521.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5572233999434072466" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Fire!</span><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1YIMUR9gPETQ1Irhyphenhyphenpwk9VagaTQ5VhTw4U634OjldElgh3KmkWk6yZCT4BoyGUKUElH3QQF258rD7WY9LZ8jcpEXJWyW2xfuta8s4DOVjh_hJ4DIKSA28g5TjFM_pOywsrdJkmqgo4QU/s1600/Sanchez+cooking+the+meet.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1YIMUR9gPETQ1Irhyphenhyphenpwk9VagaTQ5VhTw4U634OjldElgh3KmkWk6yZCT4BoyGUKUElH3QQF258rD7WY9LZ8jcpEXJWyW2xfuta8s4DOVjh_hJ4DIKSA28g5TjFM_pOywsrdJkmqgo4QU/s400/Sanchez+cooking+the+meet.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5572234254921546690" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Sanchez cooking the meat</span><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyDN0h3g30e_blxynCHsZk0T0oZMbOHGP0l39QfLdEZvoI6tN7z25jmuHfqOkLiXoEUPB0wI3GvPr5tPMgOUG_HkiMeHF3XkKSVQa30RBkmrfZ_IxvGUP-qSAMQ7s92DTiAhkLChyVMNM/s1600/Food+1.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyDN0h3g30e_blxynCHsZk0T0oZMbOHGP0l39QfLdEZvoI6tN7z25jmuHfqOkLiXoEUPB0wI3GvPr5tPMgOUG_HkiMeHF3XkKSVQa30RBkmrfZ_IxvGUP-qSAMQ7s92DTiAhkLChyVMNM/s400/Food+1.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5572234006992026418" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Food</span><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMDgQfbPIisPos7VHQZZkgcfBKfjcGxz5YODBMcfrrbkArSIY-YoKOCBs7BlGjrd7FG-h7WNWY5KhtbEvwLoTZ751cal1cO9bzB2Rf2IyyBtUM4xe0cd0HGCZbug7-5sSpP9P_F_w8_vE/s1600/Food+2.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMDgQfbPIisPos7VHQZZkgcfBKfjcGxz5YODBMcfrrbkArSIY-YoKOCBs7BlGjrd7FG-h7WNWY5KhtbEvwLoTZ751cal1cO9bzB2Rf2IyyBtUM4xe0cd0HGCZbug7-5sSpP9P_F_w8_vE/s400/Food+2.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5572234011470050338" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">More food</span><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyd_aM163F0pZekCGekkaUGhlEG3b9rj9zdjxrSWl82NCaRYU9a1lJ-2gwvP3uPWyWfVGgwoQ9qrAsOZIl7SluJB9p_pShbE3TpIu7kFEAZ8-0en8z3OzI0fHJcrZkckaIPVXJj4ZkZbo/s1600/New+Years+-+Jimena%252C+me%252C+Sanchez.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyd_aM163F0pZekCGekkaUGhlEG3b9rj9zdjxrSWl82NCaRYU9a1lJ-2gwvP3uPWyWfVGgwoQ9qrAsOZIl7SluJB9p_pShbE3TpIu7kFEAZ8-0en8z3OzI0fHJcrZkckaIPVXJj4ZkZbo/s400/New+Years+-+Jimena%252C+me%252C+Sanchez.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5572234247197766130" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">New Years - Jimena, me, Sanchez</span><br /></div><br />Maikel got baptized on Sunday! He was going to get baptized on Saturday, but his family and girlfriend (who are not members) wouldn't have been able to come so we changed the date last-minute. While we were changing into our baptismal clothes Maikel said, ''Next time I get to baptize someone, right?'' How cool is that? He's a great convert - now we're working on his family who have become really receptive recently. Our goal is to have him baptize his family and his girlfriend - that would be amazing! This sector is amaaaaazing, I've always loved Temuco. On the 15th we should have another baptism or two as well. So the work is moving along really well here :) Missionary man, missionary man, doing all the missionary stuff. Does he teach? Yes he does. He's got a white baptism tie. Watch out! Here comes missionary mannnnnnnn! (Ian should know the tune of that one)<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAWvTbf_fbjlmK4Gp7L_oGNEPH1XsZLixy4D__leYfoinBvH5bIum-kQk89kPlItr-UNcDpq7mEKnrIoH1kXp9lLZ75jAaLGE5_8s6wDMtWseEnAjDyGCZfm1J9ke4-0IL4rbcHrX4Jyc/s1600/Maikel%2527s+baptism+1.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAWvTbf_fbjlmK4Gp7L_oGNEPH1XsZLixy4D__leYfoinBvH5bIum-kQk89kPlItr-UNcDpq7mEKnrIoH1kXp9lLZ75jAaLGE5_8s6wDMtWseEnAjDyGCZfm1J9ke4-0IL4rbcHrX4Jyc/s400/Maikel%2527s+baptism+1.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5572234017277618962" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJTx88GHBGlNfo3PZ9sitjWhGjp57DSduvycF6K3QOR0L79_pRleFGKgVZOJ2sC6XkPZm6eHrhSHcVtu35dp6d9Blh199BcznLX2mdRkZPU6z0nUN4lYBZ6pc8XmWqAtEIc5hz6T8pg5I/s1600/Maikel%2527s+baptism+2.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJTx88GHBGlNfo3PZ9sitjWhGjp57DSduvycF6K3QOR0L79_pRleFGKgVZOJ2sC6XkPZm6eHrhSHcVtu35dp6d9Blh199BcznLX2mdRkZPU6z0nUN4lYBZ6pc8XmWqAtEIc5hz6T8pg5I/s400/Maikel%2527s+baptism+2.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5572234242935330626" border="0" /></a><br />Oh yeah, another cool thing before I forget. There was a family from Provo that came to our ward on Sunday! I don't remember the last name, but the mother is a convert who got baptized here about 30 years ago and all of her children went to Timpview! The youngest daughter even said she knows Cami, haha. What are the odds of running into a family of gringos down here?! The mom got up to bear her testimony and right away I knew that she hadn't been in Chile for a long time because her spanish was gringofied a bit. And then she said she was from Provo and I wanted to stand up and yell ''Amen, Sista!'' But not really... Maybe they'll get in touch with Cami when they back. The end.<br /><br />Well, that's about all I've got for this week. We've gotta go do my companion's visa now...funnnnnnnn stuff. I hope you're all doing well and enjoying your vacations! And all that snow, hehe. It rained this morning down here but now it's nice outside. So I'm going to go enjoy it :-p Love and miss you tons!<br /><br />Love,<br />TrevorJasminehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09900647122265790819noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7800379879592118949.post-12757083180955728162010-12-27T17:05:00.000-08:002011-02-10T17:11:07.809-08:00December 27, 2010Long time no talk! Oh wait, I can actually say long time no SEE this time! It was realy good to see and talk to you all the other day! I have to admit that when President Swenson told us the other day in the conference that we could use webcam I kind of argued with myself as to whether or not I was going to use it or not (afraid that it would make me trunky). But I'm glad I did because it didn't make me trunky at all - it was just nice to be able to see you all. Better than a normal phone call if you ask me! With just a phone I can play around with the camera or anything, hehe. I hope you enjoyed how I started the conversation haha. Good times.<div><br /></div><div>Well, let's see if there's anything to write about - it's always hard to write the Monday after a phone call because we already talked about everything. I guess I could share the interesting experience we had Saturday night:<br /><br /></div> <div>Alright, so after the phone call I went down to the ward's (Lican Ray) Christmas party. There I was happy to see that my convert Veronica was in charge of all the food and stuff - she's such a strong member! It was also good to see all the members and old friends and stuff :) The bishop and his family had an interesting number - they did a mini play of the decapatation of John the Baptist....I'm still looking for the Christmas message in that one...haha. Anyway, so my companion and I were supposed to meet back up at 6:30. I called at 6:20 and he still hadn't been able to connect with his family. So I waited and waited until about 8 and called again - still hadn't been able to get through. I guess the situation isn't so easy connecting with Nicaragua. So we decided that he would do his call another day and decided to meet up in the center. A member from Lican Ray drove me to the rally point, and when we got there the elders my companion was with called and said they didn't have any money so they sent my companion ALONE on a bus that was going to pass by where we were. I was like...retards, you're not supposed to do that, but ok. So I sat waiting for my companion, but he never got there, haha. Then the elders he was with called and said that they had sent him on a bus that went to a DIFFERENT part of town. I was like DANGIT!! So we jumped into the van and zoomed over there. I stopped the only bus that passed by, and the driver said that a missionary had gotten on but had gotten off in the center...where we had just come from. DANGIT!!! Again we jumped into the van and went back to the rally point. My companion was not to be seen. Then the member's parents call and say they need to be driven back home because the activity was over. We get in the van, pass through the center looking for my companion, and then decide to go back to the church and send me out with a different brother from the church so he can take his family home. I was pretty frustrated at this point - stinkin' elders! Haha. Anyway, so we're driving down the road and we pass in front of the stake center...my companion wasn't there. But he was down the street a little further looking really dismayed - any missionary who is forced to be alone would feel the same! So we pulled over, I jumped out and then everything was ok. Turns out that I should have just stayed in the spot where I was at first and everything would have been ok, but the elder who called me gave me bad instructions that made us go to a different part. My companion did get to where I should have been, but when we had already left. And then when he realized that he ran over to where we had gone because he knew the bus went over there too. When he got there we had already gone back to where we were at first, haha. So he started to walk back over there hoping that we'd see him at some point. And we did. So it was pretty chaotic for about half an hour but everything turned out alright.</div> <div><br /></div><div>Hmmmm, what else. Well, this weekend we should be having another baptism if everything goes well. His name is Michael Espinoza. He's a reference from a member - turns out a few months ago he started wanting to get closer to God and start a new life, and his uncle (who is a RM) gave him a copy of Gospel Principles which he began to read. Then his uncle brought him to church where he met us, and then he put a baptismal date for himself! He's a great guy and will be a great missionary some day.</div> <div><br /></div><div>Well, I don't really have anything else for this week. Just that story and the cool experience with Michael. We already talked about everything else on Saturday. I'll look forward to hearing from you all this coming week! Love and miss you all tons! Enjoy that snow and cold up there - it's hot and summertimepoohead here! But that's ok - I enjoy summer :) Chao!</div> <div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0PMLhC2FM4HOfEKzSebgd3ZyLdZVvEbKhCfNCqF0DPVAgncEd369l83KY3HEacb6sDFX46u7MOvYVljjrJKG2kAXRt-kWHUEah1cDoKeNIKWiXWsvhg259n_LoktlBid5Z8UIE7Ht2DE/s1600/His+name+is...er...was+Bob.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0PMLhC2FM4HOfEKzSebgd3ZyLdZVvEbKhCfNCqF0DPVAgncEd369l83KY3HEacb6sDFX46u7MOvYVljjrJKG2kAXRt-kWHUEah1cDoKeNIKWiXWsvhg259n_LoktlBid5Z8UIE7Ht2DE/s400/His+name+is...er...was+Bob.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5572232539277017810" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">His name is...er...was Bob</span><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgupGv8GtDK3vjJkD-plpHyjjMBMwbWopMlxXsyU7OaIpJ4pVqOBfC2xEXMqT5sugwAzaZ4eeKBQ0P8VppjH3Lhtny2DD3BWCgtjpJC-4qS5QLyqwaf7GtwhBFiF391fDWtIqazhgb2q3g/s1600/Bob+had+a+foot+transplant.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgupGv8GtDK3vjJkD-plpHyjjMBMwbWopMlxXsyU7OaIpJ4pVqOBfC2xEXMqT5sugwAzaZ4eeKBQ0P8VppjH3Lhtny2DD3BWCgtjpJC-4qS5QLyqwaf7GtwhBFiF391fDWtIqazhgb2q3g/s400/Bob+had+a+foot+transplant.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5572232530111598818" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Bob had a foot transplant</span><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzsa9SEmsNg16QJb1ysdQmUMB0h2NcBTvsu3BA6p25FSwE4iMbwftabyuR1AIVxPl5_aPsYYeGbnT2CJhA5Hc76BEa85uW1T_9gbj4SY0echNTAkpXcGgG9bAWgGY4ueqvb_GNxqBGPMs/s1600/Elder+Santa.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzsa9SEmsNg16QJb1ysdQmUMB0h2NcBTvsu3BA6p25FSwE4iMbwftabyuR1AIVxPl5_aPsYYeGbnT2CJhA5Hc76BEa85uW1T_9gbj4SY0echNTAkpXcGgG9bAWgGY4ueqvb_GNxqBGPMs/s400/Elder+Santa.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5572232532624787666" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Elder Santa</span><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbuX5eFRbijWsYEztcD0WMcfAc6PBrHEpeF5enQjI7Y_ebP_TBhNfsuqmDCfcnwBMSidDaIoNAXxCamApzSZldQ3g1-T2BsKC0v6aGrxbiK2jgk84_SUiQb3fJDvYqUar_GlN1KiI3QQs/s1600/Santa+Pyramid.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbuX5eFRbijWsYEztcD0WMcfAc6PBrHEpeF5enQjI7Y_ebP_TBhNfsuqmDCfcnwBMSidDaIoNAXxCamApzSZldQ3g1-T2BsKC0v6aGrxbiK2jgk84_SUiQb3fJDvYqUar_GlN1KiI3QQs/s400/Santa+Pyramid.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5572232540941894754" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Santa Pyramid</span><br /></div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzm0Avb3Ni4oNGxvlVNjXg8rGrP-hM3vnOBprpXgQdbF9l591yTBR1qomWAK1ZSLPp_lRCmLmTf-qiWxnrjgA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br /></div><br />Love,</div><div>Trevor</div><div><br /></div>Jasminehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09900647122265790819noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7800379879592118949.post-13095036457880085422010-12-10T16:56:00.000-08:002011-02-10T17:05:46.393-08:00December 20, 2010<span style="font-style: italic;">**Note from Trevor's mom: I have to explain (maybe I shouldn't) about the picture "Giant Indio Picaro" ... maybe not. Oh well, he sent us this doll thing like the figure on the left. You pull it up, and out pops... well, enough explanation. Sorry!</span><br /><br />Heeeyyyyyooo!<br /><br />Well, first of all I'll just have to say that I'm a floooooof brain - I forgot to bring the information about the phone call, but I will be able to call you and tell you all of that, or go to a computer and send you all the information. This is what I have planned as of right now - on the 24th I will be at Mario and Jimena's house, so there won't be a way to get the call done then. On the 25th I have planned to go visit people from Lican Ray, so you can probably call me at the Millahual's house. If you don't still have that number let me know and I can get it to you. I'll probably send it to you anyway. But yeah, the call will be on Saturday, the 25th. So plan on that. I'll call and give you all the specifics before then. So buy the card and all that stuff.<br /><br />This last weekend we had a baptism! Woooo! Her name is Sofía Plaza. The cool thing about her baptismal service is that her inactive mother came! And her father who isn't a member took an hour off work (he drives a taxi) to come see her get baptized. Her grandmother that we reactivated about a month and a half ago also came. So that was a good experience. This ward is really strong and has a great young women program so she'll be well taken care of.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitCH62SiANRuYyc3ooIn6qpZZ5Efo_Hz6jyQOUys5sxoIzQ0O7KAwBSTjAROJ5yt55evfQBJuD9jEUGRyhIh_gyB7PtDj1ZwnTC-P5m4hjJJzfqC4tTV_QI6sugxiwnyepYPjrA56Nf-8/s1600/Baptism+of+Sof%25C3%25ADa.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitCH62SiANRuYyc3ooIn6qpZZ5Efo_Hz6jyQOUys5sxoIzQ0O7KAwBSTjAROJ5yt55evfQBJuD9jEUGRyhIh_gyB7PtDj1ZwnTC-P5m4hjJJzfqC4tTV_QI6sugxiwnyepYPjrA56Nf-8/s400/Baptism+of+Sof%25C3%25ADa.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5572230440187466370" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLadiIGkO6NLniPVX9wxb552tkm85gnpG01xFS7FhRtGJ83Xsx1fDIBvLLeVLBxdd0qwihZaBYMpT35ZgvxNMn22BUsHCcDYufewkcWUo9N3MeJkEjuc-Nst_SMM6Qy7XLdrk8yZb7S9E/s1600/Anything+to+get+to+a+baptism%2521+Even+rob+a+wheelchair+from+a+cripple%2521%2521+%2528we+borrowed+it%2529.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLadiIGkO6NLniPVX9wxb552tkm85gnpG01xFS7FhRtGJ83Xsx1fDIBvLLeVLBxdd0qwihZaBYMpT35ZgvxNMn22BUsHCcDYufewkcWUo9N3MeJkEjuc-Nst_SMM6Qy7XLdrk8yZb7S9E/s400/Anything+to+get+to+a+baptism%2521+Even+rob+a+wheelchair+from+a+cripple%2521%2521+%2528we+borrowed+it%2529.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5572230434272933218" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Anything to get to a baptism! Even rob a wheelchair from a cripple!! (we borrowed it)</span><br /></div><br />So on Saturday I re-experienced something that hadn't happened to me since I was in the MTC. I rolled my ankle! I REALLY rolled it, haha. On Saturday mornings we play soccer at the church with members and investigators. So the ball went up into the air and I jumped to intercept it, and one of the players from the other team backed me and threw off my ballance. I came down really hard on my right foot, which wasn't lined up right to land correctly, so I rolled my ankle. It hurt A LOT and I couldn't walk for the rest of that day. So I stayed with a member while Elder Neira ''worked'' with Elder Lusk (I put quotation marks because I found out later that night that they didn't do ANYTHING - GRR!!). Elder Lusk's companion, Elder Laurito, went back to his old sector for the day because there was a baptism there that he was going to participate in. Anyway, so yesterday was a miracle - my foot was better enough to walk on it! So I was able to work for the rest of the day. After church we went to lunch at Mario and Jimena's house (they made some really good mashed potatos with some pork and yummmmmy ribs and stuff like that). Right when we were about to leave Mario told Elder Neira to go cut his grass, haha. We always offer to help them with something but they never have anything for us to do. So anyway, we go out back to start cutting the grass - lawn mowers are very rare here, so we started doing it with a giant pair of garden scissors. I went back inside to look for some more tools and guess what I found....A MACHETE!! Hehe, first time in my life that I had cut grass with a machete. Maybe I'll show you all how to do it when I get gack. Since doing it one time makes you a professional and all. Funny, that's the second time I've found a machete this week - I did an intercambio with Elder Hall and his companion Elder Adams and they had a machete at their house in Nueva Imperial, haha. Fun stuff.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir0rK1mELf3iGWtKEhYG-M9kKkBUL0sNI88B91xaOmzpJ_Yaf9e8bTjCyocgAHIzwx_y__lh8Egf8zc1hNFslG-asi_n_-Vx0AVWc3WwsJRzG5b1Ty_g2YJAyO9oZwDdc_1_R74aO08Ho/s1600/Hanging+with+Mario%252C+Jimena%252C+and+Graciela.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir0rK1mELf3iGWtKEhYG-M9kKkBUL0sNI88B91xaOmzpJ_Yaf9e8bTjCyocgAHIzwx_y__lh8Egf8zc1hNFslG-asi_n_-Vx0AVWc3WwsJRzG5b1Ty_g2YJAyO9oZwDdc_1_R74aO08Ho/s400/Hanging+with+Mario%252C+Jimena%252C+and+Graciela.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5572230449755386930" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Hanging with Mario, Jimena, and Graciela</span><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGD-1DQMCYaCBcs8HieNrVO-v42Uc0pNtm6i0KRTpvfDZT4iYW4fMO-XeEsAroo5vL7mXfO2lvt88zLX8Xj4pZv3hAiNHznZ6LnOoYNb9L9ayoribWy-i1xKnMxOJbKxTwC5QxakVLJPE/s1600/Practicing+my+machete+skills+in+Nueva+Imperial.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGD-1DQMCYaCBcs8HieNrVO-v42Uc0pNtm6i0KRTpvfDZT4iYW4fMO-XeEsAroo5vL7mXfO2lvt88zLX8Xj4pZv3hAiNHznZ6LnOoYNb9L9ayoribWy-i1xKnMxOJbKxTwC5QxakVLJPE/s400/Practicing+my+machete+skills+in+Nueva+Imperial.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5572230595545809570" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Practicing my machete skills in Nueva Imperial</span><br /></div><br />Well, we got cambios here in Maquehue! I'll be staying with an Elder Sanchez from Nicaragua and Elder Neira will be heading out to the zone of Coronel in the sector of Lota. That's in the north of the mission. President Swenson called me last night and told me that Elder Sanchez is obedient and a hard worker so we should be doing lots of great things here this cambio. From what I've heard Elder Sanchez is a great guy so I'm looking forward to working with him. I know him by sight, but not personally.<br /><br />Things are going really well down here in CHEEEEELAAAYYYYYYY! I'm loving every second of the work. The missionaries in the zone are really excited to be working and as far as I've seen they trust in us as their zone leaders. We've got two new district leaders this cambio so we'll be helping them out a lot. And there will be two greenies getting here tomorrow. So we'll have to pull some fun jokes on them, haha.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSXbR7jYFNEkrzPt2z5XNJXRUjftFlZfWqtyDtARHIhXT0IoXcUegp_-VY3afsGh4BNI437heqD0q9MHfMS2M5bPZUQz38yQP3BwZ4J1a4SqLLrrUA1yMOcg1Mv_nwBwey_MSkg1Iukcc/s1600/Kamalu+and+me+making+pancakes+on+our+17-month+day.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSXbR7jYFNEkrzPt2z5XNJXRUjftFlZfWqtyDtARHIhXT0IoXcUegp_-VY3afsGh4BNI437heqD0q9MHfMS2M5bPZUQz38yQP3BwZ4J1a4SqLLrrUA1yMOcg1Mv_nwBwey_MSkg1Iukcc/s400/Kamalu+and+me+making+pancakes+on+our+17-month+day.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5572230459526020258" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Kamalu and me making pancakes on our 17-month day</span><br /></div><br />Well, I'm just about out of things to say for the week. I'll have to start doing what I did at the beginning of my mission again - write down during the week what I want to say on Monday so that I don't have mind-blanks here and there. But anyway, that's something I can do all by myself, I'm a big boy haha. I hope you all have a GREAT Christmas. I'll do the same down here :) I'm looking forward to next year when I can celebrate it with all of you! But I'll make this last mission Christmas the best one ever. Oh! I haven't recieved the box just yet, but we have a conference here in Temuco on Thursday - I imagine it will be here by then. So hopefully I'll have it! I bought some stuff for you all today so I'll try to get that sent off soon. I love and miss you all very much! Merry Christmas! Or rather, Feliz Navidad! Or if you like, The Police Stole My Car!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVndLroYSbil5l28SmNfnvumir5-l-Tc3LN-E1J7pQI0jETdKNUVzCFI2bmewvh80vmRDGcvtQtu3vI8bceHHvMTLgWgEqqSSivLyEwgb6kPl4Oh80CC0lXYf4zOX3XESNlneA2YZXBy4/s1600/Santa%2521%2521%2521%2521%2521.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVndLroYSbil5l28SmNfnvumir5-l-Tc3LN-E1J7pQI0jETdKNUVzCFI2bmewvh80vmRDGcvtQtu3vI8bceHHvMTLgWgEqqSSivLyEwgb6kPl4Oh80CC0lXYf4zOX3XESNlneA2YZXBy4/s400/Santa%2521%2521%2521%2521%2521.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5572230602020691202" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Santa!!!</span><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKXwvhXfl0qQ9rBfPPSGihyphenhyphenFJE7RHTxpbdZqvBtZcf7Us4zlgHMnfLEvwYtNCbYNhVEVtFG2VJQsaAB4AX4vm19WhnFbtjbK8s9kvizhCHJsTQgPNGCaTBXuRtZSuwGg90QBWg3fAxkok/s1600/Giant+Indio+Picaro.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKXwvhXfl0qQ9rBfPPSGihyphenhyphenFJE7RHTxpbdZqvBtZcf7Us4zlgHMnfLEvwYtNCbYNhVEVtFG2VJQsaAB4AX4vm19WhnFbtjbK8s9kvizhCHJsTQgPNGCaTBXuRtZSuwGg90QBWg3fAxkok/s400/Giant+Indio+Picaro.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5572230442486751890" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Giant Indio Picaro</span><br /></div><br />Love,<br />TrevorJasminehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09900647122265790819noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7800379879592118949.post-40916592877307052342010-11-29T21:45:00.000-08:002011-02-09T21:45:47.154-08:00November 29, 2010<div class="gmail_quote"><div>Guess what?! Thanksgiving happened for us in Chile this year! Boom baby! It just so happens that a lunch we had arranged with a member who makes giant cooking ovens fell on the same day as thanksgiving! So we had tons of Chilean meet, some yummy rice, and some other Chilean salads and goodies. Topped off with some ice cream, of course. So I hope you enjoyed the food you were going to eat for me, because I also got me some grub :) Haha.</div> <div> </div> <div>I'm in Los Angeles! Yup, they transfered me again. Haha, just kidding. We had a meeting with President Swenson (consejo) and this time all the district leaders were invited as well, so we met up in the middle of the mission, which just happens to be LA. I don't think I'll be able to go visit any friends or converts or anything, but I thought you might like to know my travel adventures. We had to wake up at 4:30 this morning (which actually ended up being 5:30 because I fell asleep again after turning off the alarm, hehe) to catch a bus at 6:30 from Temuco to Los Angeles. We got here at about 9:30 and we'll be headed back there pretty soon.</div> <div> </div> <div>Let's see...what happened this week that was interesting...<br /><br /></div> <div>1. One of the nights this week we were at Mario and Jimena's house (amazing investigators), and I was playing around with their little daughter Graciela, and Mario was trying to get my attention. After saying my name a few times with no response (I didn't hear him - you know me, hehe) he said, ''¡ey! ¡Gringuito tonto! ¡Escúchame!'' hahahahaha. That basically means, ''Hey! Stupid white guy! Listen to me!'' Everyone got a pretty good laugh at that.</div> <div><br />2. Yesterday we went out to work with one of the ward missionaries named Cristina. And of course she decided to wear boots that made her walk REALLY slow, so I transformed into an ox and made her hold onto my back pack and then we walked missionary pace, hahaha. She was pretty much like a waving flag behind us, but she kept up - totally worth it!</div> <div> </div> <div>So I'm going to get together a Christmas box to send to you all - not exactly sure when I'll send it out, but it'll get there. Any special requests? Let me know by next week!</div> <div> </div> <div>Here's a cool scripture for the week:</div> <div><br />Jeremiah 20:7-9</div> <div>It talks about how he was about to give up because of all the bad things that were happening to him and the lack of success that he was having, but there was something burning in his bones that kept him from giving up. In our lives there were are many, many trials and many opportunities for us to just throw the towel in. However, if we understand the love our Heavenly Father has for us and the potential He has given us, we can have the strength to press forward and endure. This scripture gives me a lot of motivation as a missionary and as a son of God.</div> <div> </div> <div>Well, that should be it for this week. I'll see if I have any pictures to send to y'all. I love and miss you all very much! Be good!</div> <div> </div> <div>Love,</div> <div>Trevor</div></div>Jasminehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09900647122265790819noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7800379879592118949.post-41723614212245760892010-11-15T10:23:00.000-08:002010-11-19T10:24:01.532-08:00November 15, 2010<div>You're telling me that time just keeps charging ahead - today I completed 16 months in the mission! And it's almost Christmas again - that's just crazy. My last one of the mission...:( I don't suppose God would let slow time down if I asked him?</div> <div> </div> <div>Wow, when was Spencer supposed to be home? President Swenson only lets missionaries extend their missions one month maximum if they want to do it. And he doesn't let sister missionaries do it at all I don't think. I don't think President Swenson would let me extend my mission because it would mess with my study schedule...I think. That would mean I would get back August 19thish...hmmmm, maybe it wouldn't mess with the schedule. But then again that would mean I would get back and then basically the next day I'd have to get up to Logan to start school, haha. Oh yeah, that reminds me, when am I supposed to register for classes? It would be good to know that and then find the papers that I left with you so you can help me out with that (get me into the classes I need, etc.)</div> <div> </div> <div>Let's see if I can remember a few things from this week:<br /><br /></div> <div>1. The other day Elder Neira and I were knocking some apartment buildings up, and on the way out we found out that the gate was locked and we couldn't get out. So I went back to knock a few doors to get someone to come open it for us. Nobody answered until about the 5th door, haha. So an older man came out and opened the door, Elder Neira went out, and I assumed that the gate would just stay open, so I started to walk out as well. Little did I know that the gate was spring-set or however you say that, and it swung and smacked me in the side of the head, haha. I thought Elder Neira had just pulled a prank on me, but I really just walked into a closing door. I am so smart, s-m-r-t!</div> <div><br />2. The other day we were doing an interchange with the elders in the town of Carahue (I went there with an Elder Gomez and Elder Neira went back to Maquehue with an Elder Quispe) and there was this old man that yelled ''LIAR!'' to me. I walked over to him and asked him why he had called me a liar. He looked kind of like professor Trelawnmower from Harry Potter - the lenses from his glasses were taped to the frames, one of them upside down, haha. He said that the other day I had given him a card and told him that I would pass by, but while talking he realized it wasn't me, said sorry and then just scuttled off, haha. Funny old people.</div> <div> </div> <div>So there are now six missionaries in the ward here. An Elder Whitehead from Canada is training a greenie named Elder Lusk (from Utah, I believe. There aren't too many missionaries from there). An Hermana Pielago who is training an Hermana Noxon from Orem. It's fun to watch them both because they hardly understand anything and they always look at me or at Elder Whitehead with a look of ''Help me!'' on their faces, haha. I imagine that's something like what I looked like when I got here.</div> <div> </div> <div>I'm starting to feel like an old guy out here. There aren't too many missionaries that have more time than I do. I remember back in the MTC when you got to about the 7-week mark the new guys started to be like ''woooooah, he's so old! He'll be leaving soon!'' It's kind of like that when you get out here but it obviously takes more time to get old. Anyway, I may be an older guy, but I've still got all the energy in the world. I love being a missionary - so maybe I'll give President Monson a call and tell him to give me another 2 years, haha. Nah, is a joke. Birdy num num.</div> <div> </div> <div>Well, that's just about all the time I've got this week. I didn't take too many pictures this week - just one of a dead dog without a head that we found last night while we were working with one of the young-women from the ward, haha. She loved that. But I don't think you would enjoy that picture too much, so I'll just keep that for the after-mission slideshow. I love and miss you very much!</div> <div> </div> <div>Love,</div> TrevorJasminehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09900647122265790819noreply@blogger.com0