Hello. Cambio week. I'm staying here again in Pukarani with my same comp,
Elder Cardozo. Whatever the Lord wants I will do. 1 Nephi 3:7
There
were a lot of changes in our ward this past week. We have been meeting
with the Stake President and our Zone Leaders and the Stake was very
concerned about our ward and was thinking about bringing it down to a branch... Which would be very sad. But in the end they made the right
choice and he changed the ward boundaries so Pukarani gained about 55 active members from neighboring wards and called a new Bishop. Pukarani
went from being the lowest assisting church in the Stake to the highest!!!!! The ward got blessed tremendously and with the new boundaries us missionaries have a lot more families and houses to teach
and visit. So I am super super excited to stay here in the same ward for
my 3rd cambio (transfer) to work with the new members. Lots of work
ahead of us.
Kinda
a cool story. We visited a family this week Natali and Bella. Natali is
about 20 years old and Bella like 60. Natali recently had a baby but she
was in the hospital for about 2 months cause the baby wanted to come
out early. So she was in risk of losing the baby and losing her life. Both passing away or both living. The ward and family were very concerned
about her. My first day in this sector, about 3 months ago, we visited
the family and back then Natali was fine with no problems with the baby. We shared a scripture, bore our testimonies and didn't think much
about the visit. When we heard she was in the hospital Elder Rogers and I
thought it would be a good idea to visit her. Not thinking too much of
it, visited her in the hospital, raised her spirit a little, talked with
her, laughed with her then left once again not thinking the visit
meant much.
The other day we visited her. Her and the baby are healthy
and happy and she is happy to be back home. BUT she shared some of her feelings with me. She started crying when telling this story of the
first time Elder Rogers and I visited her and how she can remember every
single word and feeling she felt when I bore my testimony... My simple testimony... and also when Elder Rogers and I walked through her hospital
door without telling her we were coming. She recalled as if it were 2
Angels coming to visit her and how amazingly happy she felt with the
small 30 minute visit from us missionaries. The smile she had when we
walked through the door was something I will never forget. And her hospital roommates commenting to her of how they felt as we were talking
and laughing with Natali. Of the spirit her and even the other roommates
felt.... What an amazing testimony builder the other day was for me and
how I felt the spirit so strong while she was crying to us telling me
of these experiences of our visits... Things that missionaries do on a
DAILY basis. Not thinking anything of the visits or my testimony REALLY
has an effect on people.... People actually listen and remember the
things I say... I'm telling you. There is NOTHING like the mission to
hear these stories from REAL people who have REAL problems and how I'm
actually helping people.... I needed and loved these experiences Natali
told us. New perspective on the mission ... People actually care and
listen to me:) Just wanted to share that cool experience with you guys.
Chile qualified for the World Cup in 2014. People went crazy here. Viva
Chile. I take lots of pictures... I love taking Pictures I hope I'm not
over doing on sending pictures home and taking pictures hahaha, I love
pictures:) On Saturday
we went to the Feria, Its like this GINORMOUS Garage sale with people
putting up tents in a 5 mile Radius that people make their living off of
selling random crap. You can find ANYTHING you need in the Feria. and
They happen every Saturday.
The Stake bought a spot in the Feria this past week and us missionaries
ran it and basically did contacts from all the 1 billion people walking
by our booth, (The picture I sent you guys). We talked to the People
about emergency preparedness and how we can help. Then asked if we could
pass by their house and teach them a little more about being prepared
and also about our beliefs. It was a huge success we got tooooons of references and was sooo much fun to talk to all those people in the
Feria. hahah I had a blast doing it. I love missionary work and talking
to random people about what they need to do if a giant tsunami comes tomorrow hahaha. Chile.... hahah. We have a Noche De Hogar (family home evening) every 2 weeks and this past Wednesday's
Noche De Hogar was a bigger success than the last. 61 people showed up
and about 8 non members. The ward is helping us a ton finding new
people. I love it! Hopefully more and more people come every week. We
need the help to find.
Hmmm. Ya pretty busy week with visiting all the new families in our ward and
sector (area). We have lots of work ahead of us. Another Cambio here
will be interesting and I'm excited to see more success in the Lord's
work. I love you all so much and am so happy to hear from all of you.
Elder Sargent is staying here another Cambio. YAY. I still get to see my best friend every now and again. That makes me happy. I miss my other
best friends Tyler, Trevor, Tanner W., and Chase, and all my other
family:) Oh I've gone to the more professional look and I'm wearing
glasses without prescription.... I look better and more Professional, so
I can get into more houses;) Smart thinker huh.
Con Amor, Elder Paxman
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