Christmas and Government Bureaucracy 12/20

Hey, Hey, Hey,

How is everyone doing this week? My week did fly by and I cannot believe it is already Christmas..... It doesn’t feel like it because I have other things in my head like investigator problems and tiredness but it is a good thing, I guess. I love it! This week I tried out the new pans you send me.....well the non-stick coating was great but they aren’t good to use in Chilean gas ovens.....the brownie was burned to a crisp but it was okay with lots of ice cream it was good....oh well but thanks Mom, its all good.

Yesterday found out 5 minutes before sacrament meeting that I had to talk, and so I spoke about the atonement and well I did think it was that good. I got a lot of compliments. I don’t think I teach and talk well but whatever. I hope at least I have improved. We went to a Christmas devotional done by the mission last night and was great. I had an investigator Clara and her kids, some members and converts came also, it was great and was a good time.

Today got up early to go do my ID card in Concepcion and had to wait in line for 3 1/2 hours. It took it all out of me but I had to do it because if not I would have gotten fined Well I have a lot more to tell but I don’t have a lot time because it is late but I will tell you all about when we talk on Saturday. Sorry this is so short but the waiting in line all day thing set us back, but we will talk soon

I love you all so much and hope you have a great week and enjoy the holiday and remember our savior and all he does for us. I love being here because helps me focus on Him all the time and I am grateful for that. I love you so much and think about you all the time love you ttyl
Love Eric

Tome "City of Hills" 12/6

Hey what’s up in San Jose?

What do you all tell of you week, good bad, funny stories? I hope you all are doing good and I am happy to hear that Mom is doing good. It has been on my mind all week but good to know all is good now.
As you know I had to make a very long trip from Talca to Tome it was very long. I left at 11am and got here around 3:30, it was a long time to be sitting on a bus especially because I went to bed around 4am on Monday night because had to pack and got up at 6am to finish and get ready to go. In the morning I had to go to centro and pick up my visa before Ileft Talca but the good thing is that I am legal now yay!!!!! haha no its all good now I have to go to Concepcion next Monday to register it and to do the papers for my carnet but it is easy, I just have to wait in a bunch of lines and stuff but cool. I plan to hit up the best food places in Concepcion haha. I am doing well tired because this whole place is hills, hills, hills. There is no flat ground....well there is but it is basically the beach and the centro but isn’t much and we are never there we are always climbing some hill. There is one that is called El Cerro Santo it is the biggest here in Tome, it is about 550 meters tall......it is straight up almost. It is funny to see the cars trying to climb the hill will send some pics. I will have huge muscular legs after this sector. I like it here but the smell of the ocean and the beach gets me thinking about home but not a lot. When we were going to church yesterday saw a bunch of guys going to the beach to surf and all pass in front of the church because it is like one block from the beach. It is sure different here than my other sectors just because I don’t know but it is different not being in flat dry hot areas...but I like it here it is fun. Our ward mission leader got back from his mission like 6 weeks ago so he is cool and helps us out a lot and actually we went to his house yesterday and we are teaching his sister. She is so cool she has a fecha for the 26 December but I am sure we will move it up a week. I was so happy this week because were we searching so hard for people and had a very hard time. I got here and there were no investigatoes so it was starting from scratch and contacts. But we got some great references from members this week so that was good. I hope to be able to help this ward out and get this place going there are over 1000 inactive members on the list......crazy huh and there were 126 at church yesterday....oh yay something weird I have sac meeting last so weird for me but oh well it helps people get to church.
We had 4 inv yesterday in church and 2 we found this week I was so happy to see that, the last cambio was hard but we have 4 people that can get baptized this month and I am sure they will. I like it here just have to get used to the way of life and to the members and stuff and the people. It is weird I can tell a difference in the accent here than in other parts and even my accent has changed now and i speak like they do here....you got to conform to it so I don’t look like such an outsider. I don’t know what else to say.....I live in a house of 4 again and we are in the 4th floor of an apartment building. I tell you it was fun to haul my stuff up those stairs but with help we did it.....I have a lot of clothes to get rid of so I will have space to bring cool stuff home
I have sent a bunch of mixed photos from my last night in Talca and also some pics from here in Tomé, I hope you enjoy them, the beach looks awesome, and sunsets are great plan to wake up and go see and sunrise on the beach too someday but it is early and hard with all the fog and stuff. I love you all so much and I miss you a bunch too I am trying to do a Christmas card but it is hard to find photoshop here but I am trying to do it. I thought it would be cool to do. I love it here and I am excited to be working and working hard too. I love this work it is amazing to see miracles everyday amazing how many there are but we just don’t realize it. I love you all so much hope you have a great week. Love you Chau, Love Eric

Transfer to Tome 11/29

Hello What’s up?
Well Mom I will answer your question right off the bat.....I am about 100% sure I will be transferred before Christmas.....because well today is Cambios and I am leaving Talca and I am taking a long trip down south I am going to the inside of the mission....I am going to Tome......it is about 45 min north of Concepcion on the coast.....yes I will be on the beach and well I hope it doesn´t make me trunky....lol I am not trunky nor will I be. so that should answer your question i will have a hot Christmas at the beach....haha. The chapel is a block from the beach I hear....it just stinks I cannot go because it is summer and we don’t have permission during this time of the year. That my big news. So tomorrow I will have a 5 hour bus ride to Concepcion and then 45 min to Tome....fun right! I will miss Talca and the people a lot, but I feel like I have left this sector a little stronger than it was. The attendan went up to 114 at church so that is good it is a 60% increase.....cambios are always hard and today will be a long day of saying good-byes and stuff and then will be up late packing. Oh well.
Well yesterday was just like the last Sunday I had in Chillan.....I spoke in Sacrament Meeting and I baptized a girl in the ward and then the next day I left.....I can see a pattern haha. Well I found out yesterday morning that I was going to baptized Dyana Jesus Arias Muñoz, she is a cute little girl, her mom got baptized last year and so we go by to share and stuff still. Her mom is Amalia and she is so cool she speaks english and most times doesn’t speak it with us but it is cool because she understands and speaks really well. It was a nice experience and well it was a good last Sunday....I feel there will be a lot of tears today but it will pass and well that is the sucky part of the mission but that is how it is...people always say they wish it were different but like I always say it is to help us all progress so that we can become stronger and better. I am sad but I am here for the Lord and will do as he says.
This week went well and it was so hot though I was dying. We found some new people and had a good time with my kid haha. I think he is bummed that I am leaving but I know it is for the best and he is a great missionary and will have a lot of success here in Talca. I will be in another house of 4 Elders down in Tome and so I am looking forward to that. Elders Cockrell, Page and Teske are upset because they wont get there Christmas goodies you sent them but I am thinking I might send it to them idk.....I am in a hard situation....haha but its all good I figure there will be enough to go around ....oh yeah I might be asking for some addresses from you I want to make a Christmas card and send it out to people. I thought it might be nice. We will see. well this letter is a bit short but I got a lot to do today got to go get my visa stuff today also because I don’t want to have to travel back here to do it. I hope you have a great week and cannot wait to here about more winter adventures, talk to you all later love you all so much. Chau Love Eric

Working Hard, Sharing the Gospel and Packages from Home

hola familia, ¿cómo está? ¿qué cuentan? les quiero contar un chiste que es lo más chistoso en todos los chistes de ´´laffy taffy´´ ¿Porque cruzó la calle el captus?.......................... ¡Porque estába pegado en la espalda de la gallina! Jajajajajajajajajajajajaja

Bablefish Translation
hello family, how she is? what count? I want to tell a joke to them that is most humorous in all the jokes of ´´laffy taffy´´ Because captus crossed the street? .......................... Because estába beaten in the back of the hen! jajajajajajajajajajajajaja
I tell you if the whole engineering thing doesn’t work out for me I am going to be a bilingual comedian because everybody thinks I am hilarious.......or do they laugh because I am ridiculous.......hmmmmm I will stick with because I am funny it helps my head stay at normal size hahaha. Well how are you all doing this fine start of the week. What is new and exciting? and if you don’t got anything new and exciting.......well I don’t know what to tell you.......just tell a really bad joke like I did and I will laugh and thinks it is awesome anyway. Sometimes I feel like I am in a big Hollywood movie because when we are out working and stuff everybody just says mean things and swears at us....hahaha okay well if you didn’t think it was funny its because it wasn’t and that means you need to send me some good jokes to tell...I am running out of material....I have stolen all I could from other missionaries haha oh well that is life.

Thanks for the package and well to tell you the truth I shared with the other Elders.......I had to they held me up at knife point...I am just kidding.....I figured we could all use some bad jokes and sugar in our systems.....well that is enough of insignificant talk, lets get down to business......oh one last thought I think I have become hyperactive on the mission...I wasn’t like this before....one more thought What is black, white and red?.......a skunk in a blender....okay that was bad here is a better one Why did the sock cross the road? .................because it was on the chickens foot....lolAnyway

Elder Teske and I are getting along like 2 peas in a pod and he is a fun guy. We have a fun house it is good and we laugh a lot. Last night stayed up playing UNO and I tell you I stink, I lost every time....oh well every time I would change color it would come back to bite me....so I just said “well looks like I got the gift to read peoples thoughts....but it is not helping me.....” haha it was fun. E Teske is fun guy...we have good time together, I see a lot of the things I use to do when I was new....like the confused look of not understanding and the pain full lost look, but I am keeping him upbeat and he is a hard worker....got long legs too. I have to move my short stubby legs 3 times as fast...people laugh because I am the shortest.....oh well its like 3 skyscrapers and the lonely two story house across the street but its all good....they are jealous of my last name haha. Got up early and got ready to go do the visa stuff for Elder Teske and Page.......got to centro at 900........I forgot that Chile opens at 1000.....so walked around for a half hour oh well....haha. Got all the visa stuff done and now have to wait. My carnet, Chilean id, expired 22 weeks back.....I am illegal .... nooooooooooooooo, just kidding my papers were started a while back so I am all good haha.

Well this week was yet another tough grinder but I feel good I put a lot of effort and force into the week and I know the blessing will come and the Lord will bless us, Elder Teske is still a little timid to talk but I told him he is the “closer” (pitching terms) I may have more words and ability to talk “starter” but the closer makes the deal and makes the bigger impression. the spirit is felt strong when he teaches and the people have to pay more attention.....I tell you I feel so blessed to be with him and have the opportunity to serve with him. Well this week it was....HOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I just about died but then yesterday woke up to a cold raining winter looking day..... strange. So got soaked yesterday and man do I mean soaked...well thanks to the rain the attendance was 74......stupid rain...haha. Oh well. called investigators in the morning to get them up and were not answering but much to my surprise...after the sacrament was passed, Daniela walked in. she had worked from 11 am Saturday until 6am Sunday morning for a wedding....and got up and went to church I was so happy....we had talked about making sacrifices to the Lord and it hit her.... I sat down and I said “I did not think you would come because of work” she said “ I need to make sacrifices to receive the help from the Lord” I was so happy to hear those words....turned out to be a good day and then at night had a NDH with Daniela in the house of Familia Cristi, live across the street. It went great Hermana Cristi straight up asked “So when are you getting baptized?” and the convo opened up....we didn´t say a word the family did all the teaching....it was amazing, my testimony grew about work with members last night...the members felt the prompting and acted...they didn’t feel the need to wait for us to talk or give them the time....and I didn’t feel the prompting to talk and at the end I did and I expressed our love for her and bore testimony...it was awesome. The Spirit directed the lesson, and it was just amazing. This is the Lords Work....He directs it through the Spirit and if the Spirit tells us to talk we HAVE to do it and if He doesn’t, we WON´T do it. awesome right? I think so.Well going into week 2 of reading the Book of Mormon as a mission. We are in chapter 4 of 2 Nefi and read until 8 today, I think, I have to check, but it is awesome....I tell you I am getting so much out of it....the pages are full of the marks when it mentions Jesucristo, that is why it is a witness of Him. Well I don’t know what else to tell yal.....think I have bored you enough for one week haha. I am the old missionary here in the ward now and well I think I might be leaving this transfer on the 29 Nov, it is possible because I will have completed 6 months here...I don’t want to because I want one more cambio with Elder Teske,,,,,but we will see. it is a few weeks off. haha but oh well.

The youth are going to the temple Friday so I am going to send some money with a leader to pick me up some books and stuff for my converts....got to get Christmas ready too. haha.

Well I think that is all for this week. I love you all so much and hope you are doing well, I know God lives and loves us and sent His son Jesucristo to die for us. Through His redeeming sacrifice we can present ourselves before the Father and He will plead for us....but according to our works we will be judged, if we follow Him and come unto Him like little children, submissive and humble we will be saved and will live with our Father again. I know the Book of Mormon testifies of Him and His atoning sacrifice, He is our Lord, Savior and King. I love the gospel and have come to love studying it too. It fills me with joy and peace and with things that are not found in this world, things that money and houses and cars cannot give....it is the unconditional and eternal love of God and Christ. When I am out working no matter how bad the day might be, I feel whole, I feel happy....I am happy I love the work and I feel honored to be a part of the Army of the Lord...like the soldiers who fought under Captain Moroni.....they must have been honored to fight under such and strong and brave leader....not just strong physically but he was a man of spiritual power. The kind of power that as man cannot buy or fake.....I feel like one of his soldiers fighting for truth and liberty against the temptations and demons of the world to bring eternal life to Gods children, I wear the name of Christ on my chest and I know that this is His church and His work. I love you so much and hope you have a great week. Take care. I am studying in Alma too Love you take care.Love Eric
VAMOS CHILE! I HOPE YOU ENJOY THE FOTOS. By the way we had a huge ward talent show went great....lots of menos activos and inv were there went awesome we didn’t have time to do our cool scout skits we prepared but it went good....had to leave early...us 4 prince charmings had to be home at 10 haha love yal chau!

Hectic Monday

Hey everyone how is it going? Well this day has been a little hectic and shouldn’t have been, had troubles getting into myldsmail.net so now finally got in and so this will be a quick email of my week.

We had a great opportunity to have a conference with Pres Humphrey and with Elder Zeballos of the Seventy, and their wives. Eder Zeballos wanted to come and do conferences to excite us and give us a boost. It was an awesome conference and I learned a lot. He talked about how all the gringos need to keep up and not lose their Spanish and how the Latins need to take advantage and learn English, because English is the language of the Restoration he said.

It was such a great day and well the conference was great but the weather wasn’t, during the conference the skies opened and poured so hard and we were caught without rain stuff. We have gone from hot to cold to rain and today is hot again....what is going on here?

So that was Friday and well the week was tough but Elder Teske and I worked really hard and I know the blessings will come... Yesterday we were going to present our mission ward plan with the Bishop and ward mission leader but both got called into work and look who had to do it all the missionaries......it went good and the members enjoyed. A lot of the members complimented me on the way I handled it and I told them I don’tt have many talents but I can speak in public and I think I do well at it....haha.

Then we went to go play ball this morning and found all the new balls at the church to be broken so now we have to tell the Bishop before he finds out and blames it on us...the youth did it on Friday and told nobody....drama. Well, Halloween was dead and today is another holiday here so not much to do and well that is it....yesterday day was dead but had a noche de hogar and cooked the Halloween cake which was so good. I hope this week can be a good week because I feel bad for my kid because he was born into a struggling sector and I don’t think it is the sectors fault. I think I just carry bad luck with me or something idk. Oh well but my chin is up and I still love the work and I am happy to be here and that is the important thing.

I am happy but the heat is killing me. Today is the first day in the mission to start reading the Book of Mormon and we are going to read it in 60 days. All the mission is doing it and have a schedule to read everyday and I cannot wait. We have to mark every time it mentions Jesus Christ. It will be a great experience we have to read 4 chapters today and tomorrow too and just about 4 everyday.

I have got to go but I love you all so much and hope you enjoy the pictures of me and the puppies, a members dog had puppies and they are so cute...haha but I miss my puppy more...I love you all so much and hope you have great week, take care and read the Book of Mormon! Love you all so much and the gospel too, talk to you later, Love Eric

Putting Lesson Learned at Home to Good Use!

Hey what is up with you all?

Well for starters it is so hot and I am dying here, I guess it doesn’t help that I am a little sunburned too! We went over to our new building and hooked up with the zone and played vollyball and futbol for 3 hours. It was a lot of fun, and with the new cancha with new nets and balls and stuff we can play every week.
Well to start my son’s name is Elder Tyler Teske, he is from Ashton, Idaho....he is a cool kid and we get along great, reminds me of myself about 16 months back. It is crazy to have seen another month go and cannot believe how fast time flies. Elder Teske is so cool he struggles talking and doesn’t understand much but I am doing my best to help him and to help him be outgoing. I was really nervous to be training but I know the Lord called me to do it and do it I will. He is a cool guy. His parents are divorced and both remarried so he has 3 immediate siblings and a bunch of step siblings too. He used to work for his dad’s cement business so he is a big strong guy. As you can tell from the photo I am shorter....and am the shortest in the house E Cockrell{s new comp is Elder Page from UT. I am the only one under 6 feet, oh well. We have had a good week and I tell you I feel blessed to have a new comp and that he is strong with spanish because it makes others pay more attention, I have used it to our advantage and I try to let him talk more and it works when he testifies. It is not 100% clear his words but I feel the spirit so strong and I know others do to. He has given me a boost and helps me be a little bit happier and joyful. He is a great guy and am blessed to be with him.
This week we had a missionary work activity and we planned it so Friday afternoon was taken up by that but it turned out well. We had about 34 people there and had a lot of participation. It was a night of desserts and so people brought desserts we ate and voted. We would have won with the brownie we made but we took out our votes and put them with other people, our investigator, Daniela won first prize without our help. Her dessert was so good. She told us she studied cooking I didn’t even know...haha. It was fun and all enjoyed it. I love the mission. I feel so blessed to be here.

Sunday we got to church and nobody was there 20 min before the meetings and so we had to open up the building and do it all. Then at about 5 till the Bishop showed up...I was worried I would have to conduct......I am pretty sure I can do it but we had an investigator with us so.....idk . It has been very hot here and I am dying, hope the summer helps me drop a little weight. I didn’t get my package in Concepcion because didn’t have time but this Friday I should maybe get it. I have thoughts for Christmas but the list is in the house so next week.
Oh, Pops, the shower; 1 wall is cement and the other 2 are like a type of sheetrock material. idk weird right?, oh this week Elder Page plugged the toilet so had to borrow a snake from so missionaries and it took us an hour and a half to snake it....we got videos of it.....I was covered in nasty stuff....and yes mom I have no gag reflex now, Chile has blessed me...but the toilet works now thanks for teaching me Pops.
Yesterday I got a little sad to see another month is my mission has gone by....I love being here and I wish it would never end. My last 8 months will be great and I will enjoy every minute of them....crazy as time goes by the work of the Lord is the best and I love it. I love you all so much and wish the best for you. Take care and enjoy the pictures.
Love Eric

Cleaning Day Photos, Not for the Faint of Heart !!!

Who knew Eric knows how to clean a bathroom!!!! Maybe he was listening!

Its a Baby Missionary Straight from the MTC!

HELLO FAMILIA!
Well I guess I will start out with the big news for the day, at 7:30 we got the cambios from the Zone Leader and well my compo Elder Pierce is going inside to Tomé, it is on the beach near Penco and Concepción, Elder Stephenson is going to my old sector in Chillán, Cordillera, so I am stoked about that because he can take stuff to my converts. He is happy too because I told him all the good things and about the great food. Well Elder Cockrell is training and for me..........
I´M GOING TO HAVE A SON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! or in normal people terms I´M GOING TO BE TRAINING A GREENIE FRESH FROM THE MTC! HA HA HA HA HAHA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!

I AM SO STOKED I HOPE HE IS A GRINGO BUT IT MIGHT BE A LATIN. I am super happy though and it will be so much fun. Tomorrow I have to be in concepción around noon so I have to catch a bus out of here at 7:30 or 8 am the only thing that will stink is I will spend about 20 mile in traveling tomorrow, oh well así es.
I am going to tell you I screamed for joy when I saw that Nick Price got his call.... he will be such a great missionary and Mendoza is a huge tourist spot. It has some of the best natural views and stuff like that in South America.....I actually know a Hermana there; she is the mission doctor. I was in the MTC with her she got held back because of her visa so she was in my district for a while. Nick might have to wait because of the visa thing; in Argentina you have to get your visa before you go not like here in Chile where you do it when you get here. I am so happy for that guy he will do great. This whole week I was waiting to hear about him. Tell Nick I love him and I am stoked for him. That is so great! just keep him pumped up and tell him to go to the temple a bunch and stay out of trouble. Haha! Oh I am so happy I am just so happy today a lot of good news has hit my ears wow! and Ryan is off to the MTC wow that is so crazy will he be there six or 8 weeks? I tell you time is flying.
This week was a hard one but we made it through and finished it strong and that is what counts. I am happy to say I did all I could this week. I received a big compliment this week on a mini cambio with the Zone Leaders....I was with Elder Pilcher and we were talking about the work and difficulties and he said that the assistants to the President and Pres Humphrey said “Elder Pierce and Kuykendall are the best teachers in the mission” I was stunned so crazy to hear that....he said they didn’t know why we weren’t having success so that is why we were doing more mini cambios and such to help us out. I learned a lot this week in how to better the work and be more efficient. Elder Pilcher also said pres was a little worried about my moral because he could tell I was working hard but also could see the frustration, “he said this mission needs Elder Kuykendall” that really gave me a boost and I think they were the perfect words to pick me up and push me forward. I love the work but it isn’t easy.....I love it though wouldn’t trade it for anything. It was a good week tough but good. we had a lot of appointments fall so it meant a lot of contacts in hot weather and in rain, got soaked on Thursday because we left and all the sudden it started to pour but kept working till we were close to the house haha we had a miracle happen though because the sky cleared up and passed by a contact and got in. The girl had just had her baby and we shared with her and her sister, Katy (20) and Coni(18) and Katy´s baby, Metilda, is so cute and quiet. We shared a powerful lesson and the spirit was so strong it was a great finish to a hard day, it was awesome. They are really interested in the church. It was so awesome.
Well to finish the week Saturday morning in the whole mission was cleaning day and we had to clean the house spotless. We worked and scrubbed from 7 to 130, I will send the pics on a different email, the bathroom was dirty but not because of us but because the elders before us had never cleaned it. I spent 3 hours scrubbing and cleaning the bathroom and I can proudly say you can eat out of the shower ( its okay its clean!) It was fun and Rafael came and helped us too. We said he was a smart member to come and help the missionaries. I sent a pic of buying supplies on Friday at Lider, so fun. It was hard work but then after I ate 7 completos for lunch. My arms are huge from scrubbing. It was a fun time.
Yesterday was our first Sunday in the new building and it was nice. We felt at home again. We planned the first activity for this Friday night “Noche de Postres” or dessert night, all the families are going to bring a postre and all can taste and vote for the best and then there will be 1st, 2nd, 3rd place. We, missionaries, are going to make a SPECIAL BROWNIE, now don’t get ideas.....Ally, Dad, Em, and Lisa, there are no drugs involved just pure gringo cooking skills. I think we are going to win but, its not all about winning.......wait what am I saying yes it is, just kidding! It will be great and the ward is stoked about it, we should have a lot of investigators there too.
Busy, busy week and this will be too. I love you and miss you so much. Time is flying by so fast and it is crazy to see how much has passed in the last while. I found out a way to get books and hymns too so I will just call Santiago and order this week. For Christmas I don’t want a lot because I am starting to fill my bags with stuff I am buying. I would like a small tri pod for my camera. There is one I have seen it has legs that you can wrap around stuff and have seen other elders with it. Give me another week to for some more ideas
I love you all so much and enjoy the Photos one is of me and my comp with Daniela, her daughter Samantha and her cousin Camila.
I love you all so much and miss you take care and talk to you later love you.
Love Eric

Lessons Learned from the Giant Sequoias

Hey what is up?
Hows yal be doing today? How was your week and what new do you have to share? I am doing good but I tell you I thought loosing an hour was bad at home but on the mission it is even worse. Saturday night we jumped forward to the daylight savings an hour and man did it suck going to bed know that I lost an hour and all you gained one. Oh well that çats is just how it goes. So at church yesterday all the elders were half asleep still haha. Well yesterday we had stake conference and I tell you the showing was a very small number, 700 mas o menos.... hey were expecting about 1500 because that is the normal attendance.....I could tell the stake president was disappointed because to start his talk he said “well we have over 6000 members in this stake and only 700 are here,,,,not a good average but that just means we need to work harder”. It was a great conference and they talked a lot about love and charity and also fellowshipping, retention and reactivation of members. The 2nd counselor used the example of the giant sequoia, talked about how they were the biggest trees in the world, I had a huge smile because I knew he was talking about my state haha the members were laughing at me. He talked about the trees great size but then he said that they don’t stand tall because they have deep roots, because their roots are shallow, but because they knit their roots with other trees and together with all the roots knitted and tied together they have the strength to grow tall, live long and stand against the strong and furious winds and storms. I really enjoyed it because it was just what the members need....people stay active because they feel loved and cared about and the only way that can happen is if we fellowship....or do our HT, VT, activities, working with the missionaries and a load of other things. After that Pres and Hermana Humphrey talked, I heard Hermana Humphrey talk in Spanish for the first time ever, she gave a great testimony, with time and practice she will be a pro at Spanish. Pres Humphrey talked a little more about giant sequoias, we are state buddies haha, he talked about the thick bark they have and how it protects and saves the trees from fires and he related that to scripture reading and prayer, it is true how our obedience to the Lords commandments is a protection in or lives....the more we do it the stronger our bark is and it will protect us from the bad.....also it got me thinking about a talk from General Conference about a tree that had decade due to garbage and stuff inside....I guess the hip analogy is trees now haha,,,,but it is true if we obey and read and pray daily the temptations and hardships will come but we will be strong and withstand them. It was a really great conference.
This week was a hard one for me and Elder Pierce...I think every cita except for like 5 fell this week, I tell you it was a tough week and it seems to me it gets harder and harder everyday for us. To make it even worst it has been so hot these past couple weeks and this week it was easily in the 80 and 90´s, today is overcast but warm.....oh today tried out the new soccer and basketball court at the church building sooooo nice hahaha. We will have church there this coming Sunday, anyway it was a tough week but I know the Lord will bless us for our diligence and we just need to keep working....I have learned a great lesson here on the mission and it is...When the work is hard and tough and everything falls around you, you cannot say Why me? What is going on? or What did I do wrong?.....the only and best answer is GET UP, GET OUT, AND GET TO WORK AND WORK HARDER AND HARDER AND HARDER UNTIL YOU CANNOT MOVE.....we did have a tough week but a cita fell and we did contacts another one did and we visited menos activos, the Lord doesn’t ask much but He does ask effort and effort I will give until I have none left.....but I am still loving it. It is hard but I wouldn’t trade it for anything. I came to work and have fun while I am at it haha. A tough week but a good one at that.
Last week Dad asked me what i had learned from Pres. Chávez and from Pres Humphrey soo far, so I want to share it with you all....
Pres. Chávez, he understood the atonement of Jesucristo and he taught it to us all the time, and I know why....it is the key to all other knowledge of the gospel without the Atonement we are nothing and can do nothing, we are lost and unloved, but He died for us and He paid the price for us. I learned to love and to cherish the Atonement of Christ.....before the mission I think I understood that He died to save me and that it was the will of God but other than that i knew nothing, Pres Chávez taught the Expiación siempre. My knowledge and understand of this great sacrifice has grown 1000 times than it was before and yet I still don’t come close to understanding and knowing the half of it. In one of the darkest and deepest pits of despair in my life and definitely the deepest and darkest of my mission, Pres. Chávez taught me and counseled me to study, learn, understand, trust and apply La Expiación de mi Salvador Jesucristo. That is what he taught me, my love fro Jesucristo has grown and I definitely know He loves me too. Pres Chavez also taught me to trust in the Lord in all times....not just when I sin, but in all things. I continue to study the Atonement and try to learn more about it and I teach it in every lesson because if the people don’t understand the Atonement they will not understand anything else, it is the center of Gods plan. I know the Atonement saves us and helps us in tough times. Study, Learn and Love the Atonement.
Pres Humphrey, has taught a lot about trust and his trust in us and the Lords trust too. He talks about living so the Lord will trust you to do His work and trust in the Lord to see His miracles and receive revelation. It has helped me to put aside my pride and trust in the Lord and do His will because it is not my work it is His.
I know mission presidents are called of God and that they lead the missionary work in the world to help bring to pass Gods will. I love the work. I love you all and hope you have a great week. Take care I love you a lot cannot wit to hear from you next week.
Love Eric
Hey mom and dad can you send me the MTC address of Ryan when you get it and Nick and Matt’s home addresses and also President Jackson’s if you could I felt I should write him a letter and thank him and tell him how I am doing. Thanks
Take care love yal

Listening to Conference and Feelings of Gratitude

Hello Family,
How are you all doing? How did the conference weekend go? How was all the stuff during the week? Well I am doing good and this week seemed to fly by because on Thursday we had interviews with President and the conference weekend took up lot of work time. It flew by and now we are starting week 5 of the cambio and time is just melting away like the wax of a lit candle. It is crazy I swear time has sped up here in the last couple weeks and now in the blink of an eye the days and weeks pass you by. As you can probably tell or maybe are thinking this morning for a zone activity we went up to the hills and went paintballing.......now you might be thinking what are missionaries doing paintballing......we have got to let loose and have fun too. We played senior comps vs junior comps and the senior comps won. It was fun but hot with all that stuff on. The last round it was down to me and my comp Elder Pierce and well I suicide attacked and it worked his last shot missed me and I just nailed him with 5. I didn’t mean to pump 5 at him but it just happens in the moment. It was super fun and cool to let loose after that we had to walk 12 blocks to centro but the exercise is good for me.
This weekend with conference we had 5 chances to get investigators to church and before we worked so hard to get them ready and scheduled to pick them up and go to church and with all the phone calls and efforts we only had 1, oh well but we did get a lot of new coverts there like Ivonne and Margarita. They really enjoyed the last session Sunday. We had to take the opportunity and take a picture with them because they never come to church in a skirt and but they came in skirts to conference on Sunday so, I told them now that I know they have skirts and church clothes I expect to see them dressed like that every week and they just laughed at me.....oh well. I really enjoyed all the talks and especially Elder Holland’s it really got me thinking of all of you, my family, and my leaders in the past that did so many good things for me and sacrificed their time and money and talents to listen and help me and how much I took those times for granted....I felt such a have pain too think of how ungrateful I was and still am for all the things you and other do for me.....I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for your sacrifices and good examples...there aren’t words to express the gratitude I feel for the things you all do and for your prayers and advice. I get so caught up in me and my world that I miss the things that are done around me to help me move along.....I know the words thank you aren’t enough, but THANK YOU, I love you all and really do appreciate the letters and kind words and prayers for me, the work moves a lot easier know that there are people 1000´s of miles away helping me too. The talks about pride in the priesthood session really hit me hard and really got me thinking about how prideful I am.... I know I am and I know it has gotten between me and my potential as a person but even more as a son of God and a missionary, I have let my pride build barriers between me and others and I know it is my downfall. I cannot stand to lose even when I know I am wrong I fight and fight until the other person just gives up because I cannot stand to lose, the Lord asks us to be humble and to submit ourselves to His will and to follow His commandments......why is it so hard? it sure is but the road to being humble is to get 2 knees to the ground .....I know if I do the Lords will He will bless not just me but those around me and will help me be the person I can be. I know the Lord loves us and wants us to be happy.....happiness is found in humility and obedience.
Interviews went very well and we had to do a lot of practices and they went very well. Elder Pierce and I were complimented on our teaching and in my interview with Pres. he did the same and said he had heard good things about my teaching....he then asked “Well Elder Kuykendall, I know your problem in you sector isn’t your teaching, so what is it?” I told him “I really don’t know the weeks are always up and down and every week the challenge changes.” It looks like we will be doing a lot more mini cambios with the zone and district leaders to help us find the solution....it will be a good chance to help me work on being more humble. haha We have a lot of great people to teach but I don’t know what the problem is.....we do contacts and try to get references but ...I know the Lord will bless us as we are obedient and work hard. We have great people to teach but it is so hard to find them in the house to teach them.....
I hope you all have a great week and hope to hear from you all. I love you so much and think about you all the time, take care and keep going.
Love, Eric