Waterfalls, Soccer, and Missionary Work

Hola Familia!

¿como está? espero que todos estén bien jhajha. Bienpo. I am doing good. I am tired today we got back from ¨Salto del Itata´´ it is a big waterfall near Chillán in a pueblo Yungay. It was about an hour trip there. We met up before and played SOCCER at the church. Last week we got permiso to play from Preident Chavez, so sweet but I am out of shape. I need to run. I am happy to be able to play.
I have sent some pictures of the waterfalls and will send more, enjoy. Thanks for the pictures with President Chavez and Hermana Chavez, wow the difference in a couple months....the other missionaries thought it was my brother but remembered I don’t have one....wow! That is all I can say! I bought my Chile jersey and I love it can’t wait to sport it.
I had some challenges with my companion. I have to nag him to get ready and work....we talked about it and how he felt about being here. . . .so I just tried to motivate him in different ways but our numbers were still not good. It doesn’t bother him but it does me. I am just working as hard as I can and I can’t do much more than that besides pray more for my companion and stuff. I am still happy though.
I am still a little sick but it is getting better and the members always try to get me to drink hot drinks but those make it worse. I feel like throwing up after but, Chileans are stubborn and don’t like to take no for an answer, so they just about pour it down my throat...haha or they threaten to go inactive. So I just do it and after my stomach kills me....haha. They just don’t understand that when I get cold which isn’t often I drink cold stuff like usual. It has been cold this week but I love it no sweating its the life.
Thank you for the photos of Em’s wedding. I love looking at them and showing all the members....they laugh because Mom is short. But don’t worry Mom, you are still taller than 95% of the Chileans. My shoulder has been killing me and I think it is the way I am sleeping but I am good no worries. I was so happy to read that Matt, Ryan and Nick are moving along with their papers. It makes me so happy to know they will all be out serving with me in a couple months then I can talk about all my buddies and their missions. I just love being here and at times I feel I shouldn’t. But I love it so much and Satan just tries to rip the joy away but he can’t this is God’s work and if we work to glorify His name we will be happy and I am. It is hard work but I love it, I love getting up everyday to a freezing cold house to do some pitiful sit-ups and push ups( hoping one day to have a 6 pack) then getting ready and studying and leaving the house to help people return to God’s presencia. I know this work is true and it makes me so happy to know the people I grew up with like Heidi, Nick, Matt and Ryan are doing the same, it is just amazing. Help them along and tell them I love them and miss them. I did get Matt’s letter and I have been in the process of writing letters to guys and Heidi but time flies by.
I should get the package in a couple weeks I think if I stay here and am not changed. I would like to have one more cambio here in Cordillera, I love it here. The members they are so awesome plus my converts. We finally got a chance to teach the parents of Alejandra. They are super Catholic and I think they are scared to change. Part of it is pride and not wanting to feel like they have been following the wrong thing for so long. I am praying hard along with Alejandra to help them receive answers and have their hearts softened. The work goes on. I love you all some much and hope you are all good. Love you all and take care. Talk to you later.
Love Eric

Last Interviews with President and Hermana Chavez

Hola,
This week sure flew by I must say I feel like yesterday I was writing you and here I am again...wow time flies here and I feel like I am missing everything but oh well okay I will start with clearing some stuff up.....my memory stick is full so I was wondering if you could send me a new one....like of 8gb or 16 gb está bien? and yes day that is the right site for email and pasandolo chancho (“passing it pig”) in Chileno means panandolo bien or enjoying it or having fun I love that saying. I bought some jeans and they fit good cost 17 mil peso so about 35 bucks not bad it is a Marca Chilena but I like them. I also bought a new jacket to work in it is black fleece about14 mil peso not back for an American brand. Today we are going to buy our Chile Mundial jerseys and some other cool stuff. I think it is so funny the USA doesn’t get mentioned at all here about futbol but I am going to be decked out in Chile. The members have started asking me how many ties I have because they say they always see new one. I think I am up to around 50 or so, one for every day of a cambio.

This week we had some serious rain and well we got soaked but oh well a change of clothes at night and a warm bed is good for me, no worries I am all good. we even had hail this week too I was getting ready to leave to go work and heard it and we went out with our cameras and taped it, very funny they were big ones too, so fun. We had entravistas this Wednesday last interviews with President Chavez....so sad. I love President Chavez and Hermana Chavez so much it will be hard to see them go but that how it is. I took a picture with them and sent it to you so you can compare it to the one you got when taken when I got here and see the change. Can you send that picture to me? President Chavez doesn’t want to leave but Hermana is so trunky! I think he will be called as a Seventy. He is so powerful when he talks but loving too. I feel stupid because I was scared of him when I got here but he is so awesome. After interviews he was talking to us in English and Hermana said she understood but we know she didn’t haha. She wanted him to do something and he said to us ´´ if you negotiate with a woman you will always lose even if you are right.....especially if your are right haha´´ then we had to translate for Hermana and she gave him a look and said ´´siempre gano yo´´ (“I always gain”) haha so funny.
Good week but hard with the rain. I am still sick but it is all good, nothing is keeping me in my bed. My companion told me I should stay in bed but he said it because he did want to go work but I have to be an example, so to work we went. But don’t worry it is just a small cold and I am wearing warm clothes, mom! I know how to take care of myself. On Tuesday the zone leaders did a mini cambio with us and since they are a trio Elder Matherly came with us and we worked as a trio. They did it to make sure we were working and now they know we are.
It sounds like you all had a great time this weekend and have good stories to tell. Thanks for the wedding pictures mom, and about the sharks oh well guess it is time to get it together for next year.....Now with them not play you all can focus your chant forthe usa in mundial de futbol haha Well that is about my week always forget stuff to say.
I hope you are all good and stuff thank you for everything and I love you all so much. I tell you the mission is great I love it here. I may not speak super good still but I sure love to talk to people and get to know them and more about this country....its a once in a lifetime thing. I can’t wait to come see more after my mission and come see the people too. I know this is the true church and that I am here to help save God´s children. I know without a doubt that this is the only true church and everytime I testify of it the spirit fills my body and I cannot deny the truth. I love you all so much and miss you a bunch. Take care and be good, love you all so much
Love Eric

The Blessings of Hard Work!

Dearest Family,

Well I think my biggest task this week was to get my companion focused back on the work and stop thinking about home and his time in the mission. He completed 8 months yesterday and has been talking about it none stop....he has a trunky list already.....wow. he is from Phoenix, AZ yes he is a Coyotes, Suns, Diamondbacks and Cardinal fan haha it okay cause the Sharks will take the west and it all!!! haha. Well I am doing good and working hard as ever because I am sick of getting chewed out for numbers but its not like I am not working I am but not having much success but last night we found a super awesome family of 3 and the Dad, Alejandro told us after we taught and, I had done the contact, he told us “I have never opened my door to people before and we never talk to people, we like to keep to ourselves.” but he said “maybe it was the light shinning on you or something but I knew I needed to let you in I think it was the right decision.” WOWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW when we walked out of the house I just about fell down and started to scream!!!! So awesome! that was the pump I needed!!!! so awesome I tell you it is awesome to see people listen to the promptings of the spirit. I think it was what Elder Scott needed too he had a little more energy after that. milagros!!!!

We had a capacitacion for the member last night and we had planned out really well and made handouts and all and 4 people showed up........we talked about chapter 13 in “Preach My Gospel”. I will try to send the handout I think I did a pretty good job. I tried to help them put themselves in the spot of these people and we brainstormed what things we could do to help them stay active.....the bad thing was that people didn’t come. They were to busy crying because Chile lost to Mexico 1-0.

Well I have a 5 yr old girlfriend now her name is Ignacia.......the daughter of Alejandra my convert....she is so cute! I feel bad for Elder Scott because when we go by she goes up to him and yells ´´ no te quiero!” (I do not want you) and then runs to me and jumps into my arms and say ´´te quiero´´ ( I want you) and gives me a kiss on the cheek....so cute but she will be very sad when I get transferred.....we tried to visit the parents of aleja but they live in a gated community so we are gong to set up a noche de hogar a her house with them. Aleja gave them a Book of Mormon after her baptism....super cool. She is going to give us money to buy her an ax so then we can chop wood for her haha she cracks me up....she reminds me of mom, how she does everything whether it be use power tools or fix something...haha

We found 8 new investigators this week and that is a big jump from last week when we had 1. But I am doing all I can to keep my comp focused and going. He is a good guy just needs to get some help moving. I went to buy jeans last week and Chilean jeans won’t work because my butt is too big so I think I might have to throw down 70 bucks for American jeans....but oh well....and I need to buy a new pen drive because mine is full 8gb of photos and videos. I was wondering if you could maybe send me a new one cause they are expensive here. Like maybe an 8gb or bigger for the last half of my mission. I got my package this week at conference. Thank you I have been trying to sing the Primary Children’s songs but I have forgotten them all!!!! Ugh but thank you I have so much food now I don’t think I am going to buy food this week because I have enough to last me 2 weeks, thanks.

I love you guys a bunch and thanks for the Photos I am going to make copies so I can show the members because they want to see. Hey pops I liked that joke so much I had to tell all the missionaries sitting around me and they thought it was funny, we have started a joke chain now.

I love you all and know this is the Church of Christ, the only church with the authority to baptize and seal families forever. I love you all and have a great week, love you
Love Eric

P.S. Tell the Isaacson’s I send a Hi, What’s up from Chile to them and Hermana Isaacson
Thanks for the Photos Em looks really beautiful and Ally and Lisa. You all do!

Hard to Say Good-Bye

What's up?

It was so good to talk to you all yesterday and hard to say goodbye but so good to hear from you all and about the wedding. Was my accent weird to y’al? I just want you to know time flies on these phone calls and it stinks because I had so much to tell you all and well I forgot it all in the moment, but whatever so you might get super random stories showing up in some emails. I was trying to tell you all some funny stuff that has gone on but you just have to be a part of it to think it is funny oh well, buit was so good to talk to you all and it was just so hard to say goodbye but I am trying so hard to follow the rules better and be an example for my comp who just doesn´t care at all. He talked for like 2 hours but whatev...I know I am not perfect but I try to do my best....I just feel like all my comps have had some kind of problem....why can’t I get the perfect comp that others have? I just hope I can help him see the blessings that come with obedience and help him work harder. I know we can have a lot of success but we both have to work 100% and have our eyes and hearts in the right places. As much I hate to admit I have changed a lot but more than anything the reason for why I am here and why I want to work hard and be worthy to have the espiritu with me at all times. I have been on t he other side of the fence and it sucks. All I can do is do my best and pump him full of animo.
I feel bad today because of this cold and I am sneezing like heck but oh well part of life haha. I got up early and ready to be out of the house to get some shopping and stuff done. I want to buy some clothes and stuff but my comp didn’t roll out of bed till almost 10 am ugh paciencia! I am ready to work super hard this week because this past week was horrible taught 16 lesson no mas it was hard with cambios and stuff but got to get back into the swing of things and teaching is always hard with a new comp but lots and practicas will help this week. I can’t wait for conference this week though, it is so funny to go to Talca and see all the Elders and stuff and listen to Pres Chavez. This is his last full cambio, wow time flies. I don´t even want to think about it. Well that is about it from me really. I hope you all are good and travel safely home. I love you all so much and thanks for all you do for me. les amo much y les quiero mucho tambien. que estén muy bien!!!!!!
Love Eric
I put some photos up of me and my Elder Scott. There is a sweet one of me pruning a bush at the Obispo’s house

A New Companion and Eric is made Sr.Companion!

Hello Dearest Familia Mi,

Well today is cambios and the big news is........Elder Gallo is going up to Curico, I will be staying here in Chillan in barrio Cordillera and I am moving up to senor comp!!!!!! My new companion is Elder Scott, (not Richard G. Scott...haha), I don’t know how much time he has but he is coming down from Curico to Chillan Conmigo. I am super excited for this cambio. 4 1-2 moths with one companion is a long time. We had some good memories but it was time for a change. So tomorrow I will be waiting in the bus terminal for my companion.

This week went really good and had some ups and downs but I am pumped with animo and really excited. There will be 4 gringos in our house, haha it will be so much fun. I cannot wait. I have forgotten all I wanted to tell you but I will talk to you on Sunday, so close but so far!!!!

I have a baptism on the 15 mayo coming up for Constanza, she is the sister of Valentina who we baptized last week and she was confirmed yesterday!!!!!!The work charges forth and the miracles keep flowing in like none other. I am just stoked to talk to you all and for Em and Clay. This week bites that I can’t be there but I will be there in my prayers and thoughts tell President and Nan Hunter hi for me, please. The big day is coming soon. Hope you all have a great week. sermana de phyllis haha.I love you all so much.

Take care and I will talk to you all soon. The church is true, never forget it! I can’t wait to talk to you all I think I will have between an hour and hour an a half. We haven’t heard the final word from President Chavez yet.

Sorry this is short but I will talk a lot and in really bad English on Sunday. My English is horrible! In our English classes I have to think twice before I explain something. I spelled "does" wrong the other day embarrassing, I hope my Spanish doesn’t go bad being with a gringo companion. The one upside to a Latin companion is your Spanish improves.

I love you all so much and will talk to you all soon. Have a great week. and be safe.

I hope to hear that the sharks have crushed the wings!!!!!!!! Root for my boys!!!!!!!

If you have to yell scream and wear the colors proud!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

There is chummmmn in the water and I think it is Detroit!

I love you all some much take care. Love Eric