Tomorrow is the Day!!!! June 28, 2011

Elder Kuykendall will return home tomorrow, Wednesday June 29th.
Thank you to all of our family and friends that have supported Eric with your thoughts and prayers during this time.
His service has certainly been a blessing to not only to the people of Chile but to our family as well.
I feel as though these last few days have been longer than the previous 24 months.
Sherri Kuykendall

"The Time is Far Spent, There is Little Remaining. . . " and Eric is and Uncle June 20, 2011

Well Family,
I am happy to hear little Elizabeth is doing well and went great I feel a week behind in the news but oh well that is life here haha. Well I am stoked to be an old uncle haha. I feel like I have passed to a new level in life. I just hope the Grandparents, especially the Gma doesn’t spoil her too much.
Well this week was full of rain but it let up today and I am happy about that. Left Tomé at 6am and got here to Chillan about 8:20 ish. Travel kills me but I got to sleep. This week was full of 3 baptisms in my district and so Friday went out to Coelemu to support the Elders and Presidente and Hermana Humphrey went too, and then on Saturday an investigator of the other Tomé Elders was baptized too. Juan is caught up on Joseph Smith.........we have done everything possible to help him believe and he is praying and fasting but says he still isn’t sure.....this week we are going to talk about faith and I hope he gets baptized on Saturday!!!!!!!! It would be awesome!
I went and did shopping at the feria but didn’t buy much I am concerned about weight but I think I should be good. Haha plus I am super fruggle here on the mission. I went to get a Chile jersey but I think I will buy it in Conce my last day....I just don’t know what too buy as arecuerdos.
Well don’t have much too say I hope you all don’t forget about me at the airport haha just kidding, I know you won’t. Tell you the truth I am more nervous than excited to come home.....it just seems so surreal for me right now..like I cannot believe it. It is weird to explain but here it is. Well I guess I will see you all next week.....have a great week and hope you have great weeks. Happy anniversary mom and dad!!!!!!!!!!
love you all take carelove Eric

I am an Uncle Yet??? June 13, 2011

Hey family what is up with you all this week? Well seems like the baby wants to come out and play today and the best chance is that she is already here. I am doing good and feel like the time is passing by super fast too fast for me. Wow I cannot believe Lisa is going to be a mom haha Just Kidding!
Nothing exciting this week happened. I think the best part was I finally got to kick a dog, now you are all thinking it is bad to do that but it was personal defense! We were going up to lunch on Friday and this dog was in the street and got close to us and started to bark, and almost bit Elder Bastow twice and then as we went further the dog got closer to me and almost bit me. I moved away but when it came back for the second try I kicked it. ......the dog was dazed and we were able to run into the house of the member. Then when we left the dog started to chase after us again, but this time we were armed with rocks to scare it away. I tell you I hate Chilean dogs, they are so vicious and bite so many people and yet nobody does anything about it. I am sorry I had to kick it but, he got what he deserved...like I said it was self defense!!!!!
Juan is progressing well and he has a fecha for this coming Saturday. If it doesn’t happen this week I am sure he will be baptized before I leave....He is ready but he said he wants a 100% answer.....so just a lot of prayer I think will do the trick. I don’t have much else to tell you just the same old stuff.
I cannot wait to hear about the baby my first sobrina!!!!!!!! oh yeah I will be flying into SFO with 3 other Elders. 2 go to Washington and 1 to Sacramento, not to bad. Well don’t got much else to say to you all, I hope you have a great week and we will be talking next week.
I am going to Chillan next week to say my last goodbye, But I will still shoot an email to you all.

Happy Father’s Day Dad and Tyler now! haha.
I love you all so much and miss you bunch, have a great week and take care love you all
Love Eric
ps. Enjoy the fotos Elder Brown wanted to try out the rain jacket he bought so I told him I would help him, it was fun!

Getting Prepared to Return Home &The Backstreet Boys are coming to Tome'? June 6, 2011

Well I apologize for the whole mix up with my letter last week. I had a lot on my mind and stuff and I thought I hit send but it got saved and now you all got it opps!! I am doing good and well I am don’t know what else to say.
This morning we went to conce because last Monday my cell phone died and I was without a phone all week....wow haha it was tough getting a hold of inv de hecho, but went and I got it fixed. Chilled in the office and Elder Keller, AP, was hassling me because I am almost dead haha and he took the “cancelado” stamp and said I was done haha He is chill from San Diego. Went to Doggies a hot dog place and I ate 4 hot dogs, so good with barbeque sauce and fried onions, so good.
This week went well except Elder Haws was in the bathroom 90% of the time...he has a delicate stomach this week, I love him so much he cracks,me up we are so alike but I am taller and obviously cool cause I am from CA just kidding, no we get along good, I don’t know if he is sarcastic with me because he loves me or if he really hates me haha no I think it is the first lol. He is cool.
We had a good week, Juan is progressing well he has doubts is about Jose smith and living Profeta but he is reading the Book of Mormon and praying specifically about it. This week we are going to watch “Special Witnesses” with him and talk about the living Profeta. It will be good, he can be baptized before I leave. Katia also is progressing, she didn’t go to church because her dad was in town, but we shared about baptism and she really felt the need to forgive and to repent of past actions. We are finding people and it is not easy but it is moving along.
We have a big activity for the 24th. It is a Karioke night. We had arts and crafts time this week and as you can see we made a poster to put in the church. I was punished for eating the paste....it is so good though!!!!! haha I remember 1st grade paste mint flavor haha. Just hope the members get involved
We will be doing a special musical number oh yeah, you know who The Backstreet Boys are coming to Tomé!! lol
It will be most fun activity of the year, yep!!!!
As you can tell my leg got jacked-up, I fell into a hole yesterday opening the pipe to let out the water from the baptism of the other elders, I slipped into the hole and nailed my leg on the cement ledge it hurt so bad but oh well, just got to keep going haha
I have been going through papers and stuff and trying to decide what to take and what to leave, some of my books and stuff in English will have to stay behind, I just have acquired so many books and stuff. I have studied out of Spanish so I didn’t use my English stuff but hope I can take it all. I was talking to Elder Thomas and Carlstrom and the Elders going to Utah fly through Atlanta and I go to CA. My group of travel is small I think we might be between2 or 6 idk I need to find out but I think donuts would be better!!!!! After nine hours flying all night we will be hungry and they will have connecting flights, but I got my final flight plans from the church today and well it looks like the end is actually coming.......the dream is ending. It feels so weird, its a day you thought never would come and when it comes you don’t want it.....idk I love being here it hasn’t been easy but it the Lords work and there is no other work like it. I just wish all could feel the same joy and happiness that I do, because if they did they would see and taste the bitterness of the water of the world. After drinking of His living water and thye would never want the bitter stuff ever again. I know the Lord loves us and wants all to partake of the salvation. HE LIVES and directs His church.
I hope you all have a great week and that the baby is good and healthy, you all need to tell me asap when she pops out haha. I love you all so much and cannot wait to see you all. Take care and be safe. Have a great week!!!!!
Love, Eric
PS will Gpa & Gma Kuykendall or Gma Hofheins becoming for my homecoming I would like them there if they can come.

Words from Elder Holland, an Apostle of the Lord May 30, 2011

Well how is it going? Trunky yet? Well sounds like I will stay nice and thin when I get home because mom doesn’t cook anymore haha no just kidding with you all. This week was a tough one but a good one with some things, work wise we got our butts kicked this week and I tell you last night I was pretty down about it but Elder Haws got my animo up as usual. I don’t know but these past couple weeks have hit me hard as the work, we haven’t gotten into a new house in 2 weeks, so it took a toll on me I think but this week will be a great week and I cannot wait to tear it up. Did 2 entrevistas bautismales for the Elder of Tomé A and it went great, Francisco and his mom Elizabeth were baptized Saturday and on Sunday the Bishop didn’t have the confirmation in the program so I ran up to remind him and ended up doing them after the sacrament.....from what I know it should be done that way but oh well, the Stake High Councilor was there and he told me thanks for doing the right thing and that he would explain to the Bishop why it should be done before, so I did my best.....in this ward I have been here so long they treat me like a member which sounds cool but isn’t because the respect has gone down.....but I am determined to keep working hard and help this ward. It can be a great ward with more help and willingness by the members, the stake is trying to work to help more young men go on missions and so naturally it falls on us to do it all and everybody just watches. I am a little frustrated with the ward, but the Lord left me here for a reason and I need to help with a lot of prayer and fasting oh and of course study haha, I am speaking in 2 weeks in Sacrament meeting and I don’t know what to talk about......there are just so many things. but así es!

Well the best part of the week was the conference we had Friday in Conce. It was by far the best zone conference of my mission, Elder Holland spoke.....via recorded talk from the MTC (Missionary Training Center, Provo UT). The talk is being shown to all missions around the world to help the misioneros understand their calling and the importance it holds. He had given the talk in the MTC back in January, he talked about why Pedicad mi evangelio was written and he shared words from Pres. Hinckley, He said “I have seen too many returned missionaries go inactive and there is something seriously wrong if young men and women who served 18 or 24 months of their life serving and teaching the gospel and yet don’t have testimonies strong enough to stay the course and be active members of the Lord’s church.” (it isn’t an exact quote but this is what I got) you can imagine the list of names that flew through my head in this moment......he said PMG(Preach My Gospel) was written to first convert the missionary so that he can help others do the same! He said “All missionaries need to be peach my gospel missionaries!” He then talked about the great responsibility that returned missionaries have in the church and the impact that they will have in not just the church but the world, community, friends and family. he finished talking about enduring to the end.......I tell you the biggest fear for me is to come home, I have gotten so used to doing the same thing everyday, to be with my comp 24/7 and to feel the Spirit all the time that I know it will be a big shock when I get home, it wont be the same.....and if I didn’t become 100% converted I will fall and it will be harder than ever. I have made big changes in these 2 yrs and I am not the same as I was before if it shows or not I am different, and going back to what I was before is just as if I were to turn my back on the Lord and fall back into the hands of the opposition. Elder Holland used the example of the apostles after the resurrection, they went back and fished.....the Lord asked Pedro do you love me? three times and Pedro responded 3 times yes I do......the Lord told him “FEED MY SHEEP!” He told them to leave their nets and go and preach His gospel. that is the Lords call to all missionaries that we drop our nets and follow him, Elder Holland finished by saying “When you sent the letter and signed to accept your call it wasn’t for 2 yrs or 18 months” he said “it was for the rest of your life” this talk hit me hard, I cannot go back to who I was, I am not perfect nor will I every be in this life and I know I will stumble and fall and get lazy and mess up but I have to continue repenting and leaving “the nets” or sins and bad behind. That is the call the Lord extended to me and I accepted it wont be easy but its is possible through daily scripture study and reading and prayer. I know Christ is my Savior and is reason why we can change, He died so we could change and progress to live with God again. I love this gospel and I know it is true it is the only true gospel of jesucristo. I have much more to change but I know He will help me. I know the Book of Mormon is true and any member who reads it everyday and studies the teachings it contains with prayer will never go inactive because and will have the strength and testimony to vencer and superar all the problems they face.

I gave my farewell talk with other 20 missionaries at the end of the conference and it was powerful, I have come a long way and yet I haven’t reached the 1/4 mark I just hope I can do it. I love this work and hope to be able to have the energy and boldness to share the gospel for the rest of my life. I love you all so much and cannot wait to see you all, I hope you have a great week and all is well at home. I love you and pray for you all everyday. I love you have a great week. Paz fuera!!!!!!Love Eric

Time to say Good-bye, Where has 2 years gone? May 23, 2011

Hello,

Well first off Mom don’t worry about it....it is for a good purpose!!!! I might have covers for my scriptures if they are done in time if not I will have to pay to ship them $$$$$$$ lots of dollars if you know what I mean....lol well moving on I am doing okay the cold is still kicking me down but I am trying to fight it with nuclear warfare it helps my comps but me not so much....ooops haha

Well I am doing well and this week was a tough one but oh well that is how it goes....haha just got to pick yourself up and do it . The fence for Clara was a new one because the old one was destroyed in the storm a couple weeks ago. She is awesome. I am not trunky,,,,,,maybe a lil but it is my goal to make others trunky haha NO IT IS ALL GOOD TIME GOES AND I JUST STAY THE SAME HAHA. but time is lame because it does its own thing regardless what we do. Last night we stayed up late........now think what 4 missionaries would stay up and do......you got that right we talked about the organization of the church and priesthood......no lie it was fun haha They told me I would be Bishop one day and I said no I smoke haha jk. I told them I would take any calling that let me read the handbook....I just want to read the handbook there is good stuff in it....haha. it was funny, we ended with...its late.......and then went to bed it was funny haha. we are all on diets....and have been running in the morning to drop the pounds haha I got to look good when I get home haha. I had a question for you all but it went away......nope its gone haha.

We had an investigator in church yesterday Juan he is a referral from a member. He is good but has a doubt about the foods we can and cannot eat....it is about the Law of Moses... I studied so much on it so hopefully he just feels the spirit and understands. He has good questions very educated ones too. I like it because it is making me stretch my study skills. I learned a bunch about the Law of Moses.....I like the new covenant Jesus made though it is simpler haha. well I don’t have much to say .

On Friday Iwill give my farewell testimony at zone conf........ugh I don’t know what to say........it weird to think it has come because you never think it will and the next thing you know its here and you are gone.....weird my little world I have lived in will soon be taken from me......wow but asi es.

I love you all so much and cannot wait to hear from you all next week and here the good news. I am looking for gifts for you all so I need ideas please.....I am looking for collectable spoons but I cannot find them anywhere.....ugh well have a great week.
Love you all a lot
Love Eric

The Joy of Hard Work and Service May 16, 2011

Hello to all!!!!!How are you doing this fine week? Today is cambios here and well....I will be dying here in Tomé, I am excited the only bad is that I will not get to see my converts and members in Talca and Cauquenes but I will call them for sure to say goodbye. I am doing good a little better from my cold but the cough and congestion seem to be lingering with me. I am finishing my drugs so I hope it ends soon. I am good though the past 3 days have been pure fog in Tomé we couldn’t see the ocean for 3 days I thought it might have disappeared haha but it cleared up today but here in Concepcion it is cold and cloudy but oh well. There are 15 missionaries going home today and 20 of us this next cambio with me wow!!!! Time is flying by........haha. but asi es no mas
On Saturday we did a service project up in the house of Clara. We put in a new fence in the front and it went great have pictures but this computer is lame so next week if you remind me haha. It was s fun I sure do love working on construction and stuff.....I surprise the members on how much I know about it....I tell them gringos aren’t all stupid when it comes to stuff around the house...jk but I was a little sore in the arms from digging the holes but it was good sore...I was less sore than Hermanos Ariel and Geraldo haha they were sore haha. they finished the bed frame and delivered it that night too, Clara was so happy and we were too, her dad was grateful too. (Clara was sleeping in a twin bed with her 2 children, someone had a double mattress but no frame so the Elders built a frame and gave both to Clara as a Mother’s day gift)
This week I went to Coelemu on a mini cambio and then had one with the zone leaders....fun haha....it was chill I was telling Elder Carlstrom that he will get to meet you I think he will because they have to change terminals and you will get to meet Elder Thomas my MTC comp he is cool too. I need to see them when I go out there. The week was a tough one but good learning experience I guess. We had one investigator in church yesterday, Katia, it is the friend of our ward mission leader, Jose, we are working with her she said she doesn’t have a strong belief in God but I think she is starting to realize that she does...she is praying and the pure act of going to church was a big step in the right direction. We are working to find people to baptize before I leave I don’t want to leave on a dry spell.......we will find them!!!!!
It went good in Chillán last Monday and I got to see Alejandra and Hermana Miriam. Alejandra and Ignacia were happy to see me and I was too. Nacha is so big and she knows my name perfectly she can even spell Kuykendall...haha. I cannot believe it, she is in first grade and Francisco in 3rd. She kept telling me I have to come back to baptize her haha idk if it will happen but well see jaja. It was nice to be back there. I will be going again to see other people in June I think...just need to ask Pres.
I don’t have much to say because this week was chill but I am good not too trunky, but happy to know I am staying here to finish the mission I love the members here they are awesome sometimes hard to work with but awesome.
Oh, yesterday we had a great success. We have been working with a menos activo familia, Flia, Albornoz Teran, for over 6 months and the mom, Juana, and daughter, Yesenia, had come a bit and the other daughter , Yeins , couldn’t because she works solo los domingos ,but yesterday she took off work to go to church!!!!!!!!!!!! it was so amazing I was so happy to see them there and I know they felt good too. The Dad isn’t a member and is starting to listen...little by little. He doesn’t participate but he listens......we have lunch wit them this week too. So awesome the spirit works miracle, and they have progressed because they started to read the Book of Mormon and saying their prayers daily...it is key!!!!!!! It is so simple and yet we sometimes are so stubborn because it looks too easy!!! ugh I love this work and I know it is true. I love you all so much and hope you have a great week. Love Eric

A trip back to cold Chillan May 11, 2011

Hello!
Like Kellee (5 year old girl that lives at the house we called Eric at) said last night, she is so dang cute, flirtatious but cute haha. She enjoyed talking on the phone “with people that don’t speak Spanish,” she couldn’t believe that you all didn’t speak Spanish haha. She is funny. Well I don’tt have much to tell you all except for everything I forgot to tell you last night haha, no there wasn’t much.

Well left the house at 6 this morning after a long night of coughing and tossing and turning but all good. It was a cold morning when we left Tomé and got off the bus in Concepción and the 4 blocks to the terminal de buses was a cold one it was 7 degrees Celsius at 7 am and then when we got here to Chillan it was 4 degrees. I remember this freezing cold from last year....Tome is much warmer and I am not used to the cold right now haha, Well I sent you a picture of the first thing we did when we got here....yep we ate a great Chilean breakfast!!!!!! LONGANIZA CON HUEVOS Y PANCITO SOOOOOOO GOOOOOD. and then went shopping in the feria....i spent like 50 mil....ooppsssss haha but oh well.

I need ideas of stuff to get for you all I am bad at this type of stuff so send me some ideas so I can start looking for some cool authentic stuff....hhaa. Well not tooo authentic because the Chilenos are great at making crappy knock off stuff haha. But it all good. so send me ideas like idk....just stuff and I’ll try and search it out haha. Well I am cold here but got to get going to be able to see some people before I have to take a bus back at 4 to Concepcion. I love you all so much and hope you all have a great week and well sorry for the short letter but got to go love you so much. Love Eric

my comp fell asleep.....haha

Time is winding down May 2, 2011

Hola familia mia!!!!!!!

¿Qué tal? How you all doing!? I hope you had a great week and as is well. I assume Lisa is getting..........farther along in the embarazo and that Tyler is getting more impatient, Wel as for me I have to be patient because no matter what I have to wait jaja. Well I hope you are all are doing good Ally with work and Happy Anniversary Em & Clay, and Kasey my puppers and Mom & Dad with your moving floor machine thing( treadmill) haha. I forgot the word haha oh well you all entienden(understand). Well seems to me April has come and gone and May is here....Elders Haws, Brown, Demann have been reminding me of the little time I have left to make me trunky soooo this week I will remind then of the very long time they have left...I am so mean, haha no I won’t do that but no I am not trunky got lots to do but I am going to Chillan next Monday to say goodbye to people, looks like I won’t be able to go to Cacquennes nor Talca as they are to far to travel to for the day....but oh well.

I am doing well, this week was a long one and not full of too many good stories, except for Friday haha. Well on Friday there was a huge protest of the students about the bus tariffs and prices and they were in the streets of Tome. Well had to got to Penco to pick up my companion form the mini cambio, we did and heard that the students might takeover the entrance and exit on the highway to keep buses and cars from coming and going. Well as we got to the top of the mountain the bus stopped and couldn’t go further..... well, we had to get off and walk to Tomé................I tell you it was all down hill but it took us an hour!!!!!! then when we got into tome took a bus from BellaVista to centro....is was so ridiculous but funny at the same time we walked with a member of the church from Concepcion, and she has a son in the Mendoza Argentina Mission, she gave us a reference toooo!!!! I tell you God works in mysterious ways but I like it. It was funny but I didn’t have my camera to snagg pics.......oh well it is a good story in the journal.

Found some good new investigators this week and looks like are going to progress and cannot wait to see it and be a part of it. I sure do love this work I have been thinking about how much responsibility we have as members of the church because of the knowledge we have and of the covenants we have made with the Lord. It is a big deal! He shows His trust and love for us letting us be here in these times, What a blessing it is to be here in the last days, to serve him and help in his work. I feel a great responsibility already having served a mission to stay active and to magnify callings after the mission this is real stuff. I love the gospel and love living it, I now understand how easy and joyful the gospel is if we live it and put our trust in Him. I cannot wait to talk to yall on Sunday and hope to here good noticias from all. I love you so much and hope you have a great week. Take care
Love Eric

Happy Easter and Happy Birthday wishes to Allyson, Tyler and Clay April 25, 2011

Hello, Happy Easter!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
feliz pascua!!!! How did you all pass it ? gooood? I sure hope so. it was good, I enjoyed it and well I sure loved the candy it was hard to be patient and wait weeks to eat the candy. It was a very long time but I did it and filled the baskets and well the other Elders were happy hey thought it was all for me and I was like no! my parents sent enough for all and so they now want to meet you all....thanks! now everyone wants to be my friend. haha.
Well yesterday we got our investigator Raul to church in the morning and he even invited us to have breakfast with him before haha he is 82 yrs old......got a lot of work to do with him but I have got faith!!!!!!!!! He enjoyed it, but I think but he is hard of hearing so didn’t catch a lot of what was said but if he felt the spirit that is the important part.

Elder May came to visit with his novia (Fiancee), he was AP when I got here was weirrd to see him but good. also got to take a pictures with the Famila Ortiz and their daughter Danysa that is on the isla doing the marines! she had been out there for 2 months straight and now gets out on the weekends!!! haha we then had a stke/ mission devotional last night and Clara and he boys went and also, our ward mission leader Jose brought his friend too. It was chill and got to chat it up with my groupies haha no! A lot of people went and enjoyed it a lot. Oh ya I about OD on the candy....end of the month money is tight haha jk.

Well Clara is doing awesome!!!!!! she got called to be the secretary in Relief Society so I was stoked!!!! She is so bomb she reads and studies the classes in the week and is reading and everything, so awesome. I just need to get her a bible. she has been sharing the gospel with all and her husband too, even though he is still in jail she said that he has shown interest and seems like he wants to clean his life up when he gets out here soon, so awesome.

Byron is doing good and prepared the sacrament yesterday he is a good kid hope I can help him go on a mission I think he will if the ward does its part!!!!

I am doing good we are finding people right now....well haven’t found a lot but we are getting there. The rain hit us so hard on Thursday and the wind was furious. We were soaked to the bone in 30 min asi es la vida. The mission is great! But, today isn’t too bad. the weather is holding up but we are entering winter. I am doing good, my ankle is giving me some problems with the cold and well stretching is all I can do....We are here in Concepcion today and chilling it up with some Elders from past zones....I have gotten fruggle on the mission haha....no wonder I haven’t bought any recuerdos or stuff like that. haha I got to do it though I need to find some good stuff. I am going to Chillan on the 9th to visit and say goodbye.......weird huh...I am not trunky though I love being here but I am making the best of it.

I wanted to see the Jacksons before they left but maybe pops you could pass me his email to shoot him a thanks for all that he did.

Well that is about it for me thanks for everything and for the card pops it looks great I just got to print it now. I wonder if you could send it to me like a foto to be able to print it at one of the kodak print machines please.

That is about it for me this week I love you all so much and love hearing from you, have a great week and take care.....don’t get trunky hahah. chao les quiero!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! la iglesia es la verdadera y Jesucristo vive y dirige su iglesia. les amo!!!!!!

Love Eric

FELIZ CUMPLEAÑOS ALLY, TLYER, CLAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! QUE LOS PASEN CHANCHO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Elder Kuykendall and the Chilean Wild Life April 18, 2011

A "Missionary Beach Visit"

Eric and his companion befriending the local goats

A Busy Week and Catching up on Cambio Changes 4/11/2011

Hey Hey Hey,
Well just to start I am not trunky!!!!!!! But well I wish I was flying into San Jose and not San Francisco I haven’t been home for 2 yrs so a couple hrs more won’t make a difference right? I won’t get my plans for two months and there is a reason why haha. Well enough talk about that. The first week of cambios is gone and well here we are again writing! I don’t have much to say but I will try to find cool things to tell.
Martes, Hermano Alarcon was generous and he took us to Concepción in the morning to the terminal to save us travel time and $ on bus. I had to wait till 12:30 for Elder Haws to get there and Elder Call went to Molina. I got to see a bunch of my buddies and it was good to catch up with them and chat a bit. Got to see Elder Stephenson and it was good to hear about my converts in Chillan and about the ward too. @ 2:00 got back to Tomé and got settled in and went to eat lunch and buy food for the week and then off to work as usual. The hills are killing my companion but they still kill me too. haha.
Miércoles, in the morning we had district mtg and it went good the usual no más, a lot of contacts as we need top find people to teach because we have nobody and Byron is getting baptized.......oh well así es la vida! Domingo made us pizza for lunch!!!!
Jueves, in the morning I christened my comp and we hiked up El Santo by foot and it was fun he struggled a bit it reminded me of my first time....haha but we took it slow, did some contacts a usual and in the afternoon after 2 hrs of knocking doors got into a house an the lady was named Paola. She is nice and was interested I have hope she will progress. We taught Byron and got him ready for his baptismal interview and he is good to go!
Viernes, planning in the morning and then had a great lunch...BONELESS chicken breast and longaniza de Chillán so good I loved it, fam Alarcon always has good lunches. We did a mini cambio with the Tome Elders and did a baptismal interview for Patricia, and it was a good spiritual experience, I loved it. She passed and is ready to get baptized!!!!!! We got to work with Elder Brown and he is full of energy haha good elder. We have fun in the house 4 Americans haha!
Sábado, Byron had his interview and he passed and Hermano Alarcon will baptize him!!!!!!!!whoooooo I was so jazzed so got all the ropa lista and it was all ready for Sunday. Saturday was yet a day of finding and finally got into a house at about 9pm and the lady was receptive but she would pry about what we taught because said she was scared. I knew she knew the message was true because I have gotten that answer before and her body language told me too. People just wont give up tradition for God........i don’t get it but hopefully when we pass by this week she will have a change of heart.
Domingo, Byron got baptized and it was so good to be able to see it and be a part of it, now he needs an interview with the Bishop to get priesthood and I will have to make sure it happens because this cannot be put off like other things. I will be a rock in his shoe we need active young men.
I hope to have a great week. We have to go to a mini conference tomorrow in Concepcion and then will work hard all week to find some people. I sure do love the mission and it goes by too fast. I know God lives and loves us. He sent His son JesuCristo to die for us and through Him we can have eternal life, the Book of Mormon is true and was translated by a Profeta de dios, I know today Thomas S Monson is the Profeta and the apostles are witnesses of JesuCristo. HE lives and loves each and every one of us. I love the gospel and love to share it.

Have a great week and cannot wait to here from you all next week love you so much, take care and sigan adelante!!!!!!!!!!

Love Eric

Thanks for the package mom and the flag it is perfect haha

PS :Well hello there again all this is a lil bit of last week news and cambios news too from last week when the computer wasnt working haha

It seems Tome that yet another week has flown by and that I am here again tell you all of the so many exciting things that are going on here. Well to start off Cambios are today and the big news is that Elder Bordolli goes home to Argentina, Elder Call is going up north to Molina, and Elder Demann stays and his comp will be Elder Brown and my new Comp is Elder Haws, of Arizona, who is coming from Parral. So tomorrow bright and early we will be in Concepción to wait in the terminal. Got up early to take Elder Bordolli to the office in Concepcion and took us 45 min to get a bus to take us because we had bags to load. I tell you riding Chilean buses is a fun ride haha but asi es la vida.

Well the conference was awsome as usual and sure helped me see in what I need to improve....lots of things but I know the Lord will help me BE what He wants me to BE. I sure loved the priesthood session and learning about the duties and responsibilidades of the priesthood. I have a lot to learn but I am determined to do it. I am so grateful that I had such great examples of priesthood in my life to instruct and to guide me in assignments. I know I can do better. It was a great conference and I enjoyed it

Technical Issues 4/4/2011

Well I have to write a quick mail because this computer sucks . . . sorry I had a big awesome letter but the internet isn’t working well and keeps deleting me.
I am good and really enjoyed General Conference. Today was cambios and Elder Call is leaving and my new companion is Elder Haws. That is the quick news I will try to get a better letter but the computer keeps shutting off and it deleted the one I had written. I love you all have a great week. Elder Bordolli went home today back to Argentina so we took him to the office in the morning.
Sorry but technology isn’t as reliable as the gospel. Next week I will fill you all in on everything. Love you all take care have a great week talk to you later!!
Love Eric

Happy 21st Birthday Elder Kuykendall 3/28/2011

Hey Hey Familia,

Muchisimas gracias por los saludos para mi cumpleaños, me fue bien!

I woke up with the usual birthday aches and pains that remind you time and your youth is slipping away haha, no just kidding I am not that old, I am still a kid haha. I told the Elders to not tell anybody because I didn’t want to make it a big deal and they kept it on the DL if you know what I mean, thanks for the gifts and the card game is fun. I like it haha it is like a multi person speed.

The 25th was an okay day that turned out to be a day of drama in the ward because we had a ward activity and we were in charge of the games. It was poorly assisted and well the blame came upon us but oh well, we did our best visiting and inviting menos activos and miembros and investigatos, and well I feel like we did the best we could. This ward has just lost its heartbeat and well Elder Call and I are trying to spark it with the paddles but the is a flat line, so in times of need and difficulty man must fall to his knees and pray to the Almighty, How could I help boost up the excitement and love of the members, how can I help them work harder? Any thoughts?

All in all it was a bit of a tough week and well Elder Call and I kept the old chin up and continued! Lots of doors knocked and few doors opened, but hope is not lost every door that closes mean we are 1 door closer to a chosen and prepared Child of God! This week we are going to get it done and blow this place away! We have got to finish on a great note, it is the last game that is always remembered. We cannot be defeated haha!

Well anyway I am doing good a little sore because we played football on the beach this morning for like 2 hours and I am wiped out. All the people walking by stopped to cheer on the gringos on the beach I felt like i was playing in a pro game they we cheering and stuff haha, its not everyday you get to see a bunch of foreigners play a game you have never seen haha. I am out of shape!!!!!!!! Well that is about all the fun news I have for the week. Yesterday we had lunch at Jose Cisterna´s house our lider misional, because his b-day was yesterday, it was fun and got to share some time with his family and it was a great lunch. Ward conference was yesterday and very disorganized but the words of the Stake President were short but good. What he said was what the ward needed. Clara is doing great and is completing 100% and I am a little worried because she has all the excitement in the world and she is seeing members that carry years in the church and don’t do anything so she is starting to notice the bad examples......but we keep telling her to do what she is doing, she will lead and the rest will follow.

Oh about the donkey Elder Call says he was feeding it but I think he was just abusing the pour thing.....apparently there aren’t animal abuse laws in the south haha. I am, just kidding he was trying to feed it....haha.

I cannot wait for conference this weekend it will be great!!!!!! I know this church is true and my testimony grows everyday more and more as I strive to share my testimony. God has restored His church in these last day and we receive the blessings. I love you all so much take care nos vemos!!!!! Eric

PS my package is in Concepcion!

PSS cambios are next week the 4th, I should be home on the 29 June CHAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Power of Study and Prayer 3/21/2011

Hola Familia,

How are yall doing this fine day? What’s new? Thank you for the birthday wishes and for the letters this week I love to hear about what is going on with you all. Well 2 weeks left in this cambios and found out in interviews this week that I will be getting a new companion this coming cambio, the 4 April are cambios so it will be a good weekend and have a baptism planned for the 3rd, Byron 15. Clara is doing good. She was confirmed yesterday, she was super happy and I was able to do the confirmation. She will be called to the Primary presidency I think this next week, most new converts don’t receive callings like they should which is sad but not much I can do, just insist and hint towards it but she is doing good and is happy to have received the Holy Ghost. Also this past Saturday we had a stake training meet by Pres Humphrey and talked about the new focus of the missionary work in the mission and everybody loved it. Now we have to make sure it gets done which is the hardest thing here the doing part and stepping up to the plate. But I know with the support of the leaders and the work on our part it will work out and we will see miracles here. There are good leaders and great members but all they need is a boost of energy and a bit of a push and we will get this bus moving again. We can do it. This week was good and most of our efforts this week went towards finding people. We did it through contacts and visiting in-actives and of course asking for references haha, I know the Lord is preparing the people and with our diligent work we will find them and they will accept, we have a lot of great people and prospects but the hard thing is now with school and work at full pace it is hard to find people in their house with time to share. It is disappointing but nothing is impossible if the Lord is with us. Patience is a quality of Christ, not of the natural man haha. I have a lot of work to do. Pres and the assistants gave us a boost of energy and it helped because we had been a little down but I know we will strike gold this week and the fruits of our labors will be many. I was able to gain a stronger testimony of the study of the scriptures and prayer this week, talked with a Baptist preacher this week. As we testified of profetas and apostles, he told us it doesn’t say that in the bible....I thought how does it not? I am not good for remembering scriptures but three came to my mind in this instance that spoke about the profetas and apostoles. many people read the Bible or Book of Mormon and don’t understand it, like me, but if we pray and study and look for the answer we will find it, most people are okay with the explanation of their Pastors or Preachers but in the true Church of Christ we teach that every man should search and ask himself, we should always look for the personal conviction of the truth, that is why so many people are lost because they take other people’s word for it. The Church of Jesus Christ teaches us how to be self sufficient and find the answers for ourselves and feel the spirit ourselves, I love the true church! We had a good adventure yesterday hiking up to Alegre from Bella Vista, we found two oxen in the path and couldn’t get around them so we went bush-wacking.......it didn’t work we came out with thorns and scrapes and Elder Call fell off a 3 meter cliff. I had to bust out the scout skills to save him and then a rock came out from under my foot and I rolled my ankle but all is well I have great videos. It was fun haha good old camping days but was even better in shirt and tie. All is good it was funny another mission story. I caught some more pulgas this week haha they like my blood. We have a bug bomb coming this week. I love you all enjoy the pics and the sunset looking out to the bay from Cerro Alegre. I know the church is true and God does love us, we are His children! I love you all take care. Love Eric

Clara is Baptized, Tsunami Warning/Evacuations and Wild Donkeys? 3/14/2011

Hello family,

Well this week was a bit of a strange one with all that has gone on and the worst thing is that as a missionary you never get the correct info so I am more lost than ever haha. I am good and safe no need to worry or anything like that nothing happened here and well that is it. Nothing much to tell. lol no but it was a good week and well the biggest news was that Clara was baptized yesterday!!!!!!!!!! We are so happy for her and she was super happy too, it was a day much waited for and the miracle happened.

Her pareja got paid last Monday and he left that very same night, the next day Tuesday had a mini cambio with the zone leaders and did a follow up interview with her and all is good for her baptism, she was nervous and very excited the whole week she told us it felt like time was passing very slow and she thought Sunday would never get there. During the week we planned out the baptism to do it in the river like she wanted to and told everyone about it, she was so happy and invited all her neighbors and her friends to come and to participate in her baptism, her son Wladimir (6) kept asking when she would be getting baptized because wanted to see it too, well Friday we woke up to a lot of rain and a taste of the winter to come in the next couple months, it rained all day and then talking about the cold weather and stuff on Saturday we decided with Clara, El Obispo and us that it would be better to do the baptism in the pila at the church because of all the mud at the river it would be hard to get to, Clara was a little down but it was the best also didn’t want her and her kids to get sick and to take them out in cold weather would be worst, she was still stoked though and it was a wonderful baptism. I felt honored to be able to baptize her. I had to hold back the tears because it was something she had worked so hard for and Elder call and me too. We found her my first week her in Tomé almost 4 months ago, she and was ready and willing to live and obey the commandments she attended church for 4 months straight, it was the little thing about her pareja that was the problem, but it was fixed with much fasting and prayer.

Clara’s dad came to support her in her baptism and the member stayed too, the sprit was strong and her dad told me he had felt good and could tell the difference. When we first started to share with Clara he hated us and didn’t let us in the house and as he saw the changes in her life he softened his heart and we have formed a good relationship with him. He is a good man who loves his family and it might take year for him to join the church but I know he will. It was a great day. I know the Lord is preparing people and they are waiting for missionaries or a church member to invite them to share and receive blessings. It doesn’t hurt to invite, nobody can get offended by an invitation! We as members or better said missionaries need to invite and that is it.

On Friday we were informed by members and the mission about the terremoto and that night we had to go up to the house of the missionaries in 18 de sept, to sleep. They gave us 2 mattresses and 2 blankets for the 4 of us, it ticked me off because we didn’t sleep all night and froze to death. The next morning found blankets extra in the house....it was worse than snow camping! oh well we woke up to everything normal and went home to shower and to rest a very little and out to work and we were dead that day because we hadn’t slept all night. There was a stake missionary work training Saturday afternoon and got cancelled but we did have 5 of the 15 in English class. Next week will be better because there won’t be a tsunami jaja,

Well I got the start of the trunky emails from the mission asking airport and other info and it is just the start oh well asi es but I am not trunky I wish I could extend but it would be impossible, I love missionary work I am not the best missionary but I sure do love it, it is the best. Time seems to be flying by but I am not trunky I am just focused on one day at a time and that is all that matters.

Oh my gosh so I have to tell you this well I am a fleas bestfriend, I guess my blood is really sweet because pulgas love to suck my blood, anyway in the other missionaries house where we slept Friday night, there was a pulga that was chewing me up all night on my legs an have about 10 bites or more. It must have came home with me and after many hours of trying to catch it, he made a bad jump onto my desk and I caught it and I glued it into my journal I sent you all a pic!!!! I hate pulgas but they love me but I will have to suffer a little more. I use that stuff I brought from the states but it doesn’t help it just make me smell weird. The thing is that in houses and in the street they get in our clothes and we cannot control it. I have tried everything, and it doesn’t work but I will tough it out and continue killing them and saving there bodies as evidence haha, oh well don’t worry I just wanted to tell you my cool story of pulga hunting they are huge here!

I sent pics of me and Elder Call feeding wild donkeys out by the river. They were so cute but he wouldn’t let me mount one and have a John Wayne moment...oh well it was cute but I know it had caulquier desaease I fed it nicely but if you look at Elder Call’s pic he was abusing the poor thing he was beating a defenseless animal with a stick, poor donkey it was just looking for food. If the horses had been closer....maybe I would have ridden one no just kidding haha I wouldn’t do it haha. It was a good week and look forward to another good on this week, have entrevistas this Wed and hope they turn out good haha. I love you all so much and I hope you are all good and hope you have a good week. I love you all and know I am doing the right thing preaching the true gospel of Christ, take care love you all. Love Eric

Japan Earthquake Tsunami Warnings in Chile March 11 &13, 2011

Sunday, March 13, 2011 11:13 Dear Parents, In the end, Chile was not affected much by the Japan's terrible tsunami. It was very interesting that in Easter Island--owned by Chile, which is closer to Japan than Chile,the effects were imperceptible. HOwever, in Dichato, a community that received wide-spread destruction last year, got an almost 6 foot wave wash into town for 2 km. There was not any damage. THere isn't much left to wash away. Ssome boats were tipped over. . THe fact is. THe owner of them, a large one, has been repairing it since last year. By the end of the day, it was arrighted. THere was a lot of mud. The other costal cities in our mission were fine. Elder Fullmer and Elder Wall live in a house way up the hill and 3 km from the sea. They reported hearing an alarm go off at 3AM. Afterwards they were able to go back to sleep. We are grateful. Hermana Fischbeck ************************************************************************************ Friday March 11, 2011 12:15 pm Dear Parents, As a precaution, we are telling our missionaries located in costal cities to be on higher ground until after the wave hits us in Chile and we see what strength it will have. Effective at 5pm Chile time. por Pdte. Humphrey *********************************************************************************** Friday, March 11 2011 7:36 am Dear Parents All is well on the coast of Chile after the big earthquake and tsunami in Japan. Our hearts and prayers go for them in Japon. Hna. Fischbeck

A Week of Ups and Downs 3/7/2011

hola Queridos Fanaticos, how are yall doing? whats new? welll thank you for your letters and thank you for your prayers, DON´T GET TRUNKY! yes i still wear my tie every fast sunday haha hay que hacerlo! it is still looking youngthough i think the tie wants to stay for two sundays more..........it wouldnt be bad......haha i guess we wil find out wont we hhaha, no extentions dont exist anymore, that sucks oh well. think in the present. haha What we do now is important. haha. Well to start of i am good living! Well there was a bit of bad news this week, Called Clara on friday to make sure her pareja got paid andwas ready to leave and well there was nothing but bad news, he didnt get paed and so she wasn´t able to get baptized, he issuposed to leave today and need to call her, she was down about it and i was devestated....it sucked but we are planning for this coming sunday and it willhappen she has come to far to lose it now the lord will provide. to add to the drama she got sick and wasnt able to go to church and we couldnt get ahold of her.....it was panic for us in the church, and to put a car on the already bad week we didnt have any inv in church.....but i know it will get better, it depends de mi and my work and faith. you know i always remember in moments when i want to point a finger something a person of age taught,´´ when we point with one finger, there are 3 that are pointing back at us´´ -(i think you know who i am talking about and if not ASK THE MAN WITH MARBLES IN HIS MOUTH shssssss) yep the only person we can blame is ourselves! What did i do wrong? and , What willi do to change and not do it again¨? thank you you can cal me WISEMAN KUY! haha but in all seriousness its true we are so goodat blame and i nknowi am bad too, but i am a man and i can change....change is part of the plan of salvation!!!!! It was a tough week but elder call and i realized it was bc we had not focused on teaching by the sprit and were teaching to ´´convince´´ not ´´convert´´, we were wrong. but we made so gret metas to help us teach by the spirit and to help convert ppl not convince. that is what makes a difference, the best tachers arent those who know awesome facts and recite scriptures from memory but are those whos have the spirit, teach by it, listen to it, and help others feel it too. the spirit teahcces the truth and testifys of it too. i tell you my misssion was to teach me...haha. we saw the difference in our teaching also i read this week about how every doubt and question about the chruch depends one 2 things, Is joseph Smith a prorhet and is the Book of Mormon true? We Were taeching Elena this week and she had a question about the pope, if we though he was a prophet, i told her that we respect him as a religous leader but that we believe that a man should be called by profecia and by the laying on of hands, we explaineed that the only way to know is by reading and praying about the book of mormon, we shared our testimony and invited her to start reading again and to pray and ask if the book was true, she accepted she said she wasnt just going to read but was going to study the book, i felt the spirit guide me to say that, it took pacience and a quick prayer but he lead me there and it had better results than a different answer i could have given. i hope i can continue in this to be able to help ppl find the true and help them have the desires to know, i know God loves us bc he sends his spirit to testify to us the truth of all things. What better thing could we want, there isn´t anything! Yesterday afternoon did a mini cambio con E Bordolli and did some visits and went to visit Jacqueline , bff of Clara, and i asked ifshe had questions about her reading we left, 2 nefi 31, she said yes and i asked first what did youunderstand.? she said it was about baptism and recieving the spirit, i then told her ask her question and she said ´´What do i need to do to get baptized?´´ good question huh? i thought so too. it was great i asked whyandshe said she wanted to erase her pst and start over again and that she wanted to follow christ, we talked about baptism and the pblessing and i invited her to be baptized on the 27 march she was excitied. it wont be easy bc she has alot to change but she wants to do it and that is the important thing. sooo maybe the numbers werenttoo great this week but i feel that it was a good week and this week will be even better!!!! i donthave any fotos for yall this week but sorry, oh yay had conference on wed in conce and went great i loved it and leraned abunch, i love conference, the hns that got here after me are all going home haha time flies when you re in the mission.i got my bday package.....illtry not to peak......haha i think i can be patient haha. thanks forthe ric of the medlingers good to see them. i love youall so much and love getting your letters. i hope you are all good in ework and keep trecking forward. Hope the baby is good and that everybody is happy!!!!!!!!!!! i love you so much! thanks for the ensign of conference i am about halfway done with it...haha i love readingt the talks bc i can here there voices in my head soo cool......Everything has to do with planes!!!!!! haha I know the gospel is true and that our Heavenly father loves us and sent Jesucristo to save us, i know that this is the only true church on the face of the earth that has the`power of God to bless his children, and i know because i doubted, so i read the Book of Mormon, and i prayed to know if it was true and i felt it in my heart, i felt it and i can never deny what i felt. Jesus Christ lives and has calls prophets in thses days like those of old, He directs His church.It is so simple, ASK AND YE SHALL KNOW. I love the gospel and am thankful for the very same missionaries that sacrificed there lives to brings this marvolous gospel to our family and there is nothing more important in my life than to sacrifice so others can feel the same. Ilove you so much and wish you a greta week take care and READ AND PRAY, it works love you ttyl love Eric I got back an hour on saturday night, I am not looking forward to darker nights I like the sun!!!!!!

Terremoto 1 Year Anniversary February 28, 2011

Hola querida Familia, ¿Que cuetan de la tierra del norte? ¿Cómo están los gentiles por allí? ¿Cómo Se comportan? jaja ¿Cómo están ustedes? Espero que hayan tenido una semana super buena y que tenga una buena esta semana tambien jaja. les quiero tanto! Well this week flew by so fast with the cambios and all at the beginning of the week and them the usual work made the week seem short and here I am again writing you haha. I don’t have much to tell but I will tell it anyway...I tell you my memory is getting really bad have to write everything down and I have gotten lazy about writing in the journal I am a week behind no sé but I am just so dead without deseos to write but need to do it. This week we worked super hard with Clara to get her ready for here baptism date on the 6 March this coming week and she had her entrevista and everything and she is good to go!!!!!!!!!! Wooooooohoooooo! I am so stoked and she wants to get baptized in the river and call to get permission and got it so Sunday afternoon we are going to the river it will be so cool and a lot of members should come to we are tell everybody. I don’t know who will baptize her but it isn’t important what is important is that she will be baptized, they are already talking abut a calling for her. So awesome she is so ready and she is so happy. She is inviting all her friends and family to come too. I cannot wait to tell you all about the baptism this week. Tonight we are having a NDH at the family Alarcon, where I did my phone call, if you remember Kelliee....the little girl that came in during the call haha at their house haha, Clara and her kids are going and also her friend Jacqueline and her kids and also a neighbor Byron so it will be super fun and we are making some goodies to eat, it will be so fun. We received an awesome reference from the office on last Monday made the contact. It is so good, se llama Mirta, she had been praying to find the true church and her work partner sent in the referral she has a lot of deseos to learn but her work schedule is hard but it is a detail no mas haha. We found some good new people to teach and also were able to see some of the menos activa famlies we teach progress also. We met a menos activo, Carlos, he is a man who lived the american dream, he went to the USA at age 17 and studied and worked and became a doctor, joined the church young and worked in a hospital for 30 years and he moved back to Chile but he has problems with the culture he hates it and he said he wants to go back to Mexico or the USA to his old ward. He speaks perfect English and Spanish he is a cool guy and are helping him go back to the ward here because we need members like him here. He has a great life story and told us a little but I would love to hear more he is a cool guy. The new elder that got here is Elder Demann he is a cool guy from Murray Utah, Elder Thomas my MTC companion is from there also. We have had good times in the house and did a deep cleaing this week in the house and the spirit is so strong now haha “cleanliness is next to Godliness” haha, this morning we went and made pan amasado with Hermano Domingo and made it with chicharones! It is fried fat and carnes oh the pan is soooooooooo good and with queso mejor haha I love it. I am going to teach him how to made cinnamon rolls next time haha so good haha. It is chill and hope to have a chill p-day and rest up a bit. Yesterday was the 1 year anniversary of the terremoto here and well there have been some small ones but nothing to worry about. They did a memorial program here and n Dichato, but time has gone and stuff is better no need to worry if you repent and live the commandments! Well it was a great week and I look forward to another good one this week with a lot of exito!!!! Thanks for sending the package and hope I don’t get fatter........I am up to 96.2 kilos.......not good my clothes fit the save but my stomach is a little bigger and my legs look like tree stumps from climbing the hills here everyday but my companion said he would sacrifice and run with me in the morning three days a week to try to lose weight and I have cut out all snacking because I cannot gain weight, oh well that is the life! I love this work and I feel so blessed everyday to think that the Lord chose me to do it. I am not capable to do it but I know if I seek the Lord and the spirit He will bless me with the strength and knowledge so I can do it. I know this is the true church and I know because I have felt it and I ask frequently to know if I am doing what is right and He always answers yes. The gospel is easy the commandments are too but we make them hard we complicate things and we are the ones who bring the consequences upon ourselves not God we do it. I love the gospel and I love to teach it too. I love this work and love to help others understand it too. I love you so much and hope you have a great week Love Eric

"When you are in the service of your fellow man you are the service of your God" 2/21/2011

Hola ¿Cómo Están?,
¡despertaos! y ¡escuchaos a mis palabras! nojust kidding, well I was so glad to be able to hear a little from everyone of you and I know you all are busy but I sure do love to receive save it be a sentence from you all . Thank You. This week was a good one but it went by fast and slow you could say, time is weird now because Elder Call and I were talking about the cambio and we realized that Eliana was baptized this cambio and it felt like such a long time ago so weird time flies by and for me it goes by too fast to keep track of it all. Thanks to my agenda I at least know what day it is.
Today is the start of a new cambio and I am still here in Tomé and Elder Call and I will be together for at least one more cambio. He is the 3rd companion that I have been with for 3 cambios....weird huh I guess it means I still have a lot to learn from him 6 weeks worth of stuff haha. Elder Huerta is going north to Talca and those are the changes in the house and Elder Deman is coming down from Talca, but I will stay here for 6 weeks more. More time to find the chosen ones here in Tome. So, today will be a chill day and tomorrow is a mission wide cleaning day but is cambios too so it means that Elder Call and I will have to clean solo oh well that is how it goes. I think I will go backwards telling you about my week because yesterday is most fresh in my head I think.....
Yesterday was stake conference and we had a transmission from Salt Lake City; Elder Maynes, Hermana Dalton, Elder Christofferson, and Elder Packer spoke. Elder Christofferson served his mission with Pres Humphrey and speaks Spanish very well and also Elder Maynes spoke in Spanish, Hermana Dalton was translated and Elder packer started his talk in Spanish and ended too....he tried his best, if was a good conference and talked abut missionary work a lot. They broadcasted to about 40 stakes and districts in Chile and told all youth under the age of 25 to prepare to go on a mission because the % of missionaries Chilenos is super low to all those who have the age to go on the mission. It was great and Clara came and she loved it she was in awwww, she said “I cannot believe I just heard 2 apostles talk” it was cool. The other Elders had a baptism last night and Clara came and we were able to share a message with her. She told us that the conference did her good and was what she needed. She set her fecha for the 5 of marzo, she said she was going to do all it took to get baptized that day. She is so awesome and is so ready. I am so thankful for the gospel because it has saved Clara from the pit where she was and even though she hasn’t gotten baptized yet, but will, that she is in a safer place now with friends and help from the members. The members have done their part and more, I have seen them make sacrifices that most others wouldn’t do and why? Because they love our Savior and they love their brother and sisters. Love is the first and greatest commandment because if we love -God we will follow His Son JesuCristo and live his commandments and we will help others to do the same. I have noticed lately and it has humbled me too.
I know that the Lord called me to serve a mission, not to teach, but to be taught! I have learned so much and as I told Elder Call yesterday, “Now that we have learned and know these things and how to be good leaders and how to teach and live the gospel we cannot NOT do it, because we would be liars” and I know that is true the Lord is our master and teacher and He changes us it is part of the plan of happiness, if we don’t leave this earth better than we came we have failed.....I have been applying this in my teaching and my life. If I am not willing to change or think I cannot do it I am saying that the plan of salvation cannot be done...change is the plan, change from bad to perfect and it can be done because JesuCristo did it and He came to show us the way.
Friday night we had another noche de hogar at the church building, Clara and her friend Jackie came and there were a couple members. It went good and was fun, just need to get more members to come because we need there help. That is the point of the noche de hogar but it was fun and well that is all that matters. Thursday was a day of a lot of walking and it was a
good day igual.
Taught Jose and Filomena early in the week and they are very confused with the apostasy and resurrection but the thing they need to do it pray. They are good people but need to pray, I know they will be baptized. They are a great family.
That is all the big news from the week, I forgot all the other stuff. My mind is so horrible I cannot remember what I ate yesterday .
Well I have got to go and cannot wait to hear from you all next week and hope there is big news again good news. I love you so much and I know the church is true and that the Lord loves us. Stay strong and don’t let go. I love you all so much and hope you have a great week.!!!!! Love you Chau Love Eric