Trio

Date: March 11, 2013
Area: Santiago, Chile
Companion: Elder Perez

Hola Familia,

There was a TON that happened this week. It was loco.

We did the practice in front of all the different zone leaders and it actually went really well. We practiced the night before and thankfully we had good people to plan for this week. We had to plan the baptisms in the demonstration =) haha. But it was actually kind of fun.

Thanks for the prayers this last week, they were much needed and much felt.

This week, like I said, was a bit crazy. We have been rushing around the whole sector everyday and its fun but tiring... I guess thats the mission life. So prepare yourself Spencer, you are about to have your two most tiresome years but they will also be the two years in which you learn the most. I wouldn`t trade them for anything. I feel really happy and great this change.

But the whole week was crazy. We had to do a capacitacion for the ward missionaries on tuesday which was good. We are finally getting the ward to wake up a little bit and to help us in the missionary work. We are teaching much more with the members which really is the key to missionary work. Spencer, remember that. The key is to work with the members.

We had to plan the baptism for this Sunday and it was kind of loco. I know baptisms usually are loco but it was really crazy this week. There were three that were goign to be baptized this last Sunday. One is Alex, a 13 year old boy from Peru. He is great. He was ready and excited for his baptism. Everything went smoothly there. Then there was Patricio and Natalia and they had to have a special interview Sunday morning before the sacrament meeting with Presidente Essig because they were both drug trafficers! haha crazy, they have made some crazy changes in their lives. The gospel has helped them so much and its incredible to see that. But this last week Natalia had a really rough week. When we do good things there is always someone there who doesn`t want us to do those good things and who doesn`t want us to progress and so she had a rough week before her baptism. She used to smoke a lot and the whole week before her baptism she was really worried about smoking and falling. So she had the interview with Pres Essig and she came out and decided that she didn`t feel ready for that reason and that she wanted to wait some more time. Her husband, Patricio, was more than ready and he took the step and was baptized on Sunday. Now he will be there to help her make the step. We had a lesson with her last night and it went really well. She knows that she needs to be baptized and is going to do it next Sunday. So please pray for Natalia this week.

Also we had a surprise on Friday night at about 11. Presidente Essig called me (when he used to call I was always scared and nervous but I have talked to him so often recently that it doesn`t bother me at all, I like talking to him) but he told me and Elder Perez that we would be getting another companion in the morning (Saturday morning). His name is Elder Bolaños. President explained that he was here in the mission about a year ago and that he had to go home for a little while and now he is coming back out to the mission. He basically wanted us to keep an eye on him while he is here. I was a little bit nervous about getting him, because of what President Essig said but he got here and it really seems that the time at home has served him because he seems like a great Elder. He has lots to learn but he seems good. I am pretty excited. Too bad this change is going to end in two weeks, its a short change. Oh well!

Also I had to have a temple recommend interview with President Essig this week after the Zone Leader Conference and it was kind of fun. Its funny cause he talked more about personal things than about the stuff in the actual interview. He talked about the family about sports about the mission and what things I though should be changed. It was pretty fun ahah.

But anyway, I don`t want to bore you all with my letter. I hope you all are doing great and that you have a great week. The time is flying! we are already halfway through MARCH! CRAZY!

love,

Elder Holland