April 26, 2016 - Cold Mornings

Hola familia y amigos,

This week has reminded me of the beginning of my mission. I forgot that here in Santiago during the spring it gets really cold in the morning and then hot during the afternoon. The houses aren't heated so the temperature inside is just about what it is outside. Ooh its chilly in the morning!

On Wednesday we got to teach Juan and Maria. They are an older married couple. Juan is pretty Catholic, and Maria is Catholic but has a lot of questions about the Church and she wants to learn everything. She has little time and we can only teach her every other week, but she really wants us to visit her.

On Thursday, we were able to teach Johana and Felipe Godoy. They are both recent converts that haven't gone to church in a while. After two years as a missionary, I still don't understand why people can be so enthused about going to church and then stop going so rapidly. Retention is a very serious job we have here in Santiago Norte, and we are hoping that the reactivation of these converts will help them take the gospel to their friends and family that are not members.

On Friday, I got to go on an interchange with the assistants. I was with Elder Simmons from Star, Idaho. It was interesting because Elder Simmons is legally blind, so I had to help him cross the street and make sure that he didn't run into anything, but he is an amazing missionary that does a great job talking with the people!

On Saturday, we got to teach Henry again. It was an awesome lesson because the Stake President lives on the same street as him and the Sake President came with us! Henry really enjoyed the visit. He doesn't quite feel ready to go to church because he is just starting to learn about us. He`s relatively shy when he is around other people, so it is going to be a challenge to help him come to church.

We also taught all of our Haitian investigators Saturday night. The Haitians are really worked hard here in Chile and taken advantage of. They work a lot and only have Saturday afternoon and Sunday to rest and do all of their things, but even like that they let us visit them and teach them the gospel.

On Sunday, David, Hertz, and Ernest (3 Haitians) and Jaime (a Chilean) came to church. Jaime is a friend of a member. He stayed the second hour to hear the classes and he really liked the class. We scheduled an appointment with him for that night, but he wasn't there...things happen.

We got to teach Valentina and her family. Valentina is a recent convert here in this sector. Her parents aren't members because her father has a drinking problem, but he said he really wanted to stop drinking and get baptized, so we are going to see if he can really stop drinking. Valentina`s father`s name is Mauricio, so we will need some prayers for him.

We also got to teach a new investigator named Robinson. He is Chilean. We actually contacted his wife the other day, and when we stopped by to see if she was there, he let us in and heard our message. He was really interested in it, and he allowed us to visit him again. He had a lot of questions about the Book of Mormon, so we will see how it goes.

Yesterday, we got to teach a new investigator named Karina. She is from Peru, and she has two little boys that are autisitic. She really wants to know what she can do to help her boys grow up believing in God and protected from such a bad world. She accepted our invitation to go to church and bring her kids to Primary.

We also got to teach Antonio. He is a Peruano from Chimbote. He is doing really well and he accepted a baptismal date for the end of May. It is really fun and interesting scheduling a baptismal date knowing that you aren't going to be there.

Today we cleaned the house and had a huge taco lunch with the other missionaries from the zone.

I would like to bare my testimony this week about the importance of scripture study. I know that scripture power is something real. I sang songs about it in Primary, but now I feel that song of redeeming love inside of me. I know that if we really study the scriptures like we would study for a finals exam, we will learn the secrets of heaven and we will feel the Spirit more fully in our lives.

Love,

Elder Williams

April 19, 2016 - Contacts in the Rain

Hola familia y amigos,

Not too sure about what headlines make their way to the USA from Chile but this weekend was super crazy. there were record rains that left down town  Santiago flooded with water. Everything is alright now, but it was crazy. Also, on Saturday and Sunday, the water of all of the Santiago region was cut because of problems in the mountains. Luckily we had water stored away for a rainy day (: it was funny though. no one had water and it was raining a ton outside!

This week went great. We got to teach a recent convert and his non member wife. Bernabè and Lela are really awesome, and Lela would get baptized if she could only stop smoking. We are going to try to help her do that, so prayers are needed this way.

On Thursday, we did some visa paperwork and licensing stuff. We were in the city hall of Santiago and we waited for 2 hours and nothing happened, so we just left and went to work, and planned to do it another day.

We were able to teach Karen and Leonela. They were two references from some members in our ward. Leonela and her deaf sister, Karen invited us over with their member friends (Leroy and Tamara) so we could teach them. It went okay. There were some fussy kids in the lesson, so it was tough to keep it controlled. Sometimes I wonder if the children really are of the kingdom of God...

We also got to teach Claudia and her family with the help of Efraìn. Claudia is less active and her two children: Angela and Jeremìas aren't baptized. It was nice to teach them with Efraìn because Claudia has cancer and so does Efraìn. Actually, Efraìn`s cancer is terminal so Claudia was really impressed that he came to with us to teach her. They committed to going to church

We also taught Alexis this week. We taught him about the word of wisdom. He also smokes and we are helping him quit. He also committed to go to church.

On Friday I got to do an interchange with Elder Pimentel. He is from Rio de Janeiro Brazil. He is new in the mission and doesn't speak a lot of Spanish. We had a great day and we were able to teach Pablo and Aurora. They are old investigators that have a lot of doubts about Joseph Smith and the Book ofM ormon. We are really trying to help them feel through the Spirit that the Book of Mormon is true. The Book of Mormon can appear so strange if someone doesn't have that testimony from God that it is true.

On Saturday, we taught our Haitan friends. All of our pamphlets and books arrived in French so now we can really start teaching. Saturday morning we taught Henry. We taught him last week, and we thought he was drunk, but now when we taught him he was really receptive and wasn't drunk. He is a father that is about 50 years old and has been really stressed because of his work that he is now looking for more peace. We were able to teach him Monday night as well. he said that if he feels this is true he will get baptized. I love it when people say that because that is where the real missionary work begins.

On Sunday, no one went to church. We went to pick up investigators in the rain and no one wanted to come with us. The Bishop told me last minute that he needed some to give a talk, so he asked me to do it. It came out alright. It made me think back to my Easter Island days when I gave a talk almost once a month.

Yesterday, we were able to teach Marcelo. He is a man we contacted last week that is passing through some hard family times. He is also 50 years old and is very nice. He let us in right away and he is also trying to see if the Book of Mormon is true. 

This morning, I went to a session in the temple for the first time in about a year and a half. It was excellent! I learned so much. I love the peace the temple brings. I also got to participate in proxy sealings in the temple (as one of the children) it was an awesome experience and it made me appreciate the dedication of my parents to the Lord and His Gospel. The faith of my parents blessed me automatically and I am so thankful for having been born unto them. thanks Mom and Dad!

Love,

Elder Williams

April 12, 2016 - So hard to say goodbye

Hola familia y amigos,

This week was so crazy!!! Seriously tons of things have happened.

On Wednesday we were in a zone conference all day with the President. We talked about area`s plan to increase Sabbath Day worship, temple attendance, and self sufficiency. A the end of zone conferences they always let the missionaries that go home give their testimonies. After seeing two years worth of zone conferences it was finally my turn to do it and say goodbye to the mission. Don't worry, I said goodbye but I keep working like I arrived in Chile yesterday.

On Thursday we spent a good chunk of the day doing all of my visa paperwork and procedures. That meant waiting in a lot of lines and talking with people from different parts of the world. We always run into other missionaries and other gringos there and its fun to talk with them.

That night we got to teach angel and Claudia and Jeremias. They are a family. Claudia is a member of the Church but her two children, Angela and Jeremias aren't members. Claudia has cancer so usually they have to take care of her and they aren't able to go to church but we are working to see if they can switch off who goes which Sunday so they can attend church and get baptized.

On Friday I went on an intercambio with Elder Arce. He`s the same Elder Arce that was in the same ward as me in Quilicura. Iit was awesome to be with him again. He was working really hard and we were able to receive a lot of references from the members.

On Saturday we worked a ton. We taught Jimmy, Adler, and David. they are all Haitians. They all live in different houses and we teach them in Spanglish.T hey have a lot of faith and want to go to church.

We also received a lot of references from the members. The members are really stepping it up here in San Pablo. They are really helping with the work.

On Sunday we had Jimmy, Jimmy`s cousin, and David at church. One member invited a friend named Jaime to church and the non member husband of a member came. We had 5 at church. It was interesting to go to the ward because neither my companion nor I knew anyone! 

After church we taught Antonio. He is an investigator from Peru. He believes that the church is true and is open to baptism so we are going to help him go to church next week.

Yesterday we got to do a fun service project to help some old investigators. We destroyed a floor. We took out a wooden floor with crow bars and hammers and saws. It was a mejor stress reliever. After that we taught Pablo and Aurora. They told us that they had thought about joining the church but then ran into a lot of things on the internet, so now they aren't too sure. It's going to be a big struggle with them, but I know they will find the truth.

This morning we played soccer with the zone. Americans against Latins. They creamed us....but we did get a couple of goals on them.

When I said goodbye to the mission of Wednesday I really realized how much I have come to know the Savior during my mission. I gained a testimony of the divinity of the Restoration of the Church and the Gospel of Jesus Christ before the mission, but it is here that I have really learned that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God. I feel so honored to represent Him and a little confused that He would extend that calling to me. I am excited to work very hard until the last day of my mission because that is what Christ did.

love,

Elder Williams

April 5, 2016 - La Conferencia General

Hola familia y amigos!

This week was insane!!!!! There were so many things we had to do this week and it ended with General Conference, so it was awesome!

On Wednesday we had a leadership meeting with all of the zone leaders together. It was fun to eat lunch with them because the zone leaders are almost all from my group or people that I have met during the mission. We talked about the area initiatives that are going on that focus on the temple, the Sabbath Day, and self sufficiency.

That night we met with a member of the stake presidency who is in charge of missionary work. We are now in the process of planning a Stake missionary work activity.

On Thursday we had district class. There are two new missionaries in our zone. A Chilean from Temuco and a Brazilian Elder. Elder Pimentel, from Brazil, doesn't speak a lot of Spanish, so it was a fun time trying to communicate with him.

Our sector is really big!!! It's huge! We walked a lot and we tried to hunt down the investigators from here, but we didn't have a lot of success, but we found a new investigator named Alexis who is really awesome!

On Saturday and Sunday we had General Conference. I really loved Elder Bednar`s talk about baptism and the reception of the Holy Ghost. That is really going to help us explain the importance of baptism. I also loved Elder Nelson`s talk about power in the Priesthood. It was a great conference weekend. The first half of the afternoon session on Sunday I didn't understand too well because we were watching it in French with some Haitian investigators.

Yesterday we also had a great day. We are working hard here in San Pablo and we are excited to help the members of our zone work with enthusiasm and love of the work!

Love,

Elder Williams

March 29, 2016 - San Pablo

Hola familia y amigos,

Well, this is my last change and it is starting off with a bang. They changed me. I am now a zone leader in San Pablo. I am in a sector named lo Prado. My companion is Elder Andersen from Gilbert, Arizona. We were both changed so this sector got white washed. There is so much to do here, and it looks like I won't have even 1 second to think about the house (just like it should be).

This past week we worked a lot. On Thursday, we found a less active family. They are the Huertas family. They were really nice. They have a daughter named Genesis who is 18 who isn't baptized. The family is really interesting because they used to go to church but about 15 years ago they stopped going and now the mom goes to a Pentecostal church. Not sure how that happened but they were really receptive and want to return, but are going to need some real help to do it.

On Friday, we taught Hugo and Lorena. They committed to going to church this Sunday. They are doing well. We lent them our dvd`s about the Restoration and they loved them. They want to go to church but I think they still are afraid about not knowing many members of the church. 

We also taught Pilar and her family in a family home evening we had with them. It was really nice and without really knowing it was kind of a going away party.

Pilar and her family

On Saturday, we found a new young man named Benjamin that served a mission for the Catholic Church for a week. When we knocked his door he let us in right away. He said "it was really lame when people didn't let me in, do you want to come in?"

On Sunday, we taught the Alberto family. They committed to a baptismal date, but it looks like they are going to have some problems because the grandmother of the family is going to visit from Peru and she is a Seventh Day Adventist and isn't too big on her daughter listening to the Mormons...I`ll be praying for Elder Barillas and for them.

On Sunday we also helped Gabriel, a new investigator, come to church. He is really shy but he liked it a lot, and he also accepted a baptismal date.

I said goodbye to a lot of people (the pictures of that are found in the photos email I sent).

I'm excited to be here in lo Prado. It's going to be an adventure. I'm really going to miss Elder Barillas. I love him a lot, and I know he`s stressing a little bit about leading the sector, but I know he`ll do just fine.

That`s it for this week. I am excited for this new opportunity to serve new people and new missionaries, and I will endure to the end!

Love,

Elder Williams                                                                                                       

March 22, 2016 - Lucky number 7

Hola familia y amigos

There are no changes this week because this week is a 7 week transfer. The extension of the MTC time has made us spend one more week in this change.

On Wednesday, we didn't enter a single house. We contacted the whole day and set up appointments with other people. On our way home we were a little tired and without hope after being rejected more than 20 times that day, but as we were walking to our house a guy got out of his car and shouted "Hey, you guys, come and teach me about Jesus". We at first thought he was drunk, but when we talked with him he told us that he never had time to hear the missionaries and he was sitting in his car waiting for someone and thought, "you know what, I'm going to hear what they have to say". His name was Pablo, he lives in another mission, so we taught him there in the street and sent the reference to Santiago west. It looks like there are people that do want to hear us but you have to look the whole day for them.

On Thursday, we taught Nelson and Katia. They are older investigators. They are a lot more willing to do commitments now. We shared with them the new video the Church has done for Easter.

On Saturday, we found a new Peruvian family. They were really interested and it was awesome because they committed to reading the Book of Mormon and we asked them why and they said. "because we want to know if all of this is true"! I love it when people understand the message.

We also taught Gabriel. He is a young guy we found. He read the chapter we left with him and we taught him the Plan of Salvation. He loved it. He had so many questions, and we are really happy with how he is progressing. He looks happier every time we visit him.

On Saturday night we were invited to the adult session of stake conference. An Area Seventy from Argentina came and taught us about the importance of working with the young men and women from the stake.

On Sunday we had stake conference. We were waiting for 3 investigators to come and no one showed up and President Videla was there. We did all we could but no one came..

That afternoon we taught a lot of people including a part member family that is from Peru. The dad has the priesthood and his wife doesn't know much about the Church but is really willing to investigate. 

Yesterday we taught the Murillos Caceres family. They told us that they want to get baptized, but with all of the family drama that they are going through they cant do it right now.It's the same problem with Christian, too many family problems.

I know that the gospel blesses families. My parents taught it to me and look where I am. I know that families based upon the principles of the Gospel are more like to achieve true happiness in this life than any other means.

Love,

Elder Williams

March 15, 2016 - Challenges in the Font

hola familia y amigos,

We ran into some challenges this week, but the work of the Lord continues!

On Thursday, we had a great day. We taught Miguel Angel, a less active young man that we have been helping in the house of one of the ward´s high priests. It was great, and then we left with Miguel to teach Lorena. Lorena is part of the Murillos Caceres family.  Hugo, the dad of the family was in Antofagasta working, so we went with Miguel to be able to teach her, and the lesson helped a lot. She could finally see how the members of the church were and she felt a lot more comfortable with us knowing that there are members of the Church that are just like her that also had to really work to get an answer. We hope that Miguel gets the missionary work bug.

On Friday, we tried to find Luis, the older investigator that recently had a stroke. We stopped by about 4 times this week and we couldn't find him. We are worried that they sent him to the hospital to live because he had mentioned a couple of weeks ago that that was an option.

We also taught Mario on Friday. he wants to get baptized , but he goes to Iquique in about 2 weeks and he´ll be there for about 3 months, so he might get baptized in Iquique.

We also taught a new family from Valdivia. We taught them about the Restoration. Elisa and Franco were interested a little bit, but didn't show a desire to open up to new ideas, but during the lesson, their friend Sergio arrived and he was really interested and asked if we could stop by again to read the Book of Mormon with him. We obviously said yes!

On Saturday, we had an awesome lesson with the alberto family. brother Navarro came with us and Juliana was really impressed with him. he is a recent convert of about 4 years and he is the high priest group leader. he bore a very powerful testimony and Juliana was really impressed. we read with her from the book of mormon and that really helped because we realized that she hasnt been reading too much because she wasnt understanding it. we helped her understand how Lehi left everything behind to follow the Lord and how Nephi prayed to know if that is what he had to do as well. we asked her to apply that in her life and she committed to praying about if she needs to join the church.

on Sunday we had a special Stake transmission. We had confirmed with Christian and Miguel Angel and some other people about going to the Stake Center with us, but no one arrived! The transmission was from Salt Lake to all of the churches in Chile. Elder Nelson was presiding and he spoke in Spanish!!!!

After that we called Christian to see what happened and he told us that because of some family problems he wouldn't be able to meet with us for a while, but he will keep going to church. We were kind of bummed because he was going to get baptized this next week, so Satan is working hard on him.

In the afternoon we had a great lesson with Gabriel, a young man we found last week. He was really able to understand how the gospel could make him happy. He told us "I'm not the type of person that is always happy" we asked him "would you like to be that type of person?". He said "yes" and we read about how the obedience to commandments is what makes us happy. The Book of Mormon really does apply to us specifically and perfectly.

One last funny thing. Sunday, we found some new Haitian investigators. One of them likes to preach the gospel on street corners and he said "here in Chile, I scream 'God loves you, God loves you', and the people don't do anything. they don't even look at me. I've lived in the Dominican Republic and people with beer bottles in their hands used to stop and say 'amen'. The people here don't believe in God. In Santiago there are thousands of churches and all of them are empty". They were powerful words, and I know that the people of Santiago aren't the most receptive when it comes to missionary work, but I know that the Lord prepares His chosen children and it is my job to find them and teach them.

Love,

Elder Williams

March 8, 2016 - Day at the Museum

Hola familia y amigos,

This week was a lot of fun, and we got to have some great moments,

On Wednesday, we got to teach Luis. He is an older man we have been teaching. He has a hard time remembering things because he suffered a stroke about 6 months ago and he is still recuperating from that. He has a hard time remembering how to pray. He doesn't remember to end in the name of Jesus Christ, and gets confused about what to say to Him, so we've been helping him with that.

We also taught Christian that night. he is progressing really well. He´s working on a baptismal goal for a couple of more weeks, so we will see what happens. He is really brave, because he is preparing himself even though baptism seems really big to him. He is taking it step by step.

On Thursday, we got to teach Leonor and Miguel Angel. Leonor is a recent convert, and she is doing great. She is serving in the Primary and we are working with her so she can go to the temple. Miguel is also doing well. He didn't go to church this Sunday because he had to work, but he is reading and praying and he goes to church when he has Sundays free.

That night we had another family home evening with Pilar. She invited her two sons, and some of her grandchildren. The Bishop and his family came with us, and we had a great time. I made 60 chocolate chip cookies and everyone ate all of them. Chileans love cookies. Pilar gave the spiritual thought and  lead an analysis about 1 Nefi 21. She also lead an analysis from the Isaiah chapters. She is doing awesome!

On Friday, I went on an interchange with Eder DaRosa because we had to do some visa paperwork in Santiago center, so it was a fun time waiting in lines. 

After that we got to teach Luis again. He was finally able to pray. We had to whisper in his ears to help him do it, but he was able to do it! It was great and he felt really great.

On Saturday, we taught a ton of people in the houses of members. In the afternoon, we taught Christian in the house of Sister Villablanca, and we taught the Alberto family in their house, but Pílar came with us. After that we were going to teach Jorge (Pilar´s oldest son) but he was busy and couldn't. They were all great lessons, and we were able to really help the Alberto family with their doubts about the Sabbath day because it turns out that Juliana, Alberto´s sister is a Seventh Day Adventist, so we had to explain a couple of things.

Sunday, the two parents from the Aberto family came to church, Christian came, and Katia came. The testimonies were really great.

We got to eat lunch with the Montero family. They made us Peruvian food that was really spicy, and Elder Barillas does not like hot food, so he suffered a little bit. The Montero family is less active and they aren't doing too well.T hey've stopped praying and they don't see the big deal about it, so we are worried about them, and they aren't excepting the commitments we leave with them....prayers for them would be nice

Yesterday, we taught a family from Valdivia, and it was a very nice lesson. We also taught the father of the Alberto family who committed to living the Sabbath day. It is incredible the humility that Enrique exemplifies. He knows now that it is a commandments and now he wants to live it, even though he is really used to working Sundays. Amazing!

Today, we went to a museum in our mission. There were lots of stuffed animals, so that was fun. Elder Barillas and I hope you enjoy the pictures!

Penguins!

That's it for this week. I know that if we pray with faith the Lord will bless us. What does it mean to pray with faith?It means to pray a plan to God, expecting to do it, and expecting that He will bless you. My prayers have changed a lot. I don't pray so people come to church. I pray so that I can pick them up and take them to church. I know that God hears our prayers

love,

Elder Williams