River Rafting in June

AHLO

It is good to here that everyone is sweating in utah. I think that all your sweat drops up there are 
falling as rain here in El Quisco. Yesterday was a holiday and I am honestly not sure what one it 
was... Some like San Juan thing or something but it was a good day to go out and work and find 
lots of people in there houses because nobody was going to work. 

Today we played soccer as a zone I was just thinking how we would have taken out the trash if Mitchell and Sam were there playing too. It was fun though I got to play on the same team as Elder Tiev this time. 

It is wet and rainy but it is awesome because since we can´t go on the beach it gives us the feeling like we are on it becaue we get wet and walk on the sandy streets! haha 

But in Missionary news we found a family last week who was super cool. The mom was a member from when she was little but we thought nobody else was. But this week we shared with them and found out that the dad is a member as well! So now they just need one of their kids baptized and the family is all complete. So that is way awesome. We taught them about the plan of salvation which is such a great knowledge that we have that a lot of the world doesnt know about that god has a plan for us and that this life has a purpose. Imagine what that would be like if we didnt know.

It is crazy how many people speak english up here... and pretty well too. Out of every 15 people we talk to probably one speaks english or lived in the united states for a while. So that is pretty cool that we get to speak english out on the streets every once in a while. 

Yesterday while we were walking through the forest the little river that usually has a good little bridge over it was actually overflowing so there was no bridge and we just had to get a little wet and wild and get through the river anyway... we fell a few times but got home without anything to crazy happening. 

It sounds like everyone back home is working hard this summer! I hope all the camps go well and that you have lots of fun. I hope I see lots of pictures about how it went!!

Chao Chao,

Elder Holdstock

AAHHHLOO

Week one from the coast has come to a close but it has been a great one! We had a baptism this week... not really but kind of.. haha. So what happend is that at the end of last change the other sector in our ward baptized a little 8 year old girl. Because our ward is huuuuge so there are four missionaries in it. But turns out that the missionary that baptized her used his left arm... and that doesnt fly... you have to use your right arm to baptize someone... but they realized the mistake and so we had to baptize her again... but she ended up choosing elder Clements to baptize her this time because the other missionary had had transfers. Anyway we got her baptized again and this time it counts. except she didnt show up yesterday to get confirmed soooo she might have to get baptized 3 times.... haha.

This week I have just been getting to know the sector because it is very large. It is like 5 different coastal cities. I dont think I will ever know all of it. I have been feeling like I am on the oregon coast because there is tons of forest but it is right on the beach too. It is way pretty.

When it rains out here it pours. on friday we had a training in a different part of the mission so we had to take a bus out for that... but when we got back home it was raining sooo hard holy. we ran home and found that all our lights are out. so we had to go to the store and buy candles. On the way to the store a huge bus drove by and drennnnnched us it was just really funny. we were soaked. But we got home and lit all the candles right as the power came back.

Look who I found!! Elder Tiev just got here! He is actually in my district. so that is pretty cool.

Sometimes to go from one part of the sector to the other it is faster to go through the forests so we go hiking every once in a while too.... 

Yesterday we had a 4th floor last door moment as we had been knocking doors alll day just trying to find someone and it was super late and when it is cold and late the chileans have even more excuses to not let you in... but we got to the end of a super long street and knocked the last house on it and the guy let us in automatically. They were super cool so we hope they can progress lots!

i hope everyone is having a great summer so far!!

Rip it up.

Elder Holdstock

AHHLO

Changes happened yesterday. I am now on the other side of the mission in El Quisco. It is a little beach town. It is one of the biggest sectors in the mission because most of the houses here are empty during the winter because it is like a tourist area where people come from out of town to stay for the summer. And you will never guess who my companion is.... Elder Clements. The guy that you guys met in skype. We actually used to be companions for a few minutes back in my first sector. But now we are officially together. It is kinda crazy! But we are excited. 

My last week in Ochagavia was awesome. We had a lot of cool things happen. I cant remember if I told you about Hector or not.. but Hector is a guy that used to go to church like a long long time ago. But when we knocked on his door. it was super late and so he asked us immediately to come back another day. We went back and taught him and he was super awesome. Anyway this week he had to get to church so that he could work towards his baptism... but the problem is that he is a super involved guy in the community he has a lot of leadership positions in lots of organizations and things like that. But we told him that we really knew that he would love church. We read 1 nephi 3:7 with him which talks about that the lord will prepare that way for us to keep his commandments. And without us saying anything Hector said that he wasnt the type of guy to put things off. So he picked up his phone and called his son to cancel their commitment sunday and then after the lesson went to resign from one of his organizations so that he would be able to go to church on sunday. It was an incredible example of faith that Hector showed. Sometimes you leave lessons and just dont even believe what happened.

I went to say goodbye to mario who is that spouse of the russian orthodox I think I have talked about before. He is a cool guy. but when we were leaving he asked if one of us had a dad that was a doctor... So I said that I did. And he just laughed a little. Then he told us that he had seen like a flash forward sort of thing (He has told us that he has flash forwards sometimes. Like de ja vu but reverse where he sees something that will happen in the future weird I know) But that I was there with his family. And a doctor so that was kinda crazy that he saw that... who knows maybe someday we will all be back here. 

I hope that everyone is getting off to a great start of their summer!! Thanks for keeping me updated on everything! I love hearing from ya. 

Keep on keepin on.

Elder Holdstock

This is Elder Donoso.  He gets left with a member family and they are supposed to share the contents of his backpack with their non-member friends.

Elder Lunt.  This is the companion Clayton just left as he headed for his new area.

Hola hola hola!

we are entering into our last week of the change. The entire mission is pretty much leaving these next 2 changes so we are going to be super super super young. Like we are going to be receiving close to 40 new missionaries in the next 3 months. So things are pretty crazy right now. 

Our week was great though. We have been finding a lot of awesome people this week. Our tactic is we literally just talk to everyone and anyone. If they are in the street in their house doesnt matter we just talk to them. We met this guy named jose this week in the street. Jose has one of the coolest mustaches I have ever seen and is 24 years old. He lives in front of the church actually but has never been in his life. He went with us this last sunday and had a great time. 

We also met a guy named Hector who when we knocked on his door said I was wanting to talk to you guys can you come by tomorrow?? And so of course we said yes.. but we tried to act cool about it ya feel? but turns out he went to church like thirty years ago for like 6 months but never got baptized and is like rearranging his whole schedule so he can go to church on sundays. 

Fabiano is coming along slowly but surely. We are just super homies with him... and we decided to tell him that his baptismal interview was this week even though we still arent even sure if he wants to get baptized or not.. but he has been an investigator for 15 years so all rules are off... hehe just kidding but pray for him because he is the only piece of the puzzle that is missing so that some day his family can get sealed in the temple. 

I hope everything is great at home... it sounds like there is a little bit of savagery when it comes to soccer. that is what I am talking about. 

Elder Holdstock