Some Things Never Change

So this week finally came to an end. My last Christmas in Chile was a good one, from sharing messages and Chilean foods with the amazing people here, I would have it no other way. This upcoming week will be another week of fiestas for new years eve, maybe it will be a little more exciting that last year haha, but either way it will be enjoyable.

This week I want to share a little message on settting goals. Off of the talk which I loved  called Some Thoughts on Goal-Setting by ELDER DEAN L. LARSEN, I would like to put emphasis in this part of the talk: 

Following her release from the hospital, this sister deeply felt the need to spend some private time with her scriptures and in prayerful quest for understanding. She reported that on a day at the close of the month she was at home alone, particularly impressed and inspired by some part ofthe scriptures she had been reading. A sweet spirit of peace and consolation rested upon her, and she felt a closeness to the Lord and the reality of his love in a way she had never experienced before.

She was absorbed in this experience when the telephone rang. She reluctantly answered. On this occasion the call was to solicit a time during the day when an official Relief Society visit could be made to present the lesson for the month. When the sister asked to forego the lesson in view of the fact that the visiting teachers had already been in her home several times during the month, and more especially because she did not wish to have her refreshing interlude with the scriptures interrupted, she was reminded that this was the last day of the month. On the earlier visits the official lesson for the month had not been presented. Therefore, the visits could not be counted.

Reluctantly, the sister left her scriptures and cleaned her house inpreparation for the visit of the visiting teachers. The spirit of the morningwas lost and was replaced by a feeling of resentment and hurt. The visiting teachers’ perfect record remained intact—but at what cost?

As humans sometimes we lose track of ourselves in the numbers game, who can have higher numbers. And sometimes even as missionaries we find ourselves in this trap. We look at the numbers of other missionaries to rate ourselves. Or sometimes, we only think about getting that last number, and forget about things that may be more important.. I believe if we all had the attitude and goal to always strive for the admiration of the Lord, and not of men, including numbers, records, peer reviews, whatever the reason, if it is not Godly it is not worthy. I am grateful for all of my family and friends. 

I hope you all have a great New Years, eat a lot of meat, as the Chileans say. Love you all!

Elder Siaosi

Everybody is Coming HOME

Hey everybody! Again another crazy busy week, just trying to keep it real! I do not have very much time, hardly any time at all now that they cut our hour down, but just wanted to share a little about our how we are. Healthwise, all super good. Emotionaly great as well. And spiritually high as we should be, all out superb! This week we focussed on the consecration. I love the message by Faust, The pathway to Freedom: Obedience! My favorite part out of it all. IS the quote by McKay to the missionaries. “It is better to be trusted than to be loved. We try hard to earn the trust of the people, as all people do in this life. And sometimes we are not loved for it. Sometime we get mocked, harassed, all sorts of things. But it is the life of the missionary right. We love it. It is our calling. And from it we create relationships with the people. I mean, sometimes I stop and think how strange it is!

Well before I get cut out I got to go!

Love you all

Elder Siaosi!

All the lights

Hey everyone! Not a very long letter today, it is a holiday for the Chileans and that means all the Internet Places are closed. just wanted to send a little something to say that I am thinking of you all! Love it here in the Pradera!

Elder Siaosi

PORFIN!!!

Nothing sounds better, than the sounds of running waters in the Church.

It was such a good week, filled with lessons, great contacts, baptisms, American food, sweet 70 degree weather, it is the life here in La Pradera, Chiguayante.

So many wonderful experiences, First of all I want to share an expereince that we had early in the week. On Tuesday, there we were late at night talking with people until it was time for us to return home. It was still light out, the sun goes down at about 9, and it is still light out till about 10, so it isnt too late out right. Well we walked past a few of these punk looking kids with their snap backs, smoking, with a bottle of beer on the ground as they sat on a bench, and they called us over. We went over, and they asked us, what do you guys even do all day. Ha, well after 5 or 7 minuted we had taught them a little about Jesus, the straght and narrow path, and our destinies. Well it was one of the more interesting moments this wek as well. Two of the guys just laughed. One of them just sat there staring at the floor not saying anything, Well we just started to walk away since we figured they just wanted to mess with us because they were bored. As we started walking away, the one boy who was looking at the ground got up, threw his cig away and left his beer and started to follow us. Well in short we visited him then and there, he lived close and he told us about how his father was alcoholic and he did not want to end up like him. We shared a little about the atonement, and we are going to visit him again tomorrow.

Another great experience that we had was with one of the less actives that we have. I will share that one later because now it is time to go!

BAPTISMS THIS WEEK TOO!

Great quote that I got from another missionary! 

"You can count the number of seeds in an apple but not the number of apples in a seed."

Love you all,

Elder Siaosi!

The baptism of Family Pinchiera, Andres, Olga, Marcos, and Pablo.

Selfie

Some peeps from the Baptism service