Week 28: Sobre Cambios are LOADS of fun!

Hello Family and Friends,

First off, thanks to everyone who sent me HAPPY news, I like happy news better! Thanks for the not so happy news as well, because I like to know what's going on, but the Happy news is definitely better! :) 

Frozen sounds like it was awesome with Carter! I saw a little of it on Christmas eve, the family we were sitting with was watching it on the computer and so I saw a little of it... like the first seen no more! I know I am a missionary, don't watch it, I only saw like 20 seconds, its on my list to watch when I get home! 

Wow, that is some crazy news with Elder Clark! I'm excited to see what happens with that, so keep me up with the updates and where is new call is to! That was kinda my guess, but I was guessing he had a call, not that he was going to receive a new one! 

ANOTHER new video?! Holy cow, I am gonna be so far behind on Temple Videos by the time I get home... Its like the technology never stops changing... ;) 

Its crazy that you share the experience of President Monson and listening, because this week? My Christ Like Attribute I am working on is Listening... Like how crazy is that? Way to Listen to the Spirit mom!! No but really though, I am working on Listening because Christ was the BEST listener, I listened to everyone, no matter what it was about, it was a true and intentful Listen. Now I am here and hopefully I can become better at listening! 

I taught Gospel Principals with Elder Vargas my Last week in Camino Real!! Woot! Good luck Dad! The Creation is Easy as Cake!! ;) Just read the manuscript from the NEW temple video...

Woot! Chip is still Alive!! I still have a puppy at home, I wasn't sure, so I had to find a new puppy while I was in Camino Real! ;) 

Bueno... Now that I have covered that.... I really don't even know where to start. How about with this? I am in a new area. You can put the second sticker up on the Map mom! I got called like an hour after the last time I emailed when I was super hungry and making mac and cheese, it was president... and he said that I was being changed. So here we go! I am now in one of the "Big Three" zones that I wanted to visit! I am now in the Sector of Ancud! It is on the Island of Chiloé! Which means in my sector there is Ocean.... Can I tell you HOW TRUNKY I GET WHEN I CAN SMELL IT?!?! Esp. with no mas Laguna.... :(((( But I LOVE it here! It is a Gigantic Sector! Camino Real from one side to the other was about 15-20 min max! Here is 15 minutes just to get to our sector because we live outside of our sector, and then its easily an hour or more from one side to the other! It is huge!!!! But I Love it! This sector has So much Potential!! There are lots of good things about it, and we are expecting Baptisms and PRONTO! 

Fun fact of the day, I was told I was gonna get Fat here! I believed it after the first meal, but then after the first meal we went in our sector to work, and all it is is a Mountain, so we have to walk up and down all day! There is NO way I am gonna get fat, but I will admit the food is SOOOO GOOD! :) 

The first night I got here the Zone leaders called and said that we were gonna have an inter cambio the next day! So they came the next day, and I went to Castro for a day! That was a load of fun as well! :) So with in two days I now have 2/3 of Chiloé! So that was a lot of fun! Zone Leaders here in Chiloé? Yeah... I LOVE em! 

Oh yeah, this also means I have a new comp! His name is Elder Hawkes and he is from Cache Valley! He is super great! He is the DL and we have 4 hermanas in our District! The only Hermanas in the Zone! But life really is great! I am loving it here! I don't know what more to cover, other than the fact my Spanish is Beast now! I obviously am not perfect, but three weeks in the Spanish world no mas does a killer on learning Spanish!! I can understand a lot more! And Elder Hawkes likes to talk in Spanish, so we are always talking in Spanish and not English! 

I really don't know what more to say, we have worked a ton! I put a lady with fetcha the other day! That was a cool lesson, because I was on divisions! Then there is this guy named Ruben, I remember his name, because I just think of Chris and then I can remember! But he always has Crazy questions! His wife is less active and he isn't a member but has been talking with the missionaries for years!! So we will see how that works out! My goal? To be the LAST Missionary he talks to as an investigator! :) 

I Love this Church, it makes more and more sense everyday! I always told myself, I would be good on the mission, then come home and just do whatever! But really? I am coming home to Live the Gospel, because I have NEVER in my life been happier than I am out here LIVING the Gospel! This really is the Life! :) I would never change it for anything! This Gospel is true! And it does Bring Happiness, not just a fake little hahaha but a TRUE Happiness, that you can have FFFFFFFFFFFFFFOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOORRRRRRRRRRRRRREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEVVVVVVVEEEEEEEEEEEEEERRRRRRRRRRRR.............. ect. :) 

I Love you guys, thank you for everything!! 

Elder Connor Gordon Holt

P.s. can you send me some gloves in the next package? Like the thin one layered Cotton ones? My hands FREEZE in the morning! Thanks you I Love you!! 

Anyways, I have a butt load of photos! So here we go! 

1. Familia Chaipul

2. Mamita y Papito

3. Hector y Felipe

                          4. Familia Sepulvida

5. Familia Delgado

6.Height Difference here in Chile with most people and me! ;)

7.Hermana Isabel, Cintia, y Laticia

8. Elder Menesses, Elder Jauregui, Elder Vargas e yo en la ultima mañana antes me voy.

                                 9. Ancud

10. Yeah... I am living the High Life! :) The View from the Church

                                                               11. I FOUND MURRAY!! 

Week 27: Yo Tengo una Dragona....

Hello Family and Friends,

How is everything back in the super Cold Salt Lake City?? Hope all is well, here in Osorno? Life is great all except one thing.... Yo Tengo una Dragona!!!! Ya, no bueno... But I will get to that part later...

Speaking of Uncle Robert I received their Christmas Card this past week, and "Good Things come in Orange Packages" Thanks Allyson and Jed for the Calendar! It is Super cool!! Already have a bunch of dates filled out on it! :) 

Oh yeah, I am in Heaven with all the Fruit right now, I am counting down the days for the Blackberries to be ripe, every now and then I will eat a green one, but they are SUUUUPPPEERRR Sour! :P But it wasn't Mamita Chaipul who gave us the Razzberries, the person who gave us Razzberries is named Isabel, she is a less active, and her two daughters are not members, but we have been working with them since Elder Walker was here! They are progressing finally, they came to church yesterday and have a baptismal date of Feb 8th, but I dunno if that is gonna be good, because I don't want to baptize them if they are just going to go inactive, so we need to keep working with them and getting a testimony for them, but it is hard, because there aren't much youth in our ward! But if we can start with them, we can get more! 

Yeah you will have to ask your classmate what sectors she served in and tell her I am in Camino Real, then I can talk to people here and see if they remember her! :) 

Package?? Ummm maybe a new shirt? Definitely a couple Garment tops would be awesome, and not positive on socks, I think I have some more in my suitcase that I haven't opened up yet. But Garment tops would be awesome! :) Past that I can't really think of anything that is SUPER important that I need! 

If you go to the concert at Murray today, tell everyone I say hello, Madrigals and I guess Mr. Scott as well... No but really though! :) I miss em all!! 

Okay, for this week! Its been an awesome one! I told you that it was all on Paciencia (patience) for my Christ  Like attribute, and it wasn't as hard as I thought, although there definitely were a couple times it got pretty tough, but in all I worked through the week, and thanked the lord for not having a companion like Elder Ruben, I dunno what I would do if I had someone like him! So far, all of my Companions have been super easy to get along with! 

So this past Friday we were walking back from Lunch, and this lady stopped us, she was walking also, and asked us to sit down at the bus stop and talk for a little bit, I have only seen her for the past 3 weeks, but apparently she has lived here for 8 years. Anyways she started off by asking me if I can speak spanish, I replied with "so so" and was thinking "oh great here I am, being Gringo and all, she is gonna want money I can just tell..." and then it started... She became a Dragon. Dragon is a term for people above the age of 30 who hit on you... As is Snake for 18 and up and worm for 17 and under, but yeah, she wanted us to come over and talk with her, she lives close to the family Chaipul and so we called up Carlitos and we went over there! Pretty much, long story short, she didn't listen when the latinos talked, but when I did... She was all for it, the lesson was horrible, there was no Spirit and we just wanted to get out of there. The next day, we went back and did some service with Papito Delgado for her and cut wood and what not, but the entire time we didn't feel the spirit (even outside) and wanted to get out of there. We found out by one of her neighbors she has Schizophrenia. The next day she was in the church for sacrament, as the sacrament was being passed around there was music coming from somewhere, and then the 1st counselor went over to her, and asked her to turn it off, it was coming from her cell phone. Then last night, when we were heading back to the house, she was in our Neighborhood, looking for our House! It was pretty crazy, so we played spies and snuck through the neighborhood which was kinda fun... She calls me Joseph because she asked what my name was when we were teaching the restoration and I thought she was talking about Joseph Smith, and so yeah... It just isn't a good situation at all! 

But yesterday we had Lunch with a member named Carlitos! He is 22 years old and wants to serve a Mission, he is always helping the missionaries in my Zone and us! It is super awesome! He is the only member in his house! :) So his mom made us Lunch, and we had an awesome lesson with them, one of their sons passed away a couple of years ago, and one of Elder Vargus's brothers passed away a couple years ago, so they connected super fast, and she said when they were talking about how they are in a better place "She felt cold and shivers" **Spirit** Super awesome!! They are super ready, we set up an appointment with them for this Friday! Super excited!! 

Then we had an Amazing Lesson on the Book of Mormon last night with some of my Favorite Investigators! They are a couple, who is not married, the woman has three daughters 15, 13, 9 and as a couple they have  a son who is 18 months. I realized yesterday that the man reminds me of uncle Daren, he looks just like him!! :) Anyways, we taught them the Restoration, plan of Salvation, and the Gospel of Jesus Christ in the past 2 months, and yesterday was the Book of Mormon, they understand most of it and its just awesome! We only read from the Introduction! But the Spirit WAS there! It was so cool! As we changed a couple words to apply it to them, the Spirit Testified! We changed a word "Man" to "Claudio" and after he got super emotional and said he had never felt this way before! It was so cool, I also testified and shared my experience when I was 15 and I ended up crying with the spirit, it was so cool to see how the Spirit works when its there! I Love this Feeling, and you know what? Dad this is where you come in, it was at that point, why I realized I am out here, I am out here to get people to feel the spirit and to know this church is true! Im not here to try and be the Best Missionary with the highest numbers, or to become an AP, or to speak the best Spanish, I am here to be a Servant of Jesus Christ, and bring people closer to him. 

I Love this church so much, and being out here for 6 months really has changed my thoughts on the church, life, and the life to come! I have gained a better knowledge of it all, and can't wait to share it with my kids one day, and hope they will follow my footsteps and be a missionary, and that we have a family that is as perfect as ours is! Thanks for everything you guys do for me! It Amazes me everyday how much you do, when I am out here living on my own! Not excited to get back to normal life and I REALLY have to fend for myself, but thank you! 

You Loving Missionary, friend, and Son.

Elder Connor Gordon Holt

1 and 2: When you lose a game like Hot Potato, you gotta do this weird pose thingy that really hurts by the end! 

3.  Yep, still taking Ring Fotos, Lovin the CTR

4. I want a Puppy. The end.

Week 26: You know your Spanish is better when you can joke with the Relief Society!

Hello Family and Friends,

First off one thing I need to address... Email Mom? Great way to end the email... I think Bad news should be stated first so I can be sad then happy, not the other way around!! ;)

But you were right, this past week was SUPER Long! I mean just imagine... I have no one to truly express myself to anymore, just three Latinos who always call me Trunky... (No I am NOT Always trunkie... They just think its funny to gang up on the Gringo...) Ha but I Love the guys! 

Yes, as my title says, Spanish is finally coming along! I can communicate with the members a whole lot better now! I am finally understanding and I can communicate myself back to others!! That always is good right?? :) 

The Chaipul family put up pictures of the Twins! Yeah they both got Mission Calls to Brazil! Sweet! One is going to the North of Brazil and the other to the South! They always come out with us on Divisions! They're gonna make great Missionaries! 

Mmmm Baptisms... What is that word?? We have three with Fetcha right now, Cintia, Laticia, and their friend Daniel, but Daniel isn't from our Sector. If they don't come to church this Sunday, they fall... :/ but they are super cool! They said they are planning on coming this next Sunday, so we are praying for them! Umm Giovanni, well funny Story... He is a member... Yeah, he was Baptized like 6 years ago, but he doesn't remember because that is right around when his sickness started! So now we are working with him to receive the priesthood! The other Jiovanni is kinda history, every time we go to their tienda they always say he is out, but as I watch in the back, I can see him move and hide... It is really funny actually! 

Although we have two investigators named Claudio and Amparo, they are super cool! They are a couple who have a son who is about 1.5 and Amparo has three daughters 16, 14, and 9 They are a really cool family! We had a lesson with them yesterday, but they had to cancel, but they are coming along really well!  I think with the next lesson they will have a baptism date! 

Yeah, I knew about Bronson, but not about the others! So that is super cool! I am waiting for the next person from Murray who is called to the Chile Osorno mission, so keep an eye out for that one! ;) 

Your Mission sounds super cool! I am super excited for you guys! Sounds like a crazy fun project! How long are you guys gonna be missionaries?? But I am with Brandon, No sympathy from Chile either... ;) Sounds like you guys will be having a lot of fun though!! 

Tell Grandpa hello and thanks for the Christmas card! I received his card this past week, and I will be sending him a letter soon! :) 

Still super Crazy news about Uncle Bruce... I will be praying for him as well! But that will be super good of them to serve Missions as well! :) 

Okay... this week! So this week, was my first week with my Latino Companion Elder Vargas! This guys is super cool! He is about 6 months older than Brandon, but he is super awesome! He has got a Crazy awesome Testimony, and he is Strait with the Rules, so no crazy partying this Transfer... ;) Its funny its gotten more strict with every companion, we'll see how it is next Cambio! But I have Lots of Respect for him because there are times I forget he has only been a Member for 2 years because it sure doesn't seem like that at all! 

This Cambio I am focusing on Developing Christ like Attributes, so last week I was working on Prayers, and its funny, for some reason it was super hard to focus all week when I was praying! This week I am focusing on Patience, and today (day 1) My patience has been Tested several times! Its gonna be a long week... But I am super excited! :)

This past week,  I have adjusted more to the teaching ways of Elder Vargus, we do a lot more service! We have done Service almost everyday this past week for members, and less tracting in the streets! So its a lot different, but I Like it! :) We spent two days picking cherries, the Relief Society spent two days bottling! It was a lot of fun! It showed me that I want a Cherry Tree one day! I Love both Red and Black Cherries!! :)) Then with Mamita we painted her fence and then the next day it didn't stick, so we have to paint it again this week... We also help move Papitos car! 4 of us, me Elder Vargas, Papito, and his son! It was crazy because this car is bigger than me laying down outstretched twice! (Look at the Picture) 

Speaking of Fruit, Cintia and Laticia's Mom is a menas Activa and she works with Fruit, she gave us a BUNCH of Cherries and Raspberries!! and we live next to HUGE bushes of Blackberries that will be ready soon ready for EATING!!! :DDDD 

Anyways it really has been a Super awesome week! Ummm to explain the lake last week, our Ward apparently goes every year! So they asked permission for us two days before from President, and he said yes. So we went, we got excited thinking Sweet! Two p-days! But of course the night before, they told us, it was our Pday... So that was a bummer cause I knew I wouldn't have a letter from you guys for two week, so that made for a super long week! But it was a lot of fun!! We picnicked and the ward swam and we took pictures and it was a lot of fun!! 

Anyways, I Love you all, and am excited to hear from you about your new calls, BTW (for mom: By The Way) pictures: Send as Attachments so I can print them out, if you just send them in the email, I can't do that, have one of my Loving Siblings teach you if you need it.

Hope you all have an Amazing week! 

Love,

Elder Connor Gordon Holt

1. More Artistic Photo

2. Raspberry Season! Free Raspberries are the BEST!

3. Papito's Auto, he restores cars, and this is a Beautiful 1958 Ford

4. Caresa Negras

5. Height difference, (Notice the chairs, I'm on a Primary Chair...) 

6. Its a Clear HOT day today, so we took pictures of the Volcano before coming to write! :) 

Week 25:el ano de 2014!

Hello everyone! 

I know this is weird to have me writing on a Saturday... It is super new for me as well! Usually we write on Monday and what not! But since we are on a trip right now with the ward! We are going home in awhile, but when we get back we won't have time to write, and so I am using the computer of the Chaipul's! 

Right now I am sitting on a pier over a Lake, by the Beach, there is a DJ on my right and lots of people out swimming. It has been cold and cloudy ALL morning, but after Lunch about an hour ago, the sun decided to come out! There is apparently a Volcano on the other side of the lake, but I haven't been able to see it yet! So we will see if it is actually there or not! 

Its kinda funny about this trip. We got told two days ago we could go. When the Bishops daughter left for her mission on Wednesday, they saw President at the Airport picking up the new group of Latinos and so he asked President if we could come with the ward on this trip and we got permission! It has been super awesome! Now that the sun is out and we have to go home soon, is kinda a bummer but I hope I can get a picture of the Volcano before we leave! Hopefully the clouds will leave!! 

So this past week has been Crazy!! It was New years, and so obviously we gotta welcome 2014 with something Crazy! Since I was in bed at 11:40 and nothing happened that night, I had the chance to start this new year in a house of 3 Latinos and my Companion being Latino! Elder Vargas is from Peru and is 24 years old, he has a little over a year, and has been a member of the church for 2 years! How crazy is that, a year after his Baptism he went out on a Mission, I have lots of Respect for him! 

Although it is tough to have to always be speaking Spanish, I like it so much more because my Spanish is getting much better! I Love it! People keep telling me they can already see a difference in my Spanish, which is good cause I sure can't! 

No crazy Lessons this past week, although yesterday we met this really cool guy, when we contacted him, he said his day was bad, and so we talked to him more, and he said he wanted to come to church, so we invited him, and he lives in our sector! So possibly we have a Baptism there, because he also is bringing his family with him!! So I will be able to tell you next week what happened with that! :) 

I don't have much time with this letter, because we are leaving soon and the Delgado Family wants me to take pictures of them here before we go, so I will take a few photos of them! 

Sorry its a lame email this past week! But here are some pictures as well! All from the trip today, if we get one of the volcano I will send one next week! 

1. My Comp Elder Vargas and I at the Lake

2. I decided since I have my Speedo here, whenever I can't swim, I am just going to start taking a picture with my Speedo and the water that I CAN'T swim in...

3. This is part of the Gorgeous Lake!