Monday, December 22, 2014

Week 75: I'm Dreaming of a WHITE Christmas

Well shoot.... Week 75?? Like does that mean I am 3/4 of the way through my Mission or what?!?! Wow... I dunno what to even think about that. A Crazier thought?? How many days I have left... But we'll get to that a little later on!! :)

How are all you guys?? Trunky for Christmas?? I sure wasn´t.... Until Friday!! but yes, you can now say that I am SUPER stoked to talk with all of you guys on Thursday!! All though, it STILL doesn't feel like Christmas... Even if it is my second one out here, there still is no snow... Man...

Anyways with calling on Christmas, What do you guys think about calling like around... hmmmm like 9 oclock?? That is about 1 here, and my companion wants to talk to his family at the same time there in Cali!! 

Anyways now to talk about our Crazy week of Singing??

Yeah lets see, every single day we were singing! It was super fun! I Loved it, but we sure didn't feel like Missionaries!! If you want to hear one of my songs, you can go search for Bruce or Jill Beecroft on Facebook, they are one of the couple missionaries and they filmed my song last night with 7 other people, so that was lots of fun!! 

Before all of that, it was super scary last Monday night, when we got a call from the AP's saying, "Hey we are gonna have an Intercambio on Wednesday..." Crap... was all that went through my mind, that has never happened my entire mission!! But when they came it was awesome!! We had an Awesome intercambio for like 3 hours to work a tun in our sector and try and find some new people, without much success... But it was awesome!! I was with Elder Kevesdy!! Awesome Elder!! Sings like a Boss!! 

Then on Friday before our concert, we had a Christmas Devo with Pres. Obeso the Missionaires from Rahue and Osorno!! It was super awesome, and we got a dinner as well!! super Yummy, and super Spiritual!! He told us that we should go sing to less actives on Christmas, so I think we will be doing that!! :)

We performed on Friday night, in the plaza de Osorno!! So that was lots of fun!! We sang all of our songs, one of my favorites?? Carol of the Bells, oh man that one was SO much fun! Then we did this crazy song called "Hallelujah" which was part of the Messiah... Yeah it was crazy for a choir of a bunch of people who haven't sung before, but last night it turned out AMAZING!! 

Then we were told that on Saturday last week we would have to not go to our ward Christmas parties, since like every single ward had theirs that day, and to be going to Rio Negro to go sing!! I was super stoked!! Then I was told I wouldn't be able to go.. I was super bummed, so I asked the APs when we were with them, and they said sure, and so the ZLs called me and said that I could go, and so I was super stoked, then they called me like an hour later on Thursday night saying that I couldn't go... Which was a bummer, so I didn't end up going.... I had to stay with an office elder that didn't sing, and we worked in the office which was fun, but I now know I REALLY don't want to be an office elder hahahaha unless I am called to be one, but yeah, much better to be out roaming around!! 

Then yesterday since we didn't got to the ward place on Saturday the 4 of us in Ovejeria had to have a Special number in sacrament "Oh darn..." I wasn't too upset, we sang "Angels we have heard on high" it was super good as well! :) then we had our last concert there in our Stake Devo! It was super awesome and super spiritual!! We sang more songs than on Friday and it was awesome!! That's where if you go look up the Beecrofts you will find our songs!!

Tomorrow we have our last concert!! With like 20 Evangelicos who live next to us, our 1st councilor signed us up!! So we will see how that has to go down!! Ha!! 

SO yeah, like really?? "Sing Sing Sing" like I said last week, but we won't have a total normal week, until the week after New Years ha! So we'll see how things go down!! 

Anyways, I Love you guys all so much!! Please thank Grandpa and Uncle Mike and Aunt Cathy for the Money!! It helped me today!! :) I can't wait to see you guys on Thursday!! You guys should also record their talks and the talk of Spence!! That would be super cool!! 

Thank you for everything that you do, and all your prayers!! 

Trying to make you proud, 

Elder Connor Holt

PS
Oh yeah and thought you would like this... 
190 days left.... 
I am starting Senior year here in 10 days and I will be getting out for summer next June! Crazy.... Looks like Mrs. Sorenson is gonna have to deal with me for another 180 days!! ;)


 Elder Lillo and I in Entre Lagos


Solo tengo 4 mas...

Our kitty friend

#ShareTheGift that God has given you as well


 last week after emailing we found this "steal man" So I paid him 200 pesos and he came to life and moved and then took a picture!! It was lots of fun!! :)


Obviously I've gained some sort of weight here on the Mission if two hermanas can't pull me up!! ;)


The other Picture of the competition for last week

MY FAVS FROM CAMINO REAL!  :)

Look the Chileans have grown in a year! ;)

Elder Kevesdy and I in front of the only Christmas house here!


Teeter-Totter fun with the Missionaries of Ovejeria!! 





Thursday, December 18, 2014

Week 74: Sing Sing Sing (Can't wait to hear that song...)

Hey todos!! Como Estan??
This week has been pretty crazy!! Well, yes and no. Ha! Like hmmmm where to start??
On Tuesday I had the chance to go to on an intercambio with Elder Lillo de Santiago in Entre Lagos!! So that was lots of fun, I had the chance to show him around, and to give him a bunch of people to pass by and now they are having cualquier Exito!! It was lots of fun, because it was like a party for me at the same time!! Everyone who saw me was super excited and were like "ITS BEEN SO LONG!!!" hahah okay.... 6 days.... ha but hey I was Happy to see them all again!! It felt like I had never left!! So that was lots of fun!!
Ummm on Friday we had a Mission Doctor come to the mission. He is in Santiago I think, but it was kinda a surprise Mission Conference, and so it was lots of fun! There were only 3 zones here in Osorno with him and Pres. Obeso, but all the others got to watch by Skype! Ha so that was a whole bunch of fun!! We got some good things from the talk he gave us!!
Really shoot... I dunno, its been a long week of walking... Ha we have contacted a bunch of people this week, and with every cita we set up, every single one fell through... We figured it was "Murphys law" last night, because the Members here are AMAZING! Since we have awesome members, no podemos tener Investigadores.... Where as in other sectores if we have investigators, the members don't really want to help... Ha so yeah its fun.
This week, we  found out during our estudios de compañerismo that we have a little friend! The Neighbors had a kitty, and when i tried to scare it by hitting the window it just wanted to come and say hi, so as I opened the window it jumped in and ran in our house, and it has come in like 5 times now, so we have to keep throwing it out hahaha but its fun!
Then we have had 2 three hour choir practices for our songs this past weekend. Wow, I thought I ended Madrigals in 2013, but looks like I am in Madrigals for Christmas of 2014 here in Chile, we are in 3 Choirs... We are gonna be singing at a park with a few members here on Fridayat 3 in the afternoon and the Misioneras, and then we are gonna be singing on Friday at 8 at night, downtown in Osorno in front of everyone! Then on Saturday we should be going to the Ward Christmas Devo, but last night the ZLs told us Presidente Obeso wants us to go with our Zone and Rahue to go sing in Rio Negro, and then on Sunday night we are going to be singing at the Stake Christmas Devo.... Yeah, we are going to be practicing everyday, when we are done here we are going to go practice our song with the hermanas, because now that we aren't singing in the ward Devo, we are going to be doing a special number in sacrament I think on Sunday!
Really though, that is the week, and next weeks email will probably be shorter, with how much singing we are gonna be doing this week...
Oh yeah! And our photo competition?? Well the hermanas cheated, they somehow took our idea, hahah like we practically took the exact same photo, I will send their foto next week, because they didn't send it to me today... :/ So yeah!! It was fun though, so we have another week to see who is gonna win!!! 

Although, I forgot to mention Elder Jeppson and I have gone Christmas Caroling! So that has been fun, because we have gotten some weird looks!! But those who have let us sing have been super awesome! But we haven't had the chance to go back to any of them yet, we'll see if it was truly successful this week, as we try and go back for our citas!!
But that is about it here in Osorno, do you guys have plans yet for Skyping?? We will find somewhere to do it this week, but you guys gotta give me the time you want to do it! Since last year for number 1 it was super early, and for number 2 it was late, so you guys tell me what when where why how and all that fun stuff!!
I Love you guys so much and I pray for you every single day!! See you in 10!
trying to make you proud,

Elder Connor Holt

Wednesday, December 10, 2014

Week 73: #ShareTheMessage

Hey All Ya'lls who are reading this right now!! 

Wow, what a crazy week!! Its a lot to talk about! I can tell you that!! 

Where to start?? First off, Shoot! You guys are gonna actually change the Basement?!? Holy shoot... Crazy!! Didn't ever think that was gonna happen! ;) The toilet isn't gonna move anymore either?? Hmmm  didn't remember it moving... But shoota, you guys are changing the whole house there! Watch out, you are gonna be changing the kitchen again, and soon your Bedroom again! ;) 

Now lets see, I know exactly how you guys felt when you said goodbye to me and watched me leave the airport... I had to say goodbye to my Amazing Companion Elder Rich, that was super hard... I can't Lie. I Love the kid! We are definitely gonna be the Best of Friends when we both get home!! Its funny, because it was just like what happened exactly a year ago, when I watched not my "Son" go but when I watched my "Papa" go on the bus from Osorno hahaha! 

Presidente Obeso called us on Tuesday before he went to answer my question. I asked him in my email last week "Why are we both being transferred out if we both just got here?" He called us to answer that, my biggest fear was he thought we had done something wrong... But he answered my fear and said we weren't chuecos and that I was being change to Ovejeria with my new Companion, because my new companion can play the violin really well, and because he heard that I could sing really well, and that they are gonna have a Christmas Choir that performs here real soon!! We got to practice last night, and oh man how good it felt to be singing again! I have missed it SOOOOOOOOOOO Much!! 

Before we said goodbye, we said goodbye to all the members of Entre Lagos, which was very hard, because we became really good friends with them in just 5 weeks, and its hard to see that, because I felt like no one would really care that we were leaving, but there were quite a few people there that weren't happy we both left after such a short time... :/ Members and non members. Oh well, I am lucky to be the District Leader (Yes, Mom. Once you are called to the position of a Leader in the Mission, you will always be at least at that level, unless you are a rule breaker, then you will be dropped) and so I will be going on a Intercambio tomorrow with the elders from Entre Lagos to go help them out there, and Elder Hettinger will come back to Ovejeria to help my companion here!! 

Oh yeah, I have a new companion! Elder Jeppson is super cool! He is from California! Somewhere close to San Fransico! Mas que Eso??? No se. But he is super cool! Super quiet as well! But you guys will have the chance to talk with him on Christmas!! He is pretty new here in the Mission, he has about 6 months, and this is only his second sector, but his spanish is super good!! 

Its been so awesome to come here to Ovejeria, because we have had so many members welcome us so warmly here! It is such a nice ward! Yeah, you heard it right! A Ward!! I haven't been in a ward since Camino Real!! Speaking of Camino Real, they are just on the other side of the River!! So maybe for one of these next Pdays we will go visit up there!! Since we don't have to take a bus to central, (You have no idea how excited I am to live close to central, we just walk into central its AWESOME!! I have taken buses since Los Muermos, so like for 6 months, but now we can just WALK!!!)

Something that was super cool?? Saturday night we were out contacting!! We stopped by a mom and a son who had walked passed us as we were contacting someone else, and they knew we were looking for a street, and so they told us where it was, then started to ask questions!! Well, to make a long story short?? It was super awesome to talk with them, why? Well near the end of teaching and answering questions, the mom told us that she was thinking about preparing her son for Baptism ... "Light Bulb..." Yeah that sure came to my head, as I got the impression to tell them our purpose, and invite her son who has 11 years to be baptized right there in the street!! She was super excited and they both said yes!! So we have 3 days in the sector and already have someone with fetcha! Now we will have to see if we can catch them this week, to start teaching them everything! 

Oh yeah, and ummm that Christmas Devotional last night?! So Super Awesome No?? I got super trunkie seeing the Conference Center all Decked out Christmasy and what not, but the Spirit was SOOOO Strong!!! Wow I am just so excited for Christmas!! I Love it so much!!! :) See you in just 17 days!!! :) Everyone of my friends have been talking about this new Christmas video as well, but we are working with a new Christmas Program here in the Mission, there is a new Christmas video that is out, and you all should look it up!!Christmas.Mormon.org Super Amazing!!! Then you all should print out the Paper as well, and send me the picture that you are gonna take!! Since my companion and I are in a competion with the sisters who are also here in Ovejeria on who can take the best picture before this next Sunday, than our Bishop is gonna Judge it!! :) #ShareTheMessage

Oh yeah, and the member who added you, Lorena?? She is our Mamita, and told me yesterday she is just gonna be throwin pictures on Facebook, so watch out! ;) 

I Love you all so much! Thankyou so much for your Love and Prayers and everything that you all do for me!! It means so much!! Really though, go #ShareTheMessage

Trying to Make you Proud,

Elder Connor Holt


Veronica and her Brother these are the guys that we did lots of service for here in Entre Lagos


The "Big and Scary" Gustavo

Presidente y Mamita Martinez 
 Marcelo (Menas Activo super Awesome)


Familia Santana!! The Parents of a family in Camino Real


Anita! She is the member we lived with! 

Elder Rich and I part Ways...

Elder Juaregui and Elder Vargas go home :((

 I FOUND FAMILIA CHAIPUL :D

Elder Walker came and stayed the night at our new house! :)


Barbique with Papito Delgado

#ShareTheMessage

Monday, December 1, 2014

Week 72: I AM wait... WAS gonna be Famous!



Hola Familia, 

Como estan todos?! Espero que todo esta bien allá en Utah! Solo hay 24 días hasta la Navidad y yo puedo verles! Yo se que Mamá esta super animada! No se pre culpe mamá, yo tambien! 

How are all of you guys?!? Me? I am just great thank you very much!! Life is just dandy here in Osorno this fine afternoon, no hay lluvia (Rain) and so life is just great!! Maybe if we are lucky this week, it will stop raining and we can start summer, since December should be like June there in Utah! 

Wow, well lets see, what has happened this past week?? 

We can start with my intercambio with Elder Keetch! I am actually sitting next to him right this second as I am writing this! We had an Intercambio there in Entre Lagos which was super sweet!! It was lots of fun! We taught a bunch and did a bunch of service (Like Always) we went and served Veronica, and no worries, I have a picture of how much wood we have cut and stacked there!! Then we had the chance to go to this place where the hermanas were being filmed on TV! They were being interviewed and then tonight they are going to be teaching on thier own television show! If you guys want to watch it, you have to look up "de todo en poco en puyehue" on youtube and its episode 17 and they talked about us elderes behind the cameras a little!! It was gonna be super sweet!! Elder Rich and I were asked to be interviewed this week!! So we were gonna do that, but we will get on to that a little later here in the email.

On Thanksgiving Elder Rich made me some quite wonderful German Pancakes! Oh my gosh did we eat them so fast, because they were just so dang yummy!!! Then the day after he made a super good Kuchen!! Its a good thing he likes to cook, because while I am doing my DL stuff, he can cook, then I can eat! Oh man, I Love it! The kid is super awesome!! :)

Then this past week we had a competition with our district, on contacting!! During the week, Elder Rich and I were losing on Wednesday, in 3rd on Friday, and then last night we won by 2 contacts!! That is because on Saturday night we went and played some basketball and contacted a bunch of people, but there was the coolest thing that happened!! When we got to the gym I saw this kid with a purple shirt, and I noticed a picture on the back that looked VERY familiar!! So I looked and investigated a little closer, and then I realized what it was and was like "No way................." So I ran up to him and was like "Espere Espere Espere Necesito ver su camisa!!" And so he stopped so I could look at his shirt, and he had a shirt of the Salt Lake Temple!! IT was so cool, so I definitely got like 10 contacts with this guy, because later on I asked for a picture, then they all asked what it was, so I showed them the picture I took of it Last year before I left!! It was soooo cool!! :) I mean here all the way in Entre Lagos... He bought this shirt! The best part?? It was for the Stake Girls camp, so when we told him that all of his friends started to laugh, it was super funny!!! 

Now here is the reason that I WAS gonna be famous... Well, this morning I had to call the ZLs again for some number stuff from last night, and then asked if we wanted Cambio info. Elder Rich and I figured we were gonna be companions here for another cambio because we just barley, got here, and we were super excited!! But were we wrong. Both of us are being transferred... Elder Rich is going to Puerto Varas which is a "Rich" part of our Mission! Hahaha funny I know. Then I am just being transferred to Ovejeria which is in my District. But here is the bad part. The kid who was there is coming here to Entre Lagos with a new comp and so they will be White Washing it again, and then I will be with a new comp there in Ovejeria! I am gonna be there with Elder Jepson. So I am gonna be White Washing again... (Both of us are new to the sector, so we start with nothing...) Oh well its just a new challenge I guess, right?

I cannot even begin to describe where the past 12 weeks have gone... I mean, I remember vividly when Presidente Obeso me llamo para decir que I was gonna be a trainer!! It was super sweet and I was so dang happy!! It was gonna be so dang cool!! Then Elder Rich came, and I realized my new companion was so dang cool!! We had so many good times there in Río Negro, then we had a Sober Cambio here to Entre Lagos, and we have to become so close! Definitely is my Favorite Comp. here in the Mission, from how close we are!! We are definitely Best Friends, and this Friendship is going to last LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONG after the Mission as well!! :) seriously. Love the Kid! 

Anyways, that is the news really from this week, so I will be writing you this next week from Ovejeria!! Which is gonna be super sweet!! Its just on the other side of the River from Camino Real, so maybe I will have the chance to go visit on a Pday now that I won't have to take a bus to get to my sector! (Few... What a relief, I have had to do that for the past 6 months)

Anyways, thank you for all of the prayers, and emails, and Love you guys give me!! I am so dang happy out here! I Love you guys so much, and I pray for you so much, I hope you can see the blessings!! 

Trying to make you Proud,

Elder Connor Holt
The TV show, (They talked about us behind the Camera, it was funny)


This is the wood we have cut for Veronica Delgado, this is 5 metros de leña and last night we even did more!! So we killed it!! It was super fun!! 

Thanksgiving German Pancakes


The Hermanas made cake for the relief society and the presidentes wife is our Mamita, and so she gave some to us, and it was super Rico! She gave me more than the presidente and he wasn't to happy! ;)

The Temple Shirt!