March 3rd

We had an awesome experience this week. Elder Katschke and I did all that we could this week in our sector (we only had 2 days because of all the travels). We worked really hard and planned to have at least 2 people who we are teaching in church. We committed them to go, we made arrangements to pick them up the day of and the first counseler was going to pick one family up in his car. We visited them the night before and re-committed them to go and we began to fast for them. Well, Sunday morning arrived and we called them all. The family didn´t answer (because the didn´t wake up) and another guy we are teaching answered to tell us that he had gone to his sister´s house and couldn´t go. Needless to say, we arrived at church feeling a little down. But, something amazing happend during the second hour. We were sitting in the classroom, waiting for the second our to start, when one of the sister missionaries came in with someone we had never seen before. He sat down next to us and Hermana Rosdahl, the sister missionary, told us that this man (named Luis) had come in off the street, not having talked to any missionary or member, and told them that he wanted to be baptized right then and there. In the class, Luis talked about how he felt the weight of the sins he had committed and how the only thing he wanted to do was to be baptized. I know that the atonement of Jesus Christ has the power to clean us of all sin. I know that it is the only way that we can be clean and start over new. I know that that man felt the Spirit, which testified to his soul that this things are true. We later found out that he lives within the boundaries of another ward. The missionaries in the other ward are incredible. They have worked so hard recently, but haven`t seen much success. Yesterday, God worked a miracle because of the work they had been doing. I know that God is a God of miracles. I know that He always has been and that He always will be. I know that as we do our part, He does His. That is a promise, and the Lord has never failed to keep His promises, and He won´t start now. Maybe we didn´t see that miracle in our ward, but we saw it. I know that God wanted to show my companion and I that, as we continue to work, so will He. 

Elder Reynolds

Week 71

This week, we worked in Temuco, Carahue, Pitrufquén, and Freire. We saw miracles in every sector, but I want to tell you about some things that happened in Carahue. I was working with Elder Clay and Elder Tanke. They had been struggling to talk with people, so we started the day with the goal to talk to everyone! Well, we started talking with a lot of people and after a couple of hours, we talked to a lady in the street named Silvia. We asked her if we could share something and she said she was close to home, so we went in and taught her about the Gospel of Jesus Christ. She said that she has a friend that is a member of the church. That friend, Elder Clay later told me, is the wife of the branch president haha. After teaching her about the gospel, we invited her to be baptized and she accepted. She is amazing and is so desirous to learn about what the Lord has planned for her. After that, we taught a couple other lessons and continued to talk with everyone. At 9:30pm, it got really cold, but we kept knocking doors. Just before we had to go home, we knocked one last door. A woman answered the door and told us to come in immediately. We went inside and she was there with her daughter. We began to share with them and, after a few minutes, we invited them to be baptized. Without thinking about it for second, they said yes. This woman had listened to the missionaries in Vilcún and loved it, but had not talked to missionaries since. We just so happened to pass by that day when she needed to hear our message. I know that as we share the gospel with the Lord´s children, He blesses us and leads us to those who need it most. He loves each and every one of us and has a perfect plan. As we trust in Him, and as we are diligent in this work, He will work miracles in our lives. I know that God lives, that Christ is our Savior, that the Plan of Salvation is real, and I know that  I can put my trust in my God and that He will deliver me and never fail me. What we teach is true. I have no doubt. I have seen and experienced too much to doubt it. A fullness of joy is only found in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Elder Reynolds

Week 70

Week 69

This was a very eventful week! Obviously it was New Year´s, so it wasn´t a normal week. For New Year´s, my companions and I played soccer in the office and then we watched fireworks from our apartment building. The following day, we had a zone activity, where we had tacos, horchata, and we played a ton of sports. I got really sunburned, but it was a ton of fun. A week ago, a lady approached us in the street and asked us to teach her... which never happens... ever. SO, we went by her yesterday and she told us about how she has a boyfriend who served a mission, who lives in Antafogasta (in northern Chile). She loves church and everything about it, but her parents are against it. She has to meet with us in secret. She has really strong desires to follow the gospel, but is afraid of how her parents will react. We shared Alma 36 with her. I love that chapter because Alma tells his son about all that he experienced as a result of following Christ. He lost many things. He was even run out of his hometown. But, he shares his testimony that, those who put their confidence in the Lord will always be delivered out of their trials and difficulties. I know that is true. Christ suffered all things and overcame all things. As we put our trust in Him, there is nothing that can stop us. I have felt His love and His power in my life. I shared my testimony with her that she will be capable of following the Lord as she puts her trust in Him. I have no doubt about that. The Lord has always and will always fulfill His promises, and He has promised us the company of His Angels to overcome the trials of our lives. May we always be willing to accept that help. I´m grateful for the gospel. I´m grateful for my God and His Son Jesus Christ. I´m thankful for my family. I´m thankful for this brand new year that I have to become better and to live the gospel. I invite everyone to strive to put God first this year. As you do, I know that you will be given all that you need to overcome your specific challenges and you will enjoy the constant companionship of the Spirit of God, which is the ONLY thing that can fill us with an everlasting joy.

Week 68

My companions and I have been teaching a woman named Vanessa for 3 months now. She has been to church 4 times and has a testimony of the gospel, but fears the reaction of her family if she is baptized. She has also said that she wants to be absolutely sure before being baptized. Well, this week, on Wednesday, we visited her. We decided to teach her about revelation. Halfway through the lesson, we started talking about what faith is. We shared the scripture from Ether that says that faith isn´t a perfect knowledge. By the time we finished, the Spirit was really strong and the thought came into my mind to invite her to be baptized on Friday of this week. She left for Puerto Montt yesterday (Friday). So, I invited her to be baptized on Friday. She looked at me and said "in two days?" I said "yes." Immediately, she began to cry and said "yes." Yesterday, she was baptized and received a remission of her sins. She is now a member of the church. We later found out that her parents, when they found out, threatened to disown her. She still chose to be baptized. That was one of the greatest experiences of my mission. She went into that lesson not understand what faith was and went home last night having put what she learned about faith in practice. She is a great example for me and I am so grateful for what she has taught me.

Week 67

This was a great week! We did a lot of traveling, again. We went to the south. We went to Victoria, my old sector, and I did the interview for a woman I was teaching. Her name is Rosemary and she will be getting baptized this Saturday! I also visited another family I was teaching and Joaquin, the oldest son, will be getting baptized in two weeks! I´m so grateful that they´ve been able to progress! Also, an investigator of mine from Labranza is getting baptized today! After Victoria, we went to Loncoche, which is the sector furthest to the south. There isn´t much there. It´s super pretty and really green, but there isn´t much more than houses and a milk farm haha. I enjoyed it, though. We finished off in Temuco. Yesterday morning, we headed back and at 7pm, Vanessa Alejandra Silva Degen was baptized! It was the most well-supported and well put together baptismal service that I´ve been to on my mission. The ward mission leader did everything! We are so happy to have had a baptism. The assistants haven´t baptized in years and it´s so great to play a role in that. It looks like we will be bring in at least one more assistant this coming week, but all the details aren´t set. Happy birthday to my dad! He has always been an amazing example for me and continues to be everyday. I am forever grateful for everything that he has done for me and eternally grateful that Heavenly Father has blessed me with such a great dad. I love you, Dad! I know I´m a day late, but I hope that you had a wonderful birthday. I won´t miss the next one! We went to Lota today and went to a national park there. It was beautiful! Have a wonderful week, everyone!

Elder Reynolds

Week 66